'We must give all kids water-safety lessons to stop more tragedies like the Mersea Island one'

'We must give all kids water-safety lessons to stop more tragedies like the Mersea Island one' The Rahman family hoped to enjoy a happy day out in the 21C sunshine — instead they're now grieving Samiha Rahman, 15, and her mother, Shelina, after the tragedy at West Mersea beach in Essex The deaths of Samiha Rahman and her mother, Shelina, are a tragedy beyond words. Samiha was 15 when she tried to save her seven-year-old cousin as the tide swept in at West Mersea. Her courage was extraordinary. The loss suffered by this family is unbearable. Which is why it must force Britain to confront a deadly inequality. Children from African, Caribbean and Asian backgrounds are three-and-a-half times more likely to drown. Too many families lack access to affordable swimming lessons, while too many youngsters reach summer without basic survival skills. That is why the Mirror’s Save Lives for Sam campaign matters. We are demanding compulsory water-safety lessons, a national awareness drive, proper rescue equipment at dangerous waters and Sam’s Law to make those protections permanent. Swimming is not a luxury or a sporting extra. It is a life skill. Samiha died trying to save someone she loved. Her bravery must now be matched by action that saves other families from the same devastation. Iran’s chilling threat against Britain is a sobering reminder of how quickly this country can be dragged into a conflict that is not ours. The use of RAF Fairford by American bombers may be presented as defensive, but to Tehran, it makes UK soil part of the battlefield. That puts our bases, service personnel and nearby communities in the firing line for decisions made in Washington. There can be no excuse for threats from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, whose record of violence and intimidation is well known. Britain must defend itself and stand firmly against aggression. But ministers also owe the public honesty. Allowing US forces to launch operations from Britain carries consequences. Parliament and the country deserve to know the risks before we are pulled deeper into a war not directly of our making. Britain’s pubs have been battered by soaring costs, closures and falling trade, so Andy Burnham’s rates cut is a welcome start. A 20 per cent cut in business rates will not transform every struggling local overnight, but it will help protect jobs, keep venues open and back the beating heart of communities.