Barbie, blockchain and the future of film financing March 17, 2024 n 2023, Box Office’s in the UK and Ireland broke the £1bn barrier for the first time since the pandemic and market research agency Mintel predicts the UK cinema market size is expected to grow 42 per cent to reach £2bn in 2027.
Rishi in Grazia and Keir in Vogue: How politicians fell in love with the glossies March 16, 2024 Politicians may love Vogue, but mastering the 'soft-focus' interview is a fine balancing act between relatability and authenticity, writes Anna Moloney.
Unless you’ve been in prison, it’s hard to understand how badly run they are March 16, 2024 The prison system is over-crowded, dangerous, drug-riddled places that fair to keep the public safe and offer terrible value to the taxpayer, says former inmate David Shipley Our prisons are full again, with 88,200 behind bars, and only around 800 spaces remaining. The government has announced a programme of earlier releases, faster access to bail [...]
AI is supposed to automate paperwork, not create more March 15, 2024 While ministers are issuing press releases and creating new regulations around AI, everyone else has got a head start, says Joe Hill Everyone caught the AI bug in 2023, and politicians were no exception. When I first started working on AI as a civil servant in 2017, you couldn’t fill a meeting room to talk [...]
For once, Humza Yousaf has set an example other politicians should follow March 15, 2024 In overriding the advice of “experts” and channelling aid to Gaza, Yousaf did what politicians are elected to do, says Paul Ormerod Humza Yousaf, the First Minister of Scotland, does not often attract plaudits. But last week he overrode the advice of his officials. Shock, horror. Surely Sir Humphrey and the “experts” always know best. [...]
Green makeovers don’t need to be drab – just look at King’s Cross’s transformation March 15, 2024 The landmark redevelopment of King's Cross goes to show the power of sustainable development - now let's replicate it, writes Jamie Quinn.
Take it from a pro – Kate’s photographic faux pas is no amateur experiment March 14, 2024 Not only is Kate's Photoshop bodge job too good to be any amateur experiment, it also breaks the principles of what makes a good photograph, writes Andy Blackmore.
The Debate: Is reading ‘better’ than watching TV? March 14, 2024 It’s an age old debate that still gets people’s goats going – not least due to the snobbish presumptions behind those who back books. So let’s determine the answer once and for all: is reading morally better for you than watching TV? Yes: There are creative benefits to reading In an increasingly online world there [...]
In defence of the big, bad wolf: Why Britain should defy Europe’s anti-vulpine agenda March 14, 2024 Farmers and Ursula von der Leyen want them banished at all costs - but there's a case for bringing the wolf to Britain, argues Lucy Kenningham
Old buildings are not as important as people having places to live March 14, 2024 Objections to ripping down an art deco cinema in Birmingham are understandable, but if we want our cities to have vibrant art scenes, we need strong economies to support them, says Will Cooling It’s easy to forget that the most important letter in Nimby is the M. Arguments about degrowth, city centre living or suburban [...]