Labour defence review proposes a ‘Home Guard’ for UK, report claims

A new home guard will be established to protect key British infrastructure from attacks by hostile states and terrorists, under plans reportedly put forward in a major defence review.

The Sunday Times reports that thousands would be recruited to a force echoing the Local Defence Volunteers militia created in 1940 as Britain’s “last line of defence” during the Second World War, nicknamed “Dad’s Army”.

The new force drawn from the civilian population would be sent to guard sites such as airports, power plants and coastal hubs where undersea internet cables join the shoreline, according to outlet.

The plans are reportedly included in the forthcoming Strategic Defence Review, commissioned last July, that is being overseen by defence secretary John Healey and led by former Nato chief Lord Robertson and retired general Sir Richard Barrons.

Both of the latter two figures are reported to believe that the strategy, referred to internally as “hedgehog Britain”, is vital in order to bolster defences at sites they fear to be vulnerable to attack at a time of increasing uncertainty – although military chiefs say the country is not at risk of an imminent invasion.

Last year, Mr Healey confirmed that the size of the British army had fallen below 70,000 for the first time since 1793. The Independent revealed in March that Labour planned to invest £1.3bn into recruitment to bolster the armed forces.

In its report, The Sunday Times cited senior sources as pointing to the recent fire at an electrical substation which shut down Heathrow airport in March as evidence that greater security is required.

The “root and branch” review will reportedly warn that the UK’s armed forces lack sufficient personnel and resources to meet the scale of threat, and will also recommend that Sir Keir Starmer’s government invest in a shield system to protect the UK against missile attacks.

Asked about the report, a Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “We will not be drawn into commenting on claims regarding the Strategic Defence Review ahead of publication.

“The UK’s Strategic Defence Review sets out a path for the next decade to transform the armed forces to ensure we’re prepared for emerging threats – making Britain secure at home and strong abroad while transforming defence to drive innovation and economic growth as part of our Plan for Change.

“We have also announced the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War, boosting funding to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027, an increase of £13.4bn in cash terms, with an ambition to reach 3 per cent in the next parliament.”

‘I slept in my car just to attend classes’: Inside the financial hardship faced by student nurses

Student nurses are being forced to sleep in their cars and go to food banks due to a lack of financial support, the government has been told.

Financial hardship is forcing nurses into “devastating” situations while studying and as graduates, as they also struggle to get jobs after university, according to the Royal College of Nursing (RCN).

The nurses’ union said the situation was “disgusting” and has written to health secretary Wes Streeting and education secretary Bridget Phillipson, calling for better financial support for student nurses.

RCN general secretary and chief executive Professor Nicola Ranger said: “Your nurse education should be about fulfilling your potential, but instead many of our students are saddled with debt, whilst poor financial support drives them into poverty. To make matters worse, more and more say they are unable to secure a job when they qualify and at a time when there are widespread vacancies. It’s disgusting and a tragedy for patients.”

One nurse in the West Midlands, Jess Dodds, 29, revealed she was homeless during her first year of university and had to sleep in her car for a week just to attend classes.

She told The Independent: “It was the lowest point in my life, I was away from home from, my parents, trying to make something of myself, yet I felt that I had nothing and I did not want to worry any of my family members back up north of my situation, I pretended everything was fine.

“I was embarrassed and ashamed that I had nowhere to go and call my own. After university, I would find somewhere cheap to eat or sometimes have nothing at all, then find somewhere to park and sleep for the night, whether that was in the university car park or a nearby industrial estate.”

She added: “I would not sleep much because of fear someone would see me or call the police. Before university, I would freshen up at a local gym or at the university toilets, ready to start my day and repeat for some time until I found permanent accommodation.”

Ms Dodds said that as a result of her financial position, her studies were impacted, because if she couldn’t connect to wifi, she would have to catch up before class.

Reforms to the nursing bursary by the government in 2017 saw the removal of maintenance grants for student nurses to support living costs, worth at least £1,000 a year. The total value of the bursaries, no longer in existence, was up to £16,454 a year.

