June marks Pride month but in York, the biggest event celebrating the LGBTQ+ community came early with the city’s annual Pride event taking place on May 30.

Reactions to the event were largely positive, with over twenty thousand people turning out to parade through the streets, foster community, and enjoy live performances from Girls Aloud star Nadine Coyle, drag race star Michael Marouli, and Eurovision icon Nicki French.

However, despite this positivity on the day, organisers were hit with an offensive letter a week before the event – referencing Section 28 laws (a clause of the Local Government Act which prohibited authorities from “promoting homosexuality”) and implying that some nearby residents did not agree with Pride.

RECOMMENDED READING:

Sadly, and whilst York is generally an open and accepting place, the city’s LGBTQ+ community say that incidents like this seem to be on the rise.

According to national data shared by LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall, fewer than half (44%) of LGBTQ+ people feel safe holding their partner’s hand in public and across the nation, statistics show that hate crimes are on the rise.

As set out by the CPS (Crown Prosecution Service), a hate crime is “ any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice”.

For any incident to be classed a hate crime, it must involve a criminal offence and intention does not matter – a victim may not even belong to the targeted group, but if their (perceived) protected traits of the crime, then it is considered.

After an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill this year, anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes were made an aggravated offense, bringing penalties in line with those for racially or religiously aggravated offenses.

It seems that this couldn’t have come at a more important time.

According to statistics obtained from an FOI to North Yorkshire Police, homophobia was the second most recorded hate crime in the county after racial hate, with transphobic abuse taking the fourth spot.

This sits alongside the national figures with the CPS revealing that between July and September 2025, 4,358 cases referred by police which were flagged as having a hate crime element – an increase of 14.7 per cent on the previous quarter – April to June 2025.

This is a 2.8 per cent increase in all hate crimes the same period a year prior, with 911 of the incidents reported being homophobic hate crimes.

Inspector Nigel Collins said that in North Yorkshire, the police force was committed to supporting local LGBTQ+ people – attending major Pride events in both York and Scarborough and working with charities that support the community.

This is reflected in their outcomes: whilst homophobic incidents reported to the police have remained around the same level (compared to a rise in national figures), there has been a drop in transphobic hate crimes of around 50 per cent.

Insp. Collins said: “We believe that we continue to have the trust and confidence of the LGBTQ+ community. Our dedicated Hate Crime Team, who review every report, provide bespoke advice to investigating officers, and ensure that appropriate support is in place for victims.

“This focuses on recognising hate crime, understanding its impact, reinforcing the importance of reporting and victim support. Internally, all new control room staff, PCSOs, police officers and special constables receive dedicated inputs on hate crime to ensure a consistent and high-quality service.

“While the reduction in transphobic offences is encouraging, we are not complacent and continue to look at ways to improve.

Hundreds of protesters gather in St Helen’s Square, York, on Saturday (April 26) to protest the Supreme Court’s gender ruling (Image: Dylan Connell)

“We remain committed to developing new and more effective ways of engaging with the entire LGBTQ+ community and ensure that all reports are thoroughly investigated and that appropriate action is taken against those who target individuals because of who they are.”

Despite this, changes in attitudes are continuing to affect people of all ages with a report published in The Press last month stating that in York, 41 suspensions from schools were related to abuse over sexuality.

As the NEU York’s LGBTQ+ officer, Debi Saunders said that whilst York schools were generally ‘good’ – with LGBTQ+ clubs, inclusive libraries, and inclusion of a range of figures in the curriculum – she believes the national picture is still actively playing a part in the changing of attitudes of children.

She said: “We’ve noticed that schools across the city are reporting a rise in hate, including racist, ableist, homophobic, and transphobic abuse. We welcome the fact that the schools locally are doing their best to stop that.

“Maybe the government’s ban on social media will make a difference, but I’m not sure that they’re targeting all the right things. We’ve noticed more parents complaining around equalities education and making complaints by attending that their children are being subjected to grooming.

“We get students challenging certain books in the library or that the PSE education covers a particular topic, and I think that’s due to division being whipped up by the far right and politicians in the country.

“That’s part of the challenge of why the society why the society is currently becoming much more open to negative discourse about anybody who’s different.”

