Labour leader on the economy, public services and winning the election
newSir Keir Starmer’s son recently celebrated finishing his GCSEs. “I came back and he had put all his exam books in the bin and all his school uniform in the bin,” Starmer recalls with a laugh. As Starmer prepares to enter Downing Street on Friday — now an inevitability if the polls are correct — his biggest concern is the impact that it will have on his children. His son...Sir Keir Starmer’s son recently celebrated finishing his GCSEs. “I came back and he had put all...Sir Keir Starmer’s son recently celebrated finishing his GCSEs. “I came back and he had put all...
If the polls are to be believed, in six days Sir Keir Starmer will walk through the door of No 10 as Labour’s first...If the polls are to be believed, in six days Sir Keir Starmer will walk through the door of No 10 as Labour’s first prime minister in 14 years. Although there has been no talk of it on the campaign trail, behind the scenes detailed plans are in place for the party’s first days, weeks and months in power. Starmer...If the polls are to be believed, in six days Sir Keir Starmer will walk through the door of No 10 as Labour’s first prime...
POLITICAL SKETCH
Dr Mark Porter
A new vaccine is to be added to the UK immunisation programme. From September pregnant women and the over-75s will be...A new vaccine is to be added to the UK immunisation programme. From September pregnant women and...A new vaccine is to be added to the UK immunisation programme. From September pregnant women and...
steve james
Umpires generally know best. These days they wear cameras that collect data, but much of that is merely confirming...Umpires generally know best. These days they wear cameras that collect data, but much of that is...Umpires generally know best. These days they wear cameras that collect data, but much of that is...
in depth | series
Great Yarmouth, the faded Norfolk resort, is a three-way marginal where the candidates compete to lift the locals after years of neglect
Do the Tory and Labour pledges reflect our key recommendations?
Seven former disciples of a Hindu guru are suing for £8 million over claims that he posed as “God on earth” while...Seven former disciples of a Hindu guru are suing for £8 million over claims that he posed as “God...Seven former disciples of a Hindu guru are suing for £8 million over claims that he posed as “God...
video
Three army horses bolted through central London on Monday morning, nine weeks after a similar incident when five...Three army horses bolted through central London on Monday morning, nine weeks after a similar...Three army horses bolted through central London on Monday morning, nine weeks after a similar...
Donald Trump celebrated a “big win” after the US Supreme Court ruled that former presidents have criminal immunity for some actions while in the White House. The nation’s top court ruled that, for the first time in US history, presidents enjoy absolute immunity for core actions and presumed...Donald Trump celebrated a “big win” after the US Supreme Court ruled that former presidents have criminal immunity for some actions while in the White House. The nation’s top court ruled that, for the first time in US history, presidents enjoy absolute immunity for core actions and presumed...Donald Trump celebrated a “big win” after the US Supreme Court ruled that former presidents have criminal immunity for some...
The sun was out, the cafés and parks were full, while everywhere in central Kharkiv there were signs of life, blossoming. A newly married couple posed for photographs, the bride bashful in a white dress. Students celebrated their graduation, giddy with the endless possibilities that stretched before them. The frequent air raid warnings and...The sun was out, the cafés and parks were full, while everywhere in central Kharkiv there were signs of life, blossoming. A newly married couple posed for photographs, the bride bashful in a white dress. Students celebrated their graduation, giddy with the endless possibilities that stretched before them. The frequent air raid warnings and...The sun was out, the cafés and parks were full, while everywhere in central Kharkiv there were signs of life, blossoming. A...
ANALYSIS
For decades, mainstream political parties from right and left have joined forces in the second round of French elections to prevent the National Rally from winning power. Democrats traditionally united in a “republican front” to keep the populists at bay. But now that President Macron’s snap election gamble has...For decades, mainstream political parties from right and left have joined forces in the second...For decades, mainstream political parties from right and left have joined forces in the second...
Kanye West is a man who you might say has been on a political journey. Once a vocal supporter of gay rights and a donor to Barack Obama’s election campaign, the American rapper has in recent years espoused support for the death penalty and...Kanye West is a man who you might say has been on a political journey. Once a vocal supporter of...Kanye West is a man who you might say has been on a political journey. Once a vocal supporter of...
