By DAN HANNAN FOR THE DAILY MAIL

Published: 23:00 BST, 30 August 2026 | Updated: 01:48 BST, 31 August 2026

Why was anyone surprised? Iceland is a wealthy and successful country. It had nothing to gain from joining the declining EU.

A country with a proud and ancient parliamentary tradition does not lightly submit to a supranational technocracy. The nation with perhaps the best-managed fish stocks in the world does not surrender to a bloc that has drained its own seas.

Icelanders have voted by 52.8 per cent to 47.2 per cent not to restart accession negotiations with the EU. They made their first application in 2009, in the wake of the banking crash, which hit Iceland hard. 

But they dropped it in 2015, once it had become clear that Iceland had recovered from the financial crisis much faster than the EU had, largely because it was wise enough not to bail out its banks.

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I was never in any doubt about the outcome. I know Iceland well, having been a regular visitor to that strip of cold black tundra since I was 19. I count the leaders of the ‘No’ campaign as good friends and I see the country as a second home.

I have stood many times at the site of their first parliament, the Thingvellir. Icelanders used to gather there from all over the island, riding their sturdy little horses over black lava fields and bright green moss, meeting as a free people.

They are unlike us in some ways. Few of them have surnames, they build their roads to avoid elf-mounds – said to be the dwellings of magical beings – and their language has barely changed in 1,000 years. But they resemble us in their stubbornness.

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Icelanders have voted by 52.8 per cent to 47.2 per cent not to restart accession negotiations with the EU

Iceland’s prime minister Kristrun Frostadottir speaking in Reykjavik after the results of the referendum were announced

They hate being told what to do, especially by foreigners.

I was unusual in predicting a ‘No’. Opinion polls showed a narrow but consistent lead for the pro-EU side and, as the votes came in, wide-eyed Europhiles, buoyed by early results from Reykjavik, were getting excited.

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Why? Because, deep down, they think European integration is inevitable, in the same way Marxists used to believe that socialism was inevitable. Take away the sense of inexorability and the flaws become painfully visible.

There is scant enthusiasm for EU membership other than among the impoverished states of south-eastern Europe, such as Montenegro, Macedonia and Moldova. Even Turkey has lost interest in joining. In Norway, polls suggest that opposition to membership has risen to around 70 per cent.

In these countries, EU membership is seen purely in cost-benefit terms. In Britain, a decade on from the 2016 referendum, it remains a culture war. A knot of Continuity Remainers who don’t know or care much about what is happening in the EU, are still obsessed with overturning our own referendum result.

Why? Because, for them, it is less about the EU than about defeating an imagined domestic enemy, a caricatured racist.

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They have stuck to their rejoinery for a decade, despite the EU adopting much harsher immigration laws than Britain, because they are anti-Eurosceptic rather than pro-Brussels.

It is true that Iceland has a closer relationship with the EU than we do. Membership of the European Economic Area means that it is in the single market for everything except agriculture and fisheries – though, importantly, Iceland is outside the customs union and has signed several trade deals that the EU does not have, including with large economies such as China and Indonesia.

There is an argument for Britain moving closer to the single market. But it needs to be done in a ruthlessly calculating manner, signing up for things only when there are clear mutual benefits rather than approaching talks in a spirit of penitence and atonement. Sadly, as the reaction here to Iceland’s welcome decision shows, we are a long way from that.

Still, the question remains. If a nation with a population the size of Croydon’s is content to take its chances alone, what are we so scared of?

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• Lord Hannan of Kingsclere is an independent peer and director of the Institute of Economic Affairs.

Police were called shortly before 6am on Sunday

Police have arrested seven people on suspicion of murder after the death of a newborn girl in Sheffield.

South Yorkshire Police said officers had received reports of a concern for the safety of a newborn baby in the Wincobank area at 5.58am on Sunday.

Officers searched a property on Holywell Heights where the baby girl was found.

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Despite the best efforts of officers and paramedics, the baby was pronounced dead at the scene, the force said.

Seven people have been arrested on suspicion of murder and remain in custody, the Press Association reports.

Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Emma Knight said: “We are aware news of this will be deeply concerning and I want to reassure our local communities that we have a dedicated team of detectives and officers hard at work to ensure justice is secured for the baby girl at the heart of this investigation.

“As part of our investigation seven people have been arrested on suspicion of murder. All of them remain in police custody at this time. We are working to determine the ages of some of those arrested.

“Our investigation is in its early stages and we would like to remind people to avoid speculating about this incident.”

Anyone with any information about this incident which could assist the investigation is asked to contact the force online or call 101, quoting incident number 194 of 30 August 2026.

On a moonless and rainy night, a group of soldiers emerged from a ramshackle building meant to resemble a church. The alpine terrain loomed over them as they quietly set off for the tree line of the German countryside a short distance away.

The soldiers are members of the Polish special forces and are taking part in an exercise designed only months ago that simulates moving through enemy lines, traversing miles of enemy territory and launching a drone strike on a key enemy location.

Initially designed by the Army’s Green Berets for U.S. special forces, the exercise that began Friday is informed by and simulates many of the challenges that Ukrainian troops have experienced in their conflict with Russia. It is the first time a NATO ally like Poland has undertaken the training, and it comes at a time when tensions between Russian President Vladimir Putin and NATO countries have escalated.

“We’re using lessons learned from Ukraine,” an Army Green Beret officer assigned to the training complex said Thursday. “All of those effects that we’re seeing either Russia or Ukraine having to overcome — we’re doing our best to replicate.”

The Associated Press received rare access to both the training ground and the troops conducting the exercise, which has only been conducted twice before, both times this year, by two different Green Beret teams.

The drill highlights the focus that some parts of the U.S. military have on learning the latest techniques in drone warfare, pioneered by Ukraine during its 4 1/2-year effort to repel Russian forces. It also shows how the U.S., its NATO allies and Ukraine are working together to counter the threat of possible further Russian action in coming years even as the Trump administration has warned of troop drawdowns in Europe.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe went to Moscow this week to warn Russia not to attack NATO countries, The Wall Street Journal reported. Russia has the appetite to conduct sabotage and cyberattacks against NATO countries, but Putin wants to avoid a direct confrontation, according to three Western officials, who spoke Friday on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military matters.

How special forces are learning to sneak behind enemy lines to deploy drones

During the exercise in Germany, a senior enlisted soldier familiar with the training scenario at Joint Multinational Readiness Center Hohenfels — about an hour’s drive southeast from Nuremberg — said the plan is to run it several times a year. The officer said he expects most, if not all, of the 32 NATO nations to express interest in sending their troops to try the exercise.

Both spoke on condition of anonymity in line with the U.S. military’s longstanding policy of not publicly identifying individual members of special forces units.

The scenario, which runs for several days, takes place on a large, 1,100-square-mile (3,000-square-kilometer) plot of land nestled in the Bavarian countryside.

Poland’s special forces will be expected to sneak past a U.S. Army airborne infantry unit, whose soldiers will play the enemy. The U.S. airborne infantry unit will parachute into the closed-off training area at the Army’s Hohenfels base and set themselves up into a front line.

Assuming the Polish forces can make their way past the U.S. Army, they must then move north — through about 60 miles (100 kilometers) of German countryside — to another training area in the town of Grafenwoehr, where they are expected to destroy a simulated target.

In between lie German farms and villages, private and government cameras, as well as a city with a large population, all of which not only pose as obstacles but also create the potential for them to be spotted.

The senior enlisted soldier said that in previous instances of the exercise, the Army Green Berets removed their uniforms “so they can blend in” before adding that “blend in also means don’t get seen by civilians.”

German civilians in the area largely are not aware of the exercise and serve as a reasonable test of how well special forces can blend into the local population. If they fail, reports of suspicious people to police will make it back to the military, which will use them to pinpoint the team.

“This is supposed to be Russia and you’re going to stand out in Russia,” the enlisted soldier added.

Plus, the U.S. Army also will be looking for the Polish forces with drones of their own.

If they’re spotted, “now you have the entire Russian arsenal coming at you,” the enlisted soldier said.

The U.S. Army can either send a military police unit to hunt for the Polish special forces with dogs or direct more drones to the area. In previous versions of the exercise, the U.S. Army had access to more than a hundred drones, the enlisted soldier said.

