Labour polling at 21-month high as Tories gain on Reform

Labour is polling at their highest rate since January 2025, according to a YouGov poll.

New voting intention poll

The latest YouGov voting intention poll for and found Labour is taking a strong lead with voters, followed by Reform UK and the Conservatives.

• 1Labour is experiencing a 21-month high at 27 per cent (+3)
• 2 is still second, but saw some losses at 22 per cent (-3)
• 3 gained on Reform, with 20 per cent (+1)
• 4 have seen small losses at 11 per cent (-1)
• 5 remain fifth, sitting at 11 per cent (no change)

Changes from the last poll

Another YouGov poll surveying 17,000 voters between 23 August and 18 September indicated a similar trend to this latest one.

The types of cancer with ‘concerning’ rise among under 50s

The number of people getting cancer before the age of 50 has risen, according to the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF).

While most cancers are still diagnosed in older adults, the charity said that the trajectory is “concerning”.

There have been increases in rates of , , , , , and cancers among adults under 50, the WCRF said.

It comes as figures from Cancer Research UK show that between the , in 25 to 49-year-olds in the UK .

Cancer trends

The WCRF analysis of NHS data in England compared the rates of diagnoses among people in 2001 and 2023, finding:

• Rise in number of prostate cancer diagnoses in men under 50, from 158 to 640 between 2001 and 2023.
• Bowel cancer cases among younger adults increased from 1,289 in 2001 to 2,989 in 2023.
• In 2023, 1,065 adults under 50 were diagnosed with kidney cancer, compared to 510 adults in 2001.
• Women aged under 50 diagnosed with womb cancer rose from 1.8 per 100,000 in 2001 to 3.9 per 100,000 in 2023.
• Meanwhile, women diagnosed with breast cancer in this age bracket rose from 6,886 in 2001 to 8,507 in 2023.

Expert opinion

“While is much more common in older people, it can strike at any age.”

NHS England national medical director Professor Frankie Swords urged people to see a GP for possible symptoms like a lump, unusual bleeding or unexplained weight loss. “Don’t put off a simple check-up because you think you’re too young, it could save your life,” she said.

Five theories about staggering rise of cancer in under-50s

By and large, the rising trend of young-onset cancers is a mystery, one which oncologists around the world are scrambling to try and understand. But when it comes to bowel cancer, at least, a handful of clues are starting to emerge.

Asos hack fears after ‘compromised’ alert – what we know

Thousands of Asos customers have been sent a phone alert saying the retailer has been hacked.

Here’s everything we know so far…

Phone alert

Thousands of customers received a mobile app notification on Tuesday.

The notification, titled “Asos hacked”, directed users to a Telegram account.

Shares drop

Asos shares plummeted by more than 10 per cent on Tuesday as a result.

What did the message say?

The message read: “Dear Asos DPO and IT, we have fully compromised the Snowflake instance. Engage with us, or we will leak it.”

DPO refers to the data protection officer, the role in a company responsible for customer information safeguarding.

Snowflake is an online data platform used by a wide array of companies, but it is not yet known whether Asos – which is yet to comment on the incident – is one of those.

Asos, which owns brands including Topshop and Miss Selfridge, has 17 million customers globally. The UK is its largest market, making up 49 per cent of revenues in the first half of the latest financial year.

Snowflake has been the reported subject of a number of data breaches in recent years, including an attack on Ticketmaster which saw customer details stolen. It comes after a raft of UK retailers were targeted by cyber attackers over the past two years, including Marks & Spencer and Harrods.

UK POLITICS

Tories pledge ‘Britannia Shield’ – how would it work?

The Conservatives have pledged to invest £10bn in a British missile defence system which has drawn comparisons to Israel’s elaborate “Iron Dome”.

Here’s how it could work, and how much the experts think it might really cost.

Air defence system

The Tories have promised to build a new UK air defence system if voted into power.

How will it work?

The “Britannia Shield” would provide systems to detect and stop incoming threats using interceptor missiles.

British ‘Iron Dome’?

But Kemi Badenoch has pushed back on comparisons to Israel’s Iron Dome system.

