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Politics

Boost Your Mental Health With These 15 Sex Toys For Masturbating

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Boost Your Mental Health With These 15 Sex Toys For Masturbating

We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, HuffPost UK may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

Whether we admit it or not, we’ve all had ups and downs with our mental health. It’s completely normal: we live in a stressful world (we lived through a pandemic for crying out loud!).

Thankfully, we have made huge strides towards normalising conversations about our mental wellbeing over the last decade.

And while there’s no shortage of advice about how to manage stress (ever heard of meditation and exercising regularly, honey?) there is one habit we’re yet to openly admit to turning to for some relief.

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If you haven’t guessed it already, I’m talking about masturbating. That’s right – flicking the bean, rubbing one out, jerking off. Whatever you want to call it.

Although most of us (85% to be precise) masturbate at least weekly, a survey by sex toy company So Divine and erotic platform Ersties finds, less than half (42.5%) of us talks about it. What’s more, 28% of people feel that masturbation is openly discussed.

Look, I know what you’re thinking: that’s private! Why would I talk about it? Well, because it has huge benefits for our mental and physical health.

As well as a smorgasbord of research proving that having an orgasm can boost our mental and physical wellbeing, lots of us are masturbating precisely for that reason!

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Six in 10 (60%) people say masturbation was important to their overall mental and physical wellbeing, So Divine’s research shows. Meanwhile, 38% says masturbating helps them with stress relief, and a further 32% say it helps. them sleep.

So to mark Mental Health Awareness Week 2026, I asked the experts just why masturbation is so important for our mental wellbeing, and found 15 of the best sex toys for masturbation.

What are the mental health benefits of masturbating?

Not to state the obvious here, but we all know masturbating feels pretty darn good. But it’s not just about that.

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“Masturbation can have a range of mental health benefits because it creates an opportunity for emotional regulation and body connection,” explains Cat, head of creative, community, and education at porn platform Ersties.

“It may help people sleep better, improve relaxation, reduce stress and can even be used as a form of meditation when approached mindfully.”

Research shows that having more orgasms is linked to higher self-esteem, lower stress, and more effective life coping skills.

But mindful masturbation, or shifting the ‘goal’ away from having an orgasm to touching yourself without pressure, can also be particularly beneficial for mental health, Cat highlights.

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“By paying closer attention to how the body and mind respond during masturbation, people may uncover unmet needs, tension, emotional triggers or areas where they want to grow in confidence and communication,” she says.

Best sex toys for masturbating

Whether you’re a regular wanker (in the best way), or we’ve convinced you of its many perks, I’ve found 15 sex toys to help you on your solo play voyage.

While most of the toys on this list are for people with vulvas (the orgasm gap still exists, after all), I’ve included a couple for penises, too.

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I’ve also included options suitable for beginners, to more experienced players.

How I tested the best sex toys for masturbating

Having written about sex for the last six years, I’ve tested many a pleasure product in my time.

To find the best ones for using solo, I, well, used them solo – all in the name of work, you understand. For each toy, I considered whether it was best used with a partner or by myself, as well as how easy it would be to test out different kinds of stimulation.

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As always, I also took into account their material, power, waterproof rating, sound levels, and ergonomics.

My first vibrator was a fuck off huge rabbit from Lovehoney. Admittedly, it was a little intimidating. If you’re after something that won’t get in the way quite so much, this teeny teal option sits atop your fingers, so you can figure out how to get yourself off without having to wield a giant wand. It’s also pretty quiet, so you can switch off the part of your brain wondering if your neighbours can hear.

Level: beginner-friendly.

Not sure how you’ll feel about vibrations? For a delicate landing on your clitoris, this lipstick-shaped vibrator has a super squishy tip. It’s powered by a humble five vibration settings, which range from a gentle tickle to a definite buzz – ideal if you’re just starting on your self love journey.

Level: beginner-friendly.

Ann Summers is its name, and dual stimulation is its game. Seriously – the brand is the reason we have the rampant rabbit in the UK. This one looks slightly different to other models on the market thanks to being curved, which means the shaft is much bendier, and can reach those internal hot spots, while the ‘bunny’ ears tuck neatly against your C-spot. Sweet.

Level: intermediate.

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If the word ‘chic’ was a vibrator, this would be it. This stone-seeming object is in fact a pleasure device, but you wouldn’t assume so if you saw it left out on a dressing table. Switch it on using the simple one-button control to power up through five vibration speeds, and experiment with the sensations emitted through the rounded tip or the long sides. Do yourself a favour: while you’re there, bag yourself some of its amber and tonka bean scented-body wash, it’s pH friendly and, just trust me, you’ll love it.

Level: beginner-friendly.

Although we all have a ways to go to feel more normal talking about masturbation, there’s another (surprising) barrier to overcome: men not talking about sex toys. While sex toys have been framed as a means of empowerment for women, men are criminally quiet about their love of wanking widgets. But (ahem) we know you’re buying them. This one from Bellesa is a fan favourite because it mimics a real life blowjob by blending vibration and suction stimulation all inside a snug silicone sleeve.

Level: beginner-friendly.

