Boris Johnson admits Covid rules went ‘too far’ for children

Boris Johnson has admitted that Covid rules probably went “too far” for children and that youngsters paid a “huge price” to protect others during the pandemic.

Giving evidence at the Covid inquiry on Tuesday, the former prime minister said children could have been exempt from strict social distancing rules which were put in place during lockdown to stem the spread of the virus.

Mr Johnson went on to insist shutting schools during the pandemic was a “nightmare idea” which he wanted to avoid at all costs and that he “had a personal horror” over the idea, fearing the impact of shuttered classrooms on the least well off.

He also admitted that the exam system put in place during the pandemic “let down a lot of kids”. It came after the former prime minister was shown a document drawn up by the Department for Education (DfE) in March 2020, warning that closures would mean almost 9 million pupils could not be guaranteed an education.

“I think that looking back on it all, the whole lockdowns, the intricacy of the rules, the rule of six, the complexity, particularly for children, I think we probably did go too far and it was far too elaborate,” Mr Johnson told the inquiry.

“Maybe we could have found a way of exempting children.”

He added: “It felt to me as though children who are not particularly vulnerable to Covid were paying a huge, huge price to protect the rest of society. And it was an awful, awful thing.

“As I said, I wish it had been otherwise. I wish we could have found another solution.”

During the evidence, the former prime minister told how he was left in a “homicidal” mood and wanted to sack his education secretary over the exam grading fiasco during the pandemic.

He admitted the system his government implemented to award exam grades to pupils who had not sat assessments “plainly let down a lot of kids”, after many children’s results during the pandemic did not reflect their abilities.

The widely criticised system, established during the pandemic when pupils across the country had their education disrupted for months, is one of the things he “very much regrets”, he added.

The comments came as Mr Johnson was asked about the system which saw GCSE pupils receive predicted grades instead of exam results.

Criticism of the system includes that private schools gave out more generous grades during the pandemic than state schools, while some students faced discrimination in their predicted grades.

“I was not expert enough to comment on whether it was viable or not, but plainly, it let down a lot of kids whose grades did not reflect their abilities and their achievements,” Mr Johnson told the inquiry.

In a WhatsApp message to his former chief adviser Dominic Cummings, shown to the inquiry, Mr Johnson said at the time he was in a “homicidal mood” over the fiasco.

He said: “We need a plan for the dept of education. We need a perm sec and we need better ministers and quite frankly we need an agenda of reform. We can’t go on like this. I am thinking of going into number ten and firing people.”

But, pressed on the implementation of the system, an irate Mr Johnson said: “All I would say is … you try coming up with a system to come up with a fair exam result for people when they can’t sit exams.

“It’s not easy… OK?”

The DfE document which was shown to Mr Johnson warned that 1.3 million of the poorest children would not receive a free school meal, while remote learning would fail many kids. It also warned that the most vulnerable children are much safer in school, and that school closures would put many at risk of domestic violence or youth crime.

“I had a personal horror of closing schools, I thought it was a nightmare thing to do and I thought it would do a lot of damage to people who would find it the most difficult to bounce back and cope,” Mr Johnson told the inquiry.

Mr Johnson also denied the government had failed to prepare for school closures, saying discussions had been taking place since the pandemic emerged.

Last week, former education secretary Sir Gavin Williamson told the inquiry he had not asked DfE officials to prepare an assessment on the impact of school closures in early 2020, as the advice at the time “was not recommending closures” and No 10 had not commissioned it.

In his written evidence, Sir Gavin described a “discombobulating 24-hour sea-change” from keeping schools open on 16 March to talking about closing them on 17 March, and an announcement to shut them made the following day.

On Tuesday, Mr Johnson insisted work had been done to plan for school closures, saying: “If you look at the sequence from February onwards, it’s clear that Sage [the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies] is talking about the possibility, the cabinet is discussing it in March.

“Certainly I remember the subject coming up repeatedly.” And he praised Sir Gavin’s efforts as education secretary, adding: “I think that, on the whole, given the difficulties that we faced, that the department under Gavin did a pretty heroic job in trying to cope with covid.”

Mr Johnson added he had received a note from the DfE on 15 March asking for a meeting on the subject “in which they go over all kinds of stuff that are going to be necessary to enact school closures”, including safeguarding, exams and teacher training.

