I'm Sure The Mullahs Are Shaking in Their Sandals...

Samira says she never used to be political. 

"I worked in sales in Iran. I sold cosmetics," she tells BBC Panorama. But that all changed the day her only child was shot dead in front of her by Iranian security forces. Sixteen-year-old Sevda was taking part in protests against Iran's repressive regime that engulfed the country earlier this year - before the US and Israel launched widespread air strikes which killed the country's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

And so she got out of Dodge PDQ! 

Samira made a dramatic escape from Iran on foot, navigating dangerous mountainous terrain. She now lives abroad in hiding, describing herself as a "one-woman army fighting the regime".

Fighting it how, exactly? 

"They'll bring me to the brink of death before they kill me, but finding me won't be easy… Return to normal life? There is no going back," she says.

Samira is among several Iranians the BBC has spoken to since the start of the year. Some, still inside the country, told Panorama they wanted to speak out despite the risks, saying they had found it difficult to hold on to hope once the mass protests had been brutally crushed.

At least those still in the country are truly risking their lives, just what exactly is the risk to stalwart Samira? 

A video she made of herself fleeing makes clear her fury. "This crap government, these bastards, they've harassed me so much," she tells the camera as she marches along a mountain path bordered by a deep ravine.

The only real risk she seems to be taking is getting low bandwidth for her rants. And what's the betting she's sitting in a council flat somewhere in Europe? 

 

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Surely If Any Compensation Is Due, It's Due To The Kid?

A disabled south London boy was left waiting around three-and-a-half years for adaptations to his home after council delays. A watchdog found Wandsworth Council did not complete vital works to the boy’s home that were recommended in 2022 until this year.

A new Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman report said the boy’s mum, named Mrs X, reported the delays caused his independence and mental health to decline as he could not access the aids and adaptations he needed. The watchdog told the council to pay her £1,400 overall to recognise the distress they were caused.

Why? Surely the apology, and any compensation, is due to the wronged party, even if not competent to handle money and requiring his mother to manage it on his behalf?

The panel found the council had also failed to complete further adaptations identified in an updated assessment in February 2024.

And it turns out mummy dearest isn't wholly innocent either! 

It said she had also contributed to some of the delay due to the time it took to submit some documents.

 Making this decision even more bizarre!

Isn't This Part Of Their Job Anyway?

A new early warning system is being introduced in hospital emergency departments in England to help busy NHS staff identify sick children who are dangerously deteriorating.

A high overall score means a child needs more urgent attention. Concerns from staff, parents, carers or the child themselves will trigger an immediate escalation of care.

So they weren’t already doing this? Every day there’s some new story about the NHS that makes you throw up your hands in despair…

The new National Paediatric Early Warning System (PEWS) asks staff to check, log and grade vital signs, such as blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen levels.

All things they should have been doing already as a basic minimum!  

On the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Cooper recently talked about the case of two-year-old Finlay Roberts, who died in 2024 after spending hours in a hospital corridor before being discharged. Cooper apologised to Finlay's parents on behalf of the NHS, saying: "No child should be treated in a corridor. No patient should be treated in a corridor."

 That’s Yvette Cooper, who has the NHS as her remit, in other words the boss of the NHS. And when the boss says ‘Jump!’ The NHS staff say ‘shan’t!’:

Whittington Health NHS Trust, where Finlay waited for treatment, extended its condolences to the family and said it continued to experience periods of exceptional demand across emergency care and, at times, some patients may receive care in temporary clinical areas, including corridors. 

So there, Yvette! What are you going to do about such outright defiance? 

A coroner raised concerns about a lack of basic observations done by busy staff.

Too busy to do the basics? Then why even have hospitals at all! 

Duncan Burton, chief nursing officer for England, said the new early warning system for children in emergency departments was an "important next step in improving care for children and young people across England for this winter - and beyond". He added: "In fast-paced emergency departments, staff need to spot quickly when a child's condition is deteriorating. "This standardised approach will help them recognise the warning signs, communicate concerns, and make timely decisions when every moment matters."

