Thousands of pounds have been raised for workers at a computer factory who lost their jobs on Christmas Eve.

A local community rallied round to crowdfund £17,000 by Boxing Day morning for more than 300 employees at the Kaiam plant in Livingston, West Lothian, who were laid off without being paid Christmas wages.

It comes after those who were laid off were told they would not be paid and would have to claim their last wages through the government’s Insolvency Service.

The appeal, set up by local community centre worker Mhairi Duff, exceeded its £10,000 target by 6pm on Christmas day.

“It started after a group of women from all walks of life and backgrounds, who had never met each other, decided to get together and help those who lost their jobs get through the next few weeks, not just Christmas,” she told the BBC.

“We have been overwhelmed with the support that has been shown from the community.”

The local bowling club stepped in to provide a £4,000 loan which will be repaid once the crowdfunding efforts reach the workers affected.

But the efforts didn’t stop there, as benevolent members of the community donated toys and vouchers at a local centre.

Emma Black, whose stepdad works for Kaiam, set up a Facebook group to provide support to those made redundant.

Just 28 employees were kept on to help with the selling of the business, after administrator KPMG said they had no choice but to lay off the hundreds of workers.

They told the staff the redundancies were due to declining work levels, high operational costs and lack of customer orders at the factory, which manufactures optical receivers.

The firm added they are working with Scottish Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland and West Lothian Council to ensure that “a full range of support is available” to those affected.

Scottish Labour has called for an inquiry into government grants to companies such as Kaiam Europe and Kaiam UK, while Scotland’s business minister Jamie Hepburn says his department will work with administrators “to explore all possibilities to rescue jobs”.

Prison sentences could be in store for those who illegally hunt wild animals with dogs, under a Labour government.

Ahead of the annual Boxing Day hunts, shadow environment secretary Sue Hayman said the party would review penalties under the Hunting Act 2004 to ensure it is an effective deterrent.

It would include a consultation on the introduction of custodial sentences, bringing it in line with the penalties for other wildlife crimes.

Currently, unlimited fines are the most severe punishment.

Hayman said Labour would also consider measures to stop people exploiting “loopholes” in the legislation, which covers England and Wales.

It could include the introduction of a new “recklessness” clause to prevent trail or drag hunts being used as cover for the illegal hunting of wild mammals.

Boxing Day traditionally sees hundreds of thousands of people either watch or take part in hunts across England, Wales and Scotland. 

Hounds can still chase a scent as long as they do not kill a fox, and artificial hunts are laid down.

Hayman said they would also look at removing an exemption for the use of dogs underground to protect game birds as it risks fights between hounds and wild animals.

“Labour’s 2004 Hunting Act was a key milestone in banning this cruel blood sport, but since then new practices have developed to exploit loopholes in the legislation,” she said.

“While Theresa May proposed scrapping the Hunting Act all together, Labour is today calling time on those who defy the law by announcing several measures that would clampdown on illegal hunting.

“Labour is the true party of animal welfare. These new proposals form part of the next chapter in striving to ensure our laws and regulations on animal welfare are up to date and fit for purpose.”

A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokeswoman said: “The Hunting Act 2004 makes it an offence to hunt a wild mammal with dogs and completely bans hare coursing. However, the Act also sets out tightly-drawn exemptions under which dogs may be used to hunt wild mammals, but these are subject to very strict conditions.

“Those found guilty under the Act are also subject to harsh penalties, including the possibility of an unlimited fine. We are also increasing maximum sentences for those who commit the most heinous acts of animal cruelty tenfold, to five years in jail.”

Labour’s promise came as a poll commissioned by the League Against Cruel Sports found only one in six (16%) rural residents believe hunting with dogs reflects countryside values.

The polling by Survation found that over nine out of 10 (91%) rural residents think that observing nature reflects countryside values.

The poll found only 4% said they ever participate in hunting, compared to 63% who observe wildlife at least once a month, 59% who take part in walking or hiking at least once a month, 39% who participate in running, cycling or horse riding at least once a month and 52% who visit pubs at least once a month.

Chris Luffingham, director of campaigns at the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “Hunting is claimed by a minority to be a cornerstone of country life, yet it is revealing that people living in the countryside get far more enjoyment from watching wildlife rather than killing it.

“Modern day countryside values are based around respect for nature, not the abuse of nature for entertainment. This polling confirms that we are a nation of animal lovers and that hunting needs to be consigned to history.”

An earthquake triggered by Mount Etna in Sicily has injured 10 people, with local residents fleeing their homes.

An 80-year-old man was pulled from the rubble of a house after the 4.8 magnitude quake struck just after 3am on Wednesday, Italian news agency ANSA said.

Civil Protection officials in Italy said the quake was part of a series of 1,000 mostly unnoticeable tremors linked to Etna’s ongoing eruption this week.

The quake left rural homes damaged, toppled a statue in a church in the town of Santa Venerina and opened up cracks on a road which was closed for inspection.

Government undersecretary Vito Crimi said there were no deaths.

Over the 12 days of Christmas, HuffPost UK is hosting a series of blogs from people at the centre of 2018′s biggest news stories. Today, caving expert Vernon Unsworth writes on his role in one the most tense, uplifting stories of the year, the Tham Luang cave rescue. To find out more about the series, follow our hashtag #HuffPost12Days

In June this year, a good friend of mine, and fellow caver, Rob Harper, spent a month in Thailand, where I live. We caved on many of his days here, including trips to Pua in Nan Province and a cave called Tham Luang - little did he know we would soon be back.

I’m not a cave diver as such, I’m what you would call a caving expert, having been in the ‘sport’ since I was sixteen. I have always enjoyed the exploration of caves, and of finding new passages that no one has ventured into before.

When Rob had left each other on Wednesday 20 June in Phayao province, between us we agreed it would be a good idea for me to do a solo exploration trip into Tham Luang later that month. All my caving gear and lights were already prepared but unfortunately a border run to extend my visa meant I had to delay my start – otherwise it’s likely I would have gone into Tham Luang on the very same day as a group of 13 boys and their football coach I would soon need to help rescue. Spooky or what.

Come early Sunday morning, my partner Tik began receiving calls from a number of people telling her there was a situation in Tham Luang – and that they needed my help, urgently. Little did I know what I was getting into.

The first four days of the operation were, for me, especially difficult. On the first day at the cave alone, I had to make five trips in and out of the now famous Sam Yek junction, totalling roughly 20km of caving. I chose to make three of those trips on my own, simply because I could travel quicker by myself, and people on the outside needed updating with what was happening – at that point, there were no communications inside the cave.

I wasn’t at all aware of what was going on in the real world outside of Tham Luang, although I learned later of other disasters that happened… including England losing to Croatia in the World Cup semi-final. My focus was always 100% on the rescue of the boys. With very little sleep for the 17 days I was there I survived on coffee, Coca Cola, more coffee, cake, biscuits and chocolate, and still ended up losing 5kg in weight.

Where I had help and support inside and outside the cave, it came mainly from locals including many who would become friends: Taw, Lak, Ae and Noi plus a Thai Navy Seal captain called Wuttichai, who seemed to catch on very quickly to the bigger problem we were facing.

Throughout the early days of the rescue operation I was fighting the Thai authorities, which led me to a confrontation with the Chiang Rai province governor Narongsak Osatanakorn. I said to him twice, very firmly, that “you have one chance” at this rescue. He walked away, and it was later in the evening that I was called into the meeting with Thai ministers who trusted my advices, Osatanakorn stayed quiet, he knew any decisions would not be his to make. Needless to say, I don’t think I’ll be on the governor’s Christmas card list this year.

