Lewis Hamilton says the new Formula 1 this year is “much more fun” than any other time in his career.
The Ferrari driver said his multi-lap battle with team-mate Charles Leclerc at the previous race in China was “the best battle I’ve had” since his famous duel with former Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg in Bahrain in 2014.
The seven-time champion said: “That’s how racing should be. It should be back and forth, back and forth. It shouldn’t be, like, one move is done and then that’s it.”
Hamilton’s comments come as F1 is locked in a debate about the impact of the new car and engine regulations that were introduced this season.
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The new engines have a 50-50 split between internal combustion and electrical power and are energy starved as a fundamental basis of the rules.
That means teams and drivers are constantly managing energy levels through a lap.
It has led in the first two grands prix of the year to what has become known as “yo-yo racing”, where two or more cars are locked together for several laps as they pass and re-pass because of different energy levels at different parts of the lap.
But it has also created a change to driving in qualifying, where the need to recover electrical energy means the cars are under-powered for parts of the lap and the driving challenge has therefore been reduced.
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Hamilton added that he, too, saw the paradox inherent in the new rules.
On racing, he said: “If you go back to karting, it’s the same thing. People going back and forth, back and forth, you can never break away.
“No one ever has ever referred to go-karting as yo-yo racing. It’s the best form of racing, and Formula 1 has not been the best form of racing in a long, long time.
“Out of all the cars that I’ve driven in 20 years, this is the only car that you can actually follow through high speed and not completely lose everything that you have [in terms of grip], and you can stay behind.”
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But asked why he loved the racing and Max Verstappen did not, Hamilton added: “I don’t know if you can use the word love, I’m just saying that I’m enjoying racing. Naturally when you have a good car and you’re competitive, it’s nice to be at the front.
“Some drivers, I think a lot of drivers, are not enjoying it, but I’m just personally enjoying it. It’s a lighter car, they’re more nimble, they are more fun to drive.
“Do I love the power deployment? Absolutely not, I actually really dislike that. Do I love the straight-line mode? Not particularly.
“But as a whole I think it’s exciting for the sport, in a time where the sport is the highest.”
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The teams agreed at a meeting with governing body the FIA and F1 last week that the issue of driving on the limit in qualifying would be assessed in an attempt to find improvements before the next race in Miami in five weeks’ time.
In that context, the FIA has issued a change to the rules for this weekend’s race in Japan that reduces the total amount of energy that cars can recover in one lap from nine megajoules to eight.
The reasoning is that this will mean the drivers and cars have to do less recovery during a qualifying lap.
Verstappen said: “Going to 8MJs probably helps a tiny bit, but the basics are the same, you know, so you still need to be careful with your throttle inputs.
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“This is the reality that we’re in now and you just have to accept that at the moment. I mean, there’s not much that you can do anyway for this year. I hope that bigger changes will be there for next year.”
There has been concern that the rules could reduce the challenge of Japan’s Suzuka circuit, which is regarded as arguably the most challenging on the calendar.
World champion Lando Norris said: “It’s never ruined. I don’t think you can ever ruin this track. Will it be as spectacular? I don’t think so. It will not be. But it’s still an incredible track to drive.
“There’ll certainly be some places where it just won’t be as spectacular. You’ll start clipping [recovery energy[ into Spoon [Curve]. That’s one of the quickest corners, where you turn in you are going incredibly quick. Like last year, I didn’t even brake into Spoon entry.”
Despite those poor results, Thomas Tuchel’s side are still one of the favourites going into the tournament, having reached back-to-back European Championship finals under previous boss Sir Gareth Southgate.
Cole believes the Three Lions can end their 60-year wait for a World Cup trophy this summer but only if Tuchel, who took charge last year, picks the right team.
Ex-Chelsea manager Tuchel has selection dilemmas in a number of positions, including at centre-back, central midfield and on both wings, with the preliminary squad needing to be submitted by May 11 and the final 26-man squad by May 30.
Cole thinks he has the solution to one of England’s selection debates, however, insisting Palmer should start on the right-wing ahead of Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka.
While Cole has backed Palmer to start for England at the World Cup, he also wants Tuchel to put faith in Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon on the other flank.
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Cole believes Tuchel should overlook Saka but says his Arsenal teammate Declan Rice could be the most important member of England’s squad.
