Rishi Sunak risks losing key votes on Rwanda bill
Peers prepared to delay flights until after May
Rishi Sunak’s policy of sending migrants to Rwanda faces further delays after Labour vowed to oppose the government’s plans in a crucial vote on Wednesday. The prime minister said that “everyone is trying to block us” and insisted that flights to Kigali would take off by the end of May. However...Rishi Sunak’s policy of sending migrants to Rwanda faces further delays after Labour vowed to oppose the government’s plans in a crucial vote on Wednesday. The prime minister said that “everyone is trying to block us” and insisted that flights to Kigali would take off by the end of May. However...Rishi Sunak’s policy of sending migrants to Rwanda faces further delays after Labour vowed to oppose the government’s plans in...
Social care spending puts parks and libraries at risk, warn councils
Libraries, parks and road repairs are at risk as councils say they are now spending two thirds of their budgets on social care and children’s services. Local authorities warn that there will be little cash left over for services used by most residents and say an ever-higher proportion of their budgets are being spent on services they are...Libraries, parks and road repairs are at risk as councils say they are now spending two thirds of their budgets on social care and children’s services. Local authorities warn that there will be little cash left over for services used by most residents and say an ever-higher proportion of their budgets are being spent on services they are...Libraries, parks and road repairs are at risk as councils say they are now spending two thirds of their budgets on social care...
uk news
General sent home from Afghanistan for ‘sharing bottle of champagne’
A retired major general celebrated for his service in Afghanistan has said he was sent home from a tour early after sharing a bottle of champagne with colleagues. Charlie Herbert, who had commanded British forces in the country, was assigned a post with the government in Kabul in June 2017. His role included...A retired major general celebrated for his service in Afghanistan has said he was sent home from...A retired major general celebrated for his service in Afghanistan has said he was sent home from...
Editor's picks
CYCLING | MATT LAWTON
A small but indomitable rider, Kenny was peerless at her peak
giles coren | notebook
Half of our nightclubs have closed? That’s great news
Lockdown, that glorious 18-month holiday when we got to bunk school, hunker down with our families, read books, learn...Lockdown, that glorious 18-month holiday when we got to bunk school, hunker down with our...Lockdown, that glorious 18-month holiday when we got to bunk school, hunker down with our...
First person
There are many reasons women can’t just get on with having babies
At the time of writing I am 44 years old and mother to two beautiful girls, aged three and seven months. According to...At the time of writing I am 44 years old and mother to two beautiful girls, aged three and seven...At the time of writing I am 44 years old and mother to two beautiful girls, aged three and seven...
political sketch
PM gets glimpse of his runaway American dream
football
England’s Euro kit — ‘A headache-inducing mix of colours’
What’s red, white and blue all over? Not England’s away kit for Euro 24. Forget the deep classic navy or the crimson it could have been — it’s a terrible shade of purple known as “dark raisin”. I’m on an all-girls 5-a-side team and my team-mates and I wouldn’t wear this summer’s mauve Euro offering. This supposed prune shade — with “sesame” (gold) logos — is made up of...What’s red, white and blue all over? Not England’s away kit for Euro 24. Forget the deep classic...What’s red, white and blue all over? Not England’s away kit for Euro 24. Forget the deep classic...
First night | theatre
Jeremy Strong and Michael Imperioli excel in Ibsen on Broadway
newIn An Enemy of the People a doctor faces being hounded out of town for trying to warn people of a deadly contagion.In An Enemy of the People a doctor faces being hounded out of town for trying to warn people of a deadly contagion. They should emigrate, he tells his daughter. “In America we won’t have to worry about anything like this.” The house roared. Henrik Ibsen’s play is not generally regarded as a knee-slapper, but this...In An Enemy of the People a doctor faces being hounded out of town for trying to warn people of a deadly contagion. They should...
video
world news
Brown bear attacks 10-year-old in Slovakian rampage
courts
Former head of police watchdog to stand trial over sexual offences
A former head of the police watchdog has formally denied a number of alleged sexual offences, including rape, against...A former head of the police watchdog has formally denied a number of alleged sexual offences...A former head of the police watchdog has formally denied a number of alleged sexual offences...