Suction vibrators are the new (or newer, at least) vibe on the block, beloved because they stimulate the sensation of oral sex. Honestly, I was sceptical at first, but you have to try it to believe it. If this is your very first stopover in suction town, going for a cheaper, battery-powered option like this one from ROMP could be a good start. It uses the same technology as more advanced suction models, but with just six modes to choose from. It’s also reasonably priced, as sex toys go, so you can test the waters before you commit to something more spenny.

Level: begginer to intermediate.

If you’re in a position to splash out over £100 on a pleasure product, good for you (cries in journalist). Should you be so fortunate, LELO is simply the best of the best. This SILA vibe might look like a fancy version of any old suction vibrator, but it in fact sends sonic waves to your C-spot via that wide mouth. Look, it’s rated 4.6 stars for a reason.

Level: intermediate to advanced.

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All of Smile Makers Collection‘s toys are beginner-friendly. But this flame-shaped one is designed specifically to engulf the entire perimeter of your labia. The bulbous center rests on the external portion of your clitoris (the protruding nub around an inch above your vagina, FYI) while the sides cover your labia, to send its six vibration modes across your entire genitals. You decide whether you want to leave it there for hands-free fun, or experiment with moving it around. Either way, things are about to get hot!

Level: beginner-friendly.

If you’re more confident in the kind of stimulation you like (namely: dual clitoral and penetrative) you might want to consider levelling up to a more advanced toy. This one from Biird is still pretty beginner-friendly because it’s completely hands-free, but it has the choice to blend your choice of seven suction settings and six vibration modes. And when you have a blended orgasm, you’ll never go back…

Level: intermediate to advanced.

Rabbits have double (or sometimes triple) motors, which, unfortunately for your peace of mind, means they’re noisier than most. Good news: this one from Bellesa is not only almost completely silent (seriously, I turned it on next to my partner and they didn’t notice) but has a thick C-spot stimulator to cover more surface area.

Level: beginner to intermediate.

It’s not just outer beauty that counts, but did you know that masturbating can help boost blood flow to your face and improve your skin? Not to mention the numerous physical benefits… This unassuming beauty blender shape isn’t made of foam, but instead by squishy silicone that buzzes to the tune of three speeds and six patterns.

Level: beginner-friendly.

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Everyone and their mum has heard of Fleshlights, and that’s on them being the pioneers of this kind of penis toy. If vibrations aren’t your thing, this masturbator is lined with the brand’s signature Superskin, which is covered in bumps and nubs to give the sensation of real penetration.

If 2020 was defined by the Rose suction toy, then 2026 is about to be the year of the Lem. As well as being discreet enough to not have to stuff beneath layers of socks and underwear in your room, this toy has 12 suction intensities and patterns, which is perfect for figuring out just how much pressure you like without compromise.

Level: beginner to intermediate.

Not convinced by toys with a fancy shape? This pebble-shaped toy is as simple as you can get. It’s still as discreet as, say, a lemon, but doesn’t skimp on power. Loading with three vibration speeds and seven patterns, it has plenty of potential for playing. Add to that the fact that you can use the sides, flat side, or round tip to rub whatever areas you please, and you have yourself a perfect toy for beginners.

Level: beginner-friendly.

As the OG sex toy (throwback to the Hitachi ‘massager’) magic wands are really the bread and butter of the industry. But the full-sized options are, admittedly, a little intimidating, which is why we’re fans of this much more accessible silicone-coated option from So Divine. Use it to warm yourself up by dragging it over your nipples, between your thighs, and over your shoulders before heading south.

Level: beginner-friendly.

How to integrate masturbation into your wellness regime

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We might do a face mask, yoga, or meditate to unwind. But if you’re curious about integrating masturbation into your wellness routine, Cat has offered her top tips.

No goal

“For people wanting to integrate it into a wellness routine, the biggest advice is to remove the goal oriented mindset,” she says.

“Don’t focus on whether you orgasm or whether you’re doing it ‘right’.”

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Get curious

“Focus instead on curiosity, touch and noticing how your body feels,” Cat adds. “Some people find it helpful to create a calming environment with music, low lighting or by putting their phone away to reduce distractions.”

Reflect

“It can also help to reflect afterwards,” Cat explains. “Mindful masturbation is ultimately about learning what your body likes, dislikes and needs without shame.

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“Treat it as an act of self-awareness and self-kindness rather than performance. This can help people build a healthier and more accepting relationship with both their body and their sexuality.”

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Reza Pahlavi on Trump, Iran and whether the regime will ever fall

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Reza Pahlavi on Trump, Iran and whether the regime will ever fall

Reza Pahlavi on Trump, Iran and whether the regime will ever fall

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Netanyahu secretly visits UAE during illegal attack on Iran

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Netanyahu secretly visits UAE during illegal attack on Iran

Benjamin Netanyahu claims he paid a “secret visit” to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during his illegal and unprovoked attacks on Iran.

The UAE has denied the visit, which brings into question both states’ motives.

Conflicting statements

The statement on X, from the official account of the Prime Minister of Israel, stated:

In the midst of Operation Roaring Lion, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly visited the United Arab Emirates, where he met with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed.

This visit has led to a historic breakthrough in relations between Israel and the UAE.

