Farage heads to Mar-a-Lago to discuss Chagos deal with Trump

Nigel Farage is set to meet Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago mansion on Friday to discuss Sir Keir Starmer’s Chagos Islands deal, as the war in the Middle East escalates.

Mr Trump has dramatically U-turned on his support for Sir Keir’s controversial agreement in recent weeks, at one point describing it as an act of “great stupidity”.

Since then, ministers have insisted that discussions over handing the Chagos Islands to Mauritius are continuing, with the government insisting the deal is necessary to secure the future of the crucial UK-US Diego Garcia military base.

Mr Farage, who has long opposed the Chagos deal and dubbed it a “surrender” treaty, told an event in Westminster on Thursday that he would discuss it at Mr Trump’s estate in Florida.

“We think this is the central plan for this government’s foreign policy and we are beating them back,” Mr Farage said, according to GB News.

“President Trump has almost understood the deal, but I will be dining at Mar-a-Lago tomorrow night, and we will reinforce the message.”

The Reform UK leader denounced the agreement as “the worst deal in history” and an “absolute betrayal”.

He added: “We have got to keep fighting, we have got to keep the pressure up, we must not let our foot off this pedal, but for first time in this battle… this feels more than winnable.”

Meanwhile, Mauritius has said it is considering legal action against the UK over the delay in ratifying Sir Keir’s Chagos Islands deal. “We are exploring legal avenues in the Chagos case,” Navin Ramgoolam, the Mauritian prime minister, told Defi Media.

However, it is understood that the UK government believes there are no grounds in international law for Mauritius to obtain compensation if the treaty is not ratified.

The UK has agreed to pay Mauritius at least £120m annually during the 99-year agreement to lease back the site, a total cost in cash terms of £35bn.

Earlier this week, Sir Keir insisted the special relationship between the UK and the US is “in operation right now” despite not having spoken to Mr Trump since a very public fallout over his refusal to allow initial US strikes on Iran from British bases.

Mr Trump said Britain’s response had been “very disappointing” and declared that Keir Starmer is “not Winston Churchill”.

Ministers secured US backing for the deal last year. The president even told Sir Keir during a visit to the White House that he was “inclined to go with your country” and that he had “a feeling it’s going to work out very well”.

Under the plan, the UK will cede sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius but lease back the facility on the island of Diego Garcia.

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey posted on X: “I see Farage is off to Mar-a-Lago to talk down Britain and suck up to Trump. There’s nothing patriotic about cheering on a foreign leader whose illegal war is sending British families’ energy bills through the roof.”

F1 Australia GP live: Russell claims super pole after Verstappen crash

George Russell delivered on his status as the world championship favourite by taking a crushing pole position for Sunday’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

A composed Russell blew away his rivals at Melbourne’s Albert Park to finish 0.293 seconds clear of team-mate Kimi Antonelli as Mercedes locked out the front row.

Isack Hadjar qualified third on his Red Bull debut, but he was almost eighth tenths slower than Russell as Mercedes’ impressive pace in the sport’s new era was laid bare for the first time. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took fourth one place ahead of McLaren driver Oscar Piastri.

Lando Norris will open his championship defence from sixth. Lewis Hamilton is seventh on the grid, after he finished a tenth and a half slower than Leclerc in the other Ferrari, while Max Verstappen will prop up the grid after he sensationally crashing out.

Follow live coverage of the Australian Grand Prix with The Independent

Peter Mandelson gets passport back after being released from bail

Lord Peter Mandelson has been released from his bail conditions but remains under investigation, the Metropolitan Police have said.

Lord Mandelson was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office last month after police received a tip-off from Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle that he was a flight risk.

Lawyers for the former peer said on Friday that he has now had his bail conditions removed and his passport returned.

The Metropolitan Police also confirmed Lord Mandelson’s bail conditions have now been dropped, saying he has instead been released under investigation.

A Met spokesperson said: “A 72-year-old man arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office has been released under investigation.

“The investigation remains ongoing.”

Lord Mandelson’s lawyers at Mishcon de Reya said on Friday: “In light of speculation following his arrest last week, we wish to clarify that the Metropolitan Police have removed all of Peter Mandelson’s bail conditions and returned his passport.

