Sir Keir Starmer’s current welfare minister said the Prime Minister “destroyed” his own authority by watering down his benefit reforms last year, in damaging secret texts revealed in the Mandelson files.
Pat McFadden, the Work and Pensions Secretary, was discussing with Lord Mandelson – then-US ambassador – the Labour rebellion against sickness and disability benefit cuts which threatened to wipe out the Prime Minister’s House of Commons majority.
McFadden also criticised Labour MPs who were against the cuts, saying: “Every meeting I have is, ‘Who can we tax in order to pay benefits to others,'” the text messages reveal.
Shorts
Why house prices could fall by more this summer
How the Henry Nowak arrest went wrong
Is the UK set for another record-breaking summer?
Why you need to do more strength training than you think
All you need to know as Ukraine hits St Petersburg oil port
What Lebanon’s Beaufort Castle is – and why Israel has captured it
Rugby league legend John Kear dies ‘suddenly’ – what we know
The seven players to watch at the 2026 World Cup
MONEY
Why house prices could drop again summer
Alina Khan
Money Coach Reporter
The property market is showing signs of struggling.
House prices fell for the first time this year in May, according to figures from building society Nationwide.
Why are house prices falling?
The cause is fairly clear but rising interest rates, driven by a bump in inflation since the start of the war in Iran, have limited what buyers can afford.
The dip in prices has been moderate so far – 0.6 per cent last month, according to Nationwide. Buyers may also want to negotiate prices if their mortgage offers expire and they are faced with higher costs.
The expert view
I have had a couple of buyers who have had to get new mortgage offers already, and the difference [on the rate] is about 1 per cent from pre-Iran … buyers then want some money off the asking price to curb the extra monthly payments.
Matt Dawson, director of estate agency Westwood Property Services
Property market stand off
Dawson said some sellers were willing to negotiate on price, but most were “still in denial” that the property market has become tougher. That sort of issue can bring property transactions to a halt.
“Anyone who secured a rate in late 2025 or early 2026 will be coming up against that expiry window now. Higher mortgage rates may mean potentially hundreds of pounds extra a month on a typical mortgage today,” said Richard Donnell, executive director at Zoopla.
Down valuations
Expiring mortgage contracts are not the only thing causing issues in the market. Slight property price drops are prompting more mortgage lenders to lower their valuations, which can, in some cases, lead to sales falling through or buyers asking for reductions.
First Person
I'm a property investment specialist – here are the common mistakes people make
5 min read
CRIME
How the Henry Nowak arrest went wrong
Cahal Milmo, Alannah Francis
Reporters
The fear of being accused of racism hangs over many officers and can impact their judgement when arriving at the scene of a crime, police insiders have warned following the death of Henry Nowak.
The attack
Vickrum Digwa, 23, was jailed on Monday for a minimum of 21 years after a jury convicted him of the murder of the teenager.
- Digwa stabbed Henry five times using a 21cm blade he was allowed to carry as part of his Sikh faith
- He then lied to officers at the scene, claiming that he had been the victim of a racist attack.
- Bodycam footage shows officers handcuffing and arresting Nowak.
- He repeatedly complained that he could not breathe and had been the victim of a stabbing. Nowak died at the scene.
What mistakes did police make?
Officers dealing with the attack on the 18-year-old student should have revised their approach and fully searched him for injuries from the moment the stricken university student told them “I’ve been stabbed”, two former Scotland Yard officers said.
The former officers said police attending the scene of the knife attack had failed in their “duty of care and investigation” by not thoroughly examining Nowak and not escalating the arrest.
The expert view
It is potentially going to change their judgement or actions.
A former Met officer and instructor in dealing with crime scenes suggested there were grounds for concern that inexperience may have been an issue and that efforts to tackle racial prejudice in policing had resulted in officers feeling “apprehension” when an allegation of racism is made at a crime scene.
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Issues over the arrest
One of the former Met Police officers also highlighted the policing principle, “assume nothing, believe nobody and check everything”, appeared to have not been followed.
The officers also questioned why he had been handcuffed with his hands behind his back, potentially exacerbating his condition.
The police response
The Hampshire force referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) within 24 hours of the killing. The watchdog’s investigation is continuing. Hampshire Police declined to comment when approached, saying the incident remained under investigation by the IOPC.
The Hampshire Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, said: “The officers’ actions that night are subject to rigorous independent scrutiny and we must let that process run its course.”
WEATHER
Is the UK set for another hot summer?
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The UK may see a warmer-than-average summer with the potential for more heatwaves, according to the Met Office as it revealed its long-range forecasts into the summer.
What do the forecasts say?
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The Met Office suggests “an increased chance of heatwaves and heat-related impacts” for the summer.
It comes after a late spring heatwave saw record-breaking temperatures across the UK.
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MeteoGroup – providers of BBC Weather data – said “above-average temperatures” are expected in June, July and August.
Is a drought expected?
