Lindsay Clancy‘s lawyer has asked Donald Trump to pardon his client in his first interview since her murder case ended in a mistrial.

Kevin Reddington bowed his head as he humbly spoke to the camera and begged for the President to consider pardoning Lindsay on Tuesday morning.

Speaking on Good Morning America, the defense lawyer was asked what is next for Clancy. He said: ‘I’d like to say that perhaps Donald Trump, who felt compelled to speak out about this case.

‘Mr President, I hope that you would consider this young lady, the type of person she is, what she’s been through, and consider a pardon.’

It comes just days after Trump addressed the Massachusetts mom’s murder trial directly.

Speaking at the White House on Friday, the President said: ‘It’s a shame. It’s a horrible tragedy. I see what’s happened and it looks like it’s a hung jury.

‘I think the judge has said it’s going to be a mistrial, so there’s going to be another trial. It’s a terrible situation. Look, she did a horrible, horrible thing.

‘Can’t be worse. But you’ll find out what the price to pay is. There’ll be a price. It’s going to be mental institution or jail or something, but I guess they’re going to go through another trial.’

President Donald Trump has branded the Clancy case a ‘tragedy’ and said that the killer mom did a ‘horrible’ thing

Clancy, 36, faces a retrial after a jury of nine women and three men were unable to agree on whether she was guilty of the murders or manslaughter

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Reddington also described her as being ‘intelligent’ and ‘hardworking’, while describing the strong bond he has with Clancy. 

‘I do feel a very strong bond with Lindsay because of the type of person she is. She’s such a wonderful, wonderful person.’

George Stephanopoulos questioned the lawyer about his remarks at the end of the trial in which Reddington said he ‘crushed’ the defense, asking if he regretted them.

He added: ‘I don’t regret saying it at all. I think that the defense was very strong and I think it went in very well.

‘I think I perhaps could have been a little more circumspect dealing with [prosecutor] Tim Cruz, and instead of saying I crushed him, I could I have said I did a good job.’ 

Reddington then said that he was open to reaching a deal with Cruz, the District Attorney, so that Clancy did not need to go through another trial.

‘I’m willing to listen to Tim [Cruz]. I’ve known Tim for 30 years. I hope, however, after this trial, that he would revisit that issue and we could work something out that will be acceptable for both sides,’ he added.

Reddington said that he didn’t know much about postpartum depression before taking on Clancy’s trial. 

Reddington and Clancy are seen here as Judge William Sullivan delcared the case a mistrial 

He also disclosed that, to his knowledge, the 11 jurors who agreed believed that Clancy deserved a not guilty by reason of insanity verdict, bar the one holdout juror.  

Clancy, 36, faces a retrial after the jury of nine women and three men were unable to agree on whether she was guilty of the murders or manslaughter of Cora, five, Dawson, three and 18-month-old Callan in January 2023. 

Judge William Sullivan declared a mistrial at Plymouth Superior Court on Friday afternoon. 

Clancy admitted strangling her children with exercise bands but denies it was murder.

The former nurse said she was overmedicated while suffering from postpartum depression and that the cocktail of drugs she was prescribed brought on psychosis.

She tried to kill herself by jumping out the upstairs window of the home she shared with ex-husband Patrick Clancy in the wake of the killings.

The suicide attempt failed but left Clancy paralyzed and permanently confined to a wheelchair.

Jurors spent more than 37 hours deliberating five-and-a-half weeks of evidence, with one refusing to side with the others late Thursday and early Friday.

Reddington sought an emergency order to try and force jurors to enter one final round of deliberations but it failed.

It was the moment that Nicola Peltz had longed for.

After years of being written about as Brooklyn Beckham’s wife, and billionaire food tycoon Nelson Peltz’s daughter, the actress was finally being handed an award for her acting work.

Smiling broadly in her dark purple Balenciaga dress at the Casa Cinema Giovani last Saturday night – as Brooklyn, her mother Claudia, father Nelson and brother Bradley all proudly looked on – she was named the Rising Star in a ceremony held at the Venice Film Festival.

For Brand Peltz-Beckham, it was a big win – not least because alongside her receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award was legendary Oscar-winning actress Faye Dunaway, 85.

