UK politics hits peak dysfunction: billionaires, pedophiles, and royals walk into a newspaper

Front page of The Times newspaper dated February 12, 2026, featuring multiple major political scandals. The main stories include: accusations that the Man Utd owner called the UK 'colonised' by immigrants, a story about the PM appointing someone linked to sex offenders, and police investigating Prince Andrew for allegedly leaking confidential information to Jeffrey Epstein. The page also includes wellness and Valentine's Day content. Extracted text: THE TIMES - Thursday February 12 2026 | thetimes.com | No 74954 | £3.20 £2.35 to subscribers How to lose weight And keep it off Valentine's night carnage with the waiters saw UK has been 'colonised' by immigrants, says Man Utd owner Matt Dathan Home Affairs Editor | Millie Bringed Britain has been 'colonised' by immigrants who are 'flooding into much of the country', according to Sir Jim Ratcliffe, part-owner of Manchester United. Ratcliffe, who founded the global chemicals company Ineos Group, blamed the poor economy on immigrants. Sir Keir Starmer called for Ratcliffe to apologise last night, labelling his comments 'offensive and wrong'. He added that 'Britain is a proud, tolerant country' and that the government needed 'people who want to divide our country'. In an interview with Sky News, the billionaire added: 'You can't have an economy with nine million people on benefits'. Ratcliffe claimed the UK 'needed a leader' prepared to be unpopular for a period of time to get the big issues sorted out. He said the UK has 'seven of Monaco in 2020' and that the UK needed a leader 'prepared to be unpopular for a period of time to get the big issues sorted out'. Ratcliffe's claims appear to be based on inaccurate figures. The Office for National Statistics estimated the population was 67 million in 2019, rising to about 70 million last year. The last time the population stood at 70 million was in 2000. Experts suggested that Ratcliffe might have confused the UK's population with net migration figures, which was 67 million in 2020. They also pointed out that his claim about benefits was wrong. There were continued on page 4 PM knew his peerage pick had backed sex offender Starmer attacked by Badenoch over having appointed 'paedophile apologists' to key roles Geraldine Scott Assistant Political Editor | Steven Swinford Political Editor Sir Keir Starmer nominated a former adviser for a peerage despite being told that he had provided a 'paedophile concession' with 'support' because he 'believed in his innocence'. Matthew Doyle, a former director of communications in Downing Street, told No 10 that he had been 'supporting' a child sex offender and was 'charged with possessing and distributing indecent images'. The disclosure will raise further questions about the prime minister's judgment after he appointed David Mandelson, the former ambassador to the US, with links to Jeffrey Epstein, the paedophile financier. The decision to nominate Doyle came after being made aware that his communications chief had 'campaigned for Morton as an independent candidate' despite him having 'charged with child sex offences' and suspended from Parliament following the findings. Under pressure from female Labour MPs and after being approached by The Times, the prime minister finally removed him from the peerage list. At prime minister's questions yesterday, Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, accused Starmer of having nominated 'paedophile apologists' to key roles. In response, Starmer said: 'Matthew Doyle did not give a full account of his actions. I promised my party and my country there will be consequences, there will be a whip from Matthew Doyle'. The prime minister was first made aware of Doyle's link to paedophile apologists when he 'had a friendship with Morton after they were taunted with Morton after they then prime ministers chief of staff, on December 4. McSweeney asked Tim Siam, who leads the PM's communications, whether Doyle and concerns that he would be conflicted to interview Doyle himself. Starmer did not ask Doyle directly about his relationship with Morton. He said that Doyle 'offered Morton protestations of innocence' prior to his conviction and had been 'supportive of him'. He said Doyle did not inform him that he had campaigned for Morton or that he was charged with child sex offences and suspended from Parliament following the findings on to Starmer, who announced the peerage on December 11. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is alleged to have leaked confidential reports on his trade envoy trips to Jeffrey Epstein Police assessing Andrew's 'leaks' to Epstein Fiona Hamilton Chief Reporter | Kate Mansey Assistant Editor Police are assessing whether the Duke of York allegedly leaked confidential information to Epstein, the paedophile financier. According to email obtained by the US Department of Justice, the Duke is alleged to have forwarded official reports of trips to Singapore, Hong Kong and Vietnam between 2010 and 2011 when he was a government trade envoy. Trade envoys have used an office at the Royal Lodge. In 2021 the Metropolitan Police took no further action after an investigation into allegations 'by a woman that she and another woman and 17 other, were trafficked to London by Epstein. In 2022 a judge described a Guide debasing move to help not her. Thames Valley police employed a continued on page 4