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Los Gallos claim first ever event win with historic victory in LA.

Spain made history in Los Angeles, beating Season 3 champions Australia and ROCKWOOL Denmark to claim its first ever SailGP event win.

Diego Botin’s young crew overcame light wind conditions by minimizing maneuvers and sailing the shortest distance to trounce ROCKWOOL DEN and Australia in front of sell-out shoreside crowds.

The win came after Spain scraped into the Final by a one-point margin over Canada - meaning they managed to convert their first Final appearance into a first event win in four seasons.

The victory followed a period of upheaval and uncertainty for the young Spanish team - with former flight controller Botin only becoming driver in February 2023 - and it moved them up into second in the Championship rankings.

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Sailor Cole Brauer makes history as the first American woman to race solo around the world

Aboard her 40-foot racing boat First Light ,  29-year-old Cole Brauer just became the first American woman to race nonstop around the world by herself.

The New York native pulled into A Coruña, Spain, on Thursday after a treacherous 30,000-mile journey that took 130 days.

She thanked a cheering crowd of family and fans who had been waiting for her on shore.

“This is really cool and so overwhelming in every sense of the word,” she exclaimed, before drinking Champagne from her trophy.

The 5-foot-2 powerhouse placed second out of 16 avid sailors who competed in the Global Solo Challenge, a circumnavigation race that started in A Coruña with participants from 10 countries. The first-of-its-kind event   allowed a wide range of boats to set off in successive departures based on performance characteristics. Brauer started on Oct. 29, sailing down the west coast of Africa, over to Australia, and around the tip of South America before returning to Spain.

Brauer is the only woman and the youngest competitor in the event — something she hopes young girls in and out of the sport can draw inspiration from.

“It would be amazing if there was just one girl that saw me and said, ‘Oh, I can do that too,’” Brauer said of her history-making sail.

It’s a grueling race, and more than half of the competitors have dropped out so far. One struck something that caused his boat to flood, and another sailor had to abandon his ship after a mast broke as a severe storm was moving in.

The four-month journey is fraught with danger, including navigating the three “Great Capes” of Africa, Australia and South America. Rounding South America’s Cape Horn, where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet, is often likened to climbing Mount Everest because of its perfect storm of hazards — a sharp rise in the ocean floor and whipping westerly winds push up massive waves. Combined with the frigid waters and stray icebergs, the area is known as a graveyard for ships, according to NASA. Brauer  said  she was “so unbelievably stoked” when she sailed past Cape Horn in January.

Marco Nannini, organizer of the Global Solo Challenge, said the comparison to scaling Mount Everest doesn’t capture the difficulty of the race. Sailing solo means not just being a skipper but a project manager — steering the boat, fixing equipment, understanding the weather and maintaining one’s physical health.

Nannini cited the relatively minuscule number of people who have sailed around the world solo — 186, according to the International Association of Cape Horners — as evidence of the challenges that competitors face. More than 6,000 people have climbed Mount Everest, according to  High Adventure Expeditions .

Brauer stared down 30-foot waves that had enough force to throw her across the boat. In a scare caught on camera, she badly injured her rib   near the halfway point of the event. At another point, her team in the U.S. directed Brauer to insert an IV into her own arm due to dehydration from vomiting and diarrhea.

She was able to stay in constant communication with members of her team, most of whom are based in New England,   and keep herself entertained with Netflix and video calls with family through Starlink satellites.   That’s also how Brauer was able to use Zoom to connect with NBC News for an interview, while she was sailing about 1,000 miles west of the Canary Islands.

While Brauer was technically alone on First Light, she had the company of 450,000 followers on Instagram, where she frequently got candid about life on an unforgiving sea while reflecting on her journey.

“It all makes it worth it when you come out here, you sit on the bow, and you see how beautiful it is,” she said in an Instagram video, before panning the camera to reveal the radiant sunrise.

Brauer grew up on Long Island but didn’t learn to sail until she went to college in Hawaii. She traded in her goal of becoming a doctor for life on the water. But she quickly learned making a career as a sailor is extremely difficult, with professional racers often hesitant to welcome a 100-pound young woman on their team.

Even when she was trying to find sponsors for the Global Solo Challenge, she said a lot of people “wouldn’t touch her with a 10-foot pole” because they saw her as a “liability.”

Brauer’s message to the skeptics and naysayers? “Watch me.”

