By HARRY BAMFORTH, LIVE SPORTS COVERAGE REPORTER

Updated: 20:46 BST, 4 September 2026

Tributes have poured in for 12-year-old Eoin Doyle, who died after the collision on Thursday evening

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Tributes have been paid to a 12-year-old boy who has tragically died after a train crashed into a car in Ireland.

Eoin Doyle, who died after the collision on Thursday evening in Mayo has been pictured for the first time.

The incident happened shortly after 8:45 pm on Thursday at a level crossing in Kiltybo, near Ballyhaunis, and involved the 6:15pm service from Heuston Station to Westport, reports Irish Mirror.

Emergency services raced to the location, but tragically, Eoin died at the scene.

A man in his late 40s was rushed to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. No passengers on the train were injured and a full investigation has been launched by Gardai.

Tributes have since poured in for the young boy following the tragic collision.

His death notice read: “The death has occurred of Eoin Doyle, Gurrane, Ballyhaunis- tragically following an accident on 3rd September 2026.

“Deeply regretted by his heartbroken parents Declan & Elaine (née Corcoran) and his twin sister Saoirse, step-brother Conor, grandparents Pat & Marguerite Doyle and Ger & Mary Corcoran, uncles, aunts, cousins, relatives & friends.”

His funeral will take place on Tuesday at St. Patrick’s Church in Cloonfad before his buried in Ballyhaunis Cemetery.

His club Ballyhaunis GAA Club said: “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our young club member, Eoin Doyle.

“Eoin was a much loved member of our underage teams, a talented young footballer and, above all, a wonderful young boy who was a great friend and teammate to so many within our club.”

Aontú deputy and Mayo TD Paul Lawless said his thoughts are with the family of the young boy and said a review of safety is needed for small rural crossings.

The Mayo TD also revealed Eoin recently had the “joy of seeing the Sam Maguire” following their win over Kerry in July.

Deputy Lawless, who lives in the locality, said the whole community has been shocked and deeply saddened by the loss.

He said: “We have yet to hear the details, but it would seem to be a horrible freak accident.

“I can’t recall such a fatal crash on a rail line ever happening here before. It is very rare in Ireland.

“It is heartbreaking to think this lad was at the start of his young life, coming home from training and with everything ahead of him.

“I believe he had only recently had the joy of seeing the Sam Maguire when Mayo captain Jack Coyne brought it to Ballyhaunis GAA club.

“To think his life was snatched away in such a tragic way is horrifying. We are all thinking of his family and his father who is in hospital after the accident.

“This crossing is only around the corner from me and I know it well. In general, these are very rural and are not automated and can be little more than traffic lights with gates that users open and shut and can be confusing, for example, for motorists who may not be familiar with it.

“In the aftermath of this particular incident, we will have to ensure that there are adequate safety measures and warning systems in place at such rural level crossings.

“There will have to be a full review of such safeguards and an investigation to establish what happened.”

The line was closed overnight and for the majority of Friday while Gardai conducted a technical examination of the scene. It reopened shortly after 4pm.

It comes as Irish Rail Chief Executive Mary Considine said: “On behalf of Iarnród Éireann.

“I wish to express our sincerest sympathies to the family of the young boy who tragically lost his life in Ballyhaunis last night. Incidents like these are extremely difficult for all involved.

“I would also like to convey my sincere appreciation to all those who responded with such professionalism and care at the scene, both the emergency services, An Garda Síochána and our own staff.

“A full investigation into the incident is underway and further details will become clear as the investigation continues.

“We appreciate the understanding and cooperation of our customers at this time.

“Our thoughts remain with the family, friends and wider community in Ballyhaunis and with everyone affected by this tragic incident.”

In a statement, Gardai said they “are appealing for information following a fatal traffic collision that occurred in Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo, on Thursday, 3rd September 2026.

“Shortly after 8:45pm, Gardaí and emergency services responded to reports of a collision involving a train and a car at a level crossing in Kiltybo near Ballyhaunis.

“A passenger in the car, a 12-year-old boy, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the car, a male in his late 40s, was taken from the scene by ambulance for hospital treatment. His injuries are not life-threatening.

“All passengers on the train safely disembarked and onward transport was arranged.”

They added: “The Coroner has been notified and the deceased has been removed to the mortuary at Mayo University Hospital where a post-mortem examination will be arranged.

“Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to this incident to come forward.

“Road users and pedestrians with camera footage (including dash-cam) who were in the area of Kiltybo, Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo, on Thursday 3rd September 2026 between 8.15pm and 9.15pm are asked to make this footage available to investigating Gardaí.

