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Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has urged SNP voters to put their faith in Labour in the wake of Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation. Speaking at the Scottish Labour conference in Edinburgh on Sunday, Sir Keir sought to boost his party’s fortunes north of the border, repeating again his claim that the road to electoral success “must run through Scotland”, adding he wanted to be a “prime minister for the UK, not […]

A woman in her 70s has died after being seriously assaulted in a park Police have launched a manhunt for a murder suspect following the death of an elderly woman in Exeter on Saturday. Officers were called to Ludwell Valley Park in the Wonford area of the city at around 4pm, following reports that the woman had been seriously assaulted. Emergency services were called, but the victim – who was […]

The 98 year old has 'decided to spend his remaining time at home with his family' Former US president Jimmy Carter has entered home hospice care, the Carter Centre has said. The charity created by the 98-year-old former president said on Twitter that after a series of short hospital stays, Mr Carter “decided to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice care instead of additional […]

Rishi Sunak has told world leaders they must arm Ukraine now and set about boosting its long-term future against further Russian aggression. The Prime Minister, in a speech at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, had a two-fold message for the West. The British leader said that Ukraine needed military backing by allies to counter any spring offensive by Russian president Vladimir Putin’s troops. But he argued the West must […]

Nearly two weeks after a massive earthquake levelled tens of thousands of buildings and displaced millions of people in Turkey and Syria, many are still struggling to fulfil their basic needs and some are living in tents, factories, train carriages and greenhouses. People driven from their homes in the disaster zone described being unable to have hot showers, while others feared freezing to death. The Turkish government and dozens of […]

Rishi Sunak is to hold talks with European leaders in a bid to fix issues with the Northern Ireland Protocol, despite reservations among Eurosceptic Tory backbenchers. There is mounting speculation that the UK and EU could unveil a deal aimed at breaking the impasse over the contentious post-Brexit trading arrangements early next week. The Prime Minister is expected to meet with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the […]

It will be conducted by their Head of Crime, Detective Chief Superintendent Pauline Stables Lancashire Police is set to conduct an internal review into the Nicola Bulley investigation. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said he was “concerned that private information was put into the public domain” by officers during a press conference on Wednesday. He told broadcasters he was “pleased that the police are looking at how that happened in […]

Liz Truss has urged democratic nations to stand up to China and learn the lessons of not taking earlier and tougher action against Russia. Speaking in Japan in her first public speech since her resignation as prime minister, Ms Truss called on the international community to agree a co-ordinated package of defence, economic and political measures to support Taiwan. Her comments come as her successor, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, faces […]

Ambulance workers will stage a fresh strike on Friday in the long-running dispute over pay and staffing. Members of the GMB and Unite in the West Midlands will mount picket lines outside hospitals across the region. Stuart Richards, GMB senior organiser, said: “West Midlands ambulance workers are on strike over this year’s pay. “But ministers seem to think GMB members will be fobbed off by pretending this year’s cost of […]

Members of the Public and Commercial Services union in Dover and French ports including Calais will walk out from tomorrow and over the weekend Border Force workers will stage a fresh strike on Friday as part of the increasingly bitter dispute over pay, jobs, pensions and conditions in the civil service. Members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) in Dover and French ports including Calais will walk out […]

Successful trials of a new method of screening ambulance calls will see England’s public told to seek alternative treatment unless their condition is life-threatening. The BBC reported that NHS England wants calls reviewed so those concerning non-life-threatening conditions – referred to under category two, which includes emergencies such as heart attacks and strokes but also burns and severe headaches – are referred instead to an urgent treatment clinic, a GP […]

Michael Carrick hailed a “complete team performance” as Middlesbrough ended promotion rivals Sheffield United’s long unbeaten run with a 3-1 win at Bramall Lane. The Blades had not been beaten in 10 Championship games and looked on course to move 13 points clear of third-placed Boro after Oli McBurnie gave United an early lead. But the visitors hit back to level through Chuba Akpom before Cameron Archer scored twice to […]

An extra £421 million of Government cash will be used to boost alcohol and drug treatment and recovery across England, ministers have said. The new funding will be given to councils across the country to fund initiatives aimed at tackling addiction and cutting crime. Some 151 councils are being allocated funding from the Department of Health and Social Care, which will allow them to recruit more staff to help people […]

British police forces are “shot through” with Chinese cameras, drones and other surveillance equipment, a watchdog has warned. Biometrics and surveillance camera commissioner Fraser Sampson said the findings of a survey carried out by his office (the OBSCC) also suggested bodies using the equipment were “generally aware that there are security and ethical concerns about the companies supplying their kit”. The findings come amid growing concerns about the threat of […]

That's according to a statement from Virgin Orbit A dislodged fuel filter caused last month’s failure of the first attempt to launch satellites into orbit from the UK, Virgin Orbit has said. This caused an engine to overheat, leading to the malfunction of components and the premature shutdown of the LauncherOne rocket’s thrust, according to the company founded by billionaire Sir Richard Branson. The rocket components and payload then fell […]

She was found by members of the public as she lay wounded on a path in Linear Park, in Culcheth Two 15-year-olds have been charged with the murder of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey, who was found dead in a Cheshire park. Cheshire Police said the 15-year-old girl, from Warrington, and the 15-year-old boy, from Leigh, had been charged on Wednesday. Brianna, from Birchwood in Warrington, was found by members of the […]

Political leaders must “take a clear stand” and condemn violence against asylum seekers, charities have said. They warned of a high risk that disorder seen at the weekend could be repeated across the country. A number of organisations have signed an open letter following “horrifying” scenes outside a Merseyside hotel housing asylum seekers on Friday, which saw fireworks thrown at police and a police van attacked with hammers and set […]

Design and technology pupils should be focusing on designing solutions to global challenges rather than creating products which often end up in landfill, one of the UK’s biggest education companies has suggested.Design and technology pupils should be focusing on designing solutions to global challenges rather than creating products which often end up in landfill, one of the UK’s biggest education companies has suggested. Pearson, which runs exam board Edexcel, is […]

More than £150 million has been spent on social care overtime in the last five years, figures have shown. Data obtained by the Scottish Conservatives through freedom of information (FOI) legislation, revealed that 30 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities have had to fork out because of significant staff shortages. In 2018/19, £27,656,443 was spent on overtime in the sector, increasing to £34,316,478 by 2021/22 – a 24% increase. And in […]

Everton winger Alex Iwobi is happier with his football than he has been for a long time – even if new manager Sean Dyche’s methods have left him too tired to get off the sofa. The 26-year-old, who said talks over a new contract are looking “positive”, has been one the club’s best performers over the last 18 months. But as he begins life under a fifth different permanent boss […]

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists he gets emotional after defeats because he is a bad loser and not because he has run out of patience with the job. The German was involved in a terse press conference following last weekend’s 3-0 defeat to Wolves – their seventh in the Premier League this season – and with the team continuing to under-perform speculation has started concerning the 55-year-old’s future. Klopp, who […]

Son Heung-min admitted talk was cheap after Tottenham were routed at Leicester. The Foxes thumped Spurs 4-1 in the Premier League on Saturday in a damaging blow to their Champions League hopes. Rodrigo Bentancur grabbed a first-half opener but goals from Nampalys Mendy, James Maddison, Kelechi Iheanacho and Harvey Barnes left Tottenham fifth in the Premier League. Spurs go to AC Milan for the first leg of their Champions League […]

BBC chairman Richard Sharp’s position is in increased peril after MPs found he made “significant errors of judgment” by acting as a go-between for a loan for Boris Johnson. A cross-party committee was furious that Mr Sharp failed to declare to MPs his role in facilitating the loan when he was applying for the job of BBC chairman and said he should “consider the impact his omissions will have” on […]