‘Thank you so much for this immense honour,’ Nicola enthused. ‘To receive an award at the Venice Film Festival is something I will carry with me for the rest of my career.’

Yet behind the scenes, Nicola’s award has prompted incredulity among industry figures. They privately questioned precisely what it is she has done to merit the accolade handed to her by Kinéo, an independent organisation which stages its annual ceremony in Venice while the prestigious film festival is taking place.

Smiling broadly in her dark purple Balenciaga dress, she was named the Rising Star in a ceremony attended by Brooklyn, her mother Claudia, father Nelson and brother Bradley

After all, Nicola first appeared on screen, in a Danny DeVito comedy as we shall see, when she was 11. She is now 31 years old.

‘It is unbelievable that anyone would give Nicola a Rising Star award when she’s in her 30s,’ scoffed an industry insider.

‘That aside though, some of her films have never been released. Her super-rich father has bankrolled her career for years; it is nepotism at its absolute worst. You have to wonder whether Nelson has got something to do with this, or else family connections.’

‘Nicola has no shame though, none at all,’ the source adds. ‘There doesn’t seem to be any humility or any embarrassment at all. It’s so cringeworthy.’

It is perhaps not a surprise that the chiefs of both the Venice Film Festival and Kinéo are keeping quiet about the award.

I approached both Kinéo and the Venice Film Festival on three separate occasions within 24 hours, asking them to explain their reasons for choosing Nicola for the gong, how the decision was reached and whether she or the Peltz family had any involvement in her selection or the event.

On all occasions, both refused to comment.

Nicola’s last film Lola, which she also wrote and directed, was given only a limited theatrical and digital release, with Box Office Mojo recording a worldwide cinema gross of $648

Billionaire food tycoon Nelson spent the wait fanning himself in the heat and periodically retreating indoors, before returning to his seat to watch his daughter’s acceptance speech

Their silence has done little to quell the astonishment surrounding the award.

It is not helpful to her cause that Nicola’s acting career has so far featured two Razzie nominations – the spoof awards honouring Hollywood’s worst performances – a succession of critically savaged projects and a directorial debut which recorded a worldwide theatrical gross of just $648.

And she first received a ‘Rising Star’ award from CinemaCon back in 2014, when she was 19 and preparing for the release of Transformers: Age Of Extinction.

More than a decade later, with no recent cinematic hit and her latest film still awaiting a release date, it seems she is rising all over again!

By comparison, Jodie Foster had won two Best Actress Oscars before turning 30. Jennifer Lawrence had collected four Academy Award nominations and one win by 25, while Natalie Portman was 29 when she won for Black Swan.

By 30, Emma Stone had an Oscar and three nominations to her name.

Kinéo says its winners are chosen through a combination of public voting and an international industry jury. Yet ‘Rising Star’ does not appear among its regular listed categories, and Nicola was not included on its public ballot.

No shortlist, vote tally or particular performance behind her selection has been disclosed.

Ahead of the ceremony, Kinéo praised her on Instagram, writing: ‘In recent years, the American actress, screenwriter and producer has attracted growing international attention thanks to increasingly multifaceted roles both in front of and behind the camera.’

It was a glowing tribute, but it stopped short of naming any of those roles.

The Peltz family, meanwhile, had ample time to prepare for her big moment.

Nicola’s award was reportedly announced five times before she finally appeared, prompting one presenter to call out: ‘Where is our beautiful star?’

Brooklyn, 27, was later seen clasping his wife by the arm and guiding her towards the small podium in the gardens of the Casa Cinema Giovani.

Nelson, 84, had spent the wait fanning himself in the 30-degree heat and periodically retreating indoors, but he returned to his seat in time to watch his daughter’s acceptance speech.

Nicola’s last film was Lola, released in 2024, which she wrote, directed and starred in.

Despite being born into almost unimaginable wealth, she cast herself as an impoverished young woman working as a stripper and battling drug addiction while desperately attempting to protect her younger brother from their abusive family background.

It was given only a limited theatrical and digital release, with Box Office Mojo recording a worldwide cinema gross of $648.

The project was criticised as ‘poverty porn’ and branded a ‘vanity project’ by viewers who questioned Nicola’s understanding of the deprived world she was attempting to portray.

