A reader paints a bleak picture of the current console landscape and suggests that Sony already knows the PlayStation 6 will be only for a small percentage of rich fans.

It’s been obvious from the start that Sony has no intention of reversing their decision about physical media on the PlayStation 5. This wasn’t a conversation or a proposal; this was them telling their fans they can like it or lump it. There is no alternative: physical discs won’t exist after next year and then the only place you’ll be able to buy games is from the PlayStation Store.

There’ll be codes in a box in shops but that’s not going to be popular with either customers or shops. So beyond that it’s literally Sony or nothing, which is obviously exactly how they want it. If they’re the only way you can buy games then they can charge whatever they want and there’s nothing anyone can do about it. They also have no incentive to offer fair refund options; they’ll just keep it as it is.

So your options are either buy an Xbox (who’s going to do that?), buy a Switch 2 (it doesn’t have all third party games), or buy a PC (who wants that hassle?). Sony, of course, know this and the unattractiveness of the other options is exactly why they’re doing it. They’ve got us all trapped in a situation where either we play by their rules or we have to go find another hobby.

I don’t want to take up knitting though, so what are my options? I realise I’m being dismissive of PC gaming, and a lot of people seem keen on it, but I hate messing around with hardware and options and all that business. And so many games seem to have problems on PC even when they run fine on consoles. Plug and play is all I want and that’s exactly what consoles offer. Or at least they did until performance modes and all that other PC nonsense started getting into console games too.

The Switch 2 is probably something I’d like to have anyway, but while it does have decent third party support it all seems very random and you can’t count on anything definitely coming to it or not. Except I would bet quite a bit that GTA 6 isn’t going to make it.

So Sony has got us by the short and curlies. I don’t like that and I don’t like companies treating me like a sentient wallet, but that’s the situation we’re in now. If Xbox were in a healthier place they’d be just as bad, heck they tried to pull all this off years earlier with the Xbox One, but they’re kind of stuck trying to play the underdog card and hoping people will like them again because… Halo and Gears Of War? Yeah, that’s not happening.

People have been talking about the end of consoles for years, but it’s mostly been just exaggerations and doomers trying to stretch a point. But now it feels like we’re actually there. There is going to be a PlayStation 6 but it’s going to cost a grand and that means only a tiny number of people are going to buy it – it won’t be a mass market device anymore. It’ll be the opposite of what the PS1 and PlayStation 2 were.

To what degree Sony could’ve done something about this I’m not sure. They can’t affect the component crisis, but they could’ve definitely tried to do something about development times and pushed companies back towards making double-A games acceptable. Or just pushing shorter games, like Spider-Man: Miles Morales. But no, they didn’t do anything sensible like that or make any attempt whatsoever to stop console gaming flying off a cliff.

You would’ve thought they might, considering that’s how they make their money and all, but no. So what is the future of PlayStation and non-Nintendo consoles in general? The PlayStation 6 is a novelty, in my view, and they know it. Just like the Steam Machine and Project Helix. They’re hyper expensive PC/console hybrids for super fans only and the companies know that.

I think the future of PlayStation is the handheld they keep hinting at. It’s going to be like a lower-specced PlayStation 5 (kind of like the Xbox Series S to the Xbox Series X) and it’ll keep the PlayStation 5 going for another eight years or so. There won’t be any PlayStation 6 exclusives, it’ll just upscale and boost PlayStation 5 games.

I feel that’s been kind of obvious for a while now but there’s literally nowhere else to go. You can’t make something more powerful than the PlayStation 5 and have it cost any less than the PS5 Pro and you can’t make exclusive games for a console that hardly anyone owns (which admittedly is something Microsoft has yet to learn).

So that’s it. Console gaming got as far as the PlayStation 5 and then stopped. I’m sure the PlayStation 6 will be able to do some little extra tricks and improvements, but the underlying games will be PlayStation 5 games, designed for what by then will be last gen hardware. Those that were complaining that this gen seemed like it’s barely started don’t know how right they are…

By reader Ruben

The reader’s features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.

You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot.

Just contact us at gamecentral@metro.co.uk or use our Submit Stuff page and you won’t need to send an email.

MORE: How PlayStation should have handled the news about going all-digital – Reader’s Feature

MORE: The 10 best Arcade Archives games on modern consoles – Reader’s Feature

MORE: How I smashed my target to complete one video game every month – Reader’s Feature

The full breakdown of results in all 10 Greater Manchester boroughs

Greater Manchester has elected a new mayor after a marathon election count.

Labour’s Bev Craig will succeed Andy Burnham in the job after winning a comprehensive majority over second-place Sian Astley, of Reform.

The result was announced late on Friday night, more than 24 hours after polling stations closed

Ms Craig won 47.15% of votes in the first round, just short of the 50% needed to win outright in the Supplementary Vote (SV) system, so there was a second round against Reform UK candidate Sian Astley, on 20.99%.

After those results were counted, Ms Craig won a total of 309,525 votes (66%) against Ms Astley’s 157,178 (34%).

Turnout across the region was low, at just under 25% – the lowest ever in a Greater Manchester mayoral election.

Ms Craig won most votes in every borough, with Ms Astley’s Reform finishing second in all but two. In Manchester, Green Party’s Geraldine Coggins finished second, and in Trafford, Conservative Phil Eckersley was runner up.

In her victory speech at Manchester’s Co-Op Arena Live, Ms Craig said: “To have trust placed in you is an honour.

“I’m honoured, I’m humbled and I stand ready to serve the three million people that live across this fantastic city region. I will serve every single one of them, every single day.

“I never believed as a girl growing up on a council estate that one day I would have the chance to stand for the place that I love, the place in this world that I’m proud to call home and to offer my service to make our city region better.

“Greater Manchester’s potential lies in its future and when Westminster walked away from us, when we were struggling as a deindustrialised city region, it was the people in this place that began the journey to rebuild.”

