With Labour making significant council gains on Friday in seats it needs to win to get a majority at the general election, all eyes on Saturday are on the two big mayoral races in London — where Labour’s Sadiq Khan is seeking a third term — and the West Midlands, where Andy Street is hoping to cling on to power for the Conservatives. • London mayor election:...With Labour making significant council gains on Friday in seats it needs to win to get a majority...With Labour making significant council gains on Friday in seats it needs to win to get a majority...
IN DEPTH
Shortly before midday the Tory rebels gave up and headed for the pub. After months of plotting to remove Rishi Sunak...Shortly before midday the Tory rebels gave up and headed for the pub. After months of plotting to remove Rishi Sunak from office, they conceded that there was not simply enough appetite to defenestrate the fourth Tory prime minister in five years. “He owns this now,” one rebel said. “They got what they wanted. Let’s...Shortly before midday the Tory rebels gave up and headed for the pub. After months of plotting to remove Rishi Sunak from...
After 20 years working long hours as an investment banker, Nicholas Allen decided it was time to retire. He was 43...After 20 years working long hours as an investment banker, Nicholas Allen decided it was time to...After 20 years working long hours as an investment banker, Nicholas Allen decided it was time to...
SEX COUNSEL
Q. My new man is better than my ex in every way: kind, funny and the sex is amazing — until he approaches climax,...Q. My new man is better than my ex in every way: kind, funny and the sex is amazing — until he...Q. My new man is better than my ex in every way: kind, funny and the sex is amazing — until he...
video
Tees Valley success saw off attempt to replace Sunak with fifth Tory PM in five years
INTERVIEW
In a theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue, the most famous hotel lobby in British sitcom history is preparing to take guests for the first time in 45 years. Whatever audiences end up thinking of the stage version of Fawlty Towers, which starts its...In a theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue, the most famous hotel lobby in British sitcom history is...In a theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue, the most famous hotel lobby in British sitcom history is...
Migrants detained for deportation to Rwanda have been handed a Home Office booklet explaining where the country is and describing it as “a generally safe and secure” place. More than 100 men and women have been detained by...Migrants detained for deportation to Rwanda have been handed a Home Office booklet explaining where the country is and describing it as “a generally safe and secure” place. More than 100 men and women have been detained by...Migrants detained for deportation to Rwanda have been handed a Home Office booklet explaining where the country is...
A solicitor who strung a client along for 16 years with false progress reports on a repetitive stress injury claim has been struck off. Nicholas Giles Collins was working at a prominent national law firm throughout the...A solicitor who strung a client along for 16 years with false progress reports on a repetitive stress injury claim has been struck off. Nicholas Giles Collins was working at a prominent national law firm throughout the...A solicitor who strung a client along for 16 years with false progress reports on a repetitive stress injury claim...
PHOTOGRAPHY
With entrants from 60 countries, the 2024 reFocus colour photography awards feature distinctive perspectives and ways of perceiving the world, from reimagined vignettes of childhood to overlooked landscapes. The organisers’ aim is to create a...With entrants from 60 countries, the 2024 reFocus colour photography awards feature distinctive...With entrants from 60 countries, the 2024 reFocus colour photography awards feature distinctive...
MY WEEK
One of our pollsters comes running in and says Ben Houchen is almost definitely going to win. “Damn and blast!” says...One of our pollsters comes running in and says Ben Houchen is almost definitely going to win.One of our pollsters comes running in and says Ben Houchen is almost definitely going to win.
THE TIMES DIARY
The honour of painting the first large-scale portrait of the King has gone to Jonathan Yeo, whose effort will be...The honour of painting the first large-scale portrait of the King has gone to Jonathan Yeo, whose...The honour of painting the first large-scale portrait of the King has gone to Jonathan Yeo, whose...
WILL PAVIA
Donald Trump said a hot mic recording of him stating he liked to kiss women and grab them “didn’t sound like something he would say”, his former aide Hope Hicks told a New York court. Hicks, 35, recalled a moment of crisis that threatened to derail Trump’s first presidential campaign as she became the first member of his inner circle to testify against him in the Stormy...Donald Trump said a hot mic recording of him stating he liked to kiss women and grab them “didn’t...Donald Trump said a hot mic recording of him stating he liked to kiss women and grab them “didn’t...
Donald Trump is considering ramping up his demand for military spending by Nato members from 2 per cent to 3 per cent...Donald Trump is considering ramping up his demand for military spending by Nato members from 2 per cent to 3 per cent of GDP, The Times has been told. Trump’s “thinking is evolving” towards the new target — presently only met by the US and two other members — as the price for continued American commitment to the...Donald Trump is considering ramping up his demand for military spending by Nato members from 2 per cent to 3 per cent of GDP...
