The Daily Telegraph - 13.10.2026 — 2026-10-13

Tuesday 13 October 2026

My holiday homes are turning me into Basil Fawlty

Griff Rhys Jones: Page 14

telegraph.co.uk

No 53,320

£4.00

The pop star,

the boutique

and an £11k

toy bird row Page 13

The Daily Telegraph NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR

The woman standing by Russell Brand

IMF warns against Budget giveaways

Fuel subsidies and cost-of-living handouts risk piling pressure on debt-laden economy

By Szu Ping Chan

ECONOMICS EDITOR

THE International Monetary Fund has warned against unfunded giveaways to ease cost-of-living pressures before John Healey's maiden Budget.

A fortnight before the Chancellor's first major tax-and-spending event, the IMF downgraded its outlook for UK growth, and warned of further price rises and job losses.

While it did not issue a direct warning to Britain, it said an “urgent” need to bring down borrowing meant help with cost-of-living pressures should be used “sparingly” in all countries.

It also called for any measures to be “well funded” to maintain credibility.

In his first week as Prime Minister, Andy Burnham removed VAT from electricity bills at a cost of £850m and capped bus fares at £2. The Chancellor has since said he will use the Budget to provide more “breathing space” to households and businesses.

The Treasury is working on a targeted, temporary scheme to cut energy bills that will be limited to benefit-claimants. However, Mr Healey is also under pressure to continue a 16-year freeze on fuel duty as well as extend caps on prescription charges and rail fares introduced by Rachel Reeves, his predecessor.

The IMF warned that “broad-based fuel subsidies” or attempts to control prices would pile further pressure on public finances and could make it harder to bring down borrowing costs.

“Any new spending increases or tax cuts should be well-funded to secure the necessary fiscal adjustment paths,” the IMF said in its latest world economic outlook today. “Fiscal support measures should be used sparingly, designed in a way not to complicate the task of monetary policy.”

While many of the Chancellor's cost-of-living measures are expected to be temporary, the IMF warned that short-term giveaways were always “politically difficult to withdraw once introduced”.

While it did not point to any specific policies in the UK or elsewhere, fuel duty in Britain has been frozen since 2010 at a cumulative cost of more than £120bn.

The IMF's warnings were echoed by the Resolution Foundation, which called for the Government to limit a £175 energy bill discount only to low-income households, at a cost of £2bn. It also suggested that Mr Healey would need to impose £8bn of tax rises and spending cuts in his Budget on Oct 28 to rebuild his fiscal headroom to £20bn.

In a stark assessment, the IMF warned that drastic cuts in public spending may be the only way to bring the finances of highly indebted economies back under control.

UK debt is currently running at 94 per cent of GDP. While this is lower than other G7 nations, such as France and the US, the IMF warned that many countries could be forced to “rethink” which public services were affordable.

Mr Healey said: “Conflict in the Middle East and Europe is hitting people in the UK and around the world. But Britain’s economy is showing strong international resilience in the face of these challenges: we’re forecast to be the joint second-fastest growing G7 nation in 2026 and have the lowest deficit in the G7 by 2031.”

Editorial Comment: Page 15

Russell Brand and his wife Laura Gallacher arrived at Southwark Crown Court yesterday for the start of the comedian's rape trial. Ms Gallacher, who travelled from their family home in Florida, is the mother of Mr Brand's children and has known him since the height of his fame in 2007. Mr Brand denies all the charges. Who is Laura Gallacher?: Features

Burnham retreats on Russia-Brexit claim

By Nick Gutteridge

CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT

ANDY BURNHAM is in retreat from claims of Russian meddling in the Brexit referendum, the Conservatives have said.

In a statement to the Commons yesterday, the Prime Minister said he had “always respected” the outcome of the Brexit vote. However, he had earlier told the Rest is Politics podcast with Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell, the former New Labour spin doctor, that it was important to get “on the record” that Russia had interfered in the referendum. He said: “I asked the question coming to Downing Street: ‘Well, was there interference in the 2016 referendum from Russia?’ I’ve had the clear answer that, yes, there was. These things are important now to put clearly on the record.”

The Government's official position has always been that Russia attempted to interfere in the referendum but was not successful.

Mr Burnham is pushing for closer ties with the European Union and will set out different options for doing so after a summit with the bloc on Nov 20.

Katie Lam, the shadow communities secretary, said it was “deeply irresponsible for the Prime Minister to peddle unproven allegations about Russian interference, just because he doesn’t like the outcome of a democratic vote”.

"Our intelligence services have been clear that Russia's attempts to meddle with the outcome were unsuccessful," she added. "Now, faced with his total inability to provide a shred of evidence for his claims, Burnham is in retreat and has backed down – in public at least." In the Commons yesterday, Kemi Badenoch. the Tory leader, accused Mr Burnham of having "implied that the referendum result was illegitimate because of Russian interference".

A Tory spokesman said: “The Leader of the Opposition just asked the Prime Minister [...] if he thought the 2016 EU Referendum result was legitimate or illegitimate. Andy Burnham refused to Continued on Page 4

Editorial Comment: Page 15

INSIDE

NEWS

Puzzles 16

Obituaries 25

TV listings 26

Weather 28

Pro-Palestine Greens plot to oust Lucas

Green Party activists are plotting to oust Caroline Lucas after accusing her of being an Israeli “shill”, The Telegraph can reveal. Members of the Greens for Palestine group accused Ms Lucas, who was the party’s first MP and twice served as its leader, of being “toxic, divisive and a shill for apartheid and genocide”. In WhatsApp messages, members shared advice on how to submit complaints to a disciplinary panel about Ms Lucas, who comes from the moderate wing of the party. Page 2

NEWS

Britain flounders when cooking different fish

Oyster and herring are falling out of favour on British dinner tables in favour of the “big five” seafood species, research has revealed. Seafood recipes in the 1920s taught housewives to fillet sole and serve lobster – but the variety of recipes has shrunk in recent decades, according to a University of Exeter academic. A study of Good Housekeeping recipes found that five easy-to-prepare species now made up the majority of seafood dishes: salmon, prawns, cod, haddock and tuna. Page 5

NEWS

Village GPs risk closure under NHS shake-up

Village GP surgeries risk closure under Labour's NHS reforms, which are designed around cities, a report warns. The study, backed by former health secretary Sir Jeremy Hunt and health select committee chairman Layla Moran, warns that rural surgeries could be replaced by larger health centres, forcing patients to travel further. It says 116 constituencies face a “rural penalty” because NHS funding and workforce policies fail to reflect the challenges of serving scattered populations.

Page 10

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WORLD Trump turns on EU over fuel 'hypocrisy'

Donald Trump turned on Europe yesterday and accused it of buying huge volumes of Russian fuel following criticism of his diesel deal with Vladimir Putin. The US president has been criticised since announcing a sanctions waiver for Moscow to import 300,000 tons of diesel in an attempt to ease domestic fuel prices. But he hit back yesterday on Truth Social, saying: "The EU paid Russia \$250bn for Energy, and the Fake News Media doesn't want to get near that story." Page 11

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The Travel Expert

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A new Telegraph podcast with Simon Calder

Britain's leading travel journalist and his co-host Greg Dickinson unpack the biggest travel stories – and what they mean for your next trip

Watch or listen every Friday YouTube Telegraph app Spotify Podcasts

Pro-Palestine Greens plotting to oust Lucas

Former leader and its first MP branded an Israeli 'shill' after party voted to define Zionism as racism

By Pieter Snepvangers and Tony Diver

GREEN PARTY activists are plotting to oust Caroline Lucas after accusing her of being an Israeli “shill”, The Telegraph can reveal.

Members of the Greens for Palestine group accused Ms Lucas, who was the party's first MP and twice served as its leader, of being “toxic, divisive and a shill for apartheid and genocide”.

In WhatsApp messages seen by The Telegraph, members shared advice on how to submit complaints to the party's disciplinary panel about Ms Lucas, who comes from the moderate wing of the party. The group hopes to submit enough complaints to encourage the party to act against Ms Lucas.

Senior moderate Greens have claimed that their party has succumbed to “entryism” after Greens for Palestine orchestrated a campaign to pass a motion defining Zionism as racism.

The motion was passed by 1,022 votes to 813 at the party's conference and became policy despite winning the backing of less than 1 per cent of the Greens' membership. The motion implicitly calls for the abolition of the state of Israel and defines the right to Jewish self-determination as a racist ideology.

Zack Polanski skipped the controversial vote to campaign as the Greens' candidate in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, which he subsequently lost to Labour's Sagal Abdi-Wali.

Ms Lucas said it had been a “mistake” for Mr Polanski to miss the vote. She warned that the party was “woefully exposed” to entryism and called for Lubna Speitan, the policy’s author, to be suspended after The Telegraph revealed that the hard-Left activist had been a “close friend” of an al-Qaeda terrorist who plotted to bomb passengers landing at Heathrow from Israel.

On Sunday, Ms Lucas told The Observer: "I'm not the judge and jury. I don't know how much truth there is in the things that have been said [about Ms Speitan], but I think it's clearly very worrying and that action needs to be taken without prejudging what the outcome of an investigation would be."

In WhatsApp messages between Greens for Palestine members, activists described Ms Lucas's comments as "despicable" and discussed how to remove her from the party for breaching its rules.

One activist wrote: “Lucas needs to be removed. She’s toxic, divisive and a shill for apartheid and genocide.”

Members argued in the messages that Ms Lucas should be expelled for bringing the party into disrepute or for publicly criticising another member. It is understood that a template letter of complaint has been created to encourage as many members as possible to take part in the effort to oust the former leader. In one message, a Greens for Palestine member wrote: “Bringing the party into disrepute, also known as briefing against the party should be an automatic expulsion.”

The plot to remove Ms Lucas comes as the party threatens to descend into civil war with senior Greens openly accepting that the party has fallen victim to entryism. The party's membership has more than trebled from 60,000 last September to around 230,000.

However, its momentum has been overshadowed by accusations of anti-Semitism and an internal battle between traditional environmentalists and hard-Left activists and Islamists.

The party has been referred to the Equality and Human Rights Commission by the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAAS), which branded the motion “brazenly discriminatory”.

In October 2020, a complaint by CAAS against anti-Semitism within Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party was upheld.

The Commission ruled the party was responsible for unlawful acts of harassment and discrimination.

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NEWS BULLETIN

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Attorney General veto over Troubles charges

The Attorney General is to be given new powers to sign off on future prosecutions of Northern Ireland veterans.

Ellie Reeves KC will have the final say on whether ex-soldiers will face legal action for the most serious offences, under reforms outlined by Labour to its controversial Northern Ireland Troubles Bill.

The Government has said the new measure will “significantly reduce” the chance of former soldiers being exposed to “rinse and repeat” investigations and vexatious court cases.

The Government's amendments are set to be introduced to Parliament today before being debated next week.

Among the key changes is the requirement for compelling new evidence to be presented for any new investigation to go ahead.

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Row as guest with pro-Iran 'anti-Semitic' views on BBC

AN INFLUENCER accused of making anti-Semitic and pro-Iranian-regime remarks was hosted by the BBC on a Sunday morning discussion show.

By Gordon Rayner ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Bushra Shaikh, a former contestant on The Apprentice, appeared on Sunday Morning Live defending women's right to wear the niqab and burka. Hours later she was on social media tweeting that "Israel is a bigger threat to the West than Iran".

Labour Against Antisemitism, the campaign group, described the BBC's decision to give her a platform as “sickening”, while the Campaign Against Antisemitism suggested it showed that to the BBC, Jews were “fair game”.

Ms Shaikh was invited on to the BBC programme despite her well-documented history of anti-Semitic and pro-

Bushra Shaikh, an influencer who appeared on The Apprentice, has been accused of making anti-Semitic and pro-Iran remarks

Iran comments on social media and elsewhere. Hours after the Oct 7 terrorist attack on Israel in 2023, she wrote: "Palestinians have done more in 5 minutes than Zelensky has done with 75bn. Humiliation is an understatement."

Earlier this year, The Guardian reported that she had been on two state-sponsored tours of Iran where she met senior officials and was “active” in spreading the regime’s message.

Alex Hearn, of Labour Against Anti-semitism, said: “It is sickening that someone who reportedly aired anti-Semitic views and promoted Iran’s barbaric regime is being given a platform by our national broadcaster.”

Ms Shaikh was approached for comment. A BBC spokesman said: "Any personal views expressed are her own and not those of the BBC."

ANDREW FUSEK-PETERS/SWNS

Is it a bird? A rare hummingbird hawkmoth, a regular visitor to the UK, is now breeding in Britain thanks to warmer and longer summers. The moth is so called because its wings beat up to 90 times a second, emitting a humming sound.

MPs and Royals security review after Widdecombe death

By Charles Hymas

HOME AFFAIRS EDITOR

SECURITY for MPs and members of the Royal family will be subject to a root-and-branch review in the wake of Ann Widdecombe's murder.

Shabana Mahmood, the Home Secretary, said protection arrangements for public figures would be urgently reviewed to establish whether they were adequate for those most at risk.

Ms Mahmood said dedicated police support would be expanded to leaders of political parties who were not MPs, as well as peers, former MPs, former members of the devolved parliaments and political party spokesmen.

It means they will receive the same support as MPs through access to a named police officer and help with wider security measures. She told MPs the review would examine security from every angle, including physical threats, online risks and the dangers posed within the UK's “more polarised” society.

“Those who enter public life do so to serve. Robust debate and criticism are part of the job. Threats, abuse and violence are not,” she said. “An attack on any individual in public life is an attack on every one of us.

The Duke of Sussex's aides fear that the review will delay a decision on whether he will be granted taxpayer-funded protection. The Telegraph understands the Duke is considering his next steps because he is concerned the Home Secretary's announcement will lead to the status quo being maintained or any decision being delayed.

A source said: “If the review is genuinely root-and-branch and truly independent, it could provide an opportunity to shine a light on the current processes.”

spokesman, died on July 8 after she was hit on the head with a hammer 21 times at her home in Haytor, on Dartmoor, Devon. Joshua Kerry, 28, has been charged with her murder and preparing acts of terrorism, including against Nigel Farage, the Reform leader.

Last week, a court was told Mr Kerry researched a number of prominent people, including Mr Farage. Kemi Badenoch's name was among more than 100 prominent people.

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Football fan charged for mocking Boro crash

A football fan has been charged after Middlesbrough fans were mocked over the A66 crash.

Bradley Aston, 20, was charged with a public order offence after images posted online appeared to show a Wolverhampton Wanderers fan holding up a mobile phone bearing the message, “Police Killed Your Own”, on Saturday.

Pc Matthew Blades, 37, and Pc Tom Clough, 38, along with Makai Saddington, 18, Theo Rae, 17, Jakub Matusiak, 23, Michael Cahill, 23, and Cole Worthy, 17, were killed in a head-on collision in the early hours of Aug 22.

Mr Aston, from Walsall, was arrested and will appear at court in Wolverhampton this morning.

Pc Chris Hilton, of Cleveland Police, said: "I want to thank the public for their support during this inquiry."

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Manchester synagogue attack to get inquiry

The deaths of two men killed in the Manchester synagogue attack will be examined by a public inquiry, Shabana Mahmood has announced.

Melvin Cravitz, 66, and Adrian Daulby, 53, were killed when Jihad al-Shamie, an Islamist terrorist, carried out an attack in the Heaton Park area of the city last October. At least eight people have been arrested in connection with the attack, which took place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.

The Home Secretary said: “In recent days, we marked the first anniversary of the terror attack at the Heaton Park synagogue. What happened that day must be fully understood. The inquiry will ensure that all evidence can be heard, including any sensitive national security material.”

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Corrections and clarifications

In last Saturday's obituary (Oct 10) for the Glaswegian Paul Ferris we inadvertently included a book cover of The Boy on the Shed by the Northern Irish footballer Paul Ferris. We apologise for the error.

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Spider-Man to rescue on his ex's wedding day

Hollywood star Tobey

Maguire officiates as his

former wife remarries just

a month after their divorce

By Natasha Leake US REPORTER

TOBEY MAGUIRE officiated his ex-wife's wedding to her new husband in Hawaii on Saturday, one month after they divorced.

The Spider-Man star, 51, was pictured holding a sheaf of papers as his former wife Jennifer Meyer, 49, kissed Geoff Ogunlesi, a billionaire music executive, at the Four Seasons Resort Lanai in south Hawaii.

Maguire met Ms Meyer, a jewellery designer, in 2003 while filming Seabiscuit, an American sports drama about a racehorse.

They married at an intimate wedding ceremony – also in Hawaii – in 2007 but announced their separation in 2016 after nine years of marriage. “After much soul-searching and consideration we have made the decision to separate as a couple," the couple said in a statement to People magazine at the time.

Despite their separation, Ms Meyer and Maguire have remained close.

Ms Meyer filed for divorce from Maguire in October 2020, but it was only finalised on Sept 21 this year after the two agreed to appoint a private judge to handle disputes.

The lengthy process meant that Ms Meyer became engaged to Mr Ogunlesi, 34, gave birth to a daughter in 2025 and planned a wedding while still legally married to Maguire.

Mr Ogunlesi's father bought Gatwick airport in 2009 and sits on OpenAI's board of directors.

Guests at Saturday's wedding included Leonardo DiCaprio and his girlfriend Vittoria Ceretti; Jeff Bezos, the billionaire and executive chairman of Amazon; Courteney Cox, the actress best known for playing Monica in Friends; and Rachel Zoe, the American

Spider-Man star

Tobey Maguire

presided as

Jennifer Meyer

married Geoff

Ogunlesi in Hawaii

fashion designer. Maguire and Meyer's two children, Ruby, 19, and Otis, 17, took part in the ceremony.

Ruby shared a photograph on Instagram of herself in a white silk dress.

Ms Meyer has described Maguire and her new partner as close, telling The Inside Edit podcast in 2025 that they “love each other so much”. She said that during the Los Angeles wildfires in January 2025, Ms Meyer and her family, including Mr Ogunlesi, took refuge at Maguire’s home after fearing they would have to evacuate their house in Brentwood.

"The cutest part is Tobey and my fiancé, Geoff, love each other so much," she told the podcast at the time.

“Me, my fiancé, our two kids, Tobey, we all went into Tobey’s house [and] we are all sleeping there,” she said, before Ms Meyer and Mr Ogunlesi later moved in with a friend next door. “We’re all living on this compound,” she said: “It was the greatest”.

“I actually think that my divorce has been one of my greatest teachers,” she added.

“It teaches you patience, and you’re also raising [kids together]. Our daughter was 10 or something, so those are some intense times that you need to stay connected.”

'I actually think that my divorce has been one of my greatest teachers'

"I now have an ex-husband who is my best friend and would do anything for me, and I would do anything for him – anything in the world,” she said. “[He is] the best dad, the best ex-husband, the best friend [and] the most generous.”

She said that Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin's amicable separation had inspired her approach to divorce, and that she chose to use the same couples therapist Paltrow had recommended to her.

Paltrow and the Coldplay frontman were married for over a decade before they split but decided to remain in each other's lives, with the actress describing Martin as a “great ex-husband”.

“He’s a very close friend; I see him every day, I talk to him every day,” Paltrow told Entertainment Tonight in 2019. In May, Meyer told People that she goes on holiday with both Maguire and Ogunlesi. “We travel all together. We have every holiday together. We have every birthday all together,” she said.

She added, “[Maguire] is an incredible father. He is an incredible ex-husband. And Geoff loves him and he loves Geoff. And so everything just works.”

Annabel Croft with daughters Lily and Amber before Lily's wedding to Felix McCorquodale

Annabel Croft aces it for her sheer mother of the bride glamour

Rebecca Cope

THERE is no woman more scrutinised for her fashion at a wedding – after the bride, of course – than her mother. Indeed, the mother of the bride has the nigh-on-impossible job of dressing both tastefully and stylishly for her age, and appropriately for the considerable role she has in the wedding, without ever overshadowing her daughter. It's no mean feat.

Someone who is clearly adept at the sartorial minefield that is mother-of-the-bride dressing is Annabel Croft. This weekend saw her assuming the role for the second time, as she attended the wedding of her younger daughter, Lily Coleman, 27, to Felix McCorquodale, a relative of Diana, Princess of Wales. And while the mother of the bride has long been associated with a pastel-coloured skirt suit and a garish hat, there were no shades of lilac, eggshell or mint in sight.

Instead, the 60-year-old former tennis player opted for a look that felt modern yet appropriate - and above all, glamorous. She wore a long-sleeved full-length brown dress which featured floaty sleeves and a paisley print by one of her go-to brands, Zimmermann, in a rich copper shade perfect for an autumn wedding. Her low-heeled pointy shoes were a darker brown!

and she wore a matching pillbox hat with floral detail. Even her manicure matched her colour palette, with her nails painted a chocolate brown.

And while many women in midlife and beyond prefer to cut their hair short or wear it up, Croft let her thick locks flow past her shoulders. Speaking to The Telegraph about her signature bouncy blow-dry in the summer, she said: "I feel so attached to my hair and I'm very fortunate in that it's quite thick and there's a lot of it.

“That’s not to say I don’t admire a really chic short haircut. I just like long hair and think it’s feminine. Someone once said to me, when you get really old, your hair won’t grow. I am quite old myself, but my thinking is that I’ll have plenty of time to wear it short when I’m older.”

Croft has previously credited her daughters with ensuring she never got into a style rut, telling The Telegraph: "When my daughters were old enough,

they'd say, 'Mum, why are

you walking out of the house in those shoes?" or, 'Why are you wearing that?' and then we'd go shopping. They were definitely the ones who shifted me in a different direction, away from the same old shapes and patterns."

She's a great example for other mothers of the bride to look to: gone are the days of playing frumpy second fiddle, instead, her motto seems to be to embrace your femininity and best features and have fun with it. Hear, hear.

Mission impossible? Traitors creator wants Tom Cruise to join series

Digging for failure Star's latest film flops at the box office

By India McTaggart

ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT

TOM CRUISE may soon be switching out his daring movie stunts for a psychological challenge, if the creator of hit series The Celebrity Traitors has anything to do with it.

Stephen Lambert said the 64-year-old Top Gun and Mission: Impossible leading man is his dream guest for the BBC reality show.

Speaking to Radio Times about his ideal casting for the next and third series of the award-winning show, the producer said: "Tom Cruise, maybe. And we would like to have a big sports star."

However, the head of Studio Lambert, the production company in charge of The Traitors for the BBC's UK version and for NBC's US version, added that the athletes likely have a busy schedule.

"If they are an active one, they have commitments," he conceded.

Cruise, who most recently starred in the box office flop Digger alongside Riz Ahmed and Sandra Hüller, has dedicated his career to feature films and has never appeared in a scripted or unscripted TV show.

The franchise has already recruited acclaimed actors for its celebrity spin-off series, however, including Oscar-nominated Richard E Grant, Sir Stephen Fry and Celia Imrie.

However, Cruise would mark a Hollywood coup the star-studded show has not yet achieved.

The show's celebrity contestants have also included decorated names in the sporting world, including Tom Daley, an Olympic gold medallist diver, and Joe Marler, a former England rugby international, who reached the final of the UK's inaugural Celebrity Traitors.

Tom Cruise's climate crisis film Digger is on track to become one of the biggest Hollywood box-office flops of all time.

The satire about an oil tycoon whose drilling triggers climate pandemonium is to lose \$245m (£185m) in cinemas. Despite an expensive press tour and Oscar hopes, the film's message and a

score of critical reviews appear to have failed to capture audiences, with an opening weekend of just \$8m. This leaves Warner Bros doomed to lose as much as \$200m – a failure putting Digger up

Kitsch and Willem Dafoe that lost Disney between \$37 \$280m. Cruise plays an over-the-top oil tycoon named Digger. Critics have said the film's lecturing patronises audiences, with Variety's Owen Gleiberman calling it a "bombastically self-important" while another said described

Pigger as "a torturous experience, sometimes purposely so".

The US version has included Olympic champions Ryan Lochte and Tara Lipinski, Nikki Garcia, a WWE star, and Deontay Wilder, former heavyweight world champion.

Discussing why the show's format has proven so popular with audiences across the country – with nine million people tuning in for the first episode of the recently aired second series of UK Celebrity Traitors – Mr Lambert said it's enjoyable because of the “dramatic irony”.

He explained: “It’s the engine of The Traitors. It’s about the pleasure that we know more than the protagonists – we know who is lying. And it’s fun to try and watch people work out who the liars are.”

Mr Lambert added that for the star-studded version, it's fun to watch the famous faces squirm, saying: "Celebrities find it uncomfortable because they have so little control. It's such an immersive game that people get caught up in it, and show how they really are.

“It’s very revealing of character, and celebrities care, a lot, how they come across.”

Addressing how the Studio Lambert team goes about casting the stars, who span the world of television, sport, comedy, broadcasting and literature, he said: "Casting was simple. We didn't need to tempt people onto the show with the promise of being alongside a huge star."

On the UK version, he added: “The fact that so many famous people did it last year meant they all wanted to do it this year.”

"The show has universal appeal," Mr Lambert said, adding: "It has established itself as ‘appointment-to-view TV’."

RAF terror plot highly likely to have been Iran, says PM

By Tim Sigsworth

THE suspected terror plot at RAF Fairford was “almost certainly” the work of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Andy Burnham has said.

The Prime Minister told the House of Commons that it was “highly likely” that the IRGC had been behind the incident last month.

Counter-terrorism police are investigating Iran's involvement in the alleged plot, after three suspicious vans were found near the military site in the early hours of Sept 27.

The United States had used the base to strike Iran in recent months but withdrew its bombers after the incident.

Mr Burnham said: “The Home Secretary will update the House regarding the incident at RAF Fairfield. But I can confirm our assessment that it is highly likely to have been co-ordinated in Iran, almost certainly directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard.

“We will not tolerate these threats on our soil. We will crack down on Iran’s use of criminal networks, using our full range of powers to target them and their funding streams, and we will bring further sanctions to restrict the capacity of Iran and the IRGC to do us harm.”

Iran has denied playing any part in the alleged terror plot. In July, the IRGC warned that any British base used to strike Tehran would be a “legitimate target”.

In a joint statement the US, UK, Australia, Canada and 24 European countries condemned Iran.

They said the RAF Fairfield incident “demonstrates the IRGC’s continued willingness to project hostile activity beyond its borders through covert networks and proxy actors”.

The nations said “any attempt by Iran to threaten, silence, intimidate, harass, harm, or coerce people on our territories through proxies or any other means is unacceptable”.

Ed Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, said he had summoned Ali Mousavi, Iran's ambassador to Britain, to tell him that “Britain will not tolerate threats on our soil”.

Police have made seven arrests since the incident at RAF Fairford, but no one has been charged, with all of those arrested released on bail.

Five of the arrests were made at the scene, all of them British nationals in their mid-20s, on suspicion of explosives offences and terrorism.

News

GETTY IMAGES/DANKITWOOD

Take two Sagal Abdi-Wali, the new MP for Holborn and St Pancras, replacing Sir Keir Starmer, takes a selfie with Andy Burnham and other Labour MPs in Westminster Hall after taking her seat in Parliament. Ms Abdi-Wali beat Zack Polanski, the leader of the Green Party, in the north London by-election.

Burnham ‘wants to reopen battles of the past’

Continued from Page 1

answer. There can be no doubt that his words to The Rest Is Politics were intended to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the referendum result.

“By not answering Kemi Badenoch's question, Andy Burnham has all but conceded this was a deliberate ploy intended to sow more division, reopen the battles of the past, and bolster his own case for rejoining the EU.

"The Prime Minister should come out and clarify his words immediately."

Mr Burnham's comments have also been criticised by Boris Johnson, who suggested the Prime Minister was trying to soften up the public to the prospect of a second referendum.

"As soon as I became foreign secretary, I asked the security services the same question and they replied that there was no evidence of any successful interference in the 2016 referendum, by Russia or any other power," the former prime minister said.

“Either the security services have changed their view – which would be very odd – or Burnham is lying about what he has been told. After all, Starmer was in power for two years and had access to exactly the same information."

Mr Johnson added: “It’s pretty obvious that Burnham is trying to soften up the public. He’s trying to cast doubt on that result in what I think is an absolutely shameful way.”

The Government's position is based on a 2020 report by the Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee.

This highlighted the use of bots and trolls during the 2016 referendum campaign but said the impact of any attempts to interfere with the result "would be difficult - if not impossible - to assess". Labour had already started backtracking on Mr Burnham's remarks before his Commons appearance.

Earlier yesterday, Stephen Doughty, the Middle East minister, said that the Kremlin had failed in its attempt to manipulate the 2016 vote, adding that the result had been valid.

Did Moscow engineer Brexit? Russia interference claims

Hours later, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said Mr Burnham

March 2016

Philip Hammond,

the former Tory

foreign secretary,

uses a speech to

argue that “the only

country who would

like us to leave the

EU is Russia”.

December 2016

Ben Bradshaw,

then a Labour

MP, claims in

Parliament that it is

"highly probable"

Russia interfered

in the referendum.

The remain

campaigner's

allegation was

rejected by

then-prime

minister Baroness

May, whose spokesman responded: “I have not come across any evidence that Russian cyber warfare was used to influence the referendum.”

October 2017

Members of the Commons culture, media and sport committee demand that social media sites disclose all adverts and pages linked to Russia in the build-up to the vote.

July 2018

Same committee publishes a report stating that Moscow engaged in “disinformation” through social media and that reports from Russian state media “had more reach on Twitter for anti-EU content than either Vote Leave or Leave. EU”.

July 2020

A report by Parliament's intelligence and security committee highlights the use of bots and trolls to spread propaganda but concluded “the impact of any such attempts would be difficult – if not impossible – to assess”.

October 2026

Andy Burnham used a podcast interview to state that Russia did interfere in the referendum. He later told

Parliament that he had not intended the remarks to cast aspersions on the legitimacy of the result.

accepted the result of the referendum and that it had been “legitimate”.

Speaking yesterday, Mr Burnham said it would be a “dereliction of duty” not to secure a new deal with Brussels on the economy and migration.

“We should not turn our backs on this opportunity,” he told MPs in the lower chamber, claiming that an agreement would bring down food and energy prices for households.

Mr Burnham said he was “not reopening the referendum” but wanted to “take a pragmatic approach where I can boost growth”.

He also said that Brussels was open to going further on sharing data about small boat arrivals, which could include their fingerprints and any criminal records, and that this would make it easier to secure Britain's borders.

During the two-hour appearance, Mr Burnham was repeatedly asked by MPs to produce evidence that Russia had interfered in the referendum.

On each occasion, he would only say that it was “a matter of record” that

Moscow had tried to influence the 2019 general election result, adding that it was “inconceivable that this was the first time” the Kremlin had acted in such a way.

Mrs Badenoch responded: “The busiest job in Westminster is running after the Prime Minister with a dustpan and brush, sweeping up whatever he said five minutes earlier.

“Burnham is all over the place, making statements he clearly hasn’t thought through.” Nigel Farage accused the Prime Minister of lying about Russian interference, and said it was an attempt to “taint” the result of the referendum.

Mr Burnham was also challenged by Graham Stuart, the Tory MP, to state “unequivocally” that he viewed the result as legitimate.

The Prime Minister eventually replied: "It was legitimate. I have always respected the result, I have never questioned its legitimacy. But I am within my rights to point out where foreign actors are looking to interfere in British democracy."

Heaven knows he's miserable now after EU gamble hits wrong note

Sketch

By Patrick Kidd

“BRITAIN is Back.” Those three little words, like a James Bond trailer, were the “clear message” Andy Burnham gave the United Nations last month, he told MPs. But back where? Back in Brussels asking to see the wine list, according to Tory MPs who saw his enthusiasm to chew the cud with our EU neighbours as imminent Brexit betrayal.

When the Prime Minister spoke of wanting “serious dialogue about different options for our relationship”, they heard it as “Freude, schöner Götterfunken, Tochter aus Elysium” as sung by the Smiths.

This does not mean another referendum, Burnham kept insisting, though you can understand why him saying things like “the British public will be the boss” might hint that he wants one.

Patrick Spencer (C, Central Suffolk and Ipswich) thought he had seen a loophole. "He said no referendum," Spencer conceded. "Does that mean he would take Britain back into Europe unilaterally?" This drew a loud "oh my goodness" from Wes Streeting but Burnham for once gave a direct

answer. “No. Full stop,” he said. It wasn’t just Tories seeing a plot. Kirsty Blackman, the SNP chief whip, told him it was a “wee bit cheeky” to offer a new Brexit referendum and not give the Scots one on independence.

The PM began to burble about opinion polls before remembering that he didn't have to accept her premise. "No one is proposing a referendum," he repeated.

As Burnham maintained that the red lines in Labour's last manifesto against freedom of movement remain painted in deep vermilion, Ed Miliband sat impassively beside him, his eyelids regularly drooping. All of this

Kemi Badenoch clashed with Andy Burnham over Brexit in the House of Commons yesterday

overshadowed what some might think to be the big foreign news of the week: Donald Trump's oil deal with Putin and his unilateral declaration of an energy ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, a message ignored by Moscow's artillery.

Sir Roger Gale, wearing a Ukrainian tie, asked Burnham to condemn this “act of treachery” by the American president. The Prime Minister just simpered the usual boilerplate about supporting Ukraine but refused to criticise Trump. One suspects that in the White House, “Britain is Back” has been amended to include the words “on her”.

Prime Minister retoxifying Brexit debate and Right must be prepared

David Frost

It's always dangerous to be interviewed by your friends. The lack of challenging questions can make you careless. And if you are a “progressive” Labour Prime Minister, they don't get friendlier than Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell's embarrassing centrist-dad podcast, The Rest is Politics.

Perhaps this safe space is what tempted Andy Burnham into a silly and dangerous comment clearly intended to suggest that Britain had voted to leave the EU because of Russian interference in the 2016 referendum.

But when the Prime Minister rose to speak in the Commons yesterday the story had changed rather dramatically. By then, Burnham was rowing back. In a carefully chosen form of words, he now claimed the Russians “sought to” interfere in the 2019 general election, adding it was “inconceivable” it was the first time. He went on to deny explicitly claiming that Russian interference had influenced the Brexit vote, retorting: “I implied no such thing.” So the government line now appears to be that the Russians (probably) tried to interfere but had failed. Nothing to see here after all, it seems.

But of course there was something to see here. Burnham's podcast remarks

were a sign of something larger: a readiness to get back into Brexit as a subject, to rally the Remain camp, to detoxify a debate that had been settling and to delegitimise the vote result.

Of course it also reveals that in their hearts much of the establishment, progressive and otherwise, officialdom and deep state, have never really accepted the legitimacy of the result in 2016. Burnham's initial comments produced an ecstasy of outpouring, headed of course by Ed Davey. "This

'You can only believe what they appear to believe if you think that British voters are stupid'

statement needed to be said by a Prime Minister. After the Conservatives suppressed the truth for years, this took courage," the leader of the Liberal Democrats posted on social media.

You can only believe what they appear to believe if you think that British voters are stupid. The establishment thinks the British electorate was fooled into voting Leave, though they can't explain why Project Fear and Barack Obama's intervention didn't influence them the other way.

The idea that British citizens might have thought about the issues, considered the pros and cons and voted accordingly seems to be alien to the

extreme Remain class. Or, more likely, it's a convenient excuse: for not accepting their own failings in running the country before 2016, and their visible reluctance to implement the referendum result afterwards.

Of course there is Russian interference, at every election. There always has been, right back to the Cold War. But in the past we didn't obsess about it because we trusted the people not to take it seriously.

This is more than a flash in the pan caused by an amateurish prime minister. We are not just seeing the resurrection of a half-baked conspiracy theory. We are seeing the ground being prepared for another go at reversing Brexit. Burnham's remarks may have been careless, but will be seized on.

Leavers must now recognise that Labour will now do everything it can to retoxify the 2016 result. Reviving the bitter culture war on the issue not only motivates the Remain camp but provides a justification for the PM's broken promises on not reopening Brexit.

Remain has had the pitch largely to itself for two years. And that's why the common opinion in the country is that "Brexit has been failing". It's not good enough simply to say that "people don't want to reopen the Brexit question". It's being reopened whether we like it or not.

Lord Frost served as chief Brexit

Lord Frost served as chief Brexit negotiator and Brexit minister

Ambridge-on-Thames? Archers may move south to cut costs

By Anita Singh

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

THE BBC is to stop recording The Archers in Birmingham after 75 years.

Production of the Radio 4 soap will be moved as part of a cost-saving exercise, and it could be recorded in London in the future.

It was supposed to relocate to the corporation's planned Birmingham headquarters in a converted tea factory in Digbeth, which will open in 2028.

However, a purpose-built Archers studio was deemed too expensive.

In an email to staff, the BBC said: "As you will be aware, the BBC is facing significant financial pressures and in order to deliver £500m of savings over the next three years it has been reworking its spending plans in all divisions. As part of this work, we are carefully reviewing how we use all our facilities across the organisation. This includes where we record The Archers.

"After careful consideration, as part of the BBC's wider drive to reduce costs, we are no longer building a new studio for The Archers in the Tea Factory as planned." The production team and writers will move to the new headquarters, but the recording will be done elsewhere.

A BBC source told The Telegraph that London was under consideration because many Archers cast members lived in the South East.

Cardiff, where the BBC has a large hub, is another possibility.

Cast members are based throughout

Britain and spend eight days a month in Birmingham recording the show.

Charles Collingwood, who plays Brian Aldridge, lives in Hampshire and makes a seven-hour round trip to record.

Vanessa Nuttall, the audio engineer who provides The Archers' sound effects – including a towel soaked in yogurt to replicate the birth of a cow, and an ironing board as a stand-in for a farm gate – lives in North Wales.

“I know this is a big piece of news and a lot to take in,” the email went on. “I appreciate that this uncertainty can feel very uncomfortable.”

One staff member told the Birmingham Mail that moving The Archers from Birmingham was as unthinkable as Coronation Street leaving Manchester.

In cod we trust: 'Big five' fish now our favoured dish

Once-popular sole, oysters and herring fall out of favour as home cooks stick to less-adventurous meals

By Ruby Cline

A CENTURY ago, halibut baked in custard was considered a child-friendly supper. But home cooks have given up on varied seafood recipes in favour of a “big five” including salmon and cod, research on a century of Good Housekeeping recipes has revealed.

Fish recipes in the 1920s taught housewives to fillet soles and serve lobsters - but the variety of home-cooked fish recipes has dropped in recent decades, according to a University of Exeter academic. In the 1920s, 32 species

appeared across 76 recipes. By the 2020s, 23 species appeared across 99 recipes – and just five species made up the majority of the dishes: salmon, prawns, cod, haddock, and tuna.

Dr Ruth Thurstan, who led the research, wrote: "From the 1920s to the 1960s, recipes featured a relatively

---

'Dishes the children will like' Recipe for Halibut and custard

Take a slice of cod or halibut, or some filleted fish weighing about 1lb. Wipe it with a clean cloth and remove any black skin. Lay the fish in a greased and shallow baking-dish and sprinkle it with salt, a little white pepper, the grated rind of half a lemon, and a small onion finely chopped. Then break into a basin 1 or 2 eggs, add 2 tablespoonfuls of flour, and a little pepper and salt. Beat until smooth, and add half pint fresh milk. Strain this custard over the fish, stand in a tin containing some water, and bake in a moderate oven until the custard is set and lightly browned (30 minutes). It is a good plan to baste the fish once or twice with the custard during the first part of the cooking. Chips or some mashed potatoes would be good with this dish. Good

Housekeeping

January 1923

broad mix of species with no single group consistently dominating.

“From the 1970s onwards, however, representation became increasingly concentrated, with a smaller number of species – the contemporary ‘big five’ – dominating mentions.” She added: “Species such as sole, oysters and herring, which were more prominent in recipes published in earlier decades, declined sharply or disappeared altogether, while salmon, prawns, cod, haddock, and tuna became entrenched.”

The “big five” make up 80pc of seafood eaten in the UK, according to the Marine Stewardship Council, a sustainable fishing charity.

The "big five" species made up the

The research examined 1,192 fish and shellfish Good Housekeeping magazine recipes published over the last century.

A majority of the magazine's fish recipes from the 1970s onwards, Dr Thurstan found - prompting overfishing concerns.

Dr Thurstan wrote: "This concentration of

preferences carries environmental costs. Cod, haddock and shrimp are predominately caught using bottom-contacting, unselective mobile gears which damage vulnerable seabed habitats. Tropical shrimp and prawn aquaculture has driven large-scale clearances of mangrove vegetation, while salmon farming has been criticised for enhanced disease transmission and reliance on wild fish as feed."

Older recipes often taught readers how to prepare and fillet a fish, Dr Thurstan noted. Cooks in the 1930s were advised to ask their fishmonger for help if they did not feel comfortable filleting their own fish. By the 1950s, pre-prepared fish fillets appeared in recipes and have now become the norm.

“There were a lot of tinned products a century ago – but that was because many people didn’t have fridges,” Dr Thurstan said. “Frozen products became fashionable in the 1960s and 1970s.” She added: “There definitely was an angle of convenience in the past that recognised that people were busy.

