Putin ‘preparing to unleash big war on Europe in next five years’

Russia is preparing for a “big war” in Europe as soon as 2029, Volodymyr Zelensky warned in an urgent message to Ukraine’s allies.

Posting on X, the Ukrainian president called for the international community to double-down on sanctions on the Russian economy and weapons to “decrease their capabilities”.

He wrote: “Given the situation on the battlefield, we don’t see Russia wanting to stop.

“The problem is that when we look at the Russian military industry, we see that they are increasing their production. In our assessment, they want to continue this war.

“We think that if we push hard, the Russians will need a pause. But we have to recognise that they want a big war, they are preparing to be able to start such a big war in 2029 or 2030 – in this period – on the European continent.”

Zelensky went on to say: “I think that we have to think about how to stop them now in Ukraine. But also to do everything to decrease their capabilities. Not to give them money, which they still can get from energy. And not to give them weapons.”

It comes as the EU is looking into how it can source more money for Ukraine, either by seizing frozen Russian assets, raising funds on capital markets, or having some of the 27 EU nations raise the money themselves.

Russian president Vladimir Putin “thinks he can outlast us” in the battle over Ukraine’s future, nearly four years after Russia’s all-out invasion of its neighbor, Ursula von der Leyen said.

“And this is a clear miscalculation,” the president of the European Commission said. “Now is therefore the moment to come, with a new impetus, to unlock Putin’s cynical attempt to buy time and bring him to the negotiation table.”

Meanwhile, the Kremlin said on Thursday that Ukraine would have to negotiate with Russia “sooner or later” and claimed that Kyiv’s negotiating position would get worse by the day.

Moscow, whose forces are currently trying to take control of the city of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine, has accused Ukrainian officials of refusing to engage in peace talks. In response, Kyiv says Moscow’s demand that Ukraine cede occupied land as part of a peace deal is unacceptable and tantamount to surrender.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia remained open to a political and diplomatic settlement and wanted peace.

His comments follow stalled US-led peace efforts, with no progress since Trump and Putin held talks in Alaska in August.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke by phone to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on 20 October to discuss a possible new summit, days after it was announced by Trump following a phone call with Putin.

Trump subsequently said he had cancelled a prospective summit. The US president has backed calls for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine with forces at their present positions.

Trump avoids press and questions over Epstein fallout

President Donald Trump didn’t take any questions from the press Thursday as he faces fallout from a new round of Epstein emails.

The president held a public event alongside First Lady Melania at the White House to sign a new executive order related to foster care. The president, who often boasts about how frequently he takes questions from the press compared to his predecessor, didn’t stop to answer any reporters’ questions on Thursday.

Trump made a similar move Wednesday when he didn’t take questions after signing into law a funding package that ended the government shutdown.

The president and his team are dealing with reactions after a new batch of emails from Jeffrey Epstein was released Wednesday. The emails mention Trump – who has not been accused of any wrongdoing and referred to Epstein as a “creep” – and his earlier relationship with the pedophile. In one email, Epstein told Ghislaine Maxwell that Trump “spent hours” at his house with one of the disgraced financier’s victims.

The president and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt have both called the latest tranche a “hoax.”

Foden boosts World Cup hopes with solution to England’s No 10 problem

The man Thomas Tuchel had omitted in October came on; for his international comeback, to make a point and in some style. Not Jude Bellingham. Or not just Bellingham, anyway. In a 2-0 victory that could be attributed to Tuchel, his words leading to the opener, his deeds to the clincher, Phil Foden may have provided Tuchel with an answer to the conundrum of the surfeit of No 10s. Eberechi Eze, too.

They could not all go to the World Cup, Tuchel had suggested. But if Foden had looked potentially vulnerable, the man who could be squeezed out, a player used on the left in Euro 2024 had a new guise: as Harry Kane’s understudy. Foden was used in attack, winning his first cap since March. Eze was introduced on the left wing, scored and thrust himself into a different debate. In a quadruple change, Bellingham was brought on in his preferred position and looked an upgrade on the starter Morgan Rogers. But that may not have been the revelation of the night. Foden, arguably, was. “Phil can make any team better in an offensive position,” said Tuchel.

