Saxon Radio, Nottingham (2025)

10/10/2025

NEWS: Former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton, England manager Sarina Wiegman and Spice Girl Mel B are among the notable names backing a campaign calling for greater protections of girls’ rights.

Led by the children’s charity Plan International UK to mark International Day of the Girl, the campaign aims to highlight how progress towards gender equality in the UK and around the world is stalling and in some cases, reversing.

According to the charity, 12 million girls are forced into marriage every year – while 129 million girls remain out of school.

New research by the charity also found that nearly one in four (23%) UK adults believe progress on gender equality is bad for men, while almost a third (32%) of Gen Z men aged 18-24 believe a return to traditional gender roles would be positive for society.

Wiegman, who led the Lionesses to victory at the Women’s Euros this summer, said: “As a coach, I’ve seen the power that comes when girls and young women are given the chance to reach their full potential. But right now, too many girls across the world are being held back and denied equal opportunities.

“Only by standing together can we ensure that every girl has the chance to thrive.”

Downton Abbey actress Joanne Froggatt, singer-songwriter Paris Paloma, and Skunk Anansie’s lead singer Skin also lent their voices to the campaign – which had everyone design a poster to help raise awareness.

The designs include Ms Clinton’s reworking of her “Women’s rights are human rights” speech which was adapted to “Girls’ rights are human rights too” along with Ms Wiegman’s poster which has the slogan “Girls rise, we all rise”.

Mel B, whose full name is Melanie Brown, added: “Girl power has always been my mantra.

“Right now, women and girls are having their rights rolled back all over the world — and that has to stop.

“When girls are empowered, everyone benefits, and that’s the message behind my design. And of course, I had to make it fierce with a touch of leopard print.”

Froggatt, who is best known for playing Anna Bates in the hit period drama Downton Abbey, said: “I’ve been proud to support Plan International UK for over 20 years, so I know all about the life-changing impact they have for girls and women across the world. But right now, we’re witnessing a disturbing rise in violence against women and a growing assault on reproductive rights.

“Hard-won freedoms are being rolled back, and girls’ futures are at risk. My poster is a rallying cry for us to stand together until we are all equal.”

Rose Caldwell, chief executive of Plan International UK, said the campaign sends a clear signal that progress on gender equality must not be allowed to slip backwards.

She said: “At Plan International UK, we are deeply concerned by the global rollback of girls’ rights — from access to education and healthcare, to freedom from violence and discrimination.

“Progress that generations have fought so hard for is under threat, and we cannot allow girls’ futures to be pushed backwards. That is why this campaign is so important. We’re honoured to have such inspiring supporters lending their voices and creativity — their posters are not only powerful works of art, but a clear stand against inequality.”

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10/10/2025

NEWS: Hiking income tax would be the “least damaging” option for Chancellor Rachel Reeves, whereas raising VAT could push down harder on people’s real incomes, according to new economic analysis.

The Government is under pressure to raise revenues and balance the books ahead of November’s autumn Budget statement.

Analysis carried out by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) suggests that it would be harmful for the Chancellor to find other ways to raise tax revenue beyond the “main” UK taxes.

The economic think tank analysed the economic impact of raising income tax, corporation tax and value added tax (VAT).

Of the three, NIESR said raising VAT would have the biggest negative impact on the UK economy by lowering real personal disposable income (RPDI) by nearly 3% and real gross domestic product (GDP) by nearly 1% in the first year of the tax being applied.

A higher rate of VAT would also push up inflation more than the other levers because of the impact it would have on prices in shops.

Raising corporation tax – which is charged on the profits made by businesses – would have a smaller short-term impact but drag on the economy in the long run by reducing investment, according to the analysis.

On the other hand, hiking income tax would have the lowest impact, bringing down GDP by about 0.05% in the first year after the tax is applied.

The scenarios in NIESR’s analysis are based on the assumption that the Government aims to raise total net annual revenue by £30 billion by 2029-30.

This is how much Ms Reeves needs to raise to fill an estimated black hole in the public finances.

NIESR said the “least bad” option therefore was for the Chancellor to increase income tax at her next Budget.

