The Week According To . . . Speakers Corner Steve

Speakers Corner Steve is back with us for our weekend look through some of the news stories we couldn't ignore!
Expect straight talking and free speech in abundance as we discuss Prince Harry shamefully missing his grandfathers memorial service, Brexit Britain and London ranks No 1 in global ranking of cities, criminal investigations begin after shock sacking of 800 staff by P&O Ferries, migrant workers in Qatar forced to pay out huge amounts in fees, another kick in the teeth for the brave grooming gang survivors in Rotherham as head detective cleared of any wrong doing, voting fraud warning in London borough of Tower Hamlets which has a history of election scandal.
In the Ukraine Russia conflict Putin bans any mention of Roman Abramovich after the alleged poisoning of the billionaire, Russian troops flee Chernobyl with radiation sickness, Poland will end Russian energy imports by the end of the year and urges The EU to do the same and finally, British pub chain owner Tim Martin wants to turn Buckingham Palace into a Wetherspoons and says The Queen will always be welcome to pop in for a drink!

Steve has been a regular face at the world famous Speakers Corner in Hyde Park for the past 20 years and is a passionate advocate of free speech.
He stands against extremism and racism of all kinds.
He positions himself in the middle politically, holding a mix of Right and Left wing views.
Originally from the South Coast of England, Steve is a lifelong Atheist, an all round good egg and was also an active Brexiteer !!
Follow Steve on Twitter https://twitter.com/SteveRightNLeft
and on GETTR https://gettr.com/user/steve4reformuk

Originally broadcast 2.4.22

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Links to the stories from this episode
London clings onto top spot in global cities ranking. The city came out on top for innovation in the Schroders index, reflecting its place as the favoured home of more ‘unicorn’ companies - a startup company with a value of over $1 billion - than
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1588375/Brexit-news-london-schroders-index-top-spot-ranking-global-cities
Prince Harry savaged as he skips Prince Philip memorial service reunion with Queen
PRINCE HARRY has been accused of doing 'nothing but feeding his chickens' in California as he missed the memorial service for his grandfather, Prince Philip in London today.
https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/1587857/prince-harry-news-savaged-no-attendance-prince-philip-memorial-vn
Criminal and civil investigations opened into P&O Ferries mass sacking of 800 staff - LBC
The Insolvency Service has started formal criminal and civil investigations into the decision by P&O Ferries to sack nearly 800 workers, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has said. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps wrote on Twitter: "The Insolvency Service has reviewed P&O Ferries' actions and placed ...
https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/criminal-civil-investigations-p-and-o-ferries-sack-800-staff
Revealed: migrant workers in Qatar forced to pay billions in recruitment fees. The total cost incurred by Qatar’s low-wage migrant workforce is likely to be far higher because workers from other labour-sending countries in south Asia and Africa also pay high fees.
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2022/mar/31/migrant-workers-in-qatar-forced-to-pay-billions-in-recruitment-fees-world-cup
Rotherham: Grooming gang detective cleared of misconduct
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-60940507
Voting fraud warning in Tower Hamlets ahead of local elections. A warning has been sounded over voting fraud in a London borough previously rocked by an election scandal.
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/voting-fraud-tower-hamlets-local-elections-lutfur-rahman-kemi-badenoch-b991148.html
Putin BANS any mention of Roman Abramovich on state media after the billionaire was poisoned. The move to write the Chelsea owner, 55, out of TV and news agency reports comes after the billionaire was 'poisoned' with a suspected chemical warfare agent in Kyiv early March.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10668793/Putin-BANS-mention-Roman-Abramovich-state-media-billionaire-poisoned.html
Russian soldiers fled Chernobyl with radiation sickness, says Ukraine
Russian forces occupying the Chernobyl nuclear power plant have left the site after receiving high doses of radiation from digging into contaminated soil, Ukrainian officials have claimed.
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/russian-soldiers-fled-chernobyl-radiation-sickness-ukraine-b991862.html
'We waited for you!': Locals cheer for troops in Ukraine's Chernihiv. Footage purports to show a Ukrainian brigade equipped with a tank and several rocket-propelled grenade launchers marching through a small village outside the city of Chernihiv.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10676643/Heroes-welcome-advancing-Ukrainian-troops-village-occupied-Russians-weeks.html
Poland to EU: Follow our lead on scrapping Russian energy
Poland will end all imports of Russian energy by the end of this year, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said Wednesday, calling the step “the most radical plan” of any EU country. "We're calling for everyone in Europe to follow our footsteps," Morawiecki said.
https://www.politico.eu/article/follow-my-lead-on-scrapping-russian-energy-poland-tells-the-eu/
And finally (not an April fools joke):
Tim Martin wants to turn Buckingham Palace into a Wetherspoons now Queen has left - LBC
The chain has a reputation for converting unconventional buildings into pubs, such as an old cinemas, ballrooms and opera houses.
http://www.lbc.co.uk/news/tim-martin-buckingham-palace-wetherspoons