The day after that confrontation, Rob, along with divers John Vonlanthen and Rick Stanton, arrived late in the evening. With them joining the operation my role changed, but I remained very active with what was happening. I made trips to the top of the mountain to try to find another way into the cave system – which I knew would not happen but decided to do in order to satisfy others who would try anything to help, rather than say ‘no, you will just be wasting your time and energy’. I wanted them to feel good about what they wanted to try and do. Elsewhere, I was asked for my opinions on the water conditions inside the cave, and John and Rick specifically called upon me to try and explain to them exactly what they would encounter along the way to the group. Even though my role changed, let’s just say that the pressure never went away – I felt like if this went badly wrong then I would be the person that people would point fingers at.

When John and Rick found the coach and children alive and well on 2 July, all I can say is it felt amazing. Everyone, the parents and the Thai officials and, I suppose, people worldwide were deliriously happy – however at the cave pressure was immediately put on our already heavy shoulders as we realised, quite simply: ‘shit, how do we get them out?’. Understandably at the time, people really didn’t take in the enormity of the task ahead.  

To safely bring home 13 out of 13 was, to be honest, the miracle of all miracles, but as far as I’m concerned, I’m certainly don’t see myself as a hero. When 13 people’s lives are at stake, 12 of them children between the ages of eight and 13, I hope most people would have done the same as me. As for the divers who rescued the children, they also wouldn’t recognise themselves as heroes. We were all happy to help and apply our vast experience, skills and technology into achieving a positive outcome, even when the odds were stacked against us. A rescue of this nature had never been undertaken before and throughout the operation there were deep concerns that lives would be lost.

I’m not a person who believes in the ‘spiritual’ side of life, however there is a story about Nang Non Mountain and the Princess of the Mountain, through which Tham Luang Cave runs. Things did happen which – when I look back – seemed to indicate that the Princess was somehow looking after the boys. In return, she took the life of the brave hero Saman Gunan. Mother nature for four or five days was certainly on our side, providing us with very little rain. On the last day of the rescue, after the five remaining boys were all safely out and the four Thai Navy Seals safe too, suddenly floods of water poured through again. Coincidence or not? The coach and the boys were very lucky to be alive, but I’m a believer that when your time is up and your number is called, it’s time. For the thirteen in the cave, on this occasion the number 13 had not been called up, and they survived.

Without a doubt, I think there’s a lot people can learn from what happened over those weeks. People from around the world with different beliefs and different cultures, working together with trust and respect. We grew into a strong team, we never gave up, even though, personally, I felt the world was certain this was going to end badly. Thailand can be proud of their Navy Seals, the heroic Saman Gunan who lost his life, and Thailand as a nation can be proud of what was an amazing achievement against all odds. Returning to Thailand in September for the United as One ceremony, reuniting with the many people from around the world who were part of the operation, most of whom are now good friends, was a night to remember. Since then, life certainly hasn’t returned to what I would call normal, with the exception of demands from the media and people generally wanting to know more about the incredible outcome.      

Looking into 2019, above all I just wish the hate in the world would stop. Climate change is high on my list of concerns about the world we live in, as is the plastic waste in our oceans. It’s all much more important than Brexit which, I believe, Theresa May is doing a fantastic job on. At least she has stuck to the task, unlike some MPs who are doing nothing more than throwing their toys out of the pram. I believe they are ashamed, and only hope they can face themselves as they look into the bathroom mirror each morning.

Thousands of dollars have been raised to help the families of a British couple who died within hours of each other in Australia just days before Christmas.

Jason Francis was hit by a car, reportedly driven by a pizza delivery worker, near the home he shared with his partner Alice Robinson in Perth.

Following his death, Robinson, who was said to have been left “heartbroken”, was found dead.

More than 29,000 dollars (£16,000) has been raised for the bereaved families of the couple, believed to be from Shropshire, since a fundraising page was set up on Christmas Eve.

Francis had been on a day out with some other friends from the rugby club who organised a taxi home for him on Saturday evening.

The 29-year-old was on the carriageway in the beachside suburb of Scarborough when he was hit by a white VW Jetta, driven by an 18-year-old man, Western Australia Police said.

Sam Diamond, president of Cottelsoe rugby club, which Francis had joined at the beginning of the year after moving to the area, said he understood Robinson had gone outside to investigate when she saw the flashing emergency lights.

He said: “She was told by first responders that it was Jason they were working on.”

He said she had been left “heartbroken” by her partner’s death, which was confirmed at Royal Perth Hospital.

He said: “We don’t know what happened to her after this. I know the police have launched an inquiry into it. She has gone missing after notifying some of our friends of what’s happened [to Francis] and hasn’t been found until the next morning.”

A police spokesman said: “Police will investigate this matter and prepare a report for the coroner, which will include the full circumstances leading to the woman’s death.”

They have also appealed for witnesses to the collision in Scarborough’s Stanley Street at around 8pm on Saturday.

Diamond said the couple had made a big impression on the community in their short time there.

“They were two of the finest people you could meet. They well and truly ingrained themselves in our club. Both Jase on the field and Alice off the field.

“They were an integral part (of the club).”

He described Alice, who worked for a digital marketing company but was also a talented pencil sketch artist, as having “an infectious laugh” and being “very bubbly”.

He added: “Jason was the sort of person that’s always got the time of day for everyone. Loved talking, loved working out, loved staying fit and healthy.

“They were just genuine, down-to-earth, fantastic people.”

He said the mothers of both Francis, who was in the process of becoming a firefighter in Australia, and Robinson had expressed their appreciation for the funds raised.

He said: “(They) thanked us for the support and have shown their appreciation for what the club and the community here is trying to do for them and Jase and Alice.”

Diamond said the club hopes to hold a memorial service for the couple at a later date.

The captain of Market Drayton Town football club in Shropshire, which Francis had played for, also paid tribute.

Paul McMullen said: “You young man were such a fine piece of our puzzle at MDTFC during our success and it was a pleasure to be part of it playing along side of you.”

A man has been arrested following the “suspicious death” of a 19-year-old woman on Christmas day.

Detectives launched a murder investigation after Kent Police and the South East Coast Ambulance Service were called to a property in Maidstone, Kent, on Tuesday afternoon.

The woman was confirmed dead at the scene.

A 27-year old man from Maidstone was subsequently arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody.

Both parties are believed to be known to each other, Kent Police said.

“Enquiries to establish the full circumstances remain ongoing,” the force added.

Dublin Zoo has blamed the Pope for causing a drop of almost 100,000 in visitor numbers this year.

Director Leo Oosterweghel claimed the pontiff “pulled the rug” from beneath them in a year when they also had to contend with the Beast from the East and one of the hottest summers on record in Ireland.

The popular attraction was forced to shut its doors for three days in August during the visit of Pope Francis.

The Papal tour included a mass in the Phoenix Park, the home of the zoo.

Oosterweghel said: “We took a hit. We’re down. We’re still above the million but we’re probably down 100,000 visitors.”

Last year more than 1.1 million people visited the zoo. That figure is expected to be in the region of 1.01 million people at the end of 2018.

“First there was the extraordinary winter, it was hard to recover,”  Oosterweghel said.

