Starmer prepares Brexit ‘reset’ bill to align UK with EU law

Sir Keir Starmer is preparing a bill which would hand ministers powers to bring the UK into alignment with EU law, as part of an attempt to reduce paperwork and boost growth in Britain.

The bill, which will be brought forward this year as part of the government’s Brexit reset, would give ministers overarching powers to bring the UK in line with EU law in certain areas, such as food standards, animal welfare and pesticide use – a process known as dynamic alignment.

It is understood that the new powers could be used to implement deals struck with the EU, such as agreements to align electricity and carbon markets, or plant and animal standards.

Ministers argue that dynamic alignment would have little material impact as UK food manufacturers have already largely followed EU rules since Brexit, but it is hoped that it would reduce expensive and time-consuming paperwork for suppliers who want to export to the single market.

But there are concerns that it would see the UK surrender control over its own laws.

When the UK was a member of the EU, the government previously had a vote on new laws being passed by Brussels. But now, the UK would need to accept the laws without a vote if it wants to remain in dynamic alignment with the trade bloc.

Both Conservative and Reform UK MPs are expected to oppose the plans, with the Tories accusing the prime minister of “surrendering our freedom” to appease his Labour backbenchers, and trying to “undo” Brexit.

But a Labour source argued that “all international agreements involve shared rules”.

Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats are calling for the government to go even further and negotiate a customs union with the EU, accusing the government of having been “too timid” in its ambitions for closer ties with Brussels.

While the government has ruled out such a plan, sympathetic Labour MPs could rebel and vote with the Lib Dems.

Sir Keir has recently faced pressure from his own backbenchers to change course on a customs union, with some 13 Labour MPs backing proposals that would pave the way for such an arrangement in a Commons vote last month.

When he became prime minister, Sir Keir promised to reset Britain’s relationship with Brussels and rebuild ties with the bloc after years of tension and mistrust under the Conservatives.

And over the weekend, the prime minister signalled that the government would be prepared to align even more closely with the EU single market if the move is in the national interest.

Sir Keir insisted Britain should “go further” in strengthening post-Brexit ties with Brussels following a trade deal agreed earlier this year.

But he appeared to pour cold water on suggestions that the UK should rejoin a customs union with the bloc after his health secretary Wes Streeting said the arrangement had “enormous economic benefits”.

Speaking to the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg over the weekend, Sir Keir pointed to steps already taken to align with the EU more closely on agriculture and food, adding: “That’s the sovereign decision that we have taken.

“I think we should get closer, and if it’s in our national interest to have even closer alignment with the single market, then we should consider that, we should go that far.”

He added: “I think it’s in our national interest to go further.

“What I would say about the customs union is that I argued for a customs union for many years with the EU, but a lot of water has now gone under the bridge.

“I do understand why people are saying, ‘Wouldn’t it be better to go to the customs union?’ I actually think that now we’ve done deals with the US which are in our national interest, now we’ve done deals with India which are in our national interest, we are better looking to the single market rather than the customs union for our further alignment.”

The prime minister insisted freedom of movement – a core principle of the EU single market – was off the table as he faced questions about what concessions he was willing to offer in return.

A Labour source told The Independent: “The bill will give us the powers to share rules with the EU. All international agreements involve shared rules. That’s their very nature.

“We’re confident in making the case for specific trade-offs, where it has clear benefits for businesses and consumers.

“Kemi has a short memory – it wasn’t long ago she was making similar arguments, when she U-turned on the Brexit bonfire of EU regulation in the name of pragmatism and what works in the real world.

“Yet, the Tories and Reform are keen to protect a broken status quo and want to rip up our deal, all in the name of petty ideology.”

Police wrongly told parents their teenage son died in car crash

The family of a teenager badly injured in a car crash were wrongly told that he had died after police mixed him up with the actual victim.

South Yorkshire Police have referred themselves to the police watchdog over their identification process following their handling of the collision in Rotherham.

A 17-year-old girl was killed in the crash on Todwick Road on 13 December.

But officers also told the relatives of Trevor Wynn, 17, that he had died.

A young man who officers believed was Joshua Johnson, 18, was sedated in hospital after being injured.

