The question I fear most: ‘What do you think of dachshunds?'
And the second is that you are so sure of yourself, even if you do say something that inadvertently displeases or even offends someone, you are perfectly happy to say, 'Of course, the reality is — I'm probably an idiot! What I've just said is almost certainly pure piffle! I row back! I apologise! I cede to you!'
However. Be all this as it may — all this confidence and flexibility — there is one question I still fear. For I am both
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Scotsman
2 days ago
- Scotsman
Historic agreement ensures continuity of support for women across Scotland
Hundreds of women across Scotland will continue to receive critical financial and emotional support thanks to a landmark merger between two long-established benevolent funds. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Royal Society for the Support of Women of Scotland (the Society) and the E Mclaren Fund for Indigent Ladies (the Fund) have united in a move that secures the legacy of both institutions while expanding the scope of aid available to women in later life. The merger ensures that all beneficiaries of the Fund will continue to receive grants under their existing terms, while also gaining access to the enhanced services and broader support available through the Society, including higher levels of grants for some and access to a caseworker. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad As a result of the merger, combined assets as of July 2025 total just under £56 million, representing Scotland's largest sources of charitable financial support specifically for older women. The Royal Society for the Support of Women of Scotland HQ in Rutland Square pictured in 1912 Andrew Tweedy, Chief Executive of the Society, said: 'This merger represents the best of both worlds. We are preserving the values and intent of the Fund while broadening the safety net for women who need it most. 'The Society's caseworker team brings deep expertise and resources that will be of immediate benefit to the Fund's beneficiaries.' The Society, founded in 1847, last year distributed more than £1.23 million in grants to 831 women across Scotland. It traces its roots to the plight of unmarried daughters of gentlemen left destitute in later life – a cause immortalised in the novels of Jane Austen and the Brontë sisters. Though times have changed and the Society has evolved in response, the social vulnerability of older women remains starkly relevant. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad By comparison, the Fund, established during the First World War in 1917, has been supporting around 100 women annually – and initially had a focus on supporting the widows or daughters of officers who served in Scottish regiments – with grants totalling more than £90,000 last year. Graeme Kidd, Chair of the Fund, said: 'We recognised the importance of finding a partner that would not only honour the intent behind the Fund but also offer a stronger, modernised support model. 'The Society has proven itself a natural fit and a willing and proactive partner, and this move protects the dignity and future of the women we serve.' The merger is underpinned by a shared ethos. Both organisations have long adopted a 'cash first' approach to aid – a method now increasingly mirrored by statutory bodies. By providing direct financial support rather than goods or vouchers, recipients retain autonomy and dignity in managing their needs. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Beyond the vital financial payments, the Society has developed a more holistic support system, working closely with partner agencies and tailoring its assistance to the evolving circumstances of each beneficiary. The merger also allows for significant efficiencies. Combining operations reduces administrative costs and ensures that a larger share of assets goes directly to those who need it. The historic move not only guarantees continuity for current beneficiaries, but also ensures that future generations of vulnerable women will continue to be supported through a sustainable and robust framework. Andrew Tweedy added: 'This is a win for everyone. Beneficiaries of the Fund receive more comprehensive support, our combined operations become more efficient, and we can now help more women across Scotland. At a time of rising hardship for older women, this consolidation is both timely and transformative.'
