A Reform UK-led council with a looming £90m black hole is in “chaos” after its leader resigned over leaked comments about axeing “incompetent” lawyers, and its former deputy was sanctioned for an “insidious” social media post.
Dan Harrison stepped down as leader of Leicestershire County Council on Monday after a recording of him proposing to fire the council’s entire legal team was published on social media.
He called the lawyers “incompetent” and said they “are not doing a good job”, before adding, “what I want to look at now is the women”.
Channel 4 axes Married At First Sight UK after review following misconduct claims
Channel 4 has cancelled Married At First Sight UK following an external review triggered by “serious allegations of wrongdoing”.
What led to this?
Earlier this year, two women who participated in the show made allegations of rape and a third of sexual misconduct by their on-screen husbands, speaking in a BBC documentary which aired in May.
- In June, a cast member was arrested on suspicion of rape. All three men deny the claims.
- Channel 4 has now confirmed the series will not be returning.
What will happen to season six?
Channel 4 chief executive Priya Dogra confirmed season six of the show, filmed this year, will not be broadcast.
Second Married at First Sight, a spin-off set to bring contestants from the UK and Australian versions of the show for a second chance at love, was in pre-production with CPL before being paused during the review. It will not resume.
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What the production company said:
“CPL has always put contributor welfare at the heart of its programme making and will continue to do so,” CPL said.
“CPL have worked closely with Channel 4 for many years and throughout the review process, and we look forward to working with them again in the future.”
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Cristiano Ronaldo retires from international football
Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football.
Here is everything we know so far about his decision.
What did he say?
The day has come back for me to hand back the number 7 shirt of our national team…It was not an easy decision. Because some decisions are not made with the mind alone. They are also made with the heart. A journey that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever has come to an end.
Cristiano Ronaldo
The background
- The 41-year-old has made 234 appearances for Portugal and scored 146 goals.
- He holds the all-time record for international appearances and for international goals.
“When I look back at everything with the national team, I don’t just see the matches, goals, records or trophies,” he added. “ I see the Portuguese people living abroad who, for 90 minutes, felt a little closer to home.”
Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong jailed for 10 years
Joshua Wong, 30, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to “foreign collusion” under the region’s national security law.
Wong is among hundreds of campaigners arrested under the law, which was enforced in 2020 following pro-democracy protests against Beijing’s control in Hong Kong.
Who is Joshua Wong?
Wong rose to fame as the face of Hong Kong’s 2014 pro-democracy demonstrations and “Umbrella Movement”.
He rallied more than 100,000 people to protest against Hong Kong’s plans to implement mandatory “patriotic education”.
In 2020, Wong stayed in Hong Kong and tried to run for a seat in its legislature – but was barred due to his opposition to the national security law.
The charges he faces
The activist has already spent the last six years in jail for subversion and was due to be freed in January – but will now spend another decade in prison.
Now, prosecutors have claimed he conspired with other campaigners to lobby for foreign sanctions and blockades against Beijing between July and November 2020.
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Wong not only severely undermined national sovereignty, security, and development interests, but also directly prejudiced the wellbeing of the general public and the stability of society.
john lee, Hong Kong’s chief executive
Opponents hit back
Cruel and unjust.
Critics argue that the national security law has completely silenced political opposition and debate.
Elaine Pearson, director of Human Rights Watch in Asia, believes this ruling serves “to keep Hong Kong society subdued”.
“The government appears to have adopted the tactic of stacking charges against influential pro-democracy leaders,” she said.
The 2.4 million households that could have energy debt wiped
Plans published alongside Chancellor John Healey’s Budget last week reveal a new strategy to help homes that have fallen behind on their gas and electricity bills.
The Government and energy regulator Ofgem’s new plan vows a one-off Debt Relief Scheme.
Ofgem estimates around 2.4 million customers have debt that could be considered for the scheme and help Britons “get back on top of their finances and make a fresh start”.
However, the exact figures on how many people will receive help and the amount of debt written off will be finalised next year.
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What has led to this new scheme?
- In 2022, energy costs soared after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine pushed up wholesale gas prices.
- At the peak of the conflict, a typical household’s annual bill was capped at £2,500 – double the previous year.
- Great Britain’s household energy debt stood at £5bn in the middle of 2026 – three times that of 2021.
- Now, more than 2 million households are in debt with their suppliers.
- While Ofgem first proposed a debt-tackling scheme in November 2025, the plan never went ahead until its current revival.
- The strategy has expanded and is now aimed at the debt built up during the peak of the crisis.
- Government analysis suggests the expanded scheme could save households £130 over the next decade.
What makes people qualify?
Britons in “genuine financial need” will be prioritised under latest plans. This covers those on universal credit or pensioners.
People with little realistic prospect of paying back the sums of debt on their own will be helped.
It is also dependent on how willing households are to negotiate with suppliers on repayment plans and future bills.