Rihanna is set to perform live for the first time in seven years with her highly anticipated title slot at the 2023 Super Bowl half-time show. The Barbadian singer is expected to be joined by multiple special guests during the biggest event in the US sporting calendar. The game at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, will see the Philadelphia Eagles take on the Kansas City Chiefs. Ahead of […]

Ivan Toney scored a deserved equaliser as Brentford left Arsenal with a draw that could blow the Premier League title race wide open. Leandro Trossard’s first goal for Arsenal had given them the lead in a game where they toiled for large periods, with Toney nodding in a leveller to earn the Bees a 1-1 draw and extend their unbeaten league run to 10 games. Arsenal had lost at struggling Everton last week and could […]

Design guru Sir Jony Ive has created an emblem inspired by the King’s “love of the planet, nature, and his deep concern for the natural world” to mark his coronation. Sir Jony, credited with designing Apple’s iPhone – one of the best-loved gadgets of the modern age, and his creative collective, LoveFrom, have produced the insignia to celebrate Charles’s new reign. It features a stylised image of St Edward’s Crown, which will […]

She has been missing since the 27th of January The partner of missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley says it has always been his “gut instinct” that she is not in the river. Ms Bulley vanished while walking her springer spaniel dog Willow alongside the River Wyre in St Michael’s on Wyre on January 27. Speaking to 5 News presenter Dan Walker, Paul Ansell said he wants to keep “all options open” […]

The mother-of-two has been missing for over two weeks Police have urged people to refrain from indulging in commentary and conspiracy theories about missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley. The 45-year-old disappeared while walking her springer spaniel dog Willow, alongside the River Wyre in St Michael’s on Wyre on January 27, sparking a major ongoing police search effort. On Friday, Lancashire Police appeared to call out social media sleuths for their “hurtful […]

Sales of used cars declined by 8.5% in the UK last year, new figures show. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said just 6.9 million vehicles changed hands in 2022, down from 7.5 million during the previous 12 months. The industry body said a squeeze on the supply of new cars restricted the amount of stock entering the second-hand market. Used battery electric cars bucked the trend, with […]

A group of investors with combined assets of more than 1.5 trillion US dollars (£1.23 trillion) have written to five of Europe’s biggest banks, including Barclays, urging them to stop lending to fossil fuel firms. Responsible investment group ShareAction coordinated the letters which have been backed by up to 30 investors. They ask one or more of the banks to stop directly financing new oil and gas fields by the […]

Labour’s Ashley Dalton told the Conservatives “move out of the way” after a comfortable win in the West Lancashire by-election. She demanded a general election, telling Prime Minister Rishi Sunak that it was time for Labour to take over. Bitterly cold conditions on polling day and the expectation of an easy Labour hold contributed to a turnout of less than 32%. Ms Dalton, who works part-time for a local charity, […]

Titles incorporating themes of mental health lead the shortlist for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize for 2023. The winner, which will be selected from a total of 18 books across three categories and voted for by Waterstones booksellers, will be announced during a ceremony on March 30. With six books nominated in each category, the illustrated books nominees include The Missing Piece, by author Jordan Stephens and illustrator Beth Suzanna, […]

House prices are starting to reflect the shift in demand in the market, according to surveyors. Agreed sales, house prices and new instructions to sell homes remained on a downward trend in January, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) said. Property professionals’ expectations suggest this picture is likely to remain in place for a while longer as the market adjusts to higher interest rates, Rics’ report added. A net […]

Around 70 members of the UK International Search and Rescue Team have arrived in Turkey to assist with the search operation as the death toll from the 7.8 magnitude earthquake approached 12,000. The team of volunteers, which included firefighters, medics, engineers and vets, was joined by crews from at least 24 countries. UK International Search and Rescue team coordinator Mark Davey said it had taken a lot of organisation to […]

Britain will narrowly avoid a recession this year, but there will be little respite for under-pressure families – with around seven million households expected to struggle to pay energy and food bills, according to an economic think tank. The National Institute of Economic and Social Research (Niesr) has forecast that the UK will swerve a technical recession – as defined by two or more quarters of falling gross domestic product […]

Child victims of sexual abuse are waiting more than 600 days to see their attackers brought to justice, figures suggest. A report by the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse (CSA Centre) found that in 2021/22 it took an average of 261 days for police to reach a charging decision after a crime was reported, and then another 353 days for the matter to be concluded in court. That […]

McDonald’s has signed a legal agreement with the equality watchdog amid concerns over how it has handled sexual harassment complaints made by UK staff. The move comes after allegations by workers at the fast-food chain’s US restaurants of sexual harassment in the workplace over several years and the company’s failure to deal with the issue. It is not known how many current complaints have been made in the UK but […]

Profit more than doubled at oil giant BP last year as the business benefited from runaway gas prices caused by the war in Ukraine. The company said that it would invest an additional eight billion dollars (£6.6 billion) each in the energy transition, and in oil and gas, as boss Bernard Looney promised to keep affordable energy flowing. The business said that underlying replacement cost profit – the figure most […]

Rapist Metropolitan Police officer David Carrick is facing a life sentence after committing “violent and brutal sexual offences” against a dozen women. Carrick, who joined the Met in 2001 before becoming an armed officer with the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command in 2009, pleaded guilty to 49 charges, including 24 counts of rape. Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb is expected to sentence Carrick, 48, from Stevenage, Hertfordshire, at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday. […]

Civil servants warned ministers that they did not have enough time to properly assess some of the energy support packages that will together cost the taxpayer about £69 billion, an official report has found. The programmes were rushed through after ministers had held off announcing extra support because they were waiting for the Conservative leadership election to play out. It meant that civil servants only had three weeks to put […]

NHS leaders have warned the service is facing its worst day of disruption yet as tens of thousands of nurses and ambulance staff in England are set to walk out in support of pay claims. Monday’s industrial action – expected to be the biggest strike in the history of the NHS – marks the first time the two groups have staged stoppages on the same day during the current wave […]

Harry Kane’s record-breaking goal fired 10-man Tottenham to a 1-0 win over Manchester City to further dent the champions’ titles hopes. Kane slotted home after quarter of an hour to break the deadlock and move past Jimmy Greaves as Spurs’ all-time leading marksman, having gone level with the late forward against Fulham two weeks ago. It proved enough to keep up Tottenham’s excellent record against City, who could have gone […]

New manager Sean Dyche re-ignited the energy and tenacity missing for so long as Everton won their first match since October but warned there was much more required to drag the club out of danger. There was an echo of Walter Smith’s ‘Dogs of War’ of the mid-1990s in the 1-0 victory over Premier League leaders Arsenal, a result built on midfield aggression, defensive commitment and finished by James Tarkowski’s […]

A woman described as a “key witness” by police searching for missing mother Nicola Bulley has come forward, as the force warned against “totally unacceptable” speculation and abuse on social media. On Saturday, officers said they wanted to trace a person seen pushing a pram in the area near where the dog walker went missing. In an update on its Facebook page, Lancashire Police said the woman had come forward […]

Liz Truss has said she was never given a “realistic chance” to implement her radical tax-cutting agenda by her party and by a “powerful economic establishment”. In her first detailed comments since she was forced out of No 10, the former prime minister said she had not appreciated the strength of the resistance she would face to her plans. While she acknowledged that she was not “blameless” over the way […]

Nurses leaders have issued a direct appeal to Rishi Sunak to intervene in their pay dispute as the NHS faces its biggest day of industrial action in its history. In a letter to the Prime Minister, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) general secretary Pat Cullen said that a “meaningful” pay offer from the Government could still avert strike action. She drew a comparison with his swift action sacking Conservative […]

Boris Johnson has thrown his weight behind calls for tax cuts to kickstart growth and boost the Tories’ chances of winning the next general election. The former prime minister said he had “no doubt” the Government would start to get the tax burden down “when the time comes” and would reap the reward at the ballot box. Rishi Sunak and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt have been resisting demands from some Tory […]