‘Right, this is my England team for the World Cup,’ Cole, who earned 56 international caps, said on The Dressing Room podcast.
‘I’m going Jordan Pickford in goal. Reece James, Marc Guehi, John Stones – I would have liked him to have played more games of football this season but you need experience at the World Cup and he’s massively experienced.
Joe Cole’s England team for the World Cup (Picture: Metro)
‘You always have that fear of him breaking down but maybe it will work because he’s fresh, knows what he’s doing and brings experience.
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‘At left-back I do like Lewis Hall but I’m going with Nico O’Reilly because he gives that penetration going forward.
‘Declan Rice starts in midfield and I’m going to go Elliot Anderson next to him. I would have Declan a bit deeper than where he plays for Arsenal – there’s a big push for him to play further forward but we’ve got so much already going forward.
Chelsea star Cole Palmer in action for England (Picture: Getty)
‘I would tell Declan that he’s the most crucial player on the pitch and he needs to marshal that midfield. If England are going to win the World Cup we’re going to have to be really good off the ball.
‘I would have Jude Bellingham as the No. 10 but if he isn’t performing, you can quite easily make a change there.
‘I would have Cole Palmer coming in from the right like he’s been doing at Chelsea, releasing him up, and almost playing two number tens. A midfield of Rice, Anderson, Bellingham, Palmer has power, ability and goals.
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Who should start for England at right wing?
‘On the left I would start with Anthony Gordon over Marcus Rashford because he scores goals, he’s a warrior and he presses really well and has legs to run in behind and that will help Harry Kane if he’s dropping off sometimes.
‘I think with that team we can control possession and win the World Cup.’
Group games against Ghana and Panama follow as Tuchel’s side look to advance to the knockout stages and ultimately win the World Cup for the first time since 1966.
The new flats could be built near a Cambridgeshire train station
14:39, 10 May 2026Updated 14:42, 10 May 2026
A building could be demolished to make way for over 20 new flats in a Cambridgeshire village. GCR Camprop Fifteen Ltd has proposed to knock down a building at 29 Station Road in Shepreth to make way for 25 new flats.
If approved, the flats will be a mix of studio and one-bedded flats. The building which could be demolished is two storeys high and is used as an employment space.
The site is also close to Shepreth Railway station, and has easy access to Cambridge and Royston via the A10. On the flats design, the applicant said the designs are “appropriate”.
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They added: “It represents an enhancement on the existing building. It would address Station Road in a positive manner.”
There are several mature trees to the front of the building, as well as mature hedging. The applicant said this will keep the flats “well-shielded and enclosed”.
The proposals are not believed to have any detrimental effect on local highways, and there is no risk of the site flooding. The applicant has also recently submitted plans to build 32 flats at the same site.
However, instead of demolishing a building, it is for a change of use of an office building to make way for the flats. If approved, these flats will also be a mix of studios and one-bedded flats.
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In that application, the flats were described to be a “highly suitable location”, with the site being so close to a railway station.
Anyone who watches football regularly probably thinks the grappling we see at corners and set-plays has gone too far this season.
I think most people are up for punishing it more, because there does seem to be too many occasions where players get away with it.
For Callum Wilson’s 95th-minute goal to be disallowed by the video assistant referee (VAR) because of exactly that kind of foul was ironic in many ways, because we’ve seen Mikel Arteta’s side do that type of thing, unpunished, so often.
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So, I know why only seeing the officials act now will frustrate a lot of people because it is Arsenal who have benefited, but in isolation it is the right decision.
David Raya was being prevented from lifting his arm upwards by Pablo, and he was also having his shirt pulled from behind by Jean-Clair Todibo to stop him getting off the ground.
In a way there were two fouls there, so although it was a brilliant finish from Wilson and also the kind of dramatic moment that all neutral fans love, the reality is that, fair’s fair, that is a foul – whoever you support and wherever your allegiance lies.
It was the right decision, and it also wasn’t the only reason that Arsenal won that game.
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They got a bit of luck along the way, and there were also some big moments with Raya’s save from Mateus Fernandes and Gabriel’s block from Wilson, which led to that controversial corner, but the most credit has to go to Arteta.
The life of any manager is that you don’t always get your decisions right.
