The Times & The Sunday Times Homepage
Despite warnings about Labour landslide, the Tory position appears to have worsened
Labour is on track to win the largest majority of any party in modern history amid evidence that voters are rejecting Rishi Sunak’s plea not to hand Sir Keir Starmer a landslide victory. The final large-scale YouGov poll of the campaign finds that the Conservatives will be reduced to just 102 MPs...Labour is on track to win the largest majority of any party in modern history amid evidence that voters are rejecting Rishi Sunak’s plea not to hand Sir Keir Starmer a landslide victory. The final large-scale YouGov poll of the campaign finds that the Conservatives will be reduced to just 102 MPs...Labour is on track to win the largest majority of any party in modern history amid evidence that voters are rejecting Rishi...
POLL | ANALYSIS
For the past three weeks the Tories have been hammering home a single, highly unusual political message. With the polls pointing relentlessly in one direction, the Tories gave up on any illusion that they could win the election. They have instead attempted to lean in to the fact that they are teetering on the brink of apparent electoral...For the past three weeks the Tories have been hammering home a single, highly unusual political message. With the polls pointing relentlessly in one direction, the Tories gave up on any illusion that they could win the election. They have instead attempted to lean in to the fact that they are teetering on the brink of apparent electoral...For the past three weeks the Tories have been hammering home a single, highly unusual political message. With the polls...
IN DEPTH
The Tory campaign, criticised as one of the worst in history, was riven by divisions and beset with avoidable mistakes from the start. From the images of a sodden Rishi Sunak outside Downing Street to the prime minister’s abject apology for leaving D-Day commemorations in Normandy early, the Conservatives have spent...The Tory campaign, criticised as one of the worst in history, was riven by divisions and beset...The Tory campaign, criticised as one of the worst in history, was riven by divisions and beset...
Jeremy Hunt
Everyone says they want growth. However, only the Conservatives recognise the evidence from around the world that...Everyone says they want growth. However, only the Conservatives recognise the evidence from...Everyone says they want growth. However, only the Conservatives recognise the evidence from...
RACHEL REEVES
This has been a long general election campaign. There have been thousands of words written, hundreds of interviews...This has been a long general election campaign. There have been thousands of words written...This has been a long general election campaign. There have been thousands of words written...
First Person
The day after the National Rally’s historic gains in the European elections in France last month our 60-year-old...The day after the National Rally’s historic gains in the European elections in France last month...The day after the National Rally’s historic gains in the European elections in France last month...
We’ve had a heatwave, the sales are on — and already next season’s collections are hitting the shop floors. Between...We’ve had a heatwave, the sales are on — and already next season’s collections are hitting the...We’ve had a heatwave, the sales are on — and already next season’s collections are hitting the...
Weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic may cause people to go blind, according to a new study. Harvard researchers found...Weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic may cause people to go blind, according to a new study. Harvard...Weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic may cause people to go blind, according to a new study. Harvard...
He may have stopped going to clubs and bars until 3am, swapped the flatshare in the city for a semi in the suburbs...He may have stopped going to clubs and bars until 3am, swapped the flatshare in the city for a...He may have stopped going to clubs and bars until 3am, swapped the flatshare in the city for a...
in depth | series
in depth | series
in depth | series
Visitors to Marbella will find themselves spending much more than a penny if they are caught urinating in the sea, amid new plans to clean up the Costa del Sol. Authorities in the southern Spanish city are set to fine bathers €750 if they are...Visitors to Marbella will find themselves spending much more than a penny if they are caught...Visitors to Marbella will find themselves spending much more than a penny if they are caught...
An alleged American hitwoman who flew to the UK to take part in an assassination plot that failed has been arrested...An alleged American hitwoman who flew to the UK to take part in an assassination plot that failed...An alleged American hitwoman who flew to the UK to take part in an assassination plot that failed...
the times diary
Never mind the opinion polls, a better omen for how the election will go can be seen in sales of novelty underwear.Never mind the opinion polls, a better omen for how the election will go can be seen in sales of...Never mind the opinion polls, a better omen for how the election will go can be seen in sales of...
dispatch
National Rally gains in the elections could unleash chaos for key French industries
newAfter the lunch rush has been and gone, the Eritrean sits at a table in the back of the fashionable café where he tends the bar. Dressed in the black waistcoat and white shirt of a waiter, Yohannes reflects on his long journey to France. He once crossed a crocodile-infested river in Sudan, he says, and raced across the Sahara in the back of a smuggler’s pickup truck. To...After the lunch rush has been and gone, the Eritrean sits at a table in the back of the...After the lunch rush has been and gone, the Eritrean sits at a table in the back of the...
