Parents working from home have contributed to an “unacceptable” rise in pupils skipping school on Fridays, the education secretary has said. Gillian Keegan said that 50,000 more pupils were absent at the end of the week compared with Mondays, with schools facing “major challenges” as parents pull...Parents working from home have contributed to an “unacceptable” rise in pupils skipping school on Fridays, the education secretary has said. Gillian Keegan said that 50,000 more pupils were absent at the end of the week compared with Mondays, with schools facing “major challenges” as parents pull...Parents working from home have contributed to an “unacceptable” rise in pupils skipping school on Fridays, the education...
The UK economy returned to growth after a short-lived recession, with gross domestic product expanding at the fastest pace in two years at the start of 2024. Official data showed that the economy grew by 0.6 per cent in the first quarter of the year, beating economists’ forecasts of 0.4 per cent and reversing the 0.3 per cent contraction at...The UK economy returned to growth after a short-lived recession, with gross domestic product expanding at the fastest pace in two years at the start of 2024. Official data showed that the economy grew by 0.6 per cent in the first quarter of the year, beating economists’ forecasts of 0.4 per cent and reversing the 0.3 per cent contraction at...The UK economy returned to growth after a short-lived recession, with gross domestic product expanding at the fastest pace in...
The Duke of Sussex said it was “great” to be back in the UK as he rounded off his brief visit before heading to Nigeria, where he is being joined by the Duchess of Sussex. Prince Harry was in the country for a few days to attend a celebration of the tenth anniversary of the Invictus Games, his Paralympics-style...The Duke of Sussex said it was “great” to be back in the UK as he rounded off his brief visit...The Duke of Sussex said it was “great” to be back in the UK as he rounded off his brief visit...
first person
There is absolutely nothing good to say about turning 80 except, I suppose, that at least it’s not 90. Strange...There is absolutely nothing good to say about turning 80 except, I suppose, that at least it’s...There is absolutely nothing good to say about turning 80 except, I suppose, that at least it’s...
Obituary
When EL James published her bonkbuster Fifty Shades of Grey, Shirley Conran could not see what all the fuss was...When EL James published her bonkbuster Fifty Shades of Grey, Shirley Conran could not see...When EL James published her bonkbuster Fifty Shades of Grey, Shirley Conran could not see...
Complaints of antisemitic abuse among doctors have surged since the October 7 attacks and the start of the...Complaints of antisemitic abuse among doctors have surged since the October 7 attacks and the...Complaints of antisemitic abuse among doctors have surged since the October 7 attacks and the...
Teenagers will be told for the first time the actual A-level grades that universities accept for courses rather than...Teenagers will be told for the first time the actual A-level grades that universities accept for...Teenagers will be told for the first time the actual A-level grades that universities accept for...
Margaret Atwood, Sting and Coldplay are among more than a hundred cultural figures who have called for the death sentence on the Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi to be quashed and for his release from prison. A revolutionary court in Salehi’s home town of Isfahan sentenced him to be hanged for supporting anti-regime protests after the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini...Margaret Atwood, Sting and Coldplay are among more than a hundred cultural figures who have...Margaret Atwood, Sting and Coldplay are among more than a hundred cultural figures who have...
DANIEL FINKELSTEIN
I am not a great fan of open letters and petitions. I almost never sign them. Almost every issue is more complicated...I am not a great fan of open letters and petitions. I almost never sign them. Almost every issue is more complicated than it seems at first, and I prefer to express myself in my own words, ones that allow for nuance and recognise the strength of alternative positions. But I was happy to join others in a statement...I am not a great fan of open letters and petitions. I almost never sign them. Almost every issue is more complicated than it...
The Comedy Pet Photography Awards have revealed the top contenders for 2024, from a cat’s misadventure in a wall to a dog striking a kung-fu pose. Founded by the photographers Paul Joynson-Hicks and Tom Sullam, the competition celebrates the joy...The Comedy Pet Photography Awards have revealed the top contenders for 2024, from a cat’s...The Comedy Pet Photography Awards have revealed the top contenders for 2024, from a cat’s...
