The defendant also strangled his partner and took money from her bank account to buy cannabis
06:00, 29 May 2026Updated 06:17, 29 May 2026
Advertisement
A teenage father assaulted his six-week-old son by grabbing him by the head before picking up his partner by her neck and strangling her. He went on to transfer £70 from his partner’s account into his own in order to buy cannabis.
A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Thursday, May 28, heard the mother of the child filmed the defendant assaulting their baby son while grabbing hold of his head with force as he was attempting to feed him with a bottle. The assault caused the baby to cry out in distress.
A couple of days later the defendant’s partner went to his address where they began arguing and he threw a massage gun at her. Stay in the know by making sure you’re receiving our daily newsletter
She responded by throwing it back in his direction and he told her “You’re f****** dead”. She ran downstairs and attempted to leave but he stopped her and picked her up with both hands around her neck.
Advertisement
He pushed his partner against the front door and banged her head against the door. The defendant was stopped by his mother who pulled him away from the victim. He then shouted at his partner “Get out of my f****** room, get out of my f****** house before I do something I regret.”
Prosecutor Martha Smith-Higgins said the victim was left “shocked” and felt her head aching the next day. Towards the end of the relationship the defendant was using cannabis but could not afford his habit.
He accessed his partner’s banking app and used it to transfer £70 to his own account, without her permission, in order to buy cannabis.
The victim contacted the police and the defendant was arrested. He made a significant comment, saying: “I feel like s*** for what I have done.”
Advertisement
The defendant made full admissions to his violent behaviour in his police interview, admitting he rarely spent time alone with his son and feared he could be a danger to his son.
He later pleaded guilty to assaulting/ill-treating/neglecting/abandoning a child/young person to cause unnecessary suffering/injury, fraud by false representation, intentional strangulation, and assault by beating.
The court heard the defendant has no previous convictions.
In mitigation, Jac Brown said his client was “disgusted” by his behaviour and began using cannabis in order to “mellow” himself, but it had the opposite effect.
Advertisement
Sentencing, Judge Daniel Williams said there was a “realistic prospect of rehabilitation” in the defendant’s case. The defendant was sentenced to 16 months detention in a young offenders’ institution, suspended for two years.
He was ordered to complete 180 hours unpaid work, an accredited programme, and a 10-day rehabilitation activity requirement. He must also pay £1,000 costs and £70 in compensation.
Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here. We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice.
The works will affect the Manchester Road East, Manchester Road West, Cleggs Lane, and Armitage Avenue junction until mid-October, as resurfacing work is undertaken and a new crossing is installed.
Local contractor Rosgal Ltd will be the company to undertake the works, on behalf of the commissioner, Salford Council.
(Image: Dan Dougherty)
The works will take place in four phases in an attempt to ‘minimise disruption,’ according to Salford Council.
Working hours will be between 9.30am and 3.30pm, with temporary traffic light signals and road closures in place.
Advertisement
The ‘North East’ quadrant – Cleggs Lane – will take place between June 22 and July 10.
The ‘South East quadrant – Manchester Road East – will take place between July 13 and 31 July.
The ‘South West’ quadrant – Armitage Avenue – will take place between August 3 and August 21.
The ‘North West’ quadrant – Manchester Road West – will take place between August 24 and September 14.
Advertisement
(Image: Dan Dougherty)
Several buses pass through this junction as they travel between Bolton, Little Hulton, Walkden, and Manchester, including the 36, 38, and 20.
If the works are completed on schedule, they should be finished by October 12.
Lewis Croden, City Councillor for Little Hulton Said:” While we appreciate these works will cause temporary disruption, they are essential to create a safer, better-functioning junction for pedestrians and all road users.
“We’ve phased the project to keep impacts to a minimum over the 17-week period.”
I came, I saw, I enjoyed, I didn’t want to go home – ever
Travelling around Wales there are so many towns and villages that can boast a unique collection of historic and stunning period properties, eye-catching contemporary constructions, and cute cottages that are either private dwellings or holiday lets.
Advertisement
But with a substantial choice of places to stay it can feel overwhelming to decide on a property that can wrap you up in the most wonderful of settings as the backdrop to creating lasting and life-enhancing memories with family or friends.
