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The A last blast Stephen Sackur on the end of HARDtalk G2 truth Monday The 24 March 2025 £3.00 about for subscribers cholesterol Guardian G2 Starmer is warned against 'Awash with blood' Trump on tax Gaza medics on horrors Opposition and Labour about the UK's £1bn-a-year digital ser- robbing disabled people to appease be concerned if relief was granted, in MPs hit out over talk of vices tax affecting companies from [Elon] Musk and Trump". what would be seen as a dash to let Meta to Amazon were "ongoing". Labour MPs are already on the the US tech companies off the hook, She expressed optimism that brink of rebellion over £5bn of cuts while at the same time making dis- of past week digital deal to halt tariffs Trump's 25% tariffs on British steel to disability benefits while trade abled people pay for the revenue loss, could be removed in any deal but did unions are concerned about the £2bn with their lifelines being cut. not deny that changes could be made of Whitehall cuts leading to about "I recognise that the chancel- Jason Burke Rowena Mason to the digital services tax the United 10,000 civil service job losses and lor has to rebuild the economy, but Jerusalem Whitehall editor States had lobbied against. "You've increasing the risk of wider redun- who pays for this matters, and it must got to get the balance right," she said dancies in arm's-length bodies and never be the poorest in our society, arly last Tuesday Starmer has been warned against in an interview for the BBC's Sunday local government. which will be the outcome should the with Laura Kuenssberg programme. Rachael Maskell, a Labour MP and E morning, within "appeasing" Donald Trump as he Department for Work and Pensions minutes of the wave of considers reducing a major tax for While any changes would not take former shadow cabinet minister, told proposals go through." Israeli airstrikes that US tech giants while cutting disabil- place in this week's spring statement, the Guardian: "With the chancellor Clive Lewis, a Labour MP and for- broke the fragile two- ity benefits and public sector jobs. the Liberal Democrats warned Labour saying that she is still looking at the mer shadow cabinet minister, said: month ceasefire which His chancellor, Rachel Reeves, was "in danger oflosingits moral com- digital services tax, just days before "This was entirely predict- 2 had brought some respite to Gaza, confirmed yesterday that discussions pass" and it would be "tantamount to the spring statement, then I would able given how desperate the emergency room of al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in the central town of Deir al-Balah was full. "At no point were there less Pontiff's progress than 65 people in ER, all with open wounds, mainly women and Pope discharged children the floor was awash with blood," said Mark Perlmutter, a US-based volunteer orthopaedic from hospital after surgeon working at the hospital that morning. greeting pilgrims Just a few miles away, there were similar scenes at Nasser hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis. Page 22 "There was just wave after wave," said Tanya Haj-Hassan, a paediatric intensive care doctor. "As soon as patients had died or been sent elsewhere and we cleared some space, more would come in. It was chaos. One doctor stepped on a corpse on the ground as he tried to do a life-saving procedure." Palestinian medical officials say more than 200 people were killed on Tuesday morning alone across Gaza, and hundreds more injured. Within five days, as airstrikes and shelling continued, the over- all death toll in the Palestinian territory in the 18-month war would reach 50,000, mostly women and children. A total of 113,274 others had been injured, the health ministry said. Israeli military officials claim 80 "terrorist" targets 24 in 10 minutes were 13 Pope Francis appears on a balcony to greet the faithful gathered outside Gemelli hospital in Rome, in his first public appearance for more than five weeks 9 770261 307316The Guardian Monday 24 March 2025 Inside 24/03/25 News Four sections every day Keir Starmer Starmer told the New York Times News and Sport and Donald it was a critical moment for the UK Trump in the and it would not be right to pick Oval Office either Europe or the US to side with. Brave and wise last month. In "Churchill didn't do it. Attlee didn't Thomas Hauser on what an interview doit. It' be a big mistake, in my view, published at to choose now," he said. he learned from boxing the weekend, At the same time, Trump's special champion George Foreman Starmer said envoy said this weekend that Starm- Page 36 he 'likes and er's plan for a coalition to support a respects' Trump ceasefire in Ukraine was just a "pos- PHOTOGRAPH: ture and a pose". Steve Witkoff, who Journal Outside G2 CARL COURT/REUTERS is special envoy to the Middle East but also playing a role in Ukraine Opinions and ideas talks, said the idea was based on a "simplistic" notion of the UK prime The Tory mood is minister and other European lead- far from regicidal, but ers thinking: "We have all got to be like Winston Churchill." Witkoffalso questions are being asked praised Vladimir Putin. Katy Balls Talks have resumed among offi- Page 4 cials in Saudi Arabia between the US, Russia and Ukraine, with higher level discussions to start today. Trump is G2 Centre pullout said to be seeking a deal by Easter. No 10 had no comment on Features and arts Starmer is warned against 'appeasing' Witkoff's remarks but Reeves said she was "not put off by that", add- TV review Lucy Mangan on This City Trump on tax while cutting benefits ing: "We will need to make sure that if there is a ceasefire it can be enforced, and that's what our prime minister, Is Ours, a 'scouse along with allies around the world, is saved by Sean Bean trying to secure," she said. Page 10 Continued from page 1 never works with bullies, and it Reeves said the backdrop to her plans Jonathan Reynolds, the business doesn't work with Trump." and lower than expected growth was secretary, spoke to trade counter- Save up to 29% the government is to appease the Davey suggested the UK should that the "world has changed". parts in Washington last week. On Trump administration and tech oli- respond to the threat of steel tar- The UK is planning three days of the possibility of a cut to the digital with a subscription garchs around it This is extractive iffs from 2 April with tariffs on cars military preparations to support a services tax, a Treasury spokesper- politics at its worst and exactly the made by Tesla, which is part-owned possible ceasefire in Ukraine before son said: "All taxes are kept under to the Guardian kind of deal Maga wants. Frankly, it's by Musk. He said Starmer's approach a meeting of the coalition of the will- review and the 2025 review of the and the Observer unacceptable." to Trump appeared to be "let's nice ing on Thursday. digital services tax has been planned Chi Onwurah, the technology to him and hope he won't hurt us". since it was implemented in 2020 Visit theguardian. committee chair, also warned yes- In an interview published at the it would be wrong to imply any inten- terday that concerns about the safety weekend, Starmer told the New York 'The chancellor has tion to repeal the tax from this." com/paper-subs of artificial intelligence are at risk of Times that he "likes and respects" the to rebuild, but who A Labour source said the Lib Dems being ignored by ministers, as the US president and understood what "were living on another planet" by Weather government delays regulating the he was trying to achieve. "President pays matters, and it opposing the national insurance rise industry to curry favour with Trump. Trump has a point when he says there Page 30 must never be the on employers to fund the NHS and The Lib Dems led opposition crit- needs to be a greater burden borne wanting more money for public ser- icism, with Ed Davey, the party's by European countries for the collec- poorest in society' vices while opposing inheritance Quick crossword leader, telling his spring conference: tive self-defence of Europe," he said. tax changes. "Now Labour's even talking about The spending review is likely to Back of G2 scrapping Britain's tax on social focus on higher defence outlay, paid Rachael Maskell Spring statement Page 6 media giants. Well, appeasement for with cuts to international aid, and Labour MP Ukraine latest Page 20 Cartoon Journal, page 4 Press freedom four months of anti-government pro- Center for Research, Transparency was attacked while covering protests tests after the collapse of a concrete and Accountability (CRTA), a non- against the demolition of a bridge. Cryptic crossword in Serbia under railway station canopy in the north- governmental organisation that runs She suffered a neck injury and was Back of Journal ern city of Novi Sad in November. a prominent factchecking website. unable to work. Last month, the N1 Civil society groups have been Pavol Szalai, the head of the RSF's reporter Ksenija Pavkov was verbally violent attack, warning for months about an EU-Balkans desk, said Serbia was cur- threatened while reporting. Contact increasingly hostile environment for rently at its lowest-ever ranking in the The group of editors said the pres- For missing sections please fill out the form at call say journalists independent media since the train 22-year history of its world press free- ident was falsely accusing journalists station collapse, which killed 16 peo- dom index, at 98th out of 180. of "stirring unrest". They also said 0800 839 100. For individual departments, call the Guardian ple and set in force a backlash against There have been several reports financial and regulatory pressures 020 3353 2000. pro-Russia administration. of hostility towards independent were forcing away advertisers and For the Readers' editor (corrections & clarifications on specific editorial content), call 020 to "The media in Serbia is at a danger- journalists since the railway sta- business partners. "The growing leave voice message, or email guardian.readers@ Michael Savage ous turning point," write the editors tion collapse. At the end of last year, tility toward independent media, theguardian.com Media editor in an open letter signed by five out- the N1 journalist Zaklina Tatalovió fuelled by orchestrated government Letters for publication should be sent to guardian. etters@theguardian.com or the address on the lets, including Igor the news and the cameraman Nikola rhetoric, has created an environment letters page. Press freedom in Serbia is facing director of the CNN-affiliated N1 Ser- were harassed while covering pro- where violence is not only allowed NEWSPAPERS SUPPORT a "dangerous turning point" after bia. "The government is stepping up tests. Local press freedom groups but even encouraged," they said. RECYCLING mounting pressure on independent its attack on independent journalism, said she had endured sexist insults Half a million people have also outlets from ministers and state- especially targeting outlets in United and physical violence. Police officers signed an online petition calling for Guardian News & Media, Kings Place, 90 York Way, backed media, a group of senior Media, as the political crisis worsens were accused of failing to intervene. an independent investigation into London N1 9GU. 020-3353 2000. Fax 020-7837 2114. editors has warned. and public frustration grows. Another Jelena Mirkovic, whether security forces in Serbia In Manchester: Centurion House, 129 Deansgate, The group, all from publications in "Instead of addressing real pub- used a sonic weapon what the peti- Manchester M3 3WR. Telephone Sales: 020-7611 9000. The Guardian lists links to third-party websites, but the independent United Mediagrou lic issues, the government creates tion described as a "sound cannon" does not endorse them or guarantee their authenticity said their reporters faced "constant false stories that paint independent during the rally on 15 March. or accuracy. Back issues sold and provided by Historic harassment, physical attacks and media as foreign agents and enemies under pressure and Newspapers:www.historic-newspapers.c newspapers/guardian. Published by Guardian News & smear campaigns" after their report- of the state. As a result, our reporters faces the most dangerous moment Media, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU, and at ing in the country, which has been are assaulted, blocked from official of his 12-year grip on power. He has Centurion House, 129 Deansgate, Manchester M3 Printed at Reach Watford Limited, St Albans Road, gripped by protests against its auto- events and targeted with disinfor- so far sought to deflect the blame, Watford, Herts WD24 7RG; Reach Oldham Limited, cratic president, Aleksandar mation meant to break public trust." with a series of resignations arising Hollinwood Avenue, Chadderton, Oldham 8EP; Their intervention follows what Reporters Without Borders (RSF) from the station collapse. The Serbian Reach Saltire Ltd, 110 Fifty Pitches Place, Glasgow G51 4EA; and by Irish Times Print Facility, 4080 appears to have been the largest anti- said the pressure exerted on the government, led by the prime minis- Kingswood Road, Citywest Business Campus, Dublin 24. corruption demonstration in Serbia's media has reached levels not seen ter, formally resigned No. 55,550, Monday 24 March 2025. Registered as history this month. The gathering in since the 1990s. It also urged the EU Mass protests against Aleksandar last week. said elections could newspaper at the Post Office ISSN 0261-3077. Belgrade marked the culmination of to condemn a raid on the offices of the Vucic in Belgrade earlier this month follow in June.Monday 24 March 2025 The Guardian News 3 Gaie Delap was jailed after a tag that fitted her could not be found. Above, with other climate activists PHOTOGRAPH: ADRIAN SHERRATT/THE GUARDIAN kind and showed me how things work. They were shocked and horri- fied when they found out been imprisoned for a climate protest. I think around 80% of the women I met should not have been in prison. Help with problems such as mental health, addiction and housing would have been more useful." She raised concerns about the practice of recall for the smallest misdemeanours such as being una- voidably a few minutes late for a probation appointment. "There was one woman with mental health problems who was released, but had such serious issues that she was unable to sort herself out after she left prison spent two nights sleeping in a bus shelter before being recalled." She said the friendships she forged helped get her through. "There was a lot of: 'You all right babe? Yeah, you right' even though none of us were 'Furious and frustrated': climate Some of her experiences border on really all right." the absurd. When she first arrived at She helped a young prisoner learn Peterborough she was asked to take to read using Michael Rosen's Sad a pregnancy test. "Iburst out laugh- Book. "Michael facilitated the learn- protester, 78, on life in prison ing, I said I'm not going to do it, it's ing of reading in absentia," she said. an insult. They didn't make me do A Ministry of Justice spokesperson She said very little worked in said: "The prisons this government prison as a result of chronic staff inherited are not working for most shortages, healthcare was poor, and women. Many female prisoners failure. "Who could believe they low and isolated that she consid- education classes and exercise ses- are victims and over half are moth- Diane Taylor didn't have a tag to fit me when that's ered going on hunger strike. sions were often cancelled. ers. That's why the lord chancellor their job. The whole thing is extraor- She was sentenced to 20 months "At the pharmacy at Peterborough has launched a new Women's Jus- dinarily inefficient and badly run." and after serving three and a half one day a woman who had a colos- tice Board to reduce the number of "Iwas behind bars for Christmas, new Delap, a Quaker and artist, took months at Peterborough prison tomy asked for a new bag. She was women in prison, and better support year and my birthday on 10 January," part in a protest climbing on to a gan- was released under curfew last told they didn't have any and was those who must still be imprisoned." said 78-year-old Gaie Delap, who was try above the M25 in November 2022 November. given one of those little black plas- In response to Delap's concerns sent back to prison in December when to highlight the government's deci- However, when Ministry of Jus- tic dog poo bags instead. Another about healthcare at Peterborough the right-sized tag for her wrist could sion to approve more than a hundred tice contractors came to fit her with woman was a wheelchair user who an NHS spokesperson said: "All not be found. oil and gas licences. an electronic wrist tag she could be used incontinence pads. They didn't patients, regardless of location, The Just Stop Oil protester who When she took part in the climate monitored in the community, she was have the right size for her she was deserve a good standard of care had been released under Home protest she had hoped she would told there were none available that turned away without any." however, we know more needs to be Office detention curfew said she not be sent to prison and said she fitted her wrist she would have to Delap had suffered a TIA tran- done to expand access, which is why was "furious and frustrated" over was new to climbing, apart from an return to prison. sient ischemic attack or mini-stroke we've increased HMP Peterborough's her treatment and return to prison. occasional apple tree. "The police arrived to arrest me before going to prison but had to healthcare budget by over 20% over In her first interview since being She said her return to prison on 20 December [2024] and Ihad just wait for more than two months for the year, while we also roll out bet- released Delap said she is delighted to despite having been deemed suita- 10 minutes to pack For my second the medication she needed. ter staff training to ensure women be reunited with her beloved garden ble for monitoring in the community period in prison I spent 41 days and "When I was a complete novice in receive the same quality of care as but is frustrated about the tagging with an electronic tag made her feel 41 nights at Eastwood Park." prison the other women were very they would in the community." Depardieu to appear in court sexual harassment and sexual insults October last year, was postponed due hours a day and he will be given per- during filming after the actor pub- to Depardieu's ill health. His lawyer, mission to take breaks when needed. lished an open letter in Le Figaro Jérémie Assous, said the actor had Depardieu was placed under for- on charges of sexual assault newspaper in October 2023 stat- undergone a quadruple heart bypass mal investigation on accusations of ing: "Never, never have I abused a and his diabetes had been aggravated rape and sexual assault in 2020 after woman" and suggesting he was the by the stress of the forthcoming trial. the actor Charlotte Arnould accused Depardieu, 76, has faced claims victim of a media "lynching". The hearings will be limited to six him of having attacked her on two Kim Willsher of rape or sexual assault from more Six months earlier, the inves- occasions at his home in Paris in 2018, Paris than a dozen women, all of which he tigative website Mediapart had when she was 22 and he was 70. has denied, but this is the first time published allegations of sexual vio- After Depardieu's lawyers tried to Gérard Depardieu will become he has appeared in court to answer lence against him from more than get the case dropped, the Paris chief the most high-profile French per- accusations. a dozen women. About 20 women prosecutor said there was "serious son to stand trial on abuse The two women, an assistant direc- in total have accused him of abuse and confirmed evidence" that jus- allegations when he appears in a Paris tor, 34, and a set designer, 54, at the and improper behaviour, but several tified maintaining the charges. The court today. centre of the trial worked on the set cases have been dropped as they are investigation continues. The actor, a titan of French cinema of Les Volets Verts (The Green Shut- out of time for prosecution. At last year's César awards, Judith with more than 200 films and televi- ters) released in 2022, which alsostars Grinberg has supported the two 51, who accused two direc- sion series to his name, is accused of Anouk Grinberg and Fanny Ardant. women, saying Depardieu made "sal- tors of raping her as a teenager, spoke sexually assaulting two women dur- The set designer went to police to acious remarks" during the shoot. Depardieu is accused of assaulting of the "omertà" around the abuse of ing a film shoot in 2021. accuse Depardieu of sexual assault, The trial, scheduled to begin in two women on a film shoot in 2021 women in the French film industry.The Guardian Monday 24 March 2025 4 News Canada Trump threatened advertisement had been viewed more Canada to go to polls on 28 April to wage economic war on Canada, the than 7m times, an unprecedente US's closest ally and one of its largest level for a Canadian political ad. trading partners, with the end goal of If the Liberals emerge victorious after Carney calls snap election annexing the US's northern neigh- in April, it will be remembered as bour. Those threats, and the prospect the largest political comeback in the of painful tariffs on Canadian goods, country's history and for the Con- have electrified the country, with a servatives, a catastrophic loss of an groundswell of patriotism, calls election that until recently seemed election. Under federal law, the mini- Mark Carney's to boycott American goods and an certain to go in their favour. Leyland Cecco umlength of a campaign is 37 days. Liberals are now "elbows up" rallying cry. As early as 2023, CBC's polling Toronto By calling the snap election in ahead of the In a campaign video released on aggregator had the Tory chance at search of a "strong, positive man- Conservatives Saturday night that has had millions electoral victory at 99% seemingly Canada's prime minister, Mark date", Carney does not have to face after seeming of views, the Canadian actor and insurmountable edge they main- Carney, has called a snap election a hostile parliament a showdown out of contention comedian Mike Myers appears with tained until mid-February. on 28 April, firing the starting gun complicated by the fact that he just weeks ago Carney in matching Team Canada Poilievre has framed his party's on a contest that is widely expected does not have a seat in the House of ice-hockey jerseys. Carney questions campaign as a "Canada first" plat- to focus on the strained relationship Commons. Myers, who long starred on Saturday form. Yesterday he told reporters at with the US amid threats to Canada's Parliament had been due to return and has totally reversed the for- Night Live, with Canadian cultural his campaign launch: "Trump has economic and political future. today after being prorogued for two tunes of the Liberal party," said Lori references in a test of the comedi- been very blunt that he wants a weak "We are facing the most significant months, following the former prime Turnbull, the director of Dalhou- an's identity. Canada that he can target Elect- crisis of our lifetime because of Pres- minister Justin Trudeau's resigna- sie University's school of public "Wow, you really are Canadian," ing Liberals will weaken our country ident [Donald] Trump's unjustified tion announcement in early January. administration. Carney says after Myers answers still." He added that Canada "will trade actions and his threats to our Carney's Liberal party has experi- "Increasingly, this election is not every question correctly. The ad ends never be an American state; we will sovereignty," Carney said yesterday. enced an unprecedented swing in the really about the parties any more, or with Carney telling Myers: "There always be a sovereign and self-reliant "He wants to break us, Amer- polls that has now put it ahead of the the brands they represent. We don't will always be a Canada" and the pair country". ica can own us. We will not let this Conservatives, with some projecting elect our prime minister directly, but agreeing it was time for "elbows The Conservatives, without happen. We're over the shock of the party has enough support nation- the feeling increasingly is that people the hockey phrase that has become Trudeau as a political punching bag, the betrayal, but we can never for- ally to form a majority government. are poised to vote for the leader they a rallying cry in the country amid say Carney is largely responsible for get the lessons. We have to look out Before the dissolution of parlia- want to see as prime minister." threats to Canadian sovereignty. the country's slow growth in recent for ourselves. We have to look out for ment, the incumbent Liberals held Polling surveys suggest Canadians The camera then shows Myers years, given his role as economic each other." 152 seats in the House of Commons. view Carney as more capable than the from behind with his jersey embla- adviser to the Liberal party. Moments before, Carney had met The Conservatives had 120, the Bloc Conservative leader, Pierre Poilievre, zoned with the slogan "Never 51", They call him "sneaky Carney" and the governor general, Mary Simon, Québécois 33, the New Democratic in handling economic turbulence, a reference to Canada's rejection of allege that he plans to bring back a requesting that she dissolve the party 24 and the Green party two. trade talks and relations with a hos- ever joining the US. controversial carbon tax he removed country's 44th parliament and call an "Carney hasbeen the gamechanger tile and unpredictable White House. In less than 24 hours, the in his first day as prime minister. up!' Maple syrup sales soar as UK shoppers Moraine Buckingham Lake in Banff Palace this show support national park, month. Below, Alberta, is one of a Vancouver Canada's most store offers a popular tourist defiant response destinations. to US tariffs Zoe Wood Above, King MAIN PHOTOGRAPH: Rupert Jones Charles plants JORDAN SIEMENS/ a red maple at GETTY IMAGES claims to fame include I maple syrup and extreme politeness, it is perhaps American fitting that in the face of Donald Trump's assault on Canada's sovereignty and BUY economy Britons are queuing up to CANADIAN show their support. INSTEAD Gestures are being made on the national stage as well as on high streets: King Charles has planted a red maple at Buckingham Palace He adds: "It is the toughest time bottles from British Columbia, from hockey legend Gordie Howe, and UK shoppers are copying the we have ever had as Canadians." Ontario and Nova Scotia. known for his toughness and use of "buy Canadian" movement by Sultana says demand has also Avi Kniznik, who grew up in elbows on the ice." putting the country's products in grown for Canadian products at his Toronto but now runs the Suffolk- On the subject of Trump, the their baskets. based bakery business Bagel Waitrose said sales of its No 1 22% pub venture, Poutinerie London. bakery boss sighs and says: "No "We are the heart of Canadian or Beigel, which specialises in one knows what he's going to do Canadian amber maple syrup had culture in London," he says of the Canadian favourites such as butter he's a law unto himself." risen 22% year on year while its Eight Bells and Elm pubs. The west tarts, says support "has been out of Although Britons are now white Canadian bread flour was The rise in London venues serve the national this world". closely watching developments up 9%. In the past month sales of Canadian dish poutine chips, meat gravy He says: "People are saying: in Canadian politics, it does not Canadian Club blended whisky maple and cheese curd with pints of 'We are supporting Canada; we are necessarily explain a 205% increase have risen by more than syrup Sleeman Honey Brown lager from supporting Canadian businesses." in searches for maple syrup on Mark Sultana, the founder sales at Ontario. Kniznik, who trades at markets Waitrose's website. of Canadians in London, a Waitrose CANADIAN Sultana reports a surge in in Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk The surge is instead being put 9,000-member expat community, MAPLE SYRUP NO.2 AMBER interest in social events organised and Ely in Cambridgeshire, says down to the "hot maple" trend says: "Conversations have by Canadians in London. customers have surprised him with and the popularity of hot honey noticeably shifted in that people Next month the organisation the expression 'Elbows up'." It is and spicy sauces. Emilie Wolfman, want to talk about politics rather will be attempting to spread being used by Canadians in their trend innovation manager at than: 'Why did you move to the UK enthusiasm for Canadian wine fight against US tariffs. USA Today Waitrose, says "sweet-heat because Canada is by hosting a tasting to showcase explains: "The phrase originates combinations" are very in vogue.Monday 24 March 2025 The Guardian Devalued and ignored Get ready to rumble 5 Anger over the death Cummings ponders of a carer and his son Westminster return Page 8 Page 19 National Brianna Ghey's mother urges under-16s ban on social media Mark Brown North of England correspondent The mother of the murdered teen- ager Brianna Ghey has said under-16s should be banned from social media, describing it as "an absolute cesspit". Esther Ghey was speaking at a screening of an ITV documentary which explores the murder of her 16-year-old daughter by two school- children. In the programme, which is to be broadcast on Thursday, Ghey travels to the US and speaks to an insider who tells her people are "defenceless" against the algorithms of social media companies. Brianna was killed by Scarlett Jen- kinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, who were both 15 at the time and had attended the same school as her. They lured Brianna to a park in Cheshire, where she was stabbed 28 times with a hunt- ing knife, on 11 February 2023. Both were jailed for life with a min- imum term of 22 years for Jenkinson and 20 for Ratcliffe. The court heard the killers were partly motivated by Brianna's transgender identity. Brianna, who had thousands of fol- Knockdown blow Three high-rise blocks on the Wyndford estate in Maryhill, north Glasgow, lowers on TikTok, struggled with her are demolished with a controlled explosion yesterday. The four 26-storey towers, built in the mental health, which was worsened 1960s and containing 600 flats, are being brought down to make way for nearly 400 new homes by accessing eating-disorder and self- PHOTOGRAPH: JEFF harm content on X. J MITCHELL/GETTY and a community hub. The fourth tower will be dismantled manually from the top down. From the age of 14, Jenkinson enjoyed watching videos of real kill- ing and torture on the dark web, Experts called in to public purse. I will not tolerate a abuse." Though the OfS was created fantasised about murder and devel- penny of taxpayers' money being to ensure universities were high- oped an interest in serial killers. misused." quality and to prevent fraud, it was Ghey said one of the reasons she Phillipson said the Conservatives "directed by the Conservatives to had chosen to take part in the docu- investigate student were to blame for problems within pursue culture wars", she said. mentary was to "get answers" from the university loans system - and Phillipson has promised to bring social media companies about safety. that a decision to expand franchised forward new legislation "at the first "It is an absolute cesspit," she said loans fraud claims education in 2016, without address- available opportunity" to ensure the of social media. "When you report ing underlying financial instability, is equipped with tough new pow- things, the support isn't there." paved the way for widespread abuse. ers to intervene quickly. Ghey added: how much She criticised the Tories for ignor- A DfE spokesperson said: "Our love and compassion you pump into ing ;repeated warnings about the risks plan for change will restore trust in your child when you're bringing them Department for Education (DfE), of fraud, writing: "But just as they our universities. We have already up, and how much empathy you can Aamna Mohdin the Office for Students (OfS), and uni- ignored countless warnings about bil- taken clear action to crack down on teach them, they will go online and versity lecturers. The paper said most lions of pounds of Covid fraud, the rogue franchise operators to tackle they'l see the way that other people of the students under scrutiny were Conservatives dragged their feet." fraud and we'll go further. We will are speaking about other people and Fraud experts are to investigate believed to be at "franchised uni- She also noted that the SLC was overhaul regulation the they might think that that's right." the university loans system amid versities" -colleges paid to provide working with law enforcement agen- better protects taxpayers' money. In Ghey founded Peace & Mind UK concerns that students are falsely courses for established universities. cies to investigate the prevalence of the meantime, we have asked the to raise funds to teach mindfulness claiming millions without intending It also revealed the concern of a "some Romanian students at certain to clamp down on franchising." in schools. Meta, X and TikTok have to or ever repay the loans the potential "organised recruitment" institutions", and said "not enough They added: "Where misuse or been contacted for comment. education secretary has announced. of Romanian nationals in particular care was taken to join the dots of fraud is found, we have powers to Bridget Phillipson has instructed to enrol on courses. wider abuse across the system and claw back payments and we won't the Public Sector Fraud Authority Writing in the newspaper, Phillip- to slam the door shut on widespread hesitate to use them. We will bring to coordinate the response to alle- son called the revelations "one of the in tough new laws to ensure the gations that individuals with no biggest financial scandals in the his- can quickly stop bad actors gaming genuine academic intent are enroll- tory of our universities sector". 'We have asked the the system once and for all." ing in degree courses to secure loans. She said: "Today's revelations of The claims were first revealed major misuse of public money and to clamp down Susan Lapworth, chief execu- tive, said: "The type of sharp practices in an investigation by the Sunday potential fraud by students in fran- on franchising' alleged are entirely unacceptable. Times, which reviewed financial chised universities deal a hammer They represent shocking misuse of documents and company accounts blow to the integrity of higher edu- public funding and take advantage of and interviewed sources from the cation in this country. We must go DfE spokesperson genuine students who are not getting A documentary about the murder Student Loans Company (SLC), the further and faster to protect the the education they deserve." of Brianna Ghey is on ITV this weekThe Guardian Monday 24 March 2025 6 National Politics central government to help her stick PCS union says to her spending limits. Before the spring budget, the gov- ernment said it would be allocating £4.8bn to roads and highways for the Reeves's planned 2025-26 year and put a new require- ment on English councils to show how many potholes they are filling £2bn of cuts to in order to access their full funds. There will be £1.6bn available for pothole funding, with up to 25% with- held from local authorities if they fail civil service will to report annually on how many pot- holes are mended. The spending review is already being dominated by talk of where hit frontline roles cuts are set to fall within the govern- ment. Although overall spending will increase each year, with big rises for defence and the NHS, other depart- ments have been asked to model cuts of up to 11%. PCS. "The impact of cuts will With maintaining security likely to Rowena Mason not only disadvantage our members be the big theme of the spring state- Whitehall editor but the public we serve and the ser- ment, Reeves told the BBC's Laura vices they rely on. Kuenssberg on Sunday: "The world Rachel Reeves's planned cuts of £2bn "We've heard this before under has changed and that is having an to departments will hit frontline ser- Gordon Brown when cuts were made impact on growth, you can see that vices from jobcentres to HMRC phone to backroom staff, and the conse- in every country but do we need lines and efforts to cut the asylum quences of that was chaos." to go further and faster in increasing backlog, a union has said. She said the government should growth? Yes we do." Yesterday the chancellor con- have learned its lesson that "you Reeves and Keir Starmer are also firmed plans to seek a 15% reduction can't cut your way to growth". facing the prospect of a Labour in Whitehall admin costs, amounting However, Reeves issued a defence rebellion over the £5bn welfare to about £2bn a year, by the decade's of her economic plans yesterday, say- shake-up, with unhappiness on the end. She said this would also result in ing her strategy and decisions were backbenches about the proposed about civil service job losses, all aimed at growth. Growth was just spending cuts. although this was not a target. 