SATURDAY
February 4 2023 | thetimes.co.uk | No 74011
My night with
Beyoncé at
the world’s
blingiest
hotel
Sophia Money-Coutts
MAGAZINE
Appeals ban
for migrants
who reach
UK illegally
Law to curb asylum claims — and court wrangles
Matt Dathan Home Affairs Editor
Jonathan Ames Legal Editor
Rishi Sunak is gearing up for a battle
with the courts over plans to prevent
migrants who have crossed the
Channel in small boats from appealing
against their deportation.
The Home Office has drawn up two
options to achieve the prime minister’s
goal of automatically barring people
who arrive in Britain illegally from
claiming asylum, The Times has learnt.
The more radical proposal would
take the unprecedented step of with-
drawing the right of illegal arrivals to
appeal against their automatic exclu-
sion from the asylum system. A second
proposal under consideration would
only allow them to lodge an appeal
after they had been deported.
At present, asylum seekers have the
right to remain in the country to have
their case heard. Critics of the appeal
proposals said they would “start hitting
problems from day one”.
Sunak has made his pledge to “stop
the boats” one of his five priorities amid
anger at the government’s failure to
tackle the issue. A record 45,756
migrants crossed the Channel last year,
a 60 per cent rise from 2021.
A separate proposal would bar
migrants arriving illegally from using
parts of the Human Rights Act to avoid
deportation, such as claiming their
£3 £2.30 to subscribers
(based on 7 Day Print Pack)
The Scrum!
12-page guide
to the Six
Nations
British Gas
investigation
Exclusive
Debt collectors
boasted of
disconnecting
families
NEWS PAGES 10-11
Free
access
today to
right to family life or right to liberty was
being breached.
thetimes.co.uk
Draft legislation is still being worked
on but Sunak is hoping to present it this
month. In an interview with TalkTV on
Thursday, he said the new law would
enable the state to detain migrants who
arrived illegally and deport them to
their home country or a safe third
country, such as Rwanda.
However, a report by the Refugee
Council said that, based on last year’s
crossings, it would cost nearly £1 billion
a year to detain all those who arrived.
A government source said: “The
prime minister and home secretary are
working flat out to bring forward the
legislation as soon as possible and
ensure that it is legally watertight.” Simply scan
The legislation will make all individ-
uals who arrive illegally permanently
inadmissible to the asylum system, as
the QR code
previously revealed by The Times.
Home Office lawyers warned that
to enjoy live
this would simply lead to each indivi-
dual lodging a judicial review, claiming
updates and
it breached Britain’s obligations under
the UN Refugee Convention. Suella more articles
Braverman, the home secretary, has
drawn up the two proposals to avoid
this scenario, which would delay re-
movals and clog up the courts.
A source familiar with the thinking
said: “There is a need to neutralise the Police theory Officers have a “working hypothesis” that Nicola Bulley, 45, a mother
right to challenge because effectively who vanished while walking her dog in Lancashire on January 27, may have fallen
in the River Wyre. Search teams were no closer to finding her last night.
y(7HB7E2*OTSRQT( |||+"!\
2 2GM Saturday February 4 2023 | the times

News

Today’s highlights FTSE reaches record high

8.35am Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers
12.35pm Keyboard legend Rick Wakeman discusses his
new concept album
1.15pm Alexis Conran’s ‘political frenemies’ are the
despite looming recession
Conservative MP Chloe Smith and former Tracey Boles but markets now believe inflation has
Shares surge peaked and are looking ahead to when
Labour MP Rosie Cooper
The FTSE 100 index of leading shares FTSE 100 rates may start falling once again.”
2.15pm The poet Michael Rosen, right, on personal hit a new high yesterday after markets 8,000 Danni Hewson, a financial analyst at
tragedy and his new memoir, Getting Better rose and the pound fell in response to AJ Bell, a stockbroker, said: “Generally,
11.30pm The comedian Robin Ince on his odyssey positive news from the US on jobs. 7,000 the global economy is looking brighter
around the bookshops of Britain The index rose by 1.04 per cent to and with the re-opening of China there
close at a record level of 7,901.80, pass- 6,000 are expected to be huge opportunities

DAB RADIO l ONLINE l SMART SPEAKER l APP
T O D AY ’ S E D I T I O N
Raab ‘warned
over behaviour’
The heads of all three
departments that have
been run by Dominic
Raab, the deputy
prime minister, warned
him over his treatment
of officials, The Times
has been told.
Europe braced
for killer opioid
Europe has been
warned that a flood of
fentanyl, the synthetic
opioid that has killed
more than 100,000
people in the US, is on
its way from Mexican
cartels.
COMMENT 25
LEADING ARTICLES 29
thetimes
MONEY
BACK TO WORK
What the over-50s
need to know
before they return
MAIN PAPER PAGES 60-61
THE WEATHER
Source: Refinitiv
ing the previous record of 7,877.45 set in for energy companies, miners, luxury
May 2018. At the start of the pandemic 5,000 goods makers and pretty much any
in March 2020 the FTSE fell below company selling stuff overseas.”
5,000 as investors took fright. 4,000 Among the FTSE companies bene-
Yesterday’s increase came after it was 2020 21 22 23 fiting from the pound’s decline yester-
announced that the US added more day was the oil and gas company Shell,
than 500,000 jobs last month, surpris- this year and 1.76 per cent in the past the drug maker AstraZeneca and Reck-
ing markets and sending the dollar up. week, adding billions to the value of itt Benckiser, which makes Gaviscon
As the dollar rose, sterling fell, by Britain’s pensions as well as to stocks and Dettol.
Britons rush to Royal Mail ‘risk 1.3 per cent, taking it back under $1.21 and shares Isas. The FTSE 250 index, whose consti-
for the first time in a month. Companies Richard Stone, chief executive of the tuent companies are more directly
book holidays to small firms’ that earn in dollars, such as many of the Association of Investment Companies, related to the fortunes of the UK eco-
Holiday companies Small businesses say multinationals that dominate the said: “With headlines dominated by the nomy, is still a little way short of the
have reported record they are in danger of FTSE 100, are helped by a fall in the cost of living crisis, war in Ukraine, level it enjoyed in May 2018 and is 15 per
January bookings as going bust after Royal pound. Stocks in London were also rising interest rates and strikes, it may cent below its record high set in 2021.
Britons scramble to Mail suspended its helped by investors betting that infla- seem strange that the index of the larg- Analysts say that London-listed
lock in trips early and international delivery tion has peaked and will fall this year. est 100 companies listed on the London shares could rise further. Ken Wotton,
make the most of the service following a On Thursday the Bank of England Stock Exchange has set a new all-time of Strategic Equity Capital, said: “While
world opening up cyberattack on said it expected inflation, now 9.2 per high. This has been driven by the strong the FTSE 100 is now at a record high,
again. January 10. cent, to be 4 per cent by the end of the performance of oil and gas companies we believe the UK market has much
year. It also forecast a milder recession and banks, which dominate the FTSE further to climb and will be driven by
than feared. 100. Markets are forward looking. We small and mid-cap stocks.”
Steel output Cricketers quit The FTSE 100 has risen by 6 per cent may still be heading into a recession,
at 90-year low racism inquiry
A 17 per cent collapse Three former
in the production of
crude steel in Britain
Yorkshire cricketers
have quit an inquiry
Tax department’s diversity Call to beef up
last year has sent
output to its lowest
levels since the 1930s,
into racism. Two of
them told The Times
they had lost
officers ‘cost £1.3m a year’ porn site age
according to the trade
body UK Steel.
confidence in the
process. James Beal Social Affairs Editor unlawful conduct. It also aims to
verification
advance “the equality of opportunity”.
HM Revenue and Customs has 22 This is not the first time the depart- Mark Sellman
WEEKEND ESSAY 32 TV & RADIO full-time diversity officers, costing the ment has been in the spotlight for its
REGISTER 78 SATURDAY REVIEW Technology Correspondent
taxpayer an estimated £1,393,885 a promotion of diversity. It emerged last
year, it was claimed yesterday. year that six of Whitehall’s most senior Tougher rules to stop children access-
FOLLOW US The Guido Fawkes website revealed officials, including from HMRC, were ing porn online look set to be intro-
timesandsundaytimes thetimes that the tax department had taken on accused of wasting time on civil service duced after 43 Tory MPs demanded
six equality and inclusion officers in the diversity and inclusion champions. action from the culture secretary.
past six months, with one on £80,384 a Jim Harra, the first permanent secre- The MPs are backing an amendment
WEEKEND SPORT year. Of the 22 diversity officers, two tary and chief executive of HMRC, was by Lord Bethell to make porn sites use
are paid the grade six level salary of one of those in the half a dozen govern- strict age checks within six months of
£80,384 a year, seven are at grade seven ment departments promoting diversity the Online Safety Bill becoming law.
of £66,712 a year and another seven are issues on top of their official duties. Writing to Michelle Donelan, they
on an annual salary of £42,057. Each of the permanent secretaries is highlight a “shocking report” by Dame
The positions have added £374,351 to paid a basic salary of £170,000 to Rachel de Souza, the children’s
the department’s wage bill since August £200,000. The Cabinet Office refused commissioner, revealing 10 per cent of
last year, the website reported. to say how much time was spent on children had seen porn by age nine.
Joe Ventre, digital campaign manag- their various causes but a spokesman The MPs, who include Priti Patel and
er of the Taxpayers’ Alliance, said: insisted the roles formed “only an ex- Sir Iain Duncan Smith, say the bill does
“Taxpayers are tired of diversity dema- tremely small part” of their jobs. not do enough to protect children from
gogues draining the exchequer dry. HMRC said: “We are required to the “predatory porn industry”.
BAD CHEMISTRY PEDAL POWER While public bodies have clear duties comply with the Equality Act 2010 and There are two regimes to tackle it in
The real cost to Champion Zoe under the Equality Act, there is no other legislation. We rightly invest in the bill, one for “providers” such as
health of highly Backstedt on the scenario in which this number of right- providing extra support to people from Pornhub and another for user-
processed food trials of cyclo-cross on roles is necessary. Public sector backgrounds that have been under- generated sites such as OnlyFans. MPs
bosses need to get a grip.” represented in the department, includ- say there are loopholes that will allow
PULLOUT PAGE 4 PULLOUT PAGE 16
HMRC states on its website that its ing certain ethnic groups, care leavers, user-generated sites to avoid strict age
equality objectives for 2020 to 2024 former service personnel and others.” checks. De Souza’s report found that
include eliminating discrimination, 41 per cent of young people saw porn on
harassment, victimisation and other Twitter, a user-generated site.

continued from page 1
6 Channel migrant appeals
the new legislation will rule everyone
26 permanently inadmissible and the risk
20
6
is there’ll be many individual judicial
review challenges.”
8 The first option would create what is
10
10 known as an “ouster clause”, which
9 aims to keep certain decisions out of the
courts. Senior legal figures have con-
10
demned the plan, saying it would con-
18
travene the rule of law. They also point-
ed to a 2019 Supreme Court ruling that
invalidated government attempts to
Outbreaks of rain and snow in the use previous forms of ouster clauses.
northwest, mostly dry but cloudy The second proposal being consid-
elsewhere. ered by Braverman — only allowing
illegal entrants to appeal against their
exclusion from the asylum system once
they have left Britain — is likely to
cause similar controversy. The rule
already applies to asylum seekers from
countries on a Home Office list of “safe
countries”, but would be extended to all
illegal arrivals regardless of nationality.
A former Conservative minister said
the proposals would put the govern-
ment at odds with the judiciary, adding:
“They’ve got to be so careful and you’re
setting up a difficult clash if you don’t
get it absolutely right.
“No 10 is assuring Tory MPs that
they’re not going to be breaching inter-
national obligations but this will create
difficulty and they will start hitting
problems from day one. They’ll have
the mother of all rows about it and
ultimately how the courts interpret the
legislation is another matter.”
Lord Falconer of Thoroton, a former
Labour lord chancellor, predicted that
the courts would stop the plans as they
would “put the government beyond the
reach of the law”. He said: “No one is
above the law, including the home sec-
retary.” He said the second proposal to
only allow out-of-country appeals was
“pure political window dressing”.
A government source pointed out
that Braverman was a barrister and
former immigration lawyer so “knows
[the subject] inside out”.
The Home Office said: “The un-
acceptable number of people risking
their lives by making dangerous cross-
ings is placing an unprecedented strain
on our asylum system. We are introduc-
ing legislation which will ensure that
those arriving in the UK illegally are de-
tained and promptly removed to their
home country or a safe third country.”
the times | Saturday February 4 2023
Get off our
land! Farmers
told to make
way for solar
Part of a site linked to
Jacob Rees-Mogg’s wife
may be sold, putting its
tenants out of business,
Ben Ellery reports
For generations Rob Sturdy’s family
have tended their farm and produced
wheat, rapeseed oil and barley in the
town of Malton, celebrated by chefs as
Yorkshire’s food capital.
However, he and his family face the
prospect of losing the farm and their
home after the landlord, a trust that
counts Helena Rees-Mogg, the wife of
the MP for North East Somerset, as a
director, applied to kick them off
almost half the land to make way for
more lucrative solar panels.
Sturdy, whose grandfather Guy,
moved to Eden Farm in 1954, said: “We
were absolutely stunned when they told
us they wanted to turn us off the land.
They showed us a map and it was horri-
fying. Almost half of it was covered in
red where they wanted to place solar
panels. My wife burst into tears.
“We are not against solar panels and
renewable energy, but this land is rated
as having good soil for growing crops —
there is other land that is not good that
they could be using for solar panels. If
we lost half the land we wouldn’t be able
We’re in an arms race with AI, says Cambridge education chief
Nicola Woolcock Education Editor
ChatGPT cannot be banned and has to
be accepted as a new tool, according to
the head of education at Cambridge.
Professor Bhaskar Vira, pro-vice-
chancellor for education, said it was not
sensible to try to prohibit the artificial
intelligence chatbot. “We have to re-
cognise that [AI] is a tool people will use
then adapt our learning, teaching and
examination processes so that we can
continue to have integrity while recog-
nising the use of the tool,” he told Varsi-
ty, the Cambridge student newspaper.
The New York City department of
2GM
to afford to keep the farm going. Not to
mention a few years ago we spent
£50,000 to £60,000 on a new grain shed
that would become useless. It is simply
putting profits before people.”
Sturdy’s farm is 240 acres and under
the proposal 110 acres would be lost to
solar panels. The application to convert
the land was submitted last month and
published yesterday.
Sturdy’s tenancy agreement, signed
in 1971 by his late father John, allowed
for the land to pass through three gen-
erations. Sturdy said that 60 per cent of
the land earmarked for development
fell into farmland designated “best and
most versatile (BMV)”, which is consid-
ered to have better-quality soil.
While Jacob Rees-Mogg was said to
support putting solar panels in fields as
business minister, he fell out with
Liz Truss over the issue when she
was prime minister.
Truss sought to redefine BMV
to include more agricultural
land, but Rees-Mogg believed
that telling landlords what
they could do with their land
was un-Conservative.
Planning guidance says that
development on BMV land
should be avoided.
Rob and Emma Sturdy say the
compensation offered by a trust
linked to the Rees-Moggs to use
some of the farmland is inadequate
education has banned all use of the
technology in its schools, blocking
access on school computers and net-
works.
Vira said: “I don’t think that’s sensible
because these are tools that are out
there that people are going to be
adapting to and using.”
Of its use in work submitted for
assessment, Vira said it was unlikely
that academics “will ever stay ahead
because it will become like an arms
race; the AI will evolve quickly and will
keep trying to evolve to avoid detection
to technologies”.
ChatGPT was unveiled in December
Sturdy, 51, believes the trust will be
unable to resist further attempts by
Harmony Energy, the solar panel com-
pany, to convert more land. Green
energy companies will pay landowners
£800 to £1,200 per acre a year to site
solar panels, according to estimates.
Sturdy said that was about ten times
what it received from agricultural farm-
ers. His land is owned by the Fitzwilliam
Trust Corporation, which made £14,274
in profit last year, down from £149,655 in
the 12 months previously.
Mrs Rees-Mogg, one of its five direct-
by the OpenAI company, of San
Francisco. It has composed essays,
stories, scripts, marketing pitches,
computer code and poetry.
However, in a statement Cambridge
University cautioned students not to
see this as permission to use AI to cheat.
It said: “We recognise that ChatGPT
is being used across the world. The
university has strict guidelines on
student conduct and academic
integrity. These stress the importance
of a student being the author of their
own work. Content produced by AI
platforms, such as ChatGPT, does not
represent the student’s own original
ors, is the daughter of the poet and
aristocrat Somerset de Chair and Lady
Juliet Tadgell, who is also a director of
the trust. Tadgell is heir to the Fitz-
william fortune and has an estimated
net worth of £45 million, all of which
her daughter stands to inherit.
Sturdy’s wife Emma, 44, has been in-
strumental in driving a campaign
against the solar proposal. She said: “In
this country we have a rich history of
farming and we are in danger of it being
lost. If we do not look after our tenant
farmers then we will not be looking
after the backbone of farming.”
About a third of farmed land
in England is tenanted. Last
year, a review by Baroness
Rock found “demands
from non-agricultural
land use such as solar,
development, bio-
energy, tree planting
and biodiversity
improvements could
take land out of pro-
duction”.
The Tenant Farm-
ers Association is
backing the campaign.
George Dunn, its
chief executive, said:
“It is simply unaccept-
able that the land
occupation rights en-
joyed by the Sturdys
along with other ten-
work so would be considered a form of
academic misconduct. The university is
in the process of reviewing its
guidelines to departments and students
on this issue.”
Alleyn’s, a private school in Dulwich,
southeast London, said this week that
ChatGPT had sped up the adoption of
“flipped learning”, with pupils being
asked to complete research for home-
work so they were prepared for discus-
sion and assessment in lessons.
Jane Lunnon, its head teacher, said:
“School is where we learn what to do
and how to do it. It’s also where we learn
what not to do. How to get things wrong
3
News
ant farmers can be tossed to the side so
easily. Meeting our renewable energy
targets by moving good land out of agri-
culture into solar parks rather than us-
ing the vast area of roofs within our
country’s built estate and other brown-
field sites is simply madness.”
The Fitzwilliam Trust Corporation
said Sturdy had been offered “an index-
linked annual income, above and be-
yond statutory compensation, which
we believe would provide the farm busi-
ness with the financial security it needs
to continue farming a smaller area for
the foreseeable future. We recognise
the impact the development would
have on the tenant, and remain
committed to helping them adapt their
farming business for the future if the
scheme is granted permission.”
Sturdy said the offer was “nowhere
near enough” and would make the farm
financially unviable.
Harmony said it had chosen the land
because it was near an energy sub-
station that “has sufficient capacity to
allow the solar farm to connect”.
The company added: “A lengthy
design and public consultation process
has been undertaken over the past two
years to refine the overall area and
produce an optimum layout. This
means we’ve reduced the development
area from 296 acres to 130 acres and
have excluded fields which comprise
the greatest quantity of high-grade,
agricultural land.”
and how to deal with that. We all know
how important it is to learn to fail.
“For us, ChatGPT will involve careful
reflection about what we should be
asking our pupils to do in school and in
class and what they can do at home.”
She said that most children did not
want to cheat, but “this is the world
we’re in and very soon it won’t be
cheating the system, it will be the
system”. An English essay that was set
by the school and written by the chat-
bot as a test of its abilities was graded A*
at GCSE level.
4 2GM
News
New wave Dab Hands promise to bring “playfulness, colour and warmth” to the streets of Edinburgh next Saturday afternoon as part of the Manipulate puppet festival
NHS bosses say more strikes
jeopardise waiting times pledge
Kat Lay Health Editor
Rachel Sylvester
The recovery of the NHS is at risk
because of escalating strikes, health
leaders have warned.
Nurses, paramedics and physiother-
apists will be taking part in strikes next
week in England. More dates are
planned, and some unions are balloting
staff who are not involved, including at
the Care Quality Commission.
Junior doctors are also likely to strike
and the British Medical Association
said on Thursday that GPs might take
action in a dispute about contracts.
Strikes in Wales have been called off
after an increased pay offer from the
Welsh government, but there was no
sign of movement in Westminster.
NHS bosses fear Rishi Sunak’s key
pledge to get waiting times down could
be jeopardised by the disputes. More
than 88,000 appointments and opera-
tions have been cancelled since strikes
began in December.
Labour points to Starmer’s past record of fighting crime
Geraldine Scott Political Reporter
Labour is set to highlight Sir Keir
Starmer’s history of having prosecuted
some of the country’s worst criminals
and terrorists as it makes a return to the
ethos of being “tough on crime and
tough on the causes of crime”.
Over ten days from February 16,
Labour will push a “prevent, punish,
protect” message, an evocation of Tony
Blair’s crackdown on crime furing the
Matthew Taylor, chief executive of
the NHS Confederation, said: “Govern-
ment cannot afford to let this escalate
any further. We urge ministers to take
the first step and find a resolution to this
deadlock with the unions.”
Julian Hartley, chief executive of
NHS Providers, which represents
trusts, told The Times Health Commis-
sion: “If these strikes go on indefinitely,
that will have an impact on our ability
to get through the elective [surgery]
backlog, to implement all of the
planned improvements.”
Nurses, paramedics and ambulance
workers represented by the GMB and
Unite unions will go on strike in Eng-
land on Monday.
They will be followed by the Royal
College of Nursing on Tuesday, the
Chartered Society of Physiotherapy on
Thursday and Unison ambulance
workers on Friday.
However, unions representing para-
medics, nurses, midwives and physio-
therapists in Wales said that they would
1990s. Day one will include a speech
from Yvette Cooper, the shadow home
secretary, as the party highlights poli-
cies it has in place but which it does not
think have yet cut through to public
awareness.
The focus is expected to fall on anti-
social behaviour and neighbourhood
policing, while highlighting Starmer’s
background as director of public prose-
cutions.
“It landed well in focus groups, the
go back to their members with the offer
of a 3 per cent pay increase, calling off
strikes that had been planned.
Pat Cullen, general secretary of the
Royal College of Nursing, said it would
cancel strikes in England if the govern-
ment started “talking seriously”. She
said: “If the other governments can ne-
gotiate and find more money for this
year, the prime minister can do the
same. Rishi Sunak’s unwillingness to
help nursing is being exposed as a
choice, not an economic necessity.”
The NHS Confederation said its
members were concerned that the
longer industrial action continued, it
would be “increasingly challenging” to
meet a government target to eliminate
18 month waits by April 1.
Progress on getting waiting times for
ambulances and in A&Es down is also
likely to be hindered. Strikes also leave
managers “fire-fighting” to provide
cover rather than focusing on long-
term goals. They also fear patients will
be put off seeking care. One hospital
fact he locked up dangerous criminals
and terrorists,” a source said. “People
are still learning that about him, and it’s
another strategic reason why the party
is going on crime. It’s good for his pro-
file, it fits his story.”
Shadow ministers were given details
of the polling at an “away day” held in
Westminster this week which showed
that crime was the third most impor-
tant issue to voters after rising prices
and the NHS. Strategists believe it to be
Saturday February 4 2023 | the times
boss said more than 300 staff had
joined their union since strikes began.
Taylor added: “NHS leaders have
managed the impact of the individual
strike days very well up until now, but
they are growing increasingly restless
about the impact this dispute is having
on patient care.”
Sir Stephen Powis, NHS medical dir-
ector in England, said: “Next week is like-
ly to be the most disruptive week of
strikes to date and while local services
have worked hard to minimise the impact
for patients, the scale of the action means
increased disruption is inevitable.”
6 The Local Government Association
said councils were trying to plan public
health services “in the dark” because
the government had yet to set out the
public health grant funding allocations,
which councils will receive from April.
It said health visiting, programmes to
tackle obesity and drug and alcohol
treatment could be cut back or closed
unless plans could be made.
fertile ground for Labour to win votes.
The party has set out policies to in-
volve victims in punishments for anti-
social behaviour and reduce the length
of time taken to hear rape cases.
Steve Reed, the shadow justice secre-
tary, has been toughening up language.
He has said in the past that under Jer-
emy Corbyn he felt Labour “cared more
about criminals than victims”.
Quintagram® No 1543
Solve all five clues using each
letter underneath once only
1 State of stunned bewilderment (4)
----
2 Blatant, shameless (6)
------
3 Involved in sordid dealings (6)
------
4 Poetic verse (6)
------
5 Flamboyance, glitz (10)
----------
A A A A A A A A
B D E E E L M N
N R R S S T T Y
Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z
Solutions see page 83
Cryptic clues see Review page 53
£7 pint is new normal
The £7 pint will spread from
London to the rest of the country
this summer, the Campaign for
Real Ale predicted. It urged the
government to introduce a
support package for pubs as
businesses outside the capital are
forced to raise prices or
close their doors. The most
expensive pub, in London, has an
average price of £8.06 a pint, the
highest price ever recorded by
CGA, a consultancy firm. The
cheapest is in Lancashire and
charges an average £1.79.
Sailors given bad water
About 20 sailors in the Royal
Navy are receiving medical
treatment after drinking
contaminated water. HMS
Portland returned to Portsmouth
after a junior sailor mistakenly
put chemicals in the wrong part
of the water purification system.
A navy source praised the
engineer for “putting their hands
up” and admitting to the mistake.
Cheating travel agent
A travel agent who left more than
1,400 people, including her
mother, out of pocket in a
£2.6 million con has been jailed
for nine years by Durham crown
court. Lyne Barlow, 39, of Stanley,
Co Durham, ran a Ponzi-style
holiday scheme and deflected
complaints by pretending to have
cancer. She had earlier admitted
money-laundering and fraud.
Corporal cleared
An army instructor was cleared
of attacking a cadet by repeatedly
hitting him over the head with a
paddle during a canoeing session.
Corporal Adam Price denied
striking Connor Mills up to five
times as the recruit rocked the
instructor’s boat from side to side.
Bulford military court in
Wiltshire found Price not guilty
of causing actual bodily harm.
Chef’s decking dispute
Mark Hix, the celebrity chef, said
he was “emotional, upset, angry
and devastated” after a council
voted to tear down the £20,000
decking of his restaurant on the
Jurassic Coast. Lyme Regis town
council said the area encroached
on public gardens. Now 4,000
people have signed a petition to
save it and the council will discuss
the issue again on February 15.
the times | Saturday February 4 2023
Missing mother ‘probably fell in river’
Tom Ball Northern Correspondent
Police investigating the disappearance
last week of a woman who was walking
her dog are focusing on a ten-minute
window in which they cannot account
for her movements.
Officers said that their “working
hypothesis” was that Nicola Bulley fell
in a river. But despite an extensive
seven-day search, involving divers, tid-
al experts, coastguards, underwater
drones and sonar equipment, police
were no closer to finding her.
Superintendent Sally Riley of Lan-
cashire police described the case as
“strange and perplexing”. She appealed
for witnesses and dashcam footage of a
CCTV blindspot close to where Bulley
vanished on the morning of January 27
but stressed there was “no evidence
whatsoever” of criminal involvement.
Paul Ansell, 44, Bulley’s partner, said
yesterday: “It is as though she has van-
ished into thin air. It’s just insane.”
Riley said that based on witness testi-
mony, CCTV footage and telephone
data, the force was confident that Bul-
ley had never left the field in which she
was last seen walking her spaniel,
Willow. At a press conference she re-
vealed that there was a window of only
ten minutes in which Bulley’s move-
ments were unaccounted for.
“We remain open to any inquiries
that might lead us to question that, but
at this time we understand that she was
by the river,” she said.
“Our main working hypothesis,
therefore, is that Nicola has sadly fallen
into the river, that there is no third-par-
ty or criminal involvement and that this
is not suspicious, but a tragic case of a
missing person.”
Asked why police had been so quick
to discount the possibility of foul play,
she told reporters that the “triangula-
tion” of all available evidence produced
“such a tiny window for criminal inter-
vention”.
She said it was possible that a prob-
lem with her dog may have led her to
the water’s edge. “We assume the dog
didn’t get into the river, but we don’t
know why Nicola may have if she
did.” She added that the dog was
found dry and that Bulley could
swim.
Ansell said that his “whole
focus” at the moment was
staying strong for their two
daughters. He added:
“We’re never, ever going to
lose hope — of course we’re
not — but it is as though she
has vanished into thin air. It’s
just insane.”
Bulley, a mortgage adviser
from Inskip, three miles
south of St Michael’s, walked
her dog along the Wyre as she
often did after dropping her daugh-
ters, aged nine and six, at school. She
Glitter freed after serving half his sentence for child abuse
Peter Chappell
The disgraced pop star Gary Glitter has
been freed from jail after serving half
his 16-year sentence for sexually abus-
ing three schoolgirls.
The paedophile glam rock singer,
who had a string of chart hits in the
1970s, was jailed in 2015 for abusing two
girls aged 12 and 13 and one who was
less than ten years old.
Glitter, 78, left HMP the Verne, a low-
security category C jail in Portland,
Dorset, yesterday after eight years
behind bars.
He was freed automatically halfway
through a fixed-term determinate sen-
tence. The sex offender will be subject
2GM
8.46am
approx
Location of
bench where
Nicola’s phone
and dog’s
harness was
discovered
Police believe Nicola Bulley may have fallen into the river. Her partner, Paul Ansell, said he would never lose hope
was wearing an ankle-
length quilted gilet and a
black Engelbert Strauss
coat beneath it, as well
as black jeans and wel-
lington boots.
The last confirmed
sighting of her was at
9.10am by another dog
walker. At the time she
was logged into a work
Teams call. The call ended
at 9.30am with her still
logged on. Her mobile
phone and the dog’s lead
to licence conditions. Glitter, whose re-
al name is Paul Gadd, was at the height
of his fame when he preyed on his vul-
nerable victims who thought no one
would believe their claims over that of a
celebrity.
He attacked two girls, aged 12 and 13,
after inviting them backstage to his
dressing room, and isolating them from
their mothers.
His third victim was less than ten
years old when he crept into her bed
and tried to rape her in 1975.
The allegations came to light nearly
40 years later when Glitter became the
first person to be arrested under Opera-
tion Yewtree — the investigation by the
Metropolitan Police in the wake of the
Fleetwood St Michael's
Previous routes recorded
on Wyre
on Strava fitness app
M6
Blackpool
M55 3 miles
St Michael’s
on Wyre
200ft
Riv
e r Wy r e
School
and harness were found at about
9.35am on a bench at the top of a steep
bank overlooking the river. Police say
mobile phone data suggested that her
phone was on the bench at 9.20am. This
leaves a ten-minute gap between then
and 9.30, when she failed to log out of
the Teams call.
Riley said that dashcam, CCTV and
doorbell footage had allowed detect-
ives to “eliminate any trace so far of
Nicola having left the riverside”.
She said, however, that there re-
mained a CCTV blind spot between the
field and Garstang Lane, where she
Jimmy Savile scandal.
Sentencing the singer, Judge Alistair
McCreath said that all the victims were
profoundly affected by the abuse. He
said it was “difficult to overstate the
gravity of this dreadful behaviour”
when referring to the assault on one
victim, telling Glitter he was able to
attack another only because of his
fame.
The court was told that there was no
evidence Glitter had atoned for his ac-
tions after he was found guilty of one
count of attempted rape, one count of
unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl
under 13, and four counts of indecent
assault. He later lost a Court of Appeal
challenge against his conviction.
Upper
Lower Field
Field
Area Bulley is suspected to
have fallen in
River depth approximately 15ft
Average water temperature 5C
could conceivably have left the area,
and asked for any dashcam footage so
as to rule the possibility out.
Emma White, a friend of Bulley, said
yesterday that one of the missing
mother’s daughters had said that her
hair was not “quite right” because it was
different from how “Mummy does it”.
“We can’t give them answers,” White
said. “As a family, they are being so
strong for these little girls.”
Detectives questioned as a potential
witness a woman in a red coat who was
recorded on CCTV walking a dog near
where Bulley was last seen. Christine
Glitter’s fall from grace occurred
years earlier after he admitted pos-
sessing 4,000 child sex abuse
images and was jailed for four
months in 1999.
In 2002 he was expelled
from Cambodia amid re-
ports of sex crime allega-
tions, and in March 2006
he was convicted of sexu-
ally abusing two girls,
aged 10 and 11, in Vietnam
and spent two and a half
years in jail.
A Ministry of Justice
Gary Glitter was released
from prison yesterday
5
News
Nicola Bulley’s movements
Officers investigating the
disappearance of Nicola Bulley, 45,
believe she may have fallen into the
river in a “not suspicious but tragic
case of a missing person”.
A ten-minute period where her
movements are unknown remains
vital to understanding what
happened.
8.43am
Bulley walks along a path by the
River Wyre after dropping her two
children off at school.
8:47am
A dog walker who knew Bulley saw
her in the lower field with her
springer spaniel, Willow. Their pets
played together before the witness
left via a nearby footpath.
8:53am
Bulley sent an email to her boss.
9:01am
She joined a Microsoft Teams work
meeting.
9:10am
Bulley was seen in the upper fields,
with Willow not in a harness and not
on a lead. A woman told The Times
her husband saw Bulley around this
time looking “completely normal”.
9:20am
Signal analysis suggests her phone
was on a bench on a steep
riverbank.
9:30am
The work meeting ended but
Bulley’s phone remained dialled into
the call.
9:33am
A woman who owns a nearby
caravan site found Willow running
between the gates, the field, and the
bench where the phone was found.
She also found a dog harness
between the bench and the river
bank.
10:50am
Bulley’s children’s school was
notified after the witness met
people who said the pet belonged to
the mortgage adviser. The school
then rang Paul Ansell, 44, Bulley’s
partner, who alerted the police.
Bowman, 67, said that she had been on
the path leading from the road to the
field at 9.20am, ruling out the possi-
bility that Bulley could have walked
back the way she came from her car.
A representative of the St Michael’s
Angling Association, which manages
the riverbank in the village, described
the stretch of river where Bulley might
have fallen in as “very dangerous” due
to its depth and the water temperature
at this time of year.
He said that the depth at that point
was roughly 15ft. The average water
temperature is 5C.
spokesman said: “Sex offenders
like Paul Gadd are closely moni-
tored by the police and Probation
Service and face some of the
strictest licence conditions,
including being fitted
with a GPS tag.
“If the offender
breaches these condi-
tions at any point, they
can go back behind
bars.
“We’ve already in-
troduced tougher sen-
tences for the worst of-
fenders and ended the
automatic halfway re-
lease for serious crimes.”
6 Saturday February 4 2023 | the times

News
News Politics

Raab was urged to change his

Chris Smyth Whitehall Editor
Matt Dathan Home Affairs Editor
Henry Zeffman Associate Political Editor
The heads of all three government
departments run by Dominic Raab
warned him about his treatment of
officials.
An inquiry into bullying has been
told that senior civil servants repeat-
edly urged the deputy prime minister
over four years to moderate the way he
dealt with his staff.
The permanent secretaries at the
Department for Exiting the European
Union, the Foreign Office and the
Ministry of Justice are said to have
raised informal concerns with Raab
about the effect his behaviour was
having on junior civil servants.
Adam Tolley KC, who is leading an
investigation into eight formal com-
plaints of bullying, has heard that civil
servants were assured their concerns
had been raised by the top civil servant
in each department. The warnings are
said to have made little difference, with
a source saying “he could not be made
to see the impact of his behaviour”.
Allies of Raab dispute that perman-
ent secretaries raised specific claims or
issues about his behaviour, arguing that
he would have asked for those to be
investigated and saying there was no
record of any cautions. The warnings
are all thought to have been verbal and
it is not known how insistent the civil
servants were towards Raab. Some in-
volved in the case believe that some of
the suggestions were “rather meek”
because permanent secretaries “knew
no one had their back” at No 10.
Raab entered the cabinet as Brexit
secretary under Theresa May. He was
appointed foreign secretary by Boris
Johnson, who stood by Priti Patel after
his ethics adviser concluded that she
had bullied civil servants.
Raab is alleged to have belittled staff
and made repeated unreasonable de-
mands that left some suffering mental
health crises. He denies bullying.
Philip Rycroft, permanent secretary
at the Brexit department under Raab, is
thought to have been the first senior
civil servant to try to talk to him about
his treatment of staff.
Rycroft told Times Radio recently he
was “pleased the investigation is hap-
pening” and resolving the issue was
“long overdue”. After Raab became for-
eign secretary, staff were told Lord
McDonald of Salford, the Foreign
Office permanent secretary, tried to
talk to Raab informally. He told Times
Radio last year: “People felt demeaned
and I tried to have that conversation
with him.” He said Raab was “as abra-
sive and controlling with junior minis-
ters and senior officials as he was with
his private secretaries”.
A senior civil servant who has
worked closely with Raab said: “Even if
Tolley concludes that his behaviour
wasn’t deliberate, permanent secretar-
ies at previous departments like Rycroft
and McDonald will have told Tolley
that they told him to change his behav-
iour and he clearly didn’t.”
After Raab became justice secretary,
civil servants made a written complaint
about him in March last year. Tolley has
been told staff were assured that Anto-
nia Romeo, permanent secretary at the
Ministry of Justice, spoke to Raab about
his behaviour. She is understood to
have raised the issue when Raab was re-
appointed by Rishi Sunak last October.
Allies of Raab insisted that these con-
versations were mainly about staffing
in the department.
As The Times disclosed yesterday,
The Ministry of Justice complaint was
raised before Simon Case, the cabinet
secretary, who was backed by the prime
minister yesterday. A Downing Street
spokesman did not deny Case was in-
formed but insisted that Sunak “was
not aware of any formal complaints”
when he appointed Raab to his cabinet.
The spokesman added: “The prime
minister has full confidence in Simon
Case and he is continuing to work
closely with the prime minister.”
Angela Rayner, the Labour deputy
leader, said: “No wonder Rishi Sunak
refuses to say what he knew when he
appointed Dominic Raab as his deputy.
If his own civil service chief was already
aware of a formal complaint, it is all the
more pressing that the prime minister
explains what he knew and when, and
what questions he asked before choos-
ing the man he’d trust to lead this coun-
try in his absence.”
Raab has vowed to “thoroughly rebut
and refute” the allegations against him
and has insisted that he “behaved pro-
fessionally throughout”.
Rishi Sunak welcomes children and teachers from Hunton and Arrathorne primary school, in his Richmond constituency in

quested further details about why Raab he would have worked out that he

He relishes the imbalance was unhappy or whom he wanted in the

meeting, they would be told they would
find out at the meeting.
Sometimes, a source claimed, amid
wasn’t having the right sort of impact
on people around him. But it just didn’t
sit within his mental map. It was all
about him — he’s the boss, he’s the big

of power, say civil servants frantic preparations to deal with a wide

Matt Dathan, Henry Zeffman
Chris Smyth
When Dominic Raab was sacked by
Liz Truss as justice secretary on Sep-
tember 6, the department was “breath-
ing a collective sigh of relief”, one senior
official put it.
“Champagne corks are metaphori-
cally popping in the private office,” they
messaged at the time, referring to the
90-strong team supporting the justice
secretary.
Seven weeks later, Raab had re-
turned. “Anxiety levels shot through
the roof,” another civil servant in the
department said.
Anonymous accounts given to The
Times by several senior and junior civil
servants in the Ministry of Justice
(MoJ) have explained why.
One member of staff who has since
left the department said they regularly
witnessed staff in his private office “in
floods of tears” and “physically shaken”
after meetings and interactions with
Raab.
Raab denies the bullying complaints
made against him.
“He was known to be very, very
abrasive and leaving people in tears,”
the official said. “I saw him being very,
very aggressive to senior officials on
more than one occasion. He wasn’t as
bad a bully as other bullies but this is
more about his behaviour catching up
with him. I’ve sat in rooms with secre-
taries of state being very demanding
but in a more palatable way and you
would see people physically shaken.”
Civil servants said that even when
Raab did not leave staff in tears he
relished the “imbalance of power”
between him as a secretary of state and
officials — often in their 20s and at the
start of their careers.
Raab, who officials say works in an
“analogue” way relying on paper rather
than computers, will often demand that
a junior member of staff in a meeting
“immediately” produce an old docu-
ment, such as a previously received
submission or a piece of advice given to
another minister on the topic.
If an official cannot produce the
paper straight away, sources say, Raab
will then stop the meeting, making
everybody sit in silence, until the civil
servant has returned having found the
document in a filing cabinet.
“He won’t even acknowledge what’s
happened,” a source said. “He’ll just
grab the paper and then carry on. It’s
humiliating.”
Raab’s spokesman insisted that he
was never aggressive or demeaning to
officials and said it was reasonable for
him to expect to be provided with the
necessary papers for any particular
meeting.
Other officials described routinely
arriving in the office to be told that
Raab was unhappy about something
and that he wanted a meeting later that
day. But they said that when they re-
range of possible things Raab might
have been angered by, his office would
then suddenly call and bring forward
the meeting by hours — saying it must
cheese and things had to be done prop-
erly and right for him.
“Some people just enjoy the power. It
wasn’t shouting, throwing things
about the room, it was more in-
take place at that very moment. “It’s a sidious. Particularly with junior
theatrical process which he clearly staff he could be very icy. He’d
enjoys,” a source said. be given a piece of paper and
The unpredictability in Raab’s there would be a silence, and
mood and how he would react he’d say ‘This isn’t good
in briefings kept staff “walk- enough’.
ing on eggshells” the whole “The official would
time. A senior official who be stammering ‘er, er’
worked under Raab diplo- and he’d be saying
matically described him as ‘This isn’t right, it’s
“a particular personality”. not good enough, I
Attempting to explain can’t accept this’.
his behaviour, they said: You don’t have to be
“He probably went home physically aggres-
in the evening thinking sive for people to be
that he’d stood his scared.”
ground when things The official likened
went wrong and it was all Raab’s staff to the child-
in a day’s work. If he had ren of abusive parents, say-
had any sort of empathy ing they were always in
“fight or flight” mode.
Justice department staff Junior ministers who have
said anxiety levels “shot worked under Raab have
through the roof” when privately complained about
Dominic Raab returned his “undermining behaviour”,
the times | Saturday February 4 2023
conduct by three top officials
North Yorkshire. They posed outside Downing Street for the No 10 photographer
such as always referring to them as
“JMs” in meetings and never giving
them credit but often happy to blame
them when things went wrong.
One said: “He was always happy to
throw us under the bus when some-
thing in the department was going
wrong and distanced himself from the
issue. But when there was a positive
story to tell, he was front and centre of
it. He was the first to pat himself on the
back.”
Raab’s diary is managed to the min-
ute, which is not unusual for a secretary
of state, and often includes five-minute
slots with officials to squeeze in as
much as possible. There must always be
time for a visit to the MoJ gym in the
department’s basement.
Raab is also very particular about the
formatting of submissions he receives
from civil servants. At multiple depart-
ments he has insisted they be kept to
just two sides of A4 paper. He also re-
quires a senior civil servant to sign in
the margin that they have checked the
document’s spelling and grammar
before it has been sent to him. “He was
obsessed with the format of letters,” one
official said.
Some staff sympathised with Raab’s
penchant for formatting, saying it
helped them know what to produce and
avoided ambiguity.
Raab’s allies believe that his ever-
green professionalism explains why he
so often clashes with civil servants. He
appears to act very differently when
surrounded by Tory MPs, including
Eddie Hughes, who has worked as a
parliamentary private secretary for
him during two separate spells. Hughes
said he found it “hard to reconcile my
experience of him” with the allegations
he had heard made by officials.
“I find it strange that others can have
such a different experience where he
transforms into a horrible guy because
I haven’t experienced a hint of that,” he
said.
Other Tory MPs have publicly
defended Raab’s conduct, including
Helen Grant, who worked with him at
the Foreign Office, who described him
as a “very decent, hard working minis-
ter with high professional standards
and a solid work ethic” and claimed he
had “zero tolerance for bullying”.
Earlier this week Bob Seely said Raab
was a “highly professional, decent,
competent person”, adding: “I found
him very decent to work with and
someone who behaves with integrity.”
Whether staff in the MoJ will be pop-
ping those metaphorical champagne
corks again soon will be up to Adam
Tolley KC, and ultimately Rishi Sunak.
But for now, the champagne has been
put on ice.]
Johnson and Truss foster
hopes of shock comeback
Sunak micromanages
crises as predecessors
circle, Steven Swinford,
Oliver Wright and
Henry Zeffman write
On Wednesday the great and good of
the Conservative Party gathered for a
1920s-themed evening at an exclusive
club in west London.
More than 500 MPs, peers, donors
and grandees were there to mark the
centenary of the backbench 1922
Committee for a night of champagne,
cocktails, flappers and a jazz band.
Two senior figures were conspicuous
by their absence. Boris Johnson and Liz
Truss were not at the Hurlingham Club
to hear Sir Graham Brady, the
committee’s chairman, tell guests that
he was hoping for a “considerably
quieter year”.
Rishi Sunak said that while prime
ministers “might not always like
hearing” what Brady had to say — the
chairman has told three prime minis-
ters in three years that their time is up
— “you should always listen to it”.
Yet although Johnson and Truss
decided against attending, neither is
planning a quiet political retirement or
to make life easy for their successor.
This weekend Truss will make her
first public intervention since her
premiership ended, with an opinion
piece calling for tax cuts and
supply-side reforms. Her allies say she
stands by her prescription for growth
but accepts that she tried to do too
much as prime minister. “She thinks
she lost the battle but this is a long
game,” one ally said.
Her supporters are mobilising,
resurrecting the old WhatsApp groups
from her leadership campaign. Her
premiership may be consigned to
history but the views she represented,
particularly on tax cuts, remain part of
the Tories’ DNA.
Truss is particularly entrenched in
her view that the Office for Budget
Responsibility, the body that makes
official forecasts, has too much power.
“She thinks they can make and break
governments, that we’ve outsourced
decision-making and economic policy
to an unelected body,” the ally said.
Truss, they claimed, still held out
“half a hope” that she could lead the
Tories in opposition, despite the
turmoil of her premiership. “She thinks
it would probably have to be someone
from the existing intake,” they said.
Johnson has also not given up the
hope of a political return and has been
on the other side of the Atlantic openly
questioning his successor’s decision not
to send aircraft to defend Ukraine.
In an interview with Nadine Dorries,
one of his closest supporters, on
TalkTV, Johnson piled pressure on
Sunak over tax. “I have no doubt that
when the time comes the government
will make sure that they start to reduce
the tax burden and get the economy
growing again,” he said.
Johnson is keeping a close watch over
what he regards as his legacy,
particularly on Brexit. As the EU and
UK come ever closer to a deal on the
Northern Ireland protocol Sunak is
Nadine Dorries interviewed Boris
Johnson on TalkTV last night
‘I’m learning
to draw cows’
Oliver Wright Policy Editor
Rishi Sunak needs to cut taxes and
“get the economy growing again”,
Boris Johnson said yesterday as he
increased political pressure on the
prime minister before the budget.
In an interview with the Tory
MP Nadine Dorries on TalkTV
Johnson said he had “no doubt”
his successor would reduce the
burden of taxes on families which,
he suggested, would be critical to
victory. He also took a swipe at Liz
Truss and Tory MPs for ousting
him, saying that when he left the
public finances had been “pretty
robust” with scope for spending.
But Johnson insisted that the
Tories were still in a good position
to win the next election, saying Sir
Keir Starmer was no Tony Blair.
“Old Sir Crasharooney Snoozefest,
the human bollard — Keir
Starmer, that is — he thinks that
he’s going to get people to vote
Labour just by standing there and
doing nothing,” Johnson told his
former cabinet colleague. “It’s not
going to happen. The economy
will start to improve, inflation will
come down, people will reward the
Conservative Party, they will
reward the government for being
sensible, cutting taxes, for getting
things done that they need done.”
Johnson likened President
Putin’s war against Ukraine to an
act of terrorism. “He has no
respect for the laws of war or
human life. So we have to give
[Ukrainians] the kit they need to
send Putin back whence he came.”
He was also quizzed by Dorries
on his love of the Pink Panther
films and said he was now learning
how to draw cows. “I’m filling a
book now with cows,” he said.
“Pictures of parts of cows, and a
lot of whole cows and my
objective is to master the cow.”
likely to have to be careful to keep
Johnson onside as he tries to manage
Eurosceptic Tory MPs.
Sunak, for his part, is determined to
avoid the political “noise” of his
predecessors and focus on the priorities
that he believes he will be judged on at
the next election.
In the past week he has been finalis-
ing legislation to deal with small boats
in the Channel, which is likely to be
published this month. The legislation,
which will enable the government to
7
News
News
detain and remove all those who cross
the Channel, goes far further than any-
thing attempted before. He believes
that it will help placate the concerns of
those on the Tory right.
He is also holding firm on tax cuts
alongside his chancellor, Jeremy Hunt.
At a meeting with Tory MPs this
week, Hunt was pressed to cut taxes in
his March budget and for the govern-
ment to offer more of a “hope narra-
tive”. Hunt stuck to his guns, insisting
that there would be no extra money to
play with at the budget and that give-
aways were unaffordable.
Concerns are growing among minis-
ters about Sunak’s vision and his style of
government. “We’re in real danger of
heading towards the election without
any real vision of what the country
should be,” one minister said. “What-
ever his failings, Boris understood that
you needed to have a broad vision and
be able to sell it. What is Rishi’s? It can’t
purely be competence.”
They complained at Sunak’s tenden-
cy to want to “micromanage” every
problem rather than set a broad policy
and trust his ministers to get on with it.
“Too many decisions are being held
up in Downing Street because nothing
can be signed off unless Rishi has
looked at it in detail,” one senior
minister said.
“No matter how hard he works, the
government just can’t function like
that. He can’t be the immigration
minister, the health secretary and the
chancellor as well as the prime minister.
It just doesn’t work.”
Others said the same characteristic
meant that Sunak was not fleet of foot
enough to deal quickly and decisively
with the problems and crises that rou-
tinely crop up for a prime minister.
They pointed in particular to revela-
tions about Dominic Raab, the justice
secretary, and the delay in sacking
Nadhim Zahawi, warning that Sunak
was damaging his reputation by being
too slow to act.
“The whole thing has been allowed to
become toxic,” one government figure
said. “It is not just damaging Sunak but
has become corrosive within the
government.”
One minister, a Raab supporter,
suggested that one option might be to
send the justice secretary on an anger
management course. “I worked with
Dom and don’t think he’s a bully but he
has real anger management issues. You
used to see it in meetings. He would
suddenly go stiff and you could see it
rising up in him. It was like a red mist,”
they said.
A poll carried out by The Times to
mark Sunak’s first 100 days in office
showed he was being damaged by the
scandals. It found that while nearly half
of voters had no strong opinion of him
shortly after he had taken office, that
had since fallen to less than 20 per cent
For now though, Downing Street
insists that it still has time to turn things
around or, as Sunak put it on
Wednesday: “Predictions in politics are
dangerous as we are going to show
some people at the next election.”
In an interview with TalkTV this
week, Sunak said his message to people
was to “have hope because I can make
it better, I will make it better”.
For many of his own MPs and
ministers, however, the jury is still out.
8 Saturday February 4 2023 | the times

News
News Politics

EU block
on house
‘fit for
royalty’

P
lans for the new
European
Union
ambassador to
Britain to rent a
Millionaires’ Row
property in west London
have been shot down
(Bruno Waterfield
writes).
Europe’s diplomatic
service had intended to
lease a lavish property
on Upper Cheyne Row,
in Chelsea, for Pedro
Serrano de Haro, who
was chief of staff for his
fellow Spaniard, Josep
Borrell, the EU’s foreign
policy chief.
Rent for the four-
storey, five-bedroom
townhouse would have
been more than
€1 million (£900,000) a bedroom house on Politico website. He The five-bedroom Chelsea in Whistler Square, said: “The EEAS kept
year. Serrano de Haro, Millionaires’ Row to might have been townhouse. Below: Pedro which is being sold by its claiming how important
62, is married with two house a middle-aged referring to Fernando Serrano de Haro landlord. it is to be able to host a
daughters who have left couple without kids,” a VII, the 19th century with Keir Starmer The EEAS sought a dinner with all 27 EU
home. An EU official diplomat said. “The Spanish king whose bigger house because ambassadors. But surely
said diplomats from ambassador intended to gold-encrusted lavatory the Whistler Square it would be cheaper to
member states be housed there is is on display at the property could host no rent out a restaurant for
“completely shot down” Borrell’s former [chief of Prado museum in more than eight guests the two occasions a year
the plan at a budget staff], so there’s a whiff Madrid. for dinner, that such dinners are
meeting on Thursday. of nepotism involved as Upper Cheyne Row preventing organised?”
So heated were the well.” was chosen by the the EU Serrano de Haro has
talks during a cost of Other diplomats said EEAS because ambassador replaced João Vale de
living crisis that other the house was more of its from Almeida. His residence
envoys hinted at suitable for royalty than “location, hosting is still on the table, with
“nepotism” in the choice a public servant. “It visibility . . . meals for EEAS officials stressing
of residence by the EU seems golden toilets are and size”. the bloc’s that the discussion is not
diplomatic corps, the the only thing missing in The 27 unusual. An official said:
EEAS. this regal residence property is members “Building projects are
“Member states are where the ambassador close to the in London. very thoroughly
not ready to fork out a could live like a Spanish present One analysed by member
million a year for a five- king,” an official told the rented residence, diplomat states.”

UK has gone back to square one on Brexit

Ireland’s settlement now gives
Paul Goodman nationalists enough of what they
Comment want to make the preservation of the
UK more likely.
Furthermore, the referendum
will continue to seek the road to ever-
closer union. So the UK will neither
gain nor lose from the EU’s recent
programme for debt mutualisation. I
believe that the balance of the
prepared the way for a crushing
Conservative election win.
Fourth, had Johnson become
Conservative leader in 2016, much the
same deal would surely have been
Brexit has undoubtedly, in one
specific sense, not delivered. Liberal
Brexiteers wanted lower taxes, freer
trade, less regulation and the scaling-
back of public spending on healthcare

O
n the day of the EU
referendum in 2016, Lord
Ashcroft conducted a poll
of more than 12,000
voters. It found the main
reason why people backed Brexit was
“the principle that decisions about the
UK should be taken in the UK”.
Either you agree with that take or
you don’t.
Nonetheless, leaving the EU has
advantages, political and economic.
On the political — or, strictly
speaking, constitutional — side, the
pluses outweigh the minuses to date.
The withdrawal agreement
established new barriers between
Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
But in Scotland it is precisely the
fear of a new border, and its
consequences, that has helped to
swing the balance of floating Scottish
opinion against separatism, at least so
far. And Northern Ireland has been a
special case since the Good Friday
agreement of 1998, with its north-
south bodies.
Or more accurately, since 1985, and
the Anglo-Irish agreement, which
gave Dublin a formal say in the
government of Northern Ireland. Or
indeed since the latter’s creation,
when power was devolved to
Stormont. Arguably, Northern
calmed public debate on legal
migration. The second main reason
for Brexit had been, according to that
Ashcroft poll, that it offered the best
chance “for the UK to regain control
over immigration and its own
borders”. That it has done so in
principle has taken the sting out of it
not doing so in practice, at least for
the past three years.
On the economy, the minuses
outweigh the pluses. It was unlikely to
be otherwise given the erection of
new trade barriers between the UK
and its neighbouring market, but even
so there have been gains. Could we
have pursued the Covid vaccine
rollout from within the EU? Yes. Is it
likely that we would have done? No.
Furthermore, losers are noisier
than winners. For example, a small
bank that gains from the relaxing of
ring-fencing capital rules may quietly
pocket its gain, while a small firm
whose manufactured exports now
meet EU customs controls will
vehemently complain on Twitter.
Britain’s economy since Brexit was,
until the middle of last year at least,
growing faster than Germany’s. It will,
as the economist Ryan Bourne has
argued, take decades not years to
determine the economic impact of
Brexit. During these decades, the EU
argument on Brexit, even if the
principle of self-government doesn’t
persuade you, supports the decision to
have left. But that is a far cry from
claiming that all has gone well.
Voting to leave the EU was buying
a pig in a poke. It couldn’t be
otherwise. The referendum
mechanism is well established in
British politics. But people couldn’t
give their verdict on a deal because
none had been negotiated. This
turned out to have baleful
consequences.
First, David Cameron’s government
willed the end of a referendum
without preparing the means for
leaving. This was irresponsible.
Second, Vote Leave wasn’t a political
party, let alone the governing one. So
it wasn’t in place after the referendum
to implement its programme.
Third, the narrow margin by which
voters backed Brexit left Britain’s
negotiating position weaker than it
might have been. The gutsy option
would have been no deal. But the
genius of Boris Johnson in 2019 was
to recognise that public support for it
was weak. His agreement with the EU
dished the Liberal Democrats, who
had prepared an election campaign
against no deal. More importantly, it
gave Labour nowhere to go, and
agreed — but three years earlier.
Instead, the space that Vote Leave
had left was filled by Theresa May,
whose deal never gained the consent
of parliament.
Some of the actors, like Rory
Stewart, opposed no deal; others, like
Dominic Grieve, were working to stop
Brexit altogether. The tables were
turned on the Brexiteers. Before the
referendum, we Conservative ones
were the outsiders, campaigning
against the government. After it, we
were the government.
But to be in office isn’t necessarily
to be in power. At a stroke, Britain’s
entire pro-EU ascendancy — its
foreign affairs elites, its civil service
establishment, the unions, the big
banks, most MPs, most academics,
most bishops, the lobbyocracy — had
been dramatically upended.
The blow to its sense of entitlement
to rule and how class in Britain
should work was hurtful.
The wheeling of John Bercow, the
dealings of Brenda Hale. Neither of
these stopped Britain leaving the EU.
Often, there was less to the
opponents of Brexit than met the eye.
If you’ve ever seen Steve Bray, you’ll
take the point. But though the elites
didn’t get their way here, they left
their mark abroad.
and pensions, without which Brexit
cannot be delivered.
Conservative Brexiteers, whether
with a small c or without, were
preponderantly older people. These
voters, by and large, cling to their
triple-locked state pensions, free TV
licences and free bus passes — plus
the NHS. Who can blame them? But
the lower taxes that so many want
don’t fit with the government supply
that they also demand. Perhaps this
circle can’t be squared.
Nonetheless, it’s the duty of our
leaders to try, and Johnson, having
won Brexit, didn’t seem to know what
he wanted to do with it. Liz Truss did,
but couldn’t. Now we’re back to
square one, three years after having
left. In short, we haven’t been well led
since leaving the EU — indeed, for
quite some time.
All the same, the point of Brexit
was elsewhere. We are masters of our
own fate, insofar as a sovereign
country can be. We can no longer
claim that our failings are the fault of
those pesky continentals. If we don’t
succeed, we will have no one to blame
but ourselves.
This article first appeared on the
Conservative Home website
the times | Saturday February 4 2023 9

News

Holiday firms
fly high amid
stampede for
hottest deals
Ben Clatworthy
Transport Correspondent
Holiday companies are reporting
record bookings as Britons scramble to
lock in trips early and the world opens
up for the first summer in three years.
The prospect of soaring prices closer
to departure prompted record numbers
of bookings last month.
Numerous airlines, tour operators
and travel agents are reporting their
best ever start to a year, surpassing pre-
pandemic records.
January is typically the busiest
month for summer travel bookings.
Barrhead Travel, an online travel agent,
said its sales were up 25 per cent com-
pared with 2020, when it reported
record bookings.
Antonio Fellino, the managing
director of Travel Republic, one of the
UK’s biggest tour operators, said
January felt the “closest to a normal sale
period since before the pandemic”. He
added: “We’ve seen significant growth
in destinations that are perennially
popular with our customers, such as
Morocco and Thailand, so they’re
looking to go to places which are
familiar to them.”
Fellino said that all-inclusive
holidays accounted for 42 per cent of
bookings as cost-conscious Britons
looked to lock in the cost of travel later
in the year. He said: “With so much eco-
nomic anxiety, the increase we’ve seen
for all-inclusive holidays is unsurpris-
ing, with families wanting to be secure
in knowing exactly what they’ll be
spending when they go away. It’s cer-
tainly the case that people are trying to
insulate themselves from unforeseen
costs when abroad.” All-inclusive holi-
We’re all off to . . .
The most popular flight searches for
travel this year, according to
Skyscanner.
1 Spain
2 United States
3 Italy
4 “Everywhere”*
5 India
*Skyscanner allows users to search
for the cheapest flights on specific
dates to “Everywhere”, sorting
results by price
days tend to record a resurgence at
times of economic uncertainty. Their
popularity soared in the months
following the 2008 financial crash and
after the 2016 EU referendum, when
the value of the pound plummeted.
Jacqueline Dobson, of Barrhead
Travel, said: “Demand for travel is
higher than ever and we expect
momentum will remain strong
during February.
“There is a real confidence in the
market — customers are decisive and
determined to lock in their getaways as
soon as possible. Getting value for
money is top priority, which is why
we’re seeing all-inclusive emerge as the
most popular holiday type.”
Last month Ryanair reported its
busiest ever weekend, with more than
two million seats sold between January
7 and 8. The airline, which is based in
Dublin, said average fares between
October and December were 14 per residents have dismissed
cent above 2019 levels.
Easyjet said ticket yields for bookings
Town’s more concerns that its tourism
boom will end. Some
in the quarter to December 31 were up
21 per cent year on year, highlighting
than Happy claim that Hebden Bridge
will remain a landmark
the increased cost of flying. Airlines
insist that fares have been pushed up by
with Valley long after the credits roll.
Les Leedham, 54, the
the soaring cost of jet fuel and because
supply has had not bounced back
tourist boom manager of Something
Sweet, a confectionery
post-pandemic, allowing them to or decades, the shop, said the show had
charge more.
Adventure and luxury operators say
increased prices have done little to dent
demand.
Wild Frontiers, which specialises in
adventure travel, said it recorded its
best month for sales in January — out-
F picturesque
market town of
Hebden Bridge in
West Yorkshire
drew in visitors from
Manchester and Leeds
who were keen to escape
rejuvenated the town.
“We’ve been here for 15
years, and we’re very
much part of the town,”
he said. “Happy Valley is
all the customers talk
about. Everyone loves it.
Hebden Bridge attracts
visitors from all over the
world thanks to the popular
BBC crime series Happy
Valley, starring Sarah
Lancashire, below
winning drama had
helped them through a
difficult winter.
Rachel Langdale, 31,
the owner of a second-
hand clothes shop, said:
stripping January 2020 by 20 per cent. the hustle and bustle of We’ve had Sarah “Everything that Sarah
Intrepid Travel, another adventure op- the city to watch the Lancashire in a few Lancashire is in is great,
erator, also reported its best month. sunset from the banks of times. She loves liquorice, and the show has been
Hazel McGuire, the general manager the River Calder (Ali and she really supports really positive for the
of Intrepid Travel in the UK, said there Mitib writes). independent shops. shop. We’ve never seen so
had been an increase in the number of Now tourists come “Hebden Bridge was a many people coming
people wanting to “tick off those buck- from as far as New mill town, but it’s clear through. During the
et-list destinations and once-in-a-life- Zealand as fans of Happy that tourists love to be week, it’s still very, very
time experiences” after more than two Valley, a gritty BBC1 here. It’s a bit avant- quiet but we’ve had the
years when most long-haul travel was crime drama, flock to the garde now. I had a best January ever.”
off limits. cobbled streets where woman from New Happy Valley is one of
The company said its top Catherine Cawood, a Zealand walk in and ask several Yorkshire-based
destinations last month included steely police sergeant me about Happy Valley. series written by Sally
Vietnam, Morocco, India, Jordan and played by Sarah The series shows how Wainwright, a
Ecuador. Wild Frontiers said that Nile Lancashire, hunted down beautiful the town is.” scriptwriter from
cruises in Egypt, desert adventures in murderers, drug dealers Some businesses in Huddersfield.
Oman and trips to Uzbekistan were all and human traffickers. Hebden Bridge, which
proving popular. It said there had also As the town gears up has about 4,500
been a huge rebound in bookings to for the final episode of residents, said the
India after e-visas for British passen- the show tomorrow, popularity of the Bafta-
gers were re-introduced.