world news
Musk admits taking ketamine to treat depression
Elon Musk has admitted taking prescription ketamine to cure his depression, although he denied using the drug to get...Elon Musk has admitted taking prescription ketamine to cure his depression, although he denied...Elon Musk has admitted taking prescription ketamine to cure his depression, although he denied...
video
arts
A crowd-pleaser, but message is lost in the woods — our verdict on Banksy’s mural
A tree mural that appeared overnight on the side of a building in north London is the work of Banksy, the anonymous street artist has confirmed. He claimed the work as his own in an Instagram post on Monday, following speculation when it appeared...A tree mural that appeared overnight on the side of a building in north London is the work of...A tree mural that appeared overnight on the side of a building in north London is the work of...
courts
Zac Goldsmith banned from driving after 11 speeding offences
Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park, a former minister at the Foreign Office, has been banned from driving for a year...Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park, a former minister at the Foreign Office, has been banned from...Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park, a former minister at the Foreign Office, has been banned from...
the times diary
Miracle of female priest
Thirty years after the first ordination of female priests in the Church of England, Lucy Winkett writes in a blog for...Thirty years after the first ordination of female priests in the Church of England, Lucy Winkett...Thirty years after the first ordination of female priests in the Church of England, Lucy Winkett...
video
middle east crisis
Senior Hamas chief dies in raid on al-Shifa hospital, says IDF
Israeli troops raided the al-Shifa hospital in Gaza in the early hours of Monday in an operation that the Palestinian health authorities claimed caused dozens of casualties as well as deaths. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said a senior Hamas commander, Faiq Mabhouch, who headed the terrorist...Israeli troops raided the al-Shifa hospital in Gaza in the early hours of Monday in an operation that the Palestinian health authorities claimed caused dozens of casualties as well as deaths. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said a senior Hamas commander, Faiq Mabhouch, who headed the terrorist...Israeli troops raided the al-Shifa hospital in Gaza in the early hours of Monday in an operation that the Palestinian health...
video
Famine imminent in Gaza, food security experts say
Famine is setting in across northern Gaza, according to a new report. About 1.1 million people will face the most severe level of hunger classified by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), the authority behind the global initiative said on Monday. “The famine threshold for acute food insecurity has already been far...Famine is setting in across northern Gaza, according to a new report. About 1.1 million people will face the most severe level of hunger classified by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), the authority behind the global initiative said on Monday. “The famine threshold for acute food insecurity has already been far...Famine is setting in across northern Gaza, according to a new report. About 1.1 million people will face the most severe level...
US ELECTION
Biden tries to woo female voters with pledge on abortion rights
President Biden has signed an executive order setting aside $200 million for female health initiatives in a move he hopes will persuade women to back him for a second term. The money is to be spent next year by federal agencies on better understanding women’s issues including sexual and reproductive health. Biden...President Biden has signed an executive order setting aside $200 million for female health...President Biden has signed an executive order setting aside $200 million for female health...
Michelin feels the heat over male chefs’ dominance
The head of the Michelin Guide bemoaned the absence of women at the top of French cuisine as he awarded the coveted three-star rating to two more male chefs. Fabien Ferré, chef at La Table du Castellet restaurant in southern France, and Jérôme Banctel, who is at Le Gabriel in Paris, joined the 28 chefs who already had three stars, the highest rating in the Michelin system.The head of the Michelin Guide bemoaned the absence of women at the top of French cuisine as he...The head of the Michelin Guide bemoaned the absence of women at the top of French cuisine as he...
Still life that changed how we see Spanish art returns to Madrid
For nearly 300 years the most important still life in Spanish painting remained unknown. Its discovery about a...For nearly 300 years the most important still life in Spanish painting remained unknown. Its discovery about a century ago changed the history of the country’s art. Francisco de Zurbarán’s Still Life with Lemons, Oranges and a Rose was found in a private French collection in the 1920s, demolishing the presumption...For nearly 300 years the most important still life in Spanish painting remained unknown. Its discovery about a century ago...
North Korea fires missiles as Blinken visits Seoul
North Korea fired three ballistic missiles towards the Sea of Japan on Monday morning as Antony Blinken, the US...North Korea fired three ballistic missiles towards the Sea of Japan on Monday morning as Antony...North Korea fired three ballistic missiles towards the Sea of Japan on Monday morning as Antony...
