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Daily Mirror
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Angela Rayner urged to keep her compensation promise to Nuked Blood veterans
A video has emerged of Angela Rayner calling for immediate compensation for nuclear veterans, while campaigners now say the Labour government is "dangerously close" to betraying them Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has been urged to keep a promise made to survivors of Britain's nuclear weapons tests, after a video emerged of her demanding compensation for them. More than 100,000 people have already viewed a clip of Ms Rayner addressing a conference of the forgotten Cold War heroes in 2022, while Labour was in Opposition. She told them: "Myself and my Labour colleagues are calling on the Secretary of State for Defence to.... liaise with the Treasury to set up an appropriate financial compensation programme for veterans and their descendants, as America, France, China, Russia, Fiji and the Isle of Man have done." She was joined by then-Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey, who told the same event: "The UK remains the only nuclear test country in which there is no scheme at all for compensation and recognition, and that's why on behalf of the British Labour Party I've said to your veterans, your campaign is our campaign. "It's why British Labour Party leader Keir Starmer has met with veterans and their families, the first-ever party leader in Britain to do so. We are totally together on the campaign for justice, for compensation." It follows a video uncovered last week and since seen by almost 400,000 people, in which Mr Healey told a party event that the government's decision to withhold recognition and compensation "shames us as a country". Yet since taking power, Labour has made no moves to set up compensation schemes, despite facing a £5bn damages a bill and a criminal complaint. The videos were discovered and posted online by political influencer Peter Stefanovic, CEO of the Campaign for Social Justice. He included footage from Plymouth MP Luke Pollard, who is now Armed Forces Minister, recorded in 2022 when he was shadowing the role and discussing a medal for the nuclear veterans. Mr Pollard said: "The UK, unlike many of our allies, has never compensated or recognised the sacrifice of those veterans... their significant exposure to radiation has also led to consequences for close family members and their children. "So that's why it seems really dumb the UK government has been denying, not only a medal to those veterans for their exceptional service 70 years ago, but compensation, and Labour has been campaigning on this for quite some time." * You can support the veterans' fight for the truth HERE Alan Owen of campaign group LABRATS said: "Veterans and families took the shadow ministers at their word. After decades of successive governments letting them down, we hoped a change of government would bring a change of tone. Instead it is starting to look dangerously like we have been betrayed again. "We would ask the Deputy Prime Minister, Defence Secretary and Armed Forces Minister - who have all met and offered support to victims of Britain's nuclear weapons programme - to remember their promises, and help us to avoid costly and lengthy legal action by sitting down to discuss a special tribunal to finally uncover the truth and repay the nation's debt to these men." It comes a week after veterans reported the Ministry of Defence to police over allegations of a criminal cover-up of a widepsread blood test programme which monitored the troops' health while they were living amid the fallout. The results are frequently missing from their medical records, with hundreds of records locked on a top secret database on the grounds of national security. Despite ministers' previous support for veterans and an admission that the monitoring "may have been" conducted without medical supervision, the veterans' claims have been dismissed as "unsubstantiated". A review of the records announced last year has been given no budget and no deadline for reporting its findings. Ms Rayner has been directly approached by veterans for a meeting, but referred them instead to their local MP. Mr Stefanovic said: "The more you learn about the Nuked Blood Scandal, the more shocking it becomes. This is no way for the government to treat national heroes. This country owes them and their families owe a huge debt of honour and gratitude, but instead successive governments have stonewalled them and subjected to decades of maltreatment and injustice. Now in power, the Labour government must honour the commitment it made to these men in opposition." Social justice campaigner Mr Stefanovic called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to take charge of the issue, and to hold the meeting requested by veterans. He said: "I'm asking you now Prime Minister, will you honour the commitment your party made to these national heroes in Opposition? Will you sit down with these brave men and their families? Will you listen to what they have to say and will you work with them and campaigners to ensure they and their families, who have sacrificed and suffered so much for this country, finally get the justice we all know they deserve?" A spokesman for the MoD said: "We recognise the huge contribution that nuclear test veterans have made to national security. Since entering government, ministers have commissioned officials to look again at unresolved questions regarding medical records as a priority, and this is now underway. This work will be comprehensive, and it will enable us to better understand what information the department holds in relation to the medical testing of service personnel who took part in the UK nuclear weapons tests."