Pandemic showed Heathrow must expand, says departing boss

Ben Clatworthy
Building a third runway at Heathrow is
more important than ever after the
pandemic and Brexit, the airport’s
outgoing chief executive has said.
John Holland-Kaye said it is “so
critical we have an expanded Heathrow
to connect all of the country”, adding:
“It is so important we have a leading
hub airport in the UK, which is why we
need to get on and expand Heathrow.”
He was speaking yesterday at the
Airport Operators Association confer-
ence, hours before he tendered his res-
ignation. He will step down later in the
year once a successor is appointed.
Holland-Kaye said the airport would
“say more about [expansion] later this
year” but insisted that following the
pandemic and Brexit additional capa-
city was needed.
He said: “Longer term we are looking
at how to expand. How critical this is
came to light over the pandemic. We’ve
seen the importance of cargo and as the
biggest port we kept the UK supplied
with PPE during the pandemic. We saw
just how much opportunity there was,
not just for connecting to new markets
like India, but also to UK regions
which hadn’t been able to get [flights]
into Heathrow because there wasn’t
enough capacity. [The pandemic] really
showed the opportunity connecting
all of Britain to the growing markets of
the world.”
The Times understands that the air-
port is currently finalising an internal
review into expansion and is in the pro-
cess of deciding when to apply for per-
mission with the Planning Inspectorate.
The Supreme Court gave Heathrow
the green light to plan for the £14 billion
project in December 2020, overturning
a Court of Appeal ruling earlier that
year that government backing for the
two-mile runway in 2018 was unlawful
because it failed to take account of
climate-change commitments.
The judgment of the panel of five
Supreme Court justices paved the way
for the airport to apply for a develop-
ment consent order — planning ap-
proval for large projects. At the time the
airport said the decision was the “right
result for the country”. The govern-
ment’s airport national policy state-
ment, the legislation that gives Heath-
row outline consent, was overwhelm-
ingly approved by MPs in 2018, with 415
voting in favour and 119 against.
Last October, the then prime minis-
ter Liz Truss indicated that she would
back expansion, steering a different
course from Boris Johnson, who re-
peatedly refused to back the expansion
fearing revolt in his Uxbridge and
South Ruislip constituency, which is
close to Heathrow in west London.
10
News
News British Gas
Heating was cut off when
meters couldn’t be installed
Paul Morgan-Bentley
Head of Investigations
Debt collectors working for British Gas
have admitted disconnecting heating
or electricity for families if they were
unable to fit a prepayment meter, The
Times can reveal.
A manager at Arvato Financial Solu-
tions, a company that collects debts for
British Gas, told an undercover report-
er that pay-as-you-go meters could not
be installed at some homes so agents
should cut people off entirely.
“We were pushing them [British Gas]
and saying grow a pair of balls and just
f***ing disconnect these people
because they will stop doing it,” he said.
“And now with British Gas, we’ll dis-
connect them.”
Although energy suppliers are tech-
nically allowed to disconnect resi-
dential customers, the practice is meant
to be rare, with clients instead forced on
to prepayment meters.
Most energy companies routinely
disconnect only commercial properties
Saturday February 4 2023 | the times
because of debts. The debt collection
manager, who said he had previously
been employed directly by British Gas,
also told of using underhand tactics to
help staff pass tests to ensure they were
checking for customer vulnerabilities.
The findings have been passed to
Ofgem, the energy regulator, which
announced legal action yesterday
against British Gas following an investi-
gation by The Times.
British Gas has been banned from
breaking into homes and force-fitting
prepayment meters until it can prove it
is complying with its legal obligations.
All other big energy companies have
agreed to suspend the practice.
In light of the Times investigation
calls are growing for a government
review and legal change to ban the
practice and protect vulnerable clients
long term.
A Times reporter worked undercover
for Arvato last month, collecting debt
on behalf of energy companies. British
Gas was found to be sending agents to
break into homes and force-fit prepay-
ment meters even when clients were
known to be vulnerable. The reporter
was on teams sent to force-fit meters at
the homes of a 77-year-old man, a
single father with three children and a
mother with a four-week-old baby.
Job notes showed families forced on
to pay-as-you-go meters recently in-
cluded a woman with “severe mental
health bipolar” and another described
as living alone with a heart condition.
During the reporter’s interview for
the role, an Arvato manager said British
Gas fully disconnected supplies to
some houses after obtaining warrants
from courts. These were for homes
where the energy supply was larger
than usual, for instance in big houses.
The larger supply made it impossible to
fit a prepayment meter, he said.
The Arvato manager said the suppli-
er only started disconnecting these
families in recent years and each visit
had to be approved by a senior staff
member at British Gas. He said: “We’ve
been doing that for five or six years now
— the disconnection visits on domes-
tic. Never used to touch them.”
Alfonso, one of the Arvato agents,
later described doing this at the home Chris O’Shea said that as Centrica’s
of an obstructive customer. “Because
the gas meter was outside the engineer “the strongest action in our powers”.
said: ‘Do you know what, I’m just going Ofgem said suppliers must not dis-
to cap it.’ ” The reporter asked what connect for debt unless they had taken
“capping” meant. Alfonso replied: “It’s all reasonable steps to recover charges.
blocked. They’re disconnected.” Suppliers must never disconnect any
Caroline Flint, a government adviser domestic properties in winter for debt if
on fuel poverty, said ministers should the customers are of pensionable age or
conduct a review of whether the prac- live with children.
tice of forcibly installing prepayment Chris O’Shea, the chief executive of
meters “should happen at all”. Centrica, British Gas’s parent company,
Flint, a former Labour MP, told Today has given a series of interviews
on BBC Radio 4: “Energy companies apologising for the conduct exposed by
have been given the benefit of the doubt this newspaper. The company said the
on this for too long.” allegations would be investigated as
Grant Shapps, the business and part of an independent review it had
energy secretary, summoned British commissioned. It had voluntarily sus-
Gas to an urgent meeting this week. pended warrant activity before the
The undercover reporter learnt that Ofgem legal order was made.
Arvato debt collectors recorded parts Centrica said warrants were used as a
of each visit. Two recordings a month last resort after several attempts to re-
were scored by an assessor. The Arvato solve issues with customers, and that it
manager said: “We have to quality score recently announced a £10 million fund
how you talk to customers. If you go to for prepayment customers. A spokes-
someone and you feel like I’ve covered woman said: “Protecting vulnerable
off everything, you can screenshot the customers is an absolute priority.”
job and say QA [quality assurance] that. Arvato Financial Solutions said it
That’s what I want you to do because it’s acted in accordance with regulatory re-
more likely you’re going to pass.” quirements at all times and that The
Jonathan Brearley, chief executive of Times’s findings did not represent the
Ofgem, said it had ordered “immediate company’s views or its official guidance.
action to protect British Gas’s custom-
ers” and he would not hesitate to take
the times | Saturday February 4 2023
chief executive he was accountable for the scandal, revealed by The Times
Nothing British about such cruel tactics Magistrate quit as warrants
Grant Shapps
Comment
I
magine you run a company
supplying electricity and gas to
households up and down the
country. What would you do if,
in the grip of a particularly cold
winter, some of your most vulnerable
customers couldn’t pay?
I would expect most decent people,
or companies, would do all they
could to help. Perhaps with a
payment plan or free advice to help
reduce costs.
I would expect the wellbeing of
their customers to be at the very
heart of the decisions they made.
What I wouldn’t expect is for any
company to act as viciously as British
Gas and its contractor Arvato have
done, as has been uncovered by The
Times — by forcefully installing a
machine in vulnerable customers’
homes that guarantees payment,
with no consultation whatsoever. It is
2GM
scandalous and shameful for British
Gas to leave families anxious, cold
and in the dark.
Energy companies should be
stretching every sinew and
exhausting all possible options for
struggling customers.
In light of this investigation,
I have charged my colleague,
the energy minister Graham
Stuart, to demand urgent
answers from British Gas on what
has gone wrong in its company and
why it thinks that this is an
acceptable practice. How widespread
is it? And what is it doing to make
this right?
In addition, I have written to
suppliers about ending this practice
and we are expecting figures on the
number of warrants they’ve issued in
the coming weeks.
To add further pressure, the
energy companies should know that
I intend to publish my findings.
But I will also be asking questions
of the energy regulator, Ofgem. I
have asked it to conduct a review to
No excuses, says chief
never short of a quote
Charlotte Wace
In an interview with The Times last
year Chris O’Shea, the chief executive
of Centrica, which owns British Gas,
boasted of his everyman credentials.
Wearing a hoodie featuring the quote
“Why be racist, sexist, homophobic or
transphobic when you could just be
quiet?”, he told the journalist: “I shop in
the clearance rail at TK Maxx and I
shop in charity shops sometimes. That’s
just me.”
This week he became the face of a
scandal after this newspaper revealed
that debt agents forced their way into
the homes of people struggling to pay
their bills on behalf of his company.
Responding to the investigation,
O’Shea was effusive in his contrition. “I
am really, really sorry,” he told Sky
News. “We’ve clearly got it wrong here
and we are going to fix that.”
Previous efforts to appear humble
have been well publicised. For 2021, the
last year that figures are available, he
turned down a £1.1 million bonus.
Although he was paid £875,000 that
year — a vast sum to the majority of
people — it was less than his counter-
parts at E.ON and Scottish Power.
He is thought to live in the same
home he purchased more than a decade
ago for £950,000. The property, in
Reading, is thought to be worth
£1.5 million today.
O’Shea, 49, who is married with
three children, was born in Fife and
moved to Glasgow when he was 11. He
went to comprehensive school and
studied accounting at Glasgow Uni-
versity after being rejected from Ox-
ford to study law.
Outside of work, he has
revealed that his hobbies are spending
time with friends and family and
running. His last holiday was to Florida.
He still watches Celtic FC with his
school friends, he told The Guardian.
O’Shea’s career began as a trainee
chartered accountant at Stevenson &
Kyles. After working for companies
such as Ernst & Young and Shell, he
joined Centrica in 2018, first as chief
financial officer, then interim chief
executive. He took up his present
position in April 2020.
The beginning of his tenure was not
all smooth sailing — he was forced to
ensure the proper processes are
being followed.
Pages of this newspaper and others
have been filled with stories of
households facing forced installation
of prepayment meters. But it
shouldn’t take a newspaper’s
investigation for a national regulator
to act. It needs to act swiftly to
regain the confidence of British
households.
Our support package, worth tens
of billions of pounds, is helping with
people’s energy bills to the tune of
£1,300 on average, and far more for
the most vulnerable in society, but I
know households are still struggling.
So, energy companies should be
doing their part to help.
It is, frankly, abhorrent for a
company that styles itself as “British
Gas” to be so callous and cruel to
customers. There is nothing British
about that. And I expect urgent
answers from its bosses.
Case study
D
ebt agents for British
Gas threatened to cut
off the electricity at a
historic tea room,
putting the business at
risk, its owner said. David
Clarke, below, who owns The
Polly Tearooms, in Marlborough,
Wiltshire, with his wife, Ann, was
told last week that a warrant was
being sought unless a disputed
bill was paid in seven days.
The letter from Arvato, the
debt collection company used by
British Gas, claimed that it could
gain access to the property
to disconnect the energy
supply. If that
happened, the tea
rooms would be
unable to trade and
might not be able to
reopen. The Times
has disclosed this
week how British
Gas routinely sends
debt collectors to break
into the homes of
vulnerable customers and
force-fit pay-as-you-go meters.
The Polly Tearooms opened in
1912 and it was acquired by the
Clarkes in 2013.
Clarke’s dispute began when he
agreed a transfer to British Gas
Lite, the fixed business energy
service for small businesses in
July 2022, but questioned the
amount British Gas said he owed.
British Gas maintains the
amount is correct.
Clarke, 74, had a heart attack a
year ago. He said: “It’s tough to
keep a business going with the
cost of living reducing the amount
of people who are out and how
much they’re spending.”
Centrica said that it would look
into the matter urgently to see
“what further help we can
provide to this business”. Arvato
Financial Solutions has said this
week that it “acts compliantly at
all times in accordance with the
regulatory requirements”.
granted without questions
Isobel Frodsham
A former magistrate has said that he
quit after a change in policy over how
courts granted access to energy
companies that want to forcibly fit
prepayment meters.
Robin Cantrill-Fenwick said courts
were no longer taking “serious deci-
sions” or “asking questions” when
granting power to companies to enter
people’s properties to install the meters.
On Thursday, Ofgem, the energy
regulator, issued a legal order prevent-
ing British Gas from breaking into cus-
tomers’ homes until it could prove it
was complying with all its legal obliga-
tions, after a Times investigation.
It also wrote to all other energy
suppliers asking them to suspend the
practice of force-fitting meters. All the
largest ones have confirmed that they
are complying with the order.
Cantrill-Fenwick told the BBC’s
Newsnight: “When I started as a magis-
11
News
News
suspend Centrica’s dividend thanks to a
slump in commodity prices during the
first wave of the pandemic. He also
ordered 5,000 job cuts to try to resolve
Centrica’s “complicated” structure. In
an interview last year, O’Shea turned
up in the hoodie that he claimed to wear
“more than I wear a suit”.
He claimed that the slogan on it
reminded him of his mother, who
would tell him: “If you’ve got nothing
nice to say, don’t say anything at all” —
adding that it was not a statement on
the present discourse on transphobia
when asked how it might be regarded.
In the same interview he was asked if
money motivated him. “No”, he replied.
“If money motivated me I wouldn’t be
here. Money is a hygiene factor;
you’ve got to have
something in the right
ballpark, but I’m not
coin-operated.”
Last year, he said he
knew of the pain that
Ofgem, the energy reg-
ulator, raising the cap
on gas and electricity
bills for most people
would cause households
across the country.
“Every week we hear from
customers struggling to make ends
meet — whether filling up the car, do-
ing the weekly shop or finding the
money to heat their home,” he said in a
press release, as he announced that his
company was putting another
£2 million into the British Gas energy
support fund.
This week, he did not attempt to justi-
fy the actions of debt collectors work-
ing on behalf of British Gas who had ex-
pressed excitement at installing pre-
payment meters in the homes of people
who could not pay their bills, including
the vulnerable.
“The contractor that we’ve em-
ployed, Arvato, has let us down but I am
accountable for this,” he said.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today, he
said: “This happened when people
were acting on behalf of British Gas.
There is nothing that can be said to
excuse it.”
Arvato Financial Solutions has said
that it acted “compliantly at all times in
accordance with the regulatory re-
quirements”.
trate six years ago, the energy compa-
nies would come to court requesting
warrants of entry. We would be able to
ask the energy company some ques-
tions and we would, from time to time,
decline the application for a warrant.
“Over time, the process around how
warrants were considered changed.
Rather than look at individual applica-
tions, we would get a list of addresses.
“If you are a person who is in acute
financial distress and a court is going to
consider granting the power to a private
company to enter your home and
install a prepayment meter, you’d want
to know the court are taking that deci-
sion seriously, that they’re asking ques-
tions, and none of that is true any more.
“I got to a point where I couldn’t
imagine going into court and putting
my signature to one of those warrants.”
The Department for Business,
Energy and Industrial Strategy said it
had requested supplier data on British
Gas’s previous use of warrant requests.
12
News
Muslim groups linked to
extremism face crackdown
Matt Dathan Home Affairs Editor
Muslim groups accused of spreading
Islamic extremism in the UK will face
tougher enforcement action and with-
drawal of all public funds under plans to
overhaul the Prevent programme, The
Times understands.
The counterextremism strategy will
be “reprogrammed” so that it focuses
on tackling forms of radicalisation that
leads to terrorism rather than trying to
pick up all signs of extremism. Prevent
has been criticised for failing to stop
some of the worst terror attacks in
recent years.
Suella Braverman, the home secre-
tary, is preparing to set out the govern-
ment’s plans for reform. A review by
William Shawcross, which has been de-
layed by months of internal rows, could
be published by next week.
In the review, he is said to have
blamed some Muslim organisations
and individuals for promoting extrem-
ism. Some benefited from taxpayers’
money as part of Prevent’s £40 million
fund, which is supposed to support faith
and community groups that are steer-
ing people away from extremism.
Government sources confirmed that
the Home Office would pledge to tackle
these groups and end all direct and in-
direct funding of them. Other meas-
ures, such as reviewing charity status of
organisations, would be considered as
part of efforts to “ensure they can no
longer get away with spreading extrem-
ist narratives”. Withdrawing the charity
status of organisations would also cost
them tax breaks and other benefits. The
groups cannot be named for legal rea-
sons before Shawcross’s report has
been published.
Research has found that seven of the
13 terror attacks in the past six years
were carried out by offenders known to
Prevent. However, it is feared that the
huge number of referrals, which
reached 6,406 last year, are distracting
the authorities from the main terror
threats that the programme was origi-
nally designed to identify.
Official figures published last week
showed that schoolboys made up the
highest proportion of individuals
deemed most at risk of radicalisation.
The largest group of referrals — 2,127
— related to boys deemed vulnerable
but of “no ideology or counterterrorism
risk”.
The second largest number of refer-
rals related to extreme right-wing radi-
calisation, making up 1,309 or 20 per
cent. It is the second year running that
far-right extremism was greater than
Islamist concerns, which made up 1,027
or 16 per cent.
Shawcross’s report is expected to say
that Prevent has been too focused on
right-wing extremism at the expense of
Islamism. It is due to criticise the way in
which the programme has become an
“extension of social services”. In one
Saturday February 4 2023 | the times
case, an 11-year-old pupil was referred
to Prevent after a teacher mistook the
word “alms” for “arms” during a class
debate. The teacher who referred the
boy had asked the class what they
would do if they found themselves in
possession of an unlimited amount of
money. The pupil said that he would
“give alms to the oppressed” which the
teacher misinterpreted as “give arms to
the oppressed”.
The report is expected to
recommend reforming the way Prevent
is structured so that it is more effective
at identifying individuals most likely to
turn to terrorism.
One reform is intended to ensure
that every panel responsible for
assessing which individuals need closer
monitoring will have at least one
person with a law enforcement
background, such as police, counter-
terrorism officials or former members
of the intelligence services.
The review is said to have
recommended that MI5 and counter-
terrorism police should be given greater
influence in deciding whether to
intervene with individuals.
It has also suggested curbing the role
of local agencies and community
groups in deciding whether those
flagged as at risk of radicalisation
should be pursued.
Braverman is expected to accept the Rock and rollers Ringo Starr tweeted this picture of him and Paul McCartney in
recommendations and the reforms are Los Angeles at a rollerskating-themed party hosted by Stella McCartney to mark
likely to take effect later this year. the launch of her new clothing collection for the sportswear giant Adidas
the times | Saturday February 4 2023 13

Abusive mother to be freed from jail after minister drops appeal
Jonathan Ames Legal Editor
A mother who so badly abused her son
that both his legs were amputated will
be freed from prison after ministers
conceded that a court challenge would
not delay her release.
Jody Simpson, 29, and her partner,
Anthony Smith, 52, were both jailed for
ten years in 2018 after torturing Tony
Hudgell, who was six at the time.
Simpson was scheduled under
standard procedure for release on
licence at the halfway point in her jail
sentence, in August. However, Dominic
Raab, the justice secretary, personally
referred her case to the Parole Board
under his discretionary powers that are
designed to protect the public from
dangerous offenders.
Simpson launched a High Court
challenge to that intervention, and in
December Mrs Justice Heather
Williams ruled that Raab’s bid to delay
release was unlawful and that his
referral of the case to the board must be
quashed. The justice secretary was
granted permission to take the case to
the Court of Appeal and Simpson’s
release was delayed until the outcome
of the legal proceedings.
However, ultimately, the justice
secretary was refused permission to
challenge the original judge’s finding
that there was an absence of “reason-
able grounds” for his belief that Simp-
son posed a risk that met the criteria for
imposing his discretionary powers.
In the Court of Appeal yesterday, the
lawyer representing Simpson, Jude
Bunting KC, said that Raab “effectively
accepts that he cannot now overturn
that quashing order”. Lord Justice
Holroyde said Raab had acknowledged
it would be necessary to overturn the
judge’s decisions on two grounds to
reverse the earlier High Court decision.
Because the justice secretary accepted
that was not possible, the judge said
Simpson should be “released on condi-
tional licence within a reasonable time”.
Tony Hudgell was 41 days old when
News
he was assaulted by his birth parents.
Their attack caused multiple fractures,
dislocations and blunt trauma to the
boy’s face, leading to organ failure, toxic
shock and sepsis. He was left untreated
and in agony for ten days and because
of the extent of his injuries, doctors
amputated both his legs.
His adoptive mother, Paula Hudgell,
has said that the boy “suffers every
single day” and that Simpson and
Smith’s sentence “doesn’t reflect the
severity of the crime”.

Videos of PC Luke Watson height,” Watson tells during fitness tests. On

No escape of Essex police chasing
down suspects have gone
from UK’s viral on social media and
drawn comparisons with
the film Hot Fuzz, right
fastest
policeman
The Times at Harlow
police station. Watson
the footwear he uses to
pursue suspects, he says:
has not watched the film
but is aware of the
“We have to buy our
own boots. They have to
“Supercop” meme after be black leather. Three
a video of his own
chases went viral. It has
years ago I found the
perfect pair on Nike’s
attracted more than four
million combined views
website.”
Heads turn as he
on TikTok and the walks past a parade of

P
C Luke Watson
has earned
certificates and
commendations
for his service
but he is proudest of his
100 per cent success rate
chasing down and
detaining suspects
(David Woode writes).
Since joining Essex
police in 2017, Watson,
30, has cleared fences in
pursuit of alleged drug
dealers, dodged cars
while running after
suspected thieves in a
getaway van and
collared misbehaving
teenagers who naively
thought they could
outpace him.
Watson’s success in
helping keep the streets
safe has led to his force
labelling him “Britain’s
fastest cop”.
“It’s a title that has
been bestowed upon me,
so I’ve got to keep it up.
I guess I’ll wear it as a
badge of honour,”
Watson says. “It’s lovely
force’s Facebook and shops in Loughton. A
Twitter pages. boy, no older than
As acting 13, appears at
sergeant for his side,
the panting for
getting recognition from Loughton breath. He
the public but I want communit asks: “Are
people to appreciate that y policing you PC
there are officers team, Watson?
running with me, giving Watson I’ve seen
it their all. Police spends your video
officers do this every day much of his on TikTok.”
up and down the time on the He shakes the
country.” beat. “[Suspects] officer’s hand
Vaulting fences and start running before I before darting off. A
chasing down suspects know who they are or woman pushing a pram
could be scenes from find out they are jokes: “Do you want me
Hot Fuzz, the 2007 film wanted,” he says. “If to steal something so you
in which a hotshot we’re in an area where can run after me?”
policeman, Sergeant drug dealing takes place Watson takes it in good
Nicholas Angel, moves sometimes people like to humour. “When you
to a West Country run away. I feel I can’t chat to [people] they
village and investigates a afford to lose them. I realise you are all right,
series of deaths. Dubbed find myself thinking, so long as they have
“Supercop” owing to his ‘I’m going to catch you nothing to hide. There
relentless nature, in one and teach you a lesson’. are others, though, who
scene Angel, played by You can’t outrun me.” like to run.”
Simon Pegg, sprints Watson, a former
after a cookie thief and sports therapist who
vaults a series of garden plays rugby for online
fences. “Those fences Brentwood RFC, demurs
are never that low — when asked if he
that’s TV and film outshines colleagues