LA golfers cry foul over tee time black market
After Larry David’s outburst over slow play leads to a heart attack on the golf course in Curb Your Enthusiasm...After Larry David’s outburst over slow play leads to a heart attack on the golf course in Curb...After Larry David’s outburst over slow play leads to a heart attack on the golf course in Curb...
France tests four-day working week for divorced parents
Divorced parents who share custody will be able to work four-day weeks when their children are with them under a scheme to be tested this year in France. From September, in certain government ministries, civil servants who are in alternating...Divorced parents who share custody will be able to work four-day weeks when their children are...Divorced parents who share custody will be able to work four-day weeks when their children are...
Mike Lynch ‘spun fabulous tale’ about Autonomy, fraud trial told
Mike Lynch, the co-founder of one of Britain’s most successful technology companies, oversaw a “multi-year, multi-layered fraud” that led Hewlett-Packard to pay $11 billion for his software company Autonomy, a jury was told on Monday as his criminal trial opened in California. Lynch, 58, and...Mike Lynch, the co-founder of one of Britain’s most successful technology companies, oversaw a “multi-year, multi-layered fraud” that led Hewlett-Packard to pay $11 billion for his software company Autonomy, a jury was told on Monday as his criminal trial opened in California. Lynch, 58, and...Mike Lynch, the co-founder of one of Britain’s most successful technology companies, oversaw a “multi-year, multi-layered...
Ministers in crisis talks to save production at historic rail plant
Ministers are in last-ditch talks with Alstom to prevent the closure of the historic Derby train manufacturing works with the loss of thousands of jobs across the industry. Alstom, the French company that took over the Litchurch Lane factory during the pandemic from Bombardier, is threatening to close the plant and move production to Poland...Ministers are in last-ditch talks with Alstom to prevent the closure of the historic Derby train manufacturing works with the loss of thousands of jobs across the industry. Alstom, the French company that took over the Litchurch Lane factory during the pandemic from Bombardier, is threatening to close the plant and move production to Poland...Ministers are in last-ditch talks with Alstom to prevent the closure of the historic Derby train manufacturing works with the...
Apple may integrate Google’s AI into iPhones
Apple is discussing integrating Google’s artificial intelligence model into the iPhone, a potential alliance that would shape the future of the technology. Shares in Google’s parent, Alphabet, closed up 4.4 per cent at $148.48 while Apple’s stock rose 0.6 per cent to $173.72 on the report by Bloomberg News, as it...Apple is discussing integrating Google’s artificial intelligence model into the iPhone, a...Apple is discussing integrating Google’s artificial intelligence model into the iPhone, a...
Jailed Libor traders’ appeals ‘should be referred to Supreme Court’
Two traders sent to prison for “rigging” interest rate benchmarks must wait to learn whether their convictions will be overturned after the Court of Appeal reserved judgment. The court has been considering the safety of the...Two traders sent to prison for “rigging” interest rate benchmarks must wait to learn whether their convictions will be overturned after the Court of Appeal reserved judgment. The court has been considering the safety of the...Two traders sent to prison for “rigging” interest rate benchmarks must wait to learn whether their convictions will...
Bytes boss made 130 secret trades
Bytes Technology’s executives have been left “saddened as well as shocked” on learning that their former chief executive had carried out scores of secret trades in the company’s shares. The FTSE 250 software company told...Bytes Technology’s executives have been left “saddened as well as shocked” on learning that their former chief executive had carried out scores of secret trades in the company’s shares. The FTSE 250 software company told...Bytes Technology’s executives have been left “saddened as well as shocked” on learning that their former chief...
business commentary
Reckitt baby milk saga is still turning sour
Big firms’ plea would halve number of apprentices, says Gillian Keegan
The education secretary has hit out at large employers that have lobbied to use more of the £3.9 billion a year apprentice levy to up-skill their existing staff rather than train young apprentices. Gillian Keegan said letting these companies spend...The education secretary has hit out at large employers that have lobbied to use more of the £3.9...The education secretary has hit out at large employers that have lobbied to use more of the £3.9...
comment
Why do companies write cheques for political parties?
