Friday April 29 2022 | thetimes.co.uk | No 73770
45 to subscribers
Corsets, breeches
and romance costume dramas too
Why men love
Stop taking
painkillers
for arthritis,
patients told
Push for exercise instead could save billions
Eleanor Hayward
Health Correspondent
Millions of patients with arthritis will
be told to exercise and lose weight
instead of taking painkillers under new
NHS guidance.
The National Institute for Health
and Care Excellence (Nice) said phys-
ical activity was a better option for
relieving pain caused by osteoarthritis
than drugs such as paracetamol.
The guidelines could save the health
service billions of pounds by reducing
the number of painkiller prescriptions
and helping patients to avoid expensive
joint replacements.
Osteoarthritis affects about 8.5 mil-
lion people in the UK and is the most
common type of arthritis. It causes
joints to become stiff and painful.
Arthritis costs the NHS £10 billion a
year, with eight in ten patients pre-
scribed painkillers, and is the primary
cause of 98 per cent of knee replace-
ments, costing £10,000 per joint.
Doctors will be encouraged to offer
tailored exercise programmes, stretch-
es and details of group classes such as
yoga and tai chi. Exercise has been
proven to increase muscle strength and
reduce stiffness for arthritis patients,
while weight loss reduces pressure on
joints and relieves inflammation.
Nice said paracetamol and glucosa-
mine, a nutritional supplement, should
not be offered as they do little to relieve
pain, while opioids should be avoided
because they are addictive. Previous
arthritis guidelines said doctors should
consider offering opioids such as code-
ine, morphine, tramadol and fentanyl.
However, the new guidelines say
ibuprofen gel applied directly to the
Mental care failures Energy firms warned
The Priory Group, the leading Boris Johnson will attempt to
private mental-healthcare head off political outrage over
chain, has been criticised for soaring profits at energy
failings in the care of 30 giants by demanding that they
patients who have died, an pour billions of pounds more
investigation reveals. Page 6 into British projects. Page 10
£2.20 £1.
joint can be helpful for relieving pain,
and ibuprofen pills can also be taken.
Doctors have been told to explain to
patients that “doing regular and con-
sistent exercise, even though this may
initially cause discomfort, will be bene-
ficial for their joints”.
When it comes to weight loss, arthri-
tis patients who are overweight will be
encouraged to set a target. They will
be told that “any amount of weight loss
is likely to be beneficial, but losing
10 per cent of their body weight is likely
to be better than 5 per cent.”
The guidelines also say that, to help
save the NHS money, doctors should
not refer patients for diagnostic x-rays
or scans to confirm they have the con-
dition. Instead, GPs can diagnose
osteoarthritis themselves in people
over 45 with activity-related joint pain.
Nice said allowing doctors to
diagnose arthritis without scans would
“reduce unnecessary resource use”.
Doctors have been told to refer
people for hip, knee or shoulder re-
placements only if exercise and weight
loss are ineffective or symptoms are
having a substantial impact on their
quality of life.
Dr Paul Chrisp, director of the
Centre for Guidelines at Nice, said:
“There is evidence which shows muscle
strengthening and aerobic exercise can
have an impact on not just managing
the condition, but also providing people
with an improved quality of life.
“Whilst topical and sometimes oral
NSAIDs [anti-inflammatory pain-
killers] remain an important treatment
option for osteoarthritis, we have taken
the decision to not recommend some
Briton dies in
painkillers, such as paracetamol and
Continued on page 2, col 3
Ukraine war
IN THE NEWS
US voters turn backs
A third-party candidate will
be in with a chance at the next
US election if Joe Biden and
Donald Trump run, as most
Americans are keen to see the
back of both of them. Page 34
Scott Sibley, 36, is the first Briton
confirmed to have been killed in
Ukraine after joining troops fighting
the invading Russians. Pages 14-15
Geologist accused
The family of Jim Fitton, 66,
a British geologist, say the
Foreign Office has abandoned
him. He could face the death
penalty after being accused of
smuggling in Iraq. Page 5
2G
(based on 7 Day Print Pack)
INSIDE
TIMES2
Prime Palma
Where the
smart set
are buying
Bricks&Mortar
End of BBC
licence fee
in funding
revolution
Jake Kanter Media Correspondent
Ministers have formally signalled the
death of the licence fee after committing
themselves to overhaul the BBC’s
100-year-old funding model.
In the first big update to British
broadcasting laws for nearly 20 years,
the government said it would set out a
timetable for a review of the licence fee
over the coming months, during which
alternatives would be considered.
A 42-page white paper said there
were “clear challenges on the horizon
to the sustainability of the licence fee”,
not least the streaming revolution,
which has resulted in fewer people
choosing to pay for BBC services.
Ministers warned that unless action
were taken to overhaul the funding
mechanism, a growing number of
people who refuse to pay the fee could
“significantly” push up the £159 levy.
Criminal sanctions for non-payment
were “disproportionate and unfair”, the
paper stated, suggesting that any new
model would abandon this threat.
“We need to consider the most fair
and appropriate funding mechanism to
be introduced at the end of the current
charter period,” the government said.
The BBC’s existing royal charter ex-
pires in 2027, meaning the government
has five years to implement an
alternative.
Previous funding reviews have con-
cluded that the licence fee remains the
“least bad” option. Ministers will want
to revisit ideas for funding models, in-
cluding subscription or linking the fee
directly to an existing household bill,
such as internet or electricity.
The BBC has said it is open-minded
about a review, but continues to believe
that the licence fee is the best way of
protecting the corporation’s univers-
ality and independence.
Nadine Dorries, the culture secretary,
underlined the message of the white
paper in a podcast by The Spectator
magazine, in which she said the licence
fee was “completely outdated”.
She added that “the BBC had a
problem with impartiality”, echoing the
white paper, which urged the corpora-
tion to urgently introduce reforms on
“groupthink”, which will be monitored
as part of a mid-term charter review.
Dorries promises TV golden age, page 9
Amazon makes loss Klopp is committed
Amazon rattled Wall Street by Jürgen Klopp has committed
unexpectedly announcing its to building a dynasty at
first quarterly loss since 2015 Anfield after agreeing to stay
and forecasting a slowdown in at Liverpool until 2026. The
growth as people curtailed manager has extended his
their online spending. Page 37 deal by two years. Page 72
2 2GM Friday April 29 2022 | the times

News

Today’s highlights Vaccine chief will lead push to

7.20am Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the international trade

11am
secretary
Matt Chorley looks back on the 25 years since
ease hormone therapy shortage
New Labour’s 1997 landslide
2pm Ruth Davidson chats to boxing legend Eleanor Hayward Health Correspondent “We will leave no stone unturned to investigations into the problem. We
Ricky Hatton, right, about his return to the help make sure women can get the need solutions and someone to actually
sport at the age of 43 The woman in charge of the govern- HRT they need. get hold of supplies and make
6.35pm The Ladder with the Labour MP Jess Phillips ment’s Covid vaccine task force has “That is why I have [appointed] alternatives to Oestrogel available.”
10.30pm Hannah MacInnes takes a first look at been redeployed to tackle the national Madelaine McTernan to head the HRT Harris is demanding national action
tomorrow’s papers with the journalists shortage of hormone replacement task force. [She] will use her excellent to ensure that Bijuve, a product made
Kevin Schofield and Aubrey Allegretti therapy. skills and expertise to build on the by Theramex that is the best alternative
Madelaine McTernan, who is leading success of the vaccine task force to bol- to Oestrogel, is available to women.
efforts to develop and procure corona- ster supply of vital medicines to Only women in Somerset and Norfolk
virus jabs, was appointed by ministers women.” can access the product, owing to delays
DAB RADIO l ONLINE l SMART SPEAKER l APP last night to spearhead a new HRT About one million women in Britain in approving prescriptions for the
supply task force. take HRT, which is given in patches, medication at a local NHS level.
McTernan will be joined by other pills or gels, and replaces the oestrogen Katie Taylor, chief executive of The
members of her team and said that they lost by the body during the menopause. Latte Lounge, an online support group
T O D AY ’ S E D I T I O N would apply lessons from “procuring However, several of the 70 HRT for midlife and menopausal women,
life-saving vaccines during the pan- products available in the UK are in said: “The menopause already causes
demic to help ensure women have relia- short supply, and one brand, Oestrogel, lots of women to retire or leave work.
ble ongoing access to these critical is almost impossible to access. This shortage will exacerbate that.
NEWS SPORT TIMES2 medicines”. This has been affecting tens of thou- “Women are desperate for HRT.
She has been tasked with identifying sands of women, many of whom rely on When they get hold of Oestrogel it feels
the root cause of shortages, procuring HRT to relieve symptoms including hot like they’ve won the lottery — they
extra supplies of HRT and working flushes, insomnia and anxiety. can’t find it anywhere.
with pharmacists to ensure they can Carolyn Harris, the Labour MP who “We have women driving round six
prescribe alternatives. Menopausal has been raising awareness of or seven pharmacies trying to get a pre-
women have turned to the black market shortages, said that the announcement scription. Some are trying to get it from
recently to buy HRT amid shortages of a new task force did not go far Spain.
linked to increased demand and global enough. “If this shortage continues for
supply chain problems. She told The Times: “We don’t need months women may feel they have to
Sajid Javid, the health secretary, said: fancy names and we don’t need more quit their jobs.”
BRIGHTEN UP JUST CRICKET SUMMER OF FUN
Restoration has Ben Stokes can The 25 best music
shone light on a
Constable painting
inject spirit the
team are lacking
festivals that still
have tickets on sale GPs see patients for only a few minutes
PAGES 26-27 PAGES 70-71 PAGES 6-7
Eleanor Hayward ber of fully qualified full-time GPs This is despite intense pressure on
working in the NHS had fallen by family doctors from ministers and NHS
COMMENT Nearly one in four GP appointments nearly 2 per cent in a year, exacerbating chiefs to improve patient access.
last less than five minutes, while long-standing shortages that are mak- Overall, the health service has lost
Without a healthy private sector there’s patients find it increasingly difficult to ing it harder than ever for patients to the equivalent of 1,600 full-time GPs
see a doctor, figures reveal. see a GP. since 2015, and growing numbers are
nobody to pay for the state The NHS has started recording the Jeremy Hunt, a former health secre- choosing to work part-time.
EMMA DUNCAN, PAGE 30 average length of GP appointments in tary, stressed the life-saving import- Last month the annual British Social
England for the first time, with data for ance of patients being able to see the Attitudes Survey revealed satisfaction
last month published yesterday. same GP every time. with GP services was at its lowest since
Clubbers panic Barclays delays Belarus player Of 20.6 million appointments, 4.6 Asked on Times Radio about ways to the survey began in 1983.
million lasted between one and five improve the NHS, Hunt said: “You’re 25 Dr Kieran Sharrock, deputy chair-
over needles capital return slams UK ban minutes, 5.5 million were between six per cent less likely to die if you have the man of the BMA England GP commit-
Panic is spreading in Barclays has delayed a Victoria Azarenka, the and ten minutes, and four million were same doctor over a long period of time. tee, said: “Last month appointments in
French nightclubs over £1 billion capital return Belarusian tennis between 11 and 15 minutes. And we can do that within the struc- England were up by four million. We
claims that revellers to investors for a player, has criticised GPs have previously warned that ap- tures that we currently have.” urgently need the government and pol-
have been pricked with second time while it Wimbledon and the pointments of less than ten minutes are The data also shows that only 62 per icymakers to work with the profession
needles that may have wrestles with a blunder LTA for banning not fit for purpose because they do not cent of consultations last month were to ease the pressures, turn the tide on
contained drugs. At in its structured players from Russia provide time to assess patients properly. face to face, compared with 80 per cent the exodus of GPs and enable them to
least 53 people claim to products business that and her home country The data also revealed that the num- before the pandemic. provide safe care that patients deserve.”
have been targeted on has drawn the scrutiny from UK tournaments
dancefloors. Page 35 of regulators. Page 38 this summer. Page 62
continued from page 1
Overhaul of arthritis treatment Behind the story
COMMENT 29 WORLD 34 SPORT 61

P
THUNDERER 30 BUSINESS 37 CROSSWORD 72 some opioids. This is because evidence eople with activities twice a Even if people with
LEADING ARTICLES 33 REGISTER 53 TV & RADIO TIMES2 has shown there was little or no benefit arthritis can week. arthritis struggle to
to people’s quality of life, pain or psy- sometimes Lower-impact move around, gentle
FOLLOW US chological distress and particularly in be put off activities, such as exercises performed
thetimes timesandsundaytimes thetimes the case of strong opioids, there was exercising swimming or cycling, while sitting in a chair
evidence that they can cause harm in because movement are often a better can also help to
OFFER the longer term, including possible can cause a option than exercise improve mobility.
addiction.” temporary flare-up of such as running. Research published
Save up to 33% with a subscription to Tracey Loftis, head of policy and joint pain (Eleanor Full-body stretching in the journal
public affairs at the charity Versus Hayward writes). is vital, as bending Arthritis Research &
The Times and The Sunday Times Arthritis, said: “We’ve seen first-hand But there is a and straightening Therapy found that
THETIMES.CO.UK/SUBSCRIBE the benefits that people with osteo- wealth of evidence joints keeps them over-60s who exercise
arthritis can get in being able to access showing that regular flexible and reduces regularly suffer 25 per
appropriate physical activity, especially physical activity is the loss of mobility. cent less joint and
THE WEATHER © TIMES NEWSPAPERS LIMITED, 2022. when in a group setting. vital to managing the Studies have shown muscle pain than
Published in print and all other derivative “Exercise can improve a person’s condition, both by that yoga, tai chi and those who are
formats by Times Newspapers Ltd, 1 London
Bridge St, London, SE1 9GF, telephone
mobility, help manage their pain and relieving pain and pilates can all sedentary.
020 7782 5000. Printed by: Newsprinters reduce feelings of isolation. reducing stiffness. significantly relieve Versus Arthritis
11 (Broxbourne) Ltd, Great Cambridge Rd, “But our own research into the The charity Versus joint pain. Weight- said that “our
Waltham Cross, EN8 8DY; Newsprinters support given to people with osteo- Arthritis advises bearing exercise, such research shows that,
(Knowsley) Ltd, Kitling Rd, Prescot, arthritis showed that far too many do patients to be as carrying shopping for the vast majority
9 Merseyside, L34 9HN; Newsprinters
12 10 (Eurocentral) Ltd, Byramsmuir Road,
not have their conditions regularly moderately active bags or doing some of people with
Holytown, Motherwell, ML1 1NP; Associated reviewed by healthcare professionals, aerobically for at least gardening, can help to arthritis, exercise can
Printing (Carn) Ltd, Morton 2 Esky Drive, and even fewer had the opportunity to 150 minutes each maintain muscle ease symptoms and
15
Carn Industial Estate, Portadown, BT63 5YY; access physical activity support. The week, and to do strength too, which make a real, lasting,
14
15 KP Services, La Rue Martel, La Rue des Pres lack of alternatives means that, in many strength-building protects joints. positive difference”.
Trading Estate, St Saviour, Jersey, JE2 7QR.
12
For permission to copy articles or headlines
cases, people are stuck on painkillers
16 for internal information purposes contact that are not helping them to live a life
11 Newspaper Licensing Agency at PO Box 101, free from pain.” Arthritis of all types affects about smooth cartilage lining of the joint
Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1WX, tel 01892 A report by Versus Arthritis this year 10 million people in the UK, with knees, becomes rough. Rheumatoid arthritis,
525274, e-mail copy@nla.co.uk. For all other found that 84 per cent of people with hips and hands the most affected joints. which is suffered by more than 400,000
reproduction and licensing inquiries contact
Showers over Scotland, cloudy in Licensing Department, 1 London Bridge St,
osteoarthritis were prescribed pain- It tends to develop in over-45s and is people and is the second most common
the southeast and sunny elsewhere. London, SE1 9GF, telephone 020 7711 7888, killers, while only half were recom- most common in women. type, occurs when the immune system
Full forecast, page 60 e-mail enquiries@newslicensing.co.uk mended to exercise. Osteoarthritis is caused when the targets affected joints.
the times | Friday April 29 2022 2GM 3

News

‘Ego’ lands charity in hot water

A pioneer fêted by
TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER JAMES GLOSSOP; JEFF HOLMES/GETTY IMAGES

royalty and stars for

tackling homelessness
is under investigation,
reports Marc Horne
Josh Littlejohn has been fêted by the
Duke and Duchess of Sussex, raised
tens of millions of pounds and handed
a Pride of Britain award. But he is being
investigated amid claims he misused
his power and acted like an “autocrat”.
The 35-year-old activist is co-
founder of Social Bite, a network of
fundraising cafés. He has attracted the
support of George Clooney, Leonardo
DiCaprio and the Duchess of Cam-
bridge, who helped him prepare chick-
en wraps in Aberdeen in 2020.
In 2018, Prince Harry and Meghan
Markle, his fiancée at the time, served
meals during a visit to Social Bite’s
premises in Edinburgh. Harry shook
hands with Littlejohn and asked:
“When are you bringing this down
south? It needs to be across the UK as
soon as possible.”
In December 2019, Littlejohn
launched The World’s Big Sleep Out, a
global event to tackle homelessness.
The Times has learnt, however, that
complaints about the charities have
been lodged with the Office of the Scot-
tish Charity Regulator (OSCR).
Social Bite employs more than 100
people and distributes about 140,000
items of food to homeless and vulnera-
ble people every year. But it has
emerged that four of the charity’s trus-
tees resigned on the same day last year
and a fifth trustee quit soon after.
It is understood that concerns were
expressed about Littlejohn, who was
made an MBE in 2016 for services to
social enterprise and entrepreneurship.
A senior former Social Bite insider
said there had been growing disquiet Josh Littlejohn and, top right, Alice Thompson, who co-founded Social Bite then left. Visitors to the cafés have iincluded
és ha l d dLLeonardo DiCaprio and George Clooney
over Littlejohn’s “autocratic” style of
leadership. “The excellent work that McNeill, deputy chair of court at received concerns about these chari-
Social Bite does is in danger of being Heriot-Watt University; and Ellie Mur- Profile ties, which are being examined . . . ac-
tarnished by the actions and inflated phy, a PR executive, resigned as Social cording to our published policies.”

J
ego of one individual,” the insider said. Bite trustees on May 17, 2021. osh Littlejohn Edinburgh in 2012. “It Vesta, a bar and Sir Andrew Cubie, chairman of
Jane Bruce, Social Bite’s former chief Marjory Rodger MBE, a business describes himself was hellishly stressful restaurant in the Social Bite, said: “We can confirm that
executive officer for Scotland, invoked consultant, resigned on August 23. The as “one of the to start with,” he Scottish capital. we are in communication with OSCR
whistleblower protection before re- accounts say: “A number of trustees world’s leading social recalled. By the age of 33 he relating to concerns they have received.
signing in September 2020. Alice stepped down after approving the prior entrepreneurs” and After selling his claimed to have raised In line with OSCR’s policy we are un-
Thompson, who founded Social Bite year group accounts at the AGM on claims to have events business for more than £22 million able to provide any further information
with Littlejohn in Edinburgh in 2012, May 17. Those who departed did so in spearheaded a “global £40,000, the pair for charity. In 2016, at this time. Under my chairmanship,
left the charity a month later. the knowledge that the charity was in a movement to tackle opened their first Littlejohn, who has Social Bite adheres to the highest levels
Bruce has lodged formal complaints strong financial position.” homelessness and premises selling five honorary of governance. In spite of the global
about the social enterprise and its sister Littlejohn was the public face of The displacement”. sandwiches in the doctorates, was made pandemic, the charity has gone from
charity. It is believed the concerns World’s Big Sleep Out in 50 cities to The son of Simon city’s Rose Street. an MBE. Three years strength to strength.”
centre on claims that Littlejohn estab- raise £40 million to tackle homeless- Littlejohn, the Social Bite shot to on, he and Thompson The charity confirmed Littlejohn re-
lished a powerful personal hold over ness. Soon afterwards, Littlejohn said millionaire Scottish fame when George received a Pride of signed as a trustee of Social Bite in 2020,
the charities, with trustees left feeling he would not host further sleep-out restaurateur who Clooney and Britain award. and as a director of Social Bite Restau-
unable to hold him to account. events. The latest accounts from The grew up in Blair Leonardo DiCaprio He helped to launch rants and Social Bite Limited in Februa-
The latest accounts published by World’s Big Sleep Out Trust, which is Drummond, near visited. The charity an accommodation ry 2022, and is now an executive direct-
Social Bite show that Rosalind Cuschi- no longer active, confirm its total Stirling, he founded now operates cafés in project for homeless or. A source said: “Josh remains a trus-
eri, the chairwoman, a former food firm annual income was £5,932,641, while its Social Bite with his Edinburgh, Glasgow, people in Edinburgh tee of the World’s Big Sleep Out Trust.”
chief executive; Kent Mackenzie, an ex- total expenditure, for the same period, then partner Alice Aberdeen and called the Social Bite The insider said Social Bite received a
ecutive with the accountancy and con- amounted to £6,922,647. Thompson in London, as well as Village. return of £985,477 for its investment in
sultancy company Deloitte; Morag An OSCR spokesman said: “We have the event. Bruce declined to comment.

Teenage brain tunes out mother’s voice in favour of friends

George Sandeman
Ignoring a mother’s plea to tidy bed-
rooms or do homework is typical of
teenagers but research suggests that
bad manners may not be the only
reason.
Children start tuning out their
mother’s voice as they enter adoles-
cence because they no longer find it
“uniquely rewarding”, according to a
study by the Stanford School of Medi-
cine in California. The researchers used
MRI scans to reveal that teenagers did
not neurobiologically register their
mother’s voice in the way they did as
younger children.
Instead the reward circuits in the
teenage brain, beginning around the
age of 13, prioritise unfamiliar voices.
This shift in favour of new voices is a
sign of healthy maturation, according
to the scientists.
“Just as an infant knows to tune into
her mother’s voice, an adolescent
knows to tune into novel voices,” said
Daniel Abrams, clinical associate pro-
fessor of psychiatry and behavioural
sciences and the study’s lead author.
“As a teen, you don’t know you’re doing
this. You’re just being you. You’ve got
your friends and new companions and
you want to spend time with them. Your
mind is increasingly sensitive to and at-
tracted to these unfamiliar voices.”
The study, which was published in
the Journal of Neuroscience, examined
teenagers aged from 13 to 16½.
They recorded the teenagers’ moth-
ers saying three nonsense words lasting
just under a second.
Two women who did not know the
teenagers were recorded saying the
same nonsense words.
Each teenager then listened to
several repetitions of the recordings,
presented in random order, and identi-
fied when they heard their mother.
They recognised their mothers’ voices
more than 97 per cent of the time. They
were then placed in an MRI machine
and listened again to the recordings.
The researchers found that all voices
caused greater activation in several
brain regions among teenagers com-
pared with younger children who par-
ticipated in a previous study, published
in 2016.
It found that younger children could
also identify their mother’s voice with
extremely high accuracy and that it
triggered some areas of the brain in a
way that unfamiliar voices did not.
Vinod Menon, a professor of psychia-
try and behavioural sciences who was
the study’s senior author, said: “When
teens appear to be rebelling by not lis-
tening to their parents, it is because
they are wired to pay more attention to
voices outside their home.”
4 Friday April 29 2022 | the times
News
Fixed overheads A drone’s-eye view of Tower Bridge in London. The photographer Mark Dillen stacked nine images on top of one another to create the “light trails” effect from vehicles crossing the bridge
Secretive Whitehall team puts
freedom of information at risk
George Greenwood
The Cabinet Office has been criticised
by MPs over the “substandard” hand-
ling of freedom of information laws.
An inquiry was opened into the
office’s secretive “clearing house” team,
which screens information requests
across central government, after it
emerged that the personal details of
journalists who made requests under
the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act
were being shared.
Anyone may ask for records held by
government departments, with some
exemptions, under the act, which is a
key anti-corruption and transparency
tool used by investigative journalists.
Under the rules, all requests are sup-
posed to be handled equally, regardless
of who makes them.
The inquiry found cases where de-
partments flagged reporters’ requests
to the clearing house, raising questions
about political interference to block
potentially embarrassing requests.
A reporter at The Times was flagged
at least once as an “ever active” appli-
cant by a department in internal corre-
spondence with the clearing house.
The investigation was launched last
year after the news website openDe-
mocracy won an appeal against the
Cabinet Office after it tried to keep
details of the clearing house secret.
Suspects charged in just 6% of reported crimes
Matt Dathan Home Affairs Editor
One in 16 crime suspects were taken to
court last year as the rate of offences
that led to a charge fell to a record low.
Suspects were charged or ordered to
appear in court for 274,421 offences last
year, only 5.8 per cent of all crimes re-
ported to the police, according to Home
Office figures. It is the lowest rate since
MARK DILLEN/SWNS
Quintagram® No 1302
Solve all five clues using each
letter underneath once only
1 Mountain pass (3)
---
2 Act of deception (5)
-----
regulator with the funds to ensure it 3 Bravery, valour (7)
Behind the story had enough staff.
The ICO faces a backlog of almost -------
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nnecessary creeping back. Last to lack of resources, it 3,000 appeals, with a nine-month wait 4 Bay of Naples volcano (8)
secrecy in year The Times joined takes nine months for for cases to be assigned to an officer.
government newspapers from a complaint to be Such delays risk weakening the public’s --------
leads to arrogant across the political assigned to a worker rights to information. 5 Push (oneself) excessively (9)
governance and spectrum in calling at the ICO, the A request by The Times in 2020
defective decision- for this inquiry after transparency for details of the clearing house’s bud- ---------
making (George worrying revelations watchdog. The Times get, staffing and guidance to employees B C E E E E E F
Greenwood writes). about the scale of has nearly a dozen is still awaiting determination by the
These were the delay and obfuscation complaints lodged ICO. F H I I L L M O
words of the Labour by the government. over failures by the The inquiry also found the govern- O O R R R S S S
cabinet minister John Witherow, the Cabinet Office to ment was not sufficiently proactive
David Clark in the editor of The Times, disclose documents, about supporting transparency. It cited T U U U V V V X
proposals he brought has said that it is a some two years old. comments by Lord Callanan, the busi- Solutions MindGames in Times2
before parliament in “fundamental right When information ness minister, to the House of Lords Cryptic clues every day online
1997, which led to of a free people to is finally released, it is that FOI Act is a “truly malign piece of
the Freedom of be able to see and often too late for it to legislation”.
Information Act. scrutinise the have an impact on the William Wragg, the Tory MP and Accused killer in court
MPs now fear this decisions made on debate about the PACAC chairman, said: “Our FOI laws
culture has been their behalf ”. But due policy in question. are a crucial part of our democracy, A man charged with the murder
allowing citizens to hold the govern- of four family members at a home
ment to account. The Cabinet Office in Bermondsey, southeast
The intervention by MPs marks an sioner’s Office (ICO), access to the unit has dragged its feet for too long on this London, has been remanded in
important victory for press freedom to complete an audit of its work. It said issue and must act now to remove sus- custody. Joshua Jacques, 28, of
after newspapers, including The Times, the decision was “misjudged”. picion around the clearing house.” Lewisham, is accused of killing
demanded an investigation after dis- For eight months after announcing A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: Dolet Hill, 64; her partner,
closures about how the clearing house this internal review, the department “We are reviewing PACAC’s report and Denton Burke, 58; her daughter,
shared information about reporters. failed to appoint a person to lead it, or to will consider its recommendations in Tanysha Drummonds, 45; and
The Cabinet Office was criticised by decide what its scope would be. It set our internal review.” Drummonds’s daughter,
the Public Administration and Consti- out the terms yesterday, a day before The government needs to come Samantha, 27. Jacques spoke only
tutional Affairs Committee (PACAC) the inquiry’s publication. The report al- clean, leading article, page 33 to confirm his details during a
for refusing to allow the transparency so raised concerns that the government System isn’t fit for purpose, brief hearing at Westminster
regulator, the Information Commis- was not providing the transparency Thunderer, page 30 magistrates’ court. He will appear
at the Old Bailey on Tuesday.
Tory MP’s car crash
Jamie Wallis, the Conservative
MP, has been charged with failing
records began six years ago and was rate continues to be for rape, with getting away with it and more victims to stop after a car crash near his
down from 7.5 per cent in a year. 1.3 per cent of 67,125 offences are being let down.” home in Wales in November.
The number of sex crimes logged by recorded by police in 2021 leading to The Home Office said its Beating Wallis, 37, from Cowbridge, Vale
police in England and Wales hit prosecution. Crime Plan to reduce murder and of Glamorgan, has also been
another record high. The most Yvette Cooper MP, Labour’s shadow neighbourhood crimes such as robbery charged with failing to report the
common reason for a case being closed home secretary, said: “These figures and serious violence was working, with crash, careless driving and leaving
continued to be because no suspect was show the grim truth that crime is going neighbourhood crime down by 31 per a vehicle in a dangerous position.
identified. In more than a quarter of up and prosecutions and community cent and hospital admissions for under- Wallis came out as transgender
cases, the victim did not support penalties are going down. Under the 25s as a result of assaults with a knife in March and also said he had
further action. The lowest charging Conservatives more criminals are down by 19 per cent since June 2019. been the victim of rape.
the times | Friday April 29 2022 5

News

Geologist faces execution for ‘smuggling’

Ali Mitib
A retired British geologist who could
face the death penalty after being
accused of attempting to smuggle
ancient artefacts out of Iraq is being
abandoned to his fate by the Foreign
Office, his family has claimed.
Jim Fitton, 66, was arrested at
Baghdad airport on March 20 after
customs officials found 12 shards of
broken pottery in his luggage.
The father of two, who lives in Kuala
Lumpur in Malaysia, was in Iraq for a
geology and archaeology tour. He is
being held in a cell at the airport ahead
of his trial, which is expected to take
place in the second week of May.
Sam Tasker, Fitton’s son-in-law, said
he had picked up the fragments while
visiting Iraq’s historical sites, which had
no signs warning against their removal.
Tasker, 27, said that Fitton would not
have attempted to take the shards back
to Malaysia had he been aware of the
“perceived severity” of the act.
The family say they have been
subjected to “total radio silence” from
the Foreign, Commonwealth and
Development Office. “The response
from the FCDO after three weeks of
deliberations effectively [was] ‘We don’t
want to help because we don’t want to
be seen to be interfering with the Iraqi
judiciary process’,” Tasker said.
Tasker alleges he was told that Brit-
ain would lobby the Iraqi government
to reduce Fitton’s punishment if the re-
tired geologist were sentenced to death
but “aside from that they will not offer
any assistance”.
“The FCDO is effectively abandon-
ing Jim to his fate because it’s less com-
plicated than having a diplomatic ding-
dong with the Iraqis . . . there’s a man’s
life involved here,” he said.
The family is asking the Foreign
Office to arrange a meeting with Iraq’s
director of public prosecutions so their
lawyer in the country can explain the
circumstances. This is an attempt to get
the case before the court of cassation,
which the family says would then close
it without a sentence being passed.
“As far as we are aware, that would
probably take a phone call, maybe a
letter from the ministers in the UK
Jim Fitton is
accused of trying
to take artefacts
out of Iraq
Foreign Office. It’s certainly not a big
ask,” Tasker said.
The family said that consular staff in
Iraq have visited Fitton weekly to check
on his wellbeing but the British ambas-
sador had not reached out to them.
Leila Fitton, his 31-year-old daugh-
ter, said: “There’s not a second that goes
by that I’m not thinking about this . . .
my mum’s just praying non-stop.”
The case was raised in the House of
Commons on Tuesday by Wera
Hobhouse, Leila Fitton and Sam
Tasker’s constituency MP, who urged
the Foreign Office to respond.
Hobhouse, the Liberal Democrat MP
for Bath, said: “From speaking with
Jim’s family, it is clear that he would not
intentionally disrespect or appropriate
the rich and fascinating culture of the
region.
“I have written to the Foreign Office,
been in touch with the consulate
support services, and contacted the
minister’s office directly, but so far the
response has been disappointing.”
An FCDO spokeswoman said: “We
are providing consular support to a
British national in Iraq and are in
contact with the local authorities.”

SPLASH NEWS

Becker at Harrods
(and a council flat)
before sentencing

O
n the eve of a
possible
seven-year
jail sentence,
Boris Becker
went shopping at
Harrods and spent more
than an hour at a west
London council flat
(David Brown writes).
The former
Wimbledon champion
will appear at
Southwark crown court
this morning having
been convicted of
concealing more than
£2.5 million from his
bankruptcy trustees.
Becker, 54, who lives
in Battersea, south
London, told his trial
that the £35 million
earnings from his
glittering career had
been swallowed up by a
divorce and “expensive
lifestyle commitments”,
including shopping at
Harrods.
He took a cab
yesterday morning to a
flat on a council estate
in Notting Hill, west
London. After more
than an hour there he
took another taxi to a
private entrance of
Harrods in Kensington,
west London. The tennis star spent more than an hour at a
A heavily tattooed flat in west London before taking a cab to
man wearing a black Harrods, which he entered through a side door
vest who opened the
door of the flat
declined to comment on
the reasons for the visit
by the BBC
commentator.
Becker, a six-times
grand-slam winner, was
cleared this month of
hiding tennis trophies
from his bankruptcy
trustees but convicted of
four of the remaining 15
charges.
They included making
a series of secret
payments totalling
£350,000 beginning the
day after his bankruptcy,
including more than
£28,000 to his former
wife Barbara, 53, a hand over his wedding received from a into account Becker’s k a father
Becker, f th off Noah his son with his
Noah,
further £83,000 to his ring but concealed Liechtenstein bank and 2002 conviction for tax four, was first wife.
estranged second wife ownership of a shares in a Canadian evasion in Germany, for accompanied to every His mother, Elvira
Lilly, 45, and £40,000 on £1.3 million home where artificial intelligence which he received a day of his trial by his Becker, 86, has urged
private surgery. his mother lives in firm. suspended prison latest girlfriend, Lilian the judge not to jail her
When he was made Lieman, Germany, a Judge Deborah Taylor sentence and paid a de Carvalho Monteiro, son, describing him as a
bankrupt he offered to £692,000 loan he will be asked to take £2.5 million fine. and in the final days by “decent boy overall”.

Men give birth, trainee midwives told Teachers strike at Catholic

James Beal Social Affairs Editor
Midwifery students at a British univers-
ity were taught that biological men
could get pregnant and trans men could
give birth even if they had a penis.
Students on a £9,000-a-year course
at Edinburgh Napier University uncov-
ered the errors during a module which
used woke language such as “birthing
people”.
In a university-made coursebook,
trainee midwives were given detailed
instructions on how to treat a male-to-
female trans person during childbirth.
That is despite it not being possible
for someone born a man to get preg-
nant or give birth.
The book’s introduction stated: “It is
important to note that while most times
the birthing person will have female
genitalia, you may be caring for a preg-
nant or birthing person who is transi-
tioning from male to female and may
still have external male genitalia.”
The workbook reminds students that
the “birthing person” may be a biologi-
cal male in two separate sections. One
includes a photo demonstration detail-
ing how to fit a catheter in a person with
a penis and scrotum during labour.
The book, first leaked to the Reduxx
website, also included special instruct-
ions for people with prostate glands,
which are exclusive to biological men,
who may feel particular “discomfort”.
Bosses at the university have
changed the wording to say “people
transitioning from female to male”
rather than “male to female”.
However, all references to handling a
penis, prostate gland and other male
genitalia remain.
It also claims that midwives could be
expected to deal with female to male
transgender people who were giving
birth through a surgically constructed
penis.
Elaine Miller, a fellow of the Char-
tered Society of Physiotherapy, ex-
pressed disbelief at the factually incor-
rect information being provided to stu-
dents. She said: “It is not possible for a
male person to get pregnant.”
Dr Susan Bewley, an emeritus profes-
sor in obstetrics and women’s health at
King’s College London, said: “There are
no circumstances whereby qualified
midwives can possibly be asked, or be
expected, to catheterise a penis as part
of their professional work.
“The writers seem to have left school
remarkably ignorant about basic biolo-
gy, sex and anatomy.”
Edinburgh Napier University said:
“[We] wish to be inclusive of all people,
including those who identify within the
LGBTQ+ communities. The teaching
materials will be updated as required.”
school over gay author ban
Nicola Woolcock Education Editor
Teachers have gone on strike at a Cath-
olic school after Ofsted criticised the
diocese for cancelling a talk by a gay
author.
The Archdiocese of Southwark asked
John Fisher School in Croydon, south
London, to cancel Simon James Green’s
visit on World Book Day last month but
governors voted that the event should
go ahead. Two governors resigned and
the rest were sacked.
Ofsted praised the school after a snap
inspection and said that the decision to
cancel the talk — and the attention it
brought — had unnerved many people.
In its monitoring report, it said: “The
archdiocese intended to replace the
governing body with an interim execu-
tive board (IEB). While the Catholic
Church retains control of governance
in Catholic schools, the archdiocese’s
attempt to impose an IEB was made
unilaterally and without due regard to
the published statutory guidance.”
National Education Union members
started industrial action yesterday in
protest at the cancellation of the
author’s visit and the sacking of the
governors. They want the visit and all
the governors to be reinstated.
Southwark Archdiocese said that it
had asked Ofsted to review the report
over “inaccuracies”. It said: “Literature
that insults the faith, which in the case
of Mr Green’s book was a sexualised
rewriting of the Lord’s Prayer, causes
offence to many Christians, and as such
has no place in a Catholic school.”
6 Friday April 29 2022 | the times
News
News Priory investigation
Patients died after catalogue of
Billy Kenber
Senior Investigations Reporter
Katie Tarrant
NHS bosses have attacked the coun-
try’s leading private mental healthcare
chain for failing to keep patients safe,
The Times has learnt, as an investi-
gation reveals the Priory Group has
been criticised for failings in the care of
30 patients who have died.
The Times has obtained a leaked copy
of an intervention made last summer by
NHS England in which the Priory
Group’s chief executive was criticised
for repeated service failures and was
warned the NHS would take action un-
less there were “rapid improvements”.
An investigation by this newspaper
reveals that the company, which earns
at least £400 million a year from public
sector contracts for looking after men-
tally ill patients, has been repeatedly
criticised for the same failures of care
over the past decade.
This week the Priory was criticised in
the inquest of Eliana Hanton, 20, who
died after hanging herself using a liga-
ture point that was highlighted as a risk
in an internal audit months earlier.
It follows an inquest in Birmingham
last week that concluded neglect by the
Priory’s Woodbourne hospital had
contributed to the death of Matthew
Caseby, 23.
Figures obtained from the care regu-
lator reveal that the number of reported
deaths, including from natural causes,
at Priory sites rose by about 50 per cent
between 2017 and 2020.
The group, which is owned by a
Dutch private equity firm, has con-
tinued to receive lucrative contracts de-
spite being criticised for failures in the
Lucrative NHS contracts
The Priory Group is the UK’s largest
private mental-healthcare provider
and runs hospitals and clinics
offering treatment for conditions
including depression and addiction.
It treats about 30,000 people a year
as inpatients or outpatients at
dozens of sites and also runs an
adult care business.
The company became known in
the 1990s for treating celebrities
such as Kate Moss, Robbie Williams
and Amy Winehouse but the vast
majority of its business comes from
contracts with the public sector.
Private patients pay thousands of
pounds a week for treatment but
the Priory also has deals with NHS
England and individual NHS Trusts
to provide beds for mental-health
patients and other specialist
services.
This includes beds in acute
mental-health wards for adults and
children and specialist provision for
patients with eating or personality
disorders. Some are voluntary
patients while others are sectioned
under the Mental Health Act. About
12 per cent of mental-health
inpatient beds are provided outside
the NHS.
The company was sold by its US
owners in December 2020 for
£1 billion and is owned by the Dutch
private equity firm Waterland.
Waterland also owns Germany’s
largest operator of private rehab
clinics. Last year it completed a
controversial £800 million
transaction in which it sold 35 Priory
hospitals to a US property fund and
rented them back for about £50
million a year. The Priory reported
revenue of £872 million in its most
recent UK accounts. Its highest-paid
director received £579,000 in 2020.
care of at least 30 patients since 2012,
according to an analysis of inquest
records, coroners’ reports and internal
Priory documents.
In 11 of those cases, coroners have
drawn a direct or probable link between
the patients’ deaths and the failures of
the Priory. The bereaved families of at
least three Priory patients are in the
process of suing the company.
It has repeatedly been criticised for
the same failings in relation to patient
deaths, leading to questions about whe-
ther it is learning from its mistakes:
6 In almost half of the deaths identified
by The Times, Priory staff were criti-
cised for carrying out inadequate or in-
accurate risk assessments.
6 The company was criticised in 14
cases for its staff’s lack of training or ex-
pertise, which was found in some cases
to have contributed directly to the
patient’s death. Several inquests found
fault with the use of agency staff.
6 A failure to address known ligature
points or escape routes and identify
material that could be used to self-
harm was highlighted by investigations
into at least ten deaths.
6 Other common failures highlighted
by coroners include poor record-keep-
ing, including two cases where staff de-
liberately falsified records; flaws in hos-
pital observation procedures; and mis-
handled patient discharges.
Experts said that the findings raised
concerns that the Priory was not learn-
ing from its mistakes and questioned
the NHS’s reliance on the company.
The Priory Group has long enjoyed a
reputation for running rehab centres
popular with celebrities but in reality
more than 90 per cent of its revenue
comes from public sector contracts.
At least 12 of the patients who have
died had been placed in the Priory’s
care by an NHS trust because of a
shortage of NHS beds.
Since 2019, the Priory has closed four
hospitals, and wards at a further three
sites, after the care regulator raised
concerns about the services. It blamed
staff recruitment issues and said wards
at two sites had reopened.
In August, NHS England wrote to the
Priory Group’s new chief executive,
André Schmidt, who joined after the
company’s sale to the private equity
firm Waterland for £1 billion.
The letter, written by two senior ex-
ecutives, including the national mental
health director, outlined the NHS’s
“disappointment that we are still re-
peatedly hearing of service failures and
CQC [Care Quality Commission] re-
ports highlighting the need for signifi-
cant improvements in units for which
you are responsible”.
NHS England complained the num-
ber of instances of service failures had
not improved despite officials holding
meetings with the Priory over the pre-
ceding two years to address the issue.
“Patients and their families deserve
better,” they wrote, adding that “the
NHS will not tolerate service failures
where the needs of parents are not
being met and they are at risk of harm”.
One in four of 56 Priory mental
health units are currently rated by the
CQC as below a “good” standard, with
three rated “inadequate”.
The Priory said it had cared for more
than 270,000 outpatients and inpa-
tients over the past decade and had “a
strong safety record” despite the in-
creasing complexity of patients’ needs.
It said it had prevented far more deaths
through treatment compared with the
30 cases detailed.
A spokesman said the company was
“committed to constant improvement”
and was “robustly regulated by inde-
pendent regulators”.
Repeated failure to protect vulnerable
patients, leading article, page 33
Inadequate training was
common theme in cases
T
he Priory Hospital in
Woking, Surrey, is a 35-bed
facility in a sprawling
country house complete
with tennis courts and
several acres of gardens (Billy
Kenber and Katie Tarrant write).
The company boasts it is “one of
the country’s leading centres for the
treatment of addictions, depression,
anxiety, stress, bipolar disorder and
eating disorders”, with private
clients each paying thousands of
pounds a week for their treatment.
It was here in January last year
that Eliana Hanton, 20, a biology
student, used a bedsheet to hang
herself. Her life support machine
was turned off in March 2021.
An inquest was told this week that
the ligature point to which she
attached the bedsheet had been
identified for removal four months
earlier because it was a “high risk”
anchor point. It had not been
removed, however. The delay was
blamed on the pandemic and she
had not been moved to a safer room
where ligature risks were mitigated.
The hospital has since modified
that feature of their standard rooms
but hasn’t removed the ligature risk.
The company’s senior investigations
manager defended the decision on
the grounds that anti-ligature items
can make some patients feel
“uncomfortable” and “restricted”.
Eliana’s mother, Julie Florindez,
asked by video link from the United
States: “Don’t you think that the
comfort of a patient should not be
the primary consideration in a
mental health hospital? From a
mother’s point of view . . . I just
wonder how many deaths would it
take to change the [ligature point].”
An independent expert told the
court that Eliana’s condition
“deteriorated” while she was in the
Priory.
Her father David, 43, of Harrow,
northwest London, added: “There
was suicide attempt after suicide
attempt without any escalation of
response. Nobody seemed to ask
why this was happening. It was like
a car was about to go off a cliff and
staff were standing there watching.”
An internal report found that staff
had never assessed her as being at
high risk of suicide even though she
had previously taken paracetamol
overdoses, had attempted to
strangle herself twice at the hospital
before her death and told staff
repeatedly she felt suicidal.
Several months after her death,
an inspection carried out by the
care regulator rated the hospital as
requiring improvement.
It found that several wards were
unsafe for some patients because of
ligature risks.
There were similar failings with
assessments and known risks in the
case of Matthew Caseby, 23, a
personal trainer who died a few
months before Hanton.
Caseby, an NHS-funded patient at
the Priory’s Woodbourne hospital
in Harborne, Birmingham, had
been assessed as being at low risk of
attempting to escape despite trying
repeatedly to slip through exits
behind members of staff.
He was subsequently left alone in
a courtyard and climbed over a low
fence which had previously been
identified as at risk for an escape
attempt. Caseby was struck by a
train the following morning.
The Times has identified at least
30 patients over the past decade
who have died while in the Priory’s
care or soon after being discharged,
in cases where the company has
been criticised. In 11 of the cases, a
coroner ruled that the Priory’s
failings directly or probably
contributed to the deaths.
This newspaper is aware of a
further three deaths of Priory
patient over recent months, the full
details of which have not yet
emerged.
The 30 cases include 15 where 42, was sent home to his parents’
risk assessments were not house due to a shortage of beds
completed or were deemed to be without any documented risk
inaccurate, including one assessment being conducted before
conducted on George Werb, 15, a planned admission the next day.
before he went on home leave from He took his own life that evening.
the Priory’s Marchwood hospital Two common themes are a lack
near Southampton in 2014. of proper staff training or expertise
The company deemed there was — which occurred in 14 of the 30
no suicide risk, despite Werb having cases — and the failure to carry out
tried to take his own life a month appropriate observations to ensure
earlier. He was killed by a train patients don’t self-harm — which
while on leave at Colyton, south occurred in eight cases.
Devon. In 2015, Anthony McManus, 48,
In another case, Mark Hancock, committed suicide at Chadwick
the times | Friday April 29 2022
errors by mental health chain
Lodge in Milton Keynes, a unit
which the Priory subsequently sold
to another private provider.
The inquest jury said hourly
checks were not “done accurately or
even done at all in certain
circumstances”. The jury said there
was likely a hold up in starting
efforts to resuscitate McManus and
an “excessive delay” in calling an
ambulance.
McManus’s sister, an NHS nurse,
said staff had not received adequate
training. “They just didn’t know
how to respond in an emergency,”
she said. “It’s really shocking that
they don’t seem to be learning from
the lessons of the past.”
In another case in 2018, CCTV
footage showed that staff at Priory
Hospital North London, in
Southgate, failed to act for several
minutes after finding William
Jordan, 16, had hanged himself in
his room.
There had been no observations
in the hours leading up to his death
despite instructions that he should
be checked every 15 minutes. Staff
later falsified logs to make it appear
David Hanton with his daughter Eliana, 20, who took her own life in the Priory,
left, in Woking. George Werb was killed by a train as was Matthew Caseby, below
they had done so. Observation
failures have continued despite the
Priory declaring in 2017 that it was
developing a “state-of-the-art
monitoring system”.
Malcolm Dixon, 73, a retired
university lecturer, killed himself at
the Priory Altrincham, Cheshire, in
December 2019.
A coroner’s report said the
inquest was told “it was likely that
an observation chart, designed to
record regular observations, had
been pre-populated by a staff
member to show when observations
were intended to be taken”.
Other recurring issues include
poor record keeping and a failure to
communicate and share
information with NHS staff and
family members. At least 12 of the
30 patients were not paying for their
treatment because they had been
placed at the Priory by an NHS
trust or local authority.
Several patients identified by The
Times died shortly after leaving the
Priory’s hospitals. In a third of the
30 cases, the company has been
criticised for its discharge
procedures, including failing to
establish a proper plan and not
communicating the risk of the
release with the patient’s family.
Patients are at heightened risk of
suicide in the days immediately
after being discharged from an
inpatient unit.
About 20 of the 30 cases have
resulted in coroners issuing
ture
Prevention of Future
etting
Deaths reports setting
out the concerns
raised during an
inquest that they
believe need to
be addressed.
The Priory
has also faced
financial
penalties for its
failings,
including paying
settlements to thee
st
families of at least
three of their
patients.
mpany
In 2019, the company
was fined £300,000 00 after it
h lth and
admitted breaching health d P
safety law in the death of Amy El-
Keria, 14.
An inquest was told that El-Keria,
who had a known history of suicide
attempts, was left with unsupervised
access and the means to make
another attempt at the Priory’s
Ticehurst House hospital in East
Sussex. It concluded that neglect
had contributed to her death.
Deborah Coles, executive director
of the human rights charity Inquest,
called for an “urgent review” of
whether the Priory should be
allowed to continue operating in
light of the findings by The Times.
“I think what these cases have
demonstrated is that there is an
ever-present risk of other deaths
occurring”, she claimed.
“The stories of those who died —
they’re not exceptions. The failings
that they’ve identified are really
quite basic — risk assessments,
observations, ligature points,
communication — are basically
unsafe systems and practices, which
are repeated time and again, and
the Priory has just failed to act on
that evidence base.”
“But it’s not just about the Priory,
it’s how ministers and regulators
have failed to respond to the
catalogue of deaths.
“There really is a shameful lack of
oversight and accountability.
“The NHS keeps commissioning
these places and people are dying.
Yet ministers and regulators just
seem to accept that this is part and
parcel of what happens within
mental health.”
A spokesman for the Priory said:
“These inquests span a ten-year
period and, in every case, incidents
were investigated by us, reports
were shared with families
c
and the coroner, and
improv
improvements made
wher
where required.”
T
The company
sai
said that patient
sa
safety was “our
ov
overriding
p
priority”.
It added that
it had to strike
a balance
be
between
kee
keeping patients
safe aand
encour
encouraging them to
manage ttheir own self-
h arming beh
harming behaviour.
The spokesman said that the
i
Priory ld nott comment on
could
Hanton’s case but was investing
£1.1 million in refurbishments at its
Woking hospital.
He insisted that this would
address the concerns about ligature
points.
7
News
News
Priory tried
to cover up
failings, say
families
Katie Tarrant, Billy Kenber
The Priory Group has been accused of
attempting to cover up failings and try-
ing to pressure a bereaved family not to
seek an independent investigation into
the death of their son.
The private mental-healthcare pro-
vider receives hundreds of millions of
pounds a year to look after NHS
patients but critics have said it is not as
accountable as NHS hospitals when
serious incidents occur.
When a patient dies while in the Pri-
ory’s care, the company investigates in-
ternally, but patients’ families and cor-
oners have raised concerns about the
robustness and scope of such inquiries.
Chris Morris, a coroner in south
Manchester, ruled that the Priory’s
investigation into the death of Wayne
Millett, 46, in July 2019, was “notably
lacking in meaningful critical analysis”.
The Priory said it was extremely
unusual for its internal reports to be
criticised.
Richard Caseby, 61, the father of
Matthew Caseby, 23, who was struck by
a train after escaping from the Priory’s
Woodbourne hospital in September
2020, said the head of the Priory Group
had tried to pressure him not to seek an
independent investigation.
Caseby was concerned that the inter-
nal inquiry did not include looking at
previous absconding from the hospital,
including over the low fence where his
son made his escape. The Caseby family
persuaded the NHS trust to commis-
sion an independent investigation. The
report included the hospital’s failure to
learn from previous absconding and
concerns about limited CCTV coverage
as well as making criticisms that did not
feature in the Priory’s report. The Prio-
ry said it had agreed its approach with
the trust.
The Priory Group has also been criti-
cised by campaigners for a lack of trans-
parency. Figures obtained by The Times
show that the number of patient deaths
has been rising. In 2017 there were a
minimum of 37 cases but this rose to a
minimum of 54 cases in 2020, accord-
ing to data the company submitted to
the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The Priory said the number of patients
in its care had increased and the data
included death by natural causes.
The NHS largely relies on CQC in-
spections to assess the quality of care
being provided at the Priory’s 56 mental
health units. However, half of the Prio-
ry’s mental-health hospitals have not
been inspected since 2019 and 16 of the
56 hospitals were last inspected in 2018
or earlier. One quarter of the Priory’s
mental-health units are rated as below
a good standard.
The Priory said it was misleading to
suggest it lacked transparency and it
“works openly and transparently with
the NHS, commissioners and inde-
pendent regulators”. It said it had an in-
ternal team that carried out audits
based on the CQC’s methodology. It
said it had apologised for the shortcom-
ings in care in the Matthew Caseby case
and had already implemented changes
in response.
In the UK, the Samaritans can be
contacted on 116 123.
8 Friday April 29 2022 | the times
News
NICK LUCAS/SWNS
Buying of essays
outlawed in bid to
bolster standards
Nicola Woolcock Education Editor
The government will tell Mastercard
and Visa to stop taking payments for
essay-cheat websites, which were crim-
inalised yesterday to protect degree
standards.
Purple patch Dawn breaks over a calm Andrew’s Mare lake near Lyndhurst in the New Forest yesterday. Full forecast, page 60 An education minister has told The
Times that Paypal has already agreed to
sever ties with the essay-mill websites,
which are endemic across the internet
and openly compete for customers.
The legislation makes it illegal for
companies to provide, arrange or
advertise such services for financial
gain in England. Alex Burghart, the
skills minister, wrote to internet service
providers telling them not to host such
companies. He said students had a
responsibility not to cheat and warned
those who did that they risked being
found out in their professional lives.
Universities can now tell students
that they are engaging with criminals if
they buy their essays online. Some
undergraduates are repeatedly black-
mailed after they pay for essays, with
threats to tell universities or future
employers that they have cheated.
Burghart said it was particularly dan-
gerous if trainee doctors, accountants
or architects were able to pay to get
their essays written and this was one of
the reasons the government had acted.
Ministers have said for years that
there would be a crackdown on the
problem and came under pressure to do
so from the Quality Assurance Agency
for Higher Education. A study by aca-
demics at Swansea University, pub-
lished in 2018, indicated that as many as
one in seven graduates may have cheat-
ed on essays in the previous four years.
The Department for Education said
that the Skills and Post-16 Education
Boy was excluded from
reception class 17 times
Nicola Woolcock
A five-year-old boy was excluded from
school 17 times, according to a report
that calls for a ban on primary school
exclusions.
The study, by Anne Longfield, the
former children’s commissioner, rec-
ommends an overhaul of the system to
help children who are removed from
school or at risk of exclusion. It says
being out of school puts teenagers at an
increased risk of exploitation, violence,
joining gangs and being sucked into the
criminal justice system. Ten per cent of
schools are responsible for almost 90
per cent of exclusions, it says.
More schools should be set up to take
children from “cradle to career”, and
mainstream schools should be unable
to achieve a good or outstanding Ofsted
rating if they have high exclusion rates,
the report adds.
The year-long Commission on
Young Lives began in September and
is chaired by Longfield, who said: “Look
behind the headlines of the tragic
deaths, acts of serious violence and
criminal exploitation of our young
people over recent years and so often
you see a pattern of children disengag-
ing and falling out of school and into
harm. Not all children who leave main-
stream school will be affected, but the
statistics show that too many will.
Act would “tackle the unethical prac-
tices of companies that actively facili-
tate cheating and dishonest behaviour
by providing students with essays for
money”.
It has become a criminal offence to
provide, arrange or advertise essay-mill
services for financial gain to students
taking a post-16 qualification at institu-
tions in England including colleges,
universities and sixth forms.
Burghart said the legislation would
tackle the “extraordinary shameless-
ness of the corrupt world of essay mills”,
adding: “We are going after their ability
to advertise and will try to cut off their
access to cash, to make it a lot harder for
them to operate.”
Writing in Times Red Box, he said
that such companies had been growing
with abandon. By the end of last year
there were more than 1,000 websites,
up 40 per cent from 2018.
Australia, New Zealand and Ireland
have already taken similar action
which has substantially reduced the
access of students in those countries to
essay-mill websites.
A spokesman for the Quality Assur-
ance Agency said: “This is an important
step forward in the campaign against
essay mills. It will mean that universi-
ties and colleges can make clear to their
students that using an essay mill means
engaging with a criminal entity. We
hope to see a similar ban applied in the
other UK nations in due course.”
The National Union of Students said:
“Students should never have been in
the position where they felt they must
turn to essay mills in the first place. The
government must work with universi-
ties to ensure that adequate academic
and pastoral support is provided for all
students.”
“We need a new culture of inclusion
and accountability that recognises and
rewards nurture and sticks with child-
ren and families from cradle to career.”
The report calls for a ban on primary
school exclusions from 2026 and great-
er incentives for secondary schools to
reduce exclusions. It says school league
tables should include a pupil wellbeing
score alongside exam results.
Figures prior to the pandemic show
the number of excluded pupils rose by 5
per cent in autumn 2019 compared with
the same period in 2018. Permanent ex-
clusion figures have risen from 5,082 in
2010-11 to 7,894 in 2018-19.
Longfield quoted one mother who
said: “When my son was in reception
class, he was excluded 17 times. The
school said there was defiance and vio-
lence, but he was literally tiny.” Her son
was eventually diagnosed as autistic.
Tom Bennett, a teacher who advises
the government on behaviour, said:
“Permanent exclusions are incredibly
rare. Primary schools on average ex-
clude about once a decade. Without it,
we cannot keep schools safe.”
A Department for Education spokes-
woman said: “While permanent exclu-
sion for young children is rare, suspen-
sion and exclusion are necessary and
essential behaviour management tools.
We are working to understand and
tackle avoidable absence.”
the times | Friday April 29 2022 2GM
Skin cancer
cases rise to
record high
Skin cancer cases have hit a record level
in England, with about one in five
people affected during their lifetime.
There were 224,000 skin cancers
recorded in England in 2019 and more
than 1.4 million between 2013 and 2019,
according to figures analysed by NHS
Digital and the British Association of
Dermatologists. The data suggests a
26 per cent rise in annual cases, from
177,677 in 2013 to 224,092 in 2019.
Experts believe an ageing population
and improvements in how cancers are
reported are behind the rise. Increasing
exposure to the sun and foreign
holidays may also be a factor.
There were 15,332 melanomas de-
tected in 2019, up from 12,885 in 2013.
Melanoma is less common than some
other types of skin cancer, but can be
more deadly and more likely to spread.
There were also 47,977 cutaneous
squamous cell carcinomas found in
2019, up from 34,672 in 2013. Squamous
cell carcinoma is the second most com-
mon form of skin cancer and, when
caught early, is mostly curable. And
there were 158,934 basal cell carcino-
mas found in 2019, up from 128,406 in
2013. Basal cell carcinoma does not
usually spread; it often appears as a
small, pink or pearly-white lump with a
translucent or waxy appearance.
There were 1,849 rare skin cancers
found in 2019, up from 1,714 in 2013.
Life expectancy data after a cancer
diagnosis shows that almost all people
whose melanoma is caught early are
alive five years later, but at the most ad-
vanced stage this drops to 25 per cent.
Dr Tanya Bleiker, president of the
British Association of Dermatologists,
said: “It is estimated that there is the
equivalent of 508 full-time consultant
dermatologists working in England. If
these doctors and their colleagues are
to meet the challenge of managing a
quarter of million skin cancer cases a
year, then they will need more resour-
ces and better workforce planning.”
Dorries promises new golden age for TV
Jake Kanter Media Correspondent
Nadine Dorries has promised to usher
in a “golden age” of programming after
announcing the biggest set of reforms
to broadcasting laws in two decades.
The culture secretary published a
white paper yesterday to pave the way
for a Media Bill the government said
would equip UK broadcasters to com-
pete with streaming giants such as Net-
flix, Amazon and Apple.
For the first time broadcasting legis-
lation will allow viewers to complain
about shows on streaming services.
Ofcom, the media regulator, will
have the power to fine the services
up to £250,000 if they break a
“video-on-demand code” designed
to protect audiences from
harmful content. Minis-
ters hope this
will level the
playing field for
traditional
broadcasters,
which are subject
to rules policed by
Ofcom.
There will also be
provisions to tighten
up so-called “crown
jewel” protections that will
make sure only the BBC,
ITV, Channel 4 and Chan-
9
News
DOMINIC LIPINSKI/PA
Ambulance
too risky for
NHS boss
Eleanor Hayward Health Correspondent
An NHS hospital boss who suffered a
stroke was driven to A&E by her
husband because of her concerns over
ambulance delays.
Deborah Lee, chief executive of
Gloucestershire Hospitals Foundation
Trust, said that her husband had heard
her “lamenting” ambulance delays, so
chose to drive her to A&E when she
displayed symptoms of a stroke rather
than call 999.
Latest NHS figures show that most
stroke and heart attack victims have
to wait more than an hour for an
ambulance. This is a serious breach of
the 18-minute limit for ambulance
trusts to respond to such “category 2”
calls, which include strokes, chest pain,
sepsis and epileptic fits.
Lee, who has more than 30 years of
experience in the NHS, said: “I can’t get
one thing out of my head: What if my
husband hadn’t been there and my
daughter had called for an ambulance
and I’d been put in the cat 2 ‘stack’?”
Ambulance response times in
England have reached their worst levels
on record. In the southwest, where Lee
works, the average response time for a
category two call, is at one hour 53 min-
utes — the highest in England.
Lee said that “my system is working
unrelentingly” to bring response times
down but added that this was “to no
great avail”.
She urged the government to over-
haul social care by improving training
and pay for staff, adding that it needs to
“build a sector that people want to join,
stay in and feel proud to belong to”.
A&E performance in England is at a
record low, and just 72 per cent of
patients were seen within four hours of
arriving at main A&E units in March.
Not a single hospital in England
achieved the NHS target of admitting,
Warm welcome The Queen appeared in good spirits without her walking stick as she gave an audience to President Cassis transferring or discharging 95 per cent
of Switzerland at Windsor Castle yesterday, her first official engagement since celebrating her 96th birthday last week of A&E patients within four hours.
old proven formats, same old subjects,
Analysis same old talent, same old producers”.
The white paper proposes giving
‘T
hings are admire in yesterday’s prove there is a better Ministers have done the public service broadcasters greater
going to white paper, not least alternative. The debate maths and think they flexibility on quotas and seeks to pro-
happen under proposals to preserve has already started have enough votes to tect “distinctively British content”.
my watch,” their prominence on informally. Subscription push the sale through Dorries said: “Broadcasting has
Nadine smart TVs and bring the is favoured by some Tory parliament, but there is a changed dramatically over the past few
Dorries said in a streaming giants under backbenchers, but there danger that the proposal decades. The last time broadcasting
Spectator interview this Ofcom’s watchful eye. are doubts about whether sucks up political energy regulation was overhauled, in 2003,
week, painting herself as If the culture secretary the BBC can be switched with very little reward at Netflix was a DVD rental business. The
the most productive shed a tear over the to streaming when digital the ballot box. government is focused on ensuring
culture secretary in quality of the BBC’s TV is expected to remain If she succeeds in British broadcasters can not only hold
12 years of Tory rule Ukraine coverage, she is a force beyond 2030. scrapping the licence fee their own in this fight but also flourish
(Jake Kanter writes). now swinging an axe in Dorries is also pressing and selling Channel 4, all in projecting the best of British.”
Reforming 20-year old the direction of the ahead with plans to while ushering in The Tory MP Sir Peter Bottomley
media laws is at the licence fee. privatise Channel 4 groundbreaking online said last night that privatising Channel
heart of her agenda Saying the funding despite the government safety laws, Dorries truly 4 was a bad idea given that Netflix was
and there is much the model is dead is the easy revealing overwhelming will be remembered as a losing subscribers and money.
UK’s broadcasters will bit. Now ministers must opposition to the sale. minister of action. “The critical point is that Channel 4,
by any objective judgment, creatively
and financially, is better than it ever
nel 5 may broadcast big sport- US broadcaster that had all the rights to sale. Critics said Channel 4’s unique has been,” he told Channel 4 News.
ing events such as the FA the sporting event. public service responsibilities could be Bottomley, 77, the father of the
Cup final. The government Julian Knight, chairman of the Com- eroded by a private sector owner. House, was a parliamentarian when
plans to extend listed event mons digital, culture, media and sport Ministers said the channel’s remit Margaret Thatcher launched the chan-
protections to sport that is committee, said rules that should en- would be protected as part of a sale to nel in 1982. He said the bill faced a big
streamed online. sure significant sporting events were raise the capital needed to compete challenge. “If it eventually gets
This follows the 2020 free to all “have failed to keep pace with with deep-pocketed rivals. “This is not a dropped, no one should be really sur-
Olympics in Tokyo when the rapid changes in audience viewing decision the government has taken prised,” he added.
BBC had to sub-license its habits”. lightly,” the white paper said. Netflix announced last week that it
output from Discovery, the The white paper has set in motion Ian Katz, Channel 4’s chief content had lost subscribers for the first time in
plans to privatise Channel 4, despite officer, criticised the government’s pro- more than a decade and expected to
Ministers want to protect 96 per cent of 56,293 respondents to a posal. He insisted the channel “would lose another two million. Shares in the
events such as Wimbledon government consultation opposing the be pushed inexorably toward the same company fell by more than 25 per cent.
10 Friday April 29 2022 | the times

