​Residents and councillors in Scarborough have said they are “appalled” by North Yorkshire Council’s decision to push ahead with the purchase of Resolution House at the A64 as a new office and to move staff out of the town centre.

​Speaking at a public meeting on Tuesday, Cllr Michelle Donohue-Moncrieff (Independent) said information provided about the proposal had been “dangerously poor”, while Cllr Tom Seston (Reform) highlighted how elected councillors had been informed of the plan via social media and a press release.

​Addressing the United Scarborough Residents’ Action Group at the YMCA Theatre on Tuesday, March 24, Cllr Donohue-Moncrieff added: “I am so disgusted at that report, I’ve written to the external auditor. I find the behaviour of [senior] officers completely and utterly unacceptable.”

​Last week, NYC bosses pushed through an ‘asset rationalisation’ plan that includes the purchase of Resolution House as part of a scheme that was presented as a way to avoid up to £19m of costs to upgrade “appalling working conditions” at the ageing coastal town hall site, and could see Malton’s Ryedale House office sold to make way for housing.

​​​Anglo American, which previously had staff based at Resolution House, began marketing the site for disposal earlier this year, with a guide price of £4.5 million, but officers said the agreed price would be “substantially lower”.

​Speaking at the public meeting on Tuesday evening, locals said it was “shameful” that they had not been consulted, while a “dutiful” Scarborough resident said: “This has shaken my faith in democracy.”

​She said: “In good faith, we voted for these people, and it’s completely eroded my trust in the way that things are managed in this authority.”

​​The in-principle approval of the plan is subject to finalisation of a contract between Anglo American and NYC.

​However, a special overview and scrutiny committee meeting of North Yorkshire Council will be held on Thursday as councillors make a “last ditch” attempt to block the proposal.

​Cllr Rich Maw (Independent) told the meeting: “It’s our job to impress upon the members of the scrutiny committee on Thursday that the executive have not been given all the facts and figures for this.

​“We’ve seen this time and again in Scarborough, where councillors, through officers’ decisions, ended up buying things or knocking things down that haven’t worked.

​“We can talk about Alpamare, we can talk about the Futurist, we can talk about hotels. All these things exist because these sorts of decisions weren’t scrutinised properly through pre-scrutiny, and unfortunately, it’s going to have to be at this last-ditch attempt.”

The deputy leader of North Yorkshire Council, Cllr Gareth Dadd (Conservative) has said that the business case for the proposal stacks up and that details will be revealed once a deal for the purchase of the office is completed.

​Cllr Dadd said at last week’s executive committee meeting that a decision had to be made quickly to secure a favourable deal.

​​He said: “We can’t allow our staff to work in the conditions that we’ve witnessed over the past six months.

​​“The business case is robust and stacks up. I wish I could disclose everything in the business case, but that will become public when the deal is finalised.

​​“The purchase price is substantially lower than the £4.5 million price that’s been mentioned, and we have a duty to protect the taxpayer, and the £15 million to £19 million of repairs needed is not in the public interest.”

At the public residents’ meeting in Scarborough, locals and councillors also questioned the accuracy of the estimated cost of repairs needed at the town hall. ​

Members of the public have been invited to attend the call-in meeting of the Corporate and Partnerships Overview and Scrutiny Committee at County Hall in Northallerton on Thursday, March 26, at 10am.

A culinary guide has revealed the 50 best bakeries across Great Britain including one in Cambridge

Cambridge can lay claim to one of the best bakeries in Great Britain according to the Good Food Guide, in partnership with Square. The prestigious culinary guide revealed the 50 best bakeries across Britain on Tuesday (March 24).

Kanto Café and Bakery in Cambridge has been listed among the best bakeries. Run by husband and wife duo, Seungmin Kang and Theresa Pascual, the bakery is inspired by their Filipino and Korean roots to create a welcoming space for customers.

The Good Food Guide said the list “celebrates the nation’s boundary-pushing artisans who are experimenting with regionally grown, locally milled heritage grains and who are introducing an increasingly broad range of global flavours to the Saturday morning pastry run”.

As well as making the 2026 list, the bakery also featured in the 2025 list. It can be found on the outskirts of the city, on Cherry Hinton Road.

What makes this spot extra special is that it is Cambridge’s only Filipino cafe. From savoury to sweet, the bakery has plenty of freshly baked goods for customers to try.

What began as baking for their own family soon became a popular bakery where queues often form. The bakery’s website says that it is “more than a bakery, Kanto is our way of opening a corner of home to the community”.

