Politics
How the abortion lobby lost the plot
I am pro-choice. Always have been. So why do I feel so uncomfortable about last week’s vote in the House of Lords to decriminalise abortion in England and Wales? For me, that vote, and even more strikingly the discussion around it, corroborated a concern I’ve had for some time. Which is that the abortion issue is less and less one of individual autonomy and instead is morphing into yet another manifestation of the voguish misanthropy of our times. One feels compelled to ask whether abortion rights today are underpinned by a love of liberty or a fear of life.
The unelected peers of the second chamber voted in favour of an amendment introduced to the Crime and Policing Bill by Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi last year. The amendment decriminalises abortion for women. So any woman who terminates her pregnancy outside of the legal framework – for example, after the 24-week limit – will no longer face prosecution. The bill to which this amendment was added was passed by 379 to 137 votes in the House of Commons last year. Last week, the House of Lords batted back certain peers’ worries about the abortion amendment and gave their imperious nod to the bill.
There are things here that should unsettle even people of a pro-choice persuasion. The first is the manner in which this sweeping tweak to abortion law was pushed through. The amendment is to the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act, which outlaws abortion. The 1967 Abortion Act was itself an amendment to the 1861 Act, with its stipulation that abortion is still an offence but it can be justified in certain circumstances. The new amendment, snuck in through the Crime and Policing Bill, is far more dramatic – it completely removes women from the criminal framework so that there are no circumstances in which a woman will face investigation or reprimand for self-inducing a miscarriage.
For such a substantial amendment to longstanding law to be attached to a general crime bill feels like a slap in the face to the public. You will forgive me for not celebrating the approval of an amendment none of us was ever invited to discuss by peers none of us ever voted for. It brings the pro-choice movement into disrepute when it engages in what will look to many people like an establishment stitch-up. It is not dissimilar to the ‘assisted dying’ issue – another idea Labour MPs are feverishly pursuing despite it not being in their manifesto. Perhaps us plebs are too dim to appreciate the finer moral details of questions of life.
The underhand manner in which the abortion amendment was enacted is mirrored in the intolerance of some of its advocates. Their bristling hostility towards the moral objections of Christians, traditionalists and other everyday Britons has shocked me. To infer ignorance or sexism on the part of these objectors strikes me as profoundly unfair, not to mention undemocratic. These people are not women-haters or fools – they merely disagree with you. They disagree that there should be no consequences for a pregnant woman who intentionally induces a miscarriage outside of the rules, for example very late in her gestation. They are allowed to think this. The sad thing is that there has been no forum in which such mortals have been free to air their objections.
Another concern I have is the ethical contortionism of the amendment. It only decriminalises abortion for pregnant women. Doctors and other medical professionals who assist or perform an abortion outside of the legal framework – most notably, a late abortion – could still be criminally liable. So in essence, society still says an unauthorised late abortion is a morally objectionable thing, but the woman who arranges it will be free from reprimand while the person who carries it out will not. This will feel morally illogical to many people.
Worse, it threatens to enshrine inequality in the law. It threatens to infantilise women. To absolve women of criminal culpability for a self-induced miscarriage, while maintaining criminal culpability for those who aid them, projects a childish status on to pregnant women. They are seen as less criminally responsible for the termination they have expressly sought out than the professionals who assent to that termination. So an abortion that takes place outside of the legal framework is still potentially a crime, but only for certain participants.
This brings us to what I consider to be the key problem with the amendment – does society think it is wrong to intentionally induce a miscarriage very late in pregnancy? Yes or no? Many of us accept that there are circumstances in which an abortion beyond the 24-week limit should be permissible. Unquestionably when the mother’s life is at risk. And arguably in cases of severe fetal abnormality. But I thought we had decided – collectively, democratically – that the termination of a late-gestation healthy fetus that could survive outside of the womb was unethical? Was I wrong?
If we did decide that, it seems entirely reasonable to me that the person who incites or enacts this thing that society has decreed to be wrong should face consequences. I entirely agree that compassion is preferable to incarceration. I don’t want women jailed. But it is ridiculous to deny that the decriminalisation of all self-induced terminations creates a structure of permission for behaviour that society had collectively ruled to be immoral and, until five minutes ago, criminal.