News
News Politics

Spend big on Britain or face a

Chris Smyth Whitehall Editor Analysis Ministers also feel energy companies
Emily Gosden Energy Editor have been slow to make specific com-
Steven Swinford Political Editor mitments to Britain following an

O
Boris Johnson will attempt to head off
political outrage over soaring profits at
energy giants next week by demanding
that they pour billions of pounds more
into British gas and renewable projects.
Shell and BP are preparing to an-
nounce their highest profits for a
decade and will today be told to invest
more in the North Sea and offshore
wind projects if they want to escape a
windfall tax.
Kwasi Kwarteng, the business secre-
tary, will tell the two companies today
that he expects more commitments to
invest in Britain as the “quid pro quo”
for government support for renewable
energy and North Sea drilling.
Johnson is due to meet energy com-
panies next week in the hope of con-
firming further commitments on UK
energy after Shell announced plans for
£25 billion in projects over the next
decade.
Downing Street yesterday acknowl-
edged that ministers do not want to im-
pose a windfall tax, while backing Rishi
Sunak’s threat to consider one if com-
panies failed to invest in helping the
country produce more of its own
energy.
Ministers are striking a harder tone
as they fear the political fallout of re-
sults statements from BP and Shell next
week. They are expected to show un-
derlying profits surging to a combined
£10 billion for the first three months of
the year, double the same period last
year.
The companies have benefited from
surging oil and gas prices after Russia’s
invasion of Ukraine. On Tuesday, BP is
forecast to report an underlying net
profit of £3.6 billion ($4.5 billion) — up
from £2.1 billion reported a year earlier.
Shell is forecast to report an underly-
ing net profit of £7 billion, compared
with £2.6 billion a year earlier. How-
ever, both figures exclude a combined
financial hit of up to £25 billion the
companies are expected to book for se-
vering ties with Moscow and writing
down the value of their Russian assets.
Government sources acknowledged
the government cannot be seen to be
defending rising energy company
profits at a time when voters in Thurs-
day’s local elections are struggling with
the cost of living.
n the face of it,
Rishi Sunak appears
to be flirting with
a significant change
in energy policy
(Steven Swinford writes).
After months of painting a
windfall tax as an apocalyptic
threat to investment in North Sea
energy, the chancellor seemed in
an interview with Mumsnet to
open the door to the idea.
And yet in reality, a windfall
tax is no closer. Sunak’s words,
like those of Kwasi Kwarteng, the
business secretary, are as much
about political theatre as
economic reality.
Next week, as voters go to the
polls in the local elections, BP
and Shell are expected to
announce combined profits for
the first quarter of this year of
more than £10 billion.
The optics, ministers admit,
will be very difficult for the
Conservatives.
Labour, which has made a
windfall tax one of its flagship
policies, senses opportunity.
Ministers need to be seen to be
taking a hard line on energy
companies raking it in when
voters are forking out huge sums
for gas and electricity.
Sunak and Kwarteng want
energy companies to invest more
in UK gas and oil exploration,
hydrogen and renewables — and
have let it be known that they are
unhappy with the pace at which
this is happening.
The energy companies, though,
are generally keen to oblige, with
Shell announcing £25 billion
worth of investment in UK
energy and BP expected to make
similar commitments.
Sunak clearly does not want to
make good on his threat. “It
won’t happen,” a government
source said. “But we’re between
budgets so we’re in all-options-
on-the-table mode. The fact is
that Rishi and Boris both think a
windfall tax would do more harm
than good — that it would deter
investment.”
energy security strategy earlier this
month.
Ministers have in the past repeatedly
rejected the idea of a windfall tax in the
past and Johnson’s spokesman said that
the government “don’t think this parti-
cular approach is the right one”. He
added, however: “It’s right that we keep
all options on the table because these
companies must step up to invest, and
we will want to work with them to do
that.”
Kwarteng has summoned top execu-
tives at BP and Shell to meetings today
in which he will demand more invest-
ment in domestic production of gas,
wind power and low-carbon hydrogen.
“Companies need to put their money
where their mouth is and increase their
investment in the UK,” a government
source said.
Shell’s commitment to invest £25
billion over the next decade has been
welcomed, but ministers want to press
the company to go further and other oil
majors to make similar commitments.
They believe that government guar-
antees on the transition to renewable
energy and the promise of a new round
of North Sea oil and gas projects should
be met with new promises of cash from
the private sector, and are issuing
threats as part of a “carrot and stick” ap-
proach.
Asked during an interview with
Mumsnet about taxing energy firms to
ease the cost-of-living crisis, Sunak
said: “If we don’t see that type of invest-
ment coming forward, if companies ar-
en’t going to make investments in our
energy security, of course that’s some-
thing I’d look at.”
In a warning shot, he said: “Right
now . . . the right thing to do is to encour-
age those companies to invest”
However, Sunak also defended com-
panies that he pointed out were paying
40 per cent tax on their profits, saying:
“We need to invest more in [domestic
production] and that’s why we haven’t
gone for some extra tax, because what I
don’t want to do is discourage invest-
ment in our own energy supplies.”
The government is increasingly con-
cerned about people’s bills, with the
energy price cap poised to rise to nearly
£3,000 in October.
Political paralysis will leave Johnson in
peril, James Forsyth, page 29 Ugbana Oyet, the serjeant-at-arms, leading out Sarah Clarke, the Black Rod, and

Starmer escapes fine for office beer Quentin Letts

Fiona Hamilton, Steven Swinford
Police will not fine Sir Keir Starmer for
breaking Covid rules despite renewed
pressure from Conservative MPs.
The Labour leader was photo-
graphed with a bottle of beer in the
office of a Labour MP in April last year
in Durham. Tories have argued that the
occasion was a breach of lockdown
rules similar to that committed by the
prime minister.
However, Durham police did not sus-
pect Starmer of breaking rules and did
not take retrospective action on lock-
down breaches, sources said.
The force took the same approach
with Dominic Cummings, who was the
prime minister’s chief adviser when he
Sir Keir Starmer is not suspected of
breaking rules, Durham police said
mitted, because Starmer was working.
It is thought unlikely that position will
change unless new evidence emerges.
aged attendees to have a “greasy night”,
which is slang for drinking.
Labour has said that Starmer did not
participate in the quiz and that it was
Perhaps the Queen
hosted in a different building. It said
that the quiz was online rather than in
person.
Holden said: “All of this now opens
was watching on telly,
the question as to whether City of Dur-
ham Labour Party organised a pre-
planned in person social event . . . which
was attended by the leader of the oppo-
laughing her teeth off
sition. This would clearly be a major conveniently just before lunch, the
breach of the regulations in place at the Political Sketch clerk of the crown read the titles of
time.” 22 bills receiving royal assent.
Ben Wallace, the defence secretary, Hearing each bill, the clerk of the
suggested police should investigate parliaments, a well-upholstered gent
Starmer. who could have stepped out of an
Wallace told LBC: “I certainly think Osbert Lancaster cartoon, did a 180-

left London and drove to Durham
when his family contracted the virus
during lockdown.
Tory MPs had questioned the police’s
decision on Starmer, who was in the
office of Mary Foy, the City of Durham
MP, working in the run-up to the Har-
tlepool by-election.
Police have previously said that it
does not believe any offence was com-
Officers are likely to review material
provided by Richard Holden, the Tory
MP for North West Durham, which
was not available when they came to
their decision in February.
Holden highlighted an invitation for
a “quiz and social in-person event” on
Facebook from the City of Durham La-
bour Party on the same evening that
Starmer was drinking beer. Foy encour-
there should be a consistency of the ap-
plication of the law, that’s what we all
deserve, whether we’re in London or
whether we’re in Durham. I saw the
photographs of Keir Starmer standing
with a bottle of beer with a whole group
of people. If that is defined as an illegal
gathering in Downing Street I’m not
sure why that isn’t defined as an illegal
gathering in Durham.”
N
orman French, which,
as I may have explained
before, is not the name
of a Worcestershire
fast bowler or some
theatrical dresser on the provincial
circuit, but a language, had its
annual outing. Prorogation day.
At the House of Lords,
degree swivel on his heels and
boomed “La Reine le veult”. This was
said in a French accent on a par
with that of the late Sir Edward
Heath. Everyone blinked a bit. So,
mind you, did the clerk of the
parliaments after he’d done his 22nd
swivel in dizzyingly quick
succession. Eyes swimming with
the times | Friday April 29 2022
windfall tax, energy firms told
Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Commons Speaker, for the pomp and peculiarities of parliament’s prorogation ceremony yesterday
nausea, he was by now holding on to
the dispatch box to keep his balance.
Parliament has numerous oddities
and the prorogation ceremony is
one of them. As ever, we had to bite
down our disappointment on
hearing from the leader of the
Lords, currently that blameless
pudding Natalie Evans, that the
monarch had cried off attending.
“My Lords,” began Evans in her
southern twang, “it not being
convenient for Her Majesty
personally to be present here this
day, she has been pleased to cause a
commission under the Great Seal to
be prepared for proroguing this
present parliament.”
And there they sat, all five
commissioners, ermine-robed and in
costumier’s hats: squashy tricorn
jobs for the ladies (Evans and
Labour’s Angela Smith) and 18th-
century admiral’s jobs for the three
lords (the Lords Speaker, John
McFall, the Lib Dems’ Dick Newby
and a former lord chief justice who
has the perfect name, Lord Judge,
though his friends call him Igor).
Three visions of Captain Pugwash. It
may not have been convenient for
HM to attend, yet one hopes she was
watching the ceremony on telly at
Windsor Castle, laughing her teeth
off at the great eejits.
Black Rod, commanded to
summon the Commons to hear what
la Reine veulted, sauntered off to do
as told, rod slung over her shoulder
like Dick Whittington with his stick.
The 100 or so yards to the
Commons were soon covered and as
Black Rod approached the elected
house, a tailcoated flunkey told the
serjeant at arms, in a stage whisper
of confected surprise, “Black Rod’s
approaching!” From the lobby came
a shout of “Black Rod!”
The serjeant clambered out of his
seat, managed not to trip over his
sword, and ordered the Commons’
studded doors to be slammed shut.
The intruder was admitted only after
she had knocked (security code:
three raps). “It’s Black Rod!” gasped
the serjeant, possibly not one of life’s
sharpest pins. “Don’t let him in!”
shouted an MP. “Open the door!”
commanded the serjeant
nonetheless. Cue a creaking of
hinges.
Back at the Lords, the reading
clerk, who had a sticky-uppy fringe
(they no longer wear wigs), was
JESSICA TAYLOR/UK PARLIAMENT
doing what he does best: reading a
royal proclamation. As each
prorogation commissioner was
mentioned, the reading clerk
bowed and the relevant
commissioner responded.
The men were meant to raise
their Pugwash hats. McFall just
touched the brim of his, like a
cabbie accepting a tip.
The Commons contingent, led by
Speaker Hoyle, arrived at the bar
of the Lords chamber. Legislation
receiving royal assent included
Priti Patel’s Nationality and
Borders Bill. When it was
mentioned there was a susurration
of groans.
While the clerk of the
parliaments was wheeled away
to be given smelling salts and
regain his post-swivel balance,
Evans read the Queen’s end-of-
parliament speech, an upsum
of the last session. Proceedings
ended with more doffing of hats.
McFall managed to do it properly
this time.
Three doffs to Hoyle and Co.
Three bows back.
Parliament reopens Tuesday
week. Everyone off to the pub.
Pressure rises on
Tories to suspend
MP in porn claim
Steven Swinford
The chief whip is under mounting
pressure to suspend a Tory MP accused
by female colleagues of openly watching
pornography in the Commons.
Chris Heaton-Harris advised two
women who said that they witnessed
the MP doing so to refer him to an
independent complaints process.
However, Caroline Nokes, the chair-
woman of the women and equalities
select committee, said that the Con-
servative Party should have suspended
the MP pending an investigation.
She told The Times: “I am surprised
that the chief whip did not immediately
withdraw the whip of the MP
concerned. It would demonstrate that
the party is looking very closely at this
behaviour and taking it seriously.”
Suella Braverman, the attorney-
general, said that some men in the
Commons acted like animals and had
brought parliament into disrepute. She
said that if the subject of the complaint
was found to have been watching
explicit material, he should no
longer hold his privileged position as an
MP.
Boris Johnson said: “I think it’s
obviously unacceptable for anybody to
be doing that kind of thing in the work-
place. It would be the same for any kind
of job up and down the country — let’s
be absolutely clear about that.”
The women who witnessed the
incident have been urged to refer their
complaint to the Independent Com-
plaints and Grievance Scheme, which
investigates allegations of harassment
and sexual misconduct, but it remains
unclear whether they have chosen to do
so. One of the women told colleagues
that she had not come forward sooner
because she was concerned about the
potential backlash from colleagues.
Labour bully banned from
Commons for two days
Henry Zeffman Associate Political Editor
A former Labour cabinet minister is be
suspended from the Commons for two
days after being found to have bullied a
staff member. Liam Byrne “ostracised”
David Barker, a member of staff in his
constituency office, denying him access
to email and other accounts and break-
ing off contact with him for months, an
independent investigation found.
The parliamentary commissioner for
standards concluded that Byrne’s con-
duct was “malicious behaviour that in-
volved a significant misuse of power”.
An independent expert panel said
that Byrne, 51, should be suspended
from parliament for two days. He is also
being made to write a formal apology to
Barker, 32, and to undertake training to
improve his management of his office.
Byrne was chief secretary to the
Treasury under Gordon Brown and
was Labour’s candidate to be mayor of
the West Midlands last year.
Barker began working for Byrne in
11
News
News
The claims about the Tory MP
emerged during a meeting of the 2022
group, which aims to increase gender
equality in the Conservative Party. One
of the MPs, a minister, said that she had
seen the Tory MP watching porno-
graphy in the Commons last week and
also during a committee hearing.
She told colleagues that she believed
the man was aware she had seen him
but he continued watching. A second
female Tory MP said she had also seen
the man watching pornography. She
said she had attempted to film him as
proof of what he was doing.
Earlier Ben Wallace, the defence
secretary, said that MPs should avoid
parliament’s bars and go home instead
Caroline Nokes said
the MP should have
been suspended
while an inquiry
was carried out
to reduce the “poisonous” culture of
inappropriate and sexist behaviour.
Braverman told BBC Radio 4’s
Woman’s Hour: “I keep running through
my mind how and why someone would
be so brazen . . . so reckless, so stupid, so
appallingly badly behaved to be watch-
ing porn in the workplace, in broad day-
light, in the presence of colleagues.”
The minister said that if the claims
were found to be true, the whip should
be removed and the MP could be ex-
pelled or subjected to a recall process.
Separately, a female Welsh MP
accused a member of the shadow
cabinet of lewd sexism by stating that
she would be successful because men
wanted to sleep with her. She alleged
that the unnamed Labour frontbencher
described her as a “secret weapon”.
his Birmingham Hodge Hill consti-
tuency in April 2019. In March 2020
they had a minor disagreement about
food-bank collections in the days lead-
ing up to the first Covid lockdown,
which led to Byrne sending him home.
In a summary of his complaint, Bark-
er alleged that “he was then locked out
of his work social-media accounts with-
out notification and his passwords were
voided”, disabling his parliamentary
email account so he could not work or
access items such as his final payslip. He
was told that his contract was not to be
renewed at the end of July.
The standards commissioner, Kath-
ryn Stone, said that Byrne’s removal of
Barker’s access to his parliamentary
email account was “disproportionate
and amounted to malicious behaviour”.
Labour said it would abide by the
decision to suspend Byrne. A party
spokesman said: “The Labour Party
fully supports the recommendations of
this independent report, including the
proposed sanction.”
the times | Friday April 29 2022 2GM
Seven hours’ sleep keeps older brains sharp
Rhys Blakely Science Correspondent
Eight hours of sleep has often been
touted as the optimum amount but it
appears that seven may be best for
those in middle age and beyond to stay
sharp, a study suggests.
The research, which involved nearly
500,000 British adults aged between 38
and 73, found that people who had
about seven hours of sleep each night
tended to have better cognitive per-
formance and mental health, com-
pared with those who had more or less.
The participants, who are part of the
UK Biobank project, were asked about
their sleeping patterns, mental health
and wellbeing, and completed a series
of cognitive tests. Brain imaging and
genetic data were available for almost
40,000 of them.
Seven hours’ sleep appeared to be the
ideal for good mental health, with
people experiencing more symptoms of
anxiety and depression and worse
overall wellbeing if they reported sleep-
ing for longer or shorter.
Insufficient and excessive sleep were
TMS
diary@thetimes.co.uk | @timesdiary
No beating
about bush
It’s not just royals who get into
trouble on Commonwealth tours.
For his new book Queen of Our
Times, Robert Hardman spoke to
President George W Bush who,
when his father was in the White
House, used to be sent abroad to
represent daddy. At the 25th
anniversary of the Gambia’s
independence, the young and
inexperienced Dubya was helped
by Princess Anne, who was
experienced at representing her
parent. They got on very well and,
a year later, Dubya, below, made
a beeline for Prince Philip when
the royals visited Washington and
said “Sir, I had a good time with
your daughter in Gambia.” The
Duke glared and replied: “I think I
would put that differently, if I
were you!”.’
The late prince is in the new
Wisden’s obituary section, which
caused the journalist Peter Oborne
great delight on his cricket podcast.
Amid the alphabetical lists, just
under names like “Dormer”,
“Downey” and “Duffer”, comes the
entry “Edinburgh, the Prince Philip,
Duke of, KG, KT, OBE, AC, QSO,
PC”. Oborne chuckles: “PC stood for
politically correct”.
the eton defence
John Preston hit success in his
sixties with A Very English Scandal,
so people tell him he made it big
in the “third act” of his life. “Is this
a three act play or a five act
play?” he asks Times Radio.
His book about the trial of
the Liberal leader Jeremy
Thorpe owed much to
Preston’s younger self, who
obsessively read the
evening papers during the
trial. “It seemed the pillars
of the establishment were
beginning to look wobbly,”
he says. His mother took a
different view. “Jeremy
13
News
also associated with impaired memory ic “tangles” in the brain that are charac- The findings suggest that too much tain good mental health and wellbeing
and problem-solving skills. teristic of some forms of dementia, in- or too little sleep may possibly increase and avoiding cognitive decline, particu-
Seven hours’ sleep also appeared to cluding Alzheimer’s. A lack of sleep the risk of cognitive decline in ageing. larly for patients with psychiatric disor-
be linked to a healthier brain structure, may also hamper the brain’s ability to This is supported by previous studies ders and dementias.”
with less evidence of physical changes rid itself of toxins. that have reported a link between sleep Sleep is thought to help keep the
that appeared to be linked to poorer The study found a link between the duration and the risk of developing Alz- brain healthy by removing waste prod-
performance in cognitive tests and amount of sleep and differences in the heimer’s and dementia, in which cogni- ucts. As people get older, alterations in
traits such as depression. structure of brain regions involved in tive decline is a hallmark symptom. sleep patterns are often seen, including
Professor Jianfeng Feng from Fudan cognitive processing and memory — Professor Barbara Sahakian from the difficulty falling asleep and staying
University in Shanghai, one of the au- again with greater changes associated department of psychiatry at the Uni- asleep, and decreased quantity and
thors of the study, said: “While we can’t with greater than or fewer than seven versity of Cambridge, another of the quality of sleep. It is thought that these
say conclusively that too little or too hours of sleep. Previous studies have study’s authors, said: “Getting a good sleep disturbances may contribute to
much sleep causes cognitive problems, shown that interrupted sleep patterns night’s sleep is important at all stages of cognitive decline and psychiatric disor-
our analysis . . . appears to support this are associated with increased inflam- life, but particularly as we age. Finding ders in the aging population.
idea. But the reasons why older people mation, indicating a susceptibility to ways to improve sleep for older people The results were published in the
have poorer sleep appear to be com- age-related diseases in older people. could be crucial to helping them main- journal Nature Aging.
plex, influenced by a combination of
our genetic makeup and the structure
of our brains.”
The researchers believe that one
possible reason for the association
between insufficient sleep and cogni-
tive decline may be the disruption of so-
called slow-wave — or “deep” — sleep.
Disruption to this type of rest appears
to be linked with memory performance
as well as the build-up of amyloid — an
important protein, which can form tox-
Thorpe couldn’t possibly be guilty
of conspiracy to murder,” she told
him. “He went to Eton!”
Boris Johnson says he was at the
so-called Abba party in Downing
Street, but only to interview his
wife’s friend for a job. Presumably
Carrie’s mate said “Take a chance
on me”, but it could mean that the
PM has met his Waterloo.
brought to book
It is 30 years since Everyman’s
Library, the publishers of exquisite
reprints, came back into being.
This was celebrated with Bollinger
at The Polish Hearth Club, which
the publisher David Campbell
noted was a far cry from their
beginnings in early-90s Soho. All
they had then were five people
united by the belief that “for £5,
one might be intellectually richer
for life”. High-minded, but other
romantic ideals were available in
that building. The best office they
could afford was above a sex shop.
high praise, so to speak
Just as parliament was prorogued
yesterday, Speaker Hoyle closed the
session with a malapropism.
Responding to Russia’s measures
earlier this week, Mr Speaker
suggested that members who had
been sanctioned might now own “a
badger of honour”. Maybe this was
no mistake, but one of those
parliamentary terms like “Cap of
Maintenance”. Perhaps the badgers
live on the “sward of state”.
Patrick Kidd’s piece on a delivery
driver failing to find Highclere
Castle caused Alec Hayton, a reader,
to recall when he sent some wine to
a friend in rural Shropshire last
Christmas. “The lane goes
through a six-foot deep ford,” he
says. “The city-dwelling driver,
never having seen a ford
before, believed the road
had collapsed.” Sadly for
Hayton’s friend, the
sauce was returned to
source.
jack blackburn
14 V2 Friday April 29 2022 | the times

News
News War in Ukraine

Wallace sends troops and tanks Western allies have been sending
Larisa Brown Defence Editor
heavy weapons and other equipment to
Thousands of British troops as well as
tanks, armoured vehicles and artillery
Ukraine in the belief that with enough
support it can beat back the Russian Briton dies
will be sent to countries in Europe in invaders.
one of the largest deployments since
the Cold War.
But the Kremlin claimed that by
“pumping” Ukraine with weapons,
and second
The British Army would conduct
exercises in nations such as Finland
and North Macedonia to demonstrate
Britain and its allies were putting the
security of Europe at risk. Dmitry Pes-
kov, Putin’s spokesman, was respond-
missing
how it had modernised into a “lethal,
agile and global force”, the Ministry of
ing to a question about remarks by Liz
Truss, the foreign secretary, who called in Ukraine
Defence said. on western countries to increase their

About 8,000 British troops are ex-
pected to join soldiers from Nato allies
and the Joint Expeditionary Force
(JEF), a UK-led security coalition, for
the summer exercises amid rising ten-
sions with Russia.
Ben Wallace, the defence secretary,
said that the security of Europe “has
never been more important”. He prom-
ised a “show of solidarity and strength
in one of the largest shared deploy-
ments since the Cold War”.
Troops from B Squadron of the
Queen’s Royal Hussars have deployed
to Finland this week to take part in
Exercise Arrow, aimed at deterring
Russian aggression. They will be em-
bedded in a Finnish armoured brigade
with troops from the United States, Lat-
via and Estonia.
Exercise Hedgehog next month will
involve the Royal Welsh battlegroup
and the Royal Tank Regiment, with
exercises planned on the Estonia-
Latvia border alongside 18,000 Nato
troops, including French and Danish
soldiers who are part of the British-led
Nato enhanced forward presence.
Hedgehog, the biggest military
exercise in Estonia, takes
place every four years.
Commander Field Army
Lieutenant General Ralph
Wooddisse said a range of
units would be involved,
from light and airborne
forces to helicopters
and armoured
forces, supported by
artillery, electronic
warfare, air de-
fence, surveillance
drones, engineers
and logisticians.
“The scale of the
deployment, cou-
pled with the pro-
fessionalism,
training and agil-
ity of the British
Army, will de-
ter aggression
A British soldier in Estonia this month.
Troops will also be deployed to Poland
at a scale not seen in Europe this
century,” he said. Other exercises will
take place in Poland and North Mace-
donia.
Wallace said yesterday that Russia
was “like a cancerous growth” in
Ukraine that must be removed. Britain
would do all it could to “get the limpet
off the rock” and ensure that President
Putin did not retain any territory in the
country.
Fighting is focused on the south and
eastern parts of Ukraine after Russian
troops failed to achieve their initial ob-
jective of taking Kyiv, the capital.
Ukraine’s military said that Russian
troops were subjecting several places
in Donbas to intense fire and that over
the past 24 hours Ukrainian forces
had repelled six attacks in the region.
Columns of smoke could be seen
rising at different points across
the Donetsk region of
Donbas amid frequent
artillery strikes, with
the sound of sirens
heard regularly.
Ben Wallace
described Russia as
“like a cancerous
growth” that must
be removed from
Ukraine and said
that President Putin
must not be allowed
to retain any
territory
support, including by supplying heavy
weapons, tanks and warplanes.
“In itself, the tendency to pump
weapons, including heavy weapons, to
Ukraine and other countries are ac-
tions that threaten the security of the
continent and provoke instability,”
Peskov said.
Maria Zakharova, the spokeswoman
for Russia’s foreign affairs ministry, is-
sued a stern warning to western coun-
tries and in particular the UK about en-
couragement given to Ukraine to strike
Russian territory.
She said that President Zelensky was
“being used” by the West, and told it to
stop trying Russia’s patience. Aggres-
sion against Russia would not go
unanswered, she said.
“We would like Kyiv and western
capitals to take seriously the statement
by the Russian Ministry of Defence that
further provocation prompting
Ukraine to strike against Russian facili-
ties will be met with a harsh response
from Russia.
“Advisers from western countries
staying in Ukraine’s decision-making
centres will not necessarily be a prob-
lem for Russia’s response measures. We
do not advise to continue trying our
patience.”
The comments added to a pattern of
escalating rhetoric on both sides as the
West steps up weapons supplies to
Ukraine and Moscow accuses it of
waging a proxy war.
Jens Stoltenberg, Nato’s secretary-
general, said the alliance was ready to
support Ukraine for a long time to
come in the war against Russia, includ-
ing helping it to advance from any old
Soviet-era weapons to modern military
equipment.
“We need to be prepared for the long
term,” he told a youth summit in Brus-
sels. “There is absolutely the possibility
that this war will drag on and last for
months and years.”
He said that Nato allies were prepar-
ing to help Ukraine to move on to Nato-
standard weapons.
A
former British soldier
who served in
Afghanistan has been
killed and another Briton
is missing after they were
believed to have joined Ukrainian
troops fighting the Russians
(Larisa Brown, Neil Johnston and
Richard Lloyd Parry write).
Scott Sibley, 36, a father who
served in the Royal Logistic Corps,
died at the weekend, becoming the
first Briton confirmed to have been
killed fighting in the conflict.
Another Briton on the ground said
that the second unnamed victim
served in the same regiment as a
petroleum operator, although that
could not be confirmed.
Sibley, from Lincolnshire, lived in
the market town of Bedlington,
Northumberland. In 2018 he shaved
his head to raise money to support
his daughter, Charlotte-Rose, who
had chemotherapy to treat
neuroblastoma. Friends set up a
GoFundMe page for his family.
Sibley’s friend Craig said: “Scott
was a son, father, brother and uncle.
To me he was a friend like no other
and the bravest person I’ve had the
pleasure to have known. His life
may have been cut short but he
lived to the full.”
Friends paid tribute to Sibley on
Facebook, where he was described
as “one of the best and fittest blokes
we knew”. Marc Collins wrote:
“Such a good guy too, always had a
good laugh.”
Alex Darwin wrote: “Sib, I’m in
complete disbelief. What a pleasure
to have served alongside you and to
have experienced your kind nature.
You were there for me and I will
forever be grateful.” A former
soldier added: “I remember Sibley
from Afghanistan. I was in the same
sleeping area. He was a top bloke.”
A Foreign Office spokesman said:
“We can confirm that a British

Visa-holders have
not reached UK
Occupied region
ukraine in brief

to use the rouble

Less than a third of
Ukrainian refugees who
have been issued with
visas under two
government schemes have
arrived in the UK. A total
of 86,100 visas had been
issued as of Wednesday
under the Ukraine Family
Scheme and the Homes
for Ukraine sponsorship
scheme. However, as of
Monday, just 27,100
Ukrainians had arrived,
according to the Home
Office and the
Department for Levelling
Up, Housing and
Communities, made up of
11,110 people through the
sponsorship route and
16,000 people in the
family scheme.
Kherson in southern
Ukraine will start using
the rouble from May 1, an
official from the occupied
region’s “military-civil
administration” told the
Russian news agency RIA.
Kirill Stremousov was
quoted as saying that the
transition to the Russian
currency would take up to
four months, during which
time roubles will circulate
alongside the Ukrainian
hryvnia. Russia said on
Tuesday that it had gained
full control of the city and
wider region of Kherson,
which constitutes part of
the land link between the
Crimea peninsula and
Russian-backed separatist
areas in the east.
Threat to Taiwan
of ‘thunderbolt’
Beijing has said any action
it takes against Taiwan
would be like a
“thunderbolt”, unlike the
invasion of Ukraine. It
considers the self-
governed island part of its
territory and has promised
reunification, by force if
necessary. On Wednesday
Taiwan’s military unveiled
plans for its annual
exercises, aimed at
preparing its forces for a
Chinese invasion. It is
believed that Ukraine’s
resistance has made China
question whether an
invasion of Taiwan could
succeed. Observers say
that in the meantime
Beijing will keep up its war
of words.
Conscript first to
die on Russian soil
A 19-year-old conscripted
soldier is thought to be the
first Russian serviceman to
die on Russian soil since
President Putin launched
the invasion of Ukraine.
Nikita Koshelev, who
had been due to finish his
year’s service in July, was
killed on the morning of
April 19 ten miles from the
Ukrainian border in the
Belgorod region, his family
were told. The night
before, he wrote to his
girlfriend: “We’re going to
get bombed. I’ll call you or
write to you in the
morning.”
Russia says Ukrainian
strikes hit several border
locations but Kyiv denies
attacks on Russia.
Germany will buy
Bruno Waterfield Brussels
Oliver Moody Berlin
Germany has caved into President
Putin’s demand to pay for Russian gas
via a murky system that converts funds
paid in euros to roubles.
Robert Habeck, the German energy
minister, said that the euro-to-rouble
swaps had been given the legal green
light by the European Commission and
were compatible with sanctions and
existing contracts with the Russian
energy giant Gazprom.
“German companies’ payments for
gas will continue to be made in euros or
dollars . . . in accord with the European
sanctions regime,” he said. “The com-
panies have explained that the contrac-
tual commitments are satisfied with the
payments in euros and dollars.
“Europe and Germany will make
their payments in euros . . . and not in
roubles, and the conversion after the
payments are made is then a matter for
Gazprom.”
His comments follow a decision by
Uniper, a private company that is the
biggest Russian gas buyer in Germany,
to use the procedure. The scheme is
administered by Gazprom’s in-house
bank, one of Russia’s biggest, which has
not been hit by EU sanctions.
Other energy companies including
Italy’s Eni, the Dutch Eneco and Aus-
tria’s OMV are expected to follow suit
in the coming days. Hungary’s MOL
and Slovakia’s SSP have also made pay-
ments via the scheme.
While the use of the Gazprombank
euro-to-rouble swaps has been op-
posed by Poland and Bulgaria, the
European Union has given the back-
door system the all clear.
Habeck warned that further energy
supply cuts could be on the way after
the taps were turned off for the Poles
and Bulgarians. “For Bulgaria and
the times | Friday April 29 2022 V2
to Europe in show of solidarity
Scott Sibley, 36, who served in the
Royal Logistic Corps, was a respected
veteran of the conflict in Afghanistan
national has been killed in Ukraine
and are supporting their family.
“We are aware of a British
national who is missing in Ukraine
and are supporting their family. We
are urgently seeking further
information.”
The circumstances of Sibley’s
death remained unclear.
Neighbours of his parents in
Lincolnshire said the family were
devastated. Tracey Mcinanny said:
“I assume they have gone to
London to be with the kids Scott
had. Like most kids he had moved
away from his parents to get on
with their lives. It is very sad. But
the guy thought he was doing what
was right.
“I remember Scott as an older
teenager. I did not know him but
him and his sister seemed nice kids.
They kept themselves to themselves.
Both parents were working. You
always hear about the bad kids but
never Scott or his sister.”
Dozens of British citizens, many
former soldiers, are believed to
joined the fight against President
Putin’s forces after Liz Truss, the
foreign secretary, gave her backing.
Two Britons have been captured
by Russian troops. Aiden Aslin, 28,
and Shaun Pinner, 48, were caught
in the besieged city of Mariupol.
Yesterday Russian sources
published a list of what they
claimed were 100 British
mercenaries fighting in Ukraine,
including a woman. A Telegram
channel called Rybar with almost
400,000 subscribers claimed that
the Britons were part of the
International Legion of Territorial
Defence of Ukraine, also known as
the Ukrainian Foreign Legion.
It is unclear where the list came
from but Rybar suggested that it
was obtained via the offices of
Vitaliy Kim, the governor of
Mykolayiv region. It did not include
the names of Sibley, Aslin or Pinner.
Truss caused consternation in
Whitehall in the early days of the
invasion after she said she
“absolutely” supported British
citizens heading to Ukraine, in
contradiction of Foreign Office
travel advice.
Putin’s gas via rouble swap
cial one and allowing governments to ats, to the anger of Poland and the Bal-
Biggest importers distance themselves from the rouble tic states, which are urging the EU to
Percentage of gas from Russia swaps. “Ultimately, it is commercial block all energy imports from Russia.
parties that transfer the money,” said Two big questions remain on whe-
Czech Rep 100% Lucia van Geuns, energy expert at ther the system will be legal, or will lead
Latvia 100% Dutch Centre for Strategic Studies. to changes in national contracts with
Hungary 95% The new payments system, which Gazprom that amount to sanctions
Slovakia 85% follows a decree by President Putin on evasion. The first unknown is whether
March 31, is highly complex and aimed Moscow will set high exchange rates
Bulgaria 75%
at avoiding charges that the exchanges that would push up the billable sum set
Finland 67% are illegal under EU sanctions. in euros for gas, effectively changing
Germany 66% Under the set-up, euro or dollar pay- agreed contracts. The second is if Gaz-
Poland 55% ments are automatically transferred to prom begins invoicing settled accounts
a so-called “K” account at Gazprom- in roubles, which again would mean a
Estonia 46%
bank where they are swapped for rou- change to the contractual basis.
Romania 45% Source: Eurostat bles bought from Russia’s central bank. Mateusz Morawiecki, the Polish
The swaps will give a shot in the arm prime minister, said contingency plans
Poland, it’s obviously not a warning sig- to Putin’s economy, which is creaking had been drawn up for gas rationing in
nal but serious reality. Russia has under the impact of measures includ- Poland’s industrial sector but house-
shown it’s ready to take serious action.” ing the freezing of its central bank for- holds would still get their supplies.
Most European energy companies — eign currency reserves. During a visit to Ukraine yesterday
unlike the Polish and Bulgarian-owned The European Commission’s legal Kiril Petkov, Bulgaria’s prime minister,
state monopolies — are privately advice allows Gazprom to carry out the urged the rest of the EU to be “tougher”
owned, making the decision a commer- euro-to-rouble swaps with legal cave- with Russia over energy.
Biden pleads for
another $33bn to
help Kyiv cause
David Charter Washington
President Biden has asked Congress for
another $33 billion to support Ukraine
in a signal to Russia that the US is deter-
mined to end the invasion.
The new package includes more than
$20 billion for weapons, ammunition
and other military help, $8.5 billion in
direct funding for the government and
$3 billion in humanitarian aid.
It follows an initial $13.6 billion in
defence and economic aid for Ukraine
and western allies enacted last month
that is almost exhausted. The US has
sent $3 billion in military supplies in the
two months since Russia invaded.
Biden also proposed selling assets
seized from Russian oligarchs to in-
crease aid to Ukraine and vowed to help
Bulgaria and Poland meet their energy
needs after Moscow cut off their gas.
The president needs the support of
Republicans and Democrats to pass the
extra budget requests because “we’re
out of money” for Ukraine. Russia ac-
cuses the US and other countries back-
ing Ukraine of waging a “proxy war”
against it and has warned of retaliation.
Biden said at the White House after
signing the request to Congress: “We
need this bill to support Ukraine in its
fight for freedom. The cost of this fight
— it’s not cheap but caving to aggres-
sion is going to be more costly. It’s criti-
cal this funding gets approved and as
quickly as possible.”
His request represents the full
amount the White House has forecast
for Ukraine assistance until September,
the end of the fiscal year. It includes
food security aid, economic stimulus
for Ukraine and funding to expand the
production of key materials in short
supply, using the Defence Production
Act of 1950, enacted during the Cold
War at the start of the Korean War.
The Biden administration has said
the US and its European allies have
Kremlin threatens to cut
Finland’s canal access
Oliver Moody
Russia has threatened to restrict
Finland’s access to an important cross-
border waterway if Helsinki applies for
Nato membership.
It is one of the first specific warnings
from Moscow since it announced that
Finland and Sweden would face “polit-
ical and military consequences” should
they try to join the alliance.
The 29-mile Saimaa canal, first dug
in the mid-19th century, links a network
of lakes in southern Finland to a sea
outlet near the Russian city of Vyborg.
Nearly half of its length runs through
Russian territory but this section has
been leased by Finland since the early
1960s. In 2013 the €1.2 million-a-year
lease was renewed for another 50 years
but it is up for review next year.
Last year the canal carried 1.3 million
tonnes of freight — mostly timber,
15
News
News
frozen $30 billion of assets held by oli-
garchs linked to President Putin, in-
cluding yachts, helicopters, buildings
and art.
The president said: “I am sending to
Congress a comprehensive package
that will enhance our effort to hold ac-
countable the Russian oligarchs and
make sure we take their ill-begotten
gains. We’re going to seize their yachts,
their luxury homes . . . this will ensure
that when the oligarchs’ assets are sold
off, funds can be used directly to reme-
dy the harm Russia caused and help
rebuild Ukraine.”
Biden is also asking Congress to
make it a criminal offence for a person
to “knowingly or intentionally possess
proceeds directly obtained from cor-
rupt dealings with the Russian govern-
ment”. He wants to double the statute of
limitations for foreign money launder-
ing offences to ten years and expand
the definition of “racketeering” to in-
clude efforts to evade sanctions.
He promised that the US would work
to support its allies’ energy needs.
“Russia has long claimed to be, quote, ‘a
reliable source of energy for the world’
. . . but these actions prove that energy is
not just a commodity that Russia sells
to help meet other countries’ needs but
a weapon used to deploy against those
who stand against her aggression.
“I want to be clear, we will not let
Russia intimidate or blackmail their
way out of the sanctions. Aggression
will not win. This is just another re-
minder of the imperative for Europe
and the world to move more and more
of our power needs to clean energy.”
Biden criticised Russian leaders for
talking about nuclear weapons. He also
said claims that the US and Nato were
in a proxy war were “not true”. He
added: “They do concern me, because it
shows the desperation that Russia is
feeling about their abject failure in
being able to do what they set out to do.”
cement and fertilisers — for export via
the Gulf of Finland.
However, Dmitry Novikov, the
deputy head of the Russian parlia-
ment’s foreign affairs committee, said it
would be a “natural” step to “revise” the
lease if Finland attempted to sign up to
Nato. “As Russia’s relations with any
other country get worse, treaties that
were concluded during a period of
benevolent relations that made sense in
that context may be revised,” Novikov
told Izvestia, a Russian newspaper.
Novikov is a senior MP from the Rus-
sian Communist Party but is consid-
ered broadly loyal to President Putin’s
regime and was placed under sanctions
by the UK, US and EU last month.
The Finnish government has not yet
made a formal decision but is expected
to announce its membership applica-
tion in the middle of May, at the same
time as Sweden.
16 2GM Friday April 29 2022 | the times

