Senior security official Ali Larijani was killed in an airstrike two days ago, honoured today along with the crew of the Iranian navy ship sunk by the US at the start of the war. Thousands of mourners gathered for the combined funeral. If you assassinate people whose religion embraces martyrdom, this can be expected. Iran war - live updates The funeral saw some of the biggest crowds since the war began. Floats carrying coffins of the slain officials were driven down Revolution Square in Tehran, surrounded by grieving mourners. Women wept holding posters of the former and new supreme leaders. As it loses leader after leader, Iran's government still wants to maintain a sense that it can survive and outlast the enemy. Holding a poster saying "Trump is humiliated", one man had this message for the US president: "Trump, soon we will kill you; Netanyahu is not our target anymore, our target is you. You killed our children to mock us and we will kill you to teach you a lesson in history." While Israel and America seek regime change in Iran, the scenes today suggest there is still considerable support for its government. Mohammed and his wife, Hamideh, came with their children to show support. They told me people were united against the US and Israel's actions. "The method of our weak enemy martyring him [Ali Larijani] shows its weakness and impotence. "The way he was killed was very unfair and is unacceptable anywhere in the world." Mohammed told me. Iran saw huge protests against the government before the war. Thousands of civilians were killed as well as hundreds of security forces, say authorities. Opposition groups blamed the authorities for the crackdown, while the government insists the protests were stoked by foreign forces. Read more:Inside Iran's children's wardsWhat we know about US official who resigned over the war What is clear from today's scenes in Tehran is many support the leadership still, not least because they depend on it for a livelihood. Sepora, a protester holding a placard with a old Persian poem written on it, explained to me its meaning: "It says, 'if we are killed, all of us one by one, it's better than giving our country to the enemy'. "It is our country, we will not surrender." The culture of resistance and no surrender on show in today's events also highlights the limitations of a strategy aimed at bombing Iran into submission from the air.

The government had been in favour of allowing AI developers to train their machines on copyrighted works, with rightsholders having an opt-out option. However, that approach was "overwhelmingly rejected by the vast majority of the creative industries", Liz Kendall, the minister for innovation and technology, said on Wednesday. Due to this, she announced, "the government no longer has a preferred option". The decision was welcomed as a "first step" which avoided the "worst outcome" by The Ivors Academy, which represents songwriters and composers. The government was urged to go further by UK Music and other creative bodies. "We urge them to go further and rule out resurrecting this plan throughout their period in office," UK Music boss Tom Kiehl said. "The 220,000 people in our sector, which generates £8bn for the UK economy, should be entitled to work and earn a living without the constant fear that the fruits of their labour could effectively be taken by AI firms without payment or permission." The government now plans to launch a consultation in the summer on how to address the harm caused by unpermitted "digital replicas", while protecting legitimate innovation. The plans had caused widespread outrage within the creative industries. Producer Giles Martin described the now-abandoned plans to allow AI firms to use artists' work without permission, unless creators opt out, as like allowing criminals to burgle houses unless specifically told not to. Read more from Sky News:UK weather: Temperatures could soar to 21CSenegal stripped of the Africa Cup of Nations Sir Elton John and Simon Cowell were among the celebrities who had backed a campaign opposing the government's previous proposals. More than 1,000 artists and musicians, including Kate Bush, Damon Albarn, Sam Fender and Annie Lennox, previously recorded a silent album in protest at proposed changes. Concerns about unfair mining of material by AI firms have grown across different sectors in recent years. In February, Sky News announced it had formed the Standards for Publisher Usage Rights coalition (SPUR) with other major news organisations to develop industry standards for AI's fair use of their material. The alliance said while the rise of AI brings opportunities for publishers and their audiences, it "also raises urgent questions about fairness, consent, attribution, transparency and trust". "The lack of transparency about how AI answers are created risks eroding public trust in both the news and the technologies used to access it," the group added.