I agree with the pro-choice side when it baulks at the dystopic vision put forward by pro-lifers of women around the country terminating their pregnancies five minutes before birth. Late abortion is an incredibly traumatic thing. It is not a ‘right’ most women want. And yet there is dishonesty on both sides. Alongside the fearmongering about an epidemic of home-done infanticides, there is the other side’s unwillingness to grapple with the size of this moral shift and the unjust perversity of excluding the public from its enactment.
In a sense, the most pressing issue is not that women will abort fetuses that could very easily survive outside of the womb. It’s that they are allowed to. There will be no punishment (for them, anyway). The pro-choice side can dress this up as a mere technical tweak as much as it likes. But to many people – who are not idiots – it feels like a profound moral turn. Is it not the right of a society to say that beyond a certain point – that point being viability – you are not permitted to destroy fetal life? And more importantly, to enforce that moral judgement through law? Otherwise what is law? Decoration?
I am very liberal on a woman’s right to choose. I agree women should have the right to terminate a pregnancy prior to 24 weeks. I support women’s right to access pills-by-post for early terminations. I believe in self-government for everyone, including pregnant women. But I am going to say the thing my side is too often reluctant to say: it is morally wrong to opt to destroy a life that could survive outside of the womb. Because in such a circumstance, you are not only asking society to help you become un-pregnant, you are also asking it to do something it would never normally do: end a viable life. Our abortion framework still says such an act is wrong, and yet it will no longer punish it. So it’s not that wrong. That’s what the political class is saying. And that’s a big deal. For all of us, even those who own no ermine robes.
Here’s my chief concern – the only time the cultural establishment gets excited about ‘freedom’ these days is when it regards the end of life. They cheer ‘the right to die’. They oppose punishment for the ending of viable fetal life. The same elites who don’t trust us to vape or to say ‘Bollocks to the Koran’, who jealously police our thoughts, our speech, our consciences and our social interactions, suddenly morph into John Stuart Mill when it comes to ending or preventing human life. We are well within our rights – our real rights – to ask if this is misanthropy in the drag of autonomy. Is this pro-chocie or is it anti-human? I have my thoughts.
Politics
TV Baftas 2026: Full List Of Nominations As Adolescence Leads The Way
It’s a good day to be Stephen Graham, following the news that two of his two TV offerings are leading the way at this year’s TV Baftas.
The nominees at the upcoming awards show were announced on Tuesday afternoon, with Netflix’s Adolescence unsurprisingly leading the way with a hefty 11 nominations.
Just behind on seven nods is A Thousand Blows, another drama starring and produced by Stephen.
As for individual performers with multiple nods, Erin Doherty and Aimee Lou Wood each have two acting nods, while Romesh Ranganathan is recognised twice in the Entertainment Performance category.
Thanks to their nods in the fan-voted Memorable Moment category, Bob Mortimer and Alan Carr each have two nominations, too.
The full list of nominations at the 2026 TV Baftas is as follows…
Aimee Lou Wod (Film Club)
Erin Doherty (A Thousand Blows)
Jodie Whittaker (Toxic Town)
Narges Rashidi (Prisoner 951)
Sheridan Smith (I Fought The Law)
Siân Brooke (Blue Lights)
Colin Firth (Lockerbie: A Search For Truth)
Ellis Howard (What It Feels Like For A Girl)
James Nelson-Joyce (This City Is Ours)
Matt Smith (The Death Of Bunny Munro)
Stephen Graham (Adolescence)
Lenny Rush (Am I Being Unreasonable?)
