Seven in ten GPs believe adult ADHD is over-diagnosed and some say they have never known a private provider reject a diagnosis.

Increased awareness of the condition has driven up waits for NHS assessments and in turn pushed patients towards private clinics.

Some patients pay more than £1,000 for a consultation while others are able to secure an NHS referral to an assessor of their choice, with taxpayers footing the bill.

The diagnosis can aid benefits claims, such as personal independence payments, which have soared in recent years.

Family doctors estimated that more than eight in ten patients referred for specialist assessments ultimately received an ADHD diagnosis.

Those responding to a poll by GP publication Pulse raised concerns about ‘superficial’ assessments and warned that trauma and other mental health problems could be overlooked.

A GP from Berkshire revealed that of over 1,000 patients they had referred, only one did not receive a positive ADHD diagnosis.

Other respondents said they perceived the diagnosis rate for those referred to private provider routes was higher than via NHS routes.

A Dorset-based GP said: ‘Occasionally NHS services do not make a positive diagnosis, but I don’t think I have ever seen a private provider not give a positive diagnosis.’

It comes ahead of the publication of a government-commissioned review into the rising demand for ADHD, autism and mental health services.

Professor Peter Fonagy, the clinical psychologist leading the review, is expected to recommend providing more support based on people’s needs, without requiring a formal diagnosis.

The costs of meeting the ‘soaring’ demand for autism and ADHD services in England have become ‘unsustainable’, health chiefs have warned.

The NHS Alliance said that spending on ADHD and autism has risen by up to ten-fold over the course of a year in some areas, citing one integrated care board (ICB) which reported its monthly spend had risen from £146,000 in 2024/25 to £1.5m last year.

Another reported an increased spend on adult ADHD services from £11m in 2023/24 to a projected £51m this financial year, Pulse reported.

The sharp increase in demand has led to an influx of new providers, fuelled by the Right to Choose, which allows people seeking diagnosis for themselves or a child to opt for any qualified provider.

But the NHS Alliance said that the rapid expansion of new providers has also prompted concerns from ICBs about quality assurance and regulation.

Rebecca Gray, the NHS Alliance’s mental health network director, said local health leaders were ‘caught between a rock and a hard place’.

‘They understand the anguish and frustration caused by long delays in the system as people wait for assessments, treatment and support,’ she said.

‘But in working to meet rising demand they face soaring costs that are running out of control.

‘The current situation is unsustainable and delivers a bad deal for patients and taxpayers.’

One ICB told the NHS Alliance it now has 80 providers on its patch, while another said that two years ago it had received invoices from 12 to 14 providers, a figure which has now risen to 48.

Meanwhile, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) said there has been a more than 200 per cent rise in complaints about ADHD and autism services over the past five years.

The Pulse survey of 829 GPs found 410 consider adult ADHD ‘very over-diagnosed’ and 173 consider it ‘slightly over-diagnosed’.

Another GP, based in Devon, who responded to the survey, said: ‘ADHD seems to be considered a more socially acceptable diagnosis than, for example, PTSD.

‘I am stunned by how superficial some assessments are, and how little reference is made to some patients’ significant history of trauma or adverse childhood experiences, which would in themselves be an adequate explanation for the patient’s difficulties.’

Greater Manchester GP partner Dr Liz Clarke, who responded to the survey, said the current system of having single pathways for the diagnosis of single conditions does not provide a holistic patient assessment and ‘creates the risk of overdiagnosis because the focus is to diagnose or exclude only one cause’.

She also raised concerns of ‘harm’ that could be caused to patients as a result, ‘as they can be put on the wrong medications or have the wrong psychological interventions when neurodiversity is not recognised, as well as vice versa’.

The Government said: ‘Professor Fonagy’s final report will be published shortly, and will inform our new national approach in this area.’

The driver reported being flashed near junction 25 while driving at the legal 70mph limit and questioned whether there was a fault with the camera, signage or a temporary variable speed limit they might have missed.

