Here’s just one unfunded, undeclared hole in our public finances. It amounts to a loss of £1billion between now and the due date of the next general election. 

It is, in fact, one of many similar holes which, collectively, are now turning into a sieve. And this one even has a name: Chris Rokos. 

He is the 55-year-old hedge fund genius who has just decided to leave Britain before this Government announces any further ways of confiscating his money. 

To which, no doubt, a few of the more bovine, tribal Lefties will squawk ‘good riddance’ and give Andy Burnham a thumbs-up. 

Anyone with half a brain and a calculator, however, will have their head in their hands. Because this is very bad news. 

For, until now, Mr Rokos has routinely come near the very top of the list of Britain’s highest taxpayers, writing an annual cheque worth (at the last estimate) £330million, to the Treasury. 

That would equate to handing over the best part of £2billion in the course of this five-year Parliament – enough to buy, say, six frigates for the Royal Navy or 20 F-35 jets for the RAF or pay the annual salaries of at least 40,000 nurses. Except, that he has just quietly packed his bags and moved to a country which does not take him and his wealth for granted. 

Indeed, as I discovered this week, they are cock-a-hoop about welcoming this particular economic migrant. 

Chris Rokos, the 55-year-old hedge fund genius, has decided to leave Britain before this Government announces any further ways of confiscating his money 

The Acropolis looms over the city of Athens, which is attracting an exodus of wealthy Brits 

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Britain has not just lost Mr Rokos’s whopping contribution to the Treasury coffers. Up to now, he has been a very remarkable philanthropist, funding many scholarships at his alma mater, Oxford University, and handing £190million to its arch rival, Cambridge. 

There is a vital Chris Rokos Fellowship at the London Institute of Cancer Research and similarly important orthopaedic research going on thanks to him at Imperial College, London. Nor is he a transient non-dom, simply shifting from one international jurisdiction to another. He is home-grown.

The former state school whizz-kid from Hammersmith, West London, has also paid millions into a scholarship fund so that, every year, four boys from modest backgrounds, can, as he himself did, enjoy a fully-funded free education at Eton.

At the same time, he has rescued one of the West country’s finest homes from ruin and decay. At the last count, hundreds of local jobs were dependent on restoration work at Tottenham House in Wiltshire.

It is understood Mr Rokos will still complete the project. But what next? Will he continue to pump money into a country which is no longer home? The media-shy father-of-five is not saying.

However, well-placed sources have confirmed that his departure is not some cunning exercise in acrobatic accountancy. Mr Rokos is moving his whole life and his business, too. That means that we will lose a whole cluster of higher-rate taxpayers. This month’s news was swiftly followed by the disclosure that the UK-based senior portfolio manager of global hedge fund giant Millennium and his team will be following suit.

What should (but won’t) give Chancellor John Healey even more food for thought is their destination: Greece. Just ten years ago, Mr Rokos’s new home was an economic basket case run by a bunch of Left-wing loonies lauded by the British Left.

Now, after taking a scythe to a bloated, corrupt public sector, Greece is surging ahead economically. Instead of just talking vaguely about ‘growth’ over pints and pork scratchings, as the Burnham administration prefers, the Greeks are continuing to deliver the real thing.

The Flisvos Marina in Athens, home to billions of euros worth of super yachts 

Hedge fund expert Thanassis Drogossis (pictured) said Greece has undergone a remarkable recovery in the past seven years, to the point where the country’s stock market has seen a ten-fold rise in daily trading

Last year, the centre-right New Democracy government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis grew the economy by 2.1 per cent (we managed 1.3). While we rack up ever greater national debt, the Greeks are overpaying on the debt schedule to bring theirs down.

It is money owed from the days when the country was haemorrhaging cash through years of socialist incompetence, not least a farcical benefits system (full-salary state pensions for hundreds of jobs ranging from train drivers to hairdressers, with a retirement age of 53).

Greece avoided bankruptcy, if not anarchy, only thanks to vast loans from the EU – in return for draconian cost-cutting.

Fast forward a decade and the country has undergone a Thatcherite process of national rejuvenation while it is Britain which is being dragged down by a benefits behemoth. And that problem is only going to get worse as other wealthy Brits look at ‘doing a Rokos’.

As every day brings word of another Labour tax on wealth, while our £350billion welfare budget goes undisturbed, so more of ‘those with the broadest shoulders’ (as the Left like to call the rich) may think about slinging their bags over those shoulders and looking elsewhere. Greece is now a prime candidate.