0.1% in January and the Office for Asked about a grim forecast from As she prepares to give her spring Budget Responsibility is believed to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation that statement on Wednesday, Reeves is have downgraded its forecasts to just all UK families will be worse off by under pressure to balance the books 1% for the year. 2030, with the poor bearing the brunt, in line with her fiscal rules, mean- The chancellor said she was "not Reeves disputed the findings and said ing some departments are in line for satisfied with the numbers that we living standards would rise. spending cuts to avoid more tax rises see at the moment", but told Sky She told Sky News's Sunday Morn- or higher borrowing. News: "It's not possible within just ing with Trevor Phillips: "Ireject that But a major union, the Public and a few months to reverse more than a and the Office for Budget Respon- Commercial Services union (PCS), decade of economic stagnation, but sibility will set out their forecast warned her there would be conse- we are making the changes necessary this week. quences for public services after 15 to get Britain building again, to bring "Living standards in the last years of underfunding under the money into the economy." parliament were the worst ever on Tories. She said she would stick to her fis- record. I'm confident that we will see "You hear that every day from cal rules and not raise further taxes, living standards increase during the the public, that they wait too long but that there would be cuts within course of this parliament. on the phone when they try to make "What we've already seen in these tax payments, jobseekers rushed last few months of the Labour gov- through the system in just 10 minutes 'The impact of cuts The quandary Break tax ernment is a sustained increase in because there aren't enough staff to will disadvantage the living standards." see them, victims of crime waiting Reeves was also optimistic about until 2027 to have their cases heard public we serve' the prospect of avoiding tariffs from pledges or cast Labour in the courts as well as the backlog Donald Trump's administration in in the asylum system which results the US, saying she was confident in in additional hotel costs," said Fran Fran Heathcote the ability of the UK's trade negotia- adrift from its principles Heathcote, the general secretary of PCS union leader tors to strike a deal. will eschew tax rises and instead Beer to break £5 a pint barrier Heather Stewart squeeze future spending plans, to Economics editor ensure the forecasts show her fiscal targets being met, five years from Londoners are accustomed to a decrease in the threshold at including Spitfire and Bishops he ferocious backlash now. This package will include the paying more than £5 for a pint but which they start paying national Finger, said it would raise its beer T against the £5bn in welfare cuts already announced, the national average is poised to insurance. Discounts on business prices in response to rising taxes. welfare cuts crafted but the Treasury is also expected rise above that price for the first rates paid by hospitality firms will Emma McClarkin, the chief to balance the books to seek another £5bn in savings time, with publicans blaming also be cut, from 75% to 40%. executive of the BBPA said: "The in this Wednesday's elsewhere. tax rises introduced by the The net cost to the pubs sector of cumulative impact of these taxes spring statement The political logic is impeccable, chancellor, Rachel Reeves. these measures, introduced in last and regulations is now plain to see highlighted an increasingly glaring and well rehearsed. Labour made The sobering milestone is October's budget, will hit £650m in and it is highly unfortunate that the conflict, between Labour's pre- sweeping tax pledges in the run-up likely to be reached next month, total, the trade body said. only way many pubs can remain election tax pledges and the party's to last year's general election, according to research from Last week the brewer Shepherd viable is to pass on the array of wider purpose. is adamant it cannot touch broad- Frontier Economics, with the Neame, which produces ales upcoming costs to consumers." Since Rachel Reeves promised based taxes such as income tax. average price of a pint of beer on Pubs and the wider hospitality last autumn to deliver a single, Reeves already rewrote the course to hit £5.01, up from £4.80. The average sector have struggled to recover annual budget, she has been fiscal rules significantly at her The British Beer and Pub price of from the impact of enforced confronted with rising debt interest autumn budget, allowing for Association, which commissioned pint closures during the Covid-19 costs, weaker than expected more borrowing to fund capital the research, said landlords had is currently pandemic, which left many economic growth and the near- investment, and she whacked up no choice but to raise prices to £4.80 with crippling debt burdens. In collapse of the transatlantic taxes by £40bn, the biggest package offset tax rises coming in April. December the number of pubs alliance. "The world has changed," of increases since 1993. Pubs will face greater overheads dropped below 39,000 for the first as every Treasury press release And there is an economic logic because of an increase in the time after hundreds of closures, now has it. too, born of genuine fear in the national minimum wage, a rise according to the Altus Group, a When she delivers her spring Treasury that bond markets could in national insurance rates and property data company. Rob Davies statement this week the chancellor take fright causing a Liz Truss-7 Rachel Reeves being interviewed by the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg before this week's spring statement PHOTOGRAPH: JEFF OVERS/BBC/PA little bits and pieces to try and get the numbers to just about add up". Labour goals The former Bank of England chief economist Andy Haldane, in Involve public an article in the Financial Times, warned against allowing "Treasury and business orthodoxy" to dominate Reeves's thinking, writing: "With the economy stalled, further fiscal belt- to succeed, tightening is impossible to justify on macroeconomic grounds." says Demos With the pressure for higher defence spending in the UK only likely to increase, the row about benefits, which followed Anneliese Rowena Mason Dodds's resignation over aid cuts, is likely to be a mere foretaste of the clashes ahead. Labour's missions are at risk of failing And each of these tussles is likely unless the government does more to to leave some Labour supporters, involve the whole country as the age if not the target voters that party of "command and control" is over, a strategists dream about, wondering report from Demos has warned. what their party is for. The thinktank called on the As if to remind Labour of the government to embrace "massmol challenges it cannot confront lisation" for businesses, charities, within existing fiscal constraints, unions and the wider public to drive the day after the chancellor is on its flagship long-term goals of growth, her feet official data on poverty in clean energy, cutting crime, rebuild- the UK will be published. ing the NHS and reforming education. The official households below While Keir Starmer has talked average income (HBAI) release of "reshaping the state" to make it for 2023-24 will give a snapshot work better for people, there are dif- of how many families in the UK fering views within Whitehall about were struggling to get by as the how best to achieve his missions party came to power last year. with some "reformers" wanting to Campaigners say this will be a key empower communities and frontline baseline, against which to track services but others preferring a more Labour's progress in improving the Blairite approach that wields power lives of the poorest in society. from central government. In particular, the data is expected Demos's report warns that com- to show that the number of children mand and control will not work when in larger families living in poverty it comes to driving and cen- has increased, as more are caught tral government will have to learn in the net of the pernicious two- better how to let go of power. child limit. When announcing his NHS shake- Charities are also expecting up, Wes Streeting took more power to see evidence that Scotland's back into the Department of Health anti-child-poverty policy, which and Social Care by abolishing NHS includes an additional Scottish England, but he promised to devolve child payment of £26.70 a week to more to the frontline organisations low-income households, is having responsible for delivering healthcare. a positive effect. Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, also As Save the Children's executive insisted yesterday that she was cut- style crisis if Reeves tears up the director for advocacy, Dan Paskins, ting back-office costs by 15% in order framework she set herself just six Chancellor took free gig tickets for 'security reasons' told me: "It will show the scale of to fund more frontline services. months ago. Hence the pressing the challenge, but also show what But Demos said more involvement urgency of identifying £5bn of are the things that a government was needed from both business and welfare cuts. Hence, lest we forget, Rachel Reeves accepted free tickets that is genuinely serious about civil society. It suggests involving the the slashing of the UK's already to see Sabrina Carpenter because tackling child poverty can do public more directly and encouraging denuded aid budget, to pay for it was "the right thing to do from a to reduce it and we can then active citizenship through volunteer- increased defence spending. security perspective". draw conclusions about whether ing. It also recommended creating It all looks perfectly sensible Questioned on the BBC's government does that, or doesn't." external "mission councils to encour- within the framework Labour has Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg The long-awaited child poverty age collective action. set for itself. And the bond market programme, the chancellor strategy is now expected in June. Polly Curtis, the chief executive of worry can't be easily dismissed: pledged to declare the value of her But such is the caution about cost Demos, said: "The missions promised the UK is already spending £100bn tickets. Her visit to London's that Paskins says experts who work a new way of governing around clear a year on debt interest. arena to see the American singer on this issue are asking themselves: priorities and through partnership Nevertheless, viewed from a follows a row over Keir Starmer and "Is this going to be the first ever between state, business and society. wider angle, the idea of responding other ministers accepting freebies Rachel Reeves watched Sabrina Labour government under which If the government tries to achieve its to this profoundly uncertain and a change to the ministerial Carpenter perform in London child poverty is higher at the end of missions through command and con- moment for the world with nip- code with new guiding principles its term in office than at the start?" trol structures it will fail." and-tuck spending cuts looks at on when gifts and hospitality are they weren't tickets that you were Of course, if Labour decides No 10 has already created a new best like a holding position and at acceptable. Reeves said: went able to buy." that something has to give, there "partnerships unit" aimed at fos- worst like a pointlessly destructive with a member of my family to Andrew Griffith, the shadow are alternative revenue raisers tering more collaboration. But the act. And while bond market jitters see a concert a couple of weeks business secretary, accepted tickets within the constraints of those report, backed by the outsourcing may be a legitimate reason to be ago. I do now have security, worth £4,000 for him and his wife pre-election promises, but they company Serco and the National wary of plunging deeper into the which means it's not as easy as to attend the Baftas in February, either involve an array of small yet Council for Voluntary Organisations, red for example, by "doing a it would have been in the past to from NBCUniversal International. hotly controversial changes (see said there was still a risk of Whitehall Germany" and excluding defence just sit in a concert, although that Griffith also accepted ski passes farmers' inheritance) or big and being too inward-facing. spending from debt opting would probably be a lot easier for and guiding in Davos, Switzerland, untried levies that would take time government spokesperson said: for spending cuts, rather than tax everyone concerned. worth £973, according to the to implement. "This is completely incorrect. The rises, is a political choice. "I took those tickets to go with parliamentary commissioner for Breaching the tax pledges would government is talking to all sectors Economists, including many a member of my family. I thought standards' register of members' be risky, even with Donald Trump's of society to help deliver our Plan previously supportive of Reeves's that was the right thing to do from financial interests. disruptive power to point to as an for Change. We have held scores of approach, have lined up in recent a security perspective." He took part in the 69th annual explanation. But clinging to them business roundtables, engaged with days to issue warnings against The chancellor later added: British-Swiss parliamentary ski even as the world has changed thousands of civil society through wielding the scalpel too hastily. "These weren't tickets that you week and accepted hospitality risks leaving Labour cast adrift consultation processes, and speak to Gemma Tetlow, of the Institute could pay for, so there wasn't a worth an additional £324. Griffith from its principles. normal people every day all to help for Government, advised the price for those tickets. Obviously, told the BBC he "diligently" drive policy that will usher in a dec- chancellor against "reaching for I'll declare the value of them but registered hospitality. PA Media Chancellor's challenges Page 29 ade of national renewal."The Guardian 8 National Carers Devalued and ignored How a full-time carer died along with his son Josh Halliday Letters North of editor eter Lodge devoted his life to his son, David. Carers sold short that te P rather He cherished every Our moment with him, even Your airing of the many problems Londo. when David's condition faced by carers (Caught in the 24/7 them g left them in effect trap, November 9) is most welcome. and ho housebound. Right up until he was A comprehensive review of the carer's allowance is long overdue. The govern- chariti 74, Peter would sleep on the living ment needs to recognise that what many room floor beside David's hospital carers do is work, and to pay them a fair bed. Not once did he see his role as rate for the job. A carer employed by Provide a burden. a private agency or by social services He was angry, though. He was receives a minimum of £6-£7 per hour angry at what he described as and to look after a disabled person. Yet the "state exploitation" of family here for someone looking after a severely carers. Angry at the pittance paid disabled member of their family for 100 in carer's allowance to those giving hours each week, the government grants a care allowance of less than 50p an hour. up their lives to care for loved ones, all It is time the government ceased propping up the UK's ailing social of exploiting the goodwill of devoted care system in doing carers and stopped paying lip service Peter Lodge's It was, he said, "insulting". on, to the vast contribution being made by 2005 letter to In 2005, the year his son was till such hard-working, selfless, undervalued this newspaper registered blind, Peter felt so go individuals to the economy, saving the in which he strongly about the treatment country, as they do, £57 bn a year. highlighted the of family carers he wrote to the Peter Lodge, Hull paltry sums Guardian, accusing the government paid to people of "paying lip service to the caring for family vast contribution being made members by such hard-working, selfless, undervalued individuals". night and first thing in the morning ground as he tried to come to his Twenty years on with the plight before she arrived. Keri saw going father's aid. of unpaid carers still in the news back to Hull as "coming home". She By the time paramedics arrived, after the carer's allowance scandal rang them every day. David was barely conscious. revealed how tens of thousands On the night they last spoke, He was rushed to Hull Royal have been unfairly treated by the David used his Lightwriter to tell Infirmary where he was treated government this newspaper can Keri to cut her daughters' toenails for pneumonia and severe now tell the story of Peter and - his usual teasing goodbye. And as dehydration, but doctors thought David that charities say should she made for the door, he smiled, he would pull through and within shame the nation. ruffled his sister's hair, blew her a hours were planning his discharge. David Lodge was his usual raspberry, then waved. Then, in the early hours of 13 playful self when his sister, Dr Keri Seven days later, on 12 January January, his condition worsened Lodge, last saw him on a bitterly 2022, Keri arrived for her weekly and he suffered a heart attack. At cold winter evening three years visit to find her brother sprawled around 4am, 13 hours after Keri ago. Both in their 40s, they still had on the living room floor. He was found him, David was pronounced the same jokey sibling dynamic as barely breathing. Beside him was dead. He had just turned 40. when they were younger: David, Peter. At first, Keri thought they Reliving those final hours is as the cheeky one; Keri, the protective were sleeping. Their feet were traumatic three years on for Keri big sister. intertwined. She wondered why as it was at the time. She agonises David was born with a range they would be taking a nap on the about how terrified and helpless of complex conditions including living room floor. Then her eyes they both must have felt. Her autism, a learning disability and travelled to her father's face. He father's dying thoughts, she said, a coordination disorder called was dead. would almost certainly have been dyspraxia. He was partially sighted A postmortem examination about how David would get help. and later registered blind. Unable found Peter had died as long as Keri has decided to tell their to talk, he became proficient at four days earlier. David had lain story after growing outrage about using a small typewriter, called a undiscovered next to him all that the treatment of unpaid carers like Lightwriter, to communicate. time, unable to call for help. Keri her father, which has been exposed They lived nearly 60 miles believes he must have fallen to the by a months-long Guardian across Yorkshire from each other investigation. Ultimately, she healthy diet and went running on was from caring Keri with her young family in believes, her father and her brother the days Keri took over caring for been alleviated York, and David and Peter in the 'Dad never had a day would still be alive if the state cared her brother. "He wanted to keep never [but] perl terraced home in Hull where they off and was working more about those who devote himself fit for David," she said. have died. And grew up. But she would visit every their lives to looking after the most Peter died suddenly from David died was Wednesday, giving her father his 24/7 when he died vulnerable. complications caused by a gastric died, ultimately one weekly window of respite. essentially at work' "My dad never had a day off, ulcer which had gone undiagnosed. him in time." David looked forward to never had sick leave, and was Keri believes it was caused by the Peter had bee Keri's visits. In the Makaton working literally 24/7 when he died relentless exhaustion of caring permanent care signing system that he used to essentially at work," she said. around the clock. "He died due to young, when he communicate, David would make Keri Lodge Peter was very fit for his age. He a condition that's brought about be a stay-at-hon the symbol for sister last thing at never smoked, never drank, had a by stress," she said, "and the stress he cherished, bdemeaned and devalued him, ignored his communication of distress and, ultimately, led to the social circumstances at the time of his death," Keri said. By the time David died, he had DECtalk several traumatic experiences of care settings and being removed 1 2 3 4 6 8 9 from home. All he wanted was to be at home with his father, and that E R T Y U I P is all Peter wanted too. The family S repeatedly asked for David to be given daytime support, allowing Space Peter some respite, but were told by Hull city council that the only option was a short stay in a care home with a view to moving there long term. An inquest into David's death concluded in January that he was also failed in his final hours. In a The Lightwriter used by David Lodge, who was born with multiple Home preventing future deaths report, issued in the most serious cases developmental conditions, to of harm, the coroner Edward communicate with his sister, Keri A space for love Steele found that the "neglect" wherein one is cherished of clinicians had contributed to strain on my dad, not least the sleep his death. deprivation. I think the strain of by those one cherishes; Among the failings was that caring contributed to, if not caused, a place one misses; his death." David was never offered any pain relief and that basic examinations In his letter to the Guardian in a place one prefers to any other place; were not carried out. The charity 2005, Peter pleaded with ministers a place one runs back to: Mencap said David's death to increase the rate of carer's a home that cares, not a care home. highlighted "systemic failings" that allowance, the meagre benefit paid were "deeply shocking". to those who save the state billions At home in York, Keri proudly a year, then worth less than 50p an Peter Lodge, 2020. shows off a multicoloured collage hour for someone providing at least made by David that brightens her 100 hours of care a week. dining room wall. On the living He stopped being eligible for room fireplace is a framed poem carer's allowance when he reached A poem by Peter. David had had written by their father five years state pension age but to the end felt poor experiences of care settings and ago about moving David to a "insulted" by the paltry figure, Keri wanted only to be cared for at home care home. said. The benefit is currently £81.90 "Home," he writes, is "a place a week the equivalent of 82p an if their carer suffers a medical one misses; a place one prefers to hour for someone providing 100 emergency like Peter had. any other place; a place one runs hours of care a week. There was never a robust plan back to: a home that cares, not a "Dad felt very angry about for Peter and David despite the care home." what he saw as state exploitation family raising it multiple times with The charity Carers UK has backed of unpaid carers," she said. "I Hull city council, said Keri, who Keri's call for state bodies to have really don't think many people is an NHS consultant psychiatrist proper contingency plans for carers understand that if you are a full- specialising in learning disabilities and their loved ones in the event of time unpaid carer like my dad, and autism. Their deaths have an emergency. Tamara Sandoul, its you are on call 24/7, 365 days of echoes of the harrowing case of head of policy, said her charity was the year, with no rest breaks, no Bronson Battersby, the two-year- "shocked and saddened" by David sick leave and no annual leave. old who died of dehydration after and Peter's story. It requires superhuman strength being unable to call for help when She added: "Despite the vital and fortitude, but it does come at his 60-year-old father, Kenneth, contribution they make, there is a a cost." suffered a fatal heart attack at their widespread lack of formal support home in Skegness, Lincolnshire, for carers. Many are extremely eri made the difficult last year. Bronson was known to concerned about how they will K decision to share her social workers and would typically cope in the future. Yet without family's story and call be seen every month. unpaid carers, our health and social for urgent changes to a But it is not clear what plans, care systems would collapse." system she believes is if any, were in place for how he Hull city council said in a failing carers and their would get help in the event of an statement: "We are very saddened loved ones. emergency. Lincolnshire county by the death of David Lodge and She wants local authorities and council declined to comment when we offer our deepest condolences the NHS to be legally obliged to asked whether any such plans to his family. We are committed plan for how vulnerable people were in place, adding that it would to ensuring that any learning to will get help in the event of an not discuss the case until after an prevent future deaths is acted upon emergency. inquest later this year. as a priority." Although Peter was healthy for Technology is available for carers A council spokesperson said his age, this was something that or their loved ones to seek help in a safeguarding adult review, increasingly worried him. He raised emergencies. Lifeline pendants undertaken in 2022, was being it several times as he entered his are offered routinely to the elderly. revisited in light of the inquest. 70s, Keri said, adding that he had One was considered for David but A separate review, examining asked David's social worker how his was deemed unsuitable because his its work with people who have son would raise the alarm if Peter autism meant he was very sensitive A collage by learning disabilities and autism, "dropped down dead". He never to what he wore. avid, which was also under way. The council felt there was a plan. Since his death, Keri has said findings from each of these on Keri's In 2022, just months after Peter discovered apps that can be used all at home; would be published. and David died, NHS England to raise the alarm. She thinks David original A spokesperson for the NHS created a new code to indicate would have been able to use such hoto of Peter Humber health partnership, which when a "carer contingency plan" a device, potentially saving his life David oversees Hull Royal Infirmary, was in place for a family. But this and even his father's. said: "We would like to extend our n the beach only covers cases where a carer The failure to plan for an S a toddler deepest condolences to the family can no longer provide the same emergency was just the final way of Mr Lodge. We always try to learn HOTOGRAPH: level of care due to illness or other David and Peter were failed by the LODGE where processes could be improved reasons. It does not address what state, their family believe. "They and will be responding to the will happen to the cared-for person made decisions about his life which coroner in due course."TESCO Every little helpsMonday 24 March 2025 The Guardian National 11 Artists From left: Paloma Faith, Andy Peebles, Annie Lennox, Ed Sheeran and Radio 1 DJ and demand Harry Styles are among 500 presenter, signatories to £250m to the letter dies aged 76 fund music Mark Brown education Andy Peebles, the former Radio 1 DJ and presenter who was one of the last people to interview John Lennon, has died aged 76. Laura Snapes Peebles began his radio career in Deputy music editor Manchester in 1973 and joined Radio 1 in 1978, where he was a familiar voice Elton John, Coldplay, Harry Styles, for 14 years. Stormzy and Central Cee are among His friend and former colleague the artists backing a call from Ed Mike Read said on X that he was "dev- Sheeran for Keir Starmer to commit astated" to hear the news. "We joined £250m for music education. Radio 1 together. Knew his music and As part of his newly launched cricket inside out. Raise your bat and Ed Sheeran Foundation, the Suf- enjoy a long rest in the pavilion." folk songwriter is campaigning for Tony Blackburn, the first DJ to be music funding in schools, training heard on Radio 1 when it launched in for teachers, funding for grassroots 1967, posted: "He was a lovely man venues and spaces, apprenticeships Before winning the 2024 elec- "How many more venues need which does not include music or art. and a great broadcaster, very sad and a more diverse music curriculum. tion, Starmer a former child flautist to close before we realise that we Last year, the Cultural Learning Alli- news." Sheeran wrote: "As an industry, we who has spoken of the joys of travel- can't just celebrate success, we have ance found that 42% of state schools Peebles said the highlight of his bring in £7.6bn to the UK economy, ling with his youth orchestra - told to protect the foundations that make enter no pupils for GCSE music. career was interviewing Lennon in yet the next generation is not there to Classic FM he "passionately" wanted it?" he asked. Femi Koleoso, a drummer with 1980, although it was bittersweet take the reins. Last year was the first to reverse the "degrading of creative Arts advocates are hoping Labour's Ezra Collective, also called for sup- because, two days later, the former in over 20 years without a UK global arts and music" in state schools. curriculum review, led by Prof Becky port for music education when the Beatle was dead after being shot by top 10 single or album in the charts. Annie Lennox, Dave, Paloma Francis, will lead to greater support London jazz band won group of the Mark Chapman. "State schools - which educate Faith, YolanD Brown and Sleaford for the arts and greater educational year at the Brit awards. Their vic- The interview lasted three hours 93% of the country's children have Mods are also among the 500 sig- inclusion, closing the access gap tory, Koleoso said, was "because of and 22 minutes, Peebles later recalled: seen a 21% decrease in music provi- natories. The Brit awards rising star between state and private schools. the great youth clubs and the great "It is a staggeringly long time to actu- sion [we] need you standing up for winner Myles Smith has also signed; In 2022, the Conservative govern- teachers and the great schools". ally talk to somebody and that was all music education. Artists and indus- at the awards ceremony last month, ment published the second iteration "So many of the problems that face down to him." try can't deliver on the world stage for he called on the government, venue of its national plan for music edu- greater society in the UK the solu- Peebles also presented 15 episodes the UK without schools, youth clubs conglomerates and music executives cation. It proposed that all young tion lies with giving a young person a of Top of the Pops. After Radio 1, and stages at home. to support emerging artists. people should be able to learn to sing, trumpet, the solution lies with giving Peebles had stints at Manchester's "We collectively ask for a £250m play an instrument and create music a young person a saxophone, because Smooth FM and London's 102.2 Jazz UK music education package this together, and have the opportunity when you do that you give them a FM, and was inducted into the Radio spring to repair decades of disman- 'The solution lies to progress their musical interests, dream and aspiration," he added. Academy's hall of fame in 2011. tling music Music in and out of with giving a young including at a professional level. A government spokesperson school should be for all, not a few." But music studies in schools said: "Our new national centre for Andy Peebles A 2025 report by Music Mark, the person a trumpet are at a historical low. In August, music and arts education will pro- said interviewing UK association for music education, give them a dream' the Independent Society of Musi- mote opportunities for children and John Lennon for found that the Labour government cians reported a 43% drop in A-level young people to pursue their artis- 'a staggeringly had inherited a £161.4m shortfall applicants and almost 40% in GCSE tic and creative interests in school. long time' in 1980 in its budget to ensure the future applicants since 2010, when the then "We are also expanding the crea- was the highlight of music education over the next Femi Koleoso education secretary, Michael Gove, tive careers programme to £3m over of his career five years. Ezra Collective introduced the Ebacc qualification, the next financial year." UNBREAKABLE EETV sky original AIRBORNE NATURE IN FULL NOW Streaming discovery Stream now BEST LIVE & sky nature ON DEMAND CONTENT ULTRA-RELIABLE FULL FIBRE POWERED BY ALL FOR £27.99 A MONTH EMILY IN PARIS FOR 6 MONTHS. £46.99 FROM MONTH 7 24 months. Price increases to WATCH NOW from 31 March 2026. NETFLIX discovery+ NOW FOR 6 MONTHS sky atlantic sky max New +£5pm from month 25 Separate contracts TV and Broadband 10pm). Check your speed Compatible requiredThe Guardian Monday 24 March 2025 National open. "There was no lack of capac- and to the UK's "energy resilience for comes to a standstill when we need to Donna Ferguson ity from the substations," he told the critical national infrastructure, both reset, as we did [on Friday]." Financial Times. "Each substation now and in the future". But Pettigrew said two substations ad enough individually can provide enough Heathrow's chief executive, were "always available for the dis- There was enough power for Heath- power to Heathrow." Thomas Woldbye, has defended the tribution network companies and ower to keep row to remain open during the entire Heathrow returned to normal busi- airport's response to the "unprece- Heathrow to take power". It was a period it was shut down on Friday, ness yesterday and the dented" power outage. "question for Heathrow" as to why the head of National Grid has said. has ordered an investigation into the "Heathrow uses as much energy it took the action it did. "Losing a sub- open, says Speaking for the first time since a closure, estimated to have cost the as a city every single day we don't station is a unique event but there fire forced North Hyde substation to airline industry £60m-£70m. have backup power for baggage sys- were two others available," he said. etwork chief close, the National Grid chief execu- Ed Miliband, the energy secretary, items, fuel systems, things like air "So that is a level of resilience." tive, John Pettigrew, said two other said the government was "deter- bridges and on," he said. On the day after the fire, Woldbye substations that serve Heathrow mined to properly understand what "So whereas the safety systems are told the BBC that although the airport were working and could have sup- happened and what lessons need to working and we can get aircraft in and has other substations, "to switch to plied all the power needed to stay be learned", in regard to this incident out, most of the airport infrastructure them takes time". 