Follow Daily Mail Sport’s live coverage of the latest updates as France take on Paraguay in the last 16 of the World Cup in Philadelphia.
NewsBeat
France vs Paraguay – World Cup last 16 LIVE: Underdogs look to claim ANOTHER major scalp after sending Germany home as Europeans bid to secure quarter final clash with Morocco
NewsBeat
Blair’s think tank warns Burnham against capital gains tax hike
Mr Ward-Jackson argued the UK’s “economic problem is, at its core, a risk-aversion crisis,” with capital gains tax relief “one of the few mechanisms that helps correct” UK founders’ disadvantage compared to their American counterparts, acknowledging “that investing or building a start-up means taking a huge risk and waiting years for a return”.
NewsBeat
Cambridgeshire ‘farm to fork’ shop named best in the region
The business has been family-run for more than 100 years and its farm shop opened in 2024
A Cambridgeshire ‘farm to fork’ business has taken the crown for the best farm shop in the region in the 2026 Velvet Food & Drink Awards. Willow Grange’s farm shop in Chittering has received the accolade, beating competition across Cambridgeshire and Suffolk.
Willow Grange has been family-run for more than 100 years, with its farm shop opening in October 2024. The business operates as a working farm and is also a wedding venue, can host events and has accommodation.
The business was put forward for the award last year and Michelle Alston, the judge, said Willow Grange had made “significant improvements” since its previous nomination. She said it was clear to her that “a lot of care and investment has gone into the farm shop”.
The judge added: “This was very evident as soon as I stepped inside. The shop floor was spotlessly clean and merchandised to a high standard. The product range has increased significantly and is now offering customers a great choice of high-quality products.
“The staff were excellent; they seemed well-trained in customer service and happy to be there. One staff member behind the cheese counter was a real highlight; they acknowledged me immediately, were very friendly, and their product knowledge was excellent, a real credit to their store!”
Judge Alston said she felt Willow Grange had “the best value for money”. This component combined with the “excellent staff and increased product range” set the farm shop ahead of the competition.
Reacting to the news, Kirsty Blackwell, 28, assistant manager for Willow Grange said: “We have had a lot of growth and expansion in the business and we still have lots to come this year. It was really nice that she had seen that. We were really pleased that it had been recognised and all of our hard work had been worth it.”
The farm shop has a butchers counter which is stocked with its own Hereford cows. Ms Blackwell said what makes the farm shop so special is that they “really love to support local businesses” and they have the opportunity to show customers the “farm to fork process”.
She added: “They [customers] can see exactly where the cows are living, how they are looked after and really know exactly where their meat is coming from.”
The farm offers a range of items including an alcohol selection, crisps, confectionary, cheese counter, deli counter, fresh produce and coffee from local roasters including its own exclusive blend.
It also has a home and gift section where visitors can find minimal refill products, candles, a pet section and terrariums which are made by a local lady in Ely.
NewsBeat
July 4 live: Trump’s state fair visitors told to evacuate immediately putting president’s speech in limbo
Secret Service ‘temporarily’ suspends checkpoints on National Mall
The U.S. Secret Service has “temporarily” suspended its security checkpoints on the National Mall due to “rapidly deteriorating weather conditions,” spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi wrote on X.
“No one is being admitted at this time. This action was taken solely in the interest of public safety, and we have no estimate for when screening may resume,” he added.
Katie Hawkinson5 July 2026 00:54
Freedom 250 spokesperson addresses evacuation order
Freedom 250 events on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., have been evacuated due to “severe weather.”
Here’s what Freedom 250 spokesperson Danielle Alvarez had to say about the order:
“The safety of our guests, performers, and staff is our top priority. Due to approaching severe storms, Freedom 250, United States Secret Service, United States Park Police, National Park Service, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and all public safety partners are asking all guests to evacuate event grounds and seek temporary shelter in a nearby building.”
