The Times & The Sunday Times Homepage
Chancellor to review sugar levy to tackle high obesity numbers
It has been a tough few months for Rishi Sunak. First he lost the election, now the government has announced plans to hike taxes on Coca-Cola, his favourite drink. Ministers have published proposals for a revamped sugar tax that would see a new “Coke tax” threshold introduced for the sugariest of...It has been a tough few months for Rishi Sunak. First he lost the election, now the government has announced plans to hike taxes on Coca-Cola, his favourite drink. Ministers have published proposals for a revamped sugar tax that would see a new “Coke tax” threshold introduced for the sugariest of...It has been a tough few months for Rishi Sunak. First he lost the election, now the government has announced plans to hike...
The Independent Schools Council (ISC) will take legal action against the government’s VAT raid on private school education. Representing more than 1,400 independent schools across the UK and overseas, the ISC voted on Thursday to take on Labour’s VAT policy, which will impose a 20 per cent tax on school fees from January. The ISC has...The Independent Schools Council (ISC) will take legal action against the government’s VAT raid on private school education. Representing more than 1,400 independent schools across the UK and overseas, the ISC voted on Thursday to take on Labour’s VAT policy, which will impose a 20 per cent tax on school fees from January. The ISC has...The Independent Schools Council (ISC) will take legal action against the government’s VAT raid on private school education.
Rachel Reeves used her maiden budget to make a number of monumental decisions about the government’s spending plans. But hidden within the small print were things you may have missed. Here are seven of them. Reeves’s inheritance tax clampdown means that nearly one in ten estates will be subject to inheritance tax in...Rachel Reeves used her maiden budget to make a number of monumental decisions about the...Rachel Reeves used her maiden budget to make a number of monumental decisions about the...
SPAIN FLOODS | dispatch
Just 17 per cent believe that it will get better, according to a poll
newThe majority of people think that Britain’s economic situation will worsen over the next 12 months in the wake of Rachel Reeves’s first budget. Responding to a YouGov poll, 51 per cent of people said they thought the economy would get worse and just 17 per cent believed that it would get better. Just under half — 47 per cent — said they expected their own financial...The majority of people think that Britain’s economic situation will worsen over the next 12...The majority of people think that Britain’s economic situation will worsen over the next 12...
Rachel Reeves has presented her first budget to the House of Commons, and while many of the announcements had been...Rachel Reeves has presented her first budget to the House of Commons, and while many of the announcements had been trailed, there were a couple of surprises in the mix. Here we look at the winners and losers from the chancellor’s statement. Higher earners
Income tax thresholds will be unfrozen in 2028 and rise...Rachel Reeves has presented her first budget to the House of Commons, and while many of the announcements had been trailed...
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REVIEW
Is Juror #2 Clint Eastwood’s last film as a director? The guy is 94, after all. Eastwood has hinted that a...Is Juror #2 Clint Eastwood’s last film as a director? The guy is 94, after all. Eastwood has...Is Juror #2 Clint Eastwood’s last film as a director? The guy is 94, after all. Eastwood has...
Trust me when I say that you can get excellent stuff on the high street. Things have never been better or more easily...Trust me when I say that you can get excellent stuff on the high street. Things have never been...Trust me when I say that you can get excellent stuff on the high street. Things have never been...
Markets fret at prospect of interest rates staying higher for longer
sketch
Rachel Reeves has yanked the tax lever but her promise of never having to do so again is already looking shaky
Ask the experts
Tom Selby from the wealth management firm AJ Bell offers his advice
Are you the type who quickly forgives and forgets? Or do you still carry a burning sense of anger over small things that happened decades ago? If it is the latter, you may have something in common with crows. The birds can harbour a grudge for as...Are you the type who quickly forgives and forgets? Or do you still carry a burning sense of anger...Are you the type who quickly forgives and forgets? Or do you still carry a burning sense of anger...
Thom Yorke, the Radiohead frontman, left the stage during a concert in Melbourne after arguing with a pro-Palestinian heckler. The 56-year-old musician was performing a solo show on Wednesday night in the Australian city, when an audience member...Thom Yorke, the Radiohead frontman, left the stage during a concert in Melbourne after arguing...Thom Yorke, the Radiohead frontman, left the stage during a concert in Melbourne after arguing...