On Google Reviews, where the eatery has a 4.8 star rating from more than 250 reviews, customers have shared their experiences.

One person said: “The best Filipino treats!! They also have great matcha and coffee, as well as seasonal drinks. I’ve tried most of the bakery items and they’ve all been incredible, but definitely try the ube cheesecake!”

Another pleased customer commented: “Truly superb – no wonder there is often a queue outside the door.”

Stand Up to Racism York has organised a coach from the city to join a march being staged in London by The Together Alliance on Saturday, March 28.

The demonstration by The Together Alliance, which is a coalition of organisations, aims to be a celebration of unity and to show that human rights matter.

Julie Forgan, from UNISON and a member of Stand Up To Racism York, said: “The Far Right thrive on people’s anger and despair and aim to divide us.

“The Together March is about sending a message of love and hope that can unite us. I am a public sector worker and have seen our services decimated by cuts but when the Far Right blame refugees and migrants for this crisis it focuses people’s anger the wrong way.

“Those in power have chosen austerity and to make working people pay for a crisis not of our making while creating more billionaires and making the rich richer. As a trade unionist I know that only by acting collectively can we change this but we can’t do this if we do not fight the racism that divides us.

“I urge everyone who wants to see change, and build towards a better world, to join us on this march. The majority of people are anti-racist – we want a huge demonstration to show this!”

Joe Grint, a spokesperson for Love Music Hate Racism York (LMHR), said that Love Music Hate Racism York would be holding a gig at the Basement in Coney Street the evening before the march, on Friday, March 27.

“Their first gig last month sold out,” he said. “The group was set up to counter the rise of racism in the city by organising concerts to increase awareness of the resistance to those attitudes and to raise funds for Stand Up To Racism York. The artists featured on 27th March are popular local bands Strip, The Bricks, and Some Lions. Doors open at 7pm.”

For details about the London-bound coach, visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/york-coach-to-together-alliance-march-tickets-1982003122694

For details about the LMHR gig visit https://www.tickettailor.com/events/lovemusichateracism1/2068555

The flavours are inspired by sun-soaked destinations and are part of a partnership between the airline and popular bakery brand Greggs.

The new lineup is part of a wider celebration for easyJet’s new base at Newcastle International Airport, and each dip is designed to pair with the bakery’s signature sausage rolls.

CEO for easyJet’s holidays business, Garry Wilson, said: “We’re thrilled to be launching a new base in Newcastle, driven by the strong demand for our flights and package holidays in the region.

“This is a major milestone for us, so partnering withGreggs, a true Geordie icon and one of the city’s most famous exports, felt like the perfect way to celebrate our arrival.

“Offering sausage rolls onboard and out in the streets is our way of thanking the North East as we continue to make travel from their local airport easy and affordable.”

The 5 new Greggs sausage roll dips

Each of Greggs’ new sausage roll dips is inspired by one of easyJet’s international destinations.

The Italy-inspired ‘affogato’ features roasted coffee, cocoa and vanilla, while the French ‘tarte tatin’ combines caramelised apple, cinnamon and a touch of thyme.

For those who prefer bold, savoury flavours, there’s a Tunisian ‘harissa ketchup’ made from tomato, date and pomegranate.

Travellers can also sample Spanish ‘sangria’ featuring red wine, orange and cranberry, and a Turkish-style ‘saucy kebab’ with lemon, vinegar and smoky paprika.

How to try Greggs’ new dips this week

The collaboration is part of the official launch of easyJet’s new base at Newcastle International Airport.

The airport will be home to three easyJet aircraft and supports around 1,200 jobs, including 140 direct roles for pilots and cabin crew.

This is easyJet’s 11th UK base overall, following last year’s launch at London Southend and in 2024 in Birmingham.

The Newcastle base will offer travellers more than 800,000 seats and more than 80 flights each week.

This marks an 85 per cent increase in capacity compared to the previous summer.

Customers can now fly to 22 destinations across Europe and North Africa, including Antalya, Corfu, Dalaman, Enfidha, Faro, Lisbon, Malta, Prague, Reus, Rhodes, Rome, Sharm El Sheikh, Nice, and Tenerife.

Members of the public can sample the sauces in Newcastle city centre this week. (Image: Ben Queenborough/PinPep)

To celebrate, easyJet cabin crew have been offering a taste of their destinations at locations across Newcastle.

They’ve been spotted under the Tyne Bridge, outside St James’ Park, and beside the Angel of the North.

