Dame Maggie Smith, the Oscar-winning British actress, has died at the age of 89, her family said this afternoon. Smith enjoyed a long career on stage and screen, winning two Oscars, a Tony, four Emmys, five Baftas and three Golden Globes. Her most beloved roles include playing the title character in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Amanda Prynne in Noel Coward’s ...Dame Maggie Smith, the Oscar-winning British actress, has died at the age of 89, her family said...Dame Maggie Smith, the Oscar-winning British actress, has died at the age of 89, her family said...
obituary
Friends, fellow actors and, of course, the drama critics tried to identify the true source of Maggie Smith’s prowess...Friends, fellow actors and, of course, the drama critics tried to identify the true source of Maggie Smith’s prowess as an actress. They all came up with different answers, even with different parts of her anatomy. ‘‘Very tall, very thin … with all this red hair’’ was the reaction of the playwright Beverley Cross...Friends, fellow actors and, of course, the drama critics tried to identify the true source of Maggie Smith’s prowess as an...
in depth
On Monday Britain’s last coal-fired power station will spew vapour from its massive towers for the last time. When it shuts it will end 142 years of coal in Britain, which began here: This is Britain’s first coal power station, opened in 1882 in...On Monday Britain’s last coal-fired power station will spew vapour from its massive towers for...On Monday Britain’s last coal-fired power station will spew vapour from its massive towers for...
interview
Rupert Everett is lately married, which is a worry. What if this new-found respectability means he’s no fun any more?Rupert Everett is lately married, which is a worry. What if this new-found respectability means...Rupert Everett is lately married, which is a worry. What if this new-found respectability means...
‘Should I stay, or should I go?” questioned the Clash in 1982 — and in 2024, the same question is being asked by...‘Should I stay, or should I go?” questioned the Clash in 1982 — and in 2024, the same question is...‘Should I stay, or should I go?” questioned the Clash in 1982 — and in 2024, the same question is...
video
PM meets former president in New York to build relations before US election
Talks in New York to position Starmer as an influencer to a potential Trump administration
Boris Johnson was asked to convince the Duke of Sussex not to step back from his royal duties with his wife Meghan...Boris Johnson was asked to convince the Duke of Sussex not to step back from his royal duties...Boris Johnson was asked to convince the Duke of Sussex not to step back from his royal duties...
The risk of older motorists being killed or seriously injured triples after the age of 75, figures have revealed.The risk of older motorists being killed or seriously injured triples after the age of 75...The risk of older motorists being killed or seriously injured triples after the age of 75...
Recycling rates in the UK have fallen, government statistics show, and Gen Z are the most likely to ignore appeals not to discard plastics and cardboard despite perceptions that they are the most eco-conscious. The recycling rate for waste from...Recycling rates in the UK have fallen, government statistics show, and Gen Z are the most likely...Recycling rates in the UK have fallen, government statistics show, and Gen Z are the most likely...
“God could not have done it better than that,” said Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger, the honorary president of Taittinger champagne, as rain poured over the Kent countryside on Thursday afternoon. Less than half an hour before, the Duchess of Edinburgh...“God could not have done it better than that,” said Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger, the honorary...“God could not have done it better than that,” said Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger, the honorary...
NHS bosses have rejected pleas for specialist care for people with severe myalgic encephalomyelitis despite promises...NHS bosses have rejected pleas for specialist care for people with severe myalgic...NHS bosses have rejected pleas for specialist care for people with severe myalgic...
The Times diary
It is one thing as a fading celebrity to be offered a nice payday via the Strictly dancefloor or by eating wombat...It is one thing as a fading celebrity to be offered a nice payday via the Strictly dancefloor or...It is one thing as a fading celebrity to be offered a nice payday via the Strictly dancefloor or...
paris fashion week
After Dior’s display of fierce femininity on day one and Saint Laurent’s masculine tailoring, Chemena Kamali’s second show for Chloé presented a more girlish look. Beach trinkets, lace bloomers and a bohemian air inspired by the St Tropez beach...After Dior’s display of fierce femininity on day one and Saint Laurent’s masculine tailoring...After Dior’s display of fierce femininity on day one and Saint Laurent’s masculine tailoring...