"We are running out of time," she told MPs at a party event. "The very survival of the Labour Party is at stake." The intention is clear: Rayner wants to demonstrate she is back and Sky News understands that her allies are increasingly confident that issues around her tax affairs will be resolved before the May elections, paving her return to the frontline at a moment of clear peril for the prime minister. Politics latest: Sarwar hasn't spoken to PM since urging him to quit Rayner was forced to resign in September after it emerged she had broken the ministerial code by underpaying stamp duty on her second home on the south coast by £40,000. At the time, Rayner admitted her mistake, but said it had been her initial "understanding, on advice from lawyers" that she had paid the correct amount, having put her stake in the family home into a trust of her disabled son following her divorce in 2023. But a fresh probe concluded Rayner should have paid more stamp duty because her new property in Hove was classified as a second home. Since then, Rayner has been trying to resolve the matter with HMRC through lawyers and that process is reaching a culmination. She has also been involved in speaking engagements and is writing an autobiography in an effort to raise enough funds to pay stamp duty owed and possible fines. It's thought she's poised to earn over £100,000, more than enough to pay stamp duty owed and possible fines. As the tax dispute rumbles on, Rayner is rallying MPs ahead of critical elections in May. 'Losing faith in the PM' Friends of Rayner tell me the former deputy to Starmer - like many MPs across the party - has increasingly lost faith in the prime minister after the performance of his Number 10 operation, which has seen a huge turnover of staff, a series of damaging U-turns and bad decisions, culminating in the Mandelson scandal that has so badly wounded the prime minister and the party. I understand that Rayner verbally warned the prime minister not to appoint Mandelson but was ignored. Rayner had all but disappeared from view after her resignation in September over her tax affairs, but has become more vocal in recent weeks, urging the government not to water down capping ground rents and being a leading figure forcing Number 10 to disclose the Mandelson files. Read more:Labour's left unite behind 'major reset' call in new challenge to PMReform UK maintain poll leadRayner admits she should have paid more tax on house purchase Her rallying cry to Labour MPs this week was her strongest yet as she told MPs "not to be embarrassed by Labour values" and took aim at the party's divisive immigration proposals. Her speech to Labour's centre-left campaign group Mainstream's spring reception on Tuesday was a clear rebuke as she urged the prime minister to reconsider "un-British" immigration reforms. The proposed changes to make it harder for migrant workers to quality for permanent residence in the UK have become a lightning rod for unhappy MPs, with over 100 signing a letter in recent weeks demanding that the prime minister water down the reforms. Labour 'running out of time' She also warned MPs in the wake of the Gorton and Denton by-election defeat to the Greens that the Labour Party "cannot just go through the motions in the face of decline", telling MPs: "There is no safe ground, we are running out of time." "When the British people voted for us, they voted for change, we put it in our manifesto. The Labour Party is at its best when we are bold and stand by our values. We should make clear our mission is to represent working people," she said, warning that the party under Starmer had left voters with the impression that it represents the "status quo". All of this adds weight to leadership speculation, with the popular former deputy and bookies' favourite to replace Starmer widely seen as the centre-left candidate in waiting should the PM face a leadership challenge post-May. Allies of Rayner are clear the former housing secretary would not engineer a scenario to oust Starmer or directly challenge him. But equally, she would consider running if MPs triggered a race, with one ally telling Sky News that if the May elections prove disastrous, there could well be 81 MPs prepared to call for his resignation and trigger a contest. "She would have to weigh up the personal and the political and see what level of support there is in the party." She is also testing support in the City. 'No lurch to the left' The Financial Times reported this week that Rayner has joined a call with City investors, hosted by French bank BNP Paribas, in which she reassured them Labour would not lurch to the left. The former deputy prime minister told investors on the call that the party would stick to the manifesto and not resort to more borrowing. In essence, Rayner committed to sticking to Chancellor Rachel Reeves' fiscal rules. This would be in part to assuage investors over the prospect of a more left-wing leader and also to ensure that there is no deviation from the manifesto. Her allies say the meeting was one of various speaking events she is doing in order to raise the funds to settle her bill with HMRC. Possible leadership challenge Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, is the only senior figure to go public and call for the PM's resignation, but in private a number of senior