'It'd be the end': blow UK Government for fishers in row with holiday home owners village to try to alter something which Donna Ferguson has been in situ for several decades and is integral to the way of life here." Matthew Fernando, who runs the For the past 40 years, Richard Clarke Lifeboat Tavern pub, said: "The par- has fished for lobsters, crab, herring ish council and the whole village is and bass off the coast of Sea Palling in definitely behind the fishermen." north Norfolk. Now, he fears his fish- He thinks people who buy second ing days are numbered after a dispute homes in Sea Palling should expect with holiday home owners about to be disturbed by fishers transport- whether he should be allowed to ing their boats in and out of the sea store his boats near their properties. with the tide during the night. "If you What do I need to know North Norfolk district council buy a house in a fishing village by the (NNDC) has ruled it is not lawful for sea, you can't expect to try to get rid about selling to Europe? fishers to continue to use the field off of fishermen who have been here for a road, the Marrams, to store boats years and years. If you're upset about for fishing and recreation, despite that, go buy a house inland." acknowledging the site has been used He said villagers do not find the by fishers for more than a decade. noise of the boats disturbing and the "We will find it hard to continue if dispute was causing unnecessary we don't have the use of this field," tension in the village: "These are guys said Clarke, 55, a third-generation who are just working day-to-day, to fisher who has been storing his boats get as much as they can to survive and in the small shingled yard for 35 years, live. When you eat fresh lobster in a alongside those of his brother Jason. restaurant while you're on holiday, "It's important to us. Withouti we where do you think it comes from?" couldn't it would be the end In the complaint submitted to the of our fishing careers." district council, one objector said: With demand from across Europe for He said he had received a letter "The landowner appears to want the UK's exceptional goods and services, from the council "many years ago" free rein to do anything he wishes stating that he was allowed to store not necessarily related to historical we'll help you get started, understand his vessels on the site owing to an small-scale local fishing." the rules, and learn about the right 18th-century covenant. "It was an The NNDC planning officer con- old law that said that any fisherman cluded that the boatyard's owner had European markets for your business. could store fishing gear on land 200 provided "insufficient" evidence of metres from the high-water mark." the land's use for a "sufficient length We can help you sell to the world. Sea Palling parish council wrote of time to enable a lawful develop- to NNDC to say it would be a "trav- ment certificate to be granted". esty if the boatyard disappeared". Clarke said he was uncertain what "This matter has aroused consider- this decision would mean for him. FIND THE ANSWERS able indignation from local people," "It's a huge worry at the moment, it wrote. "There have been boats hanging over our heads. We've always stored along the Marrams for over fished, it's in our blood," he said. AT GREAT.GOV.UK/EUROPE a hundred years. The parish council The Guardian understands the feels that it is iniquitous for people site owner intends to appeal against who own only holiday cottages in the NNDC's decision. Fisher Richard Clarke says his livelihood is at risk after a dispute with second home GREAT owners in a Norfolk village BRITAIN & NORTHERN IRELAND PHOTOGRAPH: EASTERN DAILY PRESS/SWNSMonday 24 March 2025 The Guardian National 'Spy cop' who deceived woman At the time of the discovery, she was of the person we used to know". The to spy on political group engaged to be married to him. undercover officer had become close 1968 and at least 2010. At The case, which is the longest- to Gabriella's family, who have also the undercover officers n for years was already married known deception of a woman into been devastated. - formed sexual relation an intimate relationship by an under- Police told the second woman, members of the public W cover officer, was revealed by the known by the pseudonym Esther, closing their identity. The officer hid his real identity Guardian two years ago. in 2021 that her husband had The undercover officer Rob Evans from the first woman, with whom In new filings, the undercover a relationship and a child with with gathering Aamna Mohdin he fathered a child, and never told policing inquiry disclosed that the Gabriella. It is not known how long criminals. Avon and Som her his actual job during their rela- officer was also married. and in what years Esther was mar- stabulary, which deploye An undercover police officer who tionship. He used his fake name on Both women have been left devas- ried to the undercover officer. They apologised to Gabriella, used his fake identity to deceive a the birth certificate of their son. tated. The first woman, known by the are now divorced. that she had no links to cri woman into a 19-year relationship She only discovered in 2020 that pseudonym Gabriella, has not spoken The inquiry, headed by the retired played no role in his was married to another woman at the he was a police officer who had publicly. Her relatives have described judge Sir John Mitting, is also investi- Guardian previously use time, a public inquiry has disclosed. deceived her for almost two decades. how the ordeal has left her "ashadow gating the use of undercover officers donym Mary for her. Rami Battikh's ordeal began in 2019 when his German identity card went missing on a Supporting trip to London UK Export UK exporters with Finance GOVERNMENT- BACKED TRADE ID fraudster stamps on my passport to prove it. But they just said they couldn't just take my word over a police record." FINANCE saddles his The deception started in March 2021 when a man fraudulently using Battikh's ID was jailed by Wood Green We've got the financial solutions to help you sell your victim with crown court in London. products or services overseas. If you've got a viable His offences included driving export opportunity, our Export Finance Managers can without a licence or insurance, fraud help you take the next step. a criminal by false representation and posses- sion of an identity document that was WIN CONTRACTS FULFIL ORDERS GET PAID either false, improperly obtained or record belonged to another person. ukexportfinance.gov.uk The mix-up was acknowledged by the judge in the case after Battikh hired a solicitor. Emails seen by the Guardian show Lisa O'Carroll that the judge's successor tried to get the Met to correct the error. But the efforts to persuade Scot- A German citizen says his life has land Yard that its database entry was been ruined by a London criminal incorrect continued without success who used his identity to rack up a and Battikh's problems only wors- string of convictions that appear ened. In 2023, more crimes were against his name on a police database. recorded against his stolen ID in Rami Battikh, 24, has in effect been London, including one of possession blacklisted and unable to get a job for of a knife in a public place. the past four years in his native Bonn, Last year Battikh wrote to the Met, stymieing a budding career and the which is thought to have the author- start of his adult life. ity to amend criminal records, but his He has written to the Metropoli- name has not been cleared. tan police begging officers to treat the "I cannot continue to live like matter with urgency because he feels this, waiting indefinitely for a crimi- trapped and powerless after years of nal record to be cleared. Ifeel utterly trying to have the records deleted. desperate," he said. A British judge said it was a "mess" He has no prospect of job, has had that had left a terrible stain on Bat- to sell his car to cover bills and is now tikh's record. His nightmare began sharing his story because he does not following a short holiday in Londoni know what else to do. 2019. He had travelled with his pass- In April 2024, Battikh wrote to port and German national identity Wood Green crown court offering card but discovered on his return that DNA or fingerprints which were taken the latter was missing. at a German police station for trans- He did not think too much about fer by officers at Interpol. it, applied for a new ID card and "This fraud destroys my life. two years later finished his voca- get any jobs," he said in the letter. "I tional apprenticeship at Vodafone can't live like this any more. I am Finance in Bonn. Battikh, who also innocent and I never did any of those has Tunisian nationality, was soon criminal acts. I beg for help." offered two jobs, one with Vodafone the Met said: "Weare and the other with a tax office. aware of this case and we continue to But then a routine employer check work with other agencies to progress showed he had a criminal record. this with a view to having the situ- "I couldn't believe it," said Bat- ation rectified. We understand that tikh. "Itold my employers that it was the length of time this has taken has not true, that for sure it was not me, added to the concern and upset, but that had proof wasn't in the UK at aim to provide an update to the appli-The Guardian Monday 24 March 2025 14 National People who have type 2 diabetes and compared them with Daughter's life was at serious risk because he 70,000 people without diabetes. lacked access to medication. There tends to be a surge in can- diabetes face raised risk cer diagnoses shortly after a diabetes fears for UK One of the couple's programmes involved educational training for diagnosis, simply because patients mothers and children in Bamiyan, a have more medical tests. The couple held by city in central Afghanistan. of some lethal cancers researchers accounted for this spike Taliban leaders have placed a ban by ignoring cases reported within a year of a diabetes diagnosis. the Taliban on women working and on female education beyond primary level but After five years the risk of any obe- the couple's project had apparently sity-related cancer was 48% higher been approved by local officials. said Owen Tipping, a medical stu- for men recently diagnosed with dia- Despite being told their court Ian Sample dent who worked on the study with betes than for those without it. For Caroline Davies appearance would result in a final Science editor Andrew Renehan, professor of cancer women, the risk was 24% higher. decision, they "spent four hours studies and surgery at the University But not all obesity-related cancers sitting on the floor, chained to other People who develop type 2 diabetes of Manchester. "Our research was rose with diabetes. Women with dia- The daughter of a British couple prisoners before being returned to face a raised risk of some of the most detecting the effect of diabetes on betes were no more likely to develop imprisoned by the Taliban has the prison", Entwistle said. lethal cancers, including liver and cancer, after adjusting for obesity." endometrial cancer or post-meno- expressed serious concerns over their She added: "At the last minute, pancreatic tumours, with the great- Previous studies have linked obe- pausal breast cancer, according to the deteriorating health. they were informed that they would est rises in women, research suggests. sity with 13 types of cancer, many study, to be presented at the European Peter and Barbie Reynolds, who not be seen by the judge. The guards Analysis of health records from of which are also more common in Congress on Obesity in Málaga in May. have been running projects in schools indicated that a different judge would 95,000 people found the risk of pan- people with type 2 diabetes. But Across the population, the lifetime in Afghanistan for 18 years, were now be handling the case. creatic cancer was nearly twice as researchers have struggled to work risks for liver and pancreatic cancer detained last month. They have not "There are still no charges against high, and the liver cancer risk almost out if diabetes itself raises the risk of are higher for men than women. In been informed of the charges, accord- them, and no evidence of any crime five times as high, in women recently some or all of the cancers. the UK, one in 76 men and one in ing to their daughter, Sarah Entwistle. has been submitted." diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. For the latest study, the Manches- 130 women will develop liver can- She said her parents, aged 79 and The chances of developing the ter group turned to the UK Biobank, cer, while one in 55 men and one in 75, had been taken to court separately cancers rose in men too, with new- which holds medical and lifestyle 59 women will get pancreatic cancer. and were unable to see each other onset type 2 diabetes linked to a 74% data on half a million people. They Tipping said it was too early to before their case was delayed. increase in pancreatic cancer and a examined the records of 23,750 know if people with diabetes would "Mum's health is rapidly dete- near quadrupling in the risk of liver people with newly diagnosed type 2 benefit from cancer screening, but riorating and she is collapsing due cancer in the five years afterwards. said: "We know with pancreatic can- to malnutrition. She and the other A smaller effect was seen for bowel cer it's important to detect it early." women are provided only one meal cancer, with the risk 34% higher in women and 27% higher in men with 23,750 It is unclear how diabetes might a day, while the men receive three," drive cancer, but scientists suspect Entwistle said. "Dad's health is also new-onset type 2 diabetes. The number of people with newly factors such as high levels of insu- still declining and he's experiencing "Diabetes and obesity are asso- diagnosed type 2 diabetes whose lin, high blood glucose and chronic tremors in his head and left arm." Peter and Barbie Reynolds run ciated with similar cancer types," records were studied by researchers inflammation may play a part. The family has already said Peter's training projects in Afghanistan iPhone 16 Built for Apple Intelligence. 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Europe Zone roaming capped at 25GB per month, data Bolt On purchase required once limit reached. 99% based on outdoor 4G coverage. Terms apply, seeMonday 24 March 2025 The Guardian National 15 Singing has June Evans, who took part in the Welsh the power to National Opera's pain management ease pain, programme and, right, cast members in Welsh opera The Marriage of Figaro PHOTOGRAPHS: project finds POLLY THOMAS; DAFYDD OWEN and anthems. Home on the Range and is a break to listen to music and then Steven Morris Don't Worry Be Happy were among the singing begins in earnest. So far her favourites. "Your microphone is nearly 50 people have taken part. muted you can sing your heart out. Milestone Tweed, which carried Wales is famed as the land of song, decreases in pain, while a similar carrying on? I couldn't do anything, "You learn techniques on how to out the research, said there were the music of the valleys and moun- number said their mental health had go any where, enjoy anything." cope with the pain. I've sort of tamed "substantial improvements in pain tains providing a source of pride, joy improved. She had not known what to expect the pain, whereas it used to control management, mental and emotional and a sense of belonging. Participants had no illusions that from the course, which takes place me. I'm now happy going outside. It's health, and overall quality of life". But a pioneering project led by they had been cured of illness on Zoom. "I'd not done any singing brought a joy back into my life. And It said: "Surprisingly, some par- Welsh National Opera (WNO) has but said the programme had helped before. I'm not the sort who's been in I'm getting closer to being the person ticipants reported that this was the found that music can also help peo- them manage their pain by giving choirs I was a bit nervous about it." I was before all my illnesses hit me." first intervention that had given them ple suffering with persistent pain. them techniques to deal with it. But she enjoyed the singing, which Jenny Pearson, a professional significant pain relief. While partic- Participants in a pain manage- June Evans, who has a number of ranged from a light opera to folk songs singer and one of the programme's ipants did not expect their chronic ment programme run by WNO with serious illnesses including a heart vocal leaders, said she was delighted conditions to be cured, the sessions NHS Wales reported that singing and condition, said the programme, but not wholly surprised by the helped them to manage pain and taking part in breathing exercises in funded by the Welsh government, 'I'm now happy going results. "Singers have always known improve daily functionality." sessions run by vocal experts had changed her life. outside. It's brought a singing makes us feel good. Singing Owen Hughes, national clinical their symptoms. "Before I part my life was in a nice safe environment can have lead for persistent pain, NHS Wales, An independent report on the over," said Evans, 67, from Llandrin- joy back into my life' an impact on someone's life." said: "Several participants said Wellness with WNO persistent pain dod Wells, Powys. "I was anxious Sessions begin with neck and head they've gone on to join choirs and pilot found that two in three people and frightened. Ionly went out of the exercises, then move on to breathing some are looking to return to work. who took part in a study of the pro- house for hospital appointments. I June Evans techniques that aim to target the par- The power of song has really made a gramme's effectiveness reported was hopeless. What was the point in asympathetic nervous system. There difference to their lives." Feel better about where you buy your books Free UK P&P Visit the Guardian Bookshop to save up to 15% on the best on online new books and support the Guardian with every order orders over £25 FROM Chimamanda ff WHO IS Ngozi Adichie GOVERNMENT? Dream AM Count NATASHA £17 £14.99 £16.14 £12.74 £21.25 Save up to 15% on the best new releases each month The Guardian Visit guardianbookshop.com or call 020 3176 3837 *Get free orders over £25. Promotional prices valid for limited time only Bookshop (all orders phone will incur a minimum £2 99 delivery charge)Spring Sale Save £342 'Hostile environment' drives many of SNP's Commons, Stephen Flynn, have a "hit list" of sitting MSPs all women whom they hope to replace with female MSPs to stand down before election former MPs next May. Flynn faced a fierce backlash last autumn when he announced that he planned to stand for Holyrood potentially pushing out the incumbent female MSP - while keeping his Westminster seat. Libby Brooks The former Holyrood sources said that in Severin Carrell SNP leader addition to what could be bruising Nicola Sturgeon contests to select candidates, there Holyrood is becoming a "hostile with Michelle were concerns the SNP would face a Thomson then environment for women" and a sig- very difficult election because of its nificant number of female Scottish a Westminster funding difficulties and a substantial National party MSPs are stepping MP during the drop in membership after the police down before the May 2026 elections 2015 UK election investigation into its finances. citing lack of support from the party, campaign. Both This is happening against a back- tolerance of bullying, and abuse in plan to step down ground of growing online abuse, with the chamber and online. as MSPs before a recent Holyrood magazine survey Almost four years on from the the 2026 elections finding that female MSPs of all parties election of a record number of 58 PHOTOGRAPH: faced rape threats, death threats and MURDO MACLEOD/ female MSPs across all parties, 14 THE GUARDIAN severe misogynistic abuse. SNP women have said they will not Although the SNP's leader, stand again, accounting for 23% of John Swinney, has maintained the party's MSP group. Sturgeon's tradition of a gender- While some departures were balanced cabinet, some women expected, such as the former first described themselves as "furious" minister Nicola Sturgeon, other exits and "appalled" that equal representa- raise questions about why women tion reforms brought in by Sturgeon, with seemingly promising careers are including ensuring all-women lists choosing to step away. where MSPs stood down, had been Michelle Thomson, who is stand- ditched for the next election. ing down as MSP for Falkirk East, The SNP said its legal advice was having previously served at West- that because it achieved a 50/50 gen- women when they encounter diffi- minster, told the Guardian: "Politics feel they can't speak up, especially 14 der balance in 2021, it could not put in is very misogynist, and I don't think culties, and that's why we are losing on issues like LGBT+ inclusion," said place similar corrective mechanisms. far too many talented women." the SNP can be complacent about its one former party official. The approved candidates list, cir- Natalie Don-Innes is stand- internal mechanisms, which mean Others worry that the atmosphere The number female Scottish culated to SNP members last week, ing down as MSP for Renfrewshire that examples of inappropriate male will get worse if Reform UK wins National party MSPs who say they included 64 women (42%) out of a North and West, citing "the sacrifices behaviour including bullying and upwards of 10 Holyrood seats, as poll- will not be standing for re-election total of 152. that being an elected member and a sexual harassment are not tackled." ing predicts, and if former SNP MPs Thomson said there was "a very mother brings". Elena Whitham, an SNP former ousted in the party's catastrophic real risk that the SNP could take a sig- 42% Other women raised concerns minister and another MSP not seek- general election defeat last July bring nificant step back in 2026". about the Holyrood environment. a more combative Westminster cul- ing re-election, said: "It's not just "The SNP put in all-women short- "The bullying, booing and braying about barriers to entry but to staying ture to the Scottish parliament. The proportion of candidates on lists without looking at misogyny in from the Tory benches whenever in politics. Neither party nor parlia- Some fear this is already hap- the SNP's list for the 2026 elections the party," said a prominent back- an SNP woman makes a progres- ment are able to effectively support pening after reports that allies of who are women 64 out of 152 bencher. "Holyrood is becoming a sive intervention is awful. Women the SNP's leader in the House of hostile environment for women."Monday 24 March 2025 The Guardian National 17 Anti-Traveller attitudes murdered during the Holocaust was to be moved to make way for arailway line. was any other memorial, it holding community wouldn't be getting disturbed," she said. "I see a lot of hypocrisy." Le Bas, who was nominated for the Turner prize last year, has taken over back, says artist Le Bas a former manor house on an estate in Dagenham, east London, for her lat- est project. Behind the door of the house in Becontree, once the largest attending Christmas markets. Chil- housing estate of its kind in Europe Lanre Bakare dren as young as 10 were allegedly and used to rehouse people after the Arts and culture correspondent forced on to trains that took them slum clearances of the old East End, 100 miles from home. Le Bas said: Le Bas has created a world of instal- Roma, Gypsies and Travellers have mean, the case with the young kids lations that explore Traveller culture. not made as much progress as other in Manchester was just quite lawful Silver reflective paper lines the minority groups in the UK because there have been some really bad inci- floor and a doormat made of images of deeply entrenched racist attitudes dents historically as well." of cars passing by the front of the towards them, the Turner prize-nom- Entrenched anti-Traveller atti- house, which is next to the main inated artist Delaine Le Bas has said. tudes and negative press coverage road running through the vast estate, Le Bas, who has spent her career focused on antisocial activity were greets you at the entrance. exploring themes connected to her partly to blame for the treatment Delaine Le Bas, above and left, at Over a six-month residency, dur- Romany Traveller heritage, said Trav- of her community, said Le Bas, the Becontree estate's White House in ing which Le Bas relocated from her eller communities have been "stuck whose work often confronts those Dagenham, east London PHOTOGRAPH: home in Worthing, West Sussex, to in place" by stereotypes and hostile perceptions. ALEXANDER CHRISTIE/CREATE LONDON the Becontree estate's White House, newspaper coverage. Isuppose what I'm trying to do is she created long, draped fabric with She said: "Unlike some other dif- sort of counterbalance that, but also painted expressions such as "gyp- ferent groups, I feel they've really maybe bring some subtlety," she said. 'Unlike some other sies, tramps and strangers: volume been stuck in a place where they've feel it's either this or that, and not made a lot of progress forward. there's all this stuff in between that minority groups, one", which was the name of a file she found in the property's archive. It's been really difficult." no one really wants to talk about." they've The White House is run by Create The artist pointed out the recent Le Bas said she had seen other signs of anti-Traveller bias on her really been stuck' London, which also helped estab- allegations of false imprisonment, lish the House for Artists project in negligence and excessive use of force travels through Europe. Barking and Dagenham to provide levelled at Greater Manchester police Last year it was announced that affordable housing for artists, who after Romany Gypsies and Irish Trav- the Berlin memorial in tribute to the Delaine Le Bas are encouraged to interact with their eller children were stopped from 500,000 Sinti and Roma who were Artist local community. Our best ever price iPhone 16 £37.50 a month £30 upfront Unlimited data Increasing to: £39 a month from April 2026 Apple Intelligence requires iOs 18.2 or later. Built for Apple Intelligence. Scan to switch, go in-store, or call 0800 033 8035 today. 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But everyone can agree he has got his old vim and verve back over the past 12 months. After being fired by Johnson in November 2020, he helped engineer the Partygate scandal that brought his former boss down but then became something of a recluse, friends said. In line with the image of a tortured genius in exile, he purchased a £161,000 home on Lindisfarne - the Holy Island just off the Northumberland coast. A friend added, however, that it was in Cummings's nature to disappear only to dramatically re-emerge. That he did in October 2023 to give evidence at the Covid inquiry and chew up what was left of Johnson's reputation, describing him as "a symptom of the system's sickness". He still holds Johnson in Back in the thick of it? might be on a trajectory to win 100 contempt, friends say. Cummings seats at the next election in 2029, also believes the Conservative putting the party in the position party is moving towards extinction where it might execute a reverse something he would be pleased to takeover of the Conservative party. nudge along. Cummings and the 'friendly But Farage would be nudging In May last year, before the at Lord Palmerston's record as general election, he floated the Britain's oldest first-time prime idea of a start-up party and started minister should he be successful talking to potential figureheads, it against Keir Starmer in 2035. He is understood, including those who chat' with Brexit foe Farage would be into his 80s by the end of are ex-forces, although that plan a second term. appears to have been dropped. Farage said "he didn't want to Cummings is now "hedging his wait until 2035 wanted to win a bets", suggested a friend. majority in 2029", Cummings said. He retains a few disciples within two men were daggers drawn up the party system, how to shake Not everyone who knows the the parliamentary ranks of the Daniel Boffey for years, partly as a result of a it all up most effectively. And how maverick political strategist is Conservative party, including Chief clash between their organisations to bring some of the great people convinced he would turn down an Katie Lam, the MP for Weald of (Cummings's Vote Leave, of which in this country now excluded from opportunity to be part of that. Kent, a colleague in Downing ivil servants may he was campaign director, and government into it to replace the "Farage is much like Boris, Street who got on the wrong side C wish to dust off their the Farageist Grassroots Out) over shitshow we all have to live with although in different ways a of Johnson's wife, Carrie Symonds, CVs. Members of which would be the official Brexit every day. deeply flawed individual," said after nudging the family dog, Dilyn, parliament, brace, campaign group. "The current crop of MPs and a friend. "So the question is, do away from her handbag over which brace, brace. Dominic Farage described Cummings, officials by definition can't fix you just throw your toys out the he had cocked his leg. Cummings the who went on to be Johnson's themselves," Cummings said. "It pram and say all of the lead actors Of late, though, Cummings political weather-maker behind the chief adviser in Downing Street, needs an outside force." are shit, I don't want to work with has been focused on helping tide that delivered Brexit and raised as a "horrible nasty little man". It is understood that Cummings them, plague on all their houses? a cross-party movement led and drowned Boris Johnson is Last summer, Cummings said the emphasised to Farage the need Or do you try and work with the by the academic Dr Lawrence eyeing up a Westminster comeback, re-emergence of Farage on the for him to build credible policies cranks that the political process has Newport, who first came to public of sorts. political scene was "depressing", in order to recruit top-quality chucked up? I think he's probably prominence with his successful 'Imight spend more time on SW1 adding that "15% of the country [is] candidates and attract donors. found himself in the latter camp." campaign to ban XL bully dogs. depending how things play out," pretty much like Farage and hates In turn, Farage, 60, is said to have A second source said Cummings Newport has moved on to Cummings told the Guardian after everybody else". He said Farage made a nod to his mortality. Reform was insistent in private as well as in champion a tougher approach to speculation about his intentions in didn't offer solutions. crime and, more recently, a plan the Westminster postcode, "but I It was something of a surprise, Nigel Farage for economic growth, including the do not want a job there my efforts then, for the two men to break at a Reform implementation of a fully fledged will only be helping people of any bread. Of the dinner, the Reform UK UK event in infrastructure bill. Cummings party pushing in what I consider leader has said only that they talked Cornwall in opened up his contacts book and a good direction, I'm happy living "about the blob and what were the February. He is said to be a constant source away from SW1 and SW1 for sure practical problems of coming into had dismissed of advice. feels the same about me." government and not being able to Cummings as a Cummings wrote recently on The trigger for a renewed interest do what you wanted to do". 'horrible nasty his Substack blog, for which he in the beanie-wearing politico from In his first public comments little man' has more than 60,000 subscribers, Durham, portrayed by Benedict about the meeting, Cummings PHOTOGRAPH: JONNY that such campaigns could be Cumberbatch in Brexit: The Uncivil told the Guardian it had been a WEEKS/THEGUARDIAN the "third force' that could help War, has been the recent revelation "friendly chat". The focus, the influence things one way or another of a secret dinner with Nigel Farage 53-year-old added, had been "the at a crucial moment". shortly before Christmas. core problems that we have a Should such a crucial moment It has prompted much broken Whitehall, a disgraceful come, who would bet against him excitement in Westminster. The and shattered Tory party clogging being in the thick of it?20 World US strikes upbeat tone as latest Ukraine talks begin Earlier yesterday, the White House including a five-year-old child, were Ashifa Kassam national security adviser, Mike killed in Kyiv, while four people were Waltz, said that the US was also talk- killed in the Donetsk region. ing through confidence-building Russian troops reportedly US and Ukrainian officials met yes- measures, including the future of seized the small village of Sribne in terday for talks over a ceasefire in Ukrainian children taken into Russia. Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, Russia's war in Ukraine, with Wash- Moscow, however, said "difficult while Ukraine's army said its troops ington signalling its hope for "real negotiations" lie ahead. "Weare only had recaptured the small village of progress" even as Moscow warned at the beginning of this path," the Nadia in the eastern Luhansk region. that "difficult negotiations" lie ahead. Kremlin okesperson Dmitry Peskov Russian officials said their air The gulf in expectations marked told Russian state TV yesterday. defences had destroyed 59 Ukrain- the start of the latest round of Peskov said the main focus in ian drones targeting the country's negotiations in Saudi Arabia, which Russia's talks with the US would southwestern regions, noting that is due to be followed by a meeting be a possible resumption of a 2022 one person had been killed in Rostov. between the US and Russia today. The Black Sea grain deal, brokered by This week's talks come after Wit- US is pushing for a broad ceasefire Turkey and the UN, that ensured koff detailed his admiration for Putin by 20 April, according to Bloomberg, safe navigation for Ukrainian farm in an interview with the former Fox though sources said the timeline may exports via the Black Sea. News host Tucker Carlson. slip given the wide gap between the Moscow pulled out of the deal in Witkoff said he "liked" the Russian positions of Kyiv and Moscow. 2023, accusing the west of failing president "Idon't regard Putin as a Yesterday the US special envoy, to uphold its commitments to ease bad guy he's super smart" and Steve Witkoff, appeared upbeat about sanctions on Russia's exports of farm dismissed Keir Starmer's readiness working with the Russian president, produce and fertilisers. to put British troops on the ground in Vladimir Putin. Ifeel that he wants Witkoff, a real estate developer Ukraine post-ceasefire as "a combina- peace," he told Fox News. who had no prior diplomatic experi- tion of a posture and a pose". This week's talks are expected to ence before being tasked as Donald Witkoff said the "central issue" of delve into the details of implement- Trump's special envoy, downplayed the talks was the Ukrainian regions ing the 30-day ceasefire on energy fears of Putin launching a broader that had been annexed, but stumbled infrastructure, and potentially aggression. in trying to name them. expand shipping in the Black Sea. just don't see that he wants to "The largest issue in that conflict After the meeting Ukraine's take all of Europe," he said. are these so-called four regions, Don- defence minister, Rustem Umerov, him at his word in this sense." bas, Crimea, you know the names said the talks were "constructive", Last week Putin agreed to Trump's and there are two others," said Wit- adding that the energy sector was a proposal for 30-day halt on attacksto koff, in an attempt to name Luhansk, key focus of the negotiations. energy infrastructure, but both sides Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, "The discussion was productive soon reported continued strikes. and confusing Crimea for one of the and focused - we addressed key Ukrainian officials said yesterday four occupied eastern territories. points including energy," he said on that at least seven people were killed Earlier this month, Volodymyr social media, adding Ukraine was overnight after Russia launched 147 Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine working to make its goal of a "just drones. Ukrainian air defences shot would not recognise any occupied and lasting peace" a reality. down 97 of the drones. Three people, territories as Russian. Cleanup work in Kyiv after overnight drone attacks killed three people in the city, person of the deal. But you should undertones, and many in Ukraine Petro Poroshenko be prepared for that, when the are irritated at Poroshenko for future of your nation depends on going public with criticism. the way you treat Trump," said Faced with this claim, he agreed, Former president hits out Poroshenko. He has been muted but said it was Zelenskyy's fault for in his criticism of Zelenskyy since launching sanctions: "Ukraine is the full-scale invasion began in weak without unity and definitely at sanctions against him February 2022 but he says recent Putin will use this opportunity to sanctions placed on him by the undermine the internal stability." Ukrainian authorities have caused Zelenskyy is not a dictator, him to speak out: "This is an Poroshenko said, but he is "leading Now, as a newly emboldened absolutely political decision of the country towards dictatorship". Shaun Walker Trump embarks on his second Zelenskyy: extrajudicial, no court, A billionaire confectionery Kyiv term, Russian control of Crimea no rule of law, and even without magnate who went into politics, is one of many concessions to explanation why," he said. Poroshenko was elected president n the corner of Petro Moscow his negotiating team The accusations come at a after the Maidan revolution in I Poroshenko's Kyiv office, a are reportedly considering. And delicate time for Kyiv, when 2014. When he stood for re-election poster shows him shaking instead of friendly handshakes, Trump and those in his orbit are in 2019, he lost resoundingly hands with Donald Trump, Trump dressed down Poroshenko's accusing Zelenskyy of being a to Zelenskyy, whose main back in the US president's successor, Zelenskyy, in dictator and demanding new 'Trump is not an easy qualification for the job was playing first term when Poroshenko the Oval Office last month. elections. Most observers say the president in a television series, was his Ukrainian counterpart. Poroshenko, looking on, felt those claims are absurd, and that person, undoubtedly. but who accused Poroshenko of Those were happier times for that White House meeting was a an election in wartime would be He's a person of the failing to reform the country or end Kyiv when it came to Trump: on "disastrous mistake" by Zelenskyy. legally and logistically impossible. the war with Russia in east Ukraine. the wall behind Poroshenko's He blamed Zelenskyy's team for But many also note an increasing deal. But you should "Iam the result of your mistakes," desk hangs a certificate, signed by failing to give him an accurate centralisation of power, and see the be prepared for that' he told Poroshenko. Trump's then secretary of state, "psychological portrait" of Trump. sanctions against Poroshenko as The fractious campaign Mike Pompeo, in 2018, vowing that "He's not an easy person, politically motivated. Petro Poroshenko cemented a strong dislike between the US would not recognise the undoubtedly. He's not Biden. The president's team deny that Former Ukrainian president the two men. In 2021, Poroshenko annexation of Crimea. He's not a person of values. He's a the charges have any political was charged with high treasonMonday 24 March 2025 The Guardian Erdogan rival arrested Alice Weidel 21 Istanbul mayor faces From AfD pariah to corruption charges opposition leader Page 25 Page 26 Donald Trump Jr visits Greenland in January. The US president has said he wants to acquire the island PHOTOGRAPH: Canadian PM, Justin Trudeau, has accused Trump of planning to use tariffs to bring about "a total collapse of the Canadian economy TRUMP because that will make it easier to annexu "The idea of overtly threatening acquisition of another territory through the use of force has been off table throughout the postwar period," says Prof Michael Albertus CO of the University of Chicago. The current expansionist mind- set of certain nations, Albertus recently wrote, is "just the opening chapter of a new global competition for territory". Analysis Also significant, says Albertus, is the change in Washington's Peter Beaumont treatment of Russia as it has tried to annex large parts of Ukraine. "I think that risks emboldening other countries to test the waters." Trump's expansionist moves A key driver, he says, is changing technology, the climate crisis and the demand for rare earth minerals. threaten the rules-based order in For Samir Puri, the head of the global governance programme at Chatham House, today's rupture place since the second world war marks not only a reconfiguration since the 1939-45 war but also of the post-cold war international he post-second world open-ended presence in parts of order. "It's not only the post- T war taboo on acquiring Syria and Lebanon. 