Starmer vows not to ‘massage the figures’ and shut all migrant hotels

Keir Starmer has insisted that the Home Office will not be buying up hotels and changing their use to “accommodation centres” in a bid to ensure he keeps his pledge to end the use of asylum hotels by 2029.

Speaking to journalists accompanying him to the G7 in Canada, Sir Keir insisted that there would be no attempt to “massage the figures” on the pledge to stop using taxpayer-funded hotels to house asylum seekers.

The issue was raised after the promise to stop paying for hotels was made in the spending review by chancellor Rachel Reeves.

It comes as the prime minister held talks with his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni to discuss imposing sanctions on people smugglers.

Despite increasing numbers of asylum seekers making the dangerous journey across the Channel in small boats, the move to ban migrant hotels is expected to save at least £1bn, according to Treasury estimates.

Sir Keir said: “On the question of hotels, what I want to do is to reduce the number of hotels and get rid of the use of hotels.

“I’m absolutely clear why we’re in this problem – it’s because the last government didn’t process the claims. So it left people in limbo where they couldn’t be removed because they hadn’t been processed, so they couldn’t leave the country or be removed from the country. There were tens of thousands of people in a pool that was ever-expanding.

“That’s not good – certainly not good for the taxpayer – and I intend to change that. And that’s why we’re working so hard on processing the claims as quickly as we can. Because when you process the claims you can then remove people who shouldn’t be here hence the 30,000 that have been removed which is the highest number for the best part of a decade now. That’s the way to drive this down.”

He went on: “We are determined to get those hotels shut, and properly shut, and not massaging the figures. I’m not interested in that. Shutting the hotels is what I’m absolutely focused on.”

The prime minister also revealed that he planned an unofficial mini-summit at the G7 with French president Emmanuel Macron, German chancellor Friedrich Mertz and Ms Meloni over the continued issue of illegal migration across Europe.

A readout from his Sunday evening meeting with Ms Meloni noted: “They had a lengthy discussion on migration, confirming that they would continue working together on innovative solutions to break the criminal model of irregular migration.

“The Prime Minister raised the UK’s world-leading work on people smuggling sanctions, adding that he looked forward to working with other European countries on this approach.”

On the flight over he insisted that he was not frustrated with the French over their failure to prevent thousands of migrants from getting into small boats to cross the Channel.

This comes despite anger expressed on the issue by defence secretary John Healey over French inaction despite the UK paying £400m to France to help tackle the problem.

Sir Keir said: “One of the things we’ve worked hard at is improving the relations with the French in relation to the work we both need to do to stop these boat crossings, which I’m determined we will absolutely bear down on. Nobody should be making that journey.

“As a result of that we are seeing a much greater cooperation in northern France – I want to see more cooperation in northern France, and it’s an issue that I have raised and will raise again with President Macron. We have good relations between the Home Secretary and the Interior Minister now that we’re working on jointly.

“It’s one of the issues I’ll be discussing – not just with Macron, actually, but discussing it with Georgia Meloni, Freidrich Merz, and others.”

Will Smith’s seedy new single ‘Pretty Girls’ seems like a cry for help

I like pretty girls,” raps 56-year-old Romeo Will Smith in his pungent new single, “Pretty Girls”. The song, released last week, represents the latest step in the Men in Black star’s ill-fated return to music after an absence of nearly two decades. In it, Smith raps bluntly about his omnivorous lust for the opposite sex. In the equally dismal music video, he can be seen blissfully dancing with – or simply ogling – an assortment of women, some decades younger than him.

It’s a video that calls to mind Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke’s infamous smash hit “Blurred Lines” – now more than 12 years old – not only in its seedy vibe, but the look of it: dancing women before a plain, white, void-like background. Some moments in the video see Smith reduced to a tiny size, while beautiful women tower over him a little fetishistically. (Call it “Honey, I Shrunk the Lothario”.) Lyrically, it’s just as off-putting, and witless to boot: “Vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, lemon/ Alright, f*** it, I like women,” he raps.

The music video has already drawn the scorn of plenty online, with some people branding Smith’s single “creepy” and indicative of a “midlife crisis”. Really, though, it’s hard to feel anything other than sorry for Smith, who looks to have, in an inadvertent way, laid his struggles with his own masculinity bare for the world to see. “Pretty Girls” feels not so much a single as a cry for help.

