Andy Burnham has accused anti-migrant protesters who took to the streets of Dover and Portsmouth at the weekend of representing “the politics of poison”.

The prime minister told a meeting of Labour MPs and peers that the party must “bring hope to a divided country”.

His comments are the strongest yet in response to the demonstrations against asylum seekers crossing the English Channel from France.

Large crowds of masked, black-clad men blocked road access to the Port of Dover on Saturday, in scenes which have been condemned by politicians, including Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.

On Sunday night, another protest took place after around 140 migrants in a single dinghy were rescued in the English Channel as it headed for the Hampshire coast.

The protesters, many of them wearing masks, said they were determined to prevent authorities from transporting the migrants to the Manston processing centre in Kent.

They blocked traffic along the road leading away from Eastney Marina, with photos showing police carrying riot shields forming a line and protecting a number of coaches that were parked up.

Addressing a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), Burnham said: “There’s a lot at stake and it requires us to counter fear with positivity and hope. We have a responsibility in the times that we’re living in. It’s a solemn responsibility to prevent the politics of poison seeping into our streets.

“We are here to speak to the politics of hope and of positivity.”

He added: “We have to fulfil our historic mission all over again and bring hope to a divided country. To lift people and make them feel that things are possible. That we can make people’s lives better. Make them feel that politics can work.

“We can give people a sense of positivity again. We can change this country for the better. Never accept the narrative that there’s nothing we can do.”

Listen 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.

The Great British Bake Off casting team has knocked it out of the park once again.

With just two weeks to go until the tent reopens for another season – with new judge Nigella Lawson at the helm for the first time – Channel 4 has introduced us to the 12 new contestants, and they’re as eclectic a bunch as ever.

Among them are a Bhangra-dancing paediatric doctor, a former-podium-dancer-turned-advertising-exec, an aspiring competitive sprinter and a polyamorous drag king.

In other words, yes, there are plenty of different flavours in the mix this time around.

Get to know the 12 new bakers being put through their paces by Paul and Nigella, ahead of the show’s return later this month…

Occupation: Marketing graduate

Interesting fact: Originally hailing from Aveiro, Portugal, Clara is an animal lover, who says she’s happiest around her pets Gigi the spaniel and Pecan the hedgehog.

Occupation: NHS hospital discharge lead

Interesting fact: In addition to her decades-spanning career in the NHS, Connie and her music teacher husband run a music centre in London.

Occupation: HGB service centre administrator

Interesting fact: Danni is a tech enthusiast who tinkers with web design and game development, and says their bakes are often inspired by the worlds of video games, fantasy and animation.

Occupation: Artist and drag king

Interesting fact: Those on the Birmingham drag scene might be familiar with Gabe’s drag king alter-ego Blü Romantic. A creative force, they’re also a costume designer, theatre producer and keen gardener, who moved from Grimsby to the West Midlands, where they now live with partners Ellis and Tyler, and their two sausage dogs, Dill and Sage.

Occupation: Retired garment technologist

Interesting fact: Gary discovered baking late in life, just five years ago, and is another animal lover, who looks after sheep, horses, chickens and miniature pygmy goats and Shetland ponies, among others. A prostate cancer survivor, he is keen to raise awareness of the condition, as well as taking part in fundraising.

Occupation: Accessibility co-ordinator

Interesting fact: Molly says her love of baking helped her through a difficult period in her health back in 2020. A cross-stitcher and F1 lover, she is currently mixing these two hobbies with a 350,000-stich landscape of Rivendell.

Occupation: Political economy student

Interesting fact: Moyin has been baking since the age of five, and is a competitive sprinter, having previously been crowned the under-20s County Champion in the 100m.

Interesting fact: Mo says we need to prepare ourselves for his “chaotic and random” personality when he steps into the tent, and has been fascinated by baking ever since discovering Play-Doh at the age of three.

Occupation: Advertising post-producer

Interesting fact: A former podium dancer at Basingstone’s Ziggy’s Night Club in the 90s, Nikki says her bakes are often inspired by the music she’s listening to at the time, whether that’s “nostalgic R&B” or more classical pieces.

