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Telegraph
7 days ago
- Automotive
- Telegraph
EV Mandates have sucked the joy out of motoring
You are held up by roadworks, you will get towed if you park illegally for a few seconds, and torrential rain or may well make it impossible to see anything beyond the windscreen. Driving across Britain has always, to put it mildly, presented a few challenges. And yet, at least there was always this: on a glorious August day, you could take the top down, pull down your shades, blast some music out of the speakers, and let the open road take you wherever it wanted to. There is just one snag. Electric vehicle mandates have destroyed the convertible. In reality, state control has made cars not just expensive, but hopelessly uncool as well – and we will all be poorer for that. For a country with unreliable weather, Britain used to be the global centre for the convertible. Open topped cars were more popular in this country than most other major markets; they hit their peak in the 1990s when celebrities such as Princess Diana or George Michael could be regularly photographed with the hood of their car down. They were aspirational, and a lot of fun to drive. Fast-forward a quarter of a century, however, and they are in steep decline. From a peak of 94,000 sales in 2004, by last year only 12,000 new convertible cars were sold in Britain, according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders. Even if you do want one for what remains of the holiday season, there are not even many left to choose from. There are only 16 models on sale, and whereas 70 per cent of marques used to offer a convertible in their range, now it is only 20 per cent. You are more likely to find a free parking space in Cornwall than you are to see a car with the hood down on Britain's roads this summer. It is not hard to work out why. Sure, fashions change, and the ubiquitous SUV has become the vehicle of choice for most families. But it is not hard to identify the real villain. The mandates forcing us all to switch from petrol to electric vehicles are the real reason for the demise of the convertible. There are a handful of EVs on sale that allow you to take the hood down, such as the Fiat 500e, and the upcoming MG Cyberstar has the look of a car that would get the Top Gear crowd excited. But they are very rare compared with the combustion engine industry, where for much of the 1990s and 2000s it was standard to produce a convertible version of all the main models alongside convertible-only models such as the best-selling Mazda MX-5. The reason is simple. A folding roof adds significantly to the weight of a car, and batteries are already so heavy that makes them impractical, while the relatively small size of the market means it is rarely viable to produce niche versions of existing models. There is a bigger issue here than just the demise of fun and exciting cars that add some pleasure to life, though that is not to be dismissed. The automotive industry has essentially been taken over by top-down state planning. Instead of having a free market, with lots of choice of affordable and reliable cars depending on what you wanted to drive, we now have a market that is controlled by targets, quotas, and subsidies. Manufacturers are instructed to sell certain types of government approved vehicles, and drivers are offered bungs for buying them. The result? Cars are not only far more expensive than they need to be, and cost far more to insure as well. They are also far less cool. In reality, EVs have sucked the joy out of driving – and that is clearer on a sunny August afternoon than at any other time of the year.
