By GREG HEFFER, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT and DAVID WILCOCK, DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR

Published: 15:30 BST, 4 September 2026 | Updated: 16:51 BST, 4 September 2026

Reform MP Sarah Pochin today called for a ‘coming together’ between Right-wing parties ahead of the next general election.

The party’s first female MP warned that voters should not be let down by ‘squabbles’ between rival outfits, who must be able to look at the ‘bigger picture’.

She urged her fellow politicians to ‘rise above’ personal attacks on each other as they try to prevent Labour retaining power the next time the country goes to the polls.

Ms Pochin told an event at Reform’s conference in Birmingham that she would ‘feel devastated if the Right destroys itself’.

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Her comments came despite Reform leader Nigel Farage and Tory leader Kemi Badenoch having both repeatedly ruled out an electoral pact.

There has also been a dampening of expectations over a proposed deal between Reform and Restore Britain – the rival Right-wing party set up by Rupert Lowe.

Reform UK’s Sarah Pochin today called for a ‘coming together’ between Right-wing parties ahead of the next general election

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Her comments came despite Reform leader Nigel Farage and Tory leader Kemi Badenoch having both repeatedly ruled out an electoral pact 

Speaking during a live recording of the Daily T podcast, Ms Pochin said: ‘The most important thing is that the parties on the Right do not allow the Left to come through again and for us to have to suffer another general election where Labour might succeed.

‘How that happens is going to take some negotiation, but I would feel devastated if the Right destroys itself.

‘We cannot let Right-wing voters down by squabbles. We need to be able to look at the bigger picture if we’re going to save this country and put it back on a trajectory which I think most of us in this room desire.

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‘There needs to be some coming together on the Right.’

Asked about the exchange of political attacks between Reform and the Tories in recent months, the MP for Runcorn and Helsby added: ‘I actually don’t go in at all for all of this personal attack stuff. I don’t do Twitter.

‘I don’t like it, I’m obviously a victim of it at times, but I don’t do it myself. I think we have such big issues to deal with. I feel a huge sense of responsibility.’

She continued: ‘I think we need to rise above all of this tittle tattle and think about the huge mission that we are on. That needs to be the driving force. Not all of this nonsense.

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‘Can I just say one thing – and I do apologise to all of the men in this room – there’s a big difference between men and women because women don’t really have these big egos. We get on with the job.’

Mr Farage last month said he was ‘open-minded’ about holding talks with Mr Lowe following the Restore leader’s surprise offer to ‘unite the Right’ and take on Labour.

Mr Lowe, the Great Yarmouth MP, was initially elected to Parliament as a Reform representative at the 2024 general election.

But he left the party last year following a furious row with Mr Farage and other senior Reform figures.

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Reform insiders have since downplayed the chances of a deal being struck between Mr Farage and Mr Lowe, after the Restore leader refused to sack his party’s controversial top aide Charlie Downes.

The rising popularity of Restore Britain has sparked concern among some within Reform that it is eating into support for Mr Farage’s party.

And Ms Pochin said that Mr Lowe ‘needs to think very seriously about the damage he is potentially doing to the Reform vote’.

‘We are basically in the same direction aren’t we, we’re talking to the same people,’ she added.

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Nadine Dorries, the former Tory Cabinet minister who defected to Reform last year, also said there was a need for the ‘Right to unite’ as she appeared on the same podcast.

But her and Ms Pochin’s pleas for unity came after Reform’s home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf said the party should seek to destroy the Tories rather than make a deal with them.

Mr Yusuf used his conference speech to launch an attack on the Conservatives over their time in power, telling Reform members: ‘We are not here to do a deal with con-artist Kemi, we are here to put the Tories out of business.’

England have named the uncapped Aneurin Donald and Henry Crocombe in their squads for the white-ball series against Sri Lanka.

Opener Donald has been included in the 16-player squad for the T20 series, while seamer Crocombe makes the 16-man line-up for the one-day internationals.

England men’s national selector Marcus North said the pair are “two promising players who have earned their places on the back of impressive performances in domestic cricket”.

He added: “Aneurin has had an exceptional season for Derbyshire in the Vitality Blast and also with Trent Rockets in The Hundred while Henry is a player we have had an eye on all summer.”

England all-rounder Jacob Bethell “underwent successful surgery on his injured knee earlier this week” and is targeting the white-ball series against Australia in November for his comeback.

Durham seamer Brydon Carse has not been included in either squad.

The 31-year-old was dropped for the second Test of the current series against Pakistan after he was briefly arrested following an incident outside a Derby nightclub on 22 August.

