Storm Kathleen is expected to bring strong winds and the hottest day of the year so far for the UK, as it brings warm air from the continent this weekend.
The Met Office said temperatures could reach 22C in East Anglia, with gusts of 70mph forecast for western areas on Saturday.
The forecaster has issued a yellow weather warning for wind in the north-west and south-west of England, parts of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, from 8am to 10pm on Saturday.
The Met Office meteorologist Ellie Glaisyer said: “The storm is the reason we are seeing the warmer temperatures, because the location of the storm – situated out towards the west of the UK – is bringing a southerly wind across the UK.
“This is bringing those warmer temperatures from the continent, meaning we are likely to see temperatures reaching 22C.”
The highest temperature of the year so far was 19.9C, recorded at the end of January at Achfary in north-west Scotland.
“Storm Kathleen is likely to bring some heavy rain across the UK overnight, which will spread its way northwards across the country,” Glaisyer said, adding: “For most places it should be a relatively dry start to Saturday.”
Storm Kathleen is also expected to bring 50-60mph winds quite widely on Saturday, while some Irish Sea coastal regions are expected to get gusts up to 70mph and large waves.
An orange wind warning is in place in Cork, Kerry and Waterford until 2pm, while there is another status orange wind warning for Galway and Mayo from 9am until 6pm.
A yellow wind warning is in place nationwide from the early hours of Saturday until 8pm.
Forecaster Met Éireann warned there would be gale force southerly winds that will bring a risk of difficult travel conditions, fallen trees, some power outages and flooding along coastal areas.
In Northern Ireland, the Met Office issued a yellow wind warning for counties Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry, which will stay in place from 8am until 10pm.
It has warned of blustery showers in parts of the region, with strong to gale force southerly winds and possibly severe gales for a time along the Down and Antrim coasts.
There could be gust of up to 70mph in some exposed and coastal areas.
Glaisyer said: “Almost anywhere is going to see above-average temperatures. Western parts of the UK are likely to see temperatures of 15 or 16C.
“However, the further west you are, where those strongest winds are in that yellow warning area, despite the temperatures being above average it will feel a little colder.”
The forecaster said winds would stay strong into Sunday, particularly in northern parts of Scotland.
“There will still be some showers around, but there should be some sunshine between those showers,” Glaisyer said. “It is generally remaining unsettled through much of next week.
“There is another area of low pressure moving towards the UK through Monday and into Tuesday. That is likely to bring some heavy rain for much of the UK, particularly in the west.”
Storm Kathleen, named by the Irish meteorological service Met Eireann, is the 11th named storm in eight months.
It is only the second time in a UK storm season that the letter K has been reached in the alphabet.
A Tory MP has said he is one of the men to have been sent unsolicited explicit messages in a suspected honeytrap plot targeting Westminster.
Bosworth MP Luke Evans said he contacted the police after becoming "a victim of cyber-flashing and malicious communication".
It has been reported that up to 13 men have received suspicious messages, raising security concerns.
The men are thought to include a government minister and advisers.
Some had been sent naked images, and two MPs are reported to have responded by sending images of themselves.
It comes after fellow Conservative MP William Wragg made an apology, having admitted giving some MPs' personal phone numbers to a man on a gay dating app.
The Met Police has confirmed it is "carrying out an investigation following reports that a number of unsolicited messages were sent to MPs over recent months".
Earlier this week, Leicestershire Police said it was "investigating a report of malicious communications" that had been made to them last month.
Describing his own experience in a video on Facebook, Mr Evans said: "A month ago I was a victim of cyber-flashing and malicious communications."
He said the first set of messages came when he was with his wife, and received "a one-time open photo on WhatsApp of an explicit image of a naked lady".
Ten days later he received a further set of messages and was able "to record conversations and catch photos and videos of the messages", he added.
Mr Evans said he reported the messages to the police as well as the chief whip in Parliament.