Holidaymakers flying from Newcastle International Airport with the airline were also treated to the bake and destination-inspired dipping sauces for free, to enjoy onboard all of easyJet’s international flights.

But the celebration isn’t limited to the airport.

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Throughout the week, members of the public can also sample the sauces in Newcastle city centre, with cabin crew handing out sausage rolls and dips at Grey’s Monument, St James’ Park, and the Quayside.

Customer director at Greggs, Hannah Squirrell, said: “As a business born and bred in the North East, we’re excited to be partnering with easyJet to mark the launch of their new base in Newcastle.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for the local community, and we can’t think of a better way to celebrate than with a Sausage Roll.”

The latest rugby news stories from Wales and beyond

Here are the latest rugby headlines on Wednesday, March 25.

Wales star signs new deal

Wales Six Nations star Alex Mann has committed his future to Cardiff and will stay in Welsh rugby after signing a new contract with the capital club.

Mann’s current deal was due to expire at the end of the season and news of his new contract is a big boost to the region amid a standout season for club and country.

The 24-year-old was the top tackler in the entire Six Nations and broke the tournament record for a single match with 33 against Ireland in Dublin.

Mann said: “I’m really happy to be able to extend my contract with Cardiff and I’m just looking forward to the future and what we can achieve as a group.

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“This is obviously my home club, I have been here since I was 16 years old and have a lot of mates here, so it means a lot and I remain really grateful to all of the coaches and staff who have believed in me over the years and given me the opportunity.

“This season has gone well for me and I just want to continue developing and giving my very best for the Blue & Black jersey.

“As a group, we still have plenty to play for in the months ahead so I am really eager to get back out there with the boys and give my all.

“Representing such a famous club is a privilege, even more so at the Arms Park and I am excited for the future here. We are heading in the right direction and I am looking forward to playing my part.”

Mann, who came through the Cardiff Rugby pathway, captained Wales Under-20s in two consecutive seasons before stepping up to the senior game. He made his debut for the senior Cardiff team in 2021.

Head coach Corniel van Zyl said: “We are really pleased that Alex has decided to continue his journey at Cardiff, particularly on the back of such an impressive season so far, most recently with Wales in the Six Nations where he put in some big performances.

“He has been brilliant for Cardiff during my time at the club. It is very clear that he really cares about the club, his teammates and the people we represent.

“On the pitch, he clearly has an all in mentality. He puts his body on the line, is very versatile and has an all-round game where he can make an impact on both sides of the ball.

“So he is a really important player for us both on and off the pitch and I’m looking forward to seeing him continue to develop at Cardiff.”

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Wales legend Jones set to stay at Quins

Wales legend Adam Jones is set to remain at Harlequins amid a massive coaching shake-up that has seen former Australia head coach Robbie Deans appointed as director of rugby next season.

The English club announced three major appointments on Tuesday, with Deans leading a new-look set-up, Jason Gilmore becoming head coach and Rob Hunter to join as forwards coach in July.

It has been confirmed Hunter will work alongside scrum guru Jones next term. The Welshman has been a coach at Harlequins since 2018 and was drafted in to help coach Wales during last year’s Six Nations.

Quins have endured a difficult season, with the departure of head coach Danny Wilson for Wales last year seemingly having a de-stabilising effect.

Harlequins chief executive Laurie Dalrymple said: “In Rob, we are recruiting a coach with exceptional experience, and he is a proven winner. The titles won at Exeter speak for themselves. We believe he is going to help maximise the ability and robustness of our pack and give us the platform to play the style of rugby synonymous with Harlequins.

“He has also previously been involved in the England pathway, so he has a real eye for talent. Rob will work closely with Matt Ferguson and Adam Jones to develop the promising young forwards coming through our player pathway.”

WRU make second interim appointment

The Welsh Rugby union has announced Steve Salvin has been appointed as Wales Women’s interim forwards coach for the 2026 Six Nations campaign.

Salvin has been seconded from his role as Exeter Chiefs Women’s head coach to take up his position with Wales. It follows the interim appointment of former Wales international Ashley Beck as attack coach

Salvin was part of the coaching team that guided Exeter Chiefs to back-to-back PWR finals in 2022 and 2023. He will join a new Wales Women’s coaching team, alongside Tyrone Holmes, defence coach, and Beck, interim attack coach.

Salvin said: “The opportunity to work at international level with Wales and in the Women’s Six Nations was too good to turn down.

“Sean (Lynn) is a coach I have coached against in the PWR and all the coaches respect what he built at Gloucester-Hartpury and the success he had building a successful high-performance team.