Leader criticises ‘house of darkness’
updatedBinyamin Netanyahu has brushed away concerns about regional war in the Middle East as he warned the “long arm of Israel” could strike Iran following the bombardment of Hezbollah in Lebanon. Addressing the UN general assembly, the Israeli prime minister defended his country’s right to wage war in...Binyamin Netanyahu has brushed away concerns about regional war in the Middle East as he warned the “long arm of Israel” could strike Iran following the bombardment of Hezbollah in Lebanon. Addressing the UN general assembly, the Israeli prime minister defended his country’s right to wage war in...Binyamin Netanyahu has brushed away concerns about regional war in the Middle East as he warned the “long arm of Israel” could...
Japan’s ruling party has chosen as the next prime minister a hawkish security expert who wants to rebuild the country’s armed forces and establish an “Asian Nato” to counter China, a change that will alarm Beijing and add to the atmosphere of growing confrontation in east Asia. Shigeru Ishiba, 67, was comfortably elected as president of the...Japan’s ruling party has chosen as the next prime minister a hawkish security expert who wants to rebuild the country’s armed forces and establish an “Asian Nato” to counter China, a change that will alarm Beijing and add to the atmosphere of growing confrontation in east Asia. Shigeru Ishiba, 67, was comfortably elected as president of the...Japan’s ruling party has chosen as the next prime minister a hawkish security expert who wants to rebuild the country’s armed...
Eric Adams, the New York City mayor, has arrived at a courthouse in lower Manhattan where he will make his first appearance on federal fraud, bribery and corruption charges. Prosecutors allege that Adams, 64, accepted more than $100,000 in gifts and solicited millions of dollars in illegal campaign donations from...Eric Adams, the New York City mayor, has arrived at a courthouse in lower Manhattan where he will...Eric Adams, the New York City mayor, has arrived at a courthouse in lower Manhattan where he will...
video
The reported death toll from Hurricane Helene has climbed to six, hours after the storm made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region, slashing through already fragile communities with sustained winds of up to 140mph and an “unsurvivable” storm surge...The reported death toll from Hurricane Helene has climbed to six, hours after the storm made...The reported death toll from Hurricane Helene has climbed to six, hours after the storm made...
George Grylls | DISPATCH
One of South Korea’s biggest girl bands is involved in a risky stand-off with its powerful management company, in a confrontation that is electrifying the world of K-pop. The five young members of NewJeans set an ultimatum for the reinstatement of...One of South Korea’s biggest girl bands is involved in a risky stand-off with its powerful...One of South Korea’s biggest girl bands is involved in a risky stand-off with its powerful...
DAVID CHARTER | ANALYSIS
A frown crossed Kamala Harris’s face. She was in the midst of her first solo network interview as the Democratic...A frown crossed Kamala Harris’s face. She was in the midst of her first solo network interview as...A frown crossed Kamala Harris’s face. She was in the midst of her first solo network interview as...
The director of Tesla’s electric car plant in Germany has defended sending managers to the homes of workers on...The director of Tesla’s electric car plant in Germany has defended sending managers to the homes...The director of Tesla’s electric car plant in Germany has defended sending managers to the homes...
A tiny Alaskan island is on high alert over the possible presence of a single rat, which could wreak havoc on its fragile ecosystem. St Paul Island, a windswept rock hundreds of miles from the mainland in the Bering Sea, is a birding hotspot known...A tiny Alaskan island is on high alert over the possible presence of a single rat, which could...A tiny Alaskan island is on high alert over the possible presence of a single rat, which could...
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump offer voters two starkly contrasting visions of foreign policy that could have a profound impact on the global order
The chief executive of OpenAI is set to enter the ranks of Big Tech billionaires under proposals to shift the company to a “for-profit” model. Sam Altman, 39, could be handed a 7 per cent stake in the American start-up behind ChatGPT, which was launched as a non-profit organisation in 2015. Under...The chief executive of OpenAI is set to enter the ranks of Big Tech billionaires under proposals to shift the company to a “for-profit” model. Sam Altman, 39, could be handed a 7 per cent stake in the American start-up behind ChatGPT, which was launched as a non-profit organisation in 2015. Under...The chief executive of OpenAI is set to enter the ranks of Big Tech billionaires under proposals to shift the company to a...