“But it was more about how you would store something or how to make it in a small kitchen. There was a recognition addressed to domestic women in the home, trying to juggle the kids, your social life, and all the jobs you have to do in the home.”

GETTY IMAGES/HARA KAUR/DAVE BENETT

A woman of substance Sienna Miller presents multiple-rape victim Gisèle Pelicot with the Women of the Year Woman of Courage award at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London.

Goody's son spent TV money on cannabis while filming

By Telegraph Reporters

THE son of Jade Goody, the late Big Brother star, has said he used BBC money to buy cannabis while on Celebrity Race Across the World.

Freddy Brazier came third alongside his father, Jeff Brazier, a TV presenter, in the 2024 series.

While on the show, the 22-year-old, who has spoken openly about his struggles with his mental health and drug abuse, said that on the anniversary of his mother's death he and his father went swimming and watched the sunset. Later that evening he left the hotel to buy some cannabis.

Speaking on the Terry Stone Connection podcast, he said: “I’ve taken some money we’ve been given that we had to budget and I went and bought myself a three-five (3.5g of cannabis) in Brazil on Mother’s Day and smoked it with these two bracelet makers on the beach while looking at the stars. It was beautiful, but it was so wrong.”

Looking back, Brazier said it was a very “selfish” thing to do as it could have cost “us the show”. He added: “I

Freddy Brazier came third on the BBC series Celebrity Race Across the World in 2024

feel like I needed that joint. Honest to God, I feel like I needed that joint otherwise I was getting kicked off the show anyways because I weren't in the greatest headspace and I didn't want to be filmed on Mother's Day."

Jade Goody died aged 27 on Mother's Day in 2009 from cervical cancer.

Brazier reportedly began smoking from the age of 12 and has struggled with his mental health over the years, including going to rehab and experiencing manic episodes.

He spoke about his mother during his time on Race Across the World, saying: "I don't really like showing my emotions. I don't even speak to my dad much about my mum either. I just avoid it. I prefer to bottle it up.

"I don't want to feel like I'm a burden to them. A lot of my memories that I have of my mum have come from watching a documentary, YouTube clips, newspapers, they are not my memories.

"I don't really remember being held by my mum. If I had more memories of her, it would have made it a whole lot harder for me. But I think I would rather not really remember the things that I had done with my mum. It's just life really and I've kind of accepted that."

While on the show, contestants had a strict budget of £1,100 per person for the 7,800-mile race from Belém in Brazil to Frutillar, Chile. The BBC has been contacted for comment.

Check eggs and bin dodgy ones, shoppers told in salmonella alert

By Tom Jeffreys

EGGS farmed in Ukraine caused a second outbreak of salmonella in the UK this year, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has said.

Genetic testing revealed that 36 cases of salmonella enteritidis reported this year were linked to eggs from Yasensvit, a poultry farm about 30 miles from the centre of Kyiv.

The testing was carried out as part of an ongoing investigation into a large salmonella outbreak this year, thought to be linked to imported eggs and which has killed two people.

Experts found the Ukrainian eggs were infected with salmonella, but it was not the cause of the large outbreak and 586 cases.

The Ukrainian eggs are not sold in large supermarkets, which only provide British-farmed eggs. They are identifiable by the stamp of 3UA1012066 on the

---

Top exporters of eggs to the UK

From 1 Jan to 31 Jul 2025

---

Share of Britain's egg imports

Egg consumption

British eggs

SOURCE: ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH AGENCY AND BRITISH LION EGGS

shell. Some of the affected Ukrainian eggs are used in catering, however, and some may be available for retail sale in small shops.

The FSA and UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) have urged businesses to withdraw and recall the affected eggs immediately, and any people who may have bought them to bin them.

Jacquelyn McCormick, head of incidents at the FSA, said: "We have identified salmonella enteritidis in eggs that were imported from a business in Ukraine and taken urgent action to protect public health and advised that any affected product on the UK market is withdrawn and recalled. It is important to say, however, that eggs produced in the UK are not affected.

"Eggs bought in major supermarkets are produced in the UK and therefore not affected by this outbreak. This issue relates specifically to eggs from one business in Ukraine."

Ghoul hanger: Brown ‘attended exorcism to sign Raith Rovers player’

By Ben Rumsby

GORDON BROWN, the former prime minister, attended an “exorcism” in an effort to help Raith Rovers sign a player, ex-Scotland manager Craig Levein has claimed.

Levein explained how Brown, a lifelong Raith fan, arranged a meeting in 2006 with Marvin Andrews at the Zion Praise Centre in Kirkcaldy, which was run by the Trinidad and Tobago defender's spiritual mentor, Pastor Joe Nwokoye.

Andrews, a devout Christian, had previously played for Raith between 1997 and 2000 but was without a club at the time after being released by Rangers.

Levein told the Under The Cosh podcast that the then chancellor, who has denied the claims, had phoned him telling him to come to a car park in Kirkcaldy. "Next minute, there's three Range Rovers that come tearing into the car park," Levein said. "The lights are going and the sirens and I'm thinking, 'What the f---?' The window comes down and it's Gordon.

“He says, ‘Right, jump in my car, we are going down to see Marvin’, who’s working that evening in the church.”

---

‘Gordon’s prepared to do a lot for Raith Rovers but he’s never attended an exorcism’

Levein added: “I’d chosen an evening to go along with Gordon Brown to meet Pastor Joe when they were casting out demons.

"The guys go up on the stage and Pastor Joe gets his hand on their head here and there is a whole lot of wailing noises going on and he shoves them down and they fall backwards.

"I am sitting there going, 'What the f---'s going on?' I'm there to meet Marvin and there are people falling about all over and there are six people lying on the ground. It was the most bizarre evening I have ever had."

Andrews duly rejoined Raith, saying afterwards: “I’m delighted to be back at Stark’s Park but I’m not here because of what Gordon Brown said – I’m here because of what God said.”

A spokesman for Mr Brown said: "Gordon's prepared to do a lot for Raith Rovers but he's never attended an exorcism."

Andrews, who won the Scottish Premiership with Rangers in 2005, became a full-time Christian preacher after retiring from the game and conducts weddings for football fans. He is now 50 years old.

In 2017, he offered to exorcise a house where five nannies quit in a year over fears it was haunted. At the time, he said: “In my experience anything problematic is usually linked to Satan.”

BBC can question Trump's children over Panorama lawsuit

By Gordon Rayner ASSOCIATE EDITOR

THE BBC has been cleared by a judge to serve legal papers on Donald Trump's children as part of its \$10bn court battle with the US president after it doctored one of his speeches.

The broadcaster believes Donald Trump Jr, Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner may have information that would help its defence against the president's defamation claim.

Mr Trump sued the BBC after The Telegraph revealed a Panorama documentary spliced together two parts of a speech he made in 2021, claiming it gave the impression he incited the Capitol riot.

According to court documents, the BBC tried to serve subpoenas on Ms Trump and Mr Kushner at their home in Miami in May but were prevented from doing so by Secret Service officers guarding their home. The BBC also tried unsuccessfully to serve papers on

Mr Trump Jr at Trump Tower in New York. The BBC believes the president's children and son-in-law are likely to have "personal knowledge of possession of discoverable information" that is relevant to the case.

According to the Politico website, a judge has now granted the BBC's request to be able to serve papers on the three via email and registered post, rather than in person as is usually required, finding "no compelling reason" why it should not be allowed.

Ms Trump and Mr Kushner were both advisers to the president when he made the speech in question, and the BBC has said that both Ms Trump and Mr Trump Jr were present in the Oval Office at the White Ivanka Trump was adviser to her father at time of speech

House when Mr Trump was revising the speech. Mr Trump's legal team have described the BBC's desire to serve subpoenas as "politically driven".

The BBC has previously apologised to Mr Trump for misleading audiences by editing his speech but insists it did not defame him.

Its lawyers argue that the Panorama episode was not broadcast in the US, nor was it available online in the US.

Mr Trump claims the way the speech was edited by Panorama made it seem as though he urged his supporters to go to the Capitol and “fight like hell” when in fact it had spliced together two parts of the speech that were nearly an hour apart.

Rayner spent public cash on anti-Reform ads

Department led by then deputy PM used £15m ‘community cohesion’ fund to steer voters from Farage

By Craig Simpson

ANGELA RAYNER'S department spent public money on Left-wing propaganda, seeking to stop a Reform or Tory government, The Telegraph can reveal.

Defeating narratives of division

The then deputy prime minister announced a £15m “community cohesion” fund in the wake of the Southport riots to bring people together. It can be revealed that taxpayer money from the fund was distributed to Left-wing activists for training sessions on preventing the “disaster” of a Reform government.

Publicly funded material seen by The Telegraph was handed to council staff, offering instructions for steering local voters away from Nigel Farage as well as the “Tory-Right”.

almost one million in 2022, while more than 200,000 illegal migrants have arrived by small boat since 2018.

A manifesto for community action that can defeat the far-right and advance democracy.

Documents seen by The Telegraph single out politicians on the Right, including Suella Braverman, Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, and Boris Johnson. Even Sir Keir Starmer is criticised for a “shameful” speech in which he raised concerns that Britain could become an “island of strangers” as a result of immigration.

Training delivered in targeted areas across England offered guidance on preventing “working class communities” leaning to the Right, specifically by countering “racist narratives” about immigration.

The training was funded at a time of increasing concerns about migration, which reached record net levels of

Lectures offered tips on distracting the public from immigration concerns, including fears about small-boat arrivals, and training included role-playing exercises on quelling discontent in “small seaside towns”.

This training was devised and delivered by the Ella Baker School of Organising, a network founded by former members of the Left-wing group Hope Not Hate, which was reported to the Electoral Commission in June over alleged campaigning for Labour.

Funding received by the School of Organising came from the Community Recovery Fund announced in 2024 by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, when Ms Rayner led the department before her resignation over an unpaid tax bill. This £15m fund was intended to help areas affected by rioting after the Southport killings. Cash was distributed to chosen local authorities, including Birmingham city council, which was Labour-led.

Announcing the fund at the time, Ms Rayner said: "I was heartened to see the extent to which communities so quickly came together to support one another

Literature given to council staff, above, by the department led by Angela Rayner, right

and their local areas. This new Community Recovery Fund will support the work that is already under way and ensure that communities have the resources they need to rebuild.”

The council handed over an initial £13,450 of taxpayers' money to the School of Organising, which was used to create a pilot training programme titled "Defeating narratives of division", an 11-part lecture series with an accompanying manifesto. This pilot was then expanded, and Blackpool's Labour-led council gave away £9,000 to pay for a local version of this Left-wing training, made with an arts group called Aunty Social.

It was also delivered to staff working for Sheffield city council, led by Labour and the Green Party, in particular those handling asylum and immigration.

Sessions were held in Walsall, Solihull, and council areas within the Liverpool City Region, including Sefton, which covers Southport.

Future sessions are planned, including in partnership with the Youth Work Training Academy for Wales.

An online booking form for upcoming training in Glasgow states: “Despite the abject failure of the mainstream democratic parties, there is still time to avert the impending disaster of a Reform UK government.”

The manifesto for this training warns that Reform UK won four million votes at the last election, and states that “Farage is a classic authoritarian populist” who is among political figures “undermining democracy”.

One lecture in the training material warns that “our people (the working classes) are voting Reform UK in the belief that migrants are the problem”, and adds: “Toxic forces are asserting a narrative that prioritises the interests of straight, white, men.”

Training material seen by The Telegraph highlights the “vulnerability of working class communities to far-Right, alt-Right and Tory-Right narratives of division and blame”. To prevent immigration issues delivering electoral success for the “far-Right”, which is said to comprise elements of

'Toxic forces are asserting a narrative that prioritises the interests of straight, white men'

the “Conservative Party and beyond”, the training sets out to counter “racist narratives”, such as the claim “migrants put strain on underfunded services and are willing to work for lower pay”.

The manifesto says of the British public that “we have to find ways to influence them to rethink their ideas”, and adds that they should be persuaded to adopt “a more class-based analysis of their problems”.

The lecture notes suggest working to undermine certain beliefs, including public concerns that “many asylum seekers are ‘bogus’” and “certain migrant groups don’t assimilate”.

One lecture is dedicated to opposing anti-immigration protests, not only through counter demonstrations, but also social media campaigns and slogans. A set of exercises in this section asks trainees to devise a plan to oppose protests in a declining seaside town with an influx of migrants.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: "Councils are not permitted to use taxpayers' money to fund partisan issues or party-politi-

cal activity.

“Councils must make sure money is spent in line with their responsibilities, and we have powers in place to recoup money if it is found to have been mis-spent.”

Farage: Britain is letting in terrorists and sex offenders

By Sapphire Hope and Pieter Snepvangers

NIGEL FARAGE has said Britain is letting terrorists into the country.

The Reform UK leader set out plans to close Britain's asylum system for a full parliamentary term and deport the country's 90,000 asylum seekers.

He was speaking at a press conference with Zia Yusuf, the party's home affairs spokesman, yesterday, with a replica mega-dinghy behind him.

Mr Farage said: “We are letting terrorists come into Britain. We are letting serious criminals come into Britain. We’re letting dangerous sex offenders into Britain, and our primary purpose has been to stop that from happening.”

There have been a number of acts of terrorism committed by migrants in recent years.

Khairi Saadallah, a Libyan refugee, was granted leave to remain after arriving in the UK in 2012. On June 20, 2020, he killed three men and seriously injured three others in a terror attack.

In November 2021, Emad al-Swealmeen, who is understood to have arrived in the UK from the Middle East in 2014, died when a bomb intended for Liverpool Women's Hospital went off in a taxi. He had had his asylum application rejected.

Numerous cases of asylum seekers, raping women and girls have also been recorded, including that of Ahmad Mulakhil, an Afghan asylum seeker who abducted and raped a 12-year-old girl in Nuneaton in July last year. Mulakhil had arrived in a small boat from France four months earlier.

Mr Farage said that, if elected, Reform would declare a “national security emergency” on its first day in power and pass more primary legislation than any government in history to push through its migration plans, which the party has named “Restoring Justice”.

Countries that failed to accept foreign criminals would face visa bans, flight bans or tariffs, he said.

Mr Farage later appeared to refer to Shabir Ahmed, the Pakistani ringleader of the Rochdale grooming gang who was jailed for 30 child rape offences but released from prison in July and cannot be deported.

He told the crowd in Hythe, Kent: "I'm sorry, Pakistan, but you need to take back that man now, living freely in the North West of England, who was at the heart of one of the most appalling ... they call them grooming gangs, but I think rape gangs, frankly, would be more appropriate.

"If that means, in the case of Pakistan, that we have to bring in visa bans, we'll do so. If it means threatening Pakistani nationals' assets in London, we will do so. If it means introducing flight bans, we will do so. And in extremis, we'd even look at tariffs."

Britain stripped Ahmed of his citizenship in 2016, but cannot deport him because of protections granted to Commonwealth immigrants under the Immigration Act 1971.

Before the speech yesterday morning, Reform also referred to Somalia, Eritrea, Syria, Afghanistan and Sudan as probable targets for visa bans, because of the number of their citizens living in the UK. Mr Yusuf told the crowd he would “embark on the biggest mass deportation programme this country has ever seen”, adding that the cost of failing would be Britain itself.

He said: “If we fail to do that, if we fail to uphold the law, if we fail to say that Britain’s borders mean something, and if you break into our country, you do not get to stay. In very short order, we will not have a country at all.”

Reform also announced that it would suspend all asylum tribunals, legal routes to obtain refugee status and resettlement schemes.

Mr Farage said: "It's nothing radical or crazy. We want to get back to being a normal country, a country that puts national security at the top of the agenda, a country that does everything it can to protect its citizens, and a country that detains and deports people that come illegally, as virtually every other country in the world does, and indeed, as we used to do."

Nigel Farage, the Reform leader, speaking at a press conference in Kent, in front of a replica of the mega-dinghy, above, that was used to transport 230 migrants to the UK

Mr Farage also criticised Labour's actions to reduce small-boat Channel crossings by 40 per cent in the past year.

He said: "If I said to you a decade ago, 20,000 people in the first nine months would be processed through the port of Dover, having come by dinghy, you literally wouldn't have believed me.

"Do you see the point I'm making? All we're asking here is for normality. All we're asking here is for normal service to be resumed."

He told the crowd that the mega-dinghy on the stage behind him had been modelled on one that had transported 230 people to the UK.

Record migration since pandemic pushed up house prices by £15k

By Charles Hymas

HOME AFFAIRS EDITOR

RECORD migration since 2020 has pushed house prices up by about £15,270, analysis has found.

Housebuilding has failed to keep pace with the growth in population, 99 per cent of which is accounted for by net migration, according to the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS).

If net migration had been kept below 100,000, average house prices would be 5.2 per cent lower at £275,650 rather than £290,920, the figures show.

Britain sits near the bottom of the European league table for fewest homes per capita. Only Ireland has fewer per 1,000 people than the UK.

Last year, Britain had 444.9 homes per 1,000 people, but the CPS said it would have been 473 per 1,000 people if net migration had been capped at 100,000 a year since 1997.

Ben Hopkinson, the CPS's head of housing, said: "The surge in migration since 2020 hasn't just added to the demand for housing – it has added more than £15,000 to the price of the average English home.

“That is money straight out of the pockets of first-time buyers and renters, and it helps explain why house prices have stayed so stubbornly high even

Reduction in average house prices if net migration had been kept below 100,000, according to CPS figures

as interest rates rose. But migration is only half the picture. We have underbuilt for decades, and even with no migration at all we would still be millions of homes short.

"The good news is that this is fixable. Had we matched France's building rate since the 1980s and kept migration to sustainable levels, the housing crisis would essentially be over. The best time to act was decades ago. The second-best time is now."

Some 2.6 million migrants came to Britain during the so-called “Boris-wave” after Covid, when Boris Johnson eased restrictions on visas for workers, students and their dependents.

It peaked at 944,000 in the year ending March 2023 with net migration accounting for 99 per cent of population growth since 2020.

Reform UK pledged on Sunday to impose a five-year ban on migrants being granted asylum, and deport 90,000 applicants having their claims assessed.

Nigel Farage, the Reform leader, said yesterday that he wanted Britain to return to being a “normal country” and that his plans were “nothing radical or crazy”. He said: “We want to get back to being a normal country, a country that puts national security at the top of the agenda, a country that does everything it can to protect its own citizens, and a country that detains and deports people that come illegally.”

Welfare spending three times higher than infrastructure bill

By Charles Hymas

WELFARE spending has been three times greater than the amount invested in key infrastructure over the past two decades, according to an analysis.

The research by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) found that the British state spent approximately £1.6tn on working-age benefits between 2006-07 and 2024-25.

This contrasted with the £0.5tn devoted to the combined public capital investment in transport, science and technology, economic development, housing and community amenities over the same period.

The findings come after a year-long investigation by the CSJ into the ballooning cost of welfare, to be set out in a 250-page report entitled State of Dependency and published today.

The report is the successor to the Breakdown Britain series by Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the CSJ founder, nearly two decades ago, which provided the blueprint for the introduction of universal credit. The new report aims to lay the groundwork for reforms to cut back health-related benefits, which have been blamed for a near 60 per cent rise in the welfare bill to £136.1bn in 2026-27 since the Covid pandemic.

It concludes that rising working-age welfare spending has increasingly been

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‘Welfare... has kept areas of the country numbed during two decades of economic failure’

used to compensate for weak local economies, low wages and a shortage of productive investment without addressing the conditions that allow worklessness to become embedded. Between 1949 and 1975, Britain spent an average of about 4.5 per cent of GDP on public investment and 2.5 per cent on benefits for working-age people.

benefits for working-age people averaged 5 per cent of GDP between 1975 and 2016, while public investment fell to an average of 2.5 per cent over the same period. Today, public investment is 2.9 per cent compared with benefit spending at 4.6 per cent, while working-age benefit spending is up £50bn in real terms since 2019.

"Welfare is the anaesthetic that has kept areas of the country numbed during two decades of economic failure," says the report.

“Weak local economies produce low wages, poor health and worklessness. Welfare compensates people for those outcomes but does very little to address the conditions that produced them.

“Rising expenditure then leaves less fiscal room for the investment and tax regimes needed to rebuild regional economies.”

In areas across the North East, South Wales, the M62 corridor and parts of the Midlands, economic output per person has barely increased for more than two decades.

Runaway stoat prompts £150k seven-month hunt after fleeing island

By Tim Sigsworth

FEW of us would expect to have much chance if we tried to evade drones, dogs and a search effort worth £150k.

But one humble stoat managed to do it for five months as it ran free across the rugged Scottish island of Rousay.

The animal was first spotted in May and is believed to have swum from Orkney.

A major hunt was launched because stoats are not native to Rousay and it was believed to pose a threat to other species, including the Orkney vole, hen harrier and short-eared owl.

The Orkney Native Wildlife Project (ONWP), which works to reduce stoat numbers on the islands, launched a £150k search using traps, dog searches and artificial intelligence-assisted trail cameras.

On Oct 9, the male stoat was found in a trap near the remote Loch of Loomachun.

“Following extensive efforts by both the project team and the local community, this stoat has been caught before it could seriously harm native wildlife on the island," a spokesman for the Orkney Native Wildlife Project said.

Experts believe the incursion was limited to a single animal but monitoring will continue to ensure no others are on the island.

Alice Head-Rapson, who set the trap box that caught the stoat, said: "This incursion response was a test of our skills, but everybody at the project stepped up to meet the moment.

"My teammate, Benjy, and I spent the summer and autumn monitoring as much of Rousay as we can and expanding our trap networks, with a focus on sighting hotspots like the Loch of

‘This is why the ONWP has been monitoring islands within swimming distance of the mainland’

Loomachun. Our work has certainly paid off! It's still important we guarantee with complete confidence that the stoat we've trapped was the only one, but our achievement here is a big deal and we hope that will help to keep nature safe across all of Orkney."

It is believed the stoat may have reached the island by swimming with the distance between Rousay and Orkney as one it could “easily cover over open water.”

"How the stoat reached Rousay is currently unconfirmed, but stoats are excellent swimmers.

"This is why the Orkney Native Wildlife Project has been monitoring islands within swimming distance of the mainland since the project's earliest days," the spokesman said.

"The risk of stoats spreading is decreasing as their numbers on the Mainland fall, but Rousay is within a distance a stoat could easily cover over open water."

The ONWP has removed more than 9,100 stoats from Orkney since 2010.

Other Orkney species believed to be at risks from stoats include ground-nesting birds such as red-throated divers, Arctic terns and curlews.

Showjumper's Olympic hope in tatters after horse killed

Teenage eventer, who says she has flashbacks, to sue motorist after loss of prize-winning thoroughbred

By Tom Jeffreys

A TEENAGE equestrian's Olympic dream is at risk after her competition horse died in a collision with a car.

Tinks Walker, 17, was thrown into the vehicle's windscreen after it collided with her showjumping horse, Killossery Kaptain, during a morning ride near her home in Malmesbury, Wiltshire.

The thoroughbred gelding, also known as Benny, was severely injured and was put down at the roadside.

It is feared Miss Walker, who inherited the horse from Laura Collett, the double Olympic gold medallist and current European Eventing champion, will miss out on selection for Great Britain in the Eventing European Championships for Young Riders next year.

Miss Walker's family and Benny's owners are suing the driver over the loss of the prize-winning horse – independently valued at hundreds of thousands of pounds – after Wiltshire Police said it would not seek to bring a prosecution against her.

Miss Walker, who said Benny was "the equine equivalent of an Olympian", told the Daily Mail: "It was awful. I was completely helpless. There was nothing I could do. Every day I've thought about it. When I close my eyes, I see it happening."

She added: “I was on the grass, off the road. I thought to myself, ‘has she seen me or not?’. I felt totally powerless and the next thing was I felt an impact. I woke up on the floor. It felt like I had been beaten up.”

The A-level student continued: “I saw Benny lying on the floor. Benny did try to get up once – but struggled to do so and ultimately fell back down to the floor. He did not try to stand up again.”

Miss Walker first rode Benny in competition in March, after Ms Collett passed down the 10-year-old horse to foster a next-generation partnership for Team GB. On April 2, Miss Walker had been about a mile from her family home when, she claimed, she had seen a car “flying around the curve in the road”.

In a letter to Miss Walker, police said the driver had been offered a “safe and considerate driving course” to “re-educate” her.

Miss Walker's family has hired Cathryn Godfrey, a personal-injury lawyer, to bring legal action against the driver. Another solicitor, Hannah Bradley, from Aria Grace Law, is acting for Benny's owners.

Netia Walker, Miss Walker's mother, told the Mail: "He was the Brad Pitt of horses to us. He came here and was worshipped. He was the kindest horse you would ever come across.

“He would have been the most amazing horse for Tinks, and it is just horrific. My daughter could have been killed, we have lost her best horse.”

Miss Walker will compete in a charity

'He was the Brad Pitt of horses to us. He came here and was worshipped. He was the kindest horse'

race at Newbury on Nov 5 to raise funds for a safety campaign by the British Horse Society (BHS).

The society recorded 19,528 road incidents involving horses from 2016 to 2025, resulting in the deaths of eight people and 559 horses.

Alan Hiscox, safety director at the BHS, said: "What happened to Tinks and Benny is absolutely heartbreaking, and no rider should have to experience what they have been through. We are incredibly grateful to Tinks for having the courage to share her story.

“We hope Benny’s story reminds every driver that slowing down, giving horses plenty of space and being patient can make a life-changing difference.”

Wiltshire Police said: “The driver of the vehicle in this case was reported for careless driving following the road traffic collision. The driver, a 41-year-old woman, was ordered to complete a Safe and Considerate Driving Course, which includes practical sessions with an accredited driving instructor.”

Tinks Walker's dream of going to the Olympics has been dashed after her horse Killossery Kaptain – known as Benny – was killed by a driver in Malmesbury, Wiltshire

Health and safety investigation at zoo after deadly tiger attack

By Tim Sigsworth

A HEALTH and safety investigation has been launched after a man was killed by a tiger at a zoo in Yorkshire.

City of Doncaster council will look into the circumstances of the man's death at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Saturday.

Witnesses said the man danced and posed for photographs before jumping off a bridge into the tiger's pen, where he was then attacked.

Emergency services attended Yorkshire Wildlife Park after the attack at around 1.35pm. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Dan Swaine, the council's executive director of place, said: “As the relevant licensing authority for the Yorkshire Wildlife Park, I can confirm that, in line with our statutory duties, the council has launched a health and safety investigation.

“We are also working with multiple agencies, including the police and health agencies, and are supporting the Yorkshire Wildlife Park in response to the incident. At this time, we won't be commenting further on the individual or the investigation and we ask that the privacy of those involved is respected.

“We are deeply saddened by the incident that occurred this weekend and our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with everyone involved, including the family and loved ones of the person who tragically lost their life, those that witnessed the incident and the staff involved at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, as well as the emergency services.”

A woman attempted to stop the man, who was visiting the park alone and has not been named, but he overpowered her and entered the tiger's enclosure.

Another witness said the man posed for a photograph with the animal before entering the enclosure, while a third said the man appeared to “dance” while listening to music before he did so.

Footage posted to social media showed the man crying “no, no” during the fatal attack and screaming “stop” as he pointed his finger at the animal.

The tiger could be seen approaching the man from behind and grabbing the back of his top near the neckline, lifting him off the ground. Moments later, the tiger lurches towards his right shoulder as the man clenches both fists with his little fingers sticking out. Some have suggested that this could have been the sign for “bad” in Makaton, a form of communication used by people with learning disabilities.

Anthony Hunt, who was visiting with his girlfriend Scarlett Hogan, told The Telegraph how a mother in the area with her two children had tried to pull him back as he attempted to jump. "He overpowered her and jumped off. She seemed really frightened," Mr Hunt said.

The animal, a Siberian tiger named Altai, will not be euthanised following the attack. The park was closed yesterday as staff affected by the incident received specialist support.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park opened in 2009, with the Land Of The Tigers area opening in 2011. It is a purpose-built two-acre reserve for Siberian tigers, an endangered subspecies with around 750 left in the wild.

‘Dog whisperer’ retires over fears wagging tails will knock off fake nose

By Telegraph Reporters

AS BRITAIN'S original "dog whisperer", Graeme Sims has trained more than 3,500 dogs and instructed tens of thousands of owners with a philosophy built on calmness and understanding.

Yet after four decades, Mr Sims has been forced into retirement.

The 89-year-old, who had his nose removed because of cancer in 2018, relies on a set of £4,000 magnetically attached prosthetic noses. But after spending hours hunting through the undergrowth when a dog knocked his prosthesis clean off, he has decided training is no longer worth the risk.

The grandfather of eight, who lives near Swansea, south Wales, said: “Dogs and dog training have been a major part of my life since the 1980s, so calling it a day wasn't an easy decision to make. But I simply can't afford to spend countless hours searching for expensive noses if they get knocked off.

“And I can’t do online seminars any longer either, as I think it would scare people half to death if one of my own dogs’ tails whacked it off midway through a Zoom call.”

The father of four was diagnosed with aggressive cancer in early 2018 after his nose began to collapse while he was training sheepdogs in Italy.

Within three months, during which he underwent radiotherapy, surgeons at Velindre Hospital in Swansea removed most of the tumour.

The team at nearby Morriston hospital then fitted him with a prosthetic nose, modelled on photographs of his original. He said: "Getting my first

Graeme Sims, who has trained more than 3,500 dogs over 40 years, has a collection of silicone noses, right

'I simply can't afford to spend countless hours searching for noses if they fall off'

proper prosthetic was life changing. It looked so natural that people stopped staring. They're incredibly expensive, though, so I never throw the old ones away. I keep them all and now I've got enough to match my clothes, the time of year or, if I'm feeling a bit mischievous, wear one that clashes completely with my face."

Mr Sims, who is now clear of cancer, tells the full story of his diagnosis, surgery and life with a prosthetic nose in his book The Answer is Under Your Nose.

TOM WREN / SWNS

News

Prisons filling back up after early release of convicts

Re-offenders and new arrests wipe out four in 10 spaces cleared by freeing inmates, figures reveal

By Charles Hymas

HOME AFFAIRS EDITOR

MORE than a third of the extra prison spaces created by Labour's early release scheme have been wiped out within a week by criminals being recalled or new offenders being imprisoned.

The first early release of 700 prisoners on Thursday Oct 1 increased the number of spare places in jails in England and Wales from 1,556 to 2,233 by the following Monday, a net increase of 677 extra prison spaces.

However, a week later, the spare capacity has fallen by 282 places to 1,951, wiping out four in ten of the extra places created by the first wave of early

'Recall... plays a role in protecting the public, but the current scale is neither sustainable nor effective'

releases, according to figures from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). The disclosure comes as 650 prisoners including domestic abusers, stalkers and violent offenders are due to be freed early today, having been jailed for between 18 months and two and a half years.

However, there is concern that a surge in recalls, courts fast-tracking cases to clear backlogs and the increase in the number of police officers on the streets making more arrests could lead to prisons running out of spaces again.

Forces in England and Wales have revealed in the past few days that they have been forced to arrest early release prisoners within days, if not hours, of them walking out of the prison gates.

Greater Manchester Police said at the weekend its officers had arrested eight men days after leaving prison under the Government's early release scheme.

Two were arrested for breaches of criminal orders, including a domestic abuse prevention order and an anti-social dispersal notice. Three were held on suspicion of new crimes of robbery, drug offences and domestic violence.

The three others were arrested for breaching their licence conditions which can range from entering exclusion zones to flouting curfews or failing to keep probation appointments.

Greater Manchester accounted for some 50 of the 700 criminals freed early on Oct 1, meaning one in six (17 per cent) in their area were recalled within days of their release.

Last week, The Telegraph revealed that a prolific shoplifter went on a crime spree of 11 theft offences from shops in north London, starting by stealing laundry detergent from a Sainsbury's store within hours of his release on Thursday.

Michael Bogle, 38, who has 16 convictions linked to more than 100 alleged offences, was arrested on Monday before pleading guilty on Tuesday and being sentenced to eight months in prison. Bogle, who said he would vote for Labour and hailed the early release system as “good”, had been freed early on Oct 1 having served 78 days for breaching a 32-week suspended sentence for shoplifting. It was his fifth prison sentence.

Sir Mark Rowley, the Met Commissioner, said that even before the new early release scheme, his force was arresting two or three criminals a week who had been freed early. Cheshire police said it had arrested one of the 13 prisoners freed early in its county as part of the early release scheme.

The MoJ has refused to disclose how many of the early release prisoners have been recalled to jail. However, the number of recalls has increased by 136 per cent since 2016-17 to a record 51,419 – almost 1,000 a week.

In the three months to March, more offenders were recalled to prison than released for the first time on record. Between January and March 2026, 12,977 people were released from prison and 13,193 people were recalled.

An MoJ spokesman said: “The prison population has risen since Oct 1 because more offenders are being sentenced – which is exactly why this Government has acted, to create the prison places needed to put dangerous criminals behind bars and protect victims.”

Princess Firyal Irshaid, left, accused members of staff of stealing from her jewellery collection after she left the UK

Princess blames loss of jewellery on cleaner

By Telegraph Reporter

A JORDANIAN princess accused multiple members of staff of stealing from her Belgravia home where jewellery was taken, a court has heard.

Princess Firyal Irshaid, 81, had left the UK during the pandemic in 2020 when her jewellery collection was taken from her home and put up for sale. Her housekeeper, 71-year-old Maria Virgelina Taborda Henao, is on trial at Southwark Crown Court, accused of using her access to carry out the thefts.

Yesterday, jurors heard from Ms Taborda Henao, who arrived in the UK in the late 1980s.

The defendant said through a Spanish interpreter that she had cleaned for around 30 to 35 households, including for the late businessman and peer Lord Anthony Jacobs and a Belgian countess.

Manveer Cheema, the defence barrister, asked Ms Taborda Henao what she did for Princess Firyal, and the defendant replied: "Clean."

She and other members of staff in the household also helped the princess with moving her suitcases in the home when she went travelling, the court heard. Taborda Henao said the mood among the staff was “calm”, but that relationships with the princess were “very hard”, the court heard.

Mr Cheema asked the defendant if there were any tensions between her and the princess.

Ms Taborda Henao replied: "Yes."

She also denied being a thief and said the allegations against her made her feel upset. Ms Taborda Henao added that: "She used to tell all of us the same thing [that they were thieves]."

Princess Firyal married Prince Muhammad bin Talal, the younger brother of King Hussein of Jordan, in 1964. The marriage lasted for 14 years.

Maria Virgelina Taborda Henao, Princess Firyal Irshaid's housekeeper, at court

The defendant, also known as Lina, worked as the princess's housekeeper for 11 years, and is accused of stealing jewellery when left in London to look after the Belgravia home in 2020. Her nephew, Julian Ramirez, is said to have acted as a “key conduit for the sale of stolen property”, and transferred £17,835 to Ms Taborda Henao between June 23, 2019 and Nov 28, 2020.

Jurors have heard the princess agreed for Ms Taborda Henao's sister, Ramirez's mother, to move into the property during the early stages of the pandemic, and then agreed to pay her a salary.

Asked if she was aware that any items were stolen and being sold, the defendant replied: "No." She also denied any involvement.

Princess Firyal told jurors last week that she had discovered her possessions had been stolen when her engagement ring was pictured on the front of an auction house catalogue.

During a search of Ms Taborda Henao's Fulham home, police found the princess's wedding ring, a pair of earrings and a jewelled metal necklace.

The trial continues.

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EV drivers face police raids for dodging pay-per-mile tax

By Joe Wright SENIOR MONEY WRITER

ELECTRIC vehicle (EV) drivers face police raids if they are suspected of dodging Labour's new pay-per-mile tax.

Under rules put forward by the Government, officers will be allowed to enter homes to inspect, test and seize vehicles in cases where they suspect drivers are tampering with meters.

The measures are outlined in the forthcoming Finance Bill before the pay-per-mile tax - known officially as eVED - comes into effect in April 2028. The new tax will cost EV drivers 3p per mile and plug-in hybrid owners 1.5p.

When the tax comes in, drivers will need to estimate their annual mileage and pay the fee when they renew their traditional car tax. This figure will then be verified at MOT centres.

Officials expect the policy will prompt a rise in drivers tampering with their cars' odometers to reduce their mileage and pay less tax.

Ministers have proposed giving “authorised constables” the power to “enter any premises” where they believe a fraudulent vehicle is kept.

They will then be able to seize the vehicle for testing. Similar powers already exist to inspect vehicles owned by drivers suspected of traditional car tax fraud.

However, where estimates are involved, the likelihood of police using these powers is higher.

Greg Smith, the shadow transport minister, said: "This is a staggering invasion of privacy and yet another example of the Government interfering unnecessarily in people's everyday

Cost per mile of new pay-per-mile tax on EV drivers, known officially as eVED, which comes into effect in April 2028

lives." Brian MacDowell, of the Alliance of British Drivers, said: "This goes to show how the Government doesn't trust anyone and is willing to go to extreme enforcement measures which fly in the face of natural justice.

"It's absolutely outrageous, this is Big Brother-style surveillance at all costs and again the motorist is being targeted. The whole pay-per-mile scheme is a never-ending horror show." Pay-per-mile is envisaged as the eventual replacement for fuel duty, which at 52.95p per litre is the equivalent of around 6p or 7p per mile.

Up to six million people are expected to be driving EVs when the tax comes into force.

A typical driver is expected to pay about £240 per year.

Plug-in hybrid owners will be forced to pay a 1.5p per mile rate, in addition to the fuel duty they pay at the pump. Meanwhile, all affected drivers will have to pay for mileage they rack up on foreign roads.

Proposed enforcement powers to enter vehicle owners' homes come as Labour looks to increase surveillance of wealth. Tax officials will be allowed to enter homes to value properties before the introduction of the so-called mansion tax.

A government spokesman said: "This is exactly the same as how it currently works with standard Vehicle Excise Duty (road tax).

"It means the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and police can investigate odometer fraud."

Men charged over retiree ‘beaten to death’

By Max Stephens

TWO men have been charged after a British pensioner was found beaten to death in his garden in south-west France.

The body of John Agner, an 84-year-old retired woodcarver, was discovered by police on Sept 26 in the village of Verlus.

The suspects are believed to have stolen Mr Agner's Kia and driven it northwest to Mont-de-Marsan, a village nearly 40 miles away.

Police chased the car through the village before it crashed into a gate and its four occupants fled on foot.

The car's number plate led officers to Mr Agner's home, where he was found in his garden with wounds on his face and head.

Olivier Naboulet, the public prosecutor in Agen who is leading the investigation, described it as a “very violent attack”.

Mr Agner, originally from Southampton, is understood to have lived alone at his £170,000 house since his wife Suzanne was admitted to hospital in

July. The £6,000 Kia is believed to have been the only item stolen from Mr Agner's home and the precise circumstances of how he was killed remain unclear.

In a statement on Sunday, Mr Naboulet said two men, aged 31 and 26, had been charged with robbery involving violence resulting in death. They have not been named.

Police arrested a 31-year-old suspect in the village of Dax, 50 miles west of

John Agner, the 84-year-old Briton beaten to death in south-west France, and his wife Susan

Verlus, in the week after Mr Agner's body was found.

Prosecutors believe the suspect, who has 21 previous convictions, mostly for theft, is also responsible for a separate attempted murder involving a woman in her 70s.

His co-defendant, aged 26, also from the Gers region, has no previous convictions.

Both men have been remanded in custody.

Doctors likelier to tell women it's ‘in your head’

Outdated attitudes towards female ‘hysteria’ persist when doctors respond to symptoms, study finds

By Laura Donnelly HEALTH EDITOR

DOCTORS are more likely to dismiss women's symptoms as being “all in their head” than those of male patients, research reveals.

Women with autoimmune diseases were 74 per cent more likely than men to report having their symptoms wrongly attributed to psychosomatic causes. Data show they were also almost 50 per cent more likely to be misdiagnosed as having psychological issues, such as stress or anxiety, instead of physical ailments.

Researchers warned that historical prejudices against women persisted, with outdated attitudes towards female “hysteria” raising concerns about how doctors respond to symptoms.

The study, led by Cambridge and East Anglia universities, involved more than 6,600 people with autoimmune diseases, predominantly from the UK.

Such conditions occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body, causing symptoms including fatigue, muscle pain and rashes.

Researchers found 33.9 per cent of women reported a psychosomatic misdiagnosis, compared with 21.5 per cent of men.

Meanwhile, 43.3 per cent of women reported a psychiatric misdiagnosis, compared with 32.7 per cent of men.

Women also faced longer waits for diagnosis, while men were slightly more likely to be wrongly diagnosed with another physical illness.

The study, published in The Lancet's eClinicalMedicine journal, was prompted by a question from The Telegraph after earlier research into autoimmune misdiagnoses.

Dr Melanie Sloan, a Cambridge researcher, said the findings “highlight that psychological or mental health explanations can be given too soon”.

“This is true for both sexes, but our study suggests that females may be particularly vulnerable to these types of misdiagnoses,” she said.

Researchers said: “Historical biases in medicine may persist, including positioning females as less credible and ‘emotional’ reporters of symptoms than males.” They also highlighted historically lower funding for women’s health research and the under-representation of female anatomy in pre-clinical studies.

