Andy Burnham has begun his Downing Street premiership “at a time when the cost-of-living crisis has never been more widely felt”, a charity has said.

It comes as a record number of UK households are unable to afford basic necessities such as food and heating, new research reveals, with the crisis increasingly impacting those not traditionally considered to be struggling.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) reported that an estimated 7.4 million low-income households across the country could not afford at least one essential item in the past six months.

This marks the highest figure since the anti-poverty organisation launched its cost-of-living tracker survey in 2021, up from 7.1 million just a year ago.

More than half of households not receiving means-tested benefits, such as Universal Credit, are now struggling (53 per cent), a significant rise from 47 per cent two years prior.

The analysis is based on a survey of 4,121 households in the bottom 40 per cent of incomes between May 7 and June 5.

The JRF report, published on Wednesday, said: “The increase in the number of households that are going without essentials has mainly been driven by those who are typically less likely to suffer from material deprivation.

“The number of households going without essentials has increased fastest over the last two years for those not on means-tested benefits, those who own their property outright without a mortgage, families without any disabilities or health conditions, childless households, and households that are headed up by someone over the age of 65.”

On Tuesday, Mr Burnham told his first cabinet meeting that it needs to be a “cost-of-living government” and help those struggling with high costs.

The new prime minister emphasised his desire to assure Britons that “help is coming,” tasking his top team with a mission to “take that little bit of pressure off people’s shoulders.”

He urged his colleagues to identify both significant and minor measures their respective departments could implement to ease the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

Overall, households most likely to be unable to afford essentials are those on UC, headed up by someone under 25, by someone from a black or mixed ethnicity background, those containing non-UK citizens, and those with three or more children or in single-parent families.

Of those households on UC, 84% were unable to afford an essential item in the past six months, the latest survey suggested.

Essential items in the survey included food, basic toiletries, heating, suitable clothing and shoes.

Mr Burnham has started his time in Number 10 telling the country he wants to “give people breathing space”, and on his second day in the job announced an £850 million tax cut on electricity bills which will save households around £45 per year as part of efforts to “put more money in people’s pockets and bring back hope”.

While the VAT cut was welcomed by experts as a “positive statement of intent”, they warned it “does not address the scale of what households are facing” amid forecasts that household energy prices will remain high throughout this winter.

While figures this week indicated grocery price inflation has slowed to its lowest rate since December 2024, the average household’s grocery bill over the year to July is still £156 higher than the same period a year earlier.

JRF’s chief economist Chris Belfield said: “Andy Burnham starts his time as prime minister at a time when the cost-of-living crisis has never been more widely felt.

“This ongoing crisis is not numbers in a spreadsheet, it is not graphs trending up or down, it is families not being able to afford basic essential goods like food, heating and basic toiletries.

“The number of people not able to afford these essentials has hit record levels – 7.4 million households.

“This is the challenge facing Andy Burnham’s administration, but there is cause for optimism. Following the Government’s intervention to take £150 a year off energy bills and falling wholesale energy prices, half-a-million fewer households are unable to heat their home than two years ago.

“Government policy can work. We need greater intervention to control rental prices, make energy affordable and improve the adequacy of universal credit so everyone can afford the essentials.”

Taylor Farms, the produce company that voluntarily recalled its lettuce amid the ongoing diarrhea parasite outbreak, has spent recent years donating millions of dollars to groups aligned with President Trump and the Republican Party’s agenda.

Now, however, with more than 10,000 cases of cyclosporiasis logged across the U.S., the company is publicly battling and privately lobbying the White House.

Taylor Farms, which on Friday voluntarily recalled iceberg lettuce grown in central Mexico, has given prolifically to support the GOP, according to a WIRED analysis of federal filings.

The spending spree has reportedly included giving more than $2 million to conservative groups in 2025, including $1 million to MAGA Inc., a Trump-aligned political action committee, as well as more than $1.6 million to conservative groups between 2020 and 2024, including $850,000 to an anti-regulation PAC tied to the Koch brothers network.

