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Louise Redknapp has been accused of throwing her Eternal bandmates “under the bus” following a row over performing at LGBTQ festivals and Pride events.

The band had been due to reunite next year but Redknapp pulled out of the reunion after claims Easther and Vernie Bennett had refused to play certain dates over objections to trans issues.

The fourth member of the original band, Kelle Bryan, also appeared to distance herself from the reunion, writing on Instagram: “My stance and allegiances have always been that I am an advocate for inclusion and equality for all.”

Now Denis Ingoldsby, Eternal’s original manager, has stepped in to defend the Bennett sisters, saying their views have been “misrepresented”.

Ingoldsby, who manages Vernie and Easther Bennett, told Sky News: “Louise and her team have thrown them under the bus and everyone is totally appalled at their bullying behaviour by totally misrepresenting the situation to suit their own agenda.

“The girls sent an email to Louise’s camp saying they loved playing Pride, and they loved the ethos of the event.

“For her camp to go on the record suggesting they are homophobic is utterly outrageous. This is nothing about gay rights.”

UK premiere of 'The Little Mermaid' ** STORY AVAILABLE, CONTACT SUPPLIER** Featuring: Louise Redknapp Where: London, United Kingdom When: 15 May 2023 Credit: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE** (Cover Images via AP Images)
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Louise Redknapp was accused of ‘misrepresenting the situation’. Pic: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images

Ingoldsby added: “The girls have played numerous LGBTQI venues their entire careers and have been inspired by the love and acceptance they have received.

“This is about the debate about the trans lobby and the erosion of the rights of women and children. Vernie said she had some concerns about the Pride movement being hijacked – and she is not alone – but this has now been weaponised against her, with Louise’s team trying to get her cancelled.

“The fact that the public statements by Louise’s team conveniently failed to acknowledge these concerns… once again shows how women are being excluded from the conversation.”

Redknapp’s publicist responds to criticism

Ingoldsby said the sisters had been “devastated” by the row, adding: “It’s about the music, nothing negative, it’s about entertaining people and nothing else.”

The manager said both Easther and Vernie are still planning to perform future shows as Eternal, describing Easther as “our Beyonce”.

Responding to the accusations, Redknapp’s publicist Simon Jones told Sky News: “Denis Ingoldsby was not involved in the discussions about all four members of Eternal reuniting over the last two years.

“The fact remains that an email was sent saying that Vernie and Easther would only do the Eternal reunion if no Pride or LGBTQ+ festivals were included in the plan.

“Louise would obviously not agree to excluding the LGBTQ+ community from the band’s touring plans, and as such notified the duo that she would not be taking part.”

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Pic: Rex/Shutterstock
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Eternal in 1995, the year Redknapp left the band. Pic: Rex/Shutterstock

Jones previously told Sky News: “Louise is a huge supporter and ally of the LGBTQ+ community and both herself and Kelle told the duo they would not work with anyone who held these views, and as such the reunion as a four would not be going ahead.

“The team behind the proposed Eternal reunion are gay – including management, PR and tour promoter – and neither myself nor any of the team would work with artists who held such views about the trans community.”

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At the weekend, Redknapp posted a picture of the Progress Pride flag to her social media feeds, captioned “Always & Forever” – the title of Eternal’s first album.

The 1990s girl band – whose hits include Stay, Always & Forever and I Wanna Be The Only One – formed in 1992, and were the UK’s answer to hit American girl band En Vogue.

Their debut album Always & Forever was the first album by a girl group to sell more than a million copies in the UK, and they went on to have 14 top 15 UK hits and four top 10 albums.

Redknapp left the group in 1995 to pursue a solo career. Bryan left Eternal three years later, briefly reuniting with the Bennett sisters in 2013 and performing a concert as a trio at London’s Hammersmith Apollo in early 2014.

If the 2024 reunion tour had taken place, it would have been the first time the original four Eternal bandmates had performed together in 28 years.

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M4 and M48 closed after human remains found

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M4 and M48 closed after human remains found

Two motorways have been shut after human remains were found on the road. 

Several drivers reported a body on the carriageway between junctions 20 and 21 of the M4 – between Almondsbury and Awkley – at about 6.40pm this evening.

The body is believed to be that of a man in his forties, whose next of kin have been told.

A police investigation to establish how the person came to be on the motorway continues.

Parts of the M4 and M48 motorways near Bristol are likely to remain closed until the early hours of Sunday morning, Avon and Somerset Police said.

In a statement, the force said: “Police are keen to hear from anyone who was travelling along that stretch of the M4 has any relevant information or dashcam footage.”

