31 h. ago Police in England and Wales to get new strict emergency response time limits

Home Office will set out changes to policing on Monday that it claims are biggest overhaul in two centuriesPolice forces in England and Wales will be told to respond to emergency calls within strict time limits as part of plans to be announced on Monday.Officers will be expected to arrive at crime scenes within 15 minutes in urban areas and 20 minutes in the countryside while attending serious crimes, the Home Office said.A reduction in the number of police forces.Local policing areas to deal with everyday crimes such as shoplifting.Home secretaries to be given the power to sack chief constables.An FBI-style National Police Service to lead on terrorism, fraud and organised crime.Every police officer in England and Wales to hold a licence to serve.A fast track for professionals and experts so they can take senior police roles.A new police commander to lead on violent disorder and rioting.A new national forensics team to help catch rapists and murderers. Continue reading...

Events

43 h. ago Joe Root backs Harry Brook to do ‘wonderful things’ as England captain

Brook shared an 81-run stand with Root to help guide England towards a five-wicket win over Sri Lanka.

Politics

43 h. ago ‘He’s taken his punishment’: Root lauds Brook after England’s win in Sri Lanka

Joe Root also praises Brendon McCullum’s coachingSri Lanka win was Brook’s first ODI win abroad as captainJoe Root has lavished praise on Harry Brook and Brendon McCullum after the pair celebrated their first one-day international victory abroad while in charge of England’s white-ball teams.Root’s 75 was the guiding hand in England’s five-wicket win against Sri Lanka on Saturday, ending a losing streak away from home that began in November 2024. McCullum began his reign as all-format head coach two months later in India before Brook ascended to the limited-overs captaincy in April. Both have been scrutinised in recent weeks: McCullum’s future has been questioned after England’s defeat in the Ashes while Brook has apologised for clashing with a nightclub bouncer on the eve of the third ODI against New Zealand at the start of the winter. Continue reading...

Politics

56 h. ago Man Utd fluffed chance to sign two crucial players ‘Sir Alex would have bought to lead by example’, admits Sheringham

MANCHESTER UNITED made a huge mistake in failing to sign Harry Kane and Declan Rice, according to Teddy Sheringham. The former Red Devils striker believes the pair are both big leaders and characters United lack at present. Kane is captain of England and Rice has been tipped to follow suit, with the pair also impressing...

Sport

60 h. ago Harry Brook happy as Joe Root and England put Sri Lanka in a spin

The tourists levelled the one-day series.

Politics

60 h. ago Joe Root inspires England to finally end dismal run of results in Sri Lanka

A five-wicket win in the second ODI was England’s first for 11 away one-day matches since Brendon McCullum took on the white-ball coaching role

Politics

61 h. ago Root and Rashid steer England past Sri Lanka in second ODI to end barren run

2nd ODI: Sri Lanka 219; England 223-5. Eng win five wktsRoot scores 75 as England end away losing streak in ODIsIt has been a rough few years for England’s 50-over side, but the glow of their World Cup victory has not completely disappeared. Joe Root and Adil Rashid, both part of the 2019 class, were the protagonists of the second one-day international against Sri Lanka, setting up a five-wicket victory to level the series.Rashid led the England attack on another turner, taking two for 34 as Harry Brook used a national ODI record 40.3 overs of spin, limiting Sri Lanka to 219. It was still a serious challenge, particularly in a must-win game for the tourists, their winless run away from home in ODIs having stretched to 11 on Thursday. Continue reading...

Politics

61 h. ago Joe Root leads England to overdue away win to level Sri Lanka series

The five-wicket win was England’s first in 11 ODIs on their travels since Brendon McCullum took on the white-ball coaching role.

Politics

3 d. ago Curious case of Crawley opening in Sri Lanka sums up cracks in English cricket | Taha Hashim

Opener had not played 50-over cricket in more than two years, meaning the England selectors are going on instinctAnother continent, fresh pyjamas and, after the disappearance of spin in Australia, a contest dominated by the slow stuff. But it was natural at times to rewind to the Ashes during England’s series-opening defeat against Sri Lanka on Thursday, stretching their losing run away from home in one-day internationals to 11.The flashbacks hit immediately when Jamie Overton took the new ball for the first time in his ODI career, a middle-overs-man miscast, the same way Brydon Carse was when he opened in the Tests. Sri Lanka’s fielding late on in the chase – Dunith Wellalage’s hopscotch grab on the boundary to end Rehan Ahmed’s pyro-party, Dhananjaya de Silva’s swooper at backward point to get rid of Liam Dawson – was clinical, reminiscent of Australia. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago England fall short as Harry Brook fails to fire in opening ODI defeat by Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka (271-6) beat England (252 all out) by 19 runsKusal Mendis’s unbeaten knock of 93 proves vitalAfter a year in the job, it was on: a first one-day international victory away from home for Brendon McCullum as England’s head coach, a touch of joy in a troubling winter. With Ben Duckett and Joe Root hitting watchful half-centuries, the base was set on a turner, chasing a target of 272.But the discontent continued as 129 for one turned into 164 for six, Sri Lanka’s spinners ripping everything apart under lights in the first of three ODIs. The left-armer Dunith Wellalage combined his 12-ball 25 with two wickets in the collapse as the hosts, chasing their eighth consecutive ODI series win at home, triumphed by 19 runs. Continue reading...