The row about Frank Hester’s donations to the Conservatives is receding almost as quickly as it blew up. Such is the...The row about Frank Hester’s donations to the Conservatives is receding almost as quickly as it...The row about Frank Hester’s donations to the Conservatives is receding almost as quickly as it...
market report
Consumer duty rules haunt Phoenix zombie funds
Back in July 2022, St James’s Place reassured investors that its long-term partnership with clients and its...Back in July 2022, St James’s Place reassured investors that its long-term partnership with...Back in July 2022, St James’s Place reassured investors that its long-term partnership with...
recruitment
Professionals who volunteer benefit from their kindness to others
Corporate volunteering may be about giving to others, but it can also pay dividends for your own career. Around a fifth of British companies now offer paid volunteer days for staff and 20 per cent of volunteers in their thirties and forties have used volunteering to retrain or gain experience for a career-change. For those who plan to stay in their roles, volunteering...Corporate volunteering may be about giving to others, but it can also pay dividends for your own...Corporate volunteering may be about giving to others, but it can also pay dividends for your own...
recruitment: SIX from THE BEST
The workplace is as crucial as the classroom for social mobility
As chief executive of the Social Mobility Foundation, Sarah Atkinson helps employers to understand that the workplace...As chief executive of the Social Mobility Foundation, Sarah Atkinson helps employers to understand that the workplace is as important as the classroom for improving social mobility and meeting the country’s economic challenges. As the new Social Mobility Employer Index opens for entries, Atkinson shares her advice...As chief executive of the Social Mobility Foundation, Sarah Atkinson helps employers to understand that the workplace is as...
football
Forest escape with four-point deduction despite bigger losses than Everton
Nottingham Forest have been deducted four points for breaching the Premier League’s financial rules — despite having higher losses than Everton, who were given a six-point deduction. The punishment means Forest drop into the relegation zone, below Luton Town, with nine matches of the season...Nottingham Forest have been deducted four points for breaching the Premier League’s financial rules — despite having higher losses than Everton, who were given a six-point deduction. The punishment means Forest drop into the relegation zone, below Luton Town, with nine matches of the season...Nottingham Forest have been deducted four points for breaching the Premier League’s financial rules — despite having higher...
football
Football regulator could fine clubs up to 10% of annual turnover
Clubs that fall foul of the new independent football regulator could be fined up to 10 per cent of their annual turnover. The sanction is included in the government’s Football Governance Bill that is published on Tuesday, with the intention of it becoming law before the general election that is expected in the autumn. Rishi Sunak described...Clubs that fall foul of the new independent football regulator could be fined up to 10 per cent of their annual turnover. The sanction is included in the government’s Football Governance Bill that is published on Tuesday, with the intention of it becoming law before the general election that is expected in the autumn. Rishi Sunak described...Clubs that fall foul of the new independent football regulator could be fined up to 10 per cent of their annual turnover. The...
football | martin samuel
No room for football now top-flight season plays out in law chambers
The decision of the independent panel was known on Friday, but Nottingham Forest asked the Premier League to delay the announcement of their four-point deduction for fear it would affect the mood around Saturday’s match against Luton Town. Look at them, still imagining that what happens on the field matters. It’s...The decision of the independent panel was known on Friday, but Nottingham Forest asked the...The decision of the independent panel was known on Friday, but Nottingham Forest asked the...
FOOTBALL | MELANIE Maynard
Two bereavements set my son Marcus back – but he’s in a good place now
rugby union | sam warburton
England can gatecrash world’s top four – with a bit more brains
In some ways, England saved this Guinness Six Nations Championship. After three rounds I was worried that it was...In some ways, England saved this Guinness Six Nations Championship. After three rounds I was...In some ways, England saved this Guinness Six Nations Championship. After three rounds I was...
FOOTBALL | HENRY WINTER
Chelsea fans should see Sterling as a role model, not a target
The last time I spoke to Raheem Sterling was outside Stamford Bridge after Chelsea’s Carabao Cup semi-final...The last time I spoke to Raheem Sterling was outside Stamford Bridge after Chelsea’s Carabao Cup...The last time I spoke to Raheem Sterling was outside Stamford Bridge after Chelsea’s Carabao Cup...