colleagues are openly discussing a possible challenge. When Sarwar called for the PM to resign in February, Rayner joined the rest of the cabinet to back the prime minister, but friends suggest that if the situation deteriorates further she would not be so willing to come out in support again. There is growing speculation among MPs that a terrible result for Labour in the May elections could precipitate a leadership challenge, although those at the top of Labour are divided about what might happen. One senior figure told me recently that they thought Starmer would survive the bloodbath of May because there are "enough people in the Labour Party that dislike the alternative enough that they'll keep Keir Starmer in" - be that Angela Rayner on the left, or Wes Streeting on the right. Others think the scale of losses could spur MPs, and senior figures, into action in a way that Sarwar's resignation in February did not. What is clear is that the prime minister would fight any challenge to his leadership. Starmer has made it repeatedly clear that he has no intention of quitting Number 10, throwing down the gauntlet to his MPs to try to force him out. When I asked Anas Sarwar this week whether he thought the PM should resign if the results are bad, he simply told me that he had stated his position in February and was not "recoiling from that position". The Scottish Labour leader clearly felt he needed to cut Starmer loose to have any hope in convincing Scottish voters to back Labour, such is the dislike for Westminster government in Scotland. "I feel I had a duty to be straight to the people that I'm going to have to look in the eye over the course of the next 50 days and ask them to put their support in me to replace an SNP government that's been in power for 20 years and to change the first minister of this country," said Sarwar of his decision to call for Starmer to go. "I'm the person that's putting myself in front of the people of Scotland in 50 days' time. And people in Scotland have a right to know what are my standards, what are my principles, what am I willing to accept, and what would I do differently if I have the honour of being first minister of my country." What happened at the last general election? Back in 2024, Labour took 37 seats from the SNP in the general election - its best performance since 2007, as Starmer's Labour clocked up 35% of the vote and the SNP came in with 30%. Back then, it looked like Sarwar could be heading to become Scotland's first minister. Instead Labour has performed woefully in Scotland, coming in third behind the SNP and Reform in several polls. The outlook is pretty bleak in Wales too, where Labour look set to lose control of the Senedd for the first time, according to polling, as Welsh voters turn to Plaid Cymru. Welsh Labour had run the parliament in Cardiff for 26 years in a row, making it the most successful democratic party in the world. Look to London and Labour are contemplating the prospect of a Zack Polanski green wave while in councils across England Reform are looking to make more gains. When I asked Sarwar if May was the crunch point for Labour, he simply replied "absolutely". Like Rayner, he seems clear that Labour are running out of time. What is far from clear, is where that goes next.

The landmark agreement promises to usher in a new era for the sport as Zuffa Boxing, the new promotional powerhouse, confirms Sky Sports as the UK and Irish broadcaster for their events. The deal adds to the broadcaster's already world-class offering in sporting entertainment and means customers can look forward to seeing action-packed fight nights, including at least five shows per year on UK soil. Listen to the Toe2Toe podcast every weekNot got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW Sky Sports is the home of British sport and has been at the heart of boxing for more than three decades bringing fans the best and biggest bouts in the sport. From Frank Bruno taking on Mike Tyson at the MGM Grand to Ricky Hatton's legendary career, from the spectacular entrances and sensational fights of Naseem Hamed to Anthony Joshua headlining Wembley Stadium and much, much more, Sky Sports has brought fight fans the best and biggest bouts in the sport for 35 years. This new deal underlines Sky's renewed commitment to showcasing the very best boxing talent to UK fans alongside Zuffa. Zuffa Boxing was launched in 2025 as a joint venture between TKO Group Holdings and leading entertainment conglomerate Sela. The promotion - anchored by UFC president and CEO Dana White and WWE President and TKO board member Nick Khan - aims to reimagine the sport of boxing by evolving the current model to restore the sport's rightful place in the forefront of the global sports ecosystem. Sky Sports' Chief Officer UK & Ireland, Jonathan Licht, said: "Sky Sports has been a long-standing partner to boxing for more than 30 years. "Zuffa Boxing has exciting plans for the sport, and we share that same ambition when it comes to putting on the best fights for our customers. "We look forward to a new era where we'll use our platform to both build stars and showcase elite boxing talent here in the UK and internationally." Dana White said: "The UK has played such a pivotal role throughout the history of boxing. The fans there are some of the most loyal and passionate in the