Oliver Savell (Changing Ends)
Steve Coogan (How Are You? It’s Alan(Partridge))
Jennifer Saunders (Amandaland)
Katherine Parkinson (Here We Go)
Philippa Dunne (Amandaland)
Aimee Lou Wood (The White Lotus)
Christine Tremarco (Adolescence)
Chyna McQueen (Get Millie Black)
Erin Doherty (Adolescence)
Rose Ayling-Ellis (Reunion)
Ashley Walters (Adolescence)
Fehinti Balogun (Down Cemetery Road)
Joshua McGuire (The Gold)
Owen Cooper (Adolescence)
Paddy Considibe (MobLand)
Rafael Mathee (The Death Of Bunny Munro)
What It Feels Like For A Girl
Entertainment Performance
Amanda Holden and Alan Carr (Amanda & Alan’s Spanish Job)
Bob Mortimer (Last One Laughing)
Claudia Winkleman (The Celebrity Traitors)
Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan (Rob & Romesh Vs…)
Romesh Ranganathan (Romesh: Can’t Knock The Hustle)
Michael McIntyre’s Big Show
How Are You? It’s Alan (Partridge)
Things You Should Have Done
Squid Game: The Challenge
Richard Osman’s House Of Games
Go Back To Where You Came From
Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars
Bibaa & Nicola: Murder In The Park
The Undercover Police Scandal: Love And Lies Exposed
Simon Schama: The Road To Auschwitz
Surviving Black Hawk Down
Vietnam: The War That Changed America
Breaking Ranks: Inside Israel’s War Exposure
The Covid Contracts: Follow The Money
Gaza: Doctors Under Attack
Undercover In The Police: Panorama
Holocaust Memorial Day 2025
Last Night Of The Proms: Finale
VE Day 80: A Celebration To Remember
Grooming Survivors Speak (BBC Newsnight)
Israel-Iran: The Twelve Day War (Channel 4 News)
Gaza: Fight For Survival (Sky News)
Louis Theroux: The Settlers
Unforgotten: The Bradford City Fire
Children’s Non-Scripted
The Wonderfully Weird World Of Gumball
Jamie snaps at the psychologist (Adolescence)
“I didn’t make it, did I?” (Big Boys)
Police are warned of an ambush plot to silence a key witness (Blue Lights)
Alan Carr wins (The Celebrity Traitors)
Bob Mortimer and Richard Ayoade speed-date (Last One Laughing UK)
Byron introduces herself as Paris (What It Feels Like For A Girl)
The 2026 TV Baftas will take place on Sunday 10 May, with Greg Davies taking over from Alan Cumming on presenting duties.
Politics
End-of-winter tent collection at the France-UK border – crowdfunder launches
Three of Calais Appeal’s members, La Capuche Mobilisée, Utopia 56 & Refugee Women’s Centre, are launching a crowdfunder to purchase urgently needed tents for people stuck at the France-UK border.
Every year, tens of thousands of people on the move spend time at the France-UK border whilst seeking to claim asylum in the UK. In Calais and Dunkirk, at any one time there are around 2,000 people having to sleep outside, in tents or under tarpaulins.
Tent stocks running low
At the end of a winter marked by harsh weather conditions, stocks are currently so limited that single men have to wait up to two weeks to receive a tent through Calais Appeal’s organisations.
This situation of material precarity gets even worse with frequent evictions, which the UK government funds. During these, the French authorities take people’s personal belongings (including tents and sleeping bags) away.
As long ago as 2020, the Canary was reporting that living conditions in Calais could be driving refugees to attempt crossing the channel to the UK.
Utopia 56 works in Calais and Dunkirk with the most vulnerable groups, particularly unaccompanied minors. It distributes emergency supplies such as tents, sleeping bags and other essential items.
Refugee Women’s Centre, also active in Calais and Dunkirk, focuses on supporting women and families. It combines material aid, access to hygiene and medical care, and psychosocial support.
Finally, La Capuche, an association which started in January 2025, distributes tents and runs a free clothing shop where people can choose their own clothes. It also manages a recently established community laundry system.
The goal of this crowdfunder is to raise €10,000, which would allow Calais Appeal to buy 1,000 tents, costing €10 / £9 each. Reaching this target will allow Calais Appeal to continue distributing tents for another month.
Featured image via Calais Appeal / La Capuche Mobilisée
Politics
Bridgerton Season 5 Will Focus On Francesca And Michaela’s Love Story, Netflix Confirms
Bridgerton bosses have finally confirmed that Hannah Dodd will be taking the lead in the next season of the hit period drama.
After much speculation, Netflix announced on Tuesday afternoon that season five would focus on the love story between Francesca Bridgerton and Michaela Stirling (played by Masali Budaza), the first time the show has had a same-sex romance as its main plot.
