Harry Torrance

The Mirror • 20th March 2024

UN slams Tories for 'demonising' disabled people

The Government is 'demonising' disabled people through its "traumatising" benefits system, the United Nations has warned.

At a meeting in Geneva on Monday, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) said that the UK Government's policies have contributed to the deaths of disabled people. It comes after a special inquiry report filed by the Committee in 2016 found "grave and systemic" violations of disabled people's rights under the Government's austerity an

Hackney Post • 18th March 2024

“Unaffordable” and “bad quality” housing slammed by mayor candidate

The council’s shared ownership housing has been criticised as “not affordable and not good quality housing” by Zoë Garbett, the Green Party candidate for London Mayor.

Garbett, the councillor for Dalston, proposed scrapping the current model, whereby tenants buy a share of a property while still paying rent for the unowned share, and instead making sure that “100% of housing on council land is council owned”.

Average property prices in Hackney have more than tripled in the last 20 years, risin

Hackney Post • 14th March 2024

Tom Hunter's exhibition protesting the Hackney housing crisis

The award-winning visual artist discusses squatting, gentrification, and his exhibition on housing at Hackney Museum

The centrepiece of the At Home in Hackney photography exhibition at the Hackney Museum, extended for a second time in March, is a six-foot-tall model of a tower block on the now demolished Holly Street housing estate.

Upon closer examination, each window of the tower features a picture of the inhabitants’ home life. The viewer feels more like a welcome guest than an intruder in

The Telegraph • 15th February 2024

Nigerian and Indian students shun British universities amid immigration clampdown

Nigerian and Indian students are shunning British universities amid government attempts to clamp down on immigration.

Ucas (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) figures show the number of Nigerian students applying to start undergraduate degrees this year has fallen by 46 per cent compared to last year, to 1,590.

Meanwhile, applications from India have fallen by four per cent to 8,770.

However, overall demand from international students from countries outside of the European Union ha

The Telegraph • 8th February 2024

Parents could get alerts if children access harmful websites in wake of Brianna Ghey murder

Michelle Donelan, the Technology Secretary, was hoping to meet Brianna’s mother on Wednesday, but the talks were postponed until later in the week after Ms Ghey was caught in a major political row during a visit to Parliament.

The spat broke out when Rishi Sunak mocked Sir Keir Starmer’s stance on “defining a woman” during Prime Minister’s Questions, having been told that Ms Ghey – whose daughter was transgender – was watching from the public gallery.

Ms Ghey actually missed the jibe, arriving

The Telegraph • 6th February 2024

Clapham attack suspect Abdul Ezedi ‘converted to Christianity’ with Baptist church

The suspect in the Clapham chemical attack converted to Christianity with a Baptist church that “welcomes strangers”, The Telegraph understands.

Abdul Ezedi has been on the run for six days after allegedly dousing a 31-year-old woman and her two daughters, aged three and eight, with an alkaline substance and trying to run them over with a car before fleeing the scene in Clapham, south London.

Ezedi was convicted of sex offences in Newcastle in 2018, but was allowed to remain in the country bec

The Independent • 6th December 2023

Disposable vapes are a headrush. Of course they should be banned!

The first time I tried a cigarette, I was disgusted. The first time I tried an e-cigarette, I was underwhelmed – like sucking on a chemical-tasting USB stick. But the first time I tried a disposable vape, I was blown away.

It was as though I’d just inhaled an entire Tango Ice Blast. The headrush was instantaneous, my body felt beautifully buzzed – and I was just 16 years old.

Unlike many of my classmates, I never bought my own vapes, mainly due to fears of parental disownment if I ever got cau

Hackney Gazette • 30th November 2023

'Night safety campaign has driven down sexual offences by 36'

The total number of sexual offences in Hackney has fallen from 104 in June 2022 to 61 in September 2023, after huge growth in activity supporting nightlife venues as part of the Hackney Nights campaign.

The campaign trains staff in welfare vulnerability, violence against women and awareness of drink spiking.

It also provides drink-safety signs, a step-by-step guide of what to do if there are incidents, as well as having two dedicated medical professionals, weekly briefings and radio between ve

Hackney Post • 26th October 2023

'It’s a protest: award-winning photographer addresses dire Hackney housing crisis in new exhibition

Tom Hunter has dubbed his latest work a “protest against the modern housing crisis”.

The 58-year-old internationally celebrated artist speaks to Hackney Post about his current exhibition.