“I push so much harder when someone’s like, ‘No, you can’t do that,’ or ‘You’re too small,’” Brauer explained.

“The biggest asset is your mental strength, not the physical one,” Nannini said. “Cole is showing everyone that.”

Brauer hopes to continue competing professionally and is already eyeing another around-the-world competition, but not before she gets her hands on a croissant and cappuccino.

“My mouth is watering just thinking about that.”

Emilie Ikeda is an NBC News correspondent.

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - Hobart Village

• 24 Dec, 2023 04:45:00 PM

Everyone Welcome at Hobart Race Village.

Everyone is welcome to enjoy the atmosphere of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race in the Hobart Race Village, located in the heart of the race action at Kings Pier, Hobart.   The Hobart Race Village is open and FREE to the public from noon on Wednesday 27 December until Monday 1 January.    You don’t need to be a yachtie or even know one – everyone is invited to enjoy entertainment, shopping, food and drinks with a view of the race finish line!

Grab a coffee or breakfast from 08:00 hours each morning at King's Pier or work your way through the food options at lunch or dinner each day – there’s plenty to choose from:

• Kaki Lima (Indonesian street food)
• Kung Fu Canteen (homemade pan fried dumplings)
• Culinary Kitchen (chef-made comfort food with a twist)
• Jasmin Kitchen (halal rotisserie chicken & shawarma)
• Orlando Plenty (roasted coffee & homemade sweets)
• Monica's Fairy Floss (hand spun fairy floss)
• Daiquiri Isle (frozen cocktails and slushies)

Dark Lab operates the Devil's Corner Tasmania bar, full of hand-crafted wines from Brown Brother Milawa Vineyard. Each day, Brown Brothers will hosting Oyster Tastings in the late afternoon. 

Shop at our new 2023 Merchandise Partner Helly Hansen's retail store for all your Rolex Sydney Hobart clothing and accessory needs, or at the Richard Bennett Photography marquee, where the renowned photographer celebrates 50 years covering the race. Shop for yourself or buy a veteran or aspiring ocean sailor a New Year's present!  There’s entertainment for all ages, including an incredible lineup of Tasmanian talent such as DJ Supanova, DJ Johnny, and local bands Atomic, Nightshift, Sugartrain, and Montage.  The kids always love the face painting and dancing to live music!

If you’re keen to see the first yacht arrive and cheer them into the dock, watch the Yacht Tracker at  rolexsydneyhobart.com.au   and come down to the village to give the Line Honours winners a rousing Hobart welcome.   You can catch Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race updates live on stage at 10am and 4pm each day, with insights from the experts and, once the boats start arriving, live chats with sailors sharing stories of their race.   Plus, the race village is the best place in Hobart to watch the New Years Eve fireworks! With a view over the Derwent River and the marina, you have front row seats to a show like no other. Get there early, as entry will close once the village is at capacity.   For information on the race and to follow on Yacht Tracker, visit   rolexsydneyhobart.com

Congratulations to all the divisional winners of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

PHOTOS | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Official Prizegiving

PHOTOS | Day 5 Morning - Tasman Island and Storm Bay

PHOTOS | Day 5 and Day 6 finishers

PHOTOS | Official Presentation of Tattersall Cup and Rolex Timepiece to the Overall Winner

2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - A Race for the Ages

VIDEO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - Rolex Daily Video Summary

VIDEO | Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

VIDEO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Official Prizegiving

VIDEO | Race Update - 31 December Morning

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Full Standings available approximately three hours after the start.

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Shop the official clothing range of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in person at the Club in New South Head Road, Darling Point or online below.  

From casual to technical clothing, there is something for all occasions. Be quick as stock is limited!

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When is The Boat Race 2024? Date, start time, TV channel, live stream as Oxford face Cambridge in traditional battle

• Published : 20:59, 18 Mar 2024

THE BOAT Race is nearly among us as Cambridge take on Oxford for the 169th time in the historic event.

Last year, Cambridge extended their lead over University rivals Oxford after holding off a late charge.

It was a double for Cambridge last year as they also triumphed in the women's race.

At the end of the men's Boat Race,  Oxford rower Felix Drinkall collapsed  and was rushed to hospital, but thankfully it was confirmed afterwards he was doing ok.

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When is The Boat Race 2024?

The Boat Race 2024 is on Saturday, March 30.

