Philip Rycroft, former permanent secretary at the Department for Exiting the European Union, said there needs to be a “clear-headed appraisal of what is in the country’s best interests” and that life outside the EU had not lived up to lofty expectations.
Writing in The Times, he warned the road back into the bloc would be “long and windy”, but that the “argument is there to be won”.
Philip Rycroft led the Department for Exiting the European Union (PA)
But the newspaper reports several senior figures in government are pressing for the policy to be reviewed ahead of the next general election.
Advertisement
Mr Rycroft cited figures from recent YouGov polling for the campaign group Best for Britain, which shows that 53 per cent of people are now in favour of rejoining the EU, while 32 per cent are opposed and 14 per cent don’t know.
“Most economic analysis suggests that we have taken a significant hit to GDP as a result of leaving the single market,” he added.
“The precise number, and the impact on our export performance to the EU and beyond, might be subject to debate, but no one can credibly claim that we have marched to the sunny uplands of sustained economic growth as a consequence of Brexit.”
He said it was “not hard to see” why people may be “falling out of love” with Brexit.
Advertisement
“We are seemingly no nearer achieving an immigration policy that commands general consent,” he continued, in reference to the Leave campaign’s promise that leaving the bloc would allow the UK to take back control of its borders.
While he insists that the government wants to develop closer ties with the EU, particularly as the world becomes a more dangerous place, Mr Thomas-Symonds ruled out any sort of deal that would lead to the UK and the EU entering a customs union.
He said that even a bespoke version, like the agreements the bloc has with countries like Turkey and Norway, is off the cards.
The US could review Britain’s claim to the Falkland Islands as punishment for a lack of support in Donald Trump’s war on Iran.
The potential review was leaked in an internal Pentagon email, which outlined outlined options to punish NATO allies, who the US president has repeatedly hit out at for their response to the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East.
These policy considerations are detailed in a confidential memo, which expresses significant frustration over certain allies’ perceived reluctance or outright refusal to grant Access, Basing, and Overflight (ABO) rights essential for the Iran conflict.
Advertisement
The official, who spoke anonymously to describe the email, stated that ABO is “just the absolute baseline for Nato,” adding that these options are circulating at high levels within the Pentagon.
Further proposals within the email envision the suspension of “difficult” countries from important or prestigious positions within the Nato framework.
He has also openly considered withdrawing from the alliance, asking Reuters in an 1 April interview, “Wouldn’t you if you were me?” when questioned about the possibility of a US pull-out.
Advertisement
The memo also includes an option to consider reassessing US diplomatic support for longstanding European “imperial possessions,” such as the Falkland Islands near Argentina (PA)
But the email does not suggest that the United States do so, the official said. It also does not propose closing bases in Europe.
The official declined to say whether the options included a widely expected US drawdown of some forces from Europe, however.
Asked for comment on the email, Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson responded: “As President Trump has said, despite everything that the United States has done for our Nato allies, they were not there for us.
“The War Department will ensure that the President has credible options to ensure that our allies are no longer a paper tiger and instead do their part. We have no further comment on any internal deliberations to that effect,” Wilson said.
The US-Israeli war with Iran has raised serious questions about the future of the 76-year-old bloc and provoked unprecedented concern that the US might not come to the aid of European allies should they be attacked, analysts and diplomats say.
Advertisement
Britain, France and others say that joining the US naval blockade would amount to entering the war, but that they would be willing to help keep the Strait open once there was a lasting ceasefire or the conflict ended.
President Donald Trump has harshly criticised NATO allies for not sending their navies to help open the Strait of Hormuz, which was closed to global shipping following the start of the air war on 28 February (AFP/Getty)
But Trump administration officials have stressed that Nato cannot be a one-way street.
They have expressed frustration with Spain, where the Socialist leadership said it would not allow its bases or airspace to be used to attack Iran. The United States has two important military bases in Spain: Naval Station Rota and Morón Air Base.
The policy options outlined in the email would be intended to send a strong signal to Nato allies with the goal of “decreasing the sense of entitlement on the part of the Europeans,” the official said, summarising the email.
The option to suspend Spain from the alliance would have a limited effect on US military operations but a significant symbolic impact, the email argues.
