Chance of snow forecast with UK temperatures to plummet

Colder temperatures could return again at the end of the month after Storm Goretti battered parts of the UK with wind, snow and heavy rain.

There is an increased chance that conditions will turn colder towards the end of the month, the Met Office said.

Storm Goretti, described as a “multi-hazard event” by the Met Office, brought gusts of almost 100mph and a rare red warning for “dangerous, stormy” winds in the south-west of England earlier this month.

The Met Office has said as of next week the UK will “see a battle between Atlantic weather systems attempting to arrive from the west while high pressure and colder conditions attempt to exert some influence from the east”.

Initially, milder Atlantic air is expected to dominate, with cloudy, changeable conditions with showers and average temperatures, the forecaster said.

Then towards the end of the month there is an increased chance that it will turn colder, with the potential for snow.

A spokesperson said: “This aspect of the forecast is still somewhat uncertain but the potential transition to colder weather also increases the chance of snow across parts of the country.”

However, the forecaster has issued no weather warnings this week and temperatures are predicted to stay between 4 and 11 degrees across the UK. Rainfall is expected with the wettest weather in western parts of the country, drier in the east.

Thousands of children in northern Scotland missed several days of school last week when wintry showers caused disruption across vast stretches of the country. The Met Office issued yellow snow and ice warnings as freezing temperatures impacted Scotland.

Officials in the West Midlands warned of the “worst snowfall in a decade” as parts of England and Wales saw 15 to 25cm.

Temperatures have since stabilised, although this week there have been yellow rain and fog warnings across parts of England and Wales.

Fog patches will slowly lift, although eastern areas are likely to remain rather dull. Elsewhere, it’s a day of sunny spells and showers, the showers heaviest and most frequent in the west, though these should ease later. Temperatures near normal.

Variable amounts of cloud, with low cloud and fog becoming extensive across central and eastern parts of England. Thicker cloud will move into the south later, bringing outbreaks of rain.

Cloudy with extensive areas of low cloud and fog, with the fog proving stubborn to clear across eastern England. Elsewhere, outbreaks of rain will become slow-moving across western areas.

A changeable few days ahead, often cloudy with some brighter spells and showery outbreaks of rain. Overnight fog may develop, particularly in the east. Some frost possible in the north.

Badenoch claims ‘Britain is not broken’ after Jenrick Reform defection

Kemi Badenoch has insisted that Britain is “not broken” and remains “one of the most successful countries on earth” in a rebuke to Robert Jenrick after he defected to Reform UK.

The Tory leader hit back at the former shadow justice secretary after he described Britain as “broken” during a press conference alongside Nigel Farage last Thursday.

Speaking to reporters after his defection was announced, Mr Jenrick blamed both the Conservatives and the Labour Party for Britain’s economic decline – and insisted only Reform could fix it.

But in an article for the Daily Telegraph, Mrs Badenoch attempted to offer a more positive message about the UK’s future to voters.

She wrote: “Ours is still one of the most successful, resilient and influential countries on Earth. A country that has reinvented itself repeatedly. A country whose people quietly get on with things while politicians argue.

“Telling them their country is finished does not empower the British people – it drags them down.”

She later added: “Yes, Britain’s problems are real, and in some cases getting worse. But Britain is not broken. We are a great country with deep reserves of strength, talent, and resilience.

“What has failed is a system that too often rewards process over outcomes and intervention over results. Labour’s answer to every problem is another consultation, another review, another layer of state control. That does not make people richer. It makes them poorer.”

Earlier this week Mr Jenrick had claimed in an interview with the BBC that his defection was “uniting the right” and insisted he had put the country before his allegiance to the Conservative Party. He also denied that personal ambition had played a role in his defection to Reform.

Mr Jenrick’s sudden defection came hours after Mrs Badenoch dismissed him as shadow justice secretary and suspended him from the Conservative Party, saying she had evidence that he was plotting to jump ship to Reform.

Although both he and Mr Farage have said his defection had not been planned for Thursday, Mr Jenrick told the BBC he had “resolved” to go during the Christmas break.

But the “final straw” had come during a shadow cabinet away day last week, in which said he had argued with fellow frontbenchers about whether Britain was “broken”.

Mr Jenrick said some colleagues had agreed with him that Britain was broken, but argued they could not say so publicly because the Conservatives were responsible having spent 14 years in government.

On a visit to Aberdeen on Friday, Mrs Badenoch ruled out any pact with Reform ahead of the next election.

