Andy Burnham must ditch Labour‘s hard-Left workers’ rights reforms or risk sending Britain back to the 1970s, the Tories warned last night.

The swingeing changes will make it easier for unions to ballot for strikes, which could leave the country in a state of paralysis. 

Keir Starmer‘s government passed the Employment Rights Act last December but some of its most damaging elements will only be implemented in the coming months.

These include ‘swipe to strike’ proposals allowing online balloting for industrial action. Opponents warn the change, due to come in on August 31, coupled with looser balloting requirements, could trigger a wave of disruptive walkouts.

The measures also include doubling the time limit for most employment tribunal claims in the UK from three months to six months from October 1, while businesses face a raft of additional workplace obligations in the months ahead.

Critics say the package of reforms, spearheaded by Housing Secretary Angela Rayner before her resignation from Sir Keir’s government, threatens to saddle employers with extra costs and bureaucracy just as many are grappling with rising taxes, stubborn inflation and weak economic growth.

The layers of red tape come when entrepreneurship is already in decline, with new figures showing the number of new businesses has slumped close to the lowest level in a decade.

And an Institute of Directors (IoD) poll of more than 500 bosses found that confidence remained subdued, with a ‘modest deterioration’ in July compared to the previous month.

Critics say the reforms, spearheaded by Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, pictured last month before her resignation from Sir Keir’s government, could saddle employers with extra costs

Tory business spokesman Andrew Griffith branded the threat of yet more pro-trade union regulations an attempt to return to the Seventies. 

Writing for this paper, he warned it will worsen the crisis of young people finding it impossible to find jobs. He said: ‘I hope Labour will see sense, pause the implementation of this mad Act, repeal it, and cancel our very expensive trip back to the 1970s.

‘If they don’t, Conservatives certainly will. We will repeal all the job-killing measures in the (Un)Employment Rights Act, and we will go further to curtail the power of the unions in the public and private sector by ending the scandal of paid-for trade union time on the taxpayer.’

The number of working days lost to strike action under Labour has surged past one million despite handing bumper pay hikes to its union paymasters. Under current laws, strikes are balloted privately in workers’ homes and must be completed and returned by post.

But this is set to change to allow workers to respond online, amid warnings it could lead to a rise of shop stewards intimidating staff to vote a certain way.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has thrown down the gauntlet and called on Mr Burnham to ditch the hardline, job-destroying policies before it’s too late. 

She told the Daily Mail: ‘The Employment Rights Act has been a total disaster for business and for jobs. Britain has a graduate recruitment crisis and rising unemployment in part because of this terrible legislation. If Andy Burnham wants to show he’s serious about spreading growth around Britain, he’d stop the remaining parts of the Act coming into force.’

A suite of further rules and regulations is set to come into force throughout next year, including a major crackdown on zero-hours contracts that will force employees to be compensated for short-notice cancellations.

Unions will also be given the right to roam workplaces with 21 employees or more, as frequently as once a week, to recruit members and hold talks and meetings.

And from October 30 this year, ministers are set to enact a ‘banter ban’ which will see pub landlords forced to police comments made by customers that could offend staff.

The law has already come under fire from former Labour Cabinet minister Alan Milburn, who was tasked by Sir Keir to come up with a solution to the youth unemployment crisis.

The PM must ditch Labour’s workers’ rights reforms or risk sending Britain back to the 1970s, Tories warned (Pictured: British Leyland workers from Longbridge plant demonstrate in 1979)

His report warned: ‘Employment Rights Act reforms, while intended to strengthen worker protection, were seen by some employers as increasing the burden of managing underperformance and reducing flexibility.’

The Conservatives’ demands came as new figures revealed a damning slump in new business openings.

According to the Office for National Statistics, the first six months of 2026 saw 157,980 new businesses created, down 3 per cent on the same period last year. This is just above the lowest figure for the decade, set in 2023.

A Government spokesman said: ‘We continue to consult with business and unions on implementation of the Employment Rights Act, to ensure the system is fair and effective for employers while protecting the workers who need it most.’

It is being run by the Journalists’ Charity, with support from its patron Camilla, to give young journalists working across print, broadcast, digital, and social media the opportunity to invest in their career development and overcome financial challenges to joining the industry.