Bruce Taylor, chairman and CEO of the company, has also donated nearly $1 million to Republican PACs and candidates since 2020, WIRED found.

All that reported support hasn’t necessarily smoothed things between the company and the administration.

“Nothing influences our decisions except science and the safety of the American people,” the Department of Health and Human Services wrote on X in a recent post, amid online speculation past support from Taylor Farms was swaying the Trump administration’s approach to the outbreak.

On Saturday, the Food and Drug Administration reported a sample of lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico tested positive for the diarrhea-causing parasite, only to later backtrack and declare the test a “false positive,” citing “the complexity in detection of Cyclospora.”

“FDA and state partners continue to collect and analyze product samples,” according to a current notice on the FDA website. “As of July 19, 2026, there are no confirmed positive sample results for product testing for Cyclospora.”

On Sunday, Taylor Farms wrote in a statement that “FDA apologized to us,” though an agency official soon told reporters it had not in fact given an “official apology” and was instead “providing factual information” about the status of the outbreak.

The Independent has contacted the White House, Taylor Farms and the FDA for comment.

Last week, the company told The New York Times it had met with officials at the White House and FDA to discuss what it called “shortfalls in the F.D.A. and C.D.C.’s outbreak response process.”

Further White House contacts may be aided by a reported addition to Taylor’s lobbying team: Trent Morse, the former deputy director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office, who left the administration last year.

The lettuce company isn’t the only one taking issue with the Trump administration’s claims about the outbreak.

Mexico’s Health Minister David Kershenobich said on Tuesday that there is no evidence to suggest lettuce from his country is the cause of the cyclosporiasis outbreak.

Critics argue the Trump administration’s DOGE cost-cutting program, which slashed federal agencies and pushed thousands of experienced federal workers to accept early retirements, has hamstrung the government’s ability to inspect produce for pathogens.

“The cuts across food safety, in terms of public health, in terms of regulatory, in terms of research, have contributed to this,” Barbara Kowalcyk, director of the Institute for Food Safety and Nutrition Security at George Washington University, recently told The New York Times. “I don’t think it’s a direct cause, but it’s been a contributing factor.”

Sir Keir Starmer may have served his final day in No10, but that hasn’t stopped the ousted Prime Minister from providing social media users with one last opportunity to mock him. 

Just hours after offering his official resignation to the King, the ex-Labour leader posted a bizarre video to TikTok celebrating his 745 days in office. 

It showed Starmer’s face and the door to 10 Downing Street edited over Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) in the iconic final scene of Fast and Furious 7. 

With each character sat in cars parked beside each other and Wiz Khalifa’s 2015 hit See You Again playing in the background, the door tells Starmer in O’Conner’s voice: ‘Hey, thought you could leave without saying goodbye?’

Starmer, speaking through Toretto, replies: ‘I used to say I live my life a quarter mile at a time, and I think that’s why we were brothers…. because you did, too.’

The edit then cuts to a montage of the former PM’s best moments, including clips of him at schools, army bases and scoring a penalty in Soccer Aid training. 

As the clip reaches its close, Starmer says to the door: ‘You’ll always be with me, and you’ll always be my brother,’ before the two cars drift apart. 

The video racked up millions of views and some 563,000 likes – but X users were less than impressed. 

One, reposting the TikTok, wrote: ‘Keir Starmer has just posted this absolutely b*****t video on his official TikTok page. I’m still oscillating between baffled and delighted.’

Meanwhile another dubbed the clip ‘cringe’, posting: ‘Keir Starmer released the strangest of farewell videos on his TikTok account. I wonder who made this and told him it was a good idea to put out. I think the kids would say “cringe”.’

One more simply questioned: ‘WHY DID KEIR STARMERS TIKTOK JUST POST A SEE YOU AGAIN EDIT IM IN TEARSSSSSS.’

Starmer, however, appeared to brush the criticism aside as he was pictured enjoying a beer at his local pub on Monday just hours after stepping down.

Sporting a pair of black trousers and an unbuttoned navy shirt, the Arsenal supporter celebrated the end of his term along with a raft of former colleagues in Kentish Town, north London. 

