Budget 2023: The Key Points

Words Jayde Edwards

The anticipation leading up to the Budget 2023 announcement by Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer has been overwhelming, with the current cost of living crisis, strikes taking place all over the UK and uncertainty on the leadership in our own country.

I thought it would be important to give you a quick summary of what has been announced this afternoon and you’ll probably be able to tell I’m feeling quite positive about the announcements:

 • Jeremy Hunt has announced Free Child Care of 29 hours a week for working parents to be expanded from 9 months to 2 years. The Government has already allocated 30 Free Child care to Woking parents who have a 3 year old but this expansion will give working parents the opportunity to remain in work, climb up the ladder without feeling the pressure of extortionate childcare prices.

• The Government as announced that the defence budget will increase by £11bn over the next five years.

• Parents on Universal Credit will now receive up to £951 for one child and £1,630 for two children per month which will now be paid upfront.

• The Government will pilot incentive payments of £600 for childminders joining the profession - £1200 if they join through an agency.

• Government to offer "Returnerships" to operate alongside skills boot camps and sector-based work academies "targeted at the over 50s who want to return to work".

• Jeremy Hunt announces there will be a prize worth £1m every year, for the next 10 years, "to the person or team that does the most ground-breaking AI research".

This is definitely a big day for the UK and something I believe we should be proud of. We cannot deny there are still issues that our Government has a duty to address, but we should celebrate this moment and feel confident about the future to come!

Bola Tinubu declared President of Nigeria

Words Sarah Adama

Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Governor of Lagos and godfather, has won the Nigerian Presidential Election in what has been the country’s tightest race since its return to democracy in 1999.

Amongst his rivals were Atiku Abubakar of the opposition People’s Democratic Party, Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP). Tinubu, candidate of the ruling All Progressives Party (APC) secured a victory with a total of 8.8million votes to defeat his main rival Atiku Abukakar. Atiku trailed behind with 7 million votes, failing in his sixth attempt to become Nigeria’s President. Tinubu was declared winner by Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

There has been significant support for Peter Obi, who has come in third place but majorly disrupted an existing system dominated by two big parties, the APC and PDP. Mostly backed by many of Nigeria’s urban, youth and educated middle-class voters, Obi secured 6.1million votes, won majority votes in the capital Abuja and 11 unlikely states, including President-elect Tinubu’s home state Lagos where he governed for eight years between 1999 and 2007.

On Tuesday, a coalition of opposition parties led by PDP and Labour Party called for a cancellation of results and a rerun due to alleged irregularities and the collation of results, namely the electrocal’s commission’s failure to promptly upload results from nearly 177,000 polling stations. Former president Olusegun Obasanjo penned an open letter to the President Muhammad Buhari calling for transparency and credibility in the electoral process.

In accepting his victory, Tinubu promised to work for all, including his non-supporters. He has extended a hand to opposition candidates to work together in nation building.

“This is a serious mandate - I hereby accept it. To serve you and to be your leader. To work with you and make Nigeria great. I appeal to my fellow contestants to let us team together.”

Regardless of who emerged victorious, statements have been made. Nigerians must now work together to build Nigeria. I am reminded of a statement made by a fellow Nigerian citizen, “we all belong to this nation, and together we will make it work.”

Bola Tinubu Has Been Elected President of Nigeria

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Last updated: 1 March 2023, 09:57 AM GMT

FEB 25: Polls officially opened this morning at 7:30 am GMT, in Nigeria’s presidential and parliamentary elections. Nigeria, Africa’s largest democracy is electing a president, vice president, Senate and House of Representatives.

More than 93 million people are registered to vote for the country which transitioned from army rule to democracy in 1999. 

This particular presidential race is seen as the most unpredictable in recent Nigerian history and the ballot counting and collating process is expected to take several days.

MAR 1: Bola Tinubu has been elected as the president of Nigeria, in their disputed presidential election.

The 70-year-old veteran politician received 37% of the vote, official results show. His main opposition Atiku Abubakar polled 29%, whilst Labour's Peter Obi, pilled 25%.

Their parties have since dismissed the poll as a ‘sham,’ and have called for a rerun.

Tinibu is considered one of Nigeria's richest politicians, and has based his campaign on past results proving that he rebuilt the biggest city, Lagos, when he was governor.

Everything You Need to Know About the 2023 Nigerian Elections

Words Phadria Prendergast

More than 90 million Nigerians — almost half of the country’s population — were registered to vote according to the electoral body Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Of that number, only 87 million registered voters are holders of a permanent voter card (PVC), a main requirement to cast a ballot. 

Nationals of Africa’s most populous country were still left waiting to cast their ballots despite polls being expected to close at 2:30 p.m. (1:30 p.m. GMT) local time. At some stations, voting did not begin until after the scheduled opening time, however voters were adamant that they would wait to vote, regardless of how long it took. 

INEC had commented prior to the elections that voters who joined the queue on time would still be able to vote even after the official closing time. The final tally is expected within the next few days. 

A total of eighteen candidates are in the running however, three are leading the race according to pre-election surveys.

Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the former Governor of Lagos State and a key contender, is among the top three candidates vying for Africa’s most daunting, albeit  important and incredibly powerful position. Tinubu, 70, of the  All Progressives Congress (APC), is widely credited with reshaping Nigeria's commercial hub Lagos. Another top contender is former vice president Atiku Abubakar, of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), whilst the third, former  Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, is part of the Labour Party. 