He said he would not have expected the DfE to wait for an instruction from No 10 before planning for closures, and he was “surprised that the permanent secretary at the DfE didn’t feel that it was necessary to look at what contingency arrangements we had”.

The former PM said: “I just think that it was obvious that there had to be consideration of closing schools.

“I was very much hoping that we wouldn’t have to close schools. I thought it was a nightmare idea.”

Asked if he accepts that until March 2020 there had not been a cross-government focus on schools, Mr Johnson said: “No, I don’t really accept that.”

He added: “I think there had already been conversations about the possibility of closing schools. And it looked to me as though the DfE was preparing for that.”

But Mr Johnson acknowledged that the “full horror” of the pandemic was “slow to dawn on the government”.

“Don’t forget, we didn’t know the effect this disease had on kids. We didn’t know much about the transmissibility of the disease. There were all sorts of things that were simply unknown and difficult to plan for,” he said.

Four Arsenal goals in 13 minutes stun Atletico and sends big statement

It may not be Arsenal’s most celebrated win over a club from the Spanish capital in 2025 but there was something seismic, something spectacular about it nonetheless. Atletico Madrid did not just emulate Real Madrid, who were beaten at the Emirates Stadium in April: they surpassed them. And not in the right way. Real lost 3-0 on one of Mikel Arteta’s greatest nights. In the space of 13 surreal minutes, Arsenal scored four times against the club who used to be the byword for defensive solidity.

This was a statement result. Arteta may shrug off a status as favourites for the Premier League but last season’s semi-finalists illustrated they will be a serious force in the Champions League, too. Arteta may often be accused of being too cautious, too conservative, but this was Arsenal being rampant and ruthless, expansive and ambitious.

“The way we prepare the matches is always to try to hurt the opponents as much as possible, as frequently as possible,” he said. Atletico, who capitulated, were bruised and battered. They discovered this was far more painful than having to endure cold showers after training on Tuesday.

In contrast, Arsenal are coming to the boil. If Arteta could enjoy the scoreline, he certainly savoured the identity of one of the scorers. Viktor Gyokeres was deep into an eighth game without a goal and, apart from one shot that Jan Oblak saved, he scarcely looked likely to provide one. Then came two goals in three minutes, the first deflected, the second directed in with his thigh. Gyokeres’ opener, ending his drought, was inadvertently redirected by David Hancko but relief engulfed the Emirates when it nestled in the net.

The £54m forward’s goals were the two least significant, in the context of the game, but perhaps the more important, in the context of their season and his Arsenal career. “It was the biggest smile on his face today,” said Arteta. “I look at his teammates as well, in the picture and the video, they are all so happy for him because he fully deserved it.”

Arsenal had pulled away from Atletico with different goals from different Gabriels: Gabriel Magalhaes with a trademark header, Gabriel Martinelli from a terrific counter-attack. The razor-sharp Martinelli is shaping up as their Champions League specialist: he has scored in all three games as Arsenal have made a 100 percent start. Three more wins should book a top-eight finish, and they can plan to skip the play-off round.

They are taking a familiar route in another respect, too. The Premier League was supposed to be the set-piece league. When Arsenal play, the Champions League is, too. They bookended the scoring with dead-ball goals. Declan Rice’s free kick, curling in viciously, was glanced in by Magalhaes. His deep corner was met by Gabriel, who allowed Gyokeres to thigh in his second.

Rice had been the scourge of Real with his free kicks, when shooting. His crosses, Arteta said, were “superb”. Atletico had no answer to them. Knowing Arsenal excel at set-pieces is one thing, stopping them another altogether. “We know we can create chaos from set-pieces,” said Arteta. They did.

And Magalhaes is a phenomenon in his own right. It is hard to think of a centre-back who is so consistently menacing in the opposition’s penalty box as the Brazilian, who ended with a goal and an assist. “Set-pieces are so important in football,” said Diego Simeone. It was part observation, part lament.

Arsenal’s four-goal blitz was all the more remarkable as there was a case for saying that, early in the second half, Atletico looked likely to break the deadlock. Julian Alvarez was outstanding and curled a shot against the bar.

Before the break, he had almost curled the ball into an unguarded net from an improbable angle, David Raya having taken a risk in possession and being both caught out, and caught out of possession, by Guiliano Simeone. “They win a lot of games like that with individual actions,” said Arteta. This could have been another.

Instead, Atletico’s manager ended up blaming individuals. “It is individual mistakes that affect the team,” said Simeone. The guilty may be left in no doubt that he holds them responsible.