“His teams are always built on a real work ethic, grit and determination and his ability to bring players together and forge an identity has always been key.

Lynn added: “Steve is a coach I know well and respect from my time in the PWR and his experience of the women’s game with the Chiefs is three to see.

“His forward pack have always been resilient, well-organised and a well-drilled outfit, and they make sides work hard throughout a game.”

The organisation said the time until September 6 allowed affected members and their families to plan, prepare, access support and decide when they felt ready to leave

Transgender girls have been told they must leave Girlguiding by September 6, following the organisation’s announcement in December, 2025, that membership would be restricted to cis girls and young women.

Described by Girlguiding at the time as a “difficult decision”, the move came almost eight months after the Supreme Court ruling in April, 2025, which determined that the words “woman” and “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 referred to biological women and biological sex.

Girlguiding stated that, following the ruling, it had carried out “detailed considerations, expert legal advice and input from senior members, young members”, its council and board of trustees. For the biggest stories in Wales first sign up to our daily newsletter here

The organisation confirmed that trans girls who were currently members might remain so until September 6.

It also stated that any trans girl or trans woman presently volunteering in a role designated for women only would need to move by this date to a position open to both males and females.

In a statement, Girlguiding explained the period between now and September 6 “allows affected members and their families time to plan, prepare, access support, and decide when – between now and September – they feel ready to leave”, reports the Mirror.

Membership of the organisation spans ages four to 18, with approximately 300,000 members currently across the Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Rangers groups within Girlguiding, alongside around 80,000 volunteers.

The organisation has previously indicated it does not gather gender identity data on its members and consequently cannot provide figures for how many individuals might be impacted by the policy change.

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The star explains just why more people need to be watching the show’s second season

One of the stars of a highly rated series that has returned for a second season has explained exactly why everyone should watch.

A cast member of Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat believes that the show’s return is what ‘ the world needs right now’. While the debut season was a cult hit, they hope even more people tune in for the follow up.

The original series of Jury Duty was a unique mix of reality series, sitcom and mockumentary when it made its debut back in 2023. It saw a fake court trial set up with almost everybody taking part being an actor. Even the case was fictional.

However, there was one person who thought everything was real – Ronald. Everything that happened, inside and outside the courtroom, was planned and scripted.

Meanwhile, the new season captures a corporate offsite event at a family-owned hot sauce company from the perspective of Anthony, a recently hired temporary worker. What he doesn’t realise is the entire experience is staged.

Every colleague around him is performing a role and each moment whether in conference rooms or during downtime has been meticulously orchestrated. As the founder prepares to step down, the getaway transforms into a clash between big corporate ambitions and small business values, with control of the company hanging in the balance.

As it stands the series, which is streaming on Prime Video, boasts a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. In an exclusive chat, Alex Bonifer, who plays the role of Dougie Jr, the CEO’s son hoping to take over the company, told us exactly why everyone should be watching.

He said: “I would just say it’s a show that the the world needs right now. There’s a lot going on in our world, in our show I think is Is is fun and funny and uplifting.

“And there’s a lot of heart. So if you want a good uplift, if you want a good break from everything that’s going on in our society, check out Jury Duty Presents Company Retreat.”

He also added that the new hero of the piece is another reason to tune in as his actions leading up to the show’s finale, set to stream on April 3, will give the audience hope in their own lives.

Alex added: “Every single person can learn from Anthony Norman and what he does [in the finale]. I felt so – and I will for the rest of my life – so honoured to be there at the end. Witnessing what he did, without giving anything away.

“He didn’t stand anything to gain, if anything, he had a lot to lose and he did what was right for a group of individuals that he had fallen in love with and we him, you know. So I think just like acting out of like, just pure kindness and pure love, is something that I hope people take away.

“That is a choice that people can make. It is a choice to act for the benefit of others and not always, for the benefit of yourself. That’s what I hope is a one of, if not, the biggest type of way.”

Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat is streaming on Prime video

Countries around the world, including France, Spain and Malaysia, are planning to follow Australia in enacting a ban on young people using social media. And now the UK is considering moving in the same direction.

These bans have emerged out of concerns about the effects of social media on children’s mental health, and increasing attempts to regulate teenage life. The UK recently brought in a “lifetime” smoking ban for anyone aged 15 or younger.

The potential ban on social media use is often explicitly justified by the support of parents. When announcing her party’s support for the measure, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said she knew “as a parent” that a ban was needed. It is seen as common sense that parents are leading proponents of these bans.