Rachel Reeves will free up as much as £50 billion to spend on roads, housing, energy and other large-scale projects under plans being drawn up by officials. The chancellor has asked the Treasury to look at changing the government’s current borrowing rules that would hand her a windfall to fulfil Labour’s pledge to increase investment in the...Rachel Reeves will free up as much as £50 billion to spend on roads, housing, energy and other large-scale projects under plans being drawn up by officials. The chancellor has asked the Treasury to look at changing the government’s current borrowing rules that would hand her a windfall to fulfil Labour’s pledge to increase investment in the...Rachel Reeves will free up as much as £50 billion to spend on roads, housing, energy and other large-scale projects under plans...
Everyone is exceedingly friendly at the Monaco Yacht Show, the annual superyacht trade fair in the famously tax-free tiny principality on the Mediterranean Cote d’Azur. In unseasonable rain storms this week, brokers trying to sell the latest yachts lent visitors umbrellas and raincoats, leaving them to get soaked to...
Everyone is exceedingly friendly at the Monaco Yacht Show, the annual superyacht trade fair in...
Everyone is exceedingly friendly at the Monaco Yacht Show, the annual superyacht trade fair in...
lunch with the times
business commentary
The Financial Conduct Authority must go back to holding a proper face-to-face annual public meeting. Thursday’s...The Financial Conduct Authority must go back to holding a proper face-to-face annual public meeting.The Financial Conduct Authority must go back to holding a proper face-to-face annual public meeting.
COMMENT
Strikes, we assume, are more a European thing than American. As Homer Simpson tells his daughter Lisa, they’re not...Strikes, we assume, are more a European thing than American. As Homer Simpson tells his daughter...Strikes, we assume, are more a European thing than American. As Homer Simpson tells his daughter...
A striking landmark was reached in the eurozone’s sovereign debt markets this week. Investors are now charging a higher premium to the French government for holding its bonds compared with the former bailout nations of Spain and Greece. The yield...A striking landmark was reached in the eurozone’s sovereign debt markets this week. Investors are...A striking landmark was reached in the eurozone’s sovereign debt markets this week. Investors are...
budget preview
Rachel Reeves was emphatic when delivering her Labour Party conference speech: there will be “no return to austerity” under Britain’s first female chancellor. She promised that public spending will grow in real terms, almost certainly funded via a...Rachel Reeves was emphatic when delivering her Labour Party conference speech: there will be “no...Rachel Reeves was emphatic when delivering her Labour Party conference speech: there will be “no...
tempus
British asset managers are squeezed in the middle. They lack the scale of big American firms such as BlackRock that...British asset managers are squeezed in the middle. They lack the scale of big American firms such...British asset managers are squeezed in the middle. They lack the scale of big American firms such...
comment
This week the Post Office Horizon inquiry continues its hearings, 30 months after it started gathering evidence and a...This week the Post Office Horizon inquiry continues its hearings, 30 months after it started...This week the Post Office Horizon inquiry continues its hearings, 30 months after it started...
Thames Water has been judged by two of the world’s leading credit rating agencies as being on the brink of default, possibly bringing a government-backed rescue deal closer. Moody’s and S&P said that Thames Water was struggling to access...Thames Water has been judged by two of the world’s leading credit rating agencies as being on the...Thames Water has been judged by two of the world’s leading credit rating agencies as being on the...
The boss of Wm Morrison has blamed a “noticeably softer” market for a slowdown in sales in the third quarter. Like-for-like sales at Britain’s fifth largest supermarket, excluding fuel and VAT sales tax, rose by 2.9 per cent in the 13 weeks to...The boss of Wm Morrison has blamed a “noticeably softer” market for a slowdown in sales in the...The boss of Wm Morrison has blamed a “noticeably softer” market for a slowdown in sales in the...
start-ups
Jeremy Weil and his wife, the BBC presenter Emma Barnett, are helping children to explore their local areas with artistic fun based around landmarks
Entrepreneurship
The number of self-employed people has fallen by 4 per cent in a year, with partnerships faring even worse
RECRUITMENT
From biodiversity experts to eco supply-chain managers, the nature-positive economy is creating new jobs and opportunities
It has been 50 years since the American economists William Nordhaus and James Tobin proposed adjusting GDP to include the cost of environmental damage. As the United Nations summit of the future takes place this week in New York, there are fresh calls to update the outdated GDP measurement to include the value of “nature capital”. The calculation assesses human impact...It has been 50 years since the American economists William Nordhaus and James Tobin proposed...It has been 50 years since the American economists William Nordhaus and James Tobin proposed...
