Futile Clacton byelection has done Farage no favours 14. August 2026 (10:25) The Reform UK leader forced a vote that failed to make financial questions disappear, only the man himself• Clacton byelection – UK politics liveDawn had long broken in the Essex town of Clacton-on-Sea when the results for the byelection came in. After a gruelling count, an atmosphere of deep exhaustion had settled over the room. Even the man with a dustbin on his head looked weary.As it was declared that Nigel Farage had, as expected, won, there was no cheering in the room, which had been boycotted by the Reform UK leader and his supporters; instead there was only an overwhelming sense of futility. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Standards watchdog resumes investigation into Nigel Farage over financial gifts 14. August 2026 (10:17) Reform UK leader’s return to Clacton restarts inquiry into £5m gift from crypto-billionaire and support from fraudster• UK politics live – latest updatesThe suspended parliamentary standards investigation into Nigel Farage over accusations he failed to declare gifts and donations has resumed after the Reform UK leader’s re-election as the MP for Clacton.The twofold investigation by Daniel Greenberg, the parliamentary commissioner for standards, was paused after Farage resigned from his seat and called a byelection in protest at what he said was unfair scrutiny of his finances. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Pocock and crossbenchers call Labor’s NDIS overhaul ‘too far, too fast’ in scathing Senate inquiry report 14. August 2026 (10:04) Greens say Labor’s reform set to ‘rip life-changing supports away from disabled people instead of raising additional revenue through taxing gas exports’Cross-benchers have slammed the Albanese government’s proposed overhaul of the NDIS as going “too far, too fast” as the changes to curb the growth of the $52bn program appear set to pass the parliament as early as next week.The Greens and independent ACT senator, David Pocock, delivered scathing assessments of the bill they warn will enable blunt and indiscriminate cuts to individual budgets supporting more than 770,000 Australians with disabilities in a final Senate inquiry report released on Friday afternoon. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Lending to property investors falls sharply in ‘tiny’ step towards fairer housing market in Australia, expert says 14. August 2026 (10:03) ABS data shows an almost 9% slump in new lending to investors after three interest rate hikes this yearFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastIn what one economist is describing as a “tiny step” toward a fairer housing market after decades of bad policy, property investors are shying away from established homes, and putting money into new builds instead, new data shows.New lending to property investors fell sharply in the three months to June, slumping almost 9%, ABS data showed, while the number of total new home loans dropped by 5.4% in the June quarter. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘They do look majestic’: tears and pride as first white storks set free in Cornwall 14. August 2026 (10:00) Twenty-one birds released on Bodmin Moor where it is hoped they will one day return to produce their own youngThey took a little coaxing at first – after all, they had got used to a safe, comfortable aviary tucked away in woodland on the edge of Bodmin Moor. But after a few minutes, the birds stepped out into freedom and the bolder ones were soon soaring into the blue, the first white storks to be released into the wilds of Cornwall.Yan Swiderski, the founder of the Cornwall Stork Project, had tears in his eyes. “I do feel a bit emotional,” he said. He sounded a little like a proud father wanting to play down the achievements of his offspring – and failing. “They’re a little bit clumsy at the moment. They aren’t used to flying free … but they do look majestic, don’t they?” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Teachers demand more scrutiny of Catholic school funding amid allegations of ‘sham arrangement’ with NSW Liberal group 14. August 2026 (09:41) Independent Education Union ‘deeply concerned … public funding for Catholic schools may have been wrongfully spent on Liberal party matters’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe union for independent school teachers in New South Wales has demanded greater scrutiny of Catholic schools as the chief executive of their governing body told a corruption inquiry payments to a lobbying firm were not a “sham arrangement” to fund Liberal party factional work.Dallas McInerney insisted to the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) on Friday that Catholic Schools NSW funding wasn’t misused. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Engine parts shattered Ryanair window that passenger was partly sucked out of, report says 14. August 2026 (09:12) Preliminary findings show fan blade broke off shortly after takeoff on 10 July flight from Greece to GermanyBroken engine parts were responsible for shattering a window on a Ryanair plane, causing a passenger to be partly sucked out mid-flight in July, US investigators have said.A preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found an engine fan blade broke off shortly after takeoff on the 10 July flight from Greece to Germany shattering the window and damaging the fuselage. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘This is hell’: British widow ‘sick’ with worry over threat of being removed from Sweden 14. August 2026 (09:00) Joyce Thomas faces being forced to leave country after losing appeal against deportationBritish widow, 78, told to leave Sweden under Brexit rulesThe 78-year-old British widow threatened with removal from Sweden after 21 years has said she has been left feeling sick with worry after being told she had lost an appeal against deportation in a ongoing row over the country’s handling of Brexit.“I am in shock. I feel sick. An individual’s life is at stake at my age. It is hell. I have done nothing wrong. I don’t take anything from this country. I am self sufficient, I put money in this country, have no criminal record,” said Joyce Thomas from her home in Sweden on Thursday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Clacton byelection: Farage beats Count Binface but skips result announcement – UK politics live 14. August 2026 (08:56) Reform UK leader says result ‘speaks for itself’ after refusing to attend vote count in byelection he tried to frame as the ‘people versus the establishment’Farage wins Clacton byelection in contest boycotted by every other major partyThis election is a novelty with a record 34 candidates, including Howling Laud Hope of The Official Monster Raving Loony Party and Marcus White from the Everyone is God Party.They have pounded the streets of Clacton over the past few weeks as they seek to win the support of about 80,000 voters. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Iris Murdoch artworks from secret room go on display – including self-portrait 14. August 2026 (08:00) Second world war paintings and sketches show novelist ‘engaging with her world in a new light’For decades, they lay in a secret room in her attic gathering dust. Now, newly discovered artworks by the Booker prize-winning author Iris Murdoch – including the only self-portrait she is known to have painted, four surrealist landscape paintings and three sketches of female nudes – will go on display for the first time on Friday.The artworks were created at the start of the second world war when Murdoch was a student at Oxford. They expose her early interest in surrealism and fascination with the naked female form. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
