Visitors to places such as Rievaulx Abbey will be encouraged to focus on appreciating the peace and tranquillityModern visitors to monastic ruins are more often than not on their phones or chatting to each other, or thinking about work and what’s for t…
US-UK ‘special relationship’ faces new challenges despite signs of healing
Relationship between Biden’s US and Johnson’s post-Brexit UK remains complicated and inevitably transactionalWhat a difference a month makes.In August Joe Biden was being denounced in the British parliament for a “shameful” retreat from Afghanistan tha…
Pret a Manger shareholders fund £100m expansion despite big losses
More than 200 new outlets planned for UK and Ireland in suburbs, regions and travel hubsPret a Manger shareholders, including its co-founder, Sinclair Beecham, are pumping £100m into the company to fund expansion despite losses ballooning to £256m duri…
Ministers have no clear plan to tackle child poverty, say cross-party MPs
Committee calls for robust cross-departmental anti-poverty strategy to tackle growing problemMinisters have no clear plans to tackle rising child poverty, while a lack of focus and leadership has hindered efforts to reduce the numbers of youngpeople li…
Britons getting less tolerant of racist language on TV, Ofcom finds
Attitudes towards transphobia also hardening, but viewers more tolerant of swearing if justifiedBritons are increasingly concerned by the use of racist and transphobic language on television but much more tolerant of swearing, according to the media re…
Welsh ambulance service calls for army help with winter Covid pressures
Soldiers expected to drive ambulances and decontaminate vehicles for third time since pandemic beganCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe Welsh ambulance service has asked for help from the armed forces, explaining that it fac…
Ministers plan legal action to stop Insulate Britain disrupting motorways
Priti Patel and Grant Shapps want injunction this week, which could lead to protesters being jailedPriti Patel and Grant Shapps are seeking a court injunction to stop environmental protesters from targeting major motorways after five days of tailbacks …
Britain’s hopes of early post-Brexit trade deal with US appear dashed
Little likelihood of progress on free-trade agreement as Biden focuses attention elsewhere, say insidersBritain’s hopes of a post-Brexit trade deal with the US have all but evaporated barring a dramatic change of heart from Joe Biden, it emerged on Tue…
Boris on the back foot at the UN – but at least he’s not in London
While Jennifer Arcuri was being quizzed in the UK capital, the PM was messing it up in New YorkIf Boris Johnson had a little more self-awareness he might have reshuffled himself last week. The trip to the United Nations general assembly in New York was…
UK ministers reach deal on CO2 production to ease food supply fears
Production at factories in Teesside and Cheshire will resume after government offers financial helpWhat caused the UK’s energy crisis?Ministers have reached a deal to restart carbon dioxide (CO2) production at a factory on Teesside in an effort to ease…