Streeting accuses Reform of ‘return to age-old racism’ over by-election comments

Wes Streeting has accused Reform UK of a “return to age-old racism that I thought we had consigned to the 1970s and 1980s” and an attempt to delegitimise Muslim voters in the wake of the Gorton and Denton by-election.

The health secretary hit out at Reform candidate Matt Goodwin after the politician was criticised for claiming that UK-born people from black, Asian or other immigrant backgrounds were not always British.

Mr Streeting also accused Mr Goodwin of “saying that if you don’t look like me, even if you were born here, you can’t really be British” after the Reform candidate said, “it takes more than a piece of paper to make somebody ‘British’”.

Claiming this marked a “return to age-old racism that I thought we had consigned to the 1970s and 1980s”, he continued: “That is just about the most un-British thing I can think of … All of us have a responsibility to stand against that kind of hatred and discrimination.”

Meanwhile, appearing to distance himself from claims made by both Sir Keir Starmer and Nigel Farage that the contest was fought on “sectarian” lines, the health secretary emphasised the importance of defending the “rights, the voice, the space of Muslims in our country to participate in our democracy on equal terms, with equal votes, and equal voices”.

Mr Streeting made the intervention at the Big Iftar in parliament hosted by the all-party parliamentary group on British Muslims, amid growing speculation that he is preparing a leadership bid to challenge Sir Keir.

It comes after concerns were raised about people forcing family members to vote in a certain way in the recent Gorton and Denton by-election, with Nigel Farage claiming the contest was a victory for “sectarian voting and cheating” after Green Party candidate Hannah Spencer won the seat.

He also claimed that Reform’s candidate Matt Goodwin would have won if only British citizens had voted, saying his party would limit voting in national elections to British passport holders and remove the right from those with Commonwealth citizenship who qualify as UK residents.

Meanwhile, in the wake of the election – which saw Labour slump to third place behind the Greens and Reform in a seat which they previously won with more than half the votes – the prime minister wrote to Labour MPs and accused the Greens of embracing a “divisive, sectarian” form of politics.

Branding the Green Party’s policies “extreme”, the prime minister claimed they had shown they were “not the harmless environmentalists they pretend to be”.

But in his address at the Big Iftar in parliament, Mr Streeting took a different tone.

“We’ve seen in recent days – as Muslims have upheld British values, gone to the ballot box, cast their votes, taking part in democracy – attempts to delegitimise them, to suggest that their votes and their voices count less than others”, he said.

“When Nigel Farage said Reform won the Gorton and Denton by-election among British-born voters, what he was saying was that he won the by-election amongst people who look like him.

“We know that one of the reasons the Greens won in Gorton and Denton was because lots of people in the Muslim community turned out to vote for them. One of the reasons I almost lost in Ilford North at the last election was because lots of Muslim people in my own constituency turned out to vote, and not to vote for me.”

Mr Streeting, who won in his Ilford North constituency in 2024 with a majority of just 528 votes, continued: “Perhaps it’s even more important that I and other people who look like me, defend the rights, the voice, the space of Muslims in our country to participate in our democracy on equal terms, with equal votes, and equal voices.

“They have just as much right as everyone else to choose who represents people in this country.”

Finishing his address, Mr Streeting joked: “So let me end by winding up all the right people, by saying that this gay bible-bashing Christian wishes all Muslims here and across our country Ramadan Mubarak.”

Sir Keir also addressed the event, telling the crowd that Ramadan strengthens “the bonds of community and decency that unite us all”, as well as characterising the UK as “a community of communities where Muslims are at the forefront of Britain’s story”.

The row over sectarian voting in the election came after election observer group Democracy Volunteers claimed to have witnessed high levels of “family voting”– where two voters either confer, collude or direct each other on voting – at the Gorton and Denton by-election.

They said they saw the illegal practice in 68 per cent of 22 polling stations monitored.

There has been mounting speculation in recent months over a possible leadership bid by the health secretary, in the face of devastating approval ratings and questions over the direction of the government.

