UK British News Megathread - aka CWCissey's news thread

https://news.sky.com/story/row-over-new-greggs-vegan-sausage-rolls-heats-up-11597679 (https://archive.ph/5Ba6o)

A heated row has broken out over a move by Britain's largest bakery chain to launch a vegan sausage roll.

The pastry, which is filled with a meat substitute and encased in 96 pastry layers, is available in 950 Greggs stores across the country.

It was promised after 20,000 people signed a petition calling for the snack to be launched to accommodate plant-based diet eaters.


But the vegan sausage roll's launch has been greeted by a mixed reaction: Some consumers welcomed it, while others voiced their objections.

View image on Twitter


spread happiness@p4leandp1nk
https://twitter.com/p4leandp1nk/status/1080767496569974785

#VEGANsausageroll thanks Greggs

7
10:07 AM - Jan 3, 2019
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Cook and food poverty campaigner Jack Monroe declared she was "frantically googling to see what time my nearest opens tomorrow morning because I will be outside".

While TV writer Brydie Lee-Kennedy called herself "very pro the Greggs vegan sausage roll because anything that wrenches veganism back from the 'clean eating' wellness folk is a good thing".

One Twitter user wrote that finding vegan sausage rolls missing from a store in Corby had "ruined my morning".

Another said: "My son is allergic to dairy products which means I can't really go to Greggs when he's with me. Now I can. Thank you vegans."

View image on Twitter


pg often@pgofton
https://twitter.com/pgofton/status/1080772793774624768

The hype got me like #Greggs #Veganuary

42
10:28 AM - Jan 3, 2019
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TV presenter Piers Morgan led the charge of those outraged by the new roll.

"Nobody was waiting for a vegan bloody sausage, you PC-ravaged clowns," he wrote on Twitter.

Mr Morgan later complained at receiving "howling abuse from vegans", adding: "I get it, you're all hangry. I would be too if I only ate plants and gruel."

Another Twitter user said: "I really struggle to believe that 20,000 vegans are that desperate to eat in a Greggs."

"You don't paint a mustach (sic) on the Mona Lisa and you don't mess with the perfect sausage roll," one quipped.

Journalist Nooruddean Choudry suggested Greggs introduce a halal steak bake to "crank the fume levels right up to 11".

The bakery chain told concerned customers that "change is good" and that there would "always be a classic sausage roll".

It comes on the same day McDonald's launched its first vegetarian "Happy Meal", designed for children.

The new dish comes with a "veggie wrap", instead of the usual chicken or beef option.

It should be noted that Piers Morgan and Greggs share the same PR firm, so I'm thinking this is some serious faux outrage and South Park KKK gambiting here.

 

[2 Faces 2 Colours]

This has been illegal for the better part of almost a decade under the Digital Economy Act 2017 — with the section on pornography now being superseded by the OSA 2025 — and its provisions on extreme pornography. This is another limp dicked attempt by the government to control the internet by throwing billions at a new department staffed by negative IQ boomer government drones, that will not only do nothing, but will somehow make things worse.

We all know rules in The Yookay are enforced fairly across the board.

 

[Heinrich Maneuver]

The budget is truly going to be awful isn't it? They amount of cock-teasing 'we're going to raise X Y Z' articles have doubled. It's like they are expecting every financial analyst, banker, and person important the economy, will hang themselves in grief when this finally drops

 

[FedPostalService]

I think people are very, very jumpy right now.

I’m avoiding trains unless I have to travel for a few weeks as there will be 70iq people as British as me or you thinking about being copycats.

Niggel 'flip-flop' Farrage is currently back tracking on the tax cuts he previously promised.
Normal British political shenanigans have resumed.

"I know we said we would stop the illegals coming in, but there's not much we can do about it with the EU law in place".

We currently have a government who took with no money in the bank who insisted on spending even more and giving everyone a pay rise at the same time.

The economy is getting its holes pounded without lube because everyone overseeing it lives in an economic fantasy land.

Whoever takes over is going to need years to unfuck the damage that has been done and at the same time deal with a hostile press who is terrified that the rule of globohomo is now over.