Muhammad Ismail Alum, 16, was cycling home after performing the Fajr or dawn prayers at Green Lane Masjid and Community Centre when he was struck by a car near Birmingham City’s ground in Small Heath

Heartbroken teachers have paid tribute to a “much-loved son, relative, friend and student” after a 16-year-old boy was killed while cycling home from morning prayers.

Muhammad Ismail Alum was returning from Fajr prayers at Green Lane Masjid and Community Centre, in Birmingham, when he was struck by a car near St Andrew’s Satadium, in Small Heath on August 28, Birmingham Live reports.

The teenager, a pupil at Darul Uloom Birmingham Islamic High School, had already achieved outstanding GCSE results, memorised the entire Qur’an and led prayers despite his young age. Staff described him as an exceptional young man whose kindness, humility and dedication earned him the admiration of classmates and teachers alike.

Deputy head teacher Hammaad Azhar said: “Muhammad was an exceptional young man: respectful, resilient, responsible and deeply caring. There are not enough words to adequately describe him, but we would like to share something of the remarkable person he was.

“By the age of 16, Muhammad had memorised the entire Qur’an, earned two Ijazahs – formal certifications recognising his mastery of Qur’anic recitation – led Taraweeh prayers at the masjid, achieved outstanding GCSE results and participated in numerous fundraising events to support those in need.

“These achievements, remarkable as they were, tell only part of Muhammad’s story. It is important he is remembered not simply for what he accomplished, but for the person he was each day. Despite achieving so much at such a young age, he remained humble, respectful and grounded.

“His kindness could be seen in the way he treated everyone around him. He was always willing to help and encouraged others to follow Islamic principles through his words and example.

“He greeted everyone with a smile and a handshake, and whenever someone spoke to him, he gave them his full attention. He had a natural ability to make others feel acknowledged, respected and valued.

“He was a much-loved son, relative, friend and student who enjoyed spending time with his family and friends, playing sports and engaging wholeheartedly in his studies.

“Like any young person, Muhammad had hopes and ambitions for his future. He dreamed big and approached the journey ahead of him with enthusiasm, determination and a desire to make a positive difference.

“Muhammad will be remembered not only for his achievements, but also for his kindness, the quiet strength of his character and the respect he showed to everyone around him. His conduct reflected the values he encouraged in others and left a lasting impression on all who had the privilege of knowing him.”

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Mr Azhar remarked that Muhammad “had so much more to offer the world” yet the standard he established would endure as his legacy.

“It was a privilege and a blessing to have known him, taught him and witnessed the remarkable young man he became,” the statement added.

“Our thoughts, prayers and deepest condolences are with Muhammad’s family, friends, teachers and everyone affected by his passing during this profoundly difficult time.

“We pray Allah has mercy upon Muhammad, forgives him, illuminates his grave and grants him the highest ranks of Jannah. May Allah grant his family and loved ones patience, strength and comfort.”

FromSoftware’s Hidetaka Miyazaki has touched upon the recurring motifs in his games though he swears he’s not as into feet as some fans assume.

There are plenty of things we’d associate with FromSoftware president Hidetaka Miyazaki, like medieval knights and poisonous swamps, but we wouldn’t count feet among them.

And yet some fans of Miyazaki’s video games are convinced that he has a, shall we say, particular interest in feet, citing how often female characters in his games, such as Elden Ring and Demon’s Souls, appear bare foot.

This would hardly be controversial even if it was true, but Miyazaki himself recently went out of his way to deny he has any sort of foot fetish and has attempted to offer another explanation for this frequent foot motif.

Miyazaki brought the topic up almost unprompted during an interview with The Guardian about his past work as well as the upcoming Switch 2 multiplayer exclusive The Duskbloods.

‘There’s a rumour that I have a bit of a thing for feet, but I’m not honestly sure where this comes from,’ says Miyazaki. ‘I feel like I’m trying to depict some side of human nature or the human existence that is difficult to describe.’

It is something of a stretch since while there are certainly several women in Miyazaki’s work with an aversion to wearing shoes, they are never depicted in any sort of Quentin Tarantino-esque way.

If anything, there’s a stronger argument that Miyazaki has a thing for hands with how often hand imagery appears in his games. But, again, there’s no sense of voyeurism behind them and they’re more likely meant to be symbolic.

Miyazaki admits that even he’s not sure where this motif keeps coming from, saying, ‘It’s not necessarily something I’m consistently aware of – maybe it’s something subconscious coming through.’

If we had to guess, perhaps it comes from a yearning for human connection, which is also present in Miyazaki’s games through how you can leave helpful messages for other players or summon others to aid you in battles.