National Highways said the cameras occasionally flash randomly and can be triggered even if a vehicle is not speeding.

Hi, ive just been driving down the M6 and got flashed for doing 70 but no speed sign on the signs, is there a fault with the cameras/signs today?@HighwaysNWEST

— GradientWizzard (@GradientWizzard) September 14, 2026

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National Highways said: “We maintain the cameras but their data and readings go to the local police for them to enforce.

“The cameras are designed to recalibrate themselves on occasion, causing them to flash, so they’re always operationally ready should they need to activate.

“This means they can be triggered even if the vehicle is not speeding.”

What are variable speed limits?

According to National Highways, variable speed limits (VSL) are displayed on illuminated signs on the side of the motorway or on gantries above the lanes.

A speed limit displayed within a red circle is legally enforceable, regardless of the reason for its implementation.

When a VSL changes, the associated speed camera performs a self-check, which can cause a flash even if the vehicle is not exceeding the limit.

National Highways said: “This flash does not necessarily indicate that your vehicle has been identified as exceeding the displayed speed limit.

“To allow drivers to reduce their speed safely, the police ensure a minimum time delay between any change to the variable speed limit displayed and the enforcement of that new speed.”

Enforcement of variable speed limits is a police responsibility.

National Highways provides the speed detection equipment, but all evidence is collected and held by the police.

A spokesperson for National Highways said: “We’re not a law enforcement authority and are not responsible for the enforcement of the variable speed limits which we set.

“The police are responsible for all matters concerning the enforcement of VSLs.

“All evidence required for the prosecution of speed offences on our motorways is collected by the police.

“We don’t collect or hold such evidence.”

The cameras are equipped with video systems that record the displayed speed limit at the time of the alleged offence, ensuring that the limit is visible and enforceable.

National Highways said: “This provides assurance that the limit being enforced is visible to drivers.

“If the camera can see and interpret the speed limit, then we know that drivers can see and interpret the same signs.”

A police investigation into the deaths of three sisters who tragically all drowned in the sea off Brighton has concluded that there is ‘no evidence of criminality’. 

Jane Adetoro, 36, Christina Walters, 32, and Rebecca Walters, 31, who were described as ‘beautiful lights’ by their father, died in what police called a ‘tragic incident’ on May 13 this year. 

On Sunday, Sussex Police said the trio died after entering the sea together, and confirmed that there was no evidence of third-party involvement in the deaths. 

The sisters, who were born in Luton but had been living together in Greenford, north-west London when they died, were found fully clothed in the English Channel at around 5.45am. 

Jane had been working as a senior accountant, Christina a junior accountant, and Rebecca Walters an HR administrator at the time of their deaths. 

Rebecca had been washed onto the shore of the beach near Black Rock car park in Brighton on May 13, but was declared dead by a paramedic. 

Rebecca was washed onto the shore but declared dead by a paramedic, while Jane and Christina’s bodies were then found at sea by the RNLI and brought to shore

Jane and Christina’s bodies were then found at sea and brought to shore by an RNLI crew.  

An inquest was opened into their deaths on May 29, and a post-mortem conducted in May confirmed that all three died by drowning. 

The police investigation found that the sisters had been dropped off by taxi at Madeira Drive at 10.20pm on Tuesday, May 12. 

Their bodies were found at around 5.45am the next day, wearing everyday clothing. No evidence was found to suggest they visited any nightclubs or local businesses in the area before they died. 

Sussex Police said in a statement on Sunday evening that the evidence available has led them to conclude that the sisters all entered the water near to where their bodies were later found, and died. 

The force added that details such as the sisters’ whereabouts before their deaths and their potential reasons for entering the water will be considered during the subsequent HM Coroner’s inquest, and declined to comment further.    

Chief Superintendent Adam Hays said: ‘From the outset of this complex and challenging investigation, we have been acutely aware of the speculation surrounding this incident, the public’s unanswered questions and their desire for answers.

