By Sarah Beeson MBE, Health Visitor and Author After four decades working with babies, children and their families as a nurse and health visitor, I can honestly say that this is the best generation of parents there has ever been. One of the biggest reasons is that mums and dads work as a team; putting their Little One’s needs at the centre of family life. Today’s parents often intuitively meet the needs of their baby in a natural way. Even...

Sport News 24/7 By David de Winter - Sports Editor @TLE_Sport  @davidjdewinter Well I did not see that coming.  If you had told me that England would win the first Ashes Test at Cardiff, and at a canter, I would have questioned your sanity and probably referred you to a psychiatrist.  In winning by the emphatic margin of 169 runs, England have sent a strong message to Australia that they won’t just roll over and capitulate like they did 18...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor After watching 20-year-old Mhairi Black’s maiden speech, when she showed how a young politician should conduct oneself, in a non-precocious or cringe worthy way(William Hague take note) I settled down to the last PMQs until after the summer recess. I hoped that established politicians had seen her speech and a breath of fresh air had blown through politics, which would enlighten me. Obviously they didn’t and I wasn’t. Harriet Harman, who was cheered by the...

By Matt Keay Darran Anderson's Imaginary Cities is a rare tome, one that fuses a grand scope with a heart to match. We can easily notice ourselves in this book; we can identify with the way in which both the past and the future can meld, creating an existence of hope and searing potential. Having set up a popular Twitter account (@Oniropolis), which gathered a large following very quickly, Anderson draws on the fantastical land and cityscapes he shares on...

The concept album poses a special challenge for a recording artist. As well as great tunes a concept album needs a compelling narrative and complete harmony between tracks that is less emphasised on a standard release. 'Dark Side Of The Moon' by Pink Floyd is one of the more well-known, well-executed concept albums out there. The album holds a special place in music history and pop culture, making it the ideal subject for the first Concept Album Talks taking place this Tuesday....

By Emma Silverthorn @HouseOf_Gazelle As the tag line goes The Royals is like Gossip Girl on coke, a tagline which I have to somewhat ashamedly admit attracted me. And yes the Gossip Girl parallels do abound. Youthful, attractive delinquents and delinquents with secretly big hearts populate The Royals as they do in GG. As well as a half-baked attempt at critiquing the danger of conforming to social pressures rather than your hearts’ desires. In GG this means Lily van der...

By Nathan Lee, TLE Correspondent  New research has found six out of ten adults now prefer more ethnic and adventurous dishes than meals which are thought of as traditionally British as more people expand their menus with foreign tastes and flavours. The typical Brit’s dinner table plays host to meals from up to six different countries during the week, including Mexican, Chinese, Italian and Indian dishes. In many households, the Sunday roast is the only occasion when a traditionally British dish sees the...

By Jonathan Hatchman, Food Editor, @TLE_Food As soon as the news broke of The Richmond’s opening, I was sure that I’d heard it all before. Locally acclaimed chef takes on a new premises within a trendy neighbourhood, serves an overpriced menu of “quintessentially British seasonal food”, all types of on-trend fare, and pricey Craft Beers to the local foodie crowd. And the result, overall, is generally gratuitously underwhelming for anybody that doesn’t own a beard comb or antique bicycle. Thankfully,...

Satire: Foxes Offered Last Minute Bailout Deal Britain’s wild foxes have been offered a last minute bailout deal by The Conservatives after talks to save the species from privileged countryside toffs reached a drawn-out conclusion. Leaders have agreed to keep the current legislation in place after marathon talks went on well in to the night. Under the deal, hunters will continue to overlook legal restrictions as long as anti-campaigners promise to restructure their attacks to focus exclusively on class warfare,...