But the mark of a good manager is if you try something and it’s not working, then you take some risks – change it up and do something else.
Arteta did that. Three times against West Ham he made a decision with his substitutes and only the last changes he made came off, but that was what won him the game.
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His boldness, combined with Arsenal‘s formidable squad strength that we have spoken about many times in the past few months, meant they could take another big step towards the Premier League title.
Almost every paper leads on the future of Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership, following a disastrous result for the Labour party at local elections. The Guardian’s headline reads: “Labour leadership rivals circle as Starmer tries to cling to power”. It reports that approximately 40 Labour MPs have called for the prime minister to set a date to step down, as leadership rivals begin to position themselves for a contest. Actors Stephen Graham and Owen Cooper are pictured standing arm in arm on the paper’s front page, after a historic win for their Netflix drama Adolescence at the Bafta Television Awards.
Rangers were beaten 3-1 by Celtic in the Old Firm derby at Parkhead as Daizen Maeda scored twice for the Hoops
Under-pressure Rangers manager Danny Rohl insists he merits another opportunity to challenge for silverware next season.
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The Ibrox chief is facing scrutiny following a costly Old Firm derby loss to Celtic at Parkhead.
His team suffered their third consecutive post-split Premiership defeat, leaving them in third position in the standings.
Despite taking the lead against the Hoops through Mikey Moore’s early goal, Rangers crumbled.
A strike from Yang and a devastating brace from Daizen Maeda sealed a 3-1 triumph for Martin O’Neill’s side, reports the Daily Record.
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Rohl had earned plaudits for reviving Gers’ title ambitions following his October appointment.
However, when it mattered most, his squad has fallen short once more and even failed to secure a Champions League qualifying berth.
Rohl acknowledges the recent performances haven’t met expectations after disappointing losses to Motherwell, Hearts and Celtic over the past two weeks.
Nevertheless, the German remains convinced he warrants the opportunity to rectify matters next campaign.
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He said: “I never underestimated the job here. This is a huge club, an ambitious club, with a lot of power.
“Two weeks ago we were confident and looking forward to the split.
“But we have made mistakes which we have repeated.
“I deserve confidence to go forward and lead this group and lead the club in the future and bring titles.
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“In football, when you want to be the best and win titles, no defeat helps.
“But I have until now had a lot of great moments with the club.
“And I am convinced I will have more moments in the future.
“I’m honest, it’s a tough one. You come with a lot of confidence to a point. You’re prepared and ambitious for the split.
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“Then you lose the first game, the second and finally you lose all three.
“It’s not enough for what we want or where we want to go.”
Rangers found themselves outplayed in the derby despite taking an early lead.
However, they believed they had legitimate grievances over Yang’s leveller, with goalkeeper Jack Butland claiming for offside as Benjamin Nygren stood in front of him.
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Earlier in the opening period, Moore was furious about a challenge from defender Alistair Johnston, which could have merited more than a caution but was given the all-clear by VAR.
Following the match, Rohl stopped short of criticising referee Nick Walsh or the match officials but suggested his side had been unfortunate.
He said: “You know me well after seven months.
“I am not a guy to make excuses for some decisions.
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“But from what I’ve heard so far, maybe there was an offside situation because they had someone in front of our goalkeeper.
“The foul (by Johnston) on the pitch felt really aggressive.
“I have not seen it again but other people have made the decision and we cannot change it now.
“Maybe if I watch it back, and it should not be a goal – and it should be a red card – then hopefully someone will take responsibility for it.”
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Keir Starmer is set to defy his critics in the Labour Party and claim he is the one best placed to “face up to the big challenges for this country” as he delivers a career defining speech to save his premiership on Monday morning.
The prime minister’s speech comes after a dramatic ultimatum by former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner who warned his government takes a hard turn to the left if he wants to stay in Downing Street.
With speculation mounting that she is ready to launch a leadership challenge, the former deputy prime minister warned Sir Keir: “What we are doing isn’t working, and it needs to change. This may be our last chance.”
It comes as Labour MPs believe that former junior minister Catherine West is closing in on the 81 parliamentarians she would need to launch a stalking horse leadership challenge.
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Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has been warned that he is going to have to make the speech of his life (Maja Smiejkowska/PA) (PA Wire)
With leadership rivals circling, health secretary Wes Streeting is also believed to be ready to launch a bid with MPs also eyeing campaigns from energy secretary Ed Miliband and defence minister Al Carns.