He proved to be the Three Lions’ secret weapon at the 2026 World Cup, helping England to a third place finish by scoring seven goals. 

Now Jude Bellingham, 23, is enjoying a well-earned rest with a holiday in Hawaii, sharing a slew of shirtless snaps while he lives it up with his girlfriend Ashlyn Castro. 

The posts have gone down a treat with his newfound fans, after Jude-mania reached fever pitch this month when he was crowned England’s highest goalscorer in a single World Cup tournament. 

Such was the public outpouring of love for Jude that it inspired a new viral trend: a Jude Bellingham lookalike contest. 

Yet there can only be one official Jude – and he’s been revelling in his heartthrob status with a slew of thirst traps of late. 

Now Jude, 23, is enjoying a well earned rest with his girlfriend Ashlyn Castro

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Jude has been revelling in his heartthrob status with a slew of thirst traps of late.

Unfortunately for anyone with a bit of a crush on Jude, he is happily loved-up with American model Ashley, 28, who has unfairly been targeted with online hate from Jude’s mega fans.

‘She’s a gold digger,’ wrote one. ‘That’s why most of his fans don’t like her. Her entire goal is to be a Wag, it doesn’t matter to who.’

Ashlyn has hit back at the allegations, saying they are ‘disrespectful’ and completely untrue.

‘Going out with Jude, with his huge following of young girls who are infatuated with him is a little like being one of Harry Styles’ girlfriends,’ an industry insider told the Daily Mail’s Katie Hind.

 ‘The only way these people know how to deal with it is by saying horrible things. It’s been hard for her, they were total lies.’

As for what the future holds, a source predicts wedding bells. ‘There is a real sense that Jude could pop the question soon.’

Indeed Ashlyn proved to be a supportive WAG this month, proudly cheering on Jude during all his World Cup games and when he was named man-of-the-match. 

Yet Jude’s World Cup appearance was not without controversy, as he furiously hit out at ‘shocking’ refereeing decisions after England’s World Cup semi-final heartbreak against Argentina.

He made a point of confronting Ismail Elfath – Lionel Messi’s favourite referee – to share his grievances after England’s 2-1 loss.

He shared shirtless snaps at the beach while playing a card game and enjoying snacks

Jude also showed off his bulging biceps in a vest, with the fashion forward star looking as stylish as ever in a black tank top and red scarf, adding a tweed flat cap 

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Jude also sent fans wild back in May when he shared shirtless snaps on his holiday in Cannes

Jude’s younger brother Jobe also got in on the action, with the pair posing together for snaps

Unfortunately for anyone with a bit of a crush on Jude, he is happily loved-up with American model Ashley, 28, who has unfairly been targeted with online hate from Jude’s mega fans

Leandro Paredes and Enzo Fernandez were seen as particularly dirty in the opening exchanges of the match.

Both teams came into the match with a heightened sense of rivalry after the South American side’s declarations throughout the tournament that the Falkland Islands belong to Argentina.

Fresh footage from the referee’s camera has been released by FIFA and in it, Jude is seen saying to the referee: ‘Some shocking ones there, but all the best.’

Jude later slapped Argentina rival Valentin Barco on the back of the head as scenes turned ugly in Atlanta.

In the build-up to the flashpoint, Spurs captain and Argentina defender Cristian Romero was seen goading Bellingham when the final whistle was blown.

He went over to Valentin and slapped him on the back of the head.

The full-back then turned around and pushed Jude with tempers flaring. Nicolas Otamendi also came over and gave the England man a shove.

Several Argentine players attempted to act as peacemakers but it looked as if Jude and Nicolas wanted more head-to-head action – even when they were separated.

Jude also clashed with Lionel Messi in the semi-finals, though England fans have to admit that the Argentinian legend was brilliant towards the end of the match, setting up both of his country’s goals.

Friday, 27 July 1979 – Suzanne and her sister, Michelle, left Neave Comprehensive School in Harold Hill and caught the bus to Romford train station. They caught the train to central London.

Her sister recalls walking near Arsenal’s then Highbury Stadium. She cannot recall where they stayed.