Advertisement
The official did not disclose how the United States might pursue suspending Spain from the alliance, and Reuters could not immediately determine whether there was an existing mechanism at Nato to do so.
“We do not work off emails. We work off official documents and government positions, in this case of the United States,” Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez said when asked about the report ahead of a meeting of European Union leaders in Cyprus to discuss topics including Nato’s mutual assistance clause.
The Trump administration has expressed frustration with Spain, where the Socialist leadership said it would not allow its bases or airspace to be used to attack Iran (Ministerio de Defensa)
The memo also includes an option to consider reassessing US diplomatic support for longstanding European “imperial possessions,” such as the Falkland Islands near Argentina.
The State Department’s website states that the islands are administered by the United Kingdom but are still claimed by Argentina, whose Libertarian President Javier Milei is a Trump ally.
Britain and Argentina fought a brief war in 1982 over the islands after Argentina made a failed bid to take them. Some 650 Argentine soldiers and 255 British troops died before Argentina surrendered.
Advertisement
Trump has repeatedly insulted Prime Minister Keir Starmer, calling him cowardly because of his unwillingness to join the US war with Iran, saying he was “No Winston Churchill” and describing Britain’s aircraft carriers as “toys.”
Britain initially did not grant a request from the US to allow its aircraft to attack Iran from two British bases, but later agreed to allow defensive missions aimed at protecting residents of the region, including British citizens, amid Iranian retaliation.
Addressing reporters at the Pentagon earlier this month, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said “a lot has been laid bare” by the war with Iran, noting that Iran’s longer-range missiles cannot hit the United States but can reach Europe.
“We get questions, or roadblocks, or hesitations … You don’t have much of an alliance if you have countries that are not willing to stand with you when you need them,” Hegseth said.
Step back in time and relive the 80s and 90s this weekend.
Ant and Dec at Kiss nightclub, Bolton in July, 1994. Picture by the Bolton Evening News (Image: NQ)
The Georgian House in Blackrod is putting on the themed night on Saturday night to run into Sunday.
Dust off your neon leg warmers and acid-washed jeans for a night filled with the greatest hits frm the 80s and 90s and enjoy a nostaligic trip down memory lane.
The party starts at 7pm and ends at 1am.
Advertisement
For tickets and more information visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/80s-and-90s-night-tickets-1978826805243?
The Angry Brigade (Image: Agency)
THEATRE
The Angry Brigade is set in 1970s Britain during a period of Tory cuts, high unemployment, and increasing inequality, focusing on the hunt for the anarchist group “The Angry Brigade” by a special police squad.
The play contrasts the contrasting perspectives of the establishment and the young urban guerrillas, exploring themes of political engagement, rebellion, and the human cost of pursuing a radical vision for a fairer world.
Advertisement
The play for those aged 14 and over will show on Friday, May 1 and Saturday, May 2 at the Octagon.
For tickets visit the Octagon website.
Eagley Band (Image: Supplied)
CONCERT
Music from some of the best-known musicals ever is on offer when Eagley Community Band and Eagley Community Choir stage their Spring Concert this Saturday (April 25).
Advertisement
Expect everything from Miss Saigon, to Anything Goes, and Gershwin and Matt Monro to Bon Jovi and Mariah Carey at the event at The Bridge Church, Bradford Street Bolton.
There will be plenty of audience participation at Eagley at the Bridge which runs from 7.30pm to 9.45pm with refreshments available.
Tickets are £5 each from Booth’s Music on Churchgate in the town centre, tel 01204 522908 or pay at the door.
Mass Observation Please note copyright credit requested by BoltonCouncil (Image: Bolton Council)
In the 1930s, Blackpool was Britain’s most popular seaside resort, attracting thousands of millworkers from Bolton and other Lancashire cotton towns.
The strange and wonderful world of 1930s Blackpool is captured in the photographs of Humphrey Spender and Julian Trevelyan, taken for Mass Observation.
This talk explores what Mass Observation discovered when they followed local holidaymakers to Blackpool.