The NHS will struggle to clear treatment backlogs and improve emergency care unless strikes by thousands of staff are brought to an end, health leaders have said. The NHS Confederation, which represents NHS organisations, said the Government must “show initiative” to end the dispute or risk patients suffering even longer waiting times than at present. Thousands of nurses and ambulance workers are due to strike on Monday in what many […]

Lyne Barlow has been sent to prison for nine years A travel agent who pretended to family and customers that she had cancer as part of a £2.6m con has been jailed for nine years. Married mother-of-two Lyne Barlow, 39, formerly of Stanley, County Durham, sold holidays around the world for too-good-to-be-true prices, conning more than 1,400 victims before her business crashed in September 2020. She even stole £520,000 from […]

He replaces John Mousinho, who left the role to become Portsmouth Head Coach Leyton Orient defender Omar Beckles has been elected the new chair of the Professional Footballers’ Association. The 31-year-old was chosen by fellow members of the PFA Players’ Board, the formal player representation body within the union which is made up of elected PFA members from the Premier League, WSL and EFL. “I’m honoured to be elected to […]

The film is due to be released on Friday The Princess of Wales has been pictured with radio presenter Roman Kemp wrapped up against the winter chill during the filming of a video to promote her early years campaign. Wearing a sheepskin coat, polo neck jumper and gloves, Kate smiles for the photographer with Kemp beside her in the image taken in Hertfordshire last month. The princess launched her Shaping […]

Rishi Sunak made the comments in an interview with Piers Morgan Rishi Sunak insisted he can get the economy growing again “this year” as he urged people to “have hope” despite bleak assessments of the UK’s finances. The Prime Minister said on Thursday he could quickly turn around the nation’s fortunes after the Bank of England predicted a recession will be shorter and shallower than expected. But the Bank hiked […]

The reforms follow the murders of Star Hobson and Arthur Labinjo-Hughes Families with vulnerable youngsters will be given extra support before they reach crisis point under a sweeping shake-up of children’s social care. The plan, which follows criticism of the safeguarding system in the wake of the murders of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes and Star Hobson, will see early interventions for families with addiction, domestic abuse or mental health problems to help them stay […]

The Prime Minister will mark his centenary of days in Downing Street facing questions over his judgment Rishi Sunak’s political rivals said the first 100 days of his reign as prime minister have been “dogged by a festering swamp of Tory sleaze scandals”. The Prime Minister will mark his centenary of days in Downing Street on Thursday facing questions over his judgment as an investigation into one of his Cabinet ministers […]

That's according to the Nationwide The average UK house price fell by 0.6% in January, according to an index. Annual house price growth slowed to 1.1%, from 2.8% in December, and the typical property value is now 3.2% lower than its August peak, Nationwide Building Society said. The average UK house price in January 2023 was £258,297. The annual growth rate of 1.1% is the lowest since the early months […]

Chelsea and Manchester United beat the clock in the final minutes of the transfer window with the Blues breaking the British transfer record by signing Enzo Fernandez from Benfica. The 22-year-old midfielder has signed a deal that will run until 2031, with Chelsea paying £106.8million (121m euros) for the Argentina World Cup winner. Announcing the deal, Benfica said: “In a statement sent to the Securities Market Commission (CMVM) at 12:13am […]

A four-year-old girl has died after reports of a dog attack in Milton Keynes, Thames Valley Police said. Officers were called by the ambulance service just past 5pm on Tuesday after a report that a dog had attacked a child in the back garden of a property in Broadlands, Netherfield. It was confirmed shortly after that the child had died at the scene. The dog has since been “humanely destroyed”. No-one else was hurt and the […]

Teachers in England and Wales are among around half a million people walking out today Hundreds of thousands of workers – including school teachers – are going on strike for what will be the biggest day of industrial action in more than a decade. Teachers in England and Wales, who are members of the National Education Union (NEU), will embark on their first day of strikes on Wednesday, which threaten […]

He says Britain has taken “huge strides” in taking advantage of the opportunities opened up following the departure from the EU Britain has taken “huge strides” in taking advantage of the opportunities opened up by Brexit to address the challenges facing the country, Rishi Sunak has said. In a statement to mark the third anniversary on Tuesday of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, the Prime Minister said the country […]

He leaves with the club 14th in the La Liga table Gennaro Gattuso has left Valencia after just seven months in charge of the LaLiga club. The former AC Milan and Napoli manager, 45, ends his short reign with Valencia languishing in 14th in the table, only one point above the relegation zone. Gatusso’s final match was a 1-0 away defeat to Real Valladolid on Sunday. Voro takes control of […]

They confirmed the news on Instagram Love Island stars Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury have welcomed their first child. The couple announced the news on Instagram with a black-and-white photograph showing them on a hospital bed as Fury, 23, cradles the newborn in his arms and Hague, also 23, hugs her partner. The post was captioned “23/01/23” with a white heart emoji. A gender reveal video previously showed Fury bursting […]

England captain Jos Buttler revealed he is having to reacclimatise to one-day internationals as the world champions succumbed to their fifth straight defeat in the format. Buttler is widely regarded as one of the best white-ball batters in the world and has racked up 161 ODI appearances but only 19 of those have been in the three and half years since England won the World Cup. Existing mainly on a […]

National League leaders Wrexham were denied another FA Cup giant-killing as 10-man Championship high-flyers Sheffield United snatched a stoppage-time equaliser in an absorbing 3-3 draw. The famous old Racecourse ground has witnessed its fair share of shocks – with a picture of Mickey Thomas’ famous free-kick goal against Arsenal in the FA Cup in 1992 hanging on the wall of the Turf Hotel adjoining the stadium – and this was almost one […]

Stevenage’s FA Cup run came to an end as they were defeated 3-1 by Stoke in an entertaining tie. The in-form League Two side, buoyed on by 3,291 travelling supporters, were eyeing passage to the fifth round of the competition for the first time since 2012. However, their return to the midlands – where they came from behind to upset Unai Emery’s Aston Villa in the previous round – was an […]

The Government is set to publish an urgent and emergency care plan on Monday, as the Health Secretary admitted that there was “no quick fix” to the serious pressures facing the NHS. It comes as the Department of Health announced plans for tens of thousands of elderly and vulnerable people to receive tailored support at home each month, as part of a strategy to shift some NHS care out of […]

Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union leader Mick Lynch has said its members will decide whether to accept an offer to end the long-running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions. The RMT general secretary claimed the Rail Delivery Group’s (RDG) offer is “very challenging”, adding: “I don’t know if our members would be prepared to accept it.” But he stressed that members would be consulted over the coming days before […]

The wife of Wales’s First Minister Mark Drakeford has died suddenly, the Welsh Government said. A spokesman said: “It is with deep sadness that we confirm the sudden passing of Clare Drakeford, wife of the First Minister. “The thoughts of everyone in the Welsh Government are with the family at this time and we ask that their privacy is respected.” Mr Drakeford became First Minister of Wales in 2018 and […]

Roy hit 113 off 91 deliveries in Bloemfontein Jason Roy roared back into form with a masterful 79-ball hundred but England’s batting collapse saw South Africa snatch an unlikely victory on Jofra Archer’s international return. Roy has had a prolonged lean run but registered his first 50-plus score in 15 international innings with 113 off 91 deliveries in the first of three ODIs against the Proteas in Bloemfontein. He put […]

The grime artist, whose real name is Dylan Mills, was found guilty at a trial in April last year of assaulting Cassandra Jones Grime star Dizzee Rascal has lost his appeal against his conviction for assaulting his ex-fiancee. The grime artist, 38, whose real name is Dylan Mills, was found guilty at a trial in April last year of assaulting Cassandra Jones by pressing his forehead against hers and pushing […]

It sold for much more than the pre-auction estimate A dress worn by Diana, Princess of Wales has been sold for nearly half a million pounds in an auction at Sotheby’s New York salesroom. The “Infanta”-style strapless purple evening gown, by Victor Edelstein, which Diana wore in a royal portrait in 1991, was bought on Friday for 604,800 dollars (£488,15) at the curated auction The One. Sotheby’s said the final […]

