Two women find out they have cancer during or shortly after pregnancy every day, according to the charity Mummy’s Star.

But maternity leave cannot be delayed in the UK, meaning many mothers have to choose between spending time with their newborn and receiving treatment.

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The longest-serving health secretary in British history is backing calls to change the law so that mothers diagnosed with cancer would be able to delay maternity leave for up to a year after birth, calling the move a “no-brainer”.

Sir Jeremy, who received a cancer diagnosis himself, said it is “one of the most terrifying things that can happen to you”, and described how “you feel like there’s a guillotine hanging over your head and you just don’t know”.

His cancer was caught early, but the disease has taken both of his parents and his brother.

Addressing the calls to change maternity leave, he warned ministers that “the longer you wait, the more people will suffer”.

Speaking to Sky News, Sir Jeremy added that such a change would face “zero opposition from any other parties in the House” if it was introduced as a draft law by the government, or as a private member’s bill.

The campaign has received cross-party support, being championed by a key aide to the prime minister, as well as by other Labour MPs and members of the Liberal Democrats.

There have been limited studies into the number of women who receive a cancer diagnosis during or in the immediate months after pregnancy.

But Macmillan Cancer Support says what research there is suggests around one in every 1,000 pregnancies result in the mother discovering they have cancer – and that this number is rising.

The charity also backs up figures from Mummy’s Star that on average, “at least two women every day” are diagnosed with cancer while pregnant, or shortly after birth.

A report published in the US-based Journal of Global Oncology in 2018 also found a slightly higher rate, of around one diagnosis per 800 pregnancies.

The move is being led by Mummy’s Star founder Pete Wallroth, whose own wife, Mair, was diagnosed with breast cancer while pregnant in June 2012. Two months later, she gave birth to her second child – but the cancer spread and she died that December.

He told Sky News that Mair’s cancer diagnosis “really impacted her and her early days as a mum for the second time”.

“We can’t be penalising people unfairly just because they got a cancer diagnosis around their pregnancy,” he said.

Ashleigh Eccles, who was diagnosed with cancer shortly after giving birth in 2023, said she felt “an immense amount of grief” at losing her entire maternity leave to cancer treatment. She routinely had to leave her newborn with her parents while she went for chemotherapy.

“I really felt like I had missed out on this magical time to bond with my baby,” she said.

Ms Eccles was also “totally surprised” to learn that maternity leave couldn’t be delayed, and that she was “never going to get that time back”.

Similarly, Beth Dedman was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma shortly after giving birth to her first child in 2024.

She said her employers were “brilliant” about the situation – but “they didn’t know what to do”.

“It all seemed like it was wrong, that something was missing,” she said. “I was thinking ‘that can’t be right’. Everybody that I came across didn’t really know how to tell me that [delaying maternity leave] wasn’t even an option.”

Mr Wallroth believes that the current situation means “everybody loses”, and pushes women out of their jobs, as they often don’t return full-time, having spent precious few moments with their newborn. He said changing the rules on maternity leave would involve a short-term cost, but a long-term saving.

“If you’re able to better support that process, if you’re able to offer a deferment, they’re far more likely to stay in that job in the long-term,” he said.

“I know what the Treasury will say,” said Sir Jeremy, who served as the chancellor for almost two years, under Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak.

He continued: “They’ll say, ‘look, why make an exception for cancer? What about other illnesses that people could get as well?’ The truth is that the law is always a bit messy, but in a compassionate society, we need to make some room for exceptions – and this is one that just seems to be very sensible.”

Labour MP Jon Pearce, who is a parliamentary private secretary for Sir Keir Starmer, raised the issue with ministers after hosting some of the campaigners in parliament last month.

“You could not fail to be moved by the stories of mothers whose maternity leave was spent undergoing treatment for cancer,” he told Sky News. “I cannot imagine what it must be like for a mum excited about bonding with their new baby to have their lives turned upside down.”

Changing the law “would benefit around 700 mums each year”, he added.

Ireland has already taken the decision to allow maternity leave to be delayed in certain circumstances, introducing the change in 2024.

Referring to this, Sir Jeremy said: “If you can point to a country where it’s happened, and it hasn’t caused the skies to fall in, then that’s a pretty good indication it’s a sensible thing to do.

“It’s a real shame to hang around on something like this that really would make life better for lots of people.”

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A spokesperson for the Department of Business and Trade said: “Receiving news of a cancer diagnosis is devastating for individuals and families at any time, especially for mothers on maternity leave who should be spending that precious time bonding with their newborn baby.

