u3a

South East London

Current Affairs Discussion Group 17 June 2024

2024 General Election.  Twenty-six days in – how’s it going?

 Week 1  3/6Week 2 10/6Week 3 17/6Week 4 24/6Week 5 1/7
How many voting2117   
Cons, Governing majority00   
Cons Largest Party01  (6%)   
Lab Governing Majority13 (61%)13 (76%)   
Lab Largest party8 (38%)2 (11%)   
SNP Do Well?00   
Reform to get MPs?0-11(52%)6 (35%)   
1-8(38%)8 (47%)   
> 13 (17%)   
Will Nigel Farage get elected? 9 (53%)   
Green Party, how many MPs0-5(23%)1 (6%)   
1-14(66%)11 (64%)   
2-1(4%)5 (29%)   
We are keeping a tally of what we expect the of the outcome of the election.

1.        Election

Why Grant Shapps is warning about a Labour 'supermajority'

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cv221jple3jo

Keir Starmer faces questions over cost of Labour manifesto

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jun/13/keir-starmer-faces-challenge-over-cost-of-labour-manifesto

 Reform’s split of right-leaning vote could prove devastating for Tories

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jun/14/reform-split-right-leaning-vote-tories-uk-election

Our take on the Green manifesto

https://taxpolicy.org.uk/2024/06/13/our-take-on-the-green-manifesto

Chris Mason: Sunakian Conservatism in 76 pages

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cw00k66jd3ro

Greens vow £70bn tax hike on wealthier to fund NHS and housing

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6ppd6p12k4o

Polling expert Sir John Curtice on Reform and Lib Dem gains

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd11jpqgzp4o

2.      Ukraine

‘We’re in 1938 now’: Putin’s war in Ukraine and lessons from history

https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jun/08/putin-war-ukraine-forgotten-lessons-of-history-europe

Confident Putin warns Europe is ‘defenceless’

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn00e422yr2o

G7 agrees $50bn loan for Ukraine from Russian assets

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cllldqyg19ro

New US sanctions force end of dollar and euro trading on Russia’s main exchange

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/13/investing/us-russia-sanctions-dollar-euro-trading/index.html

3.      European Elections & French Election

EU elections 2024: how did key countries vote and what does it mean?

https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jun/10/eu-elections-2024-how-did-key-countries-vote-and-what-does-it-mean

A night of drama in Europe as EU parliament moves to right

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c722rq29x7wo

4.     Cats must be microchipped

Cat-microchipping success on first day of new law

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cmll8yv10g1o

5.     Ban high strength caffeinated drinks for children

UK could ban sales of energy drinks to under 16s

https://www.beveragedaily.com/Article/2024/06/11/UK-could-ban-sales-of-energy-drinks-to-children

Evidence shows wider range of risk associated with energy drinks in children. Experts ask how much more evidence is needed before action?

https://aso.org.uk/news/evidence-shows-wider-range-risk-associated-energy-drinks-children-experts-ask-how-much-more

6.     Health MOTs’ for over 65s

Health MOTs’ planned for people aged 65 and over arriving at A&E in Englandhttps://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/jun/12/health-mots-planned-for-people-aged-65-and-over-arriving-at-ae-in-england