To give credit where credit is due, Smith’s entry into the unabashedly leery canon of straight pride anthems is at least somewhat tongue in cheek (that is, when his tongue isn’t dangling out of his mouth like the lascivious wolf in a Tex Avery cartoon). “I ain’t talkin’ ‘bout just the pretty you see/ Uh, but the pretty you be,” he raps, in a kind of vague concession towards the rudiments of romantic depth.

The video is framed with a scene in which Smith (playing, presumably, himself) visits a therapist to open up about the “problem” he’s had “ever since he was a little boy”. (The problem is, we find out, that he likes “pretty girls”.) But there’s an element of self-puncturing mockery to it. There’s something deliberately emasculating, too, about the image of a pint-sized Smith clambering around the giant women, and his woefully un-chic dance moves.

It’s jarring, perhaps, because Smith built his career on a sort of turbocharged charm: in something like Hitch, he seems like he’d be able to chat up a post box. In the video for “Pretty Girls”, he seems not just ambiently lecherous but actively uncool – and the extent to which this is a deliberate choice is never entirely clear.

The song is informed, too, by Smith’s recent history, including the exhaustively discussed incident at the 2022 Academy Awards, in which he walked on stage and slapped host Chris Rock in retaliation for a joke about his wife, the actor Jada Pinkett Smith. The slap can easily be read as an outward manifestation of Smith’s troubled relationship with his own masculinity, and it’s probably not for nothing that the scandal followed years of potentially embarrassing headlines regarding his marriage, and his wife’s romantic entanglement with another man (rapper August Alsina) during a period of “amicable separation”.

In the years since the slap, Smith has spoken often about a newfound introspection. He described his recent album, Based on a True Story, as the result of his “self-examination”. It is “the most full musical offering that I’ve ever created,” he told AP. “I’ve come to some really beautiful answers for myself.” Critics didn’t see it that way: Pitchfork described the album as “excruciatingly corny, a cringe ringer of therapy platitudes, youth-pastor smarm, and showtune production that reeks of Hamilton”, while The Independent’s Tara Joshi decried the “vague, hackneyed platitudes” and “half-baked, corny lines”. But it’s still confounding that Smith’s ambitions should fail him so drastically, that he would pivot so quickly to something as seemingly facile and sexually regressive as “Pretty Girls”.

Ultimately, I suppose, none of this would matter if Smith’s track was any good: the whole thing feels a lot seamier for the fact that the music itself is as crude and outdated as the message. For the erstwhile Prince of Bel-Air, the shtick couldn’t be less fresh.

‘Pretty Girls’ is available to stream now

Influencers say tap water is bad – here’s what the experts think

Concerns about the safety and purity of UK tap water are no longer confined to the comment sections of influencers with conspiratorial or fringe ideas. An increasing number of British consumers are now filtering their water, worried that it might be unsafe to drink.

Investigations by The Guardian, Watershed Investigations, and the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) have revealed the presence of potentially harmful substances – specifically PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as “forever chemicals”) – in drinking water sources used by 17 out of 18 English water companies. The findings have raised significant questions about long-term exposure to such contaminants and prompted renewed scrutiny of the UK’s water infrastructure.

From countertop filtration systems and under-sink reverse osmosis units to purifying showerheads and portable bottles, there are now several ways to filter your tap water at home. Some of these solutions are expensive – costing more than £2000 – but they claim to transform potentially harmful water into safe, drinkable, even health-boosting H2O.

But is the concern around our tap water justified, and do these domestic filtration products offer any meaningful protection?

I grew up in an old house, with my mum telling me never to drink from the hot tap in case there was a dead pigeon in the tank in the loft, or in case the hot water dislodged some slime in the Victorian pipes. We had a filter installed, and I assumed all people had these concerns around tap water – I was met with blank stares when I warned the room about the pigeon risk at a sleepover when I was 14.

I love to drink water, but I’ve always been sensitive to its flavour – the mineral content, the provenance; as a health writer, these things interest me. For years, I used a Brita filter, but after reading a study about microplastics found in UK tap water – despite claims that treatment facilities are able to remove more than 99 per cent – I switched to some heavier-duty technology: the Skuma countertop water filter. The Skuma uses three-stage reverse osmosis to remove microplastics, chemicals, and heavy metals, and then infuses the water with the helpful, health-giving minerals it stripped out.

I’m not so obsessive that I would start arguing with my dentist if handed a cup of tap water to rinse with, like I have seen some American wellness influencers do on Instagram. I wouldn’t turn down a drink if it had been made with tap water, but I am more mindful about what I’m drinking when I can help it.

