Inside Epstein’s plot to ‘blackmail’ Sarah Ferguson over paedophile comments

The financier considered leaking private emails from the Duchess of York after she publicly declared that she 'abhorred paedophilia' when asked about the sex offender

inews.co.uk

DOJ quietly drops Reflecting Pool charges against three more defendants

Prosecutors filed the paperwork to drop charges against the four defendants on Friday

independent.co.uk

Man refused to let wife have scan by non-white staff member amid rise in NHS racism

‘Noticeable’ increase in xenophobic and racist comments towards NHS staff made in past 18 months, experts say

independent.co.uk

‘Can’t run away forever’: Farage warned he faces growing threat of second by-election

Reform leader accused of ‘running from’ scrutiny following claims he negotiated secret comeback deal with Richard Tice

liveapp.inews.co.uk

Farage admits he discussed returning as Reform leader months earlier than previously stated

Admission may undermine Farage’s account of circumstances surrounding £5m gift from crypto billionaire * UK politics live – latest updates Nigel Farage has admitted he held talks about the possibility of returning as Reform UK’s leader months before the 2024 general election, potentially undermining his own account of the circumstances in which he received a £5m gift from a crypto billionaire. It was reported at the weekend Farage had struck a deal with the party’s then leader, Richard Tice, and the convicted fraudster George Cottrell to return to frontline politics. Continue reading...

theguardian.com

What chaos? Farage tries to distract with immigration plans | Politics Weekly UK

Reform UK is not having a good time. This morning while announcing their latest immigration plans, Nigel Farage somehow reignited his spat with the Restore Britain leader, Rupert Lowe.To make matters worse Farage’s deputy, Richard Tice, is under investigation by the parliamentary standards watchdog Are Reform UK’s rehashed immigration plans just a distraction from their internal party problems?

theguardian.com

Reform given six-figure donation by firm that received £6...

Nigel Farage's party is facing questions about the lack of transparency over £100,000 in funds donated by a management consultancy

bit.ly

Classic Chats: Count Binface (Bonus episode)

Podcast Episode · Instant Classics · 3 August · Bonus · 35min

podcasts.apple.com

Charges dropped over Reflecting Pool after Trump admin admits ‘flawed installation’

Jeanine Pirro’s office blames Trump’s Department of Interior after she and the president publicly raged against David Hearn

independent.co.uk

‘MPs have had their stomachs pumped’: concerns over ‘alcohol-soaked’ culture in Westminster

Alcohol is embedded in profession where long hours, loneliness and lobbying are the norm, report finds Parliament is “Britain’s last alcohol-soaked workplace” where MPs are offered free drinks as early as midday despite alcohol-related scandals, a report has revealed. Drinking is commonplace and some MPs have had their stomachs pumped after consuming so much alcohol that they ended up in hospital, one disclosed. Continue reading...

theguardian.com

Russian hackers are spreading disinformation on Bluesky, company says

As many as 2,000 posts have been removed since they began showing up in waves in April, according to a new report

the-independent.com

Labour has harmed universities as much as Trump, London School of Economics head says

LSE vice-chancellor Larry Kramer points to domestic student fees freeze, international student limits and rise in employers’ national insurance

ft.com

Far-Right Homeland Party’s Crypto Donations Revealed

Two Bitcoin donations landed just short of the £500 threshold that triggers donor checks, raising questions about how closely the funds were monitored

bylinetimes.com

Suffolk wildfire updates: Blaze grows to size of 140 football pitches

A major incident has been declared - one holidaymaker tells us he was woken up by "hammering" on his door and told to evacuate immediately.

bbc.co.uk

Fifa World Cup: Uefa to boycott tournament if Gianni Infantino's investment plans go through

Uefa says "the World Cup is not for sale" after its 55 member associations vote to boycott future tournaments if Fifa and its president, Gianni Infantino, do not back down on their investment proposal...

bbc.co.uk

UK government reviews why police ceding criminal cases to US military

Exclusive: ministers and police chiefs examining how cases involving US military personnel on UK soil are handled after Guardian revelations

theguardian.com

Europe is burning – and if Trump’s war on the climate is not met with sanctions, things will only get worse | Alexander Hurst

The White House seems committed to ecocide. The EU should harness the power of the single market to force it to change course, says Guardian Europe writer Alexander Hurst

theguardian.com

Major Reform Donors Featured in Tax Haven Database

More than half (57 percent) of the donations to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK since the 2024 general election have been from individuals featured in a major tax haven database, DeSmog can report. These 12 ...

desmog.com

Revealed: George Cottrell transferred $2m to his mother days before her donations to Reform UK

Exclusive: Sources say Fiona Cottrell told bankers the transfers, received 24-72 hours before her donations to Reform, came from her son

theguardian.com

‘Farage’s got to come clean or clear off’: what voters on Clacton beach think about their MP – and the country

Nigel Farage’s constituency takes in genteel resorts and one of England’s poorest villages. With a snap byelection approaching, what do the residents want from the Reform UK leader – or the bin who’s ...

theguardian.com

Welcome to America, where you’re never quite sure if your senator is dead or not | Arwa Mahdawi

Is it normal for a sitting senator to have to routinely submit proofs of life to a public who suspect he might be braindead? Just asking for 340 million friends

theguardian.com