As his inquest began, Arteta could enthuse and eulogise. His side had offered invention. Eze played a lovely, defence-splitting pass for Bukayo Saka; Zubimendi released Gyokeres with a glorious flick. On each occasion, Jan Oblak made a fine save.

Arteta had contributed to their attacking intent, too. He played Eberechi Eze as a No 10 and, albeit with a shot that looped up off Hancko, the Londoner hit the bar. He brought Myles Lewis-Skelly and Martinelli into the team and they combined for the second goal. The left-back made a buccaneering run deep into Atletico territory, the winger curled in a shot. He had a goal disallowed earlier when, offside, he had touched in Saka’s cross-shot. This time there was no denying him.

And no denying Arsenal. Atletico did become the first team in three games to record a shot on target against Arsenal but that was of scant consolation to Simeone. Not after those 13 minutes that were awesome for Arsenal but awful for Atletico.

Reeves ‘plots tax raid on lawyers and GPs in crackdown on wealthy’

Lawyers, GPs and accountants will reportedly face higher taxes as Rachel Reeves looks to top up the Treasury’s coffers by targeting the wealthy.

In her Budget next month, Ms Reeves is expected to announce a charge on workers who use limited liability partnerships, raising £2 billion as she tries to fill a hole in the public finances estimated at between £30 billion and £50 billion.

The UK has 355,760 partnerships, with 86,030 of them having employees, according to Money.co.uk. They are particularly common in the legal world. Partnerships do not pay employer’s national insurance of 15 per cent because partners are treated as self-employed. Partners also pay a lower rate of employee NI.

But Ms Reeves is preparing to announce changes to the system in her Budget, as reported by The Times.

She will impose a new charge on partnerships in an effort to “equalise the tax treatment”. But the charge is expected to be levied at a slightly lower rate than employers’ rate of national insurance.

The Centre for the Analysis of Taxation (CenTax) found that solicitors receive a fifth of all partnership income, averaging £316,000 each in company profits a year. For GPs, the average is £118,000 and for accountants £246,000.

It’s thought more than 13,000 partners earn an average of £1.25m a year.

Ms Reeves is also expected to announce a “mansion tax”, imposing capital gains tax on the sale of the most expensive homes.

She said on Tuesday, as she sought to pave the way for tax rises, that Brexit and austerity had had a bigger effect on the public finances than expected.

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) next month is expected to downgrade Britain’s growth forecasts and economists believe it is increasingly likely that the chancellor will break her manifesto pledge not to increase income tax, VAT or national insurance to balance the books.

Ms Reeves said: “We know the OBR — I think are going to be pretty frank about this — [will say] that things like austerity, the cuts to capital spending and Brexit have had a bigger impact on our economy than was even projected back then.

“That is why we are unashamedly rebuilding our relations with the EU to reduce some of those costs that in my view were needlessly added to businesses since 2016 and since we formally left a few years ago.”

Arun Advani, the director of CenTax, told The Times there was no reason why partners should pay less tax than similarly highly paid employees and business owners.

“Since partnership income is hugely concentrated, with almost half going to those in the top 0.1 per cent, exempting partners from any equivalent to employer NICs is very regressive and simply means higher taxes for everyone else,” he said.

The absence of employer national insurance had arisen from a sequence of small accidents, he said.

Stuart Adam, a senior economist at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, said: “People in LLPs are generally very well off and in many cases are just supplying their labour like ordinary employees are, so it’s not clear why they should get preferential treatment.

“But as with any tax rise, it can provide a disincentive to work. There may be other ways that people might respond, including in the most extreme cases leaving the UK or not coming in the first place.”

The Treasury has been contacted for comment.

Police attacked as violence erupts outside Dublin asylum seeker hotel

Irish police have been attacked with missiles after violence took place outside a Dublin hotel used to house asylum seekers.

A Garda vehicle was also set on fire as a protest took place at the Citywest Hotel on Tuesday evening.

It is the second night in a row that large crowds have gathered outside the hotel, which is being used as state accommodation for people seeking international protection.

Monday night’s demonstration passed without significant incident.

But on Tuesday night, police were attacked with fireworks, stones and other missiles.

The gatherings outside the hotel come after an alleged sexual assault in the vicinity in the early hours of Monday morning.

Members of the Garda’s public order unit have been deployed.