six from the best
As chief executive of Cubic Telecom, Barry Napier recently led his team to one of the biggest tech deals in Irish...As chief executive of Cubic Telecom, Barry Napier recently led his team to one of the biggest tech deals in Irish history in a landmark £393 million partnership with SoftBank Corp. Here are Barry’s key leadership insights. 1. Don’t be afraid to call out crap: Always question quality. It was a complaint to a mobile...As chief executive of Cubic Telecom, Barry Napier recently led his team to one of the biggest tech deals in Irish history in a...
Owen Slot
At Carl Hester’s yard in Newent, Gloucestershire, Charlotte Dujardin still turns up regularly to ride her horses but by no kind of measure is she the star any more. Her head is down; her communication is truncated. She is a fallen icon living in a kind of purgatory. “Mentally they are crucifying her,” says one of the other riders who rides at the yard. “She’s got antis...At Carl Hester’s yard in Newent, Gloucestershire, Charlotte Dujardin still turns up regularly to...At Carl Hester’s yard in Newent, Gloucestershire, Charlotte Dujardin still turns up regularly to...
OWEN SLOT
With a three-week hiatus until the next grand prix, the Formula 1 drivers’ WhatsApp group has plenty of time to...With a three-week hiatus until the next grand prix, the Formula 1 drivers’ WhatsApp group has plenty of time to discuss its next move. They have already been laughing at the sentence being handed down to Max Verstappen for using a swear word in a press conference. One f-word equals a day’s community service. You’re...With a three-week hiatus until the next grand prix, the Formula 1 drivers’ WhatsApp group has plenty of time to discuss its...
As Wimbledon and Lord’s both announce yet another hike in ticket prices for next summer, the cost of watching sport is once again making headlines. So we have asked the writers and editors at Times Sport to nominate their best-value ticket in...As Wimbledon and Lord’s both announce yet another hike in ticket prices for next summer, the cost...As Wimbledon and Lord’s both announce yet another hike in ticket prices for next summer, the cost...
STUART BARNES
In the spirit of political openness I will confess to accepting some pre-season hospitality from my old club, Bath.In the spirit of political openness I will confess to accepting some pre-season hospitality from...In the spirit of political openness I will confess to accepting some pre-season hospitality from...
James Gheerbrant
‘Timo Werner is absolute lightning.” “Werner’s only speed is full speed.” “60m is too small for this guy.” “Liverpool...‘Timo Werner is absolute lightning.” “Werner’s only speed is full speed.” “60m is too small for...‘Timo Werner is absolute lightning.” “Werner’s only speed is full speed.” “60m is too small for...
premier league quiz
Steve James
It was a piece in praise of the obviously lavish talents of young Jacob Bethell that just happened to mention how he...It was a piece in praise of the obviously lavish talents of young Jacob Bethell that just...It was a piece in praise of the obviously lavish talents of young Jacob Bethell that just...
Josh Hull has been ruled out of England’s Test tour to Pakistan because he has not recovered from the quad injury he...Josh Hull has been ruled out of England’s Test tour to Pakistan because he has not recovered from...Josh Hull has been ruled out of England’s Test tour to Pakistan because he has not recovered from...
county championship
cycling | David Bates
There are 20 hairpin bends on the descent of Alto de Velefique. In daylight, it sweeps and it flows and if you like to ride a bike downhill, you could be happy there. But in the early morning darkness of September 2, thick cloud had settled close...There are 20 hairpin bends on the descent of Alto de Velefique. In daylight, it sweeps and it...There are 20 hairpin bends on the descent of Alto de Velefique. In daylight, it sweeps and it...
