England survived a scare to book their place in the quarter-finals at Euro 2024 after beating Slovakia 2-1 in extra-time.
Gareth Southgate’s team fell behind in the 25th minute when Ivan Schranz put Slovakia into a shock lead and they looked to be heading out of the tournament as the game went into injury time.
However, Jude Bellingham produced a moment of brilliance to score a stunning equaliser with seconds to spare and send the last-16 tie to extra-time.
Image: Harry Kane celebrates scoring for England vs Slovakia
Captain Harry Kane put England in the lead early in the first half of extra-time and they held on, despite some nervy moments.
Bellingham told reporters the team’s success may spur them on in the rest of the competition and described his goal as “one of the most important moments of my career so far”.
Read more from Sky News: Jay Slater: Search for missing British teenager called off by police Nigel Farage rules out joining Conservatives ‘You wouldn’t believe the amount of dicks’: Secrets of a ballot counter
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Fans roar after England’s nail-biting win
England looked disappointing in the first half and at half-time, manager Gareth Southgate failed to make any changes.
In the second half, however, England got closer with two attempts to score, although Phil Foden’s goal was disallowed by VAR and Declan Rice’s shot came off the post.
Southgate’s side now faces Switzerland in the Euro 2024 quarter-final on Saturday.
Were they to reach the last four, they would then play in a semi-final on Wednesday 10 July.
Nigel Farage has insisted he is not “fanning the flames of anything” as he defended his handling of the racism row engulfing Reform UK.
Speaking to a crowd of 5,000 supporters at his “biggest ever rally”, he also insisted the “bad apples are gone” from his party “and we’ll never have them back”.
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Mr Farage is coming under pressure following the controversy over a Reform canvasser who was caught making a racial slur about the prime minister in an undercover investigation.
Speaking on Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, The Reform UK leader denied stoking division by failing to get a grip on racism allegations within his party.
“Political parties attract all sorts of people. I always think politics brings out the best and the worst in people and I am not fanning the flames of anything. I want unity in this country,” he said.
Pressed on why his party seems to attract people who hold extremist views, the former UKIP leader claimed it was because he had driven the British Nationalist Party (BNP) “out as an electoral force”.
“Ironically, destroying the BNP means people who are minded that way don’t any longer have a home to go to, and so some will gravitate in our direction,” he added.
Mr Farage went on to say that “anybody who has a racist point of view, I don’t want to know”.
He added: “I want to live, Trevor, in a country that is literally colour-blind. I couldn’t care less what colour you are. I’m not interested in what sexuality you have. Let’s treat everybody equally. That is my agenda.”
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The undercover investigation, by Channel 4, showed Reform activist Andrew Parker using the racial slur “P***” to describe the prime minister, describing Islam as a “disgusting cult”, and saying the army should “just shoot” migrants crossing the Channel.
Another canvasser described the Pride flag as “degenerate” and suggested members of the LGBT community are paedophiles.
Reform UK has also had to drop several election candidates because of racist remarks they have made.
Image: An attendee wearing a Nigel Farage mask ahead of the Reform UK party’s rally.
Pic: Reuters
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The Tories and Labour have strongly condemned Mr Farage’s handling of the incidents.
Rishi Sunak took the decision to repeat the slur made about him to “call out what it was”, while Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said he shared the prime minister’s “disgust”.
Mr Farage has refused to apologise and even claimed Mr Parker was a “paid actor” who was part of a “deliberate attempt to derail our campaign”.
‘Bad apples gone from Reform’
Mr Parker and Channel 4 have denied this, but the Reform UK leader repeated the claim at an election rally later on Sunday at which claimed the “bad apples” are now gone from his party.
“Look, Reform is a new organisation. It’s a start-up and there were requests put out for candidates to stand,” he said.
In reference to the election betting scandal he added: “Have we had a few bad apples? We have, although to my knowledge nobody involved in an organised betting ring is standing for us.
“I have to say, the bad apples are gone. We’ll never have them back.”
Speaking about why he decided to take over Reform from Richard Tice and stand to be an MP, he claimed Britain was in societal and cultural “decline”.
Britain is a “country that has forgotten what it is”, he added.
