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‘No place is safe’ in Gaza as Israel lays siege to Hamas-held enclave

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‘No place is safe’ in Gaza as Israel lays siege to Hamas-held enclave
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Israel laid “total siege” to the Gaza Strip on Monday, vowing to cut off food, water and electricity supplies to the impoverished enclave as it pounded the Hamas-ruled territory in retaliation for a brazen and bloody incursion that caught Israel’s vaunted security apparatus completely off guard.

Two days after Hamas militants launched a surprise attack from Gaza, killing hundreds of Israelis and abducting scores more, the Israeli army said it had largely regained control of southern settlements close to the Gaza Strip and moved to tighten the noose around the Palestinian enclave.

Tanks and drones were deployed to guard breaches in the border fence that Hamas militants poured through early on Saturday, while the military summoned 300,000 reservists – portending greater fighting ahead and a possible ground offensive into Gaza.

“The price the Gaza Strip will pay will be a very heavy one that will change reality for generations,” Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said while visiting one of the towns that had been attacked by Hamas. He ordered a “total siege” on Gaza, a day after his government formally declared war on the Hamas militant group that has ruled the enclave since 2007.

“No electricity, no food, no water, no gas – it’s all closed,” Gallant said in a video message in Hebrew. “We are fighting animals and are acting accordingly.”

The ominous words heralded a looming humanitarian crisis in the overcrowded and impoverished territory of 2.3 million people that borders Israel and Egypt, both of which have imposed various levels of blockade since Hamas’s takeover 16 years ago.

“The Gaza Strip has already been facing a severe shortage of electricity, as well as scarcity of water, fuel, and food supplies,” said Gaza-based Bader Alzaharna, a Palestinian researcher and fundraising officer at the Gaza-based think tank Pal-Think for Strategic Studies. “Now the humanitarian situation is clearly expected to get a lot worse.”

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‘Total war’

In recent years Israel has provided limited electricity to Gaza and allowed the import of food, fuel and some consumer goods, while heavily restricting travel in and out. Israel’s siege means that Gaza will be almost entirely dependent on its crossing into neighbouring Egypt at Rafah, where cargo capacities are lower than other crossings into Israel.

An Egyptian military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AP on Monday that more than two tons of medical supplies from the Egyptian Red Crescent had been sent to Gaza and that efforts were underway to organise food and other deliveries, though the question of allowing in fuel was not yet decided.

The trickle of aid through the border with Egypt is unlikely to make up for a complete blockade along the Israeli border. As FRANCE 24’s Jerusalem correspondent Irris Makler warned, Israel’s total siege of the enclave could lead to a “massive humanitarian crisis within a matter of days”.

“The (Israeli) defence minister has made it quite plain, this is total war,” Makler explained. “He’s stopping all the things that civilians need to live: water, power, food, fuel – and power also means water in the Gaza Strip, because they don’t have much fresh water themselves.”


Speaking on FRANCE 24, retired Israeli general Giora Eiland, a former head of the country’s National Security Council, argued that “total war” was necessary to prevent future attacks. 

“We have to completely eliminate the threat of Hamas, and the only way we can achieve this is by using all the aggressive measures that we have – including, if needed, to create a terrible humanitarian crisis in Gaza, because this kind of pressure might be the most effective one,” Eiland said, claiming Hamas’s continued control of the Gaza Strip meant the local population supported the Islamist group – and, consequently, “preferred to fight and die”. 

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‘Send Gaza back into the Stone Age’

The vehemence of the Israeli response is indicative the scale of the shock caused by Hamas’s brazen attack, which brought carnage to the streets of Israeli towns and villages on a scale previously unseen while also exposing glaring gaps in the country’s vaunted intelligence and security apparatus.

“Israel has suffered an enormous cataclysm, and its response will be uncompromising,” said Jerusalem-based journalist Noga Tamopolsky. “This is a historic catastrophe in terms of Israeli national security – and, ultimately, an even worse catastrophe for the inhabitants of Gaza.”

Read moreHamas surprise attack a ‘historic failure’ for Israeli intelligence services

Reflecting the mood among parts of the Israeli right, whose most hard-line segments dominate the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the conservative daily Israel Hayom wrote on Monday that the time had come to “send Gaza back into the Stone Age”.