Saturday, 28 July 1979 – They met a number of boys, aged around 14 to 17, while walking around a fair on Highbury Fields. The boys took them to stay at a squat around 15 minutes’ walk away.

Sunday, 29 July 1979 – Monday, 30 July 1979 – The girls spent two nights at the squat.

Tuesday, 31 July 1979 – Michelle returned to the family home in Leamington Road, Harold Hill, expecting Suzanne to return the following morning.

Wednesday, 1 August 1979 – Suzanne did not return to the family home. Michelle told her mother what had happened.

Thursday, 2 August 1979 – Police were informed that Suzanne was missing.

If you are unsure where to stay along the coast, you might want to visit Druridge Bay, a calm beach with miles of sand.

The beach runs from Amble to Cresswell, meaning you could walk between the two areas if you are looking for a long hike to do.

The beach is dog-friendly all year round, making it an ideal spot for letting pets run off some steam.

Dogs are allowed on the beach all year round. (Image: Tripadvisor)

What is Druridge Bay beach like?

The sandy beach is backed by grassy dunes and features the remains of pill boxes and anti-tank blocks that had been placed there during the Second World War.

The area is popular with birdwatchers, as it is rich with wildlife including golden plover and purple sandpipers.

Just behind the beach, you can find the Druridge Bay Country Park that features a meadow, woodland area, and a lake to explore.

There is a play area for children with lots of swings and climbing equipment for them to run around and enjoy.

The nearby village of Widdrington is home to the Widdrington Inn, a traditional pub with “outdoor seating that is perfect in the summer, and a comfortable interior all year round.”

The pub has a menu with a range of classic dishes available, such as butter chicken curry, steak and ale pie, and even a Yorkshire pudding wrap loaded with beef, chips, and gravy.

If you visit on a Sunday, you can enjoy the pub’s roast with plenty of choices in terms of meat, with each dish served with roast and mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables, and a Yorkshire pudding.

There is also a children’s menu and plenty of options for vegans and vegetarians, meaning everyone is catered for.

What do visitors of Druridge Bay say?

One reviewer on Tripadvisor said: “One of the cleanest beaches we have ever visited!

“Dogs absolutely loved it.

“Free parking, short walk over the sand dunes onto the huge beach.”

Another reviewer said: “One of our favourite places in the UK.

“Wide sandy beach, great playground for toddlers, fantastic welcome at the cafe and a lovely walk around the lake.

“Highly recommend Druridge for a day out with toddlers and young children.”

Other commenters have praised the surrounding area including the country park, saying it is “brilliant.”

What do you think of Druridge Bay Beach? Let us know in the comments below.

Under current legislation, e-scooters and e-bikes are deemed to be motor vehicles

Three people have been arrested and more than 20 vehicles seized in a police crackdown on illegal and antisocial use of e-bikes and scooters.

The PSNI in Lurgan carried out two days of targeted actions against e-scooters and scramblers over Friday July 31 and Saturday August 1. Over this period a total of 23 vehicles were seized, two adults were arrested and a further two cautioned for motoring offences.

One child was arrested and referred to the Youth Diversion Officer.

PSNI Sergeant Adam Patterson said: “A 17-year-old boy was stopped by police riding an e-bike on the wrong side of the road.

“He attempted to make off from police, but was arrested on suspicion of driving offences and possession of a class B controlled drug.

“It was later established that the e-bike had been stolen. Following questioning, the boy has been released on bail to allow for further inquiries.

“Local officers – in both uniform and plain clothes – were supported in the Two Wheel Vehicle Operation by colleagues from Air Support Unit, who deployed a drone in the area, and our District Support Team.”

Sergeant Patterson continued: “Twenty three nuisance vehicles are now off the road and, as these uninsured vehicles are not road legal, they will be disposed of by police within 14 days of seizure unless the owner requests a review by the magistrates’ court, at the owner’s expense.

“Under current legislation, e-scooters and e-bikes are deemed to be motor vehicles, meaning the rider must have a driving licence and the vehicle must be taxed, insured and fitted with lights and a number plate.