As of June, the Greeks have revised an extensive new system of residency arrangements and tax incentives (known as Law 5313) which have propelled Greece to the top of the preferred destinations for expat Brits.

Sir Keir Starmer’s 2024 election win had already triggered a dash for the exit among the super-rich, with four main options: the United Arab Emirates (including Dubai) and Italy, plus those tax-averse stalwarts, Switzerland and Monaco.

Since then, regional war has made the UAE significantly less appealing while Italy has tightened up some of its thresholds. According to the relocation experts Henley & Partners, Greece is now at number one on its list of 2026 global residency destinations. 

Properties like this one are valued at 15-20million euros on the Athens coast 

Dimitris Angelakos, 43, who has started two new companies, Angel Yachts and Angel Development, devoted to superyachts and real estate

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UK boss Stuart Wakeling explains to me that every would-be expat has a unique set of requirements, though most are not merely individual but family applications.

And those wanting sea, space, sun plus good schools and good connections with their former homeland are now increasingly plumping for Greece.

A five-year renewable ‘golden visa’ scheme offers residency in exchange for buying a home for more than €250,000. Further up the scale, there is the option of an annual flat tax fee of €100,000 for all global – i.e. non-Greece sourced – income (for up to 15 years). Though you are still liable for Greek income tax on purely Greece-sourced income (plus a 50 per cent discount for the self-employed), the tax on all dividends and bank bonuses is just 5 per cent.

There is also a deal for UK pensioners, who can stay for up to 15 years and just pay a flat tax rate of seven per cent on all income. Even what we might call the ‘entry-level’ wealthy are doing their sums. For someone earning upwards of £250,000, already clobbered on their second home and facing a mansion tax on the main home, then a diet of olive, feta and calamari starts to appeal.

‘Let’s be realistic. We are not about to see the entire hedge fund community move from London,’ says Thanassis Drogossis of Pantelakis Securities, a leading Athens stockbroker. ‘But Chris Rokos has stirred a lot of interest and it is a signal that there are great opportunities.’

He points to a conference of institutional investors earlier this month here in Athens. Many were traders from London. ‘They were cheering what Chris Rokos has done and talking about doing the same.’

Mr Drogossis explains Greece has undergone a remarkable recovery in the past seven years, to the point where the country’s stock market has seen a ten-fold rise in daily trading. 

Previously stagnating banks now have billions to invest. The national economic crisis – which followed the global banking crisis of 2009 – has seen a wholesale change in Greek attitudes. People no longer expect the state to provide everything, nor does it offer comfy non-jobs for life.

The Ellinikon development includes the tallest building in Greece, the 48-floor Riviera Tower (a CGI image of the development pictured)

A CGI image of the Ellinikon multibillion euro development in Athens, a £9billion Dubai-style waterside mix of villas and apartments rapidly taking shape on the site of the former Athens airport

Vassilis Karatzas, senior adviser to finance minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis – who was in direct contact with the Rokos team prior to his move here – emphasises that this is not about wooing gazillionaires for show.

‘It’s about jobs. We want to create high-level jobs. We want the well-schooled graduate of the Athens School of Economics to stay and work in Greece. These new investors will want to employ local talent and that talent is being under-utilised,’ he says.

The other priority, he adds, is reassuring would-be investors that Greece is not going to return to its old ways. ‘We have a sound macro-economic regime with a clear path. It’s about ability and predictability.’

I well remember reporting from Athens in the dark days of the recent past – the furious protests descending into riots; the graffiti; the filthy streets and restaurant owners desperate for cash rather than risk money in a bank which might go under at any minute.

It’s a very different Greece which I encounter when I go in search of the sort of life Mr Rokos and fellow expats will now enjoy.

Take the vast Flisvos Marina on the southern end of the Athenian riviera. Ten years ago, most of these quaysides were empty, many foreign yacht-owners having moved their vessels to other jurisdictions.

Today, it is absolutely packed with some of the grandest superyachts I have ever seen. There are 300 in total, with a combined value of £2.5billion. What’s more, there is a waiting list of 60 owners wanting to berth a yacht here (average price; £1,000-a-night, not including electricity – which can top £15,000 a month if all the lights and air conditioning are running).

