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Harry Styles, Arctic Monkeys, Wet Leg, Stormzy and Little Simz are among the artists nominated for this year’s Ivor Novello Awards for songwriting.

Other artists on the shortlist include Ed Sheeran, Florence + The Machine, and Cleo Sol and Inflo – as well as Kate Bush, whose 1980s hit Running Up That Hill is shortlisted as one of the top five most performed songs of 2022 thanks to its revival in sci-fi series Stranger Things.

Raye is also nominated for best contemporary song for Escapism – the hit that stormed the charts after she cut ties with her record label and went independent. The track is up against songs including Hide And Seek by Stormzy, and Payback by Kojey Radical featuring Knucks.

Little Simz. Pic: Ivor Novello Awards
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Little Simz. Pic: Ivor Novello Awards

Styles and his songwriting partner Kid Harpoon have three nominations, including for songwriter of the year – up against Florence Welch (Florence + The Machine), Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers (Wet Leg), George Daniel and Matty Healy (The 1975), and Central Cee and Young Chencs.

Cleopatra Nikolic (Cleo Sol) and Dean “Inflo” Josiah Cover are also up for three awards together.

Arctic Monkeys, Little Simz, Fontaines DC, SAULT and Obongjayar are the five artists shortlisted for best album, while Cat Burns, Ines Dunn, tendai, venbee and Victoria Canal are up for the rising star prize.

The Ivor Novello Awards recognise creative musical achievement in songwriting and composition, and also celebrate a number of singer-songwriters and groups for their wider contribution to UK music.

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Kate Bush makes rare statement

In total, some 72 individual songwriters and composers have been recognised, with more than half (54%) receiving a nomination for the very first time.

Tom Gray, chair of The Ivors Academy, said: “The music nominated for an Ivor Novello this year is testament to the power and range of British and Irish songwriting and screen composing. It’s a superlative list and on behalf of The Ivors Academy I’m delighted to congratulate every writer nominated for their craft and achievements.”

Rhian Teasdale, left, and Hester Chambers of Wet Leg pose in the press room with the awards for best alternative music performance for "Chaise Lounge" and best alternative music album for "Wet Leg" at the 65th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
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Rhian Teasdale, left, and Hester Chambers of Wet Leg at the 2022 Grammy Awards. Pic: AP

This year, as previously announced, Sting is expected to become a fellow of the Ivors Academy, its highest honour – following in the footsteps of artists including Sir Elton John, Sir Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox and Joan Armatrading.

Other special awards to be announced include prizes for outstanding song collection and an icon award.

The winners will be revealed at a ceremony in London on Thursday 18 May.

The full list of nominees

FILE PHOTO: British artist Stormzy performs on the main stage at Reading Festival, in Reading, Britain, August 27, 2021. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls/File Photo
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Stormzy on stage at Reading Festival in 2021

BEST ALBUM
11 – written by Dean “Inflo” Josiah Cover, Jamar McNaughton, Cleopatra Nikolic and Jack Peñate, performed by SAULT

No Thank You – written by Dean “Inflo” Josiah Cover, Little Simz and Cleopatra Nikolic, performed by Little Simz

Skinty Fia – written by Grian Chatten, Thomas Coll, Conor Curley, Conor Deegan and Carlos O’Connell, performed by Fontaines DC

Some Nights I Dream Of Doors – written by Barney Lister and Obongjayar, performed by Obongjayar

The Car – written by Alex Turner, performed by Arctic Monkeys

BEST CONTEMPORARY SONG
Cold Summer – written by Wesley Joseph and Leon Vynehall, performed by Wesley Joseph

Escapism – written by 070 Shake, Raye and Mike Sabath, performed by Raye & 070 Shake

Hide & Seek – written by Owen Cutts, P2J, PRGRSHN and Stormzy, performed by Stormzy

Leon The Professional – written by Knucks, Venna and Toshifumi Hinata, performed by Knucks

Payback – written by Knucks, Kojey Radical and Swindle, performed by Kojey Radical featuring Knucks

Sigourney Weaver in Avatar: The Way Of Water. Pic: 20th Century Studios
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Sigourney Weaver in Avatar: The Way Of Water. Pic: 20th Century Studios

BEST ORIGINAL FILM SCORE
Avatar: The Way Of Water – composed by Simon Franglen

Death On The Nile – composed by Patrick Doyle

Don’t Worry Darling – composed by John Powell

Mrs Harris Goes To Paris – composed by Rael Jones

The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain – composed by Arthur Sharpe

