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Former prime minister Tony Blair has defended his controversial on-the-runs (OTR) scheme for republicans during the peace process. Mr Blair said the scheme was part of his government’s efforts to prevent further terror-related deaths. “That was what we were trying to resolve,” he said. “It was a very difficult situation but we did the best we could with it.” The OTR scheme was set up by Mr Blair’s Labour government

Davina McCall is to host a dating show for older people as an alternative to programmes such as Love Island. The series, which has the working title of The Romance Retreat, will follow single parents from across the UK and all walks of life as they live together in a country house. The group will have the objective of finding “true love”, although further details about the format are scarce.

Gianni Infantino hit back at his media critics on the day he was re-elected for a new four-year term as FIFA president at the organisation’s Congress in Rwanda. The Swiss said some reports concerning his support base were “racist” and argued FIFA is singled out for negative press when it proposes new competitions. Infantino had started his press conference on the eve of last year’s World Cup in Doha with

MPs will get their first chance to vote on Rishi Sunak’s new deal with the EU on post-Brexit trading arrangements in Northern Ireland next week. Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt said the House will be asked on Wednesday to approve regulations to implement the so-called Stormont brake element of the Windsor Framework. Downing Street said the measure – which potentially gives the UK a veto over the imposition of new EU

The actor who plays the Prince of Wales during his university years in Netflix show The Crown was seen jogging in St Andrews as filming for the next series continues in the town. Ed McVey was spotted wearing tracksuit bottoms and a hoodie with the University of St Andrews logo on it while being filmed running at the town’s East Scores. The 21-year-old was also seen having a bite to

Dominic Calvert-Lewin will not be part of the Everton squad to take on Chelsea on Saturday after ‘feeling something’ in training. The Toffees are desperately short of options up front but Calvert-Lewin’s absence with a hamstring problem that has dogged him all season will extend at least until after the international break. The England forward has made only 12 appearances all season, the last of which came in the victory

TikTok has been banned from Government phones after a security review but ministers and officials will still be able to use the Chinese-owned app on their personal phones. Cabinet Office minister Oliver Dowden announced the move, which he said would be “good cyber hygiene” amid a risk to “sensitive Government data”, with immediate effect on Thursday. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had been under pressure from senior MPs to follow the

The friend of a teenage boy stabbed to death outside his school gates told police it happened because he “joined a gang and had left”, a court has been told. Khayri McLean, 15, died in a “well-planned and targeted” knifing at the entrance to North Huddersfield Trust School after being attacked by two balaclava-wearing youths “lying in wait” for him as he left, prosecutors say. A 15-year-old boy who knifed

Ivan Toney has returned to Gareth Southgate’s England squad – despite a potential ban hanging over his head. The in-form Brentford striker is in Southgate’s first squad since the World Cup quarter-final exit to France in December for Euro 2024 qualifiers against Italy and Ukraine this month. But Chelsea’s Raheem Sterling is missing for the opening qualifying matches, having been absent for the Blues’ 3-1 win at Leicester at the weekend. Toney is