We are not building the Iron Dome. We are doing what other European countries are doing: Greece, Benelux countries, Belgium, and the Netherlands and Germany. We are designing something specific for the kind of threat that we face here

conservative party leader kemi badenoch

How much will it cost?

The Conservatives have estimated the system will cost £10bn to set up, but previous estimates place the cost at £80bn.

The programme, the Tories say, would be funded through the party’s plans to increase defence spending to 3 per cent of GDP by 2030 by slashing Britain’s welfare bill.

• The UK has some existing protection in the form of RAF Typhoons which could shoot down hostile drones, but the jets cannot track or intercept ballistic missiles.
• The Royal Navy’s Type 45 Destroyers, equipped with Sea Viper air defence systems, can intercept missiles, but must be in UK waters to be fully effective.
• Britain could rely on its Nato allies, to some extent, in the event of a strike by Russia, but military experts have long warned the country needs a full Iron Dome-style missile defence shield.

Expert opinion

“This is a well overdue commitment to fill the void in defending Britain as global security deteriorates”

Former Tory defence minister Tobias Ellwood said: “It’s only a matter of time before a military base or a corner of our critical national infrastructure is targeted and currently, we have no air defence.”

Who was ex-MP and ‘master storyteller’ Jeffrey Archer?

The bestselling author and former politician has died at the age of 86.

But who was Jeffrey Archer?

Jeffrey Archer, renowned novelist and former Conservative MP, died “suddenly and peacefully at home between writing sessions” on Monday, his publisher HarperCollins said in a statement.

Alongside his political career, Archer was a wildly successful novelist, during his five-decade career and being made a in 1992.

Early life

Archer was born an only child in Weston-super-Mare on 15 April, 1940. After completing his education at Wellington School in Somerset, Archer attended the University of Oxford in October 1963.

He went for a one-year course, a diploma in education, but ended up staying for three years, just as though he were a typical undergraduate.

Political career

• Archer was first elected MP for the Lincolnshire constituency of Louth in 1969.
• In 1985, Margaret Thatcher appointed him deputy chairman of the Conservative Party.
• The same year, Archer also set up his own PR firm, Archer Enterprises, and in 1992 was created a life peer.
• At the turn of the century, he was the Tory candidate to be mayor of London; then scandal struck.

• Archer’s political career was paused in 2001 when he was jailed for four years for perjury and perverting the course of justice.
• A jury found he lied in a libel action he had brought against newspaper, in which he was awarded £500,000 in damages.
• Archer was released early in 2003 and returned to the House of Lords until he retired in 2024.

Archer the novelist

• Archer wrote his first novel, Not A Penny More, Not A Penny Less, in 1974, after almost going bankrupt.
• An instant bestseller, it sparked a prolific career as an author which ultimately made him a millionaire.

It has been one of the great privileges of my publishing life to have been Jeffrey Archer’s editor. He was the master storyteller and an editor’s dream – phenomenally hard-working, utterly committed to completing draft after draft to get every word as perfect as possible, and a true champion of the ‘team’ nature of great publishing

kate elton, harpercollins uk chief executive

Final act

Everybody would like to run their last 100 metres at the Olympics and win the gold medal, but there’s always a time. I think the clever thing in life is when to get out

Archer declared in an interview just last week that he “shall not be retiring”. His final novel, a Second World War-era historical fiction was published Tuesday, hours after his death was announced.

‘Irrepressible life force’ – Camilla

The Queen has joined those paying tribute to Lord Archer, from her position as founder of the Queen’s Reading Room charity which was supported by the author. “While he was not without flaw, his friends will recall him as an irrepressible life force through all the many differing chapters of his life,” Camilla said. “My sympathies go to [Archer’s wife] Mary and the family at this time of sorrow.”

Badenoch pays tribute

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said she was “incredibly saddened” to hear of Archer’s passing. “He had sent me a lovely message just this morning and was always a great source of encouragement to me personally,” she added on Monday.

Brits pick greatest ‘driving anthems’ of all time

British motorists have voted to decide on the best driving anthem of all time.

Here are the results…

Drivers vote

A new poll of 2,000 UK drivers, commissioned by Isuzu UK, has unveiled British motorists’ favourite driving anthem.