A woman was stabbed to death in the street after witnesses said they saw a mugger trying to steal her handbag at a...A woman was stabbed to death in the street after witnesses said they saw a mugger trying to steal...A woman was stabbed to death in the street after witnesses said they saw a mugger trying to steal...
THE TIMES DIARY
The King has agreed to be patron of Marylebone Cricket Club, where he has been a member since 1975, though he is...The King has agreed to be patron of Marylebone Cricket Club, where he has been a member since...The King has agreed to be patron of Marylebone Cricket Club, where he has been a member since...
The porn actress Stormy Daniels acknowledged making money from her story of an alleged affair with Donald Trump, saying it was exactly what the former president would have done in her shoes. In lively exchanges on her second day of testimony, Daniels, 45, was accused of spending years profiting...The porn actress Stormy Daniels acknowledged making money from her story of an alleged affair with Donald Trump, saying it was exactly what the former president would have done in her shoes. In lively exchanges on her second day of testimony, Daniels, 45, was accused of spending years profiting...The porn actress Stormy Daniels acknowledged making money from her story of an alleged affair with Donald Trump, saying it was...
The Israeli military will not defeat Hamas by “smashing into Rafah”, the White House said as footage emerged of tanks amassing around the city in the Gaza Strip. While President Biden remains committed to helping Israel “inflict an enduring defeat” on the militant group, “there are better ways to go after what is left of Hamas … than a...The Israeli military will not defeat Hamas by “smashing into Rafah”, the White House said as footage emerged of tanks amassing around the city in the Gaza Strip. While President Biden remains committed to helping Israel “inflict an enduring defeat” on the militant group, “there are better ways to go after what is left of Hamas … than a...The Israeli military will not defeat Hamas by “smashing into Rafah”, the White House said as footage emerged of tanks amassing...
video
The thin nylon tents pitched on sandy ground heat up quickly in the early May sunshine, a reminder of how little protection those who stayed behind in southern Gaza have against the nightly bombings and impending combat. While the UN agency in charge of Palestinian refugees says some 110,000 people have fled eastern...The thin nylon tents pitched on sandy ground heat up quickly in the early May sunshine, a...The thin nylon tents pitched on sandy ground heat up quickly in the early May sunshine, a...
At the back of the courtroom that is hosting the criminal trial of Donald Trump, there is a small holding cell with a bench. There are more downstairs, on the sixth and seventh floors of the Manhattan court, and in the basement. These are larger: some of them can hold up to 25 people. One of them could easily hold a former president of the United States. Eleven miles...At the back of the courtroom that is hosting the criminal trial of Donald Trump, there is a small...At the back of the courtroom that is hosting the criminal trial of Donald Trump, there is a small...
Barron Trump, the youngest child of the former president, has been named as a delegate at the Republican convention...Barron Trump, the youngest child of the former president, has been named as a delegate at the Republican convention in July when he will help to confirm his father as the party’s presidential nominee. Barron, who has so far been kept out of the political spotlight, turned 18 in March and will leave school this summer.Barron Trump, the youngest child of the former president, has been named as a delegate at the Republican convention in July...
Hunter Biden will go on trial next month after a federal appeals court dismissed his bid to throw out criminal...Hunter Biden will go on trial next month after a federal appeals court dismissed his bid to throw...Hunter Biden will go on trial next month after a federal appeals court dismissed his bid to throw...
A Miss USA and a Miss Teen USA winner have both handed back their crowns amid reports of bullying in the highest...A Miss USA and a Miss Teen USA winner have both handed back their crowns amid reports of bullying...A Miss USA and a Miss Teen USA winner have both handed back their crowns amid reports of bullying...
Kim Kardashian has been criticised for promoting extreme body shapes after a video emerged of her fighting to breathe in a “grotesque” corset gown at the Met Gala. Kardashian was not the only star to wear a corset at the annual event, which is...Kim Kardashian has been criticised for promoting extreme body shapes after a video emerged of her...Kim Kardashian has been criticised for promoting extreme body shapes after a video emerged of her...
