6 Hillgrove Public Relations

  6 Hillgrove Public Relations is the world's only truly cutting edge, brave and controversial (when necessary) public relations consultancy.  

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6 Hillgrove at its best with this activation for Dame Vivienne Westwood, protesting about Julian Assange.'Canary in the Cage' ignited the world media.

Pictures of 6 Hillgrove founder and Chairman Richard Hillgrove with Dame Vivienne Westwood.

See link below for some of the coverage.

https://wke.lt/w/s/DFkXMz

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6 Hillgrove client The Black Farmer Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones MBE on BBC Breakfast 11th August 2020

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45% Increase In Demand For Allotments Due To COVID-19 Accentuates 18 Month Backlog –The Black Farmer Calls For Church, State And Private Land Owners To Make More Allotment Space Available For ‘Farming Lite’

A 45% spike in the interest in obtaining information about urban allotments during the coronavirus outbreak accentuates 6-18 month waiting lists, according to the National Allotment Society (NAS). There is an estimated 330,000 allotment plots today in Britain, the vast majority of which are the responsibility of local councils. The National Trust has also provided many sites. The National Allotment Society recommends that authorities provide 20 plots per 1000 households. For 20 years, the NSALG has been promoting National Allotments Week (10th – 16th August 2020). Canvasing of 500 councils by the NAS with 150 responding in April 2020, indicated that 40% of them had seen a “significant increase in applications to the waiting list”, with a 300% increase in one case. According to the APSE: *The average waiting time for an allotment plot is 6-18 months according to 51% of council respondents. *Just 12% of council respondents could guarantee a plot within 6 months. *69% of councils responding had 100-400 people on a waiting list for an allotment compared to 75% in 2018. *49% stared that over 18 months waiting time was the average. Rather than responsibility for allotment space purely being placed on local councils, The Black Farmer, Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones MBE, says: “The Government, Ministry of Defence, Church of England all own vast swathes of land and could be doing a lot more to welcome people from diverse urban cultures – but particularly black people – into allotments and ultimately into the countryside”. Also, overseas companies own 279,523 acres of land. “Urban allotments provide a fantastic onramp into farming, functioning as ‘Farming Lite’ for young people who might like to dip their toe in”. Emmanuel-Jones says: “Tending to my father’s allotment in Birmingham, aged 11 years, I made a promise to myself that I’d own a farm one day. To me, that small green patch was an oasis and an opportunity to escape from the cramped two-up, two-down terraced house I shared with my family of 11. It took 30 years of hard graft – from leaving school aged 16, to the army. As a child of the Windrush generation, it means something to own and tend land”. “Gatekeepers of pastoral Britain have the power to make a difference and it’s time they were challenged to do so”. Echoing the National Allotment Society, Emmanuel-Jones believes central government should start seeing allotments as part of the answer to national food security and acknowledging the valuable role that they play in raising public health and well-being. -ENDS- Images: (Please click on link below to download) https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1JTK2X7_CUZN2_UyzJn5vJMMh1VKeZF8x?usp=sharing About National Society of Allotments: www.nsalg.org.uk The National Allotment Society (NAS) is the leading national organisation upholding the interests and rights of the allotment community across the UK. We work with government at national and local levels, other organisations and landlords to provide, promote and preserve allotments for all. We offer support, guidance and advice to our members and those with an interest in allotment gardening. In 2011, His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales kindly agreed to become the Patron of the Society. The Prince is an avid gardener himself and advocate of green issues, he is also keen to promote and protect the UK's enduring traditions. About The Black Farmer / Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones MBE: Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones MBE (born 7 November 1957) is a British businessman, farmer, and founder of "The Black Farmer" range of food products. He was the Conservative Party candidate for the Chippenham constituency for the 2010 general election. Emmanuel-Jones was born in Clarendon, Jamaica, but in 1961 he moved with his parents to the United Kingdom. They settled in Small Heath in Birmingham, where he was one of nine children living in a small terrace house. After working in the catering industry Emmanuel-Jones enrolled on a training scheme that led to a job working for Peter Bazalgette on the BBC television series Food and Drink. He later continued to work in television, as a producer and director for 15 years and appeared in the Robert Llewellyn production Carpool on 22 January 2010. ‘Cameron's Black Tory’, shown on Channel 4 after the General Election on 6 June 2010, filmed Emmanuel-Jones over a four-year period in his bid to become the Conservative Party MP for the nominally Liberal Democrat seat of Chippenham. Emmanuel-Jones' television career gave him the capital to buy Higher West Kitcham Farm, on the border of Devon and Cornwall in St Giles on the Heath, Launceston, which he continues to farm. He became known to the locals who helped him initially with farming as "The Black Farmer", which inspired him to set up the brand of the same name, whose products include awarding-winning sausages, chicken, ham and sauces. He has since become involved in setting up the Black Farmer Scholarship, which aims to help and encourage ethnic minorities to work in the rural community, an area where to date they have been under-represented. This aim has been made into a Channel 4 TV series, Young Black Farmers, a series of three, which sees him take a group of nine inner-city school leavers from ethnic minorities on a scholarship on his Devon farm. Emmanuel-Jones was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2020 New Year Honours for services to British farming. Emannuel-Jones set up a marketing agency in London, specialising in food brands, including Lloyd Grossman, Kettle Chips and Plymouth Gin. He is married and the couple have a son and a daughter. He has an adult son from his first marriage.