It has been a whirlwind few days and Iris Hsiang has forgotten to return her mother’s calls. “I meant to do it this...It has been a whirlwind few days and Iris Hsiang has forgotten to return her mother’s calls. “I...It has been a whirlwind few days and Iris Hsiang has forgotten to return her mother’s calls. “I...
Inside the Malmo Arena, Eurovision fans can expect a spectacular show brimming with colourful costumes and carefully...Inside the Malmo Arena, Eurovision fans can expect a spectacular show brimming with colourful...Inside the Malmo Arena, Eurovision fans can expect a spectacular show brimming with colourful...
DISPATCH FROM GEORGETOWN
A congressman from Texas has been indicted on federal conspiracy and bribery charges over his links to Azerbaijan.A congressman from Texas has been indicted on federal conspiracy and bribery charges over his...A congressman from Texas has been indicted on federal conspiracy and bribery charges over his...
The quaint town of Pine Mountain Club in Southern California is hardly the only one in America to have suffered an...The quaint town of Pine Mountain Club in Southern California is hardly the only one in America to...The quaint town of Pine Mountain Club in Southern California is hardly the only one in America to...
ANTHONY LOYD IN UKRAINE | INTERVIEW
IN maps and CHARTS
gerard baker
There’s a joke doing the rounds among Joe Biden’s critics as the US president’s campaign team plot an increasingly...There’s a joke doing the rounds among Joe Biden’s critics as the US president’s campaign team...There’s a joke doing the rounds among Joe Biden’s critics as the US president’s campaign team...
video
President Biden said “order must prevail” as he insisted that the student protests at campuses across the US had not...President Biden said “order must prevail” as he insisted that the student protests at campuses...President Biden said “order must prevail” as he insisted that the student protests at campuses...
Miner considers rival offer for Anglo American
A bidding war between two of the mining industry’s biggest hitters is in prospect after it emerged that Glencore is considering a rival approach for Anglo American. Anglo American rejected a £31 billion all-share offer from BHP last week, calling the bid opportunistic and saying that it...A bidding war between two of the mining industry’s biggest hitters is in prospect after it emerged that Glencore is considering a rival approach for Anglo American. Anglo American rejected a £31 billion all-share offer from BHP last week, calling the bid opportunistic and saying that it...A bidding war between two of the mining industry’s biggest hitters is in prospect after it emerged that Glencore is considering...
Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group has dropped a court claim against one of America’s largest investment banks over a $1 billion cash-call on his retail empire. The tycoon and his business were suing Morgan Stanley, the Wall Street bank, and Saxo Bank, of Denmark, over a margin call made in 2021 that was linked to options over shares in Hugo Boss...Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group has dropped a court claim against one of America’s largest investment banks over a $1 billion cash-call on his retail empire. The tycoon and his business were suing Morgan Stanley, the Wall Street bank, and Saxo Bank, of Denmark, over a margin call made in 2021 that was linked to options over shares in Hugo Boss...Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group has dropped a court claim against one of America’s largest investment banks over a $1 billion...
When BHP broke cover with its £31 billion all-share bid for Anglo American, it immediately prompted market chatter that the Australian group would not be alone in seeing value in the FTSE 100 miner’s rich reserves of copper. Such speculation was never likely to be idle and today, as some analysts had predicted, it...When BHP broke cover with its £31 billion all-share bid for Anglo American, it immediately...When BHP broke cover with its £31 billion all-share bid for Anglo American, it immediately...
comment
After lolling about like a beached whale with a belly-full of plankton for the past two years, the FTSE 100 is...
After lolling about like a beached whale with a belly-full of plankton for the past two years...
After lolling about like a beached whale with a belly-full of plankton for the past two years...
MARKET report
Another day, another record high for the FTSE 100 as, for the third time this week and the seventh time this year...Another day, another record high for the FTSE 100 as, for the third time this week and the...Another day, another record high for the FTSE 100 as, for the third time this week and the...
The competition watchdog is widening its investigation into the £380 million takeover of Sutton and East Surrey Water by Pennon. This year Pennon, the listed owner of South West Water, agreed to bail out Sutton and East Surrey by buying out its...The competition watchdog is widening its investigation into the £380 million takeover of Sutton...The competition watchdog is widening its investigation into the £380 million takeover of Sutton...
The Manifesto
need to know
recruitment
Offering a 92 per cent success rate and economic savings of more than £6 billion a year, mediation is the “quiet revolution” aiding British business and the family courts. Succinctly summed up by those in the sector as “mediation avoids litigation”, the confidential process involves an independent mediator appointed to help parties to talk through their problems...Offering a 92 per cent success rate and economic savings of more than £6 billion a year...Offering a 92 per cent success rate and economic savings of more than £6 billion a year...