“Israel is both humiliated and angry and we’re seeing more wide-ranging air strikes than seen in previous exchanges with Hamas,” said FRANCE 24’s Makler. “We have heard that the strikes are aimed at Hamas leaders, both military and political, but we’ve also heard from people on the ground that they seem to be quite indiscriminate, targeting tall buildings and mosques, and intensifying all the time.”

‘No place is a safe place’

In a statement on Monday afternoon, the Israeli Air Force said it dropped some 2,000 munitions and more than 1,000 tons of bombs on Gaza in the last 20 hours. Targets included three rocket launchers directed at Israel, a mosque where militants were operating and 21 high-rise buildings that served militant activity, the Air Force added.

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Palestinians reported receiving calls and mobile phone audio messages from Israeli security officers telling them to leave areas mainly in the northern and eastern territories of Gaza, and warning that the army would operate there. But civilians have already paid a high price.

In its latest bulletin on Monday, Gaza’s health ministry said Israeli strikes had killed at least 560 people and wounded more than 2,900 in the blockaded enclave since Saturday. The armed wing of Hamas claimed on its Telegram channel that the victims included four Israelis who were taken hostage at the weekend, though the report could not be verified.


The UN said more than 123,000 people have already fled their homes in Gaza, many after Israeli warnings of imminent bombardment, while the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said a school sheltering more than 225 people took a direct hit.

“Our schools give shelter to civilians and should be protected at all times, including during fighting,” said UNRWA’s director of communications Juliette Touma, whose organisation provided food aid to around the half the population of Gaza even before the latest fighting. “What was already a crisis pre-October 7 could turn into a catastrophe for some two million people,” she warned.

“Most people seek refuge in the UNRWA schools across the enclave, but media shows that some schools are even bombed, which is another humanitarian tragedy,” said Alzaharna, replying in text messages from the Palestinian enclave. “No place is a safe place in the Gaza Strip and everyone can be the next.”

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Haiti replaces its prime minister, marking more turmoil in its democratic transition process

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Haiti replaces its prime minister, marking more turmoil in its democratic transition process
A transitionary council created to reestablish democratic order in Haiti signed a decree Sunday firing interim Prime Minister Garry Conille and replacing him with Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, a businessman who was previously considered for the job. Details with Carys Garland.

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James McClean returns to Ireland with his wife as footage emerges of him taunting furious fans after his Remembrance protest before Wrexham star called the British army ‘terrorists’

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James McClean returns to Ireland with his wife as footage emerges of him taunting furious fans after his Remembrance protest before Wrexham star called the British army ‘terrorists’
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Wrexham defender James McClean was spotted supporting his former team Derry City in Dublin on Sunday, just 24 hours after footage emerged of him taunting Mansfield fans after his Remembrance Day protest. 

Before his team’s match with Mansfield, McClean stood separately from Wrexham and Mansfield players observing a minute of silence.

The Welsh side, who sit third in League One, went on to beat the Stags after an early strike from winger Ryan Barnett.

A video has since come to light of McClean appearing to blow kisses toward the Mansfield supporters after the final whistle.

And just one day later, McClean saw his former side succumb to Drogheda United in the men’s Irish Cup Final.

James McClean returns to Ireland with his wife as footage emerges of him taunting furious fans after his Remembrance protest before Wrexham star called the British army ‘terrorists’

James McClean, wife Erin O’Connor, and his son, flew back to Ireland 24 hours after Remembrance Day protest

McClean stood separate to his Wrexham team-mates observing a moment of silence on Saturday

McClean stood separate to his Wrexham team-mates observing a moment of silence on Saturday

The away fans voiced their displeasure toward the Northern Irishman as he walked down the tunnel, but he responded with a smile and a wave before walking off the pitch.

The 35-year-old was named as a starter in the clash at the Racecourse Ground on Saturday and decided to stand by his previous decision to not wear a poppy.

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Players across the United Kingdom typically either wear an armband featuring a poppy or a shirt with the iconic flower etched into it when playing on the remembrance weekend.

However, as McClean doesn’t support the tradition, he instead stood on his own, a few metres away from the group of players who were paying their respects.

During the match, Wrexham supporters chanted that McClean ‘hates the f***ing King’ just moments after the moment of silence ended.

On Sunday, the 35-year-old posted a statement on his Instagram account this morning after a clip resurfaced of the Wrexham captain comparing British soldiers to ‘terrorists’.