"I wanted it to be private because there is an ongoing police investigation," he said, but added that in recent days he had been "hounded by journalists".
"I'm just pleased I blew the whistle, reported it to the authorities and it's now being looked into."
Conservative MP William Wragg said he was sorry for sharing MPs' phone numbers with someone on a dating app
On Thursday, Mr Wragg admitted sending some MPs' numbers to someone he met on dating site Grindr.
The Hazel Grove MP told the Times he had been "scared" because the individual had "compromising things on me" and "wouldn't leave me alone".
Mr Wragg - who is stepping down at the next election - said he was "mortified", adding: "I'm so sorry that my weakness has caused other people hurt."
The BBC has spoken to two people in political circles who have been targeted by unwanted messages.
One ex-MP, who is gay, said he received messages from someone calling themselves "Charlie" who claimed, incorrectly, that he had previously worked for Mr Wragg.
The former MP explained he was in a relationship, but further flirtatious messages followed. After "Charlie" sent an explicit image, the former MP blocked him.
Someone who works for an MP told the BBC they received a message last autumn from someone calling themselves "Abi".
The staffer said this person claimed to know him from work, and mentioned an event he had attended.
But he grew suspicious when he asked who they were, and they replied with information that was "clearly wrong".
He said he ignored them, but they continued to message him. He told the BBC he learned five or six months later that someone else had received messages from a person with the same number and similar picture.
The MP's staff member said he would be "very surprised" if Mr Wragg had his number, and he cannot recall ever having met him.
A House of Commons spokesperson said it took security "extremely seriously" and provided MPs and staff with "tailored advice" to make them aware of risks online.
"We are encouraging anyone affected who has concerns to contact the Parliamentary Security Department," they added.
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A police officer who had sex with a woman while responding to a 999 call to her home, before allegedly begging her not to tell anyone, has been jailed.
Jordan Masterson turned his bodycam off and claimed to feel “powerless” while having sex with the female during the visit to her home in Widnes in Cheshire in the early hours of 28 December, 2021.
Cheshire Constabulary have now released a picture of the 28-year-old as he was sentenced at Chester Crown Court on Friday after being found guilty of misconduct in a public office following a trial earlier this year.
He was jailed for three and a half years for the “gross breach of trust” and was handed an indefinite restraining order preventing him from contacting the woman, known as female G.
Sentencing Masterson, Judge Michael Leeming said: “Your behaviour over the course of this night and your dealings with the victim amounted to a gross breach of trust.
“The public is entitled to expect their police officers to act with the utmost integrity. Female G needed your help. Instead you took advantage of her to satisfy your own sexual needs. You see yourself as the victim and you blame her for ruining your career.”
Masterson was jailed for three and a half years at Chester Crown Court (Peter Powell/PA) (PA Archive)
The trial heard how Masterson arrived at the home, where the woman’s children were asleep, while responding to the report of a disturbance.
The woman told officers the “atmosphere changed” when the probationary police constable, who has since resigned, touched her hand.
Masterson told the court it was the woman who touched his hand, adding that she walked out of the room before returning naked.
“I remember just being confused, feeling completely numb like I was glued to the floor,” he claimed. He added “he was powerless”.
Mr Leeming said: “I reject those assertions. You told the jury that it was your dream since being a teenager to join the police.
“You have now lost that career and you only have yourself to blame for that.”
After the event, he returned to her house after more emergency calls, and later denied “pleading” with her not to tell anyone what happened.
But the woman called the police to report the incident, initially using the word “rape”, but then saying she had wanted sex.
Asked in court about why she said she had been raped, the woman said: “That’s the word to describe how I felt. I felt completely violated.”
Vanessa Thomson, defending, said her client’s mental health had deteriorated since his arrest and that a medical report had stated in December 2021 he was likely suffering the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder from childhood trauma.
The defendant’s partner and her family continue to support him, Miss Thomson added.
Masterson, who would have been dismissed from the force had he not already resigned, was placed on the barred list, meaning he cannot be employed in policing in the future.
