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Sir Keir Starmer recalls today how, at the age of 13, he had the harrowing task of telling his siblings that their seriously ill mother might die. The Labour leader reveals the emotional toll that his mother’s lifelong battle with a debilitating form of arthritis took on his formative years in a candid interview for Desert Island Discs on Radio 4. ‘As young children we spent a lot of time in and out of high-dependency units with my mum, thinking we were going to lose her,’ says the father-of-two. ‘I remember one occasion when I was about 13 or 14, my dad phoning me from the hospital and saying, “I don’t think your mum’s going to make it. Will you tell the others?” That was tough. It was really tough. We pulled through that as a family.’ SOUL MAN: A young Keir Starmer. He recalls in a candid interview today on Desert Island Discs how, at the age of 13, he had the harrowing task of telling his siblings that their seriously ill mother might die Sir Keir describes how his mother, Josephine

Thousands of NHS staff will be hit with ‘disgusting’ hikes for their hospital car parking, making a mockery of Ministers’ temporary free parking pledge, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. An internal document leaked to this newspaper shows the cost of annual parking permits will go up by 200 per cent for NHS workers at one of the UK’s biggest trusts, with new permits costing up to £1,440. One senior nurse, who has worked for the NHS for 30 years, will see her annual parking charge rise from £240 to £720 as a result. She told this newspaper: ‘We’re being treated badly enough as nurses with no real pay rise. Thousands of NHS staff will be hit with ‘disgusting’ hikes for their hospital car parking, making a mockery of Ministers’ temporary free parking pledge ‘Morale is low anyway. We’re all absolutely shattered, and you don’t feel your hospital is supporting you in any shape or form.’ The nurse said her colleagues are ‘absolutely furious’ but added: ‘Whisteblowers aren’t really thanked in the

As a put-down, it could scarcely have been more withering. It was May 2007 and Kate and Pippa Middleton, as they mixed in aristocratic circles, were dubbed The Wisteria Sisters. ‘They’re highly decorative, terribly fragrant and have a ferocious ability to climb,’ was one mocking taunt. Underpinning this bitchy barb was the implication the Middleton girls were getting above their station. ‘It was like something from a Jane Austen novel,’ recalled a family friend. ‘Would they have been insulted like that if they were ordinary-looking or weren’t being feted in the media? I doubt it. As well as blatant snobbery, it was also motivated by old-fashioned jealousy.’ The nasty label failed to stick. But it followed equally unpleasant jibes about the girls’ mother, Carole, a former British Airways stewardess. Sneering references to ‘doors to manual’ were accompanied by mutterings about her supposedly sharp elbows and long evenings plotting her family’s social advancement. And, cruelly, the notion

Michael Jackson's lawyer claimed the singer's documentary with Martin Bashir 'set in motion a series of very tragic events' which ultimately lead to his death in 2009. Tom Mesereau defended Jackson during his child molestation trial in 2005, during which he was found not guilty on all 14 counts against him. The lawyer, 70, claims in an exclusive interview with The Daily Telegraph that Jackson told him that Mr Bashir 'flattered' the singer. He was told Mr Bashir promised Jackson a positive portrayal in the 2003 ITV documentary Living with Michael Jackson - similar to Diana's portrayal in her interview with the journalist.  However the sensational programme attracted worldwide publicity after the star - who was notoriously sceptical of the press - admitted that he shared his bed with children. Two years later, Jackson - who died in 2009 - faced trial for alleged child abuse and extortion but was cleared of all charges. Mr Mesereau claims he 'always wondere

Friends of Prince Charles launched a blistering attack on The Crown last night, accusing producers of the hit Netflix drama of ‘trolling on a Hollywood budget’. Some of the Prince’s closest confidantes have accused the streaming giant of exploiting the Royal Family’s pain for financial gain and raged that ‘fiction is presented as fact’ in its twisted version of events. The fourth series, which launches today, covers Charles’s doomed marriage to Princess Diana, her eating disorders and his affair with Camilla Parker Bowles. But the broadcaster’s willingness to traduce the reputation of the Royals has raised fresh questions among senior family members about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s decision to sign a multi-million-pound deal with the California-based broadcaster. Emma Corrin as Princess Diana and Josh O'Connor as Prince Charles in the fourth series of Netflix's The Crown. Friends of Charles launched a blistering attack on the show, accusing producers of of ‘trolling on a

England manager Gareth Southgate battled coronavirus in secret in October and was forced to self-isolate for ten days. The former Aston Villa player, 50, developed symptoms and subsequently tested positive around October 25. Another test - taken after he isolated for 10 days in his North Yorkshire home - came back negative.  Only a small number of people knew Southgate tested positive - with players on the England team remaining in the dark. England manager Gareth Southgate (pictured on October 7, before he tested positive) battled coronavirus in secret in October and was forced to self-isolate for ten days Southgate appeared in good spirits during England's triumphant win over Ireland on Thursday   A source told The Sun: 'He's a professional, he just got on with it. Fortunately he's very fit for his age.'   His self isolation meant he was forced to miss Premier League matches which he planned to attend as part of preparation for ongoing international games. He was