Advertisement
It will take place oin Tuesday 5 May, 1 pm in the Lecture Theatre, Bolton Central Library
Free, no need to book
Funfair (Image: Unsplash)
FUNFAIR
A children’s fun fair will set up at Bolton Cricket Club on Green Lane this weekend, April 25 and 26, open daily from 1pm till 7pm all rides £2.
The situation escalated rapidly earlier this week when Ravi – convinced that his enemies were out to get him – obtained new locks for the flat he shares with his partner and their kids Nugget (Juhaim Rasul Choudhury) and Avani (Aaliyah James).
Advertisement
Priya was concerned when Ravi wouldn’t let her leave, as were Avani and Nugget when they stumbled upon the new locks.
Ravi broke down when confronted over the bruises on Priya’s arm, which he’d unknowingly inflicted during a nightmare, and he subsequently confirmed that he was the one who accidentally attacked Nugget.
With emotions at an all-time high, Priya successfully managed to secure her freedom by telling Ravi that they’d leave Walford together but a crash ensued on the way to the hospital, leaving everyone in need of medical attention.
Ravi was devastated and thus he left the hospital and made his way back to the Square, where he stood on the edge of a bridge, attempting to take his own life.
Priya watched in devastation before attempting to talk Ravi down, making him see that he is still very much loved. Nugget, meanwhile, raced to support his dad, begging him ‘don’t go’ in emotional scenes.
Advertisement
Ravi contemplated taking his own life (Picture: BBC)
Ravi reconsidered and broke down, hugging his loved ones with all his might. The police subsequently arrived and sectioned Ravi, who will next week receive a diagnosis of complex PTSD.
The episode in question received praise from fans, particularly the performance from Ravi star Aaron Thiara, who was nothing short of incredible.
Metro reader Sharon saying that they ‘actually cried’ when watching the episode. ‘He is a great actor, and its a great storyline, mens mental health isnt addressed enough.’
Don’t miss a Soaps scoop! Add us as a Preferred Source
As a loyal Metro Soaps reader, we want to make sure you never miss our articles when searching for stories. We have all the latest soaps news, spoilers, videos, and interviews, with a vibrant community of highly engaged readers.
Click the button below and tick Metro.co.uk to ensure you see stories from us first in Google Search.
Now you can ensure you never miss a story from the Soaps team
Ravi receives a diagnosis next week (Picture: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
Olwyn added: ‘This had me in tears. So real’, while Linda said: ‘This has broke my heart to watch, brilliant acting by Ravi and his family.’
‘The acting by Aaron Thiara was exceptional,’ said Barbara. ‘The emotional scenes showing Ravi’s mental health battle had me in tears’.
Debbie felt that the episode proves that ‘EastEnders has ‘really lifted their game’.
Advertisement
‘The storylines are great and shows the versatility of the actors,’ they wrote. ‘Seeing this side of Ravi is upsetting and a true representation of a person struggling.’
It was a sentiment that Anne agreed with, commenting: ‘Its great this storyline allowed the actor to show his talent. Not an easy part to play and must have been extremely difficult and draining for him.’
Next week, Ravi will begin therapy sessions following his diagnosis.
EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One or stream from 6am on BBC iPlayer.
Advertisement
If you’ve got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@metro.co.uk – we’d love to hear from you.
The police had ‘damning evidence’ against the 26-year-old
A man who supplied drugs in different counties has been jailed. Artur Shabani, 26, was at his home in High Street, Eye, when Cambridgeshire Police searched his property on March 2.
Advertisement
Officers had received information about cocaine being supplied to South Lincolnshire and Rutland, and an operation was being run from Eye. At his home, officers found nine mobile phones in Shabani’s bedroom, as well as a small amount of cocaine and drug dealing paraphernalia elsewhere in the property.
Mobile phone analysis revealed bulk messages related to selling cocaine. The investigation also uncovered CCTV evidence that showed Shabani topping up one of the dealer phones, which was an unregistered pay-as-you-go device.
On Tuesday (April 21), Shabani was jailed to 36 months in prison after appearing at Cambridge Crown Court. He admitted to being concerned in the supply of cocaine.
DC Jenny Hargreaves said: “The evidence against Shabani was damning, giving him little option but to plead guilty. I’m pleased he has been brought to justice, and this county lines operation selling cocaine in Rutland and South Lincolnshire disrupted.