Occupation: Project planner

Interesting fact: Shannon’s biggest love is the great outdoors and nature, which includes her two dogs and pet tortoise. She says she wants to bring “forest magic” to the tent – and once rode a horse through a fast food drive-through.

Interesting fact: Tom fell in love with baking at a child, preferring to spend time honing his skills with his Nan while the rest of his family were at football matches. He recently completed a seven-month travelling stint around South-East Asia, and describes himself as a bit of an over-sharer. Consider us sat.

Interesting fact: Born in Vienna before moving to the UK as a child, he says watching Bake Off helped him hone his English skills, and is also a Bhangra dancer.

The Great British Bake Off returns on Tuesday 22 September at 8pm.

Finally, we’re starting to get real about menopause. It might have happened to women and people with vulvas for, well, ever but it’s only been over the last few decades that we’ve started to open up about what that actually means.

There’s still one criminally under-discussed aspect of menopause we think is due for a revisiting: bladder leaks.

It might be embarrassing, but around half of women experience urinary incontinence during menopause.

During this time, a decrease in oestrogen results in thinning of the urethra wall, as well as your pelvic floor muscles becoming weaker.

At the same time, bladder elasticity declines as you might gain weight, which could cause the pelvic floor muscles to become weaker, and you to need to pee more regularly.

No one wants to be caught short, and while there are exercises you can do if you want to reduce the likelihood of having to run to the nearest toilet at a moment’s notice (see: my round-up of the best pelvic floor trainers) we don’t need another form of exercise to add to ours lives that we won’t do.

So I’ve found an easier solution: Jude Bladder Care Supplements.

Say goodbye to bulky menopause pads forever, because this supplement is designed specifically to improve bladder health for women going through menopause.

Formulated with pumpkin seed extract, soy germ extract, vitamins B and D, and rosemary and sage extract, the supplements are a research-backed solution to improved bladder confidence.

And it’s not just another supplement that won’t work: after just 12 weeks of taking the supplement, 77% say they feel more in control, while 90% say they feel less held back by their bladder.

Emma Skeates, author of Confessions of The Menopausal Mayhem Mother, tried Jude. She says: “For about three years into my menopause I was wearing big bulky pads, because every time I laughed or I sneezed, there was leakage.

“Since taking Jude, I don’t have to worry about that anymore. I can now laugh, wherever I want, worry free!”

But she’s not the only one: Jude currently has over 3,500 five-star Trustpilot reviews, as well as 1,200 on its website – and we can see why.

A 12-week subscription comes in at £75, or less than £0.83 per day (which is nothing when you really think about it). That’s not all: we’ve bagged HuffPost readers 20% off with the code BABY20.

That means better bladder health in 12 weeks for just £60. Run, don’t walk!

A GP has opened up about how a strong vaginal odour could signal a fairly common tampon error.

In an Instagram post, Dr Nada Hassan spoke of “the smell every GP recognises instantly” – the strong odour emitted from a retained tampon.

A retained tampon is pretty much what you’d expect it to be: a tampon which isn’t removed from the body and either gets stuck or seemingly gets forgotten about. Per the Women’s Health Practice, retained tampons are “fairly common”.

Dr Hassan noted that sometimes she can tell if a patient has a retained tampon as soon as they’ve walked into the consulting room.

“It’s more common to forget it than people think. Tampons shrink down with moisture, they migrate higher than expected, and it’s genuinely easy to forget one is there,” she said.

“I’ve had to remove one (sometimes multiple) many a time from patients who had no idea it was in there.”

According to NHS Inform, tampons can’t get lost inside the body. That said, sometimes the tampon can move high up in the vagina or become squashed sideways or the string can end up inside the vagina, too.

Some people might forget they’ve got a tampon in and then insert another one or have sex, which can push the original further up. consigning it to ancient history.

