VIDEO – McDonnell calls on industrial action to overthrow the Government
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor During a public rally, at the weekend, the Shadow Chancellor said he would support direct action by teachers, nurses and junior doctors. He turned on casino bankers who brought on the worst recession since the 1930s. He said that Tory Government used the economic downturn to cut benefits to the poorest in society. McDonnell also promised to end austerity, stop the privatisation of the NHS and to build a huge number of new council houses....
London getaways – swap the Big Smoke for serenity in Derbyshire
By Georgette Culley After 10 years living in the inner spokes of the big city wheel, I find myself craving the tranquillity and peacefulness of the countryside. So when my boyfriend suggested a romantic getaway out of the city, I couldn’t wait to go. We set off from north London on the A1/M1 and in just over two hours we had arrived at The Marriott Breadsall Priory Hotel and Country Club in Derbyshire. The four star hotel dates back to...
TLE Meets…Dane Bapiste
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Congratulations on your new BBC3 sit-com, Sunny D. Can you tell us about it? Sunny D is a semi-autobiographical comedy show that tells the story of my life, loves and loathes before I started comedy. The show stars veteran actor, Don Warrington, what was it like to work with him? A pleasure and privilege; apart from the fact that when you mention his name, mature women and cougars swoon and then describe in graphic detail...
Secret Teacher -Teaching not in crisis, says Nicky Morgan. Stop sniggering at the back!
As someone in charge of education, surely some things may be a hint you may not be presiding over the most glorious era of our schools’ history. Firstly, the fact teachers are leaving the profession not in a trickle, but in a flood. People who have done a fine job for years are now obliged to give up the job they once loved and lived for. Secondly, parents are now in open revolt over the latest ludicrous round of SATs...
Beer of the Week – Brooklyn Brewery Brown Ale
Image courtesy of Brooklyn Brewery. By Jonathan Hatchman, Food Editor, @TLE_Food Strength: 5.6% Brewed: Williamsburg, Brooklyn, USA Set up in New York during the late 1980s, Brooklyn Brewery was inspired by Steve Hindy’s stint as a Middle East-based journalist, having befriended a number of Saudi Arabian diplomats that would ply Hindy with their flavoursome beer brewed at home, given the strict Islamic laws against alcoholic beverages. Upon returning to America, Hindy began to brew his own beer at home and...
Device Battles: iPad Pro vs. Surface Pro 4
2-in-1 devices (aka a tablet with the power of a laptop) are showing no signs of slowing down in popularity. The main benefit to a 2-in-1 device is the ability to use a powerful business operating system, and still be contained within something that has a similar weight to a pack of 3 bananas. Two recently released devices are the Surface Pro 4 and the iPad Pro. Both have their strengths and weaknesses, but how do the two directly compare? I decided...
Hundreds of migrants die in the Mediterranean
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Deeply shocking news has emerged that up to 500 people may have drowned in a failed attempt to enter Europe via the Mediterranean. However, there has been no official confirmation, which may never come. Only 41 survivors were rescued and were moved to another ship, as it sank during the night. Coastguards have been unable to confirm the survivors accounts, but the figure is astonishing. In another incident, six bodies were recovered and 108 migrants...
MP Who Suffered Heart Attack tells Hunt he’s wrong about NHS
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor An MP whose life was saved by the NHS after suffering a heart attack at the weekend has told Jeremy Hunt to stop “talking down” the NHS. Mike Grapes a Labour MP was struck down with a heart attack in November said the Health Secretary was incorrect when he claims there is a not a seven-day health service. Grapes said: “Can I tell the secretary of state, I was admitted to the hospital in the...
“Vote leave” campaign got rickrolled
By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor A Belgian ex-pat called Mario Van Poppel bought the domain to voteleave.co.uk, voteleave.org, voteleave.com and voteleave.net and redirected them all to Rick Astley’s huge 1987 hit “Never Gonna Give You Up. Visit any of these domains and you will hear the lyrics and see the great man in action. The famous words “Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down,’ are probably more apt for the Stay campaign, but there you go. Van...