She added that this was something she had noticed in all aspects of life, but particularly in education.

Debi Saunders speaking at a protest against the Supreme Court’s recent decision on transgender rights in St Helen’s Square, York (Image: Dylan Connell)

Debi said: “We strongly feel that there should be no exclusion of students who they are. We also feel that members of staff shouldn’t face racism, homophobia, or transphobia, because being at work and living as your true self and inspires young people.

“As an adult, you can make the decision to walk away or you can decide to take the risk, but it’s not the same for teenagers. As a trans teenager, if you’re forced to go into the toilets of your birth gender, that puts you at risk. If you can’t go to the toilet, what are you supposed to do?

“We know of a school in York where trans students are not allowed to use the toilet of their gender and they’re also not permitted to use the disabled toilet either. It’s trying to force students to stop being who they are and detransition, which is disgusting.”

Debi – who is a transgender woman – also said that she had noticed a change in her own experiences, adding that it reflected a change in society.

She said: “When I transitioned three years ago, I rarely got challenged in public and had any trouble. Now, I’m three years further in my transition and therefore less obvious as a trans person, but I get more hassle now.

“I can’t go through a day without somebody misgendering me, being rude, or calling me a name, when I used to maybe go for weeks between those incidents.

“It’s something that’s becoming more common for all people who are in minorities and it’s linked directly to political parties who are othering people and trying to ferment dissension among people.

Schools at York Pride 2026 (Image: Kevin Glenton)

“York is better than other cities, but it’s not immune to the rising hate. The council are very good and there’s lots of amazing allies in the city, so there’s strong political support for the community in the city.”

When approached, City of York council were keen to reaffirm their support for the community – stating that Equalities was listed as the first of their four council plan commitments to the city to ensure equal opportunity to all.

Cllr Katie Lomas, Executive Member for Finance, Performance, Major Projects, Human Rights, Equality and Inclusion said: “City of York Council supports our LGBTQIA+ communities. York is home to an above-average percentage of LGBTQIA+ people and we believe that this is a real strength of the city.

“Once again, we had a strong and visible presence at York Pride, including our new Chief Executive, Richard Webb, celebrating diversity and promoting inclusion alongside thousands of residents across the city.

“We will stand up to hate and work hard to champion our communities. We are committed to providing inclusive services and to supporting LGBTQIA+ people throughout the year.

The York Pride bus (Image: Kevin Glenton)

“The rise in hate crime directed towards LGBTQIA+ people is unacceptable extremely concerning for us as a Council, and extremely distressing for those affected.

“We know that many LGBTQIA+ people face significant challenges and barriers in their everyday lives, and we are working with affected communities to provide practical support.”

Another organisation key to supporting the city’s community is the York’s LGBT Forum – a registered charity which supports the people across the city of York and further afield into North Yorkshire.

Dr Graham Dykes, co-chair, said that the current focus for the group is advocacy, adding that the forum had always changed what it does over the years to suit the needs of the community.

He said: “As the LGBT community, we’ve been used to getting more rights over the years. Historically, things have been built on us campaigning and getting more laws to protect us and changing views and having more facilities.

“It’s just very recently that the political climate that all protected characteristics groups are being increasingly attacked and having rights rolled back a bit. It’s the rise of the right– just as people are discussing more racism, more issues with disability rights, we’re going through the same thing.”

He added that online, there had been an increase in negative comments and whilst most of the mild ones were “absurd”, the group had noticed more concerning extreme abuse cropping up and that the frequency of comments had been increasing across the board.

Reaffirming their support to their members, Graham added that the forum was pushing to provide more support for people.

He added that they hoped to create an LGBTQ+ nightlife venue for the city and they had recently received mayoral funding to create a mental health scheme called MINT – male, intersex, nonbinary, and trans – aimed at helping members who may be struggling.

Graham said: “I think gaining the rights in the first place has been a long, slow process and I think people are anxious about the current direction. There’s still a reason to be positive in the fact that organisations like us that can be that voice.

The York Pride bus entering Knavesmire on May 30 (Image: Kevin Glenton)

“We’ve had a big setback with the recent Supreme Court on trans rights, but we’ve had positive conversations with our politicians and I think, ultimately, there’s a need for legislation to maybe clarify the positions.