The internet is full of horror stories from women who hadn’t noticed they’d retained tampons – some for months – and noticed unpleasant symptoms as a result, namely foul smells and grey or brown discharge.

Tampons should typically be changed every four to six hours. If they aren’t, there’s a risk of rare tampon-related toxic shock syndrome (TSS) developing, which can be fatal.

“The risk increases the longer a tampon is left in, and research has found it rises significantly after six or more hours, especially with overnight use,” said Dr Hassan.

Toxic shock syndrome requires urgent treatment as it can prove life-threatening. Symptoms include: a high temperature; muscle aches; a raised skin rash that feels like sandpaper and flu-like symptoms. It can also trigger dizziness, confusion, swollen or peeling skin, and vomiting.

If you think you might have a retained tampon, NHS Inform advises the following steps to try removing it at home:

1. Wash your hands.
2. Squat and bear down (like you would if you had to poo or give birth). This can help bring the tampon towards the vaginal opening, making it easier to remove.
3. Insert your finger into your vagina.
4. Move your finger around in a circle. You’ll probably be able to feel the tampon. Try to remove the tampon.
5. If you cant remove the tampon using one finger, try inserting two fingers into your vagina to grip the tampon instead.

If this doesn’t work, you notice sudden foul-smelling discharge or you think you might have a tampon that’s MIA, book in to see your GP who can help to locate and remove it.

And if you experience symptoms of TSS, call NHS 111.

According to the Met Office, the UK has a rainy week ahead with showers set to start tonight across England and Wales. Additionally, the largest El Niño event is heading our way in Autumn, bringing with it heavy showers and storms.

Now, experts are urging homeowners to ensure that garden drainage is in place ahead of the coming months to prevent waterlogged lawns, pooling driveways and damage to plant life.

We spoke with Andy McLaughlin, Sales & Operations Director at RF Paving to learn more about the best drainage solutions for gardens in the UK.

McLaughlin explains: “A French drain is a sloped, trench-like drain that combines gravel and a drainage pipe to distribute surface water elsewhere, such as a soakaway. This method is best for large areas of oversaturated soil or water which is pooling too close to your home.

“First, plan and mark the area where water accumulates and mark the path for the drain, ensuring it slopes away from your patio. Then, dig a trench approximately 15-25 cm wide and 60 cm deep along the marked path.”

Then, he explains, you need to lay a 5-10cm layer of coarse gravel at the bottom of the trench and position a perforated pipe on top of the gravel, ensuring the perforations face downwards.

Finally, cover the pipe with more gravel, filling the trench up to ground level and cover with decorative stones or turf for a seamless finish.

McLaughlin says: “Aggregate drainage is best for garden spaces with dense, clay-heavy soil or landscaped gardens with patios and paths, which prevent water from naturally soaking beneath the surface.

“Aggregate drainage, such as crushed stone or pea gravel, allows water to percolate through the soil and away from critical areas, providing excellent natural drainage to maintain soil health, prevent erosion and ensure a slip-free environment.”

As aggregates aren’t compact, the gaps between the stones allow water to flow through easily, reducing the risk of flooding or waterlogging.

McLaughlin says: “Sometimes referred to as linear drains, channel drains are sleek and discreet, seamlessly integrating with your paving. They efficiently collect and divert surface water to an appropriate outlet to prevent pooling, especially around driveways and patios.

“You’ll require a space wide enough for your channel drain, plus 100mm of concrete is required on either side. Excavate the marked trench to the depth of the channel drain, allowing an additional 50mm for the compacted mortar base and a 2mm clearance at the top.”

If this all sounds a little out of your scope, McLaughlin recommends hiring a professional.

He adds: “Assemble the channel as a dry run and make any necessary cuts at the end opposite the outlet, then install it from the lowest point upwards, fit the end caps, connect it to the main drain or soakaway with a 110mm pipe, and test the flow with water before protecting the grating with masking tape, pouring the concrete and allowing it to set for 72 hours.”

Miriam Margolyes has shared her take on her recent controversial appearance on This Morning.

