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Clark Vasey: The case for a leaner and more practical Conservatism, focused on the British worker

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Clark Vasey: Competence won’t win back Reform voters but a Conservative agenda focused on working people will

Clark Vasey is co-founder and Executive Director of Blue Collar Conservatism.

This part 2 of 2 of ‘Re-Introducing Blue Collar Conservatism’. Part 1 can be read here.

Across the Western world, right-inclined voters have become more working class.

Those looking rightwards work hard but are more likely to feel economically insecure than a conservative base from 40 years ago. Currently, they are looking to Reform in greater numbers, but without convincing a significant majority of them that we are the party that will best deliver for them, there will not be another Conservative Government.

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Since conference, Kemi Badenoch has given us more cause for confidence about our future, but we are going to need to do more than shift a few points. Reform knows it needs to get past 40 per cent to avoid its route to power being blocked by tactical voting. Reform needs to be the only viable vehicle on the right if it is to succeed. That is no less true for us.

Winning over Reform voters with understanding and a better offer for hard-working Brits is our only option.

We need to set out a blueprint for a truly Blue Collar Britain, where national renewal is achieved through an unrelenting focus on jobs and backing the potential of every one of our citizens. This would simultaneously address many of the economic, social, and structural challenges facing the UK, but it requires a joined-up approach with the British worker at its heart. A good starting point for this would be a Labour Market Strategy.

We can quibble over the word “broken”, but Britain clearly does not work. At the top of the list are migration and welfare. Our party has been increasingly bold on both, but we will need to go much further and approach them as part of the same problem. They are mutually reinforcing policy failures.

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A welfare system that makes it easy for people not to work creates a demand for migrant workers, while a flow of low-skilled migrant labour undercuts wages and displaces domestic workers from the labour market.

A Labour Market Strategy would be a comprehensive plan for national renewal rooted in work. Kemi’s Plan to Get Britain Working is a great start, bringing together business and welfare policies, but it must go further adding education focused on work, a clearer approach to strategic sectors, and ensuring that migration is never again used to paper over the cracks.

Our welfare system needs overhauling, and not working must never be a choice or pay more than working. Our business and economic policies must provide conditions in which jobs can be created, even above the demands of revenue collection. Labour’s jobs vandalism must be reversed across every sector as a bare minimum. We must be relentless in giving business the conditions to create jobs and compete. Remember the left has never truly been on the side of workers, because to be pro-worker, you must be pro-business.

We have lived beyond our means for years, and it cannot continue. Labour is busily peddling the fantasy that it can, making matters worse with every tax rise to keep our zombie state going. Instead of feeding a never-ending bloated state, we need an approach with the individual British worker at its heart.  Achieving prosperity and growth through the people who work to create it and contributing to a Britain that is competitive internationally and a place where people want to invest.

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Even if we sorted out our planning system so we could actually build the homes and infrastructure we need, we know we do not have enough builders. Industry estimates suggest we will need between 161,000 and 239,000 additional workers by 2030 just to meet housing targets.

“Better pull the migration lever” will come the inevitable cry of those who think of the UK as the sum of its state rather than its people. No.  Not when we have 946,000 young people not in education, employment, or training. Why not train enough of them to meet our requirements? It would add to our national renewal and, more importantly, hand a young person a career.

Education must be unashamedly a tool of worker creation. The measure of our education system should be its ability to get all young people into work. From the next AI star to the care home worker. There is a benefit to being in work and dignity in every job. Our schools must instil this.

Let’s actively create future taxpayers and contributors rather than welfare recipients.

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Job creation has significant social benefits, adding a sense of worth and human connection. Around 67 per cent of the 6.5 million people on out-of-work benefits have no requirement to look for work. At a national level, that is a crisis of unsustainable proportions; at an individual level, it is a human tragedy of wasted potential on an unforgivable scale.

A comprehensive Labour Market strategy should sit at the centre of our offer to working Britain. Becoming the vehicle for a broad coalition of working people from engineers and builders to agricultural workers and carers.  It will give our party purpose.

At this point, Labour’s claims to be a working class party are entirely historic. That means reaching millions of hard-working Brits who are currently looking to Reform. With care, understanding and the best offer we can do it.

This is why Blue Collar Conservatism exists.

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We want to bring together activists and MPs who share our vision and determination to make this happen.

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Bridgerton Cast: Where You’ve Seen The Stars Since The Show Began

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Jonathan Bailey as Fieryo in Wicked

Dearest Reader… things have changed for the cast of Bridgerton since the racy Netflix drama debuted in 2020.

When the show premiered during the global pandemic and national lockdown, few could have predicted what an worldwide phenomenon the series was about to become.

Since the first season turned the cast into global household names, many have become Hollywood royalty after appearing in the romantic drama, while others have become mainstays in the television world.

Here is what some of the stars of Bridgerton have been up to since the show debuted …

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Jonathan Bailey

Jonathan Bailey as Fieryo in Wicked
Jonathan Bailey as Fieryo in Wicked

Although Jonathan Bailey was already an award-winning star of stage and screen for more than two decades when he made his debut as Anthony Bridgerton, the Regency romance catapulted the actor to international fame.

Since appearing on the show, he won a Critics’ Choice Award for his role in the historical miniseries Fellow Travelers and an Actors Award (then still known as a SAG Award) for his work in the big screen adaptation of Wicked.

Last year, he was named the top grossing actor of 2025 thanks to his performances as Dr Henry Loomis in Jurassic World Rebirth and Fieryo in Wicked: For Good. He was also named People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Of The Year, being the first openly gay man to earn this title.

Despite his big screen stardom, Jonathan has not foregone his love for the stage, either. In 2022, he appeared in the Mike Bartlett play, Cock and last year, he took on the role of Richard III.

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You can next see him alongside his Wicked co-star Ariana Grande in a West End revival of Sunday In The Park With George.

Nicola Coughlan

Nicola Coughlan in the Channel 4 series Big Mood
Nicola Coughlan in the Channel 4 series Big Mood

When Bridgerton first aired, Nicola Coughlan was one of the better-known faces to British audiences thanks to her role as Claire in Derry Girls. Since her first season as Penelope, she has taken on a starring role in Channel 4’s dark comedy Big Mood and played Joy in the 2024 Doctor Who Christmas special, alongside Ncuti Gatwa.

On the big screen, she had a minor role in the Barbie film, playing Diplomat Barbie, and has voice roles in the animated film Goat and the upcoming adaptation of Enid Blyton’s Faraway Tree.

Nicola is also currently appearing in a new stage adaptation of The Playboy Of The Western World.

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Outside of her work, Nicola is a passionate advocate for a number of humanitarian causes. In 2024, Nicola helped raise £1.5 million for the children of Palestine, and last year, she helped raise more than £100K for the trans and gender non-conforming charity Not A Phase.

Despite her illustrious acting career, Nicola’s proudest moment might just have been when she fulfilled her dream of being a judge on season three of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.

