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The PM was alerted to the Health Secretary’s intentions after a staff member accidentally texted details of his plans |
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Gordon Rayner Associate Editor |
When will we finally be rid of Sir Keir Starmer? Next week’s local elections will go some way towards answering that question, because a disastrous showing for Labour might be enough to set the wheels in motion for a leadership challenge.
The big news this weekend is that Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, is understood to have the backing of more than 81 MPs, the magic number required under Labour rules to trigger a contest.
Some of Streeting’s supporters are urging him to take a gamble and seize the initiative, perhaps as soon as next Friday, by going public with a leadership challenge.
It might represent his best chance of winning, as his rivals are nowhere near ready, particularly Andy Burnham, who is not even an MP and is therefore ineligible.
Labour MPs and members seem to be coalescing around Burnham as their preferred choice to succeed Starmer, while Angela Rayner is dithering over whether to stand or back Burnham as part of a soft-Left triumvirate that also includes Ed Miliband.
There is talk of Starmer announcing the timetable of his departure after the local elections if the results are really terrible, which might give Burnham the time he needs to get back into Parliament. Though, with Labour in chaos, the chances of an orderly transition are getting slimmer by the day.
This exclusive reporting is available only to subscribers.
Read the full story ➤ |
During fortnightly marches through London, protesters have chanted slogans Suella Braverman calls a ‘a staple of anti-Semitic discourse’ |
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Leaf Arbuthnot |
Suella Braverman could be forgiven for feeling infuriated at the somewhat belated acknowledgement by Sir Mark Rowley yesterday that Britain is facing a “building pandemic of anti-Semitism”.
Braverman was home secretary on Oct 7, 2023 and fought a series of running battles with the police over anti-Semitic chants and placards that permeated pro-Palestinian marches in the wake of Hamas’s massacre of 1,200 Jews.
“I think there’s been an institutional complacency combined with an institutional cowardice, and that has made for a fateful combination,’’ says Braverman.
This week, Rowley, Kemi Badenoch, who was equalities minister at the time of the initial protests, and Sir Keir Starmer, were all heckled by furious members of the Jewish community in north London, after the stabbing of two Jews in Golders Green, in the same month as synagogues and charities were targeted in a wave of attacks and firebombings.
The incidents have accelerated conversations among British Jews about their future in a country in which anti-Semitism has reared its head in schools, universities, workplaces and the NHS.
Braverman is far from the only figure who believes that the seeds of the hate and violence directed at Jews today were sown in what Michael Gove, the former communities secretary, describes as a "permissive climate for anti-Semitism” fuelled by police and political inaction.
Subscribers can read this Saturday Essay here ➤
Read the latest news on this topic:
Polanski is an extremist, says Israel ➤
Green candidate called Jewish people cockroaches ➤
Mahmood prepared to ban Palestine marches ➤
Israel’s first lady: British Jews have always supported Israel. Now, they need us ➤ |
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Camilla Tominey The sovereign’s dignified address to US Congress stood in stark contrast to the Left-wing sectarianism at home Continue reading ➤
Charles Moore Britain has rarely faced greater danger – yet our leaders remain woefully complacent Continue reading ➤
William Sitwell Ed Miliband’s tumble dryer ban is another leap back towards EU membership Continue reading ➤ |
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Twins Michelle and Lavinia found out that not only were they not related to the man they believed was their father, but also that they have different biological fathers |
‘Everything we have told ourselves about retirement is no longer relevant,’ says Lyndsey Simpson |
Dreaming of endless golf or sailing the Mediterranean? Lyndsey Simpson has some bad news. The retirement expert’s research reveals that leaving the workplace is a “trap” that can negatively affect your mortality, mental health and marriage. Instead of checking out of your final decades, she argues that midlifers should embrace a radical “rewirement”. Continue reading ➤ |
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Abdullah Hashem – cult leader and self-proclaimed ‘saviour of mankind’ |
Until recently, the Cheshire town of Crewe was known for little more than a railway interchange and a Bentley factory, writes Neil Johnston. However, in recent years it has become home to a fanatical Islamic religious sect, whose leader claims to be the “new pope” and the successor to the Prophet Mohammed, and whose followers believe that he can make the moon vanish. Neighbours have become alarmed by military-style marches, hovering drones and robot guard dogs. Now some members of the sect are subject to a modern slavery investigation following a mammoth raid by more than 500 police officers earlier this week. Continue reading ➤ |
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For more than a decade, Dubai sheltered Europe’s criminal elite. Gangsters flaunted their lavish lifestyles on social media, believing themselves untouchable. However, in 2024, Dubai police arrested Sean McGovern, a high-ranking lieutenant in the Kinahan crime family, a £1bn Irish arms and drug-trafficking cartel. That began a wave of extraditions which culminated two weeks ago with the arrest of Daniel Kinahan, the family’s leader. Police and diplomatic sources have revealed that the United Arab Emirates only acted because the reputational fallout was so acute that it could no longer strike trade deals. Max Stephens, our International Crime Correspondent, reports. Continue reading ➤ |
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Nadja Piatka got in the best shape of her life with simple mobility and diet tips and is now helping others do the same |
Thirty years ago, I was an unemployed single mother on the verge of losing my house and car, writes Nadja Piatka. In my lowest moment, my daughter and I hid under the kitchen table as debt collectors banged on the front door, but I turned my life around. This is how I did it, and why I feel stronger and more confident at 76 than ever before. Continue reading ➤ |
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Inverdale: ‘You say your name on radio and hear the nation groan: “Not that goon!”’ |
John Inverdale is recognisable to millions for working on everything, from the Ryder Cup to the London Olympics. From Monday, the “Des Lynam of radio” is returning to the airwaves, writes Oliver Brown, our Chief Sports Writer. Inverdale is launching Britain’s first on-air sport-and-music concoction in the form of Track Radio. His priority is to establish a connection with the audience, a skill he learned working alongside Terry Wogan. The man was in ebullient form throughout this interview near the station’s Kensington studios, explaining why Noel Edmonds was his childhood inspiration and why he feared a 747 plane was about to crash into the stands at the 1995 Rugby World Cup final. Continue reading ➤ |
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We have reached the middle stage of Robbie Collin’s 50 greatest films – the countdown from 30 to 11. There’s a classic Western from the 1960s, a sublime and terrifying thriller from the 1970s and, controversially, a film that is often cited by film buffs as the greatest ever made… Continue reading ➤ |
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Afternoon tea
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Diana Henry The Telegraph’s award-winning cookery writer |
It is very un-British to invite yourself to someone’s house to eat. It’s not the same as, “I’m in the area, okay if I pop in?” You only have to be armed with tea for that, but even suggesting you’ll drop in is unusual.
