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No Writer
May 9
Keir Starmer must make changes in wake of crushing election defeat, ex-deputy leader warns

It comes after Labour suffered huge losses in the elections across England, Scotland and Wales. The party have so far lost more than 1,300 councillors across England - resulting in the loss of control of 37 local authorities - as well as the Senedd in Wales for the first time since its inception in 1999, and struggled in Scotland. Worrying too was that they faced attacks from either side of the political spectrum - with Reform UK and the Greens big winners. Politics latest: Reform surge as Labour suffer disastrous losses Speaking on the Electoral Dysfunction podcast, Baroness Harman said: "There needs to be a consensus built and led by Keir Starmer about what the government is going to do differently, because more of the same is not acceptable. "The country is entitled to a government that actually delivers on its manifesto, but more than that, they're entitled to a government and a prime minister who gives them a sense of direction of where the country's going and hope for the future. "So it's not just about delivering the nuts and bolts, it's about a narrative, it's about telling the story where people can all feel the country's getting better." Read more from Sky News:Burnham allies demand Starmer set departure dateElections: Analysis in maps and charts There had been much talk in the lead up to the elections about Sir Keir possibly facing a leadership challenge if Labour performed poorly at the elections - with Angela Rayner, Wes Streeting, and Andy Burnham all thought to be frontrunners should one be triggered. However, despite the size of Labour's defeat becoming apparent on Saturday, a leadership challenge has yet to materialise. Sir Keir appeared defiant when he reflected on Labour's "very tough" results, insisting: "I'm not going to walk away from those challenges and plunge the country into chaos." 👉 Click here to listen to Electoral Dysfunction on your podcast app 👈 Baroness Harman said: "[He is] clearly determined to fulfil his responsibility, having been elected less than two years ago, to actually deliver the changes that he promised the country from his position of being prime minister. "And although there has been endless talk about challenges, none of us three on this podcast did think that it would materialise. "But that doesn't mean that there isn't a lot of concern, and it doesn't also mean that it doesn't have a very undermining effect on the government and very distracting. "I think that bearing in mind there clearly isn't going to be a challenge. A lot of people were saying 'well, we're not going to push him out now, but he'll have to be gone after the May election'. "Well, we're after the May election and there's no sign of a challenge." Baroness Harman said Labour MPs had a "choice" and the "choice surely that they should make is to be part of and help the government do better and deliver the change that they promised". She added: "But more than that, really listen and learn the lessons. But I think really that they need to move on from that to really a practical discussion of learning the lessons and a debate about the way forward."

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No Writer
May 8
King sends 'warmest congratulations' to Sir David Attenborough on his 100th birthday

The monarch said in a birthday card message how the pair have known each other for more than 60 years, having first met in 1958, and their "paths have crossed many times since". He was shown writing the card in a clip at the conservationist's birthday concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The 77-year-old royal said Sir David has revealed "the beauty and wonders of nature to audiences around the world in new and marvellous ways". He added that the broadcaster has shared the King's "determination to highlight the urgent need to protect and preserve" Earth for future generations. See pictures from Sir David's life The King said he and the Queen were "delighted" to learn he will be celebrating the milestone and on behalf of the whole country wished him a very happy birthday. Animals could then be seen delivering the letter across land, sea and air, before Sir David could be seen holding his royal birthday card aloft in the venue. The card's journey was initially thwarted by a fallen tree - only to be saved by the creatures, including an eagle, a fox, a red squirrel and an otter that travel across the UK to ensure that the wildlife presenter receives his royal dispatch. The Prince of Wales spoke of his "profound" friendship with Sir David, adding that his children have grown up with the broadcaster's "incredible storytelling" and that he has been a "guiding light" in efforts to protect the natural world. He said in his speech: "David, for decades, your voice has been a constant in our lives, guiding us through rainforests and oceans, over mountains and into the very fabric of life." The audience in the Royal Albert Hall all sang happy birthday at the conclusion of the event. The King and Queen also shared a carousel of photographs of Sir David on the official Royal Family Instagram account. The caption read: "Wishing Sir David Attenborough a very happy 100th birthday. Enjoy your special celebration this evening!" Read more from Sky News:'Never-before-seen' files on UFOs released by PentagonNew pictures of record European cocaine haul Sir David Beckham also marked Sir David's big day with a post on his Instagram account captioned: "Happy 100th Birthday to our National Treasure." Meanwhile, fellow environmentalist and Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio called Sir David "one of the most enduring champions of our shared planet" in an Instagram post. The Royal Albert Hall celebration was just one of many events to mark the broadcaster's birthday, including a takeover of the Piccadilly Lights in central London, displaying a birthday message for Sir David. The naturalist said he has been "completely overwhelmed" by goodwill messages and thanked well wishers "most sincerely".