‘Our priority throughout has been uncovering the truth for the loved ones of Jane, Rebecca and Christina, because at this incident’s core there has always been a grieving family coming to terms with an unthinkable tragedy and loss.

‘Our investigation has been thorough. Our extensive enquiries intentionally considered concerns raised by black communities surrounding the deaths of black people in or near bodies of water, as we worked to understand who the three women were, and the factors that could have led to them being found on the beach that morning. 

‘However, our enquiries have now concluded, pending any new information coming to light.’ 

Chief Supt Hays added: ‘Jane, Rebecca and Christina’s tragic deaths sparked a national outpouring of grief, and I would like to thank everyone who supported our investigation by coming forward with information. 

‘We will now support the coronial process and ask that the sisters’ family continue to be given privacy to come to terms with their loss.’ 

Jane, Christina and Rebecca left behind a surviving sister, Lillian, who made a poignant tribute at her siblings’ joint funeral in June by writing: ‘We were four, and now I am one.’ 

At a sombre service in north-west London, their father, Joseph Jacobson, said: ‘You were more than my daughters: you were my joy, my strength and the beautiful light that filled my life with love. 

‘No words can truly describe the pain of losing three daughters in the prime of their lives. 

‘There are moments when it feels unbearable, but I hold tightly to the memories we shared, the love we knew and the bond that nothing can ever take away.’ 

Recalling each of their most treasured traits, he continued:  ‘Jane, I will never forget your strength. Tina, your kindness touched so many lives. Becky, your warmth and joyful spirit brought happiness wherever you went. 

‘Though I can no longer see you, I carry you in my heart every day.’

Relatives previously revealed the sisters’ mother, Janice, had died by drowning in Birmingham 16 years ago. 

Speaking at the funeral on behalf of the family, their cousin, Natalie Walters-Daniel, said: ‘Your lives will never be forgotten, and your memory will live on forever.

‘Together they accomplished so much.

‘They pursued their education, they built careers, they created lives that reflected the values their parents instilled in them,’ the BBC reported.

You can claim a free pair of tickets to a choice of 15 events up and down the country from October to December

We have teamed up with Arena Racing Company – who run 16 racecourses across the UK, to give away over 50,000 tickets to 15 entertainment-filled race meetings from October to December 2026. You can claim two free tickets to your chosen event – plus kids go free!

The race days are all themed to provide great entertainment as well as high quality jump racing spread across the country. There’s everything from Royal Windsor Autumn Beer Festival Raceday to Chepstow Christmas Party Raceday, Southwell Gents Evening to Hereford Twixmas Raceday – all gearing up for the festive season.

There’s a fantastic range of events and acts to appear to everyone! The choice of 15 entertainment-filled race meetings are:

CHEPSTOW – October 11 – DragonBet Welsh Racing Festival Day 3

CHEPSTOW – December 5 – Christmas Party Raceday

DONCASTER – October 24 – Futurity Trophy Saturday

DONCASTER – November 7 – November Handicap

DONCASTER – November 28 – Return of the Jumps

HEREFORD – December 27 – Twixmas Raceday

LINGFIELD PARK – December 12 – Christmas Jumpers Raceday

LINGFIELD PARK – December 20 – Christmas warm up

ROYAL WINDSOR – November 14 – Autumn Beer Festival Raceday

SEDGEFIELD – October 18 – Durham National 2026

SOUTHWELL – October 24 – Gents Evening

SOUTHWELL – November 28 – Winter Ladies Evening

SOUTHWELL – December 13 – Christmas Jumper Day

UTTOXETER – November 14 – Beer Festival Raceday

WOLVERHAMPTON – December 12 – Festive Raceday with Live DJ

CLICK HERE TO CLAIM YOUR FREE PAIR OF TICKETS (subject to availability, first come, first serve basis). Please note: Your tickets will be emailed to you from Arena Racing Company, 2-3 days prior to the event.