Metro
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Metro
Theo Walcott wishes Arsenal signed £100m star ahead of Chelsea
Chelsea have made a number of questionable signings in recent years but Theo Walcott wishes one had ended up at Arsenal. The Blues have spent over £1bn on new signings over the past three years but several have proved to be expensive flops. £89m signing Mykhailo Mudryk, for example, has scored just five league goals for the club, while £52m recruit Christopher Nkunku looks set to leave Stamford Bridge this summer. Chelsea fans were wondering if the club had made another transfer mistake during Moises Caicedo's difficult first season at the club. The Blues beat Liverpool to a £100m deal for Caicedo but the Ecuador international initially struggled to replicate the form he had shown at Brighton. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we'll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. Caicedo has produced some of his best form this season, however, emerging as one of Chelsea's most consistent players during a mixed campaign. Walcott is a 'huge fan' of Caicedo and says his only issue with the Chelsea midfielder is that he plays in the 'wrong shirt'. 'For me, Claude Makelele is one of the best midfield players in that position that's ever lived,' the Arsenal hero told the Premier League's YouTube channel. 'A bit before [N'Golo] Kante. Kante took Makelele's throne to some extent. But he [Moises Caicedo] is as close as you're going to get to the modern era of that position. He can fill the right-back position as well. 'You talk about the price tag, but it doesn't faze him. It can take a little time to adapt to a new club but he's an absolute rock. 'Sadly for me, he's in the wrong shirt! I'm a huge fan of his because he unlocks the door for people like Cole Palmer to do their thing. 'He's an extra man in that midfield, maybe two or three, that's how good he is.' Last week, Liverpool title winner Alexis Mac Allister named Caicedo as his 'toughest opponent' in the Premier League. After putting Caicedo narrowly above Arsenal's Declan Rice and Manchester City's Rodri, Mac Allister said: 'I've shared a dressing room with Moi, fantastic player, really good physically. 'The main thing I'm going to say here is physically the most hardest part against these players, I would put Caicedo first. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 'He is very complete, on and off the ball he's really, really good. Declan second, he's a top player and Rodri third. 'This doesn't mean that I don't rate Rodri, it's the complete opposite, I think he earned the Ballon d'Or for example. 'He's a fantastic player but he's not the hardest opponent because he's never on the ball, he always plays one or two touches, so you cannot even get near him. 'If you ask me who is the better player, I would say Rodri but the toughest player to play against is Moi Caicedo.' Asked if he knew his former Brighton teammate would make an impact in the Premier League, Mac Allister replied: 'Yeah, I was really surprised when he went on loan to Belgium. More Trending 'I was really surprised because I was watching him in training and I felt like he was ready to play, but at that time they thought it was a good idea to send him on loan, he wanted that because he wanted to play as well. 'But I always thought that he was going to be amazing.' Caicedo will hope to finish the season by firing Chelsea to Europa Conference League glory and helping the Blues qualify for the Champions League. Enzo Maresca's side boosted their top-five hopes with a 1-0 win over Everton on Saturday and are now preparing for a Europa Conference League semi-final against Swedish minnows Djurgardens. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Arsenal vs PSG: Latest team news, predicted lineup and injuries MORE: Alan Shearer backs five teams to challenge Liverpool for the title next season MORE: Arne Slot's Liverpool are the real deal and haven't been 'gifted' Premier League title
Daily Mirror
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Inside Netflix star Bri Balram's life from Too Hot to Handle fame to brutal split
Brianna Balram is one of the 18 Netflix stars taking part in the new competition series Battle Camp Brianna 'Bri' Balram, who previously appeared on Netflix's steamy dating show Too Hot to Handle, is now taking on a new reality TV challenge. The 27-year-old is part of the cast of Battle Camp, a contest that sees 18 Netflix stars compete for a $250,000 prize. In this new series, the TV personalities face various physical tasks which determine their survival in the competition. The last one standing takes home the entire cash prize and is crowned 'the ultimate Netflix reality competitor.' The ten-episode series, hosted by ex-American footballer Taylor Lewan, is now available for streaming. But who exactly is Bri Balram and where might you recognise her from? Too Hot to Handle stint You may recall the Atlanta model from her appearance on Too Hot to Handle Season 6, where she quickly formed a bond with Demari Davis. Despite their strong romantic connection, they found themselves embroiled in a love triangle with fellow contestant Valentina Rueda Velez, who also caught Demari's eye. Although they faced challenges on the show, the pair continued their relationship off-camera, but it has since ended, reports the Mirror US. Why did Bri and Demari split up? Bri and Demari have individually confirmed their single status on social media. Bri shared her heartbreaking Valentine's Day woes in a revealing TikTok video on February 14, disclosing: "In the month of February I cleared a fashion brand deal, received another 'coming to you as a woman DM,' buried my grandmother who was killed in my hometown." She continued, saying: "Flew out 7 hours across the country to get broken up with 5 days after her burial, which was also 2 days before Valentine's Day, and cleared my first makeup brand deal of the year with my favourite makeup YET I still live to see another day." The statement suggests that Demari, aged 28, betrayed Bri; the use of the term 'coming to you as a woman' is recognised as slang for someone outing a cheater via social media DMs. Family tragedy Amid the heartbreak, the reality star grieved the devastating loss of her grandmother Esther Celie, who met a tragic fate after being struck by a minivan in January. Confronting grief head-on, the Netflix sensation hasn't shied away from sharing her sorrow with her followers. In a touching TikTok video watched by her 284K followers, she delivered the heart-breaking news, accompanied by a poignant caption that read: "Grandma I'm so sorry you deserved better."
