Police investigating after Rosie Jones victim of ‘ableist’ attack

Police are investigating after comedian Rosie Jones was the victim of an ableist and homophobic attack on a train, where a plastic bottle of wine was thrown at her and a friend.

The 35-year-old, who is also a writer and has ataxic cerebral palsy, which affects her movement and speech, said the perpetrators “shouted slurs” and mocked her voice, as well as that of comedian Lee Peart, who was with her on the journey.

Peart said in a video filmed on the train that he and Jones were “attacked by ableist and homophobic arseholes”. The footage, taken on Sunday (5 October), shows splatters of wine across the table and the wall next to where they were sitting in the carriage.

Pushers star Jones added: “Three people mocked both of our voices, threw wine at Lee. What a f***ing waste!”

Elaborating on the incident, Jones posted a message on Instagram, saying that she was intending to celebrate World Cerebral Palsy Day.

“Today was going to be about me celebrating all that is good and brilliant about having CP,” she wrote. “But on the train home from our gig last night, me and my good pal Lee were victims of ableism and homophobia.

“They mocked our voices, shouted slurs at us and even threw a wine bottle (plastic, thankfully). It was a stark reminder that my CP makes me stand out, and is often used as a weapon against me. Unfortunately, the worms of this world use my disability to try and make me feel like a victim. I am not.”

“People with cerebral palsy should never be made to feel like guests in an unwelcoming and hostile world which wasn’t set up for people like us,” Jones added. “We have just as much of a right to be here as anybody else. AND DON’T FORGET IT.”

Jones ended her message on a positive note, saying she is “proud to have cerebral palsy” and that setting up her cerebral palsy charity, The Rosie Jones Foundation, was her “greatest achievement to date”.

In a follow-up post, Peart said: “Thank you for your lovely, lovely messages we are both doing fine and yes we have reported it. The BTP [British Transport Police] took us home and were wonderful. Rosie Jones is a wonderful human.”

In a statement given to The Independent, the BTP said: “Officers were called to East Croydon railway station at around 10.30pm on Sunday (5 October) following reports of a group of people abusing and assaulting other passengers on a train from Brighton to Victoria.

“Enquiries are ongoing, and anyone who witnessed anything or has any information is asked to contact BTP by texting 61016 or by calling 0800 40 50 40, quoting reference 672 of 5 October.”

In a post on Tuesday, Jones thanked her fans for the kind words they had sent her and that she was “feeling more myself today”.

Sharing pictures of her friends, Jones added that rather than focusing on the “negative and horrible s*** bags in the world,” she wanted to spread joy instead. “I feel so, incredibly lucky to be surrounded by such amazing family and friends who have time and time again showed up and made me feel not so alone,” she added.

“I know it’s sometimes hard to do, especially recently, but when things like this happen, we must focus on the brilliant people in life, who I still believe make up most of this world.”

Speaking to The Independent earlier this year, Jones said she felt that the UK was “going backwards” and that disabled people were being treated “unfairly”.

That being said, Jones added that she “grew up in a loving, happy, healthy home” and was supported by her parents, who told her she “could be anything, so I went out into the world fighting and became the person I am today”.

The Independent named Jones on the 2024 Women’s List, where she was credited with being “a staple on British small screens” and “delighting audiences with her trademark wit and comedic timing” in shows such as 8 Out of 10 Cats and The Last Leg.

In 2023, Jones released a documentary tackling her cerebral palsy. Am I a R*tard? painted a sobering picture of what Jones must deal with on a daily basis.

Jones also created the 2025 Channel 4 sitcom Pushers, about a drug dealer with cerebral palsy. The show, which featured an inclusive cast of disabled actors was widely praised on release. In a four-star review, The Independent’s Katie Rosseinsky said the show was a “clever observational comedy that skewers attitudes to disability”.

Prosecutors to appeal decision to throw out terror case against Kneecap rapper

The Crown Prosecution Service has said it will appeal against the decision of the chief magistrate to throw out the case against Kneecap rapper Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh.

A terrorism case against the rapper was thrown out following a technical error in the way the charge against him was brought.

