The Middleton-born actor and comedian has thrown his support behind the Greater Manchester Mayor’s campaign

Steve Coogan has said he believes ‘radical’ policies are required to take on the ‘populist right’ as he lent his support to Andy Burnham’s by-election campaign.

The Greater Manchester Mayor Mr Burnham is bidding to return to parliament in the poll which is taking place on Thursday (June 18) with Reform UK’s Robert Kenyon his biggest rival.

If he wins the Wigan seat he has signalled his intention to join any Labour leadership contest and make a bid to become to Prime Minister.

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The Middleton-born comedian, actor, and screenwriter Mr Coogan, best known for his character Alan Partridge, has endorsed Mr Burnham as he joined him on the doorstep in the constituency this afternoon (Saturday, June 13).

However he also took a swipe at Labour, the Tories and the ‘neoliberal consensus that has existed for the last 40 years.’

“The top down Westminster model of a kind of misguided Stalinist benevolence doesn’t work anymore, people want to be empowered” he told the Mirror.

“I blame the rise of the populist right squarely at the feet of the current Labour Party, the Conservative Party, and the neoliberal consensus that has existed for the last 40 years. The only way to address that is with some radical policies.”

He also featured in a campaign update video where Mr Burnham said he was ‘doing everything possible’ to win the seat and taking ‘nothing for granted.’

Himself wiritng in the Mirror, Mr Burnham accused Westminster of failing Northern communities for decades, and turning a ‘deaf ear’ to the issues facing them.

He pledged to fight for decent jobs, affordable homes, and safe streets for all, ahead of the seismic by-election on June 18th.

“Almost a decade ago, I left Parliament to stand to be Mayor of Greater Manchester because I saw decisions being taken by a handful of people in London who couldn’t point to Makerfield on a map, let alone ever set foot here” he said.

“I knew that it wasn’t in Westminster where things should be decided – but in Wigan, Winstanley and Worsley Mesnes.

“A decade later, I’m so proud of what we’ve been able to achieve here. A bus network brought under public control, working for people instead of profit. A fair deal for the north during the Covid-19 pandemic when the Conservatives tried to shortchange us. Standing shoulder to shoulder with the Hillsborough families and demanding justice for the victims.

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“But why should we have to fight every step of the way for these victories? Fight to get affordable and reliable public transport. Fight to get the financial support we were owed during lockdown. Fight to get justice for those denied it for decades.

“Westminster has refused to listen to towns like ours for decades. Successive governments turn a deaf ear to the things that matter most to us – decent jobs, affordable homes, safe streets and opportunities for our young people.

“If I’m fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to represent our community in next week’s election, I’ll make sure they hear us loud and clear.”

Speaking in Makerfield, he added: “This is the start of a serious effort to regain the ear of the country, to make politics work for people. Westminster politics has not been working properly for as long as I can remember.”

Earlier, in a speech, he said the UK was on a path towards the ‘poisonous’ politics of the US under the current Labour leadership.

The results of a poll exclusively revealed by the Manchester Evening News this evening, puts Burnham on 46 per cent and Kenyon on 41 per cent. However, the five-point gap is within the poll’s margin of error of just under five percentage points, meaning the race remains highly competitive.

The data also shows Mr Kenyon’s past comments on social media also appear to have cut through in the constituency.

In The Mixer’s World Cup special

Everything you need to know about the World Cup – England updates, the games to watch and stories you missed – in five minutes, at 1pm, every day.

The next generation of football fans have been making some heartwarming masterpieces ahead of kick-off.

A Scots neonatal unit has shared adorable photos of their “tiniest supporters” gearing up to support the Scotland national team ahead of their opening match against Haiti.

The heartwarming snaps were shared by Wishaw’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in North Lanarkshire, which is dedicated to providing evidence based care for babies and their families, to show what the mini fans have been up to while their seniors get ready for the whistle to blow stateside.

The collage shows tiny saltire footprints taken from the feet of babies in their care, some topped off with See You Jimmy Hats and others completed with tartan kilts at the bottom, all made to look like miniature Scotland fans.

A neonatal unit spokesperson wrote on social media: “Scotland, we’re ready! Our tiny supporters have been busy creating their own Scottish masterpieces ahead of Scotland’s first match tonight!

“From tartan kilts to Saltires, they’re showing that you’re never too small to cheer on your country. No Scotland, No Party!”

The gesture comes ahead of Scotland’s match against Haiti on Sunday, June 14 which will kick off at 2pm UK time and 9pm local time.

Touched parents took to the comment section to hail the unit’s move.

