London bus drivers have started 26 days of strike action in protest at ‘dangerously hot’ conditions during the record-breaking summer.

More than 1,500 bus drivers working for Arriva London started industrial action today – with warnings of major transport delays and chaos across the coming months.

The employees, who work at eight bus garages across north and east London and Essex, have walked out over what the Unite union says is Arriva’s failure to improve working conditions during hot weather.

Workers are complaining that buses don’t have air-conditioning, and are instead reliant on ‘cooling systems’ which are less effective in the sweltering heatwaves that have hit the capital over the last few months. 

Unite said the current systems only reduce temperatures by about two or three degrees, leaving conditions ‘still unbearably hot for drivers and passengers’.

Drought has been declared for all of Wales and almost three-quarters of England – and a sixth heatwave of the year saw temperatures pass 38C (100F) (100.4F). 

It was confirmed this week the UK is on course for its hottest summer ever – with only average conditions needed for the rest of August to beat a record set only last year.

Britain yesterday experienced its hottest day of the year so far and the fifth warmest on record as temperatures surged to 38.1C in Kew Gardens.

A London bus driver takes a break in the shade during a heatwave in June this year

It is the second time the UK has reached 38C (100.4F) this year – with the first being in Lingwood, Norfolk, when the mercury reached that mark on June 26.

The only other time temperatures have reached 38C twice in a year was in 2022 when the UK recorded its hottest ever temperatures, the Met Office said. 

The intense heat has made 2026 the first year on record to see three separate days where temperatures reached the 37C (99F) threshold, as well as the first year with four days at 36C or above, and extends 2026’s record-breaking run of days above 35C (95F).

Supporting today’s strike action, Unite’s general secretary Sharon Graham said: ‘The heatwave this week has caused even more problems for our members at Arriva North London, who have once again faced doing a demanding job in unbearable conditions.

‘No worker should be made ill by their job. This problem is raised year after year and as the summers get hotter it can no longer be swept under the carpet.

‘Arriva can afford to act on this serious issue, which puts both drivers and the general public at risk and it must make this a priority.’

The industrial action being taken is by bus garage workers based at Barking, Edmonton, Enfield, Grays, Palmers Green, Stamford Hill, Tottenham and Wood Green.

As well as today and tomorrow, further strikes are planned for August 18 to August 21, August 25 to 28, September 4 and 5, September 7 and 8, September 18 and 19, September 21 and 22, October 2 and 3, October 5 and 6, October 16 and 17 and October 19 and 20. 

Strikers have also been protesting outside Wood Green bus garage in north London

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More than 6,000 London buses have air cooling systems yet most lack air conditioning, according to Transport for London. 

The walkouts between August 18 and 21 and from August 25 to 28, as well as some in September, come at the same time as planned closures for engineering works on London Underground’s Piccadilly Line.

Unite regional officer Steve Stockwell said: ‘The high temperatures this week have created even more misery for drivers at Arriva North London, who have spent the whole summer struggling to work in dangerous conditions.

‘They have raised concerns multiple times but these are not being listened to by management, so our members have no choice but to press ahead with this highly disruptive industrial action.

‘Unite is willing to come back to the table, but that relies on Arriva North London management implementing meaningful changes so our drivers can do their jobs safely in hot weather.’

Arriva London‘s managing director Mo Wasim said: ‘Extreme heat is creating challenges across many sectors, including London’s bus network.

‘The wellbeing of our colleagues and customers is our top priority, and we are working closely with Transport for London to ensure appropriate support is in place.

‘We have already introduced additional support for drivers during hot weather, including regular breaks and welfare checks – and are continuing to invest in long-term improvements, including upgraded air conditioning systems and new buses coming into our fleet.’

He said these ‘upgrades’ were being led by TfL – while also adding: ‘We urge Unite to come back to the negotiating table and engage with us constructively so we can avoid further disruption.’

The Mayor of London’s office has been approached for comment.

