Boris Johnson repeatedly told the public that Brexit would mean taking back control of Britain's borders and migration system. Plans unveiled to ease prisons crisis - politics latest But in a leaked recording obtained by Sky News, Chris Philp, now shadow home secretary, said Britain's exit from the EU - and end of UK participation in the Dublin agreement which governs EU-wide asylum claims - meant they realised they "can't any longer rely on sending people back to the place where they first claimed asylum". Mr Philp appeared to suggest the scale of the problem surprised those in the Johnson government. "When we did check it out… (we) found that about half the people crossing the Channel had claimed asylum previously elsewhere in Europe." In response tonight, the Tories insisted that Mr Philp was not saying the Tories did not have a plan for how to handle asylum seekers post Brexit. Mr Philp's comments from last month are a very different tone to 2020 when as immigration minister he seemed to be suggesting EU membership and the Dublin rules hampered asylum removals. In August that year, he said: "The Dublin regulations do have a number of constraints in them, which makes returning people who should be returned a little bit harder than we would like. Of course, come the 1st of January, we'll be outside of those Dublin regulations and the United Kingdom can take a fresh approach." Mr Philp was also immigration minister in Mr Johnson's government so would have been following the debate closely. In public, members of the Johnson administration were claiming this would not be an issue since asylum claims would be "inadmissible", but gave no details on how they would actually deal with people physically arriving in the country. A Home Office source told journalists once the UK is "no longer bound by Dublin after the transition", then "we will be able to negotiate our own bilateral returns agreement from the end of this year". This did not happen immediately. In the summer of 2020, Mr Johnson's spokesman criticised the "inflexible and rigid" Dublin regulations, suggesting the exit from this agreement would be a welcome post-Brexit freedom. Mr Philp's comments suggest a different view in private. The remarks were made in a Zoom call, part of a regular series with all the shadow cabinet on 28 April, just before the local election. Mr Philp was asked by a member why countries like France continued to allow migrants to come to the UK. He replied: "The migrants should claim asylum in the first safe place and that under European Union regulations, which is called the Dublin 3 regulation, the first country where they are playing asylum is the one that should process their application. "Now, because we're out of the European Union now, we are out of the Dublin 3 regulations, and so we can't any longer rely on sending people back to the place where they first claimed asylum. When we did check it out, just before we exited the EU transitional arrangements on December the 31st, 2020, we did run some checks and found that about half the people crossing the channel had claimed asylum previously elsewhere in Europe. "In Germany, France, Italy, Spain, somewhere like that, and therefore could have been returned. But now we're out of Dublin, we can't do that, and that's why we need to have somewhere like Rwanda that we can send these people to as a deterrent." Mr Johnson announced the Rwanda plan in April 2022 - which Mr Philp casts as the successor plan - 16 months after Britain left the legal and regulatory regime of the EU, but the plan was blocked by the European Court of Human Rights. Successive Tory prime ministers failed to get any mandatory removals to Rwanda, and Sir Keir Starmer cancelled the programme on entering Downing Street last year, leaving the issue of asylum seekers from France unresolved. Speaking on Sky News last weekend, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said there has been a 20% increase in migrant returns since Labour came to power, along with a 40% increase in illegal working raids and a 40% increase in arrests for illegal working. Read More:Jenrick's leaked plan for Tory-Reform pact2020: Johnson promises change in migrant law Britain's membership of the EU did not stop all asylum arrivals. Under the EU's Dublin regulation, under which people should be processed for asylum in the country at which they first entered the bloc. However, many EU countries where people first arrive, such as Italy, do not apply the Dublin rules. The UK is not going to be able to participate again in the Dublin agreement since that is only open to full members of the EU. Ministers have confirmed the Labour government is discussing a returns agreement with the French that would involve both countries exchanging people seeking asylum. Asked on Sky News about how returns might work in future, the transport minister Lilian Greenwood said on Wednesday there were "discussions ongoing with the French government", but did not say what a future deal could look like. She told Sky News: "It's not a short-term issue. This is going to take really hard work to tackle those organised gangs that are preying on people, putting their lives in danger as they try to cross the Channel to the UK. "Of course, that's going to involve conversations with our counterparts on the European continent." Pressed on the returns agreement, Ms Greenwood said: "I can confirm that there are discussions ongoing with the French government about how we stop this appalling and dangerous trade in people that's happening across the English Channel." 