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Parts of the UK are facing power cuts and widespread travel disruption thanks to Storm Lilian – with high winds forcing Leeds Festival organisers to shut two stages.

The storm surged across Wales and England this morning and left more than 60,000 homes across the north of England without power or facing supply issues.

Northern Powergrid said it has experienced “high levels of disruption to power supplies with over 63,418 customers having been affected so far”.

The worst affected area is West Yorkshire, it added. It said it has managed to “reconnect more than 27,000 customers of those who have been impacted”.

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A statement posted on Northern Powergrid’s website said: “We know how difficult it can be for our customers during a power cut and we will continue to work throughout the storm to get the power back on as quickly as possible.”

Northern Rail has reported issues across its network, with services to and from cities including Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield and Wigan affected.

Passengers were this morning advised to avoid travel, and disruption was expected until 11am.

A number of routes in Wales – Wrexham General to Chester and Bidston, Machynlleth to Shrewsbury – have also faced disruption.

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A tree branch blocks a cycle path in Leeds city centre as storm Lilian hits the UK. Picture date: Friday August 23, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story WEATHER Lilian. Photo credit should read: Danny Lawson/PA Wire
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A tree branch blocks a cycle path in Leeds city centre. Pic: PA

A police officer looks on as workers begin to remove fallen tree branches after strong winds brought by Storm Lilian brought down trees blocking roads and tram routes in Manchester, Britain, August 23, 2024. REUTERS/Phil Noble
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Police on the scene as workers remove fallen tree branches blocking roads and tram routes in Manchester. Pic: Reuters

As strong winds hit Leeds Festival, organisers urged people camping to “stay in your tents if you are onsite and feel safe to do so”.

A post on X continued: “If you are in your car, please remain there. If you are not yet at the festival site, please delay your arrival.”

They later said two stages – the BBC Radio 1 stage and the brand new ‘Aux’ venue – will not feature performances today.

Flights have also been disrupted with British Airways cancelling 14 departures that had been due to take off from London’s Heathrow. A number of other aircraft were delayed.

A spokesperson for the airline said the disruption was “due to restrictions imposed by air traffic control as a result of adverse weather across the UK”.

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Scaffolding that has been blown over in Rhyl, Wales, as storm Lilian hits the UK.
Pic:David Bailey/PA
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Scaffolding that has been blown over in Rhyl, Wales, as storm Lilian hits the UK. Pic: David Bailey/PA

What’s the forecast for the rest of the weekend?

A yellow weather warning for rain is in place across much of South East England, for 6am to 1pm on Saturday.

The warning covers an area from the Isle of Wight up to Ipswich, Suffolk, and includes London.

People should expect “spells of rain, heavy at times, likely to cause some travel disruption and perhaps flooding in a few places”, the Met Office said.

The North and North West will continue to see “a fairly unsettled weekend”, with various fronts moving in and bringing more persistent rain, particularly for parts of western Scotland and Northern Ireland, according to the Met Office.

Temperatures in the South East will reach 21C (69.8F) on Saturday and Sunday and 23C (73.4F) on Monday, slightly below average for the time of year.

On Sunday, southern Britain and Ireland will be mainly dry, with some sunshine, but elsewhere there’ll be showers or longer spells of rain. It’ll be on the cool side again and rather blustery, especially in the North.

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A similar picture is expected for bank holiday Monday as southern and eastern Britain will be mainly dry, with bright or sunny spells while the wind will pick up again in the North and West.

Temperatures will remain below average for most of the country.

Looking further ahead, more settled weather is expected later next week to end the month and season, Sky’s Jo Robinson said.

There’s also growing confidence that very warm or hot conditions will affect the South at least.

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PM to make major NHS announcement in pivotal conference speech

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PM to make major NHS announcement in pivotal conference speech

Sir Keir Starmer will today announce a major overhaul of the NHS, promising an “online hospital” that will deliver millions of extra appointments and help cut long waiting times, as he outlines his vision for a “fairer” Britain.

In his keynote address to the Labour Party conference, the prime minister will set out plans for the digital service – NHS Online – to launch in 2027.

Politics Hub: Follow the PM’s speech from 2pm

The platform will allow patients to access prescriptions, book scans and tests, receive clinical advice, and manage appointments through the NHS app.

Labour claim the initiative will provide up to 8.5 million extra NHS appointments in its first three years. It will also let patients schedule in-person procedures at local hospitals, surgical hubs or diagnostic centres, reducing delays.

Describing the move as “a new chapter in the story of our NHS”, Sir Keir will say it marks the beginning of a technological revolution in healthcare.