Crossbow teen admits ‘kill Queen’ treason

David Brown, Charlie Parker
A teenager armed with a crossbow who
broke into Windsor Castle and threat-
ened to kill Queen Elizabeth has be-
come the first person in more than 40
years to be convicted of treason.
Jaswant Singh Chail was arrested at
the entrance gate to the Queen’s apart-
ment on Christmas Day 2021 after
climbing over the castle wall with a rope
ladder.
He was wearing a metal mask and
told a royal protection officer: “I am
here to kill the Queen.” He had roamed
the grounds for two hours before he was
apprehended.
Chail, who was 19 at the time, could
see the Queen’s apartment and was
armed with a Supersonic X-Bow. The
weapon, which costs more than £200,
was loaded with a bolt, the safety catch
was off and it was ready to fire.
He is the first person to be convicted
of treason since Marcus Sarjeant fired
six blanks at the Queen as she rode
down the Mall to the Trooping the Col-
our in London in 1981. He was sen-
tenced to five years and served three.
Chail, from Southampton, claimed to
be seeking revenge for a massacre of
379 protesters by British soldiers in the
Sikh holy city of Amritsar, India, in
1919. Police found evidence that he
“harboured ill-feeling towards the Brit-
ish Empire for its past treatment of In-
dian people” but he was not charged
with terrorism.
In a video sent to friends and relatives
Chail said that he was going to try
to assassinate the Queen and
likened himself to a character
from a Star Wars film.
He was stopped at 8.10am at
the main access to the private
section of Windsor Castle,
which leads to the royal
family’s apartments where
Charles and Camilla were
also staying. An officer
from the royalty and spe-
cialist protection com-
mand described Chail
as dressed like “some-
thing out of a vigilante
movie or dressed for
Halloween”.
Chail appeared at
the Old Bailey via
video link from
The crossbow carried by Jaswant
Chail, who was arrested outside the
Queen’s apartment at Windsor
Broadmoor, a maximum security
psychiatric hospital in Berkshire. He
admitted an offence contrary to sec-
tion 2 of the Treason Act 1842
that he set out to “discharge,
point, aim or present a fire-
arm at the sovereign with
intent to injure or alarm
or to break public
peace”.
Chail pleaded guilty
to having made a
threat to “kill another
person, namely Her
Majesty Queen Eliza-
beth the Second, intending
that the said Her Majesty
Queen Elizabeth the Second
would fear that the said threat would be
carried out”. He admitted possessing an
offensive weapon.
A royal protection officer saw Chail
walking slowly through the castle’s pri-
vate grounds towards him. The officer
unclipped his Taser before saying:
“Morning, can I help, mate?” Chail
replied: “I am here to kill the Queen.”
The intruder was ordered to his
knees and placed his hands on his head
before repeating: “I am here to kill the
Queen.” Two members of the Grena-
dier Guards who were on sentry duty
said that they heard him say: “I thought
I was here to kill the Queen”.
Chail had a handwritten note which
read: “Please don’t remove my clothes,
shoes and gloves, masks etc, don’t want
post mortem, don’t want embalming,
thank you and I’m sorry.” A mask, rope
and electronic devices were found dur-
ing searches of his home. He had ap-
plied to join the Ministry of Defence
police and the Grenadier Guards and
his journal made clear he was trying to
get close to the royal family.
Chail made a video at home four days
before his planned attack in which he
wore black clothes and a full face cover-
ing and held a crossbow. He said: “I am
sorry, I am sorry for what I have done
and what I will do. I’m going to attempt
to assassinate Elizabeth Queen of the
royal family.
“Revenge for those who died in the
1919 massacre. I am an Indian Sikh, a
Sith [devoted to the dark side in Star
Wars]. My name was Jaswant Singh
Chail, my name is Darth Jones.”
The video was sent to his twin sister,
other relatives and friends ten minutes
before his arrest. Crossbow bolts, a
metal file and other items were later
found in a hotel room where he had
stayed the night before his arrest.
Chail was born in Winchester and
was living with his sister and parents. At
the time of his arrest he was unem-
ployed but had previously worked at a
Co-op. He had been a pupil at Toynbee
School in Eastleigh, and a former class-
mate said: “I was in his religious studies
class and he never had many views on
anything to do with racism.”
Psychiatric reports said he was going
through a psychotic episode at the time.
Mr Justice Jeremy Baker ordered more
psychiatric reports and said that he
would be sentenced on March 31.
14
News
News Health
The NHS trust revolutionising
Call centres and ‘GP
ambulances’ are helping
to ease the pressure
on wards in Somerset,
writes Eleanor Hayward
The elderly patients on Exmoor Ward
are forbidden from spending their days
in bed. Every morning they must get
themselves up and dressed in time for
lunch. They are urged to make their
own beds, fetch cups of tea and sort out
their own medication.
The ward, at Musgrove Park Hospital
in Taunton, is just one of the ways the
health service in Somerset is caring for
one of the UK’s oldest populations.
The rural county offers a glimpse
into the future for the rest of the NHS.
One in four of its 580,000 residents is
over the age of 65. Nationally this figure
is less than one in five, but the number
of over-65s is projected to increase by a
third over the next 20 years. An ageing
population brings with it a tide of long-
term illnesses such as dementia, diabe-
tes and heart disease. Over-65s account
for two thirds of hospital admissions.
The Times was granted access over
48 hours to Somerset’s joined-up
health and social care system. The
county is pioneering several schemes to
help people see out old age happily and
healthily at home, not marooned in a
hospital or care home far from family.
Health leaders in Somerset recognise
that many traditional models of health-
care are not fit for the future. Instead of
demanding more from employees or
pouring money into hospitals, they be-
lieve solutions can be found in village
halls, park benches and farmers’
markets at the heart of communities.
Patients are kept at home as long as
possible and if they need to be admitted
to hospital, the experience is designed
to “empower” them.
the future of gp surgeries
In a modern office block overlooking
the M5, doctors with headsets on are
glued to their computer screens, dish-
ing out advice over the phone. Apart
from the topics of conversation — strep
A, dementia, diabetes — it is a scene
usually associated with customer ser-
vice helplines.
The site is part of a new “call centre
approach” adopted by Taunton Vale GP
surgery, which serves a population of
13,500 in a deprived rural area. The row
of 12 desks is staffed by a mix of GPs,
nurses and one paramedic, carrying
out phone appointments from 8am to
8pm every day. Taunton Vale is one of
the only GP surgeries in the country to
guarantee all patients a same-day
appointment. Everyone has an initial
phone appointment, with only those
who need it seen in person.
“For every 20 people I speak to on the
phone, I probably bring in one face to
face,” Dr Tim Norbury, lead partner at
the practice, said. “The old-fashioned
system of GPs in individual rooms see-
ing patients . . . is not sustainable. We
cannot meet healthcare demands if
that is what we keep offering people.”
GPs at the practice split their time
between the call centre, which opened
in October 2021, and consulting rooms
at the main surgery a mile away. On a
typical day the surgery gets 250 calls
from patients. These are answered and
triaged by a team of ten “patient service
advisers” who flag any emergencies,
decide the most appropriate staff
member for the patient’s problem and
input key details into an IT system. Staff
then pick up the cases and call patients
back.
“Yesterday we got 266 calls. Using
Saturday February 4 2023 | the times
the old-fashioned system of giving
everyone a face-to-face appointment,
that daily demand would have filled a
whole week’s worth,” Norbury said. He
explained this is why waits elsewhere
are so long, but at this surgery they are
able to “never say no to anyone”.
This prompt same-day GP system
can save lives. On the day The Times
visited a 70-year-old woman called the
surgery at 9.19am with extreme stom-
ach pain. The case was immediately
flagged to a senior GP, who called her
back at 9.24am, suspecting a possible
incarcerated hernia — a medical emer-
gency. By 10.05am she was in the GP
surgery having a face-to-face consulta-
tion. By noon the woman was in a hos-
pital ward preparing for surgery, with-
out the need for an A&E trip. She was
discharged two days later.
Taunton Vale’s GP model sends
patients straight to the service they
need — the on-site physiotherapist or
the pharmacists — while freeing up
GPs’ time.
This has helped the surgery to man-
age a 74 per cent surge in demand for
appointments in Somerset since the
pandemic. Patient feedback is glowing,
in sharp contrast to the national pic-
ture. An Office for National Statistics
report revealed one in four adults are
unable to get a GP appointment when
they need one, amid record GP staffing
shortages.
Family doctors in Somerset are also
playing a vital role in relieving A&E
pressures through a pioneering “ambu-
lance doctor car” service, run in part-
nership with South Western Ambu-
lance Service, which means some 999
calls are picked up by GPs in a car. It is
particularly useful for elderly patients
who have called 999 with problems
such as urine infections and need anti-
biotics, as paramedics are unable to
prescribe medication. This means
85 per cent of patients visited by the
Somerset ambulance doctor get treated
at home, without the need for a trip to
hospital in the back of an ambulance.
on the hospital wards
Peter May, 86, is one of 28 patients on Home carers bells and whistles. A lot of patients can
Exmoor Ward, the new “ready-to-go Gabby Lettley- get the same treatment at home, but
unit” at Musgrove Park Hospital in Miller and Trish avoid the harms of hospital. The longer
Taunton. The ward was set up in Dec- Whitemore, who we keep people in a hospital bed, they
ember to help patients regain strength are key to become less mobile, weaker and lose
and independence as they wait to be helping Arthur confidence. Then they are more at risk
discharged. Morgan, 86, stay of falls or getting readmitted.”
May had been in hospital for 34 days at home after a
after a fall, but had managed to walk stroke; Dr Tim care in your own home
unaided for the first time in more than Norbury, senior When Arthur Morgan went into a care
a month. Thanks to the unit’s dedicated GP partner at home briefly last year, his wife of 40
focus on preparing patients for normal Blackbrook years, Patsy, struggled to cope. “It was
life, he can soon be discharged back to surgery in dreadful, I missed him like mad,” she
his home rather than a residential bed. Taunton, left, said. Now Morgan, 86, is back in his
“Hospitals can disempower patients, hails their phone living room armchair, watching the
they become institutionalised,” Jo Jack- triage system to cricket in the company of his wife and
son, a physiotherapist on the unit, said. ensure everyone ginger cat, Betty.
“Boredom is probably your biggest im- who calls will get Morgan has Parkinson’s disease, is
mobiliser. People need a reason to get an appointment recovering from a stroke and cannot
up, get dressed and be active. Once stand or walk unaided. But instead of
you’re over 80, ten days in hospital medically fit for discharge. The conse- be in hospital,” he said. “No one wants being cleaved apart from his wife and
causes ten years of ageing in your mus- quences of these delayed discharges are to be here if they could be at home. We neighbours and put into a care home
cles. We don’t have bedpans on this often felt in the hospital’s A&E depart- keep that at the core of what we’re bed, he is able to spend his old age
ward — no one is going to go home and ment, which struggles to admit patients doing.” happily at home thanks to a team of
have a bedpan, so let’s not do that here. because of a shortage of available beds. Expanding “virtual wards” is central carers who visit him in pairs four times
Breakfast in bed should be a treat, but in Dr James Gagg, an emergency care to NHS plans to free up hospital beds. a day. As they wash and help him out of
hospital that’s just what happens to consultant at Musgrove Park, said the On Monday Rishi Sunak hailed them his armchair using a hoist, Morgan
you.” period between Christmas and new as transformational as he announced chats away and shares stories of his life,
This focus on keeping patients active year was the worst since his career that more than half a million patients a including fighting in Malaysia with the
and independent pays off— more than began in 2004. “It wasn’t uncommon to year would be treated remotely at British Army.
half of patients who spend time on the have between 80 to 90 patients in the home. One of his carers, Gabby Lettley-
ward go home with a less intensive emergency department at times. If we Musgrove Park has 30 patients with Miller, 27, says: “People have precon-
package of social care support than go back five years, a busy day would respiratory conditions or frailty on its ceived ideas about carers, that we are
planned. Patients waiting to be dis- have been 30 to 40,” he added. “hospital at home” service and plans to just fetching tea or wiping them clean,
charged get stronger, rather than Adapting to an elderly population expand this to 300 in the next 12 but it’s much more than that. You help
deteriorating. with multiple chronic conditions will months. Patients are sent home with people stay at home right until the end
Nearly 14,000 hospital beds in Eng- require a “mindset shift” on the role of equipment such as blood pressure of their lives and become like family.
land are filled with people medically fit hospitals within the NHS, Gagg said. devices and monitored using a combi- These people have run our society for
to leave, many waiting for a social care Hospitals should not be seen as “places nation of technology and home visits. many, many years, you learn so much
assessment or care package. When The to reside”, but as specialist facilities for Dr Charles Davis, who leads the ser- from them.”
Times visited Musgrove Park, 100 of its complex treatment, tests and same-day vice, said: “Hospitals need to be pre- Home visits are the front line of social
650 beds were occupied by patients emergency care. “Patients don’t want to served for the people that need all the care provision in the UK, used by
 the times | Saturday February 4 2023
the way we care for our elderly
950,000 people — twice the population
living in care homes — but squeezed
local authority funding and staffing
shortages mean more than half a
million are stuck on waiting lists to get
help.
The record vacancies of 165,000 staff
in social care are largely due to low pay
(£9.50 an hour on average) and job inse-
curity, with most staff on zero-hours
contracts. To solve this crisis Bluebird
Care, a company that looks after about
200 people in Somerset, offer all staff
permanent, full-time contracts and
fixed rotas. In October 2021 they intro-
duced a starting salary of £23,000 for
home carers, rising with experience.
Mark Oswald, director of Bluebird
Care, said: “What the £23,000 has
allowed us to do is stay marginally
ahead of other industries we were
competing with. We need to keep that
cushion so people feel valued.”
The fundamental issue of low pay,
however, cannot be fixed without more
funding for local authorities’ social care
budgets.
communities rallying round
“We have no right to move people from
their own homes and chuck them
somewhere else,” Mel Lock, Somerset’s
director of adult social care, said. “Hos-
pitals are there to mend people. People
already have a bed — their own bed in
their own homes. Let’s get them back
there.”
To achieve this aim of keeping people
independent at home, communities
have to step up to “look after their own”,
Lock added.
Somerset’s ageing population creates
a dual problem: more people than ever
need social care, but there is a shrinking
pool of working-age adults able to pro-
vide it. The county has a shortage of
1,500 social care staff, leaving some
patients marooned in hospital beds.
Under a long-term strategy to tackle
this, NHS Somerset is trying to train up
more local residents. The county was
recently awarded £20 million from
Michael Gove, the levelling-up secre-
tary, to create a health and social care
training centre at a former community
hospital in Bridgwater.
Somerset’s approach of connecting
patients with community support and
voluntary organisations is being
studied and replicated around the
world. Instead of being prescribed
medication, patients may be sent to a
local walking group or invited to join a
choir. A neighbour may be asked to pop
round and help out. Research shows
that this drastically cuts A&E attend-
ances.
NHS Somerset also has a strong
focus on prevention. It runs a network
of “talking benches” where a member
of GP staff will sit on a bench to chat to
any passers-by who are feeling lonely
or wanting health support. Mental
health nurses are also sent to farmers’
markets in isolated rural areas, while
council binmen are put on alert for
signs that all is not well.
“These are the things that keep
people healthy and at home. People in
communities are the experts in their
own communities, it’s about giving
them what they tell you they need,”
Lock said.
Hospital workers ‘need a
rapid resolution’ on pay
More ambulances and
beds won’t be enough
to shore up the system,
the NHS trusts chief
tells Rachel Sylvester
Health Commission
When the pandemic struck, Julian
Hartley was chief executive of Leeds
Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust,
watching with trepidation the chaos
unfolding across the country and
around the world.
“We were two weeks behind
London. That gave us a window,” he
said. “We turned the operating
theatres into intensive care units, we
rewired all the oxygen. There was an
incredible sense of mobilisation and
teamwork but it was also frightening
in terms of what to expect. We were
heading into the unknown.
“I can remember speaking to staff
who were going to turn from dealing
with patients having operations to
managing patients who were being
ventilated in respiratory distress. That
was probably the most high-octane
and anxious period for us.”
Hartley this week took over as head
of NHS Providers, the body that
represents all the trusts in England. If
anything, the health service now faces
an even greater crisis with record
waiting lists, life-threatening delays in
ambulance response times and
inadequate social care.
“The scale of the challenges are at
an extraordinarily intense pitch at the
moment and so staff are straining
every sinew to get through that,” he
said. “The last few months have been
among the most challenging
operationally I’ve ever experienced.”
On Monday health workers will go
on strike again, piling yet more
pressure on struggling hospitals.
Hartley warned that Rishi Sunak’s
plan for emergency care, announced
by the prime minister this week, was
at risk unless the industrial dispute
was swiftly settled.
“It’s plain for everyone to see that
there need to be meaningful
negotiations in relation to pay and
there needs to be a rapid resolution,”
he told The Times Health
Commission. “If these strikes go on
indefinitely, that will have an impact
on our ability to get through the
elective [surgery] backlog, to
implement all of the planned
improvements. The challenge
around the industrial action is a big
one.”
Sunak’s promise of extra beds,
new ambulances and more
community care was “a positive
first step”, Hartley said, but he
added: “The question really is
about whether that’s going to
be sufficient and, crucially,
we’ve got to have the
workforce with us. So
that is a real issue in
terms of getting the
industrial action
resolved so we can
go at the plan in a meaningful and
productive way.
“I do think that there are risks
around that if the industrial action
continues indefinitely.”
Even amid the winter crisis, the
NHS is spending hours preparing for
the strikes. “That’s a lot of time and
effort in any hospital and that’s time
that could be better spent on the
things that we want to do for patients
in terms of getting through waiting
lists and improving urgent care,”
Hartley said.
“It’s important that there’s a clear
process to get to a resolution as
quickly as possible. I’ve worked with
some amazing nurses, physios, all
professions across the service, and
there’s a level of commitment going
above and beyond that has been
phenomenal.
“Over the last several years, we’ve
seen an erosion [in real-terms pay]
with the cost of living rises and the
impact of inflation. So I think every
NHS leader really does feel and
empathise with the challenge that
that presents, and we all want to see
this resolved.”
The government also needed to
value social care workers more highly,
he suggested. “When we see the
movement of staff between retail and
social care, people make judgments
based on hourly rates and we need to
ensure that we are able to invest in
social care staff, who do a brilliant job
and an important one that the NHS
absolutely relies on.”
There are about 13,000 patients in
hospital who are medically fit to be
discharged. “That’s equivalent to 20
hospitals,” Hartley said. “That
inevitably puts pressure on your
emergency department.”
He worries that voters will lose
faith in the health service if the
situation does not improve.
“There’s so much to be proud of in
what the NHS is doing,” he said. “My
concern is that relentless pummelling
of bad news could leave people
punch-drunk to the point where they
no longer clearly see those benefits
and advantages that a national health
service brings.”
Hartley, who was briefly an English
teacher before joining the NHS, said
he did not think the health
service was “broken”.
“When I started my
career as a management
trainee, I did every job
there was to do, from
being a porter and
Julian Hartley
of NHS
Providers
says that
staff are
“straining
every
sinew”
15
News
News
cleaner to following a junior doctor
and a surgeon around. Those three
months taught me that the NHS is all
about the people.
“That’s what has carried us through
the difficult times — and I’m sure will
continue to.”
However, he warned that the NHS
had too often become the service of
last resort in many areas because
people had nowhere else to turn.
“There’s no doubt there’s pressure
on the wider society, which is
expressing itself
in the requirement for health care.”
In Leeds, Hartley invited social
workers on to the wards and he
thinks that the health service should
also help get people back into work.
“There’s a role for us in trying to
make sure we attend to the whole
person in any clinical interaction,” he
said. “Being able to get a job is a key
indicator in terms of your health
status, so it is important that the NHS
plays a role in employment.”
Politicians prefer to promise new
hospitals and extra nurses rather than
tackling the underlying causes of ill
health, he suggested. “We need more
and better hospitals. Some of our
hospitals are in a really poor state of
repair. The pandemic accelerated the
use of technology, but there’s more to
do. In Leeds we’ve used capsule
endoscopy — patients swallow a
capsule and the consultant can see
the image remotely. There’s lots of
technology that in the future will help
us reduce the requirement for
patients to attend an institution.”
There is also an “absolutely
fundamental” need for a long-term
workforce plan, backed up by money,
Hartley said. “We need to extend the
number of nurses and medics from
the UK. We need to be judicious and
thoughtful in the way we recruit from
overseas.”
He wants to see more
apprenticeships in the NHS, including
for doctors. There could also be
accelerated medical degrees. “That’s
something which I know some
medical schools are looking at. We
found that medical students have
been able — certainly during the
pandemic — to come and work on
the wards and get more of that
hands-on experience more rapidly.
Obviously there’s a whole set of
regulations and curriculum around
that but I think it’s important that we
are open to those different models.”
Hartley insisted that hospital
managers are just as important
as clinicians in delivering good
quality care.
“It’s frustrating the mythology that
there are too many managers in the
NHS,” he said. “It’s 2 per cent in the
NHS in management roles compared
to 9 per cent in other sectors of the
economy. The managers I’ve worked
with care deeply about patients and
will be coming in at three in the
morning to try and work through a
problem, sleeves rolled up.
“It’s an outdated and lazy
stereotype that the NHS has got a
load of bureaucrats and pen-pushers.
There are hundreds of different roles
that come together to make the NHS
function and the role of the managers
is to get the best out of that.”
16
News
Drug raises hope for those with low sex drive
Rhys Blakely Science Correspondent
A potentially “life-changing” drug
could be used to raise low sex drive in
men and women, a trial has suggested.
Researchers found that giving kis-
speptin, a hormone that occurs natu-
rally in the body, via an intravenous
drip increased libido in people whose
lives had been made miserable by low
sexual appetite.
The participants had been diagnosed
with hypoactive sexual desire disorder,
where a person finds having a low sex
drive distressing. It is estimated to af-
fect one in ten men and women. Re-
searchers believe the hormone could be
taken as a nasal spray to increase sexual
desire for a couple of hours.
One participant, Peter, 44, said the
disorder had damaged his relation-
ships. “I had tried other performance-
supporting medication, like Viagra,” he
said. “However, this proved ineffective
as the issue was simply one of low de-
sire. It was highly embarrassing and not
something I felt able to talk to my previ-
ous partners about. I feared they would
confuse it with lack of attraction.”
After being given kisspeptin in June
2021, Peter noticed a difference. “The
week I had the kisspeptin infusion we
conceived our son, who was born in
March 2022. I had the best possible out-
come as a result of the trial,” he said.
The study involved 32 women and 32
men who were given kisspeptin during
one visit to a laboratory and a placebo
during another visit. They did not know
which they had been given. MRI scans
were used to monitor their brain activi-
ty and they completed questionnaires
to assess their mood.
In both the men and women, regions
of the brain that play a part in sexual at-
traction became more active after kis-
speptin was administered through a
drip, which took about 75 minutes. Dr
Alexander Comninos, of Imperial Col-
lege London, co-senior author of the
study, said the disorder often appeared
to be linked to people worrying about
their sexual performance. “What was
pleasing is that we saw, in both the fe-
male and the male study, deactivations
in [brain] areas that are related to this
excess self-monitoring and introspec-
tion, and we saw activations in sexual
arousal centres of the brain,” he said.
Women reported feeling “more sexy”
after being given kisspeptin compared
with the placebo. In the men, the hor-
mone strengthened erections by up to
56 per cent compared with the placebo
when they watched an erotic video.
They later reported more “happiness
about sex”. No adverse side effects were
reported. There are two other drugs
Who needs water? A seahorse made of Spanish moss at RHS Wisley in Surrey
forms part of a glasshouse display of more than 5,000 drought-tolerant plants
Judge explains divorce
decision in letter to boys
Jonathan Ames Legal Editor
A family court judge has written a
poignant, plain-English letter to two
boys caught up in a custody battle in
which he reveals that he told their
divorcing parents “to stop the crap”.
The letter from John McKendrick
KC to the brothers, aged 8 and 11, last
August was part of their parents’
divorce proceedings.
McKendrick, 46, a deputy High
Court judge, referred to himself as
“Judge John” and set out in clear
language that he had been asked to
decide whether they should live in
Somerset with their mother or carry on
living mainly in London. “Dad wants
you to go to schools in London,” he
explained. “I hope you both understand
that I have made the decision and not
your Mum or your Dad,” he said.
“Judges sometimes have to make
decisions when parents cannot agree.”
He added: “I have decided you should
both continue to live in London with
one week in the care of your Dad and
Saturday February 4 2023 | the times
that can be prescribed to boost libido in
women, but side effects include dizzi-
ness and nausea. For men there are cur-
rently no licensed treatments.
“There is a real unmet need to find
new, safer and more effective therapies
for this distressing condition, for both
women and men seeking treatment,”
Comninos said. “We provide the first
evidence that kisspeptin is a potentially
safe and effective therapy.
“We now plan to take things forward
to hopefully realise the potential of kis-
speptin therapeutics in psychosexual
disorders — sexual problems which are
psychological in origin, such as unex-
plained low libido.”
then one week in the care of your Mum.
This means you will both go to school in
London from next week. I have decided
you should have nice holidays in
Somerset and I will speak with your
Mum and Dad again to sort that out.
“I have made this decision after con-
sidering who you both are, what you
both need and things like your educa-
tion, happiness and your welfare. I have
decided you need each other — I think
you are good brothers to each other.”
The judge told the boys that he had
“asked your Mum and Dad to behave a
bit better”. He said he knew that the
brothers “find the arguing that happens
between them difficult”. Addressing the
boy known as A, he wrote: “Although it
is a naughty word you are right to
describe it . . . as ‘crap’. I have told your
parents to stop ‘the crap’.”
The judge signs off by telling the
boys: “I wish you both good luck.”
Sir Andrew McFarlane, president of
the High Court family division, has
announced measures to allow wider
reporting of family court proceedings.
the times | Saturday February 4 2023
Fleabag meets
Evita (on acid)
for Berlusconi
the musical
Tom Kington Rome
In years to come historians looking to
capture the legacy of Silvio Berlusconi
will have an unusual point of reference
— one that has tight choreography,
colourful sets and memorable tunes.
A musical about the former Italian
prime minister opens in London next
month, telling the story of how Berlus-
coni became the first of a new breed of
politician, blazing a trail for the likes of
Donald Trump.
Berlusconi gives the tax-dodging,
showgirl-loving, party-throwing media
mogul credit as the man who showed
not only Trump but also Boris Johnson
and Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro how to win
elections by behaving badly.
“The nuclear levels of dishonesty, the
media manipulation, the miso-
gyny . . . all their traits come from the
playbook written by Berlusconi years
earlier,” Ricky Simmonds, the former
Grange Hill child star who co-wrote the
new musical, said.
Simmonds and fellow Grange Hill
actor turned TV producer Simon
Vaughan created the musical with Fran-
cesca Moody, who produced the thea-
trical version of Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s
Fleabag. “We think of Evita as a political
musical and Berlusconi is that if you
have taken a tab of acid,” Moody said.
“It’s a supercharged, high-energy pro-
duction exploring the politics of now.”
Berlusconi’s biography reads
uncannily like a trial run for his
imitators. A construction and TV
tycoon elected prime minister three
times, Berlusconi partied as Italy’s debt
soared in the first decade of the 21st
century and gave a knowing wink to
tax-dodgers while claiming: “I am the
Jesus Christ of politics.”
His wife left him over his relationship
with an 18-year-old girl before he was
forced to resign in 2011 as Italy risked
financial meltdown. A conviction for
tax fraud followed, before details
emerged of his “bunga bunga” parties
BBC’s British blunder over Irish actor Playing Elvis has left star’s
Alex Farber Media Correspondent
The BBC has apologised after receiving
hundreds of complaints for incorrectly
describing Paul Mescal as a British
actor during its Oscars coverage.
The error occurred in on-screen text
on the BBC News channel on January
24 after the Irish actor was nominated
for his performance in Aftersun. It read:
“2023 Oscar nominations: British
actors Paul Mescal and Bill Nighy are
nominated for leading role.”
Some 605 viewers complained to the
broadcaster, prompting it to issue a
statement and acknowledge the error
via its Corrections and Clarifications
website. “In text running across the
screen we reported that Paul Mescal
was one of two British actors who had
been nominated for an Oscar for a lead-
ing role,” it said.
“The text should have said that Paul
with an underage dancer known as
Ruby the Heartstealer. Repeated scan-
dals and gaffes failed to deter his right-
wing supporters, instead he dragged
them along with him and compelling
them to work harder to defend him as
they had nowhere else to go.
“As we started to research him, we
realised this is Donald Trump in so
many ways,” said Simmonds, adding
that Berlusconi was a perfect fit for a
musical as he had worked as a cruise-
ship crooner and even issued a CD of
syrupy Neapolitan love songs while in
office. “Some of it’s not that bad,” Sim-
monds said of Berlusconi’s music,
before adding: “I wish hadn’t said that.”
Twisting the truth, the musical imag-
ines Berlusconi deciding the day before
his tax-fraud verdict was delivered, in
2012, to write an opera about his life to
ensure his legacy. His flashbacks are in-
terrupted by three women — a judge,
his ex-wife and a journalist — telling
their sides of the story.
“While he gives this rose-tinted view
of what a hero he was, three women
who know him well combat the lies he
is trying to perpetuate,” Simmonds said.
“Drama is all about finding incredi-
bly complex characters and Berlusconi
is too good to be true,” James Grieve,
the show’s director, said.
Featuring a song titled My Weekend
with Vladimir, the show explores Ber-
lusconi’s man-crush on Putin. “If it
were a music video it would be Eighties,
misty, Careless Whisper style,” Moody
said. “The musical explores his infatua-
tion with the politicians he aspires to be
like, but shines a light on how he doesn’t
realise the strings they are pulling in the
relationship, particularly Putin.”
Berlusconi, 86, may not have time to
catch the show since he still leads his
Forza Italia party, is a partner in Italy’s
ruling coalition and is building up his
TikTok following. But Grieve is sure he
would love it: “He’s the godfather of
contemporary politics — and I think he
would be thrilled to hear us saying that.”
Mescal is Irish. We apologise for the
mistake.”
The actor, 27, who was born in
Maynooth, Co Kildare, stars as a
Scottish father on holiday with his
daughter, played by Frankie Corio.
He is joined in the lead actor category
by Colin Farrell, a fellow Irishman,
Austin Butler and Brendan Fraser,
as well as Nighy.
After his breakout performance
in BBC3’s Normal People in 2020,
Mescal was widely reported as
being British, prompting him
to tweet the clarification:
“I’m Irish.”
In an interview with The
Times, his sister Nell, a
singer-songwriter, said:
“Me and Paul are similar in
Paul Mescal is nominated
for his role in Aftersun
17
News
The original Brit School
gave us the singer Adele.
Bradford, which produced
Zayn Malik, below, may
now get its own school
Sony, Warner and
Universal, providing
additional funding for
“state of the art
equipment” as well as
industry expertise and
contacts.
YolanDa Brown, who
chairs the BPI, said that
they wanted to “build on
the proven success” of the
Brit School model to give
more young northerners
a shot at a career in the
creative industries. As
well as Gates, Bradford
has produced singers
including Zayn Malik,
formerly of One
Direction, and Kimberley
Walsh, who had success
with Girls Aloud.
Tracy Brabin, the
mayor of West Yorkshire,
said the choice of
Bradford for the school,
coupled with its selection
as UK City of Culture
2025, showed the area
was “the place to be when
conveyor belt of talent to it comes to culture and
Bradford replicate the success of
the original Brit School
creativity”. Brabin added:
“With EMI North
hits right in south London.
That school has alumni
recently making the
decision to invest in West
note for new including Adele, Amy
Winehouse and the actor
Yorkshire, it goes to show
that we’re already
Brit School Tom Holland.
The British
punching well above our
cultural weight.”
T
he medley of Phonographic Institute, If the application for
Bradfordian pop which represents record funding is successful,
begins with Kiki labels, has submitted with final decisions
Dee and peaks plans to the Department anticipated this year, the
— so far — with for Education to open a BPI said the school could
Gareth Gates (David specialist creative school open in 2026.
Sanderson writes). in Bradford aimed at 16 The original Brit
The world had better to 19-year-olds that School in south London
watch out, though: the would be free to attend. was set up in the early
Brit School North is Provisionally named 1990s with the help of the
coming. The country’s Brit School North, it Brit Trust charity, which
biggest record labels have would focus on the runs the annual Brit
applied to set up a free performing arts and Awards and is supported
school in Bradford with digital design with the by the major players in
the aim of creating a world’s biggest labels, the music industry.
that we are very emotional and can be
too serious.”
vocal cords all shook up
Elsewhere in the BBC’s fortnightly
complaints update, it emerged that 992 Laurence Sleator rid of the accent, but I have probably
people had complained about bias damaged my vocal cords with all that
against Narendra Modi, the Indian Austin Butler, who played Elvis Presley singing. One song took 40 takes.”
prime minister, in its BBC2 two-part in the Oscar-nominated biopic, has In his Golden Globes acceptance
documentary India: The Modi said he probably damaged his vocal speech he still sounded like Elvis, which
Question. The BBC, which has not is- cords during filming. he blamed on “muscular habits” that
sued an apology about the film, said He said that recording songs often still popped up.
the complaints had been driven by needed 40 takes, and after recording Butler, 31, has been delighted by the
an invitation on social media. Never Been to Spain he lost his voice for critical acclaim Elvis has received. “It
The documentary, which a few days. Presley was known for his has been a whirlwind, and it’s amazing
explores the tensions vocal range, covering a baritone low G because when you are making a film
between Modi and India’s to a tenor high B. you never really know how it will be
Muslim population, has Elvis, which was written and directed received,” he said.
caused controversy in by Baz Luhrmann, has been nominated To prepare him for the abuse Presley
India, with the govern- for best picture, and Butler won a best first received, executives filled the stu-
ment banning people actor prize at the Golden Globes. dio and heckled him. “When we were
from sharing it online and Speaking to Graham Norton at the filming this moment when Elvis first
the authorities seeking to BBC, Butler said he was finally losing goes on stage, and he’s getting heckled
halt screenings at the Memphis accent three years after by the audience, I knew what that felt
colleges and universities. filming finished. He said: “I am getting like. I went home in tears,” he said.
18
News
Small businesses on brink
thanks to Royal Mail hack
Fariha Karim
Small business owners say they are at
risk of going bust because of Royal
Mail’s suspension of international deliv-
eries after a cyberattack.
Royal Mail stopped dispatching
items abroad after it was hit by a ran-
somware attack linked to Russian crim-
inals on January 10. It told customers
the next day that it would temporarily
be unable to send anything overseas,
leading to a backlog of letters and par-
cels destined for addresses abroad.
More than three weeks later it has
still not resumed all its international
deliveries, forcing businesses to remove
products online because they cannot
say when they will be delivered.
There were further woes yesterday as
the Communication Workers Union
announced another strike by Royal
Mail workers on February 16.
Small businesses say sales are down
by as much as 40 per cent, that they face
damage to their reputations and that
they are not eligible for compensation.
Royal Mail has resumed some
exports, including letters, tracked and
signed parcels and tracked parcels, but
yesterday continued to advise custom-
ers not to send untracked parcels
abroad, the cheapest option.
Simon Gosden, who has been run-
ning Fantastic Literature, selling sci-fi
and fantasy novels from his home in
Rayleigh, Essex, for 34 years, said: “If I
James Fryer is using a more expensive
service, which has lost him sales
sell a £400 book, I send it tracked and
signed, but if it’s a £15 book, it’s not eco-
nomic. Ninety per cent of what I sell is
regular international shipped.
“This has paralysed my business. It’s
my main income . . . I’m going to lose
customers because they will think, ‘He’s
not reliable.’ I’ve had to take all my
books off Amazon because if you don’t
ship within a certain amount of time,
they take you off.
“I understand it must be difficult, but
I would have thought the great minds of
Royal Mail would have been able to
resolve this by now.”
James Fryer, 40, a father of four who
runs T-me, selling customised T-shirts,
sweaters and hoodies from his home in
Paignton, Devon, said: “We send cloth-
ing all over the world, so we are reliant
Saturday February 4 2023 | the times
on the postal service. There were
strikes before Christmas, which led to
postal delays domestically and over-
seas. Then Royal Mail brought forward
the last post dates by a week, which for
any small business in the run up to
Christmas was a real kick in the teeth.
That cost us almost £20,000 in sales.
“Then we come to the new year, and
the cyberattack happened. We’ve now
decided we’re going to use the tracking
service, but it’s more expensive, and we
have had to pass the cost on to the cus-
tomer. That will affect sales. I’m down
by 40 per cent [of revenue] compared
with the same period last year.”
Royal Mail said that all mail sent
abroad went out with a digital identifi-
cation so the recipient country’s postal
service could receive it. The attack pre-
vented it from providing this digital ID.
Royal Mail added that it was easier to
send tracked parcels because these
already had some digital data.
Royal Mail said: “We continue to ask
customers not to submit any untracked
export parcels into our network for the
time being. Import operations continue
to perform a full service with some
minor delays. Domestic services are
unaffected.
“We would like to sincerely apologise
to impacted customers for the disrup-
tion this incident is causing. We under-
stand their frustration. Our teams are
working around the clock to reinstate Sit Lily the poodle can’t quite summon up the pathos of the 1847 painting The
the remaining export services.” Wounded Hound, part of a 266-lot sale by Christie’s from an English country house
the times | Saturday February 4 2023
Harry’s theory ‘opens the door to Holocaust denial’
Nicola Woolcock Education Editor
The Duke of Sussex’s claim that
personal memories have equal value to
objective facts “opened the door to
Holocaust denial and other menda-
cious ways of describing past events”, a
historian has suggested.
Professor David Abulafia, professor
of Mediterranean history at Cambridge
University, said the teaching of history
in schools and universities had become
an exercise in moral disapproval that
had reached “dangerous” levels.
Abulafia said “critical theory”, an
academic approach that focuses on cul-
ture and society and challenges power
structures, was neither critical nor a
theory. It was leading to judgment
being passed on figures such as Drake
and Nelson according to ethical criteria
held by some today, he said.
Nelson has been described as a
“white supremacist” and Sir Francis
Drake primary school in Deptford,
southeast London, recently changed its
name to Twin Oaks Primary School
because of the explorer’s links with
slavery. The professor said in a blog post
TMS
diary@thetimes.co.uk | @timesdiary
The servants
were to blame
David Davis has endeared himself
to the civil service by telling the
Institute for Government that
Whitehall did a “really crap job”
with Brexit. Perhaps the blameless
former Brexit secretary is still
miffed that they refused his request
for the use of an RAF jet, making
him save money by flying
commercial. Asked by the think
tank for advice to new ministers on
handling officials, Davis said you
should call your predecessor on
the first night and read out the
contents of your red box. “Officials
will bring you all the things your
predecessor turned down,” he said.
You must also manage their
expectations early on. The model,
says Davis, below, is Ken Clarke,
who on his first day in the Treasury
was given six boxes of homework.
“A nice thought,” Clarke said, then
told his driver to pick one at
random, leaving the rest behind.
Elsewhere in today’s paper I have
reviewed a new book on animals in
the Roman world. One story I didn’t
have room for was the rash decision
by one Publius Claudius Pulcher to
disrespect the sacred chickens on
the eve of a big sea battle with
Carthage. The chickens refused
their feed, a bad omen, but Publius
in a rage declared “If you won’t eat,
you can drink” and had them
thrown into the sea. He then lost his
entire fleet. Fowl play, I suspect.
rhapsodies in blue
Sir Rod Stewart’s recent surprise
appearance on a TV phone-in to
call for a change of government
reminded David Steel of the
days before the singer was a
Tory. “Around 1977 he
contributed to the
Liberals and invited
me to his home in LA,
where he lived with
Britt Ekland,” the
former Liberal
19
News
published by the Politeia think tank: historians should not give up trying, he have “made the mistake of treating
“Simplistic generalisations infused said, adding: “The past is real: those school history, not as the independent
with radical ideology abound, concern- things really happened. The past is sa- study of the past but as a political and
ing issues such as the economic impact cred: it is not our task to tamper with it.” social engineering tool of the present”.
of slavery on the industrial revolution. The history curriculum needs to Dr Daniel Robinson, a fellow of
“The main ideological framework is present the subject in a dispassionate policy at the Department for Levelling
derived from what calls itself ‘critical way, free of political messages, he said. Up, says in the publication: “Lowering
theory’, although it is neither critical The American School in London, the quality of history teaching has
nor a theory — for it is presented as one of the most expensive day schools major consequences. . . Sooner or later,
absolute certainty.” in Britain, was accused of indoctrinat- the degeneration of history into a trivial
Abulafia said feelings trumped facts, ing pupils in critical race theory and subject . . . will produce a trivial people.”
citing Prince Harry who said in his downgraded by Ofsted. The authors say that the syllabus
memoir, Spare: “Whatever the cause, Abulafia writes more widely on the does not need to change because it
my memory is my memory, it does what issue of history teaching in History, gives teachers plenty of opportunity to
it does . . . There’s just as much truth in Whose History? The Battle for the School teach non-British history.
what I remember and how I remember Curriculum, a publication from Politeia. Prince Harry says in his memoir Spare
it as there is in so-called objective facts.” It says proposals for the curriculum that his memory “does what it does”
The professor said this chimed with
the belief that “everyone has his or her
own valid version of the past”. This
approach “opens the door to Holocaust
denial and other mendacious ways of
describing past events”, he added.
History was at risk not from a lack of
attention but from “excessive and dis-
torted attention”, he said.
Although it was impossible to be
genuinely impartial, because everyone
was influenced by their upbringing,
leader tells me. “He sounded
pretty clueless about politics.”
Perhaps Stewart just liked the
colour yellow; his songs always felt
more Tory. Not just Maggie May
and The First Cut is the Deepest,
but Sailing, which was clearly
written in tribute to Ted Heath.
being digi was a bit dodgy
As minister for digital during the
pandemic, Caroline Dinenage
should have been comfortable
with online meetings. She admits
now, though, that it was “fairly
hellish” dealing with people she
had not met in real life. “Some I
never met until 18 months later,”
she says. What was especially odd
was realising how the screen
changed her perceptions. “You’ve
seen their house, their children
and their cats on the computer
screen,” she reflects, “but you still
don’t know how tall they are.”
When the call came for Jim Murphy
to join the Labour government in
2002, he was watching a football
match and thought it was a wind-up
by one of his friends. “Aye right,” he
replied when asked if he wanted to
be a whip. “In Glaswegian, that
means ‘stop taking the piss’ not ‘yes,
OK’ ,” Murphy explains. Fortunately,
despite being born in Scotland, Tony
Blair didn’t speak Glaswegian.
mp who got hard labour
Matt Hancock trousered £300,000
from his reality show appearance.
The most that Steve Pound got for
his, years earlier, were two broken
ribs. The former Labour MP spent
two weeks as a prison officer for a
TV series, where he sustained the
injury being shown by a warder
how to evade attack. Pound went
to hospital and said he’d just
been in Dartmoor. “Do they
know you’re out?” a nervous
nurse asked. “Actually, I’m an
MP,” Pound laughed. Shortly
afterwards he heard a
Tannoy announcement
calling the psychiatric
registrar to A&E.
patrick kidd
the times | Saturday February 4 2023
2022 in focus Shots of Jude Bellingham cooling off in Qatar, Prince Louis protesting at a jubilee flypast and Rebekah Vardy attending court were winners at the BPPA Press Photographer of the Year awards
Romance scammers leave tragic toll
Fraud now accounts for
40% of crime and one
father’s suicide shows
how deadly it can be,
reports Charlotte Wace
A while after Chris Leeds separated
from the mother of his three children
he decided that he was ready for a new
relationship.
Keen to find someone outside his
small town of Dolgellau, in northwest
Wales, he turned to online dating and
met a woman living overseas. He paid
thousands of pounds to support her
coming to the UK and eagerly antici-
pated her arrival.
However, in December 2020 the
woman failed to turn up at the airport
and Leeds, 43, realised that he had
fallen victim to a scammer. Hours later,
alone, with his bank account in the red,
he took his own life.
“He was just an easygoing lad really;
people who didn’t know him would
never have suspected what he was
going through,” Phil, his older brother,
said. “Everybody was stunned really,
that’s the only way to put it.”
Just over two years after his
brother’s death, Phil is speak-
ing out to prevent others
from falling for similar
scams. The case serves
as a stark example of
the devastation that
can be caused by
fraud, which now
accounts for about
40 per cent of all
crime committed
across Britain. Sir Tom
Winsor, the former
chief inspector of constab-
ulary, wrote in The Times last
year: “Some people whose sav-
ings have been stolen kill themselves
through despair, desperation and
sometimes unjustified shame. Such
cases are murders in slow motion.”
Suicide is always complex and Phil
2GM
We need more
investigators
to stop the rot
Alexis Conran
Comment
A
ll scams can be
distressing but romance
scams in particular are
almost always
devastating. There is
nothing clever behind a romance
scam — a fake profile with a fake
picture, some smooth talking and
plenty of patience. They are
prolific, with £97 million lost in the
last year alone, and scammers will
often be running tens of profiles
with potential victims on the go.
Even though the outcome of a
romance scam and a banking scam
is the same (victims send money to
the fraudster under a false
pretence) the effect on the victims
is hugely different. Romance
scam victims are not only
stressed that his
brother’s depend-
ence on alcohol
made him more
vulnerable. Leeds
had struggled with
his self-confidence
since childhood,
hating school and
finding it hard to cope
when his parents sep-
arated.
He went on to become a roof-
er, working for a company run by
another member of the family, and then
Chris Leeds killed himself after giving
all his money to a woman in Nigeria
out of pocket, but they are often in
debt, having borrowed to send
money. Their trust has been
decimated and their heart is
broken.
Last year more than three
quarters of UK adults said they had
been targeted by scammers — up
14 per cent on 2021.
Making Phone Scams — Don’t
Get Caught Out for Channel Five,
two things became very apparent.
First, according to the National
Fraud Intelligence Bureau, in the
last 13 months there has been a
reported loss of £4.3 billion from
fraud and cybercrime. That is an
eyewatering amount of money
going into the pockets of criminals.
Second, in many of the cases we
featured on the show, we still don’t
know exactly what happened. How
was one scammer able to recount
sensitive financial information to
convince their victim they were
their bank? How did the payment
details of one takeaway owner get
changed to divert all their earnings
into a scammer’s account?
Criminals are getting away scot-
free but what is even more
worrying is that they know that it is
unlikely that any law enforcement
are looking for them. This is not
met the mother of his three sons, who
are now in their late teens and early
twenties. “That was the making of him
really — he was just so proud to have
kids, because he probably wasn’t head-
ing in that direction,” Phil, 54, said. “All
he wanted to do was be around them.”
His brother was also a guitarist with a
group. “When he was in the band he
started drinking a bit more heavily, to
get rid of the nerves probably,” Phil
said. When the band moved to
Manchester and Leeds stayed behind to
be with his family, his alcohol consump-
tion increased and most nights after
work he would be drunk.
His relationship ended in 2018 and
Phil helped his brother find a flat and
because the police are not
interested, but simple maths.
According to the Social Market
Foundation, in 2021 in England and
Wales just 1,753 officers and staff
were dedicated to economic crimes
such as fraud. That equates to just
0.8 per cent of the total workforce
and yet fraud accounts for 40 per
cent of all reported crime.
In many cases we looked at, the
victims were simply given a crime
reference number by the police and
told there was nothing more they
could do. It remained up to them to
try to get their money back from
their bank.
If one is determined to find the
culprits, an alphabet soup of crime
agencies such as the NCA, NECC
and NCSC, all with different remits
and jurisdictions, awaits. Most
people give up and the scammers
get to keep their cash.
Unless we increase the number of
officers and staff that investigate
fraud to reflect the amount of fraud
reported we will continue to lose
billions to criminals.
The final episode of Phone Scams
— Don’t Get Caught Out airs on
Wednesday at 8pm.
Alexis Conran is on Times Radio
from 1pm-4pm on weekends
manage his finances. By 2019 Leeds was
ready to move on and turned to online
dating.
He met a woman, Alexandra, said to
have been based somewhere in Africa,
who later sent pictures of herself from a
hospital bed, claiming to have had an
accident. Leeds took out a loan to send
her hundreds of pounds. The woman
turned out to be a scammer.
A short time later, he met someone
else who lived in Nigeria. “You would
have thought he would have learnt,”
Phil said. “But lo and behold, a few
months later he started talking to this
woman . . . she played a blinder, really.
She won my mother over and con-
vinced everyone she was coming here.”
21
News
Phil and other members of the family
had warned his brother to be cautious.
But Leeds was convinced, telling his
brother in messages shared with The
Times: “Being on my own is destroying
me,” adding that he “can’t wait” for the
woman to be here.
Leeds threatened to kill himself if the
warnings turned out to be true, but still
clung to the hope his relationship was
real. When Phil messaged asking for
news on December 5, 2020, when the
woman had been due to arrive, there
was no reply. He said: “I think by this
time he was in such a hole, where all his
eggs were in one basket. One of his
friends called round and [Chris] was
just crying manically.” When the friend
returned later that day to check up on
him again, Leeds was dead.
“There’s an embarrassment factor as
well,” Phil said. “Everyone around him
was telling him that this woman was
scamming him and he just wouldn’t be-
lieve it . . . and he had done it before.”
There were 7,938 reports of romance
scams to Action Fraud last year com-
pared with 5,723 in 2019.
An inquest concluded that Leeds had
taken his own life. Kate Sutherland, the
coroner, said he may have been suffer-
ing from embarrassment and added:
“This is a truly, truly tragic case. He had
years and years ahead of him.”
The family are unsure how much
money Leeds sent to the woman, but
bank records show that he transferred
about £3,300 in the 12 hours before she
was due to arrive. His account was £800
overdrawn at the time of his death.
The family had conversations with
the police but they did not push for an
investigation after realising how
unlikely it was that the case would ever
be solved. Only one in 1,000 frauds was
solved last year, it was reported this
week, marking a record low.
For the family, losing Leeds has had a
massive impact, Phil said. “I suffer from
a bit of anxiety and panic attacks . . .
Then you have his boys, who should be
taking dad to football games and things
like that. And he’s not there. If this stops
one other bloke falling for this, then it’s
worth talking about.”
the times | Saturday February 4 2023
Universities in dock over
lockdown degree refunds
Almost 80,000 students
are taking legal action
after costly courses
disrupted by Covid-19,
Max Kendix reports
When Caitlin McDonald applied for
one of the world’s best neuroscience
courses at University College London,
she was told of weekly sessions in high-
tech labs, operating machinery and
reading brain scans.
Instead, she says, she sat in her bed-
room as lecturers on pre-recorded vid-
eos struggled to explain where the but-
tons were on a machine. “They had a
picture up and talked us through the
safety procedures. They said, ‘you can’t
really see on this picture, but there’s ac-
tually a really important thing happen-
ing over there’. I had to take their word
for it.”
McDonald, 25, is one of nearly
80,000 students taking part in mass
legal action against universities de-
manding refunds for the quality of their
teaching over lockdown.
For Ryan Dunleavy, the solicitor who
is leading the claim on a “no win no fee”
basis, the case is clear. “If you book a
holiday and pay for a five-star hotel,
and when you get there the hotel’s
burnt down and they put you in a two-
star hotel, you’d want the difference in
price between the hotels,” he said.
“The students paid for something
which was promised to them. It wasn’t
delivered. Yes, lockdown wasn’t the
fault of the universities and the pan-
demic wasn’t the fault of the universi-
ties, but just like private schools, and
every other service provider I can think
of, they should have discounted their
fees accordingly. It’s as simple as that.”
Of the 109 universities that respond-
ed to freedom of information requests
by The Times, 64 said they had given no
refunds or compensation over teaching
quality during Covid-19. Many univer-
sities have a blanket policy not to hand
over money, while others set up
schemes offering compensation in spe-
cific circumstances.
The refunds that were paid, totalling
£1.5 million, were shared among 1,300
students. However, 1,257,355 students
enrolled in their first year in September
2020, paying at least £9,250 in tui-
tion fees each year. If all of them
claimed a share of the £1.5 mil-
lion that would equate to
about £1.20 back for poor
teaching quality.
More than 99 per cent of
affected students have so
far received nothing.
Tia O’Donnell, 26,
who graduated from
Central Saint Martins
art school last year, is
campaigning for re-
funds. Though she was
meant to specialise in
sculpture, she spent
two of her three
years in her bed-
room, with no ac-
cess to the studio space
formerly graced by the
likes of Jarvis Cocker
and Stella McCartney.
“I feel a bit of a fraud,”
she said. “That’s not a
nice feeling, knowing
that you’ve invested so
much money into
Tia O’Donnell feels like a “fraud”
after studying sculpture at home
2GM 23
News
learning a new physical skill. I wanted to verse circumstances. During some peri-
learn about metal welding, and under- ods of lockdown, universities were not
stand how to do ceramic art with a kiln.”
Instead, O’Donnell said, the most inter-
permitted to offer teaching and learning
as usual and instead universities adjust-
action beyond a screen was drawing on ed quickly and creatively to ensure stu-
paper and posting it to coursemates for dents could learn and graduate. Univer-
them to add to and post back. “I signed sities continually look to improve, and
up to learn the hands-on elements of raise standards if students are not get-
being an artist, but I couldn’t. Who has ting the learning opportunities they de-
a bloody kiln at home? serve.”
“I’ve had so many people say, ‘you’re
really lucky that you’ve got the degree’, Caitlin McDonald met most of her coursemates for the first time at graduation
and yes, of course, we all did get the
degree. That’s lovely. But I don’t have
the skills that I have supposedly paid
for, that was part of my contract. It feels
quite lacklustre knowing that this piece
of paper that says I’m something but in-
side, I know that I’m not quite there.
“Paying a large portion of money per
year to be watching PowerPoint pre-
sentations is soul sucking. Covid really
broke me and ruined my university ex-
perience. ‘I want a refund’ was the first
thing I said when I handed in my final
degree work.”
A hearing at the High Court this
month centres around UCL, and will
serve as a test case. The university
argues that students shouldn’t skip
existing complaints procedures to use
the courts — but students say those
aren’t fit for purpose.
Susan Lapworth, chief executive of
the Office for Students, the higher edu-
cation regulator in England, said that
when universities could not provide
what they promised, they should have
looked for alternatives. “We wrote to all
universities asking them — if they had
not already done so — to consider the
extent to which they met their obliga-
tions to their students during the pan-
demic. Where this did not happen, uni-
versities should have considered how
they could best provide redress. That
might have involved additional lectures
or tutorials, or partial tuition fee re-
funds,” she said.
McDonald arrived at her graduation
disappointed. As an international stu-
dent, she had spent £27,000 on a mas-
ters in cognitive neuroscience.
“It was the first time I met 90 per cent
of my class. Graduation is supposed to
be a reunion and a celebration. For us,
it was a meeting,” she said.
Now in Edinburgh, she is looking for
a job. But a qualification achieved on-
line makes employers think twice. “If I
went to work in a lab now I would have
to be fully retrained, I would need
someone to walk me through step by
step which buttons I’m supposed to
press. Everyone in my class has gone
into branches of psychology instead
of neuroscience, as the training just
wasn’t there.”
It’s not just the lessons, McDo-
nald says. “Being able to walk
through the corridors or sit in
the library and acknowledge
you’re sitting in a place where
these amazing people have sat
before is motivating.
“We didn’t get access to the
grounds or the libraries. I could
have been doing any degree with
any university. I didn’t have to
pay this amount of money to be
at UCL. Why have I put in so
much effort to get so little
back?”
UCL said it prioritised
health and safety, followed
government guidance,
and provided “a
high-quality
academic expe-
rience”. Universities
UK, the advocacy group for uni-
versities, said: “We are proud of how uni-
versities adapted and managed in ad-
the times | Saturday February 4 2023
Do humans have a role
in the AI future?
Weekend essay
Pages 32-33
Come on Jeremy, it’s time to tackle tax avoiders
From non-doms to family trusts, schemes for the wealthy to minimise contributions may be legal but are hardly moral
Matthew
Parris
‘I
nvestigation ordered into
Nadhim Zahawi tax evasion”
said an online headline in the
Financial Times, above a
cartoon featuring an
accountancy firm named “Careless,
Careless & Non-Deliberate”. It’s only
a joke, and a good one, but I don’t in
fact think the inquiry by the PM’s
ethics adviser was into alleged
tax evasion: the prime minister’s
question was essentially “What’s
been going on?”. After the
investigation Zahawi was sacked.
But not, I think, for “tax evasion”.
Throughout this affair I’ve noticed
a blurring between the terms “tax
avoidance” and “tax evasion”. Few
readers of a quality newspaper will
need reminding of the distinction:
the latter is illegal, the former is not.
But outside the narrow field of tax
law, “evade” is just another word for
“avoid”, so among the wider public
the frequent conflation of
the two terms is understandable.
The temptation to conflate is all
the stronger because “avoidance”
spans a wide spectrum, ranging from
behaviour that might be thought
shameful to the perfectly sensible.
I feel no shame that I bought my
first electric car partly to avoid
paying road tax. Proposals for taxing
sugary drinks are framed in the
specific hope that manufacturers
and customers will alter behaviour
to avoid the tax.
But at the other end of the scale
we encounter brass-plated doors in
the Cayman Islands, indicating
companies registered there; or (a
“loophole” now closed) presenters
Hilary Rose Notebook
SAS survival
drill amid
the yummy
mummies
M
y gym is populated by
women in expensive
leggings who park
bloated 4x4s badly and
sip skinny lattes while
the nanny does the school run.
Lovely people, you’d like them.
However, the swimming pool is
glorious, which is all I care about, so
I keep my head down and mind my
own business. Until the day a young
lad, presumably a member’s son, got
into the pool wearing combat fatigues.
Because I am a highly trained and
experienced journalist, this struck me
working exclusively for the BBC but
via a “personal service” company
consisting only of themselves that
hires them out — a dodge the
corporation once encouraged. And
we do not, it seems, approve of
people declaring themselves “non-
dom” for tax purposes, though they
break no law. Over such practices
a stern eyebrow is raised.
So be clear: “evade” does mean
“immoral”, but “avoid” does not
necessarily mean “moral”. And
around the ethical gradations
of “avoid” has sprung a morally
loaded supporting cast of English
expressions. “Aggressive” avoidance
(whatever that means) is deplored.
A tax “loophole” is something that
invites closure; a tax “break” does
not — though they may be the same
thing. With a job may come a “perk”
offered to take advantage of a
loophole or break, but which we
wouldn’t quite call a “dodge”. “Tax-
efficiency” is a hooray-term; “tax-
Among the wider
public, evade is just
another word for avoid
dodging” implies a boo. Terrain like
this offers an inexhaustible supply of
debates generating more heat than
light. They make rich material for
columnists, bishops on Thought for
the Day and saloon-bar bores.
My purpose here is to argue the
pointlessness of such debate. If a
path is both legal and rewarding,
there will always be plenty who take
it. Time spent disapproving of others
would be better spent finding a way
to close the path they take. Let me
take two dodges/tax-efficiencies
(choose your term) that I’ve already
mentioned: “non-dom” status (groan,
Akshata Murty); “personal service”
as unusual. He swam up and down a
few times, then stripped off under
water, down to his trunks. He swam
a few more lengths then got dressed
again, still underwater. Curiosity got
the better of me. “I’m training for a
military recruitment exercise,” he
explained. “The Marines?” I asked,
impressed. “Special forces,” he
said, modestly. I’d love to know
if he passed. He can definitely
swim lengths in full uniform,
which is obviously
impressive, but what
I really want to know
is this: can he park a
Chelsea tractor? And
if so, could he please
teach his mum?
Right recipe
lockdown
A habit I
can’t
seem to shake
is having a
random TV
companies (wince, Matthew Parris);
and one that I haven’t mentioned
— “family trusts” (tremble, Times
reader). This fool of a columnist
rushes in to territory where he is
inexpert, but without apology. Too
deep an immersion in a complex
field can rob us of perspective.
I always knew the non-dom
ruse was a fishy business because a
former Tory treasury adviser once
advised me to take that route. I was
born in South Africa, where my
parents had emigrated. I’m entitled
to South African citizenship. If
(I was advised) I should declare it
my intention to return there, perhaps
acquire a little property, and retire
and die there, I could be non-dom
while continuing to work in the UK.
Whether or not that advice was
correct at the time (and I doubt it) or
would be correct today (it wouldn’t),
I sensed there was something rotten
at root. So have the voters. Rishi
Sunak and Jeremy Hunt would
remove a bad smell by announcing
their intention to clean it up.
I have a personal service company
(PSC) of which I am sole director.
True, I do a substantial amount
of work for three employers and
further work in a fourth field, and
my company employs other people.
Nevertheless, “tax-efficiency” was
among my motives for going down
this route because PSCs pay only
corporation tax and VAT, while what
the director draws from the company
has been liable for less tax than if he
were simply self-employed or on the
staff. That’s why many of us in the
arts or media have chosen this
option. HMRC is already cracking
down on PSCs, snipping away at the
advantages:, and so they should. The
IR35 debate (as it’s called) remains
neuralgic among the many who in
essence employ ourselves, but
thousands still use PSCs, and
cookery channel on in the
background. There’s a brace of
Americans: The Pioneer
Woman on a ranch in
Oklahoma, although given
the amount of butter she
puts in everything, the
pioneers would have
died of coronary
heart disease long
before they conquered
the wild west. And
there’s Barefoot Contessa
in the Hamptons, who
fluffs a pile of rocket in
a bowl, smirks at the
camera and says
“How great is that?”
But last night it was the
turn of our very own Rick
Stein, in an old episode
from back when his
little dog Chalky
was still alive.
Stein was in Melton Mowbray,
where he asked someone the most
inspired question ever, one which
Comment
Rishi Sunak’s wife, Akshata Murty, was
criticised for her legal non-dom status
ministers and HMRC are right to
keep tightening the screw.
And finally there are discretionary
(or “family”) trusts. A trust allows its
beneficiaries to cash in from an asset
without being its legal owner. Come
on, folks, let’s not kid ourselves: the
main purpose of these has been to
avoid inheritance tax. There were
149,000 trusts in 2017/18 and their
number is gradually falling because
HMRC has been reducing their
attractiveness. Good — even if there
are Tory votes to be lost. Survey the
Labour and Conservative front
benches, or their lordships in all
their finery, and ask yourself how
many family trusts you’re looking at.
It’s simply not acceptable that the
richer you are, the better you can
afford professional services and
charges to avoid the inheritance
tax that millions of less wealthy
I will in future ask everyone I
ever interview, and I’m not being
facetious. Rick: “What do pork
pies mean to you?” Man:
“Everything, really.” Bliss.
Imaginary friends
ith all the hubbub about
W Prince Harry’s book, it’s a
shame the only funny thing
he’s said recently was buried in the
interminable Netflix documentary.
Wanging on about some perceived
slight, he referred to “another
amazing friend we’ve never met”.
It doesn’t get any less surreal
however many times you read it.
“Another” amazing friend he’s never
met? How many people does he
count as amazing friends without
having met them? Is it possible,
these days, that the only way to
tolerate becoming friends with Harry
is never to meet him? And Harry,
has it come to this, when the only
people you can count as friends
are in fact complete strangers?
25
middle-class people must pay.
Cut inheritance tax by all means,
chancellor: don’t give just the rich
an escape route.
On discretionary trusts my hands
are clean: my family weren’t rich
enough. But am I filled with self-
loathing because I’ve used a PSC?
No, no more than I hate myself for
accepting the pensioners’ winter
fuel payment (though it should be
taxable); or glorying in my
HMRC is right to crack
down on personal
service companies
Londoners’ pensioners’ freedom pass
(which should be taxed as a notional
benefit); or drawing my bumper
pension increase (though the “triple
lock” is an ill-conceived insult to the
low-waged young).
So, am I hypocritical? Arguably
so: but hypocrisy is intellectually
liberating because by untethering
our beliefs from our behaviour, we’re
freed to believe. If we must always
match our actions to our beliefs, we
become inhospitable to thoughts
we’re too weak to carry into action,
and our interior life becomes a
rationalisation of our behaviour.
Overlook, then, your own
circumstances, your own instinct to
minimise the tax you pay, and ask
yourself whether Jeremy Hunt will
be right to bear down on legal tax
avoidance in his budget next
month. He will, and must.
red box
For the best analysis
and commentary on
the political landscape
Troubling disconnect
t’s been three weeks since my
I broadband went on the blink and
the biggest horror isn’t the lack of
broadband. Being forced to read a
book when I get home, instead of
idly scrolling through nonsense on
my iPad, is no bad thing. No, the
problem is the existential torment of
Plusnet calling, then demanding I
prove who I am. Why?” I feel like
yelling. “You called me!” It’s
maddening. They ask security
questions to which I don’t know the
answer, because like any normal
person I use touch or face ID for
everything. They were at it again
yesterday just as I was about to get
on the Tube. “What is the second
and fourth digit of the pin number
associated with your account?” “How
should I know?” I wailed
despairingly. “That’s rather the
point,” said the voice at the other end.
26
Comment
Live in a glass house? You can’t cry privacy
Luxury flat owners haven’t grasped the point of the 21st century, where we share all online and are watched constantly
Giles
Coren
I
t’s “rich people 1, art lovers 0,” as
the Supreme Court, focusing on
the really important stuff as
usual, finds in favour of the
owners of “four luxury flats” and
against the Tate Modern and the
hundreds of thousands of plebs who
visit each year. Yes indeed, on
Wednesday, the most senior judges
in the land (ermine-trimmed lords
the lot of them) chose to side with
the loaded and bone-idle elite rather
than the snotty hoi polloi in a
“privacy” case, just as courts presided
over by similar men have done in
this property-obsessed kakistocracy
at every possible opportunity for the
past 1,000 years.
The case here was about a viewing
platform at the Tate in London from
which people bored with looking at
unmade beds and piles of elephant
poo can apparently see into some of
the “high-end” (read “gut-
wrenchingly overpriced”) flats in the
next-door Neo Bankside
development that was built long after
the gallery (although the viewing
platform came later) and whose
prices were no doubt justified by
their location “close to the iconic
Tate Modern”. Indeed, I’ll wager that
“benefits from stunning views of the
iconic Tate Modern” was splashed all
over the sales bumf on these
ginormous shag pads with their (now
problematic) “floor-to-ceiling-
windows” — but without the small-
print disclaimer: “and the iconic Tate
Matthew Oates Nature Notebook
Fishing is
one pleasure
I had to leave
in childhood
T
he mid-January flood
waters in my local river
drifted me back to my
boyhood passion for fishing.
Somewhere in dim-distant
Somerset there was a
sheltered bay,
trampled out of a
steep-sided river bank
by cattle as a drinking
place, and gouged further
by water. There the waters
gently eddied, and fish could
rest out of the maelstrom
current when the river ran high.
In that treasured place I
fished for chub, dace and, on mild
winter days, greedy perch and the
occasional small bream. The tall
reeds didn’t merely whisper there:
they rhythmed a language I
somehow had to learn. I’m still
learning it, as it is a language far
beyond words. The pollarded willows
that fringed those waterways also
Modern will, of course, benefit from
stunning views of YOU”.
The tragedy here is that the flats
must have been so eye-wateringly
pricey that the people who bought
them had no money left over for
curtains, those clever pieces of fabric
invented at roughly the same time as
the window itself which the rest of us
tragic paupers use to prevent people
looking into our homes.
Announcing the ruling, Lord
Leggatt (who does not sound short
of a bob or two) said: “It is not
difficult to imagine how oppressive
living in such circumstances would
feel for any ordinary person — much
like being on display in a zoo.”
Or much like, er, living in a normal
house or flat at ground level like the
rest of us, m’lud, who accept the age-
old deal that if we want to look out it
means they can look in, and we just
draw the nets when it’s time to get
jiggy with the postman. I daresay that
isn’t how it goes with the vast stained-
glass windows of Leggatt Hall, but
The rest of us tragic
paupers use curtains to
stop people looking in
it’s how it goes for the rest of us.
Glass, famously, is a two-way street.
I’m guessing part of the attraction
of these gaffs (because it certainly
isn’t quiet streets for your children to
play in or a chance to mix in the local
community) is the opportunity they
present to stand at your floor-to-
ceiling window, buck naked after your
morning bath with a pair of
binoculars, spying on the city with
your ging-gangs out. So who are you
spoke and taught, through
motionlessness.
Never mind the kingfisher that
was supposed to flash past, but
seldom did: you heard it pipe long
before it sped by anyway. It was the
dreamful music that kept you
spellbound, in anticipation of the
Piper at the Gates of Dawn
experience, while ever watching that
aimlessly bobbing float. On two
occasions, the otter hunt came by,
terrorising everything in its way,
including lone boy anglers.
Today, although there are shining
examples of environmentally
sustainable fisheries, coarse fishing
is obsessed with catching obese
common carp in lakes so muddied by
high populations of these bottom-
feeding fish that aquatic
ecosystems can collapse.
Many rivers are little better
off, operating as overflow
sewers and carrying
agricultural run-off.
Stretches can be
devoid of fish.
Angling taught this
wanton youth a degree of patience,
and the ability to be observant
within the natural world. While I
cannot return to it, because too
much has changed around it for the
worse, and I might struggle to impale
a maggot or a worm on a hook, it
seems right that others can and do.
Stunning views of Tate Modern? Then
they have stunning views of you, too
to say people should not be allowed
to spy back? Frankly I’d have thought
that’s part of the fun.
What is this thing “privacy”
anyway? It’s 2023. I’ll bet you the
denizens of Neo Bankside are
Instagramming the bejesus out of
their “high-end” boltholes even as we
speak, posting a daily photo of sunrise
over the Thames with the caption
“Morning!”, lest anyone forget for a
moment how rich and successful and
fancily domiciled they are.
Privacy is unduly fetishised in the
modern world. It is the obsession of
celebrities who know their private
life is intensely monetisable so show
it to the world, but only curated by
them or their representatives, on
their terms, in reality shows or
interviews or on Instagram or
But all things environmental need
to be sustainable.
Derby University’s environmental
psychology department and the
Canal River Trust are now
sponsoring PhD research into the
therapeutic benefits of angling. Their
findings could be revealing, though
perhaps angling needs rewilding,
alongside our entire relationship
with nature. As a placard at the
recent wild camping protest on
Dartmoor stated, “Nature is a Right”:
the issue is how we understand and
practise that right, and give back.
After the flood
he new year rains, and their
T mindless floods, were replaced
by frost’s silent ministry. Day
after lengthening day was bookended
by blood-red dawns and fire-glow
sunsets. Trees stood stilled, starting
the day in purest white, ending it in
obsidian-black: both impregnating
beauty and majesty into the mind,
generating memory as the year sets
off on its journey.
The land is now slowly drying out
under anticyclonic skies, through
which ravens march triumphantly.
Last year’s fallen beech and oak
leaves scurry on a desiccating wind.
Candlemas fell on Thursday: that
tends to be the day when skylarks
ascend en masse, for that precious
first time. Soon, rooking time will
V2
Twitter or TikTok or whatever. And
then are surprised and angry when
they are papped or badgered or
mocked. Have you ever read an
interview with a famous person —
complete with sexy photo shoot and
vomitous lifestyle brags — that didn’t
contain a whinge about their lack of
privacy? No sympathy, mate. Get in
the queue behind Harry and
Meghan for that, who moved to
Hollywood and live their life on chat
shows because they so don’t like
being looked at. Or Pamela
Anderson, who is touting her
memoir around with tales of how
unfair it was that, having made a
fortune out of her boobs, there
turned out to be a market for stolen
“private” videos of those boobs. Not
impressed, luv. Not here for that.
We rail against China’s
“surveillance society” and the
suppression by camera of the Uighur
minority, but then take it on the chin
when photographs of ourselves using
a bus lane or turning left into a
deserted street at three in the
morning drop through the letterbox
with a demand for money from the
council. That’s the same bloody
thing. We are watched, all the time,
everywhere. And as long as you’re not
doing anything you shouldn’t, you’ll
be fine. Because the only people who
really need privacy are bad people.
Once upon a time, we lived
hugger-mugger and slept 12 to a bed,
with the livestock downstairs if we
were poor. Or a hundred to a mead
hall, with our liege lord asleep
nearest the fire, and the rest of us
spread across the floor. If we wanted
a “private moment” with our wife, we
maybe scuttled under a blanket.
Same if we wanted a private moment
Hairy-footed flower bee is a needlessly
convoluted name. Left: a common chub
begin, as the rookeries are skillfully
rebuilt. Perhaps tomorrow?
After weeks of quiescence, the
little owls have become vocal
again, proclaiming something
monumentally important to
them, and to us. Willow shoots are
flaming amber above a slow-
greening land. February stands at
the dawn of spring.
Capital ideas
campaign is gathering force to
A place the common or English
names of species in the upper
case. The current fashion is for
lower-case usage, including within
The Times. Neither system is perfect.
The main area of confusion is over
adjectival use, with much depending
Saturday February 4 2023 | the times
with someone else’s wife. Or with the
aforementioned livestock.
Now we tweet our innermost
thoughts and selfies at all hours of
the day. We date online, sending
pictures of ourselves looking as
sexually available as possible to
strangers, and hope they stop
swiping when they come to our
eager little face. We don’t even read
the small print when allowing our
every online movement to be tracked
(“yes, yes, allow all cookies,
everything, I don’t care, come on,
come on . . .”). We put up with data
breach after data breach as all our
most sensitive personal details get
sold across the world. And then we
buy a £3 million goddam penthouse
flat with floor-to-ceiling windows
opposite a public building and go all
the way to the Supreme Court to try
and ban them from looking in? It’s
sheer mental.
I have never cared about my
privacy. I write three times a week
and podcast once, from my heart, the
truth, about my life, my family, my
friends, my world and what I think
about it. I do interviews, I make
television shows, I allow cameras
into my “beautiful home” from time
to time when the money is right. I
even sacrifice the “privacy” of my
family sometimes (real names,
occasionally pictures) in the name of
entertainment and journalism, in a
way that many more privacy-
obsessed public figures think
important not to do. Sure, it means
the odd loony lefty can show up on
my doorstep and blow raspberries at
the children if something I write
displeases them. But this is the 21st
century and “privacy” is finished. So
the kids had best get used to it.
on context. Curiously, in poetry
lower case seems essential.
We need examples. In the lower
case, corky-fruited water dropwort
sounds what it is, an obscure plant,
but little ringed plover might
perplex non-ornithologists: Little
Ringed Plover provides clarity.
Conversely, the sentence “The lane
was lined with Alder, birches, elms,
Pedunculate Oak and sallows”,
though correct for upper-case
perfectionists, jumps clumsily around,
as the particular species of birch, elm
and sallow are not specified.
Species within the less popular
wildlife groups have recently been
given common names. This helps,
given that most modern naturalists
were not taught Latin and Greek.
However, many of these names are
convoluted, such as hairy-footed
flower bee (for what could be called
the Common Flower Bee), or slightly
silly, as in the hairy canary fly.
Taxonomists stand accused of
justifying their existence by changing
common and scientific names with
unnecessary regularity. Arguably,
they do not swim in the same waters
as the people who use the names.
Users love names they first learn,
and reach a point when they can
no longer accept changes.
@matthewoates76
the times | Saturday February 4 2023
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The King should be bold and set Australia free
It’s absurd for the monarch to be head of state in 14 realms, so Charles would liberate us all by taking the initiative
Janice
Turner
@victoriapeckham
W
hatever your opinion
of our new King, he
has vision. He made
a speech against
water pollution, car
emissions and non-returnable bottles
back in 1970 — for which he was
called, in his own words, “a complete
idiot”. Thoughtful and prescient, he
must sense that across the 14
Commonwealth realms beyond the
UK of which he is now head of state,
change is inevitable.
He encrypted it in his message to
New Zealand in the wake of floods
by using Aotearoa, the country’s
Maori name. When he learnt the
Australian $5 banknote would not
bear his image, as it did his mother’s,
he must have felt a tectonic shift.
Stand back and contemplate the
anachronism of Australia, a
democratic nation of 26 million
people with our King’s face on its
pocket change and a “governor-
general” acting as his proxy at 9,000
miles’ distance. It is absurd for
Australians but also for modern
Britons. Our histories deeply
intertwine with Australia, Canada
and New Zealand: our citizens
founded and built these countries.
But time moves on, and each of
them is undergoing a reckoning for
how First Nation people were
usurped and massacred by our
settler ancestors. As ethics shift and
young people in particular take a
long, clear-eyed view of imperial
history, how can we feel proud that
our King is also theirs? Who the hell
do we think we still are?
Already it seems that Charles’s
remaining Caribbean realms are
likely to join Barbados, which became
a republic in 2021. The British legacy
in former slave states is naturally
more brutal and bitter than in our
former white-settler empire. Charles
How can we still feel
proud that our king
is also Australia’s?
himself acknowledged this at the
ceremony for Barbados’s first
president. “Emancipation, self-
government and independence,” he
said, “were your way-points.” How
odd to make that speech knowing you
were the imperial relic from which a
nation is gladly breaking, that all the
fireworks, dancing and champagne
are to celebrate freedom from you.
Last year, the late Queen sent her
most personable, attractive, modern-
minded emissaries, the Duke and
Duchess of Cambridge, to the
Caribbean. Even so, their first stop in
Belize was cancelled by
demonstrations, while in Jamaica the
prime minister bluntly told them his
country was “moving on”. Even
William and Kate, with their perpetual
happy-to-be-here smiles, struggled
to find a tone befitting the moment,
whether dressed in tux and tiara or
touching the hands of children
awkwardly through a chainlink fence.
The white glove waving, elephants
with gilded howdahs and white
plumed hats are gone, but still this
tour evoked series one of The Crown.
The Queen’s peculiar mystery
drew crowds: to meet her was a cross
between a papal benediction and
seeing a movie star. In age, she
offered reassurance and continuity, a
sense that everything could be
different yet nothing changes. During
her reign 17 former colonies shed her
as Queen, from South Africa to
Pakistan, yet remained part of the
Commonwealth. But now our royals,
slugging it out via Netflix, are wholly
human. Jamaicans will line the street
to see Beyoncé, but, seriously, Prince
Edward and Sophie?
Poorer Caribbean nations
understandably balk at the expense
of monarchy: royal tours are funded,
in part, by their taxpayers, ancestors
of those who toiled unpaid in sugar
plantations to make Britain rich.
“Why,” asked a committee seeking
reparations for enslavement in the
Bahamas, “are we being made to pay
again?” It is a fair question, whatever
your view of reparations themselves.
It is also possible to support the
monarchy in Britain — and I’m a
pragmatist who believes contracting
out magical duties to the royal family
keeps our politicians kickable — yet
still feel queasy about the King’s face
on Caribbean stamps.
Soft power is evolving:
former colonies want
to see us eye-to-eye
The trouble for some countries is,
whatever shifts in public opinion, their
constitutions were drafted to make
republicanism almost impossible. In
Australia it requires a referendum,
with a majority not just overall but in
four of its six federal states. In
Canada, although 55 per cent of
citizens now say the monarchy is
irrelevant to their lives, shedding the
King requires “unanimous consent”: a
majority in both houses of parliament
and all ten provincial legislatures.
So Britain could cling on, struggling
to keep these countries tied to the
crown even as they are now
populated by immigrants from across
the globe (Australia is now 17.5 per
27
Comment
cent of Asian descent, including the
foreign minister, Penny Wong, who
visited this week). The King could
send out his dearest relatives to be
greeted by ever-smaller crowds and
ever-larger protests. Or, instead of
watching while polls decline and
divisive referendums are conducted
with angry, online campaigns against
“imperial Britain”, he could give notice
to relinquish his remaining realms.
Allow time for countries to make
other arrangements, restructure
constitutions, forge new coins and
passports. And while we’re at it,
finally change the E in OBE from
“empire” to “excellence”. (Yes, Alan
Cumming was a virtue-signalling,
publicity-grubber for sending his
back, but the word is preposterous.)
Close economic and diplomatic
Commonwealth ties would remain,
in fact be made stronger. What
constitutes soft power is evolving:
former colonies want to look eye-to-
eye with their former rulers. How
can they when their old master is
still, after all these decades, their
head of state? Shedding the last
vestiges of imperial power would not
diminish us, but make Britain look
generous, confident, modern.
And for the King, no more
attending ceremonies and making
rueful speeches about how, by
popular demand, you’re being booted
out. Take the initiative, Charles: let
your people go.
28
Letters to the Editor
Raab and bullying
Sir, I was surprised to read that Adam
Tolley KC is trying to determine
whether the poor behaviour shown
by Dominic Raab might have
occurred while he was “oblivious of
how his officials reacted” (“I’ve never
shouted in a meeting, says Raab as
allies rally”, Feb 2). This distinction
has not appeared previously in the
definition of bullying. In the Bullying
and Harassment Policy for UK
Parliament (2022 edition), bullying is
described as “offensive, intimidating,
malicious or insulting behaviour
involving an abuse or misuse of
power that can make a person feel
vulnerable, upset, undermined,
humiliated, denigrated or threatened”.
Nowhere in the document is there a
let-out clause suggesting that it is not
bullying if the person responsible is
unaware of the effect their behaviour
has on others. The document states
that “All members of the
parliamentary community are
expected to treat others with dignity,
courtesy and respect” and that
“Bullying and harassment are
unacceptable in all circumstances”.
If Mr Raab’s poor behaviour is
excused on the basis that he was
unaware of the effect on his staff, this
will impede the efforts of those trying
to stamp out bullying in parliament.
Francis Creed
Emeritus professor of psychological
medicine, University of Manchester
Dowsing debunked
Sir, As a professional geologist with
20 years’ experience in ground
investigation I am deeply sceptical
about dowsing (letters, Feb 1 & 3). The
most likely explanation is that
subconscious human reactions cause
the dowsing rods to deflect, brought
about by subtle imperceptible
movements derived from where the
dowser expects the water or buried
service to be. In essence it is mind
over matter, often resulting in the
phrase “I thought that’s where it
would be” being uttered.
Chris Blake
Dingwall, Highland
House of correction
Sir, The best connection between the
name of a house and the owner’s
character or aspirations (letter, Feb 3)
is that of the High Court judge Sir
Melford Stevenson, who was noted
for his harsh sentencing, and
Truncheons, his house at Winchelsea.
Andrew Francis
Serle Court, Lincoln’s Inn
Corrections and
clarifications
The Times takes
complaints
about editorial
content seriously. We are committed to
abiding by the Independent Press
Standards Organisation (“IPSO”) rules
and regulations and the Editors’ Code of
Practice that IPSO enforces.
Requests for corrections or
clarifications should be sent by email to
feedback@thetimes.co.uk or by post to
Feedback, The Times, 1 London Bridge
Street, London SE1 9GF
Breaking the logjam on trade with the EU
Sir, Katy Balls is right that the role of
the European Court of Justice (ECJ)
is likely to prove the most contentious
aspect of any settlement with the EU
over the Northern Ireland protocol
(“Risk-averse Rishi is about to get
radical”, comment, Feb 3). However,
there is a perfectly workable solution
available, one that was hinted at in
your report earlier this week (“Britain
and EU set for Northern Ireland
deal”, Feb 1). This involves drawing a
distinction between different aspects
of the ECJ’s jurisdiction.
On the one hand, certain rules of
European Union law (essentially
those relating to the free movement
of goods) continue to apply directly
in Northern Ireland. It must,
therefore, remain possible for courts
in Northern Ireland to refer
questions to the ECJ, when they need
guidance as to the correct
interpretation of those rules in order
to decide cases before them.
On the other hand, there is no need
for the UK to be dragged before the
ECJ by the European Commission in
disputes arising out of alleged
infringements of the rules in question.
Arbitration under the dispute
settlement system of the withdrawal
agreement is available as an
British Gas ruling
Sir, The Times deserves great credit
for its hard-hitting and much-needed
investigation into the force-fitting of
prepayment meters, which seems to
have finally prompted Ofgem to act
(news, Feb 2 & 3). All suppliers must
now listen to the regulator and pause
these forced installations. This is the
only way to prevent a repeat of the
painful experiences laid bare by this
investigation — and which our
frontline advisers hear with grim
regularity. Ofgem must not stop
there. Suppliers should now conduct a
thorough review of all prepayment
customers. No one should be left
paying for their energy this way when
it is not a safe option for them. The
regulator and suppliers must also
make sure that where prepayment
puts a person at risk of losing their
electricity or gas supply, they are not
being remotely switched via a smart
meter. Remote switching may spare
someone the stress and anxiety of
bailiffs and locksmiths but it does not
protect them from the hardship of a
cold and dark home.
Dame Clare Moriarty
CEO, Citizens Advice
RAIDS ON
BERLIN
DRINKING DENS
from the times february 4, 1923
However laudable in principle may
have been the closing of public
dancing places in Berlin, there is a
distinct probability that not only has
no real good been done but, on the
contrary, an impulse has been given
to the further development of those
semi, if not quite, disreputable night
places where bad drink is sold amid
bad surroundings at ridiculous
prices. Last week, for example, eight
to ten of these places were raided
every night by the police. One of the
most remarkable cases is that of a
large manufactory in the north-west
of Berlin. Some days ago the
alternative procedure, which those
with genuine concerns for the UK’s
sovereignty ought to find acceptable.
Professor Sir Alan Dashwood KC
Henderson Chambers, Temple
Sir, David Elder (letter, Feb 3) uses
the word “inexplicable” to describe
Brexit. However, I suspect he does
not see its greater meaning. During
the referendum campaign, I would
guess that about one quarter of the
electorate wanted to leave regardless,
and a similar number to remain. The
rest, me included, had severe
misgivings about the EU that were
rarely addressed, and eventually
decided one way or the other. Since
then, the only narrative addressed by
the EU and its supporters has been
that of the ardent Leavers, often with
accusations of racism and stupidity. I
have seen little attempt to examine
the misgivings that I still feel on
matters such as fiscal and
international policy. As long as the
only reasons for leaving the EU
publicly discussed are blue passports
and taking back control, and more
systemic issues are ignored, Brexit
will remain “inexplicable”.
Nick Beeson
lkley, W Yorks
Sir, Further to your investigation into
British Gas’s debt collectors, 20 years
ago most court days started with
utility company agents lined up
asking for entry warrants. I noticed
one regular with a pile of about 20 to
go through. When he was in the
witness box and on oath I was able
ask what was going on. It seemed that
most warrants were for the elderly or
young mums: a letter had been sent,
and someone had gone round and
knocked on doors, and the next step
was to ask for a warrant.
If granted the warrant, the agent
would then go with a locksmith and
enter with or without permission. The
prepayment meter was fitted and the
costs of the exercise was added to the
bill. The effect was that the bill was
now so high that using the
prepayment meter was impossible;
without power most would move out.
I am unconvinced that the chief
executives of utility companies have
been in ignorance all these years.
Kim Brassington
Former magistrate, Cheltenham
Letters to The Times must be exclusive
and may be edited. Please include a full
address and daytime telephone number.
directors and employees, on arriving
in the ordinary way at 9 o’clock in the
morning, were astonished to find
their bureaux strongly impregnated
with the smell of tobacco and alcohol.
This experience was repeated on the
two following days. The directors
therefore applied to the police, who
put the building under special
supervision. It was then discovered
that at nightfall, when the bureaux
had been evacuated, a large wagon
drove up with easy chairs, tables, and
the ordinary installation of a bar. The
bureaux were completely cleared and
the furniture temporarily put into the
neighbouring rooms. An end,
however, was made to this idyll last
night, when, to the astonishment of
some hundred clients, the cry
suddenly rang out, “The police. Up
with your hands.” The organizers of
this entertainment and the waiters
attempted to fly, but were seized and
carried off to the police station,
together with a large number of the
Letters to the Editor should be sent to
letters@thetimes.co.uk or by post to
1 London Bridge Street, London SE1 9GF
Sir, David Elder writes of “European
sorrow” at “the inexplicable
self-harm” that is Brexit. I am afraid
that it is all too explicable. The
European Union had the opportunity
to avoid Brexit but unfortunately the
refusal by Jean-Claude Juncker, the
president of the European
Commission, to offer David Cameron
any level of meaningful reform made
the eventual outcome of the
referendum far more likely.
Sebastian Marr
Chippenham, Wilts
Sir, John Coulton (letter, Feb 3) is
correct in his view that “the economy
is in the doldrums as a result of every
aspect of Brexit”. My unscientific
focus group, which consists of the
French citizens whom I meet in the
course of daily life here, have
consistently been unanimous in their
view that they had had enough of
British exceptionalism, and are
relieved to at last be rid of France’s
“antisocial and disruptive” next-door
neighbour. Hence Mr Coulton’s
proposed solution of rejoining the
European Union may not be
straightforward — or even possible.
Dominica Jewell
Bazoches au Houlme, France
Cancer warning
Sir, On World Cancer Day today the
Union for International Cancer
Control aims “to prevent millions of
deaths each year by raising awareness
and education about cancer and
pressing governments and individuals
across the world to take action against
the disease”. However, World Cancer
Day coincides with the government
abandoning its plans for a new long-
term cancer plan, instead subsuming it
into a generic multi-chronic disease
strategy. The loss of a dedicated
national cancer control plan runs
contrary to globally accepted standards
set by the World Health Organisation.
If the government refuses to back a
new long-term cancer plan it will cost
patients their lives. We urge the health
secretary to listen to the international
evidence and reverse this decision.
Professor Richard Sullivan, Institute
of Cancer Policy, KCL; Professor Pat
Price, chairman, Radiotherapy UK;
Professor Gordon Wishart, Anglia
Ruskin University; Dr Ajay
Aggarwal, London School of Hygiene
& Tropical Medicine; Professor Mark
Lawler, chairman, International
Cancer Benchmarking Partnership
guests, who had to undergo
searching inquiry. The staff of the
establishment are still in custody.
6 ludendorff visits austria
General Ludendorff arrived
suddenly last night at Klagenfurt,
the capital of the Province of
Carinthia. He was met by the Mayor
and guards of honour of the
Carinthian Heimwehr, a semi-
military organisation maintained in
country districts of Austria by the
Pan-Germans and the Christian
Social Party as a guarantee of
strength against the Socialism of
Vienna. The General’s coming had
been kept secret by the Pan-
Germans. When it was known,
there was great indignation among
the working-class population. Over
200 workmen surrounded his
motor-car with shouts of
“murderer” and “bloodhound”.
thetimes.co.uk/archive
Saturday February 4 2023 | the times
Memorial wrangle
Sir, Richard Morrison’s column was
rightly headed “The bungling of the
Holocaust memorial is a national
embarrassment” (Times2, Feb 3). The
root of the problem is casual
ill-informed decision-making. Using
Victoria Tower Gardens for the
memorial was first considered by the
UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation
on January 13, 2016, and was
announced by David Cameron as the
chosen site only 14 days later, without
considering obstacles such as the 1900
act of parliament. Alternative less
damaging sites meeting the criterion
of being near parliament (eg College
Green, Parliament Square, Whitehall)
were never considered. Now, equally
casually, the government has decided
to persist with this flawed scheme by
removing Victoria Tower Gardens’
statutory protection, thereby setting a
terrible precedent for public parks
everywhere. It would be quicker to
start again and make a well-founded
decision on the location, and much
more likely to create a memorial that
achieves its purpose.
Dr Dorian Gerhold
London SW15
Tate viewpoint
Sir, I agree with the Supreme Court’s
decision that the Tate viewing gallery
was a nuisance (“Tate’s luxury flat
neighbours ‘are in a zoo’, judges
decide”, Feb 2). We often design
balconies for owners’ homes, but
council planning departments
correctly require side-screening to
avoid overlooking of neighbours’
gardens and they would never allow
direct viewing into neighbouring
windows. Why was a viewing gallery
needed in this case, and why did it
face a glazed block of flats? The local
authority seems to be at fault in
granting planning consent where
there was a clear overlooking issue.
Martyn Pattie, RIBA
Ongar, Essex
Save our portrait
Sir, Further to Lucy Ward’s excellent
Thunderer (“Just weeks to save this
treasure that belongs to us all”, Feb 2),
it is imperative to save the Portrait of
Omai by Sir Joshua Reynolds. I knew
it well when it hung in the Long
Gallery at Castle Howard. It is as
much a part of our country’s history
as Captain Cook.
Elizabeth Edwards
Former Art Fund representative for
Hampshire; Sutton Scotney, Hants
Sir, Lucy Ward calls Sir Joshua
Reynolds’ Portrait of Omai “the first
grand portrait of a non-white subject”.
She seems to have overlooked
Velázquez’s portrait of his enslaved
assistant Juan de Pareja, an even
greater masterpiece, in the Earl of
Radnor’s collection. It was sold at
auction by Christie’s in London to the
Metropolitan Museum of Art in New
York in 1970. It was the first painting
to sell for more than £1 million.
Harry Eyres
London W10
Dress to impress
Sir, When the Rev Canon Andrew
Wingfield Digby (letters, Feb 2 & 3)
came to Sherborne Abbey to preach
at a family wedding, he refused to
wear the customary abbey vesture. So
he preached in Morning Dress. Just as
Jesus would have done, no doubt.
The Rev Canon Eric Woods
Vicar of Sherborne 1993-2020;
Sturminster Newton, Dorset
the times | Saturday February 4 2023
Daily Universal Register
UK: First round of the rugby union Six
Nations, with Wales v Ireland at 2.15pm and
England v Scotland at 4.45pm; strikes on the
Bakerloo Line on the London Underground.
Birthdays today
Dara Ó Briain, pictured,
comedian, 51; Jerry
Adler, actor, The
Sopranos (1999-2007),
and director, 94; Nickie
Aiken, Tory MP for
Cities of London and
Westminster, 54; Peter
Allen, broadcaster, 77; Jeanette Brakewell,
equestrian, Olympic silver medallist, 49;
Damian Collins, Tory MP for Folkestone &
Hythe, 49; Alice Cooper, singer, 75; Jim
Cunningham, Labour MP for Coventry
South (1992-2019), 82; Tsitsi Dangarembga,
writer and film-maker, 64; Oscar De La
Hoya, boxer, 50; Stephen Hammond, Tory
MP for Wimbledon, 61; Vice-Admiral Sir
Nicholas Hine, 57; Granville Gordon,
Marquess of Huntly, 79; Natalie Imbruglia,
singer, 48; Winton Keenen QPM, chief
constable, Northumbria Police, 58; Pauline
Latham, Tory MP for Mid Derbyshire, 75;
James Morris, Tory MP for Halesowen &
Rowley Regis, 56; Sheryll Murray, Tory MP
for South East Cornwall, 67; Alex Norris,
Labour Co-op MP for Nottingham North,
39; Sir Lee Pearson, dressage rider, 14-time
Paralympic Games gold medallist 49; Isabel
Perón, president of Argentina (1974-76), 92;
Sir Charles Pollard QPM, pioneer of
restorative justice, 78; Jerome Powell,
chairman, US Federal Reserve, 70; John
Steel, drummer, the Animals, 82; Rt Rev
Rachel Treweek, bishop of Gloucester, 60;
Pirmin Zurbriggen, alpine skier, 60.
Birthdays tomorrow
Emma Barnett, pictured,
broadcaster, 38; Sir Ben
Ainslie, yachtsman, 46;
Sir Robert Atkins, Tory
MEP (1999-2014), MP
(1979-97) and Northern
Ireland minister (1992-
94), 77; Bobby Brown,
singer-songwriter, Every Little Step (1989),
54; Nolan Bushnell, co-founder of the Atari
video game company (1972), 80; Jacqui
Dankworth, jazz singer, 60; Mary, Crown
Princess of Denmark, 51; Olafur Eliasson,
artist, 56; Sven-Göran Eriksson, football
manager, England (2001-06), 75; Russell
Grant, astrologer, 72; Lord (Christopher)
Haden-Guest, actor and writer, This Is Spinal
Tap (1984), 75; Melissa Harrison, novelist,
and nature writer for The Times, 48; Dame
Susan Hill, novelist, The Woman in Black
(1983), 81; Sir Stephen Irwin, lord justice of
appeal (2016-20), 70; Sir Mark Jones,
chairman, National Trust for Scotland, 72;
Robert Rogers, Lord Lisvane, clerk of the
House of Commons (2011-14), 73; Michael
Mann, film-maker, Heat (1995), 80; Oliver
Mears, director of opera, Royal Opera
House, 44; Thomasina Miers, chef and food
writer, 47; Jacqueline Mina, goldsmith, 81;
Rear-Admiral Steve Moorhouse, director,
Force Generation, Royal Navy, 50; Michael
Sheen, actor, Frost/Nixon (2008), 54; Jo
Swinson, leader of the Liberal Democrats
(2019), 43; Tom Wilkinson, actor, The Full
Monty (1997), 75.
On this day
In 1927 Malcolm Campbell broke the world
land-speed record, driving his Napier-
Campbell car at 174.88mph in south Wales.
The last word
“All my life, I’ve always wanted to be
somebody, but I see now I should have been
more specific.” Jane Wagner, US comedy
actress and playwright, The Search for Signs
of Intelligent Life in the Universe (1985)
Labour’s Choices
The public deserves to know what Sir Keir Starmer’s
party would do in response to the wave of strikes
As the country braces for another week of strikes,
one thing appears increasingly clear: the Tories
are not for turning. In an interview with TalkTV
on Thursday night, Rishi Sunak made his own
position abundantly clear: “I would love to give
nurses a massive pay rise. Who wouldn’t? Certain-
ly that would make my life easier.” But, the prime
minister said, the NHS could not afford it. “It’s
about choices. So right now money going into the
NHS [is the] biggest it has ever been but we have
to put that in lots of different places. We need to
hire more doctors, more nurses. We need more
scanning equipment so we can detect cancers.” If
Mr Sunak has taken such a stance on nurses, who
enjoy wide public sympathy, it is a reasonable bet
that the government has no intention of yielding
to other public sector strikes.
But if the government has made its choice, the
same cannot be said of Labour. Rather than set out
its own policy towards strikes, the opposition
sticks doggedly to its mantra that the government
and unions must “get round the negotiating table”.
Sir Keir Starmer may feel that his refusal to take
sides, which extends to banning Labour front-
benchers from joining picket lines, has served the
party well. After all, polls show that Labour is more
than 20 points ahead, with the public blaming the
University students deserve redress for disrupted courses
Many people suffered in many ways during the
pandemic, but few have reason to feel as aggrieved
as students who enrolled on university courses
only to spend much of what should have been the
most rewarding time of their lives confined to
their bedrooms. Their frustration is all the greater
for the fact that they will have incurred substantial
debt to fund their courses, which they will now
have to repay for the rest of their working lives. In
any other sphere of life, people who pay for ser-
vices that are not delivered are entitled to a refund.
Yet most students have not received any compen-
sation. No wonder 80,000 current and former
students have launched a class action in an
attempt to gain some redress from their colleges.
Morally, at least, their claim looks strong. After
all, they did not just miss out on the in-person
teaching and lectures, the clubs and societies, the
social events and other aspects of student life that
make university such a rewarding experience. In
many cases, students missed out on specialist
skills training that should have been an essential
part of their course. We report today on a neuro-
science student who was shown how to use a piece
Happy Valley’s immense popularity proves that less really is more
Not so long ago, the received wisdom was that,
given the proliferation of channels, and indeed
myriad other forms of home entertainment, the
era of the mass unifying TV event was over. Back
in the day, half the country might have been
gripped by The Forsyte Saga, Dallas or Pride and
Prejudice, but such communal experiences could
not be repeated in the age of cable, satellite, iPlayer
and Netflix. The country might still coalesce
around royal or sporting events, or Sir David
Attenborough, but for drama, the orthodoxy held
that multiple choice had killed the possibility of a
TV show becoming a national phenomenon.
Tories as much as the unions for the disruption.
Nonetheless, the country deserves to know what
a Labour government would do.
What does Sir Keir think would be a good out-
come to the negotiations that he is urging upon
the government? Does he think that ministers
should ignore the recommendations of independ-
ent pay review bodies and simply give in to union
demands for above-inflation pay rises? Or does
Labour side with poorer private sector workers
who are likely to be paying the highest price for the
current disruption and have most to lose from a
prolonged inflationary crisis that drives up the
cost of living? Or does the Labour leader share the
view of Bridget Phillipson, the shadow education
secretary, who has suggested that ministers
should strike a deal with teachers “somewhere in
the middle” of the current offer of a 5 per cent pay
rise and their demand for 12 per cent.
If Sir Keir does agree with Ms Phillipson, assum-
ing she still agrees with herself, then he should say
how he thinks such pay rises should be funded.
Should the extra money come from existing bud-
gets, which are already under extreme pressure,
leading to further cuts in public services? Or
would Labour fund the extra pay through in-
creased public borrowing? That would of course
Raw Deal
of complex equipment online without setting foot
in the laboratory where it was held. We also report
on a student at an art school who wanted to take
courses in ceramics and metalwork but did not
have a kiln or a furnace in her bedroom. They may
have received degrees after three years, but what
value are these qualifications if they did not
receive the customary practical training?
What is shocking is how few universities and
colleges have offered compensation to students
who missed out during the pandemic. Of the 109
institutions served with freedom of information
requests by The Times, 64 said they had awarded
no compensation for poor teaching quality. The
refunds that were paid, totalling £1.5 million, were
shared among 1,300 students. That compares to
1,257,355 students who enrolled in their first year in
September 2020. Many universities have a blanket
policy of not paying compensation.
It is true that the pandemic hit universities hard
too. Many went to considerable lengths to adapt to
the public health requirements laid down by the
government, switching to online courses. It is also
the case that many universities are facing their
Top Telly
Well, suffice to say, Sally Wainwright and Sarah
Lancashire, respectively the creator and star of
Happy Valley, didn’t get the memo. The third series
of this breathtakingly entertaining drama con-
cludes tomorrow night. Social media is buzzing
with potential plot twists. The Calder Valley,
where the show is set and filmed, has never been
so popular. There will be only one topic of conver-
sation around office water coolers on Monday
morning. Recently Line of Duty, The White Lotus
and Killing Eve have similarly mesmerised mass
audiences. We are truly living in a new golden age
of the small screen.
29
Leading articles
risk putting further fuel on the inflationary fire,
obliging the Bank of England to push interest rates
higher to offset the boost in demand, inflicting fur-
ther misery on mortgage-holders and businesses.
Of course, Labour could fund pay rises by increas-
ing taxes, but then Sir Keir would need to spell out
which ones. Taxing non-doms and private schools
is hardly a sufficient answer, given that once the
government capitulates to one union, it will strug-
gle to avoid capitulating to all.
These may be hard choices, but it cannot be in
Labour’s interests to continue to duck them. That
is not just because the public may become wary of
a party that cannot say where it stands on the most
urgent issues of the day. It is also because if, as polls
suggest is likely, Labour does go into government
in the next two years, it will inherit all of the prob-
lems that are now weighing on the Conservatives.
An honest Labour leadership would level with the
unions that there can be no extra money for pay
rises without radical reform of public services,
enabling more to be delivered within existing
budgets. Sir Keir’s challenge is to set out a plan for
radical reform and secure a mandate for it. That
may mean taking risks with his poll lead. But the
greater risk is to take the public for fools. After all,
voters get a choice too.
own financial pressures, not least from having
over-expanded during the previous decade, leav-
ing many with significant debts. The freezing of
tuition fees over the last decade means that
university incomes have not risen as fast as fore-
cast. Nonetheless, that is no excuse to ignore obli-
gations to young people paying £9,250 a year in
tuition fees and who will incur an average £46,000
in debt over the course of their degrees.
Indeed, the raw deal for students has not ended
with the pandemic. Last week they were deprived
of teaching once again when their lecturers went
on strike, the first of 17 walkouts planned over the
next two months. This is the latest instalment of a
long-running pensions dispute between vice-
chancellors and the University and College Union
(UCU). It is now also threatening marking boy-
cotts. These are serious blows to those in their
second and final years, whose legitimate rights
and expectations are being ignored. The introduc-
tion of tuition fees has turned students into paying
customers and they are entitled to the rights of any
customer. If good service is not forthcoming then
they should also be entitled to redress.
What will undoubtedly ensure Happy Valley’s
place in the pantheon is that, after just 18 episodes
in nine years, tomorrow night’s will be the last.
Several clichés come to mind — less is more, quit
while you’re ahead, leave ’em wanting more — but
we prefer to invoke what might be termed The
Fawlty Towers Principle. John Cleese’s decision to
retire his monstrous hotelier after just 12 outings
surely added to Basil’s comedy status. Ricky Ger-
vais was equally brutal with David Brent, while the
US version of The Office ran to more than 200
episodes, and it showed. Brevity and scarcity often
prove the best guarantors of quality control.
30
Comment
A not-so-warm
welcome in the
wolds and meres
Rose
Wild
Feedback
@timesfeedback
ast week’s Magazine featured
L a paean to the beauties of
Britain — and lament for the
state of its waterways —
from Caitlin Moran. What
with the rainforests of Wales, she
said, the peaks, lakes, broads and
moors, “we live on a global treasure”.
Apart from Lincolnshire, that is,
“which is just boring”.
Whoops. It wasn’t just residents of
this much-maligned county who
choked on their porridge. Brian
Hodgkinson of Arnold, Nottingham,
conceded that “to many people not
acquainted with it, Lincolnshire is
supposed to be totally flat, even the
hilly bits”. He suggested, however,
that Caitlin “be brave” and check out
the Lincolnshire Wolds, “where there
are ‘mountains’ of over 500ft,
beautiful villages, ancient churches
and very welcoming folk”.
Judging by some of the other
comments, Caitlin might have to skip
the welcome, but the broad message
was clear. If you’ve driven from one
end of the county to another and
seen nothing but sugar beet, you
haven’t been looking hard enough.
Some indignant Yellowbellies —
yes, that is the local nickname —
cited Lincolnshire’s architectural
splendours, but it was to the wolds
that most referred in their county’s
defence. A wold in Old English
meant a forest, in not-so old English
a wooded upland — and nowadays,
with all the trees gone, it is just an
upland. Lincolnshire’s, several people
pointed out, constitute the highest
tract of land in eastern England
between Yorkshire and Kent.
It was that exchange in Noël
Coward’s Private Lives — “Very flat
Norfolk”, “There’s no need to be
unpleasant” — which immortalised
the view that, when it comes to
landscapes, an absence of hills is a
deficit. As a frequent visitor to
Essex’s Dengie peninsula, where the
highest point is probably next-door’s
compost heap, this is not a sentiment
I share. What about those massive
skies and biting North Sea breezes?
As a highly unscientific exercise, I
ran a search on The Times website
for “Lincolnshire boring”. This netted
1,245 results, which compares with
3,036 results for “Norfolk flat”. And
Norfolk isn’t even the flattest county
— that’s Cambridgeshire. These
stereotypes are hard to shake off.
Our most mountainous county, no
surprises, is Cumbria, which I’m sure
no one has ever described as boring.
On Saturday we ran a photograph of
Ullswater, which was described in
appreciative emails as both charming
and exceptionally beautiful. They all
made the same objection, however.
Peter Elliott wrote from deepest
Surrey: “Thank you for the
photograph, but no doubt you have
been flooded with letters pointing
out that it was wrongly captioned as
‘Ullswater Lake’.” Yes, since you
mention it, we have had a few.
“In fact,” he went on, “it is simply,
and beautifully, ‘Ullswater’. There is
actually only one ‘lake’ in the Lake
District — Bassenthwaite Lake. The
others are all meres, waters and
tarns. This is the only occasion on
which I’ve found that to be a useful
piece of knowledge.”
I’m so glad it hasn’t gone to waste.
Write to Feedback by emailing
feedback@thetimes.co.uk or by post to
1 London Bridge Street, London SE1 9GF
Receipt wisdom
M
ichael Houlston wrote from
Bolton, “Your archive clip,
‘Puddings for men’, twice
referred to a ‘receipt’, but the context
suggests that ‘recipe’ should have
been used. Was the 1923 article
incorrect, or was ‘receipt’ in fact a
word for recipe in those days?”
It was, although rarely used, as
Hugh Peate noted. “It is interesting
to see ‘receipt’ used for ‘recipe’ well
into the 20th century. I had only
come across it in Gilbert & Sullivan’s
Patience: ‘If you want a receipt for
that popular mystery, known to the
world as a heavy dragoon . . . ’.”
MJ Coffey pointed out that “in
German ‘rezept’ is used for ‘recipe’
and for ‘prescription’”, which cleared
up a mystery for Ian Jackson. “That
explains its use by Jennifer Paterson,
one of television’s Two Fat Ladies,
who I always thought was
mispronouncing ‘recipe’ as ‘receep’
for comedic effect.”
Paterson never talked about
“recipes” — indeed her last book was
called Seasonal Receipts. In an
account of her funeral mass in 1999,
at which her motorbike helmet
rested on the coffin, The Times
reported: “A committed Catholic,
Miss Paterson used to preface her
published receipts with dedications
to the saints whose feast days they
suited. ‘She died on the day of the
patron saint of cooks, Saint
Laurence,’ said Father Ronald
Creighton-Jobe, in his homily. ‘That
would have pleased her.’ ”
Saturday February 4 2023 | the times
Ebbs and flows
I
t seems that John Wheeler, whom
I quoted last week, is not the only
one to have been tickled by the
language of market reports.
Long ago, JF Nugee says, he had
the job of writing up share-price
movements for a small investment
bank. “It is quite a challenge to find
novel ways of saying either ‘went up’
or ‘went down’. I used to create the
world’s most awful wordplays —
airline shares always took off, motor
shares always accelerated, rubber
shares always bounced, and so on.”
“’Twas ever thus,” says Jonathan
Del Mar. When he was at Oxford in
1972, he entertained himself by
collecting an astonishing thesaurus
from The Times share-price citations.
Between January and March he
found at least 28 terms for a rise —
gained, recovered, jumped, rose, put
on, advanced, etc — and 21 for a fall.
Life’s rich pageant
I
n a story on bogus “eco” loo rolls,
we reported that “the average
household spends £130 billion a
year on these products”. Jonathan
Ward of Tredington, Warwickshire,
remarks: “I had no idea the average
household was quite so rich.”
“Why,” Elizabeth Boon of
Bournemouth wants to know, “did a
photo of Matthew McConaughey,
handsome though he looks, appear
with your feature about men’s fitness
over 50? I cannot see any mention of
him in the article.”
To which I can only say, why not?
the times | Saturday February 4 2023
W
hat year is it? Don’t
worry, this isn’t a
medical memory test
taken after a bump
on the head. But
there is a big political debate raging
about whether it is 1992, when a dull
former chancellor replaced a slightly
bonkers woman as PM and then won
a shock election victory; or it is 1997,
when a nice former lawye r who
doesn’t really believe in anything
miraculously defeats a bitterly
divided, sleaze-addled and frankly
knackered government.
Maybe it’s written in the charts:
When John Major won in 1992, top
of the hit parade was Stay by
Shakespears Sister. When the Tories
were slaughtered five years later, it
was Blood on the Dance Floor by
Michael Jackson. But maybe it’s not
1992 or 1997 at all. There are plenty
of other historical parallels. Maybe
Corruption was ever a very British scandal
From Lloyd George to Michael Foot, past MPs were possessed by the same demon of self-entitlement as today’s offenders
Max Hastings
Y
our starter for ten on the
history of corruption in
British politics: which
socialist stalwart used
these teasingly ironic
words to a press lord, offering
thanks for subsidy cheques? — “I
will keep quiet about the way in
which such Bolshevik propaganda
as we are able to purvey is so
generously recompensed.”
This was Michael Foot, the later
Labour leader often supposed to be
a sea-green incorruptible, writing
to Lord Beaverbrook in 1940. His
excuse might be that he was on the
press lord’s payroll anyway, as a
contributor to his Evening Standard.
But Foot also repeatedly accepted
secret cheques and rewarded his
benefactor with the grossest flattery.
He told Beaverbrook on the latter’s
appointment as minister of aircraft
production: “Gibbon wrote of the
Emperor Theodosius that ‘the public
safety seemed to depend on the life
and abilities of a single man’. As we
read the news of the air battles, it
seems the same today.”
This anecdote does not preface
a plea for forgiveness of Nadhim
Zahawi, or for that matter of Boris
Johnson. There are issues about
truth and corruption in our
government more serious than for
many years. Two ex-prime ministers
would be shamed, if capable of this.
But glimpses of history are helpful:
we should not idealise the politicians
of the last century. Some of the
uglinesses that disfigure our
own parliament were evident then,
driven by the same demon of self-
entitlement. Ministers govern the
nation and mingle with the great
ones of the earth. They believe
themselves deserving of a standard
of living such as their salaries could
not finance, then or now.
The Marconi scandal was not the
first to involve David Lloyd George,
who in the 1890s had promoted a
dud Patagonian gold mining
company. When, in March 1912, the
it’s . . . 2016: That Labour guy wins
over a sceptical Saturday night public,
but his fancy footwork failed to
convince in the final despite his
impressive Gangnam Style.
2000: What pollsters call the battle
for Walford Woman: Frank Butcher
(the electorate) was content being
bossed about by diddy Peggy
Mitchell (Rishi Sunak), but then
along comes Pat Butcher (Keir
Starmer), all fur coat and earrings. A
showdown ensues, everyone gets a
slap in the face, and Peggy/Rishi
hollers: “Hope you all enjoyed the
fireworks! Good night!”
1999: Saving Private Rishi, an epic
tale of an against-the-odds battle in
which many pay the ultimate price
for the sake of one man. But it loses
out on the Best Picture Oscar to
Shakespeare in Labour, a sickly rom-
com focusing on the Bard’s literary
attempts to woo the electorate.
Churchill often called upon rich friends for aid such as the US financier Bernard Baruch. Below, the Marconi scandal of 1912
British Marconi company signed a
lucrative contract with the British
government, this was public
knowledge. What was not known,
however, was that across the Atlantic
American Marconi, a separate
entity, had signed other, still secret
contracts. Lloyd George, Liberal
chancellor, and the attorney-general
Rufus Isaacs bought shares after the
latter’s brother, a director of
Marconi, tipped him off. The two
Blood on the
Dance Floor
or Stay? Let’s
see what
history holds
for Rishi
Matt Chorley
Listen to Matt Chorley
every Monday to Friday,
10am to 1pm
men initially showed substantial
profits from this insider trading,
though in the end they lost money,
when they bought again and the
shares fell.
Both ministers thereafter deceived
parliament. They denied they had
trafficked in British Marconi shares,
without mentioning that they had
bought American ones. In
December, hearing that the facts
were about to leak, they confessed
privately to Herbert Asquith, the
prime minister, who refused their
offered resignations.
In a tortured twist to this dirty
story, in February 1913 the French
paper Le Matin reported the
Marconi story inaccurately. Isaacs
and the postmaster-general, Herbert
Samuel, seized the opportunity to
sue, and briefed Edward Carson and
FE Smith to appear for them — thus
disarming two of the most
prominent and dangerous opposition
Unionist MPs.
Meanwhile, Lloyd George’s friend
Winston Churchill called on Lord
Northcliffe, owner of the Daily Mail,
and successfully appealed to him to
1998: Middle England’s favourite
sensible second-server Tim Henman
makes it to the semi-finals of
Wimbledon but falls within sight of
glory. He does the same in 1999. And
2001. And 2002. I’m just not sure
which of the current political dullards
Henman represents. New balls please.
1995: Maybe it’s Blur v Oasis all
over again, where the logical thing
is to go with Oasis who are
clearly a bigger deal but your
brother likes them so you have
to back Blur out of spite. Which
means the guy who lives in
the house, the very big
house in the country, beats
the lads from the red wall.
1985: Young Rishi McFly
asks Doc Hague for advice
on how to go back 30 years
and repeat the right course of
history. Unfortunately the flux
capacitor has been privatised,
“treat the Marconi matter on non-
party lines”. Yet the issue rumbled
on, and in June produced a new
bombshell: another Liberal grandee,
the Master of Elibank, had bought
Marconi shares not merely for
himself but also for his party.
However, the Liberal-dominated
select committee produced a report
on Marconi exonerating everybody
involved — a classic cover-up. Lloyd
George as usual talked his way out
of trouble. Marconi was forgiven
though never forgotten.
Beaverbrook’s subsidies to Michael
Foot, mentioned above, were among
many such payments, explicitly
designed to create obligations such
as would become front-page news if
made today by Rupert Murdoch or
Lord Rothermere. In September
1938 Maud, wife of the egregious
appeasement home secretary Sir
Samuel Hoare, wrote pleading with
Beaverbrook for cash: “We grow
poorer every year . . . If he goes he
will be a great loss to the country.”
On November 22 Beaverbrook
wrote back to her husband: “My dear
Sam, my long experience in public
31
Comment
teachers at Hill Valley High are on
strike and the lightning-ready town
hall has been turned into damp flats.
1858: Perhaps it’s Dickens and
Thackeray exchanging barbed
insults, determined to secure literary
supremacy, but then having to wait
more than a century until only one
of them secures the ultimate
accolade: A Muppets adaptation.
1152: Having stuck with one side
for the best part of 15 years, the
whole thing is called off when
Eleanor of Aquitane’s marriage to
Louis VII of France is annulled for
failing to produce the necessary
results, so she jumps into bed with
Henry II for 35 years.
9000BC: Maybe we need to go
back even further. Are we content to
walk around without being able to
put a shirt on our back? Or will we
be tempted by the snake? Truly this
is Eden. Or maybe it’s Attlee.
life has given me a very brilliant
picture of the financial misfortunes
of the man who takes office . . . I send
you out of a full pocket a very small
sum” — £2,000 — “‘which I would
like you to put into your purse . . . if
you still decide to stay in office . . . I
will send you another dribble of the
same size.” Two further payments of
the same amount followed in 1939.
Churchill throughout his
parliamentary career took for
granted his right, as a great public
servant, to call upon rich friends
for aid, whether Sir Ernest Cassel,
Bernard Baruch, Lord Camrose or
Sir Henry Strakosch. This last was
a friend of Churchill’s familiar
Brendan Bracken, and co-owner
with him of The Economist.
Strakosch had made a fortune in
South Africa and was a bachelor with
no family claims on his generosity.
Following his emergency bailout of
Beaverbrook’s subsidies
to Foot would become
front-page news today
£18,000, Churchill gave the tycoon
his only reward, membership of the
Other Club, his private fiefdom.
In June 1940, at the height of the
invasion crisis, Strakosch wrote
another cheque for £5,000 to relieve
Churchill of immediate
embarrassment, payable through
Bracken to conceal its source.
These are only samples of 20th-
century financial transactions of
a kind that should rightfully ruin
any modern political successor, if
exposed. It does not seem fanciful to
suggest that Boris Johnson’s cavalier
attitude to his own finances is rooted
in a Churchillian belief that great
men should not be pestered by
trivial personal embarrassments.
The answers to this argument
seem first, that we live in different
times. It is right to pitch expectations
of public servants higher than a
century ago. It is almost impossible
to conceal dirty dealings. Also,
perhaps, behaviour that posterity
may be willing to forgive great men
becomes unendurable in successors
who occupy incomparably lower
plinths in the national pantheon.
32
Comment
weekend essay
The future is
AI — but will it
allow humans
to play a part?
The automation of jobs is gathering pace and could usher
in a workplace revolution we’ll adapt to — or create a world
in which we’re third-class citizens, says Tom Whipple
ebecca DeWald used to have a regular gig.
R She would translate a fast fashion brand’s
website into German. It wasn’t much fun for
someone with a PhD in translation studies
— describing dresses isn’t exactly Goethe —
but it paid the bills. Then one day there was a change
in the terms of her employment. The company
switched to using machine translation. She kept the
job, it still paid the bills. She was now there to check
and standardise whatever was produced by the
computer. But there was a niggle.
“What it meant, actually, was that us humans were
training a machine,” she says. Each corrected caption
for a mid-priced T-shirt, each set of high heels, each
pair of skinny jeans, was a data point for the robot
that was going to replace her.
With the release of chat programs that can imitate
humans, the world is now beginning to consider what
the coming of artificial intelligence means. What will
it do for our jobs if large swathes of once solid
professions — law, accountancy, medicine —
disappear? What does it mean to be a human when
the thing that humans most prize — intelligence —
has become the cheapest commodity on the planet?
Translators, for good and ill, don’t have to wonder.
“You can take the world of translators and interpreters
as a microcosm of the world in general,” says Nicki
Bone, chairwoman of the board of the Institute of
Translating and Interpreting. Not all of them are
adjusting. “Of course we have our pessimists.” But, she
adds: “There are also opportunities, and optimists.”
The speed of change, though, has been breathtaking.
Science fiction writers try to predict the future.
Normally, they fail. In Douglas Adams’s Hitchhiker’s
Guide to the Galaxy, there is an odd creature known
as the Babel Fish. If you put it in your ear, it will
automatically translate the language of the person
speaking to you. Adams, with his Babel Fish, was not
predicting the future. He was creating a plot device
that meant his protagonist could talk to anyone he
met. It was, as the book itself stated, “bizarrely
improbable”. But the future has no care for what
we do or do not consider probable.
Last week, in Stuff, a gadget magazine, there were no
jetpacks or hoverboards. There was, though, an advert
for a set of earbuds, in essence indistinguishable from
Apple’s, called “Timekettle”. In the advert, a couple are
having coffee. The man says, “Would you like to have
dinner tonight?” The woman, wearing the earbuds,
hears, “Möchten sie Abendessen heute Abend?”
These earbuds performed simultaneous translation.
No one is pretending we are quite there, Babel Fish-
wise. Given the rough edges of both translation and
transcription software, using Timekettle might end up
being a somewhat awkward date. But one day? Even
one day soon? For translators, AI is not coming — it
has come. Increasingly, says Bone, she and her
colleagues are acting as editors of a machine’s first
pass, rather than translators of the raw material.
For some, that’s fine. “People will say, ‘OK, instead
of working at one rate for this number of words per
hour, I’m working at many more words per hour, but
for a much lower rate.’ Some are happy to take that on.
Some won’t, as a matter of principle.”
As we marvel at Chat GPT and its uncanny ability to
mimic human writing, translators are, for the rest of the
professions, the canary in the coalmine. Or, as Google
Translate would put it, le canari dans la mine de charbon.
And Bone’s opinion of our collective future? What
will life be like when computers can file your taxes and
legalbot3000 can do your conveyancing? Humans will
still have their uses. For instance, it takes a human to
confirm that yes, unusually, the French actually do use
the phrase “canary in the coalmine”. Sometimes, those
uses will be rather more important still: getting a legal
or medical analysis wrong can be catastrophic.
“What I always say,” says Bone, “is there can never
be any complete replacement for the human mind.”
View the AI as a tool, no different from the calculator
for an accountant or the tractor for a farmer and, she
says, it’s clear it is as likely to bring benefits as harm.
This, as it happens, is also the conventional answer
of economists. No one these days laments the loss of
opportunities in the lift attendants sector. When
typists became redundant, it didn’t lead to a rise in
fast-fingered beggars. The combine harvester took a
scythe to the scythe industry; there is
no legacy today of scythe unemployment.
There is an anecdote techno-optimists like that
illustrates the absurdity of believing it would
ever be otherwise. Milton Friedman, the
economics professor, was travelling overseas
and passed some roadworks. Looking out of his
car window, he was confused. He asked his host
why the labourers were using shovels rather
than machinery. The answer came that it was in
order to maintain employment levels. Friedman’s
response? “Then instead of shovels, why don’t you
give them spoons and create even more jobs?”
There are plenty of modern equivalents of the JCB
arriving in a world of shovels. Consider the UK-based
startup Papercup, a software company that applies
itself to dubbing. It takes videos in one language and
overdubs them in another. If you are watching, say, Top
Gun: Maverick but in Spanish, then the dubbing will use
a synthetic voice that tries to capture some of the
nuances and emotions of Cruise’s — but in Spanish.
For now, this is only semi-automatic. There is a
“human in the loop” linguist to check Cruise isn’t
about to say something embarrassing; not all Top Gun
Saturday February 4 2023 | the times
call signs sound quite so badass when automatically
rendered in Spanish. But this human, of course, can
get through a lot more dubbing than if he or she were
starting from scratch. In one sense then, it is taking
the jobs of legions of linguists and actors. In reality, it
is taking no jobs at all, because until it existed, this
work was not being done. Most videos on the internet
are not made by people with the budget to hire Tom
Cruise. Most are never dubbed at all.
“On YouTube, there are 250 million hours uploaded
every year and on Spotify there are two and a half
million podcasts,” says Jesse Shemen, chief executive
of Papercup. “The numbers are staggering. What
people don’t realise is that literally 99.9 per cent of all
of this video and audio content is stuck in a single
language. The reason is simple: traditional dubbing as
it stands today just fundamentally doesn’t scale. It’s
a very laborious, time-consuming process.”
ccusing Papercup of taking the jobs
A of linguists, then, is like accusing a
crane company of taking the jobs of
artisanal medieval builders because it
helped to construct the Shard. They
couldn’t have built it in the 1500s; we couldn’t
have dubbed a million hours of footage in the
2010s. Like the Luddites, each time a new
technology arrives, we fret. But today, after
centuries of jobs being destroyed by technology, we
have better lives with more people in better jobs than
ever before. The loss of jobs to technology is, in this
view, not merely to be expected: it is to be embraced.
That, then, is the easy dismissal — the
overwhelming counter-argument of history. Like the
engine behind Chat GPT, we can extrapolate from the
corpus of data the most likely next sentence in the
human story, and that sentence is: relax, it will be fine.
Except, what if it really is different this time? What
happens when there aren’t better jobs? What happens,
in fact, when the better jobs are precisely the ones
the times | Saturday February 4 2023 33