PREMIERSHIP GUIDE | MATT COTTON
The rapper Sean Combs partied with the A-list and met royalty. Prosecutors say he’s also a sex trafficker who coerced women into performing sex acts that he then filmed. By Damian Whitworth
Interview
These MomTokers have more than ten million followers on social media and now star in a new reality show with a bigger audience than The Kardashians
David Baddiel
David Baddiel watches a new play that finally confronts the beloved author’s antisemitism
Hilary Rose
A public tit for tat has seen the Duchess of Sussex branded as ‘just terrible’. By Hilary Rose
interview
His first memoir was full of scurrilous anecdotes. Now the actor has written an equally entertaining new book
If your knees play up every time you go for a run, if you struggle to get out of a chair or your back twinges when...If your knees play up every time you go for a run, if you struggle to get out of a chair or your...If your knees play up every time you go for a run, if you struggle to get out of a chair or your...
richard morrison
A distinguished academic once told me how she was wooed by her future husband. “He dazzled me with his knowledge of...A distinguished academic once told me how she was wooed by her future husband. “He dazzled me...A distinguished academic once told me how she was wooed by her future husband. “He dazzled me...
Jane MacQuitty
There’s never been a better time to be an armchair cinema fan with more ways to watch movies across TV channels...There’s never been a better time to be an armchair cinema fan with more ways to watch movies...There’s never been a better time to be an armchair cinema fan with more ways to watch movies...
The titles of Rick Gervais’s stand-up tours are lofty enough to look like they should be lined up on leather spines...The titles of Rick Gervais’s stand-up tours are lofty enough to look like they should be lined up...The titles of Rick Gervais’s stand-up tours are lofty enough to look like they should be lined up...
First night review
At 38, the Singaporean conductor Kahchun Wong is piling up the appointments. He has already been chief conductor of the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra. Now he has the same title at the Japan Philharmonic and is also principal guest conductor of the Dresden Philharmonic. With this concert he becomes Sir Mark Elder’s successor as principal conductor and artistic adviser of...At 38, the Singaporean conductor Kahchun Wong is piling up the appointments. He has already been...At 38, the Singaporean conductor Kahchun Wong is piling up the appointments. He has already been...
first night review
A new song cycle, full of mystical texts and bold musical pictures, is an attention-grabbing way for the BBC Scottish...A new song cycle, full of mystical texts and bold musical pictures, is an attention-grabbing way for the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra to start its new season, and Helen Grime’s Folk repaid the risk richly with its shifting kaleidoscope of colours and its bold way of engaging with both texture and rhythm. Folk was...A new song cycle, full of mystical texts and bold musical pictures, is an attention-grabbing way for the BBC Scottish Symphony...
first night review
First Night Review
FIRST NIGHT REVIEW
FIRST NIGHT REVIEW
Before the televised OJ Simpson trial electrified America another case transfixed the nation. Lyle and Erik Menendez, handsome brothers enjoying the trappings of a privileged upbringing in Beverly Hills, murdered their parents in 1989. The siblings, depicted by prosecutors as cold-blood killers, claimed they acted in self-defence after a lifetime of sexual abuse at the...Before the televised OJ Simpson trial electrified America another case transfixed the nation.Before the televised OJ Simpson trial electrified America another case transfixed the nation.
review
★★★★★
It is a critical cliche to claim that the films of Christopher Nolan are cold and unemotional — and they...★★★★★
It is a critical cliche to claim that the films of Christopher Nolan are cold and unemotional — and they are, all of them, from Memento to Oppenheimer. Cold as a night on Pluto. Except, that is, for this one gorgeous, heartbreaking epic. Written by Nolan with his brother Jonathan, it spans galaxies and...★★★★★
It is a critical cliche to claim that the films of Christopher Nolan are cold and unemotional — and they are, all of...
review
Keeping up with the changing names of an artist who broke through as Christine and the Queens is not easy, but those...Keeping up with the changing names of an artist who broke through as Christine and the Queens is...Keeping up with the changing names of an artist who broke through as Christine and the Queens is...
REVIEW
Our critics pick the best albums of 2024. From R&B to indie hits, this guide has you covered. We will update...Our critics pick the best albums of 2024. From R&B to indie hits, this guide has you covered.Our critics pick the best albums of 2024. From R&B to indie hits, this guide has you covered.