“Then we had this incredibly hot summer.”

He added: “Then his Holiness arrived the last week of August – we were closed for that whole period.”

Oosterweghel said all the confusion over access to Phoenix Park that week depressed visitor numbers.

“People weren’t sure,” he said.

“We lost the last week of August which is our biggest week.

“The end of the school holidays … if the weather is good you have 10,000 people here in one day so we lost out.”

“(We had) the bad winter, the hot summer and his Holiness who pulled the rug a little bit.”

But there was a silver lining as Oosterweghel got to experience having a Pope in his back garden.

The director, who has been at the helm for 18 years, lives on site.

“It was amazing to have an empty Phoenix Park, all I had to do was open my window and I could hear him,” he said.

Despite the difficult trading conditions, Oosterweghel said: “We’re still in the black, we’re still in surplus.

“We’re still over a million – it just shows you how robust the business is.”

He expects numbers to “bounce back” next year and the zoo has an ambitious master plan it is due to roll out in the coming years.

Boxing Day means different things for different people.

For football fans it’s some of the most anticipated fixtures of the season, for bargain hunters it’s the chance to grab the biggest discounts of the year, and for some brave/foolish individuals, it’s time for a swim in the freezing North Sea.

And for a certain horse-owning demographic, Boxing Day means donning some rather dashing scarlet threads, mounting up and chasing foxes through the countryside accompanied by baying hounds.

Crowds of supporters have turned out for the annual Boxing Day hunts across the UK today and organisers said hundreds of thousands of people were involved in either taking part or lining the streets in support of the controversial activity, adding defiantly: “We’re here to stay.”

But a new poll commissioned by the League Against Cruel Sports found only one in six (16%) rural residents believe hunting with dogs reflects countryside values.

The polling by Survation found that over nine out of 10 (91%) rural residents think that observing nature reflects countryside values.

The poll found only 4% said they ever participate in hunting, compared to 63% who observe wildlife at least once a month, 59% who take part in walking or hiking at least once a month, 39% who participate in running, cycling or horse riding at least once a month and 52% who visit pubs at least once a month.

Ahead of the hunts, shadow environment secretary Sue Hayman said an incoming Labour government would review penalties under the Hunting Act 2004 to ensure it is an effective deterrent.

While the political battles around hunts continue to play out, here’s a celebration of other ways to mark Boxing day.

The Dippers

Sisters Laura (left) and Caryn Pitkethly take part in the traditional Boxing Day dip at Tynemouth beach in North Tyneside.

The Traditionalist

Debbie Parslow has it absolutely nailed with this combination.

The Entertainers

The Soul Brothers perform to shoppers at Harrods at the launch of the store’s winter sale in Knightsbridge, London.

The Make-A-Wisher

Archie Shiller from the Make A Wish foundation was honorary co-captain of Australia’s cricket team on Boxing Day during day one of the Third Test match Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The Pirates

More mad sea-dippers here but Jill and Alan Robinson from Marske deserve a shout-out for their superb pirate costumes as they took part in the annual Boxing Day dip in Redcar. 

The Bargain Hunter

OK, we realise this is a bunny most likely not filmed on Boxing Day but all the people in pictures of bargain hunters today look as bored as this chap.

The Actual Boxer

Tony Speller’s family are taking it literally.

The Goat

There may or may not be some significance with this particular participant at Guernsey’s Boxing Day dip but whatever, it’s a great pic.

The Photographer

We’re assuming Alan Briggs got a selfie stick for Christmas and he’s putting it to good use.

The Eater

*drools*

A man who slashed the neck of a dementia sufferer in a row over garden tools is a child killer who was released from prison last year.

Stephen Chafer, from Cambridgeshire, was 17 when he sexually assaulted and fatally stabbed Lorraine Holt, 3, in Derby.

He was released in 2002, returned to prison in 2013 for arson - but then released again on licence in 2017.

Living under the pseudonym Stephen Leonard, the 57-year-old was this month convicted of attempting to kill 60-year-old Faye Mills in Peterborough, the BBC revealed.

The fact that the two names correspond to the same man has been reported for the first time today.

Lorraine’s father Jim Holt, who was friends with Chafer, said the decision to release him had “destroyed a family”.

“Because all of this has happened it’s brought all of [Lorraine’s death] back, not just to me, but to the whole of my family,” he told the BBC.

“Somebody said to me the other day ‘he’s an animal’. And I said ‘don’t disrespect animals’.”

Lorraine was playing in her family’s back garden in Derby, on 20 January 1979, but wandered off before Chafer, related to her through marriage, found her and carried her to the grounds of the local vicarage, where he put his hand over her mouth and sexually assaulted her before stabbing her 39 times.

He later pleaded guilty to murder and was jailed, before being released in 2002. He was jailed for arson more than a decade later but got out in 2017.

But less than a year after his release he went to Mills’ home in June this year – a woman with dementia whom he had known for about 15 years.

An argument over a garden rake “caused a flick of the switch in his head”, prosecutor Charles Falk told Cambridge Crown Court, and he hit her over the head with it before grabbing a knife and stabbing her in a “frenzied” attack.

He left her with “life-changing injuries from which she will never fully recover”, Falk said.

A jury found him guilty of attempted murder and he will be sentenced on January 4.

Speaking to the BBC after learning of the new conviction, Holt’s father said he hoped authorities would “lock him up and keep him locked up because if he comes out again he’ll destroy another family”.

“He won’t go away because he gets a buzz off it, that’s my personal opinion,” he said.

Russians don’t celebrate Christmas for another couple of weeks but it appears to have come early for President Vladimir Putin.

He has just overseen a test of a new hypersonic glide vehicle, declaring the weapon is impossible to intercept and will ensure the country’s security for decades to come.

Putin added Russia would now deploy its first regiment of hypersonic nuclear-capable missiles next year, reports the Press Association.

Speaking to Russia’s top military brass after watching the live feed of the launch of the Avangard vehicle from the Defence Ministry’s control room, Putin said the successful test was a “great success” and an “excellent New Year’s gift to the nation”.

The Kremlin described the test in a statement, saying that an Avangard missile, launched from a location in south-west Russia, had successfully hit and destroyed a target in the Russian Far East.

Putin announced an array of new weapons in March, including the Avangard, in one of his most bellicose speeches in years, saying they could hit almost any point in the world and evade a US-built missile shield.

The test comes amid bitter tensions in Russia-US relations, which have sunk to their lowest level since Cold War times over the conflict in Ukraine, the war in Syria and the allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election.

Putin’s hopes for repairing ties with Washington under President Donald Trump have fizzled amid investigations into allegations of Trump’s campaign ties with Russia, and tensions have escalated as the US administration slapped Russia with new waves of sanctions.

The Avangard was among the array of new nuclear weapons that Putin presented in March, saying that Russia had to develop them in response to the development of the US missile defence system that could erode Russia’s nuclear deterrent.

In Wednesday’s test, the weapon was launched from the Dombarovskiy missile base in the southern Ural Mountains.

The Kremlin said it successfully hit a designated practice target on the Kura shooting range on Kamchatka, 3,700 miles away.

“The Avangard is invulnerable to intercept by any existing and prospective missile defense means of the potential adversary,” Putin said after the test, adding that the new weapon will enter service next year with the military’s Strategic Missile Forces.

When first presenting the Avangard in March, the Russian leader said the new system has an intercontinental range and can fly in the atmosphere at 20 times the speed of sound, bypassing the enemy’s missile defence.

