Pressure builds on Rayner over council house claims
Stockport council to review fraud allegations
updatedA council has confirmed it will review allegations that Angela Rayner committed electoral or tax fraud, renewing pressure on the Labour deputy leader. Rayner, 44, said she lived apart from her husband, the father to two of her children, for the first five years of their marriage, between 2010 and...A council has confirmed it will review allegations that Angela Rayner committed electoral or tax fraud, renewing pressure on the Labour deputy leader. Rayner, 44, said she lived apart from her husband, the father to two of her children, for the first five years of their marriage, between 2010 and...A council has confirmed it will review allegations that Angela Rayner committed electoral or tax fraud, renewing pressure on...
uk news
Water bills need to rise by 40% by 2030, says Thames Water boss
newThe boss of Thames Water has said water bills will have to rise 40 per cent, while his company raced to secure funding after investors refused to inject £500 million into the firm. Investment plans by the UK’s biggest water company — to cover everything from new reservoirs to infrastructure curbing sewage spills — would increase customers’...The boss of Thames Water has said water bills will have to rise 40 per cent, while his company raced to secure funding after investors refused to inject £500 million into the firm. Investment plans by the UK’s biggest water company — to cover everything from new reservoirs to infrastructure curbing sewage spills — would increase customers’...The boss of Thames Water has said water bills will have to rise 40 per cent, while his company raced to secure funding after...
investigation
My son died in HMP Bedford. I never felt he was safe there
exclusiveRobert Hands and his wife, Margaret, had just returned home from celebrating his 66th birthday at a local steak restaurant when their front doorbell rang. They had only been in the house for about a minute and had not yet sat down. When they opened the door they saw two police uniforms, and the hands of officers...Robert Hands and his wife, Margaret, had just returned home from celebrating his 66th birthday at...Robert Hands and his wife, Margaret, had just returned home from celebrating his 66th birthday at...
Editor's picks
DEBORAH ROSS
If you believe in bamboo loo roll you’re being bumboozled
This week it was reported that some of the toilet paper brands that claim to be eco-friendly (Naked Sprout, Bazoo...This week it was reported that some of the toilet paper brands that claim to be eco-friendly...This week it was reported that some of the toilet paper brands that claim to be eco-friendly...
The big question
Should Waspi women get compensation?
Between 2010 and 2018 the state pension age gradually increased to 65 for women, bringing them in line with men....Between 2010 and 2018 the state pension age gradually increased to 65 for women, bringing them in...Between 2010 and 2018 the state pension age gradually increased to 65 for women, bringing them in...
Politics
video
politics
There is no magic money tree, Starmer tells councils
Labour leader says no extra cash for levelling-up plans
video
INTERVIEW BY WILLIAM HAGUE
The hardest part of being PM is not being there for my girls, says Rishi Sunak
video
investigation
I worked undercover in one of UK’s most dangerous jails — without checks
exclusiveIt is just before dawn and I am one of dozens of staff arriving to start our shifts at HMP Bedford. Walking through the prison’s front door, I flash an ID to someone on reception and then carry on walking, straight through security. I pass a stack...It is just before dawn and I am one of dozens of staff arriving to start our shifts at HMP Bedford.It is just before dawn and I am one of dozens of staff arriving to start our shifts at HMP Bedford.
video
royal family
King plans to ‘dial up’ engagements towards summer, says Palace
updatedThe King plans to “dial up” his official engagements towards the summer and has already increased the number of people he can meet inside, a Palace source said. After Easter the King and Queen will take a break to enjoy “a quiet period”, a Palace...The King plans to “dial up” his official engagements towards the summer and has already increased...The King plans to “dial up” his official engagements towards the summer and has already increased...
politics
Campaigning peer breaks down at Post Office scandal tapes
A Tory peer and former MP who has campaigned relentlessly for subpostmasters broke down in tears as he listened to...A Tory peer and former MP who has campaigned relentlessly for subpostmasters broke down in tears...A Tory peer and former MP who has campaigned relentlessly for subpostmasters broke down in tears...
education
Oxford has not gone ‘woke’, insists vice-chancellor after election row
Oxford’s vice-chancellor has denied that the university has become “woke” in changing the way it chooses its chancellor.Oxford’s vice-chancellor has denied that the university has become “woke” in changing the way it...Oxford’s vice-chancellor has denied that the university has become “woke” in changing the way it...
world news
Justin Welby: Pray for Evan Gershkovich this Easter
The Archbishop of Canterbury has called on people to pray over Easter for Evan Gershkovich, the journalist from the Wall Street Journal who has now been in jail for a year in Russia on false charges of espionage. In a call to defend “press freedom...The Archbishop of Canterbury has called on people to pray over Easter for Evan Gershkovich, the...The Archbishop of Canterbury has called on people to pray over Easter for Evan Gershkovich, the...
COURTS
Wimbledon ticket tout turned supergrass ‘silenced by threats’
A Wimbledon ticket tout who pledged to reveal details of his business associates to avoid jail has said he must...A Wimbledon ticket tout who pledged to reveal details of his business associates to avoid jail...A Wimbledon ticket tout who pledged to reveal details of his business associates to avoid jail...
the times diary
Mick Jagger, three blondes and sympathy for Spitting Image
For a satirist, the difference between a helpful lawyer and an irritating one depends on one letter. The author John...For a satirist, the difference between a helpful lawyer and an irritating one depends on one letter.For a satirist, the difference between a helpful lawyer and an irritating one depends on one letter.