“Anyone with any information is asked to contact Ballina Garda Station on (096) 20560, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.”

Corrie fans were left feeling emotional after getting what they called ‘crumbs’ of one of Weatherfield’s most popular couples, Lisa and Carla Connor-Swain

Coronation Street fans were left feeling emotional after getting what they called ‘crumbs’ of one of Weatherfield’s most popular couples after they were seen celebrating a major anniversary.

As fans of the ITV soap, which is filmed in Salford, know, Lisa Swain and Carla Connor finally tied the knot back in April, and it was a long time coming for those who follow the long-running show.

The nuptials followed a turbulent time for the two women, which included the return of Lisa’s ex-wife, Becky Swain, shortly after Lisa and Carla got engaged and moved into their first home, No.6 Coronation Street.

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After Becky nearly tore the pair apart, Lisa and Carla were reunited, and with the latter was seen excitedly booking her and Lisa’s big day, which then took place during the Corrie episode which aired on April 23.

There was almost a hitch, as at first, the nuptials appeared to be off due to a flood, caused by Carl Webster, at the Chariot Square Hotel. But after some words of encouragement from Ryan Connor, Lisa formed a plan, with the wedding eventually going ahead, and the big day made Corrie history, as it’s the first time two women have successfully tied the knot in Weatherfield.

On Thursday (September 3), Corrie fans were seen marking a year since the An Officer and a Gentleman-inspired engagement took place, but some admitted their disappointment that the couple, now Lisa and Carla Connor-Swain, didn’t feature in the episode of the long-running show which aired on the same day.

But it was in Friday’s (September 4) episode of Corrie that fans of the couple, dubbed ‘Swarla’, got a glimpse of the wives – sort of. DC Kit Green was seen in their office at Weatherfield Police Station, and while DS Connor-Swain wasn’t around, those watching did get a glimpse of her desk, and spotted some new pictures from her and Carla’s big day had made an appearance, much to their delight.

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@AllAbout_Swarla said: “Lisa has pictures of her whole family on her desk now. The fact that she framed her wedding photos and added a family picture too… I’m crying #Swarla #Corrie.” @MargheritAxen commented: “LISA CONNOR SWAIN. Not only the wedding photos but also the one with Ryan and Betsy on the sofa. She really wanted this family with Carla very much!! #Swarla.”

@carlaconnorsgf commented: “Sobbing at lisa framing the wedding pictures on her work desk and adding a family one as well.” @editedbysoph posted: “Soooo let’s discuss the crumbs…the family photo is from the same photo day as the one in the house. Is it Ryan and Betsy on the couch and #swarla behind them? Have we seen it before?”

@TVMusings26 noted: “The wedding photos have hit DS CONNOR-SWAIN’S desk!!!! And the core four family photo! #Corrie.” @Larafk83 added: “Oh this warms my heart – we may not have had Swarla today but we got pictures on Lisa’s desk at work. 2 of them on their wedding day and a family picture of the 4 them as well. They are a family! #Swarla #Family #Coronationstreet.”

The police have warned people to “avoid the area”

A “serious” crash has closed a Cambridgeshire road and left a woman with serious injuries. Cambridgeshire Police has warned that Eastrea Road in Whittlesey is expected to stay closed for a “number of hours” after a crash on Friday (September 4).

A force spokesperson said: “We were called at 1.59pm to reports of a collision between two vehicles on the A605 at Whittlesey. The road is currently closed between the B1093 at Inham’s Road and Coronation Avenue.

“One woman has suffered suspected life-changing injuries. Anyone with any information is urged to contact police online or call 101 quoting incident 324 of today.”

In a social media post, a police spokesperson said: “The road will be closed for a number of hours. Please avoid the area.”

Traffic monitoring site Inrix reports that traffic is slow along the road. It said: “A605 Eastrea Road in both directions closed, slow traffic due to multi-vehicle accident from B1093 Cemetery Road to Coronation Avenue.”

Emergency services have been contacted for more information.

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In his speech, which was light on new policy announcements, Farage said the country needed a government “that actually delivers on its promises” and “we’re the only people capable of doing it”.

He argued the Tories “had 14 years in power and failed absolutely miserably”, while Labour’s new Prime Minister Andy Burnham “says he needs 10 years”, a reference to the PM’s promise to set out a 10-year plan for the country later this year.

