'Unwell' Wikileaks founder faces final day of extradition hearing - live - The Independent

Stella Assange took to the stage outside the High Court

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Julian Assange is facing a second day in the High Court as part of long-standing battle against extradition to the US, where he is accused of leaking confidential military secrets.

He was unable to attend the first day of the hearing as his barrister told the court was too unwell.

The WikiLeaks founder is wanted by US authorities over an alleged conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information following the publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

Lawyers for the 52-year-old argued that if extradited, he would face a “flagrant denial of justice” by prejudiced judges, and was being prosecuted for an “ordinary journalistic practice”.

The two-day hearing comes after a judge ruled in January 2021 that Assange should not be sent to the US, given a real risk of suicide while ruling against him on all other issues.

However, this was successfully challenged by US authorities, which would have resulted in his extradition. Assange, who is currently based in HMP Belmarsh in south-east London, is now asking for the go-ahead to challenge the original judge’s dismissal of other parts of his case.

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Assange misses first day of hearing due to illness

Julian Assange missed the first day of his extradition hearing on Tuesday due to illness, his lawyer said.

Assange, 51, has been held in London’s high security Belmarsh Prison for almost five years while US authorities seek to extradite him to face trial on espionage charges linked to the publication of hundreds of thousands of documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

In a January 2021 ruling, then-district judge Vanessa Baraitser said that Assange should not be extradited, but authorities in the US subsequently brought a successful challenge against this decision.

Lawyers for deeply controversial figure Assange will now ask for the go-ahead to challenge the original judge’s dismissal of other parts of his case against extradition in the two-day hearing.

The barrister said at the outset of the hearing on Tuesday that the Wikileaks founder is not attending the hearing as he is unwell.

It comes after his brother, Gabriel Shipton, told TalkTV that Assange’s health was “delicate” and “deteriorating” ahead of the hearing.

Athena Stavrou21 February 2024 08:03

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US bid to prosecute Julian Assange is ‘state retaliation’, court told

The United States’ bid to prosecute Julian Assange is “state retaliation”, the High Court has heard in his final bid for an appeal in the UK.

The WikiLeaks founder faces extradition to the US over an alleged conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information following the publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

In a January 2021 ruling, then-district judge Vanessa Baraitser said that Assange should not be sent to the US, citing a real and “oppressive” risk of suicide, while ruling against him on all other issues.

Read the full article here

Holly Evans21 February 2024 07:00

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The many twists and turns of Julian Assange’s lengthy fight against extradition

The WikiLeaks founder faces extradition to the US over an alleged conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information.

Here is a timeline of some key dates spanning more than a decade of legal woes for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

Read the full article here

Holly Evans21 February 2024 06:00

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Julian Assange’s brother says WikiLeaks founder is ‘suffering’ with health ‘deteriorating’ in prison

Julian Assange’s brother has said the WikiLeaks founder’s health is deteriorating in Belmarsh Prison as he prepares to face his final bid for appeal against extradition to the US.

In a January 2021 ruling, then-district judge Vanessa Baraitser said that Assange should not be extradited, but authorities in the US subsequently brought a successful challenge against this decision.

Read the full article here

Holly Evans21 February 2024 05:00

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Julian Assange’s wife appears to compare WikiLeaks founder to Alexei Navalny

Julian Assange’s wife appears to compare WikiLeaks founder to Alexei Navalny

Julian Assange’s wife appeared to compare her husband to Russian politician and Putin critic Alexei Navalny, whose death was announced last week as he served a sentence in a remote Arctic prison. The WikiLeaks founder, who has been held in London’s Belmarsh prison, is appealing against extradition to the US where he faces charges of conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information after the publication of intelligence files on the website. “Political prisoners die in prison. That’s what happens. We’ve seen it just last week with what happened to Navalny, and what happened to Navalny could happen to Julian,” Stella Assange said on Tuesday (20 February).