“The smile is back,” Foden added. “I was happy to come on as a false nine kind of thing. Maybe that will get the best out of me.” The merits of using a flair player to lead the line were shown in two chances, each falling to Eze and coming from the same combination of players: Bellingham to Foden to Eze. For the first, with Foden supplying a lovely flick, Eze had a shot tipped on to the bar. For the second, he curled a shot imperiously into the top corner. Tuchel no longer considers Foden a winger, but he could be the striking alternative. Eze, however, may be his kind of wide man.

And the greatest significance of a largely forgettable night may be in the memories Tuchel takes of it. Those reading the World Cup runes were given much to ponder. Marcus Rashford, who was taken off for Eze, was a case in point. The Barcelona loanee was not poor: he twice directed a shot at Predrag Rajkovic and produced a lovely nutmeg to fool Nikola Milenkovic. But if the initial question was whether he has dislodged Anthony Gordon from Tuchel’s preferred team, he may end up being leapfrogged by Eze.

And Tuchel will be paid in part for his leftfield thinking. Behind Rashford, Nico O’Reilly’s swift rise was capped by a debut. “It was a very special night,” he said. “I am over the moon.” The Manchester City man hit the post, but with a deflected cross, got forward energetically and reasonably effectively and slotted in well. Left-back remains a position that is up for grabs. O’Reilly did his cause no harm.

He played a part in the opening goal, too, even if his contribution could scarcely be called an assist. The newcomer’s shot was blocked and looped up for Bukayo Saka, whose opportunistic strike was volleyed in with precision and technique. It was, he thought, one of his two best goals for England. In the context of both the move and the match, it came out of nothing. England had barely threatened, with 18 minutes elapsing before their first shot of note, which came from Saka but went wide.

Before Tuchel’s impact substitutes, Saka was an impact starter, a sign his pointed comments had found the desired audience. A manager who pronounced himself surprised that Bukayo Saka had only scored 13 goals for England got his preferred response. Now Saka has 14.

That Saka had agreed with Tuchel’s observation was telling. Criticism can be constructive and, in this instance, it was taken in the right way. It is harder to make the same claim when Tuchel had said his mother found Bellingham “repulsive” – a remark for which the England manager apologised – but as the Real Madrid man made his first international appearance since that strange summer saga, it was with a policy of gradual reintegration. “It would be unfair for Jude to try figure everything out because we changed our way of pressing in the last two camps,” Tuchel explained. But Rogers, excellent in September and October, was underwhelming on the ball. Bellingham looked a class above him.

They, Tuchel rationalised, are friends. Saka and Eze are colleagues at club level. When the latter struck, it was Arsenal 2 Serbia 0. England’s trip to the World Cup was already booked, aided by their 5-0 win in Belgrade in September, and they retain their 100 per cent record in qualifying. Serbia will not be joining them: passive for too long, they belatedly stirred. Jordan Pickford, who has not conceded for England for over a year, made a fine save from Filip Kostic. Dusan Vlahovic improvised a flick wide. But Serbia will spend a summer at home. England will cross the Atlantic, and it looks likelier they will take Foden and Eze with them.

Storm Claudia to hit UK as Met Office issues amber weather warnings

Storm Claudia is set to hit the UK as the Met Office issued amber weather warnings, forecasting heavy rain will lead to flooding and disruption across the country.

The amber warnings are in place from midday to midnight on Friday, with 50 to 75mm of rain forecasted for Wales and 40 to 60mm expected in the East Midlands, the east of England, London and southeast England, northwest England, southwest England, Wales, and the West Midlands.

Some 20 flood warnings and 33 flood alerts have also been flagged as Storm Claudia, named by the Spanish Meteorological Service, makes its way towards the UK.

A 24-hour yellow weather warning for rain has also been issued from 6am on Friday in the southern part of the country.

A yellow rain warning is currently in place in central, Tayside and Fife, northeast England, northwest England, southwest Scotland, and Strathclyde until 7pm on Thursday. A total of 15 to 25mm of rain is expected, with some areas in southern Scotland potentially seeing around 40 to 60mm.

