The Sun forges a key connnection with the North Node, bringing a reflective energy to the day before you. Take time to pause.

Pisces, Aquarius and Capricorn, the power is in your hands today. Whether it’s a conversation or your imagination, power rests where it’s needed.

This is a potent cosmic blend that could feel intense. Stay grounded, despite what is thrown at you.

Ahead, you’ll find all star signs’ horoscopes for today: Monday June 22, 2026.

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Aries

March 21 to April 20

Being an action-oriented sign, when the planets create gentle background energies, which are more about feeling than doing, you can find it disconcerting. Today can be a point in case. The best way to embrace this is not to try to override it. You may find that your usual drive and energy feel lower. So, if needs be, just give yourself the permission to pause, Aries.

Head here for everything you need to know about being an Aries

Taurus

April 21 to May 21

Your earthy nature is complemented by some lovely, flowing, intuitive influences. A riverbed is also earth, but carries water perfectly, and today, you can have the happy knack of combining your intuition with your communications. These may see you discuss things that are practical and need clarifying or organising but still be in touch with the feelings around them.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Taurus

Gemini

May 22 to June 21

Your mind is rarely still, but that creates a lot of energy and sparkle, which can draw people to you. However, every so often, a day will come when you are nudged to step back from these fast exchanges and consider the big picture. Today can be one of them. Whether it is your finances or your career, taking a moment to consider where you are can prove fruitful.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Gemini

Cancer

June 22 to July 23

The Sun, newly arrived in your sign, forges a very powerful connection to the North Node. Something unplanned could have quite the impact. It could be a conversation, or it may be your inner thoughts that take you somewhere different. Engaging with ways to feel surer of your personal destiny may be part of this, but also seeing that being open-minded is important too.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Cancer

Leo

July 24 to August 23

A seemingly everyday conversation could have an element of intrigue. Why? Well, perhaps not because of what’s said as much as what isn’t. It may be because the other person isn’t opening up, but you can still get a feel for what’s going on, as you’re likely extra perceptive today. However, you can also lean into this person and be supportive without making a fuss.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Leo

Virgo

August 24 to September 23

Friendships, your network, and long-term hopes are all firmly in the picture. However, it can be a particular friend with whom you feel a deeper connection at present. You may both bring different qualities, but that’s a good thing, as you complement one another and can spur each other on. This is an opportunity to use collaboration to achieve something truly special.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Virgo

Libra

September 24 to October 23

Your leadership credentials are to the fore. Even if you don’t see yourself as someone who fronts things up, don’t underestimate how others view your ability to make suggestions and give well-timed advice. With the Moon in Libra in a brief face-to-face with the shape-shifting energies of Neptune, any pearls of wisdom you give will likely though, be delivered with delicacy.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Libra

Scorpio

October 24 to November 22

You often feel most comfortable when your situation feels under control, and you can apply your natural intensity to managing things in a way that feels comfortable. Today’s energies suggest you might surrender a little more and let the process guide you. This does require letting go, and that may feel like a test, but it could prove quite liberating, in a unique way.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Scorpio

Sagittarius

November 23 to December 21

The Moon is moving through the sign of balance, Libra, and this can see you enjoying some convivial exchanges. Whilst you can be attuned to friends, you will also want to feel they are in touch with your situation. The Sun and the North Node are in a particularly acute angle, but one that suggests you’ll want to dive deep beyond the pleasantries that today can serve up.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Sagittarius

Capricorn

December 22 to January 21

Your need to achieve is a big part of you. However, the expansive Jupiter has, over the last twelve months, given you the opportunity to work on your relationships, proving that there are more markers of success than status. Indeed, today, as the Sun, like Jupiter in Cancer, links to the subtle energies of the North Node, a conversation can show the importance of one tie.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Capricorn

Aquarius

January 22 to February 19

Your imagination can be fabulous today. If you are writing, presenting, or formatting, you can bring an extra dimension to all of them. This can see your words and ideas shimmer with possibility as the Moon and Neptune go face to face. And also, the practical strands of your situation can flow along nicely too, and particularly if you don’t try to overanalyse them.

Head here for everything you need to know about being an Aquarius

Pisces

February 20 to March 20

You might find a particular item alluring. And it’s possible that you can conjure up all sorts of reasons why you should buy this. However, as much as desire can be strong, logic can be blurred. If unsure, ask yourself what practical value it brings – but it may save you from a case of buyer’s remorse – if you convince yourself, you just have to have it!