A spokesman for the mayor Sir Sadiq Khan previously said in June: ‘The mayor recognises the vital role of London’s hard working bus drivers to keep the capital moving around the clock and he is committed to continually improving working conditions.

‘The mayor is in close contact with TfL during the heatwave and has asked that they work with bus operators to put in place more support for drivers.

‘This is in addition to the comprehensive hot weather plan in place to protect all staff and customers during the warm weather.

‘All driver cabs are fitted with air cooling systems and checks on these are taking place.

‘If air cooling systems on a vehicle are not functioning and drivers do not feel they can carry out their duties safely, they should contact the controller and stop driving, with no risk of any penalties.’

With a twinkle in her eye and sporting a slinky black ensemble, Emma Carey confidently strutted through central London.

More used to signing off press releases and fielding queries from journalists, the BBC publicist looked glamorous and carefree – off the clock as she headed out for a date at the upmarket Rosewood Hotel near Covent Garden.

But she wasn’t entirely unentangled from her day job on the Radio 2 publicity desk, and the man she was stepping out with was one of the station’s biggest on-air stars: 52-year-old Paddy McGuinness.

Dressed in a plunging black halter neck top, Emma had her hand affectionately placed on his lower back and looked smitten as she entered the swanky Rosewood.

They later departed for a nearby hotel, looking comfortable in each other’s company during the warm summer evening.

But despite the new couple’s apparently loved-up display, the Daily Mail can now reveal that close friends of Paddy’s ex-wife Christine McGuinness, 38, are worried about the new match and behind the scenes are warning off the Irish publicist.

‘Paddy only ever does what Paddy wants to do,’ one source says, suggesting that Emma better get used to playing second fiddle to the star’s work. ‘His career comes first.’

Clearly, there is little love for Paddy in Christine’s camp but, having witnessed the demise of the couple’s 11-year marriage in 2022, their insight is revealing.

A close source told the Daily Mail: ‘Paddy can be very charming and of course he and Emma are clearly in the honeymoon period at the moment, staying at five-star hotels, having nice dinners out.

‘He’ll be wining and dining her and pulling out all the stops to impress her. Everything will be fine in the beginning, it’s what comes afterwards that Emma needs to worry about.

‘He can only keep it up for so long.’

When the sparkle fades, Christine’s camp warns that ‘Paddy is all about Paddy’.

‘If he doesn’t want to do something then he won’t,’ the source says. ‘He is the star and like Christine was in the beginning, Emma isn’t famous, although through her job she will have some understanding of his world.

‘But it will be Paddy who makes all the decisions about where they go and what they do. He acts like he’s quite laid back but the reality is he isn’t. And of course it will have to fit around his work and his schedule.

‘He’s always been like that. His work and his career comes first. Even when he had the kids that never changed.’

He met Emma, who is in her mid-30s, after joining BBC Radio 2 in 2024, taking over Michael Ball’s Sunday slot. At the time, fans of Ball, a West End legend, weren’t impressed that his show had been given to Paddy, whose musical pedigree stretched to an appearance in the video of 2005 Comic Relief single Is This The Way To Amarillo.

As a publicity lead for the station, Emma handles its press coverage as well as promotion for its shows and talent.

She first joined the BBC in 2016, working in the press office, and later relocated to Ireland in 2020 to take up a job in RTÉ, the country’s public service broadcaster. She returned to the UK in 2024, taking up a post in Sony Music before moving to Radio 2 last summer – by which time Paddy was very much clear of his marriage to Christine.

He and the mother of his three children had announced their separation two years previously. It was a sorry end to their marriage, which began with a lavish wedding at Thornton Manor near Cheshire in 2011, attended by their famous friends, including Paddy’s mentor Peter Kay with whom he appeared in Channel 4’s hit Phoenix Nights.

Despite what was a turbulent divorce at times, the exes still live together at the family home in Cheshire with their children, all of whom have autism.

They have largely remained on good terms and co-habit, which they say is for the sake of twins Penelope and Leo, 11, and Felicity, eight, to avoid disruption of their routines. 