If Reform wins the next general election, Farage pledged to sack ministers who fail to deliver on their promises in their first 100 days in the job “and replace them with somebody else with the courage to do it”.

Setting out his plans to call a “national emergency” if Reform wins power, Farage said: “Parliament will sit, if necessary, for 24 hours a day, for six days a week until we pass the necessary legislation.”

He said he expected the House of Lords to “honour” Reform’s policy pledges but if they refused to do so threatened to appoint hundreds of new peers so the party had a majority in the upper chamber.

“And if that proves difficult, we will hold a referendum on the current composition of the House of Lords, and they would be swept away by a British public appalled by them,” he added.

Identifying the judiciary as another possible “obstacle”, Farage promised to remove the ability of judges to rely on conventions like the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR), which critics blame for hindering some deportations.

“We don’t want the courts striking down, do we, the will of the people,” he said.

“Parliament makes the law, judges interpret the law. We will do whatever it takes, and perhaps have to consider how judicial appointments work in the future.”

Meanwhile, he said civil servants who “try to obstruct us” would be removed from their posts and replaced by people from the world of business.

“I’m tired of being told what can’t be done,” the Reform leader added.

“That is not what the public want. The public want action, the public want genuine change, the public do not want any more of the same. And our attitude is can do, and will do.”

Predicting that Burnham would call an early general election in spring 2027, Farage attempted to use his speech to convince the public Reform was ready to govern.

Stressing he now had a team of spokespeople with “frontline experience”, he said the party was planning to broaden its expertise.

“There are more big jobs to fill, and I’m looking and working on defence, health, and the other areas,” he added.

In his speech, Farage also hailed a “historic agreement” on small boat returns, signed earlier between Reform and France’s hard-right National Rally party.

The deal sets out how a Reform government would intercept boats in the English Channel and return them to France using the Navy, with France “ordinarily” accepting those on board.

It was signed by the National Rally President Jordan Bardella, whose party is currently leading in opinion polls ahead of French presidential elections in April next year, after he gave a speech to the main conference hall.

Farage took to the stage after a long delay, which he told delegates was due to a “security alert”.

He took the opportunity to walk through the crowd and greet delegates during the delay.

His speech was also interrupted several times by protesters, including two women who held up a banner reading “Reform works for billionaires”.

They were booed by audience members who shouted “out”, as they were removed by security.

Farage laughed off the disruption, chanting “boring, boring, boring”.

Reform is no longer consistently topping national opinion polls, after more than a year of enjoying a comfortable lead.

Meanwhile, Labour’s ratings have risen since Burnham entered Downing Street, and Reform has lost some support to Restore Britain, the new right-wing party founded by former Reform MP Rupert Lowe.

An eight-year-old girl had to be rushed to hospital after a family trip to the beach left her infected with a dangerous bacterium.

Keeva Hollow was swimming with her twin sister at Dorset’s Avon Beach when she was hit by a wave and swallowed seawater.

The next day she was lethargic, with a high temperature and no appetite, and her mum realised something was wrong.

Her mum, Aisling McCarthy said: ‘She used to swim all the time, a real water baby. But now I can’t see her ever going in the sea again; she is so scared of becoming sick again.’

Aisling had taken Keeva and her twin sister Cornelia to Avon Beach on August 3 when a wave hit Keeva and she began sputtering.

‘She came out and said she had swallowed a lot of water. Cornelia had not at all, and I didn’t worry too much at the time,’ she said.

‘But the next morning Keeva would not eat her breakfast. We were going to London, and she slept the whole journey. Her temperature was going up, and she just was not herself.’

After taking Keeva to an out-of-hours doctor, they took a urine sample and found there was blood in Keeva’s stool.

‘I had seen a documentary about sewage pollution in water, and I realised that Keeva’s symptoms were similar to those of a girl who died from polluted seawater. I told the doctor I was taking her to A&E and rushed there,’ she said.

‘Keeva was put on a drip while tests were carried out. She was so ill by then; she had deteriorated so quickly it was frightening.’

Keeva spent two days in hospital, where she was diagnosed with a Campylobacter infection.

Aisling said: ‘The hospital said it can be food poisoning as well but Keeva does not eat meat which is one of the main sources of that bacteria.

‘Her illness happened straight after the sea-swallowing incident at Avon Beach, and Cornelia has not been ill at all. I have a very clear memory of that moment when the wave hit Keeva, seeing her spluttering from swallowing the water. I am convinced that was what caused her to become so ill.’

