Gregg Wallace sacked as 50 more people make claims

7 hours ago Share Save Noor Nanji & Felicity Baker Culture reporters Share Save

Watch: The BBC's Noor Nanji speaks to women sharing stories of alleged inappropriate behaviour from Gregg Wallace

Gregg Wallace has been sacked as MasterChef presenter as a result of an inquiry into alleged misconduct, BBC News understands. It comes as 50 more people have approached the BBC with fresh claims about the TV presenter - including allegations he groped one MasterChef worker and pulled his trousers down in front of another. Wallace denies the claims. The inquiry into allegations against him, conducted by an independent law firm on behalf of MasterChef's production company Banijay, is expected to report back imminently. In a lengthy statement on Instagram on Tuesday, Wallace claimed he had been cleared by that report of "the most serious and sensational allegations" made against him.

"I recognise that some of my humour and language, at times, was inappropriate. For that, I apologise without reservation. But I was never the caricature now being sold for clicks," he wrote. He accused BBC News of "uncorroborated tittle tattle" in its reporting. BBC News has not seen the Banijay report. For 20 years, Gregg Wallace has been one of the most high-profile presenters on British television and the face of BBC One cooking show MasterChef. But he stepped aside from the show in November after our initial investigation at the end of last year, when 13 people accused him of making inappropriate sexual comments. The new claims come from people who say they encountered him across a range of shows and settings. While the majority say he made inappropriate sexual comments, 11 women accuse him of inappropriate sexual behaviour, such as groping and touching. The allegations raise fresh questions for the BBC and the other companies he worked for about their safeguarding practices and duty of care. All names have been changed for this article. One woman, Alice, says Wallace took his trousers down in front of her in a dressing room, in what she described as "disgusting and predatory" behaviour. Another, Sophie, says she was left feeling "absolutely horrified" and "quite sick" when he groped her. Other people who contacted us with new claims about the presenter include:

A participant on the BBC's Saturday Kitchen - a show at the time that was produced in-house by the BBC - who says that, during a dinner ahead of filming in 2002, Wallace put his hand under the table and onto her groin, saying: "Do you like that?"

A university student who says she met him in a nightclub with friends in 2013. She says after she asked to take a photo with him, he reached under her skirt and grabbed and pinched her bottom

A woman who says, at an industry ball in 2014, he put his hand up her dress and groped her

Another junior worker, in addition to Alice, who says in 2012 he dropped his trousers in front of her and wasn't wearing underwear

A number of men who say they witnessed Wallace making inappropriate sexual comments

More recent claims, including a 19-year-old MasterChef worker who says she tried to complain about Wallace's comments about her body in 2022, and a former policeman who says he tried to raise concerns about Wallace's sexually inappropriate language to the BBC in 2023

Many of the women who spoke to us are young female freelancers. They say they didn't feel able to complain about Wallace's behaviour at the time, fearing negative career repercussions.

'You're not being Jimmy Saviled'

Alice, however, told us she did raise concerns - but said they were dismissed. She worked on MasterChef between 2011 and 2013 when she was in her 20s. At the time, the show was produced by Shine, a company now owned by Banijay. She recalls an occasion when, she says, Wallace asked her into his dressing room, saying he needed help getting into a black-tie outfit. He pushed her down onto a sofa, she says, pulled his trousers down and told her he wasn't wearing any underwear. Alice says she tried to avert her eyes. She immediately reported what had happened, she says, but was told by a senior member of Shine's production team: "You're over 16, you're not being 'Jimmy Saviled'." Alice says she felt let down by the company and was given the impression that, in a "lowly role as a production worker", she should just "be grateful and get on with it". She has contributed to the Banijay inquiry, and says she hopes it leads to accountability.

Getty Images In a recent interview with the Daily Mail, Wallace said the claims against him were "not all true" and he had felt "under attack"

The second woman who claims Wallace pulled his trousers down in front of her, Anna, worked on a photo shoot with him in 2012. He took off his trousers when they were alone together in a dressing room area, she says, and she could see he was not wearing any underwear. Anna says she looked away, but felt she could not do anything as she was holding his clothes for him to change into. She says he then got changed and she left shortly afterwards. Throughout the shoot, as well as making lewd, sexually inappropriate comments, she says Wallace was very "touchy-feely". For instance, when she went on set to adjust the way his clothes looked, she says he would say, "Oh please do come in, I love it when you do that" and then grab her hips and squeeze her. She says the whole experience made her feel "undermined". Like the other women we spoke to, Anna says she felt she could not make a complaint because she was relatively junior and needed the job. She is speaking up now because, she says, she was furious about Wallace's Instagram video last year, in which he claimed the allegations against him had come from "a handful of middle-class women of a certain age". "Is he saying it was OK to behave that way with younger women, like I was at the time?" she says.

'A full-handed squeeze'

Sophie, another young worker on MasterChef, recalls being groped by the presenter at a wrap party at the end of the 2013 series. At the time, the show was produced by Shine. She says she was standing at the bar talking to Wallace and his co-host John Torode. As she was about to leave, she says: "Someone squeezed my bum, a full-handed squeeze. I turned around and it was Gregg." It was done "covertly", Sophie says, so she doesn't think anyone else noticed, including Torode. She says she did not pursue a complaint because she feared that being a junior member of the team, "chances were, I'd be booted off the production, and he may have only got a scolding". Sophie has also contributed to the Banijay inquiry. Several new allegations happened away from television - one of them in the mid-to-late 2000s in Nottingham during a book tour. Publicist Esther describes an incident when she says Wallace pushed his way into her hotel room, took off his clothes, and then asked her: "Exactly what is it that you do?" She says she was shocked and made it clear she was not interested, telling him: "That's not part of my job." But rather than leaving the room, she says he climbed into her bed and fell asleep. She didn't know what to do, she says, as she was worried that if she asked the hotel for another room, she would potentially attract negative publicity for Wallace. So she decided to sleep at the edge of the bed, with her clothes on. When he woke up, says Esther, Wallace put his hand on her bottom and commented that she had a "nice arse". She says she told him to get out of her room, which he did. Esther wishes she had made a formal complaint at the time, but says she did not because he was an important author, and she didn't want to rock the boat. However, she has now contributed to the Banijay inquiry.

'It's not banter'

On Tuesday, Wallace wrote a lengthy Instagram post in which he said the "most damaging claims" against him "were found to be baseless after a full and forensic six month investigation". "To be clear, the Silkin's Report [sic] exonerates me of all the serious allegations which made headlines last year and finds me primarily guilty of inappropriate language between 2005 and 2008." He added: "I will not go quietly. I will not be cancelled for convenience. I was tried by media and hung out to dry well before the facts were established." He accused the BBC of "peddling baseless and sensationalised gossip masquerading as properly corroborated stories". In the days after BBC News published its original investigation last November, Wallace re-posted comments on social media from former MasterChef contestants who said they had positive memories of working with him. Some readers have also been in touch with us to defend Wallace, saying his alleged comments were just "jokes" and "banter". But others disagree. One of the men who contacted us was a cameraman who says he witnessed Wallace asking a female worker if she had "any friends with nice tits like yours". The cameraman worked on the BBC show Eat Well For Less in 2016. The show was produced by RDF TV, which is part of the Banijay group. He says he heard Wallace make a string of other inappropriate comments in full earshot of the production team, including asking one female director, who was gay, about her "lesbian clothing". "It's not banter, it's not how you should behave in a professional workplace," says the cameraman. Sophie - who says Wallace groped her - believes the presenter has been protected for too long. "Gregg's time has come. But the most senior leadership who have clearly heard these testimonies over the years and not chosen to remove him sooner, should also resign," she says. "And both them and the BBC should consider why a presenter being in post is more important than the wellbeing and treatment of the people making the series."

'Too many cultures of silence'

The allegations against Wallace last year kickstarted a nationwide discussion about workplace behaviour, with the culture secretary warning there were "too many cultures of silence". Speaking to MPs in December, Lisa Nandy warned she was "prepared to take further action" if the media industry could not address claims of misconduct. Human rights barrister Baroness Helena Kennedy, who chairs a new watchdog aimed at improving standards of behaviour in the creative industries, has told the BBC that, for freelancers, it can be difficult to speak up. She says they may be afraid of losing work "if they are seen as being someone who's been a complainer, or who's raised issues, especially about stars". Baroness Kennedy also warned there had been "multiple missed opportunities" to act on bad behaviour. How damaging is the Gregg Wallace scandal for the BBC? BBC News is aware of numerous occasions when complaints about Wallace were made. One, by the radio host Aasmah Mir, related to Celebrity MasterChef in 2017. She told The Sunday Times last year that she had complained to Shine and later spoke to the BBC's Kate Phillips who was then controller for entertainment commissioning. According to internal emails seen by the newspaper, Phillips told Wallace his behaviour had been "unacceptable and cannot continue". Another complaint from a group of young workers just a year afterwards, concerned Wallace's time on the BBC show Impossible Celebrities, which is made by a different production company. In a letter from 2018, seen by BBC News, Phillips wrote that she had spoken to Wallace for 90 minutes to make clear what the BBC expected of him. She confirmed in the letter that many aspects of his behaviour had been "unacceptable" and "unprofessional". She also reassured workers on the programme that action would be taken "to prevent a similar reoccurrence and to safeguard others in the future".