👉Listen to Politics at Sam and Anne's on your podcast app👈 A Conservative Party spokesman said: "The Conservative Party delivered on the democratic will of this country, and left the European Union. "The last government did have a plan and no one - including Chris - has ever suggested otherwise. "We created new deals with France to intercept migrants, signed returns agreements with many countries across Europe, including a landmark agreement with Albania that led to small boat crossings falling by a third in 2023, and developed the Rwanda deterrent - a deterrent that Labour scrapped, leading to 2025 so far being the worst year ever for illegal channel crossings. "However, Kemi Badenoch and Chris Philp have been clear that the Conservatives must do a lot more to tackle illegal migration. "It is why, under new leadership, we are developing g new policies that will put an end to this problem - including disapplying the Human Rights Act from immigration matters, establishing a removals deterrent and deporting all foreign criminals."

The 64-year-old presenter faced criticism after he shared a post on Instagram from the Palestine Lobby group showing a picture of a rat and titled: "Zionism explained in two minutes." In a statement, he said: "On Instagram I reposted material which I have since learned contained offensive references. "I very much regret these references. "I would never knowingly share anything antisemitic. "It goes against everything I believe in. "The post was removed as soon as I became aware of the issue. "Whilst I strongly believe in the importance of speaking out on humanitarian issues, including the tragedy unfolding in Gaza, I also know that how we do so matters. "I take full responsibility for this mistake. "That image does not reflect my views. "It was an error on my part for which I apologise unreservedly." Rats have historically been used in antisemitic propaganda, including by the Nazis in 1930s Germany. Lineker's agent told the BBC the presenter immediately deleted the post when he learned about the image's symbolism. The presenter was temporarily suspended from the BBC in March 2023 after an impartiality row over comments he made criticising the then government's new asylum policy. In November, he announced he would be stepping down from presenting Match Of The Day but will still host World Cup and FA Cup coverage.

Boris Johnson repeatedly told the public that Brexit would mean taking back control of Britain's borders and migration system. Plans unveiled to ease prisons crisis - politics latest But in a leaked recording obtained by Sky News, Chris Philp, now shadow home secretary, said Britain's exit from the EU - and end of UK participation in the Dublin agreement which governs EU-wide asylum claims - meant they realised they "can't any longer rely on sending people back to the place where they first claimed asylum". Mr Philp appeared to suggest the scale of the problem surprised those in the Johnson government. "When we did check it out… (we) found that about half the people crossing the Channel had claimed asylum previously elsewhere in Europe." In response tonight, the Tories insisted that Mr Philp was not saying the Tories did not have a plan for how to handle asylum seekers post Brexit. Mr Philp's comments from last month are a very different tone to 2020 when as immigration minister he seemed to be suggesting EU membership and the Dublin rules hampered asylum removals. In August that year, he said: "The Dublin regulations do have a number of constraints in them, which makes returning people who should be returned a little bit harder than we would like. Of course, come the 1st of January, we'll be outside of those Dublin regulations and the United Kingdom can take a fresh approach." Mr Philp was also immigration minister in Mr Johnson's government so would have been following the debate closely. In public, members of the Johnson administration were claiming this would not be an issue since asylum claims would be "inadmissible", but gave no details on how they would actually deal with people physically arriving in the country. A Home Office source