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Charli XCX and George Michael Are Married! All of the Details on Her Surprising Wedding Dress—And Its Ties to Another Famous Bride
The pop star and the guitarist said "I do" during an intimate ceremony in London on July 19, Takeaways Charli XCX and George Michael are officially married. On Saturday, July 19, 2025, the pop star and the guitarist tied the knot in London. The couple invited just 20 loved ones to the ceremony, wanting an intimate celebration. For her nuptials, the singer wore a corset-style mini dress that resembled a Vivienne Westwood gown popularized by other XCX is officially married! The pop star tied the knot with George Michael in an intimate ceremony in London on Saturday, July 19, 2025. A video posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, showed the newlyweds posing for photos alongside family members outside of Hackney Town Hall. The bride and groom kept the guest list for the occasion relatively small—only about 20 of the duo's loved ones were reportedly in attendance for the affair. And after exchanging vows and making their union official, the "360" singer and the guitarist opted to walk to their venue, according to Page Six. The pared-back ceremony isn't necessarily a surprise for the couple. Earlier this year, the "Apple" singer spoke about her desire for a low-key celebration in an interview with Harper's Bazaar. "We're both very chill and we kind of just want to have a party," she said, according to the Daily Mail. "Neither of us are particularly formal about marriage or care about the formalities of the ceremony or whatever. We just want to be together forever and have a party with our friends." Related: The Biggest Celebrity Weddings From the Past 90 Years Charli XCX's Wedding Dress: All of the Details to Know The Grammy winner selected a surprising ensemble for her nuptials: a corset-style mini. While she hasn't yet released the name of the designer behind the piece, it resembles the Vivienne Westwood dress worn by Demi Lovato earlier this year, which featured an off-the-shoulder neckline and corset bodice. The "party 4 u" singer completed her look with white pumps, a veil, and a bouquet of white flowers. Rather than an updo or half-up style, she opted to keep her hair down for her nuptials. In a nod to her go-to look, the Brat star made sure to slip on a pair of her signature black sunglasses for her walk to the reception venue. Ensuring his look coordinated with his partner's, Michael pinned an oversized white boutonnière comprised of the same flowers that appeared in the bridal bouquet to his double-breasted suit jacket. Opting for forgo a tie, the guitarist donned a neutral-hued button-up shirt for the ceremony. A few of his bandmates from the 1975, including Adam Han and Ross MacDonald were in attendance for the big day, according to the Daily Mail. The couple, who were first romantically linked in March 2022, announced their engagement in November 2023. "charli xcx and george daniel f–king for life!!!," the singer captioned a since-deleted Instagram post, according to Page Six. Before confirming their relationship, the duo worked on music together, collaborating for her song "In the City" with Sam Smith, as well as a number of tracks on Crash, an album released by Charli in 2022. Up Next: Dua Lipa and Callum Turner Are Officially Engaged! All of the Details on Her $100,000 Trend-Forward Diamond Ring Read the original article on Brides Solve the daily Crossword
Daily Mail
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Incredible unseen photos of Live Aid rediscovered in the attic: MURRAY SANDERS was a young local paper photographer who had to buy a ticket to get in...now his precious memories have become a stunning new book
Edging my way down a packed Wembley Way one Saturday morning in July 1985, I already knew I was about to witness history. Some of the world's biggest rock stars were set to perform a charity concert in London to raise money for famine victims in Ethiopia and it was called 'Live Aid'. Interest from the south coast newspaper where I worked as a photographer was, to say the least, minimal. But little did they know the show would have a global audience of nearly two billion people – amazingly, around 40 per cent of the world's population. I made every effort to get accreditation for the press pit in front of the stage but, being from the provinces, I didn't stand a chance. The only alternative was to buy a ticket. It cost me £5 – plus a £20 charity donation, of course – the equivalent of about £100 today. And I decided that whether anyone wanted the pictures or not, I was going to spend my day off committing the event to celluloid. I must have looked quite a sight entering Wembley through the turnstiles, armed with two Nikon cameras, boxed long lenses, a Widelux camera for panoramic images, a bag of films and a standard Manfrotto tripod. Contrary to today's zealous safety measures, I was actually