Delicious Orie has weighed in on the debate around Joe Joyce’s future, after his fellow Commonwealth champion suffered his fifth loss in six fights.

Joyce, 40, won Commonwealth gold for England and Olympic silver for Britain before turning professional and winning his first 15 fights – even stopping Daniel Dubois, Joseph Parker and Carlos Takam.

However, the heavyweight’s sole win since 2022 is a late stoppage of Kash Ali in 2024, which came after back-to-back KOs by Zhilei Zhang and preceded a hat-trick of defeats: points losses to Derek Chisora and Filip Hrgovic, and a stoppage by Artem Suslenkov this month.

Now, compatriot and fellow heavyweight Orie has given his opinion on the situation, one year after abruptly calling time on his own pro career after just one fight.

“It’s funny you say this, because I was literally having a conversation about Joe Joyce earlier,” the 29-year-old told the Independent. “It’s very interesting with Joe. Phenomenal athlete, he did exceptional as an amateur and did great things as a professional as well.

“I’m going to be honest: I think he’s overstayed his welcome.” Perhaps hinting at his own early retirement from boxing, Orie added: “If you were to ask me, if I was Joe Joyce, I would have stopped about six years ago.

“He’s at the age now where it’s like… It’s not even an age thing as well, you can see it in his performance: it’s slowing down, and it’s so obvious.

“Now, I’m in no place to say: ‘Oh, he’s done.’ At the end of the day, one of my ethos is: do something that keeps that fire going; if your ‘why’ is big enough, do it. Don’t do it for anybody else. And if that genuinely is Joe Joyce, and that’s what he believes deep down in his heart, then 100 per cent [he should carry on].

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“It sounds quite extreme for me to say, but this is the mindset that you’ve got to have as an athlete: for me before the Olympic Games, it was, ‘Am I willing to die in the ring today?’ How much am I willing to sacrifice? How much can I give?’ And if it’s, ‘I’m going to give absolutely everything,’ then it doesn’t matter what the result is; go and do it.

“When I started to think, ‘I don’t think I’m going to give quite enough,’ that’s when it’s time to pull out.

“Will I ever know what’s going on in Joe Joyce’s mind? No, but I do think – definitely from a health standpoint, for the young heavyweights that are up and coming – it’s important to know when to step out. And that’s difficult to handle for some athletes. Like, it was difficult for me to step away.

“It’s sort of like you’re losing your identity in a way, something you’ve armoured yourself with over many, many years to be perceived as. To step away is almost like dropping all of that hard work. So, I can definitely see that sort of angle from Joe Joyce, but at the same time, it’s so important to look inwards; that’s where the real answer is.’”

Orie continued, “Sorry, I just wanted to add: at the end of the day, my key message is whatever you feel keeps that fire within you, do that. Don’t ever listen to anybody else, whether it’s to keep boxing or to stop boxing – it doesn’t matter. I think that’s what makes life worth living.

“If Joe Joyce doesn’t have real intrinsic motivation to do anything else, why should he stop boxing at that level? None of us can give that sort of judgment.”

HBO Max is the exclusive streaming destination for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games in the UK and Ireland, while live coverage will be available on TNT Sports for TV viewers.

Jet, Now, Sparks, and Coconut Grove bars have made a comeback, each wrapped in retro St Michael packaging and featuring the original logo.

The bars are available as full-size bars or in a 14-piece mini variety pack.

The Jet bar is a milk chocolate treat with soft nougat, peanuts, and caramel, similar to a Snickers, while Spark is a nougat and caramel-filled bar, reminiscent of a Mars.

Coconut Grove combines milk chocolate with a soft coconut centre, much like a Bounty, and Now is a milk chocolate biscuit and caramel bar, similar to a Twix.

An M&S Food spokesperson said: “After the brilliant response to the return of Take 4 last year, we wanted to dig a little deeper into our archives and revisit more of the chocolate bars customers loved the first time around.

“With their original St Michael packaging designs and flavours inspired by the much-loved bars of the 80s, Jet, Sparks, Now! and Coconut Grove are a delicious nod to the past – giving some customers the chance to rediscover an old favourite and others the joy of trying them for the very first time.”

How have customers reacted to the M&S chocolate bars making a return?

People seem happy to see the return of the St Michael chocolate bars, as seen in an Instagram post on @uknewestfoods.