told journalists once the UK is "no longer bound by Dublin after the transition", then "we will be able to negotiate our own bilateral returns agreement from the end of this year". This did not happen immediately. In the summer of 2020, Mr Johnson's spokesman criticised the "inflexible and rigid" Dublin regulations, suggesting the exit from this agreement would be a welcome post-Brexit freedom. Mr Philp's comments suggest a different view in private. The remarks were made in a Zoom call, part of a regular series with all the shadow cabinet on 28 April, just before the local election. Mr Philp was asked by a member why countries like France continued to allow migrants to come to the UK. He replied: "The migrants should claim asylum in the first safe place and that under European Union regulations, which is called the Dublin 3 regulation, the first country where they are playing asylum is the one that should process their application. "Now, because we're out of the European Union now, we are out of the Dublin 3 regulations, and so we can't any longer rely on sending people back to the place where they first claimed asylum. When we did check it out, just before we exited the EU transitional arrangements on December the 31st, 2020, we did run some checks and found that about half the people crossing the channel had claimed asylum previously elsewhere in Europe. "In Germany, France, Italy, Spain, somewhere like that, and therefore could have been returned. But now we're out of Dublin, we can't do that, and that's why we need to have somewhere like Rwanda that we can send these people to as a deterrent." Mr Johnson announced the Rwanda plan in April 2022 - which Mr Philp casts as the successor plan - 16 months after Britain left the legal and regulatory regime of the EU, but the plan was blocked by the European Court of Human Rights. Successive Tory prime ministers failed to get any mandatory removals to Rwanda, and Sir Keir Starmer cancelled the programme on entering Downing Street last year, leaving the issue of asylum seekers from France unresolved. Speaking on Sky News last weekend, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said there has been a 20% increase in migrant returns since Labour came to power, along with a 40% increase in illegal working raids and a 40% increase in arrests for illegal working. Read More:Jenrick's leaked plan for Tory-Reform pact2020: Johnson promises change in migrant law Britain's membership of the EU did not stop all asylum arrivals. Under the EU's Dublin regulation, under which people should be processed for asylum in the country at which they first entered the bloc. However, many EU countries where people first arrive, such as Italy, do not apply the Dublin rules. The UK is not going to be able to participate again in the Dublin agreement since that is only open to full members of the EU. Ministers have confirmed the Labour government is discussing a returns agreement with the French that would involve both countries exchanging people seeking asylum. Asked on Sky News about how returns might work in future, the transport minister Lilian Greenwood said on Wednesday there were "discussions ongoing with the French government", but did not say what a future deal could look like. She told Sky News: "It's not a short-term issue. This is going to take really hard work to tackle those organised gangs that are preying on people, putting their lives in danger as they try to cross the Channel to the UK. "Of course, that's going to involve conversations with our counterparts on the European continent." Pressed on the returns agreement, Ms Greenwood said: "I can confirm that there are discussions ongoing with the French government about how we stop this appalling and dangerous trade in people that's happening across the English Channel." 👉Listen to Politics at Sam and Anne's on your podcast app👈 A Conservative Party spokesman said: "The Conservative Party delivered on the democratic will of this country, and left the European Union. "The last government did have a plan and no one - including Chris - has ever suggested otherwise. "We created new deals with France to intercept migrants, signed returns agreements with many countries across Europe, including a landmark agreement with Albania that led to small boat crossings falling by a third in 2023, and developed the Rwanda deterrent - a deterrent that Labour scrapped, leading to 2025 so far being the worst year ever for illegal channel crossings. "However, Kemi Badenoch and Chris Philp have been clear that the Conservatives must do a lot more to tackle illegal migration. "It is why, under new leadership, we are developing g new policies that will put an end to this problem - including disapplying the Human Rights Act from immigration matters, establishing a removals deterrent and deporting all foreign criminals."