Protesters have been displaying Irish flags and chanting.

A large crowd remained in the area after 9pm and public order officers with shields, and some on horseback, were moving protesters back.

Some of the crowd threw stones and other missiles at the gardai.

A line of gardai was preventing the protesters getting to the hotel.

A number of those involved in the disturbances had their faces covered.

The Garda helicopter was hovering overhead and a water cannon has been deployed to the scene.

The Luas Red Line services between Belgard and Saggart were suspended ahead of the protest. Later, the glass at the Luas stop at Saggart was smashed.

Ireland’s Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan has said those involved in the violence will be brought to justice.

He said: “The scenes of public disorder we have witnessed at Citywest tonight must be condemned.

“People threw missiles at gardai, threw fireworks at them and set a Garda vehicle on fire.

“This is unacceptable and will result in a forceful response from the gardai.

“Those involved will be brought to justice.”

The minister said a man had been arrested and appeared in court in relation to the alleged assault.

He added: “While I am not in a position to comment any further on this criminal investigation, I have been advised that there is no ongoing threat to public safety in the area.

“Unfortunately, the weaponising of a crime by people who wish to sow dissent in our society is not unexpected.

“The gardai are prepared for this, but attacking gardai and property is not an answer, and won’t help to make anyone feel safe.

“It is clear to me from talking to colleagues during the day and this evening that this violence does not reflect the people of Saggart.

“They are not the people participating in this criminality, but rather the people sitting at home in fear of it.”

Mr O’Callaghan said attacks on gardai will “not be tolerated”.

He added: “Peaceful protest is a cornerstone of our democracy. Violence is not.

“There is no excuse for the scenes we have witnessed tonight.”

‘I’m 43, blind and stuck living in a lockdown with my parents’

A blind man said he is living in a “personal lockdown” after having to move back in with his parents while waiting 18 months for vital support.

David Brookmyre, 43 and from Middlesbrough, had to quit his job and move 50 miles away to live with his parents last summer after the glaucoma he’s had since birth rapidly deteriorated. Now, he is unable to leave the house on his own and go out at night without careful planning.

“It’s almost like a bit of a personal lockdown,” he told The Independent. “There’s one route I can take down the road with a bit of care because it’s a quiet path to where I live, but other than that, I need to be walking along with somebody, and this is why I was hoping to get some mobility training.”

Mr Brookmyre is one of thousands of visually impaired people who have been forced to wait for local authority training, known as vision rehabilitation, to help them relearn how to do things and live independently. Experts warn that without timely help, those experiencing sight loss will become isolated from society.

A Freedom of Information request by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) revealed that 20 per cent of local authorities, including the likes of Newcastle upon Tyne, Brighton and Hove, and Croydon in London, have people waiting for more than a year to receive just an initial assessment of the services they need.

A staggering 85 per cent of local authorities were unable to comply with the RNIB’s recommendation that they complete vision rehabilitation assessments within 28 days. The charity also found that some local authorities are unable to fill the role with qualified specialists, as almost a quarter of them had unfilled jobs.

Alexis Horam, who has worked as a vision rehabilitation specialist for 30 years, said the service is vital for helping visually impaired people regain their independence.

Every day, she helps people relearn basic activities, such as how to make a cup of tea or cross a road, following the “massive life change” that is sight loss.

She told The Independent: “If you can’t go out, it means you basically lose all sense of everything. You lose your social skills, you lose your friends, you lose your job… Without timely intervention… I mean, I’ve gone to see people who are suicidal.”

Bhavini Makwana, 43, received support in 2009, more than a decade after she was first diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa at the age of 16 in 1997. Her eyesight had deteriorated over the 12 years, during which time she had got married, had children and moved around the country.

“The biggest thing for me was I couldn’t find my own house,” she said, explaining she felt “helpless” returning home from the school run without her daughter to help. “What used to be a 10-minute journey would take me 45 minutes just because I’d be trying to find my front door.”

A yellow strip outside her front door with a light shining onto it helped reduce her journey home to 10 minutes again, thanks to vision rehabilitation.

Vivienne Francis, RNIB’s chief strategy and public affairs officer, has said that people affected by sight loss have told the charity they can experience years of isolation and low confidence without rehabilitation.