IN maps and CHARTS
gerard baker
It’s common to watch politicians, under the intense pressure of constant public scrutiny, commit unforced errors that...It’s common to watch politicians, under the intense pressure of constant public scrutiny, commit...It’s common to watch politicians, under the intense pressure of constant public scrutiny, commit...
JANE MULKERRINS
Stormy Daniels has lost a great deal by standing up to Donald Trump, including but not limited to: her personal...Stormy Daniels has lost a great deal by standing up to Donald Trump, including but not limited to...Stormy Daniels has lost a great deal by standing up to Donald Trump, including but not limited to...
The UK economy returned to growth after a short-lived recession, with gross domestic product expanding at the fastest pace in two years at the start of 2024. Official data showed that the economy grew by 0.6 per cent in the first quarter of the year, beating economists’ forecasts of 0.4 per cent...The UK economy returned to growth after a short-lived recession, with gross domestic product expanding at the fastest pace in two years at the start of 2024. Official data showed that the economy grew by 0.6 per cent in the first quarter of the year, beating economists’ forecasts of 0.4 per cent...The UK economy returned to growth after a short-lived recession, with gross domestic product expanding at the fastest pace in...
When Gordon Brown unveiled his plan to create individual savings accounts in 1997, the aim was to encourage thrift at a time when saving levels were low. “Half the adult population of our country hardly save at all,” Brown, then chancellor, warned in his inaugural budget. “Through the new Isa we intend to encourage the habit of saving among...When Gordon Brown unveiled his plan to create individual savings accounts in 1997, the aim was to encourage thrift at a time when saving levels were low. “Half the adult population of our country hardly save at all,” Brown, then chancellor, warned in his inaugural budget. “Through the new Isa we intend to encourage the habit of saving among...When Gordon Brown unveiled his plan to create individual savings accounts in 1997, the aim was to encourage thrift at a time...
Gordon Ramsay is betting on the continuing return of City workers to the office after announcing plans for the UK’s highest restaurant and bar at 22 Bishopsgate, London. The announcement of the 25,000 sq ft space, which will include an Asian-inspired Lucky Cat eaterie, came as the TV chef revealed that revenues at...Gordon Ramsay is betting on the continuing return of City workers to the office after announcing...Gordon Ramsay is betting on the continuing return of City workers to the office after announcing...
business commentary
Setting out to “design the future” is all well and good. But say it gets interrupted by another takeover approach at...Setting out to “design the future” is all well and good. But say it gets interrupted by another...Setting out to “design the future” is all well and good. But say it gets interrupted by another...
tempus
The last time Tempus covered Arm, shares in the semiconductor designer traded at an eye-watering price to earnings...The last time Tempus covered Arm, shares in the semiconductor designer traded at an eye-watering...The last time Tempus covered Arm, shares in the semiconductor designer traded at an eye-watering...
A lack of digital skills and “ineffective” governance are the cause of a year-long delay in a state-backed project intended to enable everyone in Britain to see all their pension arrangements on one screen, the government’s spending watchdog has...A lack of digital skills and “ineffective” governance are the cause of a year-long delay in a...A lack of digital skills and “ineffective” governance are the cause of a year-long delay in a...
Comment | HARRY WALLOP
What was the reason for Manchester United’s 0-4 thrashing by Crystal Palace on Monday? It was a loss that led the...What was the reason for Manchester United’s 0-4 thrashing by Crystal Palace on Monday? It was a...What was the reason for Manchester United’s 0-4 thrashing by Crystal Palace on Monday? It was a...
Comment
The Bank of England has made a big step towards its first interest rate cut in more than four years, reviving the...The Bank of England has made a big step towards its first interest rate cut in more than four...The Bank of England has made a big step towards its first interest rate cut in more than four...
recruitment
About six in ten UK staff undergo some form of training at work each year, ranging from mandatory certification and compliance courses to upskilling for a new role, and experts estimate that the UK training market is worth approximately £7 billion. Training and skills development is proved to increase the human capital in the national labour force, narrowing skills gaps...About six in ten UK staff undergo some form of training at work each year, ranging from mandatory...About six in ten UK staff undergo some form of training at work each year, ranging from mandatory...