‘I felt like the whole movie was based around her looking pretty and giving her flattering close ups,’ said one critic, while another slammed her ‘dead-eyed’ acting.

One Instagram user told Nicola: ‘I wish rich people like yourself would stay away from trying to tell stories like this. You have no idea what this character’s reality is like.

‘I find it offensive to the working-class women who are truly living this reality that have to see a billionaire indulge themselves into a dream acting role.’

Indeed, even this deeply personal passion project arrived with an impeccable family connection.

Legendary 28-time Grammy winner Quincy Jones, the producer behind Michael Jackson’s Thriller, worked on the film’s music.

His daughter, model Kenya Kinski-Jones, 33, is married to Nicola’s elder brother Will Peltz, 40.

Nelson, meanwhile, attended the film’s Los Angeles premiere, where he was joined by his friend, controversial tech billionaire Elon Musk, 55.

The actress’s most recent television appearance came in the final episode of Ryan Murphy’s body-horror series The Beauty, which premiered in January.

The 11-part series boasted a sprawling cast including Bella Hadid, Ashton Kutcher, Evan Peters, Rebecca Hall and Meghan Trainor, but received some blistering reviews.

Metro critic Rebecca Cook awarded it one star beneath the headline: ‘Ryan Murphy’s offensive new TV show is nearly unwatchable.’

‘I was not prepared for the endurance challenge that was soldiering through these 11 episodes,’ she added.

Other reviewers accused the series of borrowing heavily from the Oscar-winning body-horror film The Substance, while describing it as ‘excessive’, ‘dumbed down’ and ‘unhinged’.

And the reception was merely the latest in a series of difficult critical encounters during Nicola’s career.

The film she made her debut in opposite Danny DeVito in the 2006 Christmas comedy Deck The Halls, currently holds a paltry 6 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Four years later, she played Katara in M Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender, which was dismissed by one critic as an ‘abomination of cinema’ and has a 5 per cent rating on the review-aggregation website.

Nicola received a Golden Raspberry nomination for Worst Supporting Actress for her performance.

Her biggest role came in 2014 when she appeared alongside Mark Wahlberg in Michael Bay’s Transformers: Age Of Extinction.

The blockbuster made more than $1.1billion worldwide but proved significantly less popular with critics, earning a Rotten Tomatoes score of 18 per cent.

Nicola was again nominated for Worst Supporting Actress at the Razzies.

It was during the promotional campaign for Transformers that she and co-star Jack Reynor were named CinemaCon’s Rising Stars of 2014.

Then aged 19, Nicola was being positioned as one of Hollywood’s most promising new actresses.

In the 12 years since, her credits have included supporting roles in Youth In Oregon, Back Roads, Our House and Netflix romantic comedy Holidate.

She also appeared in Bates Motel between 2013 and 2015 and had single-episode roles in Marvel series Inhumans and drama Welcome to Chippendales.

Yet despite her repeated attempts to make it in the film industry, Nicola is arguably now better known for being Nelson’s youngest daughter and for her highly publicised marriage to Brooklyn, the eldest son of Sir David and Lady Beckham. And that’s the truth whether she likes it or not.

Five tips for finding genuine Black Friday discounts and deals

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

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

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

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

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

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

2. Expand your search to everyday essentials

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

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

3. Use a price tracker

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

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

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

Nutrition is key to get you through race day

You’ve put in the miles, completed the long runs and got your race day kit ready. But now it is time to think about how you’re going to fuel your body.

The Phoenix Energy Belfast City Half Marathon’s Official Fuelling Partner, Applied Nutrition, shares some simple advice to help you fuel smart and feel ready from the start line to the finish.

Before Race Day

Carbohydrates are an important source of energy during endurance exercise, so in the days leading up to a longer race, make sure they feature regularly in your meals and snacks.

Products such as the Endurance Energy & Hydration Powder are recommended to carb load with each serving delivering 48g of carbohydrates and 300mg of electrolytes making it the perfect product on the lead up to the big day. It is recommended to take up to 4 servings a day with meals or in between as a part of your Nutrition Plan

Race Morning

Keep breakfast simple and familiar. Aim for a carbohydrate-rich meal around two to three hours before the race, such as oats, toast or a banana alongside the Endurance Energy & Hydration Powder to help top up glycogen stores without feeling too heavy before your run.

