Exam grades are in chaos, teachers are in despair, appeals are set for meltdown

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson issued a humiliating apology to millions of pupils last night – as fears grew of chaos in the A-level appeals process. A quarter of a million sixth-formers will get their results this morning after an 11th-hour change to the way grades are awarded. In an attempt to head off a rebellion … Read more

Royal aides despair that Covid-secure quarters in Balmoral are like ‘Colditz prison camp’

Don’t wish you were here: Royal aides despair that Covid-secure quarters in Balmoral are like ‘Colditz prison camp’ ‘Stir-crazy’ aides are preparing Balmoral for the Queen and Prince Philip’s arrival They have been banned from socialising to protect the royals from coronavirus The Queen and Prince Philip are expected within days and will stay for … Read more

Royal aides despair that Covid-secure quarters in Balmoral are like ‘Colditz prison camp’

Don’t wish you were here: Royal aides despair that Covid-secure quarters in Balmoral are like ‘Colditz prison camp’ ‘Stir-crazy’ aides are preparing Balmoral for the Queen and Prince Philip’s arrival They have been banned from socialising to protect the royals from coronavirus The Queen and Prince Philip are expected within days and will stay for … Read more

ROBERT HARDMAN: The anger and despair of Leicester residents sent to, er, Coventry 

So much for all these smart new post-Covid council signs erected all over the city which say: ‘Great to have you back in Leicester’. As of this week, they might as well add: ‘But I’m afraid you’ve been sent to Coventry.’ Poor Leicester woke up yesterday to discover that it is the first place in … Read more

Despair engulfs High Street: Lockdown triggers record sales

Hundreds of High Street shops expected to close after lockdown ends, as retailers endure worst month on record By Tom Witherow For The Daily Mail Published: 22:05 BST, 22 May 2020 | Updated: 22:05 BST, 22 May 2020 Hundreds of High Street shops are expected to close after the lockdown ends, as retailers endured the … Read more

Viewers despair over chef Gordon Ramsay’s departure from MasterChef

‘I miss him already!’ Viewers despair over chef Gordon Ramsay’s departure from MasterChef and wish he was ‘a permanent fixture’ on the revamped cooking show By Ali Daher For Daily Mail Australia Published: 16:32 BST, 16 April 2020 | Updated: 16:36 BST, 16 April 2020 Gordon Ramsay has been a huge hit with audiences on … Read more

Political books of the year: Thatcher’s despair Cameron’s gamble… and May’s muddle

Margaret Thatcher Vol 3: Herself Alone by Charles Moore (Allen Lane £35, 1,072 pp) Margaret Thatcher Vol 3: Herself Alone by Charles Moore (Allen Lane £35, 1,072 pp) Political biographies don’t get any better than this. For a start, there’s the thorough research sifting through a million pages of government and personal papers, backed up by … Read more

Here are 10 morale-boosting reasons why Britain shouldn’t plunge into coronavirus despair 

The number of infections is accelerating, stock markets are plummeting and airlines are cancelling flights.  Shops have run out of hand sanitiser and increasing numbers of people are wearing face masks — if they can manage to buy one at an affordable price. But are we panicking too much over Covid-19?  Clearly, the disease is … Read more