The giant said it is to streamline operations and reduce bureaucracy across the business.

Filming 'spiralled out of control just weeks in'

Keir Starmer has touched down in China for a two-day visit that will include a chat with leader Xi Jinping and plenty of business discussion.

But there’s no getting away from the fact that the trip is taking place amid rising tensions over the threat to the UK from sophisticated Chinese espionage.

Just two months ago, MI5 warned MPs and peers that Chinese intelligence officers were trying to recruit people in parliament with access to sensitive information.

And Beijing’s proposed new embassy in London – now given the green light by the government – has been steeped in controversy over its proximity to vital telecommunications cables.

Former security minister Tom Tugendhat claimed yesterday that concerns over security even dictated the government’s choice of transport for the trip.

The Conservative MP wrote in a post on X: ‘Starmer’s circus aren’t just taking burner phones to China to beat spying, they’re taking a burner plane!

‘The government jet is staying home because it would need to be guarded round the clock to stop China putting bugs on it – so they’ve hired a plane!’

He repeated the claim in an appearance on Sky News this morning. But is it true?

It’s certainly accurate to say the Prime Minister’s team is taking extensive precautions to keep security tight on the visit.

Journalists in the press pack have reported Sir Keir himself is among the officials using a burner phone while in China, with some of them resorting to using a notepad and pen in the absence of tech.

But a government source told Metro the decision to take a British Airways jet was simply down to the size of the delegation going along.

Nearly 60 business and cultural leaders are joining the PM for the trip, along with dozens of journalists, and it would be a tight squeeze to get them on the official government plane.

A similar arrangement, also with BA, was made when 125 business leaders joined an official visit to India last October.

The airline’s Chief Commercial Officer Colm Lacy is among the figures in the delegation.

Sir Keir has argued a ‘a strategic and consistent relationship’ with China is ‘firmly in our national interest’ despite questions over the threat of espionage.

He said: ‘That does not mean turning a blind eye to the challenges they pose – but engaging even where we disagree.’

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Manchester United reverting to a back-four system on a long-term basis could lead to a surprise move for Chelsea winger Tyrique George, according to reports.

Caretaker boss Michael Carrick has gone back to the more traditional system in his two games in charge since Ruben Amorim’s sacking earlier in the month.

Amorim stuck with his favoured 3-4-3 system despite overseeing largely poor performances and results during his disappointing 14-month tenure.

The system did not suit a number of United players but Amorim persisted almost right up until the moment he was sacked by Old Trafford bosses.

Director of football Jason Wilcox and co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe are believed to have put pressure on Amorim to change his formation but the ex-Sporting manager was reluctant to adapt.

Manchester United are now expected to stick to a back-four system going forward regardless of whether Carrick is given the permanent job or not.

The Daily Mail say this move could raise the possibility of United pursuing wingers this summer and have suggested Chelsea academy graduate George could ‘come into consideration’.

George, 19, is believed to have been one of a number of Chelsea players offered to United during their negotiations for Alejandro Garnacho.

Manchester United initially slapped a huge asking price on the Argentine and Chelsea hoped they could send an unwanted player to Old Trafford to bring the transfer fee down.

United rejected the chance to sign multiple Chelsea stars in the deal, however, and finally dropped their demands and agreed to sell Garnacho for £40m.

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George was also discussed as part of a potential swap deal for Xavi Simons but Chelsea lost interest in the midfielder, who later joined their London rivals Tottenham.

England U21 star George was subsequently close to joining Fulham on transfer deadline day before the £22m deal collapsed.

Fulham boss Marco Silva identified George as an ideal replacement for Harry Wilson, who was in talks with Leeds United, but the Welshman stayed put meaning the deal with Chelsea broke down.

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Class both on and off the pitch 👏 Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes shows a touch of class with this interaction with a young fan following the Red Devils’ 3-2 win against Arsenal in the Premier League. 🎥 / @ImogenMUFC❤️ #manchesterunited #footballfan #brunofernandes #premierleague #manutd

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George played relatively regularly under Enzo Maresca last season, making 26 appearances in all competitions, but his minutes have dried up this term.

The 19-year-old is yet to start a Premier League game and Chelsea have made it clear they would be open to cashing in either before the January transfer window closes or more likely this summer.

