Downing Street has insisted that the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands is “not in question” following reports the US could review Britain’s claim to the Falkland Islands as revenge for a lack of support in the Iran war.

An internal Pentagon email set out options for Mr Trump’s administration to punish Nato allies for refusing to join the US-Israeli strikes against Iran.

The memo, first reported by Reuters, suggests reassessing US ‌diplomatic support for “imperial possessions” such as the Falklands.

But on Friday morning, No 10 insisted that “sovereignty rests with the UK”, adding that Britain will not be “pressured on the Iran war”.

It came as Admiral Lord West of Spithead – the commanding officer of HMS Ardent, a frigate that was sunk in the Falklands War – told The Independent the reports were an “insult to the autonomous, self-reliant and free people of the Falkland Islands”, adding: “How dare they!”

But he also dismissed the threats, saying that, militarily, losing US support for British sovereignty would have “no impact”.

“The recognition or otherwise by the US does not make the islands less secure,” the former Royal Navy commander-in-chief added.

Asked about the reports, the prime minister’s official spokesman said: “The Falkland Islands have hugely voted overwhelmingly in favour of remaining a UK overseas territory, and we’ve always stood behind the islanders’ right to self-determination and the fact that sovereignty rests with the UK.”

The spokesman was also asked if Britain was ready to defend the islands from any threats, and replied: “The question of the Falkland Islands and the UK’s sovereignty and the islanders’ right to self-determination is not in question, and we’ve expressed that position clearly and consistently.”

Pressed further if the UK could defend the Falklands, he described the question as a “hypothetical”, adding: “That is not the situation we are in.”

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said a potential US policy review was “absolute nonsense”, and compared it to Donald Trump’s previous threat to annex Greenland.

“The Falkland Islands are British, they have been for a very long time. The sovereignty is British sovereignty,” she told broadcasters.

“I don’t know what Donald Trump is talking about. This sounds like the sort of thing he was saying when it came to Greenland.

“I don’t think we need to take it that seriously just yet, we need to make sure that we are very determined in protecting British sovereign territory, and that includes the Falkland Islands as well as Chagos.”

Now a British Overseas Territory, the Falkland Islands’ defence is provided by the United Kingdom at a permanent military base, RAF Mount Pleasant, which was built on the Falklands and opened in 1985 by the Duke of York.

The base, which is solely operated by British forces and is not shared with the US, is a key military asset, as it forms the centre of the British military’s presence in the South Atlantic, with between 1,300 and 1,700 military and civilian personnel based there at any one time.

The leaked memo, which includes an option to reassess US diplomatic support for longstanding European “imperial possessions”, such as the Falkland Islands, lays bare the tense relations between Britain and the Trump administration, which have broken down in the wake of the Iran war.

The islands are administered by the UK but are still claimed by Argentina, whose libertarian president, Javier Milei, is a Trump ally.

Britain and Argentina fought a brief war in 1982 over the islands after Argentina made a failed bid to take them. Some 650 Argentine soldiers and 255 British troops died before Argentina surrendered.

The US president has hit out repeatedly at Nato allies since he launched his offensive in Iran, branding the alliance a “paper tiger” and threatening to withdraw from the alliance altogether.

He has also repeatedly attacked Britain and Sir Keir Starmer, saying he was “no Winston Churchill” after he initially refused to grant a request from the US to attack Iran from British bases.

Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson said the US War Department will ensure Mr Trump “has credible options to ensure that our allies are no longer a paper tiger and instead do their part”.

“As President Trump has said, despite everything that the United States has done for our Nato allies, they were not there for us,” she said.

Mr Trump has also openly considered withdrawing from Nato, asking, “Wouldn’t you if you were me?” when questioned about the possibility of a US pullout earlier this month.

Benjamin Netanyahu has revealed he underwent treatment for early-stage prostate cancer.

The Israeli prime minister, 76, announced on Friday that he had been treated for a malignant tumour following surgery on an enlarged prostate at the end of 2024.

He said that he had asked to delay the publication of his annual medication report, released today, to avoid it being shared at the height of the Iran conflict.

Netanyahu insisted he is now “healthy” and “in excellent condition”, after electing to have targeted treatment.

“A year and a half ago, I underwent successful surgery for an enlarged benign prostate, and since then I have been under routine medical monitoring,” he said.