A pocket watch that was once a treasured possession of Theodore Roosevelt and was stolen from a museum nearly 40...A pocket watch that was once a treasured possession of Theodore Roosevelt and was stolen from a...A pocket watch that was once a treasured possession of Theodore Roosevelt and was stolen from a...
OJ Simpson was featured during the “in memoriam” segment at an awards ceremony on Sunday night, prompting an...OJ Simpson was featured during the “in memoriam” segment at an awards ceremony on Sunday night...OJ Simpson was featured during the “in memoriam” segment at an awards ceremony on Sunday night...
At the end of the 18th century William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, both romantic literary upstarts in their twenties, travelled to Hamburg and met the luminary Coleridge revered as the “father of German poetry”. It was not a success.At the end of the 18th century William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, both romantic...At the end of the 18th century William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, both romantic...
PHOTOGRAPHY
My new book This Train,, published by Mack, looks back to my time on the road, travelling with my son Casper, and the trains I photographed because of his love for them. I had always made work on the road, so when Casper was born in 2004, I...My new book This Train,, published by Mack, looks back to my time on the road, travelling with...My new book This Train,, published by Mack, looks back to my time on the road, travelling with...
Aircraft maker is buying the supplier it spun off in 2005 as it acts to end its safety problems and shore up its production line
Boeing has agreed to buy Spirit AeroSystems in a $4.7 billion all-share deal as it attempts to move on from a production crisis. Spirit, which Boeing spun off in 2005, made the door plug that blew out in mid-flight on an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 jet on January 5, exposing safety and quality...Boeing has agreed to buy Spirit AeroSystems in a $4.7 billion all-share deal as it attempts to move on from a production crisis. Spirit, which Boeing spun off in 2005, made the door plug that blew out in mid-flight on an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 jet on January 5, exposing safety and quality...Boeing has agreed to buy Spirit AeroSystems in a $4.7 billion all-share deal as it attempts to move on from a production crisis.
A West Yorkshire-based stairlifts company has paid its founder a £48.4 million dividend, bringing total payouts to more than £250 million over the past ten years. Acorn Mobility Services, which is based at a business park near Bradford, was founded by John Jakes 32 years ago. It has benefited from a rise in sales both in Britain and...A West Yorkshire-based stairlifts company has paid its founder a £48.4 million dividend, bringing total payouts to more than £250 million over the past ten years. Acorn Mobility Services, which is based at a business park near Bradford, was founded by John Jakes 32 years ago. It has benefited from a rise in sales both in Britain and...A West Yorkshire-based stairlifts company has paid its founder a £48.4 million dividend, bringing total payouts to more than...
analysis
Boeing’s swoop on Spirit AeroSystems places a question mark over the future of one of Belfast’s most important employers, a high-tech manufacturing plant that governments have been eager to support financially in the knowledge that such good-quality jobs help to underpin the Northern Ireland peace process. Spirit...Boeing’s swoop on Spirit AeroSystems places a question mark over the future of one of Belfast’s...Boeing’s swoop on Spirit AeroSystems places a question mark over the future of one of Belfast’s...
Randox plunged from Covid-era annual profits of £190 million to a loss of £40 million in 2023. The Northern Ireland-based health diagnostics firm, which sponsors the Grand National, said the losses had been expected as it had needed to restructure...Randox plunged from Covid-era annual profits of £190 million to a loss of £40 million in 2023.Randox plunged from Covid-era annual profits of £190 million to a loss of £40 million in 2023.
Simon French | comment
Sustainable and ethical investing is back in the headlines. After a period during which a European energy crisis and...Sustainable and ethical investing is back in the headlines. After a period during which a...Sustainable and ethical investing is back in the headlines. After a period during which a...
David Aikman and Richard Barwell | comment
Clare Lombardelli takes up her role today as the new deputy governor for monetary policy at the Bank of England and...Clare Lombardelli takes up her role today as the new deputy governor for monetary policy at the...Clare Lombardelli takes up her role today as the new deputy governor for monetary policy at the...
English wine is an industry in ferment. Investment in new and existing vineyards is accelerating, businesses have started changing hands, high-net-worth individuals are sitting on big stakes and its sparkling wines are being exported worldwide.English wine is an industry in ferment. Investment in new and existing vineyards is accelerating...English wine is an industry in ferment. Investment in new and existing vineyards is accelerating...