world. When you talk about boxing in that region, Sky Sports has always been the home for legendary boxing fights. There's no bigger or better platform to showcase the best boxing in the UK. "This is a massive milestone for Zuffa Boxing." Sky Sports and Zuffa Boxing will reveal a more detailed fight schedule for the remainder of 2026 over the coming weeks. First show The first event to be broadcast on Sky Sports will be ZUFFA BOXING 05: CORTES vs GARCIA on Sunday April 5 in Las Vegas, live from the Meta APEX. The main event will feature rising contender, Andres Cortes, 24-0 (13), looking to keep his perfect record as he takes on Eridson Garcia, 23-1 (14), who is coming off a six-fight winning streak. The chief support will see former world champion Mark Magsayo (28-2, 18 KOs) take on Ireland's own Feargal McCrory (17-1, 9 KOs) with both looking to stamp their mark on Zuffa Boxing's lightweight division. Who are Zuffa? The promotional company brings together three of the most powerful figures in combat sports entertainment: Dana White - the long-serving figurehead of the UFC, the hugely successful mixed martial arts enterpriseNick Khan - the president of the WWETurki Alalshikh - the chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, who has been guiding an industry-changing venture into boxing. White has been planning a move to shake-up boxing and after years of speculation his vision is finally fast taking shape. Zuffa Boxing promoted the Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford super-fight last September, which was a truly global event. Zuffa has also made the marquee signings of Conor Benn, one of Britain's most high-profile boxing stars, and leading cruiserweight Jai Opetaia in a clear statement of intent. Their first show on Sky will be headlined by Andres Cortes versus Eridson Garcia, two fighters who between them have a combined record of 47 wins against just one loss. In just two months, the Las Vegas-based company have promoted four shows at the Meta Apex, with competitive 50-50 clashes at the core of their philosophy.

"We are running out of time," she told MPs at a party event. "The very survival of the Labour Party is at stake." The intention is clear: Rayner wants to demonstrate she is back and Sky News understands that her allies are increasingly confident that issues around her tax affairs will be resolved before the May elections, paving her return to the frontline at a moment of clear peril for the prime minister. Politics latest: Sarwar hasn't spoken to PM since urging him to quit Rayner was forced to resign in September after it emerged she had broken the ministerial code by underpaying stamp duty on her second home on the south coast by £40,000. At the time, Rayner admitted her mistake, but said it had been her initial "understanding, on advice from lawyers" that she had paid the correct amount, having put her stake in the family home into a trust of her disabled son following her divorce in 2023. But a fresh probe concluded Rayner should have paid more stamp duty because her new property in Hove was classified as a second home. Since then, Rayner has been trying to resolve the matter with HMRC through lawyers and that process is reaching a culmination. She has also been involved in speaking engagements and is writing an autobiography in an effort to raise enough funds to pay stamp duty owed and possible fines. It's thought she's poised to earn over £100,000, more than enough to pay stamp duty owed and possible fines. As the tax dispute rumbles on, Rayner is rallying MPs ahead of critical elections in May. 'Losing faith in the PM' Friends of Rayner tell me the former deputy to Starmer - like many MPs across the party - has increasingly lost faith in the prime minister after the performance of his Number 10 operation, which has seen a huge turnover of staff, a series of damaging U-turns and bad decisions, culminating in the Mandelson scandal that has so badly wounded the prime minister and the party. I understand that Rayner verbally warned the prime minister not to appoint Mandelson but was ignored. Rayner had all but disappeared from view after her resignation in September over her tax affairs, but has become more vocal in recent weeks, urging the government not to water down capping ground rents and being a leading figure forcing Number 10 to disclose the Mandelson files. Read more:Labour's left unite behind 'major reset' call in new challenge to PMReform UK maintain poll leadRayner admits she should have paid more tax on house purchase Her rallying cry to Labour MPs this week was her strongest yet as she told MPs "not to be embarrassed by Labour values" and took aim at the party's divisive immigration proposals. Her speech to Labour's centre-left campaign group Mainstream's spring reception on Tuesday was a clear rebuke as she urged the prime minister to reconsider "un-British" immigration reforms. The proposed changes to make it harder for migrant workers to quality for permanent residence in the UK have become a lightning rod for unhappy MPs, with over 100 signing a letter in recent weeks demanding that the prime minister water down the reforms. Labour 'running out of time' She also warned MPs in the wake of the Gorton and Denton by-election defeat to the Greens that the Labour Party "cannot just go through the motions in the face of