The women's race kicks off at 2.46pm GMT.

While the men's takes place after at 3.46pm GMT.

How can I watch The Boat Race 2024?

The Boat Race will be broadcast live on BBC One.

It will be live streamed on the BBC iPlayer and the BBC website.

BBC's coverage gets underway from 2pm, with Clare Balding hosting.

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Last 10 boat race results.

The last 10 winners of The Boat Race:

2023 - Cambridge (men's)/ Cambridge (women's) 2022 - Oxford (men's)/ Cambridge (women's) 2021 - Cambridge (men's)/ Cambridge (women's) 2020 - no race 2019 - Cambridge/ Cambridge (women's) 2018 - Cambridge/ Cambridge (women's) 2017 - Oxford/ Cambridge (women's) 2016 - Cambridge / Oxford (women's) 2015 - Oxford/ Oxford (women's) 2014 - Oxford/ Oxford (women's) 2013 - Oxford/ Oxford (women's)

Who has won the most Boat Races?

In the men's Boat Race, Cambridge have won 86 times and Oxford have won 81 times.

Out of the 168 races between the two teams there has only ever been one dead heat.

In the women's Boat Race, Cambridge are also the leaders with 47 wins to Oxford's 30.

Who is competing in The Boat Race 2024?

Oxford Women

• Sarah Marshall (bow)
• Ella Stadler (president)
• Tessa Haining
• Claire Aitken
• Julia Lindsay
• Annie Sharp
• Lucy Edmunds
• Annie Anezakis (stroke)
• Joe Gellett (cox)

Cambridge Women

• Gemma King (bow)
• Jo Matthews
• Jenna Armstrong (president)
• Carina Graf
• Iris Powell
• Megan Lee (stroke)
• Hannah Murphy (cox)
• Saxon Stacey (bow)
• Harry Glenister
• Jelmer Bennema
• James Doran
• Frederick Roper
• Leonard Jenkins
• Elliot Kemp (stroke)
• William Denegri (cox)

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Cambridge Men

• Sebastien Benzecry (bow and president)
• Noam Mouelle
• Thomas Marsh
• Augustus John
• Kenneth Coplan
• Thomas Lynch
• Luca Ferraro
• Matt Edge (stroke)
• Ed Bracey (cox)
• The Boat Race

Full Cambridge teams for the 2024 Boat Race against Oxford revealed

R eturning Cambridge rower Luca Ferraro believes the reason people flock to the Boat Race year after year is to see sport in its “purest form”.

The 22-year-old classics student was part of the crew that beat Oxford to win last year’s edition, extending a dominant run for the light blue boat that has seen them come out on top in four of the last five years.

Ferraro, a world champion in the men’s eight with Great Britain’s Under-23s last summer, moves from stroke to the seven seat for his third Boat Race and was one of 36 athletes named on Tuesday night to the crews for the 78th women’s and 169th men’s races, taking place on March 30th.

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He told the PA news agency: “It really feels like a new race, a new group, the dynamic just changes so much every year and that’s part of the fun. It’s a new challenge. I’m super excited to see if we can get out there and see if we can defend our title.

“The Boat Race is so random. There’s so many variables. Anything can happen on the day, so it’s quite hard to prepare in that sense, other than just being prepared for anything, so I’m super excited to see what twists and turns will happen.

“Its appeal is so hard to pin down. It’s across so many different factors – the tradition, the history plays a massive part. It’s that iconic university rivalry; it’s Oxford, it’s Cambridge.

“I really think that in a world where sport is so flashy – it’s so high-profile these days, there’s so much money involved – the Boat Race is still sport at its purest form.

“It’s almost spartan. It’s just you and the other guys and you’ve got to go faster than them if you want to win. There’s something super primal about it.”

Full Boat Race 2024 Cambridge Teams:

169th Men’s Boat Race:

Bow: Sebastian Benzecry, Hughes Hall

2: Noam Mouelle, Wolfson College

3: Thomas Marsh, St John’s College

4: Augustus John, Hughes Hall

5: Kenneth Coplan, Jesus College

6: Thomas Lynch, Hughes Hall

7: Luca Ferraro, King’s College

Stroke: Matt Edge, St Catharine’s College

Cox: Ed Bracey, Wolfson College

78th Women's Boat Race

Bow: Gemma King, St John’s College

2:Joanna Matthews, St John’s College

3:Clare Hole, St Catharine’s College

4:Jenna Armstrong, Jesus College

5:Carina Graf, Emmanuel College

6:Carys Earl, Gonville and Caius College

7:Iris Powell, Churchill College

Stroke:Megan Lee, Lucy Cavendish College

Cox: Hannah Murphy, Girton College

Cambridge women's team hope to continue streak

Ferraro’s Cambridge crew contains five men returning to defend their 2023 title, while Oxford has just one left over from last year’s defeat.