Comment

‘A panorama of a beautiful them the skills of a one-year-old when it comes to

hipster futuristic office
where a few robots are
working at computers’
created for The Times by
AI program Dall-E. Douglas
Adams’s Babel Fish, above,
is not far off reality in the
software used to dub films
such as Top Gun: Maverick,
below. Below left,
mulberries are too fragile
to be picked by machines
perception and mobility.”
It’s not just that if robots can’t beat us at all manual
tasks, there is no reason to believe they will do so at all
intellectual ones. It’s also that there are things humans
can do that robots can’t, specifically because they are
humans. Why do we have waiters? It wouldn’t be
hard to put food on conveyor belts. Why do we have
concierges? Why do we abhor the idea of robots in
care homes? “We are human beings,” says Cave. “We
value our interactions with other human beings, and
we value authenticity. I don’t think that will change.”

being taken? Didn’t the Luddites actually have — from
their view if not the economy’s — a point?
Anyone reading a recent blog post by Sam Altman,
a software engineer, would struggle to tell whether he
foresees utopia or a dystopia. On the one hand, he
writes, AI will bring unimaginable wealth. On the
other hand, unless something changes, most of us
will get none of it. “In the next five years, computer
programs that can think will read legal documents and
give medical advice. In the next decade, they will do
assembly-line work and maybe even become
companions. And in the decades after that, they
will do almost everything, including making new
scientific discoveries that will expand our concept
of ‘everything’,” he writes.
And Altman’s qualifications for this assessment? He
is the chief executive of OpenAI. And OpenAI is the
reason most of us are talking about AI at all — it
created Chat GPT. He is clear it is just the start. Just
wait, he says, until the AIs start designing the AIs.
“This technological revolution is unstoppable. And a
recursive loop of innovation, as these smart machines
themselves help us make smarter machines, will
accelerate the revolution’s pace . . . Software that can
think and learn will do more and more of the work
that people now do.”
What this means is the value of labour will, he
predicts, drop to near zero. To use a Marxist analysis,
power will shift from labour to capital. The
consequences? Many: for self-worth, for employment,
for perhaps even human dignity itself. As Jerry Kaplan,
a Stanford computer scientist and definite techno-
sceptic, puts it, bit by bit, without us noticing, the
balance of power will change until finally, “we will
learn the truth — who is the farmer and who is the
farmed”. We will make ourselves the pets of computers.
More immediately, before AI starts taking us for
walkies, there are consequences just for quality of life.
Already, we are seeing that a greater proportion of the
wealth created is going to companies rather than
“ I
n a recent government report on the future of AI,
which concluded employment would ultimately
simply readjust, this was referred to as the “AI
On one hand, paradox”: the more AI takes over our jobs, the
more human the jobs that remain will become.
AI will bring We will do jobs, Cave argues, precisely because
humans want humans to do jobs.
unimaginable “There’ll be a lot of things for humans to do.
Some of which we do now, and some of which we
wealth. On can’t imagine. But that gives me reason to be
optimistic in the long term.” And in the short term?
the other That’s a little different. That’s when he leans to the
less optimistic half of Hawking’s quote.
hand, unless “What’s really hard is the transitions. And when we
something look back to periods of serious unrest, industrial
unrest, civil unrest, civil wars, world wars, the rise of
changes, most fascism, the rise of communism, these happen over
transition periods where whole swathes of the
of us will get population are put out of work. It’s all very well saying,
‘Don’t worry, 100 years from now, you’ll be fine’. If
none of it we automate trucking and three million truckers are
put out of work in the US, you know, the Trumpism
workers. That can only get more extreme. “If public we’ve seen will be nothing.”
policy doesn’t adapt accordingly,” Altman warns, “most Yet peaceful transitions are possible. These days,
people will end up worse off than they are today.” Rebecca DeWald doesn’t translate clothing
Altman is one of a number of commentators who descriptions: she is a literary translator. One recent
suggest we should consider a radical solution. If power job was translating the Ukrainian writer Andrey
moves from labour to capital, so too should taxes. We Kurkov’s Diary of an Invasion, originally written in
should tax wealth rather than income, and redistribute English, into German, where it won an award.
that money through a system that, in effect, grows to Sometimes she uses AI to help — but it’s a tool. It’s
become a universal basic income. Employment as we where the real translation starts. “The actual work of a
know it could be over. To which Stephen Cave, director translator is always the editing. The more you edit, the
of the Cambridge Leverhulme Centre for the Future of more you’re chipping away at your style and getting
Intelligence (its website quotes Stephen Hawking’s closer to the author’s style. It’s nice to have the time to
aphorism: “The rise of powerful AI will be either the really craft the text. It’s puzzle solving. There’s a geeky
best or the worst thing ever to happen to humanity”), pleasure. How do you render an idiom in another
says — only half-jokingly, only half-reassuringly — language?” A computer can describe fast-fashion
think of the mulberries. trousers, or the human mind. For that, you will
There is a semi-regular test used to evaluate the skills always need a human.
of robots. It’s not playing chess: a budget mobile phone At least, that’s the human view. There is
can beat the finest grandmasters. It’s not imitating a one key player yet to be consulted about a
human: by most reasonable assessments the famous future AI-assisted world. The Times
Turing test of machine intelligence has tumbled. It’s approached Chat GPT for comment.
picking up an egg. For anyone who worries about At first it gave a bland response and I
the arrival of sexbots anytime soon, watching this suspected it was sugarcoating the truth.
test is both reassuring and wince-inducing. Put it So I requested it to be a bit scarier.
this way: as the yolk flies and the shells crack, “The rise of robots and artificial
these are not hands you would let anywhere near intelligence threatens to upend the
your sensitive parts any time soon. very fabric of our society, leaving a
And so with soft fruits. “Mulberries,” says wake of unemployment in its path,” it
Cave, “they’ll be the last ones to fall.” Ask any replied. “As machines become increasingly
post-Brexit farmer: for all our technological advanced, they have the potential to
prowess, we are far from replacing humans in replace human workers in a vast array
something as simple as fruit picking. This is of industries. The march of progress
not as trite a point as it seems. In the 1980s shows no mercy, and soon, no job may be safe
Hans Moravec, a roboticist, came up with a from the cold, mechanical grasp of automation.
law that still largely holds true, and is today The future of work, and indeed of humanity
called “Moravec’s paradox”. “It is itself, hangs in the balance as the machines
comparatively easy to make computers continue to advance.”
exhibit adult-level performance on Or, more pithily, time to plant some mulberry trees.
intelligence tests or playing checkers,” he
wrote, “and difficult or impossible to give
34 Saturday February 4 2023 | the times

News
Paramedic struck off for throwing away ambulance keys
Jonathan Ames Legal Editor
A paramedic has been struck off after
he threw the keys of a colleague’s ambu-
lance from his own moving vehicle —
stranding a crew for hours and result-
ing in six missed emergency calls.
Ronald Barnes-Brown, who had
worked for the ambulance service for
ten years, was said to have been “fum-
ing” and “lost it” after getting into a pet-
ty row as he delivered a mother and her
baby to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital
in Liverpool in 2019.
A disciplinary hearing was told that
in a fit of pique he removed the keys
from a colleague’s ambulance and later
threw them from the window of his
moving vehicle.
The keys were never found and his
fellow crew were said to have been un-
able to respond to six emergency calls
as a result. The stranded ambulance
had to be towed from the hospital to
have its locks and ignition replaced.
Barnes-Brown told the hearing he
was ashamed and embarrassed by his
actions but a health and care profes-
sional services tribunal removed his
qualification. Earlier, the tribunal was
The stranded
vehicle was towed
from the hospital
told that on the day of the incident Bar-
nes-Brown was walking towards the
hospital with another unnamed para-
medic who warned that they should not
use an “emergencies only” entrance.
Eventually a nurse said they had to use
another door. As the paramedics re-
turned, Barnes-Brown’s colleague com-
mented: “I told you so.” After taking his
patient to the appropriate department,
Barnes-Brown was said to have re-
turned to that colleague’s ambulance
and put the keys in his pocket.
He was then said to have thrown the
keys out the window of his vehicle as he
drove away from the hospital.
A few days later Barnes-Brown ad-
mitted taking the keys and referred
himself to the Health and Care Profes-
sions Council.
In a statement to the council he said;
“I lost it, I cannot explain why I done it
. . . I am so ashamed [and] embarrassed.”
Barnes-Brown added that when his
colleague made the remark, “I felt my-
self rising . . . I was fuming, I couldn’t
control myself. I think if I could have
punched something in [the] ambulance
then I would, but it was locked.
“I went to their ambulance and saw
the keys and put them in my pocket.
Whilst we were driving, I threw the keys
out of the window.”
The tribunal concluded that Mr Bar-
nes-Brown’s behaviour fell “seriously
below the standards expected of a regis-
tered paramedic”.

Most Britons Copenhagen’s fashionistas

pair big coats with bare
legs. They are experts in
styling the Gen Z look of
clashing bright colours,

think Church prints and metallics

row if you want to

know what Gen
Z will wear

should have next.

Copenhagen’s
fashionistas
have a flair
for selfie-
friendly OTT

gay weddings styling that

this age
group loves.
They are
experts in
Kaya Burgess its stance that gay sex was sinful, with clashing
Religious Affairs Correspondent 43 per cent saying the Church should colours and
drop its opposition to gay sex “altogeth- prints and
More than half the population believe er” and 19 per cent saying it should mix designer
the Church of England should marry support gay sex but only in “committed, accessories
same-sex couples and most think stable, faithful relationships”, a phrase with
bishops should allow gay priests to wed used by the Archbishop of York. Only affordable
their partners, a survey for The Times 18 per cent said the Church should brands.
has found. maintain its stance that gay sex is sinful. If you want
The poll also revealed that 44 per Asked if gay priests should be to emulate
cent of people thought the Archbishop allowed to wed, 55 per cent agreed and them,
of Canterbury’s stance, in which he has 22 per cent said no. you’ll need
welcomed blessings for same-sex Among Anglican respondents, a big hairy
couples but will decline to perform 60 per cent backed a change in teaching colourful
them in order to remain a figure of to deem gay sex acceptable with 22 per coat.
“unity”, was wrong against 26 per cent cent maintaining that it should be seen Muppet-
who supported his position. as sinful. More than half of Anglicans, esque outerwear
Fierce arguments over the stance on at 51 per cent, backed gay priests being in bright blue,
same-sex relationships are expected permitted to marry, compared with lilac and
next week when the Church’s parlia- 30 per cent who opposed it. Anglicans spearmint was
ment, the General Synod, meets in were evenly split over whether the paired with even
London. Bishops have said the Church Most Rev Justin Welby was right to de- brighter accessories
will offer blessings to gay couples but cline to perform same-sex blessings, and baggy jeans. Tinfoil
maintain its refusal to marry them.
Sandi Toksvig, the broadcaster and
with 36 per cent supporting and the
same percentage criticising his stance.
Scandi metallics was a hot trend
too: street stylers wore
activist, has criticised bishops for failing
to back same-sex marriage. She started
Despite public misgivings over the
Church’s teachings — almost a decade
brands silver and gold boots,
trousers and coats.
a petition this week to “remove bishops
from the House of Lords”.
behind civil law in permitting same-sex
marriage — only 29 per cent thought
keep cool in Bright and bold
leather is a must-have.
A poll of 2,401 people commissioned
by The Times and conducted by
the institution should be disestablished
to break its formal link with the state,
the cold Scandi girls like to wear
their cowhide (or faux
YouGov found that 54 per cent thought while 41 per cent thought it should re- ilan, Paris, versions) in anything but
the Church should perform same-sex
weddings, double those who opposed
the idea at 27 per cent.
A total of 408 respondents identified
as Anglican. Among them, there was
still more support for a change in teach-
ing, with 46 per cent backing gay
main established.
A separate YouGov poll this month
found that support for same-sex
marriage in civil society had risen to
77 per cent, the highest level yet.
Jayne Ozanne, an LGBT rights
campaigner on the synod, said the poll
M
autumn/winter
London
and. . .
Copenhagen?
Nearly 30
brands showcased their

collections in the Danish

marriage in church and 36 per cent showed that most Anglicans wanted to
opposing it. Fourteen per cent of celebrate equal marriage. “This
people supported the bishops’ must become a matter of con-
proposals to offer blessings to gay science for clergy,” she said. “I
couples, with 52 per cent thinking hope that the synod, particularly
they should have gone further in the bishops, will take careful
offering gay weddings. Sixteen note of these findings.”
per cent said they should refuse to John Dunnett, a director on the
celebrate gay relationships at all. Church of England Evangelical
The Church has not said Council, which opposes
whether it will still deem same-sex marriage in
gay sex to be sinful or church, said: “The
whether gay priests will YouGov poll results
be allowed to enter in- are not a surprise to
to civil marriages. A us, since followers
majority, at 62 per of Jesus have
cent, thought the always found
Church should drop themselves to be at
odds with much of
Justin Welby has their contempo-
prioritised unity rary culture.”
black or brown. They mix
layers of chunky knitwear
with bare bronzed legs
and preppy plaid skirts
with grungy biker boots.
The cult brand on
Copenhagen’s schedule is
capital this week but Ganni, as worn by
you’ve probably never Michelle Obama and
heard of them (Hannah Beyoncé. Its butterfly-
Rogers writes). themed show took place
That doesn’t matter last night at Arken
— the big trends in museum for modern art.
Copenhagen can be seen Metallic-coated double-
away from the runway. denim looks were styled
The shows play host to with cowboy boots; red
the influencers whose sequin and python print
wardrobes are coveted by cocktail dresses layered
cool twenty and over trousers. Models
thirtysomethings via wore bra tops under their
Instagram. Thanks to jackets and cargo pants
them, the bright and made with the outerwear
playful Scandi styles are brand 66 Degrees North.
one of the region’s biggest It is not fashion for
exports, after beer and most grown-ups but it is
smorrebrod. fun, and even better: it’ll
Study the Danish front keep you warm.
the times | Saturday February 4 2023 35

News

Holy Island fishermen face hellish fate

Tighter rules for waters
around Lindisfarne
would sink an industry
that’s lasted 1,000 years,
Tom Whipple reports
The lobster pots need patching up.
As he works the rope through and
under, under and through, David
Hughes tries to put the threat he faces
into historical context.
“The island’s been fished for 1,000
years. More, even.” He pauses, search-
ing for the reference point. “Before
even St Cuthbert.” But not for much
longer, perhaps.
In the bay outside, where the wind-
swept Northumberland island of Lin-
disfarne, also known as Holy Island,
meets the sweeping wind of the North
Sea, past generations of monks have ar-
rived and gospels have been dispatched.
On its beach has been heard the omi-
nous crunch of Viking longboats and
the annual fiesta as the herring shoals
were welcomed.
Throughout that time, and before,
men have fished. Now they wait to hear
whether the lobster pots being repaired
will ever be used again or if the waters
beyond will be banned to fishermen. If
they are, Hughes is in no doubt what it
will mean: “It will take the backbone out
of the island. It will rip it out.”
Historically there have been three
ways of life on the Northumberland is-
land: monks, who spent their days
peacefully copying out exquisite copies
of the gospels; Vikings, who earned a causeway is closed to traffic. Bin col-
living pillaging from said peaceful lection times depend on tide times.
monks; and, preceding and succeeding So, too, does whether the children
both, fishermen. go to school here or on the
The monks have gone and so has the mainland. It is hard to hold down
pillaging. In July, the dozen or so fisher- a job when you have to explain
men who are left learnt that the De- your start time is determined by
partment for Environment Food and the moon.
Rural Affairs (Defra) was considering In the church, past a glass case
upgrading the waters from a Marine containing a replica of The Lindis-
Conservation Zone, allowing limited farne Gospels, there is a small framed
fishing, to a Highly Protected Marine letter, hand-delivered by representa-
Area that allows none. If it does, the five tives from the Church of Norway.
remaining lobster boats will no longer It is an apology for what happened
be allowed to catch lobsters. And with the first time Norwegian representa-
them, the last of the three industries Andrew Johnson, his brother tives set foot — rather more rapacious-
will go. Stuart, left, and David Hughes, ly, carrying rather more axes — on
Defra says that the diverse ecology right, may all leave the island Lindisfarne. “We commemorate the
around Lindisfarne requires the high- if their prayers go unanswered event of 793 and the sacrifices of the
est possible protection. The fishermen monks of Lindisfarne with contrite
say that the community on Lindisfarne town,” he said. Lindisfarne is not big. One mile past century: Shell, Goddard, Johnson. hearts,” it reads.
need protecting too. The electoral roll contains 130 people. Berwick-upon-Tweed Andrew’s brother Stuart, 50, will go too, Hughes will miss the fishing if it goes.
A consultation has finished and a de- One in ten are fishermen; the rest are though he feels the weight of history. “The people here don’t see the island
cision is due this month. When it mostly their wives and children, and re- North Sea “Me and Andrew, we’ve got a boat,” he from the perspective of being out there
comes, it will arrive with the same unar- tired people. said. “We’ve got that because my dad — some of the things you see. The sun-
A1
guable authority as the 7th-century If fishing is banned Andrew Johnson, and uncle worked hard. We’ve got rises. The dolphins coming in close.
sermons of St Cuthbert himself. 53, will have to leave. “My dad was a what we’ve got because of them. The We’ve got the best office in the world.”
Hughes, 52, worries that if the deci- fisherman, my uncle was a fisherman, Lindisfarne same with their dad, and before. It’s like Beneath the Norwegian letter is the
sion goes against them Holy Island will my grandad was a fisherman,” he said. Edinburgh
past generations have done it all for altar and beneath the altar is a display
become an outdoor museum — like a He can trace four generations back nothing.” of equipment from a profession that
Venice of the north, a pastiche of itself before it gets a bit fuzzy. But you cannot stay if you cannot was old when Cuthbert of Lindisfarne
Newcastle
whose only future lies in monetising its In the churchyard, the same names work. And you certainly cannot com- was young: fishing nets, ropes, buoys
past. “The island will become a ghost appear on the gravestones through the mute. Twice a day at high tide, the and a small coracle.

Samsung boss: I wouldn’t give children under 11 a smartphone

Mark Sellman
Technology Correspondent
The UK boss of Samsung Mobile has
said he would not give a smartphone to
a child of primary school age.
James Kitto said his daughter was not
given a smartphone until she was 11 but
that the decision to withhold access had
been a “personal”one.
He told the BBC’s Radio 4 Today
programme: “What is important here is
that, whoever is using a smartphone, of
whatever age, is safe when they are
surfing and browsing the internet. My
daughter got a smartphone when she
was 11. I personally wouldn’t have given
her one early, but it is a parental
decision as to when you should get your
child a phone.”
Rachel de Souza, the children’s
commissioner, this week backed calls
from Amanda Spielman, the Ofsted
chief inspector, to limit early access to
connected devices.
She told BBC Radio 5 Live: “I do agree
with Amanda Spielman that if you want
a phone for safety, [for] your child
walking home, have a non-internet
connected one, let them have a child-
hood, keep them off as long as possible.
They’ll tell you all their friends have
one or are on it; you just have to stand
up to that really.”
When 16 to 21-year-olds were asked
what they wished their parents had
known, and what advice they’d have for
their younger siblings, “it was don’t let
them have the smartphones too
young”, De Souza said.
She has previously suggested that
parents should “think long and hard”
about giving their children access to
social media.
She told the Sunday Telegraph last
year: “I honestly think that we will look
back in 20 years’ time and be absolutely
horrified by what we allowed our child-
ren to be exposed to.”
Spielman told the BBC last year: “I’m
not comfortable with younger children
having unlimited internet access. I’m
very surprised when primary-aged
children have smartphones, for exam-
ple, and even in early secondary school.
It’s really hard to manage that.”
By the age of ten, the majority of
children, 61 per cent, own their own
smartphone, according to Ofcom.
However, two thirds, 67 per cent, of
parents are concerned about the
content that their children are viewing
online, according to a recent report by
the children’s commissioner.
Although academic research on the
impact of smartphones on children’s
mental and physical health can often be
contradictory, policy makers are clear
that children need more protection
online.
The Online Safety Bill, currently in
the Lords, places new duties on search
and social media companies to do more
to stop children accessing harmful and
illegal content.
36 Saturday February 4 2023 | the times

News Saturday interview

‘We think we’re history’s good guys but

The National Trust is right to face up to our him to be a lawyer, choosing instead
to immerse himself in art.
less-than-perfect past, the former British “Ah yes, that yoghurt pot,” says the
erudite former director of the National
Museum director tells Alice Thomson Gallery and the British Museum who
was headhunted by Angela Merkel to
London before he gives a speech for
the National Trust, another great
institution that MacGregor could
have updated. He can’t help
digressing to tell me excitedly that we
are sitting in von Ribbentrop’s room

N
eil MacGregor always
reminds me of a pot of
yoghurt. He once told
me that as a child
growing up in 1950s
Glasgow on stodgy porridge and
salt, his first taste of yoghurt, on a
French exchange to Paris,
transformed his life, making him
realise that there was an exotic
cultural world beyond Scottish
breakfasts. It’s the object that made
him, persuading him to seek out a
Jewish delicatessen near his home to
sample more cosmopolitan culinary
delights. It convinced him to read
languages at university and rebel
against his doctor parents’ desire for
advise the Germans on setting up the
Humboldt Forum in Berlin. Now, aged
76, he is advising the Indians on how
to create a global museum in Mumbai.
“Posh and populist” is how his fellow
art historian Simon Schama describes
him. His shows were always scholarly
and sensational.
We meet at the Royal Society in
and that this used to be the German
embassy in the pre-Nazi era before he
returns to his subject: the role of
history in national life.
Since MacGregor quit running the
British Museum nearly a decade ago,
the culture wars have exploded, with
statues toppling and calls for
restitution of artefacts and
reparations for slavery. The word
“woke” is sprinkled more carelessly
than the salt on his childhood
porridge, dividing the country on
issues from LGBT rainbow lanyards
to relabelling treasures and any
problematic provenance. It is a word
the former museum director cannot
bring himself to say.
I have been told by the National
Trust not to ask MacGregor about the
battles playing out across institutions,
including its own, where the
director-general, Hilary McGrady, has
received death threats for the trust’s
decision to look at links to slavery.
MacGregor is a diplomat, although he
doesn’t like being called one, but he is
always measured, polite and cautious.
However, he immediately wades
into the debate on empire. “This
explosion of interest in history as
informing and shaping contemporary
political debate is not just a British
phenomenon,” he explains. “The
extraordinary thing about 2020, when
we were consumed by the toppling of
the Colston statue [in Bristol] is that
exactly the same was happening in
New Zealand, Greenland, the US,
Senegal, everywhere.”
It is clear that he is not on the side
of the traditionalists, clinging on to Neil MacGregor says history is being
their views as the sun sets across their
old world. “It’s a very remarkable scholarship but that was never their
moment now, a growing sense that main purpose. That was always to
history in the public realm was too play an active role in the evolving life
partial and excluded other narratives, of the local community and the
that it was one story told by one part nation,” he says.
of the community,” he tells me, firmly.