“It isn’t just an LGBT matter either, because some politicians are rolling back on all the protected characteristics and with talk around the Human Rights Act being repealed by Reform, this would be rolling back on the protections of everyone.

“It’s a worrying situation, but we’re hoping that it doesn’t get too bad. We’re trying our best. We’ve come a long way and we’re standing on the shoulders of giants to get where we are. If we’re going back then we have to come together and speak as one, and make sure people understand.”

However, despite the difficulties, the York’s community remains strong, with LGBTQ+ businesses, including Portal Bookshop and This Shop is So Gay (both in York city centre), continuing to thrive.

As reported by The Press last March , gay siblings Claire and Xander (who did not want to give their surname) opened their doors on a second shop, ‘This Shop is So Gay’ in Parliament Street, which came as a reaction to experiencing homophobic abuse.

Since then, the shop targeted by vandals and their flags have been pulled down, but the pair have continued to grow their business with a third shop opening in nearby Stonegate.

Another way that the LGBTQ+ community are standing their ground is through community groups, with one of these being the York Templars – a York RI RUFC associated and International Gay Rugby (IGR) affiliated club.

They formed in 2019 after York Pride was approached by England Rugby and IGR to support the development of an inclusive team in the city that caters to all men – both members of the community and allies.

David Carr, inclusion officer and a founding member of the club, said that his first time visiting a rugby club was far outside his comfort zone, but that it had introduced him to a new community entirely.

He said: “I still remember walking through the gates of the club and thinking okay, this is a very different environment than I’ve ever been in before. Back then, there was four of us from the Pride committee and three others that we didn’t know at all, then week on week, more people started showing up.

“Honestly, I probably wouldn’t have even walked into the club if it wasn’t for the club. Now, we’re part of the wider rugby community too and it’s incredibly friendly – some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet are in your local rugby club.”

This was an experience shared by other members, who spoke to The Press about the positive impact that getting involved in the sport has had on their lives, with one member, Daul, saying: “I’m actually going out and doing things on weekends. I finally have a community.”

David Carr of the Templars (Image: Alice Kavanagh)

David added: “Sport has so many benefits for both physical and mental health, so to combine that with the community, we’ve got a really good thing going. I’ve met so many people I’d probably have never come across in my normal life and you meet people in a different way through the sport.

“At the time we set up, there wasn’t really anything like this. There are more options now – like Queer Arts, who do amazing work with their choir. All we were really doing was going out having drinks as a social life and this felt like something totally different.

“I wouldn’t have thought at the time that it would have changed my life – it’s just a lot of fun to play, but then there’s everything around it too. With the world feeling not so great, it’s just really nice that we still have fun places to go.”

Thomas Tuchel still top their group and have only Panama left to play before the knockout stages

England remain on course for top spot in their World Cup group despite being held to a goalless draw by Ghana.

The point leaves Thomas Tuchel’s side at the summit of Group L with one game remaining against Panama, and they remain in control of their own destiny heading into the final round of fixtures.

With the knockout bracket beginning to take shape, England’s likely route through the tournament is becoming clearer, though plenty can still change with most groups yet to complete their final matches.

As things stand, finishing top of Group L would hand England a Round of 32 tie against DR Congo in Atlanta on July 1.

England and DR Congo are paired together in the bracket as the winner of England’s section would currently face the third-placed team from Group K. DR Congo currently occupy that position, though Colombia, Portugal and Uzbekistan are all still in contention ahead of the final group games.

Should England come through that encounter, they would then advance to a last-16 clash on July 6 against either Mexico or Cape Verde, who are currently lined up in another Round of 32 tie on the same side of the draw.

If results continue to fall their way, a quarter-final on July 11 could bring a showdown with one of Brazil, Japan, Ivory Coast or Norway – as things stand.

Beyond that, England’s route to the semi-finals would be on Wednesday, July 15, and could include Belgium, Portugal, Argentina, Uruguay and others, depending on how those sections of the draw unfold.

The final will take place on Sunday, July 19, with the sides from the other half of the draw then coming into contention, such as France, Spain, Colombia and Germany.