Independent Office for Police Conduct regional director Catherine Bates said: “Former Pc Masterson’s disgraceful behaviour has absolutely no place in policing, and he has now been held accountable for his actions.”
A Tory MP has said he is one of the men to have been sent unsolicited explicit messages in a suspected honeytrap plot targeting Westminster.
Bosworth MP Luke Evans said he contacted the police after becoming "a victim of cyber-flashing and malicious communication".
It has been reported that up to 13 men have received suspicious messages, raising security concerns.
The men are thought to include a government minister and advisers.
Some had been sent naked images, and two MPs are reported to have responded by sending images of themselves.
It comes after fellow Conservative MP William Wragg made an apology, having admitted giving some MPs' personal phone numbers to a man on a gay dating app.
The Met Police has confirmed it is "carrying out an investigation following reports that a number of unsolicited messages were sent to MPs over recent months".
Earlier this week, Leicestershire Police said it was "investigating a report of malicious communications" that had been made to them last month.
Describing his own experience in a video on Facebook, Mr Evans said: "A month ago I was a victim of cyber-flashing and malicious communications."
He said the first set of messages came when he was with his wife, and received "a one-time open photo on WhatsApp of an explicit image of a naked lady".
Ten days later he received a further set of messages and was able "to record conversations and catch photos and videos of the messages", he added.
Mr Evans said he reported the messages to the police as well as the chief whip in Parliament.
"I wanted it to be private because there is an ongoing police investigation," he said, but added that in recent days he had been "hounded by journalists".
"I'm just pleased I blew the whistle, reported it to the authorities and it's now being looked into."
On Thursday, Mr Wragg admitted sending some MPs' numbers to someone he met on dating site Grindr.
The Hazel Grove MP told the Times he had been "scared" because the individual had "compromising things on me" and "wouldn't leave me alone".
Mr Wragg - who is stepping down at the next election - said he was "mortified", adding: "I'm so sorry that my weakness has caused other people hurt."
The BBC has spoken to two people in political circles who have been targeted by unwanted messages.
One ex-MP, who is gay, said he received messages from someone calling themselves "Charlie" who claimed, incorrectly, that he had previously worked for Mr Wragg.
The former MP explained he was in a relationship, but further flirtatious messages followed. After "Charlie" sent an explicit image, the former MP blocked him.
Someone who works for an MP told the BBC they received a message last autumn from someone calling themselves "Abi".
The staffer said this person claimed to know him from work, and mentioned an event he had attended.
But he grew suspicious when he asked who they were, and they replied with information that was "clearly wrong".
He said he ignored them, but they continued to message him. He told the BBC he learned five or six months later that someone else had received messages from a person with the same number and similar picture.
The MP's staff member said he would be "very surprised" if Mr Wragg had his number, and he cannot recall ever having met him.
A House of Commons spokesperson said it took security "extremely seriously" and provided MPs and staff with "tailored advice" to make them aware of risks online.
"We are encouraging anyone affected who has concerns to contact the Parliamentary Security Department," they added.
Days after the slaughter of seven aid workers, three of them British, The Independent joins the call for the sale of arms to Israel to stop.
Conservative former foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind said Britain must suspend arms sales to Israel unless it demonstrates an urgent change in the behaviour of the IDF.
Sir Malcolm Rifkind said it is ‘difficult to believe’ Israel’s approach meets acceptable standards (Getty)
The former cabinet minister said unless Israel offers Britain and other backers “credible evidence” that it is changing the instructions being given to its troops, Britain should stop providing it with weapons.
“It is a question of the instructions given to the military as to how much care you have to take to avoid mistakes or collateral damage,” he told The Independent.
“It is very difficult to believe the rules of engagement being used by the Israel Defence Forces, not just in this instance but increasingly over the last few weeks, meet the standard that ought to be applied.”