It wrote: “M&S have brought back 4 old school, iconic St Michael’s bars, do you remember any of these.”

In response, one person shared: “Used to love the Coconut Grove love to see its back.”

Another said: “Getting nostalgic now.”

A third posted: “Love the St Michael’s branding ❤️ Takes me back.”

Some pointed out that the bars were slightly different to how they were in the 1980s, as one shared: “They’ve jigged them around a bit.

“Sparks used to be a Mars knockoff, Now was a Toffee Crisp knockoff, and the Snickers dupe was called Here!

“Coconut Grove basically the same.”

Another commented: “I remember the 80’s m&s now bars as being nothing like a twix, it used to have crispy bits.

“Looks like they have just used the old name for this.”

Recommended reading:

What is the St Michael brand?

The St Michael brand was owned by M&S from 1927, selling many goods under the name.

It was dropped in 2000 after 72 years as part of a rebranding.

However, the retailer revived the brand in 2021, selling menswear using the vintage label after clothing donning the brand name became popular on second-hand clothing platforms.

Another retro chocolate bar was brought back last year, with M&S reintroducing the Take 4 from its archives.

Will you be looking to buy the St Michael chocolate bars? Let us know in the comments.

The “highly unusual” 1983 coin sold for £170.20 on eBay because it was minted with a rare error.

The coin has been struck on a bronze blank rather than the standard 20p blank.

As a result of the striking error, the coin appears bronze in colour, rather than silver.

Rare 20p that is ‘wrong colour’ sells for 851x its face value (Image: Kennedy News & Media)

The coin is accompanied by a letter from The Royal Mint Museum, who authenticated the coin following a ‘thorough examination’ using ‘spectographic analysis’.

They found the error is likely to have happened as a result of a bronze blank coin being struck between two 20p dies.

It’s thought to be one of two known 20p coins to have been struck on a bronze blank.

In the listing, the coin is described as “highly unusual” with the error making its value skyrocket.

The listing reads: “Rare 1983 20p Royal Mint striking error, struck on a bronze blank rather than the standard 20p blank.

How to get your old coins valued

“This coin is described as one of two known 20p coins struck on bronze blanks, with the other coin referenced in a previous lot.

“It’s been tested and verified as 97.10% copper, weighing 3.62g.

“The coin was sent to the Royal Mint Museum for examination, and a copy of their official letter of authentication is included with the sale.

“A highly unusual and collectable Royal Mint error coin, ideal for serious collectors of British decimal coinage, minting errors, and rare 20p varieties.”

The Royal Mint’s letter states that it appears a bronze blank, most likely intended for ‘one of the many overseas countries they produce coins for’, was struck between 20p dies.

One keen collector snapped up the coin for £170.20 plus £3.42 postage on Sunday, May 31.

The items you should collect to make the most money

That means the coin was sold for 851 times its shop value and will be sure to have Brits checking their change for any similar errors.

First issued in 1982, the 20p is one of the UK’s newest circulating denominations.

Since then, there have been several different variations of the coin.

In 1998, the coin was updated to feature Maklouf’s portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, while the reverse of the coin depicts a crowned Tudor double rose in a design by William Gardner.

Recommended reading:

In 2022, Ian Rank-Broadley’s portrait of the Queen was replaced by Jody Clark’s design.

Gardner’s reverse design featured on the 20p until 2008, when it was replaced by the definitive ‘shield’ design that currently appears on UK coins up to the value of 50p.

When united, and carefully arranged in the correct order, the 50p, 20p, 10p, 5p, 2p, 1p, make up the Royal Arms in its entirety.

Have you ever found a rare coin? Tell us in the comments below.

NEW YORK (AP) — Former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife will go on trial on drug trafficking charges next June, a judge said Wednesday, as their lawyers continue to object to the U.S. military action that snatched them from power.

Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein set the June 1 trial date at the request of lawyers on both sides. Under the approved schedule, defense lawyers will begin filing requests in early September to challenge the indictment and the couple will return to the courtroom Nov. 17 for oral arguments on the motions.

Maduro, 63, and his wife, Cilia Flores, 69, have been held at a Brooklyn jail since U.S. forces seized them from their Caracas home in a middle-of-the-night raid and brought them to New York in early January.

Neither spoke during Wednesday’s 15-minute hearing as each sat separately at a defense table, surrounded by their lawyers. Both have pleaded not guilty. They face potential life prison sentences if a jury agrees that they were part of a conspiracy to send cocaine into the U.S.