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Pisces

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MORE: What does the week have in store? Your tarot horoscope reading for June 22 to June 28

MORE: Daily horoscope June 21, 2026: Today’s redictions for your star sign

MORE: Cancer season is here to heal burnout — your star sign’s tarot horoscope forecast

Captain Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum were all smiles after England won the first Test at Lord’s, apparently on the same page after a bruising Ashes winter. In the run-up to the home summer, both men denied Australia had damaged their relationship.

Assessing where they are after this episode is mainly done through the words of McCullum. The New Zealander has spoken and Stokes is yet to.

Two days before the second Test, for which Stokes was absent, McCullum repeatedly spoke of his “worry” and “concern” for the all-rounder. However, when Stokes returned to play for his county, Durham chief executive Tim Bostock said he was “bemused” by McCullum’s take.

Two things can be true at the same time. McCullum said he has been in daily contact with Stokes, and could have been given cause for concern. Meanwhile, the 35-year-old could have felt relaxed with Durham, away from everything going on with England.

Before the Test, McCullum would not be drawn on Stokes’ future as a player or captain. He may have genuinely not known, and probably had a right to be frustrated it was Stokes, of all people, who had allowed himself to be caught up in a nightclub incident.

Following a crushing defeat in the second Test, McCullum confirmed Stokes’ return and said: “I anticipate we’ll be able to work together really well in the week coming and I’m sure that both of us have that same vision for this cricket team.”

Stokes will speak to the media on Wednesday, while England train in Nottingham for the first time on Tuesday. There will be plenty of interested observers.

From Beamish Museum to Ryhope Engines Museum and some of Newcastle’s most historic buildings, the production leans heavily on local landmarks to bring Woolf’s 1910 world to life, and many are an easy day trip.

Beamish Museum, County Durham

Beamish is the big one.

The open‑air living museum doubles for Edwardian London, its cobbled streets, trams and shopfronts giving Gharavi the scale and period detail she needed without leaving County Durham.

She has called Beamish “the jewel in the crown of the Northeast locations” and hopes the film will show national and international audiences just how extraordinary it is.

(Image: BEAMISH MUSEUM)

Where it is: Beamish Museum, Beamish, County Durham, DH9 0RG.

Ryhope Engines Museum, Sunderland

One of the most distinctive locations is Ryhope Engines Museum, the former pumping station in Sunderland. Gharavi only discovered it while scouting, but it quickly became one of her favourites: “It’s such a gem… staggeringly good for the region,” she says.

The preserved Victorian and Edwardian beam engines give Night and Day a real industrial backbone, and the director is full of praise for the volunteers – including one called Keith, who has been involved for around 40 years.

(Image: GOOGLE)

Where it is: Ryhope Engines Museum, Waterworks Road, Ryhope, Sunderland, SR2 0ND.

Durham Cathedral, Durham City

Durham Cathedral brings academic prestige to the screen.

Its cloisters, already known to many from Harry Potter, are used as Cambridge University, providing a backdrop for scenes set in the rarefied world of Edwardian higher education.

Gharavi says she was drawn to the “crazy parts” of the building – arches, walkways and enclosed courtyards – that could convincingly pass for Oxbridge colleges.

Durham Cathedral doubles for Cambridge University in the movie. (Image: BRIDGE & TUNNEL PRODUCTIONS)

Where it is: Durham Cathedral, The Cathedral Office, The College, Durham City, County Durham, DH1 3EH.

The Lit & Phil, Newcastle

The Literary and Philosophical Society – better known as the Lit & Phil – appears in several key scenes.

The independent library’s reading rooms and galleries help recreate London’s intellectual and social circles, echoing the bookish, debate‑filled spaces that run through Woolf’s novel.

Where it is: The Lit & Phil, 23 Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE.

The Common Room and Mining Institute (Neville Hall), Newcastle

Neville Hall, home to The Common Room (formerly the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers), and the adjacent Mining Institute are also used prominently.

Their wood‑panelled lecture theatre and Victorian interiors stand in for professional and academic spaces in London, with Gharavi describing the circular lecture theatre as feeling exactly like a 1910 meeting room.

Common Room, Newcastle. (Image: GOOGLE)

Where it is: The Common Room / Mining Institute, Neville Hall, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE.

Tanfield Railway

Tanfield Railway – billed as the world’s oldest working railway – is another North East gem that makes it into Night and Day.