What you call flip flopping is Nigel the snake actually being honest for once.

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2025/nov/04/john-lewis-christmas-advert-countdown-90s-club-classic-where-love-lives

To me this just reeks of cool britannia nostalgia, "member the 90s when we were cool and everything was basically fine"

I have a conspiracy theory that the Oasis reunion was orchestrated by British army nudge units as they needed to do something to keep men in there thirties and forties happy so they didn’t riot.

 

[Otterly]

The budget is truly going to be awful isn't it?

Yes. She is like a frivolous teenager with daddy’s credit card. Stop spending money, Rachel. Ditch net zero, chuck out every illegal in the country. That will sort the black hole. You have to SPEND LESS.
There should be a rule that a breach of an explicit manifesto promise triggers a general election.

 

[Heinrich Maneuver]

I have a conspiracy theory that the Oasis reunion was orchestrated by British army nudge units as they needed to do something to keep men in there thirties and forties happy so they didn’t riot.

I'm sure Oasis didn't need more convincing once they saw how much £££ they'd make, however you've given me a very funny image of the glowies finally being able to sigh in relief now the white men are distracted only to find out the government are planning on banning people from football matches and are on a mission to close every pub in the country with how badly they are managing the economy.

There should be a rule that a breach of an explicit manifesto promise triggers a general election

there is a lot of talk on social media about this and just about every headline i've seen calls it 'manifesto breaking'. I really want to believe this is the final straw for Labour/Kier before VoNC because it can't go on like this (it can).

 

[JustWant2PlayVidya]

Tommeh has been acquitted in his case. Sorry phonetarding so no linky.

 

[weegrumpy]

Poles like pickles and sauerkraut. So yeah I'm always in there.

You know it's Halloween tonight? I bought a bag of 71 fun size mixed chocolate bars, put them in a bowl, and I've not had one kid turn up. I've just started eating them myself now, starting with the Bounties (obviously, no kid is going to want them). Then probably proceeding, in order of increasing desirability, through Milky Way, Twix, Snickers, and finally Mars Bar.

I used to make up wee bags of fun sized treats apple and 50p after a couple of years not a soul it is sad when that happens

 

[Cloaca Rimjob]

Tommeh has been acquitted in his case. Sorry phonetarding so no linky.

Last minute phonecall from mossad?

 

[teriyakiburns]

Tommeh has been acquitted in his case. Sorry phonetarding so no linky.

Judge saw a picture of likkle tommy standing up behind the knesset podium like a real adult and decided he was too cute to lock up.

 

[Tom Nook's Gloryhole]

Tommeh has been acquitted in his case. Sorry phonetarding so no linky.

Don't worry concerned citizens, he'll be arrested within the next two days for something else.

 

[Morethanabitfoolish]

Who cares about Wales?

You love sheep, they love goats; two people, one struggle.

You forgot that neither of one them speaks a language understood by functional humans.

Casual discrimination against Islam aside (for the Welsh it's simple facts) time for some news.

Light stuff first

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy0yxre719lo

A chimpanzee that once had to be recaptured after escaping a zoo has died.

Koko had been Whipsnade Zoo's oldest chimpanzee but had to be euthanised at the age of 52 after suffering from age-related arthritis in her hands.

Keepers at the Bedfordshire site noticed she had been unable to use her right arm or leg properly while walking and was not responding to treatment.

The chimpanzee lived at the zoo for 19 years. During that time she met pioneering scientist Dame Jane Goodall, who died at the age of 91 in September.
Teague Stubbington, curator of mammals at Whipsnade Zoo, said: "Koko lived an incredibly long and full life, a reflection of the dedication and care shown to her by her keepers and vets.

"Those who worked with her formed a deep and lasting connection, and she will be remembered fondly as a sweet and special member of the chimpanzee troop."

A chimpanzee named Boris lived until the age of 58 before his death at Chester Zoo last year.

Koko was born at Dudley Zoo in the West Midlands in 1973 but moved to London Zoo when she was nine. She arrived at Whipsnade when she was aged 33.

