Latest news with #Europhiles
The Herald Scotland
7 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Herald Scotland
NC500 named (second) best road trip in Europe by Reddit
Now car insurance firm Saga has taken a deep dive into the online chatter, and discovered that the NC500 was listed as one of the top car journeys for Europhiles, coming second only to the stunning landscape of Iceland's Stokksnes Peninsula. The NC500 is a 500-mile circuit of the north coast of Scotland which takes in mountain scenery, waterfalls, castles and stunning beaches. Starting in Inverness, the 516-mile route loops around the entire north coast, taking in Caithness, Sutherland and Wester Ross. Now world famous, the road trip has been hailed for revitalising a neglected area, but also criticised for the increase of traffic and jams caused by motorhomes. A sign near Thurso on the NC500 (Image: George Clerk) Saga Car Insurance studied which destinations are trending with travellers, based on real-time comments on the forum site Reddit, used by people across the world. Using a unique scoring system, the firm combined total mentions (25%) and total comment likes (50%) and also analysed the average sentiment of comments (25%), Saga scoured more than 73,000 Reddit comments and rated the top 10 countries and destinations for road trippers this summer. Placing the NC500 second on the list, ahead of Ring of Kerry in Ireland, the trip between the ancient sites of Meteora and Delphi in Greeca, and a visit to Stonehenge in rural Salisbury. 'Just one drink could take you over the limit, versus up to two in England. 'Pavement parking is illegal in Scotland which also bans double parking and parking on dropped kerbs. Offenders can be fined £100 by local authorities.' Complaints have been made about the number of motorhomes on the route (Image: George Clerk) Overall, Scotland as a whole was ranked third on a list of the best destinations for drivers, behind Iceland and Italy, but ahead of Norway and Ireland. Saga's Car Insurance Product Manager Ali Ingram-Seal urged motorists to be safe wherever they travel: She said: 'With so many accessible destinations in Europe to choose from, a little preparation goes a long way to ensure a smooth, stress-free road trip. 'If you're taking your own vehicle, start by checking that your car insurance covers driving in Europe, and what it covers, like loss or theft, accidental damage or medical costs following an accident. 'You'll also need to carry some important documents, such as your driving licence, V5C logbook, and proof of insurance. 'Some scenic roads, while beautiful, can include steep gradients, narrow passes, or long rural stretches without fuel stations.'
Spectator
27-05-2025
- Health
- Spectator
Britain still leads the world… in STDs
When I read on the BBC website that 'England will be the first country in the world to start vaccinating people against the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhoea', I felt a flare of rare patriotism. We Brits, far from the no-sex-please-we're-British libel which self-loathing Europhiles like to paste on us, have been known for our sexual generosity (some might say incontinence) since the dawn of cheap foreign travel, so it makes sense for us to take preventive measures. A tiny, immature bit of me even wanted to snigger, as when I was a young girl the idea of 'the clap' was a matter of some amusement on the part of my cohort. However, this is a serious business. It will not be available for everyone. The focus will mainly be on gay and bisexual men with a history of multiple sexual partners or an STI. The vaccine is 30-40 per cent effective, but NHS England hopes it will reverse soaring numbers of infections.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Moderates win weekend elections in Romania, Poland, Portugal
Moderates won elections across Europe over the weekend, though anti-immigrant blocs showcased their growing strength. In Romania's presidential election, the centrist mayor of Bucharest — who 'ran a campaign that was pro-Europe, pro-NATO, and pro-Ukraine' — triumphed over a nativist firebrand who had been leading the polls, while the center-right narrowly took the first round of Poland's presidential vote and emerged victorious in Portugal. 'Europhiles can exhale today,' Politico wrote, although the ballot box successes risk masking the power of Europe's populist movements: Romania's centrists needed near-record turnout to win, Poland's second round will be a neck-and-neck affair, and Portugal's far right saw its best-ever result.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Reform is a broken, infighting mess: it's time for the Tories to take charge
Reform UK has been riding high in the polls for months, capitalising on voter frustration and positioning itself as the insurgent force on the Right. But with four years to go until the next election, the party already seems determined to self-sabotage, within a week going from talking about being the 'real opposition' to looking like a pop-up Christmas market – appearing overnight, making lots of noise and then vanishing without trace. The movement has tapped into real anger – at immigration, net zero, and 'conservative-in-name-only' Tories. The party talks a big game about breaking the system, but Farage has always been a gambler. From UKIP to the Brexit Party, his career has been defined by big bets that pay off spectacularly – until they don't. His ability to command headlines is unmatched, but headlines don't build lasting political parties. His previous vehicles for revolution have all either collapsed or been quietly mothballed, their usefulness to the cause spent. That the latest split occurred while the party only has a handful of MPs hardly bodes well for the future. The Tories, too, are big gamblers, but operate on a longer timescale. The past few years they've lost heavily – the election was humiliating, and Kemi Badenoch's brief honeymoon as leader is already long past– but the party has a history of bouncing back from electoral catastrophe. They always bet on