Enter Great House to instantly help with the decision – a grand yet warm and welcoming Georgian house that nestles along the road into the unique township of Laugharne, once described by poet Dylan Thomas as ‘the strangest town in Wales’. Just from the impressive front façade you know this property is going to be special, but its interiors and facilities easily soared past my expectations. For more home, renovation and interiors stories sent to your inbox twice a week sign up to the property newsletter here.
Writing about property for too many years to remember, I have seen, visited and stayed at so many houses and homes and they have all been special but staying at Great House is truly a standout experience.
Arriving at the property there is a small, dead-end road to meander down before you find an unassuming single garage door – surely this isn’t it? – it didn’t look very grand! But press the button for the automatic door and the back of the house and garden is slowly revealed as the garage opens, and it is breathtaking.
The rear of the huge and commanding house soars up four-storeys not the three suggested from the front elevation. Enclosed within its private stone walls are a lower lawn, a terrace with heated swimming pool against a backdrop of magnolia trees, a terrace for alfresco dining with a sizeable table and enough chairs to easily host more than the ten guests this property can accommodate.
As you drive through the garage to the private drive next to the lawn that can accommodate three cars, the door closes behind you there’s a feeling of being fully cocooned within this wonderful property’s boundaries, away from the busy and stressful world outside.
Your first glimpse inside the house is via the lower ground floor where a welcoming kitchen lounge diner greets you with character supplied by the exposed stone walls. In the cosy lounge incorporated into the space is the original stone staircase that once gave access to the street at the front for receiving deliveries when this was a working manor house.
Advertisement
The property is Grade II* listed, a higher level of award given by Cadw to only around 7% of listed buildings in Wales, so there’s no argument to be had about how important The Great House is to Welsh heritage.
The lower floor is a very social space, with a well-equipped kitchen that includes two tower fridge freezers, a dishwasher and double oven with six electric hobs above it, encased within a huge island unit.
My star turn in the kitchen is beans on toast with a slice of cheese under the beans with a sprinkling of soy sauce – try it – so I happily left the first night’s meal to my sister who is a culinary goddess, somehow managing to create delicious meals from scratch with memorable flavour combinations that everyone loves. She’s cooked in many kitchens and her feedback for Great House was glowing.
Advertisement
But arguably it’s upstairs on the ground floor, and then ascending the sweeping staircase to the two upper floors, where the house really impresses, with enough Instagram-worthy rooms, features and items to keep even the keenest influencers busy.
The ground floor has a drawing room and a library at the front of the house accessed from the typically symmetrical Georgian design of a central and wide hallway. Plasterwork, panelling, fireplaces, windows with shutters and seats all demand attention in these quiet and atmospheric spaces.
At the back of the house is the banqueting hall with an inglenook fireplace so large the whole group could stand up in it. The full size of the fireplace was only discovered and set free from the bricks that had blocked it up for decades when the current owner was restoring and renovating the house.
Bought in 1997 after it had been on the market for over 15 years according to the owner, he set about slowly and carefully bringing back its Georgian grandness back but with an emphasis on creating inviting and comfortable spaces – it took him over ten years.
We used the banqueting hall on the first night to enjoy a family meal together – not my beans on toast – and with the soft lighting, being enveloped in a dark colours, and sitting next to the largest china dresser I’ve ever seen, I felt shrouded in the historic atmosphere and knew we were joining the surely hundreds of people who would have enjoyed dining in this intimate space over the centuries.
Advertisement
The final room on this floor was the bedroom that made us gasp because the four-poster bed was a stunner, with plush, rich pink fabric ruched under the canopy for extra impact.
This bedroom had the best shower I’ve ever used – a rainforest head that was huge plus a hand held bonus shower head and I could use them both at the same time. Surely the boiler at the house must be a beast because at one point every one of the four bathrooms was being used, a combination of showers and baths, and the pressure and heat remained unaffected – impressive.
Then to the grand staircase that rewards your visit with the most incredible half-landing window that demands you linger and look out over the garden and pool. Then climb again to discover two ensuite bedrooms, both with statement beds and huge ensuites with a traditional roll-top bath placed in the middle of each – one pink, one blue.
Advertisement
Also with a shower and the biggest basins we’d all ever seen, these ensuites were popular with the younger generation in our group, with comments including ‘the grandest bathroom I’ve ever been in!’.
During the first afternoon lunch at the huge alfresco dining table and then swimming and playing in the pool, joined by some jugs of Pimms, were on the ‘to do’ list.