Sir Malcolm said that, without evidence of a change in approach, “it is almost impossible to justify continuing to help them with the provision of arms”.
The government does not directly supply Israel with weapons. Instead, it grants export licences for British companies to sell arms to the country and can block those sales by suspending the licences.
The UK has taken this course twice before. Margaret Thatcher’s government suspended arms exports following Israel’s 1982 invasion of Lebanon, while Tony Blair’s government blocked sales of some military equipment in 2002.
Sir Malcolm, who served in Thatcher and John Major’s governments, said if Israel is not prepared to change course, “then there have to be consequences”.
But the former defence secretary dismissed the idea Israel has deliberately targeted civilians or aid workers as “nonsense”.
He said that in the country’s “understandable zeal” to get rid of every Hamas terrorist, “the precautions any army has to apply to avoid collateral damage are not as rigorous as they should be”.
His stance was echoed by figures including Sir Nicholas Soames, the grandson of Winston Churchill, and Mark Logan, a parliamentary private secretary in the Department for Work and Pensions. Sir Alan Duncan, who served as a minister between 2010 and 2019, voiced concerns from Conservative ranks in strongly condemning Israel’s killing of the aid workers as “merciless”. Conservative MPs Flick Drummond and David Jones also called on the government to suspend arms to Israel.
Layla Moran, an MP whose family have just escaped the Gaza Strip after being trapped in the war-torn territory for months, told The Independent that a suspension of arms exports would send a “powerful message”.
“It would send a powerful message not only to the US but also the Israeli government that if it breaks international humanitarian law it cannot do so without consequences,” said the British-Palestinian Liberal Democrat.
Layla Moran said suspending arms sales to Israel would send a ‘powerful message’ to the US and Israel (AFP via Getty Images)
“It will also send a message to those in Israel who are resisting Netanyahu, that the international community will no longer allow Israel to act with impunity if it breaks the law.”
Ms Moran also called for “an immediate bilateral ceasefire so that no one is put in harm’s way British or not”, adding: “That is the only immediate answer to stopping the killing right now.
“There is a sea change in British public opinion right now but it shouldn’t have taken the deaths of brave British aid workers and tens of thousands of people in Gaza for that to happen.”
General Sir Richard Dannatt, the former head of the British army, called on Mr Sunak to “look very carefully” at what Britain sells to Israel and said ministers should ensure Britain’s defence relationship with the country remains within international law.
He said the prime minister should take note of “the very large number of legal professionals who are concerned about this”.
But Lord Dannatt added that it is “not just a legal issue, it is a moral issue, and we need to think very closely whether we are on the right side of the moral line on this”.
“There is no doubt that Israel had right on its side, in war terms, to decide to go on the offensive against Hamas,” he said.
But he added: “What is not reasonable is the way they have conducted themselves, they have killed far too many people, and far too many people who are innocent Gazan citizens wrapped up in their attempts to kill Hamas terrorists.”
Sir Malcolm and Lord Dannatt’s interventions came after Sir Alex Younger, ex-head of M16, said the aid workers’ deaths showed Israel was using “systematic targeting” that risked slaughtering innocent people by mistake.
He said Benjamin Netanyahu was in danger of squandering Israel’s right to claim a “moral purpose” in the war with Hamas over the “reckless” killings.
Sir Alex Younger said Benjamin Netanyahu risks squandering international support for Israel (EPA)
More than 600 lawyers, including former Supreme Court president Lady Hale, have signed a letter to the prime minister warning that the government risks breaching international law by continuing to export weapons to Israel.
The signatories said the worsening situation in Gaza and the International Court of Justice’s conclusion that there was a “plausible risk of genocide” obliged the UK to suspend arms sales to the country. Palestinian health officials say nearly 33,000 people have been killed in the conflict so far. More than 200 aid workers have died.
Former Supreme Court justice Jonathan Sumption was a signatory. He told Sky News: “The point about having an obligation to prevent genocide is that you have to take steps to ensure that it doesn’t happen, or it doesn’t continue.