“Available shelter locations include the Department of Commerce, Department of Education, Department of Agriculture, Internal Revenue Service, VOA Building, Thomas Jefferson Memorial, National Museum of American History, National Museum of Natural History, the African American Museum, and the Ronald Reagan Building.”
“Please remain calm, follow the directions of law enforcement and event staff, and stay tuned to Freedom 250’s official channels for updates. Freedom 250 will share updates on programming and doors reopening — please stay close to our official channels for updates.”
Katie Hawkinson5 July 2026 00:52
In pictures: Freedom 250 attendees evacuate as storms approach
Freedom 250 attendees are being asked to evacuate the National Mall as severe storms approach.
Check out the scene below:
Katie Hawkinson5 July 2026 00:50
White nationalist Patriot Front gang chants ‘reclaim America’ as members march through DC on Fourth of July
Alex Woodward5 July 2026 00:30
Freedom 250 evacuates guests due to severe weather
The Freedom 250 events on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., are being evacuated due to severe weather, according to an announcement made on the official livestream.
“Freedom 250 is directing all guests to immediately evacuate the event grounds due to approaching severe weather,” the announcer said.
“Please remain calm. Proceed to the nearest exit. Follow all instructions from law enforcement, event staff, and volunteers. We thank you for your cooperation again,” they added.
This comes after the National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm watch for Washington and the surrounding areas until 10 p.m. local time.
Katie Hawkinson5 July 2026 00:15
Trump kicks off July 4 with trolling Pee-wee Herman and Alfred E. Neuman memes
Alex Woodward5 July 2026 00:00
DC streets packed for July 4
The streets of Washington, D.C., are packed with people making their way toward the National Mall for tonight’s celebrations.


Katie Hawkinson4 July 2026 23:30
In pictures: Military helicopters fly over National Mall for July 4
Several military helicopters flew over the National Mall in Washington, D.C., as part of the Fourth of July celebrations this afternoon.
Check out the scene below:


Katie Hawkinson4 July 2026 23:00
Severe thunderstorm watch in effect
A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for Washington, D.C., and the surrounding areas until 10 p.m. local time, the National Weather Service said.
Storms have the potential to bring quarter-sized hail, wind gusts up to 75 mph and lightning, the agency said.
Katie Hawkinson4 July 2026 22:30
July 4 fireworks on National Mall expected to cause hazardous pollution, Park Service warned in internal documents
More than 850,000 pyrotechnic effects are set to be launched from the National Mall and around D.C. tonight.
But internal National Park Service documents suggest particles from firework combustion could create “very unhealthy” conditions in central D.C this weekend.
The area is under a thunderstorm watch and extreme heat through the night.
Alex Woodward4 July 2026 22:00
NewsBeat
America 250: 150 people become US citizens at Mount Vernon
MOUNT VERNON, Va. (AP) — The people who were about to become United States citizens sat in folding chairs on George Washington’s lawn at Mount Vernon on Saturday, 250 years after the Declaration of Independence.
The sun beat down and the well-dressed crowd was a flutter of paddle fans stamped with American flags. Their families clung to the shade of the trees on either side, where one woman had two American flags stuck through her ponytail.
“Well, good morning, everybody,” said Anne Neal Petri, the regent of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association.
“Good morning!” an excited crowd returned.
“And Happy Birthday, United States of America!” exclaimed Petri.
There were 150 people from 50 globe-spanning countries sitting in front of the small stage as they prepared to be sworn in as U.S. citizens on the July Fourth holiday and America’s 250th birthday. Among them was U.S. Marine Sgt. Diakaria Sangare from Guinea, who attended in his pressed Dress Blue uniform with three medals pinned to his left breast.
Sangare had served two deployments, and, like all assembled, had gone through the long citizenship process: The test, interviews, green cards and biometrics. Others in the crowd, it was said, came from countries bathed in violence. Some fled persecution.
After a speech about Washington, the crowd was asked to rise for the national anthem.
They did. Their hats came off and their hands covered their hearts. The paddle fans calmed.
The singer belted the words: “And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there” — as Sangare held his right hand in a rigid salute, his face sober.