In January 2024, the number of applicants to UK nursing degrees dropped to 31,100, from 45,090 in January 2017.

“If the bursary had not been cut, it would have allowed me to have more money available so I could have rented somewhere quicker rather than having to wait a while to save up the bond and deposit money. I felt let down by the system, especially with the type of profession I am studying for. I can only hope that no other student has to experience homelessness and lack of security,” Ms Dodds added.

The situation for some is forcing students to use food banks and lecturers having to offer to buy them food, according to the RCN.

Annette Davies, a nurse and university lecturer, said: “I can’t believe I’m sending students lists of food banks where they can get food. I shouldn’t be doing that, that’s not right.

“I have a colleague who, the other week, bought one of the students sandwiches. She had no food. She’s got a 14-year-old son at home. We gave her money out of our pockets. We shouldn’t be doing that, but what else were we to do?”

The warning comes a year after health secretary Wes Streeting settled a pay dispute with nurses. However, warnings have come that the government could see new strikes over pay this year.

According to the RCN, applications to nursing courses in 2021 have “collapsed” by 35 per cent, while a survey from the union last year revealed seven in 10 students were considering quitting due to financial difficulties.

Meanwhile, the RCN has warned that nurses have reported difficulties finding jobs after graduation as the NHS seeks to cut down on its agency staff.

A government spokesperson said: “These reports are shocking and deeply saddening. They are a shameful marker of the broken NHS we inherited and our overworked, undervalued and demoralised workforce.

“We hugely value our student nurses, and we are supporting them with a grant of £5,000 per academic year, on top of maintenance and tuition fee loans.

“Through our Plan for Change, we are rebuilding our NHS for the benefit of patients and staff, and ensuring nursing remains an attractive career choice.”

NHS services for children and cancer patients axed to save money

NHS leaders are being forced to consider cutting hospital beds, closing hospitals, and even reducing services for children and cancer patients, a new study has claimed.

In a bid to meet savings targets from the government and reduce its £6.6 billion deficit, hospital leaders are now cutting or rationing patient care, according to think tank the King’s Fund.

A new study, published on Sunday, reveals NHS leaders said they have been forced to cut services thought of as not essential including hospital beds, community paediatric services, community phlebotomy, mental health support for cancer patients.

Hospital leaders also claimed they may have to consolidate hospital beds for services such as stroke or critical care beds.

The cuts come in a bid to meet government savings demands, called “eyewatering” by NHS leaders, to reduce the £6.6 billion deficit facing the NHS.

The government has been warned it could be repeating the mistakes made under a previous Labour government that led to the Mid Staffordshire scandal, in which between 400 and 1,200 patients, from January 2005 to March 2009, were estimated to have died as a result of poor care, by the Mid Staffordshire Hospitals trust.

A public inquiry into the scandal, led by Sir Robert Francis, revealed in 2013 that the failures were in part a consequence of the trust’s focus on achieving financial balance.

The King’s Fund report comes after hospital waiting lists in England rose for the first time in seven months to 7.42 treatments, 6.25 million patients, at the end of March. This is up from 7.40 million treatments and 6.24 million patients at the end of February.

Meanwhile, waiting lists for community services in England jumped from 1,077,514 in April 2024 to 1,090,356.

For community paediatric services, a service being cut by leaders according to the King’s Fund, waiting lists have risen from 125,603 in March 2024 to 171,092 children waiting for community paediatric services.

The King’s Fund report said: “Leaders also gave examples of non-core services they are reducing or cutting completely, such as community phlebotomy or community paediatrics, to maintain patient safety and focus on services that most impact clinical outcomes, often emergency or specialist treatments.

“An example of a non-core service, now seen as a ‘nice to have’, was clinical psychiatry to support people with cancer – a service that is key to patient experience but not considered core to clinical treatment.”