Though the UK maintains some of the highest regulatory standards for drinking water globally, a growing body of research points to the presence of emerging contaminants – including microplastics, industrial chemicals, heavy metals, and pharmaceutical residues – in our water supply. Many of these substances are still not yet regulated under UK or EU law, despite growing evidence of potential links to hormonal disruption, developmental issues, liver toxicity, and certain cancers.

“I was really focused on microplastics, PFAS, and other substances that weren’t being widely reported on,” says Charles Robinson, founder of water filtration company Water2. “I remember asking scientists at UCL whether, if they were in charge, they would allow this – and the answer was a clear ‘no’.”

Robinson funded independent research through labs in Italy and the UK to develop a filtration system capable of removing contaminants at the sub-micron level. His first-generation filter launched in 2023 and was subsequently backed by survivalist and TV personality Bear Grylls.

“A standard filter jug may filter particles down to around 200 microns,” Robinson explains. “A human hair is about 70 microns for comparison. Our filters work down to 0.1 microns, capturing most microplastics, which typically range from 1 to 10 microns.”

A team of research scientists behind The Water Professor – an organisation offering laboratory water testing kits for home use – explain: “Smaller particle size may be important for the blood-brain defences against microplastics. In the study on the cognitive decline of mice contaminated with microplastics, the particle sizes were between 0.1 and 2 microns.

“The current understanding of toxicity associated with microplastics suggests that size does matter; smaller microplastics will find it easier to pass through tissue layers and could be absorbed through the stomach and lungs, entering deep into the body.”

They also point to early studies suggesting that particles below 25 microns can pass through biological barriers and accumulate in organs, causing adverse effects. Larger particle sizes are less likely to have toxic effects since they are unable to pass through biological membranes.

Logic then follows that high-tech filters able to sift out smaller microplastics will be better for you than something like a filter jug. The Water Professor’s research also suggests that bottled water, on average, contains a higher concentration of smaller microplastics and could be worse for humans than previously thought, which is why opting for glass or metal bottles might also be the healthier choice.

However, filtration is not without trade-offs. It might sound like a perfect solution, but some high-powered systems, such as reverse osmosis units, can also strip water of essential minerals like magnesium and calcium. These nutrients are linked to bone health, cardiovascular function, and even skin health, so their presence in water is important.

“It would be easy to assume that pure H2O is the gold standard,” says Robinson. “But distilled or over-filtered water can actually be less beneficial if it lacks mineral content. The challenge is reducing harmful contaminants while preserving key elements.”

Many people choose to add electrolytes to filtered water to ensure at least one glass contains a recommended daily allowance of vitamins and minerals. It’s a smart workaround – and one that I personally employ every morning. However, there are concerns around these kinds of products too. Nutritionists frequently warn of the dangers of taking too many supplements and overloading the body, so be mindful of whether you actually need electrolytes and how much of a product you’re using.

Public health authorities continue to assert that UK mains water is safe to drink. But as Robinson and The Water Professor point out, “safe” does not necessarily mean optimal, particularly given the pace at which chemical pollutants, synthetic compounds, and microplastics are entering the global water cycle.

The Water Professor researchers explain that the most common plastic materials contributing to micro- and nanoplastics in water are polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene (PE), along with toxic chemicals such as per-and poly fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS ) and BPA. PFAS are commonly associated with non-stick cookware, as well as cosmetics, food packaging and outdoor clothing.

These chemicals are also known as “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down easily and can build up in the environment, leading to potential risks for both wildlife and humans.

Last year, researchers at Birmingham University found that the combined effects of PFAS with microplastics led to greater harm. After studying their effects on water fleas, they noted delays in sexual maturity and stunted growth. Their study paves the way for future research on how these chemicals might affect gene function, providing crucial insights into long-term biological impacts not only on aquatic species but on humans too.

Menstrual health brand Asan recently reported that 2.4 million tampons are flushed down UK toilets each day, some of which end up in wastewater systems. Trace fibres and fragments from hygiene products, pharmaceuticals, and plastics are increasingly being detected in tap water, and while the long-term health impacts of these exposures are still under investigation, their ubiquity is raising alarm among environmental scientists and public health researchers.

Stephanie Metzger, policy advisor at the Royal Society of Chemistry, has said: “Here in the UK, we monitor for a long list of PFAS, but we’re lagging far behind the US and the EU when it comes to the amount allowed in our drinking water and what is considered healthy.

“We know that PFAS can be filtered from drinking water – the technology exists – so increasing the level of filtration is just a matter of expense and political will.

