The BBC has no choice but to teach Trump a lesson about free speech

So, Donald Trump‘s Big Beautiful BBC writ has finally arrived, and it does not disappoint. We are invited to believe that the US President is a man of almost saintly virtue whose unblemished reputation – and business prospects – have been irreparably tarnished by one lousy Panorama programme.

Trump asserts that the BBC had the “express intent of interfering with [the 2024 Presidential election] and trying to undermine President Trump’s odds of winning re-election”. He wants “compensatory and punitive damages” of no less than $5bn and, depending on how you read his claim, as much as $10bn.

Some twerps on the right of British politics, so blinded by their hatred of our national broadcaster, have piped up in support. Rupert Lowe MP, a former Reform member, tweeted “Trump is suing the BBC. Good luck to him, I say.”

The writ refers to the outgoing director general Tim Davie as “disgraced” and quotes with some glee the opinion of the former BBC editorial adviser, corporate PR man Michael Prescott, that the programme was “neither balanced nor impartial – it seemed to be taking a distinctly anti-Trump stance.”

So, well done, whoever chose to leak Mr Prescott’s memo to the Daily Telegraph. In addition to toppling a respected DG and causing institutional meltdown at the BBC, you’ve also landed the corporation with the enormous expense of defending a specious defamation action.

I look forward to Mr Prescott being called as a witness on behalf of Trump, habitual liar and incorrigible denigrator of truthful media as “fake news”. The squirming will be exquisite.

In Trump’s first year we have seen a tsunami of cowardice in which previously grand institutions – including the media, law and academia – have cravenly bent the knee, as though the 47th president were some kind of medieval monarch.

The BBC has no choice but to defend this preposterous claim. The corporation is not a subject in the quasi-feudal estate of Trump’s fantasies. Unlike the institutions which have crumbled, it is not reliant on favours from the ruler and his unlovely cronies.

And, in any case, the law is on its side.

Let me let you into a secret: journalists make mistakes. The Daily Telegraph makes mistakes: I will not embarrass it by listing some of the more egregious ones. The Guardian certainly made mistakes under my editorship. The Sunday Times, when Prescott was working there [he was political editor between 1991-2001], was singled out in 2000 for its ethical failings by Roy Greenslade, then a media commentator for The Guardian and subsequently a professor at the City University.

“I’ve received more unsolicited complaints about The Sunday Times than any other paper,” he wrote in July that year, citing “many … instances of alleged inaccuracy, distortion and misrepresentation.”

He continued: “The Sunday Times appears to have lost its credibility among the nation’s opinion-formers… According to the host of complainants I have spoken to, the paper is reluctant to admit any wrong-doing.”

I should emphasise that Greenslade did not single out Prescott for any criticism, but the point stands: that even the most august news organisations are fallible. And that journalists making mistakes and not promptly correcting them is not necessarily a sign of malice or institutional bias.

By way of illustration, this week I attended a showing of Cover-up, a film profiling one of the most distinguished reporters of our age, Seymour Hersh. It’s set for release on Netflix on December 26, and is well worth a watch.

Hersh, now 88, broke some of the most impactful stories of his generation, from My Lai to Abu Ghraib, via Watergate and Vietnam. Over nearly six decades he exposed brutality, deception, torture, illegal surveillance and much else. His work makes an inspiring case for public interest journalism.

But he has also made some howlers along the way. He fell for forged documents over JF Kennedy, and his reliance on unnamed sources led to – how can one put it kindly? – vigorously contested responses around Syria, the death of Osama bin Laden and who bore responsibility for the sabotage of the Nord Sea pipeline. “If I ever made the claim to be perfect, I now withdraw it,” he says on the film.

The BBC’s error in the Panorama film which has so upset Trump is footling stuff by comparison. Much of the film – contrary to the impression given by Mr Prescott – gives voice to Trump’s most passionate supporters. The disputed 20-second segment of a 55-minute programme would have caused little comment if the director had inserted a white flash to indicate that two separate sentences in Trump’s speech on 6th January 2021 had been joined together in the edit suite.

A rather more distinguished journalist than Mr Prescott, the former New York Times executive editor Bill Keller, commented of the mistake: “It was an unnecessary own goal. By focusing on an ethical misdemeanour, the debate overlooks the indisputable reality that Trump inspired, energised and then celebrated a violent attempt to thwart an election.”

