Seen in the News

[Stanley]

THIS Caught my attention this morning....
3 hours ago
Southern Water has warned tanker companies to stop delivering its water to the Wiltshire estate of an American billionaire. Some of it was recently used, entirely legally, to help fill a lake, despite a hosepipe ban being in place locally for domestic users. Multiple water tankers have been filmed both day and night by local residents filling up from standpipes in part of neighbouring Hampshire where a drought order is in place. The BBC has been told that those tankers went to Conholt Park, a 2,500 acre estate owned by Stephen Schwarzman – who is one of the world's richest men and a financial backer of US President Donald Trump. A spokesperson for Mr Schwarzman confirmed that a small proportion of the water transported had very recently been used to help fill a new lake but said the water has been "sourced through licenced providers responsible for the lawful and proper extraction and delivery". They said an advanced irrigation system was how the lake would mainly be filled. Despite the ongoing drought, the tankers are legally allowed to take the water in Hampshire under licence because construction work is not domestic and therefore not covered by current drought restrictions. However, Tim McMahon, Southern Water's managing director, said he was "appalled by this use of water" and that the company had imposed on immediate ban on tankers extracting from the standpipes. Southern Water said it did not know exactly how much water had been taken but that there had been a spike in the last week with "significant" amounts taken but with other users also making use of the standpipes it was impossible to say who had taken more.
Proof that Benjamin Disraeli's 'Two Nations' is alive and well in Austerity Britain......

[Stanley]

See THIS unwelcome news of the Metropolitan Police.....
The Metropolitan Police has suspended nine officers and referred itself to the police watchdog following a BBC investigation into Charing Cross police station. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said it was investigating the behaviour of 11 current or former Met officers and one staff member based at the central London station. The accusations, which feature in a forthcoming BBC Panorama documentary, include excessive use of force, discriminatory and misogynistic comments, and failing to report or challenge inappropriate behaviour, the police watchdog said. The BBC contacted the Met this week for a response to the documentary's findings. The allegations - which relate to the conduct of nine Met officers, a former Met officer and a serving designated detention officer - are said to have taken place both on and off duty between August 2024 and January 2025. The officers range in rank from police constable to sergeant. The Met said it had suspended nine officers and removed another two from frontline duties. The IOPC said it had received a referral from another force relating to the conduct of the former Met officer who was previously based at Charing Cross and has since transferred.
Well done the BBC journalists who ferreted this out! Good investigative journalism still survives despite cost cutting. We should celebrate it whenever it becomes evident!