SIX FROM THE BEST
Guy Singh-Watson is founder of Riverford, an organic vegetable box company which grew from humble beginnings to...Guy Singh-Watson is founder of Riverford, an organic vegetable box company which grew from humble beginnings to 70,000 deliveries a week. The activist recently launched the #GetFairAboutFarming campaign calling for supermarkets to adopt better business practices to safeguard the future of British fruit and veg farmers.Guy Singh-Watson is founder of Riverford, an organic vegetable box company which grew from humble beginnings to 70,000...
rick broadbent
Jimmy Egan’s Boxing Academy sits in the heart of a sprawling estate. It does not look much. Red metal doors open on to a floor dotted with hanging bags. A ring is marinated in sweat, cobwebs cling from rafters. This is the 13th location since it opened in 1980 and the founder’s diary entry from day one hangs in a frame by the doorway. “In time the results will come, not...Jimmy Egan’s Boxing Academy sits in the heart of a sprawling estate. It does not look much. Red...Jimmy Egan’s Boxing Academy sits in the heart of a sprawling estate. It does not look much. Red...
Rory McIlroy has confirmed he is involved in talks to broker an investment deal with Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth...Rory McIlroy has confirmed he is involved in talks to broker an investment deal with Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, enhancing the PGA Tour’s status as a forum for U-turns, twists and double takes. McIlroy, 35, revealed on Wednesday that his offer to return to the PGA Tour board had been rejected, blaming a...Rory McIlroy has confirmed he is involved in talks to broker an investment deal with Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund...
MANU TUILAGI INTERVIEW
Champions League
Brendan foster interview
Sir Brendan Foster was walking along the famous Camino de Santiago trail in northern Spain when he came across a Belgian couple. “The old man was into running and recognised me so we ended up talking,” Foster recalls. “He was 85. On the last day I...Sir Brendan Foster was walking along the famous Camino de Santiago trail in northern Spain when...Sir Brendan Foster was walking along the famous Camino de Santiago trail in northern Spain when...
stuart barnes
As we head into the penultimate round of the Gallagher Premiership season, Bath are three points and three places...As we head into the penultimate round of the Gallagher Premiership season, Bath are three points...As we head into the penultimate round of the Gallagher Premiership season, Bath are three points...
Europa Conference League
Aston Villa’s hopes of a first European trophy in 42 years came to an end as defeat by Olympiacos denied a dream...Aston Villa’s hopes of a first European trophy in 42 years came to an end as defeat by Olympiacos...Aston Villa’s hopes of a first European trophy in 42 years came to an end as defeat by Olympiacos...
World Rugby plans to overhaul the red card disciplinary system and restrict any advantage enjoyed by richer nations with expensive lawyers. Standard bans of two or four weeks are to be handed down for red cards during a trial in the Under-20 World Championship, WXV and Pacific Nations Cup. All mitigation will be removed, ending the practice of players routinely...World Rugby plans to overhaul the red card disciplinary system and restrict any advantage enjoyed...World Rugby plans to overhaul the red card disciplinary system and restrict any advantage enjoyed...
Billy Vunipola has escaped a severe punishment from the RFU despite his arrest during a Saracens bonding trip to...Billy Vunipola has escaped a severe punishment from the RFU despite his arrest during a Saracens bonding trip to Mallorca, after the union handed him a formal warning but no fine or ban. That warning will stay on Vunipola’s record for five years, and comes just three weeks after the expiry of his previous formal...Billy Vunipola has escaped a severe punishment from the RFU despite his arrest during a Saracens bonding trip to Mallorca...
