Summary
- Updates on the Rwanda Bill with a vote expected today.
- The dangers of Smart Motorways will be the focus of tonight’s Panorama on BBC1.
- South Yorkshire Police officer to appear in court charged with common assault.
- Police Appeal for indecent exposure in Endcliffe Park.
- Rishi Sunak calling on more effort to rebuild the trust among Jewish community.
- Margaret McKeich saying that justice has finally been made after the murderer of her child has been jailed.
- UK is about to become the first country to ban extreme right-wing online terror group
- A Sheffield teacher heard for exchanging over 1,000 chats with student.
- The Crucible theatre selling iconic outfits in order to raise money for their costume department.
- Updates on Doncaster Rovers and Sheffield United
- Guinness World Records for Lloyd Martin at the London Marathon.
- Train strikes expected during May.
- Newsreader Huw Edwards resign from BBC.
Live Reporting
Edited by Esme Kenney and Marie Koehl
A campaign to bring free bus passes to asylum seekers is being launched by ChangeLab Sheffield with the City of Sanctuary.
Net4All, an inclusive netball team, is a first of its kind to provide a safe space for women and girls with SEN to participate in sports.
A celebrity-backed campaign spreading awareness of modern day slavery has been launched in Sheffield. Edwin Buckley’s campaign Stand With Survivors is teaming up with the likes of Eastenders’ Masie Smith, comedian Kerry Godliman and actor Derek Riddell.
Plans allowing £100 on-the-spot fines to be issued in the city centre were passed by Sheffield City Council this week. The new Public Space Protection Order aims to tackle anti-social behaviour.
More to follow.
Today on Sheffield Wire
The Safe Square provides a safe space for people seeking help on nights out in Sheffield city centre.
It is returning on 7th December will operate every Saturday for the remainder of the month.
More to follow.
Safe Square returning to Sheffield this Saturday
Sheffield Wire is pleased to announce that we have secured an exclusive interview with Willis Marshall, the Liberal Democratic candidate for the Woodhouse by-election.
Marshall, 19, is a student at the University of Sheffield, who beat Reform UK’s Andy Hizzard by just 10 votes in yesterday’s election.
More updates to follow.
EXCLUSIVE – Interview with Willis Marshall, Lib Dem councillor-elect, coming soon
The Assisted Dying Bill is being voted on in the House of Commons today and was first proposed by Labour MP for Spen Valley, Kim Leadbeater.
She has addressed the Commons saying that the current option for terminally ill people wanting to end their lives is to travel to another country.
She said: “It is often deeply distressing and very lonely experience, shrouded in secrecy, with people feeling like criminals.”
Ms Leadbeater explained that approximately 600 terminally ill people take their own lives each year. She spoke of the experience that former MP Paul Blomfield had when his dad, Harry, was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer.
Paul Blomfield, the former MP for Sheffield Central, has tirelessly campaigned in favour of the Assisted Dying Bill after his dad took his own life, alone, in his garage in 2014.
As she spoke of Paul’s experience, Ms Leadbeater said: “Harry wasn’t suicidal, he loved life, but he has watched too many of his friends have lingering, degrading deaths and did not want that for himself. He couldn’t tell Paul and his family of his plan as they would have been complicit and face prosecution.”
“And how many precious days and weeks did Harry miss out on as a result of having to take action while he was still able to physically do so?”
Mr Blomfield was the MP for Sheffield Central from 2010 until 2024, when Abtisam Mohamed took over as the Labour MP earlier this year.
Ms Mohamed has released a statement on social media stating that she will vote against the bill later on today and hopes that her constituents respect her decision.
She said: “I recognise any initial change in the law would apply only to terminally ill people, I worry that our families and society will forever be changed by it.”
Olivia Blake, MP for Hallam, is still undecided.
Live updates to follow.
Kim Leadbeater shares former Sheffield MP’s story in favour of the Assisted Dying Bill
The Assisted Dying Bill, first proposed by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, is being voted on today in the House of Commons. With many MPs being undecided on which way to vote, it is expected to be a tight decision.
MP Kim Leadbeater became the MP for Spen Valley in 2021. She is the younger sister of Jo Cox, former Batley and Spen MP, who was murdered in 2016.
The bill allows people to make the decision to medically end their lives if they are terminally ill and over the age of 18. Candidates for assisted dying must also have been registered with a GP for at least one year, have the mental capacity to make the choice, and be excepted to die within six months.
It would excludes people with disabilities and mental illnesses.
The patient must have two separate witnessed declarations and two independent doctors to sign off on it. Then the application would have to go to a high court judge, who will ask to hear from at least one of the doctors and will make the decision.
If then approved, the individual must self-administer the medication needed to end their life. It has also been made clear that they can change their mind at any stage.
Assisted dying legislation already exists across the world, in countries including Switzerland and Spain.
In England and Wales, the bill is being voted on today in the House of Commons. MPs have been given a free vote on the issue, meaning they can vote how they wish without influence from their party.