Moscow-born Alex Gerko has spoken out against Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine A mathematician who was born in Russia and has spoken out against Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine was the UK’s biggest taxpayer last year. The Sunday Times tax list revealed on Friday that 100 wealthy people or families contributed nearly £5.2 billion in tax in the UK last year. Nearly £1 in every £10 of this came from […]

The Chancellor is set to deliver a major speech in London this morning Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will dismiss misplaced “gloom” about the prospects for the UK economy, saying Britain stands ready to take advantage of its Brexit “freedoms” to become a new world leader. In a keynote speech on Friday, Mr Hunt will deliver an upbeat message, saying: “Declinism about Britain was wrong in the past and it is wrong today”. But despite the […]

The five black police officers are all accused of being responsible for the death of the black driver Five fired Memphis police officers have been charged with murder and other crimes over the death of a black driver three days after a traffic stop. Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy told a news conference that although the officers each played different roles in the death of Tyre Nichols, “they are all responsible”. […]

A total of 775,014 cars were built in 2022, a drop of almost 10% on the previous year UK car production fell to its lowest level since 1956 last year as output was hit by global shortages of semiconductor chips, new figures show. A total of 775,014 cars were built in 2022, down 9.8% from the 859,575 made during the previous year, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said. December rounded off […]

They're the latest group of health staff to stage a walkout, with more industrial action planned for next month Thousands of physiotherapists will go on strike today for the first time over pay in worsening disputes across the NHS. Members of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) in 30 trusts across England will walk out in an escalation of industrial action by health workers in the long-running pay row with […]

A new e-fit has been released as detectives try to confirm that he killed the 19 year old A new e-fit of the prime suspect in the murder of Leah Croucher has been released as detectives try to confirm that he killed the 19-year-old. Neil Maxwell, a sex offender who killed himself while on the run from police, died in April 2019 – two months after Ms Croucher vanished. Officers from Thames Valley Police […]

Ministers have been warned that local journalism will struggle to survive without new support and fresh thinking from the Government. The Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Committee found that, while some small publishers have adapted to the challenges of declining advertising revenue and the shift to a largely online readership over the last two decades, the position of many papers remains precarious. Local newspapers have been among those hit […]

The North of England receives one of the lowest levels of investment among advanced economies, a think tank has said. If the region were a country, Greece would be the only OECD nation to see less public and private investment, according to the IPPR North’s State of the North report. The researchers found that the UK as a whole ranks 35 among the 38 OECD countries in terms of receiving […]

Four advertisements for electric mini-heaters have been banned for misleadingly suggesting they could provide cheaper heating than gas and save householders money. The ads, for the InstaHeat, Keilini, Heater Pro and Heater Pro X, all suggested they were a cheaper alternative to gas central heating and could rapidly warm a room. The advert for the Keilini heater said: “It’s not surprising this winter energy bills for an average household could […]

Novak Djokovic has hit back at critics accusing him of “faking” his hamstring injury by saying it adds to his motivation to win the Australian Open title. The condition of the Serbian’s left leg has been a major talking point at Melbourne Park after he arrived at the tournament nursing the injury and then took medical timeouts in his second and third-round matches. But he still won both and then […]

Emily Atack has said it is “important” to make catcalling a “public health issue” as she fronts a new BBC Two documentary about her experiences of sexual harassment. The Inbetweeners star said verbal street harassment – with culprits shouting often sexual comments in public – can be “very damaging” to people’s lives. In Emily Atack: Asking For It?, she explores how “something so grotesque, aggressive, malicious and violent” as sexual […]

Scams where victims are asked to pay fees upfront for goods or services such as loans that never materialise have surged, figures from Lloyds Bank indicate. People with a poor credit history may be particularly likely to be targeted as households feel the squeeze from cost-of-living pressures. The number of “advance fee” frauds reported to Lloyds Banking Group by customers jumped by 82% across 2022, compared with 2021. The average […]

The Welsh Rugby Union is facing allegations of sexism and discrimination which have left MP and former Wales international Tonia Antoniazzi expressing “great concerns” over the women’s game in the country. A number of ex-WRU employees have taken part in an investigation by BBC Wales, to be screened on Monday night, making accusations about their time at the governing body. Charlotte Wathan, general manager of women’s rugby until her resignation […]

Commonly-prescribed antidepressants can make patients become less sensitive to rewards – affecting a key behavioural learning process that can lead to emotional dullness, according to scientists. Researchers have found that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, can affect reinforcement learning, which allows people to learn from their actions and their environment. These drugs work by targeting the body’s “feel-good” chemical known as serotonin, which carries messages between nerve cells in […]

The UK is lagging behind international rivals on green growth, the chief of the Confederation of British Industry will warn, as he urges the Government to take “big decisions” to boost the economy. Tony Danker will call on Chancellor Jeremy Hunt not to “shy away from the hard decisions that can reverse the UK’s trajectory” of falling investment in his spring budget. In a speech at University College London on […]

There'll be a balcony appearance at the palace, and a star-studded concert at Windsor Castle A balcony appearance at Buckingham Palace, a concert featuring global stars and a day of volunteering will all form part of celebrations for the King’s coronation. The palace has revealed new details on plans for events that will take place over the coronation weekend from Saturday May 6 to Monday May 8. The coronation of the King and Queen Consort […]

Forecasters have issued a further weather warning for fog this weekend – but said the UK is “over the worst” of the cold snap. The Met Office said parts of England will be hit by difficult driving conditions while freezing temperatures could see untreated surfaces become slippery. The yellow weather warning will be in place between 2am and 11am on Sunday, with Yorkshire down to East Anglia expected to see […]

Liverpool’s goalless draw with Chelsea – only their second in 80 league meetings – was as unsurprising as it was disappointing as two struggling sides failed to rise to the occasion. For the last decade such a result between the two would often have been viewed as satisfactory but this was a missed opportunity for both and was a poor return on Jurgen Klopp’s 1,000th game as a manager. Both […]

A series of strikes by teachers is set to go ahead after talks failed to achieve a breakthrough in a dispute over pay. A series of strikes by teachers is set to go ahead after talks failed to achieve a breakthrough in a dispute over pay. Teaching union leaders spent six hours with officials at the Department for Education but the row remains unresolved. Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National […]

The Prime Minister has accepted a fine from police for failing to wear a seatbelt while filming a social media clip in the back of a moving car. Rishi Sunak was issued with a fixed penalty notice by Lancashire Constabulary after he was spotted not wearing his seatbelt in an Instagram video he filmed to promote levelling-up funding during a visit to Lancashire. Downing Street said Mr Sunak “fully accepts […]

He was reported missing in the Baldy Bowl area on Friday evening The phone belonging to British actor Julian Sands appears to show he was on the move heading into a mountainous area in southern California on the day he was reported missing. Sands, 65, was reported missing during a hiking trip in the Baldy Bowl area of the San Gabriel mountains on Friday, as searches by local authorities continue […]

That's according to the Recruitment and Employment Confederation Recruitment agencies have reported an increase in job adverts, especially for police officers, domestic workers and staff in the leisure industry. The number of adverts was 1.53 million in the first week of January, including 184,000 new ones, an increase of 1.5% on the previous week, said the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC). Job adverts went above 1.5 million in mid-December and […]

That's according to the property website, Zoopla Around one million homes across the UK have now had all the gains in value made during the coronavirus pandemic wiped out in recent months, according to calculations by a property website. Using its own valuation estimates, Zoopla looked at increases in property values since February 2022 and compared this with how prices have performed in the past six months, as the market […]