The road closures were likely to cause significant delays in and out of Wales tonight, with closures starting on the English side of the Prince of Wales Bridge and the Severn Bridge.

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National Highways said the M4 is shut in both directions between junctions 20 and 21, while the M48 eastbound is closed from junction 1 near Aust.

The links from the M5 junction 15 south to the M4 junction 20 west, and the M5 junction 16 north to M4 junction 20 west were also closed.

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Starmer asks US to stand by Ukraine with security guarantee as bad peace deal would be ‘disaster’ for all

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Starmer asks US to stand by Ukraine with security guarantee as bad peace deal would be 'disaster' for all

Sir Keir Starmer has urged Donald Trump to stand by Ukraine with a security guarantee as he warned a bad peace deal would be a “disaster for everyone”.

The prime minister is due to meet the US president for talks in Washington DC next week amid fragile relations between America and Europe after Mr Trump launched a verbal attack on President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The US president called Ukraine’s leader a “dictator” on Wednesday and later said Sir Keir and French President Emmanuel Macron, both of whom will visit the White House in the coming days, “haven’t done anything” to end the war.

Sir Keir Starmer leaves after a meeting in Paris with European leaders on Ukraine on 17 February. Pic: Reuters
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Sir Keir Starmer met with European leaders in Paris on Monday to discuss Ukraine. Pic: Reuters

Sir Keir said a good peace “can only be won through strength” and Ukraine “must have a voice in negotiations about its future”.

And he warned that a “peace deal which does not stop Putin from attacking again would be a disaster for everyone”.

Writing in The Sun on Sunday, he said Kyiv needs strong security guarantees “so the peace will last” and America “must be part of that guarantee”.

This could mean providing air defence and a promise that the US will come to the aid of a NATO country if Russia attacks them, the paper reported.

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So far, talks aimed at ending the war have been taking place between US and Russian delegations in Saudi Arabia, which have not included the Ukrainians.

UK Defence Secretary John Healey has said “any negotiations about Ukraine cannot happen without Ukraine. We all want the fighting to end, but an insecure peace risks more war”.

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‘Turn the screws’ on Russia

The third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine is on Monday.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy has said he will unveil new sanctions to “turn the screws” on Russia on Monday to coincide with the anniversary.

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Sir Keir also said the UK must increase its defence spending and play a bigger role in NATO.

And he is open to British troops playing a role in any European force in Ukraine after a peace agreement.

He added: “This is not something I say lightly.”

Sir Keir, along with other European allies and UK opposition parties, has backed Mr Zelensky as a “democratically elected leader”.

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Conflicting views over Ukraine deal

Also, Washington has warned that Europe must shoulder more of the cost of its own security.

Sir Keir is expected to use his upcoming trip to the US to confirm a timeline to raise UK defence spending from 2.3% to 2.5% of gross domestic product (GDP) in a bid to ease tensions.

It comes amid pressure from defence chiefs and opposition critics including Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, who wrote to the prime minister on Saturday demanding he set out a plan for meeting the target.

:: Education secretary Bridget Phillipson, campaigner for global health and education Sarah Brown, and shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge will be discussing all the latest political stories in the UK and around the world on the Trevor Phillips on Sunday show on Sky News from 8.30am

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Girl, 3, dies after tram and van crash in Manchester city centre

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Girl, 3, dies after tram and van crash in Manchester city centre

A three-year-old girl has died after a collision between a tram and a van in Manchester city centre.

The girl was taken to hospital but died from her injuries, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said.

“No arrests have been made and inquiries are ongoing,” the force said.

The child was a pedestrian and was not travelling in either the tram or van, GMP said.

The fatal collision happened on Mosley Street shortly before 10am, a Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) spokesperson said.

“All of our thoughts are with her family and loved ones at this incredibly difficult time. We are supporting police with their investigation,” a statement said.

A North West Ambulance Service spokesperson said two ambulances, a rapid response vehicle and two air ambulance crews attended the scene.

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TfGM said there was continued disruption across the Metrolink after the incident and advised people to check the Bee Network website and app for the latest travel information.

Manchester‘s Bee Network said: “Due to a road traffic collision on Mosley Street in the city centre, no tram services are operating between St Peter’s Square and Piccadilly Gardens.”

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An X post from GMP’s traffic officers said: “Our officers are currently in attendance at a collision, involving a tram and another vehicle in Manchester city centre.

“We are presently trying to establish the circumstances however we envisage there will be a lengthy closure of surrounding streets near to St Peters Square.”

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