“Our National Cancer Plan sets out how we will support people, including pregnant and postnatal women with cancer, and our parental leave review is exploring how we can better support working families so that parents can spend time doing what matters most – caring for their baby.”

A new voting system and an electorate hungry for change means for the first time in Wales, polls suggest voters no longer want Labour in power.

But a new and clear pattern is emerging in the polls. Once dominant, Labour is now fighting for third with the Greens, while Plaid Cymru and Reform UK compete for first place.

The most recent ITV YouGov poll speaks to this trend: Plaid Cymru is in first place with 33% – securing an estimated 43 seats, six short of a majority. Reform UK follows on 27%, with Welsh Labour down to 13%.

If polling is accurate, Plaid leader Rhun ap Iorwerth could be Wales’s first non-Labour First Minister. The Welsh Labour red rose superseded by the Plaid Cymru daffodil.

But the polls do not indicate an overall majority for Plaid Cymru. No party has ever secured one in Cardiff Bay since devolution, and the new voting system makes that outcome even less likely this time.

Mr ap Iorwerth previously told Sky News he would run a minority government. Plaid Cymru sources told Sky News the party has sought advice from the SNP after they took over government from Scottish Labour in 2007.

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Unless Plaid secures a majority, which is unlikely, the party will need to rely on support from opposition parties to get its ambitions into law.

Could the Green Party be Plaid Cymru’s secret weapon? The polls indicate that.

The recent Green bounce, fuelled by Zack Polanski, means the party, led by Anthony Slaughter in Wales, could be on track for 10 seats in the Senedd.

Mr Slaughter told Sky News “the polls suggest we will hold the balance of power in the Senedd after the election”.

If that happens, it would be a big moment, since the Greens have never had a seat in the Welsh Parliament before. The surge of the Greens could provide a lifeline to Plaid Cymru, which wants to distance itself from Labour and previous co-operation agreements under Labour-led minority governments in Cardiff.

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There’s common ground between the Greens and Plaid. They are both left leaning, pro EU, pro Welsh independence, and both have by-election wins. Plaid in Caerphilly, the Greens in Gorton and Denton – both chipping away at Labour and claiming victory from Labour over Reform.

But sticking points could be around Plaid’s decision to abandon its 2035 net zero pledges, which could be a red line for the Greens, who are also seeking advice from Scottish counterparts.

As one Green Wales Party source put it: “When the SNP started watering things down, the Scottish Greens walked away from government. It’s not about getting a seat at the table for us, it’s about delivering real change.”

Eluned Morgan, the sixth consecutive Labour First Minister of Wales, told Sky News she does not accept they are going to lose in May.

However, recent YouGov polling suggests the Baroness may not even secure a seat at next month’s election.

Despite the first minister’s defiance, some within Labour’s ranks are far less optimistic than their leader.

One party that is optimistic is Reform UK, led in Wales by Dan Thomas. Reform is confident they can win the popular vote in May, pledging to scrap the controversial default 20mph limit in urban areas and focusing on immigration.

Reform is clearly cutting through in Wales. Recent polls put Reform on 27% with about 30 seats, 19 short of a majority.

With the Conservatives projected to win just one seat and other parties ruling out a coalition, Mr Thomas’s path to first minister based on polling looks tricky.

The party, however, appears poised to replace the Conservatives as the official opposition, a development likely to please them as Nigel Farage has signalled his ambition for Reform UK to “put an end” to the Tories.

Dr Jac Larner of the Wales Governance Centre told Sky News the new voting system makes things harder for mid-sized parties.

He said: “Each of the 16 constituencies returns six members, allocated in successive rounds – meaning the final seats in each constituency are typically decided by very small margins. That makes seat projections genuinely uncertain, especially for mid-sized parties whose fortunes depend on winning those last, tightest places.

“A swing of just a couple of percentage points can trigger a cascade of gains or losses across the country.”

He added: “For Labour and the Conservatives, that uncertainty cuts particularly sharply: the difference between a bad night and a truly catastrophic one may come down to no more than two or three points in vote share.”

With a new voting system being used in Wales for the first time, everything is still up for grabs on 7 May.

But if recent polling is anything to go by, one thing seems inevitable: the era of two-party dominance in Wales looks to be ending, and its aftershocks could soon ripple down the M4.

With one month to go until the local elections in England, Wales and Scotland, is the electoral map about to be redrawn?