The Sun
3 days ago
- The Sun
August horoscope: What your star sign has in store for love, work & life this month according to the tarot cards
THIS August, prepare for a cosmic reset and a surge of personal growth! From Aries stepping into power and clarity to Taurus locking in love, each sign is poised for significant shifts... 13 Aries Cross the threshold, Aries - august opens a portal to power, clarity and cosmic rewards. 13 Love & Relationships – The Emperor Power dynamics are important, they shape our interactions and sense of identity. The Emperor suggests you're struggling with a power dynamic in your inner circle, someone has an upper hand and is wielding it wrongly. It's time to correct this by changing the mood, activity, and frequency of contact. This person is likely to be very similar to you, almost a cosmic twin. Re-set the energy by behaving differently this August. This will work. Be consistent. Work & Purpose – The Sun You are entering your most powerful and successful era! The Sun is a bringer of success, prosperity, joy, and ambition, almost inviting you to enter a realm of reward by making a confident step through a portal. You need to apply, pitch, ask, challenge, or create something- almost like a sacrifice or ritual. If you do it boldly, led by hope not fear, you will be met with great success. International opportunities are also possible. Omen to look out for – Nine of Cups Look for the number 9 or repeats of it. Look for symbols of wish making and dream fulfilment i.e. stars, magic lamps, genies, fairies etc. Look out for a situation where you need a dash of luck to succeed. If you notice one of these omens then you're in the right place at the right time to get what you most want. Take a step right THERE AND THEN. Taurus Love locks in, but big decisions linger - Taurus, August is all about knowing what (and who) you want. 13 Love & Relationships – Ten of Coins All Taureans crave stability, certainty, and control- it's hardwired into their nature. The Ten of Coins delivers these much-sought things into your love life this August via proposals, commitments, declarations, intimate connections, legal agreements, and shared goals. If you're single, then a solid, loving fellow Earth sign (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) could enter your realm and become your 'everything'. A happy ever after in love awaits. Work & Purpose – The Lovers You feel a bit confused about your direction this August- maybe a head vs heart schism about your path or next step. Take your time, don't be pressured into a snap judgement. Do the mental gymnastics and research to understand your situation, options, and potential fully, and wait until you feel clear and calm about a certain option. And then, and only then, take decisive action. Omen to look out for – Queen of Wands Look out for women who inspire, excite, or wildly entertain you. Listen to them carefully. Look out for Fire sign folk (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) who invite you someplace. Look out for course, books, shows or podcasts about leadership. If you notice one of these omens then you're being advice, opportunity or insight that will help you to rise, take ownership, and fulfil a leadership role you're destined for. Gemini Step back, learn more, and let the universe show its hand - Gemini, this month is a masterclass. 13 Love & Relationships – Three of Wands Step back from the pressure or expectation that it's YOU who has to do all of the organising, fun-creation, and effort. Let things swing as they would without your 24/7 influence, and see what's really there. Sometimes you do too much for others, and it's taken for granted. The Three of Wands shows that August will bring plenty of openings for folk to show you their true feelings and intentions towards you. Work & Purpose – Page of Pentacles Education is your BFF. All Geminis love learning and studying- you never really left that school mentality. The Page of Coins wants you back in the classroom, potentially for career (re)training, or even personal development. Whether it's formal or informal will depend on your circumstance and opportunity, but however you do it, seek education and stimulate your mind with new knowledge and skill. What you learn could take you places! Omen to look out for – The High Priestess Look for the number 2 or repeats of it. Look for couples who catch your eye, and ask yourself why. Look out for psychic experiences or interludes, uncanny or strange occurrences, and notice where you were / what you were doing. If you notice one of these omens then you're receiving instruction from a higher being about what is important for you in relationships vs what you need to do / own / work on solo. Cancer See the truth, honour your intuition, and glow up - Cancer, August is a mirror and a map. Love & Relationships – Seven of Cups Avoid the temptation to retreat into your Cancerian exoskeleton shell and spend more time thinking, vs doing anything, about your love life and key relationships. You can project, assume, overthink. It