In 2007, Koko was recaptured after briefly escaping her enclosure with another chimpanzee.

Her fellow escapee, Johnnie, was killed due to the threat he posed to the public.

During her time at the zoo she was trained to wear finger monitors, which gathered ECG readings and conducted ultrasound examinations.

Whipsnade Zoo said the data from these tests have been used to learn more about chimpanzee cardiovascular health.

Mr Stubbington continued: "This data was shared with the Great Ape Heart Project, to help create a centralised database... fuelling important research projects, as well as ensuring primates receive the best possible care at conservation centres around the world.

"The primate team will now focus on taking care of the rest of the troop at Whipsnade - Bonnie, Elvis, Grant and Phil."

MPs are renting flats out to one another that are claimed on expenses.

https://archive.ph/bf5TN

Labour’s new Deputy Leader is among MPs who receive public money for renting out rooms or flats to colleagues.
Lucy Powell, who was named as Angela Rayner’s replacement on Saturday, is one of five landlord MPs who collectively made more than £30,000 letting properties to parliamentary colleagues last year.
Ms Powell, the former leader of the House of Commons, has declared rental income from her London flat on the MPs’ register of interests for 10 years.
Declarations are required when the annual income from the rent exceeds £10,000, but Ms Powell has previously said she earns less than that and declares the interest only to be transparent.
She has now confirmed that she lets out the room to a fellow MP, who claims the rent and bills on expenses. Expenses are claimed via the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa), which oversees MPs’ use of public money.
A source close to Ms Powell insisted the arrangement actually saves taxpayer money because she charges below market rates.

A spokesman for the Deputy Leader said: “In a long-standing arrangement, Lucy pays for all her own London accommodation costs instead of claiming £30,000 a year that she could have for the 13 years she’s been an MP.
“As she has been completely transparent about over the last 10 years, her friend and colleague shares with her as a lodger, contributing for rent and bills via Ipsa.
“Again claiming well under the permitted allowance, and an amount independently assessed as value for money. Throughout this time she has transparently declared this arrangement, despite it being below the threshold to do so.
“Ipsa is responsible for determining whether this represents value for money and transparency for the taxpayer and has consistently done so,” the spokesman added.

​

In an interview with the Big Issue this month, Ms Powell said: “I don’t have a rental property in any shape or form. I have a lodger living with me. I declare it as though it is because I think that’s important for transparency.
“I share my own flat with another MP. That’s there for public record and, by the way, in doing so, I save the public purse. I pay for all of that myself.”
There is no suggestion that Ms Powell has broken any rules, but the disclosure will create unwelcome headlines for Sir Keir Starmer at a time when he is desperate to avoid further controversy.
Figures obtained by The Daily Mail reveal that a string of MPs are continuing to rent out properties to each other despite the parliamentary pay watchdog promising to review the practice more than a decade ago.
Ipsa refused to identify the MPs on the basis that “disclosing the names would have a substantial likelihood of attracting the interest of those with malicious intent who wish to cause harm”, but the Mail revealed that Ms Powell was among them.
The watchdog said this year that it would “no longer permit MPs to rent accommodation from other MPs using Ipsa funding”.

However, the Mail said it has allowed existing arrangements to continue as long as the MP renting out the accommodation does not claim for their “second home” on expenses.
John O’Connell, from the TaxPayers’ Alliance, told the Mail: “Taxpayers will be furious that MPs are playing musical chairs with their money, renting out properties to each other and pocketing thousands in the process.
“The expenses system should serve the public, not act as a cash machine for politicians. This cosy arrangement needs urgent reform.”
Tom Brake, from the pressure group Unlock Democracy, said: “There is only one way to knock on the head any prospect or perception of mates doing each other favours: stop MPs renting properties to other MPs in any circumstances and with immediate effect. With trust in politicians on the floor, half measures simply won’t do.”
An Ipsa spokesman said: “Last year, we consulted on changes to the scheme to address public concern about MPs who owned property in London renting it out to other MPs whilst also claiming accommodation funding from Ipsa.
“As a result of that consultation, from April 1 2025 no new arrangements are allowed.
“As is common in other regulated sectors, Ipsa is taking a proportionate approach where existing arrangements are not using Ipsa funds and provide value for money for taxpayers.”