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However, the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) then stated:

The United Arab Emirates denies reports circulating regarding an alleged visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the UAE, or receiving any Israeli military delegation in the country.

The UAE reaffirms that its relations with Israel are public and conducted within the framework of the well-known and officially declared Abraham Accords, and are not based on non-transparent or unofficial arrangements. Accordingly, any claims regarding unannounced visits or undisclosed arrangements are entirely unfounded unless officially announced by the relevant authorities in the UAE.

The UAE calls on media outlets to exercise accuracy and professionalism, and to refrain from circulating unverified information or promoting misleading political narratives.

The head of Netanyahu’s office at the time, Ziv Agmon, also contradicted the UAE’s claims. He stated that Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed personally welcomed and drove Netanyahu:

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This comes days only after both Reuters and the WSJ revealed the UAE carried out secret military strikes on Iran.

Additionally, according to Israeli and US officials, Israel sent the UAE an Iron Dome air defence system, along with troops to operate it.

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Iran fired around 550 ballistic and cruise missiles and more than 2,200 drones at the UAE. Most were intercepted. However, some hit military and civilian targets in the country.

Abraham Accords

Iran has previously criticised the UAE over its close ties to Israel. The Abraham Accords of 2020 formalised these ties.

Essentially, the United States mediated an agreement between the UAE, Bahrain and Israel, promising to normalise ties between these Arab Gulf states and Israel. Since then, Morocco and Sudan both joined the Accords.

The Accords established full diplomatic relations and included plans to advance economic, security, and other ties.

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However, the UAE government found it hard to deal with Bezalel Smotrich, Itamar Ben-Gvir, and other far-right genocidal maniacs, who came to power in Israel in 2022.

The first paragraph of the Accords states:

We, the undersigned, recognize the importance of maintaining and strengthening peace in the Middle East and around the world based on mutual understanding and coexistence, as well as respect for human dignity and freedom, including religious freedom.

Obviously, by committing its illegal war on Iran, carrying out multiple genocides and illegal occupations in Lebanon and Gaza, and its additional illegal occupation in the Syrian Golan Heights, Israel has failed to abide by even the first paragraph.

Nothing says “mutual understanding and coexistence” and “respect for human dignity” like waging multiple genocides at the same time.

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Flight plans don’t lie

Since Netanyahu’s alleged visit to the UAE, open source activists have published the route and flight data for two private aircraft that travelled from Tel Aviv to Al Ain in the UAE on March 26.

This means the UAE no longer has plausible deniability.

Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, has since said that those “colluding with Israel” will be “held to account”:

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More lies…

This is not the first time that either Israel or the UAE have lied about their shady dealings.

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Israel previously claimed that the UAE attacked an Iranian desalination plant. However, the UAE firmly denied the allegations and slammed Israel’s lies.

We know Israel lies. However, we also know that there is nothing it loves more than refusing to take accountability, stitching other people up and damaging their reputations in the process.

And as social media users have pointed out, it is also distinctly possible that the UAE wanted to keep the visit a secret, and either Netanyahu played the UAE, or the UAE panicked after Abbas Aragchi’s Tweet:

The UAE may be attempting to hide its direct involvement in Israel and the US’s illegal attacks on Iran. Or Israel may be stitching it up. Either way, both states are directly involved in illegal attacks against Iranian civilians and Israel’s ongoing genocides in both Gaza and Lebanon.

Featured image via HG

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By HG

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Albanese says “together we are one” as abusive sanctions suspended by US courts

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francesca albanese

francesca albanese

The UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, has had punitive and abusive sanctions imposed on her by the Trump administration suspended by a US court.

In granting the preliminary injunction, the Judge presiding over her case affirmed:

Protecting the Freedom of speech is always just the public interest.

Hailing this victory for civil rights and freedoms, Albanese said:

Thanks to my daughter and my husband for stepping up to defend me, and everyone who has helped so far.

Adding:

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Together we are One.

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Francesca Albanese: ‘US court has suspended the US sanctions against me!’

This wonderful – and restorative – news from Francesca Albanese will likely relieve many across the world who draw inspiration and strength from her persistent courage to speak truth to power. Unsurprisingly, Albanese herself also clearly feels that relief. Bringing this case to the US courts was her daughter and husband, who evidently share her beautiful resistance to oppression and injustice.

The UN official posted the memorandum opinion put forward by the Judge presiding over her case against Donald Trump, in which it said:

Plaintiffs L.C., a minor, and her father Massimiliano Cali bring suit against various federal defendants challenging the designation and sanctioning of Francesca Albanese, their mother and wife, respectively.

Albanese is a scholar and author who has published widely on human rights issues, including on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Plaintiffs allege that defendants are sanctioning Albanese because of her speech – namely, Albanese’s non-binding recommendation to the International Criminal Court to pursue war-crimes prosecutions against Israeli and American nationals.

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Plaintiffs allege that they are harmed by defendants’ sanctioning of Albanese and seek a preliminary injunction.

Finishing:

For the following reasons, I will GRANT plaintiffs’ motion.

We assume that this is where the Judge made the statement posted by Albanese, in which the court recognised that freedom of speech is – and always will be – in the public interest.