doesn't do any good. Instead, verify, discuss, ask, challenge, check. Get clarity on where you stand and take steps from that point (not what you imagine to be the case). Work & Purpose – Three of Wands Luck, karma and fate are conspiring to bring you new news and ideas this August, so let them do their thing and don't get in the way! Tune into your intuition and gut instinct (which is very powerful for you). Notice random events or acts, coincidence, omens and signs. Pay attention to your dreams. Decipher messages and nudges and signposting from the psychic intel you receive! Use it and new doors will open! Omen to look out for – Judgement Look out the number 20 or repeats of it (maybe in year format i.e. 2025). Look out for mirrors, reflective surfaces that show you clearly or in a flattering light. Look out for descriptions of you, your star sign maybe, or personality type that really resonate. If you notice one of these omens then you are being told to update and upgrade your self image. You are more powerful, beautiful, smart, and talented than you currently think. Get up to speed on your magnificence! Leo Step into your power, Leo - this month, your creativity and confidence light the way to exciting new beginnings. 13 Love & Relationships – Two of Wands You are always popular and in demand, both in friendships, family circles, and romance. It's time for you to know and act on the relationship priorities that you most value and wish to serve or build. Know your inner circle, your key folk, and treat them as such. Don't get distracted or taken offline by new projects or faces. Show loyalty and commitment and it will be returned tenfold, because you ARE loved. Work & Purpose – Knight of Coins August, despite being holiday season, might feel like hard work for you but the rewards will all be worthwhile so keep your nose to the grindstone… and then celebrate when the job is done, you'll feel all the better for it. Be determined and diligent in your efforts, whether this is related to career tasks, education or personal projects. It will be demanding, but it will also be rewarding, and that's a happy balance. Omen to look out for – King of Cups Look for dreams about love and romance, and notice WHO you're dreaming about and how you feel. Look for instant sparks and attractions with strangers. Look out for chance encounters with someone you're immediately fascinated by. If you notice one of these omens you could be meeting or about to (re)connect with your future soul mate! If you're single (even if you're not…) this could be IT! Virgo Justice, closure, and a second chance you didn't see coming - Virgo, it's time to reset. 13 Love & Relationships – Justice Play fair, be nice, stay on the straight and narrow, but don't sacrifice yourself or your desires and needs to keep the peace either. Balance is what is needed. Maybe you've been ridden over too many times, maybe you've crossed lines you shouldn't have. Be honest and admit where there have been injustices in your close relationships recently. What can you learn here? What could you change? If you're single, a beautiful Libran soul will enter your realm and perfectly suite in with your lifestyle. Work & Purpose – Four of Cups I think you feel a little complacent, maybe even bored or tired of your role or projects. This happens. We get a bit burnt out, we hit a wall, we need a change. Use August as a refresher month. See things with new eyes, get a fresh take on stuff, take a break and return with clear vision and a rested mindset. If you can get away and take a complete break, then do. You are renewing and restoring your energies. Omen to look out for – Eight of Cups Look for the number 8, or repeats of it. Look for second chances, repeats, reruns, reinventions of old ideas in new guises. Look out for memories or echoes of situations where you missed out on something but, maybe just maybe, it was for the best in hindsight. If you notice any of these omens then you're being given a chance. Libra Solitude, strategy, and a smart plan forward - Libra, this is your long game era. 13 Love & Relationships – The Hemit Solitude is a great healer and restorer. A little absence makes the heart grow fonder. Giving someone the gift of missing you is often enough to reset the dynamic and return that loving feeling. Don't be scared to withdraw and get some peace and quiet, don't be nervous of creating a boundary. The Hermit hints you need space. You need solitude so you can think (and so can they…). Work & Purpose – King of Swords It's a good month to make a 10 (or 5) year plan! What's the goal, the key objective? What's the strategy to achieve it? What are the tactics and timescale? The King of Swords brings precise thought, clarity, inspiration, and innovation to your realm, helping you future proof and create shrewd plans of attack to get where you want to be- wherever that is! This is a planning and research month. Omen to look out for – Five of wands Look for the number 5 or repeats of it. Look for the feeling of frustration and resentment, sit with it, and notice who or what it sticks to. Look out for situations where you feel stuck / overwhelmed / done to / stagnated. If you see any of these signs, then you're being shown first things first, the places you've outgrown and can immediately withdraw from. Act on this insight. Scorpio Challenge accepted - Scorpio, this month you win, lead, and love on your own terms. 