Revealed: Top preventable causes of cancer in UK – and how to cut your risk

Smoking, being overweight, and exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun and sunbeds are the top preventable causes of cancer, experts have warned.

Researchers from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and its International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) analysed 30 risk factors that cause cancer, such as smoking, drinking alcohol and air pollution.

Using data from across 185 countries, they estimate that about 7.1 million of the 18.7 million new cancer cases diagnosed globally in 2022 were preventable.

UK figures show some 32.6 per cent of all new cancer cases – more than 148,000 – were caused by preventable factors during the period.

The top cause was tobacco smoking, which accounted for 16.2 per cent of cases, followed by excess body fat (4.2 per cent) and ultraviolet radiation (3.6 per cent).

“Today, we are here to celebrate good news founded on strong science; many cancers are preventable,” Dr Andre Ilbawi, WHO team lead for cancer control, said, while calling for prevention strategies to focus on tackling risks and not blame.

He added the findings, published in the journal Nature Medicine, “help us understand what is driving the cancer burden and what are the highest risks for different populations”.

“Tobacco, alcohol, air pollution, unhealthy diets, physical activity and infections such as human papillomavirus and hepatitis – these continue to drive avoidable injury to the avoidable illness and death,” Dr Ilbawi said.

“Investing in cancer prevention, therefore, delivers wide-ranging health, societal and economic benefits.

“There’s one key message to recall; prevention must be communicated carefully, focusing on risk reduction, not blame, emphasising policy and structural solutions, acknowledging uncertainty and respecting the dignity of people living with cancer.”

Smoking causes at least 16 different types of cancer and is the biggest cause of lung cancer in the UK.

It is thought as many as 79 per cent of lung cancer cases in the UK are preventable, according to Cancer Research UK.

For women, more than 68,000 cancer cases were preventable and tobacco was the top cause at 13.8 per cent, the recent study revealed.

More than a third of new cancer cases were preventable in men, the equivalent of more than 80,000, but again the leading cause was smoking at 18.5 per cent. The top cancer site was the lungs for men, with 19,000 cases.

Cigarette smoke contains over 5000 chemicals, 70 of which are known to cause cancer.

When these harmful chemicals enter the lungs they affect the entire body and damage DNA.

Alcohol can cause seven different types of cancer, including bowel, breast, mouth, throat and liver cancer, according to Cancer Research UK. It is responsible for about 3.3 per cent of cancer cases in the country, which is around 11,900 cases per year, Alcohol Change UK has said.

The recent study found alcohol consumption was one of the top causes of cancer in men at 4.1 per cent. It also found more than 10,000 cases of colorectal cancer in men were partly caused by alcohol consumption.

When alcohol is consumed, the body turns it into a chemical called acetaldehyde, which can stop cells from repairing damage in the body.

It also increases levels of some hormones, such as oestrogen and insulin – this can make cells divide more often and increase the chance of cancer developing, Cancer Research UK has warned.

Being overweight or obese is the second biggest cause of cancer in the UK, causing more than one in 20 cancer cases.

The study found that for UK women, there were more than 17,000 cases of lung cancer, followed by more than 12,000 cases of breast cancer caused by excess body weight or not enough exercise, as well as alcohol consumption.

Excess body weight was one of the top causes of cancer in women at 5.5 per cent.

Too much body fat can cause cancer for several reasons: it can cause levels of hormones to rise, which tells cells to divide more often, and it can cause inflammation which also causes cells to divide more quickly.

But weight loss jabs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, could help reduce this risk with around 1.6 million Britons using the jabs this past year.

One study published in the journal eClinicalMedicine suggests that weight loss injections, also known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, may have a significant anti-cancer effect beyond simply aiding in weight reduction, due to the drugs’ ability to reduce inflammation.

Ultraviolet radiation from the sun or sunbeds is to blame for 3.4 per cent of cancer cases in women and 3.8 per cent in men.

While some people will claim sunbathing is integral to wellness, sunburn is still skin damage and increases the risk of skin cancer.