But the force says that on Sunday, “information came to light” that led to further formal identification processes, including forensics, to be carried out.

Those tests showed that Trevor Wynn was the teenager in hospital and Joshua Johnson was killed.

“The families and surviving victim, Trevor, will be offered support from specialist officers and additional specialist services,” police said.

An 18-year-old was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, and a 19-year-old was arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice. Both are on bail pending further enquiries.

Assistant Chief Constable Colin McFarlane said: “This has obviously come as a huge shock to everyone and we recognise the additional trauma this may cause.

“We are supporting Trevor and all the families through this and have engaged specialist agencies to help provide that support.”

Mr McFarlane said he had offered to meet both sets of parents.

“I am sure they will have many questions, most of which we are not able to answer yet, but we are absolutely committed to understanding how this happened so it cannot happen again,” he said.

“We have taken the decision to refer ourselves to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) to consider our role in the identification processes which were followed following the road traffic collision.”

He said the force would co-operate fully with any investigation and would be led by the IOPC on finding out how it happened, and how to ensure it never happened again.

The police force said the families had asked that them to thank the public for their support but that they be left in peace “to process the future they now face”.

Unexploded bomb causes severe delays at major train station

An unexploded wartime bomb has been found near a major transport hub, causing an evacuation of passengers and severe delays.

Train services across Birmingham were disrupted on Tuesday morning after the device – believed to be an old mortar – was discovered near a railway line.

It was found at Duddeston Mill Trading Estate, on Duddeston Mill Road, Washwood Heath, at around 9.45am, triggering an immediate emergency response.

Lines between Birmingham New Street and Duddeston were closed as bomb disposal teams moved in, forcing major delays and cancellations on routes to Tamworth, Derby and Sheffield.

National Rail warned disruption could continue into the afternoon.

A 100‑metre exclusion zone was set up around the site while specialists assessed the device.

Network Rail said it was working with the police, adding that services would remain disrupted while the incident is made safe.

A spokesperson said: “We are currently supporting West Midlands Police as they deal with an incident in Duddeston.

“As a result, some train services are currently disrupted. We will keep you updated with information as we receive it.”

Later on Tuesday, West Midlands Police told The Independent that the device had been removed and services would reopen.

A spokesperson for West Midlands Police said: “The EOD bomb disposal team attended and made the mortar safe. The exclusion zone has been lifted and nearby railway line reopened.”

In an update, National Rail said: “All lines have now reopened following an earlier wartime bomb near the railway at Birmingham New Street.”

“Trains running to/from and through this station may continue to be cancelled, delayed by up to 50 minutes, revised or diverted.”

They added: “Disruption is now expected until 15:00.”

Thousands of unexploded Second World War bombs are found around the UK every year. Around 8,000 a year are dealt with by the private sector, while the military assists in larger operations.

Construction, dredging, and offshore projects frequently uncover unexploded ordnance, with those on land often found buried deep beneath the surface. At sea, the vast quantities of unexploded devices from both the First and Second World Wars are a significant hazard for offshore activities, including wind farms.

In 2024, a 500kg unexploded Nazi bomb was found by a man working on an extension in Plymouth. Hundreds of homes were evacuated in one of the country’s largest evacuations since the Second World War, and a military convoy was brought in to transport it through the streets. It was detonated at sea.

Amorim was doomed to fail inside Man United’s broken machine

As almost everyone in football gleefully shares gossip about Manchester United, there is one detail that is provoking more intrigue. Many are asking whether Ruben Amorim was ultimately sacked over how he spoke to director of football Jason Wilcox in that now notorious Friday meeting. If so, it would seem a little over-sensitive for elite-end football.

It should be acknowledged there were sound football reasons for sacking Amorim. The football was often unwatchable and many results were unjustifiable, but league position shows this wasn’t irredeemable. And while the 1-1 against Wolves caused a shift that sparked serious discussion among the hierarchy on New Year’s Day, Friday appears to have brought the moment when an undesirable situation became “unsustainable”.

The feeling was only deepened after Amorim’s press conference at Leeds United, where some have since taken greater note of the specific managers the Portuguese referenced. “I know my name isn’t [Thomas] Tuchel, [Antonio] Conte or [Jose] Mourinho, but I’m the manager.”