Responding to the report, Royal College of Nursing general secretary and chief executive Professor Nicola Ranger said: “It’s an appalling state of affairs when trust leaders talk about cutting frontline roles and closing beds to make savings. Nursing staff already face an almost impossible job as they try to keep patients safe amidst a workforce crisis and rising demand. The prospect of this situation worsening will fill every nursing professional with dread.

“This problem starts with the government, and ministers must stop putting arbitrary financial targets ahead of patient safety. That’s what happened at Mid Staffs, and I fear they could be set to repeat the mistakes of the past.

“This report shows there is no hope of delivering the government’s reforms whilst the NHS is simultaneously being asked to cut staff and services.”

As part of the drive, hospital leaders also told the think tank that services which are now being delivered by private providers at a cheaper rate than the NHS, could be cut altogether if the suppliers go bust or if the NHS cannot take these services back on.

“You cut fat, muscle, bone, and I think we’re at the bone point for most services and clinicians,” one leader told the think tank.

The report said hospital leaders are having to consider cutting hospital beds, or closing services, despite the UK having lower bed numbers compared to other high-income countries.

Earlier this month a survey of NHS trust leaders by NHS Providers revealed chiefs have already begun cutting frontline clinical posts in a bid to save money.

According to the King’s Fund in order to limit staffing costs providers are freezing recruitment of new staff, reducing overtime payments, and limiting their use of bank and agency staff.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “This government invested an extra £26 billion through the Autumn Budget to fix the broken health and care system we inherited and make it fit for the future.”

“Through our Plan for Change, we are determined to tackle inefficiencies and drive-up productivity in the NHS.

“Investment must go hand in hand with reform, and the Secretary of State has told the NHS to go back to basics – halving the number of national targets and giving local leaders a clear direction to focus on the things that matter to patients.”

Warning to sellers as house asking prices hit record high

Asking prices for homes in Britain have reached a record high for the second consecutive month, with sellers seeking nearly £380,000 on average in May, according to property website Rightmove.

The average asking price for a newly listed home rose by £2,335, or 0.6 per cent, in May, pushing the typical price tag to a new peak of £379,517.

This follows another record high set in April, continuing a five-year trend of escalating asking prices during the month of May.

However, Rightmove notes that the pace of price growth has moderated compared to the surge witnessed earlier in the year, likely influenced by the conclusion of the stamp duty holiday.

After a busier-than-usual March, new buyer demand slowed in April to 4 per cent below the same month in 2024.

Stamp duty discounts became less generous for some home buyers from April.

However, demand in the year to date is still ahead of last year, and there are early signs of a bounceback in May, Rightmove said.

It suggested that some new buyers may have been holding out for May’s Bank of England base rate decision.

The volume of sales being agreed in the past month is 5 per cent higher than at this time last year, indicating that buyers are being tempted by a widened choice, the website added.

The number of new properties coming onto the market for sale is ahead of this time last year.

Mortgage rates will be crucial in determining the level of buyer activity for the rest of the year, Rightmove said.

Mortgage rates have been trickling downwards, and there is hope that the recent Bank of England base rate cut may spur on further reductions from lenders, the website added.

Colleen Babcock, a property expert at Rightmove, said: “Despite April’s dip in new buyer demand, there are early signs of a bounceback in May.

“Mortgage interest rates are lower than they were at this time last year, and the recent (Bank of England base rate) cut also gives us some optimism for further mortgage rate drops that will enable more to buy.

“While we’re not expecting drastic reductions, any lowering of rates will be a boost to buyer sentiment and affordability.

“With a high number of sellers and a small dip in buyer demand, it’s worth reminding people out there thinking of coming to market that they need to work hard to attract buyer attention.”

David Gardner, managing director at DDM Residential in Lincolnshire, said: “We’re seeing strong agreed sales across northern Lincolnshire, currently tracking notably higher than May 2024.

“This uptick is driven by improved stock availability and more favourable mortgage rates. However, the market remains competitive.”

