Politics
Is Brown Grass A Sign It’s Dead? Experts Say Probably Not
If your grass is looking crispier than ever, you’re not alone.
Across the UK, once-lusciously-green lawns are drying out. In areas with hosepipe bans in place; brown spindly grass is a common sight.
You might be thinking all is lost and you’re going to have to deal with the troublesome task of starting over with your back garden when the weather cools (and rain finally makes an appearance).
But horticulturist Monty Don has shared some words of reassurance for those whose blades are looking fragile during this period of drought.
“If, like the cricket pitch, your grass is burnt entirely brown with not a blade of green grass, don’t worry,” said the seasoned gardener.
“And don’t waste water on it! I assure you it will recover full greenness very quickly once we get some rain.”
Why your brown grass probably isn’t dead
While your grass blades might look frazzled, the underneath of the grass likely tells a different story.
“Most UK lawns simply go dormant during prolonged hot, dry weather,” note the experts at Johnsons Lawn Seed.
Those tiny blades of grass are clever and dormancy is basically a “natural survival mechanism”, the lawn pros added, which helps them to conserve energy until rain arrives.
So long as the plant’s “crown” – the node at which soil and root meet – stays healthy, “the grass has the capability to recover once temperature and moisture conditions improve,” Utah State University explained.
This key section can survive despite, and in fact because of, brown grass blades.
How to tell if grass is dead or not
If you do think your grass might be on its last legs, a simple way to tell is by doing a ‘tug test’ – basically, grab a clump of grass and tug.
Dead grass will pull up incredibly easily, with practically no resistance, HuffPost UK previously reported, while dormant grass will remain rooted after being gently tugged.
My lawn is newly laid. How do I stop it from dying?
If your lawn isn’t well-established and you want to stop it from dying immediately, you might be able to still use a hosepipe to water it.
According to Thames Water’s hosepipe ban FAQs page, people can use a hose or sprinkler if their new lawn was recently laid by a business as a service.
“In this case, hose use is allowed for the first 28 days from the day of planting, sowing or turf laying. The hosepipe must only be used on the new planting, and not elsewhere,” reads the site.
After 28 days, gardeners should switch to a watering can instead (or use an approved irrigation system).
Irrigation system? Tell me more…
Some irrigation systems are allowed to be used during hosepipe bans – although you should check with your water supplier as rules vary.
Thames Water notes that customers can use approved drip or trickle irrigation watering systems.
But they “must be fitted with a pressure reducing valve and a timer”. Irrigation systems which cause surface run-off or dispersion of water through the air (using a jet or mist) aren’t allowed.
First came the news that Netflix is working on a The Inbetweeners reunion movie.
And the happy updates keep coming – the streamer will also add 371 episodes of zombie thriller The Walking Dead, and a range of spin-offs, to its UK site in 2027.
That’s part of a new deal between Netflix and AMC Global Media that’ll last for five years (though it could be renewed). Netflix has been the home of The Walking Dead since 2011.
But this arrangement will see them add the original show and its related titles to their UK, Italy, Australia, and New Zealand catalogues, too (it’ll be released co-exclusively with AMC+).
They’ll come out at different dates according to location, based on where each region’s current streaming deals expire.
Alongside The Walking Dead, Netflix will also add the following offshoots:
- Fear the Walking Dead,
- The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon,
- The Walking Dead: Dead City,
- The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live,
- The Walking Dead: World Beyond, and
- Tales of The Walking Dead.
In all, this amounts to 371 bingeable episodes.
Lori Conkling, Vice President of Licensing at Netflix, said: “Audiences have discovered and loved The Walking Dead on Netflix for nearly 15 years and the show continues to attract new fans. We’re excited to partner with AMC Global Media to continue to expand that access to more audiences around the world and bring the entirety of The Walking Dead Universe to Netflix.”
And Kristin Dolan, CEO of AMC Global Media, added: “We are thrilled to expand our long-time partnership with Netflix around The Walking Dead.
“This deal creates a global destination for this universe – all shows, all episodes – making the franchise more accessible than ever to fans around the world… Netflix has been an important partner in making The Walking Dead one of the most successful franchises in the history of entertainment. This agreement is a fantastic result for our companies, for the fans and for this timeless IP.”
Here’s looking forward to a massive binge-watch…
One thing about me is I have an irresistible penchant for listening to albums on repeat.
Call it obsessive, but every few months I’ll discover (or often, rediscover) an album that I love, and listen to it over and over until I get bored of it.
When Olivia Rodrigo dropped her third album You Look Pretty Sad For A Girl So In Love earlier this summer, that quickly became my go-to album.
