Fresh Reform UK Row As MP Warns Against ‘LGBT-Supporting’ Political Alliances

Posted on 28/10/2025 by Boris Clair

Nigel Farage is facing a fresh headache after it emerged a Reform UK MP warned voters the UK could soon be led by an “appalling Hamas-supporting, LGBT-supporting nationalist party”.

Kruger, who dramatically left his position as a Tory frontbencher to join Reform last month, can be seen in a clip shared on the party’s YouTube page comparing supporting LGBT+ rights to backing Palestinian militants.

Speaking during a membership drive at the weekend, Kruger said his party was “up against Lib Dems, Labour, Greens, we’ve got the nationalists in Wales and Scotland, there’s Corbyn”.

In comments first obtained by the Mirror, he said: “You know that shows how bad things are in our country.

“What I worry about is they’re going to get together after the next election and have some sort of appalling, you know, Hamas-supporting, LGBT-supporting, you know, nationalist party against the United Kingdom trying to get us back into the EU.

“All the things that the British people have rejected time and again. The only way to stop that is Reform. And so that means, you know, including if you’re a former. Conservative, I’m afraid to say, you’ve got to join us.”

Kruger himself dodged a question on this issue at a pre-arranged Reform press conference today where he was outlining his party’s plans to reform Whitehall.

When asked for a response to his comments from the weekend, he said the public should vote for Reform if they want a “sensible moderate government”.

He told the Mirror: “You do have a kaleidoscope of people who proclaim their belief in gay rights on one hand and then their support for Hamas on the other, or at least for kind of Islamism in the Middle East. So I mean, I’m pointing out the incredible incoherence of the coalition that has ranged against us.

“I dread to think what would happen if there was some sort of deal of the election which ended up with that rabble in power. So that is the concern I have.”

Polly Billington, Labour MP for East Thanet, quickly hit out at Kruger’s “dinosaur” comments this morning.

She said: “Danny Kruger’s remarks are outdated and out of line. Stirring up division is Reform’s stock in trade and now LGBT people are being targeted.

“His words have direct consequences in our communities and should be condemned by Nigel Farage.

“It’s astounding that Kruger made these comments on the same day his colleague Sarah Pochin embarked on a racist rant about black and Asian people on TV.

“Our British values of decency, compassion and respect are under threat from Reform. That is what we’re up against – the politics of division and grievance that would take our great country to a very dark place.

“If Nigel Farage had any backbone, he’d stand up to these dinosaurs and take action. Failure to do so is an endorsement of these divisive views.”

Reform UK has been approaching for a response to Kruger’s comments.

The Mirror’s report comes a day after Farage admitted he was “angry” over another row caused by one of his five MPs.

Sarah Pochin triggered plenty of backlash when she complained about TV adverts being “full of black people, full of Asian people” at the weekend, although she later apologised.

Farage said in a press conference on Monday that these were “ugly” remarks and admitted he is “unhappy” with Pochin for these comments, but refused to punish her by withdrawing the whip.

He said: “If I thought the intention behind it was racist, I would have taken a lot more action that I have done today – and that is because I don’t.”

Kruger also responded to the backlash around Pochin, telling Times Radio on Tuesday morning: “I think that’s a really regrettable thing that she said, because it’s so offensive to suggest that seeing black and Asian faces made her mad.

“Obviously, she was trying to say something different. There’s no excuse, but it is the truth that she was talking about over-representation of minorities.”

Jeremy Corbyn Will Be Taking To The Stage With A Very Unexpected Role This Winter

Posted on 28/10/2025 by Boris Clair

The independent MP for Islington North, who is in the process of setting up a new party currently known only as Your Party and setting up its first ever conference next month, will also swap the Commons for the stage in honour of the festive season.

He will perform as the ‘Wizard of Oz-lington’ in a drag production of Wicked Witches, making an onscreen cameo in the north London play.

Corbyn’s spokesperson told HuffPost UK: “The Pleasance has been at the heart of our community for 30 years, and local theatre like this deserves our support.

“Panto brings people together – it’s fun, inclusive and a brilliant celebration of creativity. It’s a pleasure to conjure up a little festive magic with the Pleasance in their 30th year.

“Local theatre is where the real wizardry happens – sparking imagination and spreading a bit of joy.”