The Times Diary
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Dozens of people are still missing
The death toll from the flash floods that brought massive destruction to southeast Spain has risen to 158, officials say, as hopes all but faded of finding any more survivors. Rescue teams scoured flooded homes and stranded cars on Thursday in a desperate search to find those still missing.The death toll from the flash floods that brought massive destruction to southeast Spain has risen to 158, officials say, as hopes all but faded of finding any more survivors. Rescue teams scoured flooded homes and stranded cars on Thursday in a desperate search to find those still missing.The death toll from the flash floods that brought massive destruction to southeast Spain has risen to 158, officials say, as...
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Kamala Harris was forced to distance herself from President Biden on Wednesday after he appeared to dismiss Donald Trump’s supporters as “garbage”. The vice-president, campaigning with less than a week to go until polling day, was put on the back foot by Biden’s gaffe, which overshadowed her rally in Washington on Tuesday night. On a Zoom...Kamala Harris was forced to distance herself from President Biden on Wednesday after he appeared to dismiss Donald Trump’s supporters as “garbage”. The vice-president, campaigning with less than a week to go until polling day, was put on the back foot by Biden’s gaffe, which overshadowed her rally in Washington on Tuesday night. On a Zoom...Kamala Harris was forced to distance herself from President Biden on Wednesday after he appeared to dismiss Donald Trump’s...
In one corner of the ring is Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s nationalist prime minister who presents herself as a defender of the country’s workforce ensuring Italian cars are made on Italian soil. In the other is John Elkann, scion of the powerful Agnelli dynasty that founded the Fiat car company and turned it into a...In one corner of the ring is Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s nationalist prime minister who presents...In one corner of the ring is Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s nationalist prime minister who presents...
President Erdogan has widened his crackdown on Turkey’s political opposition a week after Kurdish terrorists killed...President Erdogan has widened his crackdown on Turkey’s political opposition a week after Kurdish...President Erdogan has widened his crackdown on Turkey’s political opposition a week after Kurdish...
South Korea and US fighter jets carried out simulated bombing of North Korean targets in a show of force on Thursday...South Korea and US fighter jets carried out simulated bombing of North Korean targets in a show...South Korea and US fighter jets carried out simulated bombing of North Korean targets in a show...
For centuries, French literature has portrayed Paris as a magnet for heroes like D’Artagnan, who travels to the capital in search of adventure in The Three Musketeers, Alexandre Dumas’s masterpiece. Provincial life, on the other hand, has...For centuries, French literature has portrayed Paris as a magnet for heroes like D’Artagnan, who...For centuries, French literature has portrayed Paris as a magnet for heroes like D’Artagnan, who...
The new leader of Hezbollah has said that the armed group will “remain on the path of war” with Israel until it is...The new leader of Hezbollah has said that the armed group will “remain on the path of war” with...The new leader of Hezbollah has said that the armed group will “remain on the path of war” with...
A teenage burglar has been found not guilty of the murder of a British woman who had moved to Australia in search of...A teenage burglar has been found not guilty of the murder of a British woman who had moved to...A teenage burglar has been found not guilty of the murder of a British woman who had moved to...
IN maps and CHARTS
video
We compare their tactics, reveal a spending gap — and explain how scams have spread
Markets fret at prospect of interest rates staying higher for longer
Yields on UK government bonds touched a one-year high today as investors took fright at the government’s plans for £30 billion in extra borrowing in the budget and the prospect of interest rates being kept higher for longer. Ten-year gilt yields, which are a proxy for the government’s borrowing...Yields on UK government bonds touched a one-year high today as investors took fright at the government’s plans for £30 billion in extra borrowing in the budget and the prospect of interest rates being kept higher for longer. Ten-year gilt yields, which are a proxy for the government’s borrowing...Yields on UK government bonds touched a one-year high today as investors took fright at the government’s plans for £30 billion...
Any “optimism” which followed Wednesday’s budget has “evaporated”, a broker has said. Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at brokers Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “The quiet optimism that appeared to be spreading during Rachel Reeves’ speech has evaporated and a higher risk premium has returned for UK debt.” This comes as the pound...Any “optimism” which followed Wednesday’s budget has “evaporated”, a broker has said. Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at brokers Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “The quiet optimism that appeared to be spreading during Rachel Reeves’ speech has evaporated and a higher risk premium has returned for UK debt.” This comes as the pound...Any “optimism” which followed Wednesday’s budget has “evaporated”, a broker has said. Susannah Streeter, head of money and...