Christine, who had hired ‘pitbull’ solicitor Catherine Bedford, was determined to remain in the marital home

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Emma Carey first joined the BBC in 2016, working in the press office, and later relocated to Ireland in 2020 to take up a job in RTÉ, the country’s public service broadcaster

‘Christine has always done the majority of the childcare and still does,’ said our source.

‘Paddy comes and goes as he pleases, which he’s always done, but now he doesn’t have to explain himself. Whereas before he would at least tell her what he was doing work-wise and when he was going to be away.

‘Now it’s all very much on a need-to-know basis. He would block huge chunks of the calendar out for his work and Christine could only do things if he wasn’t working or else she’d have to get her mum to help.

‘He never really supported her doing anything, he didn’t like it when she started doing things in the limelight.’

Paddy and Christine’s seven-bedroom gated property, which boasts a gym and a swimming pool, had become a pawn in their divorce proceedings.

Christine, who had hired ‘pitbull’ solicitor Catherine Bedford, was determined to remain in the marital home.

However, Paddy argued he could not afford another property as big – and size mattered.

Sources at the time said he was ‘very much the king of the castle’ and was never going to leave for a smaller house while Christine stayed put.

Yet, despite his legal fight to keep their Cheshire mansion – which is currently on the market for £6.5million – sources say he is rarely there. ‘He spends even more time away than he did when they were married,’ my insider says.

It’s obviously not his venue of choice when with Emma.

Last week, Christine told the Daily Mail that she and Paddy have a strict rule about bringing dates back.

‘This is the family home, and then Paddy and I have our lives outside,’ she said.

‘But we never did have many visitors to the house, even when we were married. We don’t introduce the children to just anybody.

‘So certainly when it comes to dating, anything like that is going to take a very, very long time, like years, years and years.’

Was it coincidental that just days after that interview, Paddy and Emma appeared publicly together for the first time?

‘Christine is used to Paddy being linked with other women,’ the source says. ‘It was happening while they were married, which was incredibly upsetting and humiliating for her.

‘But now they’re not together he can do what he likes and of course he does.

‘Everyone around Christine is still very protective of her, she’s been through a lot these last few years and is doing the best she can for their children. She’s very good at putting a brave face on things.’

Since divorcing the television star, Christine herself has had a string of love interests, though none have developed into relationships.

Having declared herself a ‘five-star lesbian,’ she has been linked to footballer Chelcee Grimes, DJ Roxxxan and Olympic boxer Nicola Adams.

But as transformative as her love life has been, it is Paddy and Emma who have tongues wagging inside the BBC. ‘It is very much the talk of the office,’ one Corporation mole tells me.

Paddy has long been a favourite at the Beeb, and was even rumoured to be in the running as the new host of Strictly Come Dancing.

It remains to be seen whether new partner Emma heeds the advice of those closest to his ex… or continues to let Paddy take her out.

The music from an ice cream van has been a staple of British summers for decades but one driver has been told to keep quiet in an ‘unbelievable’ noise complaint.

Mark Edwards has been an ice cream man in Tonyrefail, Rhondda Cynon Taf, for over 20 years without any issues.

Recently, he was approached by the council after someone put in a noise complaint about his van music being played after 8pm in June.

‘Twenty-odd years and I have never had anything like this at all. It’s unbelievable,’ Edwards said of the council letter.

He said he was ‘not [going] to let one individual spoil it for everybody else’ after his employer told him to stop operating in the area to avoid fines.

Instead of ditching the area, he’s said the locals know ‘roughly’ what time he’s going to be there and he just ‘toot[s] the horn in each street’.

‘They all come out and enjoy it,’ Edwards said, adding the complainers are ‘not going to beat me’.

The council confirmed that the law required a 7pm cut-off time for any ice cream vans to use their music but this doesn’t ‘prevent them from trading’.

Edwards’ ice cream dilemma had been shared on social media, prompting support from hundreds of people as well as his local community.