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No Writer
May 9
Keir Starmer must make changes in wake of crushing election defeat, ex-deputy leader warns

It comes after Labour suffered huge losses in the elections across England, Scotland and Wales. The party have so far lost more than 1,300 councillors across England - resulting in the loss of control of 37 local authorities - as well as the Senedd in Wales for the first time since its inception in 1999, and struggled in Scotland. Worrying too was that they faced attacks from either side of the political spectrum - with Reform UK and the Greens big winners. Politics latest: Reform surge as Labour suffer disastrous losses Speaking on the Electoral Dysfunction podcast, Baroness Harman said: "There needs to be a consensus built and led by Keir Starmer about what the government is going to do differently, because more of the same is not acceptable. "The country is entitled to a government that actually delivers on its manifesto, but more than that, they're entitled to a government and a prime minister who gives them a sense of direction of where the country's going and hope for the future. "So it's not just about delivering the nuts and bolts, it's about a narrative, it's about telling the story where people can all feel the country's getting better." Read more from Sky News:Burnham allies demand Starmer set departure dateElections: Analysis in maps and charts There had been much talk in the lead up to the elections about Sir Keir possibly facing a leadership challenge if Labour performed poorly at the elections - with Angela Rayner, Wes Streeting, and Andy Burnham all thought to be frontrunners should one be triggered. However, despite the size of Labour's defeat becoming apparent on Saturday, a leadership challenge has yet to materialise. Sir Keir appeared defiant when he reflected on Labour's "very tough" results, insisting: "I'm not going to walk away from those challenges and plunge the country into chaos." 👉 Click here to listen to Electoral Dysfunction on your podcast app 👈 Baroness Harman said: "[He is] clearly determined to fulfil his responsibility, having been elected less than two years ago, to actually deliver the changes that he promised the country from his position of being prime minister. "And although there has been endless talk about challenges, none of us three on this podcast did think that it would materialise. "But that doesn't mean that there isn't a lot of concern, and it doesn't also mean that it doesn't have a very undermining effect on the government and very distracting. "I think that bearing in mind there clearly isn't going to be a challenge. A lot of people were saying 'well, we're not going to push him out now, but he'll have to be gone after the May election'. "Well, we're after the May election and there's no sign of a challenge." Baroness Harman said Labour MPs had a "choice" and the "choice surely that they should make is to be part of and help the government do better and deliver the change that they promised". She added: "But more than that, really listen and learn the lessons. But I think really that they need to move on from that to really a practical discussion of learning the lessons and a debate about the way forward."

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No Writer
May 9
Middlesbrough 0-0 Southampton: Saints boss Tonda Eckert walks out of press conference after refusing to answer 'spygate' questions

