According to the analysis, the cost of staples including pasta, frozen vegetables, chocolate, eggs and beef – all up between 50% and 64% – and olive oil, up 113%, had already seen some of the steepest rises, reflecting their sensitivity to volatile oil and gas prices, synthetic fertiliser costs and climate impacts such as droughts, floods, and heatwaves, both in the UK and in key import regions.

Anthony Slaughter is getting used to being recognised in what has been the most high-profile election campaign of the many he’s fought.

The Wales Green Party leader says he was recognised and greeted four times by people he didn’t know in his home town of Penarth as he walked to our meeting.

As we chat a woman approaches the table to greet him. “It’s partly since the television debates,” he tells me.

“People say in the comments afterwards that I look different and sound different to other politicians and people want change.”

Knocking on doors for the Senedd election campaign he says people tell him their biggest concerns are the cost of living and NHS. No surprises there – but he also says people are hankering after more positive politics.

There’s no doubting that some of the Green Party for Wales’ manifesto for Thursday’s Senedd election is a wishlist most people could get behind. But until now Mr Slaughter and the party have shied away from costing it.

At last I pin him down to figures, which he insists are entirely doable, with the caveat that no party will have the exact data needed for accurate sums until, and unless, they get into power – or at least some form of power-share.

So here are his figures for the Green Party’s Senedd election manifesto:

• Pledge of free bus travel for all people under 22 – £59m over three years.
• £1 bus travel for all people aged up to 59 (the 60 and over free travel would continue) – £325m over three years.
• Scrapping council tax and replacing it with a land value tax – cost-neutral albeit with an estimated one-off administration cost of £3m to £4m.
• Expanding Labour’s universal free school meal for primary age children to include secondary pupils – between £80m and £100m a year.
• The Green Party’s manifesto pledges on the NHS, to boost GP and dental services, and provide more primary care cannot be costed as yet and depend on a “fairer” budget settlement coming to Wales from Westminster.

On paying for all this Mr Slaughter says the current funding settlement “is not fair” and Wales should also get consequential HS2 funding and monies from the Crown Estate. His party would also like to see Wales have more power over income tax, as is the case in Scotland, so Wales can raise money that way.

The Greens would also aim to raise money to help pay for its policies through its proposals for a green transformation fund. This would involve selling bonds for people to invest in the green sector and renewable energy in Wales. The party estimates this fund could generate £200m.

Subsidised and free bus travel would also boost coffers because every £1 spent on bus travel makes £4.50 in environmental and social benefit, Mr Slaughter adds.

He reels these figures off without consulting notes and says he wants to bring more positivity and clarity to politics.

On being positive he looks pained when I ask about a controversial retweet by Zack Polanski, Green Party leader for England and Wales, following the stabbing of two Jewish men in London.

Mr Polanski, who is himself Jewish, shared a social media post criticising Met Police officers’ response to the attack in Golders Green on Wednesday, April 29.

Mr Polanski has since apologised for reposting a post on X, which said: “Essentially (his) officers were repeatedly and violently kicking a mentally ill man in the head when he was already incapacitated by Taser.”

“For me that would not have been appropriate [to have reposted that tweet],” concedes Mr Slaughter.

“I have not spoken to Zack since and I cannot speak for him.”

Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Mark Rowley accused the Green party leader of “fuelling tensions” by sharing the post as he himself posted an open letter to Mr Polanski on social media. Sir Mark said Mr Polanski’s retweet had reinforced “inaccurate and misinformed commentary”.

Officers at the scene were not armed when they detained the suspect, who appeared in court on Friday.

Mr Slaughter says the matter highlights how politicians are expected to respond to things instantly and how social media is “a minefield” for them.

He fears “one of the ugly things” about the recent televised leaders’ debates, in which he has clashed with Wales’ Reform leader Dan Thomas, is that comments risk “demonising the other”.