Kate Middleton, chief executive of the Wren Project charity, which supports autoimmune patients, questioned whether misogyny in medicine was behind the findings.

She said: "Is it misogyny? Are autoimmune symptoms too similar to period

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‘Women still often have a harder time having our symptoms believed and addressed accurately’

pains, growing pains, female pains? Do we complain less, minimise the pain so we don't make a fuss?"

Last year, Wes Streeting, then health secretary, condemned “medical misogyny” and “everyday sexism” in the NHS, warning that too many women were ignored, dismissed and disbelieved.

He threatened financial penalties for hospitals receiving poor feedback from female patients under a national trial.

Earlier this year, a YouGov survey of almost 5,000 adults found that 70 per cent of women said GPs had not taken their concerns seriously, compared with 52 per cent of men.

Reviews of maternity scandals have also warned of avoidable harm caused by women “not being listened to, heard or believed”.

Shaista Tayabali, a study co-author, said: “Although labels such as hysteria are outdated, and fortunately rarely used nowadays, as women we still often have a harder time having our symptoms believed and therefore addressed accurately.”

Ms Middleton, who has lupus, described how being repeatedly disbelieved left her questioning whether she was imagining her illness.

She said patients approaching her charity frequently described fighting to be believed.

“Every patient has a story – it always begins with ‘I wasn’t believed.’ ‘I fought for my diagnosis.’ ‘They thought I was crazy – it made me think I was crazy.’”

The findings were based on patients' reported experiences and did not establish if incorrect diagnoses resulted from prejudice.

Prof David D'Cruz, a consultant rheumatologist at Guy's Hospital, said: "This is not about saying that a psychiatric diagnosis is never correct.

"People can have both autoimmune and psychiatric conditions, and it is increasingly understood that psychiatric symptoms can be part of an autoimmune disease, especially in diseases like lupus, which can directly affect the brain. They can also be a very natural response to living with life-changing illnesses."

John of all trades

An exhibition of artwork by the actor Johnny Depp is going on display in London's Halcyon Gallery today. The show claims to offer “a personal journey through the imagination of a lifelong storyteller”.

Oxford says ‘learn the ropes’ is too knotty a phrase for foreign students

By Ruby Cline

OXFORD UNIVERSITY has told staff not to use the phrase “learn the ropes” in case it confuses international students.

The university's official style guide warns writers to be “mindful” of idioms that could confuse foreign speakers and advises against using gendered terms such as “chairwoman” or “spokesman”.

The guide, which is designed for written communications, has been issued as universities bend under increasing pressure to facilitate international students.

The style guide also tells writers to use “plain English” rather than idioms.

Staff are further advised not to use the phrases “learn the ropes” or “find your feet". The phrase "blind spots" is also advised against. It said: "Be mindful of idioms that may not be familiar to international readers or that may use stereotypes. Use common words, short sentences and familiar constructions. Avoid jargon and unexplained acronyms."

A third of Oxford students, including a fifth of undergraduates, are international. The university warns international hopefuls: “Oxford’s undergraduate courses are demanding, and you will need to demonstrate that you have a high level of proficiency in English to take up a place here.”

The UK Government requires international students studying at bachelor's level or above to reach language proficiency level B2, roughly equivalent to an A\*, A or B grade in the language at A-level. The style guide also tells writers to “avoid gendered terms where possible”, including “mankind”, “chairwoman” and “spokesman”.

It warns staff to use “current and respectful terms”, including using “gay” rather than “homosexual” except in legal or medical contexts, and “older people” rather than “the elderly”.

A University of Oxford spokesman said: “As a global university with staff and students from around the world, we write for a wide international audience.

"The guide provides practical advice for written university communications, from punctuation to choosing language that readers will readily understand."

“Its inclusive writing guidance is advisory and supports staff in exercising their own judgment.”

Police officer sacked for stealing three 40p plastic carrier bags

By Tim Sigsworth

A POLICE officer was sacked for stealing three plastic carrier bags worth £1.20.

Luke Hodgson, a volunteer special constable, was employed at a Sainsbury's supermarket last year when he took the bags, each worth 40p, without paying for them.

Sainsbury's sacked Mr Hodgson in December after discovering the "theft". West Mercia Police then brought its own misconduct proceedings against him in July.

The force sacked Mr Hodgson for gross misconduct and he is now banned from working for any police force.

A police misconduct hearing found that the officer, whose role had the same powers as a regular constable, “failed to pay for bags whilst purchasing shopping” on “three occasions”. The July 17 hearing, chaired by Chief Constable Richard Cooper, found that the officer knew he was required to pay

---

'An ordinary person would consider this action, to avoid payment, to be dishonest'

for the shopping bags and had deliberately avoided doing so.

Mr Hodgson claimed to have only taken the bags “inadvertently” and has since repaid their value of £1.20.

However, the chief constable said that he was “clearly able to navigate the checkout system adequately” and had previously paid for a bag as a customer.

“An ordinary person would consider this action, to avoid payment when it was obviously required, to be dishonest,” the chief constable said.

He added: "My finding is that SC Hodgson knowingly took bags belonging to his employer without paying for them on three occasions. This is theft.

“This breaches the standards of professional behaviour relating to honesty and integrity and it discredits the service, both to a level that amount to gross misconduct.”

The chief constable ruled that Mr Hodgson's misconduct "fundamentally undermines his ability to function as a police officer".

Activists decry BBC's ‘censorship’ of dancer's pro-trans T-shirt on Strictly

By Tom Jeffreys

TRANS activists have accused the BBC of “censorship” after Strictly Come Dancing edited out a dancer’s pro-trans T-shirt in training footage.

In a now-deleted social media video, Bethany Antonia, 28, an actress in House of the Dragon, was seen wearing a white T-shirt printed with the words "Protect the Dolls". The phrase, which emerged in the US in the 1980s, has long been used as a rallying cry by the LGBT community to ensure the safety of transgender women.

However, in Saturday's episode the pro-trans slogan was blurred out in footage from the same training session. The BBC has since replaced the footage of Antonia in the training montage with images of her partner, Nancy Xu.

Antonia, who responded to online abuse in 2024 by saying she was gay, has been partnered with Xu in the show's third all-female pairing. The actress told the Radio Times she had previously thought that if she were to appear on Strictly, “it has to be with a woman”. The BBC’s Strictly social media accounts posted footage of the pair on Saturday, which attracted dozens of pro-trans comments. Many of them reiterated Antonia’s original “Protect the Dolls” message, with the blue, pink and white trans flag.

Some were more critical of the BBC, with one following the slogan by saying: "Abhorrent that the BBC deleted pictures of Bethany Antonia wearing a T-shirt with those words printed on it!"

The post continued: “The BBC is captured by ‘gender critical’ transphobes and is desperate to erase any sort of support for trans people!” Another said: “The decision to digitally scrub the slogan... is a shameful and cowardly act of censorship.”

One viewer said: “Ironically the phrase originated in the ballroom scene decades ago. It’s genuinely pathetic that the BBC refuses to allow anything remotely pro-trans to air. Love Bethany even more though."

The “Protect the Dolls” slogan originated in the 1980s black and Latina ballroom scene. T-shirts with the slogan are now sold to raise money for the Not A Phase charity, which carries a pledge to “uplift” trans adults.

‘It is standard practice on the BBC to reduce the inclusion of slogans... regardless of wording’

In November, The Telegraph revealed that the BBC had been accused of being subject to “effective censorship” by specialist LGBT reporters who refused to cover gender-critical stories.

The allegations were made in a leaked document, written by Michael Prescott, a former adviser to the BBC's Editorial Standards Committee.

A BBC spokesman said: “As is standard practice on any entertainment show on the BBC... appropriate steps are taken to reduce the inclusion of any overt branding or slogans that may be present, regardless of the wording or statement in question.”

Bethany Antonia wears the pro-Trans T-shirt which the BBC edited out of Saturday's Strictly, right

Ajax tank commander sues MoD for £500k over ‘acoustic shock’

By Telegraph Reporter

A FORMER tank commander is suing the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for more than £500,000, claiming he suffered “acoustic shock” while testing the Army’s £6.3bn fleet of Ajax armoured vehicles.

Jonathan Bevan, formerly a sergeant in the Household Cavalry, said his hearing was blighted by having to listen to “horrible” and “piercing” emergency alarms going off in his headset while testing the new Ajax fleet.

Mr Bevan, 46 was deployed as an Ajax tank commander while the new combat vehicle was being tested between 2017 and 2021 – “putting it through its paces” after he was taught how to drive the tank and fire its weapon system. He alleges that the chronic tinnitus and mental health problems that led to his medical discharge from the Army, stemmed from “acoustic shock” syndrome caused by noises in his earpiece while in the cockpit of the Ajax.

Although the MoD has previously admitted negligence in relation to high levels of noise within the tank, it denies that this triggered any acoustic shock and also disputes that Mr Bevan's condition was caused by noise from his headset. The development of the new Ajax armoured fleet has been plagued by difficulties and delays.

Ben Wallace, then defence secretary, described the process as “troubled” in Parliament in 2023. Problems included ministers pausing payments to the US manufacturers of the tank fleet between

December 2020 and March 2023 because of noise and vibration issues affecting staff during operations.

The first of the fleet of 589 armoured vehicles across six variants – which include reconnaissance, troop carrier, command and control, engineer reconnaissance, and recovery-and-re-pair vehicles – came into active service late last year, after initially having been projected to be ready by 2017. Mr Bevan's initial compensation claim against the MoD, which was rejected at the High Court in Manchester last year, is being considered at the Court of Appeal by Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr, Lord Justice Popplewell and Lady Justice Whipple. After half a day in court the judges reserved the decision in the case to be given later.

Village GP surgeries face closure under Labour

NHS reforms put patients at risk of ‘rural penalty’, claims report backed by Sir Jeremy Hunt

By Laura Donnelly HEALTH EDITOR

VILLAGE GP surgeries risk closure under Labour's NHS reforms, which are designed around cities, a report warns.

The study, backed by former health secretary Sir Jeremy Hunt and health select committee chairman Layla Moran, warns that rural surgeries could be replaced by larger health centres, forcing patients to travel further.

It says 116 constituencies, about a fifth of England's seats, face a "rural penalty" because NHS funding and workforce policies fail to reflect the challenges of serving scattered populations.

Wes Streeting launched Labour's 10-year NHS plan last July, promising to bring healthcare closer to home by shifting treatment from hospitals into communities. But think tank Policy Exchange warns that the Government's

---

‘Closing three village surgeries... would be a curious way of bringing care closer to home’

blueprint for neighbourhood health services is designed around urban populations, risking the closure of smaller rural surgeries.

The NHS plan set out ambitions to organise neighbourhood services around populations of 50,000.

Policy experts said the a model could force patients in rural areas to travel much further for care.

Joe Robertson, the Isle of Wight East MP and a report author, warned against centralisation. “Closing three village surgeries and sending everyone to the nearest large town for treatment would be a curious way of bringing care closer to home,” he said.

The report warns that the same population thresholds which make sense in cities could undermine access to healthcare in the countryside.

In urban areas, tens of thousands of patients can live within a few miles of one another, with public transport connecting them to services.

But in rural communities, serving the same number of patients can require covering hundreds of square miles, with limited transport links.

The framework also envisages providers covering multiple neighbourhoods with populations of 250,000 or more. The authors warn that concentrating services in larger centres could leave rural patients facing longer journeys, undermining the Government's pledge to bring care closer to home.

The report says GP practice numbers across England have fallen by around 1,000 in eight years, despite rising patient numbers. Rural surgeries are closing even though the rural population grew by about 8 per cent between 2014 and 2024.

Policy Exchange warns that funding formulas fail to recognise the higher costs of providing healthcare to scattered populations.

Its authors argue that smaller patient lists can conceal more frequent and complex consultations, while shortages of pharmacies, dentists and specialists place additional pressure on rural GPs.

The existing GP funding formula covers only 50 to 60 per cent of practice funding, leaving substantial income without its rurality adjustment, the report says.

It calls for an “unavoidably small practice adjustment” to protect surgeries where geography prevents economies of scale and closure threatens access to care.

The think tank also wants a mandatory “local access test” before any GP premises or community hospital closes, with findings published.

It says additional funding weightings for rural primary care should come from existing NHS budgets, rather than new spending.

The report also calls for a review of NHS pay supplements, which reward staff working in and around London but offer no equivalent rural allowance.

It warns that this can make it harder for rural areas to recruit and retain doctors and other healthcare professionals.

Ms Moran said: “No one should face poorer access to healthcare or worse health outcomes simply because they live in a rural or coastal community.”

Sir Jeremy stressed the importance of patients having long-standing relationships with their GPs.

“It is about knowing someone as a person, understanding their family, their circumstances, their wishes, and what matters most to them,” he said.

Frankie Hooper, the Queen Conker, defeated Simon Griffiths, King Conker, at the 2026 World Conker Championship grand final on Sunday, coming ahead of 256 competitors

Conkers player crowned world champion... on her first attempt

By Tom Jeffreys

JULIE ANDREWS won the 1964 Oscar for Mary Poppins, John Daly won the 1991 PGA Championship... and now Frankie Hooper's 2026 World Conker Championship, the latest person to win the highest honour in their field at the first time of asking after being crowned the world champion of conkers.

The 28-year-old, who had never played a game of conkers before winning the tournament, defied all odds to beat Fee Aylmore, the former champion, in the women's final.

She then triumphed over Simon Griffiths, the men's winner, at the grand 'I've not played conkers before, and certainly not entered a competition ever before – this is amazing'

final on Sunday. It made her Queen Conker, coming out on top ahead of 256 other competitors from 10 countries, including Japan and Germany.

The conker players did battle with their chestnut seeds in Southwick, near Ms Hooper's hometown of Oundle, Northamptonshire.

After her victory, Ms Hooper told the Daily Mail: "I've not played conkers before, and certainly not entered a conker competition ever before and so this is amazing.

"I'm dressed as a tiger, because my boyfriend supports Leicester Tigers."

To play, competitors take turns swinging a conker threaded on a string, which can range from 20cm to 50cm long, aiming to smash the other player's nut.

Mr Griffiths, the runner-up from Stamford, Lincolnshire, said: "My wife is never going to hear the end of it... I am going to change my name I think."

Since its inception in 1965, the World Conker Championships has not been without controversy.

The 2024 event was embroiled in scandal after the men's winner, David Jakins, was accused of swapping his conker for a metal one.

Mr Jakins, a competitor since 1977, denied the claims and was cleared of cheating after an investigation concluded he “achieved his title fairly”.

John Burkett, the tournament's organiser, said of this year's competition: "This has been a wonderful sunny day with a fantastic competition amongst some very serious and some not-so-serious players. I particularly enjoyed seeing some of the fancy dress, such as the many players dressed as Noah and the animals in his ark."

Midwives win £750k after exposure to ‘gas and air’ pain relief

By Telegraph Reporter

MORE than 120 midwives and maternity staff have been awarded almost £750,000 in compensation after being exposed to high levels of nitrous oxide.

The compound is the main component in gas and air, widely used for pain relief in labour.

While it is safe for women to use during birth, long-term exposure can have serious side effects.

The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) said staff at Basildon University Hospital were exposed between 2021 and 2023 due to poor ventilation on the maternity unit and leaking gas lines. Midwives reported experiencing symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, brain fog and anxiety.

Thompsons Solicitors, working with the trade union, took legal action on behalf of more than 120 workers, including roughly 80 RCM members, with a settlement of almost £750,000 agreed. Daniel Poet, partner and disease specialist at Thompsons Solicitors, said: "We're proud to have secured compensation for our clients, but they should never have been put at risk in the first place.

The trust knew about the dangers in 2021, but staff weren't told until the following year and it took another year for safety measures to be introduced. That delay is unacceptable."

An independent review two years ago by the Good Governance Institute found there was an “unacceptable delay” by Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust in its response to concerns about dangerous levels of the gas.

It concluded midwives and other staff on the maternity unit were “exposed to unnecessary risk or potential harm” and that high levels of gas on wards “needed to be treated as a significant risk to health" when concerns were raised in July 2021, but this was not done until October 2022.

Gill Walton, chief executive and general secretary of the RCM, said: "For years, midwives at Basildon were breathing in nitrous oxide at dangerous levels while they cared for women and babies. Even once the problem had been discovered, it was more than a year before staff were told.

"That is not acceptable and no midwife should ever be treated that way." Ms Walton said: "No settlement can fix the crumbling buildings midwives are working in across the UK.

"Our members continue to report recurring problems with ventilation and clean air systems and we are taking these up at local level.

“They must be fixed. Safe workplaces mean safe care. The Government must invest urgently to bring maternity buildings up to standard,” she added.

Second Sycamore Gap tree vandal freed early from jail

By Telegraph Reporter

BOTH of the men who felled the Sycamore Gap tree have been released from prison.

Daniel Graham, 41, was sentenced to four years and three months in July last year, alongside Adam Carruthers, for causing criminal damage to the tree.

Graham has now been free on licence after serving 16 months plus the time he served on remand, according to the Press Association.

Carruthers, 34, was released in April under the electronic tagging scheme.

Mrs Justice Lambert had told the pair that they and Carruthers were also convicted of criminal damage to Hadrian's Wall after the sycamore fell on it.

During their trial, Newcastle Crown Court heard that the two had engaged in a “moronic mission” to cut down the tree, travelling for more than 40 minutes from their homes in Cumbria, then

carrying their equipment across pitch-black moorland during a storm in September 2023.

They took a wedge from the tree as a trophy that has never been recovered.

Mrs Justice Lambert said she was sure that Carruthers had cut the tree down while Graham drove him there

and filmed it on his

mobile phone. A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: "Offenders

Onchangers released on licence are subject to strict conditions."

The Sycamore Gap tree was cut down by Daniel Graham, inset, and Adam Carruthers

Councils facing £10bn shortfall for special needs

By Emma Taggart

LOCAL authorities are facing a £10bn special needs shortfall within 18 months despite plans for a government bailout of the system.

Councils are expected to receive £5bn to clear their special educational needs and disabilities (Send) deficits this autumn following warnings that some local authorities were at risk of bankruptcy. However, the County Councils Network warned that rising demand for extra support meant the shortfall would continue to climb.

The Government unveiled an overhaul of the Send system earlier this year, including plans to restrict education, health and care plans (EHC) – a legal document detailing how children with special needs should be supported – to only the most complex cases by 2029.

The number of pupils with a specialist care plan has more than doubled over the last decade, causing a significant rise in council spending.

ing weeks will clear 90 per cent of Send deficits accumulated by local authorities up to March this year.

However, councils have warned a fresh hole in Send spending has already emerged and is growing even faster than before.

Local authority leaders have reported a jump in applications for care plans as parents, carers and schools rush to secure support before the reforms.

There were 718,800 children with an EHC active in January, according to Department for Education figures, up 13 per cent from a year earlier.

Linden Kemkaran, the leader of Kent county council and Send spokesman for the County Councils Network, warned that new debts are “already building at an even faster pace”.

She said: “If councils are left carrying billions of pounds of Send debt... taxpayers and local communities will ultimately bear the consequences as councils face impossible choices.”

The Department for Education was contacted for comment.

Israeli gangs smuggle drugs into Jordan using balloons

By Henry Bodkin

JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT

ISRAELI gangs are flooding Jordan with illegal drugs smuggled across the border using balloons, The Telegraph can reveal.

Criminals are also moving crystal meth, amphetamines and hashish to Jordan with quadcopter drones, officials say. The gangs are understood to be taking advantage of increasing street prices in the Arab kingdom. One Israeli estimate is that a kilogram of hashish is worth £7,500 in Jordan, after a sharp rise in prices over the past two years.

Jordanian security forces have been forced to increase their patrols and upgrade border surveillance towers and drones, with tens of thousands of kilograms of drugs smuggled.

Israel's military and law enforcement frequently announce they have seized weapons being smuggled into the Jewish state from Jordan. Last month, they said a drone carrying nine Kalashnikov rifles had been confiscated.

The importation of guns is used by some on Israel's Right as an argument for a greater military presence in the West Bank and the existence of Israeli settlements to form a security cordon between what is characterised as a hostile Arab state and Israel.

But The Telegraph has been told that Jordan's military commanders believe that these “selective” announcements portray the kingdom as a lawless neighbour, while ignoring criminality on the Israeli side. A military source said: “These announcements by the Israeli side are exaggerated and inaccurate and only cover half the story.

"There are reciprocal smuggling operations of drugs into Jordan. Jordanian border guards have been actively foiling several attempts to smuggle drugs from Israel in recent months."

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) rejected any suggestion it was not taking drug smuggling seriously. An IDF spokesman said: "The claim that the IDF is not taking the issue of smuggling along the eastern border seriously.

"The IDF is working to strengthen defences along the eastern border. As part of these efforts, a dedicated division responsible for defending the eastern border, was established.

“Over the past year, security forces have thwarted dozens of weapons-smuggling attempts and seized thousands of kilograms of drugs.”

GETTY IMAGES/ DAVID SWANSON

California screaming Waves created by Tropical Storm Rachel crash into the boardwalk and homes in Long Beach, California. Forecasters have warned that the storm could be a taste of things to come for the state, with the next few months expected to deliver the strongest El Niño weather pattern on record.

Trump turns on Europe after his Putin deal

US president accuses EU of buying \$250bn of Russian fuel and insists: I made right choice for US

By Joe Barnes DIPLOMATIC EDITOR

DONALD TRUMP turned on Europe yesterday accusing it of buying huge volumes of Russian fuel following criticism of his diesel deal with Vladimir Putin.

His verbal attack came as European capitals were locked in discussions over how to increase economic pressure on Moscow to force the Russian leader to the negotiating table,

After a weekend of tension with Washington, Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine's president, also called on the US to follow Europe's example by supporting Kyiv, adding that American officials needed "to see the truth" about Putin's invasion.

The transatlantic tensions between Mr Trump and his allies were reignited last week when the US president announced a sanctions waiver for

Moscow to import 300,000 tons of diesel in an attempt to ease fuel prices before November's midterm elections.

It ended months of agreement between Washington and European capitals that the best way to bring Putin to the negotiating table was through sustained economic pressure.

The US president is facing voter pressure over fuel costs before the elections as diesel prices have soared about 70 per cent since he launched his own war against Iran.

He has repeatedly shifted the blame to Ukraine's long-range drone strikes on Russia's oil refineries for the pain at the pumps being faced by Americans.

In an attempt to halt the campaign, the White House reportedly threatened European officials over the weekend with the closure of a scheme allowing Ukraine's allies to buy vital US weapons and give them to Kyiv.

It is a particularly bitter blow for Ukraine's most-ardent European backers, including the UK, who have spent months working to convince Mr Trump to be more supportive of their war-torn ally instead of Putin.

But writing on his Truth Social

Volodymyr

Zelensky

addresses the

Warsaw Security

Forum via videolink

yesterday

platform, the US president said “the European Union paid Russia 250 Billion Dollars for Energy, and the Fake News Media doesn’t want to get near that story,” adding: “I made the right choice for the American People.”

His unilaterally-announced ceasefire halting Russian and Ukrainian strikes on each other's energy infrastructure before the winter has been repeatedly breached by Moscow, according to Mr

Zelensky. In Luxembourg, EU foreign ministers huddled over new plans to use some €210bn in frozen Russian assets to support Kyiv.

A source familiar with the talks told The Telegraph that some seven EU nations and Kaja Kallas, the bloc's top diplomat, endorsed the strategy during a meeting dominated by Mr Trump's decision to back Russia.

One EU diplomat said the European Commission had agreed to work on a new proposal that eases Belgian's concerns that it would face the “brunt of legal responsibility” for the seizure.

The bulk of the frozen assets are held at the Euroclear financial institution in Belgium.

A Ukrainian official said the new proposal didn't have to necessarily confiscate the assets, but just utilise their profits to support Kyiv's financial needs.

Ahead of the gathering, Gunther Krichbaum, a German minister of state, said every dollar of the US president's Russian fuel imports would be spent on weapons used by Putin to target Kyiv.

While Kęstutis Budrys, the Lithuanian foreign minister, said: "This deal doesn't help neither the price of oil

'The EU paid Russia 250 Billion Dollars for Energy, and the Fake News Media doesn't want to get near that story'

products nor the unity of the transatlantic community."

The EU's talks over frozen assets were reignited by Mr Trump's decision to financially support Russia through fuel purchases, a source claimed.

Member states were searching for ways they could counter the sanctions relief offered by the US president to force Putin to negotiate in good faith, rather than ignore Washington's proposals.

The bloc announced it had finalised sanctions against almost 1,600 people and businesses in an attempt to further starve Putin's war machine of funds.

In a statement, Ms Kallas said: “This is the single largest expansion of our sanctions list since Russia started the war. Europe is again showing a united front. More than half are connected to the production chain of ballistic missiles.”

In a speech to the Warsaw Security Forum yesterday, Mr Zelensky accused Russia of several breaches of the apparent ceasefire, saying Kyiv's forces had upheld the deal.

“For now, this is Putin’s answer to Trump: Russian attacks,” he said.

Abramovich aides accused of hiding private jets to avoid tax

By Alexandra Snow

ROMAN ABRAMOVICH'S offshore empire falsified financial documents to avoid tax on assets hidden in the British Virgin Islands, it has been claimed.

Aides of the Russian oligarch, and the accountancy firm Deloitte Cyprus, are accused of falsely backdating documents to shield his sprawling offshore empire from tax.

More than £500m of assets vanished from Mr Abramovich's company accounts, having been rerouted from Cyprus to the Caribbean. The transaction was then time-stamped to make it look like it had happened years earlier, it is alleged.

This allegedly enabled his advisers to circumvent a Cypriot law introduced in 2006 requir-

ing him to reveal his assets, making them liable to tax.

Analysis of more than 500,000 documents from the Cyprus leak appears to show the long-running strategy of falsifying docu-

ments to limit transparency, the investigation by BBC Panorama and The Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) claims.

Mr Abramovich's advisers are alleged to have backdated ownership documents for his West Sussex mansion and his London penthouse to hide the assets from the Cypriot government.

Mr Abramovich, who has been sanctioned by the UK since the start of the Ukraine war, has strenuously denied any wrongdoing. After Russian oil deals, funds were moved into offshore as were moved into onshorecompanies in Cyprus, wherecorporate services firmMeritServus managed MrAbramovich's global assets.MeritServus was owned byDeloitte Cyprus until 2005.

The law passed in Cyprus in 2006 meant com-

Cyprus in 2006 meant company accounts had to be made public, which investigators alleged risked exposing the extent of Mr Abramovich's wealth.

Deloitte Cyprus had prepared the 2003 draft accounts for

Britain sanctioned Abramovich in 2022

Amiscan Investments, Mr Abramovich's company, but had not yet finalised them.

The accounts initially showed \$672m of luxury property, including the 424-acre Fyning Hill estate in West Sussex. An estate in the south of France, plus helicopters, private jets and a fleet of boats the oligarch owned at the time, including the \$147.5m Pelorus, were also listed.

Mr Abramovich's associates are alleged to have backdated contracts to show the assets had been transferred in 2003 to Amiscan's parent company in the British Virgin Islands, where ownership details did not have to be publicly declared.

In 2006, Deloitte Cyprus signed off the 2003 accounts, despite the leaked documents showing that the company knew they were misleading, the Panorama-TBIJ investigation claimed.

Andrew Mitchell KC, an expert in financial services law, said Panorama's evidence showed the scheme was "straightforward" tax evasion and "it couldn't be more blatant".

Deloitte Cyprus told the BBC it acted in compliance with applicable laws and professional standards.

Lawyers for Mr Abramovich told the BBC that, where financial arrangements were proposed by professional advisers, “reliance on that advice was entirely proper and legitimate”.

China boosts border security to stop spread of Russian plague

By Allegra Mendelson

ASIA CORRESPONDENT

She became unwell at work on Sept 30 and died two days later.

CHINA is stepping up its border security following a suspected plague death in Russia.

Disease control agencies in north-eastern parts of the country issued safety alerts and called emergency meetings after the death of Darya Shipilova, 28, a Siberian laboratory technician involved in plague research.

Officials in the Chinese border city of Manzhouli said it was important to strengthen surveillance in partnership with port and customs authorities, to prevent the potential spread of disease as people and cargo travelled from Russia.

Hulunbuir, about 130 miles south-east of Manzhouli, released a risk-prevention notice for those who had recently travelled from Russia to monitor their symptoms.

The notice acknowledged that the case in Russia had “not yet received final official confirmation”, but said local authorities had been holding discussions because of the “nature of the institution involved and the area’s unique natural plague background”.

Russia has been guarded about the death of Shipilova, who worked at the Irkutsk Research Anti-Plague Institute.

It is believed she became infected with pneumonic plague after she accidentally broke a test tube containing the highly infectious pathogen. Her mother said she did not believe this version of events.

The US and the World Health Organization have demanded more transparency.

---

2.5m

The number of people travelling from Russia into China in 2025 after visa-free movement was introduced

China's foreign ministry said last week that it was maintaining “close exchanges and cooperation on the prevention and control of infectious diseases” with Russia.

The number of people travelling from Russia to China increased from 1.9 million in 2024 to 2.5 million in 2025, after the introduction of visa-free travel. Beijing is Russia's biggest trading partner.

The lab is in a part of Siberia where the plague occurs naturally in wild animals. The oldest global evidence of the plague, which dates back about 5,500 years, was found in children's graves in Siberia.

Mongolia, which shares a 2,165-mile frontier with Russia, has also sought to safeguard its border.

“Although the current risk level is low, the ministry of health has instructed relevant agencies to take precautionary measures and maintain continuous surveillance to prevent potential risks,” a spokesman for the department said.

Speculation about a potential lock-down is rife across China, with those living in the north-eastern parts of the country being urged to stockpile canned foods and antibiotics.

Pneumonic plague, one of three types of the disease caused by the Yersinia pestis bacterium, is the most serious form of plague.

It develops when a person inhales infectious droplets or when bacteria from untreated septicaemic or bubonic plague, which caused the Black Death, spread to the lungs of an infected person.

The plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis and is transmitted via rats and other small rodents.

It is fatal if untreated, but antibiotics are effective against it.

World news

Cowering Saudi prince faces biggest challenge yet ahead of ‘Davos in Desert’

Houthis intent on spoiling MBS summit with wave of attacks despite kingdom's heavy defence spending

By Hans van Leeuwen and Ben Farmer

SAUDI ARABIA is barely a fortnight from hosting the annual jamboree of bankers, business chiefs and finance ministers that has become known as “Davos in the Desert”.

The Future Investment Initiative, as it is formally known, is exactly the sort of prestigious international event the Kingdom wants to throw while seeking to transform into a global business hub.

Yet instead of preparing to welcome attendees, yesterday flights into King Khalid International Airport were suspended after days of Houthi missile strikes from neighbouring Yemen. If

the event is curtailed, it would be a blow for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known as MBS, who is now reportedly darting between palaces fortified with bunkers.

The summit is a showcase of MBS's ambitious bet to position his kingdom as a critical hinge in the global economy, and the pre-eminent player in the Middle East.

The Houthis are now challenging that bet, known as Vision 2030, by targeting an airport that should be central to the Kingdom's desire to make Riyadh a global hub.

The onslaught raises questions of not only whether Vision 2030 is still viable in a region wracked by a multi-front war, but also why Saudi Arabia is so vulnerable despite hefty defence spending.

The kingdom said it would open an investigation into how its air defences failed after

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, below, is wants to position Saudi Arabia as the pre-eminent player in the Middle East the airport was hit repeatedly last week.

Houthi missiles have also struck oil, military and transport facilities.

Early indications suggested that the Houthis first fired multiple drones to pave the way for a mix of cruise and ballistic missiles to reach King Khalid airport.

Saudi officials are also said to be running low on stocks of expensive Patriot missile interceptors.

On paper at least the Saudi military should comprehensively outclass the Houthi militiamen.

It has a significant air force, and has recently agreed to but F-35 stealth fighters to join its fleet of F-15s and Eurofighter Typhoons.

Yet despite such huge defence expenditure, the Houthis are waging a classic asymmetric war and only need to hit occasionally to weaken Saudi.

“For the Houthis, they don’t need to win, they war against the Saudis, all they need to do is to make the war more expensive and more costly for them,” Hisham al Omeisy of the European Institute of Peace said earlier this month.

Thomas Juneau, security analyst at Ottawa University, told AFP: “Saudi air defences have been able to intercept some Houthi missile and drone attacks, but Saudi Arabia is so large that it’s simply impossible for them to consistently defend themselves.”

Some analysts have also suggested that despite the huge defence spending of the Saudi forces, they are fractured and poorly coordinated.

Heavy spending on prestige weapons systems has not made up for weaknesses in organisation, with the armed forces significantly inward-looking and distracted by a focus on protecting the royal family and warding off internal coups.

The country is also feeling the effects of the Iran war. High global oil prices are mitigating some of the damage from Donald Trump's destabilising assault on Iran. But the government is also having to spend billions more on circumventing Hormuz, propping up the economy and tooling up the military.

To the frustration of MBS, Mr Trump is reluctant to get entangled, at least this side of the midterms.

He may also be tacitly punishing MBS for refusing to cosy up to Israel.

The UAE has called for Gulf unity, but is also a strategic and economic rival of its larger, upstart.

rival of its larger, upstart neighbour.

The Saudis have nothing if not resources and resilience. But the world suddenly looks a more friendless place. For MBS, who has spent the past decade

2023-10-10 02:27:32 PM Sa!

Before and after an attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels on King Khalid airport in Riyadh; left, debris falls from the airport ceiling following the strikes

learning diplomatic tradecraft on the job, it's another harsh lesson.

Yet Saudi Arabia has no choice but to confront the Houthis, says Bader al Saif, an assistant professor at Kuwait University.

He said: “National security comes first and will always come first. This has been a festering issue for the past decade. The Saudis have tried a truce, but the Houthis have not been forthcoming when it comes to finding a way forward. It was inevitable that the fighting resumes.”

"On the Houthi side, we have seen in the past decade they have improved in ballistic missiles and drones. This is straight from the Iranian and Hezbollah playbook. We are seeing more direct damage."

“But on the other side, the Yemeni government and the Saudis, we are also seeing an uptick in attacks and more forceful use of ground forces. The message from the Saudis is that they need to reach a final conclusion so that it doesn’t bother them again.”

SOURCE: THEGLOBALECONOMY.COM

News footage of the airport attack may look grim, but the country was vast and could cope, he said, even if that meant the forthcoming business bash being held somewhere else.

Mr al Saif said: “If they don’t hold it in Riyadh, they can hold it in another city. I was there recently and life was very normal. It’s not like it’s their only airport and they can’t move. They have several.”

Dr Ameneh Mehvar, Middle East analyst with the Acled conflict monitoring body, said: "By making air travel increasingly unpredictable and raising security concerns around international events, the Houthis are seeking to impose economic costs on Saudi Arabia that extend well beyond the physical damage that has been inflicted.

"The impact is already evident, with major international airlines suspending flights to Riyadh and several leading energy executives absent from this week's WPC Energy Congress in the capital."

Germany spy chief ‘handed false intelligence to his own soldiers’

By James Rothwell

BERLIN CORRESPONDENT

GERMANY'S former spy chief put the lives of soldiers in Afghanistan at risk by handing them false intelligence, a security source has told The Telegraph.

August Hanning, the former head of Germany's federal intelligence service (BND), would send troops reports marking areas in the country as "safe" when in fact there was no intel to suggest that, the source said. They accuse Mr Hanning of refusing to share key intelligence on the Taliban's positions and safehouses in Afghanistan with the German soldiers serving there. Eventually, the troops had become so fed up with the unreliable data that they had stopped using it and created their own intelligence assessments, the source said.

The disclosures raise further questions about Mr Hanning's role as head of the BND, Germany's equivalent to MI6, from 1998 to 2005.

Mr Hanning, 80, was arrested last Tuesday on suspicion of espionage and treason in what could amount to Europe's gravest postwar spy scandal. He is accused of illegally collecting classified documents and passing confidential information on to a Chinese former general. Mr Hanning also allegedly paid a BND worker to continue sending him information long after he left the agency.

The German security source said that during soldiers' deployment to Afghanistan, Mr Hanning put their lives at risk and would not let them use intelligence from the BND during their operations.

“Hanning was a problematic leader of the BND,” they said. “During our time in Afghanistan, he made it very difficult to access intelligence that we wanted for military purposes.

“We had cases where high-ranking officials would call directly while we were operating in rural areas of Afghanistan and say that information we had received from the BND could not be used for operational purposes.”

The source said there had been suspicion at the time that Mr Hanning had wanted to ensure his agency's intelligence would not be used in operations that might have killed enemy forces.

Mr Hanning also angered the military by producing safety briefings that incorrectly marked several areas of Afghanistan as “safe”. In reality, the BND had no intelligence on those areas, a source said.

The source added: “It was very problematic – if you don’t know, you should say you don’t know. It never caused any casualties but it meant that we avoided basing our military planning on his intelligence.”

German forces became so fed up with Mr Hanning that they stopped reading his briefings. “We had to develop our own military intelligence assessments to get things properly in place, which was a waste of resources,” the source said. Mr Hanning strongly denied the

August Hanning is accused of illegally collecting classified documents and passing confidential information to an Chinese ex-general

allegations when approached for comment by The Telegraph.

Germany deployed around 150,000 soldiers to Afghanistan from 2001 to 2021, in what was their longest and deadliest deployment overseas since the Second World War. Along with Britain and other Nato allies, Germany supported the US invasion of Afghanistan in retaliation for the Sept 11 attacks in 2001. During the two-decade campaign, which also relied on Germany's Kommando Spezialkräfte (KSK) special forces group, 59 German soldiers and three police officers were killed.

Many Germans did not support joining the war in Afghanistan because of Berlin's role in the Second World War and the Holocaust. The BND, which was founded in 1956, was deliberately underfunded for decades after the Cold War.

Bruno Kahl, a former head of the BND, once complained the agency was “tied up with a thousand threads like the giant Gulliver”. Mr Hanning was part of an old guard of “boring bureaucrat” BND chiefs who had been reluctant for the agency to play a key role in

German operations abroad, the German source said. That attitude has changed since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with Germany now on a rearmament drive to build Europe's “strongest conventional army”.

Mr Hanning, through his lawyers, told The Telegraph: “The accusations you have made are false and are therefore denied.”

He has previously denied the allegations of treason and of passing state secrets to foreign powers.

His lawyers said: "My client is being unjustly prosecuted. While it is true that he was in possession of confidential documents, the allegation that he passed on information contained therein to the detriment of the Federal Republic of Germany – let alone in exchange for payment – is incorrect.

“Further investigations will demonstrate this.”

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Hackers cause fridges to catch fire in attack on supermarkets

By Henry Samuel in Paris

HACKERS targeted some of France's largest supermarket chains in an “unprecedented” cyber attack that triggered fires and spoiled mountains of food.

The cyber criminals forced the temperature of the fridges up to 50C on Sunday night, disabling refrigerators in hundreds of stores.

BFMTV said hackers “managed to remotely trigger the forced defrosting of the refrigeration systems in numerous stores”. This led to “the destruction of stocks of fresh and frozen products". At least 300 shops of Intermarche or its Netto brand were targeted, along with over 100 Cooperative U outlets, and several E. Leclerc stores, the retailers said in separate statements.

The chief executive of Cooperative U, Dominique Schelcher, described the attack as “unprecedented”.

“Targeting equipment essential to the preservation of fresh products and to the food supply of the French people is extremely serious and is unprecedented. It is unacceptable,” he said.

The EU's food and agriculture commissioner, Christophe Hansen, condemned the attack, warning that “exploitation of food” was now a “reality”.

“Food security requires more attention at all levels,” he added.

Paris prosecutors said an investigation has been opened into “the large-scale cyberattack affecting the refrigerators of several major food retail chains across France”.

The probe will help “identify the victims and establish the link with the damage they reported in terms of foodstuff losses and the outbreak of fires”, the prosecutor's office said. Affected branches will have to “throw away all of the products” that are fresh and frozen, confirmed Intermarche.

The estimated loss at national level is not yet known, but it may amount to tens of millions of euros, according to Le Monde.

Other retail giants Carrefour Market and Monoprix are also thought to have been affected but the companies have yet to officially confirm being targeted.

E. Leclerc said "that a cyberattack affected one of its refrigeration equipment suppliers," resulting in "repercussions on the operation of refrigeration systems in several stores".

A source close to the issue said refrigeration control systems from Danish manufacturer Danfoss were targeted. Danfoss said in a statement that most of the affected equipment involved “legacy” products using “outdated software” which “no longer receive software or security updates”.

It said that it had long advised super-markets to update from those models.

French prime minister Sébastien Lecornu's entourage said France's cyber security agency had identified “a vulnerability in software supplied by a Danish company”.

“It is liaising with its European counterparts, as other countries may be affected,” and is seeking “to identify other French companies involved in order to alert them” and “prevent the spread”, the source told AFP.

Yesterday, Marché des Enfants Rouges, Paris's oldest food market, was destroyed in a fire. Some 150 firefighters were sent to the scene. The cause was not yet known and there is no known link to the cyber attack.