Other presidential candidates, according to INEC’s final list, include Imumolen Christopher – Accord Party (AP); Al-Mustapha Hamza – Action Alliance (AA); Sowore Omoyele – African Action Congress (AAC); Kachikwu Dumebi – African Democratic Congress (ADC); Sani Yabagi Yusuf – Action Democratic Party (ADP); Umeadi Peter Nnanna – All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA); Ojei Princess Chichi – Allied People’s Movement (APM); Nnamdi Charles Osita – Action Peoples Party (APP); Adenuga Sunday Oluwafemi – Boot Party (BP); Osakwe Felix Johnson – National Rescue Movement (NRM).

To win, candidates are expected to garner a sufficient number of ballots to meet the 25% vote spread in 24 of Nigeria's 36 states. If this is not satisfied, the two leading candidates will be expected to go head to head in a second round run-off within 3 weeks. 

Pharrell Williams is Officially Louis Vuitton’s Men’s Creative Director 

Words Phadria Prendergast 

After over a year of playing guess the creative director — Louis Vuitton’s seemingly never-ending quest to find the next unicorn CD, which included names like Martine Rose, Samuel Ross, Grace Wales Bonner, Mike Amiri and Jonathan Anderson, Louis Vuitton has ended its search and any speculation as they confirm master creative Pharrell Williams, as its new creative director via Instagram and though no one saw it coming, it makes complete sense. 

Louis Vuitton has been without a creative director since November 2021, after the untimely passing of Virgil Abloh. Abloh, alongside Balmain CEO Olivier Rousteing, had been the first and only black designers at the helm of a leading luxury fashion house. Now, Williams is next up which further solidifies the era of the celebrity fashion designer/creative director, but the singer, songwriter, producer and designer is no newbie.  

In 2004, he collaborated with then-Vuitton creative director Marc Jacobs, alongside brands like Tiffany & Co., Chanel and Moncler. Williams is set to reveal a new collection with the luxury outerwear brand Moncler on Friday in London. Aside from his collaborations and of course his very own streetwear label Billionaire Boys Club, Pharrell has honed a style that is truly his own and for that reason, he has become one of the most recognised trend-makers. 

"I am glad to welcome Pharrell back home, after our collaborations in 2004 and 2008 for Louis Vuitton, as our new Men's Creative Director,” LV’s new chairman and CEO Pietro Beccari commented. “His creative vision beyond fashion will undoubtedly lead Louis Vuitton towards a new and very exciting chapter,” the ex-Dior creative director continued.

Williams’s first collection will show at Men’s Fashion Week in Paris next June. 

WNBA Star, Brittney Griner Arrives Back in US After Prisoner Swap

Words Destiny Fakoya

After being released from a Russian prison in exchange for Viktor Bout, the convicted Russian arms dealer, Brittney Griner landed in the United States on Friday. The exchange put an end to Ms. Griner's ten-month incarceration. Her drug smuggling conviction was complicated by the deteriorating ties between Russia and the US following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. After Mrs Griner arrived in the U.S she was subsequently transported to the Brooke Army Medical Center, where she would be assessed and get any necessary medical care, from the Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston of the Army, the facility confirmed in a statement.

She was swapped for Viktor Bout who is popularly referred to as the ‘Merchant of Death’ known for dealing arms. Prior to the swap Bout was serving a 25-year prison term in a US jail for a variety of offences, including planning to kill Americans. However, Ms Griner prison swap has generated a large amount of criticism as many conservative argue why Paul Whelan a US Marine who has been held captive in Russia for the past four years, was left out of the agreement. I don't understand why I'm still sitting here, said Mr. Whelan to CNN after learning he was not included in the prisoner swap, calling it a "huge disappointment."

President Joe Biden claims that "we have not forgotten about Paul Whelan" and vowed to "never give up" winning his release. Additionally, the White House was compelled to refute Saudi Arabia's and the UAE's assertions that MBS was the deal's chief negotiator. Nevertheless, the majority of conservative opponents of the prisoner swap that released infamous arms trader Viktor Bout for Griner, argued that Mr. Whelan should not have been left out of the agreement. With Many referring to the Trump presidency, from their perspective had he still been in charge he would never have permitted the swap. Trump says ““No one cuts better deals than Biden,” he wrote sarcastically. “We get an awful America hating WNBA player, while Russia gets an INTERNATIONAL ARMS DEALER!”

Biden’s administration claims Whelan wasn’t included in the swap as Russia would only accept the proposal unless a spy serving a life sentencing for murder was swapped in his place. The US asked Germany if Vadim Krasikov, a Russian spy who had been found guilty of murder, might be released. The US was unable to secure the Russian's release through negotiation. Officials claim that the US did attempt to rescue Mr. Whelan by offering up other imprisoned Russians; however, Russia rejected those proposals.

Just What Was Demna Thinking?

Words Phadria Prendergast

If there ever was a situation illustrating what crossing the line of creativity looks like, this would be it.

Balenciaga’s recent holiday campaign featured photographs of two young girls holding teddy bears which appeared to be dressed in BDSM clothing, whilst also surrounded by an assortment of other bondage related accessories. Another campaign image for its SS23 collection, featured copies of a US Supreme Court judgement (United States v. Williams) on child pornography, as a prop underneath a bag from the brand’s collaboration with Adidas.

The Parisian fashion house issued a statement a day later apologising — as you do when you accidentally feature some innocent minors in your sexualised campaign, not to mention also using what appears to be child pornography documents as props…….

And if all else fails, blame the team you hired.

Balenciaga, then proceeded to shift the blame by filing a lofty $25M Summons against the production company North Six and the campaign’s set designer Nicholas Des Jardins, who they claim were responsible for creating the set and including “unapproved items.”