As he was led into the courtroom, the bespectacled Maduro greeted the judge’s staff and shook hands with lawyers for him and his wife. Noticeably thinner in a tan jail suit and with his thick mustache, he seemed upbeat, smiling and chatting with his lawyer. He listened to a Spanish interpretation of the proceeding through headphones and clasped his hands in front of him in a prayerlike gesture. He had a black pen wedged in his right fingers and sporadically jotted notes on a white pad.

As deputy U.S. marshals led him out, he waved to someone in the gallery.

President Donald Trump’s administration has defended the raid to capture Maduro as a “surgical law enforcement operation” in a criminal case first brought six years ago. Maduro has called himself a prisoner of war and his capture a kidnapping.

U.S. prosecutors say Maduro carried out a conspiracy to move thousands of tons of cocaine into the U.S. by colluding with Venezuelan law enforcement to help drug kingpins.

“I am not guilty. I am a decent man, the constitutional president of my country,” he said in Spanish at his arraignment in January.

Maduro’s lawyer, Barry Pollack, has said he expects to contest the legality of Maduro’s “military abduction.”

The Thursday letters page enjoys the magic of Yoshi And The Mysterious Book, as one reader is surprised at the quality of Meccha Chameleon.

Games Inbox is a collection of our readers’ letters, comments, and opinions. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk

Sell by date
Kudos to the Disgaea guy for speaking up about the joys of owning things. To me a lot of the magic is lost when you only own (sorry, rent) a digital game, and I’ve always tried to avoid it as much as possible, outside of indie games.

Now we hear about the obvious knock-on effect for second-hand games and it’s obvious that’s doomed as well. Retro resellers will obviously continue but nobody’s going to be buying or selling anything at CeX after next year, unless it’s a Switch 2 game (assuming Nintendo doesn’t follow suit by then).

It’s not a question of whether shops or companies will or won’t do it anymore, there’s just not going to be anything to sell. If you buy a code in a box, that code gets used up and that’s it. Unless people are going to get so desperate for owning things they want to buy empty boxes.

Physical media had a good run but I’m afraid it’s all over now, as far as games go, and it’s not coming back.
Taylor Moon

Glorious convivence
I’m surprised the second-hand games business is still worth as much as it apparently is. I remember when almost every shop that sold games (which was a lot) also dealt in second-hand games and it’s true, all those shops are going to lose that business now. There’s only so long CeX can carry on reselling old PlayStation 4 and Switch 1 games and after that they’re in trouble.

I can’t argue with everyone saying that this is all the fault of choices ordinary gamers made last gen or earlier, but there’s definitely no going back. Sony has no intention of making discs any more, GTA 6 is going to normalise it this November, and Xbox only hasn’t said they’re doing the same thing because they’re enjoying watching Sony squirm.

But the fact is digital is more convenient and if there’s one truth of the modern world it’s that people value convivence over all things, including cost, quality, and issues of morality. If something requires even slightly less effort than the alternative then people will always go for it, no matter the drawbacks. At the same time, if something requires any kind of effort or sacrifice, such as boycotting a company, that ain’t happening.
Benson

No returns
I see Nintendo is trying to be a bit dodgy in the USA over increase in tax on Nintendo products that Nintendo are try to get back from the US government but won’t give the extra money back to them that bought the products at higher prices.

Sorry to say it but if Nintendo did increase the prices because of tax charges and they’re trying to get the money back they should refund that money to customers. Seems Nintendo is getting as bad as the others that love taking your money but when it comes to giving something they never should have had it’s oh no we can’t do that. Shame on you Nintendo.
David

GC: It’s not an increase in tax, it’s Trump’s tariffs. And no company is planning to reimburse anyone; it isn’t just Nintendo. That said, all any company is interested in is your money, including Nintendo.

Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk

Tipping point
RE: Percentage of digital sales on Nintendo hardware is 67.2%. According to the fiscal report this number comes from that percentage includes sales of downloadable versions of packaged software, download-only software, add-on content and Nintendo Switch Online, etc.

In my letter I reference first party Nintendo games as selling mainly through physical. I’m always quite interested to know the exact split between digital and physical sales for a specific game as that, I often think, will be closer than a stat that includes all the other digital purchases.