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This is just a reprieve, the fight for justice is not over

Nevertheless, this is a preliminary injunction and we will undoubtedly see further attempts to push through this blatant move to censor officials or public figures who dare call out the murderous, genocidal regime of Zionist Israel.

Pushing back against Israel’s moves once again to place itself as the victim, despite its genocide of Palestinians, Albanese posted since the injunction:

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True to form, Albanese once again refuses to centre her own hardship in this victory though.

Replying to a message showing concern for the “huge toll” this undoubtedly had on the UN official, she said:

What has taken a huge toll on me is the genocide of the Palestinian people, unfolding and still unrestrained. Seeing what men and women can do to other men and women, and children and older people, has been sickening.

We have extensively reported, and relied on as many people do, Albanese’s restoring and inspiring resistance to injustice.

In April, our own Skwawkbox wrote about how the Guardian still wanted to defend Israel despite speaking to Francesca Albanese about the lawfare being used against her:

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Borger also fails to point out the illegality of the sanctions the US has imposed on Albanese. But he does at least give some attention to their impact on the steadfast UN volunteer. And that’s where Albanese’s courage is given chance to shine through. Trump’s sanctions are massive blow to any prospect of a normal life – Albanese is unable to use a credit card, is severely limited in access to banking and relies on cash lent by family members. Yet she is without self-pity, even as she honestly describes the blow and its injustice:

“It was bad. That sort of puts you together with mass murderers and drug dealers of international proportions. It was a paradox of facing one of the harshest forms of punishment without due process, because I’ve not even been afforded the possibility to defend myself. I’ve just been sanctioned without trial.”

Despite awareness of the serious risks to her own safety and that of her family, Albanese continues to use her position and influence to advocate for those rendered powerless – in stark contrast to much of the Western political establishment.

But the cravenness of corporate media makes the courage of those who do stand up shine all the brighter – and so it is here. Albanese freely admits that the impact of the sanctions has been “brutal” enough to make her pause and consider, but she is unbowed:

“That is when I started wondering: is it worth it? I have two kids. What if they harm them? I cannot take this responsibility. There is a lot that I’m putting on the line, but, at the same time, I don’t have any alternative. I still need to continue to throw water on the fire and I have a bigger bucket right now … and strong arms.”

The fight is not over until Palestine sees justice

Once again, this principled and brave official shows that her sense of justice is formidable and will take a hell of a lot to offset her moral compass. As a result, this will undoubtedly rejuvenate and inspire the millions across the world who feel disgusted, heartbroken, and appalled by Israel’s continuing genocide.

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Moreover, those running for leadership in the Labour Party will do well to recognise the huge – and growing – solidarity with the suffering of Palestinians and their inalienable right to take back their homeland. This might run against the will of their backers and nefarious Zionist influencers, but they should remember it is ordinary people who see them elected.

It follows, then, that ordinary people have the power to remove the Zionist rot from our political establishment so that all lives can finally begin to matter.

After all, we have seen where hierarchies of human life can lead – whether in the Holocaust or in apartheid-era South Africa. But we have also seen the power of ordinary people to bring murderous, corrupt, and abusive regimes down.

Like Albanese proves time and again, that resistance to injustice must be unwavering.

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Featured image via the Canary

By Maddison Wheeldon

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Reform councillor for Sheffield Woodhouse under investigation for Nazi tweets

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Reform UK councillor suspended over Nazi sympathies

Reform UK councillor suspended over Nazi sympathies

Nathaniel Menday, the newly elected Reform UK councillor for Sheffield Woodhouse, has been suspended from the party over his history of white-supremacist social media posts. The far-right party is now investigating the councillor’s posts, “which have brought the party into disrepute.”

The only problem? The Times had already published on Menday’s bigotry weeks before the election. However, Reform only suspended him after the Sheffield Star uncovered another slew of bile, including a post on Twitter stating:

Compared to many continental countries people here are fatter, uglier and poorly dressed.

On top of this we have a disgusting, almost subhuman underclass of people bringing the place down.

Self-identified ‘ethno-nationalist’

On 22 April, more than a fortnight before the elections, the Times wrote that:

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Nathaniel Menday, standing for Reform in Woodhouse, Sheffield, has called himself an “ethno-nationalist” and encouraged the use of white supremacist symbols. Last October, he asked a fellow Sheffield United fan to add a sonnenrad “sun wheel” emblem to a flag — a symbol widely used by neo-Nazis.

In January 2024, he shared a picture of Berlin’s Olympiastadion and wrote: “Whichever group of people built this must have been real visionaries!” The stadium was built by Nazi Germany to host the 1936 Olympics and designed by Albert Speer, the munitions minister who was convicted at the Nuremberg trials of crimes against humanity.

Likewise, Menday also blamed “Jewish people in the West” for the antisemitism they suffer because they “overwhelmingly favour open borders.”

In spite of Menday’s vile support for white supremacy being known well in advance of the polls, he nevertheless received 1,987 votes. By comparison, Labour’s Danny Allsebrook – the second-place candidate – received just 890.

‘I am not antisemitic’

When the Times approached him for comment before the elections, Menday stated that:

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I am not antisemitic nor do I have any Nazi sympathies.

