禁止提前 释放
作者：Charles Hymas 内政主编
《电讯报》获悉，根据安迪·伯纳姆正在考虑的计划，强奸犯将被排除在工党监狱提前释放计划之外。在上周受到国会议员、受害者、活动人士和一线监狱警员的压力，要求停止严重性犯罪和暴力犯罪者的提前释放后，首相下令对该计划进行审查。据了解，伯纳姆先生和英国司法部大臣亚历克斯·诺里斯已经收到了一份选项清单，其中包括将所有强奸犯和儿童强奸犯排除在提前释放计划之外。部长们计划在下周初公布审查结果。但被判定犯有误杀罪的罪犯可能仍会被提前释放，其中可能包括警察安德鲁·哈珀的凶手，不过最终决定尚未做出。《电讯报》揭露，哈珀警官的两名凶手有资格在服刑 13 年刑期的半数时间后获释，而非三分之二。伯纳姆先生“暂停”了原定于 9 月 2 日启动的计划，并表示在审查确定谁可以安全提前释放、谁不能，以及可以为受害者采取哪些额外保障措施之前，6,000 名符合条件的罪犯中没有任何一个人应该被释放。在旨在解决监狱过度拥挤的“获得性进展”计划下，包括杀手和强奸犯在内的严重犯罪者，除非在狱中表现不佳，否则有资格在服刑半数时间而非三分之二时获释。低级别罪犯则可以在服刑仅三分之一而非 40% 时获释，除非他们违反了监狱纪律规则。英国司法部 (MoJ) 官员警告称，任何重大延迟或对该计划的大范围豁免，都可能导致英格兰和威尔士的监狱在 11 月出现空间不足的风险。分析
作者：Jonathan Leake 和 Chris Price
英国石油公司 (BP) 放弃北海的计划引发了人们的担忧，担心这家石油巨头可能会永久离开英国。 昨天，该公司在运营 60 年多之后，将其英国离岸石油和天然气业务挂牌出售。 此举引发了外界担忧，这家价值 £86bn 的企业可能会将其总部迁出英国，或者将其股票从伦敦证券交易所转移到美国。 英国石油公司新任美国首席执行官麦格·奥尼尔表示，英国“将继...
18 商业 29 天气 33
《电讯报》的报道指出，在预计从9月起10个月内获释的6,000名合资格罪犯中，约有220名儿童强奸犯以及另外344名强奸犯将被排除在该计划之外。据了解，因过失致死而入狱的杀人犯目前不在“豁免”选项名单中，可能仍符合提前释放的条件。然而，消息人士强调，尚未做出最终决定。专家认为，过失致死是一个复杂的犯罪类别，涵盖了广泛的罪犯，从导致死亡的酒吧袭击事件，到杀死警察哈珀（Pc Harper）的两名凶手。阿尔伯特·鲍尔斯（Albert Bowers）和杰西·科尔（Jessie Cole）当时就在那辆车里，当哈珀的脚踝被拖车绳圈套住时，车子将他沿乡村道路拖行了一英多米。哈珀当时在调查一起四轮摩托车盗窃案，而那两人试图乘坐由第三名凶手亨利·朗（Henry Long）驾驶的汽车逃离，后者不符合提前释放的条件。目前并没有具体的“过失导致紧急工作人员死亡”的罪名可供豁免，尽管在哈珀遗孀领导的一场运动后，法律规定任何在犯罪时杀死紧急工作人员的人将被判处强制性终身监禁。如果部长们决定不将过失致死排除在外，他们可能会面临强烈反弹。一名资深工党议员表示：“过失致死应当[被豁免提前释放]。许多家庭谋杀案最后都以过失致死脱罪。”该提前释放计划载于《2026年量刑法》，这意味着任何变更可能需要在议会于Sept 1.复会时通过立法。预计其启动时间可能会推迟到接下来的Sept 9.。一名英国司法部发言人表示：“保护公众始终是我们的首要任务。这就是为什么本届政府在投入记录性资金支持受害者的同时，采取果断行动来解决接手的监狱危机。”
tinue to play an important role in our future”但并未承诺将公司总部保留在本国。 保守党影子苏格兰大臣安德鲁·鲍伊表示，工党对石油和天然气的敌视意味着英国石油公司退出北海是“不可避免的”，并警告称“这也为该公司彻底离开英国铺平了道路”。 改革党能源发言人理查德·泰斯（Richard Tice）表示，英国石油公司正在“抛弃英国资产，且可能很快会彻底抛弃英国”。富时 100 指数
希利未能确保 3%国防承诺
HICHAM RACHIDI / ANADOLU VIA GETTY IMAGES
昨日，移民在尝试进入西班牙管辖的休达 (西班牙飞地) 时，攀爬通过一个顶部装有剃刀铁丝的安全围栏。
作者：Rozina Sabur, James Crisp, Joe Barnes 和 Antonio Sempere
西方情报部门怀疑，摩洛哥促成了60,000名移民突然涌入西班牙飞地休达 (西班牙飞地)。 消息人士告诉《电讯报》，此次激增可能是由于在与西班牙外交关系受挫期间的一种惩罚手段。据信，摩洛哥官员对西班牙社会党首相佩德罗·桑切斯追求与阿尔及利亚达成天然气协议感到不满。在2021年，摩洛哥在与马德里就西撒哈拉主权发生争执后，曾向休达 (西班牙飞地) 输送8,000人，随后马德里方面突然改变了政策。当时休达 (西班牙飞地) 被整个
业务，该公司在英国海域拥有五个油气中心。该公司表示，退出北海是业务持续审查的一部分，且是在英国石油公司此前对超额利润税的压力发出警告之后做出的决定。 自俄罗斯入侵乌克兰引发能源危机以来，石油和天然气公司在工党和保守党执政期间一直面临重复的税收打击。 保守党首先在2022年对北海运营引入了25%的能源利润税，随后将其提高到35%。随后工党将其提高至38%并延长了
获奖葡萄酒？ 不过是平庸之作
在周四和周五这两天混乱的 48 小时里，许多家庭在跨境过程中游泳、攀爬并强行冲击。至少有 57 人在边境围栏处因溺水或被挤压而死亡。 这些场景使欧洲陷入危机，各国领导人威胁要冻结西班牙的自由流动权利并实施边境管制。与此同时，特朗普政府抨击左翼西班牙政府在移民问题上立场软弱。 西班牙官员淡化了关于摩洛哥在流入背后起作用的说法，佩德罗·桑切斯先生感谢拉巴特在应对非法移民方面的“合作”。 一些在夜间进入休达 (西班牙飞地) 的人声称，他们是在沿途警察的鼓励下才决定启程的。有些人表示，他们是看到了社交媒体上疯传的一篇关于西班牙近期法律漏洞的帖子，该漏洞允许移民通过海路进入该国而不会立即被驱逐。截至昨晚，在跨境人员中已有 48,000 人返回摩洛哥，这表明他们是被虚假承诺诱导前往的。 消息人士强调，现在就什么因素导致了此次流入得出定论还为时过早，但有人指出：“如此大量的人员转移，如果当局不知情是不可能发生的。”
转移，如果当局 不知情是不可能的”
税收将延续至 2030。加上其他税项，这意味着北海能源利润的实际税率为 78%。 麦格·奥尼尔女士表示：“北海依然是英国能源体系中不可或缺的一部分。然而，随着我们精简投资组合并将资本导向最高价值的机会，我们认为我们的北海业务作为另一家公司的一部分将处于更好的位置。” 出售离岸业务将使英国石油公司仅剩下的一系列加油站和电动汽车充电桩、一个航空燃料业务以及其位于英国的豪华总部。甚至其总部办公室也将缩小：英国石油公司将于明年搬离位于伦敦西区桑伯里的园区，迁至南华克区规模小得多的新办公室。该公司在英国雇佣了 14,000 人。 前苏格兰民族党（SNP）法尔基东选区议员、于今年早些时候卸任的米歇尔·汤姆森表示：“任何在听到这一公告时没有听到警钟敲响的人，都是在装聋。” “英国石油公司出售其在北海的资产，只能为他们未来的撤离打开大门。政府必须果断起来，将这些线索联系起来。”
克莱尔·鲍尔丁
更方正 我比克劳迪娅 更方正
年度最佳报纸
特朗普对哈马斯 缴械协议表示赞赏
国际足联高层 反戈危机缠身的因凡蒂诺
尽管未能确保 增加军费开支的承诺， 仍同意担任内阁职务
作者：Tony Diver 和 Nick Gutteridge
尽管未能获得安迪·伯纳姆关于在 2030 年前将国防开支提高至 GDP 的 3% 的承诺，约翰·希利依然接任了财政大臣一职。首相告诉他，他非常严肃地对待增加军费的需求，但不会承诺……
东西方会师 来自 42 突击队的英国皇家海军陆战队与韩国军队在英格兰西南部乘坐梅林 Mk4 运输机进行演习，以开发专业海上能力并加强关键的国际国防伙伴关系。
高等法院驳回法律挑战
作者：Fiona Parker
在针对授予规划许可决定的高等法院挑战被驳回后，中国驻伦敦的巨型大使馆可以开始建设。
皇家造币厂法院居民协会（RMCRA）在今年早些时候对住房、社区和地方政府部以及伦敦塔区（Tower Hamlets）提起法律诉讼。
该协会表示，拟定在伦敦塔附近地块建设的大使馆可能会导致恐怖袭击或对抗议活动的镇压，同时可能被用于执行中国“严酷”的法律并针对异见人士。
《电讯报》此前披露，中国计划在英国最著名的……之旁建造一个地下综合体
《电讯报》获悉，[安迪·伯纳姆]将致力于实现 2030 目标。
此前，约翰·希利确认他与首相已致函每一位内阁大臣，告知他们必须削减预算，以支付安迪·伯纳姆的新支出承诺。
安迪·伯纳姆与财政大臣的这次对话发生在约翰·希利辞去基尔·斯塔默爵士的国防大臣一职几周之后，其辞职原因是武装部队缺乏新资金。
他在辞职信中表示，3% 的增长是“英国必须设定的”目标，并警告称，如果未能实现这一目标，将导致英国落后于欧洲盟友。在安迪·伯纳姆和新任国防大臣韦斯·斯特雷廷本周公开拒绝承诺实现 2030 目标后，这次讨论才被曝光。
在一次新闻发布会上，安迪·伯纳姆回避了《电讯报》关于他是否会满足该要求的提问。相反，他表示他仅承诺履行一项更长期的北约目标，即到 2035 年将核心国防预算增加到 GDP 的 3.5%。他表示：“谈到国防，显然这些承诺涉及的是下一届议会。”安迪·伯纳姆补充道：“我一直非常明确，我们将履行这些承诺。”
当广播公司在周四对他进行质询时，斯特雷廷先生也拒绝回答 10 次关于政府是否会实现 3% 目标的问题。
昨天，约翰·希利确认他与首相已致函每一位内阁大臣，告知他们没有新资金用于支付扩大技术教育和帮助人们应对生活成本的计划。
在接受《泰晤士报》采访时，财政大臣透露，他们必须在预算中寻找节省空间，以确保政府遵守其财政规则。
[照片：LEE BLEASE]
该地点的敏感通信电缆。政府和议会为这一主张辩护，称他们已“尽职且仔细地考虑”了这些担忧。
两名法官在经历了本月早些时候的一次法庭聆讯后，于昨天驳回了这项法律挑战。
代表 RMCRA 的阿里夫·亚伯拉罕（Aarif Abraham）在书面陈述中表示，这座巨型大使馆的人权风险是“真实的而非虚构的”。他表示，由于居民的房产与拟建大使馆处于同一个永久产权所有权下，居民们“长期以来一直提交申请，表示他们担心遭到报复，且反对或抗议中华人民共和国的能力受到限制”。
代表政府的理查德·穆尔斯（Richard Moules）KC 辩称，虽然居民协会此前在多个场合提出了潜在恐怖袭击、抗议和隐私问题，但这些问题并未被界定为人权侵犯。他表示：“然而，实质上，这一理由是一个掩饰拙劣且不合法的尝试，旨在重复 RMCRA 针对拟建开发项目规划价值所提出的论点，而这些论点已被审查员和国务大臣考虑、评估并处理。”
今年 1 月，《电讯报》披露的未删减文件显示，大使馆内的一个隐蔽房间将紧邻向伦敦金融城传输财务数据的光纤电缆，以及电子邮件和信息。该房间还配备了热气抽排系统，这可能暗示安装了用于间谍活动的高级计算机。
在本十年结束前，将停止通过借贷来支付日常支出。 希利先生还暗示将削减福利，称英国“不可避免地不断增加的福利账单必须得到控制”。他补充说，不能排除在10月28日的预算案中加税的可能性。 工党战略国防审查报告的合著者之一，理查德·巴伦斯将军（Gen Sir Richard Barrons）表示，伯纳姆先生需要认真地提升其国家安全知识。他在伯纳姆先生主导一项84亿英镑（£8.4bn）的下一代核潜艇投资，并为基尔爵士此前已经承诺的资金邀功之后发表了上述言论。《电讯报》获悉，唐宁街10号将在下次支出审查中阐明其实现3.5%的北约目标计划。 影子国防大臣詹姆斯·卡特利奇（James Cartlidge）表示：“如果约翰·希利在担任国防大臣期间要求国防支出达到3%，但在成为财政大臣时没将其作为条件，那将是非常令人惊讶的。” 《电讯报》已联系财政部寻求评论。
新钻探项目。本周，首相宣布英国“不能忽视”其油气储量。 此次潜在的出售还将引发人们对英国石油公司在北海雇用的1,100名员工的担忧。 能源大臣米亚塔·法恩布勒（Miatta Fahnbulleh）表示：“我与英国石油公司保持着密切联系，并已明确我的首要任务是在此次出售过程中确保工人及当地社区得到保护。” 苏格兰首席大臣约翰·斯温尼（John Swinney）呼吁伯纳姆先生立即撤销对油气利润征收的超额利润税。 “威斯敏斯特对就业机会征收的超级税正在损害苏格兰，尤其是东北部，”他说，“英国政府必须取消能源利润税，并紧急采取行动保护就业。”
新闻简报
索斯波特杀手被指控袭击监狱工作人员。 19岁的阿克塞尔·鲁达库巴纳（Axel Rudakubana）被指控两项袭击应急工作人员罪、企图造成严重身体伤害罪以及在狱中非法持有攻击性武器罪。 据称，上述指控的犯罪行为发生于去年5月6日至10月28日期间，地点在贝尔马什监狱（HMP Belmarsh）。 鲁达库巴纳因2024年7月在索斯波特一个以泰勒·斯威夫特为主题的课堂上，杀害了爱丽丝·达·席尔瓦·阿吉亚尔（Alice da Silva Aguiar）、贝贝·金（Bebe King）和艾尔西·多特·斯坦科姆（Elsie Dot Stancombe），并企图谋杀另外8名儿童和2名成年人，被判处终身监禁，最低服刑52年。
向沙巴娜·马哈穆德（Shabana Mahmood）提供建议的独立薪酬审查机构指责警察部队剥削其前线警员。 警察薪酬审查委员会（PRRB）在对各部队对待警员方式的史无前例的批评中表示，其行为正在损害前线工作人员的“士气、福祉和留任率”。 该审查机构建议，一些部队违反了自身的工时规定，强迫警员在没有休息日的情况下工作。“这正变得日益不可持续，对士气和积极性产生严重影响，”PRRB在提交给内政大臣马哈穆德女士的报告中称。
法庭获悉，一名YouTube影响力人士在澳大利亚巡演期间撕咬了一名女性的颈部和胸部。 30岁的Yung Filly被指控在2024年9月巡演期间，在其酒店房间内袭击了一名20岁的女性（因法律原因不能透露姓名）。 昨天，这位真实姓名名为安德烈斯·费利佩·瓦伦西亚·巴里恩托斯（Andres Felipe Valencia Barrientos）的YouTuber被裁定两项导致身体伤害的袭击罪名成立，原因是其撕咬该女性的颈部和胸部。 他被判三项未经同意的性侵罪名、一项涉嫌扇耳光的袭击罪名以及一项勒颈罪名不成立。
博伊·乔治（Boy George）在发布一首支持以色列的歌曲几天后，退出了西区的一部音乐剧。
上周，这位歌手发布了一首名为《我们将再次起舞》（We Will Dance Again）的新曲，表达了对以色列在加沙战争的支持，并提到了10月 7 日哈马斯对诺瓦音乐节（Nova Music Festival）的袭击。
这位文化俱乐部（Culture Club）的歌手原定于 8 月 3 日起，在伦敦帕拉迪姆剧院（London Palladium）出演《吉赛勒基督超级巨星》（Jesus Christ Superstar）中的希律王（King Herod）一角。
然而，周四晚上他的经纪人表示他将不再出演。该经纪人评论道：“乔治从未害怕坚持自己的个人信念，我也一直为此尊重他。”
本刊是独立新闻标准组织（IPSO）的成员，并遵守其《编辑实践准则》。如果您对编辑内容有投诉，请访问 www.telegraph.co.uk / editorialcomplaints 或将信件寄至我们的邮寄地址（见下方）的“编辑投诉”部门。如果您对我们的答复不满意，可以向 IPSO 申诉，网址为 www.ipso.co.uk。
《电讯报》记者 报道
一个模型村在收到关于其“不恰当”的投诉后，移除了一个裸体裸奔者的微型塑像。
位于怀特岛（Isle of Wight）的戈德希尔模型村（Godshill Model Village）在其足球场场景中放置了一个微小的裸体裸奔者塑像，将其作为一个“轻松的玩笑”。
然而，在被投诉为不符合家庭友好标准后，这个裸奔者被“出示了红牌”。
当地的常客鲁珀特·威洛比（Rupert Willoughby）表示，他对模型村移除该塑像感到“沮丧”，因为该塑像是其“古灵精怪的幽默感”的象征。
他质疑这个角色是否会引起冒犯，并认为这符合模型村轻松的精神。
这个裸奔者是一名裸露胸部的女性，出现在微型足球场上，旨在致敬 1970 年代和 80 年代裸奔盛行的 era.。
然而，移除该塑像的模型村董事们表示，他们还担心这“在很大程度上是另一个时代的特征”。
董事佩妮·戴尔（Penny Dyer）表示，这个裸奔者塑像已经在模型村中存在了“很多年，且对于大多数游客来说，一直被视为一个轻松的玩笑。”
她补充道：“我们收到了一些游客的反馈，他们认为这对于一个家庭景点来说是不恰当的。”
“裸奔在很大程度上是另一个时代的特征。它现在远没有那么普遍，年轻的游客也不再认可，因此这个模型失去了大部分原始的关联性。”
“作为一家企业，我们倾听客户的反馈，在考虑相关评论后，我们决定将她移除。我们理解并非每个人都会同意这个决定，但我们的首要任务是确保所有游客感到舒适并享受他们的参观。”
体育赛事期间裸奔的传统最初是由迈克尔·奥布莱恩（Michael O’Brien）发起的，这位澳大利亚人在 1974 年一场英法比赛期间跑进了特威克纳姆体育场（Twickenham）。
当他被带离球场时，一名警察用帽子帮奥布莱恩先生遮掩身体。
这一特技随后被埃丽卡·罗（Erica Roe）重复，她在 1982 年裸胸跑过了特威克纳姆的球场。
在 90 年代，裸奔者开始将目标转向其他运动，梅丽莎·约翰逊（Melissa Johnson）在 1996 年理查德·克拉伊塞克（Richard Krajicek）与马利法伊·华盛顿（MaliVai Washington）的男单决赛期间，成为了温布尔登网球赛的第一位裸奔者。
一个臭名昭著的人物是马克·罗伯茨（Mark Roberts），他在 90 年代期间多次裸奔，包括有一次在 ITV 的《今晨》（This Morning）节目中，他游泳
一名失明醉驾司机通过尾随货车的尾灯，在夜间行驶了 150 英里。
安东尼·霍尔 (Anthony Hall)，49 岁，在未经对方允许的情况下开走其伴侣的汽车，随后从西约克郡的哈德斯菲尔德出发。尽管他已被登记为盲人，且无驾照、无保险。
据称，霍尔在向某地行驶时，其血液酒精浓度也远超醉驾法定限制。
对于 Morrisons 的购物者而言
作者：Cameron Henderson
在有记录以来最炎热的夏天之一，大多数购物者正往购物车里装烧烤食物——但 Morrisons 本周因在 7 月销售圣诞礼品而遭到嘲笑。
据悉，该超市在 7 月 31 日的一家门店中销售 Cadbury Dairy Milk 圣诞倒数日历。零售专家认为，这是此类节日巧克力出现在货架上的最早时间。
这些日历上标有“圣诞倒计时”字样，并配有圣诞老人与雪人一同乘坐雪橇的图片，因过早启动圣诞庆祝活动而在网上被嘲讽。
一名用户在 X 平台上写道：“管它呢，我要给自己买一个，在 8 月庆祝圣诞节。”
杂货分销研究所（Institute of Grocery Distribution）零售期货高级合伙人 Bryan Roberts 表示，“提前鸣响节日发令枪”可能是为了缓解生活成本压力。
他表示：“我们习惯于看到圣诞专属系列产品在 8 月上市，因此这次出现标志着节日发令枪鸣响得稍早了一些。”
“正如零售商所指出的，许多购物者喜欢在较长的时间跨度内分散圣诞开支，以平滑预算，因此在过去的 20 年里，圣诞系列产品的上架时间变得越来越早。”
另一位零售分析师表示：“由于零售商试图相互竞争，感觉每年圣诞节都来得更早。虽然现在看来离圣诞节还很远，但这些提前开启圣诞消费的机会可以帮助分摊这一年中最昂贵时期的开支。”
然而，其他专家的评价更为刻薄，将 7 月销售圣诞倒数日历的决定定性为一场公关噱头，旨在提振该超市不断下滑的销售额。
Morrisons 面临沉重的债务、市场份额下降以及运营成本上升，导致截至 2025 年 10 月止的年度税前亏损达 3.81 亿英镑m。
该超市在 2022 年被美国私募股权公司 Clayton, Dubilier & Rice 以 £10 的价格收购，使公司背负了巨额债务。
该公司在 5 月宣布，计划在未来几个月关闭 100 家门店，并警告称“政府政策选择导致成本显著增加”，包括国家最低生活工资和国家保险的上涨。
“这是一个公关噱头——除此之外我看不到任何理由，”The Retail Mind 董事 Ged Futter 说道。“Morrisons 处于困境之中。”
他补充道：“我认为他们在考虑：我们如何创造某种客户参与感，无论是在店内还是在社交媒体上。”
Morrisons 的一位发言人表示：“我们在圣诞节前几个月就开始销售圣诞产品，因为我们知道有些客户喜欢提前规划圣诞节。”
旧照片：在过去的几十年里，裸体奔跑是许多重大体育赛事的特色
Erica Roe 在 1982 年一场英格兰对阵澳大利亚的橄榄球联盟赛中，在 Twickenham 球场上裸体奔跑
1974 年，澳大利亚人 Michael O’Brien 在一场英格兰对阵法国的比赛期间跑进 Twickenham 球场
Melissa Johnson 在 1996 年男子单打决赛期间成为温布尔登网球赛的首位裸体奔跑者
坎布里亚郡。法庭听证会称，在两小时的高速公路行驶过程中，没有人死亡或受重伤，这简直是“奇迹”。
警方在 6 月 29. 凌晨 1. 45 分左右，在卡莱尔（Carlisle）附近的 44 号出口发现了驾驶 Vauxhall Meriva 车的 Hall。警员观察到该车在第一车道和第二车道之间漂移，并向高速公路硬路肩方向行驶。据报道，当警员将其拦下时，Hall 身上有浓烈的酒精味，并承认自己曾
（图注：Anthony Hall 告诉警方他一直在喝葡萄酒）
（图注：Morrisons 昨天在其一家超市销售圣诞倒数日历）
一直在喝酒。随后，他透露自己已经失明两年，通过跟随重型货车（HGV）的灯光在高速公路上行驶，这一说法令警员大为震惊。
霍尔（Hall）在卡莱尔的里克格特（Rickergate）治安法院出庭，他在庭上承认了危险驾驶、酒后驾车、无证驾驶或无保险驾驶，以及未经同意擅自使用其伴侣的汽车。
在此之前，该车辆被报失，警方已接到要求对其进行搜寻。检察官苏雷什·巴斯拉（Suresh Basra）描述了该先生
作者：Alice Lilley 和 India McTaggart
电影院因其震撼的音响系统而深受喜爱——但好莱坞被指在克里斯托弗·诺兰爵士的《奥德赛》（The Odyssey）中将此推向了极端。
电影观众纷纷在社交媒体上抱怨，他们在离开电影院时感到耳鸣、偏头痛或头痛，并称此次放映是他们听过“最响亮的东西”。
克里斯托弗爵士对荷马史诗的重新演绎在视觉效果上赢得了赞誉，但网络讨论的焦点则集中在 Imax 和杜比影院（Dolby Cinema）放映的音量之大。
社交媒体用户还抱怨，由于原声带和其他音效的影响，他们无法听清对话。
1 名 X 用户写道：“在 AMC 杜比影院观看《奥德赛》时的音量简直疯了。
“人们捂着耳朵，戴着耳塞才能撑下去。我的耳朵在响，偏头痛还没好。这不叫沉浸感，这是鲁莽。”
另一人说：“《奥德赛》很震撼，但没人讨论他们的鼓膜被震破，或者内脏被这部电影的巨大音量给液化了……我说认真的，这是我一生中听过最响的东西。”
该片于 7 月 17 日在英国电影院上映，完全使用 70 毫米胶片拍摄，专为专用 Imax 屏幕设计，全球约有 45 个此类屏幕。
这部由奥斯卡获奖导演制作的电影时长三小时，由包括马特·达蒙、安妮·海瑟薇和罗伯特·帕特森在内的 A 级演员主演。一段在 Tiktok 上疯传的视频还开玩笑地讨论了电影在风暴场景中的巨大声音，其中 1 条评论写道：“我简直在心里想，感谢上帝我没有癫痫。”
其他人则表示很难听清对话，1 名观众写道，尽管看了三遍，他们仍然“听不清独眼巨人说的任何一个字”。
此前，观众和电影评论家曾批评过克里斯托弗爵士在《信条》（Tenet）和《奥本海默》（Oppenheimer）中的音频混音。
我的偏头痛还没好。 这不叫沉浸感， 这是鲁莽”
将霍尔描述为一名“品行良好”且无前科的人。
他将此次违规行为描述为“长期且持续的”。
“这是一种无视交通规则并给他人带来风险的行为。此外还涉及饮酒，虽然没有造成人员伤亡，但霍尔先生如此幸运，没有造成伤亡或损失，这简直是个奇迹。”
呼吸测试显示，来自哈德兹菲尔德（Huddersfield）的霍尔在 100 毫升呼气中含有 46mcg 的酒精。法定上限为 35mcg。
辩护律师阿黛尔·格雷厄姆（Adele Graham）表示，治安法官在量刑前需要考虑“许多情况”，包括霍尔的个人生活和背景。
她请求准备一份量刑前报告。
治安法官同意，并将量刑延期至 9 月 8 日。
在此之前，霍尔被处以临时禁驾。
覆盖在气象员弗雷德·塔尔博特（Fred Talbot）的漂浮天气图上。
在该网站上，这个模型村被列为怀特岛（Isle of Wight）最受欢迎的景点之一，并被宣传为完美的“家庭欢乐一日游”之选。
它是根据戈德希尔村（Godshill）以及香克林老村（Shanklin Old Village）和奇内（Chine）按 1 / 10 比例打造的缩微版本，所有小雕像均由当地艺术家海伦·伍德豪斯（Helen Woodhouse）创作。
景点网站称，伍德豪斯女士从青少年时期起就开始与他们合作，她创作的“小人们与其说是忠实的写照，不如说更像讽刺漫画，这样能为我们的顾客提供更好的拍照效果”。
网站还补充道，每个雕像的制作成本约为 £300，先用粘土建模，然后浇铸成树脂，因为树脂是“最能耐候的材料”。
一些观众认为，这个问题可能因电影院和放映格式而异，Imax、杜比影院（Dolby Cinema）和 4DX 放映场次因其强烈的音频电平而经常被点名。 社交媒体上的其他人表示，电影院在收到投诉后向顾客发放了耳塞，但其他影迷则坚持认为，这种压倒性的声音是预期体验的一部分。 克里斯托弗爵士的电影在上映仅两个周末内，全球票房就达到了 4.5 亿英镑m，远远超过了环球影业 1.87 亿英镑m 的预算。 与此同时，有超过两百万人并非在 Imax 观看《奥德赛》，而是在 X 上观看。 上周末，一名用户违反版权法并发布了这部 172 分钟电影的完整版本，随后在社交媒体平台上疯传。 电影工作室对此次盗版事件做出了回应，称其采取了“所有适当的补救措施”来保护其内容。 与此同时，古典学者艾米莉·威尔逊（Emily Wilson）将这部电影描述为“宏大”且“浅薄”的，克里斯托弗爵士在早期的宣传中曾引用她的《奥德赛》译本作为这部大片的灵感来源。 《电讯报》已联系克里斯托弗爵士的代表以寻求评论。
作者：Genevieve Holl-Allen 政治记者
哈曼男爵夫人表示，应禁止男性竞选下一任工党党魁。 这位工党贵族称，在安迪·伯纳姆之后，该党不应由一名男性领导人接任，并补充道：“每当有一名男性竞选党魁并成功……”
作者：Charles Hymas 内政编辑
安迪·伯纳姆已表示，他准备废除基尔·斯塔默爵士削减陪审团审判的计划。 首相表示，他希望“详细研究”这些提案，但他的直觉是“不减少陪审团审判的准入权限”。 这些计划由前司法大臣大卫·拉米（David Lammy）主导，目前正作为法院法案的一部分由下议院审议。 然而，这些计划面临着多达 60 名工党国会议员、贵族以及几乎整个法律界的反对。 伯纳姆先生表示：“我对限制陪审团审判的计划有所担忧，部分源于我的个人经验，尤其是希尔斯堡（Hillsborough）事件。”
“因此，我想详细研究该提案，我的直觉是我们需要找到不减少陪审团审判准入权限的方法。” “这与早期释放计划类似。在我确认接手的任何计划之前，我想深入了解这些问题，事实上，可能会寻求做出改变。” 该法案定于秋季返回下议院进行三读，它剥夺了被告选择陪审团审判的权利。相反，如果被告可能的刑期少于三年，他们将面临仅由法官审理的法院或治安法院。 《电讯报》本月早些时候披露，伯纳姆先生正考虑删除《法院和法庭法案》中与限制陪审团审判相关的章节。 这将使该立法能够在不面临被反对该变更的议员和贵族投票否决的风险下，继续在议会中推进。 基尔爵士领导下的部长们认为
作者：Pieter Snepvangers 政治记者
在工党赢得曼彻斯特市长选举后，安迪·伯纳姆 (ANDY BURNHAM) 通过了他的作为首相后的首次选举考验。 贝芙·克雷格 (Bev Craig) 在昨晚被宣布为获胜者，击败了获得第二名的改革党 (Reform UK) 候选人希安·阿斯特利 (Sian Astley)。 然而，投票率下降至 25 百分比，这是自市长职设立以来记录的最低水平。
作者：Daniel Martin 政治副主编
《电讯报》 (The Telegraph) 披露，到本十年末，威尔士房主将面临高出 £800 的议会税账单。 《电讯报》看到的数据显示，威尔士的家庭应做好准备，面对比其英格兰邻居更高的议会税款增长。 来自财政部的官方预测显示，到 2030 年，威尔士地方当局征收的议会税金额将飙升 54 百分比，而英格兰则为 43 百分比。 这将使威尔士的平均 D 级房产增加 £811 的税费，而英格兰类似房产的房主每年将面临额外 £556 的支出。 威尔士的议会税水平较高，是因为目前的权力下放政府（由民族主义政党威尔士党 Plaid Cymru 领导）并未对年度涨幅设定上限。 在英格兰，如果地方当局想要提高税率，则必须举行全民公投。
成为领导者，他将一名女性……推到了他之后的第二位”。 哈曼女士此前曾担任工党的临时领导人，贝基特男爵夫人也是如此，但工党从未出现过一名全职的女性领导人。相比之下，凯米·巴德诺克是保守党继玛格丽特·撒切尔、梅男爵夫人和莉兹·特拉斯之后的第四位女性领导人。 哈曼女士，这位前副……
这些变动是一次法院改革的关键部分，旨在解决刑事法院（Crown Court）超过 80,000 宗案件的创纪录积压问题。这意味着受害者，特别是强奸等复杂案件的受害者，在案件审理前可能需要等待长达 5 年甚至更久。当拉米先生启动该计划时，官员们声称，在好转之前延迟情况会进一步恶化，积压案件到明年将从 80,000 宗增加到 100,000 宗。然而，该计划的反对者认为，通过提高效率、取消法院开庭天数上限、维修并开放利用率低的法院，以及提供更多法官（包括已退休法官），可以解决积压问题。这些限制将代表一代以来英国法院系统最大的变革，将延续数百年的由同侪陪审团审判的权利，改为由治安法官审理，或
由新的加拿大式仅限法官审理的层级法院审理。刑事律师协会主席 Riel Karmy-Jones KC 对此表示欢迎。她说：“陪审团审判将继续存在。我们欢迎这一明确信号，表明本届政府意识到，陪审团审判权与我们首相关于‘以人为本’是其新政府核心的声明相辅相成，并且为了重新与全国普通民众建立联系，必要的‘断路切换’（circuit break）是必需的。”工党议员卡尔·特纳作为反对该计划的反叛领导者，因其反对立场而被暂停党鞭权，他表示，如果安迪·伯纳姆说了其他任何话，他将感到“震惊”，并补充说首相“从一开始就反对这个由大卫·拉米驱动的荒唐计划”。他说：“从首席大法官向下，刑事司法系统中的没有人认为这个计划可行。”
“部长们忽视了他们接纳对这些计划之严重反对意见的职责。如果你打算进行根本性的宪法变革，你必须争取法律专业的支持，”这位前大律师说道。“捂住耳朵、闭上眼睛的行为完全是鲁莽的。我希望政府今后能与我合作。我有许多能够减少选择在刑事法院审理案件的方案，但这些计划根本不可行。”
该职位创建于 2017, 此时有数十万选民留在家里没有投票。 这场预计耗费纳税人约 500 万英镑 的竞选，是在安迪·伯纳姆赢得梅克菲尔德补选并重返威斯敏斯特之后促成的。 工党被指责在上个月“仓促通过”投票制度的变更，试图阻止改革党（Reform Party）的候选人成为大曼彻斯特市市长。政府——
将市政税（council tax）提高 5% 以上。 影子社区秘书詹姆斯·克莱弗利爵士称这次市政税增加为“伯纳姆溢价”，并表示在一系列议会质询中披露的数据显示，所有“邮编区域”的房主都应准备好面对更高的账单。 影子社区大臣加雷斯·培根表示：“由于工党，威尔士家庭正面临市政税账单飙升的威胁。” “工党领导的威尔士是伯纳姆在英格兰的蓝图。威尔士工党的市政税掠夺可能很快会跨越国境。” 这些数据揭示了尽管安迪·伯纳姆承诺应对生活成本问题，但政府已预设的税收抢夺程度。 数据显示，到 2030 年，英格兰住宅将被掠夺 £18 的税款，并显示财政部预计在同一时期从威尔士房主那里额外净赚 £1.2。安迪·伯纳姆，他已经……
这位领导人在Sky的《选举功能障碍》（Electoral Dysfunction）播客中表示：“我意识到，下次工党能出现女性领导人的唯一方法，就是我们现在就开始一场对话，明确表示，下次男性不能竞选领导职务。”
她补充说，她希望能够“鼓励并支持”工党中崭露头角的年轻男性人才。
ANNABEL LEE-ELLIS / PA WIRE
作者：艾米·吉本斯 (Amy Gibbons) 政治记者
犹太人士表示，戴安·阿伯特 (DIANE ABBOTT) 回到工党是一个“糟糕的预兆”，将影响安迪·伯纳姆 (Andy Burnham) 的首相任期。 有人警告首相，让这位资深国会议员回归政党，有将“时钟拨回”杰里米·科尔宾 (Jeremy Corbyn) 时代的风险，当时工党陷入了反犹太主义危机。 阿伯特女士否认自己做错任何事，并于周四宣布她已恢复工党议员身份，此前她因过去关于犹太人的言论而收到了一次“正式警告”。 此举立即遭到了英国犹太代表委员会 (Board of Deputies of British Jews) 和反反犹太主义运动 (Campaign Against Antisemitism) 的批评，后者警告称这对政党和犹太社区都没有好兆头。 阿伯特女士在去年 7 月被停职，原因是她坚持认为犹太人所经历的种族主义与黑人所经历的不同。 大约在同一时间，她因在社交媒体上发布另一条帖文而受到抨击，她在帖文中将以色列国防军称为“犹太军队”。
政府在上议院通过了一项议案，这意味着市长竞选将不再使用简单多数制 (first-past-the-post system)，而是采用补充投票制 (supplementary vote)。 在这种制度下，选民选择第一志愿和第二志愿候选人。由于在曼彻斯特的第一轮投票中没有候选人获得 50% 的支持，因此计入了第二志愿票。 克雷格女士在综合计算第一和第二志愿偏好后，以超过 300,000 票胜出，领先于仅获得 150,000 票以上的阿斯特利女士。 在结果公布后，克雷格女士表示：“我准备好为生活在这个奇妙城市区域的三百万民众服务。作为一个在市政房屋区长大的女孩，我从未相信有一天我会有机会代表我所热爱的地方参选。” 尽管投票率较低，但曼彻斯特的结果将为伯纳姆先生提供重大助力，因为他深知失败有风险引发党内分裂，并会鼓舞基尔·斯塔默爵士 (Sir Keir Starmer) 的盟友，这些人对他将首相赶下台感到愤慨。 就在不到六个月前，工党在戈顿和登顿 (Gorton and Denton) 的补选中心遭受屈辱，绿党在这一大曼彻斯特选区大获全胜。汉娜·斯宾塞 (Hannah Spencer) 获得了 40% 的选票，在 24.6% 的选票转移率下，将工党挤到了第三位。
承诺将解决生活成本问题作为首要任务的首相本周排除了取消市政税 (council tax) 的可能性。 威尔士国民党 (Plaid Cymru) 在 5 月控制了权力下放的议会 (Senedd) 政府，并且没有计划像英格兰那样对市政税增长设置上限。 该党还计划从 2028 年起实施更高的市政税档位，使最大的房屋支付更多税款。 这意味着威尔士的市政税增长最终可能会高于官方预测。 《电讯报》周四披露，在英格兰，市政税征收额将从 2024-25 年度的 £41.2bn 增加到 2030-31 年度的 £58.8bn，增加近 £18bn。到 2030-31 年，英格兰市政税水平的年度变动预计在 4.3% 至 4.4% 之间。 威尔士地方当局在 2024-25 年征收了 £2.2bn 的市政税，但预计到 2030-31 年将增加到 £3.4bn。
但她表示她会告诉他们：“下次你们是要支持一名女性，还是要让自己站在前面，把女性放在你们身后？” 她说：“每一个竞选领导人并成功成为领导人的男人，都将一名女性……挤到了他身后的第二位。” 哈曼女士 (Lady Harman) 曾表达过希望由一名女性接替基尔爵士，在他宣布辞职之后。 伯纳姆先生在竞选工党领导人时没有竞争对手，但他誓言要“改变”党内关于女性的“文化”。 基尔爵士的首相任期一直受到指责，称唐宁街 10 号存在“男孩俱乐部”文化，并有指控称针对女性部长进行了厌女倾向的简报。新任政府
首相告诉工党女性议员们，在政府内部“不应该出现任何房间里没有女性的会议”。他还表示，任何提供厌女倾向简报的助手都将被“扫地出门”，且其脚“将无法落地”。 在英国政治史上，女性首次占据内阁的一半席位。
青年选票：安迪·伯纳姆在南约克郡谢菲尔德的一个家庭中心与一名未来的选民见面。首相表示：“你们这里真是个了不起的地方。走进门的那一刻就能感受到，这是一个多么令人感到亲切的地方。”
国防军。在周四的一篇 X 平台帖文中，她表示自己在因针对“犹太国防军”的言论而被给予“正式警告”后，已重新被接纳进工党，并为“造成的任何伤害”道歉。 shortly 之后，反反犹太主义运动（Campaign Against Antisemitism）表示，这一决定有风险削弱基尔·斯塔默爵士在党内根除反犹太情绪的努力。
在此前的工党安全选区中，绿党获得了支持。 然而，安迪·伯纳姆在入主 10. 号街的前两周内，主导了工党在民调中的回升。本周早些时候，该党在一次领先的民意调查中首次超过改革党，这是自去年 3 月以来的首次。More in Common 的民调发现，如果明天举行选举，28 per cent 的人将投票给工党，领先于 24 per cent 的改革党支持者。
垃圾话：垃圾桶脸（Count Binface）在埃塞克斯郡克拉克顿海边（Clacton-on-Sea）进行补选活动时，与当地企业的工作人员聊天。
数千名摩洛哥人在昨日的一个早晨，在西班牙位于北非的休达 (西班牙飞地) 登岸；西班牙-摩洛哥边境附近菲尼德克 (Fnideq) 发生冲突；入境移民遗弃的充气游泳圈
作者：Memphis Barker 与 Antonio Sempere，发自休达 (西班牙飞地)
他们划着充气橡胶圈游泳。当这些摩洛哥青年到达塔拉哈尔 (Tarajal) 防波堤另一侧的欧洲领土时，他们丢掉这些海滩玩具，开始小跑。
在他们身后，更多的人正溅起水花，向西班牙的休达 (西班牙飞地) 挺进。在上方的街道上，兴奋且赤裸上身的摩洛哥青年冲破边境之门，加入到人群队列中，他们成为了近代历史上欧洲边境最大规模突破的一部分。
昨日，西班牙内政部估计已有 60,000 人进入休达 (西班牙飞地)——这是一个位于摩洛哥北端的小半岛，自 16 世纪起由马德里管辖。在这场混乱中，至少有 30 人死亡。
直到社会党总理佩德罗·桑切斯在周四晚上部署军队时，突破边境的视频已经刷爆了社交媒体，引发了暂停申根协议的威胁，并导致白宫发表声明，哀叹马德里的“极左”政治之失败。
“我来到休达 (西班牙飞地) 是因为从小我就想去西班牙，”穆奈姆 (Munaim) 告诉《电讯报》，此时数千名与他同胞的人正徘徊在街道上，挤进杂货店或进入居民楼。
与大多数踏上这段旅程的人不同，穆奈姆在摩洛哥已经建立了自己的职业生涯——他是国家沙滩足球队的一员。但他觉得如果在欧洲生活，他能赚更多的钱，为家人提供更多保障。“我不怕任何事情，”他说，“我已经到了这里，剩下的就交给上帝吧。”
本月早些时候，西班牙最高法院裁定，当局不能再将游泳进入休达 (西班牙飞地) 的移民驱逐回去。法院认为——这让警察和边境卫队大为震惊——此类旅程不涉及任何物理意义上的跨境行为。因此，这些移民被安置在拘留中心，在那里他们可以申请庇护。与此同时，许多人可能认为他们能够利用桑切斯政府最近启动的针对非法移民的大赦计划。已有近两百万人这样做，而人口贩子则在提供关于如何钻空子进入该计划的技巧。
到周四傍晚，休达 (西班牙飞地) 的主要移民接收中心已远远超过了其 500 人的容量。
“这是混乱，”一名国民警卫队官员说，此时新到达的人正被驱赶到设立在体育馆、仓库以及边境附近工业园区内的临时设施中。
马德里当代阿拉伯研究中心主任海赞·阿米拉·费尔南德斯 (Haizam Amirah Fernández) 说道。
美国前联合国大使扎尔迈·哈利尔扎德 (Zalmay Khalilzad) 表示：“摩洛哥青年从摩洛哥向休达 (西班牙飞地) 的这种突然且大规模的移动，是否有可能是由摩洛哥策划或促成的？”
“摩洛哥不承认休达 (西班牙飞地) 是西班牙的一部分。它将其称为被占领土，并且过去曾利用允许非法移民进入休达 (西班牙飞地) 的机制，作为从马德里获取让步的筹码。”
这场边境冲击引发了对西班牙及桑切斯先生的广泛谴责。
我还是个孩子起， 我就想 去西班牙。 我不 害怕 任何事情。 我已经 来到了这里， 剩下的就 交给上帝吧”
欧洲领导人对桑切斯表示不满，他们要求暂时暂停西班牙在申根自由通行区的资格。意大利总理乔治亚·梅洛尼单方面取消了意大利与西班牙之间的自由流动，并下令加强边境管控。 她说：“来自休达 (西班牙飞地) 的画面令人震惊，这再次证明，不受控制的非法移民对欧洲边境安全构成了具体威胁。 “意大利不会坐视不管。我们准备采取行动以捍卫边境和公民安全，包括暂停与西班牙的申根区协议。”
塔拉哈尔。与此同时，警方开始向边境摩洛哥一侧的潜在移民发射水炮。 商店拉下了卷帘门。救护车在海滩之间往返疾驰。律师曼努埃尔·胡拉多表示：“到处都是人，现在市中心发生了暴力冲突。” 居民们订购前往西班牙本土的轮渡票，而其他人则在担心离开家无人看管是否安全。 胡拉多先生告诉《电讯报》：“人们会开始愤怒起来。”“[移民们]没有卫生间可用，他们在街道上随地大小便， wherever they can（只要有地方就办）。” 西班牙和摩洛哥已同意加快遣返“所有”移民，但法律专家警告称，这一过程可能会遇到法律障碍。联合国儿童基金会在一份要求尊重其权利的声明中表示，在进入西班牙领土的约 10,000 名 18 岁以下移民中，没有任何一个人可以被强行抓捕遣返。 如果这完全是一次自然的激增——例如自然灾害或战争爆发的结果——这类论点在今天可能会更受欢迎。但这些移民似乎反而成了政治斗争的棋子。 7月20日，桑切斯先生四年来首次访问阿尔及利亚，讨论达成新天然气协议的可能性。 这次访问引起了摩洛哥的警觉，摩洛哥一直与其陷入权力斗争。
没有 卫生间 可用， 他们在 街道上 随地 大小便， 只要 有地方 就办”
梅洛尼女士此前以安全为由，要求将马德里从拥有 29 个成员国的免护照申根区（范围从葡萄牙延伸至波兰）中除名。 这位右翼领导人的呼吁得到了丹麦、瑞典、捷克共和国和芬兰的响应。 丹麦首相梅特·弗雷德里克森是另一位移民强硬派，她表示： “不用说，欧盟必须立即采取一切必要措施并考虑所有选项，包括暂停申根合作。 “不受控制的移民对欧洲和丹麦构成了威胁。” 芬兰内政部长马里·兰塔宁……
邻国对西撒哈拉的独立运动感到不安，因为该国几十年来一直试图将其摧毁。2021年，在桑切斯先生接待波利萨里奥阵线领导人布拉希姆·加利在西班牙接受医疗治疗之后，估计有 8,000 名移民突然被引导进入休达。周四，摩洛哥当局似乎重复了这一把戏。社交媒体上分享的视频显示，一名身着灰红相间制服、衣着得体的摩洛哥皇家宪兵成员站在路边，此时一辆自卸车在边境附近卸下数十名年轻人。有人暗示这是伪造的，但该视频已被广泛传播。
这也恰好支持了《客观》(The Objective) 报道的西班牙卫兵的说法，即在危机爆发时，他们的摩洛哥同行“袖手旁观”且“完全不采取行动”。与桑切斯先生一样，拉巴特驻马德里的使馆将此次新激增的人数归咎于人口贩运网络。
昨天，休达当局在桑切斯先生抵达之前试图清理街道并设立警戒线，他原定于中午左右抵达该领土。
极右翼政党 Vox 的领导人圣地亚哥·阿巴斯卡尔指责总理邀请了对西班牙的“入侵”，暗示政府的自由主义政策旨在通过数百万新的“左翼”选民来支撑其政党的支持率。
与此同时，法国和意大利加强了边境管控，并提出了暂时暂停自由移动的可能性。
白宫发言人表示，这种混乱是西班牙“极左、全球主义”政策的必然结果。
然而，桑切斯先生的许多盟友则将矛头指向美国，称华盛顿与以色列合作破坏西班牙总理的地位，因为他是欧洲对加沙和伊朗战争最激烈的反对者。
来自极左翼 Podemos 党的欧洲议会议员伊琳娜·蒙特罗表示，在边境管控方面无法依赖摩洛哥，因为在“美国和以色列下令”时，摩洛哥可能会打开闸门。
Podemos 的发言人帕布罗·费尔南德斯在社交媒体上补充道，正是“摩洛哥-美国-以色列轴心执行了这次行动”。
白宫是否扮演了低调的角色？唐纳德·特朗普与拉巴特关系如此融洽，以至于该国国王最近以他的名字命名了一条路。以色列也拥有同样紧密的关系，在 2021 年加入《亚伯拉罕协议》后不久就与摩洛哥签署了国防协定。
今年 3 月，一个与特朗普政府有关联的智库敦促拉巴特夺回休达——将该飞地描绘为殖民主义的残余，威胁到了欧洲的边境。
以色列驻联合国大使丹尼·达农呼应了此类呼吁。他表示：“也许在（西班牙）教训我们之前，它应该向世界解释为什么它仍然在非洲维持殖民飞地。”
桑切斯先生在网上发布的数据显示，2021 和 2026 之间，进入欧盟的非法移民人数最多的是抵达意大利的移民。
随着外交影响扩大，法国提供了帮助，但警告称将与西班牙建立临时边境管制，以阻止移民的进一步移动。
埃马纽埃尔·马克龙表示：“休达并不享有前往申根区其他地区的自由移动权。然而，从昨天起，我要求内政部长在必要时加强我们与西班牙边境的管制。”
德国总理弗里德里希·默茨要求摩洛哥“立即接回非法移民”。
部长表示：“西班牙完全未能保护申根区外部边境免受渗透。”
“这种情况不能继续下去。所有欧洲国家必须支持梅洛尼的提议。不履行保护外部边境义务的国家不能成为申根成员。”
罗马方面指责桑切斯先生针对一百万黑市工人的移民特赦政策创造了拉动因素并引发了危机。
在外交部长称特赦政策鼓励了人口贩运后，马德里召见了意大利大使。
ABDEL MAJID BZIOUAT / AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES / MARCOS MORENO / EUROPA PRESS, S.A. / AVALON
作者：Ollie Corfe
在 20 世纪 80 年代，女性的寿命比男性长 6 年——但随着英格兰和威尔士的百岁老人数量首次达到 15,000 人，这一差距已开始缩小。国家统计局 (ONS) 透露，100 岁以上男性的数量增加了 50%
作者：Laura Donnelly，健康编辑
为了提高前列腺癌的早期检测率，英国国民医疗服务体系 (NHS) 将发起一项行动，邀请 50 万名患有前列腺癌的男性分享他们的医疗记录。相关信函和短信将发送给患者及康复者，敦促他们加入这一全球规模最大的前列腺癌研究项目之一。
通过对比数十万名男性的病史，研究人员希望识别出侵袭性前列腺癌的最早迹象，发现哪些男性能从筛查中获得最大收益，并开发出更准确的诊断测试。
参与者将允许研究人员将多年的 NHS 记录与关于其症状、治疗、副作用及生活质量的定期更新信息进行关联。该数据库将结合全科医生 (GP) 记录、血液检测、PSA 结果、转诊、MRI 扫描、活检、治疗方案及长期结果，以及患者直接报告的信息。
《电讯报》曾呼吁开展针对性的前列腺癌筛查，为高风险男性提供定期检测，包括黑人男性、有家族病史者以及携带与侵袭性癌症相关的遗传基因变异者。
目前，医疗服务部门正致力于制定计划，仅向携带风险最高 BRCA2 基因变异的男性提供筛查。
科学家希望，“前列腺进展” (Prostate Progress) 项目提供的证据，以及一项比较筛查方法的重大试验，将为其他高风险群体开展更广泛的针对性筛查铺平道路。
前列腺癌研究中心首席执行官 Oliver Kemp 表示：“50 万名男性是一个巨大的数字，但他们每个人都有一个独特的故事，而这可能会挽救另一个人的生命。”
作者：《电讯报》记者
一名骗取福利的人声称自己“太虚弱”而无法拿起电话，结果被发现跑了 10 公里并攀爬脚手架。
39 岁的 Ryan Scott 此前一直领取残疾福利金，他告诉当局，一次工作场所事故导致他无法移动，且无法执行基本任务，例如拿起锅子或行走超过 20 米。
根据一名匿名举报，英国就业与养老金部 (DWP) 的调查人员发现了证据，证明他完成了一场 10 公里的比赛并
一名母亲在被一个坑洞绊倒后，脱落了七颗牙齿且手部严重受伤。
48 岁的咖啡馆老板 Alison Smith 表示，去年 1 月在夜晚步行去见女儿时，她在怀特岛 (Isle of Wight) 上被一个 3 英寸深的坑洞绊倒，导致了这些伤势。
她声称这次发生在 Shore Road 的意外是由于委员会的过错，并批评其逃避责任。
Smith 女士永久性地失去了这些牙齿，且左手出现了严重的活动受限问题，这意味着她的左手已不再有力气支撑自己起身。
她不得不放弃经营咖啡馆
2025 年的比例比十年前更高。而 100 岁以上女性的人数仅增长了 17%。 这些数据公布的同一周，安迪·伯纳姆揭晓了他的雄心，计划创建一个新的国家护理服务（National Care Service），预计每年成本为 £180 亿。 英国正面临人口老龄化的定时炸弹，而 25 岁以下的人口仅增长了 1%。
这可能有助于挽救另一个男性的生命。通过将多年的 NHS 记录与男性自身的经验结合起来，我们可以了解为什么某些癌症会变得具有侵袭性，更早地发现危险癌症，为未来的筛查方法提供参考，并为每位男性匹配最可能对其产生帮助的治疗方案。“近年来，我们在扫描、遗传学和治疗方面取得了巨大进步，但我们缺乏将这些联系起来的数据。这可能是将这些进步转化为更长、更优质生活的缺失环节。”前列腺癌目前是英国最常见的癌症，已超过乳腺癌，每年约有 60,000 名男性被诊断出患病，死亡人数超过 12,000 人。NHS 国家癌症临床主任彼得·约翰逊教授表示：“在接下来的几个月里，我们将联系超过 50 万名目前患有或曾经患有前列腺癌的男性，我敦促每一位收到‘前列腺进展’（Prostate Progress）邀请的人报名参加。”“今天加入‘前列腺进展’，将为未来被诊断出前列腺癌的男性生活带来巨大改变。”专家表示，前列腺癌的数据是碎片化的，分散在不同的 NHS 系统中，且对患者自身经验的考虑太少。将这些信息整合在一起将允许研究人员跟踪男性的整个历程——从诊断前、治疗期间到治疗后，从而揭示此前无法检测出的模式。科学家将比较癌症恶化者与疾病生长缓慢者的差异，以确定与危险疾病最强相关的风险因素组合。他们将研究年龄、种族、家族史、继承的基因变异、症状以及 PSA 水平变化等因素是否能预测哪些癌症最有可能危及生命。研究人员还希望找出被错过的早期诊断机会，并让医生更好地了解副作用的长期影响。他们特别渴望招募黑人男性，因为该群体患前列腺癌的风险约为两倍，此外还希望学习如何降低不同患者群体的副作用。
银行记录显示他已恢复从事抹灰工的有偿工作。 监视人员拍摄到斯科特爬梯子、搬运沉重设备以及轻而易举地在墙上抹灰的画面。 地方法官获悉，他通过欺诈手段领取了超过 £7,600 的个人独立付款（Personal Independence Payment）。他于周四被判处社区矫正令并处以罚金。 欺诈调查员表示，斯科特告诉他们，在健身房锻炼后，他感觉身体状况良好，甚至考虑参加一场 10 公里赛跑，但称这“并非”
因为她的手部受伤以及事故造成的压力。 在史密斯女士的家乡文特诺（Ventnor），这条路没有人行道且路灯有限，她声称这对当地居民造成了危险局面。 她说：“我刚好在坑洞处绊了一跤，脚被卡在坑洞边缘的凸起处，然后我摔在手上，把牙齿全部撞掉了。我的手现在还没有完全康复，我无法用它撑起身体。我去急诊室是因为我觉得自己的颧骨碎了。” 史密斯女士报告了她的摔倒情况，并告知 Island Roads——该机构与怀特岛议会合作维护怀特岛的道路——这条路上到处都是危险的坑洞。 该机构填平了那个坑洞
卡在坑里了。 我用手撑地 导致牙齿脱落”
在庆祝过至少 100 个生日的专属群体中，女性依然占据主导地位：在 2025 年的 15,172 名百岁老人中，女性占 12,322 人。但男性百岁老人的比例（目前有 2,850 人）已显著上升，从千禧之交时的约 1 / 10 增加到如今的近 1 / 5。仅此一项事实就带来了独特的政策问题，其中许多
2026 XNY / STAR MAX
特写：妮可·基德曼在纽约市离开 CIA 惊悚剧《狮女》（Lioness）的媒体宣传活动。该剧第三季将于 8 月 2 日在英国的 Paramount 频道播出。
将不得不由 Mr Burnham 计划中的社会护理服务以某种方式承担。 首相在周三于犹太护理慈善机构发表演说时，谈到了患有阿尔茨海默症的父亲，赞扬了照顾他的人，并表示他希望通过变革来帮助“我的父亲以及像他一样的数百万人”。
[思考] 自己的行为。 这是无意的， 我想表示道歉”
将由一名工人轻松完成”。他告诉他们：“我花了很多时间才完成，之后在床上躺了两周。” 在获悉该跑步赛事后，当局开展了监视行动，并拍摄到斯科特在建筑工地工作。 埃克塞特治安法院获悉，他最初合法领取救济金，但其健康状况和行动能力在 2023 年 5 月左右有所改善。在 22 2023, 他支付了报名费参加一场 10km 比赛，并在一个月后完赛。 经过调查，他的救济金
申请在最初获批时，他报告称在准备食物、将锅从烤箱中取出、打开扭盖瓶子以及坐正等方面存在困难。 他说自己“太虚弱”而无法拿起电话，且无法在室外停留超过几分钟。 在法庭上，斯科特告诉治安法官：“我想为我给任何人带来的麻烦表示道歉。 “当时我服用了很多药物。我陷入了严重的抑郁症。 “我当时正准备恢复工作，但还没能完全胜任。一名朋友接我并照顾我，更多是为了尝试把我从深渊中拉出来。我当时没有思考
申请被重新计算，判定他从 31 2023, 起至 7 2024 年期间不符合领取救济金的条件——导致多领了 £7,625.68.
“男性在跟进医疗问题方面往往更害羞或更疏忽，只有在病情非常严重时才会就医，而女性则倾向于更加谨慎，”联合国人口估算与预测处处长帕特里克·格兰德表示。 公共卫生和医学科学的进步长期以来提高了英国的预期寿命。最新的 ONS
[思考] 自己的行为。这是无意的，我想表示道歉”。
预测显示，2026 年女性有望达到 90.5 岁，男性 87.2 岁——比 1986 年分别增加了四年以上和五年以上。 过去，年轻男性表现出冒险行为的可能性要高得多——酗酒、药物滥用和交通事故率更高——并且从事危险工作。但如今这种差异已不再那么明显。
要求对陷入剽窃 争议的教授 进行审查
作者：副主编 Gordon Rayner
剑桥大学的管理层正面临一场员工起义，原因是他们处理该校一名最高知名度教授涉嫌剽窃争议的方式不当。
越来越多的学者对校方拒绝重新审查杰森·阿代（Jason Arday）教授的学术资历表示不安，该教授被指控在博士论文中抄袭了另一名学生的片段。
大学方面坚称他是“一场旨在破坏其信誉的卑劣活动”的受害者，但一些资深员工认为，剑桥大学自身的信誉现在正处于危险之中。
作为高层的首次让步，校方宣布，“研究不端行为”将在一个委员会即将召开的会议上进行讨论，该委员会可能会“就审查我们的学术不端行为程序提出建议”。
在对阿代教授的博士论文进行分析后，结果显示有 180 多个段落与另一名学生此前发表的论文相同或近乎相同，这一剽窃争议已成为包括美国在内的国际头条新闻。
剑桥大学目前分为两个阵营：一方认为这位教育社会学教授是种族主义抹黑活动的受害者；另一方则认为，大学为了保护一个已成为其多样性形象代言人的人，而忽略了剽窃的初步证据。
《电讯报》获悉，一份名为“Grace”的决议草案正在剑桥大学资深学术人员之间传阅，该草案强调了学术诚信的重要性，并要求调查研究政策、诚信与治理部门（RPIG）中被指出的缺陷。
RPIG 部门受到了其他大学教授的批评，称其早在三年前就忽略了关于阿代教授作品的警告，并坚持认为其博士学位问题应由授予其学位的利物浦约翰摩尔大学处理。
一名学术人士透露，如果该决议被提交至 Regent House（实际上是剑桥大学的议会）并获得通过，这“实际上就是一份针对副校长的不信任动议”。
[关于] 我当时在做什么。我当时状态不佳。那是无心之举，我想为此道歉。”
他被判处 15 天的社区矫正，并必须支付总计 £360 的罚金、诉讼费和受害者附加费。
法庭获悉，他已经开始向工作与养老金部（DWP）偿还款项。
宣判后，DWP 的一名发言人表示：“无论你欺骗系统的理由是什么，请记住，我们的调查员精通所有手段，我们一定会找到你。”
“所以，如果你知道有人在钻系统的空子，请举报他们。”
JASON BRYANT / BNPS
异教徒游行：昨晚，庆祝者们聚集在索美塞特郡的格拉斯顿伯里山（Glastonbury Tor）下庆祝 Lammas 节，这是一个古老的夏季庆祝活动，标志着一年中首次收获的采集。该节日处于夏至和秋分之间。
被评为可饮用但无显著品质
作者：Harry Brennan 消费者事务编辑
《电讯报》发现，超市货架上超过一半的“获奖”葡萄酒，在对其进行评级的专家看来仅为平庸之作。
葡萄酒爱好者正日益警惕那些据称标志着葡萄酒卓越品质的奖章。他们认为，由于有太多平庸的年份酒被授予荣誉，这些奖项已几乎变得毫无意义，这引发了人们对该体系的质疑，反对者称该体系将商业利益置于真正的卓越之上。
这些奖章据称可为消费者提供有用的指南，由专家评委通过盲测决定。
然而，在生产商支付参选费后，通常有超过 80 比例的葡萄酒能获得奖项。《电讯报》获取的数据显示，最终上架的获奖产品中，大多数实际上仅获得了最低级别的铜奖。
这通常意味着这些酒是可以饮用的，但没有特别显著的品质；而甚至更低劣的葡萄酒也可能被授予“推荐”状态。
尽管如此，超市通常会将获奖酒的价格提高多达 15 比例，而颁奖机构则积极推广奖章，将其作为零售商“增加销量”的一种手段。
大型赛事“国际葡萄酒挑战赛”（IWC）告诉参赛者，它可以帮助“将奖章转化为销量”，并且“即使是‘铜奖’或‘推荐’奖章仍能为你带来真实的商业优势”。
该赛事表示，“消费者并不会分析奖章等级”，即使是最低级别的奖项仍能向购物者传递出“这款酒合格了”以及“专家认可了”的信息。
IWC补充称，铜奖向顾客表明该葡萄酒正处于“正确轨道”上，“通常预示着明年有望获得银奖”。
《葡萄酒餐饮词典》作者、《电讯报》的……
请求回国参加葬礼
作者：Patrick Sawer（发自帕福斯）及 Neil Johnston
一名父亲因两岁儿子从塞浦路斯的一家酒店窗户坠亡而被起诉疏忽，他已恳请法院允许其飞回国内参加葬礼。
这名英国国民是一家大型城市会计师事务所的董事。其子从帕福斯附近Chlorakas的King Evelthon Beach Hotel四楼坠落，他被指控“因鲁莽、轻率或危险行为导致死亡”。
这名 37 岁的男子昨日在帕福斯地区法院出庭，法官弗罗索·克里斯托杜利杜（Froso Christodoulidou）告知他，他必须至少等到周三，才能得知是否获准保释返回英国。随后，他将被要求在9月份返回塞浦路斯，开始针对他的审判。
克里斯托杜利杜法官宣布休庭，以便该男子的辩护律师从检察官办公室接收进一步的证据。
该父亲身穿白衬衫、黑长裤和黑皮鞋，在法官宣布其保释并在周一返回法院进行简短程序听证时在旁聆听。在支付了 €20,000 保释金、被列入禁飞名单并上缴旅行证件后，他目前仍被指示留在该岛上一个已向警方报备的地址。
在五分钟的听证过程中，他始终处于快要流泪的状态，父母陪在他身边。当法官拒绝了他的立即释放申请，不允许其返回……
让他与家人团聚，并让他 能为这场悲剧地哀悼”
在下周听证会前进入英国之前，该男子的母亲将一只安慰的手放在他的膝盖上，而他的父亲在他耳边低语。 在昨天的听证会后，父亲新任命的律师 Alexandros Alexandrou 表示：“这是一个人道主义问题，我们预计法院不会反对我的当事人回家，回到他的妻子和家人身边，参加他儿子的葬礼。” “他的妻子两天前与他们的长子飞回了英国，我的当事人需要回到他们身边。这个案件需要从人道主义角度来看待。目前，对我们来说唯一重要的事情就是让他与家人团聚，并让他能为这场悲剧地哀悼。” 在五星级酒店发生事故后，该男子在儿子去世数小时后被捕。警方表示，这名男孩在家人等待电梯去餐厅时，在房间旁边的走廊里与父亲玩耍时不慎坠落。 据警官称，这名幼儿从父亲的手中滑脱，从他们面前的一扇打开的窗户坠下。家人朋友表示，他的父亲没有意识到他坠落的那块滑动窗玻璃是打开的。 这家人来自埃塞克斯郡，在男孩于 7 月 12 日周日晚上 6.40 左右从窗户坠落导致警方被叫到酒店时，他们正处于假期的第一天。 这名两岁大的孩子头部受致命伤，在抵达帕福斯总医院时被宣布死亡。 晚上 10 点，父亲被带到警察局，在那里他收到了一张写着“这是你的权利”的纸条，并被告知他因过失被逮捕。
“圆滑且灵活”： 超过半数的 获奖超市葡萄酒 未能达到预期
葡萄酒评论家表示，这些竞赛“似乎更多地迎合葡萄酒生产商和竞赛本身的利益，而非葡萄酒饮用者的利益”。 她补充说，这意味着购物者经常“盯着光亮的获奖引用，假定这些都意味着这款酒相当不错——而事实上，很多获得铜奖或推荐的葡萄酒，最起码也是平庸的”。 一名行业人士补充说，葡萄酒界几乎没有人会“公开批评这个体系”。 他们说：“这是因为在整个行业范围内，这些是巨大的社交机会，并吸引了来自行业各个领域的评委——其中一些是有偿的：餐厅、影响者、商人、公关、营销人员、教育者。” “我想不出谁会愿意与此对抗。” 在 Asda，在其 460 种获奖精选葡萄酒中，约有 286 种（62%）获得了铜牌，这些奖项由 IWC、Decanter 和国际葡萄酒与烈酒竞赛 (IWSC) 颁发。 在 Waitrose，由同样竞赛决定的 58 种获奖葡萄酒中，有 37 种（64%）是铜牌；而在 Sainsbury’s，其 272 种获奖葡萄酒中，有 140 种（51%）是
这队超级跑车在警方将其追踪至 M11 高速公路第 8 号出口的服务区后被扣押。
铜奖，其中 16 款被标记为“推荐”。 特易购 (Tesco) 销售 258 款获奖葡萄酒，其中 144 款（56%）获得铜奖，15 款获得“推荐”。 国际葡萄酒学者协会 (IWSC) 表示，铜奖是预留给“制作非常精良”且饮用相对愉悦的年份酒；而《滗酒器》(Decanter) 杂志则表示，铜奖适用于“制作精良、可靠且令人满意”的葡萄酒。 然而，这些酒不能被合理地描述为成熟或卓越，也不具备像银奖和金奖获奖者那样具有个性或在同类产品中脱颖而出的特点。 IWSC 在其最近的一次比赛中测试了近 4,000 种葡萄酒，向 85% 的参赛者发放了奖项。其中超过一半（54%）被授予铜奖。 Decanter 在其 2026 年的比赛中测试了 17,000 种葡萄酒，向 82% 的参赛者授予奖项，其中铜奖占所有奖项的 40%。 在以西拉 (Shiraz)、霞多丽 (Chardonnay) 和赤霞珠 (Cabernet Sauvignon) 闻名的澳大利亚，监管机构在 2005 年出台法律规定，奖牌只能由受尊敬的独立机构授予，以保护真正的成就者。 与此同时，葡萄酒行业正处于
干杯！奖牌的真实含义
金奖：卓越的葡萄酒，具有极强的个性，在同类产品中出类拔萃。
银奖：成熟的葡萄酒，具有相当的个性、特色和复杂性。
铜奖：制作非常精良且饮用愉悦的葡萄酒。
推荐：简单且可接受，质量稳定。
来源：IWSC, Decanter, IWC
员工因现金 薪资税务争议被解雇
作者：Linus Uhlig
一名 Papa Johns 员工在拒绝领取现金薪资（以确保缴纳正确税额）后被解雇。Ashwani Kumar 曾担任 Papa Johns 店长，在被告知被解雇并拒绝离开店面后，警方不得不将其从该披萨连锁店的哈洛（Harlow）分店地带带离。法庭审理称，Kumar 先生在发现特许经营方向其提供虚假工资单后，要求提供详细工资单以及正确扣除所得税和国民保险，因此被解雇。法官判定 Kumar 先生胜诉。他起诉了前雇主——特许经营所有者 EEM London、EEM Holdings 以及所有者 Abdul Sattar Askar，指控其自动不公正解雇、非法扣除工资以及未支付假期工资。2023 年他在这家位于埃塞克斯（Essex）的 Papa John’s 开始工作时，被要求领取现金薪资，但他予以拒绝，因为他希望其税款被扣除并缴纳给相关部门。虽然英国法律并不禁止雇员领取现金工资，但雇员必须在入职前同意这样做。如果收入未向英国税务海关总署（HMRC）申报，则构成非法逃税。在联系 HMRC 后，Kumar 先生发现老板提供的工资单并非真实，且扣除的税款并未缴纳。2025 年他在度假归来后，被告知他担任经理的店面不再需要他工作。他被告知可以在另一家餐厅工作，前提是他同意领取现金薪资。Papa Johns 的一名发言人表示：“此事涉及一家独立拥有并运营的特许经营店，据我们了解，被告方打算对该判决提出上诉。由于此事仍处于法律程序中，目前不便进一步发表评论。” Julia Jone 法官裁定，Kumar 先生被解雇的原因是“他坚持要求提供详细工资单，要求扣除税款和国民保险并在工资单上显示，以及要求支付假期工资并拥有休假的权利”。法庭认定此次解雇属于“自动不公正原因”。
在 2023 年，一名比利时消费者权益倡导者兼知名侍酒师购买了一瓶 €2 (£1.70) 的酒，并将其重新命名为一款名为“Château Colombier”的“圆润且柔顺”的虚构年份酒，使该公司颜面扫地。他将其参加一项参赛费为 €50 (£43) 的比赛并赢得金牌。 Waitrose 表示，并非所有其产品都参加了比赛，并补充道：“我们认为我们的客户有权知道，他们选择的葡萄酒不仅获得了高评分，而且代表了真正的质量和价值。” IWSC 的一名发言人表示，“并非所有葡萄酒比赛都一样”，并坚持认为其比赛“因评判过程的严谨性和独立性而获得全球认可”，并称“每一位 IWSC 奖牌获得者都是凭实力赢得位置的”。 Decanter 表示，其奖牌“旨在通过葡萄酒行业最严谨、最透明的评判过程之一，帮助消费者识别优质葡萄酒”，并称其葡萄酒是根据高标准独立测量的，“而非为了完成指标”。 Sainsbury’s、Tesco 和 IWC 已被请求就此发表评论。Asda 拒绝置评。
被招募参加 青春期抑制剂 临床试验
作者：Laura Donnelly 健康编辑
在试图于高等法院阻止一项实验失败后，一项青春期阻断剂试验可以开始招募儿童。
活动人士请求法院停止该研究，理由是监管机构在批准一项允许 11 岁女孩和 12 岁男孩使用青春期阻断剂的实验时，其行为不合法。
预计研究人员现在将立即开始招募年仅 11 岁的儿童参加由 NHS 资助的 Pathways 研究。
在昨天的裁决中，钱伯林法官（Mr Justice Chamberlain）驳回了该诉求，称挑战的任何理由都不具备“具有现实成功前景的可争辩性”。
他补充说，批准这项“务实”试验的决定，在本质上是公共卫生机构的“判断问题”。
该裁决是在为期两天的听证会之后做出的，听证会审查了司法复核是否应继续进行，以及在结果出炉前是否应暂停招募。
此次法律挑战由 Bayswater 支持小组（Bayswater Support Group）发起，该组织代表那些拥有性别质疑孩子的父母；共同发起人还包括凯拉·贝尔（Keira Bell）——她在 16 岁时开始使用青春期阻断剂，随后又选择了“去转型”；以及心理治疗师詹姆斯·埃塞斯（James Esses）。
埃塞斯先生表示，他对该判决“深感失望”，并补充道：“弱势儿童绝不应在医疗实验中被当作小白鼠，因为这可能会引导他们走向不可逆转的生理和情感损害，包括不孕之症。”他表示将咨询律师，探讨上诉的可能性。
Bayswater 支持小组的一位发言人表示：“我们依然认为 Pathways 试验不符合儿童研究所需的法律和伦理门槛。”
判决后，贝尔女士表示，该试验代表了“对我们人性的一种深刻亵渎”。
基于性别的权利慈善机构 Sex Matters 的倡导主任海伦·乔伊斯（Helen Joyce）表示，这一裁决“令人费解”。她补充道：“由于越来越多的证据表明这些药物会对弱势儿童造成严重的、永久性的伤害，NHS 和私立诊所都已禁止将这些药物用于性别治疗。然而，一项设计如此糟糕、根本不可能产生任何有用科学数据的试验，竟然莫名其妙地获得了批准。”
Pathways 试验是在卡斯女男爵（Baroness Cass）对儿童性别服务进行审查后启动的，该审查发现支持使用青春期阻断剂的证据“极其薄弱”。虽然审查结论认为，没有足够证据证明这些药物是有益还是有害，但建议开展一项设计合理的临床试验来回答这些问题。
在人类药物委员会（Commission on Human Medicines）得出结论，认为这些药物在研究之外构成了“不可接受的安全风险”后，NHS 已无限期禁止 18 岁以下人群常规使用青春期阻断剂。
然而，部长们为 Pathways 试验开了一次特例，认为它能够提供一直以来缺失的证据。
今年早些时候，由于药品和医疗保健产品管理局（MHRA）对“潜在重大”的生物学损害表示担忧，并建议引入 14 岁的最低年龄限制，该试验曾一度暂停。
此后，监管机构批准了修订后的方案。现在，女孩必须至少 11 岁，男孩必须至少 12 岁，才能接受青春期阻断剂。
雏鸟技巧 雉尾凤头潜雁的雏鸟从母亲的翅膀下窥视。虽然看起来很拥挤，但母亲这样做是为了保护雏鸟免受捕食者攻击。
作者：Alice Lilley
一名协助策划酸液袭击并导致其毒贩前夫死亡的女性已被判刑。
来自普利茅斯的帕里斯·威尔逊（Paris Wilson），35 岁，因涉嫌过失致死以及在 2025 年参与绑架丹尼·卡哈兰（Danny Cahalane）的企图而被判处九年监禁。
2025 年 2 月 21 日，38 岁的卡哈兰先生在其家中遭到袭击，当时他的小女儿正在屋内睡觉。
这名两个孩子的父亲被泼了硫酸，在接受了 10 周的严重烧伤治疗后，于 5 月 3 日在医院去世。
在此一个月前，威尔逊参与了一次企图绑架卡哈兰先生的行动。
在温彻斯特刑事法院，这名前伴侣在被判刑时拭去了眼角的泪水。
伦敦北部尼斯登的阿卜杜勒拉希德·阿德多贾（Abdulrasheed Adedoja），23 岁，以及伦敦北部托特纳姆的以色列·奥古斯图斯（Israel Augustus），27 岁，被裁定谋杀卡哈兰先生罪名成立，两人均被判处终身监禁，分别需服刑至少 31 年和 30 年。
奥古斯图斯还因在私人场所持有僵尸刀及毒品犯罪被判刑。
伦敦的拉玛妮·巴卡斯（Ramarnee Bakas），24 岁，因过失致死被判处 10 年监禁。
起诉方的 Jo Martin KC 表示，卡哈兰先生成为目标是因为他欠其“老板”约 £120,000。
她表示，这名毒贩名叫瑞安·肯尼迪（Ryan Kennedy），绰号“霜”（Frost），其活动范围在泰国、西班牙和迪拜之间，目前被认为身在迪拜。
Martin 女士表示，肯尼迪先生曾发送信息称，在某个集装箱中拥有 320kg 大麻，批发价值为 £960,000，但如果按克零售，价值将约为 £3.2 million。
检察官表示，肯尼迪先生对卡哈兰先生的“拖延”和未能偿还款项感到“愤怒”，于是首先在 2025 年 1 月 19 日组织了一次企图绑架行动，随后发起了这次致命袭击。
卡哈兰的母亲维维安（Vivien）是一名癌症患者，在儿子去世一天后也在医院去世。
帕里斯·威尔逊在因过失致死和企图绑架被判处九年监禁时，拭去了眼角的泪水。
作者：Tom McArdle
一名 70 岁的老人在下午游泳后，试图扑灭萨福克郡野火最初的火苗，随后火势便像“火炬一样升起”。
夏洛特·杜坎（Charlotte Du Cann）表示，她当时正从邓威奇海滩游泳回来，听到了一声“噼啪声”，她的朋友闻到了烟味。
两人很快找到了起火的荒原区域，并尝试用脚踩踏那些“猛烈”的火焰持续数分钟。
然而，她表示火焰很快点燃了更多的石楠，一棵苏格兰松树也被点燃了。
昨天上午在韦斯特莱顿，她告诉记者：“有趣的是，我首先听到的是声音，听到了这种噼啪声。我正和朋友游泳回来，我想‘那听起来像起火了’。”
“我们往下看，我的朋友说‘我闻到烟味了’。我们看到那里冒出了烟。那时我们还没看到火焰，走下去后发现一个圆圈状的区域在燃烧。”
在无法踩灭火焰后，杜坎女士拨打了紧急服务电话，提供了起火地点的坐标。
《电讯报》周四透露，火灾始于 RSPB Minsmere 湿地自然保护区。
萨福克郡消防救援服务副消防局长亨利·格里芬（Henry Griffin）表示……
整个保护区……我们 所熟悉和热爱的景观 现在已面目全非”
副职昨日告诉记者，关于火灾起因的调查已经启动。
自周三晚上以来，消防员一直在莱斯顿（Leiston）附近的登威奇荒原（Dunwich Heath）全力扑救大火，已有 100 多名人员被部署，并使用直升机向燃烧的土地倾倒数千升海水。
格里芬先生补充说，野火已经稳定，但一夜之间并未缩小，且再次爆发的风险依然很高。
火场距离 B 型赛兹韦尔（Sizewell B）核电站以及正在建设的新 C 型赛兹韦尔（Sizewell C）电站仅有几英里远。
住在附近东桥村（Eastbridge）的杜坎女士表示，火灾发生在她当时行走的小径附近约 100 英尺处。
在描述最初的火势时，杜坎女士说：“火势在石楠花丛中较低，但非常猛烈。”
“因为那是易燃物，所以温度极高。一旦烧到苏格兰松，火势立刻像火炬一样蹿了起来。”
“那声音太可怕了，我热爱那些树，这真的太可怕了。”
这位经常撰写世界其他地区气候危机报道的作家兼编辑表示，她没有看到任何人为干预的迹象。
她说：“大家都说这是人为”
作者：汤姆·科特里尔（Tom Cotterill）与汤姆·麦卡德尔（Tom McArdle），发自萨福克郡
《电讯报》披露，军方正进行磋商，计划将 Chinook 直升机从塞浦路斯调回英国，以应对国内的野火。
据了解，英国国防部（MoD）的高级官员正以“每小时”为单位评估讨论情况，决定是否可以将这些飞机运回英国，以扑灭萨福克郡的大火。
应急救援队伍继续在距离英国最大核电站 B 型赛兹韦尔几英里远的地方与野火搏斗。
这场始于周三、发生在登威奇荒原的烈火已经
乘船逃离希腊度假胜地
作者：尼克·斯奎尔斯 (Nick Squires)
由于山火切断了交通，一名希腊海滨度假胜地的度假者乘船撤离。 渔船、海岸警卫队巡逻船和一艘消防船将游客从雅典西部的阿吉奥斯·瓦西莱奥斯 (Agios Vasileios) 救出。 照片显示，游客们在码头等待时用手帕捂住口鼻以保护自己。 度假者卡特琳娜·卡拉纳齐 (Katerina Karanatsi) 告诉希腊报纸《每日报》(Kathimerini)，当时一片恐慌，她和其他游客不知道将被带到哪里。她说：“我们在海滩上。离开阿吉奥斯·瓦西莱奥斯的道路已关闭。海面波涛汹涌，风向难以预测。我们只能等待当局的指示。” 在火灾切断主要通道并威胁包围该地后，至少 200 名游客和当地居民从位于科林斯湾 (Gulf of Corinth) 的该度假胜地通过海路撤离。 此前曾尝试通过一条土路撤离游客和居民，但由于火灾同样堵塞了该路线，该计划被迫放弃。
在阿吉奥斯·瓦西莱奥斯周围的森林和农田中爆发了火灾，并在强风的助推下迅速蔓延。 近几日，希腊多个地区遭受了毁灭性的山火袭击。 周五，消防员在多个战线奋战，从希腊中部的阿吉奥斯·瓦西莱奥斯火场，到克里特岛 (Crete) 以及其他深受游客欢迎的岛屿上的火场。 在克里特岛，消防人员继续尝试扑灭该岛中部、雷西姆诺 (Rethymno) 市南部的山火。 周三和周四，火灾烧毁了约 4,500 公顷 (11,120 英亩) 的森林和农田，崎岖的地形和强风阻碍了消防员的行动。 据希腊消防部门称，尽管昨日情况有所改善，但火势仍未得到控制。 周三晚上，约 8,000 人从海滨度假胜地阿吉亚·加利尼 (Agia Galini) 撤离。 “我的整个咖啡馆都被摧毁了。这个地方养活了两个家庭，我和我儿子的，”当地一家咖啡馆 69 岁的店主斯拉西武洛斯·帕特拉基斯 (Thrasyvoulos Paterakis) 告诉法新社 (AFP)。 “我们现在流落街头了。”
（此处接续部分文字） 采取行动，但我没看到任何一个人。我们周围完全是孤身一人。 “没有证据表明有烟蒂、露营设备、烧烤炉或任何可能引发火灾的东西，甚至连一片玻璃碎片都没有。” “但我们当时并没有在寻找证据，我们正试着用脚把火踩灭。” 她说，他们没有足够的器材来灭火，并认为如果有了灭火拍，他们会有“更好的机会”。 当被问及在不断蔓延的火势中是否感到恐惧时，她表示：“我不害怕，我知道我能逃出来。如果你必须采取行动，就不能害怕，你必须冲上去完成它。但我……”
（此处接续另一部分文字） 火灾烧毁了约 200 个足球场大小的区域，并摧毁了大片 RSPB 敏斯米尔 (Minsmere) 自然保护区。数百人已撤离。 情况如此危急，在消防部门（该部门没有自己的飞行器）的恳请下，国民信托基金会 (National Trust) 不得不从一家私人公司租赁直升机来对抗火灾。 英国拥有两架专门装备用于应对山火的军用直升机。它们部署在距离 2,000 英里的塞浦路斯英国阿克罗蒂里 (RAF Akrotiri) 空军基地。 国防部目前正在考虑将这些直升机飞回英国执行救援任务。然而，《电讯报》……
（相关部门）深知飞机抵达英国可能需要大约一周时间，这让官员们陷入了困境，不确定这些奇努克（Chinook）直升机是否能及时赶到提供帮助。
一名国防部消息人士表示：“国防部危机响应团队正在持续关注这一情况，以及将它们部署在塞浦路斯的实际需求。目前对此正进行实时讨论。”
尽管这些直升机能够通过吊挂水桶一次性向火场倾泻数百加仑的水，但它们在阿克罗蒂里（Akrotiri）的部署也承担着支持当地军事任务的作战职责。
该空军基地是任何中东军事行动的关键集结地。部署这两架奇努克直升机
“我心碎欲绝……这里就像被炸弹轰过一样”： 见下方见证者 夏洛特·杜·坎（Charlotte Du Cann）
实际上意味着阿克罗蒂里将至少两周内失去保障，因为飞机前往英国并返回需要时间。
一名国防部消息人士表示，这正影响着国防部内部的“决策过程”，并补充道：“你必须始终在风险平衡方案以及奇努克直升机最被需要的地方之间进行权衡。”
“显然这是一个不断演变的情况，但你不会希望在下达召回指令后，山火却熄灭了，导致飞机不再被需要。那样一来，它们将再次需要一周左右的时间才能返回塞浦路斯执行任务。”
负责灭火任务的奇努克直升机
（之后感到）相当震惊。也许是因为我对这片土地熟悉，我知道怎么出去。
“这太毁灭性了，我心碎欲绝。我热爱那个地方，我写关于它的文章，教人们在那里与自然接轨，而现在自然消失了，这里就像被炸弹轰过一样。”
“我经常来这里，这是我散步和游泳的地方之一。”
火势从皇家鸟类保护协会（RSPB）的明斯米尔（Minsmere）蔓延到相邻的国家信托（National Trust）遗址邓威奇希斯（Dunwich Heath），使该地区变得“无法辨认”。
国家信托表示，被摧毁的景观几乎没有植被，而野生动物物种将感受到这场大火“现在以及在未来很长一段时间内”带来的影响。在一种状态下——
在塞浦路斯的职责将于明年由三架空中客车H145 Jupiter HC Mk2直升机取代。首架新型H145已于7月抵达进行测试，并与皇家空军第84中队协同工作。
今年到目前为止，英国已被约400场山火侵袭。仅在过去两周内，英格兰和威尔士就有超过200场火灾被处置。在英国49个消防救援服务机构中，没有一个能直接使用与近日在法国、西班牙及欧洲其他地区通过洒水灭除大规模山火的飞机或直升机类似的机型。
包括爱尔兰在内的许多欧洲国家拥有自己的灭火——
作者：Cameron Henderson
专家称，由于胡蜂数量下降，今年夏天英国的家庭正面临苍蝇数量的“爆炸式”增长。
由于极端天气破坏了胡蜂的数量并有利于苍蝇繁殖，这些通常被胡蜂捕食的昆虫正大量涌入英国民众的生活空间。
虽然目前还没有今年夏天昆虫数量的官方统计数据，但商业害虫防治公司 Merlin Environmental 的首席执行官 Adam Juson 表示，6 月份的“热带气候”加速了苍蝇的繁殖。
他表示：“当昼夜温度都保持在较高水平时，卵发育成熟所需的时间仅为通常时间的一小部分，且每一代繁殖的时间都比正常情况下更早。”
与此同时，据信是由于干燥的春季以及随后紧接着的寒潮导致胡蜂数量减少，使得苍蝇数量失去了制约。
Juson 先生说：“结果并不是数量的逐渐增加，而是一次‘爆炸’。胡蜂数量的下降加剧了这一现象，因为胡蜂通常通过捕食苍蝇来发挥自然制约作用。
由于从事这项工作的胡蜂减少了，苍蝇在今年夏天过得更轻松，这正是为什么英国各地的家庭和企业都能感受到差异的原因。”
伦敦大学学院（University College London）的行为生态学家 Seirian Sumner 教授告诉《泰晤士报》，她的厨房里“到处是苍蝇”，并补充道：“原因之一可能是因为周围没有顶级掠食者，或者顶级掠食者非常少。”
《无尽的形式：为什么我们应该热爱胡蜂》（Endless Forms: Why We Should Love Wasps）一书的作者 Sumner 教授表示，恶劣天气的“三重打击”可能解释了胡蜂数量的短缺。
温暖干燥的春季为年初结束冬眠的胡蜂女王提供了理想条件，帮助它们建立群体、筑巢并抚养第一批幼虫。
然而，5 月份的一段阴雨天气加上霜冻之夜，可能杀死了许多女王蜂，在它们有机会建立群体之前就摧毁了它们幼小的巢穴。
随后出现的一系列热浪导致花卉枯死，花蜜供应枯竭，使得成年胡蜂的食物减少。
国家信托基金会（National Trust）的 Russell Clement 表示：“面对邓威奇希斯（Dunwich Heath）火灾造成的彻底破坏，我们感到心碎，这里是英国最重要的海岸希斯地（heathland）景观之一。
“虽然现在就说火灾对火源地 RSPB Minsmere 以及邓威奇希斯产生的真实影响还为时过早，但很明显，火灾已经席卷了整个国家信托保护区，我们所熟知并热爱的景观现在已变得无法辨认。
“我们认为，几乎没有留下多少希斯地植被，许多野生动物物种现在及未来很长一段时间内都将受到影响。”
在灭火飞机方面，法国已部署了至少 35 架——包括一架每次可投放 20 吨水的 A400 军用运输机——用于那里抗击火灾。西班牙也可以使用 45 架飞机。
脱欧后，英国不再能使用 rescEU，这是欧盟的一个方案，旨在为成员国汇集包括灭火飞机在内的应急资源。
法国本月通过该方案获得了 13 架额外的飞机，而西班牙获得了六架。
消防人员表示，随着 120 多名消防员灭火工作进入第三天，萨福克郡（Suffolk）的火势在昨天上午已趋于“稳定”。
这次野火的起因尚未可知。
作者：《电讯报》记者
法院获悉，一名殡葬业者将死者的骨灰混合在一起作为储备，以便在被悲痛的亲属要求提供时从中抽取。罗伯特·布什 (Robert Bush)，48 岁，因在应火化时让数十具尸体腐烂数月，于昨日被判处 20 年监禁。他将错误的骨灰交给家属，在未做任何安排的情况下收取殡葬计划的费用，并窃取在仪式上募集的慈善捐款。这名名声扫地的殡葬业者还将一名死产婴儿的尸体放在纸袋里，留在位于赫尔 (Hull) 的 Legacy Independent Funeral Directors 殡葬馆内长达近两年。家属此前将布什描述为一名“怪物”，称他“为了自己的私心让我们所有人经历了地狱”。
目前透露，当警方于 2024 年 3 月搜查该殡葬馆时，他们发现部分骨灰存放在密封容器中，但另一些则是打开的。负责此案的侦查警司艾伦·柯蒂斯 (Alan Curtis) 表示，尽管布什从未给出解释，但有证据表明骨灰被混合了。看来他利用这些储备，在丧亲家庭要求骨灰时将其提供给他们，并谎称那是他们亲人的骨灰。
柯蒂斯先生说：“根据家属向我们讲述的关于向他催要亲人骨灰的情况，他会走到后方取一些骨灰，然后将其当作他们亲人的骨灰一样呈交给他们。”
“我们知道事实就是这样，尽管他在审讯中从未如此承认，因为对于我们询问他的所有关于骨灰的问题，他总是拒绝评论，除了确认那是人类的骨灰之外。”
在整个调查过程中，这个诈骗犯拒绝回答关于其殡葬馆内遗骸的问题。柯蒂斯先生继续说道：“我认为他喜欢让自己看起来像个相当粗心、可怜、处境困难且糟糕的商人，但实际上我认为现实是，他很清楚发生了什么，他犯下了所有这些罪行，只有足够聪明、机巧且狡诈的人才能做到这一点。”
在赫尔刑事法院 (Hull Crown Court) 的量刑过程中，希拉德法官 (Mr Justice Hilliard) 获悉，布什以“几乎是工业规模”的方式背弃了悲痛家庭的信任。法官表示，任何使用过布什服务的家庭都无法确定他们是否收到了亲人的骨灰。
“除非尸体是那些在 2024 年被警方实际找回并正确确认身份的尸体之一，否则任何在 Legacy 进行过火化的人都无法确定他们是否收到了正确的亲人骨灰，无论他们的案例是否涉及”
PA
……或者更糟，装着别人的尸体”
阿比盖尔·布坎南 (Abigail Buchanan)
2024 年 3 月的母亲节在 Ron Marsh 的脑海中挥之不去，原因有二。首先，这是在失去母亲 Joyce Moulton 后的第一个母亲节，她于前一年 9 月去世。其次，那是警察敲开他家门的一天。
警察告诉他的消息让他震惊不已。Joyce 死时 98 岁，她并不在 Ron 及其兄弟为她火化而选择的棺材中。此前在 10 月，他们曾在赫尔（Hull）的 Legacy 独立殡葬服务公司（Legacy Independent Funeral Directors）的一个简单房间内为其举行了葬礼仪式。而仪式结束后，她也没有被火化。
她的尸体与另外 34 具尸体一起，被警方在 Legacy 殡仪馆后方一个肮脏的冷藏室中发现。她在那里大约存放了 180 天。
“完全无法相信。我们简直惊呆了，”他说。“警察告诉我们，我们为她准备 [用于火化] 的衣服仍然在角落的一个袋子里。本该随她放入棺材的我祖父的照片，就掉在某个地板上的位置。”
他怀疑在葬礼上，那个浅色的木制棺材可能是空的。更糟糕的是，里面可能装着一个陌生人的尸体。他永远无法得知答案。
Marsh 是数百名受害者家属之一，他们都因为 Robert Bush 的行为而遭受痛苦。这位殡葬主管于昨天被判处 20 年监禁。
本周大部分时间里，79 岁的 Marsh——他在退休前曾在一家机电工程公司工作——一直通过其住所附近的萨里郡（Surrey）警察局的视频链接观看 Bush 的判刑过程。考虑到他的年龄和潜在的交通成本，他选择了这一方案，而非前往赫尔。他说：“这几天非常痛苦。幸运的是，法官阻止了 [检方] 详细描述发现的尸体状态以及其他所有细节。但通过观看……”
（此处接续）
“……起诉书中的内容，”法官说道。他补充说，Bush 的罪行“对整个紧密结合的社区产生了深远的影响”，并且他从未见过有任何犯罪行为能“影响这么多的人，且影响如此之深”。
希利亚德法官（Mr Justice Hilliard）表示，Bush “出于金钱贪欲而采取如此欺骗性的手段”，并补充道：“不幸的是，他一定也有冷酷无情的一面，才使得他能这样对待生者和死者。”
此前，这位殡葬主管已承认多项妨碍合法埋葬罪以及数十项欺诈指控。
本周，法院听取了 200 多份受害者的陈述书。
在场的人中包括 31 人的亲属，这些人的遗体本应在殡仪馆被火化，其中包括那个在纸袋中被发现的死产婴儿的母亲。 法庭还听取了 50 多人的证词，这些人收到了错误的亲人骨灰。希拉德法官（Mr Justice Hilliard）被告知，家属们对亲人所遭遇的情况感到愧疚。他说：“我希望他们意识到，这绝不是他们的错。” 法官表示，布什（Bush）“如此专注于个人敛财，以至于他对被托付给他的死者采取了令人震惊且可耻的行为，而他对在世亲属的行为则以不诚实、欺骗和冷酷无情为特征”。
电视剧告诉我们，如果尸体被放置在无人看管的状态下数月，其腐烂程度将非常糟糕。这么说吧。所以听到这件事，麻烦的是你的想象力会失控。” 过去两年的创伤不仅破坏了他对殡葬业的信任，还破坏了他对所有处于信任地位的专业人士的信任：医生、殡葬承办人和护理人员。“你将心爱之人的遗体交给他们，让他们做该做的事，”他说。“我不再在表面上信任任何人或任何企业了。” 英格兰的殡葬业基本上不受监管，布什受害者的家属目前正发起运动要求改变这一现状。“如果你要请一名电工干活，你会确保他持有证书，”马什（Marsh）说。“但如果你在选择殡葬主管，你会自动假设他们提供的是正规服务，他们会履行承诺。”但在 48 岁的布什这里，情况并非如此。2024. 3 月警方突击搜查其公司时，追回了 100 多套骨灰以及约 35 具遗体。在七年的时间里，
布什从公司中挪用了数万英镑，用于度假、装修新厨房、摩托车等爱好以及购买 Boodles 的珠宝。 对布什来说，生意正处于繁荣期——在此期间，有 170 万英镑m 从公司转入他的个人账户。他的个人年均收入为 £162,000，但他申报的纳税年收入仅为约 £13,000，且每年平均向其妻子转账 £52,000。 他还窃取了葬礼募捐活动中的捐款，从未将其转交给指定的慈善机构，这些机构包括 Macmillan 癌症支持中心、RNLI（英国皇家国家救生艇协会）和 Dove House 临终关怀医院。
（接上文） “如果他能重复使用一个人已经付过钱的棺材，他就会这么做，”法官说。“如果将尸体保存在非冷藏环境下成本更低，他也会这么做。” 在描述 Legacy 殡仪馆被发现的景象时，希拉德法官表示，有遗体被放在架子上，另有两具躺在地板上，且发现了人体腐烂的证据以及厕所地板上的排泄物。 在 57 个收到错误骨灰或根本没有收到骨灰的家庭案例中，大约 40 具遗体在火化前被保存了一个多月，其中一个案例甚至超过了 200 天。 法官表示，这些发现带来了“难以想象的心碎和（痛苦）”。
乔伊斯·莫尔顿 去世前 几个月 与她的儿子们 朗（左）和彼得
对于 46 个拿到错误骨灰的家庭以及 11 个完全没拿到骨灰的家庭来说，这是一种“痛苦”。 希利亚德法官补充道：“他们感到被背叛了——丈夫、妻子、伴侣、父母、孩子、孙辈——现在发现他们被留下的只有虚无，或者在某些我们听到的案例中，是警方设法回收的一个空塑料袋或一茶匙骨灰。” 昨天，安迪·伯纳姆支持对殡仪馆和停尸房进行监管。 首相在访问谢菲尔德时表示：“我支持这些呼吁，富勒报告中提出了相关建议，这些建议将被实施，因为我们此前已经见过这种令人震惊的情况。”
当地的姑息治疗中心。与此同时，Legacy 在赫斯尔路场所的条件简直触目惊心。在最令人震惊的发现中，有一个棕色纸袋，里面装的是贾斯敏·贝弗利死产儿子的遗骸，该纸袋在地上放置了两年才被发现。 在委任布什进行未出生孩子火化后，有四名女性拿到了错误的骨灰。在某些情况下，一名专家证人认为交给悲痛母亲的骨灰看起来像成年人的。据信，一名女性拿到的是动物遗骸。 赫尔刑事法院听取了令人不安的细节：尸体未清洗，被“遗弃”在各种分解状态中，“任由自然规律发挥作用”。霉菌在棺材和未贴标签的骨灰盒上蔓延，体液与原本打算随亲人一起埋葬或火化的家庭照片混在一起。 乔伊斯曾在萨里郡的威特利村抚养儿子长大，但在 1990 年其伴侣去世后，她回到了家乡赫尔，并希望在那里撒骨灰。 当两名警察敲开他的门时，他说：“如果他们告诉我外星人降临了，我可能更愿意相信。” 他现在陷入了无法确切得知母亲遗体发生了什么，以及“布什到底为什么这么做”的痛苦之中。
以色列国防军撤军，但以色列方面尚未确认
作者：亚历山大·巴特勒和 亨利·博德金
唐纳德·特朗普宣布，哈马斯同意放弃武器，以换取以色列从加沙撤军。 这位美国总统表示，协议已于周四晚上达成，并称其为他的“和平委员会”的一个“重要里程碑”。 根据该提案，哈马斯将首先将其重型武器交给一个过渡性的巴勒斯坦机构进行存储和报废。 该组织还将被要求放弃恐怖主义基础设施，例如武器制造设施和隧道计划。该协议将个人武器的缴交放在最后。 一名和平委员会官员表示，这些武器将由巴勒斯坦方面“处理”。
哈马斯将首先 将其重型武器 交给一个 过渡性的 巴勒斯坦机构
亨利·博德金 (Henry Bodkin) 发自耶路撒冷
在许多人认为永远不会到来的时刻，唐纳德·特朗普于周四晚些时候宣布，哈马斯已与和平委员会就分阶段移交达成一致，前提是以色列国防军 (IDF) 撤出加沙。加沙地带现有的由哈马斯运行的治理结构以及一定程度上的警察力量将维持原状，准备由过渡政府接管。表面上看，这对哈马斯是一个好交易。它迫使以色列停止轰炸，并可能允许该恐怖组织暂时在加沙保留武器，尽管不再由其直接控制。由于选举临近，本雅明·内塔尼亚胡被视为从加沙撤军，其形象也将不美观。但仍有许多关键细节需要敲定，且如果以色列认为合适，具有巨大的破坏执行潜力的可能性。协议规定，以色列应“毫不延迟地全面履行”根据《沙姆谢赫协议》承担的“所有剩余承诺”，“特别是停止军事行动”。哈马斯和巴勒斯坦各派系也被要求停止行动。换句话说，就是“现在停止轰炸”。特朗普先生最初的 20 点计划要求结束军事行动，包括空中和炮击。然而，自那时起，已有 1,000 多名加沙人被以色列国防军杀害，其中包括许多儿童。我们不知道死者中有多少是哈马斯恐怖分子，但无论如何，最初的协议并不允许以色列对被其视为可疑的活动发动袭击。然而，以色列一直如此操作，尽管其频率远低于 10 月和平协议之前。以色列试图杀掉任何参与 10 月 7 日事件的人，而这份新文件在理论上将迫使这项暗杀行动结束。自停火以来，已有 5 名以色列国防军士兵被杀，新文本要求哈马斯同样停止其军事行动。众所周知，该恐怖组织自去年以来在重新武装和重新组织方面做出了巨大努力。协议的另一部分称，“所有公务员在权利方面均应受到合法、公正和有尊严的对待”。这意味着在加沙政府中为哈马斯工作的官僚将被允许继续留任。据《电讯报》获悉，这是谈判中的争议点之一。一名接近谈判的消息人士表示：“哈马斯必须考虑他们在巴勒斯坦人民中的长期声誉。如果每个曾为他们工作的人都失业，那对他们不利。他们必须照顾自己的人。”除了在政治上
康纳·斯特林格 (Connor Stringer) 和 乔·巴恩斯 (Joe Barnes) 报道
《电讯报》可以披露，美国和以色列正在讨论可能对伊朗实施陆路封锁。 在经历了数月的打击和长期的行动仍未能使其屈服后，该提案是唐纳德·特朗普和本雅明·内塔尼亚胡为加大对该政权经济压力而探讨的几个选项之一。 据了解，美国总统和以色列总理在周二于椭圆形办公室会面时，讨论了通过“动力和非动力手段”增加对伊朗经济压力的方案。该计划将
执法部门，预计他们将在董事会任命的加沙行政国家委员会的权力下对该地带进行治安管理，并由外国军队组成的国际稳定部队（ISF）提供协助。 特朗普先生还表示，协议包括对“所有其他武装团体”的完全解除武装，这被认为是指各种“氏族”，其中一些得到了以色列的支持。 基于“零信任”的前提，该计划的每个阶段都应该是可验证的，并应伴随以色列军队的撤出。 但在协议达成几小时后，以色列的一次空袭导致加沙的几名巴勒斯坦人受伤。 根据去年10月的停火协议，以色列国防军（IDF）获得了约 53% 的加沙控制权，但此后将其领土扩大到估计 60 到 70% 的该领土。 “关于武器问题已达成协议。此外，关于[以色列军队]逐步撤出该地带的协议也已达成，”哈马斯
XINHUA / SHUTTERSTOCK
加沙地带在以色列与哈马斯多年的冲突后已完全变成废墟
可能需要美国和以色列向伊朗的邻国及地区合作伙伴施压，以加强或关闭边境口岸，限制进出口流动。 “如果直接封锁陆路会怎样？假设伊朗无法引入任何东西，也无法运出任何东西。无论发生什么都会有结果，”一名以色列高级官员在提到两国讨论过的一种可能性时说道。 退役三星中将肖恩·麦克法兰（Sean MacFarland）表示，虽然陆路封锁将“几乎不可能”，但“如果你剥夺了伊朗的贸易能力……那么你就在经济上孤立了他们。这就是让他们
实用且务实，它还将为即将到来的过渡政府提供一个现有结构，以便开始重建工作。 协议称，“加沙应根据‘一个权力机构，一部法律，一种武器’的原则进行治理”。 这是过渡阶段的关键终点，也是以色列的核心要求。 哈马斯将不被允许作为武装力量潜伏在后台，削弱正式政府并继续对人口行使控制——这种情况被比作真主党长期在黎巴嫩所扮演的角色。 这以黑白分明的方式明确了目标，即加沙行政国家委员会（NCAG）及其永久继任政府将不仅拥有管理加沙的权力，还将拥有强有力的硬实力。 在警察人员方面，协议称，“任何人不得被剥夺其财务权利，特别是由于政治派系原因”。 原则上，目前加沙的哈马斯警察部队成员将被允许继续从事工作。 与公务员一样，这是务实主义的体现，证明和平委员会认为，不通过让他们失业而疏远数百名武装青年具有价值，同时为新上任的行政部门提供可操作的空间。 这简直就像他们学到了一课
屈服”。他补充道：“经济手段是最简洁的，但它必须包含动力学元素（kinetic elements）。 “伊朗在陆地上与一整群国家接壤，且伊拉克与伊朗高度一致。这将使得阻止任何支持进入变得非常困难。” 陆路封锁可以针对关键的边境口岸，例如连接伊朗和土库曼斯坦的印切博伦（Incheh Borun）和萨拉克斯-萨拉赫斯（Sarakhs-Sarahs）。 伊朗与伊拉克、土耳其、巴基斯坦、阿富汗、土库曼斯坦、亚美尼亚和阿塞拜疆接壤，这意味着领导者必须说服这些国家，而其中许多国家他们已经
一名官员表示。哈马斯谈判团队成员加齐·哈马德（Ghazi Hamad）告诉半岛电视台：“在以色列从加沙地带撤军之前，我们不会在裁军方面采取任何行动。”
这似乎与特朗普先生的声明相矛盾，后者称：“随着裁军完成，以色列军队将撤出……”然而，一名熟悉谈判进程的官员告诉《电讯报》，哈马斯将“裁军”（disarmament）理解为该进程的终点。
相比之下，“除役”（decommissioning）则涉及由巴勒斯坦安全部队存储武器，这意味着如果以色列不履行协议项下的承诺，哈马斯可以取回武器。
“理论上的想法是，这一切都可以逆转。这样你就可以同意一个分阶段且可验证的进程，”该官员说。
然而据了解，关于武器如何存储的具体操作细节尚未达成一致。
英国主要通过国家安全顾问乔纳森·鲍威尔（Jonathan Powell）在幕后大力支持这种“北爱尔兰模式”的除役方案。
以色列尚未对该协议发表正式评论，但一名美国官员表示，这个犹太国家对哈马斯是否会遵守协议“持非常怀疑的态度”。据报道，以色列官员在昨天表示，该国并不
从中吸取伊拉克的教训。然而，一些观察家担心，以色列可能会利用警务问题来阻碍整个进程。
例如，通过拒绝审核候选人，或者以缓慢的方式进行审核，或者——有人曾提出这种建议——拒绝允许加沙人离开该地区前往埃及接受培训。
协议中提到一个“除役并存储重型武器的进程……该进程应与以色列撤军挂钩”。协议还补充道，“该路线图的实施……应为实现巴勒斯坦民族自决和建国的可信路径创造适当条件”。
以色列推动的是一种“一次性、大爆炸式”的裁军——旨在强调哈马斯是失败者，能保住性命离开已是万幸。
然而，这份计划——其中任何地方都没有提到“裁军”——更多地倾向于一种北爱尔兰式的除役进程。据知情人士透露，英国通过其具有影响力的国家安全顾问、该类谈判资深人士乔纳森·鲍威尔推动这一方案。
枪械将移交给巴勒斯坦人，而非国际部队或以色列人，并存储在某处，可能就在加沙境内。
促成这一突破的是
非盟友国家予以合作。华盛顿可能会将巴基斯坦和伊拉克视为区域内的薄弱环节，因为这两个国家不被认为是其亲密盟友。
如果与伊朗接壤的七个国家中有任何一个同意合作，他们将面临自身的经济后果以及来自伊斯兰共和国报复性打击的威胁。
封锁港口或关键过境点可能会削弱伊朗的重新武装能力。根据一项加强两国军事关系的协议，德黑兰正期待从北京接收一批数百台中国火箭发射器的运输。
这项价值 $70m (5300 万英镑m) 的合同涵盖了便携式防空系统
其原则（至少在理论上）是，如果以色列未能履行撤军义务，该进程是可逆的。
该方案基于一种“零信任”模式，在进入下一阶段之前，每个阶段都必须经过所有相关方验证并达成一致。
根据该计划，哈马斯的武装翼将首先移交重型武器。
显然，该方案缺乏细节，并且以典型的特朗普方式提供了一个协商窗口来敲定具体细节，且在必要时可以延长。
观察人士迅速指出，根据特朗普先生和哈马斯在过去 24 小时内发表的言论，双方似乎都认为对方应该先履行协议中的承诺。
接近谈判的人士则更为乐观，认为这一问题可以解决。
一个关键问题将是国际验证委员会的成员组成。
然而，另一个僵持点可能是非哈马斯的武装团体。根据这项协议，这些家族或民兵组织（其中一些由以色列支持）也必须解除武装。
这一点至关重要，因为如果哈马斯成员担心在睡梦中被死对头谋杀，他们将不会轻易放弃武器。然而，一个潜在的问题出现了，
（Manpads），即单兵便携式防空导弹。
已知从中国返回的船只会在伊朗南部的阿巴斯港（Bandar Abbas）和恰巴哈尔港（Chabahar）停靠。
据一名熟悉讨论情况的消息人士透露，特朗普先生认为他目前重启霍尔木兹海峡的策略已经走到了尽头。
该消息人士补充说，因此美国总统正在考虑各种升级方案，以迫使伊朗回到谈判桌前。
陆路封锁将符合他的最大压力战略，旨在瘫痪——
依赖于 尚未 成立的 机构。 存在 许多 潜在的 失败 点”
在很大程度上 更像 北爱尔兰式的 和平 进程”
同意协议的“框架”，并已将其顾虑传达给托尼·布莱尔爵士，他正为特朗普先生的和平委员会处理此问题。 该协议还取决于巴勒斯坦警察部队的建立。 然而，一名西方官员表示，尽管在确定招募人员方面已完成了大量准备工作，但以色列在允许开展培训方面进展缓慢。关于特朗普先生的国际稳定部队（ISF）的组成也存在不确定性。 上周，以色列表示将允许一支小规模分遣队（可能由摩洛哥军队组成）进入加沙地带。 但到目前为止，据信支持国家提供的军队承诺远远不足。 “目前，该协议依赖于尚未成立的组织，”一名了解谈判情况的官员告诉《电讯报》。 “我不认为在接下来的几周内会有任何事情发生——大部分时间将是对刚刚商定好的措辞进行争论。 “该计划中存在许多潜在的失败点。”
在这个意义上，这些民兵组织并非谈判方，且可能不会配合。 该文件还规定，他们不应成为新警察部队的一部分，而据已知，以色列一直在此方面施压。 然而，总体而言，这一条款对内塔尼亚胡先生是一个打击。反对建立巴勒斯坦国（该文件称缴械应导向这一目标）在某种意义上是他一生的事业。然而，现在这被白纸黑字地写在了这里。 协议称，“一支临时国际稳定部队（ISF）应部署在加沙地带，以将以色列军队与 NCAG 控制区隔离开来”。协议补充道，“ISF 不得执行任何警察任务或与巴勒斯坦社会相关的任务”。 自从特朗普先生去年首次提出这一想法以来，ISF 的角色已逐渐成熟，它将作为国防军（IDF）与巴勒斯坦警察（及民众）之间的缓冲区，而非警察部队或缴械机构本身，这并不令人意外。 然而，存在一个重大问题：目前它还不存在。 五个国家已正式承诺提供部队，但被认为远未达到所需数量。 不过，以这份协议形式出现的一项更具体的计划，可能会鼓励更多实质性的承诺。
扼杀德黑兰的经济，这始于海上封锁。 也有可能以色列和美国抛出该计划是作为烟雾弹，以分散德黑兰的注意力。情报显示，伊朗领导层分为两派：一派非常担心经济崩溃，另一派则认为战争必须继续。 “目前存在燃气短缺。你对此有所了解。伊朗国内燃气短缺非常严重。在那些柴油耗尽的加油站前排起了长队，”该以色列消息人士补充道。 在场人士将特朗普先生与内塔尼亚胡先生本周的会面描述为积极且亲切的。
登山者 在雪崩中 被担心丧生
在率领 10 人团队攀登 世界第 12 高峰时 遭遇灾难
作者：Kelly-Anne Taylor 和 Samaan Lateef