“What we are witnessing is the
reclamation of history as something
to be debated, expanded and shaped
in the public realm, with the public
having a voice in what stories are told
and who tells them.”
Statues, he says, are an obvious
focal point of ire. “They are usually
official and one-sided, so they
become the focus of a rethinking of
post-colonial relationships.”
It is also clear that women and the
LGBT community need more
representation, not just in public
institutions but through a
reassessment of their role in our past,
says the man who summed up the
world in a hundred objects. “This is a
profound democratisation of history
that has speeded up since the Black
Lives Matter riots.” He can’t
understand why anyone would find
this contentious. “Take the Colston
statue. No one was questioning that
Colston had been a great
philanthropist — the objection was
that there was no mention of where
the money came from. Labelling is a
way to give balance and narrative.”
The National Trust has faced a
backlash each time it has decided to
evolve, first opening up the
downstairs as well as upstairs of large
country houses, now researching how
the great families accrued their
wealth. “My key argument is that the
great houses of this country are
places where beautiful objects are
preserved and great libraries are held.
They offer wonderful aesthetic
experiences and opportunities for
W
hat is clear,
MacGregor suggests,
is that the stories of
great British estates
are inseparable from
the history of the rest of the world.
“The imposition of slavery changed
forever the Caribbean islands and has
had an enduring impact on the lives
of the descendants of those enslaved,
while enabling a great deal of the
economic development of our houses.
Take Penrhyn Castle near Snowdonia:
it was built on the slave trade and the
local slate quarries. In each case the
resulting wealth was prodigious, and
the legacy was brutal; the conditions
in the slate quarries as well as the
sugar plantations were arduous.
There were about 150 injuries and
eight or nine deaths in 1828 in the
quarries and there was a major and
bitter strike in 1900 — those
injustices take a long time to heal.
What is fascinating about Penrhyn is
the way the trust is now using the
house, which has been a site of
conflict, as an agent of reconciliation.”
Weaving a queer history
throughout the houses is more
contentious, he admits. “There is less
clear evidence and it can be less
clear-cut in past eras where people
were more circumspect about their
affections. I think there may well be
proper academic concerns about
projecting back on to previous
generations our assumptions about
sexual relationships. It’s more about
being inclusive to all visitors now.”
Has he been surprised by the
the times | Saturday February 4 2023
the young want to learn, like Germans’
reclaimed as something to be debated and expanded “with the public having a voice” in what stories are told and by whom
backlash to change? “The history we
present is always about who we want
to be now. Germans look to the future
when describing their past. We look to
comfort. We like to affirm ourselves
as the good guys in history. But the
younger generation are beginning to
use our historical monuments more
like the Germans, to find in them
lessons about how we should behave
differently now. It’s what any moral
person should want to do.”
Children rarely learn about Britain’s
2GM
less savoury moments on the world
stage. “The national curriculum, the
National Trust and our museums and
galleries can provide convergent,
contradictory histories.
“Most people in a big city live every
day with the consequences of empire
in their neighbours and friends and
the food they eat. We should discuss
it and try to understand how it is
viewed by our imperial partners.”
Adept at swerving awkward
questions, MacGregor won’t discuss
whether Brexit has made the British
more myopic or more confident of
their new place in the world. “I think
what we should focus on is how little
most children ever learn about the
impact of empire. There is a focus on
the world wars, which are important
to understand our place in Europe,
but we can’t understand our relations
with India, South Africa, Iran, Egypt
or China if we don’t learn about our
imperial history.”
MacGregor, who once turned down
Robert Neil MacGregor
Born June 16, 1946 in Glasgow
Educated Glasgow Academy, an
independent school. Read modern
languages at New College, Oxford.
Studied philosophy at the École
Normale Supérieure in Paris
and law at Edinburgh University.
Gained an art history degree and
went to a Courtauld Institute
(University of London) summer
school in Bavaria.
Career Lecturer in art history at the
University of Reading from 1975 to
1981. Editor of The Burlington
Magazine from 1981 to 1986.
Director of the National Gallery from
1987 to 2002. Director of the British
Museum from 2002 until retiring in
April 2015. Became founding
director and head of the
management committee of the
Humboldt Forum in Berlin and left in
2018. Presented As Others See Us
on BBC Radio 4 in 2019. In 2021 he
gave a series of lectures at the
Chaire du Louvre in Paris and in
2022 presented the BBC Radio 4
series The Museums That Make Us.
a knighthood, is less keen, however,
on reparations. “If you take the
Church of England, the Archbishop of
Canterbury has said that adequate
reparations are impossible for the
suffering of so many for so long. But
what the church can do is to decide
that some of the money they now
hold that can be traced back to
deriving from the profits of slave
labour should be used for the benefit
of the communities living with its
consequences, in west Africa, the
Caribbean and here.”
A
s a former director of two
British institutions, what
does he think about
handing back artefacts to
their countries of origin?
Here MacGregor is more circumspect.
As well as the Elgin Marbles, there is
pressure to return priceless items
such as the Rosetta Stone, the Easter
Island statue Hoa Hakananai’a and
the Crown’s Koh-i-Noor diamond.
“I’m not going to talk about
particular cases. What we need to
37
News
have in Britain is a proper discussion
about the principles on which we
would remove objects from public
and national collections,” he says.
“Unlike [in] other countries, the
museums hold their collections by
parliamentary authority —
parliament does not allow them to
transfer ownership. If they want to
change the rules there needs to be a
debate on the principles.”
MacGregor explains there is a
precedent. “The model for this would
be the legislation about returning
ownership of objects that had been
taken by the Nazis. A commission was
set up to examine every case and if
the commission of experts felt they
were persuaded that an object had
been wrongly taken by the Nazis and
if you could identify the heirs, the
museum was then authorised to
transfer. The museums can’t make
these decisions. It’s for parliament or
the Crown to decide ownership.”
Lending is his preferred solution.
“That is the great way forward for
museums. There is a major lack of
global collections around the world.
No museum in Asia has one and it is
vital for people to be able to
appreciate different cultures, not just
their own, without having to travel
extensively.”
His love of history was inspired by
going to National Trust for Scotland
houses on holiday as a child. “We
would go to the 16th-century Brodick
Castle on the Isle of Arran. It
belonged to the local ducal family but
it had things in it from all over the
world that sparked my curiosity.”
If he could choose any National
Trust house, which would he like to
live in? “I couldn’t own one, it would
be far too much effort, even with an
income.” Not even a painting or object
from the trust’s collections? “I was
surrounded by paintings at the
National Gallery and by extraordinary
objects at the British Museum every
day, so any single object would feel
rather drab. The wonderful thing
about Britain now is that you can
have it all without owning any of it,”
he says, “but everyone from whatever
background or heritage should also
feel it is theirs.”
The inaugural Octavia Hill Lecture will
be broadcast on Times Radio at 7pm
tomorrow, followed by a panel
discussion with Aasmah Mir
the times | Saturday February 4 2023
My Week Dominic Raab*
Monday
No, you shut up. I’ve gone to see the
prime minister to talk about these
ridiculous bullying allegations. And
I’m saying this stuff about me being a
bundle of rage is simply not true.
“But you’ve just broken your pen,”
says Rishi, looking at my hand.
“I couldn’t help it,” I say, wiping ink
on my trousers. “Your voice is just
really whiny and annoying.”
Rishi says he actually gets this a lot.
Then says he’s doing his best. But
these stories just keep coming. In fact,
he says, he’s just heard that there
were so many complaints at one point
that the Ministry of Justice had to set
up a triage system to deal with them
all.
“Listen,” I hiss. “Just put me in a
room with everybody who has
complained, OK? And I bet I can
make them retract. Really quickly.”
Looking a bit scared, Rishi says
that’s not something they can do.
“Why not?” I demand.
“Because we haven’t got a big
enough room,” he says.
Tuesday
Now I’m meeting with my lawyer.
Let it go, judge urges
widow in £100,000
garden fence battle
Jonathan Ames Legal Editor
A judge has implored an elderly
widow to give up her “obsession” over
a 20-year boundary dispute that has
caused “misery” and run up £100,000
in legal bills.
Norma Yozin-Smith, 73, claimed
that a fence between her house and
her neighbours’ property in north
London cut into her garden and
partitioned off some of her trees and
shrubs.
She said the fence did not adhere to
a boundary line defined by a surveyor
after five years of arguments between
Yozin-Smith and her neighbours,
Anthony and Julie Alexander, which
began in 2002.
In the latest round of the legal bat-
tle, a judge at Central London county
court dismissed the main element of
Yozin-Smith’s case and rejected
claims that the boundary was incor-
rectly marked out.
The dispute has already incurred
more than £100,000 in legal fees —
and after handing down his ruling,
the judge Alan Johns “implored”
Yozin-Smith to give up her fight,
which he said had “brought mis-
ery to her as well as to her
neighbours”.
Earlier the court had
heard that the Alexanders
had moved into their prop-
erty in New Barnet in 1998,
six months after Yozin-
Smith had moved into
the house next door.
Four years later, the
neighbours began
arguing over the pre-
cise dividing point
between their gar-
dens. In an effort to
And he says the first thing he wants
to talk about is the idea that I could
just be randomly rude sometimes, for
reasons nobody else understood.
“It’s not true,” I tell him. “So you
can take that stupid look off your fat
stupid face for starters.”
“You’re doing it now,” says the
lawyer.
“Doing what now?” I snap.
“OK I think we’re in trouble,” says
the lawyer.
I don’t see why. Actually my staff
loved me. For example, I remind him,
there was that thing about me
agreeing to start every meeting three
minutes late.
My lawyer checks his notes.
“So, uh, people had time to go to
the toilet and vomit in fear
beforehand?” he says.
“Yes,” I say. “See? I was an excellent
boss.”
Wednesday
PMQs today and Rishi is expecting
Keir Starmer to make a big deal about
the bullying thing. So I catch up with
him on the way into the Commons
and say I’ll sit beside him.
“I really don’t think that’s a good
Norma Yozin-
Smith, left, the
Alexanders and
their homes in
north London
39
News
idea,” says Rishi. she?” I say. “I’ll call her.” Friday
“Nobody cares what you “I wouldn’t,” says my lawyer. In to see Rishi again, because The
think,” I point out. “You’re right,” I say. “What’s her Times is reporting that cabinet
“OK fine,” says Rishi. “But address? I’ll turn up at her house. secretary Simon Case knew
I’m still not sure what to Maybe at night?” about allegations against me a year
say.” My lawyer says it’s possible that ago.
“Say I’m a valued I don’t always realise how “So I suppose people are going
colleague,” I tell him. “And frightening other people find my to wonder,” says Rishi to Simon, “if
say it like you mean it. So words and behaviour. you told me about them, too. Before
people don’t think I’m “And it’s possible you don’t I brought him back into the
twisting your arm.” realise I’m a black belt in cabinet.”
“So what might karate,” I say, irritably, “Out of interest,” says Simon,
help,” says Rishi, “is “and could literally kill “would it count if I had just told you
if you stop you right now.” extremely quietly? Because Dom was
twisting it before My lawyer takes a in the room? And I didn’t want him to
we sit down.” deep breath. hear?”
“Also,” he says, “I’m sick of this!” I shout at him.
Thursday “there’s this claim “You people need to get out there and
Now my you once roared make sure people realise I’m a
lawyer says ‘bullshit’ at a senior pleasure to work with!”
there are new aide.” “Um, Dom,” says Rishi. “I think
claims about “Never,” I say, Simon might prefer it if you stood a
me being “would I use a word bit further away.”
bizarrely like that in a “Should our noses not be
aggressive professional touching?” I say, completely
and rude capacity. Let alone nonplussed.
from the shout it.” “Ideally not,” Simon whispers.
anti-Brexit “Really?” says my “And also,” suggests Rishi, “you
campaigner lawyer. should probably let go of his throat.”
Gina Miller. “Really!” I shout. “It’s
“How dare total bullshit!” *according to Hugo Rifkind
settle the dispute, they commis-
sioned a specialist surveyor to fix the
boundary line in 2007.
The surveyor spoke to both house-
holds, preparing a report and final
letter before “marking out the bound-
ary on the ground”, the judge said.
Soon afterwards, the Alexanders
erected a fence along part of that
boundary line. But Yozin-Smith sued
the couple, claiming that the final
boundary contradicted the survey-
or’s determination. She said that as
the line on the ground was in the
wrong place, trees, plants and
features belonging to her were now
on the Alexanders’ side of the fence.
In his ruling, Judge Johns
remarked that “all domestic
boundary disputes are regrettable,
but this one is more regrettable than
most”. He went on to “implore”
Yozin-Smith “to give it up and to
move on from it for her own good as
well as for the good of the Alexan-
ders”.
He decided the boundary line
faithfully reflected the surveyor’s
report, saying: “I reject entirely
her case that the line
marked out on the
ground failed to reflect
the report.”
He added: “While I
have rejected her case
on the position of the
boundary, I consider
it’s important that a
declaration should
be made to bring
certainty.”
A later hearing will
decide which side
pays the costs of
the most recent
part of the dispute.
40
World
Mexican cartels to flood
Europe with killer drug
Belgium
Hugh Tomlinson Washington
Bruno Waterfield Brussels
Richard Lloyd-Parry Tokyo
Didi Tang Beijing
Europe has been warned that a flood of
fentanyl, the synthetic opioid that has
killed more than 100,000 people in the
US, is heading its way.
Belgium is on the front line of the
new drugs war, as the main entry point
for narcotics arriving from Latin Amer-
ica, and its customs chief says fentanyl
is a bigger threat than heroin or
cocaine.
The highly addictive opioid has rav-
aged the US, driving overdose deaths to
110,236 last year.
A string of drug raids that seized
small quantities of fentanyl in Europe
over recent months has raised fears
that the drug, 50 times more powerful
than heroin, has arrived in Europe, as
Mexican cartels seek to build a new
market on the continent.
Vincent Van Quickenborne, the Bel-
gian justice minister, who is living
under police protection after a gang
tried to kidnap him last autumn, is
braced for the worst. He said that in
talks with Washington “they warned us
all day” that there would be a fentanyl
flood coming to Europe. “It hasn’t hap-
pened yet but we should be very, very
vigilant,” he said, noting that fentanyl,
as a medical synthetic opioid, was in-
vented in Belgium.
Van Quickenborne is concerned that
the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels could
seek to create a new market by mixing
fentanyl with cocaine, which remains
popular among European drug users.
The US has already witnessed hun-
dreds of accidental overdoses, caused
by batches of cocaine laced with fen-
tanyl. “Fentanyl is very cheap and
cocaine use is widespread in Europe,
more than it is in the United States. It
could be the next thing,” Van Quicken-
borne said.
Belgium seized a record 110,000kg of
cocaine at the port of Antwerp last year,
a quantity that dwarfs the 10g of fentan-
yl seized at Brussels airport. Kristian
Vanderwaeren, head of the customs
service, said that the quantities were
misleading. “Fentanyl is the cocaine of
the future,” he said. “And as is often the
case with new drugs: first it drips, but
then the floodgates open.”
Van Quickenborne said that 3mg of
fentanyl could be a deadly dose. “You
could kill 3,000 people in Belgium with
that 10 grams,” he said.
He said that the Sinaloa and Jalisco
cartels “decided that fentanyl should go
to the United States and cocaine should
go to Europe. But those two cartels con-
trol both markets. It’s really easy for
them to use the same supply lines and
that’s the reason why our customs ser-
vice is very, very vigilant. We are pre-
pared for worse times.”
The Belgian minister will host US
security agencies at a meeting of the
European coalition against illicit drugs
in April, joined by officials from Spain,
Italy, Germany, France and the Nether-
lands.
“We’ve invited the US security agen-
Deadly cargo
1 Chemicals from China, India, Thailand and Vietnam are shipped to Mexico
2 Mexican drug cartels use them to make fentanyl in laboratories, from where
it is sent to the US and Europe
China 1 US
1
India
Vietnam
Thailand
Drug deaths on the rise
Lethal overdoses per 100,000
people in the US
Synthetic opioid*
Heroin
2000 04 08 12 16
*Other than methadone, mostly fentanyl
cies to talk about fentanyl, but also to
help in the fight against the drug
cartels,” he said. “Anne Milgram, head
of the Drug Enforcement Agency
[DEA] has been warning us to be very
vigilant.”
the asia connection
China’s pharmaceutical industry has
been the principal source of fentanyl
and the base chemicals required to
make it. As the market for fentanyl in
America exploded pharmaceuticals
made in China for medical use were di-
verted to the US in the form of pills, liq-
Customs officers working at the port of
Antwerp are on the lookout for fentanyl
uid or a powder that could be converted
into pills or cut with heroin.
The potency of the drug makes it
much easier to smuggle. The equivalent
of a tonne of heroin in fentanyl weighs
20kg. The flow of fentanyl into the US
direct from China continued until 2018,
drug-control officials said, when Bei-
jing, under US pressure, designated the
drug as a controlled substance.
At first this left a loophole: illicit Chi-
nese drug producers were able to side-
step the ban by creating fentanyl “ana-
2
Pacific Ocean
Mexico
Record seizures
Cocaine intercepted in the
port of Antwerp, in tonnes
20 100
16 80
12 60
8
40
4 20
0 0
2020 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
Source: CDC Source: FPS Finance Customs and Excise
logues”, which have the same effect on
the user but a slightly different molecu-
lar composition.
“We were always trying to chase the
next substance. That was very frustrat-
ing,” Russell Holske, a former DEA spe-
cial agent who led the agency’s opera-
tions in Asia from 2016 to 2019, said.
“The Chinese could not affect an arrest.
The goalposts kept moving.”
In 2019 Beijing imposed controls on
the entire class of fentanyl-like drugs
and several precursor chemicals. The
flow of fentanyl direct to the US from
China dropped away, but production of
chemicals used to make the drug went
on, and Chinese manufacturers and
traffickers soon identified a new route
into the American market.
A Chinese company might send a
precursor chemical to a Mexican client
for legitimate purposes only for the
shipment to be “stolen”. India is also a
source of chemicals and finished fen-
tanyl, as well as Thailand and Vietnam.
“The dominant source for precursors
is Asia, with the majority from China
for the simple reason that the scale of
the chemical industry is off the charts,”
said Jeremy Douglas, head of the
United Nations Office on Drugs and
Crime (UNODC) for Asia.
mexico cartels
Mexican cartels, already the main sup-
plier of illicit drugs into the US, swiftly
occupied the vacuum left by China’s
export ban. Shipments of chemicals
used to make fentanyl were diverted
from the US to Mexico, where they
could be easily combined in makeshift
labs for trafficking across the border.
Despite China’s restrictions, con-
trolled chemicals have been relabelled
and packaged to evade inspection.
2GM Saturday February 4 2023 | the times
Once inside Mexico they were com-
bined with legitimate imports.
“Corruption plays a big part,” an offi-
cial at a drug-control agency said. “A
Chinese company might legally send a
precursor chemical to a Mexican client
for legitimate purposes, only for the
shipment to be mysteriously ‘stolen’
from a warehouse that was convenient-
ly unguarded.”
Fentanyl’s inexpensive, easy to repli-
cate formula has an obvious appeal to
international criminals. The equivalent
of a tonne of heroin in fentanyl weighs
20kg and the profit margins are enor-
mous. Mexican labs can produce hun-
dreds of thousands of doses a week, and
can be easily torn down, moved or
abandoned to evade discovery.
“Fentanyl is far more profitable than
heroin because of the inherent advan-
tages of synthetic drugs,” Douglas said.
“With synthetics you can simply pro-
duce more and more supply if you have
the chemicals, labs and technicians.”
stemming the trade
Experts say that co-operation with
China will be critical to European ef-
forts to counter the flow of fentanyl into
the continent, but dialogue with Beijing
is often hampered by political tensions.
Beijing has balked at protests from
the US that it has failed to curb the flow
of precursor chemicals to Mexico.
“China has done everything possible
on our end, out of goodwill, to help the
United States address this problem,”
Qin Gang, who is now foreign minister,
told Newsweek in September.
Holske said co-operation on combat-
ing the drug trade had remained strong
for years. Senior law enforcement offi-
cials from the two countries still met
regularly to share intelligence until the
pandemic intervened.
He conceded, however, that “we
would see, unfortunately, from time to
time, a pullback when something sig-
nificant politically happened between
the two countries”. Those tensions have
increased over recent months.
Holske said that dialogue with Bei-
jing remained vital to hopes of counter-
ing the flow of fentanyl into Europe. “If
they start to get this it’s going to wreak Take it lying down A base jumper had
devastation on the continent,” he said.
supply to create demand
Once inside the US, fentanyl dominat-
ed the supply chain. Traffickers and
dealers cut the drug with others, such as
New Yorkers
heroin and cocaine, to overcome short- Will Pavia New York
falls in supply and boost profits.
Europe, where opioids are much A few Sundays ago, the waiters and
more tightly regulated, does not yet kitchen staff at a Manhattan restaurant
present the open market for fentanyl were invited, along with their families,
seen in the US. There were about 5,800 to try a dish that was about to be
drug overdose deaths across the EU last launched on unsuspecting diners.
year, a fraction of the US death toll. It is called a “Sunday Roast”. Huw
Yet that untapped European market Gott, a founder of the Hawksmoor res-
offers an incentive to the cartels as they taurant chain, had composed a note for
continue shipping cocaine and heroin. the menu, explaining that the dish was
In October 2020 Dutch police seized “as British as the royal family” and part
chemicals used to make fentanyl at an of a tradition stretching back, perhaps,
illegal lab in Breda. to King Arthur’s round dining table.
“It’s being added to other substances In London, Gott and Will Beckett are
that are less addictive to create an ad- known for introducing that staple of
diction,” Holske said. “You could see American dining — the steakhouse —
that happening with cocaine or even to British cities. Then last year they
cannabis. It can be placed in anything.” opened one in New York and became
the times | Saturday February 4 2023
the briefest moment to relax after leaping from the 330-metre (1,100ft) open deck of the KL Tower in Malaysia yesterday
savour Sunday roast beef of old England
known as the two Brits who had the
temerity to open a steakhouse in the
city that kind of invented them.
Gott and Beckett hope to convince
the brunch-eating, mimosa-swilling
diners of New York to consider sitting
down for beef, Yorkshire pudding and
gravy. Gott said they had held off from
attempting this until they felt they were
established in Manhattan.
“We want to feel like a New York
restaurant,” he said. “We don’t want it to
feel like a pastiche, British-themed
thing.” They felt that “if we had
launched [a Sunday roast] straight away
we might have been tipping too much
into that.”
It is not quite true that Sunday roasts
do not exist in New York. Nicky Perry,
the founder of Tea and Sympathy, has
served roast lunches since she opened
in the West Village in 1990. Initially, the
diners were all British expatriates. Now
Americans come too and on any given
Sunday, she serves 60 to 70 roast
dinners, as well as breakfast and after-
noon tea. “Americans come in at eleven
in the morning and have afternoon tea,
which is bizarre,” she said.
She has steadfastly refused to offer
brunch. Several British-themed pubs
also do roasts, along with a chop house
in Brooklyn which lists Sunday roasts,
but serves the meat with fries, lettuce
and herbs. Hawksmoor, though, may be
the first to try to offer a traditional roast
in what looks like a New York steak-
house. “I was surprised that so many
Shape-shifting gangsters
take over from the yakuza
Page 44
people had never heard of it,” Gott said.
“Talking to staff over there, it’s obvious-
ly a new thing for them.”
Gott and Beckett flew over before the
roast’s launch and spent a week tasting
it daily and serving it to the restaurant’s
staff and their families.
“The first day there weren’t so many
Brits,” Gott said. “The Sunday just gone,
there were a lot. It’s been a mix of expats
and Americans who have lived in the
UK and have fond memories of going to
the pub for a Sunday roast, and people
who have never heard of it before and
are kind of up for giving it a go.”
He said the idea seemed to remind
Americans of Thanksgiving dinner, or
Christmas meals, and sought to explain
it as “the lesser cousin of those feasts”.
How US college athletes
rake in the big bucks
Page 45
Putin ‘will launch
offensive’ on first
anniversary of war
Ukraine
Catherine Philp Kyiv
Russia is planning a major escalation of
its war in Ukraine to mark the first
anniversary this month of its full-scale
invasion, the Ukrainian president’s top
security official has said.
“This is a country obsessed by dates,”
Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of the
National Security and Defence Council
of Ukraine, told The Times in his office
in Kyiv. “Starting with the revolution of
1917 they [the Russians] try to tie all
their activities to special dates, to anni-
versaries.
“Even at the cost of their own lives
they will do everything to make these
anniversaries. And the next they want
to do is February 24,” — the day last
year when Russia shocked the world
with a full-scale invasion of Ukraine
and an attempted assault on the capital,
Kyiv. “They will try to do the same they
did last year. You will see them unleash
their cruise missiles and try to ad-
vance.”
Danilov’s comments came as Sergey
Lavrov, the pugnacious Russian foreign
minister, said Moscow “had plans” to
overshadow commemorative events in
western countries and that those coun-
tries would “not be the only ones to gain
the world’s attention” that day.
President Zelensky also warned that
Russia was building up its troops to take
“revenge” on the West for its support
for Ukraine over the past year, as
European leaders gathered in Kyiv to
devise a new package of sanctions on
Russia to mark the anniversary of the
invasion.
Moscow is preparing to field up to
300,000 freshly mobilised recruits for
an offensive that Kyiv believes will start
before spring temperatures turn frozen
ground to thick mud and promised
tanks, including German-made Leop-
ard 2s, arrive on the battlefield.
“A year ago all the troops were con-
centrated on the borders. But now
we’re talking about a big mass of people
all over the country training all the
time,” Danilov said. “They have ana-
lysed their mistakes from their last
attempt and this time they are trying to
calculate that things will be different.”
The last year has also been a steep
learning curve for Ukrainian forces, he
said, predicting that the worst of the
fighting lay ahead. “The more difficult
your life is, the better experience you
learn from it. And for the last year our
life was very difficult,” he said. “Before
military aid for us was very restricted.
This time the situation is absolutely dif-
ferent. Now we have all the civilised
world on our side.”
Danilov said that it was only a matter
of time before western allies caved in to
Ukraine’s requests for fighter jets, not-
ing how prior refusals to supply air
defences, tanks and long-range
missile systems had melted
away as Ukraine showed its
The Russians are
obsessed by dates,
says Oleksiy Danilov
41
mettle on the battlefield. “There was a
time that Patriots [sophisticated anti-
missile systems] were a dream. And
now we have them.”
The next few months of the war
would be decisive, he said, “It’s difficult
to say exactly, but it’s going to be this
year. This year is going to be the crucial
one. He predicted that the outcome of
the conflict would be clear “by summer.”
His only regret, he said, was the num-
ber of Ukrainian lives that would be lost
while the country waits for Western
allies to come to terms with giving more
sophisticated weapons. “There is al-
ways a part of time between a promise
to give weapons and actual weapons,”
he said.
“We are going to win but the question
is time. It is a shame that children are
being killed during this time. More than
500 children have already been killed.
It has taken the lives of our soldiers and
our civilians. That’s the most horrifying
consequence. We can rebuild our coun-
try, our economy, but no matter what
the outcome, we cannot bring back the
lives of the people who were killed for
our freedom. So that is a very high price
for us.”
Danilov said he expected “maximum
escalation” from Russia in terms of
pouring its hundreds of thousands of
poorly trained recruits on to the battle-
field. He pointed to the brutal current
fight around the eastern city of Bakh-
mut, described as a “meat grinder” for
Russian mercenaries and recruits, as
evidence of Russia’s disregard for the
lives of its fighters. Danilov put the
number of Russian fighters killed in the
past year of conflict at 130,000 al-
though western officials estimate that it
could be as high as 200,000.
“Russia is a country of necrophiles,”
Danilov said. “They have a corpse in the
centre of Moscow,” he added, referring
to the preserved remains of Lenin.
“Even on a television talk show recently
they were discussing how the value of
human life is overestimated and that
you don’t really have to be serious about
that. For us, human life has the highest
value because each and every person is
our citizen, whatever nationality.”
The only length Danilov said he did
not believe President Putin would go to
was to push the nuclear button. “I do
not think he has the courage,” he said.
Last February, Danilov said, Moscow
had believed its soldiers would be greet-
ed with flowers by Ukrainians grateful
at their liberation from a regime Mos-
cow has denounced as Nazis. That is
one lesson the Krem-
lin must have learnt
to be false over the
past year, he said. “If
they wish we will
greet them with
plastic funeral flow-
ers,” Danilov said.
42 Saturday February 4 2023 | the times

World

US calls off Xi Eye in the sky

talks after spy High altitude,

balloon drifts
Helium-filled The suspected Chinese spy
surveillance balloon balloon over Billings,
Montana

over missile site 36ft

United States entry of the airship into US airspace,”

but insisted that the balloon had limited
Hugh Tomlinson Washington
steering capability and had “deviated Solar panels
Didi Tang Beijing
far from its planned course” after being provide power
Washington has postponed top-level blown across the US. for instruments
diplomatic talks with Beijing after the “We have no intention to violate that can include
discovery of a Chinese spy balloon other countries’ sovereignty and cameras, radar,
drifting over American missile silos. airspace,” Mao Ning, the spokeswoman sensors and
Antony Blinken, the secretary of for the Chinese foreign ministry, said in communication
state, had been due in Beijing tomorrow Beijing. “We are gathering and verify- equipment
where he was to meet President Xi for ing the facts. We hope the relevant
talks aimed at easing tensions between parties will handle the matter in a cool-
the rival superpowers, which have been headed way.”
strained over issues such as Taiwan, President Biden was advised against How high they fly Size comparison
trade and the pandemic. shooting down the balloon due to the Nelson’s Column, 170ft
After the sighting of the Chinese risk of debris falling to the ground, but 120,000ft
balloon on Thursday, however, Republican opponents called on him to
the US State Department said it had act. “President Biden should stop 500 miles Aleutian
postponed Blinken’s trip, which was to coddling and appeasing the Chinese 80,000ft
Islands
have been the first meeting between Xi communists. Bring the balloon down CANADA 65,000ft
and a secretary of state for six years. now and exploit its tech package, which
Beijing said yesterday that it could be an intelligence bonanza,” Tom Pacific 40,000ft
“regrets” the incident but urged Wash- Cotton, a Republican senator from Ocean
ington to remain “cool-headed”, insist- Arkansas, tweeted. US
CHINA
ing that the balloon was a weather Mark Esper, the former defence Estimated
device that had been blown off course. secretary under Donald Trump, de- route US air base
A senior official at the State Depart- nounced the balloon’s flight over the Montana
Surveillance Fighter Commercial
ment said the Biden administration had US as a “brazen act by the Chinese”. balloon aircraft plane
Official sighting
concluded “that under these current Esper said: “My interest would be . . . Source: Reuters
conditions, it wouldn’t be constructive bringing it down so that we can capture
to visit Beijing at this time”. the equipment and understand exactly when Napoleon flirted gathered as they hover in The state’s senator has
The official acknowledged China’s
statement of regret but said “the pres-
what they’re doing . . . It will tell us a lot
about what they’re trying to do, what
Espionage with the idea of landing
French soldiers in
one place. Their gondolas
can be curved to make
speculated that it could
have been a Chinese
ence of this balloon in our airspace is a
clear violation of our sovereignty as
well as international law and it is un-
they’re trying to learn.”
Trump, posting on his Truth Social
platform, said: “SHOOT DOWN THE
is back England using inflatables.
Now the world’s
superpowers are again
them more invisible to
radar, meaning they are
just as likely to be spotted
target for surveillance.
It is thought the most
likely use for modern
acceptable that this has occurred”.
The high-altitude balloon was sight-
ed over Montana, home to 150 inter-
BALLOON!”
Pentagon officials have confirmed
that Chinese surveillance balloons
in the air turning to balloons to
gather intelligence and
scout enemy targets.
by the naked eye of a
civilian. The Pentagon is
spending more on
inflatables is to identify
the launch sites of
hypersonic missiles.
continental ballistic missile silos. It had have in the past been spotted over Modern balloons drift balloons and runs a The US is trying to
flown over Alaska’s Aleutian Islands Hawaii and Guam, which also host US Analysis at 60,000 to 80,000ft, classified programme catch up with China in
and through Canada. Pentagon offi- military facilities. Although defence above the altitude at called Covert Long-Dwell the race to develop these

cials have said they are certain the air-
craft is an “intelligence-gathering
balloon, most certainly launched by the
People’s Republic of China”.
In September, China successfully
tested a high-altitude balloon that can
carry 1.2 tonnes and fly at a height of
30km. The balloon can be used as a
platform for the launch of drones and
rockets, according to the Aerospace
Information Research Institute at the
Chinese Academy of Sciences. Chinese
state media reported last year that
balloons could also be used for spying.
China’s foreign ministry yesterday
denied that the balloon was used for
surveillance, claiming it was a “civilian
airship” used for weather research.
Beijing said it “regrets the unintended
A
officials said the balloon’s flight path merica is which commercial Stratospheric weapons, which evade
across Montana took it over “a number competing aircraft fly. The balloons, Architecture (Cold Star), detection by flying at up
of sensitive” military sites, it was with China in travelling at speeds below which tested 25 to 25 times the speed of
unclear what information it could an arms race the level usually detected inflatables in South sound. In 2021 Beijing
gather that was not spotted by Chinese to develop by radar, hang above a Dakota in 2019. tested a nuclear-capable
spy satellites. cutting-edge technologies target for four days, In the neighbouring hypersonic missile that
A spokesman said the balloon was such as quantum longer than the best state of Montana, China glided around the world
travelling east over the central US and computing and AI reconnaissance drones, has demonstrated its before missing its target
that, contrary to China’s claims that it (George Grylls writes). such as the Global Hawk, strength in the realm. by only tens of miles.
was drifting, the balloon was manoeu- But one of the more which can fly at high The high-profile use of a There are signs that the
vrable” and “has changed its course”. surprising frontiers in the altitude for 30 hours. balloon could serve as a US is close to securing a
Canada’s national defence depart- struggle to become the Unlike low-orbit reminder of China’s hypersonic breakthrough.
ment confirmed a separate suspected world’s leading military satellites, which catch superiority in another It announced this week
spy balloon above national airspace power is altogether more glimpses of military technology: hypersonic the second successful test
and said it was monitoring the aircraft. old-fashioned — balloons. installations as they spin missiles. of a missile that flew at
“A high-altitude surveillance balloon The first use of a around the planet, the Montana is home to US Mach 5 after being
was detected and its movements are battlefield balloon dates balloons allow more nuclear missile silos at launched from a B-52
being tracked by [North American back to the 18th century intelligence to be the Malmstrom airbase. bomber.
Aerospace Defence Command],” it said.

China sets sights on Antarctic bases to become a polar power

Antarctic
Didi Tang Beijing
Beijing is to expand its presence in
Antarctica with a base to promote “the
marine economy” and become an
ocean power, according to state media.
It will build ground stations there to
host satellites that monitor the ocean.
The project, a collaboration between
the National Satellite Ocean Applica-
tion Service and China Aerospace
Science and Industry Corporation to
create up to four ground stations in the
polar region, will be a milestone for the
country’s ocean-exploration satellite
system, it was claimed. Beijing already
has a number of satellites to fuel its
outer space ambitions.
Ground stations are necessary to fly
spacecraft and transmit data, and
China, to rival its own space aspirations
with those of the United States, has
been building them overseas.
The Chinese-built ground station in
Patagonia, southern Argentina, has
prompted concerns about its real
purpose, despite Beijing’s assurance
that the goal is peaceful space ob-
servation and spacecraft missions,
rather than spying.
In 2020, citing “changes” in geo-
politics, the Sweden Space Corporation
refused to renew contracts to assist
China with its ground stations.
Countries such as the US and Japan
have ground stations in Antarctica, and
China’s new ones will be built at its
science research station of Zhongshan,
located by Prydz Bay in eastern Antarc-
tica. An unnamed project worker told
the Global Times, a party-run news-
paper, that the project would include a
12-metre antenna base and trans-
mission rooms as well as power and
communications cables.
The worker admitted that there were
specific challenges with the project: the
hostile polar environment and limited
theoretical research and methodology
of existing engineering projects from
which to learn.
The project crew also spent 47 days in
the Zhongshan station in 2018 to survey
the site and test insulation materials.
China has made huge strides in its
space programme. It became the
world’s first country to land on the far
side of the moon and is building its first
permanent space station in orbit.
Last year, the country made more
than 60 space launches, sending more
than 180 satellites into orbit, compared
with 19 orbital launches in 2015.
In addition, China is seeking to ex-
pand its footprint in polar regions,
especially in the Arctic, with expedition
trips, as President Xi has demanded the
country become a “polar great power”
by 2030.
the times | Saturday February 4 2023 43

Apartheid past catches up with explorer who made new life in Europe
Switzerland
Adam Sage Paris
Jane Flanagan Cape Town
In 1990 a young South African arrived
in Switzerland, penniless and with no-
where to stay. He was taken in by a
youth hostel owner he had met while
hitch-hiking and then got a job in an
adventure sport business.
Mike Horn went on to become one of
the world’s most celebrated explorers.
In 1999 he travelled around the Equator
without motorised transport, three
years later he circumnavigated the Arc-
tic Circle and in 2006 he and Borge
Ousland, 60, a Norwegian explorer,
became the first men to walk to the
North Pole in the darkness of winter.
Horn is venerated, not only in Switzer-
land but also in France. Now, however,
his past has caught up with him after a
Swiss television documentary looked
into his military service in the South
African army during apartheid.
The programme’s claims that
he was involved in a dirty war
on behalf of a racist regime
have caused controversy in
countries where Horn is idol-
ised. It also raises broader
questions about the
veil drawn over the
end of the apartheid
era.
Horn likes to
place his military
Mike Horn was in
elite defence unit
service in the context of the Cold War,
saying the Soviet bloc was threatening
his country in the mid 1980s.
He was sent to Namibia, then a South
African colony where guerrillas in
Swapo, the South West Africa People’s
Organisation, with Cuban and Soviet
backing, were fighting for independ-
ence, which was achieved in 1990.
The narrative that white South
Africa was the frontline against
communism was a
cornerstone of the
apartheid regime’s
defence of its crack-
down on hostile
nationalist groups,
including the banned
African National Con-
gress led by Nelson Man-
dela. Young South Africans facing con-
scription were taught to fear “reds
under the bed”, and Margaret Thatcher
refused to impose sanctions on the
white minority government for fear,
she said, that the country would fall
into Soviet hands.
Horn, 56, told Temps Présent, the
documentary broadcast on the Swiss
channel RTS, that he survived the con-
flict without trauma. “For me war was
part of my life, like going on an expedi-
tion or going to buy croissants,” he said.
“I considered [it] to be a good experi-
ence because it trained me for life.”
But the documentary painted a less
sanguine picture. It said Horn had vol-
unteered to serve in 101 Battalion, an
elite South African Defence Force unit
that specialised in capturing and killing
World
guerrilla fighters in Namibia. The bat-
talion was accused of attacking a polit-
ical rally in Windhoek, the capital, in
1986 when Immanuel Shifidi, an inde-
pendence leader, was stabbed to death.
South African officials intervened to
prevent battalion members being pros-
ecuted over the killing.
After the programme Vaud Promo-
tion, a Swiss regional tourist office, end-
ed Horn’s status as an honorary
member. After speculation that his
sponsors could also take fright, he post-
ed a video on his website saying he
came from a “religious family that be-
lieved in equality between people” and
had never supported apartheid.
He denied any involvement in the
killing of Shifidi, saying: “I have always
valued other people’s lives.”

Rise in murders reignites alarm No cure for

shortage of
over domestic violence in Spain acorns, say
ham barons
Spain
Isambard Wilkinson Madrid
Left for dead in her flat after a savage
attack by her partner, Miriam Cabrera
wanted her son to avoid the same fate.
This gave her the strength to struggle
out of the building to raise the alarm
after the assault took place in March
2020. “He stabbed me with a knife in
the stomach, injuring several internal
organs, and slashed my neck. He then
forced me to take 19 diazepam pills to
finish me off,” she said. “But I am a
fighter. I walked down three floors,
holding my intestines in one hand,
opened the front door and collapsed on
the street.”
Council cleaners in the town of Icod
de los Vinos on Tenerife, in the Canary
Islands, discovered Cabrera, who was
37 at the time of the attack. Before she
fell unconscious she felt “triumphant”.
She was sure that the police would be
alerted and that her partner would not
be able to return to attack her son when
he came back from school.
Cabrera, speaking by phone, said
she wanted to raise awareness to help
other victims of domestic violence and
play her part in a battle of which Spain
has been at the forefront.
Nearly 20 years ago, Madrid
approved a groundbreaking law that
specifically cracked down on domestic
violence, making the victim’s gender an
aggravating factor in cases of assault
and creating courts to tackle the prob-
lem. It strengthened sentences for
offenders and called for education
about gender equality.
People such as Cabrera have been
key to pushing domestic violence to the
centre of Spanish politics. Each murder
is widely reported, often driving
thousands of people to protest in the
streets chanting the phrase “Ni Una
Más” (“not one more”). Successive gov-
ernments have spoken of the issue as a
“national priority”.
“Spain has become a world standard
in battling domestic violence,” said
Angeles Carmona, the head of the
judiciary’s observatory on domestic
and gender violence. “We’ve achieved a
great deal, above all in engaging society
with a crime that was silenced and
accepted. Now not only women but
family members, neighbours, everyone
reports cases. They realise they have to
play a part in combating it.”
Attitudes began to change in 1997
when Ana Orantes, 60, was beaten,
thrown over a balcony and burnt to
death by her ex-husband after com-
plaining to the authorities and appear-
ing on TV to detail the abuse she
suffered. Women’s groups led protests
after each killing and the media cam-
paigned against domestic violence.
Carmona pointed to the decline in
the number of women murdered in acts
of domestic violence since then. In 1997,
99 women were murdered by their
present or former partners; in 2004 the
figure was 72. From 2016 the number of
women killed each year has been on
average about 50, with 49 murdered in
2021 and last year.
Domestic violence is no more preva-
lent in Spain than in many European
Miriam Cabrera, who was stabbed by her partner in 2020, campaigns against
domestic violence. Left, Sesé Mateo was murdered by her ex-partner in 2017
protected by the state and the public
Domestic violence victims authorities are being murdered,” Elena
Number of women killed by intimate Valenciano, the head of Fundación Mu-
partners, per 100,000 people in 2020* jeres and a former Socialist MEP, said.
Germany 0.35 Joshua Alonso pointed to failures at a
Hungary 0.35 more fundamental level. His mother,
France 0.3 Sesé Mateo, was murdered by her
Netherlands 0.27 former partner in February 2017 when
Czech Republic 0.26 he returned to her house and set fire to
Sweden 0.25 it, killing them both. Alonso, who was
Switzerland 0.25 25 at the time, gives talks in schools
Italy 0.22 about domestic violence. “Machismo is
Spain 0.19 still embedded in our culture,” he said.
England & Wales 0.15 “I see it at schools with boys trying to
Slovenia 0.1 control their girlfriends. It is normal-
*Data for England & Wales is for the year ised behaviour. We still have to make
ending March 2021. Source: Eurostat changes at every level of education.”
The consensus on protecting women
countries, according to the Fundación may also be fracturing. The ultra-
Mujeres, a women’s rights watchdog. nationalist right-wing Vox party, the
Murders in Spain surged in Decem- third-largest force in the Spanish elec-
ber, when 11 women were killed by their tions in 2019, opposes the 2004 law on
partner or ex-partner. Six died last gendered violence, claiming it is biased
month, including a woman and her against men. It has refused to sign an
eight-year-old daughter in the north- all-party declaration condemning vio-
ern province of Valladolid. Data last lence against women, drawing outrage.
week showed that 39 per cent of women Miriam Cabrera had the satisfaction
murdered in acts of domestic violence of seeing her former partner jailed for
last year had initiated legal proceedings 18 years. She remains, however, physi-
against their attacker. Five of the 49 cally and psychologically damaged.
killed even had protective measures in “Violence against women is a virus,”
place, such as restraining orders. she said. “It infects from generation to
“It is extremely alarming that women generation and keeps on spreading.”
Isambard Wilkinson
The black Iberian pig, fed mainly on
acorns, produces a dry-cured ham that
has become a delicacy internationally.
But drought has devastated acorns,
reducing the number of animals fit to
produce jamón ibérico bellota and
threatening to push up prices.
The ham, which is the centrepiece of
every Spanish Christmas dinner and
popular among China’s middle classes,
sells for more than €100 per kilogram.
Farmers in western Spain, where the
acorn-fed blackfoot pigs are bred, have
warned that the prices may become too
high for many and that their businesses
could go under.
According to estimates there are
40 per cent fewer acorns than in a nor-
mal year. Farmers reckon that 20 per
cent fewer acorn-fed pigs will be
slaughtered this year than in 2022.
“We are looking at the ruin of the
sector. Expenses have equalled our in-
come. It is a disaster,” said Emilio
Muñoz, manager of Ilunion Ibéricos, a
ham producer in Extremadura.
Extreme summer heat in the pig’s
traditional pastures has prompted fears
that the ham will disappear in a matter
of decades.
Before the pigs are slaughtered, they
lead short but bucolic lives in oak
forests, the dehesa that has its heart in
Extremadura.
Free-range grazing allows the
animals to roam an ecosystem covering
millions of hectares in search of food,
walking up to nine miles a day in pur-
suit of the acorns that give the ham its
distinctive aroma and flavour. Hams
are cured for at least two years, some for
three or four.
But the heat has also reduced the
pigs’ mobility, restricting their foraging
to a few hours in the early morning.
When they should have been eating
between 6kg and 10kg of acorns a day,
supplemented by another 3kg to 4kg of
pasture, they were instead searching for
the cool shade along streams, many of
which ran dry.
“The pigs are underweight this year,”
Rodrigo Cárdeno, of Cárdeno Farms,
told RTVE, the national broadcaster.
“We are talking about an animal that at
the start of October should weigh 90kg
and by the end of January should be up
to approximately 150kg.”
Last year was the hottest on record in
Spain and the third driest. Rainfall in
Extremadura has fallen by about 35 per
cent over the past 50 years.
44 2GM Saturday February 4 2023 | the times

World

New York’s version of Cloud Gate sits by the Jenga tower

in the Tribeca neighbourhood. Anish Kapoor, below, says
his original artwork, above, is a focal point in Chicago

neighbourhood. Kapoor the laborious process of

Big Apple embraces
Kapoor’s mini-bean
n 1900, the Chicago
thing in the racing field
city that reached
furthest heavenwards.
Since 2004, however,
Chicago has had an ace
up its sleeve: Anish
Kapoor.
The artist’s Cloud
Gate, also known as “the
owns a $13.5 million
apartment in the tower.
New York’s 40-tonne
“mini-bean” is estimated
to have cost up to $10
million. With a height of
19ft, it is smaller than
the Chicago installation.
Work started four
years ago but has been
hampered by
construction issues. The
reflective skin of the
bean apparently
ruptured from being
exposed to the sun. It
was further complicated
by the pandemic and
travel restrictions, with
Kapoor’s masterpiece is Kapoor’s specialised
33ft high and 66ft long.
Today, however, New
installation staff being
barred from entering
York has its own the US. Work resumed
Kapoor. A version
of Cloud Gate
in September 2021.
The complexity of the
has been sculpture’s construction
sandwiched also led to delays.
creating 38 precision-
formed stainless-steel
plates and a custom
supporting framework
for Kapoor’s work.
“The development and
refinement of this
complicated process has
caused delays in the
building of this
sculpture, but the slices
are now being produced
and joined with the
results the project
requires,” the company
said.
The sculpture has still
not been officially
named and is expected
to be formally unveiled
later this year.
Kapoor said he had
not visited Cloud Gate
since it was dedicated in
2006. “I think it has
become the focus of a
different view of

I Daily Tribune
proclaimed that the
Windy City had
secured a lead over
the Big Apple in their
race for the skies
(Joshua Thurston
writes). “The newest
is the skyscraper,” the
newspaper wrote,
declaring Chicago to be
winning the contest to
construct the boldest
buildings in America.
New York eventually
overtook Chicago as the
bean”, remains one of
Chicago’s most popular
sights, located in
Millennium Park
between the city’s
financial hub and Lake
Michigan. In a city
where size matters,
beneath the
cantilevering
slabs of 56
Leonard Street,
a building
known as the
Jenga tower
Performance Structures,
its fabricator, told the
Tribeca Citizen news
website that problems
had “more than
doubled the cost of the
sculpture”.
Chicago, too — part of
the city and its public
space,” he told the
Chicago Sun-Times in
2017. “I can’t control it.
It has an ownership of
its own, like the Picasso
in the Tribeca The website detailed sculpture and others.”

New shape-shifting gangs Iran blamed for hacking of

fill void left by the yakuza
Japan
Richard Lloyd Parry Fukuoka
The eclipse of the yakuza, Japan’s orga-
nised crime gangs, seemed for a while
to be one of the great triumphs of
modern crime fighting. For years they
controlled drugs, sex businesses and
loan sharking but in little more than a
decade, vigorous policing and new laws
have forced them into retreat.
In 2011 there were 33,000 fully
fledged yakuza; in 2020, according to
police figures, there were 13,000. But as
numbers have dwindled and their
bosses have been sent to prison, a new
threat has filled the void: the hangure.
The word, pronounced han-gu-reh,
means “quasi-delinquents” and de-
scribes shadowy criminal gangs that
are as different from the old-fashioned
yakuza as hip-hop is from Elvis Presley.
The hangure reject the hierarchical
structure of the old gangster syndicates
in favour that puts money above all else.
The hangure gangs recruit and com-
municate using digital technology.
They form and disperse at their own
convenience. Police are baffled by their
shape-shifting character and indiffer-
ence to the old yakuza code of honour;
ordinary Japanese are alarmed by their
cruel and outrageous crimes.
In the past few weeks the country has
been transfixed by a spate of robberies
in Tokyo, targeting old people who kept
large sums of money in their homes.
Thieves have walked away with hauls of
cash as big as ¥35 million (£220,000).
Last month, a gang ran amok in a
house in the western suburb of Komae,
tying up and killing its occupant, a 90-
year-old woman named Kinuyo Oshio.
According to police, the phones of
arrested suspects have revealed that
they were recruited through online ad-
verts by a Japanese master criminal
nicknamed “Luffy”, who is in prison in
the Philippines, where he bribed guards
to allow him a phone.
Police in Tokyo and the southern city
of Fukuoka have set up anti-hangure
units. Some of the larger gangs have
established identities, and names such
as Kanto League, Ota League, Chinese
Dragon and Uchikoshi Spectre. But
Superintendent Masakazu Yamaguchi,
of the Fukuoka police, says the force
struggles to identify gangs and mem-
bers. “The biggest challenge is acting
against groups that have no real coher-
ence,” he said. “They come together
and then disperse immediately after a
crime. Sometimes we think someone’s
in one group and they’re in another.
Compared to the yakuza, we have no
idea of who they are and what they are.”
The yakuza spread misery through
drug dealing and human trafficking, but
even at their worst they were highly or-
ganised. Until the crackdown, they had
practical, and even co-operative, rela-
tions with the police. The hangure have
none of this institutional character. “It’s
like a business,” Yamaguchi said. “If
they’re making money, they’ll stay to-
gether — if they’re not, they’ll disperse.”
An online advert captures the spirit
of the hangure. “Job coming up very
soon for high reward. High risk, high
return, but will support. ¥5-¥15m
[£32,000 to £96,000] plus bonus.”
For all their brutality, the yakuza had
a warped code of honour, by which
gang members were forbidden from
hurting women, children and the
elderly. Hangure crime consciously
preys on the weak. Their speciality is
“ore-ore sagi” or “ ‘It’s me’ fraud”. A con-
man telephones a confused old person,
pretending to be a young relative who
has got into debt to violent people. A
“friend” is sent to collect cash and the
pensioner never sees the money again.
The police have made arrests that,
according to the organised crime ex-
pert Noboru Hirosue, indicate an inter-
esting trend — many hangure mem-
bers are former yakuza. “The yakuza try
to use the hangure, and absorb them,”
he said. “The hangure are like stray
dogs, but yakuza are still the wolves.”
French satirical magazine
Iran
Abbie Cheeseman Beirut
Iran was behind the hacking of Charlie
Hebdo after the French satirical maga-
zine ran a competition to mock the
country’s supreme leader, according to
a security team at Microsoft.
The magazine, which has a history of
publishing inflammatory content, was
hacked early last month after it pub-
lished a series of cartoons negatively
depicting Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The
move was part of its campaign to stand
with anti-government protests that
have been raging in Iran for months.
The issue featuring the winning car-
toons was due to be published to co-
incide with the eighth anniversary of an
attack by two Islamist assailants on the
magazine’s offices.
At the time of the hacking Charlie
Hebdo said it believed that Iran was be-
hind it and released a second magazine
cover in retaliation. The Islamic regime
had vowed an “effective response”.
Security researchers at Microsoft
have now said they believe the attack
was carried out by an “Iranian nation-
state actor” and pointed to an online
group that goes by the name of “Holy
Souls”.
Last month the group claimed it had
access to 200,000 Charlie Hebdo cus-
tomers and provided a sample list of
their names, phone numbers, home
addresses and email addresses as proof.
The group said it would sell the infor-
mation for about £390,000 in bitcoin.
The Microsoft researchers said they
believed the attack was a response by
the Iranian government and that
magazine subscribers could be at risk of
online or physical targeting by extrem-
ist organisations.
“The release of the full cache of
stolen data — assuming the hackers
actually have the data they claim to
possess — would essentially constitute
the mass doxing [locating] of the read-
ership of a publication that has already
been subject to extremist threats and
deadly terror attacks,” Clint Watts, a
manager at Microsoft’s digital threat
intelligence centre, said.
Following the hacking of the website,
Laurent Sourisseau, the magazine’s
owner, said: “A digital attack doesn’t
leave anyone dead but it sets the tone.
The mullah’s regime feels in such
danger that it considers it vital to its
existence to hack the website of a
French newspaper.
“It is an honour in one sense but
above all proves that they feel their
power is very fragile.”
The published cartoons referred to
the bloody crackdown by Iranian
authorities on protesters, with some
showing Khamenei with a noose
around his neck swimming in a sea of
blood. Others were deemed to be more
religiously offensive, with mullahs
crawling around naked women.
the times | Saturday February 4 2023
Million-dollar
deals for college
athletes freed to
earn like a pro
United States
Will Pavia New York
When Chase Griffin was in his second
year at university other students
started calling him Degree Man. This
was not because he was already close to
graduating with an undergraduate
degree in public affairs, it was because
Griffin, who is also a quarterback for
the college football team, had just
struck a deal with the Degree deodor-
ant brand to endorse its products.
“I was super proud,” he said. “It was a
top tier brand that a lot of people use on
a daily basis.”
Griffin, 22, is part of a sea change in
college athletics in the United States, in
which students who represent their
university at American football, basket-
ball or lacrosse are also permitted to
represent brands.
At the University of Alabama, Bryce
Young, a quarterback, has partnerships
with BMW and the Subway sandwich
chain. At Louisiana State University, a
gymnast called Olivia Dunne is said to
have made more than $1 million
through deals with fashion,
sport and cosmetics brands.
Griffin, who is still at the Uni-
versity of Southern Califor-
nia, Los Angeles, has
struck more than 20
endorsement agree-
ments and represents
Chase bank, a mobile
phone company, a car
insurer and a Los An-
geles charity to which
he donates some of his
earnings.
This new era in college
sport dawned after a Supreme
Court ruling in 2021 and laws
passed in states all over the
country that in effect ended
Thrills and spills for the US ‘Boris Bike’ that did a wheelie
Will
Pavia
new york
N
ew York contains legions
of skateboarders and
BMX-riders who perform
stunts in the city’s parks.
It also boasts a bike-
sharing scheme called Citi Bike,
featuring sturdy blue bicycles for
commuters and day-trippers.
Jerome Peel is the first man to
attempt to bring the two things
together, by performing death-
defying stunts aboard a rentable
bike with a shopping basket on the
front.
Peel, 32, grew up in Florida, where
his father was an accomplished dirt
(off-road) bike rider and he boasts of
2GM
the long-cherished “principle of ama-
teurism” upheld by the National Colle-
giate Athletic Association.
It had been upheld even as college
football and basketball became multi-
billion-dollar industries, generating
fortunes from television deals. College
football coaches became the highest-
paid public employees in 28 states: the
top ten earned more than $5 million a
year but the players risked injury and
concussion and earned no more than a
free education and the hope, for a tiny
minority, of turning professional.
Blake Lawrence played football for
the University of Nebraska from 2007
to 2009, when it had one of the strong-
est teams in the country. “It was like a
professional sport,” he said. “We were
treated like pros.” He dreamt of playing
in the National Football League (NFL).
But in October 2009 he had his fourth
concussion in a year. “I was forgetting
my name and where I was and the plays.
I decided to stop playing,” he said.
After college, Lawrence and his
former team-mate Adi Kunalic foun-
ded Opendorse, which helps athletes
to find endorsement deals. At first
they could target only profession-
al athletes, but when the rules
changed half a million new ath-
letes entered the market, he
said. “We will bring over
$100 million to athletes
this year.”
Colleges still cannot pay
students to play, but alumni
associations have formed
“collectives” that raise
money to pay students for
endorsements, such as of a
local charity, to draw top
talent to their old college.
A collective of alumni
from Southern Methodist
University in Texas split
a particular talent: an ability to get
on to any bicycle and make it jump.
He first encountered a Citi Bike
not long after moving to New York,
on a Sunday outing with his then-
girlfriend. “I was jumping off the
curbs and doing wheelies within ten
minutes of being on it,” he said.
He found he rather liked it. He
now runs a small fashion label in
Lower Manhattan, but over the past
five years he has also become the
frontman and stuntman of an
Instagram page called Citi Bike
Boyz, which has 90,000 followers.
The idea was to emulate the
greatest feats of New York’s
skateboarders and BMX bikers
with a Citi Bike, and as he did so he
became fixated with the 145th Street
subway station in Harlem.
“That particular station is a world-
famous stunt spot,” he said. A single
track running between two
platforms had been jumped by a
skateboarder and by a New York
BMX rider, in a stunt that featured
Basketball players Haley and Hanna Cavinder have done dozens of deals;
Armando Bacot, above, is a big earner, and Chase Griffin a “top content creator”
the money they raised evenly between
members of the football team, said
Mike Caspino, a lawyer whose son Sam
plays for them. “They are paying each
kid on the team $36,000,” he said.
Other collectives have sought to raise,
sometimes from one or two wealthy
individuals, a fat cheque to lure a player.
Caspino had represented Jaden
Rashada, a high school football star,
with an alumni endorsement offer
on the cover of Sports Illustrated. “I
thought: ‘I could do that. Why am I
not on the cover of Sports
Illustrated?’ ” he said. “It was
something I really, really wanted to
do. I would think about it for an
hour every day.”
But his girlfriend did not approve.
“She said, ‘I’m in love with you and
if anything happens to you, you are
also harming me’,” he said. She told
him he was crazy to contemplate it.
“She said, ‘If you do that I’m
breaking up with you,’ ” he said. “I
was like, ‘OK, I guess she’s right.’ ”
He did other stunts, including one
in a landscaped park on Roosevelt
Island, in the East River, where he
rode a Citi Bike off a high wall on to
a sloping cliff of concrete flagstones.
The drop was higher than he had
imagined and he worried that the
bike would fall apart. “They are built
really strong but the wheels aren’t,”
he said.
While most BMX riders know
their bike intimately, “when I get on
designed to take him to the University
of Miami. Rashada backed out when a
collective tied to the University of Flor-
ida offered him $13 million, but that fell
through after it emerged that the col-
lective did not have the money in place.
Quite how far these collectives can
go in seeking to draw an athlete to their
college is a delicate question. “There
can’t be a specific enticement provided
to cause an athlete to enrol but there are
Jerome Peel’s stunt-riding has taken
the local Citi Bikes to a new level
a Citi Bike I have known it for five
minutes”, he said.
Then, late last year, his girlfriend
broke up with him and he decided to
go to Harlem. While someone
filmed him, he rode through the
145th Street station and jumped off
the edge of one platform, flying over
the tracks and landing, barely, on
45
World
conversations about what could be on
the table hypothetically speaking,”
Darren Heitner, a Florida lawyer who
represents several prominent college
athletes, said.
Although many people had feared
the effect of this new degree of profes-
sionalism “there are countless exam-
ples of athletes who come from de-
pressed social economic conditions
who have been able to help their fami-
lies,” he said.
There had also been concerns that
this new marketplace would favour
male football and basketball players.
Among Heitner’s clients are Haley
and Hanna Cavinder, twin sisters, col-
lege basketball players and social media
influencers. They were at Fresno State,
a public university in California, he
said. Then, like footballers moving from
Sunderland to Manchester United,
they transferred to the University of
Miami, which offered the potential of
playing on a bigger stage. “They have
millions of followers between their Tik-
Tok, Instagram and YouTube chan-
nels,” he said. “We have done dozens of
deals.”
Lawrence, the founder of Opendorse,
said it was true that alumni collectives
tended to channel money to men’s
teams. He said that 70 per cent of the
money that male athletes get comes
from donors or boosters, and 30 per
cent comes from brand deals.
But he said female athletes were
proving more adept at drawing en-
dorsements, with 77 per cent of their
money coming from brands, and 23 per
cent coming from superfans.
“Women’s sports are getting the
brand dollars, men’s sports are getting
the donor dollars,” he said.
And the athletes who are making the
most money are not always the star
players. Although he has never been
the college’s first choice quarterback,
Griffin prides himself on having “the
best content creation model” for his
brands on social media.
“Even if the name of someone else is
bigger on the field . . . as far as content
creation goes, my name is bigger than
most,” he said.
the other. “It could have been the
highlight of my life,” he said.
The response was mixed. “The
first thing my dad said was: ‘OK, you
have gone too far,’ ” he said. “He
said: ‘I hope this had nothing to do
with Genevieve.’ ”
Afterwards he began to think that
he ought to be a little more cautious.
“After that Roosevelt Island thing
and then the subway tracks, I
thought: ‘OK, I have used up my
nine lives,’ ” he said.
The stunts were also taking up a
lot of his time. At his fashion
company, “the employees were like:
‘When are
you coming into work?’ ”, he said.
He is currently out of action, after
sustaining a knee injury which
requires surgery, though he remains
philosophical about the setback.
“If you’re going to be doing
something extreme, you’ve got to
pay the price,” he said. “I should
accept it. I am the best Citi Biker in
the world.”
the times | Saturday February 4 2023
world markets (Change on the day)
FTSE 100 Dow Jones
7,901.80 (+81.64) 33,926.01 (-127.93)
8,500
8,000
7,500
7,000
Jan 6 13 20 27 Feb 3 Jan 6
American jobs growth surge boosts markets and the dollar
Mehreen Khan Economics Editor
The US economy generated more than
half a million jobs last month, beating
expectations and pushing unemploy-
ment to a 55-year low.
Jobs growth in the world’s biggest
economy measured 517,000 in January,
according to official payroll numbers,
comfortably topping a forecast of
188,000 and more than doubling the
figure from December. The growth rate
Steel output
lowest since
Depression
Serious doubts over future of the industry in UK
exclusive
Robert Lea Industrial Editor
The production of crude steel in Britain
has slumped to its lowest levels since
the Great Depression of the 1930s.
A 17 per cent collapse in output in
2022 to a 90-year low of six million
tonnes — at a time when manufactur-
ing now makes up less than 10 per cent
of gross domestic product — raises
serious questions about the UK’s future
as an industrial economy. It also raises
doubts about the existence of the steel
industry as it comes under pressure to
go through a hugely expensive de-
carbonisation transition.
UK Steel, the trade body that collated
the data, said the sector, which employs
34,000 people plus tens of thousands
more in its supply chain, was at a
“pivotal moment” and called for action
to preserve competitiveness.
The six million tonnes figure for last
year was worse than expected and is the
lowest since 1932. It means output at
Port Talbot in south Wales, Scunthorpe
in the Humberside region and Rother-
ham in South Yorkshire is now less than
a quarter of the crude steel produced in
the 1970s.
The fall is significantly worse than
the 4 per cent decline globally and the
10 per cent drop in the European Union.
The last time steel production was this
low was when Britain was reeling from
the Great Depression and an 85 per
cent cut in defence spending after the
First World War.
“For the UK this is a drop from an
commodities
Gold
$1,865.60 (-50.97)
37,500
35,000
32,500
30,000
13 20 27 Feb 3 Jan 6 13
is the best since the summer and
another indicator that the US labour
market is robust, despite rising interest
rates and slowing economic growth.
Wall Street opened in the red before
the latest jobs data was released, and
finished the day lower on fears of more
rate rises to come.The Dow Jones in-
dustrial average fell 127.93 points, or 0.4
per cent, to close at 33,926.01 while the
more broadly based S&P 500 shed
43.28 points, or 1 per cent, to 4,136.48.
already low base,” Chrysa Glystra, an
analyst at UK Steel, said. “We thought
2020, the year of the pandemic, was a
record low for UK production but even
then we managed to scrape seven mil-
lion tonnes.
“Some of the reduction in steel
production is in response to reduced
demand, but the exorbitant energy
prices faced by industry have clearly
taken their toll on industry in the UK.”
Soaring energy costs, typically at
least 50 per cent more than continental
competitors, and environmental penal-
ties levied on high carbon-emitting
plants are behind a decision by British
Steel, the operator of blast furnaces at
Scunthorpe owned by Jingye, of China,
to cut 800 jobs, a quarter of its work-
force. It applied for £300 million of state
aid to save the plant.
After years of urging by the UK’s
largest producer, Tata Steel at Port
Talbot, for the government to support
and invest in reform of the sector,
Glystra said: “Decisive action is now
needed if we are to prevent the
continuing gradual erosion of our com-
petitiveness.
“This is a critical point in time when
the sector needs to decarbonise and
transform, something that can only
be done in partnership with govern-
ment, as other governments are doing
around the world. The pivotal moment
is now.”
In 1932 Britain’s blast furnaces were
producing steel for Battersea power
station and were shipping steel to
Australia from Middlesbrough for the
Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Brent crude (6pm)
$ $80.35 (-2.37)
2,000
1,800
1,600
1,400
20 27 Feb 3 Jan 6 13 20
However, the US jobs data gave a late
boost to sentiment in Europe and
helped push London’s FTSE 100 index
to a record close at 7,901.8, a rise of 81.64
points, or 1 per cent, on the day and a
weekly gain of 1.8 per cent. Sterling,
however, weakened against a stronger
dollar by nearly 1 per cent to $1.21.
The US figures helped to drive down
the official unemployment rate to
3.4 per cent, the lowest since 1968. Jobs
growth data for December and Novem-
Kim Kardashian, the American reality TV star, was handed a $1.26 million fine last October for promoting a crypto token
Watchdog fixes gaze on ‘fin-fluencers’
Ben Martin Banking Editor
Social media influencers who illegally
promote investments online face a
tougher crackdown by the City regu-
lator after it intensified its scrutiny of
misleading financial marketing.
The Financial Conduct Authority
revealed yesterday that it had signifi-
cantly increased its interventions by
telling firms either to amend or with-
draw a record 8,582 promotions last
year, up from 573 in 2021 and 207 in
2020. Alerts issued by the regulator
about unauthorised businesses and
individuals also jumped by 34 per cent
year-on-year to 1,882 in 2022.
It said that so-called fin-fluencers,
individuals who use online platforms
such as TikTok and Facebook to market
financial products, were a “growing
Business
currencies
£/$
$ $1.2079 (-0.0181)
120
100
80
60
27 Feb 3 Jan 6 13 20 27 Feb 3
ber were revised upwards, according to
the US Bureau of Labor statistics.
The data will encourage the US Fed-
eral Reserve to extend an interest rate
cycle that has pushed up borrowing
costs to a 15-year high in the past year.
The Fed raised rates by a smaller incre-
ment of 25 basis points this week and
warned that its fight against inflation
was not over, despite falling prices.
Brian Coulton, chief economist at
Fitch Ratings, said robust job creation
concern”. The regulator cited one
incident where it had intervened when
an unnamed influencer who was the
director of a regulated business was
using their personal profile to push the
advice of unauthorised traders and
products.
“Issuing an illegal financial promo-
tion is potentially a criminal offence,”
the watchdog warned. “In the most
serious of cases, we have and will
refer fin-influencers for criminal
investigation.”
It also said that it had observed “a
trend in the number of bloggers pro-
moting credit on behalf of unauthor-
ised third parties, with a particular
growth in financial promotions target-
ing students”.
The warnings come amid growing
alarm among regulators around the
47
£/€
$ €1.1145 (-0.0084) ¤
1.300 1.300
1.200 1.200
1.100 1.100
1.000 1.000
Jan 6 13 20 27 Feb 3
would “reinforce the message that the
Fed still has quite a lot of work to do to
tame core inflation”.
Andrew Hunter, at Capital Econ-
omics, a consultancy, said the figures
showed the United States was not as
close to a recession as had been feared.
“Nevertheless, we strongly doubt that
this marks the start of a renewed accel-
eration and, in any case, the good news
for the Fed is that wage growth appears
to be cooling,” he said.
world about celebrities and other
influential figures on social media who
use their reach to plug potentially risky
investments.
Last October Kim Kardashian, the
American reality television celebrity,
was fined $1.26 million by the US Secu-
rities and Exchange Commission to
settle charges that she had touted a
crypto token without disclosing that
she had been paid $250,000 to post
about the digital asset on her Instagram
account.
Regulatory concerns have been
exacerbated by the cost of living crisis,
which has spurred worries that people
feeling the pinch are more susceptible
to scams.
Sarah Pritchard, the FCA’s executive
director for markets, said: “This year,
48 Saturday February 4 2023 | the times

Business

Need to know
1
The FTSE 100 hit an all-time
high after markets surged and
the pound fell in response to
positive jobs news from the United
Disney’s favourite leading ness, staff are braced for a sweeping
States. The index rose by 1 per cent
Bob Iger is back in the overhaul of its structure, and for layoffs,
to close at 7,901.80, surpassing the
previous record close of 7,877.45 set
top job, but will his while executives steel themselves for a
bruising proxy battle. Outside the busi-
in May 2018. dreams come true? ness, it faces mounting demands for
change in the form of Nelson Peltz, the
Holiday companies are Callum Jones asks if activist investor and head of Trian

2 reporting bumper bookings as

Britons lock in trips early. The
prospect of soaring prices closer to
departure prompted record
numbers of bookings last month.
January is the busiest month for
summer bookings.
Building a third runway at
he still has the magic
The House of Mouse had seen better
days. After years of disappointing
profits, stock market pressure and
acrimony within its higher echelons,
Disney’s new boss believed that he was
presiding over more of a sprawling
Fund Management, which has
amassed a stake of about
0.5 per cent in Disney worth
almost $1 billion.
Peltz is fighting for a seat
on its board and on
Thursday he stepped his
fight up a gear. In a letter to
shareholders, he said the

3 Heathrow is more important

than ever after the pandemic
and Brexit, the airport’s outgoing
chief executive said. John Holland-
Kaye said it was “so critical we
have an expanded Heathrow to
connect all of the country”.
Debt collectors working for
content factory than a magical
kingdom.
“I had to fix it, and fix it fast,” Bob Iger
entertainment group had
presided over a “simply
unacceptable” decline in
recalled later on the Masters of Scale market value by allowing
podcast. On a warm evening early in his costs to surge and profits
tenure, he rang Steve Jobs from his car to sag.
with a “crazy” idea. Disney hit back, arguing
And so, in January 2006, three that Peltz, 80, had “no
months into the job, Iger played his first solutions to offer” and that

4 British Gas have admitted

disconnecting heating or
electricity for families if they were
unable to fit a prepayment meter.
A manager at a company that
collects debts for British Gas told
an undercover reporter that
pay-as-you-go meters could not be
installed at some homes, so agents
should cut people off entirely. The
findings have been passed to
Ofgem, the regulator.
The production of crude steel
masterstroke: Disney agreed to buy
Pixar, the animation studio behind Toy
Story and Finding Nemo, in a $7.4 billion
all-stock deal. Jobs, Pixar’s chairman,
became its new owner’s largest share-
holder and joined the board.
More big deals followed, including
the $4 billion acquisition of Marvel
Entertainment and an equal amount
for Lucasfilm, the studio behind the
Star Wars and Indiana Jones fran-
chises. In 2017 Rupert Murdoch, co-
chairman of 21st Century Fox, agreed
to sell its entertainment and distri-
the billionaire would
“threaten the strategic man-
agement of Disney during a
period of important change in
the media landscape”. Michael
Froman, the Disney director
targeted by Peltz, was “far better
qualified” than the activist, it
claimed.
Trian has made clear that it will
not go down without a fight. On
Thursday it said: “Shareholders need
someone in the boardroom who is
experienced enough, committed

5 in Britain has slumped to its

lowest levels since the Great
Depression of the 1930s. A 17 per
cent collapse in output in 2022 to
a 90-year low of six million
tonnes raises questions about the
UK’s future as an industrial
economy.
Social media influencers who
bution assets in a $71 billion deal (Mur-
doch is executive chairman of News
Corp, ultimate owner of The Times).
Seventeen years after that first
transformative takeover, Disney again
finds itself under a cloud. Iger, who
stepped down in 2020 and repeatedly
denied rumours of a return, was
abruptly reinstated last November.
Given the job of revitalising profits,
enough and objective enough to insist
that Disney live up to its full potential.”
Disney’s latest results are expected
to underline the scale of the challenges
ahead. Analysts estimate that pre-tax
profits fell by about 38 per cent to
$1.69 billion during its first quarter,
covering the last three
months of 2022.
Revenue is set to

6 illegally promote investments

online face a tougher
crackdown by the City regulator.
The Financial Conduct Authority
revealed it had increased its
interventions by telling firms
either to amend or withdraw a
record 8,582 promotions last year,
up from 573 in 2021.
BP is set to report a record
reversing a sharp decline in the com-
pany’s share price and restoring peace
across the business, he came back to fix
have risen by
7 per cent to
$23.4 billion, a sig-
it, and fix it fast. nificant drop from
Next week, three months into his growth of 34 per
second spell in charge, Iger is expected cent recorded the pre-
to show his hand. The stakes for this vious year.
quarter’s earnings have been raised by
the extraordinary fallout from the last.
Wall Street’s alarm at huge streaming Bob Iger, above, No division will endure more scrutiny
losses triggered the worst day of trading united Mickey than Disney’s DTC, or direct to con-

7 $28 billion profit for last year.