“In the last monitoring, a tiny spot of less than a centimetre was discovered in the prostate. Upon examination, it turned out to be a very early stage of a malignant tumour, with no spread or metastases whatsoever.”

He said he elected to undergo treatment at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem that “removed the problem and left no trace of it”.

He said he had been advised he could undergo treatment to “remove the problem” or live with it.

“You already know me. When I’m given information in time about a potential danger, I want to address it immediately,” he said.

“This is true on the national level and also on the personal level. That’s what I did.”

Netanyahu said he had sought to delay the publication of his health report by two months “in order not to allow the Iranian terror regime to spread even more false propaganda against Israel”.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — It was 1972 and Apollo astronauts Harrison “Jack” Schmitt and Eugene Cernan had just stepped onto the moon’s surface to begin collecting rock and soil samples.

The mission would mark the end of an era for the American space program, but Schmitt already was looking to the future. His voice crackling over a high-frequency radio signal that day, he shared his thoughts with Cernan and those listening in at Mission Control.

“Well, I tell you Gene, I think the next generation ought to accept this as a challenge. Let’s see them leave footsteps like these someday,” Schmitt said.

Schmitt, 90, is one of the four Apollo moonwalkers still alive today. A field geologist, he was the first scientist to set foot on the moon and his expertise helped answer questions about the origin of that big rock up there and what it tells us about the solar system.

Schmitt felt the thrill again when the Artemis II crew rocketed into space on a historic lunar flyby. Pure excitement and the potential for so much more. And he’s hopeful as new generations get back to the moon and beyond.

Interviewed by The Associated Press, the former U.S. senator from New Mexico spoke about everything from the importance of having a lunar base to tapping new energy sources and whether we’re alone in the universe. Dark matter and quantum entanglement also were mentioned, with Schmitt saying many discoveries are yet to come.

“You’ve just got to remember,” he said, “what used to be called supernatural probably should be called unknown physics.”

This interview has been edited for brevity.

Q: What about having a lunar base?

Well, I think a lunar base makes a lot of sense and it always has for a lot of reasons. One is geopolitical. Probably the most important one is a geopolitical presence in deep space — and in preparation for going on to Mars.

The moon has resources that are going to reduce the cost of actually going to Mars and it gains experience. One of the things people keep forgetting about is you’ve gone through several generations and the new generation has to gain experience — psychologically as well as practically about how you work in deep space. And they’re doing that. That was probably the most important part of Artemis II, is it gave the ground people, Mission Control and others, the experience now to really have the risk as real rather than as part of a simulation.

Q: What was your mission during Apollo 17?

I had a lot of understanding of what other crews had learned, what had been learned from some of the early sample analyses and so we were trying to put sort of the frosting on the cake of answering questions in a very complex geologic area called Taurus-Littrow.

Taurus-Littrow actually is deeper than the Grand Canyon and so it has a three-dimensional aspect to it that we hadn’t had on other missions. And plus having a field geologist like myself on board meant that we should be more efficient at gathering samples that had a meaningful aspect to our further understanding of the origin of the moon, its relationship to the Earth and, it turns out, also its relationship to the history of the sun.

Q: So we’re building upon our knowledge of the universe around us?

Well there’s no question that the moon has a history to tell us.

It’s been recording the history of the solar system ever since the solar system formed about 4.5 billion years ago. That is really what the moon gives us — that library of knowledge, of potential knowledge about how the solar system evolved and then what the sun has been doing in that 4.5 billion years.

In the recent work that I’ve been doing in that layer of debris, the regolith, we find that the sun became even more active than it had been about the same time as we had an explosion of life in the oceans on Earth, and so the oceans may have been and almost certainly were warming to that more active sun and life likes warmth. So it multiplied not only in quantity but in diversity. The mammals started to appear soon after that, life started to move up onto the continents that had formed so things were really starting to move about a half-billion years ago.

Q: Tell us about the moon rocks

This is a sample of a basalt lava and we have a lot of basalt lavas here in New Mexico. This is different in that it is rich in titanium, more rich than most terrestrial basalts. And that titanium turns out to be very important in terms of the resources that are available on the moon. It has a property of concentrating some of those resources, particularly hydrogen and helium.

