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Campaign to scrap private schools backed by councillors
Hundreds of councillors have backed a campaign to abolish private schools across the country. The “class segregation of schools is a burning injustice” that must end, more than 250 Labour councillors from across England have said in a letter to The Sunday Times.
The councillors reject the claims from the Independent Schools Council that integrating private schools into the state sector would mean an “unbearable burden” on council budgets. “The claims are not only grossly inflated, but class segregation of schools is a burning injustice that must end,” the signatories say. Grassroots campaign Labour Against Private Schools, which is using the Twitter handle @AbolishEton, was launched earlier this month to abolish Eton College and other private schools.
The lobby group, backed by MPs including former Labour leader Ed Miliband, is calling for Labour to pledge to integrate all private schools into the state sector in its next general election manifesto. The
signatories of the letter say they support the campaign, adding: “Unless we break up the old boys’ network that hoards power and privilege, educational inequality will continue.”
Teenage boy shot in Coventry city centre
A 15-year-old boy has been left with potentially life-changing injuries after a shooting in Coventry city centre. The teenager was standing near a McDonald’s restaurant when a weapon was fired from a passing motorcycle. He was taken to hospital for surgery following the attack around 11.10pm on Saturday.
A man, believed to be aged 20, also suffered superficial injuries during the incident in Cross Cheaping. West Midlands Police launched a major investigation into the shooting, which is being treated as attempted murder. “This was an appalling and reckless attack in a part of the city centre which was busy with people enjoying nights out,” said Detective Inspector Harjit Ubhi. “We are already going through CCTV and identifying witnesses, and are determined to bring the people responsible to justice as swiftly as possible.”
Police are investigating whether the shooting is liked to two other incidents at around the same time, including a robbery in a nearby pub. An 18-year-old man was robbed of jewellery close to the Litten Tree pub and a knife was recovered from a bag in the Cosy Club on Cathedral Lanes. Three people have been arrested in relation to the finding of the weapon. Police are appealing for anyone who may have dashcam footage from the area. The force is also increasing officer patrols in the city centre to reassure the public.
Cyclist’s lung punctured after being driven off road
A driver has been jailed for deliberately ramming into a cyclist, leaving him with a punctured lung and several broken ribs, before driving away “smiling”. Motorist William Heslop, 33, from Thorpe Willoughby, North Yorkshire, admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving and was jailed for two years at York Crown Court on Friday. He was also banned from driving for three years and will be unable to get back behind the wheel until he passes an extended test.
Video from a camera attached to the victim’s bike shows how Heslop cut him up at a crossroads, steered into his path and slammed on the brakes. The cyclist, a 55-year-old electrical engineer commuting to work in Selby, North Yorkshire, swerved out of the way and narrowly avoided the car. But Heslop caught up with him seconds later and rammed him off the road. Heslop fled the scene. According to a passer-by who saw the incident, he had a smile on his face. The court heard the incident happened in Selby on the morning of 26 June 2018.
Investigating officer PC Richard Stagg said: “It’s not quite clear what Heslop hoped to achieve by his intimidating and ultimately dangerous behaviour towards the cyclist. But I hope this case sends a clear message to motorists who think they can get away with such aggressive behaviour towards other road users. We urge everyone to share the road and be courteous to each other, otherwise you could end up in prison with a criminal record that will have a long-term knock-on effect on other aspects of your life.”
Robbers slash dog’s face as she tries to protect puppies
Machete-wielding robbers stole six newborn puppies and slashed the face of their mother when she tried to defend them, say police. The five-week-old Staffie crossbreeds were snatched by two thieves who followed a man into a flat in the Harpurhey area of Manchester on Saturday morning.
Following an urgent police appeal, the puppies were recovered from a property two miles away in Moston and reunited with their mother Zena. A 40-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of aggravated burglary
and taken in for questioning. Greater Manchester Police said Zena was “over the moon” at the return of her puppies. “It has been a huge effort from the team to reunite the puppies with their mother before the worst happened, however our investigation is not finished there and we are keen to speak with anyone who can help us.” said Detective Constable Nick Kershaw.
Police said the thieves were described as tall black men of skinny build, aged in their twenties and wearing dark clothing with hoods up. One was wearing a grey and black camouflage covering over his face. After gaining entry to the flat on Fernclough Road around 9.30am, they attacked a man inside and left him on the floor with defensive wounds to his hands and forearms.
The thieves then ransacked the property for cash, keys and a phone before shoving the litter of five-weekold puppies into carrier bags. When their mother Zena tried to intervene, one of the attackers hit her with a machete, causing a deep cut to her head.