Various sources now say these were the names that had been put to Amorim as an argument as to why he didn’t necessarily have the pedigree to speak in the way he had been.

One of the main triggers was nevertheless that discussion over tactics, and specifically the use of a back three. While this has primarily been put in the context of Amorim “blowing up”, the detail indicates more existential issues about the club.

It has since been reported that Wilcox favours the 4-3-3 that is central at Manchester City, even if he had previously not put it to Amorim.

Such a sentiment sums up the disconnect. As director of football, in any well-run club, it would specifically be Wilcox’s job to actually decide on team ideology.

At Manchester United? Well, who knows? There’s a strong argument that this is why Amorim was always destined to fail.

What the club really should have done in Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s first summer of 2024 was start from scratch and decide on an ideology, ensuring that dictated every single future decision – specifically recruitment in players and coaches.

They instead clumsily persevered with Erik ten Hag and then belatedly threw everything on a young coach who probably has the most fixed tactical approach in the modern game, but without the football infrastructure to support that.

It’s all the worse since Ratcliffe had actually told executives they would be taking this more holistic approach – that they would decide on style of play – before that, in February 2024. The minority owner instead immersed himself in the Amorim appointment, conducting a long one-on-one where he was said to be struck by the young coach’s personality.

It does beg the more pressing question of how major decisions at Old Trafford are made and why. Put bluntly, a club more obsessed with “identity” than any other doesn’t actually have one, at least not in the way that matters in the modern game.

That doesn’t just mean superficialities like “wingers” and “fast play”. It is about the clarity of what you want a team to look like.

For over a decade, obvious best practice has been to decide on an ideology – be that Pep Guardiola’s positional game, German high-energy high-pressing or any similarly defined model – and take everything from that.

It brings a crucial clarity.

These very words were actually said on these pages about United back in 2019.

Far from taking what are actually “best in class” decisions to improve on the Glazers, though, Ratcliffe’s leadership seems to be making all of this worse.

Even the prospective return of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as interim emphasises it. They’re back to “DNA”, or “vibes”, in lieu of an actual idea.

That’s also why the debate over whether United can play three at the back has always been misplaced, and almost represents magical thinking. It’s not that they’re institutionally resistant. It’s that there’s insufficient clarity under the team.

And there is now an argument that, until Ratcliffe realises this, United are constantly going to be beset by confusion.

There are too many voices, when everyone knows the only voice that matters is the one that knows the least about football.

This can be sensed in the football structure, where there’s almost a contradiction. Ratcliffe has “empowered” what looks a modern setup, from director of recruitment Christoph Vivell and Wilcox through chief executive Omar Berrada, but then his own say goes well beyond just making the final decision on the decision fed up to him.

There are multiple illustrations of how counterproductively this works. One coach interviewed in 2024 got frustrated as he found there were four different stages of the process, each involving more officials, all being cast as “decision makers”. The candidate had never experienced anything like it. The interview questions were meanwhile described as “formulaic”.

When it came to meeting the actual decision-maker in Ratcliffe – and when it looked like an offer might come – it is claimed that was delayed for three days because the billionaire was “off cycling”. Some of this might have been exaggerated for comic effect, but the point stands.

The situation is also reflective of a bigger problem in modern football, which is the co-opting of the people’s game by a billionaire class.

Many major clubs are experiencing similar, from Chelsea to Tottenham Hotspur.

And, from speaking to multiple people who have worked with Ratcliffe, a few descriptions chime.

“Meddles with everything.”

“A nightmare to work with.”

“That specific billionaire arrogance where they think being successful in one field means they’re experts on everything else.”

“It’s micromanagement. These types can never relinquish control.”

Stories already abound about Ratcliffe imparting opinions on everything from running technique to recovery.

By the same token, sources involved in the 2022 takeover of Chelsea were baffled at the manner Ratcliffe came in late on. Although it had been presumed he would then just outbid everyone, the Ineos billionaire only offered to match the Clearlake bid without outlining actual plans. The feeling from those present was that he believed he’d “successfully run Ineos so this would be easy”.

And while Dan Ashworth has obviously been reappraised this week for his caution against the Amorim appointment, that is not seen by sources as the main reason he left. It is said Ashworth made his feelings clear on Ratcliffe constantly getting involved in football.