Kamala Harris has become a more competitive opponent to face Donald Trump than President Biden after his debate...Kamala Harris has become a more competitive opponent to face Donald Trump than President Biden after his debate disaster, according to polling that has advanced the case for the vice-president to take over. Harris was placed two points behind Trump in a CNN poll — 45 per cent to his 47 per cent — while Biden...Kamala Harris has become a more competitive opponent to face Donald Trump than President Biden after his debate disaster...
Spanish writers who were members of the fascist Falange party were said to have “won the war but lost literature”...Spanish writers who were members of the fascist Falange party were said to have “won the war but...Spanish writers who were members of the fascist Falange party were said to have “won the war but...
A Swedish diplomat released from an Iranian prison has described how he had to conceal his sexuality from his captors...A Swedish diplomat released from an Iranian prison has described how he had to conceal his...A Swedish diplomat released from an Iranian prison has described how he had to conceal his...
video
Syrian refugees in Turkey are bracing for more unrest after attacks on their homes and businesses during violent nationalist protests in cities across the country. Dozens of Syrian-owned shops have been torched or looted by Turkish mobs since...Syrian refugees in Turkey are bracing for more unrest after attacks on their homes and businesses...Syrian refugees in Turkey are bracing for more unrest after attacks on their homes and businesses...
President Biden has blamed the poor debate performance that created doubts about his re-election campaign on exhaustion from recent long-haul travel. Biden returned to the US on June 15 after three days in Italy for the G7 summit and, after a fundraiser in Los Angeles, spent a week at Camp David preparing for the debate on June 27. He also spent four days earlier in...President Biden has blamed the poor debate performance that created doubts about his re-election...President Biden has blamed the poor debate performance that created doubts about his re-election...
ANALYSIS
Americans have long proclaimed that no one is above the law but one was elevated over the rest of them on Monday. The...Americans have long proclaimed that no one is above the law but one was elevated over the rest of them on Monday. The top court had never before been called on to set out “a rule for the ages”, as one conservative justice called it, on the immunity from criminal prosecution enjoyed by the president. In doing so, it...Americans have long proclaimed that no one is above the law but one was elevated over the rest of them on Monday. The top court...
The tycoon has delayed building an electric car, citing low consumer demand and lack of clarity over the government’s net-zero policy
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has shelved plans for his Ineos Automotive business to build an electric vehicle only months after a model was unveiled, citing low consumer demand and a lack of clarity over the government’s policy on net zero. In February, the petrochemicals tycoon revealed an all-electric...Sir Jim Ratcliffe has shelved plans for his Ineos Automotive business to build an electric vehicle only months after a model was unveiled, citing low consumer demand and a lack of clarity over the government’s policy on net zero. In February, the petrochemicals tycoon revealed an all-electric...Sir Jim Ratcliffe has shelved plans for his Ineos Automotive business to build an electric vehicle only months after a model...
Money has poured into equity funds at the fastest rate in a decade as Britain’s investors anticipate potential cuts to interest rates. Just over £11 billion was invested in equity funds during the first six months of the year, according to the latest funds flow data from Calastone, up from only £700 million during the same period last year...Money has poured into equity funds at the fastest rate in a decade as Britain’s investors anticipate potential cuts to interest rates. Just over £11 billion was invested in equity funds during the first six months of the year, according to the latest funds flow data from Calastone, up from only £700 million during the same period last year...Money has poured into equity funds at the fastest rate in a decade as Britain’s investors anticipate potential cuts to interest...