Met Office chief meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said: “Storm Claudia will bring very heavy rainfall to a large swathe of central and southern England and Wales on Friday into Saturday. This rain will become slow-moving, and some areas could see up to a month’s worth of rain in 24 hours.

“Much of this will fall on saturated ground, increasing the chances of flooding and contributing to the amber warnings we have issued.

“Within the Amber warning areas, some could see in excess of 150mm accumulate during the event, with 60-80mm fairly widely. Gusty winds in the northwest of England and northwest Wales is an additional hazard, with 60-70mph gusts possible in exposed places within the warning area.”

In areas under an amber warning, the Met Office is cautioning that fast-flowing or deep floodwater is likely and could cause danger to life.

Homes and businesses are expected to be flooded and the weather agency has also warned of travel disruption and power cuts in affected areas.

The impacts may be exacerbated by strong easterly winds, as well as thunderstorms arriving on Friday afternoon, it said.

Alun Attwood from Natural Resources Wales said: “We’re urging people to be vigilant and to make preparations for potential flooding now. You can check if you live in an area at risk of flooding on our website and sign up for our free flood warning service.

“We do not provide flood warnings for flooding from surface water, so it’s important for everyone to know their flood risk.”

Here is the weather forecast for the UK for the coming week, according to the Met Office:

A wet start across Northern Ireland, southern Scotland and northern England, although the rain will tend to weaken as the progresses. Colder across northern Scotland with a few showers, otherwise a largely fine day elsewhere and feeling mild once again.

A band of rain, heavy at times, will move northwards across southern and central areas throughout the night. Elsewhere, apart from a few showers, clearer skies are developing but turning colder.

A very wet day across parts of England and Wales with a strong easterly wind developing. A colder day for Scotland and Northern Ireland with sunny spells and isolated showers.

Rather cloudy and damp on Saturday across southern and central areas, but colder and clearer conditions further north will spread southwards during Sunday. Cold and bright for many on Monday.

British journalist detained by ICE says ‘there’s a war on US freedom of speech’

A British journalist has claimed US immigration officials are conducting a “war against freedom of speech” as he arrived home in the UK after spending more than a fortnight in detention.

Sami Hamdi, 34, was held by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at San Francisco International airport on 26 October after travelling to America for a speaking tour.

During his detention in a crowded space with between 80 and 90 inmates, he said he was left in “sheer agony”, with family and supporters pushing for his release after his health deteriorated.

Mr Hamdi, who lives in London, was released by ICE and returned to the UK on Thursday.

He told The Independent that his detention marks a “war against freedom of speech” for both Americans and the British.

“I don’t think this was an attack on me,” he said in his first full interview upon his release. “It was an attack on Americans, generally.”

The founder of The International Interest, a global risk and intelligence company, has been a vocal critic of Israel’s military action in Gaza. The UN recently concluded that the state was committing a genocide against the Palestinians after a two-year investigation and over 69,000 dead. Israel has called the report “false and distorted”.

But Mr Hamdi said his words are considered a threat by establishment figures unhappy with increasingly hostile public opinion against Israel.

“The concern that they had was not that I was speaking, the concern was that American public opinion is genuinely changing,” he said. “I spent a good deal of time over the past 3 years in America. I went to every state except New Hampshire. Americans are listening.”

He commended the American people for their courage and dedication to freedom, and said he was “treated very well” when travelling the US.

“This is a war on the freedoms of British and American citizens because in freedom they are learning the truth, and when they learn the truth they’re turning away from Israel,” he said.

“It is a land of the brave. They are defiantly standing against those restrictions.”

During his detention, Mr Hamdi said he witnessed several people who had been detained by ICE for almost a year, including a 70-year-old man and former professor fleeing persecution.

He also detailed the deterioration in his health as he was left in “sheer agony” within a day or so of being in detention.

Mr Hamdi said relations between ICE officials and inmates is fraught, as he witnessed difficult conditions with 80 to 90 people in the one room he was forced to stay in.

“It’s a battle of wills. You feel like ICE are merciless in this,” he said. “There’s a cruelty to it.”