Its heritage rolling stock, bridges and stations help extend the film’s period world beyond drawing rooms and libraries, adding movement and a sense of a country on the move.

(Image: Supplied)

Where it is: Tanfield Railway (Marley Hill), near Sunniside, NE16 5ET.

A region doubling for London and Cambridge

All of these locations are stitched together on screen to stand in for London and Cambridge, underlining just how versatile the North East can be as a filming destination.

For Gharavi, who has lived in the region for nearly three decades, the film is a statement of intent: proof that you can tell a major literary story using streets, stations, cathedrals and factories that Northern Echo readers know well – and can visit long after the credits roll.

NEW YORK (AP) — A 51-year-old Connecticut man fell to his death from an upper deck of Madison Square Garden during a concert on Saturday night, police said.

Officers responding to a 911 call around 9:51 p.m. found the man unconscious and unresponsive with injuries indicating a fall from an “elevated position,” New York City police said. Police did not say how far the man fell, but said he was in Section 300. They identified him as Paul Kueker of Niantic, Connecticut.

The man was with his wife, according to police. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police do not suspect foul play.

The rock band Goose was performing. In a statement on Facebook, the band said it was “deeply saddened and heartbroken to learn of the tragic event that occurred.”

Sunday at Parklife saw sets from Arman Van Helden, Rudimental, Kettama, Zara Larsson and Calvin Harris

At the gates into Heaton Park on Sunday afternoon there was one accessory that all those-in-the-know had in their possession – and if they didn’t then they were queuing up to get one.

No, it wasn’t a bucket hat or cowboy accessory, but fans emblazoned with jewels and profanities – well it is Parklife. After an epic first day, the sun was firmly out for the longest day of the year, and sadly, those fans were doing little to quell the heat.

Saturday set a precedent with the sunshine and the good times with a surprise set from Aitch and a celebratory moment for Josh Baker during the day, followed by an electric atmosphere and an erupting crowd for Skepta, with DJ and producer Sammy Virji ending things off with a lively and uplifting set – ticked off with a rouse of fireworks.

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With expectations high for Sunday, the weather instantly turned up – bringing highs of 25C basking down on Heaton Park for early sets from Manchester’s own Mix-Stress as well as the likes of Rich Reason and Fumi.

Summer solstice and a headliner who sings about the joys of Midnight Sun – it couldn’t have been more serendipitous for those heading down on Sunday. And fans poured through the gates in their thousands for day two of the UK’s largest metropolitan festival in anticipation of seeing both Zara Larsson and Calvin Harris later in the evening.

Of course the festival isn’t just about the headliners, though Sunday’s billing was rather good for that. On the Valley Stage thousands flooded through early doors to catch the first sets of the day – Nicola Bear and Clementine Douglas.

The latter kicked off her set with the instantly recognisable Blessings – her collab with fellow Parklife performer Calvin Harris. The award winning vocalist drew in crowds who came running to soak up her high energy set. By the end of the half an hour performance, festival-goers were dancing and singing along to her impressive roster of tracks – setting the tone for the party to come.

Over at Panorama, the party really had started. The new stage boasts cutting edge state-of-the-art production alongside new LED visuals and on-stage access. There’s also dancing platforms.

Yesterday, they were used more for a little sit down when the sun got a little but too much, but on Sunday, revellers made the most of the new additions, swinging, swaying and bringing good vibes as Sheffield’s Silva Bumpa gave them quite the show.

Amid the revival of UK garage, bassline, and speed garage, he has has driven the scene forward. His music is a mix of gritty base with the bounce and singalong quality of those beloved club classics – you know the ones we’re sad to tear ourselves away from when the lights come up at the club at 4am and we’re shooed out.

The stage too was packed out. A feature of Panorama is that fans are given the chance to get behind the DJ, up on stage, a little Boiler Room-esque. While festivals are all about the incredible acts, you could tell from the vibes up on stage that those attending we’re loving being in the spotlight too.

Lets just say Parklife-goers were loving this new stage. Arguably one of the busiest areas of the festival all day, the likes of Luuk Van Dijk, Chloé Caillet, and Ewan McVicar we bolstered by the fans out in the field giving it their all, throwing some interesting shapes and partying like the day would never end.

And Panorama isn’t the only new feature for 2026. The festival has raised the bar with a host of new additions across the site, in both the main area and VIP section. This year, Parklife has delighted festival-goers with secret sets and brand-new stages as well as quirky attractions and upgraded amenities.