News
News War in Ukraine

Children watch parents

die in Mariupol steelworks
Hundreds of people are everything she could. She was more
than just a professional.”
trapped without help as Viktoria’s brother said that Ukraini-
an soldiers had tried to keep dead
the Russians close in, bodies in refrigerators. “The Russians
deliberately fired at one of these refrig-
write Paulina Olszanka erators,” he told her. “They killed those
people two times.”
and Ivan Posylnyi The siege of Mariupol has drawn
international condemnation and com-
The soldiers lie side by side on camp parisons with the Russian destruction
beds. Some writhe in pain, others of Grozny, the Chechen capital, and
appear resigned to their fate, staring Aleppo in Syria. Three mass graves
listlessly at mobile phones or the ceil- have been identified on the outskirts of
ing. Dirty bandages and seeping the city.
wounds tell of rotting flesh and the on- Russia, however, says the revelations
set of gangrene. about Mariupol are a “provocation” by
In the vast network of tunnels under the western media. Yesterday it
the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol emerged that the Russians were plan-
dozens of soldiers from Ukraine’s 36th ning to bus loyal journalists to the city
Marine Brigade and the Azov Battalion to report that it was Ukrainians who
are the last holdouts against President had bombed the city.
Putin’s takeover of the port city. Captain Sviatoslav Palamar, 39, a
Supplies including drinking water,
food and ammunition are running out
for fighters trapped alongside hundreds
deputy commander of Ukraine’s Azov
Battalion, said the soldiers were deter-
mined to fight to the end. “As long as
Kremlin
of civilians in the factory on Mariupol’s
left bank. A week ago Putin ordered his
commanders to seal off the plant, tell-
ing Sergei Shoigu, the defence minister:
Soldiers and civilians lie wounded in the tunnels under Azovstal steel plant.
Supplies of medicine, drinking water, food and ammunition are running out
we’re here and holding the defence . . .
the city is not theirs,” he said.
He said heavy fighting still raged and
they were constantly being bombed. At
conductor
“Block off this industrial area so that a
fly cannot pass through. There is no
need to climb into these catacombs and
A video released yesterday by the Azov
regiment appeared to show the after-
over the place. He survived because he
was making tea in another room. Other
one point Russian forces sent in a col-
umn of tanks and armoured vehicles
and infantry but the defenders de-
‘robbed
crawl underground through these in-
dustrial facilities.”
However, some of those trapped are
math of Russian bombing, which sol-
diers said caused the roof of a makeshift
operating theatre to collapse.
people, except for one soldier in a sleep-
ing bag, died immediately.”
She said her brother had told her:
stroyed it. He said tactics were con-
stantly changing.
“The tactic [now] is like a medieval
charity’
still able to communicate with the out- Speaking from a town near Dnipro, “We got everything that was left of their siege. We’re encircled, they are no

side world via Elon Musk’s network of
Starlink satellites. Images of the condi-
tions shared with The Times via Mariu-
pol residents who have fled, including
to Poland, reveal the full horror of the
catacombs.
In one audio file, a civilian doctor at
Azovstal said: “We do not have enough
medicine. That’s why, to deal with bro-
ken bones, we have used old unwashed
pieces of cloth and it causes infections.
Some people will probably die there
because they will not receive medical
help anytime soon. Many people are in
agony. The bombing and shelling are
non-stop.”
In another recording, a Ukrainian
soldier said: “The Russians are not giv-
ing us a second of peace, the bombing is
never-ending, so surgeries are almost
impossible to be conducted properly.
There aren’t enough doctors, there
aren’t enough nurses. And many of the
nurses and doctors are dead.”
to the north of Mariupol, Viktoria, 42,
said her 36-year-old brother, a lieuten-
ant-colonel in the Ukrainian national
guard, had been in Azovstal since
February 24. They were still occasion-
ally able to communicate, she told
The Times.
She asked not to give her full name or
that of her brother. “There are many ci-
vilians,” she said. “I think many of them
are the staff of Azovstal. Also there are
many of those whose homes were de-
stroyed. Many elderly and children.”
She said many of the children had
seen their parents killed and some had
gone grey. “Many people began to stut-
ter,” she added. “Some are losing hair
and teeth.”
Her brother was often tasked with
standing guard at night. “My brother
told me that on one such night he left to
make some tea,” Viktoria said. “At ex-
actly that time the place he left was
bombed. Immense screaming spread
bodies with a shovel and put it in sepa-
rate plastic bags. Then they wrote their
names on those bags.” Soon after, her
brother collapsed.
“Many injured people are lying on
the ground, sometimes on mattresses,”
Viktoria said. “Surgeries are done there,
too. They don’t have any antiseptic so
many people rot. My brother has never
changed his uniform. He’s still wearing
the one he wore at the beginning.”
Among them was Sergeant Alyona
Kushnir, a Ukrainian medic. This
month she filmed a video from the
bunker, appealing for help.
About 40 days after Kushnir’s part-
ner, also in the armed forces, was killed,
she was “giving out water and snacks to
commemorate his death when she was
killed too”, Viktoria said. “They had a
small son.”
She added that Kushnir would sing to
the soldiers in Azovstal. “She was sing-
ing to them, giving to those soldiers
longer throwing lots of forces to break
our defensive line. They’re conducting
airstrikes,” he said. Palamar, who is
married with a child, would not say how
much food and ammunition they had
left. He claimed, however, that they still
had hundreds of fighters.
Those trapped at Azovstal are ap-
pealing for international help to ar-
range evacuations before Putin’s antici-
pated deadline of May 9 to seize the
south of Ukraine. Pavlo Kyrylenko, the
governor of the Donetsk region, said
Russia was also not allowing humani-
tarian corridors to be established. “Of
course our resources aren’t infinite and
they are running lower with every pass-
ing day of intense fighting. The situa-
tion is difficult but we’re going to battle
and fight for as long as we have to.”
Krylenko said they had more than
500 wounded fighters, some in serious
condition.
Russia’s casual savagery, letters, page 32
O
n the night of
February 23, as Russian
soldiers prepared to
cross the Ukrainian
border, Valery Gergiev
led the first performance in a run of
Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades
at La Scala in Milan (Tom Ball
writes).
The next day, with the invasion
under way, the mayor of Milan
declared that the conductor would
no longer be welcome at the opera
house unless he denounced Russian
military action. The Munich
Philharmonic, where Gergiev was
chief conductor, issued a similar
demand. But Putin’s conductor
denounced nothing, and shortly
afterwards his tours of Europe and
America were cancelled and his
post in Munich was rescinded.
That Gergiev, 68, one of the

Ukrainians shoot down kamikaze Russian drone

Larisa Brown Defence Editor
Ukrainian troops shot down a short-
range “kamikaze” Russian drone that
claims to have the ability to identify
targets using artificial intelligence.
The KUB-BLA was brought down
in Luhansk in southeast Ukraine by
“several sharp gunshots”, according to
the Ukrainian military.
“Don’t listen to the propaganda, all
their ‘unique’ weapons are burning,
falling and sinking very well,” the mili-
tary said in a statement that quoted
Ukrainian “warriors”.
The drone, manufactured by ZALA
Aero, a subsidiary of the Russian arms
company Kalashnikov, was first dis-
played in public at a Russian air show
in 2019.
According to the company, it defeats
ground targets based on manually set
co-ordinates or images. It claims to
feature “intelligent detection and
recognition of objects by class and type
in real time”.
Analysts, however, have cast doubt
on the claims that it uses AI to find tar-
gets. Gareth Jennings, an analyst at the
defence publication Jane’s, said: “The
use of battlefield AI is in its infancy.
“The technology has not yet been
incorporated into this low-level class of
UAV [unmanned aerial vehicle] to the
extent that it could truly be said to have
artificial intelligence.”
Jennings said it was more likely that
the drone possessed some degree of
autonomy in how it flies. “The soldier
does not need to physically control a
joystick, but instructs the pattern and
route it wants the craft to fly, and it does
so,” he said.
The KUB-BLA is Russia’s answer to
the American Switchblade drone,
which is in use on the battlefield. It is
simple to use and operate, relatively
cheap and highly accurate.
It has a 24-mile range and can fly at
speeds of 80mph. Measuring about 3ft
in length, the portable drone is fitted
with a small warhead and hand-
launched. It can stay in the air for 30
minutes, its camera feeding back pic-
tures to its controller.
It flies until the controller sees a tar-
get, at which point the drone can be
flown into it. It carries a one-kilogram
explosive charge packed with ball bear-
ings.
Jennings said: “The advantage of this
type of system is that the soldier does
not need to have first identified and
sighted a target before launching.
“He can put this drone up in the air,
gathering intelligence and ‘over the ho-
rizon’ reconnaissance, until he sees
something worth attacking.”
Samuel Cranny-Evans, a military an-
alyst at the Royal United Services Insti-
tute think tank, said that the drone’s
capability could be “quite limited, espe-
cially in a city”. “It might penetrate the
top armour of a tank, but might lack the
ability to fly through a window,” he said.
He added it was a “very different ca-
pability in terms of its lethality and
range” compared to the Switchblade
drones, which can hover above a target
for as long as 40 minutes before flying
into it at 115mph.
Last month, Russian troops got close
enough to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv,
to launch the short-range drones, rais-
ing fears they could be used to target
President Zelensky.
Drones have played a significant role
in Ukraine’s efforts to stymie Russia’s
advances. Kyiv has been supplied by
the US with the small, expendable
Switchblade drones, which crash into a
target and detonate a warhead.
The Ukrainian military is seeking
more lethal Reaper drones and is be-
lieved to be in talks with the American
companies that make them.
First war
Richard Lloyd Parry Kyiv
Ukrainian prosecutors have brought
the first criminal charges against
Russian soldiers accused of torturing
civilians in the town of Bucha, where
hundreds of people died during a brutal
one-month occupation.
The country’s chief prosecutor, Iryna
Venediktova, announced the charges
against ten named members of Russia’s
64th Motorised Infantry Brigade for
“cruel treatment of civilians and other
violations of laws and customs of war”.
Venediktova said that the soldiers
took unarmed civilians as hostages,
deprived them of food and water,
forced them on to their knees with their
hands tied and their eyes covered in
tape, and beat them with fists and gun
butts. They also performed mock
executions.
A team of 300 prosecutors, police
the times | Friday April 29 2022 2GM
Valery Gergiev, conducting in London and, right, with President Putin, has an £80 million portfolio of luxury homes
around the globe, including the 16th-century Palazzo Barbarigo in Venice and vast tracts of land near Naples, left
world’s most celebrated conductors,
chose to sacrifice his career rather
than condemn the war should come
as no surprise. For years, he has
married his international standing
with an unofficial role as court
conductor to the Kremlin,
burnishing the glory of the Russian
leader as the ode writers of
Catherine the Great’s court once
did.
Until the Ukraine invasion, he
had managed to ride both horses,
serving as principal conductor of
the London Symphony Orchestra
from 2007 to 2015, while putting on
victory performances in South
crimes cases brought against Bucha suspects
officers and agents of the intelligence
agency, the Security Service of Ukraine
(SBU), are working on the cases. The
whereabouts of the first ten official
suspects is not known since the retreat
of Russian forces north of Kyiv late last
month, but a remarkable amount of
information has been gleaned from
social media and other online sources.
The photographs downloaded by the
Bucha prosecutors show young men
smiling, dancing, fishing and hugging
their wives, girlfriends and children.
They include Private Sergei Peskarev,
24, from Yakutia in Siberia. He worked
until last year as a cashier at a
local supermarket in the city of
Khabarovsk.
Junior Sergeant Vyacheslav Lavren-
tyev, 29, from Transbaikalia in Russia’s
far east, was formerly an emergency
worker who proudly posted photo-
graphs of himself by a fire engine.
Ossetia in 2008 and Syria in 2016,
in the rubble of Russia’s wars there.
Having forfeited his reputation,
the question is being asked: what
has he received in return? An
investigation by the Moscow-based
Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK),
founded by Alexei Navalny, seeks to
answer that question, detailing the
fortune that it alleges he has
acquired through state corruption.
It claims in a 45-minute
documentary that Gergiev has
embezzled millions of pounds’
worth of funds from his own charity
and used the money to build an
extensive property portfolio. The
Suspects, clockwise from top left: Vasily Knyazev, 24; Grigory Naryshkin, 30; Vyacheslav Lavrentyev, 29; Dmitry Sergienko,
27; Albert Radnaev, 24; Semyon Maltsev, 26; Andrei Biyazev, 33; Mikhail Kashin, 24; Sergei Peskarev, 24; Nikita Akimov, 25
ALAMY
Valery Gergiev Charity Foundation
was established in 2003 to “support
talented young musicians” but the
FBK investigators obtained bank
statements that they claim show
how Gergiev has used the money to
buy luxury properties, charter
private jets and even pay his home
utility bills.
A dacha with its own miniature
concert hall in St Petersburg was
constructed using the foundation’s
money, according to investigators.
Two years ago it bought three flats
worth £3 million in Art View
House, a luxury development near
the Mariinsky Theatre, of which
Gergiev is artistic director. In
addition, he is said to have
transferred about £3.3 million from
the foundation to his personal
account between 2018 and 2020.
Many of the charity’s big donors
are state-owned bodies or oligarchs
close to Putin. VTB Bank donated
£16.5 million, and Alisher Usmanov,
a former shareholder in Arsenal
football club, gave £4.7 million.
The investigation also uncovered
the conductor’s vast overseas
property empire, estimated to be
worth more than £80 million. It
includes the 16th-century Palazzo
Barbarigo on the Grand Canal in
Venice, owned by one of Gergiev’s
companies. The house, like his
other properties, has not been
publicly declared. As the head of a
Russian state institution — the
Mariinsky — Gergiev is required by
law to disclose his foreign assets.
Other properties include an
apartment in Manhattan that
Gergiev bought in 2004 for
£1.9 million. Unlike other acolytes
of the Russian president, Gergiev
has not been the target of any
western sanctions. He endorsed
Putin’s re-election and after Russia’s
annexation of the Crimea in 2014,
praised his “deep and penetrating
logic” with regards to Ukraine.
FBK, which was designated an
“extremist organisation” and last
year shut down by the Kremlin, has
published investigations into
numerous other politicians. In 2021,
it released a two-hour documentary
about a palace on the Black Sea
said to belong to President Putin.
“Valery Gergiev may be the most
brilliant musician on the planet but,
unfortunately, that does not change
the fact that he is a fraud and a
thief,” said the FBK investigators
Maria Pevchikh and Georgy
Alburov. “To the accompaniment of
Gergiev’s orchestra, rockets are
exploding and civilians are being
shot. Gergiev’s talent now serves
war, death and destruction.”
A representative for Gergiev did
not respond to a request for
comment.
17
News
News
Dolphins
guard ships
at Crimean
navy base
Michael Evans
The Russian navy has deployed trained
bottlenose dolphins in the port of Se-
vastopol in Crimea to help protect its
warships from underwater sabotage,
satellite images show.
Two pens with the dolphins have
been spotted at the naval base, which is
the headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet
in the annexed part of Ukraine.
Dolphins have been trained by the
Russians for decades to detect mines
and give warning of hostile frogmen.
The US navy has a similar training pro-
gramme for dolphins and sea lions at its
naval base in San Diego, California.
Sevastopol was the home base for
Moskva, the guided-missile cruiser and
Black Sea flagship that was sunk by
Ukrainian anti-ship Neptune missiles
on April 14.
According to the satellite images an-
alysed by the US Naval Institute, the
dolphin pens were placed in the Sevas-
topol port in February when Russia in-
vaded Ukraine.
Dolphins have hypersensitive hear-
ing far in excess of humans and have
been trained to give warning of potent-
ially hostile objects or frogmen. This ca-
pability is known as biosonar.
The Black Sea Fleet includes three
Admiral Grigorovich-class guided-
missile frigates armed with Kalibr
cruise missiles. The Kalibr, with a maxi-
mum range of 1,550 miles, has been
used frequently on targets in Ukraine.
The Sevastopol base also accommo-
dates corvettes that can fire Kalibrs,
diesel attack submarines, patrol ships
and landing vessels.
The use of dolphins began in 1965
when the Soviet navy opened a re-
search facility at Kazachya Bukhta near
Sevastopol. The programme was
passed to the Ukrainian navy after the
Cold War ended but was largely ne-
glected until 2012. In March 2014 when
Russia annexed Crimea the facility
once again came under its control.
In 2016 Russia was reported to have
bought five bottlenose dolphins for
£18,000. It is also believed to train
Beluga whales to carry out underwater
missions.
In 2019 the Norwegian directorate of
fisheries revealed that a Beluga whale
had been found wearing a harness with
the words “equipment St Petersburg”
written on the strap.
He wrote on his Facebook page:
“Live one life — save thousands.”
During a visit to Kyiv, Bucha
and other liberated towns yesterday,
António Guterres, the United Nations
secretary-general, gave his support to
war crimes investigations.
“When we talk about war crimes, we
cannot forget that the worst of crimes is
war itself,” he said. “War is an absurdity
in the 21st century. The war is evil. And
when one sees these situations, our
heart, of course, stays with the victims.”
His visit was marked last night by
explosions in Kyiv in what appeared to
be a new Russian attack. Local
authorities said that a factory and an
apartment block were hit. The number
of dead and injured was not known.
“There was an attack on Kyiv . . . it
shocked me, not because I’m here but
because Kyiv is a sacred city for Ukrain-
ians and Russians alike,” Guterres said.
18
News
Street party The Royal Marines band surprised residents of Church Hill in Redditch, Worcestershire, to recognise the community’s efforts to mark the Platinum Jubilee
Covid fraud unit staffed with novices
George Greenwood
Rishi Sunak has been accused of engag-
ing in “smoke and mirrors” with his
flagship £100 million Covid anti-fraud
unit after it emerged most of its staff
were not experts in the subject.
The Covid taxpayer protection task-
force, announced by Sunak in March
last year, is intended to crack down on
pandemic-related fraud.
However, records obtained under the
Freedom of Information Act by the tax
consultants Andersen reveal the unit’s
staff were almost exclusively trans-
ferred from other HM Revenue & Cus-
toms departments. Of the unit’s 1,265
staff, 184 were transferred from
HMRC’s fraud investigation service.
None appear to have been drawn from
the private sector or from other civil
service departments.
Andrew Park, tax investigations
partner at Andersen, believes that the
unit does not have enough highly
skilled fraud investigators to deal with
the scale of the problem.
The £100 million figure is broadly
equivalent to HMRC’s payroll for the
staff members transferred to the task-
force, Andersen’s analysis suggests.
This analysis also suggests that the staff
for whom HMRC could provide a grade
breakdown were overwhelmingly at
the most junior investigator and cleri-
cal grades and would not have been
trained to deal with complex matters.
“HMRC has put together a lot of
people, but the taskforce smacks of low-
grade trawling with a large net with a
broad mesh,” Park said.
“It simply does not have enough
highly skilled and experienced fraud
investigators for the scale of what they
have to deal with generally — even
before Covid.
“It doesn’t ring true and is the sort of
smoke and mirrors accounting HMRC
would investigate if the taxpayer got up
to it. The much-trumpeted £100 million
‘investment’ in a Covid taxpayer pro-
JACOB KING/PA
tection taskforce was clearly just polit-
ical spin.”
There is widespread concern at the
level of fraudulent claims from the fur-
lough scheme, in which £70 billion in
grants were provided to allow compa-
nies to avoid laying off staff.
The Times revealed in November
that hundreds of companies set up after
the furlough scheme was established
claimed up to £26.6 million from the
taxpayer. Many of these claims were
made by “off-the-shelf” companies that
can be established cheaply and with
opaque corporate structures.
Analysis using data from OpenCor-
porates showed that 7,000 companies
2GM Friday April 29 2022 | the times
Police ‘raid
home of
lingerie boss’
George Sandeman
The home of Baroness Mone, the linge-
rie tycoon, was searched by police as
part of an investigation into PPE con-
tracts worth more than £200 million, it
has been reported.
Homes and offices in London and the
Isle of Man were visited by officers from
the National Crime Agency but no ar-
rests were made, according to The Sun.
The agency is investigating PPE
Medpro, which won two contracts to
supply surgical gowns and masks to the
NHS. The deals, worth £80 million and
£122 million, were awarded without
competitive tender. The gowns failed to
receive regulatory approval.
The government had awarded the
contracts after the business was placed
in a “high-priority lane”. It was report-
ed that Mone, 50, had made referrals to
Lord Agnew of Oulton, a fellow Tory
peer who was a Cabinet Office minister
responsible for procurement.
She denies this and says she “never
had any role or function in PPE Med-
pro”, which is also understood to deny
wrongdoing. One of its directors, An-
thony Page, is a director of the Knox
House Trust, part of the Knox group,
founded by Doug Barrowman, 55,
Mone’s husband. The Sun said that
Mone was approached for comment.
registered to only five addresses in
London made claims to the furlough
scheme between December 2020 and
June 2021, claiming up to £473 million
between them.
Whistleblowers who have contacted
The Times about the misuse of the
scheme at several companies said that
they had not been taken seriously by
HMRC, and had not been contacted by
the agency in relation to their allega-
tions.
A Treasury source said that the
£100 million was new money and that
HMRC had recruited further external
staff to fill positions after employees
were moved to the taskforce.
the times | Friday April 29 2022 19

News
BURBERRY/BAV MEDIA

Dog driving Iona Hay was

diagnosed with
bone cancer as a
child, a year after
her mother died

you barking?
of a brain tumour

Its breed is
not to blame
Rhys Blakely Science Correspondent
In the dog world, pedigree and person-
ality are supposed to be entwined. Bor-
der collies are meant to be biddable
workaholics, Great Danes gentle
giants, Pomeranians prima donnas.
But a new study claims that these
stereotypes are of limited value and
a dog’s breed is a surprisingly poor
predictor of its character.
The research, said to be the first of its
kind, was based on questionnaires filled
out by the owners of about 18,500 dogs
on different aspects of their pets’ char-
acters. More than 2,100 of the canine
recruits also had their DNA sequenced.
The overarching message, the
researchers say, is that breed and per-
sonality are not as closely connected as
is often supposed. “What a dog looks
like is not really going to tell you what
the dog acts like,” said Marjie Alonso, a
co-author of the paper.
Some patterns were identified. For
friendliness with a human stranger, an
individual labrador retriever or Siber-
ian husky was more likely to score in
the highest 25 per cent of all canines
Sold a pup
Golden retriever A reputation for
being friendly and biddable, but
than a randomly selected dog, whereas
a German shepherd, chihuahua or
dachshund was less likely.
Similarly, the average Basset hound
scored highly for independence, while
Belgian malinois, vizslas and border
collies were the most likely, on average, clients Iona is a joy to
to be responsive to human direction. have on set and so easy to
But the average temperament asso- work with. All of us at
ciated with each breed masked a wide Zebedee can’t wait to see
range of diversity among individuals. what the future holds.”
Border collies varied widely, for in- In an interview this
stance, in terms of enthusiasm when year, Hay said she had
following instructions. “You’ve got a thought “this can’t be
really good chance of getting a dog that real” as she reflected on
doesn’t match what people say that her success. “Inclusivity
breed is supposed to be,” said Elinor is so key in the fashion
Karlsson of the University of Massa- industry just now, we
chusetts, the senior author of the study. need to see everyone
In technical terms, breed was only being represented and
found to explain nine per cent of the I’m so happy to be a part
variation in behaviour between indi- of that”, she told the
vidual dogs. The genetic link between Daily Record. She also
breed and sociability appeared un- spoke about her ambition
expectedly fragile. Scores showed gold- being amputated just industry is very to create clothes with
en retrievers to be among the friendli-
est breeds, on average, but the propor-
Teenage before her sixth birthday.
Her diagnosis had come a
important.” She was
photographed wearing
amputees in mind.
“Designing for those who
tion of golden retriever in a dog’s
ancestry did not predict how friendly it
would be. For some traits, such as ago-
amputee year after her mother
died of a brain tumour.
Hay, who is in her first
£490 motif sliders in one
image and a long black
dress in another. They
have prosthetic limbs is
so important to me,” she
said. “I want everyone to
nistic threshold — how easily a dog is
provoked by frightening or uncomfort-
models for year at Edinburgh
University and hopes to
appeared on Burberry’s
website and Instagram.
be represented if I were
to become a fashion
able stimuli — breed was found to be
“almost uninformative”. Laws that ban Burberry be a fashion designer, has
gone on to star in
Over the past five
months, Hay has
designer, that’s the
dream. Modelling has
certain breeds are not supported by the advertising for well- modelled for H&M, Schu, given me an amazing

only 35 per cent of owners agreed.
Staffordshire bull terrier The study
did not support a reputation for
pugnacity, though this could reflect
inaccurate reports from owners.
Great Dane Said to descend from
hunting dogs but with a “gentle
giant” reputation. The study found
no strong evidence of bigger dogs
being more docile.
Border collie Thought of as clever
and biddable but many owners said
they did not obey instructions.
genetic evidence, the authors argue.
However, they acknowledge that the
owners who took part in the study
could be biased in their assessment of
their dogs’ temperaments.
A spokesperson for the Kennel Club
said: “Behavioural traits are deter-
mined by a larger number of genes than
physical characteristics, meaning a
level of variation should be expected.
This is why it is so important to see a
puppy’s parents, in order to gauge the
kind of temperament that it is likely to
have, if provided with the right environ-
ment and training.”
A
teenage
amputee has
starred in an
advertising
campaign by
the British fashion brand
Burberry, in a boost for
disabled representation
(Charlotte Wace writes).
Iona Hay, 19, a fashion
student, was diagnosed
with osteosarcoma, a type
of bone cancer, in 2008.
It led to one of her legs
known brands after being
signed to the inclusive
talent agency, Zebedee.
The Burberry campaign
gained 38,000 “likes” on
its Instagram page in just
one day.
Hay, from Glasgow,
said: “The shoot was
really fun and I’m very
grateful for being given
the opportunity. It was a
great experience. I think
diversity in the fashion
Primark and YouSwim
and hopes that her
success will inspire other
young amputees.
Her booker, Ella
Singleton-Redmond, said:
“We’ve been blown away
by Iona’s success so far.
She’s been signed with
the agency for less than a
year and already booked
with huge brands such as
Burberry and H&M.
“We’ve been told by
insight into behind the
scenes.”
Burberry featured a
schoolgirl with Down’s
syndrome in its spring/
summer collection this
year. Roni Littman, nine,
had already modelled for
River Island, Asda
George, and TK Maxx,
but it marked the first
time she had appeared in
a collection for a luxury
designer.

Samsung sorry for female jogger ad Christian caretaker in gay

Charlotte Wace
A Samsung advertisement featuring a
woman jogging alone at 2am has been
described as “tone deaf” and “disre-
spectful” by runners and campaigners
amid concerns for women’s safety.
It comes after the death in January of
Ashling Murphy, 23, an Irish teacher,
whose murder while on a run in Co
Offaly led women to share their stories
about experiencing harassment using
the hashtag #shewasonarun.
In the advert, a young woman wear-
ing Samsung headphones goes running
as a voiceover says: “Sleep at night. Run
faster. Push harder. Follow the herd.
Not for me, I run on a different schedule
— mine.” The woman can be seen jog-
ging down quiet alleys, and smiles at
one point at a male cyclist who rides up
behind her on a deserted bridge.
The advertisement features a woman
running alone in a city at night
Esther Newman, the editor of
Women’s Running magazine, said the ad
was “barmy” and she had laughed
when she first saw it. “No women that I
know, and they are women from our
audience, would consider running at
two o’clock in the morning on their
own, in the middle of a city, with their
headphones in,” she said.
Her magazine’s readers tended to
adjust the timing and location of their
runs, as well as what they wear, to stay
safe, Newman said.
Half of all women have felt unsafe
walking alone in the dark, according to
the Office for National Statistics.
Jamie Klingler, co-founder of
Reclaim These Streets, said: “It’s so tone
deaf, especially in light of Ashling Mur-
phy’s death. It’s disrespectful. It isn’t
safe for us to run at night.” She added
that it “absolutely should be pulled”.
Samsung has apologised for the ad,
saying: “The Night Owls campaign was
designed with a positive message in
mind: to celebrate individuality and
freedom to exercise at all hours. It was
never our intention to be insensitive to
conversations around women’s safety.”
pride dispute wins tribunal
Jonathan Ames Legal Editor
A pastor was “hounded” from his job as
a school caretaker after tweeting that
Pride events were “harmful for child-
ren”. Keith Waters has won a tribunal
ruling that found officials at a Cam-
bridgeshire primary school discrimi-
nated against him.
Lawyers said the ruling was notable
in an employment context because the
judge backed the freedom of Waters to
express on social media his beliefs on
human identity and sexual morality.
The tribunal in Cambridge heard
that in 2016 Waters began working part
time as a caretaker at the Isle of Ely
Primary School so he could pastor New
Connexions evangelical church in Ely.
In 2019, he tweeted: “A reminder that
Christians should not support or attend
LGBTQ ‘Pride Month’ events. They
encourage activities that are contrary
to Christian faith and morals. They are
especially harmful to children.”
The school investigation found that
Waters’ tweet was “highly inappropri-
ate and offensive” and he was issued
with a final written warning.
Waters told the tribunal that he had
no alternative but to resign as he could
no longer combine his roles as a Christ-
ian pastor and caretaker at the school.
In finding that Waters had suffered
indirect discrimination, employment
judge Sarah King said: “Beliefs which
are offensive, shocking or even disturb-
ing to others can still be protected.”
the times | Friday April 29 2022 V2 21

News
JAMES KING/PLANTLIFE
A campaign by the patch, and a
Plantlife charity for smattering of
Cut out mowing the lawns to be left unmowed
until the end of May has
buttercups and
dandelions, with
lawn and give birds been gaining ground germander speedwell
and field forget-me-
orchids growing on nots the next most
and bees a buzz their unmown lawns,
including species that
likely to be seen. The
flowers produce nectar

G
ardeners are
increasingly
ditching
manicured
lawns in
favour of wilder plots
that benefit flowers,
bees and other insects
(Katie Gibbons writes).
The number of
people choosing to
leave their lawns
unmown for the month
of May has trebled in
three years, according
to the charity Plantlife,
which is urging
people to embrace the
wild side.
Mowing less
frequently and leaving
lawns at different
lengths throughout the
summer results in an
abundance of wild
flowers, insects and
birds as well as cutting
the time spent on
gardening upkeep.
A survey of more
than 2,000 people
conducted by Plantlife
has revealed a surge in
popularity for its No
Mow May campaign.
Last year 78.8 per cent
of the participants
chose not to mow their
lawns for a month
before the survey,
compared with 33.6
per cent of those who
took part in 2019.
Those who did not
mow their lawn in May
last year reported more
than 250 different
plants among the
grass, including wild
strawberry, wild garlic,
and rare species such
as adder’s-tongue fern,
have significantly and pollen for insects,
declined, such as man with dandelion-rich
and green-winged lawns particularly
orchids. wildlife-friendly.
Almost 100 species “Embracing a little
of pollinators were more wildness in our
found in 2021, gardens can be a boon
including 25 types of for plants, butterflies
moths and butterflies, and bees,” said Ian
and 24 different bees. Dunn, chief executive
A typical lawn in the of Plantlife.
survey had 17 daisies Boosting plant diversity,
on a one-metre-square leading article, page 33
meadow saxifrage,
snake’s-head fritillary
and eyebright.
Plantlife encourages
gardeners to take part
in an “every flower
counts” citizen science
survey of what is
growing in the nation’s
lawns in the last week
of May.
People recorded wild

Refugees begin
legal challenge
to Rwanda deal
Matt Dathan Home Affairs Editor
Two asylum seekers who entered the
UK in the back of lorries this year and
fear they will be the first to be removed
to Rwanda have instructed lawyers to
trigger a legal challenge to the policy.
An Eritrean man who arrived in
February and an Iranian who came in
March fear they will be flown to the
central African country because they
have not received a response to their
asylum claims from the Home Office.
Their challenge is set to be the first
legal test of the policy, which will put
some migrants who arrived in the UK
illegally on a one-way flight to Rwanda,
where they will be offered the chance to
apply for asylum. Both men are seeking
anonymity during court proceedings,
to protect them from potential retribu-
tion if they were to return home.
Instalaw, the law firm, will issue judi-
cial review proceedings today challeng-
ing the legality of the “world-first” im-
migration deal that Priti Patel, the
home secretary, signed with Rwanda
this month. The firm is planning to use
the same argument as Gina Miller, the
anti-Brexit campaigner, when she
blocked Theresa May from triggering
Article 50, and therefore Brexit, with-
out a parliamentary vote. Stuart Luke, a
partner at the firm, who was involved in
Miller’s case, will argue that ministers
do not have the prerogative powers to
agree an international deal without
first seeking the approval of parliament.
Patel signed the deal in Rwanda just
hours after consulting the cabinet and
without any legislation, debates or
votes in parliament. Instead, the deal
was enabled through a change in sec-
ondary legislation in January last year
that means anyone who arrived illegal-
ly via another “safe” country, such as
France, would be judged “inadmissible”
to the UK asylum system.
Luke said: “It’s very interesting that a
prime minister can enter into a ‘world-
first’ agreement without there being
any debate and vote on the details and
specifics of the deal in parliament.”
Lawyers will also argue that the deal
does not comply with the Geneva Con-
vention, on the basis that the two men
claimed asylum in the UK and are
therefore entitled to have their claim
for asylum determined here. They will
also test the policy’s compliance with
data protection laws, questioning how
sharing personal data with Rwanda is
compliant with GDPR rules.
Responding to news of the legal
action last night, a Home Office source
said: “We welcome the challenge and it
was always to be expected.”
Neither of the men has been
screened by Home Office officials. Ini-
tial screening usually happens within
days of claiming asylum, after which
applicants receive a questionnaire ask-
ing where they are from, how they got
to the UK and what is their basis for
claiming asylum. The men are living in
hotels in Derbyshire and Birmingham.
They are among 37,000 asylum seekers
and refugees put up in hotels at a cost of
almost £5 million to the taxpayer.
The Eritrean man absconded from
the country’s army in 2016 after being
forced to join up. He spent time in
Sudan before entering Libya, where he
said he was kidnapped for slavery, tor-
tured, raped and held for more than two
years. He escaped and entered Italy in
August before travelling to Belgium
and hiding himself in the back of a lorry
bound for Britain in February.
The Rwanda policy aims to deter mi-
grants from making dangerous and ille-
gal journeys to the UK. There have not
been any Channel migrant crossings
for ten days, leading some in govern-
ment to claim the policy was already
having an impact. This was dismissed
by a Border Force source, who said:
“Anyone who knows about Channel
crossings knows it’s about the weather,
not Rwanda.”
22 Friday April 29 2022 | the times

News
BEN CAWTHRA/LNP

Air pollution above

limit in most of UK
lution levels at any address can be
checked online at addresspollution.org,
clean air a website run by COPI.
for all The group is calling for estate agents
to publish pollution ratings when sell-
ing homes. It has obtained a legal opin-
Ben Webster Environment Editor ion that there is a “strong argument”
thatnot doing so would be negligent.
Almost every Briton lives in an area Professor Frank Kelly, of theenviron-
that breaches at least one of the World mental research group at Imperial, said
Health Organisation’s (WHO) new air the data showed that tackling air pollu-
pollution limits, a report has found. tion was “a huge challenge”. He said:
The UN body tightened the limits on “Success will depend upon the concert-
three types of pollutants last year after ed action of a host of parties — includ-
evidence showed that toxic particles ing policy makers at a local, national
and gases harmed humans at lower and international level.”
levels than previously thought. The government proposed last
Analysis of Imperial College London month that the legal limit on the PM2.5
data by the Central Office of Public In- fine particles should be halved by 2040
terest (COPI), a campaign group, found from an annual average of 20 to 10 mi-
that people in 21.5 million houses — crograms per cubic metre of air. The
70 per cent of the total — were exposed new WHO recommended limit is 5.
Sandeman writes). damaging g to to air that breached WHO limits on all The Clean Air for All campaign,
We won’t stop The protesters from the a pump twowo comm
commit three pollutants. The analysis also re- launched by The Times in 2019, has
group Just Stop Oil also weeks afterer crimin
criminal vealed that 97 per cent of homes been calling for legal limits based on the
until oil stops, smashed display glass and chaining damage a
damage and breached at least one of the limits on latest WHO guidelines. Rosamund
say activists in used spray paint to
sabotage the pumps at
himself too pipework
at an oil facility in Grays
Grays,
aggravated
trespass The forecou
trespass. forecourts
nitrogen dioxide and two sizes of par-
ticulate matter, PM2.5 and PM10.
Adoo Kissi-Debrah, the mother of Ella,
who died aged nine and last year be-
pumps protest Cobham services in Essex. The protests began were reopened and the Scientists at Imperial divided the UK came the first person in the UK to have
Surrey and Clacket Lane at 7am yesterday and protesters removed by the into 20m square grids and used emis- pollution listed as a cause of death, said

C
limate activists in Kent. Among them was some activists glued afternoon, police said. sions data to model pollution rates. the proposed target was “weak”.
glued themselves Louis McKechnie, 21, a themselves to petrol Just Stop Oil said it will COPI analysed the results to work out Professor Sir Stephen Holgate, air
to petrol pumps former engineering station signs and the top “continue the disruption pollution levels for each address. quality adviser to the Royal College of
after blocking student from Weymouth of a lorry. until the government Only 830,000 homes are under all Physicians, said: “It’s essential that the
forecourts at two service with a history of eco- Surrey police said 35 makes a statement that it three limits — mostly in sparsely popu- public are given air pollution data for
stations on the M25 activism, who was people were arrested on will end new oil and gas lated regions of Scotland, Wales, the where they are thinking of buying or
yesterday (George pictured, above, suspicion of conspiracy projects in the UK”. north of England, Dartmoor, Exmoor renting. It can be a matter of life or
and coastal areas of Cornwall. The pol- death.”
the times | Friday April 29 2022 2GM 23

News

Musk accused of bullying Twitter executive

Debbie White
Elon Musk has been accused of bully-
ing after criticising Twitter’s top lawyer
for censoring an article about President
Biden’s son.
Musk, the world’s richest man, has
pledged to be a free speech champion
when he takes control of the social
media platform in a $44 billion deal.
Tweeting his displeasure with the
content moderation carried out by
Vijaya Gadde, he pointed to her role in
taking down a New York Post story
about Hunter Biden’s overseas business
dealings before the 2020 election. The
billionaire, 50, said that banning the
article on the cache of emails was “in-
credibly inappropriate”.
Musk retweeted a meme featuring
Gadde that accuses Twitter of having a
left-wing bias. He had been responding
to another user’s post that included a
Politico article detailing how Gadde
had allegedly cried during a meeting
about the Musk takeover.
His criticism prompted Dick Costolo,
chief executive of Twitter from 2010-15,
to ask what he was trying to achieve.
Costolo said: “You’re making an execu-
tive at the company you just bought the
target of harassment and threats. Bully-
ing is not leadership.”
Musk returned fire, tweeting: “What
are [you] talking about? I’m just saying
Twitter needs to be politically neutral.
For Twitter to deserve public trust, it
must be politically neutral, which
effectively means upsetting the far
right and the far left equally.”
The women’s rights organisation
UltraViolet said Musk’s tweets were
“proof positive that his leadership of the
company will open the floodgates of
harassment and abuse”. Bridget Todd, a
spokeswoman for the organisation,
added: “The fact that not even one day
after the deal was announced, Musk
was already breaking the terms of his
agreement with Twitter to explicitly
single out and encourage harassment
Elon Musk criticised Vijaya Gadde for
removing a story about Hunter Biden
against one of Twitter’s top employees,
is all you need to know about his
intentions.” Moments after he publicly
questioned policy decisions made by
Gadde, hateful and abusive comments
were directed at her on Twitter, several
commentators noted. Gadde, who has
worked at Twitter since 2011, is the key
executive charged with overseeing the
company’s trust and safety, legal and
public policy functions.
Her decision to stop all political ad-
vertising and to boot Donald Trump off
Twitter in the wake of the January 6
attack on Capitol Hill made her the
target of many right-wing critics.
Parag Agrawal, Twitter’s chief execu-
tive, said he was “proud of our people
who continue to do the work with focus
and urgency despite the noise”.
Musk’s purchase of Twitter is
expected to be finalised this year.
Twitter ditches profit targets, page 40

MANUEL HARLAN

Saddle up Much Ado About Nothing, starring George Fouracres, centre, as

Dogberry, is the first production of the summer at Shakespeare’s Globe in London

Woman ‘murdered baby

she planned to adopt’
George Sandeman
A woman murdered a one-year-old
baby she was planning to adopt after
her frustration with caring for him
turned into physical abuse, a court has
heard.
Laura Castle, 38, was hoping to adopt
Leiland-James Corkill after authorities
in Cumbria placed the boy with her and
her husband Scott Castle, 35, in August
2020. On January 7 last year he died
from catastrophic head injuries.
Jurors at Preston crown court were
told that text messages obtained from
the couple’s phones after their arrest
showed Laura Castle talking about
“smacking” and “leathering” the baby.
The court was told Leiland-James
was rushed to Furness General Hospi-
tal on January 6 after Laura Castle con-
tacted the emergency services from her
home in Barrow-in-Furness.
She told them that he had fallen from
a sofa, injured his head and was unre-
sponsive. He was then transferred to
Liverpool’s Alder Hey Children’s Hos-
pital suffering cardiac arrest and a
bleed on the brain.
Doctors raised concerns that the
injuries were not consistent with the
account given by Castle as Leiland-
James never regained consciousness.
Michael Brady QC, for the prosecu-
tion, told the court that it was clear
Laura Castle was struggling to look
after the baby as family members assist-
ed with his care.
The Castles had been selected by an
adoption panel following an applica-
tion to Cumbria children’s services de-
partment, the court heard.
However, in November 2020 a social
worker reported her concerns that
Laura Castle had said she did not love
the baby and that he “didn’t like stand-
ing”, was “lazy” and “big”.
The couple remained determined to
go ahead with the process, the court
was told, and a future care planning
meeting with social workers was
recommended.
Brady told the jury that Laura Castle
had pleaded guilty to manslaughter but
did not accept she intended to cause
Leiland-James serious harm or kill him.
She denies murder and child cruelty.
Scott Castle denies causing or allowing
the death of Leiland-James and also
child cruelty.
The trial was adjourned until next
Tuesday.
26 Friday April 29 2022 | the times

News

Met ignored complaints

about predatory officer
Fiona Hamilton Crime Editor
The Metropolitan Police has apolo-
gised after dozens of complaints of har-
assment and coercion by a predatory
officer were repeatedly ignored.
The force has admitted it failed to
raise allegations of grooming and other
inappropriate behaviour, though the
victim contacted several senior officers,
including Commander Catherine Rop-
er, the head of the investigation into
Downing Street lockdown parties.
was offered at the tribunal as part of his
defence case. Ms Y tried for nine
months to rescind the statement after
she decided Hunter had made efforts to
groom her. Her request fell on deaf ears.
Ms Y told The Times she was “utterly
disgusted” by her treatment. “For rea-
sons that I fail to understand, it was de-
cided that my evidence was not rele-
vant, and the fact I am a victim was con-
sidered not important,” she said. “The
Met says [it is] committed to sorting
out these rogue officers and supporting
her to give a character witness for
Hunter. She has since complained that
when she was persuaded to give the
statement, she was not given the full
picture. A misconduct decision detailed
how Hunter had repeatedly had sex
with a vulnerable 38-year-old mother.
Hunter retired in July 2019 to be-
come a black cab driver. His licence was
rescinded while investigations con- Sun shines again on
tinued and he was put on the barred list.
Ms Y asked the Met for her statement
to be withdrawn and made complaints
restored Constable

The woman, known as Ms Y, accused
the Met of “publicly paying lip service”
to victims of predatory behaviour while
failing to address the issue.
It took a year, more than 30 separate
complaints and scores of emails and
calls before an officer was assigned to
investigate her case. Ms Y claimed that
in that time a junior Met officer told her
police sexual predators “only exist in
the minds of Daily Mail readers”.
The officer about whom she com-
plained, PC Phil Hunter, was already
under investigation, and was later
found guilty of gross misconduct for
sleeping with a suicidal woman he met
during a welfare visit. Ms Y’s allegations
were not passed to the investigation
team until after the misconduct hear-
ing, when he had already retired.
Instead, her character witness state-
ment for Hunter, made when she be-
lieved him to be a supportive officer,
R
victims. My experience shows that is that Hunter had been contacting her estoration collection at Anglesey
the opposite of the case.” unsolicited. Between July and Decem- work at a Abbey, will headline a
The force apologised after an ber 2019 she discussed the case with National new exhibition,
internal inquiry found the service Ms Y several senior officers including Roper Trust Constable Revealed,
received was “not acceptable”. It is but her witness statement was not with- property in which opens today.
investigating her allegations against drawn and the issue was not escalated. Cambridgeshire has “This is such an
Hunter. Roper, who was the head of Ms Y said she was supportive of the added to the canon of important moment for
professional standards, told Ms Y she Met and believed most officers were artworks by John the collection,” Roisin
“sincerely regrets how our mistakes doing the right thing but she was failed Constable before an Rampley, the property
have impacted on you”. by Roper and the senior command. exhibition (Jack curator, said. “To
The Met has been under pressure “I have asked for a proper apology Blackburn writes). engage with the
over its handling of predatory officers and never received one, just an email An oil sketch, scholarship around
since Sarah Everard was abducted, from one officer at the Met,” she said. formerly of doubtful Constable is exciting.”
raped and murdered by a serving police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Bas provenance, has been The main attraction
officer, Wayne Couzens, last year. Javid, of the Met’s directorate of profes- confirmed as a is the Opening of
Ms Y met Hunter in 2017 when she sionalism, said: “There is no place for Constable, while the Waterloo Bridge
reported an abusive former partner to this kind of behaviour in the Met . . . the restoration of his which, at more than
the Met. She viewed him initially as car- officer involved would have been dis- largest painting has 7ft long, is Constable’s
ing and supportive. He gave her his missed if he had not already resigned.” transformed our view largest canvas.
phone number and she believed she The Times has been unable to contact of London’s 19th It had been coated
could trust him. She says she later real- Hunter. He said in an email to the disci- century skyline. in varnish that turned
ised she was being groomed. She was plinary panel: “On reflection . . . I realise The works, part of a the picture yellow and
approached by Met officers who asked what I did was wrong.”
the times | Friday April 29 2022 27

News
JAMES DOBSON/NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES

A conservator at work
on the Opening of
Waterloo Bridge. Far
left, the view today of
has been restored to
its original glory, the
oil sketch Summer
Evening, Stoke-by-
Pay rise? You should
the scene that
Constable depicted