Holly Evans21 February 2024 04:00

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What is WikiLeaks?

Assange founded the website WikiLeaks in 2006. Using his computing skills, he created an online platform for people to anonymously submit classified leaks such as documents and videos.

Since its birth it has released around 10 million classified documents, including files on US military activities in the US.

It rose to prominence in April 2010 when it published a classified video showing a 2007 US helicopter attack in Iraq’s capital Baghdad that killed a dozen people, including two Reuters journalists.

On the Afghanistan war, it’s claimed more than 90,000 classified US military documents were released and on the invasion of Iraq around 400,000 confidential US files.

(Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

The leaks, described as the largest security breaches of their kind in US military history, angered and embarrassed US politicians and military officials who claimed the disclosure put lives at risk.

But defenders of the website say it reveals unreported incidents including the killing of civilians.

Holly Evans21 February 2024 03:00

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Letters: The treatment of Julian Assange could be the end of democracy

If Julian Assange is extradited to America, that will be the end of democracy in Britain. Assange has done nothing wrong; we should all be very grateful for his exposure of the murderous actions of American troops.

America, in my opinion, does not have a justice system, it has a legal system designed purely for the enrichment of the legal profession. I have more respect for the “oldest profession” than I do for the legal profession. It should never be a question of whether it is legal or illegal, it should be a question of whether it is right or is it wrong.

Read the full article here

Holly Evans21 February 2024 02:00

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Watch: Protests outside High Court where Julian Assange fighting US extradition

Holly Evans21 February 2024 01:00

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Lawyer for the US says Assange put ‘safety of individuals at serious risk'

James Lewis KC, for the US, said in written submissions that Assange’s conduct is “consistently and repeatedly misrepresented” in the appeal bid.

The barrister described the amount of classified material provided to Assange as “unprecedented”, adding: “The appellant threatened damage to the strategic and national security interests of the United States and put the safety of individuals at serious risk.”

Mr Lewis, who is expected to make oral arguments on behalf of the US on Wednesday, added that the original judge ruled Assange was not being prosecuted for political reasons but “because he is alleged to have committed serious criminal offences”.

Julian Assange is fighting against extradition to the United States (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

“This decision is unimpeachable and there is no error to show that the district judge got it wrong,” he continued.

He added that it was “simply not credible” that a journalist would be immune from criminal prosecution in these circumstances.

Holly Evans21 February 2024 00:00

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Assange supporters describe hearing as ‘most important freedom of speech case in the 21st century’

One speaker on a stage outside the Royal Courts of Justice welcomed protesters to the “most important freedom of speech case in the 21st century”.

He was greeted with cheers and claps from the crowd of protesters. Tim Dawson, deputy general secretary at the International Federation of Journalists, then took to the stage.

He said: “Be under no illusions, if this prosecution is successful, other vital cases will never come to light.”

“Free Julian Assange, support journalism and safeguard free speech,” he finished, to claps and cheers from the audience.

Holly Evans20 February 2024 23:00

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David Neal: Immigration and borders watchdog sacked for leaking critical reports - BBC.com

By Callum May

PA Media

David Neal "lost the confidence of the home secretary"

Home Secretary James Cleverly has sacked the government's immigration watchdog after details of critical reports appeared in newspapers.

The Home Office said David Neal had "breached the terms" of his role and leaked confidential information.

Mr Neal was quoted in The Daily Mail about security checks on private jets.

Meanwhile, sources close to him said he was responsible for details of another unpublished report about visas for care workers appearing in The Times.

The comments made by Mr Neal in the Mail triggered an urgent question in Parliament on Tuesday, with immigration minister Tom Pursglove telling the Commons the Home Office "categorically" rejected claims that hundreds of high-risk flights had landed in the UK without security checks.

Mr Neal told the paper he had seen Home Office data suggesting that 21% of private jets classified as high risk, which came into London City Airport, were inspected by immigration officials last year.