Revellers explored a new food court, browsed the interactive Bossmans supermarket experience, and could even pick up a vintage keepsake from roaming Polaroid photographers for £8. Among the new food offerings was Manchester favourite Jerk Junction, the popular Caribbean street food brand founded in Chorlton.

Meanwhile, VIP ticket holders were treated to an enhanced experience, with new charging lockers, dedicated areas to rest and relax, and shaded spaces to escape the summer sun between sets. There was even somewhere to get your high-end trainers professionally cleaned – now that’s VIP service for you.

Armand Van Helden took to the Valley stage ate afternoon for an hour of high-energy house hits. The American DJ played to a packed-out crowd at the centre of the festival, getting people hyped up and singing along to a mix that included some of his bestselling hits, such as I Want Your Soul, My My My and fan favourite Bonkers, which he made with Dizzee Rascal. As the evening drew closer, Parklife was bouncing to the expertly crafted set of the crowd-pleasing DJ.

When it came to fashion on the Sunday, there’s one person many festival-goers looked too. Since the release of her breakthrough worldwide hit Lush Life, Swedish pop star Zara Larsson has been inspiring fans with her sense of Y2K style emphasising neon, glitter and glamour.

Her nostalgia-tinged style continued to erupt with the release of her latest album Midnight Sun last year, which sees her headline Parklife this year. With her set eyed as a highlight for the entire weekend, fans have taken note from her Mermaid-inspired style with pink outfits, mesh tops, and candy-coloured fun.Outside of the Midnight Sun huns, there were more bandanas, low-rise shorts, bucket hats, football shirts and tie dye realness on show.

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Parklife veterans Rudim3ntal returned to the festival for their sixth appearance – surely that must be a record?

The London-based three piece got the crowd hyped up and moving at The Valley stage as they played back to back hits in their heavily drum and bass inspired set. The crowd loved the setlist, which included Waiting All Night, Spectrum (Say My Name) and Good Feeling – despite the slight change in weather the late afternoon brought. Speaking mid-way thought the set, frontman Locksmith said: “I feel like we haven’t been in Manchester for a minute. And you know what Manchester, you always do it large.”

At the pinnacle of her career right now thanks to a plethora of viral hits – including 11-year-old hit Lush Life which just won’t grow old – Zara was one of the biggest draws of the weekend for pop fans.

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Opening with Midnight Sun before kicking into the likes of Can’t Tame Her, Eurosummer and Never Forget You she brought a real sense of glitter-bombed mermaid style to proceedings.

Her baby blue swimsuit mashed with Daisy Duke-style shorts customised with trinkets incluidng what looked like a mini Hot Wheels cars, carabiners (din’t have her down as a mountain climber) and key rings, showed she’s all about the attention to detail.

Sadly, the only down side was the soundsystem. Zara’s lush vocals and those astounding notes that we all know she’s capable of hitting were achieved, but were sometimes a little mute. The soundsystem at The Valley has been pretty much flawless during this year’s performances, so for Zara’s set to be a little quiet was a tad disappointing.

That said, the crowd didn’t seem to mind, singing back the lyrics to Hot & Sexy and Stateside, before the crowd went loud for her remix of PinkPantheress’ Stateside. We did have a smile to ourselves during the set too when Zara complimented the outfits on display.

What amused us is she chose to share love to her fans during Pretty Ugly which, let’s be honest, does initially appear to be a bit of bad timing on her front. That said, it’s actually a song about rejecting what is expected – especially for women to be “ladylike” – and to own their selves. And to that we say Amen Zara, you pitch-perfect pop princess.

Of course, Lush Life made an appearance as a fan was brought on stage to recreate the 2015 hit’s iconic choreography, even gifting her a t-shirt – lucky thing.

For those that we’re there at the first Parklife, things were pretty different. First off, it wasn’t at Heaton Park but Platt Fields. Second, the lineup featured Friendly Fires, Booka Shade, Kissy Sell Out and The Japanese Popstars, and Calvin Harris.

The very man that today has built a $300M music empire and holds the record for the most UK Top 10 hits from a single studio album. To say he’s a big a deal might not do the phrase justice.

Returning to Parklife 16 years later, the crowd was huge, potentially bigger than Charli xcx last year – and that’s saying something. Blending seamlessly between his back catalogue of massive hits – we’re talking ‘We Found Love’, ‘How Deep is Your Love’ and ‘One Kiss’ to name just a few, there was no lapse at all

Just when you thought is might subside, another hit came through the speakers, mobile phones aloft as the crowd sought to capture a moment that we know can’t be repeated. “Manchester you sound so good” he said encouragingly, as if to make sure they were supported through this high-energy, whistle-stop tour through the last twenty years.