Armed guards at French schools after headscarf-row terror threats
newDozens of French schools have been placed under armed guard after more than 130 received Islamist terrorist threats amid fresh resistance to the ban on religious clothing in schools. The Jean-Perrin Lycée in Rezé, near the city of Nantes in western France, was evacuated on Thursday after pupils...Dozens of French schools have been placed under armed guard after more than 130 received Islamist terrorist threats amid fresh resistance to the ban on religious clothing in schools. The Jean-Perrin Lycée in Rezé, near the city of Nantes in western France, was evacuated on Thursday after pupils...Dozens of French schools have been placed under armed guard after more than 130 received Islamist terrorist threats amid fresh...
Israeli officials to visit US for talks on planned Rafah invasion
Israeli officials will head to Washington to discuss a promised military operation in Rafah, the White House has confirmed, despite Binyamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, scrapping a planned visit earlier this week. The cancellation was in protest at the US abstaining at a UN security council vote on Monday, allowing for the passage of a...Israeli officials will head to Washington to discuss a promised military operation in Rafah, the White House has confirmed, despite Binyamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, scrapping a planned visit earlier this week. The cancellation was in protest at the US abstaining at a UN security council vote on Monday, allowing for the passage of a...Israeli officials will head to Washington to discuss a promised military operation in Rafah, the White House has confirmed...
analysis
Israel and Hamas think they’re winning the war — but both have lost
In a nondescript villa in the Qatari capital, Mousa Abu Marzouk holds court and receives visitors. Like his fellow members of the Hamas political leadership, Marzouk is wanted dead by Israel. Not far away from Marzouk’s headquarters in Doha, negotiations to end the war in Gaza are set to resume following a UN...In a nondescript villa in the Qatari capital, Mousa Abu Marzouk holds court and receives visitors.In a nondescript villa in the Qatari capital, Mousa Abu Marzouk holds court and receives visitors.
anthony loyd dispatch
The Isis ‘emir’, 14, who rules Syria detention camp by fear
Islamic State’s senior enforcer in Roj detention camp was nine years old when the remnant of the terror group’s caliphate was overrun at Baghouz. Now he is 14. A photograph of him held in the director’s office shows a glowering, heavily-built youth dressed in black. His deputy, similarly dressed but paler skinned, is the same age. Together, the two teenagers run gangs...Islamic State’s senior enforcer in Roj detention camp was nine years old when the remnant of the...Islamic State’s senior enforcer in Roj detention camp was nine years old when the remnant of the...
Hard right a ‘bigger threat to Spain than separatists’
A resurgent right poses a greater threat to Spanish unity than the separatists of Catalonia, the Socialist...A resurgent right poses a greater threat to Spanish unity than the separatists of Catalonia, the Socialist government’s candidate in its regional election has told The Times. Salvador Illa said that Santiago Abascal, leader of the populist Vox party, was a greater danger than Carles Puigdemont, the fugitive...A resurgent right poses a greater threat to Spanish unity than the separatists of Catalonia, the Socialist government’s...
Jill Biden writes children’s book about Willow the White House cat
While President Biden’s animal management skills may be in the doghouse after his German shepherd bit secret service...While President Biden’s animal management skills may be in the doghouse after his German shepherd...While President Biden’s animal management skills may be in the doghouse after his German shepherd...
ANALYSIS
What went wrong? How the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed
The flickering lights onboard the Dali container ship was the first sign something was terribly wrong. Helmed by two...The flickering lights onboard the Dali container ship was the first sign something was terribly...The flickering lights onboard the Dali container ship was the first sign something was terribly...
US election
Thames Water crisis deepens as shareholders refuse to inject cash
Shareholders in Thames Water have refused to inject a promised £750 million of cash into the company, claiming that the highly indebted utility is “uninvestible”. The ratcheting up of the financial crisis at Britain’s largest privatised water company has raised the prospect that it may have to go...Shareholders in Thames Water have refused to inject a promised £750 million of cash into the company, claiming that the highly indebted utility is “uninvestible”. The ratcheting up of the financial crisis at Britain’s largest privatised water company has raised the prospect that it may have to go...Shareholders in Thames Water have refused to inject a promised £750 million of cash into the company, claiming that the highly...
analysis
Why is Thames Water in so much debt? This is what went wrong
The crisis at Thames Water has created an uncertain future for Britain’s biggest privatised water company. Shareholders are refusing to inject funding in a stand-off with Ofwat. The water industry regulator has refused to allow the company to increase its bills, which investors say makes its proposed turnaround plan “uninvestible”...The crisis at Thames Water has created an uncertain future for Britain’s biggest privatised water company. Shareholders are refusing to inject funding in a stand-off with Ofwat. The water industry regulator has refused to allow the company to increase its bills, which investors say makes its proposed turnaround plan “uninvestible”...The crisis at Thames Water has created an uncertain future for Britain’s biggest privatised water company. Shareholders are...
PwC could smash Big Four glass ceiling
PwC could become the first Big Four accounting and consulting firm in the UK to be run by a woman when its partners vote for their next leader in a few weeks’ time. The firm, a giant in the worlds of accounting and consulting, has confirmed the final shortlist of senior partners vying to replace Kevin Ellis, the UK...PwC could become the first Big Four accounting and consulting firm in the UK to be run by a woman...PwC could become the first Big Four accounting and consulting firm in the UK to be run by a woman...
Bank warns of private equity dangers
The Bank of England has sounded its strongest warning yet about the threat to financial stability posed by the $8 trillion private equity market as buyout firms and the companies they own wrestle with higher interest rates. In...The Bank of England has sounded its strongest warning yet about the threat to financial stability posed by the $8 trillion private equity market as buyout firms and the companies they own wrestle with higher interest rates. In...The Bank of England has sounded its strongest warning yet about the threat to financial stability posed by the $8...