Interview
The author of The Line of Beauty is the great chronicler of British gay life. At 70, he talks about grief, Brexit and his new novel, Our Evenings
Alan Hollinghurst laughs a lot more than you might expect from a writer famed as an incurable aesthete. I spend about two hours in the author’s immaculate, art-filled flat, overlooking the poplars of Hampstead Heath. He chuckles. He guffaws. His face twitches with mirthful possibilities. “Humour is such an essential part of my way of understanding and dealing with...Alan Hollinghurst laughs a lot more than you might expect from a writer famed as an incurable...Alan Hollinghurst laughs a lot more than you might expect from a writer famed as an incurable...
review | Technology
Five years ago, no one had heard of OpenAI. Now, the research firm is powering Microsoft’s software, writing...Five years ago, no one had heard of OpenAI. Now, the research firm is powering Microsoft’s software, writing everything from code to school essays and bot-distributed misinformation. Oh, and it might end the world in its quest to build super-intelligent artificial general intelligence (AGI). In Supremacy: ...Five years ago, no one had heard of OpenAI. Now, the research firm is powering Microsoft’s software, writing everything from...
MindGames
Fifteen questions to get you thinking
1 The term, hypoxaemia, refers to low blood levels of which gaseous element? 2 What colour is the Farrow & Ball paint Nancy’s Blushes? 3 George Galloway said, “Sir, I salute your courage, your strength, your indefatigability” to which Iraqi dictator? 4 State of Shock is a 1984 song by the Jacksons featuring which Rolling Stones member? 5 Which country separated itself...1 The term, hypoxaemia, refers to low blood levels of which gaseous element? 2 What colour is the...1 The term, hypoxaemia, refers to low blood levels of which gaseous element? 2 What colour is the...
The capital is spoilt for choice when it comes to five-star establishments, so let us be your guide
These are the most exciting emerging makers to have on your radar right now
Forget 4am rocket fuel shots — these days the best tequila is a rarefied and delicious treat, with a price tag to match
The seven-year, multimillion-pound restoration of Castle Raby’s gardens has resulted in an almost painterly work of plantsmanship
Peter Howarth rounds-up Europe’s top bespoke shoemakers. Just don’t forget to tell the fitter what you want, he says
A weekend escape to L’Abbaye des Vaux-de-Cernay, an hour southwest of the capital, offers a taste of the French Riviera without the crowds
The bar has been raised for getaways in the Peaks with a bunch of lovely cottages opening their doors for weekends away. Here’s where to hunker down
video
Art, markets and fine dining await alongside history and politics await in Washington
Norway’s Vesteralen archipelago, 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle, has spectacular landscapes, whales and lovely hamlets that most tourists miss
From the best sections to visit to the tours to take you there, here’s how to make the most of a visit to China’s most famous attraction
WHERE WAS I? COMPETITION
video
Think you know which type of getaway you’re most suited to? Put your theory to the test with seven quick questions that will map your holiday wishes against a range of trips and whittle it down to one perfect fit. • Mostly As: A cruise is on the...Think you know which type of getaway you’re most suited to? Put your theory to the test with...Think you know which type of getaway you’re most suited to? Put your theory to the test with...
THEREFORE if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common...THEREFORE if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his...THEREFORE if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his...
MindGames and Brain Boost puzzles to print and solve at your leisure
In 1984, Chelvey Court was a wreck and the Olvers and the Halletts needed somewhere to live. Forty years later, they’re selling their magnificent combined home
Analysis
A sluggish planning system and a skills shortage are just some of the obstacles ahead
comment
Why overvaluing your home can be a costly mistake in terms of time and money
This warehouse conversion in Old Street has been a hotspot for TV and film shoots for many years
Louise Venables sounded out of breath when she answered the phone — and no wonder. “I’m making the big move in the morning, so I’m a tad distracted with packing and panicking,” she says. The week before, she had received her visa granting her the...Louise Venables sounded out of breath when she answered the phone — and no wonder. “I’m making...Louise Venables sounded out of breath when she answered the phone — and no wonder. “I’m making...
Former crime journalist promises change on his watch
Russell Findlay has been named the new leader of the Scottish Conservatives after winning the bitter contest to replace Douglas Ross. Findlay, a former crime journalist, now faces a battle to reunite the struggling party after winning more than 60 per cent of the votes cast. The result confirmed...Russell Findlay has been named the new leader of the Scottish Conservatives after winning the bitter contest to replace Douglas Ross. Findlay, a former crime journalist, now faces a battle to reunite the struggling party after winning more than 60 per cent of the votes cast. The result confirmed...Russell Findlay has been named the new leader of the Scottish Conservatives after winning the bitter contest to replace Douglas...