decline", telling MPs: "There is no safe ground, we are running out of time." "When the British people voted for us, they voted for change, we put it in our manifesto. The Labour Party is at its best when we are bold and stand by our values. We should make clear our mission is to represent working people," she said, warning that the party under Starmer had left voters with the impression that it represents the "status quo". All of this adds weight to leadership speculation, with the popular former deputy and bookies' favourite to replace Starmer widely seen as the centre-left candidate in waiting should the PM face a leadership challenge post-May. Allies of Rayner are clear the former housing secretary would not engineer a scenario to oust Starmer or directly challenge him. But equally, she would consider running if MPs triggered a race, with one ally telling Sky News that if the May elections prove disastrous, there could well be 81 MPs prepared to call for his resignation and trigger a contest. "She would have to weigh up the personal and the political and see what level of support there is in the party." She is also testing support in the City. 'No lurch to the left' The Financial Times reported this week that Rayner has joined a call with City investors, hosted by French bank BNP Paribas, in which she reassured them Labour would not lurch to the left. The former deputy prime minister told investors on the call that the party would stick to the manifesto and not resort to more borrowing. In essence, Rayner committed to sticking to Chancellor Rachel Reeves' fiscal rules. This would be in part to assuage investors over the prospect of a more left-wing leader and also to ensure that there is no deviation from the manifesto. Her allies say the meeting was one of various speaking events she is doing in order to raise the funds to settle her bill with HMRC. Possible leadership challenge Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, is the only senior figure to go public and call for the PM's resignation, but in private a number of senior colleagues are openly discussing a possible challenge. When Sarwar called for the PM to resign in February, Rayner joined the rest of the cabinet to back the prime minister, but friends suggest that if the situation deteriorates further she would not be so willing to come out in support again. There is growing speculation among MPs that a terrible result for Labour in the May elections could precipitate a leadership challenge, although those at the top of Labour are divided about what might happen. One senior figure told me recently that they thought Starmer would survive the bloodbath of May because there are "enough people in the Labour Party that dislike the alternative enough that they'll keep Keir Starmer in" - be that Angela Rayner on the left, or Wes Streeting on the right. Others think the scale of losses could spur MPs, and senior figures, into action in a way that Sarwar's resignation in February did not. What is clear is that the prime minister would fight any challenge to his leadership. Starmer has made it repeatedly clear that he has no intention of quitting Number 10, throwing down the gauntlet to his MPs to try to force him out. When I asked Anas Sarwar this week whether he thought the PM should resign if the results are bad, he simply told me that he had stated his position in February and was not "recoiling from that position". The Scottish Labour leader clearly felt he needed to cut Starmer loose to have any hope in convincing Scottish voters to back Labour, such is the dislike for Westminster government in Scotland. "I feel I had a duty to be straight to the people that I'm going to have to look in the eye over the course of the next 50 days and ask them to put their support in me to replace an SNP government that's been in power for 20 years and to change the first minister of this country," said Sarwar of his decision to call for Starmer to go. "I'm the person that's putting myself in front of the people of Scotland in 50 days' time. And people in Scotland have a right to know what are my standards, what are my principles, what am I willing to accept, and what would I do differently if I have the honour of being first minister of my country." What happened at the last general election? Back in 2024, Labour took 37 seats from the SNP in the general election - its best performance since 2007, as Starmer's Labour clocked up 35% of the vote and the SNP came in with 30%. Back then, it looked like Sarwar could be heading to become Scotland's first minister. Instead Labour has performed woefully in Scotland, coming in third behind the SNP and Reform in several polls. The outlook is pretty bleak in Wales too, where Labour look set to lose control of the Senedd for the first time, according to polling, as Welsh voters turn to Plaid Cymru. Welsh Labour had run the parliament in Cardiff for 26 years in a row, making it the most successful democratic party in the world. Look to London and Labour are contemplating the prospect of a Zack Polanski green wave while in councils across England Reform are looking to make more gains. When I asked Sarwar if May was the crunch point for Labour, he simply replied "absolutely". Like Rayner, he seems clear that Labour are running out of time. What is far from clear, is where that goes next.