Most importantly, race morning isn’t the time to experiment. Use your training runs to practise your breakfast routine so you know what sits well.

Fuel Along the Way

For longer distances, don’t wait until you’re running on empty before you start fuelling.

Applied Nutrition recommends taking on carbohydrates regularly during endurance events, with around 30–60g of carbohydrates per hour suggested as a general guide. The Isotonic Energy Gel can be taken every 30 minutes with the Endurance Elite Performance Energy Gel perfect for more experienced runners and recommended to consume every 30 minutes but do not consume more than 6 of these per day.

Energy gels can be a convenient option while running, but practise using them during your long runs. Work out when you’ll take them, how many you need and what feels comfortable for you.

Remember Your Hydration

Hydration is just as important as fuelling. Your individual needs will depend on factors including the weather, distance and how much you sweat but 400-800ml is the recommended amount to consumer.

Using electrolyte tablets such as the Endurance Hydration Electrolyte Tablets help to replace lost salts, support performance and reduce your risk of overhydration.

Recovery

Congratulations! An important part of your race day journey is recovery. We recommend a recovery drink such as the Endurance Recovery Post Exercise Fuel to help with muscle soreness, enhance recovery and to help promote muscle repair and growth

Applied Nutrition is an Official Fuelling Partner of Belfast City Marathon. Discover more endurance nutrition advice and explore the Applied Nutrition Endurance range online and use the code BCM30 for money off your order.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here

Ray Winstone has laughed off rumours that Meghan Markle could be joining the cast of The Gentlemen, appearing genuinely stunned when the Duchess of Sussex‘s name was raised in connection with Guy Ritchie‘s hit Netflix crime drama.

The actor, who plays crime boss Bobby Glass in the series, was asked about the speculation during an appearance on The Romesh Ranganathan Show.

And it is fair to say he was not expecting the question.

When asked whether he knew if Meghan was starring in The Gentlemen, Winstone replied: ‘What? Who? I’ve never met her.’

The 69-year-old then appeared shocked by the suggestion that the former Suits star could feature in a future series.

‘What in the Gentleman? Oh shut up! I don’t think so. Who spreads these rumours, we’ve got to find them.’

The comments come amid weeks of speculation that Meghan, 45, could be considering a return to acting, with reports linking her to a possible role in the third season of Ritchie’s stylish crime series.

The rumours intensified last month after reports suggested the Duchess, who returned to live in the UK with Prince Harry, was interested in making a comeback to acting.

Prince Harry and Meghan visit the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne in April

The Gentlemen has now officially been renewed for a third season, with creator Guy Ritchie saying the show’s expanding world and ambitions made another instalment feel inevitable. 

Yet the stars of the show have been far from convinced that Meghan will be joining them.

At the London premiere of season two last week, Vinnie Jones was asked about reports that Meghan could appear in the next series.

In his typically direct style, British actor and former professional footballer Vinnie said: ‘I think it’s hot air.’

He added: ‘We’ve got a lot of pretty women in this series, so I’m not sure there’s room for any more.’

Theo James, who plays aristocrat-turned-crime boss Eddie Horniman, also appeared to dismiss the speculation.

When asked about the Sussex rumours, he joked: ‘No. Prince Harry is playing one of my love interests. So that’s the Meghan Markle thing.’

He later said: ‘I think it’s a spurious rumour. She’d fit in well because she’s actually from the Royal Family, but I think the practicalities of that are impossible.’

James subsequently described the casting talk as little more than speculation, while acknowledging that plans for the show’s third season are still developing.

Hugh Bonneville, who joins the second season as the colourful Lord Hawthorne, was equally dismissive, describing the speculation as ‘a genius bit of marketing by the person who dreamt up that idea’.

And new star Maya Jama, who makes her scripted acting debut in the second season, simply said: ‘I’d be the last person to know.’

Maya Jama has signed up for series three of The Gentlemen according to reports, after stars of the show dismissed rumours Meghan Markle would join the cast

Meanwhile Kaya Scodelario channelled her impeccably styled character Susie as she dazzled in diamonds

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The comments were reported as Meghan speculation continued to dominate coverage surrounding the show’s second-season premiere at the Guildhall Art Gallery in London.