Who pays for the scheme?
While the Government has not exactly outlined who will exactly fund the strategy yet, Ofgem is expected to announce this later in the year.
The i Paper understands it will add a small upfront cost to bills, but the Government expects to pay for it itself within two years.
Government analysis suggests the new scheme should prevent more than £5bn of new energy debt building up by 2036. The Budget promised that no new government costs would be added to energy bills until a new framework is in place.
What happens next?
- Ofgem will publish a fresh consultation on the scheme shortly.
- In early 2027, it will make a final decision on the scheme.
- In spring 2027, it is scheduled to go live, depending on the consultation.
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Typhoons batters East Asia as El Niño grows
In recent months across the Philippines, Taiwan, China and Japan, intense and volatile storms, worsened by the climate phenomenon El Niño, have destroyed major airports, ruined infrastructure and killed dozens.
What is El Niño?
El Niño is a naturally occurring complex weather phenomenon that transpires over the Pacific Ocean roughly every two to seven years.
It can increase global temperatures, as it weakens trade winds and allows warmer water to spread across central and eastern parts of the tropical Pacific.
- : Typhoon Mekkhala and Storm Higos forced 1 million people to evacuate Japan.
- : Storm Narra submerged villages along China’s southern coast and displaced tens of thousands.
- : Super Typhoon Dolphin triggered heavy floods and dozens of casualties in China over 16 days.
- : Typhoon Saudel made landfall in three Chinese cities in just one week, shutting transport and forcing evacuations.
The impact in pictures
East Asia vs El Niño
- Typhoon Champi cut off 15,000 Japanese homes from power at a speed of 295kph.
- Hundreds of flights were forced to cancel in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan.
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How are countries preparing?
Stockpile food, essentials and secure outside furniture that could become deadly when typhoons hit.
Local officials will identify vulnerable areas and upgrade warning and monitoring systems.
In lieu of food production disruption, farmers receive increased support.
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How a lab grown ‘human lens’ may bring new eye treatments
Scientists have grown a realistic human lens from stem cells for the first time which could potentially pave the way for new treatments for cataracts and other eye conditions.
New stem cell eye
In a new breakthrough, researchers from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) created the “mini lenses”.
The team, which also includes experts from Cardiff University and the University of Osaka in Japan, said that the lenses closely resemble the natural lens inside the human eye.
It is hoped the new lenses will now be able to be used to test new medicines and better understand eye diseases.
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Hope for treating cataracts in the future
“This is a major step forward as it is very difficult to obtain and study human eye lens tissue while it is developing.”
Said Professor Barbara Pierscionek, from the Centre for Biomedicine and Health Innovation at ARU
The key nutrients you won’t get from drinking oat milk
Replacing dairy products with plant-based ones, such as oat and almond milks, could lead to people missing out on vitamins and minerals, a study suggests.
Milk alternatives might cause health issues
New research suggests that swapping normal milk for plant-based alternatives might cause health issues.
The research team, from the University of Surrey and Queen’s University Belfast, found that even a partial swap may lead to deficiencies in certain essential vitamins and minerals.
The findings
What was studied?
Researchers looked at the risks of dropping dairy in favour of plant-based items.
Vitamins and minerals
They examined the effect on micronutrient intake for iodine, calcium and vitamins B2 and B12.
The findings
They found that even modest replacements of dairy intake with plant-based alternatives led to declines in all four micronutrients.
The health impacts
Vitamin B12 helps , while B2 is important for skin, eyes and the nervous system.
Dr Sarah Bath, associate professor at the University of Surrey and lead author, warned of the impacts from a lack of iodine, which is “needed to make thyroid hormones to regulate our metabolism, support healthy growth and brain development“.
Calls for better food fortification
Nutrition policy must evolve in tandem with environmental targets, however, it is important that shifts towards more sustainable diets do not compromise on public health.
Dr Katie Nicol, co-author of the study and research fellow at the University of Surrey
Battle of the supermarkets – the cheapest, revealed
Consumer champion Which? has revealed which supermarket is the cheapest in the UK.
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The cheapest supermarkets revealed
Which? has published its list of the cheapest supermarkets in the nation, comparing the costs of a list of 87 grocery items across all the major supermarkets.
October’s items included a mixture of own-brand and branded products – including milk, cheese and Hovis sliced bread.
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The top three
Retaining the title of cheapest, Aldi’s 87 items came to (£154.34).
Lidl Plus followed closely at £157.17.
Tesco’s Clubcard prices came in third with a basket total of £181.77.
- 4Sainsbury’s Nectar scheme came in fourth with a basket total of £181.77 across 18 discounted products.
- 5Despite having beaten Tesco and Sainsbury’s member prices in September, Asda slipped to fifth place – outpaced in a competitive market (£183.47).
- 6Morrisons (£186.77) came in ahead of Tesco (£187.31) and Sainsbury’s (£191.56) but only without loyalty prices.