The private sector expanded more quickly than initially estimated last month, but domestic activity “seized up” as people delayed spending until after the general election. The composite purchasing managers’ index, compiled by S&P Global and the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply, slipped to a reading...The private sector expanded more quickly than initially estimated last month, but domestic...The private sector expanded more quickly than initially estimated last month, but domestic...
market report
Nike may be as American as they come, but a slowdown in sales at the American footwear brand tripped up the progress...Nike may be as American as they come, but a slowdown in sales at the American footwear brand...Nike may be as American as they come, but a slowdown in sales at the American footwear brand...
business commentary
Corporate deals throw up all kinds of questions. So here’s one based on the latest takeover stats. Are they fresh...Corporate deals throw up all kinds of questions. So here’s one based on the latest takeover stats.Corporate deals throw up all kinds of questions. So here’s one based on the latest takeover stats.
comment
First came fintech. Now it’s the turn of lawtech. Balderton Capital’s Sivesh Sukumar has declared that this is no...First came fintech. Now it’s the turn of lawtech. Balderton Capital’s Sivesh Sukumar has declared...First came fintech. Now it’s the turn of lawtech. Balderton Capital’s Sivesh Sukumar has declared...
comment
The idea of “a wall of money” has almost legendary status in UK general elections. Before Margaret Thatcher’s third...The idea of “a wall of money” has almost legendary status in UK general elections. Before...The idea of “a wall of money” has almost legendary status in UK general elections. Before...
RECRUITMENT
Ex-forces hires are increasingly attractive to UK businesses hoping to boost sluggish growth rates. But how can they be recruited?
Could calling in the military solve the UK’s productivity crisis? With record sickness levels, underinvestment and an absence of joined-up policymaking, productivity in this country has barely grown since the 2007-2008 financial crisis. However, with their aptitude of getting stuff done, ex-forces hires are increasingly attractive to businesses hoping to boost...Could calling in the military solve the UK’s productivity crisis? With record sickness levels...Could calling in the military solve the UK’s productivity crisis? With record sickness levels...
recruitment | six from the best
Former Lieutenant Colonel Neil Jurd OBE taught leadership at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and led on overseas...Former Lieutenant Colonel Neil Jurd OBE taught leadership at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and led on overseas operations. Now chief executive at the experiential leadership training company LeaderConnect and author of The Leadership Book, these are his tips to lead with military precision. 1. Have a...Former Lieutenant Colonel Neil Jurd OBE taught leadership at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and led on overseas operations.
tour de france
The thing about Mark Cavendish is that he is different. Not like you or me or anyone you know. He’s had his ups, plenty of them, some downs too but he’s found a way to keep going and to even get better. Not just as a bike rider but as a human being. His 35th win at the Tour de France gave him the outright record for stage victories and even though bunch sprinting is no...The thing about Mark Cavendish is that he is different. Not like you or me or anyone you know.The thing about Mark Cavendish is that he is different. Not like you or me or anyone you know.
euro 2024
Gareth Southgate is considering a change of formation for Saturday’s Euro 2024 quarter-final tie with Switzerland...Gareth Southgate is considering a change of formation for Saturday’s Euro 2024 quarter-final tie with Switzerland after practising with a three-man defence in training. England closed out the tense round-of-16 victory over Slovakia on Sunday by moving to a 3-5-2 system during extra time, having deployed a back four...Gareth Southgate is considering a change of formation for Saturday’s Euro 2024 quarter-final tie with Switzerland after...
euro 2024 | martin samuel
Oh, Austria. So different to England in every way. Quicker, smarter, better organised, more exciting to watch. And...Oh, Austria. So different to England in every way. Quicker, smarter, better organised, more...Oh, Austria. So different to England in every way. Quicker, smarter, better organised, more...
stuart barnes
Jack Rowell called Bath “a family”. A scruffy, argumentative family with our coach, the late, great Rowell very much...Jack Rowell called Bath “a family”. A scruffy, argumentative family with our coach, the late...Jack Rowell called Bath “a family”. A scruffy, argumentative family with our coach, the late...
euro 2024
Mert Gunok’s save for Turkey in the final minute of their round-of-16 win against Austria was one of the moments of Euro 2024, with many hailing it as the save of the tournament and some — Ralf Rangnick, the Austria manager, included — even likening it to Gordon Banks’s wonder stop for England against Brazil in 1970. We asked The Times writers to pick the best save they...Mert Gunok’s save for Turkey in the final minute of their round-of-16 win against Austria was one...Mert Gunok’s save for Turkey in the final minute of their round-of-16 win against Austria was one...