Speaking ahead of the prime minister’s address, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the NHS faces an “existential threat” if it fails to modernise, and vowed Labour would embrace new technologies to secure its future.

“Our health service and our social care services need to change with the times,” he said.

Peter Kyle, Rachel Reeves and Keir Starmer on stage ahead of her keynote speech. Pic: PA
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Peter Kyle, Rachel Reeves and Keir Starmer on stage ahead of her keynote speech. Pic: PA

Country standing at a ‘fork in the road’

Sir Keir’s announcement comes at a pivotal moment for the prime minister, as he will use his address at 2pm to rally a divided party and set out his vision for national renewal.

He will urge voters to reject what he calls the “politics of grievance” promoted by Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, and instead unite around a shared sense of “dignity and respect”.

The prime minister will argue that the country stands at a “fork in the road”, facing a choice between “renewal or decline”.

“Britain stands at a fork in the road. We can choose decency. Or we can choose division,” he will say.

Sir Keir will cast the challenge ahead as comparable to the challenges faced by the post-war government of former Labour prime minister Clement Attlee, calling it a fight for “the soul of our country”.

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Is Andy Burnham coming for Starmer?

Mounting challenges for Labour

The speech also comes amid mounting political headwinds, with polls showing Reform continuing to attract support from disillusioned voters.

At the same time, Labour faces growing pressure to deliver on its promises around tax, immigration, and public spending – and expectations of a difficult budget in November.

Sir Keir is expected to acknowledge that the path to national renewal won’t be easy, warning of “decisions that will not always be comfortable for our party”.

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All eyes on the chancellor’s budget

Despite recent speculation over his leadership, sparked in part by criticism from Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, Sir Keir appears determined to reassert his authority.

But the Conservatives have already dismissed his speech before delivery, with party chairman Kevin Hollinrake claiming: “Keir Starmer calls this a fork in the road, but he’s already driven Britain into a cul-de-sac of chaos.”

Ahead of Sir Keir’s speech, cabinet members will also address the conference in Liverpool.

Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, and Mr Streeting will all speak.

On Monday, 10 cabinet ministers addressed the conference from the main stage, including Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who argued Reform present a threat to the economy.

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‘They are not stealing your jobs’: Britain’s asylum seeker capital divided as tensions rise

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'They are not stealing your jobs': Britain's asylum seeker capital divided as tensions rise

“I am proud to be Scottish. I don’t want them here.”

Standing on the balcony of his flat in Glasgow, George drapes the saltire Scottish flag as he explains his anti-immigration stance.

“We can’t afford to keep all these people coming in,” he says. “There’s too many people coming in.”

George, who lives on the Wyndford estate in Glasgow’s Maryhill, is not alone.

Warning: This report contains material some may find offensive.

'There's too many people coming in,' says George from Glasgow
Image:
‘There’s too many people coming in,’ says George from Glasgow

Streets across the city are filling with white and blue flags hanging from lampposts.

Immigration has not been centre stage in Scottish politics for many years – but the mood appears to be shifting.

Glasgow is the frontline of the UK’s immigration system, with more arrivals than anywhere else.

With community tensions spiking and accommodation costs rising to £4.5m a month, the city’s leaders are demanding a pause on relocations.

Glasgow’s financial burden spirals

In 1999, the city signed up to the UK’s “dispersal” system, which saw asylum seekers relocated by the Home Office in exchange for cash.

It was a bygone era, when Glasgow’s high-rise housing was in abundance and modern pressures were less acute.

The landscape has changed drastically, with many tower blocks flattened amid regeneration.

Once an asylum seeker is given the right to stay in the UK, they become a refugee and switch from being the responsibility of the Home Office to the local authority.

While immigration is controlled by Westminster, housing and healthcare are among the issues dealt with by the Scottish government.

Scotland’s homelessness legislation means councils must house anyone without a home.

It is a more generous policy than in England, where usually only those with “priority need” are given a roof over their head.

It is suggested the Scottish policy is drawing people to Glasgow at the same time the Home Office is “mass processing” a backlog of asylum cases and granting some the right to stay in the UK.

Latest figures show Glasgow was the local authority with the highest proportion of housed asylum seekers at 59 per 10,000 inhabitants (a total of 3,716).

City officials argue the issues are coming together to create a crisis, with the financial burden spiralling.

Councillors are pleading for more financial assistance from Westminster, but so far that has not been forthcoming.

Streets across Glasgow are filling with flags hanging from lampposts
Image:
Streets across Glasgow are filling with flags hanging from lampposts

‘We will be the underdogs’

Scotland has traditionally been seen as a left-leaning nation where inward migration is welcomed.