Regé-Jean Page

Regé-Jean Page in Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves
Regé-Jean Page in Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves

While his movie career hasn’t quite reached the heights some might have predicted just yet, he has continued to make a name for himself in Hollywood.

After leaving the show, he had a supporting role in the Netflix action thriller The Gray Man, appeared in Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves and co-starred with Cate Blanchett in last year’s critically praised Black Bag. You can next see him alongside Halle Bailey in rom-com You, Me & Tuscany.

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He’s also one of many names who’ve been rumoured to be in the running to play 007 in the next James Bond film.

Phoebe Dynevor

Phoebe Dynevor in the erotic thriller Fair Play
Phoebe Dynevor in the erotic thriller Fair Play

Slobodan Pikula / Courtesy of Netflix

After Regé-Jean left Bridgerton, his on-screen love interest Phoebe Dynevor stayed on the show in a supporting role.

Luckily, this has given her ample time to build a successful film career away from the Ton.

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In recent history, she has appeared in the 2023 erotic thriller Fair Play, the 2025 spy movie Inheritance and has also shared the screen with Diane Lane in the dystopian movie Anniversary.

Phoebe has a busy slate ahead of her with numerous films currently in post-production, too, most notably a supernatural romantic drama written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan with Nicholas Sparks.

Simone Ashley

Simone Ashley in The Little Mermaid
Simone Ashley in The Little Mermaid

Simone Ashley plays Anthony’s wife Kate in the Regency drama, joining the show in its second season.

Having already starred in Sex Education, Bridgerton boosted her profile even further, leading to roles in Disney’s live-action Little Mermaid remake as one of Ariel’s sisters, and a leading performance in the rom-com Picture This, alongside Hero Fiennes Tiffin.

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Simone also appeared in the Oscar-nominated F1, although her character was controversially cut out of the film, only appearing in one blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment.

After debuting in Bridgerton, Simone has launched her own production company, Good Catch Entertainment, to tackle inequalities in the industry.

“The more you work in this industry, you see the holes, you see what shouldn’t be happening,” she told in Vogue in 2022. “I want to create sets where everyone feels equal. And I don’t want to be put in a certain box. I want to be in the driver’s seat.”

She’s next appearing in The Devil Wears Prada sequel, which will be released in May this year.

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Adjoa Andoh

Adjoa Andoh as Nenneke in The Witcher
Adjoa Andoh as Nenneke in The Witcher

You’ll best know Adjoa Andoh for playing Lady Danbury, but the British actor has had a long and illustrious career.

Besides appearing in Bridgerton, she played Nenneke in two episodes of the fantasy The Witcher and, more recently, has been lending her voice to animated characters, including the grandmother in The Smeds And The Smoos, the narrator of Mog’s Christmas and the judge in Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.

In 2024, Adjoa played Lady Heather Nancarrow in Alibi crime drama The Red King.

She was also made a Member of the British Empire (MBE) in the King’s Birthday Honours in June 2025, for her services to drama.

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Golda Rosheuvel

Golda Rosheuvel as Shadout Mapes in Dune
Golda Rosheuvel as Shadout Mapes in Dune

Queen Charlotte herself, Golda Rosheuvel, has been a mainstay of stage and screen since the 1990s.

After debuting in her regal rule, Golda appeared in Dune as the imperial housekeeper Shadout Mapes, and had a supporting role in the rom-com This Time Next Year alongside Emily In Paris star Lucien Laviscount.

Recently, Golda appeared in the Doctor Who episode Space Babies and you can next see her in the horror film Eye For An Eye and with Nick Frost in the comedy Grow.

Luke Thompson

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Luke Thompson in Netflix's Transatlantic
Luke Thompson in Netflix’s Transatlantic

Luke Thompson found fame playing Benedict in Bridgerton, finally taking centre stage in the most recent run of episodes after three seasons in a supporting role.

Outside the Ton, he has continued to have success on stage, appearing in A Little Life and, more recently, in the Royal Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost.

He also played a lead in another Netflix historical drama, Transatlantic, in 2023.

You can next see him co-starring with Andrew Scott in Elsinore, a biopic of Chariots of Fire actor Ian Charleston, who was one of the first public figures to die of AIDS in the UK.

Luke Newton

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Luke Newton in the off-Broadway play House Of McQueen
Luke Newton in the off-Broadway play House Of McQueen

Colin Bridgerton was Luke Newton’s biggest role to date when he first began appearing in the Netflix period drama.

In 2023, he appeared in the West End in The Shape Of Things, and last year in off-Broadway’s House Of McQueen, playing the late fashion designer Alexander McQueen.

His next role is in White Mars, a science fiction thriller, alongside Lucy Hale.

Claudia Jessie

Claudia Jessie in Toxic Town
Claudia Jessie in Toxic Town

Claudia Jessie has had a successful career outside of her role as Eloise Bridgerton.

She appeared in the miniseries Bali 2002 and in Jack Thorne’s 2025 Netflix drama Toxic Town, playing a woman whose child is born with birth defects due to toxic waste contamination.

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Her next role will be in the Channel 4 drama, Up To No Good, which also stars Glenn Close and Penelope Wilton.

Florence Hunt

Florence Hunt in Mix Tape
Florence Hunt in Mix Tape

Florence plays Hyacinth in Bridgerton, though you may know her from her many viral TikTok videos where she shares behind-the-scenes moments from the Netflix series.

She has also played a young version of Teresa Palmer’s character Alison in last year’s BBC drama, Mix Tape, and will make her feature film debut in the upcoming Queen At Sea, which stars Juliette Binoche and Tom Courtenay.

Ruby Stokes

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Ruby Stokes in The Jetty
Ruby Stokes in The Jetty

BBC/Firebird Pictures/Ben Blackall

Ruby Stokes originally appeared as Francesca Bridgerton in the first two seasons of Bridgerton before leaving due to scheduling conflicts with Lockwood & Co.

Francesca was actually supposed to have a bigger role in season two, but left after filming just three episodes due to her busy schedule on Lockwood & Co.

“I love Francesca, but we lost her midway through season two,” executive producer Chris Van Dusen told TVLine following the season two premiere. “After exhausting all other options, she unfortunately had to come out due to reasons beyond our control.”

Leaving the show mid-series hasn’t put a dampener on Ruby’s career, though.

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Although supernatural Netflix show Lockwood & Co. was eventually cancelled after one series, she went to appear in the horror drama The Burning Girls with Samantha Morton and as Jenna Coleman’s daughter in BBC hit The Jetty.

More recently, she had a minor role in Jay Kelly with George Clooney, and will next be seen in the Bella Ramsey comedy Sunny Dancer.

Hannah Dodd

Hannah Dodd as Sally Bowles in Cabaret
Hannah Dodd as Sally Bowles in Cabaret

Hannah Dodd took over the role of Francesca from Ruby Stokes in the third season of Bridgerton.

The year after her casting was announced, she appeared in Paramount+ miniseries The Road Trip alongside David Jonsson and Laurie Davidson.