Some people might say we were unlucky with the weather, we had occasional showers and a moderate breeze as the unwanted filling between the two summer heatwave, but the first day was dry and we enjoyed spending time together in the pool and lounging next to it when the sun did grace us with its presence intermittently between the clouds that rushed across the sky.
The first evening we spent time together on the bonus top floor, the converted loft level with the most intoxicating exposed roof structure that has us all regularly looking up and admiring in wonder. We watched football on the large smart television (plus there was ample Wi-Fi for everyone, boosted throughout the house) as well as played pool until the early hours.
The next day, after a slow start because the beds were all so comfortable, the house had so much to do – books, games, DVDs – and spaces to share and enjoy we almost didn’t make it out of the front door at all!
Advertisement
But eventually Laugharne was calling and we indulged in the tourist list – castle, boat house, walk along the estuary as well as wandered up to Milk Wood House on the fabulous Dylan Coastal Resort but didn’t have time for a spa visit or treatment – next time maybe.
The house is well placed as a base for exploring the coastline across Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, including Pendine Sands, Pembrey, Tenby and Saundersfoot, as well as castles, houses and estates and nature reserves and country parks to explore as well as children focused sites such as Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo.
That evening we ate at Ty Glo, a fabulous pizza and burger restaurant inside a property tucked away along a cobbled lane that one local resident once told me was the maintenance building for the local coach which her family owned, find out more about that here.
Advertisement
Alternatives include Dexters at Browns, one of poet and author Dylan Thomas’ favourite hang-outs, Poons Street Food, The Globe Bar and Restaurant, Milk Wood Bar & Kitchen at Dylan Coastal Resort, The Owl and the Pussycat, The Carpenters Arms, Castle View Fish & Chips, The Cross House Inn and just outside the township, Stone Range Café.
Maybe one of these establishments will be on the agenda next time, and there will be a next time and it will be at The Great House because it is the most welcoming and character-packed properties I have ever had the privilege to visit, let alone be fortunate to stay for a while and soak up its special and relaxing ambience.
Of course some of the floors are wonky and some of the walls aren’t straight, giving the house its authentic historic charm, and, yes, the house chats to you during your visit – creaking floorboards here and there and the odd squeaky door latch – and I would like to chat back to this remarkable property and say thank you so much for hosting such a special time with my family.
Bookings for The Great House, Laugharne, can be made via Great Welsh Escapes, with prices starting from £295 per night depending on the time of year and length of stay. Visit the website here or call 01994 220629. For more property, renovation, and interior design stories join our Amazing Welsh Homes Facebook group here.
It might have seemed like an impossible feat to top the award-winning Baby Reindeer, but Richard Gadd believes he’s done it with Half Man.
Speaking to the Radio Times in the lead-up to the release of his latest TV offering earlier this year, Richard was asked what he thought was the best scene he’d ever written.
Initially, he admitted that due to his “self flagellating” personality, his instinct is to praise the “scenes that had to be cut”.
Advertisement
“I sometimes go to them because I think I’ve convinced myself that they were sort of ‘the one’,” he claimed.
But, out of everything that did make the final cut, he settled on one scene in particular as his favourite.
“Potentially the best one I’ve ever written, although it’s so hard to say that, because it’s all kind of speculative and contextual, is maybe the final scene between the two of them when they’re talking face to face,” he explained.
In Half Man, Richard plays the violent yet loyal Ruben, a man who has a toxic relationship with his “brother”, the meek and mild-mannered Niall, played by Jamie Bell.
Advertisement
In a brutal final scene between the two pseudo-brothers, Niall visits Ruben in jail, and finally comes out to him.
Niall visiting Ruben in prison in the sixth episode of Half Man
BBC/Mam Tor Productions/Anne Binckenbank
Ruben is surprisingly accepting of the revelation, admitting he had been anticipating the conversation.
“You’ve wasted your whole life dancing to other people’s tunes, but you’ve never had the rhythm,” Richard’s character says.
Advertisement
The moment is notable because it finally lets Niall see Ruben for who he really is, beneath his anger, and helps Niall realise that much of the homophobia in his life had been internal, and not due to his surroundings.
Last month, Richard broke the scene down to Time magazine, claiming: “What Ruben essentially says to him there is, ‘you’ve always been an individual, and you should have been proud of that. You’ve wasted your whole life trying to be a sheep, trying to blend in with the nine-to-fivers, the straight guys, and the heterosexual couples, but you’ve never had the rhythm. You’ve always been separate from that’.”