helped into the ground and onto the pitch by a security guard. Unlike normal events at Wembley, where the crowd filtered in over a few hours, Wembley Way was full of thousands of people arriving early so that when the gates opened they could make a dash for the stage. George Michael (above) stormed the stage at Wembley Way as he joined Elton John, Freddie Mercury, Bob Geldof, Sting, Status Quo, Spandau Ballet, Phil Collins, and Francis Rossi for Live Aid - a charity concert at London's Wembley Stadium to raise money for famine victims in Ethiopia in 1985 This made for some great reportage pictures. With 72,000 rock fans packed in, I decided the best vantage point would be next to the mixing desk, midway between the touchlines – the right call, as it turned out. This position ended up being key to my unique set of pictures, the only slight problem being the occasional haze of cigarette smoke filtered through sunlight! Not even a brief rain shower halfway through the concert could dampen what was a remarkable day. By common consent, one of the great stand-out moments was Queen's electrifying set, led by the irreplaceable Freddie Mercury, which took the show to another level. I was thrilled when their lead guitarist, the great Sir Brian May, agreed to write the foreword to this book. Other great memories include Paul McCartney's first gig in six years, the re-formation of The Who and the since-unmatched ensemble rendition of Do They Know It's Christmas?. It is why 13 July 1985, for many people, remains the greatest day in rock 'n' roll history. The fact that a star as big as Elvis Costello agreed to perform just one song to fill time while the crew changed kit between acts shows just how extraordinary the gig was. Of course, the day wasn't without its mishaps: Nik Kershaw forgot his words, Noel Edmonds introduced Phil Collins only for Sting to walk out instead, U2 were having an off day (their guitarist The Edge later admitted it was 'c**p') and Bryan Ferry had to sing into two microphones taped together after his set was beset by technical difficulties. But it was all part of what made the day special. It didn't feel like some over-curated pop concert planned to within an inch of its life by industry bigwigs. By common consent, one of the great stand-out moments was Queen's electrifying set, led by the irreplaceable Freddie Mercury, which took the show to another level, according to Murray Sanders - the photographer who documented the historic event 40 years ago British singer Martin Kemp in an electric-blue suit as he performed to a packed stadium The Who's Roger Daltrey and Pete Townsend as photographed by Murray Sanders A very young and fresh-faced Paul Weller of The Style Council David Bowie live in concert at Wembley in London on July 13, 1985 English songwriter Bryan Ferry who was the frontman of the band Roxy Music and also launched a solo career Unlike normal events at Wembley, where the crowd filtered in over a few hours, Wembley Way was full of thousands of people arriving early so that when the gates opened they could make a dash for the stage, says Sanders Bryan Ferry mid-set at Live Aid Some of the greatest rock acts of the world came together for the unbelieveable charity concert that remains unmatched in its scale Rock legends Freddie Mercury and Brian May were unforgettable at Wembley on 13 July Murray wrote he decided the best vantage point would be next to the mixing desk, midway between the touchlines, adding this was the right call It was chaotic and wild, fun and unpredictable. And I hope you'll agree my photos capture something of that energy. Forty years on and having stumbled across these old photos in my garage attic while looking for Christmas decorations, I'm thrilled to be publishing Live Aid Relived – with that powerful foreword by Sir Brian, words by renowned royal biographer Robert Hardman, and featuring over 230 photographs from the day, the vast majority of which have never been seen before. As Sir Brian says himself, these shots are more than just a record of the day, they are a 'compendium of precious memories'. Live Aid relived by Murray Sanders is exclusively available at music2you for £29.95.
Daily Mail
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
CHRISTOPHER STEVENS reviews last night's TV: Inspirational Live Aid still brings a lump to the throat after 40 years
