Quite A Feat, When There's No Official Crime And Never Will Be

At least five victims of the former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed have been confirmed by the Home Office as victims of human trafficking.

Does the word ‘official’ mean nothing any more? 

A group of survivors of abuse by the deceased businessman had called for the Metropolitan police to make trafficking the main focus of its investigation, arguing that Fayed could not have committed his offences without a steady stream of women sent to him by associates.

What offences are those?  He’s never been convicted of any, and never will be!

The women were victims of international and domestic trafficking, and one survivor told the Press Association (PA) they were recruited to a false role within Harrods. Two further victims were hired for a legitimate role and then selected from the shop floor for abuse.

’Alleged’ abuse. 

Officers are looking into who may have facilitated Fayed’s crimes, in an investigation known as Operation Cornpoppy. Four people have been questioned to date, 21 months after the investigation opened.

One survivor, known as Justine, told PA she felt “shellshocked” when she received the conclusive grounds decision in June that she had been a victim of modern slavery. She added: “But it’s a really significant thing, getting that decision, seeing it in writing that you were a victim of modern slavery and trafficking is very … it’s really shocking to read.”

But very useful for later claiming all the compo going, I’ll bet! And no, Reader, it won’t be just Fayed’s business empire they and their lawyers seek to raid, it’ll be the taxpayer too: 

Victims have previously complained of how the Metropolitan police have handled the investigations into Fayed’s abuse. The Independent Office for Police Conduct is examining complaints about the force’s handling of allegations between 2018 and 2024.

The lawyers must be congratulating themselves on the Home Office’s stupidity… if it IS Stupidity and not malice. 

Sure, It Was The Fire That Did It....

Multiple people were injured at a festival in north London after a "stampede" that saw the event cancelled. Ghana Party in the Park at Copthall Playing Fields in Barnet on Saturday was forced into an “abrupt closure” after an “overcrowding issue”, police and organisers said. Several festivalgoers suffered non-life threatening injuries following the “crush” that was sparked by a small fire on the site which required the gates to be closed temporarily.

A likely story, we’ve seen this behaviour before, after all, haven’t we, Reader? 

Police said “a crowd built up and surged when the gates were reopened”. Disturbing footage shared online from the event showed chaotic scenes with people falling to the ground as a crowd surged. Screaming can be heard as members of the public and security staff try and help people who are being crushed.

Hmm, sound's familiar... 

A total of 23 people needed assistance from emergency services or the event medical team, with nine people assessed by the London Ambulance Service.

At least this time, no-one died. 

18-year-old Kieran Turnbull said: “We saw this stampede coming through the main entrance. 

“At the bit where they do the bag and clothing searches everyone was just pushing through,” he said.

If they were worried about a fire IN the venue, they’d have been pushing to get OUT, surely. Did any ‘journalist’ think to challenge that? Rhetorical question, of course!

"If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything."

A pity he didn't major in American Literatute, he might have come across Mark Twain's wise words.

In 2023, the then 37-year-old sociologist became the youngest ever black professor at Cambridge.In a statement posted by the Good Law Project on Wednesday, Arday said that being appointed professor had been "without question, the greatest professional privilege of my life".

One it now looks like you didn't deserve and only got for one reason.

Jovan Owusu-Nepaul, who describes himself as an associate of Arday, told BBC Newsnight on Wednesday that he found "the whole thing regrettable". "From, I think, how he's been treated and the quite obtuse spotlight on him about his CV - career - at Cambridge University," he said. "I think it's also regrettable that there may be some untruths that have come out about his CV."

On Saturday, Arday told the Times in an interview that he was accountable for those mistakes, but that "what I am not is a liar".

Sounds like something a liar woud say... 

He told the newspaper: "There has been, since I arrived at Cambridge, a very well orchestrated and co-ordinated campaign to unseat me from my position." He suggested that this was "racially motivated" and that he had become a "lightning rod" for criticism of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policy. 

"Disability card?... That'll do nicely!"

Arday said some errors in his early academic work was because of his autism, as he relied on using mimicry to make sense of information, and that similar scrutiny would find similar errors in work by other academics.

Ah, the appeal to 'everyone does it!'...

"We're talking about academia here. I didn't murder somebody. I think the cruelty that I've experienced and the positioning of me as this kind of liar and fantasist is totally unacceptable," he told the newspaper.

Most of us think the elevation of a liar and fantasist to this position purely to tick a box is what's 'unacceptable' .

It's A 'Truly Atrocious' Bit Of Justice Too

A 55-year-old man has been told he is facing a “lengthy” prison sentence after he admitted causing the death of a pensioner by dangerous driving.

Yes, Reader, it's this story.

On Friday, Garden admitted five charges, including theft of a motor vehicle, causing death by dangerous driving, and driving without insurance. He also admitted driving while disqualified and failing to provide a blood sample for drugs testing. Judge Lord Braid told Garden: “First of all this is a truly appalling piece of driving.He adjourned sentencing for a criminal justice social work report to be drawn up, telling the court: “To be honest, it is such an appalling episode of driving that every last piece of information I can get can only assist”.

Just what more information could you possibly need? Even his brief admits he’s a recidivist who has clearly been given far too many chances by the justice system already and now it has resulted in a man’s death!

The lawyer also told the court Garden had 90 previous convictions including “numerous” motoring offences, and that he had been under three separate disqualifications from driving on the day of the incident.“

I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see him get another one. 

What Language Do You Want Them In?

Mr Ahmed said he hoped action could be taken to prevent any similar situation from happening again. 