MeteoGroup expects a drier period, although the Met Office suggests an average or potentially even wetter-than-normal season, the BBC reported.
Record-breaking May
A new May record of 35.1°C was set in May in Kew Gardens, beating the record of 32.8°C in 1944.
Yellow and amber heat health alerts were also issued for the first time this year.
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HEALTH
Why you need to do more strength training
Clare Wilson
Science Writer
Forget lifting heavy – lifting for longer may be the secret to staying healthy. People should aim to clock up at least 90 minutes of strength training a week, a study has found.
How much strength training do you need?
Current UK guidelines say people should aim to do strength training at least two days a week. How long that should last is unspecified, but experts suggest some people may interpret that as about 60 minutes.
And surveys have found only a quarter of people in the UK are doing any strength training at all twice weekly. By contrast, the advice on aerobic exercise – the kind that gets your heart racing, like running – says it should be done for at least 150 minutes a week at moderate intensity.
What are the benefits?
Dr Yiwen Zhang, an epidemiologist at Harvard University, looked at results from three large US studies that tracked the habits of nearly 150,000 people for up to 30 years, publishing the results in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. The lowest death rate was in people who did between 90 and 120 minutes of strength training per week.
WORLD
What you need to know as Ukraine hits St Petersburg oil port
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Ukraine staged a large attack on a St Petersburg oil port on Wednesday, ahead of a major economic forum hosted by Vladimir Putin in the city.
What happened?
The oil terminal on the Gulf of Finland is one of Russia’s largest fuel storage and export facilities. The attack happened hours before the opening of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum – Russia’s Davos – which involves high-profile foreign guests from 76 countries, including the US.
Watch more from The i Paper
Flagship forum under threat
The Ukrainian plan of long-range sanctions is being implemented exactly as it is needed to bring peace closer.
Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed Ukrainian drones had hit several locations in Russia, including a nearby naval base in Kronstadt.
Photographer: Anadolu
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Kronstadt is the main outpost of the Russian Navy’s Baltic fleet, with unverified videos showing drones targeting docked ships.
The latest on Russia-Ukraine war
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Russian losses
This comes as the UK’s largest spy agency claimed almost 500,000 Russian soldiers have been killed during the conflict.
Continued attacks
Russia and Ukraine have also exchanged a series of drone and missile strikes as peace talks continue to fail.
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Oil tanker seized
French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed a shadow fleet tanker had been seized with UK support.
What Lebanon’s Beaufort Castle is – and why Israel captured it
Israel announced the seizure of the medieval fortress yesterday, in the latest sign of its continued ceasefire breaches in the country.
Photographer: Stringer
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Source: REUTERS
Defence minister announces capture
Photographer: ISRAELI MILITARY
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Source: Handout
- Israel Katz said the Israeli flag was flying over the castle yesterday.
- The fort in southern Lebanon represents a strategic gain.
- Israeli Defence Forces have carried out strikes in the surrounding area.
What is Beaufort Castle?
Known as Qalaat al-Shaqif in Arabic, the castle was built by French crusaders in the 12th century. It is near Nabatieh and its position is 700m (2,300ft) above sea level and affords whoever controls it a view over southern Lebanon and northern Israel.
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Photographer: JALAA MAREY
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It has changed hands several times over the centuries, with Palestinian fighters using it as a base before Israel captured it in 1982. Israel then occupied it until withdrawing from southern Lebanon in 2000.
What is Israel doing in Lebanon?
Despite agreeing to a ceasefire on 16 April, Israel has continued to strike Lebanon with the aim of destroying the armed group Hezbollah, which mainly operates in the south of the country.
Beirut has been struck on two occasions and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered further strikes on the capital today.
Photographer: Amir Cohen
Provider: REUTERS
Source: REUTERS
Watch more from The i Paper
@theipaper Flames engulfed a warehouse in Khan Younis after it was hit by an Israeli strike on Thursday night, as civil defence workers struggled to put out the fire. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday he had directed Israel’s military to take more of Gaza, initially by seizing 70% of the Palestinian territory, where the population is already penned into a tiny strip of land along the coast. Israel effectively controls an estimated 64% of the tiny coastal Strip, bombarded to ruins by Israel’s two-year military assault that followed the 2023 Hamas attack on southern Israel.
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Rugby league legend John Kear dies ‘suddenly’ – what we know
The star passed away just a day after he could be heard commentating live on the Challenge Cup Final.
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Photographer: Richard Sellers
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Legendary coach dies on way home
Kear, 71, a former England, Wales and two-time Challenge Cup-winning coach, died yesterday afternoon as he travelled home from presenting on the match at Wembley.
He had retired from coaching in 2025 after a long career including 700 matches and coaching for three World Cups teams.
A closer look at the detail
He began his career with a decade playing for his local team Castleford, before winning the Challenge Cup twice as a coach. A shock victory with Sheffield Eagles in 1998 was followed by Hull in 2005, having led England to the semi-finals of the 2000 World Cup.