The 27-year-old from Belfast, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was accused of displaying a flag in support of proscribed terror organisation Hezbollah at a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, north London, in November 2024.

The Crown Prosecution Service said in a short statement it would be appealing against the decision because “we believe there is an important point of law which needs to be clarified”.

Following the hearing in which the case was dismissed, Ó hAnnaidh vowed the rap trio would “not be silenced”, saying that the process was not about him, but instead about Gaza.

Chief magistrate Paul Goldspring, who sat at Woolwich Crown Court on 26 September, had said the charge brought against Ó hAnnaidh was “unlawful” and that he had no jurisdiction to try the case.

His ruling agreed with O hAnnaidh’s lawyers, who argued that the Attorney General had not given permission for the case to be brought against the defendant when police informed him he was to face a terror charge on 21 May.

Concluding the reasons for his decision, the chief magistrate said: “I find that these proceedings were not instituted in the correct form, lacking the necessary DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions) and AG (Attorney General) consent within the six-month statutory time limit.

“The time limit requires consent to have been granted at the time or before the issue of the requisition,” he continued. “Consequently the charge is unlawful and null and this court has no jurisdiction to try the charge.”

Prosecutor Michael Bisgrove previously told a court that permission from the DPP and AG was not required until the defendant’s first court appearance and that permission did not need to be sought in order to bring a criminal charge.

The chief magistrate dismissed the arguments, telling the court they “defy logic”.

Following the hearing, a Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: “We will work with the Crown Prosecution Service to understand the potential implications of this ruling for us and how that might impact on the processing of such cases in the future.”

The case against Ó hAnnaidh was widely followed as over 100 supporters waved Palestinian flags as he left the court room, displaying banners which read “defend Kneecap, drop the charges”.

Taking to a temporary stage set up outside the court precincts, Ó hAnnaidh said: “This entire process was never about me.

“It was never about any threat to the public, it was never about terrorism – a word used by your Government to discredit people you oppress.

“It was always about Gaza, about what happens if you dare to speak up.”

He continued: “Your attempts to silence us have failed because we’re right and you’re wrong. We will not be silent.

“We said we would fight you in your court and we would win. Today, we have.

“If anyone on this planet is guilty of terrorism, it’s the British state. Free Palestine.”

Nigel Farage: ‘I feared migrant would come to England and shoot me’

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has told a court he feared a migrant would come to England and shoot him after allegedly threatening him in a TikTok video.

Fayaz Khan, 26, an Afghan who moved to Stockholm, Sweden, in 2019, is charged with making a threat to kill Mr Farage last October in a post that the politician said was “pretty chilling”.

A jury at Southwark Crown Court was told on Tuesday that Khan had a very large presence online with his videos on TikTok, under the username Madapasa, amassing hundreds of thousands of views.

Opening the trial, prosecutor Peter Ratliff said Khan’s videos in autumn last year focused on his attempts to come to the UK by small boat.

On 12 October last year, Mr Farage uploaded a video to YouTube entitled “the journey of an illegal migrant” which highlighted Khan and referenced “young males of fighting age coming into our country about whom we know very little”.

The prosecution said Khan responded with a video, which was played to the jury, in which Khan appears to say: “You not know me. I come to England because I want to marry with your sister. You not know me. [sic]

“Don’t talk about me more. Delete the video.

“I’m coming to England. I’m going to pop, pop, pop.”

Mr Ratliff told jurors that as Khan said “pop, pop, pop” he made “gun gestures with his hand”, as well as headbutting the camera and pointing to an AK47 tattoo on his face to “emphasise he wasn’t joking”.

Detective Constable Liam Taylor told the court that Khan had livestreamed his journey in a small boat across the English Channel from France and was arrested on 31 October after arriving in the UK.

Mr Farage said Khan’s video was “pretty chilling”, adding: “Given his proximity to guns and love of guns, I was genuinely worried”.

The Reform UK leader said he and many people who saw the video understood it very clearly.

Mr Farage said on social media it was unusual to see people threatening to come for you directly, and how they would do it.

