Artists open centre in area of east London where they have lived and worked for decades Every creative person yearns for a room of their own. But for the stars of Britain’s contemporary art world, it seems that now only a venue of their own will do. Last weekend it was Tracey Emin in Margate; on Saturday morning it was the turn of the veteran duo Gilbert and George.“It is very exciting to see so many people,” said George Passmore, 81, after the gates swung wide at 10am to let in an […]

Theatres such as now-closed Oldham Coliseum vital for northern working-class people, says actorChristopher Eccleston has said it would be impossible for him to become an actor in today’s world, in an impassioned interview after the closure of Oldham’s Coliseum theatre.The British actor spoke about how the closure of the historic theatre would affect the acting community and people from working-class backgrounds. Continue reading...

Hailed by Tory MPs as a Brexit benefit, CPTPP membership actually turns the UK into a willing pawn in Washington’s geopolitical gameTory MPs hailed the UK’s entry last week into the Indo-Pacific trading bloc as a major step on the road to re-establishing Britain as a pioneer of free trade.It was a coup for Rishi Sunak, said David Jones, the deputy chairman of the European Research Group of Tory Eurosceptics, who was excited to be aligned with “some of the most dynamic economies in the […]

‘Deeply frustrated’ port officials blame critical incident on extra Easter ferry bookings for coaches and French border processesSchool coaches have faced hours-long waits during severe delays in Dover at the start of the Easter holiday period.The Port of Dover, which declared a critical incident on Friday, said it was “deeply frustrated” at the delays, which it attributed to “lengthy French border processes and sheer volume”. Continue reading...