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News story: CNC officers return to their Mission

All Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) officers are now back to their home sites after Operation Temperer concluded and are fulfilling their Mission of protecting civil nuclear sites and nuclear material while in transit.

CNC Authorised Firearms Officers (AFOs) were deployed from every one of the 10 nuclear sites we protect, as well as from our training division. They were sent to eight different force areas and carried out a wide range of roles, including patrolling transport hubs like airports and train stations; joining Home Office AFO colleagues on patrol in Armed Response Vehicles; and protecting public events ranging from concerts to sports matches. While they were away supporting the national Op Temperer deployment, a large number of our AFOs remained protecting nuclear sites, with the support of the UK Armed Forces.

Chief Constable Mike Griffiths said: “Our officers were deployed to eight different force areas and couldn’t have received a warmer welcome from their Home Office counterparts.

“As a national Counter Terrorism police force, our officers are highly skilled and patrol within 5km of their nuclear sites on a daily basis, however they really enjoyed the opportunity to interact with members of the public in situations they wouldn’t ordinarily experience – such as patrolling in busy city centres, protecting iconic sites and providing a visible armed presence at concerts and sporting events, including the Liverpool and Manchester marathons at the weekend.

“As well as supporting the national operation, we carried on with business as usual at our sites, ensuring nuclear facilities and materials were as secure as they always are with the support of military personnel.

“I have nothing but admiration for all of the officers and members of the UK police forces who came together to protect the public in the wake of the horrific attack in Manchester last week and our thoughts remain with those who have lost loved ones or sustained injuries in the attack. As a force, we were proud to support the national policing effort and have been humbled by the messages of support we received from the public and our policing partners thanks to the role we played.”

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HM Government

Emily Thornberry responds to reports Theresa May refused to sign a joint statement with European leaders expressing regret at President Trump’s withdrawal from Paris agreement

Emily Thornberry, Labour’s Shadow Foreign Secretary, responding to reports that Theresa May has refused to sign a joint statement with other European leaders expressing regret at President Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris agreement, said:

“The leaders of France, Germany and Italy are absolutely right to stand by the Paris Agreement and make clear to Donald Trump that it is not up for renegotiation. The commitments made in Paris are vital to stop the world reaching the point of no return on climate change, and there can be no question of watering them down.

“The only question is why Theresa May does not have her name on this joint statement. Given the chance to present a united front with our European partners, she has instead opted for cowardice and subservience to Donald Trump. It is a dereliction of her duty both to our country and to our planet.

“It is bad enough that she failed so badly to persuade Trump to stick to the Paris agreement, but it is even worse that she lacks the backbone to stand up to him now. This proves that Mrs May is the very last person we want negotiating for Britain on Brexit.”

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Labour •

Green Party responds to Trump pulling out of Paris agreement

1 June 2017

The Green Party has condemned Donald Trump’s decision to pull out of the Paris climate agreement [1].

Caroline Lucas, Green Party co-leader, said:

“Trump’s recklessness knows no bounds, as demonstrated by this scientifically and economically illiterate decision – meanwhile Theresa May can barely muster the courage to speak to the British public, let alone the President of the United States. Sadly, it is the most vulnerable in the world who will suffer the effects of a dithering and deluded President who has caved in to his fossil fuel cronies.

“Above all, this is yet another sign that as long as environmental issues are treated as secondary, the planet, and all those who live on it, will lose out. Climate change has been sidelined in this election, and it is a shameful state of affairs that, with our climate targets slipping further out of reach and biodiversity in free-fall, the main political parties remain silent.

“But the global movement for climate justice is unstoppable: from the nanas taking on the fracking industry in this country, to the people putting their lives on the line to stop fossil fuel projects across the world – to say nothing of the jaw-dropping costs in solar and wind energy. On the 8th June, the Green Party represents a vote for that movement; for a cleaner, healthier future; and for a Britain that leads the way by investing in the renewable energy that we have in abundance.”

Notes:

  1. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/live/2017/jun/01/donald-trump-paris-climate-agreement-live-news?CMP=twt_gu

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Desperate Sturgeon blames everyone else for her education failings

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  • Desperate Sturgeon blames everyone else for her education failings

1 Jun 2017

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson MSP speaking during First Minister's Questions held in the Scottish parliament, Edinburgh today. 09 June 2016. Pic - Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament

Nicola Sturgeon today refused to take responsibility for Scotland’s falling education standards – 24 hours after her education secretary admitted SNP cuts “probably” went too far.

At First Minister’s Questions, Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson highlighted how the SNP’s “boom and bust” approach to teacher training meant schools across the country were struggling to recruit staff.

John Swinney conceded this was the fault of the SNP’s workforce planning, which previously saw too many teachers being trained in relation to demand.

However, the First Minister instead tried to shift the blame to the UK Government, even though education is entirely devolved to Holyrood.

Ms Sturgeon also failed to condemn a series of tweets by SNP MSP John Mason, suggesting Scotland had “moved on” from the need for high standards of literacy and numeracy.

He also claimed surgeons don’t need to spell, IT workers shouldn’t bother with grammar, and that there was too much emphasis on “the academic” in the past.

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said:

“The education secretary admitted the SNP was to blame for a shortage of teachers – but today Nicola Sturgeon wanted to put that blame on everyone else.

“If the First Minister is serious about sorting out education, she has to address what’s gone wrong on the SNP’s watch.

“Instead, she wants people to forget about a decade of failure, forget about the mess the Scottish Government has made of education, and forget about the children who’ve been failed by the SNP.

“And instead of facing up to the consequences of SNP failings, Nicola Sturgeon wants to lay the blame at everyone else’s door.

“That’s not competent government and, if John Mason’s views on education are anything to go by, it explains exactly why Scottish education under the SNP is in such a mess right now.”

John Swinney admitted yesterday the SNP “probably” went too far in cutting teacher training numbers:
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/scotland/cutbacks-in-scottish-teacher-training-went-too-far-swinney-admits-sl60sz63m

Student leaders previously called for an end to “boom and bust” training numbers:
http://www.scotsman.com/news/education/teacher-training-places-are-cut-by-40-1-789809

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Scottish Conservatives