No matter what I’m doing – at the gym, in the office, and while I’m cooking – I can’t stop listening to it.
So, naturally, when I heard LEGO had collabed with Olivia herself to create an Editions collection, I knew I had to have it.
Honestly, I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my evening than listening to the album and being the first person to get their hands messy putting together the matching LEGO set.
Because yes, I might be 26, but I’ve never stopped being a fan – and I’m not ashamed.
The collection is made up of five pieces: the Dual Guitar, Secret Storage, Concert Moon, Vinyl, and Flower Bouquet.
If life was fair, I would have got all of them. Unfortunately, my flat isn’t big enough to accommodate five different Olivia Rodrigo LEGO sets – nor are my flatmates accepting enough – so I went for the guitar.
Made up of 1,228 pieces, the set comes with two Olivia figurines that sit inside a guitar that is also home to her dressing room and a stage.
The entire thing comes in Olivia’s signature purple and black, with one half making an electric guitar and the other an acoustic, and is anointed with butterflies, stars, and sparkles.
Reader, I must admit I had a great time building this set. It took me around seven hours (or 11 album listens) to complete over the course of several evenings.
The set truly comes with everything a fan could hope for, which makes it the perfect birthday (or, dare I mention Christmas?) gift for a teenage girl or boy.
As well as making a literal guitar set with strings (that were extremely fiddly to assemble) it has all the makings of incredible merch.
Inside the dressing room ‘trust your Guts’ is written in lipstick on the mirror that sits behind a lipstick, chair, and ice cream Olivia is in the middle of eating.
The front of the guitar has a LEGO brick with Olivia’s signature on it, while the stage is surrounded by photos and Easter eggs for what the artist has coming next.
If you’re worried you won’t be able to build it, don’t worry, because you can follow along with the LEGO® Builder app that has digital instructions and a 3D digital model to make sure you’re getting it right.
Overall, it was a fairly relaxing process putting this together. There were a couple of tricky parts – including assembling the two halves of the guitar and getting the strings clicked into place (top tip: make sure they’re all pointing in the same direction).
But considering it’s a collection item you’ll want to keep on display forever (or should I say u+me=<3?) the effort is totally worth it; I can’t stop looking at all the cute details on the outside.
Not to mention it comes in at £109, which for a 50cm LEGO set is extremely reasonable – and we have high expectations!
Reform UK has suffered a significant dent to its polling over the past 12 months. Emerging polls suggest this problem could be getting worse too, especially the polls relating to Nigel Farage’s personal approval. This has got the party bigwigs in a panic, apparently.
HODGES: Reform chiefs are thinking the unthinkable over Farage polls https://t.co/iqxu7fu5Cz
— Reform UK Exposed
(@reformexposed) August 2, 2026
Reform UK crashes back down to Earth
As demonstrated by Politico’s Poll of Polls, which “aggregates data from multiple sources to give a more accurate picture”, Reform held 30% of the vote share a year ago but just 24% today.
Reform has somewhat levelled off, but the latest polls suggest the party’s biggest issue right now is Labour’s growing support.
— Seats — Poll: Opinium, 29 July (+/- vs 17 July) pic.twitter.com/XCDwCUoHTy
— Stats for Lefties
BREAKING | Labour surge to 4pt lead
Lab: 27% ( +5 )
Ref: 23% ( – )
Con: 17% ( -3 )
Lib: 12% ( +1 )
Grn: 12% ( -2 )
Lab: 267 Ref: 153 Lib: 79 Con: 48
SNP: 48 Grn: 14
Plaid: 11
(@LeftieStats) August 1, 2026
As we’ve said elsewhere, we’re not confident Burnham can maintain this momentum in the long run. If he can keep this up for a few months, though, he could establish a significant lead over Reform. Given Farage’s many ongoing scandals, there’s no reason to think his party’s own polling won’t dip further too.
Speaking of Farage, look at what’s happening to his personal approval:
Approval Ratings (NET)
Andy Burnham: 16% Via: Opinium — PollCheck (@poll_checker) August 1, 2026
Kemi Badenoch: 1% (-2)
Ed Davey: 1% (+3)
Zack Polanski: -20% (-5)
Nigel Farage: -24% (+2)
Field Work: 29 – 31 July changes w/ 15 – 17 July pic.twitter.com/hJtsR5kOKx
Dissent from within the party
Given the obvious decline, it’s no surprise that senior Reform members are apparently not happy. As one told the Mail’s Dan Hodges:
There’s no way Nigel puts this behind him now. The five million quid isn’t going to go away. George Cottrell isn’t going away. I don’t understand what he was thinking. But it doesn’t matter. I don’t see how we move on from it.