Singer in £11k shouting match over toy bird called Molly

magic shows hosted by the shop.

Kelly Clarkson accuses

boutique of making her

feel like Julia Roberts's

character in Pretty Woman

By Emily Smith

KELLY CLARKSON has become embroiled in a war of words with a small New York shop over an £11,000 singing bird.

The singer, 44, said she was mistreated by staff while visiting Art of Play, an upmarket toy shop in Brooklyn.

Clarkson said she was “looked at as if I couldn’t afford it” and told they could “find something comparable” for her, comparing the experience to Julia Roberts’s character in Pretty Woman.

The shop has rejected her allegations, claiming the American Idol winner tried to buy “Molly”, a singing and dancing bird that was attached to the wall and not for sale.

Clarkson responded by sharing a photograph of the bird's price tag of

‘That all never happened and now it’s not for sale. Okay, cool. So you’re not only rude, you’re also a liar’

\$15,000, claiming it was indeed for sale and that she was prevented from buying it.

In her original post on X, the singer said: "Just drove all the way to Brooklyn to check out this store I thought looked really rad and had a few things in mind to buy and literally was looked at as if I couldn't afford it and was told he could find something comparable for me."

She then sarcastically urged her followers to visit the independent shop.

“Wow, dude. You’re an idiot and just lost a huge sale. But y’all should go check out Art of Play in Brooklyn if you enjoy being treated like Julia Roberts’s character in Pretty Woman. For sure, check it out,” she said.

In response, Art of Play denied the mistreatment, claiming the singer had inquired about buying “Molly”, a dancing and singing bird automaton that is fixed to the wall and features in the

They said: “Yesterday, Kelly Clarkson visited us in Brooklyn and inquired about buying ‘Molly’, a one-of-a-kind singing and dancing bird automaton who plays an important role in the magic shows we host here.

“Molly is permanently attached to the wall and isn't for sale. However, the negative experience Kelly described on Twitter [X] would resonate with anyone who has ever felt judged in a shop.”

In the statement, the shop added that it had been “attacked” by “8 million people who have never visited our store”, referring to Clarkson’s substantial social media following.

"We're going to keep our heads down and hopefully, we can clear things up with Kelly someday.

"As a talented popular singer once said, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger," they added, referring to one of her hit singles.

Clarkson hit back at the shop's statement, posting a grainy photo that appeared to show the item on a wall with a price tag, calling the shop a "liar".

“Cool, cool. Sure, it wasn’t for sale. That’s the narrative Art of Play is gonna go with,” she wrote on X.

“So the whole conversation we had when I asked you if it was for sale whilst pointing to the price tag hanging on the wall with the title Singing Bird didn’t happen as you elevator-eyed me saying in a condescending tone ‘yes, it’s for sale but it costs 15,000 dollars so if you’d like me to find something comparable for you I can’.

“That all never happened and now it’s not for sale. Okay, cool. So you’re not only rude, you’re also a liar.”

The singer said she supported small business and rarely criticised people before adding “your store is really cool. Unfortunately, you aren’t”.

Kelly Clarkson claims she was mistreated by staff at the Art of Play in New York after she made inquiries about an £11,000 singing bird

Art of Play

"Yesterday, Kelly Clarkson visited us in Brooklyn and inquired about buying 'Molly', a one-of-a-kind singing and dancing bird automaton who plays an important role in the magic shows we host here. Molly is permanently attached to the wall and isn't for sale."

Kelly Clarkson

"So the whole conversation we had when I asked you if it was for sale whilst pointing to the price tag hanging on the wall with the title

Singing Bird didn't happen as you elevator-eyed me saying in a condescending tone 'yes, it's for sale but it costs \$15,000 so if you'd like me to find something comparable for you I can'.

That all never happened and now it's not for sale. Okay, cool. So, you're not only rude, you're also a liar. Got it"

US immigration agents raid home of Muslim congresswoman

WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT

By Benedict Smith

A MUSLIM congresswoman's home has been searched by homeland security agents.

Authorities have not said why they searched the home of Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, but she has repeatedly been accused of immigration fraud by members of Donald Trump's administration.

Ms Omar, the first Somali-American elected to Congress, has in the past denied the allegations as “disgusting lies” and an attempt to distract voters from inflation and the Iran war.

As of yesterday morning, her street was still blocked off and homeland security agents were stationed near her home.

“Today in the Washington, DC area, Homeland security investigations executed a judicially authorised search warrant,” the US justice department said in a statement, without naming the congresswoman. “This enforcement action is part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation.”

In September, US officials said they were investigating whether Ms Omar, a Democrat, had entered the US illegally by falsifying immigration paperwork.

The timing of the search is unusual, coming just over three weeks before the mid-term elections, in which Ms Omar is running for reelection to represent Minnesota's 5th district.

The justice department typically enters a “blackout” period in the 60 days before an election, and usually avoids taking public steps in politically sensitive elections that could influence the result of a vote. However, there is no rule that prevents the department from acting within that window.

Mr Trump has frequently criticised Ms Omar, who entered the US as a 12-year-old and became a citizen aged 17, and linked her to widespread fraud committed by members of Minnesota's Somali community.

He has accused her of marrying her brother, a claim she denies, and called for her to be deported from the US.

Last Thursday, the president said the state was “being taken over by Somali immigrants”, declaring: “The people of Minnesota must fight back.”

In response, Ms Omar called Mr Trump “dangerous and reprehensible” and accused him of “demonising the Somali community”.

In March, JD Vance, the vice-president, suggested Ms Omar had “committed immigration fraud” and that he was working with Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff, to “go after her”.

“What are the legal remedies now that we know that she’s committed immigration fraud? How do you build the case necessary to get some justice for the American people?” he said.

Pupil shoots teachers with hunting gun ahead of school protest

By Henry Samuel

PARIS CORRESPONDENT

A HEADTEACHER and a female teacher were shot and wounded at a school in southern France yesterday on the eve of a fifth nationwide school protest.

The headteacher of Joseph Lakanal secondary school in Aubagne, east of Marseille, had been struck in the lower body by a shot from a hunting gun, while a 37-year-old teacher had also been injured, BFMTV reported.

A 14-year-old suspect was arrested after the incident at 10am local time, and the Marseille prosecutor attended the scene. The motive was not known, but no link had been established to the student unrest in parts of France.

Police said Joseph Lakanal school “was not affected by the secondary school protest”. A police source said the teachers’ injuries had not been life-threatening and they had been “taken into care”.

Laurent Nuñez, the French interior minister, and Édouard Geffray, the national education minister, were due to visit the scene yesterday afternoon. According to France3, the alleged perpetrator fired several shots on the school premises and was subdued by teaching staff before police intervened.

Emmanuel Macron praised “the com- posure” of the teaching staff who had “prevented the worst from happening”.

Pupils are today due to stage “Act V” of the protests, which have rocked Mr Macron’s government since mid-September.

During a visit to the Paris motor show, the French president urged restraint from protesters before the demonstrations and warned pupils not to expect immediate improvements to schools.

He said: “These are issues that deserve time, consultation, discussion and respect. This also requires that it be done calmly, in an orderly way, and with respect for both people and property.”

About 130 French secondary schools remained closed yesterday, according to the education ministry. Schools across the country were blockaded, including the private Stanislas school in

Paris. More than 96 per cent of schools are due to reopen on Friday after weeks of disruption.

Students are complaining about the size of classes and the need to renovate crumbling schools.

The French government hopes the protest movement will run out of steam during the half-term holiday which starts on Saturday.

However, pupil and student unions have dismissed government concessions – including the deployment of 3,000 substitute teachers – as “crumbs”, and are demanding €10bn (£8.7bn) in additional school funding. Previous student demonstrations mobilised 71,500 people across France, according to interior ministry figures. Almost 256,000 took part in last Tuesday's day of action.

Nearly 6,900 people have been arrested since the unrest began, while an Ipsos poll found 54 per cent of French people supported the protests.

The authorities are eager to dampen the student protests before Saturday, when online activists have called for demonstrations over the cost of living.

French Leftists are flour-bombing their new socialist nemesis

By Henry Samuel in Paris

RAPHAËL GLUCKSMANN and Jean-Luc Mélenchon once spent almost six hours stuck on a train discussing Machiavelli, Montaigne and the French Revolution.

"It was extremely cordial, sometimes funny," Mr Glucksmann recalled. Fast forward to today, and the two leaders of the French Left and relations have deteriorated to such a degree that Mr Glucksmann spent Sunday night cleaning mounds of flour out of his hair.

After winning the centre-Left primary for next year's presidential election on Sunday, the 46-year-old MEP was pelted with flour while walking toward a taxi outside a Paris bar.

While the perpetrator has not been identified, the attack happened right after he was heckled by pro-Mélenchon protesters.

“I am ready to face the violence and brutality of this campaign,” Mr Glucksmann said yesterday, accusing his rival’s hard-Left France Unbowed (LFI) supporters of harassment. “Jean-Luc Mélenchon must formally condemn the fact

that his supporters are carrying out these attacks," he added.

But Mr Glucksmann is no stranger to ridicule.

In August, in a bid to shore up his green credentials, the gangly politician visited a wind farm in western France. Photographs of him looking forlorn in protective gear beside a wind turbine triggered a torrent of memes.

One suggested his PR team must be run by Mélenchon moles. Another likened him to a “stick insect on LSD”. Others joked there was no need for wind turbines; he generates enough hot air as it is.

The quips echoed claims that the intellectual is a Parisian luvvie, married to a star TV news presenter (Léa Salamé) to boot, and more at home discussing Ukraine than the cost of living concerns of la France profonde.

Yet on Sunday, the grandson of a Soviet spy and son of a celebrated anti-totalitarian philosopher clinched a resounding political victory.

He secured 66 per cent among some 120,000 voters, trouncing primary rivals including Socialist Party leader

Raphaël Glucksmann was pelted with flour after winning the centre-left primary

Olivier Faure, on 14.5 per cent, and former presidential contender Ségolène Royal. Crucially, he pledged never to ally with Mr Mélenchon's LFI, unlike Mr Faure and Ms Royal, who were less categorical about future deals with the hard-Left. That question divided the primary.

His triumph hands the leader of the small Place Publique party the task of resurrecting France's mainstream Left, which hit rock bottom when Anne Hidalgo, former Paris mayor, won a humiliating 1.75 per cent in 2022.

"At last, the battle for France begins," Mr Glucksmann told France Inter yesterday. "I've had enough of this Left that doesn't believe in victory."

Alain Duhamel, the veteran political commentator, said of Mr Glucksmann: "He remains an amateur, and amateurs have difficulties conducting campaigns, especially something as competitive as a French presidential election."

Borrowing a famous phrase from the Popular Front era, he said: “Now the difficulties begin.”

My Welsh holiday homes are turning me into Basil Fawlty

GRIFF RHYS JONES

I'm in Wales now. The land of my aunties. Or at least of my father. Dad had a joke about an expedition to the desert. The participants agreed to cook in turn, but only until one of the others complained. By the time the third one was cooking, no one was prepared to complain. It went on for days, so he eventually boiled some camel dung.

“God almighty,” said the leader. “This tastes like s---.”

"That's a complaint." "No. It's very well cooked s---."

But do the British still "never complain"?

I own a collection of restored farms in Wales (bought long before Clarkson), which we let out as holiday homes because I never fancied herding sheep. We are open and occupied all year, and we get great joy, if not great income, from the endeavour.

We have a guest book in each house, inviting comments – mainly to allow subtle bragging. I read them avidly, like an actor seeking good reviews because I am an actor seeking good reviews. And they're generally great.

Yet, we get niggles, some perfectly valid ones: “There is no mirror in the upstairs bedroom.” Point taken. Then there’s the rest. “We had no heat coming out of the central heating system.” (It was August). “The sign for the shop lacks a letter.” (Er... it’s in Welsh; “Siop”).

Others, mainly on the internet, can get strangely direct. “I was bitterly disappointed to find that I couldn’t swim in your ponds because of the algae.”

Hmm. We are close to the sea – a positive ocean of wild water possibilities. Our ponds are full of fish, and we have never actively solicited or advertised the notion of wild or regular pond swimmers. How did this visitor even know we had them? Yet, it apparently ruined her holiday.

One couple returning after 10 years bemoaned that the “that the walls were the same colour”. Were they assuming that, if you they left it long enough, the walls would, chameleon-like, assume another hue? Am I beginning to sound like Basil Fawlty?

I occasionally blame the weather. It can occasionally rain in west Wales, which I assume provides the extra time needed to pull the fridge away from the wall and find a cobweb; or consider that the television is not as big as the one that you have at home; or notice that there was an absence of a free package of “local meat” on arrival.

A sort of increasingly familiar, pernickety desperation attends these anti-inventories: “We could not easily open the door to the back garden, where it was discovered some of the outside chairs were wet”.

A catalogue of minor failings is actually a blackmail note. The holiday will have been ruined, obviously, a special, longed-for, one. Obviously needing recompense.

My friend Antony was threatened with a legal action because the guests tripped over a cat in the garden.

I'll be honest, I have my complaints too: guests accidentally "packing" the binoculars; dogs "escaping" through the closed gates to murder the neighbour's pet rabbit; parents mysteriously letting their children loose to break all the windows in the neighbouring unrestored buildings before using the kitchen scissors to chop the leads off side lamps.

But wait a minute. Isn't this all one wordy, pointless complaint? Of course it is. Listen, I complain about everything, ceaselessly. And we do really welcome your feedback. Thank you.

#

FOLLOW Griff Rhys Jones on X @G\_RhysJones;

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In Israel, I saw first hand the dire state of Burnham's foreign policy

Britain is playing itself out of the game in the Middle East because of the PM's fear of pain at the polls

CHARLES MOORE

Last Thursday, with a cross-party group from the House of Lords, I drove past the British consulate in Jerusalem. Its Union flag drooped, dirty and ill-cared-for. As well it might, for that was the day appointed for the expulsion of 27 British diplomats by Benjamin Netanyahu's government. Andy Burnham had provoked this retaliation by imposing sanctions against Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Photographers lurked outside to snap the departures.

all the hostages have been free. There is no more serious day.

As we had learnt from private conversations the night before, however, the full exodus would not, in fact, take place. Our national security adviser Jonathan Powell and our ambassador in Tel Aviv, Simon Walters, are probably the only two British government representatives Israel still respects. They had brokered a last-minute compromise. Seven of the 27 diplomats would stay. The consulate, though downgraded to a mere “mission”, would not close.

This tragi-comic story illustrates the dire state of British foreign policy. Two dates last week mattered.

On Wednesday October 7, Israel marked the third anniversary of the Hamas massacres which killed 1,200 Israelis and took hostage 250 more. It was also the first anniversary on which

For Mr Burnham, however, only Thursday October 8 mattered – the date of the Holborn and St Pancras by-election. Labour had to hold the seat vacated by Sir Keir Starmer's flounce off the political stage. Had victory crowned its main challenger in the seat, the Green leader Zack Polanski, Mr Burnham would have been debounced and his dream of an early general election would have faded.

Politicians often prefer immediate domestic advantage to longer-term international reputation but consider the point we have reached. A British prime minister calculated that, to stave off electoral defeat from a nakedly anti-Semitic party, he must devise something hurtful to the Jewish state.

Even when privately requested by the party-neutral president of Israel to await the result of Israel's own elections on October 27, Mr Burnham pushed ahead, guaranteeing anger from an embattled Netanyahu coalition. Israel feels special contempt for our new Foreign Secretary, Ed Miliband, who righteously advances his own Jewishness to justify his hostility. So Britain has accidentally done its little bit to help Netanyahu. The more Israel is insulted by its supposed allies, the likelier it is to stick with its uniquely experienced and seemingly (though not always actually) intransigent prime minister.

If Mr Burnham had thought beyond the by-election, Britain's dwindling supply of diplomatic chips need not have been expended by the Powell mission. Once known for its subtlety in the Middle East, Britain is now playing itself out of the game, preferring a more dangerous one at home. Who would have imagined that the worst pogrom since 1945 would be twisted into an excuse to persecute its victims?

into an excuse to persecute its victims?

For many supporters and detractors, Israel is an idea – the democratic home of the Jewish people or the crafty arm of the United States; it is what, long before it was born, the novelist George Eliot likened in her great 1876 novel Daniel Deronda to “a star … of Western freedom amid the despotisms of the East”, or a new apartheid cynically encouraged by Western money power. Ever since the life and death of Jesus, the destruction of the Jewish Temple and the later use of the site for Mohammed’s night-flight to heaven, great religions have contested the space. Millions are pulled by these yearnings. But those who run modern countries such as ours should be thinking harder about what Israel today is.

Zionism is ignorantly equated with racism by the Greens. In fact, it closely resembles other forms of 19th-century nationalism which took root in countries such as Ireland, Italy and Greece – the key difference being that Zionism is for a people who lacked a home. Since 1948, they have had one, sovereign under international law. The modern Zionist task is to make it work, which means, above all, making it secure. This is not extreme: it is simply necessary, and incredibly difficult.

We need to understand this and defend it. As one senior Israeli political figure put it to me: “People in the West love victims, but not strong ones.” Perhaps if Israel had wept but not acted after October 7, 2023, it might have won more sympathy. Yet if it had not hit back, it would have been overwhelmed.

Remember that, on October 8, the day after the Hamas massacres, Israel was expecting an immediate attack from Hezbollah. (It still remains mysterious why that did not happen.) It feared attack from Iran too. Supporters

#

READ MORE at telegraph.co.uk/opinion

The Prime Minister calculated that, to stave off a nakedly anti-Semitic party, he must devise something hurtful to the Jewish state

of Hamas's day of atrocious murder, torture, kidnapping and rape refer to it as "the al-Aqsa flood", al-Aqsa being the Muslim term for the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, "flood" referring to the hope that all Israel would be inundated by marauders killing every Jew they could find.

The reason they failed was that Israel possessed superior force and, in its people, a much better-disciplined will. Almost regardless of their political allegiance, its people know instinctively that freedom needs defending. British people ought to admire that: it is how our nation survived in 1940.

Our party visited Nir Oz, the only kibbutz on October 7 not reached by Israeli soldiers until after the murderers had left. Its 450 inhabitants had been what are sometimes dismissed as “peaceniks”. Some ran charitable services driving Gazans across the border for medical treatment in Israel.

In one house, the parents had bled to death when bullets penetrated the door of their safe room. Hamas then set fire to the place. The three children, five-year-old twin girls and a two-year-old boy, were later found, suffocated by the smoke. We saw the tattered remains of the family's traditional Sukkot festival tent, which had carried a banner saying, in Hebrew: "Happiness. Love. Peace."

Not all Israelis are so pacific, of course. Israel could not survive if they were. But Andy Burnham should pause before he takes the next downward step and licenses the current talk of Israel's “genocide”.

He should reflect on the grotesque and deliberate moral inversion which lies behind the use of that word, and on the political consequences for the West if it accepts it.

Way of the World Michael Deacon

Over the past couple of decades, more than a few British people have accused immigrants of stealing their jobs, by under-cutting them on pay. At last, though, it seems that things may be starting to change. Because these days, apparently, it's the other way round.

Or so I gather from a fascinating quote in our report, published on Sunday, about places in Britain where a majority of adults are claiming out-of-work benefits. In Birmingham, our reporter interviewed a local man named Mohammad Khan. And he said: "Here it is hard to get a job. A lot of students come and pick up part-time

jobs. They take over the housing. They work for a lower rate and they can speak English.”

If the ability to speak English is giving these students a decisive advantage in the Birmingham jobs market, that means the people they're under-cutting must be immigrants who can't speak English. In which case, I hope Birmingham isn't going to see mass protests by unemployed immigrants, muttering:

“Bloody British. Coming over here, stealing our jobs.” Then again, if they can only say this in another language, I suppose we won’t know what they’re protesting about.

As it happens, my 18-year-old niece, who is from Buckinghamshire, has just started studying at the University of Birmingham. I must warn her not to get a part-time job. After all, that would be very unfair on the locals. Especially the ones who can't speak English. Also, I hope she and her student friends won't, in Mr Khan's phrase, "take over the housing". It would be outrageous if much-needed local accommodation were given to a load of outsiders who have only just arrived.

Anyway, this unfortunate situation puts me in mind of an article I read in Metro, in 2022. It reported that the recent gentrification of Brixton, South London, had been deeply distressing to locals of Caribbean descent – because, they said, it had caused their area to undergo rapid demographic change. One man, who had run a jerk chicken van there for 17 years, complained: "If you go to some places in Brixton nowadays, you will not see any black people." Which is

interesting. Because, this last time year, Reform's Robert Jenrick got in a lot

of trouble for saying that, when he visited the Handsworth area of Birmingham, he “didn’t see another white face”. If it was offensive for Mr Jenrick to note a lack of white faces in parts of Birmingham, was it offensive for the jerk chicken vendor to note a lack of black faces in parts of Brixton? Personally, I don’t recall anyone kicking up a fuss about the latter of the two comments. So I suppose it must be different.

At any rate, the important thing to remember is that diversity is our strength. And so, if this sudden influx of English speakers makes Birmingham more diverse, I think we should all applaud it.

May I say how impressed I was by the BBC's diligence in ensuring that, throughout Bella Ramsey's time on Celebrity Traitors, the actress was never misgendered. Ms Ramsey identifies as non-binary, and so must be referred to using the pronouns "they" and "them", rather than "she" and "her". What a relief, therefore, that everyone involved in the show managed to get it right, every time.

Or did they? Let's not forget, the series was filmed well in advance of transmission. So I suppose it's possible that, now and again, one of the other celebrities slipped up, and

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inadvertently used the wrong pronoun – thus requiring the scene to be re-shot. Just imagine.

Celebrity: "Of course, the lovely thing about Bella is that she's so..."

Producer: "CUTI"

Celebrity: "Eh? What did I do?"

Producer: "You misgendered her!"

Cameraman: "It's true, you did.

Remember: she's not 'she', she's 'they'."

Runner: "But hang on. Now you two

have misgendered her, too."

Producer: “Well, now so have you!”

Director: “Right, that’s it. No more of this disgraceful misgendering. If anyone else refers to them as ‘her’, I’m kicking them off the show.”

Celebrity: "You're kicking Bella off the show?"

Director: "No, not her. Oh, Christ..."

Director: "No, not her. Oh, Christ..." I can't help thinking of the scene from Monty Python's Life of Brian, in which a high priest (John Cleese) is about to have a man stoned to death for blasphemously uttering the word "Jehovah". Unfortunately, however, the crowd – who have each brought heaps of stones – are all too eager to get cracking. So the high priest barks: "Now, look! No one is to stone anyone until I blow this whistle! Do you understand? Even – and I want to make this absolutely clear – even if they do say 'Jehovah'!"

And so, of course, he immediately gets stoned to death himself.

ESTABLISHED 1855

Burnham's return to Brexit votes past

In a statement to the Commons, Andy Burnham confirmed that he was drawing a new political dividing line with the Tories and Reform. "Sticking with the status quo is not good enough for Britain," he said. A summit will be held between the UK and EU on November 20, in which he hopes progress will be made on deals to boost growth and control illegal immigration. But he again made clear that he was seeking a bigger prize than Sir Keir Starmer ever dared dream of as prime minister: to reopen the Brexit debate itself.

A cynic might wonder whether the Prime Minister is only returning to the subject because he has little to say about anything else. It is convenient politics for Labour to blame Brexit for its own poor handling of the economy. Mr Burnham's careless remarks over the weekend about Russian interference in the 2016 referendum will have pushed the buttons of the sort of fanatical Rejoiner that Labour wants to win back.

But the boldness of the Prime Minister's intervention should not be downplayed. The main irony is that he claims to want a discussion on Britain's future, but his only means for doing so is to relitigate the painful Brexit debates of the past.

This presents an opportunity for his opponents. Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, accused Mr Burnham of “unpicking” the existing UK-EU agreement, and told MPs: “He is not going to get a better deal”. She is likely to be correct, and the Prime Minister has shown little appetite for explaining the trade-offs he would be prepared to make in order to secure, for example, closer trading ties with Brussels. How much would he pay into the EU’s budget? Would he sacrifice post-Brexit free trade deals with non-European countries for preferential treatment from Europe? Would that boost the economy, and if so by how much?

But how many voters want Britain to be trapped in a re-run of discussions that many had imagined settled 10 years ago? While Mr Burnham looks back to salve the wounded egos of the Brexit vote, Mrs Badenoch's Tories and Reform UK would be better off focused on offering a positive vision for where the country can go from here.

It is true that leaving the EU has not led to a promised land. In many ways, the country has ended up more European than it was before. But above all, Brexit was a vote of confidence in Britain itself: that it could be happier, more successful and more free. It should not be impossible to recapture that spirit of optimism.

We accept letters by post and email. Please include name, address, work and home telephone numbers.

Cost of government

Are you listening, Mr Healey? Two weeks before the Chancellor's maiden Budget, the International Monetary Fund has warned overly indebted economies against another round of unfunded giveaways designed to ease cost of living pressures. Price controls and subsidies can backfire, the Fund says. "Temporary" support schemes also have a bad habit of becoming permanent handouts.

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Something similar has happened in the debate about living standards itself. Households are often said to be suffering from a cost of living “crisis” – and nobody would question the harsh impact of recent price increases, particularly in energy. But this particular crisis, whose acute phase began when Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine, has morphed into a more chronic condition.

It cannot be laid solely at the door of geopolitical events, either. Yes, the turmoil in the Middle East has again pushed up energy prices, with consequences for everything from fertiliser to food. But ministers are rather more reluctant to talk about their own role in making people feel poorer: the cost of government crisis.

Higher national insurance contributions, a rising minimum wage and tougher employment regulation have all increased costs for business. Individuals have been pummelled by taxes at multi-decade highs while getting less from public services. Net zero is accused of making everyone worse off, while many experts believe the planning system has pushed up the price of housing.

Not that the Left will ever admit it, when greedy landlords and price-gouging retailers present such an appealing target. But will John Healey?

Fishing for diversity

D over soles, oysters, turbot, monkfish, crab, lobster, these days even octopus – some of the world's most delicious fish and seafood are landed in Britain's ports. Once our domestic cooks were familiar with this saline cornucopia. Recipe books from the 1920s offered recipes for 32 different species of fish, researchers have found. Halibut in custard was a favoured staple of the middle class child's nursery supper. But today our kitchens only ever seem to encounter five varieties of sea life: salmon, prawns, cod, haddock, and tuna. Much of the rest of our trawl is exported to Continental markets, and some even makes its way to China. Is it not time for us to reinvigorate Britain's appetite for fish? As Spaniards know, monkfish and lobster are too good to be reserved for restaurants. Let's do our patriotic duty and enjoy them at home.

The fallacy at the heart of Andy Burnham's case against Brexit

SIR – Andy Burnham believes that Brexit has done more harm than good whatever he may say (report, October 12). The truth is that a range of inept politicians have failed fully to grasp and exploit the opportunities that Brexit should have created. Indeed, one reason that many of our politicians are inept is that, when Britain was part of the EU, they had important decisions made for them or imposed.

Remainers were never prepared to embrace the Brexit vote. But Brexit per se didn't fail; politicians did.

Rob Mason

SIR – The Prime Minister informs us that failure to pursue closer ties with the EU would be “a dereliction of duty”. This from the man who told us that increasing funds for defence could not come at the expense of the welfare budget. If Mr Burnham is unable to comprehend that he is already committing by far the greatest – not to say the most dangerous – dereliction of duty, he has no business being in office.

defences in the face of possible Russian aggression on the eastern borders.

He would need to think of something else, such as the stupidity of the British electorate. Dr David Walters Burton Bradstock, Dorset

SIR – Whatever Russia may have tried, Barack Obama certainly interfered in the Brexit referendum by warning that Britain would be at the “back of the queue” for a trade deal. He notably failed to influence the outcome.

Edward Hill

Nailsea, Somerset

SIR – The Prime Minister has serious economic problems to address, but EU membership is not the answer. A financial punishment beating would await Britain, given that in 2016 we had the temerity to reject EU political hegemony in favour of national sovereignty.

Gerald Heath

Box, Wiltshire

Chandlers Ford, Hampshire

Philip J Ashe Leeds, West Yorkshire

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Youth unrest

SIR – With violent protests unfolding in France and India (“Cockroach’ leader arrested on his way to Delhi protest”, report, October 11), it seems evident that young people throughout the world are discontented with their lot. In my opinion, they are justified in being so.

SIR – It is increasingly clear that Donald Trump is self-centred and power-mad. His deal with Vladimir Putin is to save his skin in the mid-term elections, regardless of the consequences for Ukraine, Europe and indeed the world.

Pulborough, West Sussex

Providing today's youth with employment and a sense of purpose is the great challenge of our time. They cannot simply be paid off with benefits. Peter Jenkins

A major problem is that they are unable to find jobs. Work is essential in life, giving self-worth and wellbeing. It engenders respect for law and order, instilling self-discipline and courtesy towards other people.

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Untutored genius

SIR – Andy Burnham has suggested there is clear evidence that Russia interfered in the 2016 Brexit vote, perhaps – whatever he may say – giving him an excuse to hold another referendum. I wonder what reason he would give if the British people decided that they wished to remain outside the EU. Surely it couldn't be because of its immigration crises, failing economies, diktats from unelected officials or hopeless

SIR – Michael Faraday ranks as another English autodidact of genius (“Where have all the great autodidact artists gone?”, Comment, October 12).

With little formal education, he became one of the most influential scientists in history, making fundamental discoveries in physics and chemistry that have shaped our modern world.

SIR – If Andy Durham does undermine Brexit, or indeed shows his intention to take the UK back into the customs union and the single market, then he must know that his Makerfield constituents, who voted to leave in 2016, are likely to make him the first sitting prime minister to lose his seat.

Carole Doggett

Milford, Hampshire

Can we survive another two years of this man in charge of America?

Jonathan Williams

Pickworth, Lincolnshire

SIR - Congratulations to Winchester College, which is returning to the use of pen and paper in lessons (report, October 12).

The pen is mightier: Albert Anker (1831-1910) often depicted children studying

Can handwriting make a classroom comeback?

His experiments on electromagnetism, induction and electrolysis, alongside his discovery of benzene, form the foundations of so many of the devices and products we use routinely today.

My granddaughter sat her GCSEs this summer at a comprehensive school. She remarked how misguided the current system is: pupils spend junior school perfecting their

handwriting, then spend four or five years of senior school using a laptop – only to be expected to write again for their exams.

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Trump's motives

Grandpa, at 84, still uses the Parker pen he was given aged 11 - and, unlike the laptop, it didn't cost £500.

Christine Hodgson

Halifax, West Yorkshire

Most rational people will not find this hard to accept but, like me, they cannot understand why so many American voters have fallen for the non-stop stream of falsehoods that Mr Trump has issued over the years.

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Mansion tax pain

SIR – John Bolton, formerly Donald Trump's national security adviser, has said: "This is hard to accept, I know. But Trump just makes things up" (report, October 12).

I fear he has damaged the United States beyond repair.

John Newbury

Warminster, Wiltshire

SIR – A substantial proportion of the value of many homes is effectively financed by the banks, with mortgage rates determined in part by affordability and the risk associated with the loan.

Interest rates have risen and may well rise further. The imposition of a mansion tax (report, October 11) will reduce affordability and, all other things being equal, the property will be worth less. The banks will be left with higher loan-to-value ratios and potentially greater risk, requiring higher mortgage rates on high value loans. Coupled with this, those approaching the end of fixed-rate deals may find themselves refinancing against a falling property valuation, in an interest rate environment that is likely to deteriorate.

Then there is the Government's precarious fiscal position, with further tax rises looking inevitable, again reducing affordability. The cumulative effect could be substantial, with falling property values, higher borrowing costs and reduced affordability feeding into one another. It is not difficult to envisage a perfect storm leading to a property crash.

Dr Alexander Barber

London SW7

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The BBC has chosen the wrong target for cuts

Einstein kept a photograph of Faraday on his study wall, and we still watch the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures that were popularised by Faraday from 1827.

Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

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Useful ties

SIR – Roger Warner (Letters, October 12) denies that a tie has any function other than as a fashion item. How about using one as a draught-excluder? Paul Berry Barnstaple, Devon

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Tasty topping

SIR – I enjoyed your article on the pleasures of porridge, with lots of recipes to try (“Oats against the current: eight toppings and twists that really work, and one that might be a bowl too far...”, Saturday, October 10).

However, there was no mention of adding peanut butter after cooking – yum!

Pauline Hay

Epsom, Surrey

SIR – I could not disagree more with Ian Wallace over the BBC’s decision to scrap You and Yours (“BBC duds”, Letters, October 10).

Following prostate cancer surgery, I am charged with 30 minutes daily of Kegel exercises. Where possible I schedule these for when this excellent consumer affairs programme is broadcast. The range of topics covered is remarkable, and Winifred Robinson is one of the best radio broadcasters.

I could list many presenters and programmes that the BBC should axe. The action proposed here is yet another example of Auntie cutting off its nose to spite its face.

Geoff Pringle

Long Sutton, Somerset

SIR – You and Yours is one of the BBC's best and most useful programmes. I cannot see that it is particularly expensive to produce. There is plenty of rubbish that could be ditched instead.

Winifred Robinson is a superb broadcaster – sane, empathetic, gently humorous – and Shari Vahl is close

SIR – I agree with Brian Fisher about I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue (Letters, October 12). It always makes me laugh.

behind. Thousands of listeners must agree. The BBC should think again.

Dorothy Woolliscroft

Attleborough, Norfolk

My wife happens to have an encyclopaedic knowledge of the London Underground, and she takes Mornington Crescent seriously – always failing to understand the panel members' choice of station stops.

Tim Oldfield

Wye, Kent

SIR – Some years ago, I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue was being recorded at the Theatre Royal in Brighton as part of the Brighton Festival. The box office was advertised as opening at 8am. I went at 7:30, finding it open, and was surprised not to see a queue. However, I soon learnt that the line had been so long that the police had arrived at 6:30 to disperse the crowd.

Keith Appleyard

West Wickham, Kent

SIR – I find it sinister that Government-appointed “valuers” will have the right to inspect homes under current proposals for the mansion tax. Their valuations will be guesswork, as property prices can only be accurately arrived at when they are sold.

Moreover, the tax will be a serious disincentive to people wanting to improve their home.

Roger Murray

Guildford, Surrey

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Growing up English

SIR – Having been born in Trinidad in the 1960s to English parents, and smuggled into the UK as a baby, I never questioned whether I was English or Trinidadian when I was growing up (Letters, October 12). My birth certificate said Trinidad but my upbringing was English.

It wasn't until I applied for my first passport that I realised my Englishness would be questioned. According to the Home Office, I didn't exist. Countless documents certifying my parents' and grandparents' births and marriages were required, and I was eventually given a passport as a "British Subject". Very different rules for subjects apply, including the need for visas.

I now have a passport that says "Citizen". I still have a soft spot for the West Indies in the cricket though.

Gary Fielding

Disley, Cheshire

Reforming welfare is kindness not cruelty

This is not just about saving money, MPs need to realise that being in work is better for people than inactivity

JAMES KIRKUP

"My heart leaps up when I behold / A rainbow in the sky: /So was it when my life began; /So is it now I am a man; / So be it when I shall grow old, /Or let me die!/The Child is father of the Man"

S o wrote William Wordsworth in My Heart Leaps Up, which recalls the childhood joy of seeing a rainbow in the sky, and ponders the way such early experiences shape us in later life. Wordsworth's heart would not leap up on reading "Children living in long-term workless households in the UK", published earlier this month by the Office for National Statistics. It contains no rainbows, or anything else joyful.

Yet that statistical bulletin should still be read closely, because it could just help to untie one of the knots that bind Britain into fiscal and economic despair. Paying more attention to the children involved might just help build the political will to reform welfare and tackle Britain's inactivity problem.

Here, it is necessary to explore one of the abiding curiosities of our time. Britain spends more than it earns, in

part because the welfare bill has risen. That welfare bill has risen – and will rise further – not because people are unemployed, but because they are “inactive”, removed from the workforce by reason of ill-health, study or care.

To many, it is a statement of the bleeding obvious that the welfare system must be changed so that we as a country can spend less on benefits payments and so that more recipients can as individuals go out to work.

But if this case is so compelling, why have Labour MPs been so reluctant to embrace it? The answer lies in a worldview that is common – but not universal – in Labour circles: welfare is kindness; it is the basic duty of the state to support those in need. It follows that reductions in welfare must be cruelty. And who wants to vote for cruelty?

This worldview has dominated welfare debate for more than a decade, meaning that there have been no significant changes to the benefit system since Iain Duncan Smith's Universal Credit was introduced in the early 2010s. It has often been reinforced by the arguments that are made for reform. Too often, these start with the fiscal need for savings. A Treasury-led case for welfare reform often sounds, to Labour people, like an argument that the poorest members of society should get less money in order to please bond traders and bean counters.

This would fail to win Labour support even in one of the party's reform-minded phases. In its current mood – enjoying Burnham's soft-Left appeal to urban voters who defected to the Greens – it is unthinkable for the party to back reform just to save money.

So another argument is needed. Labour must come to see that reforming welfare to move more people from inactivity towards work is not cruel but kind. In particular, kind to the children of the inactive, an increasingly large group. In 2025, there were 1.54 million children growing up in a household where no adult is economically active. In the north-east of England, the figure is 17 per cent.

Growing up in a home where adults don't work is bad for children. When they become adults, they are more likely to spend time “Neet” – not in employment, education or training – than other children of comparable poverty. They have worse health; a 2023 study by Imperial College Business School shows that periods of “parental nonemployment” increase a child's chances of worse health later in life. That's grimly unsurprising: inactivity is bad for the physical and mental health of adults. It is sadly predictable that unhappy, unhealthy parents should have children who are more likely to grow up to be unhappy and unhealthy, too.

This problem is growing, and largely unremarked upon. The number of children in workless homes has risen by 261,000 since 2023, a 20 per cent rise in just two years. That dismal figure has been driven not by layoffs across the economy – our employment level is near a record high. It's because of parents classified as “inactive” – absent from the labour market for reasons of

health or study. Fully 1.3 million children now live in homes where all the adults are “inactive” but not unemployed. Many of those adults have been removed from the labour market by a mindset that Labour reformers privately call “ruinous empathy”, the belief that paying benefits to support people who remain inactive is an act of compassion.

Here, some Labour people respond that the biggest problem in the lives of those children is not that their parents are on benefits but that their parents are poor. Child poverty is a bigger evil than growing up in a workless household, they argue. This is correct: poor kids whose parents are in work suffer most of the economic and social problems faced by poor children whose parents are inactive.

But the best way to address the poverty that afflicts the children of workless households is to help adults in those households to work. People with jobs have the possibility of promotions and overtime and job moves that allow them to earn more. People without jobs don't. It might be the most effective thing a Labour government could do for them. Improving incentives to work is an act of kindness towards recipients. It is now time to revisit that argument. Work is better than inactivity for adults – and for their children.

FOLLOW James Kirkup on X @james kirkup; READ MORE at telegraph.co.uk/opinion | 7 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 5 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 1 | GENTLE NO 5902

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KAKURO

To solve kakuro you must enter a number between 1 and 9 in the empty squares without repeating a digit. The clues are the numbers on the black squares.

The clues are the numbers on the black squares and are the sum of the solution numbers. The clue pointers indicate the direction of the answers. A block of two squares with a clue of 3 will solve as 2,1 and a 5 will produce 4,1 or 2,3. A 4 can only be 1,3, never 2,2. Solution tomorrow.

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KILLER SUDOKU

Your clues are the caged numbers that represent the sum of the numbers within the cage. As in standard sudoku, each 3 x 3 box, each row and each column must contain all the numbers 1 to 9. Solution tomorrow.

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ANAGRAMS

Each of the anagrams below spells out the name of an English town. Solution tomorrow.

DOMINATES

DRUID GOLF

WE RAM KENT

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CODEWORDS

For today's right-hand codewords solutions call 0905 757 0131. For up to five extra letter clues call 0905 757 0130 or text DTCODE (leaving no spaces) to 64343. Calls cost £1 per minute, plus network access charge; texts cost £1, plus network access charge. You must be 18 or over and have the bill payer's permission.

Services open Mon - Fri. SP: Spoke Ltd - Hapline 0333 202 3390.

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SUDOKU

REGULAR NO 7472

NO 4950

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MIND GYM | 7 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 2 | To solve this puzzle each $3 \times 3$ box, each row and also each column must contain all the numbers from 1 to 9. There are numerous strategies to help you solve sudoku. Solutions tomorrow.

Sudoku Solution For today's tough sudoku solution call 0905 757 0136. Calls cost £1 per minute, plus network access charge. You must be 18 or over and have the bill payer's permission. Services open Mon – Fri. SP: Spoke – 0333 202 3390.

Start on the left with the given number and work your way across following the instructions in each cell. Target time: 30 seconds. Solution below.