He emphasised that no other country currently has hypersonic weapons.

Putin has said that Avangard is designed using new composite materials to withstand temperatures of up to 2,000C  that come from a flight through the atmosphere at hypersonic speeds.

Sister Wendy Beckett has died aged 88.

The BBC journalist, writer and art critic passed away at the Carmelite Monastery in Quidenham in Norfolk.

Sister Wendy, a religious sister of the Catholic church, presented a series of documentaries for the BBC during the 1990s, including Sister Wendy’s Odyssey and Sister Wendy’s Grand Tour.

Xinran Xue, a close friend, said: “It is very sad news. Many people see her as a religious person and she was far more than that.

“It’s a huge loss for the art world. She was a brilliant art critic.”

Sister Wendy was born in South Africa and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland, where her father studied medicine.

She later taught in cities including Cape Town and Liverpool.

It was only in later life that Sister Wendy found TV fame presenting programmes for the BBC.

Meals sold in supermarkets and restaurants could be subject to calorie caps under plans drawn up by Public Health England.

The regulations, first reported by the Telegraph, would force the food industry to adapt offerings, including limiting:

• sandwiches and main meal salads to 550 calories
• ready meals to 544 calories
• pizzas to 1040 calories
• restaurant main courses to 951 calories
• vol-au-vents to 134 calories 

For context, Pret’s Posh Cheddar & Pickle baguette is 621 calories and a plain burger and fries from Byron totals 1020 calories.

Obesity costs the NHS around £27 billion a year and is a leading cause of preventable illness. 

Research from Health Survey for England released earlier this month found 64% of UK adults are overweight or obese.

This includes 5% of women and 2% of men who are morbidly obese – meaning they had a body mass index (BMI) score of more than 40.

In 1993, when the survey began, just 1% of women were classed as morbidly obese, according to the data from NHS Digital.

It reached 5% for the first time in 2017.

Meanwhile the survey also revealed how children whose parents are obese are also more likely to be obese themselves.

More than a quarter (28%) of children of an obese mother were also obese, compared with 8% of children whose mother was not overweight or obese, the figures show.

And 24% of children of an obese father were also obese, compared with 9% of children where the father was not overweight or obese.

Overall, three in 10 children aged two to 15 in England were overweight or obese in 2017.

But the plans have drawn criticism. Chris Snowdon, of the right-wing think tank the Institute of Economic Affairs, told the Telegraph: “These demands are worthy of Nero or Caligula.

“The calorie caps are arbitrary, unscientific and unrealistic.

“It is reasonable to offer advice on daily calorie consumption but setting limits on individual meals is insane.”

After a year marked by the freezing Beast from the East and the scorching summer heatwave, 2019 will begin with none of the extremes of its predecessor. 

It’s going to be “mild”.

New Year’s revellers can look forward to temperatures sitting two to three degrees above average across the UK and forecasters expect 2018 to limp out with cloudy skies and only a few patches of drizzle over higher ground.

Those out to watch fireworks need not fear the nip as even northern parts of Scotland could see highs of 8C (46.4F) to 9C (48.2F), while the mercury might hit 13C (55.4F) further south.

Met Office forecaster Dean Hall said: “New Year’s Eve will generally be quite cloudy and relatively mild for the time of year, nothing exceptional but certainly mild.

“There is an area of high pressure to the south of the UK keeping things stable but there is still a fair amount of cloud around bringing some patches of rain to the north and west.”

He continued: “The north of the British Isles will be a bit more more unsettled, we will see a westerly wind, so it will be quite fresh and gusty at times.”

Hall said the UK was currently “sandwiched” between an area of high pressure to the south and low pressure to the far north.

“It’s that area of high pressure that is keeping things settled and those patches of rain will mainly be over the hills, moors and over the Pennines,” he said.

He added that, despite calm conditions elsewhere, the Shetlands and the Orkney Isles could expect some fairly windy weather.

“It will be fairly mild everywhere as far as temperatures go.

“It will likely be in double figures in the south, 10C (50F), 12C (53.6F) or even 13C (55.4F) in some sheltered spots,” he said.

“You have to bear in mind the average is 8C-9C.”

Hall said it was likely to be a bit colder further north, but still with highs of 10C to 11C (51.8F).

Panicked shoppers have been filmed running in fear through Westfield Stratford after a police operation to arrest a “knife-wielding” man sparked chaotic scenes.

Videos posted to social media just before 5pm on Wednesday show people, many with children and pushchairs, all headed away from one end of the shopping centre after reports of a “very loud noise”.

Witness Alicia Porter said on Twitter: “There were was a very loud noise, lots of screaming and a crowd of people running a sprinting for exits.”

Other videos show people fleeing into shops.

The Met Police say a crowd gathered after the arrest of the man in question prompting reinforcements to be called in.

Another video posted on Twitter shows a line of officers marching through the shopping centre.

Later, a fire alarm meant the entire complex was evacuated. Westfield later confirmed the two events were unrelated. 

Westfield Stratford, like most shopping centres, was especially busy today as shoppers sought to bag the best Boxing Day sale bargains.

Almost 2 million Black, Asian and minority ethnic workers are paid £3.2 billion less each year than white employees, a think tank has found.

BAME employees have over time earned less than white male workers, the Resolution Foundation said.

It added that the pay gap is in part down to “differences in workers’ qualification levels and the type of jobs they do”.

But analysis by the think tank, even when accounting for differences such as industry, education and contract type, found that black, Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi workers face significantly lower pay than white workers.

This is despite a rapid rise BAME graduates entering the labour market in recent decades.

Research found that having a degree does not end the loss in pay facing BAME workers. In fact, black male graduates face the biggest pay penalties of all groups in the analysis, losing out on an average of £3.90 an hour, or 17% lower pay.

Pakistani and Bangladeshi male graduates are paid £2.67 an hour less than white workers, or 12%. Among female graduate workers, black women face the biggest pay penalty of £1.62 an hour, or 9%.

Among non-graduates, Pakistani and Bangladeshi men faced the biggest pay penalties with 14% lower pay, or £1.91 less per hour, while black men are paid 9% less than white men, or £1.31.

The pay gap among female non-graduates stands at 61p for black women, or 6%, 55p for Bangladeshi and Pakistani women, 5%, and 44p for Indian women, which is 4% lower than white women.

The Foundation is urging “prompt government action” in response to the figures, starting with making large firms report on their BAME pay gaps in the same way they are made to report on their gender pay gap figures.

Kathleen Henehan, of the Resolution Foundation, said that despite the progress, firms should be given “greater incentive” to tackle the ethnic pay gap.

“Many of Britain’s 1.6 million black, Asian and ethnic minority workers face significant disadvantages in the workplace,” the research and policy analyst said.

“Black and ethnic minority workers still suffer significant pay penalties compared to white men and women doing the same types of jobs, and are collectively losing out on £3.2bn a year.

“After the successful steps taken to expose and tackle the gender pay gap in 2018, we now need greater accountability on the ethnic pay gap in 2019. The government can make this happen by requiring large firms to report their BAME pay gaps alongside the reporting they’re already doing on gender.”

A British cruise ship entertainer is missing after going overboard on Christmas Day.

The United States Coast Guard said it was searching for crew member Arron Hough, 20, of the UK, who had been on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship.

The vessel was 267 miles northwest of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, at the time.