Terms and Conditions: 1. This Promotion covers all Fixtures and will be open for entry (i) until the closing dates listed or, (ii) until all tickets for that particular Fixture are redeemed, whichever occurs first. The closing dates for each race event are as follows: Chepstow DragonBet Welsh Racing Festival Day 3 – Sunday 4 October, Sedgefield Durham National 2026 – Sunday 11 October, Doncaster Futurity Trophy Saturday – Sunday 18 October, Southwell Gents Evening – Sunday 18 October, Doncaster November Handicap – Sunday 1 November, Royal Windsor Autumn Beer Festival Raceday – Sunday 8 November, Uttoxeter Beer Festival Raceday – Sunday 8 November, Doncaster Return of the Jumps – Sunday 22 November, Southwell Winter Ladies Evening – Sunday 22 November, Chepstow Christmas Party Raceday – Sunday 29 November, Lingfield Park Christmas Jumpers Raceday – Sunday 6 December, Wolverhampton Festive Raceday with Live DJ – Sunday 6 December, Southwell Christmas Jumper Day – Sunday 6 December, Lingfield Park Christmas warm up – Sunday 13 December, Hereford Twixmas Raceday – Sunday 20 December.

2.This is a syndicated offer across the Daily Star/Daily Star Sunday and dailystar.co.uk; Daily Mirror/Sunday Mirror and Dailymirror.co.uk; Daily Express/Sunday Express and express.co.uk and the Sunday People; Newcastle Chronicle, Journal, Sunday Sun and www.chroniclelive.co.uk; Teesside Gazette and www.gazettelive.co.uk; South Wales Echo and www.walesonline.co.uk; Bristol Post and www.bristolpost.co.uk; Western Daily Press and www.somersetlive.co.uk; Birmingham Mail and www.birminghammail.co.uk ; Burton Mail,Stoke Sentinel and www.stokesentinel.co.uk; Nottingham Post and www.nottinghampost.co.uk; Derby Telegraph and www.derbytelegraph.co.uk; Grimsby Telegraph and www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk.

3. Tickets are limited for each fixture and are subject to availability and will be offered on a first come first served basis. The number of pairs of tickets available for each fixture is as follows: Chepstow DragonBet Welsh Racing Festival Day 3 (2500), Sedgefield Durham National 2026 (2500) , Doncaster Futurity Trophy Saturday (2500), Southwell Gents Evening (500), Doncaster November Handicap (2500) , Royal Windsor Autumn Beer Festival Raceday (2500) , Uttoxeter Beer Festival Raceday (500) , Doncaster Return of the Jumps (1250) , Southwell Winter Ladies Evening (500), Chepstow Christmas Party Raceday (2500) , Lingfield Park Christmas Jumpers Raceday (2500) , Wolverhampton Festive Raceday with Live DJ (1500) , Southwell Christmas Jumper Day (1500) , Lingfield Park Christmas warm up (2500) , Hereford Twixmas Raceday (2500) . E-tickets will be sent to the email address provided, from Arena Leisure Racing Limited’s ticket office 2-3 days prior to the Fixture. Children under 18 go free and do not require a ticket in advance – they will be issued on the day.

4.To enter the Promotion you will need to be over 18 years of age (i) choose your preferred Fixture; (ii) fill in your full name and email address, (iii) if successful, you will be sent an automated email with ticket information. If you are not successful you will be informed that you have not been successful. Emails may be filtered into junk email inboxes. Please check your junk email box, if successful and move your email to your inbox immediately to avoid deletion of your email which is automatically from your junk/spam email after 30 days..

5. Anyone who has already purchased tickets for one of the named Fixtures will not be eligible for a refund or able to exchange their previously purchased tickets. All entrants are limited to one pair of tickets per customer in total for one Fixture only. If you have successfully applied for a Fixture and been allocated tickets, you will not be eligible to be selected for subsequent Fixtures. A valid email address is required to enter the Promotion and to redeem the tickets.

6. Free ticket recipients are required to provide proof of identity on entrance to the Fixture venue, alongside the e-tickets provided under that same name.

