Former England striker Trevor Francis dies at age of 69

Reform UK membership surpasses Tories party says

Membership of Reform UK has surpassed that of the Conservatives, Nigel Farage’s party has said. A digital counter on the Reform website showed a membership tally before lunchtime on Boxing Day ticking past the 131,680 figure declared by the Conservative Party during its leadership election earlier this year. Mr Farage said it was a “historic moment” as he posted on X: “The youngest political party in British politics has just overtaken the oldest political party in the world. “Reform UK are now the real opposition.” Party chairman Zia Yusuf said: “History has been made today, as the centuries-long stranglehold on the centre-right of British politics by the Tories has finally been broken. “Nigel Farage will be the next prime minister, and will return Britain to greatness.” There were 131,680 Conservative members eligible to vote during the party’s leadership election to replace Rishi Sunak in the autumn. The figure, revealed as Kemi Badenoch was announced as the new leader on November 2, was the lowest Tory level on record and a drop from the 2022 leadership contest when there were around 172,000 members. Reform returned five MPs to the Commons at the general election in July, including Mr Farage in Clacton. A Conservative Party spokesman said: “Reform has delivered a Labour Government that has cruelly cut winter fuel payments for 10 million pensioners, put the future of family farming and food security at risk, and launched a devastating raid on jobs which will leave working people paying the price. “A vote for Reform this coming May is a vote for a Labour council – only the Conservatives can stop this.” Unlike other political parties, Reform was set up as a limited company, and in September Mr Farage announced that he would change the ownership structure so that it would be owned by members. “I no longer need to control this party,” he said at the time. In a video posted on X, he said: “We will change the structure of the party from one limited by shares to a company limited by guarantee, and that means it’s the members of Reform that will own this party.” A research briefing published by the House of Commons Library in 2022 said comparing party membership numbers can be “difficult”, citing there not being a uniformly recognised definition of membership, or an established method to monitor it. Luke Tryl, director of the More in Common think tank similarly told the PA news agency it is an “opaque” process. “Parties are notoriously opaque about this sort of thing,” he said, also raising the idea that it is unknown whether the Conservatives have added any new members since their leadership election. He later added: “It’s very opaque and murky as a metric anyway.” With regard to Reform, Mr Tryl indicated that one of the challenges for the party will be whether membership converts to campaigners. He told PA: “There is no doubt Reform had a very good autumn. I think they capitalised off some of Labour’s early mistakes but also the fact the Conservative brand is still struggling. They’ve clearly got momentum.” Discussing Reform’s membership, he later said: “We know that lots of Reform’s most vocal supporters are very online. “Do those people who are very online and joined up… do they also go out and pound the streets, deliver leaflets, canvass, that sort of thing? “That remains an open question.” Published: 26/12/2024 by Radio NewsHub

Man arrested after two women die and two injured in Christmas Day stabbing

Two women have died and a man and a teenage boy suffered serious injuries after a suspected stabbing in Milton Keynes on Christmas Day. A 49-year-old man from the Buckinghamshire city was arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder and is in custody, Thames Valley Police said. Officers were called to a block of apartments in Santa Cruz Avenue, Bletchley, at about 6.30pm on Wednesday. The women, aged 38 and 24, died at the scene. A man, in his late 20s, and teenage boy were taken to hospital with serious injuries. They are both in a stable condition, police said. A dog also injured in the incident was taken to a vet but did not survive. A large cordon was in place at the scene on Thursday afternoon and a forensics team could be seen entering and walking up the stairs of a block of flats. Numbered yellow evidence markers and first aid kits could were visible on the road and pavement outside the address, and on the boot of a car parked on the adjoining Trinidad Grove. A family left flowers outside the police cordon. The group attached two bouquets and a grey teddy bear wearing a Father Christmas outfit to the railings around a children’s play area on Santa Cruz Avenue. A woman in the group told the PA news agency she did not know the victims and added: “This is a lovely area. You don’t expect to see this kind of thing here.” Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Brangwin, of the major crime unit, said: “Firstly I would like to extend my deepest condolences to the families of the women who have tragically died in this shocking incident. “We have launched a double murder investigation which may be concerning to the wider public, however we have made an arrest and are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident and the parties are known to each other. “Members of the public will see a large police presence in the area while our investigation takes place. “If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to approach our officers and they will do their best to help.” Anyone with information or footage is asked to call 101, quoting reference number 43240622935, or contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. Published: 26/12/2024 by Radio NewsHub

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Man arrested after two women die and two injured in Christmas Day stabbing

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