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1:29
Sunak ‘hurt’ over Reform race row
The rally came after the prime minister bolstered his attack on Mr Farage, saying he had shown “no contrition or remorse”.
Asked how the Reform row was different to the case of Frank Hester, a Tory donor who allegedly made racist comments about Diane Abbott, Mr Sunak told the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg: “The difference is that Nigel Farage has just described these comments (by Mr Parker) as inappropriate.
“They’re not inappropriate. They were vile and racist and wrong.
“The person who made them has only apologised to the Reform Party for the impact it’s had on them. It’s a very clear difference. There is no contrition or remorse and or acceptance of what’s happened in that case.”
Mr Hester, who has donated £15m to the Tory party, apologised for comments he made about Ms Abbott, but claimed they “had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin”.
Mr Sunak was criticised for the way he initially responded to the allegations about the major party donor, before eventually condemning the remarks as “racist”.
How did we go from fans adopting Gareth Southgate’s waistcoats to plastic beer cups being hurled towards him?
From singing “Southgate you’re the one” to being turned off by him?
The relationship between the England faithful and their manager has become strained to the point of fracturing during these Euros.
“We’ve had different problems to solve as a team over the last few weeks,” Southgate said.
“And I’m the leader trying to connect all of that and keep the juggernaut that is the England football team on the right path.”
But it will be the end of the road for Southgate and England on Sunday night if England are knocked out of Euro 2024 by Slovakia.
A 99th game after eight transformative but ultimately, trophyless years in charge. So far.
Image: Pic: PA
‘Ultimate challenge’
“Every day I wake up and think what we need to do,” he said. “It’s the ultimate challenge.”
They made it here to the tournament – unlike Steve McClaren’s England in 2008 – and have not gone home at the group stage – as Roy Hodgson’s England did without winning a game at the 2014 World Cup.
Southgate made fans – and even many players – fall in love with the England team again.
It’s the manner of reaching the last 16 here, with just one win and two dreary draws, fuelling discontent.
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0:48
Southgate: ‘Irrelevant’ what fans think of me
There is certainly a lack of perspective. How often do England entertain in group stages? Even the 1966 World Cup win started with points dropped early on.
The reduced jeopardy in this 24-team Euros format gives a strong certainty of making the knockout phase where the tournament gets going.
Remember, Spain were the only team to qualify from their group with three wins.
The last two winners of the trophy – Portugal and Italy – both lost games. Even hosts Germany dropped points.
Italy, who beat England in the final three years out, were the first team sent packing in the last 16.
‘Desperate to do well’
Southgate has become increasingly exacerbated by strife in sessions with the media, while careful to avoid widening the schism with supporters.
The groans after the tepid 0-0 draw with Slovenia prompted Southgate to say: “I’ve not seen any other team qualify and receive similar.”
That is as close as we have seen to the 53-year-old snapping.
It can seem he would relish the chance to say – be careful what you wish for. Don’t you have short memories?
Image: The Three Lions will hope for a result on Sunday. Pic: Reuters
Dial back six years and Southgate was credited with re-energising the team and reconnecting them with the fans at the 2018 World Cup.
There were murmurs of frustration that England could not find a way past Croatia to reach the World Cup final. But at least they had made it to a first men’s semi-final since Euro ’96 and actually won a penalty shootout on the way in Russia.
This was the summer of Southgate, lifting the mood of the nation, as a unifying figure for a country riven by Brexit division.
“I’m just desperate to do well for my country,” said Southgate, remembering the pain and near-misses as a defender himself for England.
The modesty, humility and decency Southgate brought to the job made him the perfect antidote to the tumult.
Remember he was the accidental manager who never sought this status.
Bold calls
Think back to Euro 2016, the humiliating last-16 exit to Iceland and Roy Hodgson complaining after being forced to face the media in his last act as manager: “I don’t know why I’m here.”
This was the nadir for England.
Back then, Southgate was at the tournament as a UEFA technical observer.
But on Euro 2016 final day he held talks with the then-FA boss in a Paris hotel before rejecting the chance to step up from the U21s manager’s role, believing he lacked experience for the top job.