As the song concluded, the soon-to-be citizens clapped and returned to their seats, while another speaker asked them to stand and remain standing when their country was called.
“Albania.”
A woman in the front row with long black hair rose with a broad grin, a small U.S. flag in her hand.
“Bangladesh.”
A man in a black shirt stood. The Albanian woman, looking back, beamed at him.
It went on for 50 countries, through China and El Salvador and Iraq and Mongolia, as people stood, sometimes smiling, sometimes sedate.
At “Morocco,” a man in the back thrusts his fists in the air in support. A young boy looked up at him and then did the same, a little flag in his fist.
Then the crowd, with hands raised, recited an Oath of Allegiance, not so different from the oath Washington signed in 1778.
“Congratulations,” they were told. “You just became U.S. citizens.”
There was applause and laughter, then the Pledge of Allegiance. Sangare, his hand now over his heart, closed his eyes for a moment.
Nearby stood a tulip poplar tree, planted at Washington’s direction 250 years ago, that had lived through America’s history.
The next speaker, historian Douglas Bradburn, pointed it out in his speech before the day’s special guest.
“All the stories that are part of you, now become American stories,” said Bradburn. “When people ask me what are American people like, I now can talk about you, and your stories.”
“The second side of that is that, now, all America’s stories, and our history, are your stories. The father of your country is George Washington.”
The first president, it turned out, was the next speaker.
As he was introduced, the re-enactor stood by a massive draped American flag, a sword scabbard on his hip. Then he donned the stage, doffed his cap to the audience, and began to speak.
“Today the name of ‘American’ belongs to you every bit as much as it does to me,” he said. He spoke to their arduous journeys to this point and their histories, now merged with America.
“So, my fellow Americans, to you, I say simply: ‘Welcome home’.”
Afterward, Sangare, the U.S. Marine, posed for a portrait, hands clasped in front of him, holding the American flag paddle fan, his Marine cap slightly askew.
“I just became a United States citizen,” he said, his emotions pushing out in an earnest smile.
____ Bedayn reported from Austin, Texas.
NewsBeat
Burnham plots homes tax raid on middle class: Plan to lower mansion levy limit will hit more than 150,000 families with four-figure hikes
Andy Burnham is set to launch a financial raid on swathes of middle–class homeowners by dragging them into the punitive ‘mansion tax’ regime, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
Plans to lower the threshold for the extra levy to include homes worth £1.5million would mean more than 150,000 families – particularly in the South of England – being hit with four–figure tax hikes.
It could prove a double whammy for homeowners in the region, as Mr Burnham is also considering replacing council tax with a system based on land values likely to leave people living in the South paying up to three times as much as those in the North, where property is generally cheaper.
Sources told this newspaper that Mr Burnham is considering lowering the threshold for Chancellor Rachel Reeves‘s so–called mansion tax – due to hit in April 2028 – from £2 million to £1.5 million.
In parts of London, a relatively modest four–bedroomed terraced house would fall above that threshold.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch attacked the plans as another example of Labour‘s ‘politics of envy’.
It comes as the prime minister–in–waiting faces increasing pressure from backbenchers and unions to levy ‘wealth taxes’ on the middle classes to cover the spiralling cost of welfare and public services.
Experts predict that forcing families to pay the mansion tax will raise only a relatively modest £250 million a year – but it could cause extra hardship for striving families in a cost–of–living crisis, damage a fragile property market and pave the way for greater tax raids in the future.
Prime Minister-in-waiting Andy Burnham. Sources told this newspaper that Mr Burnham is considering lowering the threshold for Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s so–called mansion tax – due to hit in April 2028 – from £2 million to £1.5 million
Pictured: A £1.6million home in south-west London. Burnham is set to launch a financial raid on swathes of middle–class homeowners by dragging them into the punitive ‘mansion tax’ regime
Under Ms Reeves’s current plans, owners of homes worth more than £2 million will be hit with what’s officially called the ‘high value council tax surcharge’ of at least £2,500 a year – rising in bands to £7,500 for properties worth more than £5 million.