CYCLING | MATT LAWTON
A small but indomitable rider, Kenny was peerless at her peak
There was a point during the 2016 Olympics Games in Rio when the only threat to Laura Kenny’s success was the fragility of the bike she was riding. While she proved an indomitable force in the velodrome, the sheer force she was putting through the...There was a point during the 2016 Olympics Games in Rio when the only threat to Laura Kenny’s...There was a point during the 2016 Olympics Games in Rio when the only threat to Laura Kenny’s...
Six Nations | Will Kelleher
My team of tournament: three Englishmen, a young Wales star but no Scots
15 Cameron Winnett (Wales)
In a Wales team that took the wooden spoon for the first time in 21 years, back when Winnett was two months old, he was something of a find — evasive in attack, and catching more kicks than any other No 15. The...15 Cameron Winnett (Wales)
In a Wales team that took the wooden spoon for the first time in...15 Cameron Winnett (Wales)
In a Wales team that took the wooden spoon for the first time in...
SIX NATIONS | DAVID WALSH
The two schools behind Ireland’s dominance (and could Farrell Jr go green?)
Football | Martin Samuel
Howe deserves time – and English managers need him to get it
We all know the priorities of the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia and the furtherance of domestic coaches in...We all know the priorities of the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia and the furtherance of...We all know the priorities of the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia and the furtherance of...
CRICKET
Reformer Nicholas set to be appointed next MCC chairman
Mark Nicholas is set to be appointed as the next MCC chairman and will be recommended to the membership of the club...Mark Nicholas is set to be appointed as the next MCC chairman and will be recommended to the...Mark Nicholas is set to be appointed as the next MCC chairman and will be recommended to the...
american football
English Ale, spitfires and NFL stars: When gridiron came to war-time London
He was a man who had done extraordinary things, but it was a chance of a slice of normality that gave Captain Denis Whitaker an idea. That, and a few pints of English ale. As he drank in a London pub in December 1943 — a brief respite from...He was a man who had done extraordinary things, but it was a chance of a slice of normality that...He was a man who had done extraordinary things, but it was a chance of a slice of normality that...
First person
There are many reasons women can’t just get on with having babies
The MP Miriam Cates says women shouldn’t be ‘tricked’ into egg freezing. Yet there are many reasons women delay babies, says Sophie Beresiner
health
Vicky Pattison: I have done the right thing for myself and my future family
The TV personality froze her eggs last year at 35 years old — despite being engaged and in love. She tells Elisabeth Perlman why she’s waiting for motherhood
food
Is posh hot chocolate the new flat white?
The café chain Knoops — speciality: sweet milky cocoa drinks — is about to expand across Britain. Surely real men drink coffee? No, says Simon Mills
caitlin moran
My train journey from hell — from London to Birmingham
The train is like a human terrine, faces pressed against the door glass
Health
How to protect your back and build up strength
Many midlifers focus on cardio or train intensively and relentlessly. But what’s key is retaining muscle mass, the osteopath David Vaux tells Anna Maxted
culture fix
Johnny Marr: How could Meryl Streep agree to be in Mamma Mia?
My favourite piece of music
For a long time now, it’s been My Goal’s Beyond by John McLaughlin. Like his work with the Mahavishnu Orchestra, it is in a genre entirely of its own. It’s unquantifiable and makes me feel a certain way, no matter...My favourite piece of music
For a long time now, it’s been My Goal’s Beyond by John...My favourite piece of music
For a long time now, it’s been My Goal’s Beyond by John...
MUSIC | INTERVIEW
Black Pumas: meet the Texas duo handpicked by President Biden
beauty | sarah jossel
Five ways to refresh your make-up bag for spring
Moving stories
‘We did an emergency house swap with my parents’
As far as house tours go, this one was pretty short. I was walking my parents round our small flat in Hackney and beyond the bedroom, bathroom and kitchen-living room there was only the remote-control blinds and smart heating to tell them about.As far as house tours go, this one was pretty short. I was walking my parents round our small...As far as house tours go, this one was pretty short. I was walking my parents round our small...