7. There is the option to subscribe to newsletters, this is not mandatory and where you do not subscribe, your information will only be used for entry into the promotion and the racecourse event and will not be used for marketing purposes.

8. The offer is as stated and does not include travel,expenses or parking (unless stated) and you must make your own travel arrangements. There is no cash alternative to this offer, tickets are not for resale.

9. Only those named on the e-ticket, with matching proof of identity will be permitted entrance to the Racecourse and the Racecourse team reserve all rights to refuse entry.

10. Once redeemed, e- tickets cannot be exchanged for alternative events or dates. All e-tickets must be used on the date and times and for the event as detailed on the e-tickets.

11. Horseracing is subject to weather. So please check the relevant racecourse website or social media channels for updates before travelling.

12. Should the fixture be cancelled, transferred or abandoned, tickets won’t be valid for an alternative date, free ticket recipients are not eligible for refunds for the value of the ticket.

13. All ticket holders are subject to the racecourse terms and conditions of entry, click HERE. Your data privacy is very important to us. The data you provide upon requesting tickets (full name and email) will only be shared with the relevant racecourse in order to generate your details on the system for the Fixture, unless you have opted in to receive marketing from Arena Racing Company, in which case your email and full name will be shared for these purposes (for more information please click HERE. Standard Reach privacy policy rules apply HERE

The star, who broke down on stage during his show on Saturday night as he opened up about the ordeal, has been “impacted deeply” by the fall-out.

Ed Sheeran is said to be devastated over the Palestine row surrounding his tour and confided in his friends about feeling “so alone”.

The star, who broke down on stage during his show on Saturday night as he opened up about the ordeal, has been “impacted deeply” by the fall-out. His close pals have been left worried for the star as his career teetered on the brink.

One told the Mirror: “As Macklemore and then all the support acts left him, and with no public displays of support from any of his musical peers, it’s been a really, really lonely place at times. He has been so broken, and everyone has been trying to rally around, but it’s been hard. There have been genuine concerns that he could walk away from it all.”

Sheeran, 35, was performing for the first time since rapper Macklemore was removed from the line-up following comments about the conflict in Gaza. Towards the end of the set, the star sat cross-legged on stage as he grew visibly emotional, and remarked how he felt “abandoned” by friends and family.

He told the crowd at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia: “In these situations you really find out who your friends are. It’s been a weird week. It happened very quickly. At the same time, I had so many people telling me to cancel this tour and so many people I’ve known for years and years and years….they’re kind of backing away. In the back of my mind, I saw the ticket sales for this gig and I didn’t see cancellations, I saw people buying tickets for this gig. Everyone’s telling me to cancel and I’m feeling all of my friends and family and people I know abandon me.”

Earlier in the show Sheeran questioned whether he “wanted to be an artist at all”.

Appearing to read from an auto-cue, the singer said: “I really didn’t know whether this tour would be carrying on. I really didn’t know whether I’d be even getting on stage again, whether I even wanted to be an artist at all.

He added: “Honouring my commitment to my fans is also completely central to who I am, and that is why I’m here tonight on my own and continuing my current tour.”

He admitted he had made “mistakes” and condemned the conflict in Gaza as “catastrophic” and “unjustifiable”. Sheeran also spoke of his security concerns, and admitted removing a different stage in the middle of the audience as he “didn’t know what this audience would be like tonight”.

He said: “I didn’t know if I would have things thrown at me, I didn’t know if people would be angry with me. So today I apologise that today is not the usual Loop show, I took the b-stage out because I was afraid of what might happen if I stood in the middle, and I will admit that.”

The English singer said he had tried in the past not to be a “political commentator” because he wanted his shows to be about “unity“.

“I cannot hide how I feel about it anymore,” he said. “What happened in Israel and at the Nova music festival on October 7 was horrific and compounded centuries of Jewish pain. What is happening in Gaza is catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate. My heart has been broken by the scale of devastation and loss of civilians’ lives, children’s lives. And the systemic injustice we are seeing unfold in the West Bank cannot be overlooked.”