Around 180,000 properties would be affected by these plans, but Michael Bruce, CEO of estate agent Purplebricks, said: ‘An estimated 150,000 additional households could be caught if the threshold falls to £1.5 million. If the Government wants growth, this is the wrong place to start.
‘Housing is one of the UK’s biggest economic drivers, yet the market is already fragile. Policies that discourage people from moving don’t just affect homeowners – they hit buyers, sellers, tradespeople, retailers and the wider economy.’
The biggest pressure for new taxes on homes predominantly situated in the South is coming from Labour MPs in the party’s former heartlands in the Midlands and North.
The Unite union – historically Labour’s largest financial backer – also called for Mr Burnham to introduce wealth taxes when, as widely expected, he replaces Sir Keir Starmer in No10 on July 20.
General secretary Sharon Graham said: ‘We must bite the bullet on a wealth tax to ensure our public services are protected… The choice should not be about whether to defend our nation or pay for schools, hospitals or roads.
‘We must put workers and communities first.’
Last week Mr Burnham strongly hinted that he was planning to increase taxes, saying that while he would ‘stick by the manifesto promises’ not to hike income tax, VAT and national insurance, there was ‘some room for movement on tax’.
Pictured: A £1.85million home in south-west London which could higher taxes under Burnham
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch attacked the plans as another example of Labour’s ‘politics of envy’
He vowed to cut business rates for pubs, music venues and independent high street shops, funded by higher levies on warehouse operators such as Amazon and on owners of empty high street properties.
Mrs Badenoch said: ‘Andy Burnham is making the same mistakes Keir Starmer made, putting up taxes, hitting working families, when we should be cutting spending. Labour can change their leader but the problem will always be the Labour Party and its politics of envy.’
The spectre of the mansion tax has already hit the property market, reducing the number of homes for sale above £2 million, which in turn has ramped up the pressure for a lower threshold.
It is said that original plans for a mansion tax set the threshold at £1.5 million, but it was raised amid fears that Labour voters and public sector professionals would be hit.
Meanwhile, the Labour Red Wall Group of more than 40 MPs has called for council tax and stamp duty to be replaced with a flat annual levy of 0.48 per cent of a property’s value– a plan Mr Burnham has previously endorsed. It would mean a property valued at £500,000 would be taxed at £2,400 a year
Such a system would mean Southerners paying £1,650 a year on average, while Northerners would have bills of just £600 a year, analysis by the Daily Telegraph found.
Polling by Lord Ashcroft, reported on Page 10 of today’s MoS, reveals that voters regard Mr Burnham as more Left–wing than Sir Keir by a margin of nearly two to one.
NewsBeat
Four-storey office building could be turned into new apartments
The existing four-storey building would be extended with two additional floors
A four-storey office building in a Cambridgeshire city could be extended to make way for new apartments. MJS Construction LTD has submitted an application to Peterborough City Council to extend and convert the “prestigious” Monkstone House into residential apartments.
If approved, the proposal, on City Road, Peterborough, would see the existing building extended with two additional floors to create 65 residential apartments. The upward extension would deliver 22 residential apartments and the conversion of the existing building would deliver a further 43.
The plans indicate there would be 58 two-bedroom apartments and seven one-bedroom units. The applicant said it would deliver “well designed residential accommodation” within a “highly sustainable city-centre location”.
A planning statement reads: “While the proposed development will result in a building containing multiple dwellinghouses, the overall height of the building will remain below 18 metres and will not exceed 7 storeys.”
The proposals would incorporate secure and convenient cycle parking provision for future occupiers.
The planning statement continues: “The scheme makes effective use of previously developed land and represents an appropriate form of intensification, making a positive contribution to the delivery of housing without altering the established building footprint or access arrangements.”
The site is located within Flood Zone 1, which represents an area of lowest flood risk. The applicant said the change of use from office accommodation to residential is not expected to result in an increase in traffic generation.