S4 Capital facing another tough year, says Sorrell
Sir Martin Sorrell has warned of another tough year ahead for S4 Capital after his digital advertising business remained stuck in the red. S4 Capital, which was set up by Sorrell in 2018, reported a pre-tax loss of £13.9...Sir Martin Sorrell has warned of another tough year ahead for S4 Capital after his digital advertising business remained stuck in the red. S4 Capital, which was set up by Sorrell in 2018, reported a pre-tax loss of £13.9...Sir Martin Sorrell has warned of another tough year ahead for S4 Capital after his digital advertising business...
patrick hosking | comment
You don’t have to be ‘super-bear’ to think markets are due a jolt
Minimum wage
Pay living wage at 18, government urged
Hundreds of thousands of 18 to 20-year-old employees should be paid the adult minimum wage rate, according to the government’s official adviser on low pay. The recommendation from the Low Pay Commission would mean a 33 per cent pay rise for a...Hundreds of thousands of 18 to 20-year-old employees should be paid the adult minimum wage rate...Hundreds of thousands of 18 to 20-year-old employees should be paid the adult minimum wage rate...
business commentary
Ready for a game of pass the parcel
Typically with competing bids, it’s clear who’s in the box seat. Not so much with the all-share slugfest for DS Smith...Typically with competing bids, it’s clear who’s in the box seat. Not so much with the all-share...Typically with competing bids, it’s clear who’s in the box seat. Not so much with the all-share...
ryan bourne | COMMENT
It’s time for Bank’s rate-setters to follow the money supply
The Bank of England is behind the monetary curve again. Last week the monetary policy committee’s two most hawkish...The Bank of England is behind the monetary curve again. Last week the monetary policy committee’s...The Bank of England is behind the monetary curve again. Last week the monetary policy committee’s...
Confidence returning to property market as buyers pay up
Prospective buyers are still able to haggle over their next home but discounts to the asking price are diminishing as confidence returns to the property market, according to the latest data. Sellers are typically accepting offers at £10,000 below...Prospective buyers are still able to haggle over their next home but discounts to the asking...Prospective buyers are still able to haggle over their next home but discounts to the asking...
market update
London stock markets higher before Easter break
London’s markets edged up this morning as investors took stock during the final day of trading in a shortened week...London’s markets edged up this morning as investors took stock during the final day of trading in...London’s markets edged up this morning as investors took stock during the final day of trading in...
Motor insurers making low compensation offers, says watchdog
Some of Britain’s leading motor insurers knowingly offer owners of written-off or stolen cars initial settlements...Some of Britain’s leading motor insurers knowingly offer owners of written-off or stolen cars...Some of Britain’s leading motor insurers knowingly offer owners of written-off or stolen cars...
Japanese yen falls to lowest level since 1990
The Japanese yen has fallen to its lowest level against the US dollar in more than three decades as policymakers insisted that guiding monetary policy back to a normal setting would be a slow process. In overnight trading the currency briefly...The Japanese yen has fallen to its lowest level against the US dollar in more than three decades...The Japanese yen has fallen to its lowest level against the US dollar in more than three decades...
RECRUITMENT
Religious jobs are a broad church — there’s more than just clergy
As perhaps the ultimate job with purpose, careers in the church are enjoying a second coming. In a world of zero-hours contracts and corporate greed, doing God’s work is an increasingly attractive option for those seeking a meaningful role making a difference to communities locally and worldwide. Two factors have combined to resurrect interest in church employment.As perhaps the ultimate job with purpose, careers in the church are enjoying a second coming. In...As perhaps the ultimate job with purpose, careers in the church are enjoying a second coming. In...
RECRUITMENT: SIX FROM THE BEST
Inspire your team by being your true self at work
Lee Gilbert is chief marketing officer of Nourish Care, the UK’s largest provider of software for the adult care...Lee Gilbert is chief marketing officer of Nourish Care, the UK’s largest provider of software for the adult care sector, and one of the few trans women in UK C-suite roles. Before International Transgender Day of Visibility on March 31, Gilbert shares her advice for being truly you through your career. Be authentic....Lee Gilbert is chief marketing officer of Nourish Care, the UK’s largest provider of software for the adult care sector, and...
NFL | Paddy von behr
Trick plays and new rules – why Chiefs are perfect fit for Rees-Zammit
So, Louis Rees-Zammit is joining the Kansas City Chiefs, back-to-back Super Bowl winners and the best team in the NFL. That will probably hinder his chances of getting on the field and writing a cross-Atlantic success story, right? Not exactly. Of course, the Carolina Panthers or (whisper it) New England Patriots have a far greater need for raw but athletically gifted...So, Louis Rees-Zammit is joining the Kansas City Chiefs, back-to-back Super Bowl winners and the...So, Louis Rees-Zammit is joining the Kansas City Chiefs, back-to-back Super Bowl winners and the...
FOOTBALL
Tonali faces new ban after being charged with 50 betting offences by FA
The Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali is at risk of having a ten-month ban for gambling on football extended...The Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali is at risk of having a ten-month ban for gambling on football extended after he was charged by the FA with 50 new alleged offences of betting on matches this season. Tonali was banned by the Italian football federation (FIGC) on October 26 after admitting betting on...The Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali is at risk of having a ten-month ban for gambling on football extended after he...
football | Ashley westwood interview
I thought, ‘I don’t want any caviar, I just don’t want to get blown up’
CYCLING | David Bates
Van Aert’s careful plans and brutal altitude camp undone by a touch of wheels
Football | Henry Winter
Grealish and Gallagher at risk but Henderson could make Euros squad
RUGBY UNION | STUART BARNES
Entertaining and exciting club game points to bright future for England
newThe Gallagher Premiership is a product. Yuck. Yep, it is a business and its business is to pack the stadiums and draw...The Gallagher Premiership is a product. Yuck. Yep, it is a business and its business is to pack...The Gallagher Premiership is a product. Yuck. Yep, it is a business and its business is to pack...