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s plan to deliver success on the pitch at Manchester United will lead to nearly a quarter of the...Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s plan to deliver success on the pitch at Manchester United will lead to nearly a quarter of the club’s workforce being made redundant, staff have been told. United’s 1,150-strong workforce is thought to be the biggest of any club in the world, and it will be cut by 250 employees this summer to...Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s plan to deliver success on the pitch at Manchester United will lead to nearly a quarter of the club’s...
Alex lowe | SCOTT ROBERTSON INTERVIEW
wimbledon
Fifth seed Daniil Medvedev was being pushed so hard by Frenchman Alexandre Müller on Centre Court that he completely...Fifth seed Daniil Medvedev was being pushed so hard by Frenchman Alexandre Müller on Centre Court...Fifth seed Daniil Medvedev was being pushed so hard by Frenchman Alexandre Müller on Centre Court...
STEVE JAMES
A snippet to launch a thousand thoughts. Last week, before play on the third morning of the Worcestershire versus...A snippet to launch a thousand thoughts. Last week, before play on the third morning of the...A snippet to launch a thousand thoughts. Last week, before play on the third morning of the...
Neil Back and Lawrence Dallaglio interview
“The English pack are the stuff of nightmares […] simply giant gargoyles — raw-boned, cauliflower-eared monoliths that intimidated and unsettled. When they ran on to the field, it was like watching a tribe of white orcs on steroids. Forget their hardness — has there ever been an uglier forward pack? Small children who stayed up late to watch this Test will be wetting...“The English pack are the stuff of nightmares […] simply giant gargoyles — raw-boned,...“The English pack are the stuff of nightmares […] simply giant gargoyles — raw-boned,...
Elgan alderman
Was Keith Quinn sent back in time to warn us rugby poetry was about to be recited? “Now they have to chance their arm...Was Keith Quinn sent back in time to warn us rugby poetry was about to be recited? “Now they have to chance their arm here,” the Kiwi said on commentary as Philippe Saint-André gathered Stephen Bachop’s kick inside France’s 22. “The tour record hanging in the balance.” What followed was perfection. Saint-André was...Was Keith Quinn sent back in time to warn us rugby poetry was about to be recited? “Now they have to chance their arm here,”...
GEORGIA STANWAY INTERVIEW
euro 2024 | martin samuel
Jude Bellingham probably does not see himself as a cog in a wheel. Good. He’s not meant to be. Cogs in wheels don’t...Jude Bellingham probably does not see himself as a cog in a wheel. Good. He’s not meant to be.Jude Bellingham probably does not see himself as a cog in a wheel. Good. He’s not meant to be.
tour de france | david walsh
As the leaders in the Tour de France neared the summit of the Col du Galibier on the fourth stage, one question...As the leaders in the Tour de France neared the summit of the Col du Galibier on the fourth stage...As the leaders in the Tour de France neared the summit of the Col du Galibier on the fourth stage...
wimbledon | alyson rudd
wimbledon | stuart fraser
euro 2024 | paul hirst
WIMBLEDON | MaRTIN SAMUEL
With Andy Murray, it was always going to end this way. A sporting reconstruction of the Mel Gibson film, The Passion...With Andy Murray, it was always going to end this way. A sporting reconstruction of the Mel...With Andy Murray, it was always going to end this way. A sporting reconstruction of the Mel...
euro 2024 | james gheerbrant
Something ended in Düsseldorf, at the moment of Belgium’s 1-0 defeat by France. This has been a remarkable era of...Something ended in Düsseldorf, at the moment of Belgium’s 1-0 defeat by France. This has been a...Something ended in Düsseldorf, at the moment of Belgium’s 1-0 defeat by France. This has been a...