“Our client did not and does not pose a flight risk and will continue to cooperate with the police investigation. He will not be making any further comment at this stage.”

Lord Mandelson was sacked as the UK’s ambassador to the US last year, and then resigned from the Labour Party and the House of Lords earlier this month when fresh emails surfaced in the latest tranche of the so-called Epstein files in the US.

He was arrested in late February on suspicion of misconduct in public office, following claims he had leaked sensitive government information to Jeffrey Epstein.

The police made the arrest despite an earlier agreement that Lord Mandelson would speak to the police voluntarily. It followed what the former cabinet minister’s lawyers claimed was a “baseless suggestion that he was planning to leave the country”.

The Met Police apologised to Sir Lindsay after officers told Lord Mandelson’s lawyers he had tipped them off about claims he planned to flee to the British Virgin Islands, prompting his arrest.

In the recently released batch of Epstein files, Lord Mandelson appeared to confirm a yet-to-be-announced €500bn bailout of the Euro. The documents show Epstein emailed Lord Mandelson, “sources tell me 500 b euro bailout, almost complete”.

In the wake of the criticism over Lord Mandelson’s appointment, the government has seen several advisers to the PM quit, including chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, communications director Tim Allan and cabinet secretary Sir Chris Wormald.

This year’s UK Eurovision entry is a big heterosexual racket

Let’s get the obvious out of the way: Britain’s entry for this year’s Eurovision Song Contest is a terrible racket. It is SO MERCILESSLY LOUD, to an extent that can only truly be conveyed by WRITING IN CAPITAL LETTERS AT ALL TIMES. But I’ll try not to. The work of a synthesiser-wielding EDM scientist named LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER (sorry), “Eins, Zwei, Drei” chucks together horny moans, plinky-plonky synths, thick stabs of bass, and a man who just won’t stop shouting. You’re desperate to give him the information he wants, but you just don’t have it. It’s giving “Parklife” gone wrong. It’s giving Guantanamo Bay.

LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER, a man in his late thirties named Sam Battle, whose bio is so sparse we don’t even know what UK city he’s from, attracted minor fame on the internet a few years ago for making instruments out of found objects – he once wired a Furby into a synthesiser (KOOKY!). With his mad professor hair, owlish features and penchant for big noises, LOOK MUM is all a bit “Blue Peter does Berghain”, and very, very English in a way that’s both horrendously embarrassing and oddly charming. He therefore makes sense for Eurovision, which has long existed on a separate plane of taste and respectability.

Sonically speaking, “Eins, Zwei, Drei” has the feel of the distant past, like a Kaiser Chiefs album track or something by The Ting Tings, or that moment in time when lairy football fans would chant “What’s that coming over the hill? Is it a monster? Is it a monster?” while down the pub. Which is all to say that this is a very heterosexual Eurovision entry, devoid of camp or glitz or whatever Olly Alexander was doing a few years ago.

The track finds LOOK MUM bemoaning the nine-to-five life (“the office cubicle has trapped me again”), before concluding that the only way to rectify such malaise is by (checks notes) counting to three in German. “Eins, zwei, drei / Darlin’, I need something salty / Eins, zwei, drei / with a slice of pepperoni,” he yells. Is this all a bit of cynical Euro-baiting? Perhaps! Are the lyrics about being sick of eating jam roly-polys, pining for a European holiday and swapping “counterfeit” pounds for some Euros really evidence that LOOK MUM has smuggled communist-socialist, anti-Brexit propaganda into the primetime BBC One schedules? If only!

I’m unsure if this is the right track to win us Eurovision. But our continued presence at the contest has long felt akin to sending a Valentine’s card to a person who hates us, so chances are it doesn’t matter anyway. What is welcome is that LOOK MUM has delivered a bit of a moment, even if that moment will give you a headache. Our recent entries have consistently been different kinds of beige, whether they’re being sung by an am-dram trio with the worst band name in history (remember Remember Monday?), or that man who looked like white Jesus. “Eins, Zwei, Drei” may have made me feel like I never want to listen to music again, but at least it made me feel something.