For more information, please contact: Richard Hillgrove, 6 Hillgrove PR. Mobile. [phone]. Email. [email protected]

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Having a GAS with...Richard Hillgrove

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Week Ahead In The News

With Richard Hillgrove founder of 6 Hillgrove Public Relations

News diary 6-12 April 2020

Monday, 6th April As questions continue to be raised about the effectiveness of the government’s efforts to counter the economic effects of coronavirus, some of the initial measures announced at Budget begin to take effect this week: an increase to the National Insurance contributions threshold from Monday will mean an extra £100 in the average taxpayer’s pocket, while the new higher Employment Allowance is intended to help smaller firms with the minimum wage rise due today. The measures come alongside changes to the rules on overdrafts which were first announced by the Financial Conduct Authority in June 2019. Last week, the FCA proposed extra help for consumers in financial difficulty, including temporary payment freezes on credit card and loan payments, and asked banks to set out details by Monday morning. If confirmed, the measures are set to take effect from 9 April.

Oil ministers from OPEC and non-OPEC producers, referred to as OPEC+, are also expected to hold a virtual meeting amid suggestions that a fresh productions cut could be back on the cards. Prices had dropped when countries failed to agree a new production agreement ahead of a 1 April deadline, but rose after US President Donald Trump tweeted that he expected Saudi Arabia and Russia to cut back production by 10 million barrels.

Tuesday, 7th April The inquiry into the May 2017 Manchester Arena terror attack holds a further preliminary (video) hearing on Tuesday, considering an application for survivors of the attack to be designated as ‘Core Participants’ once the wider public hearings begin. The inquiry’s start date has already been delayed from June to September as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, though Chair Sir John Saunders has also warned proceedings could be postponed to spring 2021.

Wisconsin holds its Democratic primary, despite lawsuits and calls from Governor Tony Evers for the contest to be postponed until the coronavirus outbreak has subsided. Voting by mail has been expanded, but fears remain that turnout will be low and public health put at risk. Recent polls indicate Joe Biden will consolidate his lead, despite Bernie Sanders winning the state against Hillary Clinton in 2016.

Wednesday, 8th April For the 11 million residents of Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus epidemic in China, Wednesday marks a huge moment, as healthy residents will be allowed to leave the city for the first time since it was sealed off from the rest of China on 23 January. The city’s official death count has come into question as restrictions in the city have eased, amid long queues outside funeral homes where bereaved families waited to collect the remains of loved ones.

The first proper indication of the impact of COVID-19 on the UK economy could be revealed when the ONS publishes its monthly GDP estimate on Thursday, covering February. Final figures for the end of 2019 showed that growth was already flatlining before the virus took hold, and the warning signs of a coming economic downturn were illustrated most starkly last week in a prediction by the Cebr that GDP could fall by 15% this year. The ONS has moved several economic statistics to a new 7am release time in response to the pandemic, designating them “market sensitive”.