Guy Ritchie declined to give interviews on the red carpet, meaning he did not publicly confirm or deny reports that he had held preliminary discussions with Meghan about a possible role.

The Duchess has nevertheless been repeatedly linked with a return to acting, having previously found fame as Rachel Zane in Suits before stepping back from the profession following her relationship with Prince Harry.

Royal author Tina Brown has claimed that an offer of an acting role was withdrawn within 24 hours of the Sussexes returning to the UK because the ‘backlash was so intense it became untenable’.

There have also been suggestions that the Meghan-Gentlemen story itself could have been deliberately leaked to generate publicity.

PR expert Mark Borkowski said the timing was suspicious, arguing that it appeared designed to attract attention without anyone having to formally confirm a deal.

Addressing claims that it was a deliberate leak from the Sussex side, he told the Daily Mail: ‘It’s totally plausible because there’s not been a single quote from the production, so they’re enjoying all the publicity, it’s good for them.’

But while the speculation has been repeatedly dismissed by members of the cast, one source claimed there could still be a possibility of Meghan appearing in the show.

‘I gather talks are still ongoing despite claims that it’s all off. It was a factor for her in moving back to the UK’, they said.

The Love Island presenter, 32, made her scripted acting debut in the second series of Guy Ritchie’s Netflix hit, in which she plays Aisha, the wife of a criminal associate 

The new glimpse at the upcoming series shows James’s character Eddie take on the Glass family’s empire as he makes a bid to resume complete control of his estate

It has also been claimed that Meghan may have spoken directly with Ritchie, although no official confirmation of any discussions has emerged.

Another source claimed there were ‘deafening rumours’ that the former Suits actress was hoping to secure a serious stage role in London’s West End as part of a wider return to acting.

The latest instalment of The Gentlemen landed on Netflix on September 3, with Theo James returning as Eddie Horniman, alongside Kaya Scodelario as Susie Glass and Winstone as her formidable father Bobby.

The new season sees Eddie and Susie expand their criminal empire, while Bobby’s increasingly erratic behaviour threatens to destabilise their operation.

The star-studded cast turned out in force for the London premiere, with Maya Jama making her debut as Aisha, the wife of a criminal associate of James’s character.

Jama, 32, made an eye-catching entrance in a daringly cut leather gown, custom-made by R&M Leathers and styled by Rhea Francois.

Kaya Scodelario, 34, meanwhile channelled her impeccably styled character Susie as she dazzled in diamonds while wearing a custom Paolo Sebastian corset gown.

She returns as the daughter of Winstone’s Bobby Glass, the mobster who operates a vast cannabis empire from English country estates.

James, 41, dressed to impress in a bespoke suit as he once again stepped into the shoes of the duke-turned-crime boss Eddie.

Bonneville also attended alongside his partner Heidi Kadlecova after joining the cast as Lord Hawthorne.

Noel Rhone, of Towers Avenue, Deane, had been in an altercation with his neighbour, Bolton Crown Court was told.

The defendant was charged with affray in December of last year, which Rhone pleaded guilty to.

The neighbour and Rhone had been keeping up a friendship until last year, the court was told.

Prosecuting, Katie Durham said this coincided with the neighbour getting into a “same sex relationship”, which caused the rupture in the neighbours’ friendship.

She said Rhone had disputes with the neighbour over parking issues, “namely visitors parking in front of or next to his property”, resulting in the neighbour parking down the street.

On December 2, 2025, a visitor parking near Rhone’s address had made him “lose his temper”.

The neighbours were arguing over parking at the time of the incident, when Rhone lunged at her neck and then pushed her, she then kicked him to the ground “in self-defence” and walked off.

Once he got back up, he went inside his property and came back out with a sword, coming towards his neighbour saying “I will chop your head off.”

The sword was likened to a “katana”.

The defendant got into the passenger seat of a van and threatened to chop her head off when he came back.

Defending, Peter Gilmour said the defendant was suffering from emotional issues at the time, including a family member diagnosed with cancer, and the loss of his parents.

Mr Gilmour said that Rhone has grown-up children and grandchildren, as well as being in “good character” for all of his life.

