London chemical attack raises serious questions  

Welcome to Friday’s Early Edition from i.

“It’s not unusual that we hear shouting on this road,” a resident of Clapham’s Lessar Avenue told i yesterday. “Sometimes we hear an argument or drunk people, so I didn’t think anything of it at first. It was only when I heard the bang and the screaming that we ran outside to see what was happening.” When this witness did go outside, they were met with a scene of horror. A man “slamming” a young child to the ground, a mother doused with a corrosive liquid screaming that her face was burning, and she couldn’t see. Police have now named Abdul Shorook Ezedi as the suspect behind the chemical attack, which injured nine people and left a mother and her daughter with potential life-changing injuries. He is still on the run and the public are warned he is dangerous. More questions were raised last night as new details emerged that Ezedi was convicted of a sex offence in 2018, several years before being granted asylum. The case also sheds a light on a growing crime – chemical attacks. Why is this, and why are the substances so hard to ban? We’ll take a look after the headlines.

 Today’s news, and why it matters

 The Reform Party has selected a former MP who was suspended by Labour for sexting a 17-year-old girl to run in the forthcoming by-election in Rochdale. Simon Danczuk has been selected to stand in his former constituency, where he was MP between 2010 and 2017.

Jeremy Hunt will be unable to fully reverse the ‘fiscal drag’ stealth tax that drags millions of earners into higher tax thresholds in the Budget – meaning despite any tax cuts the Tories will still have presided over the biggest tax-raising parliament on record. The Chancellor is also leaning away from inheritance tax cuts, i understands.

Hopes were raised for millions of borrowers and mortgage-holders after the Bank of England held interest rates at 5.25 per cent but signalled that cuts were on the way. Bank policymakers said they would keep “under review” how long interest rates should be kept at the current level as governor Andrew Bailey said the next move would be a reduction: “The next decision is more likely to be: When do we cut?’

Chemists across the UK will soon be offering Covid jabs privately for the first time ever and they could cost as little as £45 . Currently only certain groups of people are eligible for the jabs on the NHS, like those aged over 65, frontline health and social care workers or “someone with a weakened immune system”.

The costs of the NHS strike are expected to hit £3bn after trust leaders raised concerns over the “eye watering” cost of industrial action. The alarming prediction was made following an NHS England board meeting on Thursday where officials were told strikes over the past 14 months for junior doctors, nurses and consultants, among others, are expected to have a financial cost of more than £1.5bn.

Be bold now or risk a Tory comeback – Starmer’s lesson from Australia. Labour’s decision not to risk upsetting bankers by capping their bonuses is the latest example of a safety first pre-election strategy. But Australian politics reveal how that can backfire, writes Latika Bourke.

Four questions raised by the chemical attack:

Does the Home Office have questions to answer? The revelations over Abdul Ezedi’s asylum status will undoubtedly be twisted into an ugly political issue by some. But his case does raise potential questions for the Home Office. The Guardian reported that Ezedi is believed to be an Afghan national who came to Britain via lorry in 2016. In 2018, he was convicted of a sexual offence and handed a suspended sentence at Newcastle Crown Court. The Mirror says he was discharged from probation supervision in 2020. A couple of years later – in either 2021 or 2022 – he is reported to have been granted asylum, after twice being denied the right to stay. A report in the Daily Telegraph says he was granted leave to remain after he converted to Christianity and a priest vouched he was “wholly committed” to the religion. It is also reported that he said his life would be in danger if he returned to Afghanistan. As the Times notes: The Home Office is under pressure to explain why he was still in the country after his sex offence conviction.

Why are chemical attacks going up? As Cahal Milmo writes, Wednesday’s attack is part of a disturbing pattern. Figures for London seen by i show that after reaching a 2017 high of 471, the number of acid attacks recorded by the Metropolitan Police fell to 73 in 2021 but has since been rising, reaching 97 in 2022. Across England and Wales, the number of attacks increased by 69% to 710 in 2022, according to data gathered by Acid Survivors Trust International (Asti). The reasons behind the attacks are complex. A 2021 study for the Home Office found that while 88 per cent of suspects in attacks were men, they also comprised 72 per cent of those targeted. Researchers said the growth in the method of attack seemingly had its roots in street or gang crime, and the perceived effectiveness of the liquids as weapons instead of knives or guns. But Asti also points to another disturbing trend in its latest available data, that women outnumber men as victims. “This signals a rise in violence against women and girls,” it said. Read the full report on why chemical attacks are on the rise, here.