He was seen clutching a pint of cloudy brown ale while chatting on the phone as Rachel Reeves, who was sacked as Chancellor earlier in the day, giggled between gulps of wine. 

Some of those in attendance even sported T-shirts paying tribute to the ex-PM, with one garment emblazoned with the slogan: ‘Sparkle with Starmer.’ 

Starmer had delivered his valedictory statement on Monday morning outside Downing Street in which he claimed that he is leaving Britain in a ‘stronger place’ than it was two years ago. 

A host of X users took to social media to mock the ousted Prime Minister over the clip

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The 63-year-old began: ‘My work is done. In six and a half years, I took our party from a historic defeat in 2019, changed it so it was fit to face the country and won a landslide general election victory in 2024.

‘Since then, it has been the privilege of my life to serve you and this great country as Prime Minister, and I am confident that Britain is now stronger and fairer than it was two years ago.

‘Our economy is stronger. Our public services are on the up, with the biggest fall in waiting times for 17 years. Children are being lifted out of poverty every single day.

‘Immigration is down significantly. Our defence and security are on a far stronger footing and our international reputation is greatly enhanced.

‘Yet the thing I will always take away with me, the most humbling aspect of this job, is the front row seat you get to witness the greatest things of this country in action. To see, every day, immeasurable acts of resolve, grit, decency and compassion.

‘From people who serve our country, whether that’s in their regimental colours, NHS scrubs, or simply the millions of people in their communities who volunteer their time and their effort to the ground beneath their feet.’

Burnham spent his first hours in power carrying out a brutal purge of Starmer’s allies after appearing to suggest that he will run the most Left-wing government since the 1970s. 

Reeves, David Lammy, Lord Hermer and a string of Starmer’s closest Cabinet supporters were sacked, before former defence secretary John Healey was appointed as Chancellor. 

Angela Rayner, meanwhile was reappointed as Housing Secretary just ten months after she was forced out over an unpaid stamp duty bill.  

Former health secretary Wes Streeting was made Defence Secretary, while Lisa Nandy retained her job as Culture Secretary.

Yvette Cooper was demoted to Health Secretary despite pleading to stay on to provide continuity at the Foreign Office, which has now churned through ten foreign secretaries in as many years.

Ms Mahmood remains as Home Secretary after watering down plans to make migrants wait longer to get the right to live in the UK.

Former transport secretary Louise Haigh was appointed to the powerful role of Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster just 18 months after being forced to quit the Cabinet over a fraud conviction

Burnham becomes the seventh prime minister in a turbulent political decade. The new PM, who was part of the coup against Sir Keir, said it was time for his generation of politicians to ‘raise our game’ and ‘show the world that we can regain our stability again’. 

Only about one in seven homes across the UK has consistently increased in value annually since June 2022, according to new estimates from property website Zoopla.

The analysis scrutinised individual home valuations, tracking their performance from June 2021 through to June 2026.

Zoopla specifically focused on comparing a property’s value in June of each year against the same month in the preceding year: for example, checking if a home’s value in June 2022 surpassed its June 2021 valuation.

This detailed examination revealed that just 14 per cent of UK homes – a figure representing over four million properties – had experienced an annual increase in value each June from 2022 to 2026.

While consistent year-on-year growth for individual properties remains uncommon, Zoopla’s broader house price index offers a different perspective.

It indicates that the average UK home value has risen by 15.3 per cent over the past five years, equating to an average increase of £36,100 per property.

The impact of mortgage rate increases

Zoopla said that rises in mortgage rates, affecting borrowers’ costs, will have had an impact over the five-year period.

Richard Donnell, executive director at Zoopla, said: “Housing markets across Northern Ireland, the North and Scotland have seen homeowners keep building equity in their home because the local housing market was less exposed to the affordability pressures that higher mortgage rates bring.

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“For homeowners, this analysis highlights why you cannot rely on national or regional averages when assessing what your home is worth.

“Trends vary by property type and at a hyper local level.