13 Love & Relationships – Seven of Wands There is competitive energy in your relationship realm, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes it serves to be tested or tempted or offered a challenge which helps you rise to the occasion! Look out for people who inspire new ideas or energy in your love life or friendships. Look out for sparky Fire signs (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) who motivate you to BE different. Maybe this August's love life move is to set your own goal or target and MAKE it happen! Work & Purpose – Ten of Coins If I said it would ALL be alright in the end and you're destined for riches no matter what, then what power move would you confidently make? Perhaps THAT is the step you're destined to take this August. The Ten of Coins promises a career and wealth happy ever after, as long as you stick to the plan and deliver consistently against it. Be measured, well paced, and keep showing up, and people will believe in you, invest in you, and help you get where you want to go. Respect is earned over time. Omen to look out for – Ten of Wands Look for the number 10 or combinations of it. Look out for thins which have deflated, wilted, melted, or withered. Notice places which look invitingly relaxing and comforting. Notice safe sanctuaries and rest zones. If you notice one of these omens then you're being invited to activate a phase of deep rest and hibernation- maybe for a hour, maybe for a weekend- you decide. Rest is restorative right now. Sagittarius This is your month, Sagittarius - new people, powerful insights, and journey. 13 Love & Relationships – Ace of Wands It's all new on the relationship front! New friends, admirers, family members, colleague, allies, and acquaintances. These folk are being drawn into your life for a reason: to help you initiate new projects, roles, and growth. It's a time to travel with friends, plan a major life change with a loved one, embark on a new hobby in a group setting. Look out for inspiring and charismatic Fire sign folk (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) that you feel an immediate attraction towards. Work & Purpose – Judgement Judgement brings a deep and lasting sense of clarity to your realm. You feel like you really understand your unique blend of experience, talent, skill, interest, and proven ability. You know the niche for you! When this is so blindingly clear, it's so much easier to embrace that identity wholly, and to feel every inch of yourself authentically. And this identity fit leads you to new opportunities because you're vibrating NEXT LEVEL, attracting the opportunities meant ONLY for you. A powerful August. Omen to look out for – The Chariot Look out for the number 7, or repeats of it. Look out for unusual, outlandish, antique, or eye-catching vehicles. Look out for trips, holidays, outings, excursions, and events that feel aligned to your emerging sense of identity and purpose. If you notice one of these omens then you're given a golden opportunity to travel or visit someplace that will UNLOCK vast new areas of potential for you. Capricorn Solo focus, big joy, and a lucky break - Capricorn, August helps you get ahead. 13 Love & Relationships – Queen of Swords The Queen of Swords is all about solo and independent power and fortitude. Sometimes you just so better flying solo, right? Sometimes your own company is the best fuel and energy to help you get done what needs doing! That's not to say you shut off from family, love or friendship, but you MUST make time for your own projects and goals, by yourself, this August. Your relationships will benefit from you being the best version of you! Work & Purpose – Three of Cups Wouldn't it be great if work felt like play? That's kind of the ultimate goal, because then time becomes precious. Time crawls when you have a job whereas it flies when you have a vocation. Is it time to find that vocation for yourself? The Three of Cups simply asks you to focus on, as much asp possible, what you love and enjoy doing in work or education. Amplify the interests. Excel in the areas you're already talented and proficient. Build on success and joy, and create an awesome career. Omen to look out for – Three of Wands Look for the number 3, or repeats of it. Look for coincidence and de ja vu. Look out for invitations that come from weird or totally unexpected sources. If you notice one of these omens then you're being gifted a golden opportunity to do something new that will lead to a new upwards trajectory in career, education, or both. It's time to get lucky and get ahead. Aquarius Truth, talent, and total alignment - Aquarius, it's time to create something real. 13 Love & Relationships – Seven of Cups