Aisling says Keeva is still not back to full health, adding: ‘She was always a very sporty girl but she now gets out of breath quickly. She used to keep up with me on a 5km run, but now she struggles to do 1km.

‘She has lost a ton of weight, and her clothes are hanging off her. But the saddest thing is her fear of going into the sea.’

Aisling contacted Wessex Water, which manages wastewater and environmental protection for the River Stour, notifying them about Keeva and asking for any information on recent sewage leakages. But she has not received a reply yet.

BCP Council sent a letter to Aisling, having been notified by the hospital of Keeva’s infection, but the letter was focused on food poisoning, Aisling said.

‘I replied saying I believed it was seawater, not food, but they claimed they had had no other reports of people becoming ill from swimming in the sea,’ she said.

‘I was shocked by their attitude because surely, as a huge tourism area due to its beautiful beaches, BCP should be concerned about what has happened to Keeva. But they don’t appear to be.’

Recent tests of the River Stour, which flows into the sea at Christchurch, showed ‘extremely unsafe’ levels of E. coli.

Martin Stewart, managing director of Stewarts Garden Centres and chair of the Christchurch Harbour & Marine Society, said testing on August 19 showed E.coli levels of 300,000 – the safe bathing level is 1,000.

He also found several other concerning levels of bacteria in his samples.
Aisling says her family’s idyllic life of living by the ocean has now been shattered.

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A gym group has caused outrage after using protected rocks as workout equipment.

Over the Bank Holiday weekend, the group exercised at Stanton Moor in the Derbyshire Peak District, sparking calls to respect local heritage sites.

The individuals were seen using rocks next to the Nine Ladies Stone Circle as part of their outdoor activity, leading to historians and the Nine Ladies Action Group blasting them for being ‘disrespectful’.

Chairperson Aimee Blease-Bourne described the incident as ‘crazy’, questioning whether the group wanted to use the rocks for social media props.

‘It’s a real lack of respect for a space which has been here for so long, and so many people love.’

‘The whole moorland area of Stanton Moor is an ancient scheduled monument and a sacred site – there are about 80 different Bronze Age megalithic sites up there,’ she added.

‘Visitors don’t recognise the rest of the moor and how important it is to many people. It’s a sacred, protected site.’

Blease-Bourne hopes the action group can collaborate with police and the Peak District National Park to enforce protections in the future.

‘We need to start more conversations and raise awareness to help people understand the importance of the place.’

Meanwhile, others have raised concerns about the environmental impact of the group’s actions.

Popular walking blog The Derbyshire Wanderer, dedicated to exploring Derbyshire and the Peak District, said that moving a boulder from its ‘resting spot’ can cause ‘direct, immediate, and long-term ecological damage’.

The social media creator accused the group of showing ‘pure disregard’ for the environment and other Moor users, explaining that lifting a rock also ‘instantly destroys a microhabitat that took years or decades to form’.

‘The space underneath an embedded rock creates a specialised microclimate – sheltered, dark, and humid.

‘Rare insects, spiders, mosses, lichens, and amphibians (like newts and toads) rely on this precise moisture balance to survive.’

Furthermore, throwing the rocks can ‘crush nesting birds and small mammals’, plus hibernating reptiles using the scrub ‘as cover from predators’.

Ultimately, they said, removing the rocks ‘exposes fragile soil underneath’ to the elements, resulting in erosion and drying out.

Police have been informed of the ‘potential damage’ caused by the gym group, with a spokesperson for the Derbyshire force saying: ‘Damage of a monument of this nature is a criminal offence and can lead to fines and, in the most serious cases, jail.

‘We would urge anyone with information to contact us on either 101 or via the Derbyshire Constabulary Facebook page.’

The Nine Ladies Stone Circle consists of 10 coarse sandstone rocks, each 10.8m in diameter and built between 3,000 and 4,000 years ago.

As per tradition, they are believed to depict nine ladies turned to stone as a penalty for dancing on Sunday.

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

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A Church of England priest raped a worshipper and indecently abused others, after ‘brainwashing’ scantily clad women who joined his ‘cult’, a trial heard.

Chris Brain, 69, is said to have sexually abused young women in his thrall as he led the distinctive Nine O’Clock Service (NOS) in Sheffield.

Brain even persuaded some of his congregation – often young, attractive women wearing lingerie or revealing clothing – to join his ‘homebase’ team and effectively ‘look after’ his needs.

He is accused of raping one woman and assaulting three others between 1983 and 1995, having already been convicted of a string of attacks on women at a trial last year.

