Ben Gartside

Wednesday

Ben Gartside

Welcome to XL bully death row

From our UK edition

‘There’s no way of finding out what’s really happening in there,’ says Aaron Rainey, an XL bully expert who advises police forces and dog owners across the UK. ‘Nobody knows where the kennels are – the police keep the information under wraps in case people turn up and try to break out their XL bullies.’ Rainey was preparing to make a trip to assess an XL bully in Leicester, three hours from the dog’s previous home. He is concerned about the number of volunteers working in kennels housing XL bullies: many of them are college students trying to bolster their CV ahead of applying for veterinary studies at university. They are serving as prison guards to the UK’s most dangerous dogs. Welcome to XL bully death row.

Saturday

Ben Gartside

KCL’s chilling clampdown on freedom of speech

From our UK edition

‘No Platforming’ and intolerance within the left are too often cited as the only reasons behind the purported demise of free speech on campus, which this week was proven to be untrue. On Wednesday, King's College London blocked at least ten students from accessing their campus during a visit from the Queen, and passed on the names of students in the KCL Action Palestine Society and the KCL Justice for Cleaners campaign to the police. This caused some of the students involved to miss their compulsory assessments. This move was done in the name of ‘security’, which has also been cited in attempts to shut down right-wing speakers opposed by left-wing activists.

Friday

Ben Gartside

Agriculture Bill set to cause further Tory spending divides

From our UK edition

With a twenty billion pound spending increase in the NHS, many ministers are quietly seething at the latest Treasury warning of 'no more money left' for other departments. Gavin Williamson wants an extra £20 billion for Defence, and is allegedly threatening to bring down the Prime Minister if he isn't given it. Now another minister is preparing to go into bat for his department. One such Minister is Michael Gove. With the first Agriculture Bill since 1947 likely to come before the Commons before recess, the environment secretary keen to have adequate funding for the bill which is likely to define his stint in Defra.