Tennis | matthew syed
My advice to Murray? Retire when you want – your legacy is secure
I keep hearing that Andy Murray is “undermining” his legacy by continuing to play tennis. That he is jeopardising his...I keep hearing that Andy Murray is “undermining” his legacy by continuing to play tennis. That he...I keep hearing that Andy Murray is “undermining” his legacy by continuing to play tennis. That he...
Football | Hamzah Khalique-Loonat
Tactical lessons Southgate will have learnt from Belgium game
A spate of injuries to key players meant Gareth Southgate’s England team against Belgium was a product of contingency, but the game proved a microcosm of tactical themes that are likely to play an important role in this summer’s European Championship — matters of balance, width, ball progression and pressing. The England manager said that he finds the midfield the most...A spate of injuries to key players meant Gareth Southgate’s England team against Belgium was a...A spate of injuries to key players meant Gareth Southgate’s England team against Belgium was a...
FOOTBALL | conti cup final
Russo has last chance to salvage Arsenal’s season – and end trophy wait
Alessia Russo was signed last summer to help end Arsenal’s silverware dearth. Instead, she is at risk of symbolising it.Alessia Russo was signed last summer to help end Arsenal’s silverware dearth. Instead, she is at risk of symbolising it. The England striker, who arrived in north London from Manchester United, has yet to win a trophy in her senior club career. Sunday’s Conti Cup final, against Chelsea at Molineux, represents her...Alessia Russo was signed last summer to help end Arsenal’s silverware dearth. Instead, she is at risk of symbolising it. The...
cricket | mike atherton
Fraser’s KFC dash, sheer panic and King Curtly – my memories of 46 all out
rugby union | ELGAN ALDERMAN
Tuilagi will play at world’s best ground – my night as Bayonne ultra
Football | peter walton
Refs abused more since VAR – but Clough wouldn’t have stood for it
For a player to have called Paul Tierney the c-word three times would have been bad enough; for a coach such as...For a player to have called Paul Tierney the c-word three times would have been bad enough; for a...For a player to have called Paul Tierney the c-word three times would have been bad enough; for a...
football
‘It’s the same every week, you c**t’ – Forest coach’s rant at referee
Nottingham Forest’s first-team coach Steven Reid has been given a two-match touchline ban and fined £5,000 after...Nottingham Forest’s first-team coach Steven Reid has been given a two-match touchline ban and...Nottingham Forest’s first-team coach Steven Reid has been given a two-match touchline ban and...
football | Alyson Rudd
Fulham’s state-of-the-art stand with a pool — what is not to love?
Away fans at Craven Cottage have been known to sing: “Where’s your butler gone?” They may now consider adding quips about personal shoppers and Michelin stars because Fulham have released details of just how darned posh a visit to their stadium will be by the end of the year. “See inside a new world-class match-day experience,” we are told before a virtual tour of “The...Away fans at Craven Cottage have been known to sing: “Where’s your butler gone?” They may now...Away fans at Craven Cottage have been known to sing: “Where’s your butler gone?” They may now...
rugby union
Game-time limits put England stars at risk of missing title run-in
Several England players are approaching the season’s limit of game time agreed with the RFU and the Rugby Players’...Several England players are approaching the season’s limit of game time agreed with the RFU and the Rugby Players’ Association, leaving Gallagher Premiership coaches facing a tricky task to juggle their resources in the run-in to the end of the domestic season. For player welfare, England players are limited to the...Several England players are approaching the season’s limit of game time agreed with the RFU and the Rugby Players’ Association...
football
From Charlton to Rooney, how we reported emergence of past England stars
After Kobbie Mainoo, at the age of 18, became the latest prodigy to make his senior England debut — with 15 minutes off the bench against Brazil before an impressive start against Belgium — The Times looks back at how we covered the early careers...After Kobbie Mainoo, at the age of 18, became the latest prodigy to make his senior England debut...After Kobbie Mainoo, at the age of 18, became the latest prodigy to make his senior England debut...
bill edgar’s premier league quiz
Which player is enduring the longest run of shots without scoring?
Rugby union | Matt Cotton
Bath can equal record against Harlequins as Saracens go full Man City
Football
Liverpool assistant Lijnders in running to become Ajax head coach
Pepijn Lijnders, the Liverpool assistant manager, is under consideration by Ajax to become their head coach next season.Pepijn Lijnders, the Liverpool assistant manager, is under consideration by Ajax to become their...Pepijn Lijnders, the Liverpool assistant manager, is under consideration by Ajax to become their...
cricket
Sunrisers’ mammoth 277 total and 38 sixes – IPL records tumble
Travis Head hit an 18-ball fifty as Sunrisers Hyderabad smashed 277 for three to record the highest total in T20...Travis Head hit an 18-ball fifty as Sunrisers Hyderabad smashed 277 for three to record the...Travis Head hit an 18-ball fifty as Sunrisers Hyderabad smashed 277 for three to record the...
racing
Thunderer’s racing tips
TImes Sport Unseen
A packed boat race captured by drone and Sven’s special day
Introduction by Roger Watt of Vancouver, Canada: The honour of being asked to write the intro for this week’s Unseen gallery is tempered by a certain trepidation because, well, this is The Times and because I have my suspicions that several of my...Introduction by Roger Watt of Vancouver, Canada: The honour of being asked to write the intro for...Introduction by Roger Watt of Vancouver, Canada: The honour of being asked to write the intro for...
first person
What really happened in Prince Andrew’s interview — and the part I played
When top photographer Mark Harrison was sent to shoot the Duke of York’s Newsnight interview, he had no idea what was about to unfold
CAITLIN MORAN’S CELEBRITY WATCH
Are teenage boys going to buy Andrew Tate’s gold coffee mugs?