How many others would be as self-deprecating when presented with the opportunity of a lifetime?
Image: Captain Harry Kane has backed his manager. Pic: PA
The job did unexpectedly come up again quickly thanks to Sam Allardyce’s unguarded bar talk to undercover reporters – ending his reign at one match with a 100% record by beating Slovakia.
That brings England full circle to playing Slovakia again on Sunday night in Gelsenkirchen with a Euro 2024 quarter-final against Switzerland up for grabs.
“We still sing about him,” 34-year-old fan Brad Day said in a Cologne bar. “We have had the best six years of English football I can remember.”
Luke Buxton, who has come from Barnsley to attend every England match in Germany, feels England have fallen short.
“I think he is underappreciated,” he said. “But I can see why people are upset because you have so much attacking talent, so much ability across the squad, you look at what the players are doing for their clubs and it’s fair enough to question why they are not replicating it at an international level.”
As a national team manager, Southgate has little time to tactically influence the players through the year.
The task is to blend the best talent available into a team and take the bold selection calls.
But despite their fatigue, Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham seem undroppable given the potential for them to provide the scoring spark needed.
Image: England’s Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden. Pic: PA
‘Shouldn’t have fear of losing’
Can Southgate find solutions?
To some he’s not charismatic enough and too boring. The source of social media derision and mocking memes.
What were endearing characteristics when results were going their way – fans adopting the Southgate waistcoats at the 2018 World Cup – are now held against him for reflecting a style of football seen as too unambitious.
Just not daring enough. Not taking enough risks.
Being erudite is now seen as dull.
But he has tried to show this should not be the “Impossible Job”. It is one that predecessors have felt carries as much pressure as leading the country.
In a week that could see a change of prime ministers, Southgate will hope his reign will still be going all the way through the final in Berlin on 14 July.
Read more: Who else could England face in knockout rounds? How England fans feel about him ‘irrelevant’, Southgate says How politics accompanies the music of Glastonbury
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“We shouldn’t have a fear of losing,” he said.
But for the manager whose love letter to fans was turned into the West End play Dear England, he is preparing to say Goodbye England.
Leaders and politicians of all parties are coming out swinging today as the general election campaign enters the final days.
Rishi Sunak is today saying that Labour would cause “irreversible damage within just 100 days of coming to power”, while his top lieutenants warn of the “danger” of a government led by Sir Keir Starmer.
With polls throughout the campaign showing the Conservative Party failing to make a dent in Labour’s 21-point lead, according to the Sky News Poll Tracker, the prime minister only has days to change minds across the country in his bid to retain power.
Meanwhile, the Labour leader is arguing that if the Conservatives are re-elected, “they will feel entitled to continue serving themselves, rather than putting the needs of our country first”.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey is continuing to promote his party’s proposals for the NHS, while SNP leader John Swinney is arguing that the Scottish public should “vote SNP to put Scotland’s interests first”.
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Sunak says Labour ‘cannot be trusted’
The Conservative Party is continuing its warning that a Labour government would see taxes rise, and the prime minister is arguing electing Sir Keir would do “irreversible damage within just 100 days of coming to power”.
Mr Sunak said that Labour’s plans to impose VAT on private school fees would risk “throwing thousands of families’ plans for the autumn term into chaos, with children wondering if they will have a desk at school to go back to”.
And he also claimed that Labour would make Britain the “soft touch migrant capital of the world” with “open borders” and an “illegal migrant amnesty”.
The prime minister added: “They cannot be trusted. We must not surrender our taxes, our borders and our security to them. Only the Conservatives will deliver tax cuts, a growing economy and a brighter, more secure future for everyone.”
Image: Rishi Sunak speaking at a Hindu temple in northwest London on Saturday. Pic: PA
Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron went further in an interview with The Sunday Times, suggesting that a Labour government would be a threat to national security.
He told the newspaper that Sir Keir “is in danger of weakening Britain’s position and weakening Britain’s defences, all in a way that’s completely unnecessary”.
The ex-prime minister described Labour as “hopelessly naive about the dangerous world in which we’re living”, adding: “The last thing we need in Britain now is another liberal leftie lawyer running the country.”