The current projected path for England as Group L winners is:

Round of 32 (July 1)England vs DR Congo

Last 16 (July 6)England/DR Congo vs Mexico/Cape Verde

Quarter-final (July 11)Potentially Brazil, Japan, Ivory Coast or Norway

Semi-final (July 15)One of the remaining teams from that side of the draw, including Argentina and Portugal.

Final (July 19)Teams such as France, Spain, Netherlands, Colombia and Germany enter the equation

Of course, there is still one final group game to play and the picture could shift before the knockout rounds begin.

England know victory over DR Congo would guarantee they finish top of the group and avoid any last-day complications.

For now, though, the draw with Ghana has done little damage to their hopes and the Three Lions remain firmly on course for a knockout route which, on paper at least, looks more favourable than some of the alternatives elsewhere in the bracket.

The upper half of the draw currently contains Germany, France, Netherlands and Spain, meaning England could avoid all four nations until a potential final if they continue to win their matches and maintain first place in Group L.

World Cup last-32 draw as it stands

Germany vs ScotlandFrance vs SwedenSouth Korea vs SwitzerlandNetherlands vs MoroccoColombia vs GhanaSpain vs AustriaUnited States vs AlgeriaEgypt vs Czech RepublicBrazil vs JapanIvory Coast vs NorwayMexico vs Cape VerdeEngland vs DR CongoArgentina vs UruguayAustralia vs IranCanada vs BelgiumPortugal vs Paraguay

Jenny Ross, Which? Money editor, said: “When you’re issued with a new card, having the new number automatically updated in places you’ve saved it can be incredibly handy, allowing subscriptions to renew seamlessly and enabling you to spend online without manually updating.

The mother of one World Cup head coach has died during the tournament, and her son will now miss their country’s crucial final game of the group stage as a result

Didier Deschamps will be absent from France’s final World Cup group stage fixture against Norway following the devastating loss of his mother.

The head coach will return to his home country from the United States to attend her funeral. France assistant coach Guy Stephan will take charge after being handed the responsibility by Deschamps during his absence.

Having won both of their opening group stage matches against Iraq and Senegal, Les Bleus have already secured their place in the knockout rounds, alongside their forthcoming opponents.

Friday’s fixture will decide who finishes top of Group I. Deschamps, however, will not be present in Boston as the group stage draws to a close.

Get the latest World Cup news straight to your inbox by signing up to our Make Football Great Again newsletter now!

The French Football Federation confirmed in a statement released on Tuesday: “Didier Deschamps will not be able ⁠to oversee training sessions ahead of the Norway v France match.

“He will also be absent from the bench for Friday’s final Group I game.

“The national team coach learned this morning of the death of ‌his ⁠mother and will return to France to attend her funeral.

“In agreement with Philippe Diallo, president of the French Football Federation, who is ⁠currently at the France team’s base camp, Deschamps has entrusted assistant coach Guy Stephan with responsibility ⁠for leading the squad until his return.”

Stephan has spent the past 17 years working alongside Deschamps, initially at Marseille and subsequently with the national side. He also previously served as an assistant under Roger Lemerre when France claimed Euro 2000 glory and the Confederations Cup the following year.

Having departed France following those two successful tournaments, Stephan took charge of Senegal after the 2002 World Cup. He remained in the post for almost three years before being relieved of his duties, marking his last head-coaching role.

Stephan also served as an assistant to Raymond Domenech, who would later manage France. He additionally worked under Jean Tigana at the club before taking the reins himself in 1995.

The former forward spent just one season at Lyon before later taking on a year-long spell at Bordeaux. Stephan subsequently went on to manage France’s under-17 side, before stepping up to the senior national team setup.

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

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

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.

Our map shows the locations of June temperature records across the UK

June temperature records are set to be broken this week as a ‘heat dome’ brings scorching temperatures to the UK.

In Northern Ireland it has been forecasted that temperatures could reach as high as 30 degrees on Friday in some places while parts of the South Midlands in England could reach 36 degrees. This would beat the current UK June temperature record of 35.6C set in 1976.

The current NI record is 29 degrees which was set at Aldergrove Airport weather station on June 29, 1995, followed by 28 degrees at Belfast Harbour weather station on June 28, 2018.