Amy Elwood, from Trebanog, told The BBC: ‘It’s a bit silly to be honest, Mark is not harming anybody. I don’t see what the problem is about.’

Eleven-year-old Lexi said the music should continue as it’s tradition, adding: ‘Its exciting, it’s nice to have ice cream in the hot weather.’

‘I knew I was pretty popular but I didn’t think I was as popular as I am now – it’s just gone completely crazy,’ Edwards said of the support.

He went on to question if the late night rule was ‘outdated’, arguing that the chimes only play for a few seconds at a time.

‘With local businesses going down, the last thing we need is to go out of business,’ he added.

‘It is a dying game as it is to be honest. There are less and less of us about.’

The council said it considered the matter closed after fulfilling its legal duty to investigate noise complaints and enforcing the rules.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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A man and a woman from Cardiff have been arrested in connection with a hate crime incident in Grangetown that happened around 1pm on Thursday.

South Wales Police received a report of a 25-year-old woman being assaulted in Dunleavy Drive.

A 39-year-old man from Grangetown and a 44-year-old woman from Ely have been arrested on suspicion of racially / religiously aggravated assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

They remain in police custody and an investigation is on-going.

Witnesses or anyone with information is asked to please contact South Wales Police quoting 2600264101

Autism diagnoses in England have risen to record highs, with more than 20,000 people told they have the disorder in the past year.

The figure is a jump of around 52 per cent since this time last year, according to new NHS data. 

A further 300,000 people in England are awaiting an assessment for suspected autism – four times the number in 2021. 

More than half of the new diagnoses are in children, the data shows. 

The striking figures follow a recent warning from autism research pioneer Professor Dame Uta Frith that many people diagnosed with the disorder may not actually have it.

In a damning paper published in the journal Psychological Medicine, the expert said ‘anyone’ can have autism nowadays, adding it has become a ‘catch all’ diagnosis for other psychological problems.

The definition of autism has become ‘too broad’ as a result of ‘misleading’ ideas spread on social media, she said.

Earlier this week popstar Robbie Williams became the latest of a series of celebrities to disclose his diagnosis of autism – which causes problems with development and learning.

Speaking during a Q&A at the Autumn/Winter launch of his clothing brand Hopeium at Flannels, Robbie said he has ‘a little bit of autism’ and uses the disorder as a ‘get out of jail free card’.

Autism is currently diagnosed in around 700,000 Britons. 

In 2021, researchers found that diagnoses had increased by a startling 787 per cent in the UK between 1998 and 2018, which some experts have argued is due to better awareness and understanding. 

The Daily Mail’s interactive graphic (below) reveals which NHS Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) – bodies responsible for the health service in a local area – have made the most diagnoses over the last year.

NHS Cheshire and Merseyside ICB led the way with 4,470 patients diagnosed between June 2025 and June 2026. 

That’s nearly a quarter of the total across England, and more than double the 2,220 patients at NHS North East and North Cumbria ICB, which recorded the second most over the same time period.

The statistics, released by NHS England, show those who receive a diagnosis after being referred to a specialist.

The figures also show a large rise in monthly diagnoses, from year to year. 

Some 1,375 patients were diagnosed with autism in June 2025, compared to 3,145 this June.

Meanwhile, just 370 diagnoses were made in June 2021.

The data also revealed that under 18s are driving the surge.

Some 5,755 under 10s were diagnosed between June 2025 and June 2026, a figure that rose to 6,280 among 10 to 17-year-olds over the same period.

The new data shows that a total of 294,792 patients currently have a referral for suspected autism, and are waiting to see a specialist.

That’s a jump of more than 30,000 since last June and around 80,000 since June 2024.

It is also an increase of almost five times since June 2021, when there were 68,690 referrals.

The figure of 294,792 could be far higher because The Owl Centre, which provides autism assessment services in the UK, did not submit data for June.

In May, 310,794 adults had a referral.

According to Prof Dame Uta Frith, who authored pioneering autism research in the 1960s and 70s: ‘When [autism] was first identified in the 1940s, it referred to a small group of children with severe difficulties in social interaction, communication and behaviour.