Royal Caribbean said a member of the entertainment team on board Harmony Of The Seas en route to Philipsburg, St Maarten, did not report to work as scheduled on Tuesday.

A spokesman said: “We are saddened to report that after a review of the ship’s closed-circuit camera footage, he was observed entering an area on Deck 5 at around 4am and was not seen again.

“Local authorities were notified and a ship-wide search for the crew member was conducted.

“Our care team is providing support to the family and friends of our colleague, and our thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time.

“Harmony Of The Seas is currently sailing on a seven-night itinerary that departed Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Sunday December 23, with port calls to Philipsburg, St Maarten; San Juan, Puerto Rico and Labadee, Haiti.”

The US Coast Guard said: “The Coast Guard is searching Wednesday for a missing crew member, who went overboard from the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Harmony of the Seas 267 miles northwest of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.

“Missing is Arron Hough, 20, of the United Kingdom.

“Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector San Juan received a notification from the cruise ship stating a crew member went overboard Tuesday.”

Gangs of youths are breeding a new type of powerful hunting dog to kill and maim wildlife in the countryside in an alarming new trend known as “psycho poaching”.

The RSCPA has told HuffPost UK that thugs torture pets and wildlife for fun and share footage of animals being ripped apart, with secret screenings even being set up in the back room of pubs.

The phenomenon is known as “psycho-poaching” or “extreme hunting”, and has led to the development of a tough new breed of dog, the bull lurcher.

A cross between the illegal pitbull terrier and a lurcher, the animals are trained to track and kill rabbits, foxes and even deer.

They are bred for both speed and ferocity, experts say. “They have the speed of a lurcher and the immense jaw strength of a pit-bull terrier,” an RSPCA spokesperson said. “Our country’s wildlife is no match for these dogs once they’re set upon.”

RSPCA special operations chief inspector Will Mitchell said the motivation for the gangs appeared to be purely sadistic. “We are getting more and more reports of people randomly hunting animals with dogs.

“We’ve dealt with numerous cases where groups of mainly young men spend their evenings going out across countryside and farmland with their dogs to track down and kill badgers, foxes, deer and anything else that may get in their way.

“The dogs can and do get injured in these fights to the death. With these people, it’s not about money or betting.

“It is all about the dogs and what they can do. It’s about who has the most powerful dog. It’s about bragging rights. It is absolutely shocking.

“This is gratuitous killing for fun. They don’t gain anything from their actions.”

Earlier this month a Lancashire man was jailed for 22 weeks and disqualified from keeping animals for life after the RSPCA obtained videos of him setting his dogs on a pet cat and a fox.

Joseph Whittam’s phone uncovered images of a dog being encouraged to attack a gerbil and still images of a fox attack which show the animal being baited by the dog.

Mitchell said: “One of the magistrates had to leave court after watching the sickening footage.

“The cat was killed although we never found the body and never traced the poor cat’s owners.

“In another video, the dogs can be seen attacking and biting a fox. In all the footage Whittam can clearly be heard encouraging the dogs and egging them on.” 

Suzanne Heaney, Dog Fighting Programmes Manager at the League Against Cruel Sports, said: “It is extremely concerning that gangs are training dogs to rip apart British wildlife.

“The suffering inflicted on deer, hare, badgers and foxes who are literally torn apart in the jaws of dogs, so that these thugs can kill for kicks, is chilling. 

“The reality is that those who engage in extreme acts of cruelty rarely stop with animals.

“There are proven links between those who commit atrocities against animals and engage in other crime such as drugs, anti-social behaviour and other forms of violence”. 

If there’s ever a time when you need a break it’s January. Everybody is burnt out after indulging over Christmas, payday is a long way off and the weather is bleak. 

But what better time to book in a city escape or weekend away? Take advantage of the sales and sort a last minute get-away sorted to look forward to. According to Travel Supermarket, you can save as much as 67 per cent on your hols by jetting off in January, with it being 204 per cent more expensive to go away later on in August after analysing prices across more than 25 package holiday providers.

Emma Coulthurst, travel commentator at Travel Supermarket shared the benefits of going away soon after the festive period. “People don’t think to go away so close after Christmas; low demand means fantastic prices at the start of the year and the lack of queues at the major attractions and the feeling of being one of the locals, rather than a tourist, make up for any cooler temperatures,” she said.

So for a splash of sun on a shoestring budget, your next break could be sooner than you thought.

Milan, Italy

Milan is a great choice for the history and fashion buffs alike. A very walkable city, it’s easy to get around and there are many sights to see that won’t break the bank. Seek out the street art in Isola, completed mostly by locals, cycle along the canals, ride on one of the city’s historic trams or window shop in the Golden triangle between Via Montenapoleone, Via Sant’Andrea and Via della Spiga. And no trip to Milan would be complete without checking out the spectacular Duomo di Milano, which is the city’s cathedral. 

When to go: 14 - 16 January

Where to book: Lastminute.com

Where to stay: Piccolo Hotel 

Price: £84 for flights (with RyanAir) and hotel. There is a €15 charge on arrival for local taxes. 

Prague, Czech Republic

If you love the cold and winter is your favourite season, get out of the UK and head to Hungary for a shortstay in Prague. Bundle up and explore the renaissance architecture, baroque-style churches and enjoy the Czech cuisine. You can also meander through the Old Town Square, admire the art in the Czech National Gallery or visit the breath-taking Prague Castle, where entry is free. 

When to go: 7 - 9 January

Where to book: Trip.com

Where to stay: Hotel Bila Labut

Price: Hotel from £29 per night for a double room with breakfast included. Flights from £70.69 with Easyjet.

Agadir, Morocco

While one of the coldest months in Morocco, temperatures still average 23° C, which for Brits is basically tropical. Hike to the Kasbah for a birds-eye view of the entire city, enjoy a spot of sunbathing on the beach at Essaouira and pick up sounveirs and immerse yourself in traditional Moroccan fresh food and spices at the Souk El Had d’Agadir.

When to go: 17 - 24 January

Where to book: Travel Republic

Where to stay: Hotel Tagadirt

Price: Hotel and flights (with Easyjet) starting from £217 per person for 7 nights 

Berlin, Germany

A popular destination for a city break, Berlin offers a multitude of activities and attractions to see. Dine in style over the city, literally, in the rotating restaurant in Ascend Alexanderplatz’s TV Tower. Beat the queues by booking ahead online from £14.20. Or stroll through Tiergarten park while wetting your appetite with Westberlin cakes and coffee. Don’t miss out on the contemporary dance festival, Days Of Dance, which is running from the 9th to the 19th January. Tickets available with free admission on most shows.  

When to go: 8 - 10 January

Where to book: Loveholidays.com

Where to stay: Two Hotel Berlin

Price: Hotel and flights (with Ryanair) £86 per person.  

Sousse, Tunisia

With a rich culture to enjoy including ancient ruins, Islamic architecture and a plethora of souks, Tunisia is definitely worth checking out. Perhaps give the typically popular beaches a miss, as temperatures reach a mild 16° C. Soak up the culture in The Medina, a World Heritage Site built in the 9th century, brimming with palaces, mosques, mausoleums, bazaars and fountains to enjoy. Try shopping for fresh products and handicrafts in the Sousse’s weekly market, Souq El Ahad, open every Sunday morning.  

When to go: 16 - 23 January

Where to book: Loveholidays.com

Where to stay: Residence Boujaafar, Port el Kantaoui

Price: Hotel and flights (with Ryanair) £113 per person.  

