GMB has criticised the Conservative Government for being ‘asleep at the wheel’ as worrying new figures show UK economy slowing down. The latest GDP figures released today show growth in the first quarter was down to 0.3 per cent - from 0.7 per cent in the last quarter of 2016. The service, retail and manufacturing suffered saw a particular sharp slow down. Meanwhile energy costs are driving up inflation - in March the energy component of CPIH was up 8.7...

By Michael McNulty A searing yellow sun sits in the deep oranges of the Australian sky, the dark red earth below it. Moments later we see the reflection of a man in the rear view mirror of his car as he falls in and out of sleep. The vehicle swerves off the road, into the brush and flips onto its back, before a man crawls out through an open window, unscathed. This is Foley, a “gun” sheep shearer, larrikin and...

My old economics teacher used to say that regardless of what other big issues might be surrounding a General Election the thing that really sticks in the back of people’s minds when they head to the polling stations is whether they can put food on the table. Labour’s chances of winning this election have been predicted at slim to none by the pollsters, a factor largely based on their muddled approach to Brexit which is seen to be a decisive...

Fyre Festival, the Bahamas-bound, Insta-model endorsed music fest is officially a disaster. Touted as  a 'cultural moment created from an alchemic blend of music, art, and food', patrons were greeted by a festival site that wouldn't look out of place in Children of Men. The promised A-list models and boutique tents in reality turned out to be wild dogs and hastily-assembled emergency shelter, all for tasty ticket prices upwards of 10K. Evidently, Twitter has latched onto the catastrophe and run with...

By Linda Marric Adapted from Maylis de Kerangal’s fantastic novel of the same name, Heal The Living is the third feature from critically acclaimed French director Katell Quillévéré (Suzanne, Love Like Poison). This beautifully atmospheric and truly devastating piece of filmmaking, is one of the most emotionally charged films of the year. First shown as part of the programme at the London Film Festival in 2016, the film is finally getting a nationwide release courtesy of Curzon Artificial Eye, which...

A kite surfer used survival techniques to make a life raft out of his equipment in dangerously cold water while emergency services searched for him in the sea. Devon coastguard teams, lifeboat crews, an ambulance and a search and rescue helicopter were called to reports of a kite surfer in difficulties in North Devon on Monday night. He spent approximately an hour in the 11.4 degrees centigrade water and bent the inflation tube at the front of the kite to...

Caretaker Kevin Would used school tables laid out on the floor at Willerby Carr Lane Primary School in Hull, East Yorks., to create an unusual walkway for the ducks. In the footage, the mother duck is seen leading her new borns back through the school in formation. Headteacher Sean Smith said: "The mother was nesting and laid her eggs in the quadrangle in the middle of the school."Our caretaker Kevin made a nice little pond for her and she had...

Britain’s longest serving employee has no plans to retire after working for the same company for 70 YEARS. Monica Evans, 89, has barely taken a day off since starting her job as an accounts clerk at an engineering firm when she was just 19. Incredibly, Monica has remained at the same firm ever since and on Friday (28/4) celebrates the 70th anniversary of her first day at work. She now works for the great-granddaughter of her first boss at Kigass...

A personal trainer and male model has made history by becoming the first amputee to make it to the finals of the Mr England contest. Jack Eyers, who had his right leg amputated at the age of 16, will compete against 24 other hopefuls at the event in July. The 28-year-old is already an established model and was the first disabled person to take to the catwalk at New York Fashion week in 2015. He said: “It’s such a huge...