Patchy Covid data could condemn thousands of Britons to a life of poverty
As we inch our way towards Christmas, through a blizzard of Government Covid announcements, every family up and down the land is having the same conversation. What…
Voters won’t be pleased if their NHS tax hike is wasted
Deciding whether to lock down a country in a pandemic is among the most difficult decisions a Prime Minister must make. But in many ways an equally…
Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special, review: from Peckham to penguinography – a joyful end to a vintage year
Opening the show, Sirieix formed a frisky French-Australian pairing with pro Dianne Buswell. With hair dyed red to match his partner’s, he dressed as an undignified turkey…
The Abominable Snowbaby, review: this Christmas fairy tale is not as charming as it thinks
Whatever legal or marketing zooms led to Channel 4’s big Christmas animation The Abominable Snowbaby being branded as Terry Pratchett’s The Abominable Snowbaby, they boobed. The implication is that…
Call the Midwife Christmas Special, review: a well-judged lesson in the importance of community
Ten series in, and Heidi Thomas has for some time been confident enough to dispense with the stunts and the gimmicks for the Call the Midwife Christmas…
Two-year minimum terms for civil servants proposed to curb Whitehall ‘churn’
Senior civil servants will be required to serve minimum terms of at least two years in their roles, due to concerns that Whitehall “churn” is resulting in…
Covid lockdowns plunged nearly a million people into poverty, warns think tank
However, Lady Stroud added: “Renewed restrictions and constant hints of tougher measures after Christmas means that we are putting these poverty gains at risk.” A paper produced…
Christmas Day morning UK news briefing: Today’s top headlines from The Telegraph
Welcome to your early morning news briefing from The Telegraph – a round-up of the top stories we are covering on Christmas Day. To receive twice-daily briefings…
Exclusive: Number of NHS chiefs earning £250,000 or more jumps by 50pc
NHS England insisted that it was “one of the most efficient health services in the world”. However, writing in The Telegraph, Mr Hunt urged the Government to…
‘Dodgy data’ used in push for tighter Covid restrictions
However, government sources have suggested that is now unlikely, based on the latest data and a wall of opposition from Conservative backbenchers and ministers. The latest UKHSA…
Yes, we should ‘follow the science’ – that means listening to economists
Economists think about these issues all the time. Admittedly, the pandemic is especially challenging. Any intervention, or inaction, has a long list of potential costs as well…
Will Boris Johnson survive 2022? Here are the issues that could make or break the Prime Minister
At a time when Mr Johnson knows he must show that he is delivering on his pledge to “level up”, many of the poorest households feeling even…
Wicked scams, an uninsured horse and a toy ice cream van: what I’ve learnt solving your money problems
Behind every win there is often a story of anguish or heartache – or, at the very least, deep frustration with poor service. The most common type…
Converting a classic Porsche to electric is sacrilege. But then again…
The original 356 was fitted with disc brakes for much-improved stopping ability compared with drums, but Electrogenic has improved them to give drivers extra confidence to use…
Dear Richard: ‘There’s no Christmas food my family can all enjoy at the same time’
Dear Richard, After a challenging few months I am delighted to be looking forward to a big family Christmas this year. We’ve ordered the necessary food and…
26 of the UK’s most beautiful winter walks
Hampstead Heath tends to be the busiest walking venue in north London. Hollow Ponds, which is a few miles to the east and in Leytonstone, is just…
From caterpillar cakes to coffee by courier: how 2021 changed the way we eat forever
Restaurants, food, wine and shopping: Our writers on how things changed in 2021 My year in restaurants Let’s hear it for the Brits (plus a splash of…
How to enjoy Christmas, according to the Van Tulleken brothers
Both are fathers with expertise in children’s issues, which led to them backing the Duchess of Cambridge’s early childhood project, the Royal Foundation Centre For Early Childhood,…
Will anyone ever be fully vaccinated?
While some sort of annual Covid booster for the vulnerable – similar to the flu jab – appears inevitable, Professor Adam Finn, a member of the JCVI,…
Now I’m in my new home, nothing can dampen my festive spirit
It is compulsory to read this column while listening to Noddy Holder screaming, ‘It’s Christmaaaasss!!!!’ at the top of his lungs, because that’s been the soundtrack blaring…
Cush Jumbo: ‘I love being a mum, but it’s also why I’m not going to have any more children’
Cush wears: dress, £1,095, Cecilie Bahnsen; Shoes, £980, Miu Miu; earrings, £125, Shrimps Born and raised in Lewisham, she trained in the theatre before appearing as DC…
A free Christmas reminds us of the poverty of the public health worldview
From walking home after Midnight Mass down star-lit lanes to crunching through frost on Boxing Day morning to the sound of hounds and horses, there is nothing…
Grave hunting is the historian’s ultimate thrill
There is a simple plaque in Westminster dedicated to Ignatius Sancho, a Georgian who, for having “had a grocery shop near this site”, finds himself buried in…
It would be heartwarmingly apt if the ‘star’ of Bethlehem were a comet?
The beginning of the Christian Era is said to have been marked by an extraordinary celestial event – the appearance of the Star of Bethlehem. The Christmas…
Whisky investment is booming, but there’s one word of caution
“As soon as the last retailer had sold out, they’d go into auction and the price doubles. Now these releases are [up to] 250,000 bottles. For the…