Fat chance, it happens every hot summer, it's as certain as death and taxes/ 

“I strongly agree with the calls from local residents for a review of safety measures at West Mersea Beach, including the provision of additional life-saving equipment and clear warning signage,” he said.“While no action now can undo the pain we are suffering, we hope lessons can be learned to help prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future.”

You didn't learn anyhing from all the others, did you? 

Mr Ahmed called on people to “refrain from speculating” on the events that unfolded. “During this incredibly difficult time, several inaccurate reports about what happened have been circulating within some sections of the mainstream media and on social media,” he said.“The spread of such misinformation has caused additional distress to our family, which is already enduring unimaginable grief. We respectfully ask that media organisations verify any claims that they are publishing and people refrain from speculating.

No clue as to what he's talking about here, but I not so respectfully decline to let some foreigner police my freedom of speech. I will speculate when, where and as much as I please!

We Can Draw Conclusions From This About The New PM, Can't We?

The MPs Diane Abbott and Joani Reid have been readmitted into Labour and had the parliamentary whip restored, just under two weeks into Andy Burnham’s premiership.

The party confirmed that this followed separate independent disciplinary processes, and Labour said the leadership played no role in either decision.

Sure, sure.... 

Abbott, 72, the mother of the House of Commons, was suspended for a second time last summer after saying she did not regret comments about racism that had led to her initial loss of the whip in 2023. Reid, who was elected as MP for East Kilbride and Strathaven in 2024, voluntarily relinquished the whip in March this year. Her husband had been arrested on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service in a case linked to China. Reid has never been accused of wrongdoing.

If I was her, I'd be really cheesed off being lumped together with the Abbottopotomus... 

Burnham has told Labour MPs he will change disciplinary culture and allow MPs to speak about their disagreements without fearing retribution from party whips.

Then why have whips at all? 

A government source told the Guardian that Abbott’s readmission had nothing to do with the leadership change and that if she repeated these comments or made antisemitic remarks, “she’ll have to go again”.

The countdown begins again, gentlemen, place your bets! 

Phil Rosenberg, the president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, called Abbott’s reinstatement “an early test of resolve” for Burnham.

And he failed it. 

Apologies In Advance

 If you are finding that trying to search the blog is calling up a CAPTCHA that's tiny and too small to read, it's not of my choosing, it's something Blogger has imposed seemingly overnight, and I can't see a way to get rid of it.

Oh Good, Another Race Controversy, We Haven't Had One Of Those In Days

I caught a new movie trailer last week, and thought it looked promising. Well, let’s be honest, it was the giant cat mounts that did it, not the relentlessly African casting, that left me cold. Well, I did spend a lot of time in ‘World of Warcraft’!

And then of course, the racial casting controversy which no modern film is seemingly without these days:

 Adeyemi, the author of the popular YA fantasy Children of Blood and Bone, has distanced herself from the forthcoming film adaptation of her book. “There is a reason I will not post anything about the adaptation of my work,” the Nigerian-American author said in group chat messages shared to TikTok.

She then went on without actually specifying her objection, all the better to drive ‘engagement’ and thus, free publicity. 

Adeyemi’s post also shares what seem to be messages sent to star Stenberg in February 2025, reading: “Do not ever use my name in an interview or video again. Do not text me. Do not call me.” 

The messages appear to be from around the time that Stenberg responded to a colorism backlash surrounding her role. Stenberg’s character of Princess Amari is described in the book as having “dark copper skin”; the actor is biracial.

Ooooh, how progressive!  But why didn't they really put the cat among the pigeons and cast a white actress? Sauce for the gander, after all...

Philip Larkin Was Right...

During the hearing, prosecutors played disturbing audio footage of phone calls with his mother, Marcee Gray, who described the 'fan art' drawings she saw online of her son. Gray asked his mother about the engagement his posts were getting, and seemed excited when she said it was a lot. She told her son that she would print some of the posts to show him, and even said she would keep some for herself. In one particularly haunting call, Marcee Gray promised her son she would make a 'Colty Shrine' in honor of him.

Why isn’t she in the next cell with him, you might ask? Or at least barred from future visitation.

Prosecutors argued that Gray's conversations with his mother and a documented fascination for school shootings proved he had carefully planned the heinous attack.

The case also marked a precedent of convicting parents for their roles in the crimes of their children. Gray's father, Colin Gray, was found guilty of murder and manslaughter in March for purchasing the firearm and keeping it unsecured.

The US Justice system is way ahead of ours', clearly. 

Judge Primm said Gray's crimes reflected 'permanent incorrigibility,' adding, 'I will sentence you to life without parole for each of the malice murders you committed.'

And they mean it.  No early release in the US for killers.

Where Are The Breastapo Now?

A taxpayer-funded charity has been criticised over a support group it runs that trains biological men to breastfeed babies. LGBT Health and Wellbeing, which receives hundreds of thousands of pounds every year from the Scottish government, NHS and councils, runs a weekly session in Edinburgh in which transwomen are “giving human milk to their babies”.

No, Reader, they aren't giving them donated milk via bottle - they are forcing the poor mites to consume a hormone-induced substance from their own Frankentits.  

For Women Scotland, the gender-critical campaign group which has won a series of legal victories over the SNP government on trans issues, said taxpayers would be “sickened” that their money was being used to fund the promotion of a “creepy and highly disturbing practice”.

Where are the advocates of natural breatfeeding who campaigned so vociferously against formula milk? Have they faded into obscurity?

H/T: biology in medicine via Twitter