Asked by defence lawyer Charles Royle whether he was concerned that Khan “wanted to marry” his sister, Mr Farage said: “I was concerned there was a man who clearly treats women as mere objects and could be a threat to them on our streets.”

Khan, who had numerous face tattoos and who spoke to confirm his name through a Dari interpreter, denies making a threat to kill.

Mr Farage said: “What drew my attention – we all have different tastes but I thought the face tattoo was particularly aggressive, the presence of guns in previous posts and a general demeanour.”

Discussing Khan during cross-examination, Mr Farage added: “The man was boasting that he was illegally coming to this country.

“Do people have that tattoo at your local golf club? I highly doubt it.”

Mr Ratliff told jurors the defendant plainly believed and intended that his threat would reach Mr Farage, who would fear that the threat would be carried out.

The prosecutor added that Mr Farage’s politics and illegal migration were irrelevant.

“He wanted Nigel Farage to believe he would carry out the threat because he wanted Nigel Farage to stop bringing attention to him and maybe his associates because he knew that bringing attention to him in that way might disrupt his attempt to get to the UK or his associates’ business,” he said.

The trial continues.

Stephen Lawrence’s killer apologises to family but explains why he won’t name accomplices

Stephen Lawrence’s killer has said he is “deeply sorry” to the teenager’s family for his part in the racist murder – but has insisted he cannot name his accomplices.

David Norris told a Parole Board hearing he was “disgusted and ashamed with himself” for taking part in the 1993 stabbing, but said he and his family would be “at risk” if he divulged details of the others involved.

Speaking publicly for the first time about his role in the notorious murder, he said he was caught up in a “gang mentality” as he described punching the aspiring architect, 18, as he was crouched on the ground.

Questioned if any of the group had a weapon, he told the parole hearing: “I am not here to discuss other people, I am here to take responsibility for my part in what happened, my actions.”

Norris told the hearing there were five individuals involved in the murder, but claimed he did not see the 22cm blade which inflicted the fatal blow until afterwards as they fled the scene.

The group never spoke about the incident except to say “be careful of what you say from here on in, and it was never spoken about again”, Norris told the hearing.

He insisted there is “no group loyalty” or “criminal code” preventing him from naming his accomplices, adding: “There is one reason and one reason only, because I’m worried about the safety of my family.”

Only two of Mr Lawrence’s five or six alleged attackers have ever faced justice after Norris was jailed for life with a minimum of 14 years, along with Gary Dobson, who must serve a minimum of 15 years, in a trial that hinged on tiny traces of forensic evidence in 2012.

A panel of experts from the Parole Board must now decide whether he is safe to be released or moved to an open prison.

In a prepared statement at the start of his evidence, Norris, now 49, apologised to the Lawrence family and the entire black community for his crime.

“The guilt I have carried around all these years has been a very heavy burden upon my shoulders,” he said, adding Mr Lawrence was “completely innocent”.

He admitted he was a “horrible, violent, racist” 16-year-old who was “fixated on becoming a gangster” when they targeted Mr Lawrence and his friend Duwayne Brooks in Eltham, southeast London, in 1993.

“It also affected the wider community as well, especially the black community,” he said.

“It must have made some, if not all, not feel safe walking around the streets of London and I want to sincerely apologise to the whole black and ethnic community for the fear I have caused.”

However, Mr Lawrence’s grieving mother told the panel he was an “obvious danger to society” and should not be released.

In a statement read by her lawyer, Imran Khan, Baroness Doreen Lawrence said: “I am of the view that this person is a risk to society and dangerous.

“I simply can’t see him walking the streets of our diverse country without thinking that he would harm someone like me – a black person – someone he described as wanting to kill and torture.”

She reminded the hearing of a shocking covert police recording of Norris and Dobson from 1994, known as the Footscray tapes, in which Norris discussed how he would “kill every black c***” he knows.

He later discussed taking two submachine guns to Catford, a diverse area of southeast London.

“Any person who expresses views like this and doesn’t recant is an obvious danger to society and must remain in custody,” Baroness Lawrence added.

She said Norris forced her to listen to “denial after denial” during his 2012 trial, adding he did not show “a hint of empathy or feeling for me or what my family had gone through”.