The exhibition focuses on Hackney’s changing housing structures through a series of photographs. The photographs show people in their East End homes from the ‘70s until today, focusing on both how the physical spaces have changed, and the responding cultures of its inhabitants. Through the series, Hunter aims

The Boar • 11th January 2023

Emiliano Martinez: winner’s mentality or unnecessary bad sportsmanship?

In a World Cup final featuring two of the game’s all-time greats in Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, few would have foreseen Emiliano Martinez as the key difference-maker ahead of kick-off. Hardly a household name (outside of Villa Park) a few months ago, the Argentina goalkeeper’s sudden rise to fame has come about through more than an exceptional series of performances at the tournament – worthy of winning the Golden Glove award. Instead, Martinez has become a byword for, well, let’s be polite

The Boar • 14th December 2022

Brexit Adds Almost £6 billion to Brits’ Food Bills

The average British household food bill increased by £210 between December 2019 and December 2021, according to a new report by the London School of Economics’ (LSE) Centre for Economic Performance (CEP). In this period, overall food prices have increased by £5.84bn, or 6%, as a direct result of Brexit.

This increase has hit Britain’s poorest families the hardest, with an overall 1.1% increase in cost-of-living due to these price hikes. This was 52% more than the richest 10% of households, whic

Amplify • 16th November 2022

£80 Pints, Questionable Human Rights and Thousands of Workers Deaths – The Moral Dilemma facing Fans ahead of the Coming World Cup

The other week I was sitting in a car with some friends, one of whom was bragging about attending England’s group stage matches of the coming World Cup in Qatar, to which another responded: “Frankly, I’d rather watch it here with a £3 pint and my tolerant friends.” Call me a fake England fan – but I’m inclined to agree. The tournament’s run-up has been marred with controversy at just about every level. Its award to Qatar by FIFA in 2010 was perplexing and lambasted with allegations of corruption

The Boar • 1st November 2022

Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor – A Final Chaotic Send-off to the Show’s Worst era

Despite featuring 8 Doctors, 9 companions, and 3 iconic villains, Jodie Whittaker’s last outing in the TARDIS ultimately attempted to spin too many plates. The episode’s flaws were endemic of scriptwriter Chris Chibnall’s time at the helm of the show – weak plots, wasted monsters with rushed crowd-pleasers which failed to appease viewers.

The finale began with a mini-episode of sorts which ends with Dan (John Bishop) deciding after a series of near-death experiences, that a crack in his helmet

Amplify • 14th October 2022

'Help Me or I'm Gonna be Homeless!' - The Student Experience of Living Through the Cost-of-Living Crisis

If students are normally known for one thing – it’s being skint. However, the current cost-of-living crisis appears to be taking young people to new depths of frugality. Referring to the current generation of 16–25-year-olds as the ‘Class of Covid’, Jonathon Townsend, the UK Chief Executive of the Prince’s Trust charity, has claimed: “Young people in the UK today are facing a unique set of challenges, in the aftermath of a pandemic and with a cost-of-living crisis looming.” Frankly, he’s not wro

The Boar • 4th October 2022

‘You’re Not Getting Better with Time / It’s fine Eminem, Put Down the Pen’ – Is it time for the ‘Rap God’ to Retire?

A 2010 interview with Vibe magazine has recently resurfaced in which Eminem – then 37 years old – stated: “I do love [hip-hop] so much. But even if I was rapping at 50, I don’t know if I would put it out.” This, combined with this month’s release of his second ‘greatest hits’ album, Curtain Call 2, has kindled speculation that the rapper’s retirement is imminent. Given the rapper will reach half a century in October, it seems appropriate to assess whether it’s time for Eminem to put down the pen

Amplify • 30th September 2022

The Queen's Mourning Period - A Rightful Send-Off to an Icon, or a Frivolous Waste of Public Money in a Cost-of-Living Crisis?

The death of Queen Elizabeth II brought about a mourning period unparalleled in pomp, coverage, cancellations, tributes, and public attendance in Britain since that of Princess Diana. However, many believe the cost to the taxpayer in both time and money, with the many temporary closures across the week and the funeral alone estimated to have cost at least £8 million, will have done more damage than good to the Royal Family’s popularity. A period which for many represented a worthy send-off to a

The Boar • 27th September 2022

Andrew Tate: Has the end of ‘the King of Toxic Masculinity’ Finally Come?