McIlroy completed the career Grand Slam with a dramatic play-off victory at Augusta National, and looks to follow that up by claiming back-to-back major successes at the PGA Championship this week - live on Sky Sports Golf from 1pm on Thursday. DeChambeau, who was in the final group alongside McIlroy on the final day of The Masters - and briefly led two holes into the round - said the Northern Irishman "didn't talk to me once all day" after he stuttered to a tied-fifth finish. The pair's duel came 10 months after DeChambeau pinched a one-stroke victory in the 2024 US Open at Pinehurst No 2 after McIlroy squandered a two-shot lead over the final five holes. Full first-round tee times | Second-round tee timesHow to watch the PGA Championship on Sky SportsPGA Championship: Latest headlines and videoRory McIlroy's four past victories at Quail HollowStream golf majors and more sport with NOWChoose the sports notifications you want! "We're trying to win The Masters," McIlroy said at his press conference ahead of the PGA Championship. "I'm not going to try to be his best mate out there. "Look, everyone approaches the game different ways. I was focused on myself and what I needed to do. "That's really all that it was. It wasn't anything against him - it's just I felt that's what I needed to do to try to get the best out of myself that day." McIlroy's standoffish approach on the final day at Augusta had the desired effect as he managed to navigate multiple setbacks in a rollercoaster final round to clinch a fifth major victory of his career, ending an 11-year major drought. McIlroy: Everything beyond Grand Slam a bonus With the "burden" of chasing a career Grand Slam now lifted, McIlroy believes any further success is a bonus - and is unwilling to put a number on how many more majors he can win. "It's everything I thought it would be," McIlroy said of his stunning Masters triumph. "I'm not sure if any other win will live up to what happened a few weeks ago. "I've tried not to watch it a lot because I want to remember the feelings - when I rewatch a lot of things back, I then just remember the visuals of the TV rather than what I was feeling and what I was seeing through my own eyes, so I haven't tried to watch it back too much. "But anytime I have, I well up. I still feel like I want to cry. It was an involuntary reaction - I've never felt a release like that before, and I might never feel a release like that again. That could be a once-in-a-lifetime thing, and it was a very cool moment." McIlroy added: "I've achieved what I've wanted. I've done everything I've wanted to do in the game. "I dreamed as a child of becoming the best player in the world and winning all the majors. I've done that, so everything beyond this, for however long I decide to play the game competitively, is a bonus. "I think everyone saw how hard having a 'North Star' [ambition] is and being able to get it over the line. I feel like I sort of burdened myself with the career Grand Slam stuff. "I want to enjoy what I've achieved. I don't want to burden myself by numbers or statistics... I just want to go and try to play the best golf I can." McIlroy's modesty has not stopped many tipping him to make it two in two at majors this year, with PGA Championship course Quail Hollow one he has registered four wins at previously. "I have obviously great memories from this place - my first win on the PGA Tour 15 years ago and winning last year," McIlroy said. "I probably played my best golf of the year last year here, especially at the weekend. "I thought it was going to feel different here because it was a major championship, but I got out on the golf course yesterday and it felt no different than last year at the Wells Fargo. "The rough is maybe a little juicier, but fairways are still the same cut lines and same visuals. It doesn't feel that much different. It's just a matter of stepping up and hitting the golf shots when the gun goes on Thursday." PGA Championship: Thursday selected UK start times USA unless stated; *denotes starting on tenth hole *1200 Luke Donald (Eng), Padraig Harrington (Irl), Martin Kaymer (Ger) *1238 Brooks Koepka, Rickie Fowler, Shane Lowry (Irl) *1249 Phil Mickelson, Tommy Fleetwood (Eng), Jason Day *1300 Jon Rahm (Esp), Patrick Cantlay, Matt Fitzpatrick *1322 Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy (NIrl), Xander Schauffele 1803 Tyrrell Hatton (Eng), Will Zalatoris, Adam Scott (Aus) 1814 Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson, Collin Morikawa 1825 Jordan Spieth, Patrick Reed, Ludvig Åberg (Swe) 1836 Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), Wyndham Clark, Tom Kim (Kor) 1847 Bryson DeChambeau, Viktor Hovland (Nor), Gary Woodland Who will win the PGA Championship? Watch throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage of the opening round begins on Thursday from 1pm on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or stream with NOW.