Head of the theatre at Pleasance London, Ellie Simpson, said: “Jeremy’s as much a part of Islington as the Yellow Brick Road is of Oz – so who better to play the Wizard of Oz-lington?

“His cameo adds a touch of local sparkle to our wickedly funny festive panto, which marks Pleasance’s first in over 20 years and raises the curtain on our 30th anniversary celebrations.”

Meanwhile the theatre said: “This Wicked-inspired pantomime Wicked Witches – A Popular Panto! will whisk audiences down the Yellow Brick (Caledonian) Road for a gloriously camp Christmas spectacular, packed with cabaret, pop parody and plenty of laughs for those young and old alike. Expect soaring vocals, sparkly spells, and more sass than you can shake a wand at.”

Over-70s With This Hobby May Be 39% Less Likely To Develop Dementia

Posted on 28/10/2025 by Boris Clair

Not only are hobbies great for your mental health, but researchers and neuroscientists increasingly think they might help to protect your brain as you age too.

Take reading, for instance.

Some research suggests that reading twice a week or more can lead to decreased cognitive impairment, while neurologist and author of How To Prevent Dementia, Dr Richard Restak, said: “Reading for pleasure is perhaps the single most effective activity you can engage in for increasing cognitive reserve”.

And now, a new study published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry has linked listening to music to a significantly decreased rate of dementia among over-70s.

Why might listening to music decrease dementia risk?

In this study, scientists looked at 10,893 Australian participants who were aged 70 and older.

None of them had dementia when the study began.

The researchers used Cox proportional hazard regression models to work out whether participants’ levels of music engagement (be it listening to music, playing an instrument, or a combination of both) seemed to be linked to their dementia risk from year three of the sudy onwards.

They found that “always” listening to music was associated with a 39% lower risk of developing dementia among their participants, compared to those who “never,” “rarely,” or “sometimes” did.

Playing an instrument was linked to 35% less risk, meanwhile, and those who both played an instrument and listened to music appeared to be 33% less likely to develop the condition too.

Listening to, and playing, music (as well as doing both) was also linked to less cognitive impairment in this study.

These findings seemed to be stronger among participants who’d had over 16 years of education.

“These results highlight music as a potential promising, accessible strategy to help reduce cognitive impairment and delay the onset of dementia in later life,” the paper reads.

Does this definitely mean listening to music will prevent dementia?

No. It only found a link, and not a cause – we can’t say from this data that listening to music is the reason people with the hobby were less likely to develop dementia.

Study senior author Professor Joanne Ryan, however, said: “With no cure currently available for dementia, the importance of identifying strategies to help prevent or delay onset of the disease is critical.

“Evidence suggests that brain ageing is not just based on age and genetics but can be influenced by one’s own environmental and lifestyle choices.”

She continued: “Our study suggests that lifestyle-based interventions, such as listening and/or playing music can promote cognitive health.”

Tensions Between US And Russia Deepen As Trump’s Treasury Secretary Hits Out At ‘Propagandist’ Envoy

Posted on 27/10/2025 by Boris Clair

Donald Trump’s Treasury secretary Scott Bessent hit out at the Kremlin after a Russian envoy tried to dismiss the impact of the US’s new sanctions on Moscow.

The White House implemented fresh sanctions against Russia for the first time last week, punishing its oil companies in the hope of pushing Vladimir Putin to end his war in Ukraine.

In a move much welcomed by his European allies who have also increased economic pressure on Moscow, Trump froze all US-based assets of Russia’s two largest oil firms – Rosneft and Lukoil.

The US also made it possible for secondary penalties on foreign institutions which could conduct transactions with entities on the blacklist.

It was a surprising move from the US president, considering he has often expressed sympathy for the Russian invasion of Ukraine even while calling for peace in the region.

US plans for a high-level summit with Putin in Budapest also broke down recently, and Trump has insisted he would not meet with Putin unless there was a clear plan for peace.

But Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev – who plays a key part in the diplomacy between Moscow and Washington – told the US media that the new sanctions would not have much of an effect.

The head of the Russian Direct Investment Funds insisted: “No pressure works on Russia.”

So Bessent furiously hit back in an interview with CBS News on Sunday, saying: “Are you really going to publish what a Russian propagandist says?

“I mean, what else is he going to say?