The boss of one of the world’s largest shipping companies does not expect to resume sailing through the Suez Canal until “well into 2025”. Vincent Clerc, chief executive of Maersk, the Danish shipping and logistics business that is regarded as a benchmark for world trade, said: “There are no signs of de-escalation...The boss of one of the world’s largest shipping companies does not expect to resume sailing...The boss of one of the world’s largest shipping companies does not expect to resume sailing...
Alistair osborne | business commentary
Proof that “Rebuilding Britain” is a pricey affair. The government is limbering up to spend almost £70 billion extra...Proof that “Rebuilding Britain” is a pricey affair. The government is limbering up to spend...Proof that “Rebuilding Britain” is a pricey affair. The government is limbering up to spend...
Patrick Hosking
Mixed news for British fans of Paddington Bear. The French company behind the movie franchise is planning to list in...Mixed news for British fans of Paddington Bear. The French company behind the movie franchise is...Mixed news for British fans of Paddington Bear. The French company behind the movie franchise is...
PAUL JOHNSON
Let’s start with the plaudits. Chancellors faced with the sort of tough public finance situation that Rachel Reeves...Let’s start with the plaudits. Chancellors faced with the sort of tough public finance situation...Let’s start with the plaudits. Chancellors faced with the sort of tough public finance situation...
simon french
Did Rachel Reeves pass the “Kwarteng test” as she delivered the first Labour budget in 14 years? This is a test of...Did Rachel Reeves pass the “Kwarteng test” as she delivered the first Labour budget in 14 years?Did Rachel Reeves pass the “Kwarteng test” as she delivered the first Labour budget in 14 years?
The aerospace company that for decades promised to make Britain a pioneer in hypersonic travel has collapsed into administration after failing in a last-ditch effort to secure funds. About 170 of the 208 staff at Oxfordshire-based Reaction Engines...The aerospace company that for decades promised to make Britain a pioneer in hypersonic travel...The aerospace company that for decades promised to make Britain a pioneer in hypersonic travel...
tempus
Shares in Kering, the multibillion-euro business home to the likes of Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent, are decidedly out...Shares in Kering, the multibillion-euro business home to the likes of Gucci and Yves Saint...Shares in Kering, the multibillion-euro business home to the likes of Gucci and Yves Saint...
ryan bourne
The recent inflation spike has barely left a mark on British economic policy. Sure, the Bank of England called in Ben...
The recent inflation spike has barely left a mark on British economic policy. Sure, the Bank of...
The recent inflation spike has barely left a mark on British economic policy. Sure, the Bank of...
management
Dana Denis-Smith’s bold move to make expensive hire when hoping to get her legal services business back on track turned out to be a sound investment
how i made it
Naomi Raybould, founder of Beyond Nine, says illness and family tragedy helped her acquire the resilience and courage to start a business
RECRUITMENT
The industry is seeing a surge in interest from graduates
The anti-obesity drugs Ozempic and Wegovy may be shrinking the nation’s waistlines, but they have helped to expand the appeal of the pharma sector for new employees. The rise of the “pharma with purpose” career has resulted in the number of graduate scheme places jumping by 50 per cent on this time last year. The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI)...The anti-obesity drugs Ozempic and Wegovy may be shrinking the nation’s waistlines, but they have...The anti-obesity drugs Ozempic and Wegovy may be shrinking the nation’s waistlines, but they have...
SIX FROM THE BEST
Working in construction since 1997, Angela Rushforth is one of the sector’s most high-profile leaders. As founder of...Working in construction since 1997, Angela Rushforth is one of the sector’s most high-profile leaders. As founder of the Construction Inclusion Coalition and managing director of Toolstation, she is dedicated to increasing numbers of female and ethnic minority background staff. Here she shares her expert advice on...Working in construction since 1997, Angela Rushforth is one of the sector’s most high-profile leaders. As founder of the...
Joe Marler has issued a grovelling apology for his “flippant shithouse” views on the haka that have lit a fire under England’s clash with New Zealand on Saturday. The 34-year-old caused a storm on Tuesday when he said that the All Blacks’ Maori war dance, which they perform before every Test, was...Joe Marler has issued a grovelling apology for his “flippant shithouse” views on the haka that have lit a fire under England’s clash with New Zealand on Saturday. The 34-year-old caused a storm on Tuesday when he said that the All Blacks’ Maori war dance, which they perform before every Test, was...Joe Marler has issued a grovelling apology for his “flippant shithouse” views on the haka that have lit a fire under England’s...