Live Aid at 40 (BBC2) Spandau Ballet flew in from Japan. David Bowie wore a Feed The World T-shirt for Top Of The Pops. Paula Yates flirted like mad with a bemused but flattered George Michael. 'We had everyone,' Bob Geldof declared, looking back on Live Aid At 40: When Rock 'n' Roll Took On The World. 'That was the Eighties.' It's impossible to imagine anything with the rebellious energy of Band Aid happening now. The major stars would all be bogged down in negotiations over top billing, the minor ones would be too absorbed in videoing themselves for Instagram and TikTok, and in any case, the whole shebang would be derailed by pro-Palestinian activists. Instead of a studio crammed with chart-toppers singing Do They Know It's Christmas? you'd just have a posse of grime rappers chanting Death To Israel and two public schoolgirls super-gluing themselves to the microphone stands. But in the 1980s, anything seemed possible. Geldof, who famously staged a public argument with the PM over food aid for Africa, still can't hide his dislike of Mrs Thatcher, but she epitomised a Britain where people seized their opportunities and asked permission later. Band Aid and Live Aid were raw Thatcherism in action, and the first two hour-long episodes of this inspirational, hugely entertaining documentary proved it repeatedly. When Phil Collins volunteered to perform on both sides of the Atlantic in one day, music promoter Harvey Goldsmith persuaded British Airways to lay on a supersonic flight by telling them it would be a great advert for Concorde. And the whole concept of a 16-hour concert, beamed live around the planet, was seen by broadcasters as a chance to demonstrate their global satellite links. That technology was in its infancy but the only major electronic mishap was the failure of Paul McCartney's microphone in the middle of Let It Be. Geldof bounded on stage, dragging Bowie and Alison Moyet, and announced gleefully, 'If you're going to cock it up, you may as well do it with two billion people watching you.' As well as reminding us how all Britain and the U.S., too, were galvanised by this pop extravaganza to combat the famine in sub-Saharan Africa, this series contained some fascinating insights into how great music is made. Rehearsing his solo lines for the Band Aid single, George Michael asked politely if he could tweak the chorus to suit his voice. As he did so, he transformed the song, creating its memorable hook. Live Aid is still celebrated for the sheer entertainment it delivered. But the real lump-in-the-throat moment, both 40 years ago and in this documentary, came in a collage of news footage: starving children in an Ethiopian camp, set to a soundtrack by The Cars. That day, when the broadcast cut back to the studio presenter, comedian Billy Connolly was beside him, weeping helplessly. So were millions of viewers.
Forbes
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
George Michael Returns To The Top 40 With One Of His Most Celebrated Singles
Decades after release, George Michael's "Careless Whisper" reenters the U.K. top 40 on the Official ... More Physical Singles Sales and Official Vinyl Singles charts. George Michael during George Michael In Concert At The Arena - Amsterdam - June 26th, 2007 at Arena in Amsterdam, Netherlands. (Photo by Greetsia Tent/WireImage) Among all of George Michael's huge singles, there is one that stands out when it comes to listeners in the United Kingdom, his home country. Decades after it was released and years after the singer's passing, 'Careless Whisper' remains the track that fans in that nation seem to return to regularly. It is the one that appears on the charts most frequently — at least outside of Christmas, when his Wham! cut 'Last Christmas' becomes a favorite once again. Michael scores a pair of top 40 hits in the U.K. this week with the same tune, as sales of the classic surge once more. 'Careless Whisper' Appears on Several Charts 'Careless Whisper' appears on only two song rankings in the U.K. at the moment, and it's a top 40 win on both of them. The song jumps up the Official Physical Singles Sales chart, which ranks the bestselling tracks on formats like CD, vinyl, and cassette. Last week, it sat at No. 62, but now it rises to No. 36. Coincidentally, it hits that mark in its thirty-sixth frame on this roster. 'Careless Whisper' Reappears Inside the Top 40 At the same time that 'Careless Whisper' bolts back into the top 40 on the Official Physical Singles Sales chart, it reenters the Official Vinyl Singles chart. Michael's cut didn't appear on the list of the bestselling individual tunes on wax in the U.K. just days ago, but now it's back at No. 38. George Michael and Wham! 'Careless Whisper' was originally released on Wham!'s sophomore album Make It Big, but the tune is credited solely to Michael in the U.K. The track dropped in the summer of 1984, but it didn't become a hit on either the Official Physical Singles Sales chart or the Official Vinyl Singles chart until October 2024. Since then, the tune has departed the vinyl ranking several times, while it has never disappeared entirely from the Official Physical Singles Sales tally. 'Careless Whisper' Reached No. 1 All Around the World 'Careless Whisper' was a quick No. 1 hit in a number of countries all around the world in the mid-80s. The tune easily topped the main list of the most consumed songs in the U.K. and also brought Wham! to the summit on the Hot 100 in America. The track was credited to both the group and Michael as a soloist in the U.S. and still stands as one of his and the duo's most popular compositions to this day.