Advertisement
“County lines can often be linked to other offences such as criminal exploitation and the substances they deal trap people in addiction. We will continue our efforts to identify those involved in supplying drugs and bring them before the courts.”
In a message on X via the official supporters’ club,, external Millwall said the “serious misuse of a registered club badge” created a “false and damaging image of the club”.
Millwall said the council confirmed any remaining copies of the booklet they have will be destroyed and no more copies will be made and distributed.
“The club is still considering its legal position on the matter and are unable to comment further,” it said.
The Paul Canoville Foundation said it was aware of the image, which was widely shared on social media, but stressed it had no involvement in the material’s content, saying it was “not produced by, commissioned by, or approved” by the foundation or Canoville.
Advertisement
“Our involvement in the associated programme was limited solely to Paul’s personal appearance; meeting students and sharing his lived experience,” the foundation’s chief executive officer Raphael Frascogna said in a statement., external
“At no stage were we shown, consulted on, or asked to approve the content of the booklet, including any illustrations within it.”
Frascogna added the illustration does depict a real incident Canoville experienced when playing for Chelsea reserves against Millwall reserves in the 1980s, “in which he was subjected to serious racial abuse by a number of individuals wearing Ku Klux Klan-style white hoods”.
Former winger Canoville, now 64, played for Chelsea for five years from 1981 and scored 15 goals in 103 games, later retiring because of a knee injury aged 25 after a short spell at Reading.
Advertisement
Millwall are third in the Championship this season, level on points with second-placed Ipswich, who are in the automatic promotion places.
An artist’s impression of the planet Epsilon Indi Ab, with water clouds floating over its ammonia-dominated atmosphere (Picture: E. C. Matthews, MPIA / T. Müller, HdA/Cover Media)
Astronomers have found a Jupiter-like planet several light years away which probably smells of urine.
Epsilon Indi Ab has an ammonia atmosphere with clouds of water floating above the surface – and ammonia and water are the two primary components of urine.
The pungent planet may not be top of the list for any colonisation plans by Elon Musk, but it has intrigued scientists studying it with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).
Elisabeth Matthews, from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, is the lead author of a new study.
Advertisement
She said: ‘JWST is finally allowing us to study solar-system analogue planets in detail. If we were aliens, several light years away, and looking back at the Sun, JWST is the first telescope that would allow us to study Jupiter in detail.
‘For studying Earth in detail, we would need much more advanced telescopes, though.’
The team studied Epsilon Indi Ab using Webb’s mid-infrared instrument.
They found it is around 7.6 times the mass of Jupiter but a similar size and orbits its star at a much greater distance than most exoplanets studied so far, giving it a relatively low temperature of between –70C and +20C.
Advertisement
The discovery of the clouds of water were unexpected and not typical of many existing models of exoplanet atmospheres, as they are complex to simulate.
A digital image creation of Jupiter. Epsilon Indi Ab is the same size but far heavier (Picture: Getty Images)
James Mang of the University of Texas at Austin said: ‘It’s a great problem to have, and it speaks to the immense progress we’re making thanks to JWST.
‘What once seemed impossible to detect is now within reach, allowing us to probe the structure of these atmospheres, including the presence of clouds.
‘This reveals new layers of complexity that our models are now beginning to capture, and opens the door to even more detailed characterisation of these cold, distant worlds.’
Advertisement
NASA’s planned Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, expected to launch later this decade, may be able to detect such reflective clouds more directly.
A 51-year-old man died during a Cathay Pacific flight from Manchester to Hong Kong on Friday morning – this is a breaking story
A 51-year-old man has died during a Cathay Pacific flight from Manchester to Hong Kong.
Advertisement
The passenger lost consciousness during flight CX216, which departed Manchester Airport at 11.04am HKT on Thursday and landed at Hong Kong International Airport at 6.53am on Friday (11.53pm BST on Thursday). Hong Kong police said they received a report at around 6.15am local time on Friday that a passenger had collapsed on board the flight, according to the Hong Kong Free Press.
An autopsy is currently underway to determine the cause of death, the outlet reports.
