News about Jim McMahon

Oh, what a lovely weekend. Hottest temperatures of the year, at least until the heavens opened on Sunday in some parts. (That'll be the climate change they keep banging on about.) Time to hose down the patio furniture, pop open a nice bottle of pinot noir and chuck some steaks on the barbie. Or was that just me? Nope, didn't think so. For the first time this year, the sun had got his hat on and we were able to enjoy our back gardens. Those of us who are lucky enough to have one, of course.

Lord Morse, the chair of the Office of Local Government, denied the suggestion that the growing number of practically bankrupt town halls was due to a funding shortage. He maintained that it was "definite" that the cases that had arisen so far, and that "failures in leadership or failures in governance" were behind the allegations. Nottingham's sixth council in recent years was to declare itself bankrupt, with apprehension that more are about to be pushed to the brink. It has sparked concerns that millions of households will face double-digit council tax increases.

As Parliament returns from recess this summer and his new Chief of Staff Sue Gray begins duties, Keir Starmer is starting to rewrite his shadow cabinet. The surgery is already looking more dramatic than Rishi Sunak's'mini-shuffle' last week, when he recalled Grant Shapps as Defence Secretary after Ben Wallace's departure. Ms Rayner, with whom Sir Keir has had a turbulent relationship, has agreed to be barred from her Cabinet Office post, where she has been closely shadowing deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden. Lisa Nandy will take over the Levelling Up column, which will include the main topic of housing. Ms Nandy's destiny is not yet clear. Meanwhile, shadow environment minister Jim McMahon has announced that he will not resign, citing personal reasons.

Therese Coffey, the Environment Minister, has said she is 'pretty fed up' with water companies, and that it was appropriate for the sector to have apologised for not responding quickly enough. Last week, water companies in England revealed a £10 billion initiative to minimize the number of sewage discharges into rivers and seas, with over 300,000 instances last year alone, while still apologizing for the pollution. However, Ms Coffey appeared to agree that bill-payers would have to pay 'a lot' of the bill for building the infrastructure that would block sewage from reaching seas and waterways. Fines that private companies are ordered could be reimbursed, according to her, and that private businesses will pay the fines. Campaigners and opposition parties expressed their displeasure that consumers could be charged more to pay the bill for improvements, with Labour calling on the government to'make the polluter pay'. Photographed Left: Last year, there was a reported sewage discharge in Seaford. Surfers Against Sewage activist in Cornwall, top right. Therese Coffey, bottom right:

Following backlash, the government has been forced to delay new initiatives, which may have resulted in UK households being required to buy seven separate waste cans. In March, MPs had previously blasted the recycling proposals as "madness," but they have now been postponed until the local elections this May due to fears of pushback from Conservative voters. One think tank pleaded that taxpayers were not expected to pay the bill last month, fearing that councils would push the cost of the new government green scheme onto homeowners.

In time for the Easter break, England's dirtiest beaches - which swimmers should avoid - have been revealed. Four of the five worst affected beaches in Devon's southwest county are particularly popular tourist destination and the country's only county with two coastlines. According to a recent report, water companies dumped sewage onto English Blue Flag beaches more than 1,500 times in 2022. MailOnline highlights the popular beaches that wild swimmers should avoid as summer approaches.

Plastics prohibition in wet wipes and reduced the use of harmful chemicals used in non-stick cooking pans are among the steps set to be announced by Environment Secretary Therese Coffey today. It comes amid mounting criticism directed at the government over the state of the UK's rivers and beaches. Last night, it was revealed that water companies dumped sewage on England's cleanest beaches more than 1,500 times this year. 'Our unique chalk streams and world-famous coastlines, lakes, and rivers are vital to local communities and nature,' Ms Coffey, who will address the subject this morning, said.'

Since taking office in October last year, Dr Coffey, whose office discourages employees from flying due to the environmental dangers it has, has traveled almost 40,000 miles.

After heavy rain slowed sewage discharge to seep into the waters, Britons were warned not to swim at more than 70 beaches around the country. Surfers Against Sewage has sent an alert to those considering heading to the UK's seasides. The marine conservation charity oversees water quality around the country to keep the public informed of any areas that have been affected by sewage.