“The Russian economy is a wartime economy. Growth is virtually zero.”

Bessent claimed the US can make a “substantial debt” in Putin’s profits and therefore impact his war machine.

When the new penalties were first announced last week, the Russian president described them as an “unfriendly act” – and said Moscow would not give in to economic pressure.

Russia continued to launch fresh missile and drone attacks across Ukraine over the weekend, too.

Putin claimed to have sucessfully tested a new nuclear-powered cruise missile on Sunday, too.

Meanwhile, news agency Reuters has recently reported that the Trump administration is already thinking about further sanctions unless Putin engages with peace talks.

The US president said Putin should focus on ending the war in Ukraine instead of testing a new nuclear-powered missile.

He said: “They know we have a nuclear submarine, the greatest in the world, right off their shores, so I mean, it doesn’t have to go 8,000 miles.”

Trump added: “I don’t think it’s an appropriate thing for Putin to be saying, either, by the way: You ought to get the war ended, the war that should have taken one week is now in … its fourth year, that’s what you ought to do instead of testing missiles.”

‘I Cancelled On My Friend’s Wedding. Is He Taking The P*ss With His Response?’

Posted on 27/10/2025 by Boris Clair

Gulp-inducing news for the newly-engaged – it turns out the average cost of a wedding in the UK is currently around £23,250.

Which, I’m sure, makes the roughly 20% of guests who don’t show up despite RSVP-ing yes quite a challenging issue to reckon with.

But if you’re put in that frustrating situation, what are you meant to do about it?

Well, Redditor u/KeyManufacturer9764 says his friend had a pretty simple solution: when the poster cancelled on his pal’s wedding, he asked for cold, hard cash.

We asked Zoe Burke, leading wedding expert at Hitched.co.uk, and founder of Etiquette Expert, Jo Hayes, what they thought of the move.

The original poster (OP) cancelled last-minute

The Redditor, who introduced his friend to his now-wife, shared that he’d fully intended to attend and had booked a hotel.

But due to an “important work visitation” in France, he cancelled the wedding. In the comments, OP said he stated he wouldn’t be coming 12 hours before he’d have travelled, and 48 hours before the wedding itself.

“I know how insanely annoying it is with people cancelling, especially weddings late on, but I had no option for my future business, and [the work] will massively help me financially,” he continued.

He offered to send his wedding gift to his “disappointed” friend’s home address. And while sharing his details, the friend reportedly said: “By the way, as you’ll be missing the food, can you send the money to cover [your] empty spot, which is £95 per head”.

The poster said that the price is “taking the p*ss” for what he sees as a simple meal, and asked, “AITA if I question it or do I just send the money and stop complaining?”

The move is “valid”

Speaking to HuffPost UK, wedding expert Burke said: “I do think that it is valid to charge people who cancel at the very last minute”.

Despite the poster’s comment about the price of the meal “taking the piss”, she explained that “the average wedding guest costs couples £261, [so] it makes sense that they would want to recoup some of the costs – because they could have invited someone else if they’d had more notice”.

She continued, “It’s really poor etiquette, unless it’s a medical emergency or something that you know really cannot be avoided.

“It’s not just the fact you’re putting the couple out of pocket, but so many other things will be put out too; the table plan, the wedding favours, the personal touches that go along with being a guest at a wedding – it’s so much more than just not turning up for dinner.”

Etiquette expert Hayes agreed that “few people, with any level of decency, would pull out of a wedding with such late notice.”

Still, she said that in general – not in this specific case – “Bridal couples do well to have grace for their guests in such instances, and simply absorb the cost”.

The Most Popular Dog Names Of 2025

Posted on 26/10/2025 by Boris Clair

Just like baby names, dog names ebb and flow in popularity each year depending on pop culture, traditions and more.

One year, you may run into dozens of dogs named Ollie at the dog park, just for lots of pups named Luna to appear a few years later.

This year, though, many dog owners stuck to certain trending names, according to a report from online pet supply retailer and pharmacy Chewy, which uses data from the profiles users make for their pets to determine pet name trends and name popularity throughout the country.

When signing up for an account, users input the name of their dog, their pet’s birthdate and the type of dog they have, Ciara Lavelle, pet expert at Chewy, told HuffPost via email.

“By looking at this aggregated information, we can see which dog names are trending and celebrate the most popular picks of the year,” Lavelle said.