Another NHS worker oblivious to the fact he’s admitting that staff are currently unable (or unwilling) to do the basics of their job.

Those Autonomous Vehicles Again?

A teenager and his parents were killed when their car, travelling at more than 100mph, crashed on the M5, an inquest has heard. Andrew Moore, 46, Swala Harling, 47, and Sebastian Moore, 14, were killed when their BMW left the northbound carriageway of the M5 in South Gloucestershire on the evening of May 30 last year. Eyewitnesses described seeing the estate car undertaking, crossing lanes of the motorway and driving up the hard shoulder at high speed.

This reads as if the vehicle was acting under its own steam, irrespective of human control and guidance. 

Coroner Dr Peter Harrowing said there was "insufficient evidence" to support a conclusion that Andrew had suffered a medical episode or crashed the car on purpose. He recorded conclusions of deaths caused by a road traffic collision.

Other motorists had a different view. 

Motorist Andrew Harding said: "Not only was the car driving fast, but I could see it had its hazard lights on. 

"I formed the opinion it appeared like someone apart from the driver was trying to steer. 

"By this I mean it appeared that whoever was in control of the car was over-compensating, causing the car to swerve from side to side."

Now, it usually is, of course, possible for a front seat passenger to activate the hazards and a medical episode needn’t have been the cause, unless there’s evidence to rule out an argument or a struggle for control of the vehicle? 

The inquest was told Andrew had epilepsy and had undergone an aortic valve replacement and had a pacemaker fitted.

Oh. But presumably that would have left a forensic trace? 

Did You Clap For This Rotten To The Core Oganisation During Covid?

If so, more fool you!

A seven-month pregnant woman whose unborn baby died after she was discharged from hospital while suffering from a life-threatening condition was told by staff to make an appointment to give birth.

Astonisinghly, this article is headed:

Yeah, no kidding. What a pity the concern for sensibilities shown by the BBC News editors wasn’t matched by the NHS staff, eh?

After she was discharged from hospital suffering with pre-eclampsia, Danielle insisted on returning to the maternity unit as she felt so unwell and was seen by doctors. She was told her daughter had died but, instead of delivering the baby, the hospital sent her home and told her to ring to book a slot to give birth. Her partner Anthony Miller, 34, described it as "horrible... lying in bed and holding that belly" knowing their baby was not alive. The Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust said it fully accepted "aspects of the care we provided fell short" and offered a "heartfelt apology".

And no, Reader, that doesn’t make it all right, as it was only a small aspect of the catastrophic fuck-up the staff made in this case. 

The couple went to the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital in Cramlington, Northumberland, but medics found problems with Maisie's heart rate and told Danielle her baby needed to be delivered immediately via emergency caesarean section, external. "Maisie's heart rate had dropped and a midwife ran in and said 'don't panic, but I need to pull the emergency cord - you're having your baby'," Danielle said. The midwife told her space was being found for her at the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle and doctors there "were going to do the section", she said. She was transferred by ambulance but, once in Newcastle, Danielle did not have the operation and was instead put on a ward. "A consultant came to see me and he said I am staying in hospital until Maisie was born," she said. But, the following day, another doctor reviewed her and sent her home.

Basic communication skills lacking, then? 

Within 24 hours, again feeling unwell, Danielle called the maternity unit and said she was told she probably had a stomach bug. But she insisted on being seen. "When I finally had a scan, the screen was turned away and there was no sound," Danielle said. She remembers turning to her partner and saying: "I think she's gone." Doctors were unable to find Maisie's heartbeat and they told Danielle her baby had died. But instead of delivering the baby, as she expected, Danielle was given a phone number, and sent home. She said they told her to "give us a call on Friday morning, and book a slot to come in and have Maisie".

Speaking publicly for the first time about what happened, Danielle said no-one should be sent home still carrying a baby who has died.

A sentence you would be forgiven for thinking no-one should have to write in a first world country in 2026! 

H/T: IanJ via email

Mistaken Identity Or A Menace?

