From Westminster to Washington… Follow trusted coverage of the stories that are shaping our world. |  | Sam Brodbeck Money Editor | In Britain, discussing how much you get paid with your colleagues is not the done thing. This culture of secrecy is, I’m told, not obeyed by our cousins across the Atlantic: Americans are far more open about the contents of their pay packets.
Luckily, there is a rich dataset publicly available that reveals how much people get paid in hundreds of professions. Telegraph Money has turned those figures into a handy tool to see how your salary compares with others doing the same job.
Input your occupation and your salary and we’ll tell you whether you should feel aggrieved or smug; whether you’re in the bottom 10 per cent of earners in your field, or among the elites.
You can also compare yourself with other professions.
Had your day ruined by railway strikes recently? You might want to look away now – the latest figures show that train drivers are earning an average of £76,327 a year, up 19 per cent on the previous 12 months.
Unsurprisingly, chief executives remain the best-paid employees in the country (at an average of £99,944 a year) while teaching assistants (£21,239) and baristas (£21,598) are at the opposite end of the scale. So, how do you stack up against your peers?
Use our tool to find out and let us know here ➤
Plus, if you are looking for weekly personal finance tips from the dos and don’ts of investing to minimising the impact of inheritance tax, sign-up to our Money Newsletter here. | | Lindsay Whittle, the Plaid Cymru candidate, saw off Labour and Reform |  | Amy Gibbons Political Correspondent, in Caerphilly | A historic moment in Welsh politics, and a nightmare for Sir Keir Starmer.
For 100 years, voters here in Caerphilly have only ever voted Labour. That all changed this morning, when Plaid Cymru seized control with a far bigger majority than expected in the Senedd by-election.
It is obviously a disaster for the Prime Minister, and signals that his party could be in deep trouble at next year’s Welsh elections.
But it is also a fairly big setback for Reform, who were polling well ahead of the vote and hoped a victory would put them on track to unseat Labour in the Senedd. The party is blaming tactical voting for the loss. And with Nigel Farage nowhere to be seen at the count – plus the Reform candidate deciding against giving a concession speech – it seems the party is trying not to draw attention to a disappointing night.
Continue reading ➤ | | David Frost If we do not establish a common cultural understanding of our country, then segregation is inevitable Continue reading ➤ George Chesterton The Church of England’s plan to pay £100m in reparations explains exactly why its pews are empty Continue reading ➤ Michael Hogan This latest Strictly crisis is a disaster for the BBC Continue reading ➤ | Sharpen your talking points. Explore incisive opinion from Britain’s leading comment writers. | | The Telegraph’s David Blair with global delegates at the UN | | On a big day, the United Nations Security Council is the best show in New York: you might see the US secretary of state going head-to-head against his opponents. But posturing and rhetoric is just about all the UN is good for as it celebrates its 80th anniversary, says David Blair, regularly seen behind global delegates at the UN during his time in British government.
It’s true that the UN’s humanitarian agencies deliver aid to millions, but this venerable organisation was supposed to be more than a sticking plaster on suffering; it was intended to save “succeeding generations from the scourge of war”. Today, the disdain of Russia and China – and the neglectfulness of Donald Trump’s America – have combined to thrust the UN to the margin of world affairs. Exactly 80 years after the UN Charter came into force, its high ideals have never been more threatened.
Continue reading ➤ | |  | | One in six adults in England is taking antidepressants, yet even doctors don’t fully understand how these drugs actually work. A new study has found that different types of antidepressants can cause varied side effects, including heart or weight problems. Here’s the breakdown. Continue reading ➤ | | | “No Italian has ever woken up in the morning and said, ‘you know what, love, I really fancy an English’. That’s what we’re up against.” These are the words of Lancashire-born restaurateur Adam Smith, who set up shop in Turin hoping to convince the locals to swap pizza and pasta for steak and kidney pies. Judging by the packed tables during Tomé Morrissy-Swan’s visit, he is succeeding. Continue reading ➤ | | | Donald Trump’s White House planning proposal | As I approached the White House from Pennsylvania Avenue, writes Cameron Henderson, the clanging of construction on Donald Trump’s new ballroom was hard to miss. Peering over the fence, I saw the mangled remains of what used to be the East Wing poking out, while two excavators chisel away amid the rubble. For Trump supporters, the $250m renovation is long overdue. But for those who accuse the president of taking a wrecking ball to the establishment, there could hardly be a more perfect metaphor.