The by-election, the biggest ever held in the UK, took place after Mr Burnham had to stand down from the post after being elected MP for Makerfield.

The election was held using the supplementary vote system, which meant that people were able to vote for two candidates – a first and second preference.

Here is how every borough voted.

Stockport

First stage of voting

• Bev Craig (Labour and Co-operative Party) – 35,571 votes (50.2%)
• Sian Niamh Astley (Reform UK) – 12,551 votes (17.7%)
• Geraldine Coggins (The Green Party) – 7,430 votes (10.5%)
• Phil Eckersley (The Conservative Party Candidate) – 5,589 votes (7.9%)
• Marlon Scott West (Restore Britain) – 4,977 votes (7.0%)
• Richard Martin Kilpatrick (Liberal Democrats) – 4,542 votes (6.4%)
• Marcus Jonathan Farmer (Independent) – 243 votes (0.3%)

Second stage of voting

• Bev Craig (Labour and Co-operative Party) – 8,131 votes for a total of 43,702
• Sian Niamh Astley (Reform UK) – 5,116 votes for a total of 17,667

Turnout: 31%

Trafford

First stage of voting

• Bev Craig (Labour and Co-operative Party) – 30,966 votes
• Phil Eckersley (The Conservative Party Candidate) – 9,315 votes
• Sian Niamh Astley (Reform UK) – 8,620 votes
• Geraldine Coggins (The Green Party) – 8,037 votes
• Marlon Scott West (Restore Britain) – 3,136 votes
• Richard Martin Kilpatrick (Liberal Democrats) – 1,659 votes
• Marcus Jonathan Farmer (Independent) – 181 votes

Second stage of voting

• Bev Craig (Labour and Co-operative Party) – 7,852 votes for a total of 38,818
• Sian Niamh Astley (Reform UK) – 5,009 votes for a total of 13,629

Turnout: 35%

Manchester

First stage of voting

• Bev Craig (Labour and Co-operative Party) – 49,326 votes
• Geraldine Coggins (The Green Party) – 21,909 votes
• Sian Niamh Astley (Reform UK) – 9,845 votes
• Marlon Scott West (Restore Britain) – 4,811 votes
• Richard Martin Kilpatrick (Liberal Democrats) – 2,620 votes
• Phil Eckersley (The Conservative Party Candidate) – 2,439 votes
• Marcus Jonathan Farmer (Independent) – 436 votes

Second stage of voting

• Bev Craig (Labour and Co-operative Party) – 16,784 for a total of 66,110
• Sian Niamh Astley (Reform UK) – 4,161 for a total of 14,006

Turnout: 23%

Salford

First stage of voting

• Bev Craig (Labour and Co-operative Party) – 21,445 votes
• Sian Astley (Reform UK) – 9,600 votes
• Geraldine Coggins (The Green Party) – 5,641 votes
• Marlon Scott West (Restore Britain) – 4,225 votes
• Phil Eckersley (The Conservative Party Candidate) – 3,545 votes
• Richard Martin Kilpatrick (Liberal Democrats) – 1,095 votes
• Marcus Jonathan Farmer (Independent) – 247 votes

Second stage of voting

• Bev Craig (Labour and Co-operative Party) – 5,394 votes for a total of 26,839
• Sian Niamh Astley (Reform UK) – 4,028 votes for a total of 13,628

Turnout: 23%

Oldham

First stage of voting

• Bev Craig (Labour and Co-operative Party) – 15,170 votes
• Sian Niamh Astley (Reform UK) – 10,723 votes
• Marlon Scott West (Restore Britain) – 4,381 votes
• Geraldine Coggins (Green Party) – 3,105 votes
• Phil Eckersley (The Conservative Party Candidate) – 1,974 votes
• Martin Kilpatrick (Liberal Democrats) – 832 votes
• Marcus Jonathan Farmer (Independent) – 285 votes

Second stage of voting

• Bev Craig (Labour and Co-operative Party) – 2,585 votes for a total of 17,755.
• Sian Niamh Astley (Reform UK) – 3,952 votes for a total of 14,675.

Turnout: 22%

Bolton

First stage of voting

• Bev Craig (Labour and Co-operative Party) – 19,718 votes
• Sian Niamh Astley (Reform UK) – 12,524 votes
• Geraldine Coggins (The Green Party) – 5,095 votes
• Phil Eckersley (The Conservative Party Candidate) – 5,041 votes
• Marlon Scott West (Restore Britain) – 4,820 votes
• Richard Martin Kilpatrick (Liberal Democrats) – 1,016 votes
• Marcus Jonathan Farmer (Independent) – 484 votes

Second stage of voting

• Bev Craig (Labour and Co-operative Party) – 4,170 votes for a total of 23,888
• Sian Niamh Astley (Reform UK) – 4,998 votes for a total of 17,522.

Turnout: 23%

Bury

First stage of voting

• Bev Craig (Labour and Co-operative Party) – 18,837 votes
• Sian Niamh Astley (Reform UK) – 9,111 votes
• Phil Eckersley (The Conservative Party Candidate) – 4,515 votes
• Marlon Scott West (Restore Britain) – 3,570 votes
• Geraldine Coggins (The Green Party) – 3,309 votes
• Richard Martin Kilpatrick (Liberal Democrats) – 671 votes
• Marcus Jonathan Farmer (Independent) – 188 votes

Second stage of voting

• Bev Craig (Labour and Co-operative Party) – 3,538 for 22,375
• Sian Niamh Astley (Reform UK) – 3,974 for 13,085

Turnout: 28%

Rochdale

First stage of voting

• Bev Craig (Labour and Co-operative Party) – 15,927 votes
• Sian Niamh Astley (Reform UK) – 10,049 votes
• Marlon Scott West (Restore Britain) – 4,796 votes
• Geraldine Coggins (The Green Party) – 3,781 votes
• Phil Eckersley (The Conservative Party Candidate) – 2,680 votes
• Richard Martin Kilpatrick (Liberal Democrats) – 882 votes
• Marcus Jonathan Farmer (Independent) – 284 votes