Polly Ogden Duffy, managing director at property firm John D Wood & Co, said: “In London, some discretionary sellers and buyers are pausing as the impact of political and economic headwinds take time to settle.”

She added: “Pricing strategy is critical right now. With an increased supply of homes for sale buyers can be more selective, and overpricing – unless your property is truly exceptional – is a fast track to stagnation.”

Andrew Groocock, chief operating officer of the estate agency business at Knight Frank, said: “Buyers are able to take their time at the moment because they have so much to choose from.

“That sort of competition means sellers need to get the asking price right when the property is first launched.

“Even after a reduction, the risk is that a property has already become stale in the minds of buyers, which means it can then take longer to sell or the chances of it falling through are higher.”

I’m an adult child of divorce – and we’re not talked about enough

The day my parents officially announced they were divorcing, I was newly 30. It was, if I’m completely honest, a relief. They had already been separated for about two years by this point, a long, acrimonious process that grew even more caustic after my mother moved out of our family home. Before the ink dried on their divorce papers, I cried.

Things were different for Ellie Coverdale, whose parents’ divorce shook her world when she turned 23. Now 36, Coverdale can still recall the precise moment she was told. “It was over a video call,” she says. “I was in my flat, I was working late. It felt surreal, like the ground shifted under me. I remember I was completely quiet, I didn’t know what to say. It took some time to accept it as a fact.”

Our experiences may differ, but the thing we have in common is that we were both fully fledged adults when our parents split up. It’s an aspect of divorce that is often overlooked – after all, adult children will have already flown the nest, may be settling down into their own relationships and careers, and may even have children of their own. But there is a growing number of us due to the increase in “silver splitters”, a term coined to describe couples divorcing in later life.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that divorces among people aged 65 and over have been steadily increasing for the past two decades. In 2021, one in four divorces took place after the age of 50. Some of the reasons behind “silver splits” are cause for celebration. For example, it’s undoubtedly a positive development that more women are becoming financially independent enough to leave an unhappy marriage – a far cry from the days when women had little choice but to stick things out in misery. Divorce has also become much more of a societal norm and, with the introduction of no-fault divorce in the UK in 2022, the path to less contentious separations has also been made clear.

But while there are plenty of resources for families of young children and teenagers navigating the choppy waters of divorce, adult children are usually left to their own devices. “There is an expectation that adult children will just get over it if their parents get divorced,” says Kate Daly, a specialist in all things divorce. “But it’s just not true – the impact on adult children is just as big as it would’ve been had they been kids when their parents made this decision.”

Daly, who co-founded separation service Amicable, explains that some things stay the same no matter how old children are when their parents split, such as how to navigate birthdays, holidays, weddings and other life events after the fact. Parents with younger children also feel more of a need to shelter them from the more contentious aspects of divorce, whereas those with adult children feel like they should be able to handle the darker side of things.

The emotional aftermath of my parents’ divorce left me reeling. One moment I was re-evaluating every relationship I’d ever had, wondering if my own marriage was doomed. The next moment I was trying to push my feelings aside to focus on my work and setting goals for my future. My younger sister found the news especially difficult. I imagined myself as her buoy, keeping her afloat among the crashing waves of turmoil. The storm went on, and on, and on. It is only now, nearly three years later, that I feel like I’m on the other side of it, and I can’t help but wonder how other adult children cope with it.

Coverdale says her parents’ divorce brought up a lot of questions about her childhood, despite sensing “constant tension” between them as she was growing up. “They weren’t openly unhappy,” she says, but recalls “lots of silence, small arguments, misunderstandings – like if they were not on the same page. It felt like they were more like roommates than a couple.”

“We hear from a lot of people who question their entire childhood when their parents announce a divorce,” Daly says. “Some even start to question their own relationships, because they’re not sure what a happy relationship looks like anymore. If there are grandchildren involved, more questions arise: how do you tell them that Grandpa and Grandma aren’t living together anymore? What about inviting them to birthday parties and Christmas if they don’t want to see each other? Are they getting enough time with the children individually? Is it fair?”