Sunbeds are known to increase the risk of melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer killing about six people a day. Around 100 melanoma deaths in the UK each year are linked to sunbed use, according to charity Melanoma Focus.

The WHO has classed sunbeds to be as dangerous as smoking. Using a sunbed before the age of 20 increases the risk of melanoma skin cancer by 47 per cent compared to those who have never used one.

The government has proposed a crackdown on rogue businesses flouting the law and putting children’s health at risk by selling sunbed sessions to under 18s.

New proposals under the soon-to-be launched National Cancer Plan will strengthen requirements around commercial sunbed use, including banning unsupervised sessions, and introducing mandatory ID checks to verify users are over 18.

The 7.1 million preventable cancer cases across the globe are the equivalent of four in 10, the study found.

Dr Isabelle Soerjomataram, deputy head of the IARC Cancer Surveillance Unit, said: “This represents 37.8 per cent of the total cancer burden, a very substantial proportion.

“Breaking this down to major risk factors, smoking accounts for 3.3 million cases, infections for 2.2 million cases, and alcohol contributes for approximately 700,000 cases.

“So these three factors represent the majority of preventable global cancer burden, highlighting where prevention efforts could have the greatest impact.

“Each country and region need to adapt global and regional strategies to prevention priorities that are aligned with its specific cancer burden profile.”

Global analysis also highlighted a significant difference between men and women across the world when it came to cancer causes.

According to the study, 45 per cent of new global cancer cases among men were linked to preventable risk factors compared with 30 per cent among women.

The BBC has axed its most life-affirming show when we need it more than ever

The BBC has sadly confirmed there are no plans for a fourth season of Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams, one of the best, most uplifting documentary series to hit our screens in recent years. In an age where reality commissioning either leans towards perma-tanned castmates having rows fuelled by producers, or PR-managed, glossy docuseries (David and Victoria Beckham, I’m looking at you), Field of Dreams was a shining light.

Its premise was simple: former all-rounder Flintoff – one of the few England cricketers to reach household name status – would return to his home city of Preston, and inspire teenagers in the former mill town to give the notoriously posh sport a go. But, as the Ashes winner soon found out, convincing a lively crew of working-class kids to don their cricket whites would not be easy.

The first season, which arrived like a breath of fresh air in 2022, began with Flintoff organising tryouts in his home city, where the poverty rate is above the national average and more than 21 per cent of children are in low-income families. While the ex-England player was too modest to say it on camera, he had clearly quietly – and understandably – assumed his celebrity status would result in a decent turnout. He was left dismayed then, when his desperate appeals resulted in just a handful of nonchalant teenagers turning up at trials.

Nevertheless, with the help of his former Lancashire teammate Kyle Hogg, Flintoff scraped (and I mean scraped) a team together. Hope thankfully arrived midway through series one in the form of Adnan, a softly spoken Afghan refugee with dreams of playing professionally (he has since made his debut for Lancashire’s second team).

As is often the case with the best shows inspired by sport, Field of Dreams wasn’t really about what was happening on the pitch. Instead, it was a tale of fighting against the odds, and the power of friendship and camaraderie, with more than a few hilarious one-liners, courtesy of the rambunctious teenage players.

The second series took a turn nobody saw coming. Early episodes saw Flintoff and Hogg lay out their ambitious plan to take the team on a life-changing trip to India. But it was Flintoff’s life that was suddenly altered immeasurably when a horrific accident while filming Top Gear left the presenter with severe injuries and in need of extensive facial surgery.

Assistant coach Hogg broke the news to the boys, and filming was put on pause. While enduring a recovery that involved multiple operations, and led to bouts of severe anxiety and flashbacks, Flintoff essentially went into hiding and later admitted he didn’t leave the house for eight months.

After an extended break, the show went on. Cameras were rolling as Flintoff, visibly changed and still shaken, reunited with the team. With their once seemingly fearless leader on the ropes, the teenagers stepped up. Field of Dreams morphed into something new and even more special, as the boys – with pot noodles and Pringles in their suitcases – supported Flintoff through his nervous return to the spotlight. Standout moments saw Flintoff and several of the teens join Adnan in fasting during Ramadan, before youngster Ben, who was homeless and unemployed, began considering a career in education after a visit to a Kolkata orphanage.