During that emotional final showdown between the two men, Ruben also discloses that he had been sexually abused as a child by his father, telling Niall that “in a lot of ways, it’s the closest I’ve ever been with someone”.
Richard told Time: “That line speaks to the way he felt he was too innocent to know any better, and ever since that moment, he’s built this kind of prison of defensiveness around himself.
Advertisement
“There was a freedom taken from him in that moment, and his life changed.”
He added: “Until he breaks down with Niall, he’d never allowed himself to feel vulnerable. His best form of defence is always attack. He’s built a life around trying to make up for this thing that happened to him, which he sees, wrongly, as a dent to his character.”
Elsewhere in his Radio Times interview, Richard also revealed he came up with the idea for Half Man before making Baby Reindeer, admitting he couldn’t “shake” off the concept.
“It stayed with me,” he recalled. “And it stayed with me all the way through Baby Reindeer and I would always be, ‘Oh, please, can it still be there the other side?’ Because I knew the BBC was interested, and I really wanted to do it with the Beeb. And I just would always hope and pray it was still there. And, luckily, it was.”
Advertisement
Half Man is available to watch on BBC iPlayer now.
Police have urged anyone with information to come forward (Picture: UKNIP)
A murder investigation has been launched after a man was stabbed in south-east London early this morning.
Police were called to Westow Hill, Crystal Palace, at 3.39am on Sunday by the London Ambulance Service after reports of a stabbing.
Officers found a 30-year-old seriously injured man who was treated at the scene and is now in hospital, the Metropolitan Police said.
Soon afterwards, police found another man, who is believed to be in his 30s, in the Westow Hill area with stab wounds. He later died at the scene.
Advertisement
The man in hospital, whose injuries are described as neither life-threatening nor life-changing, has now been arrested on suspicion of murder.
Some businesses in the area have said they’re unable to open because of a road closure and police cordon.
Thai Crystal, a restaurant on Westow Hill, confirmed to Metro that they are unable to open because of the police investigation.
The entire street is currently blocked off (Picture: UKNIP)
Local pub Craft and Courage wrote on social media that they are unable to open up because of a road closure following the murder.
They added: ‘Serious police issue on Westow Hill. If you fancy a cold pint, Hepcat, or Gravity Well, or some cans to go, pop down to the Crystal Palace Park Market.’
Advertisement
Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Lee, who is leading the investigation, said: ‘This is a fast-moving investigation and residents in Crystal Palace will continue to notice an extensive police presence today as our inquiries continue.’
Anyone with information has been asked to reach out to the police.
The US President made the prediction amid claims the PM will resign on Monday.
Donald Trump has said Sir Keir Starmer will resign after issuing a social media post accusing the Prime Minister of failing on immigration and energy policy.
Advertisement
The US president’s comments come as Sir Keir spends the weekend reflecting on whether to fight or step down amid mounting calls for him to set out a timetable.
Trump appears to be drawing from media reports that the Prime Minister could quit on Monday before being replaced by newly-elected MP Andy Burnham.
The President has not spoken to Sir Keir since they saw each other at the G7 summit in France earlier this week.
Writing on his Truth Social platform, the US leader said: “Keir Starmer will resign as Prime Minister of The United Kingdom.
Advertisement
“He failed badly on two very important subjects – IMMIGRATION AND ENERGY (OPEN NORTH SEA OIL!).
“I wish him well! President DJT.”
Trump has repeatedly urged the UK to open up the North Sea for oil instead of using “windmills”.
Sir Keir insisted he and Trump “get on really well” when asked by reporters at the G7 why the two did not hold a one-on-one meeting.
Advertisement
The UK Prime Minister’s initially friendly relationship with the US president has soured significantly in recent months.
Tensions have continued simmering over Sir Keir’s refusal to allow US forces to use RAF bases in the initial wave of attacks against Iran.
Last week, Sir Keir announced a social media ban for under-16s after Trump’s pro-tech US administration warned against such a move.
And recent interventions from Trump administration figures linked to the murder of student Henry Nowak prompted No 10 to criticise those seeking to “interfere in our democracy”.
Advertisement
Labour sources expect Starmer to lay out a timetable for his departure on Monday.
He could stay on until September before handing over to Burnham.
An amber weather warning for extreme heat has been extended by the Met Office, with forecasts suggesting temperatures could reach 38C (100F) in parts of England later next week.