In his first major test since the general election, Sir Keir Starmer faces a major health check and verdict on his government and leadership. Could the results reshape his premiership?

In this special episode, Sam and Anne are joined by elections analyst Professor Rob Ford to discuss the key battlegrounds across the country.

• Can the SNP hold on for a fifth term at Holyrood?
• Could Welsh Labour lose power in the Senedd for the first time in its electoral history?
• Will Reform UK and the Greens’ surge end the conventional two-party political system for good?
• Can the Conservatives stop the bleeding of votes across the board?
• Was the Liberal Democrat revival short-lived?

Sam and Anne return for daily episodes from Monday 13 April.

The prime minister released his statement as is traditional from Downing Street.

He said that in ‘times when some seek to divide, the government is committed to working across faiths and differences, to build a country that is more resilient, inclusive and connected’.

This follows a row earlier last month over whether Muslims praying in Trafalgar Square as part of Eid constituted a “domination” of public space, as argued by the shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy and agreed by Reform.

A Passion of Jesus performance, showing the story of the crucifixion, was put on in the square on Good Friday.

Sir Keir also addressed the impact on cost of living from the war in the Middle East.

In his Easter message, Sir Keir said: “Easter is a celebration of hope, new life and renewal.

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“Across the country, churches and Christian communities quietly and tirelessly support families, children and neighbours – offering comfort, bringing people together, and standing alongside those who need it most.

“It is precisely that spirit of service which exemplifies national renewal, and reflects the very heart of Christ’s example.

“This Easter comes at a time of real anxiety for many people. Conflicts abroad, pressures at home, and uncertainty about the future weigh heavily on families and households.

“In moments like these, faith offers reassurance and grounding – a reminder that we are not alone, and that hope can still take root even in difficult soil.”

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The prime minister added: “Our country is at its best when we choose community over division, kindness over indifference, and service over self‑interest.

“I thank everyone who gives their time through churches and Christian charities, and wish Christians across the UK and around the world a very happy Easter filled with peace, hope and the promise of new life.”

Leader of the opposition Kemi Badenoch also shared a message, describing Easter as “a reminder that even in the darkest times, renewal is possible and that light can overcome darkness”.

“At the heart of the Christian faith is a story of redemption, of second chances, of perseverance and of the belief that better days lie ahead,” she said.

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“In a world that can often feel uncertain, perhaps even bleak, with conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, and challenges at home, that message matters more than ever.

“Across the country, we also see the cultural value of Christianity in the quiet, everyday impact of that faith in acts of kindness, service and sacrifice in our communities. I wish Christians and all people across the United Kingdom a very happy Easter.”

The Times reported that Mr Miliband, the key proponent of Labour’s net zero plans, is set to give the project the green light.

Jackdaw was previously approved under the Conservatives, before being put on ice when a court appeal forced a new environmental assessment.

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Labour was elected on a manifesto that promised not to approve new oil and gas licences.

However, the government considers this not to apply to Jackdaw due to the prior consent, leaving the door open for Jackdaw to be approved.

Mr Miliband’s efforts to sprint towards green energy have faced new challenges following the outbreak of war in the Middle East, and rising energy prices.

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Chancellor Rachel Reeves said earlier this week she was “very happy” to back Jackdaw, and the linked Rosebank project.

Both are located in the North Sea, with Jackdaw – off Aberdeen – mainly containing gas, and Rosebank – near the Shetland Islands – having both gas and oil.

In Labour’s 2024 manifesto, Sir Keir Starmer promise his government would “not issue new licences to explore new fields”.

A government source pointed Sky News to the fact nothing was said about previously granted consents in the policy platform.

Another said it was noted that Mr Miliband’s decision will be made in a quasi-judicial fashion, based on the law, rather than government or Labour Party policy.

In opposition, Mr Miliband branded Rosebank a “colossal waste of taxpayer money and climate vandalism”.

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And a war of words erupted on social media between Labour backbenchers – including a recently departed minister calling for more drilling.

Josh Simons said Ms Reeves’ backing of more drilling was “excellent news”.

However, Labour colleague Uma Kumaran replied “disagree”, stating “the climate crisis is very real, as is the energy crisis. We can’t keep going back to oil and gas.”

She said the war showed the UK was too reliant on fossil fuels, with Green Party leader Zack Polanski also criticised Mr Simons.

The ex-minister said he was not convinced that new drilling wouldn’t lower bills, bring energy independence or protect the UK from price shocks.