Rúben Amorim has hinted that the announcement of his appointment as Manchester United manager will come after Sporting’s match against Estrela Amadora on Friday night. Amorim cryptically answered questions on the topic at his press conference in Lisbon on Thursday, which came two days after Sporting confirmed that United are ready to...Rúben Amorim has hinted that the announcement of his appointment as Manchester United manager will come after Sporting’s match against Estrela Amadora on Friday night. Amorim cryptically answered questions on the topic at his press conference in Lisbon on Thursday, which came two days after Sporting confirmed that United are ready to...Rúben Amorim has hinted that the announcement of his appointment as Manchester United manager will come after Sporting’s match...
Jeffrey Guan has vowed not to give up on his dream of becoming an elite professional golfer after a traumatic accident at a pro-am tournament last month left him blind in his left eye. The 20-year-old Australian had been tipped as the heir to Cameron Smith and was recently signed by Sportfive, the same agency that...Jeffrey Guan has vowed not to give up on his dream of becoming an elite professional golfer after...Jeffrey Guan has vowed not to give up on his dream of becoming an elite professional golfer after...
WILL KELLEHER
Don’t blink if you travel through Oyonnax or you may just miss it. A couple of churches, the War Memorial, that’s it for landmarks. Tripadvisor says the cheese shop is the sixth-best place to visit, yet on Monday afternoon you’ll find it closed. The Monoprix supermarket and a smattering of clothes boutiques are your lot. With a population of 22,300, Oyonnax is the size...Don’t blink if you travel through Oyonnax or you may just miss it. A couple of churches, the War...Don’t blink if you travel through Oyonnax or you may just miss it. A couple of churches, the War...
Jos Buttler has been awarded a two-year central contract extension by England — softening the blow of being released...Jos Buttler has been awarded a two-year central contract extension by England — softening the blow of being released by Rajasthan Royals, the Indian Premier League franchise he has played for since 2018. Buttler has not played any cricket since the T20 World Cup in June because of a calf injury and is sitting out...Jos Buttler has been awarded a two-year central contract extension by England — softening the blow of being released by...
BILL EDGAR’S PREMIER LEAGUE QUIZ
Stephen Jones
Joe Marler appears to have failed the “cultural challenge” with his inch-perfect savaging of the Haka on Tuesday.Joe Marler appears to have failed the “cultural challenge” with his inch-perfect savaging of the...Joe Marler appears to have failed the “cultural challenge” with his inch-perfect savaging of the...
elgan alderman
The email arrived from the RFU on Monday, announcing who had made it into the under-18s men’s development camp. Sixty...The email arrived from the RFU on Monday, announcing who had made it into the under-18s men’s...The email arrived from the RFU on Monday, announcing who had made it into the under-18s men’s...
Exercising on only two days a week can reduce your risk of dementia. Start with a gentle run, says Antonia Hoyle
Whatever happened to the fabulously rude put-down? In a new book Jon Connell uncovers some of the best
The Boss suffered a devastating nervous breakdown after finishing his greatest album Nebraska — and The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White is signed up for the movie
There’s a thin line between a fashion statement and a grubby parody, and Jennifer Lopez may have crossed it
new
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REVIEW
The 94-year-old director’s latest work is a flawed but typically well-constructed story about a murder case where a juror could be the one guilty of the crime
Ask the experts
richard morrison
For the arts world, two basic things appealed about Labour’s pre-election manifesto. The first was the implication...For the arts world, two basic things appealed about Labour’s pre-election manifesto. The first...For the arts world, two basic things appealed about Labour’s pre-election manifesto. The first...
Deborah Ross
If Labour’s first budget has put you in a spin about your financial situation you may need to channel your inner...If Labour’s first budget has put you in a spin about your financial situation you may need to...If Labour’s first budget has put you in a spin about your financial situation you may need to...
From blushers to serums, Nadine Baggott chooses her favourite budget purchases
Trust me when I say that you can get excellent stuff on the high street. Things have never been better or more easily available on a tight budget than right now. From superserums to blemish busters and hair heroes to bodycare, these are the top new products that work and really won’t break the beauty bank. Simple 10% Ceramide Boosters & Omega Complex
Simple has taken...Trust me when I say that you can get excellent stuff on the high street. Things have never been...Trust me when I say that you can get excellent stuff on the high street. Things have never been...