Troops are able to be “captured or killed” as part of the training.

Countries seek help from Ukraine on drone warfare

While the exercise taps into drones and NATO teamwork, the message of collaboration and the value of drones has been somewhat mixed lately across the military.

President Donald Trump stirred confusion among NATO allies by going back and forth on drawing down U.S. troop levels in Europe, and the administration has launched a force review on next steps. And last week, the Army’s top officer shuttered a unit that specialized in drone warfare.

But overall, there is growing interest in tapping Ukraine for its expertise on modern warfare and, specifically, drones.

In March, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country was helping five countries in the Middle East and Gulf region counter Iranian drone attacks launched during the war with the United States, while the U.S. and European countries were among those requesting support.

Meanwhile, the number of mysterious drone incursions in Europe have grown, including as recently as this month, when a pair of drones were spotted over a German military base and a drone carrying explosives was found at a key cargo airport in Germany.

___

Associated Press writer Emma Burrows in London contributed to this report.

Construction is due to begin in 2026

A Cambridgeshire city will see 100 affordable homes built as part of a wider expansion of thousands of new homes. Vistry has secured a contract with housing association Amplius for the sale of land for 100 homes at Great Haddon in Peterborough.

These 100 homes will be owned and managed by Amplius across tenures including affordable rent, social rent, shared ownership, and rent to buy. According to Vistry, the scheme supports the delivery of “much-needed affordable housing in Peterborough”.

The homes will form part of phase four of the Great Haddon development. Chief Development and Commercial Officer at Amplius, said: “We want to deliver the homes people want, where they’re needed most and we know that these 100 homes will address the need for affordable housing in this part of the county.

“By making the homes available on various tenures, we’ll be fostering a balanced community and creating a place that people are proud to call home. We’re really pleased to be working with Vistry once again and I’m looking forward to watching work progress and the homes taking shape.”

Construction is due to begin in November 2026, with the first homes expected to be completed by mid-2027 and the final homes due to be completed in January 2030. The development forms part of a wider masterplan that will ultimately provide more than 5,000 new homes.

The development will also include a district centre, two neighbourhood centres, new schools, community and health facilities, sports amenities, water features and substantial green spaces, including 7.5 hectares of amenity open space and 8.4 hectares of accessible natural green space.

Air source heat pumps (ASHPs) will also be installed in a number of the homes, while lower air permeability levels will help reduce heat loss. The scheme is part-funded by Homes England through its partnership with Amplius.

Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza has urged the government to introduce 12 weeks of paid parental leave a year for mums and dads whose kids are seriously ill

Mums and dads of seriously ill children should be given 12 weeks of paid parental leave to be at their child’s bedside, the Children’s Commissioner has demanded.

Dame Rachel de Souza said parents should not be forced to choose between supporting their child or keeping their job. In a letter published today, she urged the government to bring in Hugh’s law – named in memory of six-year-old Hugh Menai-Davis, who died from cancer in 2021.

His parents Ceri and Frances campaigned for support for parents with seriously ill children. On Sunday, business minister Kate Dearden said she had been moved by families’ experience and said the government is looking to improve support and employment rights.

A government consultation on employment rights for unpaid carers will close on Tuesday. The Commissioner said Hugh’s Law should be in place alongside a form of paid carer’s leave and a right to return to work following a longer period away.

Ceri and Frances, who founded the It’s Never You charity after Hugh’s death and campaigned for the law change, said on their website: “In Britain today, there is no financial support for parents of seriously ill children. Parents are expected to carry the burden alone. This is not compassion. This is not care. This is failure.”

Bringing in Hugh’s Law would help families whose children have complex or fluctuating needs to remain in employment, Dame Rachel said. Recent analysis by the Commissioner’s office found over 260,000 children born after 2008 spent three weeks or more in hospital during their childhoods. Of these, 34,846 were treated for over three months in hospital, with 1,342 spending more than a year there.

Youngsters from more deprived areas and children from ethnic minority backgrounds were most likely to have long hospital stays, it found.