As the Giro d’Italia continued to entertain with another enthralling sprint finish, Mark Cavendish demonstrated his enduring qualities with a victory at the Tour of Hungary that heightened anticipation for the Tour de France next month. When the...As the Giro d’Italia continued to entertain with another enthralling sprint finish, Mark...As the Giro d’Italia continued to entertain with another enthralling sprint finish, Mark...
champions league | Ian Hawkey
FA Youth Cup final | Paul hirst
gallagher Premiership guide
Sale Sharks v Leicester Tigers
7.45pm, TNT Sports 1
No bread, no water, just meat. These two squadrons of meat battalions contain more beef than the Drake-Kendrick Lamar saga and are ready to throw hands. Despite being sixth and eighth in...Sale Sharks v Leicester Tigers
7.45pm, TNT Sports 1
No bread, no water, just meat. These...Sale Sharks v Leicester Tigers
7.45pm, TNT Sports 1
No bread, no water, just meat. These...
The director grew up watching vintage Powell and Pressburger films and became a close friend of Michael Powell — he salutes the maestro who influenced him
first person
The young may be amused when she smokes and swears but the writer’s big regret is that she can’t afford any new vices
The nominations are led by The Crown and Black Mirror — but who do you think should take home the prizes at the biggest night of British television?
FIRST PERSON
As Gaza demos are held on UK campuses, Eliana Silver shares her own experience
Richard Morrison
video
review
Now on its tenth instalment, this cynical ‘coming of ape’ movie about a teen primate in postapocalyptic California is a symptom of an expiring franchise
Review
The star of Challengers and The Crown is compelling as a moody archaeologist
video
review
The screenwriting is terrible in this story directed by the star’s 22-year-old son Damian, but it is compelling
video
review
The film’s amoral central characters are the perfect protagonists to explore the smug materialism of the Nineties
video
review
The Australian star is at times almost unwatchable in this uneven melodrama about two couples
REVIEW | FICTION
Sexy swimmies, quiet luxury linen — and the sort of cover-ups worn on both sides of Ibiza. The direction of travel...Sexy swimmies, quiet luxury linen — and the sort of cover-ups worn on both sides of Ibiza. The...Sexy swimmies, quiet luxury linen — and the sort of cover-ups worn on both sides of Ibiza. The...
video
review
Bodkin
Netflix Ireland is such a sexy ticket for television right now that you could probably pitch a series about...Bodkin
Netflix Ireland is such a sexy ticket for television right now that you could...Bodkin
Netflix Ireland is such a sexy ticket for television right now that you could...
interview
The TV cook says he’s fitter than he was 20 years ago and puts it down to a diet based on plants
In popular science fiction, aliens live on Mars or, as in HG Wells’ War of the Worlds, they are hiding out in Woking, Surrey. Some people even believe their scrawny little bodies are bagged and refrigerated at a CIA black site in the New Mexico desert. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has some news though. They are living inside us. Trillions of them. And they decide...In popular science fiction, aliens live on Mars or, as in HG Wells’ War of the Worlds, they...In popular science fiction, aliens live on Mars or, as in HG Wells’ War of the Worlds, they...
MUSIC REVIEWS
Here are some of the best new albums and tracks our critics have heard over the past week. We’ll update the list...Here are some of the best new albums and tracks our critics have heard over the past week. We’ll update the list regularly, so make sure you save this page. Feel free to join in the conversation in the comments section at the end with your own recommendations of what you’re listening to at the moment. Arab Strap
...Here are some of the best new albums and tracks our critics have heard over the past week. We’ll update the list regularly, so...
FiRST NIGHT REVIEW
A night of cerebral theatre began when Mitski’s silhouette appeared behind a red curtain, teasing her seated audience. We heard the muted synth-folk stylings of Everyone, a song about the Japanese-American’s struggles with fame. The curtain...A night of cerebral theatre began when Mitski’s silhouette appeared behind a red curtain, teasing...A night of cerebral theatre began when Mitski’s silhouette appeared behind a red curtain, teasing...
Viewing GUide
Television
MindGames
1 There are 8,760 hours in one calendar common what? 2 Blind Pew is a sinister pirate in which novel by Robert Louis Stevenson? 3 Which Asian country outlawed the Falun Gong movement as an “evil cult” in 1999? 4 Which Tory statesman’s opposition to Catholic emancipation led to him being nicknamed “Orange Peel”? 5 Which hard black mineral is the most abundant fossil fuel...1 There are 8,760 hours in one calendar common what? 2 Blind Pew is a sinister pirate in which...1 There are 8,760 hours in one calendar common what? 2 Blind Pew is a sinister pirate in which...