RECRUITMENT | six from the best
Best known for her appearances on the BBC television show Dragons’ Den, the serial entrepreneur and investor...Best known for her appearances on the BBC television show Dragons’ Den, the serial entrepreneur and investor Sarah Willingham is now founder and chief executive of the UK’s leading premium cocktail bar group Nightcap. Willingham, is renowned for her eclectic career combining savvy start-ups with hands-on...Best known for her appearances on the BBC television show Dragons’ Den, the serial entrepreneur and investor Sarah...
sky bet championship
Ipswich Town have returned to the Premier League after a 22-year absence. Kieran McKenna’s side celebrated back-to-back promotions with a 2-0 win against Huddersfield Town, who were relegated. The players and coaching staff celebrated on the pitch with the invading supporters, who let off blue flares. There was barely a blade of green grass to be seen. Wes Burns, who...Ipswich Town have returned to the Premier League after a 22-year absence. Kieran McKenna’s side...Ipswich Town have returned to the Premier League after a 22-year absence. Kieran McKenna’s side...
f1
Red Bull’s sporting director is considering his future in a sign of increasing uncertainty at Formula 1’s best team.Red Bull’s sporting director is considering his future in a sign of increasing uncertainty at Formula 1’s best team. Jonathan Wheatley, the man who has made Red Bull the fastest team at pitstops, could become the latest key member of staff to leave after the announcement this week that Adrian Newey, their chief...Red Bull’s sporting director is considering his future in a sign of increasing uncertainty at Formula 1’s best team. Jonathan...
james gheerbrant
A butterfly flaps its wings and a typhoon ravages the edge of a distant continent. A man stuck in a traffic jam honks...A butterfly flaps its wings and a typhoon ravages the edge of a distant continent. A man stuck in...A butterfly flaps its wings and a typhoon ravages the edge of a distant continent. A man stuck in...
Alyson rudd
Who wants to be a billionaire? It’s tough. You and your consortium spend over £1bn on players and instead of creating...Who wants to be a billionaire? It’s tough. You and your consortium spend over £1bn on players and...Who wants to be a billionaire? It’s tough. You and your consortium spend over £1bn on players and...
josh kerr interview
When Jakob Ingebrigtsen suggested recently that he could beat Josh Kerr blindfolded, he presumably forgot the entirely unrestricted view he had of the Scotsman in Budapest last summer. The Norwegian knows very well, of course, that Kerr was the...When Jakob Ingebrigtsen suggested recently that he could beat Josh Kerr blindfolded, he...When Jakob Ingebrigtsen suggested recently that he could beat Josh Kerr blindfolded, he...
mike atherton
The issues confronting English cricket were captured neatly at Emirates Old Trafford on Friday. For an hour before...The issues confronting English cricket were captured neatly at Emirates Old Trafford on Friday.The issues confronting English cricket were captured neatly at Emirates Old Trafford on Friday.
notebook | Martyn Ziegler
Chelsea’s issues around finding a front-of-shirt sponsor are set to resurface with no deal so far announced for next...Chelsea’s issues around finding a front-of-shirt sponsor are set to resurface with no deal so far...Chelsea’s issues around finding a front-of-shirt sponsor are set to resurface with no deal so far...
Owen Slot
On Sunday, at home, I am dusting off the folder that my dear, late father compiled of our family history and wondering to what extent I can get away with claiming Arne Slot as one of our own. It’s not totally inconceivable. Before the first Slot...On Sunday, at home, I am dusting off the folder that my dear, late father compiled of our family...On Sunday, at home, I am dusting off the folder that my dear, late father compiled of our family...
Humphrey Ker interview
JOHN WESTERBY
At the end of last season Phil Dowson was struggling to decompress, having just completed his first season as a director of rugby. He had been an assistant coach at Northampton Saints for the previous five years, but the exposure in the top job is that little bit greater, the responsibility sits that little bit more heavily. It had been a decent season for Saints...At the end of last season Phil Dowson was struggling to decompress, having just completed his...At the end of last season Phil Dowson was struggling to decompress, having just completed his...
rugby union
Billy Vunipola has said he “can’t just have two beers” because he doesn’t “know when to stop” after he was tasered...Billy Vunipola has said he “can’t just have two beers” because he doesn’t “know when to stop” after he was tasered and arrested in Mallorca on his final bonding trip with Saracens. Vunipola, 31, was accused of assaulting a police officer after an altercation at the Epic bar in Palma. He admitted resisting the law...Billy Vunipola has said he “can’t just have two beers” because he doesn’t “know when to stop” after he was tasered and arrested...