The mother said as a Christian, she believes in forgiveness, but she cannot forgive him until he takes “responsibility for his murderous actions”.

Mr Lawrence’s father agreed his son’s killer has not shown “genuine remorse”, adding that “justice has not been done” if Norris is released without naming the other members of the gang who murdered his son.

Dr Lawrence said at times he did not think he would survive during the 18-year battle for his son’s killers to face justice, during which time his marriage to Baroness Lawrence broke down.

In her opening remarks, the panel chair, Cassie Williams, said Mr Lawrence’s murder was an “awful crime” which had a “profound impact on society”.

Referring to the judge’s sentencing remarks when Norris was jailed for life with a minimum term of 14 years and three months in 2012, she said the judge noted he had “not shown the slightest regret” and had “lied to the court”.

Norris, who had always denied involvement, finally admitted he was at the scene of the murder in prison. He told the hearing he was inspired to take responsibility for his part in the crime after a documentary, which featured Mr Lawrence’s father, “touched me deeply”.

“The next day I thought I have got to do the right thing for my soul and hopefully it will give the family some peace,” he told the hearing.

The prisoner, who was only visible from behind on the court video stream, was wearing a dark T-shirt and now has short, greying hair.

He agreed he would have not handed himself in if he had not been arrested and convicted of murder on the strength of forensic evidence because it would have meant leaving his children.

His prison offender manager (POM) said she could not rule out that the father of five had changed his stance in order to aid his release efforts. She told the panel that she does not believe Norris is ready for release or to be moved to open conditions.

The panel heard he has completed courses relating to racism and violence in custody, but prison records allege he used a racial slur as recently as October 2022, which he denies.

Prison officers found a mobile phone and a sharpened screwdriver in his cell in 2022 and he last failed a drug test in June 2023, the hearing was told.

Ahead of the hearing, Mr Lawrence’s father said Norris should not be considered for parole until he names the other members of the racist gang.

Dr Lawrence, 83, said it is important for him to hear his son’s killers being named and for them to be brought to justice.

“It’s important for me because of what these people have done,” he said.

“They ruined my life. They’ve caused me not to be able to live in this country. They’ve robbed me of the chance of seeing my son getting married, of having (his) grandchildren.

“This man has robbed me of so much that there is no way I can even start to think that he should be allowed to walk free.”

A bungled police investigation led to the landmark MacPherson Inquiry, which concluded that the Metropolitan Police’s probe into the murder was marred by institutional racism.

The hearing continues.

Explosions as van erupts in flames near French PM’s office in Paris

Explosions were heard in Paris before a van caught on fire near the French prime minister’s Office, just a day after his resignation.

Witnesses reported hearing three explosions near the Hotel Matignon, where Sebastien Lecornu had been due to hold meetings after his resignation, Le Parisien reported.

Pictures from the scene show a van in flames as emergency services seek to contain the blaze. Local media have reported that the fire was contained to the van and has not spread to any surrounding buildings.

It is not clear what caused the explosions or fire. A firefighter said to reporters that the blaze was caused by a mechanical fault in the company’s equipment.

Images shared on social media appear to show the van belongs to a public lighting company. The road, Rue de Varenne, has been cordoned off with officers stationed to prevent entry.

Mr Lecornu’s resignation came just a day after naming his ministers, and after only 27 days in the role. The former defence minister, was due to deliver his general policy statement to the National Assembly on Tuesday.

His resignation makes it the shortest-lived government of the Fifth Republic. He is the fifth prime minister to resign from the role in two years.

“The conditions were no longer met for me to be able to exercise my functions and allow the government to go before the National Assembly tomorrow,” he said in a statement on Monday.

He continued that “these political parties sometimes pretended not to see the change, the profound rupture, not to use Article 49.3. There was no longer any pretext for parliamentarians to refuse to do their job.”

Article 49.3 gives the government the power to pass bills without a vote from parliament.

President Emmanuel Macron has asked Mr Lecornu to renew negotiations with opposition parties to find a way out of the instability the country is facing, according to Reuters.

