Former lord speaker faces suspension for ‘improper influence’ over speeding offence
Former lord speaker Frances D’Souza is facing suspension from the Lords after writing to the Metropolitan police commissioner to try to “influence a police investigation into alleged speeding offences”,Lady D’Souza wrote to Mark Rowley saying she feared she would have to give up attending parliament if she were banned from driving for exceeding the limit in a 20mph zone,The Met police said it had considered launching a criminal investigation into the apparent attempt to influence the commissioner but decided against it,It then passed the letter to the House of Lords conduct committee to investigate whether it breached the code of conduct,D’Souza did not dispute the case but appealed against the sanction – a recommended eight-week ban from the Lords for seeking “to influence a live police investigation”.
The letter from D’Souza – on headed House of Lords notepaper – acknowledged it was a “trivial matter” for the Met but said she lived “deep in the countryside with no local bus services and unsuitable train schedules”.She asked if a ban was a “fair response for exceeding the speed limit while we are all still learning what a 20 mile speed actually feels like?”D’Souza also questioned “if my speedometer or your radar is entirely accurate in recording 21 miles instead of 20?”The report from the conduct committee said D’Souza acknowledged that her letter was “inappropriate”, adding that “with the benefit of hindsight, I deeply regret it” but described the recommended sanction as “unduly severe”.She told the committee that she had been advised by a fellow peer, a former Met commissioner, to write to the relevant chief of the police force and that she had previously met Rowley through the Westminster Abbey institute.The committee found D’Souza “took advantage of her privileged position as a member of the house to exert improper influence upon an investigation.No one who is not a parliamentarian would have possessed such an advantage.
”D’Souza was subsequently charged and summoned to appear before a magistrates court for the speeding offences,She has been contacted for comment,
The Breakdown | South American rugby success stories propel men's World Cup qualifying
While many fans in the UK ponder the early-season fortunes of their clubs, or perhaps debate selection for the imminent autumn internationals, the qualifying battle for the 2027 Rugby World Cup rages on.Chile sealed their second consecutive appearance at the tournament with a sensational playoff win against Samoa last month, leaving a single spot to be won for Australia in two years’ time. On Saturday Paraguay stunned Brazil 39-19 in the first leg of their playoff. The second leg takes place this Saturday in Jacareí, near São Paulo, as Brazil’s men attempt to emulate the women and qualify for the first time.Whether Paraguay complete a surprise aggregate win, or Brazil recover in the wake of the head coach Emiliano Caffera’s recent dismissal, the lineup for next month’s Dubai qualification tournament will then be locked in
Beau Greaves stuns Luke Littler in PDC world youth championship thriller
Beau Greaves won a thrilling last-leg decider to shock Luke Littler 6-5 in the semi-finals of the PDC world youth championship in Wigan.Greaves, a three-time WDF women’s world champion who has secured a PDC Tour card for the 2026-27 season, had gone 2-1 up in the semi-final. Littler responded with the next three legs, the PDC world champion competing the day after defeating rival Luke Humphries 6-1 in the World Grand Prix final in Leicester.Doncaster’s Greaves – who has also won the PDC Women’s World Matchplay twice – produced a recovery of her own to level the match at 4-4 and then again at 5-5 to force a last-leg decider. Greaves took out an 80 checkout as Littler slipped to a rare defeat despite a match average of 107
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‘Not difficult’: Wane explains omission of Jake Connor from England Ashes squad
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Champion Stakes at Ascot attracts the best but faces fight to maintain status
The Champion Stakes at Ascot, the highlight of the track’s Champions Day card this weekend, has barely figured in the official annual assessment of the “World’s Best Horse Race” since the prize – which is based on the average end-of-year rating of the first four horses home – was first awarded in 2015.The 2022 Champion, in which Bay Bridge beat Adayar with the previously unbeaten Baaeed fourth, was the runner-up behind Flightline’s sign-off win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic a couple of weeks later, but five of the past 10 runnings have failed to make even the top 10 globally. To date, York’s International Stakes, in 2020 and 2024, is the only British race to finish at the top of the pile.Ascot’s executives will quietly fancy their chances this year, however, after three of the top 12 horses worldwide at any distance all stood their ground for Saturday’s £1.3m Champion Stakes at Monday’s five-day stage
Luther Burrell claims speaking out about racist abuse ended rugby career
The former England player Luther Burrell has alleged he was effectively forced to retire after he spoke out about racist abuse he suffered from teammates.Burrell first alleged he had been the victim of racism while playing for Newcastle in 2022. Among the allegations he made at the time, Burrell claimed a teammate had referred to him as a “slave” and told him to apply sunscreen to his wrists and ankles as that’s “where your shackles were”.Speaking on Monday to the BBC, Burrell said the investigation that began after he made the claims caused his opportunities to dry up and that despite wanting to keep playing he has been unable to find a contract at a professional club for the past three years.“I have absolutely had to retire because of what’s gone on,” Burrell said
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