CONSERVATIVES SNATCH COPELAND FROM LABOUR IN HUMILIATING BY-ELECTION BLOW

The Conservatives have dealt Labour a humiliating blow after snatching Copeland in a historic by-election victory.

Tory Trudy Harrison took the Cumbrian seat, which had been held by Jeremy Corbyn's party since the constituency was formed in 1983, with a majority of 2,147.

It is the first time a governing party has gained a seat in a vote outside of a general election since 1982, the year before the Labour leader was first elected to Parliament.

JEREMY CORBYN PUSHING FOR GUARANTEE FOR EU NATIONALS IN UK POST-BREXIT

Jeremy Corbyn will step up pressure on Theresa May to guarantee the status of EU nationals in the UK after Brexit amid growing confidence in Labour they can force a Government concession on the issue.

In a speech in London on Friday, Mr Corbyn will vow to do everything possible to stand up for the rights of EU citizens living in Britain, accusing ministers of treating them as a "bargaining chip" in the forthcoming negotiations on British withdrawal.

"The rights of EU nationals living and working in Britain must be guaranteed now, just as the rights of UK nationals must be protected across the rest of the EU," he will say.

ELECTIONS WATCHDOG TO PUBLISH SPENDING BY EU REFERENDUM CAMPAIGN GROUPS

Details of spending by the main campaign groups in last year's EU referendum are being published by the official elections watchdog.

The Electoral Commission will set out details of organisations and individuals who spent more than £250,000 during the campaign period.

They will include the returns of the two official lead campaigns - Vote Leave and Britain Stronger In Europe.

WOMAN DIES AS STORM DORIS CAUSES DAMAGE AND TRAVEL DISRUPTION

A woman has been killed after being struck by flying debris and a girl was left with life-threatening injuries as Storm Doris brought winds of up to 94mph to the UK.

The girl, who was among multiple people seriously injured, was taken to hospital after a school sports hall ceiling collapsed as gales battered Britain.

Doris is now set to leave trail of ice, wintry showers and a 7C plunge in temperatures to around 3C (37F) in the South.

RULING DUE ON KENNETH NOYE'S REQUEST FOR OPEN PRISON MOVE

Road-rage killer Kenneth Noye is to find out the result of his High Court battle to be moved to open prison conditions.

A judge in London will announce his decision today.

Noye, now 69, was convicted of murder in April 2000 and sentenced to life with a minimum term of 16 years.

TWO HELD IN CONNECTION WITH ESCAPE OF MURDERER SHAUN WALMSLEY

Police investigating the escape of a murderer from custody have arrested two people on suspicion of assisting an offender.

Merseyside Police arrested a 27-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman at a property in Norris Green, Liverpool, on Thursday evening in connection with Shaun Walmsley's escape.

Walmsley, 28, from Liverpool, went on the run when two men armed with a knife and a gun confronted prison officers guarding him at Aintree University Hospital during a visit from HMP Walton on Tuesday afternoon.

AIRPORT WHERE KIM'S HALF-BROTHER WAS POISONED TO BE DECONTAMINATED

Malaysian authorities are decontaminating the airport where the estranged half-brother of North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un was killed with a deadly nerve agent 11 days ago.

Meanwhile police said one of the women suspected of attacking Kim Jong Nam had been ill since the attack.

Police did not initially decontaminate the Kuala Lumpur airport where Mr Kim was attacked on February 13, but in a text message to a reporter, national police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said: "We are doing it now."

'SHIFTING GOALPOSTS' ON PIP WILL HIT 160,000 DISABLED PEOPLE - LABOUR

Around 160,000 disabled people will be stripped of benefits entitlements after the Government shifted the goalposts to deal with legal rulings, according to Labour.

A tribunal said personal independence payments (PIP) claimants with psychological problems who cannot travel without help must be treated like those who are blind.

Claimants who need support to take medication should be assessed the same way as those managing therapies like dialysis at home, it also ordered.

MUSICAL LA LA LAND COULD MAKE OSCAR HISTORY AT THIS YEAR'S ACADEMY AWARDS

Musical La La Land could make Oscar history on Sunday when the Academy Awards are handed out in a ceremony likely to be dominated by political speeches.

The glittering love letter to Los Angeles has been nominated for 14 prizes, tying the record set by All About Eve and Titanic, and could become the most decorated film of all time.

The record for the most Oscar wins is jointly held by Ben Hur, Titanic and Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King, which all scooped 11 statues.

MAN WHO SHOT TODDLER IN HEAD WITH AIR GUN DUE TO BE SENTENCED

A man who shot an 18-month-old boy in the head with an air gun is to be sentenced today for grievous bodily harm.

Jordan Walters, 25, admitted unlawfully and maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm on Harry Studley.

The toddler underwent emergency surgery after suffering the serious head injury in Hartcliffe, Bristol, at 4pm on July 1 last year.