Second stage of voting

• Bev Craig (Labour and Co-operative Party) – 3,024 for 18,951 votes in total
• Sian Niamh Astley (Reform UK) – 4,268 for for 14,317 votes in total

Turnout: 23%

Tameside

First stage of voting

• Bev Craig (Labour and Co-operative Party) – 18,289 votes
• Sian Niamh Astley (Reform UK) – 12,075 votes
• Marlon Scott West (Restore Britain) – 5,912 votes
• Geraldine Coggins (The Green Party) – 3,924 votes
• Phil Eckersley (The Conservative Party Candidate) – 2,690 votes
• Richard Martin Kilpatrick (Liberal Democrats) – 646 votes
• Marcus Jonathan Farmer (Independent) – 244 votes

Second stage of voting

• Bev Craig (Labour and Co-operative Party) – 4,823 for 23,112 total votes
• Sian Niamh Astley (Reform UK) – 3,579 for 15,654 total votes

Turnout: 25%

Wigan

First stage of voting

• Bev Craig (Labour and Co-operative Party) – 26,200 votes
• Sian Niamh Astley (Reform UK) – 16,830 votes
• Marlon Scott West (Restore Britain) – 5,661 votes
• Phil Eckersley (The Conservative Party Candidate) – 3,233 votes
• Geraldine Coggins (The Green Party) – 2,737 votes
• Richard Martin Kilpatrick (Liberal Democrats) – 739 votes
• Marcus Jonathan Farmer (Independent) – 377 votes

Second stage of voting

• Bev Craig (Labour and Co-operative Party) – 3,019 for 29,219 total votes
• Sian Niamh Astley (Reform UK) – 4,921 for 21,751 total votes

Turnout: 22%

A baking hot summer’s day and in an Athenian suburb a homeless man is drawn to a derelict parking lot by a foul odour emanating from within.

Entering the graffiti-covered building frequented by drug addicts and the destitute, it didn’t take him long to track down the source of the smell to a suitcase that appeared to have been left there recently.

But it was something else that caught the man’s eye – a human limb that could be seen protruding from it. 

The date was July 18 and Greek detectives summoned to the scene began the process of trying to identify the person within. 

A female, she was approximately 5ft 4in with reddish hair tied in a bun, wearing a black T-shirt and black shorts.

A preliminary examination found no visible bruises, injuries or tattoos that could help identify her or determine the cause of death.

The body was in a state of decomposition, with experts estimating the woman had died some days before being discovered.

In keeping with normal practice, initially investigators tried to match the woman with reports of missing persons, including that of a 50-year-old Chinese woman who had disappeared from an Athens suburb. 

Greek police are seeking a homeless man named ‘Markos’ who they say is a suspect in her murder. He is said to have regularly slept rough in the derelict space where the suitcase containing Ms Ross’s body was found (pictured) but has not been seen there since 

Police have been questioning residents, shopkeepers and other homeless people around Kypseli in recent days

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When that drew a blank, police widened their search.

The woman’s shorts bore the name of a French university, prompting speculation she could have been a visiting student or tourist. Her fingerprints and DNA were duly shared with Interpol.

Days later the authorities in America found a match, sharing it with their Greek counterparts. And on Wednesday, her family having first been notified, the woman’s identity was finally revealed – Elisabeth-Jane Ross, 38, from Edinburgh.

Tributes from family and friends quickly poured in, remembering her as the ‘kindest soul’ and a person with a ‘beautiful heart’.

A devout Christian who helped the homeless in her home city, Lisa, as she was known, had travelled the world carrying out charitable works, including time in Kurdistan helping Syrian refugees. 

Since 2019 she had visited Greece, working with abused women and migrants.

But having solved the mystery of who the woman in the suitcase was, police in Greece now have other questions to answer. 

How did Ms Ross meet her death – and who put her in that suitcase?

Because what has emerged is that following her death, her mobile phone continued to be used in what police believe could be an attempt to cover up what had happened.

One message sent on July 15 read: ‘I need some time – I’m going to a Greek island.’ 

Others sent to her family claimed she ‘needed some time to herself’ and that she ‘wanted to be alone for a while’.

Investigators say the phone, which is still missing, was active in Athens until around 24 hours before Ms Ross was formally identified. It was then ‘mysteriously’ switched off just as her death was reported across the globe. 

Her lawyer father told officers he had been receiving messages from July 15 to 29.

Today the Daily Mail can exclusively reveal that another message was posted on Ms Ross’s Facebook page on July 24 – six days after her body was discovered. 

She had not previously posted a message on Facebook for several years. In the lengthy post she apparently wrote that she intended, shortly, to travel to Turkey.

‘I’ve been a bit quiet these past few weeks and I know it might seem like I’ve disappeared or been ghosting folk but that’s honestly not the case,’ the post began. ‘I’ve been spending a lot of time in prayer, wrestling with God, asking questions and seeking His direction… a couple of weeks ago I met two lovely ladies, Emily and Claire, who have been serving in Turkey.

‘Since meeting them, I haven’t been able to shake the feeling that God is calling me there.’

The post was seen by old friend Melissa Rogers, who told the Daily Mail: ‘The post doesn’t make any sense. If she was already missing then she couldn’t have posted it.’

The post seemed designed to mimic some of the religious language she had used in previous posts, her plans apparently echoing past trips she had made to help others. ‘She was very passionate and always looking to serve God and other people,’ said Ms Rogers, 36.

Describing her as both ‘dependable’ and ‘caring’ she recalled how she would befriend the homeless. 

‘There’s a famous homeless guy in Edinburgh called Arthur who was often on Leith Walk where I lived and he would never take anything from anybody,’ she said. 