Another survey by the Independent to divided and demoralise. Multiple Adolesance show images in the article

https://archive.ph/rtQOM

A third of boys think women’s rights are unimportant, a shocking new survey has revealed.
The research, which will be presented to parliament on Thursday, also found that a third (32 per cent) of boys might consider an AI friendship, while more than half (53 per cent) find the online world more rewarding than the real world.
Many boys were found to be turning to chatbots for emotional support, friendships and romantic relationships, with one saying, “I have AI friends and girlfriends, they are always there when you feel bored,” and another adding, “I talk to an AI app, it makes me feel like I’m not on my own.”

Boys aged 11 to 15 were split between not trusting anything that is online because it is all fake, to saying that certain sexist voices are part of the “new system” because what they say comes true, according to the survey, with 82 per cent not trusting UK politicians either.

Some mentioned they felt that girls are celebrated, but boys were often seen as part of the problem and that feminism tended to lead to boys being blamed, with 54 per cent believing boys have it harder than girls today.
Lee Chambers, Founder and CEO of Male Allies UK, which produced the report, said the findings show “that a lack of guidance and trusted information means many are struggling to understand how to process the views they see every day, which is splitting opinion on some important subjects”.

The hit Netflix show ‘Adolescence’ sparked conversations around the manosphere (Netflix)
Speaking of the widespread mistrust of politicians, he also warned: “We need to take this mistrust seriously, because it’s going to affect the views that they have long into adulthood.”

The survey, which involved polling 1,032 boys across 37 British schools during the last academic year, comes at a time when conversations around concepts such as toxic masculinity and the manosphere are growing, especially after the release of the hit Netflix show Adolescence, with misogynistic influencers such as Andrew Tate gaining evermore traction.
The manosphere is a network of communities that create, consume and distribute content online aimed at men and boys, which is all largely anti-feminist.

Manosphere content is promoted by various influencers on popular social media platforms, the most notable of whom is Tate, who rose to fame in 2022. He and his brother Tristan are currently under investigation in Romania for charges of rape, human trafficking and money laundering, and in the UK for rape and human trafficking.
In recent years, there have been a number of incidents of violence that have been linked to manosphere content, with these communities promoting violence or spreading harmful ideas about women and girls.

Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan are currently under investigation in Romania for charges of rape, human trafficking and money laundering, and in the UK for rape and human trafficking (AP)
This content also harms men and young boys, preying on vulnerabilities and insecurities to promote unrealistic expectations and extreme measures, which can lead to poor self-esteem, mental health problems and, in some cases, suicide.
The new Boys In Schools report highlights this, revealing boys’ fears of the pressures of growing up in a modern world, and showing they are vulnerable to loneliness and misguidance as they struggle with the balance of real life and online influences. Two-thirds (64 per cent) said schools could do more to prepare them.
Opinions on feminism and masculinity were mixed, suggesting that the topics are not properly explained or explored at school or at home. While 32 per cent said women’s rights are not very important, the majority of boys still thought women’s rights are important (45 per cent) or very important (23 per cent) in the world today.
And one in five boys reported carrying out a male allyship action in the past month and were proud to talk about it, but they said it takes courage and can sometimes be difficult to call friends out on something.
The vast majority (79 per cent) said it is not clear to them what masculinity is, with one boy saying that people always say what it should not be rather than what it is, and another boy echoing this with: “It’s toxic, that’s all I ever hear.”
Mr Chambers said: “We hear a lot in the media about male toxicity and poor role models for boys, but it’s up to us to change that.
“There’s often a tendency to leave boys to get on with it, but this report shows many of them feel frustrated at a lack of guidance and feel misunderstood.
“We need to start paying more attention and tailoring support to boys’ needs and stop approaching it the same way we would have done 10 or 20 years ago. Listening to the boys of our future is more important now than ever before.”

