Frozen Britain

Snow has already in London. If yesterday all TV channels and radio stations broadcasted terrible snow-covered pictures from the North of the country today there has been no any necessity to switch on the media. 

You wake up in the morning, look through the window and just cannot recognize the country in what you are. What is it? Russia? Siberia? Or the North Pole?

Even for the person who is used to living in the strong winter conditions, as I am, it is really unusual to see snowfall on the British islands at the end of November.  The question is appeared immediately: “Sorry, there is your praised Gulf Stream?”

However, we should not blame the weather. Because this is the most favourite work of the authorities. There is no any difference in that issue in every country. Winter always comes unexpectedly for them. 

What’s happened with Britain? 

Although, the UK has been suffering from early snowfall for the last three years it has become the real collapse for the country every time. 

People are got stuck in the trains for 24 hours because of rimed conductors. Airports are closed because of snow-covered landing strips. Thousands of schools are closed because of the broken heating systems.  

Atypical cold and snow covered almost the entire country, the press writes. Stock of sand and salt sprinkled on the roads has remained only for a couple of weeks. There is also the lack of special equipment for the road cleaning. 

There is something for the top news and front pages. 

Despite of all troubles such weather is the exciting theme for the media. Snowfalls and frost are the main topics of the all national news. Every hour we can follow the changing of surviving conditions of the most suffered place in the UK.

 In such circumstances drivers call to refuse travel as possible. On some roads, where traffic jams have formed, desperate drivers are simply throwing their cars and continue their trip on foot.

It is sounds like The End of the World, isn’t it? 

However, the reasonable question is followed. If snowfalls are more frequent in recent years why people meet winter as a complete surprise?

The Lord Mayor's show

At the first glance it reminded the fairytale. The gold carriage, beautiful horses and king’s suit. However, this was the British reality. Londoners greeted the new Lord Mayor of the City.

 This event was conducted according to the best British traditions. I was lucky to be a witness of this spectacular show.

A crowd of people was around the St. Paul's Cathedral. However, the performance was worth of standing in the crush and waiting for some hours.

Sometimes the show was like a carnival or like a military parade. The Lord Mayor’s show is one of the most expensive and chaotic in style. Michael Bear was greeted by guardsmen, clowns, musical bands, and even locomotives.

The City of London is...

The City is one of the richest areas of London. Without exaggeration, it is one of the world's financial centers.

The City has its own police, budget, schools and traditions. The most surprised thing that the City Mayor even has the right for refusing the Queen to entry this area.

This is, in fact, the kingdom in the kingdom. The Lord Mayor is like the monarch in his magnificence and scale of celebrations. He even comes to a parade in his honor in the luxurious golden carriage.

The history

The Mayor’s right to have so many privileges appeared almost 800 years ago. The King John allowed district residents to choose their own mayor. Each head of the City runs holds his post only for one year.

The mayor took over his hat about 100 times for several hours of the ceremony. He also was surrounded by a lot of Teddy-bears. Although, it was seemed that Mr. Bear was not upset.

Students on the riot against the tuition fees

The British students went out for the strike once again. Once again it was the violence riot. 

Picture from tntmagazine.com

London police all the evening was trying to calm angry students and university professors. Protesting against rising tuition fees thousands of people gathered at the demonstration.

As it often happens the peace protest turned over into dangerous riots.

The standoff lasted for the several hours. The police tried to push the students from the headquarters of the conservative party. But it was in vain. Angry students surrounded the office of conservatives and then crushed it.

Windows was smashed. The walls were drawn of the rude inscriptions. The first floor was completely broken.

Police regained the control of the building.  Though, they had to put a human shield instead of windows on the first floor, and periodically deterred students attacks.
It can be said for sure that this was not the last riot of students. Another question is whether the British government will listen to their demands?

Listen to the some comments of students from the University of Westminster about this second violence protest.

Royal treatment. What does it mean?