‘But Lisa was one of the few people who he seemed to trust and she was genuinely friends with him.’

Given the circumstances of her death, Ms Rogers says it is possible that her desire to help others may have put her at risk.

The initial examination of the body showed no obvious injuries or signs of struggle, while no identification was found on her

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‘That was Lisa – always giving her life for others,’ she said. ‘Every time I saw her she was saying she was just going to a food bank, or to help somebody. I do wonder if she got into trouble while trying to help somebody.

‘There were times I was worried about her safety but she didn’t care about being in dangerous situations as long as someone was feeling the love of God. She could have been helping someone and something happened. 

‘She wanted to go to where there was fire, where most people would look the other way. She would go right into where there was trouble.’

As part of their investigation police are attempting to discover Ms Ross’s movements during the 72-hour period prior to the discovery of her body. They are understood to be urgently following up two lines of enquiry.

One involves tracking down a homeless man known for carrying a knife and being aggressive towards women in the locality where Ms Ross went missing.

Residents yesterday told the Daily Mail he is called Markos, that he regularly slept in the derelict space but has not been seen there since the grim discovery. 

He is described as around 40, of stocky build, black hair and heavily tattooed. 

A nearby business owner said: ‘The police came into my shop asking for CCTV and if I had seen Markos. But there’s been no sight of him since the body of this British woman was found. 

‘If you ask me, he’s a dangerous individual and women do not feel safe being near him. I’m not saying he’s done anything wrong but it’s strange that he has not been seen for many days now.’

A police source added: ‘We have a lead on a homeless man but can’t say any more. We want to question a particular individual but we are also looking for a number of other people as part of this investigation.’

They are understood to include the American ‘friends’ with whom Ms Ross apparently stayed in the days prior to her body being discovered.

Having flown to Greece on June 26 from Scotland, police have established she had been staying with Greek friends in the Keratsini district of Piraeus, the seaport close to Athens. 

She told them on July 15 that she was leaving to stay with American friends in Kypseli – a more central part of the city. 

Officers have cleared her Greek friends from Keratsini of any wrongdoing, with their efforts now targeted on tracing the Americans she said she was going to visit.

One theory being probed is that the Americans may not actually exist – and that Ms Ross only mentioned them to her other friends to reassure them that she would not be alone.

Police believe that her body was taken to the abandoned building on July 17. The homeless man who found her said he was also there on July 15 and 16 but only noticed the suitcase on July 18 at around noon. 

Officers believe the killer or killers are likely to have been staying in or around Kypseli.

The killing has sent shockwaves through the area, with locals placing flowers at the entrance to the derelict parking lot. A member of staff at a sports hall opposite said police had visited to remove and review CCTV footage of the scene. 

‘The homeless man who discovered the body lives nearby. He has lived on the streets for a while and is well known around here, but even he was shaken by what he saw.’

One police source said officers were ‘sweeping the area, questioning many people, largely homeless and drug users’.

He said suspicion was currently focusing on ‘fringe elements’ because of the location where the body was found. 

Police told Greek media that forensics have ruled out both strangulation and fatal head injuries and they are now examining whether there were drugs or other toxic substances in her body linked to her death.

A Police Scotland spokesman said: ‘We are aware of the death of a Scottish woman in Athens and are liaising with authorities in Greece. Officers are providing support to her family.’

A picture of a smiling Ms Ross was put on the iron fencing around the building, accompanied by the words: ‘An Angel was here’.

How she got there is another question altogether.

The National Glass Centre in Sunderland, which has operated for nearly 30 years, shut to the public today (July 31) following a decision by the University of Sunderland.

A university spokesperson said: “The University would like to place on record its sincere thanks to the staff who have worked at the National Glass Centre over many years.

“While the closure of the building marks the end of an important chapter, we remain committed to supporting cultural, educational and civic activity across Sunderland.”

Although the building is planned to be demolished, the university has offered to gift specialist equipment to the Sunderland Culture-led Glassworks project or other interim glassmaking facilities.

The decision to close the centre has been met with controversy, including a demonstration outside the building on its final day by members of the Save the National Glass Centre Campaign Group.

The university said it explored multiple options to keep the centre open, but none were financially viable.

It said: “Despite a range of conversations with individuals and organisations, no feasible plan emerged to meet the significant financial requirement for capital works, or the £800,000 annual subsidy funded by the university, required to provide the NGC with a viable future.

Plans are being developed to continue glassmaking in Sunderland.

“Throughout the process, the university has been clear that almost 90 per cent of its income is derived from student tuition fees.

“In a period of significant financial challenge across the higher education sector, our priority has been to protect teaching, research and knowledge exchange activities for current and future students.

“The university has remained committed to transparency in its decision-making and this will continue as we move forward, following all planning requirements in relation to the planned demolition of the building.”

Just imagine that a quarter of Britain’s working-age population decided to call in sick for an entire year – on full pay and with the taxpayer picking up the tab. Or that it was a basic student right to keep on studying until the age of 30 – with interest-free loans all the way.

Or that the number of foreign-born citizens quadrupled in 25 years, with the option of full benefits for all, while ministers built themselves new offices costing £1million per desk.

In next to no time, Britain would be bankrupt and, in all likelihood, in the throes of civil disorder.

Not so here in Norway, though. That is the current state of affairs in this safe, clean, largely contented – and very wealthy – nation of 5.6million. So what if Britain had made better use of the same geological blessing which we share with our North Sea neighbours: massive energy reserves beneath the same seabed?

In a week when our new Prime Minister has signalled the end of Whitehall’s puritanical celibacy towards oil and gas, we already have a glimpse of the potential rewards. 

The mere suggestion of a resumption of British drilling has not only raised the prospect of billions for the Treasury. 

By yesterday morning, it had already kickstarted the £2billion sale of BP’s previously moribund North Sea operation.