“It is perfectly clear, therefore, that to supply arms to Israel is not consistent with our obligations.”
Meanwhile, Labour’s shadow foreign secretary, David Lammy, urged the government to publish any legal advice it had received on whether Israel had broken international law, and to suspend arms sales if there was a risk weapons could be used in “a serious breach of international humanitarian law”. The SNP and the Liberal Democrats have also called for arms exports to be suspended.
Labour MP and former frontbencher Dr Rosena Allin-Khan said Israel’s killing and destruction in Gaza was “indiscriminate” and had been “horrifying to witness”.
Downing Street has declined to say whether it believes Israel was operating within international humanitarian law, saying it would not comment on legal advice.
Israel’s highest-ranking military officer has apologised for making a “grave mistake” after the seven World Central Kitchen aid workers were killed.
Rishi Sunak said Israel’s war in Gaza is becoming ‘increasingly intolerable’ (The Sun)
British victims John Chapman, 57, James “Jim” Henderson, 33, and James Kirby, 47, were part of the WCK security team.
They died alongside American-Canadian dual citizen Jacob Flickinger, 33; Australian national Lalzawmi “Zomi” Frankcom, 43, who was the leader of the relief team; Polish national Damian Sobol, 35; and Palestinian Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha, 25.
The IDF attacked the aid convoy because officials believed an armed member of Hamas was travelling with the group, though no such person was with the aid workers, Haaretz reports.
An Israeli army source told the outlet that the strike wasn’t a matter of poor coordination, but rather because “every commander sets the rules for himself”.
The charity had just offloaded 100 tonnes of food aid from a barge which sailed from Cyprus when Israel attacked its vehicle convoy on the Gaza coastal road in Deir al-Balah.
A senior Conservative gave the personal phone numbers of fellow MPs to someone he met on a dating app, The Times has reported.
William Wragg told the paper he shared the contacts, adding he was "scared" the individual would have "compromising things on me".
He apologised and said he had "hurt people by being weak".
It comes amid reports at least 12 men in Westminster have received unsolicited texts and naked pictures.
A Leicestershire Police spokesperson said they were investigating one of the cases, which was reported last month.
The BBC has contacted Mr Wragg for comment.
'Manipulated'
Speaking to the Times about the person he met through a gay dating app, the Hazel Grove MP said: "They had compromising things on me. They wouldn't leave me alone.
"They would ask for people. I gave them some numbers, not all of them. I told him to stop. He's manipulated me and now I've hurt other people.
"I got chatting to a guy on an app and we exchanged pictures. We were meant to meet up for drinks, but then didn't. Then he started asking for numbers of people. I was worried because he had stuff on me. He gave me a WhatsApp number, which doesn't work now.
"I've hurt people by being weak. I was scared. I'm mortified. I'm so sorry that my weakness has caused other people hurt."
Mr Wragg became an MP in 2015 and acts as the vice-chair of the influential 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers.
In 2022, he announced he would not be running in the next election.
'Familiarity'
On Thursday one former MP told the BBC of his shock at being targeted with flirtatious messages and an explicit image in an apparently coordinated scam.
The ex-politician blocked the WhatsApp number from someone calling themselves "Charlie".
"My heart did start racing because I thought everything you're saying from the start, from the name of the individual, the familiarity, this is too close to be just a coincidence," the former MP told the BBC.
Twelve men have contacted Politico to say they had received near-identical messages to the one received by the ex-MP or similar messages from another number. Several of the 12 were sent naked pictures in an attempt to entrap them.
The former MP, who is gay, told the BBC he was first contacted via WhatsApp on the evening of 11 March.
The message was from a number he did not recognise from someone calling themselves Charlie who claimed to remember them from their time working in Parliament.
"The last part of that message was 'Westminster misses you…' and that was basically something that friends usually do say anyway to make me feel better," he told BBC News.