In my case I’ve only ever bought one Nintendo first party game digitally on my Switch and Switch 2; all the other 10+ have been physical and will be in the future. I have spent money digitally on the store though, on digital-only games like UFO 50.

Given my buying habits on Switch, I’d genuinely be surprised if a new first party Nintendo game like Donkey Kong Bananza sold more digitally.

But I guess at the end of the day it might not matter, even if that were the case. Customers now spend more money digitally than physically on Nintendo hardware.

Nintendo do seem to be on the same trajectory as Sony, it’ll just take them a bit longer to get there.
Simundo

GC: Exactly, more than half of Nintendo’s software income now comes from digital sales and has done since at least 2025, as can be seen here.

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Generous score
With the current Count Binface/Sega article on Metro, I’ve read a few comments about Shenmue 3 being a complete wasted opportunity… I think this deserves a second look!

Shenmue 3 is – without a doubt – a 7 out of 10 game. But 7 out of 10 games can be brilliant and beloved! Alpha Protocol, Mad Max, Days Gone. All 7s.

Did they squander the chance to move the story on meaningfully? Without a doubt! But what’s left is charming, engaging, and still has that Dreamcast era magic. When viewed through the lens of it being a cosy game, it rules!

Yet the negativity driven by some click-baiting content creators has hardened this view that it’s completely without merit. Not true! The reviews at the time were all in the 7/10 range, you yourselves gave it a 6!

To any cosy/Shen-curious gamer, I’d say give the Enhanced version a chance when it comes out on Switch 2 later this year, some of the enhancements might push it to an 8. And you can’t get higher than an 8, right?
Brown Bread

GC: That 6/10 now feels very generous but if anyone’s Shenmue curious, we’d advise starting with the original games.

Handheld discs
I kind of agree with a few recent readers over the physical games backlash, in that this is something that was set in motion a long time ago. You’d imagine Sony’s own games are the ones people would actually buy on disc and keep in a collection (I know I do) and even those sales are 80% digital. I remember seeing Capcom’s sales numbers some months ago and they were at 93% digital.

Obviously, it’s difficult to judge the size of a backlash based on social media, the disconnect between the hardcore gaming audience and the average player has been widening for some time, and it seems vast now. Us over-engaged lot pre-ordering Saros discs are so far away from what most people use their PlayStation’s to do it’s become kind of funny.

I mean the Roblox game Grow A Garden has had more player engagement than the celebrated Uncharted 4 over its lifespan. That’s kind of baffling if you just consume gaming culture via websites and message forums, GC never runs news of the latest Roblox trends after all (ever thought about doing that?).

Should Sony and other gaming companies share more of their data analysis and be more transparent? Then it would become apparent why certain decisions (live service being another one) are being taken and it may lead to the player-base being a bit more understanding. Though investors would likely flee to the hills once they see how little gamers actually play these high cost, dozens of hours single-player titles.

Anyway, I’m surprised nobody has mentioned the fact the PlayStation 6 will probably have a handheld counterpart, and that’s why they are ditching discs. They are worried about splitting the market as you won’t be putting Blu-rays into a portable system, will you? They hope it’ll ease the transition to multiple hardware configurations next gen, after all if you buy digital it’ll just work on everything.
Marc

Good bad games
I didn’t understand the term friendslop until I decided to give Meccha Chameleon a go, after hearing all the hype. What an ugly, badly made game. I can’t pretend I didn’t have some fun competing online but I can totally see why it gets that name, considering the game itself is really not very good. Or at least not well made.

I’m not sure that really matters, because it’s not hurting anyone, but there are definitely some good ideas here that are not reaching their full potential.
Dio

Mysterious gem
I decided to give the Yoshi And The Mysterious Book demo a go, which gives you a few of the early levels to sink your teeth into.

By the time I’d completed the demo I’d realised I wanted more. I wanted to know what other creatures were in there, so I went out and bought the game.

It’s a charming little game full of invention and ideas. I had to skip a couple of levels as I hadn’t worked out the main trait of the creature in question.

One large creature that inhales everything took me a while to puzzle out but when it all clicked it was a fantastic level.

I’m about halfway through the game, as I’m a bit pushed for time at the minute, but can’t wait to get back on it to see what’s next.

I say to anyone on the fence, give the demo a go and read GameCentral’s review on it. It’s a really fascination game unlike all the other Yoshi titles in the series.
Nick The Greek

GC: It’s almost certainly going to end up as the year’s most underappreciated, and poorly marketed, game.