"This is a scandal, and incredibly dangerous for this country's border security", he was quoted as saying.

But Mr Pursglove said UK Border Force performed checks on "100% of scheduled passengers arriving in the UK and risk-based intelligence-led checks on general aviation".

He added that an issue with the data meant some flights had been classified as high-risk when they should have been low-risk.

He described it as "deeply disturbing that information which has no basis in fact was leaked by the independent chief inspector to a national newspaper before the Home Office had the chance to respond".

A Home Office spokesperson said: "We have terminated the appointment of David Neal, the independent chief inspector of borders and immigration (ICBI), after he breached the terms of appointment and lost the confidence of the home secretary.

"The planned recruitment process for the next ICBI is in progress."

Mr Neal, whose tenure was due to end on 21 March, told the Times on Tuesday that he had not made the decision to speak to the media "lightly". He added: "But I've been forced into this because my reports aren't being published."

"I've spent all my working life protecting this country, I've identified a security failing and I've brought it back to the Home Office," he is quoted as saying.

"There's a strong public interest here and that's why I've done what I've done. The border is there to keep us safe, it's critical that there are clear auditable risk decisions made to protect every one of us in the country."

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper, who tabled the question, said this was an example of "total Tory chaos on borders and immigration".

"A series of Conservative home secretaries have sought to bury uncomfortable truths revealed by the chief inspector about our broken borders, and shockingly they are still sitting on 15 unpublished reports - stretching back to April last year," she said.

Ms Cooper also called on Mr Cleverly to "publish those reports in full".

The government website lists 14 ICIBI inspection reports that are awaiting publication. Ms Cooper's office is understood to be including the inspector's annual report in the total.

The Liberal Democrats' home affairs spokesperson Alistair Carmichael also called for the reports to be published "without delay".

"This is a desperate move from a Conservative government terrified of proper scrutiny of their record of failure on borders and immigration," he added.

Mr Neal is a former army officer who commanded a brigade of the Royal Military Police.

The report about the social care system - details of which appeared in the Times - is understood to reflect Mr Neal's concern about the Home Office's oversight of compliance with the immigration rules by social care employers.

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Post Office scandal: Kemi Badenoch hits back at ex-chairman - BBC.com

By Nick Edser

PA Media

Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch has hit back at claims made by former Post Office chairman Henry Staunton about the reasons for his departure.

Mr Staunton told the Sunday Times that when he was sacked Ms Badenoch had told him: "Someone's got to take the rap."

But Ms Badenoch said the comments were a "disgraceful misrepresentation" of their conversation.

Mr Staunton also said he was told to delay payouts to Post Office scandal victims, which the government denies.

Hundreds of subpostmasters were prosecuted because of glitches in the Horizon IT system between 1999 and 2015 in what has been called the biggest miscarriage of justice in UK history.

Mr Staunton was appointed Post Office chairman in December 2022, but left the post last month after Ms Badenoch said "new leadership" was needed to tackle the scandal.

Speaking to the Sunday Times, Mr Staunton said he first heard about his sacking when he was called by Sky News. He then spoke to Ms Badenoch on the phone.

Mr Staunton also told the paper that shortly after joining the Post Office he was told by a senior civil servant to slow down the rate of compensation payments, apparently to help the government's finances.

"Early on, I was told by a fairly senior person to stall on spend on compensation and on the replacement of Horizon, and to limp, in quotation marks - I did a file note on it - limp into the election," he told the paper.

"It was not an anti-postmaster thing, it was just straight financials. I didn't ask, because I said: 'I'm having no part of it - I'm not here to limp into the election, it's not the right thing to do by postmasters'."

UK Parliament

Henry Staunton stood down as Post Office chairman last month

In a lengthy post on X, formerly Twitter, Ms Badenoch said Mr Staunton's comments were a "disgraceful misrepresentation of my conversation with him and the reasons for his dismissal".

"Far from 'taking the rap', I dismissed Staunton due to very serious allegations about his conduct while chair of the Post Office, including blocking an investigation into that conduct.