一名曾在英国皇家海军陆战队服役的人员在巴基斯坦世界第 12 高峰发生雪崩后失踪。 被人们称为 Nimsdai 的 Nirmal Purja MBE 当时正率领一支 10 人的国际登山队攀登布罗德峰（Broad Peak），周四中午时分，一场雪崩袭击了该队。 此次远征队包括另外五名尼泊尔登山者，以及分别来自美国、中国、阿曼和巴基斯坦的一名队员。 巴基斯坦高山俱乐部 (ACP) 主席少将 Irfan Arshad Khan 在 Instagram 的一篇帖子中表示，地面救援队已经在山上找回了四具尸体。
Nirmal Purja MBE 最著名的成就是在 189 天内登顶了所有 14 座海拔 8,000 米以上的山峰，打破了记录。
其中两人已被确认身份，分别是 Nadhira Ahmad Abdullah Al Harthy（首位登顶珠峰的阿曼女性）和来自尼泊尔的 Pur Bahadur Gurung Yukta。 Purja 先生最著名的成就是在 189 天内登顶了所有 14 座海拔 8,000 米以上的山峰，打破了此前的记录。他的这次挑战被拍成了 Netflix 电影《14座高峰：没什么是不可能的》（14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible）。 这位 43 岁的人也是首位在 48 小时内接连登顶珠穆朗玛峰、洛子峰和马卡鲁峰的登山者。 2021, 年，他与另外九名尼泊尔登山者组成的团队共同完成了 K2 峰（也称为 Godwin-Austen 山）的首次冬季登顶。 在成为登山者之前，出生于尼泊尔的 Purja 先生曾在英国皇家海军服役，并成为首位加入英国精英部队特种舟艇服务队 (SBS) 的廓尔喀兵。他因在极高风险环境下表现出的卓越军事服务，于 2018 年被伊丽莎白二世女王授予 MBE 勋章。
两架陆军直升机已经部署，但恶劣的天气和极端的高度增加了救援难度。ACP 表示：“在天气和操作条件允许的情况下，我们正在尽一切可能确保直升机支持和所有可用救援资源在最早的时机动员起来。” 在失去联系前，部分失踪登山者发送的 GPS 位置显示，雪崩将登山者冲到了山下约一公里处。远征队于周三开始向顶峰冲击，在向 3 号营地攀登时遭遇了雪崩。 其他失踪的登山者包括来自尼泊尔的 Kili Pemba Sherpa、Nima Sherpa、Nawang Thindu Sherpa 和 Gyalu Sherpa，来自巴基斯坦的 Sohail Sakhi，来自美国的 Mallory Geis 以及来自中国的 Wang Zhong。 ACP 发言人 Naila Kiani 表示，包括 Purja 在内的失踪登山者的生存机会“遗憾地非常渺茫”。她补充说，无人机发现了其他登山者，但其状态和身份尚未确认。 她补充道：“地面救援队将在明天一早继续搜索任务。K2 远征队已自愿取消其登山计划，以专注于此次救援任务。” 此次雪崩发生在巴基斯坦登山季最繁忙的时期，此前天气打开了一个狭窄的窗口期，使得 200 多名试图攀登布罗德峰、K2 峰及其邻近 Gasherbrum 系列峰的外国登山者得以行动。 布罗德峰海拔 26,414 英尺，被认为是世界上最难攀登的山峰之一。
AP 照片 / JACQUELYN MARTIN
轻松骑行：虽然这并非 Donald Trump 所习惯的、经过重装定制的凯迪拉克“野兽”专车，但美国总统昨天抵达戴维营度假地时，在电动高尔夫球车上的样子显得同样自在。
作者：亚历山大·巴特勒 (Alexander Butler)
唐纳德·特朗普批评了一场共和党内部的反叛，这场反叛迫使他撤回了对司法部长的提名。
在帕姆·邦迪 (Pam Bondi) 4月卸任后，美国总统提名其前私人律师托德·布兰奇 (Todd Blanche) 领导美国司法部。
但两名共和党参议员——来自德克萨斯州的约翰·科宁 (John Cornyn) 和来自北卡罗来纳州的汤姆·蒂利斯 (Thom Tillis) ——由于布兰奇先生谈判达成的一项旨在保护特朗普及其盟友的协议而拒绝支持布兰奇先生。特朗普先生称他们的“政治生涯已经结束”。
该协议于今年早些时候公布，旨在解决特朗普先生针对美国国家税务局 (IRS) 泄露其 2020 年纳税申报单而提起的一项诉讼。
他起诉国家税务局要求赔偿 $10bn，并指责其未能采取足够措施阻止泄露给《纽约时报》，而该泄露事件揭露他在 2020 年仅缴纳了 $750 的所得税。
根据和解协议，一个 $1.8bn (£1.3bn) 的基金被设立，允许包括 Jan 6 骚乱参与者在内的盟友就“政治动机的起诉”申请赔偿。该协议还授予了特朗普先生及其家人和企业广泛的豁免权，免受国家税务局对其税务事务的审计，从而让他们免于潜在的 $100m 罚款。
尽管这些计划已被取消，但科宁先生和蒂利斯先生仍加入了那些批评该计划非法的参议员行列。
这两位参议员将在 11 月失去特朗普先生的支持后离职，他们要求布兰奇先生承诺不重启该基金并放弃税务豁免。
但在周四的一篇 Truth Social 帖子中，特朗普先生表示：“如果他们不采取正确的行动，我并不反对暂时撤回托德的名字，并在科宁和蒂利斯离职后再将他重新提名。”
他补充道：“来自德克萨斯州的约翰·科宁和来自北卡罗来纳州的汤姆·蒂利斯，我都拒绝支持他们，且他们的政治生涯已被我的行动终结，他们现在拒绝投票支持这位伟大的被提名人。无论如何，他将继续担任代理职务。”
科宁先生反击称，他与蒂利斯先生代表了参议院共和党中一个对该协议感到失望的更大群体。
SUN ZHENSONG / VCG VIA GETTY IMAGES
火之洗礼：在中国的新疆维吾尔自治区乌鲁木齐市的一个青少年军事训练基地，孩子们使用 RPG-40 火箭发射器参加模拟射击。该训练是青少年暑假计划的一部分。
在韩国 导弹袭击中 丧生
作者：Antonia Langford
一枚俄罗斯导弹在乌克兰造成一家人死亡。俄罗斯于周四向东南部第聂尔彼得罗夫斯克地区（Dnipropetrovsk region）的乡村村庄拉杜什内（Radushne）发射了这枚由朝鲜制造的导弹。
前线士兵丹尼洛·沃罗诺夫（Danylo Voronov）得知，他的父母奥莱娜·沃罗诺夫（Olena Voronov）和阿尔特姆·沃罗诺夫（Artem Voronov），以及他的四个兄弟姐妹的遗体已从房屋废墟中被搜寻出。
当地当局表示，他们认为在房屋被击中时，沃罗诺夫家族有 10 名成员正在床上睡觉，其中包括丹尼洛的其他三名兄弟姐妹及其 18 个月大的儿子。他们的遗体尚未被寻回。四名失踪者均被担心已死亡。当地人在废墟中看到一只狗尾巴露在外面后，救出了家犬 Rocky，它幸存了下来。
来自附近城市克里维里赫（Kryvyi Rih）的乌克兰总统弗拉基米尔·泽连斯基（Volodymyr Zelensky）表示：“俄罗斯导弹的冲击力如此之强，以至于房屋化为乌有。”
“废墟下发现了人体碎片，只有通过法医鉴定才能确定这些遗骸属于哪些家庭成员。”
据信，击中拉杜什内的朝鲜导弹是自去年 8 月以来首次在乌克兰使用。
虽然泽连斯基先生没有指明导弹型号，但平壤此前被指向莫斯科供应了 148 枚 KN-23 和 KN-24 弹道导弹，尽管近几个月来这些导弹的使用情况有所减少。
这次袭击表明，随着莫斯科加强其攻势，它正转向外国盟友以增加其导弹库存。
据报道，乌克兰总统弗拉基米尔·泽连斯基要求唐纳德·特朗普（Donald Trump）帮忙获得埃隆·马斯克（Elon Musk）的许可，以便在俄罗斯境内进行无人机袭击时使用 Starlink 技术。
据《大西洋月刊》（The Atlantic）援引两名知情官员的报告，在周二的白宫会议上，泽连斯基先生阐述了一项利用马斯克先生的 Starlink 卫星网络协助引导袭击的计划。
该媒体报道称，特朗普先生对这一提议持“不表态”态度，但告诉泽连斯基先生他会考虑。
路透社本月早些时候报道称，乌克兰在其自身领土内使用了 Starlink，这使其能够打击补给线、燃料存储设施、防空设施和指挥中心。
这项技术如此有效，以至于俄罗斯试图通过安装强大的干扰系统来抵御袭击。
但到目前为止，马斯克先生的 SpaceX 公司限制了 Starlink 在俄罗斯境内的使用，这意味着乌克兰的远程无人机袭击必须使用可靠性较低的瞄准系统。
《大西洋月刊》称，在与特朗普先生会面期间，泽连斯基先生表示他们需要 Starlink 来对小型移动目标进行袭击，例如部署在俄罗斯各地的车载导弹发射器。
特朗普先生显然不愿向乌克兰供应更多的爱国者（Patriot）拦截弹，其库存
作者：本·斯托克顿 (Ben Stockton)
对乌克兰的密集轰炸导致平民伤亡率创下纪录。一些消息来源暗示，目前的每月发射率可能已超过国内生产能力。
由于缺乏爱国者防空系统的拦截导弹（这是几乎唯一能够抵御弹道导弹的防御线），乌克兰在面对此类袭击时显得十分脆弱。
唐纳德·特朗普此前曾表示，华盛顿将向基辅提供生产其自有爱国者导弹的许可，但他在周四表示，现在他对此举“不确定”。
“这是一种非常非凡的武器，在决定授权给谁时，我们必须谨慎一点，”他说。
摧毁沃罗诺夫 (Voronov) 家族住宅的袭击是一场彻夜轰炸的一部分，该轰炸袭击了乌克兰各地的城市，导致至少 10 名平民死亡，约 50 人受伤。
在早晨袭击发生的最初几小时里，达尼洛 (Danylo) 住在波兰的哥哥马特维·沃罗诺夫 (Matvii Voronov) 在当地的一个 Telegram 频道上疯狂地发消息，恳请邻居告诉他是否有人幸存。
一名邻居回复道：“马特维，我在现场。房子只剩下地基了，他们全部遇难了。”
马特维在当天晚些时候写道：“就在一瞬间，他们夺走了我最珍贵的东西。我不知道现在该如何生活。”
“我只是在不停地哭泣。我的哥哥遭受了更大的悲痛。除了他的家人，他还失去了他一岁大的儿子。”
据当地媒体报道，在应急服务部门到达之前，拉杜什内 (Radushne) 的邻居们曾试图将这家人从燃烧的建筑物中救出。“我们一直在呼喊那八个孩子和他们的父母，但没有人回应，”当地居民纳塔莉亚 (Nataliia) 告诉《乌克兰真理报》(Ukrainska Pravda)。
俄罗斯国防部声称，其袭击目标是军事设施。
这些导弹在美国与伊朗的冲突期间已被耗尽。
据《大西洋月刊》(The Atlantic) 报道，向特朗普先生提出的一项替代方案是，允许乌克兰在俄罗斯境内使用星链 (Starlink)。
特朗普先生希望看到俄乌战争结束。一名官员告诉该杂志，可能只有在特朗普觉得这将加速冲突结束时，他才会批准关于爱国者导弹的请求。
据一名匿名消息人士告诉该杂志，泽连斯基先生在访问美国期间，据报道还寻求与马斯克先生会面，但这位特斯拉创始人拒绝了。特朗普先生显然告诉泽连斯基先生，他会与马斯克先生沟通，但没有提供具体的时间表。
当特朗普先生在去年一月就职时，马斯克先生被任命为政府效率部 (Doge) 的负责人，该部门削减了联邦合同并解雇了大量政府雇员。但在马斯克先生离开该职务后，两人的关系恶化。
他曾激烈批评特朗普先生的“一个大而美的法案” (One Big Beautiful Bill)，该法案预计会增加赤字。马斯克先生称其为“令人作呕的令人憎恶之物”。
“我对埃隆感到非常失望。我帮了埃隆很多，”特朗普先生当时说道。
埃隆·马斯克的公司 SpaceX 限制了星链在俄罗斯的使用
欧洲正陷入火海。火灾已逼近波尔多之门，侵蚀马德里，并灼烧凯恩戈姆山，显然气候正在发生变化。本周《电讯报》提出的问题是，英国该怎么做？
近十年来，历任政府的答案简单且单一：追求净零排放。在 2050 年前实现快速脱碳将保护地球，而不管这给英国消费者和企业带来了多少成本；事实上，甚至不管这是否会对气候产生任何影响。
蒂姆·斯坦利（Tim Stanley）和安布罗斯·埃文斯-普里查德（Ambrose Evans-Pritchard）在本文页中正确地强调了英国保守党为自然而行动的光荣传统，从本杰明·迪斯雷利到玛格丽特·撒切尔。
正如弗罗斯特勋爵（Lord Frost）所论证的那样，这些政治家始终敏锐地意识到其政策的“人为后果”。他们设定了可实现且具有成本效益的目标，从而改善了人们的生活。
如今，英国的环境政策往往恰恰相反。过度痴迷于一个极不可能实现的净零目标，使英国企业承受了发达国家中最高的能源成本之一。
如果有人需要这些成本的证明，昨天的消息就是证据：英国石油公司决定退出北海。如果政府政策使得企业经营失去吸引力，那么英国整体将遭受损失，数千个就业岗位将消失，数十亿的税收收入将无法实现。
如果英国的行动确实能给全球气候带来显著影响，那么这样做或许有其道理。但证据表明事实并非如此，正如艾利斯特·希斯（Allister Heath）所阐明的。如今，我们贡献的全球二氧化碳排放量不足 1 %。
先生——我们未能兴建足够的监狱来安置那些需要被关押的人。这意味着我们一直在提前释放囚犯（见 7月31日报道 “提前释放后再犯率创纪录”）。
有证据表明，少数一批惯犯和多犯者造成了我们社区的大部分犯罪。警方现在花费越来越多的时间在这些罪犯被提前释放后对其进行追捕。
我们需要投资以有效地遏制和拘留那些犯罪最严重的罪犯。 约翰·罗杰斯 (John Rogers) 兰开夏郡，克利瑟罗 (Clitheroe, Lancashire)
先生——如果量刑更加诚实，至少能恢复一部分对刑事司法系统公正性的信心。
例如，如果在实际服刑的可能性为零的情况下，为何还要判处 10 年徒刑？
刑期需要反映罪犯实际上将在监狱中度过的时间，或许可以规定：如果行为模范，可减少 10% 的刑期；但如果行为恶劣，则延长 10%。 托尼·马歇尔 (Tony Marshall) 西萨塞克斯郡，鲁兹威克 (Rudgwick, West Sussex)
先生——意大利提出的一项建议，允许部分因药物或酒精依赖而犯罪的罪犯在社区内服刑，并将节省的资金转用于成瘾治疗，这一方案不应仅仅被指责为“软弱”（见 7月31日报道）。
这其中包含强大的逻辑。如果成瘾是犯罪的一个重要驱动因素，那么简单地将某人监禁，可能会导致只治疗症状而忽略了病因。对经过严格筛选的个人给予妥善监督的社区刑期，结合强制治疗以及对不合规行为的严肃处理，可能会更便宜且更有效。
这一想法在英国具有显而易见的吸引力。目前将一个人关在监狱里的费用每年约为 £54,000，而监狱依然极度拥挤。
如果其中哪怕一部分资金能被用来资助有效的药物和酒精治疗，纳税人可能会获得更高的回报——所需的监狱床位更少，在刑事司法系统中循环的成瘾者更少，且潜在的未来受害者也会更少。
严厉打击犯罪，理应也意味着严厉打击犯罪的根源。 斯图尔特·哈灵顿 (Stuart Harrington) 法国，上维埃纳省，罗什舒阿尔 (Rochechouart, Haute-Vienne, France)
先生——如果说有什么能对大规模移民发出警示，那么休达的情况无疑就是这样（见 7月31日报道 “数千名移民游向西班牙”）。其中一些人可能会希望前往“门槛较低”的英国，我们需要一个计划。
现在轮到你了，安迪·伯纳姆 (Andy Burnham)。 格里·沃尔什 (Gerry Walsh) 林肯郡，斯利福德 (Sleaford, Lincolnshire)
先生——在 24 小时内， 49,000 名非法移民（主要是年轻男性）冲向了位于北非海岸的西班牙飞地休达。
西班牙社会党首相佩德罗·桑切斯 (Pedro Sánchez) 做出了一个疯狂的决定，向数十万非法移民 granting 赦免——这引起了许多欧盟同行领导人的愤怒——很可能正是这一决定鼓励了此次行为。
人们好奇，如果有数千名非法移民穿过西班牙与直布罗陀之间现已开放的边界，将会发生什么。桑切斯先生会愿意将他们接回去，还是会像埃马纽埃尔·马克龙那样，仅仅耸耸肩？ 特里·史密斯 (Terry Smith) 伦敦 NW11
先生 —— 凯米·巴登诺克表达了许多人一直以来不愿公开说出的话（《净零怀疑论并非否认气候变化》，评论版，7月 31 日）。她意识到气候变化是一个问题，但必须具备一定的现实主义精神。为了让绿色游说团体满意，我们正在扼杀自己的工业，榨干国家的资源。现在是让常识占据上风的时候了。 巴登诺克女士主张采取新方案，并确保她的国会议员持有相同观点，这是正确的。 乔纳森·威廉姆斯 林肯郡，斯利福德
排放量。为了提供一个背景，在 2013 年至 2020 年间，中国的碳排放量超过了英国自 1750 年以来排放的总量。单靠英国无法拯救地球。通过开创一种自残式的能源政策，这个国家将自己的经济押在了一个徒劳的希望上，即向世界提供“道德领导力”。但效仿者寥寥无几。现在是废除净零目标的时候了。 正如保守党党魁凯米·巴登诺克昨天在本报中所言：“实现更清洁能源和更美好环境的最佳方式，不是通过国家指令、随意设定的期限和不断扩张的官僚机构……而是通过市场、创新和竞争。” 这才是政府应该关注的重点。 安迪·伯纳姆在加快北海尚未开发的 Jackdaw 和 Rosebank 油气田钻探方面发出了令人鼓舞的信号。但他必须采取进一步行动，允许发放新许可证。 他应该降低企业税，并鼓励我们世界一流的大学将研究成果转化为可销售的绿色科技，以便英国向全球销售。英国不应在净零目标的祭坛上自我牺牲，而对全球气候却无法产生实质性影响，而应根据世界的现状及未来趋势进行调整。
波特金式权力下放
伯纳姆先生在宣扬权力下放的福音时从未感到疲倦。毕竟，这对他在事业上大有裨益。如果没有曼彻斯特市长这个权力下放的职位让他重启职业生涯，他不太可能成为首相。但现在在唐宁街站稳脚跟后，
巴登诺克实事求是的做法，尤其是在净零问题上。 我原以为这绝不可能发生，但如果她继续展现强大的领导力，我可以认真地考虑再次投票给保守党。 约翰·威尔逊 汉普郡，希尔海德
先生 —— 凯米·巴登诺克说，净零目标“使得政客们能够宣布一个美妙的目的地，却无需解释我们将如何到达那里、成本是多少、由谁买单、哪些产业能生存下来，或者它是否真的能减少全球排放量”。 这些问题很容易回答。如果我们停止使用化石燃料，我们将实现净零。实现目标的成本将通过巨额的节省来回收，因为我们将大大减少应对二氧化碳带来的巨大负面影响的支出。依赖化石燃料的工业活动所遭受的损失，将被与绿色倡议相关的工业活动增长所抵消。而且很显然，实现净零将减少二氧化碳排放。 理查德·埃利斯博士 德比
先生 —— 世界自然基金会（WWF）首席执行官塔尼娅·斯蒂尔正确地提醒人们关注摧毁欧洲和英国部分地区的山火（信件，7月 31 日），该慈善机构在支持野生动物和乡村方面非常高效。然而，将这些火灾作为我们不能放弃净零目标的证据是错误的。气候变化是由主要污染国——美国、中国和印度驱动的。虽然我们大幅减少了排放，但他们并未效仿。 我们在继续进口燃料的同时，摧毁了自己的工业，并让自己承受极高的能源成本。这简直是疯狂。我们应该放弃净零，尽最大能力生产一切，减少进口，并要求主要污染国采取决定性行动，以拯救他们自己和我们的世界。 迈克尔·爱德华兹 萨里郡，哈塞尔米尔
先生 —— 我为欧足联及其各国家协会采取原则性决定，反对国际足联主席吉安尼·因凡蒂诺的世界杯计划而感到无比自豪（见 7月 31日 报道《英国将抵制因凡蒂诺的世界杯》）。 我希望欧足联的成员们能团结一致，且这一事件能标志着因凡蒂诺先生任期的终结之始。 比尔·汤普森 (Bill Thompson) 北约克郡，斯基普顿 (Skipton, North Yorkshire)
创刊于 1855 年
这代表了我所理解的足球真谛，并将有助于让国际足联回归初心。 G·W·里夫斯 (G W Reeves) 什罗普郡，埃尔姆斯米尔 (Ellesmere, Shropshire)
先生 —— 艾德里安·博斯托克 (Adrian Bostock)（见 7月 31日 致函《一张有用的身份证》）提到他的母亲丢失了养老金领取卡，在没有其他身份证件的情况下无法领取养老金。但看来他所支持的那种官方身份证件同样也可能丢失。 大多数人都拥有某种可被接受的身份证明，而无需被政府强迫持有一张强制性身份证。 玛丽琳·帕罗特 (Marilyn Parrott) 切郡，鲍登 (Bowdon, Cheshire)
先生 —— 我对艾德里安·博斯托克的母亲深表同情。 一种我们所有人都拥有但极少被提及的身份证明是我们所有人的 NHS 编号。它在出生后不久便被核发，并伴随我们一生。 为什么不能将其作为国民身份证的基础？ 特里·劳埃德 (Terry Lloyd) 德比 (Derby)
先生 —— 乔治·克拉克 (George Clarke)（见 7月 31日 致函）在好奇船用鞋是否应该附带说明书。 许多年来，我一直戴着一顶 Tilley 帽子，它附带了一份四页的所有者手册。幸运的是，我仔细阅读了这份手册，因此一直能以正确的方式佩戴我的帽子。 迈克尔·皮尔逊 (Michael Pearson) 西萨塞克斯郡，亨菲尔德 (Henfield, West Sussex)
先生 —— 我和我的哥哥在 20 世纪 70 年代曾是海员童军。每年夏天，我们都会开展一次从里士满到法纳姆附近南海岸为期两周的露营（见 7 月 31 日读者来信）。
我们乘坐一辆大型搬家货车前往，车内装满了独木舟、帆船、贝尔帐篷、炉具以及大约 30 名童军和领队。
为了防止窒息，车后门一直保持半开状态。为了确保安全，我们被告知不要趴在关闭的下门上，尤其是当车辆在高速公路和乡村小道上疾驰时。
无论是去程、回程，还是在普尔港周围（在很大程度上缺乏监管的情况下）航行时，都没有发生不幸的事故。
最大的危险可能来自每日饮食中那些装在奇特的小厚玻璃瓶里的鱼肉酱或肉酱三明治。
安德鲁·海德 萨福克郡，海尔斯沃思
看来，伯纳姆先生的热情也仅限于此。
昨天，他承诺，英格兰所有城市地区的市长将首次获得其区域内征收税款的分成，包括商业率和所得税。但当蒂斯谷的保守党市长霍肯勋爵宣布他希望利用这些权力为他的选民提供税收返还时，他被否决了。
首席国务秘书路易丝·海格表示，地区市长将不能削减税收或提供返还。相反，这笔资金应重新投入到公共服务中。伯纳姆先生说他希望“赋能”当地社区 —— 而向地方代表指令税收政策，似乎是一种奇怪的赋能方式。
英国是一个权力高度集中的国家。但如果权力下放要成为不仅仅是一个政治噱头，它需要伯纳姆先生建立一个能够鼓励各地区进行政策实验和税收竞争的体系，而不是仅仅掩盖中央指令下的税收攫取。
在伯纳姆先生如今典型的作风下，细节依然匮乏，关于市长被允许保留的资金数额，以及不属于地区市长管辖的半数国家地区将如何处理，几乎没有提供信息。
本报注意到一个讽刺之处：尽管他显然反感中央集权，但伯纳姆先生长期以来一直向欧盟倾心。他并没有意识到这种矛盾之处：一方面剥夺我们民主选举产生的国家议会的权力，另一方面却向布鲁塞尔那个更加集权且非民主的权威机构表达向往。
看来，伯纳姆先生支持权力下放的理念，仅在政治上有用且意味着地方市长听命于他的时候。
ALAMY
威廉·奥利凡特·哈奇森于 1950 年创作的多萝西·L·塞耶斯肖像画
先生 —— 虽然我完全同意 A·N 威尔逊关于阿加莎·克里斯蒂的评论（见 7月 30日评论版《已破案：阿加莎·克里斯蒂持久吸引力的谜团》），但我对他将多萝西·L·塞耶斯斥为势利且写作水平低下的看法持有异议。我在撰写论文时研究了大多数“犯罪小说黄金时代”的作家，我认为，尽管彼得·温齐勋爵是一位公爵的次子，但塞耶斯的故事大部分设定在中产阶级之间。温齐的姐姐嫁给了一名警督，而他的妻子哈丽艾特同样出身中产阶级。在黄金时代的作家中，真正的势利之辈是纳格奥·马什。她的侦探艾伦是一名准男爵的次子，因此没有爵位，但他却是个毫无幽默感的势利小人，而且马什的小说大多设定在贵族阶层之中。 Penny Billyeald 博士 伯克郡，庞本
先生 —— 1963年我 14 岁，在南海岸一所学校的联合少年训练团（Combined Cadet Force）中。由于某种原因，我们被送到因弗内斯参加夏令营，那里距离家有 600 多英里。我们身着全套陆军制服乘坐公共火车出行，每人携带一支李-恩菲尔德军用步枪。这些枪几乎和一些身材娇小的男孩一样高。 我不记得当时有人认为这次旅程有任何异常。 Laurie Faulkner 莱斯特郡，汉格顿
在轮渡启航前联系她。那还是孩子可以将名字添加到父母护照上的时代。幸运的是，其中一名教师有一个年龄相仿的儿子，一次非正式的临时“收养”化解了危机。 Joanna Comer 肯特郡，里弗黑德
‘G
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步入阳光之中，并为你所见之物感到快乐。” 这似乎是一条很好的通用智慧。但写下这些话的人是专门在讨论学习绘画。他就是温斯顿·丘吉尔，他在 40 岁时开始学习绘画。 此刻，随着英格兰南部如此可怕的高温，我并不想遵循丘吉尔的建议。走在城市街道甚至乡村小径上都是一种折磨。因此，进入这种“丘吉尔精神”的最佳方式就是离开阳光，像我本周所做的那样，进入伦敦华莱士收藏馆（Wallace Collection）阴凉的空调地下室。那里有一个出色的展览，展示了这位伟人如何将他对阳光的信念付诸实践。展览名为《温斯顿·丘吉尔：画家》。 我有时会浪费时间与自己或他人争论丘吉尔是否是一位优秀的画家。显然，如果与伟大的艺术家相比，他并不是。正如我所说，他起步晚，而且委婉地说，他还有其他事情要处理。但这偏离了重点。他关于这个主题的鼓舞人心的文章并没有自大地命名为《我的艺术》或《如何绘画》。它没有做出高调的声明，而是名为《作为消遣的绘画》。华莱士收藏馆的这次展览揭示的是，他如何愉快且充实地度过了那段时光。 希特勒也是一名画家。事实上，正是因为他想成为一名职业画家，才被维也纳艺术学院拒绝——这一决定虽然完全正确，但结果却产生了灾难性的后果。愤恨的年轻阿道夫成为了那个充满复仇心且杀人如麻的元首。我曾
赞颂了 英国伟大 战时领袖 艺术背后的 生活乐趣 (joie de vivre)
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英国的剧场创作者们正日益陷入自我审查。剧作家被鼓励在作品上演前删掉具有争议的台词。一种曾经微小的恐惧似乎正在增长。
像巴以冲突这样具有挑战性的主题，往往成为争议和恶意的根源，这使得业内人士不愿触碰这些话题。看看今天的舞台，剧院里充斥着翻拍剧、重复利用之作和重新诠释之作。希腊经典、莎士比亚、《快车道》（音乐剧版）：甚至是我们伟大的英国政治剧作家詹姆斯·格雷厄姆，也经常倾向于通过安全的过去之故事来审视现在。他今年秋天关于约翰·梅纳德·凯恩斯的最新作品就是一个例子。
这就是我在为“审查指数”（Index on Censorship）调查英国剧院自我审查现象时所发现的。长期以来，我们一直致力于反对英国艺术领域的审查制度，而我们最近对该主题的观察表明，审查情况正在恶化。
“审查指数”在调查中采访了约 40 人——从剧作家到节目策划——发现审查制度正以大大小小的方式在实施。例如，一位导演告诉我们，新晋剧作家面临着巨大的压力，要求他们删除可能具有挑衅性或听起来像偏见的话语。一位导演指出，英国普通家庭中正在进行的那些争议性对话，在舞台上根本没有出现。
在与剧院专业人士的交流中，“审查指数”了解到，在文本到演出的过程中淡化内容已成为普遍现象。
我经常希望有人能将他的作品与丘吉尔的作品一起举办联合回顾展。这将极大显示出丘吉尔的优势。希特勒那僵硬的、通常带有建筑感的尝试毫无生气；而丘吉尔的作品则充满生命力。
任何人能够享受一项业余爱好并传达这种快感，都是一件令人赞赏的事。就丘吉尔而言，如果不承认这种快感在他所有的领域中都发挥了作用，就无法理解他在各方面的成就——无论是作为记者、作家、士兵还是政治家。即使在最黑暗的时刻，他对生活的的热情也从未离开。他写道：“我必须说我喜欢鲜艳的颜色。”对他而言，这句话在字面意义和隐喻意义上都是真实的。
我喜欢这样认为：如果情况相反，他是一名职业画家，仅兼职担任国会议员（在那个时代这是可能的），丘吉尔可能会写一篇同样精彩的散文，题为《政治作为一种消遣》。这并不是说他是个业余爱好者——几乎没有人比他更勤奋——而是因为快乐原则始终在起作用。
对于丘吉尔来说，这一切始于 1915 年。当时，由于在加里波利计划上产生分歧，他被撤出了海军部，但仍留在内阁。用他的话说，他被“残酷地安置在前排座位”上，“我知道一切，却无能为力”。
绘画，特别是油画——一种“能够提供真正力量”并允许“大胆”（他在这个心爱的概念上使用了大写 A）的媒介——成为了他的避风港。不久之后，由于对所有出错的事情感到悲伤，他暂时离开了议会。
以及政治，以便在西线担任军官。在那里，他在爆炸声中郁郁寡欢，但只要他作画，心情就会好起来。他将绘画比作打仗，因为两者都需要“一个好的计划”。此次展览中近 60 幅画作中有三幅是以法兰德斯为主题的。
丘吉尔在绘画方面拥有一种可以用“自信的谦卑”来形容的态度。他深知自己起步时对此一窍不通，但他并不避讳承认这一点，也不吝于向当时的大家——约翰·拉弗里 (John Lavery)、威廉·尼科尔森 (William Nicholson)、沃尔特·西克特 (Walter Sickert) 以及他所称的“塞尚的追随者”寻求帮助。
当你进入展厅时，可以看到丘吉尔的《在查特韦尔工作室绘制的花卉》(Flowers, Painted in the Studio at Chartwell) 挂在尼科尔森的《夏季花卉》(Summer Flower Piece) 旁边，两幅画均作于 20 世纪 30 年代。我向博物馆馆长克萨维尔·布雷 (Xavier Bray) 承认，我认为丘吉尔的作品虽然不如尼科尔森的精湛，但更引人注目。他告诉我，好几位参观者也表达了同样的看法。
尽管丘吉尔聪颖且富有文学素养，但他更多地是一个行动派而非知识分子，但他对……
关于罗尔德·达尔反犹主义的剧作《巨人》（Giant）就是一个例子。许多人认为，剧中主要犹太角色的对以色列的支持被弱化了，因为担心会引起观众的反感。“艺术自由”（Freedom in the Arts）今年早些时候发布的一份报告发现，在场馆工作人员和亲巴勒斯坦团体的投诉后，犹太表演者遭到了抵制。认同自己是性别批判者的女性则发现，由于其观点而被逼离职。
这在很大程度上与一个在资金方面苦苦支撑的艺术世界有关。自 2010 年以来，公共艺术资金一直被压缩，而在疫情的影响下更是如此。新冠疫情之后，剧院们发现自己背负着巨额债务，并面临着大幅上涨的运营成本，尤其是能源账单。我们的调查揭示了其他加剧因素。
给罗斯福的礼物： 下方的库图比亚清真寺塔 后来由布拉德·皮特和 安吉丽娜·朱莉所有
绘画不仅仅是一种像高尔夫那样令人放松的爱好。他想要的是某种既需要脑力又需要体力活动的东西。他写道，绘画使用了“引导眼睛和手的心理部分”。他对绘画的喜爱使他能以全新的眼光看待世界。当他观察时，他喜欢自己所发现的事物。他意识到，当你绘画时，你会遇到一个“阳光明媚的花园，闪耀着光芒和色彩，而你拥有进入其中的钥匙”。将眼睛看到的亮光转化为手涂在画布上的颜料，就像是“破解了一组密码”。
尽管他非常钦佩塞尚能将一面白墙也变成迷人对象的这种能力，但作为业余爱好者的丘吉尔更倾向于那些更容易让人愉悦的主题，尤其是因为绘画也是“旅行的动力”。他热爱炎热、阳光充足的地方以及在那里看到的阳光——法国南部、巴勒斯坦、埃及，以及最重要的是，摩洛哥。
在 1943, 年的卡萨布兰卡会议上，丘吉尔拉着富兰克林·罗斯福前往马拉喀什，在马姆尼亚酒店的楼顶观看阿特拉斯山脉的日落。在总统离开后，他将这一场景绘制下来，并将作品送给了他，从而一石三鸟。他热爱那个地方，他绘制了它，并且利用结果在国家最重要的战时盟友面前获得了“软实力”。这幅画（《库图比亚清真寺塔》）后来由布拉德·皮特和安吉丽娜·朱莉所有，并在两人离婚后以 830 万英镑m 的价格售出。它在展览中占据了显要的位置。 这次展览的部分乐趣在于
例如，警方并不总是准备投入资源来保护场馆。与此同时，主要的艺术公共资助机构英国艺术委员会（Arts Council England）对“名誉风险”感到惴惴不安。它曾向机构发布过关于艺术家发表政治声明的指南（后来被撤回）。因此，难怪没有人愿意在任何事情上冒险。一场争议可能会导致资金被撤回，导致被解雇，甚至导致一个机构倒闭。剧作家们很清楚，如果他们做了什么引起太大争议的事情，他们可能会被弃之不顾。
最终，剧院依赖于那些能够吸引观众入座且不会冒犯中产阶级、偏左翼观众的戏剧，因为这些观众能带来可靠的收入。因此，戏剧正在退缩，其
在于通过这些画作，看到丘吉尔如何出色地经营自己的人生。尽管经历了战争和政治的剧烈斗争，他仍能像诗篇的作者那样自豪地感叹：“我所得的产业在美好的地方。”
在这幅画中，他画的是他的出生地布伦海姆宫，或者是威尔顿、克内沃斯、克兰本，亦或是他深爱的查特韦尔庄园，或者是在法国别墅中与新闻出版商们共度时光。他所画的罗瑟米尔勋爵位于卡普马丁的 La Dragonnière 庄园——透过橄榄林仰视房屋——是他最出色的作品之一。
丘吉尔从未进行商业绘画，除了一段短暂地使用大卫·温特（David Winter）这一笔名的时期。将这些画作视为给东道主和朋友的感谢信，你就能明白接收者们当时一定感到多么荣幸。他甚至将一幅（关于摩洛哥的）画送给了他的会计师。苏格兰特许会计师协会现将其借出展出。
令人惊讶且略感失望的是，目前参观此次展览的外国人（尤其是美国人）比英国人更多。也许是热浪的影响，或者是丘吉尔在现代教育中被贬低的方式让人们望而却步。
但我认为英国游客会发现这次展览令人愉悦且深受鼓舞。如今，我们对领导者的期待极低，且认为他们缺乏才干。我怀疑是否有一天会出现关于斯塔默、梅或特拉斯的展览。
通过这次展览，人们可以了解到，一个人既可以与伟大同行，也可以带着生活之乐（joie de vivre）进行绘画。
重新走回阳光下，你将会对自己所见之物感到欣慰。
大胆且具挑衅性的作品已成为极少数，而保守则日益成为常态。
这种情况正在超越舞台，影响到英国所有的艺术形式。在 20 世纪 60 年代之前，由勋爵内大臣决定剧本是否适合演出以及应删除哪些冒犯性措辞。而现在，经济压力更加隐秘，艺术家和场馆本身出于担心激怒出资者和观众而进行自我审查。
这种风险在于，戏剧，尤其是政治戏剧，将变得无关紧要，因为从事艺术工作的人不再能够反映现实世界中所表达的观点。
去抵制伊斯兰民粹主义并丰富民主
卢顿（Luton）经常成为那些认为多元文化主义在英国已经失败的人们攻击的目标。而这里恰恰是我成长的地方。对于一个拥有孟加拉血统的英国穆斯林青年来说，这座城镇（英格兰穆斯林最集中的地区之一）并不总是最容易生活的地方。当然，这里也有令人瞩目的融合实例——例如在时髦的咖啡馆里，清真全英式早餐中提供的高质量火鸡培根片和“macon”（腌制熏羊肉），作为培根的便捷替代品。其中一些咖啡馆由意大利-孟加拉裔穆斯林经营——他们是受过教育且具有创业精神的“二次”移民，为了寻求更好的机会而搬迁至英国。但卢顿更多时候被视为种族和宗教紧张局势的代名词。在 9 / 11 后的 era, 早期阶段，这里见证了反对军队的“巴斯拉屠夫”抗议活动，该活动在 200 名来自皇家安格利亚团第二营、从伊拉克归来的士兵举行欢迎仪式期间举行。对此的回应是，可以说卢顿最臭名昭著的人物斯蒂芬·亚克斯利-伦农（Stephen Yaxley-Lennon）——即广为人知的汤米·罗宾逊（Tommy Robinson）——创立了英格兰国防联盟（EDL）。在成长过程中，亲身经历这座城镇的社区紧张局势，是我如今如此关注英格兰社会凝聚力的重要原因。在经历了一段相对稳定的时期之后——这在很大程度上得益于与卢顿镇足球俱乐部（Luton Town FC）等机构相关的公民倡议，这些倡议帮助在城镇的白人英国社区与亚裔穆斯林社区之间建立了一定程度的社会信任和相互理解——人们感觉到这座城镇再次承受着显著的社会和文化压力。卢顿与该国其他拥有大量穆斯林人口、传统上由工党控制的地区一样，为所谓“伊斯兰民粹主义”的崛起提供了肥沃的土壤。英国穆斯林是一个历史上投票率很高的宗教群体——他们对国内和国际事务都持有浓厚兴趣。毫无疑问，以色列对 10 月 7 日事件的军事回应——基尔·斯塔默爵士（Sir Keir Starmer）表示以色列有权切断加沙人口的水电——对于许多习惯性投票给工党的英国穆斯林来说，是压死骆驼的最后一根稻草。但坦率地说，英国穆斯林对工党的失望早已存在一段时间——特别是在那些经常投票给该党但仍面临公共服务水平不佳的地区。
利用 我信仰中 更 积极的 方面， 同时 抵御 极端主义的 危险
那个孩子当时九岁。她将成为被谋杀的家庭中唯一的幸存者：恐怖分子计划在爆炸杀死了她的父亲、母亲和 11 岁哥哥后，将她囚禁。她的生存将取决于是否屈从于绑架者的宗教——她甚至需要宣誓效忠于他们将整个国家转化为其意识形态的计划。这场暴行将是血腥的。爆炸可能会导致多达 600 人死亡：包括该国最高级别的主教、贵族和资深议员。那是 1605 年。这个女孩是詹姆斯一世兼六世之女伊丽莎白·斯图尔特。这场阴谋当然就是“火药阴谋”（Gunpowder Plot）。这个恐怖故事中一个经常被遗忘的方面是，盖·福克斯及其同伙计划在屠杀她绝大多数家人后的几天内，将伊丽莎白绑架并强加于王位，使其成为一个被囚禁的傀儡。如果她病弱的弟弟查理长大后构成威胁，很可能也会被杀死。被推出囚室仅为了主持官方仪式，这将是一种特殊的酷刑。这就是盖·福克斯及其同谋者的真实面貌，这 13 个人计划炸毁英国议会大厦，爆炸威力将波及威斯敏斯特教堂。你在 BBC 的学校课程产品中学不到这些。正如本报最近发现的，BBC 的“Bitesize”课程一直向孩子们将福克斯介绍为一系列“令人惊叹的活动家”之一，与罗莎·帕克斯和纳尔逊·曼德拉并列为“与种族主义作斗争、争取女性权利并永远改变世界的人！”在一个游戏中，小学生可以帮助福克斯在议会中搬运炸药时避开卫兵。奇怪的是，这里没有描述如果这 36 桶火药被成功引爆，白厅大街上将散落的肢体残骸。BBC
反派 是一个 准备杀死 600 人的 恐怖分子
市政服务、体面的社会住房短缺以及经济机会的匮乏。这种情况因人们意识的增强而进一步加剧——尤其是年轻的保守派穆斯林——他们意识到了党内在非婚生子女、堕胎、协助自杀、同性恋和跨性别权利等问题上存在的激进社会自由主义。英国穆斯林对工党的反对——甚至是仇恨——是由社会、经济和地缘政治评估所驱动的。这种情绪具有强烈的反体制色彩，并源于一种信念，即主流政党政治根本无法为英国穆斯林提供保障。随着英国穆斯林在现代英国的地位成为关于人口统计、融合和认同的国家辩论焦点，他们现在拥有一个绝佳机会，通过从长远上丰富自身的民主进程来奠定基调。英国正深受各种社会和文化
弊端的困扰——而且在很多方面，保守派穆斯林绝对是最不应被指责的人。我们的国家——以及与其文化相近的美国——是全球家庭崩溃的热点地区。由于 1960 年代的社会自由主义革命，以及 1980 年代兴起的唯利是图的物质主义，英国的个人主义被极度放大——这对家庭单位和社区精神产生了毁灭性的后果。在这一猖獗的自私时代，婚姻制度受到了损害——这种神圣的纽带最终依赖于通过共同致力于自我牺牲，来服务配偶并养育下一代。家庭内部照顾老人的做法正迅速成为过去，数百万老人被遗弃在孤独中渐渐凋零。可以肯定地说，这些问题在英国穆斯林群体中并没有那么严重。在现代英国，主张直接进行文化
同化的论据并不一定具有说服力。右翼民粹主义的一个弱点是过于痴迷于伊斯兰生活方式（例如鲁珀特·洛关于清真肉类的运动），而忽视了那种已经成为世俗化和碎片化英国许多特征的“自我优先”心态和肆无忌惮的过度消费。事实上，英国右翼可以从这些群体所体现的一些价值观中学习。如果我们的民主强度取决于社会的韧性，那么可以从信仰坚定、以家庭为中心且守法的英国穆斯林身上汲取很多灵感。但要实现这一点，更多的英国穆斯林需要对他们生活的国家产生更强烈的责任感——而不仅仅是对他们的家庭和他们自己的
是一个国际巨头。在全球产出的背景下，在我们失去比例感之前，值得承认的是，一个在线的“Bitesize”游戏不应被视为战略失败。但这种对恐怖主义浪漫化的背后假设——以及无论哪个傻瓜想出这一点的思维方式——都需要受到挑战。这些假设与 2017 年 BBC 旗舰电视节目《火药阴谋》(Gunpowder) 所基于的假设如出一辙。那部剧通过向我们介绍一名被石头压死的虚构天主教殉道者，引导我们去同情福克斯及其共谋者罗伯特·凯茨比；随后，詹姆斯的主要大臣、阴险的罗伯特·塞西尔现身，揭露自己才是通过煽动宗教紧张局势来窃取天主教贵族土地的计划主谋。他简直可以直接卷起他那极其“新教风格”的胡须。这就是一个危险的神话
关于火药阴谋：认为近代早期的英格兰天主教徒最好被定义为受迫害的少数群体，认为新教徒对他们施加的暴力超过了他们或欧洲大陆上的同教者所发起的任何暴力，并且他们为了反击英国国教国家而实施的暴力是可以原谅的。这在历史上是无知的。但更糟糕的是，这种思维模式在今天允许人们告诉我们，哈马斯在 10 月 7 日犯下的暴行是“合理的抵抗”，或者 9 / 11 对美国的袭击是“报复”。受害者心态是恐怖主义谋杀的一种丑陋的辩解。在 400 年后，也许 BBC 会允许孩子们扮演像 Khalid Masood 这样的伊斯兰杀手，他曾在 2017 年袭击议会并杀死了警员 Keith Palmer。如果福克斯和凯茨比成功地实现了天主教徒对英格兰的接管，他们会提供什么样的替代愿景？有一件事是肯定的：那绝不会是 BBC 所赞颂的那种自由主义乌托邦。
GETTY
宗教社区。一些英国穆斯林对影响主流社会的社会和文化衰败采取“不关我事”的态度，这本身就是一种隔离主义——给人的印象是他们并不关心自身宗教社区之外的问题。 更多英国穆斯林应当关注的是，英国每年有接近 300,000 例堕胎，并且在极度自由化安乐死的议题上拥有强大的政治支持。他们应该处于捍卫生命神圣性的国家努力之核心。 在政治、学术、政策和媒体领域，许多英国穆斯林的思维方式也必须发生改变——太多人表现出的那种普遍的委屈感和受害者心态，只会引起正直爱国者的反感。 英国仍然是世界上穆斯林生活最好的地方之一——特别是在宗教权利、经济自由和法律保护方面。有些人甚至可能认为，英国已经给予了过多的迁就。重点在于，采取一种更积极、更合作的方式与主流社会接触，将极大地有益于英国穆斯林的声誉，并增强我们整体的民主。 我的家乡卢顿在去年5月没有举行地方选举，但在英格兰其他地区发生的事情，对于所有关心该镇整体最佳利益的人来说，应该是一个警钟。虽然英格兰其他大部分地区的焦点集中在以奈杰尔·法拉奇的改革党 (Reform UK) 为代表的反建制民粹主义浪潮，以及以扎克·波兰斯基的绿党为形式的生态民粹主义，但一种新兴的“伊斯兰民粹主义”正日益壮大——在伯明翰等大城市、布莱克本等城镇以及包括纽汉在内的东伦敦自治市中取得进展。但这将把我们引向何方？为了避免听起来像在危言耸听，值得注意的是，在穆斯林少数民族的融合方面，现代英国比法国和德国等其他多元化的欧洲同行表现得更好。 但或许更有趣的是，该国的部分地区——包括英格兰北部的城镇——现在基本上成为了本土右翼民族民粹主义者与亲加沙伊斯兰民粹主义者之间的政治战场，后者很大程度上具有巴基斯坦穆斯林血统（这是英国穆斯林最常见的原籍国）。 毫无疑问，绿党的汉娜·斯宾塞在去年2月的戈顿和登顿补选（该选区是全国种族和宗教隔离最严重的选区之一）中获胜，很大程度上是因为穆斯林选民转向支持她，不仅是为了惩罚工党，也是为了阻止改革党赢得该席位。在补选前夕，“穆斯林投票” (TMV) 运动鼓励穆斯林投票给绿党，此前大曼彻斯特市长 Andy Burnham 被斯塔默的盟友阻止，无法成为工党在补选中的候选人。绿党接受了作为
经济学入门
不列颠统治波涛
考斯周 (Cowes Week) 是世界上最古老的帆船赛，本周正迎来其 200 周年纪念，并为表现最好的船只设立了全新的双百年金杯。而负责照顾爱丁堡著名皇家游艇的皇家不列颠游艇信托基金 (Royal Yacht Britannia Trust) 正在商品长官之家 (Commodores House) 举办一场展览，以庆祝该游艇与怀特岛赛船会的持久联系。 或许 Andy Burnham 会领会到这个暗示，并为鲍里斯·约翰逊关于用英国制造的替代品计划注入活力。
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为21世纪打造的游艇？我们可以抱有希望。
斯塔默的进账
基尔·斯塔默爵士能适应失去首相薪水的日子吗？大概能。作为前首相，他终身将获得每年 £115,000 的秘书支持津贴，同时他现在也可以恢复其法律执业。而且他还有另一项收入来源：法国总统埃马纽埃尔·马克龙在他担任首相的最后日子里授予他的法国荣誉军团成员年度津贴。
“骑士”每年可获得 6 欧元的“小费”；大十字勋章持有者则能获得更为丰厚的 36 欧元。积少成多。
以热情对待“伊斯兰民粹主义”政党，制作乌尔都语的竞选材料，将英国改革党 (Reform Party) 与反穆斯林言论联系在一起。虽然在我们的国家政治论述中，关于以色列-加沙冲突如何影响英国穆斯林的选举行为存在分歧，但与此同时，政策交流中心 (Policy Exchange) 最近的《理解伊斯兰民粹主义》报告发现，这在很大程度上是投票的一个决定性因素。相比之下，在本土人口中较为倾向于文化“保护主义”的群体中，甚至可能出现潜在的民族民族主义反弹。这些相互竞争的社群主义形式可能会将英国作为多信仰成功典范的声誉击得粉碎。这些反建制力量——右翼民族民粹主义和亲加沙伊斯兰民粹主义——在像我这样的城镇中能在多大程度上找到共识并达成和解？我们如何在利用穆斯林社区积极方面的同时，抵御伊斯兰主义的危险？我怀疑这无法通过跨信仰活动和诸如“多样性是我们的力量”之类的空洞陈词滥调来解决。我们这里指的是关于文化、身份和治理在根本上相互冲突的观点。随着相对年轻的英国穆斯林人口在选民中所占比例增加，伊斯兰民粹主义运动可能会增强力量。伊斯兰民粹主义不仅可能以亲加沙的独立政治家的形式出现，而且很有可能在绿党内发挥影响力。在未来的悬崖议会中，议会可能会碎片化到如此程度，以至于下议院中的伊斯兰民粹主义集团拥有足够的人数来扮演“造王者”的角色，这绝非不可能。虽然有些人会庆祝那一刻，但对另一些人来说，仅仅想到这一点就让他们感到恐惧——而这完全可以理解。如果这个伊斯兰民粹主义集团在英国政治中提出一个基于家庭、信仰和国旗这传统三要素的积极、健康且建设性的议程，那么它就有潜力丰富我们的民主。来自各行各业的保守主义者应该由衷地欢迎英国伊斯兰教的这一方面。但如果英国穆斯林的领导层继续痴迷于远方之地的事件，并推动基于伊斯兰灵感的、侵犯公共领域的监管，那么这只会进一步削弱这个国家已经趋于脆弱的社会结构。
家庭纽带：在穆斯林人口中，养老问题并不那么严重。
拉克比·艾山 (Dr Rakib Ehsan) 博士是《超越委屈》(Beyond Grievance) 的作者。
官方怪物咆哮疯子党 (Official Monster Raving Loony Party) 的候选人是一名隐藏的伊顿公学学生。该党的三名候选人中有两名自称是贵族——下方左侧的咆哮劳德·霍普 (Howling Laud Hope) 和雷霆男爵 (Baron Von Thunderclap)——这增加了可能性。三人通过竞争同一个席位，进一步加剧了他们的疯狂。
劳伦斯被停赛
在 Netflix 的生存系列节目《名人熊狩猎》（Celebrity Bear Hunt）中，室内设计师劳伦斯·勒韦林-鲍恩（Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen，左下）在几乎溺水后被贝尔·格里尔斯救起，随后他确认自己已被禁止出演真人秀节目。这位电视名人此前在一次水上挑战中失去意识，不得不由这位生存专家进行心肺复苏。他表示：“无论我怎么想，勒韦林-鲍恩夫人绝对禁止我从事任何此类活动。她认为一个 60 岁的人去做这种事非常愚蠢，而且这完全就是中年危机的表现。”勒韦林-鲍恩补充道：“我之所以会出现‘差点没命’的情况，是因为我太用力了。在我的想象中，我是詹姆斯·邦德，但实际上，我更像猪爷爷。”
第一印象
喜剧演员马特·福德（Matt Forde）一直在尝试掌握安迪·伯纳姆（Andy Burnham）、扎克·波兰斯基（Zack Polanski）和凯米·巴登诺克（Kemi Badenoch）的新模仿秀，以便在春季进行全国巡演。这意味着人们听到福德对基尔·斯塔默爵士（Sir Keir Starmer）那精准模仿的次数减少了，他以前经常在《讽刺之像》（Spitting Image，右）节目中表演这段模仿。“基尔对此大致还算喜欢，”福德告诉我，并补充道：“但他不得不停止使用‘伦敦警察厅’（the Metropolitan Police）这个词组，因为我会把那个词组作为模仿的标志性用语。”
伊顿墙球
A
安东尼·泰勒（Anthony Taylor）在开车返回伦敦郊区家中时，看到一团浓烟从山火中滚滚而出。几分钟后，他发现了前方陷入的混乱。当火焰蔓延到他家时，这位三个孩子的父亲及时抢救出了墙上的几张照片。随后，他站在几百码外，眼睁睁地看着他的四卧室家庭住宅以及父母的房产在不到九分钟的时间内被焚毁。“一旦烟雾变黑，我们开始听到爆炸声，我就知道房子没了，”泰勒说，“整天都处于混乱之中，就像是在战争地带一样。”在 2022 年 7 月 19 日，伦敦哈夫林区（Havering）的温宁顿村（Wennington）遭遇山火肆虐，泰勒的房产是当时被摧毁的 18 栋房屋之一。那是英国历史上记录到的最热的一天，导致首都周边被火焰包围。
然而，这并非孤立事件。本周，萨福克郡（Suffolk）的住户们也经历了类似情况，山火席卷了沿海 200 英亩的土地。火灾于周四爆发，数百名居民和度假者被疏散，120 名消防员努力遏制这场烈火。火势一度逼近该国最大的核电站 Sizewell B 仅三英里之遥，同时还摧毁了当地皇家鸟类保护协会（RSPB）自然保护区的部分区域。专家此后警告称，恢复原貌可能需要四分之一个世纪。一些目击者将这种破坏比作“启示录”，消防官员预测，他们对此次事件的响应将持续到周末，甚至可能延续至下周。
萨福克郡的这场大火是由近期英国各地的一系列热浪触发的，而这些条件也使得其他地区的山火得以滋长。周三，伦敦消防局处理了全城不少于 63 起草地火灾。在凯恩戈姆山脉（Cairngorms）的一场山火已经燃烧了两周多，烟雾飘向距离 60 英里外的阿伯丁。本月法国山火过火面积达到巴黎的四倍，近期来自法国的景象让人感到地缘危机日益临近，且令人心惊。
不可避免地，促成山火的近期夏季高温加剧了关于“净零”目标的政治争端。本周早些时候，外交大臣埃德·米利班德（Ed Miliband）在与西班牙同行发表的联合声明中宣布，欧洲的山火表明“气候变化现在已成为一项国家安全紧急情况”。相比之下，保守党党魁凯米·巴德诺克（Kemi Badenoch）重申了她对气候目标的批评，认为追求净零正在使“国家破产”。
但没有人能否认，英国正在变得越来越温暖，高温正成为家庭、自然和粮食安全的明显威胁。英国气象局的数据显示，2025 年是记录以来最热的一年，而过去四年均位列英国历史上最暖年份的前五名。在过去的十年中，平均温度比 1961 年至 1990 年期间高出 1.33 度。到 2050 年，气候变化委员会（CCC）预计，英国许多地区的最高气温将经常突破 40 度。
山火是最可见的破坏性后果。自 2006 年开始记录以来，去年是最具破坏性的一年，且苏格兰经历了其历史上首次“特大火灾”。根据欧洲森林火灾信息系统（EFFIS）的数据，今年到目前为止，英国的过火面积比该年度历史平均水平高出 152%。但极端高温带来的影响更加隐蔽且广泛。目前，
英格兰的一半地区和整个威尔士正处于干旱之中，导致大片农田陷入危机。随后是住房问题，因为全国许多房屋在建造时并未考虑应对超过30摄氏度的高温。Arup建筑师事务所的分析发现，55%的英国房屋已经面临过热风险。这可能是致命的。今年5月和6月，英国全境共有 2,877 起与高温相关的死亡病例，几乎是去年全年的两倍，且已接近年度
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根据英国卫生安全局 (UKHSA) 的数据，2022 年创下了记录。气候变化委员会 (CCC) 警告称，到 2050 年，这一数字可能高达每年 10,000 起。 这还可能给房主带来巨大的成本。极端高温意味着地基下陷的可能性增加，房屋面临无法投保的风险，以及房价暴跌的前景。现实情况是，英国在应对极端高温带来的新压力方面长期准备不足。
在温宁顿火灾后，泰勒和他的妻子在被烧焦的房屋残骸中搜寻，看是否有任何东西可以挽救。 “真的什么都没剩下，”他说。“我的一个儿子问我是否救了他的泰迪熊，我不得不说没有。你觉得自己作为一名父母失败了。” 泰勒不仅失去了家，还失去了他的汽车零件维修店，那里也被烧毁了。 “所有东西都得更换，”他说。“现在我们的公司欠了很多债。我最终可能会申请个人破产。” 极端高温将震撼房地产市场。如果没有重大改造，一些房屋可能会变得无法投保，从而无法办理抵押贷款。CCC 适应部主任理查德·米勒表示：“我认为这是一个真正的风险，也是业界较为担心的问题。” 到 2050 年，高火灾风险天数的数量与 20 世纪后期的平均水平相比可能会翻倍。专家预测，野火季节还将延长至初秋。 英格兰东部在应对这种日益增长的火灾风险方面最为脆弱。到 2100 年，如果平均气温上升四度，许多地区每年将有 75 到 100 天以上的高风险日。 保险巨头苏黎世保险的大型及复杂财产理赔负责人梅根·邓福德表示，该行业不仅预见到野火将更加普遍，而且还对地基下陷理赔增加的可能性保持警惕。地基下陷是指建筑物下方的土壤下沉，通常是对干燥天气的一种反应，从而削弱了地基。 “我们正在密切监测地面的干燥程度。直到夏天结束，我们才能了解其影响。整个行业都在密切关注，”她说。 英格兰南部的土壤类型风险尤为高。但除此之外，还有一个简单且普遍的居住适宜性问题。 气候韧性咨询公司 Sayers & Partners 的创始人保罗·塞耶斯表示：“面对持久的极端高温，我们仍然缺乏准备。” 独立国家高温风险委员会主席艾玛·霍华德-博伊德表示：“如果一套房产没有升级或加装更高水平的冷却能力，这可能会成为未来潜在业主的关注问题。” CCC 警告称，到 2050 年，在最炎热期间的最高气温
热浪可能会超过 45 度，且夜间温度将经常超过 20 度。根据 Arup 的数据，到那时，英国 92% 的住宅将面临过热风险。
总体而言，东南部的升温将最为极端。但城市中的热度更为剧烈，因为混凝土会锁住热量，且硬质表面会反射热量，这就是所谓的“城市热岛效应”。这意味着城市地区的夜间温度通常更高。Howard-Boyd 表示，伦敦是住宅最易暴露于极端高温的地方，“但这种风险也会迅速蔓延到其他城市。”
高层公寓天生更容易过热。那些拥有玻璃墙且光照更多的公寓则更容易过热。关于确保新建筑免受过热影响的监管条例直到 2022. 年才引入。在伦敦市长 6 月发布的《热量就绪伦敦》（Heat Ready London）战略中，大伦敦政府（GLA）确定了伦敦市内存有过热高风险的一百万套住宅。目前，政府已在对一些在热浪期间变得酷热难耐的近期建成住宅进行改造试点。
在东伦敦女王伊丽莎白奥林匹克公园的 Chobham Manor 居住的一个家庭（该社区将成为首个进行改造的开发项目）在今年夏天早些时候告诉《电讯报》，为了保护他们 10 周龄的婴儿免受家中极高温度的影响，他们不得不花一周时间住在酒店里。
然而，尽管如此，一些业主仍被强制要求拆除家中的空调，这是气候法律的结果，源于对空调的严格监管。例如，根据伦敦的规划规则，开发商必须优先考虑“被动”冷却措施（如建筑朝向和外部遮阳），而非安装空调。这使得房屋建筑商不太可能在建筑规划中包含空调，因为否则可能会让议会更容易拒绝其申请。
更广泛地说，人们也更容易受到高温引起的基础设施崩溃的影响。在 2022 年的热浪期间，仅在伦敦哈默史密斯和富勒姆区，就有 18 栋高层社会住房的电梯发生故障。“如果你是幼童的父母，或者你是老人或残疾人，你可能会面临被困在某处或被限制在生活空间内的情况，”Howard-Boyd 说道。
Millar 表示，在防止与高温相关的死亡方面，人们在家中或医院等关键场所暴露于高温环境的情况尤为关键。Millar 认为，如果不采取干预措施，一些住宅可能会面临变得完全无法居住的“真实风险”。“我们在英国面临的情况是，天气将变得越来越热，越来越不舒适，对于那些易受这些健康影响的人来说，将变得越来越危险，”Millar 说。“所有这些都是可以处理的。我不认为我们必须接受住宅过热这一必然结果。”
住宅可以通过安装外部遮阳设施或空调进行改造，也可以采取较便宜的小规模修复方案，如安装室内百叶窗。但这一切都需要成本。气候变化委员会（CCC）呼吁每年在国家气候适应措施上投资 £11bn，由……共同分担。
2022 温宁顿 (Wennington)
在英国有记录以来最热的一天——2022 年 7 月 19 2022 –的一场山火烧毁了伦敦哈弗林区这个村庄的房屋。至少 18 栋房屋被烧毁，约 90 个家庭被疏散。
2026 邓威奇希斯 (Dunwich Heath)
周四，约 120 名消防员在莱斯顿附近的萨福克郡海岸地区与一场大规模的希斯地（heathland）火灾作斗争。由于一场据信始于皇家学会保护鸟类（RSPB）湿地保护区的山火，附近的赛兹韦尔 B (Sizewell B) 核电站已进入警戒状态。
公共和私营部门，从现在起直到 2050. 这包括投入 £17.8bn 用于对英国社会最脆弱的 30% 城市地区的房屋进行改造。气候变化委员会（CCC）认为，这笔资金将为英国经济节省 £53.8bn，并将 2050 年代因过热导致死亡人数增加的风险降低 57 per cent。其他人可能会决定搬迁。赛富时（Savills）住宅研究主管卢西安·库克（Lucian Cook）表示，更高的温度可能会促使人们搬离城市地区。“你可能会发现有些人实际上在说：‘国家其他地方的生活更舒适一些，’”他说。他表示，由于全国范围内长期供应不足，价格波动不会太剧烈，但这可能意味着伦敦和东南部等地的房价会出现下跌。
不仅是房地产市场。极端高温还在给英国农民带来严重影响，而农民通常是国家的首批应急响应者。去年，萨福克郡的一位耕地农民汤姆·朱尔斯（Tom Jewers）在收获后耕种一块土地时，他的机器撞到了一个燧石，随后引发火灾。 “天气很热，而且风很大。等我的农场助手转身注意到时，火势已经像一个网球场那么大，无法扑灭了，”朱尔斯说。 他的故事表明，消防队经常依赖农民使用其机械来应对火灾。在朱尔斯的情况下，消防员带着 14 台水泵赶到，但很快承认他们无法扑灭大火。 随后，朱尔斯的邻居们开着耕耘机赶来，最终是由一名使用犁的人成功开辟了防火隔离带，才最终将大火彻底扑灭。 在土地方面，最大的担忧之一是高温对粮食生产的影响，因为农作物正遭受高温和干旱的打击。 英国最大几家超市的老板本周警告说，山火和极端天气正威胁着英国的粮食供应。 特易购（Tesco）、韦特罗斯（Waitrose）、圣安班尼（Sainsbury’s）、奥乐齐（Aldi）和合作社（Co-op）的首席执行官呼吁 安迪·伯纳姆 采取紧急行动以保障粮食安全，并减轻英国对进口的依赖。朱利安·马克斯（Julian Marks）则认为，
国际蔬菜种植集团 Barfoots 的首席执行官警告称：“我们的多种作物受到了高温的影响，包括甜玉米、四季豆、花园豌豆和嫩茎西兰花。” 诸如马铃薯等主食也开始受到影响，一些种植者预计产量将下降高达 20%，种植胡萝卜的人员也预计会出现同样的情况。 在诺福克郡从事农业生产的乡村土地与商业组织（Country Land and Business Group）主席加文·莱恩（Gavin Lane）表示：“农民们告诉我们，这是多年来最糟糕的一次收获。阴雨连绵的冬季紧随其后的是干旱，导致小麦的高度仅为平时的一半，一些作物甚至不值得收获。曾经极罕见的现象正成为英国农业的一部分，政府必须开始为此做好规划。” 莱恩补充道：“农民们一次又一次地证明了他们能够适应并提供解决方案，但韧性是有极限的。如果我们希望他们继续养活这个国家，他们需要适当的支持。否则，这次收获可能是他们的最后一次。” 气候变化委员会（CCC）预测，如果不采取适应措施，到 2050 年，英格兰和威尔士的高质量农地比例将从 1961 至 1990 年间的 40% 下降到仅 10%。温度上升不仅威胁到英国国内的粮食生产，也威胁到我们的进口。 英国大约 40% 的食物依赖进口，主要来自欧洲。我们大约一半的水果和豆类进口来自气候脆弱的国家。 在 2023 至 2025 年间，Carbon Brief 记录了全球 140 起作物被极端天气摧毁的案例，这不可避免地推高了价格。
上周五，苏格兰北部的内西桥（Nethy Bridge）村有 650 名居民，他们都被告知由于凯恩戈姆山脉（Cairngorms）发生森林大火，必须撤离家园。 他们被允许在次日返回，但居民们仍在目睹附近森林遭受的毁灭性打击。 当地社区议会主席桑迪·麦库克（Sandy McCook）表示：“这绝对是一场创伤。我们就住在英国最大的天然森林边缘。这里很多树有数百年的历史，现在全没了。” 麦库克说：“我在这里出生长大，我对这片森林了如指掌，当你看到它以这种方式被摧毁时，心都碎了。这个国家完全、彻底地缺乏准备。” 据一线人员称，森林火灾的风险没有得到足够的重视。 Kilmaha林业公司的联合创始人尼克·亚当斯（Nick Adams）从小就从事林地管理工作，他认为“我们根本没有做好准备”。 英格兰约有 10 per cent 的土地被林业覆盖，而苏格兰约为 19 per cent，威尔士约为 15 per cent。 亚当斯声称，问题的一部分在于，林业不再像他年轻时那样得到积极的管理。 亚当斯解释说，“间伐”是一个标准流程，即移除一部分树木，以减轻拥挤，并让剩余的树木获得更多光照和养分。 如果不这样做，树木就会开始倾倒，从而产生燃料载量。亚当斯说：“如果树木被遮挡而死亡，它们通常比较小，这就成了引火之物。这会让火势蔓延。一旦火势进入树冠层，你就永远无法将其扑灭。” 在过去，当农场和庄园有更多工人时，间伐是标准做法，庄园会将木材取出加工成纸浆，但现在这被认为几乎不值得费这个功夫。 亚当斯还声称，以前在林地中开辟防火带的规模比现在大得多。他认为，部分原因是现在流行直接将林地留在原样，基本上允许其“重野化”。 这种方法有很多支持者，例如克里斯·帕克汉姆（Chris Packham）和本·戈德史密斯（Ben Goldsmith），但亚当斯警告说：“他们不去问像我这样在地面工作、知道自己在做什么的人。我从小就跟着父亲在森林里干活。” 亚当斯承认，林地中的许多防火工作很“枯燥”，但尽管如此，它们仍然至关重要。他说：“人们对海狸和大中型动物等‘头条角色’更感兴趣，但为了防火，你需要做那些枯燥的工作：除草、进入林中移除死树以及间伐。” 亚当斯还担心林业工作完成后对灌木和枯木处理的规定。他年轻时，林务员倾向于焚烧灌木，但现在必须将其留在原处。这为刺猬和野生雉鸡创造了极佳的栖息地，但同时也创造了带状的、像tinder一样的燃料载量。 去年，在北约克郡的朗代尔森林（Langdale Forest），一场火灾整整燃烧了 40 天。 据认为，起火原因是有人在露天明火上烹饪，导致火势失控。
政府支付了 320 万英镑m 用于步道修缮和保护工作。亚当斯表示，据林业部门估计，价值 100 万英镑m 的商业木材被毁。所有这些都反映出森林火灾可能造成多么昂贵的代价。那 320 万英镑m 的数字仅比北约克郡消防救援队在过去三年中遭受的预算削减少 100 万英镑00,000。这在全国范围内都是相似的故事。国家消防局长委员会 (NFCC) 警告称，该服务的资金在过去十年中下降了 10 亿英镑，而出警次数则增加了五分之一。本周，国家农民联盟 (NFU) 首次呼吁政府制定一项应对野火增加的国家战略。NFU 副主席保罗·汤姆金斯表示：“在英国部分地区爆发的野火（如萨福克郡的那场）对于受影响的农村社区来说是毁灭性的。”汤姆金斯指出，火势能够迅速蔓延，并会对牲畜、饲料、机械和农业基础设施造成严重破坏。一名发言人表示，NFU 希望看到的是“由政府制定的一项国家野火战略，为野火预防、准备和响应设定明确的指南。该计划还必须认可农民在协助应急服务方面发挥的关键作用。”一名政府发言人表示，政府已与消防救援服务机构密切合作，为应对今年夏天增加的野火风险做准备。他们还声称已投资购买应对事故的设备，例如可在农村野火现场操作的越野车。至于泰勒及其家人，他们正尽力让生活重新走上正轨。而对他父母来说，面对所发生的一切最为艰难，因为他们失去了居住数十年的家。“爸爸妈妈从五居室的农舍搬到了一个一居室的市政公寓，”泰勒说。他希望自己的经历不仅能给政府，也能给全英国的居民敲响警钟。“我们没有应对野火的基础设施，”泰勒说，“而且发生在我们身上的事并非偶然。这种情况每年都在发生。如果我们以后再次拥有类似的房产，我会在地面上安装巨大的水箱和喷淋系统。‘不要依赖别人来救你，因为火势太快了，情况并非那样简单。’”
社交媒体正在摧毁我们的民主
这在以前或许还很有趣。一件印着“我们只是在为奈杰制定计划”的 T 恤放在断头台旁边，只要有人解释那是 20 世纪 70 年代的流行歌曲歌词，我曾经会觉得好笑。歌词接着说：“我们希望他能得到最好的。”这就是绿党党魁扎克·波兰斯基 (Zack Polanski) 转发的一张图片——他说，这是无意之举。可悲的现实是，自从安·威德科姆 (Ann Widdecombe) 被谋杀后，暗示暴力的颠覆性漫画就不再那么有趣了。诚然，政治讽刺比起 18 世纪托马斯·罗兰森 (Thomas Rowlandson) 和詹姆斯·吉尔雷 (James Gillray) 那些漫画家的狂热时代要温和得多，那时对对手的描绘毫无底线——无一例外地怪诞，且经常带有色情意味——但那是过去。现在我们认为，言语和图像就像棍子和石头一样，在公众生活中可能会杀掉人们。然而，我们需要保持客观。在我看来，
改革党 (Reform) 不应该因为波兰斯基转发这张图片而向警方举报他——他说，那是 20 张图片中的一张，而他这个傻瓜没有检查其中的大部分。对于一个身处成年人政治世界的人来说，这太荒唐了。你要注意自己的言行，笨蛋。但愚蠢本身并不能证明有谋杀意图。正如我所说，在更快乐的年代，言论自由意味着你可以随意侮辱你的对手；我可以想象吉尔雷时代的讽刺画家会在漫画中使用断头台。奈杰·法拉奇 (Nigel Farage) 估计他每年收到近 600 条死亡威胁，所以也许他的幽默感是有极限的，但在政治光谱的改革党这一端，言论自由——即使品味极其低俗——本应是值得捍卫的。同样地，波兰斯基一再拒绝道歉，甚至不对自己未能检查所批准的有害材料道歉，这也很荒谬。作为一个天主教徒，我在忏悔时不仅为我的所为道歉，也为我的不作为道歉。在扎克的情况下，他的不作为（未检查）是有罪的。就说声对不起吧，扎克；这并不难。这里真正的问题是，我们的政治话语被统治的不再是报纸和电视上（体面且受监管的媒体）的正式辩论，而是社交媒体上那种毫无约束的混战。政治记者斯蒂芬·布什 (Stephen Bush) 在为《金融时报》撰写的一篇精彩文章中指出，社交媒体的帖子在实际上就是政治广播，但与传统的政治广播不同，它们没有平衡报道的要求，也没有……的权利。
数据中心争夺自来水
即便在国家的部分地区，官方也 正遭受干旱之苦。我在我的分配地里， 像荷兰风景画中的人物一样， 把水桶扛向我的菜地；而全国各地的 农民们则在承受今年第三次热浪的考验。 国家农民联盟（NFU）宣布，除非 农民——无论是耕种、奶业还是其他任何门类—— 能获得稳定的水源，否则我们可以 忘记所谓的粮食安全了。 既然如此，为什么我们还在 浪费河流中的水？ 为什么我们要拥抱——或者说强制执行——一种 可能消耗全国近一半用水量的技术？ 为什么我们不谈谈人工智能（AI）？ 我是认真的。政府在吹嘘推广的 那些数据处理中心——全部是 AI革命的一部分——是极其巨大的 耗水大户；就像一群巨型厚皮动物 挤在一个很小的饮水坑里。 AI利用水来给计算机冷却、 发电以及制造硬件。 环境部的一篇博客确认了这一点： “政府数字可持续发展联盟（GDSA）的 报告强调，据预测，AI将导致 全球用水量从 1.1 billion 立方米增加到 6.6 billion 立方米， 直到 2027. 这相当于英国总用水量的一半以上。” 这确实令人恐惧。它也许不是 今年干旱的根本原因，但它是一个 促成因素。 然而，一个将“可持续发展”写入 每一项愚蠢政策声明的工党政府， 现在正忙于不仅是在推广数据处理
厚皮动物 挤在一个 极小的 饮水池里
STEFAN ROUSSEAU / PA WIRE
回复且无需事实核查。你只需 快速发布：内容越多越好，而接收者 不会抱怨内容过于片面。 作为首相的安迪·伯纳姆正变得相当精通社交媒体，他拥有一支由年轻女性组成的团队，她们知道其他年轻女性喜欢什么。 但社交媒体并非真正的政治。在最传统形式的参与中，当一名政治家
中心，但强制要求地方议会接受它们并无视其反对意见。这就是在白金汉郡和埃平森林发生的事情。在白金汉郡，住房大臣史蒂夫·里德允许部长直接批准新建数据中心。该中心将建在绿带土地上，而该议会此前已多次拒绝了数据中心规划申请。在埃平森林，投资大臣斯托克伍德勋爵致信区议会，敦促官员批准由微软与英国初创公司Nscale共同开发的一座价值 £2bn 的数据中心。居民们表示反对，但议会最终妥协了。看来首相所谓的“地方主义”也就那样。在当今最关键的环境问题上，中央政府正在随意打发地方议会。更糟糕的是，数据中心没有义务分享其用水数据。这怎么能说得通？欧盟正在 强制要求它们公布淡水消耗数据：为什么陛下政府不这样做？英国已经有 555 家以上的数据中心。考虑到一个大型中心每天消耗的水量足以满足约 10,000 人的需求。那个在你的搜索引擎中无需询问就自动弹出的、看似无害的 AI 功能——它并非免费；它极其口渴。世界经济论坛的《全球风险报告》指出，“AI 技术的负面影响”以及“生物多样性丧失和生态系统崩溃”将在未来 10 年成为重大风险。那么反击在哪里？如果绿党在他们名义上的职责——即推广保护环境的政策——方面不那么糟糕，他们一定会将此问题大肆宣扬。扎克·波兰斯基此时不应在跨性别权利问题上唠唠叨叨，而应鼓动抵制数据处理中心，并让 ChatGPT 用户感到羞愧。有人告诉我关于该问题的幻想式解决方案：埃隆·马斯克显然想在太空安置一百万个数据中心，这样就不需要冷却且能无限获取太阳能。这能 possibly 出什么错？与此同时，我们不应将 AI 视为生活中的小小奢侈品，而应将其视为我们最宝贵资源的竞争者。
在公共场合演讲，公众拥有 回应的权利——喝倒彩、嘲讽，偶尔用番茄表达。 这在网络上不会发生。这是传输到我们设备上的 宣传——实际上，不是我的设备，而是其他人的 ——而且没有那个有用的信号提醒你去洗碗：“现在开始播放某政党的政治广播……” 安迪·伯纳姆作为首相，在很大程度上避开政治记者的正式 质询，而倾向于发布有趣的社交媒体图像，这并非巧合。这一点至关重要，尤其是考虑到议会休会期间，没有首相问答环节（PMQs）让凯米·B 可以对他进行严厉质问。 改革党和绿党在维持社交媒体影响力方面都相当出色；奈杰尔·法拉奇尤其高效。但这不能替代政治。政治意味着
自拍的重要性： 绿党党魁 波兰斯基与 党内议员 汉娜·斯宾塞 在威斯敏斯特宫外 合影
这种社交媒体并不鼓励的某种互惠互让。难怪愚蠢的扎克·波兰斯基在如此频繁地发布和转发时会说漏嘴。更好的做法是针对困难课题出台一些具体的政策，这样我们才能进行审查。扎克，你决定好是否热衷于北约成员身份了吗？转发那些荒谬的图片要容易得多，不是吗？即使是那些毫无幽默感的图片。
A
阿曼达·诺克斯正在给我讲一个童话故事，这个故事的一个版本她经常讲给四岁的女儿听。它是用苏斯博士风格的押韵诗写成的：“当妈妈 20 岁，出国去旅行 / 去了意大利，那里的人觉得她很古怪……” 任何关注过她故事的人都知道，2007 年，诺克斯是一名来自西雅图的大学生，在意大利进行海外交换时，她的室友梅雷迪斯·克彻被残酷杀害。诺克斯与她当时的男友一同因谋杀被捕。她被定罪，被无罪释放，再次被定罪，最终在 2015. 年被决定性地再次宣布无罪。她的故事很复杂，已被讲述过许多次，通常由诺克斯本人在书籍、纪录片以及她与莫妮卡·刘易斯基共同制作的一部八集电视剧中讲述。但我从未想象过这故事竟然还有一个适合幼儿的版本。
诺克斯如何向孩子们解释她被冤狱的问题，是她本月将在爱丁堡艺穗节上演的一场单口喜剧演出的核心。当诺克斯回到意大利，试图与指控她参与某种恶魔性爱游戏杀害克彻的检察官朱利亚诺·米尼尼达成和解时，她的女儿陪同在侧。（诺克斯关于这次会面的纪录片于 1 月发行，会面氛围比任何人预期的都要友好。）但诺克斯表示，她已尽力保护女儿和两岁的儿子，让他们远离她过去阴暗的部分：“我的孩子还不知道互联网是什么。”尽管如此，她知道当女儿“开始注意到我的一些东西时……我一直带着一种忧伤。她会突然问我，‘妈妈，为什么你的脸看起来很忧伤？’”
现年 39, 岁的诺克斯住在华盛顿州农村的瓦肖恩-莫里岛，并在当地的小场馆中初步测试她的新节目。根据该岛报纸的一位评论者的说法，节目在一家卡巴莱俱乐部演出效果不错，现场“大约 30 人的观众……在阵阵大笑和专注的沉默之间切换”。当我们交谈时，诺克斯情绪高昂，经常大笑。她从一艘汽车渡轮上给我打视频电话——丈夫在驾驶座上，其中一个孩子在后面打呵欠——她正前往技术彩排现场。他们在途中停下来买巧克力牛角包。她告诉我，这次艺穗节首秀是对她“喜剧和音乐剧根源”的回归。青少年时期她是个“憨憨剧团孩子”，她认为如果没被卷入那场悲剧，她年轻时可能会从事单口喜剧。“我 20 岁时去了意大利，那时我还不能去酒吧看单口喜剧表演。所以，在那个我本该熟悉现场单口喜剧的时期，我在监狱里。”
在过去的三年里，她一直在钻研单口喜剧，为像金球奖主持人尼基·格莱泽这样的人担任暖场嘉宾。她的丈夫、作家克里斯托弗·罗宾逊此前涉足过喜剧，并向她介绍了圈内的其他人。诺克斯向几位享有盛誉的喜剧演员寻求建议，包括里基·林霍姆（出演过 Netflix 的《星期三》）和《波拉特！》的共同编剧杰娜·弗里德曼。诺克斯想做一个关于母亲身份而非关于谋杀的节目，但她从喜剧演员朋友那里得到的建议是在开始时就提到她的冤狱。“他们说，‘伙计，这是标准的喜剧手法。你必须正视那个房间里的大象（显而易见却被回避的问题）。’”她是否觉得有什么话题是喜剧天生禁忌的？“我不这么认为。我认为只有更好或更差的——”
对待不同题材的方式。现在有很多懒惰的喜剧，通过拿别人开玩笑来制造笑料，但我认为所有事情都可以用一种真正深思熟虑的方式来对待。“我认为技术上没有任何话题是不可触及的。”但阿曼达·诺克斯（Amanda Knox）极力强调，有一件事她是绝不会开玩笑的。“我不会拿梅雷迪斯的死开玩笑。我经常拿自己如何被妖魔化开玩笑，但我不会拿她的谋杀案开玩笑。对我来说，这就是底线。我为自己设定了其他喜剧演员没有的红线。有些喜剧演员给我推荐的段子，是我绝对不会做的。” 比如？ “在我的演出中，有一幕我谈到我担心我的女儿会被那个和她分享最心爱毛绒玩具的人[绑架]。”她曾被推荐的一个笑话涉及将该玩具称为“独角兽乔娜-贝内特（JonBenet the Unicorn）”，显然是指向乔娜-贝内特·拉姆齐（JonBenét Ramsey），那名在1996年科罗拉多州一起臭名昭著且未破获的谋杀案中遇害的六岁受害者。诺克斯拒绝了它：“为了一个随意的笑点而提及一个被谋杀的小女孩的名字，我觉得很不舒服。对我来说，这不够深思熟虑。” 身边的人是否担心这场演出会引发抵制？在舞台上，她有一个很棒的冷面笑话来应对此点：“尽管我在公众舆论法庭上的记录完美无缺，但我的亲友实际上还是非常为我紧张。”然而在舞台之外，她的家人一直很支持，多次来看演出；甚至她的女儿周二也来看了。据其律师弗朗切斯科·马雷斯卡（Francesco Maresca）称，梅雷迪斯·凯尔彻（Meredith Kercher）的亲属则不那么高兴。他称这种脱口秀演出的想法本身就“具有冒犯性且令人卑劣”，并表示凯尔彻家族感到“无话可说”。诺克斯是否收到过该家族的消息？ “没有。” 如果他们就这场演出直接联系她，是否
这会在任何方面影响我的选择吗？ “如果他们主动联系我，并且真正地与我沟通，那将是史上第一次，我绝对愿意与他们交谈。 “对我来说，一个尚未愈合的伤口就是我从未能与他们交谈这一事实。我假设他们仍然认为我是有罪的。我很想建立这种沟通，但我不会让我的生活被他们对我所期望的事情所主导。 “我们共有某种悲痛，我们都认识一个去世的真实的人，而她主要属于他们，但我也是一个人。我有我所度过的人生，我有权讲述我自己的故事，而梅雷迪丝是这个故事中很重要的一部分。我认为我这样是在向她致敬。” 马雷斯卡指责诺克斯制作了“那些永远不是关于梅雷迪丝·[克切尔]的生命，而仅仅关于她死亡的图书和电视节目”。诺克斯表示，这“完全不公平”。“当我讲述发生在我的故事时，梅雷迪丝并不是一个象征性的死掉的女孩。 “她是一个我与之有真实关系的人……坦率地说，我不认为[马雷斯卡]真正接触过我创作的任何素材。他只是采取了一种‘我有罪，所以我做的一切都是坏事’的立场。” 梅雷迪丝·克切尔会如何看待她的喜剧？“梅雷迪丝非常成熟且聪明，但她也很有趣，很顽皮。我们……”
我们会一起放音乐，然后出去跳舞。她喜欢享受快乐。我认为她会欣赏这部剧，因为它探讨了成为一名年轻女性意味着什么，而且它很坦诚。”她会觉得这很有趣吗？“是的，我认为会！我的意思是，这确实很有趣！”
一位意大利律师在描述诺克斯时——带有某种同义重复地——称她为“像路西法一样”，“一个恶魔般的、撒旦式的、阴险的魔女”。另一些人则相对温和地指责她是一个天真的人，通常意识不到自己在他人眼中可能多么不讨喜。
她的喜剧秀标题《侧手翻》(Cartwheel) 指的是一篇小报报道，声称她在朋友去世后在警察局里做侧手翻。（她后来告诉一名记者：“我从未做过侧手翻。我做的是劈叉。”）一些人眼中的奇怪行为、尴尬的举止以及在面对亲人骤逝时的异常反应，被解读为有罪的迹象。
在网上观看诺克斯的任何一段旧采访，直到今天，你仍会发现人们在评论区为极其细微的面部反应而激烈争论。
将她与科林·斯塔格 (Colin Stagg) 类比并不奇怪，后者是一个尴尬的单身男子，被诬陷杀害了瑞秋·尼克尔 (Rachel Nickell)，而尼克尔 1992 年的死亡启发了上个月 Netflix 的剧集《见证者》(The Witness)。斯塔格出版了两本关于他遭遇的书；同样，诺克斯也出版了两本关于她的书，但面临的批评要大得多。据报道，第一本书让她赚了超过 $3m，这个数字会让许多人愤怒。
这些报道属实吗？“是的，这是准确的。”钱去哪里了？“我是在还钱给家人，我还有持续的法律费用，我写了很多很多巨额支票给我的家人、律师以及那些年支持我的人。”
诺克斯很清楚自己的形象给人的感觉。在一次单口喜剧表演中，她开玩笑地谈到了她最终被宣判无罪的寓意：“恭喜你，阿曼达，你没有罪，你只是……让普通大众感到深深不安。”
她将自己和丈夫描述为“极客”。“克里斯向我求婚的方式是在我们后院地演了一场陨石降落。它就像是带着一个来自未来的数据晶体，”她告诉我。当他单膝下跪时，背景音乐播放的是《E.T.》的主题曲。在他们以科幻为主题的婚礼上，客人们被供应了“泛银河系大口饮”(pan-galactic gargle-blasters)，这是来自《银河系漫游指南》的一种鸡尾酒。诺克斯在 2015, 首次在罗宾逊写的一本小说的发布会上与他相识；当时她在一家地方报社担任记者，被要求写关于他书的报道。她后来回忆道，他是现场少数几个不了解她过去的人之一。两人出版了一本互写的情诗集，名为《心血管超立方体》(The Cardio Tesseract)，带有淡淡的科幻色彩。如今，他们是亲密的合作伙伴；由他负责制作她的喜剧秀。
在现实生活中，她很有魅力，但一篇关于诺克斯的 Netflix 纪录片的评论中，不乏抱怨她看起来“不像一个曾被判定谋杀的女性，而更像一个讥诮的播客主持人”。事实上，诺克斯确实是一名播客主持人。她的系列节目《艰辛诺克斯》(Hard Knox) 自 2018 年起一直在运行，今年早些时候，她发布了一个 15 集的系列名为《怀疑》(Doubt)，关于露西·莱特比 (Lucy Letby) ——一名被判定在切斯特医院谋杀婴儿的护士。
她认为莱特比是清白的吗？“我认为随着更多证据的出现，越发指向她的清白。是的。”
今年 4 月，她在伦敦的一场活动中将梅雷迪思·凯彻 (Meredith Kercher) 称为“最初的受害者”，因此受到批评。当我询问这个措辞时，她叹了口气。
“很多人似乎认为我不承认梅雷迪思是受害者。我不知道他们为什么这么想，因为我一直在谈论
她如何成为一名受害者。人们对我有一种轻率的态度，认为因为我讲述了自己如何被被害，就意味着我在暗示她没有被被害——就好像在某种零和现实中，受害者的份额是有限的一样。”她指出，“这句话并不是我发明的。在冤狱社区中经常能听到这类话。”阿曼达·诺克斯鼓励任何错误指控他人犯罪的人尽全力予以纠正。去年，法院维持了一项针对她的裁决，认定她诽谤了她的前老板帕特里克·卢蒙巴（Patrick Lumumba），卢蒙巴拥有诺克斯在梅雷迪思被杀时工作的那家酒吧。在最初的警方询问中——那次彻夜审讯被她形容为残酷的强迫——诺克斯提供了一份牵涉到卢蒙巴的陈述，但她在几小时后撤回了该陈述。卢蒙巴描述了因诺克斯的陈述而被诬告所带来的持续痛苦
和焦虑，而诺克斯则表示该陈述是在极端压力下给出的。她是否认为自己已经做了足够的补偿？“是的，绝对如此。我已竭尽全力解释究竟发生了什么……他被逮捕不是我的错，他的酒吧被夺走也不是我的错。那是警方的决定。当我告诉他们他无罪时，他们没有听我的，在那一刻我无能为力。”诺克斯近期职业生涯很大一部分时间致力于为诸如“无罪项目”（Innocence Project）等组织进行宣传，该项目已利用DNA证据帮助推翻了250多起定罪。当诺克斯首次被定罪时，唐纳德·特朗普是她最坚定的支持者之一；他向她的法律筹款活动捐款，甚至呼吁美国抵制意大利直到她获得自由。在白宫拥有一个同情者肯定有助于为这一事业游说。她曾与特朗普交谈过吗？“我想他当年给过我父亲打一次电话，但我从未与他有过任何沟通……但我与他身边从事刑事司法相关问题的接触过一些人，是以一种倡导性的、幕后方式进行的。”在《坚韧之诺》（Hard Knox）节目中，她采访专家探讨从心理学、言论自由到司法改革等各种话题。最近的一集关注的是美国的死刑。在美国27个州，谋杀属于资本罪行。如果诺克斯是在那里被定罪，她现在是否已经死亡？“这是一个好问题。美国至今仍保留死刑，这让我感到恐惧且深感不安。我认为我不会被判死刑，但我可能会被判终身监禁且不得假释，而且实际走完上诉程序可能需要10, 20, 30, 40年——而在意大利，程序可能会快一些。”我提到——今年被任命为英国改革党主席的李·安德森（Lee Anderson）支持恢复死刑，这一想法得到了部分公众支持，且有猜测认为他的政党可能会组建下一个英国政府。“真的吗？天呐！”诺克斯显得真正地惊愕了。“当我想到欧洲时，我想起他们如何因为美国仍有死刑而轻视我们，因为死刑显然是野蛮的，深度反生命且反人类。它不承认制度是会出错的。没有什么比死亡更绝对了，而政府不应该在对自己的公民做这件事上涉足。”她遣词造句非常谨慎，但表现出极强的自信，愿意应对任何关于她人生最黑暗部分的提问——即便她的家人就在车里。在漫长的对话中，只有一次她显得词穷。梅雷迪思·克切尔的凶手鲁迪·格埃德（Rudy Guede）于2021年被释放。去年，他再次出庭，面临一项涉嫌强奸的审判，他被指控
被指控在获释后再次犯罪。（他否认这些指控。）我询问诺克斯在听到这个消息时的感受。“坦白说，我感到愤怒，”她开始说道，然后长久地沉默了一会儿。“对于他对我以及梅雷迪斯所犯下的绝大多数罪行，他甚至从未被起诉……他在本不该出狱的时候就出狱了，在还没有被改造之前就出狱了。让我感到挫败的是，人们如此急于为他寻找借口并减轻他的罪责，因为他们太想认定我有罪了。我很庆幸[据称被强奸的受害者]幸存了下来，但这根本不应该发生。而且，说实话，梅雷迪斯根本不应该被谋杀。在他对梅雷迪斯下手之前的五天，他就被逮捕了。当时他持有赃物并携带武器，但出于某种原因，他们从未对他提起任何指控。直到今天，我依然感到困惑，为什么鲁迪·格德从未被要求承担完全的责任。”我被触动到的是——尽管她似乎气得发抖——但她所认为的问题在于他在“被改造之前”就被释放了，而并非反对他被释放这件事本身。她真的认为像格德这样的人有可能被改造吗？“我总是希望人们能够改变。”
丹尼尔·伯曼 为《电讯报》撰稿
I
在《哈利·波特》系列书籍中，有一家名为“破釜钱锅”的酒吧，麻瓜（非魔法人士）对此神秘地毫无察觉，即使在路过它时也是如此。位于爱丁堡的 Beira’s Place 是 J.K. 罗琳在 2022 年设立的性暴力支持中心，同样具有一种低调的氛围。谷歌地图将我引导至正确的建筑——但我不知为何地走过了它，不得不折返。中心内部宁静且近乎无声，墙壁刷成了舒缓的灰褐色，摆放着盆栽植物和毫无攻击性的艺术品。然而，这个仅向女性提供支持的中心却发现自己处于一场争论的中心。这场争论始于上个月英国大赦国际发布的一份报告，其中将 Beira’s Place 以及许多其他组织描述为“反权利” (anti-rights)。在该报告之前，5 月还发布了另一份文件，同样将“性别批判” (gender-critical) 的观点——即认为女性是生物学女性，男性是生物学男性的信念——定义为一种威胁。该文件声称，鉴于英国“GC 运动的增长和影响力”试图“限制跨性别者的权利”，这种情况令人担忧。在公众强烈抗议以及代表 Beira’s Place 的律师威胁采取法律行动后，大赦国际随后撤回了该反权利报告，并在昨天发表的道歉声明中称“该文件绝不应该被发布”。Beira’s Place 对此次道歉表示欢迎，但表示大赦国际的声明“未能认识到，受影响最严重的是那些日复一日支持性暴力幸存者的工作人员，以及许多需要并使用该服务的女性”。鉴于过去几周发生的事情，该中心感到被围攻是可以理解的。一名工作人员告诉我，针对在那里工作的人员的威胁有所增加（当我询问是什么类型的威胁时，她叹了口气说：“通常是‘你为什么不考虑自杀’”）。在大赦国际的报告出炉前，Beira’s Place 就曾多次遭到活动人士的抨击，原因既是因为它将服务限制在生物学女性范围内，也因为其与罗琳的联系，而罗琳已成为关于跨性别权利辩论中性别批判观点的领军人物。
额外的创伤：Beira’s Place 的首席执行官 Lesley Johnston 从事性别暴力相关工作已有三十年，她认为大赦国际的报告令人深感痛苦。
但团队努力工作，使使用该中心的女性感到安全和平静；对我来说，确实是这种感觉。
Beira’s Place 的首席执行官 Lesley Johnston 从事性别暴力相关工作已有三十年，她说，她几乎在报告发布的那一刻就听说了大赦国际的报告。她的第一反应是进入紧急状态——召集工作人员和董事会成员开会，试图研究如何向接受支持的弱势女性最恰当地讲述所发生的事情。
Johnston 表示，关于 Beira’s Place 以某种方式破坏人权的指控给工作人员带来了沉重的打击：“有些员工真的将其内化了。”
他们的工作主要由与强奸和其他性侵受害者的一对一咨询组成，这“非常困难。你面对的是非常复杂的创伤……日复一日地从事这项工作，然后收到这样一份指控你反权利、反女性的报告——这令人深感痛苦，也令人深感沮丧，因为这完全不属实。你内心的一部分会想——噢，真是见鬼，太荒谬了，不能太认真地对待。但事实是，报告已经公开，而且被人们认真对待。而（大赦国际）是一个相当大的组织。”
我们正与几名工作人员以及 69 岁的 Johann Lamont 坐在一间会议室里。Lamont 是前苏格兰工党政治家、女性权利活动家，同时也是该中心的
Beira’s Place 的董事会（以及其出资人和创始人 J.K. 罗琳）。拉蒙特对大赦国际报告的愤怒显而易见。对于她的那一代人来说，大赦国际因其在尼加拉瓜、智利和南非等地针对人权侵害所开展的真正有效的运动而备受推崇。“它曾是一个在人们不希望被照亮的地方投射光芒的组织，”她说。简而言之，拉蒙特表示，大赦国际“并不是某个随机走在街上的、认为随便在任何事情上诋毁任何人是个好主意的人。这是一个利用其机构历史来断言某些不实之词的组织。他们这么说了，这具有重要意义；而且因为是他们说的，所以这很重要”。拉蒙特尤其不安的是，大赦国际的报告可能会在女性绝望地需要帮助的时刻，阻碍她们寻求帮助。此外，她对那些致力于支持这些女性的员工的工作被诋毁感到愤怒。“在你的职业生涯中，还有什么能比支持一个面对过创伤的人并帮助他们度过难关更重要的事情吗？” Beira’s Place（发音为 By-ra）由罗琳在 2022 年设立，旨在为遭受性侵犯的女性提供“以女性为中心且由女性提供护理的选择”。男性和跨性别女性不允许进入中心，尽管约翰斯顿强调，当他们收到因性别原因无法获得服务的人员咨询时，他们会引导其寻求其他选择。该中心也乐于支持非二元性别者，前提是其出生性别为女性。对女性身份的要求非常严格：在我访问之前，我提到我想带一名摄影师，对方要求必须是女性。我被告知，中心确实偶尔需要叫修理工，但此类访问仅限于建筑内没有女性接受支持的时候。自中心开放以来，已接收了超过 1,200 份转诊——主要来自寻求帮助的女性本人，但也来自慈善机构、NHS（英国国家医疗服务体系）、警方、地方当局以及
迷人的晚礼服， 时尚引领者们告诉 Bethan Holt 她们如何完美掌控 夏季度假穿搭
Katherine Ormerod 作家兼编辑 我大概会在出发前一个月开始思考穿搭，有时在出发前两周就已全部打包完毕。我经常在 Vinted 和 Vestiaire 等转售网站购物，那里的配送时间要长得多，所以预留出额外的时间是必要的。 我首先会想象自己在度假时想要成为什么样的女性——一个与镜中那个疲惫不堪、带着两个孩子的职场母亲截然不同的形象。如果我要去意大利，通常会是一个具有 Dolce & Gabbana 风格、充满魅力的女主角。我的母亲住在多尔多涅，所以去探望她时，我会准备白色亚麻衣物、蓝色格纹布和篮装包。 至于实际的打包，我倾向于轻装出行，仅携带手提行李，这意味着放入其中的每一件物品都必须被
其他代表女性寻求帮助的人。强奸是女性前来寻求帮助的首要原因，占转诊病例的 21%，其次是性侵犯（19%）、童年性虐待（18%）以及家庭暴力或亲密伴侣性暴力（14%）。其他原因包括非致命性勒颈、荣誉犯罪、跟踪和人口贩卖。 当转诊申请提交后，中心目标是在三天内与相关女性取得联系，但通常在当天即可完成。然后，根据她的需求，她通常将获得与支持团队成员进行 12 次一对一辅导的机会。在参观建筑时，我看到了一个开展辅导的房间。那里是舒适且宁静的空间；一名工作人员给我看一个装满物品的盒子——松果、指尖玩具——女性在辅导期间有时喜欢拿着这些东西来缓解压力。 在来到 Beira’s Place 之前，一些
JK Rowling 与支持性暴力受害者的团队成员合影
使用。重要的是，我会试穿每套服装，以确保没有遗漏让整体造型成立的关键配饰。如果我要外出六个晚上，我会准备六套白天、晚上以及泳池 / 海边服装，但我尽量将鞋子控制在三双加上运动鞋。我会将所有衣物卷得非常紧，然后带上一个挂烫机以便在目的地熨平。通常，我打包的每一件衣服都会穿到。 我知道这听起来像是非常繁琐的组织工作——确实花了我好几个小时。但我热爱这种精心装扮的戏剧魔力——对我来说，这是度假最特别的部分，因为我在家里通常没有时间这样做。我知道，当我坐在闪烁灯光的餐厅里，穿着一件剪裁精美的连衣裙，搭配完美协调的凉鞋时，所有的准备工作都将获得回报。
女性从未向他人透露过发生在自己身上的事情。Johnston 说道，许多人面对的并非单一的孤立事件。“极少只有一种虐待形式，”她解释道，“通常情况很复杂。” 很多时候，女性必须在心理上做极大的建设，才能勉强来参加第一次预约。她说，她曾看到女性在门外犹豫不决。她对此表示理解。“我不能低估那些迈出第一步的女性所承受的创伤有多深。” 但一旦她们勇敢地跨过门槛，所获得的帮助显然会改变生活。受助女性因过于脆弱而无法接受采访，但我收到了一些证词页，读起来令人心碎。“我认为如果没有我得到的支持，我无法挺过来，”一名女性写道。“我曾多年隐藏在厚重的羞耻斗篷之下，”另一人写道。通常，女性往返于预约诊所的计程车费用
将由 Beira’s Place 支付，以确保较贫困的女性能够获得支持。然而，约翰斯顿表示，有时会出现预约后未到场的情况——不幸的是，自从大赦国际报告声称 Beira’s Place “反对权利”以来，未到场的情况有所增加，而她表示，转介至该中心的病例“略有下降”。该中心此前在社交媒体以及其网站上的聊天功能中收到过辱骂，但该功能现已关闭。自从大赦国际报告发布以来，收到的辱骂程度之高，以至于员工们在墙上挂了一块板子，用来钉上支持信息。我想，每天面对一些可以想象的最恶劣行为的后果，同时还要因为处理这些事情而遭受辱骂，一定令人沮丧。人们可能会倾向于直接逃避，去一个不会引起如此愤怒和死亡威胁的领域工作。我询问约翰斯顿最初是如何参与到反对性别暴力的斗争中的。
“实际上我 17 岁时就开始了，”她说。她在法夫（Fife）长大，在圣安德鲁斯的一块指示牌上看到一张寻找志愿者建立强奸危机服务的通知。“我想，嗯，这听起来很有意思。”当时该市的警方否认存在任何问题，他们会说：“哦，我们这里没有强奸案。”从那时起，她认为警方的态度有所改善。但现在出现了其他问题，包括强奸和其他性侵案件在法院处理所需的时间。这是 Beira’s Place 希望接下来通过雇佣倡导工作者来解决的问题。董事会成员兼前苏格兰议会议员（MSP）拉蒙特插话告诉我，由于导致针对女性和女孩暴力的诸多因素仍未得到解决，很容易感到“不知所措”。尽管如此，她补充道，“我们无法为任何地方的任何人解决所有问题，但我们拒绝被击垮。我们将创造我们能创造的一切。这个地方会尽其所能地帮助尽可能多的女性，并以能给她们最大帮助的方式进行。你可以陷入瘫痪状态并思考，天哪，面对这一切我们该怎么办？但实际上，正如 J.K. 罗琳所说，我们就做这件事。”
克拉拉·莫尔登 为《电讯报》撰稿
更少、质量更好的单品。作为一个五口之家的公路旅行度假者，我可能今天在海滩，明天就在城市里漫步，所以所有衣物都必须具备多功能性。 但说实话，我也喜欢在假期中减少选择，这样就少了一件需要考虑的事情，这感觉是一种真正的奢侈。我携带的是一个多年来构建的胶囊衣橱，大部分来自 Massimo Dutti、Zara 和 Sézane，一个拉菲草包，一双平底鞋，一件来自 John Lewis 的白色英式刺绣衬衫（可以直接从海滩穿进市区），以及一套我在家从不穿但在度假时总是穿着的连身短裤。
D
如何比年轻一半的 女性更光彩照人
让明星肤色 保持光彩的 秘密美容方案
本月初，在伦敦和爱丁堡设有诊所的美容医生大卫·杰克（David Jack）在 Instagram 上发帖谴责年龄歧视。他告诉粉丝，他的一位新病人，74 岁的玛吉（Maggie），在被大卫·杰克医生在哈利街（Harley Street）的诊所接纳之前，曾被其他几家诊所拒绝。“她被告知，因为年龄大了，他们无能为力，”大卫·杰克医生说。他补充道，恰恰相反，年长患者是他最喜欢的客户类型，因为“只要使用正确的工具并设定合理的预期，尤其是皮肤褶皱和阳光损伤是可以大大改善的”。玛吉的经历揭示了当今美容标准的现状：除非你打算做深层平面拉皮手术，否则你可能干脆放弃。然而，婴儿潮一代对待美容的态度克制且耐心——更少恐慌，更多接纳，这两种被遗忘的品质反而带来了成效。看看演员简·西蒙（Jane Seymour），75 岁，莱斯利·曼维尔（Lesley Manville），70 岁，以及塞莉亚·伊姆瑞（Celia Imrie），74 岁——甚至包括 79 岁的女王，她的皮肤依然光彩照人。此外还有美国阵营：奥普拉·温弗瑞（Oprah Winfrey），72 岁，梅丽尔·斯特里普（Meryl Streep），77 岁，格伦·克洛斯（Glenn Close），79 岁，以及西格妮·韦弗（Sigourney Weaver），76 岁，她们的面部几乎没有经过手术修饰（至少在肉眼看来），散发出一种在当今手术至上的世界中罕见的、经过雕琢的自然美。“甚至 20 多岁的女孩都在做眼部手术来追求‘猫眼’效果——这太可怕了，”一位常驻洛杉矶的名人面部护理专家告诉我。在层层叠加的微调中，我们似乎忘记了良好美容护理的基本原则。发型、妆容和皮肤健康是三个非手术支柱，在任何年龄都能产生巨大的影响。这位面部护理专家告诉我，真正的问题在于每个人都希望看起来“紧致”（snatched，一个用来描述紧实下颌线的词）。“这非常具有误导性，而且很难实现——即使使用激光和射频，效果也非常细微，”她向我保证。“我们应该追求的是美丽、肤色均匀的皮肤，以及极小程度的紧致，并通过长时间的定期维护。正是这些细小且持之以恒的事情，让你在每个年龄段都看起来状态良好，”她说。“即使是那些拉皮手术收费 £300,000 的医生，也不总是能达到最佳效果。请相信我，并不是每个人手术完都能像克里斯·詹娜（Kris Jenner）那样。”以下是 70 多岁女性看起来比年轻一半女性更出色的 7 个方法。
1 手术并非 总是最优解 “对于合适的患者来说，拉皮手术可以是一次极佳的手术，但这绝对不是让容貌看起来更清新、更健康的唯一途径——尤其是对于我许多不想走手术路线的患者，”大卫·杰克医生说。“在很多方面，成熟患者拥有最显著的可见改善潜力，因为她们积累了数十年的变化，而我们可以通过两种方式来处理。”
“注射类产品以及一些我们目前拥有的一些较新选择，”他补充道。 日晒损伤、胶原蛋白流失、骨骼结构变化、皮肤变薄以及面部脂肪移位都是逐渐发生的。Jack 医生解释说，获得成功效果的关键在于准确了解发生了哪些变化，并从解剖学角度进行治疗，而不是单纯地追求消除皱纹，或试图打造丰满的脸颊或嘴唇。
2 有时填充剂是有意义的 Jack 医生认为，这可能会让你感到惊讶，但对于 70 多岁的人来说，填充剂是一个不错的选择。但这并非我们习惯看到的那种方式——即作为丰唇或丰颊的手段。 “这通常是起点——我将其称为我的‘深层平面’填充法。将少量的真皮填充剂直接放置在骨骼上，可以弥补与年龄相关的骨量流失，并在不产生人们所担心的‘过度填充感’的情况下恢复面部支撑，”他说。 “目标绝不是让一个人看起来比实际年龄更年轻，而是帮助他们看起来像是一个更健康、休息得更好的自己，”他解释道。
3 提升皮肤质量最重要 无论填充剂是否是一个选项，提升皮肤质量是能让人获得最大满足感的地方。“对于 70 多岁的患者，我使用稍微先进一些的激光治疗（例如 UltraClear Lift）时，往往比在面对年轻得多的患者时更放心，因为他们有显著更多的胶原蛋白流失和光损伤需要治疗。” “我经常将此与注射类生物刺激治疗相结合，例如多核苷酸 [这种在社交媒体上走红的鲑鱼 DNA 注射剂，能在治疗后逐渐促进天然胶原蛋白的产生]，或者 Julaine，一种可以帮助改善凹陷的注射剂 [其基础是聚 L-乳酸，一种合成的可生物降解聚合物，可刺激皮肤细胞开启更多胶原蛋白的生产]，这可以增强激光的效果。” “分次激光治疗，特别是与注射类生物刺激剂相结合时，可以刺激胶原蛋白产生，提高弹性，软化线条，减轻色素沉着，改善整体皮肤质地，并随时间推移紧致皮肤。”
4 任何年龄都可以处理色素沉着 Jack 医生表示，当一个人到了 70 多岁时，色素沉着、毛细血管扩张和粗糙的质地往往是患者最头疼的问题（bête noire）。 “像 IPL [强脉冲光] 这样的能量治疗可以显著改善不均匀的色素沉着和血管损伤，而分次激光 resurfacing 则处理真皮层内更深层的结构变化。肤色均匀的皮肤能更均匀地反射光线，使面部看起来更健康、更年轻。”
5 由内而外的光彩将带来回报 绝经后患者的另一个考虑因素是皮肤水分的流失。随着雌激素水平下降，皮肤产生的透明质酸减少，屏障功能效率降低，胶原蛋白生产减慢。结果就是皮肤通常感觉更干燥、更薄且弹性降低，并伴有细
在晚上，我会带一件乳白色羊绒衫，搭配任何衣服披在肩上。 我按套装打包，这样我也可以为每套造型搭配合适的配饰，并且预先计划好在每个场合穿什么。我尽量不过多打包——如果我带的所有东西都穿到了，我总会感到无比满足。
Poppy Sexton-Wainwright Asceno 创始人 我一直以来都是精简行礼的人——我无法忍受带着无数个行李箱旅行的想法。Asceno 的愿景一直是创造可以用多种完全不同的方式重复穿着的单品。多样性就是一切，因此我本能地倾向于那些能够在全天不同场景中轻松切换的单品。 度假时，我希望衣服能适应高温而非与之对抗，并且能够经受住夏季度假的所有现实情况——被塞进行李箱、在海滩度过长日后的咸海水……以及防晒霜！今年夏天我钟情于红色。我有一个来自 Cos 的微型麂皮包，以及一条最近购买的红色项链。
纹路变得更加明显，仅仅是因为皮肤含水量降低。为此，像 Profhilo 这样的注射型保湿产品旨在从皮肤内部改善水分。它们在几个月后需要进行后续治疗，但在某些患者身上，特别是皮肤较薄的人，注射型保湿剂可以带来随着年龄增长而逐渐消失的丰盈、水润的皮肤质感。
应该 追求的是 肤色均匀 且 紧致度 适中的 皮肤”
永恒肌肤产品
Prequel Gleanser £20, Space NK – 一款不会剥离皮肤水分的保湿洁面乳
Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics £12.40, Space NK – 日用防晒霜
在与朋友前往希腊锡夫诺斯岛的一次旅行中，逛的一家小店。
Laura von Behr 复古时尚专家 对我来说，假期是将多年来收集的所有心爱复古单品全部穿出来的绝佳借口。我喜欢那些不需要过多思考就能随手套上的衣服。我最爱的是 70 年代的印度棉质连衣裙；长款飘逸的卡夫坦长袍，以及 60 年代的迷你裙——它们非常适合海滩之日和温暖的夜晚。我会搭配方巾系在头发上，戴上大圆环耳环，并带上我的特大号篮筐包来装所有东西。
6 70 岁后 良好的皮肤护理 至关重要 当然，并非每个人都想诉诸激光或注射疗法。这就是针对性护肤和定期医疗美容面部护理发挥作用的地方。 “人们普遍存在一种误解，认为在晚年时期，[皮肤护理干预的] 机会已经某种程度上流失了，但文献中的证据强烈
Naturium Intense Overnight Sleeping Cream £21.60, Space NK – 一款保湿霜
Retinoid 1 Vitamin A Serum £56, Skin Rocks – 用于每晚皮肤表层更新
精致之美 （从左上起顺时针方向）：西格妮·韦弗、赛莉亚·伊姆里、莱斯利·曼维尔、简·西摩和梅丽尔·斯特里普
表明了相反的结果，”Jack 博士说。“我们知道，即便在老年人身上，外用类视黄醇依然能持续刺激胶原蛋白生成，使表皮更新正常化，并改善细纹和色素沉着。” 同样，Jack 博士表示，每日使用广谱防晒霜依然是预防进一步光老化最有效的一种方式，而维生素 C、烟酰胺和 $\alpha$-羟基酸（去角质剂）等成分无论年龄大小，都能持续改善皮肤功能和外观。 “这是合理的，因为皮肤在整个生命周期中都保持着生物活性，只要给予正确的刺激，就保留了重塑和修复的能力。”
7 年龄并非美的障碍 最终，治疗 70 岁以上患者最重要的一点是了解他们的目标，Jack 博士说。 “我们需要摆脱随意设定的年龄界限。大多数人并不是试图让自己看起来重新像 30 岁——即便使用最昂贵的深层平面拉皮手术，这也是不可能的——但他们希望外在能反映出内在的感受。考虑的重点应该是治疗是否解决了实际存在的变化，以及预期结果是否现实。单纯的年龄绝对不会成为获得良好效果的障碍。”
丝绸在昼夜交替间能展现绝佳的流动感，在酷热中感觉舒适，且始终看起来优雅。一件挺括的白衬衫是绝对的必备品。白天可以叠穿在泳衣外，塞进裙子里，或搭配短裤；晚上则可以敞开地穿在吊带裙外。
Nishita Assomull L’Atelier 73 创始人 我打包行李时的样子，就像图案在个人层面冒犯了我一样。我的度假衣橱几乎完全由黑色、白色和各种深浅的米色组成，这样珠宝就能为我增添一抹亮色。我喜欢搭配我的 La Plage 贝壳项链，因为它们非常有夏日感。我会加上几件不同纯色的 Hunza G 泳衣，我的旧 Prada 钩编海滩包，以及一串串 Bohemian Amour 手链。 我学到的最好的打包技巧是：每一件单品必须至少有三种搭配方式：一件泳衣可以兼作上衣，每双鞋必须能搭配多套服装。我总是将珠宝分别放入手提行李中的独立小袋中，每条项链都扣好，以防止缠绕。