BEST ORIGINAL VIDEO GAME SCORE
Gotham Knights – composed by The Flight

Horizon Forbidden West – composed by Joris de Man, Oleksa Lozowchuk and The Flight

Mario + Rabbids Sparks Of Hope – composed by Gareth Coker, Grant Kirkhope and Yoko Shimomura

10 June 2022, Berlin: Singer Florence Leontine Mary Welch of the English band "Florence + the Machine" performs on stage at the Tempelhof Sounds Festival on the grounds of the former Berlin Tempelhof Airport. Photo by: Britta Pedersen/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images
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Florence Welch. Pic: Britta Pedersen/picture-alliance/AP

BEST SONG MUSICALLY AND LYRICALLY
As It Waswritten by Kid Harpoon, Tyler Johnson and Harry Styles, performed by Harry Styles

Best Day Of My Life – written by Laurie Blundell and Tom Odell, performed by Tom Odell

Complex – written and performed by Katie Gregson-Macleod

King – written by Jack Antonoff and Florence Welch, performed by Florence + The Machine

Stronger – written by Dean “Inflo” Josiah Cover and Cleopatra Nikolic, performed by SAULT

PRS FOR MUSIC MOST PERFORMED WORK
As It Was – written by Kid Harpoon, Tyler Johnson and Harry Styles, performed by Harry Styles

Bad Habits – written by FRED, Johnny McDaid and Ed Sheeran, performed by Ed Sheeran

Heat Waves – written by Dave Bayley, performed by Glass Animals

Running Up That Hill – written and performed by Kate Bush

Shivers – written by Johnny McDaid, Kal Lavelle, Steve Mac and Ed Sheeran, performed by Ed Sheeran

Sarah Greene, Eve Hewson, Sharon Horgan and Eva Birthistle in Bad Sisters. Pic: Apple TV+
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Sarah Greene, Eve Hewson, Sharon Horgan and Eva Birthistle in Bad Sisters. Pic: Apple TV+

BEST TELEVISION SOUNDTRACK
Bad Sisters – composed by PJ Harvey and Tim Phillips

Elizabeth: The Unseen Queen – composed by David Schweitzer

The Midwich Cuckoos – composed by Hannah Peel

The Responder – composed by Matthew Herbert

The Thief, His Wife And The Canoe – composed by Harry Escott and Ben Pearson

RISING STAR AWARD
Cat Burns

Ines Dunn

tendai

venbee

Victoria Canal

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
Central Cee and Young Chencs

Florence Welch (Florence + The Machine)

George Daniel and Matty Healy (The 1975)

Harry Styles and Kid Harpoon

Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers (Wet Leg)

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‘Immigration is killing Europe’: Donald Trump issues warning to leaders as he arrives in Scotland

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'Immigration is killing Europe': Donald Trump issues warning to leaders as he arrives in Scotland

Donald Trump has landed in Scotland ahead of a four-day trip, which includes high-level meetings, praising Sir Keir Starmer as “a good man” but also calling illegal migration a “horrible invasion” that was “killing Europe”.

Crowds gathered at Prestwick Airport in Ayrshire amid a major security operation for the US president’s visit.

Mr Trump told reporters: “I like your prime minister. He’s slightly more liberal than I am… but he’s a good man… he got a trade deal done. It’s a good deal for the UK.”

Trump latest: Donald Trump arrives in Scotland

The pair are expected to discuss potential changes to the UK-US trade deal which came into force last month.

Trump left Air Force One to head to Turnberry, one of his Scottish golf courses. Part of the trip will include the opening of another course in Aberdeenshire, billed as “the greatest 36 holes in golf”.

Trump supporters watch on as a plane carrying US President Donald Trump arrives at Prestwick Airport
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Trump supporters waved as Air Force One landed. Pic: PA

“There’s no place like Turnberry. It’s the best, probably the best course in the world. And I would say Aberdeen is right up there,” the US president said.

Sean Connery helped get me the [planning] permits. If it weren’t for Sean Connery, we wouldn’t have those great courses,” he added.

During the trip, President Trump will also hold discussions with Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who is keen to secure a trade deal with the US.

President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media after he arrived at Prestwick Airport in Ayrshire, Scotland, Friday, July 25, 2025.(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
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Donald Trump spoke to reporters after landing at Prestwick Airport, Ayrshire. Pic: AP

Mr Trump told reporters there was “a good 50-50 chance” of an agreement with the EU but added there were “maybe 20 different” sticking points.