Thursday, 8th April A number of NHS statistics are also published on Thursday, potentially revealing the early extent of the virus’ impact on the UK’s health services. The figures, which include critical care bed capacity, come as the Government co-opts centres around the UK to turn them into temporary field hospitals to deal with the influx of COVID-19 patients.

Friday, 9th April Alaska also holds its primary this week. On Friday, Democrats in the Final Frontier will pick their nominee for president entirely by mail to reduce the public health risk of in-person voting. Turnout is expected to be high, with the party reporting seven times more registered voters than in 2016. Biden is expected to win the state, though the margin is much narrower than in Wisconsin.

Saturday, 10th April Saturday marks one month since WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared the global Covid-19 outbreak to be a pandemic. The virus, which was first identified in Wuhan in late December, has since spread to at least 193 countries, with only 18 countries (including Micronesia and Yemen) reporting no cases. Since the declaration, governments around the world have stepped up efforts to control the spread, including through mandatory social distancing and city- and country-wide lockdowns.

Sunday, 11th April Easter Sunday arrives with none of the usual fanfare: church services have been suspended in a number of countries, and even Pope Francis will celebrate mass in an empty Vatican Basilica, while public egg hunts and family lunches also off the table. Many lockdown restrictions were put in place with an eye to curbing Easter travel, and several are due to expire (including Spain, Ireland, Ecuador, Argentina and Peru), though extensions seem likely with cases still on the rise.

Sunday also marks the beginning of what’s expected to be the peak period for coronavirus deaths in the UK. Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Jenny Harries said on 25 March that UK officials were hoping to see the peak in ‘two to three weeks’, while several anonymously-sourced media reports have identified Easter Sunday specifically as the projected worst date for deaths.

The news diary is provided in association with Foresight News.

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The Week Ahead in News

30th March  - 5th April 2020

Monday 30th March The UK’s trade negotiations with the EU were curtailed by coronavirus after the first round, but talks between the two sides resume this week with the first (virtual) meeting of the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee on Monday. The Committee, overseen by Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove and Commission Vice-President Maro? ?ef?ovi?, was established to oversee the implementation of the October 2019 agreement. The limited agenda for the first meeting could leave room for the sides to sound each other out on the possibility of extending the transition period, an until-recently unthinkable prospect that may soon become a necessity. Which TV channel is providing best coverage of Covid-19 crisis?

Tuesday, 31st March Abortion services become available in Northern Ireland on Tuesday, marking a monumental social change for the country. Abortions will now be allowed on request during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and permitted up to 24 weeks in the event of possible injury or health complications. Northern Ireland’s political leaders are firmly divided on the new laws, while a section of campaigners have argued the changes are ‘not fit for purpose’. The ‘15-days to slow the spread’ campaign announced by the White House and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) is set to expire today. While the CDC has acknowledged that the pause may need to be extended, President Trump has indicated that he is unwilling to uphold current restrictions for fear of their economic impact. Trump has announced Easter Sunday as the target date to ‘reopen the country’, a decision that has been criticised by public health experts who warn that easing restrictions prematurely could worsen the spread of the virus. A key agreement on oil production levels between OPEC countries and outside producers, led by Russia, is set to expire. The failure to agree on an extension at the last OPEC+ meeting on 6 March sent oil prices plummeting as Russia and Saudi Arabia vowed to ramp up production from 1 April. There have, though, been signs that a last-minute agreement to continue coordinated production levels could be in the offing.

Wednesday, 1st April A new tax on digital services, predominantly targeting the likes of Google and Facebook, comes into force on Wednesday. The levy, set at two per cent of companies’ UK revenues, is intended to compensate for the tech giants’ relatively low domestic tax burdens and could generate £500 million annually for the Treasury. In January, the Trump administration threatened to impose retaliatory tariffs if the UK proceeded with the tax, and the UK’s tough new stance is likely to come under intense pressure in trade negotiations with Washington later this year. Energy suppliers in the UK face a further decrease in the price cap placed on consumer energy bills. The decrease means the most expensive bills are capped at £1,162 per year, down from £1,179, and the pre-payment meter cap will fall from £1,217 to £1,200. The increase in people working from home during the coronavirus outbreak will likely see household energy bills rise, although gas and electricity suppliers have agreed to work together to ensure vulnerable people are not disadvantaged.