Now, I won’t begin to try and understand the “creative thought” that would have taken Balenciaga and ultimately Demna Gvasalia to the stage of not only shooting TWO campaigns of this manner, but also publishing them, because it’s deeply disturbing, but I also find it incredibly hard to believe that a company with 103 years under its belt, several systems and countless ranks of employees, had no hands in the final approval of the images that made its way onto Balenciaga’s global platform.

And let’s play devil’s advocate for a moment and say they had no idea that the very papers they were using as props in their multi-million-dollar campaign, questioned whether laws against the promotion of child pornography limited the First Amendment. Let’s say the production company used their own initiative for this particular ‘prop,’ the question would now be, what was the brief they were given to think it was OK to do so?

And if we forget entirely about that campaign altogether and focus solely on the earlier campaign which featured two young girls, holding teddy bears in bondage gear surrounded by other questionable accessories, that brings with it a whole different level of questions.

More than anything, Balenciaga’s blame-game move was cowardly and to be frank, juvenile for a brand that is over a century old.

Almost two weeks after the inevitable media outrage began, creative director Demna Gvasalia finally broke his silence via an Instagram post on his personal page where he apologised for his “wrong artistic choice of concept.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Demna (@demna)

I believe Lindsay Peoples’ said it best when she stated that fashion has long had the bad habit of making surface-level changes, and at this point, I think we all know how it goes, especially after the necessary apologies are made and statements are issued.

For the most part, the outage is much like that of an empty barrel, because after all the comments and tweets (and if you’re committed enough, blog posts), you won’t dispose of that Balenciaga Hourglass bag and you’re still going to like whatever campaign they feed you next.

First we’re outraged, then time passes and most of us forget, but side note: Dolce, yes we loved the Kim Kardashian campaign, but we absolutely haven't forgotten your pattern of racism, homophobia, and misogyny.

Right now, as the face of Balenciaga, Demna was likely licking his wounds, with his nearest and dearest consoling him with words like “it will all blow over” and “it just takes a bit of time.’

And whilst I believe cancel culture is a load of bollocks, because people make mistakes (yes, even global brands), and I’m an advocate for 10th, 11th and 20th chances, I do however believe that as creative director and ultimately the mastermind behind the campaign, Demna must take full responsibility for this campaign and it mustn’t only be a few carefully written words on Instagram for the masses.

Balenciaga have now dropped the lawsuit via a statement posted on Instagram where the brand stated: “Balenciaga has decided not to pursue litigation,” and of course, they’ve thrown some money at the issue also stating, “we have set aside a significant fund for grants to organisations so that we can help make a difference in protecting children.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Balenciaga by Demna (@demnagram)

Alessandro Michele is Exiting Gucci

Words Bethany Berkeley

In what is a major shift for the brand, Gucci confirms that Alessandro Michele is stepping down as Creative Director. This comes after notable tensions between the designer and Kering’s top management ensued. As sources told Women’s Wear Daily that Michele “was asked to initiate a strong design shift,” to rejuvenate the brand and strengthen Gucci, but this requirement may not have been met. Kering confirms the speculations that Alessandro Michele is indeed to leave the the brand.

Michele, originally an accessories designer became a renowned designer just two days after his first bow at the end of Gucci’s men’s fall 2015 show. Taking the helm of Gucci’s creative engine, he quickly rose to critical acclaim, reviving the brands popularity and becoming well known for his flamboyant take on vintage looks and gender-fluid designs. Michele’s SS23 runway show was one of the standouts shows of the season, fusing his androgynous designs with classic tailoring which surprised the audience as the partition lifted to reveal real-life twins.

This news may not come as a surprise to some, as Kering have recently been making changes to their creative leadership. Including removing Daniel Lee as Creative Director of Bottega Veneta and installing Matthieu Blazy in his stead, while Lee has now been appointed the creative director at Burberry. It seems CEO François-Henri Pinault has been looking to do the same at Gucci.

It is no doubt that this move will bring a change of pace and possibly a refreshing air to the brand that could mark a critical turning point for Gucci. Those that have been waiting for the confirmation to come from the brand itself, are now left with an intrinsic awareness of the fact that the news comes just before the menswear fashion season in January, which Gucci was meant to make it’s on-schedule comeback.

Estée Lauder Acquires Tom Ford For $2.8 Billion Dollars

Words Bethany Boyo

Shutterstock

After many months and a lot of speculation, Estée Lauder Cos Inc has announced that it has officially acquired Tom Ford in a deal worth $2.8 million. The beauty giant takes a bold step into the world of luxury by not only acquiring Tom Ford Beauty, but also eyewear and the brands' ready-to-wear department, which will be produced under the licence of Ermenegildo Zegna Group, which also owns Thom Browne.

Estée Lauder believes that this deal will provide a broader creative oversight it needs for Tom Ford Beauty, whilst increasing its speed and agility and bringing more opportunities to enhance its space online. The company will also benefit from the cash flow Tom Ford Beauty will bring at a time when Estée says U.S. retailers are cutting stocks of its products due to a worrying slowdown in demand and lockdowns in China. The company also aims to eliminate the need to make royalty payments, which will open up new licensing revenue streams.

Whilst Estée Lauder is already known for selling Tom Ford Beauty, stating that it has “delivered impressive success”, including growing strong double-digit net sales from fiscal years 2012 through 2022. Some in the industry question whether the company has the ability to do the same for Tom Ford eyewear and ready-to-wear.

After rising to fame at Gucci in the 1990’s, he moved on to become Creative Director at Yves Saint Laurent in 1999. Ford founded his eponymous brand in 2005, building it up to world renowned status. He believes that in the hands of Estee Lauder the brand will continue to thrive. “Estée Lauder Companies is the ideal home for the brand. They have been an extraordinary partner from the first day of my creation of the company, and I am thrilled to see them become the luxury stewards in this next chapter,” said Ford in a statement. Ford will continue as ‘creative visionary’ at the brand until the end of 2023, whilst Domenico Del Sol will stay on as chairman of the brand.

