Polls close in Rochdale by-election
Polls have now closed in the Rochdale by-election as political parties wait to see who has taken the Greater Manchester seat.
The campaign to replace Labour stalwart Sir Tony Lloyd – who died last month from leukaemia – has been fractious, with the Labour Party withdrawing support for its candidate, Azhar Ali, over controversial remarks about Israel.
The Green Party candidate also withdrew from the contest over contentious social media posts, while the Conservative’s hopeful faced criticism for going on holiday shortly before the vote.
Politics latest: Ballots being counted in Rochdale
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Meanwhile, some controversial contenders, including former Labour MPs George Galloway and Simon Danczuk, threw their hats in the ring in attempts to make a return to Westminster under a different party banner.
Several independents candidates have also been seeking to win power in the seat, which until tonight had been a safe Labour constituency – with Sir Tony having a majority of almost 10,000 at the last general election.
The results are expected at around 3am on Friday, and Sky News’ chief political correspondent, Jon Craig, is at the count to bring you updates throughout the night.
The Sky News online team will also bring you the results as they happen, so stay tuned to find out who the Commons’ newest MP will be.
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Mr Galloway was the bookies’ favourite as the polls opened, and he has campaigned heavily on the Palestinian cause in Gaza, hoping to mobilise Rochdale’s large Muslim population.
Mr Danczuk represented the seat for Labour from 2010 to 2017 – but he was expelled from the party ahead of the 2017 general election after apologising for “inappropriate” text messages sent to a 17-year-old girl.
Crucially, as Jon Craig points out, Mr Ali will appear at the top of the ballot paper due to his name starting with the letter “A” – something which does seem to benefit candidates.
Rochdale voted 60% in support of Brexit, and the area also been affected by scandals surrounding grooming gangs.
Local Billy Howarth, who is involved in the Parents Against Grooming UK group, is one of those standing as an independent.
He said he has taken to wearing a stab vest while campaigning.
Meanwhile, Mr Danczuk said he had been subject to a death threat, prompting police to make an arrest.
An outbreak of a waterborne disease in Devon has prompted urgent warnings for residents to boil their tap water.
At least 22 cases of cryptosporidiosis disease have been confirmed in and around the town of Brixham in South West England.
But what is the parasite that is making people sick, what are the symptoms of being infected with it and how serious can it be?
What is cryptosporidiosis disease?
Cryptosporidiosis is the disease caused by the parasite cryptosporidium.
Often shortened to crypto, infections can be caused by drinking contaminated water or swallowing contaminated water in swimming pools or streams.
It can also be acquired through contact with the faeces of infected animals or humans.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms of cryptosporidiosis include:
• profuse watery diarrhoea
• stomach pains
• nausea or vomiting
• low-grade fever
• loss of appetite
How long does it last?
Most people develop symptoms within one to 12 days of picking up the parasite.
Symptoms usually last for about two weeks, but can last up to six weeks or longer when the immune system is not working properly.
During the illness, you might think you are getting better but the illness returns a couple of days later before you fully recover.
How serious is it?
Most people recover, but in people with severely weakened immune systems it can cause severe disease and can be fatal.
Serious cases and death used to be more common, according to Paul Hunter, professor in medicine at the University of East Anglia (UEA).
This is because before effective antiretroviral treatments were introduced for HIV/AIDS, people living with these illnesses would not recover if they picked up cryptosporidiosis.
Who is most at risk of serious illness?
People with weak immune systems are at greater risk of serious illness. This includes:
• people on some immunosuppressive drugs, for example cancer or transplant patients
• people with untreated HIV/AIDS
• malnourished children
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Residents ‘worried’ over water parasite
Does it need treatment?
There is no specific treatment for cryptosporidiosis.
It important to drink plenty of fluids as diarrhoea or vomiting can lead to dehydration, according to advice from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
You might also want to talk to a pharmacist about oral rehydration sachets to help replace the sugar, salts and minerals the body has lost.
Dr Lincoln Sargeant, Torbay’s Director of Public Health, said anyone with “severe symptoms like bloody diarrhoea” should contact NHS 111 or their GP.
Severe cases may require hospital treatment.
How do you know if you have crypto?
The symptoms of crypto are similar to other stomach bugs, so the only way to know for sure if you have it is for your doctor to send a sample of your faeces to be tested in a laboratory.
Read more:
Water disease outbreak may last a week, expert says
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How can you stop the illness spreading?
If you are ill, stay away from nursery, school or work while you have symptoms, and for at least 48 hours after they stop.
You should also avoid swimming for two weeks after being unwell.
You should not prepare food for anyone else until 48 hours after diarrhoea has stopped.
Make sure you’re using good handwashing practices too, washing your hands thoroughly when handling food and after using the toilet.
The UKHSA also advises washing bedding and towels on the hottest possible cycle.
A one-year-old girl has died after being struck by a Land Rover in the car park of a church in Aberdeenshire.
The incident occurred at Plymouth Brethren Christian Church on Eigie Road in Balmedie at around 7.45pm on Wednesday.
Police Scotland said the girl was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, where she was pronounced dead a short time later.
The 40-year-old man driving the car was uninjured.
Inspector Scott Deans said: “At this time our thoughts are with the family of the deceased, along with everyone else affected by this tragic incident.
“Our investigation into the circumstances remains ongoing and we’d like to thank the wider Balmedie community for their patience and understanding as officers carry out their enquiries in the area.”
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