Inbox also-rans
But the real question… Shen-mew or Shen-moo?!
big boy bent

I have to admit, I wish the games were still called FIFA. It’s such a better name than EA Sports FC 27, which is just really clunky and awkward. Plus, we would’ve had a proper World Cup mode too.
Danse

Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk

The small print
New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers’ letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content.

You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader’s Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot.

You can also leave your comments below and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter.

MORE: Games Inbox: Which is better out of Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3?

MORE: Games Inbox: How important is the story in GTA 6?

MORE: Games Inbox: What new Fallout game will be the best?

The youngsters were urgently evacuated from the playgroup as thick black smoke was seen billowing from the building

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Young children had to be swiftly evacuated from a playgroup in a primary school after a blaze ripped through the building.

Dozens of children were in the Welsh premises for a club during the summer holidays. Huge flames could be seen pouring out of the building and thick black smoke billowed from the windows on Wednesday morning.

Staff at Awel Y Mor Primary School in Port Talbot fortunately evacuated all the youngsters, who were attending the Lots of Tots holiday school, which was being held in a separate part of the building, while fire crews raced to the scene to battle the blaze just after 10am.

The group will be cancelled for the rest of the week as a result of the fire, Wales Online reports.

A post from the group said thanked staff “for their calm and professional evacuation of the children”.

A video shows flames billowing from a window of the primary school, where scaffolding is currently erected.

Firefighters from Port Talbot, Neath Swansea Central, Morriston and Swansea West Fire Stations worked to bring the blaze under control, before leaving the scene at around 12.45pm.

A spokeswoman for Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: “At 10.10am on Wednesday, July 22, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service crews from Port Talbot, Neath Swansea Central, Morriston and Swansea West Fire Stations were called to an incident at Awel Y Mor Primary School, Port Talbot.

“Crews responded to a fire within Sandwich Panels of the school. Crews utilised four breathing apparatus sets and two hose reel jets, turntable ladder and water bowser to extinguish the fire.

“Crews left the scene at 12.43pm.”

A post from the Lots of Tots group read: “Following the fire in the main school building, we’ll remain closed for the rest of this week. We’ll assess the damage and plan for the safe return of children and staff to the undamaged playgroup. A reopening date or decision can’t be made until a full assessment is complete.

“Finally, a massive thank you to the staff for their calm and professional evacuation of the children and ensuring everyone’s safety.”

Neath Port Talbot Council has been approached for comment.

The widow of hero PC Andrew Harper last night blasted Labour’s soft justice prisoner release scheme as ‘deplorable’.

Lissie Harper spoke out after it emerged that two of her husband’s killers are due to be freed early. 

She accused politicians of ‘making decisions from behind a desk that will have real and lasting consequences for victims’ families like mine’.

Last night, following her dramatic intervention, the future of the release programme was in doubt. 

Prime Minister Andy Burnham reiterated a previous vow to review it – a flagship Labour policy to ease prison overcrowding – when questioned by journalists during a visit to Bath.

The Ministry of Justice refused to confirm reports that prison governors had been told to pause the scheme. 

But a source told the Daily Mail that officials have been summoned to an online meeting with members of the Prison and Probation Service today to discuss it. 

Mrs Harper led senior police, campaigners and MPs in demanding Mr Burnham intervene to stop Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers being released among waves of killers, rapists and violent criminals from September.

Henry Long, left, Jessie Cole, centre, and Albert Bowers, right, were jailed over PC Harper’s death

Albert Bowers (left) and Jessie Cole (centre) pictured leaving Reading Magistrates Court in 2019 

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PC Harper was killed in the line of duty in 2019 when he was dragged behind a car for more than a mile as he tried to stop three teenage thugs from stealing a quad bike.

His widow fought for Harper’s Law – a mandatory life sentence to anyone who kills an emergency worker in the line of duty.

But yesterday she said the widespread political support which changed the law in her husband’s memory now felt ‘forgotten’.

In a powerful statement after years spent largely away from the public eye, Mrs Harper said: ‘It is deplorable to me that we have reached a point where releasing prisoners early is even considered acceptable.’

She added: ‘We speak of justice, accountability and standing with victims, yet decisions like this do the opposite.

‘They tell victims their suffering matters less, and offenders that the punishment handed down by our courts is no longer what they will actually serve.