It follows a Home Office report Rape victims are having “significant” amounts of their personal records “unnecessarily requested” by police, causing delays in criminal investigations, according to a Home Office report. In some cases, records were being requested to “test” the credibility of victims, the Government response to a consultation suggested. The Home Office vowed to change the law in the wake of the findings to better protect victims from […]

Jacinda Ardern has announced her shock resignation as New Zealand Prime Minister, saying she “no longer has enough in the tank” to do the role justice. Ms Ardern on Thursday told reporters her last day would be no later than February 7. In an emotional speech at the New Zealand Labour party’s annual caucus meeting, the 42-year-old said it was “time” to step down. Ms Ardern said: “I’m leaving, because […]

Yems was handed a 15-month ban from football last week The Football Association is looking into the possibility of a legal challenge against the findings of its own independent panel, which conclude former Crawley manager John Yems was “not a conscious racist”. Yems was handed a 15-month ban after admitting to one charge and being found guilty of 11 others relating to comments that referenced either ethnic origin, colour, race, […]

One took place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the other in a public house in Islington Arsenal say two “disturbing” incidents of anti-semitism are being investigated following the north London derby against Tottenham. The Premier League club have announced one of the incidents took place at Sunday’s game, which Arsenal won 2-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and the other at a public house in Islington. An Arsenal statement said: […]

They have discussed a number of issues including Ukraine The UK and the US have reaffirmed their support for Ukraine in its struggle against the Russian invasion. After talks at the State Department in Washington with Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, US secretary of state Antony Blinken said they remained committed to backing Ukraine “for as long as it takes”. Mr Blinken welcomed Rishi Suank’s decision to supply British Challenger 2 […]

It starts in July in Canada, with concerts across North America and Europe Madonna has announced a global tour featuring her greatest hits from four decades. The Queen of Pop will visit 35 cities during Madonna: The Celebration Tour, which kicks off in Vancouver in Canada on July 15 and will be followed by stops across North America. The 64-year-old will then cross over to Europe, where she will perform […]

He says will contact his dressmaker to create an outfit in which to receive his knighthood as soon as he gets a date from the Palace Sir Grayson Perry said he has “intuition around the language of dress” and will contact his dressmaker to create an outfit in which to receive his knighthood as soon as he gets a date from the Palace. The 62-year-old artist, writer and broadcaster, who […]

Play was suspended at the Australian Open on Tuesday afternoon because of extreme heat. Play was suspended at the Australian Open on Tuesday afternoon because of extreme heat. With the temperature into the mid-30s, the tournament’s heat stress scale, which also takes into account humidity and wind speed, hit five just after 2pm, meaning play was stopped on the outside courts. Among those affected was British number two Dan Evans, […]

Agency staff and volunteers could be used to cover classes if teachers go on strike, with schools expected to remain open where possible and the most vulnerable pupils given priority. Agency staff and volunteers could be used to cover classes if teachers go on strike, with schools expected to remain open where possible and the most vulnerable pupils given priority. The Department for Education (DfE) has issued updated guidance for […]

The victory lifts Posh two places to seventh in League One, while Port Vale remain 11th. Ephron Mason-Clark struck a quickfire second-half double to hand Darren Ferguson a winning start to his fourth spell as Peterborough manager with a 2-0 victory at Port Vale. Ferguson, who replaced Grant McCann earlier this month, engineered his team’s first away success in five matches and denied Vale a fourth straight home win. The […]

The wave of industrial action which has swept across the country for months will continue this week and could escalate unless there is a breakthrough to bitter disputes over pay, jobs and conditions. The wave of industrial action which has swept across the country for months will continue this week and could escalate unless there is a breakthrough to bitter disputes over pay, jobs and conditions. Members of the Royal […]

The man in his 60s was taken into custody in Cheshire A man has been arrested under terrorism laws after traces of uranium were found in a cargo package at Heathrow Airport, police said. Border Force officers found the radioactive material with a shipment of scrap metal on December 29 which, according to the Sun newspaper, had originated in Pakistan and was bound for Iranians in the UK. Police in […]

It happened as the aircraft was landing at a newly-opened airport in the resort town of Pokhara Authorities in Nepal said 68 people have been confirmed dead after a regional passenger plane with 72 on board crashed into a gorge while landing at a newly-opened airport in the resort town of Pokhara. It is the country’s deadliest aviation accident in three decades. Scores of rescue workers and onlookers crowded near the steep […]

Emma Raducanu feels lucky to have England captain Harry Kane in her corner as she looks to take the next steps in her professional career. The 20-year-old goes into 2023 feeling positive about her game and her prospects, and appears to have overcome an untimely ankle injury ahead of a first-round meeting against Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch at the Australian Open on Monday morning. Raducanu’s remarkable US Open triumph saw her […]

Death threats sent to chairman Bill Kenwright and the recent physical assault of chief executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale forced Everton into the unprecedented step of ordering all board members not to attend their match with Southampton. Tensions are running high among the fanbase with the club facing a second successive relegation battle and while supporters will stage a sit-in protest after the final whistle, events in the lead-up to the must-win […]

The UK has sanctioned Iran’s prosecutor general after the “barbaric regime” executed a dual British-Iranian national on spy charges. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said the move “underlines our disgust” at the decision to put Alireza Akbari to death. Prosecutor general Mohammad Jafar Montazeri is at the “heart of Iran’s use of the death penalty”, the Cabinet minister added. It comes after Iranian state media on Saturday announced that Mr Akbari, […]

Single-use plastic plates, cutlery and a host of other items are set to be banned in England from October, the Government has said. The Department for the Environment said that a new ban will also cover single-use plastic bowls, trays as well as certain types of polystyrene cups and food containers, as the Government seeks to curb the “devastating” impact of plastic on the environment. Department officials said that England […]

Heavy rain and blustery winds across much of the UK this weekend will be followed by a period of potentially severe cold weather next week. The Met Office has issued yellow warnings for rain for Wales and many parts of England which are in place from Friday night until midday on Saturday. A yellow warning for wind and rain is in place in Northern Ireland from 2pm on Saturday until […]

That's according to the Russian Anti-Doping Agency, RUSADA Kamila Valieva bore “no fault or negligence” for her positive drugs test that was made public during last year’s Winter Olympics in Beijing, according to the Russian Anti-Doping Agency, RUSADA. The result of RUSADA’s overdue investigation has been made public by the World Anti-Doping Agency, WADA, who expressed concern and have threatened to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for […]

The Prime Minister and the Scottish First Minister will jointly announce millions in UK Government funding on Friday Rishi Sunak insisted Scotland’s NHS is benefiting from “extra investment” thanks to the UK Government, as he used a trip north of the border to highlight the benefits of staying in the UK. The Prime Minister, who was meeting Nicola Sturgeon for the second time since moving into Number 10 in October, […]

It follows talk with political parties in Belfast Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he is hopeful that an agreement can be reached between the EU and the UK on the Northern Ireland Protocol which will unlock the Stormont stalemate. After meeting with political parties in Belfast, Mr Varadkar said protocol negotiations were “not in the proverbial tunnel yet” but said he would like to see a deal which was acceptable […]

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Mayor of London Sadiq Khan is set to criticise the Government’s “denial and avoidance” of the “immense damage” Brexit is doing to the country. In a speech at London’s Mansion House Government dinner on Thursday, he will argue for a shift away from the current “unnecessarily hardline version” of Brexit towards greater alignment with Europe. The mayor is expected to say: “I simply can’t keep quiet about the immense damage […]

The annual income people will need for a minimum standard of living in retirement has jumped by nearly a fifth in the space of a year, according to an industry body. The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA) regularly publishes retirement living standards, to give people an idea of the amounts they may potentially need in retirement, whether they are aiming for a minimum standard of living, a comfortable standard […]

Trump won the tournament four years ago Former Masters champion Judd Trump fought back from the brink to keep alive his hopes of more Alexandra Palace success with a 6-5 first-round win over Ryan Day. Trump, a winner of the tournament four years ago, was 5-3 down but won the ninth frame on a re-spotted black and was able to navigate his way into the last eight following a 58-break […]