Poor Jamie Oliver’s got it in the neck again. Not this time for depriving school children of their Turkey Twizzlers...Poor Jamie Oliver’s got it in the neck again. Not this time for depriving school children of their Turkey Twizzlers or persuading the government to impose a sugar levy on soft drinks, but for having the temerity to use an instant curry sauce on his latest Channel 4 show, Fast and Simple. The Good Morning...Poor Jamie Oliver’s got it in the neck again. Not this time for depriving school children of their Turkey Twizzlers or...
the big question
CAITLIN MORAN’S CELEBRITY WATCH
giles coren
‘These are supremely gifted and thoughtful chefs. I loved it’
So I’m sitting with my feet up by the fire, nursing a cup of tea, leafing through the Lancashire Evening Telegraph as was (they’ve taken the “Evening” out since the dawn of the digital age), when I come upon a headline to make a man of my professional disposition sit up and cry, “WHAAAAT?” “Preston’s sole fine dining spot,” it says, “earns prestigious spot in Good Food...So I’m sitting with my feet up by the fire, nursing a cup of tea, leafing through the Lancashire...So I’m sitting with my feet up by the fire, nursing a cup of tea, leafing through the Lancashire...
Johanna Noble
We all knew that Labour’s first budget in 14 years was going to contain some bad news — but it turned out to be one...We all knew that Labour’s first budget in 14 years was going to contain some bad news — but it turned out to be one of the biggest tax raids in budget history. As part of the £40 billion worth of tax increases, Rachel Reeves announced that from April 2027 pensions will no longer be shielded from inheritance tax.We all knew that Labour’s first budget in 14 years was going to contain some bad news — but it turned out to be one of the...
What makes a house perfect? Its design? Its history? Or is it something that is harder to define, like its warmth or coolness, character or homeliness? The six contenders for the annual House of the Year award, announced today by the Royal...What makes a house perfect? Its design? Its history? Or is it something that is harder to define...What makes a house perfect? Its design? Its history? Or is it something that is harder to define...
first night review
first night review
first night review
FIRST NIGHT REVIEW
first night review
If Emily in Paris offers a vision of life in the arrondissements that is airbrushed beyond belief, the play marking the stage debut of Lily Collins, star of the Netflix series, also seems suspended in a land of make-believe. In Bess Wohl’s...If Emily in Paris offers a vision of life in the arrondissements that is airbrushed beyond belief...If Emily in Paris offers a vision of life in the arrondissements that is airbrushed beyond belief...
first night review
FIRST NIGHT REVIEW
FIRST NIGHT REVIEW
★★★★★
A wild man glares from behind the glass. How dare a curator cage this scowling creature with ivy twined in...★★★★★
A wild man glares from behind the glass. How dare a curator cage this scowling creature...★★★★★
A wild man glares from behind the glass. How dare a curator cage this scowling creature...
first night review
★★★★★
A monstrous one-eyed giant spends 90 minutes lusting after an innocent sea nymph. Getting nowhere, he kills...★★★★★
A monstrous one-eyed giant spends 90 minutes lusting after an innocent sea nymph.★★★★★
A monstrous one-eyed giant spends 90 minutes lusting after an innocent sea nymph.
The US presidential election between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris takes place on Tuesday night but if it’s a tight race it could be several days before a winner is confirmed. Harris has a razor-thin poll lead that may not be enough to carry her...The US presidential election between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris takes place on Tuesday night...The US presidential election between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris takes place on Tuesday night...
MindGames
1 Who wrote and performed the 1971 song Oh Yoko!, as featured on his album Imagine? 2 Vampire bats are the...1 Who wrote and performed the 1971 song Oh Yoko!, as featured on his album Imagine? 2...1 Who wrote and performed the 1971 song Oh Yoko!, as featured on his album Imagine? 2...
INTERVIEW
The textile art trailblazer talks to Lisa Grainger as her first European retrospective at Paris’ Fondation Cartier opens
Makers are getting clever with cutouts to expose their watches’ mechanisms
Chiara Brown on the extraordinary lengths high-end logistics companies go to
Nick Vinson picks his favourites
The 100-year-old Parisian company collaborates with fashion houses and artists, using age-old techniques and avant-garde technology. Lisa Johnson tells its history in ten pieces
video
Bentley’s Heritage collection is a remarkable fleet of vehicles showcasing the British manufacturer’s evolution. Every significant model from over a century of producing cars is represented. The three featured cars illustrate important milestones...Bentley’s Heritage collection is a remarkable fleet of vehicles showcasing the British...Bentley’s Heritage collection is a remarkable fleet of vehicles showcasing the British...
