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Feargal Sharkey

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:12 GMT

The former lead singer of The Undertones has gone from punk frontman to standard bearer for the campaign to prevent water companies pumping sewage into U.K. waters. Leveraging his star power, Sharkey has helped keep the issue on the political agenda, making frequent appearances on television and in newspaper columns to take the water companies and government to task. It also doesn’t hurt that he is willing to pick very public fights with Conservative MPs on Twitter, to the delight of his near 200,000 social media followers.Check out the full Power 40 — London class of 2023 list, and read the Letter from the Editors for an explanation of the thinking behind the ranking.

Miriam Cates

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:12 GMT

Despite only being elected to parliament in 2019, Cates is seen as a rising star on the Conservative right as a result of her willingness to push back against her own party. As one of the leading rebels on the Online Safety Bill, the Penistone and Stocksbridge MP has impressed supporters by strong-arming the government into making several big concessions and has shown she is more than willing to use the press to criticize the direction of her party. Controversially, the former teacher has also criticized the move to extend free childcare at the expense of more traditional family policy.Check out the full Power 40 — London class of 2023 list, and read the Letter from the Editors for an explanation of the thinking behind the ranking.

Deborah Mattinson

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:12 GMT

Labour’s driving electoral mission under Keir Starmer has been to win back the so-called Red Wall seats swept up by Boris Johnson’s Conservatives. A pollster who literally wrote the book on why the opposition party lost those voters in 2019, Mattinson — a veteran of the election-winning New Labour years — was recruited as Starmer’s director of strategy in 2021. In his office, she’s been influential in putting green policies at the front and center of Labour’s vision for Britain.Check out the full Power 40 — London class of 2023 list, and read the Letter from the Editors for an explanation of the thinking behind the ranking.

Siobhan Baillie

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:12 GMT

A member of the 2019 intake of Conservative MPs, Baillie made her mark this year through a successful backbench campaign to improve the government’s childcare provision. The MP for Stroud delightedly dubbed herself “chief pest” of the Treasury when, after coordinating months of public and private pressure, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced 30 hours of free childcare a week for under-fours in England at March’s Budget. Baillie said the measures, framed as a way to support women back into the labor market, went even further than she had expected — always a sign that the government may have alighted on a politically useful idea.Check out the full Power 40 — London class of 2023 list, and read the Letter from the Editors for an explanation of the thinking behind the ranking.

Beeban Tania Kidron

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:12 GMT

Kidron, a film-maker-turned-peer, was warning of the digital dangers facing young people before most elected politicians. She has used her seat in the House of Lords to great effect, chalking up big wins pushing (and securing) regulation to prevent the exploitation of children’s data being exploited in ways that undermine their safety and wellbeing. She has been a successful thorn in the side of the many ministers who have been in charge of the Online Safety Bill, constantly pressing them to go further in toughening up the legislation.Check out the full Power 40 — London class of 2023 list, and read the Letter from the Editors for an explanation of the thinking behind the ranking.

Lucy Noakes

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:12 GMT

Noakes is officially Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden’s media special adviser, but when it comes to the inner workings of government she “sees everything, hears everything and knows everything,” according to one ex-official. Now based in the Cabinet Office like her boss, she worked on the Sunak leadership campaign and so remains close to key figures in No.10. Has been a loyal lieutenant for Dowden, who is Sunak’s bestie.Check out the full Power 40 — London class of 2023 list, and read the Letter from the Editors for an explanation of the thinking behind the ranking.

Miles Celic

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:12 GMT

Celic is one of the most recognizable financial services lobbyists in the U.K. and a regular fixture at Westminster events. The chief of industry body TheCityUK is an esteemed figure inside the Treasury and gets regular access to the highest levels of government. His group also hosts an annual party for the influential 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers at Conservative Party conference.Check out the full Power 40 — London class of 2023 list, and read the Letter from the Editors for an explanation of the thinking behind the ranking.

Sumner Tunnel scheduled to begin two-month closure at midnight Wednesday

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:12 GMT

The two-month shutdown of the Sumner Tunnel in Boston is just hours away, scheduled to begin at midnight Wednesday. Long in the making, the shutdown has many bracing as some people may see commutes double in length. “It will be a mess,” one person told 7NEWS this week. “More traffic.”The tunnel, which connects East Boston to Downtown, will be closed through the end of August as crews work to replace the tunnel’s ceiling, pavement and lighting. Traffic will be diverted through Everett, Route One and the Ted Williams Tunnel, in the meantime. “A bit more chaotic,” an area driver said of the expected diversions. “You’re diverting traffic from a main artery into two already clogged arteries to get around it.”“It’s going to be a bummer, but it is what it is,” the same driver continued.Josefina Pinto, who lives near the Sumner Tunnel entrance, said her sister lives in Charlestown. “I’m going to have to take a whole long, lo...

Illegal fireworks identified as cause of fire on porch in Chelsea, officials say

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:12 GMT

Officials on Tuesday said illegal fireworks were the cause of a recent fire on a porch in Chelsea.Emergency crews first responded to the fire in a building off Garfield Avenue on Monday. Video later showed smoke and flames visible as fire spread along the porch. A spokesperson for the state Department of Fire Services later said investigators determined illegal fireworks in the area hit the porch and caused the fire. While investigating, the spokesperson said officials also found additional hidden fireworks nearby. The spokesperson said state police seized the fireworks, adding “The resident whose porch was burned had nothing to do with the fireworks.”Officials previously said no one was hurt in this incident and the fire did not spread to the adjoining apartment.

Australian leader criticizes Hong Kong authorities over arrest warrants for activists in Australia

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:01:12 GMT

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday criticized Hong Kong authorities over their pursuit of two pro-democracy activists who live in Australia.Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee said Tuesday that eight pro-democracy activists who now live in the United States, Britain, Canada and Australia will be pursued for life for alleged national security offenses, dismissing criticism that the move to have them arrested was a dangerous precedent.Albanese said his government was concerned and disappointed by Hong Kong authorities issuing arrest warrants for Australian citizen Kevin Yam and Australian permanent resident Ted Hui.“I am of course disappointed. I’ve said we’ll cooperate with China where we can. But we will disagree where we must. And we do disagree with China with these actions,” Albanese told Australian Broadcasting Corp.Albanese also said he disagreed with China on the detention of Australian journalist Cheng Lei who has yet to learn ...