He was speaking at the Carlton Club where he was unveiling a portrait of himself in line with the club’s tradition of commissioning portraits of former Conservative premiers Boris Johnson has predicted the Conservative Party will recover from its recent troubles – as long as it sticks to the policy agenda he set out in office. The former prime minister urged supporters to get behind his policy programme – of […]

The package was discovered on December the 29th Border Force officers at Heathrow have seized material contaminated with uranium, and counter-terrorism police are investigating. Scotland Yard said: “We can confirm officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command were contacted by Border Force colleagues at Heathrow after a very small amount of contaminated material was identified after routine screening within a package incoming to the UK on December 29, 2022.” Commander […]

West Midlands Police have issued photographs of Theo and Remell Bailey, who are wanted in connection with the 2021 murder of Gavin Parry Police are searching for two brothers in connection with the murder of a man who was shot dead at an industrial unit. West Midlands Police have issued photographs of Theo and Remell Bailey, who are wanted in connection with the 2021 murder of Gavin Parry. The force […]

The increased cost of goods saw Christmas retail sales values up almost 7% on last December, masking a nervous festive season for consumers, figures show. Total sales increased by 6.9% in December against an increase of 2.1% in December 2021 – well above the three-month average growth of 4.4% and 12-month average growth of 3.1%, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC)-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor. UK retail sales increased 6.5% […]

Nine satellites are being launched from a site above South-West Ireland The Virgin Orbit plane carrying the first rocket to launch into space from UK soil has taken off from Spaceport Cornwall. As the Start Me Up mission lifted off from the runway at Cornwall Airport Newquay, hundreds of people cheered and Start Me Up by the Rolling Stones was blasted out on loudspeakers. Named in tribute to the Stones’ […]

The Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary will make a speech tomorrow at the Centre for Social Justice Labour is promising a package of welfare reforms to get people back into the workforce and end a “monumental waste of human potential”. Shadow work and pensions secretary Jonathan Ashworth will set out plans including measures aimed at making it easier for people out of work on sickness benefits to return to work. […]

Talks aimed at resolving the rail workers dispute will be held on Monday after a week of disruption to services because of strikes. Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union and Aslef took industrial action which crippled services, with only one in five trains running between Tuesday and Saturday. Union leaders will meet rail minister Huw Merriman as they continue to insist the Government is blocking a deal […]

The biggest impact of dramatically falling living standards is yet to hit, according to new research which shows that families across the UK have only experienced half of the lost income they are expected to suffer during the cost-of-living crisis. New analysis from the Resolution Foundation think tank suggests the average household across the country will be left £2,100 worse off by the end of the next financial year. After […]

The annual cost of taking hot baths is predicted to rise by almost 90% to £1,023 this year, a water company has said. Households spent 80% more boiling their kettles last year while the yearly cost of using a dishwasher went up from £133 in 2021 to £237 in 2022, according to the research from Yorkshire Water. The company said that although water rates have stayed the same over the […]

The Prime Minister has met senior figures from the NHS in emergency talks in Downing Street Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has urged health leaders at an emergency meeting to take “bold and radical” action to alleviate the winter crisis in the NHS. Mr Sunak told them during Downing Street talks on Saturday that a “business-as-usual mindset won’t fix the challenges we face”. Critics said the discussions were a “talking shop” […]

Premier League sides Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest are both out Josh Windass scored twice as Sky Bet League One Sheffield Wednesday pulled off the shock of the FA Cup third round with a 2-1 win over Premier League high-flyers Newcastle at Hillsborough. Windass fired the Owls in front early in the second half – with replays showing he appeared to be offside, but there was no VAR to check – and then […]

Those close to the Prince of Wales say he won't retaliate, but is 'burning' on the inside The Prince of Wales has kept quiet about a string of explosive claims by his brother the Duke of Sussex “for the good of his family and the country”, friends have said. William will not retaliate because he is “dignified and incredibly loyal”, one close friend of the pair reportedly told the Sunday […]

It comes as senior doctors say the NHS is on a knife edge The Prime Minister will host an NHS Recovery Forum, with experts from the health and care sectors convening in Downing Street on Saturday to discuss how to improve NHS performance and outcomes. The forum is set to focus on four crucial issues: social care and delayed discharge; urgent and emergency care; elective care; and primary care. It […]

The Rail Delivery Group say it is offering a “landmark outline proposal” Train operating companies have offered the drivers’ union a two-year pay deal in a bid to resolve the bitter dispute which has led to a series of strikes. The Rail Delivery Group (RDG) said it was offering a “landmark outline proposal” that would deliver more reliable services for passengers, in exchange for a pay increase of 4% for […]

The move, subject to international clearance, will be until the end of the season Romeo Beckham, the 20-year-old son of former England captain David Beckham, has joined Brentford’s B team on loan from Inter Miami II for the remainder of the season. The move, subject to international clearance, will see the midfielder help Neil MacFarlane’s side as they challenge for the Premier League Cup and play matches abroad. Beckham, who […]

The electricity produced in Britain was close to the greenest it has ever been last year, second only to the pandemic, when demand was lower than usual. New data from the grid operator showed that in 2022 Britain had the greenest day and month on record, and wind power hit new highs. For every unit of electricity produced in Great Britain last year, 182 grams of carbon equivalent was released […]

Sam Smith will be the first musical guest of 2023 on popular US comedy series Saturday Night Live, it has been announced. The British singer will join White Lotus star Aubrey Plaza, as she makes her hosting debut on January 21. Writing on his Instagram story, Smith said they were “honoured” to be performing on SNL again. They made their musical debut on the show in 2014, performing their hit […]

Holiday companies expect bookings to reach or even exceed pre-coronavirus levels on Saturday. The first Saturday of the year is known as Sunshine Saturday by the travel industry as it is typically the most popular day to book a foreign trip. Trade association Abta said tour operators and travel agents expect this Saturday will be “one of the busiest for a number of years” due to the UK scrapping Covid […]

That's according to preliminary data released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Supply shortages have been blamed for new car registrations falling to the lowest level since 1992. Around 1.61 million new cars were registered in 2022, according to preliminary data released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). That is down 2% compared with the 1.65 million registered during the previous 12 months and a […]

Rail passengers face a third consecutive day of travel disruption on Thursday because of a strike by train drivers. Services will be crippled by the walkout by members of Aslef at 15 rail companies in a long-running dispute over pay, with some areas having no trains all day. The action follows a 48-hour strike by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) which led to widespread disruption across […]

Some five days into the new year, the average chief executive of the UK’s biggest companies will have earned as much as the average worker in the country will make for the whole of 2023, new research suggests. Data from the High Pay Centre indicated on Thursday that by 2pm, bosses of FTSE 100 companies will have earned an average of £33,000 so far this year. This is the same […]

Homophobic chanting from some Nottingham Forest fans during the Premier League match against Chelsea on New Year’s Day is being looked at by the Crown Prosecution Service. Chelsea’s official LGBTQ+ supporters group, Chelsea Pride, tweeted during the match to “totally condemn” the ‘Chelsea rent boy’ chants at the City Ground. Forest said they were investigating the matter in a statement issued at full-time. The CPS now recognises ‘rent boy’ as […]

Taylor Swift is set to take home the first number one album of 2023 in the UK with Midnights. The 33-year-old American singer-songwriter’s tenth studio album is on track to secure a fourth non-consecutive week at the top, according to Official Charts Company. The album, released in October, immediately broke a string of records, including becoming Spotify’s most streamed album in a single day and previously had another number one […]

Olympic cyclist Mark Cavendish and his wife were subjected to a knifepoint robbery while at home with their children – with one masked raider threatening to stab the athlete, a court heard. The intruders made off with two Richard Mille watches, valued at £400,000 and £300,000 respectively, during the raid in the Ongar area of Essex, Chelmsford Crown Court was told. Cavendish and his wife Peta were in bed with […]