Kwasi Kwarteng’s Mini-Budget: The Latest 

WOTC Magazine

The Chancellor delivered a raft of tax cuts in an effort to boost economic growth amid a deepening cost-of-living crisis.

Kwasi Kwarteng unveiled a package of tax cuts worth £45 billion, setting out his plan to boost economic growth. 

The Chancellor has:

•  Scrapped the 45 per cent additional rate of income tax

• Axed a planned increase to corporation tax

• Cut National Insurance from November 6th 

• Announced a permanent cut to stamp duty

Kwarteng also lifted a cap on bankers' bonuses, brought forward a 1p cut to the basic rate of income tax by one year to 2023 and confirmed energy bills will be frozen at £2,500. 

How think tanks have responded to the 'mini-Budget'

Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies:

"This is a complete reversal of policy compared with the government as it was just a few months ago. This was like an entirely new government coming into office... The risks here are obvious, putting upwards of £40 billion into the economy when the Bank of England is really worried about inflation... is really very risky. This is a huge economic experiment which carries with it lots of risks as well as, we hope, the potential upside in terms of economic growth  that the Chancellor spoke so much about."

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Liz Truss Wins the Conservative Election

Words Destiny Fakoya

The ballots are in and it’s been decided that Liz Truss will replace Boris Johnson as the new Prime Minister. Liz Truss former foreign secretary defeated Rishi Sunak by 81,326 votes to 60,399 as Britain faces an economic storm and social unrest. The former No.10 chief of staff cautions, Ms Truss “will face one of the most difficult inheritances of any prime minister” in the last 50 years.

Truss won the position of the next Prime Minister with 57.4% of the vote- a lower margin than her predecessors, and Rishi Sunak gained 42.6%; illuminates the former chief of staff words further. Despite, winning the battle she still secured less than 60% of the vote. It is quite telling of the battle she faces ahead of the 2024 election to sway the opinion of more Tory members as well as the general public in her favour to win the “great victory for the Conservative party in 2024”.

Truss victory when scrutinised further indicates that she lies in a rather precarious situation regarding her cabinet. With 57.4% of votes, Ms Truss has sufficient lee-way to choose her cabinet members freely from her top team. However, the lower margin surrounding her victory connotes that she ought to ponder on making more strategic appointments that will foster a larger goal of uniting the party by offering positions to MPs across the Tory party. Despite winning Tory leadership her victory was smaller than most Tory MPs predicted as confessing behind the scenes; who expected her margin to be larger than 18 percentage points.

Her policy guidebook in the last seven weeks of her campaign is another indication of Truss desire to appease the general public and propel herself from greater obscurity, a challenge her rival Rishi Sunak never really had to face. Nevertheless, therein lies another predicament, by embracing tax cuts many of Tory members are worried it could jeopardise the upcoming election and urge her to reevaluate her economic stance. By offering modern- day Thatcher economics such as considering freezing the energy bills this coming winter as a bid to help with the cost of living crisis. As well as, the reversal of a 1.25 per cent in National Insurance, the scrapping of Corporation tax rise from 19 to 25 per cent due in April. Her policies appear to be on par with the Furlough scheme introduced by former rival Rishi Sunak. Truss claims her term as Prime Minister will consist of free-market policies and smaller government intervention but by involving herself with the policies above. It is contradictory to the position she has taken under the various conservative governments from Johnson to Cameron opting for a more Conservative approach. Oppositions claim the challenging road Truss faces reflects 12 years of poor Conservative government.

Truss has won the Tory conservative leadership vote despite vague details regarding the financial support programme. But critics question the cost freezing energy bills will have on Britons should it be extended – likely cost billions of pounds; as Truss remains vague on the process by which financial support will be carried out. Consequently, Ms Truss will need to make do on some of her promises for her tenure as Prime Minister to go more smoothly than her Predecessor Boris Johnson. She may have successfully progressed under three Tory Prime Ministers; Johnson, May and Cameron; she has never been tested as she will in the next coming months as she manoeuvres the economic turmoil in Britain. As economists predict inflation will rise to 20 per cent early next year, and are unconvinced that her measures will curb inflation with most casting votes that it will actually increase inflation.

Liz Truss v Rishi Sunak: The Final Two Candidates to Decide Who Will be the Next Tory Leader

Words Destiny Fakoya

The race to decide who will become the next Prime Minister has been heated and surprising, to say the least. A few weeks ago the odds were between Mordaunt and Sunak, however has since changed over the last couple of weeks, as Liz Truss leads Rishi Sunak by 62% to 38% among Tory members. The pair moved onto the final voting round as the final contenders to replace Johnson as party leader. The ballot will proceed from 4 August till early September 2022.

In the beginning, Sunak was considered by the majority of the party to be a good leader to replace Johnson, however Sunak’s achilles heel that continuously undermines his popularity is his wife’s controversial financial status. However, as Sunak has made it to the final round it would seem his banking on his competence and slick presentation to assure Tory members he is the man for the job in the upcoming election. This logic is undermined by the considerable advantage Truss has over Sunak; Truss has been determined to tax cuts since she stepped into No.10 and is determined to drive enterprise growth and increase opportunities. She claims ‘It's wrong that we currently have the highest tax burden in this country that we've had for 70 year’ and accuses Rishi of being at the helm of the cause.