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She recently made her West End debut in Cabaret, playing Sally Bowles to Rob Madge’s Emcee in 2025.

Lorraine Ashbourne

Lorraine Ashbourne in Riot Women
Lorraine Ashbourne in Riot Women

Helen Williams/BBC / Drama Republic Ltd.

Prolific actress Lorraine Ashbourne plays housekeeper Mrs. Varley, in Bridgerton, but this is just one of her many recent TV roles.

Over the last few years, she has played Alma’s eccentric grandma in Alma’s Not Normal, Daphne Sparrow in Sherwood, and appeared in four episodes of I Hate Suzie as Billie Piper’s on-screen mother.

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Since then, she also reprised her role in the ITV drama After The Flood and starred in Sally Wainwright’s star-studded comedy-drama Riot Women.

Bessie Carter

Bessie Carter in Outrageous
Bessie Carter in Outrageous

Bessie has played Prudence since the very first season of Bridgerton.

Since the show’s debut, she has appeared in two episodes of I Hate Suzie as lawyer Poppy Hunter, played the real-life Carole Findlater in ITV crime drama A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story and most recently starred as socialite Nancy Mitford in a Britbox historical drama Outrageous, which followed the scandals of the Mitford sisters.

Ruth Gemmell

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Ruth Gemmell in Cleaner

Lady Violet Bridgerton has been a mainstay of Bridgerton since the very first series.

The year after Bridgerton debuted, she reprised her role as the title character’s birth mother, Carly Beaker, in the CBBC show My Mum Tracy Beaker.

Last year, Ruth also appeared in Martin Campbell’s action flick Cleaner alongside Daisy Ridley as Superintendent Claire Hume.

Polly Walker

Polly Walker in Dune: Prophecy
Polly Walker in Dune: Prophecy

Polly Walker, who plays Featherington matriarch Portia, also appeared as Margaret “Peggy” Sykes in Pennyworth in 2022, a prequel series about Batman’s butler Alfred Pennyworth.

In 2024, she starred in Dune: Prophecy as Sonya Harkonnen, and a year later had a role in the Mark Gatiss-penned crime TV show Bookish.

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Dominic Coleman

Dominic Coleman in The Jetty
Dominic Coleman in The Jetty

BBC/Firebird Pictures/Ben Blackall

Dominic appeared in seasons two and three as Cressida’s father, Lord Cowper.

Following his work in Bridgerton, the actor has had minor roles in Wonka and in Ridley Scott’s historical epic, Napoleon.

His latest TV role was in 2024’s The Jetty, where he played a suspect in the crime drama.

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Charithra Chandran

Charithra Chandran in How To Date Billy Walsh
Charithra Chandran in How To Date Billy Walsh

Charithra played Kate’s younger sister, Edwina, in series two of Bridgerton. After her season two appearance in the Netflix drama, her career has gone from strength to strength.

In 2023, she had the lead role in British teen rom-com How To Date Billy Walsh and played the flight attendant in Josh Hartnett’s action film Fight Or Flight. Last Christmas, she had a role in Christmas Karma, a retelling of A Christmas Carol.

On TV, she has played Young Francesca in Dune: Prophecy, and you can next see her in the Netflix adaptation of One Piece, where she will play Miss Wednesday.

In addition to her work, she went viral last summer when everyone watching Wimbledon wanted to know who the “gorgeous” woman sitting behind Andrew Garfield was.

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Sabrina Bartlett

Sabrina Bartlett in ITV's revival of The Larkins
Sabrina Bartlett in ITV’s revival of The Larkins

Sabrina starred in five episodes of Bridgerton’s first series as opera singer Siena Rosso.

The year after the show streamed on Netflix, she played Mariette Larkin in the ITV reboot of The Larkins with Bradley Walsh, but quit the show after just one series.

In 2025, she played John Simm’s Gray’s girlfriend in family drama I, Jack Wright, which aired on Alibi.

Shelley Conn

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Shelley Conn in Gen V

Shelley Conn played Kate’s mother, Lady Mary Sharma, in season two of the period drama.

After appearing in the series, she appeared as Beelzebub in Good Omens alongside David Tennant and Michael Sheen, and also had a lead role in The Boys spin-off Gen V as behavioural scientist Indira Shetty.

All episodes of Bridgerton season four are now streaming on Netflix.

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Brit Awards 2026: Best Performances Ever From Adele To Madonna

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Brit Awards 2026: Best Performances Ever From Adele To Madonna

Across the last four decades, the Brit Awards have been home to some seriously show-stopped performances that have had the whole world talking the next day.

In addition to all of the outrageous moments and attention-grabbing blunders that have become synonymous with the annual Brits broadcast, the awards show has repeatedly given artists a chance to create a true water-cooler moment by really nailing a performance.

The Brits are set to return on Saturday 28 February, with the ceremony taking place in Manchester for the first time ever, and performers on the line-up including Harry Styles, Olivia Dean, Wolf Alice and Rosalía, as well as Mark Ronson, in honour of his Outstanding Contribution prize.

With more than 40 years’ worth of memorable on-stage moments to pick from, here’s a timeline of all the performances that have truly stood the test of time, starting with some classics and leading right up to the present day…

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Elton John and RuPaul – Don’t Go Breaking My Heart (1994)

You didn’t know Elton John was responsible for what was arguably the birth of the “lip sync for your life”, did you?

Yes, as well as hosting the Brit Awards together in 1994 (something we’d argue people forget about all too often) the duo also lip-synced the house down to a disco-tastic mix of Sir Elton and Kiki Dee’s famous duet. It’s a comfort to know, if nothing else, that RuPaul has been rocking the exact same moves for the last 30 years.

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Take That – I Want To Hold Your Hand/A Hard Day’s Night/She Loves You (1994)

For their first ever Brit Awards performance, Take That paid homage to the OG British boyband.

At this point Take That were very much still on the come-up, and threw it right back to the swinging 60s, performing three of The Beatles’ early hits while dressed in replicas of the Fab Four’s iconic blue suits.

Take That star Robbie Williams would go on to become the undisputed King Of The Brits, racking up more wins than any other artist in history (although Adele is now hot on his heels).

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Spice Girls – Wannabe/Who Do You Think You Are? (1997)

Yes, you might think you’ve already seen this Spice Girls footage a million times over, but when was the last time you sat down and properly watched it?

Do it now – we promise it’s even better than you remember, and there’s a lot more to love than just that iconic Union Jack dress.

Robbie Williams and Tom Jones – Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)/You Can Leave Your Hat On/Land Of A Thousand Dances (1998)

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The indisputable king of the Brit Awards, Robbie Williams has a fair few impressive performances under his belt from over the decades.

For his debut as a solo artist, he roped in a musical legend to help him really make an impression, performing a string of tunes with Sir Tom Jones.

Steps, Cleopatra, B*Witched, Tina Cousins and Billie Piper – Thank ABBA For The Music (1999)

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What 90s disco was complete without this one, eh?