The Met Office is warning of even hotter conditions over the next three days, meaning records at locations around the country are likely to be beaten.

Here is the full list of record June temperatures at 160 weather stations around the country, from data published by Meteostat.

For 22 weather stations, the record June temperatures have stood for half a century since the summer of 1976. But in another sign of the warming climate, nearly half of the weather stations listed set their June temperature record relatively recently during the 2020s.

You can see the June temperature record at weather stations in your region here:

Northern Ireland

• 29.0C at Belfast / Aldergrove Airport weather station, Antrim and Newtownabbey, on 29 June, 1995
• 28.0C at Belfast / Harbour weather station, Belfast, on 28 June, 2018
• 28.0C at Eglinton / Greysteel weather station, Causeway Coast and Glens, on 20 June, 2025
• 27.1C at St Angelo weather station, Fermanagh and Omagh, on 20 June, 2025
• 24.4C at Ballykelly weather station, Causeway Coast and Glens, on 20 June, 2025
• 23.8C at Portrush weather station, Causeway Coast and Glens, on 13 June, 2023

East Midlands

• 33.1C at Waddington weather station, North Kesteven, on 30 June, 2015

West Midlands

• 31.0C at Shawbury weather station, Shropshire, on 29 June, 1976
• 31.0C at Birmingham / Airport weather station, Solihull, on 26 June, 1976

London

• 35.0C at London Heathrow Airport weather station, Hillingdon, on 26 June, 1976
• 30.0C at Biggin Hill / berry’s green weather station, Bromley, on 21 June, 2025

North East

• 30.0C at Newcastle / Dinnington / Ponteland / Hazlerigg weather station, Newcastle upon Tyne, on 20 June, 2025

North West

• 33.0C at Manchester Airport weather station, Manchester, on 22 June, 1976

Isle of Man

• 27.6C at Isle of Man / Ronaldsway Airport weather station, Isle of Man, on 13 June, 2023

Yorkshire and the Humber

• 32.0C at Humberside / Kirmington weather station, North Lincolnshire, on 27 June, 2011
• 31.0C at Topcliffe / Dalton weather station, North Yorkshire, on 30 June, 2025
• 31.0C at Leconfield weather station, East Riding of Yorkshire, on 21 June, 2025

South West

• 34.0C at Bournemouth Airport weather station, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, on 27 June, 1976

South East

• 35.0C at Southampton / Weather Centre weather station, Southampton, on 27 June, 1976

East of England

• 34.0C at Lakenheath Royal Air Force Base weather station, West Suffolk, on 21 June, 2025

Wales

• 32.0C at Cardiff-Wales Airport weather station, Vale of Glamorgan, on 29 June, 1976

Scotland

• 31.0C at Glasgow Airport weather station, Renfrewshire, on 28 June, 2018

Channel Islands

• 32.6C at Jersey Airport weather station, Jersey, on 30 June, 2025

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

The total number of arrests made at last weekend’s TRNSMT music festival in Glasgow Green have been revealed by Police Scotland.

Police have revealed the number of arrests made during this year’s TRNSMT festival after tens of thousands of music fans packed into Glasgow Green for a weekend of live music.

The hugely popular event saw crowds flock to the city to watch some of their favourite acts perform, including the likes of Lewis Capaldi and Kasabian. However, officers were also kept busy dealing with a string of incidents across the three-day festival.

A total of 14 festival-goers were arrested and taken into custody over the course of the weekend, according to Police Scotland. Of those arrested, eight people are set to be reported to the Procurator Fiscal, while six received recorded police warnings.

We previously told that on the first day of the festival officers arrested two teenagers, aged 16 and 17, in connection with drug offences. Another two 16-year-old boys were arrested in connection with assaults.

Meanwhile, a 42-year-old man was arrested in connection with a breach of an air navigation order. And a 38-year-old man was arrested following an alleged road traffic offence.

Police continued to deal with incidents on Saturday, when three male youths were arrested and charged in connection with Breach of the Peace offences.

Two further people were arrested following a disturbance and were issued recorded police warnings. Another six people were charged in connection with alleged assault and Breach of the Peace offences.