The think tank acknowledged that doing so would mean the Labour Government breaks its manifesto pledge not to raise taxes on “working people” – which it said was now widely interpreted to mean income tax, VAT, employee national insurance contributions, and corporation tax.

“We would argue that they could find other ways to raise tax revenue but doing so would be much more distortive, harming the economy in the longer run,” the report’s authors wrote.

Ed Cornforth, NIESR economist and main author of the analysis, said: “Our analysis clearly shows that a rise in income tax is the Chancellor’s least damaging, most reliable option for putting the economy on a sustainable, secure footing.

“VAT would put pressure on prices, an undesirable option given current inflation expectations, and additional business taxes would harm investment incentives, at a time when employer NICs have already dampened business confidence.

“Although it is politically unsavoury, avoiding raising income tax will force the Chancellor’s hand into worse options – tinkering around the edges simply won’t shift the dial.”

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10/10/2025

NEWS: Children and young people have taken more than 250 million free bus journeys since the Scottish Government introduced free travel for those under 22 three years ago.

The scheme was launched in January 2022 offering free bus travel to those under 22 across the country.

More than 80% of eligible young people now have access to the scheme through a national entitlement card or Young Scot national entitlement card.

The scheme was introduced as part of the Scottish Government’s aims to reduce child poverty.

The Scottish Government said the scheme has encouraged early adoption of public transport among young people which supports climate action and reduces travel costs.

Minister for connectivity Jim Fairlie said free bus journeys “are changing lives”.

He said: “Eradicating child poverty is one of our Government’s top priorities.

“That’s why I’m proud – particularly during Challenge Poverty Week organised by the Poverty Alliance – to see under-22s across Scotland embracing this transformative benefit, with over 250 million journeys now made.

“This isn’t just about saving young people and their families money – it’s about unlocking potential. Free bus travel is helping young people access education and employment, and to connect with friends and family.

“These journeys are changing lives. They’re keeping communities connected, supporting our climate goals and strengthening our public transport network.

“I want to thank every young person who’s chosen the bus. In doing so, you are supporting our towns and cities, our climate and our bus services.

“Coupled with the Scottish Government action to permanently remove peak fares on ScotRail services, and our other concessionary travel schemes offering free bus travel to over 2.3 million people across Scotland, we’re taking concrete action to save people money on transport.”

Radio NewsHub

10/10/2025

NEWS: NHS patients are being left in hospital corridors for “dangerously long periods” and missing timely access to specialist care, health leaders have warned.

The Society for Acute Medicine (SAM) said new data shows fewer than one in five acutely unwell patients are receiving their first assessment in an acute medical unit (AMU).

AMUs are short stay assessment and admission units for patients who need specialist assessment and/or opinion.

Patients are referred to AMUs by emergency department (A&E) doctors, other hospital departments, or directly by a GP.

The latest Society for Acute Medicine benchmarking audit, carried out in June, included more than 10,000 patients.

It found nearly half were initially seen in emergency departments rather than AMUs, and over nine in 10 spent more than four hours waiting in A&E.

⁠More than half of patients waited more than 12 hours in emergency departments, with older and frailer patients most likely to wait this long.

According to the SAM, a lack of beds in AMUs and on hospital wards means patients are left for “dangerously long periods” on corridors.

It said AMUs receive the majority of patients admitted to hospital from A&E, helping to maintain the flow of patients, so blockages have a big knock-on effect.

SAM’s new president, Dr Vicky Price, said: “Corridor care is causing harm for patients on a daily basis.

“It is associated with increased length of stay and increased mortality, and patients should be flowing through AMUs.

“The evidence shows that patients have better outcomes when they come through acute medical units – lower mortality, shorter stays and better patient experience – so we must fix this situation.”

SAM past president Dr Tim Cooksley added: “We have patients in corridors, not just in our emergency departments but in our acute medical units as well, and our occupancy levels are too high.

“We still have over 1,000 patients a day in England alone waiting more than 12 hours in emergency departments, and most of those are acute medical patients waiting for a bed on an acute medical unit.