The developer described Monkstone House as a “prestigious and prominent office building well-located in the heart of the city centre and major commercial district”.
NewsBeat
The County Durham place names making visitors double-take
A magnificent cathedral. England’s oldest railway. Miles of beautiful dales and coastline.
And, tucked quietly into its villages, fields, and suburbs, some of the most entertainingly strange place names in the entire country.
Here is a tour of the best of them:
Pity Me
Starting with the most famous. Pity Me is a suburban village just north of Durham city, sitting between Framwellgate Moor and Newton Hall.
The name, according to the Oxford Dictionary of British Place Names, is most likely “a whimsical name bestowed in the 19th century on a place considered desolate, exposed or difficult to cultivate.”
Other theories link it to the Old French “petit mere,” meaning small lake, or to a boggy area known as Pithead Mere.
Whatever the origin, residents have been explaining their postcode to puzzled relatives for generations.
Pity Me, County Durham. (Image: Stuart Boulton)
Fanny Barks
Near Piercebridge, just west of Darlington, sits Fanny Barks – a small area of woodland that has been raising eyebrows and delighting map-readers for centuries.
The name is entirely innocent: “barks” is a dialect word for birch trees, and “Fanny” is simply a personal name that was once common enough to attach itself to bits of countryside.
No Place
Close to Stanley and within walking distance of Beamish Museum, No Place is a small former mining village that may be the most philosophically troubling address in England.
The origins of the name are genuinely disputed.
Some historians believe it is a shortening of “North Place” or “Near Place.”
Others suggest the original houses stood on a boundary between two parishes, neither of which would claim them — so they ended up in No Place.
There is also a theory that it was a deliberate literary joke on the Greek word for Utopia, which translates as “no place.”
Whatever the reason, No Place has its own pub – the Beamish Mary Inn, dating from 1897 – and a tin chapel.
Which is more than some places have.
No Place is a village with a name that still baffles to this day. (Image: GOOGLE)
Deaf Hill
East of Trimdon Colliery in the east of the county, Deaf Hill is a village whose name has puzzled local historians for years.
The most macabre theory is that it was originally called Death Hill, following a belief that children passed through the fork of a local sycamore tree would be cured of diphtheria — which they were not.
A more prosaic explanation is that “deef” was a dialect word for infertile land that yielded little crop.
The village’s alternative name is Trimdon Station, which rather lacks the poetry of the original.
Philadelphia
On the A182 between Newbottle and Shiney Row sits Philadelphia, a former colliery village named – with impressive confidence – after one of America’s great cities.
The story is that a local colliery owner named it in 1777 to mark the British capture of Philadelphia during the American Revolutionary War.
The village’s cricket ground was subsequently named Bunker Hill, after another battle in the same war.
Quebec
Six miles west of Durham city, on the line of the old Roman road Dere Street, sits Quebec — a former mining village that takes its name from Canada’s most famously bilingual city.
The fields in the area were enclosed in 1759, the year British forces captured Quebec from the French, and it was common practice at the time to give remote or newly enclosed land the names of far-flung places.
The village is now a small, quiet community close to Esh Winning and Langley Park, with little to suggest its connection to North America beyond the sign on the road in.
Toronto
Not to be outdone by Quebec, County Durham also has its own Toronto — a village a mile north-west of Bishop Auckland, sitting on a plateau above a loop of the River Wear.
It was named in 1859 by a mining company owner called W. Stobart, who was visiting the Canadian city of Toronto when he received word that coal had been discovered on his land back home.
In a moment of what can only be described as transatlantic sentimentality, he named the mine — and subsequently the village — after the place where he got the good news.
Stony Heap
Between Burnhope and Greencroft in the north-west of the county, Stony Heap is precisely what it sounds like: a hamlet on a heap of stony ground.
It is not glamorous.
But it is, in its own way, a masterpiece of blunt Northern honesty about the landscape.