But this is where the BBC – assuming it holds its nerve – should find American law is on its side. In 1964, around the time Hersh began uncovering the Pentagon’s dirty laundry, the US Supreme Court came out with a unanimous ringing First Amendment judgment which enshrined two important principles.

It held that, absent any evidence of “actual malice,” journalists should have an extraordinary degree of protection in attacking or criticising public officials – and there is no more important public official in the world than the US President.

Secondly, it held that making honest mistakes shouldn’t count as undermining the shield that journalists needed if they were to do their job of holding prominent people in public life to account. It found “that erroneous statement is inevitable in free debate, and that it must be protected if the freedoms of expression are to have the ‘breathing space’ that they need … to survive.”

Justice Brennan channelled the British political philosopher John Stuart Mill in pronouncing: “Even a false statement may be deemed to make a valuable contribution to public debate, since it brings about ‘the clearer perception and livelier impression of truth, produced by its collision with error.’”

On the award of libel damages the court was equally firm, speaking of how the fear of the expense involved would chill journalism: “The pall of fear and timidity imposed upon those who would give voice to public criticism is an atmosphere in which the First Amendment freedoms cannot survive.”

At least one of the judges, Justice Black, argued for even greater protection, arguing for an “unconditional right to say what one pleases about public affairs”. He wanted “absolute immunity” for anyone criticising public officials. A supposed free speech absolutist such as Elon Musk would surely approve

The Trump administration talks a good game on free speech, extolling America as one of the last remaining countries in the world where free expression is the bedrock of democracy. It has recently pronounced that Europe faces “civilisational erasure” as it curbs political liberties and freedom of expression.

How pleasingly ironic it would be for the British Broadcasting Corporation to remind Americans what the First Amendment is all about. The BCC may be about to lose a director general, but it still has a spine. I hope.

Family of Aria Thorpe ‘heartbroken’ by death of 9-year-old in stabbing

The family of nine-year-old Aria Thorpe have said they are heartbroken after “the most beautiful little soul” was stabbed to death.

“Brave, kind-hearted” Aria was found dead in Weston-super-Mare on Monday night.

Avon and Somerset Police was called to Lime Close just before 6.10pm, where nine-year-old Aria had suffered a single stab wound.

Paying tribute on Friday, Aria’s family on her mother’s side said: “For those who didn’t have the privilege of knowing Aria, she was the most beautiful little soul — happy-go-lucky, full of light, and joy.

“She loved to sing and dance, and she took such pride in dressing up, always wanting to look just like her mummy.

“The loss of Aria has devastated us beyond words. Our hearts are broken in a way we never imagined possible.

“As a family, we are holding one another close and doing everything we can to support each other through this unimaginable time.

“We are truly touched by the lovely messages we have received from friends and the local community over recent days. It has meant an awful lot to us all.”

Aria’s father Tom Thorpe said: “It’s hard to put into words how devastating it is, our little Aria, that you’re up there with the angels looking over us.

“How sad it’s going to be not hearing ‘Dad, how long left?’ on our long journeys back and forth at weekends.

“How I’ll long to hear you asking me to test you with maths, ‘numbers’ as you called it, to entertain you when you get bored with the iPad.

“How sad it’s going to be not making your buttery crackers, grapes and a yoghurt for your breakfast.

“You were such a brave, kind-hearted and a beautiful innocent soul. You always put a smile on people’s faces with your wacky ways and just outright madness.

“You always found it so easy to show your affection to others and ensure others around you were happy and never bored!

“I’ll never ever forget our time in Disneyland as a family; seeing your face light up when we were watching the princess show was a picture that will last forever in our minds.

“Your other little family down here in Portsmouth will forever miss you.

“We’ll miss you begging to go outside, even in the pouring rain just to have as much fun as possible in the little time we had at weekends.

“You will be greatly missed, you special little angel. A life gone far too early but I hope a life lived well. We all love you dearly. Goodnight darling.”

A 15-year-old boy appeared at Bristol Crown Court on Friday charged with Aria’s murder.

More follows…

Former Nascar driver and family among seven dead in US plane crash

A plane crash at a North Carolina airport has left seven people dead, including a former NASCAR driver and his family.

NASCAR star Greg Biffle and his family were on board a Cessna C550 jet that crashed around 10:15 a.m. Thursday, while landing at the Statesville Regional Airport, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol told The Independent. Flight records indicate the plane was operated by a company Biffle owned, the Associated Press reports.

