Six great reads: Keir Starmer's human rights record, Jamie Lee Curtis on cosmetic surgery and the best of Euro 25
Due to Keir Starmer's background as a distinguished human rights lawyer, his supporters hoped that he would restore the UK's commitment to international law. Unfortunately, he is being blocked by a powerful man who has conflated protest with terrorism and called for musicians whose views he dislikes to be dropped from festival bills. That man is also named Keir Starmer. Over the past six months, Trilling has spoken to two dozen Labour insiders, former colleagues of the prime minister and leading human rights advocates in an attempt to pin down the shapeshifting PM.
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'At 66, I get to be a boss,' says Jamie Lee Curtis. That is very much the vibe of this interview, in which the actor shows up 'aggressively early' to the Zoom chat, opens up about her experience with addiction, and uses – and staunchly defends – the word 'genocide' to describe the impact that cosmetic surgery has had on a generation of women. Emma Brockes speaks to Curtis before the forthcoming sequel to Freaky Friday, which sees the actor reuniting with Lindsay Lohan in the mother-daughter body-swap comedy ('I felt tremendous maternal care for Lindsay after the first movie, and continued to feel that') – but their chat ends up becoming about so much more.
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'The lack of integration means I'm not the only remote worker feeling adrift. What happens when the shared spaces of your so-called community are sun-drenched cafes and boutique fitness studios? What does it mean to never volunteer, or spend time with an elderly person, to rarely take public transport, or read the local news?'
It's easy to romanticise the life of a digital nomad: swapping the office for a beachside cafe; living in a flat far more spacious than the ones available back home; being eternally drenched in the southern European sun. But this thoughtful piece by Alex Holder, who moved from London to Lisbon, reveals the cracks in this fantasy. 'Maybe,' she wonders, 'it's time to move and make room for someone else.'
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He had charisma. He had good content. He also had the support of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), an organisation whose membership has grown from 6,000 or so upon its founding in the 80s to a sizeable 80,000 today. Zohran Mamdani's record-setting success in New York's June mayoral primary was bolstered by 60,000 volunteers knocking on 1.6m doors across the city – a vast effort, Dharna Noor writes, made possible by New York's DSA field team.
In this piece, Noor tracks the rise of an organisation that is increasingly shaping American politics – and considers whether it's ready for a face-off with the Democratic establishment.
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From the match of the tournament and the best player to the most memorable goal, Guardian sports writers nominate their picks and personal highlights from Euro 2025, and share what they'd like to see next for women's football – 'Just more of everything!'
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They say it takes a village, and parents today are ever increasingly turning to their own parents for help with childcare. One study estimates that 9 million British grandparents spend an average of eight hours a week helping to care for their grandchildren. Ellie Violet Bramley meets members of the 'grey army' and talks to them about the joys – and lows – of taking a hands-on role in their grandchildren's lives.
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The Independent
29 minutes ago
- The Independent
Jos Buttler aims to follow Joe Root's lead and thrive as an ex-England captain
Jos Buttler is looking to Joe Root for inspiration as he looks to flourish in his 'new phase' as a former England captain. Buttler stepped down as leader of England's white-ball team earlier this year after two disappointing World Cup campaigns, passing the baton to Harry Brook over the summer. With his 35th birthday just around the corner, he could easily have walked away entirely in pursuit of guaranteed riches as a full-time franchise freelancer. But he remains committed to following the lead of Root, who has scored 14 hundreds and averaged 58 since being replaced as Test skipper by Ben Stokes. 'It's not that I wasn't enjoying my cricket before, but I obviously wasn't enjoying the way it was going,' he told the PA news agency. 'Part of the challenge of cricket is trying to come through that, being resilient and getting out the other end. 'I've had a bit of time and space and I do feel like I have a better understanding now of where I was as a player and captain. I'm a bit more relaxed and enjoying my cricket again. I do feel like I'm in a new phase of my career. 'Now that I'm not captain anymore it's about me playing the best I can for the team. I love playing for England, it's an honour, and I want to do as much as I can. 'Rooty has been a massive inspiration in that, seeing the impact I can have as a senior player. He's gone to some amazing new levels and he knows what it's like to not be captain any more and still give back to the team. That's the opportunity that is out there for me. Joe's a good mate of mine and has been really helpful in making that transition.' Buttler, who is the marquee player for Manchester Originals in the Hundred, was speaking at the unveiling of Compare the Market's new mural in the city, bearing his likeness alongside Southern Brave's Chris Jordan, Emma Lamb of Birmingham Phoenix and three aspiring juniors from the Chance to Shine street cricket programme. The tournament is in its final year before the arrival of eight new investment groups, who are set to pay a combined £520million for a seat at the table. Four teams will be tied to groups involved with Indian Premier League franchises and Buttler, arguably the Englishman most associated with that competition, expects big things. 'The level of investment is mindblowing. It's going to be the next evolution of the Hundred,' he said. 'The IPL is enormous, it's a different beast, and the owners will be bringing new ideas, new expertise and they will want to really push things to be the best they can be. 'The calibre of people getting involved, from the IPL to the tech giants, is awesome. It's going to be a really exciting time for English cricket, on and off the field.' :: Jos Buttler was speaking at the unveiling of a new mural commissioned by principal partner of The Hundred, Compare the Market in partnership with the children's charity, Chance to Shine.