There was little between the rivals after the weigh-in – in which only the men participate – with Oxford coming in at an average 92kg, just half a kilogram heavier than their Cambridge counterparts.

The women’s crews also contain a mix of experienced and returning crew members, with 20 Brits involved across all four men’s and women’s boats and others coming from countries including France, the Netherlands, Canada, the United States, New Zealand, Germany and Australia.

This year, the Boat Race is taking inspiration from Drive to Survive and other sports documentaries, launching a behind-the-scenes YouTube series ahead of the race.

Cambridge have dominated the women’s race for the last six years but Oxford’s Annie Sharp is confident her crew has what it takes to turn the tide.

Sharp, an MSc water science and policy management student stepping up from the Oxford reserves for the first time, told PA: “We’ve had a really good season, really good vibes from day one.

“We are definitely excited to have the opportunity to go side by side and see what we can do.”

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Queensland local government election results show several incumbent mayors face 'kicking' from voters

A mood for change has swept through regional Queensland, with voters punishing several incumbent mayors in major cities who are fighting to hold onto their jobs. 

The long-time mayor of Townsville, Jenny Hill, is battling to save her political career after a challenge from local businessman Troy Thompson.

With almost 70 per cent of the vote counted, Ms Hill is trailing Mr Thompson 43.71 per cent to 46.19 per cent on the first preference vote.

The third candidate, nurse Harry Patel, has received just over 10 per cent of the first preference vote.

Mayors in Cairns, Bundaberg, Mackay,  the Southern Downs and Mount Isa are also facing tough times and, in some cases, are losing the battle to hold on to their jobs.  

Voters dissatisfied

Griffith University political analyst Paul Williams said there appeared to be a mood for change across some, but not all, regional parts of the state.

"The only indicator that we might have to what voters might be thinking in changing local government representatives, as any reason why voters want to change incumbents, is general dissatisfaction," Associate Professor Williams said.

"So we know that voters, particularly in regional Queensland are unhappy with a range of issues.

He said cost of living was the biggest issue, followed by youth crime.

"So if the local voters feel politicians aren't doing enough about youth crime, if politicians aren't doing enough about cost of living, they will kick the incumbent at the first opportunity," he said.

"And the first opportunity in this occasion is a local government election in regional Queensland."

He said that was the case even if the level of government involved didn't have oversight over that issue. 

State election warning

Associate Professor Williams said the results in areas such as Townsville and Cairns would be a worry for the Labor state government, which is looking to hold onto those seats at October's State Election.

He said Labor members and candidates in the regions would feel the mood for change more than others.

"Just because voters have kicked incumbents in regional Queensland, particularly in the provisional cities, doesn't mean they're going to kick LNP candidates, far from it," he said.

In Townsville, neither Mr Thompson nor Cr Hill, who has been mayor since 2012, has claimed victory.

Mr Thompson said he would be closely monitoring the results today.

"I won't say I'm comfortable at all I'm just at the point where we wait with caution and see how we go," Mr Thompson said.

"There's still 45,000 votes to come in and also the preferences."

Mr Thompson, who is reported to have previously sought preselection with One Nation but is currently not a registered member of the party, ran on a rate freeze and tough-on-crime platform.

Crime, cost of living key issues

High crime rates in the city and the cost of living were two of the key issues voters raised at the polling booth.

"Just fix up the crime around Townsville make it a better place for all of us," one voter told the ABC.

"Cost of living … that is a lot, it's expensive."

Another voter, Grace Bryce, said that her while crime was an issue, road conditions and access to parks were also important.

The tough results for Cr Hill come after she was found not guilty in 2021 of driving without due care and attention in a crash that claimed the life of a 33-year-old motorcyclist.

The crash occurred in January 2020, in the months leading up to the previous council election.

She is one of many incumbent mayors across regional Queensland facing a strong challenge as counting continues from Saturday's elections.

