Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 8 Jan 2018

1. May’s reshuffle expected to be wide-ranging

Theresa May will reshuffle her cabinet today and tomorrow – and commentators say the changes are likely to be wide-ranging. The Prime Minister has hinted that she might move Boris Johnson from the Home Office, where he has been much criticised by the press. It is thought she may axe as many as a quarter of her senior ministers.

2. Golden Globes dominated by harassment claims

The Golden Globes were handed out yesterday at an unusally sombre ceremony in Hollywood. Female stars had arranged to wear black beforehand, to show support for those speaking out about sexual harassment in the movie industry. The big winner of the night was Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, with four awards.

3. Rail strikes begin as guards dispute continues

Train passengers can expect widespread disruption this week, with RMT members at five rail companies in England staging strikes from today over the future role of train guards. South Western is likely to be the worst affected, with walkouts on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Also hit will be Northern, Greater Anglia, Merseyrail and Southern.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

4. KPMG quits Grenfell inquiry after criticism

Accountancy firm KPMG has stepped down from its advisory role to the Grenfell Tower fire inquiry, after coming under public pressure to go because of an alleged conflict of interest. The firm audits not only the local authority for the tower but also the company that made insulation for the block, and Rydon Construction, which refurbished the property in 2015.

5. Civilian deaths from air strikes ‘almost double’

A global survey reportedly seen by The Guardian suggests that civilian deaths in air strikes rose by 42% between 2016 and 2017, due in part to the US-led assaults on Mosul in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria against Islamic State. MPs have asked for information about British involvement. The MoD maintains it has no evidence of civilian deaths.

6. Boots pharmacy staff fear ‘mistakes will be made’

Pharmacy staff at chain chemist Boots have blown the whistle on alleged understaffing that they say could lead to mistakes being made, putting patients at risk. One former manager told the BBC that he resigned in 2015 after taking his concerns to the independent regulator. Current staff said they were also worried about the situation. Boots denies understaffing.

7. BBC’s China editor quits over gender pay gap

Senior BBC journalist Carrie Gracie has quit her job as China editor after learning that male staff in equivalent roles are paid considerably more. In an open letter, Gracie condemned the national broadcaster for its “secretive and illegal pay culture”. When the BBC began publishing the pay of high-earners, it emerged that two-thirds were male.

8. New university boss ‘did not uphold academic freedom’

A survey of staff at the University of Hong Kong has found the overwhelming majority believe their vice chancellor, who is leaving to take up the equivalent role at Edinburgh University, did not uphold academic freedom or “understand the needs of the students and the staff”. Peter Mathieson, a medical researcher, starts at the Scottish university in February.

9. Lana Del Rey sued by Radiohead for ‘copying Creep’

US singer Lana Del Rey is being sued by Radiohead for allegedly copying their anthem Creep in her song Get Free. She said on Sunday that the band’s lawyers want 100% of the publishing rights to the song, from her album Lust for Life, and will not accept the 40% she has offered. Radiohead were themselves suedover the resemblance of Creep to The Hollies’ song The Air That I Breathe.

10. Briefing: Europe at a crossroads

The EU has been reeling since the double shock of the Brexit referendum and the election of Donald Trump, who is both anti-EU and anti-Nato.

As dawn breaks in 2018, some commentators see cause for optimism. “Brexit increasingly looks like a self-harming decision no one would reasonably imitate,” says the EU Observer, and “a young and dynamic French president” is trying to “lead the way to relaunch the EU”.

But even as Emmanuel Macron charges ahead with his ambitious vision for the EU’s future, the bloc has a tricky few months ahead.

Europe at a crossroads: will the EU survive 2018?