British Labour and Co-operative MP for Redcar since 2024
A boat carrying about 157 people has caught fire during an attempted Channel crossing and French and British authorities have rescued everyone on board and taken them to Boulogne-sur-Mer. No deaths have been reported. The incident has come as UK politicians renew calls to curb small-boat crossings and as crossings remain down year‑on‑year so far in 2026.
A record summer of heat, drought and wildfires has prompted an emergency Cobra meeting and voluntary retailer suspensions of disposable-barbecue sales. Green groups have written to Prime Minister Andy Burnham urging him to call the crisis 'climate change' and stop new North Sea drilling; Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice has questioned net zero and urged adaptation and celebration of warmer weather.
Two Cleveland police officers, PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough, have been killed after a Volkswagen Passat driving the wrong way on the A66 near South Bank collided with their marked armed response vehicle at about 03:39 BST. Five occupants of the Passat also died. The Independent Office for Police Conduct has opened an investigation and police have arrested people in related enquiries.
A wave of violence in Cleveland’s Teesside area has prompted a major police deployment after a head‑on crash killed seven people, including two officers, and a fatal house fire claimed a seven‑year‑old girl and her aunt. Authorities say investigations are ongoing into possible links to organised crime.
The UK and France have stepped up operations to stop small-boat crossings, with more officers deployed and a record 230 migrants aboard a single vessel reported this summer. Ministers say co-operation is bearing fruit, but authorities warn smugglers continue to adapt as arrivals fall overall.