However, he said he was conscious of his “privilege” and the high profile that enabled him to be released.

“Nothing that happened to me compares to the genocide,” he added. “I wouldn’t dare complain about my conditions when I remember the pictures of Sidra’s legs being blown up or Hind Rajab with the 320 bullets at her car or Reem, ‘the soul of my soul’.”

US Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said: “Sami Hamdi, an illegal alien and terrorist sympathiser who cheered on Hamas following its October 7 terrorist attack, requested voluntary departure and ICE is happily arranging his removal from this country.

“Under President Trump, those who support terrorism and undermine American national security will not be allowed to work or visit this country. That’s just common sense.”

Travel photography how to: From diversity to detail, expert image tips

Travel means different things to different people – an escape from routine, a chance to explore the unfamiliar, or simply to experience life from a new perspective. My own trips often blend all of the above, and I believe the best travel photography reflects that diversity, whether that’s a misty morning on the moors, seeing (and smelling!) street food stalls, or towering city skyscrapers.

As a mobile photography workshop leader, I’m passionate about the potential of smartphones when it comes to taking these images. They’re light, quick, and let you capture the moment without fuss. I always say there are two types of shots: the raw, unfiltered, instinctive snap, and the more deliberate, curated photograph. Both are just as important and can show the real heartbeat of a place. The beauty of the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE is that it can move seamlessly between the two, with its design, lens options, and AI-enhanced features.

When it comes to taking images on a trip, before I even press the shutter, there are two quick, simple tweaks I always make to my phone settings.

1) Turn on grid lines These help line up your shots perfectly, especially when photographing architecture or scenic horizons, and reduces the need for post-editing. On the Galaxy S25 FE you can find them under ‘Composition Guide’ in camera settings. Within the camera itself, touch the four dots bottom right (just above the selfie icon), and navigate to the settings icon on the far left. Scroll down until you find ‘Composition Guide’ and toggle this on.

2) Set aspect ratio to 3:4 This is ideal for most social platforms and print formats, giving your images a clean, balanced frame, with flexibility if you plan to enlarge shots. This can also be found in the 4 dots bottom right and the fourth option from the left.

The lightweight frame of the Galaxy S25 FE – even with a protective case on – feels great to hold. Although slim, it feels solid, and has excellent screen and picture resolution. All in all I can’t wait to try it out.

The Galaxy S25 FE offers three resolution options: 50, 12 or 8 MP. 50 MP is perfect for detailed daytime shots (you just need to be aware that this will create larger file sizes). While 12 MP is ideal for everyday snaps with solid quality and smaller file sizes.

It has three lenses on the rear: a 50 MP main, a 12 MP ultra-wide, and an 8 MP telephoto. You can zoom up to 30x, though the sweet spot is up to 3x for best quality. That said, the Galaxy S25 FE’s built-in AI does an impressive job of smoothing out graininess even at higher zooms.

Each lens opens new creative possibilities. Use 3x for discreet street photography or architecture details, and ultra-wide for sweeping landscapes or dramatic skies. Travel is as much about tiny details as it is about big vistas.

Of course travel is all about movement, whether it’s the journey itself, an activity or experience you’re enjoying while you’re there, or simply having the time to stay still and capture how a place moves around you. So it’s fun to play around with this in your photography. On the Galaxy S25 FE, the Motion Photo feature captures a short video (with sound) and lets you select the perfect still frame – ideal for action shots like skiing or jumping.

Even better, you can turn motion shots into stunning long exposures, giving movement a dreamy, artistic feel. For daytime shots, turn the video icon on (top right of the screen), keep still while the shot is being taken, then convert the image (go to your photo, touch the 3 dots top right, ‘Details’ and ‘Long exposure’ will come up as an option. Make sure you ‘Save a copy’ to keep it as a long exposure image). This gives amazing effects, and is a great feature for travel photography – allowing you to make moving scenes, like crowds of people or city traffic, look soft, dreamy and smooth, and actually capturing that sense of movement within the image.

At night, switch to Pro Mode (found in ‘More), lower the brightness ISO to 50, and change your shutter speed to either 1 or 2 seconds, and keep the camera very still for a second or two. Resting your phone on something solid like a wall helps avoid unwanted blurring of aspects, like buildings or landscape elements, that you want to stay distinct.