In a statement to the South China Morning Post, a spokesperson for Hong Kong’s flag carrier said that “the crew and a doctor on board had provided immediate first aid to the victim”. The spokesperson added that an ambulance was called and paramedics boarded the plane upon landing.
It comes just days after doubts were raised over Jimmy Bullard’s attendance, following an explosive row during filming with Adam Thomas.
Although Jimmy has now confirmed he will be appearing on tonight’s (April 24) ITV show, when viewers will vote for their I’m a Celeb ‘ultimate legend’, sadly, Beverley Callard will not be there.
The Coronation Street favourite who was diagnosed with breast cancer in February issued an update to fans on her TikTok account yesterday (April 23).
Advertisement
Why is Beverley Callard not attending I’m a Celebrity final tonight?
In the caption alongside a video message, she shared: “A last minute change of plans…Absolutely gutted but I know it’s for the best. Resting up and getting well is more important at the moment.”
Beverley, who currently lives in Dublin, went on to explain: “Yesterday I should have flown over to England to get ready for the I’m a Celeb final which is tomorrow at 7.30pm.
“I was so excited and looking forward to it, and on medical advice I can’t go.
“So I’m absolutely gutted, I was dying to see them all, and it would have been brilliant, but I can’t go.”
Health professionals have told Beverley that attending the I’m a Celebrity South Africa final would be “too long a day” as she recovers from surgery.
Advertisement
She continued: “Flying there and you know, very late night… so here I am.”
However, the soap star will still be featuring in the live ITV final this evening and reuniting with her fellow campmates via Zoom, to “chat to everyone”.
Beverley added: “I’ve got to make the best of a bad job but I am resting, I am doing as I’m told, thanks to everybody.”
The actress was advised by medics to leave camp in the last week of the ITV reality show.
Advertisement
Beverley told the other celebrities she “didn’t feel well” after having “a bit of a funny turn”.
As she tearfully said her goodbyes, the 69-year-old said she was “absolutely gutted and wanted to finish” her time on the all-star show, and that she “wanted to prove that older women could do it”.
Since announcing her diagnosis of early-stage breast cancer, Beverley has documented her treatment on social media and has recently undergone surgery to remove the cancer.
Who is in the final of I’m a Celebrity South Africa 2026?
The four celebrities who have made it to Friday night’s final are Olympian Sir Mo Farah, former football manager Harry Redknapp, actor and DJ Craig Charles, and actor Adam Thomas.
Advertisement
Scarlett Moffatt just missed out and said she was “gutted” to become the latest campmate to be evicted during Thursday’s episode.
The Gogglebox star learnt she would be leaving the ITV programme after she came last in a trial, telling hosts Ant and Dec: “I felt like I was so close. I was the last girl standing.”
The challenge saw the celebrities have to count coloured balls as they rolled down a tube in front of them while they were showered with maggots, cockroaches, crickets and mealworms.
The five contestants were then asked how many blue balls there had been and were told that whoever’s estimate was the furthest from the correct figure would be evicted.
Advertisement
Thursday night’s instalment also saw the celebrities take part in the Cyclone challenge, which saw them have to clamber along a water slide to reach stars while being pelted with huge balls and sprayed with high-pressure hoses.
The group won the task, which resulted in them all receiving phone messages from their loved ones at home.
They also enjoyed a breakfast of 10 eggs between them after successfully catching them from a large “chicken” roosting in a tree above their camp.
The final of I’m a Celebrity South Africa will be shown from 7.30pm tonight on ITV1, STV, ITVX and STV Player.
Advertisement
Let us know which celebrity campmate you will be voting for to win, in the comments below.
Four months after filming in September, Callard was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer.
Advertisement
In a new video posted on Thursday (23 April), the star said she “should have flown to England to get ready for the I’m A Celeb final” but “on medical advice, I can’t go, I am absolutely gutted.”
She added: “I was dying to see them all and it would have been brilliant. I can’t go and yesterday, the flights were booked and everything but no, they said, it is basically too long a day with flying there and then a very late night, so here I am.”
Can we ever really understand Chernobyl? As a researcher in visual culture, I find myself returning to this question again and again as I examine films, TV shows, documentaries, visual novels and artworks.