UNSEEN GALLERY
Marc Aspland and Bradley Ormesher have been busy this week. Here they share their favourite photographs — from Jude Bellingham’s spectacular goal at Euro 2024 and a day at Royal Ascot to action on the tennis courts from Roehampton, Queen’s Club...Marc Aspland and Bradley Ormesher have been busy this week. Here they share their favourite...Marc Aspland and Bradley Ormesher have been busy this week. Here they share their favourite...
first person
Michael Odell is aiming for a target look that combines Zac Efron, the Rock and Obama
interview
The Hollywood Brat Pack were the original nepo babies. Now one of the stars has made a film about how the characterisation damaged him
SOPHIA MONEY-COUTTS
A new Netflix documentary about a man who fathered 1,000 children? I’m not surprised, says our writer
video
REVIEW
“What is it about Dutch men and their sperm?” I thought while watching The Man with 1000 Kids (Netflix). Last year I reviewed Seeds of Deceit, a documentary about the Dutch fertility doctor Jan Karbaat, who secretly and disgustingly used his...“What is it about Dutch men and their sperm?” I thought while watching The Man with 1000 Kids...“What is it about Dutch men and their sperm?” I thought while watching The Man with 1000 Kids...
What I’ve learnt
A LIFE IN THE DAY
First Person
The day after the National Rally’s historic gains in the European elections in France last month our 60-year-old neighbour, the local femme de la nuit, leant out of the window of her apartment in a suitably professional state of undress and hollered La Marseillaise at my husband and me as we headed off on a postprandial stroll. I can’t say for certain that the...The day after the National Rally’s historic gains in the European elections in France last month...The day after the National Rally’s historic gains in the European elections in France last month...
WILL LYONS
No summer table is complete without some sort of salad. Usually this is a tricky pairing for wine lovers, as lively...No summer table is complete without some sort of salad. Usually this is a tricky pairing for wine lovers, as lively dressings made with vinegar and lemon juice can destroy a wine, making it feel flabby and taste bitter. The golden rule is that those high in acidity are your friends here. For a simple green salad I’d...No summer table is complete without some sort of salad. Usually this is a tricky pairing for wine lovers, as lively dressings...
Compared with the travails women face, as with most things in life men have such an easy ride when it comes to shorts.Compared with the travails women face, as with most things in life men have such an easy ride...Compared with the travails women face, as with most things in life men have such an easy ride...
REVIEW
‘Hey Barbie!” “Hey Barbie!” “Hey Barbie!” Going round Barbie: The Exhibition at the Design Museum, I found myself...‘Hey Barbie!” “Hey Barbie!” “Hey Barbie!” Going round Barbie: The Exhibition at the Design Museum...‘Hey Barbie!” “Hey Barbie!” “Hey Barbie!” Going round Barbie: The Exhibition at the Design Museum...
interview
Annea Lockwood vividly remembers the first time she burnt a piano. It was in 1968, on the banks of the Thames. She placed a couple of old microphones inside an irreparable upright, fed out an asbestos-wrapped cable to a portable tape recorder, soaked newspaper in lighter fluid and set it alight. The fire slowly moved through the piano. “Which it does gradually and...Annea Lockwood vividly remembers the first time she burnt a piano. It was in 1968, on the banks...Annea Lockwood vividly remembers the first time she burnt a piano. It was in 1968, on the banks...
first person
Culture war? What culture war? While the Garrick’s illustrious membership was, until the election of Dame Judi Dench...Culture war? What culture war? While the Garrick’s illustrious membership was, until the election of Dame Judi Dench and Siân Phillips on Monday, an all-male affair, women have been welcomed into the club as guests for more than 20 years — it’s just that now they will be welcomed as members too. They have always...Culture war? What culture war? While the Garrick’s illustrious membership was, until the election of Dame Judi Dench and Siân...
first night REVIEW
Viewing GUide
For full TV listings for the week, see our comprehensive TV guide Battle of the Bagpipes
Sky Arts/Now, 9pm
With Euro 2024 and Wimbledon taking up large chunks of prime time this week there are slim pickings in terms of new series to watch...For full TV listings for the week, see our comprehensive TV guide Battle of the Bagpipes
...For full TV listings for the week, see our comprehensive TV guide Battle of the Bagpipes
...
MindGames
1 A casus belli is an act that provokes which state of armed conflict? 2 Which artist’s sound work Telephone Piece (1964) features the words: “Hello, this is Yoko”? 3 Marie Rose sauce is made from a base of ketchup and which white sauce? 4 Which 1933 Disney cartoon features the song Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? 5 Which drummer married the Liverpool...1 A casus belli is an act that provokes which state of armed conflict? 2 Which artist’s sound...1 A casus belli is an act that provokes which state of armed conflict? 2 Which artist’s sound...