‘For victims’ families, this is not about politics. It is about whether a sentence means what a judge says it means. It is about whether justice is something we truly believe in, or something that can be negotiated away when it becomes inconvenient.’

Mrs Harper signed off by saying: ‘Andrew deserves better. Every victim deserves better. And the British public deserve a justice system they can have faith in.’

PC Andrew Harper and Lissie Harper were married just four weeks before the Thames Valley Police officer was killed in 2019 

Pressure on the Prime Minister to act was already mounting after Cabinet ministers Wes Streeting and Shabana Mahmood were caught laughing about the scheme hours before the news about PC Harper’s killers emerged. Mr Burnham said their behaviour was not acceptable.

Mr Harper, 28, died in horrific circumstances when he was caught in a towing strap between the stolen quad bike and the teenagers’ getaway car.

He was dragged for more than a mile at ‘sickening’ speed down winding country lanes near Sulhamstead in Berkshire before, mortally wounded, he was shaken loose, a court heard. 

His injuries were so grave that those arriving on the scene initially thought they had come across a deer carcass.

PC Harper had been due to clock off hours earlier, but decided to respond to one final call before starting his honeymoon with childhood sweetheart Mrs Harper. 

The pair had been married for only four weeks. Cole and Bowers, who were 17 at the time and were passengers in the car, were handed 13 years in custody for manslaughter after a trial at the Old Bailey in 2020.

The judge described the trio as ‘unintelligent, but professional criminals’, and said they would each serve two-thirds of their sentence. 

The driver, Henry Long, 18, was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 16 years. He is ineligible for early release under current Labour plans.

Dame Priti Patel, the former Tory home secretary who helped create Harper’s Law, said releasing Bowers and Cole early would be ‘outrageous’. 

She added: ‘These offenders should be kept behind bars where they belong.’

Former Tory justice secretary Robert Buckland KC, who also worked on the legislation with Mrs Harper, told the Mail that early release would be ‘an insult’ to PC Harper’s memory. 

Mrs Harper met Conservative and Labour politicians as part of her successful campaign to create a law in her late husband’s memory 

PC Harper was killed in the line of duty in 2019 when he was dragged behind a car for more than a mile as he tried to stop three teenage thugs from stealing a quad bike 

He said: ‘It’s as if the work that the Harper family did is being forgotten. Why on earth did they think this was appropriate in the first place?

‘Andy Burnham needs to pause this coming into effect and focus on [releasing] people who are not violent or sexual offenders who are not a danger to the public.’

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said the early release scheme – part of the Sentencing Act – was ‘an utter insult to the victims and any decent people that may be endangered by criminals walking their streets’.

Aileen O’Connor, chairman of Thames Valley Police Federation, representing colleagues from PC Harper’s constabulary, said: ‘Police across Thames Valley – and indeed the country – will be disgusted at the prospect of these smirking lowlifes being free to roam the streets. What message does this send about the worth of a life of a police officer?’

And Thames Valley Police Chief Constable Jason Hogg said the prospect of early release ‘feels wrong’. He has written to the Prime Minister ‘to make my opinion on this clear’.

Claire Waxman, the Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, said: ‘As things stand, I do not have confidence that these releases can be managed in a way that fully safeguards victims, protects the public and maintains confidence in the justice system.’

Bowers and Cole are among around 6,000 criminals set to benefit from Labour’s Sentencing Act, which will allow violent and sexual offenders to be released after serving just half their sentence, rather than the current two-thirds. It means the duo could be released within the year.

Other offenders could be freed after serving just a third of their sentence if they demonstrate good behaviour while in jail. Murderers will not be considered.

Mr Burnham said: ‘I’ve spoken to the new Justice Secretary [Alex Norris]. We will review the policy together and make further statements in due course.’

Within 48 hours of entering Downing Street, Andy Burnham has confirmed what much of the country feared. He is heading a fiscally illiterate government and he has no economic plan that even begins to make sense.

Despite this, the incoming Prime Minister is already spending money like a drunken sailor on shore leave.

Yesterday he floated the notion of a ‘national care service’, to tackle the problems of looking after an ageing population. Like so much of his unwritten manifesto, this concept was scarily short on detail. But he intimated that the new system would be a sister service to the NHS, an idea that has previously been costed by the Health Foundation think-tank at an additional £18.7billion a year.