State police confirmed that “it is believed Mr Gregory Biffle and members of his immediate family were occupants of the airplane”, but said a full list of occupants will be released upon confirmation by the medical examiner’s office.

Meanwhile, NASCAR released a statement indicating Biffle, his wife Cristina, and their children, Emma and Ryder, died in the crash. The association identified the other victims as Craig Wadsworth, Dennis Dutton and Jack Dutton.

“Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to Greg’s entire family, friends, and all who were touched by his life,” NASCAR’s statement reads.

The families of the victims have also released a statement.

“Greg and Cristina were devoted parents and active philanthropists whose lives were centered around their young son Ryder and Greg’s daughter Emma (mother – Nicole Lunders). Emma was a wonderful human being with a kind soul who was loved by many people. Ryder was an active, curious and infinitely joyful child,” the statement reads.

The statement continues: “Dennis Dutton and his son Jack were deeply loved as well, and their loss is felt by all who knew them. Craig Wadsworth was beloved by many in the NASCAR community and will be missed by those who knew him.

“Each of them meant everything to us, and their absence leaves an immeasurable void in our lives.”

Biffle, who was 55 and retired, was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023. Last year, he also accepted NASCAR’s Myers Brothers Award, which recognized his efforts to provide aid in North Carolina following Hurricane Helene. The award-winning driver was affectionately nicknamed “The Biff.”

Richard Hudson, a North Carolina Representative, paid tribute to the Biffles in a social media post.

“I am devastated by the loss of Greg, Cristina, and their children, and my heart is with all who loved them,” Hudson wrote.

“The Biffles flew hundreds of rescue missions in western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene. The last time I spoke with Cristina, just a couple of weeks ago, she reached out to ask how she could help with relief efforts in Jamaica. That’s who the Biffles were,” he added.

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein called the crash “heartbreaking.”

“Beyond his success as a NASCAR driver, Greg Biffle lived a life of courage and compassion and stepped up for western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene. My heart goes out to all those who lost a loved one in this tragic crash,” he wrote on X.

The plane was scheduled to later fly from Sarasota, Florida, to Treasure Cay International Airport in the Bahamas, according to the AP. It was then set to return to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The Statesville Regional Airport, which is located about 50 miles north of Charlotte, provides “corporate aviation facilities for Fortune 500 companies and several NASCAR teams,” according to its website.

Photos from the scene showed the plane engulfed in flames near the airport’s runway. The plane took off from the airport before immediately turning back around and attempting to land, WCNC reports.

William Hamby, chief deputy for the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office, told The Independent his agency sent a “Mobile Command Unit to the scene to help with the investigation” shortly after the crash.

“The investigation will be conducted by the North Carolina Highway Patrol and the FAA. Our agency was first on scene and reported back the initial information,” he said.

About 80 minutes after the crash, the airport’s weather station recorded light rain and visibility of less than three miles, though it’s unclear if these conditions were present during the crash, CNN reports.

The National Transportation Safety Board plans to provide further updates at press conference scheduled for Friday.

Amorim accuses Man United players of being ‘entitled’ in rant against club culture

Ruben Amorim believes there is a sense of entitlement that is holding Manchester United back as he accused players of forgetting what it means to play for the club.

Amorim told Kobbie Mainoo to stay and fight for his place, rather than leaving because he is not in the team, as he told some of United’s young players they need to alter their attitude while he claimed he is improving the culture of the club, even if results have not been good enough.

The Portuguese was unhappy with now deleted social media posts from youngsters Harry Amass, who showed a picture of him winning player of the month at Sheffield Wednesday, and Chido Obi, who put a screenshot of a goal celebration, after he said they were struggling in the Championship and not always starting for the Under-21s, respectively.

The brother of England international Mainoo, meanwhile, wore a T-shirt at Old Trafford on Monday saying “Free Kobbie Mainoo”, a reference to Amorim’s failure to give the midfielder a league start yet this season.

Former United players Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt have advised Mainoo to look for a transfer, but Amorim sees that as part of a broader problem, saying the correct approach is to remain and prove him wrong.

He said: “I think it is the feeling of entitlement that we have in our club. Sometimes strong words is not bad words. Sometimes difficult moments is not a bad thing for the kids. We don’t need to be always with accolades in everything, in every situation.