I have flirted with what could reasonably be referred to as ‘far-right ideology’ but ultimately I have come to reject its core tenets.

I am passionate about my country but I am and always have been motivated by love, not hate.

Sure, you were calling people a “subhuman underclass” out of love.

On top of all this, the Sheffield Star published further records of Menday’s bigotry on 13 May:

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Many posts celebrate the Nazis, with him sharing an picture of Adolf Hitler’s book Mein Kampf, and one image with a box of Lynx Africa that appears to reveal a swastika flag and SS uniforms on display in a room. […]

At other times he praises eugenics, and in one post says that ‘dictator shouldn’t be an ugly word’, adding: “A dictatorship with the right man in charge will always be a better way of governing than democracy.”

You’d tell us if you’re a Nazi, right?

Back in April, BBC Essex asked Nigel Farage if his party had vetted its local election candidates. The Reform leader stated that:

I know that our candidates will be held to a higher standard than any of the other parties.

That’s because we are the challengers. We are the ones taking on the establishment. Yet we have done a good, thorough professional job.

On 11 May, when yet another Reform councillors resigned over his rascist posting history (noticing a pattern?, the Canary wrote that:

That “thorough professional job” raises an important question. That is, did Reform know about Prior’s disgusting comments and not care, or was Farage simply lying?

Importantly, thanks to Nathaniel Menday, we now have an answer: it’s both! Regarding Menday’s disgusting tweets, a Reform spokesperson said:

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Cllr Menday has been suspended from Reform UK pending investigation after he failed to declare social media posts which have brought the party into disrepute.

Reform UK does not support such comments.

So, we now know that the party’s idea of a “thorough professional job” boils down to asking ‘Are you a white supremacist? You have to tell us if you are?’ Likewise, it’s obvious that the party didn’t care about Menday’s self-identified ethno-nationalism, because – again – that was already well publicised.

Reform UK are a party of disgusting bigots. This alone should be enough reason to avoid them, but on top of that its MPs and councillors don’t do their fucking work. These far-right jackasses are a danger, pure and simple, and the UK will spend the next election cycle learning the truth of that statement.

Featured image via the Canary

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3 Bizarre Moments From Tense State Opening Of Parliament

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Britain's Health Secretary Wes Streeting arrives in Downing Street for a meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London, Wednesday, May 13, 2026.

The State Opening of Parliament is always a momentous occasion where the government sets out its plans for the next parliamentary session via King Charles.

The monarch makes a grand entrance to the Palace of Westminster, dressed in all his finery, and reads out the legislation the government plans to focus on over the next year or so.

But there’s a shadow hanging over the whole of Westminster right now after more than 80 Labour MPs called for the prime minister to resign and four of his ministers quit.

It comes after the party took a drubbing at the elections in England, Scotland and Wales last week.

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But Keir Starmer has insisted he is staying in post, even after four of his own ministers and four ministerial aides quit and urged him to set out a timetable for his own departure.

Now all eyes are on his rival in cabinet, health secretary Wes Streeting, who has long-held ambitions to be prime minister.

His allies even briefed the media that he was considering resigning from government on Thursday to launch his own leadership bid moments before the King began speaking in the House of Lords.

So the combination of pomp and ceremony and the backdrop of a possible Westminster coup led to some very bizarre moments across the day,

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1. Streeting’s Dramatic Downing Street Entrance

The health secretary went to 10 Downing Street for a tense coffee with the prime minister just hours before the King was due to arrive in parliament.

He was expected to ask Starmer about his plan to get the government back on track – though speculation mounted over whether Streeting’s own leadership bid might come up.

The exact contents of that meeting have been kept under wraps so far – but Streeting stalked out of Downing Street after less than 20 minutes.

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He pointedly ignored the press’s attempts to get his attention and walked very quickly away from Number 10.

Britain's Health Secretary Wes Streeting arrives in Downing Street for a meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London, Wednesday, May 13, 2026.
Britain’s Health Secretary Wes Streeting arrives in Downing Street for a meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London, Wednesday, May 13, 2026.

2. ‘Not Now, Andy!’

Torcuil Crichton, the Labour MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, got a few laughs when he shouted “not now, Andy” as Black Rod knocked on the front door on the Commons.

The Black Rod is a parliamentary official who has the door of the Commons shut in their face and has to knock three times before they are allowed in.

It’s a symbolic moment dating back to the Civil War.

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But Crichton’s humour overshadowed it by joking about Andy Burnham, another potential rival for Keir Starmer.

He is not an MP but the mayor of Greater Manchester, and desperate to get a seat in the Commons so he can challenge the PM – hence he would be knocking at the door.

3. Streeting In Isolation

As speculation about the health secretary quitting grew, Streeting was mysteriously absent from the front bench.

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He chose not to sit on the front bench but lurked by the Speaker’s chair, away from his cabinet colleagues.

Naturally, that only fuelled theories that he is close to leaving government.

Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

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How medical misogyny stole my life for 20 years

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Medical misogyny Image of a girl crying with her head in her hands in the background. She has brown hair and a dark blue jumper. On the left hand side is the NHS logo and the acronym for ADHD spelt out. On the right is the Canary logo.