- 7Ocado and Waitrose brought up the rear both exceeding £200.
I like to think I’m ahead of the butter curve, but it’s having such a moment right now that I’m not sure anyone can keep up. The rise in popularity of real butter is somewhat curious.
Harrison’s resignation is the fourth cabinet change on the council since Reform’s election victory in May last year. The party won 25 seats to form a minority administration, but is already down to 23 after departures and a by-election loss, and now faces losing control.
The leader’s exit comes just days after his former deputy, Joseph Boam, was sanctioned for multiple conduct breaches.
Boam, who was elected last year, had boasted previously about being the “most complained about councillor”.
A council investigation published last week found he had engaged in an “insidious form of public pressure” in an “offensive attack” on Facebook against the integrity of a council monitoring officer, who later quit.
Jewel Miah, leader of the council’s Labour group, said: “Dan Harrison’s resignation marks the inevitable end of a chaotic, deeply divided, and thoroughly unstable administration. For months, the people of Leicestershire have watched the Reform-led executive prioritise internal infighting over the vital public services our communities rely on.”
Harrison, who was appointed council leader in May, stepped down after he said in a leaked recording that the council’s “76 solicitors will be made redundant. We’ll buy in the service, because they’re incompetent. They’re not doing a good job.
“What I want to look at now is the women, so it is ongoing. I would like it to be at great pace but I can tell you now if we suddenly drove massive redundancies the liberals would walk away.”
Deborah Taylor, leader of the Conservative opposition group, said she had not seen “any evidence” of the in-house lawyers’ incompetence, and found Harrison’s remarks “pretty disgusting”.
A spokesperson for trade union Unison said council staff should not be made to worry for their jobs because of “reckless talk from politicians. If any employer acted on a threat to sack women first, Unison would challenge it at every turn.”
Harrison, who had initially claimed he was not going to quit, apologised “unreservedly” for any “hurt, distress or offence caused”.
The comments were made “during a heated meeting with the expectation of privacy and confidentiality” and “taken completely out of context”, he said.
He added that he had “not given any instruction or direction to officers in these matters and that there has not been any discussion nor agreement on these issues with officers”.
Harrison declined to comment when contacted by The i Paper, but added in a resignation statement: “I unequivocally reject any suggestion that staffing decisions are being taken based on gender.”
The council’s acting leader, Reform’s Kevin Crook, has written to all staff to apologise for the effect that “personal comments made by the former leader” had caused.
He added: “My number one priority is providing stability, leadership and delivering for the people we serve.”
Reform at risk of losing control of council
There are now calls for opposition parties to form a “rainbow coalition” to oust the party’s “unstable” minority control, it has been reported.
All councillors will vote on who to appoint as leader at the next full council meeting in early December. If a leader from another party is chosen, Reform will lose control of the local authority.
Compared to Reform’s 23 councillors, there are 15 Conservatives, 11 Liberal Democrats and three Labour members. The Green Party and Restore Britain have one each, and there is one independent.
Taylor said that Reform changing its leader does not “change the culture – the leaks, the infighting, the complaints”.
Earlier this year, former Reform councillor Charles Whitford defected to Restore after he was suspended from his council cabinet role on.
A council investigation later found Whitford sent “bullying” and “intimidating” emails to residents who raised complaints about St George’s flags tied to lampposts.
He apologised for responding to the emails in a “personal rather than a professional way”.
Reform’s Helen Butler resigned from her role as cabinet member for finance and resources in August due to “family commitments”. She was replaced by 21-year-old Harrison Fowler, who said his priority was to “drive down costs” to plug the council’s £90m budget deficit.
‘Most complained about councillor’ censured
Meanwhile, Boam is facing removal from the council committees he sits on after two complaints against him were upheld.
Lauren Haslam, the council’s former monitoring officer, had alleged Boam edited a clip posted to Facebook to give “a misleading and inaccurate impression of her response” to a question he had asked about whether a rise in complaints was “from far-left activists trying to cancel and silence” Reform councillors.
Another investigation concluded that he had presented a “fabricated timeline to suit his political ends” in a row with an opposition councillor over bus routes.
Boam, 22, called the investigation procedure “a ridiculous waste of taxpayer money”. In a post on X, he said the “pile on [] a young councillor who is only halfway through his second year is unbelievable”.
Leicestershire is not the only Reform council facing problems.
Michael Mullaney, leader of the council’s Lib Dem group, told The i Paper Reform was “losing seats in by-elections in large part because of the fall in Reform support nationally”.
He said: “This seems to have alarmed the Reform group into wanting to change their leader and contributed to Dan Harrison being forced out.”
Polling data from YouGov showed Reform enjoyed a near 18-month streak as voters’ top choice between March 2025 and August this year. Now, however, only 21 per cent of voters support the party, behind Labour (26) and the Conservatives (24).
Reform UK did not respond to a request for comment.