Ireland battle past gutsy Wales to keep Six Nations hopes alive

Ireland kept alive their slim hopes of reclaiming the Six Nations title by battling to a 27-17 bonus-point victory against winless Wales in Dublin.

First-half tries from Jacob Stockdale and Jack Crowley put Andy Farrell‘s side on course to set up a triple crown showdown with Scotland next weekend.

Wales responded through a superb solo score from prop Rhys Carre but were ultimately unable to prevent a 15th successive defeat in the championship, dating back to 2023.

Jack Conan and Jamie Osborne touched down in the second period, either side of an effort from Wales flanker James Botham, as the hosts built on a record success away to England in round three in relatively scrappy fashion.

Although Ireland remain in contention for championship glory, table-topping France will retain the title with a round to spare by beating Scotland with a bonus point at Murrayfield on Saturday.

Wales, meanwhile, will bid to avoid the wooden spoon for the third successive Six Nations when they host Italy on the final weekend following a creditable display at the Aviva Stadium.

Steve Tandy’s side crossed the Irish Sea heartened by a promising performance in a 26-23 loss to Scotland last time out and with genuine belief of causing an upset.

Yet Welsh hopes of a first Six Nations win in Dublin since 2012 were dealt a blow inside six minutes as Stockdale burst on to a Stuart McCloskey pass to claim his 20th international try.

It briefly looked like being a long evening for the visitors, but Conan’s 11th-minute finish was disallowed on review due to a knock-on by Tom O’Toole before a Dan Edwards penalty cut the deficit.

Wales grew into the game and were unfortunate not to edge ahead when Carre was held up over the line by McCloskey.

Momentum swung back the other way and Wales flanker Alex Mann produced a superb interception to alleviate sustained pressure before Ireland eventually stretched their lead courtesy of fly-half Crowley going over in the left corner.

However, Wales trailed just 12-10 at the end of an attritional opening period after loosehead Carre brushed aside Robert Baloucoune and darted around 30 metres to the line to score for the third match in a row in impressive fashion.

Ireland back-rower Conan made up for his earlier frustration by burrowing over four minutes into the second half.

But Wales continued to make life uncomfortable for their opponents.

Following sustained pressure – and a brief flashpoint involving Ireland prop Tadhg Furlong and Wales replacement Nicky Smith – Botham powered over in the 63rd minute, with Edwards’ conversion moving the away team back to within two points.

Ireland hit back within five minutes and had the bonus point in the bag when full-back Osborne finished a fine team move with his third try in as many games.

Wales scrum-half Tomos Williams was sin-binned for an infringement in the build-up, while Crowley’s poor miss from the conversion attempt left his team protecting only a seven-point advantage going into the final 10 minutes.

Crowley regained his composure to slot a penalty with three minutes remaining to fatally end Welsh resistance and complete a 12-point personal haul.

PA

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.

Man who murdered woman and children in house fire given life sentence

A woman whose sister, nieces and nephew were killed when her abusive former partner torched their house in a jealous rage said she was “haunted” by being the target of the attack as he was handed a whole life prison order.

Sharaz Ali was jailed after setting fire to the home of Bryonie Gawith and her three small children in the early hours of August 21 2024.

A court heard he went there to “take revenge” on his ex-girlfriend Antonia Gawith, who was staying with her sister after ending their abusive seven-year relationship.

While Antonia managed to escape the fire, Bryonie, 29, and her three children – Denisty Birtle, nine, Oscar Birtle, five, and Aubree Birtle, 22 months – were trapped upstairs and could not be saved.

On Friday Ali, 40, was given a whole life order for murdering Bryonie and the children, and attempting to murder Antonia.

Calum Sunderland, 26, who went with Ali to the house and kicked the door in for him, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 18 years for manslaughter.

Antonia tearfully told the hearing that Bryonie’s children were “my babies, my joy” and that “knowing they died because someone wanted to kill me is a torment I can never put into words”.

Sitting in the dock in a wheelchair Ali looked down and the dock officer sitting between him and Sunderland appeared to start crying as Antonia read her victim personal statement to Doncaster Crown Court.