Geri Halliwell – Bag It Up (2000)

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Next time someone tries to tell you that Geri couldn’t cut it as a solo artist, you show them this video.

As if she hadn’t commanded enough attention when she was still in the Spice Girls, Geri made sure all eyes were on her with her debut solo Brits performance.

Emerging from between a giant pair of legs, she performed this Girl Power anthem, surrounded by oiled-up male dancers and eventually tearing open her top, telling “all the ladies” in the crowd: “Let’s see your boobs!”

Her performance also totally overshadowed her former Spice Girls bandmates, who collected an Outstanding Contribution award later that evening as a four-piece, before delivering a medley performance of their own.

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Eminem – I’m Back/The Real Slim Shady (2001)

Eminem made one of the most memorable entrances in Brit Awards history when he took to the stage in denim overalls and a hockey mask, all while brandishing a chainsaw.

A slightly terrifying (alhough obviously iconic) Brits memory.

Kylie Minogue – Can’t Get You Out Of My Head/Blue Monday (2002)

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Of course, the most iconic Brits entrance has to go to a certain Ms Minogue, who kicked off this rendition of her chart-topping hit Can’t Get You Out Of My Head by literally ejecting herself from an oversized CD player.

Justin Timberlake and Kylie Minogue – Cry Me A River/Like I Love You/Rapture (2003)

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As if this medley of Justin Timberlake’s biggest hits wasn’t pop perfection already, out strutted Kylie Minogue to cap things off with a version of Blondie’s Rapture, providing the Brit Awards with one of its most memorable collaborations ever.

Scissor Sisters – Take Your Mama (2005)

Talk about chucking everything and the kitchen sink into a performance, eh?

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Scissor Sisters kicked off the show in 2005 with a rendition of Take Your Mama that involved Jim Henson flamingos, leather lederhosen and, naturally, a singing barn.

Amy Winehouse – Rehab (2007)

While still fairly early in the Back To Black era, plenty of us were familiar with Amy Winehouse by the time she appeared on stage at the 2007 Brits (though it often wasn’t for her music).

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This performance allowed her to remind everyone why she was famous in the first place, even managing to make that vast Brit Awards stage feel like an intimate lounge performance.

Mark Ronson, Adele, Daniel Merriweather and Amy Winehouse – God Put A Smile Upon Your Face/Stop Me/Valerie (2008)

Yes, it was technically Mark Ronson’s moment – but let’s be honest, it was really all about Amy, wasn’t it?

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Reports in the press prior to the Brits had suggested that, due to problems in her tumultuous personal life, the music legend may not have been able to perform on the night. However, she managed to shut up her detractors by turning it out alongside her friend and producer.

Keep an eye on that Adele, too. We just might be seeing a bit more of her later on.

Rihanna and Klaxons – Umbrella/Golden Skans (2008)

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It’s been over a decade and we’re still absolutely wowed by this performance. Fun fact: this took place on Rihanna’s 20th (20th!!) birthday.

Girls Aloud – The Promise (2009)

Fortunately, Nadine remembered her passport this time…

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Pet Shop Boys, Lady Gaga and Brandon Flowers – Greatest Hits Medley (2009)

So often, acts use their Outstanding Contribution prize as a way to lazily perform their best-loved tracks, plug a new greatest hits collection and then take themselves off home for the night.

Not Pet Shop Boys, though, who provided a full multimedia experience for their performance, whizzing through their decades’ worth of hits and even welcoming a little-known singer named Lady Gaga to fill in for Dusty Springfield.

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Interesting choice of wig from Chris Lowe, too.

Lady Gaga – Telephone/Dance In The Dark (2010)

And speaking of Lady Gaga and interesting wigs…

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One year she’s singing backing vocals for Pet Shop Boys, and the next she’s the biggest star in the world. What a difference 12 months makes.

This performance, where Gaga paid her respects to fashion designer Alexander McQueen, divided opinion, with some loving the fact she’d decided to think outside the box, and others hoping for something a little more traditional.

Sidenote: We can’t believe Gaga has still only ever performed solo at the Brits this one time.

Cheryl – Fight For This Love (2010)

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Given this performance came just days after the breakdown of her marriage to Ashley Cole, Cheryl would have been forgiven if her Brits appearance wasn’t exactly her best work. But frankly, she slayed.

From the moment she jumped onto the stage in those diva sunglasses, Cheryl proved herself as so much more than magazine fodder; she was a bona fide popstar.

The quick change Show Me Love sample that followed was just the icing on the cake…

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Florence Welch and Dizzee Rascal – You Got The Dirtee Love (2010)

The Brits has always been known for its collaborations, many of which we’ve already touched on, and this is a perfect example of when two artists from two totally separate genres come together and make a performance work.

Adele – Someone Like You (2011)

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Adele’s sophomore album, 21, was obviously massive, but it was this performance at the Brit Awards that catapulted her to the position of mega-stardom.

Proving you don’t always need to pull huge stunts for a performance to be memorable, she performed the emotional track accompanied by just a piano, and by the time the glitter rain started falling, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

Madonna – Living For Love (2015)

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Obviously, this will always be remembered as the performance Madonna fell down the stairs… but you can’t take away from her that she got up and finished the song as only a true pro really could.

Lorde – Life On Mars (2016)

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There had been much speculation in the press leading to to the 2016 Brit Awards about how they’d be paying homage to the recently-deceased David Bowie, with a number of huge British artists rumoured to have been in the pipeline.

What no one predicted was that it would be Lorde who’d be taking to the stage, chosen as the late pop icon once declared she was the “future of music”.

We still get a bit teary watching this simple but emotional performance, even all these years later.

Little Mix – Shout Out To My Ex (2017)

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Anyone who was still doubting Little Mix’s star quality in 2017 was given a very abrupt awakening when they opened the Brit Awards with this stunning rendition of their signature tune.

This version of Shout Out To My Ex, complete with full choreo, a throne made out of spray-painted dancers and enough wigs to keep Cher happy for a full mini break, Little Mix knocked it out of the park on an otherwise pretty uneventful night.

Stormzy – Blinded By Your Grace pt. 2/Big For Your Boots (2018)

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A performance that starts off strong and then gets better and better.

Beginning as a live recreation of his Brit award-winning album cover, Stormzy quickly took us through a rendiition of Blinded By Your Grace before lambasting the government in a freestyle rap, highlighting the injustices of the Grenfell disaster, and then having a shirtless dance in the rain to Big For Your Boots.

This is how you close the show at the Brits.

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Dave – Black (2020)

The night well and truly belonged to Dave when the Brits took place in 2020.

Not only did Psychodrama end up taking home Album Of The Year, he also delivered the moment of the evening when he performed his song Black, including a blistering freestyle verse about institutional racism in the UK.

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This included comparisons between the media’s treatment of Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton, as well as accusations of racism towards then-newly-elected prime minister Boris Johnson.

Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia medley (2021)

For many of us, Dua Lipa’s second album Future Nostalgia provided some much-needed escapism at the height of the pandemic, when we were unable to see our loved ones or enjoy a night out.

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When the awards show finally returned in mid-2021, it was amazing to see Dua bringing the songs we loved to life at last, while paying homage to some iconic former Brits performances with her hair and wardrobe.

Sam Smith and Kim Petras – Unholy (2023)

Anyone who only knew Sam Smith from their emotional ballads was in for a shock when they tuned into their 2023 Brits performance.

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Sam and Kim’s duet at the Grammys weeks earlier had already rattled conservative critics to the point terms like “satanism” were bring bandied around online. When it came to the Brits, the duo switched things up, honing in on Unholy’s “body shop” lyric and setting their performance in a mechanic shop.

Their performance, by the way, was reportedly so elaborate it wound up delaying the whole ceremony, leading ITV to play a year-old performance of Adele’s to fill a gap in their schedule.

Raye – My 21st Century Blues medley (2024)

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Anyone who’s followed Raye’s career will know the journey to releasing her debut album came after a tumultuous decade navigating the pitfalls of the music industry. So, when the album itself wound up spawning a number one single, and really put Raye on the map as one of the UK’s biggest stars, it felt like poetic justice.

This performance at the 2024 Brits – where Raye walked away with four wins – felt like a massive victory lap, and served as a reminder to everyone why she’s a musical force to be reckoned with.

Sabrina Carpenter – Espresso/Bed Chem (2025)

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Having been grafting for years as both a singer and actor, Sabrina Carpenter had finally made it to global megastardom once she was invited to open the Brit Awards in 2025.

Not only was the chart-topper a household name, she was also synonymous with brewing up a bit of controversy with some of her stage performances, and that’s exactly what she did during her time on the Brits stage.

She kicked off that year’s show at around 8.15pm, with a medley of her songs which saw her sporting red lingerie while she and her dancers gyrated on a bed.

Towards the end of her performance, she was seen cosying up to a dancer dressed as a royal guard, before slipping down out of shot, at which point he winked suggestively towards the camera.

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Sabrina’s performance, paired with Charli XCX’s revealing attire on stage, led to almost 1000 viewers complaining to Ofcom, prompting the Espresso singer to quip on Instagram: “Brits… I now know what watershed is.”

Jade – Angel Of My Dreams/It Girl (2025)

There was never a doubt in our mind that Jade would pull out all the stops with her solo Brits debut, but the level of theatrics she managed to squeeze into her performance still came as a shock.

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Over the course of just four minutes, Jade managed multiple costume and wig changes, stellar live vocals, choreography stage combat and two jaw-dropping stunts, first plummeting through a trapdoor before ascending over everyone with angel wings for her final chorus.

Truly jaw-dropping stuff.

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Talk To Kids About Online Safety And Risks Of Sharing Images

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Talk To Kids About Online Safety And Risks Of Sharing Images

No parent wants to entertain the idea that their child could commit a sexual offence, or become the victim of one, but the latest statistics suggest we can’t bury our heads in the sand.

Data from the Youth Justice Board shows the number of children committing sexual offences is on the rise.

In 2025, proven sexual offences saw an increase for the third consecutive year, rising by 6%. The proportion of children arrested for sexual offences rose to 7%, up from 5% in 2024.

Meanwhile the number of youth cautions for sexual offences rose by 27% compared with the previous year.

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“This data paints a troubling picture about today’s youth,” says Jessica Wilson, managing director at Eventum Legal.

Kids are sharing indecent or extreme images

According to the Youth Justice Board’s report, in the year ending March 2025, 54% (around 800) of proven sexual offences were related to indecent or extreme pornographic images or videos, which includes creating and sharing material.

Ghislaine Bombusa, content and digital director at Internet Matters, tells HuffPost UK: “Child sexual abuse material (CSAM) includes any content that shows or causes the sexual abuse or exploitation of a child. This can include sexual images that a young person creates of themselves.

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“Once shared, these images can quickly spread beyond their control and be difficult to remove, causing serious and long-lasting harm.”

It is illegal to create, possess or share sexual images of anyone under 18, including when the person sharing these is also a child. It’s also a crime to use AI to create, possess or distribute indecent images of children.

Yet some young people appear to be either unaware of the consequences, or don’t think they will be caught.

Internet Matters research found that almost half (49%) of teenagers aged 13-16 have heard about abuse of another young person’s sexual image. This includes an image being shared without consent and/or threats to do so; and creation of sexual images without consent, including ‘deepfake’ nude images.

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There’s been growing backlash against the availability of AI-powered nudifying apps, which can be used to ‘undress’ everyday images of people and turn them into pornography.

While photos of anyone, of any gender, can be uploaded to these apps and turned into deepfakes, a staggering 99% of nude deepfakes feature women and girls.

“Most young people don’t know or understand that sharing explicit content of their peers is considered a sexual offence,” suggests Wilson.

“This explicit content can often emerge without them understanding the risks associated with it, leading to serious consequences.”

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Parents urged to educate kids on online safety

Wilson believes education is key to preventing this from happening: “It’s more important than ever for parents, teachers, and communities to talk openly with young people about the dangers they face online, teaching them the value of consent, privacy, and how their actions can impact others.”

While talking to children about consent and online risks can seem like a bit of a minefield (where do we even begin?), Bombusa says these conversations “are essential for keeping them safe”.

It might be helpful to cover off areas such as:

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  • Legal implications of sharing sexual images – make sure that your child knows it’s not ok for anyone to create content to harm other people,
  • How to report it if an image is shared
  • Peer pressure
  • Consent
  • Digital footprint

Bombusa advises parents to use simple, direct language, and start by talking through everyday scenarios, asking what a child might do in that situation.

“This helps explain why young people may feel pressured to share images – including pressure from people they trust, and what the consequences could be,” she says.

It’s really important to explain that once an image is shared, they may lose control over who sees or saves it, even if it was originally sent to just one person in private.

The conversation can be an ongoing one – in fact, teens will probably feel more comfortable having informal side-by-side chats every now and then, rather than a sit-down lecture on online safety.

During these discussions you can also show them how to use reporting and blocking features, or how to recognise when someone may be trying to cause them harm.

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“For older children, these conversations can help them understand how parents can support their digital wellbeing through parental controls across apps, devices, and networks,” Bombusa adds.

“This includes managing who can contact them or share content with them, as well as reducing screen time and limiting exposure to harmful content.”

Overall, the goal is to help children understand online risks without fear, says the expert, “empowering them to spot danger, speak up, and seek help” and “reassuring them that they won’t be blamed if something goes wrong”.

The latter part is key as it means they should (theoretically) feel comfortable to come to you if something happens that makes them uncomfortable.

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If an image has already been shared, speak to your child about how to report it and block the sender. You can also report it to the police; as creating, possessing, or distributing indecent images of children is a criminal offence, regardless of whether the image is real or AI-generated.

