'News could happen this week' on Ancelotti appointment
Rangers could appoint Davide Ancelotti as their new head coach by the end of this week, according to Spanish football expert Guillem Balague. The Ibrox club held fresh talks with the Italian last week as they seek a permanent successor to Philippe Clement, who was sacked in February.Chief executive Patrick Stewart is leading the recruitment process amid Rangers' ongoing takeover process and Balague says Ancelotti is the leading candidate."That's my understanding and for Davide, it's the first choice," Balague told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland. "There is a waiting period here, because I've got the impression he would like everything wrapped up in the next few days. "If Rangers delay, there are other options for him, including joining his father Carlo with Brazil. He has decided to be a number one and Rangers are his first choice."News could happen this week. That is off the back of the last meeting in London. If we reach 5 June, it might be too late and Davide might look somewhere else."We're talking about somebody who is going to have a very good career in football. He has been crucial in the period that Carlo Ancelotti has been at Real Madrid."Balague also clarified comments he made regarding legendary Croatia midfielder Luka Modric and a potential move to Glasgow."It was a bit of a teaser," he said. "What I said was that Luka was asked and he didn't commit to anything. The point was that Davide has access to big talent.
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BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Parties jockey for power in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election
The famous Hamilton Park Racecourse lies on the edge of town, just beyond the boundary of the Holyrood constituency where voters are set to elect a new presence is a useful reminder that few places in Scotland are as familiar with runners and riders, favourites and current political race in this former coal mining heartland of west central Scotland will decide who represents Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse in the Scottish Parliament following the death of the SNP's Christina also has wider is the largest test of voter opinion in Scotland since the UK general election in which Labour heavily defeated the is also the first real opportunity to see if Reform UK's recent successes in England can give them what they call a "tartan bounce".The outcome will help shape the political narrative in Scotland ahead of the national Holyrood election next May. While Hamilton has its place in the history of horse racing, it has also earned iconic status when it comes to jockeying for political was here that Winnie Ewing made her stunning by-election breakthrough for the SNP in was this town that gave the former NATO secretary general Lord Robertson his start at Westminster in was the people of Hamilton South who elected Labour's Tom McCabe as the first MSP in around what is now the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse constituency, you would be forgiven for thinking the 2025 contest was a two horse race between the SNP and Reform only because these are the parties dominating billboard observation takes no account of the intensive door knocking, direct mailing and social media campaigning that's been going on for weeks. The SNP leader John Swinney has certainly acknowledged a third, red rosette-wearing horse in this sense is that his comment came as something of a relief to Scottish Labour, who came second last time and expect to be regarded as the principal challenger to the SNP, who are defending the could certainly do with a win swept to power at Westminster last summer, Sir Keir Starmer's party quickly lost popularity with decisions like cutting winter fuel payments for though changes to that policy have been promised, they will come too late for this by-election. The damage to Scottish Labour seems to have been SNP tends to have a double digit lead over Labour in national opinion polls, with support for pro-UK parties heavily fragmented since the rise of means that with around a third of the vote, the SNP can still be winners because Reform UK is principally drawing support away from the Conservatives and arithmetic already takes into account a series of SNP controversies over independence strategy, gender self-identification, a police investigation into party finances, leadership changes and the collapse of a power-sharing deal with the Greens. These are challenging conditions for Scottish Labour to regain power at Holyrood after nearly two decades in the is the national picture suggested by a relatively limited number of opinion polls. This election is for a single constituency for which no formal polling has been other words, there is plenty of room for surprise, especially if voters stay at home and turnout is the start of this by-election campaign, a Labour source told me they would have a chance if the focus was on the SNP's record in government - on issues like long waits for NHS same source said that if the vote became a referendum on Labour's first months in power at Westminster they would be in big insiders now say they have identified enough potential support to win in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse if (and it could be a big if) they can mobilise voters to turn contrast, SNP campaigners say they are "ahead" while acknowledging that the buzz around Reform UK following their successes in English local and mayoral elections throws in an "unknown" is a contest that nobody wanted and there appears to be little enthusiasm for the political choice on offer.A senior figure in the SNP told me they