1945 world order but post-1991 in territory through force China, while long insisting terms of the balance of power. It is being unravelled Taiwan is part of its territory, is important to understand where by a generation of is increasing its pressure on the US is at now. Trump is not political leaders, led by Taipei, with some analysts an isolationist. He is somewhat expansionist threats from Donald speculating it may take advantage imperial in his bearing, not least in Trump that are unprecedented for of the weakening on the norm of the fact he might reward [Vladimir] a US president. conquest to absorb Taiwan and Putin's territorial acquisition." Experts say a combination of expand its influence in the South Puri is sceptical that meaningful the Russian aggression against China Sea. In Europe, what was international mechanisms can Ukraine and Trump's comments once unthinkable, that Russia truly stop nations and leaders explicitly pushing for the US to could physically threaten the determined on expansion in the casting a proposed 30-day ceasefire into doubt PHOTOGRAPH: DANYLO ANTONIUK/GETTY acquire Canada, Gaza, Greenland Baltic and eastern states, is not just way that a US-led coalition came and the Panama canal is fuelling imaginable but an urgent issue. together during the first Gulf war a permissive environment that Overarching all of this, say (1990-91) to expel Iraq after its and aiding terrorist organisations, government. Last month, however, threatens long-recognised borders experts, is a US president who invasion of Kuwait. It was that allegedly for conspiring with the government placed sanctions and the international rules-based is not only prepared to approve intervention in Kuwait, Puri says, Russia-backed separatists early on him and several other rich order in existence since the war. annexation elsewhere but has an that set the tone for the period of businessmen, freezing their assets, The norm, enshrined in article 2 imperialist outlook, which has over three decades that followed. in his presidency. Many saw the charges as politically motivated. and now the gloves are off. of the UN charter of 1945, says: led some, including Ivo Daalder, a For many what is most When Russia launched its The sanctions mean Poroshenko "All members shall refrain in their former US ambassador to Nato, to concerning is how Trump's actions full-scale invasion in February has no access to his fortune. He says international relations from the declare that with "Trump in office, are creating a permissive space. 2022, the hatchet was temporarily the main goal is to stop him from threat or use of force against the the rules-based order is no more". His "willingness to betray Ukraine buried. Poroshenko said he called running in elections. Polls suggest territorial integrity or political Trump's policy on trade tariffs and his rejection of the basic Zelenskyy on the morning of the Poroshenko would have little independence of any state." and territorial acquisition harks principle of territorial sovereignty invasion and asked to see him. chance of winning free elections. While Trump's threats have so back to the 19th century, when is consistent with simultaneously They later met at the presidential He regularly polls in third place, far remained just that, the new William McKinley presided over giving Israel a green light to administration, as Russian troops behind Zelenskyy and the wartime pursuit of expansionist goals is the acquisition of Cuba, Hawaii, the proceed in ways that break the headed towards Kyiv. commander Valeriy Zaluzhnyi. more concretely visible elsewhere, Philippines and Puerto Rico. law and seem likely only to fuel an Itold him: 'Mr Zelenskyy, you Many see Zaluzhnyi as favourite, drawing comparisons to a modern- Most starkly, the outgoing endless cycle of violence", Michael are not my opponent any more but it is not clear if he wants to day version of the board game Risk. Becker, a professor of international and I am not the leader of the stand. The analyst Volodymyr The headline in an essay in the human rights law at Trinity College opposition any more. We should Fesenko said: "Idon't think the current issue of Foreign Affairs puts For many what in Dublin, recently told Al Jazeera. save the country, we should save country is suddenly going to start it bluntly: "Conquest is back." is most concerning History has its own warning for the nation, we should have one loving Poroshenko. But this is a In Africa, Rwanda's autocratic Trump. McKinley's expansionist signal to all the others as well. president Paul Kagame's back- is how Donald enemy and the name of the enemy policies proved to be deeply is Putin. And his answer was: Today it's Poroshenko, tomorrow ing for the M23 rebels in the Trump's actions problematic. As Tanisha Fazal, very much happy to hear it could be anyone else from Democratic Republic of the Congo a professor at the University of Poroshenko recalled. big business.". has been driven by his adherence are creating a Minnesota, writes: "Conquest is That unity held for the first The Zelenskyy aide Mykhailo to a "greater Rwanda" policy. permissive space fundamentally incompatible with two years of the war. Poroshenko Podolyak denied there was any In the Middle East, Israel's far democracy. Many tenets of the focused on his foundations that political subtext to the sanctions right is pushing aggressively for liberal international order cannot provide support to the military, and said they were a tool to stop formal annexation of the occupied survive in the absence of the and his faction in parliament those under criminal investigation West Bank, while its military is norm against territorial conquest. toned down criticism of the from taking money out of Ukraine. involved in what it now says is an Perhaps that is the point."The Guardian Monday 24 March 2025 22 Eyewitness A Nuns gather for the pope's blessing from the of the hospital Rome balcony Gemelli in his room at yesterday. Above and right, nuns in St Peter's Square celebrate Francis's return to the Vatican PHOTOGRAPHS: VINCENZO REUTERS; GREGORIO LIVIERI/ MATTEO BORGIA/AP; MINNELLA/REUTERSn 23 Pope greets pilgrims and returns home after five-week hospital stay Angela Giuffrida Rome Pope Francis greeted a large crowd of pilgrims in his first public appearance in more than five weeks yesterday before being discharged from the Gemelli hospital in Rome. The pontiff, who is recovering from pneumonia in both lungs, made the brief greeting and blessing from the balcony of his hospital room shortly after the release of the text for his Sunday prayer. "Thank you to everyone," Francis, 88, told the crowd. He then made his way home to Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican City, where he will conva- lesce for at least two months. The pope is "Our pope is coming back," one of driven back the waiting pilgrims told Rai news. to the Vatican Sergio Alfieri, a general surgeon yesterday at Gemelli hospital, said on Saturday after being that the pope's health was steadily discharged from improving but it would take "a lot of hospital. Right, time" for his body to fully heal. a big screen in St The pope was admitted on 14 Peter's Square February and suffered two criti- shows Francis cal breathing crises before doctors giving his declared on 10 March that he was no blessing to the longer in imminent danger. faithful In his prayer, the pope reflected on PHOTOGRAPHS: his "long period" in hospital. MARCO RAVAGLI/AP; GREGORIO BORGIA/AP "I have had the opportunity to experience the Lord's patience, which Ialso see reflected in the tireless care of the doctors and healthcare work- ers, as well as in the care and hopes of the relatives of the sick," he said. "This trusting patience, anchored in God's unfailing love, is indeed necessary in our lives, especially when facing the most difficult and painful situations." The pontiff expressed his sadness at Israel's renewed bombing of Gaza and called for an "immediate halt to the weapons and for the courage to resume dialogue, that all hostages may be released and a final cease- fire reached". He also urged people to pray "for an end to wars and for peace, especially in tormented Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Myanmar, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo". La Repubblica newspaper reported that Francis had insisted he return home, where he will need to continue his recovery and rest. "The hope is that he will soon be able to resume a work schedule," Alfieri said. He added that the pope would not immediately be able to meet groups of people. It remains unclear whether an audience with King Charles and Queen Camilla, scheduled for 8 April, will take place. SAMS Despite his health problems, on some days Francis continued to work from his hospital room, including approving individuals for saint- hood and writinga letter to the editor of Corriere della Sera newspaper repeating his appeal for peace and disarmament.The Guardian Monday 24 March 2025 24 World Middle East Palestinians rush an injured child away from the site of Israeli strikes on central Gaza City yesterday PHOTOGRAPH: OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP/GETTY Office for the Coordination of after wave' Gaza medical staff Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA), said all were overwhelmed and suffering shortages of essential supplies even though some stocks recount the horror of the past week were brought into the territory during the eight-week ceasefire. "It's hard to measure the exact level of supplies [but] we have never had such a long closure," she Continued from page 1 telling the father of one four-year- and consider potential "civilian said. "Literally zero has come in." old girl that his daughter was not collateral damage" in its strikes. It Nasser hospital Doctors at al-Aqsa Martyrs attacked on Tuesday morning, going to live more than a few more said: "The IDF is fully committed Attack kills Hamas official hospital said stocks were running including leaders and key military minutes. "Ihad a look she had to respecting all applicable inter- low. One surgeon, who requested infrastructure. very serious head injuries I told national legal obligations, including anonymity, said: "We only have 10 The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) her dad to take her outside, and be the law of armed conflict." An Israeli airstrike at a hospital in beds, and we are short of much: previously blamed high levels with her and pray with her and he Israeli political leaders have Gaza killed five people, including gauze for burns, gloves, cleansing of civilian casualties on Hamas, did," Sidhwa told the Guardian. said attacks would intensify until Ismail Barhoum, a Hamas political materials, dressings." accusing it of using civilians as Many of the 300 brought into Hamas freed more hostages and leader, in an attack Israel said had Dr Khamis Elessi, a neurologist human shields, a charge it denies. Nasser hospital on Tuesday did not gave up control of Gaza. Hamas targeted the Hamas member. and pain specialist at al-Ahli At the Nasser hospital, more than survive. Ahmed al-Farra, the head took 251 hostages in its 2023 raid The Gaza health ministry hospital in Gaza City, said he had no half of adult casualties brought of the paediatric and obstetrics into Israel, and still holds 59. said the strike hit the surgery painkillers of sufficient strength for in on Tuesday night were given a department, said about 85 people The first six-week phase of the department at Nasser hospital in hundreds of cancer patients. 20-second check by surgeons then died, including about 40 children. ceasefire agreed in January expired Khan Younis. The Israeli military Most facilities in Gaza now also told there was nothing that could The average age of the children in early March. Israel proposed an said its attack followed extensive have well-practised routines for be done. Children were almost pronounced dead at Nasser extension of 30 to 60 days and more intelligence and used precise mass casualty incidents, though all admitted. "They had been hospital was between six and eight exchanges munitions to minimise harm. even these proved inadequate last sleeping were coming in wearing and about 35% of all casualties in place of a second phase agreed Hamas's al-Aqsa TV said week. "We have plans, good plans, pyjamas, wrapped in blankets," were under 14, said Morgan earlier that would have led to a Barhoum was being treated at the but the problem is that the number Haj-Hassan said. "Often it was McMonagle, an Irish vascular permanent end to hostilities. hospital for wounds sustained in a [of casualties] is greater even than neighbours bringing them because surgeon volunteering there. Among Only 22 of 35 major health previous attack. Israel says Hamas our plans," said Dr Fahed Haddad, the parents had been killed. the casualties are a 10-year-old facilities in Gaza are still systematically embeds in hospitals, medical director of a field hospital It was horrific. We had to stop boy who was paralysed from the functioning, each only providing schools and shelters, which the near the southern town of Nuseirat. resuscitating several kids simply to neck down and unable to breathe a fraction of the services offered group denies. The biggest challenge he and his focus on one who had a chance." unassisted, and a five-year-old with before the war. Thirteen are Video on social media that colleagues face is maintaining their Firoze Sidhwa, a 43-year-old multiple shrapnel injuries who is currently receiving casualties from could not be immediately verified own morale. "We were happy trauma surgeon from California, unlikely ever to speak again. the continuing airstrikes. showed a fire blazing on the third with the ceasefire," Haddad said. in Khan Younis as a volunteer with In a statement, the IDF said it Olga Cherevko, a spokesperson storey of what appeared to be the "Life was very tough but at least the MedGlobal charity, described made great efforts to estimate in Gaza for the United Nations hospital. Reuters there was no killing."Monday 24 March 2025 The Guardian 25 Istanbul's mayor jailed before party vote on his candidacy for president as part of an investigation into the Ruth Michaelson and Istanbul municipality, the day after Faisal Ali Istanbul he announced that 343 people had been arrested for protesting. An Istanbul court has formally Turkish officials rejected any sug- arrested the city's mayor, Ekrem gestion that the sweeping crackdown 08-28 Imamoglu, on corruption charges, against Imamoglu, along with munic- sending him to pre-trial detention on ipal officials, businesspeople and the day he received his party's nomi- dozens of other members of the CHP, nation to run for president. was politically motivated. This has Imamoglu, the mayor of Turkey's done little to quell anti-government largest city and a rival of the presi- sentiment, with demonstrators fill- dent, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was ing university campuses and public jailed on charges of leading a crimi- squares and surrounding Istanbul's nal organisation, bribery, misconduct city hall to defy a protest ban. and corruption, along with dozens of The protests have prompted fierce his staff and municipal officials. criticism from Erdogan, who has He and at least four others also called them "street terrorism". faced separate charges of "aiding an Posting on X, he wrote: "The days Aid blockade "dismantle terrorist infrastructure An Israeli airstrike hits Gaza City armed terrorist group", for cooperat- of taking to the streets along with and eliminate" militants. yesterday as residents look on, in a ing with leftwing political coalition leftwing organisations and vandals Malnutrition Israel, which has accused Hamas screengrab taken from a video before local elections last year. to point the finger at the national will of systematically looting aid, cut PHOTOGRAPH: REUTERS TV Demonstrators who massed near are over we will definitely not allow off supplies to Gaza hours after the Istanbul's city hall last night, angry the CHP and its supporters to disrupt is spreading, first phase of a supposed three-stage everyone has lost weight see at the arrest, clashed with police who public order and disturb the peace of ceasefire expired. Hamas denies the my surgical incisions are not healing fired pepper spray and teargas. our nation through provocations." say doctors charge. Aid officials said distributions well," he said. Video footage showed police in Imamoglu was jailed on pre-trial would be reduced gradually where Aid distribution has been hindered Izmir using armoured water cannon detention on the same day that possible but the provision of commu- by displacement. Hisham Mhanna, trucks to try to disperse protests. 1.5 million members of the CHP held nity kitchens that feed about a million a spokesperson in Gaza for the Prosecutors ruled that Imamoglu's a primary vote, expected to officially people would become more difficult. International Committee of the Red detention on corruption charges endorse his candidacy for president. Jason Burke and Lorenzo Tondo One UN official based in Gaza said: Cross, said: "There is a lot of anxiety alone was sufficient, despite "a He is the party's sole presidential Jerusalem "At some point we will just run out about what will happen, especially strong suspicion of a crime", opting candidate, turning the vote into a and things will get desperate. But parents for their children. It is non- to detain three others on terrorism symbolic show of support. Malnutrition is spreading in Gaza, even if we had supplies it would stop: evacuation orders, explosions, charges but not the mayor. Imamoglu issued a message from medics and aid workers in the be very difficult to distribute them the hospitals are filled with casual- This decision is expected to allow the high-security facility where he devastated Palestinian territory are because the security environment ties, we are now seeing food scarcity. the Republican People's party (CHP), is now held. "Fifteen million of our warning as a blockade of all supplies means we can't operate." It is very unpredictable. Turkey's largest opposition party, citizens cast their votes," he said. enters a fourth week. Six out of 23 bakeries operated "We can hear massive explosions to select a candidate to control the "Their message to Erdogan was clear: There has been no sign that Israel by the UN World Food Programme most of the day. Reports of casual- Istanbul municipality, rather than the "Enough is will open entry points to allow in have already been shut for lack of ties are received every hour but the state selecting a caretaker. He added: "That ballot box will aid or scale back its new offensive cooking gas, while Unrwa, the main first responders cannot reach all The interior ministry issued a direc- come, and the nation will deliver aslap in Gaza, which started last Tuesday UN agency with responsibility for the sites of attacks because it is too tive to officially remove Imamoglu this government will never forget." with airstrikes that killed 400 people, Palestinians' welfare, had stocks of dangerous or they have not enough from office along with two Istanbul Imamoglu has long been seen as most of them civilians. Palestinian about 60,000 bags of flour on Friday, fuel for ambulances." district mayors, appointing a trustee the only challenger capable of defeat- officials yesterday said the death toll enough for just six days. Most of Gaza's population have to replace one in a neighbourhood ing Erdogan at the ballot box. A from nearly 18 months of conflict had Prices for the limited amount had to flee within the territory, often where opposition support is strong. presidential election in Turkey is due passed 50,000. of food still available in shops and many times. "It's displacement under has denied the in 2028, but an early vote is expected. An airstrike in the city of Khan markets have soared and are now fire," said Mustafa Gaber, a journalist accusations against him, telling The CHP leader, Özgur Özel, Younis yesterday killed Salah unaffordable for almost everyone. on the move with his family. "There investigators during questioning that accused Erdogan of detaining Bardawil, a member of Hamas's Potatoes cost the equivalent of are wounded people among us. The his detention had "not only harmed Imamoglu over fears of an election political leadership bureau. And the £4.60 a kg, five times more than a situation is very difficult." Turkey's international reputation but loss. Istanbul University stripped Israel Defense Forces issued new month ago, and cooking gas is four Israeli media yesterday questioned also shattered the public's sense of Imamoglu of his university diploma evacuation orders to Palestinians times more expensive than before the whether the aims of the new offensive justice and trust in the economy". before his arrest, preventing him from in areas west of Rafah on the border end of the fragile pause in hostilities were limited to destroying Hamas His detention in a dawn raid running for president, as a degree is with Egypt. three weeks ago. and returning the hostages held in earlier this week has led to mass a prerequisite. "Ekrem Imamoglu's The city was the target of a major "It is very clear that people are Gaza the two goals often cited by protests across Turkey, with tens only crime is leading in the polls," offensive about a year ago and is underweight. The population is very the government. of thousands taking to the streets Özel said earlier this week. Dayslater, where Israel's military is focusing its young and children need nutritious Israel Katz, Israel's defence minis- each night and often clashing with he called the mayor's arrest "a polit- ground operations. The orders spec- food," said Khamis Elessi, a senior ter, said on Friday he had "instructed police. The interior minister, Ali ically motivated attempt to discredit ified that vehicle movements would consultant doctor in Gaza City. the IDF to seize additional territories Yerlikaya, announced that 323 more and potentially eliminate Imam- not be allowed. Feroze Sidhwa, a US-based volun- in Gaza, evacuate the population and people had been detained overnight oglu as a presidential contender". The military orders said: "The IDF teer emergency doctor in Gaza, said expand the security zones around has launched an operation to dis- the consequences of 18 months of Gaza in order to defend the Israeli A police officer mantle terrorist organisations. You poor diet were very evident among towns and IDF troops". fires pepper are currently in a dangerous com- his patients. "Wese clearly that On Saturday, Israel's cabinet spray at a bat zone. Distance yourself from the approved a proposal to set up a demonstrator combat zone immediately." directorate to advance the "volun- during a protest At least 19 Palestinians were killed tary departure" of Palestinians in in Istanbul overnight, medical officials said line with Donald Trump's proposal over the arrest yesterday. Two hospitals in southern to depopulate Gaza and rebuild it as and detention Gaza said they had received 17 bodies the "riviera of the Middle East". of the city's following Israeli strikes, including Legal experts said this would mayor, Ekrem those of women and children. The almost certainly be a violation of Imamoglu toll did not include Bardawil and his international law. Katz said the new wife, who died with him. body would be "subject to Israeli The IDF says its troops have encir- and international law" and coordi- cled the Tal al-Sultan refugee camp Women yesterday mourning nate "passage by land, sea and air to in Rafah where its objective is to Palestinians killed in Khan Younis the destination countries".The Guardian Monday 24 26 World Measles outbreak Alice Weidel 'does not h sociodemographic charac you'd expect from an AfD PHOTOGRAPH: BLOOMBERG/GETT spreads in US amid with the AfD's own polic family unit. The party ex vaccine hesitancy rejects other definitions campaigned for the aboli same-sex marriage. "She does not exactly and misinformation ociodemographic chara you'd expect from an Afl said Andreas Busch, a po scientist at University of director of public health in Lubbock, who contrasted her with Melody Schreiber Texas, where the hospitalised chil- party's other co-leader, dren are being treated. "And I didn't Chrupalla, a painter-dec know it' be in my back yard, either." trade. Chrupalla, Busch Multiple US states reported mea- Lucia Donatelli, the chief of the "rather more pedestrian sles cases last week as an outbreak Maryland Center for Immunization, to-earth and has no intel that began in Texas expanded to told reporters: "Measles is one of pretensions". neighbouring states amid vaccine the most contagious diseases in the One AfD supporter tol misinformation and hesitancy that world. It can linger in the air for up Guardian they weren't in has alarmed public health officials. to two hours after the person leaves in Weidel's lifestyle but i There were 285 cases of measles the room, it is highly transmissi- judged her on "her abilit reported in the US last year. So far, ble. And the best way that we have to address our concerns". there have been 378 confirmed cases prevent measles is by vaccination." Asked for her own vie in the first few months of 2025. The rise in international cases has previously said she An estimated 309 of those cases are comes soon after the US government "see skin colour" and tha in Texas, where there have been 40 laid off and put on leave thousands queer, I'm just married hospitalisations and one death of an of USAID employees and contractors, who I've known for 20 ye unvaccinated six-year-old girl. many of whom worked in countries With her trademark CI The outbreak has spread to neigh- with high rates of measles. polo necks and pearl nec bouring New Mexico, where 42 cases, But the virus is also on the rise Weidel has undoubtedly two hospitalisations and one death within the US. Measles cases have different air to a party le of an unvaccinated adult have been been confirmed in Alaska, California, male professors and confirmed. It also crossed the state Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jer- when it was founded in 2 border to Oklahoma, which last week sey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode a Eurosceptic alternative announced four probable cases. Island, Vermont and Washington. The conservative CDU. Image Meanwhile, Ohio confirmed its vast majority of cases are among peo- analysts, counts for a lot first measles case of 2025 and Mary- ple who have not been vaccinated. the party has moved eve land announced two new cases. Both Officials suspect the true number the right on immigration states linked the cases ointernational of cases is higher; typically, there are Weidel has helped to det travel. Alabama also announced that one to two deaths per 1,000 cases. But the eyes of some voters. an unvaccinated child with measles underreporting means "we're not at a "She is often smiling a had travelled through the state, while point where we know where all of our time as having very aggr Kansas has confirmed eight cases of cases are", Wells said, which makes rhetoric," said Busch, measles among children this month. difficult to stop the spread. that she had at times ma The figures came days after the "There's a lot of vaccine hesitancy "dangerous" ambiguity i parents of the girl who died in Gaines in Gaines county, which is where the Alice Weidel For the first time since the second expand the AfD's elector county, Texas, spoke out against mea- majority of the cases are," Wells said. world war, a far-right party is the On the one hand, she sles vaccination, appearing in a video There is social pressure against get- second largest force in parliament. enthusiastically adopted with Children's Health Defense, the ting vaccinated and misinformation anti-vaccine organisation previously has taken root over the past 20 years. Far-right AfD "The AfD is now firmly anchored of the term "remigration as a people's party," Weidel controversial but nebulo helmed by the US health secretary, Health departments in cities such declared on election night. concept that is usually u Robert F Kennedy Jr. as Lubbock have created mass vacci- leader steps Under her watch the AfD has to mean the mass deport "We would absolutely not take the nation clinics where anyone can get attracted donations from German foreign-born people ev MMR," said the girl's mother, refer- the MMR vaccine free of charge. millionaires, and in the run-up to are naturalised citizens. ring to the measles, mumps and "We're trying to remove every sin- rubella vaccine. "The measles wasn't gle barrier to get vaccinated," Wells up to official the vote she was praised by Elon "But at the same time Musk, who hosted her for a tête-à- this term, she says 'of that bad. They got over she said of said. "And then we're working more tête on X in which they appeared to need migration'," Busch her four other children. with messaging from trusted leaders "It's not as bad as the media is about the importance of vaccination." opposition downplay the Nazi era. that creative ambiguity Her backstory and home life allows her to appeal to d making it out to be," the father said But far, the Lubbock clinic has make her an improbable figurehead parts of the electorate." through a translator. Both parents only given out about 300 more vac- for a radical anti-immigration Less ambiguous has b fought back tears. cines than they usually would over party that is under surveillance for embrace of AfD figures V Kennedy has shied away from the past few weeks. Kate Connolly suspected extremism. once shunned for their e directly recommending vaccinations Without widespread vaccina- Berlin A Mandarin speaker who has Deike Diening, a Spieg during the Texas outbreak while also tion, the outbreak could continue for lived in Singapore and Hong Kong, journalist, said she had promoting alternative treatments. another year, she said. Other recent nce a Hitler-era she lives in Switzerland with her the party's top ranks by He has suggested the Texas child was outbreaks have been in densely O rallying Sri Lanka-born wife and their the most radical on the r unhealthy or malnourished, despite populated areas, but these cases are when "Alles für children. On the campaign trail she remaining "the compara medical reports that she was healthy. spread over 11 counties in Texas, plus Deutschland" was unable to answer a question friendly face" for the pul "I never thought in 2025, we New Mexico and Oklahoma. ("everything for about how many people live in the Weidel now faces the would be looking at this resurgence "We have a large, spread-out pop- Germany") was used constituency she represents. of steering the party in o of measles," said Katherine Wells, the ulation where we're going to keep by Björn Höcke, a high-ranking Her relationship puts her at odds towards its ultimate goa seeing measles pop up," Wells said. member of Germany's far-right in the next election in 20 "It's going to take a lot of time to Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), Busch said: "The ques change the perception of vaccines, he was prosecuted for it. 'It's that creative will she keep the AfD get people vaccinated, and then get Then last August the slogan to a point where there won't be any popped up at events attended by ambiguity which on resentment, continui fundamental opposition vulnerable people left." Alice Weidel, the party's co-leader, allows her to appeal she ultimately interested Now, she worries about someone but in a subtly modified form Alice für Deutschland. to different parts of sort of power perspectiv stopping at one of the major rest stops For now, Weidel is lim along Texas highways and spreading The 46-year-old has been the electorate' the "firewall" erected by measles far beyond the state. "That's credited with being the driving mainstream parties to how easily transmissible measles force behind AfD's success in last AfD. But if another coali A medic prepares a dose of the Wells outbreaks can ignite month's election, where the party Andreas Busch to get Germany back on measles vaccine in Lubbock, Texas the vaccination rate is low. doubled its vote share to 20.8% University of party will be waiting in tMonday 24 March 2025 The Guardian Flat out of cash 27 EV charge scheme to lose funding Page 28 Business prepared to "impugn the integrity of MPs may have been target of Tulip Siddiq" then he and his family Hospitality should also face scrutiny. Mansur said he had never made firms call for Bangladesh any comments about Siddiq. However, he is a key figure in the transitional government led CMA to look by Mohammad Yunus, whose ACC accused Siddiq and her family mem- bers over a 2013 deal with Russia that into energy niece, the former City minister Tulip Mansur and MPs on the committee allegedly overinflated the price of a Rob Davies Siddiq, who resigned from the role in raised concerns that the emails were nuclear power plant. market January after Dhaka's anti-corruption part of a disinformation campaign. Members of the APPG are under- commission (ACC) filed a criminal Mansur, who was previously based stood to have referred the emails to British MPs believe they may have case against her. She has denied all in Washington, said he believed that parliamentary cybersecurity advis- been targeted by a disinformation wrongdoing. people under investigation for money ers, as well as to the parliamentary campaign aimed at discrediting the Now MPs fear that Britain's efforts laundering were trying to "diminish" foreign affairs committee, which is Jillian Ambrose man leading efforts to trace funds to assist Bangladesh could be further his reputation. He added that his investigating disinformation. Energy correspondent allegedly laundered from Bangla- clouded by an apparent smear cam- daughter was a US citizen who had An APPG member, Phil Brickell, desh into the UK. paign against Mansur involving news little to do with Bangladesh. said: "I urge the relevant parlia- Hundreds of hospitality companies MPs raised the alarm after receiv- articles by fake journalists. One APPG member, Rua Huq, mentary authorities to investigate have called on the UK's competition ing emails about Dr Ahsan Mansur, MPs in the all-party parliamentary received a separate email from a thoroughly we must get to the bot- watchdog to investigate the energy who was installed as the central bank group (APPG) on responsible tax and UK public relations firm called Pala- tom of who paid for this, and why." market amid fears that small busi- governor of Bangladesh last year after corruption received emails before a tine Communications, also linking to A spokesperson for Palatine Com- nesses may have been overcharged. a student-led revolution swept away session today with Mansur. International Policy Digest. munications said: "We know nothing A trade body representing the sec- the autocratic government of Sheikh The sender, who claimed to be The email said that if Mansur was of the authorship of this article, but tor, UKHospitality, has written to the Hasina. a journalist, sent links to a website nor did we ever claim it represented Competition and Markets Authority Mansur has been in London seek- called International Policy Digest, the gospel truth It raises legitimate (CMA) calling for an investigation ing help from the government and featuring articles about apparent dis- 'We must get to the concerns about the current situation after consistently warning that busi- private companies to track down plays of wealth by Mansur's daughter bottom of who paid in Bangladesh that we believe are nesses have been unable to get a fair billions of dollars in assets allegedly and questioning why she was not worthy of MPs' consideration." deal in the energy market. stolen by allies of the Hasina regime, being investigated. for this and why' A spokesperson for International Most small and medium-sized some of which he believes may have The articles' authors did not Policy Digest said the real writer of firms are forced to use energy bro- been used to buy UK property. appear to have any other profile as a the articles had "wished to remain kers to secure a supply deal with a His visit has already been over- journalist, and the Guardian found Phil Brickell anonymous", adding that the con- big energy company. These brokers shadowed by a row involving Hasina's their pictures were stock images. MP on all-party group tent was "fairly accurate". are unregulated and firms say they have faced aggressive sales tactics and paid undisclosed commissions. Hospitality companies say they are frequently quoted more expen- sive rates for their energy to offset the perceived risk that they are more likely to go bankrupt. In the letter to Sarah Cardell, the CMA chief executive, UKHospitality said a formal competition investiga- tion was "the only way to address the entrenched competition problems in this market". "The criteria for an [investigation] are undoubtedly met, given the rea- sonable grounds for suspecting that competition is not effective; the scale of the problem; and the reasonable chance that appropriate remedies will be available," the letter added. The call for an investigation emerged two years after the energy industry regulator, Ofgem, told the government it would consider recom- mending a full CMA investigation if it had reasonable grounds to suspect that competition in the market was not effective. Ofgem later confirmed a lack of effective competition after its own review, but stopped short of Bianca recommending an investigation of the energy market. UYJ Instead, the regulator put in place measures to allow small businesses access to free redress and support from the energy ombudsman to help resolve disputes with suppliers over rip-off energy deals, without costly court procedures. Kate Nicholls, the chief executive of UKHospitality, said the business energy market remained "one of Meals on wheels Fortnum & Mason is launching a rapid grocery delivery the biggest millstones around hos- service, ferrying loose-leaf teas, biscuit selections and luxury hampers directly pitality's neck" and was "not fit for purpose". She said: "It has unscru- to Londoners' doors in minutes. Britain's oldest department store said its HOTOGRAPH: pulously excluded businesses from JOHN GAFFEN/ALAMY customers would be able to order day or night via the delivery app Zapp. accessing energy."The Guardian Monday 24 March 2025 28 Business Rich-poor Electric charger installing ultra-rapid chargers capa- ble of adding hundreds of miles of friendships fund may be cut charge within minutes. However, not a single penny of the 'boost social after no grants £950m fund has yet been spent. Com- petition regulators raised concerns that the money could unfairly bene- in five years fit some motorway service operators, mobility' forcing the government to go back to the drawing board. The delays had raised concerns in Jasper Jolly the industry that the money might be cut back or not be spent on charg- Heather Stewart ing at all, at the same time the prime Ministers are considering divert- minister, Keir Starmer, is making bil- ing money from a £950m scheme to lions of pounds of cuts to the overseas Friendships that bridge economic install rapid chargers for electric cars aid and disability benefits budgets. divides are good for social mobility, on the UK's motorways, announced Motorway service area opera- a major study suggests. five years ago, after it failed to make tors, which could lose out, are due It found that low-income children a single grant. to meet a transport minister after who grew up in areas where there was Kingston in south-west London differing levels of connectedness. Much of the cash allocated to Rachel Reeves's spring statement more mixing among income groups has more mixing between income They point out that Kingston in the rapid charging fund could be on Wednesday. The big three motor- were likely to earn an extra £5,100 a groups than in some well-off areas London and Canterbury in Kent are redirected to investments in other way services companies are Moto, year in adulthood. PHOTOGRAPH: CHARLES BOWMAN/ALAMY similarly affluent - but the share of charging schemes, or to support the Welcome Break and Roadchef, all of The research, which combined high-income friends among low- transition to electric vehicles more which are ultimately owned by pri- official figures and anonymised Face- authority areas tended to earn £5,100 income residents is 10% higher in broadly, although decisions have yet vate equity investors. book data on 20 million UK adults, more a year than those from the 10% the former. to be made, according to a person Other charger companies which pointed to the benefits of what the least-connected areas. Dr Antonio Silva of the BIT, previ- close to discussions in government. would not have benefited from the authors called more "economically Researchers who carried out the ously known as the Nudge Unit, said: The charging companies Osprey, fund argue that the money would connected communities". project included staff at the Behav- "Rich areas have more rich people, Instavolt and Char.gy said the money be better spent elsewhere. These areas are characterised by ioural Insights Team (BIT) in the UK, therefore you're more likely to make should be used to support charging A Department for Transport higher levels of friendship across the Facebook owner, Meta, and Stan- friends with rich people. in other ways. spokesperson said: "We want to use income levels often through con- ford University in California. "But when we do statistical ana- The fund was announced in March taxpayers' money as efficiently as nections from school, university or They found that affluent metro- lysis where we look at various other 2020 by the then chancellor, Rishi possible to make the transition to hobby and recreation groups. politan areas tended to have more factors health, income Sunak. It was meant to pay for high- electric vehicles a success, and we The study found that low-income cross-class friendships - but areas economic connectedness still comes power grid connections for remote launched the rapid charging fund children who grew up in the 10% with similar proportions of higher- out as the second strongest predic- motorway service stations. That pilot to better understand where we most economically connected local income residents could still have tor of social mobility after income." would combat "range anxiety" by should target government support." 