“Understanding whether your local area has consistently built equity or flatlined is essential information, if you want to understand what you can afford to buy next or you are actively planning your next move.”

Aneisha Beveridge, research director at Connells Group, said: “The UK’s housing market has become increasingly fragmented over the last five years.

“The strongest performance has generally come from more affordable markets across the north of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, where lower price points have helped insulate buyers from higher mortgage rates and supported continued demand.

“At the same time, the pandemic sparked a surge in demand for larger homes in commutable areas outside London, driving strong price growth across much of the south between 2020 and 2022.

“However, as mortgage rates rose and stamp duty incentives were withdrawn, that momentum faded and price growth in many of these markets has since come under pressure.

“Despite these headwinds, our research shows the middle market is still moving.

“Most buyers and sellers are driven by life events rather than short-term house price movements, and for homeowners who typically move every 10 to 12 years, modest annual price falls rarely affect their ability to transact.

“The challenge comes when weak price growth persists for many years.”

Charlotte Harrison, chief executive officer of home financing at Skipton Building Society, said: “Consistent house price growth can help homeowners build equity, but equity alone doesn’t guarantee people can move.

“Our latest Skipton Group home affordability index found the gap between buying affordability and living affordability is the widest it’s been this decade.

“For many households, the challenge is no longer whether their home has risen in value, but whether they can afford the higher ongoing costs of their next property.”

She added: “While sustained house price growth can be positive for existing homeowners, improving access to homeownership remains critical if future generations are to share in those benefits too.”

Nathan Emerson, CEO at property professionals’ body Propertymark, said: “Many purchasers are factoring in the long-term cost of homeownership rather than focusing solely on securing a property quickly.

“At the same time, sellers who price their homes realistically continue to attract strong interest, demonstrating that demand remains resilient where expectations align with current market conditions.”

What the data says

Here are the percentages of homes in regions or nations estimated by Zoopla to have increased in value annually each month of June, covering June 2022 to June 2026 inclusive:

Northern Ireland, 37.9%

North West, 29.7%

Scotland, 22.6%

Yorkshire and the Humber, 22.0%

North East, 20.5%

West Midlands, 19.6%

Wales, 19.1%

East Midlands, 9.8%

London, 4.6%

South West, 4.1%

South East, 3.2%

East of England, 2.6%

Zoopla also identified “top performers” in regions or nations, where property values are particularly likely to have increased each year.

Here are the locations, followed by the percentage of homes estimated to have consistently increased in value annually in each month of June between June 2022 and June 2026 inclusive:

Northern Ireland, Antrim, 60.5%

North West, Dukinfield, 51.1%

Scotland, Bonnybridge, 60.8%

Yorkshire and the Humber, Castleford, 53.6%

North East, Hebburn, 42.6%

West Midlands, Wednesbury, 51.3%

Wales, Tonypandy, 46.6%

East Midlands, Hope Valley, 37.5%

London, Dagenham, 31.6%

South West, Dursley, 15.1%

South East, Bicester, 27.7%

East of England, Witham, 13.3%

York Fashion Week has launched The Creative Exchange – a free business consultancy event designed to support people in the fashion and creative sectors.

The Creative Exchange, set for two days this weekend, promises an opportunity for attendees to spend time with six seasoned professionals from various fashion industry sectors.

Fashion designer Isabelle Randall will be at The Creative Exchange event. (Image: Submitted)

The experienced professionals include fashion designer Isabelle Randall, social media management expert Chelsea Talbot, and brand and marketing consultant Nicky Hayer.

Other experts in the panel are Estee Lauder makeup artist Anthony Frith, photographer Hannah Lunn, and Lacey Wilson, a model booker from Face Model Management.

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Event attendees will participate in ten-minute consultancy sessions where they can seek advice, ask questions, receive feedback, and build industry connections.

The goal is to help propel businesses and creative projects forward with practical advice from professionals with a wealth of real-world experience.

Lacey Wilson, a model booker from Face Model Management, will be at The Creative Exchange event. (Image: Submitted)

Speaking about the event, Nicky Hayer said: “This event is for people at all levels of their career.