Footage of McClean being interviewed by Patrick Kielty on the Late Late Show was published on X this morning in which he made comparisons between the IRA and the British Army.

McClean reiterated his stance was because of the ‘brutal crimes’ carried out by British soldiers when they shot dead thirteen unarmed civilians during Bloody Sunday in 1972.

McClean's wife posted pictures of them smiling together watching Derry City's Irish Cup final defeat to Drogheda United

McClean’s wife posted pictures of them smiling together watching Derry City’s Irish Cup final defeat to Drogheda United

McClean taunted the Mansfield fans after having abuse hruled his way following the win

McClean taunted the Mansfield fans after having abuse hruled his way following the win

‘That is why I never have and never will wear a poppy,’ he told his 120,000 followers. ‘One thing I never have and never will do, is bend the knee to compromise my convictions.’

McClean said he would happily don the poppy on his shirt if its sole purpose was to honour those killed in both the First and the Second World War.

However, he claimed the poppy is ‘now forced on everyone in the UK and god forbid someone doesn’t wear it, the abuse they have to endure’.

McClean was born in Derry, Northern Ireland, where in 1972 British paratroopers shot scores of unarmed civilians during a protest march known as Bloody Sunday. Thirteen were killed and at least 15 others were injured.

The footballer first made headlines in 2012 over his personal decision not to wear a poppy in the lead-up to Remembrance Day, a decision which led to him being booed by some of his own fans.

He has continued this stance throughout his career in England, leading to him being targeted by sectarian abuse.

His decision has previously seen McClean suffer torrents of abuse from angry supporters that view his poppy snub as an insult to the memory of armed forces personnel who have lost their lives in combat. 

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The Republic of Ireland international is a divisive figure in professional football having previously issued calls for a united Ireland.

Last September, McClean admitted regrets about posting a controversial picture of himself in lockdown 'jokingly' home schooling his children in a balaclava, which was interpreted as a reference to the IRA

Last September, McClean admitted regrets about posting a controversial picture of himself in lockdown ‘jokingly’ home schooling his children in a balaclava, which was interpreted as a reference to the IRA 

Inked just below one a tattoo of Free Derry – – a self-declared autonomous Irish nationalist area of the city in the Troubles – McClean has a quote from author and playwright Enid Bagnold 

He has refused to wear a poppy as is tradition in fixtures throughout November and once posed IRA-style in a balaclava in front of his children for a ‘school history lesson’.

In September, he clashed with Birmingham City supporters when being substituted and later called a fan at the match a ‘smelly fat gammon’ after catching a cup of Bovril that had been thrown at him.

The fallout from the game also saw McClean honour a previous IRA fighter in an Instagram post stating: ‘They have nothing in their whole imperial arsenal that can break the spirit of an Irishman who doesn’t want to be broken.’ 

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Live: Israel launches deadly strike on Gaza camp, intercepts missile fired from Yemen

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An Israeli strike hit a tent sheltering a displaced family in the central Gaza Strip, killing at least three people, Palestinian medical officials said Monday. The Israeli Air Force on Monday intercepted a missile that was fired from Yemen, causing fires west of Jerusalem resulting from debris, the military said. Follow our liveblog for the latest developments.

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Beautiful sketches love-sick WWI soldier sent to his girlfriend from the front as he dreamed of the end of fighting are unearthed in archive

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Beautiful sketches love-sick WWI soldier sent to his girlfriend from the front as he dreamed of the end of fighting are unearthed in archive
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A series of sketches that a love-sick soldier sent to his girlfriend back in Britain as he dreamed of the end of the First World War have been unearthed. 

From his digs in Greece, France and Egypt, Private Henry Page conjured up drawings on the backs of the envelopes he used to send letters to his Essex-based sweetheart, Edith Pedley, who he would go on to marry.   

On one envelope, Private Page depicted him and Edith sitting on an idyllic clifftop. Scrawled on the side of the sketch are the words, ‘what I’m waiting for’.

It was a simple demonstration of his longing for Armistice Day, which finally came on November 11, 1918 – 106 years ago.  

Another of the soldier’s sketches showed the couple toasting the New Year with a drink. In a third, Private Page drew himself writing letters to Edith in Bed. 

The envelopes were pasted into a scrapbook that also featured dozens of sketches showing the realities of serving in the Great War. 