Issue date: Monday June 1, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Nigel Roddis/PA Wire
Photographer: Nigel Roddis
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Issue date: Monday June 1, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: David Jones/PA Wire
Photographer: David Jones
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The chair of the RFL said today: “It was always a pleasure to see John, at Wakefield Trinity games most recently, as he was full of energy and enthusiasm for the game he clearly loved and had given him so much, in the same way he had given back.”
More sport from The i Paper
@theipaper New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani marked Eid al-Adha celebrations in the Bronx on wearing a custom thobe fashioned from Arsenal’s 2025-26 away kit, a nod to his support for the newly-crowned Premier League champions. Arsenal claimed their first league title in 22 years this season and face Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final in Munich on Saturday, with Mamdani’s public show of support coming just days before the club’s biggest match in decades. mamdani arsenal COYG
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sport
The seven players to watch at the 2026 World Cup
With kick-off just a few weeks away and Thomas Tuchel’s squad ready to go, here are the players you should look out for in North America this summer.
High scorers
All eyes in this country will be on Harry Kane, England’s top goalscorer and captain. After a stunning season for Bayern Munich, this is likely his last chance to lead England to glory.
Photographer: ANDER GILLENEA
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At the other end of the career path, Lamine Yamal for Spain is also one to watch. At just 18, the Barcelona star has already scored for his country and hopes to bring them to victory after their Euros win in 2024.
Top of their game
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Vinícius Júnior
A veteran attacker returning to the World Cup after his last appearance in 2002.
Kylian Mbappe
The striker has scored 12 goals in 14 World Cup appearances for France.
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Erling Haaland
A top scorer for club sides, the striker will finally represent Norway.
England’s ones that got away
After representing England at U21 level, the ruthless attacker Jamal Musiala is now playing for Germany.
Michael Olise could have played for England, but the Crystal Palace right winger chose France instead.
Watch more on the World Cup
@theipaper Will the World Cup impact your exam results? Well, a study from the University of Bristol has shown this could genuinely be the case. The study revealed that during tournament years, the number of people who achieve a pass grade of a five reduces by 12% across the UK, reducing by 28% for those who are deemed “likely football fans”. #UK #football #news #worldcup
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In private WhatsApp messages on 24 June revealed in the Mandelson files, as a 120-strong Labour revolt gathered pace, McFadden said the situation was “very bad” with rebels “not moving” despite a full Cabinet effort to meet and talk around MPs.
McFadden said Starmer was “meeting the ringleaders today”, adding: “I think it’s very bad. Defeat, pull [the] bill or gut it all destroy his authority.”
McFadden added: “Keir’s authority.” Mandelson replied: “Yes I am afraid so.”
The next day, Starmer’s Government caved to the rebels and U-turned on planned cuts to the personal independence payment (PIP) and the sickness element of universal credit (UC) – costing the Government £3bn and blowing a hole in Rachel Reeves’s spending plans.
The climbdown has widely been seen as the moment Starmer’s leadership was fatally undermined, and the texts will further damage the PM as he appears to head towards a leadership challenge from Andy Burnham or Wes Streeting, or both.
McFadden’s criticism of MPs who were resisting the welfare cuts had come weeks earlier in another exchange with Mandelson on 2 May, where he accused them of “asking the wrong questions”.
Elsewhere, McFadden, often seen as a Starmer loyalist, and Mandelson discussed other concerns with the PM’s leadership.
At one point, Mandelson said that the “comms leadership is shit” in No 10 “by common agreement”, picking up on concerns that Downing Street was failing to get its messaging out.
He also claimed that Starmer’s own chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, told him that he had “no faith in Keir’s ability to change No 10” and that he should therefore prioritise winning the support of Labour backbenchers.
Elsewhere, Mandelson told McFadden that Starmer’s leadership style was “advance/buckle/advance/buckle” following a string of damaging policy U-turns.
In other exchanges which show that concern about Starmer was not restricted to a narrow set of senior Labour figures, Pensions Minister Torsten Bell suggests that the Government has been “messy” due to a failure to grip policy.
After Bell said “the big picture” of the Government is “messy” in a text exchange in July 2025, Mandelson responded by saying that “it’s messy because the government doesn’t do policy, generally speaking, well enough. It all starts with policy”.
Bell goes on to reply: “Well that is definitely true – everyone seems to think it’s someone else’s job to get the policy right… which is very odd”
Mandelson replied: “As the saying goes, rubbish in rubbish out…”
Responding to McFadden’s comments on welfare, the Conservatives said: “Labour’s Welfare Secretary admitted to Peter Mandelson what he won’t tell you. Labour raised your taxes to pay for more benefits.”
The i Paper understands McFadden has been working on a new attempt at welfare reform focused on work and opportunity for young people.
A spokeswoman for McFadden said: “Pat has fully complied with the Humble Address and handed over all messages.
“His only contact with Peter Mandelson since he left government has been to urge him to think about the victims in all this and apologise to them.”