As health secretary under Gordon Brown in the Noughties, Mr Burnham proposed raising billions for more healthcare by imposing a flat rate inheritance tax of 10 per cent – a universal death duty.

It is difficult to conceive of a tax that would be more unpopular or destructive. The gasps of pain and distress that met Rachel Reeves‘ first Budget in October 2024, when she abolished inheritance tax relief for farms worth more than £1million, will be insignificant compared to the national shock and horror if the Burnham regime taxes every bequest.

The majority of the public already favour abolishing inheritance tax, which is regarded as the ‘most unfair’ of all levies. Polling that we at the TaxPayers’ Alliance conducted found that every group – no matter how you splice it – supports cutting or abolishing inheritance tax, with the exception, bizarrely, of those with PhDs. Reform UK’s Richard Tice summed it up succinctly as ‘an awful grief tax’.

The majority of people are able to leave everything they own to their family and friends, because most of us don’t have enough in savings and property to exceed the tax threshold of £325,000 (frozen since 2009), which rises to £500,000 where their main home is left to direct descendants.

This means ordinary people, not wealthy by any stretch of the term, who have scrimped and budgeted all their lives, are able to provide a nest-egg for their children and grandchildren.

The ability to do something for the people we love best is the most basic right in an economy based on property ownership. And it’s the primary reason why the concept of a communist society sends an instinctive shudder through most people’s veins.

Mr Burnham’s scheme, which forms no part of the manifesto that saw Labour elected two years ago, will undermine that right. It will cause untold damage to the economy, all for a shapeless, uncosted ‘national care service’ that might as well be called the Bottomless British Money Pit.

Without a clear plan, geriatric health care will swallow all the money we can throw at it, without providing any tangible benefits. This is certain, because we already have the template: the NHS, apparently the envy of the world, is now a broken system that wastes tens of billions of pounds in taxes.

The reality of this will hit Mr Burnham like a sledgehammer, as soon as he tries to impose his social care scheme. Neither the economy nor the voters will be able to bear it.

Yet there is also talk of a second death duty, with the removal of capital gains ‘uplift’ on inherited assets.

At the moment, for the purposes of inheritance tax, property is assessed on its value when the owner dies, not the price originally paid. But Labour is thinking of abolishing this rule and imposing tax on the difference.

The effect of this double whammy would leave most grieving families unable to hang on to the family home. They’d have to sell, just to pay the swingeing death taxes. Not only would this cause misery to individuals, it would flood the housing market and send prices crashing. The chaos it could create is hard to overstate.

It is difficult to conceive of a tax that would be more unpopular; the majority of the public favour abolishing inheritance tax, which is regarded as the ‘most unfair’ of all levies

What Mr Burnham fails to understand, despite all his talk of easing the cost-of-living crisis, is that Britain is already buckling under the heaviest tax burden since the Second World War. We have entered a doom loop and to increase taxation and state spending now will only cause the country to spiral down faster.

The cause of both the economic crisis and the unsustainable taxation ought to be obvious to everyone. We are spending far more than we can afford on welfare. More than four million people now claim Personal Independence Payments (PIP), a benefit which is not means-tested – an increase of 400,000 claimants since Labour came to power.

Almost a quarter of all PIP claimants cite ADHD, autism, depression or anxiety as their main disability. Benefit payments to people with mental health problems have reached £3billion a year. The total cost of sickness and disability benefits for working age people now stands at £58billion and is predicted to rise to £78billion within five years.

Yet the disability minister, Sir Stephen Timms, states in an internal government report that he does not regard this as any cause for concern. The complacency is staggering.

The previous Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, made a timid attempt at slowing the increase of the welfare bill and was forced into a humiliating U-turn by raging backbenchers. But the scale of the crisis was spelled out by Pat McFadden, the Work and Pensions Secretary under both Prime Ministers.

What Mr Burnham fails to understand, despite all his talk, is that Britain is already buckling under the heaviest tax burden since the Second World War, writes John O’Connell

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In a WhatsApp message made public during the Peter Mandelson scandal, Mr McFadden said that every discussion he had with colleagues amounted to one dilemma: ‘Who can we tax in order to pay benefits to others?’

The answer, evidently, is ‘everyone possible, dead or alive’.

According to research by the TaxPayers’ Alliance released yesterday, one million people will be dragged either into paying income tax during 2026-27 or into a higher tax threshold, including an extra 600,000 pensioners.