In Bundaberg, incumbent Jack Dempsey, who in 2022 unsuccessfully ran for federal parliament, is trailing challenger Helen Blackburn.

Ms Blackburn, with 71 per cent of the vote counted, has just over 57 per cent of the first preference vote, while Mr Dempsey has just over 32 per cent.

Cr Dempsey took to Facebook on Sunday afternoon to thank people for their encouragement and support over the past eight years.

"It was a pleasure and a privilege to serve as mayor of the beautiful Bundaberg Region," the post said.

Ms Blackburn said the election results showed a mandate for transparency and accountability.

"I'm feeling very confident with the election results, that the people of the Bundaberg region have decided that what they are after is change," she said. 

Cairns Mayor Terry James is trailing challenger Amy Eden, who has 31 per cent of the first preference vote to his 22 per cent – with 55 per cent of the vote counted.

Ms Eden said she was feeling "buoyed" by the results. 

Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson is currently leading the first preference count, receiving 42 per cent of the vote.

However, former rugby league player Steve Jackson is coming second with just over 38 per cent of the first preference vote, while councillor Laurence Bonaventura has received just under 20 per cent.

"It's a very close race, there is no doubt about it," Cr Williamson said.

"All we can do now is wait.

"All of the pre-poll votes have got to be counted and there's a few thousand of those to go, and once that's determined then there's the distribution of the preferences."

Scenic Rim Mayor Greg Christensen is trailing challengers Tom Sharp and Jeffrey McConnell.

He conceded defeat on Sunday afternoon. 

On the Southern Downs, Mayor Vic Pennisi is behind challenger Melissa Hamilton.

Ms Hamilton said the votes were showing an appetite for change.

"If the voting trends continue then I am ready to lead a new council that works together to get things done for all of our wonderful communities, and I'm excited by the opportunities for our region," she said. 

Incumbent mayors in the Cassowary Coast, Aurukun, Burdekin, Cherbourg, North Burnett, Charters Towers, Mornginton Shire, Wujal Wujal and Maranoa were also under pressure as counting continued.

An 'anti-incumbency trend'

Queensland University of Technology Associate Professor John Mickel, a former speaker of Queensland's Legislative Assembly, said there had been an "anti-incumbency trend" across many parts of regional Queensland.

"It was profound in Bundaberg and the Scenic Rim. There is evidence of it in Mackay, and it seems to be there in Townsville as well," he said.

"In the absence of exit polling, it's hard to know why the trend is there.

"But it seems to be part of a story this time in regional Queensland."

Professor Mickel said local government elections in Queensland worked on an optional preferential voting model – where voters just had to put a 1 next to their candidate of choice.

He said the trend across previous elections showed voters generally didn't preference other candidates, so those who were leading in the first preference count tended to win.

"There might be some exchange of preferences, but not enough to overhaul anybody," he said.

"A lot of people are happy just to put one because they know that person."

But he said while there were these tight races in some areas, such as Gladstone and smaller regions like Goondiwindi, there had been a trend of some mayors running unopposed.

"It's a tale of Queensland in a way, there's so much regionalism," he said.

Some candidates confident

In Rockhampton, Mayor Tony Williams said he felt confident he would retain his role for another term.

Mr Williams is leading the count with 68 per cent of first preference votes, and around 80 per cent of the votes have been counted.

"There is plenty of opportunity coming up for our region over the next decade, and I think now is a great time to take advantage of that," Mr Williams said.

Former federal MP George Christensen looks set to return to politics as vote counting continues in the Mackay councillor race.

Mr Christensen is a member of Steve Jackson's 'Jacko's Team' grouping and is currently coming second in the race for one of 10 councillor positions — but only a small number of votes have been counted so far. 

In recent days, Mr Christensen, now a member of One Nation, has been running on an anti-woke platform, slamming a theatre event for kids at the council-owned events centre, as it features drag queens.

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Politics latest: Chancellor appears to let slip when election could be

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has nodded to when the election could be held after a former minister warned Tory plotters against ousting Rishi Sunak beforehand. The shadow chancellor, meanwhile, has outlined Labour's rather cautious approach to how the party would manage the economy.