Southampton were charged with a breach of EFL regulations after a member of staff was alleged to have spied on Middlesbrough's training ahead of their Championship play-off tie on Saturday, which ended 0-0. Eckert faced multiple questions on the situation but refused to answer beyond the club statement on Friday night. He did state that he did not believe the controversy impacted the players, saying: "I don't think so. We have to give credit to a good team, they have quality on the ball. You need to accept that this point of the season you come up against teams that are very good. Compliment to the boys for getting away with a clean sheet." Middlesbrough 0-0 Southampton: Match Report & HighlightsAs it happened | Teams | Match statsWhen is the semi-final second leg and the final?Got Sky? Watch the EFL play-offs on the Sky Sports appNot got Sky? Stream the EFL play-offs with no contract Eckert also denied that it had been a frosty handshake with Hellberg pre-match, before adding: "I have said more than enough. The questions keep coming up but the club have made a statement yesterday evening and that is all there is to say." The club press officer stepped in and said Eckert would not be answering any more questions unless they were about Tuesday's second leg. When the next question about 'spygate' landed, they walked out together. Hellberg: Someone made the decision to cheat Speaking after the stalemate, Boro boss Hellberg pulled no punches in his assessment of the incident. "I couldn't believe my eyes or ears. Couldn't believe it when I was told a second time, or third," the Swede said. "It's quite clear that they - and I don't mean the players or fans of Southampton, I think they are brilliant and have nothing to do with it - but someone has made a decision to cheat. "We were trying to focus on the session as much as we could, we had an important game. I’ve seen some saying it's not a big advantage but it is. Take today for example. We have never used that first-half shape before, that was impossible to know. It’s just unfair, and I think everyone in this room agrees. "I feel anger, but there has to be respect too between each other that they have totally failed in. I think it’s disappointing because it’s a big game. They tried to get an advantage in an unfair way. "Who would get the fine? Should they pay it to the EFL? Okay. So they see everything we do, and…we will see what happens, I don't know. I just think it's weird they try to cheat in this type of game. Didn't [Marcelo] Bielsa pay £200,000 when it wasn't a law? I think a lot of clubs would pay that amount to try and get the advantage two days before a game. "You don't do this, you don't plan to do this. Every team in the Championship should be angry. It is wrong, it is wrong!" When asked if there is now a suspicion Southampton have done this to other clubs this season, Hellberg added: "I'm just thinking about now…and we found them in the bushes." Southampton declined to comment in response to Hellberg's comments.

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Callum Tennant, news reporter
May 9
Pedestrian killed after being hit by plane at Denver Airport

Frontier Flight 4345 reported striking a pedestrian during take-off at about 11.19pm local time - Saturday, 6.19am UK time - and emergency services responded to the scene. The deceased, who hasn't yet been identified, was struck as they crossed Runway 17L just two minutes after having jumped the airport's fence. Pilots aborted the take-off and passengers were evacuated from the aircraft via emergency slides after smoke was reported in the cabin. "We're stopping on the runway," the pilot tells the control tower according to the site ATC.com. "We just hit somebody. We have an engine fire." The Airbus A321 was carrying 224 passengers and seven crew at the time of the incident, with 12 people reporting minor injuries and five of those being transported to local hospitals. Passengers on the Los Angeles bound flight were taken by bus to the airport terminal and the majority have since departed on a new Frontier flight. The runway was closed immediately after the incident while investigations were carried out but is expected to reopen within the next few hours. Read more from Sky News:Mystery boat seized by Greek policeTwo killed in US strike on 'drug boat' Frontier Airlines said it was "deeply saddened by this event" and Denver International Airport said it expressed "sympathies to those involved". The airport examined the fence line at the site and found it to be intact, the deceased isn't believed to be an employee of the airport. The National Transportation Safety Board has been notified of the incident.

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No Writer
May 8
White House calls Mark Hamill 'sick individual' for Trump grave post