George has been effectively frozen out of the first-team at Stamford Bridge and did not even make the matchday squad for Chelsea’s FA Cup win over Championship side Charlton earlier in the month.

Asked about the player’s future in west London recently, new Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior said: ‘The honest answer is I don’t know. Tyrique is a player of immense potential who I’ve been aware of for a long time.’

George looks set to become the latest Chelsea academy product to be sold following the likes of Mason Mount, Conor Gallagher, Tino Livramento, Lewis Hall, Tammy Abraham, Marc Guehi and Fikayo Tomori.

With United possibly looking to bolster their options on the wings, AC Milan’s Rafael Leao and Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye could also emerge as targets, according to the Mail.

Manchester United’s main focus, however, remains signing a central midfielder, with Elliot Anderson, Carlos Baleba and Adam Wharton three top targets.

United have improved dramatically since Carrick took over from Amorim and are back in the Champions League places ahead of this weekend’s clash against Fulham.

Chelsea are just one point behind in fifth and will hope to leapfrog the Red Devils when they face London rivals West Ham on Saturday.

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'Our hearts are breaking for him right now'

One of the most luxurious 5-star hotels in a celebrity French Alpine resort was evacuated after it caught fire.

A blaze started in the attic of the £11,000-a-night Grande Alpes, in Courchevel 1850, at around 7pm on Tuesday.

By Wednesday morning, local emergency services were still battling the flames, as they spread to nearby wooden buildings.

‘Around 100 people have been evacuated from the Grandes Alpes hotel, and some 60 firefighters are still involved in trying to put out the fire,’ said an emergency services spokesman.

He said that ‘some 200 people’ had also been moved out of the 5-star Lana Hotel next door, ‘as a precaution’.

All those evacuated were staying in a municipal hall nearby, and investigators tried to work out what had called the blaze.

There were no serious casualties reported on Wednesday morning, beyond minor injuries to those fighting the fire.

Bruno Charlot, the sub-prefect in nearby Albertville, said: ‘The Grandes Alpes guests were quickly relocated to other hotels in the resort.

‘The fire spread considerably overnight, despite the firefighters’ efforts. Their work is complicated by the roof’s structure:

‘It’s very difficult to reach the flames that are running under a roof made of slate and sheet metal.

‘It requires removing the stones and sawing through the sheets before anyone can even access the fire. A thick layer of snow on the roof only makes matters worse. It will be hours before the fire is extinguished.’

Courchevel 1850 is one of the most upmarket and expensive resorts in the Alps, attracting celebrities including David and Victoria Beckham, singer Robbie Williams, England cricket legend Ian Botham, and the late French actress and model, Brigitte Bardot.

It was in 2016 that the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge used the resort as a holiday destination.

They jetted into Courchevel 1850 on a private plane provided by the Duke of Westminster, according to reports at the time.

It was never revealed where the Royal couple stayed, but the Grandes Alpes would have been an option.

The nine-apartment hotel offers complete privacy, along with butler service, a Michelin- starred restaurants, and a swimming pool and sauna.

There were also claims in France that the Prince and Princess of Wales enjoyed a ‘secret getaway’ in Courchevel this January.

Unconfirmed reports placed the couple and their children – Princes George and Louis, and Princess Charlotte  – in a hotel with Princess Catherine’s sister, Pippa Middleton, and her brother, James Middleton.

The extended family was reportedly spotted enjoying drinks at a restaurant overlooking the snow-covered peaks in Courchevel.

French magazine Point de Vue claimed : ‘They reportedly dined at the Cave des Creux, a former shepherd’s hut transformed into a chic brasserie, perched at an altitude of 2,112 meters.

‘The family is believed to have reached the restaurant by ski, as it’s located on a red run.’

The latest Alpine ski resort fire follows the devastating blaze in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, on New Year’s Day, when 40 people died and 116 were severely burned at the Constellation bar in the town.

The bar’s owners, Jacques and Jessica Moretti, are currently under criminal investigation for manslaughter by negligence, following claims that sparklers attached to  champagne bottles ignited soundproofing foam in the basement ceiling.

The Morretis, who are French, deny any wrongdoing, as the investigation continues.

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Turns out he did it before Harry Styles