While Mr Streeting has dismissed briefings about his supposed leadership ambitions as “incredibly stupid”, there has been growing speculation over plans to challenge Sir Keir Starmer as the prime minister faces increasing doubts over his ability to lead the party.

Reform UK has been contacted for comment.

Mahmood to urge Labour left to back hardline immigration crackdown

Shabana Mahmood will warn that the scale of small boat arrivals is “breeding fear” as she warns MPs on the left of her party to back her hardline immigration reforms.

It comes as she begins to introducing sweeping changes that will see asylum seekers who break the law or work illegally thrown out of government-funded accommodation and lose financial support.

The home secretary will say that her reforms to the asylum system and permanent settlement are “not a betrayal of Labour values”, but rather “an embodiment of them” as she bids to fight off criticism over the crackdown. The controversial changes are facing significant opposition from campaigners as well as dozens of Labour MPs with some warning that the party face becoming “Reform-lite”.

Ms Mahmood has doubled down on the plans – which make refugee status temporary and introduces much longer waits for permanent residency in the UK – after Labour came a humiliating third place in the Gorton and Denton by-election. The Greens, who called Ms Mahmood’s plans “extreme” and “inhumane”, won the seat and Reform came second.

Tim Naor Hilton, chief executive of Refugee Action, accused the home secretary of “bullying refugees for a bump in the polls” rather than fixing real problems. Mubeen Bhutta, at the British Red Cross, warned Ms Mahmood: “There is little evidence to suggest that making life harder puts people off coming to the UK, when they have been forced to flee their homes.”

During her speech on Thursday, Ms Mahmood will say that Labour can steer a path between Reform leader Nigel Farage’s “nightmare pulling up the drawbridge and shutting out the world” and Green leader Zack Polanski’s “fairytale of open borders”.

Referring to irregular migration, Ms Mahmood will add: “If we cannot deal with so visible a failure, what can the state achieve at all? It is our creed, as the Labour Party, that the state can and must be a force for good. Without the trust of citizens in the state, therefore, there is no space for Labour values – in any part of government – to be realised.”

While the number of people arriving in the UK on small boats has risen by 13 per cent year-on-year to 45,774 in 2025, this is still lower than the 2022 peak.

More than 100,000 people claimed asylum in the UK last year, slightly down on the year before but still significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels, figures released last week show.

Net migration to the UK dropped by two thirds in the 12 months to June 2025, driven by a huge drop in people coming to Britain for work or study. Net migration was an estimated 204,000 – down 69 per cent from 649,000 a year earlier and the lowest annual figure since 2021, according to the Office for National Statistics.

However, the home secretary will warn these numbers are fuelling the rise of the far-right, saying: “When people see small boat arrivals, at their current scale or they feel the pace and scale of migration today, they feel like we have lost control.

“A loss of control breeds fear and when fearful, people turn inwards.” Ms Mahmood will say that this risks fuelling “ethno-nationalism”.

The home secretary will claim in her speech that her reforms offer “a compassionate but controlled asylum system”.

The Home Office has also announced that support payments and accommodation for asylum seekers will be removed if they work illegally or have the ability to support themselves financially. Those who have the right to work or have broken the law will also see these benefits revoked.

The rule change, which comes into force in June, will replace the statutory legal duty under EU law to provide asylum seekers with support and accommodation with a conditional approach.

As of 31 December 2025, there were 107,003 asylum seekers receiving housing or financial support from the Home Office. Of these, 30,657 were living in migrant hotels, and 72,769 were in a different form of accommodation, such as houses of multiple occupancy.

The vast majority of these people are waiting on the outcome of their asylum claim or appeal. A few thousand people also still receiving financial support even though they’ve had a final refusal on their asylum claim. This is to prevent that person becoming destitute.

According to the Home Office, around 21,000 of these migrants could be granted the right to work because they have been waiting for more than 12 months for their asylum claim decision.

Responding to the announcement, shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: “Labour have deported only 6 per cent of illegal arrivals since coming to office, so rolling out another gimmick will not change a thing.”