Andy Burnham has been urged to ‘get Britain drilling’ after he admitted that North Sea oil revenues could ease the cost of living 

Crowds meander around Oslo’s spectacular waterfront, dominated by the new Opera House, a gleaming marble-clad iceberg every bit as striking as its Sydney counterpart. People simply stroll up its sloping sides to walk all over the roof.

No litter, dog mess or graffiti. At street level, they queue patiently for a table at busy restaurants where a beer starts at £15 and pizzas go for £20. 

Back on the quayside, business is brisk at the floating saunas, with people hopping between their log-fired ovens and a dip in the harbour.

Year after year, Norway ranks at the top (or second) in the official league table of civilisation: the UN Human Development Index.

So far, so very Scandinavian, except that Norway spends far more on benefits than its Nordic neighbours in Sweden and Denmark but without charging higher taxes.

It can do so because, in the 1970s, it hit the same oil jackpot as Britain. The story of what happened next goes in two very different directions.

For the Norwegians put the profits from their new-found fortune into a government wealth fund which is now the largest in the entire world – at two trillion US dollars. 

They are also continuing to pump out oil and gas to meet the demands of an unstable world, while charging a 78 per cent tax on what emerges.

Today, its Oil Fund earns far more from its global investments – from a brewery in Malaysia to a cheese firm in Australia, a huge chunk of Microsoft and a quarter of Regent Street in London’s West End – than from the seabed.

Here in Britain, by contrast, we blew all our North Sea profits paying day-to-day government bills and keeping down taxes. We have since decided that oil and gas are a very bad thing. 

So they stay in the ground while we strive to get by on wind and solar power. Since that is impossible – for now – we will just have to buy in oil and gas from countries like, well, Norway.

That, at least, was the status quo as long as Net Zero zealots like Ed Miliband were in charge of the Department of Energy. 

Now he has gone to the Foreign Office, our new Prime Minister has indicated that we might actually open two new fields in the North Sea.

And if Andy Burnham is serious about this, then we can advance the national debate on from an argument about fossil fuels – and the vital matter of our own energy security – to the question of what to do with the proceeds.

In short, should we just pour them into the bottomless pit of the public sector? Or should we follow those crafty Norwegians and build a fund? 

What could have been: Crowds meander around Oslo’s spectacular waterfront, dominated by the new Opera House, a gleaming marble-clad iceberg every bit as striking as its Sydney counterpart (file pic)

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Their one was established with clear, cast-iron rules. Overall, it was to ‘create a qualitatively better society’. 

Nor could a desperate government just stick its hand in the till. The state can merely expect up to 3 per cent of the pot while the rest is allowed to grow. 

Nor can it invest inside Norway, for fear of destabilising local markets and the national currency, the kroner.

The result has been simply astonishing. For that fund now dwarfs those of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other oil-rich nations. 

Spread across stock markets, bond markets and real estate around the world, the Oil Fund is the ultimate example of what can be done when wise politicians take the long view. It means that every single Norwegian has a personal trust fund of £350,000, not that they can touch it. 

Instead, each year, the fund now pays around £45billion into the Norwegian treasury, amounting to between a fifth and a quarter of national expenditure.

To put that into a British perspective – in a nation with 12 times the population – it would be like the Chancellor of the Exchequer receiving a cheque for nearly £500billion every year. 

Never mind gimmicks like £2 bus fares or a few quid off the electricity bill. Andy Burnham could give the entire country a new car.

Of course, Britain would not achieve 12 times Norway’s oil and gas production. But such a windfall would help sort out our welfare and defence budgets without any talk of a wealth tax.

‘Being the finance minister of Norway is a pretty easy job compared to any other European country,’ says Kjetil Alstadheim, political editor of the newspaper Aftenposten. 

‘So, if you decide you want to give more money to Ukraine, you have it.’ Despite its small size, Norway has handed billions to Kyiv since Russia invaded.

Professor Ulf Sverdrup of the Norwegian Business School, says ‘Oil Fund’ is a misnomer, adding: ‘First, it’s not just about oil, but gas, too, and the taxes from oil and gas are much smaller now than the return on investment.’ 

He highlights another important point, namely transparency. ‘Most countries with major oil resources have had corruption or mismanagement. In Norway, the politicians should be very proud of what they have achieved.’

Such is the transparency of the fund that I end up talking to the Norwegian in charge of it while he is on holiday. 

Back in 2020, Nicolai Tangen was the London-based founder of a global hedge fund with £15billion in the pot. 

An Anglophile with a postgraduate degree from the London School of Economics, he and his wife raised three children in the UK.

He remains especially proud of the fund’s holding in Regent Street (for which it paid the Crown Estate half a billion pounds in 2011). 

He had already been giving away a substantial chunk of his fortune to philanthropic causes when he decided to swap the life of a downsizing gazillionaire to go home, become a public servant and run the national piggy bank on a civil service wage.

He has no regrets: ‘It combines all the things I feel strongly about.’ He puts the success of the fund down to three ingredients: strong cross-party political ‘anchoring’, a strict spending policy – ‘so that you can’t just plunder the whole thing’ – and ‘a very high level of transparency’.

Year after year, Norway ranks at the top (or second) in the official league table of civilisation: the UN Human Development Index (file pic)

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As the world’s most powerful asset manager, he must be the financial equivalent of Norwegian striker Erling Haaland. 

He laughs. ‘I am not a celebrity. But if I meet someone in the forest, they might say they like the way we run the fund.’

That is the general consensus wherever I go. Student Elsa Marino, 20, tells me that, thanks to the fund, the state can help fund her education at Boston University in the US. 

Former fisherman Kag-Inge Flode says it’s the fund that helps build roads and keeps down fuel costs. 

The effects are felt in the poorer parts of town. I head to Stovner, an outlying suburb with the largest immigrant population in Norway, and the local shopping centre is calm and clean. 