Recent allegations

But further claims in the years after Phillips’ conversation with Wallace have since emerged. One 19-year-old MasterChef worker says she flagged concerns about Wallace's comments about her body to a more senior member of the production staff in 2022, only to be told it was "just a joke". By this date, Banijay was the company responsible for the show. A former police officer of 30 years also told us he had tried to report concerns to the BBC after, he says, he witnessed Wallace making inappropriate sexual comments at a charity event in 2023. The former officer says he reached out via the BBC's online complaints portal and also tried to call by phone, but never heard back. BBC News has been told that Kate Philips was unaware of any claims prior to 2017 or any of these subsequent claims. A recent report into the BBC found that a small number of its stars and managers "behave unacceptably" at work, and that bosses often fail to tackle them. In response, the broadcaster said it would introduce reforms, and its chairman Samir Shah said he would draw "a line in the sand". We have repeatedly approached Wallace for an interview but he has not responded. In April, he gave an interview to the Daily Mail in which he said the claims against him were "not all true" and that he had felt "under attack" and contemplated suicide. He admitted that some of the inappropriate jokes were "probably true", saying: "Some of what's been said sounds like the sort of comments I'd have made." But he insisted he had never groped any workers, calling those claims "absolutely not true".

PA Media MasterChef co-host John Torode pictured with Grace Dent, who has stepped in to host the next series of Celebrity MasterChef

King and Macron toast 'ever closer' UK-France ties at state banquet

1 hour ago Share Save Sean Coughlan Royal correspondent Reporting from Windsor Jacqueline Howard BBC News Share Save

Watch: King and Macron say state visit will 'deepen alliance'

The King said relations between the UK and France are growing "ever closer" as he hosted Emmanuel Macron at a lavish state banquet at Windsor Castle. The French president spoke of his confidence in ties between the countries as the pair dined alongside members of the Royal Family and some 160 guests, including Sir Mick Jagger and Sir Elton John. Macron and wife Brigitte were earlier greeted at RAF Northolt by the Prince and Princess of Wales to kick off their state visit, before meeting the King and Queen in Windsor, while Macron also gave a speech in Parliament. The three-day visit is the first by a French president since 2008, and the first by a European Union political leader since Brexit.

Reuters Queen Camilla, King Charles, and Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron posed for a photo together

Reuters Sir Mick Jagger attended the banquet with his partner Melanie Hamrick

Starting his state banquet speech in French, the King welcomed Macron before remarking that much has happened since his own royal tour of France in 2023. The UK and France "have stood ever closer since then", he said. King Charles spoke of the deep cultural, political and historic ties between the two nations before turning to joint cooperation in facing cross-border threats in an uncertain world of "terrorism, organised crime and cyberattacks". He also spoke of efforts to tackle "irregular migration across the English Channel", the threat posed by climate change and providing support for Ukraine. The King's speech was not all seriousness, however, as he spoke lightly of a neighbourly relationship "built on co-operation and mutual fascination". "This evening, we have drunk English sparkling wine made by a French champagne house. This would have been scarcely believable to at least some of our predecessors," he said. In his speech, Macron expressed his confidence in the relationship between the UK and France, and recalled shared historical ties, switching between English and French, before turning to the present day. "On either side of the channel, there is a constant reminder that we must never lower our guard," he said. Macron said it was important the UK and Britain work together on research, science and education. He also spoke about the Bayeux Tapestry returning to the UK, more than 900 years after its creation.

PA Media

He says the final parts of the tapestry are missing is a "powerful symbol", that "in the great mural of Franco-British history, the end is yet to be written - it is up to us to do it". Other senior royals were among the 160 guests, including the Princess of Wales, who sat to Macron's right. She has been absent from the last couple of big ceremonial dinners, with the South Korean state visit in November 2023 the last she attended. Among guests were Rolling Stones singer Sir Mick Jagger, actress Dame Kristin Scott-Thomas, Sir Elton John, First Dates star Fred Sirieux and former England goalkeeper Mary Earps, who sat next to UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. The state banquet was held at Windsor Castle rather than the usual ballroom at Buckingham Palace, which is undergoing renovations. The menu for the evening began with a special cocktail called "l'entente", which combined British gin with lemon curd and French pastis, decorated with French cornflowers and English roses. Chef Raymond Blanc made a menu starting with a selection of tender summer vegetables with sage, raw tomato and extra virgin olive oil dressing. The main course was a supreme of Rhug Estate chicken with Norfolk asparagus and tarragon cream, with an iced blackcurrant-soaked sponge with elderflower jelly selected for dessert.

Reuters

Earlier in the day Macron addressed both Houses of Parliament, calling it "a great honour". He addressed a number of topics including the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, and issues such as trade and migration. He praised the partnership between France and the UK over supporting Ukraine, saying "we will fight until the very last minute" for a ceasefire to negotiate "sustainable peace". On the conflict in the Middle East, Macron called for "a ceasefire in Gaza, without any condition", and added "working together" to recognise a Palestinian state is the "only path to peace". The French president also called for the UK, France and Europe to strengthen security by investing in technology and reduce "excessive dependence on China and the US".

Following the speech, Macron went to Parliament Square to a lay a wreath at the statue of Winston Churchill along with Sir Keir.

Watch: Royalty and carriage rides on day one of Macron's state visit

A royal welcome

Earlier on Tuesday, Macron and the King chatted enthusiastically as they travelled to Windsor Castle in open-top carriages, accompanied by Household Cavalry. Queen Camilla and Brigitte Macron travelled behind in a separate carriage. Mrs Macron was seen blowing kisses to the crowd as the carriages swept through Windsor. The bands struck up the Marseillaise - the national anthem of France - as they passed the castle, with the procession moving at quite a pace. There were cheers for Prince William and Catherine from crowds lining the streets. Catherine, in a nod towards French fashion, was wearing a Christian Dior jacket. It was her first public appearance since speaking last week about the challenges in recovering after chemotherapy. King Charles and Macron later carried out a ceremonial inspection of guards in red tunics and bearskins in the quadrangle of Windsor Castle, before heading inside for lunch. As part of this diplomatic schmoozing, Macron and his wife were shown a display of French-themed items from the Royal Collection. This included Queen Victoria's journal entry from August 1855, when Victoria had become the first British monarch for 400 years to have visited Paris.

During the visit, Starmer and Macron are expected to speak by phone to other allied nations looking to support any future peace deal in Ukraine. On Wednesday, Macron will see a horse that he gave to the late Queen Elizabeth II, to mark her Platinum Jubilee in 2022. The French president and his wife are also set to visit the tomb of the late Queen during their stay in Windsor.

Post Office scandal had 'disastrous' impact on victims

7 hours ago Share Save Tom Espiner and Esyllt Carr Business reporters Reporting from The Oval, London Share Save

Getty Images

The Post Office Horizon IT scandal had a "disastrous" impact on those wrongly accused and prosecuted for criminal offences, the first report from the official inquiry into the scandal has found. Sir Wyn Williams' report has revealed the scale of the suffering caused to hundreds of sub-postmasters wrongly prosecuted over shortfalls in their branch accounts, as well as others affected. Sir Wyn said at least 59 people contemplated suicide at various points, of whom 10 attempted to take their own lives, and more than 13 people may have killed themselves due to the scandal. The Post Office apologised "unreservedly" and said it would carefully consider the report.

This first volume of Sir Wyn's report, which was presented at the Oval cricket ground in London, focuses on the human impact of the scandal, as well as issues around compensation. Victims had divorced, suffered serious mental health issues and alcohol addiction as a result of their ordeals, the inquiry found. "A number of persons said they could not sleep at night without drinking first. One postmistress said she 'went to rehab for eight months as the Post Office had turned her to drink to cope with the losses,'" Sir Wyn wrote.

The report makes a series of urgent recommendations, including: free legal advice for claimants

compensation payments for close family members of those affected

a programme of restorative justice with Fujitsu, the Post Office and the government meeting individual victims directly Sir Wyn also criticised the "formidable difficulties" around the delivery of financial redress for victims, which is currently organised around three different schemes. He criticised the speed of compensation, saying that for many claimants it had not been delivered "promptly". Discussing one scheme, for those who experienced unexplained shortfalls related to Horizon but were not convicted, Sir Wyn says: "I am persuaded that in difficult and substantial claims, on too many occasions, the Post Office and its advisors have adopted an unnecessarily adversarial attitude towards making initial offers." According to the report, 10,000 eligible people are currently claiming redress, and Sir Wyn expects that number to rise by "at least hundreds" over the coming months. He called on the government to publicly define what is meant by "full and fair financial redress" and recommended changes to some of the schemes. Sir Wyn will look at how the scandal happened and who was responsible in a later report. But in this first part, he said that he was satisfied that senior employees of the Post Office were aware, or should have been aware, that an older version of the Horizon software was capable of giving false data. He said a number of Post Office and Fujitsu employees knew a later version of the software had "bugs, errors and defects" which could affect branch accounts. Sir Wyn has asked the government to respond to his findings no later than October 2025.