giro d’italia
From this weekend until late July, Geraint Thomas and Tadej Pogacar will be seeing an awful lot of each other. It is...From this weekend until late July, Geraint Thomas and Tadej Pogacar will be seeing an awful lot...From this weekend until late July, Geraint Thomas and Tadej Pogacar will be seeing an awful lot...
tailender | patrick kidd
Monty Panesar was a wonderful cricketer who often performed heroics for England, even once with the bat when he...Monty Panesar was a wonderful cricketer who often performed heroics for England, even once with...Monty Panesar was a wonderful cricketer who often performed heroics for England, even once with...
Premier league
In the battle to keep Bruno Guimarães at Newcastle United, the club’s fans have taken to unveiling banners in Portuguese before matches at St James’ Park. One in English before their home game against Sheffield United last Saturday had a more...In the battle to keep Bruno Guimarães at Newcastle United, the club’s fans have taken to...In the battle to keep Bruno Guimarães at Newcastle United, the club’s fans have taken to...
Racecards This lightly-raced three-year-old looks to have been let in lightly on his handicap debut and he can open his account. He has shown useful form in three starts on the all-weather this winter and there are reasons to believe he can take a...Racecards This lightly-raced three-year-old looks to have been let in lightly on his handicap...Racecards This lightly-raced three-year-old looks to have been let in lightly on his handicap...
Regular investing and some smart financial planning can turn the dream of stopping work early into a reality
HOLLY MEAD | DEPUTY MONEY EDITOR
With the cost of cover soaring many households would not be happy to learn that up to a fifth goes on tax
If you don’t understand what a firm does, don’t buy its shares, says David Brenchley
ask the experts
fame and fortune
The Holby City and Star Wars actor delivered food to hospitals during the pandemic
DAVID BRENCHLEY | INVESTMENT EYE
I’m told that smaller plants tend to grow much faster than larger ones. Not that I would know much about that — my...I’m told that smaller plants tend to grow much faster than larger ones. Not that I would know...I’m told that smaller plants tend to grow much faster than larger ones. Not that I would know...
The Big question
Taxpayers who did not file their self-assessment tax returns by January 31 faced £100 fines and those who still...Taxpayers who did not file their self-assessment tax returns by January 31 faced £100 fines and...Taxpayers who did not file their self-assessment tax returns by January 31 faced £100 fines and...
interview
The singer’s friend and housemate says the makers of new biopic Back to Black have got her wrong
interview
He hates fast fashion and once told the chairman of H&M that it should be shut down. Now the Sewing Bee judge is putting all his earnings into his sustainable British brand
interview
Thanks to Carol Jennings, a protein that drives the brain disorder was identified
caitlin moran
Pete has a chronic inability to make up his mind in restaurants. It has been happening for 30 years
IN DEPTH
It’s the top cause of workplace absences in the UK and research suggests that stress is the new silent killer. So should we all be changing our lives?
As the warmer weather approaches, it brings with it joy and just a touch of beauty despair as you predict the sweaty skin, insect bites, sunburn and frizzy hair. Don’t worry — I’ve got you covered with the best summer solutions for every beauty...As the warmer weather approaches, it brings with it joy and just a touch of beauty despair as you...As the warmer weather approaches, it brings with it joy and just a touch of beauty despair as you...
interview
The writer, director and stars of the 1994 rom-com reveal how the film became an improbable hit
INTERVIEW
The partner of two of the Rolling Stones personified Sixties excess. Her family want to correct the record, they tell Will Hodgkinson
After 55 macabre episodes, Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton explain why the ninth series of their surreal hit will be the last — but it’s not the end
Hugo rifkind
The man may be crass and reactionary, but he is never dull. Clarkson’s Farm is a wild and deserved hit
COMMENT
The writer and actor has lamented the demise of the sitcom — and holds ‘the extreme left’ responsible. Our critic says the causes go deeper
REVIEW | history
REVIEW | HEALTH
REVIEW | SOCIETY
VIEWING GUIDE
For full TV listings for the week, see our comprehensive TV guide
Click here for your mid-week recommendations. Saturday viewing guide, by Ben Dowell
Spy/Master
BBC4, 9pm/9.50pm
President Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife Elena are notorious for the grotesque expenditure during their 24 years in power in communist Romania and the misery they created. They are famous...For full TV listings for the week, see our comprehensive TV guide
Click here for your ...For full TV listings for the week, see our comprehensive TV guide
Click here for your ...