Such an account obviously has implications for the profile of United’s current leadership. How open is Ratcliffe to alternative opinion? Would he make the same cost-cutting decisions now given anyone could have told him that such measures erode club culture for negligible financial gain?

Insiders meanwhile maintain Ratcliffe has repeatedly been frustrated with decision-making, to the point there have been so many changes in leadership. Remember Dave Brailsford?

Again, some of this would be easily solved by deciding on an actual football identity that provides guardrails for all decisions.

Instead, it’s Ratcliffe’s personality that sounds like the only guardrail. Is this really conducive to anyone making assured decisions on their own terms? Everyone always has to second-guess their boss.

It has also been noted that many of the appointments, from Wilcox to Berrada, are new to these roles. Figures at United’s rivals have been baffled by this, simply due to the amount of inexperience for key roles in a major club.

This is partly why Vivell is viewed as increasingly influential, due to his credentials in recruitment from Red Bull. Julian Nagelsmann is consequently seen as a summer candidate due to that connection, too.

The lack of a deeper identity, however, even shapes that football essential of talent ID. Insiders talk of how Ratciffe’s United seem obsessed with surveying who does things well and just trying to import that – even if they are elements that are now standard in football – when they should instead be looking to what’s next and trying to get ahead of the curve rather than playing catch-up. The latter was Ferran Soriano’s dictum at City, often using the analogy of boat races.

Instead, Ratcliffe saw that City were successful and made appointments from there, apparently overlooking how the key reason for City’s success was limitless money from Abu Dhabi ownership.

There is now said to be an overt focus on the analytics revolution at Brighton and Brentford.

That’s fine, but, again, it’s been done for years and United don’t have access to the unique data of either owner. More pressingly, United aren’t buying players to sell them on. They’re buying to win.

For United’s part, it is encouraging that they resisted some of Amorim’s transfer demands to instead sign players better suited to multiple approaches, even if it typically went against the Portuguese’s perception of his discussions with Ratcliffe.

The feelings of one candidate for the job ring out. When he previously spoke to United, the club were talking about building the best training ground in the world.

The coach found himself thinking “this is the wrong way around”. They were going for an interior decorator when they first needed to gut the house.

They next need to decide what they actually want it to look like.

Trump says Venezuela’s ‘turning over’ millions of barrels of oil

President Donald Trump has announced that Venezuela is “turning over” millions of barrels of oil.

“I am pleased to announce that the Interim Authorities in Venezuela will be turning over between 30 and 50 MILLION Barrels of High Quality, Sanctioned Oil, to the United States of America,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Tuesday evening.

The president said the oil will be sold, and he will control the money from the sale “to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States.”

Also Tuesday, the Trump administration said it was considering using the military to acquire Greenland, days after completing a covert operation to capture Venezuela’s now-deposed President Nicolás Maduro.

Greenland, a mineral-rich Arctic island, is a self-governing territory of Denmark. Several major European nations said in a joint statement Tuesday: “Only Denmark and Greenland can decide on matters concerning their relations.”

Trump told reporters last Sunday Greenland is “so strategic right now,” adding the territory “is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place.”

Over the weekend, the U.S. captured Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in Caracas. They both subsequently pleaded not guilty to drug and weapons charges.

Inside the living traditions of the Pyrenees of Catalonia

The Catalan Pyrenees is rightly celebrated as one of Europe’s great year-round adventure playgrounds. The region is packed with the kind of sensational ski resorts that make it one of the continent’s great winter destinations, and when the snow melts it transforms into a green, lake-dotted hikers’ idyll. What’s less well-known is that beyond the famous trails and peaks, the hills of Catalonia contain towns and villages alive with tradition, where the people enthusiastically maintain vibrant cultural practices some of which stretch for hundreds of years.