Judge Benjamin Lawrence said Rhone had used an offensive slur against the neighbour and Rhone also said she was the problem.

Judge Lawrence added: “In an argument you shouted, she called you a bully, you lunged at her neck then you pushed her, she feared for her life, and you left a small cut.

“She kicked you to the floor and walked away, and after you picked up a sword and threatened to chop her head off and put her windows through.

“Residents were also present.”

Rhone was sentenced to 14 months suspended for 18 months.

The judge said he handed down a suspended sentence due to Rhone, having a family and of usual good character.

Rhone also has to serve 100 hours of unpaid work, as well pay a fine of £500 to be paid back at £100 a month, as he is receiving a pension.

Judge Lawrence said: “You should not have been here in the first place; do not come back here again.”

Prince George arrived on a rainy morning for his first day at Eton College, accompanied by his father and mother, the Prince and Princess of Wales.

Prince William and Catherine carried umbrellas as they brought George, wearing a jacket and tie, to be welcomed by the head teacher, Simon Henderson, and provost Sir Nicholas Coleridge.

“Welcome, good luck and enjoy,” said the head teacher, shaking hands with Prince George.

They made small talk about the bad weather before the new pupil, parents and staff disappeared inside the historic school, where 13-year-old George will be a boarder.

The future king follows in the footsteps of his father in attending the elite private school, which has taught 20 British prime ministers and where fees are around £65,000 a year.

Britain is facing reprisals from the US and Israel as Andy Burnham prepares to impose sanctions on West Bank settlements.

A package of measures banning imports from the disputed areas is set to be announced later today, despite a mounting backlash.

The PM informed Donald Trump of his plans in a call last night, with the Government bracing for the president to respond publicly. 

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband will face questions in the Commons this afternoon, and France and Canada are expected to unveil similar sanctions. The move comes after Labour formally triggered a by-election in Keir Starmer‘s Holborn & St Pancras seat, where Palestine is set to be a major issue. 

But there is already a storm of protest, with the US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee accusing the UK of ‘Jew hate’ and ‘discrimination’.

In further escalation, Florida congressman Randy Fine has warned that the state has a law that would ban British imports in retaliation.

An Israeli minister has insisted it could support Argentina’s campaign to seize control of the Falklands, while terror experts said access to crucial intelligence could be disrupted. 

There is also disquiet in Labour ranks, with one MP raising alarm about ‘a real risk of increased chances of attacks on the British Jewish community’.

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband will face questions in the Commons on the policy later

Concern about Israeli settlements has been mounting for years. It has intensified following Israel’s recent decision to open tenders for 1,200 homes east of Jerusalem, which would divide the West Bank

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Touring broadcast studios for the Government this morning, Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden insisted Israel remains a key ally of the UK.

He argued the measures would be targeted and not amount to a de facto ban on trade with the state.

Mr Burnham has not spoken to Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu since becoming PM in July.

Labour has been under intense pressure from activists to toughen its position on Israel after losing votes to the Greens and pro-Gaza independents.

Around 160 settlements have been built by Israel since its occupation of the West Bank during the Six-Day War in 1967. Around 700,000 live in them and concern about the issue been mounting for years. This intensified following Israel’s recent decision to open tenders for 1,200 homes east of Jerusalem, which would divide the West Bank.

Mr Miliband, who is Jewish, last week said the plan was ‘crossing a red line’ and ‘illegal under international law’.

He said the proposal ‘cuts through the heart of the West Bank and risks making a Palestinian state unviable’.

Mr Miliband said Labour wanted a ‘comprehensive reset’ of relations with Israel.

Mr Burnham has said the Israeli proposals could ‘imperil or end’ the dream of a two-state solution, which successive British governments have supported for years. In a call with Mr Trump last night he reiterated his commitment to a two-state solution.

But Itamar Ben-Gvir, the hardline Minister of National Security of Israel, used the disputed Argentinian name for the Falklands as he wrote on X: ‘It’s time for the State of Israel to publicly recognize that the Malvinas Islands are Argentine territory under occupation, which the British violently steal from the Argentine people.

‘The British are not content with merely occupying the territory; they also carry out oil drilling there and steal the money from the Argentine people.