It’s the kind of feature that instantly elevates your shots from ‘nice’ to ‘wow’.

From night markets to moonlit streets, evening photography adds drama and contrast to your travel gallery. Many phones struggle in low light, but the Galaxy S25 FE’s AI Nightography mode (triggered automatically in low light) lifts shadows, reduces grain, and keeps your subject clear.

The 50 MP Wide Camera with Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) and Phase Detection Auto Focus (PDAF) works wonders in dim settings, helping keep shots sharp, even in low-light. You can also manually adjust exposure (touch the screen and drag the sun icon left) to get a more dramatic, high-contrast effect. Both methods give fantastic results, and offer different moods depending on the scene and the look and feel you want.

Travel memories aren’t just about views and buildings – they’re also about people, experiences, and moments. Portrait Mode on the Galaxy S25 FE allows you to play around with foreground and background elements, to allow your subject to stand out – whether it’s a person, plate of food, or flower – by choosing how blurry you want your background to be.

To do this, put your phone on to Portrait Mode (either using the selfie camera or the main camera). Touch the dot on the left-hand side of the screen and this gives you the option to change your blur strength from 1 (not blurry) to 7 (very blurry). When you are the right distance away from your subject, the word ‘Ready’ will show in yellow. To change the background afterwards, go to your photo, touch on the 3 dots top right, ‘Details’, then ‘Background effect’ will show. Group selfies can now have everyone in focus, not just the one holding the phone.

Once you’ve taken your shots, the Galaxy S25 FE’s built-in editing tools let you polish them directly on your phone, making this process incredibly easy and inexpensive (you just need a Samsung account to access some functions). My personal favourite? Photo Assist’s Generative Edit*. Simple tap, circle, erase – and goodbye photobombers, signposts, or traffic cones. The phone’s clever tech fills the empty spaces using AI to analyze the surrounding imagery and create the perfect fill. It’s a game-changer for travel images where you can’t always control what (or who) strays into your shots, and don’t always have the time or opportunity for a retake.

For more creative edits, Sketch to Image** turns your doodles into digital stickers. Draw a simple sketch (like a heart, flower, or bee), and the Galaxy S25 FE’s clever AI technology will transform it into a polished digital sticker that blends seamlessly into your photo.

You can also lean into current photography trends by using the built-in filters. Whether you want bright, bold tones or soft, muted vibes, these let you customise each look to match your style, and stay on-trend while doing it. They can easily be found under the pencil icon when viewing your images. Here you can straighten, crop, add your filters, or completely control the level of contrast, brightness, etc. I personally like big bold colours, although not necessarily on a person, so by using the more bespoke settings, I can control and set the editing to my personal style.

Finally, while I’m more into stills, the Galaxy S25 FE Audio Eraser*** feature might just convert me to video. It automatically adjusts background noise in videos – like toning down a crowd so your narration or subject stands out. This used to require expensive software, but now it’s built right into the phone’s software. By heading to the Edit function and touching on the last icon, you can choose which sound you want to make more prominent than the others. It really is a game changer.

A common worry when relying on phones to capture images on a trip is battery life. Travel photography is often about being ready – conditions change, and moments are fleeting. The last thing you want is a dead battery just as the sun sets.

The Galaxy S25 FE delivers all-day battery performance, and if it runs low, 45W fast charging gives you 60 per cent battery in just 30 minutes – perfect for a quick coffee between shoots.

From misty mornings to candlelit dinners, this device captures it all – vividly, effortlessly, and creatively. With versatile lenses, smart AI, powerful editing tools, and long battery life, it’s more than just a phone camera. It’s the ultimate travel companion.

Jeanette Lendon is a travel photographer – find out more at her website or on Instagram.

To find out more about the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE visit Samsung

*Samsung account login is required. Requires network connection.

**Samsung account login and network connection may be required for certain AI features.

***Samsung account login required. Six types of sound can be detected; voices, music, wind, nature, crowd and noise. Results may vary depending on audio source & condition of the video.