First night reviews
first night | pop
The 1980s rock’n’ravers Happy Mondays lead a nostalgia fest
first night | classical
Fervent torch songs reveal Sibelius’s passionate side
MindGames
The Times Daily Quiz
Fifteen questions to get you thinking
1 In Germany and Spain, which animal is said to have seven lives instead of nine? 2 Which country’s army took part in the Emu War (1932)? 3 Mr Bumble, the beadle, says: “the law is a ass” in which Dickens novel? 4 Which British monarch was the last king of America? 5 In 1929, which Labour politician led for the first time the largest party in the House of Commons? 6...1 In Germany and Spain, which animal is said to have seven lives instead of nine? 2 Which...1 In Germany and Spain, which animal is said to have seven lives instead of nine? 2 Which...
What to watch: your TV and streaming guide
VIEWING GUIDE
What’s on TV and radio tonight
In case you missed it
ASK PROFESSOR TANYA BYRON
My partner is manipulating me into having sex. I’m emotionally drained
fashion
Jim Ratcliffe’s most fashionable investment? Biker jackets
The British billionaire and Belstaff CEO Fran Millar talk motorcycles, loyalty and style
watches
What’s the time, Victoria Beckham?
VB has designed a watch with Breitling that captures her relaxed and feminine style
video
trend
Where luxury meets ASMR
Whether it’s the sound of a Mason Pearson hairbrush gliding through hair or a Hermès Kelly bag clipping shut
travel
A Mexican makeover: from cool casa to hot hotel
How a British designer created the prettiest resort in Maroma
accessories
Me and my special blanket
video
design
The best new luxury electric cars
uk
Seven of the best lush woodland walks
Biodiversity, rare birds and secret gorges — wonder as you wander through these otherworldly rainforests across the UK which will add magic to any weekend
video
city breaks
Beat the crowds to this glorious unsung Italian coastal city
Roman relics, a Renaissance cathedral and few overseas tourists are the big pulls for the low-key, laid-back hero of Rimini — go now, before its moment in the sun
video
scandinavia
My family’s TikTok-inspired Scandi holiday (which our teens loved)
Inspired by his kids’ favourite social media trends — but keen to keep them off their phones — James Palmer plans a jam-packed two-city-and-ski trip
spain
How to get a week of Easter sun in the Med for £360
Snap up seven nights in Mallorca with its coastal walks, gentle cycling and underground lakes – and balmy temperatures in April
video
UK
I’ve found the cheapest (and most convenient) way to go on safari
Forget long flights and high price tags — wake up amongst zebras and giraffes and spend a magical weekend with them and 120 other species in Wiltshire
Cruise
Dad’s dementia left Mum tired and lonely. This cruise made her smile
My mum, Lynn, is having a conversation with a mona monkey overlooking a crater lake in Grenada. It’s an old-world...My mum, Lynn, is having a conversation with a mona monkey overlooking a crater lake in Grenada.My mum, Lynn, is having a conversation with a mona monkey overlooking a crater lake in Grenada.
Kathy LEtte | travel troubleshooter
Was I right to leave my husband at the airport?
Q A few months ago I was going on a long weekend break to Berlin with my husband. We were running late to get to the...Q A few months ago I was going on a long weekend break to Berlin with my husband. We were running...Q A few months ago I was going on a long weekend break to Berlin with my husband. We were running...
Weather Eye
Mowing the lawn? You better be quick…
from the archive
‘Offence’ of politics on Sundays
Announcements
Births, marriages and deaths
HONOUR your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.
Exodus...HONOUR your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is...HONOUR your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is...
Court Circular
March 18, 2024
St James’s Palace
18th March, 2024 The Duke of Edinburgh this afternoon arrived at Entebbe International Airport...St James’s Palace
18th March, 2024 The Duke of Edinburgh this afternoon arrived at...St James’s Palace
18th March, 2024 The Duke of Edinburgh this afternoon arrived at...