The ever-ambitious Flintoff took things up a notch in the third series and started three more teams, two for boys in Bootle and Manchester, and his first girls’ side in Blackpool. To put it bluntly, the Bootle lads made the Preston OGs look positively angelic. The embattled Kyle Hogg bore the brunt of their behaviour, along with a new recruit, ex-England bowler Kate Cross, who surely had no idea what she was getting herself into.

The star of the show this time around was Presley, a Manchester newbie with a heart of gold, who had suffered at the hands of bullies and struggled to make friends at school. He finally seemed to find his place in the world thanks to the ragtag team, which left his mum in floods of relieved, happy tears.

Why then, has the BBC called time on one of its most heartwarming offerings? With the news agenda dominated by ICE raids, the Epstein files and Iran-US tensions, we’re more in need than ever of a reminder that people can be kind. The season three finale delivered a fairytale ending of sorts, as Flintoff’s four teams faced each other in a tournament. Whether each side would survive beyond filming still felt uncertain, which surely left plenty of room for a fourth outing.

Perhaps Flintoff himself is behind the decision, or maybe execs at the BBC thought the story had run its course. Whatever happened behind the scenes, hopefully Field of Dreams gives commissioners food for thought. Leave over-produced efforts and fame-hungry casts behind; life-affirming shows like this are what we’re crying out for. And more Presleys. TV could definitely do with those, especially in these troubling times.

Only five Palestinian patients let out of Gaza as Rafah crossing opens

Just five Palestinians in critical condition have been allowed through the Rafah Crossing for treatment after Israel reopened it on Monday.

Reports had suggested Israel would permit 50 patients accompanied by two relatives to exit the enclave every day, but so far only a fraction appear to have been allowed passage. .

The reopening was hailed as a significant step forward in implementing the second part of the US-brokered ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas last year.

Over 18,000 injured and wounded people are awaiting medical attention, according to the World Health Organisation while the Ministry of Health estimates the number is over 20,000. Unicef said over 3,000 of those are children.

Of the thousands reportedly waiting to return to Gaza, around 12 were allowed back in while 38 did not make it through security checks and were forced to spend the night on the Egyptian side of the border, according to Palestinian and Egyptian sources.

“On the second of February, WHO and partners supported the medical evacuation of five patients and seven companions to Egypt via the Rafah crossing,” World Health Organisation spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said on Tuesday.

“It was the first medical evacuation through this route since sometime in 2025,” he said, referring to a limited number of evacuations during an early 2025 ceasefire.

He added that many patients had died while waiting for an evacuation.

“We know that patients have died basically waiting for evacuation, and that’s something which is horrible when you know just a few miles or kilometres outside that border, help is available,” he said.

Rafah became highly politicised during the height of the bombardment when humanitarian aid was restricted, and thousands of aid trucks containing food and medical aid were not allowed to enter.

The United Nations has called on Israel to allow unfettered movement for Palestinians as well as the entry of humanitarian aid in line with international law.

“We would want to see humanitarian cargo and private cargo go in,” UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Monday. “And, of course, in terms of movements of people through the Rafah crossing, Palestinians need to be able to come out or go in, as they wish, in line with international law.”

Save the Children demanded the “immediate and urgent opening of Rafah and all border crossings and the safe, unrestricted passage of humanitarian assistance”.

On Sunday, an Israeli defence official said that the crossing can hold between 150-200 people altogether in both directions.

There will be more people leaving than returning because patients leave together with escorts, the official added.

UK regulator launches probe into Elon Musk’s X after Grok controversy

Formal investigations have been launched into whether Elon Musk’s X and xAI have complied with data protection law after the chatbot Grok was used to create sexualised deepfake images.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) confirmed it had opened the investigations on Tuesday afternoon. In a statement, it said the reports raised “serious concerns” under UK data protection laws, such as whether “appropriate safeguards were built into Grok’s design and deployment”.