One depicts the struggle to put up a camp bed. Another shows a soldier on guard duty and a third reveals the pyramids and local bazaars in Egypt. 

The collection of the soldiers sketches was found among documents in the collection of Southwark Archives and has now been digitised by ancestry website Findmypast.  

Private Page (top left) with fellow members of C Company, 2-24th London Regiment, in Belgium after the Armistice in 1918

Private Page (top left) with fellow members of C Company, 2-24th London Regiment, in Belgium after the Armistice in 1918 

Unlike nearly 900,000 British soldiers who were killed in the First World War, Henry did survive to be reunited with Edith. 

Research carried out by Findmypast discovered that the couple were married by the mid-1930s and living in Luton. 

They had been a couple since at least the time Henry signed on in 1915

The records also show how Henry was able to indulge his passion. 

The 1939 Register – which was used to produce ration books and ID cards during the Second World War – reveals he was working as a ‘commercial artist’.

Private Page joined the army as a volunteer in October 1915 and spent the first year of his service in the UK. 

He was then sent to France with the Walworth TA Unit, 24th London Regiment and spent six months across the Channel.

In early December 1916, the soldier was sent with his regiment to the Greek city of Thessaloniki, which was then known as Salonika.

Private Page was there for another six months before being posted to Alexandria, Egypt in June 1917. 

Private Page's sketch to Edith showing himself writing letters to her while in bed

Private Page’s sketch to Edith showing himself writing letters to her while in bed 

What appears to be Private Page's depiction of himself trying to walk after weeks in hospital. He calls it 'the first time up' and jokes, 'will we do the wibbly wobbly walk?'

What appears to be Private Page’s depiction of himself trying to walk after weeks in hospital. He calls it ‘the first time up’ and jokes, ‘will we do the wibbly wobbly walk?’ 

Private Page's sketch of himself enjoying a shave while in Egypt

Private Page’s sketch of himself enjoying a shave while in Egypt

Private Page depicts himself being served food while in bed. The postage stamp dates it to July 1918

Private Page depicts himself being served food while in bed. The postage stamp dates it to July 1918

Private Page's sketch to his future wife for New Year during his time away fighting

Private Page’s sketch to his future wife for New Year during his time away fighting

It was while in the Middle East that he caught typhoid fever and spent 16 weeks in hospital.

Records show that Edith was born in Mile End in September 1891. She was the second oldest of John and Hannah Pedley’s five surviving children. 

In 1911, Edith was listed in the census as living with her parents and younger siblings and working as a shorthand typist.  

The former soldier and his wife lived in Luton until at least the end of the 1950s. 

Henry passed away in Ringwood, Hampshire, in December 1976 at the age of 87. Edith kept her husband’s letters for the rest of her life. She died in 1984. 

Private Page (left) in Salonika in 1917. The soldier was an avid amateur artist

Private Page (left) in Salonika in 1917. The soldier was an avid amateur artist 

The envelopes were pasted into a scrapbook that also featured dozens of sketches showing the realities of serving in the Great War. Above a depiction of the pyramids features among renderings of local scenes in Egypt

The envelopes were pasted into a scrapbook that also featured dozens of sketches showing the realities of serving in the Great War. Above a depiction of the pyramids features among renderings of local scenes in Egypt 

Two soldiers seen riding a camel in another of Private Page's sketches

Two soldiers seen riding a camel in another of Private Page’s sketches

Private Page's depiction of himself in his hospital bed. He calls the sketch, 'Adding insult to injury'. It shows an officer telling the 'no diet' patient: 'Dinner alright my man!'

Private Page’s depiction of himself in his hospital bed. He calls the sketch, ‘Adding insult to injury’. It shows an officer telling the ‘no diet’ patient: ‘Dinner alright my man!’ 

Another of Private Page's sketches. This one appears to depict him and Edith as a happy couple. The caption reads in French, 'Après la guerre' (after the war)

Another of Private Page’s sketches. This one appears to depict him and Edith as a happy couple. The caption reads in French, ‘Après la guerre’ (after the war)

Commenting on the findings, Jen Baldwin, research specialist at Findmypast, said: ‘This is a truly remarkable love story that was able to survive everything the Great War could throw at it. 

‘It’s also a fantastic example of the level of detail that our records can provide. 

‘Remembrance Day is the perfect opportunity for people to uncover and honour their own ancestors’ sacrifices, and paint a picture of the reality of life (and sometimes love) at war.’