The tunes

Bruce Springsteen, Miley Cyrus and Bon Jovi were among the artists attributed with providing the best highway tracks. But did they come out on top?

• 1Hotel California – The Eagles. The 70s hit saw 27 per cent of those surveyed name the 1977 classic rock song as the ultimate driving anthem.
• 2Born in the USA – Bruce Springsteen. The 1984 hit just missed top spot, with 24 per cent.
• 3. The 2023 hit from the American pop star came in third with 22 per cent.
• 4Boys of Summer – Don Henley. Another from 1984, the song placed fourth with 21 per cent.
• 5Livin’ on a Prayer – Bon Jovi. The 1986 power ballad took 18 per cent of the votes.

What else are drivers saying?

Meanwhile, 40 per cent of drivers polled admitted to singing along to tunes in the car around seven times a week, despite a third (33 per cent) admitting they have startled passengers with their “enthusiastic” vocals.

Three in 10 (31 per cent) agreed that certain songs bring back fond childhood memories of family holidays and day trips.

How to be more grateful for daily life in five easy steps

The world feels like a difficult place at the moment, and it can feel very hard sometimes to find things to be thankful for; when we are overwhelmed, we have less capacity to notice and reflect on the good things. Yet, ironically, proactively cultivating gratitude is one of the things that can actually help us feel less stressed.

NHS GP dR RADHA

Research has shown that feeling or expressing thanks can actually alter our brain.

• The balance of neurotransmitters change; more serotonin and dopamine (feel good chemicals) are produced.
• This can be long lasting if we make gratitude a regular habit.
• We also get a decrease in our cortisol (stress hormone) levels which helps lower anxiety.
• Being grateful can strengthen the nerve pathways which triggers positive emotion.

Change your words

Instead of seeing something as a problem, try to see the opportunities within it. 

Our brains are very receptive and what we read or write can alter our emotional system.

Express it

This will not only make you feel good, but you will also get a positive response from others.

Notice more

Throughout your day, try to notice all the things that are going well; has someone opened a door for you, or smiled?

The basics

By being thankful for the small things every day, we are far more likely to be and stay healthy so that we can enjoy them.

Gratitude can lead to feelings of optimism, lower our blood pressure, and improve sleep quality. 

• Write down what potential good aspects there are to the things you don’t feel like doing, or even what could be worse about it.
• Spend a few minutes writing down three things that you are looking forward to that day, or the good things that have happened to you that day.
• Say thank you to yourself for the things you have achieved, or managed to get through and changed that day.

Sales of battery
electric vehicles hit a record high last year.

Starts at £22,995 for the smaller battery

Available with either a 40kWh battery or a larger 52kWh pack, that offers almost 255 miles, the latest, retro-inspired Renault 5 is both a joy to behold and a hoot to drive.

The interior has been lavished with a level of detail that’s typically reserved for more expensive cars. 

A champion of EV efficiency

It offers a remarkable 491 mile range on a single charge from the 85kWh battery.

It is a technological masterclass inside with the ability to option screens that span the entire width of the dashboard, including an optional display for the front passenger.

Priced from £37,400

It’s a lot of money to part with, but this is arguably all the car you will ever need.

The £89,000 Macan is a premium SUV that somehow manages to blend Porsche’s reputation for dynamics and sporty driving with everyday practicality.

The 95kWh batteries can go from 10 to 80 per cent in as little as 21 minutes from the fastest public charging outlets.

With the business class-style six seat configuration costing a staggering £76,995, it is by far the most expensive Kia ever made, but it backs up its financial demands with a suite of genuinely useful and impressive onboard technology.

It’s fast, goes a long way between stops and charges relatively quickly but the interior is bland, the onboard technology is infuriating and the experience is devoid of emotion. 

All of its gadgetry can’t disguise the fact that performance is weak, even for a typically zippy EV, the ride is fussy at slower speeds and it’s not in the least bit enjoyable to drive on a country road.

• While good value (prices start at £17,935) for the 200-mile max range, there are more interesting options from Hyundai, Citroen and Renault for similar money.
  

• It attempts to wow with tech, much of which hinders, rather than helps. 
• There’s no tangible benefit over mounting your phone to the dash.
• Simply an average driving experience, adequate range and slow charging speeds.