通报
圣詹姆斯宫 7月31日 爱丁堡公爵（英联邦体育组织副赞助人）与爱丁堡公爵夫人今日出席了在格拉斯哥举行的第23届英联邦运动会。 其皇家殿下（赞助人）与她的皇家殿下于今日下午出席了由英国残奥协会在格拉斯哥Westergate Argyle街260号YOTEL酒店的威尔士队之家举行的招待会。
肯辛顿宫 7月31日 肯特公爵（主席）于今日下午接见了来自皇家国家救生艇协会的志愿者海滩救生员，以纪念国际救生员感谢日以及该慈善机构海滩救生服务的二十五周年。
巴尔莫勒尔城堡 8月1日 国王今晨在凯斯内斯郡瑟索的梅城堡接见了阿辛特山地救援队的成员。 陛下（阿伯丁-安格斯牛协会赞助人）接见了马修·库里先生（主席）和罗伯特先生。
A.J.R. 麦克唐纳先生与 S. 谢泼德小姐 在此宣布订婚：阿奇（康沃尔郡福威的阿拉斯泰尔和克莱尔·麦克唐纳之独子）与索菲（牛津郡旺蒂奇的理查德和海伦·谢泼德之长女）。 在线参考编号：W0051214
Ç. 帕穆库先生与 A.J.L. 比米什小姐 在此宣布订婚：恰格里（伊斯坦布尔的奇切克和杰拉尔·帕穆库之子）与安东尼娅（萨福克郡布林克利的尼古拉斯·比米什夫妇之女）。 在线参考编号：W0051230
J. 斯帕克斯先生与 E. 考平小姐 在此宣布订婚：约书亚（格洛斯特郡纽兰的托尼·斯帕克斯夫妇之长子）与艾玛（萨里郡弗吉尼亚水的保罗·考平夫妇之独女）。 在线参考编号：W0051063
O.J. 库珀先生与 S.A.R. 斯坦尼斯特小姐 在此宣布订婚：奥利弗（汉普郡贝辛斯托克的盖尔斯·库珀夫妇之子）与索菲（北约克郡豪舍姆的大卫·斯坦尼斯特夫妇之女）。 在线参考编号：W0051277
法夸尔法官于2026年6月6日起退休，不再担任巡回法庭法官。 海尔法官于2026年6月10日起退休，不再担任巡回法庭法官。 斯卡拉特法官于2026年6月11日起退休，不再担任巡回法庭法官。 瓦克斯曼法官被任命为商业法院首席法官，任期从2026年9月1日至2028年8月31日。 琳恩·贝里被任命为司法任命委员会主席，自2026年9月1日起生效。
三圣节后第九主日 圣保罗大教堂 (ST PAUL’S CATHEDRAL)：8 圣餐礼 (HC)；8.45 晨祷；11.15 唱颂圣餐礼，由典礼师 Adéolá Eleyae 主持；3 合唱晚祷，由 Christopher Girata 博士牧师主持；4.30 管风琴独奏，Kathe Wright 演奏；5.30 圣餐礼。西敏斯特教堂 (WESTMINSTER ABBEY)：8 圣餐礼 (HC)；10 伴随赞美诗的晨祷；11.15 唱颂圣餐礼，由院长主持；3 晚祷，由 Gemma Simmonds 修女博士主持；5 管风琴独奏，Hayo Boerema 演奏；6 伴随赞美诗的圣餐礼 (HC)，由 David Stanton 牧师主持。直播详情：westminster-abbey.org 南华克大教堂 (SOUTHWARK CATHEDRAL)：8.30 晨祷；9 圣餐礼，由院长主持；11 合唱圣餐礼，由院长主持；3 合唱晚祷，由副院长主持；6 终祷（仅限在线）。直播详情：cathedral.southwark.anglican.org 塔旁全圣教堂 (ALL HALLOWS BY THE TOWER)：11 教区圣餐礼，由 Nicol Kinrade 牧师主持。直播：ahbtt.org.uk 玛格丽特街全圣教堂 (ALL SAINTS, Margaret St)：8.30 低弥撒；11 高弥撒；5.15 低弥撒；6 庄严晚祷与祝福礼。直播：asms.uk 朗汉姆广场全圣灵教堂 (ALL SOULS, Langham Place)：9.30 和 11.30
晨祷，由 Ollie Lansdowne 主持；5.30 晚祷，由 Phil Keen 主持。格罗夫纳礼拜堂 (GROSVENOR CHAPEL, South Audley Street)：11 唱颂圣餐礼，由 Alan Piggot 博士牧师主持。HTB Brompton Rd：非正式礼拜 9.30 和 11.30，由 Hilton Sonday 主持。11.30 礼拜直播：htb.org HTB Onslow Square：非正式礼拜 10.30 Nathan Mugford，4.30 Katie McLean 以及 6.30 Matthew Ong。斯隆广场圣三一教堂 (HOLY TRINITY, Sloane Square)：11 合唱圣餐礼，由 Michael Robinson 典礼师主持。克罗斯费尔圣巴索洛缪大教堂 (ST BARTHOLOMEW THE GREAT, Cloth Fair)：9 诵读圣餐礼，由 Jeremy Haselock 神父主持；11 合唱圣餐礼，由 Rosamond McDowell 牧师主持；5 合唱晚祷，由 Mark Young 神父主持。直播详情：greatstbarts.com 舰队街圣布莱德教堂 (ST BRIDE’S, Fleet St)：11 教区诵读圣餐礼。直播：stbrides.com 温莎圣乔治教堂 (ST GEORGE’S, Windsor)：8.30 圣餐礼 (HC)；10.45 晨祷 (Mattins)，由 Nick Brown 博士典礼师主持；5.15 晚祷。圣吉尔斯原野教堂 (ST GILES-IN-THE-FIELDS)：11 唱颂圣餐礼 (HC)，由 Tom Sander 牧师主持；6.30 晚祷，由 Tom Sander 牧师主持。加里克海斯圣詹姆斯教堂 (ST JAMES’S, Garlickhythe)：9 晨祷；10.30
圣餐礼，由教区长主持。皮卡迪利圣詹姆斯教堂 (ST JAMES’S, Piccadilly)：11 圣餐礼，由 Elijah Kinne 主持。直播通过：sjp.org.uk 萨塞克斯花园圣詹姆斯教堂 (ST JAMES’S, Sussex Gardens)：10.30 高弥撒。直播通过：stjamespaddington.org.uk 圣马丁教堂 (ST MARTIN-IN-THE-FIELDS)：10 圣餐礼，由 Sam Wells 博士牧师主持；1.30 粤语圣餐礼；5 合唱晚祷；7 神圣空间。直播：smitf.org 玛丽博恩路圣玛丽博恩教堂 (ST MARYLEBONE, Marylebone Rd)：8.30 圣餐礼 (HC)，由 Lydi McLean 牧师主持；11 合唱圣餐礼，由 Katy Hacker Hughes 牧师主持；6 合唱晚祷及治愈与受膏祷告，由 Katy Hacker 牧师主持。
Gilchrist（首席执行官） 在梅城堡。国王以 族长身份，于今天下午参加了 凯什内斯郡约翰格罗茨的 梅高地运动会，并 由主席（Andrew Sinclair 先生） 接待。
肯辛顿宫 2026年8月1日 罗瑟塞公爵威廉王子与 罗瑟塞公爵夫人在今天参加了 第XXIII届英联邦运动会，并 由国王任命的格拉斯哥市 治安法官（Jacquline McLaren 议员， 及尊贵的 Lord Provost）接待。 两位殿下今天下午访问了 位于格拉斯哥 Westergate 街 Argyle 街 260 号 YOTEL 酒店的 威尔士队运动员之家。 作为 SportsAid 的赞助人， 罗瑟塞公爵威廉王子与 罗瑟塞公爵夫人随后在 YOTEL 格拉斯哥酒店会见了 由 SportsAid 支持的运动员和工作人员。
圣詹姆斯宫 8月1日 英联邦体育副赞助人 爱丁堡公爵与 爱丁堡公爵夫人 今天参加了在格拉斯哥举行的 第XXIII届英联邦运动会。
圣詹姆斯宫 8月1日 皇家公主在蒂姆·劳伦斯副海军上将 的陪同下，经由国王任命的 怀特岛治安法官（Susan Sheldon 夫人） 接待，今天在怀特岛 执行以下行程，以纪念 考斯 (Cowes) 两百周年。
一百年前
伦敦，1926年8月1日
关于外国煤炭。
“毫无疑问，我们的假期交通量创下了纪录，而且是靠外国煤炭运行的。”伦敦及东北铁路公司一名官员的这句话，用一句话概括了这次记忆中最令人惊叹的银行假期之一的悖论。全国正处于一场毁灭性煤矿罢工的阵痛之中，而在此之前不久，刚刚经历了一场全国规模的工业动荡。然而，所有关于假期旅行的纪录都被刷到了新高，而且在绝大多数并非由汽油驱动前往度假胜地的人群中，很大一部分是靠外国煤炭运输的。今年人们对英国的天气发表了许多刻薄的言论，并写下了不少批评，而英国天气确实是各国幽默爱好者的合法攻击目标。其中许多尖刻的批评其实很容易证明是合理的，但基于基本的诚实，我们必须承认英国天气也有其功劳。无论它在其他季节有怎样的缺失，在复活节和圣灵降临节这两个重大的国家假期期间，它确实“表现出色”，且幸运的是，目前看来今天它不会玷污这一完美记录。总体预报表明，这次假期将成为当代人记忆中最成功的“户外”假期之一。然而，即便气象预报有任何不同，恐怕也无法改变所有能够出门的人的坚定决心——他们都渴望通过变换环境来打破“日常生活”的死板单调。如果断言所有度假路线都是从城市建筑通往海边，那是不正确的——诚然，周五和周六从伦敦出发前往南部、东部和西部的火车班次增加到了三倍；但在今年早些时候，前往这座大都市的“入境”路线从未承载过如此沉重的负载。因为对于外省人来说，八月的伦敦现在与海边的疗养报告一样具有吸引力。在这方面，伦敦并非孤例；巴黎、布列塔尼海岸、里维埃拉都是破坏英国海边女房东心理安宁的“共谋者”。滑铁卢车站、维多利亚车站、帕丁顿车站、尤斯顿车站、国王十字车站、利物浦街车站和伦敦桥车站——所有这些车站的乘客承载能力似乎都已达到极限。但在前往法国的人中，不少于 400 人依赖汽油进行旅行——同样如此的还有数千名选择宽阔公路而非铁轨的人。面对汽车的竞争，铁路现在还必须应对飞机的“威胁”。那 400 名前往欧洲大陆的游客是搭乘 25 架飞机跨海的。
休斯。直播：stmarylebone.org 圣保罗教堂，科文特花园：11 圣餐礼。直播：actorschurch.org 圣保罗教堂，骑士桥：9.30 早祷；11 庄严圣餐礼。直播：spkb.org 卫兵礼拜堂，威灵顿军营：11 合唱圣餐礼，萨姆·班纳牧师。 旧皇家海军学院礼拜堂：11 咏唱圣餐礼，约翰·菲尔波特-霍华德博士牧师。 皇冠法院教堂 (C-o-S)，科文特花园：11.15 晨间礼拜及圣餐礼，塔拉·波尔·格拉纳多斯牧师。直播：crowncourtchurch.org.uk 圣哥伦巴教堂 (C-o-S)，庞特街：11 晨间礼拜及洗礼，威廉·麦克拉伦牧师。直播：stcolumbas.org.uk 威斯敏斯特大教堂：弥撒：8, 10 (咏唱), 12 (庄严), 4.30 (英国手语翻译), 5.30 (咏唱) 以及 7；9.30 早祷；4 晚祷。12 点弥撒直播：westminstercathedral.org.uk 圣母院，布朗普顿路：弥撒：8, 9 (拉丁语), 10 (家庭), 11 (庄严拉丁语), 12.30, 4.30 以及 7；3.30 咏唱晚祷和
祝福。圣母升天与圣格里高利教堂 (OUR LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION AND ST GREGORY)，沃里克街 (Warwick Street)：弥撒：10.30（庄重）和 5.。希腊正教会大教堂 (GREEK ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL)，莫斯科路 (Moscow Rd)：9.15 晨祷与神圣礼拜。救世军 (SALVATION ARMY)，牛津街 (Oxford St)：11 上午崇拜，马克·罗斯少校 (Major Mark Rose) 和林迪·罗斯少校 (Major Lindy Rose)。直播：salvationarmy.org.uk / regent-hall 卫斯理教堂 (WESLEY’S CHAPEL)，城市路 (City Rd)：11 圣餐礼，克莱尔·波特博士 (Rev Dr Claire Potter) 主礼；7 泰泽礼拜 (Taizé Service)，斯蒂芬·库珀牧师 (Rev Stephen Cooper) 主礼。直播：www.wesleyschapel.org.uk 威斯敏斯特教堂 (WESTMINSTER CHAPEL)，白金汉门 (Buckingham Gate)：11 家庭庆祝礼拜。直播：westminsterchapel.org.uk 威斯敏斯特循道宗中央大厅 (WESTMINSTER METHODIST CENTRAL HALL)：9.30 在线教会；11 上午崇拜；6 晚祷。注册与直播：mchw.live 阿马臂 (ARMAGH)：11 圣餐礼，院长主礼；3.15 晚祷。巴斯修道院 (BATH ABBEY)：8 圣餐礼；9.30 家庭圣餐礼；11.30 颂唱圣餐礼；4.30 合唱晚祷；6.30 非正式礼拜。直播详情：bathabbey.org 伯明翰 (BIRMINGHAM)：9 圣餐礼；11 颂唱圣餐礼，科琳·谢克里牧师 (Rev Colleen Shekerie) 主礼；3.30 晚祷。直播：birminghamcathedral.com 黑色本 (BLACKBURN)：9 教区圣餐礼；10.30 大教堂圣餐礼；4 晚祷。直播：blackburncathedral.com 布拉福德 (BRADFORD)：8 圣餐礼，内德·伦恩牧师 (Rev Ned Lunn) 主礼；10.30 合唱圣餐礼。直播详情：bradfordcathedral.org 布里斯托 (BRISTOL)：7.40 晨祷；8 圣餐礼；10 大教堂圣餐礼；3.30 合唱晚祷。坎特伯雷 (CANTERBURY)：8 圣餐礼 (BCP)；9.15 晨祷；11 颂唱圣餐礼，礼拜司主礼；5.30 晚祷。通过以下地址直播：canterbury-cathedral.org
赛周：她的皇家殿下今早参观了皇家游艇不列颠尼亚信托基金会 (Royal Yacht Britannia Trust) 的“航行于皇家历史中”展览，地址为考斯 (Cowes) 高街 74 号。身为岛屿帆船俱乐部 (Island Sailing Club) 赞助人的皇家公主随后为该俱乐部的伊丽莎白二世女王室揭幕，地址为考斯高街 70 号。 她的皇家殿下今日下午参观了考斯海洋遗产小径 (Maritime Heritage Trail) 的“巡游面板”部分，并揭幕了一块纪念考斯赛周 (Cowes Week) 两百周年的纪念牌。 皇家公主随后访问了考斯赛周有限公司 (Cowes Week Limited) 的办公室，地址为考斯巴斯路 18 号赛船屋 (Regatta House)。她的皇家殿下之后参观了考斯巡游路上的考斯赛周看台。 皇家公主今晚在停泊于考斯附近索伦特海峡 (Solent) 的塞文号 (HMS Severn) 军舰上出席了一场招待会。
今日：威廉·霍尔爵士 (Sir William Hall)，唐郡（Co Down）副领主，1996-2009年任职，92岁；劳里·泰勒教授 (Prof Laurie Taylor)，社会学家，90岁；珍妮特·高夫女士 (Miss Janet Gough)，圣保罗女子学校校长，1993-98年任职，86岁；罗纳德·科恩爵士 (Sir Ronald Cohen)，Apax Partners 创始人，81岁；彼得·斯科特教授爵士 (Prof Sir Peter Scott)，金斯顿大学校长，1998-2010年任职，80岁；韦斯特摩兰伯爵 (Earl of Westmorland)，75岁；珍妮特·比尔教授女爵 (Prof Dame Janet Beer)，利物浦大学校长，2015-22年任职，70岁；艾德里安·邓巴先生 (Mr Adrian Dunbar)，演员，68岁；盖里·麦考马克教授爵士 (Prof Sir Gerry McCormac)，斯特林大学校长兼副校长，68岁；米歇尔·马丁先生 (Mr Micheál Martin)，爱尔兰议员兼总理 (Taoiseach)，66岁；萨姆·门德斯爵士 (Sir Sam Mendes)，剧院及电影导演，61岁；奥利弗·道登爵士 (Sir Oliver Dowden)，国会议员，48岁；以及卡伦·卡尼女士 (Ms Karen Carney)，前英格兰及英国足球运动员，现为评论员，39岁。
卡莱尔 (CARLISLE)：7.40 晨祷；8 圣餐礼 (HC)；10.30 唱诵圣餐礼，本杰明·卡特博士 (Canon Dr Benjamin Carter) 主持；3 合唱晚祷。直播：carlislecathedral.org.uk 彻姆斯福德 (CHELMSFORD)：8 诵读圣餐礼；9.30 圣餐礼；11.15 合唱圣餐礼；3.30 合唱晚祷。直播详情：chelmsfordcathedral.org.uk 切斯特 (CHESTER)：8.30 圣餐礼 (HC)；10.30 大教堂圣餐礼；3 合唱晚祷；6 Compline。奇切斯特 (CHICHESTER)：8 圣餐礼 (HC)；9 儿童、家庭及护理人员礼拜；10 合唱早祷 (Mattins)；11 唱诵圣餐礼，大法官主持；3 合唱晚祷。直播详情：chichestercathedral.org.uk 考文垂 (COVENTRY)：10.30 大教堂圣餐礼；4 合唱晚祷。直播详情：coventrycathedral.org.uk 德比 (DERBY)：8.30 圣餐礼 (HC)，林赛·皮尔逊牧师 (Rev Lindsay Pearson) 主持；10.45 大教堂圣餐礼，院长主持；5.15 晚祷；7 泰泽礼拜 (Taizé Service)。直播详情：derbycathedral.org 杜伦 (DURHAM)：8 圣餐礼 (HC)；10 唱诵圣餐礼，简·梅考克教长 (Canon Jane Maycock) 主持；11.30 晨祷及讲道，西蒙·奥利弗教长 (Canon Simon Oliver) 主持；3.30 晚祷。
直播详情：durhamcathedral.co.uk 埃利 (ELY)：8.15 圣餐礼 (HC)；10.30 唱诵圣餐礼，维多利亚·约翰逊教长 (Canon Victoria Johnson) 主持；4 晚祷。直播详情：elycathedral.org 埃克塞特 (EXETER)：8 圣餐礼 (HC)；9 晨祷；10 合唱圣餐礼；4 合唱晚祷；7 Sundays @。直播详情：exeter-cathedral.org.uk 格拉斯哥，圣蒙戈大教堂 (GLASGOW, ST MUNGO’s (C-o-S))：11 晨间崇拜，马克·约翰斯通牧师 (Rev Mark Johnstone) 主持。直播：glasgowcathedral.org 格洛斯特 (GLOUCESTER)：8 圣餐礼；8.30 晨祷；10.15 合唱圣餐礼，桑德拉·米勒教长 (Canon Sandra Millar) 主持；3 晚祷。直播详情：gloucestercathedral. org.uk 吉尔福德 (GUILDFORD)：7.30 晨祷；8 圣餐礼 (HC)；9.45 大教堂圣餐礼；6 合唱晚祷。直播详情：guildford-cathedral.org 赫里福德 (HEREFORD)：8 圣餐礼 (HC)；10 大教堂圣餐礼，院长主持；11.30 早祷 (Mattins)；3.30 晚祷。直播详情：herefordcathedral.org 因弗内斯 (INVERNESS)：8.30 圣餐礼；11 合唱圣餐礼，S. 默里非常尊敬的牧师 (Very Rev S. Murray) 主持；5.30 盖尔语风味圣餐礼。直播：
invernesscathedral.org 曼岛 (ISLE OF MAN)：8.30 圣餐；10.30 圣餐礼；3.30 晚祷。莱斯特 (LEICESTER)：10.30 大教堂圣餐礼；3.30 晚祷。直播：leicestercathedral.org 利奇菲尔德 (LICHFIELD)：7.40 晨祷；8 圣餐礼 (HC)；10.30 圣餐礼；3.30 晚祷。通过以下方式直播：lichfield-cathedral.org 林肯 (LINCOLN)：7.45 连祷 (Litany)；8 圣餐礼 (HC)；9.30 早祷 (Mattins)；10.30 唱诵圣餐礼，副唱诗长主持；12.30 圣餐礼 (HC)；3.45 合唱晚祷。利物浦大都会 (LIVERPOOL METROPOLITAN)：弥撒时间为 9, 10 (家庭), 11 (庄严) 及 7；2 管风琴独奏，史蒂芬·哈格里夫斯 (Stephen Hargreaves)。11 点弥撒直播：liverpoolmetrocathedral.org.uk 兰达夫 (LLANDAFF)：8 和 9 圣餐礼；11 带赞美诗的圣餐礼；4 晚祷
明天：迈克尔·戴维斯爵士 (Sir Michael Davies)，上议院议会书记，1997-2003，将满 86 岁；伊莎贝尔·阿连德 (Isabel Allende) 女士，作家，84 岁；罗斯·特雷曼 (Rose Tremain) 勋爵，小说家及剧作家，83 岁；让·威尔逊 (Jean Wilson) 博士，教会纪念碑协会主席，2013-18，81 岁；保罗·格雷 (Paul Gray) 先生，英国税务海关总署主席，2006-07，78 岁；谢特尔沃思勋爵 (Lord Shuttleworth) 上校，兰开夏郡副总督，78 岁；彼得·托里 (Peter Torry) 爵士，1998-2003 年出任驻西班牙大使，2003-07 年出任驻德国大使，78 岁；约翰·塔尔博特 (John Talbot) 先生，英国国家芭蕾舞团主席，2004-12，77 岁；艾伦·毕晓普 (Alan Bishop) 先生，南岸中心首席执行官，2009-17，73 岁；安东尼·塞尔登 (Anthony Seldon) 爵士，威灵顿学院教育创始总监，73 岁；萨米·麦克劳伊 (Sammy McIlroy) 先生，前北爱尔兰足球运动员及教练，72 岁；保罗·马歇尔 (Paul Marshall) 爵士，金融家及媒体所有者，67 岁；以及夏洛特·艾奇森 (Charlotte Aitchison，艺名 Charli XCX) 小姐，歌手兼词曲作者，34 岁。
今天是 1798 年尼罗河海战开始的周年纪念日。同时也是 1834 年所有英国领地废除奴隶制的周年纪念日。
明天将是画家托马斯·庚斯博罗 (Thomas Gainsborough) 1788 年逝世以及发明家亚历山大·格拉汉姆·贝尔 (Alexander Graham Bell) 1922 年逝世的周年纪念日。
皇家海军 Tot 俱乐部 安提瓜和巴布亚皇家海军 Tot 俱乐部的成员及嘉宾在 HMS Drake 号举行了晚宴，以纪念“最后一杯朗姆酒日”（Black Tot Day）。此次活动得到了准尉、高级职级及高级士官餐厅主席 Scott Allan 准尉的许可。RN Tot 俱乐部指挥官 Bernie Steed 主持会议。首席 佩特官 John Hays 带领众人参观了餐厅，少校 David Scott 则带领众人参观了军官餐厅。
Paul Richardson 牧师（教区长），原任 Tickhill 与 Stainton 以及 West Doncaster（谢菲尔德）助理，将出任 Bardsey 与 East Keswick（利兹）教区牧师；Michael Firbank 博士，原任 Gresley 教区牧师，兼任 Swadlincote、Hartshorne 及 Newhall（德比）助理（关联牧师），将出任 Long Eaton St John 教区牧师（同属教区）。
英国夏季同步赛（British Summer Simultaneous Pairs）在四天内举行，桥牌记者 Julian Pottage 报道。参赛者每天可以体验一套不同的牌局。获胜者名单如下：
周一 第1名 Charles Simpson 和 Kate Holmes (Framlingham BC) 69.62% 第2名 David Brown 和 Cosmos Charles (Bromley North BC) 69.47% 第3名 Peter Adams 和 Louise Lewis (Scunthorpe BC) 67.99%
周二 第1名 Ian Roach 和 Richard Freeman (Corsham BC) 72.35% 第2名 Nigel Bell 和 Paul Clarke (Middlesbrough BC) 71.92% 第3名 Alison McConnell 和 Allan Davies (Wearside BC) 71.00%
周三 第1名 Michael Kaltz 和 Peter Lewy (Welwyn Garden City BC) 69.50% 第2名 Jim Benson 和 Richard Gatward (Cross In Hand BC) 68.45% 第3名 Sigurður Jón Björgvinsson 和 Sveinn Ragnarsson (Milton Keynes BC) 67.72%
周四 第1名 Sara Barnett 和 Michael Hunt (Welwyn Garden City BC) 65.99% 第2名 Steve Bourton 和 Albert Brooks (Tudor and Guildford BC) 65.78% 第3名 Nigel Payne 和 Paul Wilson (Chichester BC) 64.77%
（诵读）。直播：llandaffcathedral.org.uk 曼彻斯特：8.45 早祷，随后是圣餐礼；10.30 咏唱圣餐礼；3.30 晚祷。直播详情：manchestercathedral.org 纽卡斯尔：8 圣餐礼；8.30 早祷；10 咏唱圣餐礼，由唱圣歌者、院长主持；4 合唱晚祷。直播：newcastlecathedral.org.uk 诺里奇：7.30 早祷；8 圣餐礼；10.30 咏唱圣餐礼，由副院长主持；3.30 合唱晚祷，由教区长 Liz Leaver 主持。牛津：7.30 诵读晨祷；8 圣餐礼 (BCP)；11 合唱圣餐礼，由副院长主持；6 合唱晚祷。彼得伯勒：8 圣餐礼；9.15 早祷；10.30 大教堂圣餐礼，由副院长主持；3.30 晚祷。直播详情：peterborough-cathedral.org.uk 朴次茅斯：8 圣餐礼；9.30 庞培周日；11 合唱圣餐礼，由教区长 Nick Ralph 主持；5.45 合唱晚祷，由教区长 Tom Kennar 主持。直播详情：portsmouthcathedral.org.uk 里彭：8 圣餐礼；9.30 晨祷；10.30 咏唱圣餐礼及洗礼，由教区长 Wendy Dalrymple 主持；12.30 圣餐礼；3.30 晚祷。直播详情：riponcathedral.org.uk 罗切斯特：8 圣餐礼；10.30 大教堂圣餐礼，由 Peter Maurice 右荣主教主持；3.15 合唱晚祷。圣大卫：8 圣餐礼；11 合唱圣餐礼及院长告别仪式，由院长主持；4 合唱晚祷，由驻在教区长主持。圣埃德蒙斯伯里与伊普斯威奇：8 圣餐礼；9 全龄圣餐礼；10.30 合唱圣餐礼，由 Caitlin Fitzjohn 主持；3.30 合唱晚祷。直播：stedscathedral.org 索尔兹伯里：8 圣餐礼；9.15 早祷 (诵读)；10.30 圣餐礼，由院长主持；4.30 合唱晚祷，由大法官主持。直播详情：salisburycathedral.org.uk 南韦尔：7.40 祈祷文；8 圣餐礼，由 Erika Kirk 牧师主持；10 大教堂圣餐礼，由传教士主持；3.30 晚祷，由神学家主持。直播详情：southwellminster.org 特鲁罗：8 圣餐礼；10 合唱圣餐礼，由 Ali Hogger Gadsby 牧师主持；4 合唱晚祷，由教区长 Sally Piper 主持。直播详情：trurocathedral.org.uk 韦克菲尔德：8 圣餐礼；9.15 咏唱圣餐礼；11 诵读圣餐礼；3.30 诵读晚祷。韦尔斯：8.30 圣餐礼；10.30 大教堂圣餐礼，由 Alison Morgan 博士牧师主持；3 合唱晚祷，由 Rosey Lunn 牧师主持。温彻斯特：7.40 诵读晨祷；8 圣餐礼；11 咏唱圣餐礼，由教区长 Angie Nutt 主持；3.30 晚祷，由院长主持。直播详情：winchester-cathedral.org.uk 伍斯特：7.30 早祷；8 圣餐礼，由 John Fitzmaurice 博士牧师主持；10.30 咏唱圣餐礼，由 John Fitzmaurice 博士牧师主持；3 花园礼拜；4 晚祷。直播详情：worcestercathedral.co.uk 约克：8 圣餐礼；10 晨祷；11 咏唱圣餐礼，由南非开普敦院长 Terry Lester 非常荣主教主持；4 晚祷，由礼拜司主持。直播：yorkminster.org
AHERN。—— 2026年7月19日星期日，在盖伊和圣托马斯医院，Rebecca Beth Dinsmore 和 Frederick George 喜得女婴 Josephine Molly Rose，她是 Patrick 的妹妹。 在线参考编号：W0051137
BROWSE.—Elizabeth Browse 夫人，享寿 90 岁，已故 Clarence M. Browse 博士的挚爱之妻，于 7 月 25 日在萨里郡莱特沃特 (Lightwater, Surrey) 平安离世。Colin 和 Jane 的心爱之母，以及 Timothy 和 Robert 的继母。私人葬礼。 在线参考编号：W0051243
BUTTLE.—Margaret Mary (Margot) 于 2026 年 7 月 17 日平安离世，享寿 98 岁。已故 Douglas 之挚爱且忠贞之妻，Caroline 和 Jane 的崇敬之母，Christopher Ames 的亲爱岳母，Edward、James、Benjamin 和 Charles 深爱的祖母，以及 Penelope 的曾祖母。所有咨询请联系 A.J. Wakely & Sons。电话：01935 816817。 在线参考编号：W0051284
FINCH.—Nigel Thomas James（来自 Chedworth）。深受爱戴的父亲、祖父及曾祖父，于 2026 年 7 月 11 日平安离世，享寿 95 岁。追思礼将于 8 月 10 日星期一 3 p.m. 在 Chedworth 的圣安德烈教堂 (St Andrew’s Church) 举行。 在线参考编号：W0051360
GRACIE.—Sr Jill，圣母领报修女会 (Religious of the Assumption) 成员，伦敦圣凯瑟琳社区 (St Catherine’s Community) 成员，于 2026 年 7 月 10 日平安离世。其葬礼弥撒将于 8 月 10 日 11.30 a.m. 在肯辛顿广场 20 号 (20 Kensington Square) 的修道院礼拜堂举行。 在线参考编号：W0051157
如果我们说我们与他相交，却在黑暗中行走，这就是说谎，不真诚。但我们若在光中行走，正如他在光中一样，我们就彼此相交，且他儿子耶稣基督的血就洗净我们的一切罪孽。 ——约翰一书 1.6-7 (AV)
GREENROD.—Peter Edward。于 2026 年 7 月 26 日离世。Kate 深爱的丈夫，Claire、Michael、Jamie 以及 5 个孙辈挚爱的父亲。葬礼仪式将于 8 月 25 日星期二 12 noon 在 Sherborne 的 Sacred Heart & St Aldhelm (邮编 DT9 3EL) 举行。 在线参考编号：W0051291
GREVATTE-BALL.—Lt Col Richard F. Grevatte-Ball。2026 年 7 月 23 日，在与短时间病魔斗争后平安离世，享寿 84 岁。一位深受爱戴的丈夫、父亲和祖父。葬礼咨询请联系 Bude 的 Denise Wellington Funeral Services。 电话：01288 359277。 在线参考编号：W0051314
GRIFFITHS.—Michael John 于 2026 年 7 月 23 日平安离世，享寿 91 岁。先后是 Jenny 和 Penny 挚爱且忠贞的丈夫。Sara, Jeremy, Andrew, Rosi 和 Biba 挚爱的父亲。9 个孙辈和 2 个曾孙辈崇敬的祖父。他的家人、朋友以及所有认识他的人都将深切怀念他。生命庆祝仪式将于 8 月 19 日在威尔特郡 (Wiltshire) 举行。详情请联系 Clarkson’s Funeral Directors。 电话：01225 426822。 在线参考编号：W0051248
GUBBIN.—Joe Gubbin (12.06.1944 - 17.07.2026)，已故 Salisbury 的 John Henry Gubbin 博士及其夫人之子，曾多年居住在 New Cross 和 Portwrinkle，后期居住在坎特伯雷 (Canterbury)。他是 Scilla 忠诚的兄弟，是令人生自豪且亲爱的伯 / 叔父，也是许多人非常善良慷慨的朋友。感恩礼拜将于 8 月 21 日星期五 2 p.m. 在坎特伯雷 Nackington 的圣玛丽教堂 (St Mary’s, Canterbury CT4 7AF) 举行。 在线参考编号：W0051255
HAZLE.—Robert James (1935 年 12 月 19 日 - 2026 年 7 月 19 日)，Charles Henry (于 1956 年 12 月 20 日去世) 和 Elsie (于 2012 年 5 月 26 日去世) 之子。John Richard 及其妻子 Janet 及其家人的亲爱兄弟，以及 Charles Julian 及其妻子 Margaret 的亲爱兄弟。铁路爱好者、循道宗信徒及终身童军 (North West Leeds District)。感谢所有在护理期间探望 James 的人。应其要求，将不举行葬礼。 诗篇 121 AV “我要举目向山，我的帮助从哪里来？我的帮助从造天地的耶和华而来。他必不叫你的脚打滑；看顾以色列的也不打盹也不睡觉。耶和华是你的守望者；耶和华是在你右手的荫庇。白日太阳必不伤害你，夜晚月亮必不害你。耶和华要保护你脱离一切灾害；他要保护你的灵魂。耶和华要保护你的出入，从今时起，直到永远。” 在线参考编号：W0051330
MACPHERSON.—Peter Michael，2026年7月23日安详离世，享寿 84 岁。已故 Ann 的挚爱丈夫，Rebecca 和 Bryony 深爱的父亲，Catherine、Andrew 和 Fe 的继父，Mary 及已故 John 挚爱的兄弟，Bethan、Holly、Billy、Patrick、William 和 Alice 令他自豪的祖父，以及许多人的珍贵朋友。葬礼仪式将于 8 月 13 日（周四）下午 2.30 在 Wootton Bassett 火葬场举行。仅限家属献花。如愿捐款，请通过 Dianne Mackinder Funeral Service (Wagon Yard, Marlborough, Wiltshire, SN8 1LH) 捐至 Brainstrust (brainstrust.org.uk)。 在线参考号：W0051271
McALLISTER.—Richard Charles Andrew 于 7 月 21 日在 Frimley Park 医院安详离世，享寿 87 岁。留下他挚爱的妻子 Marian，子女 Andrew 和 Zoë 以及孙女 Stella。纪念 Richard 的捐款请至 https: / gwt-richardmcallister.muchloved.com 在线参考号：W0051346
MORRISON.—Diana Elizabeth 于 2026 年 7 月 27 日安详离世，享寿 97 岁。已故 Alastair 的挚爱妻子，深受爱戴的母亲和祖母。追思会将于 8 月 13 日（周四）上午 11.30 在 Savernake 的 St Katharine’s 教堂举行。仅限家属献花。详情咨询 Dianne Mackinder Funeral Service, Wagon Yard, Marlborough, SN8 1LH。电话：(01672) 512444。 在线参考号：W0051326
MULLINGS.—William Nicholas “Nick”。2026 年 6 月 24 日在家人陪伴下于家中安详离世，享寿 79. 岁。Christine 的挚爱丈夫，Laura Jane 和 Robert 慈爱的父亲。 52 年来一直致力于家族珠宝企业 J. McCarthy Ltd。珍爱的祖父和亲爱的朋友。永远在我们心中。 在线参考号：W0051294
OLIVER.—John Neville。7 月 22 日于家中安详离世，享寿 87 岁。Sally 和 Christopher 深爱的父亲。葬礼将于 8 月 18 日（周二）下午 12.30 在 Horncastle 的 St Mary’s 教堂举行。请勿献花，欢迎向 Lincolnshire Rural Support Network 以及 Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance 捐款。 在线参考号：W0051333
RUFFLE.—Sylvia (Sue) Pauline（原姓 Saunders），原住 Herts 郡 Cheshunt，2026 年 7 月 8 日在 Cuffley 家中安详离世，享寿 93. 岁。 70 年来一直是丈夫 Geoffrey 最忠实的挚友，也是 Susan 及已故 Sarah 挚爱且崇拜的母亲。感恩礼拜将于 8 月 24 日（周一）上午 11.30 在 Cuffley 的 St Andrew’s 教堂举行。请仅限家属献花。如愿捐款，请通过 W. J. Murray & Son Ltd (Waltham Cross, EN8 7DZ) 捐至 Stroke Association。电话：01992 627817。 在线参考号：W0051113
RYAN.—Robert Patton 于 2026 年 7 月 27 日离世，享寿 95 岁。Catherine 的挚爱丈夫，Jeanne、Thomas 和 John 的父亲，拥有 10 个孙辈和 3 个曾孙辈。葬礼将在法国上萨伏伊省的 Yvoire 私下举行。 在线参考号：W0051297
SHEPPARD.—Philip 于 7 月 18 日在瑞典西海岸离世，享寿 60 岁。Eva 挚爱的丈夫，Ellen 和 Amanda 的父亲。尽职的儿子、侄子和兄弟，也是许多人的真诚朋友。其葬礼仪式将于 8 月 21 日（周五）下午 2 点在斯德哥尔摩的 Hedvig Eleonora 教堂举行。以捐款代替献花，请捐至 BrainTumourResearch.org 在线参考号：W0051348
今日刊登文本 生日
VOSSER。—— 2026年7月26日，Michael Cochrane 在长期患病后平静地离世，虽出乎意料但安详。他是 Susan 挚爱的丈夫，是 Joanna、Sarah、Jeremy 和 Rosemary 敬爱且深爱的父亲，也是 Victoria、Emma、Oliver 和 Zak 疼爱的祖父。愿他安息。 在线参考编号：W0051350
WALLOP。—— 贵族 Nicholas Valoynes Bermingham 于7月27日在家中平静去世，享年 80 岁。他是 Lavinia 挚爱的丈夫，Victoria 和 Harry 敬爱的父亲，以及七个孙辈们喜爱的祖父。葬礼将于 2026年8月17日（周一）上午 11 点在切尔西旧教堂（Chelsea Old Church）举行，随后将进行私人家庭安葬仪式。请勿送花。 在线参考编号：W0051283
WATSON。—— Robert Frederick Bonner 于7月24日（周五）去世。挚爱的丈夫、父亲和祖父。葬礼将于 8月11日（周二）中午 12 点在 Baschurch 的 All Saints Church (SY4 2EF) 举行。 在线参考编号：W0051328
WHATLEY。—— Sheila Louisa Thérèse（原姓 O’Grady）。7月12日平静去世，享年 96 岁，Michael 之遗孀。她是 Simon、Jonathon、Katie、Clare 和 Philippa 深爱的母亲，也是祖母和曾祖母。葬礼仪式将于 8月13日上午 10 点在 Tisbury 的 Sacred Heart Church 举行。仅限家属送花。咨询请联系 Chris White 殡葬服务公司。电话：01722 744 691。 在线参考编号：W0051274
JULIAN JONES 60 岁啦！祝你度过非常愉快的一天。全家人向你表达所有的爱与最美好的祝愿。来自 Marie, Stephen, Christopher, Jack, Penny, Rachel 和 Leo xxx 在线参考编号：W0051358
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并非全都古板僵化 B
BOOTS BANTOCK，被誉为“巴斯诗人”，享年 85 岁去世。他是一位艺术家、吟游诗人、杂色小丑、宫廷弄臣以及廉价诗人。克里斯托弗·吉布斯将他比作《回顾》中的查尔斯·赖德，其使命是“描绘房屋、公园以及那些经过驯化和耕作的、作为我们伟大荣耀的景观；与赖德一样，他感受到一种极其紧迫的压力，要在这些美景落入开发商和保险公司之手之前将其记录下来……他以清晰而温柔的目光观察所绘之地，深切地意识到现代农业的破坏、榆树病以及对金钱的崇拜；正是这种人类蹂躏上帝之英格兰的紧迫感，赋予了他精心提炼的作品以深度和凄美。”然而，同样重要的是他作为吟游诗人 Boots 的人格，“他从那辆伪装得优雅的房车中走出，身披彩虹般的杂色衣服，大步走在花海之中。一旦有了观众，他便以洪亮的声音朗诵最新的诗作：对捕鲸之恶的尖刻谴责，对Herefordshire领主代表的俏皮嘲讽，以及对度量衡公制化之疯狂的高尚咆哮。”Terence Euan Murray Bantock 于 8 1941 年 5 月出生在斯塔福德郡，是四个孩子中的次子。他从小就具有反叛精神，不循规蹈矩，厌恶并压制自己的原名 Terence，人们一直称他为 Boots，尽管没有人记得原因。在他的父亲一方，他是邓罗宾萨瑟兰伯爵夫人的一个长老会猎场看守的后裔，其子孙在工业革命时期的伍尔弗汉普顿发迹，而如今的班托克之屋（Bantock House）已成为当地历史博物馆。作曲家格兰维尔·班托克爵士是其亲属。Boots 在罗马天主教的环境下长大，在唐赛德（Downside）接受学者僧侣的教育。在那里，他被雕塑家、作家兼苦行僧 Dom Hubert van Zeller 以及克里斯托弗·莱恩所吸引；后者鼓励他成为一名艺术家，并向他灌输了一种由精神强度所缓和的“蔑视世俗”（contemptus mundi）之情，而这种特质他终身未曾完全失去。在唐赛德，Boots 还与一群才华横溢的艺术圈子建立了终身友谊，包括讽刺作家奥伯龙·沃（Auberon Waugh）、画家兼画廊主罗布·斯图尔特（Rob Stuart）、艺术家威利·菲尔丁（Willie Feilding）、爱尔兰首席子爵尼古拉斯·戈曼斯顿（Nicholas Gormanston），以及装饰师大卫·姆利纳里克（David Mlinaric）。后者回忆起在美术室里的班托克时说，他“从一开始就极具竞争意识，且比我们所有人都要出色”。在坎伯韦尔艺术学院学习一段时间后，班托克将继承的遗产花在多年的流浪之中。1961 年在爱尔兰西部，他用画作换取食宿，并培养了其祖母一方的爱尔兰联系，仿佛他心中滋养着某种关于贝克特式不幸流浪汉、喋喋不休的诗人与漂泊者的返祖记忆。他得到了乡绅阶层的接纳。在一次出行中，加雷奇·布朗（Garech Browne）突然停下他的劳斯莱斯，对他说：“你难道没看到小矮精在穿马路吗？”在爱尔兰之后，他前往东方冒险，陆路前往印度和斯里兰卡。
傀儡操纵师 Ronnie Le Drew 逝世，享年 78 岁。他赋予了 Zippy 生命——这个拥有橄榄球形头部和拉链嘴的傲慢吹牛者，曾主导了儿童电视系列剧《彩虹》（Rainbow）。Zippy 是一个眼睛凸出、品种不明的橙色生物，是《彩虹》之家中最具攻击性且渴望关注的成员；该家庭成员还包括一只名为 George 的妖娆粉色河马，以及一只天真的熊 Bungle。主持人 Geoffrey Hayes 徒劳地试图维持傀儡室友们的秩序，而他的人类同伴 Rod、Jane 和 Freddy 则提供音乐间奏（这经常引起 Zippy 的评论，例如：“那是什么可怕的噪音？”）。Zippy 混乱的行为令该节目的年轻观众欣喜不已，尽管一些家长则渴望看到他最终做得太过分而被拉上嘴巴作为惩罚的时刻。由泰晤士电视台在泰丁顿工作室制作，《彩虹》于 1972 年开始长期播出，旨在成为热门美国进口剧《芝麻街》的英国替代方案。Zippy 由资深傀儡操纵师 Violet Philpott 创建，但由于《彩虹》剧集的产出量极高，她在操纵傀儡时导致背部受伤。Ronnie Le Drew 于 1974 年接手，直到 18 年后该系列被砍为止。他指出，尽管该节目在早期强调教育职责，但后来逐渐变得更加闹剧化，Zippy 也变得更加顽皮。演员 Roy Skelton 在演播室的隔间里为 Zippy 提供了沙哑的鼻音（同时也为 George 提供了较为温和的抽鼻音）；他与 Le Drew 将自己视为一个双人组合，Skelton 能够立即根据 Le Drew 提供的动作调整表演，反之亦然。在剧集接近尾声、Skelton 离开后，Le Drew 同时也无缝接管了配音工作：“这已经深深植根在我的脑海里了。”在《彩虹》结束后，Le Drew 继续为各种重启版、衍生剧、广告以及在《名人果汁》（Celebrity Juice）和《最后一腿》（The Last Leg）等系列节目中的客串演出操纵并为 Zippy 配音。2002 年，George 和 Zippy 的新曲单曲《It’s a Rainbow》在排行榜上排名第 15 位，并他们在《流行之巅》（Top of the Pops）中进行了表演。Le Drew 和 Zippy 还巡演了各类俱乐部和学生会；最初 Zippy 会使用粗话和暗示，但很快就不得不清理其表演风格。
（此处为不相关段落：BOOTS BANTOCK 遗产） （KEN MCKAY / SHUTTERSTOCK） Boots Bantock 作为“巴斯之诗人”在朗诵，下方是他的一幅静物画。
（此处为不相关段落：描述关于拉贾斯坦邦和马哈巴利普拉姆的速写，以及与 Augustus John 相关的巡游生活，提及 Mark Palmer 和 Henrietta Moraes）
Le Drew 与他的其中一个傀儡，右图为《彩虹》之家：Zippy、温顺的熊 Bungle 和妖娆的河马 George
“他们不喜欢，”勒德鲁（Le Drew）观察到。“他们是来寻找记忆中的《彩虹》（Rainbow）的。”
尽管如此，一段由演职人员录制的私人小品——这是一集充满双关语的《彩虹》迷你片段，其中齐皮（Zippy）吹嘘自己有一个巨大的红色鼻子，而罗德、简和弗雷迪则拿出了他们的吉他——在YouTube上的播放量已达 5.5 million 次。
与乔弗雷·海耶斯（Geoffrey Hayes）不同（后者在《彩虹》完结后成为了一名小出租车司机和货架理货员），勒德鲁从未缺乏工作机会，《彩虹》仅仅是他作为英国顶尖木偶操纵师职业生涯中的一个方面。
他经常与吉姆·亨森公司（Jim Henson Company）合作，在《迷宫》（Labyrinth）、《麻布偶圣诞颂歌》（The Muppet Christmas Carol）和《小店恐怖集》（Little Shop of Horrors）等电影中操纵木偶：他特别自豪于最后一部电影中的一个场景，在那里他设法让巨大的食人植物奥德丽二世（Audrey II）用其中一根触手拨打旋转拨号电话。
勒德鲁凭借其手指的灵活性，被选中在Camelot公司制作的一系列长久播放的广告中担任模特，扮演那个从天而降并指向国家彩票中奖者的巨手——与此同时，一个声音在宣布“就是你！”。勒德鲁半小时的工作仅获得了 £50 的报酬，但他坚持说很高兴能拥有“全国最出名的一只手”。
罗纳德·弗雷德里克·勒德鲁（Ronald Frederick Le Drew）于 1947. 10月 23 日出生在多伦多的加拿大父母家中。他的父亲莱斯利（Leslie）是一名教师，也是一名亲英人士，他劝说妻子埃德娜（Edna，原姓布鲁克）移居伦敦，当时是在
穿梭于威尔士边境、西国家和凯尔特边缘的高地小路。
他那段时期的题材是萨默塞特郡亚瑟王之丘的抒情风景、朋友及朋友之友的乡村住宅、废弃的农舍和盆栽棚，以及保罗·纳什（Paul Nash）风格的孤独山毛榉树干之林。
在他那如画的眼中，他赞美那些衰败工业景观的阴暗面，以及在环境保护概念被发明之前的都柏林、伯明翰、东罗瑟海斯（East Rotherhithe）和瓦平（Wapping）的偏僻运河与仓库。在由他的校友罗布·斯图尔特（Rob Stuart）组织的朗顿画廊（Langton Gallery）举办的切尔西展览中，他曾展出过作品。
他难以驯服，甚至会洗劫赞助人的冰箱，坚称自己患有一种未确诊的疾病，需要每天吃六顿正餐，并配以大量的原麦酒（尽管他声称讨厌这种酒）以及他标志性的安德堡（Underberg）提神酒。
六十和七十年代回到伦敦后，在殖民之室（Colony Room）的波希米亚氛围中，他将自己塑造成一名喧闹的表演诗人。
出格是这个家族的基因。他的弟弟汤姆（Tom），被誉为“英格兰最著名的绅士偷猎者”，成为了一家位于迪恩街（Dean Street）且被不敬地称为...的场所的所有者。
罗尼和他双胞胎妹妹三岁时，全家住在斯托克韦尔的一个市政公寓里。在他九岁时，父亲给了他一些手套木偶，罗尼便通过表演节目，从父母关系紧张的婚姻生活中寻求慰藉。在手摇留声机的伴奏下，他常为坐在公寓楼水泥台阶上的大群孩子表演。有一次，他尝试了一次比平时喜剧风格更宏大的表演——木偶版《哈姆雷特》。当他偷偷拉开帘子观察观众反应时，发现所有人都已经离开了；在他此后的职业生涯中，他始终小心地优先考虑观众的需求。
在斯托克韦尔庄园综合学校，罗尼因为“有点弱不禁风”而受到欺负，被起绰号叫作“Le Drew-drop”，他回忆道。他在木偶戏中寻找慰藉，15 岁时去伊斯灵顿的一家新成立的木偶剧院——小天使剧院（Little Angel Theatre）观看了一场《小美人鱼》的演出。他被深深吸引，于是“简直是敲开了门，询问如何成为一名木偶表演者”，随后被剧院的创始人约翰·赖特和琳迪·赖特接收为一名无薪学徒。尽管他的父母被校长训诫——“你的儿子为了一个在我看来更像是爱好而非工作的活动而离校”——但他们同意支持他。不久后他的父亲突然去世，约翰·赖特同意每周支付他两英镑。
Le Drew “起初在扫地、泡茶，但最终得以操作木偶”。他随剧团在欧洲、以色列和美国巡演，并继续在小天使剧院工作。
“Blacks”，这与圣詹姆斯区某个体面的贵族聚集地截然相反。这为 Boots 提供了平台。
他身穿古董粗花呢或像小丑一样补丁累累的杂色衣服，鸡冠帽和袖子上叮当作响，朗诵着他的押韵打油诗。这些诗句长达数百行，节奏沉稳，他时而用雄浑的声音发出轰鸣，时而用极速的语调吟唱，偶尔流露出莎士比亚笔下弄臣 Feste 那样补丁拼接而成的智慧：
距离在这一片古怪的碎石岸边失准： 再也没有我可以称之为家的地方。
从索霍区到巴斯的旅游拱廊，他以“便士诗人”之名追求名声，在打烊后的街角大喊：“如果你给我三个词，我就给你一件即兴杰作。”他受戴·卢埃林之邀在多切斯特酒店表演，受伊维夫勋爵之邀在多弗街艺术俱乐部表演，还在切尔西艺术俱乐部表演，或在乡村别墅担任卡巴莱独唱者，并在爱丁堡艺术节进行过一场单口表演。自封为海温-怀（Hay-on-Wye）之王的理查德·布斯任命他为桂冠诗人并对他格外宽容，为了等待班托克承诺的一幅画，布斯等待了 25 年。当班托克抗议乡村环境被破坏而登上电视新闻时，他被人们称为“巴斯诗人”。在 1980 年的一次“地球之友”集会上，班托克与乔安娜·拉姆利、斯派克·米利根和迈克尔·帕林同台。当时有针对公制系统的痛斥（“支持英尺：绝不退让一英寸！”）以及针对各种道路规划的抨击。1994 年，他与贝尔·穆尼在小索尔斯伯里之战中联手，这是一次针对巴斯东部的一条绕行公路的直接行动抗议。另一场斗争是反对一条高速公路穿过奥特穆尔（Otmoor）湿地，这不仅威胁到水草地，还威胁到亨利八世在贝克利公园的护城河狩猎 lodge 的环境（那是他一直想画的一座房子）。此时他已将自己描述为“国民信托官方诗人”。1991 年，他被任命为斯托（Stowe）的隐士，居住在威廉·肯特在“恶行之路”（Path of Vice）上设计的粗石废墟中。在一次开放日，他被指示“从隐居室中跳出来，吓唬那些以为这座建筑里唯一的秘密就是点心的记者”。他从未结婚，从未定居，也从未出版过作品。《朗利特之林》（The Woods over Longleat）纪念了那些年
他住在朗利特（Longleat），巴斯侯爵允许他在那里停放他的大篷车。他的晚年是一段温婉的后记，依然在萨默塞特（Somerset）到汉普斯特德荒野（Hampstead Heath）之间漫游并吟诵，尽管此时他已坐在轮椅上，绘画也减少了。像他已故的兄弟汤姆（Tom）一样，他最终在诺福克（Norfolk）度过余生；据说两人都写过随笔形式的回忆录，但可能无法出版。他的两名妹妹以及一群忠诚但如今日益减少的朋友在世。
布茨·班托克（Boots Bantock），出生于 8 1941 年 5 月，逝世于 25 2026 年 6 月。
在余生中，他以木偶表演师、导演和教师的身份投身剧场；他将罗尔德·达尔（Roald Dahl）的《长颈鹿、鹈鹕和我》（The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me）改编为木偶剧，并获得了特别赞誉。他的其他项目包括在音乐剧《杜立特医生》（Doctor Dolittle）的巡演中扮演鹦鹉波利尼西亚（Polynesia，由朱莉·安德鲁斯配音），以及在《苏蒂秀》（The Sooty Show）中担任狗狗Sweep的内部操纵者。2015 年，他担任了由乔·赖特（Joe Wright）导演的奇幻电影《潘》（Pan）的木偶表演师，乔·赖特是他导师约翰·赖特（John Wright）和林迪·赖特（Lyndie Wright）的儿子。最近，他参与了电影《皮诺曹》（Pinocchio）的拍摄，在汤姆·汉克斯（Tom Hanks）饰演的格匹托（Gepetto）操作木偶的场景中担任替身，以及参与了《美女与野兽》（Beauty and the Beast）的拍摄。2022 年，他在诺里奇木偶剧院（Norwich Puppet Theatre）表演了木偶版《灰姑娘》。他的现场演出通常包含观众互动，鼓励参加者脱掉袜子，将其做成手套木偶，参与袜子合唱。
罗尼·勒德鲁（Ronnie Le Drew）从 2016 年起担任英国木偶与模型剧院协会（British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild）主席，并于 2019 年出版了自传《齐皮与我》（Zippy and Me）。
“我喜欢成为一名木偶表演师的原因之一是——我走在街上，没人真正认识我，”他观察到，“我不喜欢成为明星或电视上的面孔，我更愿意成为那些角色。”
1983 年，他与卡罗琳·阿斯特尔-伯特（Caroline Astell-Burt）结婚，并曾与她共同经营伦敦木偶学校（London School of Puppetry）。两人后来分居，他留下了一个儿子和一个女儿。
克里斯托弗·豪斯 (CHRISTOPHER HOWSE)
人们对18世纪英国宗教的普遍印象是：它枯燥、形式化且虚伪，戴着假发的教士们利用兼职领俸来中饱私囊，并在晚餐后喝掉几瓶波特酒而酩醉。这种观点忽略了那些对基督徒实践产生深远影响的虔诚浪潮。一个值得关注的年份是1729年，当时威廉·劳 (William Law) 出版了《虔诚圣洁生活的严肃呼吁》(A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life)。塞缪尔·约翰逊 (Samuel Johnson) 在19岁就读于牛津大学时读到了这本书，“原以为会是一本枯燥的书（这类书通常如此），也许还会嘲笑它。但我发现劳的文字对我来说是极具挑战性的；这也是我第一次严肃地思考宗教问题”。同样在1729年，约翰·卫斯理 (John Wesley) 和查理斯·卫斯理 (Charles Wesley) 在牛津大学基督教会学院建立了一个非正式协会，被嘲笑为“圣洁俱乐部”，后来演变成了循道宗。我并不是说劳或卫斯理兄弟发现了基督教中的新真理，而是他们希望宗教能改变他们的生活。在一种截然不同的文化中，一个我从未真正欣赏过的人也是如此：阿尔方索·利古里 (Alphonsus Liguori)。利古里比约翰逊和卫斯理兄弟大几岁，出生于1696年（但一直活到了1787年）。1871年，他被宣布为“教会博士”。对他基督教义方法的认可，集中在了一个曾让约翰逊深感痛苦的问题上：一个悔改罪人的圣洁之路。利古里生命中一个与此相关细节是，他的父亲在他在年幼时，坚持要求他每天练习三小时拨弦古钢琴。随后，利古里从青少年时期起就在民法律师领域出类拔萃。这里包含了两个元素——自律的习惯和强烈的法律意识——这在后年可能会引发问题。事实上，利古里深受所谓的“良心之责 (scruples)”之苦——这是一种强迫性的恐惧，担心自己冒犯了上帝，且未能真正地为罪孽悔改或获得宽恕。
利古里时代的那不勒斯，像整个基督世界一样，在努力尝试理解恩典与美德实践之间是如何联系的。一个后来被称为“詹森主义 (Jansenism)”的诱人虔诚流派坚持认为，在回应上帝自由赐予的恩典时，基督徒无法做出任何贡献。这导致了一种严苛主义，将罪责强加在违规者（即所有人）身上，并要求忏悔者在获得赦免之前，必须达到完美的痛悔并修正生活，更不用说被允许参加圣餐礼。詹森主义者（他们否认自己是詹森主义者）指责他们的对手，特别是耶稣会 (Society of Jesus) 的成员，存在令人不齿的宽松，这将导致他们的追随者最终陷入永恒的火海。利古里没有在詹森主义和耶稣会主义之间地找到中庸之道，但他确实在忏悔者进行圣事告解时向他透露的实际困难上，发挥了他敏锐的法律头脑。
卢森堡圣阿尔方索·利古里教堂的一扇窗户
我想利古里曾评论道，他从未拒绝过给忏悔者赦免。这可能是因为作为一名精神导师，他能够引导他们去理解客观上的错误，并在做了这些事之后感到悔恨。阿尔方索·利古里致力于帮助那不勒斯及其乡村的穷人。他深受风湿病之苦，更深受教会人士（甚至包括一位教宗）的敌视之苦，后者将他与他创立的救主会 (Redemptorists) 修会隔离开来。他仍时而被绝望所诱惑，最终在90岁时去世，留下了圣洁的名声。他在1839年被封圣，而他的瞻礼日正是今天。
** 2026年8月1日，星期六 《电讯报》
自金融危机以来最糟糕时期
与 艾玛·塔加特 (Emma Taggart)
房地产市场处于 金融危机以来 最糟糕的状态。 Johan Svanstrom 表示， 开发商们正“面临 自全球金融危机以来 最困难的局面之一”。 “因此，进入市场的新 开发项目处于 十年来的最低水平，” 他说道。 Svanstrom 先生表示， 该行业正因“延长”的 中东冲突、持续高企的 利率以及围绕下次 预算案的不确定性而 遭受打击。 他在 Rightmove 表示 其新房部门增长“低迷” 意味着今年的收入 增长将低于此前 预期时得出了这一结论。 该公司将增长预期 从 8-10% 下调至 6-8%。 Taylor Wimpey 首席执行官 Jennie Daly 另行警告称， 房地产市场正处于 “持久的低迷期”。 该建筑商已大幅削减 其投入的资金
接受票价上涨
来自欧洲低成本竞争对手的 挤压，因为度假者拒绝 由燃料成本上涨驱动的 票价上涨。 英国航空母公司 国际航空集团 (IAG) 首席执行官 Luis Gallego 表示， 由于靠近中东地区（如 塞浦路斯和土耳其）的 需求崩溃，该公司正与 来自欧洲廉价竞争对手的 大量运力激增作斗争。 这给这家国家航空公司的 短途航班利润率带来了 压力，因为消费者倾向于 选择廉价度假运营商和 航空公司。 Gallego 先生表示：“欧洲 是最具竞争力的地区。 我们看到运力增长 处于高位，特别是在 有超低成本航空公司的 地区。” 英国航空的母公司 已成功回收了其 约 60% 的增长额
È 澳大利亚 全普通股指数 9122.70 -77.00 -0.84%
Ç 巴西 博维斯帕指数 177158.86 +3273.52 +1.88%
È 中国 上海综合指数 3804.69 -23.78 -0.62%
Ç 法国 CAC 总指数 8485.64 +77.37 +0.92%
Ç 德国 DAX 指数 25612.03 +151.55 +0.60%
Ç 香港 恒生指数 25858.88 +50.96 +0.20%
Ç 印度 BSE S&P SENSEX 指数 77928.15 +273.55 +0.35%
Ç 日本 日经指数 61867.43 +433.24 +0.71%
È 新加坡 海峡时报指数 5673.58 -39.61 -0.69%
Ç 西班牙 马德里证券交易所 1956.70 +34.90 +1.82%
È 瑞士 SMI 指数 14392.49 -93.61 -0.65%
Ç 美国 道琼斯指数 52208.06 +613.92 +1.19%
Ç 美国 纳斯达克指数 25122.18 +679.24 +2.78%
Ç 黄金 每金衡盎司 $4113.11 +58.46 +1.44%
Ç 白银 每金衡盎司 £44.12 +1.05 +2.43%
Ç 克鲁格金币
£3015.62 +13.13 +0.44%
Ç 新主权金币
£714.18 +2.53 +0.36%
Ç 枫叶金币
£3044.06 +24.43 +0.81%
Ç 铂金 每盎司 £1236.74 +25.43 +2.10%
Ç 钯金 每盎司 £979.86 +31.25 +3.29%
Ç 铜† A级 £10275.92 +28.42 +0.28%
Ç 锡† 高级 £41111.86 +601.81 +1.49%
È 铅†
£1410.11 -16.95 -1.19%
Ç 锌† 特高纯 £2688.04 +0.16 +0.01%
È 铝† 高级 £2377.87 -11.74 -0.49%
Ç 镍†
£12894.70 +0.69 +0.01%
Ç 波罗的海干散货指数*
2673.00 +41.00 +1.56%
Ç 小麦 每吨 £199.75 +1.00 +0.50%
È 布伦特原油 9月交割 $89.03 -1.71 -1.88%
*版权所有：波罗的海交易所信息服务有限公司。†数据由伦敦金属交易所提供。
£ > 欧元 汇率 1.1672 变动 -0.03¢ £ > 美元 汇率 1.3428 变动 +1.39¢
旅游汇率 £1= 英镑 £1= 1 欧元 = 1 美元 =
澳大利亚 澳元 1.872 1.9169 1.6423 1.4277
加拿大 加元 1.8182 1.8821 1.6124 1.4017
丹麦 克朗 8.3186 8.7254 7.4752 6.4981
欧元 € 1.1395 1.1672 … 0.8693
香港 港元 9.9782 10.5322 9.0230 7.8438
印度 卢比 97.41 128.4726 110.0640 95.6787
以色列 谢克尔 3.8555 4.1154 3.5257 3.0649
日本 日元 213.0348 213.9337 183.2796 159.3250
科威特 第纳尔 … 0.4161 0.3565 0.3099
新西兰 新西兰元 2.2193 2.2912 1.9629 1.7063
并下调了其今年预计销售房屋数量的预测。 “我们正在尽一切努力降低业务成本，并尽可能提高效率，”戴利女士（Ms Daly）表示。 来自Nationwide的最新数据表明，由于伊朗战争推高了抵押贷款成本，房价增长已有所放缓。截至7月的12个月内，房产价值增长了1.8pc，低于截至6月时的2.2pc增长率。 6月至7月之间，房价微涨0.1pc，此前一个月则处于持平状态，使得平均房价为£277,542。 该贷款机构的首席经济学家罗伯特·加德纳（Robert Gardner）表示，房价的疲软反映了“不确定的经济背景”。 他表示：“地缘政治紧张局势依然高涨，伊朗与美国之间的冲突在近几周再次对能源价格和市场利率产生上行压力。” 英国央行在周四的会议上将利率维持在3.75pc不变，这已是连续第五次会议维持原利率。
1. 12 2. 0. £277,542. 3.
在其大部分航线网络中。但在欧洲，这一数字要低得多。 国际航空集团（IAG）表示：“在过去的几个月里，由于运力显著增长，这些市场的竞争极其激烈。” “这限制了我们通过定价来回收燃料成本增加的能力。” 英国航空（BA）从盖特威克机场（Gatwick）起飞的短途休闲航班——该机场是easyJet最大的枢纽，也是Wizz Air的主要基地——被认为利润空间受到挤压最严重。 他补充说，IAG旗下的航空公司将审查冬季月份在欧洲的风险敞口，以“保护盈利能力”。 英国航空在截至6月的三个月里营业利润下降了 2800 万英镑m，该公司发现，在较长的北大西洋航线上提高价格更容易，因为在那里它与美国航空公司竞争，而美国航空公司自身也实施了大幅度的票价上涨。
指数 / 变化 :--- 能源 & 气体 / +1.86% 航空航天与国防 / +0.91% 信息技术 / +0.59% Ç 投资信托 / 0.34 投资信托 / +0.34% Ç 燃气与水务 / 0.33 燃气与水务 / +0.33% Ç 电力 / 0.26 È 旅游与休闲 / -0.72 旅游与休闲 / -0.72% È 家用商品 / -1.05 家用商品 / -1.05% È 零售商 / -1.16 零售商 / -1.16% È 运输 / -1.17 运输 / -1.17% È 化学品 / -1.20 化学品 / -1.20% È 电信 / -1.31 电信 / -1.31% È 建筑 / -1.40 建筑 / -1.40% È 医疗保健 / -1.70 医疗保健 / -1.70% È 支持服务 / -1.74 支持服务 / -1.74% È 食品生产商 / -1.79 食品生产商 / -1.79% È 媒体 / -2.22 媒体 / -2.22% È 通用金融 / -2.23 通用金融 / -2.23%
政府债券
52周最高 / 52周最低 / 平面赎回 / 债券 / 价格 (£) / + / - / 收益率 :--- 107.53 / 103.38 / Treas / 6% / 28 / -0.11 / 5.78 / 4.31 102.33 / 97.08 / Treas / 4¼% / 32 / -0.20 / 4.34 / 4.64 99.39 / 92.65 / Treas / 4¼% / 36 / -0.32 / 4.53 / 5.06 102.00 / 93.84 / Treas / 4¾% / 38 / -0.34 / 4.99 / 5.29
指数挂钩证券
52周最高 / 52周最低 / 债券 / 价格 (£) / + / - / 收益率 349.35 / 338.41 / Treas 4⅛% IL 30 / 341.05 / -0.30 / 1.21 / 0.92 248.27 / 236.46 / Treas 2% IL 35 / 240.25 / +0.12 / 0.83 / 1.77
10年期政府债券
国家 / 收益率% / 与Bunds利差 / 与T-Bonds利差 法国 / 3.89 / +0.69 / -0.85 德国 / 3.20 / - / -1.54 日本 / 2.80 / -0.40 / -1.94 英国 / 5.05 / +1.85 / +0.31 美国 / 4.74 / +1.54 / -
下方的股价、市盈率和股息收益率由 Interactive Data (Europe) Ltd 提供。收益率是通过历史股息支付除以收盘股价并乘以 100 计算得出的。
52周最高 / 52周最低 (p) / 股票 / 价格 (p) / + / - / 收益率 / P / E 1527 / 902⅜ / Babcock Intl / 1121 / -4½ / 0.7 / 26.6 2360 / 1529 / BAE Systems / 2094 / +44 / 1.8 / 30.4 551½ / 398½ / QinetiQ ● / 506* / +8⅜ / 2.2 / 25.2 1532⅝ / 990 / Rolls–Royce / 1467¾ / +4¾ / 0.7 / 21.1 318⅛ / 161 / Senior ● / 290½ / — / 1.0 / -284.8
银行 -0.33%
52周最高 / 52周最低 (p) / 股票 / 价格 (p) / + / - / 收益率 / P / E 554⅛ / 352⅝ / Barclays / 508¾ / -2¼ / 2.3 / 11.6 563½ / 318⅜ / Close Bros ● / 425⅝ / +3¾ / — / -6.4 1604⅝ / 908¾ / HSBC / 1576 / -11 / 3.5 / 17.5 117¾ / 74⅜ / Lloyds Bk Gp / 114¾ / -1 / 3.5 / 16.4 722⅝ / 500¼ / NatWest Group / 705¾ / +22 / 5.0 / 13.2 1080 / 613 / Santander / 1050 / -4 / 1.6 / 13.5 2278 / 1285 / Standard Ch / 2188 / -28 / 2.4 / 15.1
饮料 -0.55%
2142 / 1295½ / Diageo / 1634½ / -9 / 3.8 / 20.8 3338 / 2426¾ / Croda Intl / 3205 / -66 / 3.5 / 72.2 2434 / 1730¾ / Johnson Mat ● / 1992* / -8 / 3.9 / -34.8 819 / 515 / Victrex ● / 783 / +3 / 7.6 / 24.5 900 / 539 / Balfour Beatty ● / 862½ / -11½ / 1.6 / 16.4 410¼ / 235⅜ / Barratt Redrow / 293¼ / -1¾ / 5.8 / 21.6 4442 / 2796 / Berkeley Grp ● / 3500 / -28 / — / 10.6 237 / 133½ / Boot H / 152 / — / 5.2 / 8.6 220½ / 124⅜ / Costain ● / 211 / -½ / 2.0 / 15.2 1009¾ / 788⅝ / Grafton Gp ● / 965¾ / -4 / 3.9 / 13.7 5730 / 3915 / Morgan Sindall ● / 4430 / -30 / 3.7 / 11.9 1552 / 947⅜ / Persimmon / 1107 / -4 / 5.4 / 12.4 116⅞ / 74⅛ / Taylor Wimpey ● / 78 / -5 / 5.3 / 27.9
电器 -0.52%
937½ / 613⅞ / Drax Group ● / 737½ / -7½ / 4.1 / 35.6 1428½ / 1000 / Nat Grid / 1190 / +5½ / 4.1 / 18.2 2767½ / 1597 / SSE / 2346* / -1 / 2.9 / 22.2
工程 / 工业 -0.43%
98⅛ / 71 / Coats Group ● / 80¼ / -¾ / 3.1 / 18.3
414½ 230 Cropper J 380 +23 — 12.3
28500 8306⅜ Goodwin ● 17320 +360 1.6 52.9
3076 2138 IMI 2936 -10 1.2 23.6
1129½ 660 Mondi ● 892¼ +16⅝ 1.4 27.9
38⅝ 21¼ Severfield 37½ -½ — -3.1
2746¼ 2088 Smiths Gp 2642 — 1.8 30.8
8050 5950 Spirax Gp 6945 -45 2.4 31.3
3580 2254 Weir 2636 -68 1.6 27.5
2359 1729½ Ass Brit Fds 2087 -4 3.0 14.7
5195 3270 Coca–Cola HBC 5010 -50 2.0 22.6
5810 4775 Cranswick ● 5350* -80 2.1 18.1
861 447⅞ Hilton Food ● 599 +31 5.8 6.8
138 87 REA Hldgs 109½ +½ — -210.5
5542⅛ 3644 Unilever 4743 -107 3.4 12.8
220¼ 152½ Centrica 155 +2⅜ 3.7 -103.3
606 439⅜ Pennon Gp ● 463* -1⅝ 6.3 23.9
3335 2381 Severn Trent 3018 -10 4.2 24.4
1497 1072 Utd Utilities 1383* +3 3.9 16.1
276½ 145⅞ Ashmore ● 206⅜ -⅝ 8.2 17.0
363⅜ 212 Bridgepoint Grp ● 320⅝ +4¾ 3.0 64.1
1880 1240 BrooksMacdonald 1425 +5 5.8 11.0
1956 1016 IG Group 1460 -246 2.9 10.1
2340 1424⅞ ICG 1888* -11 4.6 11.3
690 499⅜ Investec 649 +3 5.9 8.4
72 48 IP Group ● 62¼ +⅛ 2.0 8.6
385 223 Liontrust 284* 6.7 18.4
10290 6684 伦敦证券交易所 8398 -208 1.9 35.2
360½ 247 M&G 357½ +1½ 5.7 28.4
327¼ 154¼ Man Group ● 302¼ -11 4.2 26.4
209 150¾ Quilter ● 193¼ -2⅝ 3.3 21.7
2458½ 1620 S & U 1945 +5 5.9 10.0
599½ 358⅝ Schroders 588½ 3.7 17.3
132 77⅞ Vanquis Banking Gp 77⅞ -7⅜ — 24.3
416⅛ 274⅜ Haleon 363¼ -5¼ 2.0 19.5
1441½ 1050 Smith & Nep 1158½ -29½ 2.5 21.6
1376½ 976 Burberry 1187½ -6½ —
170 106¼ McBride 163 +¾ 1.8 8.4
113⅝ 65⅛ PZ Cussons 110¾ -1 3.2 -80.3
6522⅞ 3664 Reckitt Benck 5240 -60 4.1 11.2
309 196 Aptitude Sftwre 196 2.8 26.8
1234 771⅝ The Sage Grp 973¼ +5¾ 2.3 25.8
保险 -0.53%
265 177½ Aberdeen Group 240⅝ +1⅜ 6.1 11.1
3816 2624 Admiral 3772 -8 5.4 15.3
700¾ 590⅝ Aviva 693⅜ -2⅜ 5.7 25.8
1296 750 Beazley 1290½ — 1.9 11.4
1904 1246 Hiscox 1809 -7 2.1 13.5
700 549 Lancashire Hldg ● 602½ -7 2.8 6.7
310 217¼ Legal & General 300⅜ +⅜ 7.3 30.1
1238 910¼ Prudential 1116 -19 1.8 9.7
932 615 Standard Life 923 +1½ 6.0 -196.0
1575½ 1038¾ St James’s Place 1053½ -6½ 1.7 10.5
4497 1825 3i 2864 +17 3.0 3090
394½ 325 3i Infrastructure ● 380 -5½ 3.5 403
820 606 Aberdeen New India 730 +6 806
1356 1178 Alliance Witan 1345 +15 2.2 1406
764 439½ Allianz Tech Trust ● 670 +4 739
公司 营业额(£) 税前利润(£) 每股收益(p) 股息(p) 支付日 除息日
153⅜ 120⅝ Bankers Invstmt Tst ● 147* +1 1.9 161
1684 804 Biotech Growth 1602 -28 1757
284 197 BlckRckAmInc 279 -½ 5.0 278
205 116½ BlackRockEnrgy&Res 174 3.3 183
208 159½ BlckRock FroInv 187 -3½ 4.1 186
625 507 BlckRck Grt Euro ● 588 -1 1.2 632
238 198 BlckRck Inc&Grth 227* 3.4 262
288⅜ 230¾ BlackRock Small ● 269* +½ 2.9 306
1072⅞ 543⅛ BlackRock Wld M ● 883 +1 2.7 904
1562 1336 Brunner ● 1538* -2 1.8 1723
395 312 Caledonia ● 388* +3½ 2.0 594
599 486 City of Lon ● 593* 3.7 583
467 207 CQS Nat Res G & I 351* 8.1 350
330 270 CT Glbl Mgd G 320 324
135 114 CT Glbl Mgd I 131½ 6.1 131
592 439⅞ CT Priv Eq Ord 500* 5.6 695
373 320 CT UK Cap & Inc 358 -4 377
126 97 CT UKHighIncTst 116* -1½ 5.1 120
480¼ 460 Dunedin Ent # 475 4.8
860 737⅝ Edinburgh Inv Tr ● 844 -2 3.8 918
294½ 185¾ Edin Worldwide ● 232½ -½ 256
1332 325¾ F&C Inv Trust 331¼* +1¼ 1.3 366
672 546 Fidelity Asian V 588 -6 3.5 621
339 241 Fidlty Chna Sp Sits ● 268 +3 3.4 278
442 367½ Fidelity Euro Tst ● 428½ -½ 2.3 451
469½ 372 Fidelity Sp V ● 463½ -1½ 2.2 464
924 706¼ Finsbury Gwth ● 804 -6 2.5 871
198⅜ 162⅜ Glbl Small Co Trust ● 191¾ +1⅜ 1.6 201
212¼ 173¼ Hend High Inc 205 5.4 217
966 769 Hend Smaller Co ● 953 3.0 1034
3290¾ 2285 Herald Inv ● 2950 3244
524⅜ 318⅝ HgCapital ● 390 +1½ 1.3 530
138 107¼ HICL Infrastructure ● 136 6.2 161
1611⅜ 1288¼ ICG Enterprise Tst ● 1440 +18 2.9 2034
980 782½ JPM Claverh’se ● 974* +4 3.7 991
153 121½ JPM Eur G&I ● 146¾* +⅝ 3.7 148
849 633 JPM Japanese ● 789 1.1 846
722 522½ Land Secs 705½ -15½ 5.8
186½ 141½ Lowland Inv 182½* -1½ 3.7 201
282 234¼ Mercantile InvTr ● 276½* -2½ 3.0 309
673 536 Merchants Tst ● 666* 4.5 707
[!NOTE] 本章节源文包含大量外语数据与图片版面，已进行结构化对齐优化。
1664 1322 Monks ● 1578 +12 0.1 1665
1034 854⅝ Murray Income ● 1020 — 4.0 1099
371 283½ Murray Intl ● 368½* +1½ 3.4 364
57 47 Northern 2 VCT 54 +2 5.6 55
86½ 79½ Northern 3 VCT 84½ +3½ 5.3 85
59½ 53 Nthn Venture 57½ +2½ 5.4 58
437 345 Pacific Assets 412 +8 1.4 442
409 319½ Pantheon ● 395 +1½ — 526
2610 1906⅛ RIT Cap Ptnrs ● 2565 — 1.8 3159
319 281¼ Ruffer Inv Pref ● 296½ +½ 2.1 305
738 488¾ Schroder Asian TR ● 690 +23 1.7 710
561 480⅛ Scot American ● 555 -3 2.9 598
1563 1015¾ Scot Mortgage 1330½ +15½ 0.3 1458
253 215⅞ STS Global Income 229 -3 3.7 235
352 196¼ Tmpletn Em Mt ● 305* +7½ 1.7 334
364½ 291 TR Property ● 318 +½ 5.1 351
398 306½ Worldw HealthTr ● 376 -1 0.6 406
净资产值 © 2026 Morningstar，基于前一交易日收盘价估算，详见 www.Morningstar.co.uk。
844⅜ 418⅝ Autotrader 523¾ 2.2 15.3
690 435 Bloomsbury ● 611* -12 2.7 18.4
1000 719 Informa 885¾ -28 2.5
87⅜ 65¾ ITV ● 74¼ -1 6.7 12.6
1337 874¾ Pearson 1257 -35½ 2.0 24.5
75⅜ 40⅛ Reach 44½* -1½ 13.2 -1.1
3976 1991 RELX 2607 -68 2.6 23.2
827 391⅜ Rightmove ● 464⅝ +7¾ 2.3 16.5
412⅜ 218½ WPP ● 298¾ 5.0 5.9
矿业 -0.25%
4239 2042 Anglo Amer 3733 +7 0.8 -15.2
4475 1850½ Antofagasta 3655 -49 1.3 36.5
3495 1873½ BHP Group 3134 -24 3.3 23.7
81 81 Evraz # 0.5
4472 1371 Fresnillo 2475 -47 3.8 17.7
707¼ 275¼ Glencore 543 +4 2.3
858 246¼ Hochschild Mng ● 431⅜ -7⅝ 1.0 14.9
345 178⅜ Kenmare Res 198 +⅜ -0.7
9117 4344½ Rio Tinto 7174 +38 4.8 15.7
609⅜ 397⅛ 英国石油公司 552½ +9⅝ 4.5
28 9¾ EnQuest 23⅞ +⅛ 3.4
553 288½ Hunting ● 443½ +3½ 2.2 22.8
3758½ 2553¾ Shell 3383½ +64½ 4.5 15.0
制药 -0.63%
15732 9892 AstraZeneca 12632 -88 1.9 25.8
3228¾ 1943 Genus ● 2194 -50 1.5 74.9
2282 1288⅝ GSK 1931½ -8½ 3.6 13.7
2004 1187 Hikma ● 1585 -9 3.9 11.7
房地产 -0.23%
16 6½ Alina Hldgs 10 17
1208 800½ Big Yellow Gp ● 887½ +1 5.3
446⅜ 318⅝ Brit Land 442 -1¾ 5.2
2136 1469⅜ Derwent Ldn ● 2104 -12 3.9
377 270 Gt Portland Est ● 349 -4¾ 2.3
213 149½ Grainger ● 174½ -1¼ 4.8 6.4
383 263⅜ Hammerson ● 382 +13¼ 4.8
997⅜ 603 Segro 965 -1⅝ 3.3
162⅞ 124⅛ Shaftesbury Capital ● 143¾ -2¼ 3.0 7.7
140 104 Town Centre 130½ -½ 3.8
175 132¼ Tritax Big Box 170⅛ -⅞ 4.9 183
169½ 106 Currys ● 167⅞ -¼ 1.8 10.8
1249 707 Dunelm ● 869½ -20½ 8.1 11.3
828½ 598 Frasers Group ● 810½ -½ 9.3
2046 1407¼ Greggs ● 1880 -152 3.7 15.7
[!NOTE] 本章节源文包含大量外语数据与图片版面，已进行结构化对齐优化。
106⅛ 64 JD Sports Fash 89½* -3⅞ 1.3 10.4
372¼ 240¼ Kingfisher 308⅝ -1⅛ 4.0 22.0
412¼ 301⅛ Marks & Spen 405⅛ -4⅜ 1.0 31.9
4 ⅝ Mothercare ¾ -¼ — 0.6
15310 11200 Next 14845* -395 1.8 19.5
397⅞ 140¼ Ocado ● 211¾ +¼ — 4.5
575 200 Pinewood Tech 430 -1 89.6
695 172½ Saga ● 672 -7
380¼ 291¼ Sainsbury J 359⅜ +3¾ 3.8 20.8
1120 378⅝ Smith WH ● 433⅜ -11⅝ — -3.9
510⅜ 406⅞ Tesco 489½ -2½ 3.0 17.8
2832 1981 Bunzl 2802 +6 2.6 19.9
416 215 Capita 258½ -6½ — -1.8
6740 4188 DCC Energy 6330 3.4
114⅝ 78⅜ Essentra 104¼ -1¾ 2.0
4054 2203 Experian 2790 -108 1.9 22.8
5850 3519⅜ Intertek Group 5840 +5 2.8 26.8
250¾ 163½ Int’l Workplace ● 197⅛ -2¾ 0.5
172⅛ 123¾ Johnson Serv ● 150⅜ +¼ 3.2 16.2
214 134¾ MITIE Gp ● 207* -1 2.2 31.4
507 344⅝ Rentokil 344¾ -7¼ 2.7 24.9
325¾ 205 Serco Group ● 241⅝ +¼ 1.9 16.8
15¼ 6¾ SIG 8¾ +¼ -1.6
723½ 493⅜ Travis P ● 554½ -6 2.2 -6.7
242⅛ 173 BT Group 201¼ -2¾ 4.1 18.3
1936 638 Telecom Plus ● 851 +3 5.9 8.4
131⅛ 80⅝ Vodafone 117⅞ -1⅝ 3.4 -83.5
烟草类 -0.05%
5326 3677 Brit Am Tob 4570* +4 5.4 13.0
3632 2626 Imp Brands 2825 -17 5.9 11.3
490 294½ ZIGUP ● 462½ -5½ 5.8 13.7
683¾ 332⅝ easyJet ● 630 +5¼ 2.1 9.6
1031 500⅜ Entain 541⅜ -8¾ 3.6 -5.2
240⅜ 152⅛ FirstGroup ● 184⅜* +½ 3.9 8.6
23610 6722 Flutter Entrtmt 7588 -48.6
776 544 Fullers ‘A’ 714 -26 3.0 18.2
492⅞ 332¾ IAG Intl Cons Air 431⅞ -6¾ 1.6 7.1
13305 8458 Intercont Hotels 11941¼ -45¼ 1.1 32.7
301½ 223½ Mitchells&But ● 276 -4 9.3
38⅛ 17 Mobico Group 23¾ -2¾ — -1.1
447 210 Playtech ● 378⅝ -9¼ — 0.9
164⅝ 86 Rank Group ● 96¾ -3⅝ 3.0 10.2
786½ 530½ Wetherspoon ● 778 +5 1.5 13.0
3302 2098 Whitbread 2510 -17 3.9 20.4
AIM -0.09%
89⅜ 36¾ Afentra 62½ +⅞ -60.1
1130 799 Arbuthnot 840 6.5 7.7
244 125¼ Central Asia Met 147⅜ -¾ 8.1 -4.7
872½ 98 Ceres Power ● 347 -¼ -14.2
460 271 Churchill China 385 -5 5.5 9.7
380 194 CML Micro 280 +5 3.9 -848.5
1538 881⅛ Cohort 1226 -8 1.5 23.5
176½ 101 Eleco 133½ 0.9 83.4
13½ ¼ Futura Medical ⅜ … -0.2
161½ 112 James Halstead 120 7.4 12.4
405 200 Mpac Group 325 -10.2
1800 1100 MS Intl 1440 1.8 21.4
68 34½ Premier Miton 37½* 8.0 48.1
74 46 Tribal Gp 63 +1 2.1 15.0
1½ ½ Xtract Resources 1¼ +⅛ -5.4
替代投资市场 (AIM) 适用于年轻且成长中的公司。其股票可能比全额上市股票承担更高的风险，且可能难以出售。
美国股票 +1.04%
52周 高 低 股票 价格 + / - 增长率 覆盖率
84⅜ 28⅛ Alcoa $ 45⅛ +⅛ 0.9 9.8
387½ 288⅜ Amer Express $ 336⅞ -¾ 1.1 4.1
63 44¾ BankAmerica $ 62⅛ +⅜ 2.1 3.2
254⅜ 176¾ Boeing $ 215⅛ -5¾ —
113⅝ 84⅝ Coca–Cola Euro $ 109¾ -1⅞ 2.2 0.8
99⅜ 74½ Colgate Palm $ 91¼ -⅜ 2.3 1.2
ExxonMobil Hldgs $ 154 2.7 1.4
383 261¾ Gen Electric $ 360⅞ +5¾ 0.5 4.5
426¾ 289⅛ Home Depot $ 331½ -1¾ 2.8 1.5
Honeywell $ 243⅛ 1.2 5.0
29⅝ 17½ HP $ 27⅛ +¼ 4.4 2.3
332½ 199¼ IBM $ 220½ -1¼ 3.1 1.7
142⅜ 19 Intel $ 92½ +1¼ —
52¼ 29¼ Intl Paper $ 41¼ -2 2.8
359¼ 279⅛ JP Morgan Ch $ 353⅝ +2¾ 1.7 3.5
274⅞ 164¼ Johnson&John $ 257⅝ +1⅞ 2.1 1.6
36 24⅞ Keurig Dr Pep $ 31¼ -⅜ 2.9 1.7
57⅛ 25⅛ Manpower $ 51¾ -⅛ 2.8 0.2
341¾ 261 McDonalds $ 269⅛ +¾ 2.8 1.6
135 77½ Merck $ 130¾ +1 2.6 1.1
555½ 349¼ Microsoft $ 463⅝ +12½ 0.8 4.9
28¾ 23⅛ Pfizer $ 25⅛ +¼ 6.9 0.8
167¼ 137⅝ Procter & Gamble $ 143¾ -⅛ 3.0
221⅜ 150⅝ Raytheon Tech $ 215 +⅝ 1.4 2.0
497⅜ 305½ Rockwell $ 474⅞ +3⅞ 1.2 1.8
505⅞ 348 Trane Tech $ 454⅝ +14⅜ 0.9 3.1
135⅛ 95⅜ Wal Mart Strs $ 111½ +⅜ 0.9 2.9
119⅞ 92¼ Walt Disney $ 96 -¼ 1.6 4.2
5¼ 1¼ Xerox Hldgs $ 3 -½ 3.3 83.4
欧洲股票 -0.09%
67⅝ 46⅛ AkzoNobel € 60¾ -⅜ 3.3 2.3
97⅞ 56⅜ BMW € 59¼ -⅞ 7.4 2.7
17½ 12 Carrefour € 16 -⅛ 7.4
77½ 53⅛ Continental AG € 71⅞ -¼ 3.8 0.3
62⅜ 42⅝ Daimler € 46¾ -⅜ 7.5 2.9
80⅛ 60⅝ Danone € 67½ -⅞ 3.3
58⅛ 37 Deutsche Post € 57¾ … 3.3
34⅜ 23½ Deutsche Tele € 26¾ -⅜ 3.7 2.0
80¼ 63⅞ Heineken € 78½ -½ 2.4 2.5
654¾ 440 LVMH € 475⅛ +1⅞ 2.7
82½ 60⅛ LafargeHolcim SFr 73⅜ -2⅛ 2.3 1.9
10¼ 6¾ Lufthansa € 9 3.7 9.0
[!NOTE] 本章节源文包含大量外语数据与图片版面，已进行结构化对齐优化。
15 3½ 诺基亚 (Nokia OYJ) € 8 … 1.8 0.9
35¾ 25½ 米其林 (Michelin) € 35 +½ 3.9 1.7
107½ 58⅝ Pernod Ricard € 67⅞ … 6.9 1.4
27¾ 20⅞ 飞利浦 (Philips (Kon)) € 22¾ -⅛ 3.7 0.6
284⅝ 198 西门子 (Siemens) € 282⅝ +1½ 1.9 2.0
82⅛ 50⅞ 法国社会银行 (Societe Gen) € 81¼ +¼ 2.0 4.2
10½ 4⅝ Stellantis € 5 -⅛ 13.7 1.1
279¼ 212⅝ 泰雷兹 (Thales) € 245⅞ +2⅝ 1.6 2.1
81⅜ 49¼ 道达尔 (Total) € 76⅜ +⅞ 4.6 2.0
44½ 28¼ 瑞银集团 (UBS AG) SFr 42½ -⅛ 2.0 2.3
37⅝ 27⅜ 威立雅环境 (Veolia Environ) € 34½ -1⅜ 4.4 0.3
110¼ 71 大众汽车 (Volkswagen) € 75⅞ -¾ 6.9 2.6
近期发行
Bravura Solutions 134 +1 — —
300 125 Coastal Africa Group 200
5¼ 3⅝ Mendell Helium 3¾ 1.2
[!NOTE] 本章节源文包含大量外语数据与图片版面，已进行结构化对齐优化。
订阅我们的免费每日 商业简报
市场
富时100指数 道琼斯指数
11000
10950
10900
前收盘价
前收盘价
10850
10800
上午10点 中午12点 下午2点 下午4点
上午10点 中午12点 下午2点 下午4点
10868.05
52周最高 10979.60
52周最低 9027.94
收益率 2.95 +0.01
pc
-29.22 (-0.27pc)
市盈率 15.72 -0.09
将 Argos 出售给私募股权公司
作者：Emma Taggart
在以 £1.4bn 收购零售商 Argos 十年后，塞恩斯伯里 (Sainsbury’s) 已同意以 1.2 亿英镑m 的价格将其出售。这家超市巨头昨日确认，计划将 Argos 出售给 Swift Partners，这是一家由私募股权集团 True Capital 成立的新公司，交易预计将于明年 2 月完成。该超市表示，出售 Argos 将使塞恩斯伯里能够创建一个利润率更高且增长更快的简化业务。该公司在 2016. 年以 £1.4bn 的价格收购了这家目录店。塞恩斯伯里承认，1.2 亿英镑m 的费用将被将 Argos 从超市中分离的成本所抵消，这意味着该交易不会带来净收益。塞恩斯伯里的首席执行官 Simon Roberts 表示，该超市连锁店已“仔细考虑了为 Argos 创建尽可能强大的未来所需的条件”。由于家庭在疲软的经济环境中紧缩开支，且面临在线零售商的激烈竞争，该品牌一直深陷销售下滑的困境。Roberts 先生表示：“这是一个让 Argos 在合适的未来归宿中走上正轨的重要时刻。对于塞恩斯伯里团队来说，[这] 使我们能够再次真正地将全部信心加倍投入到塞恩斯伯里食品业务的潜力中。”自 Roberts 先生在 2020. 年就任首席执行官以来，该超市连锁店已将其业务重心重新聚焦于食品。根据交易条款，Argos 门店仍将在塞恩斯伯里超市内运营。客户仍可在这些门店中使用他们的 Nectar 积分。Argos 的新所有者 Swift Partners 由前 Morrisons 高管 Trevor Strain、Matt Truman 以及零售业资深人士、前 Co-op 负责人兼 Hut Group 主席 Richard Pennycook 领导。他们成立 Swift Partners 就是为了收购 Argos。分布在各门店的约 14,000 名员工
以及
作者：Louis Goss
由于这家负债累累的超市连锁店在扭转局面方面陷入苦战，莫里森 (MORRISONS) 累计亏损近 £1bn。 由于遭受网络攻击以及其便利店连锁店的减值准备，这家杂货商去年的税前亏损为 9.26 亿英镑m。 亏损包括 2.97 亿英镑m 的异常成本，其中 9700 万英镑m 与其在 2022, 年收购的前 McColl’s 新闻代理连锁店（现已更名为 Morrisons Daily）的减记相关。 在提交给公司注册处 (Companies House) 的账目中，该超市还披露了
作者：Tim Wallace
最大 涨幅 国民西敏寺集团 (NatWest Group)
+22 (+3.22pc)
最大跌幅 IG Group 1460p
-246 (-14.42pc)
作为交易的一部分，配送中心将转交给Argos。Pennycook先生表示：“明天一切照常。我们会制定计划，但那是增长计划，将在未来几个月内与团队合作开发。” “这里没有剧烈的波动……这只是在继续推动Argos目前的运行方向。” 这家家居用品和电子产品零售店在来自Temu等低价中国竞争对手以及美国在线巨头亚马逊的压力下陷入苦战。当这家超市巨头在 2016, 年收购Argos时，Sainsbury's称此次收购是加强其非食品业务并推动两个品牌共同增长的一种方式。然而，分析师警告称，Argos的在线流量已被竞争对手蚕食。去年圣诞节的流量与三年前相比下降了30%。Sainsbury's在 2020 年关闭了 420 家Argos独立门店，并削减了该零售店 3,500 个工作岗位。在最新的年度报告中，Sainsbury's对Argos的估值仅为 3.44 亿英镑m。这家超市连锁店此前以 7.2 亿英镑m 将Argos的贷款账本出售给了信用卡提供商NewDay Group。该超市（捷克亿万富翁Daniel Křetínský为其主要股东）去年曾与京东(JD.com)进行过旨在出售Argos的谈判，但未能成功。然而，该交易在由《电讯报》披露后 24 小时内便崩溃了。独立零售分析师Richard Hyman表示：“Argos起初可能就不是一次非常好的收购。不过，那已成为历史。Sainsbury's的交易情况一直很好。” “在我看来，它非常强劲，但我认为Argos一直以来可能会分散一些注意力。” Hyman先生补充道：“从Sainsbury's的角度来看，这是良好的管理。它清理了局面，移除了一个真正处于次要地位且不那么重要的部分。” 最新的公司业绩显示，目前拥有 201 家独立门店和 466 家Sainsbury's店内门店的Argos，在截至 2025. 年3月的年度中报告了 2.232 亿英镑m 的税前损失。巨额亏损增加了人们的猜测，认为Sainsbury's的高管将试图甩掉这个陷入困境的品牌。
由于 2024 年底其一家技术供应商遭受网络攻击影响了其仓库运营，导致了 3700 万英镑m 的损失。Morrisons报告称，在截至去年10月的 12 个月里，其同店销售额增长了 2.8pc，并表示其持续经营的调整后收益保持在 8.35 亿英镑m 的稳定水平。该公司声称，工党 2024 年预算中的增税增加了约 £200m 的成本。
这家前“四大”超市一直与长期销售下滑、来自折扣店的激烈竞争以及自被美国私募股权公司Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) 收购以来服务于巨额债务产生的巨大成本作斗争。
伯纳姆将如何为其支出承诺提供资金。梅尔爵士说：“所以现在我们知道了。在获得具体细节之前，还有89天是没有资金支持的支出承诺和损害经济的税收猜测。” 希利先生表示，预算案“将符合我们的财政规则”，并将“为企业和家庭提供规划未来所需的部分稳定性”。 然而，直到10月底才揭晓，这使得人们担心会重复过去两个夏季的情况，当时政策选项被反复提出随后又被抛弃。
52800
52600
52400
52200
52000
51800
52周高点 53289.30
52485.03
52周低点 43340.68
+276.97 (+0.53pc)
0.