The Bees are now 7th in the Premier League table, two points behind Liverpool Liverpool’s poor defending cost them dearly as Brentford claimed another famous scalp with a 3-1 victory. An Ibrahima Konate own goal and Yoane Wissa’s header put the Bees in control, prompting angry Reds boss Jurgen Klopp to substitute key defender Virgil van Dijk at half-time. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain pulled one back but Bryan Mbeumo killed the Reds […]

More than 100 road traffic officers and control room operators working for National Highways across England will launch a 48-hour strike on Tuesday. The walkout by members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) is part of industrial action in a bitter dispute over pay, pensions and jobs. Around 100,000 PCS members working in 124 government departments and other bodies have voted for strike action. PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka […]

Cristiano Ronaldo will be presented as an Al Nassr player in Riyadh at 1600GMT on Tuesday. The 37-year-old former Real Madrid, Manchester United and Juventus star has flown to Saudi Arabia to undergo a medical before his first public appearance in the club’s colours at the 30,000-seater stadium Mrsool Park at 1900 local time. “All eyes on Riyadh as the world’s greatest @Cristiano will be unveiled in Al Nassr colours […]

James Norton has hailed Happy Valley as a “revolutionary” programme for pioneering layered, female-led stories on screen. The 37-year-old actor stars as notorious villain Tommy Lee Royce in the BBC One drama, which is set to return for a third and final series on New Year’s Day. Speaking to the Sunday Times Culture magazine, Norton reflected on the impact of the show, which is written by Sally Wainwright and follows […]

The pressure on the NHS is “equivalent” to that of the early stage of the pandemic, a leading health official has said. Saffron Cordery, interim chief executive of NHS Providers, said that now the pressure is coming from various directions, including staff shortages, lack of investment, a worn-out workforce and a backlog of operations, as well as a continuation of Covid and flu cases. She told the PA news agency: […]

Revellers have lined the streets for London’s New Year’s Day Parade to help welcome in 2023. Entertainers from across the globe brought a colourful carnival of culture to the West End as the event moved from Piccadilly to Parliament Square for the first time since 2020 due to the pandemic. The three-and-a-half-hour parade – dubbed by Toploader, one of the bands making an appearance, as the “perfect hangover cure” – […]

The King has praised former Pope Benedict XVI’s “constant efforts to promote peace and goodwill to all people” after his death aged 95. Charles expressed his “deep sadness” at Benedict’s death in a message to his successor Pope Francis, as the head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, also paid tribute. Benedict became the second pontiff in […]

Marcus Rashford climbed off the bench and the naughty step to fire Manchester United to victory at Wolves. The striker, dropped by boss Erik ten Hag for disciplinary reasons, grabbed his 11th goal of the season to send United into the Premier League’s top four with a 1-0 win. Alejandro Garnacho had earlier wasted a golden chance, while David De Gea kept out Ruben Neves’ stunning free-kick at the other […]

David Sutherland also created comic strips for Dennis the Menace from 1970 to 1998 An artist who has drawn for the Beano for 60 years has been recognised in the New Year Honours list. David Sutherland, an artist with Dundee-based DC Thomson, is made an OBE for services to illustration. Mr Sutherland, who was born in 1933, has been drawing The Bash Street Kids since 1962 and was responsible for […]

Catherine Belton is the author of Putin’s People A journalist who was sued by Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich over claims of his close relationship with Vladimir Putin has been made an MBE. Catherine Belton, the author of Putin’s People, has urged the Government to introduce a law to tackle strategic lawsuits against public participation (Slapps), which see wealthy individuals or organisations launch costly cases against critics. Ms Belton and HarperCollins […]

Martin Rayner signed up as an auxiliary coastguard in April 1980 A coastguard rescue officer who is retiring after more than 40 years of service has been awarded a British Empire Medal in the New Year Honours list. Martin Rayner signed up as an auxiliary coastguard in April 1980 and went on to play a key role in more than 2,000 rescues near the Isle of Wight. He volunteered with […]

Pele famously described football as ‘o jogo bonito’ – the beautiful game – and arguably no individual did more to make it so. The Brazil great was always willing to attempt the extraordinary and in doing so he redefined what was possible on the pitch. Three moments from the 1970 World Cup finals in Mexico – widely regarded as Pele’s pinnacle – all ended with him being thwarted. There was […]

A statement confirmed she died on Thursday “peacefully, and surrounded by her family in Clapham, south London Dame Vivienne Westwood has died at the age of 81, her representatives have confirmed. The pioneering fashion designer made a name for herself on the fashion scene in the 1970s, with her androgynous designs, slogan t-shirts and irreverent attitude towards the establishment. Dame Vivienne died on Thursday “peacefully, and surrounded by her family […]

The news has been confirmed on social media by his family. Brazilian great Pele has died at the age of 82, according to a statement from his family on social media.   He had a tumour removed from his colon in September 2021, was admitted to the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein in Sao Paulo on November 29.   Pele burst on to the global scene as a 17-year-old at the […]

The Government will not meet its current target to curb the number of smokers in England by 2030, according to new analysis. In 2019 ministers set out an ambition for England to become “smoke-free” by 2030 – which is said to be achieved when adult smoking rates fall to 5% or less. But Cancer Research UK said that it may take almost an extra decade for the target to be […]

More than three out of five tradespeople will be caught off guard by a £100 million tax raid, a new survey suggests. Some 62% of respondents to a survey of more than 1,000 van drivers by online vehicle marketplace Auto Trader said they were unaware of the looming rise in company van tax quietly announced in Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s autumn statement. Under the plan, basic rate taxpayers currently paying £720 […]

Fire service bosses are being paid up to six times more than firefighters, many of whom are facing “in-work poverty”, according to a union. The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said Freedom of Information (FoI) requests revealed “stark inequalities” in pay for firefighters and management. Chief fire officers are paid an average of £148,000, with the highest being £206,000, over six times more than an ordinary firefighter, said the union. The […]

More than one million thefts went unsolved last year, Labour has said, as it branded the figures “disgraceful”. An analysis by Labour of crime statistics found that 1,145,254 cases of theft were dropped last year because the police failed to find a suspect. It said that on average a domestic burglary costs victims £1,400, with the party warning that families were losing millions due to unsolved crimes. The party said […]

Erik ten Hag expressed faith in the strikers he has at his disposal after watching Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial score in a comfortable victory over Nottingham Forest. Rashford continued his strong form by opening the scoring in the 19th minute, then teed up Martial for the second moments later, with Fred then sealing a 3-0 win with a late goal in the second half. Ten Hag is keen to […]

Vincent Kompany hailed Anass Zaroury’s attitude as the winger returned from an ecstatic reception in Morocco to fire Burnley clear at the top of the Sky Bet Championship table. Vincent Kompany hailed Anass Zaroury’s attitude as the winger returned from an ecstatic reception in Morocco to fire Burnley clear at the top of the Sky Bet Championship table. The winger played in the World Cup third-place play-off against Croatia on […]

Elle Edwards is not believed to have been the target of the attack at the Lighthouse in Wallasey Village in Merseyside A man and a woman have been arrested in connection with the “cold-blooded” murder of a 26-year-old who was shot in the head at a pub on Christmas Eve. Elle Edwards is not believed to have been the target of the attack at the Lighthouse in Wallasey Village in […]

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou stressed the need for rotation and understanding from his players after making some changes to his attacking line-up for Saturday’s 4-1 win over St Johnstone. Wide players Daizen Maeda and James Forrest both came in and had a major hand in a goal as Celtic restored their nine-point lead in the cinch Premiership. But there was no start for Giorgos Giakoumakis, who appeared to hint at […]