Let’s hope future ex-Tate-fans will enjoy looking back at his merch in the same way adult women look back at Nineties brown lip-liner
newINTERVIEW
Christine McGuinness: ‘Let’s say that men haven’t been the best in my life’
The reality TV star on forgiving her heroin addict dad, living with her ex-husband — and starting over
THE ARTS COLUMN
Who will be brave enough to turn off the Arts Council’s tap?
The Wigmore Hall is throwing off the shackles of nannying by the box-ticking quango and going it alone
newhealth
Young, fit — and with a hole in their hearts
The common abnormality, which left a 22-year-old woman with heart failure, also led to a stroke for the rugby player Josh McNally, he tells Elisabeth Perlman
DEBORAH ROSS
If you believe in bamboo loo roll you’re being bumboozled
This week it was reported that some of the toilet paper brands that claim to be eco-friendly (Naked Sprout, Bazoo...This week it was reported that some of the toilet paper brands that claim to be eco-friendly...This week it was reported that some of the toilet paper brands that claim to be eco-friendly...
The big question
Should Waspi women get compensation?
Between 2010 and 2018 the state pension age gradually increased to 65 for women, bringing them in line with men....Between 2010 and 2018 the state pension age gradually increased to 65 for women, bringing them in...Between 2010 and 2018 the state pension age gradually increased to 65 for women, bringing them in...
First night reviews
FIRST NIGHT | VISUAL ART
Musée d’Orsay’s new show debunks impressionist myths
new“If we manage to move just a few thousand people, it will be an achievement.” So said the artist Camille Pissarro in April 1874, on the eve of the opening in Paris of an exhibition of works by artists rejected by the city’s arts establishment — its Salon — who were painting in a new, daring, more naturalistic manner, with rougher brush-strokes and on canvases often...“If we manage to move just a few thousand people, it will be an achievement.” So said the artist...“If we manage to move just a few thousand people, it will be an achievement.” So said the artist...
first night | visual art
The Stone of Destiny’s new home in Perth revealed
The Danny Jewel is a gem with a difference. Where you might expect to see an emerald or ruby hangs instead a grey and...The Danny Jewel is a gem with a difference. Where you might expect to see an emerald or ruby hangs instead a grey and underwhelming segment of what looks like tree bark. But this is a treasure more valuable than a pearl or diamond: it’s the tusk of a unicorn. Worn, it would ward off evil. Powdered, it would purify...The Danny Jewel is a gem with a difference. Where you might expect to see an emerald or ruby hangs instead a grey and...
first night | DANCE
This ENB Carmen reframes the classic as a psychological nightmare
first night | THEATRE
MJ: The Musical is 24-carat karaoke anchored by sleek dance moves
first night | classical
These rarely heard Easter pieces by Bach could have been better presented
first night | theatre
Our verdict on Opening Night — Sheridan Smith shines in a bizarre drama
FIRST NIGHT | CLASSICAL
This five-star Handel passion was an Easter musical miracle
Had you been in Hamburg in 1719, you would have been treated to not one but four Brockes Passions by different local composers that Easter. You would have needed some serious aural, and vocal, stamina to dramatise Barthold Brockes’s telling of the...Had you been in Hamburg in 1719, you would have been treated to not one but four Brockes Passions...Had you been in Hamburg in 1719, you would have been treated to not one but four Brockes Passions...
books | fiction
Bonfire of the Vanities for modern Britain — or just an overstuffed novel?
Sometimes it’s nice to read a novel that’s just too much. One stuffed with big characters, big events and big ideas —...Sometimes it’s nice to read a novel that’s just too much. One stuffed with big characters, big...Sometimes it’s nice to read a novel that’s just too much. One stuffed with big characters, big...
PROPERTY | INTERVIEW
Peter Blake: ‘My favourite album cover? One I made for Brian Wilson’
I was born in Dartford, Kent, in 1932. I stayed there until the age of seven. When the Second World War began I was...I was born in Dartford, Kent, in 1932. I stayed there until the age of seven. When the Second...I was born in Dartford, Kent, in 1932. I stayed there until the age of seven. When the Second...
BOOKS I rereading
What happens when the ‘rough, sexual world’ comes to suburbia
What to watch: your TV and streaming guide
tv review
Ben Miller’s Professor T evokes Paddington Bear in jail
Professor T
ITV1 Big Gay Wedding
BBC1 My recurring mental image when watching Professor T languishing in jail was of Paddington Bear in Paddington 2. That prison had the same inauthentic vibe and Professor Jasper Tempest had Paddington’s...Professor T
ITV1 Big Gay Wedding
BBC1 My recurring mental image when watching Professor...Professor T
ITV1 Big Gay Wedding
BBC1 My recurring mental image when watching Professor...
television
5 of the best… Nineties TV dramas
Viewing GUide
What’s on TV and radio tonight
tELEVISION | STREAMING GUIDE
What to watch now on Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Prime Video and beyond
updatedMindGames
The Times Daily Quiz
gabriella bennett
Scottish spring lures you in, then plays by its own rules
Primavera dawns, and maybe hope. The spring equinox is a week in the rear-view mirror, and in front are light-tipped...Primavera dawns, and maybe hope. The spring equinox is a week in the rear-view mirror, and in...Primavera dawns, and maybe hope. The spring equinox is a week in the rear-view mirror, and in...