According to this year’s data, the top 10 dog names for both male and female dogs are:

Bella
Luna
Daisy
Lucy
Max
Charlie
Bailey
Cooper
Buddy
Sadie

Charlie and Luna are among the most popular dog names of the year.

Beyond the top 10, names like Cheeto, Brisket and Elphaba are also becoming more popular.

Even if your pup’s name doesn’t fall within the top 10 most popular, there’s a chance their moniker is still part of a larger movement.

According to Lavelle there are some “really fun dog name trends” going on this year; for example, food-inspired names are growing in popularity. “Cheeto and Pickles both rose about 25% in popularity since 2024, and Brisket is up 68%,” Lavelle said.

The popularity of the film “Wicked,” the first part of which was released in November 2024, also inspired some pup names, she noted. The name Elphaba, which is the name of the Wicked Witch of the West (played by Cynthia Erivo), has grown in popularity by 200% since last year, along with its nickname Elphie. The name Glinda, which is the name of the Good Witch (played by Ariana Grande), has grown by 175% this year.

A few other pop-culture names were favored this year, too. “Plenty of pups were named in homage to Ozzy Osbourne, who passed away earlier this year. We’re seeing a 15% bump in dogs named Ozzy,” Lavelle said.

The popularity of this past season of “The White Lotus” also inspired 2025 dog names. “Remember the ‘Piper, no!’ meme from the last season of ‘The White Lotus’? We can’t prove there’s a connection, but Piper as a pet name is up 33% since last year,” added Lavelle.

What to keep in mind when naming your pet, according to an expert.

Naming your dog can feel like a tall task. Will it match their personality? Do they look like their name? Or does it sound too much like your nephew’s name?

“You can take inspiration from just about anything as you’re naming your dog — their color, their personality, or your favorite movies or musicians,” Lavelle said.

If you need some inspiration beyond the name’s Chewy has identified this year, American Kennel Club has a helpful list of ideas, including unique names, trending names and classic ones. (Storm, JoJo, Scout, Zeke, Kona and Jax are just several of the names on this list.)

It is important to remember that your dog’s name isn’t something that only your pup will hear. “You’re going to be yelling it at the dog park and responding to it at the vet’s office, so if you decide on something silly, be prepared to own it,” Lavelle said.

As long as you pick a respectful, not-offensive name, you really can’t go wrong.

“No matter what you choose, your dog will love it,” said Lavelle — “because it’s how they’ll be called by their favourite person.”

12 Things Millennials Do That Stress Out Gen Zers

Posted on 26/10/2025 by Boris Clair

Every generation has its quirks. Millennials and Gen Zers may only be a small number of years apart, but culturally, they often feel worlds away.

From the way they communicate to the way they approach work, life and even pop fandoms, their styles can clash ― sometimes in ways that really irritate each other.

We asked Gen Zers to share the millennial behaviours that frustrate and stress them out. Of course, many of these habits vary across individuals within the same generation, but certain tendencies and patterns still emerge. Here’s what they had to say:

1. Ominous Punctuation

“For me, a main millennial ‘ick’ is the dot-dot-dot or period of doom. Getting a ‘Sure…’ or ‘Thanks.’ makes it feel like I’m in trouble.” ― Ethan Hillis, TikTok creator

2. Over-Emphasis On Appearances

“They have a need to make everything aesthetic. Gen Z is very guilty of this as well, however, I think that millennials grew up with the rise of social media. Rather than listening to their favourite artist at a music festival or sharing a drink with friends at brunch, I think they’re more prone to focus on getting a good Instagram or Snapchat story. This just fuels what it means to live vicariously through social media, rather than in the moment.” ― Madeline Kerestman, TikTok creator

3. Passive-Aggressive Lingo

“The passive-aggressive work lingo. ‘Per my last email,’ ‘gentle nudge,’ ‘circling back’ … all of it stresses me out instantly.” ― Hillis

4. Getting Competitive Around Generations

“Making conversations about economic problems millennial vs. Gen Z instead of realising we’re all struggling, and different times had their own unique problems.” ― Ayana Williams, digital marketer