There is no shortage of people, either, wanting to spend £50million on buying one of these things, or anywhere between £300,000 and £1million a week chartering one for a holiday plus the mandatory 15 per cent tip for the crew.

Robert Hardman pictured with estate agent Christoforos Christofidis, who sells multimillion pound homes in Athens 

Multimillion euro superyachts moored in the bay near the Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel in Athens 

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‘Many of our clients are British and, in the last couple of years, that number has gone up from 20 to 30 per cent,’ says Dimitris Angelakos who has just placed a £250million order for three new yachts, each of them well over 200ft in length.

He and his brothers are the fifth generation of a prominent Greek shipping family. Until five years ago, they focused entirely on merchant shipping, but now Mr Angelakos, 43, has started two new companies, Angel Yachts and Angel Development, devoted to superyachts and real estate.

‘Greece is rebranding itself. Our people have evolved,’ he explains over gourmet sushi at the Matsuhisa restaurant, looking down on half a dozen superyachts out at anchor in the bay at Vouliagmeni.

‘The levels of service and efficiency you used to see in the UK and Germany and the US – well now people are finding that here. We call it ‘philoxenia’, friendship towards foreigners. The difference here is that they can jump on a yacht and be within one hour of 20 islands and two hours of 40.’ With us at dinner is his real estate consultant, Christoforos Christofidis of CCRE, a leading Athens estate agency, which has seen a surge in interest from British wealth creators.

One prime destination is the new Ellinikon development, a £9billion Dubai-style waterside mix of villas and apartments rapidly taking shape on the site of the former Athens airport.

It includes the tallest building in Greece, the 48-floor Riviera Tower. Mr Angelakos has already bought the penthouse apartment – ‘it has to belong to a Greek,’ he laughs.

Many of those Brits who are ‘doing a Rokos’ are looking at the various options in what is being marketed as an entire new city. Ellinikon will have 10,000 separate residential units, ranging from £500,000 to £70 million in price.

Mr Christofidis points out that others are looking to quiet, discreet northern suburbs of Athens like Ekali, to be close to the top schools, including St Catherine’s. Otherwise known as ‘the British school’, it has now expanded to accommodate 1,300 pupils.

I drop in at the ultra-chic Ekali Club, with its huge pool and tennis courts. Another attraction up here, among the trees and low-lying villas, is that the temperature is on average four degrees lower than in the city centre.

CCRE’s Stelios Kallioras shows me round a typical Ekali residence, a sprawling, angular modern villa with indoor and outdoor pool, gym, cinema, office wing, double-height library and staff quarters. Currently rented out at £15,000 a month, it is on the market for £7million.

The one downside, it must be said, is the traffic. Getting around Athens is dreadful. From this leafy suburb to the city centre or the mighty Acropolis is only ten miles, but it is an hour’s drive at rush hour.

Other factors which account for the rise in British interest are relatively simple paperwork and what Henley & Partners call ‘residence optionality’. Greece has a strong second home culture (most ordinary Athenian families have their place in town and a family-owned place on an island). Henley’s southern Europe expert, Marios Rafail, explains that expats like to do the same.

I talk to John (not his real name), an investment banker and Henley client who left London for Singapore some years ago. He wants to return to Europe because his university-age children are based there. Having ruled out tax-grab Britain, he has looked at other options, including Spain, Portugal and Italy.

‘Greece was so much easier. It took a few meetings and within two months, I have already sorted out residency,’ he tells me. ‘We haven’t moved yet – and haven’t even decided what sort of property to buy or where. 

‘We’ll rent for a bit and check out a few islands and a few places in Athens. But there is no rush. The main thing is we have done it.’ 

Now that Mr Rokos has done it too, Labour needs to acknowledge a simple truth: there will be no ‘growth’ if you won’t curb your spending – and if your growers, like Homer’s hero, have already left on an odyssey of their own. 

Jordan Henderson made his full debut for the club against the side he left this summer and suffered a challenging first day in his new colours. He struggled in midfield next to Valentin Barco, with the pair unable to get a foothold in the match. More worrying, though, was Chelsea’s misfiring attack, which totally collapsed without the injured Joao Pedro up top.

In this extraordinary and deeply worrying year for international security, some weeks nevertheless stand out as particularly momentous.

Events in Yemen now threaten to escalate the war between the US, Israel and Iran into a regional conflagration. Houthi rebels have captured strategically important positions on the Red Sea coast that will give them the potential to shut down Saudi Arabia’s ability to export oil. And we’ve heard unverified claims from Saudi Arabia it shot down a Houthi drone that was targeting the holy city of Mecca, constituting a “red line” in that years-long conflict.

