49 m. ago Michelle Mone's firm told 'pay back' £122m of taxpayer's money for bodged Covid PPE

The Department of Health and Social Care is suing PPE Medpro for allegedly breaching a deal for 25 million surgical gowns

Economics

56 m. ago Geert Wilders collapsed the Dutch government. He wanted power, but had no idea how to govern | Koen Vossen

The anti-Islam ideologue has exposed the limits of his insular, badly organised operation. For a ‘radical’, opposition is a much easier placeKoen Vossen is the author of The Power of Populism: Geert Wilders and the Party for Freedom in the NetherlandsEarlier this month, Geert Wilders decided he had had enough. “No signature for our asylum plans. No changes to the coalition agreement. The PVV is leaving the coalition,” he posted on X. After 11 months, he was withdrawing support for the Dutch prime minister Dick Schoof’s rightwing cabinet, forcing the Netherlands back to the polls.The decision put an end to Wilders’ far-right Freedom party’s (PVV) first spell in power. Following an unexpected victory in the 2023 elections, the PVV joined a government for the first time in its 18-year history – alongside the conservative-liberal People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), the centrist New Social Contract (NSC), and the agrarian-populist Farmer–Citizen Movement (BBB) – although Wild...

Politics

56 m. ago Silver and platinum prices soar as investors seek ‘gold alternatives’

Prices climb more than 10% this month amid search for hedges against dollar weakness

Economics

56 m. ago UK weather: Exact time thunderstorms end as three Met Office warnings issued

Thunderstorms are set to drench millions of Brits this week with three Met Office warnings issued - half a month's rain in the space of a few hours is on the cards

Events

1 hour ago Jeremy Clarkson slammed by pub punters over '100% British' claim

The Farmer's Dog in Oxfordshire has been inundated with reservations since the controversial presenter's hit series Clarkson's Farm returned to screens earlier this month

Politics

3 h. ago Jonny Evans makes surprise announcement on future after being released by Man Utd

Jonny Evans has been released by Manchester United and the defender remains uncertain about what could come next in his career when he leaves the Red Devils this month

Politics

4 h. ago Firm linked to Baroness Bra 'must pay back £122m for faulty PPE': Government suing over Covid contract 'initiated' by Tory peer

The bra tycoon had recommended PPE Medpro, which went on to provide 25 million 'faulty' surgical gowns.

Economics

5 h. ago NHS gets an extra £29billion a year but waiting list targets may STILL be missed, health chiefs say

Economists described the real-terms rise as 'substantial', with the health service budget now equal to the entire annual income of Portugal.

Economics

5 h. ago Polish nursery worker accused of abusing 24 toddlers was 'sleep deprived from smoking cannabis and staying up late with her boyfriend', court hears

Roksana Lecka is accused of 'badly harming' 23 of the infants, all aged 18 months to two years, at a £1,900-a-month Montessori nursery in Twickenham, south-west London .

Events

5 h. ago Deacon Blue star James Prime seriously ill in hospital as fans asked 'share your love'

James Prime, keyboard player for Deacon Blue, is in hospital for an undisclosed illness and so will no longer be part of the band's upcoming UK tour, including gigs in Liverpool and Birmingham

Politics

5 h. ago Shoppers warned that popular ‘fast’ payment method could leave them unprotected

The relatively new way to pay online could cause more problems if things go wrong, Which? warns

Events

5 h. ago Assisted dying: UK doctor says helping patients die in Australia is ‘privilege’

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is due to return to the House of Commons for debate and more votes on amendments on Friday.

Events

5 h. ago Shoppers urged by Which? to consider protections when using ‘pay by bank’

Innovations such as pay by bank present opportunities for businesses and consumers, but are not without risk, the consumer group said.

Economics

6 h. ago Wynne Evans reveals full video 'BBC wouldn't let him publish' after Katya Jones 'grope'

Former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Wynne Evans has posted a video that he claims the BBC wouldn't let him share with fans in amid a scandal on the show last year

Politics

7 h. ago Flight 149: Hostage of War review – a tale so staggering you couldn’t write it

This excellent documentary tells the tale of a BA plane’s Kuwait stopover just as Saddam Hussein invaded. It’s a crucial tale of a four-month nightmare that is barely believableIf it were a work of fiction, the story of Flight 149 would probably be deemed too horrifying – or too unbelievable – for television. Indeed, as a documentary interspersed with dramatic reconstructions, at points it is almost unbearable to watch. But it is a crucial piece of work: a one-off film that goes deep into a bizarre and increasingly hideous ordeal to ask how and why it happened.On 2 August 1990, a British Airways plane carrying nearly 400 passengers and crew from London to Kuala Lumpur touched down for a scheduled stopover in Kuwait. Those on board knew nothing of the unfolding Iraqi invasion of the country and the brutality Saddam Hussein was inflicting on his neighbours (this would, of course, soon lead to the Gulf war). British Airways maintains that it, too, was unaware of what was taki...

Events

7 h. ago Jesse Watters, who said Comey’s ‘86’ post was a ‘hit’ on Trump, celebrates that ABC ‘86’d Terry Moran’

A month after accusing James Comey of trying to kill Trump, Jesse Watters suddenly learns what '86' means

Politics

7 h. ago Reeves urged to rule out pensions tax raid amid mounting concern over how she will pay for her lavish spending

The Chancellor is widely expected to launch a fresh round of tax rises in a Budget this autumn as she pours money into the public sector.

Economics

8 h. ago Marseille reach ‘agreement in principle’ to sign England midfielder Angel Gomes

Gomes is set to become a free agent when his contract with another French side in Lille expires at the end of this month.

Politics

8 h. ago Spending review in five charts: Where Rachel Reeves cuts and pay boosts will land

Departmental spending will increase by 2.3 per cent each year, with some areas seeing real-terms losses, writes Alicja Hagopian

Economics

9 h. ago Rolling Stones members pay tribute following death of Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson

Keith Richard and Ronnie Wood are among the stars who have praised the singer, bass player, songwriter and producer after his death at 82.

Events