Take, for example, the Patum of Berga, a tradition that’s been celebrated annually during the feast of Corpus Christi for more than six centuries. Originally staged to teach people about the Holy Scriptures, the Patum has evolved over time into an intense and riotous carnival, which always lives up to its former name: Bullícia del Santíssim Sagrament (frenzy of the Blessed Sacrament). These days, locals crowd the streets to watch processions and performances featuring drummers and Guites (figures with a dragon’s head, giraffe’s neck, mule’s body, and horse’s tail), angels and mace-wielding demons, giants dancing to traditional Catalan melodies, and simulated battles in which the heroes always triumph. Because of the annual differences in the Easter cycle, it doesn’t have a fixed date but always takes place between the end of May and the end of June (in 2026, the main festival runs June 3rd-7th).

Similarly raucous is the fiery summer Fallas festival in the high Pyrenees, which celebrates the summer solstice. The festivities take places in 17 villages, each of which has a slightly different tradition but all of which involve young people lighting two-metre-long flaming torches on high points in the mountains. They then walk towards their villages, dancing and drawing patterns with the lighted torches, guided by a local leader, until they reach a bonfire in the central square, which they light with the torch and traditional dances are performed.

Fire is a consistent theme across many of the longstanding traditions of the Catalan Pyrenees. Over in the village of Les in the Val d’Aran, Falles are quite different. The Crema de Eth Haro, which takes place on the eve of Saint John’s Day at the end of June, involves the burning of a tall fir tree trunk that was planted the year before. While the trunk burns, young people spin balls of fire called halhes (made of cherry bark and wire), the sparks of which are thought to bring the fire to every corner of the village.

The region is also home to some rich culinary traditions with long histories. Take, for example, the Carnaval de Solsona, a quirky, nine-day celebration where giant puppets parade through the streets, pranks unfold in the squares, and the whole town gathers for communal meals. Alongside the playful chaos, locals come together to share hearty winter dishes and regional specialities made from Solsonès produce, from rich stews to pork-based favourites. It’s a festival that blends satire, pageantry and food, bringing generations together around long tables in the main square to celebrate community, seasonality and the enduring flavours of the region.

For those looking for a rich sense of lived history, the Pyrenees of Catalonia are not just about festivals and food, the buildings are magnificent too. For an astonishing insight into life in the 12th and 13th Centuries, head to the beautifully preserved Romanesque churches in the Vall de Boí, near the border with Aragon. In all of Europe, Catalonia has perhaps the greatest collection of Romanesque murals; some of them in the National Art Museum of Catalonia in Barcelona, others in situ in these nine stunning churches. Don’t miss Sant Climent de Taüll, which was consecrated back in 1123; its atmospheric interior and beautiful tower are a portal to distant time through video mapping.

Plan your sustainable trip to the Pyrenees of Catalonia at visitpirineus.com/en

At least 36 dead in Iran protests as demonstrations held at Grand Bazaar

At least 36 protesters have died during protests in Iran as security forces fired tear gas at demonstrators in Tehran’s grand bazaar on Tuesday.

Activists staging a sit-in at Tehran’s main market clashed with security forces as nationwide protests over Iran’s economic crisis entered a tenth day.

Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump warned that if Tehran “violently kills peaceful protesters,” the United States would “will come to their rescue” – without elaborating on what this would mean.

The country’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Saturday that the “rioters must be put in their place” in an indication that he would not engage in dialogue with protesters over the dire state of the country’s economy. Iran’s currency, the rial, recently fell to a record low.

Security forces fired tear gas to disperse the demonstrators at the grand bazaar as the market shut down, witnesses said. Previously, security forces have been filmed using tear gas against protesters at a hospital and a metro station in the capital.

Protests in Iran – the most significant in years – have spread to over 270 locations in 27 of Iran’s 31 provinces.

More than 1,200 people have been detained and at least 36 people killed during the protests, according to the U.S. based Human Rights Activists News Agency. The death toll includes 29 protesters, four children and two members of Iran’s security forces.

The economic situation is set to worsen as Iran’s Central Bank has drastically reduced the subsidised exchange rates for dollars it offers to importers and producers in the country.

This move will likely lead to merchants hiking the prices of goods in the following days for consumers, whose life savings have already dwindled following years of international sanctions targeting the Islamic Republic.

The country was plunged into severe economic hardships since the U.S. first imposed tariffs in 2018.

Several protesters are now calling for the overthrow of supreme leader Ayatollah Kamenei, who has reportedly planned to flee to Moscow if the demonstrations escalate.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered a government investigation into one incident involving the protests, but has also indicated that the crisis may be rapidly moving beyond the control of officials.