But in a defiant speech in central London, Sir Keir will use undoing Brexit as the centrepiece of a last desperate reset to save his premiership.
The speech comes against a backdrop of historically bad election results last week with more than 40 Labour MPs now publicly calling for him to quit and many more privately saying he cannot lead them into the next election.
The besieged prime minister will concede that “incremental change won’t cut it” as he vows that “we will face up to the big challenges” the country faces.
He will admit: “On growth, defence, Europe, energy – we need a bigger response than we anticipated in 2024 because these are not ordinary times.
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Angela Rayner has issued an ultimatum to Starmer, calling for him to pursue a new direction for the party (PA)
“Strength through fairness. It’s a core Labour argument. And you will see those values writ large in the King’s Speech. And you will see hope, urgency and exactly whose side we are on.”
He will add: “People need hope. We will face up to the big challenges and we will make the big arguments.
“The Labour case that only Labour values and Labour policies can ensure our country not only weathers these storms but emerges stronger and fairer.”
Addressing fears about Nigel Farage becoming prime minister if he stays on as Labour leader, he will go on to say that Mr Farage and the Conservatives are “defined by breaking our relationship with Europe”.
He will add: “This Labour government will be defined by rebuilding our relationship and by putting Britain at the heart of Europe. So that we are stronger on the economy, on trade, on defence, you name it.
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“Because standing shoulder to shoulder with the countries that most share our interests, our values and our enemies, that is the right choice for Britain, that is the Labour choice.”
But his prospects may depend on him persuading Labour MPs to give him one last chance.
While Ms West has not formally asked for nominations yet and made it clear she will wait to hear the prime minister’s make or break speech, it is understood that already around 70 of her colleagues are willing to back her to ensure there is a contest.
Labour MP Catherine West has threatened to launch a leadership bid (Jeff Overs/BBC/PA) (PA Media)
Former home secretary Lord David Blunkett warned on Times Radio: “I think either Keir pulls out the stops and there’s a massive transformation in how we relate to the public. Or he and [his wife] Victoria will have to talk about the best way of doing it in a seemly fashion and someone else will take over. The jury’s well and truly out.”
MPs have reacted with outrage over Sir Keir giving an interview over the weekend suggesting that he wants to be prime minister for a decade.
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Meanwhile, Sharon Graham, the general secretary of Unite the union, warned: “The Labour Party is in danger of going extinct.”
In her ultimatum to the prime minister, Ms Rayner warned: “We are in danger of becoming a party of the well-off, not working people.”
And in a barbed attack on the prime minister, she said: “The Peter Mandelson scandal showed a toxic culture of cronyism. Decisions like cutting winter fuel allowance just weren’t what people expected from a Labour government.”
Laying out a left-wing agenda, she called for more interventions in cutting household bills, increased planning reforms, more community ownership and taking private companies into public ownership.
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She criticised Sir Keir for blocking Andy Burnham from returning to parliament and, in an implied threat to the leadership, added: “The prime minister must now meet the moment and set out the change our country needs.”
The fallout from last week’s catastrophic results for Labour which saw them largely wiped out in Wales, getting their worst result in Scotland and losing 1,500 council seats in England, has fuelled fears on the left of the party that Mr Streeting is planning a coronation to replace Sir Keir.
Wes Streeting is also believed to be ready to launch a bid for leadership (PA)
A source close to Mr Streeting denied he had told Sir Keir he is ready to be prime minister but confirmed that having failed to endorse the prime minister on Friday, the health secretary is not planning on any further interventions until Thursday when new NHS data is set to be published.
Meanwhile, one member of the 2024 intake of Labour MPs confirmed that a leadership team is being put together for Mr Carns.
They said: “Why are we turning once again to the same familiar faces to solve problems they were involved in creating? If we want to demonstrate genuine change to the public, we need a fresh face leading that change. Members of the 2024 intake are still hopeful of persuading Al Carns to stand should there be a contest, and support for that view appears to be growing.”
Recap: Former minister says Starmer has ‘lost the country’
A former minister and Starmer ally added his voice to the Labour MPs calling for the prime minister to resign.