Patricia Dark, archivist at Southwark Archives, said: ‘Southwark Archives holds collections of local people and organisations dating back hundreds of years. 

‘Our collections provide a window into what life was like for the people of Southwark from Shakespeare’s day to today. 

‘We’re really happy to partner with Findmypast and open up our records and provide access at home to Southwark residents and wider audiences and researchers around the world.’

Findmypast is offering free access to military records during Remembrance Weekend (7-11th November) to enable everyone to uncover their own ancestors’ wartime stories. 

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British cycling great Mark Cavendish wins final race in Singapore

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British cycling great Mark Cavendish wins final race in Singapore
Mark Cavendish sprinted to victory on Sunday in the Tour de France Singapore Criterium with a signature surge to the line in his last-ever professional race.

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Coffee crisis as Starbucks app goes down for Americans heading to work

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Starbucks’ mobile app went down for Americans heading to work on Friday, less than a day after it dropped it’s new holiday menu.

Downdetector, which tracks app and website outages, reported that more than 2,500 customers were complaining about issues with the app since about 7:00am ET.

The outage has spread across the US, affecting customers in major cities like New York, Dallas, Washington, DC and Boston.

Issues first started on Thursday when Starbucks released it’s holiday menu containing fan favorites like its Gingerbread Oat Milk Chai and Peppermint Mocha.

Although the company said it had resolved the app’s outage, customers were outraged when they still couldn’t access it a day later. 

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‘Could you please get it together?’ one person wrote on X. 

‘Day number two of this nonsense of having to stand in line to order my coffee like a peasant because your app is broken.’

Coffee crisis as Starbucks app goes down for Americans heading to work

Starbucks customers complain that they can’t order on the mobile app

The Starbucks app won’t allow customers to view it’s new holiday menu or select a location to order from, leaving many wondering how they’ll get their caffeine fix when they’re pressed for time.

‘Can’t select a store to order at, menu isn’t there,’ one enraged Starbucks customer complained on DownDetector. 

‘I want to see what new holiday drinks they have but I can’t because I can’t select a location,’ another customer wrote.

When a customer complained on X that she couldn’t access the Starbucks app, the company responded, saying it is ‘currently experiencing a temporary outage of the order-ahead-and-pay feature in our app.’

Starbucks added on its customer service account: ‘We continue to welcome and serve customers in our drive-thru and in-store.’

The Starbucks app has gone down for customers across the country including those living in Boston, Dallas, Chicago and DC

The Starbucks app has gone down for customers across the country including those living in Boston, Dallas, Chicago and DC

However, customers argued that they don’t have time to go inside and order and expressed disappointment that they can’t get their much-desired holiday drink.

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‘Is the Starbucks app seriously down again?’ one person wrote on X, adding: ‘I can’t handle any more disappointment this week.’

Another person said despairingly that they just wanted to order their holiday drink, while another commented: ‘Starbucks app is down and all I wanted was a peppermint cold brew.’

Starbucks spokesperson Jaci Anderson told DailyMail.com that the outage was a short-lived issue and the mobile app is now back up and running at 100 percent functionality. 

The company introduces it’s new holiday menu every November, and this year debuted three new items including the Cran-Merry Orange Refresher and the Cran-Merry Drink.

It also announced that it’s dropping the add-on price for dairy milk alternatives which is driving a surge of customers who wanted to try the holiday drinks without paying an added fee. 

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Israeli airstrikes on Gaza’s Jabalia kills 33, including 13 children

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Israeli airstrikes on Gaza’s Jabalia kills 33, including 13 children
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Israeli airstrikes on Gaza’s Jabalia kills 33, including 13 children
Israeli strikes killed dozens of people on Sunday in Lebanon and the northern Gaza Strip, where the military has been waging a major offensive for more than a month that aid groups say has further worsened the humanitarian crisis in the besieged enclave. More information with FRANCE 24 correspondent in Jerusalem, Noga Tarnopolsky.

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Should we get employers to split pension contributions 50/50 between couples? Steve Webb replies

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Should we get employers to split pension contributions 50/50 between couples? Steve Webb replies

Gender gap: My pension is four times that of my wife’s pot

There must be a simple way to split pension contributions between partners.

For example you could simply make employers create two pots one for each partner and then pay half of all contributions to each pot.