Half of them will pay the basic rate, while another 41 per cent will face the higher rate. Just 7 per cent will pay the top rate – emphasising that it’s lower paid employees and self-employed workers, with their families, who bear the brunt of these stealth taxes.

The average taxpayer will have been hit with an increase of £640 since 2024-25. Yet for those on welfare, prospects are rather better. A claimant in London who takes full advantage of all the various potential entitlements could have an income of £710 a week, equivalent to an annual salary before tax of £46,000 – only slightly less than the median annual salary in the capital of £49,700, or about £756 a week take home.

There is also the potential benefit, for those who qualify, of a subsidised Motability vehicle.

Once the costs of working are taken into account, such as commuting and workwear, it’s probable that full-time employment pays no better, or actually worse, than welfare for many people.

That can’t continue – not just because it’s morally abhorrent but because people will not stand for it. No amount of tinkering around the edges with bus fares or grand promises about ending the blight of rough sleeping can disguise the disaster facing Britain.

The Government cannot afford to keep paying millions not to work. It cannot keep forcing more people to pay taxes. And it cannot keep raising those taxes.

This is the doom loop. Unless it is halted, it will spin our country to destruction.

John O’Connell is chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance.

The Creative Babes Club on Grange Road, is a coworking, event hire and workshop space.

Founder, Alice Rose Toth, set up the club in 2019 after experiencing burnout and craving a creative community.

Creative Babes Club Studio opened in Darlington this month. (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

On Saturday, July 4, she opened her first physical studio for female and LGBTQ+ creatives.

The studio holds a range of events including a scrap book club, craft workshops, and a coworking club.

The opening hours are Monday to Friday, 10am-6pm.

Lord Anas, who has been Scottish Labour leader since 2021, was among the first to call for Sir Keir Starmer to stand down in February.

Anas Sarwar has stood down as Scottish Labour leader and been made a lord and minister in the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade. Lord Anas, who has led the party since 2021, was among the first to call for Sir Keir Starmer to stand down in February.

Downing Street announced 47 new ministerial appointment late on Wednesday night, along with 17 re-appointments. It comes a day after the Record exclusively revealed the Glasgow MSP will take up a job in the new Government with Prime Minister Andy Burnham.

A statement from Lord Anas said: “Throughout my life, I have only ever been motivated by public service. The opportunity to serve our country is all I have ever asked. That’s why this is an opportunity I humbly accept.

“From working as an NHS dentist, through my time as Member of Parliament, Member of the Scottish Parliament and as Leader of the Scottish Labour Party, it has been an honour to serve the people of the great City of Glasgow and across Scotland. Looking back over the last five years, I am hugely proud of the work we have done since I became Scottish Labour Leader.

“To all my colleagues in both Parliaments and to all our amazing staff – thank you for everything you have done, and I’m sure will continue to do – for the Labour movement and for Scotland. I look forward to continuing to support you in those efforts, albeit from a different role.

“The Scottish Labour Party has a range of talent among our Members of the Scottish Parliament. The best interests of the individuals, families, and communities we seek to represent is served by having a strong and effective Labour Party. I will work with my successor to deliver that.”

First Minister of Scotland John Swinney hit out at the “hypocrisy” of the expected appointment earlier on Wednesday. Speaking to the Press Association, the First Minister said: “I think what it demonstrates is an appalling level of judgment by Anas Sarwar.

“He said before the (Holyrood) election he had absolutely no interest in going to the House of Lords, he only wanted to be first minister of Scotland. Then, after the election, Anas Sarwar has accepted a place in the House of Lords – a body, by the way, he wants to abolish.

“That is an incredible level of hypocrisy and it just illustrates what I think the Prime Minister is trying to address, which is the fact that politicians say one thing one minute and then do another thing the next minute, when it suits them. That, I thought, was what Andy Burnham was trying to address and to solve.

“But instead, Andy Burnham has exacerbated that sentiment within our society.”

Acting Scottish Labour leader Jackie Baillie MSP said: “I want to thank Anas Sarwar for his leadership and friendship. He led the Scottish Labour Party with integrity and a vision to build a fairer and more equal Scotland.

“These are the same values I am sure he will now champion in government. The Scottish Executive Committee will meet to agree a timetable for the election of the next Leader of the Scottish Labour Party.

“Further details of the Leadership election will be communicated in due course.”

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