Julian Richer | comment
HOW I MADE IT
FT Pipeline Systems, a business launched in 1982 by Second World War veterans, supplies parts to repair Britain’s broken water and sewerage systems
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.
Euro 2024
Jude Bellingham is to be investigated for a “potential violation of the basic rules of decent conduct” after he made a seemingly lewd gesture following his dramatic equaliser in England’s round-of-16 win over Slovakia at Euro 2024. In a statement on Monday Uefa said it had launched a disciplinary...Jude Bellingham is to be investigated for a “potential violation of the basic rules of decent conduct” after he made a seemingly lewd gesture following his dramatic equaliser in England’s round-of-16 win over Slovakia at Euro 2024. In a statement on Monday Uefa said it had launched a disciplinary...Jude Bellingham is to be investigated for a “potential violation of the basic rules of decent conduct” after he made a...
euro 2024 | PAUL HIRST
Twenty minutes of normal time remained in Gelsenkirchen and Luke Shaw rushed off the left touchline and pinged the ball towards the Slovakia goal from ten yards out. It is a manoeuvre he has made countless times during his career, including in the final of the previous European Championship, when he put England ahead early on against Italy.Twenty minutes of normal time remained in Gelsenkirchen and Luke Shaw rushed off the left touchline and pinged the ball towards the Slovakia goal from ten yards out. It is a manoeuvre he has made countless times during his career, including in the final of the previous European Championship, when he put England ahead early on against Italy.Twenty minutes of normal time remained in Gelsenkirchen and Luke Shaw rushed off the left touchline and pinged the ball towards...
wimbledon
In spite of the jibes about her upside-down, back-to-front career, Emma Raducanu is still beloved by the Wimbledon crowd. This was not an easy watch, but those courtside did not let it show if they were jittery or occasionally dismayed, and played their part in encouraging the former US Open champion to a...In spite of the jibes about her upside-down, back-to-front career, Emma Raducanu is still beloved...In spite of the jibes about her upside-down, back-to-front career, Emma Raducanu is still beloved...
euro 2024 | james gheerbrant
steve james
Umpires generally know best. These days they wear cameras that collect data, but much of that is merely confirming...Umpires generally know best. These days they wear cameras that collect data, but much of that is...Umpires generally know best. These days they wear cameras that collect data, but much of that is...
molly hudson
Of all the wisdom Jos Verstappen imparted on his young son as they drove around Europe to take part in karting...Of all the wisdom Jos Verstappen imparted on his young son as they drove around Europe to take...Of all the wisdom Jos Verstappen imparted on his young son as they drove around Europe to take...
Wimbledon
The night before Carlos Alcaraz opened play on Centre Court as the reigning champion, he could be found just up the hill from the All England Club on the fairways of Royal Wimbledon Golf Club. With a few butterflies in the stomach before his first match here, his way of diverting his mind away from tennis was to take some swings of a different sort. “It never goes...The night before Carlos Alcaraz opened play on Centre Court as the reigning champion, he could be...The night before Carlos Alcaraz opened play on Centre Court as the reigning champion, he could be...
WIMBLEDON
Andy Murray’s decision on a final appearance in the singles draw at Wimbledon will come down to the wire after...Andy Murray’s decision on a final appearance in the singles draw at Wimbledon will come down to the wire after tournament organisers granted him as late a start as possible on Tuesday. The 37-year-old British veteran had still not made his mind up on Monday as to whether he will step on Centre Court for a...Andy Murray’s decision on a final appearance in the singles draw at Wimbledon will come down to the wire after tournament...
matt lawton
Our party arrives in Kyiv on a train they call “The Bravery Express” but pulling into the station on an adjacent platform are the real men of courage. It is the medical train that transports Ukraine’s fallen heroes back from the front line, and it is met by a convoy of more than 20 ambulances for the wounded as well as an unmarked truck for the bodies of those who have...Our party arrives in Kyiv on a train they call “The Bravery Express” but pulling into the station...Our party arrives in Kyiv on a train they call “The Bravery Express” but pulling into the station...
