From October, every newborn in England will be tested for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a landmark victory following a campaign by the Mirror and singer Jesy Nelson. The simple £5 heel-prick test can detect the genetic condition before irreversible nerve damage occurs, yet health chiefs had previously refused to include it in the standard screening panel despite treatments that can halt the disease if given early.
Campaign Success After Years of Delay
Spinal muscular atrophy causes progressive muscle weakness and can leave babies unable to walk, breathe unaided, or feed normally. The Mirror launched its campaign for universal screening in 2021, after stories of children diagnosed only after permanent harm was done. Jesy Nelson, whose twins were diagnosed late, joined the fight, and her petition gathered 150,000 signatures, forcing Parliament to debate the issue.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting is credited with bringing the rollout forward and scrapping a plan that would have left 163,000 babies untested as part of a control group. The Mirror's editorial stated: 'This is what campaigning journalism achieves: real change and a healthier future for thousands of children.'
MP Safety Concerns Highlighted
In a separate editorial, the Mirror also addressed the arrest of a man over an alleged threat to shoot Nigel Farage, calling it 'welcome and necessary' in the shadow of Ann Widdecombe's murder. The paper warned that MPs across the Commons face daily abuse, intimidation, and death threats, with women and minority-background MPs targeted most heavily. It noted that Jess Phillips once received more than 600 rape threats in a single night, and Jo Cox and Sir David Amess were murdered while serving constituents.
The editorial stressed that police must investigate threats swiftly, social media firms must act, and Parliament must protect every representative, as democracy is weakened when decent people, particularly women, are driven away before they even stand.
Dwayne Johnson's CBeebies Bedtime Story
In lighter news, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson is set to read a CBeebies bedtime story, celebrating friendship, courage, and finding common ground despite differences.
