Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has sparked controversy by claiming that migrants are eating swans from London's Royal Parks, allegations that have been firmly denied by the parks' managing charity. During an LBC radio interview, Farage stated that "swans are being eaten in royal parks" and that carp were being taken from ponds "by people who come from different cultures." When pressed by host Nick Ferrari about whether eastern Europeans and Romanians were responsible, Farage responded, "So I believe."

The Royal Parks charity quickly issued a rebuttal, stating that no such incidents have been reported across London's eight royal parks. A spokesperson emphasized that "we've not had any incidents reported to us of people killing or eating swans" and highlighted the organization's close work with the Swan Sanctuary to ensure swan welfare. Swans are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, making it illegal to kill, harm, or disturb them in the UK.

Fizza Qureshi, chief executive of the Migrants' Rights Network, condemned Farage's comments as "ridiculous, harmful and nothing new," accusing him of "regurgitating debunked stories" that have resurfaced since 2007. She characterized the claims as "not only absurd but utterly dangerous" and suggested they were drawn from "unverified social media and far-right organizations" to deliberately incite hatred against migrants.

The allegations bear similarity to former US President Donald Trump's claims about Haitian migrants eating Americans' pets, with Labour MPs pointing to the comparison as evidence of Farage's unreliable rhetoric. The controversy emerges amid ongoing political tensions between Reform UK and Liberal Democrats, though wildlife authorities maintain there is no evidence supporting the swan consumption claims.

Global medical technology company Convatec has announced plans to establish a new flagship research and development hub in Manchester as part of a £500 million investment in the United Kingdom. The FTSE100-listed firm, which specializes in products for chronic wounds, diabetes, urinary incontinence, and stomas, will relocate its R&D operations from Deeside to Bruntwood SciTech's CityLabs 4.0 facility, scheduled to open in 2027. This strategic move represents a significant commitment to the UK's life sciences sector at a time when several other pharmaceutical companies have been shifting investments overseas.

The new Manchester facility will become one of the largest centers in Convatec's global network, spanning 125,000 square feet across seven storeys in the £42 million CityLabs 4.0 building. Located on Hathersage Road facing the Manchester Royal Infirmary, St Mary's and Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, the state-of-the-art facility will focus on research in four key therapeutic areas: advanced wound care, ostomy care, continence care, and infusion care. The company cited Manchester's "vibrant life sciences ecosystem, which includes leading universities, hospitals, and research institutions" as the primary reason for selecting the location.

Approximately 200 staff will be employed at the new Manchester hub, with most positions transferring from Convatec's existing R&D operation in Deeside, North Wales, which has served as a major research center since 1996. The company emphasized that no redundancies are planned as a consequence of the relocation and that the Deeside manufacturing site will remain unaffected, continuing to employ around 400 workers. The new Manchester facility is approximately 50% larger than the current Deeside operation and has capacity for up to 250 employees, allowing for future expansion.

Convatec's investment comes as part of a broader $1 billion worldwide R&D commitment, with the UK portion representing nearly half of this global initiative. The company, which generated $2.3 billion in revenue last year, typically allocates approximately 5% of its annual revenue to research and development. The relocation to Manchester positions Convatec to leverage the city's concentration of medical research institutions, including neighboring organizations such as the University of Manchester NHS Foundation Trust, biotech company QIAGEN, and MAC Clinical Research, strengthening its pipeline of new products addressing unmet needs in chronic care.