Before the debates start broadcasters urge the leaders to “fight back” to make good television. None of this is necessarily good for politics or debate, he feels.

While Mr Slaughter has stood in council, Senedd, and Westminster elections in 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2024 this campaign is a new beast and he’s ready to take it on.

The Green Party for Wales has never had an MS and has been a party far from power in Wales. That could all be about to change. While polls in this election forecast vary they generally agree the Greens will, within days, have represenation in the Senedd.

With Reform and Plaid neck and neck the Greens, Lib Dems, and Labour have ruled out working with Reform.

If they are able to form a government Plaid, which has previously had a co-operation agreement with Welsh Labour, may not want to be associated with the now less-than-popular party. That means they could come knocking at the Greens’ door.

With the new voting system for the Senedd there may never again be a majority government in Wales, Mr Slaughter predicts. He feels this is a good thing as parties and politicians will have to co-operate, negotiate, and work together for the common good rather than shout at one another across a divide.

His party has not so far had any formal discussions with Plaid on whether it would work with them but Mr Slaughter has thought about how those conversations might go.

While the parties may agree on some key areas there are others that could be tricky and there are some issues the Green Party would refuse to compromise on.

“There have been no official talks with Plaid Cymru but I have made it clear where I will listen and collaborate. Co-operation is in my DNA,” Mr Slaughter says.

“I have spent a lot of time talking to the Scottish Greens who have done this (a deal with a minority SNP government).

“When that deal started to crumbling they walked away and we would too,” he cautions.

“It’s not about red lines but we have to be clear what our priorities are. Meaningful action on climate and nature is critical.”

One contentious potential issue could be pylons to take electricity from wind farms to connect to the grid – a matter fiercely opposed by many in affected rural areas of Wales.

“We need pylons,” Mr Slaughter says. “We need large-scale infrastructure.

“I would never diminish people’s attachment to the landscape but it’s no help if the Conservatives and Plaid Cymru say: ‘We can put it all undeground. We don’t need pylons’ because we do. Wales is 20 years behind where it could be on renewables.”

He believes whoever takes charge of the Senedd needs to be more honest and open reality and to act faster and more boldly to put that policy in place.

He accuses the Labour Party of being “bad at communications” and holding up policy with onerous consultations.

On the matter of whether some voters are turning to the Green Party more out of despair at Labour or dislike of Reform Mr Slaughter insists that is not the main thrust behind his party’s growth.

“Zack becoming leader did turbo-charge growth in Green Party support but the fundamentals were already there,” he says. ” We were already growing.

“We have had big action days in Cardiff. People are really fired up and excited. I am recognised now and I am confident with that. It’s encouraging.

“With this campaign you are not just hoping but believing you can win and that changes the dynamic. We have not been so well-resourced and professional in previous campaigns.”

With days to go before polling day the leader of the Green Party in Wales is excited and ready to see what comes next.

After all the campaigns he’s fought did he ever think his party would get this close to seats in the Senedd and perhaps even power-share in government?

“I wouldn’t have kept doing it if I hadn’t,” he replies with a quiet smile.

In a world of instant demands politics can be a long game after all.

Police say that, although two arrests have already been made, detectives are stilll looking to speak to any eyewitnesses or anyone else ‘with information who has not yet come forward’

Advertisement

Police have launched a murder investigation after a man was stabbed to death in broad daylight. Emergency crews were called to the scene in Northamptonshire on Sunday, May 3 just after 3pm following reports of a stabbing in Wellingborough on Birchfield Road.

Despite the best efforts of first responders, they lost their fight to save the man, aged 38, who is believed to be Darren King. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Two men, both aged 20, were arrested on suspicion of murder shortly after the incident and remain in police custody.

A heavy police presence is expected to remain in the area into Monday (May 4) as officers continue to put together what happened. Senior Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Cheryl Thompson, of the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, described the killing as “tragic”. “This is a tragic incident which has seen a man lose his life and our thoughts are with his loved ones at this time,” she said. “This is a fast-paced investigation, with two men arrested quickly and taken into custody. At this stage, we are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident.” Despite the arrests, police are still urging anyone with information to come forward.

