Exclusive: Theresa Musgrove unearths newspaper archives showing one Alice Shepherd was severely punished in 1836 for similarly innocent request

Reform UK has said schools will face ‘consequences’ if they fail to make pupils regularly sing hymns and the national anthem under a Reform government. The party’s education spokesperson, Suella Brave...

Keys crops such as cereals, potatoes, sugar and oils grown in areas with moderate to very high risk The vast majority of the UK’s essential foods, including cereals, potatoes, sugar and oil, are grown in areas of England rated as having a moderate to very high risk of drought. A very high proportion – 81% – of England’s fresh produce is concentrated in parts of the country that are already experiencing water stress, according to the analysis by nature-focused investment fund Rebalance Earth. Continue reading...

Directed by David Lean. With Rex Harrison, Constance Cummings and Kay Hammond. Blithe Spirit Blu-ray (Amazon) : https://amzn.to/49HFvyU Blithe Spirit Blu-ray (Criterion) :…

Ed Miliband to reassert support for Palestinian rights and a two-state solution in move likely to draw fierce criticism from US and Israel Ed Miliband will announce what he has described as a broad reset of the UK’s relations with Israel on Tuesday, promising the government will take a more active approach in supporting the Palestinian cause. In an intervention that is expected to draw fierce criticism from the US and Israel, the foreign secretary will impose a UK ban on the trade in goods and some services from illegal Israeli settlements. He has also told civil society groups he is determined to reassert the call for a two-state solution to the conflict with an appeal for the protection of Palestinian rights and respect for international law. Continue reading...

Ambrose Barlow was found guilty of treason and sentenced to death in 1641.

Terrified of being seen as a loser, Donald Trump is nonsensically lashing out – even against our old friend Canada

Government resilience campaign aims to ensure people can cope in a national disaster, in order to free resources for most vulnerable UK citizens will be told to stock up on tinned food and take steps to ensure they are prepared for national emergencies as part of a new government campaign to improve the nation’s resilience. The new campaign from the Cabinet Office will set out ways people can prepare for extreme weather events and potential attacks from hostile states, including stocking up on bottled water, sources told the Guardian. Continue reading...

Grassroot groups preparing to put pressure on PM to break with Starmer policy and impose full arms embargo on Israel Grassroot Labour groups are gearing up for a conference showdown with Andy Burnham over Gaza, as the party’s members seek to force the prime minister to recognise Israel’s actions as a genocide, and impose a full arms embargo. Momentum, Labour & Palestine, the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy and Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) will ramp up pressure on Burnham before his first Labour conference as prime minister next month. Continue reading...

As a lonely teenager, the novels of Nancy Mitford offered the Sorrow and Bliss author a lifeline, and an imaginary friend. She explores why reading can create a particularly intense bond with a favourite writer

Children's lung capacity caught up with their peers in less polluted areas once a clean air zone came in, a study shows.

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

Woodland Trust says trees struggling in drought stress, with older ‘survivors’ disproportionately affected England’s ancient oak trees are dying in the summer’s extreme heat and dry weather, according to the Woodland Trust, with trees and ecosystems unable to adapt fast enough to the changing climate. The heatwaves across much of Europe this summer have had a notable impact on crop growth and plant health. To cope with the extreme conditions, many trees are undergoing “early autumn”, wilting and losing their leaves early. Crow Leasow oak, Shropshire. Tea Party oak, Suffolk. King John oak, Devon. Enmore oak, Somerset. Lydham Manor oak, Shropshire. Old Knobbley, Essex. Pwllpriddog oak, Carmarthenshire. Continue reading...