‘Sweden’s got cars and we’ve got oil – and I’d much rather be here,’ says former factory worker Tedke Helvik, 77.

Crime, such as it is, is most prevalent in Oslo’s eastern suburbs, like Gronland, though it’s not a patch on the worst bits of Manchester or London. 

‘It’s fine and peaceful here,’ says pharmacist Abdul Karim, 29, who came to Norway as a young refugee. 

‘I went to see relatives in London but came home after two days as it felt dangerous. Sweden’s the same. But this is a good place.’

However, there is one tiny glimmer of satisfaction for despairing Brits. All this prosperity comes at a price. 

One of last year’s best-selling books here was a study of Norwegian complacency by former management consultant Martin Bech Holte. He called it The Country That Got Too Rich. 

‘The fund is a test of human nature,’ he tells me. ‘If you are used to working hard, you have grit and you put in the effort to get results and then you win a lottery, will you continue towards long-term success? Or do you take shortcuts?’

 He has no quarrel with the fund – and even Nicolai Tangen calls it ‘an important book’ – but Bech Holte has kickstarted a major debate on how the windfall should be spent. 

‘We have the highest sick leave in the world, we have the highest share of our population on welfare in the world. 

‘Whenever there’s a problem, the government bails people out. Gas prices or electricity a little bit high? OK, the government pays everyone out.’

A BP platform in the North Sea’s Clair Ridge field 

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He also points to some of the state’s profligate ‘pork barrel’ projects, like futuristic government offices costing more than £1.2million per desk. There are also two new national museums housing Norway’s most famous painting.

Edvard Munch painted The Scream twice. I find one in the National Museum, a huge metal box (£100million over budget) that replaced the empty Museum of Decorative Arts. 

The other is in the Munch Museum, another huge box that replaced the equally empty Edvard Munch Museum, which came in at £180million over budget.

Both are cheaper than another stupendous project that will kick off with a very loud bang next year way up north.

High explosives will blow a hole in a cliff face and work will begin on the world’s first shipping tunnel. Cut through a mile of rock, it will enable ships and fishing boats to avoid a notorious headland called Stad. 

The tunnel will save a 35-mile trip around a point that has cost 33 lives since 1945. The downside: an estimated cost of £800million and an economic return of £1 for every £9 spent. 

Considering that Norway’s annual maritime death toll is around 100 people, it is hardly the most efficient use of public funds to preserve human life.

Yet Norway’s great ship tunnel is expected to open five years from now. To put this into a UK perspective (ie multiply by 12), imagine the squawking if Andy Burnham splurged £10billion on a subway for fishing boats. But Norway will soak it up.

Professor Einar Lie, of Oslo University’s history faculty, points out that Norwegians have started to feel insulated from global monetary woes. 

‘During all the financial crises of recent years, problems were always reported on the foreign pages of our papers,’ he says. 

‘That has led to a feeling of invulnerability in Norway – a sense that the state can handle anything discomforting.’

There is one point on which everyone seems to agree: The fund is a great asset and the ‘handlingregel’ – the rule preventing the state taking more than 3 per cent of the annual total – is correct.

The debate is what the government should do with its annual windfall – currently some £50billion. 

Lefties want it to divest from big tech and anything with the faintest whiff of Israel. Mainstream parties agree that, subject to an ethical code, it should still invest in whatever maximises returns for everyone.

Martin Bech Holte, whose book has caused this great debate, has no problem with the fund itself. He believes it is the government’s mollycoddling that is storing up problems. 

When I ask him what would have happened if Norway had never had oil – or else blown it all like Britain – he points to life before the Oil Fund really exploded. 

‘In 2013, the mainland economy of Norway had a higher income per capita than the US and almost all European countries,’ he says. ‘That was because we were the country that utilised digital technology faster and better than any other country.’

In other words, Norway used to be made of the Right Stuff – but it’s gone soft. The falling birth rate is also a problem. 

As Kjetil Alstadheim points out, only half jokingly: ‘We are going to run out of people before we run out of cash.’

I drop in on the Norwegian parliament, the Storting, where I meet Tom Staahle, an MP from the Right-wing opposition Progress Party, the second-largest parliamentary grouping.

He sits on the committee that monitors the fund and thinks the 3 per cent rule is fine. He is just fed up with the waste. 

‘Cut taxes, cut official spending, stimulate more private investments,’ he says. ‘Give families more money in their pockets to spend. People are smart. It’s not necessary for the state to think for them.’

For now, we see a nation cheerfully shelling out record sickness benefits while writing blank cheques for big northern infrastructure (sound familiar?) – all paid for with an oily magic wand.

Yes, the Oil Fund might raise a few awkward questions about Norway’s long-term capacity to get back to work. 

Yes, it has led to some serious waste. But, right now, would that not be a nice problem for Britain to have?

By BOBBY MANZI, FOOTBALL REPORTER

Published: 00:39 BST, 1 August 2026 | Updated: 01:06 BST, 1 August 2026

Plenty to see and do over the next week in the city!

This Sunday, Belfast is set to host the Comhaltas Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, the world’s biggest celebration of Irish music and culture, for the first time.

Running for eight days, qualifying competitors from all over the world will showcase the very best of traditional music, song, dance and language in All-Ireland competitions.

Over 800,000 people are expected to enjoy the celebrations, which will also include street performances, pub sessions and stage concerts.

As the city centre will be alive with planned events, pop-ups, competitions and more, a large area is set to be pedestrianised and planned road closures are in place.

If you are wondering where the main Fleadh venues are, where to explore within the pedestrian zone and information on fringe venues, a handy map has been created to make navigating your day out.

Belfast City Council also has an interactive map with a host of information, including car parks, food villages and campsites.

You can view it here.

The Fleadh road closures will be in place from 6am on Sunday 2 August to 5am on Monday 10 August, with the biggest footfall expected from Thursday 6 August onwards.