"Henry Staunton had a lack of grip getting justice for postmasters. The serious concerns over his conduct were the reasons I asked him to step down," she added.

She said that her conversation with him was carried out with officials and they took a "complete record". A statement will be made on Monday "telling the truth", she added.

Earlier a spokesman for the government had said it "utterly" refuted the claims made by Mr Staunton over stalling compensation payments.

"The government has sped up compensation to victims, and consistently encouraged postmasters to come forward with their claims," the spokesman said.

"To suggest any actions or conversations happened to the contrary is incorrect. In fact, upon appointment, Mr Staunton was set concrete objectives, in writing, to focus on reaching settlements with claimants - clear evidence of the government's intent."

A spokesperson for Mr Staunton told the BBC his client would be making no further comment but that he stood by the accusations made in the Sunday Times.

They also said there was no investigation into Mr Staunton.

Shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: "The Horizon scandal is widely accepted to be one of the worst miscarriages of justice in British history.

"Under no circumstances should compensation to victims be delayed and to do so for party political purposes would be a further insult to subpostmasters.

"The Labour Party has called for all subpostmasters to be exonerated and compensation paid swiftly so that victims can begin to draw this awful chapter to a close."

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said Mr Staunton's claims were "deeply disturbing" and called for ministers to explain to Parliament "exactly what has happened at the earliest opportunity".

The slow pace of overturning convictions and making compensation payments has led some to call for a mass exoneration of those affected.

Mr Staunton told the Sunday Times that Post Office chief executive Nick Read had written to the Justice Secretary Alex Chalk with legal opinion from the Post Office's solicitors, Peters & Peters, that in more than 300 cases convictions were supported by evidence not related to the Horizon software.

"Basically it was trying to undermine the exoneration argument," Mr Staunton said. "It was 'most people haven't come forward because they are guilty as charged' - i.e. think very carefully about exoneration."

A spokesperson for the Post Office said it was "very aware of the terrible impact from this appalling scandal and miscarriage of justice".

"We refute both the assertions put to us and the words and phrases allegedly used, and are focused on supporting the government's plans for faster justice and redress for victims, as well as helping the Inquiry get to the truth of what happened," they said.

The spokesperson added: "In no sense did the Post Office seek to persuade government against mass exoneration. We remain firmly committed to supporting faster justice and redress for victims".

• LISTEN: The extraordinary story of a decade-long battle with the Post Office, fought by their own sub-postmasters, on BBC Sounds.

Are you affected by the issues raised in this story? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:

If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

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Major search resumes for missing toddler who fell into River Soar – updates - The Independent

The River Soar (Nigel French/PA)

(PA Archive)

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A frantic search for a toddler who fell into a river while out with his family is ongoing in Leicester, while a man has been rushed to hospital.

The two-year-old boy has been missing since Sunday after he fell into the River Soar.

The major search operation is set to continue with “additional specialist teams” on Monday morning, Leicestershire Police said.

Emergency services attended the scene just after 5pm and a search and rescue operation to find the boy began in Aylestone Meadows, close to Marsden Lane, to the south of Leicester city.

Footage posted online showed police on a bridge near Riverside Drive. A helicopter was also seen hovering above the scene using a searchlight to scan the area.

A man from the scene was taken to hospital “as a precautionary measure”, police said.

Police have urged to people not to attend the scene over fears of rising water levels and safety risks, after they received a number of requests to offer support in the search operation.

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Residents express ‘heartbreak’ over possible drowning of boy

Residents in Leicester expressed their shock and heartbreak over the news of a two-year-old boy going missing in the river.

Many of them took to social media to express solidarity with the family and urged people to not crowd the site where police were leading the search.

“This is so so sad I could see from my house the amount of specialist services that were searching but it got dark very quickly I couldn’t stop thinking about it all through the night,” resident Vicki Hudson said on Facebook.