“From a safety point of view, their inappropriate use in public spaces poses a risk to the safety of both rider and the public.

“People have already been seriously hurt as a result of their use.

“The number of vehicles seized demonstrates the scale of this problem.

“As we do all we can to detect offenders, we’d ask that our local community continues to report the illegal and dangerous driving of these vehicles so we can help to make our roads safer for everyone.”

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When police officers ambushed Johannes Kongsnes Natland in a hotel room in West Yorkshire in March last year, the teenager was found with two working guns, 19 rounds of live ammunition and £2,000 in cash.

When he saw officers at his door, he mimed shooting one of them before he was thrust against the wall and handcuffed. 

On Wednesday, the 19-year-old Norwegian, who worked part-time at a pizza restaurant, was found guilty of travelling to England to carry out a killing ordered by an international crime gang.

The teen from Stavanger, who had agreed to shoot an unknown person for €25,000 (£21,000), had previously sent messages to his girlfriend saying it ‘will be cool’ to ‘finally kill someone’.

The hit man was recruited by the Foxtrot Network, a Sweden-based gang infamous for pioneering the relatively new phenomenon of hiring teenage killers that Europol has called ‘violence-as-a-service’ (VaaS).

But the shadowy gang has spread across the border to Norway with its sphere of influence already felt on the streets of Britain. 

The Iran-linked gang has been terrorising Stockholm for years, recruiting children as young as 13 on social media to carry out acts of arson, murder and bombings.

The group is led by Swedish-Iraqi national Rawa Majid, 39, known as ‘the Kurdish Fox’, who rules the Scandinavian drug trade.

Smoke billows out of windows after the explosion in the Annedal area of central Gothenburg, Sweden, 2021

Natland, 19, was found guilty of conspiracy to murder following a two-week trial at the Old Bailey. He had already admitted possession of firearms

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On March 15 last year, Natland sent a message to his girlfriend in a fit of excitement which said: ‘I’m going on a crazy mission.’

Two days later, he left home in Stavanger, south-west Norway, telling his mother he was going to play football.

Instead, he flew to Manchester to assassinate a target on behalf of Foxtrot for a payment of £21,000. 

He was arrested in a hotel room in Huddersfield hours before he was due to carry out the hit.

It seemed implausible. The baby-faced teenager came from a middle-class home in a safe town enriched by North Sea oil. He was a bright student, talented footballer and aspiring lawyer.

But in a two-week trial at the Old Bailey, jurors heard how Natland – while not quite ‘a hitman from a Hollywood movie’ – was precisely the type of vulnerable teenager preyed upon by Europe’s most menacing gang.

Foxtrot began by using the Telegram app and moved on to Signal and other popular social media apps including Instagram and Snapchat. 

The largest group, which has since been closed by Telegram, was the Samurai Kids and had 10,000 to 11,000 members but there are also smaller groups with a few hundred participants.

At the top of the group are the ‘instigators’, who order the crime and finance it, and below them are two tiers of ‘recruiters’, the lower level of which are often young men aged between 15 and 18.

Their job is to post adverts, deal with the replies and, when someone takes up the offer, hand them on to a senior gang member.

At the bottom are ‘enforcers’ who actually carry out the job and have included children as young as 13.

While the criminal syndicate originated in Sweden, it is now expanding across the border and wreaking havoc in Norway where teenagers – mostly from a migrant background – are hired as would-be assassins.

Because of a legal loophole in Scandinavia, children under the age of 15 cannot be held criminally responsible – making minors the ideal recruits for carrying out attacks on behalf of the Foxtrot crime ring.

It emerged in Sweden at the end of the 2010s and is led by Mr Majid, who has been sanctioned by the UK for his role in attacks across Europe on behalf of the Iranian regime.

Mr Majid, as head of the expanding criminal network, is understood to live under the protection of the Islamic Republic and has been involved in violent plots, particularly against Jewish and Israeli targets.

The group is believed to have been behind the attempted attack against the Israeli Embassy in Stockholm in January 2024, when an object believed to be an explosive device was found outside it.

On September 23, 2025, at 8.45pm, multiple grenades exploded outside a nail salon in Bislett, Oslo, shattering the windows and riddling its walls with shrapnel.