It also marks something of a departure from the Francesca romance outlined in the Bridgerton novel When He Was Wicked.
While in the book, Francesca falls in love with her late husband’s cousin, Michael Stirling, this character was gender-swapped for the TV adaptation.
Showrunner Jess Brownell previously said: “I didn’t want to just insert a queer character for queer character’s sake. I want to tell a story that accurately reflects a queer experience, and the first time I read Francesca’s book, I really identified with it as a queer woman.”
Jess went on to say that she related to Francesca, who is described in the books as feeling “different” without “really knowing why”.
“As a queer woman, a lot of my queer experience, and I think a lot of my friends’ [experiences have] been about that sense of feeling different, and navigating what that means,” she explained.
Bridgerton author Julia Quinn also gave this move her personal seal of approval, insisting: “Anyone who has seen an interview with me from the past four years knows that I am deeply committed to the Bridgerton world becoming more diverse and inclusive as the stories move from book to screen.”

Production on season five of Bridgerton is officially underway, following the success of the fourth run, which concluded last month.
Fans could still be in for a bit of a wait until their next trip to the Ton, though, with Francesca and Michaela’s season expected to premiere in late 2027 at the earliest.
Politics
Miley Cyrus’ Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special: 7 Best Moments
If you grew up hooked on Hannah Montana, Miley Cyrus has a very special nostalgic present you’re going to absolutely love.
To commemorate 20 years since she first donned that iconic blonde wig, the Grammy winner recently took part in an exciting anniversary special, which premiered on Disney+ in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Over the course of the hour-long special, Miley revisited the classic Disney Channel series, performing iconic songs from its soundtrack, taking part in one-off skits and interviews and reuniting with almost the entire cast.
Here are seven of the biggest highlights from Hannah Montana’s 20th anniversary special, including stand-out performances, surprise revelations and A-list guests…
1. It turns out Miley Cyrus almost missed out on the role of Hannah Montana completely
Miley Cyrus’ long and complicated road to being cast as Hannah Montana is a well-documented one, with the child performer originally auditioning when she was far too young for the part, only to be asked back around a year later when producers deemed they couldn’t find anyone as good as her.
However, what fans might not realise is just how close Miley came to not being cast in the show at all.
Former Disney exec Gary Marsh recalled: “We were down to the last two girls, and you were this 12-year-old pistol, raw and real, and fresh out of Tennessee. And you both left… there [were] 10 people in the room, and we took a vote. It was not a landslide.
“People put forth their real opinion, and I had made a decision, and I wrote an email to the team. It said, ’we pride ourselves not just on creating great television, but on creating stars. I’m ready to pull the trigger on Miley. Is she a risk? Unquestionably true. Is she a potential star? Absolutely.
“’And whatever comes of this decision, I’m thrilled that all of us will be able to sit down over a drink in a few years and remember this moment when we decided to forsake the safe route for the riskier one and the greater reward’.”
2. Miley Cyrus had a surprising revelation about dating a fellow child star during her Hannah Montana days
“Dylan Sprouse was my boyfriend,” Miley admitted, referring to the child star, who at the time was known for The Suite Life Of Zac & Cody and his work as Ben on Friends. “I think he was the cutest.”
She added that Dylan and his twin brother Cole Sprouse’s father “would take us to sushi”.
Miley quipped: “It was a two-for-one. Like, bring the brother. Hello!”

Jim Smeal/BEI/Shutterstock
The future chart-topper would go on to share the screen with her childhood sweetheart in a cross-over episode between Hannah Montana, The Suite Life Of Zac & Cody and That’s So Raven.
3. Miley Cyrus also had a great story about how Taylor Swift came to write music for the Hannah Montana movie
As well as writing songs for Hannah Montana: The Movie, Taylor Swift also made a cameo in the 2009 film.
“This was kind of the beginning of her career,” Miley recalled in the new special. “They were looking for someone that would authentically – no shade – be performing in a barn.”
She continued: “We both performed in the barn, and so she came into the performance, and she had written a song for the Hannah Montana movie, maybe even two. But she actually wrote the finale song, You’ll Always Find Your Way Back Home.”