Want to find the most fabulous new chalet in Val d’Isère? The deepest snow in Japan or a bargain family break? Our expert knows the most exciting ski holidays to book this season
The new attraction at Giza, two decades in the making, has just flung open its doors to visitors — and the result is jaw-dropping
Pacific Ocean views, Hollywood, rolling winelands and small-town America on tap — the Coast Starlight is the ultimate way to take in California
Qatar combines cool culture with authentic Middle Eastern charm — get up early for sunrise in the desert before a day of museum-hopping and tip-top restaurants
A Florence resident since the 1980s, who better than our expert to share her favourite parts of the country — from refined Turin to vibrant Palermo
comment
On October 1 Madrid began its one-year tenure as European capital of gastronomic culture. The citation by the...On October 1 Madrid began its one-year tenure as European capital of gastronomic culture. The...On October 1 Madrid began its one-year tenure as European capital of gastronomic culture. The...
WHERE WAS I? COMPETITION
Friend has given me a copper-bottomed guarantee. We’ll plot a course inland, taking in a couple of sights en route...Friend has given me a copper-bottomed guarantee. We’ll plot a course inland, taking in a couple...Friend has given me a copper-bottomed guarantee. We’ll plot a course inland, taking in a couple...
video
Mind-boggling landscapes, sultry heat, a deep-rooted culture and fantastic food scene — the draw of Indonesia is hard to ignore. Comprising some 17,000 islands, you could quite easily spend months exploring the lush archipelago. So when it comes...Mind-boggling landscapes, sultry heat, a deep-rooted culture and fantastic food scene — the draw...Mind-boggling landscapes, sultry heat, a deep-rooted culture and fantastic food scene — the draw...
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
‘I WILL give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven; what you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and what...‘I WILL give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven; what you prohibit on earth will be prohibited...‘I WILL give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven; what you prohibit on earth will be prohibited...
30th October, 2024
The King, Patron, Music in Country Churches, was represented by Sarah, Countess of Leicester at...30th October, 2024
The King, Patron, Music in Country Churches, was represented by Sarah...30th October, 2024
The King, Patron, Music in Country Churches, was represented by Sarah...
MindGames and Brain Boost puzzles to print and solve at your leisure
Critics say sentencing for mothers who kill their babies lacks consistency and can result in a life term in prison or a hospital detention
Urgent action is needed to clarify the law on infanticide, lawyers argue, after a 22-year-old who hid her baby in a cornflakes box was given a life sentence for murder. Jia Xin Teo, a Malaysian student at Coventry University, was told she must serve a minimum of 17 years in prison last week after a jury at Warwick crown court convicted her of murdering her newborn baby.Urgent action is needed to clarify the law on infanticide, lawyers argue, after a 22-year-old who...Urgent action is needed to clarify the law on infanticide, lawyers argue, after a 22-year-old who...
A string of regulatory failures allowed a venerable City law firm to be sold to a practice that went bust amid...A string of regulatory failures allowed a venerable City law firm to be sold to a practice that went bust amid allegations of a £64 million fraud, the profession’s watchdog has found. The Legal Services Board (LSB) — long pilloried by lawyers as being a toothless and arguably pointless quango — issued that damning...A string of regulatory failures allowed a venerable City law firm to be sold to a practice that went bust amid allegations of a...
interview
Matthew Pryke is in his second innings as managing partner at Hamlins, one of several law firms favoured by Prince Harry. His career has been woven through with a rich tapestry of sports and celebrity. Soon after qualifying as a solicitor into the...Matthew Pryke is in his second innings as managing partner at Hamlins, one of several law firms...Matthew Pryke is in his second innings as managing partner at Hamlins, one of several law firms...
Rachel Reeves announces £3.5 billion budget settlement for Holyrood but an increase in employers’ national insurance adds pressure on firms
SNP ministers have been challenged to cut costs for businesses and fix Scotland’s public sector after the chancellor handed Holyrood the largest budget settlement since devolution. Rachel Reeves announced that the Scottish government’s budget next year will swell by about £3.5 billion to almost...SNP ministers have been challenged to cut costs for businesses and fix Scotland’s public sector after the chancellor handed Holyrood the largest budget settlement since devolution. Rachel Reeves announced that the Scottish government’s budget next year will swell by about £3.5 billion to almost...SNP ministers have been challenged to cut costs for businesses and fix Scotland’s public sector after the chancellor handed...