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TOUGH NO 7472 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 6 | BEGINNER | | 6 | x7 | TRIPLE IT | -54 | ÷6 | X BY ITSELF | x1.25 | ÷5 | +52 | 4/11 OF THIS | INTERMEDIATE | 63 | ÷7 | X BY ITSELF | TRIPLE IT | -51 | HALVE IT | 2/3 OF THIS | √ | x13.75 | 60% OF THIS | ADVANCED | 224 | 6/7 OF THIS | TRIPLE IT | -342 | ÷13 | X BY ITSELF | -153 | 8/19 OF THIS | x6.75 | DOUBLE IT | ---

—TELEGRAPH —TOUGHIE

NO 3773

SHABBO

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Across

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PANAGRAM

Create words of four letters or more, always using the centre letter. Proper nouns and plurals are not allowed, and you can only use each letter once per word. Can you find the nine-letter Panagram? Answers must be in the Oxford Dictionary of English. Solution tomorrow.

Up to 8 words - Word Finder, 9 - Wordsmith, 18 - Word Wizard, 27 - Word Master, 36 - Word Genius, 46 - Word Perfect

1 Immigrant wanting right remuneration (6)

4 Most importantly, a lovable rogue (5,3)

10 Hamilton could be champion in expensive car? (5)

11 Interesting? Sailor's dreadfully boring! (9)

12 Ends spell in Italy (7)

13 Time to get Harry in shape (7)

14 Selling cars in business parks (7,7)

17 Local diversion that involves pushing change at board level? (5-9)

21 Socialist's standard warning (3,4)

23 Male singer embraces vibrato (7)

24 Different pairs date differently (9)

25 Former partner fronts French island bar (5)

26 Started again with Reed in major championship? On the contrary (8)

27 Lowers oneself, picking up people in Copenhagen (6)

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Down

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Toughie No 3772

1 Water/G&T getting switched in wind up (8)

2 Spooner's music adviser is a pest (9)

3 One's drunk painting in short skirt (7)

5 Corporate communication involved Tube line stress (8,6)

6 Former queen visiting museum gallery (7)

7 Getting old and coping without servant (5)

8 Explanation on purpose (6)

9 What an anagram of "gathered" could be doing in passing (6,3,5)

15 Honouring Lennon with big building (9)

16 Cremation site witnessed up in the mountains (8)

18 Settlement with grand English country house at the forefront (7)

19 Lead quietly with change of decree (7)

20 Rougher vintage claret served up (6)

22 Party conflict? No way! (5)

Help with clues

Single clues 0905 757 0126.

All Across/Down clues 0905 757 0127.

Calls cost £1/minute, plus network access charge. You must be 18 or over and have the bill payer's permission. Service open Mon-Fri. SP: Spoke Ltd – Helpline 0333 2023390.

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PLUSWORD

The year football came home: 1966 according to Blower

The Telegraph

Piece together the drama of England's historic win, 60 years on.

Drawn in his signature style, Blower's 1,000-piece puzzle is the perfect gift for jigsaw and football fans alike.

ORDER YOURS TODAY

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TRAIN TRACKS

telegraph.co.uk/blowerjigsaw1966

Lay down tracks to allow a train to travel from A to B. Only use straight and curved rails and the track cannot cross itself. The numbers indicate how many sections of rail go in each column and row. Solution tomorrow.

Fill in the grid in such a way that every row and column and every 2 x 3 box contains the numbers 1-6. Solution tomorrow.

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GENTLE NO 4719

Yesterday's solutions

Word Ladder: Hard, hand, hind, wind, wing, zing, zinc. Anagrams: 1. Absorbed 2. Studious 3. Reflective.

Panagram: Rummaging, arguing, gumming, ramming, airgun, arming, gaming, margin, raging, ugrian, urging, aging, gamin, grain, munia, ramin, ruing, umami, unrig, agin, amir, gain, ging, girn, grig, grim, grin, imam, maim, main, mari, muni, ragi, rain, rani, rimu, ring, ruin.

Today's Mind Gym

Beginner: 32 Intermediate: 66 Advanced: 972

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NO 1605

Solve the crossword, then use letters in the shaded squares to complete the additional PlusWord. A letter in a green square appears in the same column in the PlusWord as it does in the crossword; a letter in a yellow square appears in the PlusWord, but in a different column than it does in the crossword. There is only one possible answer for the PlusWord; it may be that the PlusWord contains letters that aren't found in the crossword, but it can always be worked out logically without guessing. Solution tomorrow.

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Across

Across

1 Warm, damp and sticky

6 Battery terminal

7 Filched; item of neckwear

8 Covered as e.g. bathroom walls may be

9 Resay (anag.)

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Down 1 Rash

2 Remove a knot from

3 Money, in slang

4 Layabout

5 Actions

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WORD LADDER

Change just one letter to go from the top word to the bottom word. Each step must be a valid word and you cannot change the order of the letters. There are clues below for each rung, but they are not necessarily in order. Solution tomorrow.

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THE SOLUTIONS

PlusWord No 1604

Killer Sudoku

Mini Sudoku No 4718

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The Telegraph PUZZLES

Enjoy 1 year of puzzles for just £1. Visit telegraph.co.uk/puzzles today.

Codewords 1 and 2

T Y H F G B J K L I A I S

14 E Q U W G L O N X C I P Z

D B 3 N S U G Z M G H L O V C

14 E Y W K J Q F X I A T R P

Kakuro No 5901

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Jab-tastic

How a chemicals group once dubbed ‘mini-ICI’ is reinventing itself by fixing ‘Ozempic face’

Page 19

At a crossroads

Cheap Chinese imports

threaten the UK's car

manufacturers. It is now or

never to save it.

Ben Marlow

Page 22

Page 21

27245.90

-120.27 (-0.44pc)

Page 22

Healey told tax raid on shops will raise inflation

Key heads of UK retail in Downing Street summit with Chancellor to put the case for the high street

By Tim Wallace and Tom Haynes

RETAIL bosses are to warn John Healey that a tax raid on shops will raise prices and deepen the cost of living crisis.

At a pre-Budget Downing Street summit with supermarket bosses today, the Chancellor will be warned that retailers cannot absorb more costs and will pass them on to consumers.

Writing in The Telegraph ahead of the breakfast meeting, Helen Dickinson, the chief executive of the British Retail Consortium (BRC), warned that shops “cannot afford more bad decisions”.

Ms Dickinson said: "We will warn Mr Healey that retailers cannot absorb endless costs, which means ordinary shoppers shoulder the burden.

“It’s jobs, too. Retail employment is at its lowest level on record. Job losses do not just hurt retailers. They mean fewer opportunities for people to enter the workplace, less money earned ....”

The Chancellor will meet executives from Tesco, Sainsbury's, Amazon, the Co-op and Marks & Spencer, among others. They are expected to warn him that business rates, employment taxes and high energy costs are driving up inflation and killing employment.

Labour has enacted a series of tax increases since coming to power in 2024, including a £25bn raid on employers' National Insurance contributions that has been blamed for lost jobs in retail, wholesale and hospitality.

Ms Dickinson, who will attend the summit, said: “Lazy thinking over the past two years has led to higher prices and fewer jobs. This will only get worse if Government continues to treat retailers as a purse to be raided.”

HMV announced yesterday it is closing its flagship Oxford Street shop just three years after it reopened, saying it is now “commercially unsustainable”. Zavvi, the online music and collectables retailer, also fell into administration.

The warning to Mr Healey comes amid growing tensions between retailers and Government ahead of the Budget on Oct 28.

Jason Tarry, chairman of John Lewis and Waitrose, warned at the weekend that a tax raid on warehouses would trigger a wave of closures. Writing in The Telegraph, he said the mooted policy would “harm our high streets”. Mr Healey hastily ruled out a rise in business rates for warehouses in response.

However, the Institute for Fiscal Studies has warned that the Chancellor will need to find £35bn in either tax rises or spending cuts to meet the commitments made by the Government.

New figures released today show that shops suffered a sharp slowdown in sales last month. Sales grew by 1.3pc in

September, compared to 2pc in the same month last year. The BRC said the public were “still cautious with their spending ahead of expected rises in household bills and taxes”.

The retailers will also push the Chancellor to remove levies from energy bills and address the tax loophole that allows online Chinese retailers to sell goods into the UK without paying the same customs duties as British businesses.

Industry group UKHospitality, which will also attend the Downing Street meeting, is expected to push the Government to use Brexit freedoms to reduce the sector's VAT rate to 10pc.

Proposed changes to the system which classifies foods as healthy or unhealthy are also likely to be discussed, amid concerns over the Government's food strategy.

Tina McKenzie, the national chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, said: "Ministers say they want growth, but growth does not happen by squeezing margins, making employment more expensive and putting barriers in the way of expansion."

Andrew Griffith, the shadow chancellor, said: “Mr Healey should use the meeting to take his boot off the neck of the retail and hospitality sectors.”

Robert Jenrick, of Reform UK, said an increase in the VAT threshold, a U-turn on NICs and the end of the Employment Rights Act would help the economy.

Grants for heat pumps face huge cut

Helen Dickinson, Page 18

By Matt Oliver

A HEAT PUMP subsidy championed by Labour grandee Ed Miliband is facing cuts to help fund the defence budget.

Labour's £15bn Warm Homes Plan, launched by Mr Miliband just nine months ago, is reportedly set to be scaled back as the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) seeks to make £2bn in savings.

A £2.7bn subsidy scheme, providing £7,500 grants for people who purchase heat pumps under the boiler upgrade scheme, will be curtailed, according to reports in The Guardian and Politico.

The news comes as John Healey, the Chancellor, scrambles to find billions of pounds to fund defence.

During the summer, No 10 and the Treasury were locked in a standoff with the Ministry of Defence about how to plug a £28bn black hole in the military's 10-year equipment budget, known as the defence investment plan (DIP). In the end, the Starmer government provided an extra £15bn but left £4.7bn of this to be found at a later date.

Mr Healey, who resigned as defence secretary in the summer after the spending row, will now be tasked with finding that money in his Oct 28 Budget.

Critics claimed cuts to heat pump funding was “short-sighted” and would hobble the industry. Without the grant, a typical heat pump costs £13,600 to install, according to data provider MCS.

DESNZ budget cuts were agreed by Mr Miliband as then prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, tried to cobble together funding for the DIP. Finding those savings now falls to Miatta Fahnbulleh, Mr Miliband's successor. She has signalled she could row back on some of Mr Miliband's most ambitious commitments.

Dale Vince, the green tycoon and Labour donor, has urged ministers to cut funding for heat pumps and redirect it to defence.

“Let’s keep the boilers we have and buy the bombs we need,” he said earlier this year.

Va-va-voom President Emmanuel Macron takes the wheel of the prototype Renault E-Space during a visit yesterday to the Paris Motor Show. Renault hopes its new electric model can lead a move away from family SUVs and back to “people carriers” such as the original Espace, which was launched in 1984.

Jet engine jobs to stay in Britain after taxpayers hand GE factory £33m

By Christopher Jasper

GENERAL ELECTRIC will receive up to £33m of taxpayer funding to stop the US aerospace giant moving engine maintenance jobs out of the UK.

The money from the UK, Scottish and local governments will safeguard 850 existing posts at Prestwick on the Ayrshire coast while creating 150 new positions, the company said yesterday. Andy Prow, the Prestwick plant's manager, said that without the funding GE would most likely have expanded at overseas sites with lower labour costs.

While Prestwick maintains 50pc of all the GE engines for Boeing's best-selling 787 jet, the firm has sites in Brazil and Taiwan that repair the turbines, as well as a facility in Poland which compete with the UK. Mr Prow said: "The other sites are in a lower cost-type environment. That's something we'll never be able to compete with.

“Getting government funding and partnership is critical to ensuring that GE continues to see the UK, Scotland and Prestwick as an area they want to work in.

"Otherwise it's a really difficult package to present when you're competing against other global workshops. Let's not kid ourselves, other global facilities and countries have got investment and tax benefits."

The money will fund a 55,000 sq ft building increasing the size of the Prestwick plant by about 20pc.

Mr Prow said further expansion may be required with the Boeing 787 not due to reach peak production until the late 2030s, and that “partnerships” with government will remain vital.

While the investment will also support supply chain jobs, the outlay of up to £33m for 150 new posts highlights the challenge facing Andy Burnham after pledging to reindustrialise Britain.

Reuben Aitken, head of international investment at Scottish Enterprise, said the Government should pick winners. He said: “We’re in a globally competitive world. Spreading the jam too thin is never the way to go. You have to pick what you’re going after, wrap support around it and lean into those strengths.”

Melanie Ward, the Scotland minister, said the financial backing for Prestwick was necessary because it “hasn’t always had a certain future”.

Unions fear Poundland failure ‘within days’

By Joe Sledge and Ben Marlow

POUNDLAND could be pushed into administration within days, putting 12,000 jobs at risk, one of Britain's largest trade unions has claimed.

Usdaw, which represents 370,000 retail workers, feared current owners Gordon Brothers could decide the fate of the discount retailer as soon as today.

Poundland is subject to a number of competing bids after Gordon Brothers decided to sell but unions say they have “deep concerns” it will be pushed into administration. Bally Auluk, a national officer at Usdaw, said the union has repeatedly requested urgent talks with Gordon Brothers since rumours surfaced that the private equity firm intended to sell.

“Sources within the company are telling me that a decision about the future of Poundland could be made [today] and there are deep concerns the business could go into administration, which would be a disaster for our members,” Mr Auluk said.

Gordon Brothers is currently pursuing a sale process for the group and has received a number of expressions of interest. These include one from turnaround firm Modella Capital and a deal backed by current boss Barry Williams and former chairman Andy Bond.

Henderson Property Group, an Irish family business, has also expressed an interest, raising fears that Poundland could be broken up.

Additionally, the discount grocers Aldi and Lidl are understood to be interested in acquiring a number of Poundland's UK store sites.

Nick Train's trust faces stampede to leave

By Tom Saunders

CITY fund manager Nick Train has faced a rush of withdrawals from his flagship investment trust after investors asked for £35m of their savings back.

Mr Train, who co-manages the £115m Lindsell Train Investment Trust (LTIT), had offered through the trust to buy up to one-fifth of shares from savers who wanted sell but the offer was swamped with saver demands to redeem nearly a third of shares.

The stampede reflects the poor performance of the trust under the management of Mr Train, who was once regarded as a star fund manager but has struggled in recent years.

The trust has acknowledged the fund's performance had been “disappointing” in the past five years, with an annual return of minus 7.1pc.

Investors had been given the opportunity to offload their shares at a valuation well above the trust's market price.

Its shares traded at a hefty 17.7pc discount to its net asset value when the offer was announced in September.

However, the board offered to buy back up to a fifth of trust shares at just a 5pc discount in a bid to shrink the deficit.

The trust had offered to redeem 4m shares but investors asked for 6.5m shares back. Because the redemption request was oversubscribed, most shareholders who wished to redeem will only get a portion of their request.

Roger Lambert, the LTIT chairman, said: "With more than two-thirds of shareholders choosing not to tender their shares, we believe the outcome demonstrates continued confidence."

PA WIRE/JONATHAN BRADY

Falklands oil explorer raises cash from Middle Eastern investor

By Hans van Leeuwen

A FALKLAND Islands energy explorer based in London has recruited an anonymous super-rich Middle Eastern investor to bankroll its oil drilling amid mounting Argentinian opposition.

Borders & Southern Petroleum said the “ultra-high-net-worth” shareholder would pump £2m into the group, at a 42pc premium to its share price.

Harry Baker, the group's chief executive, described the white knight as “an experienced investor, with a long history of deploying strategic capital across a range of industries, including in this sector”. The funds will allow Borders & Southern to push on with more drilling in the Darwin East field to the south-east of the Falklands, which may contain 170 million barrels oil and gas.

Borders & Southern's announcement follows similar progress in the Sea Lion field to the north of the archipelago. Rockhopper Exploration and Israeli firm Navitas Petroleum plan to start pumping oil from there in early 2028.

The recent drilling push has triggered a fresh round of tension between Britain and Argentina, which still lays claim to what it calls “Las Malvinas”.

Argentinian president Javier Milei has given the UK a two-week ultimatum to shut down the Sea Lion project or face a lawsuit at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. The deadline expires on Tuesday. Mr Milei claimed Rockhopper's project was an “illegal plundering of our resources”.

Mr Baker said the Middle Eastern investor's purchase of almost 17.4 million shares at 11.5p apiece came "in spite of the geopolitical backdrop".

In its half-yearly report in September, Borders & Southern said its Darwin East exploration licences were “lawfully granted by the Falkland Islands Government, with full and ongoing support from the UK Government”.

The company needs cash to pay its licensing fees and fund technical and commercial studies. Its shares closed at 9.68p yesterday, up from 7.94p before the announcement.

Ponzi scams boom as victim numbers hit a five-year high

with investors believed to have collectively lost around £150m.

Financial damage rises as investment fraudsters use influencers and podcasts to entrap fresh targets

By Tom Saunders

LOSSES from British Ponzi schemes have hit a five-year high, topping £92m, as fraudsters use online influencers and podcasts to lure new victims.

In the 12 months to June 2026, individuals told Report Fraud – the UK's cybercrime and fraud reporting centre – of £92.7m in losses from Ponzi schemes; the highest level in five years.

It was up from £91.5m in 2025 and £62m in 2024, according to data disclosed under freedom-of-information laws. The rise in losses from Ponzi schemes, which pay old investors with money from new investors rather than making real profits, comes as fraudsters find new ways to lure their victims.

Stuart McFadden, the co-founder of Refundee which has, so far, recovered more than £140m for scam victims, said: “Ponzi schemes are a booming industry, representing a low-risk, high-reward opportunity for fraudsters.

“Using sophisticated marketing strategies – from employing online influencers and running social media adverts to appearing on podcasts and at in-person events – these scams can quickly attract millions of pounds of investment.”

Large networks of financial advisers, many based offshore, have successfully lured British investors into several large alleged Ponzi schemes in recent years.

Godwin Capital, an alleged Ponzi scheme that raised hundreds of millions of pounds from thousands of small-time investors, collapsed in June last year,

Investors were told their money would fund residential and commercial properties, including motorway service stations, and that their loans would be secured against them. Some projects were built, including the Ram Jam service station on the Al in Rutland.

After Godwin collapsed, administrators allegedly found its loans were not secured against the properties and that it had instead used funds to repay other investors. Lawyers for Godwin Capital's directors were contacted for comment.

The City of London Police has also launched a criminal investigation into 79th Group, based in Merseyside, for suspected “widespread fraud”. The scheme owed investors more than £200m when it collapsed, having told investors the loans were secured against property developments, including a £250m holiday park in Wales. The company has denied wrongdoing.

One of the largest Ponzi investment scams in recent years was London Capital & Finance, which raised £237m from more than 11,600 investors, many of whom were elderly savers. It collapsed into administration in 2019.

The High Court later ruled that it operated as a Ponzi scheme, paying old bondholders with new investors' money between 2013 and May 2018.

Report Fraud's latest annual report said pyramid and Ponzis were the second most common type of investment fraud after “recovery frauds” which pretend to be a government agency helping to recover lost money for a fee.

Prosecution rates are very low. The Home Office said it recorded an estimated 1,225,778 offences in the 12 months to March 2025 but charged only 5,530 suspected fraudsters.

Girl powwow Melanie Chisholm, better known as Spice Girl Mel C, holds a copy of Spice, her band's 1996 debut album, during a Classic Album Sundays event at the British Library.

Iran war has put an extra £3l on the cost of a tank of fuel

By Emma Taggart

DRIVERS spent almost a fifth more on fuel last month after diesel prices soared.

Consumer card spending on fuel climbed by 17.3pc last month, according to figures from Barclays, after diesel prices rose sharply amid fears of a supply crunch. Average diesel prices jumped above £2 a litre earlier this month to a record high, as wars in the Middle East and Ukraine continue.

The cost of refuelling a typical family car has edged towards £110 - £31 more than when the Iran war started on Feb 28. Average diesel prices in the UK stood at 199.9p per litre yesterday, according to RAC figures, falling back slightly from recent record highs.

Barclays said drivers, on average, spent £17 more on fuel in September compared to what they did in the same month a year ago. The true cost may be even higher, given the bank could only measure the spending on its own cards.

Diesel prices have risen rapidly as conflict in the Middle East restricts supply of oil and as strikes on refineries make it harder for the world to manufacture the fuel. Energy infrastructure, including diesel refineries and LNG carriers, have become targets in conflicts.

Members of the G7 agreed earlier this month to unlock 100 million barrels of oil and diesel after Donald Trump threatened to ban diesel exports.

Catherine Mann, an external member of the Bank of England's rate-setting Monetary Policy Committee, warned rising energy costs were a major driver of headline inflation and “the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) said higher diesel prices will almost certainly push up food inflation as hauliers, farmers and manufacturers struggle.

Liliana Danila, the FDF chief economist, said: “Manufacturers and businesses across the supply chain are working hard to absorb these higher costs but ... there's only so much they can take.” FDF forecasts show food inflation is expected to climb to 3.9pc by the end of the year and peak at 6.4pc in July 2027.

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Retailers need policies for growth, not just fine words

HELEN

DICKINSON

TODAY, I will be meeting the Chancellor with other retail leaders to discuss what the sector needs from the Budget. We will be clear: the choices that he makes at the end of this month will determine whether more shops open or close, whether retail jobs grow or decline and whether prices rise faster or slower.

government continues to treat retailers as a purse to be raided.

John Healey has said he wants to breathe new life into our high streets and deliver growth in every postcode. We will tell him that retailers share that ambition but government policy must help businesses deliver it rather than make it harder.

Our latest consumer polling shows these are exactly the issues that people want the Chancellor to focus on in his first Budget since entering No 11.

Almost nine in 10 people (89pc) want government to prioritise a reduction in the cost of living, while 83pc want action on youth unemployment and 77pc say improving Britain's high streets should be a priority.

The public are spot on. Retailers – and so it appears government – also want the same things. Our message to the Chancellor will be simple: policy must now match that ambition.

We cannot afford more bad decisions. The 2024 Budget lowered the employer National Insurance contribution (NIC) threshold and raised the rate, leading to 122,000 retail jobs being lost in two years. The 2025 Budget put embattled high streets under further strain with higher business rates.

Retailers' tax burden rose by 20pc over those two years to £41bn in 2026-27. Put into perspective, that's almost £3 in taxes for every £4 of profit made – a higher tax burden than any other sector, alongside hospitality.

We will warn Mr Healey that retailers cannot absorb endless costs. Shoppers will shoulder the burden. Families will pay more for their weekly shop. Parents will pay more for back-to-school clothing. Students will pay more for a phone or laptop.

It's jobs too. Retail employment is at its lowest level on record. Job losses do not just hurt retailers, they mean fewer opportunities for people to enter the workplace, less money earned

and spent locally, and less growth for communities.

Almost three million people work in retail – a career open to people whatever their qualifications or where they live. One in five people started their career in the industry.

Retailers want to be part of the solution. Last month, more than 40 businesses helped the British Retail Consortium to launch Opening Shift, an initiative, in partnership with the Department of Work and Pension (DWP) to create thousands of work experience placements for those left

'Policy must now match government's stated ambitions ... we cannot afford more bad decisions'

behind. This is a crucial step towards a goal of creating 100,000 paid jobs by 2029 for young people who are not in work, education or training (NEETs).

Today, we will challenge the Chancellor on a fundamental contradiction: government cannot expect businesses to create more jobs while continually making it more expensive to employ people.

Lazy thinking over the past two years has led to higher prices and fewer jobs.

This will only get worse if

The Chancellor must raise the NI threshold to give businesses greater capacity to take people on.

He should address the rising cost of running and investing in shops by freezing business rates, which otherwise will rise faster than UK growth, and he must end the new surtax that penalises larger stores.

These steps would help deliver exactly what the public wants. A new store creates local jobs and attracts shoppers. Investment in an existing store strengthens a high street and supports surrounding businesses. More people in work means more money earned and spent locally.

This is our central message for the Chancellor: you cannot tax your way to growth by squeezing the businesses expected to deliver it.

Giving one of the most highly taxed industries in the UK more room to invest is a route to more jobs, stronger high streets and greater growth.

Retail is committed to playing its part. The public, government and retailers want the same outcome. This Budget is the Government's opportunity to show that its policies match those ambitions, and make it easier to deliver them, not harder.

Helen Dickinson is chief executive of British Retail Consortium

National Insurance raid is squeezing businesses

How ‘Ozempic face’ could revive a British giant

Use of fat jabs is opening promising doors in beauty for fading chemicals firm Croda, says Christopher Jasper

A SURPRISE discovery may have saved one of Britain's oldest chemical companies from sliding into irrelevance.

Croda, founded more than 100 years ago, was once known as the “mini ICI”, a powerhouse industrial giant with 70 factories stretching across Lancashire and Yorkshire.

But like so much of Britain's chemical industry, its star has been fading in recent years.

A share price rally during Covid – after it teamed up with Pfizer to produce one of the first vaccines – has been fizzling out, with its stock declining for four consecutive years.

Now, however, a surprise discovery is reversing Croda's fortunes, giving the biotech-to-chemicals group a new lease of life as a beauty giant.

Croda recently discovered that one of its old chemicals can be used to treat “Ozempic face”, the often alarming facial transformation associated with the fat-jab craze.

For about a decade, Croda had been producing a skin-plumping chemical derived from the root of the plant anemarrhena to limited sale success.

Known as Volufiline, the agent swells the skin by chemically expanding fat cells and is used mostly in body creams.

But after users of GLP-1 drugs complained of hollow cheeks and sunken eyes, doctors discovered that Volufiline can combat the gaunt features associated with rapid weight loss.

The discovery has led to an explosion of sales for Croda, turning Volufiline into a TikTok sensation, in demand from the French and South Korean cosmetics industry.

Steve Foots, Croda's chief executive, said the success of Volufiline had taken everybody by surprise.

“It had been in our portfolio for a decade,” he admits. “Ozempic coming on the market has created a big opportunity, which we’re capitalising on. It can lead to facial hollowing, but we can innovate around that by plumping your skin.”

Revenue from Volufiline sales jumped 270pc in the first half as more than 150 companies signed up to use it in their products.

Videos tagged #Volufiline have also generated 200 million views on the US TikTok Shop app in 12 months.

It has prompted Croda to lean into its new profile as a key force in the burgeoning TikTok influencer economy, helping send shares up 25pc from their August 2025 nadir.

Unlike Botox, Volufiline is applied as a face cream or in a lipstick-style tube.

Estée Lauder, the cosmetics giant, is hooked, and has started selling a 92pc concentrate version under the Volufiline name. Croda

-GETTY IMAGES FOR UNIVERSAL STUDIOS/RICHPOLK-

Sharon Osbourne who has spoken about the 'gaunt look' after using Ozempic. Below, Croda boss Steve Foots

has even managed to sell it to the Korean “K-beauty” industry, which first pioneered the skin-transforming agents and exports \$11bn (£8.3bn) every year.

Foots said that while the fat-jabs windfall was unexpected, it had resulted from a decades-long repositioning of Croda from traditional chemicals into a supplier to customers, including L'Oréal, Procter & Gamble and Unilever, as well as Estée Lauder.

Next up is hair care. Alongside Volufiline, Croda is pushing KeraBio, a synthetic form of keratin, as its next miracle product.

While Volufiline was an existing ingredient that found a new use, Foots said KeraBio -

developed at Croda's research facility in Daresbury, Cheshire - will be its "first big product launch in the beauty industry".

A similar serum from an American rival sells for £80 a shot. "It's

---

Dangers of 'Ozempic face'

Fuller, youthful facial contours

Smooth skin with natural elasticity

Well-defined cheek volume

solving the problem of repairing hair that's been damaged through combing and heating and colouring, which breaks the keratin bonds," Foots said.

“It strengthens your hair in a chemical way by creating new bonds, and stops it from ageing, which is a bit of a holy grail in the industry.”

For Croda's proud British roots, its re-emergence as a cosmetics force is a

SOURCE: IMPRESSIONS

major boost for the chemicals sector. Foots said that while Croda's business was driven by breakthroughs made at a plant in Daresbury and a second research lab at its headquarters near Goole in Yorkshire, still not enough was being done to make the UK a chemical powerhouse.

Only 950 of Croda's 5,500 employees are UK-based, and while it 'The serum strengthens your hair by creating new bonds, and stops it from ageing, which is a bit of a holy grail in the industry'

has three British plants, most production is in factories scattered around Europe, the US and Asia.

While the beauty industry may be Croda's new frontier, the firm is also expanding the plant in Leek, Staffordshire, that was so critical in producing lipids for the Pfizer jab.

A recent breakthrough by Moderna and Merck in developing a melanoma vaccine that uses the same mRNA gene therapy principles shows the potential of the sector, Foots said.

He said: “We were prominent in solving the biggest medical crisis of a generation with the biggest innovation of its time, which was gene therapy drugs. And it’s still advancing.

“Flu vaccines, cancer treatments. The science is there. It will take time to get to market, but we’re excited because Croda is provital in many of these programmes.”

Croda may be one of few independent British chemicals groups still standing, but its Ozempic discovery proves there's life in the old dog yet.

HSBC to increase bonuses in push for ‘high-performance culture’

By Tom Saunders

HSBC is increasing bonuses for its bankers to revive a more swashbuckling culture in the City of London.

It is the latest lender to tie pay more closely to performance after the Bank of England removed a bonus cap, a move expected to encourage bankers to take on more risk.

“We are updating our approach to remuneration to support a high-performance culture focused on delivering the best outcomes for our customers and all our stakeholders,” an HSBC boss told staff in an internal memo.

"Adapting our approach in this way strengthens our ability to reward performance."

The European Union introduced a cap on bankers' bonuses in 2014 after the financial crisis caused public anger at the banking sector and claims that big bonuses had encouraged excessive risk-taking. It mandated that bonus pay could be no more than 200pc of any banker's fixed salary.

The UK kept the rule after Brexit, eventually dropping it in 2023. Last year, City regulators also reduced the period that senior bankers must wait to collect their bonuses in full from eight years to four.

Financial watchdogs said the changes would boost competitiveness and bring the UK closer to Wall Street, which has no bonus restrictions.

HSBC's change follows a similar move at Barclays, which said in July it would shift more banker pay towards bonuses to boost competitiveness.

Wall Street giants JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs removed their own caps on UK bankers two years ago.

HSBC said new bonuses would replace fixed-pay allowances, which are top-up payments that major banks offer instead of performance-linked bonuses.

The bank added that staff would not see a reduction in base salary. The changes will take effect from the start of

---

£19,000

The subsidy HSBC was paying staff so they could enjoy membership of private clubs in Hong Kong. It has now been axed

2028. Georges Elhedery, HSBC's chief executive, has pushed through a series of pay and workplace changes since taking the reins in 2024.

The bank has cut some lavish perks. In Hong Kong, it ended a long-standing education subsidy that covered 95pc of school fees for the children of new hires and senior staff relocating to the city. It also stopped paying up to \$25,000 (£19,000) for staff to access private member clubs in the ex-British colony.

In its UK wealth management business it is to cut more than 70pc of financial advisers as part of a push to integrate AI.

An HSBC spokesman said: “As a global bank, adapting our approach in this way strengthens our ability to pay for performance, better differentiate, attract the best talent and recognise those who deliver the best outcomes for our clients and stakeholders.”

Earlier this month, the City warned John Healey that unleashing a tax raid on banks in his upcoming Budget would hurt the entire economy.

Chris Hayward, the policy chairman at the City of London Corporation, said he was “hugely concerned” that the Chancellor would unveil higher levies on Britain’s banking sector.

Mr Healey and Lucy Rigby, the City minister, met chief executives of major British banks in Downing Street last week. It marked the bank chiefs' first in-person meeting with the Chancellor since he took up the role in July.

Mr Healey was warned that a bank tax risked driving away international investors who tend to own shares in UK lenders.

Ashley's Fraser Group now has the biggest stake in Burberry after raising its holding

By Tom Haynes

MIKE ASHLEY has tightened his grip on Burberry after upping his stake in the luxury group putting him on course to become its biggest shareholder.

His Frasers Group now owns 7.4pc of the trench-coat maker, up from 6.3pc a fortnight ago, after using financial derivatives to add to his holding.

Frasers would become Burberry's largest investor if Mr Ashley converts the derivatives to shares, a move which would give the fashion tycoon immense power over the 170-year-old brand.

Burberry is worth more than £3.8bn, giving Frasers' stake a value of about £280m. Mr Ashley's group originally acquired a 4.2pc stake in the company during the summer.

The fashion house has struggled after a push upmarket coincided with a global slowdown in luxury spending.

It reported a £66m loss last year and announced plans to cut 1,700 jobs, although there have been signs of a recovery under Joshua Schulman, its new chief executive.

Sales returned to growth in the three months to June, helped by renewed demand for its signature trench coats.

Mahieka Sharma models a Burberry coat at last month's London Fashion Week

Frasers, which owns Sports Direct and Flannels, after it spent months snapping up stakes in some of the industry's biggest names.

Last week it unveiled an 8.8pc interest in American sportswear giant

Under Armour, a major supplier to Sports Direct. In August, it bought Harvey Nichols out of administration and has been locked in a bitter battle with the board of German fashion giant Hugo Boss over a potential takeover.

Frasers has amassed an interest of almost 50pc in the brand despite resistance from its leadership. The company also owns around 37pc of Mulberry, the British luxury handbag maker.

Its growing empire is part of a push by Michael Murray, Frasers' chief executive and Mr Ashley's son-in-law, to transform the business from a discount sportswear retailer into a major force in luxury fashion.

Last week, Frasers outlined plans to expand its Flannels department store chain across Europe and take the Harvey Nichols brand overseas.

Mr Ashley has a history of taking minority stakes in retailers before seeking greater influence over their operations. Frasers has also built positions in Asos and Boohoo,

However, Frasers bought luxury retailer Matches in late 2023 but placed it into administration less than three months later.

Burberry declined to comment. Frasers was approached for comment.

Female chief executives want ‘convenient way to be victim’, claims McKinsey partner

By Emma Taggart

A McKINSEY consultant has been demoted after claiming female bosses want “a very convenient way to always be a victim”.

In a now-deleted post online, Chris Bradley questioned the existence of the so-called “glass cliff” theory – that women are more likely to be hired for leadership positions when a company is struggling, thus setting them up to fail.

Mr Bradley, who is based in Australia and has spent 27 years at McKinsey, said the theory was “a very convenient way to always be a victim in the rain”. He made the comment in an exchange on LinkedIn with Julia Carreon, the co-author of a book on the “glass cliff” and a former Wall Street executive, according to Bloomberg.

He wrote online: “I am not going to start researching glass cliffs as I don’t think it ranks in the top 1,000 problems of the world.”

In another LinkedIn post, Mr Bradley said: “We once had a problem of female advancement to CEO [chief executive officer], but now we have a new problem that the jobs they get are too hard? Is this actually a thing?”

Mr Bradley has been removed from his role as director at McKinsey Global Institute, the firm's business and economic research unit. He remains a senior partner.

Taylor Burns, a spokesman at McKinsey, said: “Following our conduct review process, we have removed the partner from his leadership roles including at the McKinsey Global Institute ... his public comments fell well short of the standards we expect.”

The incident is a setback for

---

‘I’m not going to research glass cliffs as I don’t think it ranks in my top 1,000 problems of the world’

McKinsey's image as a champion of female executives.

In the past decade, the consultancy has produced an annual Women in the Workplace study alongside the LeanIn advocacy group run by Sheryl Sandberg, the former chief operating officer of Meta. It is the largest study on the state of women working in corporate business in the United States.

The term “glass cliff” was coined in 2005 by Michelle Ryan and Alexander

Haslam, psychologists at the University of Exeter. They found that FTSE 100 companies that hired women to their boards were more likely to have had a consistently poor performance in the five months leading up to the appointment than those that did not.

Ms Carreon is a former wealth management executive at Citigroup who left the bank in 2024.

She sued the Wall Street bank earlier this year, alleging that she was sexually harassed by one of the company's top executives. The bank has previously said that the lawsuit "has no merit".

Mr Bradley and Ms Carreon were contacted for comment.

According to McKinsey's last Women in the Workplace survey, 54pc of the companies it surveyed said that women's career advancement was a high priority, while 21pc said that they were giving little to no extra attention to the subject. In 2019, 87pc of companies said that gender diversity was a high priority for them.

The management consultant also found that some companies were cutting back on programmes that support female career development, such as flexible hours, formal sponsorship schemes and hybrid work options.

Telegraph PUZZLES Advert break?

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Time for a mini

(Smaller games. Just as fun)

UK must pick sides in the East vs West EV battle

BEN

MARLOW

---

Cheap Chinese imports have taken UK carmakers to a crossroads. It's time for Burnham to get tough

AS CHEAP Chinese cars continue to pour into Europe, Jaguar Land Rover has decided the United States market is a relative safe haven. US millionaires are seen as natural buyers of JLR's expensive new electric line-up, and JLR plans to circumvent Donald Trump's tariffs by producing cars on American soil.

The recent launch of the Jaguar Type 01 super luxury electric model across the Atlantic comes as the astonishing rise of Chinese rivals hits hard both at home and abroad. Once the land of milk and honey for Western producers, the Chinese market is rapidly turning into a bloodbath amid intense competition from such local premium electric brands as Nio, Li Auto, and Zeekr. Sales of JLR cars in China fell sharply from a high water mark of 146,000 cars in 2017 to just 62,400 last year.

In Britain the picture is no less bleak: a sharp influx of Chinese models such as Chery's Jaecoo “Temu Range Rover” presents a deliberate and direct challenge to JLR’s share of the high-end SUV market. In July, Jaecoo’s year-to-date UK sales officially

overtook JLR, a milestone that will sting because Chery was once its joint venture partner in China.

Against a backdrop of possible annihilation for Western carmakers, it is surely time for Andy Burnham to show some backbone and follow the example of Britain's most important international partners by getting tough on Chinese cars.

---

Chinese brands dominate electric car market share

At the weekend, Europe did what the Labour government is too scared to do. Under the terms of the deal, China will be allowed to export a limited number of hybrid vehicles into the European Union before steep new supplementary tariffs kick in. Imports of Chinese hybrid vehicles will be capped at 350,000 cars per year, higher than the 302,000 that came in last year but less than half the 800,000 anticipated in 2026. The ceiling will be subject to a 6pc compound annual increase, starting in year two.

China's share of Europe's plug-in hybrid market has gone from just 2pc in 2024 to a quarter. From a standing start, Chinese carmakers have captured a similar proportion of the UK market in just a few short years.

The European Policy Centre think-tank said the EU's so-called "safeguard" measure actually risks being a "tactical win" for Beijing without policies to address the basic trade imbalance between the two.

With the Chinese communist party's Global Times tabloid welcoming it as “a pragmatic step to handle bilateral differences,” it’s hard not to agree with those who fear China has got off light.

Critics want greater protection for other strategically important parts of ‘Europe’s trade deficit with China has ballooned to more than £850m per day’

SOURCE: AUTOMOBILITY

the economy that are buckling under an onslaught by cheap Chinese rivals, such as the chemical sector. Europe's trade deficit with China has ballooned to more than €1bn (£850m) a day.

Nevertheless, at least the EU is no longer prepared to watch while large parts of its most important industries are wiped out.

That's more than can be said for Britain. While Brussels backs European companies, Labour is doing what it does best: dithering to the point where there is no discernible policy on one of the great threats of our time.

Yet, Britain faces a choice: does it follow the EU's lead and hit China with tariffs at a time when Burnham covets stronger post-Brexit ties; or does it decide that Beijing's retaliation is not something it is prepared to risk? There are no easy answers, and tariffs are not a panacea. The costs will soon be felt in higher prices for UK consumers. Yet, one would expect Chinese cars to still be considerably cheaper than European ones, just not quite as cheap as before.

Critics would no doubt also point out that any protectionist measures would be a case of closing the stable door after the horse has bolted, but what a fatalist stance that would be.

Sitting on the fence while what's left of the UK car industry goes up in smoke isn't an option. No serious government would do that, which is perhaps the problem. Some would say Burnham is not a serious leader.

The Prime Minister is, however, fond of telling us that he is highly principled and, noting the importance of fairness, when it comes to global trade, aided and abetted by an utterly toothless World Trade Organisation, China has been getting away with it for far too long.

Chinese firms are rarely forthcoming about the type of state subsidies they receive but the list is extensive. Much of it is in the form of various tax breaks, together with generous loans from state-owned banks at below market rates.

Research from the CSIS (Centre for Strategic and International Studies), a Washington-based think tank, found Chinese car manufacturers benefited from \$23lbn of government support between 2009 and 2023 – equal to nearly a fifth of total sales during that period. The CSIS described the figure as a “conservative” estimate.

A separate report from Alix Partners, a consultancy, says a Chinese electric vehicle costs around \$20,000 to produce compared to \$31,000 for a European equivalent.

State backing for other parts of the supply chain has been no less lavish.

'Sitting on the fence while what's left of the UK car industry goes up in smoke is not an option'

According to the same CSIS report, government support for CATL, the Chinese battery-maker, rocketed from \$77m in 2018 to \$809m in 2023.

Though it was only founded in 2011, by 2017, the company had surpassed Panasonic as the world's largest lithium car battery manufacturer with roughly 40pc of the market, which it has managed to hold on to.