作者：James Warrington
泰勒·斯威夫特（Taylor Swift）所属唱片公司增长速度的放缓，引发了人们对流媒体热潮即将结束的担忧。
全球最大的音乐公司环球音乐集团（Universal Music Group）报告称，今年第二季度营收为 €3.3bn (£2.8bn)，比 12 个月前增长 10.5%。这主要得益于流媒体营收 14% 的增长。然而，这些数字未能达到预期，且标志着增长率连续第二个周期放缓，同时利润下降 2% 至 €1.3bn。
在更新数据发布后，环球音乐的股价大跌，跌幅高达四分之一，触及历史低点。
环球音乐旗下的艺人还包括 Noah Kahan、Drake 和 Olivia Dean，该公司将增速放缓归咎于近几个月发行计划较为“轻量”。然而，在经历多年的高速增长后，人们越来越担心流媒体热潮正开始消退。
Morrisons 杂货市场份额，排在 Lidl (8.8pc)、Aldi (10.8pc)、Asda (11.5pc)、Sainsbury’s (15.2pc) 和 Tesco (27.9pc) 之后
在 2024 和 2025 年预算案之前的长期不确定性削弱了商业信心，迫使退休人员改变财务计划，并促使潜在购房者在等待税收规则确认期间暂停行动。
希利先生承诺：“这将是一次将资金和权力从威斯敏斯特移出，并将其推向英国境内每一个邮政编码区域的预算案。”
他表示，政府已经在“快速行动以恢复希望并支持英国的社区”。
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在 2021. 年，Morrisons 表示利息成本降低了 29% 至 2.81 亿英镑m，且年底净债务为 £3.2bn。
在其美国所有者的领导下，这家超市采取了激进的转型战略，目标是削减 £1bn 成本，并在价格上与竞争对手竞争。
今年早些时候，Morrisons 宣布关闭 100 家前 McColl’s 新闻代理店，并将成本上涨归咎于“政府的政策选择”。Morrisons 首席执行官 Rami Baitieh 此前曾抱怨超市面临“雪崩般的成本”。
该零售商于 1 月关闭了位于西约克郡韦克菲尔德的 Rathbones 面包店，导致 115 个工作岗位面临风险，随后该场地被 Warburtons 收购。
今年早些时候，它在英国第五大超市的地位也被 Lidl 超越。
在 CD&R 收购后，Morrisons 的债务立即增加了一倍多，达到 £7bn，其中一部分是通过再融资实现的。
作者：汤姆·海恩斯 (Tom Haynes)
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泰勒·斯威夫特最新的专辑《演出女郎的生活》(The Life of a Showgirl) 于去年10月发行。
经纪公司伯恩斯坦 (Bernstein) 的分析师将这些数据描述为“各层面均不尽人意”，而摩根大通 (JP Morgan) 的研究员丹尼尔·克文 (Daniel Kerven) 表示：“无需掩饰，这是一个糟糕的季度。”
随着焦虑情绪在市场蔓延，美股上市的竞争对手华纳音乐 (Warner Music) 的股价下跌了 5.6%。Spotify 成立于 2008, 年，被广泛认为在数字时代 (era.) 初期盗版将音乐产业推向崩溃边缘时挽救了该行业。
但经过多年的两位数增长，随着市场达到饱和，Spotify 的增长开始冷却。这家瑞典巨头一直在推行涨价以驱动收入增长。反之，由于生活成本担忧，资金短缺的消费者重新考虑其订阅计划，或选择更便宜的广告资助层级，这给公司带来了影响。
通过交易和成本削减计划。该公司在 2024 年以 £2.5bn 的价格出售了其加油站部门，从而减少了借款。
该超市目前正与美国投资公司 Realty Income 洽谈一项 6 亿英镑m 的售后回租交易，以为其门店释放资金。Morrisons 控制了约 80% 门店的永久产权，这一比例在行业中处于最高水平。
Aldi 在 2022, 年超过 Morrisons 成为英国第四大超市，而 Lidl 在今年 5 月将 Morrisons 挤到了第六位。
一名 Morrisons 发言人表示，该超市“年度税前标题亏损反映了增加的异常成本，主要是非现金减值费用，其中一个重要因素是对收购的 McColl's 业务价值的减记”。
他补充道：“债务和利息成本均有所降低，业务的基础表现依然强劲。”
根据 Numerator 旗下 Worldpanel 的数据，Morrisons 在 7 月占据英国杂货市场的 8.5%，仅比 12 个月前高出 0.1 个百分点。
Aldi 和 Lidl 分别持有 10.8% 和 8.8% 的份额，而排名第三的 Asda 拥有 11.5% 的市场份额。
Sainsbury’s 以 15.2% 排名第二，而英国最大的零售商 Tesco 拥有 27.9% 的市场份额。
1. 5. 8. 10. 11. 15. 27.
一个 8,000 席位的体育场，并曾在当地被宣传为一项具有变革意义的投资。
但官员警告称，该计划存在使居民接触到“不利水平的铅”的风险，从而造成“严重的健康风险——特别是对于儿童、孕妇和老年人”。
拒绝申请的核心原因是该地块靠近 Britannia Refined Metals，它是欧洲最大的铅精炼厂之一。
官员警告称，尽管政府在更广泛的推动下计划在 2029 年前在英格兰交付 1.5 million 套新房，但该计划存在的问题“明显地”超过了其收益。
居住在该地块公寓中的人将面临“慢性铅暴露”的风险，其铅含量最高可达伦敦通常水平的 19 倍。
官员表示：“换句话说，该申请地块是英格兰最不适合建设住宅和公共开放空间的场所之一。”
已联系开发商寻求评论。
马修·林 (MATTHEW LYNN)
英国石油公司 (BP) 决定切断与北海 (North Sea) 的联系，表明了政府的税收劫掠如何扼杀该行业。
当时看起来是个好主意，但对于 Sainsbury’s 来说，收购 Argos 简直是浪费时间和资源。 马修·林 (Matthew Lynn)
大概 Swift Partners 的某位高管得去当地的 Argos 门店，在手机上出示一个代码来领取他们的新收购资产，或者在有人尝试从仓库中将其取出来时在旁边等待。在 Argos 购物从来不是一种光鲜的体验，而接管这家公司的情况应该也不例外。随着 Sainsbury’s 终于甩掉这个麻烦的部门，其管理层和股东无疑会松一口气。然而，一个残酷的事实无法回避：对于这家杂货连锁店来说，这是一次灾难性的交易——并且让它失去了一个十年。Argos 待售的消息对任何人来说应该都不会感到惊讶。唯一真正的惊喜是 Sainsbury’s 终于找到了愿意接手的人。在去年与中国京东 (JD.com) 的交易失败后，为了此次收购而成立的新公司 Swift Partners 已同意以 1.2 亿英镑m 的价格接管该连锁店。我们将拭目以待 Swift 能想出什么办法来扭转局面。至少它不是 Modella，这家收购专家接管了高街上的 WH Smith 并将其更名为 TG Jones，同时也接管了 Hobbycraft，将这些业务拆得七分碎片并将损失转嫁给房东。在理查德·彭尼库克（Richard Pennycook）身上，Argos 在团队中拥有了一位具有零售经验的人员，即便他来自那些主流杂货连锁店中最乏味的一家。目前很难感到乐观。Argos 基本上是一家前互联网时代的业务，源自于那个“目录”就等同于网络的时代。将其与超市合并终究是为了将其拖入 21 世纪，而随着这一尝试现在已成为过去（尽管目前取货点仍将保留在 Sainsbury’s 中），很难想象它将如何与亚马逊或 Temu 等新一代中国零售商竞争。不幸的是，很难不怀疑 Swift 将仅仅寻求
迈克·库普（Mike Coupe，前排）在 2016 年担任 Sainsbury's 首席执行官时收购了 Argos。他的继任者西蒙·罗伯茨（Simon Roberts，右）将将其出售。
以快速获利并继续前行。 然而，真正的损失在于 Sainsbury's。该公司在 2016 年以 £1.4b 的价格收购了当时的 Home Retail Group（包括 Habitat）。当时的计划是打造一个全方位服务的零售商，让顾客在进行每周购物的同时，能领取几把预订的甲板椅和一个新的手机充电器。
公平地说，这并不是一个完全荒谬的想法。如果成功，它本可以创造一个良性循环：Argos 的加入会吸引更多人选择在这里购买基础杂货，而大量的取货点则会增强 Argos 的竞争力。问题在于，利润空间极低，且品牌形象陈旧得令人绝望。Sainsbury's 始终无法使其盈利。
现在，该公司终于设法摆脱了它，尽管承受了令人尴尬的巨额损失。当然，损失并不完全像标题数字所示的 £1.2b 那么多。这家杂货连锁店在 2024. 年以 7.2 亿英镑m 的价格出售了 Argos 的金融服务部门。但这仍然是一笔巨大的浪费。
即便如此，这其实并不是问题的核心。问题在于：Sainsbury's 浪费了整整十年试图让这笔交易奏效，而这段时间它本可以做更多事情。
只需看看一些数字。在接管 Argos 时，Sainsbury's 的市场份额为 16.5pc，而两家折扣零售商 Aldi 和 Lidl 远在其后，合计市场份额仅为 10pc。而今天呢？它的市场份额为 15pc，而 Tesco 以 28pc 遥遥领先，两家德国所有权的连锁店目前的合计份额为 19pc。换句话说，Sainsbury's 出现了退步。
同样，股价也痛苦地揭示了过去十年代价之高。在过去的 10 年里，Sainsbury's 的股价仅小幅上涨了 40pc，而 Tesco 的股价上涨了 200pc 以上。美国最大的杂货连锁店沃尔玛（Walmart）在同一时期的涨幅超过 500pc，而荷兰和比利时领先的连锁店 Ahold Delhaize 的股价则翻了一倍多。无论从哪个角度看，Sainsbury's 的表现都明显逊于同行。
原因不难理解。如果我们将时钟拨回 2016, 年，Tesco 当时陷入了巨大的困境。菲利普·克拉克（Philip Clarke）在两年前刚被替换掉首席执行官的位置，该公司发布了 20 年来的首次利润预警，且其会计问题受到质疑。诚然，戴夫·刘易斯（Dave Lewis）已经加入该公司，并开始执行后来被证明是大师级的扭转计划。但机会就在那里，Sainsbury's 本应乘胜追击。
与此同时，十年前，Aldi 和 Lidl 还只是小角色，仅限于市场的低端。直到近年来，它们才成为英格兰中产阶级的宠儿，而 Sainsbury's 没能阻止它们的扩张。从某种意义上说，这家连锁店很幸运。当它在纠结如何处理 Argos 而不知所措时，Asda 和 Morrisons 的私募股权所有者们表现得更加糟糕。如果那些公司没有深陷债务，且没有被一群分不清水果区方向的人管理，Sainsbury's 可能会失去更多的市场份额。
即便如此，这仍是一次代价昂贵的分心。Sainsbury's 仍然有潜力成为一家出色的英国公司，而这类公司现在已经寥寥无几。但收购 Argos 让她损失了十年，而这段时间她本可以取得更多进展。现在，它终于摆脱了这桩麻烦的业务，它需要开始更加努力地为客户和股东创造价值。
给北海石油复兴的希望 带来沉重打击
决定退出英国 海域，表明该行业 的时间已所剩无几 作者：Jonathan Leake
安迪·伯纳姆表示，英国“不能忽视”北海的石油和天然气，并承诺在盆地钻探方面将采取比其前任更“务实”的方法。
然而，如果新任首相希望扭转英国油气工业的急剧衰退，他刚刚遭受了一次重大打击。
英国石油公司决定退出北海——这是由能源和税收政策的灾难性结合，加上其自然衰退共同驱动的——这对英国能源工业来说是一个分水岭时刻。
该公司从一开始就进入了北海，在 1964 年获得了首批勘探许可证之一，并于一年后在东英吉利海岸发现了 West Sole 气田——这是英国最早的发现之一。
1970, 年，它实现了离岸历史上最重大的发现之一：强大的 Forties 油田。与其他发现一起，该油田释放出的大量原油引发了一场真正的石油繁荣，使英国在 20 世纪 80 年代初成为石油净出口国。
然而很快，英国石油公司将在 60 年多以来首次在英国海域不再拥有业务。如果伯纳姆希望吸引对北海的新投资，那么我们石油工业的先驱退出，将是没有比这更糟糕的广告了。
英国石油公司相对新任的首席执行官麦格·奥尼尔表示，这一决定是出于将“资本导向最高价值机会”的愿望。在一些观察家看来，这证明了
伊朗战争开始以来的 最高水平
作者：Tim Wallace
随着中东地区重新爆发战斗，汽油价格达到了伊朗战争开始以来的最高水平。
根据 RAC 的数据，无铅汽油价格昨日上涨至每升 160 便士。汽油价格目前处于 2022, 年以来的最高点，当时俄罗斯入侵乌克兰导致能源价格飙升。
目前汽油价格比 2 月底战争开始前（当时每升约 132 便士）高出 20% 以上。
RAC 的政策负责人西蒙·威廉姆斯表示：“这意味着为一辆家庭用车加满无铅汽油的成本已上升至 £88。”
柴油的涨幅更为剧烈，目前价格比 2 月份水平每升高出近 37 便士，平均约为 179 便士。
“柴油看来将继续上涨，并可能在未来几周内达到每升 185 便士，”威廉姆斯先生说。
加油站的成本上涨是由飙升的油价驱动的，随着唐纳德·特朗普与德黑兰的和平协议破裂，上周油价触及每桶 $100。
全球基准布伦特原油昨日交易价格在 $90 左右。
燃料成本仍低于弗拉基米尔·普京入侵乌克兰后创下的历史最高记录，当时汽油价格曾攀升至每升 191 便士。
在伊朗封锁霍尔木兹海峡后，海湾地区的冲突引发了燃料成本的剧烈上涨，这导致……
1964 英国石油公司获得了早期的北海勘探许可证，一年后在东英吉利海岸发现了 West Sole 气田。
1965 年，该公司首座北海钻井平台 Sea Gem 号导致 14 人丧生。
MAJID ASGARIPOUR / WANA VIA REUTERS
船只在伊朗班达尔阿巴斯海滩附近的霍尔木兹海峡等待
1970 该公司在离岸历史上取得了最重大的发现之一：强大的 Forties 油田。到 1978 年，它供应了相当于英国石油需求的 20pc。
对北海重复的税务突袭使其几乎变得无法投资。阿伯丁和格拉米安商会首席执行官 Russell Borthwick 表示：“这一决定再次严正提醒人们，在经历了多年的政策不确定性、惩罚性税收以及关于行业未来的矛盾信号之后，人们对英国大陆架的信心已遭到严重打击。”在 2022 年能源价格飙升时，保守党首次征收了意外之财税，为能源公司创造了短期暴利。该税率最初为 75pc，但在 2024 年被新成立的工党政府提高到了 78pc。对于英国石油公司（BP）来说，影响是立竿见影的。其税务报告称，这一决定使其额外损失了 5.39 亿英镑m，面临的英国综合企业税率为 52pc——是 25pc 标准税率的两倍多，且远高于其在大多数其他国家支付的税率。英国石油公司（BP）的税务报告警告称，英国的能源利润税（或意外之财税）已“给英国石油和天然气工业带来了显著的不确定性”。与此同时，前能源大臣 Ed Miliband 作为工党净零政策的一部分，禁止了新的油气勘探。惩罚性的税务突袭以及政府发出的明确信号（即石油和天然气没有长期未来），正驱动着公司离开北海。英国另一家大型石油公司壳牌（Shell）已经策划了部分退出。它将其所有英国离岸资产转移到了 Adura，这是一个与 Equinor 50-50 持股的合资企业。雪佛龙（Chevron）和康菲（ConocoPhillips）等其他石油巨头则将资产出售给了规模较小的独立公司。英国石油公司（BP）的北海业务仍具有潜在的高度盈利能力。例如，Clair 油田——英国大陆架上发现的最大油田——仍含有 70 亿桶原油，使其成为即将出售的资产中英国石油公司（BP）最有价值的资产之一。同样的情况也适用于东槽区项目（ETAP），这是一个位于阿伯丁东部由管道和枢纽连接的油田网络。它是英国的关键燃料生产商，Seagull 和 Murlach 油田在过去三年中开采。总计，英国石油公司（BP）在 20 到 25 个活跃的英国油田中持有权益，这些油田在未来几年内可能依然盈利。但现在的问题是：谁会买入北海业务？今年早些时候，一项将北海业务以 £2bn 出售给较小的苏格兰石油公司 Ithaca Energy 的交易破裂了。这不仅仅是一个商业问题。能源大臣 Miatta Fahnbulleh 表示，北海是“一项至关重要的国家资产”，并确认她正与英国石油公司（BP）保持密切联系以保障就业。她还重复了安迪·伯纳姆（Andy Burnham）关于对油盆采取“务实做法”的承诺。但采取行动的时间可能已经不多了。
STUART CONWAY
苏格兰民族党（SNP）在西敏寺的领导人 Dave Doogan 表示：“工人们不需要首相的想法或温情的话语，我们需要果断的行动来保障就业、能源安全以及对北海的信心。苏格兰最重要产业之一的毁灭正发生在我们眼前。”保守党呼吁安迪·伯纳姆（Andy Burnham）废除 Miliband 对北海新许可证的禁令，并批准 Jackdaw 和 Rosebank 项目，这些项目因法律和政治争端而陷入停滞。此外，关于英国石油公司（BP）的问题也依然存在。
1980s 除其他发现外，Forties 油田释放了巨大的原油流量，引发了真正的石油繁荣，使该国在 20 世纪 80 年代初期成为石油净出口国。
2022 当能源价格和利润飙升时，时任财政大臣里希·苏纳克（Rishi Sunak，右图）征收了 75% 的超额利润税。2024 年，工党政府将该税率提高至 78%。
对英国的承诺。该公司总部仍设在英国，O’Neill 表示，英国“将继续在我们的未来中发挥重要作用”。但英国石油公司已经退出英国一段时间了。它将出售在 Net Zero Teesside Power 的大部分股份，这是一个建设配备碳捕捉技术的燃气轮机电站的项目。它还准备出售 Northern Endurance Partnership 20% 的股份，这是一个将东北部碳捕捉项目的二氧化碳运输并存储在北海海底的计划。
英国石油公司在设兰群岛以西的 Clair 油田的权益是其将出售的资产之一
July 31, 2026 英国石油公司宣布将退出北海，原因是能源和税收政策的灾难性组合，以及该盆地的自然衰退。该石油巨头的股价在宣布后不久上涨。
其他英国资产包括 Air BP，在全国 60 多个地点提供航空燃料和服务，以及加油站和一个大型电动汽车充电网络。所有这些都可以由子公司运行，而其总部位于伦敦的贸易和航运部门则很容易被迁移。英国石油公司表示其致力于此。但投资者似乎喜欢退出的想法：在宣布退出北海后，英国石油公司的股价上涨了近 1%。如果该公司离开英国，Burnham 的北海头痛问题将从糟糕变得更糟。
在伦敦阳光明媚的肯辛顿花园，跑步者和骑行者留在小径上
作者：Joe Shute
在这次打破记录的酷热之前，我从未听过“夏季分枝脱落”（Summer Branch Drop）这个词，幸运的是，我是通过报纸发现这个词的，而不是通过一棵橡树砸在我的头上。根据从伦敦海德公园到斯坎索普的诺曼比大厅乡村公园以及怀特岛的园丁所述，这种情况是一个迫在眉睫的可能性，人们被警告不要在任何悬空的树枝下逗留。在极端干旱期间，树木进入生存模式，对于成熟且看起来健康的样本来说，这可能意味着突然丢弃被认为多余的树枝，以保护其主干的生命维持系统。像橡树、柳树和杨树这样的古树风险尤其大。除了被强行从唯一的阴凉处赶到泛黄的开阔公园草地上的残酷感外，我也在思考，如果我们不能再坐在树下，我们将失去什么。毕竟，那里是创造历史的地方。约翰·济时的《夜莺颂》是在一棵李树下创作的；而艾萨克·牛顿是在他林肯郡家中观察苹果从树上掉落时，发展出了万有引力理论。如果当时是一根掉落的树枝击中了他，事情会有多么不同？著名的躲在橡树中的查理二世，如果 1651 年的夏天像现在这样，可能会遭遇一个完全不那么受欢迎的结局。这个周末大胆在林间散步安全吗？我无法确定，但天气终于开始恢复到某种正常状态，大多数人的气温处于平均水平。不过，降雨依然很少；我们将不得不等到下周，才能在英格兰和威尔士各地迎来迫切需要的阵雨。在那之前，小心树枝折断。
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全能之选 从克鲁夫茨狗展到温布尔登网球锦标赛， 克莱尔·鲍尔丁始终保持着完美的专业水准， 且绝不慌乱。杰克·里尔与她一同漫步， 探讨她对乡村的热爱，以及她繁忙日程表中的 下一步计划。
封面：克莱尔·鲍尔丁，摄影：马特·里特尔。本页：盖蒂图片社 (GETTY IMAGES)
你好，多莉：尽管她现在已经 80 岁了，但帕顿女士依然充满能够填满体育场的活力。
杂志广告主管，克莱尔·朱翁：claire. juon@mailmetromedia.co.uk
专题
美好生活
条纹之美 触手可及
被框住了 Willa 照片框，£54，Rebecca Udall
绿意盈窗 饮水杯，£35（四只装），The Conran Shop
万事以茶为先 小型茶壶，£158，Feldspar Studio
条纹好运 Pembroke 床上用品，£45 起，Piglet in Bed
为我带来阳光 大圆盘，£130，Bettina Ceramica
编译：杰西卡·索尔特
国王之手 双层烤箱手套，£26，Aga Cookshop
谢幕时刻 Rhode 浴帘，£65，Toast
我的周六
这位 79 岁的餐厅老板兼室内设计师，讲述海景、遛狗和长时间热水浴带来的快乐
7.30am 四十年前，我那时应该已经起床在海鲜餐厅 (The Seafood Restaurant) 的厨房里忙碌了，但现在我可以睡到 7.30am，然后必须带我的狗出去。他是一只名叫 Bocca 的工作可卡犬——在我儿子杰克 (Jack) 有了孩子且 Bocca 变得有点吃醋后，我从他那里接养了过来。我已经养了他五年了，他现在年纪渐长，但每天 7.30am 必须得出去。
8am 我端起一杯茶，回床里躺着。我在特雷沃恩 (Trevone) 的家中可以欣赏到惊人的海景，那里位于帕德斯托 (Padstow) 沿海上方，所以我坐着凝视大海，这让我集中精力面对新的一天。我有点新闻成瘾，所以我浏览所有的报纸和网站。我喜欢了解世界上发生了什么，以及人们是如何思考的。
采访：杰克·雷尔 (JACK REAR)。SAM A HARRIS / PA, GETTY IMAGES
9am 我带 Bocca 穿过田野，走到天然游泳池散步。如果是低潮期，他就会游一次泳。可卡犬热爱游泳。然后我会回来吃一点早餐。我很无趣：通常是酸奶和加入一些水果的隔夜燕麦。但我也每天会吃一块巧克力来开启新的一天。
11am 我可能会洗个热水澡。我通常启动较慢，喜欢放松。我需要思考的时间，而洗澡是为此提供的理想场所。这是我从经营餐厅起就养成的一种习惯。里克 [她的前夫] 总是抱怨我在浴缸里花太多时间。但我会通过洗澡来完成从“母亲”到戴上“餐厅老板”帽子的角色转换。我花很多时间思考事情；这有助于我产生灵感。我认为当今世界的问题之一是人们没有时间产生灵感，因为他们太忙了。我一直想尝试冥想，但我的大脑太活跃了。洗澡对我来说一直至关重要——它就是我的“智库”。几年前，我的儿媳和我一起推出了护肤系列产品 Porthdune，这在一定程度上是受到了我对洗浴之爱的启发。
1pm 我可能会去海鲜餐厅 [她共同创立的餐厅] 喝杯咖啡。能看到自己参与建设的成果感觉很棒。然后我可能会带 Bocca 沿着卡梅尔小径 (Camel Trail) 散步。那里曾经是从伦敦出发的铁路干线，风景绝对迷人。它向你展示了康沃尔郡 (Cornwall) 的另一面——不是大海，而是河流，所以感觉略有不同。
3pm 我会做很多园艺工作，尤其是在夏天。我可以轻而易举地在花园里待上几个小时。主要是维护工作。我雇了一个女孩来修剪草坪，还有一个园丁负责种植。我在花园里的一些树下、一床薰衣草后面放了一把椅子，所以我喜欢坐在那里欣赏花园。这给我一种平和与宁静的感觉。
5pm 因为之前在餐厅工作，我从未习惯吃午餐。如果家人在场，我会根据他们的时间表吃晚餐。里克和我都不是那种时刻照顾孩子们的祖父母：我们不能太可靠，因为我们太忙了。但我喜欢让他们来家里吃晚餐。我倾向于不做太繁琐的菜肴，因为我想享受我的夜晚。我非常喜欢《电讯报》中戴安娜·亨利 (Diana Henry) 的食谱。最近我读到了她一个非常出色的沙拉食谱，是用油桃和奶酪做的。我有一个 Pinterest 收藏板，我会把所有最好的食谱贴在上面。我一直在尝试增加我的烹饪储备。有时我还是会做鱼，但同样保持简单：高温烤箱，少许鳕鱼覆盖橄榄油、百里香和柠檬皮屑，烤 6 分钟。配上一些可爱的鲜新鲜小土豆。
晚上10点，我的放松程序包括听音乐。我的父亲曾是一名爵士钢琴师，所以音乐一直是我生活中的重要部分。我的侄子是一位名叫 Judge Jules 的 DJ；我以前常去他在伊比萨岛举办的俱乐部之夜，在那里我爱上了 Calvin Harris 的音乐。我可能还会看一会儿电视。我不像以前那样读那么多书了，因为网上有太多值得关注和尝试的事情。我尽量在天还亮的时候就上床睡觉——在闭上眼睛前能看到大海的感觉很棒。
《海鲜餐厅：食谱与故事》（The Seafood Restaurant: Recipes & Stories），由 Rick Stein 和 Jill Stein 著（Jon Croft Editions 出版，£35 ），现已上市。
工作并没有使我
尽管克莱尔·鲍尔丁（Clare Balding）身着一件薄荷绿T恤和卡其色徒步裤，显得十分随意，但当她穿过一片枯黄的田野向我走来并伸出手问候时，她的发型依然一丝不苟。我们在北威塞克斯丘陵（North Wessex Downs）中心的希普德罗夫有机农场（Sheepdrove Organic Farm）见面，这位 55 岁的主持人及公认的国家瑰宝整个上午都在这里拍摄。这是一个没有微风的炎热日子，我并不责怪鲍尔丁的小团队在面试开始前鼓励她休息片刻并喝杯水。不过，对于一个以职业操守著称且经常被描述为“充满活力的曲棍球手类型”的女性来说，鲍尔丁自然不接受这种安排，并要求我与她共进午餐。今天上午，她一直在农场附近的驱牛者小径（Drover’s Path）上拍摄，这是一条著名的徒步路线，传统上农民会通过这条路将牲畜赶往市场。
“这实际上就是驱牛者的M4高速公路——它将西康郡与伦敦的里奇韦（The Ridgeway，另一条著名的徒步路线）连接起来，”鲍尔丁在品尝库斯库斯（couscous）和沙拉的间隙热情地说道，“这是我最喜欢的徒步类型之一：遮荫良好，周围树木环绕的感觉让你心情更舒畅。” 在为她的 Radio 4 徒步节目《漫游》（Ramblings）工作了近 27 年之后（“每年三季，所以通常是刚结束一季就直接进入下一季的录制”），鲍尔丁依然是这个以伦敦为中心的媒体世界中的稀有之辈：一个对乡村事务拥有显而易见之深厚热情的女性。虽然在希普德罗夫她如鱼得水，但她很清楚，我见到她时所处的这种田园环境绝非常态。
“我们今天是在一个经营了 30 年的大型且非常成功的农场，但如果你突然被扔到一个账目无法平衡的破旧小农场，这一切将极具挑战性，”她解释道。“在许多方面，乡村就意味着农民。没错，确实有大片区域不是农田，但很大一部分是。他们为了我们的利益而维持乡村的美丽，为了我们的利益而生产食物，因此，如果他们不需要去应对政府制定的每一项繁琐要求，那将会很有帮助。” 她指的是近年来由《电讯报》等报纸和《克拉克森的农场》等电视节目详细记录的农民日益增加的困境。英国的农村社区正面临来自极端天气、成本上升、价格下跌以及官僚程序增加的真实且日益增长的威胁——尤其是前财政大臣瑞秋·里夫斯（Rachel Reeves）近期带来的遗产税变更。鲍尔丁认为，解决这些苦恼需要全国上下共同参与。
“我内心那个理想主义者（我也确实非常理想主义）看着这个国家的地图，心想，‘好吧，看看所有……”
“那些步道，看看所有那些河流，看看所有那些开阔地，我们如何才能让更多的人在享受这些的同时支持当地经济？因为当地经济，也就是农村农业社区，是大局中的微观经济。”鲍丁和她的弟弟安德鲁在乡村长大，在位于汉普郡乡村 1,500 英亩土地上的 Park House 马厩。他们的母亲是德比伯爵的后裔艾玛·黑斯廷斯-巴斯 (Emma Hastings-Bass)，父亲是著名的赛马训练师伊恩·鲍丁 (Ian Balding)，后者于今年 1 月去世。伊恩本人曾是一名成功的骑师，他训练的 Mill Reef 被誉为 20 世纪最伟大的赛马之一，他还训练了伊丽莎白二世女王的一些马匹，因此成为了女王的亲密友人。事实上，克拉尔的第一匹坐骑 Valkyrie 就是由已故女王赠予该家庭的。安德鲁现在已经接管了训练师的职责；在上周末的雅士谷赛马会上，在 Kalpana 赢得乔治六世与伊丽莎白女王锦标赛后，现场气氛十分感人，而 Mill Reef 在同一赛事中夺冠已过去 55 年。鲍丁在伯克郡查赛姆附近的独立学校 Downe House 就读，随后进入剑桥大学纽纳姆学院学习英语。在那里期间，她曾担任剑桥联盟协会主席，同时也是一名业余平地赛骑师。大学毕业后，她开始在 BBC 国家广播电台担任实习生，在多家 BBC 广播电台工作，随后在 1994. 年被要求在电视上介绍皇家雅士谷赛马会的精彩回顾。次年，她开始主持 BBC 的赛马现场报道。然而，尽管她热爱户外活动，但鲍丁直到相对较晚的时候才迷上徒步。1999 年，当时 28 岁地她接到一个来自 BBC 制作人的出乎意料的电话，这永远改变了她的生活。在她的回忆录《徒步回家》(Walking Home) 中，她回忆起对方询问她是否徒步。 “嗯，我会遛狗……”她回答道。从那时起，徒步成了她的一种生活方式。在我们见面之前的两周里，她一直在主持 BBC 的温布尔登报道，此时她正迫不及待地想进行一次畅快的漫步：“我最近完全没时间徒步，我很想念它。我也热爱高尔夫，显然那也涉及大量行走。我某种程度上需要它。我意识到——大概是在 2010 冬奥会期间——当我在外工作时，我会非常想家。‘我对此深感困扰，以至于我非常确定工作并不能让我快乐。我虽然在报道惊人的赛事，但被思乡之情淹没了。我意识到我需要自然光，我需要行走，而且我需要每天给爱丽丝 [阿诺德 (Alice Arnold)，以 Radio 4 新闻播报员和衔接播报员身份著称，鲍丁于 2006, 年与她建立民事伴侣关系，并于 2015 年 4 月结婚] 打电话。只要我能安排好这些事情，我就没问题。’ 在巴黎奥运会上，鲍丁说她花在城市漫步上的时间与报道赛事的时间一样多。‘我会每天让自己走出去。我可以在走路时工作，听播客，在主持前做功课。’ 她说，一次完美的徒步包含几个关键因素：‘我热爱任何有风景的地方，我喜欢靠近河流；我喜欢林地，但不喜欢人工林，因为我觉得人工林很压抑且千篇一律，而且应该有一定的攀爬地段，这样你才能拥有绝佳的视野，理想情况下沿途还应有一些历史气息，[约克郡的] 戴尔斯小径 (The Dales Way) 就是我的...’
皇家犬业俱乐部 / BEATMEDIA, BBC
经历所有那些繁琐的程序， 将会很有帮助”
最喜欢的长途徒步路线，但我也很喜欢北安伯兰郡的圣奥斯瓦尔德之路 (St Oswald’s Way)，它始于圣岛 (Holy Island)，然后在退潮时穿过河口。” 适时地，巴尔丁 (Balding) 来这里为 Cottages.com 拍摄一些宣传片段，该网站正在推出一系列新的交互式地图，涵盖英国一些最美丽的酒吧徒步路线。“我热爱酒吧徒步，”她热切地说道。“我喜欢有熊熊炉火的酒吧，有一把略显破旧的大旧扶手椅，让我能穿着徒步靴走进去。显然，[一家优秀的徒步酒吧] 必须对宠物狗友好，并且需要提供美味的食物——不需要高档，只要是好吃的酒吧餐就行。” 尽管关于谁能进入乡村的讨论仍在继续，但巴尔丁很高兴看到，由于有了更多便捷的住宿选择，现在比以往有更多的人走进自然。 “在我成长过程中从来不是这样的；你要么需要认识相关人士，要么得找当地酒店，”她说。“我认为如果人们感觉不安全——担心牲畜，或者担心迷路——他们很快就会被劝退。我认为这就是为什么即使从学生时代起，我们就需要鼓励年轻人将徒步变成他们日常生活的一部分。” 尽管她是英国广播界最知名的面孔之一，但她说她在徒步时很少被认出来。“有一个很简单的办法可以确保没人认出我，那就是戴顶帽子——仅需如此，”她笑着说。“我想如果你在行走，认出你的概率其实并不大，直到你走过去了。然后，我想人们可能会说‘那是……吗？’但那时他们已经走远了。”
从上至下：今年 Crufts 展的第一天；与作家凯特·摩根 (Kate Morgan) 在峰区 (Peak District) 为《漫步》(Ramblings) 拍摄
下方：与她的妻子合影 Alice Arnold —— “每当我不在家时，我需要每天给她打电话” —— 出现在《名人 Gogglebox》节目中
STUDIO LAMBERT, CODY BURRIDGE / BBC / PA WIRE
当她被路人拦住时，公众通常“非常友好且亲切”。在她看来，成名与“住在村子里没有区别——人们认识你，可能会在周围注意到你，但那是带着喜爱和温暖的”。“我想，我并没有在扮演某个角色，”她沉思道。“我就是我。所以人们会和我聊体育，聊温布尔登网球赛的 Arthur Fery，或者冬奥会的 Curling（ Curling / Curling，此处指冰壶）是不是太精彩了？这很惬意，也很简单。”人们现在基本上不再问她关于参加《名人叛徒》（The Celebrity Traitors）的事情了，该节目于 2025 年秋季播出。“那是过去的事了，”她耸耸肩。“但这确实改变了孩子们对我的认知度。以前从未有过 8 岁、9 岁和 10 岁的孩子认出我，所以这让我很惊讶。”Balding 参加该节目是希望为英国癌症研究基金会（Cancer Research UK）赢取奖金，该基金会是她长期支持的众多慈善机构之一，而她本人曾在 2009. 年成功治疗过甲状腺癌。当时公众对她在节目中的表现有一些谴责，因为在第一集中，她犯了一个错误，导致 Charlotte Church 不得不放弃她辛苦赢得的“盾牌”。“你必须做出在现实生活中不会做出的决定，”Balding 解释道。“如果你想争取盾牌，你会觉得必须拿到它，即使这意味着要剥夺他人的机会。我平时并不那么残酷。我想这激发了一种马基雅维利式的本能。你必须做一个决定：你是要不惜一切代价‘赢得比赛’，还是保留某种道德准则？”无论如何，Balding 还是在三集之后被其他参赛者淘汰了，但她说她基本上并不在意公众如何看待她在节目中的表现。“我已经足够老，也足够丑，知道自己无法给人留下深刻印象，或者让他们喜欢我，”她说。“作为一个讨好他人的人，试图这样生活是没有意义的。你做不到。你唯一能做的就是让自己失望。我不想让自己失望。”Balding 解释说，《叛徒》在某种程度上“像现实生活”，因为某些参赛者的声音似乎比其他人更有分量。“我们高估某些人，低估其他人——[英格兰橄榄球运动员] Joe Marler 非常敏锐，但没有人在听他说话。[在《叛徒》中] 就像在现实生活中一样，你必须建立联盟。诚然，在现实生活中，你希望不必对他人产生怀疑，但你确实需要找到可以信任的人。如果你支持他们，他们也会支持你。”
Balding 说，正是这类联盟支撑了她 32 年的广播事业，特别是与女性体育解说同行之间的关系。“Gabby Logan 和我关系非常密切，我们可以聊一些很少有人能聊的话题；Hazel Irvine 和我也相处得很好，Sue Barker 和我也相处得很好，”她说。“但总的来说，是制片人、导演、现场执行……在温布尔登执导的 Sarah Williams，现场执行 Karen Graham 和 Daniel Woodhouse —— 如果这些人在我身边，我知道我就没问题。”
“不过，电视直播总是令人兴奋的。通常在三月举行的 Crufts 狗展是我一年中的第一个直播节目，我总是想：‘天呐，我还记得怎么做吗？’没有第二次拍摄机会，也没有真正的排练时间。你直接进入状态，上场，交谈并采访人们，而且你得知道什么时候该闭嘴。”
上方：在第一季《名人叛徒》中：“这激发了一种马基雅维利式的本能”
如今，BBC 有一批五十多岁的女性主持人，她们在曾经被认为由男性主导的行业顶端为自己开辟了空间：克劳迪娅·温克尔曼 (Claudia Winkleman)、达维娜·麦考尔 (Davina McCall)、泰丝·戴利 (Tess Daly)、加比·洛根 (Gabby Logan)……“我认为我们当时都处于机会曲线的起点，”鲍尔丁 (Balding) 说道。“我们在 20 多岁时得到了机会，而我认为之前的女性则更为艰难。”
在主持了八届夏季奥运会、七届冬季奥运会、五届残奥会的报道，以及 Crufts 狗展、温网、波特赛 (Boat Race)、体育救济基金 (Sports Relief) 以及各种皇家活动之后，鲍尔丁无疑是 BBC 最璀璨的明星之一。她同时也是一名繁忙的慈善工作者，担任残疾人骑乘协会 (Riding for the Disabled)、英国残奥会协会 (British Paralympic Association)、多样性榜样 (Diversity Role Models)、敏特里奇基金会 (Mintridge Foundation) 和简·汤姆林森呼吁基金 (Jane Tomlinson Appeal) 的赞助人，并且担任受伤骑师基金 (Injured Jockeys Fund) 和海伦·罗拉森癌症慈善机构 (Helen Rollason Cancer Charity) 的副赞助人。但我在想，她尝试参与这个国家最受欢迎的真人秀电视竞赛——
并不困扰我。它在 一些我原本可能不具备 权威的地方给了我权威”
……这是否标志着她正在寻找新的挑战？ “你这么说很有意思，”她回答道。“我从未经营过企业，也从未参与过产品的开发。这一切都将改变。” 目前，她对细节保持缄默，但她向我保证，“这与狗有关，而且非常令人兴奋”，此外还给了几个耐人寻味的提示：其中涉及“成分”，且巴尔丁一直在兰开夏郡的普雷斯顿周围花时间开发该产品，但她坚定地表示，“这不是狗粮”。 克莱尔对狗的热爱众所周知。她与狗信托基金会（Dogs Trust）有着长期合作，除了主持克鲁夫茨犬展（Crufts）外，她还养了一只西藏梗犬阿奇（Archie），养了 15 年，直到它在 2020. 年去世。她承认，自从阿奇去世后，她的生活中留下了一个“狗形空缺”。“我现在在看电子表格，”她愉快地说道。“我参与了一项与零售商的交易；我还得处理在霍尔木兹海峡被扣押的原材料——这是一个我从未经历过的全新世界。所以这非常有趣。而且我还可以在路上奔波，去见人们以及他们的狗。” 巴尔丁最迷人的地方在于她的热情，但她并不把任何事情视为理所当然。“你仍然会有演出前的紧张感，”她承认。而且她不希望错过任何细节。当我问她写这本书的初衷时，她迅速地纠正我：“这是我的第 10 本书，当然你早就知道了。”我解释说，我指的是她的最新一本书，她的第一部成人小说。“这个想法源于那种你想要逃离伦敦的梦想。”她那讽刺的微笑让我相信，这里的“你”实际上是指巴尔丁自己，尤其是因为她在西伦敦的奇斯威克住了 25 年后，最近确实搬到了萨里郡安静的小镇埃舍。 在我们共处的整个过程中，巴尔丁始终维持着她在电视上呈现的那种得体、权威的形象。她沉着冷静，克制，甚至可能有一点古板，并且经常给人一种她更倾向于提问而非回答问题的感觉。尤其是当她被提醒还剩多少时间后，她猛地跨过桌子，翻阅我的笔记本，看看我是否遗漏了任何重要内容。“天哪，你的字写得真工整，”她在阅读我的问题时说道。然后她停了下来，眯起眼睛读道：“‘你的气质有点像 BBC 的校园女领袖’，这困扰你吗？”我本希望能找到一种更委婉的询问方式，但她向后仰起头，发出了一声好意的笑声。 “嗯，我确实当过校园女领袖，”她承认道。“这困扰我吗？”她思考了一会儿。“它应该困扰我吗？它在一些我原本可能不具备权威的地方给了我权威。你认为我应该比这更酷一点吗？我想，与克劳迪娅相比，我确实有点古板。但我不在乎。不，我觉得这样很好。我想成为什么样的人呢？我无法改变我的本性。” 事实是，巴尔丁完全符合这个刻板印象，不过我认为这并不是一个完全负面的印象。她了解自己，知道自己的能力，并且绝不妥协：“我反感的是群体心态。我不喜欢每个人都试图做同样的事情。我非常喜欢独特性，尝试在事情上寻找自己的见解。生活——就像一次好的徒步旅行一样——在于寻找多样性。” 克莱尔·巴尔丁已与 Cottages.com 合作推出其“酒吧徒步系列”（Pub Walk Collection）——精选的酒吧徒步路线和乡村住宿，旨在帮助度假者进行更多探索。
顶部： 2022 年橄榄球世界杯期间与威尔士王妃凯瑟琳在一起。 左上： 2022 年获得 CBE 勋章时。
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资深巡演推广人哈维·戈尔史密斯（Harvey Goldsmith）——他曾在 1985 年为我们带来了 Live Aid，2005 年带来了 Live 8 ——正在思考这样一个事实：他在 20 世纪 70 年代年轻时合作过的那些艺术家和乐队，从埃里克·克拉普顿（Eric Clapton）和鲍勃·迪伦（Bob Dylan）到滚石乐队（The Rolling Stones）和 谁（The Who），至今仍在演出，且年纪已在 80 岁以上。“我感到惊讶，”刚刚年满 80 岁的他说，“我很惊讶他们还活着。”他们不仅在演出，而且许多人还在巡演。事实上，只要看看今年夏天的现场音乐日程表，你可能会以为现在还是 20 世纪 70 年代。汤姆·琼斯（Tom Jones）在 86 岁的“高龄”下，上个月开启了近 40 场日期的世界巡演；85 岁的迪伦刚刚开始了其美国巡演的最后一阶段。下个月，82 岁的罗杰·达尔特雷（Roger Daltrey）将在美国 20 个城市进行巡演，而 78 岁的艾丽斯·库珀（Alice Cooper）和 77 岁的罗伯特·普兰特（Robert Plant）目前均在巡演中。这些八旬老人甚至在参加音乐节：82 岁的格洛丽亚·盖诺（Gloria Gaynor）刚刚担任 Boogietown 音乐节的领衔艺人，并即将宣布 2027 年的英国巡演；而本周末，同样 82 岁的戴安娜·罗斯（Diana Ross）将在布赖顿骄傲节（Brighton Pride）领衔演出。从 9 月起，81 岁的埃里克·克拉普顿将在美国中西部进行 8 场演出，其中包括他自己举办的为期两天的音乐节，届时 81 岁的皮特·汤在申德（Pete Townshend）将进行表演。93 岁的威利·纳尔逊（Willie Nelson）目前正领衔他的 12 城市流动 Outlaw 音乐节。滚石乐队在 2022 年进行了 20 场巡演并获得了极高评价后，领衔演出了 BST 海德公园（BST Hyde Park），他们已经提出了明年再次启程巡演的想法——届时米克·贾格尔（Mick Jagger）和基思·理查兹（Keith Richards）都将 83 岁——以推广他们的最新专辑《Foreign Tongues》。“当我第一次和 The Who 或滚石乐队一起巡演时，我早上就要赶往下一个演出场地，而他们才刚刚准备睡觉，”戈尔史密斯说。“然后，在 90 年代的某个时间点，一大批人开始吃素，戒酒，并开始在巡演中随行配备健身教练。而现在，他们变得越来越强壮。此外，他们获得的报酬如此之高，以至于无法拒绝。”由于流媒体经济将艺术家从录制音乐中获得Income变成了微薄的几分钱，巡演成了音乐家谋生的手段。因此，艺术家们感到需要尽可能长时间地留在路上（或者从退休状态中回归，再次举办一场告别演出）也就合情合理了——尤其是当渴望怀旧的婴儿潮粉丝需求如此之高，或者巡演推广人看到了最后幸存者的日益增值时。这就是为什么一些老牌艺人现在演出的场地比他们身体巅峰时期还要大（且观众涵盖了三代人），并且能获得更高的酬劳。盖诺的经纪人斯特凡妮·高德（Stephanie Gold）告诉我，这位演唱《I Will Survive》的歌手目前的收入比 1980 年代“多得多”，部分原因是她是那个时代的最后几位表演者之一。
在过去，摇滚明星闪耀一时，然后迅速陨落或悄然退休。而现在，80 多岁的表演者依然强劲——但经典的摇滚生活方式已被低温治疗舱和静脉滴注所取代，此外在歌曲之间还会偶尔吸几口氧气。埃莉诺·霍尔斯（Eleanor Halls）获得了后台通行证。
（图自左起顺时针）：格洛丽亚·盖诺、罗伯特·普兰特、艾丽斯·库珀和米克·贾格尔，他们的年龄总计 320 岁。
……不仅是因为地点，还因为在她的年纪，“会达到一个点，如果回报不够，就不值得离开家了”。那么，这些挑战年龄的摇滚巨星背后的秘密是什么？名单之首是史蒂文·塞特尔斯 (Steven Zeitels) 博士，一位先驱性的喉科医生和癌症外科医生。他在阿黛尔 (Adele) 患上良性息肉后“救”回了她的声音；在经过四次手术后，为朱莉·安德鲁斯 (Julie Andrews) 的职业生涯延长了 25 年；且至今已为 22 位格莱美奖得主歌手进行过手术。“在我职业生涯的前半段，我一年只能见到一两次 90 多岁的人，”即将出版首本书《声音旅程：一位外科医生的故事》(VoiceJourneys:ASurgeon’s Story) 的塞特尔斯说，“而现在，在我的诊所里，接诊 90 多岁的人已成常态”。十五年前，罗杰·达尔特雷 (Roger Daltrey) 曾打趣道，塞特尔斯在他在 2010 年超级碗演出前五周切除了谁之谁 (The Who) 主唱声带上的癌前病变，并“发誓能让我唱到 80 岁”。我问他看着 82 岁的达尔特雷表演感觉如何。“嗯，他肯定会唱到那个年龄之后。”我问塞特尔斯，对修复性声带手术的关注是否符合当今社会对永葆青春的痴迷。如今，名人花 100,000 英镑做一次面部提升手术来让自己看起来年轻 20 岁已是司空见惯，那么为什么不能让声音也与之匹配呢？“人们当然想看起来年轻，所以他们也想听起来年轻。多年前曾有关于‘声音提升’的讨论，但那是个闹剧，根本不存在这种东西。”然而，塞特尔斯在过去的 25 年里致力于研究可应用于声带的生物材料凝胶，以恢复其柔软度和灵活性。他说，结果是“明星们将能像 20 年前那样唱歌，甚至可能唱得更好”。而且，越来越多地有音乐家邀请他随团巡演。“但我还担任哈佛大学的教授，要照顾癌症患者，所以这绝不可能，”他说。
声乐教练加里·卡托纳 (Gary Catona) 曾与惠特尼·休斯顿 (Whitney Houston)、弗兰克·辛纳屈 (Frank Sinatra) 和托尼·贝内特 (Tony Bennett) 合作，帮助贝内特一直唱到了令人惊叹的 96 岁。他同意塞特尔斯对那些流行的健康风潮或生物黑客实验在保护声音方面的实用性的质疑。卡托纳说，最终最重要的是体能。“声音是一块肌肉，唱歌是一项运动。因此，歌手必须像运动员一样保持强健。”
这在很大程度上解释了为什么米克·贾格尔 (Mick Jagger)——他在同行中拥有最严格且最长期的体能训练习惯——听起来一点也不像超过 45 岁，并且每晚能在舞台上地走三小时。“在过去的 30 年里，一直有一位教练随他巡演，”戈德史密斯 (Goldsmith) 在提到那位神秘的挪威物理治疗师托尔耶·艾克 (Torje Eike) 时说道，后者没有社交媒体账号，也不接受采访。贾格尔的父亲是一名体育老师，从小教他如何保持健康，他曾表示自己每周训练六次，包括普拉提、舞蹈、踢拳、瑜伽和足球。同样，依然在 81 岁表演的罗德·斯图尔特 (Rod Stewart) 曾花 20 年时间与私人教练加里·奥康纳 (Gary O’Connor) 进行军事化训练，包括使用潜水鳍和循环呼吸管在水下游泳以练习循环呼吸或憋气，以及在身后拖动金属雪橇以增强腿部力量。“这也是罗杰 [达尔特雷] 听起来如此出色的原因，”塞特尔斯补充道。自 20 世纪 80 年代起就在打壁球和举重的达尔特雷表示，他现在每周去两次健身房，并使用划船机；
79 岁的 Iggy Pop 将他在舞台上的灵活性归功于每日练习气功（一种类似于太极的慢速武术练习）；Jones 声称自己在 80 岁时拥有“12块腹肌”，他将此归功于拳击和反重力疗法（一种通过倒挂利用重力减轻脊椎压力并缓解背痛的技术）；而 Gaynor 尽管经历过两次膝盖置换手术，但每周仍进行三次 CrossFit 训练。
为了了解巡演期间的健康与健身状况发生了怎样的变化，我采访了物理治疗师 Dave Hancock。他曾任切尔西足球俱乐部以及 2010 年世界杯英格兰国家队的首席理疗师，并曾随 U2 和麦当娜的巡演出访。
“如今的明星们就像顶尖运动员一样训练，”他说。“这种”
从左起顺时针方向：AC / DC 乐队的 布莱恩·约翰逊 (Brian Johnson)，78 岁；罗德·斯튜尔特 (Rod Stewart)， 81 岁；托尼·贝内特 (Tony Bennett) 在 94 岁时与 Lady Gaga 共同演唱；多莉·帕顿 (Dolly Parton)，80 岁
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工作伦理极其出色。其中一些人每天训练两小时；他们每天跑一次马拉松。” 对于年长的客户，关键练习包括短时间的有氧运动（如动感单车），以帮助提高唱歌时的肺活量；他还会确保追踪他们在舞台上消耗的能量，以便将蛋白质需求告知巡演厨师。汉考克 (Hancock) 表示，明星在演出后出去狂欢的时代早已过去，他甚至在后台准备了一张床，以便在舞台间隙照顾客户。相反，他们在回酒店的车上会将腿放入压力压缩机中，“然后我们在凌晨 1 点在酒店房间进行一小时的恢复，同时他们会回听自己的演出录音”。在他们的化妆间里，酒精和药物已被
便携式低温治疗舱、 蒸汽舱和静脉滴注所取代。 然而，汉考克对一些日益流行的“长寿科学”持怀疑态度，其中包括血浆氧合（本质上是“过滤和清理”血液）以及肽（被称为蛋白质“构建块”的短链氨基酸）和干细胞注射。“在我看来，这方面的科学研究还不完全成熟，”他说。“但艺术家们对这些都非常感兴趣，有些人对肽深信不疑，但在美国，它们并未获得食品药品监督管理局 (FDA) 的批准。而一些年长者，如果膝盖和肩膀患有关节炎，会向关节内注射干细胞来缓解。” 他是否认为艺术家对健康管理 (wellness) 的痴迷将继续提高领衔主演的年龄？“哦，绝对如此，可以一直延续到 80 多岁。”然而，尽管医学有所进步，但巡演极其繁重的体力要求使得超过 90 岁变得“不太可能”。
至于体育场舞台如何适应这批资深明星，没有人比 73 岁的巡演制作经理杰克·贝里 (Jake Berry) 更有洞察力。他在去年导演了奥齐·奥斯本 (Ozzy Osbourne) 在伯明翰的最后一场演出，就在他去世前 17 天。为了照顾奥齐因帕金森病而受限的活动能力，曾为滚石乐队 (the Stones) 和 U2 制作节目的贝里，使用了黑色安息日 (Black Sabbath) 主唱在 2024 年入选摇滚名人堂时所用的同一个皮革蝙蝠形宝座，并将其调整以适应维拉公园球场 (Villa Park Stadium) 的舞台。 “我们实际上不得不把他绑在椅子上，因为他总想站起来，”认识奥齐自 1984 年起的贝里说。他的自尊心也设定了限制。“在试音后他对我说：‘杰克，你敢用那个该死的升降机把我弄下去，我就跟你没完！’所以我们为他准备了一把特殊的椅子坐着离开舞台，并且我们得搭建很多坡道。” 类似的行动力调整在 2021 年 Genesis 乐队的《The Last Domino?》巡演期间也为菲尔·柯林斯 (Phil Collins) 做了——他是在轮椅上表演的。贝里表示，通常情况下，处理年长明星的制作会尽量确保“他们在安可环节之间的走动路径处于同一平面”，且主办方必须接受演出场次减少的现实。“我服务的第一个乐队是 50 年前的 AC / DC，前几天他们在美巡演时仍在使用相同的制作方案。唯一的区别是，78 岁的布莱恩 [约翰逊] 需要
更多的时间来恢复体能，因此他们每周演出的场次不再那么多，并且在连续演出八周后会休息一个月。”
在演出之间安排更长的休息时间，对于确保获得保险单也至关重要，而保险单是决定艺术家是否能负担得起巡演的主要因素。根据 Miller Insurance 的体育与娱乐高级总监 Martin Goebbels 的说法——该公司去年为全球收入最高的 10 场巡演中的 4 场提供了保险——保费通常在艺术家达到 65 岁后增加 10%，而在 75 岁之后至少还会再增加 20%。这些保单会要求提供详尽的病史，特别是当乐队或艺术家演出场次较多时；如果巡演队伍中配备有声乐教练或医生，会对保险公司有所帮助。
乘坐私人飞机而非商业航班，可能也有助于通过保存艺术家的精力来降低保险风险。Goebbels 表示，当乐队中有几名成员处于 80 岁高龄时，风险会变成“三倍”，因此“保费可能会高到抵消所有利润，导致他们决定不投保”。即便如此，取消一场体育场巡演可能会让乐队损失“数亿英镑”——80 岁的多莉·帕顿（Dolly Parton）在五月份因健康原因取消拉斯维加斯驻场演出时，无疑会对她的保险感到庆幸。Miller 越来越多地为超级巨星提供保险，让他们以“巨额报酬”进行单场私人演出，这样不需要整个巡演的基础设施。
“有趣的是，”Goebbels 补充道，“在 1979 年，一家保险公司请我物色一些年轻艺人，因为他们的账单上全是‘快 30 岁了，所以很快就要退休’的艺术家。那些艺人包括 The Who 乐队、滚石乐队和埃尔顿·约翰（Elton John）。当然，讽刺的是，我现在快要退休了，而他们还在演。”
我想知道是否有人担心艺术家或其随行人员可能会逼得太紧。上个月在犹他州，人们看到 Stewart 在演唱会期间吸氧；而 Ozzy（其三场告别演出中的第一场发生在 1992 年）甚至开玩笑说自己会在舞台上死去。“嗯，（他的妻子）Sharon 的确可以很冷酷，是的，作为他的经纪人，她希望他演出，但她也爱他，知道他什么时候无法坚持，”Berry 说道。尽管 Goldsmith 开玩笑说，通常是“银行经理或妻子”催促明星重新上路巡演，但 Berry 表示这些音乐家是对巡演上瘾。“有人问我：‘为什么 Mick [Jagger] 不停止？他不需要钱’，但 Mick 不知道还能做什么。他们没一个知道还能做什么——你一旦离开巡演，突然之间就有 12 小时需要填满。这就像戒海洛因一样。”
最终，摇滚明星能坚持多久取决于粉丝。“当他们决定一个艺术家不再能唱歌时，他们就会停止买票，”Live Nation 前董事总经理、现任 KMJ Entertainment Group 首席执行官 Stuart Galbraith 说道。他指出，由于“更多高质量的高容量场馆”（英国目前正在规划 8 座新竞技场），现场音乐行业的顶端领域正经历显著增长，而且“人们比以往任何时候都更想去看现场娱乐演出”。
Zeitels 表示，对于许多 50 和 60 岁的音乐迷来说，“我们变老了，我们想再次感觉年轻”。Galbraith 补充说，这其中也带有一点恐慌。“他们买滚石乐队的票时在想：‘这可能是他们最后一次巡演了。’”不过，如今摇滚歌手的“告别巡演”极少真的是最后一次。
从左至右：埃尔顿·约翰在 79 岁时仍在继续表演，而奥兹·奥斯本（Ozzy Osbourne）在去年 76 岁去世前的 17 天依然在舞台上。
或者恐怖主义幸存者， 生活再也无法 回到原样。毁灭性的受 伤、严重的心理健康 问题和永久性的 残疾十分普遍。失去挚爱 之人的噩梦 变成了残酷的现实。 许多人再也无法回归工作， 在开始艰巨的康复之路上， 面临巨大的财务挑战。 英国的恐怖威胁级别 已被设定为“严重”，意指 另一次袭击“极 ‘这个系统并非 恐怖主义受害 关怀，而你
F
从失去亲人到遭受多处伤残，这些人的生活都被恐怖袭击摧毁了。然而，正如罗布·怀特（Rob White）所发现的，尝试向政府申请赔偿是一次压力巨大且令人羞辱的折磨。
可能’发生”，这在短短七年内已经是第四次了。 然而，目前仍没有专门的赔偿制度来支持那些在针对国家的恐怖罪行中受伤的人。 与英格兰、苏格兰和威尔士任何受暴力犯罪影响的人一样，他们唯一的救济途径是向刑事伤害赔偿计划（Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme）申请，该计划由刑事伤害赔偿管理局（Cica，发音为“Kee-kah”）运行。
Cica 由英国司法部管理，成立于 1964 年，目前每年处理约 43,000 份申请。赔付款项根据议会设定的标准授予，该标准最后一次更新是在 2012 年，每年赔付金额超过 £160 million。 但在这些头条统计数据的背后，隐藏着一个破碎系统的残酷现实。申请者在积压的案件中苦候多年，被迫在被要求证明足以改变生活的伤情时，一次次重新经历创伤，有时他们甚至是在病床上完成证明。 许多人在官僚主义的泥潭中感到绝望而放弃，这个泥潭似乎就是为了在他们最需要帮助的时刻击垮他们而设计的。 此外，申请被限制在仅限三项伤害——无论实际上遭受了多少次伤害。每增加一项申请的伤害，赔付金额就会显著下降。单次身体或心理伤害的最高赔偿额为 £250,000，对于收入损失等困难情况可获得额外补偿，总赔付上限为 £500,000。 但绝大多数成功的赔付款项要低得多，所有暴力犯罪的平均赔偿额仅为 £11,470。收入损失仅在第 28 周后开始支付，且采用法定病假工资的统一费率，每周仅 £123.25。 那些提交申请的人——其中一些人曾冒生命危险拯救他人——表示，这个系统是“令人羞辱、不尊重且非人性化”的。
离 炸弹 大约 只有 10厘米”
鱼贩大厅 (FISHMONGERS’ HALL)
达林·弗罗斯特 (Darryn Frost)，45岁，出生于南非，2005年移居英国。他在英国司法部 (Ministry of Justice) 负责通信工作——直到那次经历让他与一名恐怖分子正面交锋。
2019年11月29日，他出席了“共同学习” (Learning Together) 的五周年庆祝活动。这是剑桥大学犯罪学研究所的一个项目，旨在让罪犯与本科生共同学习。
受邀参加的的前囚犯之一乌斯曼·汗 (Usman Khan) 穿着一件自杀式炸弹背心，并携带了两把八英寸长的刀，随后他将这些刀用胶带固定在手上。几个小时后，他在鱼贩大厅内部发起了一场疯狂的袭击。
弗罗斯特听到了一连串的尖叫声，但没有什么能让他为眼前展开的场景做好心理准备。“我下去查看。我看到 [受害者] 萨斯基亚·琼斯 (Saskia Jones) 在楼梯上倒下。我看到了袭击者，”他回忆道。
“就在那时，他 [汗] 举起双手，向我展示了炸弹。”
弗罗斯特抓起挂在墙上的两根一角鲸牙，将其中一根交给同行宾客史蒂夫·加兰特 (Steve Gallant)，后者当时正用一把椅子与袭击者搏斗。
弗罗斯特用一角鲸牙追击汗，并与加兰特一起将他赶出大楼，追至附近的伦敦桥。
“我跑在前面，汗回头看向我，他举起了刀，这在他的腹部留出了大约一厘米的缝隙。我全速冲上去刺了他。”
“警察赶到后大喊让所有人离开，但我拒绝松手，尽管当时有三把枪指着我。我担心他会引爆炸弹，把警察炸死。我的脸离炸弹大约只有10厘米。”
虽然炸弹最终被证实是假的，但毕业生萨斯基亚·琼斯（23岁）和杰克·梅里特 (Jack Merritt)（25岁）均死于刺伤。
对于弗罗斯特来说，那一天的后果导致了一种新的现实。“快七年了，我感觉失去了那些年。我的记忆力再也回不到从前。我不得不离开工作。这彻底破坏了我的情绪调节能力，”他说。
“我的伴侣在至少两年时间里成为了我的照顾者。我没有身体受伤，但我无法食用某些食物，而且大约两个月时间里无法入睡。”
“神奇的是，从我的手触碰到那些鲸牙的那一刻起，除了袭击者，没有其他人的血在流。但我产生了幸存者愧疚感。”
最终，弗罗斯特向刑事伤害赔偿委员会 (Cica) 申请补偿，但发现这个系统让他觉得从一开始就是针对幸存者的。尽管他最终申请成功，但他表示申请过程让他付出了沉重代价，而且他觉得自己无法确认具体收到了多少钱。
“为了实现其目的，这个系统本可以做得好得多，但相反，感觉他们竭尽全力不让你知道 [这个系统] 的存在，不让你获得补偿。”
“即使尝试通过这个系统，感觉都很肮脏。即便你收到了补偿，它也会让你觉得自己像个福利骗子，像是在试图钻系统的漏洞。”
Cica 的一个主要限制是，无论幸存者实际遭受了多少伤情，只能就三项伤害提出索赔。
补偿标准同样列在一份由议会批准的长清单中，基于伤情的严重程度而定。尽管成功的申请人能获得其最严重伤情的 100% 赔付，但第二项伤情将降至 30%，第三项仅为 15%。
对于任何额外的伤情，无论多么严重，均不予赔付，导致一些幸存者在学习如何与残疾共存的同时，在经济上无法维持生活。
左图：达林·弗罗斯特。下图：鱼贩大厅袭击事件后
保罗·格罗弗 (PAUL GROVER)
突尼斯，苏塞
当塞夫丁·雷兹古伊 (Seifeddine Rezgui) 在 2015 年 6 月 26 日开火时，53 岁的佐伊·汤普森 (Zoe Thompson)、她的丈夫保罗以及当时 15 岁的女儿米莉正身处突尼斯的 Riu Imperial Marhaba 酒店。该袭击者携带突击步枪和手榴弹，在进入酒店前向附近海滩上的游客开枪。
伊斯兰国组织声称对此次大屠杀负责，此次事件导致 38 人死亡，其中 30 人来自英国。
枪击开始时，汤普森正在她的日光浴床上，而保罗和米莉在泳池的另一边。在随后发生的“大屠杀”中，她与他们失散，躲进了一家礼品店，直到最后被告知可以安全出来。
“我开始寻找 [米莉]。你必须在尸体中搜寻。她从接待处后面走出来，牵着一位女士的手。在她所在的房间外面有两个死者。
“她必须赤脚走在血泊之中，显然处于极度震惊的状态。”
在一家人回到家中后，他们很快意识到米莉无法获得她所需要的支持。
“要克服如此沉重的创伤是非常困难的，目睹这么多的人被杀害是你能想象到的最可怕的恶行之一。他追她穿过走廊，并在她所在的区域之一投掷了一枚手榴弹。
“几个月后，她第一次出现了恐慌发作。她一直出现闪回，就在那时我知道她需要帮助。”
佐伊·汤普森的女儿曾被一名持枪恐怖分子追赶
汤普森向刑事伤害赔偿委员会 (Cica) 申请财务支持以帮助照顾米莉，但被告知在针对其旅行社的民事索赔结案之前，不会发放任何款项。
“这就是 Cica 让我们大失所望的地方。寻求治疗和帮助永远没有太晚的时候，但有一个最佳时机。一笔临时款项本将是完美的，但他们拒绝了，”她说。
由于当地心理健康服务机构因缺乏合适的专家而拒绝提供帮助，该家庭被迫支付他们能负担得起的私人护理费用，直到该民事索赔于 2022 年结束——即袭击发生七年之后。
汤普森表示，这段等待时间严重影响了米莉的康复。
“这永远改变了她的生活。她现在 26 岁了，即便直到今天，也没有人能理解那个孩子所经历的创伤。
“她比以前好多了，因为时间是治愈良药，但这是她本应在很早阶段就获得专家帮助的事情。”
批评者长期以来认为，一个主要的限制在于 Cica 的设立是为了处理所有暴力犯罪的受害者，而非专门针对恐怖主义。因此，受影响者的个体需求未能得到满足。
工作， 没时间 悲伤”
曼彻斯特竞技场
斯图尔特·默里（Stuart Murray），59岁，在2017年5月22日的爱莉莎·葛莎妮（Ariana Grande）演唱会上失去了他的继子，29岁的马丁·赫特（Martyn Hett）。
他清晰地记得第二天与妻子费根（Figen，马丁的母亲）前往曼彻斯特的伊蒂哈德体育场登记失踪的情况。“那是极其超现实的一天。我记得每一个细节。其他家庭陆续到来，得知消息后无法控制地号啕大哭。”
“那是无尽的等待，直到晚上10点左右才得到结果。”
这对夫妇向刑事伤害补偿计划（Cica）提交的申请在六个月内得到了处理，但他们收到的补偿金仅在£15,000左右。他们还必须签署一份文件，同意在民事诉讼获胜的情况下将其偿还。
“当你经历像曼彻斯特竞技场爆炸袭击这样的事情时，你会觉得必须举办一场盛大的葬礼，”默里说。“我们能租到的最大礼堂只能容纳600人。我们必须安装一个大屏幕向室外直播，因此为此支付了费用。我们的葬礼费用比从Cica获得的钱还要多。”
“因为我在三周后就回到了工作岗位，所以我们还能维持。如果我不这么做，我们就撑不下去了。你没有时间悲伤，只能[回到]工作岗位。”
他补充道：“我认为政府有责任为它造成的损害买单。如果你在军队中受伤，你会得到照顾。但如果你是街头一名无辜的受害者，那就没关系了。没人关心。”
保罗·普莱斯（Paul Price），59 岁，那天晚上也和他的伴侣伊莱恩·麦克艾弗（Elaine McIver）在曼彻斯特竞技场。当炸弹爆炸时，这对夫妇正在等待他 13 岁的女儿从音乐会现场走出来。麦克艾弗在爆炸中丧生，普莱斯则受了灾难性的重伤。
普莱斯同样在与刑事伤害补偿局（Cica）打交道的折磨中苦苦支撑——而这一切都是在他躺在医院病床上的情况下进行的。
“那个过程简直是一场噩梦。有时令人感到屈辱且不被当作人看待。没有认可，没有同情。感觉就像是故意设计来让人打退堂鼓的，”他说道。
“袭击发生后，我在医院住了九个月，他们要求提供照片证据。我的伤势从头到脚。我不得不让我的律师进来给我拍照。”
“我必须一遍又一遍地讲述那些你正努力从中恢复的创伤性事件。官僚主义、对医疗证据的要求、精神鉴定报告，整个过程耗时数年，不断的延迟让我陷入了财务困境。”
袭击发生三年后，普莱斯收到了一笔 £99,000 的款项——但这是在他出现在 BBC Breakfast 节目之后才拿到的。他表示，在他出镜后的几个小时内，Cica 就联系了他的律师，而他的案件在三个月内就得到了解决。
普莱斯的案例进一步证明了对 Cica 的一项批评——其赔付标准过于严苛。每种伤势都有规定的赔偿金额，低至 £1,000。
永久性残疾和医疗状况可获得 £22,000，而即使是最严重的疤痕，赔偿金也不能超过 £11,000。
永久性的、严重致残的精神创伤赔偿金为 £27,000，但如果被判定为暂时性，即使持续时间超过五年，金额也会缩减至 £13,500。
失明等改变生活的伤残可提供 £110,000，而失去行走能力则为 £175,000。
获得最高额度 £250,000 的幸存者必须失去了四肢活动能力，或者遭受了导致其基本上无法活动、说话或在没有全职护理的情况下无法生活的脑损伤。
普莱斯的赔偿金甚至不足以覆盖一年的收入损失。“我的生活被摧毁了。并非因为我的过错，我无法工作。当你转向政府寻求帮助时，感觉就像是在接受审判。”
对于失去挚爱的人来说，赔付金额更低。单一申请人可获得 £11,000，但如果有多名申请人（例如父母双方失去一个孩子），每人的金额将缩减至 £5,500。在经济困难的情况下可以获得更多，但丧葬费仅提供 £5,000。
保罗·普莱斯在曼彻斯特爆炸中失去了他的伴侣伊莱恩·麦克艾弗
伤情 但只能 申请 三项赔偿”
在爱莉安娜·格兰德演唱会那个夜晚，52 岁的乔安·麦考利（Joanne McSorley）和她的母亲正在等待接她的女儿们，她们不知道，就在 15 英尺外，萨尔曼·阿贝迪（Salman Abedi）即将引爆炸弹。
爆炸导致麦考利遭受了改变生活的重伤，她在接下来的三个月里一直住在医院。近十年后，她仍然无法工作或长距离行走，依赖轮椅或电动代步车。
“我遭受了 40 多处伤情，但我只能申请三项赔偿。就好像他们一个字都不相信你所说的话。”
由于伤情，麦考利每天都生活在疼痛之中。“是我整个身体的左侧。左腿胫骨和腓骨开放性骨折，然后是肱骨复合开放性骨折。我的左臂再也无法完全伸展了，”她说道。
“右臂骨折，右肩骨折，然后全身多处碎片伤，留下了相当难看的巨大疤痕。我患有创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）和抑郁症，为此在服用药物。”
“我每天都承受着神经痛。”
由于爆炸造成的残疾，麦考利的家不再适合居住，但她和丈夫负担不起搬家费用——即便在收到来自刑事伤害赔偿委员会（Cica）的小额中期付款之后。
“这些金额不足以改变你的生活，”她说。“我家一楼没有厕所，我很难上下楼梯。”
麦考利表示，Cica 的
赔偿流程是“非人性化”且“令人再次受创”的。
“你会被引导得觉得自己才是那个做错事的人。就好像他们一个字都不相信你所说的话，你必须证明每一件事，这一点我在某种程度上可以理解，但应该有一个时间点，让你不必一直重复讲述某些片段。”
“这是一个崩溃的系统。它不是为受害者设立的。没有人关心，你只能在混乱中摸索，独自战斗。为你自己和你的家人而战。”
在等待八年后，麦考利撤回了她的 Cica 申请，因为另一项规定——如果随后从其他渠道就同一伤情获得了赔偿，则必须偿还任何已收到的补偿金。
一家律师事务所提出免费代表幸存者，对英国交通警察局、大曼彻斯特警察局以及两家活动公司提起民事诉讼，这意味着麦考利将失去国家授予的任何款项。
该民事诉讼于去年 12 月在法庭外达成和解，
从而使她终于能够应对每天面临的挑战。
“这意味着我现在可以获得我需要的房产。但这并不是中彩票，我仍然必须量入为出。”
然而，政府和 Cica 在事件发生后并未帮她减轻生活负担。
“这就是让我感到痛苦的地方，这就是让我难以释怀的地方，那就是政府没有做任何事情来帮助我康复，”她说道。
是一种 侮辱——一种 折磨”
乔·考克斯遇刺案
布伦丹·考克斯，47岁，是推动变革的领先活动人士之一。他的妻子，国会议员乔·考克斯于2016年在她的选区诊所外被谋杀。
在乔去世后，考克斯创立了“反恐幸存者”（Survivors Against Terror），这是一个旨在帮助恐怖袭击受伤者或丧亲者的活动网络。在一次针对幸存者的调查中发现，仅有9%的人认为刑事伤害赔偿局（Cica）的流程是“合理的”，而仅有7%的人认为该流程能体谅他们的需求。“对于很多人来说，问题不在于结果或金额，而是在于流程以及申请人所遭受的轻蔑对待。政府在很多事情上会出错，但很少有事情错得这么离谱，”考克斯说。他补充道，在包括他自己在内的所有幸存者中，大家的共识是，无论多少钱都无法让这种情况变得正常。“[但]对很多人来说，他们突然失去了收入。如果你没有大量现金——很多人确实没有——那么你除了要面对创伤、恐惧和痛苦，还得承受‘这个月的水费怎么交’这种焦虑感。”
“我确定Cica面临着大量虚假申请人，试图就他们未参与的事件骗钱。正因如此，这导致了一种怀疑文化和‘由你来证明’的心态。”考克斯已经成功争取到了更好的心理健康支持，今年夏天早些时候，政府为所有受恐怖事件影响的人开设了一个新的专业支持中心。该中心还将帮助人们向Cica申请赔偿。但仍有很长的路要走。“人们真的希望能从恐惧中走出来。你不想让恐怖分子定义你剩余的人生，”他说。“我们取得的进展如此匮乏，这令我惊讶且愤怒。这是对这些人的侮辱，是一种折磨。”
历届政府都考虑过对Cica进行改革。2019年，时任受害者专员的纽拉夫女男爵（Baroness Newlove）发布了一项审查报告，发现其赔偿流程“极其痛苦、高度复杂且会导致二次创伤”。她建议建立一个更简单、更易获取的方案，并为受影响者提供免费法律代表。
在打击恐怖主义方面，至少取得了进展。在2001年9月11日与去年3月之间，英国警员进行了5,734次与恐怖主义相关的逮捕。在1,423名被指控犯罪的人员中，87%在法院被定罪。
英国司法部告诉《电讯报》，该部门意识到通过Cica申请赔偿可能“非常困难”，并且已“尽一切努力进行敏感且准确的沟通”。一名发言人补充道：“刑事伤害赔偿局去年支付了1.64亿英镑（£164 million）的纳税人资助赔偿金，以支持那些勇敢的暴力犯罪幸存者，包括那些生活被此类恐怖袭击摧毁的人。”
然而，对于那些生活被撕裂的人来说，活动团体必须继续代表他们而战，直到建立一个能够接近满足其需求的系统。由于政府层面没有变更计划，很难预见那一天何时到来。相反，恐怖袭击幸存者被撇下独自与一个破碎的系统搏斗——被那个未能保护他们的国家抛弃了。
布伦丹·考克斯一直致力于为恐怖袭击幸存者争取更好的帮助
与 提臀 大军 之间的战斗
伦敦首屈一指的私人医疗区已被违规从业者渗透。但现在，这个历史品牌的守护者们正在反击，西蒙·乌斯本（Simon Usborne）对此进行了发现
詹姆斯·因韦斯特 (James Invest) 走进了位于哈雷街 (Harley Street) 90 号那间宏伟的候诊室。几本《塔特勒》(Tatler) 和《乡村生活》(Country Living) 杂志整齐地摆放在一张桃花心木桌上。鸭蛋蓝色的墙壁上装饰着精美的石膏线。整个空间散发出一种乔治亚时期的文雅气息，理应能安抚那些准备接受牙医钻头和探针治疗的患者。
在因韦斯特的记忆中，90号一直像家一样亲切。詹姆斯·戴斯 (James Dyse) 于 1924. 年在这里创办了英国第一家私人牙科诊所。在几十年之前，弗洛伦斯·南丁格尔 (Florence Nightingale) 在前往克里米亚之前，曾在同一地点的一家妇女医院工作。
“我有些病人从 20 世纪 50 年代还是孩子的时候就开始来这里了，”54, 岁的因韦斯特说道。他的父亲克莱夫 (Clive) 曾是英国皇家空军 (RAF) 的牙医，于 1974. 年成为合伙人。因韦斯特在 2005 年接手了楼上的诊室，至今仍在使用克莱夫那张皮革面桌处理文书工作，桌子正对着一张较现代的牙科治疗椅。
因韦斯特身穿深蓝色刷手服，脚蹬一双一尘不染的 Adidas Superstar 运动鞋。他的病人名单中包括商业大亨和伦敦贵族地产的继承人；他提供的是那种让哈雷街长期以来闻名遐迩的专业知识、谨慎态度和服务。
由于毗邻时尚的卡文迪什广场 (Cavendish Square)，哈雷街这半英里长的医疗区及其周边的广场和马厩路在 19 世纪得到了提升，成为了伦敦一些最著名医生的聚集地。温斯顿·丘吉尔的私人医生查尔斯·威尔逊 (Charles Wilson) 曾在哈雷街 29 号执业，而澳大利亚言语治疗师莱昂内尔·洛格 (Lionel Logue) 则在 146 号的客厅里治疗乔治六世国王的口吃问题。
但我来到哈雷街之时，这里似乎正处于伦敦顶级私人医疗区的十字路口。该区域从卡文迪什广场向北延伸至摄政公园 (Regent’s Park) 边缘。近几个月来，关于在街道闪亮的灰泥墙背后提供低端服务的报道层出不穷——一些利用哈雷街名号经营的临时从业者在此提供臀部提升和丰唇服务。
与此同时，霍华德·德·沃尔登 (Howard de Walden) 家族地产（一个根源可追溯至 1711, 年、价值 50 亿英镑 十亿英镑的玛丽波恩物业组合）正投入数千万英镑进行翻新。其目标是：抵制审美医疗治疗浪潮，并巩固该区作为适合 21 世纪的高科技全球健康枢纽的声誉。
“毫无疑问，这已经成了一个问题，”因韦斯特在谈到近期涌入的从业者时说。“如果你在 Google 上搜索‘哈雷街’，你会发现一些在沃特福德 (Watford) 的诊所声称他们也在这里，因为也许他们有个伙计每周来这里租一天房间。”
而这仅仅是牙医的情况。对于填充剂和肉毒杆菌等“微整”的需求……
已经在玛丽勒本（Marylebone）扎根，那里一些履历有时令人质疑的从业者在租房执业。“我们发现患者不会考虑对方是谁或其背景如何，因为他们认为只要是在哈雷街（Harley Street）执业，就不需要询问，”政府认可的认证医美从业者登记机构 Save Face 的主任阿什顿·柯林斯（Ashton Collins）表示。
Save Face 注意到，针对该地区违规临床医生的投诉数量正在上升。此类服务通常在包括 TikTok 和 Instagram 在内的社交媒体网站上宣传，将低廉的价格与一个能够提供名声掩护的邮编相结合。柯林斯回忆起曾与一名女性交谈，该女性在一次失败的“液体”巴西翘臀术（BBL）后，需要接受败血症的紧急治疗。
法律在跟上需求方面一直较为吃力。苏格兰议会议员今年支持对非手术程序实施新限制，包括肉毒杆菌（Botox）、巴西翘臀术（BBL）、真皮填充剂和激光治疗，规定禁止向 18 岁以下人群提供这些服务，并要求提供服务的场所必须获得许可。英国政府也正朝着在英格兰实施类似变更的方向迈进。
与此同时，当出现问题时，患者通常会发现从业者已经搬走了。“这些建筑大多数声誉良好，如果他们允许出租房间进行医美治疗，他们会有一套正规的审查流程，”柯林斯说。“但这些问题并不总是会被问到。”
与此同时，去年 1 月，一名拥有哈雷街地址的整形外科医生在未经正规注册的情况下进行抽脂手术，被停职一年。
普罗卡尔·达斯古普塔（Prokar Dasgupta）教授在伦敦诊所（London Clinic）的钦定演说室（King’s Speech Room）内
赛义德·米亚（Sayed Mia）同时也提供男性乳房缩小手术。在2023年试图逃避医疗护理质量委员会（Care Quality Commission，该机构为卫生与社会护理监管机构）的检查时，他假装成一名毫无头绪的病人。
在2024年，一名开法拉利的哈利街（Harley Street）医生因在2020年新冠疫情封锁期间进行了一次费用为 £3,500 的阴茎填充手术而被停职五个月。他试图声称这种增加周长的手术在封锁立法下被涵盖为“必需治疗”，但这并未获得认可。
大卫·杰克（David Jack）曾是一名NHS整形外科医生，并在哈利街经营诊所十年之久，他表示不法分子威胁到了正规美容临床医生的名誉：“我认为近年来，由于有人在租来的房间里提供各种古怪且惊人的疗法，情况确实被污染了。”
当我提起非法经营者以及哈利街作为从肉毒杆菌到“三文鱼精子面部护理”（一种源自鱼类DNA的皮肤增强疗法）等各种疗法目的地的名声时，马克·基尔迪亚（Mark Kildea）显得局促不安。我在霍华德·德·沃尔登地产公司（Howard de Walden estate）豪华的办公室内与他见面，他自2020年起担任首席执行官。
这片占地95英亩的伦敦市中心黄金地产包括约850处物业，是该市伟大的贵族地主庄园之一。它由霍华德·德·沃尔登家族全资拥有，目前由第11代霍华德·德·沃尔登男爵彼得·切尔宁（Peter Czernin）领导，后者是一位电影制片人，作品包括《布鲁日》和《三块广告牌》。
医生们最早在19世纪开始聚集于此，通常住在诊疗室上方，这样可以方便地接近首都的豪宅和几家医院。1860年该地区约有20名此类医生，到1914年增加了10倍，到1948年增加到1,500多名，当时NHS的成立催生了现代私立医疗市场。
根据该地产上个月发布的一份报告，如今该地区有2,500多名顾问医生在工作。去年，该地区的医疗活动估值约为 18.5 亿英镑 billion：超过了整个英国私立医疗市场的十分之一。
对该地产而言，麻烦在于，虽然其财富与哈利街品牌紧密相连，但它无法控制其领地上的所有事情。
在苏格兰市政住房中长大的基尔迪亚表示，该地产对谁能租用其物业实施严格控制。“但你很可能会发现，有些建筑处于长期租赁状态，也许在我们的永久产权地上，有人可能会决定开设一家皮肤诊所，从事肉毒杆菌等我们不会批准的项目，”他解释道。
他指责记者“夸大”了该问题在哈利街根深蒂固的程度。“而实际上，这里是英国少数几个由主要物业所有者限制此类活动的地点之一，”他补充道。“因此，在整个哈利街医疗区的中心，美容活动的占比仅为7%，这远低于布里斯托尔或伯明翰等许多地区的水平。而28%是癌症护理。”
他接着说，你无法在法律上保护一个街道名称。“所以任何人都可以身在肖尔迪奇（Shoreditch），却称自己是卡纳比街（Carnaby Street）零售店……定义这个区域的特点是它提供全方位的健康服务。你可以在波特兰医院（Portland Hospital）出生，而且你可以……”
历史悠久的哈利街使用如这款药物分发机器人等尖端技术
死在这里……我们有 39 张重症监护病床。而且在就诊过程中，您可以获得从全科医生护理到诊断、影像以及复杂手术的全方位服务。”
我沿着哈雷街向北漫步。在一个转角处，快递车正在卸载医疗用品和洗净的亚麻布。另一辆车在进行移动碎纸服务。告示牌警告豪华轿车司机不要让发动机怠速运转。我能听到的唯一声音像是皇后学院（Queen’s College）的大号课，这是一所格格不入的私立女子日校，其校友包括旅行家兼作家格特鲁德·贝尔（Gertrude Bell）和《Vogue》的安娜·温图尔（Anna Wintour）。
整形外科医生大卫·杰克（David Jack）说，我察觉到哈雷街机构对现代美容业有一种轻微的傲慢是正确的。“噢，他们非常自命不凡！”他说。这并不是该地产公司所认可的描述，但很明显，随着它在医疗健康领域加倍投入并吸引财力最雄厚的租户，其商业策略已转向其他方向。
长期以来，哈雷街一直受益于伦敦中心区作为国际财富和高端医疗旅游磁石的地位。尽管英国人口老龄化是国民医疗服务体系（NHS）的一枚定时炸弹，但基尔迪亚（Kildea）表示，该地产将从中受益：“老年人更有可能拥有保险，并且能够负担自费[医疗保健]，”他解释道。“而且这种情况的频率将持续创造需求，无论是骨科、癌症、眼科、心脏病还是认知能力下降。”
基尔迪亚告诉我，自从他 2011, 年首次加入该地产公司担任首席财务官以来，该地产的年租金收入已从不足 £75 百万飙升至如今的近 £2 亿。带来这一剧增的方法包括在租约到期续签时争取租户，以及在场地空出时对整个站点进行翻新。医疗现在占其地产的 40 ％（其余为办公、商业和住宅），而五年前约为 20 ％。
就在路边的新卡文迪什街（New Cavendish Street）上，埃默·麦克斯威尼（Emer MacSweeney）正充满活力地准备飞往美国参加一个会议。这位顾问神经放射学家是 Re:Cognition Health 的联合创始人，这是一个针对老龄化和发育性脑功能障碍（包括她描述为全球大流行的阿尔茨海默症）的治疗和研究中心。在玛丽波恩（Marylebone）的三处场地无法满足需求后，Re:Cognition Health 于 2024 年底搬进了这座现代化场所。
麦克斯威尼对该地产重新关注研究与创新表示欢迎。“我认为在某些时候，如果它不关注这一点，哈雷街可能会变成一个许多医生在进行私人执业，但未必在实践最前沿医学的地方，”她说。“我们可以增强哈雷街的品牌，而不是劫持它。”
这种方法的象征正遍布该地区。回到卡文迪什广场（Cavendish Square），哈雷街 1-7 号是一栋漂亮的维多利亚式赤陶贴面公寓楼，此前曾是拥挤的诊所和出租办公室的迷宫，后来空置了一段时间。随后，该地产花费了超过 £25 百万对内部进行拆除重建，保留了受保护的建筑立面，并与投资平台 10M Healthcare 协商签署了新租约。
这座整栋建筑被品牌化为“哈雷街一号”（One Harley Street），预计将于今年晚些时候重新开放，成为一个价值 £1 亿的“门诊”手术中心，服务于有需求的私人患者。
包括小型手术、全科医生预约和筛查服务。这里将设有礼宾服务以及供皇室成员和名人使用的 VIP 入口，通向一个宽敞的空间，其外观和氛围更像是一家豪华酒店，而非一个采集粪便样本的场所。
在路上往上走几扇门，哈利街 29 号 (29 Harley Street) 在它曾作为丘吉尔医生诊所的时代之后，近期经历了一段不那么光彩的过去。多年来，这里一直是 400,000 多家公司的掩护，这些公司通常是为了国际洗钱目的而设立的。其客户——在 2019, 年的一次大规模泄密中被曝光，不久之后整个企业便崩溃了——包括意大利黑手党和一家伪造的冈比亚银行，所有人都被这个能提供某种体面表象的地址所吸引。
在崩溃发生几个月后，脚手架便搭建了起来，业主趁机将其与 27 号合并，后者曾设有多家合法的健康诊所。这两个地址现在在翻新后的外墙后无缝连接，成为了女性健康中心 (Women’s Health Centre)，这是一个于 2024 年为 HCA Healthcare 开业的门诊和诊断设施。这家美国私人医疗巨头在该地区已经运营着多家医院和诊所，包括波特兰医院 (Portland) 和格蕾丝公主医院 (Princess Grace)。该地区的其他大租户包括来自美国的克利夫兰诊所 (Cleveland Clinic)、梅奥诊所 (Mayo Clinic) 和西奈山医疗中心 (Cedars-Sinai)，以及国民医疗服务体系 (NHS) 医院的私立部门，如皇家马斯登医院 (The Royal Marsden)、盖伊和圣托马斯医院 (Guy’s and St Thomas’) 以及伦敦大学学院医院 (UCLH)。
在 146 号，也就是 Logue 协助乔治国王起草演讲稿的地方，普罗卡尔·达斯古普塔 (Prokar Dasgupta) 教授看起来很放松。在担任顶尖泌尿外科医生 30 年后，他刚刚从 NHS 退休。但他仍然在伦敦诊所 (London Clinic) 的名册上，这是该地区最大的私人医院公司之一。该公司在街道上运营着几栋建筑，包括这一栋，而其主诊所则位于附近。
位于德文郡广场（Devonshire Place）的转角处。这里曾见证过大卫·卡梅伦的出生、伊丽莎白·泰勒的气管切开术，以及现任国王的癌症诊断。
Dasgupta于2005年加入伦敦诊所（London Clinic），负责操作其新引进的达芬奇（Da Vinci）机器，这是英国首台在私立医疗机构运行的手术机器人。他利用该设备通过微小切口切除前列腺，其侵入性和恢复时间仅为传统开放手术的一小部分。今年早些时候，他因使用一台更先进的中国机器人，在医生坐在哈利街诊室控制台的远程操作下，为一名直布罗陀男子切除前列腺而成为国际头条新闻。
“在我刚开始时，英国仅有1%的前列腺癌手术采用机器人操作，而现在这个比例几乎达到了95%，”Dasgupta说道。他解释称，伦敦诊所在机器人领域的投资对于提升整个国民医疗服务体系（NHS）外科医生的培训至关重要，这是哈利街上公私共生关系的一个典型案例，且该诊所“彻底改变”了前列腺癌的治疗方式。
对于该地区的美学传统，Dasgupta比有些人更为乐观。他指出，这些传统早在当代对填充剂和鱼DNA的需求出现之前就已存在。1932年，哈罗德·吉利斯爵士（Sir Harold Gillies）在伦敦诊所设立了世界上第一家私立整形外科诊所。这位出生于新西兰的外科医生被誉为“整形外科之父”，随后他开始涉足美学工作，将他在第一次世界大战退伍军人身上开创的面部重建技术进行了改造。伦敦诊所至今仍是隆胸术和拉眉术的主要提供者。“我认为我们提供的是全方位护理，”Dasgupta说。而江湖郎中在这里也不是什么新现象。在19世纪20年代，约翰·圣约翰·隆（John St John Long）是一位名医，客户包括政治家和贵族，他用一种激烈的揉搓疗法治疗肺结核，旨在制造一个疮口以便疾病从体内排出。实际上，隆是一名来自爱尔兰的落魄艺术家，在两名患者死亡后，他在老贝利法院（Old Bailey）被揭发并受审。随后他死于肺结核，据报道他拒绝接受自己那套“神奇疗法”，而该疗法被证明只是蛋黄、醋和松节油的混合物。
“全英最顶尖的一批顾问在哈利街执业，”温波尔街（Wimpole Street）的神经科医生理查德·艾伦·约翰·阿舍尔（Richard Alan John Asher）在很久以后，即1958年的一期英国医学会杂志中宣称，“但这里也聚集了一些最卑劣的无赖。”在描述那些至今依然常见的、被“分割成单间办公室迷宫”的私人房产问题时，他继续道：“许多人将哈利街的地址、高昂的诊费和令人印象深刻的风度视为拥有顶尖专业意见的证明。只要人们还相信这一点，就会有江湖骗子接纳他们作为病人。”
回到90号，Invest家族见证了哈利街在本世纪的大部分演变。Invest表示，无论你是私立医疗领域的企业巨头还是独立临床医生，在这个自然选择必然会剔除庸医和骗子的地区，有一件事始终没变：对信任和优质服务的需求。“这里经历过无数次各种形式的浪潮，”他在准备当天的第一次预约前说道，“但如果你根基深厚且照顾好你的病人，让他们忠诚地信任你，而你也同样对待他们，这样的诊所才能生存下来。”
该区域由 Howard de Walden 庄园 所有并管理
LISA ARMSTRONG
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WILLIAM SITWELL
环境辉煌，烹饪现代且具创意——我们的 评论员被本周的餐厅深深吸引
RICHARD MADELEY
我们的情感咨询师 为三位陷入困境的读者 提供坦诚的建议
GETTY IMAGES
寻找一件 £100 或以下的 凉爽连衣裙
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近日的极端高温将我驱使进入牛津街 Uniqlo 那冷气充足的避风港，结果发现那里有很多 40 英镑 (£40.) 以下的亚麻或亚麻混纺连衣裙选择，相当不错。 我一直没有拥有太多连衣裙。在英国的气候下，分体式服装的灵活性对我来说在单次穿着成本上总是更合理。但在今年夏天的热浪中，连衣裙是唯一能胜任的单品。 但是，在 £100 以下且外观出色的、剪裁良好且不含涤纶的连衣裙有多少呢？数量尚可，但并非无穷无尽。考虑到这一点，以下是如何区分一件看起来价值百万美元的廉价连衣裙与一件仅仅是廉价的连衣裙的方法。
优质面料是基础 没有它，你和连衣裙最终都会在高温下枯萎。府绸、亚麻、棉、泡泡纱、天丝 (Tencel) 和粘胶纤维（也列为 Lenzing 和 Ecovero）——这些是植物和树木而非化学衍生物——是你的关键驱动力。令人难以置信的是，竟有这么多品牌费心使用优质面料制造连衣裙，结果却在里面
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衬了涤纶，这相当于把自己密封在了一个密封袋里。如果你爱上的款式包含一些聚酯纤维，请检查百分比。低含量是可以接受的。
注意印花 图案是决定一件衣服看起来是否廉价的重要因素。单调或模糊的花卉、大众化的几何图形或弱小的动物印花（豹纹应该始终具有冲击力）会让连衣裙显得局促且缺乏光彩。
留意细节 包扣、整洁的顶缝、侧口袋、合适的领口面对面缝合、深边缝以及皮革腰带，所有这些都表明有人真正考虑过这件衣服。你可能无法在 £100 的预算内获得所有这些，但没有什么能阻止你自行改装你的连衣裙。
合适的领口 令人赞赏的领口：柔和的 V 型、开领、方领、轻微的圆弧领和非对称缺口，通常会让所有人看起来都很优雅
亚麻混纺带抽褶，£39.90, Uniqlo
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年龄。与复杂的不对称或重褶领口相比，它们也更容易搭配珠宝和外套。
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斜缝线 斜向剪裁的腰线、领口或深色褶边非常修身。利用它们来平衡你的身材。
多功能性 它搭配人字拖是否和搭配低跟鞋、精致手拿包及珠宝一样好看？它能驾驭一双出人意料的亮色鞋子吗？这些问题决定了你穿着一件连衣裙的频率，以及它对你而言究竟有多少价值。
它能容纳你的文胸吗？ 如果不能，是否有内部支撑？它是否完全合身，如果不合身，修改费用是多少？如果你不想花钱修改，请寻找能够适应你身材的抽绳、系带和褶皱设计。 最终，一件单品是否为明智之选，取决于它看起来如何以及你是否热爱穿着它，而不是它的实际价格。
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( 1 ) 粘胶纤维混纺连衣裙， £95, Hush。漆皮鞋，£195, Bobbies。树脂和水钻 耳环，£225, Completedworks
摄影：SARAH BRICK。发型与妆容：JOY GOODMAN 的 OONAGH CONNOR。 造型：SOPHIE TOBIN。造型助理：ALICE DENCH
( 2 ) 腰带系扣粘胶纤维连衣裙， £16（原价 £27.99）, H&M。 皮革鞋，£340, Dear Frances。 金耳环，£325, Completedworks
( 3 ) 亚麻连衣裙，£97, & Other Stories。 皮革穆勒鞋，£99, Jaeger。皮革包， £350, Polène。 树脂耳环 £180, 手镯 £290, 以及 戒指 £300, 全部来自 Dinosaur Designs
夏季帽子
学到了什么， 那就是帽子是一项明智的 投资——而且不仅仅是为了 盛装出行。事实上， 根据 Google Trends 的数据， 6月“夏季帽子”的 搜索量激增了 60 per cent。 杰西卡·萨尔特 (Jessica Salter) 表示， 无论你做什么， 总有一种适合你的风格。
海滩
节日
“一顶帽子有能力完全改变一件日常穿搭，”造型师莎拉·科尔贝特-温德 (Sarah Corbett-Winder) 说道。除了防晒，“它能瞬间带来个性、喜悦和趣味。对我来说，它就像珠宝：它是完善整体造型的最后点睛之笔……戴上帽子就像是步入了一个更强大的自我版本。” 帽子绝对正处于时尚的风口。Celine 2026 年春夏时装秀上，模特们佩戴了该品牌的 Triomphe 巴拿马帽，而从肯德尔·詹娜 (Kendall Jenner) 到安妮·海瑟薇 (Anne Hathaway) 以及琼·柯林斯 (Dame Joan Collins) 勋爵等名人，都一直在尝试从草编帽、宽檐软帽到渔夫帽的各种款式。 制帽师奥温·戈尔丁 (Awon Golding) 表示，关键在于尝试多种风格：“这是发现你喜欢什么以及什么能让你感到自信的唯一可靠方法。”
Sarah Corbett-Winder
Sarah Corbett-Winder
最适合海滩
宽檐的天然纤维帽子（考虑棉质或拉菲草）是最理性的选择。若追求更高阶的风格，可以尝试 Vanessa Sposi，这是杜阿·利帕 (Dua Lipa) 6月度蜜月时穿的品牌。戈尔丁设计的带有磨边扇形边缘的棉帆布遮阳帽在保护面部的同时也能兼顾风格。 在商业街品牌中，Free People 的软帽版本很容易收进行李箱。但我发现最完美的沙滩帽是 Sea NY 的这款钩编边帽子，正如联合创始人莫尼卡·保利尼 (Monica Paolini) 所说，“这是那种你整个夏天都会想戴的帽子。钩编赋予了它一种经过考量的手工质感。我会用它搭配任何衣服，从轻便的连衣裙到海滩上的泳装。”
节日友好型
虽然今年可能不去格拉斯顿伯里 (Glastonbury)，但节日风格的永恒形象依然是戴着渔夫帽的 Alexa Chung。这类帽子通常性价比高，且在被揉成一团塞进口袋后依然能保持原形。Anthropologie 出品的一款很精美，但若要追求极致的防风雨选择，请考虑 Barbour。
都市之热
INSTAGRAM / KENDALLJENNER
如果在城里逛街，一顶更整洁、有结构的帽子能毫不费力地提升整体造型。Corbett-Winder 最近被药盒帽 (pillbox style) 吸引（比如独立品牌 Second Stories 的这款）：“它们能瞬间为服装增添精致感和酷感，并完全改变你穿着的氛围。”
为了获得更好的遮阳效果，London Atelier Byproduct 的硬质拉菲草灯笼形渔夫帽非常合适；而澳大利亚品牌 Lorna Murray 的结构化款式不仅具有 UPF 50 防晒等级，还能折叠放入自带的抽绳袋中。棒球帽已经不再仅仅限于休闲日。裁缝 Caroline Andrews 表示：“我喜欢挺括的西装与天生随意的单品之间产生的张力——它带来一种轻松感，让西装不会显得过于死板或平庸。” Kindred of Ireland 的创始人 Amy Anderson 也认为“帽子能增添一种毫不费力的非工作日氛围”，她会将自己的设计与女性化单品搭配。“这种组合创造了一种出乎意料的效果。我总是选择披发而不是将头发梳向脑后，这样感觉是经过深思熟虑的，而非单纯为了运动。” 如果想在预算有限的情况下获得设计师光环，可以尝试 JW Anderson 与 Uniqlo 联名推出的色彩缤纷的棒球帽。
园艺之美
园艺帽必须在弯腰除草时保持不掉，并且要有足够的帽檐来保护皮肤；带有额外抽绳项带的款式会更胜一筹。Beechfield 在实用性和价格方面难以被超越，而法国品牌 Soeur 的 Idaho 系列目前正在打折。如果你想要更多一点的魅力，If Not Only If 的创始人 Emily Campbell 推荐 Avenue the Label 的 Izzy 款式：“它让我想起那部完美的英国电影《薰衣草女士》(Ladies in Lavender)，让人渴望在盛开的玫瑰花丛中，端着一杯清爽的白葡萄酒穿着它。” 此外，想必还得配一件轻盈的睡袍。
全新的抗老精华液
M&S（玛莎百货）重新推出的护肤系列拥有一款富含肽类的明星产品
除非你完全不去商业街购物，否则你一定知道玛莎百货（Marks & Spencer）现在是最热门的购物地点之一。我长期以来一直购买这里的裙子、凉鞋和衬衫，以及食品（我 Ocado 购物篮里的绝大部分都是 M&S 的），但我不能说我之前对这家零售商的自有品牌美容产品有同样的热情。直到现在。你会注意到许多门店的美容区已经发生了蜕变，现在 stocked 了从平价亲民到高端奢华的众多品牌。
但最大的一次“面部提升”来自 M&S 的自有品牌 Formula，该品牌本周重新推出，涵盖 12 款产品。他们本可以简单地更换现有配方的包装，但新的精华液、面霜和洁面产品是从零开始研发的——而且，没错，新包装确实看起来好多了。
让我们从我最喜欢的一款产品开始：超强肽精华液（Ultra Peptide Serum）。在过去的四周里，我早晚一直坚持使用它。它是该系列中价格最高的产品，售价 £29，但其效果却堪比昂贵得多的精华液。
肽（Peptides）是氨基酸链，广泛应用于护发、护肤和身体护理中，是改善皮肤研究最深入的成分之一。根据 Spate 流行指数，人们对肽的兴趣同比增长了 241.6 百分比。我长期以来一直是肽类精华液的拥趸，在过去几年中一直使用某种形式的肽，因为它们确实有效。
“胶原蛋白水平在 30 多岁时开始缓慢下降，到 40 多岁时则下降得相当剧烈，因此肽可以帮助向皮肤发出信号，以产生更多的胶原蛋白，”
伊丽莎白·霍克斯（Elizabeth Hawkes）博士解释道，她是一位咨询眼科与眼整形外科医生、医美医生，以及新任命的 M&S 美容大使。“在我的诊所里，没有人说他们想看起来更年轻，但每个人都会提到的关键点是，他们觉得状态疲惫且看起来很累，他们只是希望感到自信并看起来神采奕奕，”她补充道。“当然，我可以通过外科手术干预来帮助实现这一点，但每个人都应该建立良好的护肤习惯。这正是刺激胶原蛋白产生的肽类产品发挥作用的地方，因为它们拥有最强有力的证据支持。”
Formula 超强肽精华液在提供肽的同时，还含有烟酰胺、神经酰胺、欧米伽-3 和欧米伽-6。“这种组合对皮肤屏障非常有益，”霍克斯表示——事实上，我注意到的一点是，在使用四周后，我的皮肤看起来更健康、更亮，且触感更柔软。它还包含一种 NAD+ 增强剂，这是一种有助于激活皮肤细胞的辅酶。结果是，随着持续使用，皮肤的可见细纹和皱纹应该会减少，感觉更紧致且更滋润。它也是所有肤质的绝佳选择，甚至是极敏感肌（作为一种成分，肽在孕期和敏感肌上使用都是安全的）。
在一项针对 110 名女性的试验中，86 百分比的人认同该产品明显改善了衰老迹象，84 百分比的人在使用了四周后对自己的皮肤更有信心。如果你在寻找一款能同时针对多种皮肤衰老迹象、早晚一次搞定的产品，我会建议尝试一下。
其余 12 件 Formula 系列产品（将于 8 月 6 日起发售）也经过了周到的研发。另一款让我眼前一亮的是维生素 C 亮泽眼霜（£18），它含有透明质酸和角鲨烷，以及能掩盖眼周暗沉的发光微粒。我还非常推崇布里蒂滋养面部护理油（Buriti Nourishing Facial Oil，£22），它含有玫瑰果油、草地泡沫花种子油和角鲨烷。作为晚间护肤程序的最后一步轻轻拍入皮肤，它将“锁定”所有营养。
左图：Formula 布里蒂滋养面部护理油、超强肽精华液和维生素 C 亮泽眼霜
更多充满“肽”力的产品
头皮 + 头发护理 Density & Growth 3-in-1 Dove 头皮精华液 (£10, boots.com)。该新系列旨在通过使用多肽增强发根，从而帮助延长头发的生长周期。
Moroccanoil 摩洛哥薄荷茶润唇膏 (£20, lookfantastic.com)。这款注入多肽的润唇膏能够抚平并深层滋润，且不会产生过度油亮的效果。它还提供香草椰枣和莓果石榴两种口味，但这款清新活泼的香味是我们的最爱。
Champo Pitta 睫毛生长精华液 (£38, harrods.com)。这款天然来源、不含前列腺素的睫毛护理产品含有多肽和阿育吠陀植物干细胞，有助于促进睫毛生长周期。最棒的一点是？它确实有效。
(Wish you were here)
如何在假期烹饪中 赢得所有人的赞赏
最近我收到了一位读者的电子邮件，向我征询关于假期烹饪的建议。海伦将与八名左右的家庭成员前往威尔士，且这些旅程中的大部分用餐计划和烹饪都由她承担——“我们热爱一起用餐，这是我们假期中非常精彩的一部分”——但她需要一些新的灵感。
海伦，你说到我心坎里了。我经常围绕食物来规划整个假期。我甚至在去意大利时带了一台制面机——因为那里更黄的蛋黄能让意面呈现极佳的色泽——并且每天查阅食谱。安娜·德尔·孔特曾随我一同前往威尼托，乔治奥·洛卡特利则陪我去了西西里。
我很乐意花几个小时喝着咖啡，列出我想做的菜肴清单以及需要购买的食材。有几次旅行令我印象深刻，一次是几十年前在托斯卡纳，在那里我第一次做了 gremolata（香料碎）。在那间小厨房里，我一直在切香草和大蒜，并照看慢火炖煮的菜肴——在酷暑中这样做简直疯了，但那道 Osso Buco（烩小牛膝）简直太棒了。还有一次是去威尼托。那座房子阴暗、曲折且略显阴森，但它有一个极好的大型农家厨房，我在那里准备了由 antipasti（前菜）组成的晚餐——朝鲜蓟心和蚕豆、烤辣椒bruschetta（意式烤面包）、填入里科塔奶酪并淋蜂蜜的西葫芦花——以及新鲜意面。
意大利的蔬菜和水果格外出色，当然，这也取决于你去哪里。海伦，在威尔士，你当然能吃到羊肉，还有很棒的鱼类和甲壳类海鲜。千万不要错过海鳟鱼或野生海鲈鱼。
假期美食会随着生活的改变而改变。如果你的同行者中有幼儿或青少年，他们只想在准时的情况下填饱肚子。如果你是和一群成年人同行，并非每个人都像你一样热衷于美食。他们很感激你想下厨，但他们可不愿意在晚上 11 点才吃晚餐。
我最近在观看 BBC 剧集《八月的两周》(Two Weeks in August) 时，内心感到越来越不安。轮到那对夫妇下厨的那天，他们只能找到冷冻鱼。类似的事情也发生在我身上。有一年我们到达西西里岛时实在太晚，错过了食品市场。我一直渴望顶级金枪鱼和红虾，但时间只够快跑一趟最近的超市。我不得不满足于用鸡肉、番茄、蜂蜜般的甜瓜和杏子来凑合——虽然美味，但并非我计划中的菜单。
从那以后，我一直准备着一个笔记本，记录着无论落在哪里都可以用来备用的几个方案。这个食谱就是其中之一。当时我们坐在一张刷白的小桌旁，墙上装饰着西西里风格的鱼。我并不在意桌上没有鱼。我们当时只是因为能吃上一顿饭而欣喜若狂。
准备时间：20 分钟， 另加静置时间 烹饪时间：1 小时
分量：8 人份
除了面包， 你不需要 其他任何配菜。 柠檬是必不可少的， 但如果你喜欢， 也可以用百里香 代替迷迭香。
食材 – 1 只 1.9-2kg 优质鸡 – 40g 黄油
– 1 瓣大蒜， 磨成泥 – 1 汤匙迷迭香碎， 外加约 8 枝 完整迷迭香 – 1 颗柠檬 – 1 大头大蒜， 横向对半切开
番茄部分 – 800g 中等大小的 串番茄，对半切开 – 4 汤匙特级初榨 橄榄油 – 2 汤匙香醋 – 1 茶匙辣椒碎
– 150g 里科塔奶酪 (ricotta) – 15g 帕尔马干酪 (Parmesan)， 磨碎
做法 将烤箱预热至 190C / 180C 风扇模式 燃气档位 5。 清除鸡腹腔开口 周围多余的脂肪。 在内部充分调味， 并用厨房纸巾擦干 皮肤。 用叉子将 30g 黄油捣碎， 加入磨碎的大蒜 和迷迭香碎。调味。
将鸡放入一个 尺寸紧凑的烤盘中。 小心地掀起胸部皮肤， 开始将调味黄油 填入其中，一边掀皮 一边向腿部方向推进。 尽量不要撕破皮肤。 将剩余的黄油 抹在皮肤上， 全身调味。 将柠檬在工作台面上 用手掌按压滚动使其 变软。我喜欢用擀面杖 敲击，但不要太用力 以免破裂。用签子在 柠檬上戳满小孔， 将其对半切开， 将两半柠檬与 对半切开的大蒜头 及迷迭香枝放入 鸡腹内。使用牙签 封闭腹腔，然后 将鸡腿绑在一起， 但不要绑得太紧。 将鸡胸朝下放置。 将番茄放入另一个 烤盘中，使其铺成 单层。淋上橄榄油 和醋，然后调味。 撒上辣椒碎。 将两个烤盘放入 烤箱，鸡在上方， 番茄在下方。 烘烤 30 分钟， 然后将鸡翻面， 使胸部朝上。 再烘烤 20 分钟， 期间不时给鸡刷汁， 然后将番茄从烤箱中 取出，使其冷却。 将温度调高至 200C / 190C 风扇模式 / 燃气 档位 6，继续烘烤 鸡 10-15 分钟。 此时皮肤应膨胀 且呈金黄色，内部的 柠檬和迷迭香应 已产生美味的汁液。 在腿与身体之间 刺入鸟身——流出的 汁液应清澈， 没有粉色痕迹。 将大蒜块从腹腔中 取出并备用。用铝箔 和干净的茶巾覆盖 鸡身，静置 15 至 30 分钟。 与此同时，将软化的大蒜 从皮中挤出并捣碎。 用叉子将里科塔奶酪 分布在番茄上， 然后将烹饪汁液 舀在番茄和 奶酪之上。 将鸡放在一个大盘中， 将番茄和奶酪 围在周围， 在顶部撒上 帕尔马干酪。 将捣碎的大蒜抹在 鸡身顶部即可食用。
《电讯报》 食谱通讯
您的每周美食指南， 由戴安娜·亨利 (Diana Henry) 提供烹饪灵感。 扫描二维码 进行订阅
填充物
猪肉丸 越南风味 (BÁNH-MÌ-STYLE) 三明治
准备时间：25 分钟，另加腌制和冷藏时间 烹饪时间：20 分钟
可供 4 人食用
这是一款融合了法越风格的混合体，是最初在当时的西贡街头销售的经典三明治。在那里，三明治通常包含肥美的猪肝酱、用鱼露调味的蒸猪肉卷片，或者是 giò thu（一种越南版本的猪头肉）。制作这类三明治的肉丸通常在高汤中水煮，但我更倾向于煎炸。
食材 蔬菜部分 – 1 汤匙细砂糖 – 125ml 米醋 – 4 个小萝卜，去蒂，切成极薄片 – 2 个小胡萝卜，去皮，去蒂，切成细条 – ⅓ 个白萝卜，去皮，去蒂，切成细条
肉丸部分 – 500g 猪肉末 – 2 汤匙细切的泰国罗勒 – 1 汤匙细切的香菜 – 1½ 茶匙 grated 根姜（或 ½ 茶匙干姜粉） – 4 瓣大蒜，磨成泥 – 2 根青葱，极细切碎 – 1 汤匙鱼露 – 1 汤匙 Sriracha 辣椒酱或其他辣酱 – 1 汤匙细砂糖或软浅棕色糖 – 2 茶匙玉米淀粉 – 约 2 汤匙橄榄油，用于煎炸
蛋黄酱部分 – 115g 蛋黄酱 – 1 瓣小蒜，压碎 – 挤入少量青柠汁 – 2 茶匙 Sriracha 辣椒酱或其他辣酱（根据口味添加——如果需要可以用更多）
食用准备 – 4 个小法棍面包 – 一把香菜叶 – 2 个红辣椒，去籽并切碎（可选）
步骤 从蔬菜开始。将糖用力搅拌进米醋中，直到糖完全溶解。将蔬菜放入碗中，倒入腌制液。静置约一小时。 用手将所有肉丸食材（油除外）与足量的调味料混合在一起。确保所有食材充分融合。 用湿手将混合物揉成约核桃大小的圆球。你应该最终做出 24 个。揉好后依次放在盘子或托盘上。盖上保鲜膜，放入冰箱冷藏 30 分钟。 将蛋黄酱的食材混合在一起。在煎锅（或两个煎锅）中加热油，用中火将肉丸煎几分钟。你希望外层呈现漂亮的色泽，但肉丸内部也必须煮熟，所以不要让外层过快上色。 调低火力将肉丸彻底煮熟（大约需要 15 分钟），期间不时翻面。将法棍面包对半切开，并取出底半部分的一些面包心（为放入肉丸腾出空间）。 在每个法棍面包中舀入少量蛋黄酱，接着放入沥干的腌制蔬菜，然后放入肉丸，最后再加入更多蛋黄酱和香菜（如果想要更辣，可以加入切碎的辣椒）。
准备时间：10 分钟 烹饪时间：30 分钟
份量：2 人份
这个菜肴的原始版本——当时仅包含牛排和洋葱——是由 20 世纪 30 年代一名意大利移民在费城的儿子们创作的。奶酪——一种快速融化的普罗沃隆奶酪 (provolone) ——是在 20 世纪 40 年代引入的。现在，人们还会加入蔬菜——有些人喜欢青椒和洋葱，有些人则喜欢蘑菇——因此它在不断演变。只要你使用了牛肉和普罗沃隆奶酪，我认为你就不会辜负费城牛排三明治 (Philly) 的名声。
配料 – 2½ 汤匙橄榄油 – 1 个大洋葱，切极细丝 – 2 个红椒，对半切开，去籽，切薄片 – 1 瓣大蒜，磨成泥 – 1 茶匙软浅棕色糖 – 2 茶匙白葡萄酒醋 – 花生油，用于煎炸或烤制 – 2 块肋眼牛排，每块约 200 克 – 2 个迷你法棍面包 – 125 克强味普罗沃隆奶酪，切极薄片
做法 在大型煎锅中加热橄榄油，将洋葱炒 5 分钟，然后加入少许盐和胡椒。加入红椒，用中火炒至变软；如果红椒颜色变得太深，请调低火力。拌入大蒜泥。你可以加入两汤匙水，使蔬菜继续烹饪而不再变色。炒至形成软泥状。加入糖和醋，搅拌至糖融化。检查调味。
将烤箱预热至 180C / 170C 风扇模式 / 煤气档位 5. 将大型煎锅或烤盘加热至极烫。加入花生油并在锅中晃匀——只需留一层薄薄的油膜即可。给牛排充分调味，煎或烤至每面都有好看的深色焦壳——不断翻转牛排，并将其移动到锅内不同的区域。总共烹饪约三分钟——此时肉必须是三分熟 (rare)。
将牛排移至切菜板上，用铝箔纸轻轻覆盖，静置四分钟。与此同时，将法棍面包放入烤箱加热至温热。将法棍纵向剖开，将洋葱和红椒舀在面包底座上。再次加热煎锅或烤盘。将牛排切成极薄片。分成两堆，放回煎锅或烤盘中，翻动使其变暖。
将奶酪撕碎，放在锅中肉堆的顶部，使其融化。将肉和奶酪转移到蔬菜上，并盖上每块法棍的另一半。立即食用，或将法棍对半切开并用铝箔纸包裹以保温。
当少一点（酒精）反而更好时
低酒精含量的葡萄酒并不总是受欢迎。作为一个初出茅庐的葡萄酒撰稿人，我曾被明确告知，不要忘记大多数畅销红酒的秘诀在于它们带有微甜（但被标记为干型），且酒精含量慷慨。谁能抵挡住一瓶果香浓郁、温暖人心且酒精含量高达 15% 的里奥哈 (Rioja) 葡萄酒，那酒液在杯中几乎快要沸腾了？显然，没多少人能抵挡。
目前的情况依然是，那种微妙的甜味能增强果味的小半干型葡萄酒是畅销产品。然而，现在越来越多的饮酒者——《电讯报》的读者对此尤为热衷——开始越来越多地寻找低酒精含量（10-12.5%）的酒瓶。Waitrose 表示，其轻盈红葡萄酒 Le Chouchou (11% abv) 的销量在过去三个月内增长了 124%，而其 Blueprint Grüner Veltliner (11.5%) 的销量在同一时期增长了 24%。对于年轻的饮酒者来说，这种趋势是追求口感纯净、轻快，风味浓郁且不会导致头痛的葡萄酒。
对于年长的饮酒者而言，这种选择通常被认为是“回归”到过去的美好时光——在那个星巴克南瓜香料拿铁、被“帕克化”的葡萄酒（为了迎合美国影响力巨大的葡萄酒评论家罗伯特·帕克 (Robert Parker) 的口味而制作的全体葡萄酒）以及所有超加工、超甜产品的世界出现之前。
但事实上，并非如此。现在低酒精葡萄酒的味道比 90 年代好得多。在那时，低酒精含量与其说是刻意的选择，不如说是葡萄未成熟却仍被酿造的结果，并且极有可能经过了补糖处理（为了满足原产地命名法的规定而添加糖分，以提高酒精含量），最终变成了口感酸涩得令人心碎的红葡萄酒，或是让人联想到电池酸液的白葡萄酒。
开始倾向于寻找 低酒精含量的酒瓶
萨曼莎·杰尔 (SAMANTHA JELL)
过去三十年来在葡萄栽培领域的发现与进步，意味着现在有可能在不增加葡萄含糖量的情况下，种植出具有成熟酚类物质（单宁成分）和成熟芳香物质（从而拥有充足且正确的风味）的葡萄。
在品尝后，我惊讶地发现 Dauvergne et Ranvier 有机西拉 2024 (Dauvergne et Ranvier Organic Syrah 2024)，法国产（Waitrose 销售，£11），其酒精浓度 (abv) 仅为 10.5%。诚然，对于一款西拉而言它较为轻盈，但它并不单薄、贫瘠或生硬，且拥有正宗的西拉风味：黑莓、黑胡椒、甘草根。我会非常愉快地饮用这款酒：它确实非常出色。
在其他方面，你可以找到一些一直处于低酒精光谱端的葡萄酒风格，比如巴尔多利诺 (Bardolino)，但现在的它们口感更好了：不再是那种单薄的巴尔多利诺。
有一点需要说明：我不将新型的“中端”酒精葡萄酒视为这一类。这些酒的酒精浓度通常在 8% 左右，是为了满足人们想要饮酒但又不想饮用太多的新需求而培育的，且口感往往有所妥协。但让我们为酿酒技术的提升举杯（也许是两杯），正是这些进步让低酒精含量的葡萄酒如今拥有如此良好的口感。
六款最佳 低酒精购买推荐
Toro Loco Superior Tempranillo Bobal 2024, 西班牙产 (12%, Tesco, £5.79)
一款来自西班牙 一个不被重视的 地区——Utiel- Requeña 的廉价之选。 果味（足够）且多汁。 建议冰镇。
The Society’s Chinon 2025, 法国产 (12.5%, The Wine Society, £9.95)
一款长期可靠的 品丽珠 (Cabernet Franc)， 在叶片气息与 红色浆果汁液之间 达到了恰到好处的 平衡。 一款极佳的 10英镑以下之选。
D’Arenberg The Dry Dam Riesling 2025, 麦克拉伦谷 (McLaren Vale)， 阿德莱德山 (Adelaide Hills)， 澳大利亚产 (10.5%, Waitrose, £13)
强劲且直接， 一款风味浓郁的 雷司令，带有 干青柠、丁香 和青柠果酱的香气。
The Best Côtes de Gascogne 2025, 法国产 (11%, Morrisons, £7.75)
产自法国西南部， 性价比极高。 期待如粉红葡萄柚般 清脆的新鲜感， 并带有柠檬皮的 气息。
M&S Found Palomino 2025, 南非产 (11.5%, M&S, £10)
一款不同寻常且 绝对惊艳的白葡萄酒： 富有质感且带咸味， 像柠檬凝乳和百里香， 具有一种令人 精神振奋的清爽感。
Zeni Bardolino Classico 2025, 意大利产 (12.5%, House of Townend, £14.99)
深沉的红樱桃和 黑樱桃风味逐渐 转为草本气息， 并带有近乎奎宁般的 微苦感。 清爽且酒体中等。
“菜单将花园的灵感温柔地呈现在眼前”
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Isca, Haywards Heath
地点
Borde Hill Borde Hill Lane RH16 1XP 01444 441102 iscabordehill. co.uk
星级评定
双人晚餐 £126, 不含 饮品和小费
Curing Rebels 熟食拼盘 • 燕麦糖浆面包， 打发黄油 • 蘑菇麦芽塔， Borde Hill 西洋菜浓汤 腌制 Chalkstream 鳟鱼，labneh 酸奶和围墙 花园花卉 南海岸 鮟鱇鱼，白 豆，苦苣和 St Austell 贻贝 脆皮马铃薯， 巴黎咖啡黄油酱
JETHRO MARSHALL
Isca 是一家位于西萨塞克斯郡 Borde Hill 的新餐厅，其灵感和作物均源自周围的花园。这并非某种植物基饮食的时尚噱头。Borde Hill 是一处拥有近 400 英亩的庄园，可追溯至 16 世纪。坐落在公园中心的那座伊丽莎白时期的府邸是由 Stephen Borde 建造的——他是 Andrew Borde 的孙子。Andrew 是一位旅行者、医生，也是最早的几本英国健康饮食书籍的作者之一，他曾勇敢地建议亨利八世，其体型和胃口是对健康的威胁。Andrew 热爱植物，并担任国王的私人草药师；Stephen 继承了祖父的热情，在领地内开辟了果园和药用植物床。
因此，当 Isca 在庄园边缘的一座新建玻璃房中落成时（距离 Haywards Heath 火车站仅五分钟路程），它值得被郑重对待。一位当地朋友建议我们去那里用餐。Genevieve 小时候曾在花园里玩耍，餐厅窗外有一棵树，她曾在那棵树下输掉了一场打架并掉了一颗牙。
我对 Isca 的含义感到好奇。它既不是代表“美国伊斯兰最高委员会”，也不是“新加坡特许会计师协会”。不，它当然是一种铁线莲。
而它的用餐区堪称杰作。这是一个宏伟的宫殿式玻璃房，位于围墙花园的顶端，由考究的浅色石材打造。植物墙、沙发、窗帘和圆柱将空间软化并划分为不同区域。这里有供两人使用的窗边座、更温馨的多人长椅、适合大型聚会的宽敞空间，以及一个由木材和大理石制成的弧形吧台。当你走进去时，会产生一种想要四处探索的冲动。
我不知道这里是谁设计的，但如果你想让你的机场变得温馨，找这里就对了。
我们在露台上以几口饮品开场。Genevieve 喝了一杯极其出色的玛格丽特，主料是腌制木兰花和大黄，在我看来，这像是将酒精与植物融合的 50 年实验的一次胜利。我则喝了一杯意大利 Soave 白葡萄酒，我们品尝了来自布赖顿生产商 Curing Rebels 的熟食。他们的腌制工艺如此之高（coppa 腌肉非常绝赞），这成了你不再需要出国旅行的另一个理由。
我们在室内用餐，从一份将花园灵感温柔呈现的菜单中进行选择——而不是吃力地将这一概念强加于客。甚至连食材的描述都像艺术点缀；诸如“洛夫香”、“西洋菜浓汤”、“围墙花园花卉”、“荨麻”和“接骨木花”等词汇在页面上活泼地跳跃着。
首先，我们被赠送了一些餐前小点——微小的酥皮壳中填满了极小块的新鲜西葫芦、豌豆和甜玉米，而这些……
这些精致且风味浓郁的开胃美餐，足以让最坚定的肉食主义者动摇
橙色的墨西哥万寿菊花瓣， 以及一杯蔬菜冷汤 (gazpacho)。 精致且风味十足的佳作，足以 打动最坚定的肉食主义者。 随后上桌的是面包，一种如蛋糕般绝妙的 燕麦与糖蜜混合物，搭配打发黄油。 珍妮薇芙 (Genevieve) 准备了配有拉布尼 (labneh) 的熏鳟鱼， 鱼肉上方点缀着那些来自围墙花园的鲜花， 用镊子精准地摆放，令人赞叹。 它的口感如同其视觉呈现一样新鲜且充满活力。 我通过一份蘑菇麦芽挞，进一步探索厨房的 蔬菜料理储备。天呐，那块挞的 味道如此浓郁且令人难忘， 蘑菇的丰腴感被面点所用面粉的泥土气息 进一步放大，这种面粉是由一家 名为 Hodmedod’s 的公司生产的。 至少我确定他们是这么说的，而且我 请他们重复了好几次，以至于我觉得自己很笨。 不过，即便这面粉真的是由地精制作的， 相信我，它确实好吃。 我们分享了一盘鳂鱼， 肉质丰厚且仍带有些许韧劲， 铺在柔软且极佳的白豆床之上， 并配以苦菊带来的清脆口感。 配菜是酥脆的压制土豆——简单但美味—— 这为这顿绝妙的晚餐画上了句号。 这种富有创意地烹饪，在尊重古老植物知识的同时， 以一种完全现代的方式将其呈现。
“我的侄女有个秘密
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亲爱的理查德： 在 20 世纪 60 年代，我的姐姐在青少年时期怀孕，那个女婴被收养了。这件事让我们所有人都感到心烦意乱且非常悲痛，但那是那个时代的产物。据所有报道，那个孩子被安置在了一个不错的家庭中。 然而，次年我的姐姐再次与同一男子怀孕。我们的父母决定这次她应该留下这个孩子并亲自抚养，且继续住在家里。那个父亲当时也是名青少年，被送到国外，之后再未与我的姐姐或那个孩子联系。那个孩子现在是一名 50 多岁的女性，已经有了自己的家庭。 她一直觉得亲生父亲对她不感兴趣而感到受伤，并且在生命的大部分时间里都饱受情感问题困扰。我的姐姐并不是一个最慈爱的母亲，她们之间几乎不说话。 多年来，我强烈地感觉到我的侄女应该知道她有一个姐妹。她有异母 / 异父兄弟姐妹，因为我的姐姐后来结婚两次，但由于不知道她还有一个“同父同母”的姐姐，这让我感到非常难过。 然而，我的姐姐并不打算告诉她，因为她认为“这会毁掉她的名声”。这件事从未被提及，但我知道如果是我，我会想知道真相。您认为我应该采取果断行动吗？ — J，通过电子邮件
两次，但由于不知道她 有一个“同父同母”的姐姐，这让我
然而，我的姐姐并不打算 告诉她，因为她认为
名声”。这件事从未被提及， 但我知道如果是我，我会 想知道真相。您认为我
事实上， 你是在 玩火。 而且这甚至 不是你可以 点燃的 火。
亲爱的 J： 不，我认为不应该。我认为你正处于越权的危险之中。 请不要误解这个回答的生硬。我知道这看起来可能像是一个条件反射式的反应。我向你保证，它不是。 我花在思考你的信上的时间，比我很长一段时间以来收到的任何一封信都要多。为什么？因为它给我呈现了一片几乎无法穿透的、由道德和实际不可测因素组成的荆棘丛。但我思考了，寻求了睿智朋友的意见，我认为我已经成功在乱麻中找到了一条出路。 我认为，由你擅自告知你的侄女她有一个失散多年的姐妹，其潜在的负面影响超过了正面影响。首先，这不是你可以泄露的秘密（我们稍后会谈到这一点）。 但即便你认为自己有权这样做，你仍面临触发“不可预见后果定律”的风险（这是我在本专栏中经常提到的）。我们就从这里开始。 如果你告诉你的侄女她有一个年长的同父同母姐妹，她可能会因为这个秘密在家族中被隐瞒了半个多世纪而感到愤怒不已。为什么之前没有告诉她？并不是说你们所有人刚刚才发现这件事：你们一直都知道。 那么，是谁给了你权利让她一直处于无知之中？她对你、她的母亲以及其他人的关系所建立的信任，可能会在瞬间被摧毁。她可能会感到前所未有的被羞辱和被轻视。如果是由她的母亲去承担这个风险，或许还有理由。 但你不是她的父母，J。我认为你冒着严重超出你
超过半个世纪。为什么之前 没有告诉她？并不是说你们 所有人刚刚才发现这件事：你们 一直都知道。 那么，是谁给了你权利 让她一直处于无知之中？她 对你、她的母亲 以及其他人的关系所建立的信任， 可能会在瞬间被摧毁。她 可能会感到前所未有的被羞辱 和被轻视。如果是由 她的母亲去承担这个风险， 或许还有理由。 但你不是她的父母，J。我认为
你冒着严重超出你的
家族职权范围的风险。 接下来的问题是：如果你的侄女 决定追踪她的
家族职权范围的风险。
兄妹 / 姐弟？如果她的姐姐完全没有被联系的愿望怎么办？如果她拒绝了所有接触尝试怎么办？那将是更多的挫败感。更多的失望。更多的愤怒。 有可能这位姐姐已经成长为一个难以相处、甚至令人讨厌的人。你的侄女能承受吗？在人生这个阶段，这样的发现会丰富她的世界吗？ J，你明白我说的“不可预见的后果”是什么意思了吧？ 你是在玩火。而且这甚至不是你可以点燃的火。 我的建议是与你的姐姐谈谈。温柔地质疑她的观念——即告诉侄女真相会给她带来耻辱。我不明白为什么会这样。这一切发生时，你的姐姐还只是个孩子。 与你的姐姐共同解决这个问题。保持敏感。花尽可能多的时间。只要不要背叛她。你没有那个权力。
再次与我那个 极其无礼的朋友 同行”
亲爱的理查德： 每年我都会和一位认识近 50 年的朋友一起去旅行，看望住在该国一个非常美丽地区的共同好友。 我们住在酒店里，叙旧并度一个小假。 我的这位朋友一直说话刻薄，但今年她真是达到了新高度。 她不仅对酒店工作人员无礼、伤人且冷酷，而且对其他客人（对方勇敢地向我们分享了极其严重的个人苦难，而她竟公开嘲笑）甚至对我本人也如此。 我当时尴尬得想钻进地缝里。
为什么 在她的 鲁莽 演变为 赤裸裸的 霸凌时 你没有 制止她？
她现在正在计划明年的行程，而我再也不想和她一起出游了。然而，我不知道该如何处理这件事。 我也知道她很孤独，而且意识不到自己能给人带来多大的伤害。你能帮帮我吗？ —— B，通过 telegraph.co.uk 寄出
亲爱的 B： 嗯。在我看来，你似乎相当害怕你的这位朋友。 当她内在的不耐烦和鲁莽越界，演变成赤裸裸的无礼和霸凌时，你为什么没有制止她？如果情况像你描述的那样糟糕，她需要几句严厉的指正。也许你是因为震惊和尴尬而陷入了沉默。无论如何，我同意你的看法。你确实不需要再次让自己经历这种事情。 因此：我建议方案 A 和方案 B。 方案 A：明年，独自去拜访这位共同好友。自行安排行程，免于因为被贴上另一个人的“无礼且不耐烦”的标签而感到羞耻和尴尬。 方案 B：给那个脾气古怪的人写信，把事情摊开来说。解释你明白她可能没意识到自己的言行对他人的影响，但最近这次旅行越界了，你不想重复这种经历。她是否愿意接受你的说法并改善行为？ 她要么道歉并承诺做得更好，要么会固执己见地让你滚蛋。 无论结果如何，你都会知道自己的处境——而且你至少给了她一次救赎的机会。 但不要再次让自己经历这些，B。人生太短暂了。
亲爱的理查德：
今年五月，我带着我心爱的 25 岁孙子去度了一个奢华的两周假期。他带了一台性能不错的数码相机并拍了数十张照片，并承诺在回程两周后会对照片进行标注并发送给我，这样我就可以把它们上传到家里的数码轮播幻灯片中，也可以给朋友们看。
一个月后，我既没有收到照片，也没有收到任何感谢之辞，于是我温和地提醒了他一下。没有回应。随后我给他写了一封邮件，说他的沉默让我有点伤心，尤其是因为能在那样美丽的风景区和他共度时光是如此愉快。
他的回答很没耐心，说他一直很忙，而且认为礼物就是礼物，不应该附加任何条件，他不喜欢被“说教”。作为一种事后补救，他随机发来了六张照片，并没有他承诺的标注。
对此我感到非常难过。即使照片寄到了，我也无法通过观看它们获得我所期待的快乐。我还觉得自己被利用了。我应该和他母亲（我的女儿）谈谈吗？ —— P，通过 telegraph.co.uk 寄来
亲爱的 P：
当然不要。为什么要把这孩子的可怜母亲卷入你这团受伤的情绪之中？她能做什么？给她的儿子上一堂关于“明确表达感恩”的课？还是强迫他给你多拍几张照片？作为母亲，她更有可能站在他那边。你只会冒风险让一个轻微烦人的局面变得糟糕得多。
坦白说，P，冷静点。这完全是大惊小怪。你和孙子度过了一个愉快的假期，没有任何事情出错。没错，他事后在发送照片方面很懈怠，但……那又怎样？年轻人有时会无意地表现得粗鲁、冷漠且不懂感恩。一直以来都是这样。这取决于我们这些年长者如何应对，而不要将其视为人身攻击。忘掉吧。
有问题想问理查德？ 请写信至：Dear Richard, The Daily Telegraph, 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 0DT，或发送电子邮件至 DearRichard@telegraph.co.uk
have found my show funny
face ban from early release
still be freed after serving half of term
By Charles Hymas HOME AFFAIRS EDITOR
RAPISTS are set to be exempt from Labour’s prison early release scheme under plans being considered by Andy Burnham, The Telegraph understands. The Prime Minister ordered a review of the scheme last week after coming under pressure from MPs, victims, cam- paigners and front-line prison offi cers to halt the early release of serious sexual and violent off enders. It is understood that Mr Burnham and Alex Norris, the Justice Secretary, have been presented with a list of options which includes exempting all rapists and child rapists from the early release scheme. Ministers plan to announce the results of the review early next week. But off enders convicted of manslaughter may still be released early, potentially including the killers of Pc Andrew Harper, although fi nal deci- sions have yet to be made. The Telegraph revealed two of Pc Harper’s killers are eligible to be freed halfway through their 13-year sentences rather than two thirds. Mr Burnham “paused” the scheme, set to be launched on Sept 2, and said none of the 6,000 eligible offenders should be freed until the review had determined who could and could not be safely released early and what extra safe- guards could be put in place for victims. Under the “earned progression” scheme designed to combat prison over- crowding, serious offenders including killers and rapists are eligible to be freed halfway rather than two thirds of the way through their sentence unless they have behaved badly in jail. Lower-level criminals can be freed as little as a third rather than 40 per cent of the way through their sentences unless they have breached prison disciplinary rules. Ministry of Justice (MoJ) officials have warned that any major delay or significant exemptions to the scheme risks prisons in England and Wales run- ning out of space in November. Analysis
By Jonathan Leake and Chris Price
BP’s plan to abandon the North Sea has raised fears that the oil giant could quit Britain for good. Yesterday, the company put its UK off shore oil and gas business up for sale after more than 60 years of operation. The move has sparked concerns that the £86bn business could relocate its headquarters out of the UK or shift its shares from the London Stock Exchange to the US. Meg O’Neill, BP’s new American chief executive, said the UK “will con-
News Focus 18 Business 29 Weather 33
by The Telegraph suggests some 220 child rapists and a further 344 rapists would be excluded from the scheme out of the total 6,000 eligible off enders due to be freed over the 10 months from September. It is understood killers jailed for man- slaughter are currently not included on the list of options for “exemptions” and may remain eligible for early release. However, sources stressed no fi nal deci- sions had been taken. Experts suggested manslaughter was a complex category of off ence covering a broad range of off enders from a pub assault resulting in death to the two kill- ers of Pc Harper. Albert Bowers and Jes- sie Cole were in the car that dragged Harper for more than a mile along coun- try roads when his ankles were caught in a towrope loop. He had gone to investigate the theft of a quad bike when the pair tried to escape in a car driven by the third killer, Henry Long, who is not eligible for early release. There is no specifi c off ence of manslaughter of an emergency worker which could be exempted, although a campaign led by Pc Harper’s widow subsequently saw the introduction of mandatory life sentences for anyone convicted of killing emergency workers while committing a crime. If ministers decide not to exclude manslaughter, they are likely to face a backlash. One senior Labour MP said: “Manslaughter should be [exempted from early release]. So many domestic murders get away with manslaughter.” The early release scheme is enshrined in the Sentencing Act 2026, which means any changes may need legislation when Parliament returns on Sept 1. It is thought its launch may be pushed back to the following week on Sept 9. An MoJ spokesman said: “Protecting the public will always be our top prior- ity. That is why this Government is tak- ing decisive action to fix the prison crisis it inherited while investing record sums to support victims.”
tinue to play an important role in our future” but stopped short of commit- ting to keeping the company based here. Andrew Bowie, the Conservative shadow Scotland secretary, said Labour’s hostility to oil and gas meant BP’s exit from the North Sea was “inev- itable” and warned that “it also paves the way for the company to quit the UK altogether”. Richard Tice, the Reform Party’s energy spokesman, said BP was “bailing out of UK assets and could soon bail out of the UK in its entirety”. The FTSE 100
Healey failed to secure 3pc defence pledge
HICHAM RACHIDI/ANADOLU VIA GETTY IMAGES
Migrants scramble through a security fence topped with razor wire near the border with Ceuta as they attempt to reach the Spanish-administered territory yesterday
By Rozina Sabur, James Crisp, Joe Barnes and Antonio Sempere
MOROCCO facilitated the sudden influx of 60,000 migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, Western intelligence suspects. Sources told The Telegraph that the surge could have served as a punish- ment amid diplomatic frustrations with Spain. Moroccan offi cials are believed to be frustrated with Pedro Sánchez, the socialist prime minister of Spain, over his pursuit of gas deals with Algeria. Morocco previously funnelled 8,000 people into Ceuta in 2021 following a dispute with Madrid over the sover- eignty of the Western Sahara, which preceded a sudden policy change in Madrid. Ceuta was overrun by entire
business, which has five oil and gas hubs in UK waters, said the North Sea move was part of an ongoing review of the business and comes after BP previ- ously warned about the weight of a windfall tax. Oil and gas companies have faced repeated tax raids under Labour and the Tories since the energy crisis prompted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Conservatives fi rst introduced a 25 per cent energy profi ts levy on North Sea operations in 2022, before later increasing it to 35 per cent. Labour then raised it to 38 per cent and extended the
Award-winning wines? They’re just mediocre
families swimming, climbing and storming across the border during a chaotic 48 hours on Thursday and yes- terday. At least 57 people died either by drowning or bring crushed at the bor- der fence. The scenes plunged Europe into cri- sis, with leaders threatening to freeze Spain out of free movement and impose border controls. The Trump adminis- tration, meanwhile, rounded on the Left-wing Spanish government for its weak stance on migration. Spanish offi cials played down claims that Morocco was behind the infl ux and Mr Sánchez thanked Rabat for its “co- operation” in tackling illegal migration. Several of those who crossed into Ceuta overnight claimed they had been encouraged to make the journey by
tax to 2030. Along with other levies, it means there is an eff ective 78 per cent tax rate on energy profits from the North Sea. Ms O’Neill said: “The North Sea remains integral to the UK’s energy sys- tem. However, as we focus our portfolio and direct capital to our highest-value opportunities, we believe our North Sea business will be better positioned as part of another company.” A sale of the off shore business would leave BP with little more than a string of petrol stations and EV chargers, an avi- ation fuel business and its lavish head-
Clare Balding
I’m squarer than Claudia than Claudia
NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR
police offi cers along the way. Some said they followed viral social media posts about a recent Spanish loophole that allows migrants to cross into the coun- try via sea without facing immediate expulsion. By last night 48,000 of those
a large number could not have taken place without the authorities knowing’
who crossed the frontier had returned to Morocco, suggesting they had been led there on false pretences. Sources stressed it was too early to reach a firm conclusion on what had enabled the infl ux, but one noted, “It is
quarters in the UK. Even its head offi ces are set to shrink: BP will next year vacate its campus in Sunbury, west Lon- don, as it moves to new, much smaller offi ces in Southwark. It employs 14,000 people in Britain. Michelle Thomson, the former SNP MSP for Falkirk East, who stood down earlier this year, said: “Anyone who doesn’t hear the alarm bells tolling from the announcement is not listening. “For BP to sell its assets in the North Sea can only open the door to their departure at some point. Government has to be decisive and join the dots on
Trump hails deal for Hamas to give up arms
Fifa chiefs turn on crisis-hit Infantino
without 3pc defence deal
agreed Cabinet role despite failing to secure promise to boost military spending
By Tony Diver and Nick Gutteridge
JOHN HEALEY took the job as Chancel- lor despite failing to secure a pledge from Andy Burnham to raise defence spending to 3 per cent of GDP by 2030. The Prime Minister told him he had taken the need to boost military fund- ing very seriously but would not com-
East meets West Royal Marines from 42 Commando and Korean forces conduct exercises from a Merlin Mk4 in south-west England to develop specialist maritime capabilities and strengthen a key international defence partnership.
after High Court dismisses legal challenge
By Fiona Parker
THE Chinese mega-embassy in London can be built after a High Court challenge against the decision to grant planning permission was dismissed. The Royal Mint Court Residents’ Association (RMCRA) brought legal action against the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the London Borough of Tower Ham- lets earlier this year. It said the presence of the embassy, earmarked for a site near the Tower of London, could lead to terrorist attacks or the repression of protests, while being used to enforce “draconian” Chinese laws and target dissidents. The Telegraph previously revealed that China plans to build an under- ground complex alongside Britain’s most
mit to a 2030 target, The Telegraph understands. It comes after Mr Healey confi rmed that he and the Prime Minister had writen to every Cabinet minister, tell- ing them that they must make cuts in their budgets to pay for Mr Burnham’s new spending pledges. The conversation between Mr Burn- ham and the Chancellor took place weeks after Mr Healey quit as Sir Keir Starmer’s defence secretary over a lack of new money for the Armed Forces. In his resignation letter, he said the 3 per cent uplift was “what Britain must set” and warned that failure to achieve
POPHOT LEE BLEASE
sensitive communication cables at the site. The Government and the council defended the claim, saying they “conscientiously and carefully had regard” to the concerns. Two judges dismissed the legal chal- lenge yesterday following a court hear- ing earlier this month. In written submissions, Aarif Abraham, for the RMCRA, said the mega-embassy’s human rights risks were “real and not illusory”. He said res- idents had “long submitted that they fear reprisals and curtailment of their ability to oppose or protest against the People’s Republic of China” as their properties are within the same freehold title as the proposed embassy. Richard Moules KC, on behalf of the Government, claimed that while the res- idents’ association raised issues of poten-
it would leave Britain falling behind European allies. The discussion has come to light after Mr Burnham and Wes Streeting, the new Defence Secretary, publicly refused to commit to the 2030 target this week. At a press conference, Mr Burnham swerved a question from The Telegraph on whether he would meet the demand. Instead, he said he would only pledge to honour a longer-term Nato target to increase the core defence budget to 3.5 per cent of GDP by 2035. He said: “When it comes to defence, obviously those commitments relate to the Parlia- ment after this one.” Mr Burnham
tial terrorist attacks, protests and privacy on previous occasions, they were not framed as breaches of their human rights. He said: “In substance, however, this ground is a thinly disguised and ille- gitimate attempt to re-run the argu- ments advanced by RMCRA as to the planning merits of the proposed devel- opment, which were considered, assessed and addressed by both the inspector and secretary of state.” In January, The Telegraph uncovered unredacted documents showing that a concealed chamber in the embassy would sit next to fi bre-optic cables trans- mitting fi nancial data to the City of Lon- don, as well as emails and messages. The same room is fi tted with hot-air extraction systems, possibly suggesting the installation of advanced computers for espionage.
added. “I have been very clear that we will honour those commitments.” Mr Streeting also refused to say 10 times whether the Government would meet the 3 per cent target when broad- casters questioned him on Thursday. Yesterday, Mr Healey confi rmed that he and the Prime Minister had written to every Cabinet minister telling them that there was no new money to pay for plans to expand technical educationand help people with the cost of living. In an interview with The Times, the Chancellor revealed they would have to fi nd savings in their budgets to ensure the government stuck to its fi scal rule of
cost the Treasury millions
ending borrowing to pay for day-to-day spending by the end of the decade. Mr Healey also hinted at benefi t cuts, saying that Britain’s “inexorably rising welfare bill must be controlled”. He added that he could not rule out tax rises in the budget on October 28. Gen Sir Richard Barrons, one of the co- authors of Labour’s strategic defence review, said Mr Burnham needed to seriously brush up on national security. He spoke after Mr Burnham fronted an £8.4bn investment in next-genera- tion nuclear submarines, claiming credit for funding that Sir Keir had already committed. The Telegraph understands that No 10 will set out its plan to reach the 3.5 per cent Nato target, at the next spending review. James Cartlidge, the shadow defence secretary, said: “It would be extraordi- nary if John Healey resigned as defence secretary, demanding 3 per cent on defence, but didn’t make that a condi- tion of becoming Chancellor.” The Telegraph has approached the Treasury for comment.
new drilling. This week, the Prime Min- ister declared that Britain “cannot ignore” its oil and gas reserves. The prospective sale will also raise fears for the 1,100 people BP employs in the North Sea. Miatta Fahnbulleh, the Energy Secre- tary, said: “I’m in close contact with BP and have made clear that my priority is ensuring that the workers and local community are protected during this sale process.” John Swinney, Scotland’s First Minis- ter, called on Mr Burnham to immedi- ately reverse the windfall tax on oil and gas profi ts. “Westminster’s supertax on jobs is hurting Scotland, especially the north east,” he said. “The UK Government must scrap the Energy Profi ts Levy and urgently act to protect jobs.”
NEWS BULLETIN
prison assault charges
The Southport killer has been charged with assaults on prison staff . Axel Rudakubana, 19, has been charged with two counts of assaulting an emergency worker, attempted grievous bodily harm and unauthorised possession of an off ensive weapon in prison. The alleged off ences are said to have taken place between May 6 and Oct 28 last year in HMP Belmarsh. Rudakubana was given a life sentence with a minimum of 52 years for the murders of Alice da Silva Aguiar, Bebe King and Elsie Dot Stancombe and the attempted murder of eight other children and two adults at a Taylor Swift-themed class in Southport in July 2024.
exploiting officers
Police forces have been accused of exploiting their front-line offi cers by the independent pay review body that advises Shabana Mahmood. In unprecedented criticism of the way forces treat their offi cers, the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) said their behaviour was undermining the “morale, well-being and retention” of their front-line staff . The review body suggested that some forces were breaching their own regulations on hours they were forcing offi cers to work without days off . “This is increasingly unsustainable, with serious implications for morale and motivation,” said the PRRB in a report to Ms Mahmood, the Home Secretary.
breast while on tour
A YouTube influencer bit a woman’s neck and breast while on tour in Aus- tralia, a court has heard. Yung Filly, 30, was accused of attacking a 20-year-old woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, in his hotel room while touring the country in September 2024. Yesterday, the YouTuber, whose real name is Andres Felipe Valencia Barrientos, was found guilty of two charges of assault occasioning bodily harm over bites to the woman’s neck and breast. He was acquitted of three counts of sexual penetration without consent, an assault charge for an alleged slap, and a choking charge.
after pro-Israel song
Boy George has pulled out of a West End musical days after releasing a pro-Israel song. Last week, the singer released a new track called We Will Dance Again, which voices support for Israel’s war in Gaza and refers to the Hamas attacks on the Nova Music Festival on Oct 7. The Culture Club singer was set to play King Herod in a production of Jesus Christ Superstar at the London Palladium, from Aug 3. However, on Thursday night his manager said he would no longer be appearing. He commented: “George has never been afraid to stand by his personal convictions, and I have always respected him for that.”
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red card after complaints that it was inappropriate for family business
By Telegraph Reporter
By Telegraph Reporter
A MODEL village has removed a figu- rine of a topless streaker after com- plaints that it was “inappropriate”. Godshill Model Village, on the Isle of Wight, included a tiny figurine of a top- less streaker on its football pitch scene as a “light-hearted joke”. However, the streaker has been shown the red card after complaints that it was not family-friendly. Rupert Willoughby, a local and regu- lar visitor, said he felt “dismay” that the village had removed the figure, a symbol of its “whimsical sense of humour”. He questioned whether the character could cause offence, suggesting it was in keeping with the light-hearted spirit of the model village. The streaker, a woman with exposed breasts, was on the miniature football pitch as a nod to an era of prolific streak- ing in the 1970s and 80s. However, model village directors
feature of a different era. It is far less common … so the model has lost relevance’
who removed the figure said they were also worried that it was “very much a feature of a different era”. Penny Dyer, a director, said the streaker had been part of the model vil- lage “for many years, and for most visi- tors has been seen as a light-hearted joke.” She added: “We’ve received a small number of comments from visitors who felt it was inappropriate for a family attraction. “Streaking was very much a feature of a different era. It is far less common and is no longer something that younger visitors recognise, so the model has lost much of its original rele- vance. “As a business, we listen to customer feedback and after considering the comments, we decided to remove her. We appreciate that not everyone will agree with the decision, but our priority is ensuring all visitors feel comfortable and enjoy their visit.” The tradition of streaking during sports events was initially kicked off by Michael O’Brien, an Australian who ran onto the pitch at Twickenham during an England vs France match in 1974. As he was being led of the pitch, a policeman used his hat to help Mr O’Brien protect his modesty. His stunt was repeated by Erica Roe, who ran across the Twickenham pitch topless in 1982. In the 90s, streakers began to target other sports, with Melissa Johnson becoming Wimbledon’s first streaker in 1996, during the men’s singles final between Richard Krajicek and MaliVai Washington. One infamous character was Mark Roberts, who repeatedly streaked throughout the 90s, including once on ITV’s This Morning, when he swam
A BLIND drink-driver travelled 150 miles through the night by following the tail lights of lorries. Anthony Hall, 49, had taken his part- ner’s car without asking their permission before setting off from Huddersfield, West Yorks, despite being registered blind, unlicensed and uninsured. Hall was also said to be well over the drink-drive limit as he headed towards
for shoppers at Morrisons
By Cameron Henderson