“In [the regulator] Drinking Water Inspectorate’s own words, levels above 10 nanograms per litre pose a medium or high risk to public health. We’re seeing more and more studies that link PFAS to a range of very serious medical conditions, and so we urgently need a new approach for the sake of public health.”

A 2024 study of London boroughs showed that in Harrow, a water sample had a PFOS (a type of PFAS) level of 14 nanograms per litre (ng/l) – 1.4 times the maximum limit for its presence in tap water under proposals put forward by the RSC.

The answer as to whether you should be filtering your water largely depends on the level of risk you are willing to accept. For many, the regulated standard of UK tap water is sufficient. But for those concerned about cumulative exposure to emerging contaminants – or managing specific health conditions – additional filtration may be worth considering.

“It’s about making informed choices,” says Robinson. “Not everyone can afford an expensive system, but a well-made filter that costs under £100 a year can reduce your exposure significantly.”

That said, experts caution against assuming that all filters are created equal. Filtering technologies vary significantly in their efficacy. While standard pitcher filters can improve taste and remove some chlorine, only high-performance filters operating below one micron are likely to capture smaller contaminants such as microplastics and certain PFAS. Consumers should look for independently verified performance data, consider the filter’s lifespan and replacement costs, and weigh potential losses in mineral content against reductions in harmful substances.

Of course, some people resort to filtration to soften hard water, which contains elevated levels of calcium and magnesium. These minerals not only cause the build-up of limescale on appliances and surfaces, but may also affect skin and hair.

According to Karlee Oz, founder of Hello Klean, showering in unfiltered water may “leave residue, contribute to dryness, and exacerbate conditions like eczema,” she explains. “In addition, hot showers can vaporise chlorine and other disinfectant byproducts, increasing the risk of respiratory exposure and irritation.”

Hello Klean’s shower filters use KDF (Kinetic Degradation Fluxion) technology to convert chlorine into gentler compounds. Oz emphasises the importance of using filters that are clinically tested and certified for efficacy. “Filtering reduces the burden on the skin and hair barrier and may improve tolerance over time.”

Of course, not all areas in the UK have a hard water problem – and in some cases, softer water may be better for skin and hair – but a filter can still remove heavy metals like lead and cadmium and traces of harmful bacteria like E. coli.

For the consumer, it can be complicated. UK tap water meets legal safety standards: it undergoes multiple filtration rounds and was ranked joint first for drinking water quality and sanitation in Yale University’s 2022 Environmental Performance Index, along with Finland, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.

However, that doesn’t mean there is no room for improvement. Research suggests that trace levels of PFAS, microplastics, and other contaminants are present in some supplies. Filtration can reduce exposure to these substances, but must be balanced against the potential loss of essential minerals.

Research is still ongoing, but personally, I’ll always reach for filtered water, glass bottles, and avoid ice if I can. A filter in my shower has made a noticeable difference too. It’s a personal choice – but with microplastics now found in human blood, remote Antarctica, tea bags, and at the bottom of the ocean, I’ll do what I can to avoid them in my morning glass of H2O.

Suspect Vance Boelter remains in federal custody on murder charge

Police have captured Vance Boelter, 57, who is suspected of fatally shooting Minnesota Democratic state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and wounding Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife.

A two-day manhunt for Boelter, described as the largest in Minnesota’s history, ended with his arrest late on Sunday.

Boelter has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two of attempted murder by the state, while federal charges are for firearm offenses, stalking, and murder, potentially making this a death penalty case.

Authorities found “voluminous” written material in Boelter’s car and home, including plans, lists of names, and surveillance efforts targeting elected officials, but no clear manifesto as earlier reports suggested.

Acting US Attorney Joseph Thompson stated that Boelter had a list of 45 Minnesota state and federal elected officials — all Democrats — and had researched them and their families.

Boelter allegedly impersonated a police officer and wore a “hyper-realistic” silicone mask during the shootings, and also went to two other lawmakers’ homes.

Thompson described video evidence of Boelter’s arrival at state Sen. John Hoffman’s home as “truly chilling.”

Nursery worker kicked boy in face and vaped in front of small baby

A nursery worker who kicked a young boy in the face as part of a harrowing campaign of abuse has been found guilty of child cruelty.

Roksana Lecka was caught on CCTV roughly placing children on the floor causing them to cry and vaping less than a metre from a small baby on more than one occasion.