Tuesday 19 March 2024 19:47, UK

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• Politics Hub With Beth Rigby is live - watch in stream above
• Chancellor hints at October election  | The dates PM could pick
• Drakeford gives emotional resignation statement
• Mooted Sunak rival responds to leadership rumours
• Shadow chancellor delivers major speech on economic vision
• Ed Conway: Why Labour's struggling to set itself apart on economy
• Follow Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge on WhatsApp
• Listen to Politics At Jack And Sam's  wherever you get your podcasts
• Live reporting by Tim Baker and (earlier)  Faith Ridler

One of our panellists, Tory MP Jonathan Gullis , has warned his colleagues against trying to replace the prime minister before the next general election.

For those who are frustrated with the party's poll ratings and don't think changing the leader yet again will make things worse, Mr Gullis says "it can and it will".

It comes amid reports some rebels are plotting to replace Rishi Sunak with former leadership rival Penny Mordaunt.

Mr Gullis dismisses it as a "Westminster bubble story" that voters in his Stoke-on-Trent constituency are not interested in.

"People are talking about potholes, the NHS, schools, levelling up, new skill jobs, they want to see high streets regenerated," he tells Beth Rigby .

"If we even entertain the idea of another leadership contest, the voters will tune back in [and will] kick us out."

Our  political editor Beth Rigby has been speaking to sports minister Stuart Andrew after the government announced its new independent football regulator ( read more here ).

Beth asked Mr Andrew whether trans women should be stopped from playing in women's football leagues, after the culture secretary suggested they should be (see previous post).

Some sporting bodies have begun to prevent those assigned male at birth from competing in sports with those assigned female at birth.

Mr Andrew said: "I want sport to be an open and inviting environment. 

"But I recognise that when it comes to women's sports, we have to make sure that sport is, first of all, fair, competition is fair, and it's safe. 

"It has to be safe for all those people - and it is one of the reasons why the secretary of state and I will be having a roundtable with national governing bodies from all sports very soon to talk about this issue."

His intervention comes after Culture Secretary Laura Frazer told Sky News football should consider following the likes of swimming and rowing and not allow "people who are not biologically women" to compete against women.

Mr Andrew insisted to Beth that fairness should be "paramount", as well safety.

He added it was "important" for the issue to be discussed with sporting bodies.

But he denied Ms Frazer was minded to ban trans women from the women's game.

Instead, he says the government wants to hear from players and other stakeholders to hear their opinions.

 By Rob Harris , sports correspondent

The Football Association (FA) should consider banning transgender women from playing women's football to remove any "unfair" competitive advantage, the culture secretary has told Sky News.

The policy has been under review by the FA, which is trying to balance out the sport being inclusive but also fair and safe.

Players over the age of 16 assigned male at birth who want to compete in women's football have to show their blood testosterone levels are "within natal female range for an appropriate length of time so as to minimise any potential advantage".

Annual checks are required.

But Lucy Frazer told Sky News: "I think it's very important women are able to compete against women, and there's an inherent unfairness that if you're not biologically a woman, you have a competitive advantage.

"I think a number of sports have looked at this very carefully and come to the decision it's not appropriate to have women competing against people who are not biologically women.

"We've seen that in rowing. We've seen that in swimming. And I would encourage other sporting bodies to look at that very carefully."

The FA's current transgender policy is that "gender identity should not be a barrier to participation in football", but eligibility is determined on a case-by-case basis.

Read more below:

By Tim Baker , political reporter

The government has announced its plan for an Independent Football Regulator (IFR) for the professional men's game.

The IFR came about following a review by Tory MP Tracey Crouch, which itself was launched after the attempt by clubs to form the European Super League.

But the Premier League has responded by saying they "remain concerned" about the legislation, which they claim could unintentionally "weaken the competitiveness and appeal of English football".

One of Beth's panellists tonight is her  Electoral Dysfunction  co-host and Labour MP Jess Phillips .

As you'd expect, she's quick to defend the shadow chancellor, Rachel Reeves, over her cautious approach to the economy.

"It might be boring but it really, really matters," she says of her commitment to economic stability.

Citing changing Tory plans like HS2, she says places like her home city of Birmingham suffer from uncertainty.

Rates of inward investment are "woeful" as a result, she adds.

But fellow panellist Jonathan Gullis , a Tory MP, accuses Labour of having no vision for the country - pointing to its decision to scrap its green investment plan, and keeping the national insurance cut outlined in the spring budget earlier this month.

"A Labour Party will flip and flop at every turn," he says.