“How do you do a deal with liars? How do you do a deal with people who have been saying things that were clearly not true, not just for months, but clearly for years?”

Labour chairwoman Anna Turley also hit out at Mr Jenrick’s comments, claiming he was “one of the arsonists who inflicted chaos and decline” on Britain while serving as a Tory minister under the previous government.

Blair says he is ‘honoured’ to be on Trump’s Gaza ‘Board of Peace’

Sir Tony Blair has said he is “honoured” to be part of Donald Trump’s Gaza “Board of Peace” tasked with overseeing the rebuilding of Gaza and the transition to a new administration.

The board, selected by Donald Trump, who is also chairman of the board, includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and the former UK Prime Minister, among others.

Sir Tony said in a statement: “I thank President Trump for his leadership in establishing the Board of Peace and am honoured to be appointed to its executive board.

“It’s been a real privilege to work with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and their outstanding team.

“I look forward to working with them and other colleagues in line with the president’s vision to promote peace and prosperity.”

He said the president’s 20-point plan for Gaza was an “extraordinary achievement” and that implementing it will take “enormous commitment and hard work”.

Blair’s inclusion on the list of board members may be controversial, as he remains a divisive figure in the Middle East due to his role in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He later became a representative of the Quartet, a group seeking peace between Israel and the Palestinians made up of the U.S., E.U., Russia and the United Nations, but stepped down after being deemed too close to Israel.

“I’ve always liked Tony, but I want to find out that he’s an acceptable choice to everybody,” Trump told reporters last October.

The former Labor leader, Rubio and Kushner are joined on the board by World Bank president Ajay Banga, Marc Rowan, Robert Gabriel, and U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff.

Those selected are described as “leaders with experience across diplomacy, development, infrastructure, and economic strategy.”

“Each Executive Board member will oversee a defined portfolio critical to Gaza’s stabilization and long-term success, including, but not limited to, governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, investment attraction, large-scale funding, and capital mobilization,” the White House said.

Additional Executive Board and Gaza Executive Board members will be announced over the coming weeks.

Friday’s announcement follows the creation of the 15-member Palestinian committee tasked with running daily affairs in Gaza in the aftermath of the Israeli bombardments, overseen by Ali Sha’ath, a former deputy minister in the Palestinian Authority.

“Dr Sha’ath brings deep experience in public administration, economic development, and international engagement, and is widely respected for his pragmatic, technocratic leadership and understanding of Gaza’s institutional realities,” the White House statement added.

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect on October 10, bringing to an end two years of fighting between the two sides. It also brought about the release of all remaining hostages held in Gaza in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians held by Israel.

The ceasefire has largely held, though both sides accuse each other of ongoing violations. Israeli fire has killed more than 400 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials. Israel says it has targeted militants or responded to violations of the ceasefire, but the Palestinians say scores of civilians have been shot.

Palestinian militants, meanwhile, continue to hold the remains of the last hostage — an Israeli police officer killed in the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made clear he is in no rush to move forward until the remains are returned.

Inside Iran: ‘Either we overthrow the regime, or we are destroyed’

This article first appeared on our partner site, Independent Persian

“They have gunned down our closest friends. How many have been killed? Two or three thousand? Maybe more – we don’t know.

“All we know is that we will overthrow them and bring back our Shah. One eye is on the sky, hoping Trump will come to help us. Do you think they will? Will they strike?”

This message was sent by Ehsan, a young protester and supporter of Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, from Tehran via Starlink satellite internet to Independent Persian. Monday morning.

He is just one of the hundreds of thousands of people who have taken to the streets in Iran in the hope of overthrowing the ayatollah’s regime.

Ehsan described “extremely harsh and painful” conditions, with continuous live fire by security forces using military weapons against civilians.

Despite this, he said people remain determined to continue demonstration and press ahead with what he called a national uprising.

Potesters he is in contact with in Tehran and other cities no longer intend to retreat, he said, and despite the heavy cost are prepared to go “to the very end” to overthrow the regime.

Mobina, a 33-year-old woman in Tehran, told Independent Persian: “You cut our internet and phone lines? We’ll bring hell down on you. We have nothing left to lose.

“Until this murderous, looting system collapses, we will be in the streets every night. You have no idea how massive the crowds are each night in Tehran’s neighbourhoods, chanting ‘Long live the Shah’ and sending fear through the heart of ‘Mouse-Ali’ [a derogatory nickname for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei]. They’ve killed thousands of us, but there’s not a shred of fear left in us.