Lisa Grainger steps into the rooftop eyrie of the capital’s first luxury eco-hotel
Patek Philippe’s Rare Handcraft collection features examples of artisanal skill that will blow your mind
The more elaborate and beautiful the better. Peter Howarth reports
Tumbled with fresh petals or intricate and tiered: whatever your preference these are the top bakers to consult
video
julia Samuel
The psychotherapist addresses your dilemmas
video
It’s a hardened, weary soul who doesn’t get just a little bit excited when Ferrari pulls the covers off a new car. In the time-honoured maxim, out goes the old and in comes the new; we dispense with the 812 Superfast and gain the Ferrari 12Cilindri.It’s a hardened, weary soul who doesn’t get just a little bit excited when Ferrari pulls the...It’s a hardened, weary soul who doesn’t get just a little bit excited when Ferrari pulls the...
A 35-minute train ride from Portugal’s capital, cool Cascais has exciting new restaurants, stylish hotels, and creativity at every turn
Sail the Mekong, ride the train from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi or flop at a chic resort — these are the country’s most inspiring trips
We’ve picked out the ultimate historic fortresses to roam around, from Devon to the Highlands — plus some lovely places to stay the night nearby
video
With its striking looks, volcanic setting and artistic roots, César Lanzarote is already attracting a stylish crowd
You’ve got to work a little harder to get to Granada than some other Andalusian spots but the flamenco, tapas and Alhambra make a weekend getaway worth the effort
video
‘It’s coming,” says Jared Soleyn, our guide for an energetic three-hour morning trek through the Vermont Nature Trail...‘It’s coming,” says Jared Soleyn, our guide for an energetic three-hour morning trek through the...‘It’s coming,” says Jared Soleyn, our guide for an energetic three-hour morning trek through the...
Kathy Lette | Travel Troubleshooter
Q. I’m happily married and planning a fun short break to Las Vegas with a very close friend to celebrate our...Q. I’m happily married and planning a fun short break to Las Vegas with a very close friend...Q. I’m happily married and planning a fun short break to Las Vegas with a very close friend...
video
Our writer hikes to the top of Morocco’s extraordinary Mount Toubkal a century after a group of French climbers made the first ascent. He’s not ashamed to say that the mountain almost broke him. This is his story. Become a subscriber and,...Our writer hikes to the top of Morocco’s extraordinary Mount Toubkal a century after a group of...Our writer hikes to the top of Morocco’s extraordinary Mount Toubkal a century after a group of...
weather eye
TASTE and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34.8 (NIV) Bible verses are...TASTE and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34.8 (NIV)...TASTE and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34.8 (NIV)...
Buckingham Palace
9th May, 2024 The King, Colonel-in-Chief, Corps of Royal Engineers, this morning visited 3...Buckingham Palace
9th May, 2024 The King, Colonel-in-Chief, Corps of Royal Engineers, this...Buckingham Palace
9th May, 2024 The King, Colonel-in-Chief, Corps of Royal Engineers, this...
MindGames and Brain Boost puzzles to print and solve at your leisure
How lenders are using weather to stall fixed rates
Neil Bouette transformed a 19th-century barn into a fun space complete with pool table, gym and a giant shark
A look inside London’s first custom development, where the buyers have relished developing empty shells
Estate agents can’t recall such a dreary start to the selling season. Plus, how to sell your home in poor weather
A first look at the carmaker’s ‘Bond villain lair’ luxe skyscraper, which comes with a rare Vulcan supercar worth more than $3 million
The days getting longer and the weather finally catching up can mean only one thing: it’s time to go alfresco. Whether your outdoor space is a balcony in Bedford or a patio in Petersfield, you can conjure up an exotic setting with the help of some...The days getting longer and the weather finally catching up can mean only one thing: it’s time to...The days getting longer and the weather finally catching up can mean only one thing: it’s time to...