An updated warning will now be in force from 01:00 BST on Monday through to 23:59 BST on Thursday, reflecting growing confidence that exceptionally hot and humid conditions will continue through the middle of the week.
Large swathes of England and Wales are covered, though more northerly areas are only under the warning on Wednesday and Thursday.
The warning means population-wide impacts are likely, including serious health risks, disruption to daily routines and increased pressure on infrastructure.
Advertisement
Daytime temperatures are expected to exceed 30C (86F) widely across the warning area, with the hottest locations potentially reaching around 38C (100F).
Overnight temperatures are also forecast to remain unusually high, with some urban areas struggling to fall below 20 or 21C (68-70F), resulting in so-called tropical nights.
The heat is spreading from continental Europe where an extremely intense hot spell has developed.
Temperatures in parts of western France could climb to 43 or 44C (109-111F) over the next few days.
Advertisement
Paris is likely to reach 40C (104F) which would be unprecedented for June.
The rare creature was found by a dog walker (Picture: Daily Post)
A giant marine slug was found beached in Anglesey by a dogwalker, baffling some experts.
The bizarre creature was later identified as a sea hare, a marine snail more commonly called a ‘sea slug’.
Smaller sea hares are native to the UK, but the Trearddur is thought to be a much rarer creature, usually found in the Mediterranean.
Emma Leese came across the sea hare some 20 metres from the water’s edge at low tide. Worried that local dogs might take too much of an interest, she returned it to the sea.
Advertisement
‘When back in water, it sort of unfolded,’ she said. ‘It began wriggling – slug-like – and its stalks began going back up.’
As sea slugs cannot absorb atmospheric oxygen, they typically die relatively quickly after stranding.
When disturbed in water, they release a dramatic cloud of purple ink derived from the red algae they eat.
Like the octopus, this ink is thought to provide a screen or act as a decoy to confuse predators.
Advertisement
Owner and director of Anglesey Sea Zoo, Frankie Hobro, said it’s more likely the creature is a depilatory sea hare.
He added: ‘This is still a rare UK species, found occasionally in southwest Britain.
‘However, it’s a species we’re likely to see more of in the future as the seas warm and they keep moving north.’
According to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, the Isle of Man has three confirmed sightings of the depilatory sea hare, and north Scotland has one. Wales has none, though there have been anecdotal reports in Pembrokeshire.
Advertisement
As a mollusc, sea hares are related to the common garden snail. Instead of an external shell, they have a thin, transparent internal shell.
Their fleshy mantles have become modified into large, wing-like flaps. The depilatory sea hare can use these to gracefully swim through water – it is said to be surprisingly agile.
Follow Metro on WhatsApp to be the first to get all the latest news
Follow us to receive the latest news updates from Metro (Picture: Getty Images)
Metro’s on Whatsapp! Join our community for breaking news and juicy stories.
Advertisement
Much more commonly found in the UK is the native spotted sea hare. This is usually around 7m long but can grow to 20cm.
In contrast, depilatory sea hares can reach 40cm, dwarfing their British cousins. They’re also much bulkier.
Frankie advises anyone finding a sea hare not to touch them without gloves, as their skin stores noxious chemicals from their algal food.
Advertisement
‘They are quite revolting to touch. As they have quite strong suction, they should never be prised off a rock, as this may damage them,’ he added.
‘I always say it’s best to leave marine creatures alone, as it might not always be what you think they are.’
Model CeCe Rose was used as a human bobber in a bid to reel in a shark for an outrageous stunt (Picture: Jam Press/tooturnttony)
A model claims she was nearly eaten by a shark after being used as fishing bait in a social media stunt.
CeCe Rose was thrown into the water as a human bobber tied to a rope with dead fish strapped to her as part of a wild fishing challenge.
She was rigged up and dropped into a body of water near a harbour.
However, CeCe appeared to come close to meeting her fate when she was filmed almost drowning.
Advertisement
The stunt was uploaded by influencer and media personality Anthony Dawson, who goes by the name TooTurntTony, after he filmed it at one of his properties.
The model said she was frightened but ‘calm’ when she first entered the water (Picture: Jam Press/@tooturnttony)
The video shows the Toronto-based model being lowered into the water before she appears to be pulled below the water, with Tony having briefly turned his back on her.