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One mum, whose five-year-old child experienced a long hospital stay, told the Commissioner’s office: “I’ve had to quit my job, well, I haven’t just yet, I’m still technically I’m sick, but next month when my sick note runs out. I will be quitting my job, so I’m losing a lot of money, so it’s, yeah, it’s really hard. It’s really hard.”

Dame Rachel said she supported paid leave for 12 weeks at 90% of full pay for parents, as well as extending unpaid carer’s leave from five to 10 days a year.

But she warned the changes must go hand-in-hand with wider changes to support seriously-ill children. Dame Rachel said: “Paid leave is only part of the answer. My research showed too many seriously ill children are spending too long ‘stuck’ in hospital because the NHS and children’s social care cannot provide the nursing care, care workers, specialist support or suitable school places their children need. This can have devastating effects, not just on parents as the balance children’s care and work, but also on children’s lives.

“It is vital that government ensures improvements to employment rights are matched by better support from health and social care, so parents are not forced into poverty or out of work simply because their child is seriously ill.”

Dame Rachel said: “We should never force parents to choose between holding down a job and being by their child’s bedside. Our existing employment rights are failing parents and carers, as they struggle to balance caring responsibilities with caring for their seriously ill children. Families of seriously ill or disabled children desperately need a form of paid leave that enables them to care for and spend time with their child following a diagnosis or crisis in their child’s health.”

Minister for the Future of Work Ms Dearden said: “Serious childhood illness is a heartbreaking situation for families. I’d like to thank Ceri, Frances and all of those campaigning in the memory of their children.

“I’ve been incredibly moved by the powerful stories we have heard, and we will move quickly to consider how we can strengthen support and employment rights for families facing serious childhood illness.”

Handsome, immaculately dressed and with a dead pan delivery, as Geoffrey Moore sips a chilled Martini, his resemblance to his famous father is uncanny. The eldest son of legendary James Bond actor Sir Roger Moore, who played 007 in seven movies, he says: “Once I dreamed of being Bond myself – but now I’ve just become a film star at 60. I must be one of the luckiest people in the world.”

And, while he is not quite in the same espionage league as Bond, he will be playing a spy. He says: “I’m very pleased. I took my time to get round to it for one reason or another, but I’ve got the lead role as Hugh, an MI5 agent in Knightfall, a new spy thriller. I’m stepping out from behind the scenes.”

Although he did some acting when he was younger – appearing in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde opposite Kirk Douglas and then in Sherlock Holmes in New York – Geoffrey chose singing over acting, going into the music business. And in 1999, he co-founded the upmarket restaurant Hush in London’s posh Mayfair.

But he and business partner, Jamie Barber, sold the lease to trendy Soho House in 2023. He says: “Running a high profile restaurant is a bit like being in the movies – a bit like putting on a show every night. Many of the clients come there especially to see and meet you.”

One diner, who he befriended, was independent film producer Jonathan Sothcott. He introduced Geoffrey to brothers Gary and Martin Kemp, who famously played the Kray twins, and to Nick Moran of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels fame.

He says: “Johnny and I became friends and every now and then he would say ‘do you feel like doing something one day?’ It kind of went from there. There was no pressure, but when he came up with such a brilliant thriller I thought ‘this is it.’”

Geoffrey, whose brother Christian, 53, is a film producer and director and whose sister Deborah, 62, is an actress, has never had any formal drama training. Instead, he watched his dad – who died in 2017, aged 89 – acting on film sets as a kid and absorbed his craft.

He did several jobs behind the scenes – producing the film version of The Saint starring Roger Moore and Ian Ogilvy (who is also starring in Knightfall).

Then Geoffrey, whose late mum Luisa Mattioli and dad divorced in 2002, was signed by EMI Records in 1987, releasing his debut single Sleep With Me (Tonight) and then moving to Warner Brothers.

Of his subsequent move into the world of fine dining, he says: “It’s actually tough running a successful restaurant, you become a slave to the business. I can’t really remember the last movie I was in. The funny thing is I really enjoy acting. It has been fun shooting a thriller. I’m not pretentious about it, it’s not Shakespeare.

“We filmed in England, in London and down on the South Coast in the Winter. It was bloody freezing. As I am a spy, there was a lot of running around. It was windy, it was cold.”’