Some MPs have publicly stated how they are going to vote ahead of today.
Abtisam Mohamed, MP for Sheffield Central has said on social media that she will not be supporting the bill and will vote against in today.
She said: “I am concerned that some of the most vulnerable people in society, low-income or disabled people would feel like a burden to others, and it would encourage them to give up.”
It has also been publicly opposed by the Secretary for State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting.
However, Clive Betts, MP for Sheffield South East has stated that he will be voting in favour of the legislation as he believes we need to respect the wishes of those suffering from terminal illnesses to decide how they die.
It is expected to be a tight vote, with a lot of MPs still undecided as of this morning.
There will be live updates to follow.
The assisted dying bill- what is it?
With political breaking news coming in just now, we’ll be bringing you the latest from across Sheffield and South Yorkshire this morning.
Louise Haigh, Transport Secretary and M.P. for Sheffield Heeley, has suddenly resigned, following the disclosure of a fraud conviction from 2014.
Results from the Woodhouse by-election are in, with Liberal Democrat candidate Willis Marshall taking a lead of just 10 votes over Reform UK’s Andy Hizzard.
Debate in the Commons on assisted dying legislation has begun, with the vote scheduled to take place at 2.30pm.
The Palestinian flag is set to fly over Sheffield and Rotherham Town Halls to mark the UN International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, following pressure by campaigners.
And we’re set to hear from retailers at Meadowhall about the impact of this year’s Black Friday.
We’ll keep you updated on these stories and more as the day continues.
Good morning from the Sheffield Wire news room
Sheffield United held a conference this afternoon concerning the upcoming game on Wednesday.
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder says big decisions regarding selection are to be made ahead of his side’s clash with Manchester United on Wednesday.
United desperately need a win to stave off the inevitability of relegation to the Championship after a 4-1 home defeat to Burnley on Saturday left the club rooted to the bottom of the table 10 points from safety.
Our reporter Joe Green reports: https://sheffieldwire.co.uk/index.php/2024/04/22/manchester-utd-vs-sheffield-utd-wilder-realistic-about-sides-chances-as-relegation-looms/
Press conference Manchester United vs Sheffield United
How would you feel about a £53,000 pay rise?
The number of Sheffield council employees earning more than £100,000 per year has increased from 7 to 13 between 2021-22 and 2022-3, with one employee getting an increase of £53,000.
Elliot Keck, Head of Campaigns at the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “I’d have real questions as to whether or not the performance of that individual really justified a pay increase of about £53,000.”
Read the full story here.
Number of Sheffield Council employees earning over £100k almost doubles
After 29 games, Doncaster Rovers were 22nd in League Two. The risk of being dragged into a fight to stay in the English Football League was becoming serious.
Now, however, their fortunes could not be more different. The Vikings are currently on a nine game win streak, including beating already-promoted Wrexham 1-0 earlier this month, and scoring eight goals in their last two games at the Eco-Power Stadium.
Their latest match saw them score three times late on to overturn a two-goal deficit to play-off hopefuls Barrow and win 4-2.
A win against Colchester United tomorrow night would see them equal their best run of form in the club’s 145-year history. What’s more, they will be only one point away from securing their own spot in the play-offs – something which seemed impossible back in January.
A charge to the line for Doncaster Rovers
This weekend in London, Lloyd Martin has just finished and has become the youngest ever person with Down’s Syndrome to complete a full marathon.
Breaking down barriers and stereotypes made this young boy a record breaker.
The teenager was running to marathon to raise funds for Special Olympics Great Britain.
At this date he rose over £6’000.
Link for donations: https://www.justgiving.com/page/lloyd-martin-1706052022785
19-year-old Lloyd Martin enters the Guiness World Records
Wendy Ogley is urging for cemeteries to increase their security, after her a number of items were stolen from her daughters’ grave.
A Cinderella carriage, which was gifted from her brother Stephen, was stolen, and a bench was also smashed.
She said: “Something needs to change because I can’t take it anymore.
“It’s heart-breaking, it shouldn’t happen to anyone’s grave, never mind a child’s.”
Read the full story here.
Barnsley mum heartbroken after Cinderella carriage at daughter’s grave stolen
Nigel Farage said that it would be unlikely that any migrants would be sent to Rwanda in 10-12 weeks, despite Sunak’s announcement this morning.
The honorary leader of Reform UK said: “Just over two years ago, of course, we had the speech at Lydd Airport down in Kent, telling us about the Rwanda plan. We’re two years on, we’ve spent at least £160m pounds so far and not sent a single human being.
“Do I believe that in 10 to 12 weeks’ time, there’ll be planes taking off with significant numbers of migrants on board? No, I don’t.”
Government documents seen by the Express suggest that asylum-seekers could be deported on commercial airlines, before the 10-12 week timescale.
This comes after Rishi Sunak announced that the first flights to Rwanda would leave in 10-12 weeks.