Advertisement

On the final day of the festival, Sunday, officers received reports of nine assaults, reports the Scottish Sun.

A 43-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection and is due to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court at a later date. Two women were also charged in connection with the reported assaults and will be the subject of reports to the Procurator Fiscal.

This comes after we reported that a teenage boy was beaten black and blue at TRNSMT by a mob of youths in a frightening attack.

The 17-year-old had just arrived at the music festival in Glasgow with his pal when they were set upon by a 20-strong gang of youngsters on Friday evening. The pair were surrounded near the main stage by yobs who punched and kicked them to the ground, before repeatedly stamping on the teen’s head.

The teen, who does not want to reveal his identity, was left with two black eyes, a broken eye socket and a fractured cheekbone and nose. Dozens of videos of the sickening attack have been shared on social media.

Speaking to the Record, his mum said she was horrified when she saw her son after she received a phone call from staff at the on-site medic tent to come and collect him.

“I was horrified when I saw the state of his face. He was bloodied and had two black eyes,” she told us. “The back of his head was like a golf ball. I took him straight to A&E at the Queen Elizabeth in Glasgow.

“He collapsed when we arrived and two paramedics had to take him into hospital. “The doctor said he should have been blue-lighted in an ambulance straight away. He said one more blow to my son’s head could have been fatal.

“The level of violence is disgusting – they were repeatedly punching and kicking him. Every time I look at him, I just cry at the state he’s been left in.”

Get Daily Record Premium for just £1 per month in exclusive offer to celebrate the World Cup. Click HERE.

His friend was also left with a broken nose and cheekbone. His mum continued: “I was physically sick just watching one video.

“My son said he didn’t want a fight and walked away, but these boys were just intent on causing harm. They don’t seem to understand they could kill someone.

“It’s also appalling that people not only stood there looking on but also filmed it.

“The amount of violence that has been happening in recent months is horrific. I’m frightened to let my children out of the house as it is. As parents, we are scared for their safety.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said at the time: “On the evening of Friday, 19 June, 2026, officers received a report of two male youths assaulted in the Glasgow Green area. Enquiries are ongoing.”

DF Concerts spokesperson said: “We are aware of an incident that took place on Friday 19th June and are supporting Police Scotland with their investigation.”

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

Bev Craig spoke to Belfast Live earlier this year about her entry into politics

Greenisland woman Bev Craig has been selected as the Labour candidate in the upcoming Greater Manchester Mayoral by-election to replace Andy Burnham.

Last week, Burnham won the Makerfield by-election and is now likely to be the next Prime Minister following Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation on Monday.

Earlier this year, Belfast Live sat down with Bev Craig, who has been the leader of Manchester City Council since 2021, to discuss her entry into politics and her rapid rise through the ranks of the Labour Party.

“We grew up thinking we were a fairly ordinary family and just lived normal lives, because that’s the life that people lived around you, and statistically people now look back and say you grew up in poverty, but as kids we didn’t see it that way,” she told us.

“When you grow up in a culture that only looks one way, it teaches you something about what it means to create a place where everybody can get on, because I grew up not knowing Catholics, not knowing anybody who wasn’t from Greenisland or predominantly Protestant.

“That experience really shaped how I think about places, and how you get people to live good quality lives alongside each other in a way they can trust.”

When it comes to delivery for the region under Andy Burnham, she said that Manchester was starting to see “real change.”

“I’ve been an elected councillor since 2011, and when national politics gets stressful, going out on the doors and chatting to ordinary folk keeps your head grounded, but there’s just so much happening here now that we’re starting to see real change,” she said.

“For the first time in 14 years, we’re seeing money coming back into the city, and I gave my commitment to people that I was here for a bit longer, because I love the job and I think I can do some good.”

Manchester, when she arrived as a student, offered contrast. Craig says she left Northern Ireland knowing she probably would not return, though she did not initially expect to settle in the north of England either. What she found was a city that felt comfortable quickly. It was diverse, confident and politically open, giving her space to grow personally and politically.

She did not immediately join a political party. Instead, her route into Labour came through trade union activism and concern about the rise of the far right in England. That journey, she believes, mirrors the complexity many people from Northern Ireland bring with them, shaped by Loyalist, nationalist and non-aligned influences all at once.