My childhood until the age of 10 was, for the most part, a happy one. But after that, the cracks in my parents’ marriage began to reveal themselves. They tried to plaster them over with religion, becoming active members of a local evangelical church, but the cracks grew into chasms that not even a divine miracle could heal. But instead of conceding that the relationship was over, my parents stubbornly stayed together, believing that it would be better for me and my siblings if they held out.

The idea of “staying together for the kids” has long been the source of unhappy, yet enduring marriages. But therapist Mandy Saligari says this approach can cause more harm than good. The unspoken agreement here is this: if parents are to sacrifice their happiness so their kids have a good childhood, their children had better be worth it – which is a wholly unfair position to put them in.

“Staying together for the benefit of the children means that parents put their happiness on hold because they ‘want their children to be happy’, which is a tremendous pressure to place on your children if you’re not modelling that behaviour yourself,” she explains.

One of the reasons some parents stay together when they don’t want to is the belief that the traditional nuclear family unit is their best chance at – to put it bluntly – not messing up their children. But Saligari says that children pick up way more than most parents think they do, even learning attachment styles between the ages of nought to six that will go on to shape their own future relationships.

“If Mum and Dad are pretending to be happy through gritted teeth and they go, ‘No, nothing to see here’, their child is taught to distrust their instincts because they feel something is wrong but are told everything’s fine,” explains Saligari. “This means that when they go on to form relationships, they’re likely to have an anxious attachment or anxious-avoidant style because they will not trust their gut instinct. ‘I like this bloke, we seem to be happy – but are we?’”

Thankfully, modern developments in the divorce process, as well as more access to support for families, means that parents have less reason to stay in a relationship for the sake of the kids. My parents, and other silver splitters, were part of a generation that saw divorce as a great failure and felt pressure to make things work even when they were desperately unhappy. At the end of the day, everyone suffered. I can’t help but look at friends whose parents split up when they were between the ages of 13 and 15, and wishing mine had done the same. While there is no “good” time for parents to divorce, there are ways to ensure it does the least amount of harm possible to all involved, says Saligari.

“How a divorce is handled is what damages children, not the divorce itself,” she explains. “So if parents get involved in blame and ask children to take sides, that’s when the divorce becomes toxic. If your children are genuinely your priority, then put your ego aside and listen to one another, and try, as adults, to come to some kind of decision. Either work through whatever’s going on, with or without help, or come to a peaceful decision that the relationship is over.

“Children, no matter how old they are, just need clarity. They need to know that Mum and Dad are as happy as can be, given that ‘happy’ is a relative term. Then they’re able to take that responsibility for themselves and make up their own mind about their parents.”

I often wonder what my life would have looked like had my parents called it quits when I was younger. I’m not alone, either.

“Sometimes I wish they had done it earlier,” Coverdale tells me, with a sigh. “Maybe we all could have been happier sooner.”

Celebration villa breaks: find your perfect luxury getaway

If you’re planning a milestone birthday, a big anniversary, or a long-awaited reunion, a villa holiday is hard to beat. Imagine clinking glasses on a rooftop terrace at sunset or gathering loved ones around a candlelit garden table for a leisurely dinner under the night sky.

These special occasions deserve much more than booking out a busy hotel, and nothing beats having your own sun-drenched sanctuary where you have the space and privacy to celebrate in style. Whether you’re heading to Marrakech in the shadow of the Atlas Mountains, to the rolling hills of Tuscany, or a tropical oasis further afield, Villas are the perfect home-away-from-home for celebrating something, or someone, special.

CV Villas’ luxurious ABOVE collection offers the perfect backdrop for unforgettable moments – think breathtaking settings, total privacy, and the kind of comfort and space that makes everyone feel at home. All come with stunning interiors, sweeping views as far as the eye can see, and enviable locations in some of the world’s most sought-after spots. Each villa is hand-picked by dedicated CV Villa specialists, who are experts in helping people craft their dream getaway. Many come with their own infinity pools, breathtaking views and large alfresco dining areas, perfect for spending quality time together during life’s most important moments. Villas aren’t just places to stay, they’re a big part of the celebration itself.