Counter-terrorism police found an arsenal of more than 200 weapons that included crossbows, swords, machetes, axes, a baseball bat and numerous hunting knives, following raids on properties in Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire. An almost completed FGC-9 Mk II printed assault rifle was found in the loft of one of the suspects. It was missing the barrel and firing pin but the men were sourcing the components to complete the weapon. The three men had a shared interest in bushcraft and YouTube "prepper" videos, claiming in court they were preparing for a "shit hits the fan" scenario such as a Russian invasion or a zombie apocalypse. However, prosecutors said they were actually preparing for a race war and had used the prepper groups to recruit an inner circle which moved on to neo-Nazi chat groups before setting up their own private group, as they prepared to take action. Detective Chief Superintendent James Dunkerley, head of Counter-Terrorism Policing North East, said the "self-styled militant online group" espoused "vile racist views" and took "real world steps to plan and prepare for carrying out an attack on innocent citizens". Bethan David, head of the Crown Prosecution Service's Counter-Terrorism Division, said that the 3D-printed firearm "could have been used to devastating consequences" if it had been completed. The group was infiltrated by an undercover officer and on 5 January last year, Brogan Stewart messaged the officer on the encrypted Telegram app, telling him he was disillusioned with other far-right groups that just "sit around and talk". "I want to get my own group together because action speaks louder than words," he added. Stewart, 25, from Tingley, Wakefield, appointed Christopher Ringrose, 34, from Cannock, Staffordshire, who had constructed the 3D firearm, and Marco Pitzettu, 25, from Mickleover, Derby, as "armourers" for the new group. Stewart convened a group telephone call on 5 February in which he said the plan was to "cruise around" looking for "human targets" near an Islamic education centre, "do what whatever we do then back at mine for tea and medals and a debrief." Before the "operation" went ahead he wanted the members, who had never met in person, to "hang out, bring ourselves closer together and just cement that brotherhood" on 18 February, but the event did not go ahead and the group were arrested on 20 February. All three were found unanimously guilty at Sheffield Crown Court of preparing acts of terrorism and possessing information useful for terrorism. Ringrose was found guilty of manufacturing the lower receiver for a 3D firearm. Pitzettu pleaded guilty to possessing a stun gun. The judge, Mrs Justice Cutts, remanded all three in custody ahead of sentencing in July and told them they must expect "substantial custodial sentences."

Lyle Menendez, 56, and his 53-year-old brother Erik have spent 35 years behind bars for the shotgun murders of their father and mother, Jose and Kitty Menendez. The brothers have claimed that their parents abused them and have argued that the killings were an act of self-defence. A Netflix drama series about the brothers called Monsters, which aired in September, thrust them back into the spotlight and led to renewed calls for their release, including from their family. Now, a long-delayed resentencing hearing has offered them a path to freedom for the first time since their incarceration. But how is it possible, and what happens next? What does the resentencing mean? Before leaving his role in December, former LA district attorney (DA) George Gascon asked LA County Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic to review the brothers' convictions. During the resentencing on 13 May, he gave them a revised sentence of 50 years to life, making them immediately eligible for youth parole under California's youthful offender law because they committed the crime while under the age of 26. The judgment was based on whether the pair had been rehabilitated based on their behaviour in prison. The brothers' case highlighted some of their achievements behind bars: attaining several degrees and contributing to the community. It listed a prison "beautification programme" Lyle Menendez started called GreenSpace as one example, and added that both brothers had received low-risk assessment scores, with Lyle apparently not being involved in a single fight during his time in jail. The brothers' attorneys pushed for the judge to resentence the brothers to manslaughter, which would have allowed them to be immediately released, but he gave them a revised murder sentence instead. Handing them the new sentence, Judge Jesic said: "I'm not saying they should be released, it's not for me to decide. "I do believe they've done enough in the past 35 years, that they should get that chance." The resentencing hearing had faced lengthy delays due to the judge needing to review a large number of files, as well as the LA wildfires in January. There was also a turnover in the DA's office, with liberal leaning Gascon replaced by the more conservative Nathan Hochman, who repeatedly attempted to have the resentencing hearing thrown out. Emotional testimony in court from brothers and family members The brothers appeared at the proceedings in Los Angeles County Superior Court via video feed from prison in San Diego. "I killed my mum and dad. I make no excuses and also no justification," Lyle said