“Why is this a competition? Why are we battling between generations? I feel like millennials are constantly comparing their generation and saying things like, ‘Oh you guys have it so easy. Back in my day …’ I think millennials went through a really difficult period, so they might have a lot of resentment toward our generation. But in reality, I feel like Gen Zers are going through a lot of different challenges that the previous generation didn’t go through too.” ― Lavinia Gabriele, high growth startup manager and member of The Z Suite

5. Lack Of Boundaries

“I’ve noticed that a lot of millennials don’t have a lot of boundaries at work ― whether it’s that your work hours are not well defined and you’re supposed to be on at all times, or it’s asking personal questions. Millennials are a lot more open with their thoughts, and I think it’s a little bit stressful when they ask really personal questions about your life when maybe I don’t want you to know about it.” ― Gabriele

"Millennials are a lot more open with their thoughts, and I think it’s a little bit stressful when they ask really personal questions about your life when maybe I don’t want you to know about it," said Lavinia Gabriele, a gen Z high-growth startup manager. — “Millennials are a lot more open with their thoughts, and I think it’s a little bit stressful when they ask really personal questions about your life when maybe I don’t want you to know about it,” said Lavinia Gabriele, a gen Z high-growth startup manager.

6. Inability To Relax Until Things Are Fully Completed

“I feel that sometimes there is a very strong hustle culture where millennials feel they are always ‘in the trenches’ and life is about surviving rather than experiencing. Of course, Gen Zers are ambitious as well. But when there’s a big challenge or new project at work, I do observe that the millennials on my team are like, ‘Oh, my god. How do we survive through this?’ ― while the Gen Zs are a bit more relaxed and moving through it. It doesn’t mean we don’t care. We’re still going to power through. And I have friends and cousins who are millennials that tend to get really stressed out about planning certain things. Until the plan has reached a certain stage of being completed, they’re super stressed out.” ― Angel Aileen, member of The Z Suite who works in a tech forward beauty company

7. Withholding Validation And Information

“I think because Gen Zs grew up in a world of social media, we’re conditioned to get dopamine rewards constantly. So at a workplace, how that shows up is if we do work, we really want to feel recognised. Everyone has their different ways of feeling recognised or rewarded. But if they don’t get that, they feel very down. They want to feel seen, so getting a sense of reward or recognition makes a huge difference in the workplace. And millennials don’t necessarily realise that. But I really notice millennials who recognise and appreciate their Gen Z employees have better team dynamics. It’s similar with sharing information because Gen Zers like to see the whole picture of their job. If millennials share the big picture of what we’re all working on, then it’ll feel more like we’re all working toward the same goal and contributing to the puzzle. Gen Zers are happier when they feel a bigger sense of purpose in their work.” ― Aileen

8. Overwhelming Communication

“Slack novels. A whole LinkedIn-style essay in a quick chat app? I can’t.” ― Hillis

“With their communication style over text, they send like a lot of emojis, like a million emojis. And they’ll screenshot a meme and text it to you, instead of sending it to you directly in the app. And then the meme isn’t that funny…” ― Gabriele

9. Assuming Gen Zers Don’t Get References

“Not recognising some of us are Gen Zennials and very much remember late 90s/early 2000s references and going outside to play.” ― Williams

10. The Millennial Pause

“The millennial pause at the start of videos. They can just cut that part out.” ― Williams

11. Work-Life Balance Overload

“They lean a little too far into the ‘work-life balance’ mindset. As a med student myself, I am all about maintaining a ‘work hard, play hard’ mentality. I value hard work and believe that while it’s incredibly important to maintain a healthy balance, it should never be used as a way to do the bare minimum. I think the millennial generation introduced this mentality and took it to another level, which has normalised using ‘boundaries’ as an excuse to cut corners.” ― Kerestman

12. Taylor Swift Obsession

“This is 100% a personal preference, and I know I might get some backlash for this! For some reason, I feel like I associate the millennial generation with the ‘Swiftie’ fanbase. Taylor Swift is iconic and such a talented artist. However, I think her fans take it to an unnecessarily intense level, and I just don’t understand the hype.” ― Kerestman

Answers have been edited and condensed for clarity.

‘My Mum Expects Me To Care For Her In Old Age. How Do I Tell Her I Can’t?’

Posted on 26/10/2025 by Boris Clair

Over-50s own 78% of the UK’s property wealth, and the Financial Times reports that one in five “Boomers” are millionaires (largely due to soaring property prices).