The tourism industry relies heavily on people coming to work, and it is no secret that Brexit caused issues for hospitality staffing.

The issue has not dominated the public conversation in Scotland, but polls suggest, for the first time in a long while, it is a rising concern.

It is still not a priority for most Scots – but it is beginning to seep into the narrative.

Up the road from where George lives in Maryhill, we come across an 84-year-old woman who asks us not to show her face on camera.

This woman claimed people from Glasgow 'will be the underdogs'
Image:
This woman claimed people from Glasgow ‘will be the underdogs’

Immigration is “getting out of control”, she says.

“It looks like they are going to overspill us,” she says. “We will be the underdogs.”

When challenged on her evidence for her claims, she responds: “I don’t have any evidence”.

Asked what she means by “they”, she says: “All the ones that are coming in, especially Muslims.”

She said she was not racist but was instead saying “just truth” and “my opinion”.

We meet Audrey Cameron, a mother whose children have additional learning needs.

She told me: “I’ve got an older son who lives with me who can’t get a house, but yet you come in to this country, and you get a house no bother. I know people say they don’t, but they do.

Glasgow does not have the infrastructure to deal with asylum seekers, says Audrey Cameron
Image:
Glasgow does not have the infrastructure to deal with asylum seekers, says Audrey Cameron

“There is more black and every other colour than there is white.”

When challenged that others may think a multicultural society is something that should be welcomed, Ms Cameron says: “We don’t have the infrastructure for it.

“We don’t have the housing. Even trying to get a doctor’s appointment is a nightmare. There has to be a limit.

“There are too many immigrants in this area. They are not spread out. They are all congregated.”

‘They are not stealing your jobs’

Andy Sirel, a leading immigration lawyer and co-founder of Just Right Scotland, tells Sky News that misinformation is fuelling the public discourse and politicians need to act.

There are misconceptions about the support for asylum seekers, says immigration lawyer Andy Sirel
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There are misconceptions about the support for asylum seekers, says immigration lawyer Andy Sirel

He says: “When a person is in the United Kingdom, they are not allowed to work, they are not allowed to claim benefits, they are not stealing your jobs.

“If they are in a hotel, which they don’t want to be in, they are on £9 a week. It is simply not true the narrative that is being put out.

“The issue is being used as a scapegoat by various political actors.

“It is predicated on immigration, or higher levels of immigration, being why the standard of living has dropped and the reason public services are suffering, which is simply not the case.”

Accommodation costs for asylum seekers in Glasgow have risen to £4.5m a month
Image:
Accommodation costs for asylum seekers in Glasgow have risen to £4.5m a month

The town with deep divides over immigration

Falkirk is a mid-size town with a population of approximately 150,000, around 30 miles from Glasgow city centre.
It has become a flashpoint for protest between pro and anti-immigration groups.

A dilapidated and crumbling old hotel, the Cladhan, is home to dozens of mostly men in their 20s, 30s and 40s awaiting their asylum cases being heard.

The Home Office pays for accommodation, meals and financial allowances for asylum seekers, given the rules banning them seeking employment.

Tensions over the asylum hotel in Falkirk have been rising
Image:
Tensions over the asylum hotel in Falkirk have been rising

A brick was thrown through a window recently in an attack Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney branded “despicable”.

During a rally outside the hotel, Sky News filmed one man performing a Nazi salute, while a banner was held up saying “Kill ‘Em All, Let God Sort ‘Em Out”.

Others, from the community group Falkirk For All, chanted “refugees are welcome here”.

“We are standing up against the scapegoating of refugees. [We are] standing up against racism,” Georgia Henderson from the group said.

“We have been shocked by what we saw. We are highly motivated to turn up and protect the people of the hotel.”

Dr Teresa Piacentini, an expert in migration from Glasgow University, said many people are misinformed when discussing this issue.

She said: “Claiming asylum is a right. To claim asylum is not to do something illegal. You have a legal entitlement to claim asylum.

“People that are being held in the asylum hotels have claimed asylum so are exercising a right to be here. And while their asylum claim is being processed, they are here legally.

“Illegal has become a convenient catch-all phrase that doesn’t actually reveal the complexity and nuance behind it.”

Tensions in Falkirk have been heightened since a former resident of the asylum hotel raped a 15-year-old girl in the town.

Asylum seeker Sadeq Nikzad, 29, was jailed for nine years in June.

We spoke to two men who are currently living in the hotel after being bussed up to Falkirk from London.

Nechirvan, 31, arrived in March 2024 after crossing the English Channel.