New Zealand and South Africa plan to revive traditional long-form tours from 2026 in a bid to match the commercial...New Zealand and South Africa plan to revive traditional long-form tours from 2026 in a bid to match the commercial might of British & Irish Lions series. The pair consider theirs to be the pre-eminent rivalry in the sport and financial projections have shown that it could raise broadcast, ticket and sponsorship...New Zealand and South Africa plan to revive traditional long-form tours from 2026 in a bid to match the commercial might of...
carl lewis interview | Rick Broadbent
euro 2024 | martin samuel
Some may think they did it despite him. Some may imagine they did it for him. A precious few may even believe they...Some may think they did it despite him. Some may imagine they did it for him. A precious few may...Some may think they did it despite him. Some may imagine they did it for him. A precious few may...
THE Ruck podcast special
For the first time in ten years, England are preparing to face the All Blacks in New Zealand, with the first of Two...For the first time in ten years, England are preparing to face the All Blacks in New Zealand...For the first time in ten years, England are preparing to face the All Blacks in New Zealand...
Will Kelleher
It is a beautiful winter’s day in Barrett country, just off New Zealand’s State Highway 3 that bends around the west of the North Island. Twelve degrees centigrade, a cloudless blue sky and, in the near distance, the dormant volcano that lends the...It is a beautiful winter’s day in Barrett country, just off New Zealand’s State Highway 3 that...It is a beautiful winter’s day in Barrett country, just off New Zealand’s State Highway 3 that...
euro 2024 | ian hawkey
wimbledon | jannik sinner interview
Stuart Barnes
International rugby needs players like Marcus Smith. So says Scott Robertson, who takes charge of the All Blacks for...International rugby needs players like Marcus Smith. So says Scott Robertson, who takes charge of...International rugby needs players like Marcus Smith. So says Scott Robertson, who takes charge of...
BILL EDGAR | EUROS IN NUMBERS
England’s 2-1 win over Slovakia was their first match since the 1966 World Cup final in which they have scored twice...England’s 2-1 win over Slovakia was their first match since the 1966 World Cup final in which...England’s 2-1 win over Slovakia was their first match since the 1966 World Cup final in which...
euro 2024 | match report
England 2 Slovakia 1 (after extra time; 1-1 at 90min)
It was all in the plan. Bukayo Saka at left back. Only one in midfield. On with big Ivan Toney and long throws launched into Slovakia’s box. And the real bit of genius was not to put a shot on target for the first 95 minutes. One-nil Slovakia with only seconds to go? No worries. Keep calm and carry on, England. It was in this state, after some bits of football so...It was all in the plan. Bukayo Saka at left back. Only one in midfield. On with big Ivan Toney...It was all in the plan. Bukayo Saka at left back. Only one in midfield. On with big Ivan Toney...
Euro 2024
Jude Bellingham savoured his stunning bicycle kick which saved England’s Euro 2024 bid and said he had thrown some of...Jude Bellingham savoured his stunning bicycle kick which saved England’s Euro 2024 bid and said he had thrown some of the “rubbish” aimed at him and his team-mates back in the faces of their doubters. The midfielder showcased his happy knack of shining on the grandest of occasions with an equalising goal to peg back...Jude Bellingham savoured his stunning bicycle kick which saved England’s Euro 2024 bid and said he had thrown some of the...
Here’s what we’ll remember about this year’s festival
first person
After a slight issue with her vision while jogging turned out to be cancer, Tessa Parry-Wingfield found herself on a journey that was by turns terrifying and darkly humorous
interview
The Great British Menu champion tells Tony Turnbull how he overcame Lyme disease
She’s no-nonsense and fun. She won’t want the flummery of being a princess, says Hilary Rose
Dr Mark Porter
Doctors have welcomed the respiratory syncytial virus vaccine, which will be offered to pregnant women and the over-75s from September
Sarah Jossel
Big news today. I’ve joined the NBA! No, no, not basketball. I’m an official member of Nail Biters Anonymous. Yes, my name is Sarah Jossel … and I am a nail biter. Don’t get me wrong, I have good phases when I think I’ve finally stopped vandalising my nails and sabotaging my cuticles. But as soon as I’m run-down or stressed or on deadline, it’s chomp, chomp, chomp. Pick...Big news today. I’ve joined the NBA! No, no, not basketball. I’m an official member of Nail...Big news today. I’ve joined the NBA! No, no, not basketball. I’m an official member of Nail...