DI Thompson added: “Although we have made two arrests, I would still appeal for any witnesses or anyone with information who has not yet come forward, to please do so.” Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information is asked to contact Northamptonshire Police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Information can also be submitted online, quoting incident number 26000254992.

“Sporty Spice” was at Market Street record shop, Wax and Beans, to celebrate the release of Sweat, her new album which has been available to buy and stream since Friday, May 1.

Fans queued round the block at the independent record shop for their chance to meet the former girl group star turned solo singer.

Wax and Beans co-owner Ben Soothill said: “To be honest we had to cap it at 300 because we only had two hours to do this, otherwise we could have had 500 to 600 people.

Fans gathered at Wax and Beans in Bury for a meet and great with Spice Girls icon Melanie C (Image: Danny Crompton)

“It’s exceeded expectations, it was a great vibe tonight. We had a couple of DJs, there were original fans of the Spice Girls from the 90s and there were young kids as well.”

He added: “It’s certainly up there in terms of the crowds we’ve had. Jade from Little Mix drew a really big crowd for us last year. That was a younger crowd, but this is definitely one of the biggest we’ve had as well.”

Fans gathered at Wax and Beans in Bury for a meet and great with Spice Girls icon Melanie C (Image: Danny Crompton)

Melanie, full name Melanie Chisholm, first found stardom in the 1990s as a member of British pop sensation the Spice Girls.

With more than 100 million record sales worldwide, the group became the biggest girl group of all time thanks to global hits like Wannabe, 2 Become 1, Spice Up Your Life and many more.

Fans gathered at Wax and Beans in Bury for a meet and great with Spice Girls icon Melanie C (Image: Danny Crompton)

Launching a solo career in the late 90s, Melanie went on to achieve solo stardom with hits like Never Be The Same Again and I Turn To You.

She has also taken part in various Spice Girls reunions throughout the 2000s and 2010s.

Fans gathered at Wax and Beans in Bury for a meet and great with Spice Girls icon Melanie C (Image: Danny Crompton)

Sweat marks her ninth solo album and is said to draw inspiration from the UK’s ’90s rave scene, which is described as a formative part of her youth.

A statement from Melanie C’s team said: “Recorded between London, Stockholm and Sydney, ‘Sweat’ fuses her past and present – the sport and the spice, the forgotten teenage raver and the accomplished DJ.”

Fans gathered at Wax and Beans in Bury for a meet and great with Spice Girls icon Melanie C (Image: Danny Crompton)

Wax and Beans has become a much-loved staple of the music scene in Bury and elsewhere across Greater Manchester and the North West.

A regular host to events like Record Store Day, Wax and Beans was named Best Independent Record Store at the 2025 Independent Music Awards.

Fans gathered at Wax and Beans in Bury for a meet and great with Spice Girls icon Melanie C (Image: Danny Crompton)

MORE: ‘Jade is the next pop icon’ – singer visits Bury town centre for debut album signing

The Market Street venue regularly hosts intimate music events and signings.

In a similar event last year, Jade Thirlwall of pop group Little Mix visited the store to meet fans and sign copies of her debut album, That’s Showbiz Baby.

Clare Haughey, the SNP candidate for Rutherglen and Cambuslang and a mental health nurse, said: “More people than ever before are needing mental health support but under the SNP, our NHS has a record number of staff employed to provide mental health support and our mental health budget for the year exceeds £1.5 billion.

The incident happened at around 1.40pm, on Sunday, May 3, at Hardwick Green Park, in the Stockton area.

Cleveland Police said a woman in her fifties was approached by a male suspect who was wearing dark clothing and a face covering.

A second man is also believed to have been present on a bike.