There’s an isotope called helium-3 and that is going to be, I think, ultimately very, very important in the production of energy. It’s going to be extremely useful in quantum computing, in cancer therapy and other things here on Earth. We just don’t have much on Earth, so the moon is going to be a our reservoir, our source of this very important isotope of helium-3.

Q: How important will this isotope be in the future?

Helium-3 offers a possibility of having nuclear energy without nuclear waste. We’ve known that for decades, and so the moon now offers that opportunity to begin to substitute a nuclear form of energy that doesn’t produce nuclear waste for what we have today.

Q: Is it just as much an energy race as a space race?

There’s no question about it. China is interested in it, we’re interested in it. And that’s probably one of the big technological drivers of this new race to the moon, a new space race, a Cold War that’s on now primarily involving China and I think helium-3 is a big actor in that right now.

Q: What was it like in the Taurus-Littrow Valley?

First of all, we were in a valley deeper than the Grand Canyon. The mountains on either side were as high as the Grand Canyon from the bottom. Secondly, you’re in one-sixth gravity so that means you can walk much more easily than you could here on Earth. Now we were covered by a pressure suit but still walking around was like being a kid again, just one-sixth of your height and if you fell you didn’t fall very hard and you certainly didn’t cry about it. But the moon is really a very easy place to work so as long as you have the right equipment surrounding you. You have to have that atmosphere of course to breathe.

Q: Any downsides to working in a weightless environment?

For me, it was a very comfortable environment to be in and you get a little bit lazy. For example, if you’re taking notes with a pad of paper and a pen or pencil and somebody says would you take the SCS switch to off, well you just let go and it floats there and you go over to the switch and come back and start to dictate those notes again.

You’ve got to be careful though because you’re brain gets lazy. When I got on the carrier after splashdown, I was taking my first drink of water and I just let go of the cup and of course it broke on the floor. Human beings tend to take advantage of their environment very quickly and the brain does get a little bit lazy like that. It took about three days to get comfortable again back here on Earth.

Q: So we’ll have no problem living on the moon?

No, I think living on the moon is going to be very good. Now long term civilization on the moon, there’s still some major issues. The radiation issue has to be dealt with and we can. There are ways to do that. Going to Mars is another issue and that’s why you’ll almost certainly need fusion rockets to cut that time frame.

Q: We’ve heard a lot lately about UFOs. What are your thoughts on that?

Well there are billions of sunlike stars out there and so you just have to imagine that life may have originated on some other planet, although the conditions for life to originate here on Earth are really unique. Everything sort of fit together and creation for us sort of leads to you thinking of an infinitely intelligent being that made it all happen. But the technical potential statistically is very high that you could have had the similar kind of conditions develop elsewhere in the universe.

Now are they visiting us? My feeling is if they’re really so advanced they could be here, they’d communicate better than they have and so I just don’t know. But it’s plausible. Let’s put it that way. Unlikely maybe, but plausible.

Q: Would you take the opportunity to go back to the moon or to Mars?

Oh surely. Teresa, my wife, would like very much to go with me — that would be one condition. But I think a trip to Mars is going to be fantastic for those people.

So youth is extremely important and the education of those youth particularly in mathematics is extraordinarily important, and NASA now has a younger agency than they had grown to be during the shuttle era.

Look what has happened since Apollo. The commercial sector has developed new technologies, new ways of doing things and NASA is now trying to integrate those into a new approach to deep space exploration.

Head coach Eddie Howe says he is looking forward to sitting down with Newcastle United‘s owners next week to “express things from my perspective”.

Chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan and a delegation from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) are due to visit the north east of England next week.

The meetings at Matfen Hall in Northumberland were scheduled long before Newcastle slipped to 14th place in the Premier League.

Similar summits took place last season as the club’s hierarchy once again convenes for department meetings and discussions about future plans, including long-term infrastructure projects.

“It something that happens regularly so it’s nothing out of the norm for us,” Howe said.

“I always like the chance to talk directly to the owners and to express things from my perspective.

“It’s something we have always done and I look forward to that next week.”

Although Howe’s future has come under increasing scrutiny from those outside the club, the head coach has been heavily involved in preparations for next season, including pre-season plans and discussions about transfers.

It is set to be a busy window for Newcastle amid doubts over the long-term situations of a number of key players such as Anthony Gordon, Tino Livramento and Sandro Tonali.