 

[BongoMongo]

I've said this for a long time: we need to build student digs style accommodation for MPs. One bedroom places in a block with a kitchen-living room-office at a push.

All bills paid for because they're all on the fucking fiddle. Secure high speed internet for doing work there if they're working late. That way they have somewhere to stay and don't have a ridiculous commute but they can't be going kerching at reaming expenses to furnish their London home.

Fuck the ruling classes.

 

[Otterly]

I've said this for a long time: we need to build student digs style accommodation for MPs.

I think this is a great idea. Be even funnier if they were genuinely student style and had multiple MPs in a flat with each other. The public should be able to vote for flatmates.
But yeah, a block of one bed, basic but safe (they don’t deserve it but whatever) and clean, nothing fancy, all bills paid, and a (short) bus to school work every day so no need for secure cars. Fabulous idea.

 

[BongoMongo]

I think this is a great idea. Be even funnier if they were genuinely student style and had multiple MPs in a flat with each other. The public should be able to vote for flatmates.
But yeah, a block of one bed, basic but safe (they don’t deserve it but whatever) and clean, nothing fancy, all bills paid, and a (short) bus to school work every day so no need for secure cars. Fabulous idea.

They should be focussed on running the country and representing us, their constituents, whose taxes pay them. Not fuckarsing about furnishing a second home on our money.

 

[Duane Dibbley]

I look forward to nothing happening when Reeves increases income tax to create £5 billion, all the while handing out £5 billion to house illegals. Treason of the highest order.

But boy oh boy, when that first white domino falls and they begin to get stabby and revenge-y, times will get interesting.

 

[Made In Wales]

I've said this for a long time: we need to build student digs style accommodation for MPs. One bedroom places in a block with a kitchen-living room-office at a push.

All bills paid for because they're all on the fucking fiddle. Secure high speed internet for doing work there if they're working late. That way they have somewhere to stay and don't have a ridiculous commute but they can't be going kerching at reaming expenses to furnish their London home.

Fuck the ruling classes.

A great idea, I've said the same.

Even commandeering a hotel for their use would be acceptable.

Wasn't that glorious by Reeves - to do all that with a straight face... she could, like Mhari Black, take up acting once she leaves office (which no doubt will be soon).

Nice to see the CBI and the business experts state that this budget will doom-loop us, and this pretty much guarantees Starmer out... unless he says 'no challenge, Burnham not allowed to be an MP, I'll go to the Palace to get my way...'

Doing some shopping this afternoon, getting some bits for Christmas in before the prices go up next month.

 

[Otterly]

It is depressing how corrupt they are.
I’m dealing with something at work right now that needs to be very carefully managed so it’s all ethically done. It’s not unethical in itself, it just happened due to a contractor error and I have to fix it. If I fix it wrongly it could be seen as unethical.
I am mired in paperwork and trying to find people to give correct legal options so that the thing, which is a trivial amount of money (low five figs) worth is sorted out according to a billion different laws on transparency and ethics. It would be the same if it was fifty quid.
I have to play above board, and I have been party to information over the last thirty years that could have made people VERY wealthy. But we have strict rules on insider trading, and I’ve stuck to them. I do not fiddle my expenses. I have to produce receipts for sandwiches ffs. I wouldn’t fiddle it even I I didn’t think I’d get caught. They are just morally bankrupt scumbags.

 

[Made In Wales]

It is depressing how corrupt they are.
I’m dealing with something at work right now that needs to be very carefully managed so it’s all ethically done. It’s not unethical in itself, it just happened due to a contractor error and I have to fix it. If I fix it wrongly it could be seen as unethical.
I am mired in paperwork and trying to find people to give correct legal options so that the thing, which is a trivial amount of money (low five figs) worth is sorted out according to a billion different laws on transparency and ethics. It would be the same if it was fifty quid.
I have to play above board, and I have been party to information over the last thirty years that could have made people VERY wealthy. But we have strict rules on insider trading, and I’ve stuck to them. I do not fiddle my expenses. I have to produce receipts for sandwiches ffs. I wouldn’t fiddle it even I I didn’t think I’d get caught. They are just morally bankrupt scumbags.

