Connect with us
DAPA Banner

NewsBeat

Labour Expected To Lose Nearly 2 000 Council Seats

Published

on

Labour Expected To Lose Nearly 2 000 Council Seats

Labour is on course to lose nearly 2,000 council seats in next month’s elections, according to a top pollster.

It would mean the party being left with barely a quarter of the councillors they currently have in the areas where voters will go to the polls on May 7.

The Tories are set to lose 600 councillors on what is set to be a grim night for the two main parties.

Reform UK will be the big winners, gaining 1,550 seats, while the Green Party is set to see its number of councillors boosted by 500.

Advertisement

The Lib Dems are on course to gain 150 seats, according to the analysis by Tory peer Lord Hayward.

Millions of English voters are set to take part in council elections in London and across the Midlands, Yorkshire, Merseyside, Lancashire and the north east.

In all, 5,014 council seats and six mayoralties are up for grabs in the biggest test of public opinion since the 2024 general election.

Hayward said Labour will lose 1,850 of the 2,558 council seats it has up for election.

Advertisement

He predicted that the SNP will once again win the Scottish Parliament elections also being held on May 7, but will fall short of an overall majority.

And in Wales, Labour is set to lose power for the first time since the Welsh Senedd was established in 1999, with Plaid Cymru winning for the first time ever.

Such a set of results across the UK would represent a disaster for Labour, and pile even more pressure on prime minister Keir Starmer.

Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, seen as a potential successor to Starmer if he manages to be re-elected an MP, said Labour will need to take “a different course” after May 7 – and declined to give the PM his support.

Advertisement

Speaking to Bloomberg, he said: “It’s got to be a moment of reflection.”

“I understand the real frustration people have got with politics and politicians,” he said. “I honestly, I really understand that. And they’re right to say politics just hasn’t been working.”

Starmer blocked Burnham’s attempt to stand for Labour in the Gorton and Denton by-election in February, but the former cabinet minister said he was not ruling out another attempt to become an MP again.

He said: “The politics we’ve pioneered as mayors: place first, not party first — that needs to go national, and so we do need to reform Westminster.

Advertisement

“I can’t remove the kind of feeling that someday I will try and go back. I’m not ruling it out.”

Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

NewsBeat

US charges Mexican governor and other leaders with aiding drug cartel

Published

on

US charges Mexican governor and other leaders with aiding drug cartel

US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton said in the statement: “As the indictment lays bare, the Sinaloa cartel, and other drug trafficking organisations like it, would not operate as freely or successfully without corrupt politicians and law enforcement officials on their payroll.”

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Young Scots footballers bashed by club after wearing offensive t-shirts

Published

on

Daily Record

T-shirts worn by the teens featured a variety of sexual messages on including ‘I love doggy style’, ‘I love big as**s’, ‘I love drunk girls’ and ‘I love MILFS’.

A youth football club has slammed a photo of its young players wearing t-shirts with slogans such as: ‘I love big t***’ and ‘I love sluts’.

Advertisement

The teens aged 14-15 wore tops with a variety of sexual messages on including ‘I love doggy style’, ‘I love big as**s’, ‘I love drunk girls’ and ‘I love MILFS’. Members of the Musselburgh Windsor 2011 team were taking part in a tournament in Barcelona for six days over the Easter holidays.

On one of the evenings an image appeared on the team’s Instagram page. The club has slammed the “explicit, sexualised and misogynistic” slogans as “wholly unacceptable”.

It is believed the t-shirts were bought for the players by some of their parents, who had accompanied them on the trip.

Someone close to a parent of a player in the club’s girls’ section told the Courier in Scotland they found the incident to be “not simply a matter of poor taste” but also raising broader questions about “the safeguarding culture” and “standards of behaviour being modelled to young players”.

Advertisement

They said: “This is very inappropriate for minors and raises serious concerns about the judgment and safeguarding awareness of the adults responsible.”

Advertisement

The Instagram post was removed shortly afterwards and the full page is now listed as private.

Scott Robertson, president of Musselburgh Windsor FC, told the Courier that, while the coaches were out for a meal with their own families and “unaware” of what was happening, “it appears that some of the parents took it upon themselves to purchase the t-shirts and take photographs”.