Bans offer two core promises to parents. They offer protection from the perceived harms of social media, and greater simplicity in managing day-to-day life. Rather than parents having to negotiate their child’s social media, parents may believe that once a ban is in place, they can simply say to their children that this behaviour is not allowed.

Official sanction can be used by parents as evidence that society views children’s use of social media as unacceptable. But in order to fulfil these promises, bans would need to be highly effective and socially endorsed. There are strong reasons to think this won’t be the case.

Teenage rebellion

Far from being passive, teenagers are technologically literate, socially networked and highly motivated. Recent UK experience with age verification for certain websites shows how quickly workarounds spread.

Since the passing of the Online Safety Act, the UK has seen a huge surge in downloads of virtual private networks (VPNs). These allow users to register as being from a different country to the one they are physically in. Teenagers may be able to use VPNs to bypass the bans.

They can also circumvent parental controls in less technologically savvy ways. This might mean buying a burner phone from a friend to access social media outside of their parents’ evening restrictions. Anecdotally, there are similar accounts of school children finding workarounds to avoid the increasingly prevalent “pouches” that restrict access to smartphones during the school day.

The larger lesson here is that by forcing behaviour to become covert, parents can often lose oversight of what their children are doing.

These examples are not too different to traditional tricks to get around social bans, like having a fake ID or getting an older friend to purchase cigarettes or alcohol. If parents reflect on their own experiences of teenage life, it may be evident why the act of banning does not eliminate this behaviour – and may even increase its attraction.

Even more importantly, as we also know in relation to alcohol or sexual activity, just because it is prohibited doesn’t take away the necessity of parents having conversations with their children about these topics.

Parents know that even if they harshly sanction their children for underage drinking, their child’s peers may have parents who turn a blind eye, condone alcohol, or supply it themselves. This means that getting teenagers to think about their use is essential – and the same holds true for social media.

Whether there is a ban or not, prohibited teenage behaviour continues. Navigating these risks is an unavoidable part of parenting adolescents.

As we have argued, parenting should be seen less as about achieving specified outcomes, and more as about valuing the individual relationship.

Putting the relationship between parent and child centre-stage means recognising there are different positions on the use and value of social media, and managing those differences successfully.

While digital life is novel and frankly scary to some parents, seeing the issue in a wider context of teenage life – sometimes risky, contested and hidden – makes these new issues more explicable to older generations.

Just as parenting requires understanding why a young person might choose to drink, have sex or use drugs, the case of social media also depends on understanding teenagers’ (online) worlds. This means engaging with the value and benefits of social media, and gaining some understanding of what platforms are being used and their content.

This is not to say that more effective regulation is impossible, just as legal regulation is important for other dangers that children and teenagers face. However, such regulation will not – and cannot – take away parents’ involvement, and its related challenges.

A court has heard how Douglas Rogers was caught beating his girlfriend in the street when he turned his vicious attack on a passer-by

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A woman who desperately called 999 as she witnessed a dangerous thug beat his partner in the street was then subject to a violent attack herself. Douglas Rogers paused his assault on his first victim as he turned on the Good Samaritan and smashed her head with a hammer.

A court has heard how the woman thought she was going to die and “screamed for my life” when Rogers cracked her skull with a hammer, raining down four blows to her head. The wicked abuser has now been jailed for nine years for the violent assaults on both victims, reports Chronicle Live.

The victim recalled how she came across Rogers and his partner, who was terrified with blood on her face, in a scuffle in the street. The woman asked the stranger to call the police, yet as she did so, was punched by Rogers.

As he was sentenced and branded dangerous, she told the court how the attack in Sunderland has left her traumatised and scarred. In a victim impact statement, she said: “I went to help her because I heard her screaming. I was acting as a Good Samaritan and I never thought by helping her I would be in danger.

“I was viciously attacked and I thought I was going to die. I ended up being taken to hospital by ambulance with serious injuries to my head.

“(A child) saw me being attacked with a hammer, being hit repeatedly in the head and screaming for my life.”

She added that she now has tinnitus, suffers daily constant headaches, has PTSD, some of her scars are visible due to hair loss in those areas and she is anxious and conscious about that. She told the court: “I think about this attack and how it’s affected me every day and I have flashbacks.

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“This has not only impacted me but my family. My mam thought she was going to lose her child.

“I can’t live my life like I did before the attack. Every day I look in the mirror and see the scars, the scars I got for being a Good Samaritan.

“I didn’t do anything to the girl but try to help her. I did nothing to the man who attacked me, I don’t know why he attacked me.