It comes after outrage over Grok’s ability to digitally “strip” victims without their consent, generating deepfake images of them nude or in minimal clothing. Women told The Independent they had been left feeling “violated and humiliated” after the “dehumanising” images were created by the chatbot.

X has since said it has brought in measures to address the issues raised.

William Malcolm, executive director of regulatory risk and innovation at the ICO, said the office is “working closely with Ofcom” and other regulators to “ensure that people’s safety and privacy are protected”.

He added the loss of personal data in this way “can cause immediate and significant harm”.

In January, technology secretary Liz Kendall encouraged Ofcom to use “the full range of its powers” under the Online Safety Act after the regulator announced an investigation into whether X has complied with UK laws.

In a previous statement, Ofcom said it will determine whether X “has complied with its duties to protect people in the UK from content that is illegal”.

The communications regulator said unlike the ICO, it was not investigating xAI, which provides the standalone Grok chatbot app, because of the way the Online Safety Act relates to chatbots.

“When we opened our investigation into X, we said we were assessing whether we should also investigate xAI, as the provider of the standalone Grok service,” it said.

“We continue to demand answers from xAI about the risks it poses. We are examining whether to launch an investigation into its compliance with the rules requiring services that publish pornographic material to use highly effective age checks to prevent children from accessing that content.

“Because of the way the Act relates to chatbots, as explained above, we are currently unable to investigate the creation of illegal images by the standalone Grok service in this case.”

Ministers brought forward legislation to ban generating sexual deepfake images without consent following outrage over the chatbot. Shortly after the ban, Sir Keir Starmer said X must act to comply with UK laws “immediately” and that “young women’s images are not public property, and their safety is not up for debate”.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Mr Malcolm said: “The reports about Grok raise deeply troubling questions about how people’s personal data has been used to generate intimate or sexualised images without their knowledge or consent, and whether the necessary safeguards were put in place to prevent this. Losing control of personal data in this way can cause immediate and significant harm. This is particularly the case where children are involved.

“Our role is to address the data protection concerns at the centre of this, while recognising that other organisations also have important responsibilities. We are working closely with Ofcom and international regulators to ensure our roles are aligned and that people’s safety and privacy are protected. We will continue to work in partnership as part of our coordinated efforts to create trust in UK digital services.

“Our investigation will assess whether XIUC [X Unlimited Internet Company] and X.AI have complied with data protection law in the development and deployment of the Grok services, including the safeguards in place to protect people’s data rights. Where we find obligations have not been met, we will take action to protect the public.”

Protests, confusion and anxiety: Venezuela a month after Trump seized Maduro

In the early hours of 3 January, Sader Guerra and his family were shaken awake when the bombing ordered by Donald Trump started in Caracas. “My daughter called me, she said: ‘The Americans are bombarding us, Dad, we are under attack’,” he recalls.

Caraqueños like Guerra are used to the sounds of military demonstrations and low-flying planes disturbing their sleep, particularly those living within earshot of Fort Tiuna military base. “I saw the planes but I thought they were Venezuelan,” Guerra shrugs.

Just before dawn, his daughter sent him a video clip: Nicolás Maduro in handcuffs, being escorted by US soldiers. Even then, Sader was doubtful. “I thought the video was AI-generated,” he says. “It was only once the sun came up and we saw the devastation around us – the destruction, people killed – that the news became real.”

In the days that followed, Caracas entered a state residents describe as “tense calm”. “There was a lot of fear among the population about going out in case of another attack,” says Maria Ovalle Baró, a marketing campaigner for an entertainment company.

That fear turned into anxiety: “Not knowing what will happen, how the Venezuelan government will act, and how the US government will proceed,” she says. Political speeches have done little to clarify intentions, Ovalle Baró adds. “As we say in Venezuela, ‘aquí huele a gato encerrado’ – something smells fishy.”

Police checkpoints, known locally as alcabalas, appeared across parts of the city, alongside rumours of roadblocks run by armed pro-government groups searching citizens for signs of dissent. “Personally, I haven’t seen any,” Ovalle Baró says. “I simply avoided the areas they were supposedly located.”

