Top story: £2,000 per household to keep NHS going
Welcome to Thursday – I’m Warren Murray and it is time to get the news.
Britain is finally having to face up to one of the biggest choices in a generation, with every household in Britain needing to pay £2,000 more in tax so the NHS can cope with the ageing population’s healthcare needs, a landmark report has found.
Niall Dickson, the chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which commissioned the report, said: “Over the next 15 years in the UK there will be 4 million more people over 65 and the prospect of a 40% increase in hospital admissions and further large increases in the number of people with numerous long-term conditions.
All parties accept that NHS funding needs to increase – Theresa May will reportedly raise its budget by 3% a year for the rest of this parliament – but the report says the resources needed far outstrip any tax pledges already made. “This report is a wake-up call. And its message is simple – if we want good, effective and safe services we will have to find the resources to pay for them.” The figures laid out in our report tell the story of the pressures facing the health service.
Yulia Skripal speaks – “We are so lucky to both have survived this attempted assassination.” The daughter of Sergei Skripal has spoken out for the first time about their poisoning in Salisbury with the Russian-developed novichok nerve agent. “After 20 days in a coma, I woke to the news that we had both been poisoned,” Yulia Skripal said. “I am grateful to all of the wonderful, kind staff at Salisbury hospital, a place I have become all too familiar with. I also think fondly of those who helped us on the street on the day of the attack.”
Yulia Skripal remains under police guard in London. “My life has now been turned upside down by the devastating changes thrust upon me, both physically and emotionally … I take one day at a time and want to help care for my dad till his full recovery. In the longer term, I hope to return home to my country.” In an apparent reference to her cousin Viktoria, who has appeared frequently on Russian state TV, Yulia said: “I want to reiterate what I said in my earlier statement, that no one speaks for me or for my father but ourselves.”
So much for the ‘Mediterranean diet’ – Children in Italy, Greece and Spain are now the fattest in Europe. More than 40% of boys and girls aged nine are either overweight or obese. Sweets, junk food and sugary drinks have displaced the region’s traditional diet based on fruit and vegetables, fish and olive oil, said Dr Joao Breda, whom for brevity we will call “the WHO’s obesity tsar”. While we’re talking about obesity, the World Cancer Research Fund is warning that as many as 12 different kinds of cancer are now linked to being overweight. It has launched an online tool to help people assess the risk posed by their diet and lifestyle. And wondering where the word “obesogen” comes from? Steven Poole dusts off his Greek to explain.
‘Taser, Taser!’ – Police in the US have apologised after a Taser was used to arrest an NBA star over a parking violation. Body camera footage shows how a scuffle broke out and a stungun was used after officers approached basketballer Sterling Brown in a Milwaukee parking lot. Police chief Alfonso Morales said officers had been disciplined: “I am sorry this incident escalated to this level.” Brown called it “an attempt at police intimidation, followed by the unlawful use of physical force”. The Milwaukee police have a history of troubled relations with black people including the shooting of a mentally ill man, illegal strip-searches and violent arrests.
Sea Ceptor switched on – The Royal Navy has put into service a new missile to protect the UK’s two aircraft carriers. The Sea Ceptor is reportedly capable of shooting down everything from supersonic missiles to fighter jets. It was developed at a cost of around £850m and is deployed aboard Type 23-frigates. HMS Argyll, which is bound for the Asia-Pacific region, will be the first to get the system.
Art on a postage stamp – A new series of 65p and £1.55 stamps will feature designs by the likes of Tracey Emin, Grayson Perry, Fiona Rae and Yinka Shonibare.
The series has been commissioned to mark the 250th anniversary of the Royal Academy. They will be issued on 5 June and can be preordered on the Royal Mail website if you are one of those first-day cover types.
Lunchtime read: Don’t be so wet
A 30-year drought may be coming, the Environment Agency has warned, with water shortages that could stretch into the 2050s. And much of it is because of overuse, waste and bad plumbing.
From getting a water meter put in, to not washing your fruit under a running tap, Stephen Moss lists straightforward ways to cut down your consumption.
Sport
The performances of spinning newcomer Dom Bess and white-ball specialist Jos Butler will be closely watched in the first Test against Pakistan when it gets under way at Lord’s today, with Alastair Cook and Ben Stokes also under the spotlight. Roger Federer believes Serena Williams’s achievements are enough to merit a place as the greatest tennis player of all time. Unai Emery declared his intention to turn Arsenal into “the best team in the Premier League and also the world” as he displayed his drive and energy on day one as the managerial successor to Arsène Wenger.
Chris Ashton, the Toulon back, is set to take on England as a Barbarian at Twickenham on Sunday with a point to prove to coach Eddie Jones. Simon Yates remains in position to win the Giro d’Italia after maintaining his hold on the leader’s pink jersey on the 17th stage, as Elia Viviani sprinted to his fourth victory of this year’s race. Formula One Management insists there will no grid girls at this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix, despite reports they were to make a return at the behest of the race organisers, Automobile Club de Monaco. And Ian Poulter has vowed to atone for “15 years of rubbish” as he returns to England for the PGA Championship.
Business
Shares in Asia fell overnight after the Trump administration announced it would investigate car imports, raising the possibility of tariffs on vehicles. Japan, a major exporter of cars to the US, was worst hit with the Nikkei down 1.3%. The FTSE100 is set to drop 0.5% at the open. The pound was up slightly at $1.337 and €1.142.
The papers
The FT reports on a “blow for leavers’ customs plan” as the head of HMRC says “max-fac” could cost British business £20bn a year in extra customs charges. Also in the EU-leaving vein, the Mail announces: “Plot to subvert Brexit exposed”, saying the George Soros-backed Best for Britain campaign wants to “persuade MPs to vote down the prime minister’s deal in October”. The Mirror trumpets a “World Cup Exclusive” saying it can reveal who stole the Jules Rimet trophy in 1996.
Yulia Skripal is on many front pages and “From Russia with luck” is the Sun’s headline (the Briefing reckons our play on that was better). The Guardian leads with the £2,000 per household needed to fix the NHS. “German bid to block UK from crucial defence plan” is the splash headline in the Times as the row over the Galileo system continues. The Telegraph’s got Jeremy Corbyn calling for a united Ireland. “Jail hell over police rape blunder” is the Express splash – it says a businessman spent eight months behind bars while police withheld texts that proved his innocence.
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