In the absence of an effective WTO, it surely falls to individual countries to look out for their own interests and ensure a more level playing field.

However, there is an even more important point, which is less about trade, commerce or business and more about geopolitics. We are increasingly living in a new world, a bi-polar one where the future is China versus America; East versus West.

At the moment, Europe and the UK are stuck in the middle but with the Continent's national champions, such as VW, and Citroen-owner Stellantis, all facing an existential crisis, the EU has been forced to choose a side.

Here in Britain, the Government seems more inclined to appease Beijing.

An agreement for Chery to build cars at Nissan's Sunderland factory remains in the works. The logic is that our car industry can benefit from Chinese knowledge and technology rather than being crushed by it. Yet, that seems naive in the extreme.

In the meantime, Brussels is demanding we follow suit on tariffs in return for inclusion in its Made in Europe scheme.

So, which matters more?

The UK is at a crossroads. It's time to decide who its real friends are.

Sparks fly A traditional Longquan sword is forged in the city of the same name in China, where the master repeatedly hammers heated steel billets to remove impurities and adjust metal textures. The technique was included in China's list of national intangible cultural heritage in 2006, with workshops such as this at the Shen Guanglong Sword Casting Park a tourist attraction. China Daily reports that Longquan produces 3 million swords, knives and tools each year.

VCG/VCG VIA GETTY IMAGES

The PM is happy to talk radical change but currently is not prepared to deliver it

ADAM SMITH

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There are unlikely to be widespread tax hikes. Defence and care for the elderly will have to wait

WE ARE now only two weeks out from the Budget and it is becoming increasingly clear that the Prime Minister and Chancellor want it to be a non-event. That is an extraordinary ambition for the first Budget of a Prime Minister who promised to break with the economic direction of the past 40 years.

Budgets are among the few political events that reach beyond those who follow Westminster. What explains this decision? Two things. Firstly that

‘The only way out is a new manifesto, and the only way to get one is to ask the voters’

whilst the Prime Minister is happy to talk about radical change he is not, for the moment, prepared to deliver it. His promises on defence spending, social care, council housing and nationalisations all need tax rises on a scale he is not yet comfortable with.

This situation is made more difficult by his inability to reduce spending or welfare and the manifesto he has pledged to stick to with which rules out the main sources of tax revenue.

Secondly, that major tax rises are not actually needed to have the fiscal headroom that the Chancellor is comfortable with. It is worth at this point reflecting that the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has almost certainly sent the Treasury their pre-policy measures forecast.

The Chancellor will know how much headroom against the fiscal rules he has.

Having worked on four fiscal events for Jeremy Hunt, I know that if there's a chance that taxes must rise to meet

the fiscal rules, you keep your options open. Yet the recent briefing has moved towards caution, even ruling out tax rises on warehouses and expensive homes.

The reasonable inference is that John Healey believes he can meet the rules without that revenue.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) shows why that is plausible. Its Green Budget puts headroom at around £20bn in a central scenario, against £24bn at the spring.

War in the Middle East has pushed up inflation and gilt yields, adding roughly £10bn to borrowing through debt interest, but higher inflation also lifts tax receipts by more than it adds to benefit spending. The IFS figure may not be exactly right. But the direction is clear. Healey has not been blown off course.

Expect him to call that prudence. Keeping headroom at about £20bn, he will say, is exactly what a responsible Chancellor does. What he will not say is that a tax bombshell is waiting to go off next year.

As the IFS points out avoiding real-terms cuts in 2030 could need a top up of around £25bn a year. Reaching 3pc of GDP on defence would add £11bn on top. They put the combined bill at around £35bn of tax rises or benefit cuts and that's without any nationalisations or a National Care Service. None of that has to appear in this Budget, because spending plans for future years can simply be

pencilled in at totals that nobody expects to be delivered.

As ridiculous as this sounds a Chancellor can almost get away with this. The OBR must take the Government's stated spending plans as given. Richard Hughes, a former OBR chair, described the spending plans at one of Hunt's fiscal events as “a work of fiction”. This would be that on steroids. The same fiscal trick but with social care, nationalisations and defence stacked on top.

'Ministers need to provide some relief on the cost of living. And pay for it'

The markets will see through it. Investors do not need a former OBR chair to tell them when a plan is not credible. They can read the IFS as well as anyone. A Chancellor who claims prudence while deferring a £35bn problem is asking them to take a great deal on trust. And from a Prime Minister who has bristled in the past at the idea of being held hostage by the bond market. He may be about to find out what being in hock to the bond markets really feels like.

Meanwhile there is the politics of the here and now. The Government needs to provide some relief on the cost of living. And pay for it.

---

Wealthiest have missed out on the most money

Their answer will be to raise taxes on banks and gambling, about as politically cheap as targets get, and to use that money to roll on measures already in place.

I expect the fuel duty freeze to continue, the cut in VAT on electricity to be extended, the bus fare caps to be extended and the warm homes discount to be boosted. All well and good but not what Burnham ousted Sir Keir Starmer to deliver.

That will be the real story of this Budget. Burnham came to office promising to remake the state, and within months he is reduced to continuing a few cost-of-living measures and avoiding making good on his bigger promises.

The defence, social care and other bills do not go away nor will the fact he has to raise taxes to pay for them. The only way out is a new manifesto, and the only way to get one is to ask the voters. I expect the resolution to be a general election next year. | Blue Whale Growth R Acc | - | 431.89 | +0.69 | Construction +0.72%

Natwest Investment Funds

(RBS Collective Investment Funds Ltd)

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© 2026 Tradeweb Markets LLC. All rights reserved. The Tradeweb FTSE Gilt Closing Prices information contained herein is proprietary to Tradeweb; may not be copied or re-distributed; is not warranted to be accurate, complete or timely; and does not constitute investment advice. Tradeweb is not responsible for any loss or damage that might result from the use of this information.

Tradeweb | Government securities | 52 week | Price (£) +/- | Flat Yield | Rdm Yield | High | Low (£) | Stock | 107.07 | 102.38 | Treas 6% 28 | 102.60 | -0.07 | 5.85 | 4.71 | 102.33 | 0.01 | Treas 4% 32 | 96.18 | -0.04 | 4.42 | 5.03 | 99.39 | 91.15 | Treas 4% 36 | 91.70 | +0.05 | 4.63 | 5.39 | 102.00 | 0.01 | Treas 4% 38 | 92.66 | +0.10 | 5.13 | 5.59 | Yield% | Spread Vs Bunds | Spread Vs T-Bonds | France | 4.80 | $+1.33$ | $-0.44$ | Germany | 3.47 | - | $-1.77$ | Japan | 3.00 | $-0.47$ | $-2.24$ | Great Britain | 5.38 | $+1.91$ | $+0.14$ | United States | 5.24 | $+1.77$ | - | The share prices, price-earnings ratios and dividend yields below are supplied by Interactive Data (Europe) Ltd. The yields are calculated using historic dividend payments divided by the closing share price multiplied by 100. | Aerospace & defence +0.87% | 52 week | High | Low (p) | Stock | Price (p) +/- Yld | P/E | 1527 | 871 $\frac{1}{4}$ | Bahcock Intl | 910 $\frac{1}{4}$ | -3 | 0.8 | 21.6 | 2360 | 1529 | BAE Systems | 1882 $\frac{1}{2}$ | +22 $\frac{1}{2}$ | 2.0 | 27.4 | 576 $\frac{1}{2}$ | 398 $\frac{1}{2}$ | QinetiQ $\bullet$ | 463 $\frac{1}{2}$ | +6 $\frac{1}{2}$ | 2.4 | 23.1 | 1586 | 990 | Rolls-Royce | 1395 $\frac{1}{2}$ | +10 $\frac{1}{2}$ | 0.8 | 20.1 | Electricals +0.31% | Banks +1.78% | 554% | 353% | Barclays | 437% | +8 | 2.6 | 10.0 | 556% | 318% | Close Bros ● | 385% | — | — | -6.7 | 1610 | 959% | HSBC | 1428% | +32% | 3.9 | 15.6 | 117% | 81% | Lloyds Bk Gp | 104 | +2% | 3.9 | 14.9 | 726 | 504% | NatWest Group | 653% | +11 | 5.4 | 12.2 | 1122 | 709 | Santander | 1028 | +8 | 1.7 | 13.4 | 2364 | 1351% | Standard Ch | 2159 | +40 | 2.4 | 14.6 | 3520 $\frac{1}{4}$ | 2488 | Croda Intl | 3417 | +27 | 3.2 | 77.0 | 3245 $\frac{1}{4}$ | 2192 | Johnson Mat ● | 2458 | -10 | 4.2 | -32.2 | 1024 | 515 | Victrex ● | 926 | -16 | 3.2 | 28.9 | 52 week | Price (p) | -/- | Yld | P/E | High | Low (p) | Stock | 4442 | 2796 | Berkeley Grp • | 3210 | +40 | — | 9.7 | 230 | 133 $\frac{1}{2}$ | Boot H | 148 $\frac{1}{2}$ | +1 $\frac{1}{2}$ | 3.1 | 8.4 | 265 | 139 $\frac{1}{2}$ | Custain • | 243* | +2 | 2.1 | 17.5 | 1063 | 788 $\frac{1}{2}$ | Grafton Gp • | 943 $\frac{1}{4}$ | +7 $\frac{1}{4}$ | 4.0 | 13.4 | 5730 | 3938 | Morgan Sindall • | 4106* | +20 | 4.0 | 11.0 | 1552 | 947 $\frac{1}{2}$ | Persimmon • | 1221 | +22 | 4.9 | 13.7 | 116 $\frac{1}{4}$ | 72 $\frac{1}{4}$ | Taylor Wimpey • | 73 $\frac{1}{2}$ * | ... | 5.6 | 26.2 | 973 | 636 $\frac{1}{2}$ | Balfour Beatty | 881 | $\div$ 5 | 1.6 | 16.7 | 410 $\frac{1}{4}$ | 235% | Barratt Redrow | 291 $\frac{1}{8}$ * | $\div$ 1 | 2.1 | 21.4 | 626 | 240 | Dialight | 586 | $\bullet 10$ | — | — | 900 | 505 | discoverIE Grp $\bullet$ | 895 | $\bullet 21$ | 1.5 | 29.6 | 4902 | 3268 | Halma | 3540 | $\bullet 12$ | 0.7 | 35.9 | 6030 | 3280 | Renishaw $\bullet$ | 5710 | $\bullet 25$ | 1.4 | 34.9 | 2160 | 849 $\frac{1}{4}$ | XP Power $\bullet$ | 1980 | $\bullet 30$ | — | -47.1 | Electricity +1.31% | Healthcare +1.63%

Household goods +1.61% | 937 $\frac{1}{2}$ | 695 $\frac{1}{2}$ | Drax Group • | 792 $\frac{1}{2}$ * | +7 | 3.8 | 38.3 | 1428 $\frac{1}{2}$ | 1086 $\frac{1}{4}$ | Nat Grid | 1164 $\frac{1}{2}$ | +17 $\frac{1}{2}$ | 4.2 | 17.8 | 2767 $\frac{1}{2}$ | 1794 $\frac{1}{2}$ | SSE | 2477 | +23 | 2.8 | 23.5 | 416 $\frac{1}{8}$ | 317 $\frac{1}{4}$ | Haleon | 354 $\frac{3}{4}$ | +5 $\frac{1}{8}$ | 2.1 | 19.1 | 1426 $\frac{1}{8}$ | 980 $\frac{1}{4}$ | Smith & Nep | 1038 $^{*}$ | +17 $\frac{1}{2}$ | 2.9 | 19.0 | Engineering / Industrial +0.54% | 52 week | Price (p) | +/- | Yld | P/E | High | Low (p) | Stock | 76% | 48 | IP Group ● | 72% | +1% | — | 10.1 | 358 | 223 | Liantrust | 298% | -3 | 6.4 | 19.4 | 10140 | 6684 | Lon Stock Ex | 8760 | +66 | 1.8 | 36.7 | 367% | 251% | M&G | 307%* | +3% | 6.7 | 24.4 | 348% | 183% | Man Group ● | 340% | +1 | 3.7 | 29.2 | 209 | 163% | Quilter ● | 178% | +1% | 3.6 | 20.0 | 2458% | 1620 | S & U | 1905* | +25 | 6.1 | 9.8 | 132 | 67 | Vanquis Banking Gp | 69% | +1% | — | 21.8 | Winners and losers (pc) | 98% | 73% | Coats Group ● | 84% | -1 | 3.0 | 18.8 | 710 | 250 | Cropper J | 685 | +5 | — | 22.2 | 28500 | 10820 | Goodwin ● | 14060 | -160 | 2.3 | 19.0 | 3202 | 2244 | IMI | 3110 | +18 | 1.1 | 25.0 | 981% | 660 | Mondi ● | 792 | +4 | 1.6 | 25.1 | 40 | 21% | Severfield | 38% | +1 | — | -3.2 | 2885 | 2088 | Smiths Gp | 2769 | +39 | 1.8 | 4.4 | 8050 | 5950 | Spirax Gp | 7275 | +5 | 2.4 | 32.8 | 3580 | 2254 | Weir | 2680* | +38 | 1.6 | 28.0 | Food producers +1.40% | 1376 $\frac{1}{2}$ | 953 $\frac{3}{8}$ | Burberry | 1044 | +19 $\frac{1}{2}$ | — | — | 214 $\frac{3}{8}$ | 107 $\frac{3}{8}$ | McBride | 177 | + $\frac{3}{4}$ | 1.8 | 10.0 | 114 | 65 $\frac{1}{4}$ | PZ Cussons | 96 $\frac{3}{8}$ | - $\frac{1}{8}$ | 3.8 | 20.5 | 6522 $\frac{3}{8}$ | 3664 | Reckitt Benck | 5216 | +84 | 4.1 | 11.1 | 52 week | Price (p) | -/- | Yld | NAV | High | Low (p) | Stock | 1612 | 1336 | Brunner● | 1564 | +4 | 1.7 | 1738 | 402 | 312 | Caledonia● | 385% | -% | 2.0 | 604 | 599 | 498 | City of Lon● | 576 | +5 | 3.9 | 561 | 467 | 258 | City Nat Res G&I | 410 | -3 | 6.9 | 400 | 330 | 280% | CT Glbl Mgd G | 328 | — | — | 337 | 135 | 115 | CT Glbl Mgd I | 131 | — | 6.1 | 129 | 592 | 439% | CT Priv Eq Ord | 467* | -1 | 6.1 | 689 | 373 | 320 | CT UK Cap & Inc | 342 | +3 | 3.9 | 356 | 126 | 97 | CT UKHighIncTst | 1051⁄2* | +1 | 5.6 | 114 | 480% | 460 | Dunedin Ent # | 475 | — | 4.8 | — | 867 | 737% | Edinburgh Inv Tr● | 840 | +7 | 3.8 | 904 | 294% | 194% | Edin Worldwide● | 280 | -% | — | 303 | 1332 | 325% | F&C Inv Trust | 351%* | +4⁄4 | 1.2 | 382 | 672 | 546 | Fidelity Asian V | 606 | -4 | 3.4 | 639 | 331% | 239% | Fidelity China Sp Sits● | 242%* | -3 | 3.7 | 266 | 447% | 367% | Fidelity Euro Tst● | 413%* | +1⁄2 | 2.5 | 435 | 479% | 384% | Fidelity Sp V● | 467 | +31⁄2 | 2.2 | 465 | 875 | 706% | Finsbury Gwth● | 803* | +11 | 2.6 | 857 | 198% | 162% | Glbl Small Co Trust● | 190% | -% | 1.7 | 200 | 214 | 173% | Hend High Inc | 202%* | +2% | 5.5 | 210 | 998 | 769 | Hend Smaller Co● | 964* | +6 | 3.0 | 1061 | 3290% | 2285 | Herald Inv● | 2900 | -30 | — | 3443 | 512 | 318% | HgCapital● | 3791⁄2* | +13% | 1.3 | 530 | 141 | 107% | HICL Infrastructure● | 131 | +3⁄4 | 6.5 | 160 | 1611% | 1288% | ICG Enterprise Tst● | 1386 | -4 | 3.0 | 2090 | 986 | 800 | JPM Claverh'se● | 938 | +10 | 3.9 | 960 | 153 | 124% | JPM Eur G&I● | 134%* | -% | 4.0 | 141 | 867 | 668 | JPM Japanese● | 829 | -4 | 1.0 | 912 | 726 | 525 | Land Secs | 611% | +7% | 6.7 | — | 191% | 148 | Lowland Inv | 185%** | +1% | 3.7 | 201 | 290% | 234% | Mercantile InvTr● | 274%* | +2 | 3.0 | 303 | 691 | 536% | Merchants Tst● | 660* | +4 | 4.5 | 688 | 1696 | 1366 | Monks● | 1688 | +6 | 0.1 | 1774 | 1036 | 854% | Murray Income● | 972 | +6 | 4.2 | 1032 | 376 | 296% | Murray Intl● | 357* | +1⁄2 | 3.6 | 356 | 56% | 47 | Northern 2 VCT | 53 | — | 5.7 | 55 | 86% | 79% | Northern 3 VCT | 82 | — | 5.5 | 86 | 59% | 53 | Nthn Venture | 56 | — | 5.5 | 59 | 409 | 339 | Pantheon● | 387 | +3 | — | 535 | 2645 | 1985% | RIT Cap Ptrs● | 2470* | -20 | 1.8 | 3199 | 319 | 281% | Ruffer Inv Pref● | 290* | -% | 2.1 | 302 | 746 | 530 | Schroder Asian TR● | 706 | -1 | 1.6 | 742 | 572 | 480% | Scot American● | 560 | +5 | 2.9 | 603 | 1652% | 1015% | Scot Mortgage | 1641% | +5 | 0.3 | 1811 | 247 | 212 | STS Global Income | 220* | +3 | 3.8 | 221 | 352 | 218% | Templetn Em Mt● | 330 | -3 | 1.6 | 357 | 364% | 265 | TR Property● | 268% | -1 | 6.0 | 298 | 151 | 138% | UIL Fin ZOP 2026 | 150% | — | — | 151 | 305 | 243 | Utilico Emerg● | 300 | +4 | 3.2 | 329 | 401% | 322% | World HealthTr● | 369% | +1% | 0.6 | 396 | Information technology +1.16% | 2359 | 1729 $\frac{1}{2}$ | Ass Brit Fds | 1856 | +21 | 3.4 | 13.1 | 5195 | 3350 | Coca-Cola HBC | 4350 | +68 | 2.3 | 19.9 | 5810 | 4775 | Cranswick $\bullet$ | 5140 | +155 | 2.2 | 17.4 | 738 | 447 $\frac{1}{2}$ | Hilton Food $\bullet$ | 703 $\frac{1}{2}$ | -10 | 5.0 | 8.0 | 138 | 92 | REA Hldgs | 113 | +2 $\frac{1}{2}$ | — | -213.4 | 5542 $\frac{1}{2}$ | 3644 | Unilever | 4738 | +64 $\frac{1}{2}$ | 3.5 | 12.9 | 220 $\frac{1}{4}$ | 144 | Centrica | 148 | $+3\frac{1}{4}$ | 3.8 | -98.7 | 548 $\frac{1}{4}$ | 307 $\frac{1}{4}$ | Pennon Gp • | 323 | ... | 9.1 | 18.4 | 3335 | 2381 | Severn Trent | 3126 | $+32$ | 4.0 | 25.3 | 1497 | 1119 | Utd Utilities | 1435 | $+12$ | 3.7 | 16.7 | 307 | 195 | Aptitude Sftwre | 240* | -6 | 2.2 | 32.9 | 1181 | 771 $\frac{1}{3}$ | The Sage Grp | 1084 $\frac{1}{2}$ | +13 | 2.1 | 28.7 | General financial +0.66% | 276 $\frac{1}{2}$ | 151 | Ashmore ● | 225% | +5 $\frac{1}{2}$ | 7.5 | 14.4 | 415 $\frac{1}{4}$ | 212 | Bridgepoint Grp ● | 412* | +10 $\frac{1}{4}$ | 2.4 | 82.4 | 1800 | 1240 | BrooksMacdonald | 1515* | +15 | 5.5 | 97.7 | 1956 | 930 $\frac{1}{2}$ | IG Group | 976% | -18 $\frac{1}{2}$ | 4.4 | 6.7 | 2194 | 1424 $\frac{1}{2}$ | ICG | 1799 | -9 | 4.8 | 10.8 | 690 | 499 $\frac{1}{2}$ | Investec | 594 $\frac{1}{2}$ | +1 $\frac{1}{2}$ | 6.5 | 7.7 |

Support services +0.41% | 15732 | 9892 | AstraZeneca | 12026 | +28 | 2.0 | 24.1 | 3220 | 1943 | Genus • | 2272 | -8 | 1.5 | 5.3 | 2282 | 1592 | GSK | 1771 | +21 | 4.0 | 12.6 | 1865 | 1187 | Hikma • | 1629 | +17 | 4.0 | 11.8 | 2898 | 1981 | Bunzl | 2730 | -8 | 2.7 | 19.4 | 416 | 196 $\frac{1}{4}$ | Capita | 250 | +15 | — | -1.7 | 6740 | 4188 | DCC Energy | 6435 | +10 | 3.4 | — | 117 $\frac{1}{4}$ | 78 $\frac{1}{4}$ | Essentra | 115* | — | 1.8 | — | 3707 | 2203 | Experian | 2698 | +16 | 1.9 | 21.7 | 5900 | 3519 $\frac{1}{2}$ | Intertek Group | 5895 | +5 | 2.8 | 27.0 | 250 $\frac{1}{4}$ | 163 $\frac{1}{2}$ | Int'l Workplace • | 184 $\frac{1}{4}$ | +1 $\frac{1}{4}$ | 0.6 | — | 172 $\frac{1}{4}$ | 123 $\frac{1}{4}$ | Johnson Serv • | 138 $\frac{1}{2}$ * | + $\frac{1}{2}$ | 3.6 | 14.9 | 214 | 135 $\frac{1}{4}$ | MITIE Gp • | 210 $\frac{1}{4}$ | +1 $\frac{1}{4}$ | 2.1 | 31.9 | 507 | 293 $\frac{1}{2}$ | Rentokil | 305 $\frac{1}{4}$ | +2 $\frac{1}{4}$ | 3.1 | 21.7 | 325 $\frac{1}{4}$ | 218 $\frac{1}{4}$ | Serco Group • | 257 $\frac{1}{4}$ | +3 $\frac{1}{4}$ | 1.8 | 17.9 | 11 | 6 $\frac{1}{4}$ | SIG | 9 $\frac{1}{4}$ | -4 | — | -1.7 | 723 $\frac{1}{2}$ | 493 $\frac{1}{2}$ | Travis P • | 562 $\frac{1}{2}$ * | +13 | 2.0 | -6.8 | Telecommunications -0.39% | 16 | 7 $\frac{1}{4}$ | Alina Hldgs | 9 $\frac{1}{4}$ | - $\frac{1}{4}$ | — | 15 | 1208 | 790 $\frac{1}{2}$ | Big Yellow Gp $\bullet$ | 801 $\frac{1}{2}$ | + $2$ | 5.9 | — | 451 $\frac{1}{4}$ | 335 $\frac{1}{4}$ | Brit Land | 394 $\frac{1}{4}$ | + $5\frac{1}{4}$ | 5.9 | — | 2196 | 1469 $\frac{1}{4}$ | Derwent Ldn $\bullet$ | 1784 | + $21$ | 4.6 | — | 377 | 270 | Git Portland Est $\bullet$ | 305 $\frac{1}{2}$ | + $2\frac{1}{4}$ | 2.7 | — | 202 $\frac{1}{4}$ | 149 $\frac{1}{2}$ | Grainger $\bullet$ | 164 $\frac{1}{4}$ | + $2\frac{1}{4}$ | 5.1 | — | 391 $\frac{1}{4}$ | 280 $\frac{1}{4}$ | Hammerson $\bullet$ | 326 $\frac{1}{4}$ * | + $\frac{1}{4}$ | 5.6 | — | 997 $\frac{1}{4}$ | 632 $\frac{1}{4}$ | Segro | 932 $\frac{1}{4}$ | + $13\frac{1}{4}$ | 3.4 | — | 155 $\frac{1}{4}$ | 124 $\frac{1}{4}$ | Shaftesbury Capital $\bullet$ | 137 $\frac{1}{4}$ | + $2\frac{1}{4}$ | 3.1 | 7.4 | 139 | 104 | Town Centre | 122 $\frac{1}{4}$ | - $2\frac{1}{4}$ | 4.1 | — | 175 | 138 $\frac{1}{2}$ | Tritax Big Box | 141 | + $1\frac{1}{4}$ | 5.9 | 184 | 242% | 173 | BT Group | 194% | -2 | 4.3 | 17.7 | 1896 | 638 | Telecom Plus • | 855 | -3 | 5.8 | 8.4 | 132% | 83% | Vodafone | 116% | -1% | 3.4 | -83.7 | Tobaccos -0.01% | 5326 | 3677 | Brit Am Tob | 4194* | - | 5.8 | 11.9 | 3632 | 2408 | Imp Brands | 2664 | +2 | 6.3 | 10.6 | Transport -0.91% | 169 $\frac{1}{2}$ | 116 $\frac{3}{4}$ | Currys $\bullet$ | 145 $\frac{1}{4}$ | -1 $\frac{1}{4}$ | 2.1 | 9.4 | 1174 | 707 | Dunelm $\bullet$ | 803 $\frac{1}{2}$ | +4 | 8.8 | 10.4 | 860 | 598 | Frasers Group $\bullet$ | 851 | +12 $\frac{1}{2}$ | — | 9.8 | 490 | 310 $\frac{1}{2}$ ZIGUP • | 435 $\frac{1}{2}$ | -4 | 6.2 | 12.9 | Travel & Leisure +0.28% | 684% | 332% | easyJet | 677% | -2% | 1.9 | 10.3 | 878% | 405% | Entain ● | 427% | +1 | 4.7 | -4.1 | 222% | 152% | FirstGroup ● | 191 | +3⁄4 | 3.8 | 8.9 | 780 | 572 | Fullers 'A' | 726 | +10 | 2.9 | 18.5 | 492% | 332% | IAG Intl Cons Air | 419 | +31⁄4 | 1.6 | 7.0 | 13305 | 8762 | Intercont Hotels | 120161⁄4 | -9% | 1.2 | 32.4 | 302 | 223% | Mitchells&But ● | 291 | +4 | — | 9.8 | 32% | 17 | Mobico Group | 233⁄4 | -1⁄2 | — | -1.0 | 456 | 210 | Playtech ● | 360 | -33⁄4 | — | 0.9 | 135 | 68% | Rank Group ● | 701⁄4* | -3⁄4 | 5.0 | 11.0 | World market indices | 52 week | Price (p) +/- Yld P/E | High | Low (p) | Stock | 1026 | 530 $\frac{1}{2}$ | Wetherspoon | 993 | +10 $\frac{1}{2}$ | 1.2 | 16.7 | 3278 | 2098 | Whitbread | 2510 | +32 | 3.9 | 20.4 | AIM +0.30% | 89% | 36% | Afentra | 73 | +1⁄4 | — | -68.9 | 940 | 755 | Arbuttnot | 795 | -5 | 6.9 | 7.3 | 244 | 125% | Central Asia Met | 154* | +1⁄4 | 10.1 | -4.8 | 8721⁄2 | 193 | Ceres Power ● | 370 | -11 | — | -15.1 | 460 | 271 | Churchill China | 360* | +5 | 5.8 | 9.1 | 380 | 194 | CML Micro | 315 | — | 3.5 | -954.5 | 1538 | 881% | Cohort | 1276 | +68 | 1.4 | 24.4 | 231 | 101 | Eleco | 230 | — | — | — | 31⁄4 | 1⁄4 | Futura Medical | 1⁄4 | — | — | -0.1 | 1481⁄2 | 112 | James Halstead | 128 | +1⁄4 | 7.0 | 13.2 | 405 | 200 | Mpac Group | 3371⁄2 | — | — | -10.6 | 1800 | 1120 | MS Intl | 1545 | +5 | 1.7 | 22.9 | 62 | 341⁄2 | Premier Miton | 341⁄4 | — | 8.6 | 44.6 | 104 | 46 | Tribal Gp | 101 | -1 | — | 24.0 | 11⁄2 | 1⁄4 | Xtract Resources | 1⁄4 | — | — | -4.0 | Americans +0.60% | 52 week | High | Low | Stock | Price | +/- | GrsYd | Cvr | 84% | 35 | Aloca $ | 42 | -1⁄2 | 1.0 | 9.8 | 387% | 291 | Amer Express $ | 312 | +31⁄4 | 1.2 | 4.1 | 65% | 46% | BankAmerica $ | 54% | ... | 2.4 | 3.4 | 254% | 176% | Boeing $ | 189% | -3⁄4 | — | — | 1073% | 491% | Caterpillar $ | 807% | +71⁄4 | 0.8 | 3.6 | 217% | 146% | Chevron $ | 215% | +31⁄4 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 113% | 84% | Coca-Cola Euro $ | 104% | +1⁄2 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 99% | 74% | Colgate Palm $ | 89% | +11⁄4 | 2.4 | 1.2 | 170% | 136 | ExxonMobil Hldgs $ | 172 | +3 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 388% | 268% | Gen Electric $ | 309% | +11⁄4 | 0.6 | 4.5 | 397% | 277% | Home Depot $ | 290% | — | 3.2 | 1.5 | 268 | 180 | Honeywell $ | 210% | +21⁄4 | 1.3 | 5.0 | 36% | 17% | HP $ | 29% | -1⁄2 | 4.0 | 2.2 | 332% | 199% | IBM $ | 225% | -11⁄4 | 3.0 | 1.7 | 142% | 32% | Intel $ | 101% | -31⁄4 | — | — | 50% | 29% | Intl Paper $ | 32 | -1⁄4 | 5.8 | 2.9 | 366% | 279% | JP Morgan Ch $ | 334% | +11⁄4 | 2.0 | 3.5 | 281% | 184% | Johnson&John $ | 263% | +11⁄4 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 33% | 24% | Keurig Dr Pep $ | 32% | +1⁄2 | 2.8 | 1.7 | 63% | 25% | Manpower $ | 51% | -11⁄4 | 2.8 | 1.5 | 341% | 229% | McDonalds $ | 234% | -1⁄2 | 3.3 | 1.6 | 156% | 82 | Merck $ | 145% | -1⁄2 | 2.3 | 0.4 | 553% | 349% | Microsoft $ | 540% | +51⁄4 | 0.7 | 4.6 | 29% | 23% | Pfizer $ | 28% | +1⁄4 | 6.1 | 0.4 | 167% | 137% | Procter & Gamble $ | 152% | +11⁄4 | 2.8 | 1.6 | 226% | 155% | Raytheon Tech $ | 186% | +1⁄4 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 497% | 332% | Rockwell $ | 433% | +1⁄2 | 1.3 | 1.9 | 505% | 348 | Trane Tech $ | 479 | +21⁄4 | 0.9 | 3.1 | The Alternative Investment Market is for young and growing companies. Shares may carry higher risks than those with a full quotation, and may be difficult to sell. | | Index | Change | $\uparrow$ Australia | All Ordinaries | 8937.00 | +59.30 | +0.67pc | $\rightarrow$ Brazil | Bovespa | 209066.90 | closed | closed | $\downarrow$ China | Shanghai Composite | 3797.24 | -16.55 | -0.43pc | $\uparrow$ France | CAC General | 7832.88 | +29.55 | +0.38pc | $\uparrow$ Germany | DAX | 25277.68 | +190.41 | +0.76pc | $\uparrow$ Hong Kong | Hang Seng | 24271.20 | +59.85 | +0.25pc | $\downarrow$ India | BSE S&P SENSEX | 71924.68 | -547.65 | -0.76pc | $\rightarrow$ Japan | Nikkei | 69030.92 | closed | closed | $\uparrow$ Singapore | Straits Times | 5415.48 | +13.59 | +0.25pc | $\uparrow$ Spain | Madrid SE | 1924.70 | +25.90 | +1.36pc | $\uparrow$ Switzerland | SMI Index | 13877.84 | +90.44 | +0.66pc | $\uparrow$ USA | Dow Jones | 51850.55 | +195.60 | +0.38pc | $\downarrow$ USA | Nasdaq | 27245.90 | -120.27 | -0.44pc | Commodities summary | 52 week | Stock | Price | +/- GrsYd Cvr | High | Low | 135 $\frac{1}{8}$ | 98 $\frac{3}{4}$ | Wal Mart Strs $ | 112 $\frac{1}{2}$ | +1 $\frac{1}{6}$ | 0.9 | 2.8 | 117 $\frac{1}{8}$ | 92 $\frac{1}{4}$ | Walt Disney $ | 108 $\frac{1}{4}$ | + $\frac{1}{4}$ | 1.4 | 3.2 | 3 $\frac{3}{4}$ | 1 $\frac{1}{4}$ | Xerox Hldgs $ | 2 $\frac{3}{4}$ | ... | 3.7 | 74.0 | Exchange rates | Recent Issues | 52 week | High | Low (p) | Stock | Price (p) | +/- | Yld | P/E | $141\frac{1}{2}$ | 141 | Aimia | 141 | — | — | -186.4 | 190 | 140 | Bravura Solutions | $164\frac{1}{2}$ | — | 8.1 | 12.5 | 73 | 55 | Chaleit Holdings | 69 | — | — | — | 67% | 46% | AkzoNobel € | 58 | +1⁄4 | 3.4 | 2.3 | 97% | 52 | BMW € | 53 | -1⁄4 | 8.3 | 2.7 | 171⁄2 | 12% | Carrefour € | 15% | -1⁄4 | 7.4 | 1.6 | 771⁄2 | 53% | Continental AG € | 68% | -1⁄2 | 3.9 | 0.3 | 62% | 38% | Daimler € | 391⁄4 | -1⁄2 | 8.9 | 2.9 | 801⁄4 | 57% | Danone € | 591⁄4 | +1⁄4 | 3.8 | 1.2 | 58% | 38% | Deutsche Post € | 561⁄4 | +1⁄4 | 3.3 | 1.6 | 34% | 23% | Deutsche Tele € | 25 | +1⁄4 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 801⁄2 | 63% | Heineken € | 721⁄4 | +11⁄2 | 2.7 | 2.4 | 654% | 376 | LVMH € | 3841⁄2 | +41⁄2 | 3.4 | 1.7 | 82% | 60% | LafargeHolcim SFr | 641⁄4 | +1⁄4 | 2.6 | 1.9 | 10% | 6% | Lufthansa € | 71⁄4 | ... | 4.6 | 9.0 | 15 | 41⁄2 | Nokia O'KJ € | 9 | -1⁄4 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 35% | 251⁄2 | Michelin € | 331⁄4 | -1⁄2 | 4.1 | 1.7 | 90% | 57% | Pernod Ricard € | 621⁄2 | +1⁄2 | 7.5 | 1.4 | 27% | 20% | Philips (Kon) € | 221⁄4 | +1⁄2 | 3.8 | 0.6 | 291% | 198 | Siemens € | 275% | +3% | 1.9 | 2.0 | 84% | 52 | Societe Gen € | 641⁄4 | +11⁄2 | 2.7 | 3.9 | 101⁄2 | 3% | Stellantis € | 4 | ... | 17.1 | 1.1 | 274% | 211% | Thales € | 2221⁄4 | +41⁄4 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 81% | 49% | Total € | 79 | +1⁄2 | 4.4 | 2.0 | 45 | 28% | UBS AG SFr | 40 | +1⁄2 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 37% | 27% | Veolia Environ € | 311⁄4 | +1⁄4 | 4.8 | 0.3 | 110% | 66% | Volkswagen € | 681⁄2 | ... | 7.6 | 2.6 | Europeans +0.74% | Bold FTSE100 Stocks | FTSE250 Stocks | * Ex-dividend | † Ex-scrip | ‡ Ex-all | § Ex-rights | # Suspended | Cover relates to the previous year's dividend. | Yields are net of basic rate tax. | Data is provided for information purposes only and is not intended for trading purposes. Speak with a financial advisor before using any data to make transactions. | Exchange Rates | | Tourist rates for indication use only. www.travelex.co.uk£ > Eur Rate 1.1831 Change -0.19c £ > $ Rate 1.3219 Change -0.06c | Tourist £1 = | Sterling £1 = | 1 Euro = | 1 Dollar = | Australia | Aus $ | 1.845 | 1.8985 | 1.6046 | 1.4362 | Canada | Can $ | 1.827 | 1.8867 | 1.5947 | 1.4272 | Denmark | Krone | 8.396 | 8.8443 | 7.4751 | 6.6903 | Euro | € | 1.154 | 1.1831 | ... | 0.8950 | Hong Kong | HK $ | 9.848 | 10.3739 | 8.7680 | 7.8475 | India | Rupee | 97.41 | 126.6098 | 107.0094 | 95.7750 | Israel | Shekels | 3.7764 | 4.0636 | 3.4345 | 3.0739 | Japan | Yen | 202.806 | 209.7869 | 177.3099 | 158.6950 | Kuwait | Dinar | ... | 0.4119 | 0.3482 | 0.3116 | New Zealand | NZ $ | 2.271 | 2.3634 | 1.9975 | 1.7878 | Norway | Krone | 12.117 | 12.6439 | 10.6865 | 9.5646 | Pakistan | Rupee | 340.39 | 366.0149 | 309.3524 | 276.8750 | Saudi Arabia | Riyal | 4.718 | 4.9649 | 4.1962 | 3.7557 | Singapore | $ | 1.606 | 1.6929 | 1.4309 | 1.2807 | South Africa | Rand | 20.902 | 21.8749 | 18.4886 | 16.5475 | Sweden | Krona | 12.613 | 13.2503 | 11.1990 | 10.0233 | Switzerland | Franc | 1.061 | 1.1029 | 0.9322 | 0.8343 | Thailand | Baht | 42.691 | 44.4440 | 37.5636 | 33.6200 | UAE | Dirham | 4.687 | 4.8555 | 4.1037 | 3.6730 | UK | £ | ... | ... | 0.8452 | 0.7565 | USA | $ | 1.292 | 1.3219 | 1.1173 | ... | | Price | Change | Gold | per troy oz | $4170.70 | -25.14 | -0.60pc | Silver | per troy oz | £45.56 | -0.40 | -0.86pc | Krugerrand | £3105.17 | -17.26 | -0.55pc | New Sovereign | £736.82 | -4.09 | -0.55pc | Maples | £3137.85 | -17.24 | -0.55pc | Platinum | per oz | £1276.57 | -0.18 | -0.01pc | Palladium | per oz | £860.91 | -6.76 | -0.78pc | Copper† | grade A | £11060.97 | +60.75 | +0.55pc | Tin† | high grade | £40033.29 | -36.27 | -0.09pc | Lead† | £1424.09 | -1.41 | -0.10pc | Zinc† | special high grade | £2839.10 | -34.95 | -1.22pc | Aluminium† | high grade | £2305.02 | -6.17 | -0.27pc | Nickel† | £11823.89 | -45.77 | -0.39pc | Baltic Dry Index* | 2852.00 | -65.00 | -2.23pc | Wheat | per tonne | £206.25 | +0.25 | +0.12pc | Brent Crude | Dec settlement | $106.65 | -1.93 | +1.84pc | Money & Rates

\*Copyright Baltic Exchange Information Services Ltd. †Data provided by the London Metal Exchange. | RPI (1987=100) | Aug 421.60 | +0.6pc | +3.4pc | RPIX (Target 2.5pc) | Aug 414.60 | +2.4 | +3.3pc | CPI (2015=100 target 2pc) | Aug 143.60 | +0.5pc | +3.1pc | Lloyds house price index | Sep 514.60 | 0.0pc | 0.0pc | Bank Rate | 3.75pc | Nationwide Base Mortgage Rate | 5.75pc | US Fed Funds | 3.75-4.00pc | US Long Bonds Yld | 5.60pc | European base rate | 2.65pc | Name | Init chge | Sell | Mid Buy | Change on day | ---

AXA Investment Managers | AXA Pyl & Planet Eqty R GBP | - | 308.9 | +2.60 | Amer Gwth Acc | - | 1847 | +14.00 | Biotech Acc | - | 308.1 | +4.40 | Global Sust Mngd R Acc | - | 620.5 | +2.10 | Global Tech | - | 445.5 | +4.60 | Global Thematics R GBP Acc | - | 2801 | +18.00 | Health Acc | - | 3406 | +47.00 | Japan R GBP Acc | - | 992.4 | -2.70 | Managed Income R Gross Acc | - | 221.7 | +0.30 | Managed Income R Gross Dis | - | 91.97 | +0.12 | UK Select Opps R Acc | - | 4202 | +30.00 | UK Select Opps R Inc | - | 2090 | +15.00 | UK Smlr Cos Acc | - | 352 | +1.00 | UK Sust Equity R Acc | - | 374.2 | +2.60 | AXA IM Funds www.axa-im.co.uk | ---

BLUE WHALE GROWTH FUND

Blue Whale Capital

0345 307 3439

www.bluewhale.co.uk

---

BNY MELLON | Global Income | 0% | 319.71 | +0.19 | Corporate Bond | 0% | 79.92 | +0.09 | Equity Inc | 0% | 142.69 | ... | Equity Inc Booster | 0% | 90.37 | ... | Glob Abs Ret $^{\dagger}$ | 0% | 109.35 | ... | Glob Multi-Strat | 0% | 139.3 | +0.22 | Inflation-Linked Corp Bd | 0% | 116.68 | +0.09 | Long-Term Global Equity | 0% | 516.45 | +0.76 | Asian Income | 0% | 316.37 | +0.01 | European Opps | 0% | 459.96 | -0.06 | Global Dynamic Bd | 0% | 83.79 | +0.12 | Global High Yield Bd | 0% | 46 | +0.13 | International Bd | 0% | 189.31 | -0.05 | Multi-Asset Bal | 0% | 310.78 | +0.5 | Mult-Asset Div Return | 0% | 200.2 | +0.25 | Mult-Asset Growth | 0% | 1669.12 | +0.49 | Oriental | 0% | 1264.81 | -0.26 | Real Return A | 0% | 137.99 | +0.31 | UK Equity Fund | 0% | 1190.9 | +0.4 | UK Income | 0% | 100.22 | +0.39 | UK OpportunitiesB Shares | 0% | 446.11 | +0.42 | Global Income | 0% | 265.9 | +0.2 | Corporate Bond | 0% | 96.77 | +0.08 | Equity Inc | 0% | 107.1 | ... | Equity Inc Booster | 0% | 71.26 | ... | Glob Abs Ret | 0% | 117.94 | +0.09 | Name | Init chge | Mid Sell | Change Buy | on day | Glob Multi-Strat | 0% | 140.01 | +0.21 | Inflation-Linked Corp Bd | 0% | 116.86 | +0.09 | Long-Term Global Equity | 0% | 397.6 | +0.77 | Asian Income | 0% | 199.08 | +0.02 | Continental European | 0% | 304.14 | -0.05 | Global Dynamic Bd | 0% | 82.07 | +0.12 | Global High Yield Bd | 0% | 73.99 | +0.12 | International Bd | 0% | 86.88 | -0.06 | Multi-Asset Bal | 0% | 210 | +0.51 | Multi-Asset Div Return | 0% | 155.16 | +0.26 | Multi-Asset Growth | 0% | 334.86 | +0.5 | Oriental | 0% | 257.55 | -0.26 | Real Return A | 0% | 125 | +0.3 | UK Equity Fund | 0% | 205.59 | +0.41 | UK Income | 0% | 204.39 | +0.4 | UK Opportunities | 0% | 222.58 | +0.43 | Emerging Income | 0% | 141.61 | -0.08 | Global Emerging Mkts | 0% | 295.16 | -0.1 | Global Equity Fund | 0% | 409.04 | +0.51 | Multi Asset Inc | 0% | 142.57 | +0.13 | Discretionary Unit Fund | No 1, Poultry, London EC2R 8JR. 020 7415 4130 | Maitland Discretionary Inc | 3.00 | 2239.88 | +15.83 | ---

Fundsmith

Fundsmith LL

PO Box 10846, Chelmsford, Essex, CM99 2BW.