But, like all modern wealth, this is a story of deep inequality. The Centre For Ageing Better says that roughly 18% of older people live in relative poverty; one in six over-55s have zero retirement savings, and 9-12% of rough sleepers are believed to be over 55.

Which means that renting long past retirement age, never mind costly nursing home care, is out of the question for many.

That might lead some, like the mother of Redditor u/Swimsmoke, to assume their children will help with their housing, care, and costs in their old age.

But, like the 6.6 million UK adults who say they wouldn’t know where to start with the commitment, the site user said they’re not sure they’re able to do it.

We asked Dr Barbara Sparacino, an adult and geriatric psychiatrist also known as The Ageing Parent Coach, how to handle the situation.

The original poster (OP) feels guilty

Writing to the forum r/AmItheAsshole (AITA), the OP said that her 63-year-old mother retired from her career 15 years ago but has been making money through a soap business since.

“She lives in a small studio and has a car but not much else to her name,” the woman added, stating that her mother is quite frivolous with her spending and likes to travel a lot.

Ahead of a hip surgery, her mum has started to think about what her future will look like and expects her 30-year-old daughter to “help”.

OP has a few reservations. Firstly, their relationship is a little fraught, and the poster says their mother delivered “bare minimum” care in their teens.

Then, guilt, money, and time come into it.

“I also feel some amount of responsibility for the woman who birthed me, a woman who had a hard and traumatising life as well – but I don’t have the resources to help in any real capacity,” they wrote.

“I don’t have money to throw at the problem, I don’t want to use all my time off for the year taking care of her, and I wouldn’t get paid if I take leave, which I won’t even qualify to take until another six months from now.”

She ended, “AITA for putting myself first here?”

Honesty is the kindest policy

Speaking to HuffPost UK, Dr Sparacino said that, “Often, these expectations are unspoken. A parent might have spent years believing you’d ‘step in one day,’ even if that was never discussed.

“When you finally say you can’t, guilt and fear can flood in, but honesty is an act of love, too.”

There is no point offering something you cannot emotionally or financially afford, she added. So, try to stay clear-sighted and precise about what you’re really able to offer – even if that doesn’t feel like much.

“Maybe you can help plan for future care, find resources, or support them emotionally, but you can’t take on full-time or financial responsibility. That’s not neglect; that’s setting a boundary rooted in realism and care,” the psychiatrist said.

She recommends saying something like, “Mum, I love you and want you to be well supported as you get older. But I can’t be your full-time caregiver. I’d like to help you make a plan so you’ll have what you need.”

Dr Sparacino added that your parent might respond with fear, anger, or sadness.

“Try to respond with calm empathy: ‘I know this is hard to hear, but I want us to plan ahead so neither of us faces this alone,’” she stated.

“You’re not rejecting your parent; you’re protecting both of you from burnout, resentment, and crisis later on. Love without boundaries leads to depletion, not devotion.

“If you’re struggling with this kind of conversation, you don’t have to figure it out alone, reach out to a professional experienced in ageing and family dynamics for guidance and support.”

Help and support:

Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI – this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0808 801 0525 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.

What Is ‘Chatfishing’, The Disappointing Dating Trend Plaguing Apps?

Posted on 25/10/2025 by Boris Clair

You might have heard of “catfishing”, which happens when people create fake or misleading profiles online in order to draw others in.

The term comes from a 2010 documentary, Catfish, which compared the practice to the catfish one of the cast members suggested were included in tanks of cod to keep them agile in transit.

“I thank God for the catfish because we would be droll, boring and dull if we didn’t have somebody nipping at our fin,” Vince Pierce, who helped to inspire the name of the movie, said in the flick.

But according to author and relationship and self-help expert Tam Kaur, another species has taken its place: we are now in an age of “chatfishing”.

What is “chatfishing”?

“‘Chatfishing’ is when someone uses an AI tool, like ChatGPT or Gemini, to write their messages on dating apps,” Kaur shared.

Though it doesn’t exactly sound romantic, the self-help expert said she understands why reliance on large language models (LLMs) like these is growing.

The machines, after all, won’t make an embarrassing grammar or spelling mistake, and they can make the “awkward” process of starting a conversation a little smoother.

“Using AI becomes a way to show up as a ‘perfect’ version of yourself, without the fear of rejection,” the expert continued.