The government said that some members of Horizon victim's families will be eligible for compensation. Post Office minister Gareth Thomas said the scheme would be open "to close family members of existing Horizon claimants who themselves suffered personal injury – including psychological distress – because of their relative's suffering". But he added that the government would need written evidence of that injury made at the time "other than in exceptional circumstances". He said devising such a scheme "raises some very difficult issues". "Nonetheless, we want to look after those family members who suffered most," he said.

A Post Office spokesperson said: "The Inquiry has brought to life the devastating stories of those impacted by the Horizon Scandal. Their experiences represent a shameful period in our history. "Today, we apologise unreservedly for the suffering which Post Office caused to postmasters and their loved ones. We will carefully consider the report and its recommendations."

The report also gave details of some of the legal costs of the various compensation schemes so far. Newly published government figures show the total legal costs paid for the "operational delivery of Horizon redress schemes" have risen to £100m. For their work on the Horizon Shortfall Scheme up to 2 December 2024, law firm Herbert Smith Freehills were paid £67m by the Post Office.

Russian minister's death serves as warning to political elite

Investigators said they presumed the former minister had taken his own life.

By the afternoon Starovoit was dead; his body was discovered in a park on the edge of Moscow with a gunshot wound to the head. A pistol, allegedly, beside the body.

It was a dramatic start to the week in Russia.

In the tabloid Moskovsky Komsomolets this morning there was a sense of shock.

"The suicide of Roman Starovoit just hours after the president's order to sack him is an almost unique occurrence in Russian history," the paper declared.

That's because you need to go back more than thirty years, to before the fall of the Soviet Union, for an example of a government minister here killing themselves.

In August 1991, following the failure of the coup by communist hardliners, one of the coup's ring leaders - Soviet interior minister Boris Pugo - shot himself.

The Kremlin has said little about Starovoit's death.

"How shocked were you that a federal minister was found dead just hours after being fired by the president?" I asked Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov on a Kremlin conference call.

"Normal people cannot but be shocked by this," replied Peskov. "Of course, this shocked us, too.

"It's up to the investigation to provide answers to all the questions. While it's ongoing, one can only speculate. But that's more for the media and political pundits. Not for us."

The Russian press has, indeed, been full of speculation.

Today several Russian newspapers linked what happened to Roman Starovoit to events in the Kursk region that borders Ukraine. Before his appointment as transport minister in May 2024, Starovoit had been the Kursk regional governor for more than five years.

Under his leadership - and with large sums of government money - Governor Starovoit had launched the construction of defensive fortifications along the border. These were not strong enough to prevent Ukrainian troops from breaking through and seizing territory in Kursk region last year.

Since then, Starovoit's successor as governor, Alexei Smirnov, and his former deputy Alexei Dedov have been arrested and charged with large-scale fraud in relation to the construction of the fortifications.

"Mr Starovoit may well have become one of the chief defendants in this case," suggested today's edition of the business daily Kommersant.

The Russian authorities have not confirmed that.

But if it was fear of prosecution that drove a former minister to take his own life, what does that tell us about today's Russia?

"The most dramatic part of this, with all the re-Stalinisation that has been happening in Russia in recent years, is that a high-level government official [kills himself] because he has no other way of getting out of the system," says Nina Khrushcheva, professor of International Affairs at The New School in New York.

"He must have feared that he would receive tens of years in prison if he was going to be under investigation, and that his family would suffer tremendously. So, there's no way out. I Immediately thought of Sergo Ordzhonikidze, one of Stalin's ministers, who [killed himself] in 1937 because he felt there was no way out. When you start thinking of 1937 in today's environment that gives you great pause."

Roman Starovoit's death may have made headlines in the papers here. But this "almost unique occurrence in Russian history" has received minimal coverage on state TV.

Perhaps that's because the Kremlin recognises the power of television to shape public opinion. In Russia, TV is more influential than newspapers. So, when it comes to television, the authorities tend to be more careful and cautious with the messaging.

Monday's main evening news bulletin on Russia-1 included a four-minute report about Putin appointing a new acting transport minister, Andrei Nikitin.

There was no mention at all that the previous transport minister had been sacked. Or that he'd been found dead.

Only forty minutes later, towards the end of the news bulletin, did the anchorman briefly mention the death of Roman Starovoit.

The newsreader devoted all of 18 seconds to it, which means that most Russians will probably not view Monday's dramatic events as a significant development.

For the political elite, it's a different story. For ministers, governors, and other Russian officials who've sought to be a part of the political system, what happened to Starovoit will serve as a warning.

"Unlike before, when you could get these jobs, get rich, get promoted from regional level to federal level, today, that is clearly not a career path if you want to stay alive," says Nina Khrushcheva.

"There's not only no upward mobility to start with, but even downward mobility ends with death."

It's a reminder of the dangers that emanate from falling foul of the system.

Why small-time criminals burned a London warehouse for Russia's mercenary group Wagner

4 hours ago Share Save Daniel Sandford UK correspondent Share Save

Metropolitan Police Security cameras captured the fire at the warehouse

Just before midnight on 20 March last year, two small-time criminals from south London set alight a warehouse containing vital communications equipment destined for Ukraine. They did not do it for ideological reasons. Instead, they did it for cash. The pair were arsonists for hire - referred to as "road men" in court - working indirectly for the Wagner Group, the mercenary group now controlled by the Russian state. The fire-setters' connection to Wagner was through a small-time drug dealer from Leicestershire, called Dylan Earl. Five men, including Earl, have now been convicted over their involvement in the arson attack, which caused £1m of damage. Three men found guilty of arson attack for Wagner group

Earl had been in touch with pro-Russian accounts earlier in the month on the secure messaging app Telegram. With one account, which had the username Minsk KGB, he discussed whether he should go and fight for Russia in Ukraine, saying: "I need a fresh start bro. Do I need to speak Russian though? Because that's not the best. Litch [literally] know 30 words if that." But by 16 March - four days before the attack - he was being tasked by a Telegram account linked to the Wagner Group to do some work in the UK. It used the name Privet Bot - meaning "hello bot" in Russian - a notorious Telegram account that has encouraged sabotage attacks and murder in other parts of Europe. The account wrote to Earl: "We have our first task for you. The map shows there are a few buildings at this address. And there are warehouses among them. "They sponsor and provide aid to Ukrainian terrorists. Today we await from you photos and videos of the warehouse and the building and of the people owners of the warehouse."

Metropolitan Police Small-time drug dealer Dylan Earl contacted Jake Reeves via Telegram for the job

Some of the messages the group exchanged were shortened or written in non-conventional ways, something that is commonly used to prevent social media filters tracking the content. Earl contacted another man, Jake Reeves, who was a cleaner at Gatwick Airport, through a Telegram group set up to put criminals in touch with each other. At Earl's request, Reeves, from Croydon, in south London, got hold of a local acquaintance of his, Nii Mensah, who was clearly ready to carry out crimes for cash. Mensah had never met Earl, but he soon messaged him, saying: "I'm down for da causee bro. 3 ppl and car."

Metropolitan Police Nii Kojo Mensah filmed Jakeem Rose as he set the warehouse alight

On the night of 20 March, four men set out from south London in a red Kia Piccanto. Sixty-one-year-old Paul English was at the wheel. In court, he denied knowing what was going to happen on the night and was found not guilty of arson. Nineteen-year-old Ugnius Asmena sat beside him in the passenger seat, while Mensah and his friend Jakeem Rose, both 21 years old at the time, sat in the back. The four men drove north across the Thames and into Leyton, in east London, where they headed to the Cromwell Industrial Estate. They parked at the back of the warehouses.

Mensah and Rose got out, collected a jerry can from the boot, climbed over a wall and headed for units one and two. The warehouses the Wagner Group wanted to be burned were used by two businesses involved in sending parcels and equipment to Ukraine. Both are owned and part-owned by Mikhail Boikov, a British-Ukrainian businessman.

It was not a sophisticated attack. With Mensah streaming the whole event to Earl on FaceTime, Rose poured petrol along the front of the warehouses, lit a rag, and set the buildings alight. The four men fled in the Piccanto. But not before Rose accidentally left a large zombie-style knife behind at the scene with his DNA on it.

Metropolitan Police Ugnius Asmena was in the front passenger seat of the getaway car

In a lorry parked next to the warehouse, Yevhen Harasym was trying to sleep. "I heard the crackling noise of the metal rolls of the warehouse door and realised that something was happening. I opened the door and saw the fire," he said while giving evidence in court. "I grabbed the fire extinguisher from the back of the lorry. "I was able to extinguish the fire outside the door, but the flames inside the warehouse continued to burn." Eventually he had to retreat and move his lorry to safety, leaving the blaze to the fire brigade. By the time the fire was out more than £100,000 worth of goods had been destroyed including communications equipment for Starlink satellites, which have proved vital on the frontline in the war in Ukraine.

Metropolitan Police Jakeem Rose was seen pouring petrol from a jerry can as Nii Mensah filmed him

Metropolitan Police Yevhen Harasym left his bed to try and put out the fire

Earl was delighted, messaging an online contact: "Got that warehouse ting done. It was the one behind all the gates. Bro 8ft gates around whole ting." But his Wagner Group handler Privet Bot was less pleased, saying on Telegram: "You rushed into burning these warehouses without my approval. Now it will be impossible to pay for this arson. "We could have burned the warehouses much better and more if we had coordinated our actions. It was necessary to set fire in different places all around the perimeter at once and it would be bigger."