in a statement to the court. "The impact of my violent actions on my family... is unfathomable." Erik also spoke about taking responsibility for his actions and apologising to his family. He said: "You did not deserve what I did to you, but you inspire me to do better." The brothers chuckled when one of their cousins, Diane Hernandez, told the court that Erik received A+ grades in all of his classes during his most recent semester in college. Anamaria Baralt, another cousin of the brothers, told the court they had repeatedly expressed remorse for their actions. "We all, on both sides of the family, believe that 35 years is enough. They are universally forgiven by our family," she said. The defence also called a former judge and a former fellow inmate to the witness stand to testify that the brothers were not only rehabilitated, but also helped others. Prosecutors cross-examined the witnesses but didn't call any of their own. Former judge Jonathan Colby, who said he considered himself tough on crime, told the court that spending time with the brothers and witnessing their growth made him believe in rehabilitation. Anerae Brown, who previously served time in prison alongside the brothers, cried as he testified about how they helped him heal and eventually be released through parole. "I have children now," he said. "Without Lyle and Erik I might still be sitting in there doing stupid things." The judge said he was particularly moved by a letter from a prison official who supported resentencing, something the official had never done for any incarcerated person in his 25-year career. Los Angeles County prosecutors argued against the resentencing, saying the brothers have not taken complete responsibility for the crime. The current DA Mr Hochman said he believed the brothers were not ready for resentencing because "they have not come clean" about their crimes. His office has also said it does not believe they were sexually abused. "Our position is not 'no'. It's not 'never'. It's 'not yet'," Mr Hochman said. "They have not fully accepted responsibility for all their criminal conduct." What happens now? The reduced sentencing has made the brothers immediately eligible for parole, but they must still appear before a state parole board, which will decide whether or not to release them from prison. While this decision is made, the brothers will remain behind bars. Their first hearing must take place no later than six months from their eligibility date, according to board policy. If they are denied at their first parole hearing, the brothers will continue to receive subsequent hearings until they are granted release. But the brothers have another potential avenue to freedom, having appealed to California governor Gavin Newsom for clemency before they were resentenced. Mr Newsom has the power to free them himself through clemency, and in February, he ordered the state parole board to investigate whether the brothers would pose a risk to the public. They already have a hearing before the board scheduled for 13 June, but that one was set as part of the clemency petition. It's not yet clear if that hearing will serve as their formal parole hearing or if a separate one will be scheduled. Mr Newsom can override any decision the board makes. Anne Bremner, a trial lawyer in Seattle, said the brothers will be preparing for the parole board and aiming to impress upon them that they should be let out, but suggested the board members will already have a clear view. "My guess is the parole board has been watching this and of course they've done these risk assessments already," she said, adding they will know "who these two are, what their alleged crimes were and what they've done since the time that they were incarcerated until today." Potential new evidence The brothers' lawyers have also submitted a letter Erik wrote to his cousin as new evidence, saying it was not seen by the jury when the brothers were sentenced in 1996 and could have influenced their decision. The letter is dated months before the murders, which they say alludes to him being abused by his father, Jose Menendez. In the handwritten letter, Erik wrote: "I've been trying to avoid dad... every night, I stay up thinking he might come in." He also said he was "afraid" and that he needed to "put it out of my mind" and "stop thinking about it". Read more:Rapper Tory Lanez 'stabbed 14 times' in prison attackDiddy trial: What we know about the 12 members of the jury More new evidence submitted comes from Roy Rossello, a former member of the band Menudo, who alleges he was sexually assaulted by Jose Menendez as a teenager in the 1980s. He has provided a signed declaration of his alleged rape by Jose Menendez to the brothers' lawyers, which the lawyers say is further proof of his supposed abusive nature. LA prosecutors filed a motion opposing the petition, but its status is unclear, and appears to have been halted while the brothers have pursued their resentencing and clemency. What happened in the original Menendez trials? On 20 August 1989, Lyle and Erik Menendez shot their parents, Jose and Mary Louise "Kitty" Menendez, multiple times at close range. The brothers, who were 21 and 18 at the time, initially told police they found them dead when they got home, but were eventually tried for their murder. During the original trial, prosecutors accused the brothers of killing their parents for a multimillion-dollar