JANUARY

1st: Hayley Kiyoko declares it’s ‘20gayteen’

The so-called “lesbian Jesus” Hayley Kiyoko started the year as she meant to go on, tweeting on New Year’s Day that it was “20gayteen”, encouraging her queer fans to “thrive” and “let their souls feel alive”.

It wound up being a huge year not just for the community, but for Hayley personally, with her much-awaited debut album ‘Expectations’ being met with critical acclaim, as well as winning Push Artist Of The Year at the VMAs over the summer.

FEBRUARY

3rd: Courtney Act is crowned winner of ‘Celebrity Big Brother’

Undeniably a queer hero to many here in the UK, Courtney won praise during her time in the ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ house for her unique way of explaining important issues like sexuality and gender identity in an accessible, but always unpatronising, ways.

Her patience and strength in the face of occasional ignorance (mostly from fellow housemate Ann Widdecombe) won over the British public, and she wound up being voted the public’s winner by an absolute landslide.

7th: ‘Queer Eye’ debuts on Netflix, and quickly makes a huge splash 

It’s hard to imagine it now, but when Netflix first announced that a ‘Queer Eye’ reboot was in the world, there was actually a question about whether or not there was actually a need for the show in 2018.

How wrong we were.

At a time when the world can feel divided and isolating, ‘Queer Eye’ provided a much-needed glimmer of light, and we immediately fell in love with the diverse new Fab Five.

19th: Dustin Lance Black rises above the hate after baby announcement

When Dustin Lance Black and Tom Daley announced they had a child on the way, their fans were understandably thrilled, but that didn’t stop a disappointing number of bigots critics from sharing their negative opinions on a subject that had nothing to do with them.

Fortunately, the screenwriter was able to take the high road, addressing the issue head-on in a simple, but powerful, Instagram post.

Later in the year, he and Tom welcomed their son, Robbie, into the world. 

MARCH

1st: MNEK unveils his song, ‘Tongue’

MNEK returned to the music scene in March with his sexiest track to date, as the lead single to his debut album, ‘Language’, which was released in the summer.

Lyrically, the song sees MNEK toying with dropping the L-word with a guy who’s caught his eye, while the video, which followed a week later, sees the perfectly-manicured singer making eyes at his male love interest, swishing his hair and even serving choreo in a shiny pink playsuit. We stan.

4th: ‘A Fantastic Woman’ wins the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film

‘A Fantastic Woman’ is one of our top films of 2018, and we’d happily have seen it in place of several of the year’s Best Picture nominees, while leading lady Daniela Vega was 100% deserving of a Best Actress nod.

Still, we were happy to see the film, which tells the story of a grieving trans woman in Santiago, Chile, receive the Best Picture prize, while fellow nominee ‘BPM’, another of our films of the year, would also have been a deserving winner.

Daniela made history during the ceremony as the first transgender person to present at the Oscars, introducing Best Original Song nominee ‘Mystery Of Love’, taken from ‘Call Me By Your Name’.

6th: RuPaul apologises to trans community

It’s a sad fact that sometimes the people we respect or admire will let us down, and in those instances, they need to be held to account.

In an interview with The Guardian, RuPaul made a string of controversial comments about who he would allow to partake in ‘Drag Race’, claiming he wouldn’t allow women, cisgender or trans, to appear on the show, as he views drag as an “f-you to male-dominated culture”.

After facing a backlash for his remarks, Ru created even bigger waves when he tweeted: “You can take performance enhancing drugs and still be an athlete, just not in the Olympics.”

He later apologised for what was perceived as “gate-keeping”, tweeting: “I understand and regret the hurt I have caused. The trans community are heroes of our shared LGBTQ movement. You are my teachers.

“In the 10 years we’ve been casting Drag Race, the only thing we’ve ever screened for is charisma uniqueness nerve and talent. And that will never change.”

The upcoming series of ‘All Stars’ will feature Gia Gunn as a competitor, the first time a queen has transitioned since appearing on ‘Drag Race’ and returned as a contestant.

7th: Years & Years begin ‘Palo Santo’ video series with ‘Sanctify’

With Olly Alexander established as one of the UK’s favourite gay pop singers, all eyes were on Years & Years to see what they pulled out of the bag as they debuted their second album.

The band trailed ‘Palo Santo’ with ‘Sanctify’, a song detailing Olly’s sexual relationship with a straight man, while the song’s accompanying music video was the first in a series, portraying a dystopian future where people are made to dance as a form of entertainment for robot overlords.

APRIL

27th: Janelle Monáe comes out as pansexual

And what a coming out it was too. Speaking to Rolling Stone in April, Janelle declared: “Being a black queer woman in America, someone who has been in relationships with both men and women, I consider myself to be a free-ass motherfucker.”

The interview preceded her latest album, ‘Dirty Computer’, and its accompanying short film, in which she delved deeper into issues like sexuality and race, heavily featuring her rumoured girlfriend Tessa Thompson.

MAY

8th: Channel 4′s ‘Genderquake: The Debate’ shows how not to have a conversation about transgender issues

As part of their ‘Genderquake’ series, Channel 4 aired a live debate about issues relating to gender, featuring idealogically-contrasting panellists like activist Munroe Bergdorf, reality star Caitlyn Jenner, feminist critic Germaine Greer and journalist Sarah Dittum.

Unfortunately, what ensued was an increasingly-uncomfortable hour of television, culminating in members of the audience shouting transphobic slurs at the panel, and despite calls from both Munroe and Caitlyn for them to be removed, security ultimately failed to step in.

The debate eventually led hundreds of people to complain to Ofcom.

11th: Rita Ora comes out, after facing backlash over her song ‘Girls’

When Rita Ora unveiled the Charli XCX, Bebe Rexha and Cardi B collaboration ‘Girls’, the chorus of which hears the singer claiming “sometimes I just wanna kiss girls, girls, girls, red wine I just wanna kiss girls, girls, girls”, was met with near-immediate controversy.

Many felt that the song trivialised the experiences of queer-identifying women and played up to the “male gaze”, while singer Hayley Kiyoko claimed the track “marginalised the idea of women loving women”.

As the backlash continued, Rita spoke out to reveal that ‘Girls’ was written “to represent her truth”, while revealing that she identifies as “LGBTQ+”.

“I would never intentionally cause harm to other LGBTQ+ people or anyone,” she wrote. “Looking forward, I hope that continuing to express myself through my art will empower my fans to feel as proud of themselves as I’m learning to feel about who I am.”

12th: Irish Eurovision entrant shows support for LGBT community, despite Chinese censorship

Irish singer Ryan O’Shaughnessy’s Eurovision performance featured a pair of male dancers, who enacted a love story while he sang his melancholic ballad, ‘Together’.

While his staging was largely welcomed by Eurovision fans, it did not go down well in China, where his semi-final performance was censored.

3rd: ‘Pose’ debuts in the US 

Unquestionably one of our TV highlights of 2018, ‘Pose’ shone a light on the 1980s ballroom scene previously explored in the critically-acclaimed documentary ‘Paris Is Burning’, the legacy of which lives on in shows like ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’.

‘Pose’ made TV history thanks to its hugely diverse cast, which included more than 50 transgender characters, all of whom are played by trans actors, while showing both the serious competitive side of the ball scene as well as kinship and solidarity between the members of each house.

