Mirror's Daily Digest - heat health warning to longest ever cold case conviction
Welcome to the Mirror's Daily Digest, where we'll be pulling together all the best stories of the day from our News, Royal, Politics teams and more. This Tuesday, we're bringing you inside the newsroom with coverage on the country's longest ever cold case conviction through to the amber health alert.
Our Politics team has been following the latest on Keir Starmer's major rebellion threat, with a key vote on welfare reforms later today. Meanwhile, we've also covered the arrest of three ex-members of the senior leadership team at a hospital where Lucy Letby worked in connection with alleged manslaughter.
Ryland Headley, 92, to die in jail for 1967 rape and murder of Louisa Dunne, 75
Our News team has been closely following the country's longest ever cold case conviction, in which a 92-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison - with a minimum term of 20 years - for the rape and murder of an elderly widow in 1967.
Ryland Headley claimed he was innocent but was caught after his DNA was found back in the 60s and re-tested with modern forensic techniques. He was found guilty after a trial at Bristol Crown Court of killing 75-year-old Louisa Dunne in her own home.
The twice-widowed woman was found dead by a neighbour in her home in the Easton area of Bristol on June 28, 1967. She was fully dressed, but had her knickers round her ankles and a nylon type stocking lying across her neck. She had been strangled.
DWP chief Liz Kendall beams outside No10 despite brewing welfare rebellion
Meanwhile, our Politics team has been working around the clock to provide live updates as Keir Starmer faces rebellion over the controversial welfare cuts. This evening, MPs are due to vote on reforms - first set out in March - with the government bracing for a huge revolt from angry Labour MPs.
Ministers hope major concessions will be enough to win over Labour rebels. Welfare chief Liz Kendall was this morning seen smiling as she put on a positive face ahead of this afternoon's debate. She yesterday defended the massive DWP shake-up after a bruising week for the government over controversial disability cuts.
While some Labour MPs have said they will back the government after last week's concessions, which will protect current claimants, some 50-60 of them are still said to be considering voting against the government. It would be the biggest revolt of Mr Starmer's premiership so far.
Common prescription drugs that can be fatal when taken in scorching 35C heat
In other news, an amber health alert has been issued in parts of the UK for the second time in two weeks amid the sweltering heatwave. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issues the alert during periods of extreme heat, which could impact people's health and wellbeing and therefore put strain on public services like the NHS. The amber warning means the entire population could be at risk from the extreme heat, with travel likely to be disrupted, and more ambulances needed.
Experts have warned that five million Brits could be at a further increased health risk due to a common prescription medication: antidepressants. One of the common side effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) is sweating more than normal - and in a heatwave this can present a danger, experts have claimed.
Three former bosses at Lucy Letby hospital arrested
This morning, our News team reported that three ex-members of the senior leadership team at the hospital where Lucy Letby worked have been arrested in connection with alleged manslaughter. The three were in leadership roles at the Countess of Chester Hospital in 2015 and 2016, but have not been named. They were arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter.
It comes after Letby, 35, was found guilty of murdering seven children as well as attempting to murder seven more between June 2015 and June 2016. She had been working at the neonatal unit at the hospital at the time.
Finally, former Minister of State for Home Affairs Norman Baker has slammed Buckingham Palace 'pretending to be prudent' as 'utter hogwash'. It comes as the Royal Family's accounts for 2024 to 2025 have been revealed, showing the Firm spent a total of £2.7million last year on travel by private jet, helicopters and rail.
In an opinion piece for the Mirror, Norman wrote: 'Buckingham Palace pretends the royals are being prudent with public money. What utter hogwash. They even have the cheek to suggest that Charles is being generous because he only takes 12% of the income of the Crown Estate.
'Reality check: the Crown Estate has in effect been a public body since 1760, and until 2011, 100% of its profits went to the Treasury to pay for schools, hospitals, defence and, yes, disability benefits. This 12% is a new royal tax on the public purse.'
He added: 'The shocking truth is that the royals really don't care how much public money they spend. Last year they incredibly ran up a bill for the taxpayer of almost £1.2m on charter flights just within Great Britain to places as difficult to reach as Glasgow, Edinburgh and Newcastle.'
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Daily Mail
33 minutes ago
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Keir Starmer hit by new major rebellion as 49 Labour MPs refuse to back his government's welfare cuts - was YOURS among them?
Sir Keir Starmer has been handed a new major headache by his own MPs tonight as 49 opposed his plan to cut welfare payments despite the bill being gutted to avoid it being thrown out altogether. Ministers had taken drastic action as furious MPs lined up in the Commons to attack the plan to make it harder to claim Personal Independence Payments (Pip) and health-related universal credit. But even after a pledge to remove the Pip elements entirely, pending a review expected to take until next summer, almost 50 refused to back the shell of what was left. The total of 49 was higher than the 44 who had backed a 'reasoned amendment' to the bell - a piece of Commons machinery which would have killed it off completely. Labour MP Clive Efford, who voted against the Bill and co-signed an amendment that would have halted it at second reading, said the Government's late minute U-turn was not a good look to the public. 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It's nonetheless a significant number of us made a stand, which I mean needed to be done.' Those voting against it included the former shadow minister for the disabled, Marsha de Cordova. Vicky Foxcroft, who quit as a whip last week because of concerns about the bill, voted for it in its weakened state. Despite being titled the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill, the legislation now contains no measures relating to Pip. The respected IFS think-tank said that accounted for £2.6billion of the savings the government had hoped for by 2029-30. Curbs to the health element of Universal Credit should have eased spending by £1.7billion, but that was due to be offset by £1.8billion on raising the basic rate. Researcher Tom Waters said that left an additional cost of £100million by 2029-30. Agonisingly for Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the delay almost certainly means the Office for Budget Responsibility cannot 'score' the savings in time for her Budget. As a result the black hole in the government's books is likely to be even bigger than feared. Concerns were already running high that Ms Reeves will have to hike taxes to stabilised the public finances. In 12 hours of carnage at Westminster, the PM's carefully-assembled truce with rebels dramatically disintegrated. Facing the threat of a massive revolt, Sir Keir opted make yet another major concession just 90 minutes before the vote. Ministers pledged that changes to disability handouts will not be finalised until after a review - meaning that the package as it stands will actually make the current system more expensive than before. Sir Keir - who is days away from marking the first anniversary of his election landslide - had already agreed that the benefits curbs would only apply to new claimants. There was mocking laughter in the chamber as Social Security Minister Stephen Timms was asked how much the proposals would save now, and merely replied that the government would 'set out figures in the usual way'. Despite the humiliating manoeuvres, when the vote was held 44 Labour MPs still backed the fatal amendment and others abstained - although it was comfortably defeated by 328 to 149. Shortly afterwards the Bill cleared second reading stage by 335 to 260, majority 75. It will now be scrutinised at committee. A clearly crestfallen Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall tried to put a brave face on the shambles afterwards, acknowledging there were 'lessons to be learned' but the party was '100 per cent' behind the PM. 'I think people are 100 per cent behind a Prime Minister that secured the first Labour Government in 14 years,' she said. But rebel Labour MP Brian Leishman said ministers should still withdraw the Bill despite it passing second reading. The MP for Alloa and Grangemouth had also voted in favour of the cross-party amendment that would have stopped the Bill before second reading. He said: 'Today was a prime example in how not to legislate. 'A shambolic afternoon with policy being made up off the cuff and on the notion of promises to come. 'The Government should do the honourable and decent thing and withdraw this dreadful Bill.' Tory leader Kemi Badenoch accused ministers of 'utter capitulation' and said the legislation was now 'pointless'.