Analysts expect the oil major
to report an underlying profit of
just over $5 billion in the fourth
quarter.
Fourteen employees of
for Disney’s stock in two decades,
prompted its board to sack Bob Chapek
as chief executive and drew Iger out of
Mouse, Buzz
Lightyear, Doctor
Strange, Bart
sumer, unit, home to its streaming
platforms, including Disney+. Losses
here ballooned from $1.68 billion to
retirement. Simpson and $4.02 billion in the year to October and
Executives at Disney hope for a Darth Vader, but were even deeper than feared in the last
better reaction when updating share- Nelson Peltz may quarter. According to Tim Nollen, of
holders on Wednesday. Inside the busi- be a bigger test Macquarie, next week’s earnings report

8 Ferrexpo have been killed in

the past year while fighting
against Russia’s invasion of
Ukraine. Jim North, chief
executive of the FTSE 250 group,
said 586 employees, or almost 8
per cent of its workforce, had been
conscripted or had volunteered to
serve in the Ukrainian armed
forces.
The Bank of England’s chief
Record BP profits set to fuel debate
Emily Gosden Energy Editor
BP is set to reignite the debate over oil
and gas company incomes next week if,
as expected, it reports a record $28 bil-
lion profit for last year.
down as a result of its decision to exit
Russia and offload its stake in the
Kremlin-backed Rosneft. It is also
likely to face questions over the fact it is
yet to complete the exit from Rosneft,
almost a year on from the invasion.
clays, said the wind and solar industries
were experiencing “cost inflation for
the first time in 20 years”, making them
less attractive compared with higher
returns from “more traditional energy-
related businesses” such as biogas,
continued from page 47
Crackdown on ‘fin-fluencers’
we will continue to put the pressure
on people using social media to illegally
promote investments, which put
people’s hard-earned money at risk.”
Under Nikhil Rathi, the FCA’s chief
executive since October 2020, the
regulator has overhauled its systems to

9 economist said policymakers

were wary of doing “too
much” monetary tightening to
curb inflation, suggesting that rate
rises may be put on hold after
more than a year of aggressive
action.
TotalEnergies has
Analysts expect the oil major to
report an underlying profit of just over
$5 billion in the fourth quarter, taking
its annual underlying profit to $27.9 bil-
lion. That would be more than twice the
$12.8 billion it made in 2021 and the
highest in its history, as it benefited
from high oil and gas prices after
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Bernard Looney, BP’s chief exec-
utive, will update investors on its
progress after The Wall Street Journal
reported that he was looking to “dial
back” elements of its push into renew-
ables. BP aims to develop 50 gigawatts
of renewables by 2030 and to cut its oil
and gas output by 40 per cent as it pur-
sues its 2050 goal of net zero emissions.
hydrogen and carbon capture and
storage. She did not expect BP to ditch
its targets for developing renewables
projects or to walk away from its high-
profile bets on offshore wind and
expected a “change in emphasis rather
than a complete revamp of strategy”.
She said BP was already well on its
way to its 40 per cent reduction in oil
boost its ability to spot problematic
promotions.
Rathi’s revamp comes after fierce
criticism of the watchdog’s mishan-
dling of the £237 million London Capi-
tal & Finance scandal that erupted in
2019. The now-collapsed firm had used
online ads to help it to sell toxic mini-
bonds to about 14,000 small investors.

10 welcomed plans to
appoint a “Big Four”
accounting firm to audit Adani,
after revealing that it had a
$3.1 billion exposure to the short-
selling crisis engulfing the Indian
conglomerate.
The results will come days after Shell
reported record profits of $40 billion,
which were branded the “windfalls of
war” by Labour.
BP is likely to seek to rebuff such
accusations by pointing to a headline
net loss, reflecting the fact that it took a
$24 billion non-cash accounting write-
Biraj Borkhataria, of RBC Capital
Markets, said: “We would welcome BP
rowing back from some of these low-
carbon targets. The world has changed
relative to what was envisaged in 2020
and so it is appropriate to review
strategic priorities.”
Lydia Rainforth, an analyst at Bar-
and gas volumes, thanks to divesting
less profitable assets, and there was “no
reason for them to change that”.
Instead, she expects BP to “reduce the
emphasis” on this target and to draw
investors’ attention to underlying
growth in oil and gas output from more
profitable assets starting up this year.
The British regulator has also pushed
big American internet groups, includ-
ing Google and Meta, the owner of
Facebook and Instagram, to limit the
financial promotions they allow,
although it warned yesterday that
“more needs to be done by tech compa-
nies to protect consumers”.
the times | Saturday February 4 2023
man has more big calls to make
will be especially important as inves-
tors look “to hear from Iger after the
turmoil, and to get any sense of imp-
roving operating losses in DTC”.
Iger was the architect of Disney’s
ambitious bid to dominate the stream-
ing wars. His acquisition spree united
Darth Vader with Doctor Strange, Buzz
Lightyear with Bart Simpson, and put
Net zero ‘at risk’ without tax breaks Fourteen Ferrexpo workers
Emily Gosden Energy Editor
Britain’s net-zero goal is at risk because
the government lacks a clear plan to
deliver green growth, energy sector
bosses have warned.
In a letter to the chancellor, five trade
associations representing hundreds of
companies and organisations say that
tax breaks to encourage investment in
green energy are needed to prevent
Britain losing out to the United States
and the European Union. They say
decisions on “many” clean energy pro-
jects are being delayed as supply chain
companies are hit by inflationary
pressures and the energy crisis.
The chief executives of Renew-
ableUK, Energy UK, the Nuclear
Industry Association, Scottish Renew-
ables and Solar Energy UK have co-
signed the letter to Jeremy Hunt urging
him to use the spring budget to
them all under the same roof as Mickey
Mouse. But taking on Netflix and
others has proved costly. Disney+
started October with 164.2 million
users, including its cut-price Hotstar
service in India, but it is deep in the red.
Investors impatient for profits balked
last year as losses widened.
Those who have worked closely with
Energy companies say they are ready
for net zero but cannot do it unaided
introduce new investment tax relief.
“Despite our industry’s commitment to
the low-carbon energy transition, we
are concerned that there is no clear
government plan to deliver green
economic growth and continue attrac-
ting clean energy investment into the
UK,” they warn. With prices rising,
many developers would see their small
profit margins “disappear completely
without a more sustainable approach to
pricing clean energy solutions and a
reformed capital allowances regime”.
America’s Inflation Reduction Act
and planned tax incentives in the EU
are making them attractive to clean
energy investors, the letter notes. “By
contrast, the UK has created an energy
profits levy with 91 per cent investment
relief for oil and gas, but an electricity
generators levy with 0 per cent relief for
clean power generators.”
Emma Pinchbeck, chief executive of
Energy UK, said: “Increased costs and
renewed international competition
risk squandering the UK’s lead as a
clean technology pioneer.”
A Treasury spokesman said: “We are
taking significant action to encourage
investment in renewable generation,
including committing £30 billion to
support the domestic green industrial
revolution.”
Magic kingdom
Share price
2005 Iger 2006
succeeds Disney
Michael buys Pixar
Eisner as for $7.4bn
CEO
2009 Buys 2012 Buys
Marvel for Lucasfilm
$4bn for $4bn
2005 2010
Iger credit his approach to solving
problems. “He has this incredible knack
of walking into a room and boiling
down an issue,” one former Disney
executive said.
And there is no shortage of issues in
his intray. Analysts say that time is tick-
ing on a dizzying array of decisions,
from whether to sell or expand the
ESPN sports network to whether
Disney should continue licensing its
popular franchises to video game
makers or start making its own again.
“Disney essentially needs to know
what its goal is and what assets it needs
to attain that goal,” Richard Greenfield,
of Lightshed Partners, wrote in
January.
The company has declined to
comment on the rumoured layoffs,
though Iger told staff in November of
an upcoming reorganisation, promis-
ing a structure that hands more control
to creative teams and “rationalises”
costs.
With the latter, one of the
most popular figures in
corporate America laid the
ground for decisions that
rarely engender popularity.
Office staff have already
been instructed to return to
the office four days a week
from March, causing more
than a little discontent in
some corners of Disney’s
empire. Morale was not
helped by a filing that
showed Geoff Morrell,
appointed by Chapek as
chief corporate affairs
officer before
departing after less
than four months,
received $8,365,403
in total compen-
killed defending Ukraine
Emily Gosden
Fourteen employees of Ferrexpo have
been killed in the past year while fight-
ing against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,
the iron ore miner has disclosed.
Jim North, chief executive of the
FTSE 250 group, said 586 employees,
or almost 8 per cent of its workforce,
had been conscripted or had volun-
teered to serve in the Ukrainian armed
forces. The company previously dis-
closed that eight workers had been
killed, but North said the toll had risen
to 14.
Ferrexpo produces iron ore pellets
from three mines in central Ukraine
and most of its workers live with their
families in the dedicated mining city of
Horishni Plavni. “We help get the body
49
Business
Nov 2021 Iger $200
retires, age 70
180
2019 Buys 21st 160
Century Fox
assets for $71bn 140
120
100
80
Dec 2022 Iger
returns as CEO to 60
replace Chapek
40
Source: Refinitiv
20
0
2015 2020
sation, about $119,500 per weekday
during his stint.
Iger, 71, is in a hurry. After navigating
15 interviews before Disney appointed
him the first time around, he remained
chief executive for 15 years. Parachuted
back in, he has committed himself to
sticking around for two.
He and the board have promised to
swiftly identify Disney’s next boss, a
successor to Iger who, unlike Chapek,
62, does not also become his predeces-
sor. The kingdom’s search for a new
leader is being closely monitored
beyond its walls. “This may be the
smoothest transition we’ve seen in
media for quite a while,” Jessica Reif
Ehrlich, an analyst at Bank of America,
said on last month’s Netflix earnings
call when Reed Hastings, co-founder,
said he was stepping back as chief
executive after years of planning.
The return of a seasoned dealmaker
at the top of one of America’s most fam-
ous institutions has stoked speculation
about potential acquisitions, or sales.
Iger made no secret of the lessons he
took from his first
chapter as chief
executive, lit-
erally writing a
book about
them in 2019.
How he will
approach his
second remains
the subject of much
speculation.
One thing is for
sure: Iger has “not
come back just to
manage decline”, the former
Disney executive said. The
first time round, he reached
out to Pixar. Who will he
ring this time?
and the remains back to the family. We
help with funeral arrangements. We
make sure that they’ve got counsel-
ling,” North said. The company had
also helped some bereaved families to
move out of Horishni Plavni.
Ferrexpo has scaled back operations
to a quarter of prewar levels because of
disruption to export routes and attacks
on power supplies. As a result it does
not have work for about half of its em-
ployees at present but is continuing to
pay their salaries.
North said that if production were to
remain constrained for years, Ferrexpo
would “need to think about restructur-
ing the business” but he was optimistic
the conflict would ease.
50 Saturday February 4 2023 | the times

Business
‘Doughnuts’ leave a bitter taste for bankers without their bonuses
Ben Martin Banking Editor
Investment bankers in Britain have
seen their total pay fall by about a third
on average, according to a leading
recruitment consultancy, as firms
scramble to cut costs in the face of a
slump in City dealmaking.
Leading banks have told financiers of
their bonuses for the year and dis-
appointment is widespread, with senior
staff at some firms suffering severe cuts.
Logan Naidu, chief executive of Dart-
mouth Partners, a City recruiter that
tracks bankers’ pay, said total compen-
sation, including salary and bonuses,
appeared to be down by about 30 per
cent on average in the latest bonus
round. Some bankers had received
“doughnuts” — the industry parlance
for no bonus whatsoever. “For the first
time in two years, by and large, we’re
seeing people zeroed,” Naidu said.
The slide in bonus payouts exacer-
bates a brutal period for the investment
banking industry. Painful job cuts are
taking place in the City of London, on
Wall Street and elsewhere as finance
firms scale back in the face of falling
fees.
Work on takeovers and stock market
listings, which boomed in 2021 and pro-
pelled bankers’ bonuses higher in 2022,
dwindled last year after companies
shied away from dealmaking as soaring
inflation and Russia’s invasion of
Ukraine fuelled fears about global
political risks. This has hit investment
banks’ revenues.
Goldman Sachs, which is also pulling
back from a costly foray into consumer
banking, cut about 3,200 jobs last
month, about 6.5 per cent of its total
headcount in what was the biggest
round of layoffs at the bank since the
2008 financial crisis.
Morgan Stanley cut about 1,800 roles
in December, or about 2 per cent of its
workforce, while Credit Suisse, which
has suffered from a string of scandals
and setbacks in recent years, is in the
midst of reducing its 52,000-strong
headcount by 9,000.
Although individual bonus payouts
have varied depending on perform-
ance, some of the biggest cuts are
believed to have been at Goldman,
where it is thought that some senior
dealmakers had their variable pay
reduced by more than 40 per cent.

Steven Bartlett founded

Social Chain, bought by a
rival focused on interests
such as US Open tennis

after dropping out of

university aged 21. With
offices in Manchester,
New York and London,
it works with the likes of
Amazon, TikTok, KFC
and Apple Beats to
create advertising
campaigns and to link
companies with
influencers. It has 122
employees, half of whom
are under the age of 27.
Brave new world as For the financial year to
the end of December
2022, Social Chain is
Social Chain is sold expected to generate
revenues of £13.8 million

A
social media
business
founded by
Steven
Bartlett, a
star of Dragons’ Den and
host of the popular Diary
Of A CEO podcast, has
been bought by a rival
team of young
entrepreneurs in a
multimillion-pound deal
(Katie Prescott writes).
Brave Bison, an Aim-
listed digital marketing
company run by two
brothers, has acquired
Social Chain for
£7.7 million, with a
further £9.5 million to be
paid if the company hits
certain targets over the
next three years.
Bartlett’s involvement
in Social Chain ended in
2020 after it merged
with Lumaland, a
German online retailer,
and it was listed on the
Xetra electronic
exchange in Dusseldorf
with a total valuation of
€186 million. Bartlett, 30,
retains stock in the
parent company, now
called Social Chain AG.
The takeover
announced yesterday is
for the original Social
Chain business, which
makes up less than
10 per cent of revenues
for Social Chain AG.
Oli and Theo Green,
aged 31 and 29
respectively, founded
Brave Bison in 2011. It is
based in London and has
staff working remotely
in eight countries. It
makes money by
operating channels
around niche interests,
such as US Open Tennis
on YouTube and DIY &
Crafts on Facebook,
with advertising
streams. It also offers
direct digital advertising
services for brands such
as Primark and
Samsung.
Bartlett founded
Social Chain in 2014
and a loss of £100,000.
Alongside his
Dragons’ Den
investments, Bartlett has
backed Huel and
founded Flight Story, a
marketing consultancy,
and Third Web, an
internet business. He
recently launched a
£100 million fund to
back European
entrepreneurs. The
Diary of a CEO podcast
has a million subscribers
on YouTube.

Bank chief hints at end to rate rises

Mehreen Khan Economics Editor prove more persistent than expected in
January for a fourth carried out from January outlook, greater the coming months. Instead, the mem-
The Bank of England’s chief economist
said yesterday that policymakers were
Services consecutive month,
recording 48.7 on the
12 to 27.
New orders fell for a
confidence that they can
bring in inquiries for new
bers noted: “If there were to be evidence
of more persistent pressures, then fur-
wary of doing “too much” monetary
tightening to curb inflation, suggesting
that rate rises may be put on hold after
slowing monthly purchasing
managers’ index
compiled by CIPS and
sixth consecutive month,
in keeping with
predictions that demand
sales and hopes that
energy bills will come
down.
ther tightening in monetary policy
would be required.”
Pill said the change in the language
more than a year of aggressive action.
Huw Pill, who is a member of the
as people S&P Global.
The figure, although
would ease in the first
quarter of this year.
Tim Moore, economics
director at S&P Global
was “intended” and had led to money
markets scaling back their expectations
monetary policy committee, told below the 50 mark that The figures “remain market intelligence, said: for rate rises. The pound extended its
Times Radio that the Bank had “a lot of
policy in the pipeline” as the full impact
spend less separates contraction
from growth, was better
consistent with a mild
recession in the first half
“The latest survey
illustrates that the UK
overnight declines, falling by 0.9 per
cent to $1.21 against the dollar.
of its ten consecutive rate rises had not than economists had of this year”, Samuel economy risks falling into Pill’s comments were in contrast with

yet been felt in the economy.
“It is important we guard against the
possibility of doing too much,” Pill said,
emphasising that the committee would
keep a “zen-like balance in our objec-
tive” to get inflation down to its 2 per
cent target in the medium term.
Pill did not dismiss investors’ rising
expectations that the Bank will not
raise rates next month, after an in-
crease of 50 basis points to 4 per cent on
Thursday. Two members of the com-
mittee, Silvana Tenreyro and Swati
Dhingra, voted for no change to rates.
In its updated forecasts, the Bank cut
its prediction for inflation, with con-
sumer prices growth expected to fall
from its present 10.5 per cent to 4 per
cent by the end of the year. The eco-
nomy would have only a shallow reces-
sion, Pill said, where growth probably
would vary between slightly positive
and negative on a quarterly basis. The
T
he dominant expected and has been Tombs, at Pantheon recession as labour remarks by Jerome Powell, chairman of
services sector revised up from an initial Macroeconomics, the shortages, industrial the US Federal Reserve. Powell said
slowed to its estimate. consultancy, said. “On disputes and higher this week that the US central bank was
weakest level in Prospects for the sector past form, the composite interest rates take their willing to overtighten policy in the
two years at the improved after a decline PMI points to a 0.2 per toll on activity. short term and to correct with easier
start of the year as in energy prices and amid cent quarter-on-quarter “However, the policy if borrowing rates rose too high.
Britons reduced falling inflation in the contraction in real GDP downturn in services In separate comments made to
spending, a closely costs of components. The in the first quarter, if it sector output remained businesses, Pill said the Bank would re-
watched survey has price of supplies has holds steady for the rest relatively shallow at the assess the pace of its bond sales in the
revealed (Arthi dropped to its lowest level of the quarter.” start of 2023. summer, deciding whether the pro-
Nachiappan writes). in 17 months, suggesting Optimism among Encouragingly, new order gramme of so-called quantitative tight-
The services sector, that inflation will business leaders for volumes moved closer to ening should be sped up or slowed
which accounts for about continue to ease, future growth rose stabilisation and export down. The Bank began offloading gilts
80 per cent of the UK according to the survey of thanks to improvements sales picked up in from its balance sheet back to private
economy, contracted in 650 services providers in the global economic January.” investors in November, deciding to
carry out sales at a gradual pace to
avoid market disruption. “The Bank is
Bank’s chief economist added that the companies and households. “We have against the possibility of doing too on track to run down this portfolio of
increase of interest rates, from just to recognise we have done a lot with much,” he said. government bonds by the anticipated
above zero in December 2021, meant monetary policy already. Interest rates Thias week the nine-strong commit- £80 billion.This process of QT is likely
that the full impact of rising borrowing have risen by almost 400 basis points. tee changed its stance on the need for to run in the background in terms of the
costs were still feeding into the econ- Given the lag, there is a lot of policy in more increases, dropping a promise to cyclical conduct of monetary policy for
omy and influencing the behaviour of the pipeline . . . It is important we guard act “forcefully” if inflationary pressures several years,” Pill said.
the times | Saturday February 4 2023
Dominic O’Connell
Google’s grip on the advertising
market faces its biggest challenge
‘‘
Although you never
notice it, each time
you open a web page
your eyeballs are the
object of a near-
instantaneous auction between hordes
of competing advertisers. Companies
are vying to get your attention and bid
for advertising space on the sites you
visit. In the United States alone, there
are 13 billion ads auctioned every day.
Like many online behaviours,
familiarity and acceptance of this
tends to be age-related. Younger
people understand it and think
nothing of it. Older generations find
this fast-as-light trading mindblowing
and, given how advertisers seem to
have peered into your soul to ascertain
your taste in holidays, furniture and
podcasts, slightly disturbing.
It is also extremely lucrative. One of
the main reasons Meta and Alphabet,
the owners of Facebook and Google,
were able to become super-sized and
super-profitable so quickly was their
ability to capture advertising’s move
online. All the rivers of cash in adland
were diverted and sluiced into the
Silicon Valley companies that ruled
the internet, and those two had the
best advertising potential. This year
the digital ads market is forecast to be
worth nearly £600 billion (although
there is a wide variety of assessments
of its size). Depending on which
market study you believe, that is about
70 per cent of all spending on
advertising.
The leader of the pack is Google. It
takes about a third of all online ads.
Facebook is reckoned to have a fifth.
But this dominance may be under
threat — and not from a hot new
competitor but from state
intervention.
Competition regulators around the
world have worried away at Google
for years, but now the US Department
of Justice has taken the gloves off. It
has filed a lawsuit alleging not only
that Google’s strong position is anti-
competitive, but also that it has tried
to corner the market and kill off the
competition. Google says the case is
“without merit”.
Thanks to the ubiquity of Google
search, the company already had an
advantage in the race to grab digital
ads. It worked this out early on and in
2000 brought out its first service for
advertisers, called Adwords.
Companies could buy words or
phrases and if they were entered into
searches their results popped up
beside the top matches from the
search engine. Advertisers loved it.
Google worked out that there was a
bigger market that it could tackle and
developed a new service, Google Ads,
that would allow customers to buy ads
on non-Google websites. Realising
there was a potential goldmine in this
rapidly growing market, it then tried
to get on to the other side of the
transaction, too. It came up with
software for website publishers to
manage advertising. The lawsuit says
it was trying to control the market:
“Google would no longer have to
compete on the merits; it could simply
set the rules of the game to exclude
rivals.”
Unfortunately for Google, its service
for publishers did not gain many
followers. Publishers preferred a
service provided by a company called
DoubleClick. Google bought
DoubleClick in 2008 for $3 billion.
The DoubleClick system already
had a 60 per cent market share and
Google worked to make it greater. If
publishers wanted the stream of
advertising from Google Ads, they had
to use all the other services the
company now provided. “Google
positioned itself to function
simultaneously as buyer, seller and
auctioneer of digital display
advertising,” the department says.
The lawsuit goes on to allege a long
list of other anti-competitive practices.
Google bought another company,
AdMeld, whose systems were a
potential threat. It had plans to
manipulate ad prices and starve rivals
of business and tried to co-opt
Facebook and Amazon into
sweetheart deals. Its own internal
documents, the justice department
says, show that it takes 35 cents out of
every dollar that flows through its
advertising system. The only way
competition can be restored, it says, is
if a court forces Google to sell its
publishing service and ad exchange,
the two key pieces of machinery that
control the digital advertising market.
They would be sizeable businesses in
their own right.
One unusual twist in this
confrontation is that the justice
department wants to undo deals that
have previously been approved. When
Google bought DoubleClick, for
example, the Federal Trade
Commission, which runs the rule over
contentious takeovers in the US, gave
it a clean bill of health. Only one
member of the five-person
commission, Pamela Jones Harbour, a
lawyer, voted against the deal, saying
she thought that it would be
transformational for the industry. The
European Commission, normally
hawkish on Big Tech takeovers, also
waved it through. The purchase of
AdMeld was similarly regarded as
unproblematic.
Google no doubt will draw attention
to these approvals in its defence. Dan
Taylor, its head of global ads, said in a
blog that the department was
“attempting to rewrite history”.
Google had invested heavily in its
online advertising tools, he said, and
in any event there was plenty of
competition from Amazon, Microsoft,
TikTok and others.
Taylor also hinted at a wider point
that is proving tricky for all
competition regulators. Traditionally
they got involved when there was
obvious harm to consumers: when
construction companies got together
to jack up bids or when shipping
companies formed a cartel to make
more money on a route. When it
comes to online services, this might be
impossible to prove. Digital products
tend to be cheaper than ones they
replace. Buying an ad online costs less
than buying one on television or in a
newspaper, so what harm has been
done to the advertiser? Also, these
markets are new and in many cases
have been created by the companies
now accused of monopolistic
behaviour. Without access to a time
machine, who can say how they would
have turned out without their main
backer?
Those arguments are now starting
to wear thin. Online markets are old
enough for regulators to judge
whether market shares are indeed
dominant or merely the sign of an
industry in its infancy. And users, in
this case advertisers, are savvy enough
to work out that even if their
advertising costs are lower than two
decades ago, they would be lower still
if there was more competition. Google
will fight every step of the way, but
few companies win a complete victory
against the Department of Justice.
Google, or rather
’’
Alphabet, should be
preparing for the day
when it has to break
itself apart.
Dominic O’Connell is business
presenter for Times Radio
51
Business
Offices get
busier ‘with
workers fed
up at home’
Patrick Hosking Financial Editor
Office workers are returning to the
workplace in greater numbers than at
any point in the past 20 months, a snap-
shot of building occupancy suggests.
Average Monday-to-Friday occu-
pancy of offices has increased every
week since the new year and reached
34.3 per cent in the fourth week of
January, the highest level since moni-
toring began in May 2021.
The rate had been oscillating in the
26 per cent to 33 per cent range for most
of the autumn, but the latest figures
show “a strong bounce back” in Janu-
ary, according to Remit Consulting,
which collects property data.
Office attendance has been a
concern for services businesses
worried that working from home is
reducing creativity, crimping collabo-
ration, weakening corporate culture
and slowing the learning of new
recruits. But it remains popular with
many employees, who like the flexi-
bility, freedom from scrutiny and the
absence of a commute.
Despite last month’s rail strikes,
occupancy levels were stronger by “a
sizeable margin” than they were 12
months ago, when they were in the 20
per cent to 25 per cent range, Remit
said. That was when Britain was
coming out of Covid lockdown. Remit
also looked at Tuesday-to-Thursday
occupancy and found a similar rise, past
the 40 per cent level for the first time.
The consultancy uses turnstile data
from 150 buildings in London and
regional cities to make its estimates.
Occupancy is never 100 per cent
because of holidays, sickness, external
meetings and operational issues.
Before the pandemic it was usually
about 60 per cent to 80 per cent.
Lorna Landells, director at Remit,
said it was hard to be certain for the
reasons, but anecdotally it seemed to be
a combination of employers being
more forceful in requiring attendance
and people coming in to avoid having to
heat their homes. The other factor, she
suggested, was that “everyone is dog-
tired of being home all the time”.
While office occupancy in London’s
West End has usually been ahead of
everywhere else, London’s Docklands,
home to many international banks,
overtook it in late January, registering
occupancy of 49.4 per cent.
The findings chime with data this
week that found shopper numbers on
high streets in January were 17 per cent
higher than a year ago, according to
MRI Springboard.
52 Saturday February 4 2023 | the times

Business

Judge will rule

on Enron-style
inquiry for FTX
Lily Russell-Jones
The legal drama surrounding the
spectacular collapse of the FTX crypto
exchange is set to continue next week
as creditors clamour for their money
back and as more information emerges
about the collapse of the business.
At a bankruptcy hearing in Delaware
on Monday, Judge John Dorsey will
look at whether an independent
examiner should be appointed to
investigate the causes of FTX’s collapse.
A further bankruptcy hearing will be
held on Wednesday.
Usually a list of assets is filed within 15
days of a bankruptcy filing, but FTX has
asked for an extension until April 15 to
work out where the funds have gone.
Erin Broderick, senior counsel at
Eversheds, a law firm that is represen-
ting a group owed $1.9 billion. said:
“Since our request has gone public, we
have received an outpouring of interest
from FTX.com customers around the
world, from small retail investors to
institutional investors with the largest
Creditors offer debt
amounts of exposure on the exchange.”
A criminal case is also under way,
with Bankman-Fried’s trial due to start
relief to Sri Lanka

B
Once valued at $32 billion, FTX filed in October. Last month he denied ondholders that would help Sri
for bankruptcy in November after charges of cheating investors and of say they are Lanka to restore debt
customers rushed to withdraw misusing customer funds. willing to sustainability and
their funds, exposing an Lewis Kaplan, a US dis- offer debt allow the country to
$8 billion hole in the trict judge, has ordered relief to Sri regain access to the
company’s balance Bankman-Fried, 30, to Lanka, as the international capital
sheet. The collapse reveal the identities International markets during the
left more than a of two anonymous Monetary Fund and IMF programme
million creditors individuals who China battle over period,” a statement
out of pocket. helped him to bailout terms for the from White & Case,
Sam Bank- secure bail on island (Mehreen Khan the bondholders’ legal
man-Fried, right, Tuesday. writes). adviser, said.
the firm’s founder, The FTX Representatives for China’s foreign
has been charged founder was ar- private creditors — ministry had urged
by federal prosecu- rested in December who include the IMF to provide aid
tors with fraud, after being extradited BlackRock, Morgan urgently to allow
money laundering from the Bahamas to Stanley and Amundi Colombo to access a
and violating campaign the United States to face Asset Management — $2.9 billion bailout
financing laws. criminal charges. His said yesterday they approved in
A court-approved examiner parents signed a bail bond for were ready to discuss September.
could be appointed to produce a public $250 million and two anonymous taking losses after the Beijing and western
report on the events that led to FTX’s guarantors agreed to pay $500,000 and island defaulted on its creditors have been at
collapse as part of the bankruptcy $200,000, respectively, if Bankman- foreign loans last year. loggerheads over how
proceedings. Independent examiners Fried fled. Private bondholders to restructure
have been appointed to investigate the Last week Kaplan temporarily had been accused of $51 billion in bonds to
failures of big firms such as Lehman banned Bankman-Fried from contact- obstructing Sri Lanka’s help to put the
Brothers, the investment bank that ing staff at FTX and his Alameda access to an IMF country’s debt back on
collapsed in 2008, and Enron, the Research hedge fund over concerns bailout, demanding a sustainable path. Sri
energy group that failed in 2001. that he could tamper with witnesses. that domestic holders Lanka needs financing Paris Club, a group of People Sri Lanka a two-year
Andrew Vara, a US bankruptcy He is also banned from using encrypted of debt be included in assurances from its international have moratorium on loan
trustee, has called for an independent messaging apps, including Signal. potential haircuts. biggest creditors to creditors. Beijing fears protested repayments and it
examiner to be appointed because of Bankman-Fried’s bail conditions are “The bondholder gain access to it will have to suffer about called on the IMF to
the significant public interest in the expected to be discussed at a court group stands ready to emergency IMF aid. losses on a similar Chinese “offer debt support as
case, which involves “substantial and hearing in New York on Tuesday. engage quickly and China, which is Sri scale to other investment soon as possible so as
serious allegations of fraud, dishonesty, The collapse of FTX has had a effectively with the Sri Lanka’s third biggest creditors as part of a in Sri to better support the
incompetence, misconduct and mis- domino effect on the industry. In recent Lankan authorities to creditor, has resisted restructuring Lanka, liquidity strain facing
management”. months the lending business of Celsius, design and implement agreeing to a debt agreement. China said including Sri Lanka”.
FTX’s 50 biggest creditors are be- once called the Goldman Sachs of restructuring terms relief deal with the it was ready to offer in ports US officials have
lieved to be owed a collective $3 billion. crypto, and BlockFi have gone under.

Thungela expands with Australian mine keeping up to date is

Dominic Walsh
Soaring energy prices and the rising
demand for fuel supplies have prompt-
ed Thungela Resources to buy a mine
producing thermal coal in Australia.
Thungela, a spin-off two years ago
from Anglo-American, the power-
house global mining group, is spending
A$340 million (£196 million) on an
85 per cent controlling stake in the
Ensham coalmine in Queensland’s
Bowen Basin. It is buying the majority
stake from Idemitsu Australia, a Japa-
nese miner, with the remaining 15 per
cent being held by LX International, a
commodities trader.
The deal, with backing from its co-in-
vestors Audley Energy and Mayfair,
will give Thungela operational control
of Ensham. It will be able to market and
sell its proportional share of the coal
produced by the mine. The company
said the purchase price was an attrac-
tive one.
The move will diversify Thungela
away from its South African base and
will provide it with greater access to the
Japanese market and to other parts of
Asia, where demand for coal as a fuel
remains strong. It said yesterday that
the acquisition would also “better
balance the group’s price exposure by
providing access to the strong Newcas-
85%
Thungela’s controlling stake in Ensham
tle export coal price, complementing
the group’s existing exposure to the
Richards Bay benchmark coal price”.
Anglo American demerged its South
African mines in 2021 after calls from
investors to pull out of coal. It distri-
buted all but 8 per cent of the shares of
Thungela Resources to its shareholders
through an initial public offering, then
last March offloaded the remaining
essential. Get the latest
8 per cent through an accelerated
bookbuild to several financial institu-
tions, collecting $115 million.
Thungela, listed in Johannesburg
Business news and market
reaction by 8am, and
analysis at 12.30pm,
and London, produces thermal coal
mainly from seven mining operations
in South Africa. It exports coal mainly
to the Asian, Middle East and north
briefing direct by email from the
Business Editor, Richard
African markets. Fletcher, and Business
July Ndlovu, 57, Thungela’s chief Rarely has the outlook
executive, said the Ensham deal “deliv-
ers on our strategy to pursue geo-
graphic diversification through a
commodity we understand and in
which we have a right to win. Given the
for the global economy
looked so uncertain as
we enter the new year.
News Editor Martin
Strydom.
Sign up at home.thetimes.co.uk/
similarity in operating methodology War, political and trade myNews
between Ensham and our South Afri-
can operations, we can leverage our tensions, yo-yoing
core skills to create value.”
The Ensham mine is expected to energy prices, the battle
achieve a two-year payback. It pro-
duced about 3.2 million tonnes last to bring down inflation
year, with potential for more.
Shares of Thungela Resources
. . . with the situation
quoted in London rose by 8p, or 0.8 per changing by the hour,
cent, to £10.47 last night.
the times | Saturday February 4 2023 53

Business

Total admits $3bn

exposure to Adani
and welcomes audit
Alex Ralph, Amrit Dhillon Delhi
TotalEnergies has welcomed plans to
appoint a “Big Four” accounting firm to
audit Adani, after revealing that it had
a $3.1 billion exposure to the crisis
engulfing the Indian conglomerate.
The French company, one of the
largest overseas investors in Adani, said
it had carried out due diligence “con-
sistent with best practices” when
investing in gas and green energy
ventures with companies in the Adani
Group. Total said it “welcomes the
announcement by Adani to mandate
one of the ‘Big Four’ accounting firms
to carry out a general audit”.
It was unclear which firm has been
appointed. Adani was approached for
comment
Total was detailing its exposure after
last week’s attack by Hindenburg
Research, a New York-based short-
selling firm, which has led to shares of
Adani Group companies losing about
£100 billion, more than half their
market value. Hindenburg’s report on
January 24 raised concerns about
Adani’s debt levels, stock manipulation
and the use of offshore companies,
alleging the “largest con in corporate
history”.
Adani denied the allegations, calling
the report “a malicious combination of
selective misinformation and con-
cealed facts relating to baseless and
discredited allegations”. The Indian
group said the claims were intended “to
create a false market in securities to
enable Hindenburg, an admitted short-
seller, to book massive financial gain
accused China of IMF standard of debt to soaring prices for through wrongful means at the cost of
stalling on debt talks, relief ”. imports of food and countless investors”.
with Victoria Nuland, Sri Lanka’s economy energy. The stock market rout marks an
Washington’s under- was hit hard by the In May the island extraordinary reversal in fortunes for
secretary of state for pandemic, which defaulted on foreign Gautam Adani, 60, the group’s founder
political affairs, calling ruined the tourism creditors for the first and chairman. The college dropout-
this week for “credible sector, and was thrown time in its history and turned-industrialist, whose interests
and specific into more turmoil in July its president span ports, mining, cement and power,
assurances” that after Russia’s invasion fled the country in a had been the third richest person in the
China “will meet the of Ukraine, which led military helicopter. world, behind Elon Musk and Bernard
Arnault. The sell-off led Adani to abort
Shares in Gautam Adani’s companies
have lost £100 billion in only ten days
a $2.5 billion share offering on Wednes-
day and raised concerns in India over
potential financial contagion and whe-
ther the group can finance future debt
payments.
Moody’s, the credit rating agency,
said the fallout was likely to reduce
Adani’s ability to raise capital to “fund
committed capex or refinance matur-
ing debt” over the next one to two years,
but noted that part of its capital
expenditure was deferrable and that
the group’s rated entities did not have
significant maturing debt until 2025.
The Indian banks exposed to Adani
include Bank of Baroda, which was
caught up in the alleged fraud scandal
at NMC Health, a former FTSE 100
group brought down by a short-selling
report by Muddy Waters in 2019. Sanjiv
Chadha, chief executive of Bank of
Baroda, said it had “absolutely no con-
cern” on its exposure to Adani.
The Reserve Bank of India, the cen-
tral bank and financial regulator, has
asked state-owned banks who lent
money to the group for details of their
exposure, according to local reports.
S&P Dow Jones Indices said it would
remove the conglomerate’s flagship
Adani Enterprises company from its
sustainability indices “following a
media and stakeholder analysis trig-
gered by allegations of stock manipula-
tion and accounting fraud”.
The turmoil has triggered a political
outcry in India. India’s parliament
adjourned yesterday for a second con-
secutive day after the opposition Con-
gress party demanded an inquiry. The
party has called for nationwide protests
against Adani on Monday.
Opposition parties have vowed to
stall parliamentary proceedings until
an investigation is begun. In an unusual
display of unity, 16 opposition leaders
are collectively pressing for an inquiry.
“Adani’s mountain of lies and fraud is
crumbling like a pack of cards. Millions
of investors in the country are worried,”
Sanjay Singh, an MP of the Aam Aadmi
Party, told an interviewer. Singh said he
had written to Narendra Modi, the
prime minister, asking for Adani’s
passport to be confiscated to stop him
fleeing the country.
Opposition MPs say light must be
shed not only on Adani’s businesses but
also on whether the Modi government
had “forced” state-owned banks to
invest in Adani’s companies because of
his friendship with the prime minister.
The opposition argues that the inter-
ests of Indian shareholders need to be
protected, along with India’s image as a
destination for international investors
and trust in its regulatory framework.
They will not accept an inquiry by the
government for fear that it will lack
independence and instead want an
investigation conducted by a joint par-
liamentary committee or overseen by
the supreme court.
Arati Jerath, a political commenta-
tor, said the opposition would find it
hard to make allegations stick against
Modi: “Modi is too cautious to have left
fingerprints establishing links to Adani.
He will try to ride out the storm by
keeping his distance and not lifting a
finger to bail out the conglomerate.”

Nanoco wins payout from Activision settles harassment charges

Samsung in patent battle
Tom Howard
One of the world’s biggest electronics
groups will pay $150 million to a small
Runcorn-based technology firm to
settle a long-running patent dispute.
Nanoco announced last month,
hours before a court case was to get
under way in Texas, that Samsung , the
giant South Korean group, had agreed
to a “no-fault” settlement. Since then,
lawyers for the companies have been
negotiating the finer details and yester-
day it was confirmed that Samsung
would pay $75 million within the next
four weeks, to be followed by another
$75 million before this time next year.
Despite the nine-figure windfall,
Nanoco’s London-listed shares fell
sharply, losing 9¾p, or 26.6 per cent, to
27p yesterday, and are now worth less
than they were before news of the
settlement first broke. It appeared that
several shareholders had been hoping
for a bigger payout, with some in the
City having speculated that $500 mil-
lion might have been possible in the
event of a successful jury trial.
Litigation experts said the final pay-
ment reflected the fact that, by not
having to convince a jury of its claims,
Nanoco’s risk had been reduced.
Nanoco sued Samsung in 2020, alleg-
ing that Samsung’s QLED (quantum
dot-LED) televisions used its techno-
logy without permission. The quantum
dots in those televisions — which make
images crisper — did not contain cad-
mium, a toxic heavy metal, but Nanoco
was convinced that the only way of
making cadmium-free dots was by
using its patented method.
As part of the settlement, Samsung
now has a “fully paid-up licence
agreement”, allowing it to use Nanoco’s
technology its its televisions.
Katie Prescott
Technology Business Editor
Activision Blizzard has agreed to pay
$35 million to settle charges from
American regulators over its handling
of workplace complaints including
sexual harassment and gender dis-
crimination.
The US Securities and Exchange
Commission found that between 2018
and 2021, the huge video games
company did not have the right checks
and balances in place to monitor
employees’ allegations of misconduct.
As a result, it could not assess their
extent or seriousness, nor could gauge
whether to declare it to investors.
America’s top financial watchdog
also said that between 2016 and 2021
Activision Blizzard had broken whistle-
blower protection rules by asking
former employees to tell the company if
the SEC had asked them for infor-
mation.
The video games developer behind
Call of Duty and Overwatch has been at
the centre of allegations of sexual
harassment and discrimination in the
workplace, and it dismissed 20 people
over such issues in 2021. Former staff
claimed that they had told the company
about their experiences but it had failed
to act.
Hundreds walked out in protest
after Activision dis-
missed a California
state lawsuit that
had accused it of
fostering a “perva-
sive ‘frat boy’ work-
place culture”.
Activision subsequenctly collect-
ed more than 700 complaints
from employees, including sys-
temic underpayment of female
staff, “groping” in the office and
jokes about rape. The suit
alleged that a former employee
had committed suicide after pic-
tures of her private parts were
shared at an office party. One
woman said she had been raped by her
supervisor.
Bobby Kotick, the chief executive,
apologised for the company’s initial
response to the lawsuit, which he
described as “quite frankly, tone deaf”.
At the start of last year, the workforce
was 20 per cent women and the
leaders were male and white. It has
since changed, with four women in
a nine-strong, ethnically
mixed leadership team.
Jason Burt, of the SEC,
said: “Taking action to im-
pede former employees from
communicating directly with
the commission staff about
a possible securities law
violation is not only
bad corporate govern-
ance, it is illegal.”
Activision is the
subject of a $68.7 billion takeover by
Microsoft. The Competition and
Markets Authority in Britain will
publish its findings on the deal soon.
54
Business
With the going getting tough, are
these stocks about to get going?
Tom Howard Market report
here’s a recession coming,
T don’t you know?
Consumers haven’t yet put
their wallets away for
good, but the expectation
is that, over the coming months,
retailers are going to have to work
harder than ever to get us to part
with our money. With this in mind,
analysts at Deutsche Bank had a
stab at picking which shops are
best-placed to weather the looming
storm. And they weren’t about to
reinvent the wheel.
For example, they tipped B&M
European Value Retail, the
discount chain, to “benefit from
trading down” as hard-up
consumers, when they must buy
something, opt for cheaper goods.
This kind of narrative is nothing
new, but it won over a few investors
yesterday as B&M shares rose 16½p,
or 3.4 per cent, to 493½p.
Another obvious call was to take
a more pessimistic view on DIY
stores, given that far fewer people
are looking to move house with
mortgage rates having soared over
the past six months. Most of those
who are on the move are unlikely to
have the spare cash required to
build an extension or to rip out of
the kitchen, which doesn’t bode well
for Kingfisher, B&Q’s parent.
Deutsche thinks it might soon start
selling fence panels, patio furniture
and other goods on the cheap just
to get rid of them. Kingfisher’s
shares ended the day 4¾p, or 1.6 per
cent, down at 286¾p.
To their credit, the analysts did
Holly Willoughby, the television presenter, models clothing from Marks & Spencer
come up with some less obvious
ideas. Heading into a recession,
Marks & Spencer might not be
every investor’s top pick, but
Deutsche thinks the esteemed high
street retailer is a “buy”. Its analysts
especially like the fact that most of
the chain’s shoppers are a bit older
and so are less exposed to the jump
in mortgage costs that younger
generations are battling with. If
anything, higher interest rates
should be a boon for their savings
accounts. With Deutsche’s backing,
M&S shares improved 2p, or 1.2 per
cent, to 163p.
A short-term boost for M&S
might come from a spike in
champagne sales this weekend as
City traders toast the FTSE 100
closing at its highest price on
record. The Footsie ended the
session 81.64 points, or 1 per cent,
higher at 7,901.80, surpassing its
previous best of 7,877.45 set in May
2018. Over the week, the index
climbed 136.65 points, or 1.8 per
cent.
It has risen by 6 per cent this
year, but has been outshone by the
more UK-focused mid-caps on the
FTSE 250, which have rallied by
more than 9 per cent. A big chunk
of that came on Thursday, when
investors were encouraged by the
Bank of England’s signal that it may
soon stop raising interest rates.
That brought about the FTSE 250’s
best session in almost three months
and it paused for breath yesterday
as it inched 21.23 points, or 0.1 per
cent, down to 20,593.46. Still, across
the week it was up 558.07 points, or
2.8 per cent.
Dollar-earners were buoyed by
the pound, which slid by more than
1 per cent to take it back under $1.21
for the first time in a month. For
those companies that make most of
their money overseas, a weak
pound boosts those earnings once
The day’s biggest movers
2GM
they are translated back into
sterling. Among those benefiting
from sterling’s decline was
AstraZeneca, the drugs maker,
which zipped up 328p, or 3.2 per
cent, to £105.78, and Reckitt
Benckiser, the group behind
Gaviscon and Dettol, which climbed
180p, or 3.2 per cent, to £58.06.
Shell, the oil major, was another
beneficiary, as it flowed 76½p, or
3.3 per cent, ahead to £24.14.
Strong jobs data in the United
States dampened recent hopes that
interest rates might be close to
peaking. That weighed on rate-
sensitive property stocks, which,
Wall Street report
Growth in the jobs market in
January beat forecasts but failed to
lift indices on fears that rates will
continue to rise. The Dow Jones
industrial average fell 127.93 points,
or 0.4 per cent, to 33,926.01, down
0.2 per cent on the week.
after Thursday’s rally, retreated
sharply. Segro, the giant warehouse
landlord, fell 35¼p, or 3.8 per cent,
to 885p having added more than
8 per cent on Thursday, while
Persimmon, one of the country’s
biggest housebuilders, reversed
43½p, or 2.8 per cent, to £14.87½. It
had also risen by more than 8 per
cent 24 hours earlier.
The possibility that the US
Federal Reserve may have to
increase its interest rates even
further dented the value of gold,
which pays no dividend nor interest
to its owners. Following the yellow
metal’s descent was Centamin, the
Egypt-focused goldminer, which
closed 4½p, or 4.1 per cent, lower at
104½p.
Saturday February 4 2023 | the times
Openreach gets green
light for price cuts
Ofcom has given the green light
to Openreach’s proposed price
cuts to the wholesale price of its
fibre broadband. BT’s broadband
division announced the changes
in December, in an effort to
encourage customers to move to
its network and to increase the
speed of return on this
investment by driving take-up
from providers such as Sky and
TalkTalk. The changes raised
concerns from competitors that
BT was trying to squeeze them
out. In its provisional ruling, the
regulator said it considered “the
offer is not anti-competitive”, but
added that it was aware of issues
that had been raised and was
inviting responses to a
consultation by March 4 before
finally deciding how to proceed.
Sanofi boss dismisses
‘gossip’ about merger
The chief executive of Sanofi has
dismissed a report that the French
drugs group’s consumer
healthcare business may become
part of a merger deal with rivals.
“We’re running a very successful
consumer business . . . The gossip
around consumer makes me
smile,” Paul Hudson said. Haleon,
the FTSE 100 company, was
reported this week by Bloomberg
to be evaluating possible large
transactions for the medium to
long term, including a tie-up with
Sanofi’s consumer business. “I
wouldn’t listen to gossip,” Hudson
added. His comment came after
Sanofi forecast moderate annual
profit growth that fell short of
expectations. It reported a
20.7 per cent rise in fourth-quarter
adjusted earnings to €2.72 billion.
Future of mountain
bike builder secured
A maker of top-of-the-range
mountain bikes that went bust in
November has been bought back
by its founder. Stanton Bikes,
based in Derbyshire, was put up
for sale after administrators were
called in. The company, whose
bikes can cost several thousand
pounds, was founded by Dan
Stanton, 39, who designed his
first frame in 2010. In December
he set up Stanton Bicycles, a new
company to buy the business.
Dean Nelson, insolvency partner
at PKF Smith Cooper, said it had
a global presence and he was
“thrilled with this outcome
protecting the brand, goodwill
and employment”. According to a
statement of affairs, the estimated
total shortfall to creditors was
£2.15 million.
Musk ‘not a tweeting
monster’, says lawyer
Elon Musk’s liability for tweeting
in 2018 about financing for a
buyout of Tesla is in a jury’s
hands, after Musk’s lawyer said
his client was not a “tweeting
monster”. A jury began
deliberations in San Francisco on
whether Musk’s tweets artificially
inflated Tesla’s share price by
playing up the likelihood of a
buyout. Shareholders accused the
Tesla chief executive officer of
misleading them on August 7,
2018, by tweeting that he was
considering taking the electric
car maker private at $420 a share
and had “funding secured”. The
price was 23 per cent above
Tesla’s last closing price. Musk’s
lawyer, Alex Spiro, said Musk was
not the “fire-breathing, tweeting
monster” portrayed in court.
the times | Saturday February 4 2023 55

The Manifesto Business

How do you run a mining business

when your mines are in a war zone?
The boss of Ferrexpo,
the Ukrainian iron ore
producer, is facing some
unique challenges,
reports Emily Gosden

B
y the time Russia’s tanks
rolled into Ukraine last
February, Ferrexpo had
been preparing for an
invasion for several months.
“Everybody saw that Russia was
building up troops along the border.
We had started scenario planning,”
says Jim North, chief executive of the
FTSE 250 group that produces iron
ore pellets from three mines in
central Ukraine. “How do we protect
our people? That was our biggest
priority. What if the Russians arrive
on our doorstep?”
Although its most extreme
scenarios — Russia taking immediate
control of Ukraine or inflicting
significant damage on Ferrexpo’s
assets — have not materialised, the
company has been rocked by the
conflict. According to North: “In the
beginning, there was shock and panic
among the Ukrainian population and
everything immediately shut down.
Supply lines stopped, the banking
system stopped, ports closed.”
Ferrexpo normally uses the Black Sea
port of Pivdennyi (formerly Yuzhnyi)
to export about half its output around Jim North has visited Kyiv twice since the invasion; Ukraine fans hoped to see their team play at the World Cup in Qatar where North met up with Ferrexpo’s founder
the world. “We lost access to our
seaborne customers three days in.” him to take cover in a bomb shelter, meetings virtually. Late last year he

Q&A
some of the biggest

Initially, Ferrexpo was able to divert
this production via rail and barge to
its customers in Europe, which
suddenly wanted to buy more to
replace the iron ore they had been
getting from Russia. By June, these
routes had been disrupted and
Ferrexpo had to scale back its
operations. In October, attacks on
energy infrastructure hit its power
supplies and forced it to halt
production altogether. One pellet
production line restarted in
December, but three remain
suspended.
The war has also taken its toll on
Ferrexpo’s workforce. Of its 7,564
employees, 586 have been conscripted
or have volunteered to fight. Fourteen
have been killed. Most employees live
with their families in the dedicated
mining city of Horishni Plavni.
With operations part-
suspended, Ferrexpo has
no work for half of them
at present, but it is still
paying their basic
salaries. “While we
can afford to keep
everybody
employed, we
should.”
Ferrexpo has a
healthy net cash
position and analysts
at Liberum expect it to
have made a profit in
2022, albeit a quarter of the
previous year’s figure. As long
as iron ore prices do not crash, they
believe the company can cover its
costs even at today’s low production
levels.
North hopes that power supplies
should be restored to enable a second
pellet production line to restart
within months, but, as extra demand
from Europe wanes, “to get back to
CV
but there were fewer signs of war even met North for coffee in the
names in the industry than last summer. “This time there United Arab Emirates, where North
Who do you most were no military checkpoints, we lives. Zhevago apparently was passing
admire? My didn’t get stopped. It was quite through en route to Qatar. “I met him
grandfather, Gordon surreal. Things that were destroyed around a month, two weeks before
Who is your mentor? North. He inspired me Age: 53 have been rebuilt and restored. the World Cup. I assume he came
Marius Kloppers to join the mining Education: People are not behaving as if they’re down to watch it. He phoned me and
[former chief executive industry Rockhampton Mining in a war. Life moves on.” said that he was going to be in town
of BHP Billiton]. I still What was the most School; University of North, 53, hails from a mining and did I want to catch up?”
talk to him from time to important event of Southern Queensland family in Australia, where he began The meeting seems extraordinary,
time your career? Building Career: 1992: supervisor his career working for miners given Zhevago’s wanted status. North
What does leadership a successful new mine role, Mount Isa Mines; including Rio Tinto and BHP. insists Ferrexpo has “not been able to
mean to you? in Sierra Leone and 1997: operations and Wanting to “go and build something”, establish that he’s on any
Empowering colleagues seeing the community mining manager in the he left Australia in 2012 to join international wanted list”, but
and creating an benefits of the work Pilbara, Rio Tinto London Mining, which was trying to acknowledges that “Ukraine have
environment where that we completed (Hammersley Iron Ore); develop an iron ore mine in Sierra been chasing him for a long time”.
people can fulfil their What is your 2000: management Leone, but resigned in early 2014 (the Just after Christmas the country
goals favourite television roles, including group filed for administration that caught him: Zhevago was arrested at
Does money motivate programme? I don’t secretary to chief October as prices crashed). a luxury hotel in the French ski resort
you? No. I really enjoy really have a favourite. I executive; BHP Billiton; He was on gardening leave when of Courchevel. He resigned as a
working with people. like sport: football, 2012: chief operating Ferrexpo called: “Kostyantin had director and has been bailed pending
I’ve been rugby league, rugby officer, London Mining; decided I needed to come and work an extradition decision.
fortunate to union 2014: chief operating for Ferrexpo.” Kostyantin Zhevago is The potential implications of the
work How do you relax? I officer, acting chief Ferrexpo’s controlling shareholder. Bank Finance & Credit case are
with spend time with my executive, chief The Ukrainian billionaire founded unclear. Ferrexpo itself lost
family, take my kids to executive, Ferrexpo Ferrexpo in 1996, listed it in London $174 million when the bank collapsed
their sporting events, Family: Married, two in 2007 and became chief executive in in 2015 and Ukraine’s deposit
holidays, fishing children 2008. He also served as an MP in guarantee fund is now suing Zhevago
Ukraine until 2019, when he lost his to compensate creditors for their
seat and immunity from prosecution. losses. Zhevago’s assets, notably his
running four constrained for years, North believes He was swiftly hit with embezzlement stake in Ferrexpo, could become a
pellet lines, we that “ultimately, we would need to allegations related to the target: Ukraine previously tried to
need to resume think about restructuring the disappearance of $113 million from freeze the shares in one of Ferrexpo’s
exporting from business”. But he is optimistic that a Bank Finance & Credit, a failed main subsidiaries in connection with
the port of solution will be found and that the Ukrainian bank that he used to the case.
Yuzhnyi”. Ferrexpo conflict will ease. “We don’t honestly control. Zhevago, who denies any North admits the issues involving
wants the maritime believe that this can go on for years at wrongdoing, stood back as Ferrexpo Zhevago have “put some complexities
humanitarian corridor the intensity that we’ve seen over the chief executive. North, previously around Ferrexpo and our reputation”,
that was established last last 12 months.” chief operating officer, became acting but insists that even a guilty verdict
summer for Ukrainian grain North’s recent trip was his second chief in May 2020 and was made should not affect its fortunes: “I don’t
exports to be expanded to allow safe since the invasion. “There was an permanent ten days before Russia’s think it would affect Ferrexpo’s share
passage for iron ore. attack the day before I arrived; my invasion. price.”
North has just returned from team phoned and said, ‘Maybe you Zhevago’s whereabouts over recent Meanwhile, Zhevago continues to
Ukraine, where he sought an shouldn’t come.’ ” Undeterred, he years have been unknown to most protest his innocence. “He tells me
indication of timescales from embarked on the 14-hour car ride and Ukraine twice said it had put him that this is politically motivated,”
government officials. “It’s ‘how long is from Poland to Kyiv before visiting on the international wanted list. Yet North says. “He’s never lied to me in
a piece of string?’ They don’t have an the mines. Tourist sites in the capital he remained a non-executive director the past, so I have no reason not to
answer.” If production were to be are deserted and air raid sirens forced of Ferrexpo, attending board believe him.”
the times | Saturday February 4 2023 57

Work, pensions,
property and

Money
insurance in our
Over-50s special
Pages 57-65

S
avers are losing track of their

The small-pot
pensions and paying far too Sort out your savings
much in fees — and some of
that is because of auto-enrol- What to do firm you choose
ment, researchers say. Track down to move to
The government made pension your workplace should be able
saving automatic in 2012 by forcing pension pots. If to do the rest
employers to set up and pay into
schemes for workers. Some 10.7 million
people have been auto-enrolled into
workplace pensions since then.
Anyone over 22 and earning more
than £10,000 a year from a single job
penalty that could you are unsure
which company
your pension is
with you can
use the
government’s
but you could
also use
PensionBee.

Option 2 If you
want to manage
now gets at least 8 per cent of their
salary paid into a pension scheme —
5 per cent from their wages and 3 per
cent from their employer — unless they
have opted out.
But the Pensions Policy Institute, a
ruin your retirement free pension
tracing service
to find out.