He said that a parent had also posted the photo to the team’s public Instagram page. When the coaches returned to the hotel, the lead coach was made aware and he “immediately deleted the image”, Mr Robertson explained.

He said: “All the players and the parents were summoned to a meeting whilst in Spain and it was made clear that it was wholly unacceptable.”

Advertisement

One comment on the original Instagram post said that those responsible should be “utterly ashamed” of themselves for sharing the image publicly.

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

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Mum’s heartbreak as son faces cerebral palsy diagnosis while twin starts walking

Published

on

Belfast Live

Eliseo was born prematurely at 28 weeks and has had 13 surgeries, primarily on his brain, in his short life

A young boy left brain damaged following a meningitis infection has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy in his limbs just as his twin brother is beginning to walk.

Advertisement

Eliseo and his twin brother Luca were born prematurely at 28 weeks and while Luca has progressed into a healthy young boy without any difficulties, Eliseo has faced constant difficulties after being diagnosed with hydrocephalus and had to have a series of operations, primarily on his brain.

He also developed cysts on his brain following a meningitis infection caused by a blocked shunt and requires constant care from his worried parents who are determined to do all they can to improve his quality of life.

In February they launched a fundraising appeal to help secure stem cell treatment for Eliseo which has proved to be very successful, with over £30,000 raised so far which has helped the young boy.

Advertisement

However, he recently received further “devastating” news when he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy in all four of his limbs.

Speaking to Belfast Live, his mum Shauna O’Reilly said that the diagnosis came at a time when the family were feeling more optimistic about his future as Eliseo has been making big improvements at physiotherapy and his brother Luca had just started walking.

She said: “The past few weeks have been full of mixed emotions, it has been crazy. On the one hand Eliseo has been doing really well with his physiotherapy and the improvements he has made with her have been incredible only for us to get the devastating news about his cerebral palsy.

“We have been trying to absorb this while at the same time being excited to see Luca starting to walk and make great progress in his development.

Advertisement

“This has all been going on while we have been trying to raise funds to get Eliseo vital stem cell treatment, and the support that we have received for it has been amazing. It is actually overwhelming how many people have reached out to help us and we have now raised over £30,000 which will allow Eliseo to begin his treatment in Mexico.

“Early intervention is key if we are going to give Eliseo the best quality of life possible and we are so thankful to everyone who has donated to our fundraiser and helped us over the past few weeks, it really means the world to us.”

If you would like to donate to the appeal to help Eliseo please follow this link.

Advertisement

Want to see more of the stories you love from Belfast Live? Making us your preferred source on Google means you’ll get more of our exclusives, top stories and must-read content straight away. To add Belfast Live as a preferred source, simply click here.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Rooftop restaurant blames ‘perfect storm’ of economic hits as it announces sudden closure

Published

on

Manchester Evening News

Climat in Manchester city centre has become the latest eatery to close

An award-winning Manchester rooftop restaurant has announced its closure, blaming a ‘perfect storm’ of rising food inflation, an increasing tax burden and a stagnant economy.

Climat, perched on top of Blackfriars House in the city centre, has won a series of awards since its opening in November 2022, with diners attracted to its French food, selection of more than 400 wines and panoramic views of Manchester.

Critics Jay Rayner and William Sitwell raved about the restaurant which has been nominated in the Manchester Food & Drink Awards numerous times, and was included in the Michelin Inspectors Guide.

Advertisement

A statement on its Instagram page said: “I’m heartbroken to announce the closure of Climat with immediate effect. Sadly, we are yet another casualty of the times we’re living in.

“The reasons for closure will echo those of many of our peers. Ultimately, a stagnant economy and the persistent cost of living crisis, combined with rampant food inflation and the ever increasing tax burden for small business has created the perfect storm for hospitality – an industry so reliant on high staff numbers and costly, well-positioned locations – both of which have received significant tax increases over the last two budgets

“During Climat’s first 13 months in business, we were billed over £112,000 for electricity alone, almost 400% more than budgeted. Since opening the doors in December 2022, wages have increased by 33% alongside the more recent increases in Employers National Insurance Contributions. Our business rates payable in 2023/24 were £12,000p/a, today they sit at £38,000p/a. All these increases alongside reduced footfall are spelling disaster for so many.