“Vision rehabilitation is crucial in stopping this spiral and pressing play on people’s lives,” she added. “It supports blind and partially sighted people to thrive and regain independence, whether that be navigating public transport, cooking a meal, or returning to the workplace. It restores dignity, independence, and the ability to take part in everyday life. But under-resourced services are denying so many this chance.”

The charity called on health secretary Wes Streeting to commit to ensuring blind and visually impaired people get the emotional and practical support they need.

Middlesbrough Council, Mr Brookmyre’s local authority, said: “Sensory loss can have a major impact on the lives of those affected, and our sensory support service works with residents to achieve independence with a range of daily living tasks through appropriate assessment and support.

“We continue to develop the service alongside users, including our sensory drop-in and sensory registration cards which support residents to access our services, and bringing our vision rehabilitation service in-house.

“Our response rate to certificates of vision impairment currently stands at 97 per cent within 10 days, while a recent meeting with our local RNIB campaigns officer highlighted a number of areas of good practice in Middlesbrough.”

A Local Government Association spokesperson said: “Sight loss and visual impairment can seriously impact a person’s quality of life and independence, and local councils play a crucial role in ensuring as many people as possible can access assessments and support, and care to maintain their day-to-day independence.

“Adult social care has faced significant long-term underfunding and a shortage of workers, particularly in specialist skills areas such as vision rehabilitation – both of which are contributing to exacerbated waiting times for care assessments.”

They added that local councils were doing what they could to meet the growing needs of residents, but sustainable investment is required to deliver services.

A government spokesperson said:“Everyone with sight loss deserves high-quality support to help them live independently.“Local authorities have a legal duty to provide vision rehabilitation where it’s needed – and we expect regulators to take action if they are failing in their duties.“We are working at pace to reverse more than a decade of neglect in our health and social care services, through our Plan for Change.”

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch. If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.

Hidden gem holidays: An insider guide to the Dominican Republic

The advent of autumn sees us thinking ahead to how to keep that sunshine feeling going through till winter; and there’s nothing better for keeping our spirits up than the idea of booking a holiday somewhere tropical. Enter the Dominican Republic, a warm and welcoming Caribbean nation perched to the south of the Turks and Caicos islands, and east of Jamaica. Known for its beautiful beaches, premium resorts and some legendary golf courses, there is, as the saying goes, genuinely something for everyone. If you want to make your holiday more than just a fly and flop, there’s plenty to explore, from Pico Duarte, the Caribbean’s tallest mountain, to historic sites in the country’s lively capital, Santo Domingo.

But first, where’s the best place to stay? Consider Costa Esmeralda, in the Miches area on the Island’s northeastern coast, a picturesque and pristine stretch of sand fringed with coconut palms that lean over the calm, turquoise waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Neighbouring Punta Cana and the wider Bávaro area combine to form what’s known as La Costa del Coco, or the Coconut Coast, an area of lavish, all-inclusive hotels which is also popular for windsurfing, kayaking and sailing.

Base yourself at Zemi Miches Punta Cana All-Inclusive Resort Curio by Hilton, an oceanfront resort boasting 800-metres of secluded beach on the shores of Playa Esmeralda. Located just 90 minutes’ drive from Punta Cana International Airport, the emphasis here is firmly on fun and relaxation. It features six restaurants, six bars and lounges, four pools and several water slides, and for those who like to keep fit while away, there’s a pickleball court, a paddle tennis court, and a full-service fitness centre which offers yoga and pilates classes. The Acana spa aims to reconnect soul and spirit with therapies inspired by ancient traditions, while you’ll also find a daily programme of art and cultural activities, plus live nightly entertainment. Bringing the kids? They’ll love spending time at the Coki Cove Kids Club or Palmchat Teens Club.

There’s a choice of rooms, suites or bungalows, all tastefully decorated with Caribbean flair, and offering stunning views. Select accommodations even feature private plunge pools, and Club Azure and bungalow guests have access to additional dining options and a rooftop pool. Talking of dining, you’ll experience a world of flavour, with menus inspired by the traditions of the Caribbean, Thailand, and the Amalfi Coast; think spicy, street-food inspired dishes, wood-fired pizzas, and local favourites. All this, and unlimited drinks and cocktails, too!

What’s more, booking with British Airways Holidays means you can secure your holiday now with a low deposit and spread the cost with flexible payments*. Once you’re ready to jet off, you can enjoy increased checked baggage allowance, a dedicated 24-hour helpline during your trip and the option of quality car hire with no hidden fees, 24-hour support and roadside assistance.