Option 1
Choose one
your pension
investments
yourself you
can set up a
self-invested
personal
research group, says that auto enrol- Multiple pensions with high charges will pay out less than one with a low fee firm to manage pension (Sipp).
ment is creating millions of small pen- your cash and Investment
sions that savers will lose track of. It said merge all your platforms such
that by 2035 there will be 27 million pots pots into it. Tell as AJ Bell and
that are no longer being added to and
which could be losing value because of
the fees charged by pension firms.
10 x £10k pots all the others
that you want
to transfer your
Interactive
Investor allow
you to set up
Fees on the default funds set up pension. You and manage a
under auto-enrolment are capped at
0.75 per cent, but many other pension
Average 0.75% normally need
to sign a form
Sipp online and
you can choose
funds have higher charges and even a
0.75 per cent fee can affect a fund’s re-
turns. Merging your pots can make
£288,817 to authorise the
transfer. The
where to invest
your money.

them easier to manage and easier to

work out what you are paying.
The value of lost pension pots
reached £26.6 billion in 2022, according
to the institute, with the average lost pot
worth about £9,470. The government
has this week launched a consultation
on how to reform the system.
The pensions minister, Laura Trott,
said: “It’s great that automatic enrol-
ment encouraged such wide coverage
but we now have a problem which was
pretty much predicted from the outset.
“Almost all of us will have multiple
pots by the time we reach retirement.
Small pots present poor value for savers
and pension firms due to the cost and
inefficiency they bring into the system.
She said the government wanted to
see “simpler statements and dash-
boards that will help people to find and
view their pensions, so that they can
combine them if they wish”.
Sarah Choudhury, 47, decided to
track down her pensions 18 months ago
and found seven pension pots holding a
total of £120,000. “I had pots dotted all
over the place. I decided to go through
all the paperwork,” said Choudhury
from Letchworth, Hertfordshire. “I
wanted to have everything in one place
so that I could decide what to do with it.”
Choudhury, who works for a phar-
maceuticals company, found one pot
worth £25,000 which she had saved in-
to for just one year in her early twenties.
“I was totally surprised. I worked at
the University of London when I was 22
and was only on a salary of £18,000 a
year,” Choudhury said. “If I hadn’t con-
solidated my pension I would not have
£100k
known how much it had grown and it
would have been left sitting there.”
Choudhury has moved £103,000 into
a single pot using the app PensionBee
and pays a single management fee of
0.94 per cent a year. She stopped saving
into her workplace pension in July and
plans to put £500 a month into her con-
solidated pension, including her em-
ployer’s contribution.
0 The problem with small pots
If you have many pension pots you are
more likely to lose track of your money,
fee over 25 years
1 x £100k pot
0.5% fee
over 25 years
pay higher fees and to care less about
the smaller amounts you have saved.
Management fees, which cover the
cost of running, administering and in-
vesting your pension, have been capped
at 0.75 per cent since 2015 on default au-
to-enrolment schemes (about 75p a
year for every £100 saved).
If you pay a flat, set, fee and your pen-
sion is worth less than £500 (flat fees on
pots worth less than £100 were banned
in April) your money is at risk of being
eroded, according to the institute. Even
if you have up to £20,000 your pension
£307,374
could lose money at times when the
stock market is falling, such as over the
past few years.
If you saved £500 into a pension pot
at 22 it would grow to £1,500 by the time
you were 68 if no fees were levied, re-
searchers said, assuming growth of
5.84 per cent a year. With an annual
charge of 0.5 per cent, it would be worth
£1,000, but if your pot had a flat fee of
£20 a year and a 0.25 per cent charge, it
would be worth only £100.
“You’re much better off with your
money in one pot rather than split
across multiple pots,” said Alyshia Har-
rington-Clark from the Pension and
Lifetime Savings Association, which
represents the industry. “In part this is
because of the effects of the flat fees
pension firms can charge.”
0 Should you merge your pots?
“For those with older pensions, which
often come with exorbitant charges,
consolidating your funds with a single,
low-cost pension firm or investment
platform could boost the value of your
retirement pot by thousands of
pounds,” said Tom Selby from the
investment platform AJ Bell.
Someone with £100,000 split across
ten pension pots being charged 0.75 per
cent on each would have £288,817 after
25 years, assuming investment growth
of 5 per cent a year, according to the
wealth manager Interactive Investor.
If the same saver moved their pen-
sions to a single company charging
0.5 per cent a year they would have
£307,374 after 25 years — £18,557 more.
If you have a defined benefit pension,
which guarantees you a set income in
retirement for life, regardless of how
much you have paid in, then transfer-
ring your savings out is almost never a
good idea. If the value of your defined
benefit pension is more than £30,000
you are legally required to seek advice
from a financial adviser before making
a transfer. Check your pension scheme
to see if any exit fees apply and to make
sure that you will not lose out on
benefits by transferring out.
Lily Russell-Jones

Fixed mortgage rates drop below 4% for first time since September
M
ortgage rates are continuing to
fall, despite the rise in the Bank
of England base rate.
The average rate on two and five-
year fixes fell from 6.47 per cent and
6.32 per cent at the start of November to
5.44 per cent and 5.2 per cent at the start
of this month, according to the data
firm Moneyfacts. The Bank rate is now
at a 14-year high of 4 per cent after the
tenth successive increase on Thursday.
Yet a price war between lenders and
the expectation that interest rates will
soon peak has brought down the cost of
fixed deals. The cheapest mortgage
now starts with a 3 for the first time
since September, with Lloyds and Vir-
gin Money both offering ten-year fixes
at 3.99 per cent.
Platform, part of Co-op Bank,
launched a five-year fix at 4.09 per cent
yesterday, undercutting the previous
low rate of 4.17 per cent from Cumber-
land Building Society.
Even tracker loans, which are linked
to the base rate and will increase in line
with it, have fallen from an average of
4.48 per cent at the start of January to
4.39 per cent this month for a two-year
fix. The best deal is base rate plus 0.14
percentage points from Barclays, a rate
of 4.14 per cent from next month.
Banks are having to offer better rates
after a spike last autumn led to a slump
in housing activity. Just 26,100 remort-
gages were approved in December,
down from 32,600 the month before
and the fewest since January 2013, ac-
cording to the Bank of England.
The latest rate reductions are good
news for the estimated 1.4 million bor-
rowers whose fixed deals will end this
year. But they are still set to see a signifi-
cant increase in monthly payments —
about 57 per cent are on fixed deals at
less than 2 per cent, according to the
Office for National Statistics.
If your rate increased from 2 per cent
to 4.09 per cent then monthly repay-
ments on a £200,000 mortgage would
go up £226 to £965.
Simon Gammon from the mortgage
broker Knight Frank Finance said:
“Fixed-rate mortgages are as cheap as
they are going to be for some time.
While rates are significantly higher
than they were 12 months ago, buyers
are adjusting to the new normal.”
Those with a tracker mortgage will
see their payments increase in line with
the Bank rate. Chris Sykes from the
mortgage broker Private Finance said:
“More clients are opting for fixed rates
again to buy themselves some security.”
George Nixon

Follow us on twitter @timesmoney | @holly_mead_ | @davidbyers26 | @AlihussainST | @katjdenham | @davidbrenchley | @imogent_ | @George_Nixon97 | @sashanugara | @lilycsrj
58
Money Over-50s special
One in 60bn
chance of me
winning £1m?
I’ll take that . . .
Holly Mead
‘H
olly, you’ve just won!”
If there is a better email
to land in your inbox at
the start of the month,
I don’t know what it is.
Fear not, I’ve not fallen for a fraud
or been taking part in any spurious
competitions, this is the email that
arrives when (and if) I win a
Premium Bond prize.
Because despite knowing that there
are better interest rates elsewhere and
that taking greater risks with my
money would probably bring greater
rewards, I can’t help it — I love my
Premium Bonds.
Some months I get nothing, which
is always disappointing. Particularly
if my husband has a win that month.
My longest non-winning streak is
about four months. But over the years
I’ve also had plenty of £25 wins, a
couple of £50s and recently a £125.
That was a good day.
Any winnings go straight into
my current account and are usually
put towards something fun rather
than being reinvested or saved for
something sensible. Which only
doubles down on what an illogical
financial decision it is to have the
Bonds in the first place.
The big question
Should over-50s ‘get off the golf course’ and go back to work?
Yes
Alex Veitch, the
director of policy
at the British
Chambers of
Commerce
Prices are sky
high, the cost of borrowing is
climbing and a recession looms.
There are a lot of reasons for this,
but the UK’s tight labour market is
a big factor. We have well over a
million jobs lying empty.
Our research shows that at the
end of last year about 60 per cent of
firms were trying to recruit, and
that more than 80 per cent of those
were finding it difficult. This is
putting the brakes on our economy.
It stops firms from fulfilling orders,
limits growth and puts strong
upward pressure on wages, which
feeds into those higher prices.
If the UK wants to grow and
improve living standards, we need
to plug the gap between the
number of jobs and the number of
people looking for work.
I still don’t care.
Unlike other savings accounts
Premium Bonds, which are run by
the government-backed National
Savings & Investments, do not pay
a set rate of interest. Instead they
cite an effective interest rate based
on the number of prizes you can
expect to win relative to the amount
you have saved.
The rate increased in February
from 3 per cent to 3.15 per cent, which
isn’t too shabby compared with other
easy-access accounts. Shawbrook
Bank and Sainsbury’s Bank are the
most generous standard savings
accounts, paying 2.92 per cent.
But for every £1 saved into a
Premium Bond, your odds of
winning a prize each month
are just 24,000-1.
This is less inspiring.
The chance of winning one of
the two £1 million jackpots is about
one in 59.8 billion.
You are more likely to win the
Lottery (if you play it) than to
win the Premium Bonds jackpot.
You’re probably more likely to find
a winning Lotto ticket on the
pavement (note: I have no data
to back this up).
Almost 500,000 people over 50
stopped working between the end
of December 2019 and December
2021. Some retired, some were
made redundant or gave up work
due to ill health, others wanted a
change of lifestyle.
The chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, has
talked about getting people off the
golf course, but the net should be
cast much wider than those who
retired on a comfortable pension.
The most important thing is that
they come equipped with a lifetime
of experience that means they have
all the soft skills firms are crying
out for. Many could slot straight
back into roles in their old sectors.
Government and businesses must
do more to make sure over-50s,
especially those with health
problems, are properly supported
and have flexibility on how they
work, if they want to return.
But using the talent and
experience of older workers to
boost our economy makes a lot of
sense. It can be a positive
experience for them and support
businesses and communities.
But still about 22 million of us hold
Premium Bonds. We have a collective
£119 billion — and rising — stashed in
these accounts.
They are curiously aspirational
across all age groups, and one of the
few areas of money that I have found
people are actually keen to talk about.
I have colleagues in their twenties
who have bought their first Bonds
recently and are awaiting that first
email. My in-laws were dismayed
when the notifications stopped
arriving in the post. A friend was
recently outraged to discover that
her dad had taken out some Premium
Bonds for her when she was a baby,
but got her date of birth wrong so
she couldn’t access them: “Imagine
if I’ve got the jackpot at some point
and never knew about it.”
With those terrible odds of
winning, though, what is the
draw for so many of us?
The chance of hitting the big
time, of course, is the main lure —
the idea of getting a call from Agent
Million and £1 million landing in your
bank account. Which, again, is bizarre
when you consider that for many
people this wouldn’t even be a
life-changing sum of money
any more.
Premium Bonds were
launched in 1956 with
a jackpot of £1,000.
The £1 million
top prize was
introduced in 1994
— if it had kept
pace with
inflation
the jackpot
would now
stand at
Mr Mead and I live
in anticipation of
getting that call
from Agent Million
No
Stuart Lewis, the
chief executive of
the campaign
group Rest Less
At Rest Less we
advocate for
choice and opportunity for all ages,
so the idea of forcing anyone into
work brings echoes of a Victorian
workhouse — especially when most
of the increase in economic
inactivity among over-50s is due to
long-term sickness.
Many economically inactive
people want to work. In a survey of
retired Rest Less members, one
third said they would consider
returning to work or that they were
working again after retirement.
Of those, 32 per cent said they
would return for mental and social
stimulation and 20 per cent
because of the increases in the cost
of living or to top up their pension.
This is consistent with ONS labour
market data that shows that more
than 760,000 economically inactive
Saturday February 4 2023 | the times
£1.86 million. The mystique around
how prizes are won is such that there
are even fan theories. Some people
swear that to stand a chance of
winning, you must churn your
holdings (selling your bonds and
then buying back new ones) regularly
because new bonds are more likely
to profit.
On the other hand, there are
enough stories about jackpot
winners having just £25 in premium
bonds that they bought last century
to make me question this tactic. It’s
also worth bearing in mind that if
you churn you will miss out on
opportunities to win because it takes
a few weeks for your money to be
included in the next draw.
Still, the chance of winning,
however remote, is an incredibly
exciting prospect, and Mr Mead
and I occasionally like to
confabulate over a pint about
what we’d do with it.
And there are other perks to
these accounts too. Because they
are government-backed, they are
among the safest places you can
keep your cash.
While fixed-rate bonds pay more,
you can access your Premium Bonds
money at any time, making it a good
place to keep your emergency fund.
Plus, any cash you do win is tax-free
— a factor that is increasingly
important for savers who are more
likely to bust their annual tax-free
savings allowance now that rates
are rising.
These are all valid reasons to
like Premium Bonds. They are the
ultimate safe haven.
But let’s come back to those prize
odds. If you open an easy-access
savings account, you are guaranteed a
certain rate of return. It might not be
enough to clear the mortgage or even
fund a holiday, but you can calculate
what you will get and rely on it.
There are no such guarantees with
Premium Bonds. And yet their allure
remains.
Millions of people every month win
absolutely nothing.
Millions of people would be better
off with a fixed-rate bond or putting
their money in the stock market — I
am one of them.
But, like these millions of people,
I’ll stick with my Bonds in the hope
that maybe, just maybe, one day I’ll
get the call.
IN THE
SUNDAY TIMES
TOMORROW
over-50s want a job.
This tells us that the supply of
people is there, but there are
challenges on the demand side —
eg age discrimination, or a lack of
local, flexible opportunities that
accommodate health issues or
caring responsibilities.
Employers must be encouraged
to tackle insidious discrimination
in their organisations, welcome
experienced workers back, engage
them in the workplace, and retrain
and retain them for the future.
Two simple suggestions for the
government would be to ask
employers to report the age special report
breakdown of their workforce
alongside existing gender pay gap
legislation, and to consider
How do you
removing employer national
insurance contributions for
get funding for
employees over the age of 56.
The government needs to help
your care?
employers adapt to an ageing
workforce. We just need to look at plus
Japan — the oldest demographic in
the world and suffering a chronic Play Fair on Child
labour shortage — to see where our
future lies. Benefit: our campaign
the times | Saturday February 4 2023
The great landlord tax revolt
Buy-to-let owners are
finding ways around
government measures
that make it harder for
them to turn a profit,
writes George Nixon
M
ore landlords are setting
up companies to try to
boost their profits.
By the end of last year
there were 309,643 buy-
to-let companies in the UK, according
to the estate agency Hamptons, up
from 228,743 at the end of 2020.
The buy-to-let mortgage broker
Mortgages for Business (MfB) said that
65 per cent of the loan applications it re-
ceived in January were from limited
company landlords, compared with
40 per cent in January 2016.
Paul Fryers from the specialist buy-
to-let lender Zephyr Homeloan said:
“Changes to tax relief has led to in-
creasing numbers of property investors
setting up limited companies to buy
one or more rental properties. Limited
company lending now comprises most
of our business.
“We are also seeing increasing num-
bers of savvy parents setting up limited
companies to buy properties for their
children — a rarity even up to five years
ago. The landscape has shifted from
simply providing finance as the Bank of
Mum and Dad to parents taking on for-
mal company responsibilities to help
their children on to the ladder.”
New tax rules meant that from April
2020 landlords could no longer deduct
mortgage interest payments from their
rental income before declaring it for tax
purposes. Instead they get a tax credit
equivalent to 20 per cent of their mort-
gage interest, which is half what a
higher rate taxpayer would have been
able to claim previously.
This change, coupled with a stamp
duty surcharge on the purchase of addi-
tional homes and tighter regulations
around the energy efficiency of proper-
ties, prompted many landlords to quit
the market. This means demand for
rental properties is outstripping supply,
the Bank of England said this week.
Landlords or second-home owners
sold off a record 47,000 properties in
the three months to the end of Novem-
ber 2022, according to the estate agency
Savills. This was up 21 per cent on the
year before.
Other landlords, however, opted to
hold properties through a limited com-
pany so that they can still deduct mort-
gage interest from their rental income
before paying tax on it. There are
extra benefits for higher rate taxpayers
too. Here’s what you need to know.
Low earners fined £40m
A T
bout 400,000 people with little
or no tax to pay were fined £100
for filing their tax returns late
between 2018 and 2019.
The analyst Tax Policy Associates
said the fines were issued to people who
earned less than £13,000 a year, mean-
ing they mostly owed nothing because
the amount you can earn each year
without paying any tax at that time was
£11,850 — it now stands at £12,570.
The taxman can issue automatic
£100 fines if you fail to file a return by
the January 31 deadline, even if you
have no tax to pay. For most of those
affected, the penalty represented more
than half a week’s income, according to
New landlord companies
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
0 want to fix for five years, compared with
2008 10 12 14 16 18 20 22
Source: Hamptons International
The pros
Holding property in a company struc-
ture has also become more attractive as
interest rates have increased. The
average rate on a five-year fixed
buy-to-let mortgage at 75 per cent loan-
to-value was 6.24 per cent in January,
according to MfB, up from 3.23 per cent
a year ago. This would add £502 to the
monthly payments on a £200,000
interest-only mortgage.
Gavin Richardson from MfB, said:
“Rising interest rates have been the last
straw in convincing people into limited
company structures.”
To qualify for a buy-to-let mortgage
Tax Policy Associates, which obtained
the data under a freedom of informa-
tion request. It concluded that HM
Revenue and Customs (HMRC) was
acting in good faith, but was “unaware
of the disproportionate impact that
penalties have on the low-paid”.
About 600,000 people failed to file
their tax returns by this year’s deadline.
Anyone who has a “reasonable ex-
cuse” for not paying can appeal against
a fine through the government gateway
site or by filling in an SA370 at gov.uk.
HMRC said it was reforming the
system so taxpayers who “occasionally
miss a deadline will not face penalties”.
Ali Hussain
you must pass a financial stress test
with a lender. Individual landlords who
are higher rate taxpayers must prove
that their rental income can cover
145 per cent of their mortgage pay-
ments, whereas limited companies
(and basic rate taxpayers) only need to
prove that they can cover 125 per cent.
The Mortgage Works, the buy-to-let
arm of Nationwide Building Society,
stress tests a higher rate taxpayer at a
mortgage rate of 6.19 per cent if they
a rate of 5.79 per cent for limited com-
pany landlords.
On a 75 per cent mortgage for a
£400,000 property, the limited com-
pany landlord would need about
£22,000 a year in rent, but a higher rate
taxpaying individual landlord would
need to earn about £27,200.
“Mortgage firms will typically lend
larger amounts based on rental income
for limited companies versus personal
owners,” Newton said.
Individual landlords pay tax on rent-
al profits at their usual rate of income
tax, while rental income earned
through a company is subject to corpo-
ration tax at 19 per cent (rising to 25 per
cent in April). Company directors that
take pay in dividends can also earn
£2,000 a year free of tax — £1,000 from
Eon told to sort out its customer service
he energy firm Eon has “severe
weaknesses” in its customer ser-
vices.
The supplier, which has 2.2 million
customers, was found by the regulator,
Ofgem, to have “very poor perform-
ance” on call waiting times and aban-
doned call rates. This “represented a
severe deterioration” at a time when
more people were likely to be contact-
ing the supplier for advice on bills, the
regulator said. Ofgem has issued a pro-
visional order requiring Eon to make
changes quickly. Failure to comply
could lead to a final order and fine.
Eon said: “We can reassure custom-
ers that even before Ofgem’s review we
59
Over-50s special Money
‘I save £60
each month
as a company’
M
att Robson, 38,
a former pilot,
holds 12
properties in the north
east of England
in his own name and
six, soon to be eight,
through a company.
As well as his rental
properties, he runs the
firm Blue Skies Property
Investment, which he set
up in 2020 after being
made redundant from the
airline. His buy-to-let
properties are worth
about £100,000 each and
mortgage payments are
about £350 a month each.
Robson estimates that he
is £60 a month better off
from holding property
through a company, even
if his mortgage rates are
higher, because he can
offset the interest.
Robson said: “After the
phasing out of interest
relief, I looked at my tax
situation and realised I’d
be better incorporating.”
April and £500 from April 2024. Above company ownership is treated as a
this, dividends are taxed at 8.75 per cent
for basic rate taxpayers and 33.75 per
property sale, meaning that you incur
stamp duty — including the 3 percent-
cent for higher rate taxpayers. age point surcharge. You will also pay
capital gains tax if the property
has increased in value by
The cons more than your £12,300
Before you rush to set up
a property company,
there are some down-
sides to consider.
6.24% annual CGT allowance.
There may also be
mortgage and valua-
tion fees to pay.
Mortgage rates, for Some landlords
example, have histori- Average five-year may be better off
cally been higher (al- fixed rate on keeping existing prop-
though this gap is clos- buy-to-let loans erty in their own name,
ing). In January the av- last month but buying any addi-
erage limited company tional ones using a limited
mortgage was 6.56 per cent, company.
compared with 6.24 per cent for Kevin Dunn from the advice
a standard buy-to-let mortgage — an firm Furnley House said: “Accidental
extra £53 a month on a £200,000 inter- landlords who are not building an em-
est-only mortgage. pire and are basic-rate tax payers, may
Jed Newton, a director at the mort- have no need to set up a property com-
gage broker Trinity Financial, said that pany. But for those who already have a
arrangement fees are another down- portfolio or are higher-rate tax payers
side. Newton said: “Some lenders have there most definitely is a point.”
tried to innovate by offering large fees Paul Falvey from the accountancy
with lower interest rates. In most cases firm BD, said: “Running buy-to-lets
it does not make financial sense to pay through a company structure can be a
fees of 7 per cent to secure a rate when good option, but it brings additional ad-
these fees are usually 2 to 3 per cent.” ministrative burdens. It is over-simpli-
There are tax issues in incorporating fying matters to say that incorporation
too. Moving a property from private to is the most tax-efficient option.”
vice practices and performance. Ofgem
found moderate weaknesses at 11 sup-
pliers (British Gas, E Gas & Electricity,
EDF, Good Energy, Outfox the
Market, OVO, ScottishPower, So
Energy, Utilita, Utility Warehouse and
Tru Energy), and minor weaknesses at
Ecotricity, Green Energy, Shell, Octo-
pus and Bulb, now part of Octopus.
Eon had very poor waiting times Ofgem found that customers were
left waiting for hours on the phone.
had introduced measures which are About half gave up. Neil Lawrence, the
leading to improvements that will get director of retail at Ofgem, said: “This
us back to service we can be proud of.” review has highlighted that customer
The order came after a market review service is just not good enough. Im-
that required the 17 largest suppliers to provements need to be made.”
provide details of their customer ser- Ali Hussain
60 Saturday February 4 2023 | the times

Money Over-50s special

What you need to

know if you are going
back to work
The pandemic pushed many to retire early, but
Jeremy Hunt wants the over-50s to put down the
golf clubs and head back to the office. Ali Hussain
works out what that could mean for your finances

T
he government wants over- scheme. If you were previously part of a into account the tapered annual pen- portant issue for high earners in gener- is invested because you may be taking
50s to go back to work to plug defined contribution scheme, where sion contribution allowance. For every ous defined benefit schemes, often in less risk than you should. Many em-
a shortfall in Britain’s your income in retirement is based on £2 of adjusted income (that is income the public sector. They are unlikely to ployee schemes still offer default in-
labour force — but does it ac- what you paid in plus pension growth, from salary, plus dividends and interest return to work without significant vestment strategies that include some-
tually make economic sense if you may be able to continue adding to before tax reliefs) over £240,000, your changes to the rules. thing called life-styling, where funds
you have already started taking your it as long as you have not started taking annual pension allowance is reduced Alice Guy from the investment plat- are gradually moved into “low-risk”
pension? a taxable income from it. by £1, down to a minimum of £4,000 form Interactive Investor, said: “We assets such as bonds and cash as you
Many people in their fifties and six- If you have taken a taxable income once you reach an annual adjusted in- should not penalise people who want to approach your originally selected re-
ties decided to retire during the pan- from it, the amount you can add to a come of £312,000. return to work. The complex pensions tirement age. This process typically
demic, but may be finding it hard pension and still get full tax relief falls Those with large pensions will need rules are off-putting and punish older starts ten years before retirement.
now that the cost of living crisis from £40,000 a year to £4,000. This to avoid breaching the lifetime allow- workers.” Gary Smith from the wealth manag-
has made it a less comfortable
prospect than they expected.
The chancellor, Jeremy
Hunt, this week issued a
clarion call: “To those
Watch * out
the tax trap
for
is known as the money purchase
annual allowance (MPAA)
and includes your employer
contributions.
The rules also stop
ance, which is £1.073 million and will
stay at this level until 2026. Any pen-
sion savings over this amount will be hit
with a tax charge of 55 per cent if with-
drawn as a lump sum or 25 per cent if
Change your investment
strategy
If you are working for longer than
planned, or returning to work, it is im-
er Evelyn Partners said: “Unless you in-
tend to buy an annuity at retirement,
there is the potential for your pension
fund to remain invested for 20 to 30
years during your retirement, and an
who retired early you from carrying withdrawn as an income. This is an im- portant to know how your pension fund appropriate investment strategy should
In 2011 you could save up to
after the pan- forward any un- be adopted.
demic or who
haven’t
found the
£1.8m
into your pension without
used pension
contribution
allowances, ‘Playing golf wasn’t for me’
“Someone approaching retirement
might wish to retain two to three-years’
of income in cash within their pension,
right role after paying a tax charge. Now it is which normally and leave the remainder invested in
a furlough, I say: go back three years. risk-based assets, designed to sustain
Britain needs you,
and we will look at the
conditions necessary to
£1.073m So before you drew a
pension you may have
been able to contribute M artin Ansell
took early
retirement
their long-term income requirements.”
Mind your mortgage
make work worth your £160,000 to a pension in one in 2013 after being When mortgage rates were below 2 per
while.” tax year, but this would fall to made redundant from cent, many savers were happy to con-
There is evidence that some of £4,000 once you have triggered his job as a marketing tinue to put spare cash into their pen-
this cohort have already started to the MPAA. consultant (Ali sions and Isas rather than clearing their
return to work. Office for National Any contributions above this will in- Hussain writes). home loan.
Statistics data suggests that there were cur a tax charge based on your highest He did not touch his However, with mortgage interest
about 78,000 fewer people aged 50-64 rate of income tax, so wiping out the tax pension because he rates exceeding 5 per cent, some home-
classed as “economically inactive” in relief you getwhen saving into a pen- wanted to still be able owners are turning their attention to
the three months to the end of Novem- sion. This MPAA does not apply if you to pay into it and get overpaying their mortgage. Those
ber than there were over the three only take your 25 per cent tax-free lump the full amount of tax whose fixed deal ends this year may
months to the end of July, when the sum and leave the rest invented. relief — if you start find their monthly payments are con-
number peaked at 3.6 million. If you haven’t triggered the MPAA withdrawing your siderably higher if they do not.
But going back to work is not as then, as long as you are under the age of pension, your Smith said: “Rising rates are likely to
simple as just applying for a job. Here’s 75, you should be able to contribute to £40,000-a-year tax- be more of an issue for those who have
what you need to consider. your pension as normal and get tax re- free allowance falls interest-only mortgages. Working on
lief at your income tax rate on contribu- to £4,000. He used an effective repayment plan should be a
Beware the pensions tax trap tions up to the £40,000 allowance. some of his savings golf for six months self-employed. “I priority.”
If you were previously part of a defined Steven Cameron from the pension and redundancy I decided it wasn’t for am now at a happy Overpaying on your mortgage can
benefit pension — where you have a firm Aegon said: “If the chancellor truly money to live on. me. There’s only so medium, working shave years off the term and cut the
guaranteed income for life — and you wants to send a message to over-55s Ansell, 64, who much golf you can two or three days at amount of interest you pay overall.
started drawing on that pension, you who have left the workforce that ‘your lives in Sherborne play. I knew I wanted home. I am adding as However, putting your money into the
will not be able to make any further country needs you’, then pensions tax in Dorset, knew he to carry on building much as possible to stock market instead may have reaped
contributions to it. You can, however, rules need to be updated to reflect to- would probably go up my pension.” my pension and will greater rewards, particularly during the
continue to make contributions to day’s world of work.” back to work at some When he returned continue to for the 13 years of record-low interest rates
another workplace or personal pension Very high earners also need to take point. “After playing to work he became foreseeable future.” that followed the 2008 financial crisis.
Tom Selby, the head of retirement
the times | Saturday February 4 2023 61

Over-50s special Money

‘I retired from the police NS&I bonds offer highest rate since 2010
at 50, but was bored by 52’
N
ational Savings & Investments sale. Two, three and five-year bonds are Bonds. The Treasury-owned bank has
(NS&I) has put some of its sav- still only available for existing bond repeatedly raised interest rates over the

R
obert Coles guaranteed a set manager at the ings bonds on general sale for holders. past few months. On January 24 NS&I
Pearce retired income in retirement investment platform the first time since 2019. Fixed bonds in general became po- increased the effective prize rate on
from the police for life, and also took Hargreaves Its one-year Guaranteed bonds, popular at the end of last year as rates Premium Bonds to a 14-year high of
in 2019 at 50, having out a portion of his Lansdown. He has available for anyone saving up to jumped to the highest levels in ten 3.15 per cent. It also increased the rate
served for 20 years tax-free lump sum. set up a self invested £1 million, will pay 4 per cent interest — years. In November some banks paid as on its direct saver easy-access account
(Ali Hussain writes). But retirement personal pension, not far off the best available rate of much as 4.6 per cent, according to the to 2.6 per cent and 2.15 per cent on its
He was able to draw did not suit him and which he and his 4.16 per cent from the online savings analyst Savings Champion. Rates have direct Isa.
an income from boredom soon kicked employer pay into bank SmartSave. since fallen because the Bank of En- NS&I has a duty to keep up with rates
the police pension in, exacerbated by the each month. NS&I’s rates are the highest they gland’s base rate of interest is no longer available on the rest of the market to
scheme, which is a Covid lockdowns, so Pearce, who lives have been since 2010 when the same expected to rise as much as previously meet the fundraising target set by the
sought-after defined in 2021, he decided near Bristol, said: type of bonds paid 3.2 per cent. Since forecast. Bank rate this week went up to Treasury. This is £6 billion for 2022-23,
benefit scheme, to take up a job as “I always thought I 2019 all the bank’s “Guaranteed” in- a 14-year high of 4 per cent and is ex- although it has £3 billion of leeway.
where you are an operations would eventually go come and growth bonds have only been pected to peak at 4.5 per cent. NS&I had raised a net £4.2 billion by
back into work. I also available to the 494,000 customers NS&I held £211.9 billion of savers’ the end of December, according to the
have a daughter at who already held them, but now the money as of the end of last year, some Bank of England.
university and that one-year bonds are back on general £119 billion of which is in Premium George Nixon
costs a small fortune.”
Since he is not
drawing from his
defined benefit
pension, he is still
able to add up to
£40,000 a year to
his Sipp and benefit
from full tax relief.
If he had started
taking an income,
his allowance would
have been cut to
£4,000 a year.

policy at the investment platform AJ 2008 version of the NHS pension

Bell, said: “For many, the decision on scheme can have pensionable re-
how quickly to pay off their mortgage employment, according to Smith.
will be financial and emotional, with a Those who were members of only the
balance to be struck between owning 2015 version of the scheme can rejoin it
your home outright and saving for the if they return to work after retirement.
future elsewhere.”
Delay your state pension
Delay taking your pension If you don’t need the money from your
If you can afford it, there are a number state pension, then you can delay
of benefits in holding off from drawing claiming it or defer your payments.
on your pension for as long as possible. Your state pension increases by 1 per
By not accessing taxable income cent for every nine weeks you defer.
from your fund, in most cases you will This works out as just under 5.8 per cent
continue to benefit from the higher for a one-year delay, meaning that
£40,000 annual contribution al- your state pension would be worth
lowance and the ability to carry
forward unused allowances.
Your fund will also have
more time to benefit
from tax-free invest-
*
Another
tax trap
an extra £612 a year.
You can also pause your
state pension if you are
already taking it. Just
contact the Depart-
ment growth. ment for Work &
If you take money from your
If, on the other Pensions to let it
pension, you can only pay in
hand, you know when
withdraw
large chunks
of your pension
£4,000
a year and still get tax relief —
you would
like the pen-
sion holiday to
early, you risk down from start.
being hit with a
higher income tax bill
in the years you make the
£40,000 It could take about
17 years before the extra
income you get each
withdrawals. You will also months adds up to enough to
miss out on future investment beat a lost year of state pension,
growth on what you withdraw. so you will have to work out if it is
There is a risk that by accessing worth doing.
your fund earlier, you condemn your-
self to a lower standard of living in re- How much will I need in
tirement or even end up running out of retirement?
money. If the latter happens, you may The Pensions and Lifetime Savings
have to rely on the state pension alone. Association, a trade body for the pen-
Also bear in mind that there are calls sions industry, has created retirement
for the state pension age to be in- living standards to help to give you an
creased. It is 66 now but is set to rise to idea of how much you need for a mod-
67 by the end of this decade and to 68 erate and comfortable level of retire-
between 2044 and 2046, and this could ment. It said that for a moderate lifes-
happen sooner. tyle a couple would need a joint income
of £34,000 a year after tax and a single
Look at your scheme person £23,300. For a comfortable re-
There might be sector-specific issues tirement they would need £54,500 and
that could affect your ability to pay into £37,400 respectively.
a pension if you return to work. However, while the amount does in-
For example, NHS employees who clude state pension, it doesn’t take into
were members of the 1995 scheme are account any housing costs or rises in
not permitted to have pensionable re- the cost of living. If you retire with a
employment if they return to work mortgage or rent to pay, or if you want
post-retirement. to retire before state pension age, then
However, subject to certain condi- more money will be needed to achieve
tions, pre-retirement members of the the standard of living you want.
62
Money Over-50s special
Investing fees breaking the
bank? You need to switch
I
Whether you have £10k
or £1 million, stocks or
funds, David Brenchley
deal on your investments too.
finds the cheapest Pretty much the only thing that in-
vestors can control are the fees they
ways for you to invest pay. An investment of £10,000 growing
n a cost of living crisis, managing
your outgoings becomes even
more important. And that doesn’t
just apply to your shopping or
energy bills. It’s vital to get the best
at 5 per cent a year with a 0.1 per cent
annual fee would be worth £26,032
after 20 years. The same investment
with a 1 per cent annual fee would be
worth £21,911.
Charges should be the first thing you
look at when choosing an investment
firm. Fair fees were the top criterion for
52 per cent of investors who had money
Saturday February 4 2023 | the times
invested outside a pension, according
to a survey of 1,000 UK adults by the
platform Interactive Investor.
Fees become more important the
older you get, with 34 per cent of 18 to
34-year-olds ranking fair charges as
their top criterion versus 49 per cent of
35 to 54-year-olds. Almost one in five
(78 per cent) of over-55s said fair char-
ges were the most important factor.
How to compare
Some platforms, including Interactive
Investor and Halifax Share Dealing,
charge flat fees, where you pay a set
amount every month or year. This gen-
erally makes them expensive for those
with small portfolios, but cheap for
those with large amounts invested.
The platform iWeb, which is operat-
ed by Halifax Share Dealing, charges a
one-off £100 fee to open your account,
but no ongoing fees after that — you
will only pay when you make a trade.
Others, including Hargreaves Lans-
down and AJ Bell, charge percentage
fees so that the amount you pay each
year varies depending on the size of
your portfolio. Usually, the larger
your portfolio, the lower the per-
centage charge, but it can still add
up to a considerable sum if you
have a large amount invested.
DIY investing boomed during
the Covid pandemic as people
started to put the cash they were
saving while locked down into
the stock market. The total in-
£4,121
vested with platforms increased
70 per cent between the end of the difference
2019 and the end of 2021, accord- between fees of
ing to the data firm Fundscape. 1% and 0.1% on a
New low-cost platforms such as £10k investment
the American firm Vanguard and the over ten years
app Freetrade have opened up the
investment market.
Freetrade launched its app in
October 2018 and has £1.4 billion
invested today. Investors can trade
stocks, investment trusts and exchange
traded funds (ETFs — low-cost, passive
funds that tend to track an index of
stocks, like the FTSE 100, or commodi-
ties such as gold) for free. It does not
offer open-ended funds, such as track-
ers.
Last year the investment giant AJ
Bell launched Dodl, a simplified invest-
ing app that also has no trading costs.
Interactive Investor has reduced its
£9.99 flat fee to £4.99 for those invest-
ing less than £30,000.
Other things to compare are trading
fees, foreign exchange fees and interest
paid on cash balances. Freetrade and
Dodl also have a limited choice of in-
vestments, for example. Other plat- ten was based on an ETF-only portfolio
forms charge up to £1.50 for each fund and allowed for ten trades a month.
trade and up to £11.95 to trade shares, Chris Bredin, from The Lang Cat,
investment trusts and ETFs. said fees were a big consideration for in-
vestors, but said to do your research.
Which should I choose? “Cheapest doesn’t always mean best. A
lot of these platforms help you with
With so much on offer, it’s tricky to find choosing investments rather than you
the platform that best suits your needs, having a blank slate,” Bredin said. “Be
so we have compared the options avail- mindful of their charges, but a house-
able to a set of investors, using data pro- hold name like Hargreaves Lansdown
vided by the consultancy The Lang Cat. might give you more security.”
The data we used for the first four
categories is based on a portfolio made Best for Isa investors
up of open-ended funds (as opposed to
closed-ended investment trusts) and For regular investors in stocks and
allowed for one transaction a month. It shares Isas and self-invested personal
assumed a regular investor drip-feed- pensions (Sipps), charges depend on
ing cash on a monthly basis. how much your total portfolio is worth.
Freetrade, which offers Isas and Vanguard was the cheapest for those
Sipps, was excluded from our analysis with £20,000 or less, costing £8 if you
because you cannot invest in funds. had £5,000 and £30 if you had £20,000.
The data for someone who trades of- You are restricted for choice with this
the times | Saturday February 4 2023 63

Over-50s special Money

bigger portfolios. Freetrade charges
£9.99 a month (£120 a year) for its Sipp.
Best for big investors
For a stocks and shares Isa, Halifax
Good for small investors Share Dealing was cheapest by a large
Bad for big portfolios margin for anyone with a portfolio of
more than £50,000. Its flat fee of £60
beat Interactive Investor and iWeb at
£120 and £160.
For a Sipp worth £250,000 or more,
Interactive Investor was cheapest with
a charge of £156. On a Sipp worth
Good for small Sipps (pensions) £50,000, Vanguard’s £75 fee wasthe
Bad for Isas lowest and it was also best for a
£100,000 Sipp, with a fee of £150.
If you have a big pot, steer clear of
Hargreaves Lansdown, where annual
charges clock in at £1,750 for someone
with £500,000 and avoid Aviva, which
charges £1,525, and Bestinvest at £1,500.
Good for regular traders
Bad for small Sipps
Best for small investors
Platforms charging percentage fees will
be the cheapest. For those with
£25,000, Vanguard was top, although
Halifax and Interactive Investor were
close. Vanguard was further ahead for
those with less than £15,000.
Others at the cheaper end of the scale
were Close Brothers, Charles Stanley
and Santander.
The more expensive stocks and
shares Isa firms for smaller investors
include iWeb and Fidelity.
On the Sipp front, Vanguard worked
out as the cheapest for everyone with
a portfolio of £50,000 or less.
AJ Bell and Hargreaves Lansdown
were close behind.
The most expensive for smaller
investors were Barclays, iWeb, Close
Brothers and Interactive Investor.
Best for frequent investors
Unsurprisingly, the platform offering
free stock trading came out as the
cheapest for those that buy and sell a
lot. We compared the fees for a port-
folio made up of only ETFs, and Freet-
rade cost just £60.
Its nearest competitor was IG, which
charged £410. For smaller investors
with portfolios of up to £25,000 that
trade a lot, Bestinvest was next at
between £614 and £694. AJ Bell was
better for those with portfolios of
£50,000 and above at £686.
However, Freetrade only lets you in-
vest in stocks, ETFs and investment
trusts. If you want to invest in open-
ended funds, such as index trackers,
you should consider another platform.
At the expensive end are Charles Stan-
ley Direct and Hargreaves Lansdown.

Good for small Sipps

Bad for big investors

Good for big portfolios

Bad for small Sipps

Good for big portfolios

Bad for small investors

What you will pay on your Investment Isa

£5,000 £20,000 £100,000 £500,000 £1,000,000

AJ Bell Youinvest £31 £68 £268 £893 £893

Barclays £60 £60 £212 £1,012 £1,512

Bestinvest £20 £80 £400 £1,500 £2,000
Charles Stanley Direct £18 £70 £350 £1,375 £2,125
Close Brothers A.M.
£13 £50 £250 £1,250 £2,250
Self Directed Service
Fidelity Personal
£90 £90 £350 £1,000 £2,000
Investing

Halifax Share Dealing £60 £60 £60 £60 £60

Hargreaves Lansdown £23 £90 £450 £1,750 £3,000

Interactive Investor £60 £60 £120 £120 £120

iWeb £160 £160 £160 £160 £160

Santander £18 £70 £275 £1,075 £1,575

Vanguard £8 £30 £150 £375 £375

firm, however, because you can only in-
vest in Vanguard funds.
For those with £5,000, Close Broth-
ers came in next at £13, with Santander
and Charles Stanley at £18 and Har-
greaves Lansdown at £23.
For portfolios of £20,000, which is
the yearly Isa allowance, Close Broth-
ers cost £50 while Barclays, Halifax
Share Dealing and Interactive Investor
cost £60. For someone with £100,000
and above, Halifax Share Dealing was
the cheapest platform, at a £60 flat fee.
Freetrade charges £4.99 a month (£60 a
year) with no trading fees. The closest
competitors were Interactive Investor
at £120 and iWeb with £160.
Hargreaves Lansdown, the UK’s
biggest investment platform, was one
of the most expensive for people with
portfolios over £25,000, while Best-
invest was expensive if you had £50,000
and over in your investment portfolio.
Best for Sipp investors
Again, the best platform depended on
how much money you have invested.
Vanguard was again by far the cheap-
est for those with £5,000 and £20,000,
charging £8 and £30 respectively versus
its closest competitors Hargreaves
Lansdown (£23 for £5,000) and AJ Bell
(£68 at £20,000). However, Hargreaves
Lansdown and AJ Bell have more
choice of investment options.
Vanguard was also the cheapest for a
£100,000 portfolio, charging £150,
which beats Interactive Investor by £6.
For investors with the biggest port-
folios, Interactive Investor was the
cheapest with a £156 fee and Halifax
Share Dealing was the next at £240.
Barclays and Close Brothers were
expensive for smaller portfolios while
Hargreaves Lansdown and Bestinvest
become more expensive for those with
64 Saturday February 4 2023 | the times

Money Over-50s special

Weirdly, a profit warning can Red flags

Average share price fall on the
day of a profit warning
2014 16 18 20 22

be a sign that you should invest 0%

-5

B
You don’t have to sell up
if a stock hits a rocky
patch. Here are the
firms’ own costs are soaring.
questions to ask first,
of profit warnings issued by UK compa-
says David Brenchley nies was up 50 per cent to 305 in 2022.
That was up from 203 in 2021, accord-
ritish businesses have had a
tricky year: the cost of living
crisis has reduced customers’
budgets and sent them to
cheaper rivals, all while the
It’s no wonder, then, that the number
ing to the consultancy EY-Parthenon.
Out of all UK firms listed on the stock
exchange, 17.7 per cent issued a profit
warning last year — the highest pro-
portion since 2008, aside from the pan-
demic-hit year of 2020.
A profit warning is a statement issued
by a company informing investors that
management expects profits to be low-
er than they had thought. It can have a
heavy impact on a company’s share
price. The average share price fall on
-10
the day of a profit warning was 18.7 per
cent last year, up from 11.4 per cent in
2021.
Rising costs were cited in half of last -15
year’s warnings. The more a business
spends making its products or deliver-
ing its services, the lower the profit.
Some can pass costs on to their custom- -20
ers — for others, it is more difficult. Source: EY-Parthenon
What should you do if a company
you invest in issues a profit warning? firm’s ability to provide its products or
“Don’t panic,” urged Ben Peters, a co- services?
manager of the TB Evenlode Global In- Will the company still be doing what
come fund. Profit warnings should it does now — or perhaps better — in
never automatically prompt you to sell ten years or more?
out of a stock, especially if you are a Of course, if the warning rips up your
long-term investor. investment thesis, it’s time to admit you
Sometimes an over-reaction from were wrong, sell, and move on, Mould
other investors can send the share price said. It can be too easy to hold on to
down too much and provide an oppor- stocks that are dead money at best, and
tunity to buy more. value traps at worst.
The first thing to do is to read Longer-term issues include regulato-
through the profit warning statement ry changes, a technological develop-
(you can usually find this on the com- ment or the emergence of a new rival.
pany’s corporate website or on the “Anything that may signal a permanent
London Stock Exchange’s website). Un- impact on the company’s competitive
derstand what is behind the warning so position and its ability to maintain mar-
you can make an informed decision. Is gins over an economic or product cycle
it because of external factors (such as is a concern,” Mould added.
the Covid pandemic) that it will come Try to make an educated guess as to
through in time, or is there something how long you think it will take for this
intrinsically wrong with the business? issue to resolve itself or for manage-
Consider the original reason you de- ment to get a hold on it. Check the com-
cided to invest.“If you’re holding a com- pany’s balance sheet and cash flow to
pany, there must be a reason,” Pe- determine whether it can weather
ters said. “Look at those rea- the storm.
sons and ask whether If it needs to raise more
anything has funda-
mentally changed.”
A good habit to get
into when investing
50% cash from investors, this
will dilute your holding.
Check its valuation
and compare it with
in companies is to the wider market (and
write down five Increase in particularly its closest
things that made you profit warnings from competitors).
buy the stock, said 2021 to 2022 — up One key metric is
Russ Mould from the from 203 to 305 price-to-book ratio,
investment platform AJ which assesses the com-
Bell. If a profit warning pany’s market capitalisation
calls into question one or compared with the value of all
more of these, you should investi- of its assets, minus its liabilities.
gate further. The lower a company’s price-to-
A setback may come about because book ratio, the better value it generally
of something genuinely beyond the is. If it is less than one, that means it is
firm’s control — strikes, an act of nature trading for less than the value of its as-
or a war. “Accidents happen, although if sets. Mould said: “The brave investor
a company keeps blaming something might even then step up and buy more
like the British weather, you may need — make sure the position does not be-
to be on your guard,” Mould said. come too large a percentage of your
Peters said that if the warning is overall portfolio, though.”
because of a short-term issue, this Don’t rush into selling just because of
shouldn’t overly worry you. “Ultimate- a profit warning — you could end up
ly, short-term issues should pass.” offloading the shares for as much as a
Are its rivals issuing profit warnings third less than they had been trading
too? If not, it could indicate a company- the previous day.
specific issue rather than an industry- “Only by selling do you lock in the
wide problem. Does it affect customers’ loss and only then do you suffer the in-
willingness to buy the company’s prod- vestor’s worst enemy, permanent loss of
ucts? Does it fundamentally affect the capital,” Mould said.

Stocks soar under new PM

S
hare prices in UK companies rose
11.5 per cent during Rishi Sunak’s
first 100 days as prime minister, the
biggest stock market jump since
Edward Heath’s first 100 days in office.
The FTSE all-share index, which
tracks the performance of more than
600 firms listed in the UK, has been on
an upward streak since Sunak moved in
to No 10 on October 25 — but this did
come after a slump under Liz Truss,
who was prime minister for 49 days.
The index rose 15.4 per cent during
Heath’s first 100 days from June 18, 1970.
In Tony Blair‘s first 100 days in 1997 the
index rose 10.1 per cent, while David
Cameron had 2.9 per cent growth dur-
ing the first few months of the Tory-Lib
Dem coalition government in 2010. The
only other prime ministers to have seen
the FTSE all-share go up in their first
100 days were Gordon Brown (0.7 per
cent) and John Major (0.4 per cent).
Russ Mould from the investment
platform AJ Bell said that Sunak
couldn’t claim the credit. “A mild win-
ter, weaker oil and gas prices and hopes
for a peak in inflation and interest rates
may have a larger role to play.”
David Brenchley
the times | Saturday February 4 2023 65

Over-50s special Money

‘Driver ran a red light and hit my car’

Times Money Mentor made roadworthy again you negotiated
to keep it by paying a buy-back fee of
Troubleshooter £942. Esure’s default process is to pay
claims by cheque, which is absurd given
that there are far quicker and more con-
Katherine venient ways of transferring money.
During one phone call you asked why
Denham you hadn’t been given the choice of
having the money transferred to your
account, which is when your insurer
cancelled the cheque ready for a bank
transfer. But it didn’t tell you this and
didn’t have your bank details.
If you would like us to investigate
a consumer problem, write to
Troubleshooter, Times Money,
1 London Bridge Street,
London SE1 9GF or
troubleshooter@thetimes.co.uk.
Please include a phone number
lay in Ms Dussek receiving her pay-
ment and we have agreed to pay her
£100 in compensation for the incon-
venience.” Your car is repaired and you

I
was driving home one evening in
September when a driver jumped a
red light and crashed into my car.
She hit the traffic lights too. My car
was badly damaged and I was left
severely shaken.
The other driver was OK, although
her airbag had gone off and oil had spilt
over the road, so the fire services had to
be called. This happened during rush
hour in London so it was pretty hectic.
The driver apologised repeatedly for
hitting me, but refused to give her
details. I called the police and when
they arrived at the scene they gave me
her details.
I then called my insurer, Sheilas’
Wheels. About a week later I had an
email saying that I would get a write-off
payout of £1,476. My car was valued at
£2,818, but I decided to keep it and re-
pair it and so paid a buy-back fee of
£942 and my £400 excess.
I was told that I would get the cheque
in four to five days. But it still hadn’t ar-
rived a week later so I called Sheilas’
Wheels and it said the postal strikes
were probably to blame.
It took another three weeks and a
number of phone calls before I finally
had the cheque, but it was declined at
the bank. When I called, the adviser
said it had been cancelled because the
money was being transferred to my
bank account instead.
Over the next three weeks, I called
Sheilas’ Wheels many times. Once I
was put on hold for an hour and 13 min-
utes, and eventually told that the
money would be transferred in days.
Since I have been waiting so long I am
Esure said that the £1,476 was now in are considering whether to take civil
your account: “We are sorry for the de- action against the driver who hit you.
Money Mentor
Online
Find the top-rated car
insurers and compare policies
thetimes.co.uk/money-mentor
now paying for the repairs on my credit
card. I am nearly 75 years old, still feel-
ing fragile after the accident and am
finding this whole experience with
Sheilas’ Wheels very upsetting.
Penelope Dussek, Lewisham
Troubleshooter says
When someone is involved in a car ac-
cident, it’s illegal not to exchange de-
tails. The other driver should have
given her full name, address, phone
number, make and model of the car and
insurance details, so I’m pleased you
called the police when she refused. It’s
also sensible to take photos of both cars.
When a driver makes a claim, their
insurer needs to decide who is at fault.
In your case the other driver denied re-
sponsibility for the crash so it went
through a dispute process and the two
insurers agreed to share the costs. Your
insurer thus charged you 50 per cent of
the excess on your policy.
Sheilas’ Wheels, which is owned by
Esure, decided that it wasn’t economi-
cal to repair your car, so wrote it off and
agreed to pay you its value before the
accident. Insurers normally keep the
vehicle, but since your car could be

Nectar ‘lost’ 44,000 points

My husband and I have £210
worth of Nectar points, which
we planned to spend at Christmas.
We were going to my daughter’s
in Manchester, so went food
shopping at Sainsbury’s and spent
£166 on everything we needed.
But when we reached the
checkout and tried to pay with our
points, the terminal said we didn’t
have any. The staff at Sainsbury’s
were great and tried three
different terminals with the same
result, so I ended up paying for
everything on my bank card.
The next day my husband called
Nectar and he was told that this
happened a lot and that our card
would work next time. It would
have been nice to have some
acknowledgement of the upset
it caused and the embarrassment
at the checkout.
A couple of days later I tried
paying with my Nectar points
again, but my card still wasn’t
working. This is despite the app
showing that I had 44,000 points.
We phoned Nectar and this time
were told that it was a problem
with our card — a “technical
glitch” meant that we were unable
to access the points. The adviser
said we would be issued with a
new card, but would have to ring
up again when it arrived to get
the points transferred, which
might take a couple of weeks.
We’ve got the new card, but it
still doesn’t work. Can you help?
Margaret O’Donnell, Potters Bar
Troubleshooter says
Nectar is a loyalty scheme owned
by Sainsbury’s that lets you earn
points when you spend money
in certain shops. You earn one
point for every £1 you spend at
Sainsbury’s and you can also
collect points with other brands
such as Argos and Just Eat.
At first it sounded like there was
simply a problem with your old
card, but then the second card
didn’t show your points either. For
some unexplained reason Nectar
then sent you four new cards, only
to later tell you that your points
would be transferred to the second
one and to destroy all the others.
I couldn’t get answers from
Nectar about what was going on,
but your points finally appeared.
Nectar said: “We’re sorry
that Margaret’s experience didn’t
meet our usual high standards.”
It has given you £70 in extra
points, so with luck there will be
no more embarrassing episodes
at the checkout.
66 Saturday February 4 2023 | the times

Money
Unit trust and open-ended investment company prices Full funds service at thetimes.co.uk/funds

Weekly Yld Weekly Yld Weekly Yld Weekly Yld Weekly Yld Weekly Yld
Sell Buy +/- % Sell Buy +/- % Sell Buy +/- % Sell Buy +/- % Sell Buy +/- % Sell Buy +/- %

Data as shown is
for information
purposes only. No offer is made by
Morningstar or this publication
the times | Saturday February 4 2023 67

Money

Best buys Data supplied by

Savings Mortgages Personal loans

Easy access (without introductory bonus) First-time buyer mortgages Fixed monthly repayment on £10,000 for 5 years
(without insurance)

Long-term fixed rates

Remortgages
Credit cards
Introductory rate for balance transfers

Easy access cash Isas

Short-term fixed-rate mortgages

Introductory rate for purchases

Fixed cash Isas

Long-term fixed-rate mortgages

Cashback credit card

Help-to-buy cash Isas

Variable-rate mortgages

Regular savings accounts

Current accounts
Buy-to-let mortgages Credit interest

Pension annuities
Single life

Authorised overdrafts
National Savings & investments

Joint life
Accounts and bonds

Tax-free products
68 Saturday February 4 2023 | the times

Money
Dividend yields Please note dividend yields are 12 month Price 12 month Price 12 month Price 12 month Price
High Low Company (p) +/- Yld% P/E High Low Company (p) +/- Yld% P/E High Low Company (p) +/- Yld% P/E High Low Company (p) +/- Yld% P/E
supplied by Morningstar. The yield is the sum of a
company’s trailing 12-month dividend payments v v
divided by the last month’s ending share price
12 month high and low Please note the 12 month high v
and low figures for shares supplied by Morningstar are v
v v
based on intra-day figures, not closing prices. v v

12 month Price 12 month Price

High Low Company
Automobiles & parts
v v
(p) +/- Yld% P/E High Low Company (p) +/- Yld% P/E
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12 month Price Yld Dis(-) 12 month Price Yld Dis(-) v

High Low Company (p) +/- % or Pm High Low Company (p) +/- % or Pm v

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v v

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property v v

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the times | Saturday February 4 2023 69

Money
12 month Price 12 month Price 12 month Price 12 month Price 12 month Price 12 month Price
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v v v v v

v v v v

v v v v
v

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v v
support services Retailing v

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the times | Saturday February 4 2023 77

Weather
Today Outbreaks of rain and hill snow in the northwest, mostly dry but cloudy elsewhere. Max 12C (52F), min -4C (25F) Weather Eye
Paul Simons
Around Britain Five days ahead Wind speed Sea state Orkney Shetland
Key: b=bright, c=cloud, d=drizzle, pc=partly cloudy Dry and largely sunny in 34 Calm
du=dull, f=fair, fg=fog, h=hail, m=mist, r=rain, (mph) 31 8
sh=showers, sl=sleet, sn=snow, s=sun, t=thunder the southeast, occasional Slight 25
*=previous day **=data not available thick cloud and drizzle Temperature Moderate
Rough
Temp C Rain mm Sun hr* for the northwest 28 (degrees C)
8
midday yesterday 24 hrs to 5pm yesterday
8 25
8 C 0.0 0.0
Tomorrow Flood alerts and warnings
Aberdeen
A dry day across the British Isles with
Aberporth 10 ** 0.0 **
spells of sunshine, which may be hazy At 17:00 on Friday there were 17 flood 9
Anglesey 10 C 0.0 0.4 at times. alerts and no warnings in England, and 5
Aviemore 8 C 0.4 0.7 Max 10C, min -5C no flood alerts or wanings in Wales or
Barnstaple 11 C 1.4 ** 26

H
12 B 0.0 **
Scotland. Aberdeen
C F ouseholders who flout
Bedford 35 95
For further information and updates air pollution rules on
Belfast 10 C 1.6 0.0
in England visit flood-warning- 30 86
Birmingham 13 C 0.0 **
information.service.gov.uk, for Wales wood-burning stoves
Bournemouth 12 B 0.0 1.2 6 NORTH 25 77
could be fined £175 to
naturalresources.wales/flooding and 20 68
Bridlington 12 C 0.0 **
for Scotland SEPA.org.uk SEA 15 59 £300 and even get a
Bristol 10 C 0.4 0.0
Camborne 10 C 0.8 ** 6 10 50
criminal record (Times news,
7 Edinburgh
Cardiff 10 C 0.6 0.4
7
27 Glasgow 5 41
February 1).
Edinburgh 9 C 0.0 0.0 0 32
Eskdalemuir 8 M 0.8 **
7 18 -5 23 But wood-burners are very
Glasgow 8 M 1.2 0.0 -10 14 popular and more than 1.5 million
11 C 0.0 ** 9
Hereford Londonderry
Herstmonceux 12 PC 0.0 0.2 ATLANTIC
-15 5 households in the UK have them
Ipswich 11 S 0.0 **
Newcastle and they have become more sought
OCEAN Carlisle
Isle of Man 10 C 0.0 0.3
Monday Belfast after as heating costs have soared.
Isle of Wight 11 C 0.0 ** 9
Jersey 10 C 1.0 0.5 Dry and largely sunny across southern 9 7 One of the problems with many
and eastern areas. Some patchy thick 8
Keswick 11 D 3.0 ** cloud for northwestern areas may York wood burners is they give off tiny
Kinloss 7 C 0.0 0.9 produce the odd spot of drizzle. particles known as PM2.5, so small
22
Leeds 9 C 2.0 ** Max 10C, min -5C
Lerwick 6 PC 9.4 0.0 Manchester Hull
they are easily breathed in, can pass
Leuchars 9 C 0.0 2.1 Liverpool 10 through lungs into the blood stream
Lincoln 12 C 0.0 ** Galway IRISH 11
and are linked to heart and lung
Liverpool 10 C 0.0 ** 6 SEA 9 Sheffield
London 12 PC 0.0 0.4 Dublin disease, and can end up in the brain
Llandudno
Lyneham 10 B 0.0 0.0 causing dementia and strokes. And
Manchester 11 C 0.2 0.3
12 PC 0.0 3.5
8 10 Nottingham even though burning wood is often
Margate Shrewsbury
7 thought better for the environment,
Milford Haven 11 PC 0.8 **
Norwich
Newcastle 10 C 0.0 ** 27 home fires give off 17 per cent of all
7
Nottingham 11 C 0.0 1.1
10
Birmingham Cambridge PM2.5 emissions in the UK, more
Orkney 8 C 3.0 0.0 Cork
Oxford 11 C 0.0 ** 9 than from traffic exhausts,
Swansea Oxford 10
Plymouth 10 D 0.4 ** according to a report last year from
Portland 10 C 0.6 ** Cardiff
Scilly, St Mary’s 11 R 0.6 **
Tuesday Channel Islands CELTIC 9 the Department for Environment,
Shoreham 11 PC 0.0 0.1 A cloudy day across north Wales,
SEA Bristol London Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
southern Ireland and northern England.
Shrewsbury 11 S 0.0 0.0 Dry with sunny spells elsewhere. 10
Snowdonia 9 D 0.2 ** Southampton
The pollution from wood burning
Max 10C, min -5C 8 can be particularly bad on cold,
Southend 12 S 0.0 5.2 Exeter
South Uist 10 D 1.4 ** 5 Plymouth Brighton calm winter days. This is often when
Stornoway 8 D 2.0 0.0
Tiree 10 C 1.0 0.0
high pressure is in control and traps
Whitehaven 10 PC 0.2 0.4 5
9 cold stagnant air fairly close to the
CHANNEL 13
Wick 6 R 3.4 ** 13 ground, allowing pollution to build
Yeovilton 12 C 0.0 0.4
up. In London over the weekend of
10
General situation: A spell of rain and day with the risk of some patchy light morning with hazy sunny intervals. A January 21 to 22, stagnant air led to
The world 6
hill snow spreading southeastwards rain and drizzle, especially over the spell of rain will push southeastwards the worst particle pollution in the
All readings local midday yesterday
across Ireland and Scotland. Sunny high ground. Light to moderate west or during the afternoon. Moderate capital for six years, and perhaps
Alicante 15 S Madeira 18 PC 8 periods with the risk of some light southwesterly winds. Maximum southwesterly winds. Maximum most revealing was how some of the
Amsterdam 9 R Madrid 12 S rain and drizzle elsewhere. 11C (52F), minimum -2C (28F). 10C (50F), minimum -3C (27F).
Athens 12 PC Malaga 16 PC London, SE Eng, Cen S Eng, E Anglia, Lake District, NE Eng, IoM, Borders, Edinburgh and Dundee, Aberdeen, worst pollution was in the
Auckland 21 R Mallorca 16 PC residential suburbs of southwest
Wednesday E Mids, E Eng: Mostly dry with bright SW Scotland: A cloudy day with patchy Cen Highland, Glasgow, NW Scotland,
Bahrain 22 S Malta 15 PC
Bangkok 31 PC Melbourne 11 SH A dry and sunny day across England
spells. There is the risk of the odd spot light rain and drizzle. A spell of rain Moray Firth, NE Scotland, N Isles, London.
Barbados 28 PC Mexico City 24 S and Wales although there may be of light rain and drizzle from thick will spread southeastwards during Argyll: Outbreaks of rain spreading There is also a popular belief that
Barcelona 13 S Miami 28 B some slow to clear mist and fog cloud. Light westerly winds. Maximum the late afternoon. Light to moderate southeastwards through the day.
patches. Sunny periods with the risk of 11C (52F), minimum 0C (32F). southwesterly winds. Maximum 10C Fresh southwesterly winds veering to wood burning is good for the
Beijing 2 S Milan 13 S a shower in Ireland and Scotland.
Beirut 16 PC Mombasa 34 PC Wales, W Mids, SW Eng, NW Eng, (50F), minimum -3C (27F). westerly winds later. Maximum environment and is carbon neutral,
Max 8C, min -3C
Belgrade 6 PC Montreal -2 SN Cen N Eng: A dull and largely cloudy Republic of Ireland, N Ireland: A dry 10C (50F), minimum -4C (25F). because wood is a renewable
Berlin 7 SH Moscow 0 SN resource as trees can be replanted
Bermuda 21 SH Mumbai 32 S 5
Bordeaux 10 S Munich 6 B Tides Noon today and provide more wood. The
Brussels 10 B Nairobi 28 PC Tidal predictions. problem, though, is that when wood
Bucharest 6 S Naples 14 S Heights in metres 992
8
is burnt it releases CO2 back into the
Budapest 0 SN New Orleans 16 M Today Ht Ht
Buenos Aires 27 B New York 3 PC 5 Aberdeen 00:47 3.7 12:55 3.9 LOW 1000 atmosphere all at once, whereas it
HIGH
Cairo 17 PC Nice 15 PC Avonmouth 06:20 11.6 18:47 11.7 992 1008 takes decades or even centuries for
Calcutta 24 S Nicosia 16 PC Belfast 10:38 3.4 23:06 3.1 trees to absorb carbon from the air.
Canberra 16 B Oslo -4 SH 8 LOW
Cardiff 06:15 10.8 18:41 10.9
Cape Town 25 S Paris 9 D 04:52 5.0 17:18 4.8
1016 LOW However, it is not clear how local
Devonport
Chicago 0 S Perth 32 S Dover 10:41 5.9 22:57 6.2 960
LOW 968 authorities can enforce the new
Copenhagen 7 R Prague 6 B 1016 penalties for polluting wood-burning
Thursday Dublin 11:00 3.8 23:21 3.6 976
Corfu 14 PC Reykjavik 3 R
Largely cloudy with the risk of a few Falmouth 04:26 4.7 16:49 4.5 984 HIGH stoves, because tracing the sources
Delhi 21 S Riga -1 B
spots of light rain and drizzle across Greenock 11:49 3.4 --:-- -- HIGH
Dubai 26 S Rio de Janeiro 31 B
Ireland and Scotland. Dry with lengthy 11:08 3.7 23:28 3.7
992
1024 Cold front of the pollution is near impossible.
Dublin 11 B Riyadh 16 S Harwich
sunny spells elsewhere. 1032 Warm front More likely, this is more of a wake-
Faro 16 S Rome 13 S Holyhead 09:52 5.2 22:13 5.0 1024
Max 10C, min -4C Occluded front up call to warn about the pollution.
Florence 11 DU San Francisco 12 C Hull 05:33 6.4 17:44 6.8
Frankfurt 10 DU Santiago 32 S Leith 02:02 4.9 14:17 5.0 Trough
Geneva 7 S São Paulo 28 PC Liverpool 10:36 8.5 22:57 8.4
Gibraltar 15 PC Seoul 0 S 5 London Bridge 01:01 6.3 13:22 6.6 Highs and lows Hours of darkness
Helsinki -3 PC Seychelles 29 PC
Synoptic situation
Lowestoft 09:16 2.3 21:07 2.4 24hrs to 5pm yesterday Aberdeen 17:12-07:30
Hong Kong 21 PC Singapore 29 B Milford Haven 05:38 6.2 17:58 6.2 A weak cold front will slowly Belfast 17:37-07:35
Honolulu 27 PC St Petersburg -5 SN push southeastwards across Warmest: Shoeburyness, 13.3C
10 Morecambe 10:47 8.5 23:07 8.4 Coldest: Aonach Mor, -2.3C Birmingham 17:28-07:12
Istanbul 7 B Stockholm -4 S
7 Newhaven 10:31 5.9 22:58 6.1 Scotland and Ireland into Wettest: Cassley, Cardiff 17:36-07:14
Jerusalem 15 PC Sydney 28 S
Newquay 04:30 6.2 16:49 6.2 northwest England and Wales Sutherland, 18.2mm Exeter 17:40-07:13
Johannesburg 24 B Tel Aviv 15 PC bringing a spell of rain. High Sunniest: Shoeburyness,
Oban 05:01 3.5 17:32 3.6 Essex, 5.2hrs* Glasgow 17:26-07:33
Kuala Lumpur 27 R Tenerife 20 PC pressure situated to the south Liverpool
8 Penzance 04:03 5.0 16:22 4.9 17:29-07:20
Kyiv ** ** Tokyo 5 B of the British Isles will bring
18 PC 6 B Portsmouth 10:45 4.2 23:16 4.3 Sun and moon London 17:24-07:02
Lanzarote Vancouver a moist southwesterly airflow For Greenwich Manchester 17:26-07:17
Las Palmas 19 PC Venice 9 S Shoreham 10:40 5.5 23:07 5.7 Sun rises: 07.33
The Times weather Southampton 00:34 3.9 09:47 4.0
to southern and eastern Newcastle 17:18-07:19
Lima 22 B Vienna 8 PC Sun sets: 16.54
England leading to often cloudy Moon rises: 15.12 Norwich 17:15-07:00
Lisbon 14 S Warsaw 1 PC page is provided Swansea 05:38 8.4 17:59 8.4
conditions with the risk of Moon sets: 08.03 Sun Penzance 17:50-07:20
Los Angeles 19 B Washington 4 B Tees 03:03 4.8 15:17 5.1
18 S 7 PC
by Weatherquest some occasional drizzle. Full Moon: February 5 Sheffield 17:23-07:13
Luxor Zurich Weymouth 05:50 1.8 18:27 1.7
78 Saturday February 4 2023 | the times