This even carries over to The Duskbloods since despite being a competitive game, you can form alliances through what is essentially a marriage proposal, though Miyazaki describes it as ‘less a traditional romance and more a sense of secure trust with a character in the world, and that’s something I personally yearn for.

‘It’s not necessarily a romantic pairing – it’s having someone that you can ultimately rely on. This concept is carried through from characters like the maidens in Elden Ring … it’s a transient, ephemeral love, which is maybe a motif I’m striving for.’

Speaking of The Duskbloods, it still lacks a firm release date despite being billed for 2026. However, Nintendo did just announce a new Nintendo Direct for next week so perhaps that detail will be shared there.

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The exciting new collaboration brings South Korea’s ‘mini mart’ beauty trend exclusively to Primark stores.

K-beauty has officially come to Primark. The high street retailer has teamed with Pureseoul on an exciting new collaboration that is now available at 22 stores across the UK.

Officially launched on September 1, the partnership has been inspired by Korea’s ‘mini mart’ beauty trend. Designed exclusively for the fast fashion giant, the edit will not be available anywhere else.

It’s exciting news for Scottish shoppers, as the list of locations includes three stores across the country. These are Glasgow, Edinburgh and Braehead.

Curated by Pureseoul, the UK’s no.1 Korean beauty brand since 2019, it brings together the best of both worlds. It mixes the beauty brand’s K-beauty expertise and curation with Primark’s famed accessibility and playfulness.

In terms of brands, the exclusive edit boasts a wide range of familiar Korean favourites. However, the most interesting addition is new “little sister” brands that have been created by some of the biggest names in K-beauty.

The sister-brands have been designed to allow established Korean brands to bring their products to a wider audience, making them “easier than ever to explore”. From everyday essentials to skincare heroes, it offers a wide range of products to choose from.

Some of the new brands include ‘The Essential’ by Ariul, the name behind some of Korea’s No.1 best-selling cleansing wipes. There’s also First Edition’ by Sungboon Editor, an ingredient-led skincare brand that has been sold in over 3,000 shops in the US.

Meanwhile, the by Realbarrier’ by REALBARRIER provides the chance to try products from a brand that one of Korea’s most widely used atopic moisturisers that is used in one out of 10 households. There’s also ‘Dropbe’ by The Saem to provide targeted serums for specific skincare concerns.

The K-pop group-loved Milktouch has created the ‘Dear Thing’ line, providing a “playful take on Korean makeup”. Lastly, ‘Dermablock’ has been curated y Cell Fusion C, a clinic-first brand that is behind one of the number one bestselling sunscreens in South Korea.

The launch marks an exciting partnership between one of the most recognisable names on the high street and the UK’s largest Korean beauty brand. Featuring no ‘dupes’, it marks a chance to bag “exclusive accessible collections from some of Korea’s favourite brands.”

As a Primark exclusive, beauty buffs won’t find the K-beauty mini mart brands in any Pureseoul store, of which there are now a total of 18. This includes its most recent opening in Edinburgh’s St. James Quarter – marking its only store in Scotland.

Leslie Tang, CEO of Pureseoul said: “We are so excited to partner with Primark for the launch of our K-Beauty Mini Mart. In Korea, many of our brand partners are creating ‘mini’ or ‘sister’ brands to meet the growing demand for more accessible K-Beauty, and we saw an opportunity to curate this for the UK.

“There is no better partner than Primark for this concept. It allows us to combine Pureseoul’s deep K-Beauty expertise with a retailer that champions value, accessibility and an ever-growing beauty offering.

“The range is completely exclusive to Primark, giving customers something genuinely unique while allowing us to build on the work we’ve been doing to introduce, educate and grow K-Beauty in the UK since 2019. We can’t wait to see customers discover these brands and products for the first time.”

What Primark stores are stocking the K-Beauty Mini Mart?

Scotland

Rest of the UK

• Belfast – Castle Street
• Derry
• Leicester – Fosse Park
• York – Monks Cross
• Coventry
• Southampton
• Norwich
• Lakeside
• Meadowhall
• Cardiff
• London – Oxford East
• Manchester – Trafford Centre
• Rotherham
• Manchester – Market Street
• London – Oxford Street West
• Liverpool
• London – Stratford
• Leeds – Trinity
• Birmingham – High Street

It’s that time of year again – the Blackpool Illuminations will be officially switched-on in spectacular style later tonight.

The long-standing annual tradition, which has been lovingly running since 1879, will see the popular light display up and running for a whopping 122 days. Starting today (Friday, September 4), they will be operating nightly until Sunday, January 3.