obscured details.
Nayland has regained
its rightful status as a
Constable painting. It
was known to have
have worked harder
Solvents were applied
with small swabs.
After 275 hours of
painstaking work, the
been owned by
Constable’s son James
but some believed it
was a copy.
at school, says boss
staining was removed The art historian Debbie White members are skilled professional staff,
to reveal a glorious, Anne Lyles said she with many having been university edu-
clear blue sky. noticed one of Network Rail has been accused of cated.”
“Before, it was like Constable’s insulting workers after a manager The association, which represents
wearing sunglasses,” trademarks — the defended high salaries for senior staff as thousands of Network Rail workers,
Sarah Maisey, who edge of the canvas proof that others “should have probably said it had been pushing for an
worked on the when it was nailed to worked harder at school”. inflation-matching pay rise for staff,
painting, said. the frame was turned The Transport Salaried Staffs’ “many of whom have had no pay rise for
“It did look a little out rather than in. Association (TSSA) condemned “out of over three years”.
smoggy but it has “I thought straight touch” bosses after a “foolish” post Network Rail said: “As can often be
come out as this quite away this sketch about pay and bonuses became public. the case on social media platforms,
vibrant, almost looked right,” she said. Nicky Hughes, head of communica- these comments were misconstrued.
shimmering scene. Though it is small, it tions for Network Rail’s Wales and The author was referring to her own
Though I wouldn’t say is an important Western region, told the public body’s experiences, not directing the com-
the river looks blue addition to the 42,000 staff that companies must ments at others. She later clarified this
and clean because it Constable canon. “compete for managers” and “pay on the same thread and this was well-
really wasn’t.” John Chu, the trust’s accordingly”. She added: “It’s a lesson to received by colleagues.”
The detail of life and paintings curator, said: those of us who should have probably The comments hit a nerve, however,
traffic on the Thames “This painting belongs worked harder at school.” because they were shared days after
is much clearer, as are to a transformative Hughes was taking part in an inter- Andrew Haines, Network Rail’s chief
flags and other pieces group of works in nal discussion on Network Rail’s executive, told staff that the company
of pageantry that Constable’s modernisation plans and a ballot called could not afford pay rises, while
were there to development. by the National Union of Rail, acknowledging that he was “well paid”.
celebrate the bridge Brilliantly handled Maritime and Transport Workers for He added: “The number of very high
on the second little sketches like this, possible industrial action. earners has been reducing every year.”
anniversary of the painted in one go, Manuel Cortes, the TSSA’s general Haines’s salary is £593,000, accord-
Battle of Waterloo. seem to capture the secretary, said: “This foolish post shows ing to the most recent information on
The depiction is essence of fleeting how desperately out of touch the com- executive directors’ remuneration. He
taken from the north moments.” pany’s fat cats really are. It’s insulting to said in his email that he was earning
bank of the Thames, The exhibition runs suggest that workers ‘should’ve worked “considerably less than my predecessor
across the road from until the end of harder in school’, rather than acknowl- and roughly half of the Network Rail
Westminster. September but is edging the very real cost of living prob- chief exec of 10 years ago. So it’s wrong
While this canvas closed in August. lems people suffer when their pay fails to suggest no action has been taken on
to keep up with inflation . . . Most of our senior leaders’ pay.”
28
News
ALAMY
Bath tops list as bidding
wars boost house prices
Tom Howard
Asking prices for houses in Bath are
rising more quickly than in any other
city in Britain as would-be buyers battle
each other to snap up the few homes to
come onto the market.
The average asking price for a home
in the largest city in Somerset has
jumped by 15 per cent over the past
Demand outstrips supply in Bath, where asking prices rose 15 per cent in a year year, Rightmove, the online property
portal, said. The average asking price
there has risen to £558,000 — almost
£75,000 more than the figure sellers
were looking for this time a year ago.
The southwest of England domi-
nates the nation’s property hotspots.
Asking prices in Truro, Cornwall, have
risen by 14.6 per cent since this time last
year to £323,200, while Plymouth and
Gloucester have seen rises of 12 per cent
or more.
The only location outside of the
southwest to break into the five fastest-
rising cities is Southend-on-Sea in Es-
sex, where asking prices are up 13.4 per
cent year-on-year to £343,000.
On average, prices in the ten fastest-
rising cities have climbed 12.6 per cent
over the past 12 months. That compares
with national asking price growth of
9.9 per cent over the same period.
Buyers, Rightmove said, are trying to
balance the desire for more space while
remaining close to workplaces and city
amenities. “In the first stages of the
pandemic we saw the popularity of
some major cities, like London, tempo-
rarily drop as people looked for more
Housing hotspots
Average asking price and increase
year on year
Bath (£558,018)
15%
Truro (£323,209)
14.6%
Southend-on-Sea (£343,033)
13.4%
Plymouth (£231,914)
12.5%
Gloucester (£271,591)
12%
Hereford (£255,631)
12%
Wolverhampton (£200,057)
11.8%
Norwich (£275,505)
11.8%
Peterborough (£230,317)
11.6%
Salford (£211,904)
11.3%
I N T H E T I M E S T O M O R ROW
MAGAZINE
DIVORCE, THERAPY AND
THE NEXT PANDEMIC
Bill Gates gets personal
PULLOUT
COMMENT
Giles Coren
I know how to organise a
Platinum Jubilee pageant
MAIN PAPER
Friday April 29 2022 | the times
space,” Tim Bannister, the website’s di-
rector of property data, said.
“However, for other cities, such as
Bath or Plymouth, which perhaps have
easier access to the coast and country-
side, we saw demand really soar when
the market reopened in 2020.”
House prices in the UK more gener-
ally have been fuelled by the desire of
many to move into bigger properties
that offer more potential home-office
and garden space, sparked by the pan-
demic. It has been described as a once in
a lifetime re-evaluation of how and
where we live, and property market an-
alysts expect that the trend will last for
a little while yet.
House prices in Britain are at their
highest ever, having risen, on average,
by more than a fifth since the onset of
Covid. While part of that record rise is
down to booming demand, estate
agents have for months been complain-
ing that they do not have much housing
stock left to sell. That is leading to bid-
ding wars between determined buyers,
further inflating prices.
The Rightmove data shows that in
those cities where prices are rising fast-
est, there is a pronounced shortage of
houses for sale. In the southwest, the
number of houses available for sale has
fallen by 39 per cent over the past year,
Rightmove estimates.
“[At the start of the pandemic], the
supply of homes available kept up with
some of this surge in demand, steadying
asking prices,” said Bannister.
“Now we’re still seeing really high
buyer demand for cities like Bath,
Plymouth and Truro, but the number of
new homes coming onto the market
hasn’t been able to keep up with the
buyers enquiring.”
Glasgow is the most competitive city
in Britain in which to buy a home,
measured by the number of enquiries
estate agents are receiving for houses.
“We are seeing 50-plus viewers and
offers being made within days for every
property coming on the market,” John
O’Malley, chief executive at Pacitti
Jones estate agents in Glasgow, said.
SPORT
IN THE
FRAME
The Bath prop
with a sideline
producing films
PULLOUT
BUSINESS
DOMINIC
O’CONNELL
A return to
manufacturing
won’t make
us rich
MAIN PAPER
TRAVEL
BUENA
VISTA
The prettiest
villages in
Spain
PULLOUT
the times | Friday April 29 2022
Sadly, Britain has lost its
privatisation mojo
Emma Duncan
Page 30
Political paralysis will leave Johnson in peril
As Tory sleaze makes an untimely return, the lack of a defining agenda is as much of a threat to the PM as party plotters
James
Forsyth
@jgforsyth
A
t 10pm next Thursday
Downing Street will be
waiting nervously for news
that may decide Boris
Johnson’s fate. Voting will
have closed in the local elections but
it won’t be the results that are of
most concern. Rather, No 10 will be
watching to see if a slew of Tory
MPs, having kept a dutiful silence
during the campaign, go public with
demands for Johnson to quit.
Since the prime minister received
his fixed-penalty notice, many Tory
MPs have argued they don’t want to
rock the boat so long as council
candidates are still in the field. One
former cabinet minister observes
that the party is in a state of
“suspended animation” until the polls
close next Thursday.
Among one group of MPs plotting
to oust Johnson (there are now
several), there have been discussions
about whether to push for a no-
confidence vote as soon as the polls
close. But they have decided against
it. One senior backbencher who has
called for Johnson to quit says
“there’s no groundswell” to move and
expects that, should a confidence
vote be called, Johnson would win it.
If he did, under Tory rules he’d be
safe for another 12 months. So if the
rebels moved now and lost, their
hands would be tied regardless of
what the Gray report reveals.
The consensus in Tory circles is
that Johnson will make it to the
Queen’s Speech next month. One
well-connected minister tells me “a
poor local election result is so baked
in” that “you’d have to have a very
bad set of results” to change things.
But the Queen’s Speech will reveal
another problem for the government.
There will be lots of legislation but a
lack of a defining theme. This has
been a creeping issue for Johnson
since his 2019 victory. The two
central Tory promises in that
campaign were to “get Brexit done”
and to stop Jeremy Corbyn: both
were achieved quickly. The lack of a
subsequent agenda was obscured by
the pandemic, which so dominated
affairs from March 2020. But it is
becoming more apparent again, with
the problem being compounded by
Johnson’s reluctance to make
difficult decisions.
Even those in government struggle
to define its purpose. One remarks,
with a certain sense of melancholy,
that “it is a question I try not to ask
myself because I fear the lack of
an answer”.
The smell of decay the
party had in the 90s is
in danger of returning
Johnson likes to talk about levelling
up as the mission of this government
and there will be plenty about that in
the Queen’s Speech. Yet even the
policy’s biggest advocates in
government concede that given the
economic headwinds, there won’t be
huge progress before 2024. The
initiative hasn’t been helped by
deliberate attempts to keep the term
as vague as possible. It wasn’t until the
levelling-up white paper was released
earlier this year that the government
came to an agreed definition of what
the phrase actually meant.
There are many reasons for the
lack of a defining agenda. One is that
the Conservatives have been in
power for 12 years and renewal in
government is the hardest task for
any party. The education and welfare
reforms that defined the Tories’ first
term in government were both
developed in opposition. But
compounding this is the fact that a
prime minister with a stonking
majority is still worried about
parliamentary rebellions.
It was the objections of Tory MPs,
amplified by defeat in the Chesham
and Amersham by-election, that led
to the abandonment of the planning
reforms announced in the last
Queen’s Speech. The snag: making
housebuilding easier was perhaps the
only big supply-side reform the
government had. The willingness to
drop it was a depressing indicator
that any meaningful reforms were
increasingly unlikely to occur.
If a centre-right government with
a comfortable majority can’t
overcome nimbyism, then what can?
The levelling-up bill will contain
some measures on planning but they
won’t deal with the fundamentally
unpredictable and sclerotic nature
of the system that so holds back the
economy.
Concerns about how Tory MPs
will react to legislation has been
heightened by Johnson’s weakened
position. One departmental figure
complains that the new No 10 set-up
is “constantly shaving things down”:
Downing Street’s new mantra — that
the next election is now nearer than
the last one — ignores the need for
the government to have a bit more
ambition before it goes into
campaign mode.
Perhaps the biggest obstacles to a
radical agenda are the philosophical
splits in the party. These apply on
both economic and cultural issues.
The coming Queen’s Speech will
carry over a free speech bill designed
Comment
CHRIS JACKSON/GETTY IMAGES
The Queen’s Speech will contain lots
of legislation but no defining theme
to protect challenging but difficult
arguments on university campuses
and an online safety bill with the aim
of protecting people from content
that might cause them harm — a
term that no one dares to define. As
one government source
acknowledges, “the freedom of
speech bill and the online safety bill
don’t align well with each other”.
A split exists on the most
fundamental question facing the
government, too: the cost-of-living
crisis. Politics is going to be defined
this year by the fact that households
will be worse off each month, but the
Tories aren’t united on the best way
to deal with this.
Cabinet this week brainstormed
ways the government could help
with the cost of living. Tariff
reductions were proposed, as was
making childcare more affordable by
29
deregulation. This shows a new
willingness in government to
consider regulatory reforms that
have been left in the “too difficult”
box for years. As does Johnson’s
willingness to entertain privatising
not just the Passport Office but the
DVLA, too. But they are hardly
adequate responses to the moment
that we face.
There are those at the top of
government who think that the
answer to the squeeze is to spend
much more money to support
people. For them, the problem is that
the government is only spending
£9 billion to offset rising energy bills.
On the other side is Kit Malthouse,
the policing minister widely regarded
as the most competent minister of
state in government, who argues for
a more traditionally Tory response of
bearing down on public spending
and cutting taxes.
Both Johnson’s defenders and foes
in the parliamentary party agree that
the lack of an obvious successor is
one of his remaining strengths. But
the truth is that the paralysis goes
wider than that: there is the lack of
an alternative agenda, too. All of this
makes it the worst time for what one
long-serving Tory calls “the Japanese
knotweed of sleaze” to have
returned. The danger is that the
Tories begin to have the same smell
of decay about them that they had in
the 1990s.
Looking at this country’s woes, from
chronically low growth since the
financial crash to the six million (and
counting) on the NHS waiting list, the
Tories can’t rely on the idea of them
being competent administrators to see
them through the next election. They
will have to show that they have a
serious plan for fixing these problems.
James Forsyth is political editor of
The Spectator
30
Comment
Sadly, Britain has lost its privatisation mojo
The public and this PM are too anti-business to support selling off bodies such as the DVLA
Emma
Duncan
T F
he prime minister’s promise
or threat to “privatise the
arse off” the Driver and
Vehicle Licensing Agency
and the Passport Office
unless they improve their service
delivery is rather retro, and not just
in its bar-room sweariness. It is
redolent of padded shoulders,
power hair and an era in which the
Conservative Party believed
in business.
Thatcher would have privatised
those agencies in a heartbeat, after
first handbagging their managers.
Those at the DVLA had failed to
invest in an IT system that could
deal with attachments sent with
emails, so while most of the country
moved seamlessly to remote working
when the pandemic hit, it was caught
on the hop. The problem was
compounded by workers who, as the
current prime minister might put it,
were taking the p***. A Times
investigation found that in the first
lockdown, 3,400 of its 6,200 staff
were put on special leave and
relieved of the need to work at all,
even while at home. The result was a
backlog of 1.6 million applications.
The Passport Office was not
extracting the michael quite so
obviously but its management is
clearly not up to snuff. The decline
in applications last year led to an
Ann Treneman Notebook
These cereal
offenders
milk it for
all it’s worth
I L
am finding the great British
breakfast cereal sugar content
hoo-ha absolutely delicious in
every way. As you may have
heard, Kellogg’s has decided to
mount a legal challenge against the
government to insist that cereal
sugar content is only measured after
milk is added. There is just so much
here to get your teeth into (sorry, will
stop that soon).
The company claims that 92 per
cent of people eat cereal with milk or
yoghurt. My question: who are the
other 8 per cent? And what are they
using? Please not orange juice.
It’s really nothing to do with
Kellogg’s, anyway. I realise the
company has its own highly paid
experts to give them advice but I can
tell them this for free: stop the
madness. The idea that you assess
food on what it is eaten with is,
frankly, jaw-dropping (final one,
promise). Bolognese and ketchup
(yes, it is a thing). Cheese and
entirely predictable increase this
year, but managers have not
recruited enough staff to cover it.
As a result, the usual three-week
processing period has been extended
to ten, a limit that is frequently
exceeded.
Privatising these services is not a
solution to the backlogs. The process
would take years of contract-drafting
and negotiations with private
providers, and the backlogs are
temporary. The DVLA’s is down to
400,000 and is likely to have gone by
the end of the year. In the case of the
Passport Office, the delivery and
call-handling services, which caused
some of the biggest problems, are
run by private companies.
Our economy looks
likely to keep lagging
behind our rivals
Still, in the DVLA’s case it would
probably be a good idea. Last year
there were 58 days of strike action,
with more than 1,000 employees out
on some days. Privatisation would
help loosen the grip of the union,
and there’s a good chance it would
make the agency more efficient.
According to the Institute for
Government, the privatisation of
services such as waste, cleaning, IT
and back-office services in other
departments brought about savings
of around 20 per cent while
maintaining quality.
It’s not going to happen at the
DVLA, though. First, Johnson is
unlikely to want to bring on a fight
with Mark Serwotka, the head of the
mustard. Lamb and mint. Tuna
flakes and cornichons (now there’s a
middle-class combo). My husband is
addicted to something called OK
sauce with just about everything.
My breakfast choice? Good old
cornflakes, low in sugar whatever
you eat them with. I like to munch
them with a small portion of
smugness.
Flower of London
ast week I went to the Tower
of London to stare at the
moat — which, as regular
readers know, is far more
interesting than it sounds. Over
the past few months it has
been transformed. All in
all, some 20 million
seeds are being sown
in flower mixes put
together by Nigel
Dunnett,
horticultural
superstar. Now
they are just
starting to
sprout,
spreading a
blur of
green
over the
soil.
Soon that will be a riot
of colour, all in aid of
creating a “designed superbloom”. Its
natural equivalents are the rare but
Public and Commercial Services
Union — a man who, in 22 years in
the job, has ground the noses of
plenty of politicians in the dust.
Although a scrap with a far-left
union boss might be the only
circumstance in which the public, in
its current mood, would rally behind
the prime minister, they might not
thank him if they couldn’t drive or
go on holiday.
Second, there’s no appetite for
privatisation, which, given how much
enthusiasm there was in the early
days for what became Britain’s
signature policy, is perhaps odd. In
1983 Margaret Thatcher won the
biggest majority since the war,
largely thanks to the Falklands, but a
manifesto that promised radical
privatisation did her no harm. These
days, by contrast, the polls show
opposition to the privatisation of
Channel 4 and support for the
renationalisation of the railways.
That’s not the private sector’s fault.
We hear about the bits that go
wrong, but more than a third of
public spending goes on procuring
goods and services from the private
sector and most of it works fine.
The blame lies with Thatcher’s
successors. Major and Cameron
outsourced some services that
weren’t suitable for privatisation. The
job of the probation service, for
instance, is too nuanced and
complex to be subject to the targets
and performance indicators needed
to make a contract work. On the
railways, combining competition and
co-ordination has proved impossible,
with the result that the system is
being shunted back towards state
control. And privatisation needs to
spectacular desert wildflower
blooms. I did my dissertation at the
University of Sheffield on this
subject and now have signed up to
volunteer at the Tower. Who wanted
that boring old grass anyway?
Nevermore to that, as the ravens
almost said.
Cracking up
M
y interest in the
weather, in the
run-up to the
Chelsea Flower
Show, is at obsessive
levels. Here’s the big
question: where is
the rain? April
showers bring May
flowers, as we all
know, but what
do blocking
anticyclones over
t North Sea and
the
central Europe bring?
So far, only cracked
soil and dry borders.
And, er, anxiety.
Too much Musk
D
o you sometimes
decide that you
don’t want to
know anything
about one
particular person?
For me, that person is Elon
F public administration and constitutional
Musk. I don’t know why. Tesla
be properly regulated. Where it
hasn’t been — in the water industry,
for instance — profits are excessive
and service delivery is poor.
But it’s also because of attitudes to
business today. Given that capitalism
is the wellspring of our prosperity, the
profit motive is surprisingly
unpopular. According to a poll of 16
to 34-year-olds last year, two thirds
want to live in a socialist economic
system. The cry that Something Must
Be Done, which accompanies every
mishap in public life, combines with
hostility to business to encourage the
growth of government.
Without a healthy private sector
there’s nobody to pay for the state, so
it is part of a Tory prime minister’s
job to push back against those
tendencies. While Thatcher did it
with gusto, Johnson has neglected
the task. Perhaps the difference in
their background and education
accounts for it. Thatcher’s father was
a grocer, Johnson’s a public servant.
She studied chemistry at university,
he classics. Whatever the reason, it is
impossible to imagine her thinking,
let alone saying, “f*** business”. His
willingness to do so is a problem.
I have no wish to return to the
1980s. This country was in many
ways worse — more sexist, racist and
class-divided — than it is now. Yet
there was an enthusiasm for
enterprise that enabled it to put on a
two-decade-long growth spurt.
Ministers repeating the spurious
claim that the British economy is the
fastest-growing in the universe
doesn’t change the fact that it has
been doing worse than our peers’ and
looks like continuing to lag them. We
need to get that Eighties mojo back.
drivers are not as irritating as Audi
ones and it’s not against the law to
want to go to the moon. But now he
has bought Twitter and his name is
everywhere and I cannot avoid him.
He’s won. Sigh.
Lost and found
A
re things ever really lost, or
just misplaced? Almost
everything shows up
eventually. My friend lost a diamond
earring and it was found, months
later, on the floor of a barn. I once
dug up my own spectacles in the
vegetable garden. Still, with my ring,
nothing was left to chance. Cars and
carpets were combed. Fingertip
searches organised. Nothing. Last
week I cleaned out the fridge veg
drawer. Pay dirt.
Open wider
W
ord of the week comes from
reader Sue Deans, who is in
a book group for 19th-
century literature, and it is
“demantibulate”. It means dislocate
and appears in Trilby by George du
Maurier. It refers to the way that
Svengali taught (ie hypnotised) the
artist’s model Trilby O’Ferrall to sing
by getting her to yawn so her mouth
would open wider. You never know
when this could come in handy.
@anntreneman
Friday April 29 2022 | the times
Our freedom of
information system
isn’t fit for purpose
William Wragg
rom uncovering abuses of
power to helping us identify
the government’s pandemic
preparations, freedom of
information (FOI) requests
are a vital tool by which citizens can
hold public authorities to account.
But as today’s report by the public
administration and constitutional
affairs committee says, the
government has let standards slip,
and concerns about the transparency
of the system continue to mount.
When the government lost a court
battle last April, my committee grew
concerned about the “clearing house”,
an obscure unit in the Cabinet Office
that co-ordinates responses to FOI
requests across government. Our
report paints a disheartening picture
of rising waiting times, poor practices,
declining trust in the government’s
responses and a soaring number of
complaints to the regulator. Some of
the more extreme examples we
received noted delays of more than a
year for an FOI response. It is not
only journalists who are left waiting,
it is advocacy groups, MPs and
individual citizens too.
Our inquiry was sparked by the
complete lack of publicly available
information on the clearing house’s
purpose and activities. Its true
influence is still unclear. Throughout
our inquiry, the committee has
experienced the same difficulty as
journalists in getting clarity. Cabinet
Office ministers were unable to
provide us with basic figures on
clearing house case numbers.
Ministers have dismissed reports of
the clearing house blacklisting
certain journalists as a “pernicious
myth” but while the body remains
shrouded in mystery, the public will
remain suspicious.
This forms part of a broader picture,
in which the government considers
FOI law to be an irritant and an
inconvenience, even going so far as to
explicitly exclude the new Advanced
Research and Innovation Agency
from the FOI Act. This approach is
unsustainable and is simply
unacceptable in a modern democracy.
The fact that the Cabinet Office
announced an internal review into
the clearing house the day before
publication of our report, after eight
months of dither and delay, says
less about its commitment to
transparency and more about news
management. An independent
review, such as the one offered by
the information commissioner and
rejected by the government, is the
only way to start to rebuild public
confidence and trust in the FOI
system.
I hope the government accepts our
recommendations and sees that a
thriving FOI system is a way to
ultimately drive better governance
and improved public services.
William Wragg MP is chairman of the
affairs committee
the times | Friday April 29 2022
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Americans want anyone but Biden or Trump
With recession looming, the Republicans should be confident of returning to power but the nation is craving a new face
Gerard
Baker
@gerardtbaker
I
f you’re of an eschatological
mindset, that heavy pounding
you can hear is starting to sound
a lot like the approach of an
unwelcome quartet of horsemen.
In the last two years, three modern-
day apocalyptic equestrians — Global
Pandemic, War in Europe and
Runaway Inflation — have already
reported for duty. Now the signs are
that their colleague, Recession, is
tacking up, fastening his helmet and
preparing to join the mayhem.
Having led the world for more
than a year out of the brief recession
caused by the Covid shutdown, the
American economy may be going
into reverse. Financial market
indicators are signalling the rising
probability of a recession. The Dow
Jones Industrial Average is down
almost 10 per cent from its peak at
the start of the year. The Nasdaq, the
showcase for the technology stocks
that performed so well during the
pandemic, is off almost 20 per cent.
More significantly, bond prices are
flirting with numbers that have
typically presaged recession in the
past. Investors pay particular attention
to the difference — the spread —
between the yield on long-term
government bonds and short-term
interest rates. As the gap narrows, it
indicates rising expectations among
investors of a slowdown in near-term
economic activity. Earlier this month
the spread between the yield on ten-
year Treasury bonds and that on
two-year Treasurys dipped into
negative territory. On the last three
occasions that happened, a recession
followed within a year.
Companies that until a few months
ago were under fire for their
apparently untrammelled growth and
unstoppable dominance over vast
swathes of the US economy are
under pressure. The market value of
Joe Biden is already
probing historic lows for
presidential popularity
Meta Platforms, the parent company
of Facebook, is down more than
40 per cent this year; the company
reported its slowest revenue growth
in a decade this week, despite adding
users. Netflix is down 65 per cent and
expecting to lose millions of users in
the coming months. Even the mighty
Alphabet, parent of Google, which
also reported slowing revenue
growth this week, is off 20 per cent.
On Thursday, official data showed
that the US economy contracted at
an annual rate of 1.4 per cent in the
first three months of the year.
The decline was the result of a
number of special factors that may
reverse in the current quarter, but
news of the first contraction in
gross domestic product since the
start of the pandemic did nothing
to calm nerves.
The spectre haunting the US is
that recession is the price that may
need to be paid to get accelerating
prices under control. Having let
inflation rip last year the Federal
Reserve, the US central bank, is
playing catch-up. Last month it
raised interest rates for the first time
since before the pandemic and has
already acknowledged it needs to
move much further, much faster.
Last week, Jerome Powell, the Fed
chairman, told a congressional
hearing to expect the central bank to
raise rates more aggressively, starting
next month.
There has never been a time with
inflation this high — consumer
prices are rising at an annual rate of
8.5 per cent — when the Fed has
been able to crush inflation without
also crushing growth.
Apocalypses of course can end
badly for a lot of people. Given the
fractious state of America already, it’s
almost too much to wonder what
further damage a deep recession
might do. But for the Democrats at
least, fresh off their victory over
Donald Trump 18 months ago, it
seems Armageddon looms.
Joe Biden is already probing
historic lows for presidential
popularity. Soaring inflation, surging
crime rates, chaotic misrule at the
southern border, the disastrous exit
from Afghanistan and widespread
popular resistance to the
authoritarian progressivism his party
pushes in everything from the
Midterm success is
no guarantee of a
Republican ascendancy
unsexing of human biology to the
mandated flagellation of white
culture and much of American
history have turned off voters.
He gets tepid approval for his
handling of the war in Ukraine but
otherwise Biden’s presidency is about
as popular as Covid. Add in a
recession, and the risk of a
generational electoral shift away
from the governing Democrats
rises higher.
According to the Real Clear
Politics average of recent polls, his
approval rating is locked down at
41 per cent. That’s marginally higher
than the low scored by Donald
Trump — but his predecessor’s
31
Comment
popularity is hardly a benchmark
Biden wants to aim at.
In the midterm elections, now just
six months away, Republicans have
an average poll lead of four
percentage points. That may not
sound like much but the Democrats
led by six points just a year ago. In
other words, signs continue to point
to a blowout for Republicans in the
midterm elections. But there’s still no
guarantee of a longer term
Republican ascendancy. Even as he
consolidates his position as the de
facto leader of the Republican Party,
Trump continues to turn off
independent voters.
In commenting on his latest
Harvard/Harris monthly poll this
week, Mark Penn, chief executive of
media company Stagwell, finds that,
despite widespread dismay at the
Democrats’ record, voters are
unenthused about either party:
“Americans are looking for change in
their political candidates. Majorities
of voters don’t want either Joe Biden
or Donald Trump to run in 2024.”
The poll found 37 per cent support
among all voters for Biden to run
again and 45 per cent for Trump.
Fifty-eight per cent say they’re open
to an independent candidate if the
contenders from last time are the
same two on offer.
As those four horsemen close
in, Americans are looking for a
white knight.
32
Letters to the Editor
Empire successes
Sir, Valentine Low reports that “from
the 19th century” indigenous children
“were forced to attend Christian
boarding schools in an effort to
assimilate them into Canadian
society” (“Brush with greatness for the
Jubilee”, Apr 27). That is not the whole
truth. The schools were established,
partly at the urging of indigenous
leaders, to enable their people to learn
a modern way of life that was
inevitable, since the old way, which
vanished with the bison, was
irrecoverable. Participation was
entirely voluntary until 1894 and
voluntary as a rule until 1920. Too
often the implementation was
imperfect, sometimes dreadfully so,
but, had there not been a significant
record of success, numerous Indian
groups would not have lobbied, as they
did, for the establishment of
residential schools well into the 20th
century, for example among the
Methodist missions of central Alberta
and the Anglican Diocese of Keewatin.
Nigel Biggar
Regius professor of moral and
pastoral theology, Oxford University
Sir, I was delighted to read the
departing Australian high
commissioner’s remarks about some
more positive aspects of the British
Empire (“Britain shouldn’t feel guilty
over empire, says Australian
diplomat”, Apr 27). These days all we
hear is negativity about the empire,
and certainly it had many failings by
today’s standards. But we should
remember that great new nations
were born from the empire, such as
Australia, New Zealand and Canada,
and for those of us from those
countries we are very conscious that
the modern manifestation of our
nations owes much to Great Britain.
Alexander Downer
Former Australian foreign minister
and high commissioner to the UK;
executive chairman, International
School for Government, KCL
Common sight
Sir, I have to disagree with Cessa
Moore’s letter (Apr 28). Perhaps
unbeknown to her there is a
considerable amount of heather
growing on Wimbledon Common and
Putney Heath. A welcome sight in
August, but sadly no grouse.
Suzanne Leather
London SW6
Letters to The Times must be exclusive
and may be edited. Please include a full
address and daytime telephone number.
Corrections and
clarifications
The Times takes
complaints
about editorial
content seriously. We are committed to
abiding by the Independent Press
Standards Organisation (“IPSO”) rules
and regulations and the Editors’ Code of
Practice that IPSO enforces.
Requests for corrections or
clarifications should be sent by email to
feedback@thetimes.co.uk or by post to
Feedback, The Times, 1 London Bridge
Street, London SE1 9GF
Ingrained Russian belief in casual brutality
Sir, There is little to quibble with in
David Aaronovitch’s insightful piece
“Russia’s casual savagery is seared
into its soul” (Apr 28). However, I fear
he overlooks a more profound
phenomenon: the demise in Russia of
the concept of truth itself. Truth was
always contingent under the Soviet
system, ready to be sacrificed to
Marxist-Leninist orthodoxy or
political expediency. After Yeltsin’s
bumbling hiatus, Putin has slowly
returned to many of the old Soviet
ways — the same sabre-rattling, the
same cry-bully complaints, the same
contempt for truth. Aaronovitch is
right that the horrors of Stalinism
were never atoned for, but the
corruption of truth is a deeper
malaise, which can only delay any
eventual atonement. Russia will only
be normalised when it can look its
own history in the eye. And it will
only do that when it can be honest
with itself.
Roger Moorhouse FRHistS
College of Europe, Warsaw
Sir, In his list of Soviet atrocities
committed between 1930 and 1953,
David Aaronovitch omits to mention
the Molotov-Ribbentrop non-
aggression pact of August 1939. Secret
Girls and physics
Sir, I am concerned that the
government’s social mobility
commissioner thinks girls shun
physics because there is too much
hard maths involved (report, Apr 28).
Although it is true that the number of
girls studying physics at A-level is
lower than that of boys, research
indicates that this is not because
physics is too hard for girls but rather
that it is due to subtle cultural and
societal norms and behaviours, and
the ways in which physics and maths
are taught in co-educational settings.
It is these factors that put girls off
physics. At my school more than 100
girls take maths A-level every year,
and more than 30 study physics, with
the same numbers studying further
maths (in a year group of 130).
The idea that girls are not as good
as boys at maths and physics is wholly
inaccurate. Female educators have
been working hard for decades to
dispel these myths and it is
incomprehensible that someone who
works for the government is
perpetuating them.
Clare Wagner
Head, Henrietta Barnett School
WHAT
WOMEN
EAT
from the times april 29, 1922
While it is universally recognized
that women have a greater need of
sugars and sweetstuffs than men
there can be no doubt that Sir
Malcolm Morris, as reported in The
Times yesterday, is right in thinking
that their dietetic habits are capable
of improvement. Modern woman, in
particular, seems to have “taken to
stimulants” in the form of tea and
soups to an extent which cannot but
injure. These “foods”, plus the sugars
or starches or sweet cakes which
almost invariably accompany them,
have the advantages of being easily
prepared and of giving an immediate
protocols allowed for the partition of
Poland between Nazi Germany and
the Soviet Union the following
month. As a result more than 20,000
Polish officers and intelligentsia were
massacred in Katyn and in prison in
1940 on Stalin’s orders. In addition
hundreds of thousands of Polish
citizens were deported to Siberia. The
Soviet Union claimed that the Nazis
were to blame for the Katyn
massacre, and kept up this pretence
until 1990, when, to his great credit,
Boris Yeltsin released documents
admitting it to be a Soviet crime.
Michael Olizar
London SW15
Sir, David Aaronovitch’s comment
article about the brutality of Russian
society is both timely and perceptive.
The violence of the Soviet years was
justified by the official ideology.
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn wrote that
ideology “gives evildoing its
long-sought justification and gives
the evildoer the necessary
steadfastness and determination”. The
means actually produce the end — a
society permanently scarred by
injustice and terror.
Brian Withnall
Wenhaston, Suffolk
Sir, I was disappointed to read
Katharine Birbalsingh perpetuating
hoary old myths about girls, maths
and science. I had the pleasure of
teaching maths and further maths at
A-level for many years and taught
many wonderful young people, both
male and female. In my experience,
not only were the girls just as eager to
rise to the intellectual challenges as
the boys, they often openly relished
doing better.
Martin Withington
Colemere, Shropshire
Sir, Katharine Birbalsingh seems to
suggest that girls from a more
privileged background might decide
to become a poet, actor or writer
rather than study physics. I recall
being told by a colleague from the
public information office at CERN
that most of the women summer
students came from the
Mediterranean countries, where
science is regarded as a key cultural
activity, in contrast to the situation in
countries like the UK. The director
general of CERN is an Italian woman.
Our girls deserve better.
Professor Goronwy Tudor Jones
School of Physics and Astronomy,
Birmingham University
sense of satisfaction. Moreover, they
are cheap. The wife whose husband
is away all day “does not trouble the
servants”; she makes herself a cup of
soup and follows it with several cups
of tea, eating some bread and then
perhaps a slice of cake. That is her
luncheon. The working girl, in her
own way, is doing the same thing at
the same hour — seeking immediate
satisfaction at small cost and with
small expenditure of energy or time.
At 4 or 5 o’clock both wife and girl
will “put the kettle on” and have tea
again. During the war many women
starved themselves — that is the
only word for it. The return of their
husbands forced them to provide
decent meals, which they shared.
They soon became fit. Indeed, where
there is a man in the house women
as a rule are much better fed than
when left to their own resources. It
may be argued that this ill-feeding of
women is due entirely to their self-
sacrifice. There is, however, another
Letters to the Editor should be sent to
letters@thetimes.co.uk or by post to
1 London Bridge Street, London SE1 9GF
Sir, Valdimir Putin has stated that it is
unacceptable for the West to
intervene in the Ukraine. This might
be understandable were it not for the
fact that Russia intervened by
invading the Ukraine in the first
place. Putin’s ability to portray black
as white and vice versa is remarkable:
he is a first-class pupil of the Joseph
Goebbels technique of the “big lie”.
Emeritus Professor Chris Hamnett
Department of Geography, KCL;
London WC2
Sir, David Aaronovitch is entirely
right about Russia’s casual savagery
throughout society, even at the most
mundane level. I well remember
being in Red Square in Moscow in the
early 1980s and witnessing a street
cleaning lorry drive into the middle of
the crowded square and, with no
warning whatsoever, switch on the
water jets to drench anyone within
striking distance.
I believe that centuries of such
casual savagery at all levels means
that most Russians will never be on a
similar wavelength to most
Europeans, and that the West should
forthwith conduct itself accordingly.
Alan Orbell
Lingfield, Surrey
Covid court ruling
Sir, The High Court ruling that the
government acted illegally in
discharging hospital patients into care
homes without testing them for
Covid-19 or isolating them first is a
stark reminder of the pernicious
attitudes towards older and disabled
people that exist in society
(“Discharging Covid patients to care
homes was unlawful”, Apr 28). My
heart goes out to everyone affected:
the residents, their families, the staff
who have worked tirelessly on the
front line throughout the pandemic
and long before. Such a damaging and
cavalier approach to the health of our
older population has resulted in more
than 20,000 deaths. We cannot undo
what has happened but we can learn
from it. We must ensure that the
Covid-19 inquiry addresses this issue
and recommend the appointment of
an independent Older People’s
Commissioner for England to protect
the rights and wellbeing of all of us as
we age. We can make sure that we
never see a repeat of such an
avoidable tragedy.
Carole Easton
CEO, Centre for Ageing Better
reason, which cannot be ignored. An
enormous number of modern
women suffer from digestive troubles
and are afraid to eat a full meal.
Indigestion, indeed, is now so
common among women that most
chemists keep bismuth lozenges and
other remedies ready in sealed
packets to hand over the counter to
their clients. Unhappily they are but
a palliative. The real causes of
indigestion are imperfectly known,
but it is probable that they are to be
found in general habits such as lack
of exercise, incorrect posture, and ill-
timed, ill-constructed meals. Thus,
wrong feeding may be both a cause
and a result of indigestion. Some
doctors affect to despise questions of
this kind. In fact, they are the very
basis of medicine, for it is from
errors in our way of living that the
opportunities of disease arise.
thetimes.co.uk/archive
Friday April 29 2022 | the times
Rise in dog theft
Sir, The most astonishing part of your
report on dog theft (“Dog thefts hit a
seven-year high as demand pushes up
prices”, Apr 27) is that, despite CCTV
footage showing the thieves carrying a
stolen dog to an A-class Mercedes, the
“police declined to investigate despite
the evidence”. Is it really the case now
that police choose not to bother, even
when they stand a good chance of
apprehending the villains? Your report
goes on to say the Met returned only
18 out of 422 stolen dogs to their
owners — a paltry 4 per cent. A
similarly feeble success rate applies to
the force’s record in solving burglaries
and a number of other crimes, where
in many instances the evidence simply
needs to be acted upon.
Peter Knipe
London SW13
Prison customers
Sir, Nearly 60,000 cases are waiting
to be heard in the crown court. Rape
prosecutions are down by 70 per cent
in four years, but Dominic Raab
thinks that a style guide for prison
governors will restore public
confidence in justice (“Call them
inmates, prisons told in crackdown on
‘woke’ words”, news, Apr 28). Really?
Peter Dawson
Director, Prison Reform Trust
Brutal boxer
Sir, David Simmons (letter, Apr 28)
wonders what Rocky Marciano’s fight
plan might be if he were matched
against Tyson Fury, 6ft 9in and 270lb.
In 1919, Jack Dempsey, at 6ft 1in and
187lb, faced Jess Willard at 6ft 7in and
245lb. In an unusual and controversial
fight, Dempsey went for all-out
attack. By some accounts he broke
Willard’s jaw and several ribs and
teeth. Willard did not come out for
the fourth round.
Basil Yoxall
East Molesey, Surrey
Flights of fancy
Sir, In Scotland, or west central
Scotland at least, sparrows were
known as speugs (“spee ugs”). I can
also recommend Duncan Macrae’s
version of The Wee Cock Sparra.
John Arthur
Glasgow
Sir, Here in Worcestershire our
LBJs (little brown jobs) are known
as spadgers.
Beverley Juggins
Pershore, Worcs
Sir, In South Africa we used to call
sparrows mossies.
Thérèse Lewis
Cholsey, Oxon
Stone labour pains
Sir, Janice Turner’s husband
(Notebook, Apr 28) might like to
follow my urologist’s advice who, after
removing my kidney stone, suggested
drinking pints of beer to avoid stones
forming. When asked, “Wouldn’t that
be bad for my liver or heart?”, he
replied, straight-faced: “Not my
department.”
Peter Saunders
Salisbury
Sir, I’ve had three babies without pain
relief and a kidney stone, and I’m
with Janice Turner’s husband on
which is more painful.
Alison Ker
Great Cambourne, Cambs
the times | Friday April 29 2022
Daily Universal Register
UK: The ONS publishes quarterly estimate
of government deficit and debt; the former
tennis champion Boris Becker appears for
sentencing at Southwark crown court after
being convicted under the Insolvency Act.
Nature notes
Does blackthorn
have the most
beautiful blossom of
all? Emerging
before the leaves,
the five-petalled
flowers shine
wedding-dress white. Fast-growing, with
thorns brutal enough to keep a bull at bay,
the species has always been a mainstay for
hedge laying. In the pre-Second World War
heyday of the hedge, when a million miles of
these natural stock barriers wound their way
through Britain, the annual flowering of the
blackthorn transfigured the nation. It was as
though one long wedding procession was
visiting each hamlet, village and town. This
yearly festival was a feast too as the flowers
fed a vast retinue of wild bees, hoverflies,
butterflies and moths. jonathan tulloch
Birthdays today
Lord (Jacob) Rothschild
OM, pictured,
investment banker,
president, RIT Capital
Partners plc (chairman
1988-2019), 86; Andre
Agassi, tennis player,
Wimbledon champion
(1992), 52; Dame Helen Atkinson, engineer,
pro-vice-chancellor (aerospace, transport
and manufacturing), Cranfield University,
62; Frank Auerbach, painter, 91; General Sir
Peter de la Billière, DSO, MC and Bar, Gulf
War commander, 88; Bob and twin brother
Mike Bryan, doubles tennis players,
Olympic gold medallists (2012), 44; Baroness
(Lynda) Chalker of Wallasey, minister for
overseas development (1989-97), 80; Sir
Daniel Day-Lewis, actor, There Will Be
Blood (2007), 65; Baroness (Ruth) Deech,
chairwoman, Bar Standards Board (2009-14),
79; Catherine Dixon, director-general,
Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, chief
executive, Law Society of England and
Wales (2015-17), 56; Anita Dobson, actress,
EastEnders (1985-88), 73; Baroness (Rennie)
Fritchie, commissioner for public
appointments (1999-2005), 80; Prof Sir Ian
Kershaw, historian, Roller-Coaster: Europe,
1950-2017 (2018), 79; Zubin Mehta, conductor,
86; Willie Nelson, singer-songwriter,
Shotgun Willie (1973), 89; Michelle Pfeiffer,
actress, Scarface (1983), 64; Fred Scarlett,
rower, Olympic gold medallist (2000), 47;
Paul Scully, Conservative MP, minister for
London and minister for business, energy
and industrial strategy, 54; Jerry Seinfeld,
comedian, 68; Stacey Snider, co-founder and
global chief executive of Sister (film and TV
studio), chairwoman and chief executive of
20th Century Fox (2017-19), 61; Uma
Thurman, actress, Pulp Fiction (2004), 52;
David Tindle, painter, 90; Phil Tufnell,
cricketer, England (1990-2001), and TV
personality, 56; Martin Whitmarsh,
chairman, BAR Technologies, chief
executive, Aston Martin Performance
Technologies, Land Rover BAR America’s
Cup team (2015-17), McLaren Formula One
team principal (2009-14), 64.
On this day
In 1927 Rachel Beer, the first woman to edit
a national newspaper, died, aged 69. She
edited The Observer and The Sunday Times.
The last word
“I will not follow where the path may lead;
instead I will go where there is no path and
leave a trail.” Muriel Strode, American poet,
My Little Book of Prayer (1905)
The government needs to come clean over the activities of the secretive Cabinet
Office clearing house that has been blocking freedom of information requests
One measure of the importance of the Freedom of
Information Act is how much it is disliked by gov-
ernment ministers whose actions it exposes to
scrutiny. Tony Blair, who introduced the 2000 act,
famously berated himself in his memoirs for his
“imbecility”. More recently, Lord Callanan, a Con-
servative business minister, called it “malign”
while seeking to exclude the new Advanced Re-
search and Innovation Agency from the act. But
Jack Straw, the home secretary who delivered the
legislation, explained at the time why it was
needed. “Unnecessary secrecy in government and
our public services has long been held to under-
mine good governance and public administra-
tion . . . the bill will help transform the culture of
government from one of secrecy to openness”.
A new report by the Commons public adminis-
tration and constitutional affairs committee ex-
poses how far the act is falling short of its stated
objectives and the role that a “clearing house”
based in the Cabinet Office has played in frustrat-
ing its effective operation. The committee decided
to investigate the clearing house, which coordi-
nates responses to FoI requests across Whitehall,
after the government lost a court battle last year to
keep its activities secret. The clearing house has
been accused of blacklisting FoI requests, particu-
Priory facilities have repeatedly failed in protecting vulnerable patients from harm
Mental illness can be a devastating affliction. As
the pandemic recedes, the incidence of depressive
and other disorders is likely to increase, as hap-
pened in the wake of the influenza pandemic of
1918-20. Those who suffer psychiatric disorders
require sensitive treatment and care. Yet a Times
investigation reveals serious and widespread con-
cerns about the safety of patients at Britain’s lead-
ing private mental healthcare chain.
The Priory Group is well known for treating
celebrities in rehab but most of its revenue,
amounting to at least £400 million for mental
health care, is paid for by taxpayers. Our analysis
indicates that the company has been criticised for
failures of care in the cases of 30 patients’ deaths
in the past decade. And the same failures keep re-
curring. A leaked letter from NHS England last
year warned the company of action against it un-
less there were “rapid improvements”. The grief of
bereaved families can only be intensified by know-
ing that service failures persisted over years.
The litany is harrowing. Of those 30 patients’
deaths, coroners have drawn a direct or probable
link in 11 of them with the standard of care at
Delaying mowing the lawn gives plant and insect diversity a boost
Any gardener tempted to retrieve the mower from
the shed this weekend, mindful that the grass re-
quires its first trim of the year, should think again.
The snooker-table surface, redolent of the world
championships presently reaching a conclusion at
the Crucible in Sheffield, is going out of fashion as
applied to the nation’s gardens. Mowing to milli-
metrically uniform perfection is no longer the
done thing. According to the charity Plantlife,
which is urging gardeners to lay off the lawn for a
few more weeks in its “No Mow May” initiative,
even this minor delay allows a plethora of wild-
flowers and insects to flourish.
Opening Up
larly from journalists, including from this paper.
Yet even now there is almost a complete lack of
publicly available information about this clearing
house.
Alarmingly, not even parliament has been able
to lift this veil of secrecy. The committee came up
against the same obstacles in investigating it as the
press. Despite a 2006 committee recommend-
ation that the clearing house needed to be more
transparent, it still does not publish performance
data. An offer by the Information Commissioner’s
Office to undertake an independent audit of its
compliance with freedom of information laws
after last year’s court ruling was blocked by minis-
ters. Instead, the government said the Cabinet
Office would undertake an internal review, which
it finally announced yesterday, eight months later,
on the eve of publication of the committee’s
report.
It is hard to resist the impression that the gov-
ernment is deliberately trying to frustrate public
scrutiny of the way it handles freedom of informa-
tion requests. Since the act was introduced, infor-
mation divulged has played a vital role in exposing
failures in public administration and holding
those in power to account. The MPs’ expenses
scandal began as a series of freedom of informa-
Duties of Care
Priory facilities. And in the cases of three, the
bereaved families are in the process of suing the
company. In almost half the cases of deaths we
have identified, Priory staff were criticised for fail-
ures in assessing risk. In some cases, they had
inadequate training or expertise, and in two they
deliberately falsified records.
Oversights included not addressing known
points within the buildings where a ligature could
be tied and failing to block possible escape routes.
Recent deaths include those of Eliana Hanton, 20,
who hanged herself using a ligature point that had
already been identified in an internal audit as a
danger. And last week an inquest concluded that
neglect had contributed to the death of Matthew
Caseby, 23, who was struck by a train after escap-
ing from a Priory hospital.
The Priory Group is not part of the NHS but is
a commercial enterprise owned by a Dutch private
equity group. The NHS contracts out services to
the company, which maintains more than 300
centres in this country and says it has cared for
more than 270,000 outpatients and inpatients
across its services in the past decade.
Let It Bee
The campaign is an excellent idea. Cannily cal-
culating that lawn maintenance is a competitive
sport between neighbours, Plantlife assigns par-
ticipants a “personal nectar score” based on an
“every flower counts” survey of flora still thriving
in the final week of May. Just as friendly competi-
tion in facial hair has made Movember a success,
besting a mate’s nectar score will surely incentivise
horticulturalists too.
Last year’s survey recorded more than 250 types
of plant in left-alone lawns, including wild orchids
and strawberries, with daisies the clear winner.
These plants sustained 100 different pollinators,
33
Leading articles
tion requests. In December 2020 The Times
succeeded in forcing the government to divulge
information that exposed the woeful state of
Britain’s bridges and highways infrastructure.
Freedom of information requests helped expose
serious failures in Britain’s pandemic prepara-
tions. As William Wragg, chairman of the Com-
mons committee, writes today, any attempt to
weaken the freedom of information system is
“simply unacceptable in a modern democracy”.
The government should take urgent steps to re-
store public trust in its commitment to transpar-
ency and accountability. That should start with ac-
cepting the information commissioner’s offer of
an independent review into the clearing house. At
the same time, it should take steps to ensure that
the Information Commissioner’s Office is ade-
quately resourced so that it can hear appeals
against failed requests. Since 2010, its budget has
fallen by a third, even as the number of cases it has
received has risen by 70 per cent. That has contrib-
uted to delays in appeals being heard. Indeed, the
government should go further and amend the act
so that any failure to respond to a request within
20 days would trigger an automatic appeal to the
commissioner. A culture of secrecy benefits no
one, ultimately not even politicians.
It is entirely proper for the NHS to use private
contractors if they can offer high-quality care at a
competitive price. Something is wrong, however,
when a private provider receiving hundreds of
millions of pounds in public money fails to imple-
ment improvements long demanded by the NHS
and regulators.
The Care and Quality Commission (CQC) has
reported similar concerns about safety across
several Priory facilities. A quarter of the group’s
mental health facilities are rated as less than
“good” and three are rated as inadequate.
It will be especially perplexing to the families of
those who have died that the number of reported
deaths (including those from natural causes) in
Priory sites rose by 50 per cent between 2017 and
2020. Medical science’s understanding of the
causes of mental illness is still at an early stage but
much is known of treatments that are effective. In-
stead, at some Priory facilities, patients received a
standard of care that failed even their physical
safety, let alone their mental recovery. The public
will want an accounting for what has gone wrong
and how it has been allowed to persist.
two dozen types of bee among them. A mere eight
dandelions produce enough nectar to keep an
adult bumblebee alive and buzzing. Colour and
diversity blossom. What’s not to like? Especially
when the survey is in the admirable British tradi-
tion of amateur “citizen science”, dating back to
18th-century meteorologists, 19th-century astro-
nomers and 20th-century ornithologists.
Also, it won’t have escaped the less-than-eager
gardener’s notice that taking part in No Mow May
provides the perfect excuse to extend those bliss-
fully lazy, feet-up watching the telly winter week-
ends for a little while longer.
34 2GM Friday April 29 2022 | the times

World
Biden and Trump drive Someone in the audience
slid the envelope on to
the stage for Olivia Wilde,
whose former fiancé is
the actor Jason Sudeikis

voters to seek third way about the French presidential election:

United States
comments during a Trump, there may be “An interesting observation, just FYI.
David Charter Washington Security 2016 rally in Iowa, somebody with President Macron appears to have se-
The next US presidential election where he urged tomatoes in the cured a double-digit victory over Le
presents an “unprecedented opportu-
nity” for an independent or third-party
fears about supporters to “knock
the crap” out of
audience.’ So if you
see somebody getting
Pen, at a time when his approval rating
is 36%. Hmm ... ”
candidate if Joe Biden and Donald
Trump run again, with a majority of
lethal fruit protesters who might
throw tomatoes at
ready to throw a
tomato, knock the
Third party or independent candi-
dates who attract attention are usually
Americans keen to see the back of both him. crap out of them, wealthy and already in the public eye.

D
of them. onald “I wanted to have would you? Seriously. The best-known of hundreds of alter-
A total of 58 per cent of voters are Trump people be ready Okay?” native candidates in 2020 was the
open to a moderate figure from outside feared because we were put Trump offered to singer Kanye West, although his run
the two main parties in 2024, according attack by on alert that they pay the legal fees of under the Birthday Party banner was
to the polling company Harris: a sign of protesters were going to do anyone who tackled a dogged by suspicions that the true aim
deep frustration among traditional throwing tomatoes, fruit,” Trump said violent protester in was to help Trump by taking votes from
supporters of the Democratic and Re- pineapples and other during the deposition, his defence. Biden. West, 44, who now calls himself
publican parties alike. “very dangerous” recorded in October He was asked Ye, achieved the seventh-highest vote
The most recent such candidate to fruit at his rallies, last year. “Tomatoes during the deposition total behind candidates from the Green
make a big impression in a presidential according to court are bad,” he said, whether he believed and Libertarian parties and two other
race was Ross Perot, a billionaire busi- documents, and noting that “some force was justified. independents. He has suggested he
nessman, who claimed 18.9 per cent of placed his security fruit is a lot worse”. “Yeah, I think that may run again.
the vote in 1992, the most since Theo- detail on high alert He said that his they have to be Yang, 47, has said that his Forward
dore Roosevelt came second in 1912 because “you can be guards had warned aggressive in stopping Party is open to both Democrats and
after leaving the Republican Party. killed if that happens” before the 2016 rally that from happening,” Republicans, and is mainly a vehicle to
No alternative candidate has yet (Hugh Tomlinson in Cedar Rapids that Trump said. “Because push for reform of primary contests so
emerged for 2024, but there are in- writes). protesters might hurl if that happens, you that they do not favour hardline candi-
triguing possibilities from both sides of Trump made the fruit. “It’s very can be killed if that dates. This still leaves open the possibil-
the political spectrum. They include comments during dangerous . . . I happens . . . To stop ity that he could run for president, al-
the entrepreneur Andrew Yang, who sworn, videotaped remember that somebody from though in a system where any third
stood in the 2020 Democratic prima- testimony in a lawsuit specific event, throwing pineapples, candidate is usually seen as taking
ries and started the Forward Party last filed by protesters because everybody tomatoes, bananas, votes mainly from one side or the other,
year, while an anti-Trump conservative who allege that the was on alert. They stuff like that, yeah, he could be accused of splitting the
such as Liz Cheney might decide to op- former president’s were going to hit, they it’s dangerous stuff.” Democratic vote.
pose the former president either within security guards were going to hit Trump said that the Yang wrote in his book Forward:
or outside the Republican Party. assaulted them hard,” he said. “knock the crap” Notes on the Future of our Democracy
Voters were asked whether they outside Trump Tower Trump told the remark was made that “energy and passion won’t accom-
would “consider a moderate independ- in New York in 2015. crowd: “We have “sort of in jest, but plish anything if all efforts are pitted in
ent candidate for president if the 2024 Trump was wonderful security maybe, you know, a opposition to each other and the polit-
match was between Donald Trump and questioned about his guys. They said, ‘Mr little truth to it”. ical system is designed to reward iner-
Joe Biden”. The 58 per cent who would tia. It’s the system itself that needs to be
included 60 per cent of Democrats, amended”.
47 per cent of Republicans and 71 per the American two-party system: while Kamala Harris on 14 per cent. Trump One popular figure long linked to an
cent of independent voters. The feeling an overall majority of the public did not was on 58 per cent support if a Republi- independent run is Dwayne Johnson,
was strongest among younger voters, want to see either Biden or Trump on can primary was held today, ahead of the actor known as The Rock from his
with 66 per cent of those aged 18 to 49 the ballot, both remain the top candi- Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor, on wrestling days. Johnson, 49, who has
answering in the affirmative. date among committed supporters of 13 per cent. the sixth most popular Instagram ac-
“America wants to move forward not their respective parties. At the next election Trump will be 78 count, with 312 million followers, told
back,” said Mark Penn, co-director of Overall, 63 per cent of respondents and Biden will be two weeks short of his USA Today last year: “I would consider
the Harvard Centre for American said they did not want Biden to run for 82nd birthday. Trump is campaigning a presidential run in the future if that’s
Political Studies-Harris Poll survey. a second term and 55 per cent did not as if he is running, although he has not what the people wanted.”
“I’ve never seen a number this high for want Trump to run again. Among their declared his candidacy. Biden main- He describes himself as “a political
an independent run.” own bases, Biden was the top 2024 tains that he will run again. independent and centrist”.
The polling highlighted the paradox presidential nominee with 37 per cent Ron Klain, his chief of staff, was ridi- America is craving a new face in the
at the heart of general disaffection with Democratic support, followed by culed this week over a tweet he posted White House, Gerard Baker, page 31