Continue reading ➤ | | Discovering your partner is having an affair is devastating. But, as one reader reveals, finding out that the other woman was her stepmother is another level of heartbreak and betrayal. Here’s how she rebuilt her life and found love again. Continue reading ➤ | | | Erin Foster wrote the series based on her own romance with her husband Simon Tikhman | | An agnostic sex podcaster and a rabbi fall in love. Match made in heaven, right? Not quite. This is the storyline that made TV series Nobody Wants This a smash hit on Netflix last year – and today its second season launches. Here, creator Erin Foster (whose own life provided the inspiration for the show) opens up to The Telegraph about her path converting to Judaism for love. Continue reading ➤ | | | Drying your laundry indoors throughout the colder months can feel like a losing battle. Not only does your wash load seem to remain permanently clammy, it can also end up with the distinctive aroma of a sodden dog crossed with trainer socks. Even worse, the very act of getting wet clothes dry creates the perfect atmosphere for mould spores to multiply. To avoid whiffy washing and a damp home, here are 10 suggestions for success. Continue reading ➤ Below are two more articles I hope you find helpful: | | Jeremy Allen White and Bruce Springsteen at the London Film Festival | Film Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
★★★★☆ After his chart-topping 1980 album The River, Bruce Springsteen was on the verge of superstardom, but he had other ideas – tormented, anguished, personal ones. The story of the folk-inspired solo offering Nebraska is at the core of this film, an unusually low-key biopic that resists fireworks, burrowing deep into Springsteen’s psyche. Jeremy Allen White persuasively captures the introspection, the diffidence and the soul-searching of The Boss – and his committed vocal performances match that vibe, writes Tim Robey.
(In cinemas now) Books The Rose Field by Philip Pullman ★★★★★ The Rose Field is the long-awaited final volume in Philip Pullman’s The Book of Dust trilogy, which itself follows his unsurpassed children’s trilogy, His Dark Materials. Mixing elements of fairytale, the Arabian Nights, spy and adventure novels, this new novel gathers together many strands from Pullman’s five previous books, and also, in some ways, surpasses them all. Powerful, profound and utterly unforgettable: The Rose Field is a masterpiece for all eternity, says Philip Womack. Album West End Girl by Lily Allen ★★★★☆ Lily Allen’s gift as a songwriter lies in her blunt, witty – and distinctively British – confessional style of storytelling. West End Girl – her first album in seven years, written in just 10 days earlier this year – is a jaw-dropping tale of a messy open marriage and its inevitable breakdown. Listening to it makes you feel a little like being on public transport, eavesdropping as somebody pours out all the gory details of their divorce in a phone call behind you, writes Helen Brown. | The Charlie Bigham conundrum Every weekday, Orlando Bird, our loyal Reader Correspondent, shares an off-piste topic that has brought out the best of your opinions and stories. Orlando writes...
Charlie Bigham certainly knows his market: people who “wouldn’t normally eat ready meals, but…” After all, who can feel guilty about food that comes in a rustic wooden tray, and has to be heated up in the oven rather than microwaved?
I’m not remotely against ready meals, by the way: parenthood has put an end to my days as a rather pretentious home cook. It’s just that I’d choose an M&S chicken Kyiv (the “Gastropub” version, mind) over anything in Bigham’s range, which always leaves me slightly disappointed. Now, though, he’s taking things up a level, with a “Brasserie” selection targeting diners who might otherwise go to a restaurant. Buy a £29.95 beef wellington, light a couple of candles, open a decent bottle of claret – and you’re essentially eating out. Right?
Wrong, according to William Sitwell, who has described the meals as “a distasteful cash-grab”. Patricia Abbott agreed: “Part of a gourmet dining experience is putting on one’s finery, enjoying the ambiance of the restaurant, and relishing beautifully cooked food prepared and served by professionals. I enjoy cooking wholesome meals for my family – and yes, occasionally a ready meal is useful, such as when returning home from holiday. Yet I have absolutely no intention of spending a fortune on a pre-prepared ‘gourmet’ meal to eat at my dining-room table. Moreover, there’s still the clearing and washing up to do.”
I think that final point is crucial. Angela Fossick was more forgiving, however: “I’ve cooked from scratch all my life, feeding children, family and friends, and hosting many dinner parties. Now in my late 70s, living with my husband, I’m getting tired of thinking about what to eat every evening. I think Charlie Bigham is doing a wonderful service to the older generation, who’ve cooked for years but now need an occasional night off. If you live in the country, can’t drive and want a delicious dinner with little fuss, a good ready meal is welcome.” Can a ready meal replicate the experience of a restaurant? Let me know what you think here, or head to our Your Say page on the Telegraph app. | Plan your day with the telegraph | Set your alarm to catch up with journalists on the Your Say page and listen to their analysis on our latest podcasts.
| | Find as many words as you can in today’s Panagram, including the nine-letter solution. Visit Telegraph Puzzles to play a range of head-scratching games, including PlusWord, Sorted, and Quick, Mini or Cryptic Crosswords.
The solution to yesterday’s clue was TRIGGERED. Come back tomorrow for the answer to today’s puzzle. | | Thank you for reading. Have a fulfilling day and I hope to see you tomorrow.
Chris Evans, Editor
P.S. I’d love to hear what you think of this newsletter. You can email me your feedback here. | |
.png){kind=icon}
.png){kind=icon}