She said: “What haunts me the most is the attack was meant for me. I was the target, petrol was poured on me and my life was meant to end that night.”

Antonia went on to say: “I can’t escape the thought that I was spared when they were taken. How can I move on when they never had the chance to.”

Sobs could be heard from family in the public gallery as Antonia said Bryonie “had warmth that could fill a room and a heart so big she would give the world away if she could”.

She described being told that Bryonie and Denisty had died at the scene and Oscar and Aubree were pronounced dead at the hospital, saying: “I could only sit there broken as pieces of my heart were ripped away.”

The judge, Mr Justice Hilliard, said Ali’s lan was to “wipe out a family” and the three children were “acceptable collateral damage” for Ali because he was “so full of hatred for Bryonie”, who he blamed for the break-up, and determined that, if he could not be with Antonia, no-one else could.

He said Bryonie “acted with immense courage” by staying in the house with her children when she saw Ali pouring petrol around.

“Although she must have known what Mr Ali was going to do, there was no way she was going to run out of the house and desert her children,” Mr Justice Hilliard said.

“She remained at the top of the stairs to protect them.

“Bryonie acted with immense courage. I hope that will be how her family will remember her last moments.

“She was determined to protect her children if she possibly could. She begged Mr Ali to stop but he completely ignored her.”

The judge said “substantial pre-meditation,” went into the murders, adding: “I’m sure, on all the evidence, that (Ali) had determined to burn down the house and anyone in it, including the children, if Antonia did not change her mind. She did not do so.”

He said he was sure Sunderland “knew the house was occupied” and agreed to an “extraordinarily dangerous” scheme, adding: “He played with fire and four people died as a result.”

Prosecutor David Brooke KC said there were features of the case which would “justify the consideration of a whole life order,” including the level of pre-meditation shown by Ali when he travelled a “considerable distance” to the house, stopping to buy petrol on the way.

He said the murders were “particularly cruel” and the fact that Ali poured petrol on Antonia showed “an intention to kill through means that would have been excruciatingly painful”.

Mr Brooke said the jury had been “shielded” from the suffering of the children, as what sounded like a child’s scream on the 999 call had been muted when it was played during the trial.

He told the court Ali had inflicted mental suffering on Bryonie, who “begged him to stop”, and at least one of the children.

“We say it’s plain that at least one child did wake, sadly,” Mr Brooke said.

“Although the pathologist’s view is that the children would have succumbed pretty quickly, nevertheless the screams of children which were muted for the jury could be heard.”

Ahead of the sentencing hearing Detective Chief Inspector Stacey Atkinson, who led the investigation, said Ali knew the children were in the house and “knew they had no way of escape”.

Drug dealer Ali was rescued from the fire by police officers but suffered serious injuries and was initially not expected to survive.

He was put on trial last year after coming out of a coma and recovering enough to be charged.

Jurors were told that Ali suffered burns to 70% of his body, two fingers on each of his hands had been amputated, and that he still uses oxygen and has difficulty speaking.

Mohammed Nawaz KC, representing Ali, said that although his injuries were self-inflicted, they meant that prison “would be extremely harshly felt” by him.

He said Ali had “continually expressed, to his legal team, remorse for the loss of life he caused”.

Nicholas Worsley KC, representing Sunderland, said he had initially believed he was going to torch a car and that the house was empty.

Antonia told police that Bryonie had given her the “confidence and support” to leave her violent and controlling relationship with Ali weeks before the fire, and that Ali had blamed her sister for the break-up.

On the night of the fatal blaze, Ali and convicted arsonist Sunderland, who sometimes sold drugs for Ali, were driven to the house on Westbury Road, Bradford, by Mohammed Shabir, who was due to go on trial with them but died of a heart attack while on remand.

Jurors heard they stopped on the way to fill a seven-litre canister with petrol, and Ali sent Antonia a series of aggressive messages accusing her of being with someone else.

When the men arrived, Antonia, who had finished her shift at Tesco at 12.30am, was with Bryonie in the main bedroom upstairs.

Doorbell footage captured Ali telling Sunderland, who was carrying the petrol and a lighter, to “kick the door in”, which he did before running back to the car.