Police linked two 13-year-old boys to the attack and suspect that they were recruited via TikTok, supplied with the smuggled grenades, and paid 30,000 NOK (£2,000) to carry out the deed.

The Bislett explosion was only the beginning. Within weeks, two more Foxtrot-linked attacks followed.

On September 30, three boys aged 12, 13 and 14 were linked to a shooting incident in Sarpsborg. A week later, a 15-year-old was suspected of throwing a grenade at a sushi restaurant in Strømmen.

In September 2023, a loud explosion ripped through a quiet residential street of new-build family homes just north of the Swedish city of Uppsala 

A teenager is pictured armed with a Kalashnikov assault rifle, spraying bullets into the house of the ex-girlfriend of a well-known rapper as a scare tactic in another scene of gangland violence

The ‘Foxtrot’ network is understood to be run by Rawa Majid, also known as ‘the Kurdish Fox’, who reportedly lives under the protection of the Ayatollah’s regime

In a disturbing episode in February 2023, a teenager armed with an AK-47 fired 15 bullets into the home of a terrified mother and her young child in a Stockholm suburb.

In footage obtained by the Daily Mail at the time, bullets were sprayed into the front door with empty cartridge cases bouncing down the stairwell, before the camera focused on the front door riddled with holes.

A frightened mother, who lived in the block, told the Daily Mail: ‘It was crazy. It wasn’t a small gun. It was a Kalashnikov.

‘It is terrible that attacks like this are normalised.’

Local media reports indicated that police suspected the attack was linked to a desperate turf war between two gang leaders: ‘The Kurdish Fox’ and ‘The Greek’. 

In September that year, a loud explosion ripped through a quiet residential street of new-build family homes just north of the Swedish city of Uppsala.

Soha Saad, 24, was killed in the blast. She lived with her parents, and had recently qualified as a teacher. 

In footage of the aftermath, her mother can be heard screaming for her daughter, cursing the nation to which they once fled. 

Ms Saad was one of three victims of gangland violence in a violent 12-hour spell, and one of 12 people to be killed in a month.

In the same 12 hours, an 18-year-old rapper was shot dead at the Mälarhöjden sports ground in Fruängen in southern Stockholm in a brazen attack during a football training session, and hours later one man was killed and another was wounded in a shooting in Jordbro, south of the capital.

Gangs have been increasingly seeking out young girls and children with mental disabilities to carry out the killings, as they believe they are less likely to be suspected by their target.

Confronted by the increased involvement of young people in violent gang crime, prosecutors are increasingly seeking imprisonment rather than ‘closed care’ for child suspects, according to Swedish media.

Three teenagers were sentenced after a man was murdered while eating dinner at a restaurant south of Stockholm in March 2024, with the 17-year-old who is believed to have fired the fatal shot handed a jail term rather than youth detention.

The teenager, who is understood to have used an automatic weapon, was given eight years while a 19-year-old man was given life in prison and their 16-year-old accomplice put in closed care.

In July last year, a 34-year-old Swedish man was charged with threatening two employees at the police central detention centre in Grønland, Oslo.

He reportedly threatened to place a bomb at the home of one of the employees’ family members.

According to NRK, he claimed that he was part of the criminal Foxtrot network.

But Foxtrot is but one of around 70 Swedish gangs operating in Norway, where teenagers are being anonymously hired on encrypted messaging apps.

They can be paid anywhere between £20,000 and £60,000 for a hit, using hand grenades or improvised explosives smuggled into the country.

Many don’t even know who commissioned the crime, but are willing to carry it out for the right payment. 

On September 23, 2025, at 8.45pm, multiple grenades exploded outside a nail salon in Bislett, Oslo, shattering the windows and riddling its walls with shrapnel

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Police linked two 13-year-old boys to the attack and suspect that they were recruited on TikTok, supplied with the grenades, and paid 30,000 NOK (£2,000) to carry out the deed

Despite being sanctioned, the Foxtrot criminal network seems only to be growing globally – with the incident in Huddersfield in March last year showing that British soil is not immune.

The son of two journalists, Natland started taking drugs aged 13.