‘Over time, the definition has widened to include people with milder traits and no language or learning problems.

‘Today, anyone of any age or intelligence level can be diagnosed with autism if they meet certain criteria.’

Professor Dame Uta Frith warned last week that ‘anyone… can be diagnosed with autism’

Autism is a lifelong disability that influences how people experience and interact with the world, and causes problems with communicating, socialising and learning.

Some people also have a learning disability, and those with the disorder are at higher risk of a range of physical and mental health conditions including epilepsy, eating disorders and anxiety.

Charities now describe autism as a ‘neurodivergence’ rather than a developmental problem.

But Professor Frith said this further fuels misunderstandings.

‘While this helps reduce stigma, it also creates tension,’ she said. ‘If autism is not a disorder, why use a medical diagnosis?’

She also blamed social media for ‘spreading simplified ideas’ about autism.

The diagnosis, Prof Frith said, has ‘become part of popular culture’.

‘Social media, films, and online communities have helped people share experiences, but they have also spread simplified or misleading ideas.’

Prof Frith has called for medical professionals to identify other psychological problems that may be at play, and treat patients appropriately.

‘There are ways to reduce the symptoms of anxiety disorder and depression,’ she continued. 

‘There are also ways to build resilience in the face of significant social stress.’ 

She added that these approaches would not be appropriate for autism diagnosed in childhood.

It’s estimated that around 3 per cent of UK children have autism.

Early signs include avoiding eye contact, not responding to their name, repetitive movements and reduced engagement in play, according to the NHS.

Reacting to Prof Frith’s comments, Mel Merritt, head of policy and influencing at the National Autistic Society, said: ‘Autism is understood as a spectrum. As the article points out, in the past people thought the spectrum was a straight line between ‘more’ and ‘less’ autistic, but this isn’t right.

‘Today we understand the spectrum to mean each autistic person has a unique combination of characteristics.

‘Terms such as milder traits may be misleading or unhelpful in reflecting the difficulties and impact of navigating daily life for so many. 

‘Autistic people can be very different to one another, each with a unique set of strengths and challenges. This should not take away from or “neglect” people with high levels of support needs.

‘Autistic people need better access to quality autism assessments and tailored support.

‘The real debate about autistic people is how to address the chronic inequalities they face. It is unhelpful and a false choice to pit autistic people against each other – getting the right support early and better understanding makes a big difference to all autistic people.’

NHS England said the figures ‘should be interpreted with caution as Data Quality issues may be present’. 

“This time last year Farage had the highest approval of the main party leaders,” says pollster Luke Tryl from the organisation More in Common. “Yet earlier this month he fell to his worst score since the general election.”

“What will worry Farage is not only that his negative approvals have risen, which may signal greater willingness to vote tactically against the Reform leader, but there are also fewer people expressing a positive view suggesting an erosion in his base,” Tryl says.

More in Common’s research suggests around 80% of voters are aware of questions around Nigel Farage’s finances, but opinions on them are mixed.

“Farage’s strongest supporters often take the view it’s an ‘establishment stitch up’,” says Tryl. “And for his opponents, it is a further reason to dislike him.”

Farage has managed to professionalise Reform UK, secure significant funding, and recruit high-profile figures like Robert Jenrick and Zia Yusuf to prove that the third political party he has led during his long career is not just a one-man-band.

He may be bullish after this risky (and self-imposed) by-election battle, but his rivals are framing it as a waste of money and a personal embarrassment.

Ultimately it is voters nationally, and not in this corner of Essex, who will decide if this by-election will mark a downward shift in Farage’s brand, or whether it be a springboard towards achieving his bigger aspiration of getting to Downing Street.

Cambridge South opened its doors in June as the city’s newest train station, but some raised concerns around the lack of on-site parking

NHS staff said Cambridge’s newest station has already halved commutes while debate remains around its lack of parking. Cambridge South station is connected to the city’s cycle network and next to the guided busway system, with Trumpington Park and Ride (P&R) less than 20 minutes away.