Mackintosh project won’t be finished this decade
exclusiveA project to rebuild one of Britain’s most celebrated buildings which was destroyed in a 2018 fire has been shelved following a bitter row with insurers. Managers at the Glasgow School of Art (GSA) have warned that work to restore the Charles Rennie Mackintosh masterpiece, which was devastated by...A project to rebuild one of Britain’s most celebrated buildings which was destroyed in a 2018 fire has been shelved following a bitter row with insurers. Managers at the Glasgow School of Art (GSA) have warned that work to restore the Charles Rennie Mackintosh masterpiece, which was devastated by...A project to rebuild one of Britain’s most celebrated buildings which was destroyed in a 2018 fire has been shelved following a...
A Scottish Labour candidate who posted “racist” comments online has been dropped and replaced with the chief executive of a Palestinian aid charity. Wilma Brown, who was standing for the Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath constituency, was suspended by the party last month, and was under investigation by her trade union employer, over complaints made...A Scottish Labour candidate who posted “racist” comments online has been dropped and replaced with the chief executive of a Palestinian aid charity. Wilma Brown, who was standing for the Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath constituency, was suspended by the party last month, and was under investigation by her trade union employer, over complaints made...A Scottish Labour candidate who posted “racist” comments online has been dropped and replaced with the chief executive of a...
first person
When my son was a few weeks old I started writing my first book. My milk came in and, finally, so did the words. Neither came easy at first, but a decade on I wonder if the difficulty, frustration, tenderness, and the damn constraints were what birthed the book. That I wrote not in spite of the pram in the hall...When my son was a few weeks old I started writing my first book. My milk came in and, finally...When my son was a few weeks old I started writing my first book. My milk came in and, finally...
One of the country’s grandest Georgian properties has been saved from collapse and dereliction after a multimillion pound rescue package was unveiled. Mavisbank House, on the outskirts of Edinburgh, was built in the 1720s as a summer residence for...One of the country’s grandest Georgian properties has been saved from collapse and dereliction...One of the country’s grandest Georgian properties has been saved from collapse and dereliction...
A 65-year-old man has gone on trial accused of killing a former teacher from Fettes College in Edinburgh and dumping...A 65-year-old man has gone on trial accused of killing a former teacher from Fettes College in...A 65-year-old man has gone on trial accused of killing a former teacher from Fettes College in...
gabriella bennett
This week I celebrate my second anniversary working on a vegetable farm in rural Perthshire. I say working, but...This week I celebrate my second anniversary working on a vegetable farm in rural Perthshire. I...This week I celebrate my second anniversary working on a vegetable farm in rural Perthshire. I...
SCOTTISH BUSINESS DIGEST
Comment
Elphicke is symbol of Starmer’s new mantra
Patrick Maguire
Welcoming ex-Tory MP across the floor shows how far Labour’s leader is prepared to put the voter before his party
emma duncan
We need to axe red tape to get Britain building
gerard baker
Even the US right draws the line at shooting puppies
martin Samuel | notebook
Politics is spared the full Monty — for now
Sajid Javid
People with ME have been ignored for far too long
Leading Articles
Strange Bedfellows
Natalie Elphicke’s defection from the Conservatives to Labour is a strategic coup for Sir Keir Starmer, but his anxious MPs must be reassured it doesn’t come at a price
No Brainer
Ucas’s publication of actual A-level grades accepted by universities is welcome
Clinging to the Nest
Young people still living at home are being denied a rite of passage into adult life
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Starmer’s acceptance of renegade Tory
Sir, Charlie Elphicke’s misdeeds in office proved him to be unworthy of selection as an MP, and when his wife was “shunted in” to replace him my concerns were summarily dismissed by my local Conservative association. Despite this, I remained a...Sir, Charlie Elphicke’s misdeeds in office proved him to be unworthy of selection as an MP, and...Sir, Charlie Elphicke’s misdeeds in office proved him to be unworthy of selection as an MP, and...