MOST SHOPPERS are filling their trol- leys with barbecue food during one of the hottest summers on record – but Morrisons has been ridiculed this week for selling Christmas treats in July. The supermarket was understood to be selling Cadbury Dairy Milk advent calendars in one of its stores on July 31. Retail experts believe it is the earliest time the festive chocolates have ever appeared on shelves. The calendars, captioned “count- down to Christmas” and featuring a pic- ture of Father Christmas riding in a sleigh alongside a snowman, were mocked online for jumping the gun on Yuletide celebrations. “Stuff it, I’m buying myself one, will have an August Christmas celebration,” one person wrote on X. Bryan Roberts, retail futures senior partner at the Institute of Grocery Dis- tribution, said the “early firing of the festive starting gun” might be designed to ease the cost of living. “We are used to seeing Christ- mas-specific ranges landing in August, so this sighting marks a slightly early fir- ing of the festive starting gun,” he said. “As retailers have noted, many shop- pers like to spread their Christmas
Old nudes Streaking was a feature of many major sporting events during previous decades
Erica Roe ran across the Twickenham pitch topless in 1982 during an England vs Australia rugby union match In 1974 Australian Michael O’Brien ran on to the pitch at Twickenham during an England vs France match Melissa Johnson became Wimbledon’s first streaker in 1996 during the men’s singles final
Cumbria. A court heard it was “miracu- lous” that nobody was killed or seri- ously injured during the two-hour motorway drive. Police spotted Hall behind the wheel of the Vauxhall Meriva near Junction 44 at Carlisle at around 1.45am on the morning of June 29. Officers watched as the car drifted between lanes one and two and towards the motorway’s hard shoulder. When the officers pulled him over, Hall reportedly smelled strongly of alcohol and admitted that he had
Morrisons sells advent calendars in one of its supermarkets yesterday
spend across a longer period to smooth out their budgets, hence the beginning of Christmas ranging creeping earlier and earlier over the last 20 years.” Another retail analyst said: “It does feel like Christmas gets earlier every year as retailers try to get ahead of one another. While we might seem an awful long way from Christmas, these early opportunities to start Christmas spend- ing can help spread the cost for what is a very expensive time of year.” However, other experts were more scathing, framing the decision to sell
Anthony Hall told police that he had been drinking wine
advent calendars in July as a public rela- tions stunt to boost the supermarket’s dwindling sales. Morrisons faces heavy debt, falling market share and rising operating costs, leading to a £381m pre-tax loss for the year ending October 2025. The supermarket was acquired by US private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice in 2022 for £10bn, saddling the company with a substantial debt pile. The company announced in May that it was planning to close 100 stores in the coming months as it warned of “signifi- cant cost increases resulting from gov- ernment policy choices”, including increases to the national living wage and National Insurance. “It’s a PR stunt – I can’t see any reason other than that,” said Ged Futter, direc- tor at The Retail Mind. “Morrisons are in a difficult position. “I think they’re thinking: how can we create any sort of customer engage- ment, whether it’s in store or on social media,” he added. A spokesman for Morrisons said: “We start selling Christmas products a few months before Christmas, because we know some of our customers like to plan for Christmas in advance.”
been drinking wine. He then shocked officers by revealing he had been blind for two years – and had navigated the motorway by following HGV lights. Hall appeared at Rickergate magis- trates’ court in Carlisle, where he admit- ted dangerous driving, drink- driving, driving without a licence or insurance and taking his partner’s car without consent. Police had been asked to look out for the car after it was reported missing. Prosecutor Suresh Basra described Mr
take issue with Odyssey volume
By Alice Lilley and India McTaggart
CINEMAS are beloved for their boom- ing sound systems – but Hollywood has been accused of taking things too far with Sir Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. Cinemagoers have taken to social media to complain that they had left the cinema with ringing ears, migraines or headaches, and that the screenings were “the loudest thing” they had ever heard. Sir Christopher’s retelling of Homer’s epic poem has been praised for its vis- uals, but discussion online has focused on how loud the Imax and Dolby Cin- ema screenings are. Social media users also complained that they could not hear the dialogue over the soundtrack and other effects. One X user wrote: “The volume dur- ing The Odyssey in AMC Dolby was f--- ing insane. “People were holding their ears and wearing earplugs just to get through it. My ears are ringing, and my migraine still hasn’t gone away. That’s not immer- sive. That’s reckless.” Another said: “The Odyssey was awe- some but pretty wild no one’s been talk- ing about their ear drums being busted all the way open or their internal organs
my migraine still hasn’t gone away. That’s not immersive. That’s reckless’
Hall as “a man of good character” with no previous convictions. He described the offending as “pro- longed and persistent”. “There was a decision to ignore the rules of the road and risk danger to others. There was also the consumption of alcohol and although there was no injury, it’s miraculous that Mr Hall has been so fortunate and that there was no injury or damage.” A breath test showed Hall, of Hud- dersfield, had 46mcg of alcohol in
being liquified by the sheer volume of
this picture... I’m serious when I say it’s
the loudest thing I have heard in my
entire life.”
The film, released in UK cinemas on
July 17, was shot entirely on 70mm film
designed for dedicated Imax screens, of
which there are about 45 globally.
Produced by the Oscar-winning
director, the three-hour film stars A-list
actors including Matt Damon, Anne
Hathaway and Robert Pattinson. A viral
Tiktok video also joked about the film’s
loud sound during the storm sequence,
with one comment reading: “I literally
thought to myself thank God I don’t
have epilepsy.”
Others said they struggled to hear
dialogue, with one viewer writing that
despite seeing the film three times they
still “can’t make out a word the Cyclops
says”.
Audiences and cinema critics previ-
ously criticised the audio mix in Sir
Christopher’s Tenet and Oppenheimer.
onto weatherman Fred Talbot’s floating weather map. The model village is listed as one of the Isle of Wight’s most popular attractions on the website, and is advertised as the perfect “fun family day out”. It was created as a 1/10th scale ver- sion of the village of Godshill and Shanklin Old Village and Chine, with the little figurines all created by local artist Helen Woodhouse. The attractions website says that Ms Woodhouse had been working with them since she was a teenager, and that she makes the “little people more cari- cature than a faithful representation, as that provides better photos for our cus- tomers”. It adds that each figurine costs approximately £300 to produce, and is modelled in clay before being cast in resin, which is the “most resilient mate- rial to survive the weather”.
100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg. Adele Graham, defending, said there were “a lot of circumstances” magis- trates would need to consider before sentencing, including Hall’s personal life and background. She asked for a pre-sentence report to be prepared. Magistrates agreed and adjourned sentencing until Sept 8. Hall was handed an interim driving ban until then.
officers by revealing he had been blind for two years’
Some viewers suggested the issue may
vary depending on the cinema and for-
mat with Imax, Dolby Cinema and 4DX
screenings often singled out for their
intense audio levels.
Others on social media said cinemas
had handed out earplugs to customers
after receiving complaints, but other
fans insisted the overwhelming sound
was part of the intended experience.
Sir Christopher’s film has generated
£450m at the global box office only two
weekends since its release, far exceed-
ing its £187m budget from Universal.
The criticism comes as more than
two million people watched The Odyssey
not in Imax, but on X.
A full-length version of the 172-min-
ute film went viral on the social media
platform last weekend when a user
breached copyright law and posted it.
The film studio responded to the piracy
incident, stating that it took “all appro-
priate remedies” to protect its content.
Meanwhile, Emily Wilson, the classi-
cist whose Odyssey translation Sir Chris-
topher cited in early publicity as
inspiration for his blockbuster, has
described the film as “grandiose” and
“superficial”.
The Telegraph has contacted Sir
Christopher’s representatives for
comment.
By Genevieve Holl-Allen
Political corresPondent
MEN should be banned from running to become the next Labour leader, Baron- ess Harman has said. The Labour peer said the party should not have a male leader succeed Andy Burnham, adding that “for every man who stands for leader and gets to
hints at scrapping jury reforms
judge-only courts plan
and says his instinct is to
protect access to jury trials
By Charles Hymas
Home affairs editor
ANDY BURNHAM has indicated that he is ready to scrap Sir Keir Starmer’s plans to curb jury trials. The Prime Minister said he wanted to “look in detail” at the proposals but that his instincts were “not to reduce access to jury trial”. The plans, led by David Lammy, the former justice secretary, are being con- sidered by the Commons as part of a courts bill. However, they have faced opposition from up to 60 Labour MPs, peers and virtually the entire legal profession. Mr Burnham said: “I have my con- cerns about the plan to restrict jury tri- als, partly from my personal experience, particularly Hillsborough. “So I want to really look in detail at
the plan to restrict jury trials, partly from the Hillsborough experience’
that proposal and my instincts are that we need to find ways of not reducing access to jury trial. “It’s similar to the early release scheme. I want to get inside these issues before I confirm any of the plans that I inherited and, in fact, probably looking for changes.” The bill, which is set to return to the Commons for a third reading in the autumn, strips defendants of the right to opt for jury trials. Instead, they would face a judge-only or magistrates’ court if they are likely to be sentenced to less than three years in prison. The Telegraph disclosed earlier this month that Mr Burnham was consider- ing striking out sections of the Courts and Tribunals Bill that related to curb- ing jury trials. This would allow the legislation to continue its passage through Parlia- ment without the risk of it getting voted down by MPs and peers who oppose the changes. Ministers under Sir Keir argued that
By Pieter Snepvangers
Political rePorter
ANDY BURNHAM has passed his first electoral test as Prime Minister after Labour won the Manchester mayoral election. Bev Craig was announced the winner last night, defeating Reform UK’s Sian Astley who finished second. However, turnout fell to 25 per cent, the lowest recorded since the mayoralty
WELSH homeowners face £800 higher council tax bills by the end of the decade, The Telegraph can reveal. Figures seen by The Telegraph show that families in Wales should be braced for greater increases in council tax pay- ments than their English neighbours. Official projections from the Treas- ury reveal the amount of council tax raised by Welsh local authorities will soar by 54 per cent by 2030, compared with 43 per cent in England. That will add £811 to the average Band D property in Wales, while home- owners in similar properties in England will face an extra £556 a year. Council tax levels are higher in Wales because the devolved government, now run by the nationalist Plaid Cymru party, has not set a cap on annual rises. In England, local authorities have to hold a referendum if they want to put
higher council tax bills by 2030
By Daniel Martin dePuty Political editor
be a leader, he has pushed a woman ... into second place behind him”. Lady Harman previously served as Labour’s interim leader, as did Baroness Beckett, but there has never been a full- time female Labour leader. By contrast, Kemi Badenoch is the Conservative Par- ty’s fourth female leader, after Margaret Thatcher, Baroness May and Liz Truss. Lady Harman, the former deputy
the changes were an essential part of a courts shake-up aimed at tackling the record Crown Court backlog of more than 80,000 cases. They meant victims, particularly of complex cases such as rape, have been waiting up to five or even more years for their cases to come to trial. When the plans were launched by Mr Lammy, officials claimed that delays would get worse before they got better, with backlogs rising from 80,000 to 100,000 by next year. However, opponents of the plans have argued that improving efficiency, lifting the caps on the number of days courts can sit, repairing and opening under-used courts, and making more judges available, including those who had retired, could tackle the backlogs. The curbs would represent the biggest shake-up to the English court system in a generation, replacing the centuries-old right to trial by a jury of peers with cases heard by magistrates, or by the new Canadian-style tier of judge-only courts. Riel Karmy-Jones KC, Chair of the Criminal Bar Association, welcomed the move. “Jury trial is here to stay. We welcome this clear indication that this Government understands that the right to jury trial goes hand in hand with our PM’s statement that ‘the care of people’ is at the heart of his new administration, and that a circuit break is necessary to reconnect with ordinary people across the country,” she said. Labour MP Karl Turner, leader of the rebellion against the plans who had the whip suspended partly due to his opposition, said he would have “gob- smacked” if Mr Burnham had said any- thing else, adding that the Prime Minister had been “opposed to this ludi- crous David Lammy-driven plan from the very outset”. He said: “Nobody in the criminal jus- tice system thought this plan could work from the Lady Chief Justice down. Ministers neglected their duty to take on board the serious objections to these plans. You must carry the legal profes- sion with you if you are setting about to make fundamental constitutional change,” said the former barrister. “Putting your fingers in your ears and closing your eyes was utterly reckless. I expect the Government to work with me going forward. I have lots of ideas that will reduce cases electing for a Crown Court trial but these plans were simply unworkable.”
was created in 2017, as hundreds of thousands of voters stayed at home. The contest, which is expected to have cost the taxpayer about £5m, was prompted after Mr Burnham won the Makerfield by-election and returned to Westminster. Labour was accused of “rushing through” changes to the voting system last month in an effort to prevent the Reform candidate from becoming Greater Manchester Mayor. The Gov-
up council tax by more than 5 per cent. Sir James Cleverly, the shadow com- munities secretary, has called the coun- cil tax increase the “Burnham premium” and said the figures, revealed in a series of parliamentary questions, showed homeowners should be braced for higher bills in “every postcode”. Gareth Bacon, the shadow communi- ties minister, said: “Thanks to Labour, Welsh families are staring down the barrel of soaring council tax bills. “Labour-run Wales is the blueprint for Burnham in England. The Welsh Labour council tax grab could soon cross the border.” The figures reveal the extent of tax raids baked in by the Government despite Andy Burnham’s pledges to tackle the cost of living. They reveal an £18bn tax raid on England’s homes by 2030 and reveal the Treasury is expected to net an extra £1.2bn from Welsh homeowners over the same period. Mr Burnham, who has
leader, told Sky’s Electoral Dysfunction podcast: “I’ve worked out that the only way we’ll have a woman leader of the Labour Party next time is if we start a conversation now where we say that, actually, men cannot stand for the lead- ership next time.” She added that she wanted to “encourage and support” emerging young male talent in the Labour Party.
ANNABEL LEE-ELLIS/PA WIRE
By Amy Gibbons Political corresPondent
DIANE ABBOTT’S return to the Labour Party is a “bad omen” for Andy Burnham’s premiership, Jewish figures have said. The Prime Minister has been warned that bringing the veteran MP back into the party risks “turning the clock back” to the Jeremy Corbyn years, when
ernment pushed through a motion in the House of Lords that meant mayoral contests would no longer use a first- past-the-post system and would instead use the supplementary vote. Under the system, voters select the first-choice and second-choice candi- dates. As no candidate secured 50 per cent in the first ballot in Manchester, the second-choice votes were counted Ms Craig won with more than 300,000 votes, once first and second
promised to make tackling the cost of living his main priority, ruled out scrap- ping council tax this week. Plaid Cymru took control of the devolved Senedd government in May, and has no plans to impose an Eng- land-style cap on council tax increases. It also plans to impose higher council tax bands, so the largest houses will pay more, from 2028. It means that council tax increases in Wales could end up being even higher than in the official projections. The Telegraph revealed on Thursday that in England, the amount collected in coun- cil tax will rise from £41.2bn in 2024-25 to £58.8bn by 2030-31, an increase of nearly £18bn. The annual change in the council tax level in England was expected to be between 4.3 and 4.4 per cent up to 2030-31. Welsh local authorities collected £2.2bn from council tax in 2024-25, but this is projected to rise to £3.4bn by 2030-31.
But she said she would tell them: “Are you going to support a woman next time or are you going to put yourself in front and put a woman behind you?” She said: “For every man who stands for leader and gets to be a leader, he has pushed a woman ... into second place behind him.” Lady Harman had expressed the desire for a woman to stand to replace
Labour was engulfed in an anti- Semitism crisis. Ms Abbott, who denied doing any- thing wrong, announced she had been reinstated as a Labour MP on Thursday, having been handed a “formal warn- ing” for past comments referring to Jewish people. The move was immediately criticised by the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Campaign Against
preferences were taken into account, ahead of Ms Astley who secured just over 150,000. Speaking after the result, Ms Craig said: “I stand ready to serve the three million people that live across this fantastic city region. I never believed as a girl growing up on a council estate that one day I would have a chance to stand for the place that I love.” Despite the low turnout, the Man- chester result will come as a significant
Sir Keir Starmer after he announced that he would resign. Mr Burnham stood for the Labour leadership unopposed, but vowed to “change the culture” within the party with regard to women. Sir Keir’s premiership was dogged by accusations of a “boys’ club” culture at No 10 and claims of misogynistic brief- ings against female ministers. The new
Antisemitism, which warned it did not bode well for either the party or the Jewish community. Ms Abbott was suspended in July last year after doubling down on a claim that Jewish people experienced racism differently to black people. Around the same time, she came under fire for a separate post on social media in which she referred to the Israeli Defense Forces as the Jewish
boost to Mr Burnham, who knew defeat risked opening a rupture within his party, emboldening allies of Sir Keir Starmer, who resented his ousting of the prime minister. It is less than six months since Labour was humiliated in the Gorton and Den- ton by-election, which saw the Green Party sweep to victory in the Greater Manchester seat. Hannah Spencer won 40 per cent of the vote, pushing Labour into third, on a 24.6 per cent swing to
Prime Minister told the women’s parlia- mentary Labour Party “there shouldn’t be any meetings with no women in the room” in government. He also said that any aide giving misogynistic briefings would be “out the door” and their feet “wouldn’t touch the floor”. Women make up half of the Cabinet for the first time in British political his- tory.
The youth vote Andy Burnham meets a future voter at a family centre in Sheffield, South Yorks. The Prime Minister said: “What an amazing place you have here. You can feel it walking through the door, what a welcoming place this is.”
Defence Force. In a post on X on Thursday, she said she had been read- mitted to the Labour Party after being issued with a “formal warning” for the “Jewish Defence Force” comments, and apologised for “any hurt caused”. Shortly afterwards, the Campaign Against Antisemitism said the decision risked undermining Sir Keir Starmer’s efforts to stamp out anti-Jewish senti- ment in the party.
the Greens in what was previously a Labour-safe seat. However, Mr Burnham has overseen a bounce in the polls for Labour follow- ing his first two weeks in No 10. Earlier this week, the party overtook Reform in a leading opinion poll for the first time since March last year. The More in Com- mon poll found 28 per cent would vote for Labour in an election held tomor- row, ahead of 24 per cent who would back Reform.
Trash talk
Count Binface
chats with
workers
at local
businesses
as part of
his by-election
campaign in
Clacton-on-Sea
in Essex.
Thousands of Moroccans wade ashore in a single morning yesterday at Spain’s north Africa’s Ceuta enclave; clashes near Fnideq, on the Spain-Moroccan border; rubber rings abandoned by incoming migrants
US blames ‘far Left’ for
unprecedented breach
of European border
By Memphis Barker
and Antonio Sempere in Ceuta
THEY swam in inflatable rubber rings. When the young Moroccan men reached European territory on the other side of the Tarajal breakwater, they dropped the beach toys and broke into a jog. Behind them, hundreds more splashed their way towards the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. On the streets above, giddy, shirtless Moroccan youths stormed through the border gates to join the queue of people who had become part of the largest breach of Europe’s borders in recent history. Yesterday, Spain’s interior ministry estimated that 60,000 people had entered Ceuta, the tiny peninsula on Morocco’s northern tip, governed by Madrid since the 16th century. During the chaos, at least 30 people died. By the time Pedro Sánchez, the Socialist prime minister, deployed the army on Thursday night, footage of the breakthrough had flooded social media, provoked threats to suspend the Schengen agreement and led the White House to issue a statement lamenting the failure of Madrid’s “far-Left” politics. “I came to Ceuta because, ever since
I was a child, I wanted to go to Spain,” Munaim told The Telegraph as thousands of his countrymen wandered through the streets, crowding into grocery shops, or through the doors of residential buildings. Unlike most of those who made the journey, Munaim had built himself a career in Morocco – as part of the national beach football team. But he felt he could earn more money and provide more to his family if he built a life in Europe. “I’m not afraid of anything,” he said. “I’ve made it here and the rest is in God’s hands.” Earlier this month, Spain’s supreme court ruled that authorities could no longer push back migrants who had swum into Ceuta, arguing, to the astonishment of police and border guards, that such journeys did not involve any physical border crossing. Therefore, the migrants are held in detention centres, where they can apply for asylum. At the same time, many probably believe they will be able to take advantage of the amnesty for illegal migrants that Mr Sánchez’s government recently launched. Nearly two million people already have done so, and traffickers are offering tips on how to wangle a way into the scheme. By Thursday evening, Ceuta’s main migrant reception centre had far exceeded its capacity of 500. “It’s chaos,” said one officer in the civil guard, while newcomers were herded towards impromptu facilities set up in sports halls, warehouses and an industrial park near the border in
Haizam Amirah Fernández, the director of the Centre for Contemporary Arab Studies in Madrid, said. Zalmay Khalilzad, a former US ambassador to the United Nations, said: “Is it possible that the abrupt, mass movement of young men from Morocco to Ceuta is being engineered or facili- tated by Morocco? “Morocco does not recognise Ceuta as part of Spain. It has referred to it as occupied territory and has in the past used the mechanism of allowing ille- gal migrant movement into Ceuta as leverage to gain concessions from Madrid.” The rush on the border caused wide- spread condemnation of Spain and Mr
I was a child, I wanted to go to Spain. I’m not afraid of anything. I’ve made it here and the rest is in God’s hands’
Sánchez by European leaders, who called for Spain’s temporary suspension from the Schengen free-travel zone. Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister, unilaterally cancelled free- dom of movement between Italy and Spain and ordered border controls to be tightened. She said: “The images coming from Ceuta are striking and demonstrate, once again, that uncontrolled illegal migration poses a concrete threat to the security of Europe’s borders. “Italy will not stand by and watch. We are prepared to intervene to defend the borders and safety of citizens, including suspending the Schengen Area with Spain.”
Tarajal. Meanwhile, police began to fire water cannons at would-be migrants on the Moroccan side of the border. Shops put up shutters. Ambulances raced to and from the beach. “There are people everywhere and violence now in the city,” said Manuel Jurado, a lawyer. Residents booked ferry tickets on to the Spanish mainland while others wondered whether it was safe to leave their houses unattended. “People will begin to get angry,” Mr Jurado told The Telegraph. “[The migrants] haven’t got access to toilets, and they’re doing what they need to do in the streets, wherever they can.” Spain and Morocco have agreed to expedite the return of “all” the migrants, but legal experts warn that the process could run into legal hurdles. None of the roughly 10,000 migrants under the age of 18 who entered Spanish territory can be rounded up for deportation, Unicef said in a statement demanding respect for their rights. If this were an entirely natural surge – the result of a natural disaster or the outbreak of war, for example – such arguments might receive a more welcome hearing today. But the migrants appear instead to be pawns in a political struggle. On July 20, Mr Sánchez visited Algeria for the first time in four years to discuss the potential for new gas deals. The trip alarmed Morocco, which has been locked in a struggle with its
haven’t got access to toilets and they’re doing what they need to do in the streets, wherever they can’
Ms Meloni had earlier demanded Madrid be suspended from the pass- port-free 29 member Schengen Zone, which stretches from Portugal to Poland, for security reasons. The Right-wing leader’s call was ech- oed by Denmark, Sweden, Czech Republic and Finland. Mette Frederiksen, Denmark’s prime minister, another migration hawk, said: “It goes without saying that the EU must immediately take all necessary measures and consider all options, including a suspension of Schengen cooperation. “Uncontrolled immigration poses a threat to Europe and to Denmark.” Mari Rantanen, the Finnish interior
neighbour over the independence movement in Western Sahara that it has spent decades attempting to crush. In 2021, an estimated 8,000 migrants were suddenly funnelled into Ceuta after Mr Sánchez hosted Brahim Ghali, the leader of the Polisario Front, for medical treatment in Spain. On Thursday, the Moroccan authorities appeared to have repeated the trick. Videos shared on social media show a member of Morocco’s Royal Gendarmerie, impeccably dressed in his grey and red uniform, standing by the side of the road as a dump truck disgorges dozens of young men near the border. There are suggestions it is fake, but it has already been shared widely. It also neatly backs up claims by Spanish guards, reported in The Objective, that their Moroccan counterparts “stood idly by” and were “totally inactive” as the crisis unfolded. Like Mr Sánchez, Rabat’s embassy in Madrid blamed human-trafficking networks for the new surge. Yesterday, Ceuta’s authorities attempted to clear the streets and set up a cordon before the arrival of Mr Sánchez, who was due to land in the territory around noon. Santiago Abascal, the leader of hard-Right party Vox, has blamed the prime minister for inviting the “invasion” of Spain, suggesting that the government’s liberal policies intend to shore up support for his party with millions of new “Left-wing” voters. Meanwhile, France and Italy have
minister, said: “Spain has completely failed to protect the external border of the Schengen area from infiltration. “This cannot continue. All Euro- pean countries must support Meloni’s proposal. Countries that do not fulfil their obligation to protect the external border cannot be members of Schen- gen.” Rome blamed Mr Sánchez’s migrant amnesty for a million black market workers for creating a pull factor and causing the crisis. Madrid summoned the Italian ambas- sador after the foreign minister said the amnesty had encouraged human traf- ficking. Mr Sánchez posted data online show-
reinforced their borders and raised the possibility of a temporary suspension of freedom of movement. Such bedlam was the natural result of Spain’s “far-Left, globalist” policies, said a White House spokesman. However, many of Mr Sánchez’s allies point the finger at the US, claiming Washington has worked with Israel to undermine the Spanish prime minister, Europe’s fiercest opponent of the wars in Gaza and Iran. Irene Montero, an MEP from the hard-Left Podemos party, said it was impossible to rely on Morocco for border control as it could open the floodgates “when the US and Israel order it”. It is the “Morocco-US-Israel axis that has carried out this operation”, added Pablo Fernández, a spokesman for Podemos, on social media. Could the White House have played a quiet role? Donald Trump enjoys such warm relations with Rabat that the king recently named a road after him. Israel shares similarly close ties, signing a defence pact with Morocco shortly after it joined the Abraham Accords in 2021. In March, a think tank with ties to the Trump administration urged Rabat to seize back Ceuta – portraying the enclave as a relic of colonialism that threatened Europe’s borders. Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the UN, echoed such calls. “Maybe before [Spain] lectures us, it’s time it explained to the world why it still maintains colonial enclaves in Africa,” he said.
ing that the largest number of illegal migrant arrivals to the EU had landed in Italy between 2021 and 2026. As the diplomatic fallout grew, France offered help but warned it would throw up temporary border con- trols with Spain to stop any onward movement of migrants. “Ceuta does not benefit from free- dom of movement to the rest of the Schengen Area. However, as of yester- day, I asked the interior nnister to strengthen controls at our border with Spain if necessary,” Emmanuel Macron said. Friedrich Merz, the German chancel- lor, demanded Morocco “take back ille- gal migrants immediately”.
ABDEL MAJID BZIOUAT/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES/ MARCOS MORENO / EUROPA PRESS, S.A. / AVALON
By Ollie Corfe
WOMEN lived six years longer than men in the 1980s – but that gap has begun to close as the number of centenarians in England and Wales reaches 15,000 for the first time. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed that the number of men aged over 100 was 50 per cent
searched for early prostate cancer signs
symptoms of aggressive tumours to improve screening and diagnosis
By Laura Donnelly HealtH editor
HALF A MILLION men hit by prostate cancer will be asked to share their medical records in an NHS drive to improve early detection of the disease. Letters and texts will be sent to patients and survivors, urging them to join one of the world’s biggest prostate cancer research programmes. By comparing the medical histories of hundreds of thousands of men, researchers hope to identify the earliest signs of aggressive prostate cancer, discover which men would benefit most from screening and develop more accurate diagnostic tests. Participants will allow researchers to link years of NHS records with regular updates about their symptoms, treat- ment, side effects and quality of life. The database will combine GP records, blood tests, PSA results, refer-
huge number but every one has a unique story that could save another’s life’
rals, MRI scans, biopsies, treatments and long-term outcomes with informa- tion reported directly by patients. The Telegraph has called for targeted prostate cancer screening, with regular testing for men at highest risk, includ- ing black men, those with a family history of it and those with inherited genetic variants linked to aggressive cancers. Currently, the health service is working on plans to offer screening only to men carrying the most risky BRCA2 gene variants. Scientists hope evidence from Pros- tate Progress, alongside a major trial comparing screening methods, will pave the way for wider targeted screening of other high-risk groups. Oliver Kemp, chief executive of Prostate Cancer Research, said: “Half a million men is a huge number, but every one of them has a unique story
By Telegraph Reporter
By Telegraph Reporter
A BENEFITS cheat who claimed he was “too weak” to lift a phone was caught running 10km and climbing scaffolding. Ryan Scott, 39, had been claiming disability benefits after telling the authorities a workplace accident had left him immobile and unable to carry out basic tasks such as lifting a pan or walking more than 20m. An anonymous tip-off led investiga- tors from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to uncover evidence that he had completed a 10km race and
teeth after tripping over pothole in road
A MOTHER lost seven teeth and seri- ously injured her hand when she tripped over a pothole. Alison Smith, a 48-year-old cafe owner, said she was left with the inju- ries after tripping over the 3in-deep pothole on the Isle of Wight while walk- ing to meet her daughter at night. She claimed the incident, which took place on Shore Road in January last year, was the fault of the council and has criticised it for shunning responsi- bility. Ms Smith permanently lost the teeth and suffered serious mobility issues in her left hand, meaning that she no longer has the strength to pull herself up with it. She has had to give up the cafe
higher in 2025 than it had been a dec- ade before. The number of women aged over 100 was only 17 per cent higher. The figures come the same week Andy Burnham unveiled his ambition to create a new National Care Service, at an estimated cost of £18bn a year. Britain faces an ageing population time bomb, with the number of people aged under 25 up by just one per cent.
that could help save another man’s life. By bringing together years of NHS records with men’s own experiences, we could understand why some cancers become aggressive, spot dangerous cancers earlier, inform future approaches to screening and match each man with the treatment most likely to help him. “We have made huge advances in scans, genetics and treatments in recent years, but we have lacked the data to connect them. This could be the missing piece that turns those advances into longer, better lives.” Prostate cancer is now the most com- mon cancer in the UK, having over- taken breast cancer, with about 60,000 men diagnosed each year and more than 12,000 deaths. Professor Peter Johnson, NHS National Clinical Director for Cancer, said: “We’ll be contacting over half a million men over the next few months who have or who have had prostate can- cer, and I’d urge anyone who receives an invite to Prostate Progress to sign up. “Joining Prostate Progress today will make a tremendous difference to the lives of men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the future.” Experts said data on prostate cancer is fragmented, scattered across differ- ent NHS systems, with too little account taken of patients’ own experiences. Bringing that information together will allow researchers to follow men’s journeys from before diagnosis through treatment and beyond, revealing patterns that have previously been impossible to detect. Scientists will compare men whose cancers became aggressive with those whose disease remained slow-growing to identify the combinations of risk factors most strongly linked to danger- ous disease. They will examine whether factors such as age, ethnicity, family his- tory, inherited genetic variants, symp- toms and changes in PSA levels can predict which cancers are most likely to become life-threatening. Researchers also hope to identify missed opportunities for earlier diagno- sis and give doctors a better under- standing of the long-term impact of side effects. They are particularly keen to recruit black men, who face about twice the risk of developing prostate cancer, plus learn how to reduce side effects for different groups of patients.
bank records showing he had returned to paid work as a plasterer. Surveillance officers filmed Scott climbing ladders, carrying heavy equip- ment and plastering walls with appar- ent ease. Magistrates heard that he claimed more than £7,600 of Personal Inde- pendence Payment fraudulently. He was sentenced on Thursday to a com- munity order and a fine. Fraud investigators said Scott had told them that he had felt well enough to consider a 10km race after improving in the gym, but said it had “not been
because of her hand injury and the stress the accident caused. The road in Ventnor, Ms Smith’s home town, has no pavement and lim- ited street lights, which she claims causes a dangerous situation for local residents. She said: “I just tripped on the pot- hole, and my foot got caught in the pot- hole, in the lip on the edge, and I fell on my hand and knocked all my teeth out. My hand now isn’t fully recovered. I can’t lift myself up on it. I went to A&E because I thought I had smashed my cheekbone. Ms Smith reported her fall and told Island Roads, which maintains roads on the Isle of Wight in partnership with Isle of Wight council, that the road had dangerous potholes all the way up it. The organisation filled in the pothole
caught in the pothole. I fell on my hand and knocked my teeth out’
Women still dominate among the exclusive club of those to have cele- brated at least 100 birthdays: making up 12,322 of the 15,172 total in 2025. But the proportion of centenarian men, of whom there are now 2,850, has risen significantly, from around 1-in-10 at the turn of the millennium to almost 1-in-5 today. This fact alone presents unique policy issues, many of which
2026 XNY/STAR MAX
Special op Nicole Kidman is seen leaving the press junket for Lioness, a CIA thriller, in New York City. Season three of the show can be watched on Paramount in the UK on Aug 2.
done with ease”. He told them: “It took a long time for me to do and I was in bed for two weeks afterwards.” After they were alerted to the run- ning event, authorities carried out the surveillance operation and filmed Scott working on a building site. Exeter magistrates’ court heard that he had initially been claiming benefits legitimately, but his health and mobility had improved around May 2023. On June 22 2023, he paid an entry fee to enter a 10km race, which he completed a month later. After the investigation, his benefit
will have to be borne in one way or another by Mr Burnham’s planned social care service. In delivering his speech at the Jewish Care charity on Wednesday, the Prime Minister spoke of his own father who has Alzheimer’s, praising those who care for him and saying he wanted change to help “my dad and the millions like him”.
[about] what I was doing. It was unintentional and I would like to apologise’
claim was recalculated and it was deemed that he was not entitled to the benefit from May 31 2023, until April 7, 2024 – generating an overpayment of £7,625.68. The plasterer had been approved for his initial claim after reporting diffi- culty preparing food, lifting pans from
“Men tend to be more shy or negli- gent in following up with medical issues, and only seeing the doctor when things are very advanced, while women tend to be more cautious,” said United Nations’ Population Estimates and Pro- jection Section Chief Patrick Gerland. Improvements in public health and medical science have long increased life expectancy in the UK. The latest ONS
the oven, opening twist-top lids and sit- ting upright. He said he was “too weak” to lift a phone and had difficulty being outside for more than a few minutes. Addressing the court, Scott told mag- istrates: “I would like to apologise for any trouble I have caused to anyone. “At the time I was taking a lot of med- ication. I slipped into deep depression. “I was going back to work but was not completely able to do it. I was getting picked up by a friend and taken in. It was more to try and pull me out of a deep hole. I did not think at the time
projections show women in 2026 can hope to reach 90.5 years of age, and men 87.2 years – up by over four and five years respectively since 1986. Young men used to be both far more likely to behave riskily – with higher rates of alcoholism, substance abuse and traffic incidents – and engaged in dangerous work. But this difference is far less pronounced today.
want professor in plagiarism row scrutinised
By Gordon Rayner associate editor
UNIVERSITY of Cambridge bosses are facing a staff revolt over their handling of the plagiarism row surrounding one of the institution’s highest-profile professors. A growing number of academics have expressed disquiet over the refusal to re-examine the academic cre- dentials of Prof Jason Arday, who has been accused of copying parts of his PhD thesis from another student. The university insists he is the vic- tim of a “vile campaign to undermine his credibility”, but some senior staff believe Cambridge’s own credibility is now at stake. In a first concession from senior fig- fures, it has been announced that “research misconduct” will be dis- cussed at a forthcoming meeting of a committee that could “make a recom- mendation to review our academic mis- conduct procedures”. The plagiarism row has made inter- national headlines, including in the US, after analysis of Prof Arday’s PhD the- sis showed more than 180 passages were identical or near-identical to an earlier thesis published by another stu- dent. Cambridge is split into two camps – those who believe the professor of soci- ology of education is the victim of a
More than 180
passages of Prof
Jason Arday’s thesis
were deemed to be
identical or nearly
so to the work of
another student
racist smear campaign, and those who believe the university is ignoring prima facie evidence of plagiarism in order to protect someone who has become its poster boy for diversity. The Telegraph has learnt that a draft resolution, known as a Grace, is circu- lating among senior members of Cam- bridge’s academic staff, stressing the importance of academic integrity and requesting an investigation into alleged shortcomings in the Research Policy, Integrity and Governance divi- sion (RPIG). The RPIG has attracted criticism from professors at other universities for ignoring warnings about Prof Arday’s work as long as three years ago and insisting his PhD is a matter for Liv- erpool John Moores University, which awarded him his doctorate. If the Grace is submitted to the Regent House – effectively Cambridge parliament – and is passed by it, it would be “virtually a no confidence motion in the vice-chancellor” in the words of one academic source.
[about] what I was doing. I was not in a good place. It was unintentional and I would like to apologise for that.” He was sentenced to a 15-day com- munity order and must pay a fine, costs and victim surcharge totalling £360. The court heard he had already started repaying the money to the DWP. After sentencing, a DWP spokesman said: “Whatever your reasons for cheat- ing the system, know that our investiga- tors are wise to every trick in the book and we will find you. “So, if you know someone is playing the system, turn them in.”
JASON BRYANT/BNPS
Pagan’s run Revellers gathered below Glastonbury Tor in Somerset last night to celebrate Lammas, which is an ancient celebration of the summer and the gathering of the first harvest of the year. The event falls between the summer solstice and the autumn equinox.
vintages are judged drinkable but not of noteworthy quality
By Harry Brennan CONSUMER AFFAIRS EDITOR
MORE THAN half of the “award-win- ning” wines on supermarket shelves are considered just mediocre by the very experts who judge them, The Telegraph has found. Oenophiles are becoming increas- ingly wary of the medals that suppos- edly signal a wine’s superior quality. They argue that so many accolades are being handed out to unremarkable vintages that the prizes have become almost meaningless, raising questions over a system that opponents say prior- itises commercial advantage over genu- ine excellence. The medals are purported to be a use- ful guide for consumers and are deter- mined by blind taste tests carried out by expert judges. But, after producers pay a fee to enter, more than 80 per cent of wines typically receive awards. Figures
son’s death pleads to go to funeral
By Patrick Sawer, in Paphos and Neil Johnston
A FATHER being prosecuted for negli- gence after his two-year-old son fell to his death from a Cyprus hotel window has urged a court to allow him to fly home for the funeral. The UK national, a director at a major City accountancy firm, is accused of “causing death by a rash, reckless, or dangerous act” after his son fell from the fourth fl oor of the King Evel- thon Beach Hotel in Chlorakas, near Paphos. The 37-year-old appeared at Paphos district court yesterday to be told by Judge Froso Christodoulidou that he would have to wait until at least Wednesday before hearing whether he will be granted bail to return to the UK. He will then be required to return to Cyprus in September for the start of the trial against him. Judge Christodoulidou adjourned the hearing to allow the man’s defence solicitor to receive further evidence from the prosecutor’s offi ce. The father, dressed in a white shirt, black trousers and black shoes, listened as the judge bailed him to appear back in court on Monday for a short proce-
obtained by The Telegraph show the majority of award-winners that end up on the shelves are in fact only given the lowest bronze award. This usually means the wines are drinkable but not of particularly note- worthy quality, while even inferior wines can be awarded “commended” status. Despite this, supermarkets typically increase the prices of prize-winning bottles by as much as 15 per cent, with award bodies actively promoting medals as a way for retailers to “sell more”. The International Wine Challenge (IWC), a major competition, tells entrants that it can help “turn medals into sales” and that “even a ‘bronze’ or ‘commended’ medal still gives you real commercial advantages”. It said “consumers aren’t analysing medal tiers” and that even the lowest level of awards still sends a message to shoppers that “this wine passed” and “experts said yes”. The IWC added that a bronze medal shows customers the wine is “on the right track” and “often signals a path towards silver next year”. Victoria Moore, author of The Wine Dine Dictionary and The Telegraph’s
dural hearing. He remains under instruction to remain on the island at an address notifi ed to police after paying €20,000 bail, being put on the flight stop list and having to surrender his travel documents. He appeared close to tears through- out the five-minute hearing, during which he was fl anked by his parents. As the judge rejected his application for immediate release to be allowed back
for him to reunite with his family and allow him to grieve this tragedy’
into Britain ahead of next week’s hear- ings, the man’s mother placed a com- forting hand on his knee, while his father whispered in his ear. After yesterday’s hearing, Alexandros Alexandrou, the father’s newly appointed solicitor, said: “This is a humanitarian matter and we do not expect the court will object to my client going home, back to his wife and family, for the funeral of his son. “His wife flew back to the UK two days ago with their eldest child, and my
‘Suave and supple’: more than half of award-winning supermarket wines fail to live up to expectations
client needs to be back with them. This case needs to be seen from a humanitar- ian perspective. At the moment, the only thing that matters to us is for him to reunite with his family and allow him to grieve this tragedy.” The man was arrested hours after his son died following the accident at the fi ve-star hotel. Police said the boy fell while playing with his father in the corridor next to the family’s room as they waited for the lift to take them to the restaurant. According to officers, the toddler slipped from his father’s grip and fell through an open window in front of them. Family friends said his father did not realise the sliding window pane through which he fell was open. The family, from Essex, were on the first day of their holiday when police were called to the hotel at around 6.40pm on Sunday, July 12, after the boy fell from the window. The two-year-old suff ered fatal head injuries and was pronounced dead on arrival at Paphos General Hospital. At 10pm, the father was taken to the police station, where he was given a piece of paper saying “These are your rights” and told he was under arrest for negligence.
wine critic, said the competitions “seem to cater more to the interests of the wine producer and the competition itself than to those of the wine drinker”. She added it means shoppers are often “left staring at glossy award citations presuming they all mean that the wine is rather good – when a lot of bronze or commended wines are mediocre, to say the least”. An industry source added that almost no one in the wine world will “openly criticise the system”. “This is because, industry-wide, they are giant networking opportuni- ties and draw in judges – some of them paid – from every area of the industry: restaurants, influencers, merchants, PRs, marketers, educators,” they said. “I can’t think of anyone who would want to go up against that.” At Asda, some 286 wines out of its 460-strong award-winning selection (62 per cent) have bronze medals, according to awards bestowed by IWC, Decanter and the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC). At Waitrose, 37 of its 58 award-win- ning wines determined by the same competitions (64 per cent) are bronze, while at Sainsbury’s 140 out of its 272 award-winning wines (51 per cent) are
The convoy of supercars was seized after the police tracked it down to motorway services at Junction 8 on the M11
bronze, with 16 labelled as commended. Tesco sells 258 award-winning wines, 144 (56 per cent) of which have bronze medals, with 15 “commended”. The IWSC says bronze awards are reserved for “perfectly well-made” vin- tages that are relatively enjoyable to drink, while Decanter says bronze is for “well-made, sound and satisfying” wines. However, they are wines that could not reasonably be described as accom- plished or excellent, nor as having per- sonality or standing out among the fi eld, as is the case with silver and gold winners. The IWSC tested close to 4,000 wines in its last competition, dishing out awards to 85 per cent of those who entered. More than half (54 per cent) were given bronze medals. Decanter tested 17,000 in its 2026 competition, bestowing awards on 82 per cent of entrants, with bronze med- als making up 40 per cent of all prizes. In Australia – a country famed for its Shiraz, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sau- vignon – regulators introduced laws in 2005 that said medals could only be awarded by respected and independent bodies to protect genuine achievers. Meanwhile, the wine industry was
Cheers! What the medals really mean
Gold Excellent wine with great personality that stands out as best-in-class.
Silver An accomplished wine with considerable personality, character and complexity.
Bronze Perfectly well-made wine which is enjoyable.
Commended Simple and acceptable, with consistent quality.
Source: IWSC, Decanter, IWC
worker fired after cash in hand tax row
By Linus Uhlig
A PAPA JOHNS worker was fi red after he refused to be paid cash-in-hand because he wanted to pay the right amount of tax. Ashwani Kumar, who worked as a Papa Johns store manager, had to be removed from the pizza chain’s Harlow store by police after he refused to leave the premises when he was told he had been fi red. A tribunal heard that Mr Kumar was dismissed for requesting itemised payslips and correct income tax and National Insurance reductions after finding out he was being given fake payslips by the franchise. The judge ruled in favour of Mr Kumar, who sued his former employer – franchise owners EEM London, EEM Holdings, and owner Abdul Sattar Askar – for automatic unfair dismissal, unlawful deduction of wages and failure to pay holiday pay. When he started at the Essex-based Papa John’s in 2023, Mr Kumar was asked to work cash-in-hand but refused because he wanted his tax deducted and paid to the relevant authorities. While UK law does not prohibit employees from being paid in cash, employees must have agreed to it before their employment started. It also becomes illegal tax evasion if the income is not declared to HMRC. After contacting HMRC, Mr Kumar discovered that the payslips provided by his boss were not genuine and the tax deducted had not been paid. After he returned from a holiday in 2025, Mr Kumar was told the store at which he was a manager no longer had work for him. He was informed he could work at another restaurant, provided he agreed to be paid in cash. A spokesman for Papa Johns said: “The matter concerns an independently owned and operated franchise, and we understand the respondents intend to challenge the judgment. “As the matter remains subject to ongoing legal proceedings, it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.” Judge Julia Jone ruled the reason for Mr Kumar’s dismissal “was his insist- ence on being given itemised payslips, having his tax and National Insurance deducted and shown on his payslip and being paid for holidays and having the right to take holidays”. The tribunal concluded the dismissal was for “automatically unfair reasons”.
left red-faced in 2023 when a Belgian consumer champion and noted somme- lier bought a €2 (£1.70) bottle and rebranded it as a “suave and supple” made-up vintage called “Château Colombier”. He entered it into a compe- tition for €50 (£43) and won a gold medal. Waitrose said not all its wines were submitted to competitions, adding: “We believe our customers deserve to know that the wines they choose are not just highly rated, but also represent true quality and value.” A spokesman for IWSC said “not all wine competitions are created equal” and insisted its competition was “recog- nised globally for the rigour and inde- pendence of its judging process”, saying “every IWSC medal winner has to earn its place”. Decanter said its medals were “designed to help consumers identify quality wines through one of the wine industry’s most rigorous and transpar- ent judging processes” and said its wines were independently measured against high standards, “rather than to fulfi l a quota”. Sainsbury’s, Tesco and the IWC were approached for comment. Asda declined to comment.
be recruited for puberty blocker trial
to enlist 11-year-olds in controversial study after High Court challenge fails
By Laura Donnelly HealtH editor
A PUBERTY blocker trial can begin recruiting children after a failed attempt to stop the experiment in the High Court. Campaigners asked the court to halt the study, arguing that regulators acted unlawfully in approving an experiment that would allow 11-year-old girls and 12-year-old boys to be given puberty blockers. Researchers are now expected to start enrolling children as young as 11 into the NHS-funded Pathways study immediately. In yesterday’s ruling, Mr Justice Chamberlain threw out the claim, say- ing that none of the grounds of chal- lenge was “arguable with a realistic prospect of success”. He added that the decision to approve the “pragmatic” trial was “quintessen- tially a question of judgment” for public health bodies. The ruling follows a two-day hearing examining whether the judicial review should proceed and whether recruit- ment should be suspended pending the outcome. The legal challenge was brought by the Bayswater Support Group, which represents parents of gender-question- ing children, together with Keira Bell, who began taking puberty block- ers when she was 16 before later “detransitioning”, and James Esses, a psychotherapist. Mr Esses said he was “deeply disap- pointed” by the judgment, adding: “Vulnerable children should never be used as guinea pigs in medical experi- mentation that may lead them down a path towards irreversible physiological and emotional damage, including infer-
tility.” He said he would consult lawyers about the possibility of an appeal. A spokesman for Bayswater Support Group said: “We remain of the view that the Pathways trial does not meet the legal and ethical thresholds required for research on children.” After the judgment, Ms Bell said the trial represented “a profound descent into the desecration of our humanity”. Helen Joyce, director of advocacy at Sex Matters, the sex-based rights char- ity, said the ruling was “inexplicable”. She added: “These drugs have been blocked for use in gender treatment in both the NHS and private practice because of increasing evidence that they cause serious, permanent harm to vulnerable children. And yet a trial so badly designed that it cannot possibly produce any useful scientific data has inexplicably been given the go-ahead.” The Pathways trial was commis- sioned after Baroness Cass’s review of children’s gender services found there was “remarkably weak” evidence to support the use of puberty blockers. While the review concluded there was insufficient evidence that the drugs were either beneficial or harmful, it rec- ommended that a properly designed clinical trial should be carried out to answer those questions. Puberty blockers have been banned indefinitely for routine NHS use in under-18s after the Commission on Human Medicines concluded they posed “an unacceptable safety risk” out- side research. However, ministers allowed an exception for the Pathways trial, arguing it could provide the evi- dence that has been lacking. The trial was paused earlier this year after the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) raised concerns about “potentially sig- nificant” biological harm and proposed introducing a minimum age of 14. Since then, the regulator has app- roved revised protocols. Girls must now be at least 11 and boys at least 12 before they can receive puberty blockers.
ARPAN HANRA
Chick trick Pheasant-tailed jacana chicks peer out from under their mother’s wing. It may look crowded, but the mother does this to protect her chicks from predators.
ex-wife jailed over acid attack that killed him
By Alice Lilley
A WOMAN who helped orchestrate an acid attack that killed her drug dealer ex-husband has been jailed. Paris Wilson, 35, from Plymouth, was jailed for nine years for manslaughter and for her role in the attempted kidnap of Danny Cahalane in 2025. Mr Cahalane, 38, was attacked at his home while his young daughter slept in the property on Feb 21 2025. The father of two, who had sulphuric acid thrown at him, died in hospital on May 3 after being treated for 10 weeks for severe burns. A month before, Wilson played a role in an attempted kidnap of Mr Cahalane. At Winchester Crown Court, his former partner wiped tears from her eyes as she was jailed. Abdulrasheed Adedoja, 23, of Neas- den, north London, and Israel Augus- tus, 27, of Tottenham, north London, were found guilty of murdering Mr
Paris Wilson wiped tears from her eyes as she was jailed for nine years for manslaughter and attempted kidnap
Cahalane and were both jailed for life to serve a minimum of 31 and 30 years respectively. Augustus was also sentenced for possessing a zombie-style knife in a private place and drugs offences. Ramarnee Bakas, 24, of London, was jailed for 10 years for manslaughter. Jo Martin KC, prosecuting,said Mr Cahalane was targeted because he owed his “boss” in the region of £120,000. She said this dealer was a man called Ryan Kennedy, with the nickname of Frost, who operated between Thailand, Spain and Dubai and was currently believed to be in Dubai. Ms Martin said Mr Kennedy had sent messages about having 320kg of cannabis in a shipping container which would have a wholesale value of £960,000, but would be worth about £3.2 million if sold in single gram deals. The prosecutor said Mr Kennedy became “incensed” at Mr Cahalane’s “stalling” and failure to repay the money, and first of all organised an attempted kidnap on him on Jan 19 2025, and then the fatal attack. His mother, Vivien, a cancer patient, died in hospital a day after her son.
went ‘up like a torch’, as authorities warn of danger of fresh outbreaks in Suffolk
By Tom McArdle
A 70-YEAR-OLD tried to stamp out the fi rst fl ames of the Suff olk wildfi re after an afternoon swim before it went “up like a torch”. Charlotte Du Cann said she was walk- ing back from swimming at Dunwich beach when she heard a “crackle” and her friend smelt smoke. The pair quickly found the area of heath that had caught fi re and had tried to stamp out the “furious” fl ames with their feet for several minutes. However, she said the flames soon caught more heather and a Scots pine tree was set alight. In Westleton yesterday morning, she said to reporters: “Funnily enough I heard it fi rst, I heard this crackle. I was walking back from swimming with my friend and I thought ‘that sounds like fi re’. “We looked down and my friend said ‘I can smell smoke’. We saw smoke com- ing from the place. We didn’t see any fl ames at that point and we went down and saw a circle on fi re.” Failing to stamp out the flames, Ms Du Cann called emergency services, providing co-ordinates for where the fi re was. The Telegraph revealed on Thursday that the fire had started at the RSPB Minsmere wetland nature reserve. Henry Griffin, the deputy chief fire offi cer for Suff olk Fire and Rescue Ser-
the reserve… the landscape that we know and love is now unrecognisable’
vice, told reporters yesterday that an investigation had been launched into how the fi re began. Firefighters have been tackling the blaze in Dunwich Heath, near Leiston, since Wednesday evening, with more than 100 personnel deployed and a helicopter being used to drop thou- sands of litres of seawater over the burning land. Mr Griffi n added that the wildfi re had been stabilised but had not shrunk overnight, and that the risk of fresh out- breaks remained high. The fi re is a few miles away from Size- well B nuclear power station and the construction site for the new Sizewell C. Ms Du Cann, who lives in the nearby village of Eastbridge, said the fi re broke out about 100ft from the path they were walking on. Describing the original fire, Ms Du Cann said: “It was quite low with the heather, but it was furious. “It was really hot because it’s tinder. As soon as it hit the Scots pine it went right up like a torch. “The noise of it was horrible, I love those trees, it was really horrible.” The author and editor, who writes about climate crises in other areas of the world, said she saw no sign of human interaction. She said: “Everybody says it’s human
By Tom Cotterill and Tom McArdle in Suffolk
THE MILITARY is in talks to bring Chi- nook helicopters back from Cyprus to fi ght wildfi res in the UK, The Telegraph can reveal. Senior offi cials within the Ministry of Defence (MoD) are understood to be assessing the discussions on an “hour- by-hour” basis on whether they can transport the aircraft to Britain to fi ght the blaze in Suff olk. Emergency crews continue to battle a wildfi re a few miles from Sizewell B, Britain’s largest nuclear power station. The inferno, on Dunwich Heath, which began on Wednesday, has
flee Greek resort by boat
By Nick Squires
HOLIDAYMAKERS at a Greek coastal resort were evacuated by boat after it was cut off by wildfi res. Fishing boats, coastguard patrol boats and a fi re service vessel rescued tourists from Agios Vasileios, west of Athens. Tourists were pictured covering their mouths and noses with handkerchiefs to protect themselves as they waited on a jetty. Katerina Karanatsi, a holidaymaker, told Kathimerini, a Greek newspaper, there was panic, and she and other visi- tors had no idea where they were being taken. She said: “We are down at the beach. The road out of Agios Vasileios is closed. The sea is rough and the wind is blowing unpredictably. We are just waiting for instructions from the authorities.” At least 200 tourists and locals were evacuated by sea from the resort, which is in the Gulf of Corinth, after the fi res cut off the main access road and threat- ened to surround it. There was an earlier attempt to evac- uate visitors and inhabitants along a dirt track, but that had to be abandoned when fi re also blocked that route. The
JACK TAYLOR/REUTERS
action but I saw no human beings any- where. We were totally alone all around. “There was no evidence of a cigarette butt or camping equipment or a barbecue or anything like that that might have caused it, or even a piece of glass. “But we weren’t looking for evidence at that point, we were trying to get it out with our feet.” She said they did not have enough force to put out the fi re, and suggested they would have had a “better chance” with fi re beaters. Asked whether she was scared in the growing fi re, she said: “I wasn’t afraid, I knew that I would be able to get out. You can’t be scared if you’ve got to act, you’ve got to get in and do it. But I was
scorched an area the size of about 200 football pitches and destroyed large swathes of the RSPB Minsmere nature reserve. Hundreds of people have been evacuated. The situation is so critical that the National Trust was forced to rent a heli- copter from a private fi rm to combat the blaze after a plea from the fi re service, which did not have its own aircraft. Britain has two military helicopters that are specially equipped to deal with wildfires. They are deployed at RAF Akrotiri, a British air base 2,000 miles away in Cyprus. The MoD is now considering fl ying the helicopters on a rescue mission back to the UK. However, The Telegraph
fi res broke out in forests and farmland around Agios Vasileios and quickly spread, fanned by strong winds. Several parts of Greece have been hit by devastating wildfi res in recent days. Firefighters were battling multiple fronts on Friday, from the fi re in Agios Vasileios, in central Greece, to blazes on Crete and other islands that are popular with tourists. In Crete, fi re crews continued to try to suppress wildfi res in the central part of the island, south of the city of Rethymno. The fi res burnt about 4,500 hectares (11,120 acres) of forest and farmland on Wednesday and Thursday, with fire- fighters hampered by rugged terrain and strong winds. Although the situation had improved yesterday, the fires had still not been contained, according to the Greek fi re service. On Wednesday evening, around 8,000 people were evacuated from the seaside resort of Agia Galini. “My entire cafe was destroyed. This place supported two families, mine and my son’s,” Thrasyvoulos Paterakis, the 69-year-old owner of a local cafe, told the AFP news agency. “We’re now out on the street.”
understands it could take about a week for the aircraft to land in Britain, leaving offi cials in a quandary over whether the Chinooks would arrive in time to help. A defence source said: “The MoD cri- sis response team is constantly looking at this situation and what the need is to have them out in Cyprus. That is a live discussion going on at the moment.” Although the helicopters are capable of drenching blazes with hundreds of gallons of water at a time from under- slung containers, they are also opera- tionally deployed to Akrotiri to support military tasks there. The air base is a key staging ground for any military mission in the Middle East. Deploying the two Chinooks
‘I’m absolutely
heartbroken… It’s
like a bombsite’:
witness Charlotte
Du Cann, below
would eff ectively mean Akrotiri would not have coverage for at least two weeks because of the time it takes to get the aircraft to the UK and return them. A defence source said this was play- ing into the “decision-making process” taking place within the MoD, adding: “You’re always working on a risk-bal- ance case and where the Chinooks are most needed. “Clearly this is an emerging situation, but you don’t want to press go and bring those aircraft back but the wildfi res die down and they’re not needed. That will then mean it will be another week or so until they can return to operations in Cyprus.” The Chinooks covering fi refi ghting
pretty stunned afterwards. Maybe because I know the land, I knew the way out. “It’s just devastating, I’m absolutely heartbroken. I love that place, I write about it and teach people to connect with nature there, and then there’s no nature and it’s like a bombsite. “I come here all the time, it’s one of the places I walk and swim in the sea.” The fi re spread from RSPB Minsmere to neighbouring National Trust site Dunwich Heath and has left the area “unrecognisable”. The National Trust said the ravaged landscape had been left with little veg- etation, while wildlife species would feel the eff ects of the fi re “now and long into the future”. In a state-
duties in Cyprus will be replaced next year by a trio of Airbus H145 Jupiter HC Mk2 helicopters. The first of the new H145s arrived in July for tests, working with 84 Squadron RAF. Britain has been ravaged by about 400 wildfi res so far this year. In the last fortnight alone, more than 200 fires have been tackled in England and Wales. None of the UK’s 49 fi re and res- cue services has direct access to a fi re- fi ghting aircraft or helicopter similar to those seen in recent days dropping water to extinguish vast wildfi res rag- ing in France, Spain and elsewhere in Europe. A number of European countries, including Ireland, have their own fi re-
summer weather extremes
By Cameron Henderson
BRITISH homes are facing an “explo- sion” of flies this summer as popula- tions of wasps decline, experts have claimed. The insects, which are often preyed on by wasps, are inundating Brits as a result of weather extremes that are damaging wasp numbers and facilitat- ing fl y breeding. While there are not yet offi cial counts for insect population this summer, Adam Juson, chief executive of Merlin Environmental, a commercial pest con- trol fi rm, said “tropical conditions” in June acted as an accelerant for fly breeding. He said: “When temperatures stay high both day and night, eggs develop into adults in a fraction of the usual time, and each generation is breeding again sooner than normal.” Meanwhile, a decline in wasps, believed to be a result of a dry spring, swiftly followed by a cold snap, left the fl y population unchecked. Mr Juson said: “The result isn’t a gradual rise in numbers: it’s an explo- sion. This has been compounded by a decline in wasp populations, which normally act as one of nature’s checks
ment, the National Trust’s Russell Clement said: “We have been left heart- broken by the total devastation we are now seeing due to the fi re at Dunwich Heath, which is one of the UK’s most important coastal heathland land- scapes. “Although it’s still too early to say what the true impact has been to both RSPB Minsmere, where the fi re started, and Dunwich Heath, it’s becoming clear that the fi re has torn through the entire National Trust reserve and the land- scape that we know and love is now unrecognisable. “We believe that very little heathland vegetation is left and many wildlife spe- cies will have been impacted, now and long into the future.”
fi ghting aircraft. France has deployed at least 35 – including an A400 military transport plane that can drop 20 tons of water at a time – to combat fi res there. Spain also has access to 45 aircraft. After Brexit, the UK no longer has access to rescEU, an EU scheme pooling emergency resources, including fire- fighting aircraft, for member states. France has this month been provided with 13 additional aircraft through the scheme, while Spain has received six. Fire crews said the blaze in Suffolk was “stabilising” yesterday morning as eff orts by more than 120 fi refi ghters to quell the fl ames entered a third day. The cause of the wildfire is not yet known.
on fly numbers by preying on them. With fewer wasps doing that job, fl ies have had an easier run of it this sum- mer, which is exactly why homes and businesses across the UK are noticing the diff erence.” Prof Seirian Sumner, a behavioural ecologist at University College London, told The Times that her kitchen was “full of fl ies”, adding: “One of those reasons might be because there are no top pred- ators around, or very few top preda- tors.” Prof Sumner, the author of Endless Forms: Why We Should Love Wasps, said that a “triple whammy” of inclement weather may explain the wasp shortfall. A warm, dry spring provided ideal conditions for queen wasps as they emerged from hibernation towards the beginning of the year, helping them to establish colonies, build nests and raise their fi rst broods. However, a spell of wet weather com- bined with frosty nights in May may have killed off many queens, destroying their young nests before they had a chance to establish colonies. This was followed by a series of heat- waves, which killed fl owers and caused nectar supplies to dry up, leaving adult wasps with less food.