If you’ve not been living under a rock, you’ll know the Canary reported the following on the topic:
Farage accepted the £5m gift from Harborne – a crypto billionaire – in 2024. At the time, he’d said he wouldn’t run in the general election, but this changed after he received the £5m. The problem is that after he became an MP, he was supposed to declare any ‘registrable benefits’ from the previous 12 months. Farage did not declare the £5m, and now it looks like he was purposefully trying to hide it.
George Cottrell, meanwhile, is a different crypto pusher, and one who’s made numerous dubious donations to Reform UK and Farage. He’s also an aristocrat known for calling Farage “Daddy” — make of that what you will!
Fraudster sent mum £2m before she made suspect Reform donation
Another Reformer told Hodges:
The Clacton stunt was madness. He’s totally marginalised himself and the party. Recess is the moment we traditionally capitalise. But we’re nowhere. We’re just talking to ourselves.
The Clacton by-election is actually being praised by the Tories according to Hodges, as one told him:
Because of the broadcasting rules on by-elections, there are now limits on how much coverage he’s allowed. That’s given us the space to control the agenda. Look at the coverage Chris [Philp, the Tory home affairs spokesman] has been getting on small boats. That’s Farage’s issue. And we’ve been running rings round him.’
It really is depressing that UK ‘politics’ is now just middle-aged men pointing at boats and asking, “Spare a vote, mate?”
None of this is actually going to improve the country, anyway. Sadly, the worse things get, the easier it is to trick people into believing that the poorest among us are the ones stealing all the wealth.
Treachery
In another fun section in Hodges’ piece, the Mail’s man writes:
As for Farage’s inner circle, long-standing suspicion has turned into a concrete belief there is a traitor in their midst. According to one source: ‘Someone is out to get Nigel. The stuff people are getting on the finances is too detailed. We’ve got a rat on the inside.’
The result is the number of people trusted to make decisions has shrunk to a tiny core of acolytes. Which in turn has added to the party’s dysfunctionality.
‘Nigel should be devolving decision-making,’ one former ally told me, ‘but instead everything’s becoming more centralised and secretive. It’s unsustainable.’
Who could have guessed that opening the door to Tory defectors would lead to the sort of in-fighting and dysfunction which plagued the former party of government? We can’t prove that the traitor is Robert Jenrick, but what we’re seeing is functionally identical to the sort of treachery he subjected Kemi Badenoch to.
Perhaps Farage & Co were always smart enough to freeze Jenrick out of the inner core? Regardless, someone is betraying Farage’s trust, and the man has a seemingly endless supply of skeletons in the closet.
It seems like things can certainly get worse for Reform. Given the previous 12 months, it seems like things can only get worse. This is something to be hopeful about, even while recognising that Labour is failing to offer the significant change this country needs.
Featured image via Getty Images
By Willem Moore
On Sunday, Restore Britain leader, Rupert Lowe, published a public appeal to Nigel Farage, of Reform UK. The message was superficially a request for the two parties to work together. It didn’t take a genius to spot that Lowe was actually trying to put himself in the driving seat, though.
While this obvious ploy was apparent to most, it seemingly wasn’t apparent to many Reform UK supporters. As such, Farage has had to reply, and he did so with a mealy-mouthed response which has been interpreted very differently by different people.
The next election will be an existential fight to save the country we love, a mission I have now been fighting for over 30 years.
After two national election victories in as many years, many people now recognise that it will be a binary choice between Reform UK and Labour. With…
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) August 2, 2026
Farage and Lowe rivalry explained
Rupert Lowe was once part of Reform, but the party suspended him after a series of falling outs. Lowe would later found Restore Britain, a party which many commentators believed was exclusively an online phenomenon. Surprising many, the Makerfield by-election showed that Restore Britain could turn Facebook likes into votes.
Changes w/ 2024 — Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) June 19, 2026
BREAKING: Andy Burnham has won the Makerfield by-election
LAB: 24,937 (+6,725) – 54.8% REF: 15,696 (+2,893) – 34.5%
RES: 3,111 (NEW) – 6.8% CON: 997 (-3,382) – 2.2% GRN: 308 (-1,468) – 0.7%
LD: 163 (-2,572) – 0.4%
58.75% turnout
The same happened in the Greater Manchester mayor race (Restore at 9%).
Gr. Manchester result (+/- vs May local elections):
In May's local elections, Labour lost to Reform across the region by a 7pt margin. Tonight they WON by 26pts. pic.twitter.com/q1EPljiDzI
— Stats for Lefties
Lab: 47% ( +24 ) Ref: 21% ( -10 ) Grn: 12% ( -7 )
Res: 9% ( +9 ) Con: 8% ( -3 ) Lib: 3% ( -7 )
(@LeftieStats) July 31, 2026
You’ll note the percentages for Restore Britain aren’t massive. They are impressive for a brand new party, though. And more importantly than that, they show that Lowe can ensure Reform loses even if Restore doesn’t win.
