Two sides of England’s ‘flag wars’, from a town at the heart of the debate
A surge in flag-flying across Blackley, north Manchester, has sparked fierce debate about patriotism, immigration, and racism. England and Union Jack flags now line lamp posts and homes, part of a wider campaign called 'Raising The Colours’. Supporters argue it is a proud display of national identity and frustration with government failures on illegal migration, insisting the flags are not racist. Don and Anne Lees, who joined the movement, said it made them 'proud to be English’. Yet critics see the campaign as intimidating, echoing past racial tensions. One resident compared the masked men who put up flags at night to the far right of the 1970s, warning that Polish neighbours might feel threatened. While some shopkeepers welcome the extra sales, others worry that it risks division. Labour MP Graham Stringer said patriotism has deep roots in Blackley and insisted national flags 'shouldn’t feel threatening’, urging people not to see them as owned by extremists. Rising asylum numbers and strained services fuel the controversy.
More than 500 arrested at Notting Hill Carnival
This year’s Notting Hill Carnival saw more than 500 arrests over two days, a sharp rise from 349 in 2024. Police deployed over 7,000 officers daily, supported by CCTV, knife searches, and live facial recognition technology, which directly led to 61 arrests, including a registered sex offender, a machete attacker, and a fugitive wanted for a decade. While four stabbings occurred, none were fatal - a reduction in serious violence compared to recent years when murders took place. Arrests included 167 for drugs, 50 for offensive weapons, 21 for sexual offences, and 55 for assaults on police, with two officers requiring hospital treatment. Deputy assistant commissioner Matt Ward praised both proactive policing and carnival organisers for discouraging violence. Despite improvements, concerns remain over crowd safety and overcrowding risks. An independent review is expected to report in October.
67 people charged over Palestine Action support
The Metropolitan Police have confirmed that 67 people have been charged under section 13 of the Terrorism Act for allegedly showing support for Palestine Action, a proscribed organisation. Those charged, aged between 21 and 83, were arrested during central London protests on 5 and 12 July. They face a maximum sentence of six months’ imprisonment and are due to appear for trial in September and October. Since the group’s proscription on 5 July, more than 700 arrests have been made nationwide. Critics argue the ban infringes free speech, but Yvette Cooper insists Palestine Action has been responsible for serious crimes, including aggravated burglary and violent disorder. Commander Dominic Murphy rejected claims that protests had stretched police resources, stressing that law enforcement remained robust. The group has been granted permission to challenge the ban in the High Court in November, setting up a legal battle over the boundaries between protest and terrorism.
Trump predicts 'bad awakening' for UK in unhinged TV rant
In a televised cabinet meeting, Donald Trump launched a furious tirade against the UK, blaming wind farms for rising energy costs. Reviving his long-standing grudge against offshore turbines near his Scottish golf course, he falsely claimed that 'windmills' had sent UK energy prices 'through the roof' and were 'ruining every country’. He also repeated discredited conspiracy theories linking turbines to whale deaths, despite scientists attributing recent strandings to climate change and warming seas. Experts note that wind power is in fact one of the cheapest energy sources, significantly undercutting gas, coal, and nuclear power. Surveys show it is the UK’s second most popular form of energy generation, just behind nuclear, while fossil fuels remain the least favoured. Trump also criticised solar farms for taking up too much land and suggested the UK faced a 'bad awakening' for closing down oil operations. His comments marked a rare direct attack on a US ally, stirring debate over his reliability on climate and energy issues.
