Plymouth Sutton and Devonport MP has today called for the waters around Devil’s Point and Firestone Bay to be designated an official bathing water subject to regular testing for water quality. Devil’s Point, also known as Firestone Bay, is a popular spot for wild swimming, with swimming facilities already inContinue Reading
Canada and England players face the ball during a FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada quarter-final in 2015. Matt Jacques | Alamy Live News When the Football Association in England launched the Women’s Super League in 2011, it was the first milestone in what sport sociologists have identified as a newContinue Reading
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said that he hopes to be in a position tomorrow to give a “clear” message to the public about the easing of restrictions. The National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) is meeting on Thursday and the Government will meet on Friday after which he would giveContinue Reading
Over the past month, the government crisis of “partygate” has escalated with every new headline about potential lockdown breaches by government staff. Plenty of experts have focused on guidelines and laws relevant to these alleged events, but the ongoing controversy has also been peculiarly linguistic in nature. Journalists and politiciansContinue Reading
Prince Andrew’s life in the public eye has long been rife with scandal, escalating with the sexual assault case against him heading to trial in the US. To be sure, the developments and details will likely cause emotional pain to Andrew’s family and his accuser, but the current scandal alsoContinue Reading
Vodograj/Shutterstock There is a pressing need to understand what’s behind Moscow’s growing threat to use military force against Ukraine. The real motivation for Russia’s aggression will largely determine the west’s room for manoeuvre. Despite amassing 100,000 troops on its western border with Ukraine, Russia has repeatedly denied that it plansContinue Reading
Things just keep getting worse for Boris Johnson. On the same day that one of his MPs defected to the Labour party, former Brexit minister David Davis stood up in parliament to call for Johnson’s resignation. The voices calling for the prime minister’s departure are mounting. If 54 letters ofContinue Reading
Since the start of the pandemic, communities throughout the UK have rallied to help vulnerable and isolated people. Churches, charities, football clubs, mosques, local councillors and groups of concerned neighbours have distributed food, home-learning technology, emotional support and everything in between. These initiatives come together under the broad banner ofContinue Reading
Value for money? The BBC's funding model is under review. Willy Barton The proposed two-year freeze in the TV licence fee has prompted a lively debate about BBC funding. The move puts huge pressure on the Corporation’s finances, which have taken an estimated 30% real-term cut since 2010. The NationalContinue Reading
It’s very rare that a civil servant becomes the focus of public debate and discussion. It’s even rarer for them to find their face splashed on every front page under a headline proclaiming they hold the fate of a prime minister in their hands. But when Sue Gray was askedContinue Reading