Josh Simons, who was as Cabinet Office minister until a few weeks ago, declared Sir Keir has “lost the country” as he called on him to set out a timetable for his departure from No 10.
“This is bigger than any one person. All of us must be honest about these challenges, including those vying to replace the prime minister. We need radicalism, energy, and immense courage,” he wrote in the Sunday Times.
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“Putting the people I represent and the country I love first, I do not believe the prime minister can rise to this moment. He has lost the country. He should take control of the situation by overseeing an orderly transition to a new prime minister.”
Mr Simons was forced to resign in March amid a probe into claims a Labour think tank he once ran paid for an investigation to “smear” journalists.
Amy-Clare Martin11 May 2026 00:30
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Watch: Catherine West calls on Bridget Phillipson directly to challenge Starmer
Catherine West calls on Phillipson directly to challenge Starmer
Amy-Clare Martin10 May 2026 23:30
Full story: Defiant Starmer to pledge sweeping changes as Rayner issues ‘last chance’ ultimatum
Keir Starmer is set to defy his critics in the Labour Party and claim he is the one best placed to “face up to the big challenges for this country” as he delivers a career defining speech to save his premiership on Monday morning.
The prime minister’s speech comes after a dramatic ultimatum by former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner who warned his government takes a hard turn to the left if he wants to stay in Downing Street.
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With speculation mounting that she is ready to launch a leadership challenge, the former deputy prime minister warned Sir Keir: “What we are doing isn’t working, and it needs to change. This may be our last chance.”
It comes as Labour MPs believe that former junior minister Catherine West is closing in on the 81 parliamentarians she would need to launch a stalking horse leadership challenge.
David Maddox10 May 2026 22:34
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Starmer to promise ‘strength through fairness’ as he battles to keep job
Sir Keir Starmer will deliver a speech on Monday as he fights for his political future (Reuters)
Sir Keir Starmer will promise sweeping changes to address the “big challenges” confronting the UK as he battles to save his job.
The prime minister insists his plan will demonstrate “hope, urgency and exactly whose side we are on” after Labour’s disastrous election results in England, Scotland and Wales put his position in peril.
The speech on Monday marks the start of a crunch week for his premiership.
Labour MPs will be encouraged to endorse a leadership challenge if he fails to convince them he can pull the party out of a slump which has seen votes and seats flow to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK and Zack Polanski’s Green Party.
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On Wednesday, the King’s Speech will set out his Government’s priorities for new laws in Parliament.
The prime minister will say: “To meet the challenges that our country faces, incremental change won’t cut it.
“On growth, defence, Europe, energy – we need a bigger response than we anticipated in 2024 because these are not ordinary times.
“Strength through fairness. It’s a core Labour argument. And you will see those values writ large in the King’s Speech. And you will see hope, urgency and exactly whose side we are on.”
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Dan Haygarth10 May 2026 22:30
What happens if Catherine West pulls the trigger on a leadership challenge?
The Independent’s Athena Stavrou reports:
Labour MP Catherine West has told the cabinet that if they do not put someone forward to challenge Sir Keir by Monday, she will attempt to trigger a leadership contest herself.
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Here is a look at how a potential Labour leadership contest could play out:
There is no formal confidence vote procedure to oust a Labour leader, which means challengers need to garner the support of the parliamentary party in order to oust them.
Any challenger would require the support 20 per cent of the party in the Commons, which is 81 MPs currently.
Ms West has pledged to launch a challenge with the backing of 10 MPs so far. This falls well short of the nominations required, but more would be likely to back her as a means to oust Sir Keir. However, her move is intended to spur a potential leadership hopeful from the Cabinet into action.
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Written nominations would need to be submitted to Labour general secretary Hollie Ridley, which would then trigger the contest.
In the case of a successful challenge, Sir Keir would be on the ballot by default as the incumbent and would not need to gather nominations. But if Sir Keir were to resign, it would automatically start a contest for a new leader.
It is up to the Labour Party’s National Executive Committee to set the timeline for a leadership election.
Amy-Clare Martin10 May 2026 21:30
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Comment: Labour is betraying its voters – and that’s why Keir needs to go
In 40 years of campaigning, I have never known a Labour leader’s name come up on the doorstep in the way the prime minster’s did at these elections – the damage he is doing to our special party is unforgivable, says Labour MP Kate Osborne:
Amy-Clare Martin10 May 2026 20:30
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Leading trade union calls for commission into electoral reform
A leading Labour-affiliated trade union has called for an independent commission into electoral reform amid support for proportional representation at elections.