Another said that while everyone wants to go down and help “I don’t think it’s the best idea”.

“It’s heartbreaking and such sad circumstances but I think the police and specialists know best at this point. Please be extra careful. No matter how good of a swimmer you could be, with the floods etc it’s dangerous,” the user said.

Shweta Sharma19 February 2024 07:10

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Police ‘suspended search’ at night

Police suspended the search last night and said they would resume work in the morning, according to reports.

A police helicopter was seen in the skies searching the river at about 5.40pm. It was later replaced with a drone.

The helicopter then returned at 6.40pm after refuelling.

Last night in a statement the police said: “The operation is ongoing and will continue with additional specialist teams in the morning.”

However, it was reported by the Daily Mail that officers suspended their search as conditions got darker around the swollen river and canal in Aylestone.

Shweta Sharma19 February 2024 06:31

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Residents describe ‘horrible’ scenes in Leicester after boy goes missing

Many residents of Leicestershire have described the chaotic scenes around the city after a two-year-old boy fell into the river.

A resident said he saw people going down the River Soar with just their phone torch lights and called it “reckless” amid the warnings from police to not go near the river.

“Just went by Middleton Street, people going down to the river with just their phone torches, very silly and reckless,” a resident said on X.

Many residents have rallied around the family and emergency services and offered support in the search for the child.

However, Leicestershire Police have urged members of the public not to go near the river due to dangerous rising water levels.

“We have had a number of offers of support to assist with the search and would kindly ask that people do not attend the scene due to rising water levels and safety risks,” the police said.

Another resident said: “Horrible looking scenes down Middleton Street. Had to turn around and divert. Hope there’s good news at the end of it all”.

A resident, Luke Donnachie, said he was out looking for the boy.

He said “there was a certain point in the river” which splits into two and a part of it has “trees and branches all built up in the water”.

“I couldn’t get in the water myself but could be worth a professional search in case gets caught up with the flow, will be such a long shot now so many hours after,” he said.

“Thoughts and prayers going out to the family at this horrendous time, as a parent myself to a 4-year-old I couldn’t think of anything worse hence why I just had to go out and at least have a little search.”

Shweta Sharma19 February 2024 06:01

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One person taken to hospital

Police said a man was taken to hospital “as a precautionary measure” after the boy fell into the river.

Leicestershire Police said the child’s family are being supported by specialist officers.

The force said: “Our thoughts are with them at this extremely difficult time.

“We have had a number of offers of support to assist with the search and would kindly ask that people do not attend the scene due to rising water levels and safety risks.”

They urged the public to provide information if anyone has any information or comes across anything.

People are asked to contact 999 with information quoting incident 476:180224.

Shweta Sharma19 February 2024 05:35

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Major search after boy, 2, falls into river in Leicestershire

A major search is underway for a two-year-old boy who fell into a river in Leicestershire. Police are looking for the child in the River Soar after the report came in around 5pm yesterday.

Officers said the boy was with his family when he entered the water and he had not been found by 10.30pm. Emergency services attended and a search and rescue operation began in Aylestone Meadows, close to Marsden Lane.

Footage posted online shows police on a bridge near Riverside Drive. A helicopter was also seen hovering above the scene using a searchlight to scan the area.

Read our full report.

Shweta Sharma19 February 2024 05:30

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Boy missing for more than 12 hours

A two-year-old boy has been missing for more than 12 hours after he fell into the River Soar in Leicester.

The boy, who has not been named, was with his family when the incident happened on Sunday and police attended the scene at 5pm.

A search operation has been launched to find the boy around Aylestone Meadows.

Police said the child was not located “despite the best efforts” of all those at the site, in a statement issued at 10.30pm last night.

“The operation is ongoing and will continue with additional specialist teams in the morning,” police said.

Details about the circumstances in which the boy fell into the river are unknown.