It was reported that the man attacked the woman with a knife before both males fled into the wooded area. The woman suffered a stab wound which is not believed to be life-threatening.

Detective Sergeant Paul Edmonds, from Stockton CID, said: “I understand this incident may cause some concern, however, this appears to have been a targeted assault with no threat to the wider community.

“Detectives are carrying out several lines of enquiries and are urging anyone who was in the park at the time and saw what happened to contact the police. Similarly, we’d like to hear from anyone with any relevant dash cam or CCTV footage.

“Anyone with information is asked to call 101 quoting reference 083578. Information can also be passed to Crimestoppers anonymously online or by calling 0800 555 111.”

For Russell, this cannot be an easy moment in his career. A Mercedes protege himself, he has waited eight years for this moment – the best car, with Mercedes.

Last year, he was comfortably the better driver of the two; only rarely did Antonelli get the better of him. So he earned his status as pre-season championship favourite.

The Briton, 28, lived up to that when he won the first race of the season in Australia from pole position, but since then things have gone against him.

A technical problem almost certainly robbed him of pole in China and handed it to Antonelli, who converted it into a maiden win. A safety car intervened to hand the victory in Japan to Antonelli, when without it most likely either McLaren’s Oscar Piastri or Russell would have won.

But there was no doubt about the Miami win. Antonelli put it on pole. Russell was fifth on the grid, behind upgraded cars from the Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari teams.

Antonelli made a sixth bad start in a row and lost ground. But he stayed calm, fought back, and grabbed the win from McLaren’s Lando Norris over the pit stop period.

Norris initially thought that was all about McLaren making a mistake by letting Mercedes pit first, not wanting to go too early with rain threatening.

But McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said the team still had the margin to stay ahead of Antonelli when they did stop three laps after him, but that a series of events conspired against them.

First, there was the time gained by what Stella called a “huge” first lap out of the pits by Antonelli after his stop. That risked overheating his tyres, which he would have to deal with later, but ensured he was still within striking range of the McLaren.

Then Norris made a couple of errors on his in-lap and had a slow stop. Combine all that, and it was enough to put Antonelli right on Norris’ tail when the McLaren came out of the pits. The Mercedes quickly swept past, and Antonelli held Norris off for the rest of the race.

Russell is keeping things in perspective, recognising there are still 18 races to go, and a lot can happen.

“Clearly he’s in a very good place at the moment and momentum is with him,” Russell said. “But, having got enough experience myself in championships I’ve won and how momentum swings throughout the year, and looking at the championship last year, to be honest, I’m not even considering it.

“It’s just that I want to get back on to the top step of the podium. The first three races, I had the performance to do that, but this weekend I absolutely did not have the performance to do that.

“So, I could be standing here now with three very different results in previous races, with this one being a bit of a one-off, but obviously things worked out differently in Japan and China, but that’s Formula 1 sometimes.”

Russell admitted that the “pace was really, really poor on my side”, and that he has never gelled with the Miami circuit and its low-grip surface and slow corners.

But Hill said: “You can’t have that, you can’t have a track that you don’t gel with. You’ve got to be good across everything. George now has to regroup, has to look at where he is at and what the new paradigm is.”

The 84-year-old was taken to hospital via ambulance after a sudden bout of sickness.

Football fans have rallied around Sir Alex Ferguson after the legend was rushed to hospital before the Manchester United vs Liverpool clash.

The former Manchester United and Aberdeen FC boss was expected to take in the Red Devils’ clash with Liverpool on Sunday. However, the 84-year-old was taken to hospital via ambulance after a sudden bout of sickness.

The move is just a precaution, according to Mail Online, and there is optimism that he will soon be recovering at home. It is understood the ordeal was not considered an emergency situation.

Following the news of his ordeal, fans have flocked to social media to offer the star their well wishes.

X user Adesh Shukla wrote on the platform: “Wishing a speedy recovery to Sir Alex Ferguson. Football aside, he’s a true legend of the game, and everyone will be hoping it’s nothing serious and that he’s back to full health soon.”