The White House's Rapid Response account on X called Hamill "one sick individual" for the Bluesky post, which featured an AI-generated image showing the US president lying with his eyes closed, surrounded by daisies. The image was captioned "If Only" and had a gravestone that read: "Donald J. Trump 1946-2024." Mr Hamill, famous for starring as Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars films and an outspoken critic of the Republican president, had posted the image on his official account. He wrote: "He should live long enough to witness his inevitable devastating loss in the midterms, be held accountable for his unprecedented corruption, impeached, convicted & humiliated for his countless crimes. "Long enough to realise he'll be disgraced in the history books, forevermore." In response, the White House's Rapid Response account posted: "This kind of rhetoric is exactly what has inspired three assassination attempts in two years against our President." Mr Hamill then deleted the post and apologised, adding in a separate message: "Actually, I was wishing him the opposite of dead, but apologise if you found the image inappropriate." It comes after a man was charged with the attempted assassination of Mr Trump in a shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington DC last month. In the days after the shooting, the president, Melania Trump and other US officials demanded TV comedian Jimmy Kimmel be fired from his ABC show. He joked that the first lady had a "glow like an expectant widow" in a sketch parodying the dinner before the event took place. Despite being filmed before the shooting, Mrs Trump said Kimmel's "hateful and violent rhetoric" intends to divide the US, and added: "It is time for ABC to take a stand. "How many times will ABC's leadership enable Kimmel's atrocious behaviour at the expense of our community?" Kimmel responded to criticism of his joke by saying it was merely a reference to the couple's age difference, before saying on air: "I agree that hateful and violent rhetoric is something ⁠we should reject. "I do, and I think a great place to start to dial that back would be to have a conversation with your husband about it." Read more from Sky News:Teen spared jail after £100,000 shoplifting spreeSuperdry co-founder jailed for raping womanPurported suicide note left by Epstein released The Federal Communications Commission has since opened an early licence review of Disney's eight ABC television stations. The FCC's chairman Brendan Carr has denied the review was because of pressure from the White House.

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Professor Will Jennings, Sky News election analyst, and the Sky News Data x Forensics team
May 8
Elections: Analysis in maps and charts, and find out the result from your seat