The further right = Restore Britain
Restore Britain is full of open white nationalists who want to ethnically cleanse the UK. This will make it pretty much impossible for Reform and Restore to work together.
Farage’s response wasn’t a clear refusal to work with Lowe because it didn’t actually mention him or Restore Britain. Reading between the lines, though, Farage was saying that the only realistic option for Restore Britain voters is to switch to Reform. As such, we were surprised to see some outlets suggesting otherwise.
"I understand Reform UK will need the support of people from other parties, as well as millions who have never voted before. That is the broad coalition I am building"
— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) August 2, 2026
BREAKING: Nigel Farage suggests he's open to working with Restore Britain after Rupert Lowe's request
As we’ll demonstrate, Farage really does not seem to be open to this.
What Farage’s reply to Lowe means
Farage’s response began as follows (emphasis added):
The next election will be an existential fight to save the country we love, a mission I have now been fighting for over 30 years.
After two national election victories in as many years, many people now recognise that it will be a binary choice between Reform UK and Labour.
With the prospect of an early general election increasingly likely, it is natural that people from across the political spectrum are considering which side of that fight they intend to be on. Patriotic voters believe in many of the same things, but only one party truly has the possibility of delivering change.
Clearly, Farage is saying that Reform and Labour are the uniparty now, and that supporting Restore is pointless.
Have to say, whatever you think of him, Rupert Lowe has done up Nigel Farage like a kipper. Farage wants to tell Lowe where to shove it. But is scared he’s currently too weak to tell him to shove it. So is trying to push him away without looking like he’s pushing him away.
— (((Dan Hodges))) (@DPJHodges) August 2, 2026
Farage continued:
To deliver that change, I understand Reform UK will need the support of people from other parties, as well as millions who have never voted before. That is the broad coalition I am building.
In other words, people who support other parties should defect to Reform.
Farage went on:
Over the last 18 months, I have demonstrated that our movement will always be open to anyone who shares our commitment to restoring Britain’s borders, rebuilding our economy, renewing our democracy and putting the British people first.
My previous history in politics has also shown that I am always prepared to put country before party, as I did in 2019. But I will never turn my back on my team.
Farage is alluding to the fact that he welcomed in ex-Tories — something Lowe has criticised him for. It’s also likely a reference to the fact that some of these politicians are Black and Asian. For reference, this is how ex-Tories Suella Braverman and Nadhim Zahawi responded to Farage’s message:
Agree — Suella Braverman (@SuellaBraverman) August 2, 2026
https://t.co/QwvAZ3ObtQ
Important & a must read. — Nadhim Zahawi (@nadhimzahawi) August 2, 2026
https://t.co/JsnTJ8GAb9
And this is how prominent Restore Britain member, Steve Laws, described Reform’s Zia Yusuf two days ago:
Invader trying to sneak past the military in Cueta. pic.twitter.com/0yjPwl5b0x
— Steve Laws
(@Steve_Laws_) August 1, 2026
Reform would have to give politicians like Yusuf the boot to win back Restore Britain voters, and Farage clearly isn’t willing to do that. And as one Farage supporter noted online:
For those saying Farage is wrong not to accept Lowe's offer I say this.
If the owner of a smaller less successful business said to me our organisations should work together, but on their terms, and that I would have to sack my management team, my response would be fuck off. — Knights Templar "Non Nobis Domine"
(@x_browsing40115) August 2, 2026
Other people’s responses
Some of the worst people in the world are falling out over all this. The below exchange is between Restore-supporting Dan Wootton and Reform ally, Alex Phillips:
"Tory backers". — Dan Wootton (@danwootton) August 2, 2026
Names please.
If you had them it would be a good piece of original journalism, rather than lots of vague mud slinging.
The terminally clueless Lucy Connolly seems to think that Lowe’s offer was genuine:
Oh my gosh, there is a god There is not one single word I disagree with in this video, it actually made me emotional. County before party, our children MUST come first You all know how much I respect and… https://t.co/yq859iiaJm
— Lucy Connolly (@LucyTCWife) August 2, 2026
@reformparty_uk @Nigel_Farage @TiceRichard @LeeAndersonMP_
However @RupertLowe10 your comments about ex Tories don’t sit well. So @SuellaBraverman @RobertJenrick @LeeAndersonMP_ have to stay. And you have to play nice You can off the jab pusher though — Lucy Connolly (@LucyTCWife) August 2, 2026
You are yourself an ex Tory and still one of the good guys.