In 2003 (but really, 1537), a weary, hunchbacked lawyer on the trail of a killer stumbled into our bookshops for the...In 2003 (but really, 1537), a weary, hunchbacked lawyer on the trail of a killer stumbled into our bookshops for the first time and an entire genre of fiction — historical crime — was spawned. The lawyer, Matthew Shardlake, inhabited a vividly recreated Tudor world, investigating, dodging political intrigue and...In 2003 (but really, 1537), a weary, hunchbacked lawyer on the trail of a killer stumbled into our bookshops for the first time...
REVIEW | literature
REVIEW | FICTION
my culture fix
REVIEW
On the hunt for something good to read? Our veteran crime critics Mark Sanderson and Joan Smith are keeping a list of their favourite crime novels of the year (so far), which they will be updating when they find excellent new titles. You can also check our latest monthly historical fiction, popular fiction and thriller round-ups. In the meantime, enjoy our crime...On the hunt for something good to read? Our veteran crime critics Mark Sanderson and Joan Smith...On the hunt for something good to read? Our veteran crime critics Mark Sanderson and Joan Smith...
CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE WEEK
It would be ridiculous to compare the silly gags about brain burps and fish fingers in this comic graphic novel to...It would be ridiculous to compare the silly gags about brain burps and fish fingers in this comic graphic novel to the mind-blowing concept of the cosmic calendar, as popularised by the American astronomer and showman of science Carl Sagan. But considering that this is a book that celebrates the silly and the...It would be ridiculous to compare the silly gags about brain burps and fish fingers in this comic graphic novel to the...
FIRST NIGHT REVIEW
first night review
first night review
FIRST NIGHT review
FIRST NIGHT review
Was Edwin Lutyens the greatest architect that Britain has produced? There is an argument for saying so. He had a thrilling spatial imagination that imbued even the most modest of commissions with magic. Take the belvedere that he erected for the...Was Edwin Lutyens the greatest architect that Britain has produced? There is an argument for...Was Edwin Lutyens the greatest architect that Britain has produced? There is an argument for...
tELEVISION | STREAMING GUIDE
TELEVISION
Television
MINDGAMES
MINDGAMES
MINDGAMES
MUSIC REVIEWS
Analysis
A consumer group has highlighted the wellness trends we might be wasting our money on. Peta Bee reports
interview
The chef talks to Hannah Evans about the joy of convenience food and his new sauce collection at Waitrose. Plus, some top salad recipes
interview
How do British boys handle relationships in 2024? Catherine Carr talked to them and found out
interview
Skye Gyngell kicks off our guide to stress-free outdoor hosting (rain or shine)
FIRST PERSON
Gerri Gallagher, 66, was diagnosed with grade 2 breast cancer. She explains why she feels lucky
deepak chopra
Stuckness doesn’t need a technical definition. Look around and you will see people repeating themselves, engaging in...Stuckness doesn’t need a technical definition. Look around and you will see people repeating...Stuckness doesn’t need a technical definition. Look around and you will see people repeating...
SEX COUNSEL
Q. My new man is better than my ex in every way: kind, funny and the sex is amazing — until he approaches climax,...Q. My new man is better than my ex in every way: kind, funny and the sex is amazing — until he...Q. My new man is better than my ex in every way: kind, funny and the sex is amazing — until he...
At a cattle grid just outside Barningham we were scratching our heads over which way to go when the farmer pulled up on his quad bike. While his border collie watched us with deep suspicion from the passenger seat, he not only pointed out the way over Barningham Moor, but gave us chapter and verse on local lore — ancient mounds in the fields, solstice alignments, old...At a cattle grid just outside Barningham we were scratching our heads over which way to go when...At a cattle grid just outside Barningham we were scratching our heads over which way to go when...
Even if it’s not the hot spell we were hoping for, this delicious dozen will put everyone in a sunny mood. Take your...Even if it’s not the hot spell we were hoping for, this delicious dozen will put everyone in a sunny mood. Take your pick from a trio of bright whites, including a £5.19 lower alcohol chardonnay, plus a trio of juicy, easy drinking reds and three unusual, food-friendly pinks. Whatever the weather, everyone needs a...Even if it’s not the hot spell we were hoping for, this delicious dozen will put everyone in a sunny mood. Take your pick from...
Stephen Anderton
Joe Swift
There is a huge range of irises — 310 species — that come from all over the world and thrive in very different...There is a huge range of irises — 310 species — that come from all over the world and thrive in...There is a huge range of irises — 310 species — that come from all over the world and thrive in...
HARRY JAMESON
Battle ropes are found in most gyms these days, normally curled up like a sleeping python in the corner and not often...Battle ropes are found in most gyms these days, normally curled up like a sleeping python in the...Battle ropes are found in most gyms these days, normally curled up like a sleeping python in the...