The best ones come from Japan and can be costly. Tony Turnbull spends an hour in Soho with a knife concierge in search of a slice of perfection
Nick Vinson selects the most desirable models with curves in all the right places. Photography by Beppe Brancato
It’s not just the Gustavo Dudamel effect — LA has a long history of pioneering classical music making
The tennis star known for her prowess on court could just as easily have been a motocross racer
Beautifully made and able to transport anything from caviar to violins — it’s no wonder that vintage LV luggage remains a status symbol
video
Mountain walking isn’t just for hardened explorers, as our writer discovers on this spectacular new getaway designed for softies — with a spa at the end of every walk
video
A luxurious stay with a bird’s eye view of the forest proves there’s more to the Loire Valley than châteaux and fine wines
Cruise for less by opting for an inside stateroom on one of these ships. You’ll have access to all the same facilities, and more cash to splash on extras
The warmer weather is finally here and sunnier days are on the horizon. Here are the top spots that will make a splash, whatever the forecast
video
A new, direct flight is your ticket to tiny Torshavn and its enchanting landscapes of heart-stopping fjords, cinematic waterfalls and fortress-like islands
Kathy Lette | Travel Troubleshooter
Q. On a recent flight to Greece with a budget airline my boyfriend and I were assigned seats at opposite ends of...Q. On a recent flight to Greece with a budget airline my boyfriend and I were assigned seats...Q. On a recent flight to Greece with a budget airline my boyfriend and I were assigned seats...
When I tell people how much I used to smoke, I am often met with wonder, or horror, or both. I’d light up first thing...When I tell people how much I used to smoke, I am often met with wonder, or horror, or both. I’d...When I tell people how much I used to smoke, I am often met with wonder, or horror, or both. I’d...
video
The Cotswolds is a lot bigger than most think. It’s spread over five counties — Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire and Worcestershire — and provides visitors with countless golden villages and sprawling estates to explore. The...The Cotswolds is a lot bigger than most think. It’s spread over five counties — Oxfordshire...The Cotswolds is a lot bigger than most think. It’s spread over five counties — Oxfordshire...
video
The Times has been publishing life stories of the great and the good (and the not so good) for more than 170 years. Now the obituary is also becoming a podcast, explains Anna Temkin
court circular
Palace of Holyroodhouse
2nd July, 2024
The King this morning was received in the garden of the Palace of...Palace of Holyroodhouse
2nd July, 2024
The King this morning was received in the garden of...Palace of Holyroodhouse
2nd July, 2024
The King this morning was received in the garden of...
Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was...Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind...Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind...
MindGames and Brain Boost puzzles to print and solve at your leisure
Voting for the SNP risks allowing the Conservatives to win the general election, Sir Keir Starmer has claimed, despite opinion polls projecting he will become prime minister with a large majority. The Labour leader refused to back the SNP in Scottish seats where it is a straight battle between...Voting for the SNP risks allowing the Conservatives to win the general election, Sir Keir Starmer has claimed, despite opinion polls projecting he will become prime minister with a large majority. The Labour leader refused to back the SNP in Scottish seats where it is a straight battle between...Voting for the SNP risks allowing the Conservatives to win the general election, Sir Keir Starmer has claimed, despite opinion...
An SNP MSP has been accused of adding confusion to the postal vote chaos after incorrectly telling the public to hand in their ballots as they “may not arrive in time to be counted” for the general election on Thursday. Jackie Dunbar suggested, in a now-deleted post on Twitter/X, that ballots returned by post on Tuesday or Wednesday may not...An SNP MSP has been accused of adding confusion to the postal vote chaos after incorrectly telling the public to hand in their ballots as they “may not arrive in time to be counted” for the general election on Thursday. Jackie Dunbar suggested, in a now-deleted post on Twitter/X, that ballots returned by post on Tuesday or Wednesday may not...An SNP MSP has been accused of adding confusion to the postal vote chaos after incorrectly telling the public to hand in their...
alex massie | Comment
This has been an election for rubber-necking. Several times a week a new opinion poll is released suggesting that the election result is going to be even worse for the Conservatives than you thought it was. Rishi Sunak and his crew are going to receive everything they deserve and then some. In the circumstances, of...This has been an election for rubber-necking. Several times a week a new opinion poll is released...This has been an election for rubber-necking. Several times a week a new opinion poll is released...
interview
Anas Sarwar is a changed man. Bruised and humiliated when the SNP crushed Scottish Labour in 2015, wounded by his failed attempt to head the party in 2017, he now stands on the cusp of election triumph. And with that comes the unmistakable whiff...Anas Sarwar is a changed man. Bruised and humiliated when the SNP crushed Scottish Labour in 2015...Anas Sarwar is a changed man. Bruised and humiliated when the SNP crushed Scottish Labour in 2015...