Scotland’s early prisoner release scheme will lead to a rise in shoplifting, a senior police officer has warned. Assistant chief constable Tim Mairs from Police Scotland said many of those being freed before serving their full sentences would “go back out and start [offending] again”. Speaking at the Retailers Against Crime conference in...Scotland’s early prisoner release scheme will lead to a rise in shoplifting, a senior police officer has warned. Assistant chief constable Tim Mairs from Police Scotland said many of those being freed before serving their full sentences would “go back out and start [offending] again”. Speaking at the Retailers Against Crime conference in...Scotland’s early prisoner release scheme will lead to a rise in shoplifting, a senior police officer has warned. Assistant...
An elderly Scottish couple are attempting to sue the Scottish and UK governments over the cut to the winter fuel payment for “damaging the welfare of pensioners”. Following Labour’s election win, Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, announced that the winter fuel payment — which had previously been universal — would only...An elderly Scottish couple are attempting to sue the Scottish and UK governments over the cut to...An elderly Scottish couple are attempting to sue the Scottish and UK governments over the cut to...
Arriving “home” for childhood Shetland summers, my parents would whizz us straight past Lerwick to the sunny sooth or wild wast side instead. Lerwick, for us, was not a place to stay — it was a place to leave. Fifty years on, after a recent return...Arriving “home” for childhood Shetland summers, my parents would whizz us straight past Lerwick...Arriving “home” for childhood Shetland summers, my parents would whizz us straight past Lerwick...
Police Scotland has committed to working with women’s groups and seeking external advice on how to deal with trans...Police Scotland has committed to working with women’s groups and seeking external advice on how...Police Scotland has committed to working with women’s groups and seeking external advice on how...
Douglas Ross has provoked fury in his Holyrood group with a parting shot that his successor should listen to their...Douglas Ross has provoked fury in his Holyrood group with a parting shot that his successor...Douglas Ross has provoked fury in his Holyrood group with a parting shot that his successor...
Europa League
A night of perfect starts for Rangers, who burst from the blocks at the outset of a challenging run of Europa League fixtures and slayed some mouthy old ghosts along the way. Indeed, southeast Sweden is no longer only the place where Rangers’ dreams go to die. Even with so many big opponents left on their card over the coming months, the Ibrox men can dare to think big...A night of perfect starts for Rangers, who burst from the blocks at the outset of a challenging...A night of perfect starts for Rangers, who burst from the blocks at the outset of a challenging...
Jon Moss is stepping down as the Scottish Football Association’s VAR manager after less than two months in the role...Jon Moss is stepping down as the Scottish Football Association’s VAR manager after less than two months in the role to pursue “an opportunity of a lifetime” abroad. The 53-year-old former Premier League official and elite referee manager at PGMOL was appointed by SFA head of refereeing Willie Collum early last month.Jon Moss is stepping down as the Scottish Football Association’s VAR manager after less than two months in the role to pursue...
Scottish Business Digest
A theoretical physicist has been announced as the new principal and vice-chancellor of Glasgow University. Professor Andy Schofield will be the university’s 51st principal and will take up the role in autumn 2025, as it approaches its 575th...A theoretical physicist has been announced as the new principal and vice-chancellor of Glasgow...A theoretical physicist has been announced as the new principal and vice-chancellor of Glasgow...
Comment
Only one woman can rescue Starmer now
Patrick Maguire
After an uneasy conference, everything is riding on the chancellor if Labour is to reclaim the initiative it has squandered
gerard baker
Buckle up, this is going to be a close one
emma duncan
Labour’s big idea will prove Mission: Impossible
martin samuel | notebook
Beware the beach hut — there may be no escape
jawad iqbal
The use of donor’s penthouse pad was flat-out wrong
Leading Articles
Fractured France
The new Barnier government is assailed from all sides as it tries to balance the budget and cope with a growing row over asylum and immigration
False Economy
Plans to crack down on non-doms may cost more revenue than they raise
It’s Pronounced Brontey, Dear
The memorial to Britain’s preëminent literary sisters has had its dots added
Letters to the editor
Controversy over use of physician associates
Sir, Further to the letter (Sep 25) expressing support for the value of physician associates (PAs) in maintaining continuity of care, it has always been the case that PAs could have a place in the NHS — but this should not be without a clear...Sir, Further to the letter (Sep 25) expressing support for the value of physician associates...Sir, Further to the letter (Sep 25) expressing support for the value of physician associates...