One commented: “Absolutely brilliant,” while another scribed: “Love this”. A third chimed in: “This is too cute,” while a fourth added: “Well done”.

Scotland are back playing football on the biggest stage of all and over in Boston, the Tartan Army just can’t wait for kick-off.

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Hundreds of thousands of the Tartan Army have descended on the US host city of Boston, Massachusetts to cheer on Steve Clarke’s men and hope for a positive start to the country’s campaign which comes 28 years in the making.

The Record has been reporting on how the excitement is at fever pitch ahead of the opener against Haiti tonight with fans desperate to see us start our campaign with a win.

Supporters pulled on their Scotland tops and dusted off their kilts as hundreds of fans headed into the city centre early doors for some nerve calming lagers.

Elsewhere, at Rowes Wharf, buzzing foot soldiers slapped on the sun cream before marking the historical moment by heading off on a three-hour party boat.

The locals are getting involved, too. One clip being circulated online shows a local cop wading into the middle of a crowd of Scots and other supporters at the FIFA Fan Festival at Boston City Hall Plaza to do keepy-uppies.

The policeman does well to keep the ball in the air for several rounds, before he drops it, and is immediately embraced with buzzing Scotland fans kitted out in kilts and strips who jump up and down in a circle in celebration.

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Former NFL player Wes Saunders is competing in Netflix’s Outlast: The Jungle

Netflix personality Wes Saunders enjoyed a remarkably successful sporting career prior to entering reality television.

The 37-year-old features in the most recent series of Outlast: The Jungle, a survival competition that sets 16 strangers against one another in the fight for $1 million.

The participants are placed in the heart of a Panamanian jungle with nothing but essential supplies and must endure life in the wilderness. Amongst the competitors are influencer Halle Cooley and former American football player Wes.

His NFL journey began in July 2011, when he joined the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent. The tight end secured a place on the squad’s official 53-man roster in September that year.

He subsequently transferred to the Indianapolis Colts in 2012, following a ban for breaching the NFL’s substance-abuse policy during his time with the Steelers. Wes had returned a positive test for Adderall, a stimulant commonly prescribed for Attention Deficit Disorders, reports the Mirror.

Despite the setbacks in his formative years, Wes still commanded substantial earnings from his sporting career.

What is Wes Saunders’ estimated net worth?

Wes Saunders possesses an estimated net worth of approximately $1.5 million. Spotrac calculates he accumulated roughly $1.2 million from his football contracts alone, though that excludes his income beyond the pitch.

Alternative estimates from The Tab suggest the sporting figure’s net worth stands at an impressive $5 million. Regardless, he ranks amongst the highest earners on the Netflix programme.

The competitive programme is yet to reveal its champion, with just a handful of participants still vying for victory ahead of next week’s grand finale.

The remaining cast members are: Sarah Awad, Abby Chu, Morgan Colburn, Braxton Fish, Pharaoh Gayles, Nikki Hru, Maddy Jones, Leiya Pillitteri and Wes Saunders.

Prior to its launch, showrunner Mike Odair confirmed that this series features one of the most compelling line-ups to date.

“This season felt like throwing gasoline on the format,” he told Netflix. “We traded the frozen isolation of Alaska for the heat and volatility of Panama, and everything changed: the survival, the strategy, and the social dynamics … This may be our most dynamic group yet.”

The first six episodes of Outlast: The Jungle Season 3 are streaming now on Netflix. The series finale airs on Wednesday, June 17.

Four members of Iran’s World Cup delegation have won appeals against having their visa applications for entry to the United States rejected.

But 11 members of the party will not be allowed to travel to the US when their team plays matches there.

Iran last week accused the US of denying visas to “integral” members of its national football team’s backroom staff.

That was after officials in Washington said Iranian players had been given permission to travel to the country for the tournament.

Iran have already moved their World Cup base to Mexico over concerns stemming from the country being at war with the United States.

Of the 15 Iranian delegation members initially denied US visas, 10 submitted fresh applications after arriving in Mexico.

Four of those appeals were successful, it has been revealed. Those granted visas include a member of the team’s technical staff working as an analyst and two officials from the federation’s international department.

The remaining six applicants were rejected again. They include Iran Football Federation (FFIRI) president Mehdi Taj, one of the federation’s vice-presidents, two team administrators responsible for day-to-day operations, a media officer and a security officer.

A second media officer chose not to reapply for a visa after the initial rejection.

Iran play New Zealand on 15 June in Los Angeles in their first game of the tournament, which is being co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.

They will return to the city to face Belgium on 21 June, before meeting Egypt in Seattle on 26 June.