Metropolitan Police Fire damage seen from one of the units

While encouraging Earl to be more patient, Privet Bot told him to watch the TV spy series The Americans, which tells the story of KGB agents operating patiently deep undercover in the US in the 1980s. But further down the chain everyone Earl had hired was furious at not getting paid. Eventually, eager for more cash, they patched things up. Within two days Privet Bot had another job for Earl, and his men for hire. "Two places burning in the west," Earl wrote to a contact who used the handle 'Kash Money'. Recon also. Wine shop. Restaurant." "How much tho?" Kash Money asked. "£5,000. Maybe 6", Earl replied. "If they nap [kidnap] the guy 15." In a parallel discussion, he wrote to Reeves: "Correspondence London: £1,000.00 East Warehouse. £5,000.00 West Wine Shop. £5,000.00 West restaurant. Total - £11,000.00." In his Telegram chat with Earl, Reeves was still wondering why Wagner had wanted the warehouse burned down. Earl wrote: "It's a mail provider to Russia, Ukraine and Belarus from UK. Ran by a Ukrainian man who send 100+ lorries to Ukraine."

Russian 'billionaire'

The wine shop and restaurant plot targeted exiled Russian businessman Evgeny Chichvarkin. He had made hundreds of millions of pounds by creating Russia's largest mobile phone retailer, Evroset. But he had fallen out with the hard men in the Russian government and was forced to sell his business in 2008. He now runs an award-winning wine shop in London's Mayfair, called Hedonism Wines, as well as a Michelin-starred restaurant, called Hide. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine he had personally driven several lorries of medical aid to Ukraine. Reeves wrote on Telegram that the Wagner contact wanted Mr Chichvarkin kidnapped "to get him sent back to Russia for imprisonment".

Evgeny Chichvarkin was never attacked but his shop was scouted out for a plot

Earl persuaded a man - who was not charged with any offence - to conduct some reconnaissance of the wine shop. The shop and restaurant were never actually attacked, as counter terrorism police disrupted the plot, nor was Mr Chichvarkin kidnapped. Speaking to the BBC, Mr Chichvarkin said even after the failed plot he has tried not to think about the threat he faces.

Partisan cells

The Wagner Group's strategy seems to have been to sow wider chaos in the UK, as well as targeting people who were helping Ukraine. At one point Privet Bot asked Earl: "Do you have any friends among hooligans or acquaintances in the IRA? "We need people that you have across Europe and the UK. We need those who are our kindred spirit. "You need to organise partisan cells in the country and in Europe. And think of a name for your movement. We'll give you support."

As the plan developed, Earl started to drag other people into the proposed kidnap and attack on the Mayfair wine shop, including his drug-dealing contacts. Ashton "Ace" Evans was a small-time dealer operating out of Pontywaun near Newport, in South Wales, and was one of the people Earl approached. "It has to be clean bro. Full masks, not ballies [balaclavas]. I can provide if needed. Gloves. No number plates," Earl wrote. "It's 10-15 minutes from Buckingham Palace." "Yhhhh that's gonna bring a lot of attention", Evans wrote back. "MI5 etc." "This owner is a billionaire from Russia," Earl explained. "Does it need to be explo** [explosives] can it be just a fire?" Evans asked. Earl replied: "Fire is possible, But if it doesn't fully burn they will not pay me more than 25%." Evans was found guilty of failing to tell the police about the Mayfair plot.

Metropolitan Police Ashton Evans was a small-time drug dealer from South Wales

By 9 April, relations between Earl and his Wagner Group contact had shown signs of cooling. Earl was worried and sent Privet Bot a stream of messages. "I know I can be the best spy you have ever seen but we need more communication and faster work with contracts," he wrote. "I am a very good leader, coordinator and organiser," he boasted. "I am offering you… spy operations in my country against individuals, business, government, even in Europe." Eventually Privet Bot wrote back urging him to be patient. "You remind me of myself at your age and there are things you should learn. You are our dagger in Europe and we will be sharpening you carefully so that you will become sharper." On 10 April, Earl was arrested by counter-terrorism detectives in the car park of a branch of B&Q, in Hinckley.

Verdicts

Jota's car was probably speeding before fatal crash, Spanish police say

9 hours ago Share Save Paul Kirby Europe digital editor Share Save

Getty Images

All the evidence so far suggests Portuguese footballer Diogo Jota was driving when his car crashed on a Spanish motorway, and he was probably speeding, say police. The 28-year-old Liverpool player was killed with his brother André Silva, 25, when their Lamborghini car had a suspected tyre blowout in northwestern Zamora province early last Thursday. Spain's Guardia Civil police force said at the time the car had apparently been overtaking on the A52 motorway near Palacios de Sanabria when it left the road and burst into flames. "Everything also points to a possible excessive speed beyond the speed limit of the road [highway]," said Zamora's local traffic police.

EPA/Shutterstock Tyre marks were analysed some distance from where the Lamborghini's tyre blew out

More than 100 injured as wildfire rages near Marseille

45 minutes ago Share Save Share Save

Watch: Planes douse flames as wildfire rages near Marseille

Some 110 people have been injured in a fast-moving wildfire that has reached the outer edge of Marseille, France's second largest city. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said about 800 firefighters were at the scene and efforts to tackle the blaze would continue "all night", as the fire was not yet contained. The city's mayor, Benoît Payan, said earlier that the "marine firefighter battalion is waging guerrilla warfare, hoses in hand," referring to Marseille's fire and rescue service. At least 400 people have been evacuated from their homes, according to French media. Nine firefighters are said to have been injured.

Residents had been warned to stay indoors and urged not to evacuate unless they were instructed to, so the roads would be clear for emergency vehicles. At its peak, the fire spread at a rate of 1.2km (0.7 miles) per minute, the mayor said, according to French broadcaster BFMTV. He blamed a combination of wind gusts, dense vegetation, and steep slopes. French President Emmanuel Macron, who was on a state visit to the UK, expressed support for fire crews and called for residents to follow safety instructions. "Our thoughts are with the injured and all residents," he wrote on X. Interior minister Retailleau arrived in Marseille on Tuesday evening, where he met local officials. Marseille Provence airport said it would partially reopen from 21:30 local time (19:30 GMT) after being closed for many hours from about midday on Tuesday. Julien Coffinier, the airport's president, said he had "never experienced a situation of this magnitude".

Getty Images Huge plumes of smoke rose above France's second biggest city

The fire, which broke out earlier on Tuesday near Pennes-Mirabeau, north of Marseille, is said to have covered about 700 hectares (7 sq km). Local authorities said the blaze was sparked by a car that caught fire on the motorway. "It's very striking - apocalyptic even," Monique Baillard, a resident of the town, told Reuters news agency. She said many of her neighbours had already left. Footage showed huge plumes of smoke above Marseille as fire raged in a hilly area to its north. The Bouches-du-Rhône area has not recorded a single drop of rain since 19 May, according to BFMTV.

Getty Images A police officer tries to put out a fire in a car near Marseille

France and UK to stop small boats together - Macron

5 hours ago Share Save Sam Francis Political reporter Henry Zeffman Chief political correspondent Share Save

PA Media

French President Emmanuel Macron has said the UK and France "will deliver" on stopping small boat crossings, ahead of negotiations with Sir Keir Starmer this week. Downing Street is hoping to finalise a deal on border enforcement during Macron's three-day state visit, the first by a French president since 2008. The talks are expected to focus on new powers for French police to intercept boats in shallow waters and a "one in, one out" migrant returns deal. Speaking in the UK Parliament ahead of the talks, Macron said the two countries were "stepping up" their joint efforts but warned EU support was essential to ensuring "a lasting and effective solution".

Adressing both Houses of Parliament, Macron said: "In this unstable world, hope for a better life elsewhere is legitimate. "But we cannot allow our countries' rules for taking in people to be flouted and criminal networks to cynically exploit the hopes of so many individuals with so little respect for human life. "France and the UK have a shared responsibility to address irregular migration with humanity, solidarity and fairness." Decisions at this week's UK-France summit will "respond to our aims for co-operation and tangible results on these major issues," he said. But her warned "we will only arrive at a lasting and effective solution with action at the European level".

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is pressing to make a "one in, one out" deal the centrepiece of a new agreement with France. The arrangement would allow Britain to return migrants who arrive by small boat to France in exchange for accepting asylum seekers with a family connection in the UK. The purpose would be to demonstrate to those considering the perilous crossing that they could plausibly end up straight back in France, in the hope that this would deter them. But any such exchanges would have to happen in large enough numbers to become an effective deterrent. Getting a deal of this sort would be a big breakthrough as it would be the first clear sign of French willingness to take back migrants who have crossed the Channel. But the optimism on the UK side of a deal being agreed this week is heavily qualified. Downing Street is in separate talks with the European Commission to overcome opposition to the deal from a group of five Mediterranean countries who have complained they may be forced to accept people deported from the UK. Sir Keir has also been pushing for France to revise its rules to allow police to intervene when boats are in shallow water, rather than requiring them still to be on land. On Tuesday, a Downing Street spokesperson said the government expects new powers allowing French police to act before boats reach open water to be "operationalised soon". But the spokesperson said months of negotiations between Sir Keir and Macron were "bearing fruit". Last week the BBC witnessed French officers use a knife to puncture an inflatable boat after it had launched in an apparent change of tactics. Asked about the tactics, a Downing Street spokesman said: "The French are now looking to bring in important new tactics to stop boats that are in the water, and we're expecting that to be operationalised soon. "We are the first government to have secured agreement from the French to review their maritime tactics so their border enforcement teams can intervene in shallow waters. "This is operationally and legally complex, but we're working closely with the French."