Meanwhile, after Nato shot down a Russian drone over Lithuania and a Russian warship fired flares at a Danish helicopter in the Baltic Sea, Nato members have been openly canvassing the idea of triggering the alliance’s Article 5 collective defence mechanism in response to Russian aggression.

So far, so seriously unsettling. But we’ve also heard Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, outline his vision for “the next just, stable and prosperous world order” in a speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg. In it, Carney talked up the idea of his country becoming the first “associate member of the EU”. More about that later.

Middle East

The capture by Iran-backed Houthi rebels of a port and several islands – giving them control of the Bab al-Mandab strait, which carries roughly 10% of the world’s seaborne oil trade – poses a serious threat to Saudi oil exports. These have already been badly hit by Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz on its other coast.

There’s now a serious concern that the Iran war could escalate into regional conflict – or something even more dangerous, writes Simon Mabon, an expert in Middle East politics at the University of Lancaster. Mabon explains why the complex patchwork of alliances involved, the likelihood of further oil price spikes, and the involvement of three major powers in the shape of the US, Russia and China, mean the Iran conflict has the potential to spiral out of control.

À lire aussi :
Houthi offensive in Yemen adds to fear that Iran war could escalate into a wider global conflict

Yemen had been largely quiet since 2022. But the long-running struggle between the Shia Houthis and the Sunni Yemen government, in which Saudi Arabia intervened in 2015, has once again exploded into full-scale war. Vincent Durac of University College Dublin explains the background to this conflict, which now appears to be another moving part in the further destabilisation of the Middle East.

À lire aussi :
Why Yemen has returned to conflict

The rapid Houthi advance on the Red Sea took place as the Brics alliance met in India for its 18th annual summit. Brics began as a group of “emerging economies” based around Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. It now claims to represent 49.5% of the global population, 40% of global GDP, and 26% of global trade. Its members portray themselves as a counterweight to a US-led world order.

But as Stefan Wolff of the University of Birmingham points out, the war in the Middle East has exposed deep divisions in that bloc. Iran joined as a full member at the beginning of 2024, at the same time as Saudi Arabia. And both Russia and China are reported to have developed ties with the Houthis.

It’s no wonder that the group’s New Delhi declaration, as Wolff notes, “contains no reference to shipping, to maritime security, or to freedom of navigation”.

À lire aussi :
Houthi rebels’ control of Red Sea oil chokepoint exposes deep divisions in Brics

Nato concerns

Concerns at the prospect of the US-Iran conflict escalating are matched in Europe, where many Nato members are increasingly exercised over what appear to be increasingly belligerent moves from Russia – quite apart from its war of aggression in Ukraine.

Over the past week, we’ve heard from several senior European politicians and former Nato officials about the growing likelihood of a wider conflict with Russia. Their fears were underlined on Tuesday, when an Italian jet shot down a Russian drone over Lithuania. The Baltic state, like its neighbours Latvia and Estonia, is particularly sensitive to Russian interference.

This was just the latest in a long list of incidents in which the war in Ukraine has threatened to spill across into neighbouring countries. Nato experts David Galbreath of the University of Bath and Simon J. Smith of the Royal Danish Defence College have assessed the threat to the North Atlantic alliance.

They conclude that, while there’s no call for Nato to panic, there is an urgent need for it to get to grips with the myriad challenges it faces in an increasingly dangerous world. Especially given the seeming ambivalence of Washington towards guaranteeing European security.

À lire aussi :
Nato is concerned about the threat from Russia. But it isn’t panicking – yet

Mark Carney’s consummate statecraft

Anyone listening to Carney’s speech to the European parliament earlier today will have appreciated the Canadian prime minister’s statecraft. You can read the speech here.

Carney, who spoke last week of wanting “a unique alliance with Europe”, was responding to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, who on Wednesday said she wanted to work on “opening the door” to closer ties with Canada. Carney celebrated the already strong ties between Canada and Europe, but spoke of “a deeper partnership” based on “our common values, our compatible systems, and our complementary strengths”.

In a cheeky aside, delivered with a grin, Carney reassured listeners he was not proposing a third bloc “to become a great-power rival – only with better manners”. This prompted delighted laughter from much of his audience.