ANALYSIS
Rachel Reeves’ first budget was big in changes. Fiscal rules were relaxed, taxes raised significantly and departmental spending, both day-to-day and capital, increased by even more. For the Scottish government, this has meant an additional £1.5 billion this year, which is likely to make balancing their budget significantly easier. This has...Rachel Reeves’ first budget was big in changes. Fiscal rules were relaxed, taxes raised significantly and departmental spending, both day-to-day and capital, increased by even more. For the Scottish government, this has meant an additional £1.5 billion this year, which is likely to make balancing their budget significantly easier. This has...Rachel Reeves’ first budget was big in changes. Fiscal rules were relaxed, taxes raised significantly and departmental spending...
Nicola Sturgeon was paid more than £30,000 to be a pundit as the SNP crashed to its worst election result in 14 years. The former first minister appeared on ITV’s election coverage alongside George Osborne, the former chancellor, and Ed Balls, the former shadow chancellor. In an update to her register of interests...Nicola Sturgeon was paid more than £30,000 to be a pundit as the SNP crashed to its worst...Nicola Sturgeon was paid more than £30,000 to be a pundit as the SNP crashed to its worst...
Scotland’s national reading charity has come under fire for altering the lyrics of beloved children’s songs, with critics accusing it of serving up “politically acceptable gruel”. The Scottish Book Trust, which organises more than 20,000 classes...Scotland’s national reading charity has come under fire for altering the lyrics of beloved...Scotland’s national reading charity has come under fire for altering the lyrics of beloved...
alex massie
Thirty years ago Madeleine Albright, then serving as US secretary of state, asked General Colin Powell a simple...Thirty years ago Madeleine Albright, then serving as US secretary of state, asked General Colin...Thirty years ago Madeleine Albright, then serving as US secretary of state, asked General Colin...
A colony of rare butterflies is at risk of being wiped out after a fire started by vandals in an important breeding...A colony of rare butterflies is at risk of being wiped out after a fire started by vandals in an...A colony of rare butterflies is at risk of being wiped out after a fire started by vandals in an...
Premiership
In the immediate aftermath of yet another feeble failure on the road, the Rangers travelling support made their feelings perfectly clear when Philippe Clement and his players sidled over to Pittodrie’s South stand to acknowledge their backing. If...In the immediate aftermath of yet another feeble failure on the road, the Rangers travelling...In the immediate aftermath of yet another feeble failure on the road, the Rangers travelling...
Scottish Premiership | Michael Grant
Scottish Premiership
Scottish Premiership | Mark Palmer
There was barely scope to take a breath never mind pause for reflection in the course of a riotous, at times...There was barely scope to take a breath never mind pause for reflection in the course of a...There was barely scope to take a breath never mind pause for reflection in the course of a...
obituary
Every morning, Lord Leitch would stand in the shower and add up his assets and liabilities. “I know my own financial...Every morning, Lord Leitch would stand in the shower and add up his assets and liabilities. “I...Every morning, Lord Leitch would stand in the shower and add up his assets and liabilities. “I...
Kinlochleven, translated from the Gaelic Ceann Loch Liobhann (or “the head of Loch Leven”), sits a little off the tourist highway near Glencoe and Fort William but is a hub for walkers heading along the West Highland Way. From the village centre...Kinlochleven, translated from the Gaelic Ceann Loch Liobhann (or “the head of Loch Leven”), sits...Kinlochleven, translated from the Gaelic Ceann Loch Liobhann (or “the head of Loch Leven”), sits...
Comment
This old-school budget was Labour to the core
Patrick Maguire
With every choice the chancellor made, the definition of working people jolted into sharper relief. It wasn’t complicated
emma duncan
Flawed plan won’t bring the growth we need
newJustin webb
King of swing Pennsylvania prepares for chaos
newMartin Samuel | notebook
No amount of cash for the NHS can stop benign neglect
newellie goulding
Depletion of nature is shocking — we have to take action now
newLeading Articles
Big State Britain
As the rising UK tax burden moves closer to the European model, the chancellor must do more to fulfil Labour’s election promises on productivity and growth
Cold Comfort Farm
The budget’s changes to agricultural property relief threaten Britain’s family farms
Murder Mystery
Crows can hold a collective grudge against individual people for many years
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Shortcomings in chancellor’s maiden budget
Write to letters@thetimes.co.uk Sir, The chancellor’s decision to apply inheritance tax to pensions will worsen existing discrimination between married and unmarried couples. At present transfers at death between married partners are free of...Write to letters@thetimes.co.uk Sir, The chancellor’s decision to apply inheritance tax to...Write to letters@thetimes.co.uk Sir, The chancellor’s decision to apply inheritance tax to...