Advertisement

“Whilst I wanted to highlight these reasons for closure, in the naive hope the Government will start to listen before it’s too late for others, I want to acknowledge the fantastic work of our team over the last 3.5 years. The closure does not do justice to their efforts and dedication. I’d also like extend a huge debt of gratitude to our guests for their support, enabling us to build a nationally recognised wine list – our raison d’être.“I wish everyone the very best of luck in these challenging times.”

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

King Charles meets Zohran Mamdani after diamond row ahead of 9/11 memorial

Published

on

Belfast Live

King Charles III and Queen Camilla are on a four-day trip through the United States

King Charles III was seen happily shaking hands with Zohran Mamdani, despite the New York City Mayor having previously stated that he would urge the royal to return the Koh-i-noor diamond to India if they spoke.

Mamdani spoke at a press conference hours before the 9/11 ceremony saying: “If I were to speak to the King separately from that, I’d probably encourage him to return the Kohinoor diamond.”

Advertisement

The diamond, originating in the Kollur mine in present-day Andhra Pradesh, India, is set into a royal crown on display in the Tower of London. Seized by the East India Company after its victory in the Second Anglo-Sikh War of 1849, the gem was given to Queen Victoria and has remained part of the Crown Jewels ever since.

But countries including India, Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan have all claimed ownership, The Mirror reports. The Koh-i-noor diamond wasn’t used during King Charles III’s coronation, allowing Buckingham Palace to sidestep the controversy surrounding a gem acquired during the age of Empire.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla took part in the wreath-laying ceremony at the National 9/11 Memorial, where they met with first responders and the families of victims of the September 11 attacks. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and other dignitaries also attended the ceremony, which comes ahead of the 25th anniversary of the attacks.

Mamdani and the King were captured shaking hands at the event sharing a friendly conversation. The royal couple’s swing through the city comes midway through a four-day trip marking 250 years of American independence.

It will be the first trip to New York by a reigning British monarch since Queen Elizabeth II visited in 2010. The four-day trip is Charles’ first state visit to the U.S. since he became king.

His mother, Queen Elizabeth II, made four state visits to the U.S. Monday, the king and queen joined President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump for tea at the White House.

On Tuesday, Charles and Trump had a closed-door meeting in the Oval Office. The king then delivered a rare speech before Congress, the first by a British monarch since his late mother in 1991, followed by a formal state dinner at the White House.

Advertisement

Want to see more of the stories you love from Belfast Live? Making us your preferred source on Google means you’ll get more of our exclusives… To add Belfast Live as a preferred source, simply click here.

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Summer House reality star West Wilson’s cousin accused of killing their grandmother

Published

on

Summer House reality star West Wilson’s cousin accused of killing their grandmother

Summer House star West Wilson’s cousin has been accused of fatally shooting their grandmother, according to police.

Gayle Wilson, 75, was reportedly killed in her Missouri home on April 22. West Wilson’s cousin, identified as 28-year-old Dakota Sweeney, was arrested and charged the next day with first-degree murder and armed criminal action, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

A witness told investigators that Sweeney, who lived with his grandmother, opened fire after they argued about him “not assisting with chores” around the house, according to an affidavit reviewed by NBC News. The pair had been in a room together for half an hour when Sweeney shot her “without warning,” the document said.

The shooting occurred just a day before the Summer House cast filmed their reunion episode, NBC News reports.

Advertisement

It’s unclear if Sweeney has obtained an attorney. The Independent was unable to identify Sweeney’s attorney for comment.

West Wilson stars in Bravo’s Summer House
West Wilson stars in Bravo’s Summer House (Getty Images for SiriusXM)

West Wilson stars on Bravo’s Summer House, a reality TV show that follows a group who share a summer house in the Hamptons. He first joined the show during its eighth season. Summer House’s 10th and current season premiered in February.

In the season 10 reunion episode, cast members are reportedly expected to address a romantic scandal, dubbed “Scamanda” by fans, that involves West Wilson and his co-star, Amanda Batula. The episode is expected to air in late May.