In case you missed it
video
design
The doll’s house with its own set of Crown Jewels
Queen Mary’s 100-year-old doll’s house is a study in miniature opulence. Now such luxurious playthings are becoming fashionable again
superfood
The world’s most expensive honey and the sweet taste of success
In the remote Turkish mountains lie beehives whose produce is more precious than gold
conversations
How to talk to your children about menstruation
FRANCE
25 of the best mini breaks in France for spring
The pre-summer months are perfect for a balmy French holiday. From new art shows on the Côte d’Azur to wine-tasting in the Loire, let our expert be your guide
Travel advice
Heathrow airport strike dates 2024: when are the Border Force walkouts?
Border Force staff working at Europe’s largest airport will walk out for four days in April
video
inspiration
I’ve been to 124 countries in a wheelchair — here’s what I’ve learnt
Renee Bruns has used a wheelchair for most of her life. She explains how her disability has inspired her travels and how she’s become a Guinness World Record holder
UK
Seven of the UK’s best small independent music festivals
If you haven’t got a ticket for Glastonbury, try these mini versions — complete with holistic healing, local crafts and great food
travel advice
What is surge pricing and how does it affect travellers?
With the cost of rail journeys, flights and hotels constantly changing, we explain how to navigate the rises and falls to minimise the price of your holiday
video
rail journeys
My £59 night on the first sleeper train from Brussels to Prague
US
The coolest city in Texas? It’s no longer Austin
Almost 150 years ago, in an act of sneery superiority, the Dallas Herald published a story about Fort Worth. In it...Almost 150 years ago, in an act of sneery superiority, the Dallas Herald published a story about...Almost 150 years ago, in an act of sneery superiority, the Dallas Herald published a story about...
Travel advice
Seven of the biggest travel scams (and how to avoid them)
The very definition of holiday hell is arriving at the address of the bargain villa you booked online only to...The very definition of holiday hell is arriving at the address of the bargain villa you booked...The very definition of holiday hell is arriving at the address of the bargain villa you booked...
Travel advice
10-year passport rule: are your documents valid for EU travel?
If your passport is more than ten years old or it has less than three months to run, you will not be able to travel to the EU. The rules came into effect after Brexit, with Ireland (in the Common Travel Area) being the only exception.If your passport is more than ten years old or it has less than three months to run, you will not...If your passport is more than ten years old or it has less than three months to run, you will not...
From the archive
Many deaths in Amalfi landslides
COURT CIRCULAR
March 27, 2024
Buckingham Palace
27th March, 2024 The King this afternoon received His Excellency Mohamed Nasheed...Buckingham Palace
27th March, 2024 The King this afternoon received His Excellency Mohamed...Buckingham Palace
27th March, 2024 The King this afternoon received His Excellency Mohamed...
Announcements
Births, marriages and deaths
WHEN Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples: “You know that after two days the Passover is...WHEN Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples: “You know that after two...WHEN Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples: “You know that after two...
Printable Puzzles
MindGames and Brain Boost puzzles to print and solve at your leisure
The crucial skills every dispute resolution lawyer needs
Commercial lawyers with cultural awareness and emotional intelligence are highly sought-after by international businesses
Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, argued that subconscious feelings caused relationship conflicts; most controversially he espoused the Oedipus complex to explain tensions between children and their parents. While commercial lawyers can safely duck study of the id, ego and superego elements of Freud’s personality theory, they could benefit from developing a...Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, argued that subconscious feelings caused...Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, argued that subconscious feelings caused...
Junior solicitor pay takes off in Bristol, Birmingham and Leeds
Tales of rocketing junior lawyer pay have been rife in London for the past two years as the US firms throw cash...Tales of rocketing junior lawyer pay have been rife in London for the past two years as the US firms throw cash around like Hershey’s bars. There are now signs that the Americans’ largesse is not just irritating English rivals in the Square Mile, but also affecting places that the managing partners of the top US...Tales of rocketing junior lawyer pay have been rife in London for the past two years as the US firms throw cash around like...
lawyer of the week
Phil Sherrell on his career and proving Craig Wright was not bitcoin founder
Phil Sherrell, a partner at Bird & Bird, successfully acted in the High Court for the Crypto Open Patent Alliance to...Phil Sherrell, a partner at Bird & Bird, successfully acted in the High Court for the Crypto Open...Phil Sherrell, a partner at Bird & Bird, successfully acted in the High Court for the Crypto Open...
out of court
Law Society hangs on to its president’s haunted bolt hole
Nick Emmerson, president of the Law Society, the professional body for 160,000 solicitors in England and Wales, was...Nick Emmerson, president of the Law Society, the professional body for 160,000 solicitors in...Nick Emmerson, president of the Law Society, the professional body for 160,000 solicitors in...
in conversation | Jessica Learmond-Criqui
‘A lawyer is a lifeline — and lawyers are for life, not just Christmas’
A campaigning lawyer who represented Cherie Blair KC’s stepmother is taking on Camden council for actions that she claims discriminate against older and less able residents. Jessica Learmond-Criqui, 59, who runs a boutique employment and business...A campaigning lawyer who represented Cherie Blair KC’s stepmother is taking on Camden council for...A campaigning lawyer who represented Cherie Blair KC’s stepmother is taking on Camden council for...
comment | Mohit Pasricha
Messi was first, but Mbappé scores with trademark application
Comment | jonathan askin
Tesco’s Clubcard loss may be a price worth paying
comment | simon goodbody
UK music industry needs urgent guidance on AI training rules
comment | paul mcfarlane
Fire and rehire: great for lawyers, but what about everyone else?