Instead, his argument was that it would create jobs, provide tax revenue and reduce global carbon emissions by reducing the amount of imported fuel.

“Yes, double down on renewables, insulate homes, lower bills. AND green light those two fields,” Mr Simons said.

Approval of the field would see Labour adopting a position shared by the Conservatives and Reform UK, who want more drilling.

The SNP has recently changed its position to back drilling too, having previously called for a ban on new projects.

One of the leading private sector figures involved in the Jackdaw project said it could start pumping fuel in time for next winter.

Neil McCulloch, the chief executive of Adura, added that his company is ready to start providing energy from Jackdaw by this October, if they get a decision by the expected deadline around August.

“We do not recognise this unfounded speculation,” a Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson said.

“We cannot comment on live planning decisions, and these decisions will be made in an appropriate and timely manner, after the last government’s plans were found to be unlawful.”

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The rise in energy prices has led to many to call for more government action.

Lord Richard Walker, the executive chairman of Iceland and Sir Keir Starmer’s cost of living tsar, suggested the 5p cut on fuel duty should be extended past September, or even expanded.

It’s an Easter special – so grab yourself a hot cross bun and listen in as Beth, Ruth and Harriet answer all of your questions.

From whether Zack Polanski and Nigel Farage might have more in common than they think, to if Ruth and Harriet are ever tempted to make a return to frontline politics.

Plus, Ruth and Harriet go head to head over why Labour has never had a female leader.

And thee most pressing question of all… how does Beth find the time to train for a marathon, and what are her top tips?

Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk.

And if you didn’t know, you can also watch Beth, Ruth and Harriet on YouTube.

Six other migrants were rescued, with one of them taken to hospital.

It comes a day after the government signed an extension with France over current arrangements on beach patrols as part of efforts to reduce the number of Channel crossings.

The French maritime prefecture said the latest incident started when a small boat headed towards the beach at Gravelines, near Calais, at around 9.30am on Wednesday.

A group of about 30 migrants was waiting for it.

Eight people were pulled onto a rescue boat when they got into difficulty, but two of the migrants could not be saved, officials said.

The group of migrants, including children, was seen struggling to board the small boat.

At least 12 French police officers were present in the Gravelines beach area at the time.

A French navy helicopter carried out a search as part of attempts to ensure nobody was left in the water, the French authority said.

On Tuesday, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood signed a two-month extension to the current arrangement with France over Channel crossings, while the countries thrash out a longer-term agreement.

It came hours before the £478m deal, put in place in 2023 by the then Tory government, was due to end.

The package was set up to fund a new detention centre in France and hundreds of extra law enforcement officers on its shores.

Tuesday’s extension means operational contracts will continue to be funded by £16.2m of UK government money.

A Home Office spokesperson said Ms Mahmood is “driving a hard bargain” with Paris to get “more bang for our buck”.

Ms Mahmood has previously been understood to be pushing for a new deal to include performance-related clauses that would link funding to the proportion of boats intercepted by the French.

Some 4,441 migrants arrived in the first three months of 2026, according to the latest Home Office data.

This is 33% lower than the number who had reached the UK by this point in 2025, which was 6,642.

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Refugee charity Care4Calais said it was a “tragedy that another two lives have been lost to our deadly border” and called for “safe routes” to be introduced so people could claim asylum in the UK.

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is currently set to fail when parliament ends its current session ahead of the King’s Speech on 13 May.

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It needs to complete its parliamentary stages before then but has become stuck in the House of Lords.

The bill would give people over 18 who are terminally ill and in the final six months of their life the ability to request assistance from a doctor to die.

It only covers England and Wales. MSPs rejected a Scottish version on 17 March, while Jersey and the Isle of Man recently passed their own laws.

The bill was proposed by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, who in September 2024 came first in a ballot of backbench MPs to bring forward their own draft laws. This ballot happens in each parliamentary session.

So how could it return?

Backers of the bill have told Sky News they think around 200 MPs would be willing to reintroduce the bill should they come in the top few places in the next ballot, due on 21 May.

“The strategy is to come high up in the private members bill ballot,” Charlie Falconer, the Labour peer who has been shepherding the bill through the Lords, told Sky News.

Government ministers aren’t allowed to put in for the ballot – between 400 and 500 backbench MPs usually enter. If 500 do, a supporter has a 92% chance of coming in the top five places needed to have a realistic chance of progressing.