Reading this, you’re probably thinking one of two things. Either: Really? Do we still have to keep giving this hateful, misogynist the spotlight over a month after he’s been ‘de-platformed’? Or, who is this Poundland Pitbull I keep seeing pop up across the internet? Which category you fall into will largely depend on whether your social media accounts believe you’re a young man. Portraying himself as a self-help guru for men, Andrew Tate has faced widespread criticism, for promoting abusive and

Amplify • 19th August 2022

‘Earning Potential’ Degrees Only, or the Academic Year Moves to January – The ‘Rock and Hard Place’ Choice Between Lizz Truss and Rishi Sunak’s University Plans

So, two philosophy, politics, and economics (PPE) graduates from Oxford are insisting the higher education system should be reformed to revolve around either how potentially lucrative degrees should be, or further revolve the British education system around Oxbridge. Lovely.

Allow me to delve into why, for different reasons, both policies would create so many unnecessary problems for the education system.

First, the term ‘earning potential’ alone is problematic in Sunak’s scheme. It implies a

The Boar • 15th August 2022

Hangover Prevention Pill on Sale Now

Have a big meal before. Have a kebab after. Have plenty of water when you get in. Have a fry-up and fruit juice the morning after. Have a hangover pill 1-12 hours before you start drinking and forget the rest?

If Myrkl advertisements are to be believed, that two pills (a single dose) can break down 70% of alcohol in the body after 60 minutes, then the unthinkable has occurred: the end of hangovers has arrived. But could the future now really consist of 9am seminars the morning after circle and

Norwich Evening News • 13th August 2022

Foot-long crayfish lurking in Wensum must be killed 'on sight' - ecologist

American Signal Crayfish have invaded the city’s waterways and are decimating native species.

The alien crustaceans are also burrowing into riverbanks, eroding precious farmland and putting landowners out of pocket.

City folk who come across the whopping pincered beasts have been ordered to destroy the creatures on sight.

These crayfish can be harmful to native city wildlife (Image: Ross Jolliffe)

According to Ursula Juta, education and catchment manager at the Norfolk Rivers Trust, these cr

Norwich Evening News • 12th August 2022

'It was inevitable': Neighbours' horror as crews tackle heath blaze (additional reporting)

Homeowners living near the popular Mousehold Heath have said it was only a matter of time before a blaze broke out in the barren, parched space.

The fire on the heath sent smoke billowing into the air - which could be seen across the city - this afternoon (Friday, August 12).

Emergency services - including four fire crews and officers from Norfolk police - were across both sides of the heath in Brittania Road and Gurney Road.

A cordon was in place from the bottom of Ketts Hill.

Pip Morgan, 3

The Boar • 12th August 2022

Pressure, injuries, mixed success and a questionable Dua Lipa ad: 12 months on from Emma Raducanu’s US Open sporting miracle

Emma Raducanu will shortly begin the defence of her spectacularly earned US Open crown. This will mark an incredible 12 months of change in almost every facet of the life of the 2021 BBC Sports Personality of the Year winner.

Her tennis since last September has hardly been plain sailing as a result. Her latest appearance, at the Citi Open in Washington, ended in defeat to world no. 60 Ludmilla Samsonova 7-6 (6) 6-1 in the quarter-final stage, leaving her 2022 record comprising of just 10 victor

Norwich Evening News • 10th August 2022

Who's the celeb making a splash in Norwich?

Two British comedy favourites were spotted messing around on the river in Norwich.

Funny folk Katherine Ryan and Joe Wilkinson were being filmed paddleboarding near to the Red Lion pub at Bishop Bridge.

But pregnant Ryan, 39, struggled to get to grips with the board and soon had to be fished out of the chilly waters of the Wensum.

However Wilkinson, 47, appeared to be loving life on the water, even waving and chatting to families picnicking on the riverbank as he glided down the river.

Best

Norwich Evening News • 8th August 2022

Traffic fears over 4,000 homes plan near danger bridge (additional reporting)

Campaigners are calling for a road to be closed amid fears over traffic from thousands of planned new homes.

Taylor Wimpey's North Rackheath Masterplan could see up to 3,850 new homes built on land north of Green Lane West.

The plans - which have yet to be submitted as a full planning application - also include two primary schools, one secondary school, provision for sports facilities and a community waste recycling centre.

But villagers are concerned about the potential volume of traffic whi