Crook
Crook is a market town in mid-Durham that takes its name not from anything criminal but from the Old Norse word “krókr,” meaning a bend or hook — a reference to a curve in the local landscape.
It is the kind of name that makes people do a double-take on road signs and has presumably provided local teenagers with a lifetime of easy material.
Cockfield
Eight miles south-west of Bishop Auckland, Cockfield is a perfectly respectable village on the edge of Teesdale that has been quietly dealing with its name since at least the 12th century.
The name derives from the Old English “cocc,” meaning a woodcock — a bird once common in the area — combined with “feld,” meaning open land.
This explanation is entirely plausible and convinces almost no one on a first encounter with the road sign.
Busty View
Just outside Chester-le-Street, Busty View is a residential street whose name has confused and delighted visitors for years.
Like many seemingly suggestive North East place names, the origin is topographical rather than anatomical — “busty” is a dialect word for a slope or embankment, related to the word “bust” as in a ridge of land.
None of this stops it appearing on national lists of the UK’s rudest place names with impressive regularity.
Are there any places with strange names that we missed?
Do you live in any of these places and get funny looks from outsiders when you say where you’re from?
Let us know in the comments.
NewsBeat
Wimbledon 2026 Order of Play: Novak Djokovic, Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner all in action on day 7
Wimbledon continues over the weekend as we move into the last 16.
Americans Jessica Pegula and Iva Jovic clash on Court No1, while men’s third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime continues his campaign against the tricky Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
Coco Gauff ends play against Belinda Bencic, the Swiss 11th seed.
In action: Coco Gauff
PA
Wimbledon 2026 Order of Play today (Sunday, July 5)
All times BST. 11am start unless stated.
Centre Court – 1.30pm start
- Jessica Pegula (USA) vs Iva Jovic (USA)
- Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP)
- Belinda Bencic (SUI) vs Coco Gauff (USA)
- Haari Heliovaara/Henry Patten (FIN/GBR) vs Adam Pavlasek/Patrik Rikl (CZE)
- Karolina Muchova (CZE) vs Barbora Krejcikova (CZE)
- Not before 12:30pm: Hubert Hurkacz (POL) vs Jan-Lennard Struff (GER)
NewsBeat
why yet another attempt to overhaul the system won’t work
The UK government’s immigration and asylum bill puts forward a number of proposals to overhaul the asylum system. These include changes to how human rights are interpreted, and requiring refugees to pay back some of the support they receive. If passed, it will be the fifth immigration act adopted since 2022.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood says the aim is to establish “a firm but fair immigration system”. But will these measures have their intended effect?
Reforming asylum appeals
The legislation proposes reforming the asylum appeals system through the creation of a new Independent Immigration Appeals Authority. This will involve training members of the public to be asylum adjudicators, “much like magistrates”. This is intended to speed up the asylum appeals process, which currently has a huge backlog.
The UN refugee agency has warned that similar efforts in Australia led to significant delays and increased backlog in the asylum system. These concerns are exacerbated by the fact that many who come before the appeals body will not have legal representation, due to an acute shortage of legal aid in the immigration sector.
It would be more sensible for the Home Office to invest in improving the quality of its initial decision making, which has been heavily criticised by the chief inspector of borders and immigration, and ultimately leads to high numbers of appeals.
Reinterpreting human rights
The legislation also introduces changes to the interpretation of Article 8 of the European convention on human rights (ECHR) – the right to private and family life. It says that “family life” should only refer to cohabiting partners, parents, and children under 18, except in exceptional circumstances. It is unclear how this would differ significantly from current practice, which is to consider “family life” as excluding, relationships between parents and adult non-dependent children and adult siblings.
The bill instructs judges to factor in the extent to which the individual would be financially independent if they remain in the UK. And it clarifies that any family life established while the person was in the UK without leave should not be taken into account.
Mahmood claims this “tougher test” will prevent foreign criminals from relying on distant family relationships to prevent their deportation.