For this year's Academy Awards, this was my spot - a front-row seat to the stars everyone is talking about. The room holds several hundred reporters and there's an Oscar-worthy buffet in the hallway outside to keep us going all day. All the journalists are hoping to be selected to ask a question. Each winner is limited to answering about three to four and you show interest by holding up numbered cards. It's then up to a moderator to select which reporters get to ask away. But it's not just about questions. It's about witnessing those little moments behind the scenes, the things you don't get to see on TV. There's a buzz in the room that builds and builds as the big winners come in towards the end, with one star in particular eliciting a lot of love from the journalists. Here are the best moments. Jessie Buckley's party plans After making history as the first Irish woman to collect the best actress Oscar, Jessie Buckley was asked what her message is to all her supporters back in Ireland who stayed up overnight to watch her win. "Don't go to bed, keep partying!" she replied. "That's what I'm going to do." After winning not just the Oscar, but also the BAFTA, Golden Globe, Critics Choice and Actor Award before it, you would expect nothing less. "I'm so grateful for the support, and I feel the love. Man, I feel it. "I feel it from young people and old people, from women and men, and from my family," Buckley said, adding that she had relatives from New Zealand and Australia as well as Ireland who had flown to LA for the ceremony. "That makes it real," she said. "They're the people who built me. "To share this moment with them and know that back home they are either drunk or staying up - I'm delighted for us all." Standing ovation for Michael B Jordan Buckley got a big cheer, but Michael B Jordan's is even bigger. It takes about 40 seconds for the applause to die down after Jordan is announced as the next winner to be coming into the room. All the journalists are on their feet as he walks in with his Oscar. Winning the award feels "timely", he said, adding that he is here because of black winners before him, such as Denzel Washington and Halle Berry. "Dream big," he said, is his advice for other young creatives. "And be kind, be honest." Being supportive to the next generation is important to him, he added: "So trying to be an example. I'm not a big talker, but I like to think I'm about that action." Cue more applause as he left the room. Making history 'for the ladies in the room and girls at home' Jordan was not the only Sinners star to get a big reaction in the room, with a huge round of applause, too, for cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw. When her name was announced as the winner, she became the first woman ever to win this category in 98 years of the Oscars. "It's tricky because when you go up there you have so much to say, especially after 98 years," she said. "But one thing I was going to say that I had written down was that a lot of little girls that look like me will sleep really well tonight because they'll want to become cinematographers." She said she wanted the award "for all the ladies in the room, and I wanted it for all the girls at home". K-pop Demon Hunters songwriters finish speech after being stage cut-off After being cut off during the acceptance speech for best song, Ejae, singer-songwriter on the KPop Demon Hunters hit Golden, said she wanted to thank fellow singers Rei Ami and Audrey Nuna, because they "killed it with their singing and they're just incredible people". After it was noted that there had been some booing when they were cut off on stage, songwriter and composer Mark Sonnenblick said he had wanted to thank his family and "everybody who worked on this movie, all the animators, it was a real collaboration across the board". Awards librarians We had a very rare moment during this year's ceremony - a tie, with The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva sharing the award for best live-action short film. In the 98-year history of the Academy Awards, this had only happened six times before. How did I find this out so quickly? Well, in one corner of the press room, there are Academy Awards librarians who can give you any fact or figure you want to know about the Oscars. So when the tie was announced, cue a queue of reporters trying to find out exactly how rare a feat this is. The last time it happened was in 2012, when Skyfall and Zero Dark Thirty were both recognised for sound editing. Oscars bingo The first winner of the night was Amy Madigan, named best supporting actress for her chilling performance in Weapons, and she was quick to note the journalists holding their cards up. "How do you decide who gets to ask a question?" she asked, getting a laugh. "Is it like bingo or something, how does it work?" Asked whether she was prepared for a possible win, she said she knew it was a special day as she had shaved her legs especially.