Phoebe Gates and Arthur Donald’s “Instagram official” status might come as a bit of a red flag to 25-year-old...Phoebe Gates and Arthur Donald’s “Instagram official” status might come as a bit of a red flag to 25-year-old Donald’s mum, the photographer Mary McCartney, who has previously said that she advised her children not to be on social media. But Gates, whose father is the Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, has confirmed...Phoebe Gates and Arthur Donald’s “Instagram official” status might come as a bit of a red flag to 25-year-old Donald’s mum, the...
Ask the experts
I have recently left the military after about 26 years and will soon get my military pension. I think it will be...I have recently left the military after about 26 years and will soon get my military pension. I...I have recently left the military after about 26 years and will soon get my military pension. I...
MindGames
1 Which birds are known as the guardians of the Tower of London? 2 The clone Dolly the sheep was named after which...1 Which birds are known as the guardians of the Tower of London? 2 The clone Dolly the sheep was...1 Which birds are known as the guardians of the Tower of London? 2 The clone Dolly the sheep was...
FIRST NIGHT REVIEW
Verdi’s second opera, usually translated as “King for a Day”, itself lasted only a day when first staged in 1840 at La Scala, Milan. This very high-profile flop nearly persuaded the young composer to give up altogether. He didn’t, but he also didn’t attempt to write another comedy for 50 years. Un giorno di regno hasn’t been revived much since. But rarity value is not...Verdi’s second opera, usually translated as “King for a Day”, itself lasted only a day when first...Verdi’s second opera, usually translated as “King for a Day”, itself lasted only a day when first...
FIRST NIGHT REVIEW
It’s not every day that an orchestra must perform for an hour and a half, faces obscured either by masks or burglar’s...It’s not every day that an orchestra must perform for an hour and a half, faces obscured either by masks or burglar’s war paint, dressed in what seemed to be items from the fire sale of a bankrupt Norwegian gents’ outfitters, with a bit of tartan madness thrown in. Playing from memory, the superb Norwegian Chamber...It’s not every day that an orchestra must perform for an hour and a half, faces obscured either by masks or burglar’s war paint...
GLASTONBURY REVIEW
FIRST NIGHT REVIEW
FIRST NIGHT REVIEW
Viewing GUide
excLusIve INTERVIEW BY Matthew SYED
Fans worried the golden age of men’s tennis was over. Then along came the 21-year-old Spanish superstar — who’s looking for a girlfriend
The 12th-century Beeleigh Abbey has been lovingly restored over decades, but is being sold following the death of Christopher Foyle
INTERVIEW
From the Mitfords to Alexander McQueen and now making music: the brewery heiress’s world is anything but ordinary. Vassi Chamberlain pops round for a cup of tea
INTERVIEW
The menopause hit the presenter hard. She tells Claire Cohen about what she wish she’d known beforehand, the wonder of HRT, her husband Kenny’s cancer diagnosis — and their sex life
From golden belt buckles to red Roman socks, Stephen Fry, Mary Beard and Dominic Sandbrook make their pick
Beautifully made and able to transport anything from caviar to violins — it’s no wonder that vintage LV luggage remains a status symbol
The tennis star known for her prowess on court could just as easily have been a motocross racer
motoring
What can seat seven adults in luxury, yet rocket from 0-60 in under five seconds? David Green climbs aboard the BMW X7
Madeleine Silver is a guest of the Countess de Limburg, in her grand 500-acre Spanish family home
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
Hostels aren’t just for backpackers — they can also be perfect for parents. So is a week-long sprint in Europe with a family of five for under £1500 really possible?
A week on Cape Verde’s uncrowded beaches will cost you under £900 — and that’s during peak season
Deal’s chic, colourful pier is great for a family getaway, especially this cottage complete with its own ship’s mast, palm tree and sunshine-inspired colour scheme
Kathy Lette | Travel Troubleshooter
Kathy Lette on what it means when your partner opts for a solo upgrade and how to navigate the first holiday as a stepmum
WHERE WAS I? COMPETITION
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
WHOEVER dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91.1 (NIV) Bible verses...WHOEVER dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm...WHOEVER dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm...
law report
Supreme Court
Published on July 1, 2024
Sharp Corporation Ltd v Viterra BV (previously known as Glencore...Supreme Court
Published on July 1, 2024
Sharp Corporation Ltd v Viterra BV (previously known...Supreme Court
Published on July 1, 2024
Sharp Corporation Ltd v Viterra BV (previously known...