“Maybe you’re student planning your next steps, or an established retailer looking to discuss brand growth.

“Perhaps you’re a freelancer wanting to level up your social media or an aspiring model who needs some guidance on how to get started.

“You’ll have ten minutes with each expert of your choice to pick their brains, and it’ll be a great chance to just meet more of the YFW community too.”

The event will take place on Saturday, July 25 from 11am to 1pm at Spark York.

On Wednesday, July 30, Another Brother Café will continue the initiative from 6pm to 8pm.

The Creative Exchange offers a platform where people can gain fresh perspectives, practical guidance, and connections as an extension of York Fashion Week’s commitment to fostering creativity, collaboration, and innovation in the industry. 

The initiative is also aimed at boosting independent businesses, designers, and fashion professionals, supporting local talent. 

The event is supported by York and North Yorkshire Mayor David Skaith and the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority through their High Street Fund.

Mark Bewick, co-director of York Fashion Week, said: “The Creative Exchange is all about making industry expertise more accessible.

“Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take your business to the next level, these conversations can provide fresh perspectives, practical guidance and valuable connections.

“We’re excited to bring together professionals from different areas of the fashion industry to share their knowledge with our community.”

As spaces are limited, people are urged to secure their spot as soon as possible through York Fashion Week’s website or social media channels.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth unraveled over questions about growing costs of the Trump administration’s war in Iran after he endured more than three hours of questions from skeptical senators in his first testimony about the conflict in more than two months.

Hegseth is urging senators to approve what he is calling “an urgent, necessary injection” of $67 billion into the U.S. military, adding to a Defense Department budget that is now surging to $1.5 trillion. His latest estimate for the growing costs of the Iran war has now reached $37.5 billion.

Not approving that supplemental budget request in the middle of the war “is the greatest threat our nation faces,” according to Hegseth. “Either invest in our warriors … or this is all just talk,” he told the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday.

But members of the panel repeatedly hammered Hegseth for his “failure” leading the nation’s military as well as his contradictory statements and shifting rationales for the months-long war, which senators fear will turn into yet another “forever” conflict that risks American lives and billions of taxpayer dollars without a clear strategy to end it.

“Your characterization of this incredible effort as a failure is reckless and it’s irresponsible and I think it smears the sacrifice of the troops who are out there to ensure Iran never gets a nuclear weapon,” Hegseth told Democratic Sen. Gary Peters.

“Shame on you and others who call this a quagmire and a failure and want to turn around and say you want to support the warfighters,” Hegseth said.

“I will tell you how I used the word failure,” Peters fired back. “You, sir, are the failure. Not the men and women who are on the front line. … But if there’s a lack of a winning strategy, they’re in harm’s way; their leaders have failed them. … You. You don’t have a strategy. You don’t have a long-term plan to win the war. … When will you show leadership?”

Hegseth, furiously pointing his fingers at the panel, said Democratic senators “won’t fund the troops” and are playing “partisan politics.

“You don’t have the political courage to actually fund our department because you have Trump Derangement Syndrome and can’t commit to anything meaningful,” Hegseth said.

The explosive moment followed hours of testimony from Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in what was their first public briefing about the war since May, and the first time they’ve addressed the public after the deaths of at least three American service members within two days last week

At least 18 American troops have died since the beginning of the war, and more than 400 others have been injured. Nearly 100 other troops have been injured within the last month after the collapse of a fragile ceasefire.

Hegseth did not mention the recent deaths of American service members in his opening remarks as he pleaded for more funding. He was interrupted by a handful of protesters sitting in the room as soon as he started his opening remarks.

“Iranian Americans are against this war of aggression,” one protester shouted out. “Your hands are bloody.”

Democrats repeatedly asked what happened to $150 billion in new funding appropriated to the Pentagon through last year’s so-called One Big Beautiful Bill, and why Hegseth should be entrusted to receive another round of funding without a clear plan to end the Iran war.

