4 h. ago Strictly star and former Labour MP Jacqui Smith engaged to partner of six years

The ex-Home Secretary - who is a government minister in the Department of Education - is set to marry Professor Graham Timmins, who is affectionately known as Page Three Boy, this August

Politics

5 h. ago Strictly Come Dancing star 'absolutely smitten' after sharing engagement announcement

Former Home Secretary Baroness Jacqui Smith is engaged to Professor Graham Timmins, affectionately known as Page Three Boy, her friend Iain Dale has said

Politics

14 h. ago 'They're absolutely smitten': Former home secretary Jacqui Smith, 63, is engaged to politics professor after six

As a former Strictly star, Jacqui Smith is no stranger to sparkles and glitter.

Society

29 h. ago The Jerome Powell investigation shows Trump’s need for limitless power | Austin Sarat

The inquiry into the Federal Reserve chair sends a message to anyone standing in Trump’s way – including the supreme courtNews that Donald Trump’s justice department has launched an investigation of Jerome Powell, chair of the Federal Reserve, is the latest example of the president’s governing philosophy: do what I want, or I will crush you. The desire to make Powell’s life miserable is also a warning sign to anyone who thinks that they have an independent source of authority.What is happening to Powell is a test, not just for him and the Fed, but for any other person or institution that dares to stand up to the president.Austin Sarat, William Nelson Cromwell professor of jurisprudence and political science at Amherst College, is the author or editor of more than 100 books, including Gruesome Spectacles: Botched Executions and America’s Death Penalty Continue reading...

Politics

5 d. ago Six years after George Floyd, we must stand against an ICE killing in Minneapolis | Austin Sarat

Barely a mile from Floyd’s murder, an officer killed Renee Nicole Good. We must peacefully say no to this violenceOn 25 May 2020, America witnessed a stunning act of police brutality when a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, murdered George Floyd. The killer, Derek Chauvin, apparently confident that he would be immune to accountability, did his deed in the open, with other officers standing by and in front of a crowd of onlookers.The video of Floyd’s murder shocked the nation.Austin Sarat, William Nelson Cromwell professor of jurisprudence and political science at Amherst College, is the author or editor of more than 100 books, including Gruesome Spectacles: Botched Executions and America’s Death Penalty Continue reading...

Events

8 d. ago Trump is marching into 2026 with the worst cabinet in history | Austin Sarat

From RFK Jr to Pete Hegseth, the president’s top aides have been disastrous. We shouldn’t be surprisedAs 2024 ended and Donald Trump’s cabinet picks were rolled out, commentators scrambled to decide which one was the worst. Was it Matt Gaetz for attorney general? Or Pete Hegseth, for secretary of defense? Or maybe Robert F Kennedy Jr to lead the Department of Health and Human Services?Soon after, the White House crowed that Trump had assembled “the greatest cabinet of all time”.Austin Sarat, William Nelson Cromwell professor of jurisprudence and political science at Amherst College, is the author or editor of more than 100 books, including Gruesome Spectacles: Botched Executions and America’s Death Penalty Continue reading...

Politics

4 w. ago Trump’s cannabis reform would revolutionise US policy. Just don’t expect the ‘war on drugs’ to end | Kojo Koram

Rescheduling marijuana might seem an unlikely move for a Republican president – but it perfectly coheres with his ‘America First’ worldviewFor decades, the issue of cannabis reform was firmly viewed as a leftist pipe dream. To most conservatives, particularly US Republicans, legalising weed was as realistic as nuclear disarmament, or abolishing national borders.Think of the phrase “war on drugs” and the first people that probably come to mind are Republican presidents Nixon, Reagan and George HW and George W Bush. Although the clampdown reached its harshest levels during the presidency of Mr “I didn’t inhale” Bill Clinton, it always seemed as if the GOP owned the position of being “tough on drugs”. As recently as 2023, Mitch McConnell, then Senate Republican leader, reaffirmed this reputation by stating that: “Democrats are struggling with the basics. This should not be this hard. Drugs belong off our streets.”Dr Kojo Koram is professor of law and political economy at Loughborough U...

Events

last month Trump’s approach to Venezuela repeats the mistakes of the past | Austin Sarat

Congress must work to stop the president from leading us further into a South American quagmireDonald Trump seems determined to have a military confrontation with Venezuela. He has deployed a massive military arsenal in and around the Caribbean Sea and taken a series of provocative actions off the Venezuelan coast, justifying it as necessary to stem the flow of drugs into the United States.The Council on Foreign Relations says that deployment includes an “aircraft carrier, destroyers, cruisers, amphibious assault ships, and a special forces support ship. A variety of aircraft have also been active in the region, including bombers, fighters, drones, patrol planes, and support aircraft.” This is the largest display of American military might in the western hemisphere since we invaded Panama in 1989.Austin Sarat, William Nelson Cromwell professor of jurisprudence and political science at Amherst College, is the author or editor of more than 100 books, including Gruesome Spectacles: Bot...

Politics