The Independent requested comment from a spokesperson for Summer House.

The alleged shooting took place just a day before West Wilson and the cast of Summer House filmed the season 10 reunion episode
The alleged shooting took place just a day before West Wilson and the cast of Summer House filmed the season 10 reunion episode (Getty Images)

Gayle Wilson’s life was “marked by creativity, kindness, and cherished moments,” according to an obituary posted by Lindley Funeral Homes. She loved to cook, travel and make art, the obituary said.

“Gayle expressed love through culinary delight, often seen bringing smiles with her heartfelt meals and baked treats. Her cooking was the essence of her love language, nourishing both the body and the spirit of those she cherished,” the obituary reads. “Gayle loved to travel, and recently completed her bucket list of traveling to all 50 states of this great nation.”

Advertisement

The Independent has contacted the Missouri State Highway Patrol and Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office for more information.

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

People who stop taking Ozempic or Wegovy given ’18-month’ warning

Published

on

Wales Online

‘Doctors and patients should be aware.’

Research suggests that people who stop taking GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy and similar products are likely to regain the weight they lost within approximately 18 months. A study, which analysed existing research, also found that former users of the drugs put weight back on four times faster than those who had shed pounds through behavioural methods such as dieting and exercise.

Advertisement

Millions of people across the world use GLP-1 drugs to manage their weight. They function by reducing food cravings, slowing digestion and prolonging the feeling of fullness. However, a paper published in the British Medical Journal in January, which examined 37 previous studies involving 9,000 people, concluded that “cessation of weight management medications (WMMs) is followed by rapid weight regain and reversal of beneficial effects on cardiometabolic markers”.

It added: “Regain after [weight management medication] was faster than after [behavioural weight management programmes]. These findings suggest caution in short-term use of these drugs without a more comprehensive approach to weight management.”

GLP-1 drugs utilise active ingredients such as semaglutide, a medication originally developed to manage Type 2 diabetes that is now also prescribed to assist with weight management. Obesity is a chronic and recurring condition that affects nearly two billion adults across the globe and significantly raises the risk of illness and premature death. Researchers from the BMJ noted that weight loss “improves cardiovascular risk factors” and highlighted that a recent trial demonstrated “continuous use of semaglutide over four years reduced major cardiovascular disease events in individuals with existing cardiovascular disease”.

However, the researchers cautioned that the advantages of weight loss on diabetes and other cardiovascular risk factors were diminished by weight being regained once treatment had ceased. They went on to say: “We have shown that weight regain is faster (0.8 kg/month) and a return to baseline weight projected at 1.5 years after cessation of treatment, implying that the benefits on cardiovascular health will probably also attenuate more rapidly.”

Advertisement

They added that because “obesity is a chronic and relapsing condition, prolonged treatment with WMM may be required to sustain the health benefits” and concluded: “WMMs are associated with a reduction in weight and improvements in cardiometabolic health that are attenuated soon after treatment ends, with no evidence of benefit 1.7 years after the cessation of treatment. This evidence cautions against short-term use of WMMs, emphasises the need for further research into cost-effective strategies for long-term weight control, and reinforces the importance of primary prevention.”

The research encompassed studies using “any drug intervention that is currently or has previously been licensed for weight loss, or where there is reason to believe that the drug studied shares a class effect with a currently or previously licensed drug”. Among the various medications examined were semaglutide (used in Ozempic, Wegovy and others), tirzepatide (used in Mounjaro and others), liraglutide (used in Saxenda) and several others, reports the Mirror.

A separate study, published last month by researchers at the University of Cambridge, similarly found that “when individuals stopped taking the medication, they underwent rapid initial weight regain” and noted: “By 52 weeks, individuals had regained 60% of their original weight loss.”

Brajan Budini, a medical student at the School of Clinical Medicine and Trinity College, University of Cambridge, said: “Drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy act like brakes on our appetite, making us feel full sooner, which means we eat less and therefore lose weight. When people stop taking them, they are essentially taking their foot off the brake, and this can lead to rapid weight regain.”