“You’ve told this committee that you’ve barely spent half of the $150 billion in reconciliation funding, and if you still have $75 billion available, why are you asking the American people to absorb the cost of a war they don’t support instead of asking for transfer authority for unspent reconciliation funding,” asked Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen.

Those funds are already earmarked for future projects, Hegseth explained, while the requested $67 billion would support military pay, replacing equipment, “mission critical fuel shortfalls,” munitions supplies and advancements in “digital and space dominance.”

Sen. Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the committee, listed several items in the funding request that have no relation to the Iran war, including $800 million for the National Guard to patrol Washington, D.C., $1 billion for troops on the U.S-Mexico border and $900 million to continue attacking suspected drug-trafficking boats.

“The truth is your request does not make a lot of sense,” she said. “Why is this urgently needed for the Iran war?”

Hegseth repeatedly said throughout the hearing that the Pentagon is struggling to bolster the military due to “gross negligence and neglect” under the Biden administration, which “abandoned” the U.S. “strength posture around the world,” he said.

“We’re talking about the war you started. Not a situation in which oil was flowing freely, there was no conflict, we weren’t losing personnel,” Democratic Sen. Jack Reed told Hegseth.

“So your fallback to Biden is a very, very obvious excuse for what I think is probably, as you described so often, gross negligence,” Reed said.

Sens. Tammy Baldwin and Kirsten Gillibrand also pressed Hegseth to justify continued military spending on Iran while Americans are struggling at home.

“You are asking for unlimited money for bombs when people can’t feed their families, and I don’t know how this administration intends to defend those decisions to the American people,” Gillibrand said.

“Not unlimited bombs, senator,” Hegseth replied. “I’m asking for the right bombs at the right time to ensure we can deter our adversaries into the future, and that’s why this is a generational investment.”

Strictly Come Dancing professional Alexis Warr has headed back to the UK ahead of the new series

Strictly fans have expressed their excitement after Alexis Warr confirmed her arrival back in the UK ahead of the 2026 series.

The dancer made her debut in the pro line-up last year, with viewers of the series watching as she reached the final alongside YouTube and TikTok sensation George Clarke.

Following the conclusion of the BBC ballroom contest, Alexis participated in the initial UK tours with her Strictly colleagues before heading back to her home state of Utah in the US.

Having now been confirmed as part of the professional line-up for Strictly’s forthcoming series, which is expected to start in September, Alexis has been spotted arriving back in the UK, reports the Manchester Evening News. Rehearsals for the professionals are anticipated to begin in the coming weeks.

The dancer posted a video on Instagram showing her gathering her possessions and bidding farewell to family and friends before embarking on two flights to make the journey across the Atlantic.

“We have our heading,” she wrote alongside the post, which promptly attracted a flood of responses,

“She’s backkkkk!!!” one fan declared, as another wrote: “Cutie pie!!! I adore the cap. Cannot wait to see you back on Strictly so soon.”

“Yay – so glad you are back!!” said someone else. “Welcome back, @alexis_warr. Yay, it’s definitely Strictly season coming. I can’t wait to see you what you do best.”

“Can’t wait to see you on Strictly again,” another fan posted.

Alexis recently addressed the fact she had been quiet on social media, telling fans: “Sorry I’ve been a bit MIA… Sharing a personal update.”

She proceeded to disclose that she and Jake Burton, her childhood sweetheart who she married in 2018, had parted ways.

“After much consideration and with the greatest respect for each other, Jake and I have made the decision to separate,” she said in a statement. “Whilst this hasn’t been an easy decision, it has been reached with a huge amount of love and we’re each others biggest cheerleaders. We won’t be commenting on this further and kindly ask for privacy and understanding as we navigate this life change together. Thank you, as always, for your support.”

Strictly Come Dancing is available on BBC iPlayer.

Nathan Muir is back behind bars

A fugitive who goaded police while he was on the run by adding a more flattering picture of himself on a Facebook appeal has finally been caught and returned to prison.

Last month Greater Manchester Police posted an appeal on Facebook from its Wythenshawe division seeking help on locating 32-year Nathan Muir.