EU diplomats say a deal could result in a broad 15% tariff on EU goods and half of the 30% Trump is threatening to impose by 1 August.

A motorcade carrying U.S. President Donald Trump drives to Turnberry, in Minishant, Scotland, Britain, July 25, 2025. REUTERS/Phil Noble
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He travelled to Turnberry, one of his Scottish golf resorts, amid tight security. Pic: Reuters

The US president touched on illegal immigration and gave European leaders a stark warning.

“You better get your act together or you’re not going to have Europe anymore. You got to get your act together,” he said.

“But you’re allowing it to happen to your countries and you got to stop this horrible invasion that’s happening to Europe. Immigration is killing Europe,” he told reporters.

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What do Scots think of Trump visit?

He was also scathing about the installation of wind turbines across Europe.

“Stop the windmills. You’re ruining your countries,” he said. “It’s so sad. You fly over and you see these windmills all over the place, ruining your beautiful fields and valleys and killing your birds.”

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Domestically, President Trump faces the biggest political crisis of his second term in office over his administration’s handling of files linked to disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died in prison in 2019.

He faced another round of questions after stepping off Air Force One. “You’re making a big thing over something that’s not a big thing. I’m focused on making deals, not on conspiracy theories that you are,” he said.

Mr Trump added that “now’s not the time” to discuss a pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s imprisoned accomplice.

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Trump in Scotland amid Epstein storm

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While the president’s visit did attract some enthusiastic flag-waving supporters at Prestwick Airport, he is also likely to trigger a number of protests, prompting Police Scotland to call in support from other forces in the UK.

The Stop Trump Scotland group has planned demonstrations on Saturday in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dumfries.

About 70% of Scots have an unfavourable opinion of Trump, while 18% have a positive opinion, an Ipsos poll in March found.

President Trump is staying at his Turnberry property on Scotland’s west coast this weekend, before travelling to Aberdeenshire on Monday, where he will open a second 18-hole course.

He is due to return to the UK in September for a state visit hosted by the King – the first world leader in modern times to undertake two UK state visits.

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‘It’s the Wild West’: Dozens of women develop botulism linked to anti-wrinkle injections

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'It's the Wild West': Dozens of women develop botulism linked to anti-wrinkle injections

A woman who thought she was being injected with Botox was left unable to swallow and doctors thought she had suffered a stroke – after she contracted a life-threatening illness from a potentially illegal product.

Nicola Fairley is one of dozens of people who have developed botulism linked to unlicenced anti-wrinkle injections.

She had the procedure done with her regular beautician after winning a Facebook competition for three areas of “Botox”.

Nicola Fairley
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Nicola Fairley

“Within two or three hours my forehead and the sides of my eyes had started to freeze,” Nicola says.

“At first I thought ‘amazing’, that’s what I wanted – then it just carried on.”

Nicola was eventually sent to A&E in Durham, where she met several other patients who all had similar symptoms.

Doctors were stumped. “They thought I’d had a stroke,” she says.

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“We all had problems with our eyes, some of us with our breathing. I couldn’t swallow – they put me on nil by mouth because they were worried I would choke in the waiting room.”

Nicola Fairley
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Doctors were worried Nicola could choke after she was injected with a suspected illegal product

It turns out all of the patients had recently had anti-wrinkle injections containing botulinum toxin.

Health officials believe they were imported, illegal products.

Botulism – the disease they caused – is so rare many doctors never see it in their entire careers.

It can cause symptoms including slurred speech and breathing problems, and can be deadly.

The disease is so unusual, and so many cases were coming in, that doctors exhausted their stocks of anti-toxin and had to ask hospitals as far away as London to get more.

Botulism

The UK Health Security Agency has so far confirmed 38 cases of botulism linked to cosmetic toxin injections, but Sky News has been told of several more.

The outbreak began in the North East but cases have now been seen in the East of England and East Midlands as well.

There are only a handful of legal botulinum toxin products in the UK – of which Botox is one.

But cosmetic treatments are largely unregulated, with anyone allowed to inject products like fillers and toxins without any medical training.

Cheap, illegal products imported from overseas are easily available.

Steven Land
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Dr Steven Land

‘It’s the Wild West’

Dr Steven Land runs Novellus Aesthetics clinic in Newcastle upon Tyne. He worked for decades as an emergency medicine doctor before moving into aesthetics.

He says he has been warning health officials of an outbreak for years.

“It’s the Wild West,” Dr Land told Sky News.

“Because anyone can do this, there is a lack of knowledge around what is legal, what’s not legal, what is okay to be injected.