For more information on Fleadh Cheoil and events taking place, see here

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our What’s On newsletter here

A new month brings an exciting connection between the Sun and Jupiter. Keep things moving today as adventure stirs.

Pisces, Aquarius and Capricorn, you may feel under a microscope. Don’t fall into the trap of too much self-scrutiny, try to embrace a sense of freedom.

New experiences will be well recieved with this playful cosmic alignment. Feel energised, and feel this new energy to the max.

Ahead, you’ll find all star signs’ horoscopes for today: Saturday August 1, 2026.

Like checking your horoscope every morning? You can now sign up to our free daily newsletter to get a personalised reading for your star sign delivered straight to your inbox.

To order your unique personal horoscope based on your time, date and place of birth, visit patrickarundell.com.

Aries

March 21 to April 20

New month, same old? Of course not. For with the Sun/Jupiter combo in the most scintillating alliance for eleven years, they give you a fantastic platform through the first three weeks of August to really strut your stuff. So why might you feel unsettled today? Well, it’s because an issue from your past may be subtly affecting you. Release this, and it’s all systems go.

Head here for everything you need to know about being an Aries

Taurus

April 21 to May 21

Home is where the heart is, as the old saying goes. Yet despite your appreciation of familiar comforts, and the improvements you have been making, it’s your connection to the wider world that may be altering most of all. Whether you are reluctant to seize the limelight or perfectly happy in its gaze, openness to fresh approaches can advance your goals most of all.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Taurus

Gemini

May 22 to June 21

Mars has been blazing a trail in your sign for a month. You’ve another ten days of its feisty presence, urging you to be decisive and power forward with confidence. Your passion for writing, music or the arts are all showcased. However, today, his clash with both the Moon and Venus could see you encounter someone cruising at an altogether slower speed.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Gemini

Cancer

June 22 to July 23

Jupiter can reinforce your self-worth over the next year and help your bank balance too. The trick will be to balance this against your appreciation for the good things in life and your desire to have them. Yet over the last week, someone’s opinion may have been impacting you in an unhelpful way. Look to block out any negative thoughts and keep on being you.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Cancer

Leo

July 24 to August 23

This is your time, Leo, with the Sun travelling hand in hand with the expansive Jupiter. Whether you’re looking to make a personal breakthrough or simply enjoy life more fully, the next three weeks hold genuine promise. Even so, today’s lunar influence suggests someone close could have needs that require your attention too, so do be mindful of this.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Leo

Virgo

August 24 to September 23

You prefer to have well-thought-out plans before making your moves, but not every opportunity comes as we expect. Behind the scenes, important developments are gathering pace, even if this isn’t obvious. If you’ve been carrying an old disappointment or regret, this is a good time to let it go. Making room within yourself can open the door to new possibilities.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Virgo

Libra

September 24 to October 23

Friendships, shared ambitions and new connections all receive an encouraging boost. Someone you meet, or hear from, could inspire you to think much bigger about your future. Yet today’s celestial line-up hints that not everyone might share your enthusiasm. Don’t seek approval; trust your judgement. The people who matter will recognise the value of your ideas.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Libra

Scorpio

October 24 to November 22

Professional matters and long-term ambitions can gather welcome momentum during August, so look to showcase your abilities. But recognition may come unexpectedly. Yet today, a clash can occur between your personal obligations and career aspirations. Resist feeling that you must choose one over the other. Instead, look for a workable compromise, Scorpio.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Scorpio

Sagittarius

November 23 to December 21

Your adventurous spirit is stirred by the prospect of new experiences, whether through travel, study or broadening your outlook in some other way, and this can see you at your expansive best. Still, today’s energies hint that someone else’s caution may frustrate you. If so, rather than push harder, look to excite them too. Your optimism is likely to prove infectious.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Sagittarius

Capricorn

December 22 to January 21

Some of the biggest changes now taking shape are the ones happening beneath the surface. Financial arrangements, shared commitments or emotional bonds can all become stronger if you share how, you really feel. While today’s influences could lead to an awkward conversation, don’t shy away from it. A frank discussion can actually ease any burden.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Capricorn

Aquarius

January 22 to February 19

Relationships of any type are under the cosmic spotlight, and the weeks ahead can bring encouraging developments through cooperation and mutual understanding. Someone may surprise you by being more supportive than expected. Mind you, today’s energies suggest that mixed signals could briefly create confusion but believe that you can soon unravel them.

Head here for everything you need to know about being an Aquarius

Pisces

February 20 to March 20

Small improvements to your daily routines could have a surprisingly positive effect over the weeks ahead. Whether it’s your work, wellbeing or simply how you organise your time, progress will soon become evident. Today itself may tempt you to compare yourself with someone else. Try not to do this and do know that what people project is not always the rosy reality.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Pisces

Your daily Metro.co.uk horoscope is here every morning, seven days a week (yes, including weekends!). To check your forecast, head to our dedicated horoscopes page.

Head here for this week’s tarot horoscope reading, and see what the cards have in store for you!

Check out the tarot horoscope reading for the month of August here.

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MORE: Your star sign’s tarot horoscope for the month of August 2026

MORE: Daily horoscope July 31 2026: Today’s predictions for your star sign

MORE: Daily horoscope July 30 2026: Today’s predictions for your star sign

By CHRISTIAN CALGIE, SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT-AT-LARGE

Published: 00:12 BST, 1 August 2026 | Updated: 00:37 BST, 1 August 2026

The former Olympian accused of vandalizing Donald Trump’s restored Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has had his charges dismissed.

Investigations into David Hearn showed the damage was the result of a ‘flawed installation by the contractor’ and ‘the rush to complete the project’ in time for Trump’s America 250 celebration.

Government lawyers admitted as such in a 20-page court filing released Friday as DC US Attorney Jeanine Pirro moved to drop all charges.