Connolly also had a hard time deciphering Farage’s message:
So is this a I’m prepared to sit down with Rupert and discuss or an absolutely not?
I can’t decide — Lucy Connolly (@LucyTCWife) August 2, 2026
https://t.co/BwffQ4KtQJ
Say what you will about Connolly, but she is a good bellwether for what your average Reform/ Restore voter is thinking. Laurence Fox is another who lacks the ability to read between the lines:
Good news.
He’s accepted the first principle.
Hopefully he will update his view on mass deportations to avoid demographic collapse.
Mr. Farage should play his part in uniting the right.
It’s not a one man job. No more tall poppies.
Build a big tent.
All patriots welcome. https://t.co/tb0v0zDtes
— Laurence Fox (@LozzaFox) August 2, 2026
The fact that Farage is too weak to give an outright ‘no’ is being seen as a victory by some Restore members:
The fact that Farage's response to Rupert Lowe's offer to make amends and work together was not an immediate "No" (as some in Reform's orbit urged) is significant.
Despite the enmity between the two men, both recognise the current situation is regrettable and unsustainable.… https://t.co/QQOWVXxdoY — Connor Tomlinson (@Con_Tomlinson) August 2, 2026
Commenter Jim Cognito observed the following:
If you really want to know Nigel Farage thinks of Rupert Lowe's offer, don't listen to what he says publicly.
He's in a position of weakness.
Read what he gets his useful idiots & attack dogs, like Raheem Kassam & Darren Grimes to say.
— Jim Cognito (@JimCognito2016) August 2, 2026
Speaking of Raheem Kassam, here’s what he’s saying (as highlighted by Restore member, Carl Benjamin):
He's just given the entire game away. Because of Reform's enmity towards Rupert, they will not work with Restore, no matter what happens to the country. pic.twitter.com/PR3sEUiqWN
— Carl Benjamin
(@Sargon_of_Akkad) August 2, 2026
Chaos continues
This chaos and in-fighting is exactly what you should want if you oppose Reform and Restore. Restore Britain clearly has the potential to keep Farage out of office. The two parties being at each other’s throats is only going to amplify that potential.
In other words: let them fight.
Featured image via the Times
By Willem Moore
There are a lot of problems with this summer. The World Cup is over, the climate is a nightmare and I can’t seem to escape ‘hot honey’ everywhere I go. The most irritating thing, though, is the FLIES that are living in my home rent-free.
I am so tired of it and I have tried what I thought was everything to get rid of them. The current nightmare wave of flies in the UK is ridiculously resilient. They don’t care about washing up liquid, about the handy little vinegar traps, the sticky traps, the CLOSED WINDOWS?!
I know that I’m not alone. In fact, back in May, we spoke to entomologist Professor Richard Wall from the University of Bristol who shared that the weather is very likely to blame as flies do breed faster when it’s hotter.
I have found a solution for flies in the home, though
This isn’t a pleasant solution and as a big sensitive gal, it did take some getting used to. However, it is very effective and I can now get through my home without seeing flies or ducking from my cats as they (poorly) attempt to chase flies.
It’s an electric fly swatter. Sitting in the corner of my living room, it attracts and instantly kills the flies as they come into our home. It can be picked up and used like a manual swatter but works just as well staying in the spot it’s in.
EnviroBug explains: “Electric fly swatters have fantastic benefits. For instance, they offer instant results, which other products cannot. Sprays, traps and repellents can take several hours or days, but a swatter is effective as soon as you hit the insect.
“They are also chemical-free, ideal for use around food such as in the kitchen, around the BBQ or on a picnic. And because they are portable, you can use them at home, on the move and holiday. You can also use the same device in the kitchen and outside in the garden or park.”
However, if you have a real infestation, you do need to do a little more.
What to do with a house fly infestation
First of all, you have my deepest sympathies.
Secondly, it may be time to reach out to pest control. British Pest Control Association (BPCA) is a not-for-profit organisation representing, supporting and assuring 700+ member companies and the pest management sector.
Visit their website to find your local pest control and truly, good luck.
The Mineral Products Association’s new Chief Executive has written an open letter to the new Chancellor of the Exchequer, highlighting new sales data published today
Dear Mr Healey,
Many congratulations on your appointment as Chancellor of the Exchequer. I wish you every success in tackling the serious challenges facing our country.
No growth, low confidence
First and foremost of these is the lack of growth in the economy, especially in construction. Our UK industry, which supplies essential construction and industrial minerals and materials, has suffered four years’ decline in sales. This matters. The most recent data, published today, shows that the decline is not only continuing but that the material supply chain for housing is entering a real crisis point. Domestic cement production is at 1950s levels, and ready-mixed concrete sales from our members at levels last seen in the 1960s.