had found voters angry with Labour but far from impressed with the SNP. Many of the locals who stopped to chat with me in the centre of Hamilton were thoroughly fed up with politicians of all O'Donohue seemed to speak for many when she said: "I think they're all as bad as each other."Des McDonagh, who has voted SNP in the past and tried Labour in 2024, said he was now "totally dismayed with the options available".Nicole Copland accused politicians of making "false promises" to reduce the cost of living and said that when she votes "things don't really change".Rising household bills, access to healthcare, taxes on small businesses and revitalising town centres are all issues that have come up in this public frustration with established parties is palpable and this is where Reform UK has spotted an have no track record of election, never mind government, at any level in Scotland. Their key figures are councillors who have defected from the Scottish party is now targeting Labour voters with their UK leader Nigel Farage arguing for the threshold at which working people begin paying tax to be raised to £20, wants tighter controls on immigration and the asylum system to help pay for this change. Across parties in Scotland, there is an acknowledgement that immigration is being raised by voters more than in the is a policy area controlled by Westminster rather than Holyrood but that does not prevent this campaign, Reform UK has claimed that the Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar would "prioritise the Pakistani community".That is the interpretation Reform has placed on a speech Mr Sarwar gave in 2022 at an event celebrating 75 years of Pakistan's independence - despite him not actually using those words in the clips they have chosen to promote on social have been accused of racism by the SNP, Labour and the Greens, with the Liberal Democrats attacking Reform UK for "scummy tactics".The Conservatives under the leadership of Russell Findlay have largely kept out of the doubling down on this claim Nigel Farage attracted fresh ire from Holyrood politicians, amplifying what appears to be an attempt to motivate voters for whom immigration is a concern.I saw examples of support for Reform in this constituency and also heard voters express disgust at the party's minimum ambition here is to finish third and push the Conservatives into fourth place - a potential outcome for which the Scottish Tories appear to be braced. Pundits, pollsters and political journalists will analyse the results carefully for insights into voter behaviour with less than a year until every Holyrood seat comes up for the SNP hold on, that would compound the sense that although the party is far less popular than it has been, John Swinney could still be first minister after next year's Holyrood Labour take the seat, that would confound those who have come to believe that Anas Sarwar and his team will struggle to build sufficient support to be competitive in that other than an SNP or Labour win in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse would be a huge political doesn't mean that whatever happens in this by-election will be replicated in the national election. They are not the same thing and voting patterns vary across the the Hamilton area, candidates and boundaries change over time but this corner of Scotland's post-industrial centre is a consistent source of political remains the case as voters prepare for their next moment in the political spotlight. Who is standing in the by-election? There are a total of 10 candidates contesting this by-election on Thursday 5 are:Collette Bradley - Scottish Socialist PartyAndy Brady - Scottish Family PartyRoss Lambie - ReformKaty Loudon - SNPJanice Mackay - UK Independence PartyAnn McGuinness - GreensAisha Mir - Liberal DemocratRichard Nelson - ConservativeDavy Russell - LabourMarc Wilkinson - Independent
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
How religion affects relationships and sex for people in the UK
It was love at first sight for Adarsh Ramchurn. "I couldn't control it," he says of his flourishing affection for Nav Sangha. But their relationship is "frowned upon" by some in their communities, they say, as Adarsh is Hindu and Nav is been an item for three years and say they receive hateful comments on social media when posting about their life are also abused because Adarsh, 24, has a darker skin tone than Nav, a form of prejudice known as colourism. "We push through it," says Nav, 22. "There are also people who are very supportive and that are in similar situations."Data compiled by YouGov in January suggests 45% of 18 to 24-year-olds in the UK believe there is a God, or believe there are Gods. The next highest figure, 36%, is for the News spoke to Nav and Adarsh as well as a Christian from Married At First Sight (MAFS), a Muslim from The Only Way is Essex (Towie), and a former Jehovah's Witness for the Sex After documentary series. During a discussion between the participants, Nav was asked what the hardest bit about being a Sikh was. "Probably getting the backlash of being with a Hindu," she and Ardash knew their interfaith relationship could be an issue for their parents, so spoke to them early."I know it's different for every family, there can be difficult dynamics," says Adarsh. "But if you can have the open discussion [about] dating outside of your religion… I'd always say [you should]." Something Adarsh's parents were quick to ask him about was couple say, if they were to wed, they would probably do a Sikh and a Hindu ceremony."If we have kids, I feel like it's important that they learn about both religions and faiths," Nav adds. Adarsh agrees and says he's "looking forward to it".Junaid