He also said that he is “deeply worried” about the idea that venues should “pre-approve” content, adding: “This happens in so many places that I perform around the world, but it should never happen in the free world.”

During the concert, Sheeran said: “I am already speaking to people across the spectrum to work out how to make a contribution that helps victims of these terrible times, and listening and learning because I do not know enough.” Sheeran concluded the show by saying: “The world is a scary place right now. America is a scary place right now. This gives hope.”

He performed part of the gig with a new band, who he claimed had just three days to learn the songs, after Irish band Beoga, who normally back him for a large part of the show, pulled out.

PR expert Mark Borkowski said that Ed’s speech was effective but didn’t completely absolve the star. He said: “Ed Sheeran’s Philly performance was crisis containment, not resolution. He swapped corporate defensiveness for apology, empathy and a message of unity acknowledging October 7, condemning Gaza’s destruction and reconnecting with his fans. In effect, he was cauterising the [reputational] wound.”

Green MP Hannah Spencer also hit out at the star for not calling what was happening in Gaza as a “genocide.”

She said: “Ed has finally learned this week that you can’t take both sides in a genocide. And if you can’t even say the word genocide, you can’t claim to care about Palestinian people. The reaction reflects the anger so many around the world have to Israel’s appalling atrocities towards Palestinians and how so many governments including our own have been complicit in it. Brave artists have been speaking out for decades. It’s not too late for Ed Sheeran to do the right thing, and join them.”

However ahead of the show, attendees said they were sticking by the musician. James Webber, from Scranton, Pennsylvania said: “I stand with Ed. I think there’s a time for politics and a music concert is not one of those places.”

Kassandra Rivera, from Philadelphia, said: “Everyone has their own opinion and it’s fine. I came here to have a good time and watch Ed Sheeran. I’ve been waiting a whole year to come and see him, so I’m excited to see the show.” Dwayne Smith, from Canada, said: “We’re just here for Ed Sheeran. All politics aside, we just like the music. We are here to support him. It’s not about Palestine or Israel tonight, it’s just about the music for us.”

A small but vocal pro-Palestine protest was held outside the subway station that serves the stadium, several hundred metres from the venue. Philadelphia resident Hillary Steinberg said she received a refund for her tickets and decided to attend the protest instead.

She said: “I think all art is political, and all music is political, and so this choice – even though he was saying that he wasn’t complicit – is a political choice.” Meanwhile grassroots organiser Adi Chattopadhyay, a West Philadelphia resident, said the purpose of the protest was meant to direct the attention back to the war in Gaza.

“Palestinians are very still under occupation,” Chattopadhyay said. “I’m here today to spread that message and tell people why Macklemore was saying ‘Free Palestine’.”

Meanwhile protester Jodi Rhoden criticised stadium boss Robert Kraft’s role in Macklemore’s firing. “Even Ed Sheeran isn’t free of it,” she said. “He had to kick his buddy off his tour because Robert Kraft told him to, because of Israel.”

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An 82-year-old man has died after getting into a fight with a man in his 70s over a sunlounger on a beach in Greece, local media is reporting.

Witnesses say a disagreement over the use of the loungers at Vouliagmeni beach, near Athens, escalated into a violent fight, which then further spiralled to involve other people.

One eyewitness told the Kathimerini newspaper that the scene was so chaotic, the screaming could be heard from the other end of the beach.

The younger man, who was 76, has reportedly been arrested. A 21-year-old woman who was with him was also detained but later released. Witnesses told Ta Nea daily newspaper that she had a bloodied and swollen face.

During the fight, the 82-year-old collapsed. According to various reports, he received CPR and a defibrillator was used on him before an ambulance arrived. The man was taken to hospital where he later died.

Another witness said that the victim seemed to be waiting for other people and had reserved a sunlounger, which appeared to be the cause of the initial disagreement.