Caribbean premier held in cocaine smuggling sting

British Virgin Islands
Hugh Tomlinson Washington
The premier of the British Virgin
Islands was arrested by undercover
agents at a Miami airport yesterday and
accused of conspiring to smuggle
cocaine into the US.
Andrew Alturo Fahie, 51, was seized
by Drug Enforcement Agency officers
posing as traffickers with a Mexican
cartel as he boarded a plane at Miami’s
Opa-locka Executive Airport.
Fahie was accompanied by Olean-
vine Maynard, the head of the ports
authority in the Caribbean archipelago,
who was also arrested, as was a third
man reported to be Maynard’s son.
Fahie and Maynard, who had visited
Miami for a cruise ship convention,
were arrested as they allegedly oversaw
the loading of $700,000 in cash, given
to them by the agents, which was to be
transported back to the British overseas
territory, the Miami Herald reported.
rs, pos
The undercover officers, pos-
ina-
ing as members of the Sina-
loa drug cartel, had toldld
the pair that the moneyy
was a pay-off for allow-
ing the gang’s future
cocaine shipments to
be siphoned through
the Caribbean territo-
ry, US officials said.
Fahie and Maynard d Fah was arrested in the
nd
are in a federal prison and
oday.
will appear in court today.
money laundering.
arges of
The pair also face charges
John Rankin, governor of the British
Virgin Islands, said the US authorities
had informed the British government said. “I am appalled by these serious
of Fahie’s arrest and that Natalio allegations.”
Wheatley had been appointed as acting The British government launched a
premier. “I realise this will be shocking commission of inquiry into the govern-
p
news for people in the territory, ance of the islands last year, intended to
w
and I would call for calm at overhaul the territory’s administration,
this time,” Rankin said. including its law enforcement and jus-
L Truss, the foreign
Liz tice systems. The inquiry, which recent-
se
secretary, issued a state- ly completed its work, uncovered alle-
m
ment confirming Fa- gations of systemic corruption and cro-
h arrest.
hie’s nyism in the territory, including
“This afternoon, the widespread misuse of public funds.
pr
premier
Vi
Virgin
of the British
Islands, Andrew
“This arrest demonstrates the im-
portance of the recently concluded Enter stage
Fahie, commission,” Truss said. “I have spoken
Unite States on charges
United
related to drugs trafficking
to the governor of the BVI and he will
be holding an emergency meeting of
left: a writ for
mone laundering,” Truss
and money the territory’s cabinet later today. He
will set out next steps tomorrow, in-
child custody
Andrew Fahie was arrested by agents cluding urgent publication of the in-
as cash was being loaded onto a plane quiry’s report.”
the times | Friday April 29 2022
CHRIS PIZZELLO/AP; STEVE GRANITZ/GETTY IMAGES
regarding the custody of
her two children, from the
legal team representing
her ex-fiancé, the actor
and comedian Jason
Sudeikis.
Sudeikis, 46, was
apparently surprised too.
“Mr Sudeikis had no prior
knowledge of the time or
place that the envelope
would have been
delivered as this would
solely be up to the process
service company
involved,” a source close
to the actor told NBC.
“He would never condone
her being served in such
an inappropriate
manner.”
Process service
companies are hired by
law firms to track down
and deliver in person legal
papers to a participant in
a lawsuit: a task that is
often said to require
detective work and, in
some cases, a disguise.
The papers served on
Wilde were said to be
documents “drawn up to
establish jurisdiction
relating to the children of
Ms Wilde and Mr
Sudeikis”.
Wilde, 38, who
appeared in the medical
drama House alongside
Hugh Laurie, and directed
the critically acclaimed
teen film Booksmart, was
appearing at the
CinemaCon convention at
Caesars Palace to
promote her new film,
Don’t Worry Darling.
She was engaged to
Sudeikis in 2013, and they
had two children, who are
now eight and five.
They separated in 2020
and she is now in a
relationship with the
British musician Harry
Styles, who plays the lead
in Don’t Worry Darling,
which Wilde directed.
Publicly she has
remained on good terms
with Sudeikis, who is now
best known as the star of
the Ted Lasso series,
which was based on a
character he played in
advertisements for
the Premier League
in the US.
Wilde was on
stage on Tuesday
when someone
rose from the front
rows of the
audience and slid
a manilla envelope
across the stage
towards her.
“This is for me?”
she asked. “Very
mysterious.”
Removing the
papers from the
envelope, marked
W
hen a have assumed it was “personal and
crowd in an award (Will Pavia confidential”, she
Las Vegas and James Callery write). asked “Is this a
watched Wilde herself wondered script”, and then
the out loud whether it was a said: “Okay, got it,
actress and director script. “I’m going to open thank you.”
Olivia Wilde being passed it now,” she said. CinemaCon said it
a brown envelope as she It was neither. Instead, would re-examine its
stood on stage, they may it was some legal papers, security protocols.
Nasa helicopter visits
wreckage of a perfect
crash landing on Mars
Page 36
France gripped by
panic over needle
attacks at discos
France
Adam Sage Paris
Panic is spreading in French nightclubs
over claims that dozens of revellers
have been pricked with needles that
may have contained drugs.
At least 53 people claim to have suf-
fered bouts of nausea, dizziness, black-
outs and an inability to walk after being
pricked on dancefloors. Most of the vic-
tims are women.
Prosecutors in Rennes, Nantes, Tou-
louse, Grenoble and other cities have
opened inquiries into “the administra-
tion of harmful substances”, although
without finding evidence to substanti-
ate the claims.
Alarm in France follows similar cases
in the UK and in Ireland, where there
have been claims that rapists who once
laced their victims’ drinks are now in-
jecting the same substances into legs,
arms, backs or shoulders.
Doctors in France have noted red
marks on the bodies of some alleged
victims that appear to have been made
by syringes. They have been told to take
preventive treatments for HIV in case
the needles had been used before.
Prosecutors said that while victims
may have been pricked, investigators
have found no sign of drugs having
been administered this way, or of sexual
assaults linked to the incidents. But
with psychoactive drugs such as GHB
detectable in blood or urine samples for
only a few hours, investigators cannot
rule out the possibility that they may
have been injected.
In the usually tranquil Dordogne in
southwest France, Sud Ouest, the re-
gional daily, said there was a “psycho-
sis” among clubbers after two men and
a woman told police they had been
spiked by needles. In Montauban, also
in the southwest, two women fainted
early on Sunday when about 50 people
Airliner went ‘crazy’ as pilots
pulled in opposite directions
Adam Sage
Two Air France pilots who blamed
their “crazy” jet for an aborted landing
that terrified passengers had failed to
notice they were undertaking conflict-
ing manoeuvres, say investigators.
An update published by the Bureau
of Inquiry and Analysis, the French air
accident office, said that while the co-
pilot, who was landing the Boeing
777ER, tried to put the nose up, the
captain sought to do the opposite after
intervening to take control.
Faced with “antagonistic inputs”, the
control columns were “desynchro-
nised” for 14 seconds, the bureau said in
a report on the incident on April 5.
Flight 011 from New York to Paris
landed safely at the second attempt but
Marianne Bergès, who was among the
177 passengers on board, said she had
been left with nightmares and anguish.
She said that approaching the run-
way, the plane had climbed “like a
35
ran for the exit of a nightclub when a
man shouted: “I’ve been pricked”, ap-
parently as a prank.
Zoë Stoppiglia, 20, a student in
Grenoble, was in a nightclub in the city
in eastern France this month when she
went for a breath of fresh air. All of a
sudden “I was incapable of speaking,
moving or seeing but I could hear what
was going on around me.
“It lasted 10 minutes, I think. I had
had a glass to drink when I had arrived
and I said to myself straight away: ‘It’s
not the alcohol’.”
Her friends took her to hospital
where an A&E doctor discovered a red
mark on her leg. “She was very sure. She
said to me: ‘It’s from a syringe’.”
Stoppiglia said she was taking an HIV
prevention treatment and was stressed
and worried. “This has ruined a good
part of my life.”
Lou-Anne Le Roux, 16, from Lorient,
Brittany, told French state TV she had
felt a sharp pain in her shoulder during
a music festival this month. “I started to
have a panic attack,” she said. “I wasn’t
well. I was almost convulsing. My head
hurt more and more. It was horrible. It
lasted two hours.”
Investigators are perplexed. Blood
and urine tests have produced no trace
of drugs used by rapists, no syringes
have been found in clubs and they have
come across no CCTV images of needle
spiking.
“Why are people being pricked?” Eric
Vaillant, the state prosecutor in Greno-
ble, said. “Is it just to upset them? We
are asking ourselves that question
because at the moment, there have
been no thefts, no sexual assaults
following these [cases].”
The National Agency for Medicine
Safety recorded 574 cases of substances
being administered to reduce victims to
a state of submission in 2019, the last
year for which figures are available.
fighter jet” at the last minute, thrusting
passengers back into their seats with
“objects flying all over the place”. Edou-
ard Dader, another passenger, said he
had suffered severe neck pain the
following day. Bergès said passengers
wanted compensation from Air France.
The bureau’s update came after a
cockpit recording released online ap-
peared to show the pilots in a state of
panic during the attempted landing.
Panting could be heard, along with
alarms and a pilot shouting: “Stop it,
Stop it”.
After the pilots had regained control
and the plane climbed from 1,200ft to
4,000ft, one told the control tower: “We
have gone around. Problem with the
controls. The plane pretty much went
crazy.”
The update said the first findings of
the investigation had revealed nothing
untoward with the jet, instead suggest-
ing that the pilots were responsible for
the incident after losing their cool.
36
World
Nasa views its perfect
crash landing on Mars
F
ourteen shield, or backshell,
months after it that protected it during
arrived on its fiery, 12,500mph
Mars, Nasa’s entry and the
Ingenuity supersonic parachute
helicopter has paid a that slowed its descent.
visit to the grave of “Perseverance had
some of the hardware the best-documented
that delivered it there Mars landing in
(Jacqui Goddard history, with cameras
writes). showing everything
Ingenuity, which from parachute
landed in February inflation to touchdown.
2021 stowed in the belly But Ingenuity’s images
of the Perseverance offer a different
rover, took aerial vantage point,” said Ian
images of the wrecked Clark, who worked as a
Mothers-in-law are far more
than a punchline, says Pope
Vatican
Philip Willan Rome
For years the butt of jokes, mothers-
in-law have finally found a defender
in the form of the Pope.
Although he has never had one
himself, Francis, 85, said that moth-
ers-in-law were the targets of unfair
criticism and were undeservedly por-
trayed as “nasty figures”.
Preaching on the subject of family
relationships at his general audience
in St Peter’s Square, he said: “Today
the mother-in-law is a mythical
character. I wouldn’t say that we see
her as the devil, but she is always
imagined as a nasty figure. But the
mother-in-law is the mother of your
husband, she is the mother of your
wife.”
Evoking the stereotype peddled by
comedians such as Les Dawson, he
added: “We are aware of this rather
widely held view that the further
away the mother-in-law is, the better.
But the mother-in-law is a mother,
she is a grandmother.”
Francis urged the young to keep
open lines of communication with
the old and to grant grandparents the
Volume is cut on India’s call to prayer
India
Amrit Dhillon Delhi
Tens of thousands of loudspeakers
have been turned down or silenced at
mosques and Hindu temples in
India’s most populous state after
politicians decreed that the sounds of
worship had become too cacopho-
nous to bear.
The Indian courts had previously
frowned upon the use of amplifiers to
broadcast the Islamic call to prayer or
the bells and music that accompany
other religious ceremonies. Students
revising for exams are among those
who have complained about the
NASA
SA
Ingenuity, top,
photographed
the remains of
the backshell
that shielded it
pleasure of contact with their grand-
children. He asked husbands and
wives to remember that their moth-
ers-in-law had “given everything”
to their offspring and “if they have
some defects, you must help them to
correct themselves”. He added, how-
ever: “To you mothers-in-law, I say:
watch out for your tongues, because
the tongue can be one of the nastiest
sins of mothers-in-law — watch out.”
Francis did urge
mothers-in-law
to “watch out for
your tongues”
The Pope has addressed the topic
of family tensions in a light-hearted
way in the past, telling a crowd in the
United States in 2015: “Families
quarrel and sometimes plates can fly
and children bring headaches — and
I won’t speak about mothers-in-law.”
The son of Italian immigrants liv-
ing in Buenos Aires, Francis knew
what it was like to be part of a large
family — he was one of five children
noise, which starts before dawn and
continues late into the night. Until
now, however, no state had enforced
a maximum noise level or attempted
to impose a ban. But amid a back-
ground of increasing religious ten-
sions, Yogi Adityanath, the chief min-
ister of Uttar Pradesh, has ordered
Muslims and Hindus alike to turn the
volume down.
During a review of law and order,
Adityanath told officials that every-
one had the freedom to follow their
own method of worship, and the right
to relative peace and quiet.
“Although loudspeakers can be
used, make sure the sound does not
Friday April 29 2022 | the times
sy
systems
en
engineer on
P
Perseverance at
N
Nasa’s Jet
P
Propulsion
La
Laboratory.
No
Now a lead
engi
engineer for Mars
S ampl Return
Sample
((MSR),
MSR), a mission that
will pick up the rock
samples collected by
Perseverance and get
them to Earth for
analysis, Clark is using
the photographs taken
by Ingenuity to learn
lessons. “If they either
reinforce that our
systems worked as we
think they worked, or
provide even one data-
set of engineering we
can use for MSR
planning, it will be
amazing. And if not,
the pictures are still
phenomenal.”
The rotorcraft will
now act as a forward
scout for Perseverance
as it explores a dry
river delta inside
Jezero Crater to search
for signs of ancient
microscopic life.
— and was acquainted with poverty
in his youth, playing football in the
street with a ball made out of rags.
His teaching on family and mar-
riage has always favoured mercy over
doctrinal rigour, recognising a messy
human reality and conceiving of the
Catholic Church as a “field hospital”
for the spiritually bruised.
“At times we have proposed a far
too abstract and almost artificial
theological ideal of marriage, far
removed from the concrete situa-
tions and practical possibilities of real
families,” Francis wrote in Amoris
Laetitia (The Joy of Love), a papal
document that enraged conserva-
tives by suggesting there were cir-
cumstances in which divorced and
remarried people could be readmit-
ted to communion. “This excessive
idealisation, especially when we have
failed to inspire trust in God’s grace,
has not helped to make marriage
more desirable and attractive, but
quite the opposite,” he wrote.
In the document, he said it was no
longer possible to state that all those
in an “irregular” situation were living
in a state of mortal sin and deprived of
sanctifying grace.
come out of any premises. Other
people should not face any problem
[from being disturbed],” he said.
Police in the state of nearly
240 million people acted swiftly after
being given a deadline of April 30 to
enforce the order. By yesterday they
had removed nearly 21,000 loud-
speakers from mosques and temples
and lowered the volume on more
than 40,000.
The even-handedness of the state’s
decision surprised critics of the ruling
Bharatiya Janata Party, which has
been accused of stirring up Hindu
nationalism and tensions with the
Muslim minority across India.
the times | Friday April 29 2022 2GM 37

Business
world markets (Change on the day) commodities currencies
FTSE 100 Dow Jones Gold Brent crude (6pm) £/$ £/€
7,509.19 (+83.58) 33,916.39 (+614.46) $1,885.94 (-2.33) $ $107.25 (+3.32) $ $1.2444 (-0.0101) $ €1.1847 (-0.0048) ¤
8,000 38,000 2,200 140 1.350 1.225

7,500 36,000 2,000 120 1.300 1.200

7,000 34,000 1,800 100 1.250 1.175

6,500 32,000 1,600 80 1.200 1.150

Mar 28 Apr 5 13 25 Mar 29 Apr 6 14 25 Mar 29 Apr 5 13 25 Mar 29 Apr 6 14 25 Mar 25 Apr 5 13 25 Mar 25 Apr 5 13 25

Contraction in economy sparks fear of looming US recession

Mehreen Khan Economics Editor
The American economy unexpectedly
contracted at the start of the year,
raising fears that the world’s largest
economy is heading for a recession in
the face of rising interest rates.
Gross domestic product in the
United States fell by 1.4 per cent in the
first three months compared with the
same period in 2021. The surprise fall
contrasted with economists’ expecta-
tions of 1 per cent growth in the first
quarter.
The decline was driven by a growing
trade deficit caused by rising consumer
goods imports and businesses trying
to build up stocks at the start of the
year. The trade impact had “massively
distorted” the GDP reading, Ian
Shepherdson, at Pantheon Macro-
economics, the consultancy, said.
The US Federal Reserve has indi-
cated that it will aggressively raise
interest rates to stave off 40-year-high
inflation. The GDP figures will do little
to derail the Fed from a 0.5 percentage-
point rate rise next week, according to
Paul Ashworth, at Capital Economics.
“[Fed] officials will chalk it up to the
temporary impact of Omicron and
point to the strength of underlying de-
mand,” he said.
Economists and analysts are split
over whether tighter monetary policy
will push the US economy into a reces-
sion. Last week the International Mon-
etary Fund downgraded its US growth
estimate to 3.7 per cent this year, from
an earlier estimate of 4 per cent. The
IMF said growth would slow to 2.3 per
cent in 2023, down 0.3 percentage
points, but it avoided forecasting a pro-
longed slowdown.
Economists at Deutsche Bank are
expecting a US recession from late next
year as the Fed raises rates more rapidly
than investors anticipate at present.
“Prepare for a hard landing ahead,”
David Folkerts-Landau, its chief econo-
mist, said. “While there may be a temp-
tation to let inflation drift at a higher
level, we do not think the Fed would
risk losing its hard-won credibility.”
US inflation stands at 8.5 per cent and
is being driven by record low unem-
ployment — in contrast with Europe,
where inflationary pressures come pri-
marily from surging energy and food
costs amid the war in Ukraine.

EM FITZGERALD

Amazon hit Higher prices

on way, warn
leading bosses
as it lowers Ashley Armstrong Retail Editor
Three of Britain’s biggest consumer

sales target
Shares fall 12% amid ‘unusual challenges’
Callum Jones
US Business correspondent
Amazon rattled Wall Street last night
by unexpectedly announcing its first
quarterly loss since 2015 and forecast-
ing a slowdown in growth as people
curtail their online spending in the face
of rampant inflation.
Shares in the world’s largest retailer
dropped by almost 12 per cent in after-
hours trading after it reported its
smallest rise in sales in two decades.
The online powerhouse enjoyed
record profits after the pandemic
began, but it is now under pressure as
the cost of living rises in its key markets
and as shoppers return to high streets
and shopping centres.
Andy Jassy, Amazon’s chief execu-
tive, conceded that it was grappling
with “unusual growth and challenges”,
which he attributed to Covid-19 and
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — senti-
ments that sent its stock down by
11.9 per cent, or $342.91, to $2,549.02 in
trading after the bell in New York.
Amazon is a vast technology group
with interests that include groceries,
internet advertising and streaming. It
was founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994.
Through its Web Services division, the
$1.5 trillion business is also the world’s
largest cloud computing company.
Overall net sales across the business
increased by 7 per cent to $116.4 billion
in the three months to March as its
retail division fell into decline. Revenue
from its online stores business fell 3 per
cent to $51.1 billion.
The group made a net loss of $3.8 bil-
lion in the quarter, down from a profit of
$8.1 billion the previous year, a reverse
attributed to the market rout of Rivian
Automotive, the electric vehicle start-
up in which it owns a significant stake.
It also dampened expectations for
the present quarter, during which it is
set to generate sales of between $116 bil-
lion and $121 billion. Analysts had been
projecting about $125.5 billion.
Expenses also increased rapidly as
Amazon paid higher wages to attract
staff — and even then found it difficult
to have enough people on duty in its
warehouses. Higher fuel prices, it
added, were eating into consumers’ dis-
posable income while making delivery
more expensive.
Jassy, 54, said: “Today, as we’re no
longer chasing physical or staffing capa-
city, our teams are squarely focused on
improving productivity and cost effi-
ciencies throughout our fulfilment net-
work. We know how to do this and have
done it before. This may take some time,
particularly as we work through infla-
tionary and supply chain pressures.”
Amazon faced about $6 billion in
greater costs during the first quarter in
comparison with a year earlier, accord-
ing to Brian Olsavsky, the chief finan-
cial officer, who said this included a
$2 billion hit from inflation.
The company is also facing mobilisa-
tion efforts within its workforce after
staff at a fulfillment center in Staten
Island, New York, voted to form the
company’s first warehouse union in the
United States. It is contesting the result.
Sales within Web Services, the unit
that Jassy ran until succeeding Bezos as
Amazon’s chief executive last summer,
rose by 37 per cent to $18.4 billion.
businesses yesterday added to the
gloom surrounding the prospects for
inflation this year.
Simon Roberts, chief executive of
J Sainsbury, said that “customers are
watching every penny and every
pound” as he warned that the super-
market would make lower profits.
Sainbury’s is having to invest even
more to keep its prices low in the face of
rising costs and fierce competition from
discounters, which are winning over
cash-conscious shoppers. It said that it
also expected food and grocery sales to
fall this year as shoppers reined in their
spending.
Roberts said he believed that the
market was in the “early days” of infla-
tionary pressures as the impact on
household budgets from higher heating
bills would not be felt until the autumn,
while rising food prices were only start-
ing to trickle through as grocers battled
for customers. Sainsbury’s is matching
Aldi prices on 260 products, including
100 of the most frequently bought
items, and is keeping prices locked on a
further 2,000 as it tries to address the
perception that it is too expensive.
One of Sainbury’s biggest suppliers,
Unilever, the maker of Vaseline, Mar-
mite and Cornetto, said that input cost
inflation would add €4.8 billion —
more than expected — to its bills this
year as raw ingredients, freight, energy
and packaging prices soared. Alan Jope,
its chief executive, called the situation
unprecedented. The consumer goods
group has raised prices by 5 per cent in
Europe this year and by 10 per cent in
emerging markets and bosses said that
this was likely to accelerate.
Whitbread, the Premier Inn hotel
owner, said it expected industry-wide
cost inflation to reach 8 per cent to 9 per
cent this year, given higher utility and
food costs because of the war in
Changing climate Richard Walker, managing director of Iceland, told the Future Ukraine. The FTSE 100 hospitality
of Retail Summit, hosted by News UK and the British Retail Consortium, that he business said that it expected to raise
was “open-minded” about using genetically modified foods to combat climate prices and to make cost savings.
change. His father, Sir Malcolm Walker, coined the term “Frankenstein foods” Sainsbury’s to share the pain, page 43
38 2GM Friday April 29 2022 | the times

Business

Need to know Taxpayer goes in to bat with

1
Giant energy groups will be
told to pour billions of pounds
more into North Sea gas and
more ambitious start-ups
offshore wind projects if they want

to escape a windfall tax on profits.
Kwasi Kwarteng, the business
secretary, will tell the heads of BP
and Shell that he expects new
commitments to invest in Britain
as the “quid pro quo” for
government support for renewable
energy and North Sea drilling.
Pages 10-11
A
south programmes, so far has Swansea-based
London resulted in the state developer of a
craft owning shares in 337 of potentially life-saving
brewery, a the 1,190 businesses heart pump, appear on
kitchen that secured loans via the latest list.
towel producer based the scheme. Other start-ups
in Lincolnshire and a Gipsy Hill Brewing freshly part-owned by
Welsh developer of a Company, an the taxpayer via the
heart pump that could employee-owned beer scheme include Grass
provide an alternative producer founded in & Co, which sells CBD,

2
Amazon disappointed to transplants are 2013 by Charlie Shaw or cannabidiol,
investors last night as the among the latest and Sam McMeekin; products; BatFast, a
world’s biggest online retailer companies in which Better All Round, a company behind a
forecast lower than expected the taxpayer has taken decade-old paper video cricket simulator
current-quarter sales. The a stake via the products business that can bowl up to 100
American technology company government’s Future behind Ora, said to be deliveries an hour; and
also announced a net loss of Fund programme “the world’s first round Cytox, which aims to
$3.8 billion in the first quarter to (James Hurley writes). kitchen towel”; and predict those most at
the end of March. Page 37 The state-owned Calon Cardio- genetic risk for
British Business Bank Technology, a developing late-onset

3
The American economy yesterday published Alzheimer’s disease.
unexpectedly contracted at urther
the names of a further Epsil
Epsilogen, a London-
the start of the year, raising 75 businesses with h based d developer of
fears that the world’s largest loans secured via a novel therapeutic
economy is heading for a the £1.1 billion anti
antibodies to treat
recession in the face of rising pandemic can
cancer, and
interest rates. Gross domestic scheme that Un
UndertheDoormat
product in the United States fell by have been , a provider of
1.4 per cent in the first three converted into lu
luxury rental
months compared with the same equity stakes. a
accommodation,
period in 2021. Page 37 The Future w
were also listed.
Fund, intended Th government
The BatFast’s cricket

4
Three of Britain’s biggest to support loss- ha resisted calls
has centres and
consumer businesses have making, venture p
to publish the UndertheDoormat,
added to the gloom around capital-backed ident
identities of all left, were in the latest
the prospects for inflation this start-ups excluded ed recipie
recipients of taxpayer- list of equity stakes
year. Simon Roberts, chief from other emergencygency suppor via the
support
executive of J Sainsbury, said that
“customers are watching every

Barclays keeps its investors

penny and every pound” as he
warned that the supermarket
would make lower profits.
Pages 37, 43, 45

5
Barclays, the FTSE 100 bank,

waiting for share buyback

has delayed a £1 billion capital
return to investors for a
second time while it wrestles with
the fallout from a blunder in its
structured products business that
has drawn the scrutiny of
American regulators.
Ben Martin Banking Editor review into the error. “The fact that this
Rising interest rates are boost for Standard Chartered

6
Apple revealed its strongest
ever start to a year last night,
overcoming disruption to its
supply chain amid robust demand
for iPhones. The technology
group’s revenue and profit
surpassed expectations on Wall
Street despite “very significant”
shortages of some components in
the latest quarter. Page 40
over-issuance occurred reflects a
Barclays has delayed a £1 billion capital weakness in our control environment
return to investors for a second time Standard Chartered rising global interest revenue growth to and we are taking steps to address it.”
while it wrestles with the fallout from a surprised the City by rates, as central bankers “slightly exceed” its The bank has taken a £540 million
blunder in its structured products announcing a rise in battle to bring down previous guidance of provision to account for the blunder, of
business that has drawn the scrutiny of profits for the first soaring inflation. This between 5 per cent to which £220 million has been recog-
American regulators. quarter of the year (Ben helped the FTSE 100 7 per cent. In February nised in last year’s results and £320 mil-
The FTSE 100 bank revealed in its Martin writes). company’s net interest it told investors that it lion was included in yesterday’s figures.
first-quarter results yesterday that its Shares in the income rise by 8 per expected to reach its This contributed to a £523 million
share buyback had been postponed emerging markets- cent to $1.8 billion. aim of a 10 per cent litigation and conduct charge for the
again while it holds talks with the US focused bank jumped Its financial markets return on equity, a first quarter, as did £181 million of “cus-

7
The number of empty shops in
town centres and shopping
malls fell again in the first
three months of the year, but there
are still far more than there were
before the pandemic. Page 41
Securities and Exchange Commission
about filing restated accounts for last
year.
The delay is a blow to Coimbatore
Sundararajan Venkatakrishnan,
known as Venkat, who took over as
Barclays’ chief executive six months
by almost 68p, or
14.2 per cent, to 547½p
after it said that pre-tax
profit had increased by
6 per cent to almost
$1.5 billion from a year
earlier. The market had
division enjoyed a measure of profitability, tomer remediation costs” linked to mis-
32 per cent jump in by 2024. Yesterday it sold timeshare loans in Malta.
revenue to $1.7 billion. said it was on track to Barclays also said that it would un-
The bank said: “Macro achieve that, possibly wind £1.25 billion of transactions with
trading enjoyed a earlier. its main pension scheme after the Bank
record quarter, with Bill Winters, 60, chief of England’s Prudential Regulation
commodity income executive, said: “Our Authority said this month that some

8
Lifting the prices of
Magnums, Dove soap and
Knorr products has helped to
push up revenue at Unilever as the
consumer goods group warns of
“unprecedented inflation” caused
by the war in Ukraine. Pages 42-43
ago and previously was its head of
global markets and chief risk officer.
The setback was disclosed in the
lender’s first-quarter results, which
were stronger than expected and lifted
its shares 4½p, or 3.1 per cent, to 146¼p.
Pre-tax profits for the three months
to the end of March dipped by 7 per cent
expected the London- more than doubling, first-quarter firms had conducted “complex, artifi-
based group to report a benefiting particularly performance was cial and opaque” deals that were aimed
fall to about $1 billion. from volatility in energy strong despite the at cushioning their capital but which
Standard Chartered prices.” volatile macro could fall foul of the watchdog’s rules.
has been buoyed by It expects group environment.” Reversing these transactions will
mean that Barclays’ main capital ratio,
which stood at 13.8 per cent at the end of
more securities than it had permission has commissioned an external review March, will fall by about 30 basis points,

9
Deepak Nath, the new chief
executive of Smith & Nephew,
said that he would stick with a
strategy that was revamped
shortly before he was approached
for the role. Page 44
to £2.2 billion, a much better result than
the steep drop to about £1.3 billion that
had been forecast by City analysts.
Barclays was buoyed by its corporate
and investment banking business,
where revenues rose by 10 per cent to
£3.9 billion, boosted by a surge in
for from American regulators. It said at
the time that this meant its planned
£1 billion buyback would be postponed
until after the release of its first-quarter
figures. However, it now believes it is
“prudent” to refrain from starting the
buyback until after its discussions with
into the matter that will identify “what
happened, how it could have happened
and where accountability lies”, Venkat
said.
There have been calls from some
anonymous shareholders for Tushar
Morzaria, 53, who was the bank’s
potentially as soon as the fourth
quarter of the year, rather than
between 2023 and 2025, as the bank
had originally planned.
Despite the pension U-turn, time-
share redress and structured products
mistake, Venkat insisted Barclays had

10 Whitbread has resumed

dividend payments a year
earlier than expected with
a £70 million shareholder payout.
News of the 34.7p final dividend
came as the Premier Inn operator
continued to outperform the
sector. Page 45
trading activity amid the volatility
caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Revenues from fixed-income, currency
and commodity trading was up 37 per
cent, while equities income climbed by
13 per cent.
Barclays disclosed the structured
products error a month ago, when it
revealed it had issued about $15 billion
the commission have ended.
Venkat, 56, insisted that the bank still
planned to proceed with the capital
return and that it was expected to start
towards the end of the second quarter.
He conceded that the structured
products error had been “entirely
avoidable” and he was “deeply dis-
appointed that it occurred”. The bank
finance director for nine years before
retiring this month, to have past
bonuses clawed back or his most recent
award scrapped by the board over the
debacle. Venkat said it was “way too
premature” to discuss who might be to
blame for the mistake, however. “To
date we have not found any evidence of
intentional misconduct,” he said of the
enjoyed a “strong” quarter and said:
“Our strategy is delivering.”
Anna Cross, 51, the bank’s new
finance director, said it was tracking
customer behaviour and spending
“very carefully” for early signs they
were struggling with the cost of living,
but added: “So far we haven’t seen any
particularly worrying indicators.”
the times | Friday April 29 2022 39

Business
BATFAST
scheme, revealing only government ordered
those whose loans have
converted. Broadly
speaking, these are
likely to represent the
the bank to press on
anyway. Ken Cooper,
managing director of
venture solutions at
Jope must wash his
better-quality end of a
portfolio that is one of
Europe’s largest and
most unusual venture
the British Business
Bank, said: “We’re
delighted to see this
flow of companies
hands of Russia
capital portfolios. going on to raise
Among the further private sector
companies previously capital. As a business commentary Alistair Osborne
revealed as shareholder, the

T
beneficiaries are the Future Fund is well hink of the poor Russians. Dettol-to-Durex group has fewer
owner of Bolton positioned to share in The price of Domestos is workers there — 1,300 — but chief
Wanderers, the the benefits of their going up. Ditto Dove soap. executive Laxman Narasimham is
football club; Tevva continued growth.” Plus Inmarko, better equally obsessed with their welfare.
Motors, a maker of As of March 31, the known over here as Wall’s And isn’t the boundless intellectual
electric trucks; and Future Fund owned ice cream. In fact, the people of property in Unilever’s Dove soap
OrganOx, a medical stakes in 337 Putinland will be paying a bit extra worth sacrificing for a higher cause?
technology company companies of the 342 for all of Unilever’s wares, just like Unilever’s position is not
that has developed a whose loans converted everyone else. Put it down to what sustainable — just like its purpose,
“revolutionary” device into equity. Five of the the consumer group’s boss Alan all the time it’s polluted by Putin.
for storing livers before businesses have been Jope calls a “very challenging input
transplant. sold, with the taxpayer cost environment” (report, page 42).
The scheme was bought out. Still, obvious question. What’s he Premium gains
contentious, with the The portfolio is in its still doing in Russia? This is the

S
Business Bank warning early stages. So far same Unilever that’s forever banging o that’s why Britain made its big
ministers that it could least 34 companies on about being home to “the highest split from the EU. Look what
lead to poor-quality that benefited from the standards of corporate behaviour”. the “UK’s post-Brexit freedoms”
companies being funding are in the And a company “driven” by its have delivered: a “consultation”, no
propped up. process of being wound purpose “to make sustainable living less, “on reforms to the Solvency II
Keith Morgan, then up. Fillings show commonplace”: an option presently regime” for insurers. Why didn’t
chief executive of the taxpayer losses linked unavailable to the brave Ukrainians. Boris Johnson or Nigel Farage make
British Business Bank, to the scheme from Yet none of that has stopped Jope more of this? As vote-winners go,
which runs pandemic these handful of early making sure that, within the vicinity little beats a potential “substantial
loan programmes, said failures could be as of the Kremlin, shops are stocked reduction in the risk margin”. Or
it risked public cash high as £40 million, with Unilever goodies as frivolous as “more sensitive treatment of credit
going to “the second and more are likely to Wall’s ice cream. risk in the matching adjustment”.
tier of companies” follow. Five Future It makes Jope look a right The government will spin
because start-ups with Fund companies have hypocrite. Yet he insists: “I think we anything as a Brexit win. So it’s no
the most potential been bought out, but are taking the ethical high ground surprise to see John Glen, economic
would be funded taxpayer profits from here.” How come? In fairness to secretary to the Treasury, get in on
“without [taxpayer] these deals have yet to him, he’s agonised over his stance. the act. But back in the real world,
support”. The be disclosed. Unilever has four factories in Russia Brexit Britain is playing catch-up.
employing 3,000 people. Sales are Last September, Brussels unveiled
“1 per cent of group turnover”, even its own proposals for a Solvency II

Anger at delay to port border controls
Louisa Clarence-Smith
Chief Business Correspondent
Port bosses are considering legal action
against the government to recover
more than £100 million spent on border
control posts that they fear will become
“white elephants”.
Jacob Rees-Mogg, the minister for
Brexit opportunities, confirmed
yesterday that Britain would delay the
introduction of planned checks on
imports from the European Union until
the end of next year.
He said it would save importers up to
£1 billion in annual costs at a time when
“British businesses and people going
about their daily lives are being hit by
rising costs caused by Russia’s war in
Ukraine and in energy prices”.
The announcement angered port
operators, which have built border con-
trol posts in preparation for the planned
checks. The government launched a
£200 million port infrastructure fund in
October 2020 to help to meet the cost of
the new infrastructure. Port operators
additionally have invested more than
£100 million in the facilities, according
to the UK Major Ports Group.
Tim Morris, chief executive of the
trade body for the UK’s leading port
operators, said: “This now looks like
wasted time, effort and money to
develop what we fear will be highly be-
spoke white elephants. Government
needs to engage urgently with ports to
agree how the substantial investments
made in good faith can be recovered.”
An industry source said that some
operators were “furious” and were con-
sidering legal action to recover the
funds if the government did not agree
to reimburse them.
“Ports were expecting these things
were going to be paid for by charges on
imported goods — so if your wagon of
poultry gets pulled over for checks, you
have to pay for that and that’s how they
were going to recoup their investment,”
the source said. “I think they have a
reasonable case to say, ‘We built these
on the expectation that this would be
where we recover our investments,
from importers, and now because of
you, we’re not going to do that.’ ” The
possible legal action was first reported
by The Guardian.
Richard Ballantyne, chief executive of
the British Ports Association, another
trade association, said: “This is quite an
amazing development, to say the least.
Many UK port operators have built
border control posts in preparation for
post-Brexit checks and all were due to
be ready. This announcement is a major
policy change, meaning the facilities will
effectively become white elephants,
wasting millions of pounds of public and
private funding, not to mention the huge
effort there has been to get things ready
in time.”
In a ministerial statement, Rees-
Mogg said the government would
publish a “target operating model” in
the autumn setting out its new border
import controls regime, which it aims
to introduce at the end of 2023.
if that’s still more than half a billion
euros a year, based on 2021’s total
€52.4 billion revenues. But, as Jope
emphasises, the money’s not the
issue. No, his priority, he says, is to
look after his Russian workers.
New Kremlin laws broadly give
companies three options: continue
to operate; transfer ownership to a
Russian operator; or close down the
business. But the last one, he says,
would leave local managers prey to
“threats from the Russian state”,
with Putin decreeing that shutting
up shop constitutes a criminal
bankruptcy for which bosses can be
prosecuted. As for transferring
ownership, he says Russia would
take over the business and “seize the
intellectual property”.
To boot, a business transfer
wouldn’t remove Unilever products
from the shelves — essential to
driving home Putin’s pariah status.
Instead, it may do the opposite. A
new Russian owner could ramp up
production and start exporting.
Far better, Jope reckons, to take
Unilever’s approach: suspend all
imports and exports, turn off capex
and marketing spend and let the
operation atrophy. There’s no
revamp: a capital boost to European
Union insurers of up to €90 billion.
Still, better late than never. Get
the reforms right and insurers could
deploy their capital in ways far more
socially useful than buying
government bonds. A KPMG study
last year for the Association of
British Insurers found that less
onerous rules could “free up
£95 billion for re-investment”, giving
insurers more rope to invest in
infrastructure projects. And changes
would still ensure the industry held
“enough capital to withstand a 1-in-
200-year shock”. Indeed, such are
today’s perverse incentives that, as
the ABI noted, “it is easier to invest
in a mining company than a wind
farm” — hardly ideal, given net
zero’s vast funding needs.
Yes, the Prudential Regulation
Authority has clashed with the
Treasury over how far the rules can
be relaxed. And it still sounds
lukewarm. But the government’s
been looking at Solvency II reform
for ages. It needs to get on with it.
Split the difference

Ultra talks to reduce risk of inquiry
Louisa Clarence-Smith
Kwasi Kwarteng has agreed to hold
further negotiations on the £2.6 billion
takeover of Ultra Electronics, which
could lead to the deal for the British
defence company being approved if
more commitments are made to allay
national security concerns.
The business secretary has asked
officials to work with Ultra and its
suitor, the private equity-owned
Cobham, to “further explore” the possi-
bility of the companies making commit-
ments to avoid him referring the merger
to the Competition and Markets
Authority for a detailed inquiry.
Ultra supplies anti-submarine war-
fare technology for British warships
and reconnaissance, patrol and spy air-
craft. It employs about 2,000 people in
the UK and its proprietary technology
and hardware have been funded by the
British taxpayer.
Cobham, which was sold to the
United States-based Advent Inter-
national in 2020, is understood to have
already agreed to extra commitments
to gain political backing for the deal,
including granting the government
oversight of contracts, future asset sales
and business relationships, as well as
setting up a supervisory board on
which the government is represented
to oversee specific contracts.
Critics have said the deal should be
blocked on national security grounds.
Last year Kwarteng instructed the
competition watchdog to carry out an
initial investigation into any such
concerns and tabled an order in parlia-
ment preventing Ultra from disclosing
sensitive information to Cobham about
the goods or services it provides to the
UK government and armed forces.
Kwarteng has the power to refer a
deal to the watchdog for a more
detailed “phase two” investigation in
the interests of national security. The
proposed takeover is seen as a test of
whether the government will take a
tougher stance on the takeover of
strategic UK companies. New powers
for ministers to intervene in such deals
were introduced in January.
Ultra said it had worked with the gov-
ernment on the preparation of “suitable
undertakings to protect UK national
security interests” and was supporting
Cobham in refining them.
question, too, that Jope’s thought
hard about a complex issue. But he’s
also made the wrong decision.
As things stand, the UK-listed
Unilever, full of “global purpose”, is
paying payroll taxes to the Kremlin
war machine, even if Jope says the
sums are “negligible”. How long
does he plan to keep this up? When
the war is over, Putin’s Russia will
still be a no-go zone for any right-
thinking company that’s not
supplying essential goods like
medicine. Is Jope planning to keep
the Russian business ticking over
until Putin is deposed?
Tellingly, another UK-quoted
consumer goods outfit, Reckitt, has
considered all the same issues and
come to the opposite conclusion:
that it must exit the country pronto
and transfer the business “to a third
party” or “local employees”. Yes, the
T
witter up, Tesla down. That
was the late afternoon share
price reaction to the social
media outfit’s first-quarter figures:
ones that missed revenue forecasts,
despite a 16 per cent rise to
$1.2 billion; beat estimates for
“monetisable daily active users”,
coming in at 229 million; and also
admitted to overstating its audience
figures by two million for three
years (report, page 40).
Yes, Elon Musk knew much of
that before he bid $44 billion at
$54.20 a share. And Twitter shares
rose 1.5 per cent to $49.43. But the
more he looks like doing the deal,
the more Telsa falls, down 1 per cent
to $875 and by a fifth in a month.
You guess the arbs know how to
trade this.
alistair.osborne@thetimes.co.uk
40
Business
Apple defies supply issues with record profit
Callum Jones
US Business Correspondent
Apple faces a hit of up to $8 billion from
supply chain issues in the current
quarter after making its strongest start
to a year on record.
The technology group’s profit and
sales beat expectations on Wall Street
in the latest quarter amid robust
demand for its iPhones. Its digital
streaming platforms also continued to
grow.
However, shares in the group
dropped by 4 per cent, or $6.49, to
$157.15 during out-of-hours trading last
night after it warned that disruption
from supply constraints would be “sub-
Comcast hits
two-year low
as it fumbles
broadband
Callum Jones
A marked slowdown in the growth of
Comcast’s broadband business has
prompted investors to disconnect from
the American media and telecoms
conglomerate.
Shares in the owner of Sky dropped
by 6.2 per cent, or $2.75, to close at
$41.70 yesterday — hitting their lowest
level in almost two years — despite the
company beating Wall Street’s sales
expectations after a robust rise in ad-
vertising revenue in the latest quarter.
There were concerns because the
group added only 262,000 broadband
customers in the three months to
March, down 43 per cent on its growth
from the same period of 2021. This
heightened fears of a sustained
slowdown over the coming months,
despite a strong first quarter as NBC,
the American television network
owned by Comcast, broadcast the
Super Bowl and the Winter Olympic
Games in the United States and as
Sky capitalised on the recovery of
the advertising market in Britain.
Peacock, Comcast’s fledgling stream-
ing service, now has 13 million paying
subscribers.
Revenue across the business rose by
14 per cent to $31 billion, ahead of fore-
casts of about $30.5 billion. The Olym-
pics and Super Bowl provided a
$1.48 billion boost. Net income rose by
6.6 per cent to $3.55 billion.
Comcast, founded in 1963 and based
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, owns
the Universal Pictures film studio and is
one of the largest broadband business-
es in America. It bought Sky in 2018.
Sales at Sky declined by 4.5 per cent
to $4.78 billion as the European satellite
broadcaster counted the cost of its
reduction in TV rights for Italy’s top-
Loyalty scheme puts McDonald’s in driving seat
Price increases in the United States and
the launch of a new loyalty scheme
helped McDonald’s to beat estimates
for quarterly sales and profit yesterday.
The introduction of the loyalty pro-
gramme late last year, which enables
subscribers on the McDonald’s app to
earn points that can be redeemed on
burgers and fries, helped to drive a
3.5 per cent increase in first-quarter
comparable sales in the United States,
the company’s biggest market.
However, the world’s largest fast-
stantially larger” in the present quarter.
Such challenges are set to knock reve-
nue by between $4 billion and $8 bil-
lion, Luca Maestri, Apple’s chief finan-
cial officer, said.
The warning about supply pressures
came after the group’s total sales rose by
8.6 per cent to $97.3 billion in the three
months to March. Net income rose by
5.8 per cent to $25 billion.
With a market value of $2.6 trillion,
Apple is the world’s most highly valued
public company. Founded in 1976 and
based in Cupertino, California, it makes
iPhones — which typically generate
half of its sales — as well as iPad tablets,
Mac computers, smartwatches and
headphones. The company fleetingly
The winning touchdown for the LA Rams at this year’s Super Bowl, which was broadcast in America by Comcast’s NBC network
flight Serie A football league. Paying
less to show sport helped to increase its
adjusted earnings, however, by 71 per
cent to $622 million.
Sky’s advertising revenues rose
3.8 per cent to $596 million in the quar-
food chain lost $100 million because of
the likely hit to its supply chain after it
decided in early March to shut its
restaurants in Russia and Ukraine. It
also paid out $27 million for staff
salaries, leases and suppliers in the
region.
McDonald’s, which was one of the
first big western brands to enter Russia
after the fall of the Soviet Union, had
said previously that the closure of its
restaurants in Russia and Ukraine
would cost it $50 million a month, in-
became the first $3 trillion listed
business this year, before its share price
fell back.
Tim Cook, 61, its chief executive,
described a “strong customer response”
to its new products. Sales of the iPhone
increased by 5.5 per cent to $50.6 bil-
lion. “This quarter’s record results are a
testament to Apple’s relentless focus on
innovation and our ability to create the
best products and services in the
world,” he said.
Apple has broadened its focus
beyond hardware in recent years to
increasingly concentrate on software.
Its music, television and fitness sub-
scription platforms have been a key
source of growth, alongside revenue
ter, which it attributed to “overall
market improvement” in Britain. The
company’s total “customer relation-
ships” — accounts with at least one
broadband, TV or phone subscription
— fell by 106,000 to 22.9 million. “At
cluding lost revenue and wages pay-
ments. The Chicago-based company
has about 38,000 restaurants around
the world.
Total revenue in the three-month
period increased by 11 per cent to
$5.7 billion, beating analysts’ expecta-
tions for $5.6 billion.
Rising wages driven by a tight labour
market and soaring costs of ingredients
such as chicken and beef have forced
American restaurant chains to increase
prices, which have had little pushback
from its iCloud digital storage unit and
apps sold on the App Store.
Sales within Apple’s services division
surged by 17.2 per cent to $19.8 billion in
the quarter. The company now has
825 million paying subscribers, it said,
up by 40 million during the quarter.
Netflix, the world’s largest streaming
service, is braced to lose millions of sub-
scribers this year.
Apple recently acquired the rights to
show Major League Baseball games in
its first foray into live sports broad-
casting. Last month CODA, released on
Apple TV+, became the first film on a
streaming service to win the Best Pic-
ture award at the Oscars.
Apple, which has invested heavily in
ANDY LYONS/GETTY IMAGES)
Sky, we are pleased with our consis-
tently strong results in the UK and con-
tinued improvement in Germany and
Italy,” Brian Roberts, chairman and
chief executive of Comcast, said. The
year was “off to a great start”, he added.
from consumers so far. McDonald’s
investments in delivery services, digital
restaurant kiosks and drive-through
lanes have given it an edge over smaller
fast-food chains, which have been
forced to cut down on operating hours
amid staff shortages.
Global comparable sales rose 11.8 per
cent, as Covid restrictions were eased in
some overseas markets.
The shares were $7.06, or 2.9 per cent,
higher at $254.20 by the close in New
York last night.
2GM Friday April 29 2022 | the times
its supply chain in recent years, was hit
by global shortages in the second half of
2021. It moved to reassure the market
that demand remained robust and that
supply issues were likely to abate in the
early months of this year, but this was
before a surge in Covid-19 cases
prompted strict lockdowns in China,
disrupting production lines, and before
Russia had invaded Ukraine, which
prompted Apple to halt the sale of its
products in Russia.
Analysts had revised down forecasts
amid apprehension over the impact of
the rising costs of essentials from fuel to
food in key markets. They questioned
how well high-end products were likely
to sell as consumers felt the pinch.
Sale prompts
Twitter to
scrap targets
Callum Jones
Twitter has withdrawn all forecasts and
targets after its agreed $44 billion sale
to Elon Musk and as the social network
grapples with user “fluctuations”.
Shares in the group rose by 51 cents,
or 1 per cent, to close at $49.15 in New
York last night despite outlining a
muted first quarter, missing Wall
Street’s expectations for sales but
reporting a robust rise in activity on its
platform.
Twitter said, however, that it had
been overstating user numbers by
almost two million for about three
years, after discovering that a feature
enabling people to switch between
multiple accounts had caused it to
miscount. It restated the figures.
Revenue increased by 16 per cent to
$1.2 billion in the three months to the
end of March. Net income rose to
$513.3 million from $68 million, though
this was boosted by $970 million from
the sale of MoPub, its mobile advertis-
ing platform.
Since the quarter ended, Musk has
disclosed a 9 per cent stake in Twitter,
rejected a seat on its board and success-
fully pursued a $54.20-per-share take-
over bid to take it private. The world’s
richest man has suggested the platform
censors free speech and has pledged to
ensure it is politically neutral.
The group is scrutinising subsequent
shifts in the follower counts of promi-
nent accounts. Barack and Michelle
Obama, the Democratic former
president and first lady, have each lost
thousands of followers since Twitter
reached an agreement with Musk, 50,
this week. Republican figures such as
Marjorie Taylor Greene, the congress-
woman, and Ted Cruz, the senator,
have gained tens of thousands.
Twitter told NBC News: “While we
continue to take action on accounts
that violate our spam policy, which can
affect follower counts, these fluctua-
tions appear to largely be a result of an
increase in new account creation and
deactivation.”
In its earnings, the company said that
it would not provide “any forward-
looking guidance” and was shelving its
previous targets and projections as a
result of Musk’s pending takeover.
Twitter is based in San Francisco,
California, and runs one of the world’s
largest social networks. Musk runs
Tesla, the electric carmaker, and
SpaceX, the rockets and space explor-
ation business. He has a personal for-
tune of $240 billion, according to Forbes.
Twitter reported 229 million mone-
tisable daily active users by the end of
March, up 16 per cent on a year earlier.
the times | Friday April 29 2022
Harry Wallop
Companies encouraging their staff
‘‘
to keep active works for everybody
As a man, there’s
only one thing more
distressing at work
than finding your
boss at the next-
door urinal. It’s your boss doing
squats, while wearing really quite
skimpy running shorts, in the work
gym while you are trying to lift
weights. It’s humiliating for both
parties.
Trust me, I’ve been there. So the
idea of office-based exercise does not
fill me with enthusiasm. But I was
intrigued to read last week that East
Hampshire district council has given
its workers 30 minutes a week to
exercise during office hours.
The story, in this paper, was written
in a way that suggested we should be
if not outraged then at least
exasperated. Taxpayer-funded
workers doing zumba on our shilling.
Sure enough, one comment left by a
reader summed it all up: “Civil
servants are living up to their billing
as feckless wastrels.”
Now, it is possible — in many cases,
probable — that local councils are
staffed by people of limited
imagination, whose sole purpose in
life is to leave our potholes unmended
while implementing disastrously
planned low-traffic neighbourhoods.
But I am not sure that encouraging
these workers to take exercise during
office hours is necessarily the cause of
this incompetence.
Study after study has shown that
exercise is good for people. That’s not
controversial. Now, you may argue
that keeping fit is something that
should be done on people’s own time,
not funded by either shareholders or
the taxpayer. And in the days of nine
to five maybe that was true. But in the
new world, when work leaches into
every hour of the day, being allowed
to take some time out to go for a run
or do some yoga is not the same as
turning the office into a holiday camp.
Samsung got it in the neck this
week for airing an advert showing a
woman running through the streets of
a city at 2am, somehow suggesting it’s
liberating jogging down a terrifyingly
dark alleyway in the middle of the
night. The advert was stupid, but the
company was, in its own cack-handed
way, trying to acknowledge that few
of us have the luxury any more of
taking an undisturbed hour at the
start or end of the day just to
ourselves. Crucially, companies
investing in workers’ fitness makes
business sense. Back in 2010, the
Harvard Business Review undertook a
detailed survey of exercise in the
workplace and found that Johnson &
Johnson, the pharmaceuticals and
baby oil company, reckoned it made
back $2.71 in savings for every $1
invested in office healthcare.
Richard Milani and Carl Lavie, two
American cardiologists, took a
random sample of 185 employees (the
company was never revealed) and
put them on the sort of programme
given to people who have just had a
heart episode: gentle exercise, advice
about nutrition, help to quit smoking.
Of those at the start who were
considered to be at high
cardiovascular risk, 57 per cent ended
up being low risk after six months.
Importantly, they studied a control
group and none of them saw their
health improve. In the doctors’
estimate, for every $1 invested in
office-based healthcare, $6 was saved.
Of course, in America the incentive
for companies to spend money on
their employees’ health and
wellbeing is far more pressing,
because they don’t have the NHS. It
makes sense for a large organisation,
spending a fortune on workers’ health
insurance, to ensure that those
workers don’t have to take three
months off because they had a heart
attack after being stuck at their desk
eating doughnuts.
But just because we have the health
service to pick up the pieces (though,
frankly, have you tried getting a
doctor’s appointment for anything
non-urgent recently?), it doesn’t mean
employers should be abrogated of all
responsibility. Plenty of enlightened
companies go far further than East
Hants in insisting workers try to do
some exercise. Next month Deloitte,
the accountancy and consulting firm,
is implementing a day where all
meetings will be encouraged to be
undertaken while walking.
At DMSL, a network support
company jointly owned by all the big
mobile phone operators, workers are
given an hour every week to do
something active. They are told to put
it in the company calendar, which
ensures they are not disturbed during
that hour. On top of this, the workers
are encouraged to undertake various
challenges in any given week, such as
how many steps they do. These can
then be logged on a platform called
count.it, which allows all workers on
the company’s Slack channel to see
what everyone else has achieved. Last
week, apparently, it was to go outside
and take a springtime picture and
post it on the channel.
When Ben Roome, the boss, tells
me this over the phone, he obviously
can hear my eyes rolling in their
sockets. “I know that sounds terribly
primary school,” he says, but
emphasises that in a world where
most employees are now remote,
being part of something communal
makes sense. The active hour a week
can be anything from training for a
triathlon to doing some gardening. It’s
nice for the employees, but does it
benefit the company? Yes, says
Roome. “It’s enlightened self-interest.
They need to be happy and healthy.
Anxiety and stress are huge issues.”
I bridle at the idea that workplaces
should do communal exercises. After
all, this was a hallmark of Soviet
Russia, where shoe factories would
stop at 10am for every worker to do
gymnastics. But keeping fit is no
longer the luxury of the rich or
communists. And while I may not
’’
want to go walking, jogging or —
heaven forfend — squatting with my
fellow workers, many do. Even if only
remotely.
The benefit of doing it remotely, at
least, is that you are
spared the sight of
your boss and his
less-than-supportive
running shorts.
Harry Wallop is a consumer
journalist and broadcaster. Follow
him on Twitter @hwallop
41
Business
Fewer empty
shops after
reopening
of economy
Tom Howard
The number of empty shops in town
centres and shopping malls fell again in
the first three months of the year, but
there are still significantly more than
there were before the pandemic.
During the third lockdown early last
year, 14.5 per cent of the shops in Britain
lay empty, according to data compiled
by the British Retail Consortium and
the Local Data Company. That figure
dipped to 14.4 per cent towards the end
of 2021 and fell again to 14.1 per cent in
the first quarter of this year, according
to their latest report. The closures
include shops on high streets, in shop-
ping centres and on retail parks.
It is the first time since the spring of
2016 that the overall vacancy rate has
fallen in consecutive quarters and is the
biggest quarter-on-quarter decline
since the consortium started collecting
the data in 2015.
However, there are still far more
empty shops than there were before the
coronavirus outbreak began, when the
vacancy rate stood at about 12 per cent.
Helen Dickinson, chief executive of
the consortium, said the improvement
was because “the economy had fully re-
opened, with more city workers back in
the office and more tourists out on the
streets”. The BRC noted that there was
“uncertainty ahead”, given the surging
cost of living and the war in Ukraine,
which have contributed to depressing
consumer confidence to its lowest level
since the global financial crisis in 2008.
Vacancy rates at all types of retail
location improved in the first quarter.
Shopping centres have always had a
greater proportion of empty shops than
elsewhere, a trend exacerbated by the
pandemic. Just over two years ago,
about 14 per cent of the retail units in
Britain’s malls were unoccupied,
whereas 19 per cent of them are now.
However, that is down from 19.1 per
cent in December and from 19.4 per
cent last summer.
Vacancy rates on high streets fell to
14.1 per cent, having peaked at 14.5 per
cent in the second quarter of last year.
Retail parks remain the most popular
destination for retailers, with an aver-
age vacancy rate of 10.6 per cent, down
from 11.5 per cent a year ago.
The biggest fall in vacancy rates
came in the northeast, but at 18.8 per
cent it still has the highest proportion of
boarded-up stores in the country. In
London, the vacancy rate nudged up to
11.1 per cent from 11 per cent, although it
remains the region with the smallest
proportion of shuttered shops.
42 Friday April 29 2022 | the times

Business
Business
briefing
Stock markets across the world
remain volatile following
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Oil
and gas prices have been
spiralling, while British
companies are scrambling to
cope with the effects of soaring
costs. With the situation
changing by the hour, keeping
up to date is essential. Get the
latest news and market reaction
by 8am, and analysis at 12.30pm,
direct by email from the
Business Editor, Richard
Fletcher, and the
Business News Editor,
Martyn Strydom
Subscribers only
Sign up at
home.thetimes
.co.uk/myNews
Quartz deal
adds another
digital gizmo
Patrick Hosking
The business news website Quartz has
been sold to G/O Media, a digital media
group with a stable of specialist news
outlets targeted at fans of everything
from electronic gizmos to satirical
humour.
Jim Spanfeller, chief executive of
G/O Media, said the purchase would
add to “our already unparalleled port-
folio of sites that are beloved by readers
and embraced by advertisers”.
Quartz, he said, was “the digitally
native business news organisation
ranked No 1 for readership among
global executives between ages 25-45”
and would provide synergies with his
existing sites.
The New York-based Quartz was
founded in 2012. It was acquired by
Uzabase, a Tokyo-listed financial data
firm, in 2018 before being taken private
by Zach Seward, its founder and chief
executive, two years later. It provides
business news, tailored emails, pod-
casts and digital presentations to a
mostly young audience and claims to
help readers to discover new industries,
markets and ways of doing business
that are the most sustainable, innova-
tive and inclusive.
G/O’s sites include Gizmodo, which
specialises in technology and gadgets;
The Onion, a satirical website;
Jalopnik; a site for motor enthusiasts;
and The Root, which offers African-
American news and culture. Its web-
sites were formerly owned by Gawker
Media, which failed in 2016.
Seward will join G/O Media as
general manager and editor-in-chief of
Quartz after the deal becomes official. Price rises are
Katherine Bell, Quartz’s editor-in-chief
since January 2020, will continue as an
adviser to the site, G/O said. No lay-offs
cold comfort
are planned. Quartz generated
$11.1 million in revenue in 2021, down
as Unilever
from $12.3 million in the previous year,
according to The New York Times, faces inflation
which first reported the deal. Terms of
the purchase were not disclosed.