“The videos that barely make it out of Iran through Starlink during this total internet blackout aren’t even the tip of the iceberg. Even our Starlink connection keeps cutting out because of the jamming they’re sending, and its speed has dropped dramatically. Can’t Elon Musk do anything? What about Trump?”

In all messages sent to Independent Persian since Thursday, when Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi made a public call to protest and a complete internet shutdown was put in place, people have repeatedly emphasised that they are waiting for Donald Trump’s promise of military support to materialise.

Amirhossein, a 35-year-old private-sector employee from the holy city of Mashhad, located in the north-east of the country said in a message sent Sunday night: “This is no longer a protest – it’s a war.

“The security forces are firing directly. No warning shots, no announcements. The wounded are being taken away on motorcycles and in private cars, because ambulances either don’t arrive or are full of security forces.

|Still, no one has backed down. Mashhad – which they used to call the city of Alam-ol-Hoda (a senior Iranian cleric) – is boiling against the regime every night now. We know this is the final stretch: victory or destruction.”

In Shiraz, Sara, a 28-year-old university student, said: “The city feels under siege, but people have learned how to gather, chant and disperse. Fear is gone.

“Everyone knows that if we retreat now, there won’t be another chance. When the Prince’s messages come through via satellite channels, they constantly give us hope. For the first time, we feel truly seen. That line in the Prince’s last message about foreign help being on the way was like a morale bomb. We just wish they would help sooner so fewer people are killed.”

As street protests expand, evidence on the ground suggests the current national uprising has entered a new, decisive phase.

According to Independent Persian’s sources, the nationwide internet blackout, mobile network disruptions and even widespread jamming of Starlink satellite internet have not stopped people from taking to the streets. Instead, they have led to more radical slogans and intensified clashes.

Many protesters say the communications blackout is the regime’s last remaining tool to conceal the true scale of the protests – a scale they say is now “beyond control”.

On Sunday night, the fourth night of Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi’s public calls, reports and videos showed large crowds in at least ten neighbourhoods in Tehran, as well as in cities including Isfahan, Najafabad, Fooladshahr, Yazd, Tabriz, Shiraz, Hamedan, Shahsavar (Tonkabon), Kermanshah, Sari, Rasht, and Astara.

Chants such as “This is the final battle, Pahlavi will return” and “Long live the Shah” remain among the most prominent slogans.

At the same time, the government is attempting to disrupt information flows by cutting all internet and phone services. Sources in several cities told Independent Persian that severe Starlink disruptions have so far prevented them from sending reports, but stressed that “street presence continues”.

In this context, the message from Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi released early Monday was seen as a turning point. Citing the millions who responded to recent calls, he spoke of the beginning of “another phase” of the national uprising – one in which institutions responsible for regime propaganda and communication blackouts are considered “legitimate targets” by the people.

This position sparked widespread reactions inside and outside Iran. Many protesters interpret it as a sign that the movement has moved beyond protest into a phase of direct pressure and the seizure of power.

Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi also presented a stark choice to members of the armed forces and state employees: either stand with the people or side with the “killers of the nation”.

According to informed sources, this part of his message has been closely followed within military and security ranks, alongside reports received by Independent Persian of declining morale and fatigue among security forces.

These domestic developments coincide with escalating international rhetoric. Recent comments by US President Donald Trump, saying Iran’s government had crossed a “red line” and that people who should not have been killed had been killed, quickly resonated among protesters inside Iran.

Trump said he and the US military were closely monitoring developments and that very strong options were on the table – a warning many protesters see as a shift in the balance in their favour.

On Friday, the crown prince gave a press conference in Washington DC in which he said the regime would fall soon, promising to return to his homeland.

“This regime is on it’s last leg, it’s about to collapse,” he told reporters. “The international community must act now in the face of this brutal regime. We need help.”

Reviewed by Tooba Khokhar and Celine Assaf

How the UK’s water companies became a national disgrace

Dependable water systems are one of the core foundations upon which societies are built.

From immense Roman aqueducts to grand Victorian sewers, plumbing has underpinned public health, enabled cities to grow, and pushed once‑deadly diseases like cholera and typhoid to the margins.

Yet in the UK today, this foundation is cracking – with widespread outages, sewage‑choked rivers, and water companies struggling to deliver the very basics they were created to guarantee.

Nearly 2,000 years after Pliny the Elder wrote of the Roman plumbing system that “there has never been anything more remarkable in the whole world,” people in Britain would be hard-pressed to agree.