Events

5 d. ago English cricket remains a metaphor for the country as travelling circus rolls on | Jonathan Liew

As Brendon McCullum and Rob Key limp on, perhaps it is worth retracing the steps that brought us hereThere will be consequences. There must be consequences. Perhaps there have already been consequences. Harry Brook is very sorry for getting punched by a bouncer in New Zealand. Rob Key is very sorry for overseeing an Ashes tour that in retrospect could probably have been an email. Brendon McCullum is not sorry, but has promised to “look at things over the next little while”, which is basically the same as an apology, so fine.In the meantime, the travelling circus of English cricket rolls on. There is a white-ball series in Sri Lanka starting on Thursday morning, for which – consequences, remember – McCullum remains as coach, Key remains as managing director and Brook remains as captain. In addition Zak Crawley returns to open the batting in the 50-over team, a fitting reward for not playing a single 50-over game in the whole of 2024 or 2025. Nature heals. Continue reading...

Politics

5 d. ago From Ashes hangover to subcontinental scars as England bid to rewrite history

Harry Brook’s side begin Sri Lanka ODI series in poor form but confidence is needed ahead of crucial winter periodA subcontinental World Cup to close an Ashes winter? History tells us this does not end well for England. In 2014 a whitewash in Australia was followed by a group-stage exit at the World T20 with a 45-run defeat to the Netherlands in Chattogram. In 2011 the 50-over side – largely made up of Test regulars – was brutalised by Kevin O’Brien in Bengaluru before exiting with a 10-wicket quarter-final loss to Sri Lanka at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Vic Marks, writing for the Observer, wondered beforehand if England had “anything left to give” after so many months on the road.And so to the Premadasa again, 15 years on, this time without the goodwill of a recent series victory in Australia. The first one-day international against Sri Lanka will begin just two weeks after Alex Carey struck the winning runs at the SCG, and open the second half of England’s winter, with thre...

Politics

5 d. ago From Ashes hangover to subcontinental scars as England aim to rewrite history

Harry Brook’s side begin Sri Lanka ODI series in poor form but confidence is needed ahead of crucial winter periodA subcontinental World Cup to close an Ashes winter? History tells us this does not end well for England. In 2014 a whitewash in Australia was followed by a group-stage exit at the World T20 with a 45-run defeat to the Netherlands in Chattogram. In 2011 the 50-over side – largely made up of Test regulars – were brutalised by Kevin O’Brien in Bengaluru before exiting with a 10-wicket quarter-final loss to Sri Lanka at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Vic Marks, writing for the Observer, wondered beforehand if England had “anything left to give” after so many months on the road.And so to the Premadasa again, 15 years on, this time without the goodwill of a recent series victory in Australia. The first one-day international against Sri Lanka will begin just two weeks after Alex Carey struck the winning runs at the SCG, and open the second half of England’s winter, wit...

Politics

5 d. ago Rachel Reeves suggests UK won’t impose retaliatory tariffs on US over Greenland – UK politics live

The chancellor said Starmer was focused on trying to ‘de-escalate and get the best deal for Britain’Steven Morris is a Guardian reporter covering the West of England.Plans for a food and essentials distribution hub – billed as the first of its kind in England – has been revealed by the West of England mayoral combined authority.These proposals are innovative and nation-leading, bringing together food and non-food redistribution together for the first time under one roof. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago Headteacher who described sexually abusing a child to mother on fetish website during school hours is banned

Paul Brown (pictured), the safeguarding lead at Bransgore Church of England school, in Christchurch, Hampshire, left in April 2024 due to 'personal reasons'.

Events

7 d. ago England’s Sri Lanka tour takes on added significance after troubled Ashes series

The tourists will be under more scrutiny than they might have expected following a bruising 4-1 defeat Down Under.

Events

1 week ago Populism makes managing global economy harder, Andrew Bailey warns

Bank of England governor tells officials to challenge populist leaders ‘in deeds more than just words’

Events

1 week ago Bank of England governor hits out at populism as Trump interferes in US Fed

Andrew Bailey says he and heads of other institutions have duty to ‘challenge back’ populist narrativesBusiness live – latest updatesThe governor of the Bank of England has urge the world’s leading global institutions to fight back against the rise of populism, warning that it represents one of the biggest threats to improvements in living standards.In a thinly veiled response to Donald Trump’s attempts to interfere with the independence of the US Federal Reserve, Andrew Bailey said that he and the heads of other institutions had a duty to “challenge back” populist narratives. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Tottenham sign Conor Gallagher for £34.7m as Frank says he will bring ‘leadership’

Midfielder signs long-term deal after move from AtléticoThomas Frank: ‘Conor will bring leadership and maturity’Tottenham have completed the signing of the England midfielder Conor Gallagher. The 25-year-old has joined Spurs from Atlético Madrid in a deal worth in the region of €40m (£34.7m) and is understood to have signed a contract until the summer of 2031.Aston Villa had initially led the race for Gallagher, who is keen for more playing time ahead of this summer’s World Cup, but Tottenham were able to convince the former Chelsea academy graduate to return to London. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Global central banks show ‘full solidarity’ to US Fed chairman after threats

Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey was among the 11 central bank leaders to sign the statement of support.

Politics