inheritance, although their defence team argued they acted out of self-defence after years of sexual abuse by their father. An initial attempt to try each brother individually in front of separate juries ended in a mistrial after both juries failed to reach a verdict. In their second trial, which saw the brothers tried together, the defence claimed the brothers committed the murders in self-defence after many years of alleged physical, emotional and sexual abuse at the hands of their father, with no protection from their mother. They said they had feared for their lives after threatening to expose their father. The prosecution argued the murders were motivated by greed, and they killed their parents to avoid disinheritance. Evidence of alleged abuse from their defence case was largely excluded from the joint trial by the judge. In 1996, seven years after the killings, a jury found the brothers guilty, and they were convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to murder. They were sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. But the brothers and many of their family members have continued to fight for their freedom ever since. Although their focus of late has shifted towards the brothers' rehabilitation in prison, their main argument in recent years has been that more evidence of Jose Menendez's alleged abuse has come out since the last trial, and that a modern jury would have a better understanding of the impact of abuse than one 30 years ago.

Approving the money will ultimately be a decision for the Treasury in the upcoming spending review, but it has wide support among backbench MPs who have urged the government to do for towns "what Blair and Brown did for cities" and regenerate them. Plans unveiled to ease prisons crisis - politics latest Labour MPs told Sky News austerity is the main driver of voters turning to Reform UK and investment is "absolutely critical". The plan is based on the findings of the Independent Commission on Neighbourhoods (ICON), which identified 613 "mission-critical" areas that most need progress on Sir Keir Starmer's "five missions": the economy, crime, the NHS, clean energy and education. The list of neighbourhoods has not been published but are largely concentrated around northern cities such as Manchester, Liverpool, Sunderland and Newcastle, a report said. Some of the most acute need is in coastal towns such as Blackpool, Clacton, and Great Yarmouth, while pockets of high deprivation have been identified in the Midlands and the south. Clacton is the seat of Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who is hoping to be Sir Keir's main challenger at the next general election following a meteoric rise in the polls. 'Residents deserve better' However, Labour MP for Blackpool South Chris Webb said this wasn't about Reform - but investing in places that have been forgotten. He told Sky News: "Coastal towns like my hometown of Blackpool have been overlooked by successive governments for too long, and it's time to change that narrative. "The findings of the ICON report are a wake-up call, highlighting the urgent need for investment in our communities to address the alarming levels of crime, antisocial behaviour, poverty, and the stark disparities in life expectancy." He said he'd be lobbying for at least £1m in funding. His residents are "understandably frustrated and angry" and "deserve better". 'Investment essential to beat Reform' The spending review, which sets all departments' budgets for future years, will happen on 11 June. It will be Rachel Reeves' first as chancellor and the first by a Labour government in over a decade. Southport MP Patrick Hurley told Sky News the last Labour government "massively invested in our big cities" after the dereliction of the 1980s, "but what Blair and Brown did for our cities, it's now on the new government to do for our towns". He added: "Investment in our places to restore pride, and improve the look and feel of where people live, is essential." Another Labour backbencher in support of the report, Jake Richards, said seats like his Rother Valley constituency had been "battered by deindustrialisation and austerity". "Governments of different colours have not done enough, and now social and economic decay is driving voters to Farage," he said. "We need a major investment programme in deprived neighbourhoods to get tough on the causes of Reform." Read more:Starmer defends 'tiny tariff' dealPM rejects Enoch Powell comparison ICON is chaired by former Labour minister Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top. The report said focusing on neighbourhoods is the most efficient route to mission delivery and is likely to have more support among voters "than grandiose national visions of transformation" - pointing to the Tories' "failed levelling up agenda". The last major neighbourhood policy initiative was New Labour's "New Deal for Communities", which funded the regeneration of 39 of England's poorest areas. Research suggests it narrowed inequalities on its targeted outcomes and had a cost-ratio benefit. It was scrapped by the coalition government. Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner has already announced £1.5bn "Plan for Neighbourhoods" to invest in 75 areas over the next decade, with up to £20m available for each. A government source told Sky News expanding the programme "would be a decision for the upcoming spending review".

