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If the run-up to the 2017 General Election was notable for anything it was for the self-promotion of people who claimed to be loyal to their party. On the one side there was Theresa May, who although proclaiming to be captaining a strong and stable ship was actually seeing her leadership constantly challenged by the likes of Boris Johnson and co who have long had their eyes on the premiership. And then there was Jeremy Corbyn, who has suffered a...

The picturesque seaside resorts many of us visit are not what they seem to be. Behind the sunshine (and showers) is a worrying level of deprivation. The Social Market Foundation has found that the coastal communities of the UK are among the worst off for employment, health, education and earnings. Behind the sandcastles and picture postcard vistas average wages are £3,600 a year behind the national average. The Think Tank found that five of the 10 local authorities in the...

A foreign terrapin branded with right-wing 'EDL' graffiti has been spotted in a public park. Nick Leonard was walking with his one-year-old daughter when he spotted the defaced animal in a grassy area near a pond. The small reptile's shell was daubed in white paint with the slogan "EDL" alongside a crudely-drawn cross of St George – seemingly a reference to the far-right nationalist group, the English Defence League. In a bizarre twist the species is considered an invasive species...

Grazing reindeer help increase plant diversity in Arctic regions despite climate change, according to new research. Swedish scientists have found global warming actually reduces the number of plant species in the tundra. But plant-eating animals, such as reindeer and voles, can help plant diversity in the long run. The researchers believe animals could help protect diversity by preventing losses of small and slowly-growing species. Doctor Elina Kaarlejärvi, of Umeå University in Sweden, said: “By eating tall and wide-leaved plants, reindeer...

A petition to ban 'cruel' donkey rides from a traditional English seaside resort has gained more than 110,000 signatures in just six days. Supporters say the animals endure unnecessary suffering as they are forced to walk up and down seafronts carrying children in hot weather with no rest. The petition was set up by a woman known on as 'Kirsty D' who visited Clevedon, Somerset, on a hot day. It calls on the local council to ban the rides on...

Speculation that the pound is set to reach parity with the Euro is rife after construction PMI data highlights Brexit’s negative impact on the economy. Following a week of heightened tensions over the North Korean missile aggression and stalled Brexit negotiations sterling took yet another battering at the start of the month as Construction PMI data reveals weak economic growth and a new BBC survey finds an interest rate rise from the BoE is unlikely until 2019. Commenting on the results Paresh Davdra, CEO...

As McDonald’s employees gather on the picket line for the first time ever in the UK, the Labour leader has come out in support of the disgruntled workers. The burger chain employees want secure shift patterns and pay of at least £10 an hour. A rally is expected to go ahead in central London with 40 striking workers will attend a rally in Westminster, with Jeremy Corbyn lending his support. The industrial action comes from two outlets, one in Crayford...

Theresa May could be about to make a U-turn on public sector pay caps, according to leaked documents. The PM stoically rejected calls to lift the 1 per cent pay cap after the controversial policy saw the average public sector worker lose £13,000 over the last seven years. But according to reports a letter has been issued by ministers to pay review bodies signalling the lifting of the pay cap on those professions with the biggest recruitment and retention problems -...

A Tory MEP has got himself an Irish passport as he wanted to ensure he was a EU citizen after the UK finally leaves the economic union after the Brexit deal is finally agreed. Charles Tannock is a passionate remainer who was deeply saddened by the EU referendum result. He has an Irish grandmother so was able to apply for a passport for the Republic. Tannock told the Irish Times about his newly found passion for his Irish family background...