Given the scale of this continuing decline, industrial capacity is now being lost. Plants are being mothballed, drivers being taken off the road as trucks idle and people are being made redundant. There is currently no confidence to invest in people, sites or equipment for the future. This has to change.
In the first half of 2026 an already depressed situation deteriorated further. Ready-mixed concrete sales fell by 9.3 per cent, sand and gravel was down 8.1 per cent, and mortar 5.1 per cent lower compared to the same period in the previous year. Mortar is a particularly reliable measure for the current health of the housing supply chain as a wholly domestic supply of a product that cannot be stockpiled.
New towns, roads, hospitals, advanced manufacturing sites, and defence, energy and water infrastructure all rely on millions of tonnes of concrete, aggregates, cement, asphalt and mortar supplied by our industry. Without Mineral Products Association members, nothing promised to be built in your manifesto or in the Infrastructure Pipeline can be delivered. This is why this long-term decline is so concerning; we fear we will lose the capacity that will be needed when the demand comes back. If this does come to pass, aspirations of delivering housing or infrastructure in the future will become even harder to deliver.
As you look towards your first Budget, it is essential that our industry can have confidence that capital budgets will be protected and that the work they have planned as businesses will actually happen, especially after recent road project cancellations.
Rising tax burden and sluggish regulation
This four-year decline in demand has been accompanied by four years of increased taxes, from Chancellors of both major parties. The tax burden on our members has risen by around 26 per cent in that period, including the removal of red diesel, employer NICs, aggregates levy re-indexation, and two rounds of business rates increases.
The last round of business rate increases included the new higher rate multiplier, which, contrary to the political presentation, did not only apply to online retail warehouses but also hit cement and asphalt plants and quarries. I urge you to ensure that the cost of supporting selected sectors, as announced last week, does not fall on productive businesses that are already facing a rising tax burden.
This surging tax burden is exacerbated by a slow, unresponsive regulatory system. We note that the efforts to get the Building Safety Regulator performing are beginning to show some improvement after a very poor start. However, the performance of longer-established regulators such as the Environment Agency is, in combination with a slow and unpredictable mineral planning system, a serious bar to investment. Your predecessor was on the right lines when she challenged major regulators to show how they contribute to growth; there is far more that can be done here to make the UK an attractive and competitive investment proposition.
Our essential domestic industry is struggling. Falling sales, high tax, sluggish regulation and low confidence is a combination for stagnation and decline. Sites are being closed and once closed, they will not be reopened. The people losing their jobs – good, productive and high-skilled jobs often in rural areas – may not be able to stay in the industry if it shrinks permanently. We would also struggle to serve the country to the full, making it harder to deliver infrastructure, homes and workplaces with domestic mineral resources when demand eventually returns. The scale of this is such that it cannot be readily replaced by imports, even ignoring the grave impact on jobs and communities such an approach would lead to.
A way forward: reindustrialisation
“Re-industrialising Britain, using public procurement to back British industry.”
– Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s speech on taking office
Hearing the new Prime Minister talk of ‘reindustrialisation’ is very welcome. However, we are currently experiencing the very opposite: ‘deindustrialisation’ as demand falls and operational sites close. Reversing this and securing the sovereign capacity to supply the foundational materials of the economy must be a priority.
This means tackling specific things holding us back such as the UK’s uncompetitively high industrial energy costs and the sclerotic planning and regulatory environment. But it also needs government to drive the market forward and restore confidence. Measures to do this could include financial support to get housebuilding going, improved delivery on infrastructure, as well as incentives for private investment.
As we look ahead to your first Budget, I would like to urge you to focus on inspiring confidence to invest. To help sustain the essential domestic mineral products industry we need support for housebuilding now, as well as greater confidence in the delivery of infrastructure going forward. With this we can look to the reindustrialisation of our sector and truly deliver for the UK.
Yours sincerely,
Paul Adeleke
Chief Executive,
Mineral Products Association
3 min read
Nigel Farage has said he is open-minded about working together with Restore Britain and has reached out privately to Rupert Lowe to discuss a possible agreement to unite the political right.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, the Reform UK leader said he would be willing to “negotiate” with Lowe if the Restore Britain leader if he “genuinely wants to have talks”.
However, Farage stressed that he would not be “ditching” his Reform allies.
On Sunday, Lowe offered to work with Farage to bring about a “patriotic government” at the next general election, but subject to several conditions.
The Great Yarmouth MP said any deal would be conditional on Reform agreeing to five policies, including mass deportations, a ban on the burka, a referendum on the death penalty, and no former Conservative ministers being given a role in a Reform-Restore Cabinet.