NHS doctors begin five-day strike amid staff cuts warning

The NHS may have to cut frontline staff plus appointments and operations for patients if doctors’ strikes continue, health leaders have warned.

As thousands of resident doctors go on strike across England from 7am on Friday in a dispute over pay, the NHS Confederation and NHS Providers, which represent health trusts, said continued action was piling pressure on already-stretched budgets.

The five-day action from Friday is the 13th walkout by doctors since March 2023, with the last strike in July estimated to have cost the health service £300 million.

NHS Confederation and NHS Providers said that if the NHS continues to have to foot the bill from strikes, it could lead to staff being cut and fewer tests, appointments and operations being carried out.

The knock-on impact on patients is they will be forced to wait longer for care, and many may no longer be able to work without the treatment they need, they said.

The groups also warned that strikes are hitting progress in bringing down NHS waiting lists. Figures on Thursday showed early signs the waiting list is dropping, with September seeing a slight fall after three consecutive months of rises.

The strike comes as polling in The Times suggested 48% of resident doctors wanted the action called off, and only 33% thought it should go ahead.

The last time resident doctors went on strike, more than 54,000 procedures and appointments needed to be cancelled or rescheduled, despite the NHS maintaining 93% of planned activity.

NHS Confederation chief executive, Matthew Taylor, said: “There is no doubt that patients will bear the brunt of this disruption, with tens of thousands of tests, appointments and operations likely to be delayed or cancelled.

“NHS leaders understand how frustrating this will be for them being left waiting in pain or discomfort, not knowing when their treatment will be rescheduled.

“With flu already beginning to bite there is a real risk that these strikes will leave the NHS limping into a very difficult winter at a time when it is trying to recover performance and implement vital long-term reforms.

“But industrial action is also having a major financial impact on the NHS, with the last five-day walkout estimated to have cost a staggering £300 million.

“These costs are not included in the health service’s budget, which is already very tight given the strain on public sector finances.

“This means that more strikes will blow further holes in these constrained budgets and could result in leaders having to cut staff or reduce service levels in order to balance the books.”

Mr Taylor said the British Medical Association (BMA) “must recognise that these strikes are disproportionate, given the current financial environment and the fact resident doctors have already had one of the biggest pay rises in the public sector.”

He said: “We would urge them to call them off, moderate their demands to something achievable and re-enter negotiations.”

Health secretary Wes Streeting has refused to move on the issue of pay for resident doctors, saying they have received an almost 30% increase in pay over three years.

But the BMA argues doctors need a 26% pay uplift to restore their earnings, once inflation is taken into account.

On Thursday, the BMA said doctors must not be called off the picket lines to cover planned NHS work during the strike.

The union said it would not agree to “derogations” – where resident doctors are asked to leave the strike and work when patient safety is at risk – unless NHS trusts have already cancelled planned activity and “incentivised” other medics to provide cover.

Dr Tom Dolphin, BMA council chair, and Dr Emma Runswick, deputy chair, told hospital leaders in a letter that derogations are “not in place to avoid disruption caused by industrial action but to ensure that in unexpected and extreme circumstances patients will continue to receive safe care”.

The letter said: “Derogations will not be granted if planning has not occurred to incentivise non-striking doctors to cover emergency work, or if non-emergency work is continuing.”

It comes after NHS England chief executive, Sir Jim Mackey, told hospital bosses earlier this week to deliver at least 95% of planned activity and “not to adopt” the BMA’s rate card to pay medics covering for striking doctors.

Sir Jim told hospital chief executives that rescheduling appointments and operations should “only happen in exceptional circumstances to safeguard patient safety”.

His letter also said that if non-striking doctors provide cover during the strike, trusts “should not adopt the BMA’s rate card”.

The BMA’s consultant rate card for working outside contracted hours sets a fee of £188 per hour for weekdays from 7am to 7pm, and £250 per hour for 7pm to 11pm.

Weekends are 7am-11pm for £250 per hour, and overnight shifts of 11pm to 7am are £313 per hour.

Chief executive of NHS Providers, Daniel Elkeles, said patient safety was the number one priority.