But Sir Keir hit back, noting that the government has already given him “high level sensitive briefings, so much do they trust us on national security”.
“To now turn around and make this ridiculous claim just shows how desperate they have become going into this election,” he added.
Starmer appeals for ‘clear mandate’ to govern
The Labour leader and the potential next chancellor, Rachel Reeves, also spoke to The Sunday Times, and they talked about their goal of getting housebuilding ramping up “on day one” if they win the election.
Image: Keir Starmer with wife Victoria (right) and deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner at the Royal Horticultural Halls in central London on Saturday. Pic: PA
The newspaper reports that at least three housing announcements are expected to be made within the first fortnight of a Labour government, saying that opportunities for young people from working-class backgrounds to own their own home “don’t exist”.
And in an article for The Observer, Sir Keir wrote that if voters elect Labour on Thursday, “the work of change begins” and they will “get to work on repairing our public services with an immediate cash injection, alongside urgent reforms”.
He also attacked the Tories’ record in power, saying if they are re-elected, “Britain will remain stuck in their low-growth, high-tax, declining public services doom-loop”.
“The unfunded splurge contained in their manifesto will unleash chaos into our economy once again. And they will feel entitled to continue serving themselves, rather than putting the needs of our country first,” he added.
“Frankly, should they win another five years after everything they’ve put us through in this parliament, they would surely think they could get away with anything.”
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2:26
What do voters think of manifestos?
He appealed for a “clear mandate” to implement his plans, pointing to “chaos” under Mr Sunak and Liz Truss before him as examples of what happens when prime ministers seek to “govern without that mandate”.
Read more: What the polls tell us about what will happen on 4 July What are in the party manifestos?
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SNP ‘offers hope of better future’
Meanwhile in Scotland, the leader of the SNP is appealing to Scots to back his party as polls show that Labour could become the largest Scottish parliamentary contingent in over a decade.
John Swinney argued that while “the result in England is now inevitable”, in “most seats in Scotland it’s too close to call between the SNP and Labour”.
Image: John Swinney and SNP candidate Tommy Sheppard serve pizza at Portobello Beach and Promenade, Edinburgh. Pic: PA
He hit out at the Labour Party, saying a Starmer government “plans to impose £18bn of cuts to public spending – after years of austerity, Brexit and the ongoing cost of living crisis”.
To avoid that, he said, and to “ensure that decisions about Scotland are made in Scotland, then you’ve got to vote SNP”.
“The SNP offers Scotland the hope of a better future – but you have to vote for it. This Thursday, vote SNP to put Scotland’s interests first,” he added.
Tories have ‘failed’ to support families in grief
The Liberal Democrats are continuing to unveil policies, focused on the NHS and reversing “heartless Tory cuts” to bereavement payments.
On the latter as it stands, a bereaved family where a spouse or partner has died receives a lump sum of up to £3,500, followed by a monthly payment of up to £350 for 18 months.
Image: Sir Ed Davey tries his hand at archery in Little Paxton, Cambridgeshire. Pic: PA
The party is calling for this period to be extended, and is pledging to inject an additional £440m a year into the system by 2028-29 to fund it.
Sir Ed Davey said in a statement: “Rishi Sunak’s government has failed to ensure families are not left struggling to pay the bills at such a difficult period of time.
“The Liberal Democrats would treat families and children who lose a loved one with dignity and provide the support they deserve.”
He also reiterated his party’s pledge to give people a legal right to see a GP within a week and start cancer treatment within two months, with Sir Ed saying that his party has “put health and care at the heart of our fair deal for the country”.
Farage goes on the attack
Meanwhile, Reform UK is on the offensive after facing a slew of racism allegations over recent days.
Image: Nigel Farage during a BBC Question Time Leaders’ Special at the Midlands Arts Centre in Birmingham. Pic: PA
The party yesterday withdrew support for three candidates, and it came on the heels of Channel 4 news airing footage filmed undercover that showed Andrew Parker, an activist canvassing for Mr Farage, using the racial slur “P***” to describe the prime minister, describing Islam as a “disgusting cult”, and saying the army should “just shoot” migrants crossing the Channel.