High-end production – check. Pyrotechnics and fireworks galore check. Parklife history made? Check.

Alireza Beiranvand made seven saves while Iran and Belgium played to a 0-0 draw at the World Cup on Sunday, with Team Melli unable to break through after the Red Devils went down to 10 men in the second half.

Belgium defender Nathan Ngoy received a straight red card in the 66th minute when he miskicked a ball backward and then fouled Mehdi Taremi to prevent the Iran star from getting a clean breakaway scoring chance.

Iran couldn’t capitalize, and Belgium actually generated better scoring chances down the stretch — but both teams left with their second straight draw in group play.

Neither team will feel good about the result at SoFi Stadium.

During a tumultuous World Cup trip affected by travel restrictions and visa denials from the U.S., Iran will regret missing a golden opportunity to beat a European powerhouse sitting 10th in FIFA’s world rankings while playing before a loud, supportive crowd in the Los Angeles area.

Meanwhile, star-studded Belgium has yet to score in two matches at the World Cup, getting on the scoreboard only through an own goal in its opening draw with Egypt.

Belgium dominated possession in the first 60 minutes, but Iran had a handful of strong chances stopped by goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who matched Beiranvand’s excellence.

Maxim De Cuyper was denied twice in the second half by Beiranvand, including a golden opportunity in the 86th minute.

Belgium dominated possession from the start, but repeatedly failed to get behind Iran’s defensive shell. Team Melli had the best scoring chances early, including a beautiful set piece for a goal by Taremi — who was ruled offside by video review.

Standout Belgian winger Jérémy Doku missed the match with an illness.

Officers were immediately dispatched to the scene

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The PSNI have tonight issued a statement quashing reports of men armed with a knife on a Northern Ireland beach.

Officers were dispatched to Portstewart Strand in Co Derry on the afternoon of Sunday June 21 after reports of men in the area, which was busy with families enjoying the fine weather.

However, the incident was de-escalated immediately when the patrol spoke with the men concerned and discovered they were preparing food for a barbecue.

The statement from the PSNI on Sunday June 21 said: “Police received a report of a number of men – one of whom was believed to have a knife – in the Portstewart Strand area on Sunday afternoon, 21st June.

“Officers were immediately dispatched to the scene where they spoke with the men.

“A subsequent search of the men’s van established that they had been preparing barbecue at the beach and the knife was being used for this purpose.

“No criminal offences were noted, however the knife was removed for disposal. No further police action was taken.”

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Williams won her first Wimbledon singles title in 2002 – beating sister Venus in the final – and repeated the feat a year later.

She won again in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2016 – with her seventh triumph meaning she equalled Steffi Graf’s Open era record of 22 major singles titles.

After taking maternity leave in 2017, she reached the final on her next two Wimbledon appearances, but lost in straight sets to Angelique Kerber and Halep.

Her 2021 campaign ended after just six games as she retired injured against Aliaksandra Sasnovich, and there were doubts she would return.

Given a wildcard in 2022, she was two points from victory against Harmony Tan before being edged out in a final-set tie-break.

Asked afterwards if that would be her final Wimbledon appearance, Williams said: “That’s a question I can’t answer. Who knows? Who knows where I’ll pop up?”

Williams has won 14 titles at Wimbledon, with six women’s doubles and one mixed doubles among her tally.

She also won Olympic singles and doubles gold on the same courts at the 2012 London Olympics.

Williams has won 107 of her 123 singles matches on grass courts, and it is the surface she has the best record on with an 87% win-rate.

Casemiro looks likely to join Inter Miami as a free agent next month, but the MLS outfit could still und up paying a pretty penny for the midfield maestro

David Beckham’s Inter Miami may have to cough up £750,000 to secure Casemiro, despite the Brazilian leaving Manchester United as a free agent. Earlier this year, the midfielder announced that he would leave Old Trafford on the expiry of his contract at 34.

While Casemiro has been linked with a number of respective clubs to enjoy the twilight years of his career with, it appears all but confirmed that he will link up with the likes of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez in Florida.

Likely to command a mammoth wage due to his calibre, Inter Miami could also have to fork out a substantial fee due to a ‘discovery rights’ conflict with LA Galaxy. It is claimed that there has been a disagreement between the two clubs, with Galaxy registering an official interest in Casemiro before their Floridian rivals.