Printable Puzzles
MindGames and Brain Boost puzzles to print and solve at your leisure
Humza Yousaf refuses to apologise for ‘Tory-free’ Scotland rhetoric
Humza Yousaf has reaffirmed his desire to make Scotland “Tory free” at the general election. The first minister has been criticised, including by some within his own party, for using the phrase at the weekend when he addressed an SNP campaign event. Some are uneasy about the tone while others...Humza Yousaf has reaffirmed his desire to make Scotland “Tory free” at the general election. The first minister has been criticised, including by some within his own party, for using the phrase at the weekend when he addressed an SNP campaign event. Some are uneasy about the tone while others...Humza Yousaf has reaffirmed his desire to make Scotland “Tory free” at the general election. The first minister has been...
Alex Salmond denies he blocked law that could now oust Michael Matheson
Alex Salmond has denied claims that he intervened to block plans that would allow voters to remove misbehaving politicians from Holyrood. The lack of recall powers for the Scottish parliament means that Michael Matheson MSP, the disgraced former health secretary, will be able to keep his seat even if the standards committee punishes him for...Alex Salmond has denied claims that he intervened to block plans that would allow voters to remove misbehaving politicians from Holyrood. The lack of recall powers for the Scottish parliament means that Michael Matheson MSP, the disgraced former health secretary, will be able to keep his seat even if the standards committee punishes him for...Alex Salmond has denied claims that he intervened to block plans that would allow voters to remove misbehaving politicians from...
MAGNUS LINKLATER | COMMENT
Our cherished right to own property is being undermined
You would think they’d have learnt by now. SNP ministers and their advisers are not great at drafting bills — but they keep on doing it. They take on complex issues without thinking them through, and then, when they end up in the courts, they lose. At considerable cost to the public purse. The list stretches from...You would think they’d have learnt by now. SNP ministers and their advisers are not great at...You would think they’d have learnt by now. SNP ministers and their advisers are not great at...
Hill fort site at risk under plans for giant wind farm
The government agency responsible for Scotland’s historic landscape has been accused of a “dereliction of duty” after it endorsed a planned wind farm at the expense of an ancient hill fort. Historic Environment Scotland (HES) was asked to review...The government agency responsible for Scotland’s historic landscape has been accused of a...The government agency responsible for Scotland’s historic landscape has been accused of a...
THUNDERER
London-centric Channel 4 should deliver for all of the UK
At the turn of the century, 95 per cent of public service television in the UK originated from within the M25. This...At the turn of the century, 95 per cent of public service television in the UK originated from...At the turn of the century, 95 per cent of public service television in the UK originated from...
scottish business digest
Offshore wind centre hailed as an energy transition ‘milestone’
Hello and welcome to our daily digest of business, financial and economic news from around Scotland. 1. Sir Ian Wood...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.
Comment
Lost boys need help or they turn to extremes
William Hague
Disaffected young men are increasingly embracing far-right parties — they deserve better role models before it’s too late
melanie phillips
Google’s diversity idiocy threatens us all
hugo rifkind
Time for Sunak to unleash his inner tech bro
giles coren | notebook
Half of our nightclubs have closed? That’s great news
John Mair
BBC needs to act fast to reimagine the TV licence
georgia heneage | notebook
I wasn’t born but the letters of Harrison and Boyd make me nostalgic
Nostalgia is a weird sentiment for a 26-year-old. It’s an absent ache, felt in the unvalidated yearning for the Sixties (Woodstock etc), vintage fashion, record players, Polaroids and my generation’s obsession with period dramas. Most recently I...Nostalgia is a weird sentiment for a 26-year-old. It’s an absent ache, felt in the unvalidated...Nostalgia is a weird sentiment for a 26-year-old. It’s an absent ache, felt in the unvalidated...
Leading Articles
Vlad the Invader
Putin’s fraudulent victory provides a springboard for the intensification of the war in Ukraine. The West must tighten sanctions and step up arms shipments
Citizen Khan
If the mayor of London wins a third term in May it will be thoroughly undeserved
Black Widow
Trigger warning over financial institution’s historic name takes ultra-thin-skinned absurdity to new heights
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Tackling the scourge of our litter-strewn roads
Sir, Sadly, Jenni Russell’s article serves principally to highlight the symptoms and not the cause of the problem (“Our litter-choked roads are a national disgrace”, Mar 18). On a recent visit to New Zealand my wife and I were struck not only...Sir, Sadly, Jenni Russell’s article serves principally to highlight the symptoms and not the...Sir, Sadly, Jenni Russell’s article serves principally to highlight the symptoms and not the...