Groundskeeper died of shotgun wound to neck and chest, death certificate says
newA man murdered on a hillside near Aberfeldy died from a shotgun wound to the neck and chest, his death certificate has revealed. Brian Low was shot on a muddy track near his home just south of the Perthshire town almost six weeks ago. Details of his death have been registered with Perth & Kinross...A man murdered on a hillside near Aberfeldy died from a shotgun wound to the neck and chest, his death certificate has revealed. Brian Low was shot on a muddy track near his home just south of the Perthshire town almost six weeks ago. Details of his death have been registered with Perth & Kinross...A man murdered on a hillside near Aberfeldy died from a shotgun wound to the neck and chest, his death certificate has revealed.
Landlords face ban on rent increases under SNP crackdown
Landlords could be banned from increasing rent in Scotland for up to five years under plans that critics warn will distort the market and make lets more expensive. The move to bring long-term rent control to Scotland has led to concern from industry leaders that billions of pounds in investment will be put at risk and the nation’s housing...Landlords could be banned from increasing rent in Scotland for up to five years under plans that critics warn will distort the market and make lets more expensive. The move to bring long-term rent control to Scotland has led to concern from industry leaders that billions of pounds in investment will be put at risk and the nation’s housing...Landlords could be banned from increasing rent in Scotland for up to five years under plans that critics warn will distort the...
Parents condemn offer of class photo without complex needs pupils
newA council has apologised for a “totally unacceptable” decision to offer parents a choice of class photograph, some of which had removed pupils with complex needs. Parents at Aboyne Primary School complained after receiving a link from a photography company offering alternative pictures. Aberdeenshire council said...A council has apologised for a “totally unacceptable” decision to offer parents a choice of class...A council has apologised for a “totally unacceptable” decision to offer parents a choice of class...
SCOTTISH BUSINESS DIGEST
Economy in ‘significant downturn’: 6 need-to-know business stories
Book festival cancelled over lack of funding from arts body in sex show row
newThe porn row engulfing Creative Scotland has intensified after the arts body’s failure to support one of Scotland’s leading book festivals forced it to close. The Aye Write festival in Glasgow will not go ahead this year after it was turned down...The porn row engulfing Creative Scotland has intensified after the arts body’s failure to support...The porn row engulfing Creative Scotland has intensified after the arts body’s failure to support...
food
Gooey and good for the soul — Kirsten Gilmour’s posh mac ’n’ cheese
This veg-packed version of the classic from the chef at KJ’s Bothy Bakery is still rich, easy and, most importantly, cheesy
Just two main ingredients, macaroni and cheese, right? Wrong. This take on it swaps the pasta and introduces a whole load of vegetables for a fresher take on the comfort food favourite that’s still easy and still fills you up on a cold day. It’s ideal for batch cooking too. “It’s my favourite post-exercise feast,” says Kirsten Gilmour, who runs KJ’s Bothy Bakery in...Just two main ingredients, macaroni and cheese, right? Wrong. This take on it swaps the pasta and...Just two main ingredients, macaroni and cheese, right? Wrong. This take on it swaps the pasta and...
food
Pretty Pittenweem’s glorious seafood spot
Painted houses line Pittenweem harbour like pastel stripes in a tub of Neapolitan ice cream. Fishermen haul in crabs...Painted houses line Pittenweem harbour like pastel stripes in a tub of Neapolitan ice cream. Fishermen haul in crabs and lobster from trawlers dipping and rising on the water. OK, there’s also a controversial purple mural of a ghoulish witch peering menacingly over the cutesy village. It’s a nod to the Fife fishing...Painted houses line Pittenweem harbour like pastel stripes in a tub of Neapolitan ice cream. Fishermen haul in crabs and...
Sacked Ferguson shipyard boss not to blame for ferry delays, says ex-owner
The former owner of the shipyard building two massively delayed and over-budget ferries has described the sacking of...The former owner of the shipyard building two massively delayed and over-budget ferries has...The former owner of the shipyard building two massively delayed and over-budget ferries has...
LEADING ARTICLE
The Times Scotland view on the housing bill: Unsafe as Houses
The Scottish government does not have a strong record when it comes to effective legislation — laws that actually...The Scottish government does not have a strong record when it comes to effective legislation —...The Scottish government does not have a strong record when it comes to effective legislation —...
Football | Michael Grant
Five key questions for Clarke to answer before Scotland head to Euros
Euro 2024 starts in only 79 days: are Scotland ready? The team is now seven games without a victory, the longest winless sequence since getting to nine under Craig Brown in 1997-98. That run included the three games the last time they were at a...Euro 2024 starts in only 79 days: are Scotland ready? The team is now seven games without a...Euro 2024 starts in only 79 days: are Scotland ready? The team is now seven games without a...
Rugby union | Mark Palmer
Nel has given far more to Scottish rugby than has been given to him
gabriella bennett
Scottish spring lures you in, then plays by its own rules
Primavera dawns, and maybe hope. The spring equinox is a week in the rear-view mirror, and in front are light-tipped...Primavera dawns, and maybe hope. The spring equinox is a week in the rear-view mirror, and in...Primavera dawns, and maybe hope. The spring equinox is a week in the rear-view mirror, and in...
jim walker | comment
Farmers are being left behind by gallivanting politicians
‘We feel very honoured that minister [Mairi] Gougeon has considered our facilities and has given us almost a full...‘We feel very honoured that minister [Mairi] Gougeon has considered our facilities and has given...‘We feel very honoured that minister [Mairi] Gougeon has considered our facilities and has given...