Daniel Finkelstein
Unlike its overcrowded neighbours who are sick of Brits, Fuerteventura is a peaceful escape with empty beaches, especially if you choose a hideaway in the north
Thailand does high/low holidays better than anywhere else, says our writer who followed a week in a family bungalow with a luxury romantic break (guess which she preferred…)
TRAVEL DOCTOR
Plus: where to spend a Christmas abroad, how to see the less accessible British Isles by cruise, and what’s the best way to do short-haul snorkelling
video
Our expert was first on board Cunard’s latest launch, Queen Anne, and found a futuristic twist on tradition with kombucha bellinis, pickleball and even a Banksy
These new Italian residences have the timeless-luxury look of those in the Netflix series — as well as private chefs, art experiences, and live opera in your lounge
video
Paris is one of the most alluring cities to visit, whether you’re into food, art, culture or history. And there’s a hotel for every mood and budget. Our Paris expert Hannah Meltzer visits five of her favourites and explains why they’re perfect for...Paris is one of the most alluring cities to visit, whether you’re into food, art, culture or...Paris is one of the most alluring cities to visit, whether you’re into food, art, culture or...
Melanie McDonagh | CREDO
Weather eye
From the archive
IN the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me...IN the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst...IN the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst...
St James’s Palace
3rd May, 2024
The Princess Royal, accompanied by Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, this morning...St James’s Palace
3rd May, 2024
The Princess Royal, accompanied by Vice Admiral Sir Tim...St James’s Palace
3rd May, 2024
The Princess Royal, accompanied by Vice Admiral Sir Tim...
MindGames
1 Seussical is a 2000 musical based on stories by which US children’s author? 2 Petrodollars are US dollars that are paid to countries that export which commodity? 3 The Salle des États is the largest room in which Paris art museum? 4 In the King...1 Seussical is a 2000 musical based on stories by which US children’s author? 2 Petrodollars are...1 Seussical is a 2000 musical based on stories by which US children’s author? 2 Petrodollars are...
Marriages and engagements
remembering loved ones
readers’ lives
Humza Yousaf’s resignation signals a slimmed-down, more focused government, insiders claim
John Swinney is preparing to sack ministers and promote Kate Forbes into a senior role as part of a slimmed-down government focused on a narrower range of priorities, allies believe. The incoming first minister, who is on course to replace Humza Yousaf next week after running unopposed for the...John Swinney is preparing to sack ministers and promote Kate Forbes into a senior role as part of a slimmed-down government focused on a narrower range of priorities, allies believe. The incoming first minister, who is on course to replace Humza Yousaf next week after running unopposed for the...John Swinney is preparing to sack ministers and promote Kate Forbes into a senior role as part of a slimmed-down government...
Thousands of Scottish government staff will be allowed leave early every Friday as part of a pay deal which includes a salary rise. Civil servants insist the two-hour reduction to the working week will not reduce productivity, but critics say it represents “one rule for them and a different rule for the rest of us”. The deal is being...Thousands of Scottish government staff will be allowed leave early every Friday as part of a pay deal which includes a salary rise. Civil servants insist the two-hour reduction to the working week will not reduce productivity, but critics say it represents “one rule for them and a different rule for the rest of us”. The deal is being...Thousands of Scottish government staff will be allowed leave early every Friday as part of a pay deal which includes a salary...
A descendant of Scottish nobility has won his battle with the Church of Scotland, which planned to remove nine coffins containing the bodies of his ancestors before selling a 700-year-old kirk. Adam Fergusson, whose relatives lie in lead-lined coffins beneath Morham parish church in the Scottish Borders, had mounted...A descendant of Scottish nobility has won his battle with the Church of Scotland, which planned...A descendant of Scottish nobility has won his battle with the Church of Scotland, which planned...
SCOTTISH BUSINESS DIGEST
Analysis
Whoever emerges as the next leader of the SNP, the key test they face will be to confront the membership with some...Whoever emerges as the next leader of the SNP, the key test they face will be to confront the...Whoever emerges as the next leader of the SNP, the key test they face will be to confront the...
political sketch
There’s always a gloomy atmosphere in the Bute House Resignation Room where Humza Yousaf held his last brief press...There’s always a gloomy atmosphere in the Bute House Resignation Room where Humza Yousaf held his...There’s always a gloomy atmosphere in the Bute House Resignation Room where Humza Yousaf held his...
travel
A lavish Georgian manor house in Dumfries and Galloway offers a unique aristocratic experience, from Rachmaninov concerts to shooting on the estate
q&a
The comedian talks about holidays with his family and picking on the wrong people at live shows
Dramatic cliffs, peaceful shores and a pub or two await ramblers on Peter Irvine’s list of favourite routes
review
Lyla is pure decadence and arguably the highlight of the chef’s career, says Chitra Ramaswamy
recipe
Clare Coghill’s dish is quick, easy to make and a great way to impress a guest
gabriella bennett
There’s a walk I like to do in my village, turning left at the big church in the direction of farmland. Before the...There’s a walk I like to do in my village, turning left at the big church in the direction of...There’s a walk I like to do in my village, turning left at the big church in the direction of...