Royal treatment. What does it mean? The best way to find out is to take a tour of Buckingham palace – London home of the royal family since 1837. 

For the first 300 years Londoners were not allowed pass the front gate.  Now for the cost of £25 you can see how the royal family lives.  

Is the price too high?  

Yes, may be if you are a local citizen and have to pay tax for maintenance of this palace and royal family as well. 

But No if you are a tourist in London for the first time. 

Let’s count! 

There are 200 rooms in palace for visiting. 

You can visit Queens’s gallery with 10 halls of natural paintings. You can see royal stables and special coaches used only for wedding ceremonies. So the cost will be only 1p for each royal place. 

And who knows, maybe you will have a chance to make a curtsy to Her Majesty?

The biggest strike of fireworkers in London

Firefighters today walked out on their frontline duties in a row over pay and conditions. More than 5 500 were on London's streets to fight for their rights.

This is the biggest strike ever held by London firefighters. They're campaigning against a forced change to their working hours. They say they're being forced to accept new working conditions or they'll be sacked.

 

They've left the UK capital without their services for 8 hours.

A firefighter Luisa said: “Initially we talked about the shift changes. this is the main change bad. But the problem that we have is that if we allow them to force these changes that we don't agree, we don't know what other changes they will force we agree in the future”.

What’s the matter?

Employers sent letters to more than 5000 London firefighters in August. They warned them about the increase in daily duty hours from 9 to 12 while reducing the night shift from 15 to 12 hours. Fire-fighters worry that these changes will lead to a decline in their salaries, disrupt their families and cuts in fire cover as well. 

This is the first time n London when 5 600 fire-workers don't work at all. About 100 fire stations are closed. Today they don't fight against fire but they fight for their rights. 

If firefighters don't sign up to the new contracts they will be simply dismissed. But the London fire Brigade claims that they are ready to negotiate.

Brian Coleman, London Fire and Emergency Authority Chairman, stated:

“Our message is simple - call off the strike now and we will resolve this dispute”.  

What do they want?

The fire union, for its part, is also open to discuss the issues but under one condition.

Matt Wrack, FBU General Secretary, says:

“Brian Coleman has said he is quite relaxed about sacking 5 600 firefighters. I think this an appalling statement for the leader of fire authority to make. We want to resolve this dispute but t could be resolve obviously don't sack 5600 firefighters and we will not be strike”.

Christmas in London

Christmas in London just wouldn’t be Christmas without the decorative light in the heart of London on Oxford Street.
The history of Cristmas Lights

The tradition of switching on London for the winter nights was started in 1981 when Miss World from Venezuela, was the first to push the button.

Since that every year the Oxford Street Christmas lights have traditionally been switched on by top popular celebrities.

Christmas 2010

But for this year it was different. Children chosen by the Kids Company charity  flicked the switch. They  turned on more than a quarter of million lights.

At 6 o’clock this evening the opening ceremony lighted up the sky around the most popular shopping centre in London and gave the official start for another Christmas.

The next tube strike in London

 

Tube commuters in London were forced to use overfilled buses and trains because many tube station were closed this morning.

A commuter on Northwick park tube station said :
“I don’t know what they want! Why I could not go to my work because of them?!”

The new tube strike has paralyzed the train traffic in the core of the UK capital. The Central and Circle lines are both suspended. There is a "special service" in operation on District, Hammersmith and City, Jubilee, Metropolitan, Northern and Victoria lines.

“It seems to me they do it every month! I couldn’t imagine that my colleges would stop their jobs so often. Actually, I don’t think they will get demanded result” – a commuter on Canton tube station.

Lose jobs

The members of transport unions are protesting about  the loss of 800 jobs, mainly for ticket office staff. More than 100 thousand people took part in the strike this time. But some tube workers do not agree with their colleges. 

“You see, I’m on my work place now. I’m not a member of transport union and don’t intend to join them. I don’t want to explain it. It’s my choice! “ – a tube worker on Canton tube station.

Another tube strike is planned on December.