Though there isn’t any general parking for commuters – unlike the main station which has hundreds of spaces – there are five blue-badge bays for those with disabilities and space for pick-up and drop-offs. The station first opened its doors to passengers on June 28 with trains to London, Birmingham, and Stansted Airport.

Kinga Bozek, who lives in Trumpington, said she likes the new station but there could be more regular bus connections to the park and ride. The 47-year-old said: “I would like more connections and buses later on because when you come back later there’s a bus every 30 minutes, and it’s a 30 minute walk.

“There should be parking to be honest – or more buses to Trumpington Park and Ride if they want to go for that. But it’s better to come here even if we have to walk, because it’s better than walking from the main station.”

Sue Furnell said it’s her first time using the station but she’ll definitely be using it more often to get to Addenbrooke’s. The 65-year-old said: “I think it’s brilliant – I don’t drive so the lack of parking wouldn’t really get to me.”

Erika Nacario works in Addenbrooke’s and said the station opening has halved her commute from Royston. The 32-year-old said: “It’s very convenient and it’s saved me a lot of time – obviously it can vary in terms of delays, but that’s also the case for the main station.

“I don’t drive at all – the one that drives is my fiance, but he works in Papworth so it’s more convenient for him too, it’s horrible traffic from Royston.”

Councillor Imogene Blackburn-Horgan, ward councillor for Queen Edith’s which includes Addenbrooke’s Hospital, said it is hoped the well-connected station will reduce “parking stress” and “associated anti-social behaviours”.

The Lib Dem councillor said: “With a site that is well supported by train and bus connections it aims to mitigate these issues and support local residents with their wish for more active travel and less traffic.

“Being disabled, I have been able to travel via the new Cambridge South Train Station as it is on my doorstep and have found it easy to use the disabled parking, taxi drop-off/pick-up for travelling home and bus connections to reach the city.”

Cllr Olaf Hauk, ward councillor for Trumpington, said both Trumpington P&R and Babraham P&R are available for rail commuters, with free parking for up to 18 hours. He said the station was designed primarily for patients, visitors, and staff travelling to the Biomedical Campus and Addenbrooke’s Hospital.

He said: “It was not intended to be a starting point for long-distance journeys, which is why it was built without a car park. People travelling to destinations further afield can use other stations in and around Cambridge, or access Cambridge South by public transport, walking or cycling. Those who need to drive can use nearby Park & Ride sites, such as Trumpington or Babraham.”

He said residents in the nearby Clay Farm and Glebe Farm estates raised concerns about parking after the station’s opening, but their roads are still privately owned by the developer, Vistry, which is responsible for enforcing parking restrictions.

Cllr Hauk said: “Motorists who park in breach of those restrictions risk receiving substantial penalty charges. As local councillors, we will continue to work with Vistry and the councils to ensure that the parking arrangements are fair and effective for both residents and visitors. At the same time, we remain strong advocates for improving public transport and sustainable travel across Cambridge.”

Nigel Farage has won the Clacton by-election but did not attend the official declaration at Clacton Leisure Centre

Nigel Farage has secured victory in the Clacton by‐election, though the result was immediately clouded by a dispute over whether police had urged him to stay away from the count due to a “credible threat” to his safety.

The Reform UK leader declared he had won “fairly convincingly” long before the official announcement, hailing the outcome, delivered on the hottest day of the year, as an “overwhelming endorsement” of his leadership.

Farage said he would not attend the declaration at Clacton Leisure Centre after being informed of what he described as an “organised campaign to disrupt and degrade the result“. A party spokesperson later insisted Essex Police had advised him not to appear because of a credible threat.

Despite this, the Press Association understands that Essex Police did not advise Mr Farage, or any other candidate, to stay away from the count.

A spokesperson for Essex Police said: “We have a proportionate and robust policing operation to ensure the safety and security of all participants in the count.”