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Guardian right to end this offer at any time. Offer details correct at the time of printing. For offer terms and conditionsMonday 24 March 2025 The Guardian Business 29 During this upswell in 2022, Debt weight An economic inheritance Truss and Kwarteng announced £45bn of unfunded tax cuts in the mini-budget without the input of the Office for Budget Responsibility that's left chancellor short of options (OBR). The action sent yields, and the cost of borrowing, spiralling up further. Despite Sunak and Jeremy Hunt's attempts to repair the damage, yields were still high by the time Reeves arrived at the Treasury Richard Partington last year, reflecting the risks from Alex Clark inflation, elevated central bank interest rates, weak economic achel Reeves will growth and the government's R deliver her spring stubbornly high annual deficits statement on and national debt pile. Yields Wednesday against rose further in January as Trump a backdrop of weak became the US president and economic growth, investor concerns over his policies rising global uncertainty and higher stoked inflation while the UK held government borrowing costs. on to its tight fiscal position. It has been a turbulent period For Reeves, the state of the since her October budget and as bond market has a clear knock-on the chancellor is now repeating at consequence: servicing the UK's every opportunity the world has debt has become significantly changed. Few places show that more expensive. more clearly than the financial markets, where conditions have Rising debt turned against her. While other chancellors may have The cost of government experienced high bond yields, borrowing as represented by bond Reeves is also facing the highest yields has risen sharply since the levels of debt in decades. autumn. This is partly driven by The UK's debt stock is now domestic factors, but also by global verging on 100% of GDP, having worries over Donald Trump hitting been pushed up by the response to growth and stoking inflation. the 2008 financial crisis and then The yield in effect the interest the Covid pandemic. It is a level rate on 10-year UK government not seen since the 1960s, in the bonds has reached 4.6%, higher aftermath of the second world war than the levels during the most and when combined with high turbulent days of Liz Truss and Rachel Reeves tests her bricklaying Government borrowing soared as were still around 1%. That was bond yields it has led to a jump in Kwasi Kwarteng's mini-budget. skills during a visit to Bury College, the economy collapsed and the to change dramatically over the interest payments. Meanwhile the UK's stock of Greater Manchester, last week state pumped billions of pounds next two years, as inflation surged In nominal terms, debt debt has ballooned in recent years PHOTOGRAPH: ANTHONY DEVLIN/PA into emergency support schemes around the world after the lifting repayments account for about to more than £2.6tn a sum equal leading the Treasury's Debt of lockdowns and the impact of £100bn of government spending. to almost every penny of annual powerful central banks cut interest Management Office, which sells Russia's invasion of Ukraine on That is larger than the UK's entire economic output. Paying the rates, aiming to prevent the worst gilts to help finance the deficit, to energy prices. education in interest on this debt was forecast financial crash in almost a century raise a record £485.8bn from the This time, central banks began to 2023-24 and more than half the in October to cost the government from triggering a second Great bond market. But the expansion raise interest rates, bringing them annual NHS budget £171bn. about £105bn this year, or about Depression. in the Bank's bond-buying back up from their record lows. Such a big fiscal pressure erodes 8% of total public spending. But As Brown and Darling were programme was worth an almost The Bank of England also began Reeves's headroom against her self- the recent rise in borrowing costs bailing out the Royal Bank of corresponding £450bn, limiting to unwind its quantitative imposed rules to limit borrowing is expected to drive this higher. Scotland, the Bank of England cut the impact on borrowing costs. programme by selling the bonds it and debt levels a point she made Here we explain the economic interest rates close to zero. The As Rishi Sunak neared the end had purchased back to investors. while defending the government's inheritance that left the chancellor central bank also embarked on a of his time as chancellor, yields Yields rose accordingly. decision to cut disability benefits with little room to manoeuvre. multibillion-pound programme to rein in the UK's welfare bill. of quantitative buying She told Bloomberg TV: "When Borrowing costs The current cost of the UK's debt government bonds with the aim we're spending £100bn a year on UK government bonds are known of further depressing yields in an Scale of annual UK debt payments other spending in 2023-24 servicing government debt, I don't as gilts or gilt-edged securities. effort to revive economic activity. Debt repayments think anyone could seriously argue A bond is a form of loan, or IOU, By the time George Osborne Education spending that we don't need to get a grip that investors make to a borrower. was chancellor, yields had fallen Defence spending on government borrowing and They are issued to raise money in below 2%. Borrowing had become government debt. It is important the government's case, to cover cheap. Yields continued to remain Lifting child that there is headroom against the spending that is not matched by tax low during the 2010s, the era of £105bn £88bn benefit cap shocks we face." receipts. quantitative and rock- £54bn (£3.4bn) Debt interest spending had been Bond yields represent the bottom interest rates. Over this generally falling since the late amount of money an investor period the Bank would ultimately 1980s. Relative to revenues, the receives for owning the debt as increase its gilt purchases to a total cost of servicing the national debt a percentage of its current price. of £895bn. fell to the lowest level since the Source: Debt repayment, education and defence spending figures via OBR. Cost of lifting child benefit cap is When the price falls, yields rise. The presence of a vast buyer in via 2024 estimate from the Institute for Fiscal Studies 1690s. The bill dropped to as low as The yield is also commonly referred the market for government debt £25bn in 2020 about 1.2% of GDP to as an interest rate, or the "cost of kept prices high and yields low. Reeves has been dealt a uniquely poor hand fiscally even as the national debt climbed borrowing" to an issuer. Even market uncertainty in the Key economic metrics at the time of chancellor's first budget to a postwar high. The last chancellor to see yields wake of the UK voting to leave the Some have argued Reeves has Debt stock as % of GDP at a similar level was Alistair EU did not lead to a substantial rise. Debt payments as % of revenue Public spending as % of GDP been overly focused on finding Darling, when Gordon Brown was That was again in part due Reeves 98% Reeves 9.7% Osborne 47% savings and reining in debt. Amid prime minister. On the eve of the to further interest rate cuts by the debate over welfare cuts last 2008 financial crisis, yields on the Bank to ward off any Brexit Hunt 97% Brown 9.3% Reeves 45% week, Charlie Bean, a former 10-year gilts were about 5% a level economic shocks, as it cut its base Bank of England deputy governor, Kwarteng 97% Hunt 5.9% Hunt 44% that had been considered relatively rate to the lowest level since its warned the chancellor against normal for much of the preceding foundation in 1694. This meant Sunak 85% Kwarteng 5.9% Kwarteng 44% "fiscal fine-tuning" in an attempt decade. But in the autumn of 2008, that, under Philip Hammond, to keep OBR forecasts in check. when the collapse of Lehman Theresa May's chancellor, yields Osborne 65% Osborne 5.0% Sunak 40% The scale of debt repayments Brothers sent shock waves through were hovering around 1%. will be a key trend to watch. Their the global financial system, bond The Bank further cut rates and Brown 37% Sunak 4.7% Brown 36% path over the next four years may yields began to fall. expanded quantitative easing very well determine Reeves's This came as the world's most when the Covid-19 spread globally. Source: Economic data via OBR. Figure for each chancellor taken at the time of their first budget chancellorship.The Guardian Monday 24 March 2025 30 Weather Monday 24 March 2025 UK and Ireland Noon today Forecast Around the UK London Low 5 Sunny High 13 Mist Fog Lows and highs Precipitation Air pollution Tomorrow 10 5 15 5% Low Sunny intervals Hazy 1012 Manchester Mostly cloudy Inverness Shetland 5 13 0% Low Overcast/dull Edinburgh 12 10 11 1016 9 13 20% Low Sunny showers Moderate Belfast Edinburgh 117 Low High 15 Sunny and heavy showers Glasgow Wednesday 8 13 25% Low Glasgow Light showers Newcastle 11 8 12 25% Low Rain Sleet Light Belfast 1020 Slight Inverness snow 11 York Snow showers 7 12 25% Low 14 Liverpool 14 Leeds Heavy snow Ice Nottingham Carbon 35C 14 Norwich count 7 14 5% Low Birmingham 30 Thundery rain Liverpool 25 Daily atmospheric CO2 20 readings from Mauna Loa, 15 15 Hawaii (ppm): Thundery showers 15 7 13 0% Low Cardiff Latest 10 14 22 Mar 2025 429.07 Newcastle 5 Weekly average Temperature, 0 12 16 Mar 2025 428.33 6 13 5% Low -5 23 Mar 2024 425.39 -10 15 23 Mar 2015 401.04 Sheffield -15 Slight Windy Pre-industrial base 280 Wind speed, mph -20 Safe level 350 6 14 0% Low Source: NOAA-ESRL Atlantic front 1000 1000 Starwatch Around the world 992 1024 1008 1000 992 Algiers 17 Lisbon 15 H 1008 1032 Ams'dam 14 Madrid 13 1000 Athens 18 Malaga 19 1016 Auckland 23 Melb'rne 21 B Aires 21 Mexico 26 Bangkok 37 Miami 29 1024 Barcelona 15 Milan 17 Cold front Basra 25 Mombasa 34 1024 Beijing 21 Moscow 11 Warm front H A lunar eclipse is usually followed Berlin 15 Mumbai 33 1016 H 1032 by a solar eclipse two weeks later, Bermuda 22 Orleans 25 1024 1016 or vice versa, and this month is no Brussels 15 Nairobi 26 Occluded front exception. On 14 March, the moon Budapest 15 34 was totally eclipsed by Earth; now C'hagen 10 New York 12 Trough it is the turn of the sun. Cairo 25 Oslo 7 There will be no total solar Cape Town 22 Paris 16 eclipse visible from the surface of Chicago 9 Perth 37 High tides Source: Crown All rights Times times Sun & Lighting Earth, but in certain parts of North Corfu 20 Prague 14 America and Greenland up to 90% Dakar 24 Reykjavi 6 Moon up of its fiery surface may be obscured. Dhaka 32 Rio J 30 From London, the eclipse will Dublin 13 Rome 17 Aberdeen 0841 3.2m 2152 3.2m London Bridge 0816 5.5m 2106 5.3m Belfast 1846 to 0614 take place between 10.07am and Florence 18 Shanghai 28 Avonmouth 0109 9.2m 1409 9.1m Lossiemouth 0642 2.9m 1958 3.0m Birm'ham 1828 to 0557 12.00am. Maximum eclipse takes Gibraltar 16 Singapore 30 Barrow 0626 6.7m 1928 6.7m Milford Haven 0045 4.8m 1345 4.8m Brighton 1820 to 0552 place at 11.03am, when just over H Kong 26 Stockh'm 7 Belfast 0609 2.7m 1902 2.7m Newquay 1243 4.8m Bristol 1831 to 0602 30% of the sun's surface will be Harare 27 Strasb'g 18 Cobh 1240 3.0m North Shields 1049 3.7m 2358 3.8m Carlisle 1833 to 0600 obscured. This rises the farther Helsinki 5 Sydney 26 Cromer 0149 3.6m 1413 3.7m Oban 0155 2.8m 1449 2.7m Cork 1854 to 0625 north you are. In Glasgow, the Istanbul 16 Tel Aviv 22 Dover 0634 5.0m 1913 5.1m Penzance 1222 3.9m Dublin 1846 to 0615 Sun rises maximum occurs at 11.06am, with Jo'burg 26 Tenerife 22 0553 Dublin 0702 3.1m 2004 3.1m Plymouth 1251 4.0m Sun sets 1820 Glasgow 1840 to 0606 just under 42% obscuration. K Lumpur 31 Tokyo 17 Galway 1247 3.6m Portsmouth 0620 3.5m 1954 3.6m Moon rises 0411 Harlech 1837 to 0607 Care must be taken when looking K'mandu 25 Toronto 6 Greenock 0701 2.6m 1949 2.6m Southport 0513 6.6m 1815 6.5m Moon sets 1130 Inverness 1839 to 0604 at the sun because permanent Kabul 19 Vancouv'r 11 Harwich 0630 3.0m 1901 3.0m Stornoway 0234 3.5m 1530 3.4m New Moon 29 March London 1820 to 0551 eye damage can occur. Observers Kingston 32 Vienna 16 Holyhead 0538 4.2m 1845 4.2m Portland 0018 1.3m 1343 1.1m M'chester 1830 to 0559 should always use eclipse glasses Kolkata 31 Warsaw 11 Hull 0040 5.3m 1330 5.5m Whitby 1121 4.1m Newcastle 1829 to 0556 that are CE or ISO certified, Angeles 29 18 Leith 0948 4.1m 2244 4.2m Wick 0618 2.5m 1935 2.5m Forecasts and Norwich 1816 to 0545 conforming to the ISO 12312-2:2015 Lagos 33 Well'ton 18 graphics provided by Liverpool 0612 6.9m 1907 6.8m Workington 0636 6.0m 1936 6.0m AccuWeather Penzance 1842 to 0614 standard. Stuart Clark Lima 26 Zurich 15Monday 24 March 2025 The Guardian Football Athletics 31 Fifa pulling out Joy for Gourley as all stops to sell he lands 1500m Club World Cup indoor silver Paul MacInnes, page 33 Page 39 OURLEY Sport no choice but to rerun it in their mind, pondering every decision made. Maintaining a pattern is difficult when they regularly spend nights in hotels and, at elite level, travel to different time zones. Throw in being under the microscope of the general public and, in some cases, having a young family and it is easy to see how rapid eye movement is not what it should be. leeping tablets are regarded as the answer S by many players, and prescriptions can help to bring short-term rhythm to sleeping patterns, but they are a poor long-term solution. Dele Alli has spoken of his addiction to these drugs and Como's former Tottenham and Everton midfielder is not an isolated case. Brentford's Christian Norgaard has credited the club's sleep coach, Anna West, with preventing him from developing a sleeping pill addiction. I have spoken to players who have admitted to a sleeping pill addiction, in some cases having become reliant on the tablets when injured to help numb the pain. Medicinal assistance for sleep when injured can become a long-term crutch. "They're addictive," Mahmoudzadeh says. "They can lead to both physical dependence and psychological dependence. They don't give you natural sleep and are a sedative, they basically suppress all brain functions, which is why people lose memory. Their sedative effect helps you drift off, but that doesn't end up producing natural sleep cycles, when they wake up, sometimes they get a hangover from the FLY BEITER drug itself but they also haven't had good quality sleep and don't get the benefits necessarily of the sleep." Another issue in football is snus, which provides energy but contains nicotine, which is addictive. Snus, popularised by Scandinavian players, comes in a pouch and is placed under the lip to be absorbed. It provides a stronger hit of nicotine than cigarettes but stays in the system for less time, meaning a user may need to use it A Milan forward with greater regularity. Its spike of nicotine can bring a João Félix marks desire for replenishment and may cause users to wake scoring against Roma regularly in the night with withdrawal symptoms. in the Coppa Italia Although sleep specialists have been involved at last month with the certain clubs for years, interest in the area is growing. celebration A report last year estimated that about 14 million CAMPO/GETTY IMAGES people in the UK were living with undiagnosed sleep disorders. Kobe Bryant said he worked on doubling the amount of time he slept and that it hen it comes to optimal Addictions left him more energised, going from Sweet dreams W performance, football clubs three to four hours a night up to analyse diet, physiology and to sleeping seven or eight, and another leading a plethora of minute details tablets and basketball player, LeBron James, to ensure players have the the tobacco said sufficient sleep was the most Football's latest best chance of peaking at important part of recovery from the right time. One area that product games and he is still playing at 40. may merit greater focus is snus are A 2011 study of NBA players found sleep. Insomnia and other sleep issues are prevalent that increasing sleep levels improved high-performance across British society. It is estimated that 30% of the now more output. Stanford University population do not enjoy good quality rest but in elite common in researchers worked to extend the athletes that figure rises to more than 50%. the game hours slept by basketball players and Sleep deprivation seeps into every part of the then tested their speed and shooting, drive? Chasing better body and mind. In football, it makes a player more finding they were faster and had an susceptible to injury and can hinder performance. increase of 9.2% in three-point accuracy. Addictions to sleeping tablets and the tobacco product Research has shown 69% of people with sleep issues snus are becoming more common in the game, and have not sought help, living with the problem for an sleep for players even though there is well-tested treatment, many average of six years. Left untreated, it can lead to other players avoid it because they do not want to be problems such as depression, and constant tiredness associated with an addiction or mental health issue. makes people more susceptible to infection. Cognitive "Because of the prevalence of sleeping problems behavioural therapy for insomnia is evidenced to be in football, there's a lot of unhealthy habits being 70-80% effective but the stigma of such treatment developed," says Dr Eidn Mahmoudzadeh, co-founder leaves players wary. "We are fighting against a mindset of the Sleep Project, which is working with clubs and where people do not want to use psychological players. "Many are dependent on sleeping tablets to therapy, partly because they don't want clubs to learn get them off to sleep. The issue with that is they are not about their sleep problems or snus addiction because good for you in the long term." they don't want to give their manager a reason to not Footballers face a number of issues that exacerbate pick them," says Mahmoudzadeh. Will Unwin the traditional reasons why people cannot sleep. They Rest is mandatory for individuals to perform often work at night, fuelled by adrenaline, and because in any industry, and considering the physical and they get home late, 4am is considered reasonable for psychological demands of football, it should have a player to get to sleep after an evening game. Some greater focus. Tiredness infects every aspect of life, rewatch the match before bed, others find they have and surely that is worth solving.The Guardian Monday 24 March 2025 32 Football results WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS EUROPE Equatorial Guinea 2 São Tomé Principe 0; Ethiopia 0 Northampton (0) Blackpool (1)2 The Group G Egypt 2; Ghana 5 Chad Guinea 0 Somalia 0; Niger 1 6,714 Fletcher 20, Ennis 61 Morocco 2; Rwanda 0 Nigeria 2; South Africa 2 Lesotho 0 Malta (0) Finland (1)1 Peterborough (2) Charlton (0) 5,106 Antman 38 WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS Hughes 38, Odoh 43 10,231 Poland (0) Lithuania (0) Semi-finals New Caledonia 3 Tahiti 0; New Zealand 7 Fiji Mothersille 79 Lewandowski 81 CONCACAF NATIONS LEAGUE Wrexham week 55,738 (1) Stockport County (0) Group H Semi-finals Canada 0 Mexico 2 29 13,317 Cyprus (0) San Marino (0) UNDER-21 INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLIES SKY BET LEAGUE TWO Pittas 55, Kakoullis 86 2,336 Wales Sweden 1 P W D F A GD Pts ahead Romania (1)1 Friday France 5 England 3; Republic of Ireland 0 Scotland 2 Walsall (0) 0 38 20 10 8 67 43 +24 70 49,413 Gigovic 14 BARCLAYS WOMEN'S SUPER LEAGUE Bradford 38 20 9 9 52 32 +20 69 Group P W D A GD Pts AFC Wimbledon 38 18 10 10 51 28 +23 64 Israel Estonia (1)1 Chelsea 17 15 2 0 47 11 +36 47 Port Vale 37 17 13 48 37 +11 64 Hein 23og, Dasa 75 Paskotsi 10 Arsenal 17 12 3 2 45 13 +32 39 Doncaster 37 18 9 10 54 44 +10 63 Vivianne Miedema's Moldova (0) Norway (4) Manchester Utd 17 12 3 2 34 9 +25 39 Notts County 38 17 11 10 56 39 +17 62 Manchester City face 9,342 Ryerson Haaland 23 Manchester City 17 10 2 5 38 22 +16 32 Grimsby 38 18 5 15 52 54 -2 59 Aasgaard 43 Brighton 17 6 7 25 30 -5 22 Colchester 38 14 16 8 46 37 +9 58 Chelsea for Donnum 69 Liverpool 17 6 3 8 17 29 -12 21 Crewe 38 14 16 8 45 38 +7 58 time in three weeks Group. Everton 17 5 4 8 18 25 -7 19 Salford City 37 14 11 12 44 41 +3 53 Liechtenstein (0) North Macedonia (2)3 West Ham 17 5 3 9 23 31 -8 18 Chesterfield 37 14 10 13 58 44 +14 52 4,094 Trajkovski Musliu 42 Tottenham 17 5 2 10 20 36 -16 17 Bromley 38 13 13 12 49 47 +2 52 Miovski Leicester 17 4 3 10 13 26 -13 15 Fleetwood 38 12 14 12 49 46 +3 50 Wales (1) Kazakhstan (1)1 Aston Villa 17 2 4 11 16 36 -20 10 Cheltenham 38 13 11 14 51 55 -4 50 Today Golf Kidderminster Peterborough James 9, Davies 47 Tagybergen 32pen Crystal Palace 17 2 3 12 15 43 -28 9 Swindon 38 11 15 12 55 55 0 48 Indian Open Sports; Leamington King's Lynn; Matondo 90 32,473 Newport County 38 13 7 18 48 62 -14 46 Football (7 45pm unless stated) Delhi (to Sun) Sky Sports Golf Marine Alfreton; Needham Market Group K Arsenal (3) 4 Liverpool (0) 0 Europe World Cup qualifying Houston Open Oxford City Radcliffe; Foord 28, Matthews 29og 35,628 Barrow 37 12 9 16 42 45 -3 45 Group G Lithuania y Finland (5pm); Andorra (0) Latvia (0) 69og, Caldentey 44 MK Dons 37 Texas (to Sun) Sky Sports Golf 13 6 18 47 53 -6 Rushall South Shields; Scunthorpe 45 Poland Malta. 957 58 Ford Championship Southport; Warrington Darlington Aston Villa (0) Manchester Utd 4 Gillingham 37 11 10 16 31 39 -8 43 Group H Cyprus; Phoenix (to Sun) Sky Sports Golf Vanarama National League South England (1) Albania San Marino Romania 5,038 Terland Clinton 45 Accrington 38 10 11 17 45 55 -10 41 Darts Aveley Torquay; Bath City Hemel Lewis-Skelly 20, Kane 77 82,378 Galton 64 Harrogate 38 11 8 19 29 48 Group K Albania Andorra; -19 41 BetMGM Premier League Hempstead; Chelmsford Truro; England Latvia ITV1/ITVX Group L Chesham Welling; Dorking Everton Newcastle (7pm) Sky Sports ME (1) Crystal Palace (0) Tranmere 38 8 13 17 28 55 -27 37 Under-21 international friendlies Czech Republic Eastbourne; Enfield Chippenham; (1) Faroe Islands (0) Vanhaevermaet 43 Morecambe 38 8 6 24 33 57 -24 30 England Portugal; Racing Vatnhamar 83 Chelmsford, Southwell SSR, Warwick, Weston-super-Mare; Holmgaard 46, Gago 90+5 Carlisle 37 7 9 21 28 54 -26 30 Rep of Ireland Hungary (7pm) 8,978 Wolverhampton SSR Maidstone Boreham Wood; Leicester (3) 3 Brighton AFC Wimbledon (0) Barrow Tennis Salisbury Tonbridge; St Albans Montenegro (1) Gibraltar (1)1 O'Brien 11, Takarada 35 Haley 73, Kirby Miami Open Browne 60, Stevens 85 Campbell 88, Mahoney 90+6 Farnborough; Weymouth Slough; Jovetic 22, Tuci 70 Bent 13 McLauchlan 45+5og To Sun 8,657 Friday Worthing Hampton & Richmond Marusic 73 3,021 Racing Manchester City Chelsea William Hill Scottish Premiership (0) Bradford (2)4 Colchester UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE PLAY-OFF FINALS (1)1 Lingfield Sky Sports Racing, Wincanton Football 45pm unless stated) Aberdeen Motherwell; Celtic Kerolin 32 Beever-Jones 49, Kavanagh 70 Anderson Racing TV, Wolverhampton SSR Sky Bet Championship Sheffield Utd Coventry (8pm) Hearts: Dundee Rangers (5.30pm) Quarter-finals Cuthbert 90+1 Lapslie 41 78 23,381 Sky Sports Main Event/SSF/ITV4 SSME/SSF; Hibernian St Johnstone; France (0) Croatia (0) 0 West Ham (1) Tottenham (0) Carlisle (1) Bromley (1)1 Mirren Kilmarnock Tomorrow Sky Bet League Two Olise 52, Dembélé 80 at agg 2-2) Rybrink 16og, Asseyi 90 Wearne 13, Whelan 54 McKirdy 28 Colchester Grimsby William Hill Scottish Championship (France win 5-4 on pens) BARCLAYS WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP 6,515 Football .45pm unless stated) Tranmere Cheltenham SS+ Ayr Dunfermline; Hamilton Raith; Morton Partick Germany (3) Europe World Cup qualifying Italy (0) Blackburn 1 Bristol City 1: Charlton 1 Birmingham 1; Cheltenham (0) MK Dons (1)1 Group Israel Norway; Moldova V Rugby union William Hill Scottish League One Kimmich 30pen, Musiala 36 London City 4 Sheffield Utd 0; Newcastle 1 Sunderland 0; 4,283 Sanders 9 Estonia (5pm) Gallagher Premiership Kleindienst 45 Alloa Dumbarton; Annan Kelty; Raspadori Southampton 0 Portsmouth 0 Sale Northampton (7.45pm) Cove; Queen of South (agg Chesterfield (0) Harrogate Group Liechtenstein Kazakhstan; SKY BET LEAGUE ONE 8,540 N Macedonia Wales BBC1 Wales/ NT1/discovery+ Inverness; Montrose Portugal (1) Denmark (0) P W D A GD Pts BBC3/iPlayer/S4C United Championship William Hill Scottish League Two Andersen 38og Kristensen 56, Eriksen 76 Fleetwood (0) Tranmere Edinburgh Dragons (7.35pm) Birmingham 36 25 8 3 59 24 +35 83 Group Gibraltar Czech Republic; Bonnyrigg Elgin; East Fife Ronaldo 72, Trinção 86 91 3,421 Premier Sports 2/BBC2 Wrexham Spartans; Forfar Peterhead; Stirling Ramos 115 at 90min; agg 5-3) 38 22 8 8 52 30 +22 74 Montenegro Faroe Islands Gillingham (0) Walsall International friendly iPlayer; Ulster Stormers (7.35pm) Edinburgh City; Stranraer Clyde Wycombe 37 20 11 6 64 36 +28 71 Premier Sports 1/BBC2 NI/iPlayer Spain (1) Netherlands (0) 6,153 Sweden Northern Ireland (6pm) Barclays Women's Championship Charlton 38 19 9 Oyarzabal 8pen 67, 10 49 35 +14 66 BBC2 NI/iPlayer Rugby league Blackburn Southampton (12.30pm) 54pen, Maatsen 79, Grimsby (0) Newport County Yamal 103 Simons 109 Stockport County 38 18 11 9 53 35 +18 65 Under-21 international friendly Betfred Super League McEachran 64 5,339 Rugby union (3pm unless stated) 90min; agg 5-5) (Spain win 5-4 on pens) Huddersfield 37 18 7 12 52 34 +18 61 Iceland (2pm) Leigh Wakefield (8pm); Guinness Women's Six Nations France Scotland (1pm) iPlayer; UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE GROUP A/B PLAY-OFFS Bolton 37 18 6 13 59 55 +4 60 Notts County (0) Crewe Sky Bet League Two Warrington Leeds (8pm) SS Action 10,225 Carlisle MK Dons Sky Sports+; Cricket Wales England (4.45pm) BBC2/ Scotland (0) Greece (2)3 Reading 37 16 11 10 52 46 +6 59 Port Vale Port Vale Barrow (7.30pm) First Men's one-day international BBC1 Wales/iPlayer (agg Konstantelias 20 Leyton Orient 37 17 5 15 53 38 +15 56 (0) Morecambe Curtis 89 Vanarama National League 7,038 New Zealand Pakistan, Napier (10pm) Gallagher Premiership Karetsas 42, Tzolis 46 Blackpool 38 13 15 10 57 50 +7 54 Altrincham Solihull Moors DAZN; Racing Bath v Harlequins (3.05pm) TNT1/ Belgium 3 Ukraine 0 (Belgium 4-3 agg); Barnsley 38 15 8 15 52 54 -2 53 Swindon (0) Accrington (0) Boston Southend DAZN; Rochdale Fontwell SSR, Lingfield SSR, Exeter Newcastle; Gloucester 7,168 Hungary 0 Turkey 3 (Turkey won on agg); Lincoln City 38 13 11 14 53 45 +8 50 York DAZN; Wealdstone Aldershot Southwell SSR, Wetherby Bristol (5.30pm) TNT1/disc+ DAZN; Woking Halifax DAZN United Championship Serbia 2 Austria 0 (Serbia won 3-1 agg) Stevenage 37 13 10 14 35 38 -3 49 VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE Vanarama National League North Rotherham P 37 12 9 16 42 W D L F A Benetton Cardiff 7.35pm) PS2/ UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE GROUP B/C PLAY-OFFS 45 -3 45 GD Pts Alfreton Leamington; Brackley Saturday iPlayer/S4C; Bulls Zebre (12.45pm) Barnet 39 27 32 Republic of Ireland (0) Bulgaria (1)1 Peterborough Utd 37 12 9 16 56 60 -4 45 7 5 81 +49 88 Kidderminster DAZN: Darlington PS1; Connacht Munster (2.30pm) Ferguson 63, Idah 84 Antov 30 Exeter 37 12 9 16 40 51 -11 45 York 38 22 8 8 70 37 +33 74 Chorley; Scarborough Oxford City; Football (3pm unless stated) PS2; Glasgow Lions (7.35pm) PS1; Forest Green 39 19 15 +24 72 Emirates FA Cup (agg 4-2) Mansfield 37 12 8 17 43 44 5 51 -8 59 35 Spennymoor Radcliffe Quarter-finals Brighton Scarlets Ospreys PS1/iPlayer/S4C; Vanarama National League South Sharks Leinster (5.15pm) PS2 Georgia 6 Armenia 1 (Georgia 9-1 agg); Iceland 1 Kosovo 3 Wigan 36 11 10 15 33 36 -3 43 Oldham 39 17 15 7 57 40 +17 66 Hornchurch Worthing Nottingham Forest .15pm) BBC1/ (Kosovo 5-2 agg); Slovenia 1 Slovakia 0 (Slovenia agg) Halifax iPlayer; Fulham Crystal Palace Rugby league Northampton 38 10 12 16 37 56 -19 42 38 17 11 10 46 36 +10 62 William Hill Scottish Championship (12.15pm) ITV1/ITVX Betfred Super League INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY Bristol Rovers 38 12 6 20 39 61 -22 42 Gateshead 39 17 9 13 66 54 +12 60 Livingston Falkirk; Morton Raith Bet Championship Catalans Dragons Helens (5.30pm) Burton 37 8 12 17 38 53 -15 36 Rochdale 36 Northern Ireland 16 9 11 52 34 +18 57 (1)1 Switzerland (1)1 Racing Racing Price 17 Sierro 29 Crawley 38 8 9 21 40 71 -31 33 Southend 38 14 14 10 50 43 +7 56 Hexham, Newcastle SSR, Taunton RTV Burnley Bristol City; Cardiff Sheff Wed; Hull Luton (12.30pm) Doncaster, Kempton, Newcastle, 17,862 Cambridge Utd 38 7 9 22 36 62 -26 30 Altrincham 38 15 10 13 57 48 +9 55 Leeds Swansea; Middlesbrough Stratford, Uttoxeter WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS SOUTH AMERICA Shrewsbury 37 7 7 23 34 62 -28 28 Tamworth 39 14 12 13 52 58 -6 54 Wednesday Oxford Utd: Norwich West Brom; Friday Brazil 2 Colombia 1; Ecuador 2 Venezuela 1; Eastleigh 39 13 14 12 53 49 +4 53 Portsmouth Blackburn; Stoke Sunday Peru 3 Bolivia 1; Uruguay 0 Argentina 1 Barnsley (0) Cambridge Utd (1) Sutton Utd 38 Football 7.45pm unless stated) 13 12 13 50 51 -1 51 QPR; Sunderland Millwall; Watford Lewis 90+2 Brophy 10,790 Women's Champions League WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS AFRICA Hartlepool 39 11 16 12 48 Plymouth 12.30pm) SSME/SSF Football (3pm unless stated) 49 -1 49 Quarter-finals: Second leg Emirates FA Cup Crawley (1) Bristol Rovers (0) Sky Bet League One Eswatini 3 Mauritius 3; Kenya 1 Gabon 2; Sudan 0 Senegal 0; Yeovil 39 13 10 16 44 51 -7 49 Arsenal (0) Real Madrid (2) (8pm) Doyle 19 4,421 Birmingham Shrewsbury; Blackpool Quarter-finals Bournemouth Togo 2 Mauritania 2 Braintree 39 13 9 17 44 51 -7 48 TNT1/DAZN; Lyon (2) Bayern Bristol Rovers Mansfield; Man City (4.30pm) ITV1; Preston Friday Botswana 1 Algeria 3; Burkina Faso 4 Djibouti 1; Lincoln City (0) Exeter (0) Aldershot 37 11 14 12 58 60 -2 47 Munich (0) (5.45pm) TNT3/DAZN Cambridge Utd Northampton; Aston Villa 1.30pm) Burundi 0 Ivory Coast 1; Congo DR 1 South Sudan 0; 8,971 Uefa League Charlton Huddersfield (12.30pm) William Hill Scottish Premiership League C/D play-offs: First leg Exeter Wrexham; Reading Ross Co Dundee Utd (2.30pm) PS1 Gibraltar Latvia (5pm) Peterborough; Rotherham Crawley; SPFL Trust Trophy Malta Luxembourg (5pm) Stockport Burton (12.30pm) Final Queen's Park Livingston Cricket Rugby league (Aus) bt G Mpetshi Perricard (Fr) D Shapovalov Wigan Barnsley; 4.10pm) BBC Alba/iPlayer Fifth Men's T20 international Lincoln City Barclays Women's Super League Other results (Can) bt T Tirante (Arg) J Mensik (Cz) BETFRED SUPER LEAGUE bt. Draper (GB) 7-6(2) 7-6(3); R Safiullin (Rus) bt A Popyrin New Zealand Pakistan, Wellington Sky Bet League Two Brighton Man City (2pm) W D L F A PD Pts (Aus) 6-7(4) Fonseca (Bra) bt U Humbert (Fr) (6.15am) Accrington Bradford 30pm) Chelsea West Ham (4.30pm) SSME/ Hull KR 5 5 0 0 125 40 +85 10 Opelka (US) bt H Rune (Den) 4-6 -37-6(5); Third Barrow Chesterfield; Bromley SSF: Crystal Palace Arsenal (2pm) Leigh 5 3 1 1 81 68 +13 7 Z Bergs (Bel) bt A (Rus) 7-5 M Berrettini New Zealand Australia, Wellington Salford City; Crewe Port Vale Leicester Tottenham Hull 5 3 1 77 94 -17 7 bt H Gaston (Fr) Tiafoe (US) bt A Davidovich (1.45am) 1/discovery+ (12.30pm) Doncaster Carlisle; (2pm) SSME/SSF; Liverpool St Helens 5 3 0 2 176 46 +130 6 Fokina (Sp) 7-57-6(5); de Minaur (Aus) bt Bu (Chn) Racing Harrogate Gillingham; MK Dons Aston Villa (2pm) YouTube; Wigan 5 3 0 2 148 59 +89 6 -46-4; A Fils (Fr) bt G Diallo (Can) 6-4 2-3 ret. Hereford SSR, Kempton RTV, Fleetwood; Morecambe Swindon; Man Utd Everton (noon) iPlayer Leeds 5 3 0 2 94 65 +29 6 Market Rasen RTV Newport County Notts County; Barclays Women's Championship Rugby union Warrington 5 3 0 2 92 114 -22 6 Third round: G Dimitrov (Bul) bt K Khachanov (Rus) 6-7(3) Walsall Wimbledon Bristol City Sheffield Utd (2pm); GUINNESS WOMEN'S SIX NATIONS Wakefield 5 2 0 3 74 84 -10 4 L Musetti bt Auger-Aliassime (Can) Vanarama National League Durham Portsmouth (noon); Catalans Dragons 5 2 0 3 59 80 -21 4 6-3; Korda (US) Tsitsipas (Gre) 7-6(4) 6-3. Thursday Table on page 40 Barnet Gateshead; Boston Sutton: Newcastle London (2pm); Castleford 5 1 0 4 74 143 -69 2 Women: Third round: A Krueger (US) bt Fernandez (Can) Football (7.45pm unless stated) Dag Red Maidenhead; Ebbsfleet Sunderland Charlton (2pm) England 38 Italy Ireland 15 France 27; Salford 5 1 0 4 43 188 -145 2 Paolini (It) bt 0 Jabeur (Tun) A Sabalenka Scotland 24 Wales 21 Women's Champions League Altrincham; Forest Green Solihull Rugby union (3pm unless stated) Huddersfield 5 0 0 5 60 122 -62 0 (Blr) bt G Ruse (Rom) N Osaka (Jpn) bt H Baptiste Quarter-finals: Second leg Moors (12.30pm) DAZN: Halifax Guinness Women's Six Nations GALLAGHER PREMIERSHIP Castleford 4 Catalans 26; Hull KR 30 Leigh 0; Leeds 12 (US) 7-6(6) Gauff (US) bt M Sakkari (Gre) Barcelona (4) Wolfsburg (1) Hartlepool; Rochdale Aldershot; Italy Ireland BBC2 NI/iPlayer P W D L F A B Pts Wigan 10 Friday St Helens 12 Warrington 14; Wakefield 12 M Linette (Pol) bt L Fruhvirtova (Cz) 7-5 D Collins (US) (5.45pm) TNT3/DAZN; Chelsea (0) Southend Oldham (5.30pm) DAZN; Gallagher Premiership Bath 12 10 0 2 440 259 11 51 Hull FC 16 bt R Masarova (Swi) 6-43-66-3; Zheng QW (Chn) bt Man City (2) (8pm) TNT1/DAZN Tamworth Eastleigh; Woking Leicester Saracens TNT1/disc+ Bristol 12 8 0 4 442 362 13 45 T Townsend (US) Swiatek (Pol) bt Mertens Sky Bet League One Yeovil Fylde; York BETFRED CHAMPIONSHIP Rugby league (3pm unless stated) Leicester 12 7 1 4 334 287 10 (Bel) Badosa (Sp) btC Tauson (Den) 40 Leyton Orient Stevenage (8pm) Wealdstone Betfred Super League Harlequins 12 6 1 5 286 255 10 36 Batley 10 York 23; Doncaster 22 Widnes 26: Halifax 38 E Svitolina (Ukr) bt K Muchova (Cz) M Kostyuk Sky Sports Football Vanarama National League North Huddersfield Hull KR; Featherstone 12; Oldham 50 London Broncos 6; Gloucester 12 6 0 6 344 330 12 36 (Ukr) bt A Blinkova (Rus) 6-26-1; Eala (Phi) bt M Keys (US) Rugby league Brackley Scarborough; Chester Wigan Salford SS Action Sale 12 7 0 5 329 298 6 34 Toulouse 50 Hunslet 6. Friday Bradford 8 Barrow 18 Betfred Super League Curzon Ashton; Chorley Racing Saracens 12 6 0 6 315 339 10 34 Cricket Golf Castleford Hull FC (8pm) SS Action Spennymoor; Farsley Hereford; Ascot, Doncaster Northampton 12 5 0 7 313 316 6 26 Exeter 12 2 0 10 255 340 8 16 FOURTH MEN'S T20 INTERNATIONAL SINGAPORE CLASSIC Newcastle 12 2 10 164 436 9 Mount Maunganui New Zealand 220-6 (FH Allen 50). Leading final scores (GB & Ire unless stated): 200 Mansell Bath Gloucester 26; Bristol 52 Exeter 38; Pakistan 105 (JA Duffy 4-20). New Zealand beat Pakistan 66. 