'Starmer wrong once again – PM must learn pathogens don't respect borders'
Keir Starmer proven wrong once again – PM must learn pathogens don't respect borders
OPINION - DR TING SHI: This political decision fell apart rapidly.
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Add us as preferred source Comments By Dr Ting Shi – Guest Columnist 07:00, Fri, Jun 19, 2026 
There is rarely a moment in public health when events make the case against a political decision so swiftly. This is one of them. Within weeks of the government announcing it would withdraw from the Pandemic Fund, a devastating Ebola outbreak had taken hold in central Africa. More than 130 people have died so far as a result of the rare Bundibugyo virus, which has no vaccine or approved treatment. The World Health Organization has declared a public health emergency of international concern. But these are precisely the sort of circumstances the Pandemic Fund was designed to address. It was established in the aftermath of Covid-19, when governments around the world were forced to confront an uncomfortable truth – the global health system had failed.
Not because the science wasn't there, but because the infrastructure wasn't. Countries lacked the surveillance capacity to detect new pathogens early, the laboratory networks to confirm them quickly, and the trained response teams to contain them before they crossed borders. The fund was the international community's answer to that failure – a mechanism to help lower-income countries build exactly those systems. But it’s worth being precise about who benefits. When a pathogen is detected early in central Africa, it is not only central Africa that is protected.
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Pathogens do not respect borders or passport queues. The surveillance systems the Pandemic Fund helps build are, in effect, Britain's first line of defence – operating thousands of miles away, long before any threat reaches Heathrow. Last week I joined more than a dozen leading scientists in writing directly to Prime Minister Keir Starmer to demand he reconsider this decision to cut the UK's funding to the Pandemic Fund.
The letter was not a political gesture. It was a professional one. When scientists with decades of experience feel compelled to write to a head of government, it is because what has happened requires a direct response.
The government's decision to withdraw was made without proper explanation and without a serious weighing of the consequences. It sits alongside a 45% reduction in spending on global health – itself a decision with profound implications – and a crisis response to the current Ebola outbreak that amounts to just 5% of what the UK made available during the 2014 emergency. Frankly these amount to us retreating from our global responsibilities but also have a devastating potential impact at home.
Development Minister Baroness Chapman has herself acknowledged that the response to the new outbreak has been undermined by these cuts. And we already know from the 2014 ebola outbreak what happens when the world acts late.
The horrifying virus spread across West Africa and claimed more than 11,000 lives. The economic toll reached an estimated $53billion in societal and wider losses. The lesson drawn from that catastrophe – the lesson that led directly to the creation of better international preparedness mechanisms – was clear: detecting outbreaks early and responding decisively is not just a humanitarian choice.
It is sensible for economic reasons too. Investing in preparedness and prevention costs a fraction of dealing with a crisis.
Covid-19 made this case with brutal clarity. The cost to the UK economy alone ran to hundreds of billions of pounds. The Pandemic Fund exists, in part, so that governments never again have to choose between their economy and a lockdown. Withdrawing from it is not fiscal prudence. It is a false economy of the most dangerous kind.
The good news is that this mistake is fixable. The sums involved are small relative to the scale of what is at stake. Re-joining the Pandemic Fund would signal something important: that Britain has not abandoned its understanding of how interconnected global health is, or its willingness to act on that understanding. It would also be a signal to our scientific partners and allies that Britain remains a serious country in this space – one that understands that global health investment is not charity.
We are calling on the Prime Minister to reconsider. Not because we are opposed to difficult choices about public spending. Difficult choices are sometimes necessary. But this particular trade-off is a bad one – made hastily, without proper scrutiny.
The ebola outbreak unfolding before the world’s eye in the Democratic Republic of Congo is not an argument in the abstract. It is the argument itself, happening in real time.
Dr Ting Shi is an Epidemiologist at Edinburgh University who specialises in infectious diseases and pandemic preparedness
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price subsidising their life by livestreaming
Venezuela Fury and her husband Noah Price look to be making their own way in the world by raking it in from their lucrative social media accounts.
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury, 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year.
Since getting married and moving in together the couple have been earning thousands of pounds a month, livestreaming their life as newlyweds in their static caravan in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
And fans can't get enough of their regular life updates on TikTok and Kick, which have proved to be very profitable for the pair.
They look to be supporting themselves after Noah denied that he was given £5million by Venezuela's family as a wedding gift.
Despite his wife's huge family wealth, an estimated combined £160 million, Noah recently told his Kick followers that he 'pays for everything' for the couple.
Making light of the claims about Venezuela's millionaire financial status, Noah said: 'I actually pay for everything unfortunately. You'd expect the millionaire to pay for it wouldn't you.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are earning thousands livestreaming their caravan life - after her new groom insisted he pays all the bills and denied he had £5m handout from her dad
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury , 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year
Venezuela then asked their fans: 'Do you think I am a millionaire?'
Noah joked: 'She isn't a secret millionaire guys', before she broke into song and sang: 'But I live like a millionaire!'
But it seems according to estimated calculations from their social media work, Noah and Venezuela can more than afford to support themselves.
Noah has been livestreaming on platforms such as Kick and TikTok, where viewers can send paid gifts or donations.
He was previously encouraging viewers to send gifts on his honeymoon during livestreams, suggesting this is one revenue stream.
Both Noah and Venezuela have built substantial followings on Instagram and TikTok. They can potentially earn money through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, affiliate links and creator payouts.
Kick allows its creators to take home 95 per cent of the £4.99 subscription cost that fans pay.
Streamers keep 100 per cent of direct tips and donations, minus minor standard payment processing fees.
It is unclear how many subscribers Noah currently has because this information is hidden, but he does have 7,200 followers which is publicly viewable.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million
In one video on their honeymoon, Noah asked his followers if they'd give them some more gifts now that they were married.
In a TikTok live viewed by 20,000 he said: 'Keep liking our videos people, keep sending gifts.'
After saying thank you to several of his followers he joked they should stick around on the livestream and 'watch Venezuela punch me in the mouth'.
The other half of the honeymooning couple said: 'I am, honestly!'
Noah previously confirmed that the pair don't share their finances after they were asked whether they have a shared bank account.
'She earns her money, I earn mine,' said Noah, as Venezuela joked: 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it.'
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'.
Meanwhile Venezuela is being eyed up by executives for a fly on the wall TV series.
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'
Boasting 1.3 million TikTok followers, Venezuela is already entertaining fans with her honest musings and candid moments, from cooking to kitting out her and Noah's static caravan home.
And following the success of the Netflix series At Home With The Furys, it is no wonder bosses are wanting to draw on the Fury popularity.
A TV insider said: 'The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
'People are genuinely intrigued by them. Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor'.
'Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating,' they told The Sun.
It is thought Netflix would be likely to produce the series due to their already established relationship with the Furys.
Venezuela's representatives told The Daily Mail: 'We have many offers on the table regarding Venezuela which we are discussing.'