The intemperate weather finally got the better of him when he was asked to reshoot a scene. He says: “I remember the director saying ‘we are gonna go again. Do this, do that.’ It’s 4 in the morning. I love the business, it beats working in an office, but I knew that was it. The scene was the best it could be.”

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Turning his attention to his dad, he continues: “It was very difficult growing up having such a famous father. People always wanted his attention. But I am realistic. Can you imagine those who grow up not knowing who their father is? You can’t complain if you are born into a privileged family. Especially the Royals.” Of Prince Harry, he says: “Hey Harry! Can I tell you something? Get on with it!”

While Geoffrey acknowledges his privileged background, his dad’s childhood was very different. Sir Roger’s father was a South London copper and they all lived through the London Blitz in World War Two.

Geoffrey was often looked after by his grandparents for long stretches when his dad was away filming. He recalls: “They were quite strict. I knew them well and loved them. But it was a different world. Grandma served fish and chips every Friday, like they did in those days, and sheep’s brains on Thursdays, which I hated’

“When I complained, she admonished me and said I was an ‘ungrateful little boy,’ because, during rationing, sheep’s brains are what you got. They taught me to appreciate things. It’s important to be grateful.”

And he has plenty to be grateful for. Geoffrey and his Anglo-French wife, Loulou, and their two daughters’ main residence is a luxurious chalet in the Swiss Alps – although he says he still drives a 20 year old Range Rover.

For his recent 60th birthday, he had a dinner party for 30 pals at home, which he describes as “low key”. He says: “It was the best birthday party I’ve had. My wife made me cakes and a special breakfast.”

Loulou used to work in the City and Geoffrey says: “She’s incredibly smart.”

Educated at Le Rosey in Switzerland, the most expensive school in the world – where fees exceed £130,00 a year, Geoffrey remains remarkably down-to-earth. He says: “Of course, I get down some days, but I never get depressed as such. That’s not in my DNA.

“A lot of fortunate people moan about their lives, but I wake up every day thinking ‘I don’t need an umbrella, fantastic, very good, another day!’

Taking a final sip of his Martini, his thoughts return to his dad. He says: “My father was famous. I loved him and miss him – after all, he was one of my best friends.”

*Knightfall, starring Geoffrey Moore, is scheduled for release on Digital and On Demand on September 11, 2026, followed by a UK Blu-ray release on September 14, 2026.

With a Palestinian flag draped over the DJ deck, the trio, consisting of rappers Moglai Bap, Mo Chara and DJ Provai – who has been replaced with an alternative due to the arrival of his newborn child – got the crowd jumping with hits from their latest album FENIAN as well as 2024’s Fine Art, with some political messaging interspersed into their set.

The Ferrari 296 crashed on the M602 in Salford on Sunday morning (August 30), with pictures showing extensive damage to the front of the supercar.

Greater Manchester Police Traffic said the driver had lost control in wet conditions.

Despite the scale of the damage, police confirmed nobody was injured.

Pictures shared by officers show the red Ferrari with much of its front end destroyed, its windscreen badly damaged and debris hanging from the vehicle.

GMP Traffic said: “Unfortunately there’s one less Ferrari 296 in the world this morning after the driver of this one lost control in the wet on the M602 in Salford.

“No injuries luckily but please drive to the conditions for everyone’s sake.”

(Image: GMP)

A motorist who passed the aftermath while travelling to work said the extent of the damage immediately caught their attention.

They said: “I was driving to work and had to do a double take when I saw it being recovered.

“The whole front of the car looked completely destroyed and I couldn’t believe how much damage there was.

“There didn’t seem to be another car involved and traffic was moving normally by the time I went past, which made it even more surprising.

“I was just confused about how it had ended up in such a mess. The person with the car understandably didn’t look too pleased.”

There were no current traffic alerts listed for either carriageway of the M602 later on Sunday morning.

The M602 runs through Salford, connecting the M60 and M62 with routes towards Manchester city centre.

The festival is now into its third day, with stalls filling Bolton town centre despite some less-than-perfect weather over the bank holiday weekend.