Authorities are investigating what led to the physical altercation and what caused the man’s death.

Founded in the late 1960s, the show has become a fixture in the dog-showing calendar, attracting competitors across a wide range of pedigree breeds.

Competitors can also win Challenge Certificates, or CCs, which could help a dog in becoming a Kennel Club champion.

The Darlington Dog Show also features stakes classes and Young Kennel Club qualifying competitions for exhibitors hoping to secure places at Crufts dog show.

This weekend (September 18 to September 20), Ripon Racecourse welcomed dogs of all shapes and sizes – ranging from toy breeds and terriers to gundogs, working dogs and utility breeds.

For many owners, stepping into the ring follows months or even years of preparation, grooming and training.

While competition in the ring can be fierce, the show is just as much about bringing together dog lovers from across the UK and beyond, with exhibitors, owners and visitors united by a shared passion for dogs.

Away from the judging, visitors browsed trade stands, met breeders and owners, and saw dozens of breeds gathered in one place.

For families and casual dog lovers, the show offers a rare chance to see unusual breeds and talented dogs up close.

Our gallery captures some of the best moments from this year’s event, showcasing the dogs, handlers and memorable scenes that made the 2026 Darlington Championship Dog Show another highlight of the canine calendar.

See if you can spot any familiar faces in the pictures – four-legged or otherwise:

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Dogs and handlers compete at the Darlington Championship Dog Show at Ripon Racecourse. (Image: Stuart Boulton)

Earl Spencer has hinted that his nephews, Prince William and Harry, already knew his shocking revelations about King Charles.

He claimed that days after Diana’s 1997 death, the then Prince Charles had gone ‘ballistic’ in a phone call and told him: ‘Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough’.

It was thought that William and Harry had not been aware about the explosive contents of Earl Spencer’s forthcoming memoir to his sister.

But in an interview with the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg, he said: ‘I don’t like to talk about what I’ve been speaking about to William and Harry, but this will not be a surprise to them.’

He clarified: ‘I will tell you that these words will not be a surprise to them.’

Earl Spencer said that then Prince Charles went ‘ballistic’ after he told him that Diana wouldn’t want her young sons making the public walk behind her coffin.

He told Laura Kuenssberg: [Prince Charles] said, “I gather you don’t think William and Harry should walk behind Diana’s coffin.

‘And I said, “Of course not, sir. She wouldn’t want it. And then he said, “Well, I walked behind Lord Mountbatten’s coffin, and I said, “Yes, but you were 30, and he wasn’t your mother.”

‘And then to me, he went ballistic would be the right term, and started really going for my family as a whole about their sense of duty not being adequate enough, and ranted for a while.

‘I have no idea how long, but it was a significant period, and I just listened. And then he stopped, and I thought, oh, now, now he’s going to pull himself together and say something more appropriate, and then he said, “We’ll forget her soon enough.”

He added Charles even allegedly sounded ‘giddy’ on the phone with him.

‘I’d had a lot of calls that day from people who cared, who were stunned… and I just felt there was a lightness in his tone about Diana’s death that really jarred with me.’

Earl Spencer has given his rebuttal to Buckingham Palace’s blistering statement that ‘the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory’ insisting ‘I’m telling the truth’.

Kuenssberg asked him: ‘So the king is giving an impression to the country that’s not true, misleading people, even lying?’

Spencer replied: ‘All I can tell you is what was said and what I heard and what shocked me. What else would have made me hang up on the king that day, it was something as outrageous as that slur against Diana.’

In the emotional interview, Earl Spencer spoke about growing up with Diana and insisted that he would never pick sides between Prince William and his brother Harry.

‘I’m on my deceased sister’s sons’ side, both of them. And if either of them wanted anything then I’d be equally there for them,’ he said.

‘And I never get involved in one camp or the other, except as a benign figure I hope.’

He hinted at a ‘lot of reasons on both sides’ why the rift between the siblings had ‘got to this stage’.