“I’m a bit of a funny contradiction, because you grow up in a loyalist estate, I got to know the Alliance MLA Stewart Dickson, who still keeps in touch with me, then you’re involved in social movements alongside people from Sinn Féin and the SDLP, and so that’s a funny mix to take to England with you.”

She recalls that during her early involvement in LGBT youth groups, the political engagement was eye-opening. “The experience, I suppose, of coming out and at the time, Sinn Féin being the only party that would talk to my kind of youth group about LGBT issues,” she said.

“I joined Labour in 2009 at a time when lots of people were leaving, because I was worried about Nick Griffin of the BNP getting elected to the European Parliament, and I wrote down logically where my values sat and what the best vehicle was to deliver them.

“For me, Labour is about what gives people a good life, secure housing, decent jobs, strong public services, rather than picking sides.”

The Greater Manchester mayoral by-election will take place on 30th July.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

The current leader of the authority, Carl Les, has announced he will stand down as leader of the controlling Conservative and Independents group after the ballot in May 2027.

RECOMMENDED READING:

Cllr Les has been embroiled in a contest to lead the Tory-led group with high-profile Conservative colleague, Councillor Keane Duncan.

The group’s annual general meeting was abandoned last month after Conservative councillors failed to reach an agreement on whether independent councillors, who are aligned with the Tory group, could take part in the vote.

But the two councillors now say that a way forward has been agreed.

This will see Cllr Les continue as leader of the group through to the elections.

Although the Conservative and Independents no longer have a majority on the authority, they remain the largest group and the agreement is likely to mean Cllr Les continues to lead the authority until the ballot.

After the elections, he will then stand down to allow the group to hold an open leadership contest.

Meanwhile, Cllr Duncan will lead the group’s election preparations.

Cllr Les said: “Keane and I are united and moving forward together with a clear focus on winning for the Conservatives in 2027.

“Our shared priority is delivering for North Yorkshire residents and preparing effectively for the election challenge ahead.

“Keane has a strong track record of campaigning across all corners of North Yorkshire, and I’m pleased he will be leading our election preparations.”

Cllr Duncan, who lost out in the May 2024 York and North Yorkshire mayoral election to Labour candidate David Skaith, will be responsible for establishing and chairing a new Campaign 2027 board.

The board will bring together Conservative candidates and party representatives to direct campaigning, fundraising and communications in the run-up to the elections.

Cllr Duncan said: “With less than a year until the elections, I believe the right decision now is to focus our energy into winning seats, rather than into prolonging a leadership contest.

“Carl and I are both aiming for the strongest possible Conservative result in 2027, and we’re committed to working together to achieve it.

“We have agreed an effective plan for campaigning and a clear timetable for a leadership contest afterwards.

“I’m looking forward to starting work immediately and supporting our candidates to win across North Yorkshire.”

Cllr Les became leader of North Yorkshire County Council in 2015 and led the new unitary authority after its launch in 2023.

He received an OBE for his service to local government in the 2024 New Year Honours List.

It is understood the Conservative group will still meet next week to decide the deputy leader following the resignation of Councillor Gareth Dadd.

The three candidates are Councillor Mark Crane, Councillor Richard Foster and Councillor George Jabbour.

The Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service has issued a statement this evening.

It is understood a large outbuilding has caught fire. The cause of the incident has not been confirmed.

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said: “At around 8:25pm this evening (Tuesday 23 June), five fire engines from across Greater Manchester were called to a building fire at Glodwick Lows, Oldham.

“Crews arrived quickly and are using breathing apparatus and two hose reel jets to extinguish the fire. Firefighters remain in attendance at this time.”

One Tesco customer wrote to the supermarket on X that its card machines were down tonight.

“Each time I tried to pay its said payment declined. So I paid with cash,” the shopper said.

“When I get home I find out at least one of the card transactions went through.

“So I’ve paid twice, what gives?”

Tesco responded and said, “Thanks for getting in touch I am sorry you look to have paid twice for the shop.”

“There is an issue with Worldpay at the moment affecting us and other businesses taking card payments.”

Tesco said they would look into the incident.