their ability to outlast their opponents, and this process is again underway. It is also very telling that Jenrick – a perfect fit for Reform – remains a staunch Tory. He has been perhaps the most enthusiastic adopter of Reform talking points – railing against the European Court of Human Rights and demanding a harder stance on immigration. Yet he remains firmly within the Conservative fold. Why? Because Jenrick, like many others, knows that Reform is a protest movement, rather than a real successor party. Farage's gamble was that a fractured, frustrated Right would flock to his banner in numbers large enough to make Reform a permanent force. But despite the noise, the numbers don't quite stack up. As long as Reform's primary appeal remains that they are not the Tories, they'll struggle to build a lasting electoral coalition. This is why the fight between Reform and the Tories is existential, and why, despite the crowing of the new boys, the odds remain in favour of the world's most successful political party. If someone like Robert Jenrick were to take over the Conservative leadership, the party would start to eat Farage's lunch. In his later years, Farage's need to be loved is also a hindrance. Jenrick is pushing for policies that go beyond soundbites. He resigned from Rishi Sunak's government over what he saw as weak immigration policy, while Farage, perhaps stung from years of being called every name under the sun by Europhiles accusing his movements of racism, has softened his stance precisely as the wider electorate was coming round to his original position. Jenrick has openly called for deportations, and frequently signals his willingness to go further than Reform on border control and national security. People want that more than they want Farage to be Prime Minister, no matter how much they hate the Tories. Reform's fate on current trajectory will likely mirror that of its predecessors. Just as UKIP was consumed by infighting after Brexit, and just as the Brexit Party vanished after achieving its singular goal, Reform will find itself struggling once its moment of protest has passed. The next general election will not be fought with Farage as the main challenger to Labour. He may enjoy the thrill of the flutter, but the house always wins in the end. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Reform is a broken, infighting mess: it's time for the Tories to take charge
Reform UK has been riding high in the polls for months, capitalising on voter frustration and positioning itself as the insurgent force on the Right. But with four years to go until the next election, the party already seems determined to self-sabotage, within a week going from talking about being the 'real opposition' to looking like a pop-up Christmas market – appearing overnight, making lots of noise and then vanishing without trace. The movement has tapped into real anger – at immigration, net zero, and 'conservative-in-name-only' Tories. The party talks a big game about breaking the system, but Farage has always been a gambler. From UKIP to the Brexit Party, his career has been defined by big bets that pay off spectacularly – until they don't. His ability to command headlines is unmatched, but headlines don't build lasting political parties. His previous vehicles for revolution have all either collapsed or been quietly mothballed, their usefulness to the cause spent. That the latest split occurred while the party only has a handful of MPs hardly bodes well for the future. The Tories, too, are big gamblers, but operate on a longer timescale. The past few years they've lost heavily – the election was humiliating, and Kemi Badenoch's brief honeymoon as leader is already long past– but the party has a history of bouncing back from electoral catastrophe. They always bet on their ability to outlast their opponents, and this process is again underway. It is also very telling that Jenrick – a perfect fit for Reform – remains a staunch Tory. He has been perhaps the most enthusiastic adopter of Reform talking points – railing against the European Court of Human Rights and demanding a harder stance on immigration. Yet he remains firmly within the Conservative fold. Why? Because Jenrick, like many others, knows that Reform is a protest movement, rather than a real successor party. Farage's gamble was that a fractured, frustrated Right would flock to his banner in numbers large enough to make Reform a permanent force. But despite the noise, the numbers don't quite stack up. As long as Reform's primary appeal remains that they are not the Tories, they'll struggle to build a lasting electoral coalition. This is why the fight between Reform and the Tories is existential, and why, despite the crowing of the new boys, the odds remain in favour of the world's most successful political party. If someone like Robert Jenrick were to take over the Conservative leadership, the party would start to eat Farage's lunch. In his later years, Farage's need to be loved is also a hindrance. Jenrick is pushing for policies that go beyond soundbites. He resigned from Rishi Sunak's government over what he saw as weak immigration policy, while Farage, perhaps stung from years of being called every name under the sun by Europhiles accusing his movements of racism, has softened his stance precisely as the wider electorate was coming round to his original position. Jenrick has openly called for deportations, and frequently signals his willingness to go further than Reform on border control and national security. People want that more than they want Farage to be Prime Minister, no matter how much they hate the Tories. Reform's fate on current trajectory will likely mirror that of its predecessors. Just as UKIP was consumed by infighting after Brexit, and just as the Brexit Party vanished after achieving its singular goal, Reform will find itself struggling once its moment of protest has passed. The next general election will not be fought with Farage as the main challenger to Labour. He may enjoy the thrill of the flutter, but the house always wins in the end.