MindGames and Brain Boost puzzles to print and solve at your leisure
The Scottish Conservative chairman has insisted that the “vast majority” of MSPs are satisfied with the party’s troubled general election campaign. Craig Hoy attempted to quell a building civil war, which has broken into the open days before voters go to the ballot box. Polls have shown support...The Scottish Conservative chairman has insisted that the “vast majority” of MSPs are satisfied with the party’s troubled general election campaign. Craig Hoy attempted to quell a building civil war, which has broken into the open days before voters go to the ballot box. Polls have shown support...The Scottish Conservative chairman has insisted that the “vast majority” of MSPs are satisfied with the party’s troubled...
She is, Anas Sarwar says, his party’s “secret weapon”. The Scottish Labour leader is talking about a young woman called Cathleen Murray who follows him wherever he goes on the campaign trail, her camera always at the ready. The 27-year-old’s job is to upload videos of the MSP on to the web. And she does this fast. Within half an hour of her...She is, Anas Sarwar says, his party’s “secret weapon”. The Scottish Labour leader is talking about a young woman called Cathleen Murray who follows him wherever he goes on the campaign trail, her camera always at the ready. The 27-year-old’s job is to upload videos of the MSP on to the web. And she does this fast. Within half an hour of her...She is, Anas Sarwar says, his party’s “secret weapon”. The Scottish Labour leader is talking about a young woman called...
Magnus Linklater
No one watching the presidential horror show in Atlanta, Georgia last week can doubt the importance of leadership. Neither the incoherence of Joe Biden nor the rambling dishonesty of Donald Trump during their TV debate came anywhere close to offering the vision or the direction that most voters wanted. Instead it...No one watching the presidential horror show in Atlanta, Georgia last week can doubt the...No one watching the presidential horror show in Atlanta, Georgia last week can doubt the...
Iain macwhirter
One of the country’s leading political experts has predicted that voter turnout may suffer next week owing to expectations of a large Labour victory and a diminishing trust in politics. With postal voting well under way, James Mitchell, professor of public policy at Edinburgh University, has also forecast that fewer voters turning out may prove a problem for the SNP. He...One of the country’s leading political experts has predicted that voter turnout may suffer next...One of the country’s leading political experts has predicted that voter turnout may suffer next...
This will be the most closely fought election in Scotland for decades, with the prospect of major changes in the...This will be the most closely fought election in Scotland for decades, with the prospect of major changes in the fortunes of the three main parties. The SNP took 45 per cent of all votes cast in Scotland at the last election in 2019, while the Conservatives had 25.1 per cent of the vote share and Labour, in third...This will be the most closely fought election in Scotland for decades, with the prospect of major changes in the fortunes of...
Peter Mathieson
Natasha Radmehr
Nathan McBeth, the Glasgow Warriors loose-head prop, faces an anxious wait to discover if he will be able to make his Scotland debut against Canada in Ottawa on Saturday. The South African-born player is still waiting for his visa application to...Nathan McBeth, the Glasgow Warriors loose-head prop, faces an anxious wait to discover if he will...Nathan McBeth, the Glasgow Warriors loose-head prop, faces an anxious wait to discover if he will...
Comment
Starmer will have to adopt a war leader’s role
William Hague
Britain faces a profound foreign policy challenge as two of our key allies appear likely to go rogue or lose effectiveness
LAURA FREEMAN
Why do we always glorify the tortured soul?
newMELANIE PHILLIPS
Key political divide is now fantasists v realists
newGILES COREN | NOTEBOOK
Thick lefty losers need their own QR code
newTony Lodge
Labour’s plans for rail require taking on the unions
newTOMIWA OWOLADE | NOTEBOOK
If you honestly can’t stand football, I admire you
newThat last-minute equaliser by Jude Bellingham. That extra-time winner from Harry Kane. There are people in England to whom these are just headlines; they don’t know where Kane and Bellingham play on the pitch. They didn’t watch England’s match...That last-minute equaliser by Jude Bellingham. That extra-time winner from Harry Kane. There are...That last-minute equaliser by Jude Bellingham. That extra-time winner from Harry Kane. There are...