Mr Hilton added: “The home secretary already has the power to deny support and accommodation to people seeking asylum who are not destitute or who have broken the rules.

“This is the latest in a long line of announcements from successive governments that bullies refugees for a bump in the polls rather than try to solve the real problems faced by people and communities – poverty, homelessness, and the rise of the far right.

“Ministers must end this dangerous race to the bottom and make the case for a UK that welcomes people fleeing war and torture and supports them to rebuild their lives here.”

Ms Bhutta said: “These plans risk leaving men, women and children who have already endured the trauma of war and persecution in a perpetual state of limbo, unable to recover or plan for their future.

“We know through our work that there is a real danger that the changes will not only deprive refugees of the stability they need to rebuild their lives but could also push more people into poverty and homelessness.”

Arsenal brush off naysayers and critics to win ugly – but keep winning

Arsenal toil to just about do enough, but it may mean an awful lot more.

Mikel Arteta’s minimalism led to what was almost the maximum outcome on the night at Brighton, as a 1-0 victory ensured they went seven points clear at the top with a game more played. The news that Manchester City had drawn 2-2 with Nottingham Forest was greeted by even greater celebration from the Arsenal travelling support than their own final whistle. Moments later, for the first time this season, they were singing “we’re gonna win the league”.

That might yet tempt fate but it’s hard to begrudge them given how big this felt for the season. There have nevertheless rarely been matches so potentially seismic that were so muted – at least until Fabian Hurzeler’s press conference started. “I will never be the type of manager who tries to win that way,” he said. It was still Arsenal that won, though.

They secured the lead from Bukayo Saka’s fortuitous opener… and that was pretty much that. Mikel Arteta’s side duly kept their first clean sheet in five, since the 7 February 3-0 win over Sunderland, which may also prove highly significant.

It will go someway to ease all of this angst, still palpable throughout this match. City’s result instead means Arsenal are now also on the longest winning run in the Premier League, at three.

Not for the first time this season, mind, this one probably didn’t need to feel so tense.

Hurzeler said after the match that “there was only one team trying to play football”, adding that his side deserved to win 2-1. He then followed up on a question about his pre-game criticism of time-wasting by asking, “do you ever see in a Premier League game the goalkeeper going down three times”.

When asked whether he remonstrated with Arteta about time-wasting, Hurzeler just said “there were so many”. He also repeatedly said the Premier League need to look at the rules.

Arteta’s response was a simple and sarcastic: “What a surprise?”

When asked whether he cares what other managers say, the Basque simply said “depends”. On who? “Yeah. And the comments… and the purpose.”

Before debating the actual merits of such arguments and the mechanics of the game, the extra psychological layer of Wednesday’s results should be acknowledged.

This was probably the kind of night when it was expected that Arsenal might slip in an awkward away game as City won a forgiving home game, only for the reverse to happen. For Arteta, the damage of that 2-2 draw away to Wolves is undone. For now.

The night’s results should nevertheless remain a warning that this is highly unlikely to be a straight line to the end, in the way the 2018-19 season was, say. Arsenal have to be conscious of that, which is why they probably still have to be conscious of performance. While Hurzeler had that spiky comment on how he wouldn’t want to play that way – which Arteta refused to comment on – and there’s obviously been wider debate about whether you’d want to win to win the league that way, the Basque himself wouldn’t want to play every game like this.

It creates too much psychological toil, but that points to a wider pattern.

There have been times this season when Arsenal have anxiously toiled for a goal, which is why a fortuitous strike like Saka’s must feel like such a reprieve – and maybe like they were due. There are certainly those among Arteta’s staff who believe that the club have been unlucky in many games, where the scoreline has not reflected the xG. One of the Basque’s guiding beliefs is that if you perform to a level where you produce around 2xG or more and keep the opposition to under 1xG, you likely win the majority of your games.

So here was Saka suddenly cutting inside to try a surprise long shot – in the way some demand he should do more – that had an xG of 0.01. In other words, the sort you wouldn’t usually attempt. It duly took a deflection to wrong-foot Bart Verbruggen.

