Emery wants Villa victory for Shaw as pubs get set to cash in on Champions League September 17, 2024 Unai Emery has called upon his Aston Villa side to win their first top flight European tie since 1983 in honour of Gary Shaw, who won the cup with the Midlands outfit. Shaw, who was a key part of the victorious 1982 European Cup team, died on Monday at the age of 63. Aston Villa [...]
Companies need to boost employee pensions says IFS September 16, 2024 Approximately 30 per cent to 40 per cent of private sector employees will have individual incomes in retirement that fall short of standard benchmarks, the IFS said.
Brazilian clubs have always exported footballers. Now they’re importing them too September 16, 2024 The flow of footballers between Brazil and Europe has historically tended to be something of a one-way street, with the cream of Latin American talent lured across the ocean by the promise of superior wages, historic clubs and the most prestigious competitions. In recent transfer windows, however, there have been signs of change. Teams in [...]
Abigail’s Party review: Mike Leigh drama brought sensually to life September 13, 2024 Abigail’s Theatre at Stratford East Theatre – ★★★★☆ In Mike Leigh’s early play Abigail’s Party, almost nothing happens: even the titular shindig takes place next door. Instead, saucy old soak Beverly – impeccably, outrageously played by a sensual and sozzled Tamzin Outhwaite – has gathered a smattering of neighbours for a far more intimate soiree. [...]
The great greying of the British right September 13, 2024 Why are none of the Conservative leadership candidates talking about the economy? It’s down to a self-fulfilling cycle of pandering to pensioners and alienating younger workers, says Kristian Niemietz The Tory Party’s leadership campaign has so far heavily focused on culture war issues. I don’t mean this in a pejorative way. We are in a [...]
My Favourite Cake review: Heartening and heartbreaking September 12, 2024 There are lots of movies about people finding love later in life. Iranian comedy-drama My Favourite Cake asks what happens when that love itself is an act of rebellion? Lily Farhadpour is magnificent as Mahin, a 70-year-old widow living a lonely life in modern Iran. Spurred by a recent meeting with friends, she takes the [...]
Best London spa: Hoxton’s Banya No.1 is unlike anywhere else September 12, 2024 When was the last time you were laid out naked in an enclosed space, whipped with hot leaves and then dropped into a tub of freezing water?
Pensioners and the politics of perceptions September 12, 2024 The furore over winter fuel payments is driven by the false idea that pensioners are uniformly old, frail and poor. But in politics, feelings often matter as much as facts, says John Oxley This week’s tussle over the winter fuel allowance has highlighted one of the problems of our politics – how much of it [...]
Surrey Invincibles? Why Sky Sports could veto Hundred franchise rebrand September 11, 2024 Surrey could find themselves on a collision course with English cricket’s main broadcast partner, Sky Sports, over their desire to take control and rebrand their successful Hundred franchise, Oval Invincibles. Along with the other seven host venues, Surrey are set to be gifted a 51 per cent stake in their franchise by the England Wales [...]
Gen-Z hates stilton – of course they do, they’re not mature enough September 10, 2024 While Gen-Z go loopy for smashed avo on toast, the passage through life will inevitably lead them to stilton, writes Andy Blackmore Around 554 moons ago as I chortled my way through Monty Python’s Life of Brian, I chuckled my little heart out to one line without understanding the meaning. Now, 45 years later I’ve [...]