In the first days after the bombing, only about 20 per cent of businesses opened, mostly large supermarkets, pharmacies and petrol stations. Long queues formed as people stocked up on food, medicine and fuel. Police were deployed to prevent looting. Soon, around 70 per cent of businesses had reopened, though many closed early as a precaution.

One month on, reports from the capital suggest daily life has largely returned to normal. But every day, groups of hundreds of Venezuelans take to the streets in protest, demanding Maduro’s release.

Since their president was captured, thousands of citizens have joined demonstrations organised by the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). Some carry Maduro’s portrait, others hold signs saying “Freedom for Maduro” and “We want you back among us”.

At a rally last month, PSUV vice president for mobilisation, Nahum Fernández, told supporters: “Unity is not up for debate… Anyone conspiring against unity is conspiring against Venezuela.”

Outside Venezuela, particularly among expatriate communities in Colombia, Europe and the United States, a different narrative dominates – one that frames Maduro’s removal as overdue and inevitable. Accounts from Venezuelan expats living abroad tell of their relief and excitement at Maduro’s capture. “I jumped for joy and cried,” says José Antonio Martin, an ornithologist living in northern Colombia. “It was the news I had been hoping for because I haven’t seen my family in 10 years, including my youngest daughter … Every Venezuelan person inside and outside the country has lost something or somebody there.”

Expats will tell you that citizens live in fear of speaking out against the government. “People are scared to talk,” says Martin. “My daughter in Venezuela wouldn’t answer my questions [after the attacks] in case someone was listening in. We are paranoid that calls will be intercepted, that they are looking for spies, or the phone lines will be cut off. Everyone feels that they are in danger right now, it’s a confusing time.”

“Food is plentiful but the problem is how to get hold of it – there is no money. Right now people are spending the last coins they have on food just in case something bigger happens. My mother is calling me to ask if I can send money, so are my friends. People have been stuck in their homes without work so they are worried they won’t be able to buy food for their families if a war breaks out. “

That sensitivity is heightened by Venezuela’s long-running humanitarian crisis. Years of economic collapse, hyperinflation, sanctions and climate-related disasters have left millions vulnerable. According to the UN’s aid coordination office, OCHA, 7.9 million people – more than a quarter of the population – require urgent humanitarian assistance.

Some on the ground tell a very different story. “When I heard Maduro had been kidnapped and his whereabouts were unknown, I was in a state of shock,” says Rosita Baró, a retired translator living in Margarita Island off the north coast of Venezuela.

“I felt very worried about my daughter [who lives in Caracas] and the people who were suffering in the city. Then I felt indignant, disgusted by the unjustified violence, the flagrant violation of all laws and the return to the law of the jungle.”

“I think people in the West have a mistaken belief regarding what is happening with the people in Venezuela,” says Baró. “Beyond political affiliation, we all love this country, and in the face of constant threats – US fleets targeting boats, launching missiles and then the merciless bombing – a unity and a sense of patriotism have emerged.”

Guerra also rejects the idea that Venezuela was a failed state in need of rescue. His own standard of living is comfortable: he runs his own business and recently returned from a Mediterranean cruise.

“Venezuela has never been broken,” he says. “We have endured a lot of frustration… but we will always be able to survive independently because of the country’s rich oil supplies.”

Asked about poverty, he insists basic needs were being met. “Everybody has basic living conditions: food, shelter. There are social programmes in place,” he says, adding that he believes living conditions could have continued to improve had the Americans not intervened.

According to Rafael Rezende, a researcher at the Center for Studies in Social Theory and Latin America (NETSAL) at the State University of Rio de Janeiro, these sharply contrasting views – between expats and locals, rich and poor – reflect a more complex reality.

“People often think that non-democratic regimes survive only through force, but that’s not true,” he says. “Any regime needs some level of popular support, a bureaucracy, and the backing of the military.”