“Many are older, frail and vulnerable to sustaining harm while they are waiting.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “It is shocking corridor care has become a feature of the NHS and we are working at pace to turn around more than a decade of neglect.

“Despite NHS Accident and Emergency departments facing their busiest August ever, ambulance response times and handovers are the fastest they have been since the pandemic.

“But we know there’s more to do. That’s why we are expanding urgent and emergency capacity and upgrading hundreds of ambulances across the country, backed by an extra £450 million.”

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10/10/2025

NEWS: Former Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood has been charged with r**e and sexual assault.

The Metropolitan Police said the 68-year-old is accused of offences against seven different women as young as 17 years old.

He is charged with four counts of r**e, nine counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault, the force said.

The alleged offences are said to have taken place between 1983 and 2016.

Westwood, of Westminster, is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on November 11.

Police have said the former Radio 1 DJ is alleged to have indecently assaulted a 17-year-old girl in the Fulham area of London in 1983.

He is also accused of sexually assaulting a woman in her 20s in the Vauxhall area of London in 1986 as well as ra**ng and sexually assaulting a woman, aged between 17 and 18, in London between 1995 and 1996.

Westwood is alleged to have r**ed and sexually assaulted a woman aged 17 to 18 between 2000 and 2001 and r**ed a woman in her 20s in 2010 – with the alleged offences also reported to have taken place in London.

He is further accused of sexually assaulting a woman in her 20s in Stroud, Gloucestershire, in 2010 and sexually assaulting another woman in her 20s in the Finchley area of London in 2016.

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10/10/2025

NEWS: Five water firms are to be provisionally allowed to raise their bills by between 1% and 5% more than previously granted by regulator Ofwat, the competition watchdog has said.

Five companies – Anglian Water, Northumbrian Water, South East Water, Southern Water, and Wessex Water – argued that Ofwat’s original decision left them unable to meet the regulatory requirements set out for them.

An independent group of experts appointed by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said Anglian and Northumbrian should be allowed to increase their bills by a further 1%, Southern by 3%, South East by 4% and Wessex by 5%.

Southern Water had already been allowed a 53% increase to average bills over the next five years through the December ruling but had appealed for another 15%.

Anglian Water had been allowed 29% and asked for 10% more, while South East Water had been granted 24% and asked for a further 18%.

Wessex and Northumbrian – who were both allowed a 21% increase originally – asked for another 8% and 6% respectively.

The CMA said a provisional decision allowed for 21%, or an additional £556 million in revenue, of the total £2.7 billion the five firms requested.

Kirstin Baker, who chaired the independent group of experts appointed by the CMA to consider the price controls, said: “We’ve found that water companies’ requests for significant bill increases, on top of those allowed by Ofwat, are largely unjustified.

“We understand the real pressure on household budgets and have worked to keep increases to a minimum, while still ensuring there is funding to deliver essential improvements at reasonable cost.”

The CMA said the extra money would fund more resilient supply, reduce pollution and reflect increased financing costs.

In December, Ofwat said it would allow water firms to raise bills by an average of £157, or 36%, over the next five years to help finance investment into crumbling infrastructure.

But in March, Ofwat formally referred requests from the five companies for a redetermination of their bill increase allowance after they argued that the decision left them unable to meet the regulatory requirements set out for them.

This started a six-month period for the CMA to consider their appeals.

Water minister Emma Hardy said: “I understand the public’s anger over bill rises – that’s why I expect every water company to offer proper support to anyone struggling to pay.

“We’ve made sure that investment cash goes into infrastructure upgrades, not bonuses, and we’re creating a tough new regulator to clean up our waterways and restore trust in the system.

“We are laser-focused on helping ease the cost of living pressure on households: we’ve frozen fuel duty, raised the minimum wage and pensions and brought down mortgage rates — putting more money in people’s pockets.”

Mike Keil, chief executive of the Consumer Council for Water (CCW), said: “Many customers are still trying to absorb the impact of April’s unprecedented rise in water bills, so any further increases will be very unwelcome.

“CCW’s own analysis suggests there was an opportunity to reduce these five companies’ financing costs, cutting bills by around £41 a year, but instead the CMA has chosen to increase their rate of return.