In time of turmoil, investors

turn towards St James’s Place
Patrick Hosking Financial Editor
The crisis in the cost of living and war in
Ukraine have not fazed the well-heeled
clients of St James’s Place, who handed
a net £2.91 billion of new business to the
wealth manager in the first three
months of this year.
The net inflow was the joint-highest
recorded by the wealth management
group for any single quarter, equalling
the final three months of 2021 and
beating the run-rate of £2.75 billion per
quarter achieved last year and £2.05 bil-
lion in 2020.
However, sliding markets in the
quarter, especially the United States,
offset the impact of inflows, leading to a
fall in total assets under management
to £151.25 billion, down from £154 bil-
lion three months earlier.
Andrew Croft, 57, chief executive,
said that the momentum of last year
had been maintained: “While the
landscape was significantly impacted
by the tragic events in Ukraine since
February, we continued to see high
levels of activity throughout the period
as advisers and clients sought ways of
mitigating the risks posed to long-term
financial planning by higher inflation
and macroeconomic and geopolitical
uncertainty,” he said. Croft added that
he was “comfortable” with analysts’
projections for the full year of net
inflows of £10.6 billion.
St James’s Place sells exclusive funds
to its 830,000 clients through more
than 4,500 self-employed financial
advisers. The Cirencester-based com-
pany is a member of the FTSE 100, with
a market value of more than £7 billion.
Its shares fell by 36½p, or 2.8 per cent, to
£12.78½ yesterday.
Analysts at Numis called it a “solid”
quarter, given the tougher market
backdrop. There was no apparent
weakness in March, they pointed out,
unlike at rivals such as Quilter.
Competition in wealth management
is seen to be hotting up as abr n buys
Interactive Investor for £1.49 billion,
Brewin Dolphin agrees to be bought by
Royal Bank of Canada for £1.6 billion
and JP Morgan Chase begins to com-
pete more in Britain after its purchase
of Nutmeg.
Schroders, the fund management
group, also reporting first-quarter
numbers yesterday, said that its total
assets under management had grown
by 2.8 per cent to £752.7 billion in the
three months to March 31. It gave no
data on flows.
the times | Friday April 29 2022
L
ifting the prices of
Magnums, Dove soap and
Knorr products has helped
to push up revenue at
Unilever as the consumer
goods group warns of
“unprecedented inflation” caused by
the war in Ukraine (Ashley
Armstrong writes).
Unilever recorded a 7.3 per cent
rise in underlying sales growth
Sainsbury’s to share shoppers’
pain with lower annual profit
Ashley Armstrong Retail Editor
The need to keep prices low for cash-
strapped consumers in an era of soaring
inflation is set to take its toll on profits
at J Sainsbury.
The supermarket chain said yester-
day that the investment required to
keep its food prices competitive amid
rising costs would mean that its under-
lying pre-tax profits this year would be
between £630 million and £690 mil-
lion. This is up to 13 per cent less than
the £730 million underlying pre-tax
profit that Sainsbury’s has reported for
the year to March 5.
Simon Roberts, its chief executive,
warned that the year ahead would be
affected “by significant external pres-
sures and uncertainties, including
higher operating and cost inflation and
cost-of-living pressures impacting cus-
tomers’ disposable incomes”.
Shares in J Sainsbury fell by 10¼p, or
4.3 per cent, to 228¾p, valuing the
business at £5.3 billion.
Britain’s second largest supermarket
during its first quarter — higher
than City expectations of 4.4 per
cent — but its figures revealed that
sales volumes, the amount that
customers actually buy, had fallen
by 1 per cent, with Unilever’s growth
coming from passing on cost rises to
shoppers and increasing prices by
8.3 per cent in the past three
months.
The FTSE 100 business, which
chain has a 15.3 per cent share of the
grocery market, according to latest
Kantar figures. It has 180,000 employ-
ees and about 1,400 stores.
Roberts said he expected lower food
sales this year as consumers started to
eat more meals out of the home as they
returned to workplaces and began
socialising again. The supermarket
estimated that the pandemic had
elevated its grocery sales by about
£100 million. Meanwhile, general
merchandise sales, which includes the
toys, electronics and furniture sold in its
Argos and Habitat businesses, are also
expected to suffer this year as incomes
become squeezed.
Group revenue for the year to
March 5 rose 2.9 per cent to £29.9 bil-
lion, while statutory pre-tax profits
jumped to £854 million, compared with
a £164 million loss last year amid lower
Covid costs and restructuring charges. It
benefited from £182 million of legal set-
tlements with payment card providers.
The group sales performance was
mixed, with full-year grocery sales
EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
employs 150,000 people, is still
repairing relations in the City after
investors were blindsided by its
failed £50 billion approach for
GlaxoSmithKline’s consumer unit.
However, yesterday’s news seemed
to go some way to easing the
pressure as its shares rose by 97½p,
or 2.7 per cent, to £36.75, valuing the
conglomerate at about £95 billion.
Shoppers are tightening their
slipping by 0.2 per cent amid tough
comparisons with last year and a weak
performance at Argos, where sales
were knocked by poor availability,
dragging the numbers down by 12.5 per
cent. Clothing sales were 12.7 per cent
higher and fuel sales rose by 60 per cent
compared with last year.
Online grocery sales have fallen to
13%
Forecast drop in pre-tax profits
Source: J Sainsbury
account for 15 per cent of total sales,
compared with 21 per cent last year as
shoppers returned to supermarkets.
Kevin O’Byrne, 57, the chief financial
officer, said that its online business was
still profitable because Sainsbury’s had
become more efficient, but it was still
significantly more profitable if custom-
ers visited stores themselves. Despite
noise around the rise of rapid grocery
Three Israeli soldiers share some
Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, a product
that has been in focus in Israel amid
a ban on its sale in certain territories
belts as incomes are squeezed by
rising fuel, energy and food bills,
prompting analysts to raise
concerns about Unilever’s reliance
on passing on higher prices. Recent
industry figures from Kantar have
shown that shoppers have started to
switch to discount retailers and to
cheaper supermarket-own brands.
However, Alan Jope, 57, Unilever’s
chief executive, said Unilever “is not
losing share to private label. We are
working hard every day to minimise
the levels of price increases.”
Unilever is facing inflationary
pressures, with some of its fixed
costs — such as raw ingredients,
shipping, transport, packaging and
manufacturing — doubling or
tripling in price. Palm oil, fuel and
energy have been in particular
focus since Russia’s invasion of
Ukraine. Unilever said that it
expected €2.1 billion of input cost
inflation in the first half of the year,
rising to €2.7 billion in the second
half.
Graeme Pitkethly, 55, its chief
financial officer, said Unilever was
passing on only 65 per cent of the
higher costs to consumers, with
inflation in its European markets at
5 per cent compared with 10 per
cent in emerging markets. Unilever
said that operating margins would
now be at the bottom of its 16 per
cent to 17 per cent profit range and
it expected to restore this through
“pricing, mix and savings” in the
next two years.
The company has faced intense
scrutiny after the refusal of its Ben
& Jerry’s brand to sell its ice cream
in Israeli settlements in the
occupied West Bank and East
Jerusalem, prompting some
American pension funds to
withdraw investment from the
business. Jope said Unilever’s
association with Ben & Jerry would
remain “unchanged” until the
relationship agreement was up for
renewal at the end of this year and
that the business was still working
on a “solution”.
companies such as Gorillas, GoPuff and
Getir, Roberts said that Sainsbury’s
entire “on-demand” service — which
includes its own one-hour Chop Chop
service and partnerships with Deliveroo
and Uber Eats across 500 stores — had
generated sales equivalent to only two
of its superstores.
Since Roberts, 51, took over as chief
executive in June 2020, he has focused
on making food the priority for the
supermarket, shutting lossmaking
Argos high street stores, stripping out
counters and investing in lowering
prices through its Aldi Price Match and
Nectar Prices, which has helped to
address customer perceptions that it is
the most expensive of the sector’s “Big
Four” that also comprises Tesco, Asda
and Morrisons.
Roberts said yesterday that Sains-
bury’s had “a clear long-term focus on
keeping prices low”.
Sainsbury’s has increased its dividend
to 9.9p, bringing the final dividend to
13.1p-a-share, almost a quarter higher
than last year.
43
Business
BT transfers
consumer
call to EE
Alex Ralph
The BT brand is to be dialled down as
the telecoms group favours EE as its
“flagship” consumer name.
BT, created as British Telecom in
1980 when it was part of the Post Office,
was privatised in 1984 and adopted the
BT corporate brand in 1991. Now it
plans to focus on marketing EE for
bundled and future services.
Marc Allera, head of BT’s consumer
brands, said that BT and EE would no
longer “both take centre stage”. He
wrote in a blog post that the “explosion”
in the number of internet-connected
household devices was making con-
sumers’ digital lives “more complex,
with multiple networks, services, plat-
forms and hardware needing to be
joined together in easier ways for them”.
The changes come amid an industry
race to build new, faster full-fibre
broadband networks, greater competi-
tion after the merger of the Virgin
Media and O2 businesses in the UK
and signs of more consolidation in the
telecoms market. BT, which has about
25 million broadband, phone, TV and
landline customers, acquired EE, Brit-
ain’s largest mobile phone network, for
£12.5 billion in 2016. EE was formed by
the 2012 merger of Orange, of France,
and T-Mobile, of Germany.
The BT brand is not being retired, re-
taining a role for standalone broadband
and landline services, and it remains
the flagship brand for services to the
public sector and wholesale customers.
The BT Sport name also stays.
Shares in BT fell 2¼p, or 1.2 per cent,
to close at 179¼p last night.
Samsung’s
chips are in
high demand
Louisa Clarence-Smith
The world’s biggest chipmaker
reported record quarterly revenue yes-
terday, but warned of the risk of infla-
tion dampening consumer confidence.
Samsung Electronics, which also
makes smartphones, televisions and
home appliances, said its first-quarter
results had been boosted by companies
investing more in IT infrastructure and
by cloud companies expanding invest-
ments in growth areas such as artificial
intelligence and machine learning.
However, Han Jin-man, executive
vice-president of Samsung’s memory
chip business, warned that there were
“still some parts supply issues, which
could lead to disruptions”.
The South Korean consumer elec-
tronics group forecast weaker demand
for phone and computer chips in the
three months to the end of June as
consumer confidence is eroded by
rising inflation.
It reported a 51 per cent rise in operat-
ing profit to 14.1 trillion won (£8.9 bil-
lion) for the three months to the end of
March, Samsung’s highest first-quarter
profit since 2018. It achieved record rev-
enue of 77.78 trillion won. Profits have
been supported by its focus on selling
more high-margin memory products.
Prices are likely to rise further amid a
global chip shortage.
Shares in Samsung have fallen by
about 17 per cent since the start of
the year. They dipped by a further
0.3 per cent yesterday.
44 Friday April 29 2022 | the times

Business

T
Radical surgery
isn’t on agenda,
Enterprise
Network says latest boss
Musk’s ace card Alex Ralph
S4 Capital’s Sir The new chief executive of Smith &
Nephew said yesterday that he would
Martin Sorrell tackles stick with a strategy that was revamped
Elon Musk on his shortly before he was approached for
the role.
rationale for buying Deepak Nath — who will lead the
British-based medical equipment
Twitter company from the United States, its
biggest market — said that he sup-
ported plans set out by his predecessor
Rocky recovery in December and that “execution of the
strategy is of paramount importance”
Small businesses had now.
double-digit revenue Nath, 50, who took charge at the
start of the month, is a former
growth last month president of Siemens Healthineers’
diagnostics business. He is the FTSE
but remain below 100 company’s third chief executive in
pre-pandemic levels quick succession. His appointment was
announced in February and he has
new data shows replaced Roland Diggelmann, 55, a
former non-executive who in turn had
taken over from Namal Nawana, 51,
If I can do it… after his sudden departure in October
2019 after only 18 months in the role
Ed Jenner, co-founder amid a disagreement over pay.
Nath’s comments came alongside a
of the recruiter Scout, positive first-quarter trading update for
thereafter”. Yesterday Nath talked
down making changes to Smith &
Nephew’s franchise structure. He said
he had reviewed the strategy and
believed “strongly that there is very
significant opportunity in the portfolio
that we’ve got”.
Trading has been disrupted since the
coronavirus pandemic began, with
healthcare systems worldwide priori-
tising Covid patients, leading to a large
backlog of elective cases and pent-up
demand.
Supply chain issues have hindered
the company further. It had warned in
November that disruptions could have
an impact well into this year, an
announcement accompanied by a
warning that third-quarter trading was
weaker than expected.
Nath said that improvements to
internal supply problems were on track,
such as at the company’s orthopaedics
manufacturing site in Memphis, Ten-
nessee, although it was “not completely Glencore reduced its
out of the woods”. However, global guidance for copper
supply chain challenges “outside of our
control” remained volatile and were
production as part of
wider setbacks in its
expected to continue for the remainder
of the year.
mining operations

lost his first business the period to April 2, aided by a rebound
in elective surgeries. Underlying reve-
when the pandemic nue rose by 5.9 per cent to $1.3 billion,
hit and he suffered above a 2.8 per cent rise forecast by City
analysts, and Smith & Nephew reiter-
from self-doubt. His ated its full-year guidance. The update
lifted the shares by 43½p, or 3.4 per cent,
new venture expects to £13.12.
Smith & Nephew is based in Watford,
sales of £4m this year north of London, and employs about
Toward the end of last year Smith &
Nephew struggled with a shortage of of the year at their levels of the first
resin for its wound management quarter, then adjusted annual
products and microchips for its sports
medicines franchise.
Traders ride earnings for its marketing division
would “comfortably” exceed its
Nath said he did not plan to relocate
to Britain and would lead the company
storms to long-term guidance range of up to
$3.2 billion.
from America, which accounts for half
boost profits Prices of commodities including
Smith & Nephew’s revenues and where oil, gas, metals and agricultural
most of its employees are based. “I will products leapt after Russia invaded

18,000 people in more than 100 coun-
tries. It is valued at about £11.5 billion
Sign up now for The and is known for its knee and hip
replacement business.
Times Enterprise In December, it announced a
Network’s weekly strategy update that included a new
newsletter for tips and mid-term financial performance target
of 4 per cent to 6 per cent organic
insight from Britain’s revenue growth by 2024, “ahead of
leading entrepreneurs historical levels”, and an aim to rebuild
thetimes.co.uk/ten its trading margin to at least 21 per cent
by 2024, “with further improvements
be maintaining a significant and visible
presence in the UK given that we are a
UK-based company,” he said, adding
that he remained committed to the
British business.
Diggelmann was based in Switzer-
land, where the company’s Europe,
Middle East and Africa headquarters is
based. The board, led by Roberto
Quarta, the chairman, 72, conducted a
global search for a new chief executive
but preferred a US-based leader.
G
lencore’s traders cashed
in on supply shortages
and extreme volatility in
commodity markets
after Russia’s invasion of
Ukraine to deliver a bumper
performance in the first quarter
(Emily Gosden writes).
The FTSE 100 trading and mining
group said that if its traders’
performance continued for the rest
Ukraine. Gary Nagle, 47, Glencore’s
chief executive, said its “marketing
activities were supported by tight
physical market conditions and
periods of extreme market
volatility”. Analysts at RBC are now
forecasting annual earnings of
$3.8 billion for the division.
Shares in Glencore rose by 3¾p,
or 0.8 per cent, to 483½p yesterday.
The company said that mining
the times | Friday April 29 2022
6 Gazprom, the Russian gas giant,
reported record profits of
2.09 trillion roubles ($29 billion)
last year, compared with 135 billion
roubles previously. The state-
controlled company said that it
expected its gas output to decline
by about 4 per cent this year as a
result of sanctions placed on Russia
by the United States and the
European Union in response to the
invasion of Ukraine.
operations in the first three months
had been hit by coronavirus-related
absences in Australia, including at
its Mount Isa zinc mine, and by
technical challenges at its Katanga
copper and cobalt mine in the
Insurer reassures investors
over Ukraine war damage
Patrick Hosking Financial Editor
A Lloyd’s of London insurer has warned
of losses from the Ukraine war of
$20 million to $30 million this year, but
has soothed shareholders’ nerves by
suggesting it does not see a huge imme-
diate hit from aircraft trapped in Russia.
As a leading insurer to aircraft
leasing companies, Lancashire is seen
as vulnerable if it cannot take back
ownership of commercial aircraft
leased to Russian carriers. Moscow has
said it will introduce new laws making it
illegal for jets to be handed back. An
estimated 450 western-owned aircraft
worth $10 billion are trapped in Russia.
The Bermuda-based, FTSE 250 com-
pany said that any potential losses from
Russia’s war in Ukraine would be “with-
in our risk tolerances” and would not
affect its ability to deliver on its growth
plans this year.
Iain Pearce, at Credit Suisse, said that
“while we are far from out of the woods
PER-ANDERS PETTERSSON/GETTY IMAGES
Democratic Republic of Congo. It
reduced its full-year guidance for
copper by 3 per cent and cobalt by
6 per cent. It cut its outlook for zinc
production by 9 per cent.
However, it increased its
guidance for nickel and
ferrochrome production by 3 per
cent, reflecting a continued strong
performance at its Koniambo mine
in New Caledonia.
Most of the other big miners
reported tough first quarters and
the effects of Covid-related
absences. RBC analysts said that
Glencore had made “no mention of
cost inflation, but we expect that
the pressures impacting elsewhere
in the industry will also be
impacting Glencore”.
on potential claims scenarios, the
$20 million to $30 million provides
some comfort in our view”, adding that
the figure was “somewhat reassuring”.
With Lancashire’s loss budget of
$150 million for 2022, there was still a
large buffer, reducing the risk it would
need to raise fresh capital, he said. Lan-
cashire reported a strong solvency ratio
of 255 per cent as at December 31.
Gross premiums written increased
by 34 per cent in the three months to
March to $477.9 million.
Alex Maloney, 48, Lancashire’s chief
executive, said: “We continue to moni-
tor events across Ukraine and Russia
with respect to potential exposure to
losses in our political violence, aviation
war and marine insurance classes, as
well as our aviation and specialty re-
insurance classes.”
Shares in Lancashire Holdings
surged by as much as 12 per cent after
the announcement and closed up
6.3 per cent, or 25p, at 423½p last night.
Whitbread shares recovery
with payout to its investors
Dominic Walsh
A confident Whitbread has resumed
dividend payments a year earlier than
expected with a £70 million share-
holder payout.
News of the 34.7p final dividend
came as the Premier Inn operator
continued to outperform the sector as
independent operators quit the British
market at three times the usual level.
Having outperformed its mid-scale
and economy rivals by 14.8 percentage
points for the year to March 3, Whit-
bread has since increased the margin
over its competitors to 28.3 points.
Although the first half of the 12-
month period was affected by Covid
restrictions, in the second half accom-
modation sales in the UK were 12.5 per
cent ahead of pre-pandemic levels and
up 7.5 per cent on a like-for-like basis.
This helped the company to swing from
a statutory pre-tax loss of £1 billion in
2020 to a profit of £58.2 million on
revenues up 189 per cent to £1.7 billion.
Adjusted pre-tax losses narrowed from
£635 million to £15.8million.
Alison Brittain, 57, chief executive,
said that the FTSE 100 company had
recovered “exceptionally well”, with
sales in the fourth quarter remaining
resilient in the face of the Omicron
coronavirus variant.
Although cost inflation was expected
to reach 8 per cent to 9 per cent this
year, up £15 million on the third quarter
because of the impact of the war in
Inchcape beats forecasts Higher prices
despite exit from Russia and sales are
Tom Howard
Profits at Inchcape will be bigger than
expected this year despite having
disposed of its lucrative Russian busi-
ness, which the motor dealer has sold
back to the local management team.
In the opening three months of
2022, Inchcape’s revenues were up
6 per cent to £1.8 billion. The company
has benefited from people spending
lockdown savings on big-ticket items
such as cars, the prices of which have
surged because a shortage of computer
chips has reduced production volumes.
Those trends had continued this year,
Inchcape said, with “demand ahead of
supply and high margins”.
Because of the “great start to 2022”,
bosses have predicted profits of about
£300 million this year, even excluding
any contribution from Russia. City
analysts had thought that Inchape
would turn a profit of just shy of
£300 million including the Russian
business, which generated £47 million
last year. The new guidance is 25 per
cent above last year’s profits, excluding
Russia.
“Our performance was driven by a
combination of robust consumer
demand and price-mix tailwinds
against the backdrop of continuing
supply shortages,” Duncan Tait, 56, the
chief executive, said. “This was evident
in both new and used vehicles, while
our aftermarket business also per-
formed well. New vehicle order books
across many of our markets continue to
be at record levels.”
The company said in March that
owning its Russian business, which sells
BMW, Range Rovers, Toyotas and
Volvos, was “no longer tenable”
because of the war in Ukraine. It has
Whitbread’s pub-restaurants include
the Beefeater and Table Table brands
Ukraine on utility and food costs,
Brittain said a three-year cost-saving
programme was being extended by a
year to 2025, raising total savings to
£140 million.
Whitbread was founded by Samuel
Whitbread as a brewery in 1742, but it
sold its beer business in 1999. Today it
has about 880 hotels in Britain, Ger-
many and the Middle East. It also runs
about 400 pub restaurants, mainly
alongside its 840 UK hotels. The group
said that over the present year it would
be adding between 1,500 and 2,000 new
rooms in Britain and 2,000 to 2,500
rooms in Germany.
Asked about a Sunday Times report
that the company had started working
sold that division to the local manage-
ment team for £63 million, which will
be paid off over five years. Inchcape said
that it had “no intention” of re-entering
the Russian market.
Inchcape shares rose on the back of
the trading update to close up last night
by 42½p, or 6.4 per cent, at 708½p after
the stock’s best session in almost two
months.
The listed Inchcape group is the
global automotive distribution rump of
the old Inchcape trading empire, which
had grown out of a company first listed
in London in 1862 as the British India
Steam Navigation Company. The
modern Inchcape is known for its deal-
erships in Britain, which sell several
£300m
Inchcape’s predicted profits this year,
exceeding analysts’ forecasts
marques, including BMW, Jaguar Land
Rover and Mercedes.
However, three quarters of its
earnings come from its distribution
business, which works with car manu-
facturers to ship, market, sell and ser-
vice their vehicles to smaller markets
such as Romania, Ethiopia and Guam.
Its most recent expansion has been to
Chile, where it will distribute Porsches,
Volvos and Range Rovers, and Tait said
that the company was “excited about
the growth prospects for Chile and the
Americas region overall”.
In total, Inchcape operates in 40
countries worldwide, although it is no
longer in Russia.
Tempus, page 46
45
Business
on succession planning for Brittain, she
said: “I’m committed to delivering the
current business performance because
it is outstanding and I would certainly
want to be associated with the recovery
as we go forward.
“Secondly, I won’t be a CEO again so
I’m not going to be rushing out the
door, because I am going to be retiring
at some point. But that retirement will
come at a time that suits both me and
Whitbread.”
Analysts were impressed by the
trading numbers, with Jamie Rollo,
at Morgan Stanley, describing the
30 per cent jump in UK accommo-
dation sales in the past seven weeks as
“exceptional”. He said Whitbread had
beaten consensus forecasts “on every
line”, while the dividend was bigger
than expected and had come a year
earlier than forecast.
In Germany the company has 37
Premier Inns, with another 41 in the
pipeline, although with Covid having
been a big headwind the group is now
expecting losses this year of £60 million
to £70 million.
Total UK food and drinks sales were
31 per cent down year-on-year in the
second half and, while there had been
some improvement, the company said
that the value-for-money pub and
restaurant sector in which it operated
remained behind pre-Covid levels.
Whitbread shares rose 118p, or
4.3 per cent, to close at £28.75.
Tempus, page 46
ideal package
Louisa Clarence-Smith
DS Smith expects to report higher
annual profits as cost inflation is offset
by growth in sales and by higher prices.
The FTSE 100 packaging group
yesterday forecast annual adjusted
operating profit for the year to the end
of this month of between £605 million
and £615 million, against £502 million a
year earlier. The company anticipates
reporting at least a 5 per cent growth in
sales of its corrugated cardboard boxes
for the year.
However, it is planning to take a
one-off £30 million charge to account
for losses from its investment in a
Ukrainian business.
DS Smith was founded in 1940 as a
box manufacturer by two cousins, both
named Smith. It listed in the late 1950s
and grew rapidly, including through
acquisitions. The company now oper-
ates in 34 countries and employs about
30,000 people. As well as owning and
operating pulp and paper mills and
cardboard packaging factories, it is one
of Europe’s biggest recyclers of fibre-
based packaging materials, which it
uses in its own products and sells to
third parties.
Allan Smylie, an analyst at Davy, the
broker, said: “The key takeaway from
DS Smith’s pre-close statement is the
ability to successfully manage unprece-
dented cost inflation. Looking into [the
next financial year], we expect another
year of material box price increases
that should more than compensate
higher costs against a reasonably
benign volume backdrop.”
The shares closed almost 2p, or
0.6 per cent, higher at 325½p.
46 Friday April 29 2022 | the times

Business Markets
William Kay Tempus news in brief
Buy, sell or hold: today’s best share tips
London law firms wary
Unpredictable market conditions

Premier attraction in return to normal

are dissuading law firms from
floating in London, the boss of a
listed legal practice said as it
unveiled a rise in pre-tax profit of
more than 50 per cent to
£9.1 million. James Knight, chief
whitbread booking British hotels for later in the executive of Keystone Law, which
Staying the course year. Meanwhile, the financial was listed in 2017 with a valuation
Market cap Revenue (2021) squeeze is taking a small but of £50 million, said law firms were
£5.7bn £1.7bn Share price Booked and stayed average
£36 room rate
significant number of independently nervous of going public “because
owned hotels out of the market. the market is not for the faint-

T
he stock market was taken Q1 v fiscal year 2020 German Premier Inns are still hearted”. Partners at Mishcon de
aback by the results from 34 lossmaking because the country was Reya voted in favour of floating
Whitbread for the year to Airports 7% slower out of Covid restrictions, but in September, but now blame
March 3. After weeks of for that reason Brittain sees that “volatile market conditions” for
news of low growth and 32 Cities and major territory as the big growth engine, delaying the offering.
high inflation, it was a shock to hear towns
9% with its 37 hotels an important
a story of relentless optimism from a platform for future expansion. Confidence levels out
company in the budget hotels 30 She is also extending the Premier
Central London -3%
business. But is it sustainable? brand down and upmarket. While Business confidence remained
Statutory revenues were 28 Inner and outer Zip hotels offer a small room, a steady at 33 per cent in April
£1.7 billion, 189 per cent up on last 9% simple stay and charge only £19 a after a significant drop of 11
London
year’s £589.4 million and not that far night or so, Hub fluffs up the pillows points in March, according to the
short of the £2.07 billion of two Towns and a little and throws in a smart TV. latest Lloyds Bank Business
Source: Refinitiv

years ago. Pre-tax profit was
£58.2 million, compared with a
£1 billion loss a year ago and a
£280 million profit in 2020. However,
the latest profit included
£126.5 million of Covid-related UK
government support, albeit down
from £260.3 million a year ago.
Similar German support was
£44.3 million compared with
£11.8 million the year before.
The profit, therefore, was not
entirely unaided, but the numbers
are clearly heading in the right
direction. According to Alison
Brittain, the chief executive: “Our
operational performance throughout
the year was outstanding. The
summer, in particular, saw very high
levels of demand in our hotels, with
many continuously at full
occupancy.”
Whitbread has transformed itself
in the past two decades, from a
inchcape
Market cap Revenue (2021)
£2.5bn £1.8bn
2021
Q2 Q3
ADVICE Buy
WHY A well-managed way
to benefit from a return to
post-Covid normality
brewer dating back to the 18th
century, then a business that struck
out into coffee shops and other
ventures and now streamlined into
the operator of Premier Inn budget
hotels with pub restaurant brands
such as Beefeater, Thyme and
Cookhouse + Pub. Apart from a small
joint venture in the Middle East, it
trades entirely in Britain and
Germany. Demand is split evenly
having amid problems in their supply
chains and a continuing flow of sick
notes. While new car volumes are
still 20 per cent to 25 per cent below
2019 levels, orders remain at record
26 8%
motorway
Seaside and
2022
24 tourist
Q4 Q1 Q2
between business and leisure
customers.
Brittain, 57, who has said that she
will step down in the next year or so,
sensibly declines to look beyond a
buoyant start to the new financial
year. But she believes there is more
than the obvious element of recovery
in the reported figures, pointing out
that they were 29 per cent above pre-
Covid levels on a like-for-like basis.
The company may be a sweet spot
between leisure and business traffic
reviving in the UK and Germany
and people starting to look to
Mediterranean and American
holidays and sales trips around the
Continent. Indeed, it is already
detecting foreign holidaymakers
cash, and we are confident in the
medium-term outlook”. For the three
months to the end of March, revenue
was 6 per cent up on a year ago,
indeed by 9 per cent at constant
Premier is also following the Hyatt Barometer. Confidence is still
formula of devoting whole floors to above the long-term historical
20% quiet rooms with add-ons. average of 28 per cent, but
Restaurant sales, 25 per cent of total present confidence is also at the
sales and as yet a tiny proportion of lowest since last summer. The
profit, are lagging but should catch proportion of businesses planning
up. In the longer term, Brittain says to increase their prices continues
Whitbread is looking to take the to rise, with nearly six out of ten
Premier Inn formula around Europe. anticipating higher prices for
As a sign of confidence, their products or services.
Whitbread has resumed dividends a
year earlier than expected. It is a Insolvencies soar
token 34.7p a share, for a yield of
only 1.3 per cent, but shareholders Company insolvencies in
can look forward to increases in England and Wales rose to their
future. German losses may double to highest since 2012 in the first
£60 million to £70 million this year, three months of this year after
thanks to the costs of further the end of emergency Covid
expansion, but Morgan Stanley is support measures, while
forecasting £210 million group profits individual insolvencies were up
for this year and a price-earnings 14 per cent at 32,305, the highest
ratio of 19. That looks value for level since 2018. The latest figures
money in what will still be a volatile from the Insolvency Service show
climate. that 4,896 companies became
insolvent in the first quarter of
2022, up from 4,615 in the last
guarantee that President Putin will quarter of 2021 and double the
let the money leave the country. number a year earlier.
There will be other problems, not
least that governments might try to Energy bill help to rise
restrict car use for environmental

I
nchcape is another company that
seems to have defied the
prevailing economic weather, in
its case with an upbeat trading
statement and the expectation of a
25 per cent profits rise to at least
£300 million for 2022.
Like Whitbread, there is a strong
post-Covid catch-up flavour to the
multinational car dealer’s report for
the first quarter of 2022, but
Inchcape is driven not by a
resurgence of demand but by the
difficulty manufacturers have been
levels. exchange rates and 13 per cent and other reasons, but Inchcape’s The government has promised
Inchcape has shed its once- excluding acquisitions. affluent customers should be able to increased support with high
sprawling ragbag of colonial trading Continuing supply hold-ups will shrug that off. Jefferies sees the electricity costs for energy-
entities to slim down into the motor continue well into 2023, boosting shares trading on 10.9 times earnings intensive businesses such as steel
business, with a few JCB diggers on profits over the medium term. and a 3.7 per cent yield. That does and paper manufacturers. The
the side. While it handles Toyota, Inchcape also will be able to feed off not appear to discount the potential. business department said that the
Volvo and Subaru, most of its acquisitions such as Ditec in Chile. Energy Intensive Industries
marques are of the BMW, Mercedes, And that is without allowing for the Compensation Scheme — worth
Jaguar and Porsche ilk. growth of electric and autonomous ADVICE Buy about £127 million a year —
Duncan Tait, 56, the chief vehicles. WHY Company is well placed would more than double and
executive, argues that “the strength The company has extricated itself would be extended for three
of our business model and financial from Russia with a £63 million to benefit from continuing years. It also will be extended to
position means Inchcape is well management buyout. That is payable strong demand for cars provide support for companies
placed to grow profits and generate over five years, but there is no that manufacture electric vehicle
batteries.

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re-distributed; is not warranted to be accurate, complete or timely; and does not constitute May 505.90-503.20
May 1193.00-1190.00 Aug 1029.25-1025.25 Aug 527.40-527.10 Aug 496.20-495.20
Paris Morningstar Long Commodity 677.16 (+5.72) investment advice. Tradeweb is not responsible for any loss or damage that might result Jun 1142.00-1141.50 Sep 1001.25-998.50 Oct 519.70-517.80 Oct 519.70-517.80
CAC-40 6508.14 (+62.88) Morningstar Long/Short Commod 4703.45 (+27.75) from the use of this information. Jul 1080.50-1080.25 Volume: 569942 Dec 516.50-507.30 Volume: 57327
the times | Friday April 29 2022 47

Markets Business
WASHINGTON ALVES/REUTERS

Grainger ‘is safe as houses

amid rising interest rates’
Jessica Newman Market report

W
ith the prospect of
further interest rate support services
rises dampening the
attractiveness of
housebuilders,
Citigroup decided it was time to
Investors lured by Vp sale plan
reaffirm its faith in the private rented

A
sector and the bank’s analysts n equipment highly satisfied by the
suggested that its clients buy shares in rental specialist continuing strong
Britain’s biggest residential landlords. put itself up for performance of the
In particular, they highlighted sale yesterday, group.
Grainger, which has more than 9,000 sending its shares “But they do have
rental properties, as being set to sharply higher. to take into account
benefit from higher mortgage rates. Vp, formerly known their current and
Aakanksha Anand and her team as Vibroplant, said future obligations to
argued that Grainger’s portfolio of that its controlling my family as a whole.”
private rented homes historically had shareholder had The company,
outperformed growth in British indicated that it founded in 1954 and
private rents, adding that there would wished to explore Vp’s leading investor floated in 1973, said it
be an opportunity for Grainger to options for disposing has decided to sell its was not currently in
investors with its standards for dam increase its market share as the of all of its shares. controlling stake talks with any
SEC suing environmental, social safety, the SEC said. Ackers P potential suitors and
and governance The disaster also Investment, which is investments, but had not yet received
Vale over disclosures from 2016 caused “immeasurable Wall Street report connected to Jeremy added that the sale of any offers for the
onwards. environmental and Pilkington, Vp’s its stake in VP “does business.
dam disaster The dam holding social harm” and led to US economic contraction did not chairman, holds just not in any way reflect Rothschild & Co
mining waste at Vale’s more than $4 billion in dent confidence. The Dow Jones over half the a dissatisfaction with has been appointed by

T
he US Securities Córrego do Feijão losses to Vale’s market industrial average rose 614.46 points, company’s shares the company or its Vp to advise on the
and Exchange mine in Brumadinho capitalisation. or 1.9 per cent, to 33,916.39, and the Pilkington 71, said direction . . . Indeed, sale process.
Commission is burst in January 2019, “While taking full of S&P 500 was up 103.54 points, or that Ackers P they are strongly Shares in Vp closed
suing Vale, the unleashing a wave of advantage of the 2.5 per cent, at 4,287.50. The Nasdaq Investment wished to supportive of up 120p, or 14.6 per
Brazilian iron ore toxic mining waste that capital markets in the rose 3.1 per cent to 12,871.53. diversify its management and cent, at 940p.
miner, for allegedly crushed a Vale dining United States, Vale
making false and hall and destroyed committed securities
misleading disclosures countryside near by. fraud by intentionally amount of small private landlords in Standard Chartered, though, was the 15½p, or 5.4 per cent, to 301½p, while
about the safety of its “Vale denies the concealing the risks the build-to-rent sector was getting, star performer in the Footsie, adding the latter, formerly known as Draper
dams before a disaster SEC’s allegations, that one of its older well, smaller. 68p, or 14.2 per cent, to 547½p, after Esprit, added 22½p, or 3.3 per cent, to
in 2019 that killed 270 including the and more dangerous The analysts flagged that the the emerging markets lender reported 704p. Grafton Group, the building
people. allegation that it dams, the Brumadinho company’s main tenant group of first-quarter profits that were better materials distributor and DIY retailer,
The regulator violated US law in its dam, might collapse,” young professionals also looked set to than expected. Spectris, the precision ticked up 28p, or 2.9 per cent, to 981p
accused Vale of security filings,” the the regulator said. grow, with another cohort of instrumentation and controls after it unveiled a £100 million share
manipulating dam company said. The SEC’s complaint, university graduates soon to be on the company that abandoned its buyback and a solid statement update.
safety audits, obtaining Vale, one of the filed in federal court in hunt for a place to live. Investors were proposed £1.7 billion takeover of Not all updates were appetising:
fraudulent stability world’s largest New York, charged suitably convinced and the shares Oxford Instruments, a smaller rival, J Sainsbury stumbled 10¼p, or 4.3 per
certificates and producers of iron ore, Vale with violating rose 8½p, or 2.9 per cent, to 302¾p. last month, jumped to a two-month cent, to 228¾p amid warnings about
misleading local allegedly knew for anti-fraud and London’s wider stock market was high after it reported a rise in sales in inflation. Weaker commodities prices
governments, years that the dam did reporting provisions of driven higher by a flurry of strong the first quarter. The shares closed up led London’s miners lower, including
communities and not meet recognised US securities laws. corporate updates. The FTSE 100 244p, or 9.2 per cent, at £29.12. Anglo American, which gave up 54p,
improved 83.58 points, or 1.1 per cent, Shares in Telecom Plus powered or 1.5 per cent, to £34.53½, and
The day’s biggest movers to 7,509.19 and the FTSE 250, up, too, as investors celebrated a big Fresnillo, the Mexican precious
weighted more heavily to companies rise in customer numbers. The gas-to- metals specialist, which retreated
Company Change focused on the domestic economy, broadband utility company said its 28¾p, or 3.6 per cent, to 765p, having
Standard Chartered Encouraging quarterly profits 14.2% rose 181.85 points, or 0.9 per cent, to customer base had grown by 10.8 per reported a sharp fall in gold output
Spectris Positive quarterly update 9.2% 20,619.62. cent to 728,680 in the year to the end earlier in the week.
Network International Holdings Extends gains after recent quarterly update 7.0% Bargain-hunters took punts on of March. The shares, settling at a On the Aim, shares in City Pub
Telecom Plus Rise in customer numbers 6.9% Aveva’s shares after they fell sharply nine-year high, rose 106p, or 6.9 per Group rose a further 7½p, or 9 per
Aveva Recovers some losses after Wednesday’s plunge 6.8% to a near-three-year low this week, cent, to £16.36. Other big movers in cent, to 91½p after two of the group’s
Fresnillo Positive sentiment dries up -3.6%
recovering 130p, or 6.8 per cent, to the mid-caps were Synthomer and top brass snapped up shares worth
Weir Plans to wind down Russian business -3.7%
Playtech Strikes sixth-month low -4.1% £20.54. The industrial software group Molten Ventures, which also boasted £120,750. The group has promised to
J Sainsbury Profit warning -4.3% had warned of slowing revenue positive updates. Shares in reinstate its dividend after a strong
Tyman Follow-through disposals after last week’s sell-off -4.4% growth for this financial year. Synthomer, the polymer maker, rose year of trading.

Gold/Precious Money rates % Dollar rates Exchange rates

London Grain Futures metals (US dollars per ounce) Base Rates Clearing Banks 0.75 ECB Refi -0.50 US Fed Fd 0.00-0.25 Australia
Canada
1.4110-1.4111
1.2822-1.2823
Bid Change
LIFFE Wheat (close £/t) Because of a technical issue, the gold fix Halifax Mortgage Rate 3.59 Denmark 7.0892-7.0897 Australia $ 1.758
prices are from Wednesday. Euro 0.9525-0.9526 Canada $ 1.597 -0.01
May 332.50 Jul unq Nov 303.25 Denmark Kr 8.803 -0.04
Treasury Bills (Dis) Buy: 1 mth 0.330; 3 mth 0.799. Sell: 1 mth 0.200; 3 mth 0.580 Hong Kong 7.8462-7.8466
Jan unq Mar unq Volume: 752 Bullion: Open $1885.53
Japan 131.01-131.02 Euro ¤ 1.183 -0.01
Close $1885.86-1886.03 High $1893.74 Malaysia 4.3600-4.3650 Hong Kong $ 9.761 -0.05
London Metal Exchange 1 mth 2 mth 3 mth 6 mth 12 mth
Low $1872.90 Norway 9.4127-9.4187 Hungary 446.392 -3.38
(Official) Interbank Rates 0.9343 0.0000 1.2096 1.6598 0.0000 Singapore 1.3876-1.3878 Indonesia 18033.562 -0.48
AM $1896.15 PM $1885.80
Sweden 9.8494-9.8584 Israel Shk 4.140 -0.01
Cash 3mth Dec 22 Krugerrand $1866.00-1967.00 (£1499.41-1580.57) Eurodollar Deps 0.85-1.10 1.10-1.35 1.28-1.53 1.72-1.97 2.62-2.69 Switzerland 0.9720-0.9721 Japan Yen 162.976 +2.51
Copper Gde A ($/tonne) Platinum $916.00 (£736.04) New Zealand $ 1.923 +0.01
9810.0-9812.0 9800.0-9805.0 9755.0-9765.0 Silver $23.01 (£18.49) Sterling spot and forward rates Other Sterling Norway Kr 11.700 -0.02
Palladium $2254.00 (£1811.18) Poland 5.550 -0.04
Mkt Rates for Range Close 1 month 3 month Argentina peso 143.33-143.34
Lead ($/tonne) Russia 89.875 -2.66
Australia dollar 1.7559-1.7561
2278.0-2280.0 2275.0-2277.0 2222.0-2227.0 European money Copenhagen 8.7966-8.8757 8.8221-8.8234 121ds 389ds Bahrain dinar 0.4655-0.4726
S Africa Rd
Sweden Kr
20.004
12.231
+0.05
-0.11
Euro 1.1929-1.1821 1.1855-1.1854 13pr 38pr Brazil real 6.1918-6.1955
Zinc Spec Hi Gde ($/tonne)
4230.0-4230.5 4176.0-4178.0 3575.0-3580.0
deposits % Montreal 1.5955-1.6090 1.5957-1.5959 0pr 12pr
Euro 1.1853-1.1855
Switzerland Fr
Turkey Lira
1.209
18.390 -0.16
Hong Kong dollar 9.7638-9.7648
Currency New York 1.2413-1.2566 1.2444-1.2445 0pr 4pr USA $ 1.244 -0.01
Alum Hi Gde ($/tonne) India rupee 95.406-95.432
1mth 3mth 6mth 12mth Rates supplied by Morningstar
3065.0-3065.5 3083.0-3083.5 2955.0-2960.0 Oslo 11.652-11.777 11.713-11.721 11ds 15ds Indonesia rupiah 18058-18058
Dollar Kuwait dinar KD 0.3807-0.3830
Nickel ($/tonne) 0.13 0.20 0.29 0.55 Stockholm 12.192-12.379 12.259-12.264 97ds 287ds Malaysia ringgit 5.4151-5.4214
33270.0-33275.0 33275.0-33300.0 33290.0-33340.0 Sterling Tokyo 160.88-164.22 163.02-163.05 17ds 60ds New Zealand dollar 1.9200-1.9214 Data as shown is
0.93 1.21 1.66 0.81 Singapore dollar 1.7266-1.7271 for information
Tin ($/tonne) 15mth
Zurich 1.2081-1.2183 1.2095-1.2096 21ds 59ds
Euro S Africa rand 19.948-19.959 purposes only. No offer is made by
40550.0-40600.0 40100.0-40150.0 39475.0-39525.0 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.50 Premium = pr Discount = ds U A E dirham 4.5642-4.5667 Morningstar or this publication
the times | Friday April 29 2022 49

Business
The Times unit trust information service
Yld Yld Yld Yld Yld Yld
Sell Buy +/- % Sell Buy +/- % Sell Buy +/- % Sell Buy +/- % Sell Buy +/- % Sell Buy +/- %

