PATRIOTIC MP Sir David Amess wants the UK to quit Eurovision after finishing rock bottom, insisting the event is “designed to humiliate us”. After James Newman secured zero points on Saturday, Sir David boldly called for the UK to stop competing. He has even lodged a Commons Early Day Motion urging the BBC to “no longer spend licence fee money on an event designed to humiliate the UK”. He further suggested “if the winning song is to be broadcast on the public airwaves, it should be preceded by a public health warning”. Sir David, Tory MP for Southend West, said: “I’ve been a fan of Eurovision for a long time, and many years ago I was able to congratulate Sandy Shaw on her victory.
A Buckinghamshire MP has recently been elected as the new chairman of a group to help cancer patients. Greg Smith was appointed the All Party Political Group chair for Minimally Invasive Cancer Therapies on May 17, in their inaugural meeting to officially form the group. The group has been formed to help drive awareness of Minimally Invasive Cancer Therapies (MICT) and ensure that eligible patients from across the UK can have timely access to the treatments. Chair of the APPG for MICT and MP for Buckingham, Greg Smith said: “I am very happy to have been elected Chair of the All Party Political Group for Minimally Invasive Cancer Therapies.
QUIRKY homeware stores and niche outlets would breathe new life into our towns say readers, as its revealed one in six believe improving shops is a top priority. South Essex shoppers say widening the variety of our stores should be a focus as we come out of lockdown and take one step closer towards normality. Niche outlets, independent businesses and quirky homeware stores were top of the list when it came to asking Echo readers what they’d like to see. It comes after a survey - carried out by the think tank Demos - revealed around one in six people believe improving local shops is the most urgent issue in Southend West.
A LEIGH headteacher is setting up a virtual parliament for hundreds of children to debate climate change. Peter Spencer-Lane, head of Saint Pierre School on Leigh Road, Leigh, is the headteacher champion for the UK’s “House of Children” virtual parliament. This will see 650 child MPs debate climate change in October. The initiative has been set up by Microsoft, The Big Issue and content organising firm Wakelet, allowing children aged seven to 13 to debate and vote on critical issues such as climate change. The topic will be put to a vote by the children by the Child ‘Speaker of the House’ at the end of virtual parliamentary session.
A SLEEPLESS resident is on a one-man mission to stop Southend Airport’s controversial night flights - lodging more than 1,000 complaints himself. David Smith, of Bryne Drive, Southend, even sends a monthly report to Stobart Air chief executive Glyn Jones outlining the disruption he faces. The 70-year-old says the flights are both ruining his sleep and impacting his mental health. He now struggles to stay awake during the day due to his lack of rest. Mr Smith is calling for the flights - which launched in October 2019 - to be scrapped altogether and has submitted 1,232 complaints himself. He said: “I live a few hundred yards from the runway, so am constantly hearing the take-offs and landings.