The country’s World Cup group-stage ticket allocation for supporters was revoked by US officials earlier this week, though Fifa has insisted it is working to “maximise opportunities for Iranian supporters to attend matches”.

The FFIRI had previously presented Fifa with a list of 10 conditions for their participation in the World Cup, including allowing players, coaches and officials who have completed military service with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

US secretary of state Marco Rubio had said Iran’s players will be welcome at the tournament but individuals with links to the IRGC could face entry restrictions.

Iran was not represented at a meeting of Fifa’s annual congress in Vancouver in April after officials were turned away at the Canadian border, with Canadian officials citing the IRGC links of delegation members.

Fifa does not place a limit on how many people are in a nation’s World Cup delegation, though it will only cover costs of up to 50 individuals.

One user on X wrote their opinion: “Total moral degradation. While children in Gaza face genocide, starvation, and daily massacres, Gwyneth Paltrow is busy promoting luxury apartments in Israel. No conscience, no ethics just pure complicity with an occupying regime. Absolutely repulsive.”

Gary Neville has labelled Fifa “a dictatorship” after a failure to release a VAR replay used to decide a tight semi-automated offside call during Switzerland’s draw with Qatar at World Cup 2026.

In the first half of the Group B clash, Switzerland were awarded a penalty when Remo Freuler was clattered by Qatari goalkeeper Mahmud Abunada.

Replays suggested that Freuler may have been offside from Breel Embolo’s header forward before he was fouled but a VAR review determined the original decision should stand.

However, the specific replays used and the lines drawn by the semi-automated offside system to determine that Freuler was indeed onside weren’t shown, leaving fans to take the decision on trust.

And while working as a pundit on the game for ITV, ex-England international Neville was fuming at Fifa’s lack of transparency around the decision-making process.

Speaking at half-time, Neville said: “Offside. We all think it here. Everybody will think it at home. Fifa are the host broadcaster, they’ve got the evidence of the semi-automatic decision that they can show us. Why are they not showing us?

“They did this in the last tournament. Fans are already distrusting of Fifa and technology to start with. There is a massive question mark over that because that is offside in my eyes until they prove me different.”

Once ITV’s rules expert Christina Unkel confirmed that Fifa have the replays, with the offside lines drawn, but simply chose not to show them, Neville went a step further.

“It’s like a dicator. Honestly, it’s a dictatorship, this,” he fumed. “The idea that they hold this evidence internally and don’t show fans of countries that are playing in tournaments. It’s absolutely ridiculous.

“Honestly to not show the evidence of an offside… Prove to us it’s offside. Show it straight away. Why not the transparency?”

Unkel, host Mark Pougatch and fellow pundits Duncan Ferguson and Ian Wright all appeared to be in agreement with Neville’s bafflement at the replays not being released, with Wright particularly strident.

“With the semi-automatic line, why haven’t we seen that?” he queried. “You know what, we actually don’t even need to see it, we see it in the Premier League every week, he looks offside, I just can’t understand it. They do what they want. They’re sitting in the office. It’s scandalous.”

Embolo converted the penalty and Switzerland went on to dominate the match but somehow failed to score a second goal, with Abunada making a number of fine saves.

And the Swiss were made to pay when, in injury-time at the end of the match, Qatar snatched an unlikely equaliser.

Qatari captain Boualem Khoukhi headed home Homam El Amin’s 94th-minute cross to spark wild celebrations among Julen Lopetegui’s squad, as the Asian side earned their first-ever point at a World Cup.

The policy, which will be recommended for approval at a Redcar and Cleveland full council meeting and added to the local authority’s constitution, means that elected councillors will be expected to undergo a basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check with their consent.

Some may also be required to have an enhanced check, designed for people working with children or vulnerable adults, depending on the role they undertake with safeguarding in mind.

A motion successfully proposed in February by Councillor Karen King, who heads up the council’s corporate parenting board, and which received cross-party political support, said if a councillor did not consent to, or was unable to obtain the relevant check required for a safeguarding-type role, the council should take appropriate steps within the law to ensure that they did not serve in that function.

That said, it was recognised that in circumstances where a DBS check disclosed a past matter it should not affect their ability to hold office as an elected councillor.

Council leader Alec Brown, speaking at a cabinet meeting, said the policy, along with potentially disclosing any failure to pass a check – which he wanted to see – was in the “public interest”.

He also said he would like the policy in place before the next set of local elections due next year.

Cllr Brown later posted on social media, making plain his support for the move and saying he was “amazed” such provisions were not already in place.