A woman injured in an explosion at a block of flats in Jersey earlier this month died in hospital on Christmas Day, becoming the 10th victim of the tragedy. The explosion, which took place just after 4am on December 10, destroyed the building in St Helier. Kathleen McGinness, aged 73, was taken to hospital after the incident at Pier Road. She had lived in an adjacent building to the one […]

His Majesty has delivered his inaugural festive message to the nation The King has used his first Christmas broadcast to sympathise with families struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and praise individuals, charities and faith groups supporting those in need. Charles spoke about the “great anxiety and hardship” experienced by many trying to “pay their bills and keep their families fed and warm” during his televised message, which featured footage of a food […]

His Holiness delivered the traditional 'Urbi et Orbi' address in the Vatican at lunchtime Pope Francis used his Christmas message on Sunday to lament the “icy winds of war” buffeting humanity and to make an impassioned plea for an immediate end to the fighting in Ukraine, a 10-month-old conflict he described as senseless. At noon local time, Francis delivered the traditional Urbi et Orbi (Latin for to the city and to […]

Police are urging anyone who knows anything about the 26 year old's death to come forward A woman killed in a Christmas Eve pub shooting was shot in the head in what police believe was not a targeted attack. The 26-year-old was with her sister and friends at the Lighthouse in Wallasey Village on Merseyside when she was shot. Police were called to the scene shortly before midnight, with one neighbour saying […]

Warnings about the impacts of rail strikes on festive getaways were heeded by travellers resulting in little extra impact on Britain’s roads on Christmas Eve, a motoring organisation has said. Motorway travel appears to have been smooth for most of the country, the AA said. Some rail passengers faced delays as they rushed to get the last trains before Christmas Eve services came to a halt early due to industrial […]

Ellie Goulding has said supporting those experiencing homelessness is “more vital than ever” as more households face hardship during the cost-of-living crisis. The singer, who has been volunteering at Crisis’s Christmas centres since 2015 and is an ambassador of the charity, paid a visit to the charity’s central London hotel on Christmas Eve. Alongside helping to make teas and coffees and sorting and distributing clothes to people in need, Goulding […]

Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui is confident he can find the right balance to keep them in the Premier League. Former Spain and Real Madrid coach Lopetegui was appointed during November, taking over following the departure of Bruno Lage and Steve Davis’ temporary stint in charge. With Premier League action paused for the World Cup, Lopetegui and his staff had an extended spell to work with most of the squad ahead […]

Rishi Sunak has broken with tradition to record phone calls with public servants thanking them for their “selflessness” rather than broadcast a Christmas message to the nation. The Prime Minister made apparently surprise calls to four workers and the crew of a naval ship to express his gratitude for their “sacrifices” after an “extraordinary year”. Footage of the messages published on Friday comes during a Christmas being strained by widespread […]

The Sun newspaper has said it regrets the publication of Jeremy Clarkson’s column about the Duchess of Sussex and is “sincerely sorry”. The apology comes after the piece, in which Clarkson said he “hated” Meghan, became the Independent Press Standards Organisation’s (Ipso) most complained-about article. Ipso said the piece, which was removed from The Sun’s website on Monday at Clarkson’s request, had received more than 17,500 complaints as of 9am […]

LadBaby have made chart history by securing the Christmas number one for a fifth consecutive year – surpassing a record set by The Beatles in the 1960s. Social media star Mark Hoyle and his wife Roxanne, known as LadBaby Mum, claimed the top spot with their single Food Aid, which reworks the Band Aid song Do They Know It’s Christmas? with lyrics about the cost-of-living crisis and vocals from MoneySavingExpert […]

The Government has joined criticism of Joe Biden’s massive package of subsidies in the US, warning it could harm UK-based manufacturers of renewables. International Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch wrote to her US counterpart Katherine Tai to register her opposition over elements of the White House plan. The 430 billion US dollar (£357 billion) Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is an attempt to make the economy environmentally-friendly with tax credits for green […]

The UK Government has said it may block Scotland’s controversial new gender recognition laws. MSPs voted to pass the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill by 86 votes to 39 on Thursday, which will remove the need for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria to obtain a gender recognition certificate (GRC). It also lowers the minimum age for applicants to 16 and drops the time required for an applicant to live […]

Christmas could be one of the darkest to date for the health service, trust leaders have predicted as they warned strikes threaten to aggravate an “already deeply challenging situation” in the NHS. Health chiefs are working to mitigate the impact of industrial action alongside having to contend with an “incredibly long list of other serious challenges”, NHS Providers said. Figures for last week show that one in four ambulance patients […]

The Government will spend £3.5billion on the asylum system in a year, the Home Secretary said as she confirmed plans to house migrants on disused cruise ships were being considered. Suella Braverman said £2.3billion of the total bill for 2022/23 will go towards paying for hotels. “We are accommodating 117,000 people overall who are in our asylum process”, she told the Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee on Wednesday. “So […]

Pep Guardiola has admitted his time at Manchester City will “not be complete” if they do not win the Champions League. Guardiola has won nine major trophies, including four Premier League titles, as City manager but he is yet to bring Europe’s top club prize back to the Etihad Stadium. The Catalan won the competition twice at Barcelona but finishing runners-up in 2021 is his best finish in six full […]

Leeds defender Pascal Struijk has extended his contract until the summer of 2027. The 23-year-old Dutchman joined the West Yorkshire club from Ajax in 2018. He has made 77 first-team appearances during his time at Elland Road, scoring three goals. Struijk told the club’s website: “It feels really good. It’s been a while for me at the club now and I’m really happy to extend my journey. “It’s an amazing […]

Brentford striker Ivan Toney has been charged over additional alleged breaches of the Football Association’s betting rules, the governing body has announced. In November, Toney was charged with 232 alleged breaches over a four-year period. The 26-year-old has now been charged with breaching FA Rule E8 a further 30 times between March 14, 2017 and February 18, 2019. Toney has until January 4 to provide a response. In a statement […]

Jadon Sancho’s absence from the Manchester United squad looks set to continue after the winger was not involved in training ahead of Wednesday’s Carabao Cup clash against Burnley. The 22-year-old was not listed among a 25-strong contingent present at Carrington on Tuesday, as boss Erik ten Hag prepared for the Red Devils’ return to action after the World Cup break. Sancho was not selected by England for the tournament and […]

More cases of diphtheria among asylum seekers have been reported in England, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said. The total number of cases for the year so far now stands at 67, figures published on Tuesday show. The UKHSA said five cases of diphtheria among asylum seekers were reported between December 12 and 18. In the previous week – from December 5 to 11 – the total was 62 […]

A student has been charged with threatening behaviour after eggs were thrown at the King during a walkabout in York. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said it had authorised North Yorkshire Police to charge Patrick Thelwell following the incident on November 9. The 23-year-old, from York, will appear at York Magistrates’ Court on January 20 next year charged with threatening behaviour contrary to Section 4 of the Public Order Act […]

Scots have been warned that stun guns bought online and imported are classed as prohibited firearms after a man was jailed for five years for using a taser in a children’s skatepark. Jamie Garrity, of Prestonpans, East Lothian, was sentenced after being found guilty of discharging the taser disguised as a small torch in June 2020 at the High Court in Edinburgh on Monday, the Crown Office said. The 35-year-old […]

Julen Lopetegui is relishing the start of his competitive career at Molineux as Wolves prepare to face Sky Bet League Two strugglers Gillingham in the Carabao Cup. Lopetegui replaced the sacked Bruno Lage in November and has led his non-World Cup stars through a series of friendly matches against Birmingham and in Spain. And he told his first press conference as Wolves boss: “I think they are working very hard, […]

Around five million UK holidaymakers are expected to take a foreign trip over the Christmas and New Year period. Travel trade organisation Abta, which produced the estimate, said Friday will be the busiest day for departures, while Christmas Day will be the quietest. Its members are reporting strong demand for the Canary Islands, southern Spain, Turkey, Portugal and Egypt. Millions of people will be jetting off for the festive period […]