We plan to have more on Carney’s speech tomorrow. But thanks to our Canadian colleagues, we already have this analysis from Stewart Prest, a political scientist at the University of British Columbia. Prest examines Canada’s motivation for seeking a closer association with the EU, and what it might offer on both sides of the deal.

À lire aussi :
Thanks, Trump: Why Canada may become the European Union’s first ever ‘associate member’

Conversation weekly

Speaking of alliances, the latest edition of The Conversation Weekly takes an in-depth look at AUKUS, the trilateral security partnership between the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia, which was signed five years ago.

Justin Bergman, my opposite number in Australia, interviews defence and security analyst Hugh White of Australian National University. It’s well worth a listen.

By DAVID OLASEINDE

Published: 02:15 BST, 19 September 2026 | Updated: 02:17 BST, 19 September 2026

A bus driver was allegedly attacked and thrown from his vehicle before a suspected robber took control of the vehicle and smashed into multiple cars while driving on the wrong side of the road. 

West Mercia Police said a man, in his 20s, has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and dangerous driving over the ‘alarming incident’ in Telford on Friday.

Officers were called at around 6.37pm to Court Street in Madeley following reports that a bus driver had been assaulted.

The bus was then driven along Park Way towards the High Street, driving on the wrong side of the road and colliding with multiple vehicles, the force said.

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Police arrested the suspect after the bus was stopped. He is in police custody while inquiries continue.

The bus driver was treated for minor injuries by paramedics. No one else is believed to have been injured.

Footage circulating online showed concerned members of the public chasing after the bus. 

Detective Sergeant Taigh Lannie said: ‘We understand this will have been an alarming incident for those in the area this evening.

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Officers were called to Court Street in Madeley at 6:37 PM on Friday, September 18, following reports that a bus driver was assaulted and thrown from his vehicle

The suspect drove the hijacked bus along Park Way toward High Street, travelling against traffic and hitting multiple vehicles before police stopped the bus and took him into custody 

‘I’d like to reassure the community that officers responded quickly and a man has been arrested and remains in police custody.’

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Detectives are asking anyone who saw what happened or may have images, perhaps from a dashcam, CCTV, mobile phone or doorbell footage from the Court Street, Park Way or High Street areas around the time of the incident to please check their recordings and contact police.

Witnesses are asked to contact police by emailing TelfordCID@westmercia.police.uk quoting incident number 379i of September 18, 2026.

By REBECCA CAMBER, CRIME AND SECURITY EDITOR

Published: 21:44 BST, 18 September 2026 | Updated: 02:47 BST, 19 September 2026

The head of MI5 should be held in contempt of court after spies lied to judges about a violent neo-Nazi agent, a court has heard. 

Sir Ken McCallum faces the prospect of contempt proceedings after MI5 accepted it had provided false evidence to three courts about a neo-Nazi informant who exploited his role with the agency to violently threaten his girlfriend.

The woman, known only as Beth, claims that she was abused by the agent who attacked her with a machete and used his status to terrorise her into silence.

She complained to the watchdog overseeing MI5 about the spy, known as X, who was being used by MI5 to infiltrate the far-Right.

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In July, Deputy Investigatory Powers Commissioner Sir John Goldring found ‘serious and systemic failings’ by MI5 in the case, concluding that one senior officer lied repeatedly while another misled his colleagues and lied about what he was told about the case.

When the BBC sought to expose the abuse, MI5 initially confirmed that agent X was an informant in order to dissuade a journalist from running the story as they feared X’s life could be in danger.

But later in court proceedings with Beth and the BBC, the agency would only say in public that it could ‘neither confirm nor deny’ its relationship with him, in line with standard policy.

In an unprecedented move, MI5 has since paid compensation and issued a public apology to settle the case. 

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Lawyers representing a victim known as ‘Beth’ are urging the High Court to hold MI5 Director-General Sir Ken McCallum (pictured) and individual security officers in contempt of court

The intelligence agency repeatedly provided false evidence to conceal the actions of a violent neo-Nazi informant

The identity of agent X, a foreign national involved in neo-Nazi movements, remains unknown and he is understood to have left the UK.

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Now lawyers for Beth want the director-general of MI5 and the individual officers concerned to face contempt of court proceedings.

Anyone found to be in contempt can receive a prison sentence of up to two years, or a fine.