Pezeshkian said in a televised speech: “We should not expect the government to handle all of this alone”. He added: “The government simply does not have that capacity.”

This is not the first time Iran has faced rounds of nationwide protests over economic issues in recent years.

However, the recent protests do not yet match the scale of unrest that swept the nation in 2022-23 over the death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who died in the custody of Iran’s morality police for allegedly violating the hijab law.

‘Nearly half of Britons watching porn on unregulated sites’

Nearly half of Britons have admitted to watching porn from unregulated websites since age verification checks became mandatory, as a charity has warned more users may fall down a pathway where they can access child sexual abuse material.

New research from the Lucy Faithfull Foundation has revealed that nearly 45 per cent of UK porn users have visited sites without age verification checks since they came into force last summer as part of the Online Safety Act.

The poll of more than 3,700 Britons showed that 39 per cent of those who had visited those sites had watched content that made them uncomfortable and 40 per cent said that what they had seen put them off visiting the site altogether.

The charity, dedicated to preventing online child sexual abuse, warned that these sites may increase users’ exposure to harmful and illegal content.

Vicky Young, head of the charity’s Stop It Now UK and Ireland anonymous helpline for people concerned about child sexual abuse, told The Independent that these unregulated websites risked becoming a pathway to indecent images of children.

“We work with people who have looked at indecent images of children to try and address that behaviour, to help support them to change their behaviour,” she said.

“One of the things that people say to us frequently is that they started looking at legal adult pornography and that their behaviour escalated. In part they were spending maybe longer online, but also the sort of content that they were looking at became more extreme and often started getting younger, and that’s when they then crossed into illegal behaviour, so looking at indecent images of children.

“Because of that pathway and that coming out constantly in conversations we have with people, it concerns us that if people are accessing sites where, there is this riskier content, that actually they are putting themselves at a higher chance of accessing indecent images.

“Sometimes that might not be intentional in the beginning, but what people tell us is that actually, if they come across those images as part of their other pornography, that then sparks curiosity. There’s something that kind of adds to the excitement around the risk, and, they don’t necessarily stop at one image. They actually then start looking for more images.”

Nearly a third (30 per cent) of those surveyed said they were concerned about how much pornography they use – this was highest among young men aged 18 to 24 (51 per cent), which the Foundation has warned is an at-risk group.

Nearly 47 per cent of survey respondents said they had reduced the amount of pornography they watch since the age verification rules came into force, and more than half (55 per cent) said it has made them think about their porn use.

It follows a report from communications watchdog Ofcom last month which showed a sharp and immediate fall in visits to popular online porn sites from 25 July, when the enforcement of highly effective age assurance (HEAA) came in. But the use of VPN (virtual private network) software, which can bypass viewing restrictions, surged.

Pornhub, the most visited adult content provider in the UK, saw a 1.5 million viewer drop in year-on-year figures when the regulator compared the 11.3 million viewers from August 2024 to the 9.8 million in the same month this year.

Meanwhile, VPN usage more than doubled in the UK following the age verification mandate, rising from about 650,000 daily users before 25 July and peaking at over 1.4 million in mid-August 2025. The figure has gradually declined to around 900,000 in November.

Dr Alexandra Bailey, head of psychology at the Foundation and associate professor at the University of Roehampton, said: “Age verification is vital to protect children, and we fully support it. But we also need to recognise that some adults are choosing riskier sites to avoid age checks. These sites can expose people to harmful material, including illegal content depicting child sexual abuse. Even if you’re not looking for it, you could encounter it – and that can have serious life-changing consequences.”

“Age verification is also prompting adults to reflect on their online behaviour, which can be a good thing for people worried about their porn use. But we need to address the risks for those who are turning to sites that avoid the new regulations.

“Every day, our advisors speak to people whose pornography use has spiralled into something much more harmful. We know embarrassment can stop people from reaching out, but confidential help is available. If you’re worried about your own behaviour or someone else’s, contact Stop It Now before it’s too late.”

The Stop It Now helpline can be reached on 0808 1000 900 or via secure email and live chat at on the website.