‘I call upon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to recognize Argentina’s sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands and to impose sanctions on Great Britain as long as the occupation continues.’

Last week Argentine president Javier Milei reiterated the country’s ‘sacred’ claim to the territory, which it failed to seize in the 1982 Falklands War. 

Mr Milei has announced sanctions on oil exploration around the islands, encouraged by his ally Donald Trump pledging to ‘review’ US neutrality on the dispute. 

Britain has been adamant that sovereignty of the Falklands is not in doubt. 

In a referendum of islanders in 2013, 99.8 per cent voted to stay British, with a turnout of 92 per cent. 

Senior Labour MP Dame Emily Thornberry slapped down Mr Ben-Gvir in the Commons.

She pointed out that an Israeli oil company had just been sanctioned by Buenos Aires over a contract with the islands, and suggested he was too distracted by his ongoing effort to find ‘new ways to inflict ever more cruelty on the Palestinian people’ to do his research properly.

Israel’s finance minister Bezalel Smotrich called for the expulsion of the British ambassador.

‘We will not be a doormat trampled by an antisemitic government, in a country conquered by radical Islam, trying to save itself from economic and social decline by attacking Jews and the State of Israel,’ he said.

‘The British Mandate in the Land of Israel is over.’

Israeli president Isaac Herzog said Britain should focus on ‘dialogue’ not sanctions.

‘If this happens – and other nations may join – I believe it will prove to be a grave miscalculation, a decision that will fall on the wrong side of history,’ he said in a statement. 

Although Mr Trump has yet to comment, Republican Mr Fine posted on social media: ‘As the British government considers forcing British companies to boycott portions of Israel, it should be aware that a Florida law that I passed as a member of the Legislature would ban any British company forced to comply from doing business with any state or local government in Florida. 

‘It would also end any British business participating in that boycott from doing any business in Florida if it needed any official interaction with state or local government to operate (permits, tax collection). 

‘Florida is one of Britain’s largest trading partners. They should understand that their vanity project in support of Muslim terror could cost them billions of dollars. 

‘And for those who doubt the power of this policy, it was this same law that broke Airbnb’s misguided effort to boycott portions of Israel in 2019. 

The PM informed Donald Trump of his plans in a call last night, with the Government bracing for the president to respond publicly

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‘They realized that this law would have bankrupted their company. Florida has made it clear. Any company — or nation — that boycotts Israel is boycotted by Florida.’ 

Mr Huckabee said: ‘I feel like that it’s a discrimination against the Israeli government, it’s discrimination against the Jewish people and I don’t understand the rationale of it.’

He added: ‘I don’t know if they have thought through, it’s like throwing a stone and not having an idea of where it’s going to land.

‘And I realise, look, the UK is a sovereign country, they can do what they want, but so is the US.’

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme there would be ‘implications’ for Britain.

‘For example, 25 per cent of pharmaceuticals that are used in the UK are made in Israel. Are they willing to give those up? It looks like they are.

‘Are they willing also to do great damage to any Brits who are doing business in a number of states in the US.

‘I don’t know what all of the national sanctions or repercussions or retaliations will be from the US, hasn’t been announced yet.

‘But I do know that there are a number of states. Let me mention one, one of the largest US states, Florida, that has a law that if this action is taken, then Brits will not be able to do business with any company or business in Florida.’

Mr McFadden dismissed jibes about the Government engaging in ‘Jew hate’ and insisted Israel remained a key ally.

‘At the heart of the statement is the idea that the UK, along with many other countries, do not want to see the possibility of a two-state solution in Israel and Palestine being erased by changes to the facts on the ground, and the reason that danger has become more urgent is because of expanded settlement activity in recent weeks and months,’ he told Times Radio.

Plans in the so-called E1 area could see the ‘effective cutting off of the north of the West Bank from the south of the West Bank’, he said.

Asked why Mr Burnham had not spoken to Israel’s PM about the move, he said: ‘I’m sure he will speak to the prime minister of Israel.

‘But Israel is an important security ally, and in the context of what we’re saying today, I think it’s also important to distinguish between action which is announced in response to policies of this Israeli government at this time, and the people of Israel and the links between Israel and the UK, which are important and valuable and will continue to be so.’