0330 123 1815

www.fundsmith.co.uk enquiries@fundsmith.co.uk | Fundsmith Equity T Acc | – | 724.59 | +5.68 | Fundsmith Equity T Inc | – | 653.98 | +5.12 | Name | Init chge | Sell | Mid Buy | Change on day | Guinness Global Investors

18 Smith Square, London, SW1P 3HZ

www.guinnessgi.com

+44(0)20 7222 5703 | Sustainable Energy Acc | - | 24.7061 | ... | Global Innovators Acc | - | 49.4619 | ... | Global Equity Income Inc | - | 24.9741 | ... | Available as an ISA | ---

Janus Henderson INVESTORS

Janus Henderson Investors

PO Box 9023 Chelmsford, CM99 2WB

Enquiries: 0800 832 832

Website: www.janushenderson.com | Cautious Managed A Acc | 5.00 | 350.4 | ... | Cautious Managed A Inc | 5.00 | 150.4 | ... | China Opps A Acc | 5.00 | 1275 | ... | Emerg Mkts Opps A Acc | 5.00 | 303.1 | ... | European Sel Opps A Acc | 5.00 | 3087 | ... | Fixed Int Mthly Inc A Inc | 4.25 | 16.58 | ... | Global Care Growth A Inc | 4.50 | 719.8 | ... | Global Equity Inc A Inc | 5.25 | 86.64 | ... | Global Select Acc | 4.25 | 6557 | ... | Global Strategic Cap Acc | 5.00 | 449.5 | ... | Global Technology A Acc | 5.00 | 7515 | ... | Inst UK IDX Opp Tr | - | 178.2861 | ... | Janus Asian Dividend In Ut | 5.00 | 102 | ... | Janus Emer Mkts Asia A Acc | 5.00 | 1815 | ... | Janus Multi-Mgr Inc&Growth A | 5.25 | 160.9 | ... | Multi-Mgr Abs Ret A Acc | 5.00 | 190.8 | ... | Multi-Mgr Active A Acc | 5.00 | 339 | +0.5 | Multi-Mgr Distbn A Inc | 5.25 | 136.5 | ... | Multi-Mgr Divrsfd A Acc | - | 105.1 | ... | Name | Init chge | Mid Sell | Buy | Change on day | Multi-Mgr Inc.&Gwth A Acc | 5.00 | 231.8 | ... | Multi-Mgr Mngd A Acc | 5.00 | 406.9 | +0.6 | Multi-Mgr Mngd A Inc | 5.00 | 375.3 | +0.5 | Sterling Bond Acc | 4.25 | 225.7 | ... | Sterling Bond Inc | 4.25 | 54.52 | ... | Strategic Bond A Inc | 4.00 | 92.32 | ... | UK Absolute Return A Acc | 5.00 | 206.7 | ... | UK Alpha A Acc | 5.25 | 197.3 | ... | UK Smaller Cos A ACC | 5.00 | 948.4 | ... | UK Equity Income A Inc | 5.00 | 687.6 | ... | UK Index Opps Tst A Acc | – | 175.9659 | ... | US Growth A Acc | 5.00 | 3115 | ... | Available as an ISA | Asset Management | Name | Init chge | Sell | Mid Buy | Change on day | J.P. Morgan Asset Management

60 Victoria Embankment, London, EC4Y OJP

Clients:0800 204020.Brokerline 0800 727770

JUPITER | JPM Ems C Net Dis | - | 277.2000 | +0.3000 | JPM Japan C Net Acc | - | 503.7000 | ... | JPM Natural Res C Net ACC | - | 1819.0000 | +17.0000 | JPM UK Equity Core E Acc | - | 699.7000 | +5.8000 | JPM UK Equity Core E Inc | - | 91.7400 | +0.7600 | JPM US Eq Inc C Net | - | 601.5000 | +3.3000 | JPM US Eq Inc C Net Dis | - | 589.2000 | +3.2000 | JPM US Select C Net Acc | - | 1293.0000 | +7.0000 | JPM US Sm Cos Gwth C Net Ac | - | 1179 | +15 | Jupiter Unit Trust Managers Ltd

The Zig Zag Building, 70 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6SQ

020 3817 1000 | Jupiter Asian Inc L Acc | - | 364.04 | ... | Jupiter Asian Inc L Inc | - | 242.82 | ... | Jupiter China L Acc | - | 113.36 | ... | Jupiter China L Inc | - | 103.33 | ... | Jupiter Corp Bond L Inc | - | 49.43 | ... | Jupiter Eco L Inc | - | 685.39 | ... | Jupiter European L Inc | - | 3834.87 | ... | Jupiter Euro Inc L Acc | - | 85.01629 | ... | Jupiter Euro Inc L Inc | - | 49.78698 | ... | Jupiter Euro Special Sits L Acc | - | 576.33 | ... | Jupiter Fin Opp L Inc | - | 1263.12 | ... | Jupiter Fund Of Inv Tsits L Inc | - | 406.32 | ... | Jupiter Global Emg Mkts L Acc | - | 109.85 | ... | Jupiter Global Finl Innov L Acc | - | 217.43 | ... | Jupiter Income Trust L Inc | - | 694.46 | ... | Jupiter India L Acc | - | 204.59 | ... | Jupiter Japan Inc L Acc | - | 231.63 | ... | Jupiter Japan Inc L Inc | - | 149.3 | ... | Jupiter Merlin Bal Prtflo L Acc | - | 347.13 | ... | Jupiter Merlin Bal Prtflo L Inc | - | 198.92 | ... | Jupiter Merlin Grth Prtflo L Acc | - | 839.28 | ... | Jupiter Merlin Grth Prtflo L Inc | - | 809.55 | ... | Jupiter Merlin Inc Prtflo L Acc | - | 469.83 | ... | Jupiter Merlin Inc Prtflo L Inc | - | 165.43 | ... | Jupiter Merlin WW Prtflo L Inc | - | 614.48 | ... | Jupiter Merlin WW Prtflo L Acc | - | 615.22 | ... | Jupiter Monthly Alt Inc L Acc | - | 137.9 | ... | Jupiter Monthly Alt Inc L Inc | - | 22.62 | ... | Name | Init chge | Sell | Mid Buy | Change on day | Jupiter Merlin Select L Acc | - | 125.92 | ... | Jupiter Merlin Select L Dis | - | 55.24 | ... | Jupiter Responsible Inc L Acc | - | 167.95 | ... | Jupiter Responsible Inc L Inc | - | 76.41 | ... | Jupiter Global Strat Bond L Acc | - | 108.62 | ... | Jupiter Global Strat Bond L Inc | - | 52.16 | ... | Jupiter UK Growth L Inc | - | 278.6 | ... | Jupiter UK Dynamic Eq L DIS | - | 285.82 | ... | Jupiter Unitstd Van F | 3.50 | 428.92 | ... | Jupiter US Sml Cos Inst I Acc | - | 80.99 | ... | Jupiter US Sml Cos Ret Acc | - | 74.46 | ... | Marks & Spencer Unit Trust Management Ltd | Kings Meadow, Chester, CH99 9UT0870 333 1835 | High Income Inc | - | 85.69 | 85.69 | ... | High Income Acc | - | 292.4 | 292.4 | ... | UK Select Port Inc | - | 472.8 | 472.8 | ... | UK Selection Port | - | 1081.5 | 1081.5 | ... | UK 100 Co's Fund Inc | - | 314.4 | 314.4 | ... | UK 100 Co's Fund Acc | - | 711.6 | 711.6 | ... | W'wide Man Inc | - | 750.95 | +1.42 | W'wide Man Acc | - | 1349.26 | +2.54 | M&G Securities Ltd

PO Box 9039, Chelmsford, CM99 2XG

Enq: 0800 390 390. UT Deal: 0800 328 3196 | Charity Multi Asset Acc | - | 15147.66 | +59.65 | Charity Multi Asset Dis | - | 108.18 | +0.42 | Name | Init chge | Mid | Change on day | Sell | Buy | Eqty Inv Chrties GBP Acc | - | 46020.67 | +315.02 | Eqty Inv Chrties GBP Dis | - | 1884.48 | +12.9 | CAR - Net Income reinvested. | Global Bond Fund Inc | – | 83.62 | ... | Mangd Eqty Grwth Fnd Acc | – | 194.60 | ... | Mangd Grwth Fund Inc | – | 160.82 | ... | Mangd Grwth Fund Acc | – | 176.24 | ... | UK Eqty Fund Acc | – | 175.17 | ... | UK Eqty Fund Inc | – | 136.61 | ... | Generation Fd | 5.00 | 1132.96 | ... | FENIX Balanced Fund Dis | 5.00 | * 222.29 | ... | SOURCE: UK DEBT MANAGEMENT OFFICE, US TREASURY

Look beyond the gilts doom and gloom and enjoy the gains

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Buying government debt selling ‘below par’ presents the possibility of a tax-free profit. By Russ Mould

MARKETS continue to fixate on UK gilts, despite Andy Burnham's determination that the nation and his Government should be less “in hock” to bond markets.

Rising yields are a sign that bond investors are yet to be fully convinced by the new Labour administration's policy, tax and spending plans. The Budget on Oct 28 is the first chance for Mr Burnham and John Healey, the Chancellor, to fix that, and gilts could rally – falling yields and rising prices – if the statement offers a clearly defined and funded programme.

Equally, a Budget to match that of then-chancellor George Osborne's so-called “omnishambles” version in 2012 could have the opposite effect: prices down and yields up.

But the drumbeat of doom on gilts is so loud that it may not take much to persuade markets to reassess the risk-reward equation on offer, and investors in certain tax brackets may want to consider UK government bonds for a different reason.

Investors would, of course, still have to consider inflation risk, interest rate risk and liquidity risk, as well as credit risk, before ultimately deciding whether gilt yields offer sufficient reward to merit a higher or lower allocation within their portfolios, especially for longer-dated paper.

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Terms of endearment

The UK Government currently pays a higher yield on its 10-year bonds than all EU members bar Hungary, Poland and Romania – not a particularly glowing endorsement of the nation's fiscal position or prospects. Equally, there are reasons to believe that a lot of bad news may be at least partly priced in by now.

First, the benchmark 10-year gilt yield now comfortably exceeds the prevailing rate of inflation, let alone the Bank of England's 2pc target.

Second, the rise in gilt yields is a steady one, and does not smack of the panic after the Truss-Kwarteng fiscal statement of autumn 2022.

Third, government borrowing costs are rising across the West, and those of France and the US are rising faster than those of the UK, so if there is a problem then it is not a country-specific one.

Finally, the UK's Debt Management Office (DMO) has done a good job of managing the maturity profile of gilts, so that the Government will not have to refinance its borrowings at anything like the rate at which the US must do so. This means, to use fixed-income market jargon, the debt is more effectively “termed out”.

On average, the UK's debt stock has a lifespan of more than 13 years, compared with just over five years on the other side of the Atlantic. The DMO will have to refinance just 15pc of the gilts in issue by the end of 2028, compared with 49pc at the US Treasury.

That could save a lot in interest bills, if interest rates and bond yields stay where they are or go higher, as the paper that is maturing will almost certainly offer lower coupons (or interest rates) than the new debt.

Under par

The UK's wider range of maturities also gives would-be bondholders a bigger range of options when it comes to selecting the type of gilt they prefer, especially as there is also the ability to buy index-linked paper.

Investors must, however, recall that prices of low-coupon and long-dated gilts are much more sensitive to changes in headline interest rates, so they are likely to see greater price volatility during their lifetime.

That may not be an issue for those investors who wish to buy a conventional gilt at

issue, at par, and hold it to redemption when the gilt will be redeemed, also at par. That feature of plain vanilla gilts may also add to their

The UK is better at paying down its debt than US

potential attraction for some, especially if they are a higher-rate taxpayer. In some instances, it is possible to buy a short-dated gilt at below par.

Again, on maturity, the gilt will redeem at 100, to offer the holder a capital gain on top of any income accrued from the coupons, if they buy below par. The next maturity, the 0.375pc Treasury 2026, redeems on Oct 22, and its price is moving ever nearer to par as the redemption date approaches.

SOURCE: LSEG REFINITIV DATA

Andy Burnham and his Chancellor have to convince a sceptical bond market

The next ones due after that mature in January and March 2027,

respectively. Just one of the next 13 ultra-short gilts to redeem trades above par at the time of writing, though the “Goldilocks” zone of low coupons but high yields may lie just beyond those with the short-dated paper.

‘Any gains on gilts are exempt from capital gains tax. This nicely boosts the total return’

Rolling over

The coupons paid before redemption will be taxed at the holder's appropriate marginal rate, but any capital gains on gilts are exempt from capital gains tax. This nicely boosts the total return for taxpayers, especially those who sit in the 40pc and 45pc tax bands, to perhaps boost the attractiveness of gilts relative to cash, even if capital is starting to roll from one maturity to another and the discounts to par are tightening.

As an example, the 0.375pc Treasury that is about to mature on Oct 22 traded as low as £84 in September 2022. Anyone buying £10,000 worth who held to redemption would then have accrued £201 in coupons and £1,905 in tax-exempt capital gains. For a 45pc-rate taxpayer, the grossed-up annualised yield would have been 8.42pc, with equivalent of 7.76pc for 40pc-rate payers and 5.94pc for basic-rate, thanks to the capital gain.

BUSINESS BULLETIN

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Hays feels jobs market pressure as fees fall

Hays has revealed ongoing pressure on fees as permanent hiring weakens with the jobs market “as tough as ever”.

The London-based recruitment giant said net fees fell 3pc on a like-for-like basis in its first quarter to September 30.

This was largely driven by a 7pc fall for permanent hiring, which the firm's chief executive Mark Dearnley said remained “mixed” amid strong growth in North America and continued fragility in Northern Europe.

In UK and Ireland, net fees fell 5pc, with a 9pc tumble for permanent hires.

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Nationwide offers ‘safe space’ for abuse advice

An online tool to help domestic abuse survivors discreetly access vital support has been launched by Nationwide Building Society.

The “safe space” tool is accessed via a link on the Nationwide.co.uk webpage and gives support information, emergency contacts and domestic abuse resources. It does this without leaving a browsing history and provides a quick exit function.

The initiative follows the launch of safe spaces across more than 430 Nationwide branches and more than 40 Virgin Money branches.

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Gen-Z faces struggle to build pension savings

More than half (53pc) of adults aged 18 to 29 are prepared to cut their pension contributions over the next year or have already stopped them, a survey claims.

The poll, of 2,000 adults in August, found Gen Z was more likely to sacrifice long-term savings to get by.

The Opinium poll found that 48pc of Gen Z adults believe they will have to work longer than planned in order to compensate for savings gaps, and nearly half (47pc) are concerned that they will have a savings shortfall for their retirement.

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'Sunday Scrollies' drive peak in online activity

Sunday has become the busiest day online, with broadband traffic 12pc higher than the daily average, according to Virgin Media O2 research.

It's network data show activity peaks at 9.20pm as millions stream, scroll and prepare for the week ahead.

Jeanie York, chief technology officer at Virgin Media O2, said: “Our network data provides a unique insight into how the nation connects ... the ‘Sunday Scrollies’ reflect how people use connectivity as Monday approaches, from relaxing and connecting with loved ones to completing life admin.”

Start your dating journey at telegraph.co.uk/LS-dating

Free drinks\*

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Court Circular

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BUCKINGHAM PALACE October 12th

The King was represented by His Excellency the Hon Christopher Dawson (Governor of Western Australia) at the Funeral of Sir William Heseltine (former Private Secretary to Queen Elizabeth II) which was held at Christ Church Claremont, corner of Queenslea Drive and Stirling Highway, Claremont, Western Australia, this morning.

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KENSINGTON PALACE October 12th

The Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall this morning received Mr William Bax (Secretary of the Duchy of Cornwall) and Mr Hugo van Vredenburch (Lord Warden of the Stannaries) at Windsor Castle. His Royal Highness, Founder and President, the Earthshot Prize, this afternoon received Mr Jesper Brodin (Chairman) at Windsor Castle.

ST JAMES'S PALACE

October 12th

The Princess Royal, President,

National Equine Forum, this

afternoon held an Organising

Committee Meeting.

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Today's birthdays

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Sir Michael Jenkins, Chairman,

Email: announcements.ads@telegraph.co.uk Book online: announcements.telegraph.co.uk

London Clearing House Ltd, 1996-2003, is 94; Ms Nana Mouskouri, singer and politician; former MEP, 91; Mr Michael Heath, cartoonist, 91; Sir Mike Gooley, Founder, Trailfinders, 90; Sir Roger Carrick, former diplomat, 89; Sir Mark Waller, a former Lord Justice of Appeal, 86; Mr Paul Simon, singer and songwriter, 85; Mr John Snow, former England cricketer, 85; Prof Sir John Beddington, population biologist; Chief Scientific Adviser, 2008-13, 81; Ms Edwina Currie, former Conservative MP, 80; Mr Stephen Bayley, design consultant and writer, 75; Sir Kenneth Olisa, Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London, 75; Mr John Simpson, lexicographer; Chief Editor, Oxford English Dictionary, 1993-2013, 73; Gen Sir Nick Parker, Commander Land Forces,

2010-13, 72; Dame Beverley Lang, retired High Court judge, 71; Mr Justice Sheldon, 60; Mr Rob Howley, former Wales and Lions rugby international; now coach, 56; Mr Sacha Baron Cohen, comedian, actor and writer, 55; Mr David Haye, former undisputed cruiserweight world boxing champion and WBA world heavyweight champion, 46; Mr Ian Thorpe, former swimmer; five times Olympic gold medallist, 44.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO

Today is the anniversary of the publication of the first Paddington Bear book in 1958. It is also the anniversary of the death by poisoning of the Roman emperor Claudius in AD54, and of the consecration of the present church building at Westminster Abbey in 1269.

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Births

SILVER.—On 9th October 2026, at 6.05 p.m., to Sophie and Daniel, a son, Alfie Eddie, weighing 7lb 1oz.

Online Ref: W0053457

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Deaths

SUTTON.—On 4th October 2026, to Emily and Thomas, a son, George Giles Arthur.

Online Ref: W0053442

BEVAN.—Brigadier Tim died after a short illness on 4th October 2026, aged 87. Dearly loved husband of Penny, father to Charlotte and Simon, stepfather to Alex and grandfather to Cassia. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. A Service of Thanksgiving will be held at St Lawrence's Church, Hungerford on 30th November at 12 noon. Online Ref: W0053434

RUCKER.—His Hon Jeffrey Hamilton Rucker aged \$3, peacefully at home with his wife Caroline Mary and sons Simon, Nicholas and James. Beloved husband, father, and father in law of Minsi, Svetlana and Stephen and proud grandfather to Kit, Willa and Tatiana. Much loved uncle, great uncle and friend to many. Private cremation. A Memorial Service at St Breward Church, Nr Bodmin on Tuesday 24th November, at 2.30 p.m. Those wishing to attend please contact the family as it is a small church. Live stream available.

Online Ref: W0053456

RUSSELL.—David Ian passed away peacefully on 3rd October 2026, aged 83, surrounded by his family. Beloved husband of Frances and father of Katherine and devoted grandfather of five. Funeral Service on Thursday 22nd October at 11 a.m. at Oratory of St Mary Magdalen Catholic Church, London SW18 2QU. Family flowers only please; donations if desired to Alzheimer's Research UK.

Online Ref: W0053433

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Forthcoming marriage

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General personal

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Mr M. Eager and Miss R. Brown

The engagement is announced between Michael, son of Barry and Janet Eager, of Cheriton Bishop, Exeter, and Rhianna, daughter of Hugh and Julia Brown, of Ockley, Surrey.

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hayloft plants

Online ref: W0053295

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Talk

Baroness Hale gave a talk on "What's wrong and what's NOT wrong with our justice system" at a dinner on Monday evening. Nicola, Lady Jackson chaired.

Conservative Foreign and Commonwealth Council

Mr Robert Hardman was the guest speaker on “Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. The Inside Story” for the Conservative Foreign and Commonwealth Council at a St James's Club dinner last night. Baroness Chalker of Wallasey, Life President, introduced the speaker, Baroness Meyer chaired the event and Billy James was the host. The Viscount Trenchard also spoke. Among others present were Mr and Mrs Gordon Toland, Ms Tracy Pritchett-Randall, Patricia McDermot, Dr Simon Manara, Mr Angus Docherty and Mr Martin Barrow.

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Athenæum

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Calls to the bar

The following have been called to the Bar this Trinity term (deferred):

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Lincoln's Inn

Tanny Ghosh, Saadmun M Abdullah, Asma Sadia Chaity Simin, Hania Ali Khan, Abdullah Basharat, Zara Asif Rishi, Elina Chowdhury, Muhammad Taimoor Nawaz, Samina Rahman, Gan Wen Yan, Shafa Arefin Hossain, Muhammad Ashhal Malik, Chun Kit Ching, Muhammad Bilal Akhtar, Macaria Sena Mensah, Tasnia Mozammel, Rushel Kadia Moulton, Nabhan Zarif Sayeed, Mohammad Safwan Marsad Hossain, Farheen Siddiqui, Kirven Alvaren Kanaksabee Utchanah, Vinayak Trivedi, Salina Mahmood, Mohammad Mahtab Uddin, S M Shaon Parvez, Mobeen Arshad, Mohammad Tanzimul Haque, Vardha Nadeem Khan, Keeley Louise McGurk, Agha Abdul Haque Pathan, Mehajabin Tasnuva Mila, Abbie-Louise Chapman, Richard Edem Kwadzofo, Anika Binte Younus, Imogen Maia Smith, Dorcas Erieanna Lim Li, Mosharat Sultana, SeeWei Tan, Nusrat Jahan Rinkey, Muhammad Salman Shamshed Bassa, Sazeeb Badredoha Rafit, Zaki Haider, Mohammad Hafezul Alam Talukdar, Jasveen Selina Kaur Sidhu, Yew Quan Chan, Jennifer Boineelo Anek Asia Awich, Jessica Alice Lockwood, Muhammad

Wednesday 75.00% scored by

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Bridge news

Last week the English Bridge Union continued to hold a series of 12-board online matchpoint duplicate pairs games, writes Julian Pottage, Bridge Correspondent. The highest scores each day were as follows: Monday 78.41% scored by Simon Rye and John Brandon-Joyce in Game 4 (9pm). Tuesday 74.38% scored by Flo Baldwin and John Botting in Game 1 (2pm).

Mubeen Ali, Zainab Baig, Najut Abdirisak Ali, Benjamin Robin Owen, Connor John Sebastian McNally, M Fahaduzzaman, Ellen May Dear, Harry Rogers, Sana Shahzad, Haleemah Sadiyah Khan, Rabia Gillani, Claudia Fasciocco, Abdul Samad, Charlotte Amelia Paxford, Muhammed Noor Al Hussain, Henry Robert Matthews, Asif Ahmed Akash, Ghulam Mohiuddin Khan, Shaila Shobnam, Emma Dixon, Mohammad Humyal Changaze, Afaq Noor Rind, Archie Grant, Muhammad Musa Chattha, Nausheen Nazir, Parikshit Sen Radha, Chang Zhe Xuen, Sarah Ch'ng Shi Yin, Caolan Chada, Tansin Noor, Jaden Ngooi Yew Shiiuan, Alice Sweeney, Oon Mei Xian, Sean Lee Kai Shuen, Khadjjad Nur Ahmad, Nafis Kabir Utsha, Dylan Raj Selvarajan, Sohail Siddique, Sophia Grace Russell, Maya Keona Menon, Syed Ali Asad Ullah Rizvi, Saad Muhammad Rai, Gilbert Lau Kien Yen, Alexander Maximilian Ritikos, Eq Liang Ngo, Muhammad Saqib, Peter Christopher Lernyei, Louis John Tavare, Eva Georgieva, Ghazanfar Maalik, Wilfred Ellis Hilton, Md Jahidul Islam, Mithila Farzana Juthi, Kaitlyn Niamh Long, Eve Handley, Tufail Ahmed Panhwar, Abdul Razzaque Panhwar, Shams ul Wahab, Genevieve Grehan-Bradley, Nauman Ahmad, Hamidha Awsha Xin Li, Dayrenn Murugentharan, Nafisa Bodruddoza Neeha, Jia Yu Doh, Niamh Lily Christina McGlynn, Anna Elizabeth Boothroyd Coyle, Tee Xin Yan, Katerina Christou, May May En Soh, Syed Muhammad Bin Syed Mokhtar Shah, Lucy Elizabeth Banks, Madisyn Victoria Meckling-Veilleux, Julie Zhi Xin Tee, Zachary Jay Lazarus-Hide, Barrie-Jon Ray Gwyer, Ak Md Zaim Adli Pg Hj Badaruddin, Muhammad Ziaan Ul Hassan Malik, Hasan Mostafa Porag, Cheshna Ragavoodoo, Spencer Kathryn Beall, Farzana Shahjahan, Liam Martin McGrath, Jaymila Sevita Nayedoo Sooben, Sandhya Devi Nemchand, Anthony John Lydon, Dhillon Timur Shenoy, Shun Chin Xiang, Jane Louise Leadbetter, Marko Stankovic, Nur Adeela Binti Mohammad Nizam, Ho Tai Teng, Koshalini Francis, Gan Yee Hui, Xi Honn Tan, Syed Moiz Hussain Bukhari, Rayna Ganesarajah, Kashif Amman Yaacob, Massimo Lecavalier, Rachael Cheong Ho Yan, Benjamin Jack Davies, Maxwell Sebastian Pillmore, Huey Qin Hon, Afiq Alhafiz Bin Azmi, Holly Nicole Newton, Charlie George Webb, Charlotte Colette Ogden-Meade, Colleen Jane Light, Syed Saeed Uddin, Zeeshan Khan, Saul Richard Hiranya Agar Ward, Faye Coleman, Kaykobad, Danin Devin Arun, Tan Zheng Hao, Libby Baldwin, Joshua Alexander Hatcher, Eleonora Raus, Wantthur Yong Tze Wang, Ho Jia Xuan, Conor George Doctor Dixon, Shamayel Inayatullah Qureshi, Reuben Sek Haowen, Elaine Chee Yi Ting, Shania Kaur Sohota, Jack Courtney, Uzma Noor, Syed Abbas Shirazi, Aadam Rahim, Rafin Oli Khondaker, Shazil Asif Ibrahim, Muhammad Safwan.

Thursday 73.40% scored by Richard Holt and Aaron Bolt in Game 1.

Gilly Scerri and Ed Scerri in Game 1.

Friday 68.12% scored by David Botley and an Advanced BBO Bot in Game 3 (7.30pm).

Saturday 73.61% scored by Mary Jackson and Lesley Blanchard in Game 2 (3.30pm).

Sunday 74.70% scored by Naomi Gibbs and Mike Rawlins in Game 4.

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DARING ROBBERY AT FRENCH ART MUSEUM “ROSE DIAMOND” STOLEN.

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THE STOLEN GEM.

The famous “Rose Diamond,” estimated to be worth 10,000.000 francs (£400,000) before the war, and other valuable relics of historic interest, have been stolen from the Château de Goude at Chantilly, which was left by the late Due d'Aumale, son of King Louis Philippe, to the Institut de Erance. The Château is used as a museum, of which M Paul Bourget, the novelist, and Marshal Pétain are among the Conservators, and the theft was discovered by an attendant at seven o'clock this morning. On entering the gem room of the museum he saw that cases had been broken and a pane of glass taken from one of the windows. He gave the alarm, and M. Paul Bourget, Marshal Pétain, and other Conservators arrived on the scene. The theft was reported to M. Chiappé, Director of the Surêté Général, who came from Paris accompanied by a detachment of inspectors.

Let-off in spades

It is the opinion of a well-known Paris jeweller that the criminals are international thieves who are interested in jewels of the value of the rose diamond, and that they are less concerned about the sale of the precious stone than its repurchase by the victims of the theft. These organised thieves, he says, have generally accomplices in England, and it is through the intermediary of these people that private persons or insurance companies take steps to get bock the stolen jewels. As to the rose diamond, he considers that it is too well known for it to be sold, and that there is always a chance of it being recovered from the thieves.

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PARIS, TUESDAY NIGHT.

An investigation showed that the burglars had used two ladders, one to pass over the château moat and the other to reach the treasure tower. They evidently knew the arrangements for guarding the château: half-past one o'clock in the morning guards patrol round the château, while an hour later other guards go the rounds of the interior. It is supposed that the burglary was effected between half-past three and five o'clock in the morning, when the rooms of the museum are again patrolled.

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By Tom Townsend

It is supposed that the thieves arrived at Chantilly in a motor-car and stole the two ladders in the town. The treasure tower of the chateau is surrounded by water, but is joined to the road by a turning bridge, which is closed at night time. It is believed that the burglars operated at this spot, crossing the moat with their ladder, climbing to the balcony, and gaining access to the rower by breaking the window and the inside shutter. They left their ladders in the water. A description of the jewels has been circulated throughout the world.

The evening papers are full of the robbery of the celebrated “rose diamond,” but the most remarkable feature of the case is that so little is known of the gem. It is stated to be an heirloom of the princely family of Condé, dating from the “Grand Condé” himself, who won battles for Louis XIV. in the seventeenth century, after opposing him in the Fronde rebellion. The diamond is a large pear-shaped stone of rose colour, and set as a tiepin, surrounded by pearls. But while various figures are given of its size, its weight appears to be totally unknown, nor are details of its quality available. Rough estimates of its value approximating several millions of gold francs are of course mere guesswork. Nevertheless, it is regarded as one of the most famous diamonds in the world. An inquiry of a famous firm of jewellers in the Rue de la Paix elicited no new facts.

The Daily Telegraph.

Bridge Hand

LONDON, WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 13 1926

Other articles are missing besides the rose diamond, called the "Grand Conde," which is surrounded by small stones. They include: 1. An enamel attributed to Benvenuto Cellini; 2. A dagger with a ruby-studded sheath belonging to Abdel Kader, and obtained at the taking of Smalah; 3. Another, dagger and the plaque of a centurion enriched with diamonds, presented by the Bey of Tunis in 1846; 4. The Cross of the Legion of Honour in diamonds, given by Napoleon I. to General Aymard in 1809 after the battle of Talavera. 5. Several gold bracelets, with portraits of the Queen of the Belgians, the Duchesse de Montpensier, and the Due d'Aumale as a child; 6. A gold bracelet with a cameo and a portrait of Francis I., Emperor of Austria; 7. A Louis XV. bonbonniere in gold; 8. An enamelled watch of the eighteenth century; 9. Seals of the Due d'Aumale and the Princes of Condé, and other valuable curiosities.

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FAMOUS TREASURES MISSING

West led his fourth-highest spade to 3NT. East took the ♠K and returned the ♠J, covered by the ♠Q. This looked like another in a string of dreadful results for our team that day, until West ducked his ♠A! South still needed to find a minor-suit Queen. The ♣A and ♣K left the ♣Q at large, but the ♦Q fell in two. Twelve tricks made.

FROM the Rosenblum Cup in Katowice, Swiss qualifying. Playing conditions were superb at the MCK Centre, on the site of an old mining tip. North-South for Knottenbelt were Ben Handley-Pritchard and your columnist. East-West for Synergia were Piotr Koluda and Pawel Miechowicz.

Contract 3NT

Declarer South

Opening Lead ♠7

FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. PARIS, Tuesday Night.

♠ Q2

♥ Q5

♦ K10 9 5 4 3

♣ AJ5

(1) Most would try 1♠ (or even 2♠)

(2) Maximum but what else?

(3) With faith in his Queens

♠A98753 ♠KJ106

♥7643 W E ♥J1082

♦Q8 ♦76

♣6 S ♣Q93 | West | North | East | South | 1♣ | pass | 1♦ | pass(1) | 2♣(2) | pass | 3NT(3) | pass | pass | pass | ---

Personal

Declarer starts with ♣AK. If clubs are 2-2, the diamond lie is immaterial. He throws a spade on the ♥AK, and gets out with a spade. Whoever wins it is endplayed.

Back on form again, we won this match by 56 IMPs. That secured our place in the round-of-64. With one more big win, in fact, we came in eighth. Other British qualifiers were Periculo (ninth) and Gillis (25th).

What about the bidding? We played in 3NT off the spade suit, with 6♣ and 6♦ both makable. But we would probably do the same again. It's hard to see how North can bid differently. For my part as South, experience dictates a direct 3NT bid on such hands – not beating about the bush and telling them what to lead. A doubleton Queen, besides, is the perfect holding for 3NT from one's side. Imagine ♠Axx opposite.

Final Result 3NT plus three,

N/S +490

Par Result 5♣ or 5♦ made,

N/S +400

Text for the day

West played East for ♠KJ6 or ♠KJ10 initially – and for South not to have nine running tricks. That second part was too optimistic. He should have won the ♠A and returned a low spade, the simplest winning path as per Occam's Razor.

On a spade lead, declarer must guess both Queens to make six of a minor. It's better on a heart lead. Try 6♣ by North, on the ♥J lead to the ♥Q. Ignore the actual layout.

Finally, with 10 spades missing, most aggressive opponents (as are most Poles) can be relied upon to bid them. This West was the exception – blame him for everything.

Chess

She played, she won

She Plays To Win found that the rule now obliged them to field a man in place of a woman. They objected and there was quite a furore, but the management of the league did not want to change the rule and there seemed no great desire on the part of the other team captains to do so.

In round three of the 2004–05 season, Wood Green fielded a team comprising seven women plus Alexei Shirov on board one against North West Eagles.

THE all-women team representing the charity She Plays To Win won Division two of the 4NCL last season and were duly promoted. Historically, the league has always demanded that there be at least one player from each gender in a Division one team. This was originally designed to increase the number of women playing the game at a higher level, and the policy was an enormous success.

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A Giri - A Cherniaev 4NCL (1)

At the weekend, She Plays to Win came to this season's first round with Anish Giri on board one. He dealt with Russian GM Alex Cherniaev rather brusquely:

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Birthdays

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By Malcolm Pein

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAYLEY

MCCLUSKEY! We hope you have an amazing day. From all your friends and colleagues at The Telegraph xx

Online Ref: W0053004

16.Rg1 (16.Nxa4? Nb4! is unclear)

16...Nc5 17.Kb1 Nb3 18.Bd3 Qd8

19.Nf5 is a typical idea and

18...Nd4 19.Bxd4 exd4 20.Nb5 Bxh3

21.f4 Bg4 22.Rdf1 is also one way

traffic. Alternatively, after 14...e5

15.Nf3 Nf8 16.Nd5 Nc6 17.dxe5 dxe5

18.Kb1 White is better) 15.dxc5

dxc5 16.Nd5 Ra6 17.f4 e6? 18.Nf6+!

Nxf6 19.gxf6 Bxf6 How did Giri

continue?

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.d4 g6 4.Nc3 Bf5 (A popular line, Giri has played it with black, but it can be challenged) 5.qb3 Qc8 6.h3! a5 7.g4 Bd7 8.e4! (Much better than 8.Bg2 Nc6 9.0-0 Bg7 10.Be3 h5 11.g5 Nh7 Lazavik - Giri, World Rapid, New York 2024) 8..h5 9.g5 Nh7 10.a3 Bg7 11.Be3 0-0 (White has a big advantage in space and it is hard for Black to open lines on the queenside) 12.0-0-0! Re8 13.Nh4 a4 14.Qc2 c5?! (Even after the superior 14...e5 15.d5 Na6

THE LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. Psalm 18.2 (AV)

a b c d e f g h

T Carroll – D Haydon, Black to play and win:

General personal

Answer 1:

20.NXg6! FXg6 21.ε5 KH7 22.Rg1

KG8 23.exf6 BE8 24.Rg5 1-0

Answer 2:

34...Qh3+35.Kg1 Ne2+0-1

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Kenneth Hay

Prisoner of war who was forced to work down a mine and survived a forced march through blizzards

Hay in 2020, above, and in 1944, below: he became an Ambassador for the Normandy Memorial

KENNETH HAY, who has died aged 101, was taken prisoner in the Battle of Normandy in July 1944 and made to work in a Polish coal mine; he subsequently took part in a forced march of several hundred miles to eventual freedom.

The Allied forces had already secured a firm beachhead in Normandy when Hay, a signaller with 4th Battalion Dorsetshire Regiment, part of 130th Brigade, 43rd (Wessex) Division, boarded MV Pampas, an Infantry Landing Ship, at Southampton. The weather was so bad that the convoy was forced to stand off Ryde, Isle of Wight, for several nights.

On June 23, on the approach to the French coast, they transferred to a Landing Craft Assault which went right up to Juno Beach at Courseulles-sur-Mer. As they marched inland, it was so hot that they removed all their clothes except for their cellular drawers and boots.

An officer in the Grenadier Guards, outraged at the sight of semi-clothed soldiers within a mile of the front line, ordered the men to put on their uniforms. Lorries were brought up and the battalion moved westwards.

At the village of Cheux, Hay said later: "We relieved the 15th (Scottish) Division. They had been absolutely hammered. They had no equipment, not even steel helmets, and looked completely dazed." The Division had taken part in Operation Epsom and had been involved in heavy fighting.

On July 7, Hay's section was based in a house in the village of Tourmauville, about three miles south-west of Caen. That night, he was part of a fighting patrol, 30 in number, including his brother Bill. In one of the nearby fields, a self-propelled gun, knocked out but well dug in, was being used as an observation post (OP) by the Germans. The patrol's mission was to destroy the OP.

The men removed their helmets and blackened their faces but as they crept towards a hedgerow, the section leader stopped. "There are Jerries there!" he whispered. "They are walking round with tea buckets." The patrol was trapped. They had been allowed to walk through the enemy's front line and it was being sealed off behind them.

A challenge was shouted by one of the Germans. It was answered by a private in the patrol. He had learnt German as an art student in Bavaria, “but he sounded like an Englishman,” said Hay, “and then all hell broke loose.” The Germans were in foxholes in the hedgerow and firing tracer. The firefight had lasted for more than two hours when Hay and the Bren gunner concealed themselves under a large tree.