Cece guessed she could have been underwater for two minutes as she screamed for help, although she admitted it ‘could have been less’.
She told Daily Mail she was frightened as the stunt began but felt ‘calm’ entering the water, believing that a shark would go for the dead fish rather than her.
‘At the end of the day, I knew a great white shark wouldn’t be in the area so I just held onto that thought’, she said.
Advertisement
Tony came to her rescue, admitting on camera he ‘probably should’ve used a smaller bait’.
His voiceover adds: ‘It was a complete s***show.’
CeCe later assured fans she was safe and well, writing: ‘Haha I’m fine everyone I promise.’
A shark was shown being held by the crew at the end of the building before it was released (Picture: Jam Press/@tooturnttony)
Follow Metro on WhatsApp to be the first to get all the latest news
Follow us to receive the latest news updates from Metro (Picture: Getty Images)
Metro’s on Whatsapp! Join our community for breaking news and juicy stories.
Advertisement
Luckily no-one was harmed in the daredevil stunt.
Two men are shown posing with a small shark before releasing it into the water at the end of the clip, which was viewed more than 10.6 million times.
Advertisement
However, not all users were impressed with the experiment.
‘What happens when she gets ate [sic] by a shark?’, one suggested.
Another wrote: ‘Dude your [sic] gonna get someone killed if it hasn’t happened already.’
Full story: Trump says Starmer will resign after ‘failing badly on immigration and energy’
US president Donald Trump has said that Sir Keir Starmer “will resign” as prime minister, accusing him of “failing badly” on immigration and energy.
Writing on social media platform Truth Social on Sunday, Mr Trump said: “Keir Starmer will resign as prime minister of the United Kingdom. He failed badly on two very important subjects – immigration and energy (Open North Sea oil!). I wish him well! President DJT”.
The post is thought to be based on media reports as the two have not spoken this weekend.
Advertisement
Maira Butt21 June 2026 15:46
Breaking: Trump says Starmer will resign after ‘failing badly on immigration and energy’
President Donald Trump has said that Sir Keir Starmer will resign following what he called failures on immigration and energy.
“Keir Starmer will resign as Prime Minister of The United Kingdom,” he wrote on Truth Social on Sunday.
Advertisement
“He failed badly on two very important subjects- IMMIGRATION AND ENERGY (OPEN NORTH SEA OIL!). I wish him well! President DJT”.
Maira Butt21 June 2026 15:25
Watch: What Andy Burnham’s crushing Makerfield by-election victory means for Keir Starmer
What Andy Burnham’s crushing Makerfield by-election victory means for Keir Starmer
Maira Butt21 June 2026 15:15
Advertisement
What sort of prime minister would Andy Burnham be? Just look at Boris Johnson
Andy Burnham is seizing his second chance to change history. That’s just as well, because the first time, he bottled it.
Purnell and Burnham were close friends. They had both been special advisers in the Blair government, both parachuted into safe Labour seats in the northwest of England in their early thirties, both risen to cabinet before 40.
Maira Butt21 June 2026 14:45
Advertisement
Green party name Greater Manchester mayoral candidate
The Green Party has announced Geraldine Coggins as the mayoral candidate for Greater Manchester on Sunday.
Following Andy Burnham stepping down from the position to run for the Makerfield constituency, another by-election has been triggered for the position he filled.
Trafford counillor Coggins told reporters on Saturday that she believed that the race would be between the Greens and Reform and vowed to put “people and planet over profits”.
Advertisement
Maira Butt21 June 2026 14:15
Starmer reflecting on ‘political realities’ amid pressure to resign
Business secretary Peter Kyle told Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips that the prime minister is reflecting on the realities of his political situation amid pressure to resign.
“The only thing I can say with fact is that the Prime Minister is hard at work, as he is every day,” he said.
Advertisement
“He is one of the most hardworking people I’ve ever come across, and today, as in every other day I’ve ever known Keir, he is out there working hard.
“At the same time he is also trying to create the space where he can think and reflect on the political realities and challenges, and the opportunities, that lie before us.”
He told the BBC that “whatever unfolds” in the coming days will be a “functional process”.
Maira Butt21 June 2026 13:45
Advertisement
Starmer on the brink: PM is considering resigning, senior cabinet minister confirms
Keir Starmer is considering how and when to resign as he spends the weekend “thinking through the political realities” of his situation, tech secretary Peter Kyle has confirmed.