Here are the restaurants and bars, cafés and food festivals on our radar at the moment. We’ll update the list...Here are the restaurants and bars, cafés and food festivals on our radar at the moment. We’ll...Here are the restaurants and bars, cafés and food festivals on our radar at the moment. We’ll...
Emerging from the turquoise water, a figure walks across the white sand and orders a cocktail at the smart beach bar. A scene from a Bond movie, perhaps? A snapshot from some palm-fringed Caribbean idyll? Think again. I’m talking UK; I’m talking...Emerging from the turquoise water, a figure walks across the white sand and orders a cocktail at...Emerging from the turquoise water, a figure walks across the white sand and orders a cocktail at...
Comment
Future for Conservatives lies in Streetism
Matthew Parris
The West Midlands mayor and former John Lewis boss has bucked the anti-Tory trend — Sunak could learn from him
SARAH DITUM
Only snobs hold Kate Forbes’s faith against her
GILES COREN
The past is a foreign country, don’t go there
MATT CHORLEY
If you treat the public like fools, you only end up looking like one yourself
LESLEY THOMAS | NOTEBOOK
‘Short kings’ signal end of Napoleon complex
WEEKEND ESSAY
Plato’s final hours could be just the beginning
TOM WHIPPLE
Climate change insights by the bucket-load
ROSE WILD | FEEDBACK
Our archive isn’t always pretty but it’s too late to edit
On Thursday Vivek Datta wrote, “I very much enjoy reading the From the Archive page. It gives interesting vignettes...On Thursday Vivek Datta wrote, “I very much enjoy reading the From the Archive page. It gives...On Thursday Vivek Datta wrote, “I very much enjoy reading the From the Archive page. It gives...
Matthew Oates | Nature Notebook
No bronze this time in the hunt for a rare beauty
Extinction can be hard to prove on any geographic scale. Locally, it can occur as a natural process, and can be...Extinction can be hard to prove on any geographic scale. Locally, it can occur as a natural...Extinction can be hard to prove on any geographic scale. Locally, it can occur as a natural...
Leading Articles
Darkest Hour
The electoral outlook for the Conservatives appears more dire than ever. They have no sensible option but to suppress divisions and allow Rishi Sunak to lead
Striking Back
Ukraine’s use of British-supplied missiles to hit targets in Russia is fully justified
Fitting Tribute
A memorial to reporters killed in the line of duty is welcome
Letters To THE EDITOR
Role of Empire in creating Britain’s wealth
Sir, The debate over the benefits to Britain from its involvement in slavery and colonialism has failed to distinguish slavery from colonialism (“Badenoch accused of ‘culture war’ campaign after slavery comments”, May 2; “Badenoch: Empire did...Sir, The debate over the benefits to Britain from its involvement in slavery and colonialism has...Sir, The debate over the benefits to Britain from its involvement in slavery and colonialism has...
Daily Universal Register
Briefing
Today
UK: Results of mayoral elections are declared for London, Greater Manchester, West Midlands and Liverpool; Prince of Wales Trophy polo tournament begins at the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club in Windsor, until May 18; traditional Royal Army v Royal Navy rugby match by senior 15s at Twickenham Stadium is held; Brighton Festival arts showcase begins, until May 26; Donington Historic Festival featuring more than 400 historic racing cars is held today and tomorrow at Castle Donington in Derbyshire.
US: Kentucky Derby horse race takes place.
Tomorrow
UK: Great Birmingham Run; Hedgehog Awareness Week begins.
On this day
Today
In 1989 Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North was convicted for his part in the Iran-Contra arms affair. Charges were dismissed in 1991 relating to problems in his trial; in 1994 the Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and the Palestine Liberation Organisation chairman Yasser Arafat signed an agreement in Cairo on limited Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip; in 2000 independent candidate Ken Livingstone was elected mayor of London. He was elected for a second term in 2004, as the official Labour Party candidate; in 2017 the Duke of Edinburgh announced his intention to retire from royal duty in the autumn of that year. He undertook more than 22,000 solo engagements and gave more than 5,000 speeches; in 2022 the US Federal Reserve raised interest rates by half a percentage point for the first time since 2000 as it stepped up efforts to curb a 40-year-high inflationary surge (at 8.5 per cent). Policymakers agreed unanimously to lift the target for its benchmark federal funds rate to between 0.75 per cent and 1 per cent.