Stretching across the usual six-mile route of Blackpool from Starr Gate to Red Bank Road, the displays will honour both the seaside town’s heritage as well as its present with a host of fan-favourites and new additions, including neon sandcastles, a LED Sky Forest, a ‘flower shower’ of umbrellas and even a special Wishing Star creation from musician Toyah Wilcox.

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Each year, the esteemed task of switching on the illuminations has been given to a host of big names, including the likes of Peter Kay, Tim Burton, Spice Girls’ icon Melanie B, and Olly Murs, who was given the honour last year. This time round, the lights will be switched on by Bolton’s own TV presenter and personality Paddy McGuinness.

Previously speaking about his love for Blackpool, especially visiting as a child, the star will be switching on the lights as part of a festival which will be headined by Five and will also include performances from singer-songwriter Lucy Spraggan and indie band The Feeling. Live performances will start from just after 4pm today, with the switch-on taking place later in the evening.

The festival will be attended by 20,000 people, with tickets handed out free as part of a special ballot system. There are sadly no longer any tickets remaining for the event. However, we’ll be sharing all the updates in live blog as the party takes place and as the lights go on for the first time this season.

Follow all the latest updates below.

“This temporary arrangement will allow both clubs, together with the SPFL, Police Scotland and other relevant stakeholders, to give proper consideration to the findings and recommendations of the Independent Review, take forward the necessary actions and ensure sufficient time is available to plan future fixtures thoroughly.

An inquest concluded Morgan Ribeiro, 20, died as a result of complications from gastric sleeve surgery in Turkey in January 2024

The heartbroken dad of a woman who died after a gastric sleeve op in Turkey has paid tribute to his daughter, telling an inquest: “She was a very passionate person. She cared.”

Richard Ribeiro shared memories of his girl Morgan Ribeiro, 20, moments after an inquest found she perished as a result of complications from the cosmetic procedure.

Tragic Morgan, who worked in a nursery for disabled children, travelled to Istanbul from her home in Croydon, South London, on January 5, 2024, for the weight loss surgery. Three days later, medics gave her clearance to fly back to the UK. But she took a turn for the worst during the return flight to London Gatwick, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing in Belgrade, Serbia, where she was admitted to ICU. She died five days later on January 13.

Assistant Coroner Laura Stephenson told South London Coroner’s Court many attempts had been made to contact Morgan’s surgeon, Dr Serkan Bayil, but that these were unsuccessful. She said: “It has not been possible to establish contact with the clinic or surgeon who performed it. I have [therefore] relied on the post mortem conducted in Serbia, information from the Serbian police..and information from Morgan’s partner about her travel.”

The court heard how Morgan underwent emergency surgery in Serbia where medics discovered her intestinal wall had ruptured. Ms Stephenson concluded her medical cause of death was peritonitis caused by the rupture, which likely happened as a result of the gastric sleeve surgery.

Medical notes from the private hospital Ozel Medivitia in Istanbul, where Morgan was treated, state she was deemed stable and fit for discharge. But her partner Jamie Brewster told the court she was suffering from abdominal pain and a fever, which worsened when they boarded the London-bound flight.

Devastated dad Richard sat alongside a friend at Friday’s inquest. Speaking through tears after being asked if he wanted to share anything about his daughter, he told the inquest: “Morgan was working in a nursery for disabled children, looking after children with special needs. She was a very passionate person. She cared.”

Morgan’s mum, Erin Gibson, previously spoke to the Mirror emphasising her need for justice. She said: “It’s wrong, it shouldn’t be happening. My daughter had her whole life ahead of her. It’s hard to adjust. Grief-stricken is an understatement.”

After years of suffering bullying due to her weight, Morgan decided to undertake weight loss surgery. A gastric band operation in the UK costs between £8,000 and £10,000 and Morgan paid £2,500 for the surgery in Turkey, it was previously said. In 2024, The Mirror confronted surgeon Dr Bayil in Istanbul. He denied botching it, saying Morgan suffered an embolism and insisted he did nothing wrong.

A chilling 37-minute police bodycam video released Thursday captures the gruesome moment officers discovered the body of a Pennsylvania college student hidden inside her own vehicle — a brutal killing her teenage boyfriend blamed on a “demon,” court records show.

Royce Moser, 18, of North Strabane Township, stands charged with criminal homicide in the death of Karoline Heintz, a student at PennWest California University. His 56-year-old mother, Rachel Moser, is accused of helping orchestrate a twisted cover-up to shield her son.