Advertisement

Researchers involved in the second study suggested that the reason some patients do not return to their original weight even a year after stopping the medications is that, by curbing appetite in the first instance, the drugs “may help individuals develop healthier eating habits, such as reduced portion sizes or more nutritionally-balanced meals, and these habits may persist even after treatment is discontinued”.

Steven Luo, also a medical student at the School of Clinical Medicine and Trinity College, said: “When stopping weight loss drugs, doctors and patients should be aware of the potential for weight regain and consider ways to mitigate this risk. It’s important that people are given advice on improving their diet and exercise, rather than relying solely on the drugs, as this may help them maintain good habits when they stop taking them.”

In response to the release of the BMJ report in January, pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, which makes Wegovy and Ozempic, told the BBC: “These findings highlight the chronic nature of obesity and suggest that ongoing treatment is necessary to maintain improvements in weight and overall health for patients, similar to the management of other chronic conditions such as diabetes or hypertension.”

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

US singer D4vd bought chainsaw after allegedly killing teen

Published

on

US singer D4vd bought chainsaw after allegedly killing teen

The filing states prosecutors tracked purchases he’d made online using a fake name in the days after, including two chainsaws, an inflatable blue pool, a body bag and a shovel. They allege he also purchased a “burn cage” and made plans to incinerate evidence, the filing states.

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

May 7 elections in England, Scotland and Wales: What you need to know

Published

on

May 7 elections in England, Scotland and Wales: What you need to know

The 136 local authorities holding elections in England comprise all 32 London boroughs; 48 district councils; 18 unitary authorities, including Hull, Milton Keynes, Portsmouth and Southampton; 32 Metropolitan boroughs, including Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle; and six county councils: East Sussex, Essex, Hampshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and West Sussex.

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Brits warned over hidden insurance gaps costing homeowners

Published

on

Brits warned over hidden insurance gaps costing homeowners

A lot of people remain unclear about what their home insurance really covers.

And if this applies to you, you might want to pay attention.

From sheds and plants to outdoor furniture, many assume these items are automatically protected, but coverage can actually vary significantly depending on the policy.

Advertisement

With that in mind, experts at Tesco Insurance have highlighted what is and isn’t covered by home insurance, and where homeowners could get caught out.



Alex Cross, Chief Customer Officer, said: “Gardens are often the heart of the home, especially during warmer months when people are spending more time and money on their outdoor spaces.

“Despite this, many people only check what their insurance covers after something has gone wrong. 

“That’s why it’s important to understand what your home insurance policy covers upfront, to avoid unexpected costs later on.”

Advertisement

What home insurance may cover in my garden?

What is often covered in your garden with home insurance?

Fixed outdoor structures such as sheds and greenhouses, along with boundary walls, are usually covered by building insurance.

They are typically protected from damage caused by risks such as fire, flooding, or vandalism, although cover can vary between providers.



What is classed as ‘contents’ in your garden, and which items are covered?

Powered tools, including leaf blowers, trimmers and lawnmowers, as well as other tools and equipment stored in sheds or outbuildings, BBQs, bicycles and outdoor furniture, are often included under contents insurance. 

Advertisement

These items may be covered against theft, fire, and damage, subject to policy limits. It’s important to check these limits before taking out a policy, as payouts can be capped.

Are plants in my garden covered? 

Trees, shrubs, plants and lawns that you own and are within the boundary of your home may be covered under contents insurance, depending on the policy.

Cover may apply to loss or damage caused by specific risks, such as storm or flood, but is often limited. 

Other damage caused by disease, theft or lack of maintenance is commonly excluded. Each provider will be different, so it’s important to check your policy details.

Advertisement


Where do gaps commonly occur in your garden with home insurance?

Although many risks can be covered if they occur, understanding gaps can help homeowners avoid unexpected costs and determine whether additional cover is needed. 

Common exclusions can include theft of items left unsecured outside and damage caused by weather that doesn’t meet the insurer’s definition of a storm.

Advertisement

Fences are also commonly excluded from cover for storm or flood damage, while wear and tear or poor maintenance affecting outdoor structures and hedges may also not be covered.

Do you find home insurance useful? Let us know in the comments

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2025