And yet, as has been the case in many recent games, Arsenal didn’t press on. The next shot didn’t even come until the second half. Brighton were allowed to control play, if not quite force it. It was so familiar to so many recent Arsenal matches – but also familiar to so many recent Brighton matches. That Joao Pedro had such a fine goalscoring performance for Chelsea against Aston Villa was so pointed, since he is one talent that the club have not managed to replace. Kaoru Mitoma was allowed to roam without doing much. They are so well structured until the final third, which then gradually erodes some momentum. Hurzeler’s complaints sound a little more embittered when you consider Brighton only created 0.8xG themselves.

Maybe that’s why Arsenal let them have the ball, but recent patterns suggest there are other reasons. Arteta evidently doesn’t want it. He can often be seen urgently gesturing to his players to get up the pitch. While Arteta has rightly been criticised for a certain conservatism, his general ideology is fundamentally based on players taking the ball on in possession. That does involve some risk, or at least a willingness to constantly be proactive.

One of the things that does visibly happen with Arsenal in such situations, however, is that too many players stop doing it. They don’t take the step up. It might be subtle, sometimes almost imperceptible, but the cumulative effect is that they become vulnerable. Some at the club do put it down to the psychology that comes with so badly desiring to win this first title in 22 years.

It can take just one slip to change everything, which Arsenal now know all well – not least from this very fixture last season. Arsenal’s trip to Brighton then was arguably part of the same pattern, and maybe the moment when their 2024-25 title challenge started faltering. Arsenal had been 1-0 up through an early Ethan Nwaneri goal, only to keep it contained and for a penalty to unravel them.

Arteta’s staff would still insist that William Saliba’s attempted header was absolutely not a penalty, but there can be no debate over the risk of the approach.

The feeling had been that they would get caught, and that so many tense games would gradually erode their edge. But this time it didn’t happen. Brighton didn’t have enough.

The manner in which the situation was reversed may be symbolic, as well as significant. Crucially, it may also ease Arsenal and bolster reassurance to the point they may not suffer this type of game again soon.

The profile of attackers does help. Arsenal immediately looked more lively when Kai Havertz came on for Viktor Gyokeres. There was just more to their game. He was more fluid, and better able to link up with the attackers. Whereas the ball often bounced off the Swede, or he struggled to come away with it, Havertz kept it under control.

Arsenal now have full control of the title race, for the first time in weeks.

It meant this was one of those occasions where both positions were probably right. Hurzeler may not want to play this way, but Arteta doesn’t really want to either. He has grander ideas, about putting opposition through the “spin drier”. In this situation, though, as Hurzeler himself acknowledged, they did what they needed. It was enough. For this game, maybe yet for the title.

They have just been given fair warning this isn’t a pattern to repeat.

Christina Applegate says initial Anchorman offer was ‘offensive’

Christina Applegate said she initially declined her role in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy because the offer was so low.

The 2004 comedy and its 2013 sequel, both directed by Adam McKay, starred Will Ferrell, Steve Carell and Paul Rudd as a team of news anchors who welcome an upstart reporter (Applegate) into the male-dominated world of 1970s broadcast news.

Appearing virtually on Wednesday’s episode of The View, the Emmy-winning actor, 54, said: “When they came in with the initial offer, it was, you know, a little… offensive.

“And I said I can’t. I know my worth, and I can’t do that,” Applegate shared. In her harrowing new memoir, You with the Sad Eyes, the Dead to Me star revealed that Ferrell and McKay gave up some of their salaries to ensure she was paid what she was worth.

“They wanted me bad enough, and they said, ‘Well, we’re gonna chip in’,” Applegate told The View hosts. “And thank god they did because it was one of the best experiences of my entire life. It was such a lesson.”

Remembering her time on the 2004 comedy, she said: “I had never done improv before, and learning from that group of dudes — that is the masterclass that people paid for.

“Steve Carell taught it, and Adam McKay developed an entire new way of doing it with his group. So to get in there and have that happen was just absolutely magical, and it’s been invaluable to me and my career.”