ALLIANZ GLOBAL INVESTORS HALIFAX INVESTMENT FUND MGRS LTD Global Special Situations A Acc ‡@293.00 … +5.50 … JUPITER UT MGRS LTD Glob Bal Inc F I Acc ‡@ 959.17 … +6.09 … Cautious A Acc ‡@ 115.42 … +0.06 1.34
Inv Serv: 020 7065 1400 Helpline: 0800 317 573 01296 386 386 Global Special Situations A Inc ‡@226.64 … +4.26 … 020 7581 3020 Glob Bal Inc F I Inc ‡@ 925.46 … +5.89 … Cautious A Inc ‡@ 101.11 … +0.05 1.33
Gilt Yield A ‡@ 206.01 … +0.27 1.05 Authorised Inv Funds Managed Growth A Acc ‡@282.37 … +3.34 … Absolute Return ‡@ 37.36 … +0.18 … Glob Bal Sust F F Acc ‡@ 952.69 … +3.92 … Dynamic A Acc ‡@ 337.87 … +1.51 …
Strategic Bond Fund ‡@ 174.45 … +0.23 0.12 Share Class `C Monthly High Income A Acc ‡@243.45 … +0.43 3.54 Distribution and Growth ‡@99.78 … +0.80 … Glob Bal Sust F F Inc ‡@ 946.73 … +3.90 … Dynamic A Inc ‡@ 305.91 … +1.37 0.66
UK Corp Bond C ‡@ 104.79 … -0.78 3.87 Corporate Bond ‡@ 36.44 … -0.06 … Monthly High Income A Inc ‡@63.17 … +0.01 5.01 Emg Euro Opps ‡@ 145.34 … -31.23 4.19 Glob Bal Sust F I Acc ‡@ 952.03 … +3.92 … Growth A Acc ‡@ 348.86 … +1.48 0.72
UK Eqty C ‡@ 6317.26 … -14.91 3.28 Ethical ‡@ 113.80 … +1.20 … Multi-Asset Protector A Acc ‡@168.69 … +0.15 … Euro Special Sits ‡@ 442.35 … +2.52 … Glob Bal Sust F I Inc ‡@ 946.61 … +3.90 … Income A Acc ‡@ 255.76 … +0.59 …
UK Eqty Inc A ‡@ 334.95 … -0.61 3.90 European ‡@ 105.20 … +0.60 … Strategic Bond A Acc ‡@ 244.54 … +0.19 1.96 European ‡@ 2818.95 … +21.30 … Glob Br Eq Inc Fund F Inc ‡@1352.37 … +29.22 3.75 Sterling Bond Acc ‡@ 242.37 … -0.28 3.52
UK Gwth A ‡@ 8166.63 … -33.35 1.48 Far Eastern ‡ 118.70 … +2.50 … Strategic Bond A Inc ‡@ 119.47 … +0.09 3.32 Financial Opps ‡@ 745.85 … +10.02 0.44 Glob Br Eq Inc Fund I Acc ‡@1813.03 … +39.16 3.74 Sterling Bond Inc ‡@ 97.00 … -0.11 3.61
UK Index A Inc ‡@ 1423.81 … -5.83 … Fund of Inv Tst ‡@ 137.50 … +1.30 … Target Return A Acc ‡@ 102.03 … +0.44 0.82 Income Trust ‡@ 498.31 … +5.58 3.66 Glob Br Eq Inc Fund I Inc ‡@1451.45 … +31.34 3.83
UK Mid Cap A ‡@ 4899.18 … -38.85 0.06 Intl Gwth ‡ 125.80 … +1.50 0.63 Target Return A Inc ‡@ 87.63 … +0.01 0.87 Merlin Bal (Acc) ‡@ 225.23 … -2.33 1.87 Glob Br Fund I Acc (PH) ‡@1600.43 … +22.46 0.85
Japanese ‡ 66.38 … +0.75 … UK Alpha A Acc ‡@ 2622.97 … +9.85 1.21 Merlin Gwth (Acc) ‡ 522.05 … -6.61 … Glob Br Fund I Acc (PH) ‡@13560.74 … +287.38 0.82 THREADNEEDLE INVESTMENTS
North Amer ‡ 150.00 … +1.70 0.28 UK Blue Chip A Acc ‡@ 770.11 … +3.15 … Merlin Inc (Acc) ‡ 343.66 … -1.89 2.28 Glob Br Fund I Inc (PH) ‡@1538.54 … +21.56 0.85 Client Serv: 0800 0683000
Smaller Cos ‡@ 116.90 … +1.60 0.46 UK Smaller Companies A Acc ‡@5836.08 … -4.67 … Merlin Wwide (Inc) ‡ 370.10 … -5.18 … Glob Br Fund I Inc (PH) ‡@3739.72 … +79.25 … Intermediary Serv: 0800 0684000
ARTEMIS FUND MGRS LTD Special Sits ‡@ 47.74 … +0.76 1.45 UK Growth ‡@ 250.40 … +1.59 … Glob Ins Fund F Acc ‡@ 589.45 … +3.59 … Institutional Shares (Class 2) (163500,000 min)
UK Smaller Companies A Inc ‡@5234.60 … -4.19 …
0800 092 2051 UK Equity Inc ‡@ 88.75 … +0.51 … UK Special Sits (Inc) ‡@ 196.91 … +2.00 1.45 Glob Ins Fund F Inc ‡@ 589.45 … +3.59 …
UK Special Situations A Acc ‡@1249.70 … +12.72 0.35 UK Oseas Earns ‡@ 121.91 … +1.21 0.94
Authorised Inv Funds UK FTSE 100 IT ‡@ 67.26 … +0.45 … Glob Ins Fund I Acc ‡@ 588.00 … +3.58 …
UK Special Situations A Inc ‡@457.20 … +4.66 0.35
Capital R Acc ‡@ 2028.13 … +18.38 2.19 UK FTSE All-S IT ‡@ 77.11 … +0.50 … Glob Ins Fund I Inc ‡@ 588.00 … +3.58 …
Euro Opps R Acc ‡@ 91.26 … -0.48 1.29 UK Growth ‡@ 80.96 … +0.46 … LEGAL & GENERAL (UT MGRS) LTD Glob Sust Fund F Acc (PH) ‡@1193.19 … +16.61 0.56
Enquiries: 0870 050 0955 Dealing: 0870 050 0956 Glob Sust Fund F Inc ‡@ 1260.49 … +27.02 0.54 Managed Funds
Euro Opps R Inc ‡@ 85.36 … -0.46 1.30
European Growth R Acc ‡@359.28 … +1.77 1.90 Glob Sust Fund I Acc ‡@ 1271.63 … +27.25 0.36 Def Eqty & Bd Acc @ 128.00 128.00 +0.10 …
Equity Acc @ 2616.00 2639.00 -8.00 …
Global Energy R Acc ‡@ 37.93 … +0.90 1.47 HSBC GLOBAL ASSET MGMT (UK) LTD Glob Sust Fund I Acc (PH) ‡@1194.15 … +16.61 0.38 Eqty & Bd Acc @ 179.90 179.90 +0.50 …
Equity Dist @ 893.80 902.00 -2.70 …
Global Growth R Acc ‡@ 352.34 … +5.61 … Enq: 0845 745 6123 Dlg: 0845 745 6126 Mon-Fri 8-6 Glob Sustain Fund F Acc ‡@1276.81 … +27.37 0.54 Mgd Income @ 77.80 77.80 +0.13 …
Euro Ind Acc ‡@ 485.70 … +3.40 1.35
Global Income R Acc ‡@ 160.99 … +1.98 2.48 HSBC Index Tracker Investment Funds (OEIC) For ISIS Asset Mgmt see F&C Fd Mgmt Ltd (OEICS) Stg Corp Bond F F Acc ‡@ 129.66 … +0.03 2.53
Euro Ind Inc ‡@ 326.00 … +2.30 1.37
Global Income R Inc ‡@ 105.70 … +1.30 2.56 Amer Ind Acc ‡@ 929.50 … +23.72 0.90 Stg Corp Bond F F Inc ‡@ 105.19 … +0.03 2.57
JANUS HENDERSON INVESTORS Fixed Int Acc ‡@ 144.60 … … 1.60
Global Select R Acc ‡@ 157.71 … +2.56 … Amer Ind Inc ‡@ 754.28 … +19.25 0.87 Stg Corp Bond F I Acc ‡@2760.92 … +0.72 … Retail Shares (Class 1)
Fixed Int Dist ‡@ 69.01 … -0.04 1.62
High Income R Inc ‡@ 68.03 … … 4.95 Euro Ind Acc ‡@ 1099.77 … +7.81 1.77 Investors Serv: 0800 832 832 Dlng: 0845 946 4646 Stg Corp Bond F I Inc ‡@1484.91 … +0.39 3.01
Glob Gwth Acc @ 243.90 243.90 -1.30 1.15 Threadneedle HY Bd Rtl Inc ‡@38.76 … -0.11 3.70
Income R Acc ‡@ 497.22 … +1.38 3.54 Euro Ind Inc ‡@ 720.49 … +5.12 1.72 Sust Fixed Inc Opps F F Acc ‡@948.38 … -0.52 1.68
Glob Health Acc ‡@ 106.70 … … 0.69 Threadneedle Mthly Etr Inc Rtl Inc ‡@81.50 … +0.40 3.08
Income R Inc ‡@ 227.08 … +0.63 3.64 FTSE 100 Ind Acc ‡@ 265.06 … +1.80 … All Stks Credit A Inc ‡@ 128.00 … -0.10 1.54 Sust Fixed Inc Opps F F Inc ‡@928.72 … -0.51 1.70
Glob Tech Acc ‡@ 89.60 … +0.30 0.08 Threadneedle SterlingCorpBd Ins Inc ‡@59.59 … -0.08 1.76
Monthly Dist R Inc ‡@ 70.55 … +0.32 … FTSE 100 Ind Inc ‡@ 124.43 … +0.84 … Asian Div Inc U Trst Inc ‡@89.84 … +1.05 7.01 Sust Fixed Inc Opps F I Acc ‡@945.77 … -0.52 1.48
Gwth Tst Acc @ 106.00 106.50 -1.00 0.17 Threadneedle SterlingCorpBd Rtl Inc ‡@59.49 … -0.08 1.41
Strategic Assets R Acc ‡ 74.98 … +0.05 … FTSE 250 Ind Acc ‡@ 300.28 … +2.02 1.53 Cautious Man Fd A Acc ‡@291.20 … +1.40 … Sust Fixed Inc Opps F I Inc ‡@928.53 … -0.51 1.50
High Inc Acc ‡@ 129.50 … -0.70 5.06 Threadneedle Stg Bd Ret Inc ‡@54.61 … -0.10 0.73
Strategic Bond R M Acc ‡@99.99 … -0.04 2.03 FTSE 250 Ind Inc ‡@ 189.79 … +1.27 … Cautious Man Fd A Inc ‡@147.80 … +0.70 … US Adv F F Acc ‡@ 1650.27 … -0.46 …
Japan Ind Acc ‡@ 66.01 … +0.64 1.41 Threadneedle Strat Bd Ret ‡@44.43 … -0.07 2.22
Strategic Bond R M Inc ‡@ 54.02 … -0.02 2.05 FTSE All-S Acc ‡@ 683.94 … +3.92 … China Opp Fund A Acc ‡@1259.00 … +27.00 … US Adv F F Acc (PH) ‡@ 969.25 … -9.99 …
Pacific Ind Acc ‡@ 206.60 … +3.10 2.22 Threadneedle UK Eq Inc Rtl Inc ‡@98.04 … +0.56 3.15
Strategic Bond R Q Acc ‡@ 99.81 … -0.04 2.12 FTSE All-S Inc ‡@ 357.30 … +2.05 2.88 Emg Mkts Opps Fd A Acc ‡@203.60 … +3.20 … US Adv F I Acc ‡@ 1760.09 … -0.51 …
UK 100 Ind Acc @ 180.90 180.90 +0.90 … Threadneedle UK Growth & Inc Rtl Inc ‡@91.70 … +0.59 2.46
Strategic Bond R Q Inc ‡@ 54.09 … -0.02 2.15 Jap Ind Acc ‡@ 134.71 … +1.45 1.54 Erpn Grth Fund A Acc ‡@ 278.90 … +0.90 … US Adv F I Acc (PH) ‡@ 1017.65 … -10.17 …
UK Active Opps Acc @ 249.90 252.90 -0.10 … Threadneedle UK Insti Rtl ‡@177.99 … +1.50 1.32
UK Growth R Acc ‡@ 676.89 … +7.60 1.15 Jap Ind Inc ‡@ 107.44 … +1.16 1.53 Erpn Sel Opps Fd A Acc ‡@2087.00 … +11.00 0.29 UK Index Acc ‡@ 336.30 … +2.20 2.69 Threadneedle UK Mthly Inc Rtl Inc ‡@69.48 … +0.61 3.69
UK Smaller Cos R Acc ‡@1909.59 … +4.60 0.84 Pac Ind Acc ‡@ 516.29 … +7.44 1.99 Fix Int Mnthly Inc Fd Acc ‡@31.11 … -0.10 4.09 UK Index Dist ‡@ 165.30 … +1.10 2.75 SANTANDER UNIT TST MGRS
Threadneedle UK Rtl Inc ‡@131.90 … +0.94 1.00
UK Special Sits R Acc ‡@ 663.38 … +7.87 1.05 Pac Ind Inc ‡@ 333.57 … +4.81 … Global Equity Fund Acc ‡@4450.00 … +64.00 … US Ind Acc ‡@ 809.90 … +2.50 0.61 08457 413002
Threadneedle UK Smaller Coms Rtl Inc ‡@407.10 … +1.33 …
Global Equity Income A Inc ‡@65.57 … +0.61 2.97 Worldwide Acc ‡@ 343.90 … +1.70 0.49 Bal Pfolio Inc ‡@ 110.50 … +0.40 2.41
Global Tech A Acc ‡@ 2911.00 … +42.00 … Bal Port Gwth Acc ‡@ 235.70 … -0.30 1.35
HSBC Investment Funds (OEIC) - Retail Share Class Instl UK Idx Opps A Acc ‡@111.08 … +0.73 2.55 Equity Inc Inc ‡@ 218.60 … -0.50 … For Resolution see Ignis
AXA FRAMLINGTON UNIT MGMT LTD Balanced Acc ‡@ 250.04 … +1.95 0.53 M-Asset Abs Ret A Acc ‡@164.10 … -0.10 … M & G SECURITIES N&P UK Gwth Inc ‡@ 182.80 … +0.10 3.09 TU FUND MANAGERS LIMITED
Dling: 0845 602 1952 Priv Clients: 0845 777 5511 Balanced Inc ‡@ 151.95 … -0.14 … Enq: 0800 390 390 Dealing Line: 0800 328 3196
M-Man Active Fd A Acc ‡@262.50 … +1.60 … Stkmkt 100 Tkr @ 247.90 247.90 -0.70 …
Equity Inc ‡@ 572.40 … -2.70 4.43 Corp Bd Acc ‡@ 290.42 … -0.14 2.68 M-Man Inc Grth A Inc ‡@ 154.30 … -0.10 … Authorised Inv Funds UK Growth Acc ‡@ 471.70 … -1.80 3.15 British 868.10 868.10 +5.20 …
Gilt Acc @ 201.30 211.80 +0.10 1.08 Corp Bd Inc ‡@ 115.47 … -0.06 2.72 M-Man Inc Grth Fd A Acc ‡@193.10 … -0.10 … Charifund Inc ‡ 1579.57 … -5.49 … UK Growth Inc ‡@ 257.30 … -0.90 3.22 European 210.70 219.40 +1.00 …
Gilt Inc @ 74.35 78.24 -0.39 1.09 Gilt & Fd Int Acc ‡@ 497.78 … +1.62 1.19 Sterling Bond U Trst Acc ‡@226.10 … -0.20 1.18
Health Acc ‡@ 2937.00 … +32.00 … Gilt & Fd Int Inc ‡@ 74.17 … +0.24 1.58 Sterling Bond U Trst Inc ‡@62.56 … -0.05 1.19 * Yield expressed as CAR (Compound Annual Return);
SCOTTISH MUTUAL INV MNGRS LTD
Jap Smlr Co Ac @ 62.56 66.09 -0.19 0.30 Income Acc ‡@ 680.76 … +4.75 … Strategic Bond A Inc ‡@ 115.10 … -0.30 3.15 Sterling Class A Investment Funds 1 † Ex dividend; ‡Middle price; . . . No significant data. #
0141 248 6100
Managed Inc ‡@ 138.30 … … 4.20 Income Inc ‡@ 291.94 … +2.03 … UK Abs Ret Fd A Acc ‡@ 165.40 … +0.60 … Euro Smlr Cos Acc ‡ 525.29 … -3.39 … Periodic charge deducted from capital; @ Exit charge
Monthly Inc Inc ‡@ 251.40 … -0.20 4.25 Monthly Inc Acc ‡@ 313.41 … +0.77 … European Inc 1777.00 1873.48 +4.40 0.78
UK Growth Inc ‡@ 230.20 … +0.90 0.47 Monthly Inc Inc ‡@ 132.63 … +0.70 … Far Eastern Inc 584.69 617.09 -0.73 1.42
UK Select Opps Inc ‡@ 2022.00 … +8.00 0.66 UK Grth & Inc Ret B Acc ‡@139.68 … +1.07 3.34 Intl Growth Inc 380.56 400.59 +0.02 0.75
UK Sml Cos Inc ‡@ 329.90 … -1.70 … UK Grth & Inc Ret B Inc ‡@64.37 … +0.49 3.43 Japanese Inc
Mutual European
41.85
2762.93
41.85
2908.99
+0.43
-21.63
0.56
1.11
British funds
UK Gth & Inc Acc ‡@ 139.68 … +1.07 3.34
UK Gth & Inc Inc ‡@ 64.37 … +0.49 3.43 Mutual Far Eastern 944.13 996.44 +15.99 0.58 12 month Price Int Yld Grs rd
Mutual North Am 1983.00 2092.88 +6.23 0.24 High Low Stock (£) +/– % yld
AXA FUND MANAGERS LTD Mutual UK Eq 1373.92 1450.05 +9.47 …
Admin & Enq 0117 989 0808 HSBC Specialist Investment Funds (OEIC) Nth American Inc 1227.65 1295.67 -7.28 … Index-linked
AXA Trusts UK Equity Inc 585.17 617.59 +4.03 … 109.44 106.12 Tr IL 1Y% 22 107.22 – .04 1.80 –10.23
American Index Retail Acc ‡@929.50 … +23.72 0.90 378.51 354.43 Tr IL 2K% 24 * 373.11 – .48 1.45 –3.71
Gen Acc ‡@ 2101.00 … +6.00 2.64 American Index Retail Inc ‡@754.28 … +19.25 0.87 111.98 107.52 Tr IL 0V% 24 109.66 – .15 … –4.69
Gen Inc ‡@ 1079.00 … -2.00 … Asian Gth Acc ‡@ 147.77 … -0.07 … SCOTTISH WIDOWS UNIT TRUST MGRS 120.56 112.54 Tr IL 0V% 26 113.85 – .35 … –3.18
135.63 124.73 Tr IL 1N% 27 125.37 – .54 1.09 –2.92
Asian Gth Inc ‡@ 130.99 … -0.06 … 0845 300 2244 130.64 119.28 Tr IL 0V% 28 120.05 – .59 … –2.77
Chinese Eq Acc ‡@ 513.81 … +0.27 0.40 Authorised Inv Funds (OEICs) 132.52 120.15 Tr IL 0V% 29 121.02 – .66 … –2.63
Chinese Eq Inc ‡@ 434.76 … +0.22 0.34 OEIC A Class 141.65 125.98 Tr IL 0V% 31 127.50 – .79 … –2.49
UK/Global Investment Companies 402.06 366.57 Tr IL 4V% 30 * 377.33 –1.93 1.71 –2.44
Euro Gth Acc ‡@ 973.97 … +4.05 … Managed Investment Funds 161.90 142.05 Tr IL 1N% 32 143.72 – .94 0.87 –2.37
Euro Acc A ‡@ 234.70 … … 1.18 Euro Gth Inc ‡@ 817.05 … +3.39 … Bal Port A Acc ‡@ 237.60 … +0.80 … 160.29 138.88 Tr IL 0O% 34 140.52 –1.05 … –2.21
Extra Inc Inc B ‡@ 86.74 … +0.24 … 324.74 285.49 Tr IL 2% 35 * 291.30 –2.18 0.84 –2.03
Caut Port A Acc ‡@ 207.10 … +0.30 0.43 161.43 136.68 Tr IL 0V% 36 137.79 –1.21 … –2.08
Global Gwth Acc R ‡@ 292.80 … +4.10 0.46 Caut Port A Inc ‡@ 152.00 … +0.30 0.60 186.89 157.08 Tr IL 1V% 37 158.35 –1.31 0.75 –2.04
Japan Acc A ‡@ 157.90 … +1.70 … IGNIS ASSET MGMT
Opps Port A Acc ‡@ 280.20 … +1.30 … 169.23 140.17 Tr IL 0V% 39 141.24 –1.34 … –1.93
Pac Gwth Acc A ‡@ 522.30 … +11.30 … Dlg: 0141 222 8282 186.19 152.74 Tr IL 0X% 40 153.94 –1.52 … –1.89
Prog Port A Acc ‡@ 266.60 … +1.10 … 180.53 145.32 Tr IL 0V% 41 146.58 –1.57 … –1.87
American Gth Inc @ 322.55 340.42 -3.34 … 199.86 159.82 Tr IL 0X% 42 161.21 –1.74 0.39 –1.82
Balanced Growth @ 262.17 276.69 -0.93 1.52 188.86 148.06 Tr IL 0V% 44 149.61 –1.60 … –1.73
Overseas Growth Investment Funds 196.96 151.51 Tr IL 0V% 46 152.97 –1.84 … –1.67
Balanced Growth Acc @ 393.13 414.92 -1.40 …
CIS UNIT MANAGERS LTD Corporate Bond ‡@ 99.69 … -0.89 4.77 Eur Sel Gth A Acc ‡@ 3331.00 … -11.00 … 229.64 174.81 Tr IL 0O% 47 176.61 –2.07 0.43 –1.65
08457 46 46 46 209.00 155.99 Tr IL 0V% 48 157.71 –1.92 … –1.63
European Growth @ 403.88 426.26 -3.57 … 232.71 172.48 Tr IL 0K% 50 174.34 –2.15 … –1.60
European Gwth ‡@ 195.40 … +1.50 … European Growth Acc @ 475.71 502.07 -4.21 2.24 Tracker and Specialist Investment Funds 231.36 167.55 Tr IL 0N% 52 169.31 –2.20 … –1.56
Sus Leaders ‡@ 788.30 … +5.20 0.76 Glob Gwth @ 331.53 349.90 -3.09 0.12 306.14 219.60 Tr IL 1N% 55 221.96 –2.90 0.62 –1.52
UK Trkr A Acc ‡@ 363.30 … +1.80 … 248.27 171.48 Tr IL 0V% 56 173.66 –2.57 … –1.49
UK Growth ‡@ 629.50 … +4.50 1.54 Higher Yield @ 83.98 88.64 -0.29 4.43 256.47 174.65 Tr IL 0V% 58 176.99 –2.62 … –1.49
UK Trkr A Inc ‡@ 185.90 … +0.90 2.58
UK Income ‡@ 219.00 … +1.00 4.23 Higher Yield Acc @ 275.04 290.28 -0.92 4.32 297.03 196.11 Tr IL 0W% 62 199.14 –3.08 … –1.45
Japan @ 49.06 51.78 -0.03 … 309.47 194.65 Tr IL 0V% 65 198.79 –3.38 … –1.48
UK and Income Investment Funds 335.00 205.60 Tr IL 0V% 68 209.86 –3.80 … –1.52
Managed @ 130.89 138.15 -0.06 0.66 395.45 228.98 Tr IL 0V% 73 236.19 –4.25 … –1.60
Managed Trust @ 71.96 76.96 +0.17 … Corp Bond A Acc ‡@ 318.20 … -1.10 1.31
CLOSE FUND MANAGEMENT LTD Mngd Pfolio Inc @ 95.54 100.84 -0.11 0.58 Corp Bond A Inc ‡@ 120.40 … -0.40 1.32 Longs (Over 15 years)
0870 606 6402 Pacific Grth @ 498.71 526.34 -2.81 1.34 Envir Invtr A Acc ‡ 373.40 … +4.10 1.34 147.98 125.00 Tr 4N% 36 126.75 – .82 3.35 2.03
Beacon Inv ‡ 84.88 … +0.35 0.01 Smaller Comp @ 756.24 798.14 +1.64 0.15 Hi Inc Bond A Ac ‡@ 240.10 … -2.10 4.24 113.52 94.16 Tr 1O% 37 95.80 – .80 … 2.07
Smaller Cos @ 628.94 663.79 +1.36 0.21 163.31 136.03 Tr 4O% 38 138.17 –1.07 3.44 2.03
Hi Inc Bond A Inc ‡@ 74.65 … -0.64 4.33 103.54 84.77 Tr 1V% 39 86.54 – .81 … 2.08
Hi Res A Acc ‡@ 378.90 … +0.90 3.65 156.78 129.82 Tr 4N% 39 131.97 –1.10 3.22 2.05
Hi Res A Inc ‡@ 122.10 … +0.30 3.74 159.73 131.36 Tr 4N% 40 133.55 –1.19 … 2.07
Dealing: 020 7426 6232 INSIGHT INVESTMENT FDS MANAGEMENT LTD 106.42 84.88 Tr 1N% 41 86.75 – .97 … 2.08
Safety Plus A Acc ‡@ 40.49 … … … 147.71 118.01 Tr 3N% 44 120.36 –1.32 … 2.08
Winchester ‡ 3617.63 … -42.43 0.28 Client Servs: 0207 163 4000
Strat Inc A Acc ‡@ 206.20 … -1.00 … 169.96 138.12 Tr 4K% 42 140.62 –1.34 3.20 2.07
Insight Investment Multi-Manager Funds 154.93 123.27 Tr 3K% 45 125.71 –1.43 … 2.08
Strat Inc A Inc ‡@ 93.29 … -0.46 2.21
Well Bldr Bal Acc ‡@ 96.05 … -0.32 … UK Gwth A Acc ‡@ 190.40 … +0.70 … 175.82 138.94 Tr 4N% 46 141.99 –1.59 2.99 2.06
99.79 75.78 Tr 0Y% 46 77.82 –1.09 … 2.06
Well Bldr Gwth Acc ‡@ 93.79 … -0.36 … UK Sel Gwth A Acc ‡@ 2171.00 … -4.00 2.33 114.76 87.08 Tr 1K% 47 89.40 –1.28 … 2.04
EDENTREE INV MGMT LTD 122.26 91.92 Tr 1O% 49 94.50 –1.36 … 2.02
0800 358 3010 185.65 143.34 Tr 4N% 49 146.82 –1.85 2.89 2.03
INVESCO FUND MGRS LTD OEIC B Class 95.59 68.31 Tr 0X% 50 70.63 –1.22 … 1.98
Amity European A ‡ 304.00 … +2.40 1.42 Tracker and Specialist Investment Funds 220.50 160.65 Tr 0V% 51 162.39 –2.11 … –1.57
Amity International A ‡ 325.80 … +2.90 0.07 Dling: 0800 085 8571 Inv Serv: 0800 085 8677 111.21 80.74 Tr 1N% 51 83.36 –1.34 … 2.00
Brkr Serv: 0800 028 2121 UK Alpha Fund A Acc ‡@ 148.30 … +1.10 0.31 Euro Smlr Cos Inc ‡ 462.50 … -3.00 … UK Trkr B Acc ‡@ 400.80 … +2.10 …
Amity Sterling Bond A ‡ 95.35 … +0.03 3.39 180.27 136.06 Tr 3O% 52 139.79 –1.91 … 1.99
INVESCO Funds UK Irsh Sm Co Fd A Acc ‡@742.50 … -1.70 … UK Trkr B Inc ‡@ 184.80 … +0.90 2.92 120.44 86.45 Tr 1K% 53 89.41 –1.48 … 1.95
Amity UK A Inc ‡ 232.40 … +1.90 0.88 124.61 88.94 Tr 1X% 54 92.12 –1.61 … 1.95
UK Property A Acc @ 264.95 278.15 +0.01 2.63
Higher Income A ‡ 132.80 … +1.00 4.48 UK Str Inc N/Trl ‡@ 323.57 … -0.12 7.05 205.69 152.32 Tr 4N% 55 156.82 –2.37 2.71 1.94
UK Property A Inc @ 105.80 111.07 … 2.68 Sterling Class A Investment Funds 2 132.79 92.22 Tr 1O% 57 95.78 –1.87 … 1.92
UK Equity Growth A ‡ 291.40 … +0.50 0.78 UK and Income Investment Funds
US Growth Fund A Acc ‡@1760.00 … +23.00 … 213.01 151.95 Tr 4% 60 157.14 –2.76 … 1.88
Extra Income Inc ‡ 737.29 … +2.37 … Corp Bond B Acc ‡@ 370.70 … +0.90 … 96.16 59.31 Tr 0K% 61 62.50 –1.64 … 1.84
INVESCO PERPETUAL Funds Gilt & Fxd Int Inc ‡ 91.82 … … 0.85 Corp Bond B Inc ‡@ 136.30 … +0.30 … 173.16 114.86 Tr 2K% 65 119.88 –2.55 … 1.83
Childrens Acc ‡@ 475.12 … +1.84 … Gl Hi Yd Bd Inc ‡ 42.97 … -0.06 4.85 UK Gwth B Acc ‡@ 205.60 … -0.30 1.79 219.03 145.61 Tr 3K% 68 151.92 –3.14 … 1.83
F & C FUND MANAGEMENT LTD (OEICS) Corp Bond Acc ‡@ 210.52 … -0.12 2.22 Index Linked Bd Inc ‡ 154.51 … -1.11 …
149.85 90.25 Tr 1X% 71 95.21 –2.46 … 1.77
UK Sel Gwth B Acc ‡@ 2481.00 … … 1.09
Enqs: 0870 601 6183 Dealing: 0870 601 6083 High Income Inc ‡@ 321.60 … +1.72 2.45 Index Trckr Inc ‡ 77.23 … +0.51 …
Share Class 1 - Retail Mediums (5-15 years)
Income & Grth Inc ‡@ 428.91 … +3.03 1.26 Short Dated Corp Bd Inc ‡ 25.36 … +0.02 …
OEIC C Class 101.62 98.95 Tr 0O% 23 99.18 – .05 … 1.43
Corporate Bd ‡@ 54.63 … -0.02 1.65 Income Inc ‡@ 1252.16 … +7.09 2.75 JP MORGAN ASSET MGMT UK Select A Inc ‡ 2956.68 … +18.82 2.11 105.18 100.79 Tr 2N% 23 101.00 – .06 … 1.50
UK and Income Investment Funds
Emerging Mkts ‡@ 126.40 … +1.60 … Money Acc ‡@ 90.83 … +0.01 … 100.03 97.17 Tr 0V% 24 97.50 – .08 … 1.57
Euro Gwth & Inc 1 ‡@ 1129.00 … +7.00 … Monthly Inc Plus Inc ‡@ 100.41 … -0.02 4.76 OEIC UK Gth C Inc ‡@ 126.50 … +0.50 3.71 102.69 98.61 Tr 1% 24 98.97 – .09 … 1.53
UK Sel Gwth C Acc ‡@ 2598.00 … … 1.29 108.76 102.33 Tr 2O% 24 102.71 – .11 … 1.57
Extra Inc Bond ‡@ 45.97 … -0.03 1.71 UK Aggressive Inc ‡@ 154.28 … -0.24 … 118.47 108.84 Tr 5% 25 109.29 – .14 4.57 1.65
Asia A Acc ‡@ 257.00 … +4.30 … Sterling Class A Investment Funds 3
FTSE All-Shr Track ‡@ 428.80 … +2.80 … UK Growth Acc ‡@ 855.18 … +6.13 … 101.82 96.61 Tr 0X% 25 97.17 – .14 … 1.56
Global Gwth SC1 ‡@ 303.40 … +4.10 … UK Sml Cos Eqty Acc ‡@ 1590.04 … +4.67 … Emerging Mkts ‡@ 252.10 … +3.00 … Corp Bd A Inc ‡ 37.13 … +0.01 2.64 107.77 100.83 Tr 2% 25 101.41 – .16 … 1.57
STANDARD LIFE INVESTMENTS
Eur Dyn (ex-UK) A Acc ‡@271.20 … +1.60 0.45 Dividend Inc ‡ 55.76 … +0.25 4.51 99.56 94.12 Tr 0V% 26 94.72 – .16 … 1.58
High Inc Trst @ 11.86 12.49 +0.04 5.38 UK Sml Cos Gwth ‡@ 82.54 … +0.04 … 0845 279 3003 106.30 98.98 Tr 1K% 26 99.63 – .20 … 1.59
Max Inc Bond ‡@ 45.51 … -0.06 2.46 Euro Smllr Cos ‡@ 933.40 … +10.30 … Recovery A Inc ‡ 113.69 … +1.30 2.01 Investment Funds (OEIC) - Retail Shares 105.60 97.45 Tr 1N% 27 98.16 – .22 … 1.62
Multi Man Caut ‡@ 70.41 … … 3.18 Europe A Acc ‡@ 1745.00 … +13.00 1.27 Sml Cos Inc ‡ 381.33 … +1.19 1.86 124.68 112.98 Tr 4N% 27 113.75 – .26 3.74 1.67
INVESTEC FUND MGRS Gbl Hi Yld Bd A Acc ‡@ 121.90 … -0.20 4.52 AAA Inc CAT Acc ‡@ 94.78 … -0.04 0.97 98.46 90.89 Tr 0V% 28 91.60 – .22 … 1.66
Multi Man Distr ‡@ 60.44 … … 3.37 108.94 99.03 Tr 1X% 28 99.83 – .26 … 1.65
Broker Support and Dealing: 020 7597 1900 AAA Inc CAT Inc ‡@ 53.88 … -0.02 0.97
North Amer ‡@ 837.60 … +7.80 … Gbl Hi Yld Bd A Inc ‡@ 32.98 … -0.05 4.66 140.50 126.01 Tr 6% 28 126.85 – .32 4.73 1.69
OEIC Series i,ii,iii, & iv AAA Income Acc ‡@ 102.90 … … 1.38
Pacific Gwth ‡@ 494.20 … +4.90 … Gl ex-UK Bd A Acc ‡@ 267.90 … -0.20 … Sterling Class A Investment Funds 4 99.77 91.32 Tr 0K% 29 92.08 – .28 … 1.75
Amer Eq Gth Acc ‡@ 214.60 … +3.00 … 103.32 93.11 Tr 0Y% 29 94.00 – .33 … 1.73
Strategic Bd ‡@ 200.90 … … 0.64 American A Acc ‡@ 641.39 … +8.38 … Gl ex-UK Bd A Inc ‡@ 205.10 … -0.10 …
Episode Allocation A Inc ‡@138.51 … +0.91 … Corp Bond Acc ‡@ 171.40 … -0.20 2.69 98.50 88.17 Tr 0W% 30 89.06 – .40 … 1.77
UK Equity ‡@ 3349.00 … +13.00 … Asia ex Japan A Acc ‡@ 730.90 … +8.44 … Glb Fins A Acc ‡@ 1077.00 … +1.00 1.03 138.58 122.84 Tr 4O% 30 123.84 – .50 3.84 1.75
Corp Bond Inc ‡@ 58.78 … -0.07 2.71
UK Gwth & Inc Acc 1 ‡@ 658.50 … … … Capital Accumulator A Acc ‡@231.48 … -3.81 … Global A Acc ‡@ 1998.00 … +27.00 … 96.58 85.48 Tr 0N% 31 86.39 – .45 … 1.86
Euro Eq Gth Acc ‡@ 235.90 … +1.70 0.27 102.46 91.06 Tr 1% 32 92.02 – .47 … 1.90
UK Gwth & Inc Dist ‡@ 234.70 … … … Cautious Managed A Acc ‡@393.34 … +0.49 … Japan A Acc ‡@ 513.00 … +0.10 … Glb Advtg CAT Acc ‡@ 153.00 … +1.30 0.68 138.01 120.73 Tr 4N% 32 121.81 – .60 3.49 1.87
UK Smaller Cos ‡@ 1110.00 … … … Cautious Managed A Inc ‡@251.29 … +0.31 … Multi-Man Tst A Acc ‡@ 1312.00 … +15.00 0.53 MARKS & SPENCER UNIT TRUST LTD 101.40 88.19 Tr 0Y% 33 89.30 – .53 … 1.94
Glob Advtg Acc ‡@ 202.10 … +1.70 0.65
Diversified Growth A Acc ‡@131.65 … +1.27 … Multi-Man Tst A Inc ‡@ 1166.00 … +13.00 0.54 0808 005 5555 147.21 126.03 Tr 4K% 34 127.50 – .74 3.53 1.98
Glob Eq Uncstrd Acc ‡@ 154.10 … +2.80 … 97.55 82.18 Tr 0X% 35 83.53 – .60 … 2.05
Diversified Growth A Inc ‡@140.25 … +1.36 … Nat Resources ‡@ 948.90 … +23.20 2.43 High Income 97.22 97.22 -0.35 4.28 Higher Inc Acc ‡@ 146.30 … -0.40 4.04
Diversified Income A Acc ‡@324.90 … +0.33 … New Europe A ‡@ 155.70 … +12.00 2.11 High Income Acc 260.80 260.80 -0.90 …
FIDELITY INTERNATIONAL Higher Inc Inc ‡@ 47.19 … -0.13 … Shorts (under 5 years)
Diversified Income A Inc ‡@71.75 … +0.08 … Portfolio ‡@ 312.20 … +0.30 1.07 UK 100 Comp Acc @ 432.20 432.20 +0.20 …
Private Clnts 0800 414161 Broker Dlgs 0800 414181 Japan Eq Gth Acc ‡@ 127.40 … … … 117.13 108.58 Tr 3O% 21 115.83 – .08 … 1.24
Emerging Mkts Blended Debt A Acc ‡@113.00 … +0.15 3.85 Stg Corp Bd A Acc ‡@ 94.62 … -0.07 1.13 UK 100 Cos @ 219.00 219.00 +0.10 2.98 142.92 135.65 Tr 8% 21 141.44 – .10 5.66 1.19
Managed Acc ‡@ 357.60 … +5.30 0.29
Amer Spec Sits ‡@ 2390.00 … +39.00 … Emerging Mkts Blended Debt A Acc Gross ‡@125.82 … +0.20 … Stg Corp Bd A Inc ‡@ 53.66 … -0.03 1.11 UK Select Pflo @ 330.50 330.50 +2.00 2.61 100.62 99.88 Tr 0K% 22 99.90 + … … 0.94
Select Inc Acc ‡@ 93.54 … -0.08 2.16
American ‡@ 5281.00 … +109.00 … Emerging Mkts Blended Debt A Inc ‡@68.95 … +0.09 5.77 102.34 100.28 Tr 1O% 22 100.28 – .01 … 0.95
UK Act 350 A Acc ‡@ 199.00 … -2.20 … UK Selection Port Acc @ 661.80 661.80 +4.00 … Select Inc Inc ‡@ 52.96 … -0.04 2.16 100.19 98.87 Tr 0V% 23 99.08 – .03 … 1.35
Euro Opps ‡@ 545.80 … +3.30 … Emerging Mkts Equity A Acc ‡@161.53 … +2.91 0.22 Worldwide Mgd Acc @ 960.40 960.40 -4.50 …
UK Dynamic Acc ‡@ 212.70 … +1.00 1.64 UK Eq Gth Acc ‡@ 358.50 … +3.00 1.88 100.26 95.75 Tr 0N% 25 96.26 – .12 … 1.64
European ‡@ 3127.00 … +16.00 0.33 Emrg Mkts Local Curr Debt A Acc ‡@173.18 … +0.88 4.35 Wwide Mgd @ 569.40 569.40 -2.70 0.80 100.41 93.76 Tr 0W% 26 94.45 – .19 … 1.67
UK Dynamic Inc ‡@ 154.20 … +0.70 1.59 UK Eq Hi Alpha ‡@ 221.20 … +1.90 3.03
Extra Income ‡@ 25.68 … -0.03 4.31 Emrg Mkts Local Curr Debt A Inc ‡@71.68 … +0.37 6.10
UK Equity A Acc ‡@ 401.90 … +0.60 3.45 UK Eq Hi Inc Acc ‡@ 266.60 … +2.40 … * maturities having an eight-month indexation lag.
Glob Spec Sits ‡@ 5601.00 … +86.00 … Emrg Mkts Local Curr Debt Gross I Acc ‡@220.49 … -0.05 5.42
UK Equity A Inc ‡@ 46.44 … +0.07 … UK Eq Hi Inc Inc ‡@ 75.54 … +0.69 …
Global Focus ‡@ 2898.00 … +48.00 … Enhanced Natural Resources A Acc ‡@134.24 … -1.25 …
International ‡@ 149.50 … +0.20 0.08 Global Bond A Acc ‡@ 139.30 … +4.03 0.82 UK Eqy & Bd Inc Acc ‡@ 167.10 … -0.20 3.41 MORGAN STANLEY INVESTMENT MGMT LTD UK Ethical Acc ‡@ 203.40 … +1.40 1.32 This is a paid for information service. For
UK Opps Acc ‡@ 264.90 … +0.30 0.05
Japan ‡@ 517.40 … +7.80 0.52 Global Bond A Inc ‡@ 109.33 … +3.00 0.82 UK Eqy & Bd Inc Inc ‡@ 90.29 … -0.48 3.50 Enquires: 0800 0961 962 further details on a particular fund, readers
UK Opps Inc ‡@ 240.80 … +0.30 0.05
Moneybldr Bal ‡@ 47.29 … +0.15 3.42 Global Bond I Gross Inc ‡@1167.00 … +29.78 1.25 UK Higher Inc A Acc ‡@ 1132.00 … +7.00 … The Morgan Stanley Funds (UK)
UK Smlr Cos Acc ‡@ 931.40 … -1.20 … should contact their fund manager.
Moneybldr Glob 327.60 327.60 -0.10 0.21 Global Dynamic A Acc ‡@ 200.00 … +2.60 0.41 UK Higher Inc A Inc ‡ 531.30 … +2.00 … Class A Shares
Moneybldr Gwth ‡@ 76.12 … -0.95 … Global Energy A Acc ‡@ 170.97 … -1.14 … UK Sm Cos A Acc ‡@ 639.70 … +0.20 0.28 Equity
UK Str Eq Inc A Acc ‡@ 202.40 … +1.00 2.49 SVS BROWN SHIPLEY FUNDS Data as shown is
Moneybldr Inc ‡@ 33.88 … -0.03 3.70 Global Equity A Acc ‡@ 227.15 … +3.13 0.42 Dev Opp Fund F Acc ‡@ 754.41 … +14.18 …
Moneybldr UK Ind ‡@ 125.27 … +0.14 2.91 Global Franchise A Acc ‡@309.03 … +4.94 … UK Str Eq Inc A Inc ‡@ 104.70 … +0.50 2.46 Dev Opp Fund I Acc ‡@ 751.77 … +14.12 … Enquiries: 0141 222 1151 for information
Special Sits ‡@ 4322.00 … +25.00 1.29 Global Free Enterprise A Acc ‡@1220.68 … +13.61 … US A Acc ‡@ 1036.00 … +25.00 … Glob Bal Inc F F Acc ‡@ 959.83 … +6.10 … Balanced A Acc ‡@ 139.43 … +0.47 0.84 purposes only. No offer is made by Morningstar
Wealthbuilder 69.75 72.18 +0.53 0.44 Global Gold A Acc ‡@ 212.89 … +0.92 0.42 US Sm Cos A Acc ‡@ 908.80 … +2.20 … Glob Bal Inc F F Inc ‡@ 926.16 … +5.89 … Balanced A Inc ‡@ 125.47 … +0.42 0.84 or this publication
550 Friday April 29 2022 | the times

Business Equity prices

Dividend yields Please note dividend yields are 12 month Price 12 month Price 12 month Price 12 month Price
supplied by Morningstar. The yield is the sum of a High Low Company (p) +/- Yld% P/E High Low Company (p) +/- Yld% P/E High Low Company (p) +/- Yld% P/E High Low Company (p) +/- Yld% P/E

company’s trailing 12-month dividend payments 37K 30Y LMS Capital 35N … 2.5 15.3 5352W 3670 Berkeley 4048 + 59 0.2 10.5 1418 837 Safestore 1278 – 17 1.5 7.2 420 288 Castings 323 + 1 4.7 15.6
divided by the last month’s ending share price 8504 6370 Lond Stk Ex Gp‡ 7872 – 88 0.9 80.4 1724 1187 Big Yellow Group 1457 – 13 2.3 9.6 1450 1051 Savills‡ 1095 + 18 1.5 14.0 13O 4N Chamberlinv 4O … … -0.3
12 month high and low Please note the 12 month high 248K 178N M&G‡ 214W + 2N 8.5 67.0 334 196 Billington Hldgsv 233 – 2 1.8 18.9 7K 5N Secure Propertyv 6N … … 16.5 66 38 Checkitv 38 … … -4.6
and low figures for shares supplied by Morningstar are 243K 159K Man‡ 233 + W 3.6 9.3 340 258 Boot (Henry) 324 – 1 1.7 17.3 1436K 989W Segro‡ 1361 + 4 1.6 4.0 678 449K Cohortv 544 … 2.0 48.3
based on intra-day figures, not closing prices. 9N 7N Manx Finv 8K … 2.0 4.3 556W 463 Br Land 509 + O 2.9 69.7
63K 33 SIG 36O + O … … 2710 1275 Dewhurstv 1385 – 5 0.9 15.9
113 70K SigmaRocv 73K … … 23.6 380 270 Dialight 370 + 20 … …
4K 1V Marechale Capv 3 … … 1.4 152K 110 Caledonian Tstv 142K – 5 … 36.5
12 month Price 12 month Price 144 94 Sirius Real Estate 118K + W 2.7 9.2 1998K 1121 Electrolux 'B' 1291Y + 36V 5.0 9.7
13621Y 9739 Marsh McLn 13621Y + 82O 1.0 30.1 186N 149O Cap & Count Prop 162X + X 0.3 47.8
High Low Company (p) +/- Yld% P/E High Low Company (p) +/- Yld% P/E
161K 122K Smart (J) 160K … 2.0 6.1
892K 700 Mattioli Woodsv 735 … 2.8 … 91N 54 Cap & Regnl 58 + 1 … -0.5 1N K Feedbackv O … … -3.9
61 26 Steppe Cementv 35 … 10.8 8.0
59K 53 Downing ONE VCT 58K … 4.2 7.9 1550 842 Gooch Hsegov 842 – 14 0.5 62.3
Automobiles & parts X W Drumzv X … … -8.7
32K 17O Metal Tigerv 19K + K … 4.5 2170 1850 Cardiff Prop 2170 + 40 0.8 23.6
187N 127K Taylor Wimpey‡ 127K + 2O 6.4 8.3
3935 2800 Goodwin 3485 + 100 2.9 19.2
133 79V Metro Bank 86K – 3K … -0.7 40 22O Carecapitalv 23K … … -2.7
168O 99 EFG-Hermes Hldg 160O – 16 … 10.3 164 120 Town Centre 154 + 2K 2.2 …
2201 758V Aston Martin Lag 850O + 29W … -5.1 3216 2217 Halma 2455 + 41 0.7 35.5
435 251 EPE Special Oppsv 251 … … 14.0 1907W 1445Y Nat Aust Bk 1830Y – K 2.6 18.1 183 118K Clarke T‡ 146 + 1O 3.0 16.3
1900N 1219 Travis Perkins‡ 1267 + 17K 0.9 12.3
894K 630O FBD‡ 858 … … 3.8 1902 1214 Hill & Smith 1386 + 22 1.9 54.7
253K 189N NWG‡ 222Y + 1V 2.6 9.7 262 185V CLS Hldgs‡ 205 + K 3.6 7.0
Banking & finance 90 67K Fiskev 72K … … 12.9
398 238 Numisv 274 – 11 4.3 5.5 571K 238 Countryside Prop 246V – 2V … 17.9
249 188K Tritax Big Box REIT Plc246W + V 2.6 5.8
125 41K Holders Techv 125 + 6 0.4 …
83K 50 Frenkel Toppingv 76K + K 1.7 44.4 124 95Y TRITAX EUROBOX PLC 104 + V … …
4N 1O Image Scanv 2K – N … 15.0
299 179 abrdn‡ 187W + 1V 7.7 4.0 725 458K Georgia Capital 607 – 5 … 0.9 599 418O Onesavings Bank‡ 560 + 6 2.5 9.0 72Y 16Y Craven Housev 19N … … -0.4 507 273K Tyman‡ 273K – 12K 1.4 10.5
3688 2439 Admiral 2523 + 28 6.0 12.8 1005 765 Gresham Housev 945 – 5 0.6 37.9 1838 1273 IMI‡ 1350 + 57 1.7 18.4
N … Origo Partnersv … … … -0.2 4002 2910K CRH‡ 3178 + 9K 2.6 13.2 1346K 842 Vistry Group‡ 842 + 6 2.3 8.9
88K 34 ADVFNv 66 – 10 2.2 11.5
355 244 H&T Groupv 352K – 2K 2.4 11.3 … … Inspirit Energyv … … … -3.7
449O 250 AJ Bell 250 – K 2.8 23.4 741 522 PayPoint 584 + 6 5.5 18.3 3802 2883 Derwent London‡ 3044 – 26 2.4 66.0 176O 132V Warehouse REITv 163W – K 3.7 3.8
25601V 17403O Aon Corpn 25122N + 103X 0.5 61.3 65 45K Hansard Global 47X … 9.3 16.4
8640 5740 Judges Scientificv 6720 – 80 0.8 33.9
41 21K Appreciate Groupv 25O + 1X 3.8 11.2 1772 937W Hargreaves L 937W – 2K 4.1 16.7 24 8N PCF Groupv# 8K … … -4.0 4K 3W Dolphin Capitalv 3K + V … -2.4 971 604K Workspace Grp 668K + 14 2.6 -9.9
1155 820 Arbuthnot Bkgv‡ 1000 … … 57.4 80K 57K LPAv 73 … … …
185 142K Helios Underv 177K … 1.6 … 750 605 Wynnstay Propsv 665 – 5 3.1 4.8
752 581O Phoenix Gp‡ 604W + 7W 7.9 -7.0 35K 28K First Propv 34K … 1.3 …
26K 14 Arden Partnersv 15K – K … 3.8 567V 359O HSBC‡ 494 + 7O 3.2 10.7 839V 397 Meggitt 773 – K … …
21 14 Argo Groupv 14 … … 6.4 381K 210K Provident‡ 253K + 1K … -5.8 52K 32K Fletcher Kingv 47K – 5 … …
945 717 IG Group 815 – 5 5.3 8.3
412
1676N
220K Ashmore Gp
1408Y Aus New Z
220K + 2W 7.6 7.5
1540O + 10V 3.6 14.0 1482 745 Impaxv 833 + 17 1.2 27.4 1579N 1000 Prudential‡ 1005K + 19K 1.1 16.3 64 31 Foxtons Group 41W – V … … Consumer goods 195O 109N Melrose‡ 116W + 3Y 0.7 …

412K 280K Morgan Advanced‡ 288 + 3K 1.9 19.0

458V 370Y Aviva 431V + 4O 4.9 56.7 2379 1385 Intermed Cap 1524K + 15K 3.6 8.7
3O Y Quantum Blockchain techv2O … … … 206V 120K Galliford Try 175 + O 2.6 38.8
300K 214K Banco Santander‡ 233 – 5V 2.7 6.3 155W 90 IPF‡ 97O + 5N 2.2 6.8 6O 4N Agriterrav 6 … … -0.7 647 416 Mpacv 502 – 13 … 24.1
1670 986 Bank of Georgia 1256 + 22 … 3.8 168Y 114K Quilter PLC 130K – Y 4.0 93.2 801 445 Genuit Group‡ 445 + 11 1.0 28.7
174W 155X Intl Public Pntshp 162 + 1K 4.6 20.8 36 25 Aireav 28 … … 12.4 300 145 MS Intlv 300 … 1.1 42.8
217 140K Barclays 146N + 4W 2.0 3.5
536O 255W Investec 469W + 5K 2.7 11.7 188 141 Randall & Quilterv 154K + O 2.5 … 900 576 Gleeson (MJ) 616 + 22 2.4 9.6
K … Blue Star Capitalv N … … 7.1 926 562 Anglo-Eastern 860 + 14 … 7.8 190 101K Northbrdg Indv 189 – 4K … …
359 286 BP Marsh&Ptnrsv 294 … 0.8 8.1 316 281 Investment Co 306 – 6 0.3 10.9
2210 1518 Rathbone Grp‡ 2080 … 3.4 26.0 1412 965 Grafton Gp Uts‡ 981 + 28 3.6 11.3
80K 11O Braveheart Invv 15O + O … 0.4 155V 79 IP Group 84W + 1V 1.1 3.1 420 270 Animalcarev 322K … 1.2 … 2680 1760 Oxford Inst 2270 + 30 0.7 31.0
517 266 Brewin Dolphin 513 … 2.8 28.0 2V 1 RiverFort Global Oppsv 1V … 1.6 3.5 335 269O Grainger 302O + 8K 1.8 18.8
365 213K Jarvis Securitiesv 235 … 5.7 16.8 2369 1603 AB Foods 1615 + 40 0.3 26.6 4190Y 2068X Philips El nv 2068X + 1X 3.4 36.7
569 266K Bridgepoint‡ 303W + 5 … …
298V 177Y Jupiter Fund Mgmt‡ 177Y – 1W 9.6 6.6 … … Rockwood Realisation … … … … 741 629 Gr Portland 692K – 3 1.8 -8.6
90 53 Cenkos Secsv 69 … 5.0 14.0 140V 106 Bakkavor Group‡ 107 – 3K 6.2 11.1 36K 5X PipeHawkv 21 + K … 44.6
111W 75K Just Group‡ 83X – V … -5.8
317 256K Chesnara‡ 284 – K 7.7 9.3 2950 2200 S & U 2470 + 100 3.6 11.6 44N 28X Hammerson‡ 28X – W 1.3 -1.6 582 466 Barr (AG) 573 + 15 … 20.3
725 346K Lancashire Hdgs 423K + 25 2.7 … 101K 63K Pressure Techv 94 … … -7.8
76 46K City of Lon Gpv 51 – 1 … -3.4
560 400 City Lon Inv Gp 462K – 21K 7.1 10.8 307O 238Y Legal & Gen‡ 250V + 4Y 7.1 7.6 3N 1X Sancus Lending Grpv 1X … … -0.4 191 126 Harworth Gp 160 – 6K 1.1 5.9 5X 1X Bidstack Groupv 3 … … -2.5 6565 3704 Renishaw 4138 + 166 1.5 23.6
1645 1072 Close Bros 1104 + 7 5.4 8.2 53632X 502X Liberty Group 502X – 2X … 26.7 60O 42N Schroder REIT 58K – V 4.3 6.2 600 350 Heath (Samuel)v 600 … 1.1 12.4 200 69 Brand Architektsv 69 … … -2.8 34 19K Renoldv 26Y + N … 9.6
505 219K CMC Markets 280 … 10.9 8.5
2485 1090 Liontrust 1148 – 10 4.0 14.3
766W 403 Commerzbk 523O + 20Y … -2.8 3871 2817 Schroders‡ 2842 – 26 4.0 14.3 497 374 Helical PLC 440 – 1K 2.3 10.6 3439 2512K Brit Amer Tob‡ 3330 + 1 6.4 11.2
147W 83N Rolls-Royce 83N + Y … 56.6
1203K 740N Deutsche Bk 813W + 5O … 10.4 62 42 Livermore Invsv 50V … 7.0 3.2
2735 1732 Schroders N/V‡ 2335 – 80 4.8 11.8 1005 815 Highcroft Invs‡ 945 … 5.4 6.3 1006 741 Britvic 855 + 7K 3.2 22.1
316W 250Y Direct Line Ins‡ 256K – V 8.6 9.7 55V 41N Lloyds Bkg Gp‡ 46N + K 2.6 6.1 3O 1K Ross Gp 1K … … -3.6
2264 1551K Burberry Grp 1573 + 42K 2.7 13.5
373W 285V Rotork‡ 302V … 3.3 27.4
298 178N C&C Grp 209K + 7 … …
Investment companies 15W 7 Capital Metalsv 7Y … … -2.1
217 137K SDI Groupv 150 – 5K … 24.7

181 101Y Senior 127W + W … 22.2

12 month Price Yld Dis(-) 12 month Price Yld Dis(-) 167K 136 Carr's Grp‡ 143O – 2 3.3 17.7
High Low Company (p) +/- % or Pm High Low Company (p) +/- % or Pm 82K 62 Severfield 67W + V 4.3 12.0
705 460 Character Grpv 585 – 5 1.5 10.4
16K 11N Six Hundredv 15K … … 90.6
1477 1069 3I Group 1317K + 30 3.2 4.2 395 298 Invesco Asia Tr 328 + 9K 4.3 -11.9 2025 1300 Churchill Chinav 1475 – 10 … …
1886O 1173X SKF B 1328K – 12N 4.1 9.9
368K 248O 3i Infrastructure 349K – 5K 3.5 24.1 200 157 Invesco BondInc 177 + 3 5.9 -2.7
2784 1460K Coca Cola HBC 1629 + 31 3.3 13.0
104K 93V Abrdn Div I&G 101 – 1 4.6 -14.7 176 154 IPST Bal 157K – 2K … -6.2 270 175 Slingsby (HC)v 175 … … 2.9
1622O 1134 Aberforth Smlr 1348 + 10 2.2 -13.0 250 210 IPST Gbl Eq 228 … 2.8 -5.6 705 455 Colefaxv 660 + 5 … 11.6
104Y 96 IPST Managed 98 – 1 0.9 -8.2 1661 1355K Smiths‡ 1459K + 18K 2.5 23.2
1084Y 867O Alliance 970 + 12 1.7 -6.4 4148 3182 Cranswick 3442 – 10 2.0 18.1
540 403N Asia Dragon Tr 428 + 10 1.2 -11.5 199Y 168 IPST UK Eq 178 + K 3.3 -8.3 1405 860 Solid Statev 1145 – 15 1.4 27.5
260 210 Athelney Trust 225 – 5 3.5 -12.7 664 453 IP UKSmallerCos 514 – 2 … -13.1 228K 179W Devro 209K – 1K 7.3 12.8
1118 169 AVI Global Trust 191O + 1K 1.5 -10.8 788 618V JPM American 761 + 10 0.8 -1.1 598 415 Somero Enterv‡ 440 … 4.9 11.0
4103K 3190 Diageo 3989K + 23 1.8 30.6
506 257K Baillie Gifford Ch Gr 270K + 3N 2.2 -6.7 513 350 JPM Asia 366 + 12 4.5 -10.9 4083 2458 Spectris 2912 + 244 2.3 9.5
171 90 Baillie Gifford Eu Gr 95 + K 0.3 -8.7 731 295K JPM Chinese 329K + 2K 5.9 -2.9 2O 1V Distilv 1O + V … 43.7
1109K 747N Baillie Gifford Jpn Tr 770 + 10 0.7 -4.4 952 610N JPM Claverhs 713 + 4 4.1 -0.4 17135 10985 Spirax-Sarco‡ 12160 + 340 0.9 43.7
1085 672 Evans (M.P.)v‡ 922 – 58 3.0 7.9
269V 146V Baillie Gifford SN 151 + K … -3.8 105 99 JPM Elect Mg C 101O … 0.2 -0.9
70K 37 Surface Trsfmsv 53 – K … …
257 161Y Baillie Gifford UK Gr 173V + 1W 1.2 -11.7 1115N 911K JPM Elect Mg G 995 … 1.6 -2.7 102 66K Finsbury Foodv 72 … 3.3 8.5
150K 96 Bankers 106 + 1 1.9 -6.6 111 92K JPM Elect Mg I 103K + K 4.3 -2.3 2Y 1K Tanfieldv 2 … … -5.5
12220 6365 Games Workshop‡ 7295 + 90 3.5 20.0
4540 3200 BH Macro 4285 – 85 … 13.4 140N 98W JPM Em Mkts 106O + 1O 1.0 -11.2
1269 843 Glanbia‡ 939N – 21V 2.4 23.1 520 364 Thorpe FWv 462K … 1.2 32.1
1484 843Y Biotech Growth 846 – 21 … -5.8 588 369 JPM Euro disc 429 + 4 1.2 -15.7
140N 85 BlckRck Com Inc 128K + 1K 3.2 0.2 155 118K JPM GEMI 128O + 1O 3.3 -12.6 6V 2N TP Groupv 2K … … -3.8
170O 113K Greencore 114K … … 22.9
140 112O BlckRck Fro Inv 138 + 2K 3.6 -9.5 475 405 JPM GG&I 453K + 3 3.5 2.3
865 686 JPM Indian 796 + 10 … -20.1 536 330 Headlam 370 + 5 0.5 21.7 122K 67 Transense Techv 71 + K … 52.2
732 436N BlckRck Grt Euro 503 + 4 1.1 -2.6
200 160 BlckRck Inc & Gwth 187 … 3.5 -8.6 568W 334Y JPM Jap Sml Co 349K + 10 5.4 -7.1 3370 2002 Ultra Electrncs 3220 + 20 2.9 23.6
1250 1004 Hilton Food 1220 + 18 1.8 25.4
453 310 BlckRck Latin Am 396K + 4K 4.2 -7.4 732 458K JPM Japan# 465 + 2K 0.9 -7.1
1585V 885 JPM Mid Cap 1008 – 6 2.4 -11.7 59 32K Hornbyv 35 – 1 … … 590 322V Vesuvius‡ 322V + 2W 5.4 14.1
212 177 BlckRck Sustain Amer 210K + K 4.6 -3.7
2230N 1412N BlckRck Smlr 1554 – 6 1.8 -12.4 110N 95V JPM Multi-asset G&I 102 – K 4.7 -0.7 1615 1060 Vitec‡ 1220 + 20 1.2 22.3
1818K 1470 Imperial Brands 1643K – 2 8.4 5.4
894 76 JPM Russian 107O – K 108.3 126.4
1046 621O BlckRck Throgmorton 654 + 3 1.4 -5.6
478W 267 JPM Smllr Co 313K + 2 1.5 -14.0 1Y Y J Lewis Hfordv 1K … … 16.0 493K 237 Volexv 260K + 12K 1.2 14.2
804Y 492 BlckRck Wld Min 701 + 8 5.6 -1.8
375 195K Keystone IT 224 – 1K 3.1 -10.2
31 12N Blue Plan Int Fn# 15K … 2.5 -5.5 10768X 7880Y Kerry Gp‡ 8779K + 16Y 0.8 24.3 2005 1429 Weir‡ 1550 – 60 0.7 26.1
829 700 Law Debenture 791 + 1 3.6 2.2
341 269K BMO Cap&Inc 318K + 3 3.6 -0.2
145 110 Lowland 129K – 1 5.4 -3.6 94K 33 McBride 35V – V … -6.2 5690 3180 XP Power‡ 3180 – 5 2.8 16.9
118O 78 BMO Comm Prop 114O – V 3.2 -14.8
253V 180 Majedie 196K – K 4.5 -19.5
175V 138W BMO Glbl Smaller 155 + 2 1.0 -10.8 407 200 Mulberry Groupv 280 … … 11.6 195 138 Zytronicv 177K … … 59.1
437 303 M Currie Port 320K + 5K 1.2 -1.3
520 372 BMO Priv Eq Ord 458 + 1 2.9 -27.6
130 105 Marwyn Val In 117 … 5.1 -33.0 1640 1105 Nicholsv‡ 1305 – 42K 1.4 …
101 68V BMO Real Estate 97 + K 3.0 -24.8
294K 185V Mercantile IT 205K … 2.7 -12.5
101
108
77 BMO UK HIT
79 BMO UK HIT B
88K
90K –
…
N
5.6
…
-3.7
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591 485 Merchants 571 + 5 4.8 1.4 1731K 1180 St James Place‡ 1278K – 36K 3.8 33.8 239V 154 Ibstock‡ 185K + 2 2.2 24.1
341 240 Norcros 243 – 5 3.3 7.6
Health
870 679W Mid Wynd 768 + 10 0.8 1.3 350O 272Y Origin Entsv 350O … 2.6 11.0
408 310N BMO UK HIT UNIT 348 … 4.1 -5.3 580O 410 Stand Chart‡ 547K + 67Y 1.6 12.2 314 229 James Halsteadv 240 – 3 3.4 25.1
1482 969 Monks Inv Tst 1035 + 10 0.1 -7.2
1535 1090 Brown Advsr US Smlr1217K + 10 … -12.1 72 49 Pittardsv 60 – K … 63.8 1750 1171 Abcamv 1228 – 8 … …
226Y 129 Montanaro Eur Sml 147 – 1 0.5 -4.6 18K 12 Starvestv 12K … … -2.0
1135 929V Brunner 1020 + 2K 1.7 -10.3 1028 706 Keller 834 + 3 6.8 11.4
959K 738 Murray Income Trust 880 + 7 3.7 -4.8 37 26 STM Groupv 26 – K 5.3 10.0 710 532 Portmeirionv‡ 565 – 5 … 24.1 341 256K AdvancedMedicalv 276 + 2 0.6 43.4
4075 2930 Caledonia Inv 3680 + 5 1.2 -27.0
1286 1038 Murray Int 1244 + 20 4.2 -4.3 8904K 6138N Kingspan Group‡ 7481O + 143X 0.4 29.4
200 157 Invesco BondInc 177 + 3 5.9 -2.7 4530W 3820N Sun Life Can 4044X + 46Y 3.3 10.3 1 X Provexisv O … … 0.4 38K 20K Allergy Therapv 23N … … …
98X 86 Nb Global Floating 87O + 1 4.9 -5.1
425O 363N City of Lon IT 413K – 3K 4.7 1.9 813V 653V Land Sec 745 – 7K 4.5 …
376 286N Pacific Assets 334 + 9 0.6 -11.8 6K 2W Tavistock Invv 5O … 0.8 0.9 269 182O PZ Cussons 206K + 2 2.9 23.8 139 75 Anglev 102 + 11 … …
123K 97 Crystal Amber Fd 119 … 8.3 -21.0
371N 253 Pantheon Int 312 + 1 … -28.3 105 98N LIFE SCIENCE REITv 102 + K … …
525W 336 Dunedin Entp 520 … 5.6 -6.1 1656 901 TBC Bank Group 1238 + 36 2.8 4.0 200K 50 REA 174K + 2 … … 715 465 Anpariov 525 … 1.5 27.6
3125 2365 Pershing Sq 2755 – 45 0.7 -33.4
653K 547 Edinburgh IT 626 + 3 4.2 -7.7 30N 9Y Ternv 14X + 1X … …
51166 45560 Personal Assets 49850 – 100 1.1 1.4 25 11 Lon & Assoc 22 … … -2.9 3W 1K Real Gd Fdv 1O … … 0.1 … … Aqua Bounty … … … …
367K 187X Edin Wwide 194K – 2V … -11.8
2760Y 1952 Polar Cap Tech 2025 + 49 … -14.1 31O 20 Time Financev 23K … … 14.3
313N 271 EP Global Opp 290 + 6 1.8 -16.6 285V 223 London Metric Prop 270W – 1V 3.2 5.7 685 367K Tandemv 367K + 12K 2.3 5.0
203 150 Prem Glb & Inf 187K – 5 3.3 -7.7 10930 7398 AstraZeneca 10562 + 50 1.9 …
152 94V European Assets 105O + 1N 6.8 -3.9 1500 1070 Volverev 1070 – 20 … … 1315 900 Treatt 1056 … 0.5 42.3
140K 121W Renewables Inf 134O + 1K 5.7 11.2 70K 40 Macau Prop Op 43Y … … -5.7
891 641 European Opp Tr 722 + 8 0.2 -14.3 46 28 Circassia Groupv 34K – O … -7.2
3635N 2205O RIT Cap Ptnr 2450 + 10 … -8.7 58K 42 WH Irelandv 42 – 1K … 23.6
945K 549 F&C Investment Tr 832 + 14 1.3 -12.3 5O 2K Ukrproduct Gpv 2O … … -1.8
684 283 Riverstone 626 – 4 … -31.4 841N 570Y Marshalls 600 – 5 0.7 25.3 134 54 Creighton 59 – 1 1.9 11.3
510 406V Fidlty Asian Val 447 + 7K 1.7 -11.7 36K 27K Walker Crips Grp 33 … 2.2 94.2
528 410 Schroder TotRt 424 – 11 1.5 -2.8 670 35 Unbound Group plcv 39K … … 0.2
446 211K Fidelity China Sp 239 + 3 1.6 -4.8 302 208 McKay Secs 280 – 6 2.9 18.4 5405 3574 Dechra Pharma 3574 + 68 1.1 53.3
640 485K Schrd Asia Pac 515 + 10 1.6 -12.4 4532N 3203Y Wells Fargo 3583N – W 1.2 9.8
947 610 Fdlty Emer Mkts 644 + 12Y 1.7 -14.5 5097 4010 Unilever (NV) 4348 + 106 3.3 22.3
323 271O Schrod Inc Gwth 302 + 1K 4.0 -2.8 1529N 1144W Westpac 1341O + 7Y 3.5 18.1 158 108 Michelmershv 119K + 1K 2.0 16.7 2 1V Deltex Medicalv 1N … … -9.8
384N 256K Fidlty Euro Val 298 + 2K 2.0 -8.3 231 185Y Schrod Jap Gwth 198K + 2O 1.9 -11.2 4360 3328 Unilever 3675 + 97K 3.9 18.8
268W 154K Fidlty Jap Tru 163K – 1K … -6.5 31X 26X Worsley Investors Ltd 28K … … 89.3 2685 2000 Morgan Sindall‡ 2190 – 75 3.2 10.7 48W 19X e-Therapeuticsv 26 + 2 … …
809 489 Schrod UKMid 576 + 13 2.1 -16.0
312 247 Fidlty Spec Val 281K + 1K 2.3 -1.8 1210 610 Victoriav 610 – 30 … …
37 22N Schroder UK PP Tr 25V + V … -34.5 37162O 28601X Zurich Fincl 36605K + 496W 4.4 14.3 395 127K Eco Animal Hlthv 150 … 0.6 18.2
928 746 Fins Gwth & Inc 829 + 2 2.8 -6.1 14750 11250 Mountview 13500 + 100 3.1 16.8
546 437O Scot American 501 + 1K 2.5 0.8
140N 94K GCP Infrastructure 118W + 1V 6.3 3.4 85 34N EKF Diagnosticsv 34N … 2.9 9.7
62K 37K Gldn Prosp Prc Mtl 45K + K … -17.8
933
1568K
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816V Scot Mtge
871
886V
+
+
9
7
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105 71O NewRiver REIT 88Y – 1 3.3 -3.1
Engineering 60W 24X Futura Medicalv 31X – N … …
159N 126W Greencoat UK Wind 158 + 5V 5.4 1.9 240 202 Secs Tst Scot 237 + 2 2.4 -1.0 297 230 Palace Capital 281 – 1 3.9 13.4
248 184 Hansa Investment 197 – 5 1.0 -34.5 114K 91 Sequoia Eco 98K – 2V 6.3 -0.1 property 315 235 Panther Securitiesv 305 … 3.9 2.7 … … Ass Br Eng# 15 … … -3.5
6070 2540 Genus 2540 + 22 1.2 45.2
238 186 Hansa Inv Co 'A' 191 – 7 1.0 -35.8 1279N 992 Temple Bar 1118 + 18 3.3 -5.9
3526 916 Avon Rubber 1030 + 8 2.8 … 1810W 1329K GlaxoSmKline 1810W + 13W 4.4 20.9
2860 1980 Hbrvest Glbl Pt Eq 2555 – 15 … -29.7 208O 137V Tplton Emg Mkt 143O + 1K 2.1 -13.6
277K 182K Alumascv 186K – 6 5.0 9.4 3238 2090 Persimmon 2090 + 14 11.2 8.5
168O 120O Hend Euro Foc 139 – 2N 2.0 -13.2 X V Tiger Royal and Invv N … … 38.8 2 X Gunsyndv O … … 1.8
380V 255Y Babcock 304K – 5O … -1.8
189K 149K Hend High Inc 176N + K 5.6 0.9 526 339Y TR Property 447K + K 2.9 -5.5 23O 14V Aseana Props 14W – 1V … -7.2 13O 4X Pires Investmentsv 5Y … … …
771K 494K BAE Sys‡ 731K + 6K 5.1 13.3 2690 1825 Hikma Pharms‡ 2029 + 42 1.8 15.2
1378 868 Hend Smlr 939 + 11 2.1 -13.3 83 67O Troy Inc&Gth 76 + W 1.9 -2.0 79O 59K Assura Grp 66W … 4.3 13.2
425 20 Plaza Cent 65 … … -0.1
2670 1634 Herald 1768 – 2 … -21.6 286O 214O Utilico Ord 236 + 6 2.1 -35.3 2400 1850 Braime A N/Vv 1850 … 0.6 20.8 624 232 Hutchmed Chinav 246 + 4 … …
2N 1W Aukett Swankev 1W … … -3.4
457K 320 HgCapital Trust 428 + 14 2.3 -5.4 229 196K Utilico Emerging Mkt 221 + 3 3.1 -14.1 169K 131 Primary Hlth‡ 146W – N 4.2 14.9
184Y 160K HICL Infra 173O + 5.3 11.3 2600 1780 Braime Groupv 1780 – 20 0.6 20.0 380 227 Immunodiag Sysv 378 … 0.5 …
V 144N 137 UtilFin RdZDP 2022 143K … … 0.7 322O 215K Balfour Beatty 246V + 1V 0.6 27.0
286 228 Highbridge Tactical 256 … … 6.3 783 627 Vietnam Ent Inv 742 + 13 … -19.5 42O 36N Real Estate Invsv‡ 39 … 9.6 5.1 9X 5 ImmuPharmav 6N – N … -1.9
782W 493 Barratt Devs‡ 493 + 2K 5.9 7.7 600 380 Caffyns 525 – 25 … 7.6
1300 1020 ICG Ent Tr 1116 + 24 1.2 -33.2 324O 203 Witan 220K + 2K 2.2 -9.2
3689 2432 Bellway 2450 + 15 3.4 7.7 718O 517 Redrow 520K … 4.7 6.4 9X 4V Cap XX Ldv 5 … … … 336O 142W Indivior 330K + 7K … 22.2
584K 370Y Impax Env Mkts 440 + 5 0.6 1.0 3925 2915 Ww Health 3160 – 30 0.6 -6.4
the times | Friday April 29 2022 51