Charlotte Kilroy, KC, representing Beth, said in written submissions in the High Court that the false evidence did not emanate from one individual or a ‘bad apple’ but was ‘sustained and long-lasting’.

She said: ‘There have been repeated efforts to prevent the truth emerging. The reality of the dishonesty and false evidence that has taken place has only emerged because MI5 was faced with incontrovertible proof of its wrongdoing.’

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Ms Kilroy claimed that an MI5 officer ‘knew that his dishonesty was likely to result in an interference with the administration of justice’, and others who knew of the false evidence ‘either did not take steps to ensure correct evidence was given, or when they did tell their superiors the truth, the information they provided was ignored’.

She said there was ‘strong and cogent evidence’ that MI5 officers may have committed contempt, and that the service ‘benefited from the dishonesty of its officers’.

But Tim Otty, KC, representing MI5, said there was ‘no basis’ to hold Sir Ken vicariously liable, adding that there was no ‘strong case’ that MI5 could be corporately liable in criminal contempt proceedings. 

He said the spy agency was fully committed to making changes, but that it was ‘not now necessary or appropriate to proceed with contempt proceedings’.

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The three High Court judges said they would hand down their judgment on the case at a later date.

Max Midgley, 38, is now serving 40 months in jail for a series of offences against the nurse who used to be his girlfriend.

She has moved to a secret address as she makes a new life without him.

York Crown Court heard he was a “Jekyll and Hyde” character who was violent when drunk.

Police Staff Investigator Anne Yates from North Yorkshire Police said: “If you are experiencing abuse, stalking, controlling behaviour or harassment, please know that you are not alone and support is available.

We urge anyone going through a similar situation to come forward and report it.

We will listen, we will investigate and we will do everything we can to protect you.”

About Midgley, of Husthwaite Road, Coxwold near Easingwold, she said: “This was a prolonged campaign of abusive, controlling and intimidating behaviour which left the victim fearing for her safety.

“Nobody should have to experience this kind of conduct.

“Midgley’s actions had a devastating impact on the victim and demonstrate how domestic abuse can continue long after a relationship has ended.

“His behaviour was persistent, frightening and completely unacceptable.

“I would like to commend the victim for the courage and resilience she has shown in reporting these offences and supporting the investigation throughout the court process.

“North Yorkshire Police will not tolerate domestic abuse, stalking or harassment in any form.

“We are committed to safeguarding victims, pursuing offenders and bringing them before the courts.”

Anyone experiencing domestic abuse, stalking or harassment is encouraged to report it to North Yorkshire Police via 101, or 999 in an emergency.

Support is also available through specialist victim services and domestic abuse support organisations.

By CHARLIE SPIERING, US POLITICAL REPORTER

Published: 23:07 BST, 18 September 2026 | Updated: 04:15 BST, 19 September 2026

Donald Trump Jr has repaid a Russian oligarch who reportedly spent hundreds of thousands of dollars for a lavish party in the Bahamas to celebrate his wedding.

President Donald Trump revealed the news to reporters during an event at the White House on Friday afternoon when asked to react to the news.

‘I hear he paid him back. I understand that Don paid him back,’ Trump said, even though he argued that it was ‘totally allowed’ and ‘very common’ for people to pay for parties.

Umar Kremlev, a Russian oligarch and international boxing figure reportedly paid for celebrations surrounding their wedding, which included renting a private island and a fireworks display. 

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The events were attended by several other Trump children, including Ivanka and her husband Jared, Eric and Lara, Tiffany and her husband Michael, and many grandchildren. 

But the appearance of a lavish favor from a Russian oligarch with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, appeared to be too controversial for the family, prompting Trump Jr to make changes. 

A source familiar with Donald Trump Jr’s response to the controversy confirmed to the Daily Mail that he paid Kremlev back for the party. 

President Trump said he spoke to his son about it after the news broke in ProPublica on Monday.

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President Donald Trump told reporters that he spoke with his son who planned to repay a Russian oligarch who paid for a lavish party to celebrate his wedding in the Bahamas 

Donald Trump Jr. and his wife Bettina Anderson were married in May 

Oligarch and friend of Vladimir Putin, Umar Kremlev, partially funded parties surrounding the couple’s nuptials

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Kremlev’s press office told ProPublica the two men became friends based on their common interests in boxing, hunting and the outdoors.

At first, Trump Jr and his new wife Bettina Anderson defended the party, insisting that Kremlev was a ‘dear friend’ who offered them ’an extraordinarily generous wedding gift.’