“There is a danger the customers of these companies will end up paying more, without seeing any additional improvements in return.

“Three of these five companies also have no plans to end water poverty by 2030 and yet their customers are being exposed to bill rises that at least 40% of households say they will struggle to afford.”

A spokesman for Water UK, which represents the industry, said: “If these decisions stand, the CMA has restored more than half a billion pounds in funding. This overturns the limits set by Ofwat for how much five companies can invest in their infrastructure.

“This process has unfortunately been necessary to secure the investment our economy and environment need.

“As the CMA acknowledges, the system requires urgent reform. The Government has said it will abolish Ofwat and set up a new regulator. The country needs that to happen as soon as possible.”

Radio NewsHub

10/10/2025

Good Morning! It's Friday 10 October 2025, birthdays for ex-Tiswas presenter Chris Tarrant (79), actor Charles Dance (79), Ultravox's Midge Ure (72), ex-Spandau Ballet/actor Martin Kemp (64), actress Sarah Lancashire (61), ex-footballer Tony Adams (59) & ex-Olympic rower Matthew Pinsent (55).

Andy Lloyd's Morning Show is live every weekday from 09:00 with three hours of music, news & sport with The Retro Chart, Old Shaw's Almanac, The Bradshaws, a featured birthday artist & Nuts at Nine.

Support the programme: coff.ee/andylloyd, paypal.me/andrewlloyd or buy a cool morning show mug www.radiomugs.com

09/10/2025

Good Morning! It's Thursday 09 October 2025, birthdays for Sharon Osbourne (73), ex-Olympic track athlete Steve Ovett (70), former Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron (59), Westlife's Nicky Byrne (47) & comedian/actor Chris O'Dowd (46).

Andy Lloyd's Morning Show is live every weekday from 09:00 with three hours of music, news & sport with The Retro Chart, Old Shaw's Almanac, The Bradshaws, a featured birthday artist & Nuts at Nine.

Support the programme: coff.ee/andylloyd, paypal.me/andrewlloyd or buy a cool morning show mug www.radiomugs.com

09/10/2025

NEWS: Queen have been named the most played rock act on UK radio and TV in the 21st century according to the music licensing company, Phonographic Performance Limited.

Formed in the 1970s, the rock band continues to resonate in the present day with A Kind Of Magic, I Want To Break Free, Don’t Stop Me Now, Somebody To Love, and Radio Ga Ga among their most played songs.

Queen guitarist Sir Brian May said: “Astounding news! Bearing in mind that most of Queen’s major works were done in the 20th century, it’s amazing to top a 21st century list.

“Big thanks to all our fans.”

PPL, which licenses the use of recorded music on radio, TV and in public places, used airplay data from radio and TV stations across the country to put the list together.

It found that the rock band amassed over 400 million seconds of radio and TV airplay which is roughly the equivalent of 12.5 years of continuous play this century, with A Kind Of Magic being Queen’s most-played track.

The band, which is also known for hit songs We Will Rock You and Bohemian Rhapsody, featured guitarist Sir Brian, drummer Roger Taylor, late frontman Freddie Mercury and bassist John Deacon.

Queen scored several number ones in their 70s and 80s heyday, including the ground-breaking epic Bohemian Rhapsody. They became one of the biggest and best live touring acts in the world.

Mercury, the band’s flamboyant and charismatic frontman, who was lauded for his impressive vocal range, died at the age of 45 in 1991 after suffering from bronchial pneumonia resulting from Aids.

The group were later inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame by Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins in 2001, and had all four members inducted into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame in 2003.

David Bowie – who collaborated with Queen on the 1981 number one hit single Under Pressure – was in second place on PPL’s most played rock acts of the 21st century list, with U2 landing at number three.

Meanwhile, Oasis, who are midway through their highly anticipated reunion world tour, placed fourth on the list, with Fleetwood Mac completing the top five.

Peter Leathem, PPL chief executive, said: “This chart underlines how rock music across the decades continues to thrive on UK airwaves.

“Congratulations to Queen on this great accolade in such a significant anniversary year for their first number one album.