Daily Universal Register
Briefing
UK: The winner of the Scottish Conservative Party leadership contest is announced; Institute for Fiscal Studies report on the delivery of better public services due
World: The Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, speaks at the UN general assembly; Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party holds a leadership election to select a new prime minister
On this day
In 1888 a letter gloating about a spate of murders in the East End of London was received by the Central News Agency signed “Jack the Ripper”; in 1905 a paper by Albert Einstein was received by the scientific journal Annalen der Physik, introducing the equation E = mc2 (energy equals mass times the velocity of light squared); in 1940 the Battle of Graveney Marsh, in Kent, took place, the last engagement involving an invading force on UK mainland soil. The crew of a crashed German bomber opened fire on soldiers from the London Irish Rifles, who overpowered them. No one was killed. A new German bombsight was recovered from the aircraft, on which time-bombs had been armed; in 1988 Ben Johnson was stripped of his 100m world record and Olympic gold medal after testing positive for using performance-enhancing drugs.
Nature notes
The autumn migration is in full, glorious swing, and birdwatchers are scanning skies and wetlands for the seasonal influx of visitors. But whereas the annual arrival of thrushes, geese and wild swans announce themselves in expansive musical flocks, some visitors are less conspicuous. Take the blue-winged teal which has recently been spotted skulking at Tophill Low Nature Reserve near Hull. Blue-winged teals breed in North America in an area stretching from Alaska to Tennessee, and overwinter in Central and South America. Storm Lilian must have blown it over the Atlantic. In fact, there’s a growing trend for this duck with a beautiful blue wing to arrive in Britain. No longer rare vagrants, they may well soon be upgraded to regular vagrants. Jonathan Tulloch
Jonathan Tulloch
Birthdays today
Diane Abbott, Labour MP for Hackney North & Stoke Newington, 71; Bill Athey, cricketer, England (1980-88), 67; Dame Josephine Barstow, opera singer, 84; Baroness (Tessa) Blackstone, chairwoman, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, 82; Max Boyce, comedian, 81; Luke Campbell, boxer, Olympic gold medallist (2012, bantamweight), 37; Shaun Cassidy, singer, Da Doo Ron Ron (1977), actor, creator of TV series American Gothic (1995), 66; Patrick Cescau, chairman, InterContinental Hotels Group (2013-22), group chief executive, Unilever (2005-08), 76; Barbara Dickson, singer, I Know Him So Well (1985, with Elaine Paige), 77; Michele Dotrice, actress, Some Mothers Do ’Ave ’Em (1973-78), 76; Simona Halep, tennis player, Wimbledon’s women’s singles winner (2019), 33; Nicky Haslam, interior designer, 85; Michael Houlihan, founding director-general, Japan House London (2016-22), 76; John Inverdale, TV and radio presenter, former host of Rugby Special and Grandstand, 67; Peres Jepchirchir, long-distance runner, winner of the London 2024 marathon (women-only world record, 2:16:16), 31; Avril Lavigne, singer-songwriter, Complicated (2002), 40; Denis Lawson, actor, New Tricks (2012-15), 77; Brendon McCullum, cricketer, New Zealand (2004-16), now head coach of the England Test team, 43; Jenny Mollica, chief executive, English National Opera and London Coliseum, 43; Gwyneth Paltrow, actress, Emma (1996), and businesswoman (Goop), 52; Peter Sellars, opera and theatre director, 67; Sir Richard Stagg, warden, Winchester College, UK ambassador to Afghanistan (2012-15), 69; Indira Varma, actress, Game of Thrones (2014-17), 51; Garry Watson, actor, the only surviving member of the Watson family of child actors, Mr Smith Goes to Washington (1939), 96; Irvine Welsh, novelist, Trainspotting (1993), 66.