Daily Universal Register
Briefing
UK: Cabinet meeting, 10 Downing Street; the shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves gives the Bayes Business School Mais annual lecture.
World: International Read To Me Day; World Social Work Day.
On this day
In 1877 Australia beat England by 45 runs at the close of the first official cricket Test match, which began on March 15 at Melbourne Cricket Ground; in 1932 Sydney Harbour Bridge was opened. Before the bridge could be officially declared open by premier Jack Lang, the fascist Francis Edward de Groot charged on to the bridge on horseback and cut the ribbon with a cavalry sword. He was fined £5; in 1959 Marilyn Monroe arrived in Chicago to begin a promotional tour for Some Like it Hot. The film was directed by Billy Wilder and co-starred Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. It was nominated for six Oscars, winning one for best costume design; in 2002 Zimbabwe was suspended from membership of the Commonwealth after irregularities around the re-election on March 6 of that year of Robert Mugabe to the presidency, including politically motivated violence. When the Commonwealth refused to lift its one-year suspension, the country withdrew from the association on December 7, 2003.
Nature notes
Witches’ butter is the common name given to several types of fungus that grow on dead wood. The bright yellow and most butter-like form — at a stretch — Tremella mesenterica is also known as yellow brain fungus. It creates intricate, jelly-like folds on the downed, rotting branches of trees and sometimes on standing deadwood; these eventually dry to a dark brown frill. Instead of feeding directly on the dead wood, it’s actually a parasite of other fungi, specifically the crust-forming species from the Peniophora genus. Tremella aurantia can appear very similar but parasitises a different host, the hairy crust fungus. In eastern European folklore the appearance of witches’ butter on your house or fence meant a witch had cursed you. Melissa Harrison
Melissa Harrison
Birthdays today
Ursula Andress, actress, Dr No (1962), 88; Sir John Beckwith, co-founder (1993) and chairman, Pacific Investments (fund management group), 77; Lord (Ian) Blair of Boughton, QPM, commissioner, Metropolitan Police (2005-08), 71; John Burnside, poet, Black Cat Bone (2011, TS Eliot prize and Forward Poetry prize), 69; Glenn Close, actress, Fatal Attraction (1987), Dangerous Liaisons (1988), 77; Dame Elizabeth Gardiner, first parliamentary counsel (2015-22), 58; Ashley Giles, chief executive, Worcestershire County Cricket Club, managing director of England men’s cricket (2019-22), England cricketer (1998-2006), 51; Marcelo Gleiser, theoretical physicist, author, The Dawn of a Mindful Universe: A Manifesto for Humanity’s Future (2023), 65; Lord (Peter) Hendy, chairman, Network Rail and London Legacy Development Corporation, commissioner of Transport for London (2006-15), 71; John Holder, first-class and Test cricket umpire (1983-2009), 79; Sir David Foskett, chairman, Civil Mediation Council (2019-22), High Court judge (2007-2019), 75; Clarence “Frogman” Henry, rhythm and blues singer, Ain’t Got No Home (1956), 87; Neil LaBute, playwright and film-maker, In the Company of Men (1997), 61; Leonard Lauder, businessman, chairman emeritus and former chief executive, Estée Lauder (cosmetics), 91; Ruth McKernan, neuroscientist, chief executive, Innovate UK (2015-18, the innovation agency), 66; Sir Thomas McKillop, president, Science Council (2007-11), chief executive, AstraZeneca (1999-2006), 81; John Minihan, photographer, Samuel Beckett: Photographs (1995), 78; Mario Monti, prime minister of Italy (2011-13), 81; Lord (Raymond) Plant of Highfield, emeritus professor, King’s College London (2001-17), 79; Ruth Pointer, singer-songwriter, last surviving original member of the Pointer Sisters, 78; Henry Slade, rugby union player, Exeter Chiefs and England, 31; John Studzinski, banker, vice-chairman, Pimco (investment-management company), founder, Genesis Foundation (arts charity), 68; Bruce Willis, actor, Die Hard (1988), The Sixth Sense (1999), 69.