4 h. ago Blame migrants, or blame the rich? That’s the populist divide in Britain’s politics now | Gaby Hinsliff

Taxing the ultra-rich may be a vote winner, but it’s just as important to shift the conversation away from Reform’s immigration doom loopThe long, hot summer of discontent is finally over. Parliament returned this week if not exactly with a rush of back to school energy, then at least with the sense that the government is now back to fill what was becoming an increasingly dangerous August vacuum.When exhausted ministers retreated to lick their wounds over the summer, Nigel Farage saw his chance and took it, filling the slow news days with encouragement of protesters over asylum seeker accommodation. He was rewarded by polling showing voters now see immigration – the terrain on which Reform UK is palpably desperate to fight an election, because it’s terrain on which Labour can never go far enough to please some supporters without horrifying half the rest – and not a broken economy as Britain’s biggest problem, an impression arguably only reinforced when the government’s first announc...

Politics

4 h. ago UK weather maps show surprise September heatwave as parts of England hit 25C

The UK is set to bask in more hot weather following a summer of record-breaking temperatures, with some regions still experiencing temperatures in the mid-20s

Society

6 h. ago Get pillows gleaming white again by adding 1 natural item to the wash

Pillows can become discoloured or stained over time, especially after a hot summer. But there is a simple way to get yours looking brand-new and pure white again using just one natural ingredient

Events

18 h. ago ‘A common enemy beyond ideologies’: Spain’s PM announces plan to tackle climate crisis

Pedro Sánchez says country’s deadly August wildfires show society needs to mobilise and take immediate actionSpain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has announced a 10-point plan to prepare the country for the climate emergency, warning that “if we don’t want to bequeath our children a Spain that’s grey from fire and flames, or a Spain that’s brown from floods, then we need a Spain that’s greener”.Sánchez said August’s heatwave-fuelled wildfires – which killed four people, burned through an area six times the size of Ibiza, and required “the biggest human and technical deployment” ever seen in Spain – showed immediate action must be taken to mitigate the effects of the climate crisis. Continue reading...

Events

18 h. ago Climate change kills, Spanish PM tells deniers at launch of plan to tackle crisis

Pedro Sánchez says country’s deadly August wildfires show society needs to mobilise and take immediate actionSpain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has announced a 10-point plan to prepare the country for the climate emergency, warning: “If we don’t want to bequeath our children a Spain that’s grey from fire and flames, or a Spain that’s brown from floods, then we need a Spain that’s greener.”Sánchez said August’s heatwave-fuelled wildfires – which killed four people, burned through an area six times the size of Ibiza and required “the biggest human and technical deployment” ever seen in Spain – showed that immediate action must be taken to mitigate the effects of the climate crisis. Continue reading...

Events

28 h. ago UK weather: England to bask in 25C before heatwaves give way to autumn chill

The UK is set to experience more hot weather after a summer of record temperatures saw many counties bask in heat well beyond 30C - but it will be short-lived

Society

43 h. ago Banish yellow stains on white pillows by washing with natural kitchen ingredient

It's been a long hot summer, meaning it's definitely time to clean your pillows.

Events

67 h. ago Chelsea player ratings vs Fulham: Trevoh Chalobah commanding as Joao Pedro stars again

Blues look to have made one of the signings of the summer as Brazilian forward continues hot start

Sport

4 d. ago Welsh holiday property tax faces changes after owners hit out at controversial rules

The legislation was first introduced in 2023 and differs to that in England

Events

4 d. ago Heatwaves, wildfires and the hot summers that could change how we holiday

With rising temperatures causing chaos worldwide, what does it mean to be a tourist in a world on fire?• Don’t get Down to Earth delivered to your inbox? Sign up here to get the newsletter in full“Where shall we go on holiday?” would not, ideally, be a stressful question.But the world in 2025 is far from ideal, and summer breaks in Europe and North America are no exception. Holiday hotspots are being ravaged by heat, fire, floods and drought as fossil fuel pollution warps the climate – and travelling to reach them in planes or on cruise ships spews far more planet-heating gas than anything else you and I are likely to do. (Rocket enthusiasts such as Katy Perry and Jeff Bezos, I assume, have not yet subscribed to Down to Earth.)‘We cannot do it the way our fathers did’: farmers across Europe struggle to adapt to the climate crisis‘Unlike any other kind of fear’: wildfires leave their mark across SpainEurope scorched by wildfires – pictures from space Continue reading...

Events

5 d. ago Welsh Government proposes two key changes affecting holiday let owners

Changes have been suggested to help stabilise the tourism sector in Wales

Politics

6 d. ago Next UK bank holiday and 2026 dates as change sees 'substitute day'

There will be a change in 2026

Politics

6 d. ago Monty Don names one vital September gardening job to repair damaged lawn

After a long hot summer your lawn may be riddled with unpleasant dry patches - luckily, gardening expert Monty Don says there's an easy fix so long as you get to work in September

Society

6 d. ago Dry weather exposes archaeological secrets at National Trust monasteries

This summer’s hot weather is offering a glimpse into the hidden pasts of some of the country’s oldest, most treasured buildings

Society

6 d. ago A vintage year? British growers harvest their grapes early after a dry, hot summer

Warm weather has created strong flavours that some say means fruit that’s ripe enough for still wineUK vineyards are getting ready for a vintage year – and a very early harvest – with the warm, sunny weather caused by the heating climate delivering strong flavours in their grapes.Across the UK the total amount of wine produced is likely to be up on last year. English growers alone added more than 1,000 hectares of vines in 2024, taking the total to 4,841, of which 3,763 was in active production in 2024, according to the industry body Wine GB. Continue reading...

Events

6 d. ago Harry Styles and Zoë Kravitz? Plus all the hot new celebrity couples shacking up this summer

How well do you know your celebrity couples? Here’s the fresh roster for summer 2025

Politics

7 d. ago Brace for a 'winter of RATS': Expert warns rodent infestation is coming after catching '20

A 'horrendous' infestation is underway following a period of hot summer weather and fast food waste that has created optimal conditions for vermin to thrive.

Events

7 d. ago London weather: Capital basking in ‘the last two hot days of summer’

Temperatures could reach up to 28C on Monday and Tuesday as the capital’s summer comes to an end

Politics

8 d. ago Jet2 announces major update that will affect millions of travellers

It you are planning on booking a holiday or flights with Jet2 this change may affect you and your family.

Politics

8 d. ago Heatwave that fuelled deadly wildfires was Spain’s ‘most intense on record’

Country’s weather agency says 10-day period from 8-17 August was hottest since at least 1950, as fires still rageA 16-day heatwave Spain suffered this month was “the most intense on record”, the country’s state meteorological agency (AEMET) has said.Provisional readings for the 3-18 August heatwave exceeded the last record, set in July 2022, and showed an average temperature 4.6C higher than for previous such phenomena, the agency said on X. Continue reading...

Events