51 minutes ago Farage, Musk and Trump: they crave your attention. Don’t give it to them | Andy Beckett

Populist trolling thrives on the oxygen of publicity. It’s on all of us – media and voters – to start looking awayEven more than other forms of politics, populism needs an audience. Populist politicians want to be famous personalities, to make attention-getting claims and promises, to create new national myths. Like other ambitious but less ideological entertainers, they want their act to be widely noticed, and then requested again and again. Without a receptive audience, populism can just seem cranky and simplistic – little different from fringe political movements down the ages.In Britain, the US and many other democracies from India to Argentina, populism’s current dominant variant is rightwing, and much of its intended audience is the rightwing media. Conservative commentators, reporters and public intellectuals are constantly required to amplify populism’s messages and help maintain the public profiles of its leading figures. With only five Reform UK MPs, Nigel Farage needs the...

Politics

10 hours ago Luke Littler jets off on holiday as darts champion, 17, starts spending £500k winnings

World Darts Champion Luke Littler is currently on holiday in the Spanish province of Alicante as he continues celebrating his triumph over Michael van Gerwen at Alexandra Palace

Economics

21 hours ago Goalkeeper's insult to Kai Rooney about dad Wayne that left Man Utd youth player fuming

Coleen and Wayne Rooney's son Kai has been on the receiving end of some brutal abuse while playing football which she revealed on the Stick to Football podcast

Sport

1 hour ago Mel Gibson: My home of over a decade burned down during Joe Rogan podcast

The Mad Max star described the loss as ’emotional’ and ‘devastating’.

Events

21 hours ago Lily Allen breaks down as she confirms split from husband David Harbour admitting she 'can only focus on her pain right now' and will be taking a break from showbiz

Lily Allen has confirmed her split from husband David Harbour in a new podcast as she detailed her fragile state of mind during a 'tough period'.

Culture

51 minutes ago Week in wildlife in pictures: an entangled elk, a grieving whale and a tortoise on the run

The best of this week’s wildlife photographs from around the world Continue reading...

Politics

17 hours ago Work and study visa applications drop 42% since restrictions introduced

Provisional Home Office figures show 547,000 applications were received between April and December 2024, down from 942,500 in the same period in 2023.

Economics

8 hours ago Mel Gibson slams Gavin Newsom amid LA fires in scathing rant on Joe Rogan podcast

The 69-year-old veteran actor took aim at the democrat politician - who was chased down by a woman looking for wildfire answers - during a Thursday appearance on the Internet talk show.

Events

54 minutes ago Lily Allen says she’s ‘really not in a good place’ and announces break from podcast

‘I can’t concentrate on anything except the pain I’m going through,’ singer-turned-actor said

Politics

15 hours ago Reform MP dubbed ‘criminal in our midst’ in violence against women debate

Conservative Ben Obese-Jecty called for a ban on people convicted of violence against women from running for Parliament, referring to James McMurdock.

Events

16 hours ago Russell Howard's staggering net worth and real reason he's quit TV forever

Bristol comedian Russell Howard is one of the UK's best known stand-up comedians, with his diverse career including TV stints and podcast hosting too. But he has had a change of heart when it comes to appearing on-screen

Events

17 hours ago Lily Allen takes break from podcast, citing poor mental health: ‘I’m spiralling’

Singer and actor will step away from Miss Me? for a number of weeks as she says: ‘I’m really not in a good place’Lily Allen has announced she is taking a break from her BBC podcast Miss Me?, citing poor mental health and a “tough period” in her life.Speaking on a newly released episode, she said: “You’re not going to hear me for a few weeks, listeners.” Continue reading...

Politics

18 hours ago Keir Starmer refuses to stop accusing Liz Truss of 'crashing the economy' because he speaks for 'millions of voters' despite her threat to SUE PM

Lawyers acting for the former Conservative leader have written a 'cease and desist' letter to the current occupant of No10 over comments he made during the election campaign.

Events

18 hours ago Lily Allen says mental health is ‘spiralling’ as she takes rest from BBC podcast

The actress has reportedly split from her husband.

Politics

22 hours ago Moment lynx are captured after being illegally released into wild in the Scottish Highlands

The wild cats were spotted on Wednesday afternoon around two miles from a wildlife park in the Drumguish area, near to Kingussie in the Scottish Highlands.

Events

18 hours ago Coronation Street's Jack P Shepherd reveals mum's comments before telling her co

The actor made Colson Smith and Ben Price laugh as he recounted what happened during the latest episode of their podcast

Politics

24 hours ago Two lynx released illegally in Scottish Highlands: Police issue 'do not approach' warning after big cats are spotted roaming the area

The wild cats were spotted on Wednesday afternoon around two miles from a wildlife park in the Drumguish area, near to Kingussie in the Scottish Highlands.

Events

19 hours ago Councils wanting elections postponed will have to meet ‘clear criteria’ – Powell

Lucy Powell said postponement will only be considered if it will help to deliver devolution in ‘the most ambitious timeframe possible’.

Politics

25 hours ago Uncovering Iraq’s mass graves: the painstaking search for missing loved ones – photo essay

The country has as many as one million missing persons after decades of conflict. Forensic teams face huge challenges to document remains as families wait in hope of closureText by Marta Bellingreri and photographs by Alessio Mamo in Mosul, IraqWhen Dhorgham Abdelmajid first arrived at the 20-metre-deep hole in Tal Afar district, in northern Iraq, in June, he says he saw something he had never witnessed in his 15 years working as an excavator of mass graves.“It was unlike other mass graves where bodies are buried underground. Here the corpses, piled eight metres high, were clearly visible and also well preserved because it’s very dry.”Alo Antar hole, the site of a mass grave in Tal Afar district of northern Iraq Continue reading...

Events

19 hours ago Labour vows not to ‘cease and desist from truth’ despite Truss lawyers’ demand

Lawyers for Liz Truss have sent a letter to Sir Keir Starmer about ‘false and defamatory public statements’ made about their client.

Politics

25 hours ago Joe Rogan's chilling prediction about LA fires resurfaces as he recounts dark prophecy

A clip of Joe Rogan speaking on a July episode of his podcast has turned out to be a chilling prediction of what killer wildfires have brought to Los Angeles.

Events

21 hours ago Rochelle Humes defends podcast comment after being 'overwhelmed' by response to fresh move

The This Morning star isn't short of projects to keep her busy but has recently started a new venture

Politics

28 hours ago Whales and seabirds 'hit by Scottish Government failure to protect seas'

EXCLUSIVE: Campaigners say SNP ministers are failing to live up to pledges to enforce special conservation zones designed protect Scotland's marine life.

Events

21 hours ago Ministers looking at ‘pipeline of schemes’ to run HS2 north of Birmingham

MPs heard the Conservatives ‘mothballed’ part of the scheme after scrapping plans to build a high-speed line between Birmingham and Manchester.

Politics

22 hours ago Kai Rooney 'angry' over what goalkeeper said to him about his dad Wayne

Coleen Rooney opened up about her family during an appearance on the Stick to Football podcast as she revealed the insults her eldest son has faced on the pitch

Politics

32 hours ago Trump and Justice Alito spoke just hours before urging Supreme Court to block hush money sentencing

The president-elect called the conservative justice the night before a last-ditch demand to stop his sentencing in New York

Politics