Daily Universal Register
Briefing
UK: ONS publishes quarterly estimate of GDP for the UK, as well as index of production, overseas trade statistics and index of services; Duke of Edinburgh Scheme Gold Award reception is held at Buckingham Palace for young people who have achieved the gold standard; the Prince of Wales visits the Isles of Scilly; FA Youth Cup final takes place in Manchester.
France: Anti-Slavery Day marks the abolition of slavery in France and its former empire.
On this day
In 1940 Winston Churchill replaced Neville Chamberlain as prime minister. Chamberlain had been forced to resign over a disastrous military campaign in Norway; in 1941 Rudolf Hess, deputy leader of the Nazi Party, parachuted into Scotland in an apparent attempt to negotiate a peace deal, but was arrested and imprisoned. He died in 1987; in 1969 the ten-day Battle of Dong Ap Bia (Hamburger Hill) started during the Vietnam War. US and South Vietnamese forces launched an assault on Hill 937, held by the Viet Cong; in 1994 Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as the first black president of South Africa after the victory of his African National Congress party. Mandela had spent 27 years as a political prisoner for his campaign to end white minority rule. He died on December 5, 2013; in 1998 members of Sinn Fein, the political wing of the IRA, voted to accept the Good Friday peace agreement.
Nature notes
By UK standards, southern wood ants are huge. Queens can be 12mm long and workers 10mm. This large size led to them being known as horse ants. Often forming teeming colonies of up to half a million individuals, southern wood ant nests are gargantuan mounds of soil, leaves, twigs and conifer needles. Set in sunlit, woodland clearings, some nests are a few metres wide and over a metre high. The species has developed a useful arsenal against attacks from green woodpeckers and badgers. First, their huge mandibles deliver a nasty bite; second, they can spray formic acid into the eyes of assailants; third, they live in such vast numbers that they overcome predators by sheer dint of crawling numbers. Jonathan Tulloch
Jonathan Tulloch
Birthdays today
Dennis Bergkamp, footballer, Holland (1990-2000) and Arsenal (1995-2006), 55; Bono, singer, U2, The Joshua Tree (1987), 64; Barbara Taylor Bradford, author, A Woman of Substance (1979), 91; Edward Cadogan, Earl Cadogan, chairman, Cadogan Group (property portfolio focused on Chelsea and Knightsbridge, west London), 58; Sir Bill Cash, Conservative MP for Stone, shadow attorney-general (2001-03), 84; Donovan, singer-songwriter, Mellow Yellow (1966), 78; Jonathan Edwards, triple jump world record holder and Olympic gold medallist (2000), 58; Linda Evangelista, model, 59; John Fredriksen, oil tanker and shipping tycoon, 80; Diarmuid Gavin, garden designer, Chelsea Flower Show gold medal (2011), 60; Sir Christopher Gent, chief executive, Vodafone (1997-2003), chairman, GlaxoSmith-Kline (2005-15), 76; Lucinda Lambton, writer, Palaces for Pigs (2011), photographer and broadcaster, 81; Dame Maureen Lipman, actress, Educating Rita (1983), Coronation Street (2002, since 2018), 78; Chloë McCardel, holder of the record for the number of cross-Channel swims (44), 39; David Mackenzie, film director, Perfect Sense (2011), 58; Dave Mason, singer-songwriter and guitarist, Traffic, Feelin’ Alright (1968), 78; Anna Maxwell Martin, actress, Bleak House (2005), 47; Antonio Neri, president and chief executive, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, 57; Ellen Ochoa, astronaut, director of the Johnson Space Center (2013-18), 66; Baroness (Charlotte) Owen of Alderley Edge, special adviser to Boris Johnson (2021-22), 31; Sally Phillips, actress, Smack the Pony (1999-2001), 54; Wolfgang Porsche, chairman of the supervisory board, Porsche AG, 81; Miuccia Prada, fashion designer, 75; Roberto Quarta, chairman, WPP Group, 75; Jon Ronson, journalist and author, The Men Who Stare at Goats (2004), 57; Venetia Williams, racehorse trainer, 64; Debbie Wiseman, composer for the King’s coronation, 61.