Among the traders tempting visitors with something sweet are The Curious Confectioners, who have been selling homemade chunky stuffed cookies and cookie pies.

(Image: Phil Taylor)

Despite the weather, they said they had enjoyed a successful few days.

One of the team members said: “We’ve had a really good couple of days, to be honest.

“We’ve got nothing to compare it to really based on other years because it’s our first year here, but it’s been really good, despite the weather.”

Among the bestsellers have been the Ferrero Rocher cookie pie and Lotus stuffed cookies.

(Image: Phil Taylor)

The Finest Fudge Co has also returned to Bolton for what stallholders Mariah and Kitty said it was their fourth year at the festival.

(Image: Phil Taylor)

The Clitheroe-based business has been selling a wide selection of fudge, with one unexpected flavour proving particularly popular on Friday.

Mariah said: “For us, on Friday, it was actually the Turkish delight in rum and raisin, which is so weird for us.”

Another regular favourite is the Cinderella, a Nutella and white chocolate fudge containing a Kinder Bueno.

Mariah said the weather had not stopped visitors from supporting the stall.

She said: “It’s been good, considering we’ve not been blessed with the best [weather].

“We’ve still had a really lovely time. I think because we’ve done it for a few years now, people know us.”

Asked why they continue to return to Bolton Food and Drink Festival, she added: “It’s local, people have learned our brand and it’s a really nice place to come out.

“The people are really lovely.”

Those after something savoury have also had plenty to choose from, including authentic Italian street food serving freshly made arancini.

(Image: Phil Taylor)

Freshly cooked in front of you, they were a popular choice with queues forming.

Another eye-catching addition to the festival is Dantez Lemonade, which is serving homemade, slightly sparkling artisan lemonade from a converted old milk wagon.

(Image: Phil Taylor)

The idea for the drink came from Danny and Teresa, who also own a churros stand, after experimenting with a lemon dipping sauce for their churros.

The concept eventually developed into a lemonade, which is carbonated and served ice cold using a machine that super-cools the drink.

Paul, who was working on the stall alongside Louise, said trade had been good over the first few days of the festival.

He said: “It’s been good. We launched the brand, Dantez, at Bolton Food Festival last year.”

The lemonade itself has been traded at the festival for four years, with the Dantez brand officially launching in Bolton last year.

Bolton Food and Drink Festival continues throughout the bank holiday weekend, with its final day taking place on Monday, August 31.

Shocking figures from the RSPCA reveal animal beatings across the country have risen by 90 per cent

The number of animal being beaten in Cambridgeshire has risen by over 60 per cent in five years. Shocking figures revealed by the RSPCA show that animal beatings reported to the charity from across the country have risen by 90 per cent since 2021.

This is equivalent to one incident reported every 15 minutes. In Cambridgeshire, the number of beatings last year stood at 276. This is a 61 per cent rise since 2021, when 171 incidents were reported to the RSPCA.

Dogs and cats are the most common animals to be attacked, but other animals are victims too. RSPCA superintendent Jo Hirst said: “It’s incredibly distressing to see such a massive rise in reports of intentional beatings with one report coming to our cruelty line every 15 minutes.

“These are often upsetting cases where animals, usually pet cats and dogs, have experienced deliberate and horrific violence – leaving animals with not only physical injuries but mental scars as well.

“The reasons why an individual acts in this way can be down to a multitude of factors – if they are struggling with behavioural problems or their mental health, they may have violent tendencies generally, or sometimes pets are used as part of coercive control, or simply the perpetrator has a complete lack of empathy for animals.”

The RSPCA has praised the public for their help in trying to tackle cruelty – whether that’s through donations or helping to report incidents.

Jo added: “To help rescue animals from these situations we rely on the public to be our eyes and ears and report any concerns about animal abuse to us and we are grateful that so many people do and are more aware of the problem.

“We’re also finding that CCTV footage, doorbell cameras and smartphones are providing a view into society that we never had before, meaning that animal beatings are more likely to be caught on camera in supermarket car parks, on streets, in lifts, and even behind closed doors in the home.

“This could also account for the rise that we are seeing as they are more likely to be caught on camera, uploaded to social media or reported to us.”