A crucial factor that propels Truss as the leading contender to date is that Tory members remain unforgiving of the role Sunak played in Johnson’s fall. As well as the fixed penalty notice for attending a party during lockdown pushed him down the list of contenders for No. 10. It seems that Johnson’s lockdown birthday party is the stain on Sunak’s career he cant seem to quite get rid of. However, on a more positive note, he can hold out hope for the support and recognition he receives from 2019 voters who remain undecided on who they will vote for during the upcoming election. The poll among the 2019 voters shows only 13% of the public don’t know enough about the former Chancellor to say how they feel about him, the figure is more than double that for Truss (29%). When it comes to public opinion Truss has more to prove and needs to quickly do so ahead of the next election - it is very well a deciding factor that must not be overlooked.

It begs the question should whether Tory members fully commit to a tug-of-war between two Thatcherite versions or should they play the long game - back the candidate with more public support that stands the chance of defeating Labour. Sunak is a more promising prospective for the Tories of retaining the 2019 voters who brought them into power and defeating Labour in the next election.

Who Will Succeed Boris Johnson As the Next Prime Minister

Words Destiny Fakoya

With Boris Johnson resigning there is a list of contenders eager to take his place as the next leader of the Conservative Party.

The UK operates as a parliamentary rather than a presidential system, the nomination for who becomes the next Tory leader is decided by the 350 individual Tory MPs and the person with the least support is disqualified. The final round is a battle between two MP finalists and the final ballot will decide who will eventually become the next Tory Leader. Consequently, it is vital to gain as many MP votes as possible to win the race.

The key contenders include; Rishi Sunak, Dominic Raab, Penny Mordaunt, Ben Wallace, Sajid Javid, Liz Truss, and Nadhim Zahawi.

Penny Mordaunt 8/10

The former Defence Secretary is a key contender going head to head with Rishi Sunak as a favourite among MPs. Mordaunt is known for supporting Brexit, and good leadership qualities and publicly disagreeing with the PM’s birthday party during lockdown - ‘partygate’. Although,

According to Sky Bet Mordaunt won the second poll, securing 83 votes, up from 67 in the first round of voting.

Rishi Sunak 6/10

Rishi Sunak whose resignation from the position of Chancellor to the Exchequer led to the domino effect that eventually led to the PM’s resignation. Sunak is the second leading contender with 101 votes in the first voting round and it is likely that both Sunak and Mordaunt will be the final candidates to battle for the PM position. Both are favourites among conservative voters and MPs.

However, receiving a fine for attending the PM’s birthday party during lockdown - ‘party gate’ which affected the popularity and position of a number of MPs. As well as the distasteful controversy regarding his wife’s financial status has substantially affected his popularity and provided a necessary opening for Mordaunt.

Liz Truss 4/10

The foreign secretary is another contender to replace Johnson as Tory Leader. Also, another Tory favourite with a similar comparison to Magaret Thatcher. Truss appears to be the third-favourite with 64 votes in the second voting round hoping her Pro-Brexit credentials will sway MPs who supported eliminating Braverman in her favour.

Ben Wallace 4/10

The defence secretary's support stems from his approach to the war in Ukraine and the clearance from Afghanistan. He is not known widely by the public but his popularity among Tory MPs has given him the confidence to enter the race.

Jeremy Hunt 3/10

Bookies have long predicted Jeremy Hunt as next in line to succeed Johnson but it would seem the battle is actually between Mordaunt and Sunak could jeopardise this. From 2012 to 2018, Hunt held the position of Secretary of State for Health, the Health and Social Care holding the longest tenure on record in British political history. He is viewed as a safe choice among the Tory faithful,  known for being honest, trustworthy and stable - a “calming presence after the tumult of the Johnson years”. His limitations lie in him being on the centrist wing of the party which could result in losing votes to Mordaunt and the controversy over doctors' contracts which still affects his pull with the medical community.

Kemi Badendoch 3/10

Kemi Badenoch is a former equalities minister who is relatively unknown to Tory faithful and has never held a cabinet position. However, her advantage is that her record has not disappointed the Conservatives or voters in any way. Her policies include using her platform to reduce the state’s involvement in citizens’ lives and has promised to not get involved in the “bidding war” to reduce taxes like the other candidates.

Tom Tugendhat 2/10

 A former military officer with an earnest desire to speak up against his own government. Particularly, during an emergency debate on the crisis in Afghanistan in August 2021 increases his chances of gaining support from MPs. He goes against the grain evidence by being the first Tory MP to publicly announce he would be bidding to be the next Prime Minister. However, his lack of cabinet or shadow cabinet experience and his opposition to Brexit hinders his chances of becoming the next Prime Minister.

Mr Tugendhat's position in the race hangs by a thread having finished second from the bottom, 17 votes behind Kemi Badenoch.

Boris Johnson to resign as UK Prime Minister

Words Sarah Adama

The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has agreed to step down from his position, following an exodus of senior ministers, junior ministers and Secretary of state for Wales and Northern Ireland resigning from his Cabinet. In what has been a dramatic two days, the Prime Minister’s political authority has ebbed away as the conservative government disintegrated. More than 50 members of his government have resigned. Johnson will seek to remain as a caretaker Prime Minister while a leadership election takes place in Autumn.

Boris Johnson who won the Conservative party a historic majority in the general election of 2019 - the most electorally successful leader since Marget Thatcher in 1972 - and helped lead the successful Vote Leave Campaign in 2016, has lost the support of his party and closest supporters. 

The resignations began on Tuesday with senior members Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, and Health Secretary Sajid David, who departed within ten minutes of each other. 60 MPs resigned within the last 48 hours. The Prime Minister’s most loyal ministers pleaded with him to quit with dignity and “go quietly”. Even his closest allies in the cabinet told him they cannot carry on.