Following a run of eight defeats in 11 games in the Premier League, Howe acknowledged “there might be bigger changes in the summer than was maybe previously thought”.

“It’s about attitude, commitment to the team,” he said. “I think the players would expect that, I think they understand the demands and the role they’re in.

“It’s a high-demand, high-pressure role where you’re constantly judged and people are making assessments over your future.

“There’s a responsibility in every moment to try to be at your best. That responsibility falls on me as well to make sure I’m delivering the best I can for the players and staff to create an environment we can win in.

“It goes with the territory and I think the players understand it.”

“I don’t like the politics of Reform, I stand up to the politics of Reform at all times, I don’t want to see them gaining a foothold in the governance of any part of the United Kingdom, because I think they will just spread further division and disagreement and hostility within our society.”

A delay to Take-Two’s financial call has led to hopes for a new GTA 6 trailer, but are fans just fooling themselves?

GTA 6 is still over six months away, assuming it will actually launch on November 19 this year, so fans are naturally speculating over when to expect the next trailer.

We’ve only had two trailers for GTA 6 so far. The first debuted in December 2023, while the second arrived on May 6, 2025, shortly after Rockstar delayed the game to 2026. There’s already so much anticipation for the sequel another trailer could be skipped entirely, but there’s an assumption that we’ll get at least one more before launch.

GTA 6 fans are known for getting their hopes up over tenuous crumbs of information, but the new reason for their excitement revolves around Rockstar owner Take-Two’s confirmation that it will report its fourth quarter earnings on Thursday, May 21, 2026.

So why are fans getting in a tizz? There’s no proven correlation between Take-Two financial reports and GTA 6 announcements (aside from last year’s trailer arriving in the preceding week), but there’s a slight irregularity in that next month’s report is arriving one week later than usual.

There could be plenty of boring corporate reasons for this delay, but if you’re feverishly anticipating GTA 6, it’s just enough of a reason to start making up theories.

As noted by several GTA 6 fan accounts, many believe this delay is connected to a planned GTA 6 announcement, possibly Trailer 3 or the opening of pre-orders.

On X, GTA fan account GameRoll wrote: ‘I personally believe that it’s quite likely Rockstar will drop GTA 6 news sometime during the weeks leading up to this call (which is what happened last year).’

Over on Reddit, one fan wrote: ‘Surely they’re gonna want to announce pre-order figures at this one. I’m guessing [Trailer 3] + pre-orders going live maybe a week before, sometime between the 12th to 14th.’

‘Never has an earnings call been so anticipated,’ another added.

Rockstar could make an announcement in the run-up to the earnings call, but as we etch closer to GTA 6’s launch date in November, the likelihood of a new trailer grows anyway, so the two things aren’t necessarily connected. After all, at this point, it’s not like Take-Two has to do anything extra to impress investors.

Recently, an insider predicted the next GTA 6 trailer won’t arrive until at least July, which would line-up with comments from Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick about ramping up the game’s marketing in the summer.

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North Yorkshire Council has received a permission in principle application for the development on land south of Hillfoot in Harmby, near Leyburn.

Up to six houses are planned on agricultural land next to the village’s playing fields.

Maria Ferguson, agent for applicant Richard Stirk, said in supporting papers filed with the application: “The proposed development is commensurate with the scale of the village and the availability services, and the site is located adjacent to settlement limits.

“The site is accessible and well related to existing facilities and within the capacity of existing infrastructure.

“As demonstrated in the information supporting the application, development can be achieved on the site without an adverse impact on the character of the settlement, important open spaces, heritage assets, or the character of the landscape.”

The agent notes that the council is currently unable to demonstrate a five-year land supply for new housing, as required by the government.

She adds: “If there is harm arising, this must be balanced against housing need and the significant social and economic benefits of delivering new housing with the presumption in favour of sustainable development applying.”

But the petition submitted to the council states that the proposed site is not allocated for housing in the current local plan and had not been identified for development in a recent call for sites for the next plan.

In its response, Harmby Parish Council says the site lies beyond the established development line for Harmby.

It adds: “As such, the proposal represents encroachment into open countryside, contrary to established planning policy intended to protect rural character and prevent unsustainable expansion.

“Harmby is predominantly characterised by bungalows and modest dwellings.