Sure there is a bit more admin and it creates more pots but at least it addresses the inequality between usually men and women. 

For example, my pension is four times that of my wife’s pot.

SCROLL DOWN TO FIND OUT HOW TO ASK STEVE YOUR PENSION QUESTION 

Steve Webb replies: We hear plenty about the ‘gender pay gap’, with larger employers now under legal obligations to publish details of pay differences between men and women in their workplace.

Your question relates to a different – but related – gap, namely the ‘gender pension gap’. And this gap is very real.

The average woman reaches retirement with private pension wealth around 35 per cent lower than her male counterpart, according to DWP figures published last year.

While the gender gap in *state* pensions is closing every year, mainly because of the introduction of the new state pension, the gap in *private* pensions between men and women is substantial and is at roughly the same level now as it was a decade earlier.

There are many different factors which lead to pension gaps between men and women, but here are some of the main ones.

– The gender *pay* gap: The size of your pension generally depends on how much you earned and how long you earned for.

As women are on average paid less, they will also tend to build up smaller pensions.

– The ‘caregiver penalty’: The majority of unpaid care in the UK, whether of children or the older generation, is given by women.

Often this can be at the expense of jobs or careers. Whilst the state pension system provides ‘credits’ during periods of caring, it can be hard to keep a private pension going if you are not earning or earning at a reduced level because of caring responsibilities.

– Gaps in automatic enrolment: Although automatic enrolment has been a great initiative, bringing millions of men and women into pensions for the first time, it does not cover the whole workforce.

In particular, those who earn under £10,000 per year from a single job, or those with multiple low-paid jobs, may miss out, and women are over-represented in these groups.

– Relationship breakdown: Where a couple divorce and there is a sharing of assets, pensions can often be overlooked or undervalued.

Where one member of a couple (typically a man) has built up much larger pension rights than the other, and nothing is done to even things up on divorce, this can leave the spouse with poor pension prospects when she retires.

You can read more about each of these issues in a paper I co-authored on this topic last year: The Gender Pension Gap – How did we get here, and where are we going?

In terms of solutions, there is no doubt that greater equality in the labour market would help, as would more equal contributions between men and women to caring responsibilities, though these could take decades to work through into improved retirement outcomes for women.

You have raised a creative suggestion which is that where an employee is part of a couple, the employer could pay equally into a pension for each partner.

One advantage of your idea is that both parties would build up equal pension rights and this would reduce the potential for unfairness in the event of a divorce.

There are, however, some significant practical problems with this idea.

I suspect employers would not be thrilled about the idea of having to make pension contributions for people who don’t even work for them.

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Although the total cost might be the same, there would be a considerable administrative burden in establishing the details of the other person to receive the contributions as well as keeping that information up-to-date as relationships are formed or break up.

Some employers would also, presumably, find themselves splitting the pension contributions which they currently make in respect of lower paid women so that half could go to a better paid spouse or partner.

If this was an ‘opt-in’ scheme it’s possible that many people wouldn’t bother as they can, if they wish, find simpler ways to even up their finances.

One example would be that in a couple concerned about this issue the higher earner could simply pay directly into the pension of the lower earner without needing to involve the employer.

The tax implications of doing this, both now and in retirement would however need to be thought through.

There is also the challenge that this idea could make the problem of small pension pots even worse.

We know that many people aren’t paying enough into their pension and that a short job spell can generate a relatively small pot.

If your suggestion was adopted, each job spell would now generate two pots, some of which would be very small indeed.

I welcome your creative thinking and it’s vital that this issue gets more attention.

Whilst I have my reservations about this specific idea, we certainly need to tackle these longstanding pension gaps sooner rather than later.

Ask Steve Webb a pension question

Former pensions minister Steve Webb is This Is Money’s agony uncle.

He is ready to answer your questions, whether you are still saving, in the process of stopping work, or juggling your finances in retirement.

Steve left the Department for Work and Pensions after the May 2015 election. He is now a partner at actuary and consulting firm Lane Clark & Peacock.

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If you would like to ask Steve a question about pensions, please email him at pensionquestions@thisismoney.co.uk.

Steve will do his best to reply to your message in a forthcoming column, but he won’t be able to answer everyone or correspond privately with readers. Nothing in his replies constitutes regulated financial advice. Published questions are sometimes edited for brevity or other reasons.