From the moment you book your stay to your arrival back home, the CV Villas Concierge team is there to make everything as seamless and stress-free as possible. They are dedicated to looking after you and your party before and throughout your holiday so that you can focus on the things that really matter, like spending quality time together and celebrating without having to worry about the minor details. The team tailors each trip to exactly what you’re after, whether you’re looking to book a private boat day or need to organise a surprise celebration dinner, nothing is too much trouble. Many of the five-star villas even come with their own butlers and chefs so that you can be waited on hand and foot during your special getaway.

ABOVE villas are the epitome of luxury and come with designer interiors, infinity pools boasting panoramic ocean views, and terraces made for golden hour cocktails  – properties with serious star quality. What’s more, they’re located all around the world, from the sun-soaked shores of Spain and Greece to the palm-fringed beaches of far-flung Sri Lanka and beyond.

Sampling delicious local food is a big part of a holiday, but catering for a large group can often mean juggling different requests and palates. Luckily for you, many of these luxury villas come with their very own in-villa chefs – perfect for when you’d rather toast the moment with a glass of fizz than spend time flapping around in the kitchen. Instead, let your chef whip up multi-course meals morning till night, using the freshest local produce, all based on your personal tastes and dietary requirements, before tucking into it alfresco under the undisturbed starry night sky.

The little luxuries make a big difference to a bucket-list trip: daily housekeeping to keep things spic and span, spa treatments for when you need a little R&R, wine tastings for the adults, yoga sessions with epic views, and even round-the-clock babysitting. All of this can be arranged to make your stay feel even more indulgent.

Maison Emilion, France

This rustic French villa is practically made for wine lovers, aptly located amidst the rolling vineyards of Bordeaux. This six-bedroom hilltop hangout boasts views of the working vineyards from every angle, including from the heated pool and surrounding sunbeds. Wander into the nearby village of Saint-Émilion, then enjoy the included wine-tasting experience before settling into the garden for dinner with nothing but the glow of flickering candlelight and the moonlit sky.

Oleander, Corfu

It doesn’t get much more luxurious than Oleander in Corfu, a five-bedroom villa overlooking Avlaki Bay and the picturesque town of Kassiopi. It’s located high above the Ionian Sea and is the ideal villa for memorable summer celebrations. Soak up the sunshine from the infinity pool while enjoying views of Albania’s craggy Ceraunian Mountains, or hang out on the wrap-around terraces and communal outside dining areas. During peak season at Oleander, chef service is also included, so you can enjoy meals with your loved ones without even having to leave the villa.

Spirit of Son Fuster, Mallorca

Spirit of Son Fuster in Mallorca is hard to beat for large groups and multigenerational stays. This five-star bolthole is set in a stunning natural landscape at the foot of the Alaro twin mountains, right near the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Serra de Tramuntana, and is as secluded as it gets. This gorgeous ​​14th-century manor house sleeps twenty people across ten bedrooms and even has its own on-site spa and hammam where everyone can enjoy treatments in the dedicated treatment rooms. There’s even a private cinema room for movie nights and a well-stocked wine cellar filled with local vintage wines.

Masseria Giardini, Puglia

Masseria Giardini in Puglia is the height of luxury and the perfect home-away-from-home for families and large groups. It was built in 1750 and is surrounded by leafy olive groves and landscaped gardens curated by Chelsea Flower Show winners Urquhart & Hunt. Enjoy unparalleled views of the Canale Di Pirro Valley from this ten-bedroom farmhouse and spend days lazing around in the heated pool. This villa is an architectural masterpiece, with signature stone domed roofs and hand-carved stone baths in five of the ten bedrooms.