According to a criminal complaint, Heintz’s father raised the alarm when she failed to return to campus, tracking her location via an Apple AirTag inside her Jeep. Police located the vehicle in a campus parking lot, where the footage shows an officer peering through the dark glass with a flashlight before shouting for backup.

“Control, I need EMS here right now,” the officer frantically radioed. “I’ve got an unconscious female in the back of this car right now… I’ve got blood everywhere.”

After smashing two windows to reach the victim, officers confirmed the horrific scene.

In a police affidavit, investigators detail how Royce Moser allegedly snapped during an argument in his driveway, telling Heintz to wait before grabbing a knife from inside his home.

Moser told police a “demon took over” and instructed him to stab the young woman. After the attack, Moser shoved Heintz’s body into the rear hatch, took the wheel, and had his mother follow him to the university to dump the vehicle, according to authorities.

State police say the cover-up didn’t end there. Investigators allege Rachel Moser brought her son to her Beallsville home, ordered him to bathe, threw his bloody clothes in the washing machine, and stuffed the murder weapon into a trash bag. Police later recovered the knife after executing a search warrant.

Both mother and son face charges of tampering with evidence, abuse of a corpse, and obstruction of justice. Rachel Moser faces additional counts including hindering apprehension.

Defense counsel for Royce Moser declined to comment, while a representative for Rachel Moser did not immediately return requests for comment.

The mother-son duo are being held without bail at the Washington County Jail ahead of an Oct. 13 formal arraignment.

“This is a parent’s worst nightmare,” Heintz’s family said in a statement. “Karoline was loved by all. She was a kind, smart, beautiful girl. We want justice for our ‘sweet’ Karoline.”

Residents of a New Hampshire suburb have been warned to be on the lookout for a mysterious wild animal that has been terrorising the neighbourhood — and it could have rabies.

The police department in the town of Lebanon have received reports of three attacks occurring in the Centerra Park area since Sunday, August 30, with the unidentified creature described as ‘unusually aggressive’.

One horrifying encounter was caught on camera and shows the animal running out of a grassy area into a car park, before darting under a U-Haul lorry and appearing to lunge at the driver as they left the vehicle.

The creature is then seen jumping up at the driver, who tries to ward it off using an object in their hands but the animal rips it away before latching on to the person’s leg.

They eventually manage to shake it off, as another person jumps out of its way, with the animal running back under the van before it retreats to the woods.

Since the initial report, the Police Department has received information regarding two additional attacks involving what appears to be the same wild animal, they wrote on their Facebook page.

They have warned the public not to approach the creature, saying it has ‘reportedly displayed unusually aggressive behaviour towards people’ and have advised locals to exercise caution if ‘walking near wooded brush-covered or other areas where wildlife may be present’.

While they have been unable to confirm what type of animal it is, witnesses have suggested it could be either a gray fox or a fisher — which is a carnivorous member of the weasel family.

However, its aggressive behaviour has sparked fears that it could be suffering from rabies.

‘It’s concerning because of the animal attacking people,’ LPD Chief Phillip Roberts told local channel KMBC. ‘And then, you know, the fact that it’s coming out and scratching and biting at people. That’s obviously a concern to us.’

Rabies can be transmitted to humans via the bite or scratch of an infected animal, or through infected saliva entering the eyes, nose or mouth.

The virus, which can cause fever, nausea, vomiting, hallucinations and partial paralysis is almost always fatal in humans once symptoms appear — although it can be prevented if treatment is given promptly after exposure.

Police in Lebanon have said anyone who is bitten or scratched by a wild animal should wash the affected area with soap and water thoroughly and seek medical attention to determine whether rabies treatment is needed.

They added: ‘Anyone who encounters an aggressive wild animal should maintain a safe distance and contact police.’

The reports are the latest in a string of animal attacks which have swept parts of the US over the summer.

Most recently a Colorado woman in her 80s suffered abdominal injuries after a bear broke into her home in the middle of the night and attacked her in the kitchen.

The bear entered the woman’s home in Estes Park through a first-floor window at around 4.30am on August 27.

The homeowner woke up to discover the animal in her kitchen on the second floor.

She told officials the bear charged her, ‘scratched her across the stomach and knocked her to the ground’ before leaving through the same window it entered through.

It’s one of a string of incidents across the area, with multiple reports of bears breaking into houses and vehicles.

Authorities have said it is due largely to their natural food shortages being depleted by low mountain snowpack, wildfires and drought, leading them to take greater risks to secure food as they enter hyperphagia when they build up necessary fat reserves to survive hibernation.

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