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PATRICK DARDIS: Burnham’s new holiday tax is delusional, unforgivable and, for many in the hospitality trade, unsurvivable
Daily Mail columnist Patrick Dardis criticises Labour’s proposed “overnight visitor levy”, a new tourism tax he warns could devastate seaside towns such as Burnham-on-Sea in Somerset and hospitality businesses nationwide. He argues the policy, confirmed by Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, would compound existing pressures on the sector from higher national insurance contributions, the rising minimum…
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Labour in northern uproar as ex-Starmer minister warns Burnham he can’t make the UK richer by making London poorer in attack on ‘Manchesterism’ devolution plans
Steve Reed, a former Cabinet minister under Sir Keir Starmer, has publicly criticised Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s plans to devolve power away from London, warning that the strategy could alienate Labour voters in the capital and the south of England. Writing in The Times, Reed argued that Burnham’s so-called “Manchesterism” model, which draws on his…
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Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts: Second Song review – shaky album occasionally strikes gold
The Guardian reviews “Second Song,” the second new album Neil Young has released in 2026, recorded with his backing band the Chrome Hearts, noting his prolific but uneven output at 80. The review is broadly mixed, finding much of the record slight or recycled, but singles out two lengthy new compositions as genuine high points…
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The Far Out Pub Quiz: AC/DC, Harry Styles and Stephen Graham
Far Out Magazine has published its latest weekly pub quiz, a recurring Friday feature offering ten trivia questions focused solely on music and film news from the past seven days. The format is designed for entertainment enthusiasts who want quiz content tailored to their interests, rather than the broader mix of categories found in typical…
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Gatwick rolls out robotic car parking for passengers flying away for at least five days
Gatwick Airport has begun rolling out a robotic valet parking service for passengers flying away for five days or more, deploying automated vehicles to lift and store cars without human drivers. The launch comes at a sensitive moment for the airport, arriving just days after an air traffic control failure caused widespread flight disruption and…
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Services-led growth pushes UK economy ahead of forecasts
The UK economy grew by 0.4% in July, comfortably beating economists’ consensus forecast of no growth at all, prompting a broadly positive reaction from analysts at Capital Economics, the CBI and Quilter Cheviot. The figures extend the resilience seen through the first half of the year, with Britain’s economy proving sturdier than expected despite the…
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Pressure grows on Burnham to commit to increasing statutory paternity leave
Andy Burnham is facing mounting pressure from Labour MPs to commit to increasing statutory paternity leave ahead of the chancellor’s first budget next month, with 105 MPs writing to him to argue that boosting provision is an “obvious” way to ease the cost of living crisis. Support spans nearly half of Labour’s 403 MPs, including…
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Fears for Brit tourist who missed flight home from Benidorm after disappearing on night out as desperate family launches appeal for help
A British tourist, Paul Cartwright, 39, from Greater Manchester, is feared missing in Benidorm after failing to board his flight home on Monday, prompting his wife and mother to launch a public appeal for help finding him. He was last seen by friends in the early hours of Sunday near Chaplin’s Bar, and his family…
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Serious coach crash in Swiss Alps as Burnham faces backlash over IndyRef2 remarks
Deaths reported after a tourist coach overturned in Graubünden, Switzerland, while Andy Burnham is criticised for suggesting majority support could trigger a second Scottish independence vote; also: a French father jailed over a teacher beheading threat, Meta trials Community Notes in Latin America, Clearlake nears …
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Angus & Julia Stone’s ‘Karaoke Bar’ Opens at No. 1 on ARIA Chart
Angus & Julia Stone’s new album “Karaoke Bar” has debuted at No. 1 on the ARIA Album Chart, marking the sibling duo’s third chart-topping record after “Down The Way” (2010) and their self-titled 2014 release. The achievement is notable as it extends the Australian pair’s nearly two-decade career, coinciding with their ongoing “Karaoke Bar World…