Norwegian nature: Enjoy wild, wonderful adventures on a safari-at-sea

Norway’s rugged coast is chock-full of natural beauty, dotted with steep fjords where the mountains meet the sea and teeming with all kinds of curious wildlife, from orcas, humpbacks, and over 80 species of seabirds to red foxes, reindeer, and otters. Norwegians are famous for their deep love of the outdoors, which even has its own word: friluftsliv. It helps that it is home to more than 150,000 lakes and is known for its dramatic fjord-fringed landscapes and shimmering glaciers. It’s also one of the best places to catch the technicolour magic of the Aurora Borealis.

What’s more, if you explore this breathtaking region on a Hurtigruten cruise, you’ll do so alongside the expert local Expedition Team, who have spent years traversing Norway’s rugged coastline. They are always on hand to provide engaging insights into the nature, wildlife, and culture you’ll encounter on every voyage. They go above and beyond to ensure you experience more than just the tourist hot spots. Each team member has their own area of expertise and hosts regular lectures for those who want to delve deeper into a specific interest. They also encourage you to join them on their hand-picked hikes and activities, which are at an additional cost and subject to availability but offer the chance to explore with those who know the area best.

Drawing on over 130 years of travel experience, Original and Signature Hurtigruten Voyages lead passengers along Norway’s dramatic Arctic coastline, showcasing its remarkable natural beauty in all its glory, with options to stop off in various locations along the way. As you sail between destinations, keep your eyes peeled for the abundance of wildlife that frequents the area. The coastline is a popular haunt for mammals like giant humpbacks, frolicking seals and playful porpoises.

During time spent on land, depending on your route, you might also come face-to-face with reindeer in the north or the elusive lynx, not to mention the flora that decorates the landscape in various seasons. Some routes stop at Mehamn, a traditional fishing town with only 800 inhabitants. From here, you can embark on an excursion to learn about the Sámi, an indigenous people from Europe’s northernmost region, known for reindeer herding, traditional handicrafts, and a deep connection to nature. Get to know the family, hear their stories and joik chanting, and try dried reindeer meat around a fire in a lavvo tent.

There are many different journeys you can take, depending on what you want to get out of your cruise. Trace the historic Coastal Express route on one of their Original Voyages, Hurtigruten’s first and most iconic route, established in 1893 and often hailed as the world’s most beautiful voyage. You’ll cover 2,500 nautical miles and visit 34 ports, starting in Bergen, Norway’s second-largest city, where you can hop on a funicular to the summit of Mount Fløyen and soak up the incredible views of the city, the nearby fjords, and the surrounding mountains.

The North Cape Line Winter route is another popular cruise for nature lovers. This Signature Voyage adventure starts and finishes in Norway’s Capital, Oslo. The Signature Voyages take things up a notch, offering unmatched views of Norway’s best bits with more time to explore each stop. They’re also a hit with foodies, thanks to the all-inclusive option featuring award-winning restaurants and seasonal produce from Norway’s bountiful coastline.

Åndalsnes is also a favourite stop on the route, home to soaring mountains overlooking the surrounding town. It’s the ultimate hotspot for hikers, climbers and skiers thanks to its abundant accessible natural beauty. The Troll Wall is a highlight for adrenaline seekers here; this 1,000-metre vertical cliff in the Romsdalen valley boasts some of the most epic views from atop, including 360-degree vistas of Romsdalshorn, Åndalsnes town centre, and the Rauma River.

This route also takes you to The City of Northern Lights, Alta, where you can stand at the northernmost point in Europe, Cape Point in Honningsvåg – the perfect vantage point for those trying to catch this incredible natural phenomenon. Hurtigruten is so confident you’ll see the lights that they even offer a ‘Northern Lights Promise’: a free cruise if you don’t see them during the season (valid on 11-day plus voyages from 20th September to 31st March).

Many of the routes stop at Lofoten, an archipelago with immense peaks and fishing villages sandwiched between slopes. It’s not hard to see why this chain of islands is referred to as one of Norway’s most beautiful locations. Hiking opportunities abound here, and most trails lead to spectacular vistas, or if you prefer to stay on the water, you can hop in a kayak and enjoy a leisurely paddle.