But, as experts have repeatedly argued, Article 8 is already a “qualified right”. This means it must be balanced against other factors such as public safety or national security. UK law already takes a very strict interpretation of Article 8, which states that the public interest in removing foreign offenders will almost always outweigh any Article 8 rights.
The impact assessment attached to the bill suggests that these changes will result in removal of an additional 3,600 people per year. But most people whose Article 8 claims are rejected will remain in the UK, as they are unable to be removed for more logistical reasons.
In many cases, lack of coordination and administrative errors in the Home Office cause failed removals. Complications around booking flights, arranging escorts and other practicalities have all been found to prevent deportations, as well as procedural issues such as lack of travel documents.
But continued misrepresentation in the media and political rhetoric means the ECHR has continued to be a scapegoat.
Temporary refugee status
The bill provides for the replacement of the current system of refugee protection status, which last for five years, with a more temporary “core protection status” of 30 months at a time. This was already introduced through a change to the immigration rules in March of this year.
Subjecting people to short, precarious forms of leave affects their ability to find employment, accommodation and integrate into society.
À lire aussi :
Shabana Mahmood is wrong: refugee status was never ‘permanent from day one’
The Home Office is currently failing to cope with existing asylum processing. It is not clear how the department will have the capacity to review cases this frequently. Back in March, a parliamentary committee expressed concern that “the Home Office has not fully thought through the implications of the policy”.
Yoan Valat/EPA-EFE
Separately, Mahmood has announced a new scheme to allow local communities and to sponsor refugees to settle in their area. A refugee work route is also expected to open next year. These are concessions to the valid critique that the reason refugees make irregular journeys – including via small boat – is due to the lack of legal routes available.
Community refugee sponsorship in the UK, however, has existed for some time. This approach is a welcome break from negative rhetoric on refugees. But focusing solely on private sponsorship could been seen as a measure to offload responsibility for support onto communities and the private sector, rather than the Home Office.
Repaying asylum support
The proposed changes could also require refugees who have received government accommodation and support to repay some of those costs – what some may consider a “refugee tax”. The bill is remarkably light on detail, specifying only that the home secretary “may” require someone to make repayments. There have been reports this would require refugees to pay back up to £10,000.
In practice, this will disproportionately impact those with caring responsibilities and disabilities, and discourage people from seeking support – pushing them into extreme precarity and making them vulnerable to exploitation.
Government accommodation is currently only provided to those who would otherwise be destitute. Asylum seekers are generally barred from working and have no control over the amount of time they must spend in accommodation while they await a Home Office decision.
Restricting modern slavery protections
Finally, the bill introduces several changes to the UK’s modern slavery framework. It limits protection for those who make “late” claims that they have been victims of trafficking, to address “those vexatiously seeking to block their legitimate removal from the UK”. This is despite evidence that it is normal for people who have suffered highly traumatising experiences to delay disclosure.
Far from safeguarding victims of trafficking or making the system more fair, the bill’s proposals are likely to make many asylum seekers and refugees more vulnerable. It is these kinds of measures that have led to criticisms of the bill, such as the words of Lord Alf Dubs, as “performative cruelty”.
NewsBeat
Daily horoscope July 5, 2026: Predictions for your star sign
Mars in Gemini aligns with Pluto in Aquarius, bringing flexible mindsets and adaptability. If there’s something you’ve been stuck on, now’s the time to resolve it.
Sagittarius, Scorpio and Libra, be ready to leave your comfort zone today. Newness is good, and you’re ready to spice things up.
Keep things balanced today, and results will shine. Enjoy the process of rediscovering.
Ahead, you’ll find all star signs’ horoscopes for today: Sunday July 5, 2026.
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Aries
March 21 to April 20
Get ready for powerful conversations, and some might be gamechangers in a big way. If you need help to accomplish something, you’ll tap into a level of power and ability that could take your plans several leaps forward. Some discussions could get quite passionate, and when others see how serious you are, they’ll want to contribute and perhaps team up with you.