“It’s a testament to their expansive and much-loved music catalogue that they continue to mean so much to UK audiences to this very day.”

Queen released their classic album A Night At The Opera nearly 50 year ago, in November 1975. It became their first number one album in the UK and spawned Bohemian Rhapsody, which topped the UK singles chart in the same year. The song repeated the feat in 1991 following Mercury’s death.

Interest in Queen remains strong to the present day, with the band’s performance at Live Aid in 1985 widely seen as one of the greatest of all time. The band were also the subject of the 2018 Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. Rami Malek won the Academy Award for best actor over his portrayal of Mercury.

Queen – featuring Sir Brian and Taylor, with Deacon declining to perform as part of the band after Mercury’s death – have continued to tour, most recently with US singer Adam Lambert.

The remaining acts on the top ten list includes Stereophonics (6), The Rolling Stones (7), The Police (8), The Killers (9) and Kings of Leon (10).

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09/10/2025

NEWS: Job advisers in GP surgeries and virtual reality interview practice are part of efforts to get 300,000 sick or disabled people into work by 2030 as the Government pledges to give people “a hand up, not a handout”.

Too many people with health conditions are being written off and out of the jobs market, Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said, adding that this is something which “fails our economy”.

Funding of more than £1 billion across England and Wales over the next five years is aimed at getting tens of thousands more people into work.

Currently there are approximately 2.8 million people out of work in the UK due to long-term sickness – a figure roughly equivalent to the population of Greater Manchester.

Benefit claimants can be supported by work coaches at job centres in various ways, including being offered advice and referred for job opportunities.

But the Government said specialist employment advisers, which it described as being different to work coaches, are now being embedded into healthcare teams, including GP surgeries and mental health services, to ensure job support is treated as part of the all-round care on offer.

It is understood people will get intensive, personalised help including individual coaching from employment specialists who understand complex barriers to work.

Mr McFadden said: “Writing off people with long-term health conditions or disabilities fails them and fails our economy.

“We are giving people a hand up, not a handout, realising their potential and providing them with the skills to succeed as part of our Plan for Change.

“Thanks to local areas hitting the ground running, it is already delivering results – proving that when we invest in people and communities, everyone wins.”

The plans are part of the Connect to Work scheme, which is voluntary and open to those who are disabled, have a health condition, or face complex barriers to work.

A £167.2 million expansion of the programme into areas including Cumbria, Oxfordshire, and West Sussex and Brighton is expected to see more than 40,000 more sick or disabled people get support into work.

Unemployed people and those who are in work but at risk of losing their jobs because of the barriers created by their health conditions can refer themselves for support or be referred by healthcare professionals, councils, or community organisations.

Disability campaigners welcomed extra support for people but warned the new measures should not end up forcing people into work.

James Taylor, executive director of strategy at disability equality charity Scope, said the Government “must make sure it’s not pressuring people who are not well enough to work”, while Mark Gale, policy manager at Sense, said it is “vital these measures are designed and delivered alongside disabled people to bring about meaningful change, and aren’t simply used to force people into jobs that aren’t suitable for their needs or may even be detrimental to their health”.

As well as availability of employment advisers, people in areas including Portsmouth, the North East and East Sussex will have access to virtual reality immersive classrooms to help with interview practice, workshops to improve confidence and communication skills, and community-based health programmes.

Parents will also be helped with access to affordable childcare to enable them to get back into the workforce, the Department for Work and Pensions said.

The Government has previously warned that if the welfare system is not reformed, the number of working-age people on disability benefits is set to more than double this decade to 4.3 million, and spending on working-age disability and incapacity benefits will rise to £70 billion a year by the end of this Parliament in 2029/30.

Radio NewsHub

09/10/2025

NEWS: Great Britain’s energy system operator has said there could be “tight days” for energy supply over winter but stressed that new battery storage will help to meet national demand.

The National Energy System Operator (Neso) indicated that imported electricity supply from Europe could be used “when required” to help power homes and businesses.

The electricity grid operator and National Gas have published their latest energy outlook reports for this winter after prices ticked higher at the start of the month with a rise in the price cap.