Thursday, 2nd April Thursday brings the publication of Lost, Found, Remembered, a book chronicling the work of journalist Lyra McKee, who was killed while covering rioting in Londonderry last April. Coming just weeks before the first anniversary of her death, the book promises to ‘weave together the pieces that defined her reputation as one of the most important and formidable investigative journalists of her generation’. Alleged IRA member Paul McIntyre has been charged with Lyra’s murder and faces a trial later this year.

Friday, 3rd April The US publishes monthly unemployment figures for March on Friday, giving a fuller picture of the dire situation revealed in Thursday’s weekly unemployment insurance claims data, which counted a staggering 3.2 million Americans out of work. More than three million people who have lost their jobs in the past two weeks will be waiting to hear details on the implementation of the $2 trillion CARES Act heading for House approval; it includes both an expansion to unemployment insurance and direct payments of $1200 to middle- and low-income Americans. Friday also marks the four-year anniversary of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s detention in Iran on allegations that she was plotting to topple the Iranian government.

Saturday, 4th April On Saturday, a two-week furlough granted on 17 March comes to an end, though Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s family is hopeful that her leave will be extended as Iran looks to keep people out of prison to halt the coronavirus spread. The Labour Party’s mammoth leadership election campaign concludes when one of Lisa Nandy, Rebecca Long-Bailey or Keir Starmer is named the successor to Jeremy Corbyn. Polling in late February suggested Starmer was on course for a first-round victory, though the ballot only closes on 2 April so the all-but-suspended campaign could yet be a factor. A planned special conference to announce the winner has been cancelled; while the contest ends in somewhat muted fashion, the new leader may welcome the opportunity to spend the opening weeks of his or her tenure out of the Westminster glare.

Sunday, 5th April As the UK remains in lockdown, Sunday marks one month since the country recorded its first coronavirus fatality. The female victim was a 70-year-old patient with underlying health conditions and had been receiving treatment at a Royal Berkshire NHS Trust hospital. In the four weeks since, 14,57 people have tested positive for the virus in the UK, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Prince of Wales, with the death toll surging to 759. The Duchess of Sussex takes on her first role since stepping down from official public duty, narrating the Disneynature documentary Elephant, which airs on Sunday. The film follows the travels of a mother elephant and her son across the Kalahari desert, and marks the beginning of the Sussexes’ pursuit of ‘financial independence’.

The news diary is provided in association with Foresight News.

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Week Ahead In The News

Richard Hillgrove Founder of 6 Hillgrove PR takes a look at the week ahead.

News diary 23-29 March:

With the cancellation of nearly all public events in dozens of countries, coronavirus continues to monopolise the news agenda. A virtual meeting of G20 leaders to agree a coordinated roadmap on policies to “protect people and safeguard the global economy” is due sometime this week.

New emergency legislation to help the government tackle the crisis is to be fast-tracked through the House of Commons on Monday. MPs are expected to nod through the Coronavirus Bill, which would give police and health officials powers to detain or enforce isolation on those suspected of having the virus. The Bill proceeds to the House of Lords on Tuesday and is expected to become law from next week.

Meanwhile, the measures that have already been introduced become more noticeable: it’s the start of a 12-week “shielding period” for those most at risk of contracting COVID-19, meaning more people should be in some form of self-isolation, and schools are closed across the country, with exceptions for classes for vulnerable children and the children of key workers.

Transport networks will also be slowing down as many (but not all) social-distancing commuters stay home. Following the closure of the Waterloo & City line on Friday, tubes and buses in London will move to a less frequent service while train operators across the UK have reached an agreement to run amended timetables.

A two-week quarantine period ends for passengers from the Grand Princess cruise ship that docked in Oakland on 9 March. Over 3,500 people from 54 countries were on board the vessel when passengers started testing positive for coronavirus.

Conditions in the federal quarantine facilities in the US have been criticised for their uncleanliness and lack of social distancing, and many passengers remain untested.