Sirls posted: “Get well soon Sir Alex Ferguson, we are all with you.”

Another user wrote: “A true legend of the game, wishing Sir Alex Ferguson strength and a full, speedy recovery. Football owes him so much.”

Another added: “I wish you well Sir Alex Ferguson. Quick recovery!”

Another X user commented: “Get well soon, legend.”

A source indicated that Sir Alex is doing “OK”, having sought precautionary medical attention ahead of the 3.30pm kick-off. Ferguson, a regular attendee at matches both home and away, was pictured on social media meeting guests at the ground before he started feeling unwell.

It is understood he was initially assessed in the tunnel area of the ground before being transported to hospital. Glasgow-born Ferguson suffered a serious health scare in 2018 following a brain haemorrhage. The star recovered after undergoing successful surgery.

Speaking about the scare in the 2021 film ‘Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In’, he said: “There were five brain haemorrhages that day. Three died. Two survived. You know you are lucky.”

Ferguson was the mastermind of the most successful period in United history. Taking over in 1986, he remained in charge until his retirement in 2013. United won 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups, four League Cups and two Champions League titles during his time at the helm.

Ferguson has continued to be a prominent figure at the club since his retirement. He regularly appears at both home and away games to watch his former side. He was also handed an ambassadorial role at the club but saw that brought to an end by Sir Jim Ratcliffe as he attempted to cut costs at the club.

Ratcliffe said: “I sat down with Alex, just the two of us in the room. And I said, ‘Look, the club isn’t where you may think it is. It is spending more than it’s earning and we’re going to finish up in some difficulties. Honestly, we can’t really afford to continue to pay you £2m a year.

“I said, ‘I’m going to leave it with you, let you have a think about it.’ It was very grown up. Maybe a little bit grumpy at the beginning, but he got it. He came back three days later, after talking to his son and said, ‘Fine, I’m going to step away from it. My decision.’” Ratcliffe added: “I think it reflects really well on Alex because he put the club before himself.”

Ferguson heartbreakingly lost his wife Cathy in 2023. The pair were married for 57 years.

Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources. Click HERE.

The state pension triple lock – long seen as untouchable – is facing mounting pressure

The state pension triple lock – long considered politically untouchable – is coming under increasing scrutiny as defence concerns and mounting pressure on public finances prompt a reassessment among Westminster’s top brass.

In a remarkable development, prominent figures from across the political spectrum are now publicly questioning whether Britain can continue to afford it. Former Tory chancellor Sir Jeremy Hunt and Labour veteran Baroness Harman have both challenged the consensus, suggesting the policy may no longer be viable.

Sir Jeremy cautioned that pensioners might reconsider their stance if they understood the burden being placed on younger generations, while Baroness Harman argued the system should be means-tested to help finance defence. The triple lock ensures pensions increase annually by whichever is highest: inflation, wage growth or 2.5%.

For years, challenging it was considered political suicide. Now MPs from all sides are indicating that the political consensus is changing.

Labour MP Graeme Downie stated there is “an appetite in all parties” to review the policy, noting that if welfare funding is redirected towards defence “there are no sacred cows”.

Pension growth outpaces workers

The scale of the rise has been dramatic. Since 2010, the state pension for a single person has climbed from £423 monthly to £1,048 – an increase of nearly 150%. During the same timeframe, average wages have grown by just 66%, while 55% inflation has eroded most real-terms gains for workers.

Expenditure on pensioners has also soared – from 3.3% of GDP in the mid-1980s to a forecast 5.4% by the early 2030s. The triple lock has been a significant driving force behind that increase, alongside a growing elderly population.

Economists caution that the policy is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain. Sir Charles Bean, former deputy governor of the Bank of England, said: “It’s a terrible policy… that is unsustainable.”