“Credit where credit’s due. She ate with that one,” Miley added.
4. Miley Cyrus was also reunited with another fellow Disney alum in the Hannah Montana special: Selena Gomez
Miley and Selena Gomez started their careers around the same time, with the latter appearing in Disney projects like Wizards Of Waverly Place around the time Hannah Montana was becoming a TV and musical phenomenon.
Selena even appeared in three episodes of the show as Mikayla, a rival pop star to Hannah Montana.
As a surprise for Miley during one segment, Selena made an impromptu appearance in the anniversary special, where they reflected on their early starts on the Disney Channel.
“The whole Meet Miley album was my life,” the Only Murders In The Building star enthused. “You created culture, babe!”
5. The Hannah Montana special also featured an unexpected appearance from Chappell Roan
One thing producers managed to keep under wraps before the special was that it would feature a short interview between Miley and woman of the hour, Chappell Roan, who was a Hannah Montana superfan growing up.
During their conversation, the Pink Pony Club singer also thanked Miley for her contributions to pop culture, claiming: “You walked so I could run. What I do on stage [or] when I go on a red carpet and I can just be… that’s because you took a lot of heat for that in 2012 and 2013. I don’t have to deal with that as much because the world took it out on you.”
Chappell added: “I’m so grateful that I get to be a part of this – I mean, I grew up watching Hannah at my grandparents’ house. It just means so much and I’m so grateful to you.”
6. Of course, the Hannah Montana special featured plenty of musical performances, but this rendition of The Best Of Both Worlds is what fans have really been waiting for
We’re definitely going to have that on repeat for the foreseeable…
7. And in case you’re wondering, yes, Miley Cyrus can still Hoedown Throwdown with the best of ’em
Once you’ve popped it, locked it and, indeed, polka dotted it, you clearly never forget it.
Hannah Montana: 20th Anniversary Special is now streaming on Disney+.
Politics
11 Minutes More Sleep Could Reduce Heart Attack Risk
If you think taking care of your health is an all-or-nothing game, we have some reassuring news: a paper published in February found that sleeping for five minutes longer, exercising for two minutes more, and eating an added half-portion of veggies a day may be enough to extend your lifespan.
And now, a study in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology has shared that tiny changes to your lifestyle can significantly decrease your risk of heart attack, too.
Dr Nicholas Koemel, the study’s lead author, said: “Combining small changes in a few areas of our lives can have a surprisingly large positive impact on our cardiovascular health.
“This is very encouraging news because making a few small, combined changes is likely more achievable and sustainable for most people when compared with attempting major changes in a single behaviour”.
What changes can help to reduce the risk of a heart attack?
This research followed over 53,000 participants in the UK Biobank study over eight years. They looked at diet (self-reported), sleep, and exercise (both measured with wearable devices), and compared those scores to participants’ heart attack rates.
They found that the people least likely to suffer heart attacks followed these behaviours:
- Sleeping from eight to nine hours a night,
- Doing 42 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity a day,
- Having a “modest” diet quality score.
That was linked to a 57% lower risk of heart attack compared to the least healthy groups.
But a 10% risk reduction can be achieved with:
- 11 extra minutes of sleep,
- 4.5 added minutes of moderate to vigorous activity a day, and
- About 50g (a quarter of a US cup measurement) of additional vegetables.
Don’t “overlook” tiny-seeming changes
Dr Koemel said that this study should help us remember the importance of tiny lifestyle tweaks.
“Making even modest shifts in our daily routines is likely to have cardiovascular benefits as well as create opportunities for further changes in the long run,” he shared.
“I would encourage people not to overlook the importance of making a small change or two to your daily routine, no matter how small they may seem.”
And the study’s lead author, Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, added, “We plan to build on these findings to develop new digital tools that support people in making positive lifestyle changes and establish sustained healthy habits.
“This will involve working closely with community members to make sure the tools are easy to use and can address the barriers we all face in making tweaks to our day-to-day routines.”
Politics
Project Hail Mary Directors Reflect On Meryl Streep Rocky Voice Cameo
Between its hilarious advertising campaign, Ryan Gosling back in full leading man mode and Oscar nominee Sandra Hüller delivering a karaoke performance for the ages, Project Hail Mary is the movie the whole world is talking about right now.