There was broad support from Facebook users who replied to the council leader, although several pointed out the pitfalls of publicly outing councillors should they fail checks, citing personal data concerns.

There was disagreement, however, among some council members over who should bear the cost of the checks.

Cllr King’s motion said that the cost should be met by councillors themselves, for example through a deduction from their annual allowance.

But Councillor Glyn Nightingale, presenting the views of the resources scrutiny committee he is chairman of, said it was felt the costs should be borne fully by the council.

A report for cabinet members summarising the new policy said: “This provides that all councillors will be subject to a basic level of DBS check, whereas those who wish to be nominated to specific committees will be required to undertake an enhanced DBS check.” 

The report added: “Some discretion for the monitoring officer to waive the requirements for a DBS check (but only on a temporary basis pending the outcome of check being received) have been included in the policy. 

“This is included because, historically, there have been significant delays in the DBS check process being completed and, if this arose in the future, it could result in a position, for example, where it was not possible to properly constitute committees at the Annual Meeting following the local elections. 

“In line with the motion, the policy specifies that the cost of any DBS check will be borne by individual councillors. 

“If the council pays any fees, then these can be recovered by deductions from allowances and a form will be developed for that purpose.”

The policy would also include a right of appeal for a councillor to dispute a decision arising from a DBS check – for instance where it revealed a conviction or police information – to be considered by an assessment sub-committee.

Electoral law allows individuals to stand for election as a councillor with a criminal record, but they are automatically subject to disqualification if they received a prison sentence of three months or more – including suspended sentences – in the five years leading up to polling, or if previously convicted of specific sexual offences or corrupt electoral practices.

Britain’s so-called hardest man – real name Charlie Roberts – pulled out of his fight with Armz Korleone on Friday but was later reinstated under a new ruleset

Charlie Roberts – who calls himself Britain’s hardest man – lost his debut boxing fight.

Roberts, who is also known as Big Stacks – took on Armz Korleone on the undercard of Tommy Fury’s clash with Eddie Hall on Saturday night. But Big Stacks had pulled out of the fight earlier in the week after being sucker-punched by Jordan McCann – who was beaten by Ibiza Final Boss.

The fight was back on later on Friday but it was agreed both men would only punch to the body to avoid Big Stacks – who needed stitches on his lip – being injured again. The fight which ensued was a borefest with fans quickly booing both men.

Eventually the referee stopped the fight in the fourth round with Big Stacks barely throwing a shot. Armz was awarded victory by TKO.

More to follow…

It has been named best in NI for the last three years

The National Restaurant Awards has named its top restaurant in Northern Ireland for 2026.

Described as the “definitive guide to the UK’s best restaurants”, the awards celebrate the brilliance and vibrancy of the UK restaurant scene and honour the best chefs and operators across the country.

An annual countdown of the top 100 restaurants in the UK, the National Restaurant Awards are voted for by the UK’s leading chefs, restaurateurs and food writers.

For the third year in a row, The Muddlers Club in Belfast has made the top 100 and therefore been hailed as the ‘Best Restaurant in Northern Ireland’ this year.

It is once again the only spot in Northern Ireland to feature on the list, ranking at number 90.

Here is what the National Restuarant Awards had to say about The Muddlers Club:

There’s plenty of history to be found at this trendy fine dining restaurant. Inconspicuously tucked away in the back streets of Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter, The Muddlers Club is named after a revolutionary secret society linked to the United Irishmen who met there more than 200 years ago. Its setting may be historic, but there’s nothing archaic about this contemporary bistro and cocktail bar. One of a handful of more radical restaurants to have opened in the Northern Ireland capital in the last decade, The Muddlers Club eschews the conventional formality of fine dining in favour of a more casual approach that combines high-quality cooking with a modernist interior that features atmospheric lighting, a moody colour palette and a buzzy open kitchen. Leading the kitchen is head chef and owner Gareth McCaughey, who originally trained as a pastry chef and previously spent two years as sous chef at Belfast’s Michelin-starred OX restaurant.

With an emphasis of good, local ingredients, McCaughey hand picks the best of home grown produce daily to ensure the quality of each dish served across the restaurant’s multi-course tasting menu. The cooking is deceptively simple with punchy flavours and beautiful presentation, and it’s complemented by an impressive drinks list that’s influenced by Northern Ireland-based producers and makers – meaning a strong focus on local beer. Since opening its doors back in 2015, The Muddlers Club has won numerous accolades including a commendation in the Irish Food and Wine Awards 2018. It’s not hard to understand why, this is edgy and exciting dining that’s impossible to ignore.

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