“The introduction of up to six larger properties would create a stark visual mismatch and erode the existing character of the village. The development would appear prominent and intrusive, particularly in views approaching and within the village.”

More than 20 people have also written to the council to object to the application.

One member of the public said: “This proposal is clearly out of keeping with the character of Harmby.

“The site is unsuitable for housing as it would spoil the street scene and ruin the magnificent view towards Middleham currently enjoyed by residents and those, like myself, who regularly use the footway past Hillfoot.”

Another resident said: “There is inadequate parking for the existing residents; cars are parked on the majority of the road, including opposite the proposed development site making, driving along the road problematic.

“Further housing will only increase the traffic volume, further exacerbating the current issues.”

“Carlisle is set for an incredible weekend of action and family fun,” said Peter Richardson, Managing Director of RA Monster Events.

“Motorfest brings together the excitement of monster trucks, high-energy stunt performances, and a full festival atmosphere that families can enjoy together. We’re looking forward to bringing the show to Carlisle and giving visitors a weekend to remember.”

Motorfest brings together high-energy stunt performances (Image: Monster Events)

The event will feature roaring monster truck mayhem in the main arena, alongside live stunt performances from skilled riders and performers. Visitors can also enjoy family attractions throughout the day, creating a full day-out experience for children and adults alike.

RA Monster Events has built a reputation for delivering large-scale live entertainment across the UK, combining motorsport thrills with family-friendly festival experiences.

Event details

Monster Events combines motorsport thrills with family-friendly festival experiences (Image: Monster Events)

Dates: Saturday and Sunday, April 25 – 26

Location: Carlisle Racecourse, Durdar Rd, Carlisle CA2 4TS

Times: Saturday: 10am to 10.30pm, Sunday: 10am to 7.30pm (free parking)

The Carlisle event is the next stop in the company’s growing 2026 nationwide Motorfest tour, which includes more than 40 locations across the UK.

Tickets are still available with a new discount code: CARLISLE25, that gives an extra 25% off the ticket prices shown when entered at checkout.

For more information visit the RA Monster Events website.

Bray in County Wicklow is home to the famous Harbour Bar – the pub once voted the world’s best by Lonely Planet – and the Northern Irish Traveller went to find out if it still lives up to the hype

A content creator explored a beautiful coastal town less than 40 minutes from Dublin, before sampling a pint of Guinness in a venue once crowned the world’s finest pub.

Bray in County Wicklow boasts a seafront promenade and a stunning coastal cliff walk, offering some of Ireland’s most breathtaking vistas.

Dubbed the Gateway to the Garden of Ireland, the town earned recognition in 2023 when Time Out listed it among the globe’s “underrated travel destinations”.

Mark Rowan, a YouTuber also recognised as Stumpy or the Northern Ireland Traveller, set out to experience it firsthand.

Addressing his audience, he remarked: “Hello everyone, what’s the craic? So, today I’m in the beautiful little town of Bray in County Wicklow, Ireland. And today I’m here to do a pub crawl and see if I can find myself a good pint of Guinness.”

The popular excursion spot sits just 20km south of Dublin, and one particular establishment caught Stumpy’s attention.

He noted: “There’s a bar down there called the Harbour Bar. So I’ll have to try a pint of Guinness in there. It’s actually voted Ireland’s best bar I think. So that’ll be interesting to see how good the Guinness is.”

Prior to visiting that establishment, he sampled beverages at six other Bray watering holes, with his opening venue proving particularly noteworthy.

His initial destination was The Boomerang Bar, where a pint of Guinness set him back €6.60 (approx £5.72). Stumpy observed that the head contained not a single bubble after being served. Taking his first sip of the day, he declared: “Really really really off to a good start, a really really nice pint. If every pint is like this today, I am going to be a happy boy, that is nice.”

Sandy, who alongside her husband has run the establishment for almost three decades, confidently told Stumpy: “We have the reputation, and I am boasting, and I am saying it now, we have the best pint of Guinness in Bray, and ask any of our customers. That’s why our WiFi code (bestpintinbray) because people say it to us all the time. So I challenge you to find a nicer pint anywhere else.”

Stumpy took up the gauntlet but appeared charmed by the local pub where regulars all seemed acquainted with one another.