By the time Applegate starred in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, she had already had her breakout role in the seminal sitcom Married with Children, followed by major roles in the two-season sitcom Jesse and the 2002 romcom The Sweetest Thing.

She later returned for the 2013 Anchorman sequel, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.

When co-host Sara Haines praised her performance as “natural”, Applegate responded: “Oh, you think I was natural? I was so scared every day of my life when Adam McKay would be like, ‘Now just do whatever you feel like doing’. I’m like, ‘I want to say what you wrote. That would be nice. I don’t want to make stuff up’.”

Applegate, who announced she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2021, is currently on a press tour for her debut memoir, out now.

You with the Sad Eyes, which The Independent’s Adam White hailed as a “remarkable, authentic achievement”, details the actor’s history of abuse, violence and self-loathing.

Kaye Adams on being axed from BBC radio after ‘brutal’ investigation

Kaye Adams has said she wants to get her life “back on track” after being axed from her £155,000-per-year BBC radio job following a “brutal” five-month investigation into her behaviour.

The Loose Women star, 63, was dropped from BBC Scotland’s schedules after three claims of misconduct, including throwing a pen and berating an intern over their professional ability, were upheld. Adams was also alleged to have sworn at a colleague.

Adams, who was cleared of two further allegations, said she is trying to “process things”, stating on her podcast How to Be 60: “It’s difficult, isn’t it? You know what I mean. It’s been a brutal five months, there’s no doubt about it, and… you know it’s hard, isn’t it?”

She said she was “torn between not wanting to appear to ignore things”, but acknowledged that she doesn’t “see a lot of point in saying much at this time”.

“This is a time to process things, try and get life back on track, try and get my mental health back on track, try and get my eating back on track, my sleeping back on track, and just my life back on track.”

Adams said she wanted to take this approach for the sake of her husband, tennis coach Ian Campbell, and their two daughters, Charley and Bonnie.

She said she went to Edinburgh to spend time with her children the day after being dropped by the BBC.

“We just had a lovely day because I haven’t been as present for them as they’re used to, which has been a real sadness, and so you know it was just so lovely,” she said.

“We went for a walk with the dog and I just listened to them chattering away about all their stuff. That was really nice, just to be with them, and they’re such amazing girls, and they’re so supportive of me.”

Growing emotional over her struggles during the investigation, Adams continued: “You’re the Mum, you’re the adult – it’s your job to look after them.”

Adams will be replaced in her BBC role by Grant Stott and Connie McLaughlin. The BBC said it does not comment on any internal processes involving individuals.

Adams joined BBC Scotland in 2010. In October, the broadcaster said that her name had been “dragged through the mud” after she was taken off her programme.

Adams’s career began as a graduate trainee at Central Television, where she scored an interview with Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s. She focused on political and news journalism in Scotland, following which she was hired as host of the discussion show Scottish Women from 1993 to 1999.

She left to present ITV show Loose Women, where she remained as the lead host until 2006. Over the last 20 years, Adams has also been a stand-in host on The Wright Show, This Morning and The One Show.

Why Gran Hotel Taoro is Tenerife’s must-book luxury stay for 2026

Tenerife’s iconic Gran Hotel Taoro holds a special place in Spanish history. As the first luxury hotel in Spain, opening its doors in 1890, it was a glamorous haven for high society, welcoming everyone from King Alfonso XIII and the Duke of Kent to author Agatha Christie.

Now, after a complete renovation, the landmark hotel has been reborn as an elegant 21st-century destination that’s ready to welcome you for the ultimate five-star break.

The hotel’s carefully preserved neo-classical architecture exudes old-world elegance, while colonial-inspired interiors in earthy tones and modern five-star comforts promise a stay that feels both timeless and contemporary.

Set on a lush hilltop in northern Tenerife and overlooking the historic town of Puerto de la Cruz, the hotel’s 199 rooms and suites make the most of its enviable location, featuring breathtaking panoramic views of Mount Teide – the highest point in Spain – the Atlantic Ocean, and the palm-dotted greenery of its terraces and surrounding botanical parks.