Several members of the Cabinet are lined up to appear before select committees this week, with George Eustice at Defra and Stephen Barclay at Treasury on Tuesday the pick of the bunch.

The Environment Secretary is likely to face questions on UK supply chains and the possibility of food shortages caused by panic-buying, while the Chief Secretary to the Treasury faces the thankless-looking task of fielding questions on the economic impact of the virus.

With thousands of schoolchildren suddenly at home and in need of entertainment, the launch of Disney’s new streaming service comes at an advantageous time for the studio. Disney+ features classics from its golden era alongside Pixar titles, the Marvel and Star Wars franchises (pictured), and, perhaps crucially for parents of a certain age, The Simpsons.

Disney’s entry into the competitive on-demand market could be an important marker as the BBC faces questions over its funding and the continuing viability of the licence fee.

Members of the Petitions Committee question Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Jenny Harries, Schools Minister Nick Gibb and Minister for Disabled People Justin Tomlinson on Wednesday regarding the Government’s response to the pandemic.

The hearing was prompted by a spate of parliamentary petitions which accumulated more than 1.8m signatures. The Government has come under fire for taking less drastic measures than other European countries to combat the outbreak, and for mixed-messaging on its initial “herd immunity” approach.

The third Bank of England monetary policy committee meeting of this month comes after a flurry of recent action by governments and central banks to counter the effects of COVID-19 on economies around the world.

Last week the FTSE dropped to a near-decade low as sterling fell sharply against the dollar, and the MPC responded by reducing the interest rate to 0.1 per cent and increasing UK government bond holdings. With Governor Andrew Bailey refusing to rule out even more radical monetary action, there could yet be further surprises in store.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will join a virtual meeting of G7 counterparts where, again, coordinating responses to the pandemic will dominate. The call follows news that the G7 summit later in the year, which was to have been hosted by President Trump at Camp David, will now also take place in a virtual format, along with further leaders’ calls in April and May.

Two of the highest profile criminal cases in Northern Ireland’s recent history return to Londonderry Magistrates Court on Thursday. Paul McIntyre, an alleged member of the IRA, appears accused of the murder (by way of joint enterprise) of journalist Lyra McKee in April 2019.

Meanwhile a former armed forces member known only as Soldier F appears over the Bloody Sunday murders of James Wray and William McKinney. The hearing is expected to see a ruling on whether to move the case from Londonderry to Belfast, a proposal which has provoked a stern response from the victims’ families.

EU leaders hold their third videoconference in ten days in lieu of a formal European Council that had been scheduled for today. The leaders agreed to a month-long closure of the bloc’s external borders on their 17 March call, and are due to focus on the four priority areas identified in their early discussions: limiting the coronavirus spread, providing medical equipment, promoting vaccine research and mitigating socio-economic consequences.

The European Parliament, meanwhile, holds an extraordinary plenary session vote on Commission proposals, including a new law to stop the “ghost flights” caused by the pandemic.

The Spanish government has ordered the closure of the country’s hotels and tourist accommodations by Thursday to help stem the spread of the virus. The world’s second most-visited tourist destination is also the second-worst hit country in Europe, and the closures are just the latest measures brought in as the death toll continues to climb. On Friday the UK Government delivers its weekly round-up of COVID-19 cases in the UK, reporting locations and confirmed numbers. The update comes a week after a string of “delay” measures were implemented, including the decisions to close schools and advise people to self-isolate and stay away from public places such as restaurants, cinemas and bars.

Despite the global sporting calendar continuing to be decimated by the coronavirus pandemic, the UAE hosts the Dubai World Cup on Saturday (albeit behind closed doors).

The horse racing meet includes some of the biggest prizes in the sport – the World Cup boasts a $6m purse, with the Dubai Duty Free and Dubai Sheema Classic turf races each offering $5m. Last year’s event was won by Thunder Snow, who became the first horse to claim the Cup title twice.

On Sunday, restrictive measures designed to slow the spread of the coronavirus are set to expire around the world, though with infection rates continuing to rise, extensions seem almost certain.