Daily Universal Register
Briefing
UK: The Office for National Statistics releases UK national accounts (Blue Book 2024), postponed from July 31; NHS Digital publishes results on stop-smoking services in England for April 2023 to March 2024; the Rusi Gallipoli Memorial Lecture 2024 is delivered by Admiral Sir Keith Blount, Nato’s deputy supreme allied commander Europe.
US: Amazon and Apple are among companies releasing results.
World: Halloween is celebrated.
On this day
In 1541 the Last Judgment by Michelangelo was officially unveiled on the Sistine Chapel’s altar wall. On its completion the papal master of ceremonies deemed it more suitable for “public baths or taverns”. In response, the artist depicted the official in the painting, with donkey ears; in 1925 the card game enthusiast Harold Stirling Vanderbilt set out the rules for contract bridge while on board SS Finland waiting to pass through the Panama Canal; in 1941 the carving of the heads of four US presidents on Mount Rushmore in South Dakota was declared completed. The carvings, originally planned to be from head to waist, are of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln; in 2011 the United Nations estimated that the world’s population had reached seven billion people. In 1950 there were about 2.6 billion people.
Nature notes
Jackdaws might seem the ideal Halloween bird. As their tattered silhouettes race across evening skies they often cackle like witches. Then there is their habit of dropping sticks down the chimney like a band of roof-climbing trick or treaters. In some quarters, they even have a grisly reputation for picking out lambs’ eyes. But there’s another, gentler side to these intelligent corvids. Monogamous, they can often be seen sitting in pairs, gazing tenderly in the same direction, day after day, side by side, whatever the weather — birds for Valentine’s Day rather than Halloween. And jackdaws are far more likely to help rather than hurt sheep. They often “ride” sheep, but when they do so, they’re picking off harmful ticks. Jonathan Tulloch
Jonathan Tulloch
Birthdays today
Leonor, Princess of Asturias, heir to the crown of Spain, 19; Russ Ballard, singer-songwriter, Argent, Hold Your Head Up (1972), 79; Vindi Banga, chairman of UK Government Investments and Marie Curie, 70; Sanjeev Bhaskar, actor and comedian, Unforgotten (2015-23), 61; Sarah Brown, founder and chairwoman, Theirworld children’s charity, and wife of the former prime minister Gordon Brown, 61; Matt Dawson, England rugby player (1995-2006), 52; Mikkey Dee, rock musician, Motörhead (1992-2015), 61; Ronan Dunne, businessman, chairman, Six Nations Rugby, 61; Sir Martin E Franklin, founder and chief executive, Mariposa Capital, 60; Sir Peter Jackson, film director, The Hobbit trilogy (2012-14), 63; Michael Kitchen, actor, Foyle’s War (2002-15), 76; Johnny Marr, guitarist and songwriter, the Smiths (1982-87), 61; Odaline de la Martinez, composer and conductor, 75; Lord (Charles) Moore of Etchingham, biographer of Margaret Thatcher, and editor, The Daily Telegraph (1995-2003), 68; Larry Mullen Jr, rock drummer, U2, 63; Tom Paxton, folk singer, The Last Thing on My Mind (1964), 87; Ted Pick, chief executive, Morgan Stanley, 56; Marcus Rashford, footballer, Manchester United and England, and anti-poverty campaigner, 27; Stephen Rea, actor, V for Vendetta (2005), 78; Howard Skempton, composer, 77; Lord (Keith) Stewart of Dirleton, KC, advocate-general for Scotland (2020-Jul 2024), 59; Jonathan Waxman, founder (1996) and president, Prostate Cancer UK, emeritus professor of oncology, Imperial College, London, 73; Baroness (Judith) Wilcox, business, innovation and skills department minister (2010-12), 84; Baroness (Alison) Wolf of Dulwich, DBE, economist, Sir Roy Griffiths professor of public sector management, King’s College London, 75; Letitia Wright, actress, Black Panther (2018), 31; Lizzy Yarnold, skeleton racer, two-time Olympic gold medallist, 36.