“Nowadays, a lot of players speak and go against the club because they feel entitlement, and then we have legends of the club saying, ‘If you don’t play, leave, because everyone is wrong’. No, let’s stay, let’s fight, let’s overcome, maybe the manager is wrong. So I have that feeling all the time that we have to fight against this feeling.

“Sometimes I am the first to say that I am failing this club inside the pitch, I have that feeling we are not performing the way we should be. But outside the pitch, I guarantee you I am not failing this club.

“I think it is something in our club. The players sometimes forget what it means to play for Manchester United. We as a club sometimes forget who we are, and that is the feeling I have. I understand everything, it is the environment of the players, the kids, they feel free to reply to the manager with a picture.”

Amorim said the way to address any grievances is to go and see him rather than going public.

He added: “The door to my office is open. Nobody is coming to talk to me, and that is the way we can solve things, so I think we need to change as a club.”

Amorim will be without the suspended Casemiro at Aston Villa on Sunday and said Mainoo’s chances of playing will not be affected by his brother.

He explained: “It was not Kobbie that wore the T-shirt. He is not going to start because of the T-shirt or go to the bench because of it. He is going to play if he is the right player to play. I am not going to do something to Kobbie because someone in his family is doing something.”

Jeremy Clarkson ‘genuinely frightened’ as he takes ‘first break from TV in 40 years’

Jeremy Clarkson has lifted the lid on how he feels about taking his “first break from TV in 40 years” – admitting he’s “genuinely frightened” about taking an extended holiday.

The 65-year-old former Top Gear host currently fronts a number of programmes, including ITV’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? revival and a new spin-off, Millionaire Hot Seat, which will arrive on the channel in 2026.

Speaking at the launch of the new programme, Clarkson told reporters: “I’m genuinely frightened because until March, I won’t be filming a TV show for the first time in forty years. That will be three months of s***.”

When the presenter isn’t filming, he runs the Diddly Squat Farm, which he bought in 2008. Having initially purchased the 1000-acre Oxfordshire holding as an investment, he took over the running of the farm in 2019.

The highs and lows of his farming career – which have included opening a farm shop and buying a nearby pub – have been charted in the Prime Video series Clarkson’s Farm.

The fifth season of the show is slated to arrive on the streaming service in 2026 – and it will be the last one for the time being, as Clarkson announced his decision to take a break from filming after it wrapped.

The run is expected to feature the most emotional scenes yet as an outbreak of bovine tuberculosis strikes the Cotswolds farm.

Speaking earlier this year, the former Grand Tour presenter admitted the profits from the TV show have been crucial to helping the business survive after a “disastrous” harvest.

“If a disaster on this scale had befallen any other industry, there would be a lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth,” he wrote in a post on X.

When one fan said this particular “drama” would make “good TV”, Clarkson replied: “Yes. But most farms don’t have TV shows to keep them going.”

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? spin-off Millionaire Hot Seat will see Clarkson joined by six contestants answering questions against the clock to boost the prize pot, which can only be won by one of them. ITV has commissioned 18 instalments of the 30-minute show.

Clarkson is also set to front 19 new episodes of the main programme and seven celebrity specials.

It’s about experience: Further Education teachers share what it takes

In the modern world, many of us are working longer than ever. Research based on ONS Labour Market data found that there are almost one million more workers aged 65 and above since the millennium and the state pension is set to rise to 67 by 2028 and 68 by the late 2030s. Subsequently, having multiple careers is becoming increasingly popular. And after decades working in a specific industry, sharing the work-based knowledge you have gained via teaching in further education is one of the most rewarding career shifts you can make.

Further Education teaching (defined as any education for people aged 16 and over who aren’t studying for a degree) allows you to switch up your working days and harness the skills and experience you have developed, all while helping shape the next generation of workers in your field.

To find out more about the role, from what it takes to the best parts of the job, we spoke to Further Education teachers who have switched from doing their day job to teaching it…

John Ryan, 51, from Weston Super Mare, worked for more than a decade on site in the construction industry, mainly in bricklaying and supervising roles, before an opportunity to become a Further Education assessor changed his path in his thirties. Travelling nationally to assess the work of new bricklayers in order to sign off their NVQs (National Vocational Qualification), the college John was associated with then started offering him some teaching work.

