Drug crime on the increase in China

China dealt with 541,000 drug crimes, sentencing 543,000 criminals from 2012 to 2016, according to a white paper issued Tuesday.

The white paper, issued by the Supreme People’s Court (SPC), revealed that drug-related crimes were among the fastest growing.

In 2012, drug crimes accounted for 7.73 percent of total criminal cases, but by 2016 it had risen to 10.54 percent.

Ye Xiaoying, a chief SPC judge, said that the country’s drug crimes had expanded all over the country, but mainly occurred in southern, southwestern, eastern and central China.

“China had handled more cases involving smuggling, producing and trading drugs, and dealt with cases of new types of drugs,” she said. “The SPC has always adhered to severely dealing with drug crimes in accordance with the law.”

From 2012 to 2016, a total of 119,000 criminals were sentenced to five years or more in prison due to drug crimes, accounting for 21.91 percent of drug criminals.



World Refugee Day: the UK government should live up to its moral responsibility on refugees

On World Refugee Day, Communities Secretary Angela Constance has written to the new UK Immigration Minister Brandon Lewis calling on the UK government to live up to its moral responsibility on its approach to refugees.

Read the letter in full below.

 



Vince Cable: May must listen to Hammond’s Brexit warnings instead of locking him in a cupboard again

Chancellor Philip Hammond has called for a transitional deal on Brexit to protect the economy at a speech at Mansion House, while Bank of England Governor Mark Carney has admitted that Brexit will make us all poorer.

It comes as the government is under pressure from the Liberal Democrats and business community to soften its stance on Brexit, including by protecting Britain’s membership of the single market and customs union.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders today warned that a hard Brexit reverting to WTO rules would permanently damage the UK car industry.

It follows similar recent warnings from the EEF, which represents UK manufacturers, and the Chemical Industries Association.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable said:

“Theresa May must listen to Philip Hammond’s warnings instead of locking him in the cupboard with his spreadsheets again.

“Three major industrial bodies are all now warning of the consequences of disrupting our trading arrangements with the EU by leaving the single market and customs union.

“The economic risk of an extreme Brexit is very real and its consequences would be felt by us all, from higher prices to less funding for our NHS and schools.

“Even the Bank of England has admitted that it cannot prevent Brexit from making us all poorer.

“The best way to protect the pound, lift people’s incomes and secure funding for our public services is to stay in the single market and customs union.

“The Liberal Democrats will work with other parties to protect our economy from a damaging Brexit and fight for the best possible deal.”



News story: New Gateway will help veterans get support on civvy street

Backed by £2 million from the Ministry of Defence’s Covenant Fund, ‘Veterans’ Gateway’ is designed to help former Servicemen and women of all ages and backgrounds navigate their new lives as civilians.

From advice on housing and finance to help with health concerns, the Gateway will bring together the vast range of charities and support on offer, guiding veterans directly to the help they need, when and where they need it.

Veterans’ Gateway

The new 24-hour online chat, phone, and text message service brings the Armed Forces support community together in a single place for the first time – delivered by a Royal British Legion-led consortium with Poppyscotland, Combat Stress, Connect Assist, the Ministry of Defence and SSAFA, the Armed Forces Charity. The service centre, based near Cardiff in South Wales, is manned partly by veterans to help ensure that callers can speak to someone who can understand their experience.

Tobias Ellwood, Minister for Defence People and Veterans said: 

The vast majority of our people make a smooth transition from military to civilian life, but the Veterans’ Gateway provides extra support in the form of a staffed, 24-hour, one-stop-shop offering guidance on housing and employment, finance, mental and physical health. Our £2 million investment honours the nation’s Armed Forces Covenant and draws all facets of support for our Armed Forces community together for the first time.

Charles Byrne, Director General of The Royal British Legion, on behalf of the Veterans’ Gateway consortium said:

Every charity only exists to help, but Lord Ashcroft revealed the uncomfortable truth that a proliferation of providers in our sector can cause confusion about where to turn. The consortium’s research found that the Armed Forces community – overwhelmingly – supports the Veterans’ Gateway, with 83 per cent welcoming the creation of a first point of contact. Veterans’ Gateway will make it easier for them to get the support they need, from whoever is best able to provide it. No matter how complex their needs, working together we can do more.

Veterans’ Gateway has been established in response to Lord Ashcroft’s 2014 Veterans’ Transition Review, which called for the process by which veterans are guided to welfare support services to be made easier to navigate. It honours the Armed Forces Covenant – a pledge, enshrined in law, that former and current members of our armed forces, and their families, should suffer no disadvantage because of their service to our nation.
To contact Veterans’ Gateway Call: 0808 802 1212 Text: 81212 or visit: http://www.veteransgateway.org.uk



John McDonnell response to Philip Hammond’s Mansion House speech

John McDonnell MP,
Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, commenting on Philip Hammond’s Mansion House speech this morning, said:

“The Chancellor has
made clear this morning that the message remains the same – austerity will
continue. The Tories have learnt nothing from the General Election, and the
last seven wasted years of economic failure. The Conservatives have no
understanding of the depth of suffering, stress and insecurity their long
austerity regime has caused.

"And we
have seen the Chancellor again trying to distance himself from
the position of his Prime Minister on Brexit. It just shows
further disarray at the top of government. The fact that there is
clearly such a serious split between Number 10 and 11 is very worrying and only
helps to undermine our country ahead of the Brexit negotiations.

“It further shows just
how weak a position Theresa May is in. And raises the serious question of: how
can she negotiate Brexit when her own Chancellor is so publicly disputing her
position on Brexit and briefing against his own Cabinet colleagues?

“The truth is that the Government’s
spin of over a “hard” or soft “Brexit”, is just a smokescreen to paper over the
cracks of the divide at the very heart of this Tory Government. The reality is
that they are really planning a Brexit for the few by turning our county into a
tax haven off the coast of Europe, which diminishes workplace rights and
undermines working people’s living standards.

“Labour has called from
day one for the Chancellor to act on gaining assurances over our stake in the
EIB, and it has taken him a year to raise a finger; and now he has, all he is
offering businesses in our country in way of support to mitigate any risks from
the loss of this resource is a drop in the ocean from the actual support they
will really need.

“Only a Labour Government
will secure a Brexit for the many that will put jobs and the economy first, and
ensure that working families and small businesses are protected from any
challenges our country faces after leaving the EU.”