20 years after court told he kept remains to hand out to relatives at random
By Telegraph Reporter
A FUNERAL director mixed ashes of the dead to use as a reserve he could dip into when approached by grieving rela- tives, a court has heard. Robert Bush, 48, was jailed for 20 years yesterday after he left dozens of bodies to rot for months when they should have been cremated. He gave the wrong ashes to families, took money for funeral plans without making any arrangements and stole charity donations collected at services. The disgraced funeral director also left the body of a stillborn baby in a paper bag at the Hull-based Legacy Independent Funeral Directors for almost two years. Families previously described Bush as a “monster” who “put us all through hell for his own selfi shness”. It has now emerged that when police raided the parlour in March 2024, they found some ashes in sealed vessels but others were opened. Det Supt Alan Curtis, the detective in charge of the case, said that while Bush had never given an explanation, there was evidence of ashes being mixed. It appeared he was using a store of these to give to bereaved families when they asked for ashes, presenting them falsely as those of their loved ones. Mr Curtis said: “From stories fami- lies have told us about pressuring him for their loved one’s ashes, he would go into the back and get some ashes and then present them as if it was their loved ones. “We know that was the case, although he’s never said as much in interview, because he’s always no-com- mented on anything we asked him about the ashes, apart from confi rming that they were human.” Throughout the investigation, the fraudster refused to answer questions about the remains at his funeral home. Mr Curtis continued: “I think he liked to come across as quite a scatty, poor, diffi cult, bad businessman when actually I think the reality is that he knew exactly what was going on and he’s committed all these off ences and only someone that’s quite intelligent and smart and shrewd and deceitful would be able to commit those.” During sentencing at Hull Crown Court, Mr Justice Hilliard heard that Bush had breached the trust of grieving families “on an almost indus- trial scale”. He said that no family who used Bush’s services could be sure they had received their loved one’s ashes. “Unless a body was one of those actu- ally recovered by the police in 2024 and properly identifi ed, no one who had a cremation at Legacy at any time can actually know for certain whether they received the right ashes for their loved one, whether or not their case features
PA
… or worse, carried someone else’s body’
Abigail Buchanan
THE Mothering Sunday of March 2024 is stuck in Ron Marsh’s mind for two reasons. It was the fi rst without his mother, Joyce Moulton, who had died the previous September. It was also the day the police knocked on his door. What they told him left him reeling. Joyce, who died aged 98, had not been in the coffi n Ron and his brother had chosen for her cremation, which was to follow a funeral service in a simple room at the premises of Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull the previous October. Nor had she been cremated following the service. Her body had been discovered by police, along with 34 others, in a fi lthy refrigerated room at the back of the Legacy funeral parlour. It had been there for roughly 180 days. “It was utter disbelief. Our breath was taken away,” he says. “We were told by the police that the clothes we
The police mugshot of Robert Bush. Top, families outside court in Hull yesterday
had brought in for her [to be cremated in] were still in a bag in the corner. The photograph of my grandad that was supposed to go into the coffi n with her was on the fl oor somewhere.” He suspects the light-coloured wooden coffi n could have been empty at her funeral. Worse, it could have contained a stranger’s body. He will never know the answer. Marsh is one of hundreds of family members who suff ered because of the actions of Robert Bush, the funeral director who was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in jail . For most of this week, Marsh, 79, who worked for a mechanical and electrical engineering fi rm before retiring, has been watching Bush’s sentencing via a video link from the police station near his home in Surrey, an option he chose over commuting to Hull, given his age and the potential cost. He says: “The last few days have been harrowing,. Fortunately, the judge stopped [the prosecution] from describing the state of the bodies that were found and everything else in detail. But you know from watching
on the indictment,” the judge said. He added that Bush’s crimes “had a pro- found eff ect on the whole of a close-knit community” and that he had never known off ences “aff ect so many people, and so many people so deeply”. Bush behaved “in such a deceitful way because of financial greed”, Mr Justice Hilliard said, adding: “He must unfortunately have a heartless side to him too which enabled him to treat the living and the dead in the way that he did.” The funeral director previously pleaded guilty to multiple counts of preventing a lawful burial, as well as dozens of fraud charges. This week, the court heard more than 200 statements from victims.
told me aliens had landed, I’d have been more inclined to believe that’
Among them were relatives of 31 people at the funeral home whose bodies should have been cremated, including the mother of the stillborn baby found in a paper bag. It also heard from more than 50 peo- ple who had been given the wrong ashes for their loved ones. Mr Justice Hilliard was told that families had felt guilt about what happened to their rel- atives. He said: “I hope they will realise they are not to blame at all.” The judge said Bush was “so preoccu- pied with his own enrichment that he behaved in a shocking and disgraceful way towards the deceased entrusted to his care, and his behaviour towards their living relatives was characterised by dishonesty, deception and heartless-
TV shows that if a body has been left unattended for months, the state of decomposition is not going to be very nice. Let’s put it that way. So hearing that, trouble is your mind runs riot.” The trauma of the past two years has broken his trust not only in the funeral industry, but in all professionals in positions of trust: doctors, undertakers and carers. “You put the body of your loved one in their hands to do what they’re supposed to do,” he says. “I no longer trust people at face value or businesses at face value.” The funeral industry in England is essentially unregulated, which the families of Bush’s victims are now campaigning to change. “If you’re going to get an electrician for a job, you would make sure he’s certifi ed,” says Marsh. “But if you’re getting a funeral director, you automatically assume they off er a bona fi de service, that they will do what they say they are going to do.” That was not the case with Bush, 48. More than 100 sets of ashes, with some 35 bodies, were recovered when his business was raided by police in March 2024. Over a seven-year period,
ness”. “If he could re-use a coffi n some- one had already paid for, he would do so,” he said. “If it was cheaper to keep someone in non-refrigerated condi- tions, he would do that, too.” Describing the scenes found at Leg- acy, Mr Justice Hilliard said there were bodies on racks, two more lying on the fl oor and evidence of human putrefac- tion as well as excrement on the fl oor of a toilet. In the cases of 57 families given incorrect or no ashes at all, around 40 of the deceased were kept for longer than a month before being cremated, including more than 200 days in one case. The judge said the discoveries had brought “unimaginable heartache and
re-use a coffin someone had already paid for, he would do so’
Bush had siphoned off tens of thousands of pounds from the business, which he spent on holidays, a new kitchen, hobbies such as motorbiking, and jewellery from Boodles. For Bush, business was booming – £1.7m was transferred from the business into his personal account during this period. His personal income averaged £162,000 a year, yet he paid tax on an income of roughly £13,000 a year and transferred an average of £52,000 a year to his wife. He also stole donations from collections at funerals, never passing them on to chosen charities, which included Macmillan Cancer Support, the RNLI and Dove House Hospice, a
Joyce Moulton several months before she died with her sons Ron, left, and Peter
distress” for 46 families who had the wrong ashes and 11 who were given none. “How betrayed they feel – husbands and wives, partners, parents, children, grandchildren – now discovering they are left with nothing, or in some cases we heard, an empty plastic bag or a tea- spoonful of ashes the police managed to recover,” Mr Justice Hilliard added. Yesterday, Andy Burnham backed the regulation of funeral homes and mortuaries. Speaking on a visit to Sheffi eld, the Prime Minister said: “I do back those calls, and there were recommendations in the Fuller report that will be imple- mented because we have seen appalling situations like this before.”
local palliative care centre. Meanwhile, the conditions at Legacy’s premises on Hessle Road were nothing short of horrifi c. Among the most appalling discoveries was a brown paper bag with the remains of Jasmine Beverley’s stillborn baby son, found on the fl oor after having been there for two years. Four women were given the wrong ashes after appointing Bush to carry out the cremations of their unborn children. In some cases, an expert witness believed the ashes given to grieving mothers resembled those of adults. One woman is believed to have been given animal remains. Hull Crown Court heard disturbing details of bodies left unwashed, and “abandoned” in various states of decomposition “for nature to take its course”. Mould had spread across coffi ns and unlabelled boxes holding ashes, and bodily fl uids had mingled with family photos intended to be buried or cremated with loved ones.. Joyce had raised her sons in the village of Witley, Surrey, but returned to Hull, her hometown, where she wanted her ashes scattered, in 1990 following the death of her partner. When those two police offi cers knocked on his door, he said: “If they’d told me aliens had landed, I’d have been more inclined to believe that.” He is now left with the agony of not knowing exactly what happened to his mother’s body, “and why the hell Bush did what he did”.
activity in exchange for IDF’s withdrawal, but no confirmation from Israel
By Alexander Butler and Henry Bodkin
HAMAS agreed to give up its weapons in exchange for Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, Donald Trump announced. The US president said an agreement had been reached on Thursday evening, hailing it as a “major milestone” for his Board of Peace. Under the proposal, Hamas would fi rst hand over its heavy weapons to a transitional Palestinian body to be stored and decommissioned. The group would also be expected to give up terror infrastructure such as weapons manufacturing facilities and tunnel plans. The deal leaves the sur- render of personal weapons until last. A Board of Peace official said they would be “dealt with” by Palestinian
Hamas would first hand over its heavy weapons to a transitional Palestinian body
from Gaza will not be a good look for Netanyahu
Henry Bodkin in Jerusalem
IN A moment many thought would never come, Donald Trump announced late on Thursday that the Hamas had agreed with the Board of Peace to a staged handover contingent on IDF withdrawal from Gaza. Existing Hamas-run governance structures in the Strip and, to an extent, the police will remain in place, ready for takeover by a transitional government. On the face of it, it’s a good deal for Hamas. It forces Israel to stop bombing, and it potentially allows the terror group to keep weapons in Gaza for the time being, albeit not under their direct control. With an election looming, it’s also not a great look for Benjamin Netanyahu to be seen to be withdrawing troops from Gaza. But there are many key details to be ironed out and huge potential for Israel to derail implementation if they see fi t. The deal says that Israel “shall fully complete, without delay, all remaining commitments” under the Sharm Sheikh Protocol, “particularly the cessation of military operations”. This cessation is also expected of Hamas and the Palestinian factions. In other words, “stop bombing now”. Mr Trump’s original 20-point plan demanded the end to military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment. However, since then more than 1,000 Gazans have been killed by the IDF, including many children. We don’t know how many of the dead were Hamas terrorists, but either way, the original deal did not allow Israel to launch strikes against activity it deemed suspicious. Yet it has done so throughout, although at a much lower rate than before the October peace deal. Israel has tried to kill anyone involved in October 7, and this new document will in theory force that campaign of assassinations to end. Five IDF soldiers have also been killed since the ceasefi re, and the new text demands that Hamas cease its military operations as well. The terror group is known to have made great eff orts to re-arm and re-organise since last year. Another part of the deal says that “All civil servants shall be treated lawfully, fairly and with dignity with respect to their rights”. This means that bureaucrats in the government of Gaza who worked for Hamas will be allowed to continue in their jobs. The Telegraph understands this was one of the sticking points in negotiations. A source close to the talks said: “Hamas have got their long-term reputation among the Palestinian people to think of. If everyone who ever worked for them loses their job that looks bad on them. They have to look after their people.” As well as being politically
By Connor Stringer and Joe Barnes
THE United States and Israel are dis- cussing a possible land blockade of Iran, The Telegraph can reveal. The proposal is one of several options being explored by Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu to ratchet up eco- nomic pressure on the regime after months of strikes and a prolonged cam- paign failed to bring it to heel. It is understood that the US president and the Israeli prime minister discussed increasing economic pressure on Iran “through kinetic and non-kinetic means” when the pair met in the Oval Office on Tuesday. The plan would
law enforcement, who would be expected to police the Strip under the authority of the board-appointed National Council for the Administration of Gaza, aided by an International Stabi- lization Force (ISF) of foreign troops. Mr Trump also said the agreement included the complete disarmament of “all other armed groups”, which it assumed to mean various “clans”, some of which are backed by Israel. Based on the premise of “zero trust”, each stage of the plan is supposed to be verifi able and should be accompanied by Israeli withdrawal. But hours after the deal was agreed, an Israeli air strike wounded several Palestinians in Gaza. Under the ceasefi re agreement of last October, the IDF was given control of about 53 per cent of Gaza but has since expanded its territory to include an esti- mated 60 to 70 per cent of the territory. “An agreement has been reached regarding the issue of weapons. Fur- thermore, an agreement has been reached on a gradual withdrawal of [Israeli forces] from the Strip,” a Hamas
XINHUA/SHUTTERSTOCK
The Gaza Strip is in complete ruins after years of conflict between Israel and Hamas
probably require the US and Israel to press Iran’s neighbours and regional partners to tighten or close border crossings, restricting the fl ow of exports and imports. “What if you just blocked the land? Suppose Iran can’t bring anything in and cannot take anything out. Anything will happen,” said a senior Israeli offi - cial, raising one possibility the two countries have discussed. Sean MacFarland, a retired three-star lieutenant general, said that while a land blockade would be “almost impos- sible”, “if you take away Iran’s ability to trade ... then you are isolating them eco- nomically. That’s the way to bring them
pragmatic, it will also give the incoming transitional government an existing structure with which to begin work on reconstruction. The deal says that “Gaza shall be governed according to the principle of one authority, one law, one weapon”. This is the key end-point of the transitional phase and a central demand from Israel. Hamas will not be allowed to lurk as an armed presence in the background, undermining the offi cial government and still exercising control over the population – a scenario likened to the role Hezbollah has long played in Lebanon. This puts in black and white the aim that the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) and its permanent successor government will have not just the authority to run Gaza, but the hard power as well. In terms of police personnel, the deal says that “None of those shall be deprived of their fi nancial rights, particularly due to political affi liation”. Current members of the Hamas police force in Gaza will, in principle, be allowed to carry on in their jobs. As with the civil servants, this is pragmatism in action, evidence that the Board of Peace sees the value in not alienating hundreds of armed young men by putting them out of a job, plus giving the incoming administration something to work with. It’s almost as if they have learnt a
to their knees”. He added: “The eco- nomic approach is the concise one, but it must have kinetic elements. “Iran borders a whole bunch of coun- tries over land, and Iraq is very aligned with Iran. That would make it very diffi cult to stop any support from get- ting in.” A land blockade could target key bor- der crossings such as Incheh Borun and Sarakhs-Sarahs, which connect Iran and Turkmenistan. Iran shares borders with Iraq, Tur- key, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmeni- stan, Armenia and Azerbaijan, meaning the leaders would have to persuade these countries, many of which they are
offi cial said. Ghazi Hamad, a member of the Hamas negotiating team, told Al Jazeera. “We will not take any action regarding disarmament prior to Israel’s withdrawal from the Strip.” This appeared to contradict Mr Trump’s statement, which said: “As dis- armament is completed, Israeli forces will withdraw…” However, an official
lesson from Iraq. However, some observers fear that Israel could use the policing issue to hamper the whole process. For example, by refusing to vet candidates, or doing so in a sluggish way, or – and there have been suggestions of this – refusing to allow Gazans out of the territory for training in Egypt. The deal talks of a “process to decommission and store heavy weapons... This process shall be linked to an Israeli withdrawal”. It adds that “The implementation of this roadmap ... shall create appropriate conditions for a credible pathway towards achieving Palestinian self-determination and statehood”. Israel pushed for an all-at-once, big-bang style disarmament – a way of emphasising that Hamas were the losers and were lucky to be walking away with their lives. However, this plan – which does not mention “disarmament” at any point – is much more along the lines of a Northern-Ireland-style decommissioning process that the UK, through its infl uential national security adviser Jonathan Powell, a veteran of those negotiations, was known to be pushing for. Guns will be handed over to Palestinians, not an international force or the Israelis, and stored somewhere, potentially in Gaza. What has enabled the breakthrough
not allied with, to co-operate. Washing- ton may view Pakistan and Iraq, which are not considered its close allies in the region, as weak links. If any of the seven countries border- ing Iran agreed to co-operate, they would face their own economic conse- quences and the threat of retaliatory strikes by the Islamic Republic. Blockades of ports or key crossings could hamper Iran’s ability to rearm itself. Tehran is expecting a shipment of hundreds of Chinese rocket launchers from Beijing under a deal to strengthen military ties between the nations. The $70m (£53m) contract covers man-portable air-defence systems
familiar with the negotiations told The Telegraph that Hamas understood “dis- armament” to refer to the end of the process. By contrast, “decommissioning” would involve Palestinian security forces storing the weapons, meaning that if Israel reneged on its commit- ments under the deal, Hamas could take back the weapons. “The idea, in theory, is that all this can be reversed. That way you can agree to a process which is staged and verifi able,” the offi cial said. It is understood, however, that prac- tical details of how the weapons would be stored have yet to be agreed. The UK, principally through Jona- than Powell, the national security adviser, has been a strong behind-the- scenes proponent of the “Northern Ire- land-model” of decommissioning. Israel has not yet commented for- mally on the agreement, but a US offi - cial said the Jewish state was “very sceptical” about Hamas complying. Israeli offi cials were reported as say- ing yesterday that the country did not
is the principle, in theory at least, that the process is reversible if Israel doesn’t live up to its obligations to withdraw. It is based on a “zero-trust” model where each stage can be verifi ed to the satisfaction of all parties before moving on to the next. Hamas’s armed wings will hand over their heavy weapons fi rst, under the plan. Clearly it is lacking in detail, and in a quintessentially Trumpian manner it provides for a negotiation window to thrash them out that can be extended if necessary. Observers have been quick to point out that, on the back of comments made by Mr Trump and Hamas in the last 24 hours, both seem to think the other should fulfi l its side of the bargain fi rst. Offi cials close to the negotiations are more sanguine and believe this can be worked out. A key issue will be membership of the international verifi cation committee. However, another sticking point could be the non-Hamas armed groups. Under this deal, these clans or militias, some of which are backed by Israel, must disarm too. That is crucial, because Hamas members will not easily give up their guns if they fear being murdered in their beds by their arch rivals. A potential problem arises, however,
(Manpads), anti-aircraft missiles that a single person can carry. Ships returning from China have been known to stop at the ports of Ban- dar Abbas and Chabahar in the south of Iran. Mr Trump believes he has reached the end of the road with his current strategy to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to a source familiar with the discussions. The source added that the US presi- dent was therefore looking at various options for escalation that could force Iran back to the negotiating table. A land blockade would fi t his maxi- mum-pressure strategy aimed at crip-
relies on bodies not yet set up. There are many potential points of failure’
much more along the lines of a Northern Ireland-style peace process’
agree with the “shape” of the agree- ment, and had conveyed its concerns to Sir Tony Blair, who is working for Mr Trump’s Board of Peace on the issue. The deal also depends on the creation of a Palestinian police force. However, a Western offi cial said that while much of the preparatory work had been done in identifying recruits, Israel was slow in allowing training to take place. There is also uncertainty over the make-up of Mr Trump’s ISF. Last week, Israel said it would allow a small contingent, probably consisting of Moroccan troops, into the Strip. But so far it is believed there has not been anywhere near suffi cient commit- ment of troops by supporting countries. “At the moment the agreement relies on organisations that have not been set up yet,” an official with knowledge of the negotiations told The Telegraph. “I wouldn’t expect anything to hap- pen in the next few weeks – it will mostly be arguments over the wording that has just been agreed. “There are many potential points of failure in the plan.”
in the sense that these militias were not party to the negotiations and might not go along with it. The document also states that they should not form part of the new police force, which it was known Israel had been pushing for. Overall, however, this clause is a blow for Mr Netanyahu. Campaigning against a Palestinian state, which the document says disarmament should lead towards, has been, in once sense, his life’s work. Yet here it is in black and white. The deal says that “a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) shall be deployed in the Gaza Strip to separate Israeli forces from NCAG- controlled areas”. It adds that the “ISF shall not perform any police mission or missions related to the Palestinian society”. The role of the ISF has gradually matured since Mr Trump fi rst posited the idea last year, and it is no surprise it will act as a buff er between the IDF and the Palestinian police (and people), rather than a police force or disarmament body itself. There is one major problem, however: currently it does not exist. Five countries have formally pledged troops, but it is thought not anywhere near the numbers needed. However, the emergence of a more concrete plan in the form of this deal may encourage more tangible commitments.
pling Tehran’s economy, which began with a naval blockade. There is also a chance Israel and the US fl oated the plan as a red herring to distract Tehran. Intelligence suggests the Iranian leadership is split between those who are very concerned about an economic collapse and those who believe that the war must continue. “There are gas shortages. You’re aware of that. Very severe gas shortages inside Iran. There are queues at gas sta- tions that have run out of diesel fuel,” the Israeli source added. Those inside the room described Mr Trump and Mr Netanyahu’s meeting this week as positive and cordial.
mountaineer
feared dead
in avalanche
was leading 10-man team up world’s 12th-highest peak when disaster struck
By Kelly-Anne Taylor
and Samaan Lateef
A FORMER Royal Marine has gone missing after an avalanche on the world’s 12th-highest mountain in Pakistan. Nirmal Purja MBE, known as Nims- dai, was leading a 10-man international climbing team on Broad Peak when an avalanche struck at around midday on Thursday. The expedition included five other Nepali climbers and one each from the US, China, Oman and Pakistan. Ground rescue teams have recov- ered four bodies on the mountain, Major General Irfan Arshad Khan, the president of the Alpine Club of Pakistan
Nirmal Purja MBE is best known for climbing all 14 mountains higher than 8,000 metres in 189 days, breaking a record
(ACP), said in a post on Instagram. Two have been identified as Nadhira Ahmad Abdullah Al Harthy – the first Omani woman to ever summit Everest – and Pur Bahadur Gurung Yukta from Nepal. Mr Purja is best known for climbing all 14 mountains higher than 8,000 metres in 189 days, breaking the previ- ous record. His venture was the subject of the Netflix film 14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible. The 43-year-old was also the first climber to reach the summits of Mount Everest, Lhotse and Makalu within 48 hours. In 2021, he completed the first winter ascent of K2, also known as Mount Godwin-Austen, along with a team of nine other Nepalese climbers. Before his career as a climber, Mr
Purja, who was born in Nepal, served in the Royal Navy and became the first Gurkha to join the Special Boat Service, an elite British unit. He was awarded an MBE by Queen Elizabeth II in 2018 for exceptional mil- itary service in high-risk environ- ments. Two army helicopters have been deployed but the poor weather and extreme altitude have complicated res- cue efforts. “Every possible effort is being made to ensure that helicopter support and all available rescue resources are mobi- lised at the earliest opportunity, sub- ject to weather and operational conditions,” the ACP said. GPS locations transmitted from some of the missing climbers before contact was lost indicated that the ava- lanche had swept the climbers about one kilometre down the mountain. The expedition had begun its sum- mit push on Wednesday and was climb- ing towards Camp 3 when the avalanche struck. The other missing climbers are Kili Pemba Sherpa, Nima Sherpa, Nawang Thindu Sherpa and Gyalu Sherpa from Nepal, Sohail Sakhi from Pakistan, Mallory Geis from the US and Wang Zhong from China. The survival chances of the missing climbers including Purja was “sadly very slim”, Naila Kiani, an ACP spokes- man, said. She added that other climbers had been spotted by drone but their condi- tion and identities had not been con- firmed. “Ground rescue team will continue search mission first thing in the morn- ing. K2 expedition teams have volun- tarily cancelled their expedition to focus on this mission,” she added. The avalanche struck during one of the busiest periods of Pakistan’s climb- ing season, after the weather opened a narrow window for more than 200 for- eign climbers attempting Broad Peak, K2 and the neighbouring Gasherbrum peaks. Broad Peak stands 26,414ft above sea level and is regarded as one of the toughest mountains in the world to climb.
AP PHOTO/JACQUELYN MARTIN
Easy rider It’s not exactly The Beast, the heavily armoured, custom-built Cadillac to which Donald Trump has become accustomed, but the US president looks equally at home in a golf cart on arrival at his Camp David retreat yesterday.
By Alexander Butler
DONALD TRUMP has criticised a Republican rebellion that forced him to withdraw his pick for attorney general. The US president nominated Todd Blanche, his former personal lawyer, to lead the US justice department after Pam Bondi stepped down in April. But two Republican senators, John Cornyn of Texas, and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, have refused to endorse Mr Blanche over a deal that he negoti- ated that would protect Mr Trump and
his allies. Mr Trump said their “political careers have been ended”. The deal was announced earlier this year to settle a lawsuit by Mr Trump against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) over the leak of his tax returns in 2020. He sued the IRS for $10bn and accused it of not doing enough to stop the leak to the New York Times, which revealed he paid only $750 of income tax in 2020. Under the settlement, a $1.8bn (£1.3bn) fund was created to allow allies, including Jan 6 rioters, to claim com-
pensation for “politically motivated prosecutions”. It also granted Mr Trump, his family and businesses broad immunity against IRS audits into their tax affairs, saving them a potential $100m in penalties. While the plans were dropped, Mr Cornyn and Mr Tillis joined senators who criticised them as illegal. The pair, who will leave office in November after losing Mr Trump’s endorsement, are demanding that Mr Blanche commit not to restarting the fund and to drop the tax immunities. But in a Truth Social post on Thurs-
day, Mr Trump said: “I have no objec- tion to temporarily withdrawing Todd’s name, if they do not do the right thing, and putting him back after Cornyn and Tillis are out of office.” He added: “John Cornyn, of Texas, and Thom Tillis, of North Carolina, both of whom I refused to Endorse, and whose political careers have been ended by my action, are refusing to vote for this Great Nominee, who will remain, in any event, as Acting.” Mr Cornyn hit back, saying he and Mr Tillis represented a larger group of Sen- ate Republicans dismayed by the deal.
SUN ZHENSONG/VCG VIA GETTY IMAGES
Baptism of fire Children take part in simulated shooting with an RPG-40 rocket launcher at a youth military training base in Ürümqi, in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China. The training is part of a summer-holiday programme for teenagers.
family killed in Korean missile strike
after Pyongyang- supplied weapon destroys home
By Antonia Langford
A SINGLE Russian missile has killed a family in Ukraine. Russia fired the missile, manufactured by North Korea, at the rural village of Radushne in the south-east- ern Dnipropetrovsk region on Thursday. Danylo Voronov, a soldier on the front line, learned that the bodies of his parents, Olena Voronov and Artem Voronov, and four of his sib- lings were retrieved from the rubble of his house. Local authorities said they believed 10 members of the Voronov family had been sleeping in their beds when the home was struck, includ- ing three more of Danylo’s siblings and his 18-month-old son. Their bodies have not yet been recovered. All four of the missing are feared dead. Locals rescued the family dog, Rocky, from the rubble alive after his tail was seen poking out of the debris. Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, who hails from the nearby city of Kryvyi Rih, said: “The impact of the Russian missile was so powerful that nothing remained of the house. “Fragments of human bodies were found beneath the rubble, and only forensic examinations can determine which family members the remains belong to.” The North Korean missile that hit Radushne is believed to be the first used in Ukraine since August last year. While Mr Zelensky did not identify the missile, Pyong- yang has previously been accused of supplying Mos- cow with 148 KN-23 and KN-24 ballistic missiles, although instances of their use have dwindled in recent months. The attack suggests Mos- cow is turning to foreign allies to boost its missile inventory as it intensifies its
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY, the Ukrainian president, reportedly asked Donald Trump to help get Elon Musk’s permission to use Starlink technology on drone strikes inside Russia. At a meeting at the White House on Tuesday, Mr Zelen- sky laid out a plan to use Mr Musk’s satellite network Starlink to help guide the strikes, according to a report by The Atlantic, citing two unnamed officials with knowledge of discussions. Mr Trump was “non-com- mittal” about the proposal but told Mr Zelensky that he would consider it, the outlet reported. Ukraine has used Starlink within its own territory, which has enabled it to strike supply lines, fuel storage facilities, air-defence instal- lations and command cen- tres, Reuters reported earlier this month. The technology has been so effective that Russia has attempted to counter the attacks by installing power- ful jamming systems. But so far, Mr Musk’s com- pany SpaceX has restricted the use of Starlink within Russia, which has meant Ukraine’s long-range drone attacks have had to make use of less reliable targeting sys- tems. During his meeting with Mr Trump, Mr Zelensky said they needed Starlink to con- duct strikes on smaller, mobile targets, such as mis- sile launchers mounted on trucks positioned across Rus- sia, The Atlantic said. Mr Trump has apparently been reluctant to supply Ukraine with more Patriot interceptors, stocks of
for Trump’s help’ with Musk favour
By Ben Stockton
barrages on Ukraine, which have killed record rates of civilians. Some sources have suggested that its current monthly launch rate may outpace domestic produc- tion. Ukraine has been left vul- nerable to such attacks because of shortages of inter- ceptor missiles for Patriot air defence systems, almost the only line of defence capable of fending off ballistics. Having previously said that Washington would pro- vide Kyiv with a licence to produce its own Patriot mis- siles, Donald Trump said on Thursday that he was now “not sure” about the move. “It’s a very extraordinary weapon, and we have to be a little bit careful of who we license to,” he said. The attack that destroyed the Voronov family home was part of an overnight bombardment that hit cities across Ukraine, killing at least 10 civilians and injuring some 50 more. In the early hours of the morning, amid the strikes, Danylo’s Poland-based brother Matvii Voronov wrote frantic messages on a local Telegram channel beg- ging neighbours to tell him whether anybody had sur- vived. “Matvii, I was there. Only the foundations of the house remained, they were all killed,” a neighbour replied. Matvii wrote later in the day: “In a single moment, they took away the most pre- cious thing that I had. I don’t know how to live now. “I’m just crying uncontrol- lably. My elder brother has suffered an even greater grief. Along with his family, he lost his one-year-old son.” Before the emergency ser- vices arrived, neighbours in Radushne attempted to save the family from the burning building, according to local media. “We kept calling out for the eight children and their parents, but no one responded,” Nataliia, a resi- dent, told Ukrainska Pravda. Russia’s ministry of defence claimed its attacks had targeted military sites.
which have been depleted during the US’s conflict with Iran. Giving Ukraine the ability to use Starlink within Russia was presented to Mr Trump as an alternative, The Atlantic reported. Mr Trump would like to see the Russia-Ukraine war come to a close, and one offi- cial told the magazine he would probably only grant the Patriot request if he felt it would hasten the end of the conflict. While visiting the US, Mr Zelensky also reportedly sought a meeting with Mr Musk, which the Tesla founder de cline d, an unnamed source told the
Elon Musk’s
company
SpaceX has
restricted
the use of
Starlink
in Russia
magazine. Mr Trump appar- ently told Mr Zelensky he would speak to Mr Musk but did not offer a timetable of when that might happen. When Mr Trump took office in January last year, Mr Musk was appointed head of the department of govern- ment efficiency (Doge), which cut federal contracts and laid off vast numbers of government employees. But their relationship soured after Mr Musk left his role. He was a vocal critic of Mr Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill”, which was estimated to raise the deficit. Mr Musk called it “a disgusting abomi- nation”. “I’m very disappointed in Elon. I’ve helped Elon a lot,” Mr Trump said at the time.
E
urope is ablaze. With fi res nudging at the gates of Bordeaux, encroaching on Madrid and scorching the Cairngorms, it is clear that the climate is changing. The question, asked across this week in The Telegraph, is what should Britain do? For the best part of a decade, the answer of successive governments has been simple and simplistic: pursue net zero. Rapid decarbonisation by 2050 will protect the planet, regardless of the costs it imposes on UK consumers and business; regardless, indeed, of whether it will make a diff erence to the climate at all. Tim Stanley and Ambrose Evans-Pritchard rightly highlighted in these pages Britain’s proud tradition of conservatives acting on behalf of nature, from Benjamin Disraeli to Margaret Thatcher. As Lord Frost argued, these politicians were always acutely aware of the “human consequences” of their policies. They set achievable, cost-eff ective goals that delivered improvements to people’s lives. Today, Britain’s environmental policies too often do the exact opposite. Obsessing over a net zero target that is unlikely to be hit has burdened British business with among the highest energy costs in the developed world. If anyone needed proof of those costs, it came yesterday with the news that BP has decided to quit the North Sea. If government policy makes it unattractive for fi rms to operate, then the UK as a whole suff ers, with thousands of jobs lost and billions in tax revenue unrealised. There may be an argument for this if Britain’s actions actually made a noticeable diff erence to the global climate. But the evidence suggests otherwise, as Allister Heath made clear. Today we contribute less than 1 per cent of global CO2
to the EDITOR
consequences of Britain’s failure to build more prisons
SIR – We have failed to build enough prisons to accommodate those who need to be placed in them. This means that we have been releasing prisoners earlier (“Record reoff ending after early release”, report, July 31). There is evidence that a relatively small number of persistent and prolifi c off enders are responsible for much of the crime in our communities. Police now spend increasing amounts of time pursuing some of these criminals after they have been let out of prison early. We need to invest in eff ectively containing and detaining the off enders who commit the most crime. John Rogers Clitheroe, Lancashire
SIR – At least some confi dence in the
integrity of the criminal justice system
might be restored if sentencing were
more honest.
Why hand down 10 years, for
instance, when there is zero chance
that this time will be served?
Sentences need to refl ect how long a
criminal will actually spend in prison,
maybe with the possibility of a 10 per
cent reduction if their behaviour is
exemplary – but also a 10 per cent
extension if it is poor.
Tony Marshall
Rudgwick, West Sussex
SIR – Italy’s proposal to allow some off enders whose crimes are linked to drug or alcohol dependency to serve their sentences in the community – with the money saved being redirected towards addiction treatment – deserves more than accusations that it is “soft” (report, July 31). There is a powerful logic to it. If addiction is a signifi cant driver of off ending, simply imprisoning someone risks treating the symptom rather than the cause. Carefully selected individuals given a properly supervised community sentence, combined with compulsory treatment and meaningful consequences for non-compliance, could be both cheaper and more eff ective. The idea has obvious attractions in
Britain. The cost of keeping someone in prison is now around £54,000 a year, while prisons remain desperately overcrowded. If even part of that could instead fund eff ective drug and alcohol treatment, taxpayers might get rather more for their money – fewer prison places required, fewer addicts cycling through the criminal justice system and, potentially, fewer future victims. Being tough on crime should surely mean being tough on the causes too. Stuart Harrington Rochechouart, Haute-Vienne, France
SIR – If ever there was a wake-up call on mass migration, the situation in Ceuta is surely it (“Migrants swim to Spain in their thousands”, report, July 31). Some of these individuals will presumably hope to make their way to “soft-touch” Britain, and we need a plan. Over to you, Andy Burnham. Gerry Walsh Sleaford, Lincolnshire
SIR – Within 24 hours, 49,000 illegal migrants, mostly young males, stormed the Spanish exclave of Ceuta on the North African coast. The insane decision by Pedro Sánchez, Spain’s socialist prime minister, to grant an amnesty to hundreds of thousands of illegal migrants – to the fury of many fellow EU leaders – is likely to have encouraged this. One wonders what will happen if thousands of illegal migrants cross the now open border between Spain and Gibraltar. Will Mr Sanchez willingly take them back, or will he, in the manner of Emmanuel Macron, merely shrug? Terry Smith London NW11
SIR – Kemi Badenoch articulates what many have been too shy to say (“Net-zero scepticism is not climate- change denial”, Comment, July 31). She recognises that climate change is a problem, but there has to be some realism. We are killing our industry and bleeding the country dry to keep the green lobby happy. It’s about time common sense prevailed. Mrs Badenoch is right to stand up for a new approach and ensure that her MPs are of the same mind. Jonathan Williams Sleaford, Lincolnshire
emissions. To put that in context, between 2013 and 2020, China pumped out more carbon emissions than the UK has done in total since 1750. Britain alone cannot save the planet. By pioneering a self-harming energy policy, the country has staked its economy on the vain hope of providing “moral leadership” to the world. But very few have followed. It is time to scrap net zero. As Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the Conservatives, put it in these pages yesterday: “The best way to deliver cleaner energy and a better environment is not through state diktat, arbitrary deadlines and an ever-expanding bureaucracy…it is through markets, innovation and competition.” That is where the government must focus its attention. Andy Burnham has made encouraging noises about fast- tracking oil and gas drilling at the undeveloped Jackdaw and Rosebank fi elds in the North Sea. But he must go further and allow new licences to be issued. He should reduce taxes on business and encourage our world-class universities to turn their research into marketable green tech, which Britain can sell to the world. Rather than sacrifi cing ourselves on the altar of net zero in order to make no serious impact on the world’s climate, Britain should adapt for the world as it is and will be. Potemkin devolution
Mr Burnham never tires of proselytising the gospel of devolution. After all, it has worked very well for him. Without the devolved Manchester mayoralty from which to relaunch his career, it is unlikely he would ever have become Prime Minister. But now ensconced in Downing
Badenoch’s no-nonsense approach, particularly on net zero. I didn’t think it would ever happen, but I can seriously see myself voting Tory again if she continues to show strong leadership. John Wilson Hill Head, Hampshire
SIR – Kemi Badenoch says that net zero “allows politicians to announce a virtuous destination without explaining how we will reach it, what it will cost, who will pay, which industries will survive, or whether it will reduce global emissions at all”. These questions are readily answerable. We will reach net zero if we cease to use fossil fuels. The cost of achieving it will be recovered by the massive savings resulting from having to spend far less on mitigating the huge negative eff ects of carbon dioxide. Losses to industrial activity dependent on fossil fuel use will be compensated for by gains in industrial activity tied to green initiatives. And, plainly, achieving net zero will reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Dr Richard Ellis Derby
SIR – Tanya Steele, CEO of WWF, a charity that is very eff ective in supporting wildlife and the countryside, is correct to draw attention to the wildfi res devastating parts of Europe and Britain (Letters, July 31). However, using these fi res as evidence that we cannot abandon net zero is wrong. Climate change is being driven by the major polluters – America, China and India. While we have drastically reduced our emissions, they have not followed suit. We decimate our industry and burden ourselves with extremely high energy costs while continuing to import our fuels. This is simply madness. We should abandon net zero, produce everything we can, reduce imports and demand that the big polluters act decisively to save themselves and our world. Michael Edwards Haslemere, Surrey
SIR – I am immensely proud of Uefa and its national associations for taking the principled decision to oppose the plans of the Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, for the World Cup (“England to boycott Infantino’s World Cup”, report, July 31). I hope Uefa’s members stick together, and that this episode marks the beginning of the end of Mr Infantino’s tenure. Bill Thompson Skipton, North Yorkshire
ESTABLISHED 1855
represents the true spirit of football as I understand it, and would help to get Fifa back to basics. G W Reeves Ellesmere, Shropshire
SIR – Adrian Bostock (“A useful ID card”, Letters, July 31) says that his mother lost her pension payment card and was unable to collect her pension without another type of ID. But an offi cial ID card of the kind he appears to favour could be lost, too. Most people possess some acceptable form of ID, without being forced by the Government to have a mandatory card. Marilyn Parrott Bowdon, Cheshire
SIR – I sympathise with Adrian Bostock’s mother. One form of identifi cation that we all have, and which is rarely mentioned, is our NHS number. It is issued soon after birth and is with us for life. Why cannot this be used as the basis for a national ID card? Terry Lloyd Derby
SIR – George Clarke (Letters, July 31) wonders whether deck shoes should come with instructions. For many years, I have had a Tilley hat that came with a four-page owner’s manual. Fortunately I read this carefully, so have been able to wear my hat the correct way round. Michael Pearson Henfi eld, West Sussex
SIR – My elder brother and I were Sea Scouts in the 1970s. Each summer, we would embark on a two-week camp from Richmond to the south coast near Farnham (Letters, July 31). We would travel down in a large removal van fi lled with canoes, sailing dinghies, bell tents, cookers and about 30 scouts and leaders. To prevent suff ocation, the doors of the back of the vehicle were kept half open. To ensure safety, we were discouraged from leaning over the closed lower gate, especially as we hurtled down the motorways and country lanes. There were no unfortunate incidents either on the way there or on the way back, or when sailing – largely unsupervised – around Poole Harbour. The biggest danger was probably from the daily diet of fi sh or meat paste sandwiches, which came from curiously small and thick-glassed jars. Andrew Hyde Halesworth, Suff olk
Street, it seems that Mr Burnham’s fervour only travels so far. Yesterday, he promised that, for the fi rst time, all mayors of city regions in England will be given a share of taxes collected in their areas, including business rates and income tax. But when Lord Houchen, the Conservative mayor of Tees Valley, declared that he would like to use these powers to give his constituents a tax rebate, he was shut down. Louise Haigh, the First Secretary of State, said that regional mayors would not be able to cut taxes and off er rebates. Instead, the money should be reinvested into public services. Mr Burnham says he wants to “empower” local communities – dictating tax policy to local representatives seems a strange way of doing so. Britain is a remarkably centralised country. But for devolution to be anything more than a political gimmick, it requires Mr Burnham to create a system that encourages policy experimentation and tax competition between areas, not that merely disguises centrally-mandated tax grabs. In a move now typical of Mr Burnham, the details remain scant, with little information about the amount mayors are allowed to keep, or what happens to the half of the country that is not covered by a regional mayoralty. It is an irony not lost on this paper that, despite his apparent distaste for centralised authority, Mr Burnham has long held a candle for the EU. He has not noticed the inconsistency in stripping powers from our democratically- elected national parliament, only to pine for an even more centralised, undemocratic authority in Brussels. It seems that Mr Burnham supports the idea of devolution only when it is politically useful, and if it means local mayors do what he wants.
ALAMY
A portrait of Dorothy L Sayers by William Oliphant Hutchison from 1950
SIR – While I am in complete agreement with A N Wilson’s comments on Agatha Christie (“Solved: The mystery of Agatha Christie’s enduring appeal”, Comment, July 30), I take exception to his dismissal of Dorothy L Sayers as snobbish and a poor writer. Having researched most of the “Golden Age of Crime” novelists for my thesis, I would argue that, although Lord Peter Wimsey is the younger son of a duke, Sayers’s
SIR – In 1963 I was 14, and in the Combined Cadet Force of a school on the south coast. For some reason we were sent on a summer camp to Inverness, more than 600 miles from home. We travelled on public trains in full Army uniform, each carrying a Lee-Enfi eld service rifl e. They were almost as tall as some of the smaller boys. I don’t remember anyone thinking that this journey was in any way exceptional. Laurie Faulkner Hungarton, Leicestershire
stories are largely set among the middle classes. Wimsey’s sister marries a police inspector, and his wife, Harriet, is also middle class. The true snob among Golden Age authors is Ngaio Marsh. Her detective Alleyn is the younger son of a baronet and thus has no title, but he is a humourless snob, and Marsh’s novels are largely set among the aristocracy. Dr Penny Billyeald Pangbourne, Berkshire
contact her before the ferry sailed. It was also the time when children’s names could be added to their parents’ passports. Fortunately, one of the masters had a son of about the right age, and an informal temporary adoption saved the day. Joanna Comer Riverhead, Kent
‘G
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o out into the sunlight and be happy with what you see.” That seems a good piece of general wisdom. But the man who wrote those words was speaking specifi cally of learning to paint. He was Winston Churchill, who began to learn when he was 40. Just now, with this atrocious heat in southern England, I have not felt like following Churchill’s advice. Walking down a city street, or even a country lane, is a struggle. So the best way of entering into that Churchillian spirit is to leave the sunlight and descend, as I did this week, to the cool, air- conditioned basement of the Wallace Collection in London. There is an outstanding exhibition which shows how the great man put his sunlight beliefs into practice. It is called Winston Churchill, The Painter. I have sometimes wasted time debating with myself and others whether Churchill was a good painter. Obviously, he was not, if you compare him with the great artists. As I say, he began late, and he had, to put it mildly, other things to do. But that misses the point. His inspiring essay on the subject is not boastfully called My Art or How to Paint. It makes no high claims. It is called Painting as a Pastime. What this show at the Wallace reveals is how well and happily he passed that time. Hitler was a painter too. Indeed, it was as a would-be professional painter that he was rejected by the Vienna Academy – a decision which, though entirely justifi ed, turned out to have catastrophic consequences. The embittered young Adolf became the vengeful and murderous Führer. I have
exhibition extols the joie de vivre behind the art of Britain’s great wartime leader
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READ MORE at telegraph.co.uk/ opinion
T
heatre makers in the UK are increasingly self-censoring. Playwrights are being encouraged to take controversial lines out of their works before they are performed. A fear, once small, appears to be growing. Challenging subjects such as Israel-Palestine have too often been the cause of controversy and nastiness, and that’s making people in the industry reluctant to touch them at all. Look at the stage today. Theatres are jam-packed with revivals, recycles and reinterpretations. Greek classics, Shakespeare, Trainspotting: the Musical. Even our great British political bard James Graham often prefers to view the present through stories safely in the past. His latest off ering this autumn about John Maynard Keynes is a case in point. This is what I discovered when
change the world but a fear of controversy risks making dramatists’ work boring
paintings and understand the man
often wished someone would put on a joint retrospective of his and Churchill’s work. It would show greatly to Churchill’s advantage. Hitler’s stiff , usually architectural eff orts are deadly; Churchill’s works are full of life. It speaks well of anyone that he or she can enjoy a pastime and communicate that enjoyment. In the case of Churchill, one cannot understand his achievements in every fi eld without recognising that enjoyment played a part in all of them – as reporter, author, soldier and statesman. Even when the hour was very dark, his zest for life never left him. “I must say I like bright colours,” he wrote. For him, that was true both literally and metaphorically. I like to think that if things had been the other way round and he had been a professional painter and only a part-time MP (as was possible in those days), Churchill could have written an equally brilliant essay called Politics as a Pastime. It was not that he was a dilettante – almost no one was ever more industrious – but that the pleasure principle was always at work. For Churchill, it all began in 1915 when, because of clashes over his Gallipoli scheme, he was removed from the Admiralty but stayed in the Cabinet. He was “placed cruelly in the front seat”, as he put it. “I knew everything and could do nothing.” Painting, specifi cally painting in oils – “a medium…which off ers real power” and permits “Audacity” (he used the capital A for this beloved concept) – was his escape. Not much later, saddened by everything that had gone wrong, he temporarily left Parliament
doing an investigation for Index on Censorship on self-censorship in the UK theatres. We have long campaigned against censorship in the arts in Britain and our latest look at this subject suggests censorship is getting worse. Index talked to some 40 people for our investigation – from playwrights to programmers – and found that censorship was being practised in small and big ways. One director, for instance, told us that new playwrights were under tremendous pressure to remove phrases that might be provocative or sound bigoted. One director suggested the controversial conversations happening in households in Britain were simply not being had on the stage. In our conversations with theatre professionals, Index understood that toning down content between text and performance was commonplace. The
and politics to serve as an offi cer at the Western front. There, morose among the explosions, he painted; when he had painted, he cheered up. He compared painting to fi ghting a battle, because of the need for “a good plan”. Three of the exhibition’s nearly 60 pictures are of Flanders. Churchill had what might be called a confi dent humility about painting. He knew he knew nothing about it when he started, but he was not shy of admitting this or of asking for help from the masters of the day – John Lavery, William Nicholson, Walter Sickert and what he called “disciples of Cezanne”. As you enter the exhibition, you see Churchill’s Flowers, Painted in the Studio at Chartwell hanging beside Nicholson’s Summer Flower Piece, both painted in the 1930s. I admitted to the museum’s director, Xavier Bray, that I thought the Churchill more arresting, if less accomplished, than the Nicholson. He told me several visitors had said the same. Clever and literary though Churchill was, he was a man of action rather than an intellectual, but his interest in
play Giant, about Roald Dahl’s anti-Semitism, was one example. Many believe that the main Jewish character’s support of Israel was toned down, for fear of alienating audiences. A report published earlier this year by Freedom in the Arts found that Jewish performers had been boycotted after complaints by staff at venues and pro-Palestinian groups. Women who identify as gender critical have found themselves hounded out of jobs because of their views. Much of this is about an artistic world that is struggling with money. Public arts funding has been squeezed since 2010 and even more as a result of the pandemic. After Covid, theatres found themselves with substantial debts and contending with much larger running costs, particularly energy bills. Our investigation revealed other aggravating factors.
Gift for Roosevelt: The Tower of the Koutoubia Mosque, below, was later owned by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
painting was more than a relaxing hobby, such as golf. He wanted something which needed both brain power and physical activity. Painting, he wrote, uses “the parts of the mind which direct both eyes and hand”. His delight in painting made him look at the world afresh. When he looked, he liked what he found. He realised that, when you paint, you encounter “a sunlit garden gleaming with light and colour of which you have the key”. To turn the light which your eye had seen into paint which your hand had applied to canvas was like “a cryptogram deciphered”. Much as he admired Cézanne’s ability to make even a blank wall an object of fascination, Churchill the amateur preferred more easily pleasing subjects, not least because painting was also “a spur to travel”. He loved hot, sunny places and the light he saw in them – the south of France, Palestine, Egypt and, perhaps above all, Morocco. At the Casablanca conference in 1943, Churchill dragged Franklin Roosevelt off to Marrakesh to see the sun set over the Atlas mountains from the roof of the Mamounia Hotel, painted the scene after the US president had left and then gave him the result, thus killing three birds with one stone. He loved the place, he painted it, and he used the result to gain “soft power” over his country’s most important wartime ally. The painting (The Tower of the Koutoubia Mosque) was much later owned by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie and was sold for £8.3m after their divorce. It has pride of place in the show. Part of the pleasure of the exhibition
The police, for example, were not always prepared to spend the resources protecting venues. Meanwhile, the main public funding body of the arts, Arts Council England, has been jumpy about “reputational risk”. It issued guidance to organisations (later withdrawn) about artists making political statements. No wonder then that no one wants to take a risk about anything. A controversy could see funding being withdrawn, lead to a fi ring or even bring an organisation down. Playwrights are under no illusion that were they to do something that caused too much controversy they would probably be hung out to dry. Ultimately theatres depend on plays that will put bums on seats and won’t off end the middle-aged, Leftish audiences, who reliably bring in revenue. So theatre is retreating, the
lies in seeing via the pictures how well Churchill managed to live his life. Despite the great struggles of war and politics, he could boast, like the Psalmist: “The lines have fallen unto me in pleasant places.” Here he is painting his birthplace, Blenheim Palace, or Wilton, Knebworth, Cranborne, or his own dear Chartwell, or staying with press proprietors in their French villas. His painting of Lord Rothermere’s La Dragonnière at Cap Martin, looking up through the olive groves to the house, is one of his best. Churchill never painted commercially, except for one brief period under the pseudonym of David Winter. Think of these paintings as thank-you letters to hosts and friends and you can see how fl attered the recipients must have been. He even gave one (of Morocco) to his accountant. The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland has lent it to the exhibition. It is surprising and a bit disappointing that more foreigners – especially Americans – than British have so far visited this exhibition. Perhaps the heatwave or the way Churchill is denigrated in modern education has put people off . But I think British visitors will fi nd it cheerful and inspiring. Nowadays, we expect little good and few talents from our leaders. I doubt there will ever be a Starmer, May or Truss exhibition. From this show, one learns that it is possible both to walk with greatness and paint with joie de vivre. Go back out into the sunlight and you will be happy with what you have seen.
daring and provocative being very much the exception, while safe is increasingly the rule. And that’s something that is travelling beyond the stage, infecting all art forms in the UK. Until the 1960s it was the Lord Chamberlain who decided whether plays were suitable to be performed and what off ensive phrases should be taken out. Now the fi nancial pressures are more insidious, and it is artists and venues themselves who are self-censoring for fear of upsetting funders and their audiences. The risk is that theatre, and particularly political theatre, becomes irrelevant, because those working in the arts are no longer able to refl ect views which are being expressed in the real world.
L
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to reject Islamopopulism and enrich democracy
uton all too often comes under fi re from those who understandably believe that multiculturalism has failed in Britain. It also happens to be where I grew up. For a young British Muslim of Bengali ancestry, the town (which has one of the highest concentrations of Muslims in England) was not always the easiest place to live in. Sure, there are striking examples of integration – such as the high-quality turkey rashers and “macon” (cured smoked mutton) that are readily available substitutes for bacon in a halal full English at stylish cafés. Some are owned by Italian-Bangladeshi Muslims – cultured and entrepreneurial “twice-over” migrants who have relocated to the UK in search of greater opportunities. But Luton has more often been seen as a byword for ethnic and religious tensions. In the early stages of the post-9/11 era, it witnessed the anti- military “Butchers of Basra” protests, held during a homecoming parade for 200 soldiers from the 2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment who had returned from Iraq. The response was the creation of the English Defence League (EDL) by arguably the most notorious of Lutonians, Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – better known as Tommy Robinson. First-hand experience of these community tensions in the town, as I was growing up, plays a huge part in why I care about social cohesion in England as much as I do today. After a period of relative stability – largely as a result of civic initiatives connected to institutions such as Luton Town FC, which has helped to build a degree of social trust and mutual understanding between the town’s white-British and Asian-Muslim communities – there is a sense that the town is again under signifi cant social and cultural strain. Luton, like other traditionally Labour-controlled parts of the country with sizeable Muslim populations, provides fertile ground for the rise of what can be called Islamopopulism. British Muslims are a historically high-voting religious group – one which takes a keen interest in both domestic and international aff airs. There is little doubt that the Israeli military response to October 7 – with Sir Keir Starmer saying that Israel had the right to cut water and power to the Gazan population – was the straw that broke the camel’s back for the many British Muslims who habitually voted Labour. But truthfully, British Muslim disillusionment with Labour has existed for some time – especially in areas which regularly voted for the party but still faced under-performing
harness the more positive aspects of my faith while warding off the dangers of extremism
Fawkes as a civil rights activist
he child was nine years old. She was to be the oldest survivor of her murdered family: the terrorists planned to hold her prisoner, after an explosion had killed her father, mother and 11-year-old brother. Her survival would depend on submitting to her captor’s religion – she would even need to swear loyalty to their plan to convert the whole country to their ideology. The atrocity would be bloody. Up to 600 people might die in the explosion: the country’s leading bishops, peers and senior parliamentarians. The year was 1605. The girl was Elizabeth Stuart, daughter of King James I and VI. The conspiracy was, of course, the Gunpowder Plot. One often-forgotten aspect of this horror story is the planned impact on Elizabeth, whom Guy Fawkes and his cronies planned to kidnap and impose on the throne as a captive puppet within days of massacring most of her family. Her sickly younger brother, Charles, would likely also have been killed if he grew up to pose a threat. Wheeled out of her prison only to preside over offi cial ceremonies, it would have been a special kind of torture. This is the true face of Guy Fawkes and his co-conspirators, the 13 men who planned to blow up England’s Houses of Parliament in a blast which would have reached Westminster Abbey. You wouldn’t learn this from the BBC’s Schools off ering. As this newspaper recently discovered, BBC “Bitesize” courses have been introducing Fawkes to children as one of a series of “astonishing activists”, ranked alongside Rosa Parks and Nelson Mandela as “people who fought racism, campaigned for women’s rights and changed the world forever!” In a game, primary school pupils can help Fawkes evade the guards as he shuffl es his explosives around parliament. Oddly enough, there’s no depiction of the dismembered limbs that would have strewn Whitehall if these 36 barrels of gunpowder had been successfully detonated. The BBC
of the Gunpowder Plot was a terrorist who was ready to kill 600 people
council services, a shortage of decent social housing, and a lack of economic opportunities. This has been compounded by growing awareness – especially among younger conservative Muslims – of the radical social liberalism that exists in the party over issues such as out-of-wedlock births, abortion, assisted dying, homosexuality and trans rights. British Muslim opposition to – even hatred of – the Labour Party is fuelled by social, economic and geopolitical evaluations. It is fi ercely anti- establishment and driven by a belief that mainstream party politics simply cannot deliver for British Muslims. With the place of British Muslims in modern Britain at the forefront of national debates on demography, integration, and identity, there is a golden opportunity for them to set the tone by enriching their own democracy in the long term. The UK is plagued by a variety of social and cultural ills – and in many ways, conservative Muslims are very much the last people to blame. Our country – along with its close cultural cousin, the United States – is a global hotspot for family breakdown. Due to the social-liberal revolution of the 1960s, and the devil-take-the-hindmost materialism which took off in the 1980s, English individualism was put on steroids – with devastating consequences for the family unit and community spirit. The institution of marriage has suff ered in this era of rampant selfi shness – a sacred bond which ultimately rests on a joint commitment to self-sacrifi ce to serve one’s spouse and nurture the next generation. In-family care of the elderly is fast becoming a thing of the past, with millions of old people left to languish in loneliness. It is safe to say that these problems are not as severe in the British Muslim population. The case for direct cultural assimilation in modern Britain is not necessarily a compelling one. A weakness of Right-wing populism is obsessing over Islamic lifestyles (such as Rupert Lowe’s crusade on halal meat), while overlooking the “me-fi rst” mentality and free-for-all overconsumption which has come to characterise much of the secularised and atomised Britain. In fact, the British Right can learn from some of the values these communities embody. If the strength of our democracy rests on societal resilience, much inspiration can be drawn from family-oriented and law-abiding British Muslims of strong faith. But for that to happen, more British Muslims need to feel a stronger sense of responsibility to the nation where they live – not only their family and their own
is an international behemoth. In the context of its global output, before we lose our sense of proportion, it’s worth acknowledging that one “Bitesize” game online should not be taken as a strategic failure. But the assumptions that lie behind this romanticisation of terrorism – and the thinking of whichever fool came up with it – need to be challenged. They are the same assumptions that underpinned the BBC’s fl agship TV show Gunpowder back in 2017. That drama taught us to empathise with Fawkes and his co-conspirator Robert Catesby by introducing us early on to a fi ctional Catholic martyr being pressed to death with stones, before a scheming Robert Cecil, James’ chief minister, revealed himself as the mastermind of a plan to steal the land of Catholic aristocrats by infl aming religious tensions. He may as well have twirled his oh-so-Protestant moustache. This is the dangerous myth about the Gunpowder Plot: that the Catholics of early modern England are best defi ned as a persecuted minority, that violence meted out to them by Protestants outweighed any violence that they or their co-religionists on the Continent initiated, and that the violence they perpetrated in return against the Anglican state can be excused. This is historically illiterate. But worse, it is a model of the thinking that today allows people to tell us that the Hamas atrocities of October 7 were “justifi ed resistance”, or that the 9/11 attacks on America were “payback”. Victimhood is an ugly justifi cation for terrorist murder. In 400 years, perhaps the BBC will allow children to play an Islamist killer like Khalid Masood, who attacked Parliament in 2017 killing Pc Keith Palmer. Had Fawkes and Catesby succeeded in a Catholic takeover of England, what alternative vision would they have off ered? One thing is certain: it would not have been a liberal utopia of the sort celebrated at the BBC.
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religious community. The “none-of-my- business” approach from some British Muslims to social and cultural forms of decay aff ecting the mainstream is itself segregationist – giving the impression that they do not care about issues outside their own religious communities. It should be of interest to more British Muslims that the UK is racking up close to 300,000 abortions a year, and that there is strong political backing to hyper-liberalise euthanasia. They should be at the heart of national eff orts to defend the sanctity of life. There also has to be a change in the mindset of many British Muslims in the spheres of politics, academia, policy, and media – the prevailing sense of grievance and victimhood that too many of them exhibit only serves to antagonise decent-hearted patriots. Britain remains one of the best places in the world to be a Muslim – especially in terms of religious rights, economic freedoms, and legal protections. Some might even argue that it has been overly accommodating. The point is that a more positive and co-operative approach to engaging with the mainstream would benefi t the reputation of British Muslims greatly and strengthen our democracy overall. My hometown of Luton did not have local elections last May, but what unfolded in other parts of England should be a wake-up call for all those who have the town’s best collective interests at heart. While much of the focus in the rest of England was on the anti-establishment tides of national
Economics for dummies
Britannia rules the waves
Cowes Week, the world’s
oldest yachting regatta, is
marking its 200th anni-
versary this week with a
new Bicentenary Gold Cup
for the best-performing
boat. And the Royal
Yacht Britannia
Trust – which
looks after the
famous royal
yacht in Edin-
burgh – is put-
t i n g
o n
a n
exhibition at the
Commodores
House to celebrate
the yacht’s endur-
ing connection with
the Isle of Wight
regatta.
Perhaps Andy Burn-
ham will get the hint and
breathe life into Boris
Johnson’s plans for a Brit-
ish-built replacement
populism in the shape of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK and eco-populism in the form of Zack Polanski’s Green Party, an emergent “Islamopopulism” is going from strength to strength – making headway in major cities such as Birmingham, towns like Blackburn, and east London boroughs including Newham. But where will all of this lead us? To guard against sounding alarmist, it is worth noting that modern Britain is better than other diverse European counterparts such as France and Germany when it comes to the integration of its Muslim minorities. But perhaps what is more interesting is that parts of the country – including northern English towns – are now essentially political battlegrounds between native Right-wing national populists and pro-Gaza Islamopopulists who are largely of Pakistani Muslim heritage (the most common country of origin among British Muslims). There is little doubt that much of the reason the Green Party’s Hannah Spencer won last February’s Gorton and Denton by-election – one of the most ethnically and religiously segregated constituencies in the country – was that Muslim voters swung behind her to not only punish Labour, but to also block Reform UK from winning the seat. In the build-up to it, The Muslim Vote (TMV) campaign encouraged Muslims to vote for the Greens after Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham was blocked by Starmer’s allies from being Labour’s candidate in the by-election. The Greens embraced the role of being the
yacht built for the 21st century? We can live in hope.
Starmer’s coining it
Will Sir Keir Starmer cope with losing his PM’s salary? Probably. As an ex-Prime Minister he will receive an annual allowance of £115,000 for life, for secretarial support, while he will now also be able to resume his legal practice. And he has another source of income: the annual stipend for mem- bers of the Légion d’honneur, which he was given by France’s Emmanuel Macron in his final days as PM.
“Knights” get an annual “pourboire” of six euros; holders of the Grand Cross get a more generous 36 euros. Every lit- tle helps.
“Islamopopulist” party with relish, producing Urdu campaign material which associated Reform UK with anti-Muslim rhetoric. While there have been confl icting views in our national political discourse on how the Israel-Gaza confl ict shapes British Muslim electoral behaviour, meanwhile, Policy Exchange’s recent Understanding Islamopopulism report found that it is a relatively strong determinant of voting. Among the more culturally “protectionist” elements of the native population, by contrast, there could even be a potential ethno- nationalist backlash. These competing forms of communalism could blow the UK’s reputation for being a multi-faith success story into smithereens. To what extent can these anti- establishment forces – Right-wing national populism and pro-Gaza Islamopopulism – fi nd common ground and be reconciled in towns like mine? How can we harness the more positive aspects of Muslim communities while warding off the dangers of Islamism? I suspect this will not be solved by interfaith events and empty platitudes such as “diversity is our strength”. What we are referring to here are fundamentally confl icting views on culture, identity, and governance. The Islamopopulist movement is likely to gain strength as the relatively youthful British Muslim population becomes a larger chunk of the electorate. It is entirely plausible that Islamopopulism will not only come in the shape of the pro-Gaza independent politicians but also wield infl uence within the Green Party. It is certainly not beyond the realms of possibility that a future hung Parliament could be so fragmented that an Islamopopulist bloc in the Commons could have the numbers to play the role of kingmaker. While some would celebrate such a moment, for others, the sheer thought of it fi lls them with dread – and understandably so. If this Islamopopulist bloc puts forward a positive, wholesome, and constructive agenda in British politics that is based on the traditional triad of family, faith, and fl ag, then it has the potential to enrich our democracy. And conservatives, from all walks of life, should heartily welcome this aspect of British Islam. But if leading British Muslims continue to obsess over events in lands afar, and push for Islamically inspired regulation that impinges on the public sphere, then it will only serve to further wear down the country’s already weakening social fabric.
Family bonds: care of the elderly is not as great a problem in the Muslim population
Dr Rakib Ehsan is the author of ‘Beyond Grievance’
didates for the Offi cial Monster Raving Loony Party is a closet Etonian. Two of the party’s three candidates claim to be aristocrats – Howling Laud Hope, below left, and Baron Von Thunderclap – which increases the chances. All three compound their lunacy by competing against each other for the one seat.
Laurence benched
After nearly drowning before being res- cued by Bear Grylls on Netfl ix survival series Celebrity Bear Hunt, the interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, bottom left, confirms he’s since been banned from appearing on reality TV shows. “Regardless of how I feel, Mrs Llewelyn-Bowen has absolutely forbid- den me from doing anything at all,” said the TV personality, who had to be resus- citated by the survival expert after he lost consciousness in a water challenge. “She felt it was a very silly thing for a 60-year-old man to be doing and that it had midlife crisis written all over it.” Llewelyn-Bowen added: “I only had that ‘almost dying’ issue because I was trying too hard. In my head I was James Bond, but in reality, I was more like Grandpa Pig.”
First impression
Comedian Matt Forde has been trying to master new impressions of Andy Burnham, Zack Polan- ski and Kemi Baden- och for a nationwide tour in the spring. It means hearing less of F o r d e ’s s p o t - o n impression of Sir Keir Starmer, which he used to regularly per- form on Spitting Image, right. “Keir sort-of liked it,” Forde told me, adding: “But he had to stop using the phrase ‘the Metro- politan Police’ because I would use that as the phrase for the impression.”
Eton wall game
A
woefully underprepared for its scorching future
poses to the UK’s housing, farming and forestry. By Melissa Lawford and Patrick Galbraith
nthony Taylor was driving home on the
outskirts of London when he saw a
cloud of smoke billowing from a
wildfire. It was moments later that he
discovered the chaos that lay ahead.
As the flames reached his home, the father
of three made it just in time to grab a few
photographs off the walls.
Then, standing a couple of hundred yards
away, he watched as his four-bedroom family
home and elderly parents’ property burnt to
the ground in less than nine minutes.
“As soon as the smoke turned black and we
started hearing explosions, I knew that it had
gone,” says Taylor. “The whole day was just
chaos. It was like something out of a warzone.”
Taylor’s property was one of 18 homes
destroyed on July 19 2022, as wildfires ravaged
the village of Wennington in the London
Borough of Havering.
It was the hottest day ever recorded in
Britain’s history, which led to the capital’s
borders being encircled by flames.
However, this wasn’t a one-off, as
households in Suffolk discovered this week
when wildfires ripped across 200 acres along
the coast. After breaking out on Thursday,
hundreds of residents and holidaymakers
were evacuated from their homes as 120
firefighters sought to keep the inferno at bay.
At one stage, it came within three miles of
Sizewell B, the country’s biggest nuclear
power plant, while it also destroyed parts of
the local RSPB nature reserve. Experts have
since warned that it could take a quarter of a
century to recover.
Some witnesses compared the devastation
to the “apocalypse”, with fire officials
predicting that their response to the incident
will continue through the weekend, and
potentially into next week.
The Suffolk blaze was triggered by a string
of recent heatwaves across Britain, which has
created the conditions for wildfires to thrive
elsewhere. On Wednesday, the London Fire
Brigade tackled no fewer than 63 grass fires
across the capital.
A wildfire in the Cairngorms has also been
burning for more than two weeks, with the
smoke blowing nearly 60 miles to Aberdeen.
Recent scenes from France, where wildfires
have burnt an area four times the size of Paris
this month, feel increasingly, and alarmingly,
close to home. Inevitably, the recent summer
heat that facilitated wildfires has intensified a
political row over net zero.
In a joint statement with his Spanish
counterpart earlier this week, Ed Miliband,
the Foreign Secretary, announced that
Europe’s wildfires show “climate change was
now a national security emergency”.
Kemi Badenoch, the Tory leader, by
contrast, reiterated her critique of climate
targets by arguing that the pursuit of net zero
is “bankrupting the country”.
But nobody can deny that the UK is getting
warmer and high temperatures are becoming
a clear threat to homes, nature and food
security. Met Office data shows 2025 was the
hottest overall year on record, while the last
four years are all in the UK’s top five warmest
in history.
In the past decade, the average temperature
was 1.33 degrees warmer than the period from
1961 to 1990. By 2050, the Climate Change
Committee (CCC) expects maximum
temperatures will regularly surpass
40 degrees in many parts of the UK.
Wildfires are the most visibly devastating
consequence. Last year was the most
destructive since records began in 2006 and
saw Scotland experience its first ever “mega
fire”. So far this year, the area of land burnt in
the UK is 152 per cent higher than the
historical average for this time of year,
according to the European Forest Fire
Information System (EFFIS).
But extreme heat comes with more
insidious and wide-ranging effects. Currently,
half of England and all of Wales is in drought,
putting swathes of farmland in jeopardy.
There is then the issue of housing, as many
properties across the country were not built to
cope with temperatures in excess of 30C.
Analysis by Arup architects has found that
55pc of UK homes are already at risk of
overheating. This can be deadly.
Across the UK there were 2,877 heat-related
deaths in May and June this year, nearly
double the number reported in the entirety of
last year and already close to the annual
GETTY; PA; AP
record in 2022, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). The CCC warns this number could be as high as 10,000 per year by 2050. It also brings potentially enormous costs for homeowners. Extreme heat means increased likelihood of subsidence, the risk of uninsurable homes and the prospect of plummeting house prices. The reality is that the UK is chronically underprepared for the new pressures of extreme heat.
After the Wennington fire, Taylor and his wife searched through the scorched remains of their home to see if anything was salvageable. “There was literally nothing,” he says. “One of my sons asked if I’d saved his teddies and I had to say no. You feel like you’re failing as a parent.” Taylor lost not only his home but his car parts repair business, which also burnt down. “Everything had to be replaced,” he says. “Now we’re in a lot of debt on the business. I may end up going personally bankrupt.” Extreme heat is going to rock the property market. Without major adaptations, some homes could become uninsurable and therefore unmortgageable. The CCC’s director of adaptation Richard Millar, says: “I think this is a real risk and it is something that the industry has some concern about.” By 2050, the number of high fire-risk days
could double compared with the late 20th
century average. The wildfire season will also
extend into early autumn, experts predict.
The East of England is the most vulnerable
to this rising fire risk. By 2100, if average
temperatures have climbed by four degrees,
many areas will have more than 75 to 100
high-risk days every year.
Megan Dunford, head of large and complex
property claims at insurance giant Zurich,
says the sector is not only anticipating a
greater prevalence of wildfires but is also
wary about the potential of more claims for
subsidence. This is when the soil below a
building sinks, often in response to dry
weather, weakening its foundations.
“We are closely monitoring how dry the
ground is. We will not understand the impact
until after the summer is over. The entire
industry is keeping a close eye on it,” she says.
Soil types in the South of England are
particularly risky. But there is also a simple
and widespread problem of liveability.
Paul Sayers, founder of Sayers & Partners,
a climate-resilience consultancy, says:
“We remain unprepared for prolonged
extreme heat.”
“If a property is not upgraded or retrofitted
with higher levels of cooling capabilities,
that might be an issue for potential future
owners of a property,” says Emma Howard-
Boyd, chairman of the independent National
Heat Risk Commission.
By 2050, the CCC has warned that
maximum temperatures during the hottest
heatwaves could exceed 45 degrees and overnight temperatures will regularly exceed 20 degrees. By this point, 92pc of Britain’s homes will be at risk of overheating, according to Arup. Overall warming is going to be most extreme in the South East. But the heat is more intense in cities because concrete traps heat and hard surfaces reflect it in what is known as an “urban heat island effect”. This means that nighttime temperatures are often higher in urban areas. London is the place where homes are most exposed to extreme heat, says Howard-Boyd. “But that risk spreads quickly to other cities as well.” High-rise flats are naturally more prone to overheating. Those with glass walls that allow in more light are even more likely to overheat. Regulations on ensuring that new build properties are protected from overheating were only introduced in 2022. In the Mayor of London’s Heat Ready London strategy published in June, the GLA identified a million homes in the capital that are at high risk of overheating. It is already trialling retrofittings of recently built homes that have become unbearably hot during heatwaves. One family living in Chobham Manor, in east London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, which will be the first development to be adapted, told The Telegraph earlier this summer that they had had to spend a week living in a hotel to protect their 10-week old baby from sky-high temperatures at home. However, despite all of this, some
2022 Wennington
A wildfire on the
hottest day ever
recorded in Britain
– July 19 2022 –
gutted homes in
this village in the
London Borough of
Havering. At least
18 houses were burnt
down and about
90 families were
evacuated
2026 Dunwich Heath
About 120 firefighters battled a large heathland blaze on the Suffolk coast on Thursday near Leiston. The nearby nuclear power plant Sizewell B was put on alert as a result of a wildfire believed to have started on an RSPB wetland reserve
homeowners are being forced to remove air
conditioning from their homes because of
climate laws. This is the result of stringent
regulation regarding air conditioning.
For example, under London planning rules,
developers must prioritise “passive” cooling
measures, such as the orientation of buildings
and external shading, over installing air
conditioning. This makes housebuilders less
likely to include air conditioning in their
building plans because it can make it easier
for councils to refuse their applications.
More broadly, people are also more exposed
to infrastructure breakdown caused by
soaring temperatures. During the 2022
heatwave, in the London Borough of
Hammersmith and Fulham alone, the lifts
failed in 18 high-rise social housing blocks.
“If you were the parent of small children, or
if you were elderly or disabled, you potentially
end up with people trapped or confined to
their living space,” says Howard-Boyd.
It is people’s exposure to heat in their
homes or in critical settings like hospitals that
is particularly critical when it comes to
preventing heat-related deaths, says Millar.
Without intervention, there is a “real risk”
that some homes could simply become
uninhabitable, says Millar.
“What we’re facing in the UK is it will get
increasingly hot, increasingly uncomfortable
and then increasingly dangerous for people
who are vulnerable to these health effects,”
says Millar. “All of that can be dealt with.
I don’t think there is any inevitability that we
have to accept overheating homes.”
Homes can be retrofitted with external
shading or air conditioning, as well as cheaper
small fixes such as internal blinds. But this all
comes with a cost.
The CCC calls for £11bn per year in
investment in national climate adaptation
measures, shared between the public and
private sectors, from now until 2050.
This includes spending £17.8bn on making
adaptations to homes in the 30pc most socially
vulnerable urban areas in the UK. The CCC
argues this sum would save the UK economy
£53.8bn and reduce the risk of overheating on
excess deaths by 57 per cent in the 2050s.
Other people may decide to move. Lucian
Cook, head of residential research at Savills,
says that higher temperatures may drive
relocations away from urban areas.
“You may find some people actually saying,
‘Things are a bit more comfortable in other
parts of the country,’” he says.
Price movements would not be severe
because there is such a chronic undersupply
across the country, but this could mean some
house price falls in places such as London and
the South East, he says.
It is not just the property market. Extreme heat is also wreaking havoc on British farmers, who are often the nation’s first responders. Last year, Tom Jewers, an arable farmer in Suffolk, was cultivating a field after harvest when his machinery hit a flint and fire broke out. “It was hot and quite breezy. By the time my farm hand turned around and noticed it, the fire was the size of a tennis court and too big to put out,” says Jewers. His story shows how the fire brigade is frequently reliant on farmers using their machinery to tackle blazes. In Jewers’s case, the firefighters turned up with 14 water pumps but quickly admitted that they were not going to be able to put out the fire. Jewers’s neighbours subsequently drove over with their cultivators and in the end it was somebody with a plough who managed to make the firebreak that finally saw the whole thing extinguished. When it comes to land, one of the biggest concerns is about the impact of heat on food production, as crops are hammered by high temperatures and drought. The bosses of Britain’s biggest supermarkets warned this week that wildfires and extreme weather are putting Britain’s food supplies at risk. The chief executives of Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Aldi and the Co-op called on Andy Burnham to take urgent action to protect food security and lessen Britain’s dependence on imports. Julian Marks, the
chief executive of the international vegetable farming conglomerate Barfoots, warns: “We’ve had a variety of crops affected by the heat, including sweetcorn, green beans, garden peas, and tender stem broccoli.” Staples such as potatoes are also starting to suffer, with some growers anticipating reductions in yield of up to 20 per cent, with those growing carrots expecting the same. Gavin Lane, the president of the Country Land and Business Group, who farms in Norfolk, says: “Farmers are telling us this is the worst harvest in years. A sodden winter followed by drought has left wheat at half its usual height and some crops not worth harvesting. What was once extraordinary is becoming part of farming in Britain, and the government must start planning for it.” Lane adds: “Farmers have shown again and again that they can adapt and deliver solutions, but resilience has limits. If we want them to keep feeding the country, they need proper support. Otherwise, this harvest could be their last.” By 2050, without adaptation, the CCC projects that the amount of high-quality farmland will drop from 40pc of land in England and Wales between 1961 to 1990 to just 10pc. Rising temperatures threaten not only the UK’s domestic food production but our imports. The UK imports around 40 per cent of its food, primarily from Europe. Roughly half of our fruit and legumes imports come from climate-vulnerable countries. Between 2023 and 2025, Carbon Brief has mapped 140 cases of crops being destroyed by extreme weather around the world, inevitably driving up prices.
Last Friday, all residents in the 650-strong village of Nethy Bridge in northern Scotland were told to evacuate their homes as a fire raged through the Cairngorms. They were allowed to return the following day, but the residents are still witnessing the devastation to the nearby forest. Sandy McCook, the local community council chairman, says: “It has been absolutely traumatic. We sit on the edge of Britain’s largest natural forest. A lot of these trees were centuries old and they’re gone. “I was born and brought up here, I know the forest like the back of my hand and when you’re seeing it be destroyed in that way, it
just breaks your heart,” says McCook. “The country is totally and utterly ill-prepared.” The risk of forest fires, according to those on the ground, is not taken seriously enough. Nick Adams, the co-founder of Kilmaha Forestry, who has worked in woodland management since he was a boy, believes “we’re just not prepared for it”. Around 10 per cent of England is covered in forestry, compared with some 19 per cent in Scotland and roughly 15 per cent in Wales. Part of the issue, Adams claims, is that forestry is no longer actively managed in the way it was when he was young. Adams explains that “thinning” is the standard process that sees a portion of the trees removed, which reduces overcrowding and gives the remaining trees more access to light and nutrients. If this doesn’t happen, trees start to fall
over, which creates fuel load. Adams says: “If trees are shaded out they die off and they tend to be quite small so that’s your kindling. That’s what gets the fire going. Once it gets up into the canopy, you’ll never stop it.” Thinning was standard practice in days past when there were many more workers on farms and estates would take the wood to process into pulp but it is now considered hardly worth the bother. Adams also claims that fire breaks were previously cut into woodland to a greater extent than they are now. In part, he thinks that it is now in vogue to just leave woodland alone and essentially allow it to “rewild”. There are plenty of cheerleaders for this approach, such as Chris Packham and Ben Goldsmith, but Adams warns: “They don’t ask people like me who work the ground and know what we’re doing. I’ve been in the
woods since I was a child helping my dad.” A lot of fire prevention in woodland is “boring” Adams admits but essential nonetheless. “There’s more interest,” he says, “in headline acts like beavers and megafauna but to prevent fire you need to do the boring stuff: the weeding, going in and removing dead trees, and the thinning.” Adams is also concerned about stipulations on what happens to brush and deadwood after forestry work is carried out. When he was young, foresters tended to burn the brush but it must now be left. This creates brilliant habitat for hedgehogs and wild pheasants but it also creates ribbons of tinder-like fuel load. Last year, in Langdale Forest, North Yorkshire, a fire burnt for 40 days. It’s thought to have started because of somebody cooking over a naked flame that got out of control.
The Government paid £3.2m for repairs to
footpaths and conservation efforts. Adams
says that in the forestry community it’s
estimated that £1m worth of commercial
timber was destroyed. All of which reflects
how forest fires can become very expensive.
That £3.2m figure is just £100,000 less than
cuts that the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue
have been hit with over the past three years.
This is a similar tale across the country. The
National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) warned
that the service’s funding had dropped by
£1bn in the past decade, while callouts had
increased by a fifth.
This week, for the first time, the National
Farmers’ Union (NFU) called on the
Government to devise a national strategy for
dealing with the increase of wildfires. Paul
Tomkins, the deputy president of the NFU,
said: “Wildfires breaking out across parts of
the UK like the one in Suffolk are devastating
for those rural communities affected.”
Tomkins noted that the fires are capable of
spreading quickly and can cause significant
damage to livestock, forage, machinery and
farm infrastructure. What the NFU would like
to see, a spokesman said, “is a National
Wildfire Strategy developed by government
that sets out clear guidelines for wildfire
prevention, preparedness and response. This
plan must also recognise the vital role farmers
play in assisting the emergency services.”
A government spokesman said it has
worked closely with fire and rescue services
to prepare for the increased risk of wildfires
this summer. They also claimed to have
invested in equipment to tackle incidents,
such as off-road vehicles that can operate in
rural wildfires.
As for Taylor and his family, they are doing
their best to move on with their lives.
It is his parents, who lost the home they had
lived in for decades, who are finding it the
hardest to deal with what has happened.
“Mum and dad have gone from living in a
five-bedroom farmhouse to a one-bedroom
council flat,” says Taylor.
He hopes his experience can serve as a
wake-up call not only for the Government,
but residents across the UK .
“We haven’t got the infrastructure for
wildfires,” says Taylor. “And what happened
to us was not a one-off. It is happening every
year. If we ever had a similar property again,
I would have massive water tanks on the
ground, sprinkler systems.
“Don’t rely on someone to save you because
it’s so quick, it doesn’t work like that.”
I
S
Social media is destroying our democracy
t would have been funny once. A T-shirt saying “We’re Only Making Plans for Nigel” next to a guillotine would have made me laugh, once someone had explained that they were the lyrics to a 1970s pop song. “We want what’s best for him,” it went on. That was an image that the Green Party leader, Zack Polanski, reposted – inadvertently, he says. The miserable reality is that subversive cartoons suggestive of violence aren’t all that funny since Ann Widdecombe was murdered. Granted, political satire is far more sanitised than in the heady 18th-century days of the caricaturists Thomas Rowlandson and James Gillray, when there were no limits on depictions of your opponent – invariably grotesque, often pornographic – but that was then. Now we take the view that words and images, like sticks and stones, may kill people in public life. Yet we need to keep perspective here. As far as I’m concerned, Reform shouldn’t have reported Polanski to the police for reposting the image – it was, he says, one of 20 and, silly goose, he didn’t check most of them. That was nuts for a man in grown-up politics. You mind what you say and do, stupid. But stupidity is not, in itself, proof of murderous intent. As I say, in happier days free speech meant that you could insult your opponents freely; I can quite imagine a satirist in Gillray’s time deploying a guillotine in a cartoon. Nigel Farage has estimated that he receives nearly 600 death threats a year, so perhaps there are limits to his sense of humour, but at the Reform end of the political spectrum, free speech, even in terrifi cally bad taste, is meant to be worth defending. Equally, it was ridiculous that Polanski refused, repeatedly, to apologise, even for his failure to check what pernicious material he was approving. As a Catholic, I say sorry in confession for what I do, but also for what I don’t do. In Zack’s case, what he didn’t do – check – was culpable. Just say sorry, Zack; it’s not that hard. The real problem here is that our political discourse is dominated, not by proper debate in newspapers and on television – decent, regulated media – but by the free-for-all that is social media. In a brilliant article for the Financial Times, political journalist Stephen Bush pointed out that social media posts are, to all intents and purposes, political broadcasting, but unlike conventional political broadcasting, they come with no requirement for balance, no right of
Polanski’s latest blunder exposes a deeper problem: the political class now prizes ‘going viral’ over judgment and serious debate
soon be competing with data centres for tap water
even parts of the country are offi cially suff ering drought. There’s me in my allotment, hauling water buckets to my plot like something out of a Dutch landscape painting, and there are the farmers all over the country weathering the third heatwave this year. The National Farmers’ Union declares that unless farmers – arable, dairy, you name it – have secure access to water, we can forget about food security. This being so, why is it that we’re squandering the water in our rivers? Why are we embracing – make that enforcing – a technology that could use nearly half the country’s water? Why aren’t we talking about AI? I’m serious. The data-processing centres that the Government is boasting about promoting – all part of the AI revolution – are water guzzlers
Biblically dry: swathes of the country are parched as AI processing guzzles water
on a vast scale; the equivalent of a herd of pachyderms in a very small watering hole. AI uses water to keep computers cool, generate electricity and make the hardware. A blog from the Department for the Environment confi rms this: “The Government Digital Sustainability Alliance’s (GDSA) report highlights that AI is predicted to lead to an increase in global water usage from 1.1 billion to 6.6 billion cubic metres by 2027. This is equivalent to more than half of the UK’s total water usage.” Now, that is scary. It may not be the cause of this year’s droughts, but it’s a contributing factor. Yet a Labour government – which puts sustainability into every other stupid policy statement – is busy not just promoting data-processing
equivalent of a herd of pachyderms in a very small watering hole
STEFAN ROUSSEAU/PA WIRE
reply and no fact-checking. You just fi re them off : the more content, the better, and the recipients won’t complain that it’s one-sided. Andy Burnham as PM is turning into quite the adept at social media, with a team made up of young women who know what other young women like. But social media isn’t proper politics. In the most old-fashioned form of engagement, a politician
centres, but obliging councils to accept
them and overriding their objections.
That’s what happened in
Buckinghamshire and in Epping
Forest.
In Bucks, Steve Reed, the Housing
Secretary, gave permission for
ministers to approve a new data centre
directly. That will be built on green-
belt land where the council had
already refused multiple planning
applications for data centres.
In Epping Forest, Lord Stockwood,
the investment minister, wrote to the
district council urging offi cers to
approve a £2bn data centre being
co-developed by Microsoft and Nscale,
a UK start-up. Residents objected, but
the council eventually gave in.
So much for the PM’s localism. On
the most critical environmental issue
of the day, central government is
swatting aside councils.
What’s more, data centres aren’t
obliged to share data about their water
use. In what way does that make
sense? The European Union is forcing
them to release their freshwater
consumption fi gures: why not His
Majesty’s Government?
There are already upwards of 555
data centres in the UK. Consider that
one large-scale centre uses enough
water each day to meet the needs of
around 10,000 people. That apparently
innocuous AI function that pops up on
your search engine without your even
asking – it doesn’t come free; it’s
thirsty. The World Economic Forum
Report on Global Risks has said that
“adverse impacts of AI technologies”
and “biodiversity loss and ecosystem
collapse” will be signifi cant risks in the
next 10 years.
So where is the pushback? If the
Green Party weren’t so rubbish at its
notional job, which is to promote
policies that safeguard the
environment, it would be making a
really big issue of this. Zack Polanski,
instead of wittering on about trans
rights, would be agitating to see off
data-processing centres and shaming
ChatGPT users.
I’ve been told about fantasy
solutions to the problem: Elon Musk
apparently would like to situate a
million data centres in space where
they won’t need cooling and will have
unlimited access to solar energy. What
could possibly go wrong? Meanwhile,
we should be treating AI not as one of
life’s little luxuries but as a rival for our
most precious resource.
speaking in public, the public did have the right of reply – heckling, jibes, occasionally saying it with tomatoes. That doesn’t happen online. It’s propaganda transmitted to our devices – actually, not mine, but other people’s – without that useful signal to go and do the washing-up: “There now follows a party political broadcast by…” It’s not coincidental that Andy Burnham as PM has largely fought shy of proper
interrogation by political journalists in favour of posting fun social media images. That matters, especially given that, with the parliamentary recess, there aren’t any PMQs at which Kemi B can hold his feet to the fl ames. Reform and the Greens are both rather good at maintaining their social media presence; Nigel Farage is especially eff ective. But it’s not a substitute for politics. That entails the
Selfie importance: the Greens’ leader Polanski posing with party MP Hannah Spencer outside the Palace of Westminster
kind of give-and-take that social media doesn’t encourage. It’s no wonder that stupid Zack Polanski can let things slip when he posts and reposts so much. What would be better is some concrete policies about diffi cult subjects that we can then scrutinise. Decided yet whether you’re keen on membership of Nato, Zack? It’s so much easier to repost ridiculous images, isn’t it? Even unfunny ones.
A
manda Knox is telling me a fairy tale, one she has often told a version of to her four-year-old daughter. It’s in Dr Seuss-style rhyming verse: “When Momma was 20 she travelled abroad / To Italy, where they all thought she was odd…” As anyone who has followed her story will know, in 2007 Knox was a university student from Seattle, on a foreign exchange in Italy, when her roommate Meredith Kercher was brutally killed. Knox was arrested for the murder, along with her then- boyfriend. She was convicted, acquitted, convicted again and fi nally, defi nitively re-acquitted in 2015. Hers is a complicated story, one that has been told many times, often by Knox herself – in books, documentaries and an eight-part TV drama she produced with Monica Lewinsky. But I never imagined there could be a toddler- friendly version of it. The question of how Knox could possibly explain her wrongful imprisonment to her children is at the heart of a stand-up comedy show she will stage at the Edinburgh Fringe this month. Her daughter accompanied Knox when she returned to Italy to attempt a rapprochement with Giuliano Mignini, the prosecutor who accused her of killing Kercher in some kind of demonic sex game. (Knox’s documentary about their meeting, which was far friendlier than anyone expected, was released in January.) But Knox says she has tried her best to shield her daughter and her two-year-old son from the dark parts of her past as best she can: “My children don’t know what the internet is yet.” Nonetheless, she knew that she would start having to answer diffi cult questions when her daughter “started noticing things about me… I carry a sadness with me all the time. She would just ask me, out of the blue, ‘Momma, why is your face sad?’” Now 39, Knox lives on Vashon- Maury Island, in rural Washington state, and has been tentatively testing out her new show in small local venues. According to a reviewer for the island’s newspaper, it went well at a cabaret club, where a crowd of “about 30 people… oscillated between bursts of belly laughter and attentive silence”. When we speak, Knox is in high spirits, often breaking into a laugh. She video-calls me from a car ferry – her husband in the driver’s seat; one of her kids yawning in the back – on her way to a tech rehearsal. They stop to pick up chocolate croissants en route. Her Fringe debut is, she tells me, a return to her “comedy and musical theatre roots”. She was a “goofy theatre kid” as a teenager, and thinks that she might have gone into stand-up as a younger woman, if she hadn’t been caught up in the tragedy. “I left for Italy when I was 20, before I was able to go see stand-up shows in bars. So, for that period where I would have been familiarising myself with live stand-up, I was in prison.” She’s been working on her stand-up for the past three years, doing warm-up slots for the likes of Golden Globes host Nikki Glaser. Her husband, writer Christopher Robinson, had previously dabbled in comedy, and introduced her to others in the scene. Knox has turned to several highly acclaimed comedians for advice, including Riki Lindhome (of Netfl ix’s Wednesday) and Borat! co-writer Jena Friedman. Knox wanted to make a show about motherhood, not about murder – but the advice she got from her comedian friends was to mention her wrongful conviction at the outset. “They said, ‘Dude, this is a standard comedic thing. You’ve gotta address the elephant in the room.’” Does she feel there’s any topic that’s inherently off bounds for comedy? “I don’t think so. I think that there are better or worse approaches to diff erent subject matter. There is a lot of lazy comedy out there that is making jokes at someone else’s expense, but I think that all things can be approached from a really thoughtful way. “I don’t think there’s any topic that is technically not available.” But Knox is at pains to point out that there’s one thing she won’t joke about. “I don’t joke about Meredith’s death. I joke a lot about how I was vilifi ed, but I don’t joke about her murder. That’s just a line for me. I set red lines for myself that other comedians don’t. I’ve had other comedians pitch me jokes that I just would not do.” Such as? “There’s a moment in my show where I talk about how I’m afraid that my daughter’s going to [be kidnapped by a person] she shares her favourite stuff ed toy with.” One joke she was off ered involved calling the toy “JonBenet the Unicorn”, apparently in reference to JonBenét Ramsey, the six-year-old victim of a notorious unsolved murder in Colorado in 1996. Knox rejected it: “I don’t feel comfortable bringing in the name of a little girl who got murdered just for the sake of a throwaway punchline. It wasn’t thoughtful enough for me.” Are people close to her worried about a backlash to this show? Onstage, she has a good, deadpan gag about this: “My friends and family are actually really nervous for me, despite my spotless record in the court of public opinion”. Off stage, however, her family have been supportive, coming to see the show several times; even her daughter came to see it on Tuesday. Meredith Kercher’s relatives, according to their lawyer Francesco Maresca, are less pleased. Calling the very idea of her stand-up show “off ensive and deplorable”, he said the Kercher family are “speechless”. Has Knox heard anything from the family? “No.” If they were to get in contact with her directly about the show, would
my comedy show funny’
Tristram Fane Saunders about her Edinburgh Fringe routine based on her experiences
that aff ect her choices in any way? “If they reached out to me and actually communicated with me for the fi rst time ever, I would absolutely want to talk to them. “Something that is an unresolved wound for me is the fact that I have never been able to talk to them. I assume they still assume that I’m guilty. I would very much want to establish that kind of communication, but I’m not going to have my life dictated by what they want for me “We share a grief, and we both knew a real person who died, and who primarily belongs to them, but I’m a person too. I have the life that I have lived, and I have the right to tell my own story, and Meredith is a big part of that story. And I think I honour her.” Maresca has accused Kercher of producing “books and TV shows which are never about the life of Meredith [Kercher], only about her death”. That is “entirely unfair”, says Knox. “When I tell the story of what happened to me, Meredith is not a token dead girl. “She’s a real person who I have a real relationship with… Frankly, I don’t think [Maresca] has ever actually engaged with any of the material that I have made. He’s just taken a stance that I’m guilty and anything I do is bad.” What would Meredith Kercher think of her comedy? “Meredith was really sophisticated and smart but she was also fun, she was also playful. We
for me is the fact that I have never been able to talk to the Kercher family’
would put on music together, and we went out dancing. She liked to have a good time. I think that she would appreciate the show, because it grapples with what it means to be a young woman, and it’s honest.” Would she have found it funny? “Yeah, I think so! I mean, it is funny!” Knox was described by one Italian lawyer – with some tautology – as “Lucifer-like”, “a demonic, Satanic, diabolical she-devil”. Others have accused her, rather more kindly, of being a naïf who’s generally unaware of how unfavourably she might come across to others. Her comedy show’s title, Cartwheel, refers to a tabloid story claiming she did cartwheels in the police station after her friend’s death. (She later told a reporter: “I never did a cartwheel. I did do the splits.”) What some saw as strange behaviour, awkward mannerisms and unusual responses to an immediate bereavement were interpreted as signs of guilt. Watch any old interview with Knox online, and to this day you’ll fi nd people furiously arguing over minute facial reactions in the comments. It’s not outlandish to see a parallel with Colin Stagg, the awkward single man falsely
accused of killing Rachel Nickell, whose 1992 death inspired last month’s Netfl ix drama The Witness. Stagg published two books about his ordeal; likewise, Knox published two about hers, but to far louder criticism. The fi rst one reportedly made her more than $3m, a fi gure that will make many furious. Are those reports true? “Yes, that is accurate.” Where did the money go? “I was paying back my family, I had ongoing legal fees, I was doing a lot of writing very, very big cheques to my family and my lawyers and all the people who supported me for those years.” Knox is aware of how she comes across. In one stand-up routine, she jokes about the message of her fi nal acquittal: “Congratulations, Amanda, you’re not guilty, you’re just… deeply unsettling to the general public.” She describes herself and her husband as “geeks”. “The way that Chris proposed to me was by staging a meteorite landing in our backyard. It had, like, a data-crystal from the future,” she tells me. The theme-tune from ET played while he went down on one knee. At their sci-fi -themed wedding, guests were served “pan-galactic gargle- blasters”, a cocktail from The Hitchhiker’s
Guide to the Galaxy. Knox fi rst met Robinson in 2015, at a launch party for a novel he’d written; she was working as a local newspaper journalist at the time, and had been asked to write about his book. He was, she later recalled, one of the few people there who had no idea about her past. The pair have published a book of faintly sci-fi -infl ected love poems written for each other called The Cardio Tesseract. Today, they are close collaborators; he is producing her comedy show. In person, she is charming, but a review of a Netfl ix documentary about Knox was not unusual in complaining she comes across “less like a woman once convicted of murder and more like a sardonic podcast host”. Knox is, indeed, a podcast host. Her series, Hard Knox, has been running since 2018 and, earlier this year, she released a 15-part series called Doubt, about Lucy Letby, the nurse convicted of murdering infants at Chester Hospital. Does she think Letby is innocent? “I think that the more evidence that comes out, the more it points to her innocence. Yes.” In April, she was criticised for referring, during a London event, to Meredith Kercher as “the original victim”. When I ask about that phrase, she sighs. “A lot of people seem to think that I don’t acknowledge Meredith is a victim. I don’t know why they think that, because I constantly talk about
how she’s a victim. There is this fl ippant attitude towards me, that, because I talk about how I have been victimised, I’m somehow saying she wasn’t victimised – as if there’s some zero-sum reality where there’s only a certain amount of victimhood.” She points out that the phrase “is not something I invented. It’s something you hear within wrongful conviction communities.” Knox has encouraged anyone who wrongly accuses someone else of a crime to do what they can to set it right. Last year, a court upheld a verdict against her, fi nding her guilty of slandering her former boss, Patrick Lumumba, who owned the bar where Knox worked at the time of Meredith’s murder. During her initial police questioning – an overnight interrogation that she characterises as brutally coercive – Knox gave a statement implicating Lumumba, which she withdrew hours later. Lumumba has described the ongoing pain and anxiety caused by being falsely accused by Knox’s statement, which she says she gave under extreme duress. Does she feel she has done enough to make reparations for it? “Yes, absolutely. I have gone above and beyond to explain exactly what happened… It’s not my fault that he was arrested, it’s not my fault that his bar was taken away from him. That was the police who made that decision. They did not listen to me when I told them that he was not guilty, and at that point there was nothing that I could do.” A large part of Knox’s recent career has involved campaigning for groups such as the Innocence Project, which has helped to overturn more than 250 convictions with DNA evidence. When Knox was fi rst convicted, Donald Trump was among her most outspoken supporters; he donated to her legal fundraising eff orts, and even called for the US to boycott Italy till she was free. Surely having a sympathetic ear in the White House must help with lobbying for this cause. Has she ever spoken to Trump? “I think he called my dad once back in the day, but I’ve never had any communication with him… but I have
contact with people close to him who work in criminal justice-related issues, on an advocacy, behind-the-scenes way.” On Hard Knox, she interviews experts about everything from psychology, to free speech, to justice reform. A recent episode focused on America’s death penalty. In 27 US states, murder is a capital off ence. If Knox’s conviction had taken place there, would she be dead? “That’s a good question. It is terrifying and it’s deeply unsettling to me that the US has the death penalty to this day. I don’t think I would have got the death penalty, but I might have got life without parole, and it could have taken 10, 20, 30, 40 years to actually get through the process of appealing – whereas in Italy it was possible to get through it faster.” I mention that Lee Anderson – appointed chairman of Reform UK this year – supports reintroducing the death penalty, an idea with some public support, and that there is speculation that his party could form the next British government. “Really? My God!” Knox seems genuinely aghast. “When I think about Europe, I think about how they look down on the US for us still having the death penalty, as it’s obviously barbaric, deeply anti-life and anti-human. It doesn’t acknowledge that the system is fallible. There is nothing more fi nal than death, and that is not something the government should be in the business of doing to its own citizens.” She chooses her words with care, but comes across as remarkably confi dent, willing to tackle any question about the darkest parts of her story – even with her family in the car. There is only one moment, in a long conversation, when she seems lost for words. Meredith Kercher’s killer, Rudy Guede, was released in 2021. Last year, he was in court again, facing trial for an alleged rape he is accused of committing after his release. (He denies the charges.) I ask Knox how she felt when she heard the news. “I felt angry, frankly,” she begins, then takes a long pause. “He was never even charged for most of the crimes he committed against Meredith and me… He got out before he should, he got out before he was rehabilitated. “I’m frustrated that the world was so ready to make excuses and diminish his culpability because they were so invested in fi nding me guilty. I’m grateful that [the alleged rape victim] survived, but that never should have happened. And, honestly, Meredith never should have been murdered. He had been arrested fi ve days before he committed that crime against Meredith. He was in possession of stolen goods and with a weapon, and for some reason they never charged him for anything. To this day, I am just baffl ed why Rudy Guede has never been held fully accountable.” I’m struck by how – though she seems almost to be shaking with anger – she says the problem is that he was let out “before he was rehabilitated”, rather than objecting to him being let out at all. Does she really think rehabilitation is possible for the likes of Guede? “I always hope that people will change.”
DANIEL BERMAN FOR THE TELEGRAPH
I
behind the scenes at the facility as Amnesty withdraws a report labelling it ‘anti-rights’
n the Harry Potter books there is a pub called the Leaky Cauldron, which Muggles – non-magic people – mysteriously never notice, even when they’re walking right past it. Beira’s Place in Edinburgh, the sexual violence support centre set up by JK Rowling in 2022, has a similarly unobtrusive air. Google Maps leads me to the right building – yet somehow I meander past it and have to double back. Inside, the centre is tranquil and almost silent, with walls painted soothing shades of greige, plants in pots and inoffensive works of art. But the centre, which offers support to women only, has found itself at the heart of a row that began when Amnesty International UK published a report last month in which it described Beira’s Place – as well as a host of other organisations – as “anti-rights”. That report followed another document in May, which also framed the “gender-critical” viewpoint – namely, the belief that women are biological females, and men biological males – as a threat. The document claimed that the “growth and influence of the GC movement” in the UK was worrying given that it “seeks to restrict the rights of trans people”. Following a public outcry and threat of legal action from lawyers acting for Beira’s Place, Amnesty has since retracted its anti-rights report, and claimed in an apology published yesterday that “the document should never have been published”. Beira’s Place welcomed the apology but said Amnesty’s statement “fails to recognise that those most severely impacted are the staff who work day in day out to support survivors of sexual violence and the many women who need and use the service”. Given the events of the past few weeks it’s understandable that the centre might feel under siege. There has been, one staff member tells me, an uptick in threats issued to those who work there (“The usual,” she sighs when I ask what kind: “‘Why don’t you think about suicide’”). Before the Amnesty report Beira’s Place had repeatedly come under fire from activists both because it restricts its services to biological women and for its links to Rowling, who has become the figurehead of the gender-critical
Added trauma: Lesley Johnston, the chief executive of Beira’s Place, has worked on gender-based violence for three decades and found the Amnesty report deeply painful
viewpoint in the debate over trans rights. But the team works hard to make the centre feel safe and calm for the women who use it; and it certainly feels that way to me. Lesley Johnston, the chief executive of Beira’s Place, who has worked on gender-based violence for three decades, first heard of the Amnesty report pretty much the moment it was published, she says. Her first reaction was to go into emergency mode – convene meetings with staff and board members, try to work out how best to talk about what had happened to the vulnerable women receiving support. The accusation that Beira’s Place is somehow undermining human rights has hit staff particularly hard, Johnston says: “Some staff really internalised it.”
