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Boris Johnson faces Tory rebellion after rejecting Marcus Rashford’s free school meals plea

Pressure is mounting…

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Кирилл Венедиктов / Wikimedia

Marcus Rashford’s campaign to help feed hungry kids in the UK is picking up momentum, as pressure mounts on the Prime Minister.

Boris Johnson rejected the footballer’s plea to extend free school meal vouchers throughout the summer holidays, which would have helped families struggling due to the coronavirus lockdown.

Now Mr Johnson faces a rebellion from some Tories, who support the 22-year-old footballer’s campaign, alongside some businesses and celebrities. 

Local lad and Manchester United star Rashford, who relied on free school meals growing up, tweeted an open letter to all MPs, highlighting the issues many families in poverty face.

His campaign took off, and he won support from many politicians, celebrities, businesses and members of the public, including the full backing of Keir Starmer and Labour, as well as the Co-op, who pledged to extend free school meals throughout the summer holidays at its academy schools.

Now several senior Tories have come out in support of Marcus, with Robert Halfon, the chair of the education select committee, telling BBC Breakfast that he thought carrying on with the free school meals programme ‘would be the right thing to do’.

He added: “There are lots of food programmes across different government departments. If they just consolidated those programmes, they would almost have the money for the free school meals programme over the summer, which would cost roughly £110m.”

Former leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Ruth Davidson, tweeted she was confused why the scheme hadn’t been extended by Westminster, saying: “I didn’t have or need free school meals, but I went to a school where a huge % did. Food security during the holidays so important. It’s basic. Feed the kids.”

Conservative MP George Freeman also voiced his support, tweeting: “Free School Meals are a lifeline for many v low income families. Let’s do the right thing: extend FSM thru summer.”

Well done Marcus, keep up the pressure! 

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Wetherspoons to close 11 more pubs across the country with 33 already gone

Is your local Spoons up for sale?

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JD Wetherspoon

After 33 closures already this year, Spoons have announced 11 more sites are to call last orders too.

The newest list of closures will affect a number of areas across the country including Todmorden, Moreton and Doncaster.

The budget pub chain previously announced it would be putting some of its pubs up for sale – that were in nearby locations to another existing site – due to the pressure of rising costs and inflation.

JD Wetherspoon

But punters don’t need to panic just yet, as the pubs won’t close until they have been sold.

Despite the closures Spoons has also opened branches, including The Square Peg in Birmingham and The Lord Palmerston in Southsea – after undergoing major refurbishments. The chain is also redeveloping pubs in Wakefield, central Cardiff and Glasgow, to the tune of around £8 million. 

Wetherspoons currently boasts around 822 branches across the UK and recently announced its busiest-ever Saturday was during the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.

Cl1kr / Flickr

The 11 Wetherspoons pubs now up for sale:

  • The Pontlottyn, Abertillery
  • The Ivor Davies, Cardiff
  • Spa Lane Vaults, Chesterfield
  • The Gate House, Doncaster
  • The Market Cross, Holywell
  • The Regent, Kirkby in Ashfield
  • The Mockbeggar Hall, Moreton
  • The Hain Line, St Ives
  • The Sir Norman Rae, Shipley
  • The Sir Daniel Arms, Swindon
  • The White Hart, Todmorden

These are just the Wetherspoon locations recently announced to be closing by the chain, but there are dozens more that have already closed this year.

JD Wetherspoon

The list of Wetherspoon locations that have closed are:

  • The John Masefield, New Ferry
  • Angel, Islington
  • The Silkstone Inn, Barnsley
  • The Billiard Hall, West Bromwich
  • Admiral Sir Lucius Curtis, Southampton
  • The Colombia Press, Watford
  • The Malthouse, Willenhall
  • The John Masefield, New Ferry
  • Thomas Leaper, Derby
  • Cliftonville, Hove
  • Tollgate, Harringay
  • Last Post, Loughton
  • Harvest Moon, Orpington
  • Alexander Bain, Wick
  • Chapel an Gansblydhen, Bodmin
  • Moon on the Square, Basildon
  • Coal Orchard, Taunton
  • Running Horse, Airside Doncaster Airport
  • Wild Rose, Bootle
  • Edmund Halley, Lee Green
  • The Willow Grove, Southport
  • Postal Order, Worcester
  • North and South Wales Bank, Wrexham
  • The Sir John Stirling Maxwell, Glasgow
  • The Knight’s Templar, London
  • Christopher Creeke, Bournemouth
  • The Water House, Durham
  • The Widow Frost, Mansfield
  • The Worlds Inn, Romford
  • Hudson Bay, Forest Gate
  • The Saltoun Inn, Fraserburgh
  • The Bankers Draft, Eltham, London
  • The Sir John Arderne, Newark

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Police issue update in search for missing grandad, 81, from Oldham

Officers are supporting Ronald’s family while they continue the search

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Greater Manchester Police

Greater Manchester Police have issued an update on Ronald Webster, 81, who went missing from Oldham last Thursday.