The Independent
29 minutes ago
- The Independent
First migrants detained under ‘one in, one out' deal as PM vows to secure border
The first small boat migrants have been detained under the UK's new 'one in, one out' deal with Emmanuel Macron and could be sent back to France within weeks. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the Government was prepared to defend itself against legal challenges if migrants seek to avoid being sent back across the English Channel. The migrants detained were among those who risked the Channel crossing on Wednesday, the day the pilot scheme began operating. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: 'We have detained the first illegal migrants under our new deal before returning them to France. No gimmicks, just results. 'If you break the law to enter this country, you will face being sent back. When I say I will stop at nothing to secure our borders, I mean it.' The pilot scheme was set up as part of a deal announced by the Prime Minister and French president Mr Macron during his state visit to the UK in July. UK officials aim to make referrals for returns to France within three days of a migrant's arrival by small boat while French authorities will respond within 14 days. This is in exchange for an approved asylum seeker in France to be brought to the UK under a safe route. No figures have been confirmed for how many migrants will be sent back, although reports from France have suggested it could be around 50 a week, a small fraction of the numbers making the crossing in small boats. The Home Secretary said: 'The pilot has now begun, so the first migrants who have arrived on the small boats are now in detention. We will then swiftly make the referrals to France and that process will now start to be able to return people to France. 'It's the beginning of the pilot and it will build as well over time, but we're also clear that France is a safe country, so we will robustly defend against any legal challenge that people try. 'We do expect for people to start being returned in a matter of weeks.' The Home Office is expected to launch a campaign in the coming days to make migrants in northern France and elsewhere aware of the new treaty. Ms Cooper added: 'Criminal gangs have spent seven years embedding themselves along our border and it will take time to unravel them, but these detentions are an important step towards undermining their business model and unravelling the false promises they make.' The Home Secretary has acknowledged the accord is not a 'silver bullet' to stop small boat crossings, which are running at record levels so far in 2025. But the Government hopes it will be a turning point as migrants will be sent back across the Channel for the first time. The process for asylum seekers to come to the UK under the 'one in, one out' pilot scheme has also been launched, with adults and families in France able to express an interest in coming to the UK through an online platform set up by the Home Office. They will have to meet suitability criteria, a standard visa application process and security checks. If accepted, they would be given three months in the UK to claim asylum or apply for a visa, and would be subject to the same rules for all asylum seekers not allowed to work, study or have access to benefits. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said just a 'token handful' of migrants had been detained and suggested the pilot scheme would fail. He said: 'Keir Starmer's promise last year to 'smash the gangs' has turned out to be nothing more than a gimmick that didn't work, and this is just the same. 'They are detaining a token handful of arrivals and in return we accept unvetted migrants from France. The whole thing is riddled with loopholes, opt-outs and legal escape routes that will make removals near-impossible.'
The Independent
29 minutes ago
- The Independent
Three people charged with showing support for Palestine Action
The first people have been charged with showing support for Palestine Action in England and Wales after the group was recently banned as a terror organisation, the Metropolitan Police said. Two women and a man were arrested in Westminster following a protest in central London on July 5. Jeremy Shippam, 71, of West Sussex, Judit Murray, also 71, of Surrey, and Fiona Maclean, 53, of Hackney, north-east London, were charged with showing support for a proscribed organisation under section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000. They are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on September 16. The charges come ahead of a planned protest in support of the group on Saturday afternoon in London's Parliament Square, with organisers expecting more than 500 people to attend. Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met's Counter Terrorism Command, said: 'Anyone who displays public support for Palestine Action, a proscribed organisation, is committing an offence under the Terrorism Act and can expect to be arrested and, as these charges show, will be investigated to the full extent of the law. 'These charges relate to three people arrested in central London on July 5. 'We are also planning to send case files to the Crown Prosecution Service for the other 26 people arrested on the same day. 'I would strongly advise anyone planning to come to London this weekend to show support for Palestine Action to think about the potential criminal consequences of their actions.'