Nigel Farage has gone on the attack, with the party saying it has reported Channel 4 to the elections watchdog for alleged “scandalous… interference” over what the party claims was a fake rant planted by the broadcaster.
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0:59
The key election words you need to know
Mr Farage also hit out at the BBC, saying he would refuse to appear on their flagship Sunday morning show until they apologise for their “dishonest” audience during a BBC Question Time special on Friday, accusing the broadcaster of having “behaved like a political actor throughout this election”.
He will hold a vast rally in Birmingham later today, after speaking to Sky News from Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips at 8.30am.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage will be joining Sky News’ Trevor Philips from 8.30am this morning on his last programme before the election – along with Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, Labour’s national campaign coordinator Pat McFadden, and SNP leader and Scottish First Minister John Swinney.
Gareth Southgate has said it is “irrelevant” how England fans are feeling about him as his team prepare to face Slovakia on Sunday in the last 16 at Euro 2024.
England were booed after a 1-1 draw with Denmark in the group stages of the European Championship.
The pressure on Southgate has intensified after a goalless draw against Slovenia in their last group match.
Defender Ezri Konza said his family were hit by beer cups aimed at the manager after Tuesday’s game.
But the 53-year-old told reporters on Saturday the way fans felt about him was “irrelevant”.
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2:34
England booed after 1-1 draw
“It’s irrelevant [what fans think of me]. The most important thing is the support for the team and what I said the other night was to try to make sure that we get the sort of support that the team got in the stadium in the second half, simple as that,” he said.
“My job is to create the best possible environment for the players, to fight their cause at the right times, to take responsibility at the right times.
“The team need the fans so they should never underestimate what a lift it gives to the team when they are like they were in the second half against Slovenia and I’m certain, going into this knock-out phase, they’re going to be the same.”
Despite only securing one win, England progressed as the winners of Group C.
Captain Harry Kane told the conference “99% of the fans” were behind the team and manager.
“Of course, both as a player and as a coach, you’re going to have times when people voice their opinion and that’s part and parcel of playing for England,” he said.
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“But I think, like the boss said there, the second half in that game especially was one of the best atmospheres I’ve been involved in and it shows how much the fans care about the team, care about us trying to win the game and that’s all that matters, you know.
“We’re a very strong group, not just players but staff as well. We know what it’s taken to achieve what we’ve achieved in the last six years or so, or longer, and we know it’s going to be a very tough journey from now until the end of this tournament, if we want to go all the way.”
A third person has been arrested in connection with a Just Stop Oil protest at Stonehenge, during which orange paint powder was sprayed on the prehistoric monument.
A man in his 30s, from Essex, was detained by Metropolitan Police officers on Thursday, according to Wiltshire Police.
He was arrested on suspicion of aiding and abetting criminal damage, aiding and abetting unauthorised entry and damage to an ancient monument, and aiding and abetting aggravated trespass.
The man has now been released on bail.
Members of the public were seen trying to stop the protesters by dragging them away on 19 June.
Video footage showed two people wearing white Just Stop Oil shirts running up to the structure with canisters spraying paint.
Several stones were covered in the substance before the protesters stopped and sat cross-legged on the grass.
Just Stop Oil said its action was to demand the next UK government agrees a plan with other countries to end the extraction and burning of oil, gas and coal by 2030.
Following the protest, English Heritage said experts had quickly removed the powder from the stones, as there was a risk it would harm rare lichens growing on them.
There appeared to be no visible damage from the paint, the charity added, but the act of removing it could erode the fragile stone and damage the lichens.
Read more: Just Stop Oil protesters in their 80s target Magna Carta Just Stop Oil supporters arrested over ‘plan to disrupt airports’
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A spokeswoman for Wiltshire Police said the two others previously arrested in connection with the incident – a man in his 70s and a woman in her 20s – remain on bail while the investigation continues.
“We are continuing to work with English Heritage and partners to progress our enquiries,” she added.
Dua Lipa has set the bar high for this year’s Glastonbury headliners, performing a slick set of hits to an enormous crowd at the festival’s famous Pyramid Stage.