The news comes after Ronald’s grandchildren made an appeal to the public asking for help to find their beloved grandad and to ‘keep him safe’ until they, or the police can get there.

It was believed the last sightings of the grandfather-of-five were at 10.52 am on Walkers Road, in Limeside, Oldham and again at 3.45pm as he got off the 184 at Huddersfield Bus Station, on September 14th.

Family submit / ITV

However, police have confirmed a new sighting of the pensioner, known by loved ones as ‘Ronnie’, just minutes later at 3.53pm, as he entered Huddersfield Train Station.

It is believed he may have links to the Bridlington, Whitby and Scarborough areas, although officers have said they are ‘not ruling out that he may have travelled elsewhere’.

Ronald’s family shared that he had recently undergone a triple heart bypass and had medication for his heart and for epilepsy, but that he had not taken any of his medicine with him when he went missing.

His grandchildren said that this is the first time he has not come home.

At the time of his disappearance, Ronald was wearing a blue and black coat with grey trousers.

He is described as 4’11 ins with grey hair around the sides, bald on top, and uses a walking stick.

In an update, a spokesperson for GMP said: “Since Ronald was reported missing, officers have been working closely with his loved ones to understand where he might have travelled to. 

Greater Manchester Police

“It is believed he may have links to Bridlington, Whitby and Scarborough, although officers are not ruling out that he may have travelled elsewhere.

“Whilst officers are continuing to review CCTV from locations of significance, they are also working with colleagues from other forces to ensure everyone is on the lookout for Ronald so we can help him return to his family safe and well.”

Anyone with information about Ronald’s whereabouts should call 101 quoting 1013 of 16/09/2023.

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H&M Home is opening in Manchester city centre this weekend

The first 100 members in the queue will receive a free H&M Home gift

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At long last, H&M Home is opening up a store selling its interiors range in the city centre.

Shoppers were delighted when the Swedish fashion retailer, full name Hennes & Mauritz, decided to branch out and launch a homeware range in 2009, following in the footsteps of the likes of Zara.

At first, it teased us with a small concession in Selfridges at the Trafford Centre back in 2015, where shoppers and home decor enthusiasts could find affordable pieces that looked as good as those sitting on their Pinterest boards.

H&M Home

But then it closed for a long while and for many shoppers, it left a void that couldn’t be filled, with its home stuff only being available online. No more could you wander into the shop, pick up cute pieces and admire stylish bedding sets to decorate your home.

Recently, it opened up a H&M Home shop within the Trafford Centre which sells everything from cushions to lamps, candles, vases, bed linen, towels, dried flowers and a whole selection of homeware accessories you didn’t even know you needed.

And now a H&M Home shop is coming to the city centre too.

H&M Home

The retailer recently closed the majority of its Market Street store while it undergoes a refurbishment, leaving just a small section open for fans to continue to shop at the high street favourite.

This week, H&M announced that the small section will now become its H&M Home showroom so decor lovers can ‘scratch that interior design itch’ once again.

In a newsletter distributed to its members, H&M said: “You may have seen that our Market Street store is temporarily closed whilst we work on our new look and feel. 

@hmhome / Instagram

“But from 23rd September, you can head down to our H&M HOME showroom in the same location where you can scratch that interior design itch by shopping our latest home decor collection.

“The first 100 members in the queue will receive a free H&M HOME gift and an exclusive offer for the full launch in winter 2023.

“There’s even some exciting new AR technology to help you visualise your living space and enhance your shopping experience just that little bit more.

@hmhome / Instagram

“If you’re looking for the rest of our assortment, you can find your nearest store in the Trafford Centre and we’re always open at hm.com.”

The H&M Home showroom located on Market Street will open this Saturday, September 23rd. The shop will fully launch in winter this year.

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