Antonia said she went downstairs after hearing a noise and saw an “angry” Ali run into the house and begin pouring petrol on her while shouting.

She described trying to wrestle the canister and lighter from him, before running outside in an attempt to lure him out of the house.

As she realised he had not followed her, Antonia went back towards the house and saw Bryonie, who had woken up, kick Ali down the stairs.

Antonia said Ali then hit the lighter, igniting the petrol and setting himself and the house on fire.

In a video interview played to jurors, Antonia sobbed as she told police how she “couldn’t save” her sister, nieces and nephew.

She described trying frantically to get in through the back door, which was jammed shut, while screaming for help.

UN says UK push to ‘modernise’ aid risks ignoring ‘immediate crises’

Britain’s plan to “modernise” its aid programme – which will see significant cuts – risks worsening humanitarian crises and destabilising fragile regions, the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) has warned.

In a submission to the International Development Committee’s inquiry into the future of UK aid, the UN agency has critiqued of the government’s attempt to recast deep aid reductions as a strategic overhaul of development policy.

Ministers have described the shift as moving “from donor to investor”, and “from service delivery to system support, from grants to expertise and from international intervention to local provision.”

But the WFP has warned the policy risks masking deep cuts to humanitarian funding at a time of escalating global need. The agency told MPs that Britain had been investing in partner government systems and development finance “for decades” and that the push for modernisation is actually nothing new.

The WFP said the government’s strategy risked overlooking the immediate crisis facing fragile states where traditional grant aid remains essential.

“In the interim, we are grappling with escalating unmet needs, mainly in fragile contexts, where sustained grant finance will continue to be urgently needed for the foreseeable future”, the submission said.

The WFP also cautioned that declining funding could destabilise already fragile regions. “The precipitous fall in funding at a time of rising needs is reversing hard-fought development gains and destabilising countries and regions”, it said.

Global humanitarian needs have more than doubled since 2019, with about 319 million people now acutely food insecure worldwide.

Callum Northcote, head of economic justice at Save the Children UK, told The Independent: “The development system needs to change, but slashing the grants keeping children alive is not reform, it’s abandonment.”

He said humanitarian nutrition programmes designed to prevent child deaths in hunger crises are now facing what he described as an “unprecedented funding shortfall.” In Somalia alone, he warned, nearly half a million young children could face severe acute malnutrition by the end of the year.

Funding to the WFP has been cut by nearly a third, from $610 million (£448 million) in 2024 to $435 million last year, as part of wider reductions to Britain’s aid budget after ministers announced plans to cut overseas development assistance from 0.5 to 0.3 per cent of national income by 2027 to help fund higher defence spending.

Adrian Lovett, UK executive director of the ONE Campaign, said: “One thing we can all agree on is that in the 21st century, no child should die of hunger. The government’s desire to move from ‘donor to investor’ is undermined by the depth of the prime minister’s 40% cut to UK aid. This cut costs lives.”

He added that aid delivered through “trusted partners such as the WFP” saves lives at relatively low cost, but warned the reductions risked creating “a vicious cycle of grinding hunger and disease leading to further instability and conflict.”

Hannah Bond, co-chief executive of ActionAid UK, said the cuts were already contributing to the “roll-back of hard-won rights for women and girls”. She said: “Abruptly cutting off vital streams of funding isn’t the way to achieve the transformation we need.”

Aid policy experts have also questioned the clarity of the government’s strategy. Gideon Rabinowitz, policy and advocacy manager at Bond, said that there was “an urgent need for clarity on the strategy underpinning the FCDO’s new vision for development.”

Flora Alexander, UK executive director of the International Rescue Committee, said: “Innovation can and should help make UK aid more agile and responsive as humanitarian crises escalate. But in the immediate term, to ensure the most vulnerable people don’t fall through the cracks, governments should be directing 60 per cent of their aid budgets towards fragile and conflict‑affected states.”

The WFP submission represents an unusually direct warning from one of the world’s largest humanitarian agencies that the UK’s aid overhaul risks deepening, rather than resolving, the global crisis it is intended to address.

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