Why are the substances so hard to ban? A number of attempts have been made to tighten the laws with the aim of deterring such attacks. In 2018, the government banned the possession strong sulphuric acid without a valid reason. In 2022, changes to the Offensive Weapons Act 2019 were made so that it was harder for people aged under 18 to buy corrosive substances, and it became an offence to possess those in public places. But one of the key problems is that many corrosive substances have legitimate uses. Even common household products can also be weaponised to cause harm. Criminal barrister Simon Spence KC told i: “I think that the particular problem with corrosive substances is that all of us use them in our everyday lives,” He continued: “There are limits as to what can be done to restrict access to things like that. Clearly, age limits are one thing, in the same way that it is in relation to alcohol and tobacco, but it seems to me there is a limit as to how far you can go.” Read the full story here.

What can you do to help a victim? Acid and other corrosive substance attacks can leave victims permanently disfigured or disabled, but prompt action can play a crucial role in reducing damage. Calling 999 is the first step, the NHS advises, but witnesses can also help by trying to remove the harmful substance from skin or eyes – but only while wearing protective gloves. Any dry chemical used should be brushed, not rubbed or wiped, off the skin before rinsing with water. Rinsing with clean water for at least 20 minutes is advised. Read more, including on the charities which support victims and offer advice, here.

Around the world

 Ukraine claims it has destroyed a Russian warship in the Black Sea off the coast of western Crimea with US made missiles. According to Ukrainian military intelligence small missile boat, the Ivanovets – sank after receiving “direct hits” to its hull” during a special operation in Crimea, which Russia has controlled since illegally annexing it in 2014.

Reports have emerged of an imminent agreement between Israel and Hamas leaders for a possible truce in the four-month long war to allow the release of hostages and aid to get into Gaza. A draft deal hatched by US, Egyptian and Qatari mediators following intensive and at times stalled discussions that have been under way since December has been shared with officials.

A huge gas blast in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, has killed at least two people and injured at least 222. A lorry carrying gas exploded in Embakasi district “igniting a huge ball of fire”, a government spokesperson said.

A historic sculpture discovered in Tasmania may be Australia’s first example of political – and rude – protest art. The state’s Maritime Museum has released images of a sandstone statue of a well-dressed colonial gentleman, appearing to urinate into a fountain.

British expats who want to start a new life in Spain are turning to golden visas to get around the 90-day limit imposed after the Brexit deal, according to new figures. In total, 185 British people have secured these visas since 2021 when Brexit came into force – just behind the 186 obtained by Americans since the scheme was introduced in Spain in 2013.

 Watch out for…

 The International Court of Justice, where Ukraine will hear whether it can move forward with its case accusing Russia of violating international law. 

 Thoughts for the day

 Why Israel cannot engage in discussions about a two-state solution. Western liberalism has never been a good guide to the harsh realities of the Middle East, writes Vernon Bogdanor.

The one thing Donald Trump got right about the Middle East. His warnings about Iran have proved spot on, says Michael Day.

The Apprentice needs Karren Brady – but she has to lighten up. Last year the Baroness risked becoming a caricature of corporate cruelty. As the series returns, it’s time for her to go a bit easier on the hapless candidates, argues Ed Power.

Culture Break

 No peril, no stakes, no stress: how Death in Paradise put life into cosy crime. After sniffy reviews when it first aired more then a decade ago, 100 episodes in the sunny detective show has found a formula that works, writes Gerard Gilbert.

The Big Read

 Facebook at 20: Former staff lift lid on what Zuckerberg got right… and wrong. The platform, which today boasts billions of users, launched 20 years ago as something much smaller. But what is legacy of the company and its founder, Mark Zuckerberg?

Sport

 Transfer market will ‘roar into life’ this summer as Man Utd and Saudis spend big. Football executives, agents and finance experts i spoke to are confident we will see a busy transfer window after ‘dry January’.

Something to brighten your day

 I’m a chef – here are my six kitchen shortcuts for making cooking easier. From avoiding common time-wasters to embracing cheat methods, this is how to simplify your cooking, according to Ben Ebbrell.