201 Nakajima (Jpn) 202 McKibbin The main event Saracens 12 Harlequins 23 by 115 runs. 68; A Saddier (Fr) 66 68. 203 M Armitage 65 70 Friday Newcastle 15 Sale 39; Northampton 0 Leicester 33 SECOND WOMEN'S T20 INTERNATIONAL 68. 204 Katsuragawa (Jpn) 67; D Erickson (US) 69 Brighton V Nottingham Forest RFU CHAMPIONSHIP Mount Maunganui Australia 204-3 (BL Mooney 70). M Jordan 65 205 R MacIntyre Ampthill Nottingham 32; Caldy 23 24; New Zealand 122 (A SutherlandMonday 24 March 2025 The Guardian 33 Solihull Moors 38 13 8 17 53 58 -5 47 Queen's Park 30 9 6 15 33 39 -6 33 Football Club World Cup competitors, after the Mexican Wealdstone 37 10 12 15 47 61 -14 42 Hamilton 30 8 5 17 34 54 -20 29 side León were removed from the Woking 37 9 14 14 38 51 -13 41 Dunfermline 29 7 6 16 26 37 -11 27 Dagenham Red 39 9 13 17 50 57 -7 40 Airdrieonians 30 5 6 19 26 58 -32 21 competition for a breach of Fifa's Fylde 38 11 6 21 46 70 -24 39 Ayr Hamilton 1: Falkirk 2 Airdrieonians 0: 'Bold but significant rules on multiclub ownership. Maidenhead 39 10 8 21 44 70 -26 38 Morton 2 Queen's Park Friday Partick 0 Raith 0 The sporting world is watching Boston Utd 37 9 10 18 40 57 -17 37 WILLIAM HILL SCOTTISH LEAGUE ONE Ebbsfleet 39 2 12 25 30 83 -53 18 P W D L F A GD Pts risk': Fifa pulls out every shift in the cup's development Aldershot 3 Ebbsfleet 3: Altrincham 0 Barnet 1: Braintree 2 Arbroath 30 16 6 8 50 33 +17 54 keenly; some with dread, others York 1: Eastleigh Southend 2: Fylde 3 Forest Green 0; Cove Rangers 30 14 7 9 52 34 +18 49 with anticipation. For Adam Kelly, Gateshead 0 Tamworth 2: Hartlepool 4 Boston 1: Maid'head 1 Stenhousemuir 30 14 7 9 42 30 +12 49 Rochdale Oldham 2 Halifax Solihull Moors 0 Yeovil 3; Sutton Utd 1 Dagenham & Red 1; Wealdstone 1 Woking 0 Alloa 30 10 11 9 44 39 +5 all the stops for sales president of the sports marketing 41 Queen of the South 30 11 6 13 32 37 -5 39 giant IMG, there is no question VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE NORTH P W F A GD Kelty Hearts 30 9 10 11 32 32 0 37 (top eight) D Pts that Fifa is undertaking the kind of Scunthorpe 40 22 12 6 66 28 +38 78 Montrose 30 8 12 10 33 38 -5 36 project that audiences want to see, Inverness CT* 30 13 9 8 35 31 +4 33 Brackley 39 23 5 11 62 40 +22 74 even if the risks are substantial. "I Kidderminster 70 Annan Athletic 30 8 6 16 39 22 7 10 32 +38 31 56 -25 30 73 Chester 40 21 62 40 +22 73 Dumbartont 30 5 10 15 35 56 -21 10 10 9 Governing body battles Auckland City, who qualify by look at this and honestly have to Chorley 39 19 10 10 61 46 +15 67 *Inverness deducted 15pts; deducted 15pts virtue of their ranking as the best commend Fifa because they are Hereford 40 19 9 12 56 42 +14 66 Cove 0 0; Dumbarton 0 Queen of the South 0; slow take-up of tickets for club side in Oceania. being bold and they're taking a Inverness 1 Alloa 1; Kelty Arbroath 1; Montrose 3 Annan 1 King's Lynn 40 19 9 12 46 41 +5 66 Curzon Ashton 38 19 8 11 50 31 +19 WILLIAM HILL SCOTTISH LEAGUE TWO expanded tournament and That there are still a good really significant risk here," he said. 65 P W D L F A GD Pts player burnout concerns number of tickets left at the think ve got a Buxton 0 King's Lynn 1: Chorley 2 Alfreton 0; Darlington 2 Rushall 2: Hereford Curzon Ashton 1: Kidderminster 4 Peterhead 30 16 8 6 44 30 +14 56 25,000-capacity Inter&Co Stadium responsibility to better reflect the Needham Market 1: Leamington South Shields 0; East Fife 30 16 5 9 55 33 +22 53 Marine 2 Peterborough Sports 1; Oxford City 4 Warrington 0; Edinburgh City 30 15 4 11 48 39 +9 49 in Orlando to watch Auckland play industry they are in, especially Radcliffe Brackley 2: Scunthorpe 3 Chester 1; Elgin 30 13 7 10 40 35 +5 46 Paul MacInnes Benfica on 20 June should perhaps around product innovation. I Southport 0 Scarborough 1: Spennymoor 4 Farsley 0 Spartans 30 12 11 38 38 0 43 be expected. Ditto Manchester City think they've got an obligation to VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH Stirling 30 11 5 14 42 49 -7 38 (top eight) P W D L F A GD Pts against Al Ain at the Mercedes-Benz try something new. And Fifa are Stranraer 30 10 7 13 29 31 -2 37 Worthing 39 23 8 8 64 51 +13 77 his week Donald Clyde 30 8 9 13 35 46 -11 33 Stadium in Atlanta (even if it is an building a club event that they're Truro City 40 22 10 8 63 37 +26 76 Forfar 30 7 8 15 27 39 -12 29 Trump convened a Abu Dhabi derby). But there are saying hands down, without doubt, Eastbourne Boro 40 21 12 7 59 38 +21 75 Bonnyrigg Rose* 30 9 6 15 35 53 -18 27 prayer meeting in the many tickets available for matches is [going to be] at the top of the club Dorking 40 21 11 8 76 47 +29 74 *Bonnyrigg Rose deducted 6pts Torquay 40 20 14 6 61 39 +22 74 T Oval Office. Gathered between more recognisably game and that is their ambition. I Clyde 3 Bonnyrigg Edinburgh City 5 East Fife 2; Spartans 1 Boreham Wood 40 21 8 11 69 40 +29 71 Elgin 2; Stirling Peterhead 2; 0 Forfar 1 around the Resolute household names, too. As much think you've got to applaud it." Maidstone 40 19 13 8 59 32 +27 70 BREEDON HIGHLAND LEAGUE desk, constructed as a third of the 20,000 Camping As professional sport Weston-super-Mare 40 18 12 10 57 45 +12 66 Banks Dee 1 Turriff 0: Brechin 2 Forres 1: Buckie Thistle 1 from the timbers of a British naval World Stadium in Orlando remains increasingly becomes part of a Boreham Wood 0 Dorking Chippenham 1 Weymouth 0: Formartine 1; Clachnacuddin Brora 2: Inverurie 3 Eastbourne Boro 4 Farnborough 0; Hampton & Richmond 0 Fraserburgh 3: Keith 0 Wick Academy 1: Lossiemouth 1 vessel, a series of pastors laid their unsold for City V Juventus on 26 global entertainment industry, Maidstone 3: Hemel Hempstead 1 Aveley 1: Slough 1 Deveronvale 0; Nairn 2 Huntly 1; Strathspey 1 Rothes 0 Enfield Town 1; St Albans 1 Hornchurch 1; Tonbridge 2 hands on the president's thinning June, for example, while Inter Kelly argues that elite competitions PARK'S MOTOR GROUP LOWLAND LEAGUE Chelmsford 1: Torquay Bath City 0: Truro City Salisbury 0; hair and prayed for his success. Miami against Porto on 19 June are growing in significance. "The Welling 2 Worthing 0; Weston-super-Mare 1 Chesham 1 Albion Rovers 1 Cowdenbeath 0; Berwick 1 Tranent 2: Broomhill 3 Stirling Uni 3; Broxburn 3 Linlithgow CS The only other item on the desk? looks like being way too small for sceptics will point to this being WILLIAM HILL SCOTTISH CHAMPIONSHIP Strollers Bo 'ness 0; East Kilbride Cumbernauld 1 P W D F A GD Pts The enormous intricate bauble that 75,000-capacity stadium in a power play, a political move. JD CYMRU PREMIER Falkirk 30 20 6 4 61 25 +36 66 that will serve as the trophy for Atlanta, Messi-effect included. The They will ask questions about Cardiff Met Uni 0 The New Saints Flint 3 Barry Town 2 Ayr 30 16 7 7 50 30 +20 55 Friday Aberystwyth 0 Briton Ferry 1; Caernarfon 5 Bala 0: Fifa's Club World Cup. pattern of lukewarm sales recurs the number of fixtures. But of the Livingston 29 15 10 4 41 24 +17 55 Haverfordwest 1 Penybont 2; Newtown 2 Connah's Quay 3 Partick That Trump should like the look across the knockout-round ties. numbers that we see, where sport 30 12 9 9 37 33 +4 45 SPORTS DIRECT NIFL PREMIERSHIP Morton 29 10 10 9 34 36 -2 40 of an object lacquered in 24-carat Fifa says that some matches are is setting new records is where Cliftonville 3 Carrick 0; Coleraine 1 Portadown 0; Glenavon 0 Raith 29 11 5 13 30 36 -6 38 Larne Glentoran 0 Crusaders 1; Loughgall 2 Ballymena 1 gold plating, and designed by the sold out, though the controversial you're driving fans and engagement New York jeweller Tiffany & Co, is process of authorised ticket resale clearly to the pinnacles, to the not perhaps a huge surprise. But its in place for the tournament very top of the pyramid. So we've NEWCASTLE UNITED prominent position on the world's whereby you can buy a ticket and seen records set for the World most consequential desktop instantly sell it on again for a new Cup for both men and women. will surely have been welcomed price on the same platform means The Copa América, the Euros, the by Fifa's president, Gianni you can buy a seat all the same. It Gulf Cup in the Mena [Middle East Former Infantino, who left the trophy observes too that there is a higher and North Africa] region, they've Newcastle with Trump this month on his visit demand in the new soccer hotbed proven that trend too." player Bobby to the White House, a week after of Florida than in other parts of the Kelly says he is not surprised Moncur with Zelenskyy's. country. But it acknowledges it is that ticket sales are slow for an Infantino has a competition trying to launch a tournament in unfamiliar competition, but argues CEO Darren to sell after all. The Club World a country where soccer is at best Fifa has a number of marketing Eales and the Cup is taking place in the US this the fourth most popular sport, and levers to pull before the event, Carabao Cup summer and key issues are yet at a time of year when the average even without an intervention from to be resolved. With fewer than American consumer has any the White House. And if there on the day 100 days to go, tickets are still number of possible entertainments are empty banks of seats when the women's available for each match in the from which to choose. Fifa intends the South Korean side Ulsan face side beat tournament, with many fixtures to intensify its marketing in the Mamelodi Sundowns on 17 June, showing large areas of seating coming weeks, but must first Fifa will still have taken big steps Sunderland unsold. A groundbreaking global find a replacement for one of its towards globalising the club game SERENA IMAGES broadcast deal between Fifa and in an unprecedented way. the streaming platform Dazn, 'Its obligation is to "If you look at everything in the NSW WOMEN'S OPEN (Wollongong, Australia) Men: 60m: Final: 1 Azu (GB) 5.49sec; 21 Kennedy (Aus) meanwhile, has yet to translate round, there are leagues that are Leading final scores (Aus unless stated): 267 M Rhodes 6.50; Simbine (SA) 6.54. (Eng) K Rudgeley 65 68 A Fanali Men: 1500m: Final: 1 Ingebrigtsen (Nor) 3min into sublicensing arrangements try something new- unhappy, some of the federations, Kouskova (Cz) 273 2 Gourley (GB) 3:39.07; 3L Houser (US) 3:39.17. with national broadcasters. while at the confederation level M Folke (Swe) K Metraux (Swi) N Iturrioz (Sp) 65 72; Fernandez (Sp) Formula one There is also fury from other Fifa says the cup a mixed bag as to whether they're 275 M de Roey (Bel) Babnik (Svn) CHINESE GRAND PRIX (Shanghai) competition organisers the is going to be at the truly supportive or have concerns. VALSPAR CHAMPIONSHIP (Palm Harbor, Florida) Results on page 39 Premier League included over But when the first game kicks off, I Leading third-round scores (US unless stated): 206 Bridgeman 67 70; N Echavarria (Col) 68 66; CHINESE GRAND PRIX SPRINT (Shanghai) what is regarded as a landgrab top of the club game' think the interest will be strong." Hovland (Nor) 207 R Castillo 67 208 1 Hamilton (GB) Ferrari 30min 96sec; 2 Piastri (Aus) and an imposition on a strained R Hisatsune (Jpn) 71 Lowry (Ire) 7167 J Paul McLaren +6.889sec; 3 M Verstappen (Neth) Red Bull (Ger) 69 70; Riley 69; Thomas 737065; Yu +9.804; Russell (GB) Mercedes +11.592; Leclerc fixture calendar. At the same time, (Tai) 209 An B (Kor) 72; Conners (Can) (Mnc) Ferrari Tsunoda (Jpn) Racing Bulls the Club World Cup stands a real 71 E Grillo (Arg) 71 Highsmith +22.288; AK Antonelli +23.038; Norris (GB) B Horschel 69 7169; A Novak 210 Cauley 70 McLaren +24.916. chance of creating a paradigm shift 69; Fishburn 7371 66; Glover 7071 69; H Norlander (Swe) 717069; JT Poston Spieth Snooker in how club football is played. K Velo PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP (Telford) Upgraded and expanded from Cycling Semi-finals: K Wilson (Eng) bt N Robertson (Aus) 6-5; the competition that began in 2000, J Trump (Eng) bt Higgins (Sco) 6-4 MEN'S MILAN-SANREMO (Italy) when eight regional champions Final standings (Pavia-Sanremo, 289km) M van der Poel faced off against each other in a (Neth) Alpecin-Deceuninck 6hr 22min 53sec; Ganna (It) knockout tournament, the Club Ineos Grenadiers; Pogacar (Svn) UAE both same time; 4 M Matthews (Aus) Jayco AlUla +43sec; Greg Wood's racing tips World Cup this summer will feature 5K Groves (Aus) Alpecin-Deceuninck at same time. 32 teams in a 63-match format that WOMEN'S MILAN-SANREMO (Italy) has group and knockout stages and Final standings (Genova-Sanremo, 156km): Wiebes (Neth) SD WorxProtime 3hr 43min 32sec; 2 M Vos (Neth) Lingfield 1.47 Handle With Care 2.17 Newfangled will run for a month. Chelsea and Visma Lease Bike; 3 Rüegg (Swi) 2.47 Fat Gladiator 3.17 Alyara 3.47 Mashaan Manchester City will compete, Real 41 Vollering (Neth) Pienaar (Mri) 4.17 Diablo Rojo 4.47 Cosmic View 5.17 Laurentia AG Insurance-Soudal all at same time. 5.47 Fullforward Madrid, Bayern Munich, Inter too. Athletics Wincanton 2.30 Briefly 3.00 Mr Mackay These giants will face off against 3.30 Zaochen Enki 4.00 Space Voyage WORLD INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS (Nanjing) lesser lights of the international 4.30 Jaramillo 5.00 Mach Ten Women: 400m: Final: Anning (GB) 50 0.60sec; Wolverhampton 5.30 Vamp 6.00 Fashionelle game such as the 2022 African 2 Holmes (US) 50.63; H Jaeger (Nor) 50.92 6.30 Tuscan Star 7.00 Chifa 7.30 Brazilian Rose Champions League winners Wydad Fifa's president Gianni Infantino leaves the trophy with Donald Trump Women: 1500m: Final: Tsegay (Eth) 3min 54.86sec; (nap) 8.00 Raft Up 8.30 Mr Baloo (nb) Weltejl (Eth) 3:59.30; 3 Bell (GB) 3:59.84. of Morocco and New Zealand's WATSON/AFP/GETTY IMAGESSquad ready 'He won't take nonsense': to raise game against Latvia, Tuchel's ruthless streak says coach puts emphasis on high Continued from back page players to play quarter-finals of the Champions League because I want standards for England to watch it. We take care about us and the clubs take care about themselves and the main focus is taking care of the players." A more pressing issue for Tuchel The tactics-obsessed coach is finding the right balance in attack. wants his players to demand CHASE He has a glut of creative players but Google Cloud he cannot fit them all into the team. the best from one another in He warned that there would be some pursuit of World Cup glory high-profile omissions from his World Cup squad if they qualify. "It has to be balanced," he said. David Hytner "I will tell this also to the players: with all respect this is not now just to get a win over Latvia. This is about our standards. How do we win, how do we play and how do we impose homas Tuchel loves ourselves and deserve a win against "There are a lot of No 10 positions. T to talk tactics with an Latvia? It's to raise the standards. obsessive attention to detail, taking in It's just not possible we play all the tiny tweaks, the these No 10 positions. We have to dizzying range of get the process right to find the best possibilities. The England head group. If that means we leave very coach started with a 4-2-3-1 system good and talented players out of in his first game against Albania 'This is how I think the squad this can happen. In the on Friday, playing Curtis Jones next 16 months it is important we alongside Declan Rice in midfield, about English style. find the right team and not the most partly because he was conscious talented 26 players." of the threat of the opposing A lot of crosses Tuchel said that Phil Foden, who No 8s. He did not want Rice to be struggled against Albania, is missing outnumbered against the ball. from half-field. Two "confidence and flow" for club and Tuchel, who is looking ahead strikers on the pitch' country, yet he insisted that he can to the meeting with Latvia fit the City playmaker and Jude tonight, thinks it would be Bellingham into the same team, even possible for his England to play a though both want to play as No 10s. 4-1-4-1 with "five very offensive "One hundred per cent they can players and more or less Dec as play together," Tuchel insisted. a holding midfielder", although "I don't see one reason why they he wonders whether this would should not. The numbers of Phil provide enough control in are unbelievably good for Man midfield. Would it be too open? City. They are not good for the He mentioned using a "3-2, with national team, we need to try to three No 10s and two No 6s" in build something to see the Phil Foden other words, a different version of from Man City." 4-2-3-1, allowing him to make the in a very traditional 4-4-2 as an Rice said. "But sometimes on the want to help each other out and most of his high-quality playmaker English national team," Tuchel pitch it's different. Sometimes push each other. It's just when options. That would offer more said. "This is how I think about you feel like you maybe can't say it's time to have uncomfortable 'We'llfind the right control but it would mean, as he put English football. A lot of crosses. something or that you can but only conversations if it's not going team, not the most it, that "real wingers like Marcus Crosses from half-field. Two to certain people. well; that we can feel open and Rashford and Bukayo Saka, key strikers on the pitch." "Thomas has been really good honest to do that. Where we talented 26 players' players, would suffer because the There is much for Tuchel on all 11 players being ruthless can improve as a group is being position would not be there". to ponder and not much time with each other, saying what you uncomfortable with each other. Thomas Tuchel Tuchel talked of "half tens" or for him to practise it. The That's the next step we can take in England head coach players that operate in the space Football Association once had terms of getting over the line." between the wing and the No 10 a clock that counted down the Tuchel transmits a particular role, naming Morgan Rogers days to the World Cup. Tuchel's alpha energy; beneath his humour and Cole Palmer, who is not in measurement is training there is an obvious edge. He the squad because of injury, as sessions, telling his squad last is happy to take constructive examples. Rogers, he said, was Monday there were only 24 of them criticism of his players into the "very impressive". The Aston Villa until the finals next year. public domain, as he did with player hopes to start against Latvia. One thing, however, seems Phil Foden and Rashford after the It was interesting to see how to be set in stone: zero room Albania game. He felt the wingers Tuchel pushed his left-back, for flexibility. It has been an were too safe, passing rather than Myles Lewis-Skelly, high up impossible-to-ignore feature of dribbling; failing to make it happen. the pitch when England had Tuchel's first camp and it talks "I think you need that, you possession in the second half to his other major preoccupation Declan Rice says can't be comfortable," Rice said. against Albania. He said they - the spirit in the group, how he Tuchel's focus on "This is top-level international were playing "in the 3-1" Rice needs his players to interact. Put honesty is helping football. For me [if that in front of a back three and simply, he wants them to demand happened], you'd think 'all right'. Jones also moving further the very highest standards of But also it would spur me on to forward rather than "the 4-1". each other and never be afraid want to do even better. Working The result was that they looked a of calling anyone out if they drop, with the manager this week, he little vulnerable. regardless of age or rank. isn't going to take any nonsense. Thomas Tuchel says Phil Foden "Sometimes I think about if it "We are all comfortable He knows he's here to win the can play alongside Jude Bellingham would be the right thing to play with each other off the pitch," World Cup and to do that you35 Thomas Tuchel talks to his players during training at St George's Park EDDIE KEOGH/THE FA/GETTY IMAGES Nations League relegation playoff The game had opened in rousing fashion. Tribute was paid to the late Wonderkid Karetsas Denis Law, with members of the Scotland icon's family joining Sir Alex Ferguson pitchside. What Law embarrasses Scotland would have made of what happened next is anybody's guess. "Wonderkid" is an overused term. In respect of Konstantinos Karetsas, it is perfectly apposite. The 17-year-old Scotland 0 is such a creative force that Genk Idah caps Irish survival job should enjoy him while he lasts there. In his first action of this clash Greece 3 he fed Georgios Vagiannidis on the Second-half goals from Evan right flank. The use of marauding Konstantelias 20, Karetsas 42, Tzolis 46 Ferguson and Adam Idah took full-backs was a key Greek tactic Greece win 3-1 on agg the Republic of Ireland past that Scotland could not combat. Bulgaria 2-1 on the night and 4-2 Vagiannidis crossed for Giannis Ewan Murray on aggregate to avoid relegation Konstantelias in blissful isolation Hampden Park from the second tier of the inside the Scotland penalty area: he Nations League. Ireland came slammed home to level the tie. Steve Clarke can do without any more into the second leg of the playoff Greece forged ahead on aggre- occasions akin to this. Relegation to at the Aviva Stadium 2-1 up, but gate three minutes before the break. the second tier of the Nations League the visitors levelled the tie via Karetsas endorsed his star quality is no disaster for Scotland. Indeed, it Valentin Antov on 30 minutes. with a curling finish after Konstante- may be their natural habitat. It is just Ferguson, on loan at West Ham lias flicked the ball into his path. Andy that the calamitous circumstances in from Brighton, fired home to give Robertson, one of umpteen Scotland which Clarke's men crashed out of the hosts the aggregate lead on 63 players who endured an awful even- League A were alarming for anybody minutes before substitute Idah ing, had been drawn towards the ball with an affiliation to Scotland. sealed victory with six minutes in leaving Karetsas totally unmarked. Greece outfought, outthought and remaining. Heimir Hallgrímsson's Clarke will draw criticism for not outplayed their hosts at Hampden side will now stay in League B, making half-time changes. Just 15 Park. The tie was effectively over while Bulgaria will remain in seconds of the second period had while the corporate classes were League C. Guardian sport been played when Konstantelias still shuffling back to their seats at pounced on a loose Ryan Christie the start of the second half. Greece June, three months before Scotland pass. Konstantelias picked out Chris- did not add to that third goal; it never begin their World suddenly tos Tzolis, who sprung the offside looked as if they would need to. look rather important. trap before delivering a cool finish. Resentment towards Clarke, una- "We didn't play how we can play," John Souttar's goalline clearance voidable after Scotland flopped at Clarke said. "We didn't have enough prevented a Greek fourth. It took until Euro 2024, had dissipated after a energy in the team. On Thursday the dying seconds of stoppage time recent upturn in fortunes. Greece sent in Greece we defended as a team, for Konstantinos Tzolakis to make a Clarke and Scotland spiralling several from back to front. We didn't do that save of note. By then, this stadium steps backwards. Ivan Jovanovic tonight and were punished. This is a was largely empty. Any Scot who and his Greek players will be licking bump in the road. There are bumps remained did only to voice their their lips at facing Scotland again on in the road, it's about how you react." displeasure at full time. World Cup qualifying business. Clarke suggested the exertions of Clarke has much to ponder; This was an evening when no part the first leg played a part in Scotland's repeat performances will lead to his of the Scotland team performed even lethargy in game two. "I'll go away tenure ending in inauspicious style. adequately. The hosts were overly and look at myself to see what could generous in defence, wasteful in have done better," the Scotland Scotland Greece 4-2-3-1 midfield and no threat in attack. 4-2-3-1 manager said. "Maybe I didn't make Gordon; Ralston, Tzolakis; Vagiannidis, Clarke makes great play of the fact enough rotations. Maybe I could Souttar, Hanley, Mavropanos, Koulierakis, his squad contains great international Robertson (Wilson 73); Zafeiris, have made more to freshen the team Gilmour (Tierney 55), Mouzakitis® (loannidis experience. The flipside is that perhaps up. We have to analyse it, park this McLean (Ferguson 83); Karetsas (Pelkas 73), 55); Christie (Conway Konstantelias this is a team which has reached the tournament because we go down to 74), McTominay, (Masouras 73), Tzolis end of their cycle. Clarke can reasona- League B and try to do better." McGinn; Adams (Retsos 92); 55) (Galanopoulos 83) bly argue there is no emerging batch of John McGinn was even more talent to draft in. The friendly matches candid. The Scotland midfielder need to push everyone, you need match, everyone has to endure the against Iceland and Liechtenstein in labelled this an "embarrassing" affair. Referee Davide Massa (Ita) to be uncomfortable." moment where he sees himself Tuchel considered his criticism out of position and the coach says: of Foden and Rashford to be mild 'Listen, this is not what I want from Scots left and matter-of-fact. It would not or you.' This is always respectful. lamenting should not have come as a surprise But we cannot do all the criticism Greek to them, mainly because he had just in an isolated room because already said it to their faces in the sometimes everyone [in the squad] tragedy dressing room. give my needs to know the information and analysis of the team," Tuchel said. everyone also needs to understand Kenny "Sometimes am surprised the guy can handle it. Players McLean (left) with what people try to make out are quite demanding and I just Billy Gilmour of it, that Phil and Marcus should encourage them to be that way in 23 (centre) and be offended with what I said. I a respectful way." John Souttar don't see it. In a football team, in It is plain that Tuchel wants a (right) a video meeting or a debrief of a team of leaders, not merely one look on in in the captain, Harry Kane. He disbelief after mentioned how Rice and Jude Scotland Probable teams Bellingham led in their own ways concede the while Jordan Henderson "did it decisive third for the majority of his career". goal that England Pickford; Walker, Konsa, He also namechecked Marc Guéhi sealed their Guéhi, Lewis-Skelly; Rice, Rogers, and Saka in this area. side's fate Bellingham; Bowen, Kane, Rashford "It comes down to defining IAN MACNICOL/ GETTY IMAGES their role and making it clear to Latvia Zviedris; Jurkovskis, Balodis, the players what you expect, Cernomordijs; Savalnieks, Melniks, how you see them," Tuchel said. Saveljevs, Ciganiks; Zelenkovs, "It's that they are not jealous of Ikaunieks; Gutkovskis each other, they hear it in front of each other and they know it is on England Latvia 45pm, ITV1 their shoulders."The Guardian Monday 24 March 2025 36 Sport Boxing Women's Super League when the whistle was blown [for a separate foul] asked the fourth offi- Cuthbert's cial to ask the referee to play advan- The Foreman Iknew tage, and she said: 'OK, I'll pass that late heroics message Then three minutes later that happens." Sonia Bompastor, the Chelsea put unbeaten was kind, generous manager, said: "I can understand their frustration. But I don't think Chelsea step it changed our belief going into the second half. We created a lot in the and determined second half, 24 shots on goal, their closer to title keeper made really great saves. We could maybe have scored more." goal at that stage would have put to set an example City 2-0 upafter Kerolin's strike on 32 Manchester City 1 minutes. Instead, Chelsea survived and emerged after the break a com- Kerolin 32 pletely different team. Chelsea 2 The defending champions levelled as Aggie Beever-Jones met Johanna Beever-Jones 49, Cuthbert 90+1 Heavyweight great took his Rytting Kaneryd's cutback and sup- plied a quality finish. What followed religion seriously and shared Tom Garry over the next 15 minutes was an strong with Muhammad Etihad Stadium onslaught from Chelsea as they raced Ali after shedding surly forward relentlessly and Rytting Kan- If Chelsea are to complete this league eryd began to dominate the contest. image of his younger days season unbeaten, a feat that is now Quite how Chelsea did not score in only five games away, it will have that spell of pressure was unclear to been across 45 relentless second-half everybody except perhaps the City Thomas Hauser minutes at the Etihad Stadium where goalkeeper Khiara Keating. First, they proved themselves worthy of she produced a terrific diving save accolades attributed to to her left to keep out Wieke Kaptein's after they produced a stirring fight- effort. After Rytting Kaneryd had hit back to beat Manchester City. the post, Keating then did superbly eorge Foreman died At the end of last season these two well to make a low save at the feet sides could be separated only by goal difference. After Erin Cuthbert's late another close-range Kaptein shot. Keating went on to make another G on Friday at the of the same player, before stopping much-too-young age of 76. His aura of header won this contest and sent the strength was such away fans into raptures, there is a top-class save low to her left to keep that there were times 15-point gap between Chelsea and out a Lauren James strike in the when it seemed as though he'd fourth-placed City, who will feel closing stages, before Chelsea's pres- live for ever. aggrieved about one controversial sure told in stoppage time as Cuth- People know about George first-half incident that might have bert's header won the game. Foreman the fighter and George altered the game's course. Kerolin, who made a big impact Foreman the product pitchman; Long before Cuthbert's winner in last Wednesday in the Champions holding a small American flag the 91st minute, City were baffled League quarter-final first against in the ring after winning a gold after Jess Park curled the ball into the same opponents, was a nightmare medal at the 1968 Olympics; the net from just outside the penalty for Chelsea's left-back Niamh Charles dethroning Joe Frazier in Jamaica; area only to realise the referee, Kirsty in the first half, repeatedly getting losing the title to Muhammad Dowle, had stopped play for a free- in behind the England international Ali in Zaire; the quixotic ring kick, moving to blow her whistle just with her pace and energy. comeback that culminated in a as Park was connecting with her shot. The Brazil forward also forced 10th-round knockout of Michael "The officials admitted that they Hannah Hampton into an early low Moorer to reclaim the heavyweight got it wrong and that they should have save before opening the scoring with crown; and George Foreman's Lean played on," City's interim head coach, a goal that will surely make City's Mean Grilling Machine, which Nick Cushing, said. "The frustrating end-of-season highlights reel. Twist- earned him more than $100m. thing for me is, about two or three ing and weaving in front of a retreat- I lived through those times. But minutes before, because we were ing Millie Bright, Kerolin placed the I was also privileged to know dangerous on the counterattack, ball through the defender's legs and George as a person. into the far corner. I met Foreman in December Shortly afterwards, Kerolin was 1988 shortly after I began working 'The officials running straight at Bright again. This with Ali on the book that would Each time, the generosity of said: 'Yeah! I'm lookin'! Yeah! Yeah! admitted that they time Bright did make a challenge, become Muhammad Ali: His Life Foreman's spirit shone through. What are you gonna do about it?!' fouling the 25-year-old just inside and Times. I was in Las Vegas for In talking about the surly When Sonny said that, his people got it wrong' the D, and as the ball rolled straight the taping of a documentary titled persona of his younger years, laughed. So there I am, 19 years old. to Park for a first-time shot Dowle Champions Forever. The producers George explained: "Sonny Liston I thought that's the way a man is Nick Cushing brought her whistle to her lips to had brought Ali, Foreman, Frazier, had been heavyweight champion supposed to be. And I started being City's interim head coach award a free-kick, much to the bewil- Larry Holmes and Ken Norton of the world. I'd see that title belt the same way. I picked up a lot of derment of Park, Cushing and almost together to reminisce on camera. sitting there in his home and the bad habits because I didn't know everybody inside this stadium. It was an opportunity for me to way he treated people. I said: 'I they were bad habits. I thought The result was a second victory for interview them. guess that's the way you ought to they were just traits of being Chelsea in the three games played Foreman's "second ring career" be when you're champion of the world. between these sides in nine days, was under way by then. He "Iremember once, I was walking "When left boxing for the first with the fourth on Thursday when had scored 13 victories against with Sonny and some of his time, for a while it was hard. When Chelsea will need another comeback lacklustre opposition and shed people. We passed a woman who you're a famous athlete everyone to overturn the two-goal deficit in the surly image of his younger was kind of top-heavy and very is always giving things to you and the Champions League. But you can days. But he seemed to have good-looking. She was out with doing things for you. In those 10 never write them off. a more promising future as a her husband. Sonny stopped and years [when I wasn't fighting] I preacher than a fighter. We talked stared, very obvious like. Then he learned how to do things the hard Manchester City Chelsea about Ali for several hours. I looked at the woman's husband and way; things other people think of 4-3-3 4-1-4-1 Keating; Casparij, Prior, Hampton; Lawrence, liked George. That was the start as simple. How to clean up after Aleixandri (Wienroither Bronze, Charles; of a friendship. In the decades (Walsh 'When Ileft boxing myself. How to stand in line and 80), Layzell; Roord, Hasegawa (Murphy 80), 63); Rytting Kaneryd that followed we talked many the first time, it was buy something in a store when I Coombs (Fowler 58); (Fishel 87), Hamano times, including conversations didn't have much money and not Kerolin, Miedema, Park (Cuthbert 55), Kaptein (Ouahabi 89) (Macario 87), James; for values-oriented articles that I Subs not used hard. When you're be embarrassed. I gained a lot of Beever-Jones (Ramirez 63) Annets, Davies, Subs not used wrote: George Foreman on religion, weight. I'd go around the country Oyama, Startup Baltimore, George Foreman on character, famous, everyone is preaching, not always dressed Chelsea substitute Erin Cuthbert Nüsken, Spencer George Foreman on family, George wheels away after her late winner Foreman on setting an example. giving you things' the best, and no one knew who Referee Kirsty Dowie I was. I wasn't flying first classbecoming heavyweight champion in 1973 EVERETT/SHUTTERSTOCK children follow. Sometimes you're an example for someone else and you don't even know it. "I can't stand it when a person puts labels on someone else. The fat guy the stupid person the gay guy the ugly girl the whatever people are people. We're all different, but we're all the same." George gave me his home telephone number, but I didn't abuse it. When I had a question I'd send him an email. Invariably he'd call or email back within 24 hours. Sometimes a telephone call or email from George arrived unexpected. e also talked W often about Ali. A strong bond 991 had developed between them. "We agreed that good is good and bad is bad," George told me after Ali died. Hotel an "And most people, whatever their religion is, or even if they don't follow a particular religion, know the difference. When I'd hear his voice on the phone it would always bring me happiness. It seemed with us there was something greater than religion a longing to love and belonging to each other, a Foreman The boxer Foreman, thankfulness we had each other." feeds the media waves an who became George kept a close eye on in the buildup American flag an ordained his money. He wasn't an easy to his 1991 fight after winning minister in touch. But when the spirit against Evander his Olympic 1978, officiates moved him, he engaged in acts Holyfield in gold medal at a baptism in of extraordinary generosity. A Atlantic City in 1968 in Texas in 2003 woman who freelanced in a menial RING MAGAZINE/ Mexico City MICHAEL BRENNAN/ pre-production job for HBO in GETTY IMAGES BETTMANN ARCHIVE GETTY IMAGES Las Vegas fell on hard times. George heard about it and one day-completely unsolicited handed her a cheque for $50,000. He quietly funded scholarships that young men and women he barely knew could attend college. After the 1992 riots in Los Angeles, following the acquittal of police officers charged with beating Rodney King, most of the drug stores in the city's south-central area shut down. George wrote a cheque for $1m to keep prescription drugs for the elderly flowing. About a year ago, George was felled by an infection that attacked his kidneys and other t shared with me over the years more, who haven't found anything It's like a baton that we're all included: "Character doesn't just organs. His weight dropped in their lives to promote character. passing on to future generations. nd precipitously. For a while he evolve on its own. It has to be acted And that's sad. Life is brief. You "For a lot of young people, needed a walker. He rallied. Then e upon every day of our lives. But have to do more than just try to character comes from who they the inevitable happened. at now we've got a whole generation have a good time. You have to ask imitate. I don't like the phrase ff, of young people, and another Life is a journey. It's the process yourself: 'What am I giving to other 'role It sounds too of becoming. In today's world, generation that's not young any people? What will I leave behind?' commercial to me. I'd rather talk t more than ever, we need people about being an example. When I nd of good will. People who value was