The Lib Dems have endorsed the talks, arguing "cross-border cooperation will be key to stopping these dangerous Channel crossing". Party spokesperson Lisa Smart said: "To fully tackle the scale of the problem, we need to see far more ambition - including by negotiating a stronger leadership role of the UK in Europol."

Since coming to power in July last year, Labour has announced a series of measures to tackle people-smuggling, including a new criminal offence of endangering the lives of others at sea. Legislation going through Parliament sets out plans to use counter-terror powers against people smugglers - with suspects facing travel bans, social-media blackouts and phone restrictions. But the latest figures show 2025 has already set a new record for small boat arrivals in the first six months of the year, since the data was first collected in 2018. Between January and June nearly 20,000 people arrived in the UK by crossing the English Channel in small boats - up 48% compared to the same period over 2024. The UK has repeatedly pushed France to tighten patrols along its northern coast. Since 2018 the UK has pledged more than £700m to France to boost coastal patrols and buy surveillance gear. The majority of this came from a 2023 deal struck under the previous Conservative government to give France almost £500m over three years to go towards extra officers to help stop migrants crossing the Channel in small boats. Asked whether the UK, as the Conservatives have suggested, should demand a refund, a Downing Street spokesperson said "under this government, we've secured a significant ramping up of the operational capabilities from French law enforcement".

Bayeux Tapestry to return to UK on loan after 900 years

8 hours ago Share Save Katie Razzall • @katierazz Culture and Media Editor Share Save

Bayeux Museum It will be the first time that the tapestry has been shown in the UK since it was made, almost 1000 years ago

The Bayeux Tapestry is returning to the UK more than 900 years after its creation, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has confirmed. The 70m-long masterpiece, which tells the story of the Norman conquest of England in 1066, will be loaned in a historic agreement to be signed between the French and British governments. The huge embroidery - which is widely believed to have been created in Kent - will go on display at the British Museum in London next year. In exchange, treasures including artefacts from the Anglo-Saxon burial mounds at Sutton Hoo and the 12th Century Lewis chess pieces will travel to museums in Normandy.

The Bayeux Tapestry will be displayed from next Autumn until July 2027, while its current home, the Bayeux Museum, is being renovated. 2027 is also the 1000th anniversary of the birth of William the Conqueror. George Osborne, the British Museum's chair of trustees, told the BBC the exhibition "will be the blockbuster show of our generation" - like Tutankhamun and the Terracotta Warriors in the past. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron are expected to make the official announcement of the deal on Tuesday evening at Windsor Castle. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy called the loan "a symbol of our shared history with our friends in France, a relationship built over centuries and one that continues to endure".

The Trustees of the British Museum An ornate iron helmet is among the Sutton Hoo artefacts that will be loaned by the British Museum to museums in Normandy

The Trustees of the British Museum The agreement will see the British Museum lend Lewis chess pieces to museums in Normandy

A loan was first suggested in 2018 between President Macron and then-Prime Minister Theresa May. It's taken until 2025 for it to become a reality. The Bayeux Tapestry, which dates back to the 11th Century, charts a more contested time in Anglo-French relations, as Anglo Saxon dominance was replaced by Norman rule.

Bayeux Museum The 70m-long Bayeux Tapestry depicts the 1066 Norman invasion and Battle of Hastings

Although the final part of the embroidery is missing, it ends with the Anglo Saxons fleeing at the end of the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Its 58 scenes, 626 characters and 202 horses give an account of the medieval period in Normandy and England like no other, offering up not just information about military traditions but also the precious details of everyday life. The work has inspired many through the centuries, including artist David Hockney whose Frieze depicting the cycle of the seasons in Normandy was influenced by the Bayeux Tapestry.

David Hockney/Getty Images A Year in Normandy by David Hockney, pictured in 2021, was inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry

The British Museum's director, Nicholas Cullinan, said: "This is exactly the kind of international partnership that I want us to champion and take part in: sharing the best of our collection as widely as possible - and in return displaying global treasures never seen here before." Eagle-eyed watchers of the British Museum may view this latest announcement as offering a template for the ongoing discussions with the Greek government about the future of the Parthenon Sculptures. The Parthenon Project, a group which lobbies for the return of the classical marble sculptures to Greece, have suggested what they term a "win-win" solution, with never before seen items from Greece brought to the British Museum in exchange for the Parthenon works.

Jeff Overs/BBC The contested Parthenon Sculptures are currently on display in the British Museum

Former PM Rishi Sunak takes job at Goldman Sachs

Sunak previously worked at the bank as an analyst in the early 2000s before he entered politics.

He remains the Conservative MP for Richmond and Northallerton in Yorkshire.

Sunak, who resigned as PM in July 2024, will work part-time advising the bank's clients with his "unique perspectives and insights" on global politics and the economy, the company said.

Goldman Sachs' chairman and chief executive David Solomon said he was "excited to welcome Rishi back" to the firm.

Alongside advising clients, Sunak will also "spend time with our people around the world, contributing to our culture of ongoing learning and development", Solomon said.

Sunak's salary will be donated to The Richmond Project, a charity he founded earlier this year alongside his wife Akshata Murty to try and improve numeracy across the UK.

The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba), which must sign off jobs taken by former ministers for two years after they leave office, said Sunak's new role presented a number of risks that Goldman Sachs could benefit from unfair access to information due to his time as prime minister.

He will not be allowed to advise other governments or their sovereign wealth funds for the bank, or advise clients that he had direct dealings with while he was prime minister.

He also cannot lobby the UK government on behalf of the bank.

Acoba noted that Sunak previously spent 14 years working in the financial services sector before he became an MP, including at Goldman Sachs.

He first joined the bank as an intern in 2000, before working as an analyst from 2001 to 2004.

He later co-founded an international investment firm.

First elected as an MP in 2015, Sunak served as Boris Johnson's chancellor during the Covid pandemic.

He became a household name when announcing schemes such as furlough at pandemic-era press conferences.

His resignation as chancellor in July 2022 sparked the downfall of Johnson's government.

Following Liz Truss' brief spell in Number 10, Sunak became prime minister in October 2022. He held the role until July 2024, when he led the Conservatives to their biggest electoral defeat in history.

The job at Goldman Sachs is the latest role Sunak has taken since stepping down as prime minister.

In January he joined the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford, as well as the Hoover Institution at Stanford University in the US. He is not paid for either of these roles.

He has however been paid more than £500,000 since April for giving three speaking engagements.

Former prime ministers often join speakers agencies to give talks to major companies or at dinner events.

Exhausted, angry, heartbroken: Postmasters react as horror of scandal laid bare

7 hours ago Share Save Esyllt Carr, Emily Atkinson & Tom Espiner BBC News Reporting from The Oval, London Share Save

Post Office scandal victims demand accountability

Victims of the Post Office scandal have been waiting years for justice. More than 900 sub-postmasters were prosecuted after the faulty Horizon computer system made it look like money was missing from their branch accounts. Sir Wyn Williams has now published the first part of his report from the official inquiry into the scandal, focusing on the human impact as well as compensation. Several former sub-postmasters travelled to the Oval cricket ground in London to see Sir Wyn deliver volume one of his report in person. We spoke to some of those who were there, to hear about what impact the scandal had on their lives and to get their reactions to Sir Wyn's findings.

'I was 19. My life was over before it began'

Tracy Felstead was just 19 when she was sentenced to six months in prison in 2002. She was wrongly accused of stealing £11,503 while working at Camberwell Green Post Office in London. She had her conviction quashed at the Court of Appeal in 2021. "Emotional" is how she says she felt on reading Sir Wyn's report, in which her personal story featured. "It doesn't matter how much therapy I go through, how much compensation you give me - I'll never get that back," she says. "This was my first job and obviously, my life was over before it began." Even now, certain things "trigger the memory" of what she went through and "that trauma comes flooding back". Tracy, from Telford, Shropshire, is still waiting for full and final compensation. "My claim is in, but they come back with 101 questions that you have to try and answer," she says. She hopes Sir Wyn's recommendations will be implemented, but more than anything wants to move on with her life. "For me, to get up in the morning and not think about this would be the best thing ever.

'I feel heartbroken, angry, and happy'

Seema Misra's story is one of the most well-known of the scandal. She was jailed in 2010 while pregnant after being accused of stealing £74,000 from her Post Office branch. She was sent to prison on the day of her eldest son's 10th birthday. "I've got mixed emotions," she says, reflecting on the publication of the report. "I feel heartbroken, angry - and happy, too, that it's finally here." There are several recommendations in the report on financial redress, which it described as having been "bedevilled with unjustifiable delays". Seema says she's hopeful that compensation payouts will speed up as a result. "When we started the fight... we didn't think it would take this long, at all. Hopefully now the government will listen and implement sooner rather than later," she says. The Post Office issued an unreserved apology for "a shameful period in our history", but that doesn't mean much to Seema. "I don't accept their apologies at all. Go behind bars and then I'll think."

