CATEGORIES

Sunak Claims Narrow Win In Tetchy First Leaders' Debate

Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer slugged it out in a tetchy first leader's debate of the general election, with snap pollsters giving a narrow edge to the embattled prime minister. While Mr Sunak appeared to land more verbal blows on the Labour leader, he was also mocked more by an audience concerned about the state of the NHS, schools, and the cost of living.

Starmer Will Happily Take This Near-Draw As A Victory

Keir Starmer knew that all he had to do was to get through the debate without making a horrible mistake. No wonder he was nervous, unsure whether to address the audience, his opponent, or presenter Julie Etchingham.

Across France for £1.35 per day: the deal of the summer

If you're 27 or under (and can jump through a few hoops), PassRail is a cross-Channel bargain, writes Simon Calder

Bitingly funny adaptation is the match of beloved book

Hailed as a Black British answer to 'Bridget Jones' Diary' on its release, hit novel 'Queenie' jumps to the small screen with all of its comedic charm intact, writes Katie Rosseinsky

Still covering all the bases

Ever the curmudgeon of popular music, Van Morrison is back with his 45th album and a characteristically mercurial night of covers at the Royal Albert Hall, writes Louis Chilton

Knee injury forces Djokovic to pull out of French Open

Novak Djokovic has pulled out of the French Open due to a knee injury sustained during his fourth-round win over Francisco Cerundolo on Monday.

I'm not 'chuffed' to hear these words show my age

A whole raft of 'slang' words have been declared obsolete, according to new research, but Sam Leith says don't worry... it's only a matter of time before they come back into fashion

Tory party's smear campaign on Starmer the DPP is OTT

In a general election, it is right that the leadership qualities of prospective prime ministers are thoroughly examined and assessed.

Three abandoned infants found to have same parents

Three newborn babies found dumped in parks in east London over the past seven years share the same parents, it has been revealed - as the Metropolitan Police continue the search for those who abandoned the infants.

Hospitals hit by cyberattack

Two London hospital trusts have been forced to cancel all nonemergency operations and blood tests following a major” cyberattack. Pathology systems at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, as well as GP services across south London, have been hit by a ransomware attack, according to emails seen by The Independent.

Urban progressive? No, I'm more an apolitical centrist

A leading pollster has identified six categories of UK voter, writes Joe Middleton. Which one describes you the closest?

YouGov: Reform UK could win as many as four seats

Party is now a threat in several constituencies, says pollster

Farage launches 'revolution' from end of Clacton pier

Reform UK leader soaked in milkshake but unstirred

Sunak was offered a deal to stop Farage but rejected it

Rishi Sunak could have avoided the expected election catastrophe facing him and the Conservative Party if he had agreed to make a deal with Nigel Farage.

Yappy terrier Sunak goes straight for Starmer's shin

“Gentlemen, please!” begged Julie Etchingham like an exasperated school ma’am at a rowdy PTA quiz night. We will ower our voices.”

Kicked In The Polls: Voters.to Desert Sinking Tory Ship

Lib Dems will likely be second biggest party after Labour

Mexico's New President Is A Woman And A Tough Boss -

Claudia Sheinbaum's victory comes more than 70 years after women in the central American country first got the vote and the election was a violent one

Mr Brexit's Picked The Ideal Spot For His Bid To Be An MP

Nigel Farage yesterday announced that he is standing in the Essex seaside town of Clacton in an eighth attempt to win a seat in the House of Commons (as was first revealed in The Independent).

Tories Promise Annual Cap On Visas To Cut Immigration

The Conservative Party has unveiled a new general election pledge to cut immigration by creating a new annual cap on visas.

Real Deal Sees Mbappe Join 'Club Of My Dreams' Madrid

Kylian Mbappe has finally signed for Real Madrid, bringing one of modern football's longest transfer sagas to an end and adding even more talent to the champions of Europe.

The £50bn stock market deal mired in controversy

After many months in which the narrative has been dominated by the London Stock Exchange's best companies heading to Wall Street in search of new investors and higher ratings, the City appears to have lured a bright new bauble.

Gay adoption tale will have you reaching for the tissues.

'Lost Boys and Fairies' deals with heavy themes including HIV, homophobia and grief, but writer Daf James infuses it with a playfulness that offsets the darkness

INSIDE STORY

Top immersive theatre group Punchdrunk have ditched their multiple-storyline style in favour of an audio storytelling tour voiced by Helena Bonham Carter. Helen Coffey removes her shoes (it's mandatory) and takes a trip into 'Viola's Room'

Here's how tedious comedy panel shows can be saved

Statistics show that TV's 'willy-waving machismo' still hasn't come to terms with the gender imbalance. Might that be why the genre is feeling so clapped out, asks Katie Rosseinsky

DATING DISCREETLY

Forget 'hard launching' a new partner on Instagram, today it's all about the 'no-launch', and keeping your relationship as offline as possible. It's a change that Olivia Petter welcomes

How can my grandchildren make a French connection?

Q Can my granddaughters, aged 13 and 15, fly together, unaccompanied from Edinburgh to and from France? And do you recommend it?

Bash Street comp beats the snobbish parade all ends up

My posh friends were horrified I sent my two sons to state schools, writes Rowan Pelling, but I'm having the last laugh

MI6 recruited workers from China as spies, says Beijing

Beijing has accused Britain's MI6 of recruiting Chinese state employees as spies as the two countries traded allegations of espionage.

Jury selected in Hunter Biden's gun charges case

The jury was selected last night in Hunter Biden's trial on federal gun charges in Wilmington, Delaware.

Record 642m vote in India in spite of deadly heatwave

Dozens of election workers among 200 dead as the country looks set to re-elect Narendra Modi for historic third term.