young, I saw very few good truth. People who believe in examples. I saw a lot of sports tolerance and understanding. heroes. When I look back on myself People who care about the in my teens, I was like an empty difference between right and bottle. Each day, I saw another wrong and do what's right. [sports hero] I wanted to be like, George Foreman became that walk like, talk like. If they' not tian kind of person. nice, don't be nice. They buy fleets After Ali died, George reflected of cars. So when you make it, you on his death and the earlier deaths g should buy fleets of cars. Some of of Frazier and Norton, and told : those guys were good people. But me: "Inever did visualise a world one CHAMPIONS when I grew older and got to know to without them. When they started them, a lot of them were downright passing, it hurt. It's like a part nasty or stuck-up clowns. of me died." Then he added: "I e ran "What I want to do most for don't know what it will be like ed a FOREVER other people is set a good example. in heaven for Muhammad. But that. All of us are examples in life. I'm I can tell you one thing for sure: Parents are examples for their Muhammad had quite a life here Joe Frazier, Foreman and Muhammad Ali together in London in 1989 children. Ten-year-olds in school on earth." The same was true of MICHELINE PELLETIER set an example that younger George Foreman.The Guardian Monday 24 March 2025 38 Sport Formula One Chinese Grand Prix Scuderia's doleful day as Ferrari con- Piastri keeps up McLaren's flying cluded their mea culpa by admitting they would learn from the mistake. Cold comfort for Hamilton, even though he is no stranger to a team restart as Hamilton sees red again pushing the envelope in this regard, having been disqualified for a similar infringement at the US GP in 2023 for Mercedes. Notably it tends to occur when teamsare chasing performance, looking for every possible edge, while with his teammate Lando Norris Three hours after the flag fell, Ferrari did not manage to achieve those enjoying a quick car can afford Resurgent team take 50th behind him they secured McLaren's both Leclerc and Hamilton had been either. They cited high tyre wear to ensure a greater margin of error. but Shanghai throws 50th one-two finish and the team's summarily disqualified for breaking because Leclerc adopted a one-stop Enter with something of a swagger surprise for Ferrari's first of the season. On this form, it technical regulations. Nogrey area, no rather than a two-stop strategy, then, Hamilton's old outfit, McLaren, drivers, disqualified post-race will not be the last. appeal, just a slam dunk, got it wrong. causing the car to be underweight, who were once more in complete Ferrari, meanwhile, pulled the After the usual checks on the cars a variable that might be excused control. Piastri was flawless for his chocks away and let the scarlet in parc fermé the skid blocks on the but that equally should have been third race win, with Norris completing Giles Richards rollercoaster rip. From Hamilton's underside of Hamilton's Ferrari were factored in. In Hamilton's case, the the job, offering what little drama there superb pole and victory in the sprint found to be below the legal thick- skid blocks that are part of the plank was when he suffered a brake problem race on Saturday, the dizzying highs ness by 0.5mm and Leclerc's car beneath the car are required to be a late on that he just about managed to Now 18 years into his career and and expectations fell to a dismal low underweight by 1kg. These are tiny specific depth after the race to ensure contain in claiming second. hoping to see it out with a flourish, in less than 24 hours. In the race, margins but they are known, calcu- it does not run below the minimum What was striking, however, it will not have gone unnoticed by their car was steadfastly off the pace, lated for as part of the preparation. ride height and gain an advantage. was how anonymous McLaren's Lewis Hamilton that while McLaren fourth fastest behind the McLarens, Conforming is a given and forms part This was a pre-race calculation. In opposition appeared. Once Norris with whom he started in Formula the Mercedes of George Russell, who of what is considered precision execu- this case a pre-race miscalculation, had claimed second place from One all those years ago are enjoying was third, and the Red Bull of Max tion. Push the boundaries for perfor- or "misjudged consumption" as the Russell through turn one off the start, a heady run of form, his opening with Verstappen in fourth. mance but stay within them for points. Scuderia had it, with "no intent" of he and Piastri were untroubled. Ferrari has been a more frustrating It was a troubling enough prospect, gaining an advantage. In both opening races-despite the affair. The teams' fates in the Chinese given the team seem puzzled as to There was certainly no advantage variance in tracks, weather and tyre Grand Prix could not have been in why their performance is coming and 'We have to do on show for Hamilton, who ploughed demands-McLaren have coped with greater contrast and it is doubtful that going with insouciant disregard for better we all have round in an uncompetitive car all ease. Serene in front, it was impossible it would give Hamilton occasion for their feelings. At least they crossed afternoon and also ceded his place not to sense they had far more in the much as a wry smile. the finish line, albeit in fifth and sixth the same tyres' on track to Leclerc, who was quicker locker were it needed. It was notice- In a processional race at Shanghai, for Charles Leclerc and Hamilton despite a damaged front wing. This able that it was not. Verstappen, the McLaren's Oscar Piastri won with a respectively. As for adding to their Fred Vasseur was insult to injury even before the four-time world champion, was never commanding drive from pole and points tallies, unfortunately not. Ferrari team principal FIA waded in to further spoil the even in the game and he knew it. Once Heineken Heineken®Monday 24 March 2025 The Guardian 39 Jakob Ingebrigtsen (right) and Neil Gourley celebrate 1500m medals TINGSHU WANG/REUTERS Full results world indoors his place of birth from home because of an injury that left him struggling to walk, but 1 Oscar Piastri Aus 25pts Also finished this time around he performed McLaren 1hr 30mins 55.026sec 11 Isack Hadjar Fr RB brilliantly on the world stage, run- 2 Lando Norris GB 18pts 12 Liam Lawson NZ Red Bull +1:21.147sec ning 3:39.07 in the men's 1500m final McLaren +9.748sec 13 Jack Doohan Aus Alpine +1:28.401sec to claim silver. 3 George Russell GB 14 Gabriel Bortoleto Br Sauber +1 lap 15pts Gourley was unable to match 15 Nico Hülkenberg Ger Sauber lap Mercedes +11.097sec GREAT Ingebrigtsen in the final stretch 16 Yuki Tsunoda Jpn RB lap 4 Max Verstappen Neth 12pts Not classified BRITAIN the winner came home in a time of Red Bull +16.656sec Fernando Alonso Sp Aston Martin 4 laps that is nothing to be dis- 5 Esteban Ocon Fr 10pts DSQ Lewis Hamilton GB Ferrari Haas DSQ Charles Leclerc Mnc Ferrari GOURLEY graced by; silver represents a magni- +49.969sec ficent outcome for the Scot given the 6 Kimi Antonelli It 8pts DSQ Pierre Gasly Fr Alpine Championship standings events of the past 12 months. Mercedes +53.748sec Drivers 1 Lando Norris 44pts; 2 Max Verstappen came away disappointed at the 7 Alexander Albon Tha 6pts 36; 3 George Russell 35; 4 Oscar Piastri 34; Europeans and I had a point to prove Williams +56.321sec 5 Kimi Antonelli 22; 6 Alexander Albon 16; to myself," he said. "I'm ready for 8 Oliver Bearman GB 4pts 7 Esteban Ocon 10; 8 Lance Stroll 10; +1:01.303sec 9 Lewis Hamilton 9; 10 Charles Leclerc 8 something bigger I'm glad I came Haas Athletics he delivered another imperious out here to prove that." 9 Lance Stroll Can 2pts Constructors 1 McLaren 78pts; Aston Martin +1:10.204sec 2 Mercedes 57; 3 Red Bull 36; 4 Williams 17; run when it mattered most. It was 8 Sauber 6; 9 RB 3; 10 Alpine 0 Ingebrigtsen Having watched Anning and 5 Ferrari 17; 6 Haas 14; 7 Aston Martin 10; Ingebrigtsen's first world indoor 10 Carlos Sainz Sp Gourley win medals, Georgia Hunter 1pts medal above 1500m and underlined Williams +1:16.387sec Bell would have very likely felt the Fastest lap Lando Norris 1min 35.454sec seals double his position as one of the biggest stars pressure to write her own tale of of world athletics. There are not many more, as in Australia, the McLaren was redemption. She was the over- welcoming. Norris and Piastri are who can match the 24-year-old ath- rock-solid on its tyres, while at Ferrari whelming favourite for 1500m gold seizing their opportunity, the British driver leading the championship by gold with lete when the stakes are highest. even a new set of rubber had not in Apeldoorn but could only finish This was also a successful event improved Hamilton's fortunes and the fourth after battling an ear infec- eight points from Verstappen, with for Great Britain, not least for Amber team principal, Fred Vasseur, admit- tion that ultimately left her out of Piastri 10 behind. ted they were at a loss to explain why. silver lining Anning who became Britain's first the medals. Like her teammates, As things stand Hamilton, who "It's difficult to understand and to women's 400m world champion, in claimed McLaren's last drivers' title in she produced on the world stage, dramatic circumstances on Saturday, read," Vasseur said. "We have to do a executing to perfection to take 2008, may be naught but an observer for Gourley to quickly put aside the painful expe- better job. We all have the same tyres. bronze in a time of 3:59.84. as his old team look on course to rience she endured at the European As soon as they are not in the right The race was won by Ethiopia's finally return another, while Ferrari, window it is much more difficult." Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn on a similar winless streak since Kimi Gudaf Tsegay, who led from gun this month and in the process securing McLaren have found that operating to tape and finished more than Räikkönen's championship win in GB's the championships. window and it is wide open and four seconds ahead of the chasing 2007, have no little work to do. Aaron Bower Anning was disqualified for a lane field. Another Ethiopian, Diribe infringement in the Europeans that Welteji, won silver. McLarens left her devastated, but in China she "[The] 1500m is like a riddle, The world indoor championships in announced herself on the world keep their it can go any way, and no one Nanjing this year will be remembered stage by coming through a thrilling knows until we start," Hunter Bell cool after as a story of redemption for many 400m final to edge out the US runner said. "The Europeans was the fiery start of Britain's finest athletes, but as is Alexis Holmes, after the pair had biggest loss in my career far. often the case these days on the come together in a mid-race shove I was inspired by some of the Oscar Piastri track it was Jakob Ingebrigtsen who as the bell rang. performances in the team. I just (right) began wrote the script. Anning held her nerve and hit wanted to contribute." the race on The Norwegian went into these the final bend magnificently. "After Elsewhere on the final day, Britain's pole and championships in China with the what happened at the Europeans, to Scott Lincoln finished 10th in the keeps an chance to emulate the great Haile come here and win is just an amazing shot-put final, and Amy Hunt ran early surge Gebrselassie by becoming only feeling," she said. "It wasn't the 7.11sec to finish fifth in the final. from George the second man to win 1500m and cleanest race but the goal was to win Italy's Olympic bronze medal- Russell at 3,000m gold in the same world and get my first individual title." list, Mattia Furlani, took gold in the bay before indoor championships. There were successes yesterday, long jump, and the US closed out the he canters On Saturday Ingebrigtsen stormed too. Neil Gourley was forced to sit championships with double gold in to his team's to a 3,000m triumph and yesterday and watch last year's Glasgow-set the men's and women's 4x400m. second straight win BRYN LENNON/ Tennis Her continued improvements GETTY IMAGES Raducanu races clear in Miami behind her serve were even more notable. While she sstruggled with her serve in recent months, Raducanu Lewis before Kessler pulls out injured registered her first hold of the match with three consecutive aces. As she Hamilton's Ferrari was further settled down, Raducanu disqualified struck the ball cleanly off both wings. From the start, however, Raducanu for breaking As a victory for Raducanu became Tumaini Carayol refused to allow Kessler to breathe. technical increasingly likely, Kessler called for Raducanu settled down quickly and regulations the trainer down 6-1, 3-0. After a brief returned serve spectacularly, robbing MICHAEL POTTS/ conversation, the match was over. SHUTTERSTOCK Emma Raducanu produced another time from Kessler with her relentless On the eve of this impressive run, brilliant performance to reach the return depth and aggression. Raducanu had opted to end her trial fourth round of the Miami Open for think my movement is pretty coaching period with the experienced the first time in her career after her good right now," Raducanu said. Slovak Vladimir Platenik. She has opponent McCartney Kessler of the think I'm defending better. I think been encouraged in her matches this US retired with a back injury while I'm returning really well. I'm pretty week by a variety of familiar faces, Raducanu led 6-1, 3-0. happy with most areas of my game. including the formerplayer and family Two daysafter registering one of the It's just something that I'm looking friend Jane O'Donoghue, who she has most impressive wins of her career, a to trying to keep improving." likened to a big sister, the LTA coach dramatic three-set tussle versus the Colin Beecher and Mark Petchey. world No 8 Emma Navarro, Raducanu (From left) Alexandra Eala, a19-year-old wild- returned to the court radiating con- Lando Norris, card ranked No 140, became the first fidence. By reaching the round of 16 who took Filipino in the Open era to defeat a in Miami, Raducanu has equalled her second, team reigning grand slam champion as she best result at a WTA 1000 event. chief Zak toppled the Australian Open winner After spending her formative years Brown and Madison Keys 6-4, 6-2 to reach the in college, Kessler only started her winner Piastri fourth round. Novak Djokovic, the full-time professional journey in 2023 BRYN LENNON/ men's fourth seed, later reached the and she has since risen from outside GETTY IMAGES second week with 6-1,7-6 win over of the top 900 into the top 50, win- Emma Raducanu was 6-1,3 up Camilo Ugo Carabelli as he tries to find ning two WTA titles in recent months. before McCartney Kessler retired his feet after arocky start to the season.The Guardian Monday 24 March 2025 40 Sport Rugby Women's Six Nations Emily Scarratt dives over for England's second five first-half tries NATHAN STIRK/RFU/GETTY IMAGES How they stand P W D L F A Bo Pts England 1 1 0 0 38 5 1 5 France 1 1 0 0 27 15 0 4 Scotland 1 1 0 0 24 21 0 4 Wales 1 0 0 1 21 24 1 1 Ireland 1 0 0 1 15 27 0 0 Italy 1 0 0 1 5 38 0 0 Results Ireland 15 France 27 Scotland 24 Wales 21 England 38 Italy 5 Sat 29 March France Scotland, 1pm; Wales V England, 45pm; Sun 30 Italy Ireland, 3pm Sat 12 April France Wales, 12.4 5pm; Ireland England, 4.45pm; Sun 13 Scotland V Italy, 3pm Sat 19 April Italy V France, 1pm; England Scotland, 4.45pm; Sun 20 Wales Ireland, 3pm Sat 26 April Italy Wales, 12.1 Scotland Ireland, 2.30pm; England France, 4. 45pm Venner and Scarratt spearhead Scrum-caps off to Italy, though, scrappy and the crowd were contem- they refused to buckle, and on their plating a second Mexican wave. first visit to England's 22 they shoved The introduction of Ellie Kildunne, the No 8 Francesca Sgorbini over the another Yorkshire-born Red Rose and Red Roses' solid start to defence try-line. When Amy Cokayne added the women's world player of the year a fifth try before half-time no one in 2024, lifted home supporters. Jade would have believed that England Shekells and Flo Robinson also came would subsequently remain scoreless off the bench for their debuts. Bern until the 78th minute. But that is what wassoon rampaging through the mid- England 38 could suffer the same fate of the scrum after which Mia Venner got happened. Sgorbini was later denied dle, leading to Sadia Kabeya touching men's side of a decade ago, when the hosts up and running after three a second try owing to an infringement down, and England's frustration Stuart Lancaster's team failed to minutes, Emma Sing converting. by Beatrice Veronese. appeared to have been relieved. But Italy 5 make it out of the pool. But they are Emily Scarratt scored the second Mitchell, who revealed after the television match official pulled it sure to be tested in the tournament's and, although Rosie Galligan then the game that he has confirmed back for a forward pass. later stages, this Six Nations will knocked on in seemingly scoring a internally his selection for the first Sing finally succeeded in adding be about refining combinations and third, the Italy hooker Laura Gurioli two matches, including the visit to a sixth England try, completing an Luke McLaughlin systems. After an uncertain start, Italy was sent to the sin-bin for coming Cardiff next week, began to unload individual haul of 11 points. Job done LNER Community Stadium improved, while England's accuracy in at the side and a penalty try was his bench, and the appearance of and a victory to kick off a significant was not what they would have hoped. awarded anyway. Holly Aitchison Hannah Botterman and Sarah Bern year. But Mitchell and his squad No one expected it to be easy for "It was a really good performance," soon pumped a high kick to Claudia was ominous for Italy. would have hoped for more after such Italy. No one expected it to be Mitchell said. "We started really well MacDonald, who snaffled it and With a quarter of an hour left, a dominant first half. anything other than straightforward but we also knew we'd go through a scurried around the cover to score. though, the contest had become The Italy front-row Sara Seye said: for England. The Red Roses duly period of the game when we'd have "We had a good chat at half-time. We achieved a resounding six-try win to work our way through it. spoke about defence. We said we in launching their attempt at a sev- "We let them off with a bit of poor had to do the basics right and keep enth successive title, but after scor- execution but generally, Ithought we building You know they're a good ing five first-half tries they stuttered stuck at it just think [it's] combi- side. You just have to get your mind after the break and waited until two nations, getting used to each other." off of that and be yourself be Italy." minutes from time for a second-half The captain, Zoe Aldcroft, said it England and Mitchell may be grateful score. "We left a bit out there," the was "superspecial" day. "The crowd for having had a proper test. head coach, John Mitchell, conceded. were fantastic and there were a lot of England's hot streak stretches to 21 familiar faces which was lovely," the England Italy consecutive matches, since after the flanker said. The first half was really Sing; Venner (Kildunne Minuzzi; Muzzo, D'Inca, 67), Scarratt, Aitchison, Rigoni (Capomaggi 72), World Cup final defeat by New Zea- good, just then a little bit of [poor] MacDonald; Rowland Granzotto (Vecchini 23, land in 2022, but there was ultimately execution. They had some good (Shekells 61), Packer Granzotto 34); Madia (Robinson 66); Clifford (Stevanin 22), Stefan a lack of fluency here in York that may carries second-half and maybe we (Botterman 52), (capt; Bitonci 65); Turani Cokayne (Campbell 61), (Stecca 65), Gurioli concern Mitchell, who celebrated his could have matched that. We'll work Muir (Bern 52), Galligan (Vecchini 48), Seye 61st birthday and ushered in what on everything in that second half." (Ward 61), Campion, (Maris 49), Fedrighi, Aldcroft (capt), M Packer Duca, Veronese may become a special year with a win. A blend of Italian nervousness and (Kabeya 56), Feaunati (Franco 55), Locatelli In 151 days' time, England begin English precision led to a try bonus Tries Venner, Scarratt, (Tounesi 41), Sgorbini penalty try, MacDonald, Try Sgorbini a home Rugby World Cup against point being wrapped up before the Cokayne, Sing Yellow card Gurioli the USA at the Stadium of Light in half-hour. An errant Beatrice Rigoni Claudia MacDonald races away in delight after scoring her side's fourth try Cons Sing 3 Sunderland. It is inconceivable they pass gifted England an attacking JASON CAIRNDUFF/ACTION IMAGES/REUTERS Referee Precious Pazani (Zim) Attendance 8,381Monday 24 March 2025 The Guardian 41 Rugby union Gallagher Premiership the game. Pepper, Max Ojomoh and Thomas du Toit all crossed for tries Clubs urged Russell's return propels to give the home team a 21-7 lead after just 24 minutes and despite the to vote for spectacular nature of Gloucester's Bath in derby opening score, finished eventually by Jack Clement from Afo Fasogbon's Sweeney's pass, it seemed Bath were set for an entirely carefree afternoon. removal as Instead the Cherry and Whites Bath 42 Premiership this season, Idon't think struck back with two fine scores in as RFU chief Bill Sweeney was paid £1.1m in 2023-24 despite record losses anyone has looked as powerful as many minutes, the first from Tomos that. Their power game is really hard Williams and the second from the Gloucester 26 to live with. It just seems like there is hooker Seb Blake after an initial break and [to] finally say enough is enough. player after player coming at you." from Ruan Ackermann and excellent Robert Kitson Enough exclusion, enough failure With the brilliant Carreras also link play from Williams. It would without consequence and enough poised to join Bath this summer, that have brought the visitors level had leadership that silences dissent while Robert Kitson challenge is hardly going to diminish Will Muir not rushed out and charged English grassroots clubs have been claiming to listen." Recreation Ground when he is available to weave a few down Carreras's conversion attempt urged to respond to the "severe In his letter Bow also referred magic spells alongside Russell in at point-blank range. failures" of leading officials by voting to three Premiership clubs fall- Bath remain the team to catch in the the same XV. Despite the long-term The first-half drama, though, in favour of Bill Sweeney's removal as ing into administration in recent Premiership race this season, on the loss of Ollie Lawrence, who has now was far from over. After Russell had chief executive of the Rugby Football years, with bottom-placed New- evidence of this entertaining victory undergone an operation on his torn scored via a cheeky quick tap from Union at a special general meeting castle now seeking an urgent loan. over West Country rivals Gloucester. achilles, the Bath head coach, Johann close range it seemed Gloucester had (SGM) on Thursday. Falling player participation, reduced Assisted by the return of their chief van Graan, has an embarrassment of blown a late chance when Carreras It is 25 years since the RFU last funding and "broken promises playmaker Finn Russell following the riches in some other positions, not mis-hit a kick to the corner following faced an SGM and Bow the leaving the Championship stripped Six Nations the hosts scored six tries least the back row. a penalty against Bath. Alfie Barbeary, Nottingham Rugby chair and co-chair to the verge of collapse" are also and, in a neat piece of symmetry, are Underhill was making his first thinking it was now half-time, put the of the Whole Game Union, which rep- highlighted in addition to the con- six points clear of the field with six appearance since January but Bath ball dead only to discover there were resents the wider English club game troversy over Sweeney's pay and regular-season fixtures to play. also have Guy Pepper, still only 21 still a few seconds on the clock and has issued an open letter calling on bonus package in a financial year It has been an uplifting month for and destined to be another strong George Barton, courtesy of Carreras's member clubs to back a motion of no when the RFU made record operating Bath, who won the Premiership Cup candidate for England international sublime pass, subsequently made confidence in Sweeney as the first losses of almost £38m and made 42 last weekend to secure their first honours. The was named man him pay in the same left corner. stepir reforming the administration. employees redundant. trophy for 17 years, and here was of the match here and Van Graan The quality of Bath's bench Bow said a further motion of no The rebel clubs, Bow wrote, another example of their significant "I sometimes forget how young he reserves, though, was reflected in confidence in the RFU board would believe that the executive has squad depth. Gloucester were right is" was also full of for Russell the arrival of England's starting be tabled "in the coming days" and become "untouchable" and that in the contest for long periods, whom he backs to be the starting Test tighthead Stuart and they duly put that the time had come to reshape the community rugby has been "left with Santi Carreras outstanding as fly-half for the British & Irish Lions the hammer down. future direction of the English game with no support". His letter, fur- a creative force, but Bath's superior this summer. "He's one of the best 10s The second-placed Bristol remain for the sake of all involved within it. thermore, includes a request for the forward resources were underlined in the world," Van Graan said. in touch with Van Graan's side but the In the open letter, Bow wrote: RFU president, Rob Udwin, to stand by second-half tries off the bench always be picked in my team." reservoir of forward power beside the "My question to all those stakehold- aside from any formal role in the SGM for the England forwards Will Stuart It all made for yet another hectic River Avon is going to make life tough ers is how long are you prepared because he has "clearly" shown "he and Sam Underhill. Premiership contest with distinct for all their remaining opponents. to continue in letting these severe is not impartial". Gloucester have now endured five echoes of the reverse fixture between failures within our game continue? The clubs also say the SGM is just successive defeats in this fixture and these two sides at Kingsholm in Bath Gloucester I'm sorry but if anyone thinks that the first planned step in the process De Glanville Barton (C Atkinson 69) could not muster a single October. On that occasion Gloucester McConnochie, Ojomoh, Wade, Harris, S Atkinson, we should keep the status quo and of reforming the RFU's governance. point as the home started well and led 24-17, only to end Redpath (Butt 73), Muir; Llewellyn (Hathaway 33); continue with the current CEO, board "Whatever the outcome on Thursday Russell, Spencer (capt; Carreras, Williams wrested away control of a previously up losing 55-31. This time they again Schreuder 67); Obano (Englefield 75); Knight and governance structure then we we will only have just begun, with a breathless contest. attacked with real skill and intent at (Van Wyk 57), Dunn (Rapava-Ruskin 45), Blake deserve everything we have got and second motion to be tabled for the (Annett 63), Du Toit (Singleton 49), Fasagbon "I thought Bath's power game times only for Bath to pull clear in (Stuart ht), Roux (Hill (Gotovtsev 61) Clarke is yet to come. no confidence in the board over the today was top-notch," said George the last quarter. 57), Ewels, Bayliss (Jordan 61), Thomas, (Underhill 57), Pepper, Clement, Ludlow (capt), don't know of any organisation coming days and then going for full Skivington, Gloucester's director There were eight tries in the first Barbeary (Coetzee 57) Ackermann that rewards continuous failure in governance changes delivering struc- Tries Pepper, Ojomoh, Try Clement, Williams, of rugby, suggesting the opposition 40 minutes alone. Initially Bath held Du Toit, Russell, Stuart, Blake, Barton allowing those that have failed to tural reform at the coming annual reminded him of the serial title the balance of power, dominating the Underhill Cons Carreras 2, Barton take us through change. On Thurs- general meeting," Bow wrote. Cons Russell 6 Yellow card Wade winners Saracens in their heyday. aerial battle and the breakdown and day we have the moment for change The RFU declined to comment. "In terms of what I have seen in the forcing the first seven penalties of Referee Sara Cox Attendance 14,509 Rugby league Cherry Sport Whites Hull KR stay In brief powerfully after thrashing Leigh picked off Hull KR head coach Willie Peters Cricket insisted his side will not get carried Bath's Sam Underhill Archer hit for 76 in IPL's away after extending their lead at the top of Super League by crosses the costliest bowling spell thrashing previously unbeaten line for his Leigh 30-0 at Craven Park. The side's sixth Jofra Archer recorded the most Robins' perfect record rarely looked and final try expensive spell in Indian Premier in trouble as they scored four dyson Gloucester could not League history after being smashed first-half tries, with Oliver Gildart nural for 76 in four overs. The England and Kelepi Tanginoa claiming one score after pace bowler's horror show came apiece and Mikey Lewis going over the interval in Rajasthan Royals' 44-run defeat twice. Tom Davies added a fifth DAVID DAVIES/PA by Sunrisers Hyderabad. Mohit try late on, with Lewis adding five Sharma held the previous IPL conversions. Peters said: "We like record of 73, but Archer suffered to think we're a grounded group at the hands of the Sunrisers trio whether we win or we lose. If we're of Travis Head, Ishan Kishan and doing the right things then we'll Heinrich Klaasen. Head hit a six be OK I'm not saying we'll win and four fours as Archer's first over every game but you'll give yourself went for 23. His second cost a mere a chance because you're consistent 12. Kishan clubbed three sixes in with your approach." On being the his third over, with the final six pacesetters, three points ahead of balls going for 19, while there were Leigh and Hull FC after five games, also four byes conceded off a full- Peters said: "It doesn't mean a great toss no-ball in a chaotic end to his deal at this stage because it's early spell. As a result, Rajasthan Royals on in the season. It's exactly where conceded 286 the second-highest we want to be but we're not getting score in IPL history. PA Media carried away." PA MediaForeman was The Guardian Monday 24 March a man of good will' Sorry Scots 2025 relegated Greece Thomas Hauser pays romp to Nations tribute to a boxing great League playoff win Exclusive Page 36 Page 35 Sport Ferrari errors see Hamilton and Leclerc disqualified Giles Richards Ferrari have admitted they were at fault for the mistakes that led to the disqualification of both their drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, from the Chinese Grand Prix yesterday, in a disastrous close to the weekend for the Scuderia and a disappointing outcome for Hamilton in only his second race for the team. Leclerc and Hamilton had finished fifth and sixth respectively in the Red Roses race, won by McLaren's Oscar Piastri. However three hours after the flag, off to flyer in and after the usual post-race inspec- tion of the cars to ensure they are in compliance with regulations, Ferrari Six Nations were found wanting over two rules. The skid block on the floor of Hamilton's car was deemed to have been 0.5mm below the limit, and Leclerc's car was 1kg below the minimum weight requirement. Both England Italy drivers and team representatives were summoned to the stewards and the Formula One governing 38 5 body, the FIA, confirmed Ferrari had admitted culpability. "The team acknowledged that there were no Mia Venner powers in for a try mitigating circumstances and that it just three minutes into her full was a read. debut for England in York Both drivers error," its disqualified findings were and Match report Page 40 Ferrari issued a statement. "Car 16 [Leclerc's] was found to be under- weight by 1kg and car 44's rearward skid wear was found to be 0.5mm 'It would be the wrong options on the wing have been limited below the limit. We will make sure we by Anthony Gordon withdrawing don't make the same mistakes from the squad after sustaining a Ferrari acknowledged they had hip injury during England's 2-0 win incorrectly calculated the expected Tuchel warns he will not rotate against Albania on Friday, pointed wear in Hamilton's case. "There was out that Arsenal overlooked a chance no intention to gain any advantage." to rest Declan Rice in the second leg Ferrari argued Leclerc had been England team to benefit clubs of their Champions League last-16 tie caught out when the team switched against PSV Eindhoven. to a one-stop from planned two-stop "Given the fact Declan Rice played strategy, which affected pre-race after a7-1 first leg the next match with weight calculations. Other teams, Arsenal, I didn't have the feeling including McLaren and Mercedes, that they think much about us," also switched strategy mid-race Maintaining good relations was Tuchel said. without breaching the regulations. Jacob Steinberg not always easy for the German's "So I don't think we have to break predecessor, Gareth Southgate. Pep our heads about this. care about Race report Page 38 Guardiola was unimpressed about the players. We take care about the Thomas Tuchel will risk the wrath losing John Stones to injury when schedule. But it would be the wrong of club managers by starting their the Manchester City defender started signal to tell players: 'Hey, you have players twice in the space of four both of England's friendlies against tough matches coming up I rest days during the international break. Brazil and Belgium last year. you now.' We have a qualifier to England's new head coach is However, while Tuchel had a simi- play, we do what's good for us, we focused on raising standards before lar view to Guardiola when he worked monitor them, we are in contact the World Cup qualifier against Latvia Thomas Tuchel at club level, he stressed his priori- with the clubs and we won't take any tonight and he believes it would send admits he 'feels ties have shifted and there will be no unprofessional risks. out the wrong signal if he rotates for favours when it comes to managing "Ifeel responsible for the players. the sake of it, even with the domestic for the fitness his side's physical demands. I don't want the player Lewis Hamilton lost his sixth-place season reaching a defining stage. of his players 34 The 51-year-old coach, whose to be injured, I want the finish due to a technical rules breachBig ideas for your small * And for a small price you could be a huge support Up to 29% off Newsstand price per month Subscription rate Saving Package You' find plenty to talk about, whichever side of the fence you're on, 29% off £69.99 £99.67 Every day 22% off in every copy of the Guardian and Observer. From news to reviews, Weekend £26.99 climate to culture, your conversations will sparkle. From just £2.30 £15.99 7% off £17.33 Saturday per issue, you're investing in the future of independent journalism while staying armed with the facts you need for an informed debate. Prices above are monthly. Savings calculated are savings made per month against the retail price. 