Overthinking rarely leads you anywhere good, useful, or worthwhile, in fact it often leads you in circles. Your sign is famed for purity and honesty, so just get clarity on whatever feels murky. Ask questions. Seek truth. Understand the situation vs assuming or projecting. Look out for creative Water signs (Pisces, Cancer, Scorpio) this August, a true alliance could be forged. Work & Purpose – The Magician The Magician is a wonderful card evoking entrepreneurship, creativity, invention and innovation. You are going to create something magnificent that plays to a strength or talent and it's going to activate a new chapter of success and growth. This is also a manifesting card so you're being given ideas and good fortune to help your ambitions and dreams come true. This August is a game changer. Go create! Omen to look out for – Three of Swords Look out for the number 3 or repeats of it. Look out for gut feelings of disquiet or distrust about someone or something. Look out for people whose actions do not align with their words or promises. If you notice one of these omens then you being shown a situation that is not what it seems and carries negative potential. Remove yourself. Act on your hunch. Protect your interests. Pisces Grow stronger, think bigger, and expand your realm - Pisces, August brings new purpose. 13 Love & Relationships – Page of Coins There's a real earnestness and desire to do better emerging in your relationship realm, on all levels, with family, friends and in love. If we all tried a bit harder and repaired past damage and did better in future, how amazing could our alliances and support network become? What if we all took that vow together? Pisces, make this happen in your world. It could create the strongest relationship network EVER, with you in the middle of it, beautifully supported and loved. Work & Purpose – Eight of Swords Stop worrying about what others might think or say. That is their business, not your business. And your assumptions and projections really reveal more about your own insecurity or fear than the truth or reality of things. So, stop, press pause on that kind of thinking. Refocus on what you know, on what is happening, on the events and outcomes you're managing. And craft steps and actions that serve those realities directly, clearly, and positively. A bit of focus will change everything. Omen to look out for – The World Look out for the number 21 or repeats of it. Look out for trips, outings, vacation ideas, and journey inspirations that speak directly to a passion or goal in your realm. Look out for stories, shows, and podcasts about something overseas that fascinates you. If you notice one of these omens then you're being asked to broaden your horizons, consider going someplace to do something stretching, or even moving location! The world is your oyster, Pisces.
The Guardian
23-07-2025
- The Guardian
Malcolm Dean obituary
Malcolm Dean's desk at the Guardian's offices in Farringdon Road, central London, was probably the greatest fire risk in the building. In a pre-internet age, when reports and press releases arrived in paper form, he kept mountainous stacks of material within easy reach, and somehow knew how to access what he wanted without causing an avalanche. Malcolm, who has died aged 86, was the Guardian's social policy leader writer from 1972 until he retired in 2006. He needed all that information at his fingertips to maintain his understanding of policy and practice across a wide range of ministerial portfolios. On any day he might be required to write about health, education, social security, race relations, criminal justice, equal opportunities and much more besides. I knew about his method because for many years my desk was next to his. He did not work in an ivory tower. He attended press conferences and read the reports, but he also used his colleagues as additional eyes and ears, interviewing us to build a rounded picture. The subject matter that he mastered might sometimes be dry, but he was invariably cheerful. His honesty, integrity and optimism worked as an inspiring antidote in a sometimes cynical world. The knowledge and contacts that he developed writing leaders formed the basis for a more publicly visible role from 1979 when he became editor of Society, a newly established section of the paper that appeared on Wednesdays. He ran it for 21 years, writing himself and commissioning articles across the social policy field from practitioners as well as journalists. It became required reading for everyone in leadership roles in the public sector and he took pride in the number of new campaigning organisations that the section helped to spawn. The section was a magnet for classified advertising of job vacancies from across the sector and it became a huge commercial success. Routinely it exceeded 100 pages and eventually at its peak it occasionally topped 200, dwarfing the paper itself. Unusually for a journalist, Malcolm also had a foot in the boardroom. For seven years from 1994 he sat on the Scott Trust, the body that owned the Guardian and appointed