Shadow foreign secretary Tom Tugendhat warned at the weekend that the move to impose sanctions could imperil security cooperation credited with saving British lives.

Britain and Argentina fought in 1982 over the islands after Argentina made a failed bid to take them

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Last week Argentine president Javier Milei reiterated the country’s ‘sacred’ claim to the territory

He urged ministers to ‘put our own national interests and our own national security first’, adding: ‘That means that where we have friends and allies who provide us with intelligence in order to keep us safe we should work with them.’

Asked how it would be possible to tell whether goods come from settlements in the West Bank or the rest of Israel and to address concerns this could amount to an overall boycott by the back door, he told Sky News: ‘The Foreign Secretary will set out details of how this will operate when he stands up in Parliament this afternoon.

‘But I think it’s also important to say that Israel is an important trading partner for the UK. This isn’t intended to be a boycott of all Israeli goods.’

He added: ‘It’s measures specifically targeted at the expansion of these settlements, which are illegal under international law, in the West Bank.’

Similarly, reader Paul Isaacs, a dentist, believes that “squirting stuff between teeth isn’t that good at removing a sticky biofilm”.

“If we don’t clean between the teeth properly it’s a bit like only washing your left side in the shower,” he adds.

For Paul, it’s the technique that matters, not necessarily the technology. “Toothbrushes are a personal thing, you can do a great job with manual or electric, if you do it right.”

“Getting bits of peanut out from between the teeth is not effective cleaning when it comes to gum health, so water jets are second rate,” he says.

“The gold standard is mechanical cleaning, in basic terms if you don’t wrangle it off, the biofilm won’t shift.”

The readers tempted by Dyson

These readers, however, are more optimistic about this new technology and can see how it could become a sophisticated investment, remembering when the electric toothbrush was dismissed when it first launched.

As a Dyson enthusiast, reader Irena Stoynova, 41, from Hampshire, was excited to hear about the launch of the CameraJet: “It’s because of the trust I have in the brand.”

As the owner of a variety of Dyson products from the hair dryer, fan and purifier and vacuum cleaner, Irena has found their products to be “innovative, effective and reliable”.

“They are the best in class,” she adds. “I believe that if somebody is going to disrupt the market it is going to be Dyson.”

The Great British Schools Guide has released data naming the top 10 easiest and hardest secondary schools to get into in County Durham, ranked based on “an equal-weighted combination of catchment tightness and fullness relative to recorded capacity”.

The fullness percentage provides “an indication of demand” for places and does not mean a school is oversubscribed.

Here are the easiest and hardest secondary schools to get into in County Durham.

Does your child’s school feature on either of the lists? (Image: Getty)

Hardest County Durham secondary schools to get into

The Academy at Shotton Hall comes in first place on the Great British Schools Guide’s list with a fullness of 101%.

The school was given a rating of outstanding in its last OFSTED inspection, which was published in September 2024.

The school says it provides a “vibrant and stimulating learning environment” for its pupils.

Top 10 hardest County Durham secondary schools to get into:

1. The Academy at Shotton Hall – 101%
2. Seaham High School – 94%
3. Easington Academy – 105%
4. Hermitage Academy – 89%
5. Woodham Academy – 93%
6. Tanfield School – 102%
7. Belmont Community School – 94%
8. Park View School – 109%
9. Dene Academy – 78%
10. King James I Academy Bishop Auckland – 97%

Easiest County Durham secondary schools to get into

For the easiest school to get into in County Durham, Staindrop Academy has a fullness percentage of 69%.

The school was last inspected by OFSTED in October 2021 and received a rating of good in all of the categories judged.

The school aims to make all of its pupils feel “happy and valued” and wants them to “fulfil their potential and develop the skills and attributes to succeed in their next steps”.

Top 10 easiest County Durham secondary schools to get into:

1. Staindrop Academy – 69%
2. Teesdale School and Sixth Form – 71%
3. Durham Academy – 57%
4. Wellfield School – 90%
5. Wolsingham School – 99%
6. Framwellgate School Durham – 94%
7. North Durham Academy – 57%
8. Ferryhill School – 80%
9. Greenfield Academy – 68%
10. Bishop Barrington Academy – 74%

Do either of these lists surprise you? Let us know in the comments.