In Wales, Plaid Cymru held off Reform to become the largest party in the Senedd for the first time. The SNP lost votes in Scotland but remain the largest party. Both parties will need to work with others to hold a majority, however. Sky News' National Equivalent Vote (NEV) is an estimate of each party's vote share in England council elections projected into a nationwide vote. Reform lead on 27% of the vote, with the Conservatives in second with 20%. That is an improvement for the Tories compared with last year's local elections, while Reform have slid backwards slightly. Labour are in third, with just three points separating them from both the Greens and the Lib Dems. Across English local elections, Reform have gained over 1,300 council seats and 13 councils, mostly at the expense of Labour who are down over 1,200 seats and have lost more than 30 councils. For the first time, Sky is able to bring you the results from your specific seat. Search for your postcode below, or click or tap around the map to explore detailed results: The Conservatives have also suffered heavy losses, and have lost nearly 500 seats and eight councils. The Lib Dems have gained almost 800 seats and 13 councils, while the Greens have gained more than 300 seats and four councils. See the latest results here Sky's election expert Professor Michael Thrasher has projected a redistribution of each party's seats in the House of Commons elected in July 2024, based on the NEV. The result is a hung parliament with no single party able to pass the threshold of 326 seats required for an overall majority, but with Reform as the largest party. Reform UK would win 284 seats, 42 seats short of a majority. Labour would win 110 seats compared to 96 seats for the Conservatives, despite winning a smaller vote share. The Liberal Democrats would come fourth with 80 seats, followed by the SNP winning 36 seats. Plaid Cymru and the Greens are each projected to win 13 seats. More than 40 councils have changed hands in what was a dramatic and historic election night. The British election map has been re-drawn again, and the multi-party politics era will leave many councils attempting to operate with complex coalitions or minority administrations. Scotland and Welsh devolved elections Elections for devolved parliaments in Scotland and Wales delivered significant blows for Labour and the Conservatives, while nationalist parties and Reform performed well. The Senedd elections in Wales were dominated by Plaid Cymru and Reform, both of whom have taken approximately a third of the vote each and seen significant gains. These gains have largely been at the cost of Labour and the Conservatives, who have both seen lowest-ever vote shares in the Senedd - with Labour ending up at just 11.5%, down 24 points from the last elections in 2021, and the Conservatives at 11%. Eluned Morgan, leader of the Welsh Labour Party, resigned on Friday after losing her own seat in the Senedd. Turnout in Wales this year was the highest on record since Senedd elections began in 1999, at 51.6%, and the first time that more than half of the electorate turned up to vote. By contrast, turnout in Scotland dropped significantly since 2021 - down 10% to 53% - but is more in line with pre-2016 levels. Holyrood's electoral system gives people two votes: one for a specific candidate to be a constituency member of Scottish Parliament (MSP), and another regional vote, which goes towards a wider party or independent candidate. The SNP remained the largest party with 58 seats, with one regional MSP and the rest constituency-based. But the party fell short of a majority, and its their constituency vote share was down 9.2% from the last elections in 2021. As in England and Wales, Nigel Farage's Reform UK has seen the biggest jump in vote share, to 15.8%, making it the third largest party in vote share and tying with Labour for 17 seats. It failed to gain any constituency seats but won the highest number of regional seats. Though Labour's performance (19.2%) may be poor for a party which once ruled Holyrood, its drop in vote share since 2021 is minimal (-2.4%) compared with the Conservatives (-10.1%). Where are Labour doing worst? The seats where Labour were strongest previously - what would have been considered their heartlands - are where Labour are losing worst. A particular spotlight for Sir Keir Starmer is London, where votes are still being counted for some boroughs. Labour previously held control of 21 boroughs in the capital. So far, Labour has lost control of nearly half the boroughs (nine) - two to the Greens, Westminster to the Conservatives, and six to no overall control. Across London, Labour has lost over 350 council seats while the Greens gained over 200 so far. Where are Reform doing best? It's the opposite story for Reform. They are picking up most votes in areas with older voters and places where fewer people went to university, as well as areas where lots of voters backed Brexit. Their coalition of support appears similar to those voters Boris Johnson was able to win from Labour in his 2019 general election victory. Sir Keir Starmer won some of these areas back in 2024, but they appear to have rejected him now. May elections - follow live How are the Conservatives getting on? The government aren't the only losers. The official opposition have also lost over 500 seats and control of Essex and Newcastle-under-Lyme to Reform, but will still have been buoyed by reclaiming Westminster council from Labour. Similarly to Labour, they are losing most votes in areas where they used to be strongest. They are also losing to Reform in older areas and places where lots of people voted for Brexit. How about the Lib Dems? Sir Ed Davey's party has taken control of Stockport and Portsmouth, and increased its majorities in the south London councils of Richmond-upon-Thames and Sutton. Sutton, where a majority of voters backed Brexit in 2016, used to be a Lib Dem/Tory marginal. Now it's almost a one-party state. Richmond is now literally a one-party state - the Lib Dems now hold all 54 seats there. What about the Greens? The Greens have surged in popularity since Zack Polanski was elected their leader in September last year. They too were expected to make significant gains at these elections. They have won control of four councils - Hastings, Hackney, Norwich, and Waltham Forest, the last two which they gained from Labour. Some areas where the Greens were expected to do best are still due to count their votes. The Greens have performed well in London council mayoral elections, taking both Hackney and Lewisham from Labour. There were holds for Labour in Newham, for the Conservatives in Croydon, for the Lib Dems in Watford, and for Lutfur Rahman's Aspire party in Tower Hamlets. The Data and Forensics team is a multi-skilled unit dedicated to providing transparent journalism from Sky News. We gather, analyse and visualise data to tell data-driven stories. We combine traditional reporting skills with advanced analysis of satellite images, social media and other open source information. Through multimedia storytelling we aim to better explain the world while also showing how our journalism is done.

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No Writer
May 9
Middlesbrough vs Southampton: EFL charges Saints after member of staff was alleged to have spied on Boro training

