08/04/18

[Maik]

Χρήστος ανέστη

New party gets £50m backing to ‘break mould’ of UK politics
Plans secretly made by donors since 2016 for a new political party drawing from both left and right

A new political party with access to up to £50m in funding has been secretly under development for more than a year by a network of entrepreneurs, philanthropists and donors keen to “break the Westminster mould”, the Observer can reveal.

The movement, spearheaded by a former Labour benefactor, is understood to have been drawn up by a group frustrated by the tribal nature of politics, the polarisation caused by Brexit and the standard of political leadership on all sides. It appears to have a centrist policy platform that borrows ideas from both left and right.

Senior figures from the worlds of business and charity are understood to be involved, as well as former supporters of the main parties, including a number of former Tory donors.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/apr/07/new-political-party-break-mould-westminster-uk-brexit

[Maik]

Trump Tower fire: Blaze breaks out on 50th floor of New York skyscraper

A fire has broken out on the 50th floor of Trump Tower in New York, seriously injuring one person.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/trump-tower-fire-donald-new-york-skyscraper-50th-floor-blaze-latest-us-president-a8294286.html

[TonyKath]

And of course Καλό Πάσχα/Happy Easter to everyone.

 

Tony

[Maik]

BBC video report: Biscuit tin sex secrets revealed

[Maik]

Another BBC video report: Toad safety

[Maik]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-43667479

[Maik]

Government to crack down on 'rogue' estate agents

All estate agents will be required to hold a professional qualification under new government rules to crack down on "rogue" operators.

According to government research, there are approximately 20,000 estate agent businesses across the country, and currently, anyone can practise as an agent.

The government also vowed to tackle "gazumping", where a seller pulls out of a sale to take a higher offer from another buyer.

Last week the government also introduced new measures to crack down on rogue landlords.

It will launch a national database that allows councils to more easily track landlords who have been convicted of housing or other criminal offences. Tougher laws could also see offenders hit with lifetime bans from leasing homes.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-43688737

[Maik]

UK living rooms have shrunk by a third, survey finds
Average lounge in new-build homes are now 32% smaller than equivalent homes built in the 1970s

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/apr/08/uk-living-rooms-have-shrunk-by-a-third-survey-finds

[Misty]

BBC video report: Biscuit tin sex secrets revealed

I'm desperately trying to think of the product but when I worked at an ad agency in the 80's an artist added several "trouser snakes" to a print ad which were not discovered until after it was published.  What great fun those days were.