Shweta Sharma19 February 2024 05:19

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Welcome to The Independent’s coverage of a major search operation in Leicestershire to find a two-year-old boy who fell into the river and has been missing since

Shweta Sharma19 February 2024 04:48

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Baftas 2024: A dog, tears and Murder on the Dancefloor - BBC

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By Emma Saunders

Culture reporter

What a night at the Bafta film awards. And we're not just talking about Oppenheimer picking up the most prizes.

David Tennant brought a dog, Barry Keoghan showed his love for Sophie Ellis-Bextor and our favourite US star Da'Vine Joy Randolph cracked on to Chiwetel Ejiofor. We're here for it.

Here's some of the top moments you might have missed from the ceremony and behind the scenes.

Bring on the Anglophiles

Getty Images

There wasn't a single British male up for best actor or supporting actor this year and supporting actress nominee Rosamund Pike told us on the red carpet: "I don't have much faith in British people rallying round their own... so I was really delighted to be nominated."

But we don't really mind after the Brits received a lot of love from across the pond courtesy of the likes of Emma Stone and Robert Downey Jr, two of Sunday night's big winners.

Stone started her acceptance speech for best actress in Poor Things by thanking her dialect coach. "He did not laugh at me when I had to say 'water' [in an English accent]. Backstage, she also learned a new bit of British slang when asked a question about "having a chinwag".

Read more on the Baftas

• Michael J Fox brings audience to tears
• In pictures: Stars on the red carpet
• 'Oppenhomies' Murphy and Downey Jr rule Baftas
• Who won what at the Bafta Awards - the full list

War Horse

Meanwhile, US comedian and actor Keegan Michael-Key presented an award entirely in an English accent and best supporting winner Downey Jr said he owed his award in part to Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan's "British sensibility".

Not to mention fellow US star Da'Vine Joy Randolph, who is a fully paid-up Anglophile. She started her career in London's West End in Ghost the Musical and before that, studied at the British American Drama Academy in Oxford.

"I used to come in [to London] and see plays and I saw War Horse at the National Theatre, it changed my life," she said backstage.

"It was so amazing, I called my school [back in the US] and said 'I'm not coming back, I want to stay here.' So you guys taught me the classics and I'm obsessed with Pinter and all that stuff."

More Da'Vine Joy

Getty Images

She really is the gift who keeps on giving. Earlier in the evening, she took to the stage to collect her award for best supporting actress for her role as grieving mother Mary in The Holdovers.

As she stepped up to receive the prize from 12 Years a Slave star Chiwetel Ejiofor, she couldn't resist telling him: "You're so handsome." And he did indeed look dapper in a classic black tux.

She got teary as she spoke about co-star Paul Giamatti and again when she talked about her character. "There have been countless Marys throughout history who have never had the chance to wear a beautiful gown and stand on this stage here in London. Telling her story is a responsibility I do not take lightly." We were welling up, too.

Later, she made journalists cry with laughter when she used a well-known British word beginning with 'b' when asked about the odd decision to release The Holdovers in the UK in January, even though it's set during the Christmas period. We're sure you can guess what word we're referring to.

Shout-out to the Oppenhomies

Best actor winner Cillian Murphy probably made his teenage sons cringe when he thanked his "Oppenhomies" in his acceptance speech but we loved it.

He's the first Irish-born performer to win a best actor Bafta and said, "I'm a really proud Irishman, it means a lot." He added: "People have come up to me on the street and said they've seen the film [Oppenheimer] five, six, seven times... it's very humbling... and it's been a brilliant year for cinema."

At three hours long, six or seven times might be just a bit too much.

Tennant triumph

Getty Images

Host David Tennant was an all-round success this year, with his natural enthusiasm proving infectious and a genuinely funny script. And how many men could get away with a combo of kilt, sporran and sparkly epaulettes?

He also brought a DOG to the Baftas. Bark Ruffalo, geddit? Loving the canine theme this awards season. We're only just getting over the dog from Anatomy of a Fall rocking up to the Oscars luncheon last week.