Last week, Miriam faced criticism over an interview with This Morning host Andi Peters, during which she made numerous comments about the presenter’s race and complexion.

First imitating Christine Lampard’s Northern Irish accent, Miriam went on to ask Andi: “What accent would be normal for you? What are you? You’re a mix, aren’t you? You’ve got a Black daddy and a white mummy?”

When Andi clarified that both of his parents are Black, and tried to make light of the situation by questioning if the show’s make-up team had made him a “lighter shade than normal”, Miriam continued: “I think you’re what I would call ‘high yella’. That’s what they call it in America when someone isn’t deeply Black.”

“High yellow” – described by the Merriam Webster dictionary as a “dated” and “often offensive” term – was an expression historically used to refer to Black people with a light complexion.

After Andi interrupted to say that the producers in his earpiece were “getting nervous now”, Miriam responded: “Don’t be nervous. We [in Britain] welcome everybody. And that’s what I want to write about in my book!”

On Sunday night, Miriam gave a Q&A in Southend on Sunday to promote her new book Miriam’s Full English, in which she reflects on modern British society.

During the conversation – footage from which later made its way onto TikTok – Miriam insisted it was never her intention to “embarrass or hurt Andi, because he seems very nice”.

“I’d never met him before. I didn’t know who he was,” she said. “And I didn’t know he was Black until I saw him.

“When you see someone, of course, you know they’re Black. But I wanted to know what he thought about it… because that’s more interesting.”

Going on to use a pejorative term for disabled people, Miriam continued: “How do Black people feel? How do brown people feel? How do cripples feel? How do fat people feel? You see what I mean?

“All of us feel something about who we are, and how people see us, and what they think of us.”

When the moderator clarified that Miriam had wanted to “discuss [Andi’s identity with him”, she added: “Yes, I am fascinated by other people. They are the people that interest me, not the celebrities so much – it’s everybody, what their story is, what made them who they are? Why you are the way you are.”

Andi also addressed the matter for the first time last week, after fellow broadcaster Jeremy Vine shared footage of the exchange on Instagram, praising Andi for how he “deal with” the situation.

“Thanks JV,” Andi later commented. “As you know we have to be ready for ANYTHING!!!”

HuffPost UK contacted reps for Miriam Margolyes, Andi Peters and This Morning last week, but did not receive a response.

But it seems the Queen of Pop is not done yet.

Over the weekend, the Grammy winner posted a TikTok video of herself pensively listening to the Confessions II cut L.E.S. Girl, which brings the album to a melancholic ending.

“Thinking about Charli…” she captioned the post, with Charli XCX then popping up in the comments section shortly afterwards.

“Wait… I got something I wanna talk about,” the British singer-songwriter wrote, in a nod to the lyrics of Madonna’s recent Sabrina Carpenter duet Bring Your Love, which has become something of a meme in recent weeks.

The two singers’ exchange has led many fans to speculate that they might be about to cross musical paths, potentially on a new remixed version of L.E.S. Girl.

Over the summer, Charli and Madonna were both pictured on the front row of Saint Laurent’s show at Paris Fashion Week, where they were seen laughing and smoking together.

After that, Charli told Nick Grimshaw for Radio 6 Music that she and the Like A Prayer singer kept running into each other, to the point their Paris trip felt like a “mini break together”.

Charli enthused: “She’s fab. She’s just so cool, and so interested in really talking about the music that she makes, and how, and why. I found it very inspiring to hang out with her.”

She also praised Madonna’s “wealth of songs” and “high” taste level, revealing the first Madonna song she “fell in love with” was the 2003 single Hollywood, taken from the album American Life.

Interestingly, earlier in the year, it looked like there may have been some mild beef between Charli and Madonna, after the Von Dutch singer claimed during a now-infamous British Vogue interview (and, subsequently, on her divisive single Rock Music) that she thinks the “dance floor is dead”.

“If your dance floor feels dead, maybe you’re playing the wrong music,” Madonna cryptically wrote on Instagram shortly afterwards.