“Trust leaders and their frontline teams are working flat out to manage the impact of industrial action, including asking other senior staff to step in and provide essential cover for their striking colleagues, while doing their own jobs,” he told the PA news agency.

“Derogation requests during strike action aren’t made lightly. These requests are initiated by trust-based medical directors, who are senior clinicians acting in good faith, to keep patients safe when unexpected and extreme circumstances arise during strikes.”

The BMA’s current mandate for strike action runs out in January after which it would need to ballot members.

Dr Jack Fletcher, chair of the BMA’s resident doctors committee, accused NHS managers of “emotionally blackmailing frontline staff who are taking legitimate industrial action to defend their pay and conditions, and fight for employment”.

He said that strikes “have not come out of the blue”, adding: “What has been offered so far still leaves thousands of resident doctors without a role this year, and the Government seems determined to cut pay even further next year.”

Dr Fletcher said “any resident doctor” would challenge the narrative that the NHS is “somehow turning a corner”.

“We have doctors sitting on bins because there aren’t enough chairs, patients routinely being seen in corridors, A&E waits through the roof and rota gaps are an accepted norm,” he said.

“We cannot let the Government and managers gaslight the public into putting the blame for these system-wide failures at the doors of hardworking doctors who are standing up for their profession and the future of the health service.”

NHS England is urging patients to continue coming forward for care and attend any planned appointments unless they hear otherwise.

Patients who need emergency help should continue to use 999 or A&E as normal, while NHS 111 is also available alongside usual GP services.

Mahmood to announce ‘sweeping reforms’ to tackle illegal migration

Shabana Mahmood is set to announce sweeping reforms next week aimed at making the UK less attractive for illegal immigrants.

The Home Secretary is expected to set out plans to deter migrants from coming to the UK and make it easier to deport those who do in a statement to MPs on November 17.

Ms Mahmood is understood to be modelling the changes on the Danish system, having dispatched officials to the country last month to study its border control and asylum policies.

Ms Mahmood is also expected to be preparing changes to human rights legislation to make it easier to deport people who cross the Channel in small boats.

Home Office minister Mike Tapp told LBC on Thursday that the Government would make “tweaks” to prevent “abuse of the legal system”.

Changes will include requiring judges to prioritise public safety over migrants’ rights to a family life, or the risk that they will face “inhuman” treatment if returned to their home country, the Telegraph reported.

Home Office officials described Ms Mahmood’s plans as “the most sweeping reforms to tackle illegal migration in modern times”.

Ahead of next week’s announcement, the Home Office announced it had removed or deported 48,560 people from the UK since Labour came to power.

The figure, which includes failed asylum seekers, foreign criminals and others with no right to be in the UK, is a 23% increase in removals compared to the 16 months before last year’s election.

Ms Mahmood said: “Nearly 50,000 illegal migrants have been removed or deported since the election.

“We’ve ramped up enforcement, deported foreign criminals from our streets, and saved taxpayers millions.

“I pledge today to scale up the removal and deportations of illegal migrants and do whatever it takes to secure our borders.”

The Government has also sent around 100 people back to France under the “one in, one out” returns deal for those who cross the Channel in small boats.

But despite the removals, small boat crossings continue to be a major political headache for the Government.

So far, some 39,075 people have made the journey, according to PA news agency analysis of Home Office figures.

The figure is up 19% on the same point in 2024 and up 43% on 2023, but remains 5% lower than the equivalent point in 2022, the peak year for crossings.

On Monday, the Home Office confirmed a second man had re-entered the UK by small boat having been returned to France under the “one in, one out” deal.

The Government said he would be deported back to France shortly and insisted his immediate detection and detention showed the system was working.

Ms Mahmood’s proposals next week are expected to include measures to make the UK less attractive to would-be migrants, with Mr Tapp telling LBC ministers wanted to “bring down the asylum shopping that we’re seeing across Europe”.

Denmark’s tighter rules on family reunions and restricting some refugees to a temporary stay are among the policies being looked at.

Some research has suggested that deterrence policies have little impact on asylum seekers’ choice of destination, but a 2017 study said Denmark’s “negative nation branding” had proved effective in limiting asylum applications.