The 28-year-old star told fans she had manifested the moment, but watching her command the stage – hit after hit played, voice soaring, dance moves effortless – it seems her talent was always going to bring her here.
Starting with Training Season, from her latest album Radical Optimism, Lipa kept the energy levels high throughout for tracks including Be The One, Levitating, Hallucinate, One Kiss, Physical, New Rules and Don’t Start Now.
As is Glastonbury tradition, fireworks lit the sky, during and after the set, while several costume changes also added to the sense of occasion – which the singer described as “the maddest night of my life”.
Image: Pic: AP
Telling the crowd about manifesting the experience, she also hinted she would be staying on at the festival to enjoy the rest of the weekend (although probably not in a tent, I’m guessing).
“I have written this moment down. I’ve wished for it, I’ve dreamt, I’ve worked so hard in the hopes that maybe one day I’ll get to do it and I can’t believe I’m here,” she said.
“You know when I wrote it down, I was very specific, I said I really wanted to headline the Pyramid stage on a Friday night because then I knew I could party for the next two days in the best place on Earth.
“I’m so grateful, little me would just be beside herself right now.”
Read more: Full line-up for Glastonbury 2024 – with space for surprises
Image: Pic: PA
Lipa’s performance included Cold Heart, her Sir Elton John collaboration, which saw her greeting delighted fans at the front of the crowd, who had no doubt been there for hours beforehand to save the spot.
She followed another Glastonbury tradition by bringing out a surprise guest – Kevin Parker from Tame Impala, to perform The Less I Know The Better from his band’s 2015 album, Currents – and teased Barbie’s Dance The Night during one of her several costume changes.
The star also showed awareness of the festival audience, with 90s rave imagery on screens and confetti cannons blasting rainbows.
It’s something some big acts can get wrong – to go down in Glastonbury headlining history, it needs to be more than just an extra tour show.
Image: Pic: PA
At times, however, the set was so slick, it felt more geared to the TV audience than to the crowd – a couple of songs saw Lipa performing to the camera, back to the audience, for good chunks of time – but when the choreography is this good, it’s captivating to watch wherever you are. It’s a small complaint.
Festival organiser Emily Eavis had said beforehand that Lipa was “born” to headline.
By the time the star had closed the set with Houdini, she had proved her absolutely right.
Read more on Sky News: Brian Cox reunites with D:Ream Meet Glastonbury’s State Of The Ground Guy Glastonbury ‘likely taking break in 2026’
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If Lipa is indeed staying on to enjoy the weekend, she’ll get to see for herself the huge array of brilliant acts on offer.
But as headline sets go, hers will be a hard act to beat – a masterclass from a world-class, proper pop star.
The Welsh electorate has travelled in one direction for the last 100 years.
Labour always win more votes and seats than their rivals in Wales but, floating our parliamentary bench on a barge across the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, we discover not everything is as tranquil as it seems in this stunning beauty spot.
The 20mph speed limit, wind farms and waiting times on the NHS are all matters raised by people who are not happy with Labour’s record in the Senedd.
The first person we meet is Reuben Jones, who works at the local barge hire company adjacent to the aqueduct.
“I’m a transgender person,” says Reuben. “I’m very unhappy with the state of the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts at the moment. There are a lot of issues with the education system, a lot of problems with the health care system.
“Neither the Conservatives nor Labour have made a concentrated effort to stand up for trans people in the UK.”
Image: Cain Hughes and Reuben Jones
‘Equal society’
Labour have been criticised by JK Rowling for their stance on Transgender issues. The author accused the party of being “dismissive and often offensive towards women fighting to retain their rights”.
Labour have restated their plans to “modernise” the gender transition process, but Reuben feels Plaid Cymru have more to say and “are interested in an equal society and want to stand up for transgender rights”.
“I understand in certain women’s groups concerns about their safety,” Reuben adds. “I do empathise with that. But at the same time, they want to erode the rights of transgender people, which is not the right thing to do either.”
Navigating our green bench across Thomas Telford’s breathtaking aqueduct, the Llangollen Canal narrows to the width of our boat with a sheer drop on one side down to the River Dee which sparkles innocently 120ft below my feet.