Head here for everything you need to know about being an Aries
Taurus
April 21 to May 21
Momentum around money and career ambitions is increasing, and you may want to take a powerful step forward, boosting your chances of a promotion, a new job, or more business. You’ll be far more persuasive than usual, especially when discussing experiences, negotiating finances, or making a bold professional move. It’s time to let others know your true worth.
Head here for everything you need to know about being a Taurus
Gemini
May 22 to June 21
As Mars in your sign aligns with Pluto in Aquarius, prepare to change beliefs to ones that allow you to live a larger life. You’ll realise how certain ideas have limited your plans, and now you’re ready to seize new opportunities that will take you out of your comfort zone. Discussions could be transformative, especially with people from different backgrounds.
Head here for everything you need to know about being a Gemini
Cancer
June 22 to July 23
Strong emotions are at work deep within you. You’ll sense them but find it harder to put a label on them. They’ll shape your decisions from the inside, and you may not realise it’s happening. A strong compulsion or surprising obsession can be a major clue. Give some conscious thought to what a subconscious choice could otherwise be. You won’t regret it.
Head here for everything you need to know about being a Cancer
Leo
July 24 to August 23
It looks like a day of progress as discussions can lead to positive change. Surprise encounters or planned meetings could shift important dynamics now, and you’ll be thrilled at how quickly things come together. It’s a great time to pursue ambitious goals and network. You’ll also find certain connections become much more significant than they first appear.
Head here for everything you need to know about being a Leo
Virgo
August 24 to September 23
Today’s Mars-Pluto tie-up suggests you’ll be very determined and ambitious when it comes to your work and daily routines. And if you’re keen to get fit, this urge may well intensify. You’ll want to drop unhealthy habits and could be ruthless about it. Don’t set yourself goals that are too demanding, though. Rest and relaxation are good habits to nurture, Virgo.
Head here for everything you need to know about being a Virgo
Libra
September 24 to October 23
You’ll be ready to exit your comfort zone big time, as today’s potent line-up inspires you to seek out new adventures and challenges. Travel could be part of it and might involve a trip with a romantic partner, whether current or new. The experience might change you both in profound ways, and whatever the status of your relationship, it might deepen your bond.
Head here for everything you need to know about being a Libra
Scorpio
October 24 to November 22
An intense blend of energies could mean you’re far less likely to tolerate draining situations or people who tell half-truths. The Mars-Pluto tie fires up your sense of justice and your desire for change, especially as it relates to those you care for. If something needs to shift, you’ll do whatever it takes to make it happen. But getting a wider perspective is helpful too.
Head here for everything you need to know about being a Scorpio
Sagittarius
November 23 to December 21
Conversations can be catalysts for real change, and you may be the one to initiate them and get things moving. This isn’t a day for superficial chatting, but more for discussions that shift the beat and tempo of key bonds. Planning and collaborating on ideas can help make them a reality, and team projects will get moving if given attention.
Head here for everything you need to know about being a Sagittarius
Capricorn
December 22 to January 21
You’ll be ready to streamline your routines and be quite focused on how you go about them. As Mars links with Pluto, you’ll also be eager to manage your time and resources so that you get the most out of any work you do. Waste of any kind may seem unnecessary, and you’ll aim for maximum efficiency today. Still, it’s just as well not to have everything too perfect.
Head here for everything you need to know about being a Capricorn
Aquarius
January 22 to February 19
You may have a strong urge to express yourself as you are and won’t want to edit anything for anyone else’s comfort levels. Mars in Gemini and Pluto in your sign mean your creative energy has the power to alter others’ perspectives and help them see life in a new way. And romance can bring the biggest shift, as a budding relationship may become more passionate.
Head here for everything you need to know about being an Aquarius
Pisces
February 20 to March 20
There’s a powerful emotional undercurrent showing, as a potent aspect can bring issues to the surface that appear to have been slumbering. Someone may say something innocently, and suddenly the conversation could become loaded, or feelings could burst into the open. Clearing the air is like a refreshing storm and can be very cathartic, bringing gentle healing.
Head here for everything you need to know about being a Pisces
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