Bettina disputed the idea that accepting the generous financial support from a Russian national for the celebrations was inappropriate.

‘It’s unfortunate that something so personal and happy can be recast as something political or sinister simply because of who someone is or where they come from,’ she wrote.

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Other members of the family, however, distanced themselves from Kremlev.

A spokesperson for First Lady Melania Trump distanced her from Kremlev in a statement to the Daily Mail.

‘Mrs. Trump does not, and has never had, a relationship with Mr. Kremlev. Mrs. Trump played no role whatsoever in organizing the wedding event and was not privy to any aspect of its financial planning,’ the statement read.

First Lady Melania Trump distanced herself from the Trump Jr. wedding 

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Bettina Trump addressed the rumors about who paid for her May wedding party and posted never-before-seen photos on Instagram on Monday

Trump Jr’s brother Eric, also distanced himself from Kremlev.

‘Eric has absolutely no clue who this person is, nor has never heard his name,’ his spokesman told ProPublica.

The reports prompted widespread accusations of corruption from Democrats as well as public criticism from even some Republicans.

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‘To me it just stinks. It’s corruption, I don’t like it…this is a big deal,’ Republican Senator John Curtis of Utah said in a video published to social media.

The BBC dance competition, which sees celebrities and their professional dance partners take to the dancefloor each week, has announced new elements for this year’s run.

Earlier this year, following the departure of long-time hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly, new hosts Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe were confirmed.

Plus, viewers will see a handful of new professional dancers this time around.

If you’re not familiar with Lawrence Robb and his TV career, here’s everything you need to know from his previous roles and more.

When does Strictly Come Dancing start?

Strictly Come Dancing’s 2026 series is starting on Saturday, September 19 and fans can watch along on BBC One or iPlayer.

The first episode is the launch show and it begins at 7.25pm.

Viewers can expect the launch show to be different this year as the celebrities find out who they will dance with during the episode, rather than weeks before like usual.

Who is Lawrence Robb?

Lawrence Robb is from Glasgow and best known for his role in ITV’s iconic soap opera Emmerdale.

He plays Mackenzie ‘Mack’ Boyd, who is now a popular member of the Dingle family.

Robb joined the show six years ago and has been involved in some of the soap’s most talked-about storylines.

These include affairs, kidnapping and murder.

He also featured in the crossover series Corriedale, which saw Coronation Street and Emmerdale characters join forces for a short time.

What TV shows has Lawrence Robb been in?

Before the Dales, Robb’s TV and stage credits included I Hate Suzie opposite Billie Piper, Legally Blonde The Musical, and Mojo in the West End.

On joining the show, he said: “I don’t know who’s more excited about this, me or my mother.

“I can’t quite believe that I am going to be getting my dancing shoes on this September on one of my favourite shows of all time!

“It’s a dream come true, and I can’t wait to bring my all to ballroom.

“Wish me luck, and any advice is very welcome – trust me I’ll need it!”

Robb isn’t the only soap actor on Strictly this year as he’ll be joined by EastEnders star Lacey Turner, who plays Stacey Slater in the BBC soap.

For all things Strictly, read our article here – Latest Strictly Come Dancing updates including start date, new hosts, lineup and more

Which celebrities are in the Strictly Come Dancing lineup for 2026?

The following celebrities will dance in this year’s Strictly competition:

• Lacey Turner – EastEnders’ Stacey Slater
• Dani Dyer – TV personality (returning after injury in 2025)
• Delta Goodrem – Singer
• Chris Appleton – Hair stylist
• Cach Mercer – Reality TV star
• Will Best – TV and radio host
• Dame Sarah Storey – Britain’s most successful Paralympian
• Jaime Winstone – actress
• Bethany Antonia – actress
• Shaun Wright-Phillips – former professional footballer
• Graeme Hall – famous dog trainer
• Lawrence Robb – Emmerdale’s Mackenzie Boyd
• Tabby Stoecker – Team GB skeleton athlete
• John Nellis – football content creator
• Melanie Walters – Gavin and Stacey star

Do you want Lawrence Robb to win Strictly this year? Tell us who you’re rooting for in the comments below.

Forget hot yoga, move aside padel, and take a hike, Hyrox, because 2026 was the year that Reformer Pilates studios popped up in every town centre and on every high street. No longer only accessible for an elite few, custom-made Reformer studios are now everywhere, and Reformer has earned its reputation as a powerhouse for building strength, mobility, and mental clarity.