Reform MPs Robert Jenrick and Suella Braverman are former Conservative ministers, and the party’s senior ranks include former Tory office holders like Nadhim Zahawi and Jake Berry.
Speaking this morning, Farage questioned the sincerity of Lowe’s offer.
“If it was the offer of a deal, it came in a very unusual way. I have responded to it, potentially, with an open mind, as I would, but I’m certainly not going to be ditching people who I view as allies and a great asset,” Farage said.
“We will find out whether he genuinely wants to have talks. If he does, then we’ll start to negotiate.”
He added: “If anything like this were to happen, it would not happen overnight. It would go through a whole series of stages. Whatever’s been said in the past, I’m prepared to put that in the past and have a conversation.
“But I’m not going to commit myself to anything like that right now, and he seems to have given us a shopping list, some of which I have no desire to meet.
“Interestingly, on policy terms, most of the things he talks about are things that I’ve championed for over a quarter of a century. We’ll see.”
Shortly after the press conference, Lowe accused Farage of lying over the offer of a call.
The Restore Britain leader posted on X: “Yesterday’s offer was not one I wanted to make, trust me. I don’t particularly enjoy trying to work with people who attempted to put me in prison on false allegations. My house was raided by armed police because of them. I was willing, and still am, to put that aside to cooperate in order to save the country we all love.”
He went on to say: “The offer remains open to Nigel and Reform. Although outright lying about our private conversations does not help that.”
On Sunday, Farage posted on X that he recognised he needed the support of people from other parties to defeat the left at the next election, but said he would “never turn my back on my team”.
Lowe was elected as a Reform MP at the 2024 general election but left the party 18 months ago after a public falling out with Farage and set up his own party, Restore Britain.
Farage said today it was a “myth” that he personally fell out with Lowe, saying “everyone fell out with Rupert Lowe”.
In more recent months, Restore Britain, seen as further to the right than Reform on issues like immigration, has shown signs of being an electoral headache for Farage by taking votes from Reform.
Lowe’s party came fourth at last week’s Greater Manchester mayoral contest, ahead of the Conservatives.
At the same time, Reform’s ratings and those of Farage have dipped in recent days, with Labour benefiting from an Andy Burnham bounce and Farage continuing to face questions over his financial arrangements.
Despite the German state’s slavish support for Israel and its brutal repression of anti-genocide protest, the pro-Palestine movement has scored a major legal victory.
The Zweibrücken Higher Regional Court has ruled that comparing Israel with the Nazis is legal.
German law bans the display of swastikas and other Nazi-linked symbols. However, the court ruled that they can legally be used:
If someone uses the signs for sharp criticism of the methods of the State of Israel and is thus accompanied by a clear distancing or condemnation of Nazi injustice.
German rulemakers overturn activist’s fine
The court was hearing an appeal brought by an anti-genocide activist who had been fined for publishing a table comparing the actions of Israel in Gaza with those of Nazi Germany. The header of the table showed a half Israeli flag and half swastika. Another post showed a combined Israeli and Nazi flag with hashtags #FreePalestine and #GazaUnderAttack.
The appeal court overturned the fine and warned judges not to apply the symbol law in a way that suppresses freedom of speech.
Germany describes support for Israel as its ‘Staatsräson‘, the reason for the existence of the German state. It requires citizenship applicants to formally declare support for the apartheid colony.
Featured image via Katerina Bolovtsova/ Pexels
By Skwawkbox
If you spend a substantial amount of time online, you might’ve already come across the terms “manlet” and “hiplet”. But for those who haven’t, “manlet” is a derogatory term that’s been used online for years as a way to height-shame shorter men and boys.
And now “hiplet”, which seems to be newer, is about body-shaming women and girls for having ‘hip dips’ (inward curves located below the hips and just above the thighs) as a retaliation to ‘manlet’ abuse.
Some claim the “the hiplet movement is an allegory to heightism” – basically, men are using the term “hiplet” to make a bigger point about prejudice against shorter men.
But these body-shaming terms ultimately aren’t helping anyone. Men have shared online how the term “manlet” has made them feel “depressed and insecure”, while women are saying “hiplet” is just another insecurity to add to the list.
Commenting on the trend, Fiona Yassin, family psychotherapist, and founder and clinical director of The Wave Clinic, told HuffPost UK: “Social media has a way of taking a perfectly normal human characteristic and turning it into a ‘flaw’ overnight.
“Terms like ‘manlet’ or ‘hiplet’ are designed to shame people by making them feel as though their body is somehow outside the norm, when in reality height, hip shape and body proportions vary enormously and are entirely unique.”