Prepare to embark on an unforgettable culinary journey throughout your stay, with exceptional restaurants celebrating local and international flavours.

At fusion restaurant OKA, helmed by Michelin-starred chef Ricardo Sanz, Japanese fine dining is given a mouthwatering Mediterranean twist.

Two-Michelin-starred chef Erlantz Gorostiza is the mastermind behind two more restaurants: Spanish gourmet bistro Amalur, with a menu inspired by the four elements; and fine dining restaurant Lava, whose exclusive setting includes a Chef’s Counter for six guests.

Breakfast at Atlantico Buffet is the perfect way to start the day as you savour delicious dishes alongside terrace views. For leisurely poolside lunches, La Carola is the place to be, serving Mediterranean flavours and crisp Canarian wines with a generous side of Tenerife sunshine.

Secure your holiday to Gran Hotel Taoro with British Airways Holidays and enjoy a great-value holiday with quality and peace of mind. You’ll benefit from ATOL protection from the moment you book, a 24-hour helpline and a generous checked baggage allowance. Book your holiday with a low deposit and spread the cost with flexible payments* – so all that’s left to focus on is enjoying your holiday in style.

If you upgrade to Club Europe, you’ll enjoy a host of additional benefits including lounge access,** increased checked baggage allowance, and priority check-in and boarding. Members of The British Airways Club benefit from collecting Avios, earning tier points and using Avios towards the cost of holiday packages.

Spend your days at the Gran Hotel Taoro relaxing by three heated pools, set amidst beautifully landscaped gardens and providing a postcard-perfect setting for some downtime.

If you want to up the relaxation factor further, head to the serene sanctuary of the Sandara Wellness Center, which offers a range of exclusive treatments in partnership with luxury French brand Anne Semonin.

Guests who want to explore the history, culture and natural wonders of the local area – including Puerto de la Cruz, the oldest tourist destination in the Canaries – can take advantage of the hotel’s new X-Plora programme, offering a range of tailor-made experiences both within and beyond the hotel grounds through the dedicated concierge team.

More than a luxury retreat, Gran Hotel Taoro is a grand hotel reborn: a destination where heritage, culture and five-star service come together in one of Tenerife’s most treasured and authentic settings. Book with British Airways Holidays to experience this Spanish icon’s remarkable return in 2026.

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

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

• Secure your holiday with a low deposit and spread the cost with flexible payments.*

• All holiday packages include a generous checked baggage allowance.

• ATOL protection from the moment you book your holiday package giving you financial reassurance.

• Quality car hire with no hidden fees, 24-hour support and roadside assistance.

• Upgrade to Club Europe (Business Class) for a host of additional benefits including lounge access,** increased checked baggage allowance, delicious food and drink options and dedicated check-in and priority boarding.

• Members of The British Airways Club benefit from collecting Avios, earning tier points and using Avios towards the cost of holiday packages.

Maguire handed 15-month suspended sentence by court over Mykonos brawl

Harry Maguire will appeal against a 15-month suspended sentence following a fresh ruling by a Greek court relating to an incident in Mykonos in August 2020.

The Manchester United and England centre-back was found guilty of non-serious assault, resisting arrest, and repeated attempts of bribery, according to Sky Sports.

Maguire was involved in a brawl alongside family members while on holiday on the Greek island and spent two nights in a police cell following his arrest, but has always denied wrongdoing.

In 2020, he was initially found guilty of aggravated assault, resisting arrest, and repeated attempts of bribery and handed a suspended sentence of 21 months – but a retrial was granted on appeal.

While Maguire’s suspended sentence has been reduced in length and severity, the defender is determined to clear his name and will appeal the latest verdict, having refused opportunities to settle.

The 32-year-old was not involved in the latest legal proceedings and is set to be involved in tonight’s match at Newcastle United.

In 2020, Maguire’s legal team immediately appealed against the guilty ruling – which according to Greek law meant the conviction was automatically nullified.