He is now facing a re-trial on five offences jurors were unable to decide on in 2025.

Prosecutor Tim Clark KC told Brain’s retrial at Inner London Crown Court on Friday: ‘NOS presented itself as a progressive force for good.

‘In truth, NOS became a closed and controlled group which the defendant dominated.

‘He abused his position first as a leader and later became an ordained priest, and he used that position to sexually assault a staggering number of women from his congregation.’

He said the Church of England initially viewed NOS as a ‘stunning success story’.

It appeared ‘ground-breaking,’ he said, because the high-energy services were ‘visually stunning’ and were popular with young people, many of whom were scantily dressed, he said.

The prosecutor said Brain was ‘the central figure in a cult, he decided the rules, he designed the punishments’.

Mr Clark said Brain was aware that the women in his close circle ‘feared ostracisation more than anything’.

Witnesses later told police they were encouraged to become estranged from their family members and those who were not part of NOS, the court heard.

Jurors were told Brain raped one such congregant in the mid-1980s at his home while his wife was away.

Three other young NOS members said he sexually assaulted them, including by touching their breasts.

The defendant says that he engaged in sexual activity with some of the prosecution witnesses, but that it was always consensual.

Brain, pictured at court last year, has gone on trial accused of rape and sexual assaults  

Prosecutor Mr Clark said: ‘The Crown will submit that the defendant knew, and you can be sure he knew, that all these women did not perform sexual acts with him willingly or consensually.

‘But rather, were submitting to acts which, but for the situation the defendant had created, would never have happened.’

He added: ‘Any capacity they (the complainants) had to consent had been removed by the domineering nature of the defendant, by his control over their entire lives and by their absolute terror of being ostracised if they did not submit.’

The court heard how some women said they were ‘groomed’ by Brain, and that ‘no-one was able to stand up to’ him.

Another complainant said that Brain was a ‘man of God’ whom she could not question, and that she was ‘terrified’ of him.

At his ordination in 1991, large sums of money were spent on robes for Brain to wear which had been worn by actor Robert De Niro in 1986 film The Mission, the court heard.

The prosecutor said that Brain was confronted by members of the church in the 1990s and told it was believed he had abused up to 40 women.

But Brain replied: ‘I thought it was more.’

Brain, from Wilmslow, Cheshire, denies rape and four counts of indecent assault relating to at least 15 alleged incidents involving four women.

None of the complainants can be identified as alleged victims of sexual offences.  

The trial continues.

Five tips for finding genuine Black Friday discounts and deals

Learning how to find the best Black Friday discounts can make a meaningful difference to your festive budget, especially if you’re a keen sale shopper. The following five tips are a good starting point.

1. Don’t over-fixate on Black Friday itself

Although the day of Black Friday brings some of the best discounts of the festive sale season, good deals are likely to be available both before and after it – and some items may sell out.

“When we look at our pricing data on a daily level, you have certain events such as Amazon’s October Prime sale [not yet confirmed for 2026] that are an earlier vector for change in prices,” says Vivek Pandya, a director at Adobe for Business.

“We typically see more significant discounts starting to emerge as we get into late October or early November, and these really kick up a notch as we get into Black Friday week.”

So, while interest in Black Friday deals will peak around the day itself, some of the best deals may have been available since the beginning of the week, or earlier.

2. Expand your search to everyday essentials

At Telegraph Recommended, we’ve picked up on a proliferation of discounts on everyday household items during recent Black Friday sales (and during other occasional events such as Prime Day). If you need a top-up of items such as cleaning products or pet supplies, this could be a thrifty time to buy them.

“These sales have become a spending spree on what retailers frame as ‘everyday essentials’, as well as bigger items and gifts,” says Pandya. Last year’s Cyber Weekend saw a 260 per cent spike in sales of “personal care” items including cosmetics, shampoos, fragrances and toothbrushes, according to Adobe.

3. Use a price tracker

Free price tracking tools such as camelcamelcamel can show you how the price of a product has changed over time. This allows you to identify when a Black Friday deal has actually brought a product’s price significantly lower than usual, or when the retailer’s pricing strategy has artificially made a deal appear to be generous.

Gabrielė Vitkė, product marketing team lead at data-gathering specialist Decodo, warns shoppers to watch out for “anchoring”, where a product’s price is set high prior to Black Friday, allowing the retailer then to reduce it sharply and advertise an eye-catching reduction.