But that doesn’t take away from the core issue: if the chat goes well, the goal is to enter a scenario in which you have no choice but to be yourself, in real life.

“Ultimately, many people use the tools to enhance their confidence with online dating, but they don’t realise it’s doing a disservice to themselves as they deceive their matches,” Kaur said.

“It is a very real form of deception because you’re presenting as a person who isn’t you. That doesn’t show respect to the person on the other end who’s trying to get to know you.

“Relationships, whether they’re casual or committed, are built on trust, and when you start something off with even small dishonesty, you’re disrespecting whoever you’re entering this relationship with.”

How can I spot a “chatfisher”?

It can be hard to spot, especially when you don’t know the person’s usual texting style, the author admitted.

But sometimes, “chatfishers” leave clues behind.

“If the message is from someone based in the UK, but uses American spelling, this can be a key sign. Most AI tools default to Americanised spellings, opting for ‘z’ instead of ‘s’ or ‘olor’ instead of ‘olour’,” she explained.

“A message that uses strange punctuation, which you wouldn’t see in regular text conversations, could also be a sign – for example, random hyphens or odd spacing before the start of sentences.

Most of all, Kaur ended, “it’s about trusting your own intuition. If something feels off or too curated, it probably is.”

From Sunsets To Sex: 7 Ways To Make The Most Of Long, Dark Nights

Posted on 25/10/2025 by Boris Clair

Now that the sun’s officially begun setting before 6pm in the UK, I have to say I’ve noticed a marked decrease in my motivation.

Sure, I’ll go on my morning walks – but it’s not the longer runs I enjoyed in brighter months, or even the strength training I know can boost my mood.

I’ve even fallen victim to “pumpkin spice fatigue” at work.

Science says I’m not alone, however. We exercise for an average of eight minutes less in the colder months, appear to do less housework, and generally sit and sleep more.

This might be down to decreased vitamin D levels, seasonal changes like SAD (a disorder which affects one in three people in the UK), or even gut changes.

Whatever the cause, though, I mostly care about how to handle the gloomy weather without feeling like I’m losing out – which is where the members of r/AskUK come in.

Recently, u/bobbydazzler1000 asked: “How do you get through these dark miserable nights in winter?”

We thought we’d share some of the best responses:

1) “Ex-Brit/current Scandinavian here, where we have ~3 hours of daylight during the winter. Lean into it.”

“Seriously, accept it, and celebrate it.

“Winter is now your excuse to be as cosy and extra as you can possibly be. You’re going to take whatever you enjoy in the summer and winter-ise it. You’re going to take what you can’t do (very well) in the summer and learn to love it.

“Hot drinks. Cosy blankets. Knit jumpers. Knee-high socks. Clompy boots. Dramatic winter coats. Saunas. Jumping into frozen lakes. OK, not that last one. Hot water bottles. Socks in bed. Heavy duvet!

“Exercise outside with more layers and high-vis clothes. Running is a whole new experience if you’re wrapped up warm and breathing cold air.”

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2) “Do you like sunsets and sunrises?”

“They can be the most beautiful parts of the day and it’s actually lovely to get them at civilised hours (in terms of being awake and out of the house).”

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“This! I go outside and watch the sunset every day, it’s great. Gives you that feeling of a beautiful view on a summer’s day,” u/Minimum_Leopard_2698 agreed.

3) “Vitamin D, and get yourself outside at lunchtime if you are working, if you can.”

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4) “Wake to light if you can. I use a light on a timer to fade in and wake me gradually before my alarm goes off.”

“Try to get outside and see the sky in the morning.

“Embrace the cosiness of the season, celebrate the small, lovely things – autumn leaves, chestnuts, mulled wine, a nice fire and a thick blanket.”

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“Get a book on it and enjoy.”

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6) “I live in the North of Scotland, so I feel you! For me, it’s vitamin D supplements, getting outside as much as I can and making a concerted effort to go out and do things with friends and family.”

“I struggle with my mental health, so for me it’s all about being conscious that I’m susceptible to SAD and recognising the signs (which usually involve not getting dressed properly when working from home and not wanting to socialise, just stay in and get cosy).”

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7) “Sex, more sex, and even more sex.”

“This is exactly why more babies are born in summer months.”

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