However, when high-intensity exercise culture overtakes classic Pilates principles, the line between effective training and physical breakdown can quickly blur. Nikkii Behrens is the founder of Rare Street Pilates, and has been practising Reformer for more than ten years. She warns that pursuing constant soreness, chasing sweat as a metric of success, or using workouts as self-punishment directly undermines the discipline’s core purpose. 

Behrens says that true progress in Pilates lies in precision, controlled alignment, and sustainable recovery, not sheer exhaustion. Mastering basic foundations and honouring your body’s daily capacity ultimately yields far greater longevity and strength than pushing through painful momentum.

So if you’re aching after a workout, not seeing the results you expected, or beginning to dread every session, something is going wrong. And Behrens says that if not performed properly, Reformer can lead to serious injury. Here are her five red flags to look out for as warning signs that your Reformer routine is doing more harm than good.

1. You’re constantly sore, exhausted or dreading your next class

‘Some muscular fatigue is completely normal with exercise, particularly when you’re progressing or trying something new, but ongoing soreness and exhaustion don’t mean you are “working better”. If you’re never fully recovering between sessions, your body may be signaling that the overall training load is too high. Recovery is part of getting stronger, so don’t overdo it. If you find you are really dreading the next session, maybe consider the class you are doing, the level it is at and whether this is the right thing for you.’ 

2. You feel like every class has to be harder than the last.

‘There’s a tendency in fitness to equate progress with heavier weights, harder exercises and simply doing more. In Pilates, progression should mean better control, greater precision, improved range of motion and the ability to execute an exercise beautifully. 

‘Sometimes making a movement slower and more controlled is far more challenging – and beneficial – than adding another spring.’

Nikki says making sure movement feels slow and controlled is often more challenging.

3. You’re experiencing pain rather than muscular discomfort 

Behrens says there is an important distinction between feeling your muscles work and feeling pain, and it should not be ignored. ‘Repeated discomfort in the lower back, neck, shoulders, hips or knees shouldn’t be accepted as part of reformer training,’ she says. ‘It can indicate poor technique, inappropriate resistance or an exercise that isn’t right for your body at that moment. A good instructor should be able to modify the movement rather than encourage you to push through pain.’

4. You’re ignoring what your body needs that day

‘Your capacity to exercise isn’t identical every time you walk into the studio. Sleep, stress, recovery, menstrual cycle, pregnancy, postpartum recovery and perimenopause or menopause can all influence how you feel and what your body needs. You need to listen to all these factors, not just see a reminder on an app that it’s time for a class and push through. This doesn’t mean women should fear challenging themselves but rather learn when to push through and when adjusting intensity is a smarter form of training.’

5. Exercise has started to feel like punishment

‘This is perhaps the biggest red flag. If you’re choosing classes because you feel guilty about what you’ve eaten, panicking when you miss a session, or judging a workout purely by calories burned, sweat or how destroyed you feel afterwards, it’s worth reassessing your relationship with exercise.

‘Movement should be something that contributes to your health, strength and longevity rather than another way to punish your body.’

Movement should contribute to your health and strength, not punish your body.

What you’re getting wrong about reformer training

Behrens says, ‘One of the biggest misconceptions is that a good reformer class should leave you drenched in sweat or barely able to walk the next day. Sweat is primarily your body’s cooling mechanism; it isn’t a measure of how effective a workout was and the same applies to soreness, which isn’t a reliable scorecard for progress.

‘People can become obsessed with making exercises look more advanced before they have mastered the foundations. Pilates is about control and quality of movement, and a beautifully executed basic exercise can be much more valuable than an advanced variation performed with poor alignment and momentum.’

She says she encourages clients not to view Pilates as their entire movement prescription.

‘Reformer Pilates can be fantastic for strength, control, mobility and stability, but ideally it sits within a broader lifestyle that includes walking or cardiovascular exercise and, depending on the individual and their goals, additional resistance and weight-bearing exercise,’ says Behrens.

‘Ultimately, the goal shouldn’t be to finish every class feeling destroyed and I certainly want my clients and students to leave feeling like they’ve challenged their body intelligently. The best training isn’t necessarily the training that takes the most out of you – it’s the training your body can adapt to, recover from and keep doing consistently.’