With no prior teaching qualifications, John completed these alongside his assessing and teaching roles with the fees picked up by the teaching college. “I liked the idea of passing on my knowledge and giving young people the skills and confidence to progress in a trade,” he says. “Teaching in Further Education felt like a natural next step because it would allow me to combine my practical background with coaching and mentoring.” There were practical draws too. “On site in the construction industry you are self-employed so you do not get holidays or sick pay. The stability of income and regular paid holidays was a big draw of Further Education teaching,” he adds.

Since his first assessing role 18 years ago, John has worked between assessing, teaching and jobs back on the construction site and now, he currently teaches bricklaying and groundwork full-time at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College.

John’s extensive site and supervisory experience has proved to be hugely valuable when it comes to teaching his students there. “I can explain not just the ‘how’ but also the ‘why’ behind industry standards,” he explains. “Learners often respond well to hearing about real jobs, site challenges, and the professional behaviours that employers expect. It makes the lessons more relatable and credible,” he shares.

“For example, I can share stories of accidents when teaching site safety, or explain how a mistake of a few millimetres on a construction site can cost you time to rectify, which in turn will cost you money,” he says. “These hands-on, real world experiences make the theory relatable and show learners the real value of getting it right.”

Coral Aspinall, 52, who became a full-time Further Education teacher 12 years ago, agrees. “My experience allows me to put my teaching into context,” she says. Coral started out her engineering career at 16 as an apprentice in a local engineering company. Following a BSc in Engineering and Business Management, she worked for many years in the engineering industry before enrolling on a part-time PGDE (Professional Graduate Diploma in Education) course for teaching. She’s now the Engineering Programme Leader at the Stockport campus of the Trafford and Stockport College Group. Here, they offer qualifications such as Level 2 Performing Engineering Operations as well as engineering-focused Level 3 T Levels and Level 3 Btec Awards. They also offer Level 3 apprenticeships across engineering including Technical Support, Engineering Fitter and Maintenance Management.

“Because I’ve been an engineering apprentice myself, I understand what the student needs to be successful in terms of skills, knowledge and behaviour,” she explains. “I also have contacts in the wider engineering community and understand what an employer is looking for in an apprentice, and can also share insights in terms of how the sector is shifting and evolving to help support their progress.”

Working for an extensive period of time in a field before passing on that knowledge gives teachers maturity and empathy which can be hugely helpful for students, especially those facing complex life situations.

Beyond the practical techniques, a big part of John’s role is helping learners build confidence, teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills that employers look for. “Many of my learners have different challenges, so they value teachers who are approachable, who believe in them, and who prepare them for real opportunities in work or further study,” he says. For John, his previous work experience has allowed him to do this. “On site, I worked with people facing all sorts of pressures, from work to life issues, which taught me to be patient and supportive,” he explains.

Coral has had a similar experience. “I see my role as more than imparting knowledge; it is about preparing the young person for the next stage of their journey. The students trust me to have their best interests at heart; they come to me for advice on their next steps and how they can achieve their aspirations, and I’ll support them with both practical advice and words of encouragement.”

For Coral, teaching later in life allows her to draw from a mature perspective, and teach her students positive workplace behaviours alongside skills and knowledge. “Students thrive when they have clear unambiguous boundaries, so I’m firm around expectations in terms of timekeeping, attendance and attitude. This is particularly important to succeeding in the workplace as employers value these behaviours as much as, or even more than having specific expertise or know-how (which can generally be developed).”

If you’re looking for a fresh career option, and keen to share your skills with the next generation, Further Education teaching could be a really enriching new phase. Further Education covers a huge range of career sectors including construction, law, engineering, digital, hospitality, tourism, beauty and more. This includes BTECs (Business and Technology Education Council qualifications), T Levels, NVQs (National Vocational Qualifications) or City & Guilds Qualifications.

Teaching in a mixture of colleges (often General Further Education Colleges or Sixth Form Colleges) and Adult and Community Learning Centres as well as workplace and apprenticeship settings, further education teachers share their years of real world industry skills with a diverse mix of people from those straight out of school aged sixteen to those making career switches later in life.

You don’t always need an academic degree or prior teaching qualifications to start teaching in further education. You can undertake teacher training on the job, often funded by your employer, so you can start earning straight away.. Furthermore, it doesn’t mean you have to stop working in your chosen field. Further education offers hybrid opportunities – so you could teach part time alongside your other commitments. This means you could have the best of both worlds, where you are still working in your chosen industry and teaching alongside it at a time that suits your schedule. Find out if it’s the right move for you here.