Comment
Minimum wage is a success – don’t max it out
Emma Duncan
Initial fears the measure would destroy jobs proved unfounded but there is only so far it can rise
newSUSIE GOLDSBROUGH
Gen Z brains are wired for ‘second screening’
IAIN MARTIN
It’s time we talked about the fall of Kyiv
JANICE TURNER | NOTEBOOK
Brightons rock as the world swims for Evan Gershkovich
Alyson Rudd
Vinicius Jr would find much less racism in English football
Leading Articles
Out of Mind
A Times investigation has revealed lax security and squalor at Bedford prison. Fixing the neglected and failing penal system must be a priority for both main parties
Beauty of the Beast
A much-loved storybook monster is celebrating its silver jubilee
Spilling the Dirt
England’s water pollution last year was the worst on record. It must be stopped
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Overseas fees and the true purpose of universities
Sir, Further to Joanna Williams’s article “Universities have forgotten their true purpose” (Mar 27), I would like to point out another key change. When I joined the University of Southampton nearly three decades ago, only one in ten of the...Sir, Further to Joanna Williams’s article “Universities have forgotten their true purpose”...Sir, Further to Joanna Williams’s article “Universities have forgotten their true purpose”...
Daily Universal Register
Briefing
UK: Quarterly estimate of UK gross domestic product, income and expenditure; Maundy Thursday.
US: Quarterly estimate of GDP.
On this day
In 1963 the premiere of Alfred Hitchcock’s film The Birds took place in New York City, with 1,000 homing pigeons released to promote the event. At the London premiere on August 29, 1963, the promotion included two flamingos and six penguins — and as the audience left the cinema, the sound of screeching and flapping birds came from loudspeakers hidden in trees; in 1969 Dwight D Eisenhower, Second World War military commander and the 34th US president (1953-61), died in the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC, aged 78; in 1979 there was a radiation leak at Three Mile Island nuclear power station in Pennsylvania. Its aftermath led to several changes, including emergency response planning; in 1979 the Labour prime minister James Callaghan (obituary, March 28, 2005) lost a parliamentary vote of no confidence by one vote. An early general election in May was won by the Conservative Party, led by Margaret Thatcher (obituary, April 8, 2013); in 1983 Ian MacGregor was appointed National Coal Board chairman. He took up his new role on September 1, 1983, after leading the British Steel Corporation. The shadow energy secretary John King said it was an “extraordinarily foolish appointment”, which caused controversy with miners’ unions.
Nature notes
On every public space, every cemetery plot and village green, the daffodils are in bloom. These flowers are cultivars but in a handful of places, the rare wild daffodils can still be seen growing in plenty. The wild plant, Narcissus pseudonarcissus, is smaller than most cultivated types. Two-toned, it has clotted cream-coloured petals and a deeper yellow trumpet. Unlike the carefully planted bulbs, wild daffodils grow in gloriously unruly masses. Farndale in the heart of the North York Moors is one of the best places to enjoy this wild spectacle, where seven miles of flowers follow the winding course of the River Dove. As you walk alongside them, you are likely to hear the cry of the curlew. Jonathan Tulloch
Jonathan Tulloch
Birthdays today
Lord (John) Alderdice, psychiatrist and convener, Liberal Democrat parliamentary party, House of Lords (2010-14), 69; Rosemary Ashe, soprano, Carlotta in the original cast of The Phantom of the Opera (1986), 71; Simon Bazalgette, co-founder and chairman, Global Venue Services (business services), chief executive, the Jockey Club (2008-19), 62; Marc Bolland, a vice-president of Unicef UK, chief executive, Marks & Spencer (2010-16), Morrisons (2006-10), 65; Rodrigo Duterte, president of the Philippines (2016-22), 79; Sir Richard Eyre, film director, Notes on a Scandal (2006), 81; Nick Frost, actor, Shaun of the Dead (2004), 52; Lady Gaga, singer, The Fame (2008), and actress, House of Gucci (2021), 38; Lord (Peter) Hennessy of Nympsfield, historian and writer, A Duty of Care: Britain Before and After Covid (2022), 77; Nasser Hussain, cricketer, England (1989-2004), and broadcaster, Sky Sports, 56; Lord (Neil) Kinnock, leader of the Labour Party (1983-92), 82; Dame Diane Lees, director-general, Imperial War Museums (2008-23), 60; Mike Newell, film director, Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), 82; Robin Norton-Hale, general director, English Touring Opera, co-founder of OperaUpClose, 44; Amancio Ortega, co-founder of Inditex, 88; Ian Page, chief executive, Dechra Pharmaceuticals, 63; Lord (Stuart) Polak, honorary president, Conservative Friends of Israel, 63; Angela Rayner, Labour MP for Ashton-under-Lyne, shadow deputy prime minister, deputy leader of the Labour Party, 44; Julia Stiles, actress, the Jason Bourne film series (2002-16), 43; Sir Richard Stilgoe, lyricist, Starlight Express (1984), and co-librettist, The Phantom of the Opera (1986), 81; Mario Vargas Llosa, politician and writer, The Time of the Hero (1963), Nobel prize in literature (2010), 88; Vince Vaughn, actor, Wedding Crashers (2005), 54; Baroness (Sayeeda) Warsi, co-chairwoman, Conservative Party (2010-12), 53, Lauren Weisberger, novelist, The Devil Wears Prada (2003), 47.