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Visit us at 34 Old Bond Street, London Now Open OYSTER PERPETUAL DAY-DATE 40 THE WATCHES OF SWITZERLAND GROUP ROLEX THIS BOUTIQUE IS PART OF THE WATCHES OF SWITZERLAND GROUPG2 US imperialism now erodes the rights of those at home, too Nesrine Malik, page 3 Daily pullout Kemi Badenoch and her Nigel Farage problem Katy Balls, page 4 life & arts section George Foreman, US heavyweight boxing champion Obituaries, page 6 Inside The Guardian Monday 24 March 2025 Journal Opinion and ideas a vital service are usually paid £12 an hour, and their Far away from ust under a fortnight ago, my working day ILLUSTRATION: began at 6.45am, on a silent cul-de-sac near workloads are mind-boggling. Spreadsheets drawn up R FRESSON Whitehall, I saw J Bury, in Greater Manchester. I was there to by local bureaucrats dictate the quickfire schedules that shadow Julia, a domiciliary care worker, on have to be followed, and the few moments when care her daily morning rounds. She was about workers can find time for meaningful human contact. to let herself into the home of a 93-year- To cap it all, with the start of a new financial year, old woman. "She'll be asleep in bed," Julia the company Julia works for is about to be hit by told me. In 30 packed minutes, she had to Rachel Reeves's rise in employers' national insurance what Labour's wake her up, get her dressed, deal with any overnight contributions. Only last week, Labour voted down accidents and mishaps, make her breakfast and "have Liberal Democrat amendments to the relevant a good chat with her, and get her legislation aimed at exempting hospices, GP surgeries Julia was in the middle of a seven-day working week, and care providers from the increase, a huge jump cuts will do with between 10 and 15 "clients" to look after on each in costs is about to hit all those services. In Bury, as shift: elderly people, mostly, but also a 42-year-old with lots of other places, that might push the kind of mum of two recovering from a stroke. And as we drove work Julia does to breaking point. from house to house, she explained the tension that In the early afternoon, I paid a visit to the offices of John runs through her working life: between the squeezed Homecare Services, the company that employs her, and John Harris's budgets that dictate how she does her job, and the spoke to Leanne, one of its managers. In its two-room new book, Harris profoundly human needs that she has to see to. offices in the centre of the town of Ramsbottom, there Maybe I'm In all our conversations, a few key themes were was a palpable sense of emergency. "Our accountants Amazed: A present. Bury council, like many local authorities, are looking to see how long we can hold on for before Story of Love is in dire straits. Just over a year ago, it declared that we have to say enough's enough, and give notice to the and Connection it was in a state of "financial distress", and there are local authority," she said. "There's only in 10 Songs, is no signs of anything improving. Its care spending is long you can pay the wages if you're not published this impossibly stretched; the people who deliver such getting the funding." She paused. "The ThursdayThe Guardian Monday 24 March 2025 2 The Far away from Whitehall, I saw what Labour's cuts will do Guardian John Harris Founded 1821 Independently owned by the Scott Trust is free. but facts are sacred' CP Scott Continued from front social care sector will break it'll maybe BYD technology sometimes dubiously - and prioritising sustain [itself] for a matter of months exports. Taking cues from history, Beijing has used before people close down." tariffs, subsidies and state investment to dominate We were a long way from Whitehall, but it was clear how decisions made in the all-powerful Treasury The kind of strategic state industries from steel and electronics to EVs. When a country rapidly monopolises export are playing out in people's everyday lives. As usual, Elon Musk despises guided markets, its industrial dominance becomes reports about this week's spring financial statement inevitable. That advantage has often hardened into and the likelihood of even more bad news have China's EV breakthrough a global stranglehold over key industries. With its centred on Reeves's fiscal rules and predictions made commanding edge in EVs, China's leadership is by the Office for Budget Responsibility, but there is poised to set the rules and dictate, on its own terms, a much more human story woven into everything. Tesla's boss, Elon Musk, once thought the idea that the future of the technology. It did so on the cheap: In the real world, mounting numbers of people are China's BYD could compete with his company was BYD reportedly received Chinese government simply scared. Many are also baffled about why laughable. In 2011, he smugly dismissed the Chinese subsidies worth about a quarter of the $15bn that ministers are constantly averting their eyes from the carmaker as unimpressive, its products unattractive and Mr Musk's Tesla obtained from US authorities. human costs of their decisions. its technology "not very strong". He's not laughing now The case for electric cars is clear. They cut and not just because Tesla's stock has plummeted amid emissions and pollution while preserving personal ince the cutting of pensioners' winter a boycott by motorists protesting against his embrace of mobility. But the climate crisis raises a deeper S fuel payments last year, the government far-right politics. More pressingly, Mr Musk, like other question not just how we power vehicles, but has developed a habit of behaving like western carmakers, has been outpaced by BYD. whether our reliance on them is sustainable. that. Senior Labour people no longer Last week, the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) Switching to EVs is vital, but so is asking: do we speak the language of hope, or even manufacturer unveiled new charging technology that, need fewer car journeys, not just cleaner ones? reassurance. Increasingly, this feels like it says, is capable of delivering 400km (249 miles) of Despite its lead in EVs, China's 30,000 miles of an administration that exists to enforce driving range in just five minutes as quick as filling up high-speed rail network offers a striking alternative. fiscal orthodoxy and issue bureaucratic a petrol car. The system, released next month, will be Meanwhile, Mr Musk's transport visions often appear edicts framed by abstractions: "tough decisions", the fitted in two EVs, priced from 270,000 yuan (£29,000) to be self-interested sleights of hand. His high- need to "kickstart the economy" and an all-consuming comparable to Tesla's most affordable model in China. speed transportation system, Hyperloop, was never quest to "bring stability to the public finances". Yet BYD claims to quadruple Tesla's kilometres-per- meant to be built its true success was in derailing Which brings us to a story that began to boil over minute charging rate. Technological supremacy at a California's high-speed rail project. His Boring when I got back from that social care trip: the proposed competitive price may help to explain why BYD now Company is building a 68-mile underground system cuts in disability and sickness benefits. Last week, I sells seven times as many cars in China as Tesla. in Las Vegas, primarily, it seems, because regulators spoke to someone from the National Autistic Society A lack of fast-charging infrastructure may delay agreed to minimal oversight. about what the much-reported "tightening" of people's BYD's progress in the west. But that shouldn't There's an old joke about dictators: at least the eligibility for personal independence payments (Pip) diminish the scale of China's technological advance. trains run on time. Can a democracy taken over by would mean for the daily living component of the It was only in 2015 that Beijing launched its Made in oligarchs manage even that? China has high-speed benefit, which is one of those about to be hacked back. China 2025 plan, targeting 10 strategic industries rail; Mr Musk has a couple of miles of tunnels under Here, once again, was a story about complicated including EVs for rapid indigenous development. Nevada. But supposed "authoritarian competence" is human lives being subject to metrics cold and China's approach follows a familiar playbook. Just not the answer. Only more capable, more democratic impersonal that they look almost absurd. When as the US once did, China shifted from exporting raw government the kind Mr Musk scorns can they are assessed, people are given a series of marks materials to becoming a manufacturing powerhouse reverse the US's steady loss of economic, industrial, between zero and 12 for their ability to do things by protecting domestic industries, acquiring foreign technological and governance competitiveness. summarised in so-called descriptors, such as "can prepare and cook a simple meal" or "needs to use an aid or appliance to be able to wash or bathe". In the current system and how surreally bureaucratic is Football criticism that the scheme could boost a billionaire tax this? a minimum score of eight entitles people to exile's business at taxpayers' expense. the lower rate of £72.65 a week, while 12 or over entails The 2012 London Olympics demonstrated what the higher weekly rate of £108.55. Manchester United's £2bn sporting-led regeneration projects can achieve. But But not any more, if the government gets its way. To Manchester United supporters' organisations, with quote from the new benefits green paper, "only those stadium plans impress. But good reason, are ambivalent about this brave new who score a minimum of four points in at least one world. In the same week the initial stadium design daily living activity will be eligible for the daily living was revealed, Sir Jim told interviewers that Britain's component of Pip". What that ignores is people with fans must be kept on board biggest football club had been at risk of going bust more nuanced needs whose deficits and impairments by Christmas. This was alarmist talk to justify nonetheless amount to something real and debilitating, Visitors to Salford's Lowry art gallery this summer deeply unpopular ticket price rises and internal which is often true of learning disabilities or autism. will be able to enjoy a new take on one of the cost-cutting. But the club owes more than £700m, We have ended up, in other words, with a redefinition greatest paintings about sport. Depicting thousands largely thanks to the leveraged takeover by the US of disability completely driven by the need to save cash. of supporters bent purposefully towards a 1950s Glazer family 20 years ago, which piled a mountain When the Tories were in charge, there was a clear football stadium, LS Lowry's Going to the Match of debt on to a previously debt-free institution. narrative about their brand of austerity, and how has become part of the iconography of the national Funding one of the most expensive stadiums in lawfully they treated many vulnerable people: it game. As part of its silver jubilee celebrations, the world sport will ratchet up the financial pressure was to do with the cruelties and ignorance that come gallery is staging an immersive experience of the still further, and investors will demand handsome with privilege. Now Labour is in power, the story has painting, including a nostalgic soundtrack evoking returns. The grim likelihood is that, one way or changed: there is a clear sense of Labour being the the sounds of a lost world. another, ordinary supporters end up footing the party of bureaucrats and bean counters, still clinging So much for the past. Barely a mile away from the bill. Well-versed in the monetising ways of modern to the old statist idea that society's complexities can Lowry, at Manchester United's Old Trafford base, it is the football, an already disillusioned fanbase will be captured in statistics, and policy should be all ghosts of football's future that are being summoned up. treat the club's pledges of ticket affordability with about technocratic efficiency and competence. We To great fanfare, this month the club unveiled computer- understandable scepticism. can now see the results of that thinking: a profoundly generated images of Lowryesque hordes approaching Ultimately, of course, the success of "New unempathetic style of government, disconnected the new £2bn stadium it hopes to build by 2030. Trafford" will depend on what happens on the field from the messiness and complexity of real life. Accommodating 100,000 fans, and topped by three of play. In a caustic assessment of the plans, the Given that there is a lot of talk about changes to spires that will allegedly be visible from Liverpool, "New Manchester MP Graham Stringer recalled a visit in special educational needs provision and reorganisation Trafford" is set to be the biggest and costliest football the 1960s to Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough plans for the NHS, we should worry about what the arena in Britain. Somewhat improbably, United's ground, which had been recently modernised. government might focus on next. Equally alarming, co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has suggested that the As the home team trailed, a disgruntled local it seems to me, is a belief in Downing Street that stadium and its vast surrounding leisure campus could commented acidly that he was "still waiting for the reviving the UK demands embracing the wonders become a global draw on a par with the Eiffel Tower. bloody cantilever stand to score a goal". of artificial intelligence, which Starmer believes A project so gargantuan will undoubtedly be a catalyst In an age when elite football regularly shows will have an almost magical effect on everything for welcome economic growth in the wider Trafford signs of losing touch with the soul of the game, from social work to education, and realise his new area. The club is anticipating that substantial public that nugget of northern wisdom offers a salutary dream of "totally rewiring government". Because this funding can be unlocked to transform the stadium's reminder of core sporting priorities. As they dream is an administration lacking in everyday humanity, post-industrial hinterland. Enthusiastic noises from the of a "Wembley of the north", while the men's team that is a much more scary prospect than he and his chancellor, Rachel Reeves, suggest that a substantial continues to flounder on the pitch, the Glazers and colleagues seem to realise. amount of cash may be forthcoming. But there is already Sir Jim should not lose sight of them.Monday 24 March 2025 The Guardian Opinion 3 M The feud between the judiciary and Trump has precipitated a constitutional crisis that is shaking US FREE politics to its core FREE law to extend arrests and detentions to US citizens for their political opinions as well. That legal infrastructure, no matter how dormant, MAHMOUD is always open to reactivation and capture. The second NOW rebound mechanism is via this sort of infrastructure. The US immigration system is a vast that KHALIL! CUNY channels and imprisons immigrants. It is also a system that, even before Trump, was one of legal sinkholes and almost infinite licence. Border guards have the final decision-making authority on whether you enter the TERNATIONALIST GROUP US; customs agents have the right to search devices; and, if you are detained and deported, that whole process can happen without you being given access to a lawyer. Detention for many is a state of extended limbo. Combine a system large with a regime that enables it while weakening the judicial and legal proceedings that act as a check on its worst impulses, and you have a recipe for overreach and impunity. On his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order that gave even more power to border officials. With increased deportations of undocumented migrants being a flagship policy of Trump's campaign, a practical and political dragnet has been cast wide he imperial boomerang effect is the Supporters that it's catching a lot more than intended. It is no US imperialism theory that techniques developed of Mahmoud longer only those whose skin colour, paperwork or to repress colonised territories and Khalil facing political opinions throw them into uncertainty. peoples will, in time, inevitably be deportation now erodes the deployed at home. Repressive policing, from the US ver the past few weeks, German methods of detention and controlling in New York, tourists were arrested when they dissent, forcing humans to produce on 15 March tried to enter the US entirely goods and services for overlords in the PHOTOGRAPH: legally over its southern border, imperial capital, or even mass enslavement and killing: LEONARDO MUNOZ/ and detained for weeks before rights of those AFP/GETTY all "boomerang" back. First, they are used against those being deported. Jasmine Mooney, who are seen as inferior; then, they are deployed even a Canadian citizen with a work against those citizens with full rights and privileges if visa, was arrested and detained they dare to question authority. In short, the remote for two weeks but told to "mentally prepare" herself at home, too other eventually becomes the intimate familiar. for "months". A French scientist was denied entry to Donald Trump's second term has far been a case the US when his phone was searched and messages study in how systems built for those whose rights have critical of Trump were found. Nesrine been diluted or taken away eventually devour those Which brings us to the third way in which the who were assumed to be safe from such violations. boomerang effect takes through the erosion Malik There are three ways in which this process of of norms and standards. On 18 March, Trump called rebounding happens. The first is through the creation for the impeachment of a federal judge who issued of a domestic caste system that mirrors the one outside a temporary ban on deportations as ordered by the a country's borders, as demonstrated in the recent administration. The confrontation between Trump and treatment of those foreigners with permanent US the judiciary has precipitated a constitutional crisis that residency who expressed dissenting views on Gaza. is shaking the foundations of US politics. The system Under Trump, their actions meet a threshold of of checks and balances - the equality of the legislative, insubordination that justifies their arrest, detention and executive and judicial branches under the constitution deportation. In allying themselves with Palestinians is threatened by Trump's desired subjugation of all to and against US foreign policy, they are demoted to the the executive office. This is against a backdrop of the level of those Palestinians in their treatment by the US limiting of academic freedom, the violation of the first government. The tenuousness of permanent residency, amendment, and a disregard for the US constitution valid work visas, green cards, marriage to US citizens described by experts as a "blitzkrieg on the law". and parenthood to American children starts to become In this, there is something that can be seen clear. These are all conditional rights that can be everywhere in regimes that either have or crave stripped away if, in your alliances and solidarities, you absolute power. In order to seize authority and identify yourself as a subject of American power. run a whole country according to the interests Trump's invocation of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act is of a sovereign, more and more parties must be an almost too-on-the-nose demonstration of that two- disenfranchised and repressed. The imperial form tier system. Laws that were designed centuries ago, of governance is the prototype of what is required to and have only been used to create legal vacuums on US exert control in the presence of mass dissent. But all soil in order to detain foreigners, create a second class political systems with large components that subdue a of human. Franklin Roosevelt relied on the act to create significant portion of the population cannot continue domestic internment camps during the second world without those components overtaking the entire war. Another order that he issued, that mandated the machine. It is a simple, almost elegant fact; something internment of US citizens, was only overturned in 2018. like a law of nature. But a nation that withholds its If it had not been, Trump would no doubt be using the best ideals from some will end up losing them for all.The Guardian Monday 24 March 2025 4 Opinion Kemi Badenoch headquarters (CCHQ) are seen as inevitable. poses a threat to Badenoch is that she has come out Badenoch's performances at prime minister's firmly against a pact and there is no love lost between questions are regularly criticised among Tory MPs. her and Farage. "If we have to work with Nigel and But perhaps worst of all for Badenoch, there are the current polls suggest the Reform vote is too sticky and her Nigel simply plenty of figures on the right who never to not you can't have Kemi as leader," says a former wanted her to be party leader and have even less government adviser. time for her now. Alongside Farage, rarely a week It's here that a game of fantasy leader tends to passes without Dominic Cummings taking to social happen. Names being floated as Reform-friendly Tory Farage problem media or his Substack to criticise Badenoch, recently leaders include Suella Braverman and Robert Jenrick. suggesting "it's better for the country when she's Jenrick is far and away the shadow minister making playing iPad games all day than playing The the biggest impact when it comes to social media, fact Cummings met Farage for dinner a few months policy work and setting the news agenda. Katy ago has spurred excited chatter that a rightwing coup "Some of the shadow cabinet are jealous of Rob as he could soon be under way to push Badenoch aside. keeps making news but he is also working a lot harder," Balls However, this talk has not yet caught on too widely argues a Tory MP. A Jenrick ally adds: "Rob is willing within the party. Some point to her performance last to work all hours - and it shows." Others pine for Boris week when she announced net zero was "impossible" Johnson but for now this is yet to be a real movement. by 2050 as evidence that things are improving. While "It's the same people as before talking up Boris and they Badenoch has been accused by the former Tory MP will say, 'Oh, he stopped Farage'," says one Tory MP. Chris Skidmore of going back on a pledge she made to a "He also oversaw increased legal migration." group of MPs in 2022 to back the net zero target, many It's why, for now, Badenoch's inner circle plan to emi Badenoch may only be four of the current intake welcome the move as a way to take ignore the noise and focus on showing MPs they have months into her leadership, but the fight to Reform. "Her position is much stronger than a plan through their actions. "It's the same people already Westminster is talking a few weeks ago," says a member of the shadow cabinet. mouthing off. They're like the Japanese soldiers who about her successor. Nigel Farage Yet while the Tory mood is far from regicidal, didn't know the second world war had ended and declared over the weekend that the there are long-term questions being asked about her were trying to keep it going," says a Badenoch ally. Conservative party leader would leadership. "There are things she should do to increase Instead, Badenoch hopes that the cracks appearing in be "lucky to survive past June". her survivability," says one Tory MP. "Net zero was one the Reform party since Rupert Lowe's exit mean most Of course, he would say that. The good thing in a desert of five months." of the drama will be coming from the other side. Reform UK leader has a personal interest in Tory But the first step is perhaps understanding the Yet there are small signs that the Tory leader misfortune. But more concerning for Badenoch is forces that will be working against her. Badenoch has recognises she will need all the friends she can get in that some in her own party are starting to ask if she'll to contend with the likely launch of a campaign group the long term: she has recently started lunches with still be leader at the next election. in the next few weeks that will argue for an electoral MPs after prime minister's questions. She ultimately Her problems are piling up. The Tories regularly pact between Reform and the Tories. knows that while she has breathing space for now, that come third in national polls behind Reform On paper, a mix of supporters of Reform and the Katy Balls will change if she can't point to progress in the coming and Labour. There is little money to go around Conservatives arguing for the two parties working is the Spectator's year. If the Tories stay third in the polls, her critics and redundancies at Conservative campaign together isn't that sinister. However, the reason this political editor won't find it too hard to win supporters for their cause.Monday 24 March 2025 The Guardian Letters guardian.letters@theguardian.com 5 Established 1906 T-level troubles and the T-level bashing does not help Corrections and Country diary recruitment. Some T-levels might clarifications not be working in some subject Caistor St Edmund, areas, but this is not true for all of big divide in education them. For example, students on the The capacity of Cafe Oto in east Norfolk T-level in digital production, design London is 200, not 150 as we said in and development, where an article about it being mentioned are well prepared for a wide range in an Oscars acceptance speech The warm weather and sunshine I am grateful to Susanna Rustin and shoring up community adult of careers in the digital sector. The (Brutalist's shoutout: London cafe of the recent "fool's spring" turned for her trenchant analysis of education. The problem (specific problem we have is getting students thanked, 4 March, p14). up the volume on the chattering government failure to tackle the to England) remains the outdated interested in pursuing careers in sparrows in the yard and brought post-16 academic/vocational binary divide, with academic digital. Sending the message that Homophone corner: "Norris's the first bees of the season out in divide (It's time to be brave and routes and qualifications occupying T-levels are a waste of time is not win was a masterwork for the search of nectar in the crocuses. admit it: T-levels have been a the privileged position and doing the sector any favours. driver but the real takeaway from A meadow on the far side of the failure, 18 March). hampering efforts to offer student- This particular T-level course Melbourne was how it augers for road has dried out enough to tread While I agree that there is little centred accessible pathways. is better than the outdated BTec the season" (Norris tames the across without sinking into mud. evidence that T-levels are signalling Way back in 1990, the Institute course it replaced. The content is tempest with precision and iron Yet I'm walking oddly, a sort of hop, the end of the "second-class for Public Policy Research proposed more up to date and direct industry will, 17 March, p36). skip, jump. Surely it's a crime to status" of vocational education, the a radical, all-encompassing British links are more visible. stand on an orchid? I am surrounded problem is only partly the fact that baccalaureate (not the half-arsed The approaches to teaching Editorial complaints and corrections can be sent to by little clusters of unremarkable- T-levels are too hard (overreliant on in vocational education make guardian. or The readers' Rishi Sunak proposal of the same editor, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. looking green leaves. They are bee outmoded written examinations) name). This was a modular single the course suitable for students You can also leave a voicemail on orchids, and there are uncountable and too narrow (how many of us qualification, a replacement across who gain 4s and 5s at GCSE. All thousands in this field. can honestly look back to being the ability range for academic and my students have gained 4s Hidden underground, beneath 16 and knowing which career we vocational pathways. and 5s, some of them even 3s in Starmer and the each orchid, are two oval tubers wished to pursue?). Its intention was to shatter the GCSE English. All of them are that look just like testicles. These Equally significant is the hermetically sealed inflexible navigating the T-level course will fuel the development of the Skibbereen Eagle underresourcing of further systems that prevented "academic" with the support they require to pink flowers later in spring, with education as a Cinderella in students from pursuing vocational achieve good grades. Universities their characteristic furry yellow the education system (how interests, and vocational students are accepting this qualification When Keir Starmer declares that and brown bee design. many ministers support their from exploring academic areas of as a route into many different Vladimir Putin will face "severe In the woodland, the ground is own children on to vocational interest (beyond the thin gruel of computing-related courses. consequences" if he breaches a carpeted in fresh green. We're on qualifications?). GCSE English and maths retakes). In some subject areas, T-levels peace deal with Ukraine (Report, the countdown to the lilac haze of As a governor of a large FE It encouraged opportunities to mix might not fit the bill, but in 21 March), I'm reminded of the bluebells. My brother has the task college, I know teaching staff academic and vocational modules others they are flourishing. Or at 19th-century editorial in the of planning a date for the farm's and leaders are working hard to in a common framework. least they would be if the cloud Skibbereen Eagle, which warned bluebell open day. ensure that all students enrolled fear that if T-levels are the of negativity was not being that it would "keep its eye on the I climb a Norfolk mountain on T-levels thrive. However, they answer, we are still asking the continually forced upon them. Emperor of Russia". If he actually through the trees. It's a surprisingly are simultaneously charged with wrong question. Karen Ahmed read the warning, I doubt the tsar steep hill for the county, formed solving the problem of those not in John Butcher Lecturer in computing and IT, was shivering in his boots, just as by glaciers. At the summit, I recall education, employment or training, Professor emeritus, Open University Southport College Putin won't be today, especially a path that used to exist down with Donald Trump on his side. the other side and try to follow its David Edwards old line, sliding my way through The scrapping a streamlining of the curriculum litter. Behind a rogue laurel, a Encouragement for Stockport, Greater Manchester in places and more subjects such flash of yellow catches my eye. It's of GCSE maths as digital literacy and climate creative activities Will these consequences be as several clumps of daffodils, out of education. We were pleased to see severe as those felt by Benjamin place in the woodland setting. the curriculum and assessment Netanyahu for breaching the Smaller than the standard doesn't add up review's interim report reflect these Your editorial expressing the value Palestine peace deal? daffs, yet bigger than the calls. The most effective way to of the arts in schools (21 March) Adrian Betham miniature narcissi I have in my make things better for students is prompts me to share what I did for London garden, are these the real thing, by improving and building on the my 70th birthday, which others I wonder: wild, native daffodils? One-third of students reach 16 solid system we already have. could copy: I donated a lump sum Does Adrian Chiles's big Wordsworth's host of dancing, without a good pass in maths. As Jill Duffy to my first primary school. column (The world is getting golden daffodils are not the flowers Simon Jenkins points out, most will Chief executive, OCR exam board I was supported by donations noisier I've certainly played we see everywhere today, but the endure a cycle of unsuccessful post- from family and friends in lieu of my part, 20 March) not speak to predecessor to those cultivated 16 resits (GCSEs harm our young I took my GCSEs in 2018. I was a any birthday gifts to me. The one his little column (Bedspreads varieties. Wild daffodils are scarce people. Ministers should have the capable student, getting the highest stipulation I made to the school and scatter cushions: what are today, lost with their habitat. guts to abolish them and start grades in my comprehensive was that the money was to be they for?, 20 March)? Just bung I study the trumpet and the again, theguardian.com, 20 March). school. I went on to a first-class used for creative activities. The your surplus soft furnishings petals, looking for discrepancy in But it is wrong to call maths obsolete Oxford degree and now a PhD. result was a sensory garden with in at your local echoing eatery. colour, and check the stems for a financial literacy is impossible GCSEs should have been made for artworks created by the children. Sound absorbed, problem solved. greyish tinge. I find neither and without a solid foundation in maths, -someone who loved learning Stuart McPhillips Alison Skilbeck reluctantly realise they are probably to say nothing of the skills needed in and had high academic ambitions, Garstang, Lancashire London some stray cultivated daffodils. a tech-driven economy. who could think on the spot and I ping a message to Plantlife Rather than abandoning GCSE learn lots by rote. However, I a major public school Ever since I performed in the to check, and their expert maths, we need to do more to spent my GCSE year with constant with huge music, art and drama West Riding Youth Theatre's agrees with me. So much for my support the so-called "forgotten nausea and emetophobia. From a departments. I was very lucky to production of Julius Caesar in Wordsworthian moment. I console third". Improving early secondary neurodevelopmental perspective, get one of the very few places in the 1966 with John Duttine as Mark myself with the bluebells and education in the subject and GCSEs come at the worst time for carpentry workshop. Antony, I John on his orchids yet to come. introducing a short course GCSE students, a time when there are Please don't exclude or forget birthday on the ides of March Kate Blincoe focusing on the fundamentals would many competing pressures, and those children who have little or (Letters, 22 March). I played the be a good start. Jenkins' suggestion students are at higher risk of mental no interest in "the arts" but can find soothsayer, I guess I would of abolishing GCSEs is neither illness. The exams don't even have meaning by expressing themselves know if he were no longer with us. We do not publish letters where desirable nor practical. Enacting any purpose any more given that in carpentry, metalwork or similar Penny McPhillips (nee Shaw) only an email address is supplied; such a change would eat up capacity education is compulsory up to 18. activities. We see the heights Garstang, Lancashire please include a full postal in a system with little to spare. Nothing in my academic career scaled by a Gothic arch, but not address, a reference to the article However, reform is needed. As Oxford interviews, finals at Oxford, the skills of the carpenters or Heard at a Half Man Half Biscuit and a daytime phone number. the OCR exam board noted last year, the gruelling process of applying masons who built it. Perhaps the gig. "Does anyone have any We may edit letters. Submission there is an overreliance on exams at for PhDs has ever been as hard as true measure of humanity is the requests?" "Play one the drummer and publication of letters is subject 16, and much of the curriculum is GCSEs were. If they didn't work for "how", not the "why"? knows" (Letters, 20 March). to our terms and conditions: see overloaded and outdated. OCR has me, who do they work for? Robert Barnes Ian Maynard theguardian.com/letters-terms called for fewer exams alongside Name and address supplied Gortagowan, County Kerry, Ireland SheffieldThe Guardian Monday 24 March 2025 6 Obituaries But Foreman, by then just two months short of his 46th birthday, was urged by his trainer, Angelo Dundee, to look for the knockout as he was losing by a big margin. What happened then was almost as indelibly inked into boxing's history as his defeat against Ali had been in Zaire 20 years earlier. Foreman smashed Moorer to the canvas, where he was counted out before a delirious crowd. He then returned to his corner and knelt in prayer, knowing that his improbable dream had become reality. He was once more world heavyweight champion. Foreman had lost the title to Ali in 1974 in perhaps the most talked about fight of all time, the Rumble in the Jungle in Kinshasa, Zaire. He went into that contest as a huge favourite, with many experts fearing for the health of the older Ali. ut Ali, himself trained at the B time by Dundee, devised a perfect "rope a dope" strategy, leaning back on the ring ropes to prompt Foreman to expend his energy by looking for one big punch to end it. Ali absorbed all that the tiring Foreman could throw at him before producing a series of lightning fast punches to finish the fight in the eighth round. Foreman would go on to beat Frazier for a second time, and to beat the big punching Ron Lyle in one of the most dramatic fights He was bigger and slower, but infinitely more likable. A return M of the 70s, but wanted no part George Foreman of boxing after 1977, serving as a that had first seemed akin to a minister in a Houston church Boxing champion who won boxing novelty act slowly became He was and supporting a nearby youth more serious as he worked his proof of centre. He was prompted way back up the rankings before to return to the ring only when his becoming champion again in 1994 the old money began to run short. two world heavyweight on a never-to-be-forgotten night boxing Anyone who might have in Las Vegas, where he knocked adage that suggested then that Foreman was out the undefeated champion destined to be the world champion titles and took on Ali in Michael Moorer. 'the last again would surely have fielded To be in the crowd that night was thing you serious questions about their an extraordinary experience. By the lose is sanity. His weight had ballooned 1974's Rumble in the Jungle 10th round the quicker Moorer had and, even after months of hard boxed his way into a clear points your training, the Buddha-like physique advantage and seemed almost punch' of the now shaven-headed certain to be on his way to victory. Foreman invited derision from those who compared him to the o be classed as a In the 70s Foreman was known Foreman, left, chiselled athlete who had become great heavyweight as a surly and intimidating figure in the ring with world champion. boxer it is often who blazed a formidable trail. His Muhammad Foreman's efforts were initially said that a fighter massive punching power helped him Ali during dismissed as a joke by writers needs to duel obliterate Frazier in less than two the Rumble and broadcasters alike. But with the best rounds to take the title in Kingston, in the Jungle "Big George", as he was known combatants of Jamaica, knocking his opponent in Kinshasa, throughout his boxing career, was his time. George down six times in the process. Zaire. Right, at deadly serious. He would never Foreman, who has died aged 76, But he quit boxing aged 28 in the launch of again look like the lean athlete unquestionably did that, having 1977 when, after losing to Jimmy his Lean Mean who won an Olympic heavyweight had epic world heavyweight Young in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Fat-Reducing gold medal in 1968, before blasting title rivalries in the 1970s with he collapsed in the dressing room Grilling Machine his way to the pinnacle of the Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, and experienced a holy vision, in London, 2001 professional sport. But he gradually beating the latter to win the world prompting him to turn to God and ED KOLENOVSKY/AP; became fitter and, crucially, was heavyweight title in 1973. become a preacher in Houston, JON SUPER/PA walking proof of the old boxing However, in some ways close to his Texas home. adage that "the last thing you lose is his more deserving claim to When Foreman returned to your punch". greatness was an astonishing boxing in 1987, he was reborn as a After racking up wins against comeback that saw him become charming, smiling character who opponents who could have been the oldest world heavyweight proved his oft-repeated mantra that accurately dismissed as bums and champion two decades later. "age need not be a barrier". has-beens, at the age of 42 he got