Tomorrow
In 1919 representatives from the national Red Cross societies of Britain, France, Italy, Japan and the US joined together in Paris to found the League of Red Cross Societies; in 1930 the Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi was arrested for violating the Salt Tax, imposed by the British, and imprisoned without trial. He was unconditionally released on January 26, 1931; in 1956 Heartbreak Hotel became Elvis Presley’s first No 1 on the US Billboard’s pop chart, where it remained for ten weeks, knocked down by Gogi Grant’s The Wayward Wind; in 1961 Commander Alan Shepard became the first American in space. He was launched into a suborbital flight from Cape Canaveral, Florida, in a Mercury 3 capsule attached to a Redstone rocket; in 1996 Beryl Burton, a racing cyclist from Yorkshire who won seven world titles, died aged 58 while out riding her bike delivering invites to her 59th birthday. In 1967 she beat the men’s 12-hour time-trial record, covering 277.25 miles — a women’s record that stood until 2018.
Nature notes
Shandy Hall in Coxwold, North Yorkshire, gives visitors a fascinating insight into the life of Laurence Sterne, author of Tristram Shandy; it also offers the chance to experience one of the world’s finest nature spectacles — a vibrant rookery. The upper branches of the sycamores that lift from the rim of the former stone quarry, which forms Shandy Hall’s woodland garden, are filled with the black baskets of rook nests. The rise and fall of cawing sweeps from these stately trees like the howling of wolves. The rooks are not confined to this visitor attraction, however. Nearby, a huddle of hawthorns also plays host to an offshoot from the main rookery. These nests are a good 50 feet lower than those in the sycamores. Jonathan Tulloch
Jonathan Tulloch
Birthdays
Today
Sir John Akomfrah, artist and film-maker, co-founder of the Black Audio Film Collective (1982), 67; Manuel Benítez (El Cordobés), matador, 88; Alison Britton, ceramic artist, 76; Kate Garraway, presenter, Good Morning Britain, 57; Lukas Gähwiler, chairman, Credit Suisse (investment bank), 59; Paul Gibbons, co-founder, Auto Trader, 77; Manfred Gorvy, businessman, founder and chairman of Hanover Acceptances (private investment group), 86; Dr Caroline Harper, chief executive, Sightsavers International (charity), 64; Claude Littner, businessman, adviser to Lord Sugar on The Apprentice (2005-20, 2022-24), 75; Sir Anthony (Tony) McCoy, 20-times champion jump jockey (1995-2015), 50; Rory McIlroy, golfer, world No 2, four-time major champion, 35; Chris Packham, naturalist, writer and broadcaster, Springwatch (since 2009), 63; Marisa Robles, harpist, 87; Dame Caroline Spelman, Conservative MP for Meriden (1997-2019), 66; Graham Swift, author, Last Orders (1996), Mothering Sunday (2016), 75; Gillian Tindall, writer and historian, City of Gold: Biography of Bombay (1982), 86.
Tomorrow
Adele, singer, Rolling in the Deep (2010), Skyfall (2012), Hello (2015), 36; Carlos Alcaraz, tennis player, world No 3, Wimbledon men’s singles winner (2023), 21; Zai Bennett, managing director (content), Sky UK and Ireland, 50; Teddie Beverley, singer, the Beverley Sisters, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, 97; Richard Calvocoressi, art historian, 73; Sir Jon Coles, chief executive, United Learning group of schools, 52; Baroness (Jean) Corston, chairwoman, parliamentary Labour Party (2001-05), 82; James Cracknell, rower, two-time Olympic gold medallist (2000, 2004), 52; Dame Fiona Kendrick, chairwoman, Nestlé UK & Ireland (2012-18), 69; Leslie Law, equestrian eventer, Olympic gold medallist (2004), 59; Sir Michael Palin, TV presenter, writer, actor and comedian best known for Monty Python’s Flying Circus, 81; John Rhys-Davies, actor, Gimli in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, 80; Dafydd Rogers, theatre producer, 55; Aryna Sabalenka, tennis player, world No 2, Australian women’s singles winner (2023, 2024), 26; Sophie Wells, para-equestrian, four-time Paralympic gold medallist (2012, 2016, 2020), 34; James Whitaker, cricketer, England cricket’s national selector (2013-18), 62; Dieter Zetsche, chairman, Tui Group (travel and tourism company), Daimler AG and head of Mercedes-Benz (2006-19), 71.