If you think this is to do with British reserve, you’d be wrong – there are social codes in other countries. In France, where they love to eat and drink, you don’t invite people round to your home for dinner, you meet them at a restaurant.
Anyway, friends have asked themselves to tea on Sunday and I’ve spent the whole week thinking about it. “Scones,” I thought, with a little thrill. I haven’t made any yet this year.
My favourites are American, and very rich. On holiday in California one year, we were served scones of some description every day at breakfast. I came home having found the best scone ever, from The Model Bakery. They have double cream in them, and are the richest, most delicious scones ever.
I’ll be making these on Sunday morning. They’re large, so, if you fancy them too, either make them in smaller wedges or serve one between two people. Use whatever jam you like, but something that’s a bit tart is best, to contrast with the sweetness and the fat in the scones.
Asparagus tart with goat’s curd, leaves, radishes and flowers |
Since these aren’t British scones I don’t think I have to go down the British route for the rest of the tea, so no cucumber sandwiches. Instead, I’m going to serve a very fresh and springlike tart alongside. This asparagus tart with goat’s curd and radishes can even be decorated with edible flowers. Use a mild and creamy goat’s cheese if you can’t find goat’s curd.
Lemon thyme yogurt cake with lemon icing |
Do I need a cake? I suppose so, but if I have scones I find that’s enough sweetness. We make cakes for visual impact, though, not just as something to eat. So let’s do it. This lemon thyme yogurt cake is very moist as it’s made with oil instead of butter so will be good for several days. It’s a beauty, too.
Find me here every Saturday and in the new Recipes Newsletter, which you can sign up to here. |
Best behaviourEvery 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...
Are service charges spiralling out of control? That was the question in Wednesday’s newsletter, prompted by Gordon Ramsay’s decision to add a distinctly American 20 per cent to bills at his Lucky Cat restaurant.
Thanks for all your responses: it’s fair to say that feelings run high on this one. Many readers argue that presenting tips as a fait accompli defeats their purpose. Jean Masters writes: “I have no problem with paying a reasonable service charge, but there was one occasion when I refused.
“Many years ago, when I was living in Paris, I invited two friends for aperitifs at a restaurant. The service was appalling. When the bill arrived, a 17.5 per cent charge had been added. I deducted it. The waiter and management remonstrated with me, but I was adamant that I was not going to pay for a service that I hadn’t had.
“It felt as though nobody had questioned this practice before. Are we now so used to these charges that we no longer notice them? In any case, they should offer leeway for us to add an extra small tip for exceptional service.”
Another reader adds: “It’s simple. Pay staff a proper wage.”
I’ve also enjoyed your responses to Thursday’s newsletter, on the thorny subject of dinner guests who can’t be persuaded to go home. Some appear to have come straight from the Basil Fawlty School of Hospitality.
One reader recalls: “When I was a student, I worked at a tiny restaurant in Windermere, where diners who outstayed their welcome were treated to a recording of the old ‘pips at midnight’, followed by the National Anthem.”
Patricia Morris advises: “If there are two of you, one should start washing dishes in the kitchen, while the other sinks further into a chair and falls asleep (or pretends to).” That’s all from me for this week, folks. I’ll be back on Monday to bring you our best talking points. In the meantime, you can contact me here. |
Andrew Baker’s Saturday Quiz |
Gather round for the latest instalment of my Saturday quiz.
1. Manfred von Richthofen, the greatest German flying ace of the First World War, was shot down and killed on this day in 1918. By what nickname was he known?
2. How many von Trapp children are entrusted to the care of the governess Maria in the film The Sound of Music?
3. Winged monkeys feature in which classic fantasy story and film?
4. Which former Beatle formed the band Wings?
You can find the answers at the end of the newsletter.
Plus, can you tackle our new daily puzzle? Scroll down to see if you got the questions right – and play for free on our website and app.
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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 The 1% Club, Cogs, and Quick, Mini or Cryptic Crosswords.
Yesterday’s Panagram was LEAKPROOF. Come back tomorrow for the solution to today’s puzzle. |
Thank you for reading. Have a fulfilling day and I hope to see you tomorrow. Chris Evans, Editor
P.S. Please send me your thoughts on this newsletter. You can email me here. |
Quiz answers:
- The Red Baron
- Seven
- The Wizard of Oz
- Paul McCartney
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