Adapted from the popular Andy Weir novel of the same name, the sci-fi adventure features an impressive cast that also includes Industry’s Ken Leung and The Bear’s Lionel Boyce – but the fact that one of Hollywood’s most recognisable names is also in the movie might have passed you by.
Meryl Streep is one of the voices of the alien Rocky, with directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller having now opened up about exactly how they managed to snag the three-time Oscar winner for their new movie.
When putting together the character of Rocky, Phil and Chris began by doing “a bunch of silly voices ourselves”, before inviting members of the crew to try it out themselves.
Phil recalled to Entertainment Weekly: “We tried to imagine voices that would be preloaded into a text-to-speech kind of translator.”
It was then that the idea to try and secure Streep for the part, with the directors turning to the legendary producer Amy Pascal in the hopes that her existing relationship with the Devil Wears Prada star might play in their favour.

“And then she did, and she was wonderful,” Phil said, with Chris adding: “she was so fun and thoughtful and playful and did a million different versions: ‘I’ll do more. You want me to try this? Try that?’.
“But every time you rehearsed in the mirror, going, ‘Meryl, would you by any chance want to play a rejected voice of an alien?’ Just trying to explain it to her… ‘You know what? I’m going to ask her tomorrow’.”
Interestingly, Project Hail Mary is one of two films featuring voice work from Meryl in cinemas now, with the legendary actor also playing a role in the new Pixar project Hoppers.
These two movies have brought an and to a hiatus from the big screen of almost five years from Meryl, who last appeared in the film Don’t Look Up.
In that time, she has appeared in several TV roles, though, most notably the award-winning mystery comedy Only Murders In The Building.
Later this year, she’s also due to reprise the role of Miranda Priestley in the long-awaited Devil Wears Prada sequel, released 20 years after the original movie.
Politics
The House Article | Trade in a turbulent world: how should the UK respond?

3 min read
This week, trade ministers from across the world will gather at the 14th World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
They will do so amid a turbulent context for trade, the rules that govern it, and international relations more broadly. President Trump’s tariffs, growing protectionism elsewhere, and the fall-out from wars in Ukraine and the Middle East have injected considerable volatility into the global system. It is a challenging time for those of us who support free trade.
This global instability has generated acute challenges for the rules-based system for trade. In response to President Trump’s tariffs, there has been a growing proliferation of so-called ‘mini deals’ as countries scramble to mitigate the impact on their economies. The UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal (EPD) is one such example. The EPD is a strange beast – it is not legally binding, only covers a handful of sectors, mixes specific commitments with more aspirational ones, has only partially been implemented, and does not appear to be compatible with WTO rules on non-discrimination. When the International Agreements Committee, which I have recently joined as Chair, examined the EPD, we warned that the Government “should be wary of implicitly supporting the dismantling of the system in this way.” And whilst the EPD was clearly borne of pragmatism, it is far from clear that it will offer businesses the stability they crave.
Yet the UK is far from alone in pursuing a realpolitik approach with the US; several others, including the EU, have signed similar “deals”. And in parallel, the growing importance of the services sector and digital economy, historically neglected in traditional Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) but vital for the UK’s economic growth, has contributed to a growth in sector-specific agreements. Taken together, these developments throw debates about WTO reform into sharp relief.
The UK’s approach to trade agreements is also evolving. In the immediate aftermath of Brexit, the focus was on FTAs, but since then there has been a move away from FTAs and towards a broader suite of trade instruments – embedded in the current Government’s Trade Strategy. As trade minister in the last Government, I signed dozens of non-binding Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs). Many of these were symbolic, but there is a growing trend to use these for more substantive commitments.
To make sense of these shifting sands, my Committee has recently launched a new inquiry into the future of rules-based trade and the UK’s use of trade instruments. We encourage anyone with knowledge or experience in this area to come forward and share their views, so that we can undertake our duty of scrutiny effectively and make impactful recommendations to the Government in the report we will produce.
