A man has been given a suspended prison sentence after admitting to sending a threatening email to deputy Angela Rayner.
36-year-old Benjamin Iliffe, from Cambridgeshire, was one of three men arrested on suspicion of malicious communications towards the deputy leader of the Labour party and was sentenced by police on Thursday to 15 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months, after pleading guilty.
Iliffe was also made the subject of a two-year restraining order not to contact Rayner directly or indirectly, not to talk about her on social media, and not to go to her office in Ashton-under-Lyne in Greater Manchester.
The court heard Iliffe warned Rayner to “watch your back and your kids” in the email.
According to The Guardian, Mr Iliffe said in his email sent on 16 October: “Promise you c**t. There’s so many people in this country now, after your poster boy murdered an Englishman who are coming after you now c**t.
ADVERTISEMENT
“You were easy to find btw. I already found your personal home address.”
Iliffe was also ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and 35 days of a rehabilitation activity.
ADVERTISEMENT
He was made to pay £85 costs and a £128 victim surcharge.
The sentencing of Iliffe comes after a 70-year-old was also arrested on suspicion of malicious communication over emails received on 16 October remains in custody for questioning, and also the day after police arrested a 52-year-old man from Halifax over alleged threats against Rayner.
His arrest related to abusive phone calls received on 15 October, and he has since been released on bail pending further inquiries.
ADVERTISEMENT
Separately, police said there was an ongoing investigation into multiple reports of threatening and abusive phone calls, emails, and letters towards a woman in Ashton-under-Lyne, and Rayner’s spokesperson confirmed the arrests related to abuse against her.
I want to thank the officers at @GMPTamesideN @gmpolice for their work in this investigation and for supporting me, my family and my staff during this time, which has been particularly difficult for my children. https://t.co/FtNSaRXXs2
Rayner is understood to have cancelled her constituency surgeries in recent weeks amid concerns for her safety linked to a wider increase of abuse and threats – including death threats – against her.
She has not spoken in person about the threats made against her, but has addressed the situation on Twitter.
“I want to thank the officers at GMP Tameside and GMP for their work in this investigation and for supporting me, my family and my staff during this time, which has been particularly difficult for my children,” she said in a tweet on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, her spokesperson said abuse and threats had increased in recent weeks. “Angela and her staff have received a number of threatening, malicious and abusive communications in recent weeks,” they said.
ADVERTISEMENT
“We are working with the police to ensure that the perpetrators of these crimes are brought to justice and Angela would like to thank the police for their work during these investigations.”
The spokesperson added: “Abuse and threats of this nature don’t just have an impact on Angela but also on her family, her children and her staff, who are on the receiving end of these communications.
“Angela is currently on bereavement leave after losing a close loved one and she looks forward to being back at work as soon as possible.”
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
News
Altrincham named one of the UK’s best places to live in 2026 in The Sunday Times’ annual ranking
Emily Sergeant
A popular Greater Manchester town has been named among the UK’s best places to live by the Sunday Times in its annual ranking.
That’s right… it’s that time of year, once again.
The Sunday Times is known for pulling together a list of what it considers to be the most sought-after places to live in the UK every year, and 2026’s ranking has officially been published today – with dozens of locations across the country making up the comprehensive guide, and six of those coveted locations being right here in the North West.
The Sunday Times’s expert judges have visited all locations on the list, and assessed factors such as schools, transport, culture, broadband speeds, access to green spaces, the health of the high streets, and much more to devise the always-talked-about annual ranking.
Macclesfield in Cheshire, Eden Valley in Cumbria, Lancaster in Lancashire, and Aigburth in Liverpool are just some of the North West areas named by the publication in the 2026 list.
Altrincham has been named one of the best places to live in the UK / Credit: The Manc Group
A spotlight has also been shone on two Greater Manchester towns, and one of two has even been given the regional North West title… but which are they?
Where has taken the top spot as the best place to live in the North West for 2026, and is therefore one of the best places to live in the whole of the country? Well, that honour has been given to none other than Greater Manchester’s very-own Altrincham.
The publication described the Trafford town as ‘classy, cool and effortlessly comfortable’.
“Altrincham is a top-notch town brimming with independent businesses and big brands, and now it’s flying even higher,” The Sunday Times said.
The fact that co-working has now arrived on the high street thanks to the conversion of the old Rackhams department store, and that the town’s cultural and creative ‘cachet’ is also on the rise, have been highlighted as reasons as to why Altrincham has been chosen as the North West’s winner, as well its newly-flourishing fitness scene.
Of course, the town has also been praised for its transport links into Manchester city centre and across the region, as well as it being a great place for families thanks to the excellent local schools on offer.
Didsbury was the other Greater Manchester town chosen to represent the best of the North West – with the Manchester suburb described as being ‘stylish, solid, safe, and, yes, a little bit smug in parts… but that’s okay’.
You can read the full Altrincham feature here, and see where else The Sunday Times included in its list for 2026 here.
Featured Image – Geograph
News
11 arrested and £70k cash seized during early-morning police drug raids across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
11 people have been arrested, as well as a large amount of cash and drugs seized, during early-morning raids across Greater Manchester.
The raids took place during the early hours of the morning yesterday (Thursday 19 March 2026), where Greater Manchester Police (GMP) successfully executed eight warrants simultaneously across Tameside, Oldham, and Rochdale to tackle a ‘suspected criminal network’ involved in the distribution of class A drugs and firearms.
Officers from Tameside Programme Challenger team, the District Intelligence Unit (DIU), and GMP’s Tactical Aid Unit (TAU) were deployed to each of the addresses.
Following weeks of intelligence gathering and preparation, a total of 11 people – each aged between 24 and 77 – were arrested on suspicion of drug-related offences during the raids.
Eight men and three women were arrested on suspicion of a range of offences, including conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs, being part of an organised crime group, possession with intent to supply, money laundering, and possession of an offensive weapon.
They all remain in police custody for questioning at this time, GMP confirmed.
During searches of the addresses, various class A, B and C drugs – including crack cocaine, heroin, cannabis, and nitrous oxide – were seized, while further recoveries of £70,000 in cash, a zombie knife, a BB gun, and four vehicles were also made at the same time.
Speaking following the success of the raids yesterday, Chief Superintendent Shan Nasim, District Commander for Tameside, said: “[This] operation has been a powerful example of our continued, determined effort to dismantle organised crime in our district and Greater Manchester.
“We have 11 people in custody being questioned by our investigation teams in relation to an organised crime group (OCG) that have been causing widespread harm across our communities.
“This action caused significant disruption of an organised crime group (OCG) and has prevented drugs and weapons from reaching the streets, as well as the associated harms that come hand in hand with organised crime.
“Organised criminals exploit vulnerable people and blight our communities; we will take robust action to catch offenders, keep our communities safe, and protect vulnerable people across Greater Manchester.”
The Manc -
29th October 2021 