If, like John and Coral, you see the appeal in sharing the knowledge and skills you’ve developed with the next generation, exploring the option of becoming a Further Education teacher can be a great next step. As John shares, the reward is always worth it: “It never gets old passing on my knowledge to people starting on their journey, knowing I have made a difference and getting a smile and thanks in return!”

Looking for a new role that’s rewarding, flexible and draws on your current career? Why not consider sharing your experience where it matters most – helping inspire the next generation of workers in the field you love? Visit Further Education to find out more

Lancashire shaken by earthquake which ‘made a thunder noise’

Lancashire was shaken by a 2.5 magnitude earthquake early on Friday morning.

The quake rattled the village of Silverdale at around 5am, with tremors reported as far away as Blackpool and Flookburgh.

The British Geological Survey (BGS) said the quake was felt across the Morecambe Bay area, with residents describing “a quick, sharp shaking jolt” accompanied by “a thunder noise,” and others reporting that radiators and pictures had been shaken.

One person said the “noise was like an impact. I thought it might be something falling against the house like a tree.”

Another reported: “It woke us up and felt like an explosion and the radiators and pictures rattled.”

The quake comes two weeks after another 3.3 magnitude tremor in the same area.

The BGS told The Independent that last night’s quake is considered an “aftershock” to that more powerful event, and that the two incidents are linked.

The previous quake happened just off the coast of Silverdale on 3 December at a depth of 1.86 miles. This morning’s tremor was at a depth of 1.61 miles and in the same area.

Locals close to the epicentre of the previous earthquake told the BGS it “felt like an underground explosion” and was “so powerful it shook the whole house”.

The BGS’s seismology team told The Independent the quakes were due to “movement on a previously unknown fault”.

They said “the stresses causing this result from the movement of tectonic plates”.

While the official epicentre of last night’s tremor was close to the previous quake – “less than 2km” away, the team said it could in fact “be the same place within our location uncertainty”.

“The event last night was an aftershock following the event in the same region earlier this month. Aftershocks are not unusual,” they said.

Those concerned about whether the terra is still indeed firma in the Lancashire area should not worry, the seismologists said.

They added: “The seismicity experienced across the UK falls within the expected amount of activity. Whilst nationally, earthquakes are spread throughout the year, it is common for small groupings of earthquakes to occur regionally.

“Whilst the events in Lancashire were not small by British standards, they are nowhere near the magnitude of earthquakes found in other parts of the world.”

The BGS records between 200 and 300 earthquakes across the UK each year, but only 20 to 30 are typically strong enough for people to feel. Most tremors are so small they’re picked up only by monitoring equipment, and the vast majority cause little to no damage.

Budget train company launches new London to Scotland service

A budget rail operator has launched a new direct rail link between London and Scotland – with tickets for less than £35 a seat.

Lumo, part of transport company FirstGroup plc, started the inaugural service linking Glasgow directly with Falkirk, Edinburgh, the northeast of England and London on Tuesday.

The route’s first leg departed Glasgow Queen Street at 6.16pm, arriving at London’s King’s Cross one minute early.

Tickets for the new train will start from £33.10 between London and Glasgow, with seats for as little as £10.90 on journeys connecting Newcastle and Glasgow.

According to Lumo, dubbed the “Ryanair of trains”, the low fares combined with “Lumo’s high-scoring onboard customer satisfaction results” will make travelling between the destinations even more accessible.

Two northbound services will run each weekday, with one southbound.

The new Lumo connection is expected to “attract more people” to Glasgow’s Commonwealth Games in July 2026, said the rail operator.

Stuart Jones, managing director of First Rail Open Access, said: “This is a landmark moment which will boost connectivity between Scotland and England, offering a sustainable travel option whilst also boosting economic growth.

“It was a particular pleasure to celebrate the launch of our inaugural services in style with a brilliant range of guests from our dedicated team, as well as our partners from Scotland and across the border. We’re proud to champion Scotland and look forward to providing the unique Lumo service to even more customers from this week.”

Lumo is also set to launch a brand new route connecting Stirling with London Euston from May 2026.

The group plans to run five trains a day between London Euston and Stirling, stopping at 10 English and Scottish stations along the way.

The new “open access” service will compete with Avanti West Coast as well as other operators, including TransPennine Express and LNER.

Read more: Budget train operator proposes new cheap rail routes for UK