In recent weeks, tens of thousands of people living in the southeast of England have seen first hand what the breakdown of water provision looks like.

“We couldn’t wash or shower, we couldn’t flush the toilet for two days. It was full of excrement. I had to plunge it to clean it all up. It was disgusting really,” Tunbridge Wells resident David Ayre told The Independent, while queuing for bottled water at the town’s rugby club.

This week alone, South East Water outages meant 30,000 properties were without water in parts of Kent and East Sussex.

This followed another major halt to the water supplies in the area, which began in November and lasted into December, affecting around 24,000 homes.

Local MP Mike Martin, a Liberal Democrat, told The Independent the scale of the problem meant South East Water had “lost all credibility”.

“The damage is immense and all widespread,” he said. “We’re talking tens of millions of pounds lost for local businesses. Children missing weeks of education. Parents having to fork out huge sums of money for last-minute childcare. The old and vulnerable being put in harm’s way. This has been the most damaging crisis to hit Tunbridge Wells since Covid.”

He added: “It doesn’t help that private equity has totally stripped South East Water of cash and has saddled them with debt.”

Meanwhile, South East Water’s neighbour, Southern Water, has displayed a similarly torrid record, with a significant outage in Hastings on 23 December lasting until Christmas Day. This followed a major outage in May 2024, in which around 32,500 properties lost their water supply for up to five days.

The company has recently been involved in a catastrophic spill of millions of plastic bio-beads used in a water treatment facility, which are now washing up along the South Coast, with serious concerns raised over environmental implications. Case after case of sewage pollution and failure to properly monitor sewage overflows means waterways and the sea are also routinely pumped with human waste.

Labour MP for Hastings, Helena Dollimore, said: “Hastings, Rye and the villages have had failure after failure from Southern Water. We’ve had major water outages, we’ve had flooding in our town centre. We’ve had sewage in the sea, and millions of plastic beads washing up on our coastline. These are things which people are completely frustrated with.

“What has become evident to us is that our town’s infrastructure and the water pipes have just been neglected for decades, not properly maintained and we’re now seeing the consequences of that.”

She added: “Money that was meant to be spent on maintaining and repairing pipes was instead siphoned off into shareholder dividends and payouts and bonuses for many decades.”

Around the country, serious sewage spills were up a massive 60 per cent in 2025.

One of the worst culprits was another company in the southeast, Thames Water, which accounted for 33 of 75 serious incidents recorded by the Environment Agency in 2024 – more than a third of the total.

Facing collapse due to huge debts, as well as inability to fix leaks and stop sewage spills, the embattled water company has obtained permission from UK water regulator Ofwat to raise bills by 35 per cent over five years – outraging customers, not least because, since privatisation in 1989, the company has paid out an eye-watering £10bn to shareholders.

This week, a Survation poll of Thames Water customers found the majority now want the water company to be nationalised.

One thing in common also unites these water companies: they’re all now seeking to raise bills

In October last year, Southern Water, which had already secured a 53 per cent average bill hike over the next five years, still sought a further 15 per cent increase – but was permitted to raise bills by a further 3 per cent.

At the time, the Competition and Markets Authority said the extra money would fund more resilient supply, reduce pollution, and reflect increased financing costs.

Next week, the UK government will publish a long-awaited plan on how it intends to clean up the UK’s waterways, cut pollution and improve infrastructure.

But campaigners are concerned the Labour government won’t go far enough, and could effectively serve to prop up “a broken system”.

Giles Bristow, chief executive of campaign group Surfers Against Sewage, told The Independent that the legislation will be a “critical milestone”, which must put us on the path to sewage-free waters.

“We will not hesitate to call out half-baked measures from Keir Starmer and his government,” he said. “Any plan is doomed to fail if it props up a broken system that puts profit before people and the environment.”

“Tinkering around the edges is not enough. The government must be bold, take on the polluters, and make clear that public health and deliver the systemic change the public demands, and deserves.”

Tunbridge Wells’ Mr Martin said a shake-up of the whole industry was the only way to get the UK out of the polluted hole it has dug itself.

He said: “The Lib Dems are campaigning for the creation of a public benefit model to restructure the water industry. Water companies would operate as not-for-profits and all mutual company profits would be reinvested back into the water network for public benefit. Debt would be put back onto private companies to protect taxpayers and customers from financial mismanagement.”

The UK regulator, Ofwat, this week opened an investigation into South East Water in the wake of the repeated water supply failures across Kent and Sussex.