Chavismo, the political movement created by Maduro’s mentor Hugo Chávez, he explains, continues to command loyalty among sections of the population – through social policies, state employment, and, in some cases, corruption. “Many people’s living conditions improved under Chávez’s governments,” he says.

At the same time, opposition is fierce and rooted in lived experience, Rezende adds, thanks to “corruption, the gradual closing of the regime, and the loss [for many] of political and economic power”.

Crucially, Rezende notes, opposition to US military action cuts across these divisions. “Many people in Venezuela may not be Chavistas and still oppose US actions,” he says. “For Latin Americans, US military interventions are always a sensitive issue.”

In January, the UN warned that the US seizure of Maduro had “added a new layer of uncertainty to an already volatile situation”.

For many Venezuelans, uncertainty is now the defining feature of daily life. Ovalle Baró says people continue to work not out of confidence, but necessity. “They go out with fear and anxiety, but continue with their lives,” she says. “As we say here, ‘hay que seguir echándole bola para vivir’” – you’ve got to keep hustling.

One thing uniting Venezuelans on all sides of the political spectrum and the globe is the hope that diplomacy, not force, will determine what comes next.

This article was produced as part of The Independent’s Rethinking Global Aid project

The smart moment to get ahead of your business budget

For businesses large and small, late January is when reality bites. For some, it’s the first chance to take a breath after the festive rush and early January sales. For others, it’s an opportunity to look at things afresh after time away from the office. Either way, it’s the moment when plans need to move off the page and into practice.

In a challenging business environment, budgets must work harder, workflows need to be optimised and spending requires clear oversight. This is where Amazon Business can make a tangible difference: helping teams start the year organised, keep costs under control and simplify everyday purchasing across essential business categories.

Stock Up and Save now: Business Savings Event Ends February 4

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Buy smarter, stay stocked

Feeling organised starts with knowing you have what you need. Amazon Business supports this by offering bulk buying options that help improve budget efficiency. From pallet-sized orders of cleaning products to everyday office supplies, buying in volume ensures businesses are paying the best possible price.

Registered Amazon Business customers also benefit from exclusive business-only pricing, alongside the fast and flexible delivery Amazon is known for. In some circumstances, same-day delivery is available, allowing businesses to stay agile and responsive without overstocking.

One platform, less paperwork

Switching to Amazon Business can also significantly reduce administrative burden. Rather than sourcing cleaning supplies from one provider, office technology from another and stationery from a third, Amazon Business acts as a one-stop shop for procurement.

This streamlined approach frees up valuable time, allowing business owners and teams to focus on delivering quality products and services, rather than managing multiple suppliers and invoices.

Control for leaders, autonomy for teams

Amazon Business combines the familiar Amazon interface with professional-grade tools designed specifically for organisations. Team members can order what they need quickly and intuitively – even without purchasing experience – all through a single, centralised account.

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The platform’s analytics tools also enable deeper trend analysis, supporting smarter decision-making now and more effective planning for the future. Amazon Business integrates with more than 300 e-procurement and expense management systems, including Coupa, Concur Expense and SAP Ariba, and makes it easy to manage delivery preferences across multiple locations within a single workflow.

From fitting seamlessly into existing systems to keeping spending accountable, Amazon Business helps companies start the year as they mean to go on: with smarter, simpler and more business-focused buying.

Sign up for a free Amazon Business account to streamline your purchasing and take advantage of quantity discounts.

Jill Biden’s ex-husband charged with murder for ‘killing his wife during a domestic disturbance’

The ex-husband of former First Lady Jill Biden has been charged with murder for the death of his wife following a domestic disturbance, officials announced.

Bill Stevenson, 77, was arrested Monday and charged with first-degree murder in the death of 64-year-old Linda Stevenson after a police investigation that lasted over a month.

Officers from the New Castle County Division of Police responded to reports of a domestic dispute at a home in Oak Hill, Wilmington, Delaware, late on December 28.

Upon entering the home, officers found Linda Stevenson unresponsive in the living room and administered life-saving measures, but were unable to save her, according to a police press release at the time. Further details about her death and the moments before have not been released.