Neso said on Thursday that electricity margins, which reflect the cushion of spare power supply available to meet customer needs, have risen to their strongest level since 2020.

But it added there could still be some “tighter periods” which could need support from the energy industry.

“We expect a sufficient operational surplus throughout winter, although there may still be tight days that require us to use our standard operating tools, including system notices,” the report said.

System notices are how the grid operator informs the wider energy industry that electricity supply has not matched demand, allowing for production to increase if needed.

Early data from electricity firms and forecasters has suggested that “tight days” are most likely to take place in early December or mid-January.

Neso added that imports will be available when needed to help cover demand, supported by “adequate electricity supply across Europe”.

Deborah Petterson, director of resilience and emergency management at Neso, said: “A resilient and reliable energy supply is fundamental to our way of life.

“At Neso we are looking at the upcoming winter and can report this year’s winter outlook sets out the strongest electricity margins in six years.

“It is critical that we continue our work with the wider energy industry to prepare for the coming months to build on this foundation and maintain our world-leading track record of reliability.”

Meanwhile, the latest analysis from National Gas indicated that Great Britain has enough gas supply capability to meet peak demand.

It indicated supply can meet demand, even “even accounting for unforeseen network outage scenarios”.

The gas network operator said gas demand is expected to be 3% lower than last winter, easing pressure on supply.

It said high-demand days are still expected but it stressed that it is “confident” the market will operate as needed.

Glenn Bryn-Jacobsen, director of energy systems and resilience at National Gas, said: “As we head into winter, we remain confident in the resilience of our gas system and our ability to meet Britain’s energy needs during periods of peak demand.

“The energy landscape is evolving, with a growing reliance on imports and the continued decline of UK continental shelf supplies.

“Meeting these challenges requires a co-ordinated, forward-looking approach, and we’re working closely with Government, industry, and regulators to develop the right solutions that safeguard security of supply for the future.”

Radio NewsHub

08/10/2025

NEWS: Kemi Badenoch will close the Conservative Party conference with a promise to double the apprenticeship budget, paid for by slashing student numbers by 100,000.

The Tory leader will pledge to reintroduce caps on student numbers in every subject area, based on course quality and earnings prospects for graduates and aimed at shutting down “rip-off courses”.

At the same time, she will promise to double the apprenticeship budget from £3 billion to £6 billion.

The Conservatives pointed to a finding from the Institute for Fiscal Studies that around 30% of students saw a negative return from their degree, with their lifetime earnings increasing by less than the cost of going to university.

Mrs Badenoch will say: “Every year thousands of young people go off to university, but leave with crippling loans and no real prospects.

“Nearly one in three graduates see no economic return, and every year taxpayers are writing off over £7 billion in unpaid student loans.

“Wasted money, wasted talent, a rigged system propping up low-quality courses, while people can’t get high-quality apprenticeships that lead to real jobs.”

Mrs Badenoch is expected to lean on her personal experience as an apprentice, saying it “gave me self-confidence in a way my university degrees never did”.

She will add: “And unlike my subsequent university degree, I wasn’t still paying off my debts in my early 30s.

“So we will shut down these rip-off courses and use the money to double the apprenticeship budget.

“Giving thousands more young people the chance of a proper start in life.”

Student number caps were fully lifted in England in 2015, leading to a record number of students being accepted onto university courses that year.

By reintroducing and gradually lowering the caps, the Conservatives hope to limit loan repayment losses through a reduction in the number of people going to university.

The party said the policy would see 100,000 fewer people per year going to university by the end of the next parliament, saving £3 billion – enough to fund a doubling of the apprenticeship budget.

The announcement comes a week after Sir Keir Starmer used a speech at his own party conference to pledge an increase in apprenticeship numbers.

The Prime Minister said he would scrap the target of seeing 50% of young people go to university set by Sir Tony Blair, replacing it with an aim of two-thirds of young people doing either a degree or an apprenticeship.

A Labour spokesperson said the Conservatives’ plan “isn’t worth the paper it’s written on”.

“Under the Tories, apprenticeship starts and completions collapsed, and instead of supporting universities, they waged divisive culture wars – treating students as political pawns rather than investing in education for public good,” they said.

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