Despite a quick reshuffle of the Cabinet, even those who took up new positions have called upon his resignation. Michael Donelan, who replaced Nadhim Zahawi as education secretary on Tuesday night, has become the shortest-serving minister following her resignation. “I see no way that you can continue in post, but without a formal mechanism to remove you it seems that the only way this is possible is for those of us who remain in Cabinet to force your hand,” she wrote. The final push came from two days old Chancellor, Nadhim Zahawi, who today called for the Prime Minister to “do the right thing and go now”.

 No minister defended Johnson publicly in broadcast interviews, with many expressing that he should salvage what is left of his legacy. The likes of Attorney General, Suella Braverman, Home Secretary, Priti Patel and Secretary of State for Defence, Ben Wallace, are unable to leave their posts for National security reasons but publicly called for the Prime Minister to step down. The Home Secretary stated that the Prime Minister no longer commands the support of the party.

Despite these resignations, Johnson responded that he had a “mandate” from the British people and refused to quit. Only yesterday, Michael Gove was sacked following his advice for the PM to step down. His refusal to go quietly led to further resignations on Thursday, with Brandon Lewis, Northern Ireland Secretary and once-loyal Johnson supporter, stating that the government was no longer being run based on “honesty, integrity and mutual respect”. The Welsh secretary, Simon Hart, is amongst those to quit in the last 24 hours. With a lot more resignations and struggling to fill cabinet positions, it seems the Prime Minister has become overwhelmed.

There is currently no clear sign from the Prime Minister as to the nature of his departure. Though, if he remains interim leader until the leadership elections in Autumn, he will need ministers who are willing to return, to allow an orderly transition and good government. 

The Prime Minister is expected to deliver a speech today.

Inflation hits 40-year high as UK faces cost of living crisis

Words Sarah Adama

Inflation in the UK hit a new 40 year high on Wednesday. Official figures showed the latest rise in the inflation rate from 9% in April to 9.1% last month, as predicted by economists, who believe this will hit double digits by autumn. With soaring gas and electricity prices, The Bank of England warns this number could be 11% by October, a rate higher than similar countries in the G7. Though the government announced billions in emergency support, citizens and experts alike are skeptical about the handling of the crisis.

Cost of living crisis refers to a situation where the cost of everyday necessities, food, fuel, heating, transport, entertainment, housing and rent rise faster than real wages. The price of food and fuel are rising vicariously. According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS), the main contribution to the high inflation rate came from food and non-alcoholic drink prices rising at the fatest annual rate since 2009; prices rose from 6.7% to a 13-year high of 8.5%. Bread, cereals and meat have become more expensive, coupled with increasing cost of petrol and energy bills, low income families are set to bear the brunt of this squeeze. Petrol and diesel have hit record prices, with petrol at 198p a litre and diesel hit £2 per litre on 22 June. Motor fuel prices have jumped by over a third over the past year and continue on this upward trajectory daily. It has been ‘the biggest annual increase on records dating back to 1989’.

Periods of inflation are normal in any economic cycle, however, they are usually abated with increased income. Data shows that since 2007, real wages in the UK have stagnated, as such inflation has been higher than nominal wage growth. According to data, the average full-time salary in the UK is £31,285 (in 2021), which after tax and national insurance contributions, does not give families much to live on. Meanwhile, this week the government and Network Rail are clashing with rail unions in disputes over pay and conditions, as the country sees its biggest train strikes since the 1980s. The government’s offer of a pay rise of just 2% has been criticised.

Data forecast from the Resolution Foundation shows that despite the increase in inflation, an annual rate of 8.4%, which will hit 10% in some months, incomes won’t increase at the same rate as prices. Real incomes will drop by 4.1% this year, their highest rate in 40 years. Simply, wages have been stagnant for decades. Between 1980- 2000, median disposable income increased by £8,529 (67%) alongside inflation. But between 2000-2020, household income growth only increased by £3,584, at only 17%, 50% down from the previous decades. Now, with rising prices, the lowest earners cannot afford basic necessities.

Why are prices increasing rapidly?

Since 2021, cost pressures have grown increasingly apparent in the economy. Factors such as gas prices, Brexit, disruption to global supply chains and more recently, the Russian invasion on Ukraine which has had knock-on effects on company operations, european industrial production and disruption to supply of energy to the EU. Though the UK is not a part of the EU and only imports 13% of its total fuel from Russia, it remains vulnerable to the EU which relies on Russia for its energy. The integration of the energy markets means that UK and EU gas and electricity prices move up together. A new study has found that Brexit has, and will continue to contribute to the cost of living crisis. According to a report from the London School of Economics, Trade barriers have driven a 6% increase in UK food prices, with the UK still unable to strike a trade deal. Brexit has ‘damaged the country’s competitiveness’ and has left the UK in a worse off position than pre-brexit. Even if there are attempts to recover the economy, Wall Street's top banks believe the UK to be an outlier among developed countries as a result of the economic damage caused by Brexit. Official reports detail how Brexit has affected the country's growth potential and is costing workers hundreds of pounds a year in lost pay. Compared to what would have followed a remain vote in 2016, the average worker is set to lose more than £470 in lost pay each year by 2030, as stated by Resolution Foundation and leading academics from LSE. Correctly so, as even where cost pressures begin to fade, immigration controls and disruption to supply chain has weakened the pound and made the economy vulnerable. Brexit isn’t the cause of the cost-of-living crisis, but there is no doubt its impact will make solving the living crisis much more challenging

Who Can Fix Nigeria?

Words Sarah Adama

62 years after its independence, Nigeria has the largest population in Africa and is deemed the poorest after India. That same generation still takes to the pulpit of the nation to ask for votes. They promise to deliver a ‘new,’ progressive Nigeria. They overpromise and underdeliver. They throw money at potential voters, and bags of rice. Comical.  

