Female MPs accuse Labour of being a 'boys' club'

Plus: Dawson's Creek star James Van Der Beek dies aged 48 after cancer illness

Thursday, February 12, 2026 Good morning and welcome to your daily news briefing from The Independent.   Female MPs have turned on Keir Starmer over 'boys' clubs' scandals, police are in talks with prosecutors over Andrew's links to Epstein, and the PM demands an apology from Man Utd billionaire over 'offensive' comments about migration. Top stories 1 | Furious women MPs turn on Starmer over 'boys' club' Mandelson and Doyle scandals Read more 2 | Dawson's Creek star James Van Der Beek dies aged 48 after cancer battle Read more 3 | Starmer demands apology from Jim Ratcliffe over 'offensive' comments Read more 4 | Police investigating Andrew's Epstein links are in talks with prosecutors Read more 5 | Epstein told Emirati billionaire he 'loved the torture video' and shared sex messages in unredacted files Read more Editors' picks How much money should you have saved to survive a jobless epidemic? Why you might want to think twice about joining the AI cartoon trend Wuthering Heights is another example of the poshification of the Arts - does Ireland have the answer? Poll of the day Poll of the day Readers clash over giving up dogs after having a baby Dogs are pack animals and need to be treated accordingly. Too many owners treat them like small people and misinterpret their behaviour. An adult dog will happily give a puppy in the pack a nip, and it will treat a child in the same way if it thinks the child comes after it in the pack hierarchy.   Slamps Get involved and share your views here. Don't forget to complete your registration You haven't completed your registration with The Independent. It's free, quick, and helps support our journalism while tailoring your experience. Register now to enjoy benefits including access to limited Premium articles, The Independent app, more than 20 newsletters and commenting on independent.co.uk. Complete your registration today to unlock access. WATCH    Bondi lashes out at Nadler in shouting match over Epstein question STAT OF THE DAY £25 The amount almost half of Britons have left over at the end of the week amid the cost-of-living crisis according to an exclusive report by The Independent Read more QUOTE OF THE DAY "I did not choose to be put in this position, and it hurts to have to be in it" The ex-girlfriend of Norwegian Olympian Sturla Holm Laegreid broke her silence this week, admitting she's finding it "hard to forgive" after the unfaithful athlete made a bold declaration of remorse after winning a bronze medal Read more Other stories you might like Wuthering Heights is just another example of the poshification of the Arts – does Ireland have the answer? How Lost Lambs author Madeline Cash became the year's literary star 'I lost my hair and stopped leaving the house': Should female hair loss be seen as a disability?  This Oral-B bundle is better than half price at Amazon. Save more than 30% on Hoover's bagless cylinder vacuum. Join the conversation and follow us Download our apps: Please do not reply directly to this email   You are currently registered to receive The Independent's Evening Headlines newsletter.   To unsubscribe from The Independent's Morning Headlines newsletter, or to manage your email preferences please click here.   This e-mail was sent by Independent Digital News and Media Ltd, 14-18 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1AH. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345 Read our privacy policy and cookie policy