The statement, from a coalition of MPs, councillors and activists, comes after a major intervention from Angela Rayner, in which she criticised Sir Keir Starmer's "un-British" immigration reforms and said Labour's "very survival" is "at stake". The former deputy prime minister was speaking at a reception hosted by Mainstream, a centre-left organisation which advocates for practical left policies and is closely aligned with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham. Her language has been echoed by a new "Reset the Labour Party" statement, which calls for a change of course in the wake of the Gorton and Denton by-election disaster and potentially catastrophic local elections in May. The statement, launching with an official website this evening and seen by Sky News, calls for bolder ideas and a more democratic culture within the party, hitting out at the "pandering to the far right" from the "top down" leadership. It is supported by Mainstream as well as Momentum - the organisation that spearheaded Corbynmania. The campaign also has the support of a broad group of Labour MPs, ranging from those in the Socialist Campaign Group like John McDonnell and Richard Burgon, to centre left figures from the Tribune group and Mainstream - such as Simon Opher and Paula Barker. The collaboration is significant, as there have historically been clashes between Labour's left and centre-left. It is part of an attempt for progressive figures to gain seats on the party's ruling National Executive Committee (NEC), which is facing elections later this year. Highlighting Labour's "growing electoral threat" the statement says: "Members from across our party's progressive majority are uniting behind a call to urgently reset the Labour Party. The upcoming National Executive Committee elections are an opportunity to do just that. "We stand against the insular, centralising approach of the current leadership that refuses to draw on the energy, talent and ideas of our whole movement, the continued underfunding of public services and local government, and the pandering to the talking points of the far right." Internal elections Labour's NEC sets the overall strategic direction of the party and has an influence on party rules and discipline and candidate selection. Nine Constituency Labour Party (CLP) representatives are up for election on the body, with Mainstream and Momentum backing a different set of three candidates. While this is not a joint slate, all of their candidates have signed the statement, as well as independent candidates. It is hoped this will signal to members common ground between those standing from the broad left, who will be going up against those backed by Labour to Win - a pro-leadership group. 'Choose a different path' The NEC elections are not until the summer, but in going public now it signals the deep-rooted anger within many corners of the party about the direction of travel. Last month's Gorton and Denton by-election saw Labour come third, behind the Greens and Reform UK in a seat they had controlled for 100 years, after the NEC blocked Mr Burnham from standing. The party has also lost to Reform UK in Runcorn, and to Plaid Cymru in Caerphilly. With support for Labour collapsing across the country, there is growing speculation Sir Keir could face a leadership challenge following May's local elections, which insiders expect to be a "bloodbath". The reset statement warns Labour can "only survive...if we choose a different path", with policies such as wealth taxes and taking essential services into democratic ownership. Read More:Voters split over whether Starmer is handling Iran war well It also calls for rebuilding democracy within the party, saying that means restoring "genuinely open" candidate selections, "ending the suspension of MPs for legitimate scrutiny of the government" and moving away from "top-down control". And it also warns members are giving up on Labour in "anger or disappointment", and rebuilding membership "must be a priority for Labour's success". The statement has been signed by councillors across the country, while other MPs names include jury trial critic Charlotte Nichols, Open Labour's Alex Sobel and welfare rebels Chris Hinchliff and Neil Duncan-Jordan. Rayner warns Labour 'running out of time' Ms Rayner - often tipped as a frontrunner to replace the prime minister - is not one of the signatories, but last night she made similar remarks as she praised Mainstream's "radical realism". She said the "very survival of the Labour Party is at stake" and that the government is "running out of time" to deliver change as people have the impression it has been "defending the status quo". As well as criticising migration reforms, she said the government must pursue a relentless battle on the cost of living if it wants to emulate the success of centre-left governments in Norway and Canada that have bounced back to win amid rising populism. Number 10 has since declined to give the migration reforms its full backing, but insisted today that Sir Keir "shares an impatience" to deliver change and is "firmly on the side of working people". Meanwhile the prime minister has previously vowed to face down any leadership challenge and insists he will lead Labour into the next election.

