UK Watch

UK High Streets are About to be Destroyed by Crime

UK High Streets are About to be Destroyed by Crime

pgnewser June 12, 2025

The United Kingdom’s legendary “high streets,” or high-quality shopping districts sprinkled throughout Britan, are under assault by migrants (government-imported and sponsored invaders) and the youth who are increasingly disaffected due to the oppressive nature of the state under Kier Starmer. High Streets UK, a group representing 5,000 businesses from those districts, is sounding the alarm that, if something is dramatically done soon, all hope is lost.

The organization wants ring-fencing placed around the shopping districts to keep them safe. Dee Corsi, the chair of the organization, claimed “Flagship high streets are engines of the local and national economy….but without urgent national action on crime, the are at serious risk…We must go further and faster to tackle all types of crimes affecting high streets…”

UK’s ‘flagship’ high streets at ‘serious risk’ without urgent national action on crime, retailers warn – lbc.co.uk
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Once seen as a major shopping destination, and one of the busiest high streets in Europe, Oxford Street has struggled in recent years – becoming better known for phone snatching and sweet shops.

High Streets UK, a group that represents 5,000 UK businesses, is calling for ring-fenced funding for police to protect key shopping destinations.

The body includes members from business improvement districts in Aberdeen, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool, London and Newcastle.

Dee Corsi, chair of High Streets UK and chief executive of founding member New West End Company, said: “Flagship high streets are engines of the local and national economy, drivers of tourism, and anchors for communities. But without urgent national action on crime, they are at serious risk.

“We have welcomed the Government’s renewed focus on retail crime in particular.

“But we must go further and faster to tackle all types of crime affecting high streets, having a devastating effect on businesses and communities, tarnishing the UK’s global reputation, and jeopardising tourism and investment.”

According to the most recent official statistics, the number of shoplifting offences recorded by police in 2024 surpassed 500,000 for the first time.

Ms Corsi said it is critical for additional funding for policing in the upcoming spending review to be ring-fenced for key high streets.

“The UK’s flagship high streets are important cultural and economic centres – with High Street UK locations generating over £50 billion in economic value every year – yet growing com

UK sanctions far-right Israeli ministers for ‘inciting violence’ against Palestinians– www.bbc.com

UK sanctions far-right Israeli ministers for ‘inciting violence’ against Palestinians– www.bbc.com

pgnewser June 11, 2025

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The UK has sanctioned two far-right Israeli ministers over “repeated incitements of violence against Palestinian communities” in the occupied West Bank.

Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich will both be banned from entering the UK and will have any assets in the UK frozen as part of the measures announced by the foreign secretary.

David Lammy said Finance Minister Smotrich and National Security Minister Ben-Gvir had “incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights”.

In response, Israel said: “It is outrageous that elected representatives and members of the government are subjected to these kind of measures.”

The sanctions are part of a joint move by the UK, Norway, Australia, Canada and New Zealand announced on Tuesday.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the move, writing on X: “These sanctions do not advance US-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire, bring all hostages home, and end the war”.

Keir Starmer faces testing month before one-year milestone– www.yahoo.com

Keir Starmer faces testing month before one-year milestone– www.yahoo.com

pgnewser June 6, 2025

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As Keir Starmer approaches his first anniversary in Downing Street, there will be several things he wishes he had done differently. But before he can contemplate that July milestone, he faces a busy month strewn with political bear traps.

June has proven a difficult time for successive prime ministers: Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak all had to contend with deeply unhappy parliamentary parties reeling from heavy local and European election losses.

While the mood among Labour MPs is nowhere near as mutinous, they too are bruised from a difficult set of local election results in England in May and the surge of Reform UK. “There is more than the usual amount of grumbling and discontent,” a government source said.

One unexpected ray of light was the result of the Holyrood byelection in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse on Friday. Labour secured a surprise victory, knocking the Scottish National party into second place and restoring some hope in Labour’s fortunes ahead of next year’s Holyrood elections. One MP said the result was “humiliating” for the SNP.

It is certainly a welcome win for Downing Street as Labour MPs brace for more bad news and a series of contentious debates this month. “They know that the spending review is going to be really hard,” a government source said.

Russia’s ambassador to the UK ‘blames Britain’ for Ukraine’s daring drone attack & warns of ‘WWIII’ risk– www.thesun.co.uk

Russia’s ambassador to the UK ‘blames Britain’ for Ukraine’s daring drone attack & warns of ‘WWIII’ risk– www.thesun.co.uk

pgnewser June 6, 2025

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RUSSIA’S ambassador to the UK has blamed Britain for Ukraine’s “historic” drone attack – and chillingly warned of World War Three.