“Discounts on items such as electronics and computing products can seem steep, sometimes exceeding 50 per cent against the list price,” says Vitkė. “However, our data shows that prices in this category rose in the run-up to Black Friday 2025, which is a sign of anchor pricing before the ‘discount’ is applied.”

Reform UK’s national conference has been rocked by allegations that senior members of the party plotted to circumvent rules on political donations. The reports centre on two payments – one real and one suggested, but both important. The two Reform staff members at the centre of the investigation have been suspended.

The apparent plans were captured in a sting, filmed in London and Clacton by undercover journalists from Verbatim Investigations and broadcast by Channel 4 News. The first allegation from the film is that James Orr, who was Reform’s head of policy until his suspension, arranged for an impermissible donor to pay for £32,500 of polling, which later made headlines in national newspapers, from the company JL Partners.

The question surrounding the payment is whether it is allowed under electoral law, and whether it should have been reported to the Electoral Commission.

The law is clear that if you pay for research on behalf of a party (this is known as sponsorship), that payment counts as a donation and ought to be recorded as such. So, there is a question about why this donation does not appear in the Electoral Commission database.

However, a more pertinent issue is one of permissibility – basically, who is legally allowed to give money in UK politics. A person or company from the US, say, is categorically not a permissible source. If a UK party receives a donation from an impermissible source, it must be returned.

This will be a matter for the Electoral Commission to decide on. However, it is an offence under electoral law to attempt to evade permissibility restrictions on donations, or “participate in an arrangement or withhold information” about them.

Reform UK has been reported to the police and the party has launched an internal probe. But it has denied wrongdoing and says it was the target of a hoax.

Farage on film

Even more damaging for party leader Nigel Farage (because he was filmed discussing it) may be the promise of £500,000 from a – fictional – American businessman. This donation appeared to be offered to be funnelled through the businessman’s British-born son. Farage can be heard on the film thanking the undercover reporters, who are posing as the father and son.

There was also footage of Farage’s then-aide Dan Jukes (now suspended), who appears to be discussing previous examples of this kind of arrangement. In the film, a series of bleeps can be heard – possibly as Jukes is naming names.

There is a third question, which concerns the effect the polling had – its “bang for buck”, as Farage put it.

In electoral terms, £32,500 is a piddling sum, less than 0.05% of the total spent by all political parties at the 2024 UK general election. But it may still have had a significant impact.

These polls were covered on the front pages of national newspapers, showing just how far a little bit of money can go. They were stories that added to the wider narrative of a surge in Reform’s popularity.

There is nothing new about this. Once, having too much time on my hands, I dug around the Electoral Commission political finance database trying to work out how much the infamous Brexit bus had cost, and found it was about £90,000.

I imagine this is one of the main things the UK public remembers about that campaign. The point is a well-placed message, playing into pre-existing narratives, can be priceless.

But there is also a wider point, which I have made to parliamentary committees. In an increasingly fragmented political environment, money matters far more than it once did – and goes much further.

In the UK’s traditional two-party system, there was a smaller persuadable electorate, and therefore money had diminishing returns. But now the margins are thinner, and elections can be won on 30% or less of the vote. Not only does every penny count, but every penny goes further.

If, with polling evidence, you can play into the narrative that Reform is now the party to beat on the right, for example, that can act as rocket fuel – not just for Reform’s true believers, but wavering Tories.

À lire aussi :
Why the questions about Reform UK and its wealthy donors won’t go away

Polling matters, because it changes minds and influences the political strategies that decide elections. James Johnson, founding director of JL Partners, is seen on the undercover film discussing the company’s “informal rule bending”. These polls would not have been front-page news if the Reform connection had been known.

JL Partners has serious questions to answer about its operating practices in the wake of these revelations. The company has accepted it breached British Polling Council rules, saying it contacted the body after becoming aware and pledging an internal review of its processes.

This story also reminds us that questions about party funding are not going away. We know that British politics has well and truly entered the era of the mega-donor, and we know that the public don’t like it.

Despite setting up a cross-government taskforce, Labour could have moved faster to apply a universal cap on donations. This story reminds us there is an urgent need to reflect on how to address the access and influence that money has on UK democracy.

Whether to grasp this particular nettle will be one of the key issues that defines this government. The Representation of the People Bill is moving through parliament. But anyone who has seen the undercover footage may feel that the ban on cryptocurrency donations and £100,000 limit on donations from voters based abroad that it proposes won’t be enough to fix things.

If this doesn’t inspire Labour’s new taskforce to be bold in seeking solutions that every party can get behind, what will?