A fiscal misstep
One of the perversities of the current period of elevated inflation is that the Government is set to benefit financially. A phenomenon known as “fiscal drag” will…
Why Erich von Däniken still believes that God was an astronaut
“Hello,” says the brisk and slightly accented voice on the telephone. “I’m Erich von Däniken.” I can feel a little shiver of excitement pass through my body…
Screw, review: Porridge played straight in new likeable prison drama
Viewers of last year’s BBC prison drama, Time, will have come away with the impression that life behind bars is hideous. Channel 4’s Screw takes a different…
The Apprentice, review: cheer up, telly’s festival of idiocy is back
Somewhere in Britain there is a factory assembling candidates for The Apprentice (BBC One). The women are banded together in their block-colour dresses, like a packet of…
Like it or not, Banksy rules the art world’s political roost
Banksy has the platform (and in cases like his sneezing Covid rats spray-stencilled inside a London tube carriage, he has the train, too) but what exactly are…
Novak Djokovic: Boris Johnson praises Australia’s tough stance on Covid vaccines
Asked about the controversy, Mr Johnson said on Thursday: “It’s a matter for Australia and their friendly government. That’s a matter for them, but clearly I share…
Thursday evening UK news briefing: Boris Johnson intervenes over Novak Djokovic
Boris Johnson has backed the Australian government in its decision to refuse entry to Djokovic because he is unvaccinated, as Downing Street urged sports stars to accept…
Ministers back MP’s campaign for national anthem to be played on BBC One every night
Mr Philp replied that ministers “fully support the singing of the national anthem, Her Majesty the Queen, and other expressions of patriotism, including the flying of the…
Trust people to make decisions, Jacob Rees-Mogg tells Nicola Sturgeon after failed Covid crackdown
The NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde board said only people with a “very urgent or life-threatening condition” should attend as all its A&E facilities were “operating well…
All Covid tests for travel could be removed, suggests Grant Shapps
Surge in bookings EasyJet reported that it had seen a boost of almost 200 per cent in UK bookings following the Government’s lifting of restrictions. It said…
Competition chief regarded as barrier to post-Brexit reforms steps down
The boss of Britain’s competition regulator is to resign amid frustration among ministers that he has not sought to take advantage of Brexit. Andrea Coscelli, who has…
Despite what you’ve heard, I didn’t load the gun for the Capitol Hill attack
Gatehouse weaves his American tale around the alleged “murder” of Vincent Foster, the deputy White House counsel and Hillary Clinton’s former law partner, found dead in a…
Djokovic’s predicament may well be politics at play … but many believe it serves him right
Djokovic is due to spend the next three days in his hotel room in Melbourne until a court case on Monday that will decide his fate. His…
Why some people keep getting Covid – and others never at all
As a result, we shouldn’t be surprised that some are more prone to catching viruses than others. We can see this happening in real-time in the laboratory….
Working from home creates new crisis for high street retailers
The gloomier picture was echoed by the British Chambers of Commerce, which released separate figures late on Wednesday showing that the UK’s economic recovery slowed in the…
Ghislaine Maxwell and the complicated love life of a she-devil
The two main loves – and diabolical influences – of Ghislaine Maxwell’s life are now so well-documented in the grisly account of her downfall from society darling…
Prince Andrew accuser Virginia Giuffre could give victim impact statement at Ghislaine Maxwell sentencing
“At the sentencing, I anticipate that there will be a lot of testimony from many, many other women who were not able to be heard at the…
Novak Djokovic is a useful distraction from Australia’s Zero Covid failure
A tennis star is an unlikely target for a politician, but these are hard times for Scott Morrison. His approval rating is plummeting, he needs a good…
Russian submarine collided with Royal Navy warship in North Atlantic
Commander Tom Sharpe, the former frigate captain, told The Telegraph that the “Russian threat to our national undersea communications is real, on our doorstep and ever increasing”. …
Stonewall gets £1.2m in taxpayer cash as Foreign Office accused of ‘propping up’ charity
The accounts to March 2021, which cover a period of 18 months, show that the charity received £1,249,363 in grants from public bodies. This is a near-67…
Care home 14-day Covid isolation rule under review amid fears it fuels bed-blocking
The rule vastly differs from current guidance for positive Covid cases in the community, who now only have to isolate for seven days if they have two…
Arm investigates suspicious payments at Chinese joint venture
One of Britain’s biggest technology companies is investigating suspicious payments to senior executives at its Chinese joint venture, presenting a potential complication to its $40bn (£30bn) takeover…
Boris Johnson in ‘wallpaper for access’ row over Lord Brownlow’s plans for exhibition
Boris Johnson agreed to consider proposals for a new festival in private messages with a Tory donor who helped fund the redecoration of his Downing Street flat,…
One million to be pulled into higher rate of tax
An increase in national insurance of 1.25 percentage points will kick in in the same month, costing the average worker £255 a year. Mr Johnson, the IFS…
‘Kick in the teeth’ for families as Nationwide raises mortgage rates further than Bank of England
Families are facing the “year of the squeeze” with inflation exceeding 5pc, the highest in a decade, taxes rising from April, energy costs spiralling and the costs of…