Please include a daytime contact number with your message – this will be kept confidential and not used for marketing purposes.

If Steve is unable to answer your question, you can also contact MoneyHelper, a Government-backed organisation which gives free assistance on pensions to the public. It can be found here and its number is 0800 011 3797.

Steve receives many questions about the state pension and ‘contracting out’. If you are writing to Steve on this topic, he responds to a typical reader question about the state pension and contracting out here.

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The economic consequences of the floods in Spain are catastrophic

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Inside the stunning Cornish lodge with after-hours access to one of the most beautiful gardens in England – and a secret beach

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Inside the stunning Cornish lodge with after-hours access to one of the most beautiful gardens in England – and a secret beach
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Trebah Garden is a work of art. I feel as though I’ve stepped inside Claude Monet’s painting ‘The Water Lily Pond’.

Thousands of flowers – two acres worth – in blue, magenta, cream and iridescent violet surround a sky-blue bridge over a lily pad-strewn pond in a scene that mirrors the artist’s famous work.

Hydrangea macrophylla. Gunnera manicata. Nymphaea. The Latin plant names detailed on tiny plaques by the flowers sound like whispered spells – and I am enchanted by this subtropical paradise on Cornwall’s southwest coast.

Great British Gardens was spellbound, too – ranking the 26-acre haven as one of the best gardens in England.

And like any self-respecting magical garden, it harbours secrets. One is newly opened Trebah Lodge at the head of the valley that the garden smothers. I stay there with my similarly mesmerised husband, arriving via the GWR Night Riviera sleeper train from London Paddington.

Inside the stunning Cornish lodge with after-hours access to one of the most beautiful gardens in England – and a secret beach

Sophie Foster checks in to Trebah Lodge on Cornwall’s southwest coast, which offers out-of-hours access to the magical Trebah Garden. Above is a spot there she likens to Claude Monet’s painting ‘The Water Lily Pond’

Luxurious: Trebah Lodge (above) is described by Sophie as 'a cosy, comforting abode'

Luxurious: Trebah Lodge (above) is described by Sophie as ‘a cosy, comforting abode’

We disembark, bleary-eyed, at 7am at Truro, from where it’s a 40-minute taxi ride to the lodge, lurking in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to the south of Falmouth.

We stumble out of the car in early morning sunshine and enter our home for the weekend – a cosy, comforting abode furnished with elegant Edwardian antiques, but sprinkled with enough modern amenities to stop us fully believing we’d stepped back in time.

But the most joyous aspect of staying at the lodge isn’t what’s inside, but having out-of-hours access to what’s outside – four miles of footpaths through a garden with almost 200 years of planting history.

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Easily enough foliage to keep us awestruck for the weekend.

Each morning, we wander into the valley past the Trebah Kitchen restaurant and into the lush garden basin that’s organised by a series of paths named after the plants, animals or landmarks nearby, or notable contributors to the estate.

The amusingly named Bamboozle is hemmed in by soaring bamboo stems.

Dreamy: Above is one of the elegantly appointed bedrooms in the lodge

Dreamy: Above is one of the elegantly appointed bedrooms in the lodge

Sophie says of the lodge: '[It's] furnished with elegant Edwardian antiques, but sprinkled with enough modern amenities to stop us fully believing we'd stepped back in time'

Sophie says of the lodge: ‘[It’s] furnished with elegant Edwardian antiques, but sprinkled with enough modern amenities to stop us fully believing we’d stepped back in time’

Strolling through Gunnera Passage – a walkway of giant rhubarb plants or ‘gunnera’ – feels like walking through Jurassic Park, with the enormous leaves stretching into a canopy and giant pink fur-like buds surrounding us up to the knees.

Thankfully, the only dinosaurs we find are ancient trees, some of which are the oldest living specimens of their kind in the United Kingdom.

We admire berries, seedpods and blooming flowers as we walk past the koi pond, the Stumpery with its felled trees and the water garden, where a manmade brook babbles.

The ‘Monet bridge’ is reached by ambling through the resplendent Hydrangea Valley. And just beyond is the garden’s second secret.

A private beach.

Pebbly Polgwidden Cove, also known as Trebah Beach, sits on the Helford River, a beautiful coastal inlet tucked between the western edge of Falmouth Bay and the eastern side of the Lizard Peninsula.