In Ireland, pubs and bars are scheduled to reopen, and the ban on overseas travel ends. International flights are also due to begin landing again in Poland, while Spain’s state of emergency declaration that closed all non-essential public facilities and banned all unnecessary travel is also set to expire.

In Mali, parliamentary elections are due to go ahead, despite a recent warning by WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to leaders in Africa that they need to wake up to the threat posed by the virus.

The news diary is provided in association with Foresight News.

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#stpatricksday in #Ireland with the #Pubs #Closed just isn’t the same! #coronavirus #breakingnews https://www.instagram.com/p/B91MHOkjg6-/?igshid=1mzjdoo7yjr2g

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Week Ahead In The News

Richard Hillgrove Founder of 6 Hillgrove PR takes a look at the week ahead.

News diary 9-15 March:

Chinese firm Jingye Group’s acquisition of British Steel is expected to complete on Monday in a deal that could save thousands of steelmaking jobs in the north of England. Jingye has committed to investing £1.2bn at its new sites in Scunthorpe and Teesside, and the deal marks a significant boost for an industry that has been hit hard in recent years by plant closures and the US-led tariff wars.

Former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond is due to go on trial at Edinburgh’s High Court after being charged with multiple sex offences. Salmond faces a total of 14 counts including attempted rape and sexual assault, with all offences alleged to have taken place over a six-year period during his time in office. Salmond denied the charges during a preliminary hearing in November and the trial is expected to wrap up in the first week of April.

A royal reunion takes place at Westminster Abbey when the departing Duke and Duchess of Sussex join The Queen and family at the annual Commonwealth Service. The event, expected to be the couple’s final public engagement as senior royals, features an address from boxer Anthony Joshua and performances from Rewind hitmaker Craig David and X Factor winner Alexandra Burke.

Former House of Commons speaker John Bercow delivers a keynote speech on Tuesday at a conference to discuss Parliament and Brexit hosted by UK in a Changing Europe. The speech follows the release of Bercow’s autobiography Unspeakable, which details the thinking behind the controversial adjudications he made as Speaker during Parliament’s debates and votes on Brexit.

Idaho, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Washington and North Dakota hold primaries to choose their state’s Democratic presidential nominee. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders fell into second place following Joe Biden’s surprise resurgence on Super Tuesday; this week’s contests will see whether the former Vice President can sustain his newfound “joementum”.

Mike Bloomberg and Elizabeth Warren have both dropped out following a series of disappointing performances, making it now a two-man race to the convention.

On Wednesday, Rishi Sunak presents his first Budget just 27 days after replacing Sajid Javid as Chancellor with a less-than-ringing endorsement from his former boss.]

Sunak’s task of delivering on Conservative manifesto pledges within existing fiscal rules, which the influential IFS think tank has suggested would be impossible without tax rises, has been illustrated in recent days by a row over fuel duty. Some of the more difficult choices may therefore be saved for later in the year, with this Budget expected to be the first in a trio of fiscal events for the Chancellor.

Alongside the Budget, the Office for Budget Responsibility publishes a forecast for the UK’s public finances which was delayed from last year by Boris Johnson’s decision to hold an election. The forecast is likely to repeat last year’s notes of caution around weak growth and Brexit-related uncertainty, and may also factor in the potential impact of a global coronavirus outbreak, all of which could leave the Chancellor with little wriggle room in future fiscal statements. To comply with its statutory requirement to produce two forecasts each year, the OBR also releases a second, updated forecast on Friday in something of a double swansong for the departing Robert Chote.

Disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein faces up to 25 years in prison at his sentencing in New York, after being found guilty of third-degree rape and a criminal sex act at the conclusion of a lengthy trial last month. The hearing won’t mark the end of the Weinstein saga: he reportedly plans to appeal the conviction, despite being found not guilty of the more severe charges brought against him, and he also faces multiple sexual assault charges in Los Angeles.

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse publishes its report on the nature and extent of the use of the internet to facilitate abuse on Thursday.

Tech giants including Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, and Google all gave evidence to the inquiry in secret as part of its internet investigation strand, amid concerns that public evidence could help offenders evade detection as well as criticism over the platforms’ abilities to protect children.

