The Conservative Party has been fined nearly £18,000 for its donation towards Boris Johnson’s flat refurbishment.
The confirmation of the fine was announced today.
After news of the flat refurbishment broke back in April 2021 – where it was believed that the Prime Minister’s wife, Carrie Johnson, had chosen an £850-a-roll gold wallpaper – the Electoral Commission began an investigation.
Following the investigation into whether donations used for the works at 11 Downing Street – where Prime Minister Boris Johnson lives – were within the regulations and if they were correctly reported and declared by the Tories, the Electoral Commission confirmed said it has fined the party a total of £17,800, Sky News reports.
The investigation found decisions relating to the handling and recording of a donation by Huntswood Associates Limited “reflected serious failings in the party’s compliance systems”.
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The party has been fined nearly the maximum allowed amount – which is £20,000.
It was found that the party failed to report the full value of a donation of £67,801.72 from Huntswood Associates Limited in October 2020.
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£52,801.72 was said to be connected to the costs of the refurbishment.
The commission also found the reference in the party’s financial records to the payment of £52,801.72 that was made by the part for the refurbishment “was not accurate”, and it said the fine for failing to accurately report the full value of the donation is £16,250 and for contravening the requirement to keep proper accounting records the party has been fined £1,550.
This is a BREAKING NEWS story – More to follow.
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Teams and fixture date for first-ever regular season NBA game in Manchester confirmed
Danny Jones
In another major coup for Manchester, the NBA is coming to our shores for just the second time in our history, and now the teams set to take part have finally been announced.
Having only been played in the UK on a relative handful of occasions, this is nothing short of a massive milestone for the city.
Last crossing the pond back in 2019, the NBA has only visited 0161 once before over a decade ago at the old AO Arena, and there’s only been a total of 19 transatlantic meetings up until now.
As if that wasn’t exciting enough, being confirmed as part of the NBA’s new European slate, Manchester is also set to be one of the first venues in the UK to ever host a regular-season game outside of the United States. Massive. Here’s who’s playing and when:
NBA Europe managed to secure a three-year programme of fixtures that will feature as part of the league’s normal competitive season in late 2025.
As you can see, kicking off next year and running until 2028 at the very least, the current deal will see the much-loved sport watched worldwide first land on the continent for a pair of games next year in Berlin and London, before heading to Paris and our very own Manchester in Q1.
Florida’s Orlando Magic and Tennessee’s Memphis Grizzlies had already been announced for the first two games last July, and now the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans are set to face off for the Manc meeting.
With Basketball England being officially headquartered within the wider Etihad Campus, there was no question that the Manchester NBA fixture was going to be held at Co-op Live.
As well as being not just the biggest indoor entertainment venue of its kind in England but all of Europe, the arena has also recently welcomed the likes of the UFC, WWE and multiple boxing bouts, proving it can serve as the perfect host for premier live sporting action on a global scale.
In addition to the matches themselves, the Spurs and Pelicans will also be holding various fan activities and events within the region as part of the NBA Cares social impact programming initiative, with a focus on health, wellness, sustainability and coaching, as well as both player and even referee development.
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS AND SAN ANTONIO SPURS TO PLAY REGULAR-SEASON GAMES IN PARIS AND MANCHESTER IN 2027
Spurs and Pelicans to Face Off on Jan. 14 in Paris and Jan. 17 in Manchester
The NBA today announced that the New Orleans Pelicans and the San Antonio Spurs will play… pic.twitter.com/S80Yl102Fg
Speaking on the seismic news last summer, the leader of Manchester City Council and representative for Burnage, Bev Craig, could only echo how big a deal this is for the region.
“Manchester once again has shown what a magnificent draw it is for major events, and we are thrilled to welcome the NBA back to our city”, she said. “This city is known for big names, big games and a reputation for showcasing world-class events on the biggest stage possible.
“With a growing basketball scene in Manchester, this event feels like the perfect fit and will give so many people in our city the chance to see what the best athletes in the sport can do on our home turf.
“When it comes to delivering world-class events, we know that Manchester is now firmly on the map. Now, working with our partners, we want to continue driving investment towards our city, creating new jobs, increasing growth and providing new opportunities and experiences for all of our residents.”
You can register your interest for tickets to see Spurs vs Pelicans in a proper competitive NBA regular season round right at the Co-op Live in Manchester, right HERE; remember, you can always spring for the discounted posh seats, as well.
Family pay tribute to 17-year-old girl who died in crash during police pursuit in Bolton
Emily Sergeant
The family of a 17-year-old girl who sadly lost her life in a collision in Bolton earlier this month have now paid tribute to her.
Erica De Sousa Correia sadly died in hospital in the early hours of Tuesday morning (19 May), following injuries sustained in a collision on Walker Fold Road in Bolton back on 5 May.
Her passing comes after, at around 6:25pm on 5 May, a car activated an ANPR camera in the Bolton area, having previously being marked as a suspicious vehicle.
A short time later, officers from Greater Manchester Police‘s (GMP) traffic unit spotted the vehicle, which failed to stop on Old Kiln Lane, and following a brief pursuit, the vehicle subsequently crashed on Walker Fold Road.
The driver of the vehicle – a 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons – was charged with a number of offences, including causing serious injury by dangerous driving, and has been bailed pending further enquiries.
An investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is ongoing at this time.
In the meantime, Erica’s family has now paid tribute to her: “Erica’s happiness was contagious. She loved to dance and sing and loved spending time in Portugal with her family. She wanted to become a midwife as she loved children and also studied travel and tourism. She was incredibly intelligent and studied hard and got good grades in school .
“Erica was due to celebrate her 18th birthday on 1 June and was looking forward to having a party to celebrate her special day. She even had her outfit planned for her birthday.
The Manc -
9th December 2021 