He says he fled Iraq and had been living in Europe, mostly Germany, for 10 years before making the journey to the UK.

He claims he “couldn’t stay” on the continent any more because “they are deporting people”.

Asked whether he understands the anger from some that it is mostly young men entering on small boats, he says: “We are not safe in our country.

“It is not easy. Not easy for family to cross the water. That’s why they not bring the family.”

Nechirvan describes sleepless nights as protests ramp up outside the asylum hotel.

Nechirvan says he fled Iraq and had been living in Europe before arriving in the UK
Image:
Nechirvan says he fled Iraq and had been living in Europe before arriving in the UK

Another asylum seeker living in Falkirk, who did not want to be identified, says he came to the UK from West Africa.

In response to rising tensions, he says: “I don’t blame anybody. People have some valid reasons to feel angry but what is important is that we are all human beings.”

This asylum seeker from West Africa says he can understand the concerns of some
Image:
This asylum seeker from West Africa says he can understand the concerns of some

“You cannot put everyone in one category, classing everyone as racist,” he adds.

“What I know is people have valid reasons, but not everyone in the hotel is bad. Some of the people if you listen to what they went through, you’d sympathise with them.

“You may have your own reasons for doing what you are doing but let’s just live peacefully.”

Anti-migration protesters outside the Cladhan hotel in Falkirk
Image:
Anti-migration protesters outside the Cladhan hotel in Falkirk

The Home Office told Sky News it is attempting to reduce the number of people in hotels.

A spokesman said: “This government inherited a broken asylum and immigration system. We are taking practical steps to turn that chaos around – including doubling asylum decision-making to clear the backlog left by the previous government and reducing the number of people in hotels by 6,000 in the first half of 2025.

“We continue to work with local councils, NGOs and other stakeholders to ensure any necessary assistance is provided for those individuals who are granted refugee status.”

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Minister ‘clarifies’ violence against women and girls strategy after Sky News report

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Minister 'clarifies' violence against women and girls strategy after Sky News report

Child safety organisations have welcomed the government “thinking again” on including child abuse victims in its violence against women and girls strategy, following a Sky News report.

Jess Phillips, minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls (VAWG), has written to charities to tell them “children who experience child sexual abuse and exploitation are considered in the new VAWG strategy”.

In the letter, Ms Phillips says she hopes the letter “clarifies” the government’s position.

A letter from Jess Phillips clarifying that child sex abuse is part of the government's VAWG strategy
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A letter from Jess Phillips clarifying that child sex abuse is part of the government’s VAWG strategy

It comes after 10 organisations raised concerns with the government after Sky News published a “draft” Home Office document that said child sexual abuse and exploitation was not “explicitly” within the scope of the strategy.

Anna Edmunson, head of policy at the NSPCC, told Sky News: “We’re hopeful that the words in the minister’s letter shows that they are thinking again and making sure they can draw out the really clear links between tackling VAWG and tackling child sexual abuse.

“But the proof will be in the pudding – that’s why we want to see the final strategy.”

The strategy has been delayed and is expected to be published later in the autumn.

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“I am pleased to see the government has addressed the concerns we have raised,” Kerry Smith, chief executive of the Internet Watch Foundation, told Sky News.

“We are at the front line and see how girls bear the brunt of sexual violence on and offline. We now need to see the strategy itself published in full. The sooner it can become a reality, the better.”

Rape Crisis, which is the largest support service of its kind, welcomed what they call a “shift in position” from the government to “now acknowledging” that child victims of sexual abuse and exploitation will be included, adding what’s needed is “concrete commitments.”

An estimated half a million children are sexually abused in England and Wales every year.

Last month, Sky News spoke to Poppy Eyre, who was raped by her grandfather when she was four.

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Abuse survivor’s warning to govt

“VAWG is violence against women and girls. If you take child sexual abuse out of it, where are the girls?”, she said, reacting to the leaked draft document Sky News obtained.

The government insist that child sexual abuse will feature in the VAWG strategy, but victims and campaigners are concerned that it’s in danger of being siloed off into disparate plans, without falling under the VAWG umbrella.

Read more from Mollie Malone:
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Poppy Eyre as a child
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Poppy Eyre as a child

A Home Office spokesperson told Sky News it has “been clear throughout that action to tackle child sexual abuse has always been included in the upcoming VAWG strategy”.

The spokesperson said such crimes would be tackled “through a distinct and transformative workstream”, including acting upon the recommendations of the Casey review into grooming gangs and the Jay review into child sexual abuse.

Poppy Eyre said: “My message to the government is if you’re going to make child sexual abuse a separate thing, we need it now.”

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