Many would say that Nigeria was better under British rule 62 years ago; a reality that those born after 1960 would not have lived. Nigeria has progressed.. albeit downwards. 

For many of us watching from the outside, we have seen both men and women claiming to be the next leader, with no track record. 

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) primaries on Saturday night saw H.E Atiku Abubakar emerge as the party’s flag bearer. For those with interests in Nigeria, this is a battle between the North and the South of the country. 

Every candidate promised they would offer themselves and they would ‘fix’ the problem, but nobody that says these things truly knows how to fix Nigeria. Who is willing, truly willing to offer themselves? 

Just ask one aspirant, how do you plan to create wealth? That one question can cut out many years spent expecting promises and avoiding disappointment.  

That said, Nigeria doesn’t lack money, it lacks leadership. 

Nigeria is a nation very deeply divided along tribal and geographical lines. 

What we saw was a unification of the North, to stand behind candidate Atiku Abubakar, whilst over 5 different southern leaders took to the stage with their different dreams for Nigeria. 

Each vote for the successful candidate was guaranteed by a $50,000 payment, the runner-up governor paid $30,000 and other aspirants up to $10,000 per vote. 

Here is another truth. You need money to vote for a political position in Nigeria. Those hoping to gain votes by appealing to voters' emotions should prepare to be disappointed. 

Integrity doesn’t win political elections, money does.

Should this be the case? Maybe not. But money is what Nigeria needs. Integrity doesn’t win political elections, money does. The money creates wealth and economic empowerment for its citizens. Or rather, the leadership.  

Political ideas without money are just good words.  The question we eagerly want to hear is who can truly create jobs? Many people know the problem, but not many people know how to fix it. Yet, political speeches are dominated by a promise to fix Nigeria and everybody believes they can do it. 

Who can do the job? 

The state of Nigeria is this: many just want a government that can give its citizens electricity, good roads and the promise of life. Nigerians want to live in a country where kidnappings by the terrorist group Boko Haram are not the norm. Expectations are few. 

That is failed leadership. 

Even if the right candidates emerge, can the people be trusted to vote on logic and not emotion?

On the other hand, it’s nice to see women compete against the men who have ruled Nigeria for decades. But that’s just it… it’s nice. 

In leadership, it is about who can do the job. Many years of culture, tribal loyalty and suffering cannot be reversed in a day. But Nigeria can be broken down and rebuilt. 

Yes, one man can change Nigeria. The right man (which has nothing to do with gender), knows how to build, put together a powerful team and unify the common interests of the country. 

What Nigeria needs is leaders that can pivot from selfish ambition to selfless ambition. The promises of new are a facade. There is no new economy until the old economy dies.

Government Taskforce led by Minister Liz Truss and Chaired by Starling CEO & Founder will double women-led businesses by 2030

Words Sarah Adama

The Government has set a target to double the number of female entrepreneurs in the UK by 2030. 

In light of this target, Minister for Women and Equalities, Liz Truss, will spearhead the ‘Taskforce on Women-led High Growth enterprises’, alongside Chair Anne Boden, the CEO and founder of digital lender Starling Bank. Its membership comprises an array of women that have led and scaled high growth businesses and funds in the country. The taskforce aims to ‘influence high growth investors, the wider business community, and to raise the aspirations of the next generation of female entrepreneurs, especially looking to encourage women based outside of the capital,’Chair Anne Boden said. 

The launch of the Taskforce follows up with initiatives announced on International women’s day to level up employment opportunities for women, and the Rose Review which found that there is potential for the economy to receive a £250bn boost if the barriers for women entrepreneurs are broken. Over the past few years, there has been promising growth in innovative women-led businesses, yet it has grown more evident that more needs to be done to support women in high-growth business. Limited funding, lack of support, lack of understanding of business laws and regulations are amongst the biggest barriers slowing down the expansion and scaling of women-led businesses. Now, there is a growing speculation that IR35 reforms could blockade the Taskforce’s efforts as the reforms are would pose an even bigger barrier as the reforms are ‘confusing’ and ‘discriminatory’ to many sole trader businesses and freelancers and many women-led businesses begin as one-person limited companies. Evidence brought forward by a Public Accounts Committee this week found that HMRC’s tax reforms surrounding freelancers and contractors are “creating widespread non-compliance”. The report found that HMRC has failed to adequately consider the wider impact of the reforms, which is pushing freelancers out of the market. 

The official statistics are then not surprising:

• only 1 in 3 UK entrepreneurs is a woman, a gender gap equivalent to 1.1 million missing businesses

•  male-led SMEs are five times more likely to scale up to £1 million turnover than female-led SMEs

It is true that there is potential yet to be realised, and Minister Liz Truss believes that the force can combat the various barriers to investment and increase employment opportunities for women. This means, she says, “providing everyone, regardless of their origin or place of residence with the opportunity to succeed.”

With the taskforce in session, women entrepreneurs will be equipped with the tools to take their business to the next level with ‘access to finance and growth capital, technology adoption and leadership skills,’ Chair Anne Boden said. She will be joined by some of the top women in business, from the public and private sectors, as they combine their expertise and connections to work with organisations across the UK to support the government’s target - this means the UK would have nearly 600,000 female entrepreneurs by 2030. The taskforce will maintain an acute focus on driving change in growth capital. Boden said the plan for entrepreneurs will ‘provide women with the tools to take their business to the next level: access to finance and capital for growth, technology adoption and leadership skills.’ The taskforce’s work will be a ‘blueprint for all entrepreneurs to follow’ in the future.