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As a result, Casemiro is stuck in theoretical limbo until the dispute is resolved, should he harbour ambitions of playing the MLS, with LA Galaxy calling for £750k in compensation. GOAL reports that the midfielder and his representatives had previously held talks with LA Galaxy, who made contractual offers to attempt to secure his services in California.

After visiting family in Miami, however, Casemiro is said to have had his head turned – instead citing Inter as his destination of choice. Discovery rights conflicts are not a rare occurrence in Major League Soccer, with compensation packages historically being paid to sign players in recent history.

Marco Reus, for example, had rights held by Charlotte FC before he ultimately made the move from Borussia Dortmund to LA Galaxy. While Charlotte initially called for £602,000 in compensation as a result, they eventually settled for half of that sum in General Allocation Money.

A complex system which has faced scrutiny in the past, the MLS has a lengthy explanation with regards to the discovery process on its official website. It reads: “Pursuant to the discovery process, clubs may scout and sign players who are not yet under contract to MLS and who are not subject to another assignment mechanism (e.g., MLS SuperDraft).

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“To sign a player through the discovery process, the club must first place the player on its discovery list. A club may have up to five players on its discovery list at any time and may remove or add players at any time.

“There is no limit to how many players a club can sign from its discovery list. Players who were previously on the Allocation Ranking List are now eligible for the discovery process. Players transferred out of Major League Soccer will become discoverable one week from when the player’s ITC is permanently transferred and the League has notified all clubs.”

It adds: “If one or more clubs attempt to add the same player to their respective discovery lists, the club that filed the claim on the earlier date will have the priority right to sign the player. If one or more clubs submit a discovery request on the same day, then the club with the lowest points-per-game in the current MLS regular season (all clubs must have played a minimum of three regular season games) will have the priority right to sign the player.

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“If a club wants to sign a player on the discovery list of another club that has higher discovery priority on the player, it may offer that club $50,000 in General Allocation Money in exchange for the right to sign the player. The club with the player on its discovery list will then have five days (or three days during the Secondary Transfer Window) to either (i) accept the General Allocation Money and pass on the right to sign the player or (ii) make the player a genuine, objectively reasonable offer.”

It comes as Manchester United are in the market for a new midfielder in the wake of Casemiro’s imminent exit, although could face an uphill battle in securing their ideal candidate. While they are thought to hold an interest in Sandro Tonali, Elliot Anderson and Matheus Fernandes, they could be rivalled by the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.

And with a wealth of competition, asking prices from parent clubs who are reluctant to lose players on long-term contracts may also be driven through the roof this summer, given they are in no rush to sell up.

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

New Labour MS for Caerdydd Penarth Shavannah Taj has had a busy life but says being an elected politician had never been her goal

It was Mark Drakeford who first suggested to Shav (Shavannah) Taj that she should stand to become a Senedd member.

The Cardiff-born mum of two comes from family who worked to help those in difficulty in their community. She had a distinguished career in trade unions; she had worked in retail, in call centres, in hospitality and like doing even like door-to-door sales. But she had never held an elected political post.

She was working in what she calls her dream job, as general secretary of the TUC in Wales, when Mark Drakeford first told her he wouldn’t be standing again and he thought she should put her name forward to stand in the Caerdydd Penarth constituency.

She says it was the support of the unions that employed her, as well as the emergence of Reform UK, that helped make the decision.

Later this year she turns 50 (she says she is broadly fine about reaching the milestone figure) but says being an elected politician was never a long term goal.

“Some of the Labour affiliated unions started having a chat with me,” she says.

“All the polling was suggesting that we were going to have a significant number of Reform coming in and remember at a UK level by then they’d already voted down the employment rights legislation, they had started causing all kinds of problems and harms in councils that they were running. That in particular made the union movement very, very nervous,” she said.

“They said ‘we want a voice Shav, and it’s got to be someone who understands”.

“So for me to do this, I needed to know that I had their support and I had their blessing because coming into these spaces, you need to be remain connected to those values and sometimes you need a kick up your ass to be reminded. It’s a big thing and it’s a privilege. You’re in a very, very privileged position and I never want to forget that.”

Her life story gives her a different perspective to many of her new colleagues in the expanded Senedd.

Unions, and politics had always been part of family life. She remembers waiting while her dad, a steelworker firstly in Port Talbot and then in Cardiff, popped in to pay his union subs.