Lofoten isn’t the only archipelago you’ll see on specific routes — keep an eye out for the Vega archipelago, a collection of around 6,500 islands, skerries, and islets. On Gardsøy Island, you’ll find a UNESCO World Heritage Centre with dedicated huts for local eider ducks to build their nests.

Journeying south along Norway’s west coast, many of the routes also take you past some of the country’s most famous fjords, including Hardangerfjord, measuring a whopping 179 kilometres in length, making it the second longest fjord in the country and fifth longest in the world. Get your cameras ready, as you’ll be treated to panoramic mountain vistas from every direction, with snow-capped peaks peeking over the fjord reflected on mirror-like water.

Hurtigruten cruises stop at Torsken on the southbound leg of the Svalbard Line, one of their premium, all-inclusive Signature Voyages that sails from Bergen to the Arctic archipelago and back. The secluded fishing village of Torsken is perfect for outdoors enthusiasts, tucked away in Torskenfjorden on the rugged west coast of Senja Island. It’s home to just a handful of houses, workshops, and small piers sprinkled with fishing boats and is the ideal base for exploring Norway’s second-largest island, Senja.

Senja’s stunning coastline has been rightly nicknamed the ‘Caribbean of the North’ thanks to its white-sand beaches and towering mountain peaks. It’s best to take an excursion and explore by small boat to spot white-tailed eagles, seals, seabirds like cormorants, and maybe even a golden eagle. Whether exploring Senja or simply soaking up sea views from onboard, a Hurtigruten cruise offers a chance to connect with nature, wildlife, and Norway’s stunning landscapes, with countless routes to choose from.

Book your Norwegian adventure for less, with up to 30% off, plus 10% off excursions on selected Coastal Express and North Cape Line voyages. For offers, routes and excursion info, visit Hurtigruten.

Tories mocked over misspelling ‘Britain’ on conference chocolate bar

The Conservatives have spelled “Britain” wrong in one of their handouts in an embarrassing blunder at their party conference in Manchester.

Party officials handed out chocolate bars with the quote, “When Labour negotiates, Britian loses”, emblazoned across it – a quote attributed to Kemi Badenoch.

The quote has been repeatedly used by the Tory leader in response to Labour negotiations, including the deal to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, as well as in response to trade deals negotiated with the US, India and the European Union.

A Tory source said the spelling mistake was a “printing error”.

Amid devastating approval ratings and questions over Ms Badenoch’s leadership, this year’s conference is notably much quieter than last.

The corporate presence is significantly slimmed down, while attendance at the main stage for major speeches given by the shadow cabinet is generally sparse.

Protesters, including anti-Brexit demonstrator Steve Bray, have stayed away, in what is thought to be a sign of the fading relevance of the Tories under Ms Badenoch.

Many stalls, which would previously have been taken up by businesses, a key source of money for the party, were left empty with Conservative branding in place instead.

It came as a new poll conducted by YouGov for Sky News found that half of all Conservative members think Ms Badenoch should not lead the party into the next election.

The poll of 652 Conservative members, taken between 26 September and 2 October, found 46 per cent think the current Tory leader should stay in place when the country next goes to the polls, while 50 per cent say she should not.

Meanwhile, a seat-by-seat YouGov poll published earlier this month showed that the Tories would face a disaster scenario if an election were held today, being left with just 45 MPs – putting them behind Reform UK, Labour and the Liberal Democrats, which the poll put at 78 MPs.

Responding to the spelling error, a Labour source said: “Yet another Tory Flake. They can’t proofread five words on a bar of chocolate.

“This conference really isn’t proving to be the Boost Kemi needs.”

NHS suggests coeliac children use food banks after cancelling prescriptions to cut costs

Children in the northwest with coeliac disease will no longer get gluten-free food on prescription to cut costs – with health bosses instead suggesting they could turn to food banks for help.

Around 40 per cent of independent care boards (ICBs) across the country have stopped providing gluten-free products to coeliacs, arguing they cost the NHS far more than they cost to buy in supermarkets.