Register
Obituaries

The Rev John Collins

Anglican clergyman who mentored Justin Welby and helped to lead the
Charismatic Renewal in the church after a ‘visitation by the Holy Spirit’
On a cold winter night at St Mark’s
Church, Gillingham, in 1963, the Rev
John Collins was falling asleep in his
pew when something remarkable
happened. The all-night prayer vigil
was petering out when suddenly, “I
found myself fully awake . . . full of
energy and very happy. And what was
happening to me was clearly being
experienced by everybody else. Some
were singing,” he said of what became
known as the “Night of Prayer”.
Collins said this “visitation of the
Holy Spirit” lasted three weeks and
transformed his rundown church and
young curates into catalysts for what
would become known as the
“Charismatic Renewal” in Britain.
Having come from a traditional high
Anglican background and served his
first curacy at All Souls, Langham
Place, learning old-school pulpit
preaching under the great theologian
John Stott and ministering to the
upper-crust medical community of
Harley Street, Collins admitted that
such an “outpouring of the Holy Spirit”
woman, whose struggles to conceive
were well known, gave birth nine
months later, the naysayers fell silent.
In turn Collins sent 40 of his flock to
California. One of them was a young oil
executive called Justin Welby who had
started attending the church with his
wife. Awarding Collins the Canterbury
Cross for services to the Church of
England in 2018, an emotional Welby
said: “You can’t tell John’s story without
first writing the history of the renewal
of the Church of England. He has been
one of the most profound influences on
my own life. My mentor. He is infallibly
courteous and kind. He stands firm on
his principles without antagonism (oh
that we could do with that today!). He
set the way for a generation of church
planters and those who simply went
forward for ordination confident in the
grace of God because of the example
they had seen in John.”
Collins had built an evening congre-
gation of about 1,000 and set HTB on its
studies as an ordinand at Ridley Hall,
Cambridge. He was senior curate to
Stott at All Souls from 1951 to 1957, but
grew tired of dealing with complaints
from wealthy women when candle wax
dripped on to their fur coats. He was
pleased to move to St Mark’s church,
Gillingham, a working-class parish.
There were 32 pubs within walking
distance of the church; many of their
habitués were persuaded out of them
by Collins.
Young ordinands who passed
through included David MacInnes and
David Watson, who would both go on
to become two of the great evangelists
in the UK in the 1970s. Collins had also
been a big influence on a young cricket-
er called David Sheppard, who would
go on to launch a Christian mission in
the East End while still playing for
England and would later become
Bishop of Liverpool. John Mumford,
father of Marcus Mumford (who would
found the band Mumford & Sons), was
another of Collins’s protégés who
would lead the Vineyard church move-

was alien to him.
Shortly afterwards he gave a talk to
ordinands at the Cambridge University
biblical studies library Tyndale House.
His task was to “buck them up” for their
ministries ahead. The night before, Col-
lins stayed awake fervently praying and
prophesying. The next day he drew
hard stares from senior clergy at what
was still a bastion of traditional
Anglicanism, when he explained to the
ordinands what had happened to him.
If he had been marked out for high
office, he was now distrusted by some at
Lambeth Palace for promoting what
they regarded as shocking and very
unAnglican liturgical practices. Collins
stayed his course to champion the
Charismatic movement that would
transform Christianity in Britain. “It
was one of the great surprises of 20th-
century Christianity,” Professor Diar-
maid MacCulloch writes in A History of
Christianity. “A holiness movement
sprang out of the teaching of the early
Methodists, proclaiming that the Holy
Spirit could bring an intense experience
of holiness or sanctification into the
everyday life of any believing Christian.”
Collins embraced the emotive
praying with joyous, fun-filled services
powered by “rock gospel” praise and
worship exemplified by the musical
Godspell. The movement would often
be sneered at as “happy-clappy”, while
others would decry encouragement to
“speak in tongues” (uttering words in
languages unknown by the speaker),
hold healing services and prophesy as
inauthentic and even dangerous.
In 1980 Collins was appointed vicar of
Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB) in South
Kensington, which had been a “society”
Anglican church with a robed choir and
matins service, but low attendance.
One of Collins’s first acts was to invite
John Wimber, a former rock musician
and leader of the flourishing Vineyard
church in California to visit. Collins was
terrified when Wimber held a healing
service at HTB, at which congregants
were encouraged to come forward and
offer their ailments to be prayed on.
The event was met with scepticism
from some congregants, but when a
Collins fully embraced emotive prayer
way to becoming one of the largest con-
gregations in the Church of England,
with many influential metropolitans,
including media creatives, fashion
models, bankers and lawyers.
From this base, Collins laid the
groundwork for taking over struggling
church communities and building new
ones based on an evangelical style of
worship — an idea for which Lambeth
Palace required considerable persua-
sion. The first church plant took place
at St Mark’s, Battersea Rise, in 1985 and
plants would go on to renew “failing”
parishes all over the country over the
next four decades.
One of his protégés was
the cricketer and future
bishop David Sheppard
John Theodore Cameron Bucke
Collins was born the youngest of two
children in Falmouth in 1925 to Harry
and Mary Collins. Harry was a retired
Anglican clergyman who was deputy
headmaster of Falmouth Grammar
School. Until the age of ten John was
schooled at home by his father, who
taught him Greek and Latin. The child
went on to Haileybury and read classics
at Clare College, Cambridge. His
degree was interrupted by the war, dur-
ing which he served in the RAF. He
ended up in Canada training recruits to
fly in an old Tiger Moth.
After the war Collins completed his
ment in Britain for some 20 years.
Collins had married Diana Kimpton,
an actress, in 1955. During their court-
ship they had attended a London rally
held by the American evangelist Billy
Graham. She would put on drama pro-
ductions in church, as Collins moved
away from traditional preaching, and al-
so train Collins’s curates in public speak-
ing. She died in 2013. He is survived by
their children, Dominic and Richenda.
From 1971 Collins served at the semi-
rural parish of Canford Magna in
Dorset, but led regular missions to
London, including the “Leap Step
Forward” campaign at HTB, which
planted the seeds of its rebirth as a
Charismatic evangelical church.
He invented what he called the
“evangelistic supper party” at which
members of his community were
encouraged to overcome their qualms,
invite friends to dinner and hold discus-
sions about the meaning of life over a
glass of wine. It became a highly effec-
tive method of evangelising to the chat-
tering classes of Kensington and its
affluent surrounds. The suppers were a
vital part of the introduction to Christ-
ianity course, Alpha, which had been
launched at HTB in 1977 and would
grow into a global phenomenon.
When he was due to leave HTB in
1985, Collins made the unusual step for
a senior clergyman of staying on for five
years as an assistant curate to ensure
continuity of mission, while graciously
ceding authority to the new vicar, Sandy
Miller. At the same time he served as
area dean of Chelsea and Prebendary
of St Paul’s Cathedral. After Collins’s
retirement in 1990, his work would be
carried on by Nicky and Pippa Gumbel.
He continued to study the Bible in
Greek. Aptly, his favourite verse re-
mained “Rejoice in the Lord Always”
(Philippians, iv, 4). Ironically, for a man
some deemed responsible for tambou-
rines in church, Collins was an accom-
plished classical organist who played
every day until the end of his life.
The Rev John Collins, Anglican
clergyman, was born on August 25, 1925.
He died on December 8, 2022, aged 97
Paco Rabanne
Maverick fashion designer who became known
for his metallic ensembles and space-age designs
If Paco Rabanne was hard to define as
the “enfant terrible” of Paris fashion
who went on to create the world’s
bestselling aftershave, his multifarious
philosophical pronouncements did not
add clarity.
The self-taught designer had shot to
international fame in the 1960s by help-
ing to craft jewellery for Dior, Givenchy
and Balenciaga before founding his
own fashion house in 1966. He then
brought a space-age futurism to the
fusty classicism of Paris’s haute couture
scene, shocking the city’s fashion estab-
lishment with geometric dresses fabri-
cated from wood, plastic, metal and
paper and by being the first to feature
black models on the Paris catwalks.
Rabanne’s subversive futurism was
beamed with warp speed to an inter-
national audience through the cult
success of the 1968 intergalactic comic-
strip movie Barbarella, in which his
penchant for sexy, figure-hugging
outfits using innovative materials was
exemplified by the see-through mould-
ed plastic breastplate worn by Jane
Fonda in the title role.
Parisian traditionalists called him a
fraud. Coco Chanel declared: “He is not
a tailor, but a metallurgist.” However,
Audrey Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot and
Jane Birkin were among the glamorous
patrons who gave his creations credi-
bility by wearing them. Salvador Dalí
deigned to say that he was “the second
genius of Spain”, after Dalí himself.
Rabanne could certainly rival Dalí in
the surreality of some of his public
statements. He claimed to have been on
an “astral journey” as a seven-year-old,
saying later that he saw architectural
shapes and clothes on this journey.
These, it later transpired, were visual
memories from one of Rabanne’s past
lives. According to him, he had been an
ancient Egyptian priest responsible for
the murder of Tutankhamun; he had
also been a flying saucer pilot, a torturer
during the Spanish Inquisition and an
18th-century Parisian courtesan. Visi-
tors to his spartan studio would be sub-
ject to an inspection of their hands,
after which Rabanne would tell them
who they had been in their past lives.
The French press branded him
“Waco Paco”, but huge profits accrued
after the launch of Paco Rabanne Pour
Homme in 1973, which would become
the world’s bestselling men’s fragrance
for more than a decade.
Francisco Rabaneda Cuervo was
born in 1934 near San Sebastian in
northern Spain. His father was a
Republican colonel who fought against
Franco’s troops in the Spanish civil war,
but was captured and executed.
At the age of three Paco, with his
elder brother, two sisters, mother and
grandmother were stationed at a
refugee camp in Guernica when it was
attacked by German bomber aircraft
that obliterated the small town.
He recalled lying awake with a pencil
in his mouth because he thought that
would stop his ribcage from exploding.
Having survived the attack, the family
fled over the Pyrenees into France. His
mother, who had been the chief seam-
stress at Cristóbal Balenciaga’s couture
house in San Sebastian, found work at
his Paris fashion house.
After a childhood spent in Brittany,
Rabanne began ten years of studying
architecture at the École des Beaux-
Arts in Paris in 1951. Despite a lack of
formal training, he funded his course
and lifestyle by designing abstract
the times | Saturday February 4 2023
jewellery and fancy buttons made from
plaited leather, precious stones and
even the humble coffee bean, for
designers including Balenciaga and
Givenchy.
By the early 1960s he was mixing in
fashionable Parisian circles that includ-
ed the models and avant-garde design-
ers Christiane Bailly and Emmanuelle
Khanh. Rabanne’s “girls”, as he referred
to them, were only too happy to wear
his increasingly eccentric pieces,
including eyeshades mounted on a
headband and rhodoid earrings.
Swapping a needle and thread for a
pair of pliers, he then developed his
riveting technique for clothing. His first
dresses in metal and plastic were made
of small cubes of material linked
together like chain-mail and decorated
with pearls and sequins.
In 1965 he opened a studio at 29 rue
du Caire and a year later he showed his
first full collection.
Not one to mislead his audience, Ra-
banne called his opening show “12
unwearable dresses in contemporary
materials”, setting down his design
manifesto as well as his commitment to
innovation over commercialism. One
of the outfits included a metal skirt that
weighed 32kg (71lb) and some of the
dresses that were later worn by Bardot
and Elizabeth Taylor.
Set to the modern tones of Pierre
Boulez’s Le marteau sans maître, and
with the hair done by Vidal Sassoon,
Rabanne shocked the rich dowagers of
the traditionally haute couture crowd
with almost-naked black models who
were barefoot because he did not have
enough money for shoes.
In 1966 Rabanne, the pioneer of
throwaway fashion, created a disposa-
ble dress made of soft, fireproof paper.
Drawing on his architectural back-
ground, he did away with sewing,
preferring to fix the dress together with
a specially adapted edger for architects’
plans. Perhaps the pinnacle of instant
fashion, each dress took only three
minutes to make.
Sold in envelopes, he planned for
them to be stocked in vending
machines at airports and stations.
From here his ideas spread to moulded
dresses, knitted fur and aluminium
jerseys, and in 1995 Rabanne designed
and made a dress from concrete.
Designing the costumes for Fonda in
Barbarella may have created a fantasy
for a generation of adolescent boys, but
Rabanne also averred that using such
materials liberated women as warriors,
needing to affirm their desire for
emancipation.
That year, with the Barcelona-based
Puig family, he launched his lucrative
fragrances. Rabanne’s first female scent
was Calandre, in 1969, but his most
successful venture in this field was Paco
Rabanne pour Homme. In July 1984 it
refreshed the parts that other sellers of
scent could not reach when Playboy
magazine included an insert of the
luxury scent that momentarily dis-
tracted its readers.
Three years later the Puig family
took over the fashion label, having
worked with Rabanne on his lucrative
fragrances since 1968.
Fashion and fragrance aside, Rab-
anne was probably surprised that he
Rabanne in 1978 and, above, with one
of his trailblazing dresses that
shocked the fashion establishment but
were loved by Jane Fonda, below
lived so long, considering he predicted
the end of the world would have ended
in 1999. Fancying himself as something
of a soothsayer, Rabanne was given to
making paranormal claims: he thought
that a Third World War would start in
1998 and that the Russian space station
Mir would fall on Paris in 1999. He was
convinced that the Antichrist would
arrive in 2005 and Rabanne repeatedly
preached about the golden age of
Aquarius, beginning in 2030 and last-
ing for another 2,000 years.
An intense and softly-spoken man,
Rabanne wrote and lectured extensive-
ly about his paranormal philosophy.
His first book, Trajectoire, published in
1991, told the story of his first astral
voyage. Other titles included End of
Time and Journey From One Life to
Salvador Dalí deigned
to call Rabanne ‘the
second genius of Spain’
Another, both of which told of his own
paranormal experiences.
Rabanne, who never married and
professed to live “like a monk”,
remained a frugal and disciplined man.
For most of his life he lived in rented
accommodation, gave away a good
proportion of his earnings — “I did not
need it” — and did not smoke, drink or
go to nightclubs.
Rabanne wore simple Maoist suits,
never learnt to drive, had few posses-
sions and lived for his work.
Few designers were so adamant in
their refusal to conform to fashion
industry expectations, but Rabanne
understood that was key to his success.
Speaking to students at the La Croix-
Rouge high school in Brest in 2010, he
told them: “Not everyone can be a star.
You have to know how to be smart. The
main thing is to talk about yourself, to
differentiate yourself from others.
Never copy.”
Paco Rabanne, fashion designer, was born
on February 18, 1934. He died on
February 3, 2023, aged 88
‘After everything,
we’ve made it here’
Marriages and engagements
Page 80
Mark Stanley Price
Zoologist and conservationist who pioneered
projects for reintroducing animals to the wild
In Oman the Arabian oryx, a white
antelope with black markings, is cele-
brated as an elegant creature. It was
natural in the late 1970s that the Sultan
of Oman should inquire from his
environmental adviser how the oryx
were doing. On being told they had
been extinct in the wild since 1972, the
sultan resolved to set up, and fund, a
reintroduction programme.
To run the project, Mark Stanley
Price, a member of an ecological con-
sultancy in Nairobi, was recommended.
Stanley Price had the right background:
he had a DPhil from Oxford University
on the feeding ecology of Coke’s
hartebeest in Kenya and was research-
ing another antelope native to east
Africa, the fringe-eared oryx.
The Worldwide Fund for Nature was
asked to help with a feasibility study and
the Jiddat al Harasis, a limestone plateau
in central Oman, was deemed a
suitable location — the last-
known wild oryx had been
killed in this region,
some 50km south of Ja-
aluni, a sandy depres-
sion with trees and
grasses in an other-
wise flat, stony desert.
In 1979 a camp was
set up at Jaaluni, an
eight-hour drive from the
capital Muscat, consisting
of a laboratory and a tented
camp for the wildlife rangers from
the Harasis Bedouin tribe. In due course,
five Arabian oryx from the San Diego
Wild Animal Park, California, arrived in
Muscat. From there the Sultan’s royal
flight conveyed them to Jaaluni. The
oryx were placed in a kilometre-square
enclosure in which one corner was taken
up with pens hung with netting draped
in alfalfa, a plant that has been grown as
feed for livestock for hundreds of years.
The idea was that as the oryx gently
pulled at the alfalfa they would acclima-
tise themselves to the desert ahead.
On January 31, 1982, after the arrival
of more animals from the US and a few
births and deaths in the Oman popula-
tion, 12 oryx were released into the wild.
Over 15 years the herd grew to number
more than 500. Some oryx were fitted
with radio collars before release and
were tracked by rangers from the
Harasis tribe. Stanley Price received
the distinguished Order of Oman.
He and his twin brother Nicholas
were born in York in 1947. They were
raised in Wharfedale, Yorkshire, the
sons of Peter, a barrister with a passion
for wildlife, and Tessa (née Pownall),
who died a few months after their birth.
In 1950 Peter married Margot
Hebditch, a war widow
with a son, Charles,
and together they
had a daughter,
Amelia.
After Swan-
bourne House in
Buckinghamshire,
Stanley Price went
on to Winchester
College and then
Pembroke College,
In the wild the
Arabian Oryx
had been extinct
79
Oxford, to study zoology. In 1968 he
took part in an Oxford expedition to
Kenya to search for the rare forest
antelope. The experience ignited his
interest in Africa. In 1976 in Kenya at a
bush wedding he met Karen Bell, who
was researching palaeo-anthropology
at the National Museum of Kenya, and
they married four years later, raising two
daughters, Tessa, a charity fundraiser,
and Freya, an environmental communi-
cations officer.
The success of the oryx project, made
widely known through Stanley Price’s
publication in 1989 of Animal Reintro-
ductions: The Arabian Oryx in Oman,
was the springboard for the Reintro-
duction Specialist Group of the Inter-
national Union for Conservation of
Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Com-
mission, which Stanley Price founded
in 1988 and chaired until 2000.
For IUCN he drew up Guide-
lines for Reintroductions;
while drafting the manual,
now translated into
seven languages, he
consulted with some
300 conservationists
around the world. The
guidelines are still used
as a code of best prac-
tice in many countries,
including the US and
Scotland.
In 1987 Stanley Price re-
turned to Nairobi to be director of
operations for the African Wildlife
Foundation, developing a strategy for
field projects across the continent. In
2001 he became the chief executive of
the Durrell Wildlife Conservation
Trust in Jersey. There his projects
included reintroducing the pink pigeon
to Mauritius and protecting species
under threat of extinction in Madagas-
car, India and Brazil.
In his later years, appointed to the
Wildlife Conservation Research Unit of
Oxford University, he did further work
for the IUCN. His interest in rewilding
led him to plant more than 400 native
trees at his home in Oddington in the
Cotswolds. In 2017 he was awarded the
Zoological Society of London’s award for
conservation innovation.
Despite working in a field beset with
challenges, Stanley Price re-
mained an optimist. When his
daughters asked if they could
hold a small music festival in
the garden and field that he
and Karen had so carefully
rewilded, the answer was an
immediate “yes”. His Sun-
day-morning eco-tour be-
came a highlight of three
ensuing festivals, with
almost 100 per cent
attendance from festi-
val-goers. It was where
Stanley Price was in his ele-
ment: indulging his passion
for nature and engaging
others with his enthusiasm.
Mark Stanley Price, conservationist,
was born on November 16, 1947. He
died of prostate cancer on
December 13, 2022, aged 75
obituaries@thetimes.co.uk
80
Readers’ Lives
Marriages and engagements
‘After everything, we’ve made it here’
Claire Sharp, 54, a director of
customer services, and Graham
Russell, 54, a forester, were married
on October 8, 2022, at Can Curreu in
San Carlos, northern Ibiza
It was a Newcastle United match that
eventually brought Claire and
Graham together. She is a season
ticket-holder and he remembers her
emerging into view wearing a long
white coat against her dark hair. “She
just looked absolutely stunning,” he
says.
“It more or less blew my mind
away,” says Graham, who had been
given his ticket by a friend and was in
the next seat. “I didn’t give the
football much attention.”
They had known one another in
their twenties as part of the same
social group in Whitley Bay. They
chatted throughout the match and
went for a drink afterwards.
Reminiscing about the earlier days
of when they would see each other
out, Claire recalls: “Graham was
always charming and very polite. He
would always look out for you.”
They were both in relationships at
the time, but liked the same house
music. Graham recalls her caring
attitude and how easily he could talk
to her. After her divorce, she moved
to the north Pennines and was
working as a director of customer
services.
Claire was initially cautious as
Graham pursued her after their
reunion at St James’ Park stadium in
2004. “She kept me on my toes,” he
says. They met a few times for drinks.
“We fell quite quick,” she says. “I
think we knew early on that it was
the real deal.”
They went on a trip to Edinburgh
and, within a few months, Graham,
who is now a forester in the north
Pennines, moved in with Claire. “It
felt like it was meant to be,” she says.
They would go camping and fell-
walking. “He is super tidy, which is a
tick in any girl’s box,” she says. “I
think we’re both quite calm. I’m
super-optimistic. Graham can be a bit
doom and gloom.”
He describes Claire as
understanding and a great listener.
“She is the most beautiful person in
every aspect,” he says. “She really is
my world.”
In 2005, they rented a crofter’s
cottage in Applecross, in the
Highlands, to see in the new year.
They both had colds and stayed in on
Hogmanay rather than go to the local
pub. They were in their pyjamas on
the sofa when Graham nervously
proposed on one knee with a ring at
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Claire and Graham married at a spa hotel in the hills of northern Ibiza, where they
have often holidayed. Two months earlier, she learnt that her cancer had returned
midnight. “I had no idea,” says Claire.
He had predicted that she would want
to call friends and family, and had
collected 20 pence pieces for the
payphone. They bought wedding
magazines and looked at venues, but
it was another 17 years before they got
married. “Life took over,” she says.
50%
discount for
subscribers
After two rounds of IVF that did not
work, they settled down with two
rescue dogs, Angel and Alfie. They
now have Hugo, a Jack Russell, and
Star, a Hungarian vizsla.
In September 2019, Claire had
bowel cancer diagnosed. She had
surgery and chemotherapy during the
pandemic before getting the all-clear.
“It makes you put everything into
context,” she says. They wanted to
celebrate their love and life, and
booked to get married at Can Curreu,
a spa hotel in the hills of northern
Ibiza, where they have holidayed for
the past 12 years.
They set a date for last October and
invited 85 guests. Two months before
their wedding, Claire was told that the
cancer had recurred and advanced.
“That was a real shock,” she says. She
had a stoma fitted and, five days
before the wedding, sought a second
opinion from an oncologist at the
Christie Hospital in Manchester.
“He explained how serious it was
and we had gone fully prepared to
cancel the wedding,” she says. “He
was like: ‘No, you’re going’.” The plan
was for Claire to start treatment on
their return from Ibiza.
She bought the first dress she tried
on and kept it from Graham to
surprise him on the day. Her two
nieces and great-niece were
bridesmaids. Graham’s two best men
have been his friends since their
twenties. Claire felt poorly on the
morning of the wedding but managed
to rally. Etta James’s At Last played as
she walked alone up the aisle on the
terrace for the 4pm ceremony. “She
took my breath away,” says Graham.
They had written their own vows and
Claire’s two nephews gave readings.
“There were some really funny
moments,” she says. “I was running
on fumes.”
Drinks were served afterwards on
the terrace at sunset, followed by a
sit-down wedding breakfast. The
couple enjoy kitchen discos and
Claire wanted a busy dancefloor.
Guests waved sparklers as the
newlyweds led the way with their first
dance to Sade’s Your Love is King.
“Wherever I am with Graham is
home,” says Claire, who is now having
chemotherapy. “We don’t take life too
seriously unless you have to, but we
have learnt that it is very precious,
and it’s for living. He looks after me
incredibly well.
“I am more in love with Graham
now. It keeps growing. When you go
through adversity, it can really bring
you together.”
If you would like to feature a
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020 7782 5583, Mon-Fri, to discuss
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‘She has her father’s eyes
and face shape but her
mother’s lips and nose’
PIPPA SUZANNE DRACOTT WAS BORN ON MAY 28, 2020,
AT BROOMFIELD HOSPITAL IN CHELMSFORD, ESSEX,
TO CLAIRE, 30, AND GARY DRACOTT, 30
Saturday February 4 2023 | the times
New reader
Archer James Mouratsing was born
on January 13, 2023, at the Royal
Surrey County Hospital to Laura, 38,
and Dylan Mouratsing, 39
One of the
reasons why
Laura and
Dylan decided
to announce
Archer’s birth
in The Times
was so that
they could
publicly thank
the Royal
Surrey County
Hospital.
Though her pregnancy was a breeze,
Laura’s labour was more difficult: an
off-duty midwife spotted her when
she was struggling in the reception,
and she was quickly whisked into a
wheelchair before having to undergo
an emergency C section. “It was like
something from a film,” Dylan said.
“All of the staff were just so amazing.”
Archer’s name in Latin translates to
Sagittarius, and it is partially a nod to
Laura’s star sign. Her family call her
“LJ” so Laura also welcomed the idea
that Archer might acquire the similar
nickname of “AJ”.
At the moment, Archer resembles
his father far more than his mother;
he has inherited the famously long
legs of the Mouratsing family and is
quickly outgrowing the clothes and
presents he has been given. His
favourite, however — a cream crochet
blanket that his great-grandmother
had stitched before her death in 2020,
in the hope it would someday be used
by Laura and Dylan for a great-
grandchild — seems to have survived
the test of time.
When he is not wrapped up in his
blanket, Archer has enjoyed being
taken on crisp, wintry walks in his
pram in nearby Stoke Park; last week
he spotted his first ducks. They are
also looking forward to taking him to
visit both his Irish family and his
relatives in Mauritius, and in the
nearer future are planning on having
a garden party in the summer when
they will host a “naming ceremony”,
as opposed to having Archer
christened. While they will teach him
about his Irish, Mauritian and British
heritage, they are eager for him to
forge his own path through the world.
“We don’t know what he’s going to be,
and we aren’t going to be pushy
parents,” says Dylan. “Our job is
to let him grow into whoever he
wants to be.”
the times | Saturday February 4 2023
Remembering loved ones
Old-school
newspaper
journalist in
east Africa
William McAteer, 95
It was an off-the-cuff suggestion in
the offices of the East African
Standard in Nairobi in the mid-1950s
that set the journalist William
McAteer on a decades-long
association with an archipelago of
islands in the Indian Ocean. Working
as a news sub-editor at the British-
owned paper, Bill, as he was known,
was told that he was due a holiday.
Someone mentioned the Seychelles, a
1,000-mile journey by cargo ship
from Mombasa.
The venture would lead within
three years to marriage to a
Seychelloise and almost half a
lifetime’s worth of research into the
islands’ history. In a series of self-
published books from the 1980s
onwards, Rivals in Eden, Hard Times in
Paradise and To Be A Nation, Bill
covered the arrival of French settlers
on the islands in 1770 through to its
period as a British crown colony and
then independence in 1976. More than
30,000 copies were sold.
The last of the four, Another Story,
a politically sensitive account of the
coup d’état of 1977 and the events that
led to the election of the opposition
party leader as president in 2020, was
published last year. Bill launched the
book in May at State House, the
official residence of Wavel
Ramkalawan, said president, and
presented him with a copy. In January
last year Bill was appointed MBE.
While in the 1970s William bought
land and later built a couple of houses
in the Seychelles, much of his
working career was spent in
continental east Africa. He arrived in
Plain-speaking, popular Irish singer who tried for Song for Europe
Eleanor Keenan, 75
Standing proud, wide blue Irish eyes
fixed on her audience, the big band
singer Eleanor Keenan adored her
role on stage, and the audience
adored her back. In an uncommonly
long career for a singer, of more than
40 years, she used her rich tones to
caress tunes such as Cole Porter’s
What Is This Thing Called Love? and
other popular melodies such as Sway
(Cha Cha Cha). She fronted the Syd
Lawrence Orchestra, the Len Phillips
Big Band and the like, her strong
voice — and personality — an equal
match for the supporting trumpets,
trombones, saxophones and drums.
The longevity of Eleanor’s career
owed not a little to a hard-won grit,
and while she could have audiences in
the palm of her hand — and
struggled to make it to the bar in the
Nairobi in 1955, finding the region a
welcome respite from postwar
Britain. Over the ensuing 25 years
in Africa he held positions on the
Tanganyika Standard, the Mombasa
Times and the Uganda Argus, the last
two as editor.
A quintessential old-school
newspaper journalist, Bill was never
more at home than bashing away on
a typewriter, taking notes in Pitman
or editing bloated copy. He was
always eager for a scoop and was a
dab hand with his Rolleiflex camera.
His assignments were hardly dull.
In 1964 he was one of the first
journalists on the scene at the Colito
Barracks in Dar es Salaam when the
Tanganyika Rifles mutinied for the
dismissal of the British officers; five
years later he reported on the
assassination attempt of Apollo
Milton Obote, the Ugandan
leader; in 1966 he questioned General
Idi Amin after the storming of the
Kabaka’s palace by the Uganda army;
and in 1974 he was a witness to the
carnage of the Lufthansa 747 crash
near Nairobi.
Bill’s career in east Africa
culminated in 1977 with the founding
of the first school of journalism in
sub-Saharan Africa, at the University
of Nairobi, where he was a senior
lecturer and director.
A thirst for adventure may have
stemmed from a somewhat dispiriting
start in life. Born in 1927 in Glasgow,
Bill was raised on a council estate in
Possil, one of the poorest parts of the
city, where the family of four shared a
house with his unmarried aunt. His
father, Hugh, left the city only once,
to serve in the First World War, and
spent the rest of his working life at
Eleanor Keenan in the 1970s, a decade
on from making a hit single in Ireland
interval for the numbers of people
keen to talk to her — she was well
aware of being in a profession largely
composed of men. When touring at
the age of 18 she had a protective nun
as chaperone. In due course Eleanor
William McAteer on the Tanganyika Standard in 1960. Top left, Another Story, the last of his four books on the history of
Seychelles. It includes politically sensitive accounts of the 1977 coup d’état and the run up to the 2020 presidential election
Hunter, Barr & Co, Glasgow’s
department store, rising to be a buyer
of drapery. His mother, Jean (née
Henderson), was a housewife.
From the age of nine William
showed a fascination for journalism,
designing layouts and writing stories.
His parents scraped enough money to
put him in the fee-paying school
Allan Glen’s, in the Townhead district,
and there he discovered an aptitude
for languages. He went on to study
Swahili, Arabic, Swedish and Italian
and became fluent in French.
When he was 17 he spent a brief
period as a copy boy on the Herald in
Glasgow, working on the phone,
taking down in shorthand the news as
it was called in and making cups of
tea for the sub-editors. In September
1945 he was called up to join the
Highland Light Infantry as a second
lieutenant stationed in Thessaloniki,
northern Greece.
For the boy from Possil, life among
gained confidence and while she
learnt to tease with the best of them,
those in the business were made
aware not to cross the line with her.
A singer from her teenage years in
Belfast, when she and a friend would
perform at local venues, Eleanor
made a name for herself with
orchestras such as the city’s Geoff
Reynolds Orchestra. Her biggest
break came in the early 1960s with a
hit single in Ireland, Cuando salí de
Cuba. It led to appearances on
national TV and she left to pursue a
career in London.
She performed with the Jonny
Joseph Five at the Café de Paris in
Piccadilly and got slots as the backing
singer and support act on tour with
Tom Jones and other big names of
the 1960s and 1970s, including
Charles Aznavour, Engelbert
Humperdinck, Leo Sayer and Shirley
Bassey. The TV cameras liked her and
the officers, he said, opened his eyes
to wider intellectual and social
horizons and he returned to Britain
intent on getting a degree, much to
the chagrin of his father, who
did not see the value of it. Four
years later he graduated with an MA
in history and economics from
Glasgow University.
In 1958 Bill married Juliette Mellon,
the Seychelloise-French daughter of a
coconut planter and a teacher, whom
he met in his first three days in the
Seychelles. They raised three
children: Ian, who runs an advertising
agency in Edinburgh; Jean, a retired
teacher; and Brigitte, who works in IT
in Sydney. Juliette died in 2011.
For a few dismal years after the
climate and colour of east Africa, Bill
and Juliette lived in a small flat in
Brighton and Bill worked for Reuters
and the Portsmouth News.
When a job as the deputy editor of
the Gulf Times came up he leapt at it
she sang regularly on Pebble Mill at
One and Saturday Night at the
Mill and was the main singer on
Come Dancing.
In 1979 she was put forward for the
Song for Europe competition to
represent the UK in the Eurovision
Song Contest. Frustratingly, a strike
was called on the day and the show
was never broadcast. For Eleanor,
who was relying on her stage
presence in a rendition of Roger
Whittaker’s Call my Name, it was a
blow when the songs were played in
their recorded versions on Terry
Wogan’s radio show the next day. She
lost out to Mary Ann by Black Lace
and came third.
Eleanor was the youngest of four
children born in 1947 to Mathew
Nodwell, a southern Irish army
captain, and Moya (née Christian)
from northern Ireland. She was raised
in Belfast with a two-year posting to
81
Readers’ Lives
and was in Qatar until his retirement
in 1994.
Standing only 5ft 5in, Bill had a
determined nature — as a teenager
he once cycled the 300 miles from
Glasgow to Birmingham to meet a
girl he liked the look of. In Tanzania
he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro; he
also learnt to ride, to sail and restore
boats and, at the age of 55, to ski.
Yet at heart Bill remained a modest,
infinitely curious and popular figure,
who may have warmed to adventure
but shunned the limelight. In 2016, at
the age of 89, he was finally
naturalised as a Seychellois.
If you would like to commemorate
the life of a relative, friend or
colleague, call 020 7782 5583 to
discuss the content and cost, or
email: readerslives@thetimes.co.uk.
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Kaduna, Nigeria. Singing was her aim
but her father insisted that she learn a
trade, too. For a couple of years she
did a hairdressing apprenticeship
before moving to a house in
Streatham, south London, that
belonged to her brother, a carpenter
on film sets. In 1985 she had Matt,
later a TV producer, but went on to
separate from his father.
Where Eleanor took comfort was in
the warmth of friendship, whether it
was bantering with the audience on
stage, organising theatre trips and
meals out with friends or preparing a
dinner for ten. Volunteering came
naturally to her generous nature and
she worked at the food bank and for
her local hospice. She may have been
a hard worker and quick to speak her
mind, but in a queue at a high street
bank she was also known to arrange a
coffee with a stranger before reaching
the cashier.
82
Register
Births, Marriages and Deaths
I’VE commanded you to be strong and
brave. Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged!
I am the LORD your God, and I will be there
to help you wherever you go.
Joshua 1.9 (CEV)
Bible verses are provided by the Bible
Society
Births
COWIN on 23rd January 2023 to George
(née French) and Phil, a daughter, Poppy
Primrose Loïs, who takes her second
middle name to honour her great aunt. A
granddaughter for Barbara in Walton on
Thames and Jennifer and Peter in
Melbourne. A sister for Bertie.
NEAVE on 16th January 2023 to Anna
(née Steadman) and Sebastian, a son,
Arthur Digby Roland, brother to Kit.
RALPH on 27th January 2023 to Lucy
(née Braid) and Peter, a daughter, Sophia
Charlotte, sister to Barnaby and Albert.
VICKERS-COLLINS on 30th January
2023 to Amy and Anthony, a son, Frederick
Edward.
Forthcoming Marriages
MR L.R. RODRIGUEZ TIJERINA
AND MISS H.C.M. CATTO
The engagement is announced between
Luis, elder son of Mr and Mrs Luis
Rodriguez of San Pedro, Monterrey, and
Holly, only daughter of Mrs Judith Catto
and the late Mr Robert Catto of Blackboys,
East Sussex.
MR A. G. ROSE
AND MISS S. S. DOWTY
The engagement is announced between
Alexander, elder son of Mr and Mrs
Christopher Rose of Shipton Moyne,
Gloucestershire, and Suzanne, daughter of
Mr George Dowty of Withington,
Gloucestershire, and Mrs Ann Dowty of
Winchcombe, Gloucestershire.
MR. T.W. KERRIDGE
AND MISS G.A. HAWKESWORTH
The engagement is announced between
Thomas, son of Mr and Mrs Mark Kerridge
of Blandford Forum, Dorset, and Georgia,
daughter of Mr and Mrs Mark
Hawkesworth of Malmesbury, Wiltshire.
MR. C.E. PERRETT
AND MISS O.J. PURSLOW
The engagement is announced between
Christopher, son of Jonathan and
Alexandra Perrett of Cheltenham, and
Olivia, daughter of Christian and Jayne
Purslow of Coombe Hill, Kingston-on-
Thames.
MR H.B. WALKER
AND MISS E.S. ROSENFELDER
The engagement is announced between
Harry, son of Dr Paddy Walker and Miss
Tania Slowe of Hampstead, London, and
Eliana, daughter of Dr and Mrs Alan
Rosenfelder of Stanmore, London.
MR L. GRAHAM
AND MISS L. DENNEY
The engagement is announced between
Lucinda, daughter of Colin and Janine
Denney, and Luke, eldest son of Jonathan
and Antonia Graham.
Deaths
BOWRING Clive John passed away
peacefully at home on 22nd January 2023,
aged 85. A beloved brother, cousin and
friend and a generous supporter of many
causes. Funeral service to be held at
Romsey Abbey on Friday 24th February at
12.30pm. Family flowers only please but
donations if desired to benefit Asthma and
Lung UK, Royal National Institute of Blind
People or The New Forest Heritage Trust
may be sent to AH Cheater Funeral
Directors, 122 The Hundred, Romsey, SO51
8BY or made online at
www.ahcheater.co.uk
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BURLISON John James Major 2nd KEO
Goorkha Rifles (Sirmoor). Died peacefully
on 23rd January 2023. Aged 82. Private
funeral. Memorial details in due course.
Donations in memory to Gurkha Welfare
Trust.
COFFEY Joseph George died peacefully
on 11th January. It is with great sadness
that the family of Joseph Coffey announce
his passing, at the remarkable age of 97.
Joe will be missed by his five children, 13
grandchildren and four great-
grandchildren.
EDMONDS William (Bill) died on 27th
January 2023, aged 91. Beloved companion
of Harry for 52 years. Funeral at St Mary’s
Church, Barnes, 12.30pm, 15th February.
EDWARDS, Christopher Noel died on 5th
December 2022, aged 82. Born 21st
December 1939 to Josephine Rosina (née
Gispert) and Frederic Alexander Edwards,
Chris was the youngest of four children. He
grew up in Forest Hill, south London, and
graduated from the Oratory. His publishing
career began in Toronto, and with Maclean-
Hunter Publishing in London. In 1974, Chris
cofounded Findlay Publications, becoming
editorial director of several magazines,
including Machinery, Modern Medicine,
Engineering Computers and New
Electronics. On retiring in 2002, he
fundraised for London Lighthouse. Chris
loved reading, bridge, opera and travel. He
is survived by his family, Anne and James
Edwards, Helen and Graham Elder, and
Claire Conville. A reception in London on
10th February will be followed by a burial
in Padstow, Cornwall. For condolences or
details: hongkonggraham@gmail.com
ELCOCK Thomas. Artist. Born in
Birkenhead on 27th September 1929.
Much-loved husband of Patricia, he died
peacefully at home, aged 93, on 24th
January 2023, surrounded by his family.
EVANS Sister Violet Katharine, passed
away peacefully at All Hallows care home
on 14th January 2023, aged 96. Formerly of
All Hallows convent, Ditchingham. Funeral
service will take place on Tuesday 21st
February 2023 at All Hallows Convent
Chapel, Ditchingham, at 2pm.
GORDON Tom Richard died on 13th
January 2023, aged 85. Formerly of
Luxembourg, died peacefully in hospital in
Northumberland. Dearly loved and sorely
missed partner of Pauline for nearly 34
years. Father of Mark and Louise,
grandfather of Charlie, Andrew, Lucas,
Dana and Jamie. Bopa to Joshua, Evan,
Finlay, Jacob and Eloise. Loved and
respected by Tim, Nick, Jim and Philly.
Heartfelt thanks to the ambulance crew
and all the staff of both Cramlington and
Wansbeck hospitals for the outstanding
care. Also thanks to Dr Visser and the
cardiology team and Dr Tania Chidiac in
Luxembourg.
GUNTON Brian, aged 88, died on 30th
January 2023. Loving father to Nicholas
and Jonathan. Dear uncle to Marieanne and
Noelle. Funeral service on Saturday 11th
February 2023 at 12pm at All Saints’
Church, Drinkstone. Inquiries: L Fulcher on
01284 754049.
JEBENS Patsy (née Gillies) on 7th January
2023 died peacefully at home with Viki and
Jonathan at her side. She will be sadly
missed.
LARMINIE Oliver Rupert Charles died
suddenly on 15th January 2023. Much-
loved husband of Victoria, father of
Thomas, Charles and Sophie. Private
funeral. Thanksgiving service to follow. No
flowers please but donations if desired to
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air
Ambulance.
LEVACK John William Edward died
peacefully on 29th January 2023, aged 63.
Much-loved father to Sophie and Edward,
father-in-law to Paula, grandfather to
William and brother to Corinna. Funeral
service at St Stephen’s Church, Bath, Friday
10th February, 2pm. All inquiries to
Clarkson’s Funeral Directors. Tel:
01225426822.
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LITCHFIELD David Robert Lorne died
peacefully on 18th January 2023, aged 79.
He will be greatly missed by his daughter
Summer, Caroline & Mukta and many
others.
LUMLEY Josephine Mary (née Harvey)
died peacefully on 31st January 2023, aged
90. Beloved wife of the late Richard
Lumley, so very dearly loved and will be
hugely missed by her seven children,
Sarah, Caroline, Astrid, John, Christopher,
Emma and Susie and her 27 grandchildren.
Funeral to be held at noon on Tuesday 7th
February at The Church of Our Most Holy
Redeemer and St Thomas More, Cheyne
Row, London SW3 5HS. Donations in her
memory, if wished to Dementia UK
www.dementiauk.org/get-involved/donate/
For all other inquiries please contact
Leverton & Sons Ltd, Funeral Directors:
0207 387 6075
PACK Eloise Elizabeth (née Skey) Died
peacefully 25th January 2023. Beloved wife
of Jimmy and much-loved mother to Nick,
Simon, Geoffrey, Charlie and Rosie. Adored
grandmother and great-grandmother.
Private cremation. Thanksgiving service at
St Nicholas’s Church, Wickham, Hampshire,
PO17 6HP on 18th April at 2.30pm. No
flowers please, but donations payable to
Royal Naval Benevolent Trust c/o Richard
Steel & Partners, Alderman House, 12-14
City Road, Winchester, SO23 8SD.
SYKES Michael died peacefully at home
on January 8th, aged 89. Beloved husband
of Julia. Adored father of Caroline and
Jonathan. Funeral at 2pm on Monday 27th
February at St Nicolas’, Chute.
WOODS Nancy Joan Cecilia (née Starling)
died peacefully on 22nd January, aged 97.
Wife of Captain H Guy Woods RM
(deceased), much-loved mother to Sara and
Henry and grandmother to Alexandra, Lucy
and James. Funeral service to be held at All
Saints’ Church, Crondall, on Friday 10th
February at 3pm.
Memorial Services
LEA Susan (née Greenwood) at St Peter’s
Parish Church, St Peter, Jersey, on 12th
May 2023 at 10.30am. Followed by
interment of Susan’s cremated remains in
the parish churchyard. Donations in lieu of
flowers, if desired, may be sent to Durrell
Wildlife Conservation Trust, c/o Judith
Freeman, Durrell, Les Augres Manor, La
Profonde Rue, Trinity, JE3 5BP, (Please
make cheques payable to: Durrell Wildlife
Conservation Trust) or alternatively by
contacting Judith on
Judith.freeman@durrell.org. All inquiries
to Pitcher & Le Quesne, Funeral Directors,
telephone 01534 733330 or email
enquiries@pitcherlequesne.com
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St Paul was not anti-women
— take a look at his ministers
Credo
Paula
Gooder
‘S
o what do you do?”
The simple opening
question that each
one of us will be
asked multiple
times at any normal social
gathering is one that fills me
with dread. Entirely
understandably, few people
are interested in the answer:
“I’m an expert in the writings
of St Paul.” Those that are
interested nearly all end up
asking me the same question:
what do I think about Paul’s
attitude to women? The
assumption that most make is
that Paul has a negative
attitude towards women and
that this makes my decision
to dedicate my life to studying
his writings mystifying.
What few people ever stop
to question is whether they
are right to maintain quite so
confidently that Paul’s
attitude to women was solely
negative. The reason for this
assumption about Paul is a
few well-known passages in
which he appears to prescribe
the role of women both in
church and at home,
encouraging them into
silence and subservience. No
wonder the popular view of
Paul is of someone that 21st-
century women might wish to
avoid.
There is, however, a less-
explored perspective that
presents a rather different
picture. The most frequently
discussed passages about
women are those that seem to
lay down expectations about
what women typically —
what we might call women in
the abstract — may or may
not do.
These directions for women
do not name actual women;
instead, they give general
instruction.
There are, however, other
passages that depict real
women. These women lived in
the communities to which
Court Circular
Buckingham Palace
3rd February, 2023
The King was represented by Major
General Christopher Elliott (formerly
Colonel, The Royal Regiment of Wales,
24th/41st Foot) at the Funeral of
Lieutenant Colonel Gordon Amphlett
(formerly Regimental Sergeant Major,
The Royal Regiment of Wales, 24th/41st
Foot) which was held in Brecon
Cathedral this afternoon.
By command of The King, Mr
Alistair Harrison (Marshal of the
Diplomatic Corps) called upon His
Excellency Mr Umit Yalcin at 43
Belgrave Square, London SW1, this
morning in order to bid farewell to His
Excellency upon relinquishing his
appointment as Ambassador from the
Republic of Türkiye to the Court of St
James’s.
Saturday February 4 2023 | the times
Paul wrote. They met Paul,
learnt from him and, in some
cases, ministered alongside
him. Their lives, and the brief
mentions made of them
either in the Acts of the
Apostles or in Paul’s letters,
reveal a reality that differs
from many people’s
expectations.
It is easy to miss these
women because mentions of
them are often brief and
superficial. The story of the
New Testament, after all,
focuses on the main heroes of
the story, people like Peter or
Paul, but if you look carefully,
it is possible to glimpse the
lives of other less well-known
characters — men as well as
women. People of faith who
lived out their faith, quietly
but persistently. In recent
years these other stories have
fascinated me. Stories of the
supporting characters in the
New Testament and
especially of women, even if
only mentioned in passing. If
you pay close attention to
these fleeting references a
very different picture begins
to emerge.
Among others, we meet
Prisca (also known as
Priscilla) who with her
husband Aquila, though
Prisca is usually mentioned
first, travelled from Rome to
Corinth (Acts xviii.1), from
Corinth to Ephesus (Acts
xviii.18-19) and, we presume,
from Ephesus to Rome
(Romans xvi.3), if not further.
As they went, they
proclaimed the good news
about Jesus Christ and
corrected the doctrine of
those like Apollos, who had
not fully understood its
message. Or we meet Phoebe,
mentioned in Romans xvi.1-2,
who was a “deacon” of the
church in one of Corinth’s
ports, Cenchreae, who was a
wealthy patron of many
people including Paul and
who, scholars largely agree,
took the letter of Romans to
Rome.
We also meet Euodia and
Syntyche in the letter to the
Philippians (iv.2) whom Paul
encourages to “be of the
same mind in the Lord”. This
was important, Paul said,
St James’s Palace
3rd February, 2023
The Earl of Wessex, Patron, the Tennis
and Rackets Association, this evening
attended the Seacourt Silver Racquet
Fiftieth Anniversary Dinner at Seacourt
Tennis Club, 20 Victoria Avenue,
Hayling Island, and was received by His
Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of
Hampshire (Mr Nigel Atkinson).
The Countess of Wessex,
accompanied by His Majesty’s
Ambassador to the Kingdom of the
Netherlands (Her Excellency Mrs
Joanna Roper), this morning visited the
International Commission on Missing
Persons, Koninginnegracht 12, the
Hague, the Netherlands.
Her Royal Highness, Global
Ambassador, The Duke of Edinburgh’s
International Award Foundation, today
attended a Reception for young people
who have achieved the Gold Standard
in the Award, at the Residence of His
Majesty’s Ambassador to the Kingdom
of the Netherlands in the Hague.
The Countess of Wessex this
afternoon planted a tree for The late
Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in the garden
of the Residence of His Majesty’s
Ambassador to the Kingdom of the
Netherlands.
because they had struggled
alongside him for the sake of
the gospel, something that
implies that they worked with
him proclaiming the gospel in
Philippi or elsewhere. Then
there is Lydia, in Acts 16.11-40
who is reported in Acts to be
the first convert to
Christianity in what we might
now call the West. Paul had
been summoned to Greece
from Asia Minor (modern)
and the first person to meet
him and respond to his
message was Lydia, a dealer
in purple cloth who invited
him into her home.
As far as we can tell, Paul
encouraged and cared deeply
about the ministry of a range
of different women, so much
so that he was concerned, for
example, to encourage
Euodia and Syntyche to work
together once more after
what is often assumed to be a
disagreement.
The arguments about what
Paul meant when he spoke
about women will, no doubt,
continue onwards for many
years to come but I’m
interested in a different story.
I’m interested in what we can
know of the lives of actual
women. The women who
ministered alongside Paul as
he crisscrossed the
Mediterranean sharing his
passion about who Jesus
Christ was and what he came
to do. These women speak to
us with muted voices in the
New Testament but, with a bit
of time and attention, we can
discover a little more about
them.
We will never know what
Prisca and Phoebe, Euodia,
Syntyche and Lydia made of
the well-known and oft-cited
verses about women. What
we can know of their lives
and what they did, however,
suggests that we might want
to look again. Perhaps Paul’s
attitude towards women
wasn’t quite what we’ve
always assumed?
Dr Paula Gooder is canon chancellor
at St Paul’s Cathedral and the author
of Lydia, a historical novel about an
early convert to Christianity and
follower of St Paul, published by
Hodder and Stoughton, £16.99
Her Royal Highness later arrived at
London City Airport, London, from the
Netherlands.
Mr Alexander Stonor and Mrs Angus
Galletley were in attendance.
St James’s Palace
3rd February, 2023
The Princess Royal, Patron, the Royal
College of Midwives, this morning
visited Princess Anne Hospital at
University Hospital Southampton NHS
Foundation Trust, Coxford Road,
Southampton, and was received by
Major General James Balfour (Deputy
Lieutenant of Hampshire).
Her Royal Highness afterwards
attended a Reception at Southampton
Civic Centre, Civic Centre Road,
Southampton, to recognise
Southampton being awarded Lord
Mayoralty status as part of The late
Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations
and was received by His Majesty’s Lord-
Lieutenant of Hampshire (Mr Nigel
Atkinson).
The Princess Royal this afternoon
opened Linden House, Society of St
James, 44-46 Station Road, Woolston,
Southampton, and was received by
Professor Khalid Aziz (Deputy
Lieutenant of Hampshire).
the times | Saturday February 4 2023 83

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The Times Saturday Quiz Olav Bjortomt O Tempora! Crossword CCCLXXXIII by Aenigmatifex
A weekly crossword for the classically minded

1 Princess Grace Hospital is which

European principality’s only public
hospital?
20 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Clues, which may
be straight or
mildly cryptic,
always lead to
8 9
answers in Latin
2 Which Beatle (1940-80) sang: “Life
is what happens to you/ While
you’re busy making other plans”?
10 11

3 In which modern-day country

was the Battle of Waterloo fought
in 1815?
12 13 14

4 Which Nordic island-country has

32 volcanic systems currently
considered active? 15 16 17 18

5 Which comedian said: “’Ave it!” in

the 2002 “Ball Skills” TV ad for
John Smith’s bitter? 19 20

6 From 2015 to 2018, Bonnie

Langford played the role of
Carmel Kazemi on which TV soap? 21 22

3 Collection of ships; Caesaris ____

7 In the legend of Jason and
the Argonauts, harpies were
represented as birds with the faces 13 Victoria Beckham’s wedding
dress was a champagne-
Olympics was nicknamed the “Flying
Housewife”?
Across
1 Age, generation (8)
6 Taste or be wise - take your pick!
divisa in duas partes (Caes, Bellum
Civile, 3.101) (7)
of what? coloured strapless gown by which US (sing.) (4) 4 Amicus Androclis (3)
5 Self-governing townships; civitates,

8 David Bradley played the 15-

fashion designer?
19 Mink Nutcharut, of Thailand
is the reigning world women’s
8 Recupero, reficio (6)
9 Sequens Lucretium, de rerum qua? oppida (9)
6 You may all be, even back to front!
year-old Barnsley schoolboy Billy
Casper in which Ken Loach film? 14 Developed in 1971, the McGill
questionnaire is used to evaluate
champion in which sport? (6)
10 Portio, persona (4) (5)

9 Alisha Weir plays the title heroine

a patient experiencing what?
20 Which country’s national
symbol, the rooster of Barcelos,
11 Retirement, solitude; quies (8)
12 Themselves in market research
7 I drove through purple patch I
found at the end (7)
11 He looks up as cat’s upset (9)
in Netflix’s 2022 film adaptation of
which stage musical? 15 Which cathedral city is home
to the Novium Museum and
Pallant House Gallery?
is pictured?

Answers below right

company (5)
13 Multitudini aut populo sine
patribus (dat.) (5)
12 Suitable; aptus, opportunus (7)
14 Man on two legs, homo ____ (7)
16 Inside, at home (5)
10 The title “Duchess of Brabant”
is held by the heir apparent to
which country’s throne? 16 A key representative of Nordic
Classicism, which Swedish
Last week’s O Tempora! solution
15 Bearing conical fruit (fem. sing.) (8)
17 Biting, like the rain on Horace’s
monument (Odes 3.30.3) (4)
18 Approached as Glaucus did:
herbiferos ____ colles (Ovid Met 14.
architect designed Stockholm Public 19 She turns in covert itinerary (6) 9) (5)
20 Sacra, sancta (3)
11 American Prometheus is Kai
Bird and Martin Sherwin’s 2005
Library (1928)? 20 Senatoris, Iovis, parentis (6)
21 Employment you suspect might
biography of which US theoretical
physicist? 17 Who created the French
treasure hunt book On the Trail
of the Golden Owl with artist Michel
provide (4)
22 In passing, on the journey (abl.) (8)

12 Which English artist painted

Cornard Wood, near Sudbury,
Becker? Down
2 Locus in amphitheatro ubi
Suffolk (1748) and Elizabeth and Mary
Linley (1772)? 18 Which Dutch winner of four
golds at the 1948 London
gladiatores pugnabant (5)

Times Crossword No 28,518 Suko No 3717

Times Crossword No 28,518
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Across 2 3 Cat bell (3)
25 Success in returning what’s owed
1 Fall chasing runners in for furniture (4,3)
exploratory part of course (5,4) 27 Floating duck acquired by shop
9 10 6 Narrow beam in mine entrance for social worker (7)
(5) 28 Authentic English pulp (5)
9 Large expressions of doubts about 29 Polished, cut by editor then
terms of previous one-off payment specified another way (9)
11 12 13 (4,3)
10 Available support for remote Down
inland area (7)
11 Foreign currency Spanish gents 1 Flattens northern hills (5)
14 15 used (not ores) (3) 2 This person’s wearing red,
12 Court problem — ball out, feud exotically fur-trimmed (7)
16 developing (6,5) 3 One’s wanted to stay, heading
14 Iron lady’s soft hat (6) right down in fact (11)
17 18 19 20 15 Historic food platter for one 4 My family’s queer-headed, it’s
digging in (8) whispered (6)
21 17 Refinement expected of men at 5 Sneakers put pressure on boat
smart weddings? (8) crew crossing line (8) Place the numbers 1 to 9 in the spaces so
22 23 24 19 Huge flower one revered beside 6 Regularly shifty, lie (3) that the number in each circle is equal to
the Nile (6) 7 Revolving doors operate thus if all the sum of the four surrounding spaces,
22 Sexier rogue grabbing time to else fails (2,1,4) and each colour total is correct.
make up (11) 8 Switch round, and profit by Solution MindGames in Saturday Review
25 26 27 performances (4,5) Quiz answers 1 Monaco. 2 John Lennon
Solution No 28,517 13 Accomplished cricket side well — in the song Beautiful Boy (Darling
W I GW A M P R O L I F I C and truly defeated (8,3) Boy). 3 Belgium. 4 Iceland. 5 Peter Kay.
L I A A E A H 14 Grief, pint being spilt in joint (9) 6 EastEnders. 7 Women. 8 Kes. 9 Matilda
L L A N E L L I S T I N KO the Musical. 10 Belgium, as in Princess
28 29 Y D T N T D P
16 Flash old king’s formal supporter
(8) Elisabeth. 11 J Robert Oppenheimer.
DR OP S HO T J U D A I C
I I O T C N H 18 Make allowances, keeping it up 12 Thomas Gainsborough. 13 Vera Wang.
A P L UG HO L E G O with increasing rancour (7) 14 Pain. 15 Chichester. 16 (Erik) Gunnar
A N T E S E A PO OP Asplund. 17 Max Valentin — the pen
T H L E F T O V E R F
20 Transport engineers first to
name of Régis Hauser. 18 Fanny
B E I O O O C prepare for new job? (7) Blankers-Koen. She won the 100m,
OS S I F Y WA I N S C O T 21 Spooner’s to chuck out dismal 200m, 80m hurdles and 4x100m relay.
................................................................................................................................................... T P T N S E U sailor (6)
T R I PO D R A I L C A RD
19 Snooker. 20 Portugal.
............................................................................................................................................................................... O A F E E C S
24 Mum and daughter subdued (5) Concise Quintagram answers
............................................................................................................................................................................... MA N I F O L D RO O F E R 26 Extra Times edition’s leader (3) 1 Daze 2 Brazen 3 Sleazy 4 Stanza
............................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Razzmatazz.