With reports swirling that he is planning to announce a timetable for his departure as early as Monday, the prime minister is holed up in his country residence Chequers taking soundings from ministers, friends, allies and his wife Victoria.
However, foreign secretary Yvette Cooper has told the prime minister this weekend that he should go, it is understood, repeating her demands from last month.
Advertisement
Maira Butt21 June 2026 13:15
Labour grandees turning on Starmer marks the painful end of his premiership
As in the legend that the fortress will fall if the ravens leave, the walls of protection that the prime minister has erected around himself in his constantly besieged premiership are about to come tumbling down.
And it is not just Tony Blair’s former lord chancellor telling the prime minister that his time is up, after Andy Burnham crushed Reform in Makerfield and now looks set to take over the party leadership and snatch the top job.
Advertisement
Maira Butt21 June 2026 12:45
Streeting could back down from leadership contest to allow Burnham to win, say reports
Labour MPs are being called to give their support to the former Greater Manchester mayor, while it is understood that approaches have been made to former health secretary Wes Streeting, urging him to strike a deal and not try to force a contest.
There is speculation that Mr Streeting could be named as chancellor if he agrees not to run against Mr Burnham – allowing the former mayor to take over from Sir Keir in September when parliament returns after the summer recess.
Advertisement
This came with speculation that Rachel Reeves would be sacked as chancellor by Mr Burnham who is seeking a new approach to economic policy.
Wes Streeting said he would be prepared to trigger a leadership contest if Sir Keir does not set out a timetable for his departure (PA Wire)
Maira Butt21 June 2026 12:16
Starmer given deadline: ‘Quit by Tuesday or face humiliation’
The Independent’s political editor David Maddox reports:
Advertisement
Sir Keir Starmer is facing “a hard deadline” of Tuesday morning’s cabinet meeting to step down, insiders say, after a senior Labour peer said the prime minister had “absolutely no authority” and should go.
As the Labour leader spent the weekend taking soundings from ministers and MPs, Downing Street denied reports on Saturday night that he is preparing to set a timetable for his departure as early as Monday.
A spokesperson pointed to his words of defiance on Friday when he insisted he would fight a challenge.
However, The Independent has learnt that allies of Andy Burnham are plotting to ensure he is installed as Labour leader quickly, in a coronation rather than a contest.
The Met Office has warned parts of Wales could experience “tropical nights” this week, with overnight temperatures staying above 20C
People across Wales are being warned to prepare for uncomfortable nights as temperatures remain unusually high after sunset during this week’s heatwave. The Met Office says parts of Wales could experience what meteorologists call “tropical nights” – when temperatures fail to drop below 20C overnight.
Advertisement
While much of the focus has been on soaring daytime temperatures, forecasters have warned that the lack of overnight relief could significantly increase the health impacts of the heatwave.
Met Office deputy chief forecaster Tom Crabtree said: “As well as very high daytime temperatures, there will be consecutive nights where temperatures do not drop below 20°C, which is called a Tropical Night.
“This will make it very hard for people to recover from the daytime heat, exacerbating the heat stress impacts.” Make sure you never miss Wales’ biggest updates by getting our daily newsletter.
The warning comes as temperatures across Wales are forecast to climb well above 35C in many areas this week, with some locations potentially approaching the high 38C mark.
Advertisement
Health experts say overnight cooling is vital during periods of extreme heat, allowing the body to recover from hot daytime conditions. When temperatures remain elevated through the night, the risk of heat-related illness increases, particularly for older people, young children and those with underlying health conditions.
The Met Office has warned that the prolonged spell of heat could have impacts across the wider population, with sleep disruption expected to affect many people even if they are otherwise healthy.
Warm, humid conditions are expected to make bedrooms feel particularly uncomfortable, especially in urban areas where buildings and roads retain heat long after sunset.
Advertisement
Forecasters say some locations may not fall below 20C or 21C for several consecutive nights, creating conditions more commonly associated with Mediterranean destinations than Wales.
The combination of exceptionally hot days and tropical nights has prompted the Met Office to issue amber heat warnings covering large parts of Wales, with officials urging people to stay hydrated, keep homes as cool as possible and check on vulnerable friends, relatives and neighbours.
The hot weather is expected to continue until at least Thursday, although there are signs that cooler Atlantic air could begin moving in from the west later in the week.
Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here. We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice
You must be logged in to post a comment Login