Services such as CEOP or Report Remove, which helps young people under 18 confidentially report sexual images or videos of themselves online to have them removed, are also important to be aware of.

You can find helpful conversation starters on the Internet Matters site.

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Greens ‘seismic’ win could send Labour to the ‘dustbin of history’

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Greens ‘seismic’ win could send Labour to the ‘dustbin of history’

Polling expert John Curtice has reacted to the Green Party’s “seismic” by-election win in Gorton and Denton. And he suggests it could be a further step towards putting both Labour and the Conservatives in the “dustbin of history“.

Speaking to the media on 27 February, Curtice:

Greens replace Labour: A working-class woman enters ‘the history books’

Curtice challenged the historic conception that Labour is the “party of working people”. And he suggested the Greens had produced a real masterstroke by putting forward:

a very articulate working-class woman, sounding much more… authentically working class than the vast bulk of Labour MPs

Curtice has long insisted that Starmer’s mimicry of far-right Reform UK is a doomed strategy. He previously highlighted that a right-wing Labour was losing far more voters to the Green Party and Liberal Democrats than it was to Reform. And he suggested actually improving the NHS and the economy would be the real vote winner.

At the same time, a monumental rise in the popularity of the Green Party under Zack Polanski’s leadership has bitten a massive chunk out of Labour’s voter base. And Curtice believes more and more people are becoming aware that Starmer is thoroughly unable to stop Labour’s decline:

Gorton and Denton isn’t an outlier, Curtice insists. Instead, it’s part of a growing trend of the Tory-Labour duopoly tanking and the Greens rising:

The long Tory-Labour march into the “dustbin of history”

As an election for “the history books”, Curtice said:

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  • The Greens have got their “first ever” parliamentary by-election win.
  • The Tories got “their worst ever by-election result”.
  • It’s the “first time”, except for “when Labour disowned their candidate” in Rochdale in 2024, that “neither Labour nor the Conservatives have been one of the top two parties in a by-election contest”.
  • Labour had its “13th biggest ever fall” in by-election support.

Gorton and Denton didn’t just show that the Tories have little chance of stopping a Reform that’s given the right a fascist face-lift. It also showed that the Greens can defeat Labour by proudly representing hope and compassion.

The seismic shift in British politics is leaving the old establishment parties flailing. And the Tory-Labour duopoly is looking increasingly powerless to prevent their fall into the “dustbin of history”:

Featured image via the Canary

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WATCH: Mayor Mamdani Dishes On Trump Chat

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WATCH: Mayor Mamdani Dishes On Trump Chat

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Politics Home Article | How The Greens Won The Gorton And Denton By-Election

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How The Greens Won The Gorton And Denton By-Election
How The Greens Won The Gorton And Denton By-Election

Green Party candidate Hannah Spencer celebrates with party leader Zack Polanski after winning the Gorton and Denton by-election, February 2026 (AP Photo / Jon Super / Alamy Live News)


5 min read

The Green Party’s historic by-election victory in Gorton and Denton sent shockwaves across British politics. Campaign insiders tell PoliticsHome how they pulled it off

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The Labour Party had represented the Manchester Gorton area in Parliament since the days of Ramsay MacDonald.

Today, Keir Starmer’s party is reeling after its vote collapsed in the Gorton and Denton by-election, forcing the party into third place behind the Greens and Reform UK.

A by-election defeat of this kind – falling into third place in a Labour-held seat – has not happened since 1982. Green candidate Hannah Spencer, who won around 40 per cent of the vote, has clearly demonstrated the threat that Zack Polanski’s “eco-populist” party poses to Labour’s left flank.

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Green insiders believe the party’s victory in Gorton and Denton came down to three crucial factors.

Burnham’s blocking

The first was the decision by Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) officers to block Andy Burnham from standing as the party’s candidate. Allowing Burnham to run as a parliamentary candidate would have triggered an expensive and risky contest for the Manchester mayoralty. He is also widely seen as a potential challenger to Starmer.

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“When there was an announcement that he wasn’t going to stand, that just increased our confidence further,” a senior Green Party source told PoliticsHome.

Labour instead selected Angeliki Stogia, a local councillor who has lived in Whalley Range since 2004 and has strong links to the constituency but little media profile.

PoliticsHome also understands that the Muslim Vote – an organisation that encourages politicians to put Muslim issues, such as being pro-Gaza, at the forefront – was contemplating endorsing Labour if it had selected Burnham. Instead, it threw its weight behind the Greens after the news Burnham was blocked, even before Polanski’s party had selected a candidate. 

The endorsement was instrumental in persuading George Galloway’s Workers Party of Britain to stand aside, which potentially freed up almost 4,000 votes on the left according to the party’s 2024 vote share. Jeremy Corbyn, whose slate won the Your Party elections this week, also backed the Greens in the by-election.

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“People were also looking at who’s the best-placed [to defeat Reform]. Many people did believe that was the Green Party,” a senior Green campaign source told PoliticsHome.

“The Labour Party did try to muddy the waters hugely, making a fake tactical voting website, creating a bar chart where Labour were in first place, but just missing the Green bar entirely to look like it was only Reform and Labour… which was hilarious. But people didn’t buy that.”

The Green campaign

The Greens also won thanks to their industrious campaigning operation.

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Miles Thorpe, who managed the party’s campaign, had been responsible for the successful election of Carla Denyer in Bristol Central, who beat Labour in 2024 with a 10,000 majority. Each week, Thorpe was spotted with hundreds of activists gathered around him in parks and car parks, instructing activists on canvassing strategy.

“He is very focused, good at prioritising, great at recruiting and motivating volunteers and creating a fun team spirit,” said a Green Party source who knows Thorpe well.

Thorpe was undoubtedly helped by thousands of activists who specifically targeted Burnage, Levenshulme and Longsight – three areas with young and diverse populations, broadly sympathetic to the Greens electorally.

On polling day, the party had 2,000 volunteers across the constituency to get the vote out. Labour MPs were resigned to the fact that they had even lost the “poster board” war across the constituency.

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“We were by far the most active campaign,” Ellie Chowns, Green MP for North Herefordshire, told PoliticsHome. “We had huge numbers of people. We had so many volunteers… The scale and the scope of the campaign, I think, in and of itself helped persuade people.”

Green Party organisers urged activists to use Ecanvasser, an app that helps parties to record voter profiles and political tendencies. “We could see that during the campaign things were progressing well,” said a Green Party source. They were increasingly confused by Labour briefings that the seat was winnable for Starmer’s party.

Labour sources, meanwhile, have been confused by the result. A Labour MP said: “Were our 9,000 votes primarily Pakistani Muslims – or did they put Labour stakes in their gardens and then vote Green?” They added that the Greens “won the bar chart war” in the style of the Liberal Democrats.

“On the Gorton side, ordinary voters would clearly think the Greens were the ones to stop Reform because it was shown in people’s windows,” the MP concluded, referring to voters displaying Green posters. They attributed the Greens’ win to the party’s early success in ensuring support was clearly on display.