We know that the explosion occurred on April 26 1986 at 1:23am due to a safety test gone wrong, and that the radioactive contamination spread across the exclusion zone and far beyond, reaching other parts of Europe. Beyond these facts, however, things get shaky. Although the official death toll was, according to the World Health Organization’s 2005 report, less than 50, the real number is considered to be much higher, with thousands affected by the long-term consequences of exposure.
Radioactive contamination is what made this technological disaster so extraordinary. While many people may not be interested in decay chains or wavelengths, popular culture renders radioactive pollution immediately legible.
At the same time, these representations often operate in the space between historical fact and dramatisation. Although many can be criticised for exaggerating an already fantastical disaster, that dramatisation is also part of what keeps audiences engaged and ensures that Chernobyl remains alive in our cultural awareness.
Advertisement
Here are five of my favourite pop culture depictions of the Chernobyl disaster, that I believe give a pretty good glimpse of what the disaster entailed.
1. Chernobyl (2019)
This series is one of the best ways to understand or be introduced to Chernobyl. Over the course of five episodes, HBO’s drama series brought viewers through the social, political and bureaucratic aspects of the disaster.
The trailer for Chernobyl.
Following the scientist Valery Legasov (Jared Harris), as well as the story of firefighter’s wife Lyudmilla Ignatenko (Jessie Buckley), the series does a great job at narrating the disaster in compelling ways. It is visually well constructed with attention to every minor detail.
Advertisement
The series finds ingenious ways to visualise invisible radiation, while scientists’ struggle to force the truth into the open is heart-wrenching enough to hold the viewer through all five episodes.
2. Chernobylite (2021)
The horror indie video game Chernobylite allows players to wander freely around Chernobyl’s exclusion zone – one of the most radioactively contaminated areas on Earth.
With time and climate change, the structures and buildings within the zone are at increasing risk of disappearing from both wildfires or age that leaves buildings crumbling. In an effort to preserve the zone, the creators of Chernobylite began to 3D scan it. Left with a virtual map, they decided to turn their project into a video game.
Advertisement
The trailer for Chernobylite.
In Chernobylite, players can roam freely and uncover the mystery of the zone. Although embellished with green glowing crystals and monsters, the game does offer a setting that allows you to walk around and experience the zone while scientists tell you information about the disaster.
This game is a wonderful way to experience the zone at a distance. It is photo-realistic and allows the players to really locate some of the famous landmarks of the zone (such as the Ferris wheel or the monument for the firefighters).
3. Chernobyl Abyss (2021)
This Russian disaster film follows fictional firefighter, Alexey Karpushin (Danila Kozlovsky) through some of the challenges in the immediate aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster.
Advertisement
The trailer for Chernobyl Abyss.
To save his son from radiation poisoning, Karpushin agrees to become a “liquidator” in exchange for having him sent to a care facility in Switzerland. Around 600,000 military personnel were drafted as liquidators – sent to high-radiation zones (often wearing inadequate protection) to clear radioactive debris and manage contaminated waste.
While it’s not a perfect film, it gives a good impression of the emotional and individual toll of the disaster.
4. The Babushkas of Chernobyl (2015)
Amid the tragic and often action-driven representations of Chernobyl, this documentary feels hopeful rather than bleak. It portrays life in the exclusion zone (some people have returned to live on their generational land) in all its complexity.
More importantly, it’s a reminder that while the zone may be reduced to a story for those of us watching from afar, for the people who live there, it remains a home.
Advertisement
The trailer for The Babushkas of Chernobyl.
5. YouTube
Before the escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian war in 2022, the zone was frequently visited. In fact, after the release of HBO’s Chernobyl series, tourism allegedly increased by 40%.
In a space where souvenirs like a stone from the ground are illegal to pick up, many instead captured the zone through their camera lens. Viewing videos from tourists and “stalkers” (illegal explorers) on YouTube, offers one of the best ways to gain insights into how the Chernobyl disaster has affected the land.
Many of these tourists capture the samoesely (resettlers), wildlife and guides who talk about the zone and what the disaster means to them.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login