Amorim was "embarrassed" after West Ham came to Old Trafford and won for the first time in nine matches to move above United, whose dreadful Premier League campaign has left them 16th in the table after losing 17 games. The United boss warned that everyone at the club must "seriously think about a lot of things" before saying they should "give space to other people" if the poor form continues after the summer. But Amorim insisted in his press conference ahead of next Wednesday's Europa League final against Tottenham that he has no plans to step down. Transfer Centre LIVE! | Man Utd news & transfers🔴Man Utd fixtures & scores | FREE Man Utd PL highlights▶️Got Sky? Watch Man Utd games LIVE on your phone📱Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW 📺Sky Sports to show 215 Premier League games next season Asked if he would seriously resign, Amorim said: "I am far from quitting." "What I am saying is that since I arrived here I am always talking about the standards. I cannot see the team having these results, especially in the Premier League, and not say something and take responsibility," he added. "I have a clear plan of what to do. I understand the problems of the team." But the United boss, far more upbeat than in the aftermath of the defeat to West Ham, warned "we need to perform or else they will change us". Amorim confirms he is paying for staff tickets to final Amorim also confirmed he had agreed to pay for his backroom staff to go to next week's Europa League final after reports claimed the club would not be covering the cost of their tickets. This is just the latest cost-cutting measure implemented under United's minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who has overseen more than 400 redundancies since taking control of football operations from the Glazer family. Amorim, who acknowledged it is "hard to manage things" at United, said the cut-backs made it difficult for the club to pay for those staff still in a job. "We have had a lot of people leaving and a lot of changes in our staff," Amorim said. "In our club at the moment it is sometimes hard to understand when to take and when to give and to respect the people when we have taken their jobs to survive and rebuild. "It is complicated for the club to give to other members of staff, so it is a really hard position. "That situation was explained and my reaction was to help because - I am not a good guy - it is not going to change my life. The players had the same reaction. "Everybody wants the staff and the families there." Man Utd's defensive quartet pushing to be fit for the final Amorim says injured United defenders Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt, Ayden Heaven and Diogo Dalot are pushing to feature in next week's Europa League final. Yoro joined fellow centre-backs De Ligt and Heaven on the sidelines after limping off in Sunday's 2-0 loss to West Ham with a foot injury. The trio were absent from training just a week out from facing Spurs and head coach Amorim said: "I don't know if they are going to be available. "We are going to try to push because it's the final matches and this is a final, you know that. All the players want to play that really bad, so I don't know. "I think they will not go to Chelsea [on Friday], but we will have a possibility to have some of them in the final." Lisandro Martinez and Joshua Zirkzee are ruled out of the match against Tottenham next Wednesday. Jonny Evans and Toby Collyer were in training a week out from the final, while full-back Dalot did an individual session before the main group trained as he seeks to make it to Spain. The 26-year-old has made 51 appearances for United this term in all competitions but last month suffered a potentially season-ending calf injury. "Dalot is trying really bad," Amorim said. "I don't want to risk Dalot because when you start getting one injury, second injury [follows] and then it's a big thing. "We cannot have these kinds of problems in our squad, so we will see but he's working really hard to get in the final." Dalot told Sky Sports News he is doing everything he can to be fit for the final. "I am working really hard, you can imagine how much I want to be back as soon as possible," he said. Sky Sports to show 215 live PL games from next season From next season, Sky Sports' Premier League coverage will increase from 128 matches to at least 215 games exclusively live. And 80 per cent of all televised Premier League games next season are on Sky Sports.