A dog believed to be a banned breed has been seized by police following reports of attacks in a village. Leicestershire Police said officers executed a warrant in Foxton on Wednesday and seized a dog believed to be a Dogo Argentino, a breed prohibited under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

These have been banned since the original DDA imposed in the Eighties so either its the oldest mutt in the world, or a new/recent import and I'm veering to the latter since they have become the weapon dog of choice in the Stares, and as we all know, eventually we get what our cousins across the pond get…

Or the other possibility, that its some other mastiff crossbreed some idiot thought would make a good pet.

Police said the dog had caused "significant concern" within the village following reports it had attacked other dogs. Inquiries are ongoing and no arrests have been made, the force added.

Typical. 

An investigation is continuing and the force has appealed for witnesses.

If there have been several attacks, don't they have all the witnesses they need? 

Jo Asher, Harborough District Council councillor for the Lubenham ward - which covers Foxton - said locals had been concerned about the dog for several weeks. "It's been a terrible and worrying time for the people of Foxton," she said. "Some people have been having to walk their dogs elsewhere because they've been scared to take them out in the village. "I'm very relieved that the police have seized the dog."

Save that relief for when they actually do something about it! It would surprise no one if they handed it back to the owner.

If You Really Want To Condemn The Poor To Poverty, Cancel 'Right To Buy'...

Growing up in a council flat in the 1980s and 1990s, my mum would often point out homes that tenants had bought from the council. You could usually tell just from looking. A plain wooden door had been replaced with something fancier. New windows had appeared. Sometimes there was a porch or pillars outside the front door.Those houses were bought under the Right to Buy scheme - arguably the most consequential housing policy of my lifetime.

Supporters welcomed the chance for working-class families to own their own home and build wealth. Critics argue it hollowed out the country's stock of social housing and contributed to today's housing.

 Really? Are you sure that’s the cause?

🎵 Where have all the houses gone, gone to invaders every one…🎵

But Andy Burnham doesn't like the policy. The Right to Buy scheme has seen various changes since its introduction in the 1980s, and Labour has weakened it significantly since coming to power in 2024. Then, in September, the prime minister told Labour's conference: "We will reform Right to Buy. Not taking the right away from anyone in an existing home, but removing it from new homes." This would help to keep council houses in public ownership "for generations to come", Burnham told delegates.

to allocate them to whom, Andeh?  

Sir Keir Starmer's government restricted the scheme, including by heavily reducing the maximum discount that councils were allowed to give tenants.

Yes, Starmer was a moron too, we haven’t forgotten. 

And now Burnham is removing the right to buy entirely from any new-build social home. The measures are included in a bill currently making its way through Parliament.

For those who became homeowners, Right to Buy turned a dream into reality. Barbara Stevens, now 80, bought her two-bedroom council flat in Kentish Town, north London, through Right to Buy for around £35,000. Now mortgage-free, she estimates it could be worth between £600,000 and £700,000.Her friend Trevor Abrahmsohn believes her story demonstrates the success of the scheme. "If you want to condemn the poor to poverty, make them lifetime renters," he says.

And lifelong Labour voters, too… 

Even Housing Secretary Angela Rayner - part of the government that's restricting Right to Buy - bought and later sold her own council home for a profit.

Oh yes, we remember! 

But to its detractors, Right to Buy is responsible for many of Britain's housing woes. Prof Tunstall says the policy is partly responsible for making social housing scarcer, which meant more people competed for homes in the private rented sector, pushing up rents.

And heaven forfend Prof Tunstall confronts the elephant in the room… 

Lord Heseltine says it was originally assumed that councils would use sale proceeds to support new housing. He acknowledges that did not happen after he left government.

And no one in all the subsequent governments did anything about it. 

Supporters of Right to Buy also argue that you can't appreciate the true value of the scheme by looking at numbers on a spreadsheet. The benefits of the policy extended for generations, they say, helping the children and grandchildren of those who bought homes.

To Labour, that’s not a plus, because it removes people from dependency on the State. 