Why has the decision been taken? The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Appeal Board found Senegal broke AFCON regulations by walking off the pitch during the final, which took place on January 18, after Morocco were awarded a contentious penalty. Many Senegal players vacated the field, led by their coach Pape Thiaw, delaying the game by around 17 minutes before captain Sadio Mane convinced them to return. Brahim Diaz had his Panenka saved before tournament hosts Morocco lost 1-0 in extra-time. Morocco crowned AFCON winners as Senegal stripped of titleDownload the Sky Sports App | Get Sky Sports on WhatsApp! Article 82 of AFCON's regulations states that if a team refuses to play or leaves the ground before the end of regulation time without the referee's authorisation, it will be considered the loser and eliminated from the competition. Under Article 84 any team that violates Article 82 will be permanently eliminated and lose the match 3-0. The result is an outcome of an appeal made by Morocco's football federation. Does this contradict IFAB's Laws of the Game? IFAB, football's lawmakers, determine the rules of the game worldwide. Rule 5.2 in IFAB's Laws of the Game states: "The decisions of the referee regarding facts connected with play, including whether or not a goal is scored and the result of the match, are final." By overturning the match result two months later, CAF's appeal body appears to have directly contradicted IFAB's rules. Why has it taken two months? No explanation has been given by CAF around why the officials failed to apply the regulations at the time. CAF have re-analysed the rulebook following Morocco's appeal against initial sanctions around the other controversial flashpoints from the final. Subsequently, the appeal board took the unprecedented step of reversing the result, awarding a 3-0 win to Morocco. Morocco said in a statement the appeal was never "intended to challenge the sporting performance of the teams" only "to request the application of the competition's regulations". "This is just completely extraordinary," Sky News' sport correspondent Rob Harris said. "You can't really think of anything like it at this level." Is this the end of the matter? Will there be an appeal? The Senegalese football federation plan to appeal the ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the highest court in Switzerland, which typically takes around a year to deliver a verdict. Senegal are preparing to file their appeal and after that a panel will be appointed for their case. How much damage has been done to AFCON's reputation? The Senegalese federation branded the decision "iniquitous, unprecedented and unacceptable", saying it "threw discredit on African football". Secretary general of Senegal's football federation called the decision a "shame for Africa" in an interview with public broadcaster Radiodiffusion Télévision Sénégalaise. For now, technically, Morocco are considered 3-0 winners of the final which ends a 49-year wait for their second AFCON title. As tournament hosts, much of the build-up centered around whether Morocco, considered the favourites, could finally get over the line. Two months later, after losing the game, Morocco have been crowned champions via a statement. Dependent on Senegal's appeal, that honour might be snatched back from them. Irrespective of the outcome, AFCON 2025 is tarnished by the handling of this matter and so too, by extension, the winners, whose name on the trophy will come with an asterisk as far as fans are concerned. "It's quite sad to see how things have developed and some of the reactions because for such a long time, there's been a big debate about AFCON and African football getting the respect that it deserves," African football expert Mimi Fawaz said on Sky Sports News. "But reading the reaction from a lot of the African football fans, that's the argument that they're making, some of them, that it has put a stain on African football. "They have criticised the decision that was made, especially coming two months after the final where Senegal were awarded the winners. "But of course, some Moroccan fans are saying that they're actually happy with the result. They feel that it's justified." Are Senegal expected to hand back their medals? This much is unclear for now, with an appeal process set to commence, however judging by the Senegal response it would appear that might be a difficult task. Senegal's men's team responded to Tuesday night's ruling by posting footage of their victory parade on X. Some of Senegal's Premier League stars also mocked the ruling on social media. West Ham's El Hadji Malick Diouf, Crystal Palace's Ismaila Sarr and Sunderland's Habib Diarra all posted laughing emojis on their Instagram stories, as well as pictures of them with the AFCON trophy and celebrations. How have Morocco's players responded? As it stands, none of the star players of Morocco's squad have celebrated the AFCON final result being reversed. Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi and Real Madrid's Brahim Diaz were in Champions League action when the ruling was announced. Footage circulating on social media appears to show Brahim, whose panenka penalty was saved at 0-0, being informed of the decision. He is shown laughing and lifting his arms in celebration, seemingly in jest. What if you bet on Morocco to win? Bookmaker Paddy Power posted on X to say that any single or multiple bets on Morocco to win would now be paid out. Refunds are not being requested for those who backed Senegal to win. Sky Bet have paid out on Morocco as winners in the outright market. Betfair say they have resettled outrights bets on Morocco placed before the tournament.