One willing participant spoke to the camera, introducing himself as a neighbourhood personality: “My name is Johnny, Johnny Choo Choo they call me. That’s me name because I worked on the train, and everyone’s welcome in Bray because we just do our own thing, we have a drink and we enjoy ourselves.”

Upon departing, Stumpy praised it as a “great pub” filled with exceptionally welcoming patrons, expressing his considerable admiration.

While wandering through the streets, he once more commented on how the residents of Bray were “super super friendly” and noted the town’s remarkable cleanliness.

He was also captivated by the “unbelievable scenery” before finally arriving at Harbour Bar.

A notice welcomed him proclaiming “Guinness is good for you” and Stumpy mentioned how numerous individuals had suggested he visit.

In 2010, this distinctive coastal establishment earned recognition from the Lonely Planet Guide as the globe’s finest pub, with the publication noting: “This bar has an amazingly diverse crowd and a unique look.”

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The guide continued: “The bar is littered with original antiques and interesting bric-a-brac, accumulated over 80 years, by three generations of the O’Toole family. The Harbour Bar offers a truly authentic Irish pub experience as an antidote to the sterile atmosphere of some modern pubs.”

Over the decades, the venue has welcomed numerous celebrity patrons, with Colin Farrell, Brendon Gleeson, Bono and Cillian Murphy amongst its notable visitors.

During his visit to the establishment, Stump was accompanied by content creator Wendall, who shared his verdict on the €6.80 Guinness.

Wendall commented: “Look, in Ireland, Guinness is good in nine out of 10 pubs for an Englishman. Yeah, it’s not the best pint I’ve had in Ireland, but you know, for a seaside town, it’s belting. I would give it a seven out of 10.”

While Stumpy acknowledged it wasn’t his finest Guinness of the day — possibly referencing The Boomerang Bar — he maintained it remained a “great pint”.

Wendall further observed: “With all due respect to Dublin, I’d rather hang out by the seaside here and have a €6.70 pint than be in Dublin and pay €7.50. It’s nice, clean fresh air, clean streets. No grief.”

Having departed the snug watering hole, Stumpy, whose full video is available to watch here, remarked: “This place was voted by Lonely Planet the best pub in the world. It’s a great pub but it’s definitely not the best pub in the world.”

Wendall concurred, though offered a measured counterpoint: “It’s subjective, every man’s idea of a great pub is different.”

Nigel Farage’s party has withdrawn its support for David Robert Prior, who is standing in the Saltwell ward, in Gateshead, at the upcoming local elections.

Mr Prior, whose expulsion was first reported by Jewish News, will still appear on ballot papers at the election on May 7.

His name reportedly appeared in a list of members of the far-right BNP that was previously published by WikiLeaks, a copy of which has been seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The news comes just days after Mr Farage was in the North East, during which he addressed party members at an event in Sunniside following visits to high streets in Gateshead and South Shields.

When approached for comment by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Mr Prior said: “It was 20 years ago and I am not that person any more, I am devastated to tell you the truth. I’m just devastated that something that happened 20 years ago…I don’t know what to say.” 

A Reform UK spokesperson said : “Mr Prior has been expelled from Reform UK after failing to declare his former membership of a proscribed organisation. Reform UK has withdrawn our support for his candidacy.”

Reform UK later clarified to the BBC it has proscribed the BNP itself on a list of organisations of which past or present membership is “incompatible” with membership of the party. 

The BNP is not a proscribed organisation or banned under UK law.

Mark Ferguson, the Labour MP for Gateshead Central and Whickham, said he was “sickened” by the revelation that a Reform candidate was a former BNP member.

He said: “That vile, racist and anti-Semitic party was rejected in Gateshead before, and its poison has no place in our politics now.

“Saltwell is a strong, diverse community where people of different faiths and backgrounds live side by side. Reform UK must now confirm whether any of their other candidates in Gateshead have links to the BNP – or any other extremist groups – as former members, supporters or sympathisers.

“There are decent candidates from different parties standing in these elections. I am sure they will be as shocked and disgusted as I am by what has been revealed.”

Gateshead Council’s opposition Lib Dem leader, Coun Ron Beadle, added: “The national Reform party have done the right thing by expelling this man but Gateshead Reform looks like a party that is out of control.”

All 66 council seats in Gateshead are up for grabs at the election on May 7, in a race which could radically alter the political face of the area.