Image: Paul Otteson and his wife Susan
Once across to the other side, we find retired project manager Paul Otteson, from Carmarthenshire, a man who loves the Welsh countryside and is angry about plans to build wind farms in Llandovery, where he is from in South Wales. His main concern seems to be what is going to happen with the cabling from the turbines.
“We know we need electricity, but there has to be a better way of doing it,” he says. “Recently, they had a vote in the Senedd, and it was a tie. And the Labour casting vote was against burying cables. So, obviously, Labour are not in my good books at the moment.”
The vote was split between Welsh Conservatives and Plaid Cymru who voted for the more expensive option of laying the powerlines underground and Welsh Labour who voted against that, over concerns it would make the project unviable.
Image: Hilary Thomas
‘Best ideas’
But walking down the same towpath, retired bed and breakfast owner Hilary Thomas says: “We need more electricity. We need more solar panels. We need more wind farms. We need a tidal barrage in Wales down on the Bristol estuary there. Anything that keeps the cost down.”
In her mind, Hilary says she has flip-flopped over whom to vote for and still hasn’t decided who has “the best ideas”.
There have been 25 years of devolution in Wales and Labour have always been the largest party, so just as in the rest of Britain the incumbent Conservatives are being judged for their record in government, in Wales so too are Labour.
As we continue upstream and speak to others, Labour’s record on the NHS comes under attack. Some of their spending is described as “wasteful” but the most common topic of conversation is the roads, which many complain aren’t much faster than the waterways since the Welsh government introduced its 20mph speed limits.
‘Money wasted’
Reaching the Telford Inn we meet master and lady of the house Robert and Sarah Kinton-Chittenden, who are happy, after serving lunch, to take a rest on our bench, which is now providing extra seating in their beer garden.
“Very comfy. I can see why they nod off in parliament,” says Sarah, pressing down on the green upholstery. They talk about lower speed limits impacting on tourism to their pub, failure to tackle immigration and the state of the national health service. “That needs sorting out,” says Sarah.
“Massively,” agrees Robert.
“Because so much (money) went on this 20 mile-an-hour (speed limit), however much it was. I don’t remember the statistics,” says Sarah.
“It’s £35m,” adds Robert.
Image: Robert and Sarah Kinton-Chittenden
“Something that could have been put into our national health. You know, it’s wasted now,” says Sarah.
Robert picks up again: “No doubt they’ll spend another £35m putting it back, so that’s £70m wasted. It could have gone into hospitals and schools. Ridiculous. What a waste of time.”
The Welsh government estimates it would cost £5m to reverse some of the reduced speed limits.
The couple agree with the argument made by Welsh nationalists Plaid Cymru that Wales is owed £4bn to compensate for the decision not to build HS2 all the way to Manchester, which would have helped people travelling to North Wales.
“I do think there needs to be more money put into Wales and we’re talking an extra few billion because of the lack of high-speed trains,” says Robert. “They spent loads of money and it only goes to Birmingham. There’s already a train to Birmingham and it runs every day. Pointless. Ridiculous!”
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2:41
Bench across Britain: Behind the scenes
Like several of the people we have spoken to along the river, Sarah and Robert haven’t yet decided where their vote will go.
Read more: Fractured SNP could mean Labour gains in Scotland Farming community calls for ‘more support’ Performers and punters weigh up votes in election circus
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Our longboat chugs through a constituency that has been swallowed up in the boundary changes, Clwyd South, now distributed among four other constituencies. A long-time Tory target it was finally stolen from Labour by the Conservatives in 2019.
Polls suggest voters in the countryside region, along with the nearby city of Wrexham, will turn back to Labour – but from our short trip down the canal, we have found quite a number of floating voters.
A dad-of-three who broke into a mortuary and defiled two bodies has been jailed.
Damon Tingay “violated and defiled” bodies after he broke into the mortuary of the Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital, Grimsby, in the early hours of the morning on 17 March
Grimsby Crown Court heard Tingay rummaged through numerous fridges and disturbed the shrouds covering the dead before he performed sex acts on two male bodies.
Tingay was in the mortuary for around four minutes undisturbed before being discovered by hospital staff and attempting to flee.
