How many more children have to die before Britain finally treats drowning as the national emergency it is?
Nineteen people lost their lives in the water during just one week of hot weather. Thirteen were children. Thirteen young lives cut short before summer has even begun.
Every year, more than 33 children drown in the UK – the equivalent of an entire classroom disappearing. If a classroom of children died in a preventable accident every year, ministers would rightly be asked to explain themselves. Yet drowning remains the silent killer nobody in power seems willing to confront.
That is why today, the Mirror launches our Save Lives for Sam campaign because enough is enough. The heartbreaking deaths of Sam Haycock, Joe Abbess and dozens of others are not unavoidable tragedies.
Experts say many of these tragedies can be prevented through better education, greater awareness, and lifesaving interventions, all of which this paper calls for today. The warning signs are flashing red. School holidays are approaching. Temperatures will rise again. More children will head for rivers, lakes, reservoirs and beaches.
We cannot wait for another grieving parent to tell their story, nor can we wait for another funeral. We need to make sure this summer – and every one hereafter – is not remembered for the children who never came home.
Prince William is right to ask hard questions about how royal properties are used.
In an age when families struggle to pay rent and get on the housing ladder, arrangements that allow privileged residents to enjoy subsidised accommodation while generating income from royal homes look increasingly difficult to defend.
The monarchy survives because it adapts. King Charles recognised that reality when he slimmed down the working Royal Family.
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William appears ready to go further by ensuring royal estates serve the institution rather than an individual.
The public does not expect perfection from the monarchy. They do expect fairness, transparency and value for money.
Those who carry out royal duties deserve support. Those who do not should not enjoy the special treatment they currently do.