It will investigate whether the water company has provided high enough standards of customer service and support to meet the conditions of its licence.

Following the announcement, South East Water said it would “always fully co-operate with any investigation by regulators and provide any information required”.

An Ofwat spokesperson told The Independent: “We are the economic regulator so we are constantly ensuring that companies are meeting the obligations which they have to us, and also other regulators for the sector. On wastewater specifically, we resolved six wastewater investigations in 2025, with more than £250m in fines and redress secured.”

But amid the formal calls for change, public frustration with water company bosses and in particular their high levels of pay, has reached new heights.

Last week, The Times reported that Southern Water has assigned bodyguards to travel with chief executive Lawrence Gosden, following a recent incident where he was placed under a citizen’s arrest by angry activists.

The same group has also targeted other water company bosses, including Chris Weston of Thames Water and Mark Thurston of Anglian Water.

South East Water chief executive David Hinton is under mounting pressure to quit.

As well as frustrated residents angry that he didn’t make any public appearance for 20 days after December 2025’s outage, the local MP, and leader of Kent County Council have called for his resignation, while MPs have recalled him to parliament following an environment committee hearing during which, his account amounted to “misleading parliament and holding the House of Commons in contempt”, MPs said.

A Defra spokesperson said: “It is entirely unacceptable that several areas in the South East have been experiencing water supply issues and water bosses must be held accountable.

“However, nationalisation is not the answer. It would cost taxpayers £100bn, diverting money from hospitals and schools, while years of unpicking the current ownership model would see investment dry up and sewage pollution worsen.

“Our Water White Paper will set out the long-term systemic reforms needed to clean up our water for good, including prioritising investment in our water infrastructure to improve resilience.”

A Thames Water spokesperson told The Independent: “We remain focused on working with London and Valley Water consortium and all stakeholders on a holistic market-led solution that is deliverable, will return Thames Water to an investment grade credit rating, and benefits customers, the environment, taxpayers and the UK economy.”

The Independent has contacted Southern Water and South East Water for comment.

Save £190 on heat pump installation with this exclusive deal from Octopus

Readers of The Independent can now save five per cent on the cost of a heat pump installation, with an exclusive offer from Octopus Energy.

Available for a limited time, the deal could mean an average saving of around £190 on a typical heat pump installation. Prices vary depending on the heat pump type and size of your home, but the discount is applied to the final installation cost after the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) grant, where applicable – helping to make low-carbon heating more affordable.

Heat pump installation costs vary depending on the size and layout of your home, which is why every installation starts with a bespoke home survey.

Octopus Energy says its typical heat pump price is £3,818, based on the median of its heat pump quotes issued between June and September 2025. This compares with a national average of £5,295, according to Boiler Upgrade Scheme statistics published in July 2025.

With this exclusive five per cent discount, eligible Independent readers could save around £190 on that typical price. The discount is applied after the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) grant, where applicable, helping to reduce upfront costs even further.

Claim the offer now

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) grant is subject to eligibility

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This exclusive offer is available from 12 January 2026 to 28 February 2026.

The five per cent discount is applied to the final installation price (after the BUS grant) and cannot be combined with any other promotion.

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The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) grant is subject to eligibility

To qualify for the discount, readers will need to book a home survey during the offer period. If Octopus Energy is unable to carry out the survey before the offer ends, the discount will still be honoured as long as a survey date is scheduled.

However, if you choose not to have a home survey during the offer period, the discount will no longer apply.

After the survey, you’ll need to sign your final installation agreement within 14 days of it being issued. If this 14-day window is missed, the offer will lapse and the five per cent discount will be removed.

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The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) grant is subject to eligibility

Cold War nuclear bunker could be ‘days away’ from falling into sea

People have been asked to avoid an area of coastline where a Cold War-era nuclear bunker clinging onto the edge of a cliff could be “days away” from falling into the sea.

The building, found above Tunstall Beach in East Yorkshire, is believed to have been built in 1959 as a lookout post in the event of nuclear war. It is thought to have been decommissioned in the 1990s.

Now, coastal erosion between Withernsea and Hornsea – an area that the Environment Agency has said is among the UK’s fastest eroding coastlines – has left the structure teetering on the cliff, around 25 feet above the beach below.

Amateur historian Davey Robinson is filming the final days of the bunker and told the BBC: “We live on one of the most eroded coastlines in Europe and this bunker hasn’t got long left, perhaps just a few days.”