It also touches on important themes of that period which are still prevalent today, including hate crime, the HIV/AIDS crisis, homelessness among LGBT+ people and, of course, love in all its forms.

While some early fans of the show feared the ratings might be too low to warrant a follow-up series, it’s since been confirmed that a second part is coming in 2019.

20th: Hannah Gadsby’s ‘Nanette’ begins streaming on Netflix, and quickly garners attention

Stand-up specials debut on Netlix all the time, but few lead to as much conversation as Hannah Gadsby’s personal monologue, ‘Nanette’.

Beginning as a fairly standard stand-up routine about introversion and her experiences as a lesbian woman, things take a far more serious turn as she continues, eventually sparking conversations about gender identity, misogyny and sexual abuse.

It’s not always a comfortable watch, but ‘Nanette’ is vital viewing, with Hannah – who declares near the beginning of her performance that she’s giving up comedy – definitely a one to watch in 2019.

22nd: The ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ reunion special sparks important conversations  

Anyone who’s been watching ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ since its early years will know the show has become so much more than a competition about wigs and high heels.

Now adored all over the world, the show has become a platform to comment on important issues within the queer community, from body image and bullying to sexual assault and HIV awareness.

Unfortunately, the series 10 reunion episode was among the show’s more uncomfortable moments, but still managed to spark important discussions in the fan community about racism, particularly in relation to the way The Vixen was portrayed during her time on the show.

After saying her piece, The Vixen chose to walk away mid-reunion, while Asia O’Hara did what so many would never dare to, and challenged RuPaul about why she’d allowed it to happen.

In a polarising speech, Ru declared: “Look at me, goddammit. I come from the same goddamn place that she comes from. And here I am. You see me walking out? No... I fucking learned how to act around people, and how to deal with shit. I’m not fucking walking out and saying ‘fuck all of y’all’. That’s disrespectful!

“Let me tell you something, I have been discriminated against by white people because I’m black, by black people because I’m gay and by gay people for being too femme. Did I let that stop me? No.”

The Vixen later returned for the show’s final episode, but both she and Asia have since gone on to speak about how she feels black contestants are treated differently when they take part in ‘Drag Race’.

JULY

5th: Christine And The Queens introduce the world to Chris 

French singer/songwriter Héloïse Letissier won critical acclaim with her debut album in 2014, under the moniker Christine And The Queens.

In a David Bowie-esque move, her second album saw her introduce a second, more masculine, alter-ego, with the shortened name Chris, which was also the title of the album.

“Every morning, we choose a way to perform our identity,” she told Billboard. “By being a woman differently, I can be a sign that it’s all a construction. I’m trying to be freer myself so [I can] give a hint of freedom to someone else.”

Similarly, she told WWD: “I feel like sometimes women are still made to choose and refuse some kind of complexity or multifaceted character that sometimes men have naturally.

″[On Chris] I kind of wanted to address the contradictions. I wanted to resist branding, if that means anything. And if it’s too tiring then well, I’m not going to make it easy either. Because as a woman, a feminist and a queer woman, I kind of need complexity and I need nuances and I want them.”

6th: Brendon Urie comes out as pansexual

Speaking to Paper magazine about how he identifies sexually, the Panic! At The Disco frontman said: “I’m married to a woman and I’m very much in love with her but I’m not opposed to a man because to me, I like a person.

“Yeah, I guess you could qualify me as pansexual because I really don’t care. If a person is great, then a person is great. I just like good people, if your heart’s in the right place. I’m definitely attracted to men. It’s just people that I am attracted to.”

AUGUST

4th: Britney Spears puts Brighton Pride to work, bitch

In what must surely be the most A-list guest a UK Pride has ever bagged as a headline performance, Britney Spears took to the stage in Brighton to close the show after what was a jam-packed day of Pride fun.

The performance itself was... well, it was Britney Spears, draw your own conclusions, but everybody had a good time regardless (until it was time to get the train home, that is).

We can’t wait to see how they top Britney in 2019, but don’t think we haven’t noticed that gap in Kylie Minogue’s summer tour dates...

13th: Disney takes a huge step forward (and a bit of a step back)

Over the summer, it was revealed that Disney was planning to feature its first ever openly gay character in the upcoming big screen adaptation of the theme park attraction ‘Jungle Cruise’, which was well-received among LGBT+ fans of the franchise.

Less well-received was the news that the character was to be played by Jack Whitehall, with many questioning why an LGBT+ actor couldn’t have been cast in the role, particularly after it was suggested that the British comedian would be playing up to certain tropes and stereotypes in the film.

This led to a debate in the community about whether it was truly necessary for LGBT+ characters to be played by actors who identify as such. Many concluding that while it was exciting that there would be some gay representation in a family film, it would have been even better if the role had gone to someone from within the community.

31st: Troye Sivan hones in on queer romance and sex on ‘Bloom’

While many latched onto the fact that the titular song from Troye Sivan’s ‘Bloom’ deals, fairly graphically, with anal sex between two men, what was often forgotten was how much of the song also dealt with themes of sensuality and romance, beyond the obvious “blooming” metaphor.

These ideas were all over Troye’s sophomore album, one of the year’s most highly anticipated queer releases, which finally arrived at the end of August.

While opener ‘Seventeen’ sees him exploring hook-up apps like Grindr and the sexual encounters he had in his youth, tracks like ‘Animal’ are more traditional love song, which blur the line between love and sex in a way rarely heard in queer art.

31st: Eminem gets dragged for his use of tired homophobic slurs  

Unfortunately, what should have been a celebratory release day for Troye Sivan was overlooked by the surprise arrival of Eminem’s 10th studio album, ‘Kamikaze’.

To make matters even worse, the rapper swiftly came under fire for the song ‘Sway’, in which he says of rapper Tyler The Creator: “I see why you called yourself a f****t bitch, it’s not just ’cause you lack attention, it’s because you worship D12’s balls, you’re sacrilegious.”

Tyler - whose lyrics on ‘Flower Boy’ are considered by most fans to be his way of coming out as LGBT+ - has never responded to Eminem, who has since conceded he went “too far” on the track.

He said: “In my quest to hurt him, I realise that I was hurting a lot of other people by saying it.”

Eminem has come under fire numerous times throughout his career for his use of homophobic slurs, while on ‘Fall’, the word is censored, but still audible.

SEPTEMBER

3rd: ‘Neighbours’ features its first ever same-sex wedding

Nine months after marriage equality was legalised in Australia, ‘Neighbours’ celebrated with its first ever wedding between two men, with David and Aaron - or “Daaron” as they’ve become affectionately - known by fans.

While soaps here in Britain have frequently been at the forefront of showcasing LGBT+ issues, it was encouraging to see the shows we know and love from Down Under celebrating same-sex love, with this important step in terms of representation no doubt meaning a lot to fans of the show within the community. 

4th: Sam Smith honours the LGBT+ community with ‘Promises’ music video

Sam Smith was just 22 when he released his debut album ‘In The Lonely Hour’, and it’s fair to say that in his quest to navigate the world as a young, high-profile gay man, the singer hasn’t always got it right.

During the promotion for his sophomore album last year, Sam spoke about this struggle to be the right kind of gay man in the public eye, but in the last 12 months, it felt like he was finally starting to feel at ease. It showed when he declared himself a “dick monster” while chatting to Patti LaBelle, it showed when he spoke more eloquently than ever about issues relating to the community, and it showed whenever he shared a flamboyant photo or video of himself strutting around in high heels.