Behind him, he left a “horrifying scene” the court was told, as the 30-year-old pled guilty to the sexual penetration of a corpse and trespassing with intent to commit a sexual offence.
On Friday, Tingay was sentenced to six years in prison and an extended licence period of four years by a judge who called his actions “perverted and utterly grotesque”.
The court heard statements from the mum and aunt of one of the patients who Tingay attacked.
They described the “incredible pain when they discovered what had happened to a dear and precious loved member of their family”.
Prosecutor Jeremy Evans said it was “something they will remember for the rest of their lives” and the man’s aunt had suffered a flare-up of multiple sclerosis due to the stress “caused by discovering a family member had been violated in such a manner”.
A statement from the brother of a man who was disturbed when his drawer was opened said he suffered nightmares and had been “traumatised” by the fact his brother’s body “had been disturbed in a place where he trusted he would be safe and at peace”.
Read more from Sky News: 27 Just Stop Oil supporters arrested Flights cancelled at Gatwick Airport after runway closes Moment man arrested over Holly Willoughby ‘kidnap plot’
The court was told how Tingay cycled onto the hospital grounds at around 2.50am and spent about two hours on site – trying to keep away from security guards.
Sentencing the defendant, Judge John Thackray KC told him: “When you thought you had evaded them you entered the mortuary by forcing an external door.
“What happens thereafter is shown on CCTV.”
Footage played in court showed Tingay drinking from a bottle, before entering the mortuary – the door had no lock and was only held closed by a magnet.
CCTV from inside the mortuary was shown to the judge privately.
Mr Evans said 10 bodies were disturbed by Tingay opening the fridges or removing their shrouds before he committed his horrific acts.
At one point Tingay attempted to lift one patient out by their blanket, and appeared to strike another with his fist, the hearing was told.
After being disturbed by hospital staff, he was detained by security guards when he tried to flee the mortuary.
In a statement, one member of staff said: “I have seen a lot in my career. This was one of the worst things I have seen in my life.
“It was the indignity, the lack of respect. I couldn’t stop crying.”
Mr Evans said that when Tingay was arrested he was shouting and screaming he had done nothing wrong and at one point claimed he had been blamed for a friend’s suicide and was seeking answers.
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In an interview with police, he said he had no memory of the incident.
Craig Lowe, defending, said Tingay wanted to “offer a wholehearted apology” and said the offending was “clearly out of character for this friendly, kind, considerate man”.
The judge warned if Tingay had not been disturbed there would have been even more victims, adding: “There is undoubtedly a very, very dark side to you.”
As well as the prison sentence, Tingay was made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life.
A total of 27 Just Stop Oil supporters have been arrested on suspicion of planning to disrupt airports this summer, the Metropolitan Police has said.
The arrests were made in London, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Devon, Essex, Manchester, Surrey, Sussex, Norfolk and West Yorkshire.
“Among those held were several high-profile members of Just Stop Oil who we believe to be key organisers,” the force said.
Four people were arrested on Tuesday after being identified at Gatwick Airport and have since been released on bail.
On Thursday, six more people were arrested at an east London community centre “as part of a publicly-advertised event promoting airport disruption”.
Met officers worked with eight other police forces on Friday to arrest 17 further suspects at their homes across the country.
Image: Gatwick Airport. File pic: Markus Mainka/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images
All the individuals were arrested under a section of the Public Order Act.
The act makes it illegal to conspire to disrupt national infrastructure.
Last week, Just Stop Oil targeted a private airport where Taylor Swift had landed hours earlier.
Arrests were also made after Stonehenge was sprayed with “orange powder paint”.
Chief Supt Ian Howells, who led the operation, said: “We know Just Stop Oil are planning to disrupt airports across the country this summer, which is why we have taken swift and robust action now.
“Our stance is very clear that anyone who compromises the safety and security of airports in London can expect a strong response from officers or security staff.
“Airports are complex operating environments which is why we are working closely with them, agencies and other partners on this operation.”
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Those who have been released on bail are subject to conditions.
Those conditions include not to travel within 1km of any UK airport unless passing through by vehicle or public transport.