Unhappy with the police mugshot of him which accompanied the appeal, while he was on the run Muir added one of his own which appeared to have been taken while behind bars which showed his ripped torso.

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He even commented ‘could of done a better pic’ (sic). After weeks on he run, he was eventually tracked down to an address in Stockport and has now been returned to prison.

The original appeal sought help in tracing Muir who was said to have links to Wythenshawe, Hale and Altrincham – but of no fixed address – as he was wanted ‘on recall to prison’.

The post, accompanying Muir’s mug shot, read: “#WANTED | Police are appealing for the public’s help to find a wanted man from Greater Manchester. Nathan Muir (23/09/1994) of no fixed abode, is wanted on recall to prison.

“He is believed to have links to #Wythenshawe, #Hale and #Altrincham. Any info? Please contact 101 or 0161 856 1748 with information regarding his whereabouts.”

Not long after, a Facebook profile belonging to ‘Nay Muir’ posted a topless selfie in the comments, with the caption: “Could of done a better pic [sic].”

Hundreds of people ‘liked’ the picture. AI-generated images of Muir drinking a pint and sunbathing outside Wythenshawe police station followed.

Today GMP Wythenshawe posted an update about the case on its Facebook page, which included another decidedly unripped picture of Muir.

The post read: “While his famous abs appear to have escaped justice, he didn’t.

“Remember Nathan Muir who wanted a “better pic” on his recall to prison appeal? Good news, Muir was arrested this morning at an address in #Stockport following extensive enquiries and has been sent back to prison.

“We’d like to thank those who shared our appeal.”

Users backed the police approach, with one commented that Muir had been ‘trolled by the feds’.

Whitby Steampunk Weekend XX is set to take over Whitby Pavilion in West Cliff from July 24–26, promising a “splendid affair” filled with retro-futuristic fashion, Victorian-inspired curiosities, and creative storytelling.

Begun in 2017, the free, family-friendly event is considered by many to be one of the largest free Steampunk gatherings in the UK, regularly attracting thousands of visitors in February and July.

Members of The Press Camera Club often attend Whitby Steampunk Weekend and capture the atmosphere (Image: Garry Hornby)

Whitby Steampunk Weekend’s photographic allure lies in its costumed crowds of brass and brocade set against Whitby’s gothic architecture and dramatic North Sea light, turning the town into a living Victorian‑futurist film set.

Members of The Press Camera Club are often seen at the event, along with national press agencies, to capture the atmosphere and colour.

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Event organiser WSW said guests are encouraged to don their “fabulous attire” and immerse themselves in a weekend of talks, entertainment, and shopping.

Host Andy Dolan said: “Don’t wait for all the gorgeous pictures to appear on your Facebook social media newsfeed and then wish you’d attended…make the effort and a day to remember, we look forward to welcoming you.”

WSW Events said grace, style and panache is the order of the day at Whitby Steampunk Weekend XX (Image: Dave Dennis)

Organisers promise a packed programme, including presentations, workshops, live entertainment, and a bustling retail emporium featuring around 70 traders.

The emporium will be open from 10am to 5pm on Saturday, July 25, and from 10am to 4pm on Sunday, July 26, with all daytime activities free to enter.

Talks include Whitby Ghosts and Legends, Vikings and Vampires, and a look at how Victorian society shaped modern funeral customs.

Other sessions will explore Viking mythology and its influence on Bram Stoker, as well as a presentation by Whitby Museum curators on their “curious, weird and wonderful” artefacts.

Members of The Press Camera Club often attend Whitby Steampunk Weekend and capture the atmosphere – like this from February’s XIX event (Image: Garry Hornby)

Elizabeth Cheyne, an expert on Lewis Carroll, will also make an appearance, promising a “rather special” announcement for Whitby in 2027.

Author Toby Virgo will present two new talks––one exploring a fateful night in 1895 between Oscar Wilde and Sir Henry Irving, and another examining the dramatic fallout between Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini.