Medical misogyny Image of a girl crying with her head in her hands in the background. She has brown hair and a dark blue jumper. On the left hand side is the NHS logo and the acronym for ADHD spelt out. On the right is the Canary logo.

Content warning: this article contains references to self-harm, suicide attempts and sexual assault, addiction.

I have had one hell of a life. Once a homeless little gutter punk who hopped from one addiction to another, here I am writing for the Canary. This is the story of how medical misogyny ignored my ‘textbook’ ADHD for over 20 years, driving me into self-medicating and leading me to a life on the streets. And now my hormones are crashing and my male GP nearly fucked my life all over again.

Medical misogyny — a childhood ruined

I was the weird kid in a private school I didn’t want to be in. My dad was in the military and it was common to stick army kids in boarding schools to give them a more ‘stable’ life.

I’m laughing, because mine was anything but.

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Trapped in a place where I was bullied relentlessly, 13-year-old me hid in the woods to smoke weed pretty much every night. I was chasing a dopamine hit I didn’t understand. In the classrooms nearby, four lads had been diagnosed with ADHD and given the support they needed to thrive. I was simply labelled ‘disruptive’ and told I wasn’t applying myself. That I should shut up in class.

This disparity is a statistical fact.

Boys are referred for ADHD assessments three times more often than girls. And this happened in the early 2000’s, when diagnosis rates were even lower. ADHD simply wasn’t identified in girls back then. Now, boys are diagnosed on average by age seven. Women, on the other hand, are left to spiral until their late fucking 30s.

When I was caught self harming at age 12, a male therapist dismissed my cuts and anguish as puberty. He did fuck all for me. Girls with undiagnosed ADHD are four to five timess more likely to self-harm than neurotypicals.

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The system of medical misogyny didn’t see a kid in crisis. They saw a ‘typical’ teenage girl. But behind the scenes I was broken, desperate to know why I wasn’t like everyone else.

Why I felt broken.

A dopamine-seeking spiral

By the time I left school, the lack of structure was a death sentence for an unmedicated teen. I traded college life for smoking weed in a graveyard. I was kicked out of there and moved into what was basically a drug den at the age of 17. Speed gave me the focus the system denied me. Ecstasy made the depression disappear. And weed quieted the constant screaming of my anxiety.

Adults with untreated ADHD are twice as likely to struggle with substance abuse.

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And fuck, did I struggle.

I didn’t know it, but at the time I was self-medicating in a world I didn’t quite fit into. I was chasing the dopamine that my brain couldn’t give me.

It was a male doctor who stuck me with the Borderline Personality Disorder diagnosis. Approximately 40%–50% of women with ADHD are first slapped with this diagnosis. Or Bipolar.

A male doctor openly called me ‘attention-seeking’ whilst prescribing me another SSRI that didn’t fucking work. My arms and legs were shredded, tendons hit and sewn back up as I cut deep enough to sever them.

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My life descended into total chaos. I ended up hooked on ketamine, sleeping on the streets and friends’ sofas.

Ketamine was a wonder drug to me. It left me catatonic, in a state where literally nothing mattered. My risky behaviours ended in two abortions and a severe sexual assault. A&E kept releasing me back to the streets, despite several suicide attempts. Zero aftercare. Just another addict who was craving attention in their eyes. I look back at who I was and I want to cry.

Even now, medical misogyny still ruins my life

The turning point only came when I took matters into my own hands. Friends literally dragged me off the drugs and alcohol, kicking and screaming. Literally poured my whisky down the sink and escorted me everywhere for months. It was only then, with a clear head, that I realised I had ADHD. My first GP dismissed it so I went out and researched the shit out of it. I came back with assessment criteria and demanded a female GP. She instantly put me on the waiting list which was six fucking years.

So I saved and paid for it myself. The verdict was immediate: I was a ‘textbook’ case of female ADHD. And I cried as she called the wasted decades of my life disgusting. As she told me I had been failed by an NHS which literally fails all women with the condition.

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And I found around seven years of peace. I thought the battle was over. But then the perimenopause hit. And it hits women with ADHD so much harder. Estrogen acts like the scaffolding for dopamine in the brain. When that estrogen drops, symptoms are fucking wild. Studies show women with ADHD are 87% more likely to report extreme psychological symptoms during perimenopause. And it hits us waaaayy earlier.

Despite this, my MALE GP ordered blood tests six fucking times. Because they came back ‘normal’, he told me it couldn’t be the menopause. This is a dangerous fallacy. The British Menopause Society states that blood tests are often ‘misleading’ because hormone level fluctuate wildly. I even told the guy we were doing them at the wrong times, that when I was getting tested I didn’t feel as bad.

My life was stolen, but now I’m reclaiming it

He ignored the dizzy spells which frequently have me collapsing. Ignored the hot flushes, sleepless nights, weird body hair and fucked up periods. After ten years of being clean, I found myself in the kitchen with a knife to my wrists. I knew it wasn’t right. One thing I pride myself on is staying on top of my mental health because I know if I don’t, I’m only one drink away from hurting myself and spiralling. Women experiencing menopause have the highest suicide rate of any female age group, a risk that triples for those with unmanaged ADHD.

It took months of dismissal before I demanded a female GP. She was fucking amazing. Recognising the symptoms instantly, she confirmed the blood tests were dog shit and I was suffering a textbook hormone crash.