Defence pressures mount

The debate has been further fuelled by rising global instability and demands to increase defence expenditure. The UK currently allocates 2.4% of GDP to defence, however NATO allies have agreed to push this figure up to 3.5% by 2035. This would demand an additional £40bn annually – more than the combined budgets of the Home Office and Ministry of Justice. Simultaneously, welfare expenditure is on the rise, set to climb from 10.7% of GDP at the start of this Parliament to 11.2% by the next decade – equivalent to £406.9bn.

Of that total, pensioner benefits alone will reach £196bn, up £45bn in just six years. Former NATO chief Lord Robertson warned: “We cannot defend Britain with an ever-expanding welfare budget.”

Costs spiral beyond forecasts

When the triple lock was introduced in 2010, it was projected to cost £5.2bn annually by the late 2020s. That figure has since soared to £15.5bn owing to inflation shocks and robust wage growth.

Pensioners have seen repeated increases:

• 10.1% rise in 2023
• 8.5% rise in 2024

With fresh inflation risks tied to geopolitical tensions, costs could escalate further.

Widely backed but facing scrutiny

Despite the growing financial burden, the policy remains enormously popular. Polling indicates around 66% of voters support retaining it, while just 11% want it scrapped.

However, critics argue that such backing ignores the financial cost. Sir Charles said voters “always like having money spent on them if there’s no price tag attached”.

The shifting landscape of pensioner poverty

Advocates claim the triple lock was essential to reverse years of decline. Yet specialists say the issue it was designed to address has largely been resolved. Pensioner incomes now stand at around 84% of the population average before housing costs – an increase of 11 percentage points since 2000.

Poverty amongst pensioners has dropped to roughly 15%, down from over 25% in the 1990s. By contrast, children and working-age households are now at greater risk of falling into poverty.

Growing calls for reform

Behind closed doors, there is increasing acknowledgement in Westminster that change may be unavoidable. Nevertheless, both Labour and the Conservatives remain publicly dedicated to the triple lock for the time being.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has insisted manifesto pledges will be honoured, while shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride said the Tories are “fully committed”.

What might replace it?

Specialists suggest the triple lock could be substituted with a more straightforward system:

• Linking pensions to earnings
• Or combining earnings with inflation protection

One estimate suggests this could save around 0.5% of GDP – roughly £15bn a year.

Jordan’s Yard used to be filled with shops and homes but is now ignored by most people who walk past it

As it is so old, the city of Cambridge has many tiny streets and alleyways to explore. If you have only visited Cambridge for a day, it is unlikely you would have been able to take a look around the whole city to find all of the hidden spots.

If you love history or want to know more about the city, it might be worth taking a walk around some of the smaller streets, as they are packed with hidden secrets. Jordan’s Yard is passed by residents and tourists every day but is almost always empty.

The entrance to Jordan’s Yard can be found along Bridge Street between two timber-framed buildings that were originally built in the early 16th century. Unless you are heading to the Clothing Alterations Company or Pizza Express, you probably wouldn’t stop to take a look down Jordan’s Yard.

It is believed the yard is named after Benjamin Jordan, who was a livery stable-keeper in the early 19th century. When the yard went up for sale in 1861, you could find five houses there, a farriery, a farmyard, a smithy, a garden, and stabling for up to 50 horses.

In the early 20th century, the yard was home to a few different businesses including a bedmaker, a blacksmith, and a painter. One of the homes was lived in by Professor Mayor, who was the president of St John’s College and known for his work on Latin Literature.

The yard and its buildings were almost completely lost in World War Two. During the night on July 27 in 1942, Allin’s Garage was hit directly be a 250kg HE bomb, which caused the houses next to the repair shop to collapse.

Nowadays, the yard is home to the Arts Club Cambridge and the old Curry King restaurant that closed in October last year after the managers decided to retire. The yard also leads into the Wilde Aparthotel where you can find Oscar’s bar, which is open to both guests of the hotel and the general public.