The water is sparklingly clear, but bracingly cold. Despite this, people wade in with their trousers rolled up around their knees.

Trebah Garden is on the lodge's doorstep - though there are no views of the 'paradise' from within

Trebah Garden is on the lodge’s doorstep – though there are no views of the ‘paradise’ from within 

Tiny plaques by the flowers in the garden, says Sophie, 'sound like whispered spells'

Tiny plaques by the flowers in the garden, says Sophie, ‘sound like whispered spells’

The garden contains four miles of footpaths with almost 200 years of planting history - and is home to some of the UK's oldest trees

The garden contains four miles of footpaths with almost 200 years of planting history – and is home to some of the UK’s oldest trees

Bloomin' marvellous: British Gardens ranked Trebah Garden one of the best in England

Bloomin’ marvellous: British Gardens ranked Trebah Garden one of the best in England

Out of the water, they buy ice cream (try the tart cherry sorbet), beer, local cider and snacks from a small shop and gather around signs to learn about the cove’s role in the Second World War and its nickname, ‘Yankee Beach’.

The shore was covered in concrete and transformed into a D-Day embarkation point by the 29th U.S Infantry Division from which they launched an assault on Omaha Beach in Normandy in 1944.

What remains of the concrete at the back of the beach is now a handy picnic spot with wooden tables on which we perch to eat sandwiches for lunch.

Trebah Garden's private beach - pebbly Polgwidden Cove, also known as Trebah Beach

Trebah Garden’s private beach – pebbly Polgwidden Cove, also known as Trebah Beach

Polgwidden Cove sits on the Helford River. The shore was covered in concrete and transformed into a D-Day embarkation point by the 29th U.S Infantry Division from which they launched an assault on Omaha Beach in Normandy in 1944. Today, what concrete remains forms a handy picnic area

Polgwidden Cove sits on the Helford River. The shore was covered in concrete and transformed into a D-Day embarkation point by the 29th U.S Infantry Division from which they launched an assault on Omaha Beach in Normandy in 1944. Today, what concrete remains forms a handy picnic area

The garden's paths are named after the plants, animals or landmarks nearby, or notable contributors to the estate

The garden’s paths are named after the plants, animals or landmarks nearby, or notable contributors to the estate

By day, we leave the waders and the ice-cream eaters to their own devices and head back to the lodge, knowing that we can return to the secret cove after the visitors have left.

Each night, as the light fades and the sky turns into a smear of pink and orange, we find ourselves alone on the beach and go swimming. It feels lazily decadent.

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One evening, while we float in the water, a double-masted, galley-like ship emerges from Helford River.

‘Smugglers?’ I ask. ‘Or pirates?’

‘You’ve not gone back in time, you know,’ replies my bemused spouse. Spoilsport.

I am transported, for a moment, into one of Thomas Buttersworth’s naval paintings.

Post-dip, chilly limbs are soothed by immersion in the lodge’s roll-top bath, and we snuggle in luxurious blankets dotted around the property as the night air turns crisp.

Above is the village of Helford Passage, home to The Ferry Boat Inn pub, which serves 'superb prawn tacos' and has outside tables with views of bobbing boats

Above is the village of Helford Passage, home to The Ferry Boat Inn pub, which serves ‘superb prawn tacos’ and has outside tables with views of bobbing boats

Trebah Garden is open daily from 9.30am. Access is free for lodge guests and £16 for visitors

Trebah Garden is open daily from 9.30am. Access is free for lodge guests and £16 for visitors

The kitchen has everything you need for rustling up dinner, but a 15-minute stroll to sample the food at The Ferry Boat Inn is a must.

This waterside gem, a bit further up the Helford River in the village of Helford Passage, has outside tables with views of bobbing sailboats and the nifty Helford ferry – and it does superb prawn tacos.

Stepping onto our train home at Truro station, I feel like I’ve emerged from a lost kingdom.

Here’s to the next 200 years of heavenly landscaping. 

TRAVEL FACTS 

Prices for Trebah Lodge start from £112 per night with a minimum three-night stay. Visit: trebahgarden.co.uk/trebah-lodge.

Trebah Garden is open daily from 9.30am. Access is free for guests and £16 for visitors.

Lodge ratings 

Pros: Incredible gardens, after-hours access, private beach, comfortable beds, super deep bath.

Cons: Tricky to reach without a car, no views of the garden from the lodge.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 

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