In Parliament, members of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee grill outgoing BBC director-general Tony Hall (pictured) and chairman David Clementi at an evidence session on the licence fee. The executives are expected to face questions about Hall’s decision to step down early, the planned overhaul of the BBC’s workforce and changes to the licence fee payments for over-75s, as well as the corporation’s recent equal pay tribunals. A Government consultation into decriminalising the non-payment of the licence fee is ongoing.

The European Central Bank’s monetary policy committee meets in Frankfurt, with speculation rife that the ECB will follow the US Federal Reserve’s lead from last week and announce measures to counteract the economic effects of the coronavirus outbreak in the eurozone. ECB President Christine Lagarde has signalled potential actions, and the issue is sure to be addressed at her post-meeting press conference.

Friday sees the publication of findings from Northern Ireland’s Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) inquiry. The inquiry was established by the Northern Ireland Executive in January 2017 and investigated its design, governance, implementation, and operation. Furore surrounding the scheme’s management prompted the resignation that same month of Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and the subsequent collapse of the Stormont government, which wasn’t restored until this January, ultimately allowing both abortion and same-sex marriage to be decriminalised in the country.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch publishes a final report into the January 2019 plane crash that killed Argentine footballer Emiliano Sala and pilot David Ibbotson. A preliminary report last year found that Ibbotson was not licensed to carry paying passengers, sparking calls for a clampdown on celebrities using so-called “grey” charter flights as unlicensed air taxis.

Former Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson speaks at the party’s Spring Conference on Saturday. The conference is the first major gathering of members since the Lib Dems’ heavy defeat in the December election, and follows the resignation of former leader Lord Steel following the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse’s accusation that he had “turned a blind eye” to accusations of child abuse against late MP Cyril Smith in the 1970s.

Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is, at time of writing, scheduled to speak at the South by South West Festival, where she is likely to address the Democratic presidential primary. SXSW organisers are insisting the festival will go ahead, despite several high-profile tech and media companies – including Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and Netflix – withdrawing from the event, and an online petition to have it cancelled over concerns about the spread of coronavirus.

French voters go to the polls on Sunday for the first round of municipal and mayoral elections, despite government efforts to limit large gatherings in another attempt at coronavirus containment. President Emmanuel Macron’s En Marche party is steeling itself for disappointing results, after the government pushed through controversial pension reforms despite widespread protests. The party’s hopes of taking the powerful Paris mayoralty from incumbent Socialist Anne Hidalgo were dented when they had to replace their candidate, Benjamin Griveaux, over a sex scandal a month before the vote.

The 2020 Formula One season gets underway as Melbourne hosts the Australian Grand Prix. The new season could see Lewis Hamilton draw level with Michael Schumacher’s seven world championship wins, but, as with most current events, faces disruption from the coronavirus outbreak. The Chinese Grand Prix scheduled for April has already been postponed and there are growing concerns that races in Vietnam, Italy, and Bahrain could follow suit. Organisers are determined for the Australian GP to go ahead, despite concerns over whether travel restrictions could end up blocking Ferrari’s team from entering the country.

This information is provided in association with Foresight News.

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Richard Hillgrove, Founder of 6 Hillgrove Public Relations believes more needs to be done to connect young people with lonely old people. Marketers have the power to change the world but they need to go that step further.

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Knife crime and football meet

Richard Hillgrove, founder of 6 Hillgrove PR believes that the time has come for #FootballforPeace to #play a very important role. This article in the Daily Telegraph on Thursday 5th March 2020.

#knifecrime #crime #criminals #football 

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Great to be at #LFW #vwaw1920 #VivienneWestwood yesterday at St. John’s Smith Square. @wallpapermag call it MOST POLEMICAL TO DATE #FreeAssange #ClimateAction #MotherfuckerPR #lfw https://www.instagram.com/p/BuCZ_XQBtEt/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1u8i8se86s772

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All seeing Eye-of-#INEOS is Against Everyone, suing #Scotland, #NationalTrust. #Fracking #ClimateChange #ineosvthepeople

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#JoeCorre #50th #birthday with #DanielLismore

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(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvEsrCPg40A)