Taskforce members include:

• June Angelides, MBE: Investment Manager, Samos & CEO and Founder, Mums in Tech

• Alexandra Depledge MBE: CEO and Founder, Resi

• Poppy Gustafsson OBE: CEO and Co-founder, Darktrace

• Judith Hartley: CEO of British Patient Capital & British Business Investments, British Business Bank

• Zandra Moore: CEO and Co-founder, Panintelligence

• Deepali Nangia: Partner, Speedinvest and Co-founder Alma Angels

• Jan Putnis – Partner, Slaughter and May

• Angela Scott : Founder and Chief Operating Officer, TC BioPharm Ltd

• Emma Sinclair](https://uk.linkedin.com/in/ecsinclair) MBE: Co-founder and CEO, EnterpriseAlumni

• Helen Steers: Partner, Pantheon Ventures

• Sam Smith: Founder and CEO at finnCap Group Plc

• Francesca Warner : Co-founder and Partner, Ada Ventures

Freedom comes at price: How long will America continue to pay with the lives of its school children?

Words Faith Wilcox

Safeguarding definition: Protecting the health, well-being, and human rights of individuals, which allow people especially children, young people and vulnerable adults to live free from abuse, harm, and neglect.

The Texas school shooting in Uvalde, West of San Antonia resulted in at least 19 students and 2 teachers pronounced dead. The shooter was identified as 18-year-old Salvador Ramos a student at the elementary school. 

Unfortunately, this does not come as a shock and is the 212th school shooting in America. The last school shooting the UK experienced was ‘The Dunblane massacre 1996.’

School shooters in America often have some relationship to the school or students, for example Salvador Ramos was a student at Uvalde. However, 71% of school shooters are victims of bullying and 87% of them left behind evidence that they were experiencing bullying in one form or another. It is a duty of care for the school to ensure the well-being and safety of their students. Being aware of this fact, schools in America may not doing enough to address issues such as bullying or mental health to safeguard their students.

Following, the ‘The Dunblane massacre,’ Parliament gathered to ask the key question ‘How can we prevent this from happening again?’  and ‘What circumstances surrounded and lead to the school shooting of March 1996.’ The Cullen report suggested school drills to prepare in the case of another shooting. The focus of the report was the safety of the public and how this could be ensured by focusing efforts on the sale and availability of guns, rather than on the fitness of a potential buyer.

America particularly southern states such as Texas are still very pro-sale of guns, and we must question why are school children allowed to purchase guns? Regardless of legal age, America is failing to safeguard their children by failing to do risk assessments and having stricter purchasing law.

The earliest school shooting in America was in 1764. It is clear that it’s a fight America has been battling for years, but does the ‘land of the free’ mean safe?  Freedom comes at a cost and America have paid the price again with the lives of its children.

The New Malaria Vaccine

 For many years, researchers and scientist have tried to tackle the life threatening disease, Malaria. Of recent, a vaccine was approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO), providing hope for many. Malaria is a disease that is caused by parasites and is passed on to individuals through the bites of infected female anopheles mosquitoes. In 2019, there was 230 million cases and 409,000 deaths that mostly occurred in sub-Saharan Africa. Although Malaria can be preventable and is treatable, many population groups are significantly at higher risk of contracting Malaria and developing health complications. Populations that are particularly vulnerable include those who are may have an underlying health conditions such as HIV/AIDS, children who are 5 and under, pregnant women and those who tend to travel. Due to the major global burden, many scientists have been working for decades to create a vaccine.

The WHO has approved the first vaccine for malaria called RTS,S and have set a goal for the new vaccine to achieve 70% protection from the disease. However RTS,S is currently only exhibiting 30-40% efficacy. Due to these disappointing statistics, questions have been thrown to organisations: is the vaccine worth using? Are health organisations going to deploy this vaccine?

Unfortunately, the financial burden of creating and distributing the vaccine is also large, and so the current focus is to give the vaccine in places of high disease burden, where there is a higher rate of deaths or severe illness. It has been mentioned that a further investment will need to be done to ensure that the vaccine is accessible to countries that will be in need. Nevertheless, the vaccine has great potential and public and global health organisations such as the WHO have a huge interest in developing vaccines that will be effective but also save millions of lives from Malaria. For researchers and scientists, this is just the beginning and we are hopeful that this is something that will change lives forever.

Barbados gets a makeover, parts ways with its colonial past

Words Sarah Adama

Barbados wants to become a republic. First on the agenda, the head of State. The country has elected its first-ever President on Thursday, 55 years after gaining independence from Britain. This is the first major step as the former British Colony moves to chisel out the remnants of its colonial past. Dame Sandra Mason, a 72-year-old judge and former ambassador, was elected by the parliament on Wednesday.

The election was confirmed during a joint session of the Caribbean nation’s House of Assembly and Senate, with Dame Mason winning two-thirds of vote. Prime Minister Mia Mottley called the election a “seminal moment” in Barbados’ history. She added, “we have just elected from among us a woman who is uniquely and passionately Barbadian, does not pretend to be anything else [and] reflects the values of who we are.” Dame Mason has served as a teacher, magistrate, ambassador to Venezuela, Chile, Columbia, and Brazil then became the first female Court of Appeal judge of the Supreme Court of Barbados. As described in

The Island country with a population of just less than 300,000, had still maintained ties with the British monarch even since gaining Independence. It is the latest in the stream of Caribbean countries cutting those ties – Guyana did so in 1970, followed by Trinidad and Tobago in 1976 and Dominica in 1978. The Queen Is still head of state in many other former British colonies, including Jamaica, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.

Dame Mason will be sworn in on November 30, the day Barbados gained Independence.