While questions about different types of trade agreement may seem academic, they also have important scrutiny implications for Parliament. One of the biggest problems with the current system for scrutiny of international agreements in the UK is that scrutiny is triggered by the form of a treaty and the process the Government chooses to follow, rather than its substance. This has detrimentally affected scrutiny in the past, including with important non-trade treaties, such as with Rwanda on asylum seekers. The Government has signed up to enhanced scrutiny procedures for FTAs, but if it intends to sign up to more and more substantive trade commitments through other vehicles, that will have implications for Parliament’s ability to scrutinise these commitments. As the only Committee in Parliament which scrutinises treaties as routine, the hope for our Committee is that our new inquiry will complement our wider scrutiny work – and underline the case for reforms to the treaty scrutiny process.
Politics
Politics Home Article | Implementing the National Cancer Plan at pace and scale

The new National Cancer Plan aims to improve outcomes through earlier diagnosis, faster treatment and person-centred care. AstraZeneca urges bold, system-wide adoption of proven innovations at pace and scale to turn ambition into reality
This article has been sponsored and funded by AstraZeneca.
The publication of the new National Cancer Plan for England marks a pivotal moment for people affected by cancer. At AstraZeneca, the ambition to one day eliminate cancer as a cause of death drives every aspect of our oncology strategy. In the United Kingdom, we bring this to life through our Cancer: Project Zero.
This new National Cancer Plan is a necessary step toward achieving the future envisioned in Cancer: Project Zero.
The plan’s headline target – three in four people with cancer will live well for at least five years with or beyond cancer by 2035 – is ambitious. As is the more immediate goal to recover all cancer waiting times by March 2029. But can this be achieved within this parliament?
What’s powerful about this plan is that it looks to redesign care around people’s lives, through earlier diagnosis, faster treatment, and better support, so that no one’s postcode determines their outcome. This is a compelling vision.
We now need a rigorous focus on delivery and implementation; otherwise, there is a risk that rhetoric does not meet reality.
This requires embracing the enablers that will allow the NHS to meet rising demand while improving outcomes:
- harnessing AI and digital tools to streamline and enhance processes
- sharing data better across the system to track progress and outcomes
- optimising patient pathways to reduce unnecessary appointments and accelerate access to treatment
At AstraZeneca, we are one of many organisations working with the NHS to deploy new ways of working and advances in technology. From partnerships in Manchester to drive earlier and faster diagnosis of lung cancers, to AI triage for multidisciplinary teams in London, we are collaborating with local system leaders to gather the evidence needed to drive change on the frontline.
But how do we ensure that promising innovations move beyond pilot schemes, where many remain trapped, and into routine practice?
To do this, we must foster a culture of no-regret moves. Bold decisions to adopt the innovations we know the system needs at scale and pace, supported by clear national direction and empowered local leadership. Industry, academia, and the NHS all have roles to play, but sustained political attention will be essential to maintain momentum. Parliamentarians have a unique opportunity to champion this transformation and to ensure that the commitments in the National Cancer Plan translate into action where it matters most: in the clinics, hospitals, and cancer centres you represent across the country.
That is why I invite Members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords to join us on the morning of 24 March in the Churchill Room to learn more about Cancer: Project Zero and discuss how we accelerate implementation of the National Cancer Plan. This event will bring together experts, clinicians, and innovators to explore the practical steps needed to deliver the bold ambition we all share. By working together, we can ensure that this plan becomes more than a strategy on paper. We can turn it into a reality that changes lives.
To find out more about Cancer: Project Zero, please click here.
March 2026 | GB-74943
Politics
Signs Your Work Burnout Is A ‘Competence Hangover’
Additional comment provided by Peter Duris, CEO of Kickresume.
Burnout is alarmingly common in UK workplaces. It’s expected to affect about 65% of workers (20% of employees have taken time off for work-related stress).
That can be caused by high workload, low pay, a lack of support, and unrealistic expectations.
But if you ask Peter Duris, CEO of Kickresume, some of those people are experiencing something called a “competence hangover,” too.
What is a competence hangover?
It’s a form of burnout that happens when a worker feels solely, or mostly, responsible for keeping their workplace afloat.
You might feel that standards would drop to unacceptable levels without you, or that serious mistakes would be made in your absence – leading to immense perceived pressure.