He told the Old Bailey that by last year he was taking drugs ‘pretty much every day’.

He subsequently dropped out of school after ending up in a psychiatric unit with drug-induced psychosis, convinced his parents were about to kill him.

He said he then spent a short period in a ‘home for problem children’ where he encountered one of those who later recruited him to the Foxtrot Network, a teenager with the username UnknownHustler.

On March 15, the user forwarded him a message, which was in effect a Foxtrot online tender for business, known by police as VaaS.

The Foxtrot tender was stark: ‘Killing in England 270k. Have transport ready out of the country. Will smuggle assassin out of the country. The police will be paid to look the other way. Nothing can go wrong.’ (270,000 Norwegian Kroner is about £21,000.)

The teen was then added to a group with a 17-year-old teenager, who went by the name of ‘Generalen’, or General, and another called Agent 47. 

The group name was Assassin EU.

The first message he posted in the group was ‘Who is to be killed?’

It is still not clear that he ever got the answer to that question right up to the moment he was arrested, with police thwarting the attack.

Earlier this year, it was revealed Patsy Kensit would be returning to the soap 20 years after she left in 2006.

She would be returning to reprise her role as Sadie King but is now expected to be killed off in a dramatic scene.

It has been revealed the 58-year-old actress will fake her own death on Emmerdale, which will leave the door open for a potential future return.

What is going to happen to Sadie King in Emmerdale?

“Patsy’s exit has got everyone talking,” an insider told The Sun.

“Soaps are notorious for faking deaths.

“The scenes are set to be sensational and scriptwriters are excited to see them play out.

“Patsy’s character Sadie is a great villain, so bosses were keen to give her the opportunity to return, if they need her to stir the pot.”

Patsy’s character had quite an explosive time on Emmerdale when she was first introduced in 2004, and was involved in a range of huge storylines including a romance with Cain Dingle.

When talking about her return, Patsy said: “The cast and crew are absolutely brilliant and I’m so grateful for the chance to return to the show.

“It’s absolutely amazing.

“Sadie King is a character that I really loved playing and I treasure the years I was here before.”

Emmerdale exits in recent months

Over the last few months, Emmerdale has been laying off a variety of long-running characters from the soap.

Jack Downham, who plays Charity Dingle’s son Noah, and Bradley Johnson, who has been starring as Mandy Dingle’s son Vinny for seven years, have both been axed from the show.

Nick Miles, who has played Jimmy King for 22 years, has also been removed from the show, as well as Olivia Bromley, who stars as Dawn Taylor.

There are more rumours that the show could be planning a big stunt that will end in even more character deaths.

What do you think about the rumoured storyline that will see Sadie King fake her own death? Let us know in the comments.

The road tragedy took place on the R232 at Fincashel, Pettigo in Donegal at approximately 2.45pm on Sunday, August 2

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A young man has died following a serious road collision in Co Donegal, Gardaí have confirmed.

The fatal incident occurred on the R232 at Fincashel, Pettigo in Donegal at around 2.45pm on Sunday, August 2, involving a car and a 4×4 vehicle, with Gardaí and emergency services swiftly attending the scene.

Tragically, the driver of the car – a male in his 20s – was pronounced dead at the scene. His remains have been taken to the mortuary at University Hospital Letterkenny, where a post-mortem examination will be arranged in due course.

A female passenger, also aged in her 20s, was rushed to hospital with serious injuries following the collision.

The driver of the second vehicle – a male in his 60s – was also taken to hospital for assessment. He was the sole occupant of the 4×4, reports the Irish Mirror.

Gardaí are now appealing for witnesses to come forward, particularly those who may have dash-cam footage from the area at the time of the crash.

A spokesperson for An Garda Síochána told the Irish Mirror: “The road is closed for examination by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators and local traffic diversions are in place. The Coroner has been notified and a post-mortem examination will be arranged.

“Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have been travelling on the R232 near Pettigo at the time of the collision to come forward. Road users who may have camera footage (including dash cam or mobile phone recordings) are asked to make this footage available to investigating Gardaí.

“Anyone with information is asked to contact Ballyshannon Garda Station Garda Station on 071 985 8530, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.”