‘I hope one day it’s resolved, but I don’t know all – I certainly don’t know what’s been done in the finer detail and so I would feel intrusive if I got more involved than to say of course a mother would want her two sons to be happy together and love each other’.

He even recounted the night he got the call from his sister Lady Jane Fellowes, who said Princess Diana had been in a crash but ‘it’s not too serious’.

But as he looked for updates he got more distressing news from his sister.

‘And then my sister Jane said, “I’m afraid she’s died.” It started… as a little prang, and then it became a broken leg, perhaps a head injury, and then death.’

He explained Diana rang up her brother to tell him the reason she was getting divorced, telling him: ‘My husband is in love with his valet’.

‘I told her, “I do worry that the public will really be, in a way, angry with you for killing the fairy tale that they’ve all subscribed to”, and those are the words she said to me.’

Spencer even hinted there could be more Royal family secrets which have been ‘left unsaid.’

BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg asked him: ‘Maybe some family secrets are better left unsaid.’

He replied: ‘They certainly are, and they have been left unsaid.’

But will it be Earl Spencer who will spill the beans? He claims: ‘Nope, that’s it.

‘That’s me done.’

MORE: Royal Family LIVE: Diana claimed she was getting divorced because Charles ‘was in love with his valet’

MORE: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor living ‘in exile’ awaiting police investigation outcome

MORE: Diana still ‘deeply resented’ in Buckingham Palace, says David Dimbleby

Labour promised in its 2024 manifesto to halve violence against women and girls within a decade.

“For too long, victims of rape and serious sexual offences have felt let down by our justice system,” Burnham said.

“Prosecution rates for rape remain shamefully low, with many victims waiting years for justice. This is not good enough.”

The changes were “long overdue” and would make a “significant difference” but focusing on prosecution alone would not be enough, he added.

“So as well as ensuring victims get justice, we will step up action to prevent these horrific crimes from happening in the first place,” the prime minister said.

Nichols spoke publicly for the first time about being raped when she accused the then Justice Secretary, David Lammy, of using crime victims as a “cudgel” to push through his reforms of the legal system.

She was criticising the Courts and Tribunals Bill’s plans to limit jury trials to cases with a likely prison sentence of three years or more.

She said she had waited 1,088 days to go to court, with every day being “agony” and the “trauma” made worse by her role in public life.

Her attacker, she said, was acquitted at crown court but subsequently ordered to pay compensation after she won a civil case against him.

“It is because I have been raped that I am as passionate as I am about what it means for a justice system to be truly victim-focused,” she said.

“It is because I have endured every indignity that our broken criminal justice system could mete out that I care what kind of reform will actually deliver justice for survivors and victims of crime more widely.”

Responding to news of the specialist courts being rolled out, the Conservatives said tackling delays to criminal rape trials was “long overdue” and they pushed Labour to commit to scrapping plans to restrict jury trials.

“The fact that victims have been withdrawing their cases because they have taken too long has been a disgrace,” said shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy.

“Labour need to get courts sitting throughout the year, end the delays and clear the backlog – not undermine our right to a trial by jury.”

Last year another charity, the Salford Survivor Project, said victims of rape and sexual assault were being “failed by the system” as court backlogs reached a record high.

The long delays for cases to go to trial were having a serious impact on victims’ mental health, it said.

Also last year, a woman who says she was sexually assaulted by a taxi driver on her 21st birthday told BBC News she had dropped the case because of court delays.

She reported the alleged incident in early 2022 and gave evidence in court in December 2023 but the case was adjourned until September 2024 when the judge fell ill.

“I made the decision, even though I hate the statement, to drop the case,” she said. “I couldn’t let this hurt me further.”

The Crown Prosecution Service said that, without her testimony, the case had been dropped because of insufficient evidence.

By WILL HALLOWELL, NEWS REPORTER

Published: 18:29 BST, 20 September 2026 | Updated: 23:00 BST, 20 September 2026