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The Muslim vote

The third and perhaps most controversial reason for the Greens’ success was their ability to galvanise the Muslim vote. 

Muslim voters have represented the backbone of Labour’s electoral base for decades. The UK constituencies with the largest Muslim populations have tended to return Labour MPs – until the notable exception of George Galloway’s 2024 Rochdale by-election win and Jonathan Ashworth’s Leicester South defeat at the general election. Since the 2023 Gaza war and Labour’s response to it, Muslim voters have felt increasingly apathetic towards the party.

Meanwhile, the Greens have become popular with Pakistani and Bangladeshi voters – who, according to the most recent data, are the predominant Muslim group in Gorton and Denton. A YouGov survey conducted in October found that more than half of this cohort (58 per cent) felt positive about the Greens, compared with 31 per cent who felt positive about Labour.

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The Greens managed to lean on networks such as the Muslim Vote, who took Muslims from Madina Mosque in the constituency to go out and vote.

The party was also criticised for printing leaflets in Urdu, with literature claiming that Polanski’s party was the only outfit to stop Islamophobia and offer a strong voice for Muslims.

But Abubakr Nanabawa, head of media at the Muslim Vote, told PoliticsHome he believed it showed the Greens’ willingness to communicate with minority populations. 

“It showed the Greens wanted to communicate with us,” he explained, referring to Muslim voters. “It showed that they want to represent us as well. It was a sign of respect. I don’t think it was the reading of the Urdu, it was just the existence of the Urdu.”

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Ultimately the Greens believed their message of “hope” resonated with Muslims and that they represented the three key priorities of Muslim voters – the NHS, the cost of living and Gaza. 

Additional reporting by Sienna Rodgers

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Government urged to publish full version of explosive climate insecurity assessment

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Government urged to publish full version of explosive climate insecurity assessment

The government was shamed in the House of Lords on Monday 23 February 2026 for only publishing its explosive nature and national security assessment after being forced to via a Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request, and urged by peers to release the unabridged version.

The assessment, titled Nature security assessment on global biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and national security, was published in January 2026 following an FOI request from the Green Alliance think tank.

It was originally scheduled for publication in Autumn 2025. The Times newspaper reported that publication of the report was stalled by 10 Downing Street because of fears that it was too negative. The paper said the full version “warned of mass migration and nuclear war”.

Labour asked to work with allies to address findings of assessment

Starting the debate, Liberal Democrat energy security and net zero spokesperson John Russell said:

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A nature security assessment was initially withheld and then only partially released following an FOI (Freedom of Information) request.

Given the gravity of its findings for biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and our future national security, will the Government now publish the report in full? What policy responses are being developed as a result?

Will Ministers engage in open dialogue, both at home and with allies, that recognises the interlinked climate and nature emergencies as essential to our natural security strategy and future prosperity?

Responding, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) parliamentary under-secretary of state Sue Hayman implied that a longer version of the assessment was indeed withheld. She said:

It is important to note that this is a strategic tool and not a prediction of future possibilities. The idea behind it is to help government plan for future shocks that are credible enough to warrant preparation. The way it has been managed reflects standard national security planning for preparedness.

On policies, we are taking comprehensive action to strengthen resilience to environmental risks, both at home and aboard, through various ways. Tree planting in England is at its highest rate, and we are restoring peatlands, improving water quality and protecting pollinators. We have introduced landmark legislation to protect our oceans.

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We are supporting food security with new technology and farming schemes that reward sustainable production, and we are also committed to providing international climate finance—I could go on.

Labour failing to meet its own environmental targets

Later in the debate, Green Party peer Jenny Jones said:

The government sound very good on all these policies, but, in fact, they are not meeting their targets. They are not meeting their targets on tree-planting, marine protected areas or flooding.

It is going to be a contest between which comes first – world war three or climate collapse. Do the government agree?

In response to Jones, Hayman said:

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At least the noble Baroness thinks I sound good. The revised environmental improvement plan is designed to deliver everything the noble Baroness talked about. We are working very hard in Defra to ensure that it does.

Peer urges government to publish full report

Reflecting on the debate, Jones later told the Canary:

This government report explains how climate change is a threat to national security because of the disruption and scarcity it brings, so I don’t understand why the government themselves are playing it down.

Wars often begin with fights over resources, with access to food and water being two of the basics and disruption of established trading systems being another. We clearly need a plan to grow more of our own food and become more self reliant by taking care of our farmers.

War in an era of nuclear weapons always carries greater risk, so it’s a priority for the government to publish the full report, including a plan to deal with the consequences of climate changes and to keep our food supply safe.

The world is a far less stable place than it was before Trump and Russia failed to renew their landmark nuclear warhead limitation treaty. This is a bad sign ahead of the latest assessment of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which will indicate whether the world is going forwards or backwards on the potential for nuclear destruction.

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Earlier in February 2026, the treaty to reduce strategic nuclear weapons stockpiles and build trust between the US and Russia – New START – expired.

Reacting soon after the treaty expired, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament told the Canary that:

Rather than sitting on the sidelines, the government could show leadership and use its diplomatic influence to push for the US and Russia to extend New START.

Politicians need to ‘face up to reality of environmental insecurity’ – conservation expert and
Wildlife and Countryside Link chief executive Richard Benwell told the Canary:

Any politician who thinks that environmental decline isn’t a security issue has their head in the recently-desertified sand. Conflict over resources is an age-old issue and we haven’t outgrown it.

Climate change is causing security headaches in the Arctic, pollinator decline, and water shortages. It threatens food security, as well as putting homes at risk from flood and fire. It’s time for all political parties to face up to the reality of environmental insecurity and restore nature.

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Policymakers told to address drivers of biodiversity loss, not its consequences

Conflict and Environment Observatory director Doug Weir told the Canary:

Policymakers must avoid the mistakes made with climate security, where security risks were presented as inevitable and a justification for militarised responses rather than tackling emissions, adaptation and finance.

Address the drivers of biodiversity loss, not its consequences, and make sure that global biodiversity goals address the relationship between nature, peace and security, because right now they don’t.

Former intelligence official criticises ‘bungled rollout’ of assessment

Analysis from the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists – the organisation which publishes the high-profile Doomsday Clock – also weighed in to criticise the UK government’s handling of the assessment’s publication.

The Bulletin published an article on 23 February 2026, written by the US National Security Archive’s Climate Change Transparency Project director Rachel Santarsiero, where she quoted former US intelligence official at the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research, Rod Schoonover.

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Schoonover said:

The rigour of the Defra assessment doesn’t negate its bungled rollout, nor the public backlash that ensued. Any pull back from transparency is a mistake from any government.

He added:

I suspect that the intelligence community did not make the determination that this [report] should not go forward. It feels like [it came from] someone higher up.

Featured image via the Canary

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Matt Goodwin gets his loser excuses in

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Matt Goodwin gets his loser excuses in

Matt Goodwin was Reform UK’s candidate in the Gorton & Denton. As we reported, he ran a campaign which was openly antagonistic towards the Muslim community in the constituency. This wasn’t surprising, of course, as his campaign team was stacked full of racists.