Photographs from recent days show the bunker in a precarious position, clinging to the eroded cliff, with little of the bank remaining to support it.

An East Riding of Yorkshire Council spokesperson said the local authority has no statutory responsibilities to the building as it is on private land, but advised people to avoid the area around it.

A council spokesperson told The Independent: “East Riding of Yorkshire council does not have any statutory responsibilities connected to the structure. The structure sits on an area of privately owned land.

“This location lies within Policy Unit E (Rolston to Waxholme) of the Shoreline Management Plan; the management approach for this location remains ‘no active intervention. Therefore, the coast is undefended in this area, which allows coastal processes to continue.

“Recognising the risk posed by the structure, the council would ask that people avoid the area, both at the cliff top and at the beach as it descends the cliff.

“The council would also remind visitors and residents to always maintain a safe distance to the base of eroding cliffs due to the risks associated.”

According to the Yorkshire Marine Nature Partnership, the cliff-line on the east of the region is retreating by approximately four metres per year. This means that significant quantities of material are released into the sea annually.

Though the coastline has been changing for thousands of years, the changes have been accelerated by climate change. Rising sea levels, frequent and severe storms, as well as the warmer sea surface temperature, all increase the likelihood of land-slips, erosion and flooding.

Prostate cancer drug to be made available to thousands more patients

Thousands of men suffering from prostate cancer are set to gain access to a life-extending drug on the NHS following a significant expansion of eligibility criteria.

Previously, the hormone therapy abiraterone, which functions by inhibiting testosterone production throughout the body, was only available to patients whose cancer had already spread.

However, NHS England has now confirmed that men with high-risk prostate cancer that has not yet spread will also qualify for the treatment.

This crucial change means approximately 2,000 men diagnosed in the last quarter could receive the drug if clinically appropriate, with an additional 7,000 men expected to become eligible annually.

Clinical trials show that the proportion of men alive after six years on abiraterone is 86 per cent compared to 77 per cent on standard treatment (hormone therapy with or without radiotherapy).

Professor Nick James from the Institute of Cancer Research in London led the research that proved abiraterone is effective for men whose prostate cancer has not spread.

He said: “This extension of abiraterone to men with newly diagnosed high-risk prostate cancer that has not spread yet is really good news for men in England.

“Our data from the Stampede trial shows that two years of abiraterone halves the risk of prostate cancer coming back and reduces the risk of death by 40 per cent.

“In the next five years, almost 8,000 men will avoid the devastating news that their cancer has come back. Even for men whose cancer does recur, this treatment gives them more healthy years.

“Very importantly, our research also shows that the reduction in relapses will also save the NHS money in the long run, as this will translate into financial savings as well as the big clinical benefit.”

Professor Peter Johnson, national clinical director for cancer at NHS England, said: “For thousands of men with prostate cancer, this treatment option could be life-changing by helping keep their cancer at bay for several years.

“The life-extending treatment available on the NHS within weeks will mean thousands of men can kick-start their year with the news that they will have a better chance of living longer and healthier lives.

“The NHS will continue to work hard to offer people the most effective and evidence-based treatments, with several new prostate cancer drugs rolled out over the last five years.”

Prostate Cancer UK, which has campaigned for wider access to the drug, said it calculated that, over the next five years, 3,000 men’s lives will be saved.

Amy Rylance, assistant director of health improvement at Prostate Cancer UK, said: “This decision is a momentous, life-saving victory for the thousands of men whose lives will now be saved.

“Until now, men in England have found themselves in an impossible situation.

“It’s terrifying to be told you’ve got a cancer that’s likely to spread; to then find out you can’t access the treatment that science has proven to be your best chance at surviving is completely devastating.

“We refused to accept this outcome for men, and we didn’t stop until we changed it.”

Giles Turner, 65, from Brighton, was diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer in March 2023.

He paid for his abiraterone treatment privately and is now in remission.

He said: “Abiraterone saved my life, and I didn’t even know about it until I heard about the research trial that proved how effective it is for men with high-risk prostate cancer like I had.

“When I asked my oncologist about it, he told me that abiraterone was available on the NHS in Scotland and Wales but not in England or Northern Ireland.

“I was shocked and angered that my postcode meant I was denied free access to a treatment that could halve my risk of dying and give me the best chance of a cure.”

Labour MP Rupa Huq (Ealing Central and Acton), who has campaigned on the issue following the death of her father to prostate cancer, described the announcement as “a great new year’s present”.