'We are getting tired. It's exhausting'

Kathy McAlerney was a sub-postmistress in a small branch in the village of Leitrim, in Northern Ireland. Like others, unexplained shortfalls began appearing in her Horizon account. Following an audit by the Post Office in 2007, she was suspended "on the spot" and pursued for years to pay back the money back, which, under the terms of her contract, she was liable to cover. A year later, her contract was terminated. She was eight months pregnant with her fourth daughter at the time. Her daughter is now 18 years old - and Kathy is still awaiting compensation. Kathy came with her husband Patrick to see Sir Wyn deliver his report, which she really hopes will make a difference. "We have been waiting so long. We've been waiting decades now. And we really just want to get to the point where we can put this behind us and move on with our lives. "We are getting tired, you know. It's exhausting."

Report shows 'horror they unleashed on us'

Post Office campaigner and former sub-postmistress Jo Hamilton says the government is now under pressure "to get a grip on redress" because Sir Wyn Williams is "on it". "They are under the cosh," she says. When it comes to compensation, she says it is "just mad" that the government is "spending millions on lawyers to pull the claims apart" that they have paid for to be brought. She says Tuesday's report is huge because it lays bare "the full scale of the horror that they unleashed on us". The investigations into who is culpable for that suffering will be "interesting", she adds.

'Stress has shortened my life considerably'

A former sub-postmistress has said she could have been among the people who took their own lives because of the Post Office scandal.

It comes after a report from the official inquiry found the scandal - in which postmasters were wrongly prosecuted for stealing money and false accounting based on incorrect data - may have led to 13 suicides.

Seema Misra told the BBC that it was "really painful" that some of those affected were not alive to see the inquiry findings.

More on this story.

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigette met the Prince and Princess of Wales, the King and Queen and dignitaries on the first day of his state visit.

Macron visited Windsor Castle and gave a speech to politicians in the Houses of Parliament before a banquet with senior Royals.

More on this story.

Lorde: Obsessing about my weight stopped my creativity

Lorde debuted her new album Virgin with a surprise set at Glastonbury the day it was released

With her new album going straight to number one in the UK, it's difficult to imagine that just two years ago Lorde was thinking about never making music again.

"At the beginning of 2023 I was not in a great way on a lot of levels," the singer says.

"I'd never felt more disconnected from my creativity."

Speaking to Radio 1's Jack Saunders, Lorde, real name Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor, says an eating disorder took over her life.

"All I was thinking about was trying to weigh as little as possible," she says.

"Going to sleep thinking about food, waking up thinking about food and exercise - that was my creative pursuit."

But after a period of recovery, she says, her creativity came flooding back.

Virgin, which the New Zealander released on 27 June, is Lorde's fourth album and her most personal to date.

"It was hard, it was scary," she says about writing it. "Some songs aren't easy."

"I made a lot of changes and really put my artistry front and centre and made that my full-time job and I got a lot of stuff out of the way."

UK's pension triple lock to cost three times more

3 hours ago Share Save Kevin Peachey Cost of living correspondent, BBC News Share Save

Getty Images

The cost of the state pension triple lock is forecast to be three times higher by the end of the decade than its original estimate, according to the government's official forecaster. The triple lock, which came into force in 2011, means that the state pension rises each year in line with either inflation, wage increases or 2.5% - whichever is the highest. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) said the annual cost of the triple lock policy is estimated to reach £15.5bn by 2030. In response to the report, the government said it was "committed" to the current policy.

"We are committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement," a Treasury spokesperson said. Overall, the OBR said the UK's public finances were in a "relatively vulnerable position" owing to pressure from recent government U-turns on planned spending cuts. The recent reversal of welfare bill reforms, on top of restoring winter fuel payments for most claimants, have contributed to a continued rise in government debt, according to the report. It said: "Efforts to put the UK's public finances on a more sustainable footing have met with only limited and temporary success in recent years in the aftermath of the shocks, debt has also continued to rise and borrowing remained elevated because governments have reversed plans to consolidate the public finances. "Planned tax rises have been reversed, and, more significantly, planned spending reductions have been abandoned." On Tuesday, the cost of government borrowing over a period of 10-years was 1.2% higher than Monday's close, following the OBR's report. It had been steadily rising in recent days after surging in response to a tearful appearance by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in parliament, which sparked speculation over her future, and the government's climb down on welfare reform. A Downing Street spokesperson, asked whether the government was not listening to "alarm bells" expressed by the OBR, replied "no, I don't accept that". "What we recognise is that the public finances need to be brought back under control," he said. "We've had a decade of the UK being exposed to global risks more and more and to interest rate fluctuations, and that is why we have non-negotiable fiscal rules, and that is our focus."

'Unsustainable'

The OBR said the cost of the state pension has risen steadily over the past eight decades, from around 2% of the UK economy to a current 5%, equating to £138bn. It is forecast to increase to 7.7% of the economy by the early 2070s. Spending on the state pension has steadily risen, the OBR said, because the triple lock and a growing number of people above the state pension age. It added: "Due to inflation and earnings volatility over its first two decades in operation, the triple lock has cost around three times more than initial expectations." Richard Hughes, chair of the OBR, said the triple lock "is one of a series of age-related pressures that pushes public spending upwards steadily over a number of years". "When you project trends in both pension spending and health and other age-related spending forward, the UK public finances are in an unsustainable position in the long-run," he said. "The UK cannot afford the array of promises that are displayed to the public if you leave those unchanged based on a reasonable assumption about growth rates in the economy and in tax revenues."

Pensioner protection

The UK's state pension is the second-largest item in the government budget after health. In 2011, the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition brought in the triple lock to ensure the value of the state pension was not overtaken by the increase in the cost of living or the incomes of working people. Since then, the non-earnings-linked element of the lock has been triggered "in eight of the 13 years to date", the OBR pointed out. That was because inflation "has turned out to be significantly more volatile" than expected. In April 2025, the earnings link meant the state pension increased by 4.1%, making it worth: £230.25 a week for the full, new flat-rate state pension (for those who reached state pension age after April 2016) - a rise of £472 a year

£176.45 a week for the full, old basic state pension (for those who reached state pension age before April 2016) - a rise of £363 a year Chancellor Rachel Reeves has said the Labour government will keep the triple lock until the end of the current Parliament.

Ex-Bangladesh leader authorised deadly crackdown, leaked audio suggests

1 hour ago Share Save Christopher Giles, Riddhi Jha, Rafid Hossain and Tarekuzzaman Shimul BBC Eye Investigations and BBC Bangla Share Save

AFP

A deadly crackdown on student-led protests in Bangladesh last year was authorised by then prime minister Sheikh Hasina, according to audio of one of her phone calls verified by BBC Eye. In the audio, which was leaked online in March, Hasina says she authorised her security forces to "use lethal weapons" against protesters and that "wherever they find [them], they will shoot". Prosecutors in Bangladesh plan to use the recording as crucial evidence against Hasina, who is being tried in absentia at a special tribunal for crimes against humanity. Up to 1,400 people died in last summer's unrest, according to UN investigators. Hasina, who fled to India, and her party reject all charges against her.

A spokesperson for her Awami League party denied the tape showed any "unlawful intention" of "disproportionate response".

Listen: Sheikh Hasina's leaked phone call recording

The leaked audio of Hasina's conversation with an unidentified senior government official is the most significant evidence yet that she gave direct authorisation to shoot anti-government protesters, tens of thousands of whom had taken to the streets by last summer. The protests began against civil service job quotas for relatives of those who fought in the 1971 war of independence and escalated into a mass movement that ousted Hasina, who had been in power for 15 years. It is the worst violence Bangladesh had seen since the 1971 war. Some of the bloodiest scenes occurred on 5 August, the day Hasina fled by helicopter before crowds stormed her residence in Dhaka. The BBC World Service investigation established previously unreported details about a police massacre of protesters in the capital - including a much higher death toll.

A protester holding a stick faces police lines in Dhaka in July 2024

Hasina was at her residence in Dhaka, known as the Ganabhaban, for the duration of the call which took place on 18 July, a source with knowledge of the leaked audio told the BBC. It was a crucial moment in the demonstrations. Security officials were responding to public outrage at police killings of protesters captured on video and shared across social media. In the days following the call, military-grade rifles were deployed and used across Dhaka, according to police documents seen by the BBC. The recording the BBC examined is one of numerous calls involving Sheikh Hasina that were made by the National Telecommunications Monitoring Centre (NTMC), a Bangladeshi government body responsible for monitoring communications. The audio of the call was leaked in early March this year - it's unclear by whom. Since the protests, numerous clips of Hasina's calls have appeared online, many of them unverified. The leaked 18 July recording was voice matched by the Criminal Investigation Department in the Bangladesh Police with known audio of Sheikh Hasina's voice. The BBC conducted its own independent verification by sharing the recording with audio forensics experts Earshot, who found no evidence the speech had been edited or manipulated and said it was highly unlikely to have been synthetically generated. Earshot said the leaked recording was likely to have been taken in a room with the phone call played back on a speaker, due to the presence of distinctive telephonic frequencies and background sounds. Earshot identified Electric Network Frequency (ENF) throughout the recording, a frequency that's often present in audio recordings due to interference between a recording device and mains-powered equipment, an indicator that the audio has not been manipulated. Earshot also analysed Sheikh Hasina's speech – the rhythm, intonation and breath sounds - and identified consistent noise floor levels, finding no evidence of synthetic artefacts in the audio. "The recordings are critical for establishing her role, they are clear and have been properly authenticated, and are supported by other evidence," British international human rights barrister Toby Cadman told the BBC. He is advising Bangladesh's International Criminal Tribunal (ICT), the court hearing cases against Hasina and others. An Awami League spokesperson said: "We cannot confirm whether the tape recording referenced by the BBC is authentic."

