TRAFALGAR SQUARE Top Stories

Government league tables ‘punish’ schools by failing to take pupil background into account2019-01-24
The Independent: Government league tables “punish” schools by ignoring pupils’ backgrounds, a new study says. A fifth of secondary schools saw their league table position change by more than 500 places once pupil ethnicity, deprivation and special needs were taken into...
The Future of Shechitah After Brexit2019-01-24
Hamodia: As the countdown toward the official Brexit date intensifies, and in light of the shechitah ban in Belgium, Hamodia spoke to Mr. Shimon Cohen, campaign director of Shechita UK, about his work in this field and potential threats to shechitah in the United...
Woman prosecuted for making more than 200 fake calls to 9992019-01-23
The Independent: A woman has been fined for making 200 hoax 999 calls between Christmas and New Year. Victoria Cross said she was “bored and didn’t care about anyone else”. Cross, from Moira, Leicestershire, called the service 200 times in just over two weeks – with one...
John Lewis to close Knight & Lee department store, putting 127 jobs at risk2019-01-23
The Independent: John Lewis will close its Knight & Lee department store in Hampshire putting 127 jobs at risk. The employee-owned partnership said it was closing Knight & Lee in Southsea partly because its size and condition meant it would need significant investment....
Wanted man who taunted police on Instagram from Dubai jailed after being extradited back to UK2019-01-23
The Independent: A man who taunted police in Instagram posts from Dubai has been jailed after he was extradited back to the UK. Adam Ali, 30, had been arrested and charged at his house in Epping in relation to allegations of dangerous driving, and officers discovered...
No-deal Brexit could force Kent schools into ‘lockdown’ due to air pollution from traffic congestion2019-01-23
The Independent: Schools in Kent have been warned that air pollution could be so bad from traffic congestion after a no-deal Brexit that they could be forced to go into “lockdown”. Advice to schools, issued by Kent County Council, outlines what headteachers should do to...
NTA Awards 2019: 11 Moments You Might Have Missed From The Ceremony2019-01-23
Huffington Post: We all know that ‘Bodyguard’ won big and that Ant and Dec triumphed in the BestPresenter category for the 1000th time at this year’s National Television Awards, but there were many low-key moments that almost flew under the radar during...
Children’s education being ‘damaged’ by academy failures, MPs warn2019-01-23
The Independent: Children’s education has been damaged by “costly” academy failures, a parliamentary watchdog has concluded. The government’s oversight and intervention of academy chains must be more “rigorous” to prevent any more serious failures from happening again, the...
Like Brexit and Iraq, Suez divided Britain bitterly | Letter2019-01-22
The Guardian: John Coad recalls the divisions in parliament and among the public in 1956Simon Jenkins says “Parliament and public opinion backed him all the way” in relation to the 1956 Suez debacle ( May can learn to compromise with a political tip from 1846 , 18...
Jess Phillips’ threat to 'make life a misery' for anyone blocking proxy voting shows how ...2019-01-22
The Independent: Mark the moment. At 1:16pm on Tuesday 22 January, the House of Commons came kicking and screaming all the way in to the mid-20th century. After last week, when Tulip Siddiq was wheeled up the floor of the house in her wheelchair, and last summer, when new...
Tennessee Hoedowners clog their way through London in New Year's Day parade2019-01-22
Kingsport Times-News: Tennessee Hoedowners clog their way through London in New Year's DayparadeJeffBobo • Today at 12:14 PM SURGOINSVILLE — Earlier this year, the Surgoinsville-based Tennessee Hoedowners competitive clogging team brought home multiple national...
'Yoda' fears over National Portrait Gallery development2019-01-22
BBC News: There are fears a £35m revamp of London'sNational Portrait Gallery could have an unforeseen...
National Portrait Gallery unveils plans for £35.5m revamp with 'much more open space' sparking fears it will attract even MORE floating Yoda street artists2019-01-22
This is Money: Plans for a £35.5million redevelopment of the National Portrait Gallery has sparked fears it could attract too many 'floating Yoda' street artists. The transformation of the building in central London would create a new entrance and restore some of the...
I left the Women’s Equality Party because members were ignored – if it wants change, ...2019-01-22
The Independent: I believe I was the third member to join the Waltham Forest and Newham branch of the Women's Equality Party (WEP) in July 2015. We had our first proper meeting in a pub in Leyton, and were full of optimism and “deeds not words” spirit. Shortly after the first...