Upgrade to Club World and you’ll also get lounge access**, increased baggage allowance, priority check-in and boarding, and a spacious seat that converts to a fully flat bed. Members of The British Airways Club enjoy even more benefits in the form of collecting Avios (British Airways’ frequent flyer currency) and earning tier points, which unlock frequent flyer status and other benefits. Avios can also be used towards the cost of your holiday, presenting even greater value for money for members.

All this means you can totally relax during your stay at Hilton Zemi Miches Punta Cana All-Inclusive Resort, knowing you’re getting the quality and peace of mind you’d expect from a British Airways Holidays.

If you can tear yourself away from the resort – tough, we know – there’s lots to experience throughout the Dominican Republic. Take a day trip to Santo Domingo, one of the Caribbean’s oldest cities; its walled, cobblestoned, historic centre, the Zona Colonial, has impressive Spanish buildings dating back to the 16th century, including the Gothic Catedral Primada de America and the Alcázar de Colón palace, which sits on the laid-back, cafe-lined Plaza de España. The latter is now one of the city’s many museums, displaying striking medieval and Renaissance art. In the pretty Parque del Este is the Faro a Colón, a large mausoleum and museum dedicated to Christopher Columbus, who landed on the island known as Hispaniola (now divided into the Dominican Republic and Haiti) in 1492. For a taste of life in bygone times, visit Altos de Chavón, a fascinating replica of a 16th century Mediterranean village, featuring art galleries and studios, boutiques and a striking amphitheatre.

Looking for something a little more adventurous? Get back to nature at Los Haitises National Park, where you can explore mangrove forests, caves and unique rock formations, or the 27 waterfalls of Damajagua, a series of tumbling falls perfect for swimming, splashing and jumping into. And don’t miss the incredible Hoya Azul, a cenote, or sinkhole, with crystal-clear, aquamarine waters; it’s located in Scape Park, a natural adventure park featuring lush jungles and jaw-dropping cliffs, where you can go zip-lining or explore the caves. There is whale watching in Samana Bay – humpback whales can be found here during their breeding season, January to March. While Lago Enriquillo, a salt lake with surrounding wetlands, is home to crocodiles and various bird species, including flamingos. All in all, your holiday to the Dominican Republic is guaranteed to be unforgettable; so get booking now!

British Airways Holidays packages include a generous baggage allowance for each customer and come with full ATOL protection for complete peace of mind. Secure your holiday to Hilton Zemi Miches Punta with a low deposit and enjoy flexible payments until you fly*.

*Based on two sharing. Full balance due seven weeks before departure. Subject to availability. T&Cs apply.

**Subject to availability

Women walking 4,000 steps once or twice a week ‘cuts risk of early death by 26%’

Experts have revealed that older women who walk 4,000 steps a day cut their chance of early death by more than a quarter.

Women who clock up this number of steps in a day, just just once or twice a week, reduce their chance of early death by 26 per cent, research found.

It added that it is he amount people walk, rather than the number of days on which they walk, that is important for slashing death rates and the risk of heart disease.

They suggested that benchmarks such as needing to walk 10,000 steps every single day are wrong, adding “there is no ‘better’ or ‘best’ pattern to take steps”.

They said moving is important and “individuals can undertake physical activity in any preferred pattern”.

The study found that, compared with women who were fairly sedentary, those who achieved 4,000 steps per day on one or two days days a week had a 26 per cent lower risk of death from any cause and a 27 per cent lower heart disease risk.

Achieving this on three days a week did have more benefits, of 40 per cent reduced earlier death risk and a 27 per cent lower risk of heart disease.

Even more exercise than that (5,000 to 7,000 steps) led to more declines but these were more modest.

Here, there was a 32 per cent lower risk of death but there was a levelling out in the risk of a cardiovascular disease death, at 16 per cent.

The researchers, including from Harvard University in the US, said the study found that “the number of steps per day, rather than the frequency of days/week achieving a particular step threshold is important” for cutting the risk of early death and heart disease in older women.

They added: “Physical activity guidelines in older women should consider recommending at least 4,000 steps per day on one to two days per week to lower mortality and cardiovascular disease risk.”

The study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, included 13,547 women free from heart disease and cancer at the start, who were typically aged around 72.

The women wore devices for seven consecutive days to measure their step count and were tracked for nearly 11 years.