She also remembers her mum’s unofficial role in her Asian women’s fabric shop in Cathays as a sort of village elder – imparting her wisdom to those who came in for a metre or two of fabric but needed help with all manner of things in their lives.

Inequality was a common theme, she says. “They would be talking about the fact that their child has been excluded from the school and they want some help, or they would come in and be like, ‘my kids have this report, I’m not quite sure what this means’, and so I’d say ‘okay, let me have a look at it for you’ and I’m like 15, 16 years old, looking through this stuff,” she smiles.

At the same time her sister was, she says, rare in their community for going through divorce after a “very difficult” marriage. With two young children, but a family who stood by her, they were all involved in helping raise her sons, who see her more of a big sister than an aunt.

Those combined experiences, of personal adversities and being trusted members of their community, led to the creation of the Henna Foundation, a charity to help victims of honour-based violence and domestic abuse.

Firmly borne out of the role of the Taj women in the shop, they found people would come in, knowing about their family’s experiences and say they were going through domestic violence or issues themselves, and ask for advice. The charity no longer exists, but that early role of helping others, being a safe space is something that has stuck with her.

“The family was going through a lot and when it came to me sitting my GCSEs I was just like ‘what do I write down’ because I’d spent so much time off school because I had always caring responsibilities, helping keep her business alive at the same time, all while she was getting herself together and trying to get herself back on her feet.

“At that time I was going to London, to Bradford, to Manchester with my mum and dad and negotiating prices at 15 or 16 for the fabric that we were going to bring back to Cardiff”.

It meant she had to resit her exams at Cathays High School, and she found the school was sceptical she would return.

“There were some comments made to me at the time that, ‘well, we don’t know if you should stay at school and do your A-levels here because we have had many situations where Asian girls have started their A-levels and then their families have taken them back to Pakistan and they’ve had arranged marriages’ and I said, so ‘you’re writing my story for me based on other people’s experiences’.

“I thought ‘I’m going to show you’.”

She went on to do her A-levels in Coleg Glan Hafren but politics was ingrained in her formative years. She remembers the BNP starting a branch in Cathays and she was one of those campaigning against it in school, and there were events and campaigns when the HIV epidemic hit.

Looking at all that, the unofficial advice hub, the battles for equality, the social justice campaigning as a teenager, I ask how she had opened this interview by telling me she never planned to stand for elected politics. Everything she has said spells out the path of someone who had spent a lifetime training for the chance.

“Now thinking back, that would make sense, but politics always felt really far away still, and you know people like me from my background don’t end up in these spaces especially not in Wales, as a woman, Pakistani, Muslim,” she said.

Her professional life took her to London, and she spent over a decade there, working her way up from the bottom at the PCS union to becoming national organiser. In 2011, she returned to Wales, with her Nigerian husband and daughter (another would follow), after her mother became ill and passed away.

The desire to be near family led to their relocation, and while she initially split her time between London and Wales, a reorganisation saw her become general secretary of TUC Cymru just before the pandemic.

It was just five years ago Conservative Natasha Asghar was the first woman of colour elected and Ms Taj sent her a congratulatory message. Now she is the first for Labour.

“I happen to be the first again. It was like at the TUC, I was the first Muslim, minoritised woman to be in that position.”

“I was always really conscious of not being the only one,” she says, but her experiences have, understandably shaped her politics. In her early days in the Senedd she has already taken the opportunity to call out Reform UK for their language in a debate about the Nation of Sanctuary scheme.

As a Senedd Member she says she wants to talk about the issues that matter most to her constituents.

“I’m really conscious of the fact that it’s really important to talk about the things people care about,” she says. “Cost of living is still a thing. It hasn’t gone away. People are still working several jobs. People have got bills coming out of their ears, right?

“Everything’s going up constantly. People want to know what their average shopping basket is going to cost. But we don’t know, because you go into the supermarket and it doesn’t matter which supermarket you go in anymore, it’s all still crazy.

“There are people who are in work who are still relying on food banks, that hasn’t gone away. Those pressures are still there and what people don’t want is for yet more structures to be put in place and that becomes the reason why things don’t get done.

“People are impatient, but they’re impatient for a reason. And my purpose over the next four years is to constantly be reminding government that people are not patient and people will not forgive us.”

“It’s got to be about delivery, it’s about outcomes, because when I was still at the TUC, we used do some annual polling around asking people about devolution and powers.