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I am finally on the right path, but the cost has been my life. I am finally settled. In a job I love, living a life I have had to fight tooth and nail to build. Now I face another hurdle that will take months to fix, all because a man refused to believe I know my own body.

The story of my life isn’t bad luck. This is what medical misogyny does to women. How many others are out there, in the same place I was, because they aren’t being heard? I tried to kill myself so many times. How many women have succeeded?

We are being gaslit by a profession that refuses to listen. And that shit needs to change. Now.

Featured image via Freepix

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By Antifabot

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Jet Fuel Crisis: The UK and EU Airlines That May Cancel Flights

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Jet Fuel Crisis: The UK and EU Airlines That May Cancel Flights

The US-Iran war, which resulted in the closing of the Strait of Hormuz, means that we’re about to have a lot less fuel than we’re used to.

About 20% of the world’s oil and gas supply usually passes through the narrow shipping lane. Because it usually takes weeks for oil to reach Europe from this point, however, the after-effects of the closure lagged a little, as we were getting oil sent before the conflict started, days after it began.

But The Guardian reports the blockage has already “doubled” the price of jet fuel, leading some carriers to cancel flights.

Why are some European flights being cancelled or suspended?

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While Airline UK, which represents multiple big-name airline carriers in the UK, has said “Airlines continue to operate normally and are not experiencing issues with jet fuel supply,” the European Commission has created a plan called “AccelerateEU”.

Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, explained that it involves stepping “up coordination to optimise transport fuel distribution across Europe, starting with jet fuel”.

Europe gets about 75% of its jet fuel from the Middle East, making the blockage especially devastating.

On 16 April, the head of the International Energy Agency said Europe had “maybe six weeks or so” of jet fuel supplies left.

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Some changes to EU airlines may affect the UK; for instance, The Independent reported that Norse Atlantic has cancelled its route from the UK to LA.

Which flight cancellations and suspensions could affect the UK?

The BBC reports that the following airlines, which serve the UK, have announced that they plan to run fewer flights, though that doesn’t necessarily mean suspensions or cancellations will hit the UK:

  • KLM

  • Air Canada

  • Asiana Airlines

  • Delta Airlines

  • Lufthansa

  • SAS.

And as we’ve mentioned above:

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  • Norse Atlantic has cancelled its route from London Gatwick to LA.

Which European airlines are cancelling or suspending flights due to the jet fuel crisis?

Here are all the European airlines cancelling or suspending flights, or expecting to:

1) KLM

On April 16, the Dutch carrier (part of the Air France-KLM group) said it would cancel 160 flights in Europe in the following month to and from Schiphol Airport.

2) Transavia

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This is also part of the Air France-KLM group and is expected to cancel some flights this May and June.

The carrier cited “The current geopolitical context in the Middle East and its repercussions on the price of aviation fuel” when explaining the change.

3) Lufthansa

The German airline said on 21 April that they would cut 20,000 flights over the next six months, and some flights, like those from Frankfurt to Bydgoszcz and Rzeszów in Poland and Stavanger in Norway, have been cancelled for good.

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4) Norse Atlantic

The Norwegian airline has cancelled its route from the UK to LA in response to rising fuel costs.

5) SAS

The Scandi airline has already cancelled hundreds of flights, The Independent reports, and said it’d cancel 1,000 flights in April.

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DWP PIP Timms review continues to be an absolute farce

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The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is once again proving that the Timms review into Personal Independence Payment is an absolute farce.

DWP — Timms Review was never genuine

The Timms review was launched after the Labour government failed to cut PIP last summer. Thanks to a massive push back from disabled people and a Labour rebellion, the DWP had to take PIP cuts out of the welfare cuts bill. Hower, as a last ditch attempt to still get some cuts through and not look like a total failure, the minister for disabled people announced that there would be a consultation on PIP if MPs voted for the bill.

This completely threw universal credit claimants under the bus, as cuts to that went through, but to MPs these were seen as more justifiable — Universal Credit is an out-of-work benefit and all that.  But it also meant PIP cuts weren’t stopped, just kicked further down the road.

The Timms review has, from the outset, been absolute bullshit. After an almost four-month wait, Timms finally revealed the terms of reference. The terms set out that PIP would become the only way to access out-of-work disability benefits, despite it not being an out-of-work benefit. It also revealed that the review would be overseen by just 12 whole disabled people.

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Most shockingly, it also just casually dropped that in an effort to rush the review through, it wouldn’t be subject to parliamentary debates. Meaning there can be no pushback or interference from MPs this time.

Call for evidence

Finally in March the call for evidence was released, which once again proved how seriously the DWP was taking it. By calling it ‘call for evidence’, the department could forgo the mandatory 12-week consultation time, making it just 10 weeks. As Hannah Sharland reported at the time:

At best, it will take forward a few good changes, but use them to package more brutal cuts. One notable sentence confirming this concerns what the review says it’s “particularly interested in”, states that:

‘the assessment criteria for both Mobility and Daily Living elements of PIP – including activities, descriptors and associated points – and whether these effectively capture the impact of long-term health conditions and disability in the modern world (from the Terms of Reference)’

It’s hard not to see this as a sly to justify constricting the PIP criteria to exclude people. Of course, this is precisely what the DWP previously tried to do to slash people’s access to PIP with its egregious 4 point policy.