TMZ reported at the time that it was Stevenson who called authorities and cooperated with them. Until now, he had not been charged with a crime.

Stevenson was taken into custody at the same address where his wife’s body was found. He is currently being held at the Howard Young Correctional Institution after failing to post a $500,000 bail.

The Independent has contacted the New Castle County Police Department for any further information on the case.

Little is known about Jill Biden’s marriage to Stevenson.

Stevenson married the former First Lady, then Jill Jacobs, in 1970 while she was studying at Brandywine Junior College, and she took his last name to become Jill Stevenson. However, the pair drifted apart and were officially divorced in 1975.

During that time, Stevenson opened the Stone Balloon college bar, near the University of Delaware, which became one of the most popular in the U.S. and was once described by Rolling Stone as “one of the best kept secrets in Rock and Roll.”

In a book,The Stone Balloon: The Early Years, Stevenson omits details of his divorce, but reportedly walked away from the case giving her only half of what she had asked for including part-ownership of the bar.

Jill married then-Senator Joe Biden in June 1977.

In 2022, her biographer Julie Pace told People that Biden “had these expectations of sort of what that marriage was going to be, and the marriage did not live up to those expectations.”

“She was incredibly young and probably a bit naive about what life was going to look like, and it stings her. It really stings her, and it makes her question quite a bit.”

In the lead-up to the 2020 presidential election, Stevenson came forward to dispute the Biden campaign’s claims about how the former first couple met.

He told WDEL in an interview that Jill met the future president while working on a local political campaign around 1972. Many of the campaign fundraisers were held at the Stone Balloon.

Stevenson went on to accuse his former wife of having an affair, something a Biden spokesperson strongly denied at the time. The account put out by the Biden campaign details that it was Jill’s brother Frank who set up his sister and Joe on a blind date after her divorce.

Care worker arrested for alleged rape of mental health patient

A care worker has been arrested on suspicion of raping a patient at a mental health hospital caring for hundreds of NHS patients.

The worker is one of eight employees at the privately run St Andrew’s Hospital, Northampton,who were arrested on suspicion of wilful neglect and ill treatment in relation to allegations of assault against a patient made in July 2025.

Now, Northamptonshire Police have confirmed toThe Independent that one suspect was also arrested on suspicion of rape. They have been released on bail, and the investigation into all eight workers is ongoing.

St Andrew’s is facing a separate investigation into the death of a patient in February 2025. Five people were arrested on suspicion of corporate manslaughter and gross negligence manslaughter. Four have been released with no further action being taken against them, while one person remains on bail for the offence of wilful neglect by a care worker.

Police also launched a corporate manslaughter investigation after the death of a teenager in October 2024, but no further action was taken after consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service. Police are now preparing a report into what happened for the Coroner ahead of an inquest.

St Andrews Healthcare is a registered charity providing inpatient mental healthcare services to the NHS across its three major hospitals in Northampton, Birmingham and Essex. It receives patients from across the country, including from Scotland and Wales.

The provider earns more than £200 million a year from NHS contracts, which is its main source of income, and also provides specialist inpatient services to the NHS, such as inpatient services for deaf adults.

Northamptonshire Police confirmed the rape allegation in a statement, saying that the “complex investigation is ongoing, with all eight people arrested remaining on bail.

“One of the people arrested in connection with the investigation has been arrested on suspicion of rape, for which they are on bail.”

In an earlier statement released toThe Independent on Friday, a spokesperson said: “Due to the nature of the investigations, we remain in contact with the Care Quality Commission, the independent regulator of health and social care.

“We continue to work tirelessly to establish what happened in each of these incidents and ask anyone who may have any information that could assist us to contact us on 101.”

A spokesperson for St Andrew’s Healthcare said it had a zero‑tolerance approach to allegations of harm and immediately reported all matters to the police for investigation, as it did in the July 2025 case. They added: “As this is an active police investigation, we are unable to comment further at this time.

“In relation to the investigations, all staff involved were immediately suspended. Several have since been dismissed following our own internal investigation and disciplinary process. We have also referred several to the Nursing and Midwifery Council.”