Scottish business digest
Hello and welcome to our daily digest of business, financial and economic news from around Scotland. 1. An Aberdeen...Hello and welcome to our daily digest of business, financial and economic news from around Scotland.Hello and welcome to our daily digest of business, financial and economic news from around Scotland.
Q&A
Fran Healy, the frontman of the band Travis, grew up in Possilpark, Glasgow. He now lives in Los Angeles. What’s your...Fran Healy, the frontman of the band Travis, grew up in Possilpark, Glasgow. He now lives in Los...Fran Healy, the frontman of the band Travis, grew up in Possilpark, Glasgow. He now lives in Los...
The King has installed the Queen and his younger brother the Duke of Edinburgh into the highest order of Scottish chivalry. Appointments to the historic Order of the Thistle are the personal gift of the King and are not made on the advice of...The King has installed the Queen and his younger brother the Duke of Edinburgh into the highest...The King has installed the Queen and his younger brother the Duke of Edinburgh into the highest...
As many as ten players will make their Scotland debuts in the first match of the summer tour against Canada in Ottawa on Saturday. The backs Gus Warr, Matt Currie and Arron Reed have all been named to start in the TD Place clash alongside the back-five duo of Max Williamson and Gregor Brown, while the front-row trio Nathan McBeth, Robbie Smith and Will Hurd will also be...As many as ten players will make their Scotland debuts in the first match of the summer tour...As many as ten players will make their Scotland debuts in the first match of the summer tour...
Celtic have made a move to sign Adam Idah as their first transfer deal of the summer. Idah was a hit on loan from...Celtic have made a move to sign Adam Idah as their first transfer deal of the summer. Idah was a hit on loan from Norwich City across the second half of last season and manager Brendan Rodgers wants to take him back to the Premiership champions and Scottish Cup holders on a permanent basis. The 23-year-old Republic...Celtic have made a move to sign Adam Idah as their first transfer deal of the summer. Idah was a hit on loan from Norwich City...
Kenny Farquharson
One of Glasgow’s flashiest attractions on the south side of the Clyde at Pacific Quay, built with millennium dosh. It’s an impressive, titanium-clad mall committed to educate and entertain, with an Imax cinema and planetarium (both £3.50pp) plus...One of Glasgow’s flashiest attractions on the south side of the Clyde at Pacific Quay, built with...One of Glasgow’s flashiest attractions on the south side of the Clyde at Pacific Quay, built with...
Comment
Now we see Biden’s apologists for what they are
Bari Weiss
The debate was not just a catastrophe for the president, but for an entire class of experts, journalists and pundits who have insisted he is on top of his game
ROGER BOYES
Jihad is back and has plenty of willing recruits
ALICE THOMSON
Don’t replace the culture war with class war
MATTHEW PARRIS | NOTEBOOK
Tale of train driver’s fatal bravery fills me with awe
James MacMillan
Traditional Latin Mass is a jewel that must be treasured
Leading Articles
Leap in the Dark
Labour is on course for a remarkable landslide victory in the general election. But the party’s secrecy about its intentions bequeaths a lingering sense of unease
Sunak’s Fortunes
Though the prime minister has made missteps, he has striven to restore his party’s reputation for competence and probity after the disasters of his predecessors
Disenfranchised Voters
Delays preventing thousands from posting their ballots are a scandal in the making
letters to the editor
Green growth and building on the green belt
Sir, Have we become so divorced from the natural environment that many people, including politicians, don’t see the need to make preserving it a priority (“Green issues polarise public, though many don’t care at all”, news, Jul 1)? You report...Sir, Have we become so divorced from the natural environment that many people, including...Sir, Have we become so divorced from the natural environment that many people, including...