Since being made aware of potential food fraud problems in 2021, Booths Supermarkets reported that they have been closely and co-operatively with the National Food Crime Unit (NFCU). Booths maintained that they are "not under scrutiny by the NFCU specifically." A statement was made: 'Booths' support for the probe relates to a small number of cooked meat products, and Booths have no knowledge of any other aspects of the probe.' 'At the point of being made aware of the potential risks in 2021 Booths, the company acted quickly, removing all relevant items from sale and halting trading with the supplier with immediate effect.'

Labour has said that there are'very important questions to answer' about how a UK supermarket has been embroiled in a massive beef fraud probe. The National Food Crime Unit (NFCU), a unit of the Food Standards Agency, has not identified the store, but it has confirmed that pre-packed meat and deli products from South America and Europe have been delivered to the store and labeled as British. According to Farmers Weekly, the probe involved the examination of over 1.3 million documents containing what was advertised to customers as the 'best British beef.' 'We were told the lessons of the horsemeat scandal had been learnedt,' Labour shadow environment secretary Jim McMahon said, but this inquiry may have cast doubt on that.' There are obviously very important questions to answer, and it's correct that an urgent probe is currently underway.'

As production problems that resulted in widespread shortages, supermarkets have begun to reduce customer limits on certain fresh fruit and vegetables. Asda reported that it had removed limits on cucumbers, lettuce, salad bags, broccoli, cauliflower, and raspberries, leaving only tomatoes and peppers on the menu. Overall, the store said that availability had increased as expected, and tomatoes and peppers were also expected to be back to normal within a few weeks. Around February 20, shoppers began complaining about tomatoes' shortages.

Poor weather has harmed trade routes in Morocco and Spain, resulting in supermarket shelves being left empty and Aldi, Morrisons, Tesco, and Asda placing limits on the purchase of specific veg. The items with the greatest shortages are cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, lettuce, and other common greens. Market stall owners in Brixton, south London, said they had never seen it so bad, when they failed to make a buck due to cash-strapped shoppers who were only purchasing less than an onion at a time. Tracey (bottom right) has operated her Brixton market stall for more than 30 years, and she claims she is getting up at 4 a.m. and closing at 6 p.m. with nothing to take home. Khalid Mahmut (bottom left) works with KM Meat Fish Grocery on the market, saying he was feeling the pinch on fresh fish as well as veg. Jaaul Safi (top right) said he no longer sell cucumbers because they are too costly.

Environment Secretary Therese Coffey suggested turnips as a healthy alternative, but other items, such as cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers, are also in short supply due to bad weather in Spain and Morocco. Turnips were out of stock on Tesco's website just hours after the MP gave her her advice in the House of Commons, with the supermarket instead recommending swedes. Louis Henwood, a Tesco shopper, was sent a note, 'This product is currently out of stock.' When searching, other supermarkets, such as Morrisons and Asda, do not have turnips, but instead offer up swedes. It comes as British shoppers have been rushing to their local greengrocers, who have remained largely stocked despite the shortages, which have seen supermarket shelves left bare.

Despite the ongoing vegetable shortage, independent greengrocers have been completely stocked, while supermarket shelves have been left empty. Thomas Hagon, 39, of Reg The Veg green grocers in Clifton, Bristol, said, 'The produce is available for supermarkets to buy but higher prices have turned the chains off,' but 'the produce is expensive for supermarkets to buy.' As frosty weather in Spain and Morocco has hit imports, Aldi, Morrisons, Asda, and Tesco have limited offerings of tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers (empty supermarket shelves, pictured right). However, despite an increase in the cost of living, Mr Hagon believes greengrocers were able to remain stocked up and that 'customers are keen to pay extra for them.' In the near future, he expects that supermarkets will be compelled to raise the prices.

The Environment Secretary suggested yesterday that Britons could try turningips to fill the national vegetable shortage. Although farmers were warned of a lee shortage that is likely to postpone St David's Day festivities in Wales next week, the farmers were also warned of a leek shortage that is likely to derail St David's Day celebrations in Wales. Therese Coffey told MPs that the 'temporary' shortages were exacerbated by'very unusual weather,' but that was likely to end in another four weeks.