Moscow diplomat Andrei Kelin said that Ukrainian attacks “are bringing the conflict to a different level of escalation”.

Over the weekend, Volodymyr Zelensky hailed Ukraine’s daring drone blitz on Russian airbases as one for the “history books”.

It marked Kyiv’s longest range operation of the conflict so far with at least 40 aircraft being attacked as part of the expert operation codenamed “Spiderweb”.

In an embarrassing result for a raging Vladimir Putin 34 per cent of his cruise missile carriers at the targeted airfields were blasted, Zelensky said.

A £260million AWACS aircraft and bombers capable of dropping nuclear weapons were also struck.

Ukraine said the sneak attack was worth $7bn (£5.2bn) in damage to Russia.

UK Imprisons Citizens for Burning Quran

UK Imprisons Citizens for Burning Quran

pgnewser June 5, 2025

UK’s Free Speech Crisis: Quran Burning Case Exposes Rising Blasphemy Enforcement– warroom.org
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BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front):
A recent case in the United Kingdom highlights a dangerous shift toward de facto blasphemy laws under the guise of “public order offenses.” An atheist activist was convicted after burning a Quran—despite being physically attacked—while his assailant awaits trial years from now. Commentators Jenny Holland and Ben Harnwell argue this case exposes the erosion of free speech rights in the UK, driven by demographic shifts, judicial bias, and creeping Islamist influence. They warn these trends may spread to other Western democracies, including the U.S., unless urgently addressed.

Situation:
An atheist in the UK publicly burned a Quran as part of his protest against what he sees as the Islamization of British society. Following the incident, he was attacked—allegedly with a knife—and both he and his attacker were arrested. However, while the activist was quickly charged and convicted for a racially aggravated public order offense, his attacker will not face trial until 2027.

This case sparked public outrage and concern from free speech advocates who view the prosecution as a workaround to reintroduce blasphemy laws—abolished in the UK over a decade ago. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) reframed the act as a public disturbance aggravated by race or religion, even though Islam is not a race.

Analysis:
Ben Harnwell, hosting the Wednesday WarRoom,  emphasized that the legal classification of this event was deliberately manipulated to secure a conviction. Initially, the charge was religious offense, but when challenged on legal grounds, it was reshaped to “public order.” Harnwell and Holland argue that this reflects a strategic effort by UK authorities to criminalize criticism of Islam without calling it blasphemy.

Speaking from London, journalist Jenny Holland underscored that this is not an isolated incident. She pointed to the now-infamous case of a British schoolteacher who remains in hiding with his family after showing a cartoon of Muhammad in a classroom. These events suggest that free expression in the UK is no longer protected if it conflicts with Islamist sensitivities.

Pro-Palestine protesters in UK call for Israel arms embargo, sanctions | Israel-Palestine conflict News– www.aljazeera.com

Pro-Palestine protesters in UK call for Israel arms embargo, sanctions | Israel-Palestine conflict News– www.aljazeera.com

pgnewser June 5, 2025

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Rally is held as British PM Keir Starmer calls Israel’s actions ‘intolerable’, addressing lawmakers in Parliament.

Pro-Palestine campaigners have rallied against Israel’s punishing war on Gaza, gathering outside the British Parliament in London and demanding a full arms embargo and that hard-hitting sanctions be imposed on the Israeli government.

Wednesday’s march, organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), came as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer took weekly questions from parliamentarians.

Thousands of protesters created a “Red Line for Palestine”, wearing red while encircling the building.

Starmer told Parliament that Israel’s actions in the besieged and bombarded enclave are “appalling” and “intolerable”.

“It is right to describe these days as dark,” Starmer said. “We have strongly opposed the expansion of Israeli military operations, and settler violence, and the blocking of humanitarian aid.”

Sir Keir Starmer blasts ‘appalling’ Gaza strikes and warns Netanyahu over deaths near food centres– www.thesun.co.uk

Sir Keir Starmer blasts ‘appalling’ Gaza strikes and warns Netanyahu over deaths near food centres– www.thesun.co.uk

pgnewser June 5, 2025

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SIR Keir Starmer said Israel’s recent military action in Gaza was appalling — as he again called for a ceasefire.

The PM said Benjamin Netanyahu’s approach was counterproductive, as he hinted more sanctions would be imposed.

It came after at least 27 Palestinians were killed in shootings near Gaza’s food distribution centres.

Britain has already suspended talks with Israel over a free trade deal.

Three MPs raised the situation at Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday.

Sir Keir said one MP was “absolutely right to describe these as dark days”.

And he went on: “Israel’s recent action is appalling and, in my view, counterproductive and intolerable.”