Musical performances across the weekend will include beat poetry act The Antipoet and outdoor entertainment from East Yorkshire’s Ravens Morris, who perform steampunk morris dancing.

Whitby Tillermen Friends, a traditional sea shanty group, will also perform.

Evening events kick off on Saturday, July 25, with a general knowledge quiz at Rusty Shears.

Entry to the quiz is free, with teams of four invited to compete for £10 per team.

All proceeds will go to Whitby and Scarborough Dog Rescue.

Later that evening, Whitby Pavilion Theatre will host The Duran Duran Experience and Ant Trouble, a tribute to Adam and The Ants.

Organisers said: “Grace, style and panache is the order of the day at the wonderful, whimsical world of Whitby Steampunk Weekend, where the past is always in the future.

“Family friendly, free entry and an absolute feast for the senses.”

More information can be found at the WSW events Facebook page.

Local homeowners are still paying over three times more than the rest of the UK despite falling prices

New figures have revealed that homeowners in Northern Ireland are paying over three times more for insurance than the rest of the UK on average, according to new data.

While average premiums have fallen year-on-year across the UK, NI households still face dramatically higher costs than any other region, with residents in one council area now forking out an average of over £800 annually. Even the cheapest NI district has significantly higher premiums than every region in Great Britain.

Northern Ireland recorded the smallest drop in the UK, down 5% year-on-year from £504 to £479, according to research from CompareNI.com. In comparison, premiums across Great Britain fell by an average of 9%, with Londoners enjoying the biggest decrease at 11%.

Despite the overall decline, there are still major disparities in home insurance costs at a local level, with the gulf between the cheapest and most expensive NI districts widening to over £400.

Newry, Mourne and Down remains by far the most expensive area, with average prices rising by 6.5% from £769 to £819. Antrim and Newtownabbey was the only other district to see a rise, up by 3.5% to £456.

At the other end of the scale, Ards and North Down continues to have the lowest average premiums, with costs falling 5.3% to £411.

The biggest year-on-year reductions were seen in Fermanagh and Omagh (-11%), Mid and East Antrim (-8.5%) and Causeway Coast and Glens (-7.4%).

Average home insurance premiums across NI districts in Q2 2025 vs Q2 2026

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Northern Ireland’s higher home insurance prices compared to GB are mainly due to a combination of risk and market issues. Building repairs in the region tend to be more expensive due to inflation, labour shortages and material costs, and there are fewer providers here, making costs less competitive than in England, Scotland and Wales.

The region has also been hit by several extreme weather events in recent years, most notably the severe flooding that hit the South East in autumn 2023, inundating hundreds of properties and causing damage worth upwards of £40 million.

Homeowners in Newry, Mourne and Down continue to be severely impacted by this event, with premiums in the district rocketing by 235% over the past three years.

The scale of the incident prompted a government review, which found the flooding was due to “unprecedented” rainfall and warned that “with climate change, the frequency of such events will double”.

As insurers factor long-term risk into their pricing, this partly explains why premiums in Newry, Mourne and Down remain high and continue to climb, almost three years after the flood waters have subsided.

Ian Wilson, home insurance expert and Managing Director at CompareNI.com, said: “While it is positive to see home insurance prices dropping across the UK, Northern Ireland is unfortunately not keeping pace with other regions and homeowners here are missing out on big savings.

“While Londoners saw premiums fall by 11%, prices in Northern Ireland dropped by just 5% on average, the smallest reduction anywhere in the UK. Average premiums here are now more than three times higher than across the water, adding extra strain to household budgets that are already being stretched by rising living costs.

“The latest figures also highlight just how much postcodes can influence insurance costs – with the gap between the highest and lowest-priced areas in Northern Ireland continuing to grow over the past year.

“The steady rise in costs in Newry, Mourne and Down shows the lasting impact that extreme weather events can have on insurance prices, with providers factoring increased flood risk into their calculations for years afterwards.

“While location isn’t something that homeowners can easily change, there are still some simple steps they can take to help bring insurance costs down, such as paying annually if possible, reviewing their level of cover and always shopping around.”

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