World

Commons Speaker slaps down Reform UK over claims he doesn’t ‘care at all’ about safety of party’s MPs in wake of Ann Widdecombe ‘murder’

• Speaker rejects Reform UK safety accusation
• Dispute follows reports on Ann Widdecombe case
• Row highlights wider concerns over politicians’ security

The Speaker of the House of Commons publicly rebuked Reform UK after party figures claimed he did not care about the safety of its MPs following reports around the alleged murder of Ann Widdecombe. The row matters because it combines concerns about politicians’ security with a wider dispute…

Kemi Badenoch launches ‘purge of Tory wets’ as Theresa May’s chief of staff kicked out for ‘slagging off’ tough line on human rights

• Badenoch is reportedly pushing out moderate Conservatives
• The row focuses on a tougher human-rights stance
• May’s former chief of staff is cited as a casualty

The article reports that Kemi Badenoch has begun removing or sidelining more moderate Conservatives, presenting it as a tougher ideological reset of the party. It says the move matters because it signals a sharper rightward direction under her leadership, particularly on issues such as human rights, and suggests…

Moment hairdresser mother, 34, drives her Mercedes through a red light and causes a police car to crash into her and burst into flames

• Driver ran a red light and hit a police car
• The police vehicle burst into flames after impact
• She was convicted of dangerous driving

A 35-year-old hairdresser from Birkenhead was convicted after driving her Mercedes through a red light and colliding with a marked police car, which then caught fire. The case matters because it highlights the risks of dangerous driving at junctions, especially when emergency vehicles are involved, and because the…

LISA BRADY: For 12 years I thought I had failed at labour – and I know I’m not alone. Here’s why we MUST heed a stark warning on an archaic practice that is keeping women in agony – and risking mothers and babies lives

• Article criticises pressure to pursue “normal” birth at any cost
• Brady links personal trauma to wider maternity care culture
• Safety, choice and timely intervention are the core concerns

Lisa Brady writes about how she spent years blaming herself for a traumatic labour before concluding that wider maternity care culture, rather than personal failure, was to blame. The article argues that an entrenched preference for “normal” or vaginal birth can pressure women to endure prolonged pain and…

Haunted-looking Erika Kirk says she is ‘still trying to unpack’ horrific new footage of Charlie’s murder that was shown during Tyler Robinson hearing

The report says Erika Kirk appeared visibly distressed after a court hearing in which previously unseen footage of Charlie's murder was shown during proceedings involving Tyler Robinson. The development matters because it suggests the hearing exposed relatives and the court to new and potentially significant evidence, while also…

BBC Breakfast host Rachel Burden signs off final programme after becoming latest victim of £500m cuts

• Rachel Burden has left BBC Breakfast
• Her exit is linked to BBC cost-cutting
• Falling licence fee income is increasing pressure

BBC Breakfast presenter Rachel Burden has left the programme after nearly a decade, with her final appearance reportedly linked to the BBC’s latest cost-cutting drive. Her departure matters because it reflects the wider financial pressure on the broadcaster, which is trying to make large savings while facing falling…

Tory MP Patrick Spencer groped breasts of two women at London’s Groucho club after pestering them to have a drink with him, court hears

• Court heard MP Patrick Spencer sexually assaulted two women at a London club
• Prosecutors say the women were touched without consent after refusing drinks
• The women later identified him via Parliament’s website profile photo

Southwark Crown Court has heard allegations that Conservative MP Patrick Spencer groped the breasts of two women without consent during a night out at London’s Groucho club. Prosecutors said he repeatedly tried to get the women to drink with him before allegedly putting his arms around them and…