"Borrowing will go up, taxes will go up, growth will go down."

Nick Thomas-Symonds, a Labour shadow minister, has been speaking to Sky's  political editor  Beth Rigby  about a major speech by shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves this evening.

Labour has been keen to emphasise it will be responsible with the public finances if it wins the next general election.

Mr Thomas-Symonds says "nobody doubts the awful fiscal inheritance there is going to be".

He adds it is the consequence of "14 years of Conservative failure".

Pushed by Beth, he accepts "we're going to have to say no to some things, yes to some other things".

This is the "nature of the fiscal inheritance", he says.

'Stability is a massive change'

He pledges that Labour will try to find extra money by closing tax loopholes like private schools being VAT exempt - despite this only raising £1.3bn (a fraction of government outlay annually).

Mr Thomas-Symonds repeats the Labour mantra it will strive for financial stability and use this as a platform to invest.

"Given the events of the last few years, five prime ministers and seven chancellors, there's no doubt that stability is a massive change in the government we've just seen," he says.

Our deputy political editor Sam Coates is one of the journalists in the audience for Rachel Reeves's prestigious lecture in the City tonight.

"At the heart of it is this promise of stability," says Sam.

"Her argument is stability brings growth, a return to something better."

The hour-long speech spends some time criticising the Tories for "chopping and changing", says Sam, both on the party's plans and the sheer number of prime ministers it's gone through in recent years.

"She makes this criticism of instability even though you just had some chopping and changing from the Labour Party themselves," Sam notes.

That's on the commitment to spend £28bn a year on green investments, which the shadow chancellor was key to torpedoing.

Sam says this speaks to the caution at the heart of her pitch to voters.

"The question is whether stability is enough, gets growth and more tax money that can fund better public services," he says.

She may risk her cautious approach "binding the hands of her party too much" should it get into government.

Labour's Rachel Reeves, the woman who could become Britain's first female chancellor, is delivering a major speech tonight about the party's economic policy.

You can get the main points in our 18.41 post .

Ahead of that, she spoke with our economics and data editor Ed Conway about her plans - and Ed didn't come away with a great deal of clarity about how she'd set herself apart from the Tories...

Rachel Reeves is on the cusp of becoming Britain's first female chancellor.

A job she's apparently wanted all her political life.

Tonight, she’s delivering the prestigious Mais lecture ( see 18.41 and 18.39 posts ) - a big deal in the financial world. 

And she'll explain how her economic vision boils down to one simple world: stability.

No bold moves on tax, spending or borrowing. 

Tough fiscal rules. Iron discipline. Protections for the Bank of England.

A stronger independent fiscal watchdog.

If it doesn't sound that exciting, well, that's because it isn't.

And that's to the disappointment - perhaps - of some in her party, as well as some voters who maybe want more. 

In fact, tonight, Sharon Graham of the Unite union has said Labour's growth plan is "for the birds" ( see 17.20 post ).

The union boss is clear: "Meddling and tinkering" around the edges isn't going to deliver the serious growth Britain needs.

But believe it or not, that is the plan.

What Ms Reeves has been doing for the past two years is making sure Labour's trusted on the economy. And she's intensely political about not giving the Conservatives any room to undermine that message.

Let's not forget economic competence is a top election priority. 

And if you want proof - it was Ms Reeves who torpedoed the £28bn a year in borrowing for green investment. 

That was to kill off that Tory attack. And she's not going to give them more ammo before election day.

When you're 20 points ahead in the polls, why rock the boat? Ms Reeves reckons stability itself brings the change. 

Politics Hub   is live now on Sky News, presented by  Beth Rigby .

The fast-paced programme dissects the inner workings of Westminster, with interviews, insights, and analysis - bringing the audience into the corridors of power.

Beth will be joined by Tory MP  Stuart Andrew  from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, after the government introduced long-awaited legislation to create a football regulator ( read more ).

Also on the show is Labour shadow minister  Nick Thomas-Symonds .

On Beth's panel tonight are:

• Jess Phillips , Labour MP and Beth's  Electoral Dysfunction  co-host;
• Jonathan Gullis , Tory MP for Stoke-on-Trent North.

Watch Politics Hub  from Monday to Thursday on Sky channel 501, Virgin channel 602, Freeview channel 233, on the  Sky News website  and  app  or on  YouTube .

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