its editor. Given Malcolm's ability to express himself with force and often at high volume, it is unlikely that other members remained unaware of his opinions. On the paper his views were heard but not always heeded. Malcolm was a words man. He frequently bemoaned editors' decisions to give more space to pictures. For his taste there was too much reporting of showbiz and too little policy. His only half-joking slogan became: 'Dare to be dull!' Unsurprisingly, editors chose a different course. Malcolm was born in Wilmslow, Cheshire. His father, Noel, was the village baker in nearby Alderley Edge. His mother Sarah (nee Black), known as Biddy, came from a farming family in Northern Ireland, but was brought up in Cheshire after the death of both parents. After passing the 11-plus exam, Malcolm went to King's school, Macclesfield. At a careers conference there he met Edward Taylor Scott, the editor of what was then the Manchester Guardian, who lived in Wilmslow in an avenue where Malcolm delivered bread. He followed the great man's advice to join a local paper in the Kemsley Group, because it ran a good training scheme. After four years on the County Express, the Wilmslow weekly, he heard that the Kemsley chain had been taken over by Roy Thomson, Canada's biggest newspaper proprietor. He wrote to Thomson suggesting exchanges between his Canadian and British papers. Within a month Malcolm was on a steamship bound for Canada, where he was sent to report in a remote gold mining town in the frozen north. His multiple adventures in the US and Caribbean included time playing for the Trinidad and Tobago international rugby team. He returned to the UK after a spell working his way around Australia and south-east Asia. After two years studying politics and economics at Ruskin College, Oxford, he went to the US on a Harkness fellowship, and his time there included working as a speechwriter in Congress. He never took a degree because he thought he did not need one, and started at the Guardian in 1969. In professional terms it became the love of his life. He worked as a general reporter for three years before finding his niche among the leader writers. Although the Guardian was the central feature of his career, he branched out several times into politics. In 1978-79, during the final year of the Callaghan government, he was special adviser to David Ennals, Labour's social services secretary. Later, even more actively, he stood for the SDP/Liberal Alliance in parliamentary elections in 1983 and 1987. He nursed the Bath constituency and in the latter election came close to unseating Chris Patten, its Conservative MP, achieving one of the 10 biggest swings to the Alliance in a year when its leaders, David Owen and David Steel, were struggling to connect. Malcolm's election agents during this period recalled his great political skill in uniting his constituency party, where Liberals were initially disgruntled about having an SDP candidate imposed. He was not the most brilliant public speaker, but he effectively undermined Patten's position as a moderate Conservative by hammering away at his Commons voting record in support of Thatcherite policies. Members of the local party, who started by fearing they had a policy egghead imposed on them, found him a clever and determined campaigner – buoyant, energetic and popular with the volunteers. After losing in 1987 he decided not to run again. His family say he believed that he could have won the next time, but that he would have more influence as a Guardian leader writer than as a backbench MP. He loved the Bath constituency but did not enjoy bickering in the party at national level. After retiring from the Guardian, he took up a two-year fellowship at Nuffield College, Oxford (2006-08), where he wrote a book, Democracy Under Attack: How the Media Distort Policy and Politics (2011). He continued as a Guardian contributor and served on several national social policy working parties. He chaired a Joseph Rowntree Foundation commission on older people and was a founding trustee of the Young Foundation thinktank. Retirement also gave him more time for his passion for walking. Among many expeditions, he did the Wainwright Walk three times, hiking from coast to coast across northern England. People usually start in the west, at St Bees in Cumbria, and head eastwards to Robin Hood's Bay in Yorkshire. For the second and third traverse Malcolm insisted on doing it from east to west. He said that way he would get to meet and talk to more people as they came towards him in the opposite direction. After a short marriage to Lesley Pirie, a Russia expert, he married Clare Roskill, a social work specialist, in 1978. Clare went on to work for the government on social policy. In 2019, Malcolm was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and five years later, after the disease became overpowering, he moved into a care home. He is survived by Clare, their sons, Tim and Ben, and Sophie, the daughter of his first marriage. James Malcolm Dean, journalist, born 11 June 1939; died 17 July 2025