Might be seen as advertising, but if you need a good solicitor for this then Herefords are very good.

 

[Otterly]

Might be seen as advertising, but if you need a good solicitor for this then Herefords are very good.

Thank you, but it’s very technically specific and needs industry type input. just really to illustrate that the rest of us are bound by different rules, and see the necessity of those rules. And that a lot of us wouldn’t break those rules to enrich ourselves even if we knew we’d not get caught and others were.
I am held to a completely different standard than the people actually running the country. I have to account for every cup of tea with a receipt. It’s scrutinised. I can’t (and I shouldn’t be able to) bribe people and a bribe can be seen as a lunch at macdonalds level of cost. Even if it’s not a bribe, it can be seen as one. We are constantly trained and told that even the perception of impropriety can be disastrous,
And I’m no one - these people are running the country. It’s disgraceful. Snouts in the trough the lot of them. It’s even worse when it’s directly related to policy, like fleecing renters when you’re renting illegally.
I don’t need my MPs to be nice people. I’ll happily take my MPs doing coke off hookers if they just run the country well when they’re at work.

 

[Made In Wales]

Hopefully whatever issue it is will be fixed soon, we're all on your side @Otterly

Some afternoon bits from you know where:

Paywalled

* Oopsy doodles - Pound PLUMMETS and Ftse loses £22bn after Rachel Reeves hints at tax rises in pre-Budget speech.

* Politics LIVE: Reform councils to raise tax for 2m households in £127m worth of hikes despite cuts promise (painful, but we know who is to blame for this - Rachel Thieves).

* King Charles bestows knighthood on David Beckham in emotional ceremony as Victoria watches on.

* Post Office hero Alan Bates agrees multi-million pound settlement over Horizon scandal.

* Tory council in Billington and Langho, Lancashire, tells volunteers to pay £1,000 for Remembrance parade in act of ‘extreme wokery’.

Now for some non-paywalled items:

* 'Anglo Jihadi' Muslim convert guilty of bomb and chemical attack plot on major UK shopping centre (clue - he's ginger and called Jordan Richardson from Leeds).

https://www.gbnews.com/news/jordan-richardson-anglo-jihadi-muslim-convert-guilty-attack-plot-shopping-centre

https://archive.li/wip/VqN5d

* French taxi driver cleared of stealing cash and luggage from 'incoherent' David Lammy

https://www.gbnews.com/news/david-lammy-french-taxi-driver-cleared-stealing-cash-luggage

https://archive.li/wip/ksGlR

When addressing the Not Hongrable Ooga Booga for Tottenham, one must now add 'Incoherent'.


* Fraudster stole over £70k from dying grandfather in sickening family betrayal

https://www.gbnews.com/news/yorkshire-news-fraudster-grandfather-family-betrayal

https://archive.li/wip/dJJWC

* 'Despicable' fraudster stole £26k in cash and jewellery from pensioner while posing as police officer (Guess the Race...)

https://www.gbnews.com/news/cheshire-fraudster-stole-cash-jewellery-pensioner-police-officer

https://archive.li/wip/yAYau

* WATCH: Britons hit out at Labour's 'useless' handling of the economy

https://www.gbnews.com/politics/video-britons-hit-out-labour-useless-handling-economy

https://archive.li/wip/4bxzE

* Donald Trump Jr: 'Fake news BBC reporters are dishonest and full of s**t'

https://www.gbnews.com/politics/us/bbc-donald-trump-jr-fake-news-reporters-dishonest

https://archive.li/wip/wD7WJ

* Opinion - The latest BBC scandal is malpractice, deception, fraud and a stain on Britain, says Jacob Rees-Mogg

https://www.gbnews.com/opinion/bbc-scandal-malpractice-deception-fraud-stain-britain-jacob-rees-mogg

https://archive.li/wip/KWE15

Edit:

* The BBC's taxpayer-funded hit job on Donald Trump is about to spark hammer and tongs revenge - Lee Cohen (Paywalled)