“If you feel responsible for other people’s well-being at work, you might be more likely to push yourself further, taking on extra tasks or working later, potentially to the point of burnout,” said Duris.
Who is most likely to get a “competence hangover”?
“You can develop this issue in any kind of job, but there are some career paths where people might be more vulnerable to a ‘competence hangover,’” Duris told HuffPost UK.
“This includes jobs where workers can find themselves under a lot of emotional strain,” like medicine, teaching, and social work.
And, Duris added, personality matters too.
“Studies have shown that people who are highly conscientious are more likely to take on extra work, describing themselves as feeling exhausted and emotionally drained.
“Because they’re seen as reliable, these employees are often asked by managers to take on extra tasks on top of helping their coworkers. Managers should be mindful of this to avoid overloading their teams.”
How can I tell if I have a competence hangover?
Per Duris, some signs include:
- Feeling exhausted,
- Coming back to work after the weekend as if you haven’t had a proper rest,
- Struggling with decision-making can feel harder,
- Low creativity,
- Feeling resentful of coworkers.
“On the other hand, if you’re a manager who’s worried about one of your team members, it might come out in a one-to-one meeting, so make sure that you’re making time for these catch-ups,” he added.
When should I leave because of burnout?
Competence “hangovers” are a form of burnout that can make you feel like you need to switch jobs.
“Sometimes a couple of days off can help take the pressure off a bit. But people whose exhaustion is deeper than this might find themselves needing to use sick leave, or consider leaving their job,” he said.
“Even if you love your work and you’re a high performer, it’s not worth risking your wellbeing and your health.
If you have a supportive manager and workplace, he added, relying on the people you work with more could help to ease your stress.
“But if you can’t rely on the other people at your company to pick up the slack after you’ve been giving it your all to keep everything going – to the point that you’ve burned out – it might be time to start thinking about a change of direction,” he ended.
Politics
Farage Urged To Sack Reform Candidate After Insulting Remarks
Nigel Farage has been urged to sack Reform’s mayoral candidate after he compared a Jewish community group to “Islamists on horseback”.
Chris Parry, who is standing to be the mayor of Hampshire, made the shocking comment about members of a Jewish neighbourhood safeguarding group called Shomrim.
His remarks came hours after an arson attack on ambulances run by a Jewish charity, Hatzola, in North London, which works alongside Shomrim.
Parry, who previously courted controversy for claiming deputy prime minister David Lammy should “go home” to the Caribbean, reposted a post on X, asking: “Can Christian’s [sic] in Britain set up their own police and patrol certain neighbourhoods?”
Parry added: “Remember that these cosplayers have no more jurisdiction or legal authority than ordinary citizens.”
After another user questioned the mayoral candidate over the depiction of Shomrim, he wrote: “They are a community organisation, not a legal entity. It’s the same with Islamists on horseback. But if it offends you, I’ll remove it.”
He later told the Guardian: “Most people on X commenting seem to be confusing various community action groups with the real police. Keen that people understand that.”
The retired rear admiral is set to stand in the Hampshire and the Solent mayoral election in 2028.
A Labour Party spokesperson hit out at the Reform party leader for keeping Parry on.
They said: “Nigel Farage should have done the right thing and booted Chris Parry out of Reform UK months ago. He’s previously made a huge number of appalling and racist comments and faced no action – he simply isn’t fit to be a candidate for public office.
“All politicians should be standing squarely with the Jewish community in the face of appalling antisemitism – particularly after the despicable antisemitic attack in Golders Green last night.
“The fact Nigel Farage has repeatedly failed to take any action against Chris Parry shows how far he’s willing to drag politics into the gutter. Labour will always stand with the Jewish community and continue working to ensure they are not subjected to racism, discrimination, or violence.”
Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesperson Max Wilkinson also lashed out at Parry’s remarks.
He said: “Nigel Farage should act now to drop Chris Parry as Reform’s Hampshire mayoral candidate. These remarks were deeply insensitive, insulting and not befitting of someone who wants to hold public office.
“At a time when we are all thinking of the Jewish community after such a disturbing attack, these comments will compound the pain so many people are already feeling.”
Reform UK has been contacted for comment.
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