Leading Articles
Sick Man of Europe
A once supremely confident French president emerges as the main loser from his reckless national election: Macron’s power is ebbing away
Solving Crime
Labour’s strong stance on offenders is welcome, but deeds not words will be the test
Rowing Blues
Henley Regatta’s athletes will have to compete with scandalously dirty water
letter to the editor
Decision time for Democrats as Biden falters
Sir, In the wake of the TV debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, it is clear to all objective observers that the president needs to step down to make way for a younger candidate who will have a chance of winning in November (news, ...Sir, In the wake of the TV debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, it is clear to all...Sir, In the wake of the TV debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, it is clear to all...
Trevor Phillips
Farage will still dominate after the election
Libby Purves
It’s a bit like 1997, but without the optimism
Edward Lucas
Betting on politics is dangerous for all of us
Helen Rumbelow | Notebook
The one thing I am grateful to Tories for
Daily Universal Register
Briefing
UK: Wimbledon tennis tournament begins; Nationwide Building Society publishes its house price index for June and Q2 regional data; changes to the price cap on consumer energy bills take effect this month with the cap falling to £1,568 for a typical household, down from £1,690.
Belgium: Hungary assumes the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, until the end of December.
Canada: Canada Day national holiday.
On this day
In 1867 the British North America Act created the dominion of Canada; in 1899 the Gideons evangelical Christian association was founded, in Wisconsin, US. The first Bible in a hotel room in Montana in 1908. By 2015 more than two billion had been distributed; in 1921 the Communist Party of China was founded — although later documents revealed the first national congress was actually held on July 23-31. On October 1, 1949, the People’s Republic of China was established, with Mao Zedong its leader from March 20, 1943, until his death on September 9, 1976; in 1967 BBC2 began colour television broadcasts, with the Wimbledon tennis championships.
Nature notes
It is the end of the flowering season for man orchids, which bloom later in the UK, at the northern edge of their range, than in the Mediterranean. This curious species is extremely rare in the UK but is spotted occasionally, usually on short, chalky grasslands. When one turns up it often causes a stir on social media because of the extraordinary shape of the lower lips of the greenish-yellow flowers, which resemble tiny human torsos, heads hidden, limbs dangling down. Like all orchids, they have a complex symbiotic relationship with mycorrhizal fungi that is not yet fully understood. It is likely to be why they need undisturbed and unimproved soil, and why they are rarely spotted.
Melissa Harrison
Melissa Harrison
Birthdays today
Carl Lewis, pictured, athlete, nine-time Olympic gold medallist, 63; Pamela Anderson, actress, Baywatch (1992-97, 2017), 57; Leslie Caron, actress, Gigi (1958), 93; Sir Wayne David, Labour MP for Caerphilly (2001-May 2024), 67; Rosie Duffield, Labour MP for Canterbury (2017-May 2024), 53; Malcolm Elliott, sprint cyclist, two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist (1982), 63; John Ellis, theoretical physicist, Clerk Maxwell professor of theoretical physics, King’s College London, 78; Sir Vernon Ellis, chairman, British Council (2010-16), 77; Trevor Eve, actor, Waking the Dead (2000-11), 73; Iain Ferguson, chairman, Crest Nicholson (housebuilder), 69; Lord (David) Filkin, former Labour minister, 80; Carl Fogarty, motorcyclist, four-time superbike world championship winner, 59; Prof Dame Julia Goodfellow, molecular biologist, 73; Jasset Ormsby-Gore, Lord Harlech, government whip (lord in waiting, HM Household), 38; Debbie Harry, singer, Heart of Glass (1979), 79; Dame Julia Higgins, polymer scientist, emeritus professor and senior research investigator, Imperial College London, 82; Mark Hunter, rower, Olympic gold medallist (2008), 46; Prof Sir David Lane, scientist involved in discovering the cancer gene, 72; Richard Lloyd, deputy chairman, Financial Conduct Authority, chairman, Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, 59; Jean Marsh, actress and co-creator, Upstairs, Downstairs (1971-75, 2010-12), 90; Toshihiro Mibe, president and chief executive, Honda Motor Company, 63; Victoria Miro, director, Victoria Miro galleries, London, 79; Stephen Neidle, emeritus professor of chemical biology and Cancer Research UK professorial fellow, UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, 78; Daniel Ricciardo, racing driver, 35; Alan Ruck, actor, Succession (2018-23), 68; Garry Schofield, rugby league player, England (1984-95), 59; Léa Seydoux, actress, No Time to Die (2021), 39; Twyla Tharp, dancer and choreographer, 83.