Ahmed's parents were not as accommodating. His fear of being rejected by them took hold at a young age. Junaid knew being gay contravened the Islamic beliefs he and his family shared."When I did finally come out [aged 18], I did expect the worst and… [it] did happen," he tells us. "They threw me out; they disowned me."He says he doesn't blame his parents for ostracising him. "I genuinely don't - it's made me the person I am today."Junaid, now aged 26 and a star of Towie, says he often gets abuse online from other Muslims because he is open about his sexual orientation, but "that [has] never changed my relationship with God". He says he is grateful for his religious upbringing and still prays Junaid, Martin Riley - who was brought up a Jehovah's Witness - was also ostracised by his in his case, it was because a few years ago he was expelled from his religion completely, in a process called Riley, as he is known to his friends, this meant being shunned by other members of his congregation - including close friends and family. His first marriage, which lasted 20 years, had broken down a few months before he was was a particularly strong believer and, while dating after he was expelled, he abided by the rule of not having sex before marriage. It was only when Riley began dating the woman who is now his wife, that he began seriously considering whether he wanted to continue adhering to the religion that he'd been part of for 40 years. His wife is not a Jehovah's Witness. "I realised that I did not want to have a future that didn't include her, whether that meant returning to the religion or not."After having sex with her for the first time, which he describes as being, "like in the movies", he recalls: "I was actually surprised by how guiltless I felt about the whole thing."Riley, 48, now considers himself an atheist. Looking back at his expulsion from the religion aged 42, he says: "It was devastating for me, at the time. Now I think it is probably one of the best things to ever happen to me." Unlike Riley, Sacha Jones did not grow up devoutly religious, but was baptised as a Christian last year after finding her faith. She has vowed to remain abstinent until she marries."I haven't slept with anyone since my baptism," she says. "So I'm fresh in the eyes of the Lord!"Sacha, 30, also says the culture around dating today makes it difficult to form a long-term relationship. Last year she participated in MAFS, but split up with her partner following the show."It's the absolute trenches out here in the dating world… it's difficult to trust a man anyway, but then to trust someone that doesn't fear God as well?"She says she doesn't miss sex as much as she might do because she isn't dating anyone at the moment. She believes the wait will be worth it - once she's married."I no longer lack purpose or peace," says Sacha, who isn't the "party animal" she once was. "I'm happier than I've ever been."
Sky News
an hour ago
- Sky News
Essex set to be the home of Europe's largest low-carbon horticulture site
Forty hectares of greenhouses, heated by the burning of rubbish, are set to be built in Essex - making it the largest low-carbon horticulture site in Europe. These greenhouses will be the first of their kind and could provide around 6% of the tomatoes consumed in the UK. It should begin operating in 2027, when almost all the county's household rubbish will come to the Rivenhall site, where it will then be burnt in an incinerator. Gareth Jones works for waste company Indaver, which is building the facility. He said: "The boiler produces steam and some of that steam we'll divert to our new heat exchange, and that will produce the hot water that we'll be sending over to our greenhouses. "The rest of the steam goes to the turbine, so it produces electricity from the substation, and some of the electricity will go directly to the greenhouses." Currently, Essex's household waste goes to landfill where it gives off greenhouse gasses, particularly methane. Indaver claims that the CO2 emitted at the Rivenhall site is 20% less than if the rubbish had gone to landfill, and there are additional environmental benefits. According to Defra, almost half of the UK's fresh vegetables are imported. Tomatoes often come from Morocco, Spain and the Netherlands. But there is growing concern about the vast number of plastic polytunnels in the south of Spain. Almeria's 'Sea of Greenhouses' are even visible from space, and there are regular droughts in the area. Trucks then bring the produce all the way to the UK, releasing thousands of tonnes of CO2 en route. Rivenhall Greenhouse project director Ed Moorhouse says the UK's reliance on importing fruit and veg is not sustainable. "Water porosity in north Africa and in southern Spain is a key issue, extremes of temperature and the effects of climate change," he said. "What we're seeking to do is, if it was tomatoes, to reshore 6-8% of tomato imports by growing in Essex." But the National Farmers Union says further projects like Rivenhall could be hampered by the government's new biodiversity net gain strategy, which forces all developers to benefit nature through their builds. Martin Emmett, chair of the NFU's Horticulture and Potatoes Board, says the policy was "originally designed around housing estates, larger factories and commercial developments". Consequently, companies may have to buy extra land to offset biodiversity impacts, which would affect similar investments across the country. A Defra spokesperson said: "We are working closely with the sector to make Biodiversity Net Gain work more effectively, whilst investing £5 billion into farming, the largest ever budget for sustainable food production to bolster our food security."