It was a pitch-black night and the Germans managed to creep right up to where the two men were hidden. “Hände hoch!” they shouted. Hay and four others were taken prisoner. Nine had been killed. Sixteen, including his brother, Bill, made it back to the battalion lines.

A few days later, the five PoWs were taken to a holding camp at Alençon, where they were interrogated. At Chartres, they were housed in empty grain silos and then loaded into goods wagons, 40 men to a wagon. These were without windows, dustbins served as lavatories, there was little food, and dysentery was rife.

After travelling for six days, they arrived at Stalag XII-A, Limburg, western Germany, where they were registered as PoWs. A further six days in the wagons took them to Stalag VIII-B at Teschen (now Cieszyn) in southern Poland, where they were photographed and given a PoW number.

A barbed-wire barrier divided the camp into four areas: British, Canadian, Yugoslav and Russian. The staple diet was vegetable soup ladled out of a large vat. The vegetables were unidentifiable. The Russians were given what was left over.

After a few days building a road, they marched to Hindenburg (now Zabrze, Poland) and were put to work at the Makoszowy Grube coal mine. Hay was packed into a cramped metal cage which rattled down about 1,000 feet into the underground darkness.

He worked an eight-hour shift with a pickaxe and shovel. The air was hot, humid and heavy with coal dust. Many of the tunnels were infested with rats. There was a constant danger of injury from cave-ins or explosives and of illness from respiratory infection or waterborne diseases.

As German losses mounted on the Eastern and Western fronts, men who were not serving in military units were conscripted into the newly formed Volkssturm. In mid-January 1945, all the German miners left the mine to join up.

The Soviet Army was getting closer and the German High Command decided to evacuate the PoW camps. This would delay the liberation of the prisoners, who might prove useful hostages in negotiations leading to a peace settlement.

Hay and his fellow PoWs marched westwards, sometimes in blizzard conditions, with snow up to their chests. When boots gave out, they wrapped their feet in whatever material they could find. If they could not walk and the carts were full of the sick or dying, they were left behind.

In the bitter cold, nobody dared take their clothes off. When it was not possible to wash, hair and beards became matted with filth. Their skin was red and raw with scratching for fleas and lice. At night, men half-dead with exhaustion asked to be propped up for fear that when they slept they would never wake again.

At a farmhouse, the farmer's daughter appeared with buckets of bran for the pigs. When the PoWs filled their bowls from the troughs, the girl started to cry. She had never seen men so hungry.

In Central Bohemia, the heartland of occupied Czechoslovakia, the weather worsened. Hay was having so much trouble with his left leg that he dropped out of the column and lay down by the side of the road to die. Two of his comrades noticed that he was missing and came back for him. He put his arms around their shoulders and they struggled on again.

After reaching Liberec, 70 miles north-east of Prague, they crossed into Germany and pushed on south of Chemnitz until they reached Weiden in Bavaria. On the night of April 20 1945 they could hear rifle and machine-gun fire to the west.

The next day, the noise of gunfire was much louder and, after the daily roll-call, the German officer in charge of their group announced that the war was over. At four o'clock the following afternoon, two American Sherman tanks burst out of the forest. Hay was limping badly but his "March to Freedom" was over.

Kenneth Thomas Hay, one of seven children, was born in Barking, Essex, on August 3 1925. His father, William, worked in the chemical industry. In 1936, young Ken went to St Ignatius's College, north London. On the outbreak of war three years later, the college, a Jesuit foundation, was evacuated to Welwyn Garden City.

DAVID ROSE/ALAMY After leaving school, Hay worked in the architect's department at the town hall. Aged 16, he joined the Machine Gun Platoon in the Home Guard. In 1943, after basic and infantry training, he was posted to the 4th Battalion Dorsetshire Regiment and was put on anti-invasion duties on the Isle of Wight.

In April 1944, the battalion was based at Bexhill in Sussex. On June 6, he was taking part in a 30-mile route march. The only clue to the fact that it was D-Day was the large number of aircraft flying overhead.

After he was liberated in April 1945, he was flown to Reims. On May 4, he flew by RAF Lancaster bomber to England and landed at Dunsfold in Surrey. He caught a train and a bus to Barking; his mother had received a telegram and the whole family ran out of the house to greet him. After a meal, they all went to Mass. He had arrived home in time for VE-Day.

At Catterick in Yorkshire, Hay was posted to the Royal Corps of Signals. In 1948, he was demobilised in the rank of corporal. After the war, he was partnership secretary for a firm of architects. Elected chairman of building and town planning for Hornchurch Council, he was also a governor of three local schools and served as a magistrate for 22 years.

In 2000 he was appointed MBE for services to the community of Upminster, Essex. In 2023 he was appointed one of four Ambassadors for the British Normandy Memorial. A statement released by that organisation said: “Ken Hay’s passion for education was unwavering. He touched the lives of countless children with his stories of courage and resilience.”

He married, in 1949, Doris Salmon. She died in 2011 and he is survived by their two sons.

Kenneth Hay, born August 31925, died September 2026

Terry Harryman

Navigator who coolly partnered the ‘Flying Finn’ and Paddy Hopkirk on nerve-shredding rallies

ARRY HARRYMAN, who has died a few days before his 88th birthday, was

Few days before his 88th birthday, was a world-class rally co-driver and one of the best navigators of his era; in a career that spanned 40 years, he partnered many of the most famous names of rally driving, including Ari Vatanen, Paddy Hopkirk, Vic Elford, Tony Pond, Jimmy McRae, Malcolm Wilson and Michèle Mouton.

Hailing from Northern Ireland's close-knit motorsport community, Harryman became a significant figure in the sport's most thrilling World Rally Championship years. His record with Vatanen, the famed "Flying Finn", on some of the toughest rallies in the world, included victories on the Safari and 1000 Lakes rally, as well as their notorious "ear God" moment on the Isle of Man – and, in Argentina, a crash that left Harryman badly injured.

During the 1983 Manx International Rally, Vatanen got their Opel Manta 400 unexpectedly sideways out of a bend and somehow managed nonchalantly to straighten the car up – before scything through a cattle grid and its concrete walls with inches to spare, at massive speed. Faced with what looked like certain disaster, the cool and taciturn Harryman simply uttered the words “Dear God” and carried on reading out his pace notes to Vatanen.

In 1985 Harryman was injured when the pair's Peugeot 205-T16 flew off the road on an Argentine rally and rolled over repeatedly. He broke his back and multiple bones; Vatanen nearly died and was out of the sport for over a year.

Vatanen captured the spirit of the era: "We drove together the Ford Escort, Opel Ascona and Manta, Ford Sierra and Peugeot 205 T16. And we rolled all of them."

Terence Arthur Harryman was born on September 26 1938, in Bangor, Co Down. He cut his motoring teeth in the late 1950s on mopeds as a member of the Ards Motorcycle Club; he then switched to four wheels in the burgeoning Ulster motorsport scene.

Harryman had an early start in rallying as a driver, but with a passion for maps and accuracy he decided to move into what became his defining role as a navigator and co-driver.

He won the Circuit of Munster and the Circuit of Ireland in 1962 with Ronnie McCartney in a Mini Cooper S, and did so again in 1965 with Paddy Hopkirk.

Harryman was joint clerk of the course for the club's Starlight Rally. Five years later he returned as a co-driver with Robert McBurney, and the pair set the fastest time on the opening stage.

Harryman won the Circuit of Ireland with McCartney in 1964, 1965 and 1967. He survived a serious roll-over crash in the

Mini Cooper in 1966, shortly before roll-over cages became mandatory. He had three victories as co-driver in the Donegal International Rally with Cathal Curley in an often airborne Porsche 911, and latterly with Mark Lovell.

In 1968, he opened a shop in Bangor as a side-business but also focused on rallying, not least in his private NSU Prinz. He also wrote rally notes and reports and took photographs. In 1974 Harryman entered the world rally series as co-driver to Ronnie McCartney in a Mazda, and for the next few years also partnered with Malcolm Wilson, Vic Elford and Tony Pond.

In 1982, he received a call from the reigning world champion Ari Vatanen, who was looking for a co-driver. Harryman later recalled being anxious about the call, though not scared. That came shortly after, while reconnoitring in Sweden for their first rally: the exuberant Finn, driving

Harryman, left of picture, and Ari Vatanen celebrate victory in a Peugeot 205 T 16 and, above, the pair pushing an Opel Asconda 400 through the Marlboro Safari Rally, Kenya, 1983

LATIMAGES/GIRARDO ARCHIVE/ALAMY—

flat-out as usual, rolled their hire car. Though wildly different in temperament two men hit it off. They won six WRC rallies, reached nine podiums, and, notably, won the tough Safari Rally in Kenya in their Opel Ascona. Harryman was now a full-time motorsport “star”, in the fearsome “Group B” era, when looser regulations allowed some of the fastest most powerful in the sport’s history.

The pair scored five consecutive WRC wins in their Peugeot 205 T-16. After the fifth, Harryman was asked by a television interviewer how long their streak would continue. The ever-sanguine Harryman replied: "Until we don't win the next one."

At the 1985 Monte Carlo Rally he made an error in registering at the start of one of the stages, and was penalised – but within 48 hours, he and Vatanen had won the rally from behind in spectacular style.

Following their devastating crash in Argentina that year, by 1986 Harryman had returned to the winners' podium as co-driver to the fearless French driver Michèle Mouton, winning the German Championship in a Peugeot.

In 1988 he was the victorious co-driver in the Dutch Championship and Irish Tarmac Championship with Mark Lovell in a Ford Escort. The following year he reunited with Vatanen, finishing second in the 1000 Lakes Rally of Finland in a Ford Sierra.

He had a brief spell as co-driver in the Renault Clio Williams, then managed the Renault Dealer Team in 1996 and 1997. He competed in the Gulf states in the late 1990s – and, aged 65, entered the Dakar Rally driving a truck. Next, he assisted the pioneering Omani driver Hamed Al-Wahaibi, and co-drove in his last competitive event, the 2003 Syrian International Rally with Mohammed Hamsho.

A gentleman, raconteur and wit, Harryman was known for his many acts of kindness to young rally drivers; he remained close to Vatanen, and named his dogs after the Finn's daughters. He served as chairman of the Ulster Automobile Club.

Latterly having suffered from Parkinson's disease, he is survived by his partner Barbara, his son Allan, a successful co-driver and navigator, and his daughter Lynne.

Terry Harryman, born September 26

1938, died September 21 2026

Toyohiro Akiyama Reporter who had a torrid time as the first civilian in space

TOYOHIRO AKIYAMA, who has died aged 84, was a television news correspondent and the first non-professional “civilian” astronaut to go into space. Hoping to be journalism’s Neil Armstrong, Akiyama had something of a nightmare during his eight-day stay aboard the Soviet Mir space station; his travails were broadcast live to an audience of millions.

After taking a year and a half of preparation in his stride – and calling his extensive training “easy” – Akiyama found conditions in space much harder than he had expected. He could not adapt to the zero-gravity conditions, felt permanently nauseous and frequently vomited into his cramped, weightless environment (his Soviet colleagues said that they “hadn’t ever seen a man vomit that much”).

He desperately craved a cigarette, missed his cues to speak on live video feeds and failed to deliver much in the way of analytical or philosophical insight. His first broadcast words from space were a bleary: "Is this live?" He also forgot to pack any underwear.

Toyohiro Akiyama was born on June 22 1942 in Tokyo to Kanichi and Kiyo Akiyama. After graduating from International Christian University in 1966 he joined the Japanese television channel TBS.

He could not stop vomiting

An ambitious and hard-headed reporter, Akiyama gained globe-trotting credentials by working for the BBC World Service in London and serving as TBS's Washington bureau chief after he returned to the network in 1971. Despite some high-profile coups – Akiyama secured a rare interview with Ronald Reagan during his stint in America – by the 1980s his network's ratings were in serious decline.

They tried to reverse things with the most outrageous stunt in broadcasting history, agreeing a deal to have one of their journalists accompany two Soviet cosmonauts on a mission to the Mir space station. It would cost TBS an estimated \$35 million, with half of that going directly to the Soviet Union, and much of it generated by interstellar advertising.

Akiyama was chosen as TBS's first cosmonaut, and the first Japanese person to go into space. He embarked on more than a year of training, professing to find it all virtually effortless.

In space, things were not so easy. Akiyama struggled to do almost anything, making some of his more ambitious tasks seem totally impracticable. He had, for example, brought six frogs with him on the trip, intending to conduct dubious “experiments” on their reactions to a weightless environment. The fatter ones seemed to enjoy themselves, swimming around contentedly; the slimmer ones tended to panic. Audiences seemed to enjoy these investigations, but The Daily Telegraph’s Auberon Waugh called them “scientifically useless and rather cruel”.

Akiyama's trip generated an initial surge in ratings for TBS, but these dwindled over time. When Akiyama began to recount to audiences for the umpteenth time his struggles to dispose of bodily waste, viewers tended to turn off.

Yet Akiyama's orbital reminiscences were not entirely scatological. At one point he dreamt vividly about being visited in space by his mother, who had died the previous year. "She came and looked around, and said, 'Oh, you live in such a big place!," he recalled. "An apartment in the city of stars."

Following eight days in orbit, Akiyama landed in the Soviet Republic of Kazakhstan. When TV reporters asked what he wanted to do on his return, he replied: “I really want to eat something tasty, have a smoke and have a beer.”

He later said of his trip to space: “I don’t particularly want to see it again, it’s not a very fun place.”

Toyohiro Akiyama had married his first wife, Koyoko, in 1970; they were divorced in 1995. He was married again, to Reiko, in 1999. She survives him, along with three children.

Toyohiro Akiyama, born June 22 1942, died August 26 2026

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What to watch

JOHN SIMPSON: SIXTY YEARS AT THE BBC

BBC Two, 9pm

Veteran broadcaster John Simpson, now 82, marks 60 years of work for the corporation

There's no doubting that John Simpson is a true legend in the world of television news reporting; a man who has travelled to more (usually strife-torn) places and met more extraordinary (often abominable) people than almost anyone else in the business.

Also undoubted is his courage in going to these places on our behalf and reporting honestly and objectively on the

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Tyson Netflix

"The truth is always stranger than fiction. Always. Never fails," says brooding heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson. By the time you've finished this well-made, four-part reflection on his eventful and often controversial life in and out of the ring, you'll be inclined to agree.

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Blue Lights

The Belfast-set police drama returns to the murder that has cast a shadow over the characters since series 1: that of Sgt Gerry Cliff (Richard Dormer). As Mo McIntyre (Michael Shea) stands trial, his mother Tina (Abigail

things he's seen. He has also contributed greatly to journalism's most important tasks of casting light on darkness and keeping us up to date with what's going on in the world.

Now 82 years old and still working as the BBC's world affairs editor, in this hour-long film, Simpson takes us through some of the highs of his six-decade career (reporting on the fall of the Berlin Wall, meeting

Matt Baker at home in his beloved Dales landscape

McGibbon) works to keep the family's association with MI5 a secret, putting the police's search for justice in doubt.

The Sky Arts Awards 2026

SkyArts, 9pm

From the Roundhouse in

London, Grayson Perry

Nelson Mandela) and the lows (being kidnapped and tortured in Lebanon, being on the wrong end of a deadly friendly-fire incident in Iraq).

There are spectacular gaffes, too, like his much-mocked announcement, live on air, that the BBC had “liberated” Kabul in 2001. An engrossing and at times deeply personal reflection on a truly exceptional career.

Gerard O'Donovan

and Rebecca Lucy Taylor (aka singer Self Esteem) present the annual awards ceremony. With 11 categories ranging from classical music to comedy, literature, the visual arts and dance, it's a celebration of the very best on the UK arts scene.

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Matt Baker: Our Barn in the Dales More4, 9pm

Matt Baker and his wife, Nicola, pursue their dream of building a home on his family's farm, converting the old barn they held their wedding reception in 20 years ago. It's a cosy story of intergenerational co-operation, driven by a desire to support his parents' in their later years.

Ask E Jean

BBC Four, 10pm

The story of journalist and TV presenter E Jean Carroll, who accused US president Donald Trump of defamation and sexual assault, and took him on in the courts and won. Last month, Trump abandoned years of appeals against the \$5m in damages that he was ordered to pay her; this spirited documentary about her life and career was made in 2025. GO

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FILM

D-Day: The Sixth of June (1956)

Film4, 6.50pm ★★★★

Henry Koster directed this romantic war film, based on Lionel Shapiro's 1955 D-Day novel The Sixth of June. It stars Richard Todd as a British soldier who, while en route to the landing sites on the Normandy coast, reminisces about his

Richard Todd and Robert Taylor star in the war film

romance with Valerie (Dana Wynter). Meanwhile, a fellow soldier (Robert Taylor) also dreams of a woman he loves – and she might just be closer to home than either man prefers.

LA Confidential (1997) Film4, 12.45am ★★★★★ Director Curtis Hanson reached a career high with this superb adaptation of James Ellroy's dark tale of corruption and police brutality, which won Kim Basinger an Oscar for her performance as a high-class prostitute. It's set in Fifties Hollywood, where a shooting at a diner brings together three very different cops - Kevin Spacey's slick operator, Russell Crowe's ruthless thug and Guy Pearce's ambitious golden boy.

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Main channels

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BBC One

6.00 am Breakfast (S) 9.30 Morning Live (S) 10.45 Crimewatch Live (S) 11.30 Homes Under the Hammer (AD) (R) (S)

12.15 pm Bargain Hunt (AD) (R) (S)

1.00 BBC News at One; Weather (S)

1.35 Regional News; Weather (S)

1.45 BBC News at One; Weather (S)

2.00 Clean It, Fix It (R) (S)

2.30 Shift the Thrift (AD) (R) (S)

3.00 Escape to the Country (S)

3.45 Garden Rescue (R) (S)

4.30 Bridge of Lies (S)

5.15 Pointless (R) (S)

6.00 BBC News at Six; Weather (S)

6.30 Regional News; Weather (S)

DIY SOS

7.00 The One Show With Alex Jones and Roman Kemp (S)

7.30 EastEnders The Slaters rally around a grief-stricken Kat (AD) (S)

8.00 DIY SOS A family in Lancashire needs the team's help to get their son home from hospital (AD) (S)

9.00 Blue Lights Gerry's murder trial begins (AD) (S)

10.00 BBC News at Ten (S)

10.30 Regional News; Weather (S)

10.40 Stacey Dooley: Fallen Women

Cases of women who have died after falling from a great height (AD) (R) (S)

11.40 Clickbait Clinic with Stacey Dooley

12.10am Wisdom of the Crowd 1.00

• 6.00am News

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BBC Two

6.30 am Bargain Hunt (AD) (R) (S) 7.15 Escape to the Country (R) (S) 8.00 Sign Zone: The Best of Weatherman Walking (R) (S) (SL) 8.30 Sign Zone: The Best of Weatherman Walking (R) (S) (SL) 9.00 News (S)

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2.30 The Boss (R) (S)

3.15 Great British Railway Journeys (AD) (R) (S)

3.45 The Great House Revival (R) (S)

4.35 Vintage Antiques Roadshow (R) (S)

5.15 Flog It! (R) (S)

6.00 House of Games (S)

6.30 Strictly: It Takes Two (S)

Strictly: It Takes Two

Emmerdale

7.00 The Hairy Bikers Go West David Myers and Si King visit the Isle of Bute (AD) (R) (S)

8.00 Saving Lives at Sea A call comes in for the Porthcawl crew about a surfer in trouble (AD) (S)

9.00 John Simpson - Sixty Years at the BBC John Simpson takes a look back at his 60-year career at the BBC (AD) (S)

10.00 QI Sandi Toksvig looks at tubes and tubas in a totally tubular show (R) (S)

10.30 Newsnight (S)

11.00 Being Muslim After 9/11 12.05am Sign Zone: Damilola: The Untold Story 1.20 Sign Zone: The Celebrity Traitors 2.25 Sign Zone: The Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked 2.50 - 6.30am This Is BBC Two

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ITVI

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7.15 The Martin Lewis Money Show: Live The cash expert answers the financial questions that matter most (S)

8.00 Emmerdale Matty is finding life at the farm hard (AD) (S)

8.30 Coronation Street Todd betrays Kit's confidence to Sarah (AD) (S)

9.00 The Party Martin is put under emotional pressure from Ben (AD) (S)

10.00 News (S)

10.30 ITV News London; Weather (S)

10.45 The Sugar Daddy Murder: True Crime Presents A look at the murder of Peter McMahon (AD) (R) (S)

11.35 Sorry, I Didn't Know 12.00 Shop on TV 3.00am Julia Bradbury's Wonders of the Frozen South 3.50 Unwind with ITV 5.05 - 6.00am Deal or No Deal

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Telegraph · ROYAL APOINTMENT with Hannah Furness

Radio choice

In the Studio

World Service,

1.30pm & 10.30pm

Laden with awards for her

superb soundtracks for

HBO's Chernobyl series on

television and the hit film

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RADIO 1

6.58am Newsbeat 7.00 Radio 1 Breakfast with Greg James 10.30 Newsbeat 10.33 Charlie and Jerry 12.45pm Newsbeat 1.00 Matt and Mollie 3.30 Newsbeat 3.33 Going Home with Vick, Katie and Jamie on Radio 15.45 Newsbeat 6.00 Radio 1's New Music Show with Jack Saunders 8.00 Radio 1's Future Artists with Sian Eleri 10.00 Radio 1's Power Down Playlist with Sian Eleri 11.00 Radio 1's Indie Show with Alyx Holcombe 1.00am Radio 1 Dance Drum & Bass Mix 1.30 Radio 1 Dance Drum & Bass Mix 2.00 Radio 1 Anthems 4.00 - 6.58am Radio 1 Early Breakfast with Mylo and Rosie

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RADIO 2 FM 88-90.2MHZ

6.30am The Sara Cox Breakfast Show 9.30 Vernon Kay 12.00 Jeremy Vine. Current affairs chat 2.00pm Clara Amfo. Sitting in for Trevor Nelson 4.00 Drivetime. News, views and music with Mark Goodier 7.00 Jo Whiley's Shiny Happy Playlist. Jo plays her favourite album tracks and musical gems rarely heard on Radio 2 7.30 Jo Whiley. Jo is joined by TV critic Emma Bullimore 9.00 The Jazz Show with Jamie Cullum. Music by Nina Simone, Ornette Coleman, Ezra Collective, Amy Winehouse and Stan Tracey 10.00 The Good Groove with DJ Spoony. Kool and the Gang's Curtis Williams chooses his favourite tracks 12.00 OJ Borg 3.00am Sounds of the 90s with Fearne Cotton 4.00 - 6.30am Owain Wyn Evans

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RADIO 3 FM 90.2-92.4MHZ

6.30am Breakfast 9.30 Essential Classics 1.00pm Classical Live 4.00 Composer of the Week: Tania León 5.00 In Tune 7.00 Classical Mixtape.

Joker, Icelandic musician Hildur Guðnadóttir is one of the world's most in-demand composers. Susan Marling meets her in London, visiting the National Theatre (she wrote the music for the

A sequence of music 7.30 Radio 3 in Concert. The Royal Scottish National Orchestra performs Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony 9.45 The Essay: Three Hundred Metres in Montparnasse. Joanna Robertson on the life of writer Francois-Rene de Chateaubriand 10.00 Night Tracks. Sara Mohr-Pietsch presents a soundtrack for late-night listening 11.30 'Round Midnight 12.30 - 6.30am Through the Night

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RADIO 4

NT's recent Electra/Persona) and at her current home in Berlin where she explains her unconventional approach. Elsewhere, Shostakovich's spectacular 5th Symphony is the main

6.00am Today 9.00 The Life Scientific 9.30 Inside Health 10.00 Woman's Hour 11.00 Screenshot 11.45 Winnie-the-Pooh 100 12.00 News 12.04pm Call You and Yours. Presented by Winifred Robinson 12.57 Weather 1.00 The World at One. News, analysis and comment, presented by Sarah Montague 1.45 Farming Today. A look at how technology and AI could transform the way food is produced 2.00 The Archers. A reconciliation might be on the cards for Ruth 2.15 Drama: Maydays. By David Edgar 3.00 History's Secret Heroes. A midwife who put her life on the line to help the resistance in Malaya 3.30 Beyond Belief. Giles Fraser and a panel explores the subject of new atheism. Last in the series 4.00 Roleplay. Actors reflect on playing Caliban in Shakespeare's The Tempest 4.30 What's Up Docs? Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore what causes acne 5.00 PM. Evan Davis presents 5.57 Weather 6.00 Six O'Clock News 6.30 Geoff Norcott's Working Men's Club. How men deal with pregnancy. Last in the series 7.00 The Archers. Vince expresses concerns for a loved one 7.15 Front Row. Arts programme 8.00 File on 4 Investigates 8.40 In Touch 9.00 Grandchildren of the '56 Revolution 9.30 The Bottom Line 9.59 Weather 10.00 The World Tonight 10.45 Who Are You in Winnie-the-Pooh? 11.00 Half-Life 11.30

Today in Parliament 12.00 News and Weather 12.30am Appetite for Distraction 12.48 Shipping Forecast 1.00 As World Service 5.00 News Summary 5.04 Yesterday in Parliament 5.32 Weather 5.34 Shipping Forecast 5.43 Prayer for the Day 5.45 - 6.00am Farming Today

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RADIO 5 LIVE MW 693 & 909KHZ

6.00am 5 Live Breakfast 9.00 Nicky Campbell 11.00 Naga Munchetty 2.00pm Matt Chorley 4.00 5 Live Drive 7.00 5 Live Sport. Kelly Cates builds up to tonight's Uefa Champions League fixtures 8.00 5 Live Sport. Atlético Madrid v Manchester United (kick-off 8.00pm) 10.30 Sarah Mulkerrins 1.00am Dotun Adebayo 5.00 - 6.00am Wake Up to Money

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CLASSIC FM FM 99.9-101.9MHZ

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WORLD SERVICE DIGITAL ONLY

6.30am Classic FM Breakfast with Dan Walker 9.00 The Classic FM Hall of Fame Hour with Dan Walker 10.00 Aled Jones 1.00pm Hannah Scott-Joynt 4.00 Margherita Taylor 7.00 Relaxing Evenings with Zeb Soanes. Zeb hosts an evening of music 10.00 Calm Classics 1.00am Bill Overton 4.00 - 6.30am Early Breakfast

draw of the Scottish Royal National Orchestra's In Concert (Radio 3, 7.30pm) alongside Schnittke's Viola Concerto with soloist Lawrence Power.

8.00am News 8.06 People Fixing the World 8.30 Business Daily 8.50 Witness History 9.00 The Newsroom 9.30 Assignment 10.00 News 10.06 The Arts Hour 11.00 The Newsroom 11.30 The Global Story 12.00 News 12.06pm Outlook 12.50 Witness History 1.00 The Newsroom 1.30 In the Studio 2.00 Newshour 3.00 News 3.06 People Fixing the World 3.30 Business Daily 3.50 World Business Express 4.00 BBC OS 6.00 News 6.06 Outlook 6.50 Witness History

7.00 The Newsroom 7.30 Sport Today

8.00 News 8.06 Assignment 8.30

Tech Life 9.00 Newshour 10.00 News

10.06 People Fixing the World 10.30

In the Studio 11.00 The Newsroom

11.30 World Business Report 12.00

News 12.06am The Arts Hour 1.00

The Newsroom 1.30 The Global Story

2.00 The Newsroom 2.30 The Climate

Question 3.00 News 3.06 Outlook

3.50 Witness History 4.00 The

Newsroom 4.30 The Documentary:

Where is Austin Tice? 5.00 - 8.00am

Newsday

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RADIO 4 EXTRA DIGITAL ONLY

6.00am Not as Far as Velma 6.30 Deep Six 7.00 Rent 7.30 The Goon Show 8.00 Relativity 8.30 Winnie the Pooh 8.45 How to Write a Novel in a Week 9.00 Geoff Norcott's Working Men's Club 9.30 Corncrakes for Breakfast 9.45 Daily Service 10.00 A Good Read 10.30 Winnie the Who? 11.00 Not as Far as Velma 11.30 Deep Six 12.00 Rent 12.30pm The Goon Show 1.00 Relativity 1.30 Winnie the Pooh 1.45 How to Write a Novel in a Week 2.00 The Unbelievable Truth 2.30 Hazelbeach 3.00 The Midnight Folk 4.00 A Good Read 4.30 Winnie the Who? 5.00 Not as Far as Velma 5.30 Deep Six 6.00 Rent 6.30 The Goon Show 7.00 Relativity 7.30 Winnie the Pooh 7.45 How to Write a Novel in a Week 8.00 The Unbelievable Truth 8.30 Hazelbeach 9.00 The Midnight Folk 10.00 Geoff Norcott's Working Men's Club 10.30 Innes Own World 10.55 The Comedy Club Interview 11.00 It Is Rocket Science 11.15 Little Lifetimes 11.30 The In Crowd 12.00 A Good Read 12.30am Winnie the Who? 1.00 Not as Far as Velma 1.30 Deep Six 2.00 Rent 2.30 The Goon Show 3.00 Relativity 3.30 Winnie the Pooh 3.45 How to Write a Novel in a Week 4.00 The Unbelievable Truth 4.30 Hazelbeach 5.00 - 6.00am The Midnight Folk

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Channel 4

6.30 am The King of Queens (AD) (R) (S)

6.55 The King of Queens (AD) (R) (S)

7.20 The King of Queens (AD) (R) (S)

7.45 Everybody Loves Raymond (AD)

(R) (S) 8.10 Everybody Loves

Raymond (AD) (R) (S) 8.40

Everybody Loves Raymond (AD) (R)

(S) 9.10 Frasier (AD) (R) (S) 9.40

Frasier (AD) (R) (S) 10.10 Frasier (AD)

(R) (S) 10.40 Frasier (AD) (R) (S)

11.10 American Pickers (AD) (R) (S)

12.05 pm Channel 4 News (S)

12.10 Renovation Nation (AD) (R) (S)

1.10 The Great House Giveaway (R) (S)

2.10 Countdown (S)

3.00 A Place in the Sun (R) (S)

4.00 Help! We Bought a Village (S)

5.00 Four in a Bed (R) (S)

5.30 Come Dine with Me (R) (S)

6.00 A New Life in the Sun: Where Are

They Now? (R) (S)

The Great British Bake Off

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7.00 Channel 4 News (S)

7.55 Matthew's Story: Stand Up to Cancer (AD) (R) (S)

8.00 The Great British Bake Off The bakers try to impress Paul Hollywood in bread week (AD) (S)

9.15 Tempting Fortune The exhausted contestants are offered the ultimate escape (AD) (S)

10.15 The Great British Bake Off: Second Helpings Jon Richardson and Judi Love talk about bread week (AD) (S)

11.05 Gogglebox 12.05am Taskmaster

1.00 Matthew's Story: Stand Up to Cancer 1.10 Ramsay's Hotel Hell 1.55 Apocalypse 3.00 Three Women

4.00 Location, Location, Location

4.55 Couples Come Dine with Me

5.50 - 6.30am Countdown

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Channel 5

6.00 am Milkshake! 9.15 Jeremy Vine (S)

11.30 Storm & Alexis (S)

12.45 pm 5 News at Lunchtime (S)

12.50 Matt Allwright (S)

2.20 FILM: Abducted: Searching for Emma Moreno (2023, TVM) Thriller starring Veronica Ramirez (AD) (S)

4.00 Bargain-Loving Brits in the Sun (R) (S)

5.00 5 News with Dan Walker (S)

6.00 Cornwall: A Year by the Sea (R) (S)

6.55 5 News Update (S)

Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild

7.00 Traffic Cops Derbyshire officers crack down on criminals using fake car numberplates (AD) (R) (S)

7.55 5 News Update (S)

8.00 Motorway Cops: Catching Britain's Speeders On the M6, PCs Tom Cordall and Greg Chadwick track a reportedly stolen Audi A3 (S)

9.00 Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild

Ben meets the Humbert family on the Pacific atoll of Ahe, in French Polynesia (S)

10.00 Surgeons: A Matter of Life or Death (R) (S)

11.35 The Hospital: Life on the Line

12.35am Cops 1.00 Must Have Ideas

3.00 I Like a Good Spanking! 3.45

Warship: Life in the Royal Navy 4.35

Cruising with Susan Calman 5.20

Entertainment News on 5 5.25 Ben

and Holly's Little Kingdom 5.35 Ben

and Holly's Little Kingdom 5.45 -

6.00am Ben and Holly's Little

Kingdom

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Sky Arts

FV 36 FS 143 SKY 822 VIRGIN 123

6.00 am Classic FM's Rising Stars with Julian Lloyd Webber 2021 (S) 7.00 Classic FM's Rising Stars with Julian Lloyd Webber 2022 (S) 8.00 Artist of the Year: Masterclass (AD) (S) 8.30 Artist of the Year: Masterclass (AD) (S) 9.00 Tales of the Unexpected (AD) (S) (AD) (S) 10.00 Alfred Hitchcock Presents (S) 11.00 Discovering: Alan Rickman (AD) (S) 11.55 Classic Albums (S)

1.10 pm Tales of the Unexpected (AD) (S)

1.35 Tales of the Unexpected (AD) (S)

2.00 Alfred Hitchcock Presents (S)

2.30 Alfred Hitchcock Presents (S)

3.00 Bill Bailey's Master Crafters: The Next Generation (AD) (S)

4.00 Discovering: Harrison Ford (S)

5.00 Landscape Artist of the Year 2015 (S)

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6.00 Tales of the Unexpected (AD) (S) 6.30 Tales of the Unexpected (AD) (S)

Stories from the National Portrait Gallery

7.00 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

A novice nun loses a priceless

15th-century statuette (S)

8.00 Stories from the National Portrait Gallery Jim Moir discusses his favourite work in the gallery (S)

9.00 The Sky Arts Awards 2026

Grayson Perry and Rebecca Lucy

Taylor host from London's

Roundhouse (S)

11.05 The Movies 12.00 John & Yoko: Above Us Only Sky 2.00am Portrait Artist of the Year 2026 3.00 Landscape Artist of the Year: Celebrity Special 4.00 A Play in a Day 5.00 - 6.00am Bill Bailey's Master Crafters: The Next Generation

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U&Drama

6.00 am Teleshopping 7.35 The Bill (S)

8.30 Doctors (S) 9.10 Doctors (S)

9.50 Classic Holby City (S) 10.55

Casualty (AD) (S) 11.55 The Bill (S)

12.55 pm Classic EastEnders (S)

1.35 Classic EastEnders (S)

2.15 Classic Neighbours (S)

2.50 Classic Neighbours (S)

3.20 Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators (AD) (S)

4.20 Father Brown (AD) (S)

5.20 As Time Goes By (S)

6.00 Last of the Summer Wine (S)

6.40 Last of the Summer Wine (S)

Anna Pigeon Mysteries

7.20 Last of the Summer Wine Compo, Clegg and Truly meet a man testing for earthquakes (S)

8.00 Anna Pigeon Mysteries Anna discovers a game of hide and seek has taken a dangerous turn (AD) (S)

9.00 Father Brown Sister Boniface is implicated in the murder of a renowned artist (AD) (S)

10.00 New Tricks Pilot episode of the crime drama starring Amanda Redman (AD) (S)

12.00 Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators 1.00am Judge John Deed 3.00 Copper 4.00 - 6.00am Teleshopping

FV Freeview FS Freesat (AD) Audio description (R) Repeat (S) Subtitles (SL) In-vision signing

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Talking Pictures TV

6.00 am Sherlock Holmes (S) 6.35 FILM: The Gilded Cage (1955, b/w) Crime drama starring Alex Nicol (S) 8.05 FILM: Those People Next Door (1953, b/w) Comedy drama starring Jack Warner and Marjorie Rhodes (S) 9.35 David Bailey: Four Beats to the Bar and No Cheating (S) 10.40 FILM: Penny Serenade (1941, b/w) Romantic drama starring Cary Grant and Irene Dunne (S)

1.00 pm The Adventures of William Tell (S)

1.35 FILM: The Stranger Came Home (1954, b/w) Mystery starring Paulette Goddard (S)

3.15 What's on TPTV with Noel (S)

3.30 FILM: Nobody Runs Forever (1968) Spy thriller starring Rod Taylor (S)

5.30 FILM: Son of a Stranger (1957) Drama starring James Kenney

6.55 The Man from UNCLE (S)

Son of a Stranger

The Green Mile

7.55 Buccaneer Burton persuades the Anglo Oil agent to overload the Britannia (S)

9.00 A Man Called Harry Brent Crime thriller starring Edward Brayshaw (S)

9.30 A Man Called Harry Brent A witness claims to have heard Tom Fielding talking about his own death (S)

10.00 A Man Called Harry Brent Mr Tolly hatches a devious plan (S)

10.30 FILM: Payday (1973) Drama starring Rip Torn (S)

12.35 am FILM: There Is Another Sun (1951, b/w) Drama starring Maxwell Reed and Laurence Harvey 2.30 FILM: Bullet Scars (1942, b/w) Gangster drama starring Regis Toomey 3.45 Look at Life 4.00 The Directors 5.00 - 6.00am The Man from UNCLE

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Film4

FV 14 FS 300 SKY 855 VIRGIN 428

11.00 am FILM: Santa Fe (1951) Western starring Randolph Scott (S)

12.45 pm FILM: Hail the Conquering Hero (1944, b/w) Comedy with Eddie Bracken (S)

2.50 FILM: The Frogmen (1951, b/w) Second World War thriller starring Richard Widmark (AD) (S)

4.45 FILM: The Art of Racing in the Rain (2019) Comedy drama starring Milo Ventimiglia (S)

6.50 FILM: D-Day: The Sixth of June (1956) Two soldiers reflect on their love for the same woman as they head out for the Normandy landings. Second World War drama starring Robert Taylor, Richard Todd and Dana Wynter (S)

9.00 FILM: The Green Mile (1999) A prison guard amazed by the healing power and gentle nature of a man on death row comes to doubt his guilt. Supernatural drama starring Tom Hanks and Michael Clarke Duncan (AD) (S)

12.45 - 3.35am FILM: LA Confidential (1997) Crime thriller starring Russell Crowe

With the Sussexes, it's never easy Unrivalled royal insight delivered to your inbox

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More channels

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BBC Four

FV 9 FS 173 SKY 116 VIRGIN 108

7.00 pm Secrets of Bones

7.30 To the Manor Born

8.00 Keeping Up Appearances

8.30 City Lights

9.00 City Lights: Pure Dead Brilliant

10.00 Ask E. Jean – Storyville

11.25 999 Special

12.15 am The Sky at Night

12.45 Secrets of Bones

1.15 City Lights: Pure Dead Brilliant

2.15 - 3.15am New Zealand: Earth's Mythical Islands

Noon The Hairy Bikers' Asian Adventure 1.00pm Canal Boat Diaries 2.00 Top Gear 3.00 Our Guy in Colombia 4.00 Rick Stein's Cornish Christmas 5.00 Rick Stein's Secret France 6.00 The Hairy Bikers' Asian Adventure 7.00 Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing 7.40 Would I Lie to You? 9.00 QI XL 10.00 Have I Got a Bit More News for You 11.00 8 Out of 10 Cats 12.00 Mock the Week 12.40am Would I Lie to You? 2.00 QI XL 3.00 House of Games 3.30-4.00am Ghosts

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U&Dave

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ITV2

11.10am Charmed 12.05pm Deal or No Deal 1.05 Ant & Dec's Limitless Win 2.05 Celebrity Catchphrase 3.05 The Only Way Is Essex 4.10 The Real Housewives of Potomac 5.00 The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills 6.00 Celebrity Catchphrase 7.00 Ant & Dec's Limitless Win 8.00 The 1% Club Rollover 9.00 Big Brother 10.00 Big Brother: The Group Chat 11.05 Family Guy 12.05am American Dad! 1.05 Bob's Burgers 1.55 Plebs 2.20 Unwind with ITV 3.00-6.00am Teleshopping

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Challenge

11.00am Celebrity Antiques Road Trip

12.15pm Family Fortunes 1.00 Cash

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ITV3

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FV 10 FS 115 SKY 119 VIRGIN 117

11.30 am Heartbeat

12.35 pm Heartbeat

1.35 The Royal

2.40 Wild at Heart

3.40 Classic Emmerdale

4.10 Classic Emmerdale

4.40 Classic Coronation Street

5.15 Classic Coronation Street

5.50 Heartbeat

6.55 Heartbeat

8.00 Vera

10.00 Downton Abbey

11.00 DCI Banks

11.55 DCI Banks

12.55 am The Royal

2.00 George and Mildred

2.25 Unwind with ITV

2.30 - 6.00am Teleshopping

Trapped 2.00 Bridge of Lies 3.00 The Chase 4.00 The Bidding Room 5.00 Tenable 6.00 Cash Trapped 7.00 The Chase Celebrity Special 8.00 Beat the Chasers 9.00 The Chase 10.00 The Chase Celebrity Special 11.00 Bullseye 12.00 Bridge of Lies 1.00am The Chase 2.00 The Chase Celebrity Special 3.00-4.00am The Chase

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