When I was a child and my mum rented from the council, she knew what she would be charged every month. She knew we wouldn't suddenly be forced to move. My siblings and I knew we wouldn't have to change schools. At that point, in the 1980s, one third of houses in England were council-owned. When my mum became pregnant with me, it was safe to assume that a home would soon become available - and within about a year, one did. She moved out of my nan's and into her new council flat. The children I now meet through my work often do not have that certainty. Today, the average wait for a family-sized home in London is 27 years. Some children are moved repeatedly between hotels and hostels. Councils across England now spend £8m every day housing families in temporary accommodation.

When you were growing up, your mum wasn’t in a queue behind half the Third World, was she? 

Sometimes The Replies Just Write Themselves...

 

A fear smile. Did you know humans displayed such behaviour, Reader? I didn't. 

But I know which animal does...

We Are Turning Into America…

Police are hunting for two suspects, one of whom is believed to have been carrying a sword, following an altercation that left a teenager injured.

Medieval weapons in a modern Britain. Lovely! 

Armed police were called to the incident near St Peter's High School in Gloucester earlier. The school and Willow Primary Academy were put into lockdown while officers searched for the group who had fled the scene.

And amazingly, descriptions were forthcoming very quickly! 

Police described both suspects as white males. One is aged in his late teens to early 20s, of a medium to large build, and about 6ft tall. He was wearing white sliders at the time of the incident. The other suspect is described as being about 5ft 5ins tall, of slim build and wearing black clothing.

But the majority of the panic induced here appears to have been caused by - not the thugs, as you might expect - but the response to them. 

St Peter's High School pupil Jimmy said the situation was "really scary" and he was still in shock. After getting into the Tuffley school for the day, he said his friends came in and told him something had happened near his home. He said the school's alarm then went off and the computer he was on displayed a message saying "This is a lockdown". "The computers are not accessible at all and we've all had to turn the lights off, lock the doors, turn all the blinds down, and we've had to get on the ground," he said. "At the time I was scared. My heart was racing," he added. Jimmy said pupils were locked in their classrooms for two to three hours.

Why? It won't have taken police this long to arrive and secue the scene. 

The 15-year-old said he was able to message his mother when the school let students use their phones after about an hour.

How good of them. But now we see a downside to not allowing phones in schools, don;t we.  

Another parent outside the school gates earlier, whose daughter is in Year 8 and nephew is in Year 7, said the family was "so worried". "I'm slightly calmer now the police have told us they're safe but I want to take them home. 

"I haven't heard from them because they aren't allowed phones in school," she added.

There's always a downside, and here it is for all to see, so will it force a rethink or are heads of schools just arrogant enough to ignore it. Probably, if thy sre callous enough to imprison their students for so long after one of thrse incidents. 

'You Have Arrived At Your Destination' Actually, Rowley

As your taxpayer-provided vehicle will tell you, because I'm sure it has a sat-nav. Only thr best for the head of the Met, eh?

The police system in England and Wales cannot cope against sophisticated modern criminals without urgent reform, the head of the Metropolitan Police has said. In a speech on Friday, Sir Mark Rowley argued the system was "heading for failure" without change.

No, it’s not heading there, it arrived quite a while ago, and before you took over, so why haven’t you grabbed the steering wheel and turned it around? 

He is proposing eight to 10 regional police forces, supported by hundreds of local policing commands and a new national force, in what would be the biggest overhaul of policing since the 1960s.The changes would replace the 43-force structure with three tiers: local teams dealing with neighbourhood issues, regional forces sharing specialist resources and a National Police Service tackling the most serious crimes.

Oh, I see, because you want it to crash! 

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood produced a white paper that aligned with their ideas and asked the former Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lord Hogan-Howe to look at what the force boundaries might be. But everything changed in July when Andy Burnham became prime minister. So far, Burnham has not spoken publicly about the plans, and the police chiefs are nervous that they may not have his backing.

A sensible man would be nervous if they had the backing of this utter fool, but not you, eh, Rowley?