"I was starting to feel bad actually. I was embarrassed thinking I'm speaking to someone who knows who I am and I'm trying desperately not to come across as rude."
The next message said: "I've just become single so I'm hanging out with the Westminster gays."
The former MP explained he was in a relationship but further flirtatious messages followed.
After "Charlie" sent an explicit image, the former MP blocked him.
'Worrying'
BBC News has seen messages sent from the same number also from someone calling themselves "Charlie" to a political journalist.
These messages also talk about the recipient being "missed" around Westminster and asking whether the journalist is still single or not.
The ex-MP told the BBC of his concern on learning that others had been targeted.
"The fact that somebody tried to and that their intent behind it was probably to do harm is really worrying," he said.
"I was oblivious to it."
He hopes to raise awareness about what happened so others come forward.
A Parliamentary spokesperson said: "Parliament takes security extremely seriously and works closely with government in response to such incidents.
"We provide members and staff with tailored advice, making them aware of security risks and how to manage their digital safety. We are encouraging anyone affected who has concerns to contact the Parliamentary Security Department."
British sales are lower than those of other countries, including Germany and Italy, and dwarfed by the billions supplied by its largest arms supplier, the United States.
But a UK ban would add diplomatic and political pressure on Israel, at a time when its conduct in the Gaza conflict is coming under renewed international scrutiny.
Former Supreme Court president Lady Hale is among more than 600 lawyers, academics and retired senior judges who have signed a 17-page letter.
It says "serious action" is needed to "avoid UK complicity in grave breaches of international law, including potential violations of the Genocide Convention".
It adds that the sale of arms and weapons systems to Israel "falls significantly short" of the government's obligations under international law and warns of a "plausible risk of genocide" in Gaza.
Other signatories include former Supreme Court justices Lord Sumption and Lord Wilson, along with nine other judges and 69 senior barristers.
Reuters/World Central Kitchen
The growing calls for the suspension of UK export licences comes after seven aid workers - including three British citizens - were killed in a series of air strikes in Gaza on Monday.
Australian, Palestinian, American-Canadian, and Polish nationals were also killed. The group had just unloaded more than 100 tonnes of food aid.
Speaking to the Sun newspaper after the incident, Mr Sunak called for an independent investigation, but stopped short of saying arms sales should end.
He added that the UK had been "consistently clear" with Israel that it must follow international humanitarian law.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described the attack as unintended and "tragic", and promised an independent investigation. It rejects the claim of genocide as "wholly unfounded".
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The UK has licenced arms to Israel worth over £574m since 2008, when official country-level data was made available, according to pressure group Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT).
Business Minister Greg Hands has previously told MPs the figure for 2022 - £42m - represented 0.02% of Israel's military imports that year.
Arms export licences, which are granted by the business department, cannot be issued if there is a clear risk the weapons could be used in a serious violation of international humanitarian law.
The Labour Party has not called for a suspension, but is urging the government to publish internal legal advice on whether Israel is in breach of international law.
Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy said there was "precedent" for suspending sales. Former PMs Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair both took the move, in 1982 and 2002 respectively.
The SNP is calling for Parliament to be recalled from its current Easter break, ending on 15 April, to debate the issue.
Conservative MP Paul Bristow said the idea British-made arms could be used in action that kills innocent civilians in Gaza "turns the stomach," adding that the deaths of British aid workers "must be a line in the sand".
But his fellow Tory MP and former home secretary Suella Braverman rejected the idea of a ban, telling the BBC "we owe it to Israel to stand with them".
Speaking during a trip to Israel, she said: "I think that it would be a tragic shame if we were to walk away from our closest ally in this region".
Much of the Gaza Strip has been devastated during the Israeli military operations that began after Hamas gunmen attacked southern Israel on 7 October, killing about 1,200 people and seizing 253 hostages.
About 130 of the hostages remain in captivity, at least 34 of whom are presumed dead.
More than 32,916 people have been killed in Gaza since then, the Hamas-run health ministry says.