‘Given all of this newly discovered information, it is difficult to attribute the widespread damage to the Reflecting Pool to vandalism, let alone to establish that fact beyond a reasonable doubt,’ the filing states.

Hearn’s lawyers said in a statement that the case against him should never have been brought.

‘Its dismissal today does not erase the abuse of government power in arresting and charging a patriotic American who did nothing wrong. The government´s approach was ready, fire, aim. The administration owes Mr Hearn an apology,’ the lawyers said.

The Daily Mail has reached out to both the White House and the Department of the Interior, which manages the pool, for comment.  

Hearn told the Daily Mail last month his arrest and the charges were a farce intended to boost a false narrative as he shared an image of the pool’s damaged facade. 

The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool between the Lincoln Memorial, top, and the World War II Memorial, bottom, is shown

‘It’s a completely unfounded accusation. It’s a lie,’ Hearn said over the phone. ‘I didn’t rip, tear, destruct, destroy, or harm in any way, any part of the reflecting pool.’ 

Hearn admitted to touching a ‘loose flap of coating,’ but claimed he did so purely because he was ‘curious as a concerned citizen.’ 

The 67-year-old from Bethesda, Maryland, was indicted last earlier this month on a single felony count of property destruction.

Before the country’s 250th independence celebrations, President Donald Trump launched a multimillion dollar renovation project for the Reflecting Pool, which was plagued by problems, including damage to its new coating. 

Trump, without providing evidence, has alleged the damage was caused by vandals.

Hearn has said he reached inside the pool to examine the peeled sealant and let go of a chunk when he was told to by a park worker. He is accused of causing more than $1,000 in damage.

‘Every American should be alarmed about this prosecution,’ defense attorney Norm Eisen said after the hearing. ‘It is not a crime to touch the Reflecting Pool.’

President Trump championed the $16 million renovation as part of his goal to beautify Washington DC ahead of America’s 250th anniversary. 

Government lawyers admitted as such in a 20-page court filing released Friday as DC US Attorney Jeanine Pirro (pictured) moved to drop all charges

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President Trump championed the $16 million renovation as part of his goal to beautify Washington DC ahead of America’s 250th anniversary

But less than two weeks after the project was completed, the newly refinished paint job began peeling, and algae blooms turned the water green. Trump admitted over the weekend that the pool may need to be drained for repairs. 

‘They clearly wanted a news story that they could promote that was centered around vandals damaging the reflecting pool,’ Hearn said, adamant he did nothing wrong. 

‘Officers were ready to arrest me and other people they found who they could have some contrived basis of charges on to accuse them of vandalism,’ Hearn said. 

Hearn pleaded not guilty earlier this month to one felony count of property destruction and has a trial scheduled to start September 28 in DC Superior Court. 

The charge, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years upon conviction, accuses Hearn of causing at least $1,000 in damage to the pool.

Hearn competed in three Summer Olympics, earning his best finish, ninth, at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee says on its website.

He and his supporters have said the prosecution is a politically motivated attempt by the Trump administration to deflect blame and scapegoat others.

‘They clearly wanted a news story that they could promote that was centered around vandals damaging the reflecting pool,’ Hearn said, adamant he did nothing wrong. 

Investigations into David Hearn showed the damage was the result of a ‘flawed installation by the contractor’ and ‘the rush to complete the project’ in time for Trump’s America 250 celebration

The politically charged case that his defense attorneys and other Trump administration critics have derided as an abuse of prosecutorial power comes as Trump official Doug Burgum (pictured) says the pool has been vandalized since early June

‘Officers were ready to arrest me and other people they found who they could have some contrived basis of charges on to accuse them of vandalism,’ Hearn said.

Hearn added that he had taken a photo of the peeling paint shortly before he was arrested and shared the picture with the Daily Mail. 

Video of Hearn’s arrest showed the Olympian standing by the Reflecting Pool with his bike before getting approached by two National Guard soldiers. The video then shows him walking over to four police officers and a third National Guard soldier.

A fifth officer dressed in a white shirt – identified by Hearn as Lieutenant Stone – can then be seen talking to the Olympian, whose hands were cuffed behind his back. Hearn said Stone ‘seemed to be the driving force behind the arrest.’ 

Hearn claimed he did not go into the water at all ‘other than the tips of my fingers,’ and that he touched the coating for less than a minute before he was approached by a National Park Service employee and arrested shortly thereafter.

‘We’ve already heard many lies from this administration,’ Hearn said. ‘That’s just another lie.’ 

Hearn also shockingly claimed that he was never read his Miranda rights when he was arrested. 

The Olympian said he was placed in ‘very tight handcuffs’ behind his back before he was placed in a jail cell for five hours. 

The Washington Monument is visible as a visitor takes a picture of the Reflecting Pool though a chain link fence on the National Mall

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Nadine Seiler arrives in an inflatable frog costume, to support former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who was indicted by a grand jury for allegedly damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool

He said the cell was ‘fairly clean,’ but it was a ‘scary’ experience because ‘with the government that we’re under and right now, there have been many unlawful detentions.’ 

‘I was happy I wasn’t in ICE custody, and I was happy I wasn’t being sent to El Salvador, but there was a high degree of uncertainty over when I was going to be released,’ Hearn added over the phone. 

The Olympian claimed that during his five-hour stay behind bars he was not allowed to make a phone call, was not offered food or water and was told his imprisonment ‘was an open-ended detention,’ which meant he was not told when he would be released.

‘The conditions of the jail were physically good, but mentally difficult,’ Hearn told the Daily Mail.

Hearn said that in theory, he was pleased with the effort to renovate parks and national monuments in Washington DC, but he emphasized that the projects would be ‘more well received’ without ‘a sort of a baggage of corruption to it.’ 

Hearn said that in theory, he was pleased with the effort to renovate parks and national monuments in Washington DC, but he emphasized that the projects would be ‘more well received’ without ‘a sort of a baggage of corruption to it.’