Their work, which mainly consists of one-on-one sessions with victims of rape and other sexual assault, “is difficult. You’re working with very complex trauma… To be doing that job, day in day out, and then to get this report which accuses you of being anti-rights and anti-women – it’s deeply painful and it’s deeply frustrating because it’s so not true. Part of you thinks – oh, for f---’s sake, it’s so ridiculous, you can’t take it too seriously. But the fact is, it’s out there, and it is taken seriously. And [Amnesty] is quite a big organisation.” We are sitting in a meeting room with a couple of staff members, as well as Johann Lamont, 69, the former Scottish Labour politician and campaigner for women’s rights, who serves on the
take it too seriously. But the fact is, it’s out there, and it is taken seriously’
Beira’s Place board (along with its funder and founder, JK Rowling). Lamont’s fury at the Amnesty report is palpable. For her generation, Amnesty was revered for its genuinely effective campaigning on human rights abuses in places such as Nicaragua, Chile and South Africa. “It was an organisation that shone a light where people didn’t want light to be shone,” she says. In short, Lamont says, Amnesty “isn’t some random off-the-street who thinks it’s a good idea to slag off whoever about anything. This is an organisation that is using its institutional history to assert something that’s not true. It’s significant that they said it. And it matters because they said it”. Lamont is especially disturbed by the idea that Amnesty’s report could discourage women from seeking help at a point where they might desperately need it. And she is furious that staff members working to support such women have had their work traduced. “What could possibly be more important in your working life than to be doing something that’s supporting somebody who’s faced trauma, helping them with that?” Beira’s Place (pronounced By-ra) was set up by Rowling in 2022 to offer women who have been sexually assaulted “the option of women- centred and women-delivered care”. Men and trans women are not allowed into the centre, though Johnston stresses that when they get inquiries from people who can’t access the service because of their sex, they guide them towards other options. The centre is also happy to support non-binary people, provided they were born as girls. The woman requirement is taken seriously: before I visit, I mention that I’d like to bring a photographer, and it is requested that they are female. The centre does have to call in the odd handyman, I’m told, but such visits are limited to when there are no women receiving support in the building. Since the centre opened, it has received more than 1,200 referrals – mainly from women seeking help for themselves, but also from charities, the NHS, police, local authorities and
va-va-voom eveningwear,
fashion leaders tell
Bethan Holt how they ace
summer vacation dressing
Katherine Ormerod Writer and editor I start thinking about outfits probably about a month before and am sometimes fully packed a fortnight before departure. I shop a lot on resale sites like Vinted and Vestiaire where delivery takes a lot longer, so having that extra time is necessary. I start by imagining the woman I want to feel like on my holiday – one who is a world away from the frazzled working mum of two who usually looks back at me in the mirror. If I’m going to Italy, that’s usually a va va voom Dolce & Gabbana-esque leading lady. My mum lives in the Dordogne, so when I visit her I pack white linen, blue gingham and basket bags. As for the actual packing, I travel light with hand luggage only, meaning every single thing that goes in has to be
others seeking help on women’s
behalf. Rape is the top reason women
come, accounting for 21 per cent of
referrals, followed by sexual assault
(19 per cent), childhood sexual abuse
(18 per cent) and domestic abuse or
intimate partner sexual violence (14
per cent). Other reasons include
non-fatal strangulation, honour-based
crime, stalking and trafficking.
When a referral comes in, the centre
aims to get in touch with the woman in question within three days, but normally does so on the day itself. Then, depending on her need, she will typically be offered 12 one-on-one sessions with a member of the support team. On a tour of the building, I see some of the rooms where the sessions happen. They are comfortable, peaceful spaces; a member of staff shows me a box filled with items – pine cones, fidget toys – that women sometimes like to hold during their sessions to alleviate stress. Before coming to Beira’s Place, some
JK Rowling with members of the team who support victims of sexual violence
used. Importantly, I try each outfit on to make sure I haven’t missed the key accessory that makes it work. If I’m away for six nights, I pack six day, evening and pool/seaside outfits, but I try to keep the shoes to three pairs plus trainers. I roll everything extremely tight and then bring a steamer for the other end. Usually I wear every single piece of clothing that I pack. I get that this sounds like a lot of organisation – and it does take me hours. But I love the theatrical magic of getting dressed up – it’s one of the most special parts of the holiday for me because I don’t often have the time to do it at home. I know all the prep will pay off when I’m sitting at a restaurant in the twinkling lights wearing a beautifully cut dress with sandals that tone in perfectly.
women have never opened up about what has happened to them. Many, Johnston says, are not dealing with one isolated incident. “It’s very rarely one form of abuse,” she explains. “It’s usually complex.” Often, women have to psych themselves up enormously just to come to the first appointment. Johnston has watched women hesitating outside, she says. She understands. “I can’t underestimate how traumatic it is for women who make that first step.” But the help they get once they are brave enough to cross the threshold is evidently life-changing. The women being helped are too vulnerable to be interviewed, but I am given sheets of testimonials and they make for wrenching reading. “I don’t think I would have managed without the support I received,” one woman writes. “I had spent years hiding under a heavy cloak of shame,” writes another. Often, cabs for women coming to and from appointments will be paid for by Beira’s Place, to ensure poorer women get access to support. Still, says Johnston, there are sometimes no-shows – and unfortunately, since the Amnesty report claiming Beira’s Place was “anti-rights”, no-shows have ticked up, while referrals to the centre have, she says, “dipped a little bit”. The centre has previously received abuse on social media and via a chat function it had on its website, but which has now been closed. The abuse received since the Amnesty report was published has reached such a pitch that staff have put up a board on which they pin messages of support. I imagine it must be depressing, dealing on a daily basis with the aftermath of some of the worst behaviour imaginable, as well as abuse for doing so. It would be tempting just to duck out, work in an area that attracts less anger, fewer death threats. I ask Johnston how she came to become involved in the fight against gender-based violence in the first place. “I actually started when I was 17,” she says. Raised in Fife, she saw a note on a signpost in St Andrews looking for volunteers to set up a rape crisis service. “I thought, well, that sounds interesting.” Police in the city were in denial that there was any kind of problem: “Oh, we don’t have rape here,” they’d say. Since then, she believes police attitudes have improved. But now there are other problems, including the time it takes for rape and other sexual assault cases to be dealt with by the courts. It is a problem Beira’s Place is hoping to turn to next, by hiring advocacy workers. Lamont, the board member and former MSP, chips in to tell me that, with so many factors that lead to violence against women and girls remaining unfixed, it is easy to become “overwhelmed”. Still, she adds, “We can’t sort everything for everybody everywhere, but we refuse to be overwhelmed. We’re going to create what we can. And this place does what it can for as many women as it can, in a way that’s going to help them as much as possible. You can have paralysis and think, Oh my God, what do we do with all this? Well actually, as JK Rowling has said, we’ll do this.”
CLARA MOLDEN FOR THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
fewer, better-quality things. As a family of five on road-trip holidays, one day I’m on a beach and the next I’m wandering around a city, so everything has to multitask. But honestly, I also love having less choice on holiday, it’s one less thing to think about, and that feels like a real luxury. I travel with a capsule wardrobe I’ve built over the years, mostly from Massimo Dutti, Zara and Sézane, a raffia bag, one pair of flats, a white broderie anglaise shirt from John Lewis that goes from the beach straight into the city, and a playsuit I never wear at home but always end up living in.
D
in their 70s outglow women half their age
the secret beauty formulas that keep stars’ complexions looking radiant
r David Jack, a cosmetic doctor with clinics in London and Edinburgh, took to Instagram earlier this month to call out ageism, telling his followers that a new patient of his, Maggie, 74, had been turned down by several other clinics before she was welcomed by Dr Jack at his Harley Street practice. “She was told that because she’s older, there’s nothing they can do for her,” Dr Jack said, adding that on the contrary, older patients are his favourite type of client, because “with the right tools and expectations, crepeyness and sun damage in particular can be greatly improved”. What Maggie’s experience says about today’s beauty standards is telling: unless you’re in the market for a deep plane facelift, you may as well give up. And yet, boomers have a restrained and patient attitude to beauty – less panic and more acceptance, two forgotten qualities that pay off . Take actresses Jane Seymour, 75, Lesley Manville, 70, and Celia Imrie, 74 – or even the Queen, 79, whose skin is radiant. Then there’s the American contingent: Oprah Winfrey, 72, Meryl Streep, 77, Glenn Close, 79, and Sigourney Weaver, 76, have barely augmented faces that (to the naked eye at least) give off a kind of polished natural beauty that’s rare in today’s surgery-forward world. “Even girls in their 20s are having eye surgery to get a ‘cat-eye’ look – it’s frightening,” one Los Angeles-based celebrity facialist told me. In the stacking upon stacking of micro-tweaks, it seems as though we’ve lost sight of the fundamentals of a good beauty routine. Hair, make-up and skin health are three non-surgical pillars that can make a big diff erence at any age. The real problem, the celebrity facialist tells me, is that everyone expects to look “snatched” (a term used to describe a tight jawline). “It is so misleading and rarely achievable – even with lasers and radiofrequency the results are subtle,” she assures me. “What we should be aiming for is beautiful, even-toned skin, minimal tightening, maintained regularly over time. It’s the small, consistent things that make you look good at every age,” she says. “Even the surgeons who charge £300,000 for a facelift don’t always get the best results. Not everyone comes away looking like Kris Jenner, believe me.” Here are seven ways septuagenarians are looking better than women half their age.
1 Surgery isn’t always the best answer “A facelift can be an excellent operation for the right patient, but it is certainly not the only route to looking fresher and healthier – particularly for many of my patients who don’t want to go down a surgical route,” says Dr Jack. “In many ways, mature patients have the greatest potential for visible improvement because they have accumulated more decades of changes that we can address with both
injectables and some of the newer options we have,” he adds. Sun damage, collagen loss, changes in bone structure, thinning of the skin and shifts in facial fat all occur gradually. The key to successful outcomes is understanding exactly which changes have taken place and treating them anatomically rather than chasing lines and trying to create big cheeks or lips, explains Dr Jack.
2 Sometimes filler makes sense This may surprise you, but fi ller is a good option for someone in their 70s, argues Dr Jack. But not in the way we are used to seeing it – as a means to plump lips or cheeks. “It is often the starting point – I generally call this my ‘deep plane’ fi ller approach. Small amounts of dermal fi ller placed directly on to the bone can replace age-related bone volume loss and restore facial support without creating the overfi lled appearance people worry about,” he says. “The aim is never to make someone look younger than they are, but to help them look like a healthier, better-rested version of themselves,” he explains.
3 Improving skin quality matters most Whether or not fi ller is an option, improving skin quality is where one will get the most satisfaction. “For patients in their 70s, I am often more comfortable using slightly more advanced laser treatments (such as UltraClear Lift) than I would be in a much younger patient, because they have signifi cantly more collagen loss and photodamage to treat. “I often combine this with injectable biostimulation treatments such as polynucleotides [the viral salmon DNA injectable that prompts natural collagen production gradually post-treatment], or Julaine, an injectable that can help with hollowing [its basis is poly-L-lactic acid, a synthetic biodegradable polymer that stimulates the skin cells to switch on more collagen production], which can enhance the eff ects of lasers. “Fractional laser treatments, particularly when combined with injectable biostimulators, stimulate collagen production, improve elasticity, soften lines, reduce pigmentation and improve overall skin texture as well as tightening the skin over time.”
4 Pigmentation can be addressed at any age By the time someone is in their 70s, pigmentation, thread veins and rough texture are often a patient’s bête noire, says Dr Jack. “Energy treatments such as IPL [intense pulsed light] can dramatically improve uneven pigmentation and vascular damage, while fractional laser resurfacing addresses deeper structural changes within the dermis. Even-toned skin refl ects light more uniformly, making the face appear much healthier and more youthful.”
5 Inside-out glow will pay dividends Another consideration in post- menopausal patients is the loss of skin hydration. As oestrogen levels fall, the skin produces less hyaluronic acid, the barrier function becomes less effi cient and collagen production slows. The result is skin that generally feels drier, thinner and less resilient, with fi ne
the evenings I bring a cream cashmere sweater to wear over my shoulders with everything. I pack in outfi ts so I can also bring the right accessories for each look, and I pre-plan what I’ll wear for each occasion. I try not to over-pack – I’m always incredibly satisfi ed if I’ve worn everything I’ve brought with me.
Poppy Sexton-Wainwright Founder of Asceno I’ve always been a light packer – I can’t bear the idea of travelling with endless suitcases. The dream with Asceno has always been to create pieces that can be worn again and again, in completely diff erent ways. Versatility is everything, so I instinctively gravitate towards pieces that transition eff ortlessly throughout the day. For holiday I want clothes that work with the heat rather than against it, and that can survive all the realities of summer holidays – scrunched into a suitcase, salty sea water after long days at the beach... and sunscreen! This summer I am into red. I have a miniature suede bag from Cos and a red necklace I recently bought from a
VARIETY VIA GETTY IMAGES; WIREIMAGE; GETTY IMAGES; IMAZINS VIA GETTY IMAGES
lines becoming more apparent simply because the skin contains less water. For this, injectable moisturisers such as Profh ilo are designed to improve hydration from within the skin. They will need subsequent treatments after several months but in some patients, particularly those with thin skin, an injectable moisturiser can bring forth the plush, juicy skin texture that diminishes with age.
should be aiming for is even-toned skin with minimal tightening’
PRODUCTS FOR AGELESS SKIN
Prequel Gleanser £20, Space NK – a hydrating cleanser that doesn’t strip the skin
Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics £12.40, Space NK – a daily sunscreen
little store while on a trip with friends to Sifnos in Greece.
Laura von Behr Vintage fashion expert Holidays are the perfect excuse for me to bring out all of my favourite vintage pieces I have collected over the years. I love things you can throw on without too much thought. My favourites are Seventies Indian cotton dresses; long, fl oaty kaftans and Sixties minis – perfect for beach days and balmy evenings. I add square scarves to wear in my hair, big hoops and my extra-large basket bag to throw everything in.
6 Good skincare in your 70s is essential Certainly not everyone wants to resort to lasers or injectables. This is where targeted skincare and regular medical facials come in. “There is a misconception that the opportunity [for skincare intervention] has somehow passed by in later life, yet the evidence in the literature strongly
Naturium Intense Overnight Sleeping Cream £21.60, Space NK – a moisturiser
Retinoid 1 Vitamin A Serum £56, Skin Rocks – for nightly skin resurfacing
Polished beauty (clockwise from top left): Sigourney Weaver, Celia Imrie, Lesley Manville, Jane Seymour and Meryl Streep
suggests the opposite,” says Dr Jack. “We know that topical retinoids continue to stimulate collagen production, normalise epidermal turnover and improve fi ne lines and pigmentation even in older adults.” Similarly, says Dr Jack, daily broad- spectrum sunscreen remains the single most eff ective way of preventing further photoageing, while ingredients such as vitamin C, niacinamide and alpha hydroxy acids (exfoliants) continue to improve skin function and appearance irrespective of age. “This makes sense as skin remains biologically active throughout life and retains its capacity to remodel and repair when given the right stimulus.”
7 Age is not a barrier to beauty Ultimately, the most important aspect of treating patients more than 70 is understanding their goals, says Dr Jack. “We need to move away from arbitrary age cut-off s. Most people are not trying to look 30 again – which is impossible, even with the most expensive deep-plane facelift – but want the outside to refl ect how they feel inside. The consideration should be whether the treatment addresses the changes that are actually present and whether the expected outcome is realistic. Age alone is certainly never a barrier to achieving good results.”
silk move beautifully from day to night, feel comfortable in the heat, and always look elegant. A crisp white shirt is an absolute must. Wear it over a swimsuit, tucked into a skirt, with shorts during the day, or open over a slip dress in the evening.
Nishita Assomull Founder of L’Atelier 73 I pack as though patterns have personally off ended me. My holiday wardrobe is almost entirely black, white and various shades of beige so the jewellery gives me a pop of colour. I love wearing my La Plage Shell necklace with them as they feel so summery. I’ll add a couple of Hunza G swimsuits in diff erent block colours, my old Prada crochet beach bag and stacks of Bohemian Amour bracelets. The best packing trick I’ve learnt is that every piece must work at least three ways: a swimsuit can double as a top and every pair of shoes has to work with several outfi ts. I always keep my jewellery in individual pouches in my hand luggage, with every necklace fastened to prevent tangles.
Circular
ST JAMES’S PALACE July 31st The Duke of Edinburgh, Vice Patron, Commonwealth Sport, and The Duchess of Edinburgh today attended the XXIII Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. His Royal Highness, Patron, and Her Royal Highness this afternoon attended a Reception given by the British Paralympic Association at Team House for Team Wales, YOTEL Glasgow, 260 Argyle Street, Westergate, Glasgow.
KENSINGTON PALACE July 31st The Duke of Kent, President, this afternoon received Volunteer Beach Lifeguards from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution to mark International Lifeguard Appreciation Day and the Twenty Fifth Anniversary of the Charity’s Beach Lifeguard Service.
BALMORAL CASTLE August 1st The King this morning received members of Assynt Mountain Rescue Team at the Castle of Mey, Thurso, Caithness. His Majesty, Patron, the Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society, received Mr Matthew Currie (President) and Mr Robert
marriages
Mr A.J.R. Macdonald and Miss S. Shepherd The engagement is announced between Archie, only son of Alastair and Clare Macdonald, of Fowey, Cornwall, and Sophie, elder daughter of Richard and Helen Shepherd, of Wantage, Oxfordshire. Online ref: W0051214
Mr Ç. Pamukçu and Miss A.J.L. Beamish The engagement is announced between Çağrı, son of Çiçek and Celal Pamukçu, of Istanbul, and Antonia, daughter of Mr and Mrs Nicholas Beamish, of Brinkley, Suffolk. Online ref: W0051230
Mr J. Sparks and Miss E. Copping The engagement is announced between Joshua, eldest son of Mr and Mrs Tony Sparks, of Newland, Gloucestershire, and Emma, only daughter of Mr and Mrs Paul Copping, of Virginia Water, Surrey. Online ref: W0051063
Mr O.J. Cooper and Miss S.A.R. Stanistreet The engagement is announced between Oliver, son of Mr and Mrs Giles Cooper, of Basingstoke, Hampshire, and Sophie, daughter of Mr and Mrs David Stanistreet, of Howsham, North Yorkshire. Online ref: W0051277
Judge Farquhar retired as a
Circuit Judge with effect from
June 6 2026.
Judge Hale retired as a Circuit
Judge with effect from June 10
2026.
Judge Scarratt retired as
a Circuit Judge with effect
from June 11 2026.
Mr Justice Waksman has
been appointed Judge in
Charge of the Commercial
Court from September 1 2026
to August 31 2028.
Lynne Berry has been
appointed as the Chair of the
Judicial Appointments
Commission with effect from
September 1 2026.
Ninth Sunday after Trinity ST PAUL’S CATHEDRAL: 8 HC; 8.45 Morning Prayer; 11.15 Sung Eucharist, Canon Adéolá Eleyae; 3 Choral Evensong, Rev Dr Christopher Girata; 4.30 Organ Receital, Kathe Wright; 5.30 Eucharist. WESTMINSTER ABBEY: 8 HC; 10 Morning Prayer with a hymn; 11.15 Sung Eucharist, Dean; 3 Evensong, Dr Sister Gemma Simmonds; 5 Organ Recital, Hayo Boerema; 6 HC with hymns, Rev David Stanton. Streaming details: westminster-abbey.org SOUTHWARK CATHEDRAL: 8.30 Morning Prayer; 9 Eucharist, Dean; 11 Choral Eucharist, Dean; 3 Choral Evensong, Sub Dean; 6 Compline (online only). Streaming details: cathedral. southwark.anglican.org ALL HALLOWS BY THE TOWER: 11 Parish Eucharist, Rev Nicol Kinrade. Streaming: ahbtt.org.uk ALL SAINTS, Margaret St: 8.30 Low Mass; 11 High Mass; 5.15 Low Mass; 6 Solemn Evensong and Benediction. Streaming: asms.uk ALL SOULS, Langham Place: 9.30 and 11.30 Morning Service, Ollie Lansdowne; 5.30 Evening Service, Phil Keen. GROSVENOR CHAPEL, South Audley Street: 11 Sung Eucharist, Rev Dr Alan Piggot. HTB Brompton Rd: Informal Service 9.30 and 11.30, Hilton Sonday. 11.30 Service streamed: htb.org HTB Onslow Square: Informal Service 10.30 Nathan Mugford, 4.30 Katie McLean and 6.30 Matthew Ong. HOLY TRINITY, Sloane Square: 11 Choral Eucharist, Canon Michael Robinson. ST BARTHOLOMEW THE GREAT, Cloth Fair: 9 Said Eucharist, Fr Jeremy Haselock; 11 Choral Eucharist, Mthr Rosamond McDowell; 5 Choral Evensong, Fr Mark Young. Streaming details: greatstbarts.com ST BRIDE’S, Fleet St: 11 Parish Said Communion. Streaming: stbrides.com ST GEORGE’S, Windsor: 8.30 HC; 10.45 Mattins, Canon Dr Nick Brown; 5.15 Evensong. ST GILES-IN-THE-FIELDS: 11 Sung HC, Rev Tom Sander; 6.30 Evensong, Rev Tom Sander. ST JAMES’S, Garlickhythe: 9 Morning Prayer; 10.30 Eucharist, Rector. ST JAMES’S, Piccadilly: 11 Eucharist, Elijah Kinne. Streaming via: sjp.org.uk ST JAMES’S, Sussex Gardens: 10.30 High Mass. Streaming via: stjamespaddington. org.uk ST MARTIN-IN-THE-FIELDS: 10 Eucharist, Rev Dr Sam Wells; 1.30 Eucharist in Cantonese; 5 Choral Evensong; 7 Sacred Space. Streaming: smitf.org ST MARYLEBONE, Marylebone Rd: 8.30 HC, Rev Lydi McLean; 11 Choral Eucharist, Rev Katy Hacker Hughes; 6 Choral Evening Worship with prayers for healing and anointing, Rev Katy Hacker
Gilchrist (Chief Executive Officer) at the Castle of Mey. The King, as Chieftain, this afternoon attended the Mey Highland Games, John O’Groats, Caithness, and was received by the Chairman (Mr Andrew Sinclair).
KENSINGTON PALACE 1st August, 2026 The Prince William, Duke of Rothesay and The Duchess of Rothesay today attended the XXIII Commonwealth Games and were received by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of the City of Glasgow (Councillor Jacquline McLaren, the Rt Hon the Lord Provost). Their Royal Highnesses this afternoon visited Team House for Team Wales, YOTEL Glasgow, 260 Argyle Street, Westergate, Glasgow. The Prince William, Duke of Rothesay and The Duchess of Rothesay, Patron, SportsAid, afterwards met athletes and staff supported by SportsAid at YOTEL Glasgow.
ST JAMES’S PALACE August 1st The Duke of Edinburgh, Vice Patron, Commonwealth Sport, and The Duchess of Edinburgh today attended the XXIII Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
ST JAMES’S PALACE August 1st The Princess Royal, accompanied by Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, having been received by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight (Mrs Susan Sheldon), today carried out the following engagements on the Isle of Wight, on the occasion of the Two Hundredth Anniversary of Cowes
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO
LONDON, AUGUST 1, 1926
FOREIGN COAL.
AND ’PLANE.
“Definitely, we’re having a record holiday traffic, and doing it on foreign coal.” This statement of an official of the London and North-Eastern Railway crystallises in a sentence the paradox of one of the most amazing bank holidays in memory. The country is in the throes of a devastating coal strike, having only recently weath- ered an industrial upheaval on a national scale. Yet all the records of holiday travel have been sent sky-high, and a large part of that overwhelming majority who are not being drawn to their rendez- vous of pleasure by petrol are being carried there on foreign coal. Many unkind things have been said and written this year about the English weather, which is the legitimate butt for humorists of all nations. Much of that caustic criticism could be justified with little difficulty, yet ordinary honesty com- pels us to give even the English weather its due. Whatever may have been its sins of omission at other seasons, it cer- tainly did “play the game” during the two great national hol- idays of Easter and Whitsun, and there is, fortunately, no prospect that it will besmirch this blameless record today. The outlook generally suggests that this will rank among the most successful “open-air” holidays that the memory of the pres- ent generation can recall. Yet it is doubtful if any other meteor- ological prospect would have made the slightest difference to the evident determination of all who could do so to break the deadly monotony of “the common round” by a change of scene. It would be incorrect to assert that every holiday route led from bricks and mortar to the sea – trains from London to the South, the East, and the West were running in triplicate on Friday and Saturday, it is true; but the “up” routes to the great metropolis at no earlier season this year had carried a heavier load. For the custom of the provincial, at all events, London in August now competes with the health reports of the coast. And in that matter London is not alone; Paris, the Breton coast, the Riviera are co-conspirators against the mental peace of the English seaside landlady. Waterloo, Victoria, Paddington, Euston, King’s Cross, Liverpool Street, and Lon- don Bridge – the passenger-carrying capacity of all seemed almost to have reached snapping point. But no fewer than 400 who went to France owe their holiday to petrol – as do thousands more who chose the broad highway in preference to the iron road. To the competition of the motor-car the rail- ways now have to add the “menace” of the aeroplane. Those 400 Continental trippers crossed the water in 25 ’planes.
Hughes. Streaming: stmarylebone.org ST PAUL’S, Covent Gdn: 11 Eucharist. Streaming: actorschurch.org ST PAUL’S, Knightsbridge: 9.30 Morning Prayer; 11 Solemn Eucharist. Streaming: spkb.org GUARDS CHAPEL, Wellington Barracks: 11 Choral HC, Rev Sam Banner. OLD ROYAL NAVAL COLLEGE CHAPEL: 11 Sung Eucharist, Rev Dr John Philpott-Howard. CROWN COURT (C-o-S), Covent Garden: 11.15 Morning Worship with HC, Rev Tara Porr Granados. Streaming via: crowncourtchurch.org.uk ST COLUMBA’S (C-o-S), Pont Street: 11 Morning Service and Baptisms, Rev William McLaren. Streaming: stcolumbas. org.uk WESTMINSTER CATHEDRAL: Masses: 8, 10 (Sung), 12 (Solemn), 4.30 (BSL Signed), 5.30 (Sung) and 7; 9.30 Morning Prayer; 4 Evening Prayer. Mass at 12 streamed: westminstercathedral.org.uk THE ORATORY, Brompton Rd: Masses: 8, 9 (Latin), 10 (Family), 11 (Solemn Latin), 12.30, 4.30 and 7; 3.30 Sung Vespers and Benediction. OUR LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION AND ST GREGORY, Warwick Street: Masses: 10.30 (Solemn) and 5. GREEK ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL, Moscow Rd: 9.15 Mattins and Divine Liturgy. SALVATION ARMY, Oxford St: 11 Morning Worship, Major Mark Rose and Major Lindy Rose. Streaming: salvationarmy. org.uk/regent-hall WESLEY’S CHAPEL, City Rd: 11 HC, Rev Dr Claire Potter; 7 Taizé Service, Rev Stephen Cooper. Streaming: www. wesleyschapel.org.uk WESTMINSTER CHAPEL, Buckingham Gate: 11 Family Celebration Service. Streaming: westminsterchapel.org.uk WESTMINSTER METHODIST CENTRAL HALL: 9.30 Church online; 11 Morning Worship; 6 Evening Worship. Register and stream: mchw.live ARMAGH: 11 Eucharist, Dean; 3.15 Evening Prayer. BATH ABBEY: 8 HC; 9.30 Family Communion; 11.30 Sung Eucharist; 4.30 Choral Evensong; 6.30 Informal Service. Streaming details: bathabbey.org BIRMINGHAM: 9 HC; 11 Sung Eucharist, Rev Colleen Shekerie; 3.30 Evening Prayer. Streaming: birminghamcathedral.com BLACKBURN: 9 Parish Eucharist; 10.30 Cathedral Eucharist; 4 Evening Prayer. Streaming: blackburncathedral.com BRADFORD: 8 HC, Rev Ned Lunn; 10.30 Choral Eucharist. Streaming details: bradfordcathedral.org BRISTOL: 7.40 Morning Prayer; 8 HC; 10 Cathedral Eucharist; 3.30 Choral Evensong. CANTERBURY: 8 HC (BCP); 9.15 Morning Prayer; 11 Sung Eucharist, Precentor; 5.30 Evensong. Streaming via: canterbury- cathedral.org
Week: Her Royal Highness this morning visited the Royal Yacht Britannia Trust’s “Sailing Through Royal History” Exhibition, 74 High Street, Cowes. The Princess Royal, Patron, Island Sailing Club, subsequently opened the Queen Elizabeth II Room at the Island Sailing Club, 70 High Street, Cowes. Her Royal Highness this afternoon visited the “Panels on the Parade” section of the Maritime Heritage Trail, Cowes, and unveiled a plaque to celebrate the Bicentenary of Cowes Week. The Princess Royal later visited the offices of Cowes Week Limited, Regatta House, 18 Bath Road, Cowes. Her Royal Highness afterwards visited Cowes Week Stands on the Parade, Cowes. The Princess Royal this evening attended a Reception on board HMS Severn at anchor in the Solent, off Cowes.
Today: Sir William Hall, Lord-Lieutenant for Co Down, 1996-2009, is 92; Prof Laurie Taylor, sociologist, 90; Miss Janet Gough, High Mistress, St Paul’s Girls’ School, 1993-98, 86; Sir Ronald Cohen, Founder, Apax Partners, 81; Prof Sir Peter Scott, Vice-Chancellor, Kingston University, 1998-2010, 80; the Earl of Westmorland, 75; Prof Dame Janet Beer, Vice- Chancellor, University of Liverpool, 2015-22, 70; Mr Adrian Dunbar, actor, 68; Prof Sir Gerry McCormac, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Stirling University, 68; Mr Micheál
CARLISLE: 7.40 Morning Prayer; 8 HC; 10.30 Sung Eucharist, Canon Dr Benjamin Carter; 3 Choral Evensong. Streaming: carlislecathedral.org.uk CHELMSFORD: 8 Said Eucharist; 9.30 Eucharist; 11.15 Choral Eucharist; 3.30 Choral Evensong. Streaming details: chelmsfordcathedral.org.uk CHESTER: 8.30 HC; 10.30 Cathedral Eucharist; 3 Choral Evensong; 6 Compline. CHICHESTER: 8 HC; 9 Children, Families and Caregivers Service; 10 Choral Mattins; 11 Sung Eucharist, Chancellor; 3 Choral Evensong. Streaming details: chichestercathedral.org.uk COVENTRY: 10.30 Cathedral Eucharist; 4 Choral Evensong. Streaming details: coventrycathedral.org.uk DERBY: 8.30 HC, Rev Lindsay Pearson; 10.45 Cathedral Eucharist, Dean; 5.15 Evensong; 7 Taizé Service. Streaming details: derbycathedral.org DURHAM: 8 HC; 10 Sung Eucharist, Canon Jane Maycock; 11.30 Morning Prayer and Address, Canon Simon Oliver; 3.30 Evensong. Streaming details: durhamcathedral.co.uk ELY: 8.15 HC; 10.30 Sung Eucharist, Canon Victoria Johnson; 4 Evensong. Streaming details: elycathedral.org EXETER: 8 HC; 9 Morning Prayer; 10 Choral Eucharist; 4 Choral Evensong; 7 Sundays @. Streaming details: exeter-cathedral.org.uk GLASGOW, ST MUNGO’s (C-o-S): 11 Morning Worship, Rev Mark Johnstone. Streaming: glasgowcathedral.org GLOUCESTER: 8 Eucharist; 8.30 Morning Prayer; 10.15 Choral Eucharist, Canon Sandra Millar; 3 Evening Prayer. Streaming details: gloucestercathedral. org.uk GUILDFORD: 7.30 Morning Prayer; 8 HC; 9.45 Cathedral Eucharist; 6 Choral Evensong. Streaming details: guildford-cathedral.org HEREFORD: 8 HC; 10 Cathedral Eucharist, Dean; 11.30 Mattins; 3.30 Evensong. Streaming details: herefordcathedral.org INVERNESS: 8.30 Holy Eucharist; 11 Choral Eucharist, Very Rev S. Murray; 5.30 Eucharist with a Gaelic twist. Streaming: invernesscathedral.org ISLE OF MAN: 8.30 Communion; 10.30 Eucharist; 3.30 Evening Prayer. LEICESTER: 10.30 Cathedral Eucharist; 3.30 Evening Prayer. Streaming: leicestercathedral.org LICHFIELD: 7.40 Morning Prayer; 8 HC; 10.30 Eucharist; 3.30 Evening Prayer. Streaming via: lichfield-cathedral.org LINCOLN: 7.45 Litany; 8 HC; 9.30 Mattins; 10.30 Sung Eucharist, Succentor; 12.30 HC; 3.45 Choral Evensong. LIVERPOOL METROPOLITAN: Masses 9, 10 (Family), 11 (Solemn) and 7; 2 Organ Recital, Stephen Hargreaves. Mass at 11 streamed: liverpoolmetrocathedral.org.uk LLANDAFF: 8 and 9 Holy Eucharist; 11 Eucharist with hymns; 4 Evening Prayer
Martin, TD, Prime Minister of Ireland (Taoiseach), 66; Sir Sam Mendes, theatre and film director, 61; Sir Oliver Dowden, MP, 48; and Ms Karen Carney, former England and Great Britain footballer, now pundit, 39.
Tomorrow: Sir Michael Davies, Clerk of the Parliaments, House of Lords, 1997-2003, will be 86; Ms Isabel Allende, writer, 84; Dame Rose Tremain, novelist and playwright, 83; Dr Jean Wilson, president, Church Monuments Society, 2013-18, 81; Mr Paul Gray, Chairman, HM Revenue and Customs, 2006-07, 78; Col Lord Shuttleworth, Lord- Lieutenant of Lancashire, 78; Sir Peter Torry, Ambassador to Spain, 1998-2003 and to Germany, 2003-07, 78; Mr John Talbot, Chairman, English National Ballet, 2004-12, 77; Mr Alan Bishop, Chief Executive, Southbank Centre, 2009-17, 73; Sir Anthony Seldon, Founding Director, Wellington College Education, 73; Mr Sammy McIlroy, former Northern Ireland footballer and manager, 72; Sir Paul Marshall, financier and media proprietor, 67; and Miss Charlotte Aitchison (Charli XCX), singer and songwriter, 34.
Today is the anniversary of the beginning of the Battle of the Nile in 1798. It is also the anniversary of the abolition of slavery in all British possessions in 1834.
Tomorrow will be the anniversary of the death of Thomas Gainsborough, painter, in 1788, and of Alexander Graham Bell, inventor, in 1922.
Royal Navy Tot Club Members and guests of the Royal Naval Tot Club of Antigua and Barbuda held a dinner to mark “Black Tot Day” in HMS Drake, by permission of WO Scott Allan, President of the Warrant Officers’, Senior Rates’ and Senior NCOs’ Mess. Cdr Bernie Steed, RN Tot Club presided. CPO John Hays led a tour of the Mess, and Lt-Cdr David Scott led a tour of the Wardroom.
Revv Can Paul Richardson, p-in-c, Tickhill with Stainton, and ad, West Doncaster (Sheffield), to be v, Bardsey and East Keswick (Leeds); Dr Michael Firbank, v, Gresley, ac (assoc p), Swadlincote and Hartshorne, and Newhall (Derby), to be v, Long Eaton St John (same dio).
The British Summer Simultaneous Pairs has taken place across four days, writes Julian Pottage, Bridge Correspondent. Competitors could enjoy a different set of deals each day. Winners are as follows:
Monday 1st Charles Simpson and Kate Holmes (Framlingham BC) 69.62% 2nd David Brown and Cosmos Charles (Bromley North BC) 69.47% 3rd Peter Adams and Louise Lewis (Scunthorpe BC) 67.99%
Tuesday 1st Ian Roach and Richard Freeman (Corsham BC) 72.35% 2nd Nigel Bell and Paul Clarke (Middlesbrough BC) 71.92% 3rd Alison McConnell and Allan Davies (Wearside BC) 71.00%
Wednesday 1st Michael Kaltz and Peter Lewy (Welwyn Garden City BC) 69.50% 2nd Jim Benson and Richard Gatward (Cross In Hand BC) 68.45% 3rd Sigurður Jón Björgvinsson and Sveinn Ragnarsson (Milton Keynes BC) 67.72%
Thursday 1st Sara Barnett and Michael Hunt (Welwyn Garden City BC) 65.99% 2nd Steve Bourton and Albert Brooks (Tudor and Guildford BC) 65.78% 3rd Nigel Payne and Paul Wilson (Chichester BC) 64.77%
(said). Streaming: llandaffcathedral.org.uk MANCHESTER: 8.45 Morning Prayer followed by HC; 10.30 Sung Eucharist; 3.30 Evening Prayer. Streaming details: manchestercathedral.org NEWCASTLE: 8 Eucharist; 8.30 Morning Prayer; 10 Sung Eucharist with Cantor, Dean; 4 Choral Evensong. Streaming: newcastlecathedral.org.uk NORWICH: 7.30 Morning Prayer; 8 HC; 10.30 Sung Eucharist, Vice Dean; 3.30 Choral Evensong, Canon Liz Leaver. OXFORD: 7.30 Said Mattins; 8 HC (BCP); 11 Choral Eucharist, Sub Dean; 6 Choral Evensong. PETERBOROUGH: 8 HC; 9.15 Morning Prayer; 10.30 Cathedral Eucharist, Vice Dean; 3.30 Evensong. Streaming details: peterborough-cathedral.org.uk PORTSMOUTH: 8 HC; 9.30 Pompey Sundays; 11 Choral Eucharist, Canon Nick Ralph; 5.45 Choral Evensong, Canon Tom Kennar. Streaming details: portsmouthcathedral.org.uk RIPON: 8 HC; 9.30 Mattins; 10.30 Sung Eucharist with Baptism, Canon Wendy Dalrymple; 12.30 HC; 3.30 Evensong. Streaming details: riponcathedral.org.uk ROCHESTER: 8 HC; 10.30 Cathedral Eucharist, Rt Rev Peter Maurice; 3.15 Choral Evensong. ST DAVIDS: 8 Holy Eucharist; 11 Choral Eucharist with Farewell to Dean, Dean; 4 Choral Evensong, Canon in Residence. ST EDMUNDSBURY and IPSWICH: 8 HC; 9 All Age Eucharist; 10.30 Choral Eucharist, Caitlin Fitzjohn; 3.30 Choral Evensong. Streaming: stedscathedral.org SALISBURY: 8 HC; 9.15 Morning Prayer (said); 10.30 Eucharist, Dean; 4.30 Choral Evensong, Chancellor. Streaming details: salisburycathedral.org.uk SOUTHWELL: 7.40 Litany; 8 HC, Rev Erika Kirk; 10 Cathedral Eucharist, Missioner; 3.30 Evensong, Theologian. Streaming details: southwellminster.org TRURO: 8 HC; 10 Choral Eucharist, Rev Ali Hogger Gadsby; 4 Choral Evensong, Canon Sally Piper. Streaming details: trurocathedral.org.uk WAKEFIELD: 8 HC; 9.15 Sung Eucharist; 11 Said Eucharist; 3.30 Said Evening Prayer. WELLS: 8.30 HC; 10.30 Cathedral Eucharist, Rev Dr Alison Morgan; 3 Choral Evensong, Rev Rosey Lunn. WINCHESTER: 7.40 Said Mattins; 8 HC; 11 Sung Eucharist, Canon Angie Nutt; 3.30 Evensong, Dean. Streaming details: winchester-cathedral.org.uk WORCESTER: 7.30 Morning Prayer; 8 HC, Rev Dr John Fitzmaurice; 10.30 Sung Eucharist, Rev Dr John Fitzmaurice; 3 Worship in the Garden; 4 Evensong. Streaming details: worcestercathedral.co.uk YORK: 8 HC; 10 Mattins; 11 Sung Eucharist, Very Rev Terry Lester, Dean of Cape Town, South Africa; 4 Evensong, Precentor. Streaming: yorkminster.org
AHERN.—On Sunday 19th July 2026, at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital, to Rebecca Beth Dinsmore and Frederick George, a daughter, Josephine Molly Rose, a sister to Patrick. Online Ref: W0051137
BROWSE.—Mrs Elizabeth Browse, aged 90, loving wife of the late Dr Clarence M. Browse, died peacefully at Lightwater, Surrey on 25th July. Beloved mother of Colin and Jane and stepmother to Timothy and Robert. Private funeral. Online Ref: W0051243
BUTTLE.—Margaret Mary (Margot) died peacefully on 17th July 2026, aged 98. Beloved and devoted wife of the late Douglas, adored mother of Caroline and Jane, dear mother-in-law of Christopher Ames and deeply loved grandmother of Edward, James, Benjamin and Charles and great grandmother of Penelope. All enquiries to A.J. Wakely & Sons. Tel: 01935 816817. Online Ref: W0051284
FINCH.—Nigel Thomas James of Chedworth. Much loved father, grandfather and great grandfather died peacefully on 11th July 2026, aged 95. Memorial Service to take place at St Andrew’s Church, Chedworth on Monday 10th August at 3 p.m. Online Ref: W0051360
GRACIE.—Sr Jill, Religious of the Assumption, St Catherine’s Community, London, died peacefully on 10th July 2026. Her Funeral Mass will take place on 10th August in the Convent Chapel, 20 Kensington Square at 11.30 a.m. Online Ref: W0051157
IF WE say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 1 John 1.6-7 (AV)
GREENROD.—Peter Edward. Died on 26th July 2026. Much loved husband of Kate and loving father to Claire, Michael, Jamie and 5 grandchildren. Funeral Service on Tuesday 25th August at 12 noon at The Sacred Heart & St Aldhelm, Sherborne, DT9 3EL. Online Ref: W0051291
GREVATTE-BALL.—Lt Col Richard F. Grevatte-Ball. On 23rd July 2026, passed peacefully away, after battling a short illness, aged 84 years. A much loved husband, father and grandpa. Funeral enquiries Denise Wellington Funeral Services, Bude. Telephone: 01288 359277. Online Ref: W0051314
GRIFFITHS.—Michael John passed away peacefully on 23rd July 2026, aged 91. Beloved and devoted husband first to Jenny and then Penny. Loving father to Sara, Jeremy, Andrew, Rosi and Biba. Adored grandfather to 9 grandchildren and 2 great- grandchildren. He will be greatly missed by family, friends and all who knew him. Celebration of life to be held on 19th August in Wiltshire. For details contact Clarkson’s Funeral Directors. Tel: 01225 426822. Online Ref: W0051248
GUBBIN.—Joe Gubbin (12.06.1944 - 17.07.2026), son of the late Dr and Mrs John Henry Gubbin of Salisbury lived for many years in New Cross and Portwrinkle and latterly in Canterbury. A loyal brother to Scilla and proud, fond uncle and great uncle, a very kind and generous friend to many. Thanksgiving Service at St Mary’s, Nackington, Canterbury CT4 7AF at 2 p.m. on Friday 21st August. Online Ref: W0051255
HAZLE.—Robert James (19th December 1935 - 19th July 2026) son of Charles Henry (died on 20th December 1956) and Elsie (died on 26th May 2012). Dear brother of John Richard and his wife Janet and their family and Charles Julian and, his wife Margaret. Railway enthusiast Methodist and lifetime Scout (North West Leeds District). Thanks to all who visited James in care. At his request there will be no funeral. Ps 121 AV “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” Online Ref: W0051330
MACPHERSON.—Peter Michael, died peacefully on 23rd July 2026, aged 84. Beloved husband of the late Ann, much loved father of Rebecca and Bryony and stepfather of Catherine, Andrew and Fe, beloved brother of Mary and the late John, proud grandfather of Bethan, Holly, Billy, Patrick, William and Alice, and cherished friend to many. Funeral Service at Wootton Bassett Crematorium on Thursday 13th August at 2.30 p.m. Family flowers only. Donations, if desired, to Brainstrust (brainstrust.org. uk) c/o Dianne Mackinder Funeral Service, Wagon Yard, Marlborough, Wiltshire, SN8 1LH. Online Ref: W0051271
McALLISTER.—Richard Charles Andrew died peacefully aged 87 on 21st July in Frimley Park Hospital. Leaves behind his beloved wife Marian, children Andrew and Zoë and granddaughter Stella. Donations in memory of Richard to https://gwt- richardmcallister.muchloved.com Online Ref: W0051346
MORRISON.—Diana Elizabeth died peacefully on 27th July 2026, aged 97 years. Beloved wife of the late Alastair, much loved mother and grandmother. Memorial Service at St Katharine’s Church, Savernake on Thursday 13th August, at 11.30 a.m. Family flowers only. Enquiries to Dianne Mackinder Funeral Service, Wagon Yard, Marlborough, SN8 1LH. Tel: (01672) 512444. Online Ref: W0051326
MULLINGS.—William Nicholas “Nick”. Passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his loving family, on 24th June 2026, aged 79. Beloved husband of Christine, loving father of Laura Jane and Robert. Proudly devoted to J. McCarthy Ltd, the family jewellery business, for 52 years. Cherished grandfather and dear friend. Forever in our hearts. Online Ref: W0051294
OLIVER.—John Neville. Died peacefully at home aged 87 on 22nd July. Much loved father of Sally and Christopher. Funeral at St Mary’s, Horncastle, at 12.30 p.m. on Tuesday 18th August. No flowers, please but donations would be welcome to Lincolnshire Rural Support Network and Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance. Online Ref: W0051333
RUFFLE.—Sylvia (Sue) Pauline (née Saunders), formerly of Cheshunt, Herts died peacefully at home in Cuffley on 8th July 2026, aged 93. Steadfast best friend of husband Geoffrey for 70 years and devoted and adored mother of Susan and the late Sarah. Service of Thanksgiving at St Andrew’s Church, Cuffley on Monday 24th August at 11.30 a.m. Family flowers only please. Donations, if desired, to Stroke Association c/o W. J. Murray & Son Ltd, Waltham Cross, EN8 7DZ. Tel: 01992 627817. Online Ref: W0051113
RYAN.—Robert Patton died on 27th July 2026 at the age of 95 years. Beloved husband of Catherine and father of Jeanne, Thomas and John, ten grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Funeral private to be held in Yvoire, Haute Savoie, France. Online Ref: W0051297
SHEPPARD.—Philip died on 18th July on the west coast of Sweden, aged 60. Dearly loved husband of Eva, father of Ellen and Amanda. Devoted son, nephew and brother and a true friend to so many. His Funeral Service will take place at Hedvig Eleonora Church in Stockholm on Friday 21st August at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to BrainTumourResearch.org Online Ref: W0051348
Text for the day Birthdays
VOSSER.—On 26th July 2026, unexpectedly but peacefully after a long illness, Michael Cochrane, beloved husband of Susan, devoted and dearly loved Pa of Joanna, Sarah, Jeremy and Rosemary, and loving Grandpa of Victoria, Emma, Oliver and Zak. May he rest in peace. Online Ref: W0051350
WALLOP.—The Hon Nicholas Valoynes Bermingham, died peacefully at home aged 80 on 27th July. Beloved husband of Lavinia, loving father of Victoria and Harry and fond grandfather to his seven grandchildren. Funeral at 11 a.m. on Monday 17th August 2026 at Chelsea Old Church followed by a private family committal. No flowers please. Online Ref: W0051283
WATSON.—Robert Frederick Bonner on Friday 24th July. Beloved husband, father, and grandfather. Funeral at All Saints Church, Baschurch, SY4 2EF on Tuesday 11th August at 12 noon. Online Ref: W0051328
WHATLEY.—Sheila Louisa Thérèse (née O’Grady). Peacefully on July 12th, aged 96, widow of Michael. Much loved mother of Simon, Jonathon, Katie, Clare and Philippa, grandmother and great-grandmother. Funeral Service on August 13th at 10 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church, Tisbury. Family flowers only. Enquiries to Chris White Funeral Directors. Tel: 01722 744 691. Online Ref: W0051274
JULIAN JONES IS 60! Wishing you a very happy day. All our love and best wishes from all the family. From Marie, Stephen, Christopher, Jack, Penny, Rachel and Leo xxx Online Ref: W0051358
R
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who weren’t high and dry B
OOTS BANTOCK, “the Bard of Bath”, who has died aged 85, was an artist, troubadour, motley fool, court jester and penny poet. Christopher Gibbs likened him to Charles Ryder in Brideshead Revisited, whose lot it was “to paint houses and parks and the tamed and tilled landscape that is our great glory, and like Ryder he has felt a terrible urgency to chronicle England’s beauties before they fall to the developer and insurance company… He observes with clarity and tenderness the places he paints, painfully aware of the depredations of modern farming, of elm disease and mammon-worship, and it is this imminent sense of the rape by man of God’s England that gives depth and poignancy to his carefully distilled work.” Of no lesser importance, however, was the persona of Boots the troubadour, “who emerges from his elegantly camoufl aged caravan and strides across the fl owering fi elds clad in rainbow motley and, as soon as an audience materialises, recites in stentorian tones his latest poems, pungent tirades against the evils of whaling, cheeky sparrings at the Lord-Lieutenant of Herefordshire, noble rants at the lunacies of metrication.” Terence Euan Murray Bantock was born in Staff ordshire on May 8 1941, the second of four children. A rebel from an early age, kicking against the pricks, he abhorred and suppressed his given name Terence, and was always known as Boots, although nobody could remember why. On his father’s side he was descended from a Presbyterian gamekeeper for the Countess of Sutherland at Dunrobin, whose son and grandson had prospered in Wolverhampton as it entered the Industrial Revolution, where Bantock House is now a local history museum. The composer Sir Granville Bantock was a relation. Brought up as a Roman Catholic, Boots was educated by the scholar monks at Downside, where he fell under the spell of Dom Hubert van Zeller, sculptor, writer and ascetic, and Christopher Leyne, who encouraged him as an artist and instilled a contemptus mundi moderated by a spiritual intensity he never quite lost. At Downside Boots also made lifelong friendships with a talented artistic set, including the satirist Auberon Waugh, the painter and gallerist Rob Stuart, the artist Willie Feilding, Nicholas Gormanston, the premier viscount of Ireland, and the decorator David Mlinaric, who recalled Bantock in the art room as “very competitive and better than all of us right from the start”. After a spell at Camberwell School of Art, Bantock spent his inheritance on years of wandering. In the west of Ireland in 1961, he bartered pictures for his keep, and fostered his paternal grandmother’s Irish connections, as if he nurtured some atavistic memory of hapless Beckettian tramps, garrulous poets and wanderers. He was taken up by the gentry. On one outing, Garech Browne stopped his Rolls-Royce dead, and said to him: “Can you not see the leprechauns crossing the road?” Ireland was followed by adventures in the Orient, overland to India and Sri Lanka,
ONNIE LE DREW, the puppeteer, who has died aged 78, gave life to Zippy, the rebarbative braggart with a rugby-ball shaped head and zip-up mouth who dominated the children’s television series Rainbow. A goggle-eyed orange creature of no recognisable species, Zippy was the off ensive, attention-seeking member of the Rainbow household, which also included a camp pink hippopotamus called George, and Bungle, an ingenuous bear. Geoff rey Hayes, the presenter, fruitlessly tried to keep his puppet housemates in order, while his fellow humans Rod, Jane and Freddy provided musical interludes (often eliciting comments from Zippy such as: “What’s that terrible noise?”). Zippy’s chaotic behaviour delighted the programme’s young viewers, although some parents longed for the inevitable moment when he would go too far and his mouth be zipped up as punishment. Made for Thames Television at Teddington Studios, Rainbow began its long run in 1972 as a British alternative to the popular American import Sesame Street. Zippy was created by the veteran puppeteer Violet Philpott, but the high turnover of Rainbow episodes led to her damaging her back as she manipulated the puppet. Ronnie Le Drew took over in 1974, remaining until the series was axed 18 years later. He noted that although the programme’s educational remit was emphasised in its early years, it gradually became more knockabout and Zippy became naughtier. The actor Roy Skelton provided Zippy’s rasping nasal voice (as well as George’s more emollient snuffl e) from a booth in the studio, and he and Le Drew came to regard themselves as a double-act, with Skelton instantly able to modulate his performance in response to the movements provided by Le Drew, and vice versa. When Skelton left towards the end of the run, Le Drew seamlessly took over the voice too: “It was ingrained in my head.” After Rainbow came to an end Le Drew continued to operate and voice Zippy for various revivals, spin-off s, commercials and guest appearances on series such as Celebrity Juice and The Last Leg. In 2002 George and Zippy’s novelty single It’s a Rainbow charted at No 15 and they performed it on Top of the Pops. Le Drew and Zippy also toured clubs and student unions; initially Zippy would indulge in bad language and innuendo, but soon had to clean up his act. “The audience
ESTATE OF BOOTS BANTOCK
KEN MCKAY/SHUTTERSTOCK
Boots Bantock declaiming as ‘the Bard of Bath’ and, below, one of his still-life paintings
where his sketches evoked the rat temples of Rajasthan and the rock-cut shore temples of Mahabalipuram. He was inspired by Augustus John to wander with his Romany circus wagon, inside as exotically indulgent as a tart’s parlour. His ménage included two Welsh cobs, ridden bareback at a gallop, and two sheepdogs: Bronwen, who never stopped barking, and Blister, furiously nipping at heels. He joined the hippie baronet Mark Palmer’s “cavalcade of horse-drawn caravans”, as his friend Henrietta Moraes called them, painting as he meandered
Le Drew with one of his puppets and, right, the Rainbow household: Zippy, the mild-mannered bear Bungle and the camp hippopotamus George
didn’t like it,” Le Drew observed. “They’d come to see the Rainbow they remembered.” Nevertheless, a double-entendre-heavy mini-episode of Rainbow that the cast had recorded as a private skit, in which Zippy boasts about having a big red twanger as Rod, Jane and Freddy bring out their guitars, has been watched 5.5 million times on YouTube. Unlike Geoff rey Hayes, who became a minicab driver and shelf stacker after Rainbow ended, Le Drew was never short of work, Rainbow having been only one facet of his career as one of Britain’s foremost puppeteers. He often worked with the Jim Henson Company, operating puppets on fi lms such as Labyrinth, The Muppet Christmas Carol and Little Shop of Horrors: he was particularly proud of a scene in the last of those in which he contrived to have the giant man-eating plant Audrey II using a dial telephone with one of its tendrils. It was a tribute to Le Drew’s digital dexterity that he was chosen to model for the giant hand emerging from the sky and pointing at National Lottery winners – while a voice intoned “It’s you!” – in a long- running series of commercials made by Camelot. Le Drew was paid a mere £50 for half an hour’s work, but insisted he was pleased to “have the most famous hand in the country”. Ronald Frederick Le Drew was born to Canadian parents in Toronto on October 23 1947. His father, Leslie, was a teacher and an Anglophile who prevailed on his wife Edna, née Brooker, to emigrate to London when
across the upland byways of the Welsh Marches, the West Country and the Celtic fringe. His subjects of this time were lyrical landscapes of the Arthurian hills of Somerset, the country houses of friends and friends of friends, abandoned farmhouses and potting sheds, and cathedrals of lonely beech trunks in the manner of Paul Nash. His painterly eye celebrated the seamy side of decaying industrial landscapes, the backwater canals and warehouses of Dublin, Birmingham, East Rotherhithe and Wapping, before conservation had been invented. There were Chelsea exhibitions at the Langton Gallery organised by his school friend Rob Stuart. Tryingly undomesticated, he raided the fridges of his patrons, insisting that he suff ered from an undiagnosed medical condition requiring him to eat six square meals a day, washed down with lashings of barley wine (which he claimed to detest) and his signature Underberg pick-me-up. Back in London in the Sixties and Seventies, in the bohemia of the Colony Room, he invented himself as a rambunctious performance poet. Outrageousness ran in the family. His younger brother Tom, “England’s most famous gentleman poacher”, became owner of a Dean Street den irreverently called
Ronnie and his twin sister were three. The family lived in a council fl at in Stockwell, and, after his father gave him some glove puppets when he was nine, Ronnie sought refuge from his parents’ fractious marriage by putting on shows. To the accompaniment of a wind-up gramophone, he would entertain large groups of children sitting on the concrete steps in his block of fl ats. On one occasion he attempted something more ambitious than his usual comic fare – a puppet version of Hamlet. Peeping round the curtain to see how it was being received, he found that everybody had left; for the rest of his career he took care to prioritise what audiences wanted. At Stockwell Manor Comprehensive School, Ronnie was bullied for being “a bit weedy” and nicknamed “Le Drew-drop”, he recalled. He sought refuge in puppeteering, and at 15 went to see a performance of The Little Mermaid at the Little Angel Theatre, a newly founded puppet theatre in Islington. Transfi xed, he “literally banged on the door and asked how you became a puppeteer”, and was taken on as an unpaid apprentice by the theatre’s founders, John and Lyndie Wright. Although his parents were rebuked by his headmaster – “Your son is leaving school for what I would assume is a hobby rather than a job” – they agreed to support him. When his father died suddenly shortly afterwards, John Wright consented to pay him two pounds a week. Le Drew “was sweeping fl oors and making tea, but eventually got to operate the puppets”. He toured Europe, Israel and the United States with the company, and continued to work at the Little Angel
“Blacks”, the antithesis of a certain respectable patrician haunt in St James’s. This gave Boots a platform. Dressed in vintage tweeds or the patchwork motley of a fool, bells jingling on his cockscomb cap and sleeves, he declaimed his rhyming doggerel, running to hundreds of lines in thumping rhythms, modulating his expression as he boomed in stentorian tones, or chanted in a prestissimo patter, occasionally hinting at the patchwork wisdom of a Shakespearian Feste:
The distance misbehaves, on this strange old shingle shore: there’s no more I can call home.
From Soho to the tourist arcades of Bath, he courted notoriety as the “Penny Poet”, shouting on street corners after closing time: “If you give me three words, I’ll give you an instant masterpiece.” He was invited to perform at the Dorchester by Dai Llewellyn, at the Dover Street Arts Club for Lord Iveagh, and at the Chelsea Arts Club, or as a cabaret recitalist at country houses, with a stand-up stint at the Edinburgh Festival. Richard Booth, the self-styled King of Hay-on-Wye, appointed him his poet laureate and indulged him, waiting 25 years for a picture Bantock had promised. Boots became known as the “Bard of Bath” when his protests against the ruination of the countryside gave him television celebrity on the news. At a Friends of the Earth rally in 1980, Bantock shared a platform with Joanna Lumley, Spike Milligan and Michael Palin. There were diatribes against the metric system (“Stand up for the foot: don’t give an inch!”) and various road schemes. In 1994 he joined forces with Bel Mooney in the Battle of Little Solsbury, a direct- action protest against a bypass east of Bath. Another crusade was against the routing of a motorway through the wetlands of Otmoor, threatening not just the water meadows, but the setting of Henry VIII’s moated hunting lodge at Beckley Park (a house he had wanted to paint). He was by now describing himself as the “offi cial poet of the National Trust”. In 1991 he was appointed the Hermit of Stowe, taking up residence in William Kent’s rusticated ruin on the Path of Vice, when on an open day he was instructed “to leap out of the Hermitage and startle the journalists who had thought refreshments were the only secrets stored in the building”. He never married, or settled, or published. “The Woods over Longleat” commemorates the years he lived at Longleat, where the Marquess of Bath allowed him to park his caravan. His latter years were a mellow postscript, still wandering and reciting from Somerset to Hampstead Heath, though now in a wheelchair, and painting less. Like his late brother Tom, he ended up in Norfolk, where both were said to have written rambling memoirs, probably unpublishable. He is survived by his two sisters and a loyal, now dwindling, band of friends.
Boots Bantock, born May 8 1941, died
June 25 2026
Theatre as a puppeteer, director and teacher for the rest of his life; he won particular acclaim for his puppet adaptation of Roald Dahl’s The Giraff e and the Pelly and Me. His other projects included playing Polynesia the parrot (with the voice provided by Julie Andrews) in a tour of the musical Doctor Dolittle, and being the hand inside Sweep the dog in The Sooty Show. In 2015 he worked as a puppeteer on the fantasy fi lm Pan, directed by Joe Wright, the son of his mentors John and Lyndie Wright. Recently he worked on the fi lms Pinocchio, doubling for Tom Hanks as Gepetto in the scenes in which he operates puppets, and Beauty and the Beast. In 2022 he performed in a marionette version of Cinderella at the Norwich Puppet Theatre. His live shows often involved audience participation, with attendees encouraged to take off their socks and fashion them into glove puppets for a sock-singalong. Ronnie Le Drew was president of the British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild from 2016, and in 2019 published an autobiography, Zippy and Me. “One of the reasons I enjoy being a puppeteer – I walk down the street, nobody really knows me,” he observed. “I like not being the star or being a face on television, I prefer to be the characters.” He married, in 1983, Caroline Astell-Burt, with whom he ran the London School of Puppetry for a time. They were separated, and he is survived by their son and daughter.
CHRISTOPHER HOWSE
he usual British
attitude to religion in
the 18th century is
that it was dry, formalistic
and hypocritical, with
bewigged clergy enriching
themselves from pluralistic
livings and getting drunk on
a couple of bottles of port
after dinner.
That is to overlook the
upwellings of piety that had
such an eff ect on Christian
practice. A notable year was
1729 when William Law
published A Serious Call to a
Devout and Holy Life.
Samuel Johnson picked it
up when he was 19 and
studying at Oxford,
“expecting to fi nd it a dull
book, (as such books
generally are), and perhaps
to laugh at it. But I found
Law quite an overmatch for
me; and this was the fi rst
occasion of my thinking in
earnest of religion”.
In 1729 too, John and
Charles Wesley started an
informal association at
Christ Church, Oxford, that
was mocked as the “Holy
Club”, and later developed
into Methodism.
I am not saying that Law
or the Wesleys discovered
new truths in Christianity.
But they wanted it to change
their lives. So too, in a very
diff erent culture, did a man
I’d never really appreciated:
Alphonsus Liguori.
Liguori was a few years
older than Johnson and the
Wesleys, being born in 1696
(but surviving until 1787). In
1871 he was declared a
Doctor of the Church. This
recognition of his approach
to Christian doctrine turned
on a question that caused
some anguish to Johnson:
the path to holiness of a
repentant sinner.
A detail of Liguori’s life
that has some bearing on
this was his father’s resolve
to keep Alphonsus when he
was young to three hours a
day practising the
harpsichord. Then, from his
teens, Liguori excelled as a
civil lawyer. There you have
two elements – disciplined
habit and strong legalism
– that could have caused
trouble in later years.
As it was, Liguori suff ered
from what were called
scruples – an obsessive fear
that he was off ending God
and had not genuinely
repented of his sins or been
forgiven them.
Naples in Liguori’s day
was troubled like all the
Christian world with trying to understand how grace and the practice of virtue were connected. A beguiling school of piety that came to be known as Jansenism insisted there was nothing Christians could contribute by way of responding to God’s freely given grace. This led to a rigorism that heaped guilt on wrongdoers (everyone) and demanded a perfect contrition and amendment of life before a penitent could be granted absolution, let alone admission to the sacrament of Holy Communion. The Jansenists (who denied being Jansenists) accused their opponents, particularly in the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) of a scandalous laxity that would lead their followers only to the everlasting bonfi re. Liguori did not fi nd a mean between Jansenism and Jesuitry, but he did exercise his sharp legal mind
A window at Luxembourg’s Church of St Alphonsus Liguori
on the practical diffi culties penitents revealed to him when they made their sacramental Confessions. I think Liguori remarked that he had never denied absolution to a penitent. That might be because as a spiritual adviser he was able to bring them round to an understanding of what was objectively wrong and to be sorry if they had done it. Alphonsus Liguori laboured to help the poor of Naples and the countryside. He suff ered terribly from rheumatism and more terribly from the enmity of churchmen, even a pope, who cut him off from the Redemptorists, the religious congregation he’d founded. Still tempted by despair, he died aged 90 with a reputation for holiness. He was canonised in 1839 and his feast day falls today.
** Saturday 1 August 2026 The Daily Telegraph
worst since financial crisis
and Emma Taggart
Rightmove has said that the housing market is in the worst state since the finan- cial crisis. Johan Svanstrom said developers were “seeing con- ditions among the most diffi- cult experienced since the global financial crisis”. “As a result, new develop- ments coming to market are at their lowest in over a dec- ade,” he said. Mr Svanstrom said the industry was suffering as a result of the “elongated” Middle East conflict, persis- tently high interest rates and the uncertainty surrounding the next Budget. He delivered the verdict as Rightmove said “subdued” growth in its new homes division meant revenue growth this year would be lower than previously expected. It cut its growth forecast to 6-8pc, down from 8-10pc. Jennie Daly, chief execu- tive of Taylor Wimpey, sepa- rately warned that the housing market was in a “prolonged downturn”. The builder has slashed the amount of money it is
fare rises, says BA
a squeeze from low-cost rivals in Europe as holiday- makers reject a rise in fares driven by higher fuel costs. Luis Gallego, the chief executive of BA-parent com- pany International Airlines Group (IAG), said the busi- ness was grappling with a flood of capacity from cut- price rivals in Europe amid a collapse in demand for places closer to the Middle East, such as Cyprus and Turkey. This has put pressure on margins for the flag carrier’s short-haul flights, as con- sumers opt for budget holi- day operators and airlines. Mr Gallego said: “Europe is the most competitive region. We’re seeing ele- vated capacity growth, in particular where there are ultra-low-cost carriers.” BA’s parent company has managed to recover about 60pc of the increase in its
È Australia All Ordinaries 9122.70 -77.00 -0.84pc
Ç Brazil Bovespa 177158.86 +3273.52 +1.88pc
È China Shanghai Composite 3804.69 -23.78 -0.62pc
Ç France CAC General 8485.64 +77.37 +0.92pc
Ç Germany DAX 25612.03 +151.55 +0.60pc
Ç Hong Kong Hang Seng 25858.88 +50.96 +0.20pc
Ç India BSE S&P SENSEX 77928.15 +273.55 +0.35pc
Ç Japan Nikkei 61867.43 +433.24 +0.71pc
È Singapore Straits Times 5673.58 -39.61 -0.69pc
Ç Spain Madrid SE 1956.70 +34.90 +1.82pc
È Switzerland SMI Index 14392.49 -93.61 -0.65pc
Ç USA Dow Jones 52208.06 +613.92 +1.19pc
Ç USA Nasdaq 25122.18 +679.24 +2.78pc
Ç Gold per troy oz $4113.11 +58.46 +1.44pc
Ç Silver per troy oz £44.12 +1.05 +2.43pc
Ç Krugerrand
£3015.62 +13.13 +0.44pc
Ç New Sovereign
£714.18 +2.53 +0.36pc
Ç Maples
£3044.06 +24.43 +0.81pc
Ç Platinum per oz £1236.74 +25.43 +2.10pc
Ç Palladium per oz £979.86 +31.25 +3.29pc
Ç Copper† grade A £10275.92 +28.42 +0.28pc
Ç Tin† high grade £41111.86 +601.81 +1.49pc
È Lead†
£1410.11 -16.95 -1.19pc
Ç Zinc† special high grade £2688.04 +0.16 +0.01pc
È Aluminium† high grade £2377.87 -11.74 -0.49pc
Ç Nickel†
£12894.70 +0.69 +0.01pc
Ç Baltic Dry Index*
2673.00 +41.00 +1.56pc
Ç Wheat per tonne £199.75 +1.00 +0.50pc
È Brent Crude Sep settlement $89.03 -1.71 -1.88pc
*Copyright Baltic Exchange Information Services Ltd. †Data provided by the London Metal Exchange.
£ > Eur Rate 1.1672 Change -0.03¢ £ > $ Rate 1.3428 Change +1.39¢
Tourist £1= Sterling £1= 1 Euro = 1 Dollar =
Australia Aus $ 1.872 1.9169 1.6423 1.4277
Canada Can $ 1.8182 1.8821 1.6124 1.4017
Denmark Krone 8.3186 8.7254 7.4752 6.4981
Euro € 1.1395 1.1672 … 0.8693
Hong Kong HK $ 9.9782 10.5322 9.0230 7.8438
India Rupee 97.41 128.4726 110.0640 95.6787
Israel Shekels 3.8555 4.1154 3.5257 3.0649
Japan Yen 213.0348 213.9337 183.2796 159.3250
Kuwait Dinar … 0.4161 0.3565 0.3099
New Zealand NZ $ 2.2193 2.2912 1.9629 1.7063
and reduced its forecast for the number of homes it expects to sell this year. “We’re doing all that we can in terms of driving costs out of the business and being as efficient as possible,” said Ms Daly. Fresh figures from Nation- wide showed house price growth had slowed as the Iran war pushes up mortgage costs. Property values increased 1.8pc in the 12 months to July, a slowdown from a 2.2pc growth rate in the year to June. Prices did edge up 0.1pc between June and July, hav- ing flatlined over the previ- ous month, making the ave r a ge h o m e wo r th £277,542. Robert Gardner, chief economist at the lender, said the weakness in house prices reflected the “uncertain eco- nomic backdrop”. He said: “Geopolitical ten- sions remain high, with the conflict between Iran and the US again exerting upward pressure on energy prices and market interest rates in recent weeks.” The Bank of England kept interest rates flat at 3.75pc on Thursday for a fifth consecu- tive meeting.
across most of its flight net- work. But in Europe, the fig- ure is much lower. IAG said: “Over the past few months these markets have been highly competi- tive due to significant capac- ity growth. “This has limited our abil- ity to recover the fuel cost increase through pricing.” BA’s short-haul leisure flights from Gatwick – the biggest hub for easyJet and a major base for Wizz Air – are thought to be suffering the biggest squeeze on margins. IAG’s airlines will review their European exposure for the winter months “to pro- tect profitability,” he added. BA, which posted a £28m drop in operating profit for the three months through June, has found it easier to raise prices on longer North Atlantic routes where it com- petes with American carriers that have themselves imposed hefty fare increases.
Index Change
Price
Change
Oil & Gas +1.86%
Aerospace & defence +0.91%
Information technology +0.59%
Ç Investment trusts 0.34
Investment trusts +0.34%
Ç Gas & Water 0.33
Gas & Water +0.33%
Ç Electricity 0.26
È Travel & Leisure -0.72
Travel & Leisure -0.72%
È Household goods -1.05
Household goods -1.05%
È Retailers -1.16
Retailers -1.16%
È Transport -1.17
Transport -1.17%
È Chemicals -1.20
Chemicals -1.20%
È Telecommunications -1.31
Telecommunications -1.31%
È Construction -1.40
Construction -1.40%
È Healthcare -1.70
Healthcare -1.70%
È Support services -1.74
Support services -1.74%
È Food producers -1.79
Food producers -1.79%
È Media -2.22
Media -2.22%
È General financial -2.23
General financial -2.23%
Government securities
52 week Flat Rdm High Low (£) Stock Price (£) +/- Yield Yield
107.53 103.38 Treas 6% 28 103.73 -0.11 5.78 4.31
102.33 97.08 Treas 4¼% 32 98.00 -0.20 4.34 4.64
99.39 92.65 Treas 4¼% 36 93.87 -0.32 4.53 5.06
102.00 93.84 Treas 4¾% 38 95.18 -0.34 4.99 5.29
Index Linked Securities
349.35 338.41 Treas 4⅛% IL 30 341.05 -0.30 1.21 0.92
248.27 236.46 Treas 2% IL 35 240.25 +0.12 0.83 1.77
10-year Government Bonds
Spread Vs Spread Vs Yield% Bunds T-Bonds
France 3.89 +0.69 -0.85
Germany 3.20 - -1.54
Japan 2.80 -0.40 -1.94
Great Britain 5.05 +1.85 +0.31
United States 4.74 +1.54 -
The share prices, price-earnings ratios and dividend yields below are supplied by Interactive Data (Europe) Ltd. The yields are calculated using historic dividend payments divided by the closing share price multiplied by 100.
52 week High Low (p) Stock Price (p) +/- Yld P/E
52 week
High Low (p) Stock
Price (p) +/- Yld
NAV
52 week
High Low (p) Stock
Price(£) +/- Yld P/E
52 week High Low (p) Stock Price (£) +/- Yld NAV
52 week
High Low (p) Stock
Price (p) +/- Yld
P/E
52 week High Low (p) Stock Price (p) +/- Yld P/E
1527 902⅜ Babcock Intl 1121 -4½ 0.7 26.6
2360 1529 BAE Systems 2094 +44 1.8 30.4
551½ 398½ QinetiQ ● 506* +8⅜ 2.2 25.2
1532⅝ 990 Rolls–Royce 1467¾ +4¾ 0.7 21.1
318⅛ 161 Senior ● 290½ — 1.0 -284.8
Banks -0.33%
554⅛ 352⅝ Barclays 508¾ -2¼ 2.3 11.6
563½ 318⅜ Close Bros ● 425⅝ +3¾ — -6.4
1604⅝ 908¾ HSBC 1576 -11 3.5 17.5
117¾ 74⅜ Lloyds Bk Gp 114¾ -1 3.5 16.4
722⅝ 500¼ NatWest Group 705¾ +22 5.0 13.2
1080 613 Santander 1050 -4 1.6 13.5
2278 1285 Standard Ch 2188 -28 2.4 15.1
Beverages -0.55%
2142 1295½ Diageo 1634½ -9 3.8 20.8
3338 2426¾ Croda Intl 3205 -66 3.5 72.2
2434 1730¾ Johnson Mat ● 1992* -8 3.9 -34.8
819 515 Victrex ● 783 +3 7.6 24.5
900 539 Balfour Beatty ● 862½ -11½ 1.6 16.4
410¼ 235⅜ Barratt Redrow 293¼ -1¾ 5.8 21.6
4442 2796 Berkeley Grp ● 3500 -28 — 10.6
237 133½ Boot H 152 — 5.2 8.6
220½ 124⅜ Costain ● 211 -½ 2.0 15.2
1009¾ 788⅝ Grafton Gp ● 965¾ -4 3.9 13.7
5730 3915 Morgan Sindall ● 4430 -30 3.7 11.9
1552 947⅜ Persimmon 1107 -4 5.4 12.4
116⅞ 74⅛ Taylor Wimpey ● 78 -5 5.3 27.9
Electricals -0.52%
937½ 613⅞ Drax Group ● 737½ -7½ 4.1 35.6
1428½ 1000 Nat Grid 1190 +5½ 4.1 18.2
2767½ 1597 SSE 2346* -1 2.9 22.2
Engineering / Industrial -0.43%
98⅛ 71 Coats Group ● 80¼ -¾ 3.1 18.3
414½ 230 Cropper J 380 +23 — 12.3
28500 8306⅜ Goodwin ● 17320 +360 1.6 52.9
3076 2138 IMI 2936 -10 1.2 23.6
1129½ 660 Mondi ● 892¼ +16⅝ 1.4 27.9
38⅝ 21¼ Severfield 37½ -½ — -3.1
2746¼ 2088 Smiths Gp 2642 — 1.8 30.8
8050 5950 Spirax Gp 6945 -45 2.4 31.3
3580 2254 Weir 2636 -68 1.6 27.5
2359 1729½ Ass Brit Fds 2087 -4 3.0 14.7
5195 3270 Coca–Cola HBC 5010 -50 2.0 22.6
5810 4775 Cranswick ● 5350* -80 2.1 18.1
861 447⅞ Hilton Food ● 599 +31 5.8 6.8
138 87 REA Hldgs 109½ +½ — -210.5
5542⅛ 3644 Unilever 4743 -107 3.4 12.8
220¼ 152½ Centrica 155 +2⅜ 3.7 -103.3
606 439⅜ Pennon Gp ● 463* -1⅝ 6.3 23.9
3335 2381 Severn Trent 3018 -10 4.2 24.4
1497 1072 Utd Utilities 1383* +3 3.9 16.1
276½ 145⅞ Ashmore ● 206⅜ -⅝ 8.2 17.0
363⅜ 212 Bridgepoint Grp ● 320⅝ +4¾ 3.0 64.1
1880 1240 BrooksMacdonald 1425 +5 5.8 11.0
1956 1016 IG Group 1460 -246 2.9 10.1
2340 1424⅞ ICG 1888* -11 4.6 11.3
690 499⅜ Investec 649 +3 5.9 8.4
72 48 IP Group ● 62¼ +⅛ 2.0 8.6
385 223 Liontrust 284* — 6.7 18.4
10290 6684 Lon Stock Ex 8398 -208 1.9 35.2
360½ 247 M&G 357½ +1½ 5.7 28.4
327¼ 154¼ Man Group ● 302¼ -11 4.2 26.4
209 150¾ Quilter ● 193¼ -2⅝ 3.3 21.7
2458½ 1620 S & U 1945 +5 5.9 10.0
599½ 358⅝ Schroders 588½ — 3.7 17.3
132 77⅞ Vanquis Banking Gp 77⅞ -7⅜ — 24.3
416⅛ 274⅜ Haleon 363¼ -5¼ 2.0 19.5
1441½ 1050 Smith & Nep 1158½ -29½ 2.5 21.6
1376½ 976 Burberry 1187½ -6½ — —
170 106¼ McBride 163 +¾ 1.8 8.4
113⅝ 65⅛ PZ Cussons 110¾ -1 3.2 -80.3
6522⅞ 3664 Reckitt Benck 5240 -60 4.1 11.2
309 196 Aptitude Sftwre 196 — 2.8 26.8
1234 771⅝ The Sage Grp 973¼ +5¾ 2.3 25.8
Insurance -0.53%
265 177½ Aberdeen Group 240⅝ +1⅜ 6.1 11.1
3816 2624 Admiral 3772 -8 5.4 15.3
700¾ 590⅝ Aviva 693⅜ -2⅜ 5.7 25.8
1296 750 Beazley 1290½ — 1.9 11.4
1904 1246 Hiscox 1809 -7 2.1 13.5
700 549 Lancashire Hldg ● 602½ -7 2.8 6.7
310 217¼ Legal & General 300⅜ +⅜ 7.3 30.1
1238 910¼ Prudential 1116 -19 1.8 9.7
932 615 Standard Life 923 +1½ 6.0 -196.0
1575½ 1038¾ St James’s Place 1053½ -6½ 1.7 10.5
4497 1825 3i 2864 +17 3.0 3090
394½ 325 3i Infrastructure ● 380 -5½ 3.5 403
820 606 Aberdeen New India 730 +6 — 806
1356 1178 Alliance Witan 1345 +15 2.2 1406
764 439½ Allianz Tech Trust ● 670 +4 — 739
Company Turnover(£) Pre - tax(£) EPS(p) DIV(p) Pay Day XD
153⅜ 120⅝ Bankers Invstmt Tst ● 147* +1 1.9 161
1684 804 Biotech Growth 1602 -28 — 1757
284 197 BlckRckAmInc 279 -½ 5.0 278
205 116½ BlackRockEnrgy&Res 174 — 3.3 183
208 159½ BlckRock FroInv 187 -3½ 4.1 186
625 507 BlckRck Grt Euro ● 588 -1 1.2 632
238 198 BlckRck Inc&Grth 227* -1 3.4 262
288⅜ 230¾ BlackRock Small ● 269* +½ 2.9 306
1072⅞ 543⅛ BlackRock Wld M ● 883 +1 2.7 904
1562 1336 Brunner ● 1538* -2 1.8 1723
395 312 Caledonia ● 388* +3½ 2.0 594
599 486 City of Lon ● 593* +1 3.7 583
467 207 CQS Nat Res G & I 351* -1 8.1 350
330 270 CT Glbl Mgd G 320 — — 324
135 114 CT Glbl Mgd I 131½ — 6.1 131
592 439⅞ CT Priv Eq Ord 500* — 5.6 695
373 320 CT UK Cap & Inc 358 -4 3.7 377
126 97 CT UKHighIncTst 116* -1½ 5.1 120
480¼ 460 Dunedin Ent # 475 — 4.8 —
860 737⅝ Edinburgh Inv Tr ● 844 -2 3.8 918
294½ 185¾ Edin Worldwide ● 232½ -½ — 256
1332 325¾ F&C Inv Trust 331¼* +1¼ 1.3 366
672 546 Fidelity Asian V 588 -6 3.5 621
339 241 Fidlty Chna Sp Sits ● 268 +3 3.4 278
442 367½ Fidelity Euro Tst ● 428½ -½ 2.3 451
469½ 372 Fidelity Sp V ● 463½ -1½ 2.2 464
924 706¼ Finsbury Gwth ● 804 -6 2.5 871
198⅜ 162⅜ Glbl Small Co Trust ● 191¾ +1⅜ 1.6 201
212¼ 173¼ Hend High Inc 205 -1 5.4 217
966 769 Hend Smaller Co ● 953 — 3.0 1034
3290¾ 2285 Herald Inv ● 2950 — — 3244
524⅜ 318⅝ HgCapital ● 390 +1½ 1.3 530
138 107¼ HICL Infrastructure ● 136 — 6.2 161
1611⅜ 1288¼ ICG Enterprise Tst ● 1440 +18 2.9 2034
980 782½ JPM Claverh’se ● 974* +4 3.7 991
153 121½ JPM Eur G&I ● 146¾* +⅝ 3.7 148
849 633 JPM Japanese ● 789 — 1.1 846
722 522½ Land Secs 705½ -15½ 5.8 —
186½ 141½ Lowland Inv 182½* -1½ 3.7 201
282 234¼ Mercantile InvTr ● 276½* -2½ 3.0 309
673 536 Merchants Tst ● 666* -1 4.5 707
1664 1322 Monks ● 1578 +12 0.1 1665
1034 854⅝ Murray Income ● 1020 — 4.0 1099
371 283½ Murray Intl ● 368½* +1½ 3.4 364
57 47 Northern 2 VCT 54 +2 5.6 55
86½ 79½ Northern 3 VCT 84½ +3½ 5.3 85
59½ 53 Nthn Venture 57½ +2½ 5.4 58
437 345 Pacific Assets 412 +8 1.4 442
409 319½ Pantheon ● 395 +1½ — 526
2610 1906⅛ RIT Cap Ptnrs ● 2565 — 1.8 3159
319 281¼ Ruffer Inv Pref ● 296½ +½ 2.1 305
738 488¾ Schroder Asian TR ● 690 +23 1.7 710
561 480⅛ Scot American ● 555 -3 2.9 598
1563 1015¾ Scot Mortgage 1330½ +15½ 0.3 1458
253 215⅞ STS Global Income 229 -3 3.7 235
352 196¼ Tmpletn Em Mt ● 305* +7½ 1.7 334
364½ 291 TR Property ● 318 +½ 5.1 351
398 306½ Worldw HealthTr ● 376 -1 0.6 406
Net Asset Values © 2026 Morningstar Estimated at previous day’s close see www.Morningstar.co.uk.
844⅜ 418⅝ Autotrader 523¾ -3 2.2 15.3
690 435 Bloomsbury ● 611* -12 2.7 18.4
1000 719 Informa 885¾ -28 2.5 —
87⅜ 65¾ ITV ● 74¼ -1 6.7 12.6
1337 874¾ Pearson 1257 -35½ 2.0 24.5
75⅜ 40⅛ Reach 44½* -1½ 13.2 -1.1
3976 1991 RELX 2607 -68 2.6 23.2
827 391⅜ Rightmove ● 464⅝ +7¾ 2.3 16.5
412⅜ 218½ WPP ● 298¾ -1 5.0 5.9
Mining -0.25%
4239 2042 Anglo Amer 3733 +7 0.8 -15.2
4475 1850½ Antofagasta 3655 -49 1.3 36.5
3495 1873½ BHP Group 3134 -24 3.3 23.7
81 81 Evraz # 81 — — 0.5
4472 1371 Fresnillo 2475 -47 3.8 17.7
707¼ 275¼ Glencore 543 +4 2.3 —
858 246¼ Hochschild Mng ● 431⅜ -7⅝ 1.0 14.9
345 178⅜ Kenmare Res 198 +⅜ — -0.7
9117 4344½ Rio Tinto 7174 +38 4.8 15.7
609⅜ 397⅛ BP 552½ +9⅝ 4.5 —
28 9¾ EnQuest 23⅞ +⅛ 3.4 —
553 288½ Hunting ● 443½ +3½ 2.2 22.8
3758½ 2553¾ Shell 3383½ +64½ 4.5 15.0
Pharmaceuticals -0.63%
15732 9892 AstraZeneca 12632 -88 1.9 25.8
3228¾ 1943 Genus ● 2194 -50 1.5 74.9
2282 1288⅝ GSK 1931½ -8½ 3.6 13.7
2004 1187 Hikma ● 1585 -9 3.9 11.7
Property -0.23%
16 6½ Alina Hldgs 10 — — 17
1208 800½ Big Yellow Gp ● 887½ +1 5.3 —
446⅜ 318⅝ Brit Land 442 -1¾ 5.2 —
2136 1469⅜ Derwent Ldn ● 2104 -12 3.9 —
377 270 Gt Portland Est ● 349 -4¾ 2.3 —
213 149½ Grainger ● 174½ -1¼ 4.8 6.4
383 263⅜ Hammerson ● 382 +13¼ 4.8 —
997⅜ 603 Segro 965 -1⅝ 3.3 —
162⅞ 124⅛ Shaftesbury Capital ● 143¾ -2¼ 3.0 7.7
140 104 Town Centre 130½ -½ 3.8 —
175 132¼ Tritax Big Box 170⅛ -⅞ 4.9 183
169½ 106 Currys ● 167⅞ -¼ 1.8 10.8
1249 707 Dunelm ● 869½ -20½ 8.1 11.3
828½ 598 Frasers Group ● 810½ -½ — 9.3
2046 1407¼ Greggs ● 1880 -152 3.7 15.7
106⅛ 64 JD Sports Fash 89½* -3⅞ 1.3 10.4
372¼ 240¼ Kingfisher 308⅝ -1⅛ 4.0 22.0
412¼ 301⅛ Marks & Spen 405⅛ -4⅜ 1.0 31.9
4 ⅝ Mothercare ¾ -¼ — 0.6
15310 11200 Next 14845* -395 1.8 19.5
397⅞ 140¼ Ocado ● 211¾ +¼ — 4.5
575 200 Pinewood Tech 430 -1 — 89.6
695 172½ Saga ● 672 -7 — —
380¼ 291¼ Sainsbury J 359⅜ +3¾ 3.8 20.8
1120 378⅝ Smith WH ● 433⅜ -11⅝ — -3.9
510⅜ 406⅞ Tesco 489½ -2½ 3.0 17.8
2832 1981 Bunzl 2802 +6 2.6 19.9
416 215 Capita 258½ -6½ — -1.8
6740 4188 DCC Energy 6330 — 3.4 —
114⅝ 78⅜ Essentra 104¼ -1¾ 2.0 —
4054 2203 Experian 2790 -108 1.9 22.8
5850 3519⅜ Intertek Group 5840 +5 2.8 26.8
250¾ 163½ Int’l Workplace ● 197⅛ -2¾ 0.5 —
172⅛ 123¾ Johnson Serv ● 150⅜ +¼ 3.2 16.2
214 134¾ MITIE Gp ● 207* -1 2.2 31.4
507 344⅝ Rentokil 344¾ -7¼ 2.7 24.9
325¾ 205 Serco Group ● 241⅝ +¼ 1.9 16.8
15¼ 6¾ SIG 8¾ +¼ — -1.6
723½ 493⅜ Travis P ● 554½ -6 2.2 -6.7
242⅛ 173 BT Group 201¼ -2¾ 4.1 18.3
1936 638 Telecom Plus ● 851 +3 5.9 8.4
131⅛ 80⅝ Vodafone 117⅞ -1⅝ 3.4 -83.5
Tobaccos -0.05%
5326 3677 Brit Am Tob 4570* +4 5.4 13.0
3632 2626 Imp Brands 2825 -17 5.9 11.3
490 294½ ZIGUP ● 462½ -5½ 5.8 13.7
683¾ 332⅝ easyJet ● 630 +5¼ 2.1 9.6
1031 500⅜ Entain 541⅜ -8¾ 3.6 -5.2
240⅜ 152⅛ FirstGroup ● 184⅜* +½ 3.9 8.6
23610 6722 Flutter Entrtmt 7588 — — -48.6
776 544 Fullers ‘A’ 714 -26 3.0 18.2
492⅞ 332¾ IAG Intl Cons Air 431⅞ -6¾ 1.6 7.1
13305 8458 Intercont Hotels 11941¼ -45¼ 1.1 32.7
301½ 223½ Mitchells&But ● 276 -4 — 9.3
38⅛ 17 Mobico Group 23¾ -2¾ — -1.1
447 210 Playtech ● 378⅝ -9¼ — 0.9
164⅝ 86 Rank Group ● 96¾ -3⅝ 3.0 10.2
786½ 530½ Wetherspoon ● 778 +5 1.5 13.0
3302 2098 Whitbread 2510 -17 3.9 20.4
AIM -0.09%
89⅜ 36¾ Afentra 62½ +⅞ — -60.1
1130 799 Arbuthnot 840 — 6.5 7.7
244 125¼ Central Asia Met 147⅜ -¾ 8.1 -4.7
872½ 98 Ceres Power ● 347 -¼ — -14.2
460 271 Churchill China 385 -5 5.5 9.7
380 194 CML Micro 280 +5 3.9 -848.5
1538 881⅛ Cohort 1226 -8 1.5 23.5
176½ 101 Eleco 133½ — 0.9 83.4
13½ ¼ Futura Medical ⅜ … — -0.2
161½ 112 James Halstead 120 -1 7.4 12.4
405 200 Mpac Group 325 — — -10.2
1800 1100 MS Intl 1440 — 1.8 21.4
68 34½ Premier Miton 37½* — 8.0 48.1
74 46 Tribal Gp 63 +1 2.1 15.0
1½ ½ Xtract Resources 1¼ +⅛ — -5.4
The Alternative Investment Market is for young and growing companies. Shares may carry higher risks than those with a full quotation, and may be difficult to sell.
Americans +1.04%
52 week High Low Stock Price +/- GrsYd Cvr
84⅜ 28⅛ Alcoa $ 45⅛ +⅛ 0.9 9.8
387½ 288⅜ Amer Express $ 336⅞ -¾ 1.1 4.1
63 44¾ BankAmerica $ 62⅛ +⅜ 2.1 3.2
254⅜ 176¾ Boeing $ 215⅛ -5¾ — —
113⅝ 84⅝ Coca–Cola Euro $ 109¾ -1⅞ 2.2 0.8
99⅜ 74½ Colgate Palm $ 91¼ -⅜ 2.3 1.2
ExxonMobil Hldgs $ 154 — 2.7 1.4
383 261¾ Gen Electric $ 360⅞ +5¾ 0.5 4.5
426¾ 289⅛ Home Depot $ 331½ -1¾ 2.8 1.5
Honeywell $ 243⅛ — 1.2 5.0
29⅝ 17½ HP $ 27⅛ +¼ 4.4 2.3
332½ 199¼ IBM $ 220½ -1¼ 3.1 1.7
142⅜ 19 Intel $ 92½ +1¼ — —
52¼ 29¼ Intl Paper $ 41¼ -2 4.5 2.8
359¼ 279⅛ JP Morgan Ch $ 353⅝ +2¾ 1.7 3.5
274⅞ 164¼ Johnson&John $ 257⅝ +1⅞ 2.1 1.6
36 24⅞ Keurig Dr Pep $ 31¼ -⅜ 2.9 1.7
57⅛ 25⅛ Manpower $ 51¾ -⅛ 2.8 0.2
341¾ 261 McDonalds $ 269⅛ +¾ 2.8 1.6
135 77½ Merck $ 130¾ +1 2.6 1.1
555½ 349¼ Microsoft $ 463⅝ +12½ 0.8 4.9
28¾ 23⅛ Pfizer $ 25⅛ +¼ 6.9 0.8
167¼ 137⅝ Procter & Gamble $ 143¾ -⅛ 3.0 1.6
221⅜ 150⅝ Raytheon Tech $ 215 +⅝ 1.4 2.0
497⅜ 305½ Rockwell $ 474⅞ +3⅞ 1.2 1.8
505⅞ 348 Trane Tech $ 454⅝ +14⅜ 0.9 3.1
135⅛ 95⅜ Wal Mart Strs $ 111½ +⅜ 0.9 2.9
119⅞ 92¼ Walt Disney $ 96 -¼ 1.6 4.2
5¼ 1¼ Xerox Hldgs $ 3 -½ 3.3 83.4
Europeans -0.09%
67⅝ 46⅛ AkzoNobel € 60¾ -⅜ 3.3 2.3
97⅞ 56⅜ BMW € 59¼ -⅞ 7.4 2.7
17½ 12 Carrefour € 16 -⅛ 7.4 1.6
77½ 53⅛ Continental AG € 71⅞ -¼ 3.8 0.3
62⅜ 42⅝ Daimler € 46¾ -⅜ 7.5 2.9
80⅛ 60⅝ Danone € 67½ -⅞ 3.3 1.2
58⅛ 37 Deutsche Post € 57¾ … 3.3 1.6
34⅜ 23½ Deutsche Tele € 26¾ -⅜ 3.7 2.0
80¼ 63⅞ Heineken € 78½ -½ 2.4 2.5
654¾ 440 LVMH € 475⅛ +1⅞ 2.7 1.7
82½ 60⅛ LafargeHolcim SFr 73⅜ -2⅛ 2.3 1.9
10¼ 6¾ Lufthansa € 9 … 3.7 9.0
15 3½ Nokia OYJ € 8 … 1.8 0.9
35¾ 25½ Michelin € 35 +½ 3.9 1.7
107½ 58⅝ Pernod Ricard € 67⅞ … 6.9 1.4
27¾ 20⅞ Philips (Kon) € 22¾ -⅛ 3.7 0.6
284⅝ 198 Siemens € 282⅝ +1½ 1.9 2.0
82⅛ 50⅞ Societe Gen € 81¼ +¼ 2.0 4.2
10½ 4⅝ Stellantis € 5 -⅛ 13.7 1.1
279¼ 212⅝ Thales € 245⅞ +2⅝ 1.6 2.1
81⅜ 49¼ Total € 76⅜ +⅞ 4.6 2.0
44½ 28¼ UBS AG SFr 42½ -⅛ 2.0 2.3
37⅝ 27⅜ Veolia Environ € 34½ -1⅜ 4.4 0.3
110¼ 71 Volkswagen € 75⅞ -¾ 6.9 2.6
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sell Argos to private equity for £120m
struggling chain a decade after buying it for £1.4bn as it ‘doubles down’ on food
By Emma Taggart
SAINSBURY’S has agreed to sell Argos for £120m a decade after it bought the retailer for £1.4bn. The supermarket giant confirmed yesterday that it planned to sell Argos to Swift Partners, a new company set up by private equity group True Capital, with the deal expected to complete in February next year. Selling Argos would allow Sains- bury’s to create a simpler business with higher margins and growth, the super- market said. It bought the catalogue store for £1.4bn in 2016. Sainsbury’s admitted that the £120m fee would be wiped out by the cost of separating Argos from the supermarket, meaning it would not see net benefit from the deal. Simon Roberts, the chief executive of Sainsbury’s, said the supermarket chain had “carefully considered what it will take to create the strongest possible future for Argos”. The brand has strug- gled with a slowdown in sales amid tough competition with online retailers as households have tightened their belts in a weak economy. Mr Roberts said: “It’s a big moment to put Argos on the right track with the right future home. “For the Sainsbury’s team, [it] ena- bles us to really fully double down again on our absolute belief in the potential of Sainsbury’s in food.” The supermarket chain has refo- cused its business around food since Mr Roberts took up the role of chief executive in 2020. Under the terms of the deal, Argos stores will still operate within Sainsbury’s supermarkets. Cus- tomers will still be able to use their Nec- tar points in the outlets. Argos’s new owner, Swift Partners, is led by Trevor Strain, a former Morri- sons executive, Matt Truman and Rich- ard Pennycook, a retail veteran and a former boss of the Co-op and chairman of the Hut Group. They set up Swift Partners to purchase Argos. About 14,000 staff across stores and
By Louis Goss
MORRISONS has racked up nearly £1bn of losses as the debt-laden super- market chain struggles to turn around its fortunes. The grocer swung to a £926m loss before tax last year as it reeled from a cyberattack and suff ered write-downs at its chain of convenience shops. The losses included £297m worth of exceptional costs, of which £97m related to the mark-down on the former McColl’s chain of newsagents it acquired in 2022, which have since been rebranded as Morrisons Daily. In accounts filed to Companies House, the supermarket also disclosed
By Tim Wallace
BIGGEST RISER NatWest Group
+22 (+3.22pc)
BIGGEST FALLER IG Group 1460p
-246 (-14.42pc)
fulfi lment centres will transfer across to Argos as part of the deal. Mr Pennycook said: “Tomorrow is business as usual. We’ll have plans, but they’re growth plans, and those are going to be devel- oped over the coming months in part- nership with the team. “There’s no big lurch here… This is just continuing to drive Argos in the way that it’s being driven today.” The home goods and electronics out- let has struggled amid pressure from cut-price Chinese rivals such as Temu and US online giant Amazon. When the supermarket giant bought Argos in 2016, Sainsbury’s touted the acquisition as a way to strengthen its non-food business and grow both brands. However, analysts have warned that Argos’s online traffi c has been eaten up by rivals. Last year’s Christmas traffi c was down 30pc compared with three years previously. Sainsbury’s closed 420 standalone Argos stores in 2020 and cut 3,500 jobs from the retail outlet. In its latest annual report, Sains- bury’s valued Argos at just £344m. The supermarket chain previously sold the Argos loan book for £720m to NewDay Group, a credit card provider. The supermarket, which counts Czech billionaire Daniel Křetínský as a major shareholder, entered into abor- tive talks with JD.com to sell Argos last year. However, the deal collapsed within 24 hours of being revealed by The Telegraph. Richard Hyman, an independent retail analyst, said: “Argos was probably not a very good acquisition to begin with. However, that’s history now. Sainsbury’s has been trading very well. “In in my view, it’s very strong, but I think that Argos was always likely to divert attention away a little bit.” Mr Hyman added: “From Sainsbury’s point of view, it’s good housekeeping. It cleans things up. It removes something that was really of secondary signifi- cance and importance.” The latest company results show that Argos, which now has 201 standalone stores and 466 stores within Sains- bury’s, reported pre-tax losses of £223.2m in the year to March 2025. The heavy losses had added to speculation that executives at Sainsbury’s would try to offl oad the struggling brand.
a £37m hit from a cyber attack on one of its technology suppliers in late 2024 that aff ected its warehouse operations. Morrisons reported a 2.8pc increase in like-for-like sales in the 12 months to October last year, stating that its adjusted earnings from continuing operations remained steady at £835m. It claimed that tax increases in Labour’s 2024 budget had added around £200m in costs. The former big-four supermarket has been grappling with a long-term slow- down in sales, rampant competition from discounters and the significant costs of servicing its huge debt pile since a takeover by Clayton, Dubi- lier & Rice (CD&R), a US private equity
Burnham will fund his spending pledges. “So now we know,” Sir Mel said. “Eighty-nine more days of unfunded spending commitments and economy-damaging tax speculation until we get some details.” Mr Healey said the Budget “will meet our fiscal rules” and “give businesses and families some of the stability they need to plan for the future”. Yet the wait until the end of October raises the prospect of a repeat of the past two summers, when policy options were repeatedly fl oated then ditched.
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By James Warrington
A SLOWDOWN in growth at Taylor Swift’s record label has triggered fears that the streaming boom is coming to an end. Universal Music Group, the world’s largest music company, reported reve- nues of €3.3bn (£2.8bn) for the second quarter of the year, up 10.5pc on 12 months earlier. This was driven by 14pc growth in revenues from stream- ing. However, the fi gures fell short of
firm, in 2021. Morrisons said interest costs had been reduced by 29pc to £281m and that its net debt at the year end was £3.2bn. Under its US owners, the supermar- ket has embarked on an aggressive turnaround strategy, with the aim of cutting its costs by £1bn and competing with rivals on price. Earlier this year, Morrisons announced the closure of 100 former McColl’s newsagents as it blamed “gov- ernment policy choices” for rising costs. Rami Baitieh, the chief executive of Morrisons, has previously com- plained of an “avalanche of costs” facing the supermarket. The retailer closed its Rathbones
Prolonged uncertainty before the 2024 and 2025 Budgets undermined busi- ness confi dence, pushed pensioners to change their fi nancial plans and encour- aged would-be homebuyers to pause moves as they awaited confi rmation of tax rules. Mr Healey promised: “This will be a Budget that moves money and power out of Westminster, and into every post- code around Britain.” He said that the Government was already “working fast to restore hope and back Britain’s communities”.
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expectations and marked the second consecutive period of slowing growth, while profi ts were down 2pc to €1.3bn. Shares in Universal slumped by as much as a quarter to a record low following the update. Universal, whose artists also include Noah Kahan, Drake, and Olivia Dean, has blamed the slowdown on a “lighter” schedule of releases in recent months. However, concerns are mounting that the streaming boom is beginning to fade after years of rapid growth.
Morrisons grocery share, behind Lidl (8.8pc), Aldi (10.8pc), Asda (11.5pc), Sainsbury’s (15.2pc) and Tesco (27.9pc)
bakery in Wakefi eld, West Yorkshire, in January, putting 115 jobs at risk, before the site was sold to Warburtons. It was also overtaken by Lidl earlier this year as Britain’s fi fth-largest super- market. Morrisons’ debts more than doubled to £7bn immediately after CD&R’s take- over, including through refinancing
By Tom Haynes
C O M M O D I T I E S
j GOLD $4049.42 (£3009) -63.69 (-1.55pc)
i BRENT CRUDE $90.12 (September) +1.09 (+1.22pc)
Taylor Swift’s latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, was released last October
Analysts at broker Bernstein described the figures as “underwhelming at all levels”, while Daniel Kerven, a researcher at JP Morgan, said: “There is no sugar coating it. That was not a good quarter.” Shares in US-listed rival Warner Music fell 5.6pc as jitters spread across the market. Spotify, which launched in 2008, has been widely credited with
deals and cost-cutting initiatives. It sold its forecourts division in 2024 for £2.5bn, cutting its borrowing. The supermarket is currently in talks with US investment fi rm Realty Income for a £600m sale-and-lease-back deal to unlock cash for its stores. Morrisons controls the freehold on about 80pc of its stores, which is among the highest levels in the sector. Aldi overtook Morrisons to become Britain’s fourth-biggest supermarket in 2022, while Lidl pushed Morrisons down to sixth in May this year. A Morrisons spokesman said that the supermarket’s “headline loss before tax for the year reflects increased excep- tional costs, primarily non-cash impair-
an 8,000-seat stadium and had been championed locally as a transforma- tional investment. But officials warned the scheme risked exposing residents to “adverse levels of lead”, posing “significant health risks – especially for children, pregnant women and the elderly”. At the heart of the refusal was the site’s proximity to Britannia Refi ned Metals, one of Europe’s largest lead refi neries. Offi cials warned the problems with the scheme “signifi cantly and demon-
BP’s decision to cut its ties with the North Sea shows how government tax raids are killing the industry
It seemed like a good idea at the time, but Argos has been a waste of time and resources for Sainsbury’s Matthew Lynn
saving the music industry after piracy pushed it to the brink of collapse at the start of the digital era. But after years of double-digit expan- sion, Spotify’s growth is beginning to cool as the market reaches saturation. The Swedish giant has been pushing through price rises to drive revenue growth instead. In turn, this has taken its toll as cash-strapped consumers reconsider their subscriptions or opt for cheaper advertising-funded tiers amid cost of living concerns.
ment charges, with a signifi cant factor being the write down in the value of the acquired McColl’s business”. He added: “Debt and interest costs were both reduced and the underlying performance of the business was robust.” According to data from Worldpanel by Numerator, Morrisons had 8.5pc of the UK grocery market in July, just 0.1 percentage points higher than it was 12 months ago. Aldi and Lidl have respective shares of 10.8pc and 8.8pc, while third-placed Asda has 11.5pc of the market. Sainsbury’s has 15.2pc in second place, while the UK’s biggest retailer Tesco has a 27.9pc market share.
strably” outweighed the benefits, despite the Government’s wider drive to deliver 1.5 million new homes in Eng- land by 2029. Those living in fl ats at the site would be at risk of “chronic exposure to lead”, with levels up to 19 times higher than typically experienced in London. Offi cials said: “Put another way, the application site is amongst the worse [sic] places in England to put residential dwellings and public open spaces.” The developer has been approached for comment.
Argos takeover has been a catastrophe
MATTHEW LYNN
of the troublesome retailer represents a wasted and damaging decade
PRESUMABLY one of the executives at Swift Partners will have to pop round to their local Argos store and show a code on their mobile to collect their new acquisition, or perhaps stand around while someone tries to retrieve it from the warehouse. Buying stuff at Argos has never been a glamorous experience, and there is no reason why taking control of the company should be any diff erent. As Sainsbury’s fi nally offl oads the troublesome unit, its management and shareholders will no doubt breathe a sigh of relief. And yet, there is no getting away from a harsh truth. This was a catastrophic deal for the grocery chain – and one that has cost it a lost decade. It won’t have been a shock to anyone that Argos was for sale. The only real surprise was that Sainsbury’s fi nally found someone to take it off its hands. After a sale to China’s JD.com fell through last year, Swift Partners, a new company formed for the acquisition, has agreed to take control of the chain for £120m. We will have to see what Swift can come up with to turn the business around. At least it is not Modella, the buyout specialist that took control of WH Smith on the high street, renaming it TG Jones in the process, as well as Hobbycraft, ripping the businesses to pieces and shifting the losses onto landlords. In Richard Pennycook, a former chief executive of the Co-Op, Argos has someone with retail experience on the team, even if it was at the dowdiest of the major grocery chains. It is hard to feel very optimistic. Argos is basically a pre-internet business, from the days when a “catalogue” was the web. Merging it with a supermarket was at last an attempt to drag it into the 21st century, and with that now consigned to the past (although collection points will remain in Sainsbury’s for now), it is hard to see how it competes with Amazon, or the new breed of Chinese retailer such as Temu. Unfortunately, it is hard to avoid the suspicion Swift will simply look to
basically a pre-internet business, from the days when a “catalogue” was the web’
Mike Coupe, front, bought Argos in 2016 when he was Sainsbury’s chief. His successor Simon Roberts, right, is to sell it
make a quick profi t and move on. The real damage, however, is to Sainsbury’s. It paid £1.4b for what was then the Home Retail Group, including Habitat, back in 2016. The plan was to create a full-service retailer, allowing you to pick up a couple of pre-ordered deck chairs and a new mobile charger at the same time as doing your weekly shop. In fairness, it was not a completely ridiculous idea. If it had worked, it could have created a virtuous circle, with the addition of Argos persuading more people to choose it for their basic groceries, while the huge number of
collection points would make Argos more competitive. The trouble was, the margins were wafer thin, and the brand hopelessly dated. Sainsbury’s could never make it pay. It has now fi nally managed to extricate itself, even if it is with an embarrassingly huge loss. Sure it is not quite the £1.2b the headline numbers suggest. The grocery chain sold Argos’s fi nancial services unit for £720m back in 2024. But it is still a heck of a lot of money to waste. Even so, that is not actually the problem. The issue is this. Sainsbury’s wasted a whole decade trying to make
the deal work when it could have been
doing so much more instead.