The 22-year-old of Avro Place, Hounslow, admitted seven counts of cruelty to a person under the age of 16 and was convicted of another 14 counts by a jury at Kingston Crown Court on Monday.

The trial followed a Met investigation, which found Lecka had abused children as young as ten months at two separate nurseries in Twickenham and Hounslow between October 2023 and June 2024.

Officers started to investigate Lecka in June 2024, after a member of staff at the nursery raised their concerns about her behaviour. They reviewed over 45 hours of CCTV from 28 June 2024.

Children’s parents gave statements and shared pictures of injuries showing multiple red marks, bruises and scratched on the children. The victim’s families received specialist support from officers.

Lecka was arrested at her home on 5 July on suspicion of child cruelty offences.

During an interview, she answered no comment to all questions and refused to acknowledge her actions when shown the CCTV footage. She was released on bail whilst officers within the Child Abuse Investigation Team continued enquiries.

Detective Sergeant Geoff Boye of Met Police’s Public Protection Command said Lecka’s offending was “prolific”.

“Footage showed Lecka carrying out multiple assaults on the children in her care which included repeatedly pinching and grabbing children, dropping babies into their cots and on one occasion, she delivered several kicks to a young boy to the face and stepped on his shoulder,” he said.

“She was further arrested and charged on 25 July 2024 with 12 counts of child cruelty, 12 counts of actual bodily harm and one count of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent.”

Following an initial appearance in court, this indictment was amended to 24 counts of child cruelty against 24 separate children.

Lecka was convicted on Monday, 16 June of 21 counts of child cruelty. The jury found her not guilty on three counts. She will appear at Kingston Crown Court on Friday, 26 September for sentencing.

Detective Inspector Sian Hutchings of Met Police’s Public Protection Command said: “Despite being given multiple opportunities to do so, Lecka never admitted to her offences during the course of the investigation or gave any real insight into what caused her to do this. This has added more pain and confusion to the victims’ families.

“These families left their children in Lecka’s care, trusting her to take protect their children as well as the other staff at the nurseries clearly did.

“The footage of her offences against defenceless children was disturbing.

“I would like to praise the strength of the victim’s families who have had to sit in court and watch footage of the abuse which Lecka inflicted on their children.”

Win a Wilderness Festival luxury package for two

Music fans can win a luxury package for two to this year’s Wilderness Festival, all courtesy of Audi.

Wilderness returns this year to the picturesque nature reserve at Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire, and will be headlined by rock band Supergrass, Nineties rave duo Orbital, and Brit Award-winning, Grammy-nominated indie-rock duo Wet Leg.

Completing the headliner lineup are Basement Jaxx, who are making their return to live shows for the first time in over a decade, as they celebrate the 25th anniversary of their groundbreaking album, Remedy.

The winner will receive a pair of complimentary festival tickets and boutique accommodation in a luxury cabin for two. They will also be treated to an Audi Kitchen experience and, for the ultimate luxury, your own private chauffeur to take you and your guest to the festival and return journey.

Enter the prize draw here.

Wilderness Festival is known for its eclectic music lineup, which this year includes performances from pop singer Lapsley, singer-songwriter Bess Atwell, Scottish musician Jacob Alon and DJ Craig Charles.

At The Sanctuary and Spa, guests will discover an oasis of calm, whether that means taking part in disco yoga or a workshop to explore your sensuality. Highlights include boating, massage treatments, sauna rituals, hot tubs, a wild sauna, Wim Hof method ice baths and wild swimming.

Gourmet food offerings can be found at Ben Quinn’s long table banquet in the woods, a once-in-a-lifetime experience set in the woods and lit by chandeliers. There, Quinn and his team will serve up a feast of flavour cooked right in front of you five courses of carefully curated, responsibly sourced, local and seasonal ingredients.

Elsewhere, attendees can join a number of talks, comedy sets and conversations, from Food Stories with Jay Rayner to a live recording of Jamie Laing’s podcast, Great Company.

Comedian, writer and NHS doctor Matthew Hutchinson will share a sharp and moving look at life on the frontline of British healthcare, while cultural historian Tiffany Watt Smith will uncover a bold and fascinating alternative history of female friendship.

The prize draw will open for entries at 3pm (BST) on 7 May 2025 and close at 3pm BST on 17 June 2025. Only one entry per person is permitted for the Prize Draw. Terms and conditions apply.

Cars to be banned from Oxford Street ‘as quickly as possible’

Sir Sadiq Khan has announced plans to ban traffic from part of Oxford Street will be implemented “as quickly as possible” due to support from “the vast majority of Londoners“.