“We always used to ask them, the question around do you believe in independence or not? There was always this split between the number of people who wanted independence versus ‘Actually, we’re quite happy because it’s just been one parliament’.

“If you look at all the the polling that’s done on a regular basis it’s almost an even split right between those who want independence and those who want this place to be abolished all together.

“The Senedd has just got bigger if we don’t prove to people that we are worth the money It will go in a different direction.

“There’s always another party waiting in the wings to be the next more radical one so we should spend our time very, very wisely and carefully consider the impact on the ground.”

She joined the Labour Party when Jeremy Corbyn became leader. “I’m a socialist, I always say to people I’m a progressive socialist, and till my dying day that will probably be who I am, that’s just intrinsically my go-to position,” she says.

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What does she make of Andy Burnham? Does she think someone with experience of devolved politics outside of London could be good news for Wales?

“I think Burnham has a lot to offer. I think that he has been a good mayor,” she says, but when pushed she adds, “Let’s see what happens with that, because we don’t know who else could be in the running as well. Are we going to see Angela [Rayner] in the mix?”

One of the unknowns is Labour, can it rebuild? Can it do so before next year’s council elections. What’s her take on the party’s struggle in the Senedd election?

“Look, I was hoping, of course, that we were going to return more Labour MSs and bearing in mind, as you say, in my previous role I’ve worked with a lot of them.

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“I knew a lot them. I know they were on a very personal level, really deeply committed to the work that they were doing and there were things that they we’re hoping that they would be in a position to be able to. We’re not in the driving seat anymore but we’re hoping that we’re able to use our influence to get the government to make good decisions.

“It was really sad and it was depressing. However, I was also very conscious of the fact that ultimately, people had voted for me and my responsibility, first and foremost, was to my constituents and what I could still do.”

But she doesn’t think her party, or the previous administrations got it all right.

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“Welsh politics is going to be fascinating, but in order for us to have more powers, for the UK Government to take us seriously in terms of that as well, we equally have got to do the work.

“We’ve got to prove that we are a fighting force. And when it comes to devolution, when it comes to those points, are we using the powers that we’ve got already?

“Are we pushing things or are we too cautious? Probably. We have been way too cautious, I think. We should have pushed more for further devolution but also to use our powers better.”

What is it like, as that small group facing the numbers Reform UK and Plaid have?

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“I’m used to firefighting, right, and I have to think on my feet a lot and that’s my natural go-to.

“I tend to be focused on problem-solving,” she said. The group is small, but tight, she says. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here

So what does Labour need to do?

“You’ve got to start listening, genuinely listening and when you listen, you’ve then got to give some consideration to what you’re going to do to solve that problem or to fix that issue and are there things you can do?

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“Be more honest with people, be more transparent with people. Sometimes I think that even within government, when the last government was making decisions, they just didn’t communicate with people people didn’t even know that there were things in motion or there were things that were happening because you get so trapped in in the bubble of delivering in government you leave it to government to then communicate that message but from a party perspective, we weren’t necessarily telling people that by the way ‘Labour did that’.”

“The only time we were then talking about it was when the election was happening by which time people were like ‘where is this coming from?’

“As a whole Labour family, we still have Labour MPs, we still have Labour councillors, we have Labour MSs.

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“We as a Cardiff Labour team need to be working better together as well and I think that for me that is absolutely critical and that’s how you demonstrate and you show your worth, you show your value., you show what the purposes of Labour, what are our principles, what are our values.

“I think we show that by doing it and it’s got to be things that people can feel that something has changed in their lives, I think that’s always the big thing for me”.

“For me, it’s all new, and for me, it’s a case of, ‘yes, we didn’t do as well as we should’ve, as I’d hoped we would’ve’ but I always think that there’s opportunities in these situations, and you recalibrate, you rethink, you don’t take anything for granted, not everything is meant to be forever, I’m a great believer in that.

“We don’t have God-given rights to like govern Wales, it doesn’t work like that, but in order to come back, and to come back stronger, you’ve got to do the work, and I’m prepared to do work and I know for sure that the people who are with me in that team are prepared to do that work.

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That has got to be the jump-off point. But I’m not here to waste my time. I’m here to not waste other people’s time, the people that voted for me or didn’t vote for me.

I was always, even as a trade union official I was very conscious of the fact that members are paying my wages. Like, this is individuals who are out there, They’re working. And they put into a pot that then pays my wages.

“This is not a joke. This isn’t like a circus for us to have fun in. This is serious business,” she says.