Deputy Reform leader Richard Tice later indicated it was Mr Farage’s “team” who concluded that “there was sufficient anxiety, and concern, and threats” to warrant him staying away from the count.

When pressed for further details on the information the party claimed to have received, he told GB News: “No, I can’t. But I think we should just trust those tasked with keeping Nigel safe and alive, I hesitate to say, but that’s what the task is.

“And if a credible threat is perceived or a deep anxiety, whatever you want to term it, clearly they’re going to err on the side of caution, and that’s just the reality.

“So, yes, of course, it’s a shame he would have loved to have been there, but security is paramount, and everybody knows we’ve had a very, very difficult few weeks and last couple of months.”

Mr Farage triumphed with 22,239 votes, with Count Binface coming second on 9,455 votes. Mr Farage claimed a 12,784 majority, representing 62.82% of the vote.

This marks an increase from his 8,405 vote majority, 46.2%, when he prevailed at the 2024 general election. The declaration came shortly after 6am. Turnout stood at 44.37%, a drop of just over 14%. A total of 32 of the record 34 candidates forfeited their deposits.

Mr Farage informed supporters at an all-night “Farage-fest” gathering organised by Reform in Essex that he wouldn’t be attending the count: “I’m not scared of these people, far from it.

“But I’m damned if I’m going to stand on a stage, having won a resounding victory, a ringing endorsement of all that I’ve tried to fight for, and you’ve tried to fight for, and be demeaned and humiliated by nobodies, and I will not sadly be attending the count.”

Mr Farage had been due to deliver what was promoted as a “major speech” in Clacton at 10.30am on Friday, but Reform scrapped it, stating he had “already commented on the expected result of the by-election”. In his address, Mr Farage declared, hours before the outcome was officially announced: “The verdict is now in, and it is a convincing, overwhelming win with more votes than we got in the general election of 2024.”

He continued: “Today the voters in Clacton have stuck up two fingers to the entire political establishment.”

He previously told GB News: “Look, this is an overwhelming endorsement of me. I have had enough of being judged by mainstream media, being called a criminal.

“Do you know, if I made one sin, if I haven’t filled in a piece of paper, I’ve broken no law, I’ve broken no tax law, I’ve taken no public money, I don’t even own a motorhome.”

Council acting returning officer and chief executive Ian Davidson confirmed he was unaware Mr Farage would not be attending the count until the Reform UK leader revealed it during his speech to supporters.

“It is up to individual candidates’ wish to or do not wish to attend the count, but as far as we’re concerned we will be able to complete this count successfully and safely for all the candidates, my staff here and all the visitors,” Mr Davidson stated. “I am not aware of what has been said, or what that threat is.”

Mr Davidson noted that Essex Police had deployed an assistant chief constable as part of a “Gold Command” policing operation. He indicated he did not believe there was any threat sufficiently serious for the count to be called off, though he could not comment further on security matters.

The by-election was triggered by Mr Farage’s resignation over scrutiny of donations from cryptocurrency tycoon Christopher Harborne. Labour and the Conservatives insisted his win wouldn’t put an end to the furore.

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A record 34 candidates contested the seat, with satirical contender Count Binface emerging as Mr Farage’s primary opponent, after the other mainstream parties declined to stand.

Speaking to Sky News, Count Binface, a character created by comedian Jonathan David Harvey, alluded to the prospect of a second by-election in the constituency should Mr Farage be found to have broken Parliamentary rules.

He said: “You just said at the beginning of this interview that Nigel Farage is claiming victory, but in that case it’s going to be a two-legged match like the Carabao Cup or the Cold War, because we’re going to be back again in a few weeks aren’t we? We’ll see what happens then.”

He added: “Even if I got to 12%, so one-in-eight people in Clacton would rather vote for a space warrior shaped like a bin than Nigel Farage.”

Labour chairwoman Ms Phillipson said: “This is no victory for Nigel Farage. The mountain of sleaze and scandal he and Reform are now engulfed in has grown and grown while he’s been trying to distract the public by fighting a by-election against a bin.