For more travel information and inspiration and to book your perfect villa getaway, visit CV Villas

The gifts that dads really want to receive for Father’s Day

Fathers have revealed what they would like to receive this Father’s Day – and it’s not the gift that they typically get.

This year, Father’s Day falls on 15 June.

Fathers surveyed by OnePoll in May about their preferred gift said they most want to receive a day out, followed by tech and a meal.

However, the survey, of 2,000 people who are in touch with their father or stepfather, revealed a mismatch between preferred gifts and actual gifts.

Across all age groups surveyed, the most common gift that people expect to buy for Father’s Day is alcohol.

That is followed by food and a meal out.

The survey also revealed that on average, people shopping for Father’s Day expect to spend £54.06 on gifts and a card.

That is slightly higher than the average spend of £44.80 for Mother’s Day, which fell on 15 March.

People aged 25 to 34 spend the most on Father’s Day, the research showed. They typically spend £78.24 on their dads.

Father’s Day is a recognised public and national holiday in some places, such as Lithuania, Estonia, Samoa, some parts of Spain, and South Korea, where it is celebrated as Parents’ Day.

It began in the United States in the early 20th century as a result of the success of Mother’s Day.

Sarah-Jane Outten, a money saving expert at MyVoucherCodes, said the OnePoll research indicates that many people are “going the extra mile to treat their dads”.

Here are some tips from Ms Outten for saving money on Father’s Day gifts:

Start shopping early to give yourself time to find the best deals.

A homemade meal, baked goods, or a hand-crafted gift can be more thoughtful – and more affordable – than store-bought options.

Consider clubbing together with siblings or family members to buy one bigger, more meaningful gift.

With a day out being the gift that fathers surveyed most commonly want, consider looking out for offers on experience days, local attractions, or events.

How your political leanings can impact your success on dating apps

New research suggests that your political leanings could significantly impact your chances of finding love online.

A joint study by the University of Southampton and Harvard University has revealed a distinct political divide in the world of online dating.

The analysis found that not only are voters unlikely to “swipe right” on a profile from the opposite end of the political spectrum, but Reform and Conservative voters generally have less success on dating apps than their Labour, Green, and Lib Dem counterparts.

While the study showed a clear aversion to cross-party matches, researchers noted that those identifying as centre-right were more inclined to choose profiles further to their political right, rather than those with centre-left views.

Researchers hypothesise that the relative success of left-leaning daters may be due to the demographics of dating app users.

The study suggests that because dating apps tend to attract a younger demographic, who are often more socially liberal, this could account for the disparity in match rates.

However, Reform voters enjoy more success on dating apps than Conservative voters, the researchers found.

Dr Stuart Turnbull-Dugarte, lead author of the study, from the University of Southampton, said the results were another example of the political polarisation of society.

He said: “Voters from the two main parties are very unlikely to want to date someone from the other party.

“Conservative voters were much happier to match with a Reform UK voter than someone who voted Labour.

“This isn’t about falling in love with the radical right, it’s about Conservative voters being more comfortable dating someone they disagree with on some things than dating someone from the opposite ideological camp altogether.

“That’s a striking illustration of just how polarised our societies have become.”

The study, published in the Journal of Politics, asked 2,000 people in Britain and Spain aged between 18 and 40 – the demographic which makes up 85 per cent of Tinder users – to look at 20,000 fictitious dating profiles on an online app.

The profiles were AI-generated variations of attractive men and women’s faces and their bios contained information including their occupation, hobbies, interests, and schooling. Some included an indication of who they voted for.

Dr Alberto Lopez Ortega, a co-author on the paper from Harvard University, said: “While Reform voters had a below average favourability on dating apps, they are four points more likely to enjoy success on the dating market than Conservative supporters.

“This suggests that dating a Reform UK voter is not ‘beyond the pale’ and support for the radical right has become more normalised.

“That said, we found expressing support for either party is likely to be a ‘red flag’ for more left-wing dating app users.”