“The idea is we all support that person to take Kim [Leadbeater]’s bill through again,” Labour MP Dr Simon Opher, a key backer of the bill, told Sky News.

Why would it be different next time?

As MPs have already passed the bill once, Dr Opher said it could clear all Commons stages again quickly.

“As it is a private members’ bill, the whole committee could be supporters of the legislation, so the committee stage would only last a few hours,” he explained.

“There’s very little appetite for a long, drawn-out debate,” Lord Falconer said. “There would be appetite for one day of decisive votes.”

Dr Opher said even some MPs who voted against it last time would now back the bill because it’s seen as “undemocratic” for the Lords to block it.

More than 100 MPs wrote to Sir Keir Starmer a fortnight ago urging him to stop the Lords from blocking the bill and to give it time to return in the Commons. Similar letters from supportive MPs from other parties have been sent.

Lord Falconer said he would put the bill’s chances of becoming law at “significantly more than 50%” – while Dr Opher put it at 90%.

‘Deep flaws’ in bill

But Labour MP Adam Jogee, who opposes the bill, said the public didn’t want to see a “flawed” bill become law.

“Rightly, the overwhelming majority of people in our country want their MPs to pass safe, well-developed laws that are watertight and robust,” he said. “The House of Lords has exposed deep flaws in the assisted dying bill.”

He pointed to recent polling by JL Partners, where 77% of respondents said they agreed a bill that hasn’t been fully scrutinised should not become law.

Dr Opher, however, said it was the “safest assisted dying bill in the world”.

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How MPs could bypass the Lords

Assuming MPs once again vote in favour of the bill, it would become law at the end of the next parliamentary session even if the Lords failed to pass it again.

That’s because of a piece of procedure called the Parliament Act, which says the same bill, twice passed by MPs but rejected by peers in two adjacent sessions, becomes law anyway.

It’s only been used twice this century: to ban fox hunting and to equalise the age of consent for gay sex.

Dr Opher said because peers had taken so long to debate the bill, they had lost the chance to make changes: “Their main role is to amend bills to make them better – because of their blocking tactics, they’ve got rid of that option.”

Opponents of the bill have previously told Sky News it would be “outrageous” to use the Parliament Act. Critical peers fiercely deny they are purposefully obstructing the bill and insist they are trying to improve what they think is a poorly designed piece of legislation.

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The final option

If the ballot plan fails, supporters are planning to try to persuade the government to give the bill time as another type of backbench bill, called a presentation bill.

Usually, these don’t progress beyond their first stage – but supporters would seek to persuade the government they should give it time to protect the authority of the democratically elected Commons over the unelected Lords.

Ministers are understood to have rejected formally taking on the bill as government legislation, as they fear splitting the Labour Party over an issue its MPs disagree on.

A new harassment offence will be introduced from Wednesday, covering intentional harassment directed at someone because of their sex, including obscene comments, threats of sexual violence and threatening invasions of personal space.

It applies in public places such as streets, parks, public transport, taxis and shops.

Offenders will face up to two years in prison under the new statutory guidance in England and Wales.

The government has declared violence against women and girls a national emergency and said it is using “the full power of the state” to tackle such crimes “with the seriousness they deserve, stepping in early to stop harassment escalating into more serious violence”.

It said it would work closely with police, frontline organisations and campaign groups to ensure the law is enforced “robustly”.

“The sad reality is that many women and girls have been cornered, leered at or shouted at in public, or have faced intimidating threats of violence,” said Jess Phillips, the minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls.

“Too often they’ve been made to feel like it’s their problem to manage. That is not good enough.”

Ms Phillips added: “Instead of forcing women and girls to change their behaviour, we are going after those who choose to target and intimidate them.

“These new laws put the focus on perpetrators. If you harass someone in public because of their sex, it will not be tolerated and you can face a criminal record and up to two years behind bars.”

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Rose Caldwell, CEO of the charity Plan International UK, said: “Everyone deserves to move through public spaces without fear.

“For too long, girls and young women have been left alone to navigate harassment that chips away at their confidence, dignity and freedom. Today marks a long-overdue shift that will make a genuine difference to their lives.”

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Ms Caldwell continued: “As the Protection from Sex-Based Harassment in Public Act comes into force, we now have clear guidance that names these behaviours for what they are: illegal and unacceptable.

“Girls shouldn’t have to fear uninvited touching on public transport or accept that it’s ‘just the way things are’ when they get catcalled on the street.”