Now, healthcare leaders in Cheshire and Merseyside have suggested children living in poverty could use food banks or food pantries instead – a decision doctors in the northwest have described as “cruel and risky”.

The decision comes despite doctors who care for patients with coeliac disease – which affects around 1 per cent of people in the UK – being advised that the only effective treatment is a gluten-free diet, and if left untreated, can result in “serious long-term complications”.

Clinicians and doctors have attempted to intervene and, in emails seen by The Independent, warned that the decision will drive inequalities, with families unable to afford food.

At a meeting in May, when the decision was made to cut prescriptions for both adults and children, executives for Cheshire and Merseyside ICB acknowledged the problem facing the poorest families.

One executive asked: “Have we established whether or not food banks and food pantries routinely have gluten-free products available, and if not, is that one of the mitigations that could be applied to make sure the most vulnerable do have guaranteed access through those mechanisms?”

Another said: “I’ll see if we can delve into the [food] pantries because I think that’s the area that perhaps we can have the greatest impact.”

During the heated meeting, a member of the public warned: “You are taking food out of children’s mouths… This area has got some of the poorest areas in the country. You’re handing a statutory duty [back] to charity, back to Victorian values. You’re a bunch of Marie Antoinettes, you all should be ashamed of yourselves.”

The ICB decided to give a six-month extension to prescriptions for children, which is due to end in November.

Ahead of the change, one doctor levied a stern warning over the scale of the food poverty in the area, giving the example of a child with diabetes who was forced to have their emergency medication for hypoglycaemia for dinner because their family had no food.

The email, seen by The Independent, said: “I was utterly shocked and very sad if I’m honest – and I absolutely understand the concerns that this will drive health inequalities in families of kids with coeliac disease…

“The ICB’s mitigation strategy, which includes checking whether food banks stock gluten-free food – I think if they’re having to have this discussion, this isn’t a risk worth putting onto children. Their understanding of how people utilise food banks and pantries is actually quite optimistic and totally underestimates the risks.”

In another email seen by The Independent, a clinician said the ICB’s decision “shows a shocking level of ignorance”, warning the “short-term monetary gain which in the long term will cost much more than was saved.”

The NHS dietitian warned that the costs of care to the NHS for children impacted by the policy would increase, and warned of recent examples of newly diagnosed children who were “unable to afford gluten-free products and appeared hungry in clinic”.

Clinicians also warned that children who are unable to control it through their diet also carry a risk of developing gastric lymphoma and cancer.

Dr Helen Stewart, officer for health improvements for the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said: “Having to direct families to food banks is a much deeper systemic issue than just short-term food insecurity. It’s a symptom of rising child poverty and the fact that many families simply don’t have the income needed to provide a healthy, balanced diet for their children.

“Food banks should only ever be a stop-gap measure, and they cannot reliably guarantee access to the specific foods or nutritional needs that growing children have.”

Around 2,300 people across Cheshire and Merseyside, which have some of the most deprived populations in the country, accessed gluten-free food prescriptions before the cuts.

Despite acknowledging concerns over the impact of the cuts on children, the ICB argued it should go ahead.

Coeliac UK found 13 out of 42 integrated care boards have stopped prescriptions for gluten-free food, according to reports from Health Service Journal

The National Institute of Clinical Excellence, which advises on what medicines and products the NHS should provide, updated its guidance in June 2025 to acknowledge that the availability of gluten-free food on prescription varies widely across the UK and advises prescribers to “use their clinical judgement”.

It says a selection of gluten-free products can be prescribed on the NHS and are classified as “borderline substances”, meaning they may be regarded as equivalent to drugs for the management of health conditions.

A spokesperson for NHS Cheshire and Merseyside ICB said it had not included food banks as an “official mitigation” measure of the cuts and found that not everyone in the region had access to the same level of gluten-free food prescribing.

It added: “It is important that we take a consistent approach for our whole population, while at the same time making sure that NHS resources are being used as effectively as possible.”

Ahead of ending prescriptions for children in November, the ICB said GPs will write to those affected to signpost them to different options.