According to Khan’s office, 66 per cent of respondents to a consultation supported the pedestrianisation plan. A separate YouGov survey conducted in September 2024 indicated that 63% of Londoners are in favour of the project.

Oxford Street is one of the world’s busiest shopping areas, with around half a million visitors each day.

Khan wants to ban vehicles from a 0.7-mile stretch between Oxford Circus and Marble Arch, with the potential for further changes towards Tottenham Court Road.

Detailed proposals for traffic will be consulted on later this year.

A previous attempt by Sir Sadiq to pedestrianise that part of Oxford Street was blocked by then-Conservative run Westminster City Council in 2018.

His latest proposals depend on him obtaining permission from Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner in her role as Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to establish a new Mayoral Development Corporation, which would provide planning powers.

The aim is for this to be created by the start of next year.

Sir Sadiq said: “Oxford Street has suffered over many years, so urgent action is needed to give our nation’s high street a new lease of life.

“It’s clear that the vast majority of Londoners and major businesses back our exciting plans, so I’m pleased to confirm that we will now be moving ahead as quickly as possible.

“We want to rejuvenate Oxford Street; establish it as a global leader for shopping, leisure and outdoor events with a world-class, accessible, pedestrianised avenue.

“This will help to attract more international visitors and act as a magnet for new investment and job creation, driving growth and economic prosperity for decades to come.”

Ms Rayner said: “We want to see Oxford Street become the thriving place to be for tourists and Londoners alike, and that’s why we welcome the Mayor of London’s bold proposals to achieve that.

“We will support the mayor in delivering this ambitious vision, which will help to breathe new life into Oxford Street – driving investment, creating new jobs for local people and providing a boost to economic growth in the capital.”

Adam Hug, leader of Labour-controlled Westminster City Council, said: “While the mayor’s formal decision today was not the City Council’s preferred outcome, it is far from unexpected, and it is now important for Oxford Street’s future to move forward together.

“Since the mayor’s new approach was made public last autumn, Westminster has worked pragmatically and productively with the Greater London Authority (GLA) to ensure that the plan for Oxford Street more closely meets the needs of businesses, visitors, and residents.

“Since 2022, Oxford Street has roared back to life after the pandemic. Such is the level of retail confidence that existing brands have spent £118 million refitting their stores in the last 12 months alone, according to Savills.

“Westminster City Council will work constructively with the mayor’s team to ensure the nation’s high street is re-imagined in a way that works for visitors, shoppers, and our residents.”

How deleting old emails could help England avoid major water shortages

Deleting old emails is one way environmental bosses say people could help England avoid a water shortage in 30 years’ time.

The Environment Agency says the country is face a shortfall of nearly five billion litres a day if urgent action is not taken.

The regulator claims an increase in population, up eight million by 2055, will lead to a big rise in demand for water, for everything from washing clothes to leisure activities on golf courses.

At the same time, bosses say climate change will reduce the amount of available water due to hotter, drier summers.

And they say the building of more UK data centres, driven by a demand led by the emergence of AI, could also have an impact, as each centre use a large amount of water to cool systems down.

It is estimated that large centres use around 360,000 litres of water a day, report DataCentreReview.com.

Among five small steps the public can take to help stop a water shortage, the EA say they can delete old emails that take up space at the centre, which are predicting to make up 6 per cent of UK energy consumption by 2030, according to National Grid.

Other measures are shortening showers, turning off taps when brushing teeth, using full loads for dishwashers and washing machines, collecting water for garden use.

The EA also wants water companies to manage demand for water from households and businesses, and halve the amount of water lost to leaks.

It also says supplies will need to be boosted by building new reservoirs, desalination plants which turn seawater into drinking water, and schemes that can transfer water from wetter parts of the country to drier areas.

EA chairman Alan Lovell said: “The nation’s water resources are under huge and steadily increasing pressure. This deficit threatens not only the water from your tap but also economic growth and food production.

“Taking water unsustainably from the environment will have a disastrous impact on our rivers and wildlife.

“We need to tackle these challenges head on and strengthen work on co-ordinated action to preserve this precious resource and our current way of life.”

The warning comes in the Environment Agency’s national framework for water resources, published every five years and setting out the actions needed by utilities, regulators and businesses and the public to manage under-pressure resources.

It is published after England’s hottest spring on record, and the country’s driest for more than 100 years, with the North West and Yorkshire in drought and some reservoirs at extremely low levels.