How to talk to young people about body-shaming comments
While adults might be able to brush off comments made online, for young people it can be a lot harder to just “ignore” them.
Yassin suggests that if a child reveals they’ve been targeted with one of these terms, parents should “resist the urge to dismiss it”.
“Instead, acknowledge what they are saying, validate their feelings, and remind them that these insults say far more about the culture of online comparison than they do about the person being targeted,” she added.
You could ask them open questions such as, “how did that make you feel in the moment?” or “what do you think those comments were trying to achieve?” – this, the therapist added, can help them process the experience rather than internalise it.
Of course, half the time these comments are probably coming from other young people who might not fully understand what they mean – or how they can seriously cause hurt.
“Children engaging in viral trends often don’t fully understand the potential impact on others,” continued Yassin.
“The goal for parents is to reintroduce mentalising – the ability to reflect on the thoughts, feelings, and intentions of both themselves and other people. When mentalising is ‘off-track’, children may act or speak without considering how it lands.”
If your child has called other people these terms, saying it was “just meant to be funny”, it can be helpful to remind them that a joke is only a joke when everyone is laughing.
The therapist continued that “if it’s damaging, toxic, makes others uncomfortable or is at someone else’s expense, it’s not a joke”.
“Ultimately, it’s important for children to understand that our actions always affect others.”
Supporting teens to build body confidence
At home, it can also help to:
1. Avoid commenting on body shape or size
“Avoid comments about your teenager’s appearance – especially if they’re negative, or could be interpreted that way,” said Yassin.
It’s important children don’t hear the adults in their lives criticising their own bodies – or the bodies of other people.
“When parents criticise body shape, or suggest someone could improve their appearance, be ‘thinner’ or make their body different in some way, the underlying message is: you are not okay as you are,” warned the therapist.
2. Build body confidence by focusing on function, not appearance
“Building body confidence starts with helping teenagers see themselves as more than their appearance,” she continued.
You can do this by encouraging conversations about what their body allows them to do, rather than how it looks, and help them develop a critical eye towards social media trends that profit from insecurity and outrage.
“The goal isn’t to convince teenagers that cruel comments don’t matter, but to help them build a strong enough sense of self that someone else’s attempt to define them carries far less weight,” Yassin added.
3. Validate personal qualities – not appearance
Therapists and body image experts generally advise to steer clear of praising kids on their appearance or physical attributes, instead opting to praise kindness, creativity, resilience, humour, effort and values.
4. Seek professional support early
Unfortunately kids can’t escape bullying, as it can follow them home online.
Heightism, especially among boys, should be taken seriously – it’s a form of bullying and can have negative mental health implications for those on the receiving end.
Yassin advised that if body-shaming continues at school or begins to affect a young person’s mood, confidence or willingness to socialise, it’s important to involve the school and seek additional support if needed.
“If a young person shows signs of body image distress, restrictive eating, bingeing, purging, or obsessive exercise, early intervention is critical,” she added.
“Eating disorders are complex and often require the assistance of a psychiatric and mental health team. The earlier we intervene, the better the outcome.”
Last year, fans of The Inbetweeners got some promising news: it seemed set for a revival after a 10-plus-year hiatus, as production company Banijay UK and the show’s creators came to an agreement that “pave[d] the way” for its return.
And now, Variety has confirmed that the original cast is working on a reunion flick with streaming giant Netflix.
It follows two hit movies based on the teen sitcom, which chronicles the misadventures of friend group Will MacKenzie (Simon Bird), Simon Cooper (Joe Thomas), Neil Sutherland (Blake Harrison) and Jay Cartwright (James Buckley). The comedy blockbusters were released in 2011 and 2014, respectively.
The first installment, The Inbetweeners Movie, raked in about £66 million globally against an estimated £3.5 million budget. And its sequel, The Inbetweeners 2, made about £47.5 million worldwide.
These were based on the 2008-2010 UK series, which acted as a kind of grimly relatable alternative to sex-and-drug-fuelled teen hit Skins, which also aired on E4.
Simon Bird said, “Skins is great because it’s this fantasy of what you want your teenage years to be whereas The Inbetweeners is what your teenage years actually were”.
We don’t yet know anything about what Netflix’s The Inbetweeners flick might look like, though it’s hard to imagine the original cast, who appear to be attached to the title, will be playing their former adolescent selves.
The cast’s real-life ages range from their late 30s to early 40s.
Blake Harrison, who plays Neil, told the BBC in 2014 when he was aged 29: “The humour comes from their naivety and ignorance towards the world and as soon as you start placing that naivety and ignorance into people in their 20s and 30s, it becomes a bit more offensive and less funny”.
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