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And if the review already felt like a total stitch-up that didn’t actually care about, it then came out that the panel wouldn’t even be reading responses, they’d be summarised by AI. This was just weeks after the DWP led a press campaign against disabled people who used AI to complete PIP forms.

Want a meaningful consultation? Do it yourself

And now, as Benefits and Work reports, the department’s latest effort to look like they give a fuck about disabled people’s opinion is just that.

Instead of holding accessible, meaningful consultations the department has said it will give DDPOs ‘Workshop in a box’ resources kits to run their own consultations. This means the burden of organising, funding, dealing with upset and concerned disabled people and then feeding this potentially triggering information back to the DWP will fall squarely on disabled people’s shoulders.

Alongside these, the DWP has also said it will run evidence sessions with experts. The problem here is that the department will get to decide who they include in these sessions. Evidently, the Timms Review is doing everything it can to block out disabled people who will have their lives upended if these cuts happen.

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As Benefits and Work said:

The reality seems to be that the Timms Review is doing everything it can to avoid a genuine, mass consultation with disabled claimants. Instead, it is stalling for time by releasing scant information about events to be held at unspecified dates in the future, with most of these not even open to most disabled claimants.

All of this means it’s vitally important for as many disabled people as possible to fill in the Timms Review Call for Evidence. We need to give the panel as stark a picture of life without PIP as we can. The call for evidence closes on 28th May at 11:5pm

Featured image via the Canary

By Rachel Charlton-Dailey

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People Left Stunned As They Discover What Paprika Is Really Made From

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People Left Stunned As They Discover What Paprika Is Really Made From

Sometimes, learning more about your favourite foods makes you feel good.

For instance, I was pretty happy to discover that a pumpkin spice mix is really easy to make at home, and that the secret to Biscoff’s distinctive taste is more than likely just… sugar.

Other times, though (like when I learned that cola is flavoured with a kola nut), the news changes my perspective forever.

Such is the case with paprika, which I always thought was some variety of dried… chilli? With tomato powder, maybe?

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Nope ― it’s usually a sweet, moist veg we all eat on the reg.

Go on then ― what is it?

A lot of the time, paprika is made from plain, spag-bol-staple bell peppers, a fact that’s left people like Redditor u/albertpaca11 surprised.

Writing to r/cookingforbeginners, they said: “I just found out Paprika is just Bell Pepper… my mind is blown. Why is it spicy?”

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Granted, it’s a particular species of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) ― but the ruby-red variety wouldn’t be out of place on your crudité plate.

Though more traditional paprika can be made from Aleppo, Hungarian, and a range of other peppers, herb and spice company McCormick’s Science Institute (MSI) says the mass-made stuff “is typically made from ‘bell’ or ‘sweet’ type peppers, milder varieties that contain a recessive gene that eliminates (or greatly reduces) capsaicin, the compound responsible for heat.”

BBC Good Food writes that the spice’s “main purpose is to add flavour and colour, more than heat”.

BuzzFeed’s cooking vertical Tasty shared a YouTube Short on how to make the spice at home, revealing that whacking a bell pepper in the oven or air fryer for hours and then whizzing its dried remains in a blender creates perfect paprika.

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MSI has also shared that paprika can have a sugar content of up to 6%, though “the spice can range in flavour from mild and sweet to very hot”.

That’s because while lots of paprika is made from bell peppers, it can be made from other, hotter sweet red peppers too.

How come it can be so pungent?

While it’s easy to see how eye-watering raw chilli can become the piquant spice we love, it can be harder to connect the dots between cooling, fruity bell pepper and smoky paprika.

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But the preparation has a bigger effect than you’d think, MSI says.

“Some Spanish paprikas are dried by smoking and thus have a smoky flavour,” they write, while certain Hungarian peppers are specially-selected for extra heat.

In general, though, the MSI says paprika is a mild spice that mostly adds colour to dishes.

This article has been updated to added to clarify specific varieties of non-bell pepper traditional paprika can also be made from.

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New health sec Murray says ‘can’t wait to continue Streeting’s slash-and-burn’

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Keir Starmer has appointed “clearly anti-Palestinian” MP James Murray to replace Wes Streeting as health secretary. Streeting resigned on Thursday to launch his campaign to replace Starmer.

The new health secretary has given a clear signal that his plans for the NHS are just as sinister as his predecessor’s. Murray posted on X that he:

Can’t wait to get started and continue [Wes Streeting]’s brilliant work.

And at the same time, he gushed about his time working for appalling chancellor Rachel ‘Freeze‘ Reeves:

Murray — Slash-and-burn

Streeting’s “brilliant work” is a ten-year slash-and-burn plan of treatment rationing, hospital closures, rampant privatisation and the replacement of doctors with less-qualified ‘associates’. This will all be overseen by private health lobbyists wielding Streeting’s threat to kill the NHS if it doesn’t submit.

Murray can’t wait to get stuck in to sticking it to the NHS and the millions who rely on it.

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Featured image via the Canary

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