Alongside Sheikh Hasina, former government and police officials have been implicated in the killings of protesters. A total of 203 individuals have been indicted by the ICT, of whom 73 are in custody. BBC Eye analysed and verified hundreds of videos, images and documents detailing police attacks against demonstrators across 36 days. The investigation found that in one incident on 5 August in Jatrabari, a busy Dhaka neighbourhood, at least 52 people were killed by police, making it one of the worst incidents of police violence in Bangladesh's history. Initial reports at the time suggested 30 dead in Jatrabari on that day.

Outside the UK, watch on YouTube

The BBC investigation uncovered new details about how the massacre started and ended. Gathering eyewitness footage, CCTV and drone imagery, BBC Eye established that police opened fire indiscriminately on protesters immediately after army personnel, who were separating the police from the protesters, vacated the area. For more than 30 minutes the police shot at fleeing protesters as they tried to escape down alleyways and on the highway, before the police officers sought shelter in a nearby army camp. At least six police officers were also killed as protesters retaliated hours later, setting fire to the Jatrabari police station. A spokesperson for the Bangladesh Police told the BBC that 60 police officers had been arrested for their role in the violence in July and August last year. "There were regrettable incidents in which certain members of the then police force engaged in excessive use of force," said the spokesperson. "Bangladesh Police has launched thorough and impartial investigations."

AFP People gather to see burnt Jatrabari police station after anti-government protesters set fire to it last August

Jury-free trials recommended to save courts from 'collapse'

22 minutes ago Share Save Sima Kotecha Society correspondent Paul Glynn BBC News Share Save

Getty Images Sir Brian Leveson, pictured wearing a periwig in his former role as Lord Justice Leveson in 2013, says the current "situation is simply unacceptable"

Thousands of cases that would normally be heard in front of a jury should be decided by judges alone, according to recommendations made by a former senior judge. Sir Brian Leveson was asked by the Lord Chancellor to come up with a series of proposals to reduce the backlog of cases in the criminal courts. There are almost 77,000 cases waiting for trial in the Crown Court in England and Wales - meaning some defendants and victims are waiting years for justice. After reviewing the state of the criminal courts, Sir Brian suggested "fundamental" reforms to "reduce the risk of total system collapse." But some barristers argue juries are essential for fair justice - and scrapping them is wrong.

To fix what he calls a broken system, Sir Brian has suggested having judge-only trials for certain cases such as fraud and bribery. Another recommendation involves having more out of court resolutions like cautions. He wants a new division of the Crown Court with two magistrates and a judge to handle less serious offences, and to increase the number of sentence reductions for guilty pleas at the first opportunity offered. This is all about shortening the process in the hope of cutting the big backlog. "Our criminal justice system stands at a critical juncture," said Sir Brian who was requested to look into the matter in December last year. "It is well recognised that justice delayed is justice denied but the record and rising court backlog means victims, witnesses and defendants are waiting months, sometimes years, for cases to come to trial - unable to move on with their lives," he added. Sir Brian noted the proposed changes are designed "to transform our courts into a system that provides appropriate and fair decision-making." He continued: "It also takes a proportionate approach to trial processes while maintaining the fundamental right to a fair trial. "These are not small tweaks but fundamental changes that will seek to make the system fit for the 21st century."

The proposals would mean more cases will be heard in the magistrates' courts, with jury trials reserved for the most serious cases. Either way, offences with a maximum custodial sentence of two years or less, such as possession of drugs, bike theft and voyeurism, could face lower penalties of 12 months imprisonment or less. Defendants in cases for offences including assault of an emergency worker, stalking and possessing an indecent photograph of a child would also no longer be able to choose a jury trial.

'Radical change'

Not all lawyers agree with the suggested changes, however. And in response, Mary Prior KC, chair of the Criminal Bar Association, said: "Any fundamental change is going to require the criminal barristers who prosecute and defend in the Crown Court to believe that this is the best way forward. "As this is such a radical change to the criminal justice system we will be listening to what our members say. There is a lot to digest." Manisha Knights, Solicitor Advocate with MK Law, said: "Our jury system is central and pivotal to our justice system. "With juries comes diversity whereas the judiciary still very much lacks it. The right to be tried by one's peers should not be removed or be diluted in any way, shape or form." But the Magistrates' Association welcomed the review, saying it will speed up justice for thousands. "Magistrates are ready and willing to support these and other initiatives aimed at reducing the pressure on Crown Courts," said Mark Beattie, national chair of the Magistrates' Association. "We urge the government to implement Leveson's recommendations as soon as possible. Every day that they aren't in place, is a day when victims, witnesses and defendants have to wait for justice." Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: "As Sir Brian rightly identifies, criminal justice in this country runs the risk of "total system collapse" unless we take the radical steps needed to reverse years of decline. "It cannot be right that in London more than 100 trials listed are for 2029. This is intolerable for victims and all parties who rely on a properly functioning court system to provide closure from what are often traumatic experiences, made worse by persistent delays." He added: "I welcome this report and look forward to working with partners across government to deliver the bold reforms that are now a necessity, not an option."

Among the recommendations are: A reclassification of certain offences

The creation of a new division of the Crown Court with two magistrates and a judge to handle "less serious offences", which would include some theft, burglary, and fraud offences

Greater use of out of court resolutions - which would allow the police to deal quickly with lower level, often first time offending - including increased use of cautions and conditional cautions

Removal of the right to elect trial in cases where the maximum sentence is two years' imprisonment with reclassification of some offences to "summary only" (meaning they will only be heard in a magistrates' court)

The threshold for criminal damage being dealt with as a summary only offence to be increased from £5,000 to £10,000.

Maximum sentence reduction increased to 40% for guilty pleas at first opportunity, encouraging quicker case resolution

Judge-alone trials introduced either by election on the part of the defendant or for the most complex cases

Ministers ditch pet insurance rules for renters

7 hours ago Share Save Paul Seddon Political reporter Share Save

Getty Images

The government has shelved plans to allow landlords in England to require their tenants to take out special insurance if they own pets. The measure was proposed alongside stronger legal rights for tenants to keep animals in the Renters' Rights Bill announced last autumn. But Labour ministers have now ditched the idea, arguing that appropriate insurance products may not become widely available quickly enough. The change was confirmed on Monday night, with the government amending its own legislation in the House of Lords. It prompted Tory peers to back a plan to make tenants pay an extra 'pet deposit' instead - setting up a fresh battle for when the bill returns to the Commons.

Peers voted narrowly to approve an additional amendment that would allow landlords to charge up to three weeks' rent as a returnable deposit, to cover potential damage caused by pets during a tenancy. The move passed by 206 votes to 198, after the Conservatives teamed up with a group of crossbench peers to defeat the government and the Liberal Democrats, who voted against the proposal. Tory shadow housing minister Baroness Scott of Bybrook said the "additional risks" posed by pets exceeded traditional deposits paid by tenants, which have been capped at five weeks' rent since 2019. She added it would give landlords an "essential route to recoup costs" now that the insurance requirement has been ditched. However, the three-week pet deposit idea is almost certain to be overturned when MPs vote on the Lords' changes in the coming weeks, given the Labour government's huge majority in the House of Commons.

'Impractical conditions'

The original version of the bill would have granted landlords new powers to require private tenants to take out pet damage insurance, or recoup "reasonable costs" from the tenant for obtaining such insurance themselves. It was meant to sit alongside strengthened rights for renters, under which landlords will need a reasonable justification to deny prospective tenants the right to live with their pets. When the draft law was introduced, Housing Secretary Angela Rayner told MPs the insurance requirement would ensure "landlords are protected" as renters' rights were expanded. But speaking on Monday, Housing Minister Baroness Taylor of Stevenage said it was now being dropped after feedback from insurers. "Although our view was that a new market will develop for insurance products, following further engagement with the sector we now accept that this may not happen at the scale necessary," she told peers. "We do not want to leave tenants in a position where they are unable to comply with impractical conditions that a landlord may place on the tenant as part of their pet consent". She said that, following evidence given during scrutiny on the bill, ministers now believed traditional deposits were enough to sufficiently protect landlords. But ministers would consider introducing bigger deposit fees if costs from pet damage "frequently" exceeded deposit amounts, she added.

