BBC News (January-June 2018)

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Clarice Ashbridge elected Conservative Leader
 

Following the resignation of Sir Dylan Macmillan, the Conservative Party have elected Clarice Ashbridge as their new leader. Ms Ashbridge fought off competition from Robert Creighan in the members ballot securing 69,816 votes over 52,391 for Mr Creighan. The leadership contest was largely played out behind closed doors with hustings occurring with MPs within the Conservative Party, with candidates vying to get their votes in the first rounds of voting. Harold Saxon and Harry Lee were the other candidates eliminated during the MPs ballot stages of the contest. Ms Ashbridge earned the endorsement of a lot of the current Conservative front-bench with Shadow Home Secretary Ali Khan and Shadow Foreign Secretary Sir Baxter Brown among the high-profile endorsers. The election of Ms Ashbridge represents the third female leader of the Conservative Party.

In her leadership platform, the headline pledges published, were a Conservative Government to be elected, include avoiding a "No-Deal Brexit at all costs", the passage of an "Internal Market Bill", cuts in corporation tax and £9bn, real term investment in the NHS. 
 

Following her election, Clarice Ashbridge had the following to say:  "I am delighted and deeply honoured to have been chosen by my colleagues and the membership of the Conservative and Unionist Party to lead, and I am excited and optimistic for the future of the party. Party members endorsed my vision to reduce taxes on working people and put more money in everyone's pocket, to strengthen our National Health Service and turn British schools into an educational powerhouse not just because they are founded on strong conservative principles: but because they know that they are what the British people need and are what will win us the next general election. I'm working now on assembling an excellent team for my Shadow Cabinet, and a full announcement will be forthcoming soon"

With Sir Dylan Macmillan's time in office often obstructed by internal division on Brexit, Ms Ashbridge will be seeking to unite the messaging to provide effective opposition to the Government and restore the parties credibility following turbulent times.

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Michael Christ appointed Met Commissioner

The Home Office, in conjunction with the Mayor of London, today announced that Michael Christ will succeed Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe at the top of the country's largest police service. The vacancy arose due to the retirement of Sir Bernard after six years at the helm. 

Mr Christ leaves his current posting as Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, having served previously as Deputy Chief Constable at the same constabulary. However, Mr Christ is no stranger to the Met - he served as Deputy Assistant Commissioner for the Counter Terrorism and spent time in command of the Met Polices' professional standards department. In addition to such a diverse set of expertise, he is known by former colleagues in the Met as a "strong leader on anti-corruption". His credentials are further enhanced by receiving two commendations for bravery and being awarded the Queen's Police Medal in 2011. 

When the Metropolitan Police is said to have an issue with diversity, it is poignant that Mr Christ, currently the highest-ranking Police officer from the BAME community, has been appointed to the top job. Prior experience in the Met is crucial in moving from the country's third largest police force - West Midlands Police. 

In his final remarks on the job, Sir Bernard said it was the "honour of his Policing career to lead the Metropolitan Police, serving the people of London and the wider nation". He noted that "colleagues have turned into friends". However, he closed by saying, "it is an experience above all, I would not trade for the world. Now is the time to retire rather than hang on beyond my brief. I hope my successor enjoys the role as much as I have." 

Commissioner Christ was sworn in at a ceremony at New Scotland Yard earlier today. After being sworn in alongside his wife and family, he made a brief statement expressing his excitement about taking the role, remarking he is "delighted to be entrusted to keep the streets of London safe". He closed by adding that he wants to "work with every Police service across the country to weed out terrorism at its root". 

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Prime Minister presents UN resolution condemning North Korea

During a visit to the United Nations, Prime Minister Anthony Blake, along with the US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, presented a resolution before the United Nations Security Council in New York. It formalises sentiment expressed by the Government, along with the United States and other allies. 

This is in response to ICBM nuclear war head testing conducted in North Korea in November 2017. If adopted, it will put severe restrictions on the North Korean regime in their ability to trade internationally and utilise foreign goods and services. It is expected that at least one other country within the security council may veto the resolution.

Quote

The Security Council

1) Condemns in the strongest terms the nuclear test conducted by the DPRK in November 2017 in violation and flagrant disregard of the Security Council’s resolutions;

2) Decides that all Member States shall prohibit the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer to the DPRK, through their territories or by their nationals, or using their flag vessels or aircraft, and whether or not originating in their territories, of all condensates and natural gas liquids, and decides that the DPRK shall not procure such materials; 

3) Decides that the DPRK shall not supply, sell or transfer, directly or indirectly, from its territory or by its nationals or using its flag vessels or aircraft, textiles (including but not limited to fabrics and partially or fully completed apparel products), and that all States shall prohibit the procurement of such items from the DPRK by their nationals, or using their flag vessels or aircraft, whether or not originating in the territory of the DPRK, unless the (1718) Committee approves on a case -by-case basis in advance.

4) Decides that all Member States shall prohibit the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer to the DPRK, through their territories or by their nationals, or using their flag vessels, aircraft, pipelines, rail lines, or vehicles and whether or not originating in their territories, of all crude oil, unless the Committee approves in advance on a case-by-case basis a shipment of crude oil which is exclusively for livelihood purposes of DPRK nationals and unrelated to the DPRK’s nuclear or ballistic missile programmes or other activities prohibited by previous UN Resolutions regarding North Korea for a period of 12 months and shall be limited to four million barrels per year for an additional 24 month period. 

5)  Decides that all Member States shall prohibit the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer to the DPRK, through their territories or by their nationals, or using their flag vessels, aircraft, pipelines, rail lines, or vehicles, and whether or not originating in their territories, of all refined petroleum products, decides that the DPRK shall not procure such products, further decides that this provision shall not apply with respect to procurement by the DPRK or the direct or indirect supply, sale, or transfer to the DPRK, through their territories or by their nationals, or using their flag vessels, aircraft, pipelines, rail lines, or vehicles, and whether or not originating in their territories, of refined petroleum products, including diesel and kerosene, in aggregate of 500,000 barrels during an initial period of twelve months and exceeding 2 million barrels per year during an additional period of 24 months thereafter

6) Decides that Member States shall repatriate to the DPRK all DPRK nationals earning income in that Member State’s jurisdiction and all DPRK government safety oversight attachés monitoring DPRK workers abroad immediately but no later than 24 months from the date of adoption of this resolution unless the Member State determines that a DPRK national is a national of that Member State or a DPRK national whose repatriation is prohibited, subject to applicable national and international law, including international refugee law and international human rights law.

7) Decides that Member States shall seize, inspect, and freeze (impound) any vessel in their ports, and may seize, inspect, and freeze (impound) any vessel subject to its jurisdiction in its territorial waters, if the Member State has reasonable grounds to believe that the vessel was involved in activities, or the transport of items, prohibited by UN resolutions.

😎 Decides that States shall prohibit, by their nationals or in their territories, the opening, maintenance, and operation of all joint ventures or cooperative entities, new and existing, with DPRK entities or individuals, whether or not acting for or on behalf of the government of the DPRK, unless such joint ventures or cooperative entities, in particular those that are non-commercial, public utility infrastructure projects not generating profit, have been approved by the Committee on a case-by-case basis

9) Decides that the DPRK shall not supply, sell or transfer, directly or indirectly, from its territory or by its nationals or using its flag vessels or aircraft, food and agricultural products, machinery, electrical equipment, earth and stone including magnesite and magnesia wood, and vessels, and that all States shall prohibit the procurement of the above-mentioned commodities and products from the DPRK by their nationals, or using their flag vessels or aircraft, whether or not originating in the territory of the DPRK.