“He was so calm while hitting me numerous times with the hammer. I never thought by helping someone I could end up being the victim of a serious assault.”

The court heard Rogers had been in a relationship with the first victim for around a year. On Saturday September 27 last year, having called at a pub, when they got home she said he “seemed a bit off” with her, as if he wanted an argument. He went into the kitchen and the woman heard a smash and saw a bowl had been broken on the floor and Rogers was angry.

She removed items, including her father’s motorbike helmet, and took them to the bathroom, fear he would cause further damage. Rogers followed her and punched her to the face and side then hit the helmet with a hammer on a number of occasions before taking her phone and hitting that with a hammer, smashing it.

The court heard the victim was terrified, crying and screaming as he waved the hammer towards her then used it to smash a TV. The woman ran to the front door but couldn’t get it open and Rogers pinned her against a wall using his forearm across her throat with so much force she couldn’t breathe properly and felt that if she moved, her neck would crack.

She screamed for help but Rogers put his hand over her mouth to stop her. The woman then seized an opportunity to run out of the house but he followed her and there was a tussle in the street.

The second victim then walked out of a bike lane and asked what was going on. Rogers’ partner, who had blood on her face, asked her to call police and she did so.

Andrew Walker, prosecuting, said: “While she was on the phone to the police, the defendant punched her to the face, causing her to stumble. She then saw him go to a nearby house and he emerged carrying a hammer.

“He then approached her and hit her about four times to the head with the hammer.”

The woman was taken to hospital by ambulance and was found to have an open depressed fracture to the right side of her skull along with a number of lacerations to her head caused by the hammer.

Rogers, then went on to smash his then-partner’s car window and windscreen with the hammer, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent, strangulation, battery, two counts of criminal damage and possessing an offensive weapon.

The court heard the 49-year-old has 25 previous convictions, including for wounding with intent in 2005 and wounding in 2019.

Recorder David Brooke KC jailed him for nine years, with an extended licence period of a further four years due to him being dangerous. He told Rogers he is “high risk” and said: “These are very bad offences indeed and they are set against a background of an appalling record for violence. This was a disgraceful incident.

“I hope you are thoroughly ashamed of yourself. She went merely to help someone who was in distress and you responded by attacking her in a horrible way, striking her four times to the head, causing a depressed fracture to her skull.”

Christopher Morrison, defending, said Rogers is “extremely sorry and remorseful”, apologises for his actions and has mental health issues.

Italian justice undersecretary Andrea Delmastro has resigned after it emerged he had held a stake in a restaurant linked to the mafia.

His departure was one of two resignations in Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government on Tuesday, after a referendum to reform the country’s judiciary was defeated.

Mr Delmastro, who is a member of Ms Meloni’s Brothers of Italy Party, held a stake in a Rome restaurant alongside the daughter of a man convicted of having ties with Camorra, a mafia group based in Naples.

Mr Delmastro said he had sold his stake when he learned that his 18-year-old business partner’s father, Andrea Caroccia, had been linked to the organisation.

However, a 2023 photo showing him alongside Caroccia later emerged, suggesting the two men knew each other well.

It also came to light that he did not disclose his stake to parliament.

“I have ​always fought crime and achieved concrete, important results,” Mr Delmastro said.

“Although I did nothing wrong, ⁠I made an error of judgment, which I corrected as soon as I became aware of it. I take responsibility for that”.

Along with Mr Delmastro, the justice ministry’s chief of staff, Giusi Bartolozzi, also stepped down on Tuesday.

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Ms Bartolozzi resigned after she controversially urged voters to back the reform so Italy could “get rid ‌of” a judiciary she described as a “firing ​squad”.

The departures added to the political turmoil after the referendum to reform Italy’s judiciary failed on Monday, in the first significant defeat for Ms Meloni and her right-wing coalition.

In a brief statement, Ms Meloni accepted the ​resignations of both officials, and, in an unusual move, also called on her tourism minister Daniela Santanche “to make the same choice”.

Ms Santanche was ordered to stand trail last year on charges of false accounting related to a publishing group she used to own.

She has resisted calls to quit since then, and had enjoyed Ms Meloni’s support.

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The shake-up suggests Ms Meloni is seeking to reassert control by containing the political damage, and signalling she can still act decisively after voters rejected the landmark reforms.

Both Ms Meloni and Justice Minister Carlo Nordio have resisted calls that they should also resign after 54% of Italians rejected the proposal to modernise the country’s judiciary.