The annual conference of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) agreed a motion rejecting the first past the post system (FPTP).
Supporters of electoral reform said the decision by delegates at the conference in Bournemouth marked a “historic shift” for the union, which becomes the eighth Labour-affiliated union to make electoral reform its official policy.
The motion said first past the post was producing unrepresentative results and was at crisis point.
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Ed Baldwin, a CWU regional political officer, told delegates: “First past the post no longer reflects those we represent and is producing results that do not match the will of the people.
“The Labour Government has already accepted it is broken by scrapping it for mayoral elections. If it distorts democracy there, then it distorts democracy at Westminster too.”
Amy-Clare Martin10 May 2026 19:40
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Reform accused of failing to condemn ‘clear racism’ after councillor’s ‘Nigerians should fill pot holes’ remark
Reform UK is facing intense scrutiny and accusations of failing to “call out clear racism” after its deputy leader declined to explicitly condemn remarks reportedly made by a newly elected councillor.
Glenn Gibbins, who was elected as a Reform councillor in Sunderland in this week’s local elections, posted on social media in 2024, complaining about the “amount of Nigerians in town”.
“Should melt them all down and fill in the pot holes!!” he wrote in a later-deleted post, according to campaign group Hope Not Hate.
Reform deputy leader Richard Tice refused to directly criticise Mr Gibbins on Sunday, instead accusing the media of “smearing” Nigel Farage’s party.
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Amy-Clare Martin10 May 2026 19:10
Reform ‘did not do as well as I feared’ in Holyrood election, Sturgeon says
More politicians need to “say it like it is” to try to combat the rise of Nigel Farage and Reform, Nicola Sturgeon has said.
The former SNP leader said that Reform – who are now the joint second largest party in the Scottish Parliament with 17 MSPs – had not done as well in the Holyrood election as she had “feared” they might.
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Speaking about the party, led in Scotland by Lord Malcolm Offord, Ms Sturgeon said: “They did not perform as strongly as many people, including me, feared they would on Thursday.”
However she added her “fear” is that the new group of Reform MSPs could be will “try to undermine” the Scottish Parliament and “try to be disruptive and just drag politics down”.
The former SNP leader, speaking at the Boswell Book Festival, also criticised the “inability of many politicians” on what is “broadly the left of politics” to answer “straightforward questions in a straightforward way”.
Nicola Sturgeon has told how Nigel Farage’s Reform UK did not do as well as she had ‘feared’ they would in last week’s Holyrood election (Local Library)
Amy-Clare Martin10 May 2026 18:40
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Watch: Labour ‘in danger of going extinct,’ Unite boss warns
Labour ‘in danger of going extinct,’ Unite boss warns
Lucy Staniforth-Grainge, 40, was rushed to hospital after falling seriously ill during the final days of her honeymoon with husband Ian, 41, in early May.
The newlyweds, who married in February, had initially travelled to Turkey for what was meant to be a “trip of a lifetime”.
Ian and Lucy at their February wedding (Image: FAMILY)
But Lucy fell ill during the penultimate day of the trip.
Her condition rapidly deteriorated, and she was admitted to intensive care with breathing complications, leaving Ian fearing he could lose his new wife.
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Now, in a positive development, Lucy’s mother-in-law, Sue Todd, has confirmed she is recovering.
“The good news is that Lucy is now out of intensive care and is doing well,” Sue said.
Ian Staniforth 41, and Lucy Staniforth-Grainge, 40 (Image: FAMILY)
“We are all incredibly relieved and grateful for the care she has received.”
However, despite the improvement in her condition, the couple are now facing fresh challenges that mean they are unable to return home to the UK.
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“The hospital is ready to discharge Lucy, but at the moment they are effectively stuck in Turkey while everything is being sorted out,” Sue added.
Complications have arisen with the couple’s travel insurance, which the family had hoped would cover the mounting costs of treatment and extended stays abroad.
“Ian and Lucy genuinely believed that everything had been declared correctly when taking out their policy,” Sue said.