Daily Mail
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Leaked photos appear to show Farmer Wants A Wife couple swap as rejected contestant steps out with another man
A Farmer Wants a Wife contestant who was shown the door on Monday night appears to have found a friendship outside the show. And in a shock twist her new buddy was a farmer looking for love this season. Fishing enthusiast Ella Wagner, 22, who failed to impress Farmer Jarrad during the premiere, has now been seen out and about with 29-year-old Queensland farmer Jack 'Reidy' Reid. The banana and avocado farmer was selected as a cast member this season - but his storyline never made it to air. Photos leaked to Yahoo Lifestyle reveal that Ella and Jack have been spending some down time together. They were pictured posing in a Cairns bar ahead of Monday's premiere the publication said on Wednesday. The two images of the pair show Jack in retro shades with his arm around Ella who bares a lot of skin in a strapless blue scarf top. It also appears that the former dating show contestants follow each other on on Instagram. Daily Mail Australia have reached to Ella for comment. It comes after a potential Farmer Wants a Wife 'couple' shared an electrifying moment on Monday nights episode when they discovered that there was a chance they might be related. Farmer Jarrad was having his very first meet up with Brianna when the lady dropped that she was from Coffs Harbour on the NSW mid north coast. The 22-year-old sheep and hemp farmer from Queensland then mentioned cheerfully that he had a 'lot of family' in the well-known tourist town. Brianna, who goes by Bri seemed delighted that she might have a common social connection and asked for the family name of Jarrod's relatives. 'The Page family,' Jarrod replied and then came Bri's bombshell: 'I'm a Page!' For a moment Jarrod appeared devastated that his attractive date might be a distant cousin. And it turned out that the spelling of Bri's family name is identical to the farmer's relatives. Jarrad then revealed that he was I'm related to 'Norman Page, John Page, Roger Page' - luckily, none of those names rang a bell with Brianna. Bri laughed off the cringe worthy moment by telling Jarrad: 'That's so weird.' Still, after getting past the awkward moment the pair seemed to hit it off and they bantered about the NRL State of Origin - Bri revealed she barracked for NSW. Jarrad, meanwhile, appeared to be impressed with Bri's desire to have a family. In his on camera debrief after the meet-up a beaming Jarrod admitted: 'Yeah, I think there's chemistry [with] Bri.' The series returned to screens on Monday and is hosted by longtime presenter Natalie Gruzlewski.
Daily Mail
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Farmer Wants a Wife casting furore erupts as Jarrod discovers he may be RELATED to his love interest
A potential Farmer Wants a Wife 'couple' shared an electrifying moment on Monday nights episode when they discovered that there was a chance they might be related. Farmer Jarrod was having his very first meet up with Brianna when the lady dropped that she was from Coffs Harbour on the NSW mid north coast. The 22-year-old sheep and hemp farmer from Queensland then mentioned cheerfully that he had a 'lot of family' in the well-known tourist town. Brianna, who goes by Bri seemed delighted that she might have a common social connection and asked for the family name of Jarrod's relatives. 'The Page family,' Jarrod replied and then came Bri's bombshell: 'I'm a Page!' For a moment Jarrod appeared devastated that his attractive date might be a distant cousin. And it turned out that the spelling of Bri's family name is identical to the farmer's relatives. Jarrod then revealed that he was I'm related to 'Norman Page, John Page, Roger Page' - luckily, none of those names rang a bell with the farmer. Bri laughed off the cringe worthy moment by telling Jarrod: 'That's so weird.' Still, after getting past the awkward moment the pair seemed to hit it off and they bantered about the NRL State of Origin - Bri revealed she barracked for NSW. Jarrod, meanwhile, appeared to be impressed with Bri's desire to have a family. In his on camera debrief after the meet-up a beaming Jarrod admitted: 'Yeah, I think there's chemistry [with] Bri.' There was plenty of drama on Farmer Wants A Wife debut on Monday night's episode. No less than six women lost their chance at finding love in the country. It was a brutal round of Speed Dates that left Farmer Thomas dumping Sophie, Edwina, and Ashleen before they even really got started. Thomas failed to bond with the three beauties, who were sent home at the end of the episode. Sophie, 32, is a teacher who's done with being the 'fifth wheel' in her friendship group – she wanted her forever person. Edwina, 29, a radiographer from NSW, was drawn to Thomas' serious commitment to love and family. And then there was Ashleen, 35, a senior event manager who says it's the little things – like sharing life's special moments – that matter most. All three have been sent packing however, along with three more women rejected by Farmer Corey - Millie, Jamie, and Ellie. Aged care support worker Millie, 22, says she was instantly drawn to Corey's 'genuine soul' - but it did her no good. Likewise, 23-year-old Jamie from Victoria, a speech pathologist with a love of family and a strong work ethic, was sent packing. Ellie, 26, a Queensland educator known for her empathy and resilience, was also ditched. Farmer Corey has chosen his love interests and was left standing with Jadee, Keeley, Hunter, Rosie and Chelsea. Farmer Thomas will be looking for love with surviving beauties Clarette, Claire, Rachel, Nat and Ellen. The men then picked their final five ladies, who will now battle it out to win these country boy's hearts. The series returned to screens on Monday and is hosted by longtime presenter Natalie Gruzlewski. Natalie returned this year after being dumped by the network and replaced by former Sunrise presenter Samantha Armytage for the 2023 season.