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Tennant also had fun with the Barbie crew, introducing "the ugly corner" as the camera panned to gorgeous pair Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in the audience. Signing off the show with "Come on Barbie, let's go party" was also a highlight.

Michael J Fox was a moment

We had hoped he would make an appearance but he wasn't on the confirmed guest list ahead of the awards on Sunday. So it was a thrill to see Back to the Future legend Michael J Fox presenting the award for best picture. There was a standing ovation for the star, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's when he was just 29, and rarely makes public appearances.

Since then, the 62-year-old has gone on to raise millions for research into the disease and also raises awareness through The Michael J Fox Foundation. Many on social media said his appearance brought them to tears.

Saltburn's night was bittersweet

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While Emerald Fennell's twisted thriller failed to convert any of its five nominations into awards, it still dominated the headlines as Sophie Ellis Bextor took to the stage to perform Murder on the Dancefloor. Her 2002 track has enjoyed something of a renaissance since being used during the infamous final scene of the film as Barry Keoghan's character Oliver dances naked around his country pile.

Thankfully, Barry didn't feel the need to re-enact his performance, staying safely ensconced in his seat. The camera did cut to him at the end though and he seemed to have thoroughly enjoyed the show.

Hugh Grant's deadpan delight

Grant may have faced some criticism after playing the role of an Oompa-Loompa in hit film Wonka but the audience were delighted nonetheless when he came up with a rhyme in keeping with his character as he presented the award for best director.

"Oompa-loompa, doompity-dee, now the best director categor-ee, Oompa Loompa doompity-dong, most of these films were frankly too long, Oompa Loompa doompity daa, but for some reason, the nominees are..."

War in the spotlight

It wasn't all frivolous fun, however. The Zone of Interest won three awards, including outstanding British film. It tells the chilling story of the head of Auschwitz, who lives next door to the death camp with his young family.

Producer James Wilson said in his acceptance speech for best film not in the English language: "Walls aren't new from before or since the Holocaust and it seems stark right now that we should care about innocent people being killed in Gaza or Yemen or Mariupol or Israel."

20 Days in Mariupol picked up the prize for best documentary. Its director, Mstyslav Chernov, gave an emotional interview to the BBC's Colin Paterson, saying that he hopes he will still be alive by the time the Baftas come around next year. His film documents a team of Ukrainian journalists trapped in the besieged city of Mariupol as they document the atrocities of the Russian invasion.

Speaking backstage, he said: "We give voice to Ukrainians. We keep reminding the world about what is happening right now. Another city just got occupied by Russia so it's more important than ever to be here and keep talking about this. This award is for the people of Mariupol. They have saved our lives. They have helped us every step of the way."

Samantha Morton dedicates award to children in care

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Morton, who has enjoyed a successful TV career in shows such as The Walking Dead as well as starring in films like Minority Report and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, was the recipient of this year's Bafta Fellowship, the organisation's highest honorary accolade.

She grew up in the care system and told the audience how important it was to for people from her background to be represented in films and TV.

"When I first saw Ken Loach's Kes on a huge telly that was wheeled into my classroom, I was forever changed.

"Seeing poverty and people like me on the screen, I recognised myself - representation matters."

She said she would tell her younger self: "You matter, don't give up, the stories we tell, they have the power to change people's lives.

"Film changed my life, it transformed me and it led me here today. I dedicate this award to every child in care, or who has been in care and who didn't survive."

Speaking backstage about the challenges for the British film industry, she said: "We can't just be a service industry for the wonderful Americans... we need our own investments. But if our government only gives us a culture and sports minister rather than separating that and identifying what we do... it's a billion dollar industry. And it's foolish of them not to understand that."

Matthew Perry upset

There was some consternation about the former Friends star not being mentioned in the In Memoriam segment. But Bafta said he would be included in the obituary montage for its television awards in May.

Related Topics

• Bafta Awards
• Film

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