“These illegal toxins could have 50 units, 5,000 units or rat poison – there could be anything in there.”

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Botulism

Dr Land showed us messages that he says he gets on a weekly basis, from sellers trying to push him cheap, unlicenced products.

They advertise “limited time offers” and cheap bundles on toxins imported from overseas. He calls them “drug dealers”.

“They are preying on the lack of knowledge among non-medical practitioners,” he says.

Consultations on how to regulate the aesthetics industry have been ongoing for years – but so far, no changes have been introduced.

The UK government now says it does plan to regulate certain procedures, but it’s not said how it will do this, or when.

“What will it take?” Nicola says. “One of the women we were with did almost die – she had to be resuscitated.”

Nicola’s beautician has stopped responding to her messages, so she says she still has no idea what the product was “or how much of it is in me”.

She doesn’t know how long her symptoms will last, but just hopes she will eventually recover.

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Over 200 MPs sign cross-party letter demanding Starmer recognise Palestine as a state

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Over 200 MPs sign cross-party letter demanding Starmer recognise Palestine as a state

Sir Keir Starmer is under increasing pressure to recognise a Palestinian state, with 221 MPs signing a cross-party letter demanding he take the step.

The letter is being organised by the Labour backbencher Sarah Champion, who also sits as the International Development Committee chair.

They write: “British recognition of Palestine would be particularly powerful given its role as the author of the Balfour Declaration and the former Mandatory Power in Palestine.

“Since 1980 we have backed a two-state solution. Such a recognition would give that position substance as well as living up to a historic responsibility we have to the people under that Mandate.”

Explainer: What does recognising a Palestinian state mean?

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‘Many more deaths unless Israelis allow food in’

Earlier this month, nearly 60 Labour MPs called on David Lammy and the Foreign Office to immediately recognise Palestine as a state in a private letter, but this new call shows how dissatisfied many still are with the government’s refusal to change its stance on the issue.

More on Gaza

As Number 10 came under growing pressure, Sir Keir on Friday released a statement on Gaza calling the “appalling scenes” in the Strip “unrelenting”.

Israel has denied there is a food shortage in Gaza – despite earlier this week more than 100 aid agencies warning of mass starvation in Gaza – and claims it had to take control of the supply and distribution of aid because Hamas fighters have been stealing aid before it reached civilians. Hamas has denied this, as have some humanitarian groups, including USAID.

Talking about the need for a regional “lasting peace”, the prime minister said: “Recognition of a Palestinian state has to be one of those steps. I am unequivocal about that. But it must be part of a wider plan which ultimately results in a two-state solution and lasting security for Palestinians and Israelis.”

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France to become first G7 nation to recognise Palestine as a state
Dozens of MPs call for UK to recognise Palestine as a state

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Trump: ‘It doesn’t matter what Macron says’

In light of a tweet by the French President Emmanuel Macron, also sent last night, declaring France would recognise a Palestinian state in September at a UN conference, a number of MPs now say Number 10’s current position is untenable.

“They had said they wanted to be in lockstep with allies, but this means that position won’t hold,” said one Labour MP.

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Emily Thornberry says it’s ‘insulting’ that the Israeli govt rejected a statement calling for a ceasefire

US President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters at the White House before heading to Scotland, was dismissive of Mr Macron’s statement. “What he says doesn’t matter,” he said. “He’s a very good guy. I like him, but that statement doesn’t carry weight.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “We strongly condemn President Macron’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state next to Tel Aviv in the wake of the October 7 massacre. Such a move rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became.

“A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel – not to live in peace beside it.

Peter Kyle, the technology secretary, on Friday morning defended the government’s resistance to calls for immediate UK recognition of a Palestinian state.

“We want Palestinian statehood. We desire it, and we want to make sure the circumstances can exist where that kind of long-term political solution can have the space to evolve and make sure that it can become a permanent circumstance that can bring peace to the entire region,” he told Sky News.

“But right now, today, we’ve got to focus on what will ease the suffering, and it is extreme, unwarranted suffering in Gaza that has to be the priority for us today.”

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Aid waiting to be distributed in Gaza

An emergency call with Germany and France was scheduled for Friday to discuss what Sir Keir described as a “human catastrophe” which has “reached new depths”.

The Foreign Office has maintained it is committed to recognising a Palestinian state but has expressed a willingness to do so only when it will have the “most impact in support of a peace process”.

It said: “We continue to provide lifesaving aid to support Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, and to work closely in support of the Palestinian Authority.”

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