During this time, 1,765 women (13 per cent) died and 781 (5.1 per cent) developed heart disease.

The team concluded a “greater number of steps, regardless of daily patterns, is associated with better health outcomes”.

Starmer’s groom gang inquiry in crisis as three victims quit

Keir Starmer’s grooming gang inquiry was plunged into chaos after three victims quit its survivors panel.

One victim simply known as “Elizabeth” has joined Fiona Goddard and Ellie Reynolds, who walked out of the inquiry’s victims and survivors liaison panel on Monday in protest over an alleged cover up.

The resignations are a huge blow to the prime minister who had been strong armed into holding an inquiry after a national outrage over the sexual abuse of children by gangs.

Sir Keir and his domestic abuse minister Jess Phillips had initially refused to agree to an inquiry but eventually relented when the Tories and Reform pushed it to the top of the agenda.

In her resignation letter, Elizabeth said the process appeared to be a “a cover-up” and had already “created a toxic environment for survivors”.

She said that she felt the process had been “scripted and predetermined”, “rather than emerging from honest, open dialogue with survivors”.

“This sense of control and stage-management has left many of us questioning whether our voices truly matter, or whether we are being used to legitimise decisions that have already been made,” she added.

Fiona Goddard and Ellie-Ann Reynolds also resigned from the inquiry’s victims and survivors liaison panel on Monday, levelling heavy criticism at the Home Office’s handling of the issue.

In her resignation letter, Ms Goddard said the process so far had involved “secretive conduct” with instances of “condescending and controlling language” used towards survivors.

She also cited a “toxic, fearful environment” and a “high risk of people feeling silenced all over again”.

There are also concerns that a chair has still not been appointed for the inquiry.

Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick told BBC Breakfast that the resignations “cast a real shadow over the government’s efforts” to set up the inquiry. He said ministers have “got to take action now and grip this.”

On Tuesday, justice minister Sarah Sackman said: “The grooming gangs scandal and the abuse that was suffered by victims is one of the worst crimes in recent British history.

“As minister for courts, my focus is always on the victims. They can have confidence.

“This government has acted in ordering a national inquiry. We’re taking our time to choose the best possible chair to ensure that our response is robust.

“The fact that the prime minister is someone that prosecuted grooming gangs before he entered Parliament shows how much this is a priority at the very top of government, and I want to reassure victims that we will stop at nothing to ensure that they get the justice they deserve.”

Resigning on Monday, Ms Reynolds accused the Home Office of holding meetings without telling survivors and making “decisions we couldn’t question”.

She added: “The final turning point for me was the push to change the remit, to widen it in ways that downplay the racial and religious motivations behind our abuse.

“For many of us, these were not incidental factors; they were central to why we were targeted and why institutions failed to act. To erase that truth is to rewrite history.”

Speaking on Tuesday, Ms Reynolds told LBC another reason she decided to step away was because the panel set out conditions that survivors could not seek support from their families or other survivors, which she described as “more of a manipulation tactic”.

Ms Reynolds also told GB News: “They’ve tried to divide us, to weaken us, and if we can’t seek support from each other, we’ve all then got to be divided.

“Then, obviously, when the chairs got leaked, we then kind of turned against each other and started being reluctant to trust one another.”

She added: “But this inquiry, we genuinely had faith that it was going to serve its purpose, and we’ve literally just watched it collapse underneath us.”

Both women have expressed concern about the candidates shortlisted to chair the inquiry, one of whom is reportedly a former police chief and the other a social worker.

Ms Goddard said: “This is a disturbing conflict of interest and I fear the lack of trust in services from years of failings and corruption will have a negative impact in survivor engagement with this inquiry.”

Ms Goddard and Ms Reynolds’s resignations come amid mounting pressure on the Government to move forward with the inquiry, first announced by the Prime Minister in June, including by setting out terms of reference and appointing a chair.

Ms Phillips told MPs last month the appointment process for a chair was in its “final stages” and a panel of survivors and victims would be involved in the selection.

Downing Street said the government was working “flat out to get the right chair in place”, with survivors “absolutely at the heart of what we’re doing”, but declined to give “running commentary” on the process.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “The abuse of children by grooming gangs is one of the most horrific crimes imaginable.

“Any suggestion that this inquiry is being watered down is completely wrong – we are committed to delivering a robust, thorough inquiry that will get to the truth and provide the answers that survivors have so long campaigned for.”