Daily Universal Register
Briefing
UK: Final day of campaigning for the general election; more than 1,400 JobCentre security guards employed by G4S who are members of the GMB union strike in a dispute over pay; King Charles, accompanied by the Duke of Rothesay (Prince William) and the Duchess of Edinburgh, attends service at St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh, for the installation of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh to the Order of The Thistle; Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition, Carlton House Terrace, London SW1; National Film Awards UK take place in London (6.30pm); Methodist Church annual conference in Leeds (to August 3).
On this day
In 1806 the first large-fruited market-quality strawberry was exhibited, by Michael Keens, to the Royal Horticultural Society. Most modern varieties are related to his later Keen’s Seedling strain; in 1928, in London, John Logie Baird demonstrated the first colour television transmission, with a basket of strawberries used as the test subject; in 1938 Joan Noele Gordon, aged 18, became the first woman to be seen on TV sets when she took part in John Logie Baird’s first motion colour transmission. She would go on to play Meg Mortimer in the long-running soap opera Crossroads (1964-81, 1983). Gordon died on April 14, 1985, aged 65; in 1969 Brian Jones, the 27-year-old original leader of the Rolling Stones, died, three weeks after being fired from the group. He was pulled, unconscious, out of the swimming pool at his home in Hartfield, East Sussex; in 1996 the prime minister John Major announced that the Stone of Scone (Stone of Destiny), ancient symbol of Scottish kings, would be removed from Westminster Abbey to Scotland after 700 years.
Nature notes
Among their many accomplishments, ants are skilful teachers. Rock ants (Temnothorax albipennis), a scarce British species of coastal cliffs and screes, have developed a technique known as tandem running. When one ant locates a food source, it teaches another how to find it, not only by leading it there, but by stopping frequently to make sure that its “pupil” has fully assimilated the way. The “teacher” will only continue when it can feel the other’s antennae tapping its legs and abdomen. This feedback signal shows that the “pupil” has understood and will be able to do the journey again by itself. The two-way nature of tandem running makes the process an act of teaching rather than mere instruction. Jonathan Tulloch
Jonathan Tulloch
Birthdays today
Julie Burchill, pictured, writer, Not In My Name (2008), 65; Julian Assange, WikiLeaks founder (2006), 53; Sir Adrian Bird, Buchanan professor of genetics, University of Edinburgh, 77; Baroness (Katy) Clark of Kilwinning, Scottish Labour MSP for West Scotland, 57; Vince Clarke, musician and songwriter, Erasure, A Little Respect (1988), 64; Tom Cruise, actor, the Mission Impossible film series, 62; Axel Dumas, executive chairman, Hermès, 54; Dame Tracey Emin, artist, 61; Brigitte Fassbaender, mezzo-soprano, 85; Martin Griffiths, diplomat, under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief co-ordinator, United Nations (2021-Jun 2024), 73; Sir Richard Hadlee, cricketer, New Zealand (1973-90), 73; Joanne Harris, novelist, Chocolat (1999), 60; Charlie Higson, actor, The Fast Show (1994-2014), and author, the Enemy book series, 66; Jenny Jones, snowboarder, the first Briton to win an Olympic medal for a snow event (2014), 44; Kirsty Lang, journalist and broadcaster, 62; Siân Lloyd, TV presenter, the UK’s longest-serving female weather forecaster (1990-2014), 66; Shane Lynch, singer-songwriter, Boyzone, 48; Audra McDonald, actress, The Good Fight (2018-22), and singer, winner of six Tony awards, 54; Iain MacDonald-Smith, yachtsman, Olympic gold medallist (1968), 79; Rohinton Mistry, novelist, The Scream (2008), 72; Susan Penhaligon, actress, Bouquet of Barbed Wire (1976), 75; Guy Perricone, chairman, Northern Ballet, Royal Academy of Dance (2015-23), 62; Stephen Pound, Labour MP for Ealing North (1997-2019), shadow Northern Ireland minister (2010-19), 76; Dame Gail Ronson, president, Royal National Institute of Blind People, and philanthropist, 78; Harrison Schmitt, scientist-astronaut, the 12th and most recent living person to set foot on the moon (Apollo 17, 1972), 89; Sir Tom Stoppard OM, playwright and writer of screenplays, Anna Karenina (2012), 87.