Restaurateurs said today that they are being asked to rethink their menus and ingredient lists as it becomes more difficult to buy fresh produce (right). Several factors are in play right now, including bad weather, as a result of a variety of threats, affecting the supply chain, including transportation, and Tesco, Aldi, Asda, and Morrisons are all connected to ration fruit and vegetables. Although Britain is self-sufficient in the summer months, it is largely dependent on imports during the winter, with 90 percent of crops such as cucumbers and tomatoes importing about 90 percent. In the midst of warnings this day, Jim Winship (inset), the UK Pizza, Pasta, and Italian Food Association's chief, said menu items such as pizza (left) and pasta are being entirely removed in some restaurants because it's simply impossible to find substitute ingredients.

In the midst of a shortage of vegetables such as cucumbers, lettuce, and tomatoes that might last up to a month, rationing has been introduced at four UK supermarkets. Therese Coffey, the Environment and Food Minister, said today that the government is anticipating that "the situation will last about two to four weeks," but experts have warned that costs could rise in the interim. Selaine Saxby, Tory MP for North Devon, says that seasonal eating would help to combat the surge of shortages. Meanwhile, Britons have this week been scrambling to buy tomato seeds to beat the shortages, with packets of them having become bestsellers on Amazon

During environment, food, and rural affairs questions in the House of Commons today, Therese Coffey issued the warning amid crowded supermarket shelves around the country today. In the meantime, Liberal Democrats have also called for a COBRA meeting after warning that the cost of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and salads could rise as a result of the current wave of shortages. "I am led to believe by my officials after speaking with industry and retailers, we expect the situation will last about two to four weeks," Ms Coffey told MPs. According to an expert, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and salads could have gone'sky high' as a result of the new wave of shortages.

Other food franchises are expected to be suffering from similar shortages in Spain and Morocco, owing to poor weather and transport issues. Producers' rising energy costs are also impacting food shortages, according to some. Lucky shoppers who have managed to get their hands on essential fruit and vegetables discovered that prices have soared as some items have tripled in price. In a variety of supermarkets around the country, perishables such as tomatoes, potatoes, cucumber, and broccoli have been limited to only two or three per customer.

As farmers fight with soaring energy prices, sales of British vegetables, such as tomatoes, cucumber, and cauliflower, could be limited, according to the National Farmers' Union (NFU). Producing of a variety of vegetables grown in heated buildings, according to Minette Batters, president of the England and Wales industry group, is now declining. "Everybody wants to avoid rationing,' she said at the NFU conference in Birmingham, but I suspect there will be questions over food availability.' It comes as supermarkets are rationing fruit and vegetables as shelves across the country continue to be bare.

In several Asda stores, shoppers can only buy three packs of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, salad bags, broccoli, cauliflower, and raspberries at a time when supplies are running low in a few outlets. In recent weeks, the crisis has erupted due to rising energy prices, which have compelled British farmers to switch off greenhouses as they scramble to make ends meet. In the meantime, a 'perfect storm' of floods, cold temperatures, and cancelled ferries has caused significant continent supply disruptions.

ALEX BRUMMER: The United Kingdom is drenched in smoke. Our rivers, lakes, and oceans are regarded as open sewers by major water companies that pump torrents of human waste into them year after year. The sewage discharges in rivers in 2021 alone account for 375,000 untreated sewage leaks: a mountain of filth threatens our natural beauty and delicate ecosystems. The government must, therefore, take a firm stand. However, there is no sign of the requisite urgency.

As part of efforts to clean up UK waters, water companies that dump sewage in rivers and seas (stacked right) will face fines of up to £250 million, the new Environment Minister has promised. Ranil Jayawardena warned water companies that an upswing in fines could result in a 1,000-fold increase. On Monday, he was supposed to announce his strategy at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham. The announcement comes after public outrage over the number of raw sewage drains into the UK's rivers and coastal waters has increased (left).