Sky Sports News understands Boro staff spotted a man taking pictures and videos of training and approached him. He was asked to delete them, provide his identity and his intentions for being there, at which point he is said to have fled to a nearby indoor part of the training complex. He is then said to have tried to change his appearance before leaving Rockcliffe entirely. Middlesbrough vs Southampton previewGot Sky? Watch your EFL team on the Sky Sports appNot got Sky? Stream your EFL team with no contractGet more EFL to your phone with WhatsApp Southampton confirmed they are now 'cooperating' with the EFL in a statement released on Friday evening. The statement read: "Southampton Football Club acknowledges the statement issued by the EFL in relation to alleged breaches of EFL Regulations. "We can confirm that we will be fully cooperating with the League throughout this process. "Given the ongoing nature of the matter, the club is unable to comment any further at this time." Speaking to Sky Sports on Saturday following a 0-0 draw in the first leg of their playoff semi-final against Boro, Saints boss Tonda Eckert was asked about the matter, where he said: "I have said more than enough. The questions keep coming up but the club have made a statement yesterday evening and that is all there is to say." The Saints boss was then pushed for further details on the expected punishment from the EFL and whether his players were distracted by the off-field developments, where he once again replied: "No. I think the club made a statement yesterday evening, that is all there is to say." Eckert then walked out of the tetchy post-match press conference after refusing to answer further questions. The EFL had earlier released a statement which read: "Southampton Football Club has today been charged with a breach of EFL Regulations, and the matter will be referred to an Independent Disciplinary Commission. "This follows a request from the EFL for the club’s observations after a complaint from Middlesbrough relating to alleged unauthorised filming on private property ahead of the two clubs meeting in Saturday’s Sky Bet Championship Play-Off semi-final first leg. "Under EFL Regulations, Southampton would ordinarily have 14 days to respond to the charges. However, given the nature of the matter, the EFL will ask the Independent Disciplinary Commission to shorten the response period and to list a hearing at the earliest opportunity." The breaches relate to EFL Regulations 3.4 and 127. Regulation 3.4 states: "In all matters and transactions relating to the league, each club shall behave towards each other and the league with the utmost good faith." EFL rules strictly prohibit opponents spying on training sessions less than 72 hours before kick-off - a rule brought in following a "spygate" incident in 2019. Seven years ago, then Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa admitted sending a member of staff to spy on Derby County and Leeds were fined £200,000 following an investigation. EFL rule 127 was brought in on "Prohibited Conduct - Observing Training Sessions", which states: "Without prejudice to the requirements of Regulation 3.4 (that each club shall behave towards each other club with the utmost good faith), no club shall directly or indirectly observe (or attempt to observe) another club's training session in the period of 72 hours prior to any match scheduled to be played between those respective clubs." Boro play Southampton in the first leg of their play-off semi-final at the Riverside Stadium at lunchtime on Saturday, live on Sky Sports. 'I saw Boro staff watching CCTV' Sky Sports News' Keith Downie: "I was at Middlesbrough's training ground on Thursday, the day in question, for their pre-match press conference. "I did notice a number of members of staff at Middlesbrough poring over some CCTV footage when I arrived and then left for the press conference. I had no idea this was the reason why." 'Spygate' version two? What happened to Leeds in 2019 explained The last time a team were accused of spying on opposition training came when Derby County claimed a member of Leeds United's backroom staff had been spotted watching training in January 2019. Then Leeds boss Bielsa later admitted to sending a member of his coaching team to spy on Derby's training session. While Leeds subsequently apologised, the EFL found them guilty of breaching Regulation 3.4. Leeds were fined £200,000 and were handed a reprimand by the EFL. As a result, rule 127 was introduced. Then EFL chief executive Shaun Harvey said: "The sanctions imposed highlight how actions such as this cannot be condoned, and act as a clear deterrent should any club seek to undertake poor conduct in the future." 'Players won't care about spygate' Curtis Davies was part of the Derby squad that were on the receiving end of the original 'spygate' drama, but the former defender believes that the situation won't impact the players going into the game. "If I'm a player in the changing room, all I care about is getting to the Premier League," Davies said following Hull's 0-0 draw against Millwall in the other play-off semi-final tie. "I don't care who was in the bush watching training. I just want to concentrate on the game, make sure we've got the right game plan to go and win a couple of games to get to Wembley, then win that. "We're talking about potentially speeding up the process. Do I care if the opposition team's been fined £200,000, £500,000, £1m? It doesn't make a difference. "It's just about looking towards the game, not making any excuses about what's gone on. Let's just focus on our job, get the job done on the pitch." Meanwhile, Leicester City boss Gary Rowett suggested it could backfire on Southampton as he referenced how Derby ended up beating Leeds when the two teams later met in the play-offs. "It actually gave the Derby team momentum and extra motivation [in 2019] so, in some ways, it actually worked against the team that were trying to seek the advantage," he said. "Like everyone says, these games are so big. It's a minor distraction in some ways if you're going out onto the pitch or you're a manager. I don't think it really makes too much difference."

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