Just take a look at some of the
numbers. When it took control of
Argos, Sainsbury’s had a market share
of 16.5pc, while the two discount
retailers Aldi and Lidl were a long way
behind on a combined 10pc of the
market. And today? It has 15pc of the
market, while Tesco is way ahead
on 28pc, and the two German-owned
chains now have a combined share
of 19pc between them. In other words,
Sainsbury’s has fallen back.
Likewise, the share price makes it
painfully clear how expensive the last
decade has been. Over the last 10
years, Sainsbury’s shares have risen by
a modest 40pc, while Tesco’s are up by
more than 200pc. Walmart, the
biggest grocery chain in the United
States, is up by over 500pc over the
same time period, while shares in
Ahold Delhaize, the leading chain in
the Netherlands and Belgium, have
more than doubled.
Whichever way you care to look at
it, Sainsbury’s has signifi cantly
under-performed its peers.
It is not hard to understand why. If
we wind the clock back to 2016,
Tesco was in big trouble.
Philip Clarke had been
replaced as the chief
executive only two years
earlier, it had issued its
fi rst profi ts warning in 20
years, and there were
questions about its
accounting. Sure, Dave
Lewis had already
been drafted into the
chain, and was
starting to execute
what turned out
to be a masterful
turnaround. But
it was there for
the taking, and
Sainsbury’s should
have gone in for
the kill.
Meanwhile a decade
ago, Aldi and Lidl were still
small fry, restricted to the
bottom end of the market.
It is only in recent years
that they have become the
toast of Middle England,
and Sainsbury’s failed
to stop their advance.
In one sense, the
chain has been lucky.
While it was fl ailing
around trying to work
out what to do with
Argos, the private equity
owners of Asda and Morrisons have
been even more hopeless. If they were
not drowning in debt and run by
people who don’t know one end of the
fruit aisle from the other, Sainsbury’s
might have lost more market share.
Even so, it has been an expensive
diversion. Sainsbury’s still has the
potential to be a fantastic British
company, and there are far too few of
those left. But the acquisition of Argos
has cost it a decade when it could have
made so much more progress.
Now it is fi nally rid of the
troublesome business it will need
to start working a lot harder on
delivering for its customers and
shareholders again.
hammer blow to hopes of a North Sea oil revival
move to quit UK waters suggests time is running out for the industry, writes Jonathan Leake
ANDY BURNHAM has said Britain “cannot ignore” North Sea oil and gas, pledging to take a more “pragmatic” approach to drilling in the basin than his predecessor. Yet if the new Prime Minister was hoping to reverse the precipitous decline of the UK oil and gas industry, he has just been dealt a major blow. BP’s decision to quit the North Sea – driven by a disastrous mix of energy and tax policies, plus its natural decline – is a watershed moment for the British energy industry. The company has been in the North Sea from the start, gaining one of the first exploration licences in 1964 and finding the West Sole gas field off East Anglia – one of the UK’s first discoveries – a year later. In 1970, it made one of the most significant discoveries in offshore history: the mighty Forties field. Alongside other discoveries, that field unleashed a massive flow of crude that fuelled a true oil bonanza, turning the country into a net exporter of oil by the early 1980s. Yet soon, BP will have no operations in British waters for the first time in more than 60 years. If Burnham is hoping to attract new investment in the North Sea, there can be no worse advertisement than the pioneer of our oil industry quitting. Meg O’Neill, BP’s relatively new chief executive, said the decision was motivated by a desire to “direct capital to our highest-value opportunities”. To some observers, this is evidence that
since start of the Iran war
By Tim Wallace
PETROL prices have hit their highest level since the start of the Iran war after renewed fighting in the Middle East. Unleaded climbed to 160p per litre yesterday, according to the RAC. Petrol is now the most expensive it has been since 2022, when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent energy prices surging. Petrol prices are now just over 20pc higher than before the war began in late February, when a litre cost around 132p. Simon Williams, the head of policy at the RAC, said: “This means the cost of filling a family-sized car with unleaded has gone up to £88.” Diesel has risen even more sharply and is currently priced at almost 37p per litre above February’s levels, at around 179p on average. “Diesel looks set to keep on rising and is likely to reach 185p a litre in the next few weeks,” said Mr Williams. Forecourt costs have been driven by surging oil prices, which hit $100 per barrel last week as Donald Trump’s peace deal with Tehran unravelled. Brent crude, the global benchmark, was trading at around $90 yesterday. Fuel costs remain below record levels set in the wake of Vladimir Putin’s inva- sion of Ukraine, when petrol climbed as high as 191p per litre. The conflict in the Gulf has triggered sharp rises in fuel costs after Iran cut off the Strait of Hormuz, which car-
1964 BP was given an early North Sea exploration licence, a year later finding the West Sole gas field off East Anglia. Fourteen lost their lives on Sea Gem, the company’s first North Sea drilling rig, in 1965.
of one of Scotland’s foremost industries is happening before our very eyes’
MAJID ASGARIPOUR/WANA VIA REUTERS
Vessels wait in the Strait of Hormuz, close to the beach at Bandar Abbas in Iran
1970 The company made one of the most significant discov- eries in offshore history: the mighty Forties field. By 1978 it was supplying the equiva- lent of 20pc of UK oil requirements.
repeated tax raids on the North Sea
have left it almost uninvestable.
Russell Borthwick, the chief
executive of the Aberdeen and
Grampian Chamber of Commerce,
said: “This decision is another stark
reminder that confidence in the UK
continental shelf has been badly
shaken after years of policy
uncertainty, punitive taxation and
mixed messages about the future of
the industry.”
A windfall tax was first imposed by
the Conservatives in 2022 when
energy prices surged, creating a
short-term windfall for energy
companies. The levy began at 75pc but
was increased to 78pc by the new
Labour Government in 2024.
For BP, the impact was immediate.
Its tax reports say that the decision cost
it an extra £539m, with it facing an
overall UK corporate tax rate of 52pc
– more than double the standard rate of
25pc and far higher than what it pays
in most other countries.
BP’s tax reports warn that the UK’s
energy profits levy (or windfall tax) had
“created significant uncertainty for the
UK’s oil and gas industry”.
At the same time, Ed Miliband, the
former energy secretary, imposed a
ban on new oil and gas exploration as
part of Labour’s net zero policies.
Punitive tax raids and a clear signal
from the Government that oil and gas
did not have a long-term future has
driven companies out of the North Sea.
Shell, Britain’s other major oil
company, has already engineered a
partial exit. It moved all its UK offshore
assets into Adura, a 50-50 joint venture
with Equinor. Other oil giants such as
Chevron and ConocoPhillips have sold
assets to smaller independents.
BP’s North Sea business remains
potentially highly profitable. For
example, the Clair field – the largest oil
field ever found on the UK continental
shelf – still contains seven billion
barrels, making it one of BP’s most
valuable assets in the looming sale.
The same applies to the Eastern
Trough Area Project (ETAP), a network
of fields east of Aberdeen linked by
pipes and hubs. It is a key UK fuel
producer with the Seagull and Murlach
fields opening in the last three years.
Altogether, BP holds interests in 20
to 25 active UK fields, potentially
profitable for years to come.
But the question now is: who will
buy into the North Sea? A deal to sell
the North Sea business for £2bn to
Ithaca Energy, a smaller Scottish oil
company, fell apart earlier this year.
This is not just a business matter.
Miatta Fahnbulleh, the Energy
Secretary, said the North Sea was “a
vital national asset” and confirmed she
was in close contact with BP about
safeguarding jobs.
She also repeated Burnham’s
promise to take a “pragmatic
approach” to the oil basin.
But time may be running out to do
STUART CONWAY
so. Dave Doogan, the SNP’s Westminster leader, said: “Workers don’t want thoughts or warm words from the Prime Minister, we need decisive action to safeguard jobs, energy security and confidence in the North Sea. The destruction of one of Scotland’s foremost industries is happening right before our very eyes.” The Tories are calling for Burnham to scrap Miliband’s ban on new licences in the North Sea and approve Jackdaw and Rosebank, projects held up by legal and political wrangling. There are also questions about BP’s
has been shaken by years of policy uncertainty, high taxes and mixed messages’
1980s Alongside other finds, the Forties field unleashed a massive flow of crude that fuelled a true oil bonanza, turning the country into a net exporter of oil by the early part of the decade.
2022 A 75pc windfall tax was imposed by then chancellor Rishi Sunak, right, when energy prices and profits surged. The levy was increased in 2024 to 78pc by the Labour Government.
commitment to Britain. The company remains headquartered in the UK and O’Neill says Britain “will continue to play an important role in our future”. But BP has been quitting the UK for some time. It is to sell most of its stake in Net Zero Teesside Power, a project to build a gas turbine power plant equipped with carbon capture tech. It is also preparing to sell a 20pc stake in Northern Endurance Partnership, a scheme to transport carbon dioxide from carbon-capture projects in the North East and store it under the seabed in the North Sea.
BP’s interest in the
Clair oil field west
of Shetland is
among the assets
it will be selling
July 31, 2026 BP announces it is to quit the North Sea, driven by a disastrous mix of energy and tax policies, plus the basin’s natural decline. The oil giant’s share price rose soon after the announcement.
Other UK assets include Air BP, providing aviation fuel and services at more than 60 locations nationwide, as well as petrol stations and a large electric vehicle charging network. All could be run by a subsidiary, while its London-based trading and shipping arm could easily be moved. BP says it is committed. But investors seem to like the idea of quitting: after announcing its North Sea exit, BP’s shares rose by almost 1pc. If the company leaves Britain, Burnham’s North Sea headache would go from bad to worse.
Runners and riders keep to the path in
a sunny Kensington Gardens, London
have had enough of the heat as well
By Joe Shute
“Summer Branch Drop” is a phrase that I hadn’t previously heard of until this record-breaking heat, fortunately discovered through a newspaper and not via an oak tree landing on my head. According to groundkeepers ranging from Hyde Park in London to Normanby Hall Country Park in Scunthorpe and the Isle of Wight, this fate is a looming possibility with people being warned to avoid loitering under any overhanging branches. During periods of extreme drought, trees go into survival mode and for mature and otherwise healthy-looking specimens this can mean suddenly discarding branches that may be deemed superfluous in order to protect the life support system of their trunk. Veteran trees like oaks, willows and poplars are particularly at risk. As well as the cruelty of being forced out of the only patch of shade into the yellowed open parkland grass, it strikes me of what we stand to lose if we can no longer sit under trees. They are places, after all, where history is made. John Keats’s Ode to a Nightingale was composed under a plum tree; while it was watching the apples fall from a tree at his Lincolnshire home that Isaac Newton developed his theory of universal gravitation. How different things might have been had a falling branch clocked him instead? Charles II, who famously hid in an oak tree, might have met an altogether less welcome fate had the summer of 1651 been anywhere like this. Is it safe to dare a woodland stroll this weekend? I couldn’t possibly say, but the weather is finally retreating into a semblance of normality with temperatures around average for most of us. Still little in the way of rain, though; we will have to wait until next week for some desperately needed showers to break out across England and Wales. Until then, mind the snap.
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THE ALL-ROUNDER From Crufts to Wimbledon, Clare Balding is always perfectly professional and utterly unflappable. Jack Rear joins her on a ramble to discuss her love of country and what’s next on her packed agenda
ON THE COVER: CLARE BALDING PHOTOGRAPHED BY MATT WRITTLE. THIS PAGE: GETTY IMAGES
Hello, Dolly: she may now be 80, but Ms Parton is still bursting with stadium-filling energy
HEAD OF MAGAZINE ADVERTISING, CLAIRE JUON: claire. juon@mailmetromedia.co.uk
FEATURES
GOOD LIFE
stripe for the taking
thanks to its nautical references, it feels particularly pleasing in summer. Designers have known this for centuries: blue-and-white mattress ticking crossed from utilitarian bedding into country rooms in the 1800s, while the Victorians ran vertical stripes up their walls to lift a low ceiling. Through all its iterations, the stripe has remained shorthand for ease, light and holidays – all things you want in your home come summer. Time to earn your stripes…
You’ve been framed Willa photo frame, £54, Rebecca Udall
Green, green glass of home Tumblers, £35 (for four), The Conran Shop
Everything stops for tea Small teapot, £158, Feldspar Studio
Stripe it lucky Pembroke bedlinen, from £45, Piglet in Bed
Bring me sunshine Platter, £130, Bettina Ceramica
COMPILED BY JESSICA SALTER
Mitt for a king Double oven gloves, £26, Aga Cookshop
Curtain call Rhode shower curtain, £65, Toast
My Saturday
The restaurateur and interior designer, 79, on the joy of sea views, dog walks and long, hot baths
7.30am Forty years ago, I’d have been up and in the kitchen at The Seafood Restaurant, but now I get to sleep in until 7.30am, when I have to let my dog out. He’s a working cocker spaniel named Bocca – I adopted him from my son Jack after he had children and Bocca got a bit jealous. I’ve had him for five years now and he’s getting a bit old, but he must always be out at 7.30am.
8am I get a cup of tea and retreat back to bed. I have an amazing view of the sea from my home in Trevone, up the coast from Padstow, so I sit and watch the sea, which gives me my focus for the day. I’m a bit of a news junkie, so I read through all the newspapers and websites. I love knowing what’s going on and how people tick.
INTERVIEW: JACK REAR. SAM A HARRIS/PA, GETTY IMAGES
9am I take Bocca for a walk down the field to the natural swimming pool. If it’s low tide, he’ll have a swim. Spaniels love to swim. Then I’ll
come back for a bit of breakfast. I’m boring: it’ll be a yogurt and over- night oats with some fruit. But I always have one piece of chocolate to start every day too.
11am I might have a hot bath. I tend to be a slow starter. I like relaxing. I need time to think and a bath is the ideal place to do that. It’s a routine I’ve had since I was running the restaurant. Rick [her ex-husband] always used to complain I spent too much time in the bath. But I’d have a bath to change over from being “Mum” to having my “restaurateur” hat on. I spend a lot of time thinking about things; it helps me have ideas. I think one of the troubles with the world today is that people don’t have the time to have ideas, because they’re so busy. I’ve always wanted to do meditation, but my brain is too active. A bath has always been vital to me – it’s my think tank. A few years ago my daughter-in-law and I launched Porthdune, a skincare range, which was partially inspired by my love of bathing.
1pm I might pop into The Sea- food Restaurant [which she co- founded] for a coffee. It’s nice to see what I’ve helped build. Then I might take Bocca for a walk down the Camel Trail. It used to be a rail- way mainline from London and it’s absolutely stunning. It gives you another aspect of Cornwall – it’s not the sea, it’s the river, so it has a slightly different feel to it.
3pm I do lots of gardening, particu- larly in the summer. I can easily spend hours in the garden. It’s mostly maintaining it. I have a girl who comes to mow the lawns and then a gardener who does my
planting. I have a seat in the gar- den under some trees and behind a lavender bed, so I love to sit there and look at the garden. It gives me a sense of peace and calm.
5pm I never got used to having lunch because I was working at the restau- rant. If the family are around, I’ll have an evening meal to fit in with their schedules. Neither Rick or I arethosegrandparentswhoarecon- stantly looking after the children: we can’t be very reliable because we’re so busy. But I like having them over for dinner. I tendtonotmakeanything too big because I want to enjoy my evening. I love Diana Hen- ry’s recipes in The Telegraph. I read a brilliant salad recipe of hers recently with nectarines and cheese. I have a Pinterest board and I stick all the best recipes on it. I’m always trying to add things to my repertoire. I still cook fish some- times, but again I keep it simple: very hot oven, a bit of cod covered in olive oil, thyme and lemon zest for six minutes. Served with some lovely fresh new potatoes.
stantly looking after the children: we can’t be very reliable because we’re so busy. But I like having them over for dinner. I tend to not make anything too big because I want to
10pm Mywind-downroutineinvolves music. My dad was a jazz pianist, so it’s always been a big part of my life. My nephew is a DJ called Judge Jules; I used to go to his Ibiza club night, where I fell in love with Calvin Harris’s music. I might also watch a bit of TV. I don’t read as much as I used to because there’s so much to see and do online. I try to go to bed while there’s still a bit of light – it’s nice to be able to see the sea before I close my eyes. The Seafood Restaurant: Recipes & Stories, by Rick Stein and Jill Stein (Jon Croft Editions, £35 ), is out now
work wasn’t ma
Though she’s dressed down in a mint green T-shirt and khaki walking trousers, there’s not a hair out of place as Clare Balding strides towards me across a dried, yellowing field, hand outstretched in greeting. We are meeting at Sheepdrove Organic Farm in the heart of the North Wessex Downs where the 55-year- old presenter and verified national treasure has been filming all morning. It’s a hot day with no breeze and I don’t blame Bald- ing’s small team for encouraging her to take a break and have a glass of water before she sits down to our interview. Naturally though, for a woman renowned for her work ethic and who is often described as a “jolly-hockey-sticks type”, Balding won’t hear a word of it, demanding I join her for lunch. This morning she’s been filming on the Drover’s Path near the farm, a famed walking route on which farmers traditionally would take their livestock to mar- ket. “It was effectively the drovers’ M4 – which joins up with The Ridgeway [another famed walking route] from the West Country into London,” Balding enthuses between bites of couscous and salad. “It’s one of my favourite types of walk: nicely covered, that feeling of trees around you which makes you feel better.” Having spent the better part of 27 years working on her Radio 4 walking programme Ramblings (“three series a year, so we’re usually finishing one then going straight into recording the next”), Balding remains that rarity in the London-centric media world: a woman whose deep passion for rural affairs is obvious. While she’s in her element at Sheepdrove, she’s very conscious that the bucolic environment in which I find her is hardly the norm. “We’re here today on a big, highly successful farm which has been running for 30 years – if you’re sud- denly thrown on to a ramshackle small farm where the numbers don’t add up, it’s all quite challenging,” she explains. “In many aspects, the countryside is farmers. Yes there are big areas that are not farmland, but a large percentage is. They keep the countryside look- ing lovely for our benefit, they produce food for our benefit, so it’d be helpful if they were not required to jump through every hoop known to the government.” She’s referring to the growing struggles of farmers which have been well documented in recent years by newspapers like The Telegraph and TV programmes like Clarkson’s Farm. Britain’s rural communities are under real and increasing threat from extreme weather, higher costs, falling prices and an increase in red tape – not least the recent inheritance tax changes brought on by former chancellor Rachel Reeves. The solution to their woes is something the whole country must play a part in, Balding thinks. “The idealist in me (and I am very idealistic) looks at a map of this country and goes, ‘Right, look at all
those footpaths, look at all those rivers, look at all that open space, how can we get more people to enjoy that while supporting the local economy?’ Because local economies, rural farming communities, are micro- economies within the big picture.” Balding and her younger brother Andrew grew up in thecountryside,atParkHouseStablesset in1,500 acres of Hampshire countryside with their mother Emma Hastings-Bass, a descendent of the Earls of Derby, and father,therenownedracehorsetrainerIanBalding,who died in January. A successful former jockey himself, Ian trained Mill Reef, heralded as one of the greatest race- horsesofthe20thcenturyandsomeofQueenElizabeth II’s horses, through which he became her close associ- ate.Infact,Clare’sfirstmount,Valkyrie,wasgiventothe family by the late Queen. Andrew has taken over the reins as trainer, and there were emotional scenes at Ascot last weekend after the yard’s success in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes with Kalpana, 55 years after Mill Reef’s triumph in the same event. Balding was educated at the independent Downe House School near Thatcham, Berkshire, before going to Newnham College, Cambridge to read English. Dur- ing her time there, she was president of the Cambridge Union Society as well as being an amateur flat jockey. After university, she began work as a trainee with BBC National Radio, working across BBC radio stations before being asked to introduce highlights of Royal Ascot on television in 1994. She began presenting the BBC’s horse-racing coverage live the following year. Yet despite her passion for outdoor pursuits, the walking bug found Balding relatively late. It was an out- of-the-blue call from a BBC producer in 1999 when she was 28 that would change her life for ever. In her mem- oir, Walking Home, she recalled being asked whether she walked. “Well, I walk the dog…” she replied. Since then, walking has become a way of life. In the two weeks prior to our meeting, she’s been hosting the BBC’s Wimbledon coverage and finds herself champing at the bit for a good ramble: “I haven’t walked at all recently, and I miss it. I love my golf too, and obviously that involves a lot of walking. I sort of need it. I realised – probably around the 2010 Winter Olympics in Sochi – that I was getting very homesick when I worked away. “I really struggled with it to the point where I was pretty sure work wasn’t making me happy. I was cov- ering amazing events, but I was overwhelmed by homesickness. I realised that I need natural light, I need to walk, and I need to phone Alice [Arnold, best known as a Radio 4 news reader and continuity announcer, who Balding entered into a civil partner- ship with in 2006, and married in April 2015] every day. As long as I can sort those things out, then I’m OK.” At the Paris Olympics, Balding says she spent as much time walking around the city as she did cover- ing the events. “I’d take myself off and walk every day. I can work while I’m walking, I’m listening to podcasts, doing my homework before presenting.” A great walk, she says, contains a number of key fac- tors: “I love anything with a view, I love to be near a river;Ilikewoodland butnotforestrywhichIfindquite forbidding and samey, and it should have a fair bit of climbing so you’ve got a nice view and ideally some his- tory along the way, The Dales Way [in Yorkshire] is my
ROYAL KENNEL CLUB/BEATMEDIA, BBC
farmers were not made to jump through every hoop known to the government’
favourite long-distance walk, but I also love St Oswald’s Way in Northumberland, which starts on Holy Island, then you walk across the estuary when the tide is out.” Fittingly, Balding is here to film some promotional footage for Cottages.com which is launching a new series of interactive maps featuring some of Britain’s most beautiful pub walks. “I love a pub walk,” she enthuses. “I love a pub with a roaring fire, a big old armchair that’s slightly battered, where I can walk in in walking boots. Obviously, [a good walking pub] has to be dog-friendly and it needs to do good food – nothing posh, just good pub grub.” In spite of ongoing discussions about who can access the countryside, Balding is pleased to see more people getting out there than ever thanks to more accommodation being readily available. “It was never like that when I was growing up; you’d either need to know somebody or find a local hotel,” she says. “I think people can be put off really quickly if they don’t feel safe – safe from livestock, safe from getting lost. I think that’s why even from school age we need to encourage young people to make walking part of their everyday routine.” Despite being one of British broadcasting’s most recognisable faces, she says she’s rarely recognised while hiking. “There’s a very easy way to make sure no one recognises me, and that’s to put a cap on – that’s all it takes,” she laughs. “I suppose if you’re walking the recognition factor isn’t that great until you’ve walked by. Then, I suppose, people might say ‘was that…?’ but they’re already walking away by then.”
From top: on the first day of Crufts this year; with writer Kate Morgan in the Peak District for Ramblings
Below: with her wife Alice Arnold – “I need to phone her every day when I’m away” – on Celebrity Gogglebox
STUDIO LAMBERT, CODY BURRIDGE/BBC/PA WIRE
When she does get stopped the public are gener- ally “incredibly friendly and nice”. Celebrity, in her experience, is no different to “living in a village – peo- ple know you, and they might notice you around, but it’s with affection and warmth”. “I’m not playing a role, I suppose,” she ponders. “I’m just me. So people talk to me about sport, about Arthur Fery at Wimbledon, or wasn’t curling fantastic at the Winter Olympics? It’s lovely and it’s easy.” The one thing people have mostly stopped asking her about is her time on The Celebrity Traitors which aired in autumn 2025. “It’s a while back now,” she shrugs. “But it has really changed the recognition fac- tor amongst kids. I’d never had eight, nine and 10-year- olds recognise me before, so that surprised me.” Balding had entered the programme in the hopes of winning cash for Cancer Research UK, one of the many charities she has been a prominent supporter of, having been successfully treated for thyroid can- cer herself in 2009. There was some public condem- nation of her performance on the show when, in the first episode, she made a blunder for which Charlotte Church had to give up her hard-won “shield”. “You have to make decisions you wouldn’t make in real life,” Balding explains. “If you’re going for a shield, you feel you have to get it, even if it means denying someone else. I’m not normally cut-throat. I suppose it brings out a Machiavellian instinct. You have to make a decision: are you ‘winning the game’ at all costs or are you keeping some sort of moral compass?” Whatever the case, Balding was eliminated by her fellow contestants three episodes later anyway, but she said she was largely unbothered by what the public thought of her appearance on the show. “I’m old enough and ugly enough to know I can’t impress people or make them like me,” she says. “There’s no point living your life trying to do that, people pleaser as I am. You just can’t. You can only really let yourself down. I didn’t want to let myself down.” TheTraitors,Baldingexplains,is“likereallife”inthat some contestants’ voices seemed to be higher status than others. “We overestimate some people, underesti- mate others – [England rugby union player] Joe Marler, who was super sharp, was not listened to. [On TheTrai- tors]justlikeinreallife,youhavetoformalliances.Now, admittedly in real life you hope you’re not having to be suspicious of other people, but you do have to find peo- ple to trust. If you support them, they support you.”
ugly enough to know I can’t impress people or make them like me’
It’s those kinds of alliances that Balding says have powered her 32-year broadcasting career, particularly withherfellowfemalesportspresenters.“GabbyLogan and I are very close, we can talk about things few other people can, Hazel Irvine and I get on very well, Sue Barker and I got on very well,” she says. “But generally speaking it’s producers, directors, floor managers… SarahWilliamswhodirectsatWimbledon,floormanag- ers Karen Graham and Daniel Woodhouse – if I have those people around me, I know I’m going to be OK. “Live TV is always thrilling though. Crufts [held in March] is generally my first live TV show of the year, and I always think, ‘God, do I still know how to do this?’ There’snosecondtakeandnorealrehearsaltime.You’re straight into it, you get on, and you talk and interview people and you know when to shut up as well.”
Top: on the first series of Celebrity Traitors: “It brings out a Machiavellian instinct”
There’s now a core of female presenters at the BBC in their mid-50s who’ve carved out a space for themselves at the top of what had, until their arrival, been seen as a male-dominated industry: Claudia Winkleman, Davina McCall, Tess Daly, Gabby Logan… “I think we were all at the beginning of the opportunity curve,” Balding says. “We were given chances in our 20s whereas I think the women before [us] struggled a bit more.” Having hosted coverage for eight Olympic games, seven Winter Olympics, five Paralympics, as well as at Crufts, Wimbledon, the Boat Race, Sports Relief, and various royal engagements, Balding is undoubt- edly one of the BBC’s brightest stars. She’s also a busy charity worker, holding patronages at Riding for the Disabled, the British Paralympic Association, Diver- sity Role Models, the Mintridge Foundation and the Jane Tomlinson Appeal, as well as being vice-patron for the Injured Jockeys Fund and Helen Rollason Cancer Charity. But I wonder whether her dabbling with the nation’s favourite reality television competi-
doesn’t bother me. It gives me authority in places I probably shouldn’t have’
tion is a sign she’s looking for a fresh challenge? “Interesting you should say that,” she replies. “I have never run a business. I’ve never been involved with developing a product. That is all going to change.” For the time being, she’s keeping schtum on the details, but I’m promised “it’s to do with dogs and it’s really exciting”, alongside a couple of other intriguing hints:ithasinvolved“ingredients”andBaldinghasbeen spending time around Preston in Lancashire to develop the product, but “it’s not a dog food,” she says firmly. Clare’spassionfordogsiswell-known.Shehasalong- term association with the Dogs Trust and, in addition to hosting Crufts, she was the owner of Archie, a Tibetan
Top: with Catherine, Princess of Wales during the Rugby World Cup in 2022. Above left: with her CBE, also in 2022
terrier, for 15 years, until he died in 2020. Since his pass- ing there is, she admits, a “dog-shaped hole in [her] life”. “I look at spreadsheets now,” she says, gleefully. “I was involved in a deal with a retailer; I’ve had to han- dle ingredients getting held up in the Strait of Hor- muz – this is a whole world I’ve never experienced before. So that’s very fun. Plus I’ll get to be out on the road meeting people and meeting their dogs too.” What’s so winning about Balding is her enthusi- asm, yet she doesn’t take anything for granted. “You do still get performance nerves,” she admits. And she’s keen not to miss a detail. When I ask what prompted her to write her book, she briskly corrects me: “It’s my 10th book, but of course you knew that.” I explain I meant her latest book, her first fiction for adults. “The idea came from that dream you have of escaping London.” Her wry smile leads me to believe that “you” really means Balding herself, not least because she did recently move to the quiet Surrey town of Esher after 25 years in Chiswick, west London. Throughout our time together, Balding is never anything less than the polished, authoritative figure she appears on TV. She’s unflappable, controlled, per- haps even a little prim and regularly gives the sense that she’d rather be asking the questions than answer- ing them. Not least when – having been reminded of how much time we have left – she lunges across the table to peruse my notebook to see if I’ve missed any- thing important. “Gosh your handwriting is so neat,” she says as she reads through my questions. Thenshepauses,hereyesnarrowasshereads.“‘Your vibe is a bit ‘BBC head girl’, does that bother you?’” I had hoped to come up with a more tactful means of asking, but she throws her head back and gives a good-natured chortle. “Well, I was a head girl,” she acknowledges. “Does it bother me?” She ponders for a moment. “Should it bother me? It gives me authority in places I probably shouldn’t have. Do you think I should be cooler than that? I’m a bit square compared to Clau- dia, I suppose. But I don’t care. No, I’m fine with that. What would I be trying to be? I can’t help who I am.” The truth is that Balding is every inch the stereotype, thoughIdon’tthinkit’sanentirelyunflatteringone.She knows herself, what she’s capable of, and she doesn’t compromise: “What I’m averse to is gang mentality. I don’t like everyone trying to do the same thing. I really like uniqueness, trying to find your own spin on things. Life – like good walking – is about finding variety.” ClareBaldinghaspartneredwithCottages.comtolaunch its Pub Walk Collection – hand-picked pub walks and countryside stays to help holidaymakers explore more
GETTY IMAGES
V
eteran tour promoter Harvey Goldsmith, who brought us Live Aid in 1985 and Live 8 in 2005, is considering the fact that the artists and bands he was working with as a young man in the 1970s, from Eric Clapton and Bob Dylan to The Rolling Stones and The Who, are still performing today – well into their 80s. “I’m amazed,” he says, having just turned 80 himself. “I’m amazed they’re still alive.” Not only are they performing, many of them are on the road. In fact, take a glance at this summer’s live music calendar and you might well think it was still the 1970s. Tom Jones, at the tender age of 86, set off on his near-40-date world tour last month; Dylan, at 85, has just begun the lastest leg of his US tour. Next month, 82-year-old Roger Daltrey will tour 20 cities in Amer- ica, while both Alice Cooper, 78, and Rob- ert Plant, 77, are currently on tour. The octogenarians are even doing fes- tivals: Gloria Gaynor has just headlined Boogietown festival at 82 and is about to announce a 2027 UK tour, while this weekend Diana Ross, also 82, is headlin- ing at Brighton Pride. From September, Eric Clapton, 81, will perform eight dates across America’s Midwest, including his own two-day festival which features a performance from 81-year-old Pete Town- shend. Willie Nelson, who is 93, is cur- rently headlining his travelling 12-city Outlaw festival. The Stones, who in 2022 headlined BST Hyde Park to rave reviews following a 20-date tour, have floated going back on the road next year – when both Mick Jagger and Keith Richards will be 83 – to promote their latest album, Foreign Tongues. “When I was first on the road with The Who or the Stones, I’d be going on to my next gig in the morning and they were only just going to bed,” says Goldsmith. “Then, at some point in the ’90s, a slew of them went vegan, stopped drinking and started bringing their fitness coaches on tour. And now, they’re just getting stron- ger and stronger. Also, they’re getting offered so much money, they just can’t turn it down.” Since streaming economics turned art- ist revenues from recorded music into pennies, touring is where musicians earn a living. It makes sense, then, that artists feel the pressure to stay on the road as long as possible (or come out of retirement to play yet another farewell show) – particu- larly when there’s such high demand from boomer fans craving nostalgia, or tour promoters who see the increasing value in the last ones standing. It’s why some of these vintage names are playing bigger venues than they ever did in their physi- cal prime (and to audiences now spanning three generations), as well as command- ing higher fees. Gaynor’s manager, Steph- anie Gold, tells me that the I Will Survive singer is “earning much more” than she was in the 1980s, partly because she’s one of the last few performers of her genera-Rocke
Back in the day, rock stars shone brightly, then burned out or quietly retired. Now, performers in their 80s are still going strong – but the classic rock ’n’ roll lifestyle has been replaced by cryotherapy chambers and IV drips – plus the odd puff of oxygen between songs. Eleanor Halls gets a backstage pass
Clockwise from left: Gloria Gaynor, Robert Plant, Alice Cooper and Mick Jagger, who have a collective age of 320
tion but also because at her age, “there comes a point at which it’s not worth leaving your home for less”. So what are the secrets behind these age-defying rock stars? Top of the list is Dr Steven Zeitels, a pioneer- ing laryngologist and cancer surgeon who “saved” Adele’s voice after she developed a benign polyp, added 25 years on to Julie Andrews’ career after four surgeries and has operated on 22 Grammy-winning singers to date. “In the first half of my career, I’d see people in their 90s just once or twice a year,” says Zeitels, who is soon to release his first book, VoiceJourneys:ASurgeon’s Story. “Now, it’s routine in my practice for me to see people in their 90s”. Fifteen years ago, Roger Daltrey quipped that Zeitels, who removed precancerous growths on the Who frontman’s vocal cords just five weeks before his 2010 Superbowl show, “swears that he’llkeepmesingingintomy80s”.Iaskhimhowitfeels to be watching Daltrey perform at 82. “Well, he’s going to keep singing past that, that’s for sure.” I ask Zeitels ifthefocuson restorativevocalsurgery fits into society’s current obsession with eternal youth. It is now commonplace for celebrities to pay for a £100,000 facelift that knocks 20 years off their looks, so why not have the voice to match? “Of course people want to look young, so they want to sound young too. There was talk of a ‘voice lift’ years ago but that was a farce, there’s no such thing.” However, Zeitels has spent the past 25 years working on bioma- terial gels that could be applied to the vocal cords to restore softness and pliability. The result, he says, is that “stars would sing like they sang 20 years earlier, or maybe even better”. Increasingly, he has been asked by musicians to join them on tour. “But I have a Harvard professorship with cancer patients, so that’s never on the cards,” he says. T
he vocal coach Gary Catona has worked with Whitney Houston, Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett, helping Bennett sing until the aston- ishing age of 96. He agrees with Zeitels’s scepticism about trendy wellness fads or biohacking experi- ments being useful in preserving the voice. Ulti- mately, says Catona, the most important thing is fitness. “The voice is a muscle, and singing is a sport. So a singer has to be fit, like an athlete.” That’s largely why Mick Jagger – who has one of the most rigorous and longstanding fitness routines of his peers – doesn’t sound a day over 45, and can strut across a stage for three hours a night. “He’s had a trainer touring with him for the last 30 years,” says Goldsmith, referring to the elusive Norwegian phys- iotherapist Torje Eike, who has no social-media pres- ence and does no interviews. Jagger, whose father was a PE teacher and taught him how to stay fit from a young age, has said he trains six times a week, includ- ing Pilates, dance, kickboxing, yoga and football. Similarly, Rod Stewart, still performing at 81, spent 20 years working with personal trainer Gary O’Con- nor on military-style drills that included underwater swimming using flippers and a rebreather tube to practise recycling or holding his breath, and drag- ging a metal sledge behind him for leg strength. “It’s also the reason Roger [Daltrey] sounds so good,” adds Zeitels. Daltrey, who has been playing squash and lift- ing weights since the 1980s, has said he now goes to the gym twice a week and uses the rowing machine;
ethic is phenomenal. Some of them are training two hours a day; they’re running a marathon a day’
Iggy Pop, 79, credits his on-stage flexibility to daily qigong (a slow martial art practice similar to tai chi); Jones, who said he had a “12- pack” at 80, credits boxing and inversion therapy (a tech- nique where you hang upside down to use gravity to decom- press the spine and relieve back pain); and Gaynor does CrossFit workouts three times a week, despite having had two knee replacements. To get an idea of how on-the-road health and fitness has changed, I speak to Dave Hancock, a doctor of physical therapy, formerly head physio for Chelsea Football Club and the England national team for the 2010 World Cup, who has toured with U2 and Madonna. “Stars are now training like elite athletes,” he says. “The
Clockwise from left: AC/DC’s Brian Johnson, 78; Rod Stewart, 81; Tony Bennett sang with Lady Gaga at 94; Dolly Parton, 80
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work ethic is phenomenal. Some of them are training two hours a day; they’re run- ning a marathon a day.” For his older clients, key exercises include short bursts of cardio such as spin- ning to help with lung stamina when sing- ing, and he’ll make sure to track how much energy they’re burning on stage so that he can inform their on-tour chef about protein requirements. Long gone are the days of stars going out after a show, says Hancock, who even has a bed back- stage on which he can tend to his clients during stage breaks. Instead, they spend the car journey back to the hotel with their legsinanice-compressionmachine,“then we’re doing an hour of recovery in the hotel room at 1am, while they’re listening back to their gig”. In their dressing rooms, alcohol and drugs have been replaced
with portable cryotherapy chambers, steam chambers and IV drips. Hancock is sceptical, how- ever, of some of the increas- ingly popular “longevity science” which includes plasma oxygenisation (which essentially “filters and cleans” the blood) as well as peptide (short chains of amino acids known as “building blocks” of proteins) and stem-cell injec- tions. “In my opinion the sci- ence isn’t totally there,” he says. “But artists have become very interested in all of that, and some of them swear by peptides, but they’re not Food and Drug Administration-
approved in the US. And some of the old guys, if they’ve got arthritis in their knees and shoulders, will inject themselves with stem cells into their joints to help.” Does he believe that artists’ obsession with well- ness will keep increasing the age of headliners? “Oh, absolutely, well into their 80s.” The gruelling physi- caldemandsoftouringmakegoingpast90“unlikely”, however, despite medical advancements. A
s to how stadium staging has adapted to this new crop of veteran stars, there is no one with better insight than 73-year-old tour produc- tion manager Jake Berry, who directed Ozzy Osbourne’s final show in Birmingham last year, just 17 days before he died. To cater to Ozzy’s limited move- ment, owing to Parkinson’s disease, Berry – who has worked on productions for the Stones and U2 – used the same leather, bat-shaped throne that the Black Sabbath frontman had used for his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2024, and adjusted it for the stage at Villa Park Stadium. “We actually had to strap him into the seat because he wanted to get up all the time,” says Berry, who had known Ozzy since 1984. His pride also set limits. “After soundcheck he said to me, ‘Jake, don’t you dare take me down [from the stage] in that f—king lift!’, so we got a special chair for him to sit on to get off the stage, and we had to make lots of ramps.” Such mobility adjustments were also made for Phil Collins – who performed in a wheelchair – during Gen- esis’s The Last Domino? Tour in 2021, while Berry says that, generally, productions dealing with older stars try to make sure “to keep where they go between encores at the same level”, and promoters have to make do with fewer shows. “The first band I ever worked for was AC/ DC, 50 years ago, and they were performing the other night in America still with the same production. The only difference is that at 78, Brian [Johnson] needs
more time to recuperate, so they don’t do as many shows a week, and they have a month off after eight weeks. ” Longer breaks between shows have also become crucial to securing an insurance policy, a major factor in whether an artist can afford to go on tour. According to Mar- tin Goebbels, senior director of sport and entertainment at Miller Insurance – which last year insured four of the 10 high- est-grossing tours in the world – the policy price usually increases by 10 per cent after an artist reaches 65, and at least a further 20 per cent past the age of 75. These policies will request comprehensive medical his- tory, particularly if a band or artist is doing many shows, and it helps insurers if a vocal coach or doctor are on the tour. A
private jet, rather than flying com- mercial, may also be helpful to lower the insurance risk through preserving an artist’s energy. When sev- eral members of a band are in their 80s,
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off the road and suddenly you have 12 hours to fill. It’s like giving up heroin’
you get “triple the risk”, says Goebbels, so “the premiums may be so expensive that they wipe out the profit, so they may decide not to insure”. That said, cancelling a stadium tour may cost a band “several hundreds of millions of pounds” – 80-year-old Dolly Parton will no doubt have been glad of her insurance when she cancelled her Las Vegas residency due to ill health in May. Miller is increasingly insuring superstar artists to play one-off private shows for “vast amounts of money” that don’t require the infrastructure of a whole tour. “What’s funny,” adds Goeb- bels, “is that in 1979, an insur- ance company asked me to pick up some younger acts, because their books were full of artists who were ‘nearly 30 and so going to be retiring any time soon’. Those acts included The Who, The Rolling Stones and Elton John. And of course, the irony is that I’m coming up to retirement now, and they’re still going.”
I wonder if there’s ever a worry that artists or their entourage may push it too far. Stewart was seen tak- ing puffs from an oxygen tank mid-concert in Utah last month, while Ozzy, the first of whose three fare- well gigs took place in 1992, even joked about dying on stage. “Well, [his wife] Sharon can be ruthless, yes, and as his manager she wanted him to perform, but also she loved him and knew when he couldn’t,” says Berry. Although Goldsmith jokes that it’s usually the “bank manager or the wife” who pushes a star back out on tour, Berry says these musicians are addicted to the road. “Somebody asked me, ‘Why doesn’t Mick [Jagger] stop? He doesn’t need the money’, but Mick doesn’t know what else to do. None of them know what else to do – you come off the road and suddenly you have 12 hours to fill. It’s like giving up heroin.” Ultimately, it will be up to fans how long a rock star can go on. “When they decide an artist can no longer sing, they’ll stop buying the tickets,” says Stuart Gal- braith, former managing director of Live Nation and now chief executive of KMJ Entertainment Group. He notes that the top end of the live music sector is expe- riencing notable growth as a result of “more quality venues of higher capacities” (planning for eight new UK arenas is under way), and that “people want to go and see live entertainment more than ever before”. For many music fans in their 50s and 60s, “we’re get- tingold,andwewanttofeelyoungagain”,saysZeitels. There’s a little panic in it too, adds Galbraith. “They’re buying tickets to the Stones thinking: ‘This might be their last ever tour.’” Then again, these days a rocker’s “farewell tour” is very rarely their last.
From left: Elton John has continued to perform at 79, while Ozzy Osbourne was on stage just 17 days before his death last year, aged 76
or survivors of terrorism, life is never the same again. Devastating inju- ries, severe mental health conditions and permanent disabilities are common. The nightmare of losing loved ones becomes a brutal reality. Many never return to work, bringing huge financial chal- lenges as they start their daunting recovery. The UK’s terror threat level has been set to “severe”, mean- ing another attack is “highly ‘The system is victims of terr cares and you
F
From losing loved ones to sustaining multiple injuries, these people’s lives have all been devastated by acts of terrorism. Yet trying to claim compensation from the government is a stressful and humiliating ordeal, as Rob White discovers
u have to fight’
likely”, for the fourth time in just seven years. Yet there remains no dedi- cated compensation system to support those injured by hor- rific crimes against the state. Like anyone affected by violent crime in England, Scotland and Wales, their only option for redress is applying to the Criminal Injuries Com- pensation Scheme, operated by the Criminal Injuries Com- pensation Authority (Cica, pronounced “Kee-kah”).
Run by the Ministry of Jus- tice, Cica was set up in 1964 and now deals with around 43,000 applications a year. Payouts are awarded using a tariff set by Parliament, last updated in 2012, and it pays out more than £160 million annually. But behind the headline sta- tistics lies the cruel reality of a broken system. Claimants spendyearsinabacklog,forced to relive their trauma repeat- edly as they are asked to prove life-changing injuries, some-
times from their hospital beds. Many give up, overwhelmed by a bureaucratic quagmire seemingly designed to defeat them in their hour of need. Applications are also lim- ited to just three injuries – regardless of how many were actually inflicted. Payouts drop significantly with each injury claimed. The maximum payment for a single physical or mental injury is £250,000, with additional compensation available for hardship such as
loss of earnings, capping the overall payment at £500,000. But the vast majority of suc- cessful payouts are far lower, and the average across all vio- lent crimes is just £11,470. Loss of earnings is only paid after the 28th week, and at the stat- utory sick pay flat rate of just £123.25 a week. Those who do apply – some of whom risked their lives to save others – say the system is “humiliating, disrespectful and dehumanising”.
was about 10cm from the bomb’
FISHMONGERS’ HALL D
arryn Frost, 45, was born in South Africa and moved to Britain in 2005. He worked in communications for the Ministry of Justice – until it brought him face to face with a terrorist. On 29 November 2019, he was attending the fifth anni- versary celebration of Learn- ing Together, a Cambridge University Institute of Crimi- nology programme that brought offenders and under- graduates together to study. Usman Khan, one of the ex- prisoners invited, was wear- ing a suicide vest and carrying two eight-inch knives he would later tape to his hands. A few hours later, he launched a frenzied attack on those inside Fishmongers’ Hall. Frost heard a series of screams, but nothing could prepare him for the scene that unfolded. “I went down to investigate. I saw [victim] Saskia Jones fall on the stairs. I saw the perpetrator,” he recalls. “That’s when he [Khan] raised his hands and showed me the bomb.” Frost grabbed two narwhal tusks hanging from the wall and handed one to fellow guest Steve Gallant, who was already fighting the attacker with a chair. Frost pursued Khan with a narwhal tusk and together with Gallant chased him out of the building and on to nearby London Bridge. “I ran ahead and Khan turned back, he raised the knives, that gave about a one- centimetre gap in his midriff. I ran full speed and stabbed him.
“The police arrived and shouted to everyone to move away, but I refused to let go even though I had three guns pointed at me. I thought he’d let off the bomb and blow up the police. My face was about 10cm from the bomb.” Although the bomb turned out to be fake, graduates Saskia Jones, 23, and Jack Merritt, 25, both died from stab wounds. For Frost, the conse- quences of that day have led to a new reality. “It’s been nearly seven years and I’ve kind of lost those years. My memory
has never been the same. I had to leave work. It’s absolutely disrupted my emotional regu- lation,” he says. “My partner became my carer for at least two years. I wasn’t physically injured, but I couldn’t eat certain foods and for about two months I couldn’t sleep. “The mysterious thing is, from the moment my hands touched those tusks, nobody else’s blood was shed apart from the perpetrator. But I had survivor’s guilt.” Eventually, Frost applied to Cica for compensation, but found a system he felt was stacked against survivors from the start. Even though he was eventually successful, he said the application process took a heavy toll and he felt unable to confirm how much he received. “It could be so much better for its purpose, but instead it feels like they do everything in their power to not let you know about it [the system] and not let you get compensation. “It feels dirty even trying
to go through the system. Even if you receive compen- sation, it makes you feel like you’re a benefits scrounger, like you’re trying to get around the system.” One of Cica’s key limitations is that survivors can only claim for three injuries, regardless of how many they actually sustained. Compensation levels are also set out in a long list approved by Parliament, based on the severity of the injuries. And although successful claimants receive a 100 per cent payment for their worst injury, this falls to 30 per cent for the second and just 15 per cent for the third. Nothing is paid for any addi- tional injuries, no matter how debilitating, leaving some sur- vivors unable to support them- selves financially as they learn to live with a disability.
Left: Darryn Frost. Below: after the Fishmongers’ Hall attack
PAUL GROVER
to walk through blood in her bare feet’
S
SOUSSE, TUNISIA
Z
oe Thompson, 53, her husband Paul, and their daughter Millie, then aged 15, were in the Hotel Riu Imperial Marhaba in Tunisia when Seifeddine Rezgui opened fire on 26 June 2015. Armed with an assault rifle and grenades, he shot at tourists on a nearby beach before entering the hotel. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the massacre, where 38 people died, including 30 from the UK. Thompson was by her sun- bed when the shooting began, but Paul and Millie were on the other side of the pool. She was separated from them in the “carnage” that ensued and hid in a gift shop before finally being told it was safe to come out. “I started my search [for Millie]. You have to search bodies. She came out from behind reception holding a lady’s hand. Two people were killed outside the room she was in. “She’d had to walk through blood in bare feet, obviously in complete shock.” After the family arrived home, they quickly realised Millie would not receive the support she needed. “It’s very difficult to get over something so traumatic, seeing so many people get killed is one of the most hor- rendous evils you can imagine. He chased her down the corri- dor and threw a grenade into one of the areas she was in. “A few months later, she had her first panic attack. She’d been having flashbacks and that’s when I knew she needed help.”
Zoe Thompson’s daughter was chased by a terrorist with a gun
Thompson applied for financial support from Cica to help with Millie’s care, but was told nothing would be sent until a civil claim against their tour operator had been settled. “That’s where Cica let us down massively. It’s never too late, but there’s an optimal time to have therapy and get help. An interim payment would have been perfect, but they refused,” she says. With local mental health services refusing to help because they did not have the right specialists, the family was forced to pay for what private care they could afford until that civil claim con- cluded in 2022 – seven years after the attack. Thompson says the wait has significantly affected Millie’s recovery. “This has changed her life for ever. She’s 26 now and nobody can understand the trauma that child goes through, even to this day. “She’s much better than she was, because time is a healer,
but it’s something that she should’ve had help with very early on from a specialist.” Critics have long argued that a major limitation is that Cica was set up to deal with victims of all violent crime, rather than terrorism specifically. As a result, the individual needs of those affected go unmet.
to work and don’t have time to grieve’
MANCHESTER ARENA
tuart Murray, 59, lost his stepson, 29-year-old Mar- tyn Hett, at the Ariana Grande concert on 22 May 2017. He vividly recalls going to Man- chester’s Etihad stadium to reg-
ister him missing with his wife Figen, Martyn’s mother, the fol- lowing day. “It was a surreal day. I can remember every detail. Other families were coming, being given news, wailing uncontrollably. “It was a day of endless waiting and getting nothing until about 10 o’clock at night.” The couple’s application to Cica was processed within six months, but the compensa- tion they received was only around £15,000. They also had to sign a document agree- ing to pay it back in the event of a successful civil claim. “When you go through something like the Manches- ter Arena bombing, you feel like you have to do a big funeral,” Murray says. “The biggest hall we could get was for 600 people. We had to have a large screen to broad- cast it outside, so we had to pay for that. Our funeral costs were more than we got from Cica. “Because I went back to work after three weeks, we were OK. If I hadn’t done that, we wouldn’t be OK. You don’t have time to grieve and just [have to return to] work.” He adds: “I think the gov- ernment has a responsibility to pay for the damage it causes. If you’re in the Army and you get injured, you’re looked after. But if you’re an innocent vic- tim in the street, it doesn’t matter. Nobody cares.”
years and left me in financial limbo’
O
MANCHESTER ARENA MANCHESTER ARENA P
aul Price, 59, was also at Manchester Arena that night, with his partner, Elaine McIver. The couple were waiting for his 13-year-old daughter to emerge from the concert when the bomb was deto- nated. McIver lost her life and Price was catastrophically injured in the blast. Price too struggled with the ordeal of dealing with Cica – directly from his hospital bed. “The process was an absolute nightmare. At times, it was humiliating and dehumanis- ing. There’s no acknowledge- ment, no empathy. It felt like it
was designed to put people off,” he says. “After the attack, I was in hospital for nine months and they wanted photographic evidence. My injuries were from my head to my feet. I had to have my solicitor come in and take photographs of me. “I had to repeatedly recount traumatic events, which you’re trying to recover from. The bureaucracy, the demands for medical evi- dence, psychiatric reports, the process took years with delays that left me in financial limbo.” Three years after the attack, Price received a payment of £99,000 – but only after appearing on BBC Breakfast. He says that within hours of his appearance Cica got in touch with his solicitor, and within three months his case was resolved. Price’s case demonstrates a further criticism of Cica – its strict criteria for payouts. Each injury has a prescribed amount of compensation, which can be as little as £1,000. Permanent disabilities and medical conditions yield £22,000, while payments for even the most serious scarring cannot exceed £11,000. Permanent, seriously disa- bling mental injuries are com-
pensated with £27,000, but this shrinks to £13,500 if it is temporary, even if it lasts more than five years. Life-changing injuries such asblindnessprovide£110,000, while losing the ability to walk is £175,000. Survivors receiving the m a x i m u m a m o u n t o f £250,000 must have lost the ability to move all four limbs or suffered a brain injury that left them broadly unable to move, speak or live without full-time nursing care. Price’s compensation did not even cover a year of lost earn- ings. “My life was destroyed. I couldn’t work, through no fault of my own. You turn to your government to help and it was like being put on trial.” For those who lose a loved one, the payouts are even lower. A single applicant can receive £11,000, but this shrinks to £5,500 each where there is more than one appli- cant, such as when two par- ents lose a child. More is available in cases of financial hardship, but just £5,000 is provided for a funeral.
Paul Price lost his partner Elaine McIver at the Manchester bombing
injuries but can only claim for three’
n the night of the Ari- ana Grande concert, Joanne McSorley, 52, and her mother were waiting to collect her daughters, una- ware that, just 15 feet away, Salman Abedi was about to detonate the bomb. The blast left McSorley with life-changing injuries and she spent the next three months in hospital. Almost a decade later, she still cannot work or walk long distances and relies on a wheelchair or mobility scooter. “I received over 40 injuries, but I can only claim for three. It’s like they don’t believe a word that you’re saying.” McSorley lives in pain every day as a result of her injuries. “It’s the whole of my left side. A tibia and fibula open fracture to my left leg, then a compound open frac- ture of the humerus. I cannot extend my left arm fully any more,” she says. “A right arm fracture, right shoulder fracture and then multiple shrapnel injuries all over my body that have left quite nasty large scars. I suffer from PTSD and depression and take medication for that. “I suffer with nerve pain every single day.” McSorley’s home was unsuitable for life with the dis- abilities inflicted by the bomb- ing, but she and her husband could not afford to move – even after receiving small interim payments from Cica. “They’re not large enough amounts to change your life,” she says. “I don’t have a down- stairs loo and I struggle to go up the stairs.” McSorley says that Cica’s
compensation process was “dehumanising” and “re-trau- matising”. “You’re just made to feel like you’re the person who’s done wrong. It’s like they don’t believe a word that you’re saying and you’ve got to prove every single thing, which I understand to a point, but there should come a time where you shouldn’t have to keep relaying certain parts. “It is a broken system. It is not set up for victims. No one cares and you’ve just got to muddle through and fight your own battles. Fight for yourself and your family.” After an eight-year wait, McSorley withdrew her Cica claim because of another rule – any compensation must be repaid if it is subsequently received from elsewhere for the same injury. A law firm offered to repre- sent the survivors pro bono for a civil claim against British Transport Police, Greater Manchester Police and two events companies, meaning McSorley would have lost any- thing the state had awarded. The civil claim was settled out of court in December last year,
B
enabling her finally to address the daily challenges she faces. “It means that I can now get the property I need. But it’s not a lottery win, I still have to live within my means.” The Government and Cica, however, have not helped make life any easier since the event. “That’s what makes me bit- ter, that’s what sticks in my throat, that the Government has done nothing to help me recover,” she says.
progress is an insult – a form of torture’
MURDER OF JO COX
rendan Cox, 47, is one of the leading campaign- ers for change. His wife, the MP Jo Cox, was murdered outside her constituency sur- gery in 2016.
After Jo’s death, Cox founded Survivors Against Terror, a campaign network that helps those injured or bereaved by terrorist attacks. In a survey among survi- vors, it found that just nine per cent thought Cica’s process was “reasonable” and a mere seven per cent thought it was sympathetic to their needs. “For a lot of people it wasn’t so much the outcome or the amount, it was the process and the contempt with which claimants were being treated. Governments get a lot of things wrong, but not many things this badly,” Cox says. Among all survivors, including himself, the consen- sus is that no amount of money will make the situation OK, he adds. “[But] for lots of people, they suddenly don’t have an income. If you’ve not got loads of cash, which a lot of people don’t, then you’ve got the trauma, the horror, the pain, compounded by the anxiety of ‘How do I pay the water bill this month?’ “I’m sure Cica has a load of false claimants trying to get money out of them for things they weren’t involved in. Because of that, it’s led to a culture of suspicion and a ‘You prove it’ mentality.” Cox has already success- fully fought for better mental health support and earlier this summer, the Government opened a new specialist sup- port hub for anyone affected by a terrorist incident. It will also help people apply to Cica. But there is still a long way to go. “There’s a real sense that you want to come out of the horror. You don’t want the ter- rorists to define the rest of your life,” he says. “The lack of progress we’ve made surprises and angers me. It is an insult to those peo- ple and it’s a form of torture.” Successive governments have considered overhauling Cica. In 2019, Baroness New- love, then the Victims’ Com- missioner, published a review that found its compensation process was “extremely trau- matic, highly complex and retraumatising”. She recommended a sim- pler and more accessible scheme with free legal repre- sentation for those affected. Progress has at least been
made in tackling terrorism. Between 11 September 2001, and March last year, British officers made 5,734 terrorism- related arrests. Of 1,423 charged with an offence, 87 per cent were convicted in court. The Ministry of Justice has toldTheTelegraph it was aware that applying for compensation through Cica could be “deeply difficult” and that it made “every effort to communicate sensitively and accurately”. A spokesman added: “The Criminal Injuries Compensa- tion Authority paid out £164 million in taxpayer-funded compensation last year to sup- port brave survivors of vio- lent crime, including those whose lives have been devas- tated by appalling terror attacks such as these.” For those whose lives were torn apart, however, cam- paign groups must continue fighting on their behalf for a system that gets anywhere close to meeting their needs. And with no plans for change at government level, it is hard to see when that day will come. Instead, terrorism survivors are being left to battle a broken system – aban- doned by the very state that failed to protect them.
Brendan Cox has campaigned for better help for terrorism survivors
and the butt-lift brigade
London’s premier private health district has been infiltrated by rogue practitioners. But now the guardians of the historic brand are fighting back, as Simon Usborne discovers
J ames Invest walks into the grand waiting room at 90 Harley Street. Copies of Tatler and Country Living are neatly laid on a mahogany table. Decora- tive plasterwork adorns the duck-egg- blue walls. The whole place exudes a kind of Georgian gentility that ought to soothe patients preparing to submit to the den- tist’s arsenal of drills and probes. No 90 has been a home from home for Invest for as long as he can remember. JamesDyseestablishedBritain’sfirstprivate dental practice here in 1924. A few decades earlier, Florence Nightingale worked at a women’s hospital that occupied the same site before she left for Crimea. “I’ve got patients who have been com- ing here since the 1950s, when they were children,” says Invest, 54, whose father, Clive, a former RAF dentist, became a partner in 1974. Invest took over the upstairs consulting room in 2005 and still does his paperwork at Clive’s leather- topped desk, which sits opposite a more modern dentist’s chair. Invest, who wears a spotless pair of Adi- das Superstars with his navy scrubs, has a patient list that has included business tycoons and heirs to London’s noble estates, and he offers the kind of expertise,
discretion and service for which Harley Street has long been renowned. Elevated in the 19th century by its proximity to the fashionable Cavendish Square, Harley Street’s medical half-mile, along with its surrounding squares and mews, has housed some of the capital’s most eminent physicians. Winston Churchill’s personal doctor, Charles Wil- son, practised at No 29 Harley Street, while Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue treated King George VI’s stammer in the drawing room at No 146. But I have come to Harley Street at what appears to be a crossroads for Lon- don’s premier private health district, which stretches north from Cavendish Square to the edge of Regent’s Park. In recent months, stories have abounded of less salubrious services being offered behind the street’s gleaming stucco walls, where butt lifts and plumped lips are plied by fly-by-night practitioners trading on the Harley Street name. At the same time, the Howard de Wal- den family estate, a £5 billion Marylebone property portfolio with roots dating back to 1711, is ploughing tens of millions of pounds into a facelift. Its mission: to resist the aesthetic treatment wave and shore up the district’s reputation as a hi-tech global health hub fit for the 21st century. “There’s no question it has been a prob- lem,” Invest says of the recent arrivals. “If you just Google Harley Street, you’ll find practices in Watford who say they’re here because perhaps they’ve got a guy who comes in and rents a room one day a week.” That’s just the dentists. Demand for “tweakments” such as fillers and Botox
has washed up in Marylebone, where practitioners with sometimes dubious CVs rent rooms. “We find that patients don’t think about who the person is or what their background is because they just think that if they’re operating on Har- ley Street, they don’t need to ask,” says Ashton Collins, director of Save Face, a government-approved register of accred- ited aesthetic practitioners. Save Face has noticed a rising number of complaints about rogue clinicians in the area. Services are typically advertised on socialmediasitesincludingTikTokandIns- tagram, matching low prices to a postcode that offers a veneer of prestige. Collins recalls speaking to one woman who needed emergency treatment for sepsis after a botched “liquid” Brazilian butt lift (BBL). The law has struggled to keep up with demand. Scottish MPs this year backed new restrictions on non-surgical proce- dures including Botox, BBLs, dermal fill- ers and laser treatments that would ban them for under-18s and require the prem- ises giving them to be licensed. The Gov- ernment is moving towards similar changes in England. In the meantime, when things do go wrong, patients typically find that the practitioner has moved on. “Most of these buildings are really reputable and, if they do allow rooms to be rented for aesthetic treatments, they have a proper vetting process,” Collins says. “But those ques- tions don’t always get asked.” Last January, meanwhile, a plastic sur- geon with a Harley Street address was suspended for a year after performing liposuction without a proper registration.
Professor Prokar Dasgupta in the King’s Speech Room, the London Clinic
tainted by people offering weird and wonderful treatments in rented rooms’
Sayed Mia, who also offered male breast reduction surgery, pretended to be a clue- less patient while attempting to flee an inspectionbytheCareQualityCommission, thehealthandsocialcareregulator,in2023. In 2024, a Ferrari-driving Harley Street doctor was suspended for five months for performing a £3,500 penis filler opera- tion during the Covid pandemic lock- down in 2020. His attempts to claim that the girth-giving procedure was covered as “essential treatment” under lockdown legislation fell on deaf ears. David Jack, a former NHS plastic sur- geon who has run a clinic on Harley Street for a decade, says bad actors threaten the reputationoflegitimateaestheticclinicians: “I think things have definitely been tainted in recent years by people offering weird andwonderfultreatmentsinrentedrooms.” M
ark Kildea shifts uncomfortably when I raise the issue of rogue operators and Harley Street’s reputation as a destination for anything from Botox to “salmon sperm facials” (a skin booster derived from fish DNA). I meet him at the plush offices of the How- ard de Walden estate, where he has been chief executive since 2020. This 95-acre patch of prime central Lon- don real estate, which includes about 850 properties, is one of the great aristocratic landowning estates in the capital. It is wholly owned by the Howard de Walden family, currently led by the 11th Baron How- ard de Walden, Peter Czernin, a film pro- ducer whose credits include In Bruges and ThreeBillboardsOutsideEbbing,Missouri. Doctors first began to arrive in the 19th century,typicallylivingabovetheirconsult- ing rooms, which had the advantage of proximity to the capital’s grand homes and several hospitals. There were about 20 such physicians in the area in 1860, 10 times as many by 1914, and more than 1,500 by 1948, when the founding of the NHS created the modern market for private healthcare. Today, according to a report the estate published last month, more than 2,500 consultants work in the district, where healthcare activity was worth an estimated £1.85 billion last year: more than a 10th of the whole UK private healthcare market. The trouble for the estate is that, while its fortunes are tied to the Harley Street brand, it doesn’t control everything on its patch. Kildea, who grew up in a Scottish coun- cil house, says the estate operates strict controls on who can rent its property. “But you may well find there are other buildings on long leases, perhaps on our freehold,
where someone might decide to create a skin clinic that does Botox and other things we wouldn’t approve of,” he explains. He blames journalists for “inflating” the sense that the problem is endemic to Harley Street. “Whereas it’s actually one of the few locations in the UK where the majority property owner restricts that activity,” he adds. “So in the middle of the whole of the Harley Street Health District, seven per cent of activity is cosmetic, which is much lower than it would be in many areas of, I don’t know, Bristol or Bir- mingham. And 28 per cent is cancer care.” You can’t legally protect a street name, he goes on. “So anybody could be in Shoreditch and call themselves Carnaby Street retail… What defines this area is that it offers whole health. You can be born in the Portland Hospital, and you can
Historic Harley Street uses cutting-edge tech like this medication- dispensing robot
die here… we have 39 intensive care beds. And on the way, you can have the whole spectrum, from GP care through to diag- nostics, imaging and complex surgery.” I stroll north up Harley Street. On one corner,deliveryvansareunloadingmedical supplies and laundered linen. Another van does mobile shredding. Signs warn limou- sinedriversnottoleavetheirenginesidling. The only noise I can hear is what sounds like a tuba lesson at Queen’s College, an incongruous private day school for girls whose alumni include traveller and writer Gertrude Bell and Vogue’s Anna Wintour. David Jack, the plastic surgeon, says I’m right to detect a slight haughtiness in the Harley Street establishment about the modern aesthetics industry. “Oh, they’re very snooty!” he says. It’s not a descrip- tion the estate recognises, but it’s clear that its business strategy lies elsewhere as it doubles down on health and the most deep-pocketed tenants it can attract. Harley Street has long benefited from central London’s status as a magnet for international wealth and high-end health tourism. And while Britain’s ageing popu- lation is a time bomb for the NHS, Kildea says the estate stands to benefit: “Elderly people are more likely to have insurance, and to be able to afford self-pay [health- care],” he explains. “And the frequency of
that is going to keep creating demand, whether that’s orthopaedic, cancer, oph- thalmology, cardiac or cognitive decline.” Since he first joined the estate as its finance chief in 2011, Kildea tells me, the estate’s rental income has soared from just under £75 million annually to almost £200 million today. The approach that has brought about this sharp rise has involved courting tenants when leases come up for renewal, and refurbishing whole sites as they become available. Health now accounts for 40 per cent of its estate (the rest is offices, commercial and residential), up from around 20 per cent five years ago. Justofftheroaditself,onNewCavendish Street, Emer MacSweeney is a whirlwind of energyasshepreparestoflytoaconference in the US. The consultant neuroradiologist is the co-founder of Re:Cognition Health, a
treatment and research centre for ageing and developmental brain disorders, includ- ing Alzheimer’s, which she describes as a global pandemic. Re:Cognition Health moved into these modernised premises in late 2024 after outgrowing three sites across Marylebone. MacSweeney welcomes the renewed focus of the estate on research and inno- vation. “I think there were times when, perhaps if it hadn’t paid attention, Harley Street could have become just some- where where lots of individual doctors are doing private practice, but not necessar- ily practising state-of-the-art medicine,” she says. “We can enhance the Harley Street brand rather than hijack it.” Symbols of this approach are spreading across the district. Back down on Caven- dish Square, 1-7 Harley Street, a handsome Victorian terracotta-clad mansion block, had been a warren of cramped clinics and offices for rent, before lying empty for a period. The estate then spent more than £25 million on gutting and rebuilding the interior, preserving the listed façade and negotiating a new lease with 10M Health- care, an investment platform. OneHarleyStreet,asthewholeblockhas been branded, is expected to reopen later this year as a £100 million “ambulatory” surgery centre for private patients in need
of minor procedures, GP appointments and screening services. There will be conci- erges and a VIP entrance for royalty and celebrities, leading to an airy space that will look and feel more like a luxury hotel than a location for providing stool samples. A
few doors up the road, 29 Harley Street had had a less edifying recent past since the days when it housed Churchill’s doctor. For years, it served as a front for more than 400,000 companies typically set up for the pur- poses of international money laundering. Its customers – who were exposed in a mass leak in 2019, not long before the whole enterprise crumbled – included Italian mafia and a fake Gambian bank, all drawn to an address that provided a sem- blance of respectability. Thescaffoldingwentupmonthsafterthe collapse, as the estate took the opportunity to knock through into No 27, which had housed multiple legitimate health clinics. The two addresses are now joined seam- lessly behind their spruced-up façades as the Women’s Health Centre, an outpatient and diagnostic facility that opened in 2024 for HCA Healthcare. The American private- health giant already operates several hospi- tals and clinics in the area, including the Portland and the Princess Grace. The dis- trict’s other big tenants include Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic and Cedars-Sinai from the US, as well as private elements of NHS hospitals such as The Royal Marsden, Guy’s and St Thomas’, and UCLH. At No 146, where Logue helped King George with his speech, Professor Prokar Dasgupta is looking relaxed. He has just retired from the NHS after more than 30 years as a top urology surgeon. But he’s still on the books at the London Clinic, one of the largest private-hospital compa- nies in the district. It operates several buildings on the street, including this one, while its main clinic sits round the
consultantsintheland workonHarleyStreet, but so do some of the greatest scoundrels’
corner on Devonshire Place. It has played host variously to David Cameron’s birth, Liz Taylor’s tracheotomy and the current King’s cancer diagnosis. Dasgupta joined the London Clinic in 2005 to work with its new Da Vinci machine, the first surgical robot to oper- ate privately in the UK. He used it to remove prostates via tiny incisions with a fraction of the invasiveness and recovery time of open surgery. He made interna- tional headlines earlier this year for using a more modern Chinese robot to remove the prostate of a man in Gibraltar while the surgeon sat at the controls in a con- sulting room on Harley Street. “When I started, one per cent of pros- tate cancer operations in the UK were robotic, now it’s almost 95 per cent,” Das- gupta says. He explains that the London Clinic’s investment in robotics was vital in boosting training for surgeons across the NHS, in one example of the private-public symbiosis playing out on Harley Street, and that the clinic “completely changed” how prostate cancer is treated. Dasgupta is more sanguine than some about the area’s aesthetic traditions, which, he points out, long predate con- temporary demand for fillers and fish DNA. In 1932, Sir Harold Gillies set up the world’s first private plastic-surgery clinic at the London Clinic. The New Zealand- born surgeon, who was known as the “father of plastic surgery”, went on to dab- ble in aesthetic work, adapting the facial reconstruction techniques that he had pio-
neered on First World War veterans. The London Clinic remains a leading purveyor of boob jobs and brow lifts. “I think of us as providing holistic care,” Dasgupta says. Nor are rogue practitioners a new phe- nomenon here. In the 1820s, John St John Long, a celebrity physician whose clientele included politicians and aristocrats, treated tuberculosis with a harsh rubbing treat- ment designed to create a sore by which the disease could vacate the body. Long, who was in fact a struggling artist from Ireland, wasexposedandtriedattheOldBaileyafter two patients died. He then died of TB, reportedly having declined to receive his own miracle cure, which turned out to be a mix of egg yolk, vinegar and turpentine. “Some of the greatest consultants in the land do work in Harley Street,” declared Wimpole Street neurologist Richard Alan John Asher much later, in a 1958 edition of a British Medical Association magazine, “but so do some of the greatest scoun- drels.” Describing the still familiar prob- lem of independently owned properties “carved into warrens of one-room offices”, he went on: “A number of people regard a Harley Street address, a large fee and an impressive manner as proof that they have got a first-class opinion. So long as people believe this, there will be charla- tans to accept them as patients.” Back at No 90, the Invest family has observed much of Harley Street’s evolu- tion this century. Whether you’re a corpo- rate power in private medicine or a lone clinician, Invest says one thing remains constant in an area where natural selection inevitably filters out the quacks and char- latans: the need for trust and good service. “There have been so many waves of all sorts of things here,” he says, before he pre- pares for his first appointment of the day. “But if you’re well-established and you’ve looked after your patients, who are loyal to you and trust you and vice versa, those are the types of practices that survive.”
The district is owned and managed by the Howard de Walden estate
LISA ARMSTRONG
In need of a cool gown? Look no further than these chic warm-weather dresses – all for £100 or less
SONIA HARIA Pep(tide) talk: putting Marks & Spencer’s relaunched skincare collection to the test
DIANA HENRY
“I have often planned an entire holiday around food”: if this sounds like you, you’re among friends
THE INBETWEENERS
Super-powered sandwiches for times when a simple cheese and pickle affair just won’t do
VICTORIA MOORE
How low can you go? The latest low-alcohol wines are reassuringly high in flavour
WILLIAM SITWELL
Modern, inventive cooking in a glorious setting – our critic is smitten by this week’s restaurant
RICHARD MADELEY
Our agony uncle gives his candid advice to three correspondents in distress
the best-dressed heads are wearing this summer. Chapeau!
GETTY IMAGES
Find a cool dress for £100 or less
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Extreme heat recently drove me into the air-conditioned sanctuary of Uniqlo on Oxford Street, only to discover that it has a pretty good selection of linen and linen- mix dresses for under £40. I’ve never owned many dresses. In the British climate, the flexibility of separates always made more cost-per-wear sense to me. But in this summer’s heatwaves, dresses are the only things that stack up. But how many well-cut, polyester-free dresses are there for less than £100 that look great? A reasonable number, but not infinite. With this in mind, here’s how to distinguish an inexpensive dress that looks a million dollars from a dress that’s merely inexpensive.
Good fabric is foundational Without it, you and the dress will eventu- ally wilt. Poplin, linen, cotton, seersucker, Tencel and viscose (also listed as Lenzing and Ecovero), which are plant and tree – rather than chemical – derivatives, are your key drivers. It’s insane how many brands go to the trouble of manufacturing dresses from a decent fabric only to line
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them with polyester, which is the equiva- lent of sealing yourself in a ziplock bag. If the style you’ve fallen in love with con- tains some poly fibres, check the percent- age. Low levels are liveable with.
Pay attention to the print Patterns are a big determinant of whether or not something looks cheap. Drab or indistinct florals, generic geometrics or meek animal prints (a leopard print should always roar) make a dress look apologetic and lacklustre.
Take note of small details Covered buttons, neat topstitching, side pockets, a proper facing at the neckline, deep hems and leather belts all suggest someone actually thought about the gar- ment. You might not get all this for your £100, but there’s nothing to stop you pimping your dress.
Necklines that work A flattering neckline: soft Vs, open collars, square necks, gentle scoops and off- centre notches tend to look elegant for all
Linen-blend with shirring, £39.90, Uniqlo
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ages. They’re also easier to style with jew- ellery and jackets than complicated asym- metric or heavily ruffled necklines.
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Diagonal seams A waist, neckline or deep flounce that’s cut on the diagonal is extremely flatter- ing. Use them to balance out your body.
Versatility Does it look as good with flip-flops as with a low heel, a sleek clutch and jewellery? Can it take an unexpectedly bright shoe? These questions determine how much wear you’ll get from a dress, and conse- quently how much it’s worth to you.
Does it accommodate your bra? If not, is there internal support? Does it fit perfectly and if not, how much will adjust- ments cost? If you don’t want to shell out for alterations, look for drawstrings, ties and ruching that adapt to your body. Ultimately whether an item is a smart buy depends on how good it looks and whether you love wearing it rather than how much it actually cost.
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( 1 ) Viscose-blend dress, £95, Hush. Patent- leather shoes, £195, Bobbies. Resin and rhinestone earrings, £225, Completedworks
PHOTOGRAPHY: SARAH BRICK. HAIR AND MAKE-UP: OONAGH CONNOR AT JOY GOODMAN. STYLING: SOPHIE TOBIN. STYLIST’S ASSISTANT: ALICE DENCH
( 2 ) Tie-belt viscose dress, £16 (down from £27.99), H&M. Leather shoes, £340, Dear Frances. Gold earrings, £325, Completedworks
( 3 ) Linen dress, £97, & Other Stories. Leather mules, £99, Jaeger. Leather bag, £350, Polène. Resin earrings, £180, bracelet, £290, and ring, £300, all Dinosaur Designs
Summer hats
from the heatwaves, it’s that a hat is a wise investment – and not just for fancy outings. In fact, searches for “summer hat” shot up by 60 per cent in June, according to Google Trends. And there’s a style out there for you, whatever you’re up to, says Jessica Salter
BEACH
FESTIVAL
“A hat has the power to completely trans- form an everyday outfit,” says the stylist Sarah Corbett-Winder. Along with sun pro- tection, “it brings instant personality, joy and interest. For me, it’s like jewellery: it’s the finishing touch that completes a look… Wearing a hat is like stepping into a more powerful version of yourself.” Hats are definitely having a fashion moment. The Celine spring/summer 2026 show saw models accessorised with the house’s Triomphe panama, while celebri- tiesfromKendallJennertoAnneHathaway to Dame Joan Collins have been sporting variations from straw to floppy to bucket. The key, milliner Awon Golding says, is to try on lots of styles: “It’s the only relia- ble way to discover what you like and what makes you feel confident.”
Sarah Corbett-Winder
Sarah Corbett-Winder
Best for the beach
A wide-brimmed, natural fibre hat (think either cotton or raffia) is the most sensi- ble choice. For an elevated style, try Vanessa Sposi, a brand Dua Lipa wore on her honeymoon in June. Golding’s cotton canvas sun hat with a frayed scalloped brim also serves style points while pro- tecting the face. On the high street, Free People’s floppy version will pack well in a suitcase. But the most perfect beach hat I’ve found is this crochet-edged one by Sea NY, which, as co- founder Monica Paolini says, “is the kind of hat you reach for all summer. The crochet gives it a handmade quality that feels con- sidered. I’d wear it with everything from a light dress to a swimsuit on the beach.”
Festival-friendly
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While Glastonbury might not be on this year, the enduring image of festival style is Alexa Chung in a bucket hat. They tend to be good value and survive being scrunched up in a pocket. Anthropologie does a lovely one but, for the ultimate weatherproof choice, look to Barbour.
Hot in the city
INSTAGRAM/KENDALLJENNER
For a day out in town, a neater, structured hat can pull an outfit together effortlessly. Corbett-Winder has recently been drawn to apillboxstyle(likethisonefromindiebrand Second Stories): “They add instant polish and cool to an outfit and can completely change the mood of what you’re wearing.”
For more coverage, the rigid raffia lamp buckethatbyLondonAtelierByproductfits the bill, while Australian brand Lorna Mur- ray’s structured style is not only UPF50, it collapses down into its own drawstring bag. Baseball caps have moved on from dress- down days. Tailor Caroline Andrews says, “I love the tension between sharp suiting and something inherently casual – it brings a sense of ease that stops a suit from feeling overly polished or predictable.” Amy Anderson, founder of Kindred of Ireland, agrees that “a cap adds an effortless off- duty feel” and wears her own design with something feminine. “The combination creates something unexpected. I’d always wear it with my hair down rather than scraped back, so it feels considered rather than sporty.” For designer kudos on a
GARDEN
budget, try the caps in JW Anderson’s colourful collaboration with Uniqlo.
Gorgeous for gardening
The garden hat has to stay on when you’re bending over, weeding, and have enough brim to protect your skin; those with an added drawstring neck tie win bonus points. Beechfield is hard to beat on practi- cality and price, while the French label Soeur’s Idaho is on sale right now. If you want a bit more glamour, Emily Campbell, founder of If Not Only If, recommends the Izzy by Avenue the Label: “It reminds me of that perfect British film LadiesinLavender, crying out to be worn surrounded by blooms of roses with a glass of crisp white wine.” And, presumably, a wafty nightie.
on a high street near you
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M&S’s relaunched skincare collection has a peptide-packed hero
Unless you’ve been avoiding the high street completely, you’ll know that Marks & Spencer is now one of the hottest places to shop. I have long been buying its skirts, sandals and shirts, as well as the food (most of my Ocado shopping basket is M&S), but I can’t say I’ve ever had the same enthusiasm for the retailer’s own-brand beauty products. Until now. You’ll notice the beauty halls in many stores have undergone a transformation, and now stock a whole host of brands from the cheap and cheer- ful to the high-end. But the biggest facelift of all comes in the form of M&S’s own-brand Formula, which is relaunching this week with a range of 12 products. They could have simply repackaged the existing formulas, but the new serums, creams and cleans- ers have been created from scratch – and yes, the new packaging does look much better too. Let’s begin with my favourite of the collection, the Ultra Peptide Serum, which I have been using religiously morning and evening for the past four weeks. It’s the priciest of the range at £29, but it has the performance of a much more expensive serum. Peptides are chains of amino acids, widely used in haircare, skincare and bodycare, and are one of the most researched ingredients in terms of improving the skin. According to the Spate Popularity Index, interest in peptides has surged by 241.6 per cent year-on-year. I am a long-time convert to peptide serums, and have consistently used a form of peptides for the past couple of years, because they really do work. “Collagen levels slowly start to decline in your 30s and then quite dramatically from your 40s, so peptides can help to signal to the skin to produce more collagen,”
explains Dr Elizabeth Hawkes, a consult- ant ophthalmic and oculoplastic surgeon, aesthetic doctor and newly appointed M&S Beauty ambassador. “In my clinic, no one says they want to look younger, but the key thing everyone says is that they feel and look tired, and they just want to feel confident and look fresh,” she adds. “I can help that with sur- gical interventions, of course, but every- one should establish a good skincare routine. This is where collagen-stimulat- ing peptides come in, as they have the strongest body of evidence.” The Formula Ultra Peptide Serum delivers peptides with niacinamide, cera- mides, omega three and six. “This combi- nation is really good for the skin barrier,” says Hawkes – and indeed one of the things I noticed was my skin looked healthier and brighter and felt softer after four weeks. It also contains a NAD+ booster, which is a coenzyme that helps to energise the skin cells. The result is skin that should have fewer visible lines and wrinkles, feel firmer and more hydrated with continued use. It’s a great option for all skin types, too, even ultra sensitive (as an ingredient, peptides are safe to use in pregnancy and on sensitive skin). In a trial of 110 women, 86 per cent agreed the product visibly improved the signs of ageing, and 84 per cent felt more confident in their skin after using it for four weeks. If you’re looking for a one-and-done morning and night product that works on several signs of skin ageing at once, I’d give it a shot. The rest of the 12-piece Formula range – available from 6 August – is thought- fully developed, too. Another stand- out for me is the Vitamin C Brightening Eye Cream (£18), which contains hyaluronic acid and squalane, as well as illuminating par- ticles that disguise the dark- ness around the eyes. I also really rate the Buriti Nourishing Facial Oil (£22), which has rosehip oil, meadowfoam seed oil and squalane. Patted into the skin as a last step in your night- time routine, it will “lock” everything in.
Left: Formula Buriti Nourishing Face Oil, Ultra Peptide Serum and Vitamin C Brightening Eye Cream
More products with pep(tides)
Scalp + Hair Therapy Density & Growth 3-in-1 Scalp Serum by Dove (£10, boots.com). This new range aims to help prolong the hair’s growth cycle using peptides to strengthen the hair at the root.
Lip Balm in Moroccan Mint Tea by Moroccanoil (£20, lookfantastic.com). This peptide-infused lip balm smoothes and deeply moisturises, without an overly glossy finish. It comes in Vanilla Date and Berry Pomegranate too, but this zingy scent is our favourite.
Pitta Lash Serum by Champo (£38, harrods.com). This naturally derived, prostaglandin-free eyelash treatment contains peptides and Ayurvedic plant stem cells to help boost the lash growth cycle. The best thing? It actually works.
youwere here
to ace crowd-pleasing cooking for holidays
I recently received an email from a reader asking for ideas for holiday cooking. Helen is off to Wales with eight or so family members and does most of the meal planning and cooking for these trips – “We love eating together and it’s a great part of our holidays” – but needs new inspiration. Helen, you’re speaking my language. I have often planned an entire holiday around food. I’ve even taken a pasta maker to Italy – because the yellower yolks mean your pasta will be a great colour – and cookbooks to consult every day. Anna del Conte has been to the Veneto with me and Giorgio Locatelli to Sicily. I’m happy spending hours with a coffee, making lists of dishes I want to make and ingredients I need to buy. A couple of trips stand out, one decades ago to Tuscany where I made gremolata for the first time. I was always chopping herbs and garlic in that little kitchen and looking after slow-cooked braises – bonkers in the heat, but the osso buco was magnificent. And the one to the Veneto. The house was dark and rambling and slightly spooky, but it had a wonderful big farmhouse kitchen where I made dinners of antipasti – artichoke hearts and broad beans, bruschetta with roasted peppers, ricotta-stuffed courgette flowers with honey – and fresh pasta. Italy is particularly wonderful for vegetables and fruit, but of course, it depends where you’re going. In Wales, Helen, you’ll have lamb, of course, and also great fish and
shellfish. Don’t miss the sea trout or the wild sea bass. Holiday food changes as your life changes. If there are toddlers or teens in your group, they just want to eat. On time. And if you go with a group of adults, not everyone may be as keen on food as you. They love it that you want to cook, but they’re not willing to eat dinner at 11pm. I watched the recent BBC drama Two Weeks in August with increasing discomfort. The couple whose turn it was to cook could only find frozen fish on their day. Something similar happened to me. We arrived one
year in Sicily way too late to hit the food markets. I had been longing for prime tuna and red prawns but there was only time to dash round the nearest supermarket. I had to settle for chicken, tomatoes, honey-sweet melons and apricots – delicious, but not what I’d planned. Since then, I’ve kept a notebook with a few ideas I can fall back on no matter where I land. This recipe is one of them. We sat down at a white-washed table in front of a wall decorated with Sicilian fish. I didn’t care that there wasn’t any on the table. We were just overjoyed to eat.
Prep time: 20 minutes, plus resting Cook time: 1 hour
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Serves 8
You don’t need anything else except bread to go with this. Lemon is essential, but you can use thyme instead of rosemary if you like.
INGREDIENTS – 1 x 1.9-2kg good-quality chicken – 40g butter
– 1 garlic clove, grated to a purée – 1 tbsp chopped rosemary, plus about 8 whole sprigs rosemary – 1 lemon – 1 large head of garlic, halved horizontally
For the tomatoes – 800g medium-sized vinetomatoes,halved – 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil – 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar – 1 tsp chilli flakes
– 150g ricotta – 15g Parmesan, grated
METHOD Preheat the oven to 190C/180C fan/ gas mark 5. Remove any excess fat from around the opening to the cavity of the chicken. Season well inside and dry the skinwithpapertowels. Mash 30g of the butter with a fork and add the grated garlic and chopped rosemary. Season.
Put the chicken into a roasting tin where it can fit snuggly. Carefully lift the skin on the breast and start to push the flavoured butter in, lifting the skin as you go and working down towards the legs. Try not to tear the skin. Rub the remaining butter over the skin and season all over. Roll the lemon under your palm on the work surface to soften it. I like to then bash it with a rolling
pin, but not so hard that it bursts. Prick it all over with a skewer, Slice it in half and put the halves inside the bird with the head of garlic halves and sprigs of rosemary. Close the cavity using cocktail sticks, then tie the chicken legs together, but not tightly. Turn the bird breast-side down. Put the tomatoes into another tin where they can lie in a single layer. Drizzle with the olive oil and
vinegar, then season. Sprinkle with the chilli flakes. Put both tins in the oven, with chicken on top and tomatoes below. Roast for 30 minutes, then turn the bird over, leaving the breast uppermost. Roast for another 20 minutes, basting the chicken every so often, then remove the tomatoes from the oven and leave them to cool. Turn the heat up to 200C/190C fan/gas mark 6 and roast the chicken for a further 10-15 minutes. The skin should be puffed and golden, and the lemons and rosemary inside should have made lovely juices. Pierce the bird between the leg and body – the juices should run clear, with no traces of pink. Remove the garlic halves from the cavity and set aside. Cover the chicken with foil and clean tea towels, leaving it to rest for 15 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile,squeeze the soft garlic out of its skin and mash it. Distribute the ricotta over the tomatoes using a fork, then spoon the cooking juices up over the tomatoes and ricotta. Put the chicken on a large plate and spoon the tomatoes and ricotta around it, sprinkling the Parmesan on top. Spread the mashed garlic over the top of the chicken to serve.
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quick sandwich into a special occasion with Diana Henry’s help
PORK MEATBALL BÁNH-MÌ-STYLE SANDWICH
Prep time: 25 minutes, plus pickling and chilling Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves 4
A French- Vietnamese hybrid, this is the classic sandwich originally sold on the streets of what was then Saigon. There, the sandwiches often contain fatty pork pâté, slices of a steamed pork roll seasoned with fish sauce, or giò thu, a Vietnamese version
of brawn. Meatballs for them are usually poached in stock but I prefer to fry them.
INGREDIENTS For the vegetables – 1 tbsp caster sugar – 125ml rice vinegar – 4 radishes, trimmed, sliced wafer-thin – 2 small carrots, peeled, trimmed and cut into fine batons – ⅓daikon, peeled, trimmed and cut into fine batons
For the meatballs – 500g minced pork – 2 tbsp finely shredded Thai basil – 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander
– 1½ tsp grated root ginger (or ½ tsp dried ginger) – 4 garlic cloves, grated to a purée – 2 spring onions, very finely chopped – 1 tbsp fish sauce – 1 tbsp sriracha or other hot sauce – 1 tbsp caster sugar or soft light-brown sugar – 2 tsp cornflour – about 2 tbsp olive oil, for frying
For the mayo – 115g mayonnaise – 1 small garlic clove, crushed – squeeze of lime – 2 tsp sriracha or other hot sauce (add to taste – you can use more if you want)
To serve – 4 small baguettes – handful of coriander sprigs – 2 red chillies, deseeded and chopped (optional)
METHOD Start with the vegetables. Stir the sugar into the rice vinegar, vigorously, until the sugar has dissolved. Put the vegetables in a bowl and pour the pickling liquor over them. Leave for about an hour. Using your hands, mix together all the meatball ingredients (except the oil) with a good amount of seasoning. Make sure
everything is well combined. With wet hands, roll the mixture into balls about the size of a walnut in its shell. You should end up with 24. Put them on a plate or tray as you go. Cover with cling film and place in the fridge for 30 minutes. Mix the mayo ingredients together. Heat the oil in a frying pan (or two pans) and fry the meatballs over a medium heat for a couple of minutes. You want a good colour on the outside but they also have to cook through to the middle, so don’t
colour the outside too quickly. Lower the heat and cook the meatballs through (it will take about 15 minutes), turning them over every so often. Halve the baguettes and pull out some of the dough in the bottom half (to make space for the meatballs). Spoon some mayo into each baguette, followed by the drained pickled veg, then the meatballs, more mayo and coriander (add the chopped chilli if you want more heat).
Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves 2
The original version of this – which featured just steak and onions – was created by the sons of an Italian immigrant in Philadelphia in the 1930s. The cheese – a fast-melting provolone – was introduced in the 1940s. Now, vegetables are added too – some prefer peppers and onions, others mushrooms – so it’s ever- evolving. As long as you use beef and provolone, I don’t think you can dishonour the Philly.
INGREDIENTS – 2½ tbsp olive oil – 1 large onion, very finely sliced – 2 red peppers, halved, deseeded, thinly sliced – 1 garlic clove, grated to a purée – 1 tsp soft light brown sugar – 2 tsp white wine vinegar – groundnut oil, for frying or griddling – 2 rib-eye steaks, about 200g each – 2 mini baguettes – 125g strong provolone, very thinly sliced
METHOD Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and cook the onion for five minutes, then add some salt and pepper. Add the peppers and cook over a medium heat until they are soft, reducing the heat if the peppers are getting too dark. Stir in the garlic. You can add a couple of tablespoons of water so that the vegetables keep cooking without browning any more. Cook until you have a soft mass. Add the sugar and vinegar and stir until the sugar has melted. Check the seasoning.
Preheat the oven to 180C/170C fan/gas mark 5. Heat a large frying pan or a griddle until it’s really hot. Add the groundnut oil and swish it round the pan – there should just be a thin film of fat. Season the steaks well and fry or
griddle them until they have a good dark colour and crust on each side – keep turning the steaks and moving them to different areas of the pan. Cook for about three minutes in total – the meat has to be rare at this stage.
Remove to a cutting board and leave to rest, loosely covered with foil, for four minutes. Meanwhile, heat the baguettes in the oven until warm. Split the baguettes lengthways and spoon the onions and peppers on to the
bases. Heat the pan or griddle again. Slice the steak very thinly. Split it into two piles and put these back in the frying pan or on the griddle, turning them so they get warm. Tear the cheese, put it on top of the
piles of meat in the pan and let it melt. Transfer the meat and cheese on to the vegetables and place the other half of each baguette on top. Serve immediately, or cut the baguettes in half and wrap them in foil to keep warm.
When a little less (alcohol) is more
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Lowish-alcohol wines haven’t always been popu- lar. As a fledgling wine writer I was firmly told not to forget that the secret to most best-selling reds was that they were slightly sweet (but labelled dry) and generous in the alcohol department. Who couldn’t resist a fruitily warming 15% abv rioja that all but steamed in the glass? Not many, apparently. It’s still the case that just-off-dry wines, in which the subtle sweetness amplifies the fruit flavours, are big sell- ers. Now, though, a growing contingent of drinkers – Telegraph readers are par- ticularly keen – increasingly hunt out bottles with lowish alcohol (10-12.5%). Waitrose says sales of its light red Le Chouchou (11% abv) went up 124 per cent over the last three months, while sales of its Blueprint Grüner Veltliner (11.5%) rose 24 per cent in the same period. For younger drinkers, the vibe is clean, upbeat wines that are big on flavour without the headache. For older drinkers, the choice is often thought of as “going back” to the good old days, before a world of Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes, “Parkerised” wines (full-bodied wines made to appeal to the palate of influential US wine critic Robert Parker) and ultra- processed, ultra-sweet everything. Actually, though, it’s not. Lowish alcohol wines taste much better now than they did in the ’90s. Then, lower alcohol was less a deliberate choice, more the result of grapes that had failed to ripen but were vinified anyway, and very likely chaptalised (had sugar added, to make the alcohol high enough for the rules of the appellation) into wrenchingly astringent reds or whites reminiscent of battery acid.
of drinkers increasingly hunt out bottles with lowish alcohol
SAMANTHA JELL
The viticultural discoveries and advances of the last three decades mean it’s now possible to grow grapes with ripe phenolics (the tannic components) and ripe aromatics (so plenty of the right sort of flavours) without loading the grapes up with sugar. I was amazed to see, after tasting, that Dauvergne et Ranvier Organic Syrah 2024, France (Waitrose, £11), has an abv of only 10.5%. Granted, it is light for a syrah, but it is not mean or thin or angular and it has proper syrah fla- vours: brambles, black pepper, liquo- rice root. I would be extremely happy drinking this: it’s very good indeed. Elsewhere, you can find styles of wine, like bardolino, that have always been at the lower end of the alcohol spectrum but now they just taste
better: bardolino that isn’t scrawny. One note: I don’t count the new “mid- range” alcohol wines as being part of this company. These typically hover around 8% abv and are bred to meet the new desire to drink without-drinking- quite-so-much and often do taste com- promised. But let’s raise a glass (or maybe two) to the improvements in winemaking that have made lowish abv wines taste as good as they do now.
SIX OF THE BEST LOWER-ALCOHOL BUYS
Toro Loco Superior Tempranillo Bobal 2024, Spain (12%, Tesco, £5.79)
A budget buy from an unloved corner of Spain called Utiel- Requeña. Fruity (enough) and juicy. I’d chill it.
The Society’s Chinon 2025, France (12.5%, The Wine Society, £9.95)
A perennially reliable cabernet franc that hits just the right balance between leafiness and red berried juice. An excellent sub-£10 buy.
D’Arenberg The Dry Dam Riesling 2025, McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills, Australia (10.5%, Waitrose, £13)
Vigorous and direct, a thickly-flavoured riesling that smells of dried limes, lilac and lime marmalade.
The Best Côtes de Gascogne 2025, France (11%, Morrisons, £7.75)
From south- western France and superbly good value. Expect ringing freshness like pink grapefruit with notes of lemon zest.
M&S Found Palomino 2025, South Africa (11.5%, M&S, £10)
An unusual and absolutely cracking white wine: textured and salty, like lemon curd and thyme with a lip-stingingly refreshing quality.
Zeni Bardolino Classico 2025, Italy (12.5%, House of Townend, £14.99)
Deep flavours of red and black cherries give way to herbal notes, and an almost quinine-like hint of bitterness. Refreshing and medium-bodied.
‘The menu tenderly delivers inspiration from the garden’
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Isca, Haywards Heath
LOCATION
Borde Hill Borde Hill Lane RH16 1XP 01444 441102 iscabordehill. co.uk
STAR RATING
DINNER FOR TWO £126, excluding drinks and service
Curing Rebels charcuterie • Oat and treacle bread, whipped butter • Mushroom and malt tart, Borde Hill watercress velouté • Cured Chalkstream trout, labneh and walled garden flowers • South Coast monkfish, white bean, endive and St Austell mussels • Crispy potatoes, Café de Paris
JETHRO MARSHALL
Isca is a new restau- rant at Borde Hill, in West Sussex, which draws both its inspira- tion and its crops from the surrounding garden. This is no plant-based fad. Borde Hill is a near 400-acre estate that dates back to the 16th century. The Elizabethan mansion that sits at the heart of its parkland was built by Stephen Borde – grandson of Andrew Borde, a traveller, physician and writer of one of the first English health and diet books, who once, bravely, advised Henry VIII that his size and appetite were a danger to his health. Andrew was a plant lover and private herbalist to the king; Stephen shared his grand- father’s passion, establishing orchards as well as beds for medic- inal plants in the grounds. So when Isca lands – in a newly built conservatory at the edge of the estate, reachable in five minutes from Haywards Heath train station – it merits respectful consideration. A local pal sug- gested we dine there. Genevieve played in the gardens as a child and there’s a tree, visible from the restaurant, under which she once lost a fight and a tooth. I wondered at the meaning of Isca. It doesn’t stand for Islamic Supreme Council of America, nor the Institute of Singapore Char- tered Accountants. No, it’s a type of clematis, of course. And its dining room is a triumph. A grand palace of a conservatory, positioned at the head of the walled garden and set in handsome pale stone. The space is softened and sectioned by walls of plants and by sofas, curtains and columns. There are window seats for two, cosy ban- quettes for more, larger spaces for big parties and a curved bar of wood and marble. You walk in and want to poke around to explore.
I don’t know who designed the place, but if you need your airport cosying up, look no further. We began with sips on the terrace. Genevieve had an excep- tional margarita starring pickled magnolia and rhubarb, which tasted to me like a triumph of 50 years of experiments in blending booze with plants. I tucked into an Italian soave, and we munched charcuterie from Brighton-based producer Curing Rebels. Such is the quality of their curing (the coppa was magnificent), it’s another reason you no longer need to go abroad. We had dinner indoors, choos- ing from a menu that tenderly delivers its inspiration from the garden – rather than shoving the concept laboriously down your throat. Even the ingredients act like artistic flourishes; words and phrases such as “lovage”, “water- cress velouté”, “walled garden flowers”, “nettle” and “elderflower” leap joyfully from the page. First, we were lobbed some free- bies – tiny pastry cases filled with minute, fresh cuts of courgette, peas and sweetcorn, with the
The dainty, flavoursome beauties we started with would swing the staunchest meat eater
orange petals of Mexican marigold, and a cup of veggie gazpacho. Dainty, flavoursome beauties to swing the staunchest meat eater. Then bread came, a heavenly cake-like mix of oats and treacle with whipped butter. Genevieve had cured trout with labneh, fea- turing a dazzling tweezering of those walled garden flowers along the top of the fish. It tasted as fresh and vital as the picture it presented. I dug deeper into the kitchen’s vegetative repertoire with a mush- room and malt tart. My, that tart had such an intense and memora- ble flavour, the richness of the mushroom amplified by the earthy flavour of the flour used in the pas- try, which is produced by a com- pany called Hodmedod’s. At least I’m sure that’s what they said, and I asked them to repeat it so often I felt stupid. Still, even if the flour really is made by goblins, believe me, it’s good. We shared a plate of monkfish, its meaty flesh still with some bite, served on a bed of soft and gorgeous white beans, with some bitter crunch from endive. On the side were crisp, pressed potatoes – simple but delicious – which completed a fabulous dinner of inventive cooking that respects the ancient lores of plants while serving them up in a wholly modern way.
‘My niece has a secret
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Dear Richard In the 1960s my sister had a teenage pregnancy and the baby girl was adopted. It was upsetting for us all and very sad, but it’s what happened in those days. She went to a good home by all accounts. However, the following year my sister became pregnant again by the same person. Our parents decided she should keep this baby and look after it herself, still living at home. The father, who was also a teenager, was sent abroad and had no contact ever again with my sister or the baby, who is now a woman in her 50s with a family of her own. She has always felt hurt that her biological father wasn’t
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interested in her and has had emotional issues most of her life. My sister hasn’t been the most loving mother and they hardly talk. I have felt very strongly over the years that my niece should know she has a sister. She has half siblings, as my sister eventually married twice, but not knowing she has a “full” sister makes me feel very sad. My sister, however, has no intention of telling her as she thinks “it would ruin her reputation”. It’s never talked about, but I know I would want to know if it was me. Do you think I should take executive action? — J, via email
twice, but not knowing she has a “full” sister makes me
My sister, however, has no intention of telling her as she
reputation”. It’s never talked about, but I know I would want to know if it was me. Do
The fact is, you’re playing with fire. And it’s not even your fire to ignite
Dear J No, I don’t. I think you’re in danger of exceeding your authority. Don’t misunderstand the blunt- ness of this answer. I can see it may appear to be a knee-jerk response. I promise you, it isn’t. I’ve spent more time reflecting on your letter than any I have received in a long time. Why? Because it presented me with an almost impenetrable, thorny thicket of moral and practical imponderables. But I pondered, sought the opinions of wise friends, and I think I’ve managed to pick a path through the tangle. I believe the potential negatives in you taking it upon yourself to tell your niece she has a long-lost sister outweigh the positives. To begin with, this is not your secret to divulge (we’ll come back to that). But even if you assume you have the right to, you risk invoking the law of unforeseen consequences (something I often refer to on these pages). Let’s begin with that. If you tell your niece she has an older full-sister, she may be incred- ibly angry that this secret has been in her family’s keeping for more than half a century. Why wasn’t she told before? It’s not as if you all just discovered it: you knew all along. So what gave you the right to keep her in ignorance? Her trust in her relationships with you, her mother, and others, could be destroyed at a stroke. She may feel humiliated and patronised beyond belief. If it were her mother taking that chance, there might be an argument for it. But you’re not her parent, J. I think you risk straying well beyond your
than half a century. Why wasn’t she told before? It’s not as if you all just discovered it: you knew all along. So what gave you the right to keep her in ignorance? Her trust in her relationships with you, and others, could be destroyed at a stroke. She may feel humiliated and patronised beyond belief. If it were her mother taking that chance, there might be an argument for it. But you’re not her parent, J. I think
you risk straying well beyond your
familial province here. Next: what if your niece decided to track down her
familial province here.
sibling? What if her sister has absolutely no desire to be con- tacted? What if she rejected all approaches? More frustration. More disappointment. More anger. It is possible this older sister has grown into a difficult, even unpleas- ant person. Could your niece handle that? Would such a discovery enhance her world at this stage in her life? You see what I mean about unforeseen consequences, J? You’re playing with fire. And it’s not even your fire to ignite. My advice is to talk to your sister. Gently challenge her conviction that telling your niece the truth would bring down shame on her head. I can’t see why it would. Your sister was just a kid when all this happened to her. Work this out with your sister. Be sensitive. Take as much time as is needed. Just don’t go behind her back. You don’t have the right.
stand another trip with my extremely rude friend’
Dear Richard, Every year I go with a friend I have known for nearly 50 years on a trip to see mutual friends who live in a very beautiful part of the country. We stay in a hotel, catch up and have a bit of a holiday. My friend has always had an acid tongue, but this year she really excelled herself. She was rude, hurtful and callous to not only the staff in the hotel, but to fellow guests (whose very serious personal tribulations, courageously shared with us, she openly ridiculed) and even me. I wanted the ground to swallow me up. She is now planning next year’s trip and I do not want to go away with her ever
Why didn’t you challenge her when her curtness turned to outright bullying?
again. However, I do not know how to address this. I also know that she is lonely and doesn’t know how hurtful she can be. Can you please help me? — B, via telegraph.co.uk
Dear B Hmm. It sounds to me as if you’re rather afraid of this friend of yours. Why didn’t you challenge her when her inherent intolerance and curtness crossed the line into out- right rudeness and bullying? If it was as bad as you describe, she needed a few sharp words of cor- rection. Perhaps you were shocked and embarrassed into silence. In any case, I agree with you. You really don’t need to put yourself through something like that again. So: I propose plans A and B. Plan A: next year, visit this mutual friend by yourself. Make your own independent arrange- ments and spare yourself the shame and embarrassment of being tarred with this other per- son’s brush of rude intolerance. Plan B: write to the curmudgeon and lay things out. Explain that you understand she may not appreciate the impact her words and behaviour have on others, but that your latest trip crossed a line and you have no desire to repeat the experience. Is she willing to accept what you say and improve her behaviour? She’ll either apologise and prom- ise to do better, or she’ll double down and tell you to go to hell. Either way you’ll know where you stand – and you’ll have at least given her a shot at redemption. But don’t put yourself through this again, B. Life’s too short.
ungrateful grandson hasn’t sent me holiday photos’
Dear Richard In May I took my beloved 25-year-old grandson on a lavish two-week holiday. He brought a good digital
camera and took dozens of photographs, and promised he’d label them and email them to me a couple of weeks after we got back, so I could load them into my digital carousel at home and also show some to friends. After a month I had received neither the pictures nor a word of thanks, so I gently nudged him. Nothing. I then wrote him an email saying I was a little hurt by his silence, especially as it had been so lovely to spend some time with him in such beautiful locations. He answered testily, saying he’d been busy, but also that a gift was a gift and should come with no strings attached, and that he didn’t appreciate being “preached” to. As an afterthought he sent a random assortment of six pictures without the annotations he’d promised. I feel very upset at this. Even if the pictures do arrive I won’t get the pleasure I hoped for from looking at them. I also feel rather taken advantage of. Should I speak to his mother (my daughter)? — P, via telegraph.co.uk
Dear P Of course not. Why drag the lad’s poor mother into your potpourri of injured feelings? What is she supposed to do? Deliver some sort of lecture to her son on explicit gratitude? Prise more photos out of him for you? As his mother, she’s more likely to take his side. You’ll just risk making a mildly annoying situation a lot worse. Honestly, P, get a grip. This is mountains-out-of-mole- hills territory. You had a great holi- day with your grandson. Nothing went wrong. Yes, he was slack about sending you photos after- wards but… so what? Kids can be unintentionally rude, callous and ungrateful. It was ever thus. It’s up to us oldies to manage that, and not take it personally. Move on.
Have a question for Richard? Write to Dear Richard, The Daily Telegraph, 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 0DT, or email DearRichard@telegraph.co.uk
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