Ian and Lucy dancing at their wedding in February (Image: FAMILY)
“But a doctor has identified a medical issue that Lucy herself was unaware of, and this may now affect the insurance payout.”
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The uncertainty has left the couple facing escalating expenses, including hospital treatment, accommodation, and rearranged travel.
“Because of this, I have had to increase the fundraising target to £10,000,” she said.
“I know times are hard for many people, but if anyone can donate or continue sharing the fundraiser, it would mean the world to our family.”
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She added: “Right now, we just want to get Ian and Lucy safely home.”
The appeal has already received an outpouring of support from the local community and beyond, and has managed to raise over £2700.
“Thank you so much to everyone who has donated, shared the fundraiser, sent messages, and supported Ian and Lucy over the last few days,” Sue said.
“The kindness people have shown has honestly been overwhelming.”
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Lucy, who is well known in Darlington and a dedicated supporter of Darlington FC, continues to recover as her family works to resolve the situation and bring the couple back to the UK.
Cheryl Holland was in the passenger seat of the car with her husband, Burt, driving, earlier this evening (May 10), when she says she saw the scary sight.
The couple were on their way home from Preston and were approaching Rivington Services on the M61 southbound.
Cheryl says it was there that she saw a ‘young boy’ pushing his ‘little bike’ up the grass verge at the side of the motorway.
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Describing the moment she saw the boy, Mr Holland said: “We watch out for deer along that section, because we know they can jump out.
“And the wife says, ‘there’s a little lad’, and I look across, and there he is, a little lad.
“He’s on the grass verge of the other side of the hard shoulder, pushing his little pushbike up towards the Rivington Services.
The annual award show took a pause to remember the stars who have died during the past 12 months
The Bafta TV Awards viewers called out a beloved late star who was missing from the ceremony’s in memoriam segment.
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A host of stars attended this year’s ceremony, which was held at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in London. On presenting duties for the evening was Greg Davies, best known for presenting Taskmaster and appearing in The Inbetweeners.
As is usual with the ceremony, which was dominated by the Netflix series Adolescence, a portion of the programme was dedicated to the stars who lost their lives over the past 12 months.
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Norwegian singer-songwriter AURORA performed a beautiful rendition of Through the Eyes of a Child, from Adolescence, as pictures and clips of the stars who had died were displayed. Among those featured through pictures was Rivals author Jilly Cooper, Only Fools and Horses’ Patrick Murray, Kim Woodbourne, Ozzy Osbourne and EastEnders legend Derek Martin.
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It wasn’t just UK stars who were honoured, with Grey’s Anatomy’s Eric Dane, Dawson’s James Van Der Beeke and The Cosby Show’s Malcolm-Jamal Warner all featured. Also shown was Married at First Sight Australia’s Mel Schilling.
Those who received video clips of their work were Fawlty Towers’ Prunella Scales, Top Gear’s Quentin Willson, Wycliffe’s Jack Shepherd, ITN News’ Sandy Gall, the BBC’s Alan Yentob and Keeping Up Appearances’ Patrica Routledge.
One star who was not shown at all was Home Alone’s Catherine O’Hara, in spite of her series The Studio winning Best International series moments before the in memoriam. Her co-star Seth Rogen paid tribute to her during his acceptance speech.
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He said: “I’d be remiss not to mention one of the key parts of this show, Catherine O’Hara. She meant so much to all of us. I assume her work was as important to you all over here as it was to us. So this is for Catherine. Thank you all very, very much.”
Those watching the Baftas at home rushed to X, previously known as Twitter, to have their say on why they were annoyed by the screen icon’s omission from the poignant segment.
@cj_787 said: “Catherine O’Hara not featured on the celebs who have passed away segment?” @rosekdl9 added: “Did I miss the tribute to Catherine O’Hara in that segment.”
@JulesItsjules wrote: “Where was the legend Catherine O’Hara in the tributes? They always do this. Miss someone out. #BAFTA.”
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@PoshKathryn commented: “What the actual F! How do you not include Catherine O’Hara in the memorial section? And while I’m on a rant, a nod to Ted from Gone Fishing wouldn’t have gone amiss either! #baftas.”
Some people have pointed out that the reason Catherine wasn’t featured due to her being show during the Bafta Film Awards earlier in the year.
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