'Shoddy and outrageous'

The decision to drop the insurance requirement has been made as the bill nears the end of its passage through Parliament, in its final stage in the House of Lords. The NRLA, which represents landlords, has called the move a "shoddy and outrageous way to make law" that will force their members to "shoulder even greater risks" when letting out property. But the change has been backed by the Renters' Reform Coalition, a campaign group, which has argued the requirement for additional insurance is unnecessary. The group told the BBC it also opposed the idea of a three-week pet deposit, arguing it "could rule out pet ownership for many renters". "Three in four landlords don't experience pet damage at all, and when it happens the average cost is much lower than three weeks' worth of rent," added spokesman Paul Shanks.

Two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz produced a Wimbledon masterclass to end British hope Cameron Norrie's run and move into the semi-finals once again.

Second seed Alcaraz underlined why he is the tournament favourite with a scintillating 6-2 6-3 6-3 win.

The Spaniard will face Taylor Fritz - the American fifth seed bidding for a first major title - in the last four.

Fritz secured his place in the Wimbledon semi-finals for the first time with a 6-3 6-4 1-6 7-6 (7-4) victory over Russia's Karen Khachanov.

Alcaraz is seeded behind Italian rival Jannik Sinner because of their respective world rankings, but his superior record on grass courts - and current hot streak - makes him the man to beat.

Victory over Norrie marked a 23rd win in a row for Alcaraz, who is bidding to become the fifth man to win three successive Wimbledon titles in the Open era.

"I'm really happy. To play another Wimbledon semi-final is super special," said Alcaraz, who secured victory in one hour and 39 minutes.

"My confidence is really high, I'm feeling great. It was my best match so far in the tournament."

Hackers tried to 'destroy' M&S, chair tells MPs

9 hours ago Share Save Mitchell Labiak Business reporter, BBC News Share Save

Getty Images

Marks & Spencer's chair has said it felt like the hackers behind April's cyber attack were "trying to destroy" the business. The retailer halted online orders and customers were faced with empty shelves in shops following the attack, which M&S has said will continue to affect customers until the end of this month. The department store's chair Archie Norman told MPs the company believed hacker group DragonForce was responsible, something the BBC confirmed last month. He said the group's motives were "partly, undoubtedly, ransom or extortion" and an email seen by the BBC confirms DragonForce wanted payment.

"It's very rare to have a criminal actor from another - or in this country, we're never quite sure - seeking to stop customers shopping at M&S, essentially trying to destroy your business," Mr Norman said. "It's like an out of body experience," he added. M&S has repeatedly declined to comment on whether or not it paid a ransom, which would likely be in the millions, with Mr Norman telling MPs on the Business Select Committee that the firm would not "discuss the nature of the interaction with the threat actor". The MPs also heard from retailer Co-op, which also suffered a cyber attack in April. Its general secretary Dominic Kendal-Ward said: "We did not pay a ransom. We did not contemplate or at any point discuss paying a ransom." M&S's Mr Norman described the experience as "traumatic" and said "for a week probably, the cyber team had no sleep - three hours a night". He added that though customers will see the business running as normal by the end of July "background systems - that hopefully customers don't see - we will still be working on October or November." M&S has predicted the attack will hit this year's profits by around £300m, though Mr Norman said the firm hoped to recover some this cost from insurance payouts. Asked about regulation, Mr Norman said he felt large companies should be required to report "material" cyber attacks. "We have reason to believe that there have been two major cyber attacks on large British companies in the last four months that have gone unreported," he said, though he did not provide any evidence for this.

'That's Horlicks'

Chelsea aren't exactly short of riches in the forward department, but Joao Pedro may have just given himself a head start over his new attacking colleagues before Sunday's Club World Cup final.

The Brazilian, who joined Chelsea from Brighton last week, is one of 19 forwards to have signed for the Blues under their American owners, who have now spent £600m on attacking players since assuming control of the club in 2022.

After making his debut in the Club World Cup quarter-final win over Palmeiras on Saturday, the frontman was handed his first start in the last-four tie against Fluminense – his boyhood side – and announced his arrival with two stunning strikes either side of half-time.

With 18 minutes gone, the Brazilian collected a half-cleared cross on the corner of the penalty area, took one touch to steady himself and arrowed a stunning drive past 44-year-old goalkeeper Fabio and into the far corner to open the scoring.

His second was just as aesthetically pleasing as he ran onto Enzo Fernandez's throughball from near the halfway line, darted into the box and slammed a right-footed shot into the net via the crossbar 11 minutes into the second half.

With Chelsea set to receive £21.9m for reaching the final – where they will play either Real Madrid or Paris St-Germain – Joao Pedro's goalscoring exploits on Tuesday mean he has already repaid over a third of his transfer fee.

"It was a dream," he told DAZN afterwards. "I don't think it could have gone any better.

"I'm happy to have scored my first goals. [The Club World Cup] would be my first title as well. I only came here a week ago, and now I'm going to play the final."

Have Chelsea finally found the answer to their centre-forward woes?

Of course, England can still qualify for the quarter-finals. Absolutely. But they can't afford to not have learned from the France game.

They face the Netherlands next and that will be an equally challenging game, but can we take advantage of our qualities more often? We need to frustrate Vivianne Miedema so she's further away from the goal. We need to stop Jill Roord taking long-range shots.

The Netherlands are very similar to England in their style of play, and we know so many of them individually because a lot play for English clubs or have done recently.

England, when they are at their best, can play through the lines, find Russo to link up with the other forwards and get Keira Walsh involved in the game. There is a fluidity to the way they play.

But I have always questioned how good we are at defending fast transitions and whether defensive midfielder Walsh can do that role solely. She does not really have a defensive presence when the game is scruffy. We emphasise her in-possession game, but we don't really look at her off the ball. Maybe that's where England look vulnerable and exposed, when she is on her own in a single pivot.

I often wonder why we don't play with two defensive midfielders? Everyone knows we want to play through Walsh so they mark her out of the game. Why don't we recognise those moments when Georgia Stanway might need to drop back?

It's little tweaks. I'm not saying make wholesale changes. Within the system, the players have to recognise how to change when the game is transitional.

We looked vulnerable for the same reasons against Haiti and against Nigeria at the World Cup two years ago. We are not counter-pressing well enough to stop those attacks, so we need a structure that allows us to not be so vulnerable.

I'm a big fan of James but she only had an impact in spells of the game against France in the number 10 role, and a player of her quality needs to be in a position where she can isolate defenders more often. I could see Wiegman's planning but it didn't work. You have to have good awareness in that role defensively. I would play her out wide against the Netherlands. Ella Toone can play in there. We have seen her have an impact off the bench, albeit less often over 90 minutes, but she can fulfil that role.

Michelle Agyemang came on and made an impact but I don't think people should be screaming for her to start after five minutes. Aggie Beever-Jones could come in for this type of game because she will bring energy and runs in behind, which complements Russo's hold-up play.

Wiegman had not experienced losing a game at a Euros until now but her side have experienced losing to France before.

It's rare we see them lose back-to-back games against strong opposition so of course they can bounce back.

Anita Asante was speaking to BBC Sport's women's football news reporter Emma Sanders.

Next year's Fifa World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico is set to be "the most climate-damaging" in the tournament's history, according to new research by environmentalists.

Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR) has calculated the greenhouse gas emissions attributable to the tournament, which has been expanded from 32 to 48 teams.

"Driven by a high reliance on air travel and significant increase in the quantity of matches" the campaign group claims the expanded 2026 World Cup will generate more than nine million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

SGR says that is almost double the average for the last four World Cup finals, and significantly more than Qatar 2022, which is estimated to have had a footprint of up to 5.25 million tonnes of CO2e.

It says the predicted 2026 total is "equivalent to nearly 6.5 million average British cars being driven for an entire year" - and will make it the most polluting tournament ever staged.

Next year's World Cup will be the first to be held across an entire continent and have 40 more matches (104) than before, although all will be played at existing stadia.

In their original bid book, the three prospective host nations for the 2026 tournament revealed a preliminary estimate of 3.6 million tonnes of CO2e, although at that stage it was expected to stage just 80 matches. They also said the bid "hopes the 2026 World Cup will establish new standards for environmental sustainability in sport and deliver measurable environmental benefits".

Fifa has been approached for comment.

World number one Aryna Sabalenka narrowly avoided a seismic shock as she fought back to beat Laura Siegemund and claw her way into the Wimbledon semi-finals.

Title favourite Sabalenka had to twice come back from a break down in the deciding set to beat the 37-year-old German 4-6 6-2 6-4.

Sabalenka has reached the final of the past three majors and, with most of her rivals falling in the first week of SW19, she has an incredible chance of reaching Saturday's showpiece.

But few would have predicted the scare that Siegemund - who had previously never gone beyond the second round in singles here - came within touching distance of completing.

World number 104 Siegemund, more noted for her doubles prowess, drove Sabalenka to distraction with her slices, brilliant returning and slow pace of play.

It took all of Sabalenka's grit and determination to hang in and eventually advance after two hours and 54 minutes.

"After the first set I was looking at my box and thinking, 'book the tickets, we are about to leave'," Sabalenka, 27, said.

"I had to make sure I didn't show I was annoyed by her - even if I was slightly, I didn't want to give her that energy."

Belarusian Sabalenka will face 13th seed Amanda Anisimova for a place in a first Wimbledon final after the American beat Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1 7-6 (11-9).