“This morning, Nigel Farage shouldn’t be celebrating – he should wake up and smell the coffee. He must come clean with the public and put all the facts on the table over his secret £5 million gift, his relationship with a convicted fraudster, and the other scandals his Party is drowning in.

“Farage’s distraction by-election doesn’t clear his name – it just shows he likely has so much more to hide.”

A Conservative Party spokesperson said: “Nigel Farage called this fake by-election in a desperate attempt to draw a line under the questions surrounding his fishy £5 million donation.

“Whatever the outcome on Friday, this stunt has not done that.”

Before quitting Westminster, Mr Farage was being investigated by the parliamentary standards commissioner Daniel Greenberg over a £5 million gift from Mr Harborne, which he received before taking his seat in the Commons.

Under Commons rules, new MPs are required to register any gifts worth more than £300 they received in the previous 12 months, except where the gift “could not be reasonably thought by others” to relate to their political activities.

That investigation was paused when Mr Farage resigned his seat but will resume if he wins the by-election – as bookmakers have made him the firm favourite to do.

Mr Farage could also face an investigation over support provided by George Cottrell, a long-term ally. If he is found to have broken the rules and a suspension of more than 10 days is imposed, it could trigger a recall petition and the prospect of Mr Farage facing a second by-election.

David Kelly had been drinking on the flight, when he started ‘arguing about politics’, before making racist and homophobic remarks

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An intoxicated man left families in fear after shouting racist abuse and making a Nazi salute on their flight home from Turkey.

David Kelly, 56, was on a Jet2 flight from Turkey to Newcastle when he became drunk and offensive on December 19 last year.

Newcastle Crown Court heard he committed racially aggravated harassment to airline staff and members of the public and also made a homophobic remark. Saba Shan, prosecuting, said: “When he initially boarded the plane and, it would seem, in the first couple of hours, he was enjoying himself. He was loud and boisterous with lots of laughter.

“Regrettably as he became visibly more intoxicated, his behaviour deteriorated. There are statements from staff and passengers which describe how the defendant became angry and animated and started ranting.”

Among the offensive behaviour, Kelly said “Hitler knew” followed by making a Nazi salute. He also pointed at a Turkish passenger and called him a terrorist and made other racist and one homophobic remark.

Miss Shan said: “A young family were distressed by his actions and were moved from the row behind him.” Members of staff did their best to manage his behaviour by offering alternative seating to passengers alarmed by his behaviour.

Kelly, of Bek Road, Newton Hall, County Durham, stood in his seat and initially refused to sit down and put his seatbelt on as the plane began its descent to land. Staff had alerted police, who were waiting to arrest him at Newcastle Airport.

Kelly, who has four previous convictions, including for arson and drugs offences, pleaded guilty to being drunk on an aircraft and a racially aggravated public order offence.

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Jailing him for ten months, Recorder David Gordon said: “Those who become drunk and disorderly on board an aircraft must ordinarily expect an immediate custodial sentence because of the fear and distress caused to passengers and crew and because of the potential implications with regard to safety.

“You repeatedly shouted abuse, including racist and, on one occasion, homophobic abuse and made threats of violence and ignored efforts by cabin crew to calm the situation.

“The offences occurred in the uniquely confined environment of an aircraft in flight. Passengers and crew could not remove themselves from it. Families and other passengers were alarmed and distressed.

“Cabin crew were required to divert their attention from their own duties to manage your behaviour. Your conduct created genuine fear among those on board and carried an inherent safety concern, particularly during the landing phase of the flight.

“This offending caused distress and alarm to numerous passengers and crew members and it included vile repeated racist utterances and a homophobic utterance.”

Brian Hegarty, defending, said he is remorseful and said the incident started after Kelly argued with another passenger about politics. He added that Kelly did not need to be restrained and did not assault anyone and said: “His behaviour was reprehensible and unpleasant but was restricted to words alone.”

The court was provided with character references about Kelly, including from a magistrate and a former Metropolitan Police officer. He was said to be hard-working, helpful and community minded.

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