His retrial was postponed four times between 2023 and 2025 before it eventually took place in Syros on Wednesday.

As Maguire is appealing the fresh verdict, his conviction will once again be quashed. He is expected to appeal to Greece’s Supreme Court.

Heating oil price spike leaves households and suppliers out of pocket

Bill payers and business owners across the UK are grappling with rising costs as the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East continues to cause heating oil prices to spiral.

Home heating oil is used by around 1.5 million households in the UK, but sudden volatility in global oil trade has caused prices to spike by as much as £100 in the past week alone.

Nearly two-thirds of homes (62.5 per cent) of homes in Northern Ireland use oil for heating, compared to the UK average of just over five per cent.

Andy Douglas set up Andy’s Oil in 2013, providing heating oil to his customers in County Armagh for over a decade. He says that rising prices and panic buying have forced him to stop taking orders for a short time, as he has been forced to operate at a loss.

Mr Douglas told The Independent: “I’m working 16 hours today and I’m losing £1,000 because of not charging enough a day or two ago when I accepted the order.”

The oil seller, who has worked in the trade since 2003, says he added on his normal margin, which varies from around 3p to 12p a litre.

“[But] my suppliers have increased their prices to me by 30p a litre”, he says, “so I’m delivering it well under what I would have”.

Just before the conflict, the average price of 500 litres of home heating oil in Northern Ireland was £307.38, figures from the Consumer Council NI (CCNI) show.

By Monday, this had spiked to £395 at one provider in County Armagh, and £425 at another in County Down.

Mr Douglas said: “I normally just lift my oil on a daily basis at Belfast storage terminals. I’ll go fill the lorry, go out and sell the oil, and that’s it. So I’m subject to the daily prices coming out of the storage terminal, whatever they may be.”

“That works fine most of time, except times when there’s panic buying like this.”

The business owner adds that he has “been through this before” at the outset of Russia’s war with Ukraine in 2022, which caused UK energy prices to spike before returning to levels consistently higher than before.

With that experience in recent memory “everyone knew to pounce and try and get the oil before it jumped in price”, says Mr Douglas, adding that he received around 200 or 300 phone calls on Monday.

Unlike homes on grid-supplied electricity and gas on standard variable or default tariffs, prices for those that use heating oil are not regulated by Ofgem’s energy price cap.

This means they are entirely subject to the fluctuating price of heating oil, which looks set to increase further as the conflict in the Middle East intensifies.

Global oil prices continue to rise after the US and Israel carried out strikes on Iran on Saturday, which were followed by retaliatory Iranian strikes on targets in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan and Iraq.

As fighting escalates, Iran has warned that it will “set fire” to any ships trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping channel for the global oil industry.

The strait provides the only passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean, making it a crucial point for the operation of the oil industry. Around 20 per cent of the world’s gas and oil is shipped through the waterway.

Some have accused oil importers of increasing their costs prematurely, expecting more of a lag between the outbreak of the conflict and price rises.

Irish Labour Party spokesperson George Lawlor TD has called on the Government to immediately introduce a maximum price order on home heating oil.

He said: “What we are witnessing is pure price gouging. Home heating oil companies have hiked their prices overnight, blaming events in the Middle East, yet the oil currently being delivered to Irish homes has been in the country for weeks if not months.

“There has been no sudden disruption to supply. There is no shortage. There is no justification for hammering families in this way.”

Raymond Gormley, head of energy policy at the Consumer Council said: “As we import all our home heating oil, Northern Ireland is at the mercy of volatile global oil markets and the price that consumers pay is impacted by a complex range of factors, including geopolitical tensions which can result in price fluctuations.

“Home heating oil prices had been increasing slowly over the last couple of weeks, with 500 litres £307.38 on the 26th February, up £13 on the previous week.

“This conflict with Iran is very likely to have some impact on home heating oil prices in Northern Ireland and when we publish our weekly oil price check on Thursday, we will know exactly how much of an impact this will be. We will continue to monitor the situation very carefully.”