Now that Goodwin has lost, he’s blaming the Muslim voters he repeatedly attacked for refusing to vote for him. And as comedian Tez Ilyas points out:

Matt Goodwin: that’s politics

We’re sorry, but have Reform completely forgotten how politics works?

You have to offer voters something besides open disgust.

Forgetting about the Muslims who didn’t vote Reform, why did Goodwin think a majority of Manchester residents would respond positively to his message? Manchester is one of the most multicultural and progressive cities in the country; of course they wouldn’t warm to this robotic, dead-eyed Islamophobe.

This is Goodwin’s message in full:

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For whatever reason, Goodwin chose to include an image of him looking at his phone. Maybe if he’d spent more time listening to local voters and less time hate-tweeting, things could have gone differently!

As Tez points out at the top, Goodwin’s message really exemplifies the hypocrisy of the right.

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On the one hand, they want you to believe that Muslims are a hardline, antisemitic monolith who have failed to integrate; on the other, they want you to ignore that a considerable percentage of British Muslims just voted for an openly gay Jewish man.

It’s not just Goodwin who’s crying today; his would-have-been-boss Farage is also having a moan.

To be fair to Goodwin and Farage, neither is quite as extreme as Telegraph contributor Jake Wallis Simons:

A positive sign

The truth about politics is that most people don’t choose a candidate because they think that person is wholly in line with them. For most, they think about their own self interests first and foremost, and they vote for the politician who most closely aligns with them.

In Gorton & Denton, the Greens convinced more voters than any other party that they best represented their interests. And they did so with a message that society can be about more than pure individualism.

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That’s a positive sign for the future, and for what this country can become.

Featured image via the Canary

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Scream 7 faces boycott call from activists and Hollywood stars

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Scream 7 faces boycott call from activists and Hollywood stars

Tatiana Maslany has taken to her Instagram to urge her followers to ‘boycott Scream 7’. This call to action from the ‘Orphan Black’ star comes as a reminder that Melissa Barrera had been fired from Scream 7 due to her advocacy for Palestine. Since Israel began its genocide against Palestinians after October 7th, 2023, many activists and concerned citizens have faced repression from employers or public officials to deter solidarity with Palestinians.

Once again, speaking up against the mass murder of Palestinians has resulted in attempts by powerful people to destroy a woman’s career. Maslany in response has Barrera’s back and reminds people that as consumers, we have power.

Scream 7 and repression tactics against Palestine solidarity

The recent ‘Scream 7’ premiere on 26th February in Los Angeles faced interruption from protesters. They were unhappy about the production company, Spyglass Media Group, sacking Barrera for sticking up for Palestinians. The Independent reported on the protest. It commented that Barrera addressed them on her socials saying ‘I see you’ to those who turned up to defend her rights.

‘She-Hulk’ star Maslany hit the nail on the head with her stories when she urged a boycott of those responsible for Barrera’s sacking. After all, the law protects political beliefs. And those who oppose what they describe as genocide and mass murder place themselves on the right side of history. Maslany and Barrera deserve to be deeply proud of their principled, courageous and compassionate stance taken. Reminding her fans of our innate power as consumers by using her public platform is exactly the right thing to do.

Spyglass Media Group fired Barrera in 2023 after the company deemed her posts antisemitic and labeled them ‘hate speech.’ This isn’t the first time powerful people have persecuted others for daring to oppose what they describe as the mass murder of Palestinian men, women, and children — and it likely won’t be the last.

Maslany is renowned for her compassionate and heartfelt solidarity that she has consistently shown. She spoke powerfully in 2024 on how we must refuse to be complicit in mass murder. As the video below shows:

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‘We Are Dismayed’

Maslany recently joined over 80 famous film stars in an open letter titled “We Are Dismayed” to challenge Berlinale’s silence in the face of Israel’s brutal and illegal brutality on Palestine. On the joint letter, we wrote:

Hollywood actors Tilda Swinton, Javier Bardem and Brian Cox are among more than 80 leading film industry figures to sign an open letter, titled “We Are Dismayed”, condemning the silence of the Berlin Film Festival (Berlinale) on Israel’s genocide in Gaza and its censoring of artists who speak out.

The letter comes on the same day as Booker Prize winning author Arundhati Roy announced her withdrawal from the festival over the same issue amidst comments by German director Wim Wenders against artists bringing up Gaza.

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The letter was a clear ‘fuck you’ to Berlinale organisers. It showed a clear red line when it comes to the blatant attempts to censor creative and public people. Towards the end, they said:

We fervently disagree with the statement made by Berlinale 2026 jury president Wim Wenders that filmmaking is “the opposite of politics”. You cannot separate one from the other. We are deeply concerned that the German state-funded Berlinale is helping put into practice what Irene Khan, the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Opinion recently condemned as Germany’s misuse of draconian legislation “to restrict advocacy for Palestinian rights, chilling public participation and shrinking discourse in academia and the arts”. This is also what Ai Weiwei recently described as Germany “doing what they did in the 1930s” (agreeing with his interviewer who suggested to him that “it’s the same fascist impulse, just a different target”).

All of this at a time when we are learning horrifying new details about the 2,842 Palestinians “evaporated” by Israeli forces using internationally prohibited, U.S.-made thermal and thermobaric weapons. Despite abundant evidence of Israel’s genocidal intent, systematic atrocity crimes and ethnic cleansing, Germany continues to supply Israel with weapons used to exterminate Palestinians in Gaza.

Repression and professional sabotage

We wrote recently on the European Legal Service Centre’s (ELSC) ‘Repression Index’. The database they have formed catalogues the number of times that people have been attacked for antisemitism. This includes the relative scale to the rise of Nazi Germany. The ELSC is a Europe-based legal organisation that proudly supports advocacy for Palestinian rights. Its ‘Repression Index’ documents reported incidents in which individuals — academics, lawyers, students, NGOs — endured ‘lawfare’ facing disciplinary action, dismissal or investigation for their views.

We wrote:

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British society is no longer blind to the fact that our freedom of speech faces institutional attack. Those same institutions answer to Keir Starmer who, as we’ve reported before, has chosen Israel at every turn.

Even the far right has long expressed concerns that free speech is being curtailed. But not to call out blatant attacks on universal civil liberty and the unspoken institutional veto against anyone opposing the murder of innocent men, women and children in Gaza.

As UK citizens, we need to ask ourselves ‘why are some people more outraged about limits on hateful speech than about our ability to object to mass murder’?

In response to Maslany’s call to boycott Scream 7, we will undoubtedly see attempts to sabotage Maslany’s professional career.

However, they’d do well to remember just how much love and respect is held amongst her fans:

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Featured image via CodePink

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‘This was a nightmare for Labour’

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‘This was a nightmare for Labour’

The post ‘This was a nightmare for Labour’ appeared first on spiked.

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