The music video for his chart-topping Calvin Harris collaboration ‘Promises’ is probably the most explicitly and joyfully queer offering of his career, paying homage to the gay ballroom scene and dancing up a storm.

7th: ‘The Miseducation Of Cameron Post’ explores conversion therapy

Part ‘Lady Bird’, part ‘Girl, Interrupted’, ‘The Miseducation Of Cameron Post’ tells the story of the titular teenager, who finds herself put in conversion therapy in the early 2000s when she’s discovered to have had sex with one of her female schoolmates.

As well as shining a light on an important queer issue, and one that unfortunately still affects many people, even in 2018, lead star Chloe Grace Moretz has also expressed her happiness at being in an LGBT+ film where the characters who identify as such are portrayed by actors who do too.

17th: ‘American Crime Story’ cleans up at the Emmys

‘The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story’ was among the big winners at the 2018 Emmys, taking home three of the awards it was nominated for (it was beaten only by Amazon’s ‘The Marvelous Mrs Maisel’, which won five).

The show won critical acclaim not just thanks to its incredible writing, stunning aesthetics and powerful acting, but also its portrayal of LGTB+ themes, which despite the 90s setting, still felt poignant even 20 years on.

30th: Strictly’s “same-sex routine” gets a mixed response

While the conversation about whether the BBC will ever have a same-sex pair competing in ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ rages on, the show did make a stride towards progress in its most recent series.

During one group number, a portion of the dance saw the male and female dancers performing a one-on-one routine with members of the same sex.

While this move was applauded by some fans, others felt it was an inadequate way of skirting a controversial issue, and insufficient when so many still want to see either two men or two women in the main contest.

OCTOBER

9th: Cameron Cole comes out as gay in the ‘Big Brother’ house

We’ve written before about how reality TV has been at responsible for introducing LGBT+ people and issues to a more mainstream audience, so it felt fitting that in the final series of ‘Big Brother’, there were a moment as touching as this one.

At just 18, Cameron received a unanimously positive and warm reception from his housemates when he chose to disclose his sexuality to them for the first time.

The public was clearly won over, too, and when the final rolled around, it was Cameron who was crowned viewers’ last-ever winner on Channel 5.

14th: ‘Butterfly’ debuts on ITV

In 2018, the conversation around transgender issues has increased even further, and while of course raising awareness of queer subjects is ultimately a good thing, this has allowed certain portions of the media to ramp up scare-mongering and misinformation around an important and sensitive issue.

ITV began showing ‘Butterfly’ in October, telling the story of the divorced parents of a transgender teenager, and how they navigate the issue together.

The show worked closely with the organisation Mermaids, to ensure the topic was handled both sensitively and accurately, to best educate viewers about a subject that viewers see and hear a lot about in the likes of ‘Good Morning Britain’ debates and certain newspaper columns, but don’t always get the chance to process or learn about properly.

25th: ‘The Bi Life’ introduces a whole new kind of dating show

With popular dating shows like ‘Love Island’ and ‘Take Me Out’ almost boastful in their heteronormative formats, newly-crowned ‘CBB’ winner Courtney Act clearly felt it was time to take matters into her own hands.

Rounding up a load of young people who she says identify as neither 100% straight nor gay, Courtney walked the new contestants through what was billed as a “dating adventure they’ll never forget”. It saw them navigating their own sexualities and looking for love in Barcelona, without any strict rules about gender pairs enforced by other dating shows. 

28th: ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ tops the UK box office

The life of one of the most important LGBT+ pop culture figures of the 20th century, Freddie Mercury, was explored in the biopic ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, with leading actor Rami Malek winning critical acclaim for his portrayal of the Queen frontman.

While the film initially came under fire for its failure to address Freddie’s HIV status and same-sex relationships, this criticism was based solely on the initial trailer.

After the film finally hit cinemas, it was revealed that Freddie’s romantic relationships with both men and women are documented, as is the scene in which he first discovers he has HIV, and breaks the news to his bandmates.

NOVEMBER

10th: John Bishop goes viral with speech about his LGBT+ allyship

Earlier in 2018, comedian John Bishop was named Ally Of The Year at the British LGBT Awards, and during the ceremony, received a standing ovation for a speech in which he showed his support for his son, who is gay.

Speaking about it later on ‘The Jonathan Ross Show’, he said: “I suppose it was an opportunity to say ‘I kind of know a little bit more than you think I know, and I’ve kind of experienced a little bit more than you think’.

“Having a gay son is just like having a son. Of the top 10 things that I even think about him, being gay’s not even on there. He’s just another son.”

He continued: “I wanted to reach out, because I’ve learned more since I’ve talked more openly with my son, to the kids who are 10 and 11, in the playground who are standing on their own, who don’t know where they belong and what group they belong in, so they try to play up to something or feel isolated. And to their parents who think ‘I don’t know, my son doesn’t want to play football, he doesn’t fit in’, it’s OK.

“Just love them for who they are, and allow them to feel safe. And then those little digs and those little knocks and the little abuse that subtilely get that we don’t know about... perhaps won’t penetrate as deep.” 

26th: Shawn Mendes shares his thoughts on “gay” rumours

Since his rise to fame in the last few years, there have been plenty of jokes and memes about Shawn Mendes, which have suggested that he’s secretly gay, and hiding his sexuality.

The moment that British ‘Drag Race’ fans have been waiting literal years for finally came towards the end of the year, with RuPaul confirming that a UK version of the show is officially in the works.

Both Ru and Michelle Visage will be returning as panellists (other judges are yet to be revealed), with producers currently on the lookout for 10 British queens to compete in the show, which will air on BBC Three.

6th: Shane McGowan weighs in on ‘Fairytale Of New York’ censorship

It’s become almost as much of a festive tradition as the song itself – every year a debate rages on about whether the homophobic and sexist slurs in The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl’s ‘Fairytale Of New York’ should be censored on the radio.

As irritated parties on both sides continued to vent on the divisive issue (though, really, should it be divisive? Should people be subjected to homophobic langauge every time they switch the radio on just in the name of festive cheer?), Pogues frontman Shane McGowan spoke out on the issue.

Beginning by attempting to explain why the slurs were included in the lyrics in the first place, he later conceded: “If people don’t understand that I was trying to accurately portray the character as authentically as possible then I am absolutely fine with them bleeping the word but I don’t want to get into an argument.”

People who have covered the song in 2018 have been inventive to avoid controversy, with national treasure Jane McDonald replacing the slur with “wazzock”.

7th: Kevin Hart steps down from Academy Awards hosting gig after homophobic tweets are unearthed

No sooner was Kevin Hart announced as the host of the 2019 Oscars than he revealed he was leaving the gig, due to controversy over past tweets of his in which he used homophobic language.

Though he initially refused to apologise for his comments in 2010, he later said sorry “to the LGBTQ community for his insensitive words from his past”, as he explained he would no longer be going ahead with the job as he didn’t want to be a “distraction”.

18th: Ellen DeGeneres’ stand-up show debuts on Netflix

We now know her best now as an A-list TV presenter (and, of course, as the voice of Disney’s Dory), but Ellen originally cut her teeth as a stand-up comic, and towards the end of 2018, she made it her mission to remind everyone of this.

The stand-up special was full of Ellen’s usual mix of observational humour and personal anecdotes, relating to both her A-list lifestyle and her home life with wife Portia De Rossi.