Equity prices Business

12 month Price 12 month Price 12 month Price 12 month Price 12 month Price 12 month Price
High Low Company (p) +/- Yld% P/E High Low Company (p) +/- Yld% P/E High Low Company (p) +/- Yld% P/E High Low Company (p) +/- Yld% P/E High Low Company (p) +/- Yld% P/E High Low Company (p) +/- Yld% P/E

150 96K Inspiration Healthv 110 … 0.5 17.0 741O 543K Auto Trader 633 + 14K 0.7 31.2 11N 5K China Nonferr Goldv 6V … … … 77 41W Serabi Goldv 41W – X … 5.6 872 594 Renew Hldgsv 695 + 8 1.8 17.1 2940 1378 First Derivtsv 2325 + 5 … …

104 34 IXICOv 39K + 2 … 12.6 427K 280 Bloomsbury Pub 395K – 11 2.2 16.3 418K 113 Serica Energyv 356K – 36K 0.9 … 840 481K Renewi 677 + 12 … 14.3 952K 507K GB Groupv 576K + 14K 1.1 44.0
W V Clontarf Energyv N … … -5.9
386K 275O Mediclinic Int 377O + 1W … 23.6 183 149 GreshamTech‡ 164K … 0.4 …
16 5K Bonhill Groupv 7 … … … 52K 28 Condor Gldv 30 – K … … 17 6O Shanta Goldv 10N – V 0.9 6.4 636V 444K Rentokil Itl‡ 547K + 13 0.9 39.5
235W 106K Ilikav 108 + 3 … …
10N 2V N4 Pharmav 3 … … -3.6 2228 1339 Shell PLC 2185 + 54K 2.7 11.5 518 380 Restorev 453 + 13 0.5 53.9
72 37 Catalyst Mediav 72 – 2 … -9.5 2V 1 Corcelv 1W … … -1.4
102 63K Ingentav 88K – 2 1.6 51.7
82.07 72.04 Novartis CHF86.89 + 0.08 3.4 9.1 490 359 Ricardo 360 – 1K 1.9 32.1
3 V Catenaev# N … … -0.5 2K 1N Sound Energyv 2W – V … -1.2
8746 64W DRD Gold 64W … 5.9 7.6 117K 50 Intercedev 51 … … 17.5
84 3X Omega Diagsv 4N – V … -1.6 862 542 Robert Walters‡ 638 – 8 2.5 14.6
1146 269 Daily Mail‡ 270 – 2K 8.9 10.3 N … Sunrise Resourcesv … … … … 291 140 Iomartv 179 – V 3.9 19.6
2 1 ECR Mineralsv 1N … … -6.7
22K 9K Ovoca Biov 12 … … -3.4
195 137K DCD Mediav 195 … … 9.7 W V Tertiary Mineralsv V … … -4.3 20 10 Roebuck Food Grpv 17K … … 2.6 61W 29N IQEv 30N + N … …
39 18 Edenville Energyv 20N – N … -1.3
1634 545 Oxford Biomedica 545 + 7 … 24.5
1V W Thor Miningv O … … -5.0 130 88 RPS Group‡ 102K + K … 33.8 217 150 K3 Business Tchv 152K … … -2.6
71K 45Y Ebiquityv 69K … … …
7V 4 Physiomicsv 4V … … … 11O 2X Empyrean Energyv 2X … … …
4361K 2829 Total Eng SE 4027 + 63W 5.6 9.2 65 24 RTC Groupv 24 … … 6.3 2762X 1765 LG Electronics‡ 1961W + 32V … 5.2
1108 829 Euromoney In Inv 988 + 7 1.1 …
9Y 3W Proteome Sciesv 4 … … 30.9 36K 15Y EnQuest 32V + N … -3.5
696K 342 RWS Hldgsv 420K + 19W 2.2 38.5 O V Location Sciencesv N … … -1.4
3910 2200 Future 2200 + 20 … 37.8 K V Tower Resourcesv N … … -4.8
6801 5391 Reckitt Benck‡ 6208 + 18 2.8 … 36K 7 Eurasia Miningv 8 – N … … 547 333 Micro Focus Intl 377Y + 9Y 4.7 -4.0
64Y 40N Tullow Oil 55K + … 5.5 490 329 Science Groupv 415 – 15 1.4 17.8
1660 1205 GlobalDatav‡ 1242K … 1.4 61.5 N
164K 46K RUA Life Sciencesv 46K … … -4.4 3K 1 Europa Oil&Gasv 2N … … … 88 46 MTI Wirelessv 61 – 1 3.0 20.3
151N 121V Serco Gp 151N – V 1.4 6.1
152 46O Hyve Group 73X – O … … N … UK Oil & Gasv … … … -0.4
457K 103O Sareum Hldgsv 220 – 2K … … 32K 17 Nanoco Gp 28X – N … …
501 116 Ferrexpo 166X – 2V 8.6 1.3 45W 32N Smiths News 34W + V 1.4 3.3
614 59K IG Design Grpv 65 – 8 13.3 9.5 535 135 URU Metalsv 400 … … 12.9 88 52 Netcallv 62K + 3K 0.5 85.6
1592K 1179 Smith & Neph‡ 1312 + 43K 2.0 29.7
986O 622W Fresnillo‡ 765 – 28O 2.4 12.7 4305 2920 Smurfit Kappa‡ 3271 – 12 5.1 16.6
254K 188W Spire Hcare 219K + 7K … … 25 11Y Immedia Grpv 20N … … -5.2 11 N Vast Resv N … … … 73 51 Northamberv‡ 52K … 1.1 42.3
… … G3 Exploration# 28 … … -2.6 92O 41W Staffline Gpv 54K – W … … 62 26K Online Blockchainv 29K … … …
212K 18W Synairgenv 23X … … -1.0 624 464W Informa 575W + 2V … … 6V 2O Victoria Oil&Gasv# 3O … … -1.8
43 20 Galantas Goldv 36K … … -6.2 602 346 SThree 366 + 11K 2.1 11.8 126K 92 Oxford Metricsv 92 – 2K 1.9 40.0
X N Tissue Regenixv K … … -6.2 132K 72K ITV‡ 73N + V … 8.1 9O 2V W Resourcesv# 2X … … -0.3
8V 4 GCM Resourcesv 4X … … -3.9 142K 90 Synecticsv‡ 115 … … … 12K 6N Parityv 7 … … …
47K 30O Totallyv 47K + Y 1.0 75.5 16K 8O Jaywingv 9K … … … 15N 4N Westmount Engyv 4N … … -6.0
34K 17N Thruvision Groupv 34K + V … … 45 26 Pennant Intlv 35K … … …
670 292 Tristelv‡ 310 … 2.1 63.9 78W 44V Gem Diamonds 61 + 1 2.9 4.3 285V 151 Wood Grp (J) 217Y + 4Y … -8.9
10X 3 Live Company Gpv 10X – 1K … -2.1 770 351 Playtech 510 – 22 … 5.3
110 84 Tribalv 93 … 1.1 28.1
55N 17O ValiRxv 27 – N … … 37 18K Getechv 32 – Y … -7.6 7X 3X Woodboisv 5Y + K … 22.6
… … Mediazestv … … … -9.0 356 243 QinetiQ 338 – 2W 3.3 26.4
117K 73K Vianetv 90 – 2K … …
535K 292K Glencore‡ 483W + 3O 1.8 17.7 7 3V Xtract Resourcesv 6W + N … … 255 130 RM‡ 131 … 3.5 26.2
75 41 Merit Grpv 47K + 3 … …
Industrials 82K 52K Miradav 52K – 5 … -2.3
Y W Global Petrolv K … … -0.8 7O 2X Zephyr Energyv 6 … … -7.7
1060 820 Vp 940 + 120 2.6 23.1
853O 622W Sage Gp 737K + 24K 2.3 28.2
6V 2V Westminsterv 2W … … -2.9
126785O 1066Y Gold Fields 1066Y + 17V 2.1 13.9 12 6O Seeing Machinesv 7N – W … …
89K 46 Mission Groupv 58K … 2.6 62.9
188 140 Accsys Techv 141 – 5 … …

5937O 4058X BASF 4295K + 38 6.4 8.4

276O 172N Moneysupermarket‡ 172N + 4W 6.8 17.5 8V 6X Goldplatv 8 … … 6.0 Professional & Retailing
215 74 Shearwater Grpv 132K – 5 … 82.0
182K 65V Smartspace S'warev 72 + K … -7.5

5636K 3682Y Bayer DM50 5240X – 60 3.2 61.1 2121 1556N News Corp A 1613W – 15N 0.9 26.3 14K 7O Goldstone Resv 9K + N … … support services 2240 1428 Softcat‡ 1428 + 31 1.4 28.0
1991W 1574X News Corp B 1622N – 20Y 0.9 26.4 23K 12K Greatld Gldv 13V … … … 295V 85V AO World 87W + 6N … … 300V 215K Spirent Comms‡ 228V + 4K 1.9 23.7
505 187K Biome Techv 210 + 5 … -5.1
3170 2250 4imprint Grp‡ 2780 – 20 … …
7K 2X Byotrolv 2Y … … … 1458 834 Next 15 Commsv 1252 – 14 0.5 … 149 80 Griffin Miningv 111 + 1 … 12.2 644 489O B&M European 489O – 3 3.5 11.3 48K 30 SRT Marinev 33K … … -9.9
580 457 Andrews Sykesv 505 … 4.6 16.1
259 143 Gulf Keystone‡ 245 – 7 3.4 15.3 77O 27 Brown (N)v 28 – 1N … 8.2 970V 622X Tele. Ericsson 645K – 13Y 2.6 12.5
7N 5K Camb Gbl Timberv 6O … … -9.0 869W 571O Pearson‡ 771 – 2K 2.5 20.8
6450 4168 Ashtead 4168 – 5 1.0 20.2 92K 70 Touchstarv 72K … … …
81W 56W Coats Grp‡ 67Y … 2.0 15.1 78O 56N Photo-Me‡ 70 – 1 12.0 7.8 530 310 Harbour Energy‡ 499K + 9K … … 95K 41X Card Factory 56K + V … …
74 24N Asimilar Groupv 25K – K … 1.5 1100 765 Tracsisv‡ 1052K + 10 … …
10410 6490 Croda 7774 + 144 1.2 33.8 5 3N Primorus Invv 3O … … 6.8 42K 12O Harland & Wolff Group Holdingsv18 – N … 1.4 2770 1580 CVS Groupv 1783 + 23 0.3 49.9
2300 1250 AssetCov 1335 … … 8.2 27 14K Trakm8v 17K … … …
1575 1100 Cropper (James)v 1150 + 10 … 35.0 174 74K Quarto 174 … … 9.6 300 160 DFS Furn‡ 160 + 3 4.6 8.5
204V 100 Hochschild 114O – 2 3.9 13.2 165 95 Triad Grp 127K … 1.5 14.0
53K 35 Avisenv 42K … … …
161X 98O Elementis 123N + 2V … … 1551 965 Dunelm 965 + 9 3.6 13.0
420 145K Reach 161K – 1V 4.3 … 11V 5O Horizonte Minrlsv 7Y … … … 485 247 Wandiscov 278 – 7 … -5.1
42K 27K Hardidev 32K … … -6.2 148K 100 Begbies Traynorv‡ 110 – 2Y 2.7 …
813K 502 Frasers Group 679 + 15K … 30.1 1340 790 Water Intelv 790 – 40 … 43.4
3X 1N REACT Grpv 1N … … 33.1 23Y 10Y Hummingbird Resv 13N – X … …
3300 1721 Johnson Math 1871K + 17 3.7 23.6 290 196K Blancco Techv 218 + 2 … 78.1
3416 2206 Greggs 2328 + 2 … 27.8 273 145 Xaar 248K + 11K … …
2449 1813 Relx‡ 2425 + 10 1.9 31.9 44N 12O IGas Energyv 35 – 2 … -1.7
2068 1309 Mondi‡ 1461 + 12 5.3 14.2 3115 2251 Bunzl 3083 + 16 1.7 23.3 16O 7O Yourgenev 8O … … -6.1
435 224O Halfords 224O + 3W 2.2 7.4
800W 569V Rightmove‡ 614W + 8O 0.7 34.7 1 N Independ Resv K … … -0.5
152K 75 Robinsonv 80 + 2K 10.6 … 52O 20V Capita 22Y + 1X … 1.5 975K 730O Howden Join‡ 777W + 7W 1.7 14.6 151 96W Zoo Digitalv 116 – 2K … …
16K 9N SpaceandPeoplev 14 + N … -2.5 250 214 Indus Gasv 243 … … 25.2
462N 295X Smith (DS)‡ 325K + 1Y 3.7 18.5 51K 32K CEPSv 40K … … -9.1 933 647 Inchcape 708K + 42K 1.8 23.9
377K 305 STV Group‡ 326K … 1.8 7.8
627 397X Swire Pacific 463K + 21 3.4 …
467 215 System1 Groupv 270 … … 12.9
1N K Ironveldv O … … … 136 89 Christie Groupv 115 + 5 … 48.9 9N 4 IQ-AI 4N … … … Telecoms
28 15 Symph Environv 19 + N … … 536 228 ITM Powerv 311K – 12N … … 1820K 1407K Compass 1700K + 28K … 85.0 234 131K JD Sports 133N + 3N 0.2 16.1
564 252W Synthomer 301W + 15W 3.8 5.9 3376K 2642Y 21st Cent Fox Inc A 2911X – 3V 1.1 15.9 315 157 AdEPT Technologyv 190 … … …
21Y 13X Jubilee Metalsv 15 … … 12.5 540 233 CPPGroupv‡ 247 + 4 10.1 -8.6 376W 252N Kingfisher 252N + 3K 3.2 6.4
2312K 1799N Takeda Pharm 2312K + 36V 4.9 12.9 3084Y 2472K 21st Cent Fox Inc B 2709Y – 5X 1.2 14.8 205K 135V BT Group 179N – 2 … 17.4
5K 2 Karel Diamd Resv 3V … … … 93K 66 Croma Securityv 79 … 2.5 11.3 101 56W Lookers 82O + 3X … 4.5
13K 4 Velocysv 5X – V … -7.0 6V … Vela Techv … … … 10.3 159V 84W Currys plc 96X + 3K … 4.5
2V X KEFI Gold and Copperv O … … -3.3 6486 5500 DCC 6016 + 94 2.6 19.8 256Y 131K Marks Spencer 138Y + 1Y … …
2335 1218 Gamma Commsv 1218 + 2 1.0 22.0
2706 1763 Victrex 1816 + 32 3.2 21.6 262 191 Wilmington 257 … 2.3 16.3
526 403 Kenmare Res‡ 491 – 7K 1.4 14.4 201 101K De La Rue 111K + 1K … 14.6 … … Morrison (W) … … … … 189 111K Helios Towers 111K + 1N … …
629 432K Wynnstay Groupv‡ 615 – 5 2.4 14.1 1224 909O WPP 992V + 15O 2.4 25.2
67Y 24O Lamprell 26K – K … -2.2 3460 2420 Diploma 2724 + 50 1.5 48.7 19X 8O Mothercarev 8O + K … -5.5 7975 2137K Just Eat T'away 2137K + 105 … -4.6
494 290 Zotefoams 325 + 2 1.9 19.5 123K 56 Zinc Mediav 117K … … -1.7
36K 20N Landore Resv 22O – O … -5.1 1262 704 Discoverie PLC 759 + 5 1.3 62.2 888 329O Naked Winesv 358V – 3V … … X V Mobile Streamsv N … … -4.2

68K 27 Driver Groupv 27 … 5.5 12.8 8426 5770 Next 5982 + 90 … 13.1 4O O Mobile Tornadov 1 … … -6.4
Leisure Natural resources
O W Lansdowne O&Gv K … … …
1255 868 Electrocompnts 1041 + 39 2.4 26.4 2236 911 Ocado Gp 911 – 18W … …
1636 1010 Telecom Plus 1636 + 106 3.4 41.9
29K 18 Leeds Groupv 18K … … -3.0
142W 106Y Vodafone Gp 127 + 1V 6.0 …
357 251 Essentra‡ 320 + 2K 1.0 54.2 28O 15N Pendragon 22N + N … 6.9
478 184K 888 Hldgs 190K + 5W 5.1 61.1 5Y 2W Lexington Goldv 2K … … -6.0
4 X ADM Energyv X … … …
3667 2580 Experian 2814 + 39 1.2 36.1 519 304 Pets at Home 308O + 9 2.5 12.6
992 590 Accesso Techv 754 … … …
5N V Advance Energyv V … … -0.1
10N 4X MC Miningv 8N … … -1.7
13305 9090 Ferguson‡ 10080 + 5 1.7 14.8 456 223K Saga 232 – V … …
Transport
3400 370 Best of the Bestv 415 … 1.2 4.6 2K 1V Metals Explornv 1V … … 2.0
71 30X AFC Energyv 31O – 1 … …
1865W 1092V Carnival 1249K – 10K … -1.9 265 210 FIH Groupv 235 … … … 340 228X Sainsbury J 228X – 10N 4.6 19.2
X N Nostra Terrav K … … -3.7 310 201 Braemar Ship 265 … 1.8 8.7
… … Afentra PLC … … … …
135 95 Celticv 135 … … 13.3 272 70 Gattacav 70 + K … 12.7 1902K 1311 Smith WH 1496K + 41K … … 921Y 439K easyJet 558W + 2W … -3.5
N V Alba Mineral Resv V … … -4.2 15 4W Nostrum O&G 5 + 1 … …
99X 27K Cineworld 30 + 2 … -0.3 6O 4V Grafeniav 5W … … -4.0 36 19K Sosandarv 26K – O … … 36Y 9X Esken Limited 9X – V … -0.4
1V K Alien Metalsv O … … … 261V 206 Oil Search 218Y – 5W 0.1 60.3
465V 346 Domino's Pizza‡ 349 – 3 3.4 17.8 610 340 Hargeaves Servv 588 … 1.2 6.1 3N 1O Stanley Gbbnsv 1O … … -1.7 116 73 FirstGroup 113K + 1W … 27.0
130K 87V Alumina 102W + 3W 4.0 34.5 N V Oilexv V … … -4.3 1062 289K Fisher (James) 387 + 7 2.0 -3.9
2377 1392K Entain 1491K + 26 … 33.3 1150 608K Homeserve 990 + 6K 2.6 89.1 315 103 Studio Retail Group# 115 – 2K … 2.4

15890 8000 Flutter Ent 8040 + 118 … … 1V K Aminex O … … -6.3 1 N Oriole Resourcesv N … … -3.1 213V 116V Intl Cons Air 144K + 4V … -2.9
520 280 Impellam Grpv 448 + 7 … 25.4 212W 80N Ted Baker 146O – 3V … …
3Y 1 Amur Mins Corpv 1X … … … 1V X Ormonde Miningv O … … -3.1 420O 262N Irish Cont Uts 304 – 1O … …
45 22K Gaming Realmsv 31K – K … … 303W 219X Tesco 272N – 1N 3.6 20.7
84 20 Ince Gv 22 … … 12.5
1564K 938K Jet2v 1237K + 6K … -6.6
400 290 Heavitreev 290 … … … 1258339V 8407 Anglo Amer Plat 8407 + 231O 5.8 6.0 24K 8O Orosur Miningv 10K + W … … 75K 54 Topps Tiles 56 … … 10.1
6198 4735 Intertek 5048 + 52 2.1 28.3 323 192K Natl Express 249 + 7V … -5.3
250 170 Heavitree Av 170 – 10 … … 4170K 2470K Ang Am 3453K – 53 5.1 6.8 24 15V Pan African Resv 22N + N 3.7 7.2
380 232W IWG 242 + 2 … -9.2 1135 875 Ocean Wilson 975 – 5 8.2 4.9
145 90 Hermes Pacificv 145 … … … 160 90K Anglo Asian Mngv 94 – K 6.1 8.1 149K 25 Pantheon Resv 125O – 13X … …
180W 105 Johnson Srvcev 107O + 2V … 67.3
Technology 606W 324N Royal Mail 346W + 7 2.8 3.9
5338 4399 Intercont Htls‡ 5200 + 124 … 48.7 1925 1227 Antofagasta‡ 1532K – 12 2.6 20.2 60Y 34W Parkmead Grpv 56K – V … -4.8 137K 99 Journeov 121 – 1 … 41.8 106V 65K Stagecoach 105 … … 14.8
1W Y Minoan Gpv 1N … … -8.8 156K 104K Access Intellv 108 … … …
6K 2N Arc Mineralsv 4N … … 3.0 Y W Pathfinder Minsv K … … -4.7 27K 21 Sutton Harbourv 21 … … …
133 69V Kier Gp 77V – O … 7.5
332V 211 Mitch & Butlers 225O + 1V … … 169 133K Aferian plcv 143 … 2.0 25.6 470 304 Wincanton 409 + 6 2.5 11.1
5N 3W Ariana Resv 4V … … 5.6 134 60K Petra Diamonds 125 + 2 … 4.1 1365 980 Latham (J)v 1255 + 20 1.6 6.8
432 203K On The Beach 222 + 3K … … 213 115 Alfa Financial 180 … 0.5 25.3 5398 2496 Wizz Air Hldgs 3256 + 112 … -7.3
1 K Arkle Resourcesv X … … -2.4
2Y 1W Petrel Resourcesv 2 … … … 1085 593 Lok'n Storev 1002K … 1.3 90.3
1750 1274 PPHE Hotels 1565 + 40 … … 26 17K Allied Minds 18 + X … -1.6
6N 3W Armadale Capv 4 … … …
203 108O Rank Grp 108O + 1W … 14.7
3 2 Asiamet Rsrcsv 2V … … …
8K 2K Petro Matadv 4N + V … … 3800 2220 Lon Securityv 3800 … 2.1 20.9
710 290 Aptitude Software 340 + 25 1.5 25.7 Utilities
139K 61 Restaurant Gp 62X + 1 … 6.5 163O 83K Petrofac 132Y + 1Y … -3.4 490 336 LSL Prop Services‡ 383 – 7 … 10.6
645W 434K Avast 568 + 3 2.0 28.0
448 270 Atalaya Minev 377 – 8 7.7 4.7
36 21K Rotalav‡ 32 … … 28.0 4K Y Petroneft Resv 1N … … -4.0 145 106K Macfarlane 118 – 2K 2.1 14.0 84K 45W Centrica 80W + 1 … 8.1
4220 2054 Aveva Gp 2054 + 130 1.9 …
… … Baron Oilv … … … … 385 272 Maintel Hldgsv 330 … … 15.4 204 178 ContourGlobal 188O – 3V 6.4 …
40V 28K Sportechv 35X – K … … 27O 1K Petropavlovsk 2N … … 3.1 229 175 Bangov 180K + 2 … …
345N 214N SSP Group 235O + 4N … -4.6 17K 3X Beowulf Miningv 6V … … … N … Malvern Intlv … … … -1.2 831K 393O Drax Group‡ 809K – 17K 2.2 59.9
6 3K Phoenix Globalv 4N … … -1.0 98V 44K BATM Adv Coms 45X + 1 … 13.8
W … Bezant Resv V … … -3.4 627K 522K Jersey Electricity 590 … 2.8 11.1
7Y 4K Tastyv 4K … … -1.4 224 179K Mears Group 200 … … 46.1
17N 4W Plexus Holdingsv 4X … … -1.1 34K 8O Berkeley Res 25K + 2K … …
1226 884K Natl Grid 1225K + 16K 4.0 28.5
305 40 Tintra PLCv 160 … … -2.8 3019 1835V BHP Group 2701K + 24 … 11.8 603 255 Menzies (John) 594 – 5 … …
1729 92 Polymetal Intl 257 – 7V 37.9 … 40 15W Blackbirdv 16O … … … 18O 6N OPG Powerv 6Y … … 4.5
304K 181N TUI 229K + 3N … -2.4 3Y K Border & Sthn Petv 3Y … … … 77N 46W Mitie Gp 53K + 1X … 26.8
772 540 Porvair‡ 590 + 10 0.8 22.6 1Y 1 CloudCoCo Groupv 1W … … -3.3 1827 992 Pennon 1111 + 24 2.9 80.5
5O 2 Webis Holdingsv 3V … … … 50K 17 Bougainville 37N + 1X … … 45 7O MobilityOnev 9N – N … 6.8 O W Rurelecv K … … -0.4
6N 1W Prospex Energyv 4N + V … -5.8 3030 2404 Computacenter 2738 + 64 1.8 17.2
1394 728K Wetherspoon JD 730 + 8 … -6.8 4O 2O BowLevenv 3 … … -4.1 65 25 Newmark Secv 25K … … -6.3 103 72K Concurrent Techv 92 … 2.7 21.8 3211 2406 Severn Trent 3168 + 8 3.2 …
33O 10K Proton Motor Power Sv 14K – N … -2.6
3438 2436 Whitbread 2875 + 118 … … 417V 278W BP + 9X 4.0 14.0
388 10N 5X Norm Broadbentv 6O … … … 1856 1434K SSE 1856 + 10 4.3 7.2
14K 8Y Corerov 14 – V … …
1675 1325 Young & Co - Av 1440 + 22 … … 4 2N Providence Resv 2N … … 20.9
31 15V Cadence Minv 17 + N … 1.7 1176K 943 Utd Utilities 1164K + 4 3.7 …
66K 47 Northern Bearv 62K … … 6.3 2830 1600 Cranewarev 1712K + 12K 1.6 78.1
982 648 Young & Co - N/Vv 720 – 7 … … 6N 1W Quadrise Fuels Intlv 2W … … -6.7
5K 2N Cadogan Petrol 3N – N … 45.8 230 187 NWF Grpv‡ 217 – 1 3.3 … 3Y 2 Crimson Tidev 2W … … 16.0
60K 17O Rambler Met&Minv 28 + K … 0.8 uAIM company; # Price at suspension;
1250 854 Caledonia Miningv‡ 1145 … 2.9 11.1 680K 432V PageGroup 489 + 10O … 45.2 27O 6N CyanConn Hldgsv 15W … … … † Ex dividend; ‡ Ex scrip; s Ex rights issue;
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1N N 7digital Gpv N … … -2.3 FTSE 100 Index. Investment Cos sector Nav
121K 80X Centamin 89W – 1V 7.3 10.1 7629X 4967O Rio Tinto Ltd 6415Y + 218W 7.7 6.7
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purposes only. No offer is made by
454W 306 Ascential 320 – K … … 23Y 5 Chariot Oil & Gasv 22 – 1 … … 1O W Scirocco Energyv K … … … 443 345 Redde Northgate 393 + 1K 3.9 9.8 12O 7O Filtronicv 11V … … 30.0
Morningstar or this publication
the times | Friday April 29 2022
Obituaries
Lieutenant Colonel Peter Norbury
Sapper officer who pioneered the use of ‘sixth sense’ sniffer dogs in detecting buried landmines during the Second World War
In September 1982 Lord (Solly) Zucker-
man, an anatomist and formerly chief
scientific adviser to the government,
and before that to the Ministry of
Defence, publicly denounced the use of
dogs to locate landmines left by
Argentine forces during the recently
concluded Falklands conflict. Citing
extensive experimental investigations
carried out on behalf of the MoD in the
1950s, which he had personally over-
seen, Zuckerman asserted, “dogs can
never be the mine hunter’s best friend”.
Despite his status as one of the most
prominent scientists of mid-to-late
20th-century Britain, not everybody
agreed with him. Peter Norbury, who
had commanded one of the first British
army “mine dog” platoons between
1944 and 1945, countered that dogs
were remarkably adept at using what
he called “their acute sense of smell”
alongside a “highly developed sixth
sense” to detect buried landmines.
Speaking from personal experience,
Norbury rebutted “in the strongest of
terms Lord Zuckerman’s assertion that
finding mines is beyond the capacity of
a dog”. On the contrary, he explained,
dogs “consistently found mines in very
varied terrain and in all sorts of condi-
tions”, and he offered to present his still
intact feet to prove it.
In February 1945, after Operation
Market Garden had failed the previous
September to “bounce” a crossing over
He offered to present his
still intact feet as proof
of the capabilities of dogs
the Rhine at Arnhem, Lieutenant
Norbury was in command of No 4 Mine
Dog Platoon, Royal Engineers. To
allow Field Marshal Montgomery’s 21st
Army Group to mount an assault
crossing of the Rhine south of Nijmegen,
the Reichswald Forest had first to be
cleared, in Operation Veritable. The
defence of the Rhine was the Germans’
last hope of checking the Allied advance
in the west, and they had made great
efforts to fortify the approaches,
mining prodigiously. In addition to
anti-tank mines, they had laid many
thousands of anti-personnel mines.
Short of metal at this stage of the war,
and to elude electro-magnetic mine
detection, the Germans had taken
increasingly to making anti-personnel
mines cased in glass, or wood — the
notorious “shoe” or “S” mine — which,
containing no metal except in the deto-
nator, was almost impossible for the
sappers’ No 4 Mine Detector to locate.
Once troops become “mine con-
scious”, their progress slows dramati-
cally. Something had to be done, no
matter how imperfect. Dogs were one
of the few options, and Norbury was a
strong advocate and pioneer of their
use. One dog in particular, Rex, a black
labrador, proved exceptionally resilient
and effective under fire. Norbury wrote
the citation for the dog’s award of the
Dickin Medal, instituted in 1943 by
Maria Dickin, founder of the People’s
Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA):
“Rex has always worked with great zest.
Whilst on duty in the Reichswald
Forest, he worked under the worst of
conditions both overhead and
Virtuoso pianist who
enthralled audiences
Radu Lupu
Page 54
Lieutenant Colonel Peter Norbury in 1944 and, right, in Sudan was a strong advocate for using dogs in war
underfoot with complete disregard for
the heavy enemy shelling. He helped to
clear a pathway through a thickly sown
anti-personnel minefield, so saving
casualties that would have most certainly
occurred but for his devotion to duty.”
Norbury’s platoon, which included a
mine disposal sergeant of the Royal
Engineers, a sergeant of the Royal
Army Veterinary Corps (RAVC), 15 dog
handlers and some 30 dogs in all, had
played a significant role in Veritable,
both moral and material, and were
credited with clearing a path for
Churchill during his visit after the
assault crossing of the Rhine, Operation
Plunder, the following month.
Norbury’s initial mission in Plunder
was to clear several groynes, each about
10 yards wide and projecting for about
35 yards into the river from the enemy
bank north of the village of Rees, so that
pontoon and Bailey bridges could be
built for the follow-up forces. He
crossed soon after the first wave on
March 23 in a sapper assault boat with
his two sergeants and a section of five
handlers. Mortar fire was continuing,
and his veterinary sergeant was severely
wounded. They cleared the groynes
nevertheless, finding three “S” mines as
well as several conventional ones, this
time the honours going to a yellow
labrador, Texas, who would also receive
the Dickin Medal.
Peter Norbury, the adopted son and
only child of Edith (née Lansell), and
Robert Norbury, was born in Essex in
1924, but spent his early years in Austra-
lia, where the family had goldmining
interests, moving back to England in
the 1930s. Norbury was educated at
Oundle and Stowe, and then Truro
53
Register
Chappel Brothers in Manchester who
produced the eponymous canned dog
food chunks). The dog was restrained
from making straight for the meat and
taught instead to maintain its quarter-
ing pattern until reaching the mine,
when it was to sit with it between its
front paws. The “chappie” was the re-
ward. Later, mines were buried flush
with the surface, and progressively
deeper, at first smeared with meat, and
finally without. Training, which in all
took about four months, was based on
reward alone, while errors, so-called
false points, were investigated by the
handler without punishment.
Tall, trim, self-reliant though
gregarious, especially in later years, and
exceptionally calm, after the war,
Norbury served with the occupation
troops of the British Army of the Rhine
at the War Dog Training School at
Sennelager, and gained a regular com-
mission on the strength of his specialist
expertise. In 1948 he married Barbara
Morgan, a teacher who had gone out to
Germany to teach servicemen’s
children. Barbara died in 1998, and he is
survived by two sons and a daughter:
Mark, a former sapper officer; David, a
geology professor, and Sally, a former
Wren who married a naval officer.
Norbury’s subsequent postings took
him to Singapore, Thailand and Sudan,
where as an
a
acting colonel
h ran the staff
he
c
college, before
r
returning finally
to England to
jo the exercise
join
Cathedral School, where he gained a superior to that of p
planning staff at
Lord Lieutenant’s commission in the humans — as any th
the headquar-
Army Cadet Force. From Truro in 1942 foxhunting man te of the army’s
ters
he went to Manchester University for knew — that a S
Strategic Com-
the short wartime engineering course, dog could detect m
mand in Wilt-
but left after a term to be commissioned even trace s
shire. He retired
into the Royal Engineers, where he odours left by ex- fr
from the army in
volunteered to work with mine dogs. plosives. Instead, 1
1973 and joined
He liked dogs and was evidently dogs had at first th
the planning
intrigued by their potential, perhaps been taught to in
inspectorate at
because despite initial feelings in look for partially th Department
the
Whitehall that asking for canine buried wires and o the Environ-
of
volunteers was a frivolous exercise, other visual m
ment. Latterly he
there had been a well-publicised appeal signs of human s
settled in Dorset,
in the press: “The War Office invites interference w
where he enjoyed
dog owners to lend their dogs to the with the ground. w
wood-turning,
The American th
though without
Rex, a black labrador, army had found c
canine
that in training, c
companions.
proved exeptionally dogs had an 80 Today the
i kl
per cent success rate, but that it quickly Wor
RAVC’s Military Working Dog Regi-
effective under fire dropped to 30 per cent on deployment. ment consists of 300 soldiers, with the
It was not until after the war that the potential to deploy 400 dogs, including
army”. Within a fortnight there were potential to sniff out the chemical explosive detection dogs. Major General
7,000 offers of dogs from owners look- components of explosive devices was James Cowan, formerly of the army and
ing to play their part, encouraged also fully understood. Norbury and his fellow now chief executive of the Halo Trust,
perhaps by the shortage of dog food. practitioners, however, proceeded the leading charity in removing the
Dogs had played a prominent role in systematically but more intuitively. explosive debris of war, is guarded
the First World War, but by 1939 both Labradors were favoured, being robust about the value of dogs in total
the British and American armies and biddable. Other breeds, especially clearance operations, but believes they
regarded their use as antiquated. In the collie, intelligent and active, as well have a role in signalling unexploded
contrast, Germany had maintained a as cross-breeds, were sometimes used, ordnance in built-up areas, which, he
national war dog programme, and the but hounds rather less, being essentially says, will be “a key aspect of our work in
War Office, responding to a growing pack animals. Springers, favoured today Ukraine, as it has been in Libya, Syria
perception that dogs were making im- for explosives and drugs detection, and Iraq.” He adds, however, “for the
portant contributions to the German barely featured. quick identification of a safe lane
war effort, re-established a war dog After three weeks’ assessment, their through a minefield in war, Peter
training school in Hertfordshire, which training began in much the same way as Norbury did something extraordinary.”
Norbury joined. a gundog’s. They were taught to “quar-
Early experiments with mine dogs ter” the ground as their handler slowly Lieutenant Colonel Peter Norbury,
had had mixed results, though. At the worked them forward. Anti-tank mines Royal Engineers officer, was born on
time it was not understood, although were surface-laid with a small cube of February 21, 1924. He died on February
the canine sense of smell was far meat on top (called a “chappie”, after 28, 2022, aged 98
554
Register
Radu Lupu
Virtuoso pianist who was revered for his interpretations of Schubert, Mozart and Brahms but struggled with the limelight
Radu Lupu distrusted interviews and
disliked recordings. “I’m playing for the
audience,” said the Romanian-born
pianist in one of his rare exchanges with
the press. “The audience is the most
important element in the concert.” If
this made him seem aloof, it was far
from the intention of an artist who at
one stage was giving up to 80 concerts
a year and had won three major
competitions: the Van Cliburn in Texas
in 1966; the George Enescu in his
homeland in 1967; and the Leeds in
1969 where, according to its founder
Fanny Waterman, he was the
competition’s “first superstar winner”.
From the moment Lupu arrived in
Leeds he was causing consternation.
Other competitors practising for the
competition’s early rounds were
alarmed to hear him working on the
concertos he might play in the final; he
threatened to withdraw when a suitable
warm-up piano was not available
before the semi-final; and when he and
Boris Petrushansky, a Russian-Italian
competitor, were not among the three
pianists selected for the final, Water-
man pressured the jury into bending
the rules to allow five finalists.
Lupu’s account of the first movement
of Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto
on that occasion thrilled the audience.
William Mann, the Times critic,
described his playing as “an unbroken
joy, grand, poetic, a vivid almost
spectacular music-drama”, adding:
“Lupu is clearly destined to comfort
and invigorate our lives for many years,
whatever music he chooses to play.”
Yet if a typical career lay ahead, he
was not inclined to follow it. In 1974 he
told The Times that he feared the rat
race, running out of steam and the
general treadmill of playing too many
concerts a year. He was also suffering
from nerves. “I was at first terrified by
the prospects and all this machinery
that’s called a career,” he said. “I’ve
never really been the ambitious type of
person, but I’ve always wanted to be
confident in what I do.”
Meanwhile, his concert preparations
could be idiosyncratic. Five days before
he was due to perform Brahms’s Second
Piano Concerto for the first time, his
Geoffrey Wareham
Old-school BBC journalist who prompted Jim Callaghan to deny that Britain was in crisis during the Winter of Discontent
“Gentleman Geoffrey” Wareham, as he
was known among his colleagues,
politely asked the prime minister Jim
Callaghan for his view on the mounting
chaos as Britain was gripped in its
Winter of Discontent in January 1979.
Callaghan was at Heathrow airport
and stopped to speak to a phalanx of
reporters eager to ask him about
uncollected rubbish and even unburied
coffins piling up as a myriad of public
servants went on strike during that
bitterly cold season.
The voice of the BBC reporter rose
courteously above the throng but went
to the nub: “What is your general
approach in view of the mounting
chaos in the country at the moment?”
“Gentleman,” Jim Callaghan was
equally well mannered in his reply, “I
don’t think other people would share
the view of mounting chaos.” The next
day Callaghan’s response had been
rendered into a celebrated headline in
The Sun: “Crisis, what crisis?”
Wareham had a reputation for
maintaining his sartorial elegance as a
foreign correspondent in the midst of
war zones. This gave him the air of
appearing unruffled even after he had
been shot at by the IRA or hit by
shrapnel in the Middle East.
agent took a call from the pianist’s wife
warning that a replacement might be
needed because she had yet to hear him
practising the work. Two days later she
called back to say that all was well. He
had been learning the piece simply by
looking at the music; his technique
would do the rest.
In recital Lupu drew an extra-
ordinarily wide range of colours from
the piano in works by Schubert, Mozart
and Brahms. With an orchestra he was
famous for ignoring the conductor’s
beat, sometimes taking a concerto in a
different direction from that agreed a
few hours earlier in rehearsal. “He
doesn’t seem to really care if anyone is
listening; he is playing as if for himself,”
observed a New York Times critic.
Rather than a traditional piano stool,
he sat in an ordinary office chair, much
as others might at a desk, drawing
comparisons with Glenn Gould, though
Lupu’s chair was well upholstered unlike
the Canadian’s wooden affair. After a
performance he was known to
Rather than a traditional
piano stool, he sat in an
ordinary office chair
acknowledge the audience with only a
brief bow and an expressionless face.
In truth Lupu found the discipline of
performing hard. “As a student I used to
think what a fascinating life a concert
pianist must lead,” he said. “But after-
wards I found that the so-called glam-
our is not always so glamorous. There
are times when I don’t feel in the mood
to play, and yet my schedule says I must
play. This means I should possess great
self-discipline, but this is a quality I will
never, never have. I am a great
romantic; I have to feel everything I do:
it must be spontaneous.”
Radu Lupu was born into a Jewish
family in 1945 in Galati, in eastern Ro-
mania, causing his family some anxiety
by not speaking a word until almost the
age of three. His parents, Meyer Lupu,
a lawyer who spoke six languages, and
Ana (née Gabor), who taught French in
a high school, later emigrated to Israel.
Wareham always appeared unruffled
Geoffrey Wareham was born in
Newton Abbot, Devon, in 1929 to
Donald Wareham, a teetotal Methodist
minister who had been awarded the
Military Cross during the First World
War, and Grace (née Sugden). Along
with his two older brothers, he enjoyed
an idyllic childhood in the Devon
countryside sailing in the Teign estuary
and trout fishing. The spell was broken
by the outbreak of war, although there
Lupu at Sydney Opera House in 1974. He preferred spontaneity to schedules
“They gave me great encouragement
when I was young, although they
weren’t musical themselves,” he said.
He began playing the piano at five,
though had to stop for a month after
injuring the middle finger of his left
hand in a ball game; thereafter he stuck
to watching sport rather than joining in.
At 11 he conducted a Haydn symphony,
at 12 he gave a recital of his own compo-
sitions, and at 16 he was sent by the Ro-
manian government to study first at the
Moscow Conservatory with Heinrich
Neuhaus, the noted teacher of such
pianists as Sviatoslav Richter and Emil
Gilels. “I had five or six very good
were new adventures to be had from
dodging the air wardens to examine
bombed out buildings around Exeter,
where Geoffrey was attending Plympton
Grammar School.
Journalism was in the family; his
uncle Arthur Wareham had been the
editor of the Daily Mail. As a teenager
Geoffrey joined the Western Morning
News on a salary of 10 shillings a week
(about £30 today). His father was
required to sign a form on behalf of his
son, who was not yet of age, pledging
that he would not visit taverns, billiard
rooms or dance halls, be of good
character and avoid gambling and
houses of ill repute.
Like the good journalist that he was,
Wareham soon broke the first injunction
as he established himself as a reporter
in Fleet Street for the London Evening
News, Daily Express and Daily Mail.
Using his sailing knowledge, he secured
a scoop for the latter, reporting on the
first sighting of Francis Chichester’s
ketch Gipsy Moth IV as he returned to
British shores after a single-handed
voyage around the world in 1967.
The next year he joined the BBC as a
jobbing reporter on radio and television
and by the Seventies he was occasionally
presenting the Today programme. The
EDWARD BERESFORD GOLDING/FAIRFAX MEDIA/GETTY IMAGES
lessons with him before his death. Then
I studied with his son [Stanislav
Neuhaus] and we became very good
colleagues,” he said.
Lupu arrived at the Van Cliburn
competition in Texas in 1966 fresh from
finishing fifth in the Vienna Beethoven
competition, though the American
organisers were flummoxed by his lack
of English, a problem overcome by an
appeal in the local press for a Romanian
speaker. After winning the $10,000 first
prize with a barnstorming account of
Prokofiev’s Second Piano Concerto he
was whisked to New York but was so
disappointed by his own performance
BBC political editor and sometime
Strictly Come Dancing contestant John
Sergeant, in his memoir Give Me 10 Sec-
onds, remembered Wareham as “strik-
ingly handsome, always impeccably
dressed”. He also felt it wise on joining
the corporation in 1970 not to disclose
to Wareham and other BBC colleagues
who had not been to university that he
had a degree in PPE from Magdalen
College, Oxford. “At that time most
reporters had not been to university so
I was reluctant to admit that I had any
academic qualification let alone a
degree from Oxford.”
Wareham himself posted dispatches
from the Falklands, Northern Ireland,
Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia,
Mozambique and Zimbabwe and
regularly contributed to Radio 4’s From
Our Own Correspondent.
He marked his retirement from the
BBC in 1989, aged 60, by cycling 4,000
miles across America. Having sated any
lingering wanderlust, he settled down
to retirement in his native Devon.
His first marriage to Nathalie Singh
in 1966 had ended in divorce in the late
1970s. He later married Joan Howard,
an old friend from Devon. She survives
him along with a son and daughter
from his first marriage: Marcus works
Friday April 29 2022 | the times
at Carnegie Hall that he cancelled
many of the follow-up concerts.
Yet the music industry sensed a big
talent. Not only was Lupu arguably the
first pianist of note to emerge from the
eastern bloc since Vladimir Ashkenazy,
he was also unusual in being able to play
both the classical repertoire and
romantic showpieces. “I can’t play
Chopin, or French music, or Rachma-
ninov, so what remains but the German
repertory?” he said with characteristic
self-deprecation.
In 1971 he married the British cellist
and author Elizabeth Wilson, whom he
had met while they were both studying
in Moscow. The marriage was later
dissolved and in 1990 he married Delia
Bugarin, a violinist in the Lausanne
Chamber Orchestra, who survives him
with a son, Daniel, who leads a private
life.
The last of his infrequent London
performances was Beethoven’s Fourth
Piano Concerto with the Philharmonia
and Paavo Järvi in 2019. By then this tall
and imposing figure with Rasputin-like
looks, wild hair, piercing eyes and a
scraggy beard was frail in gait and
balance. “The unique quality of his
playing lies in the touch itself,” noted
the critic Jessica Duchen on that occa-
sion. “It’s the transparency of tone, the
cushioned finesse of it, and the way he
turns a phrase that, in a matter of a few
notes, suggests a deep, empathetic
humanity and a profound love for the
music.”
While Lupu did occasionally speak to
the press, his reticence around micro-
phones continued notwithstanding a
sublime Mozart and Schubert collabo-
ration with Murray Perahia, his fellow
pianist and Leeds winner. “They pick
up every little thing,” he said. “When I
hear [recordings] I sometimes get upset
about the way I play.” He recalled a local
dignitary in Italy giving a speech before
one of his concerts. “When I walked on
stage, I saw this huge microphone
pointed directly at the piano,” he said. “I
played terribly that night.”
Radu Lupu CBE, pianist, was born on
November 30, 1945. He died after a long
illness on April 17, 2022, aged 76
for Meta (formerly Facebook) and
Melissa is a tour guide at the Palace of
Westminster. They recall the anticipa-
tion of their father’s return from his latest
exotic assignment; he once brought back
spears and shields, to their delight and to
his first wife’s horror. He is also survived
by his stepdaughter, Nicola, who runs a
business with her husband.
Back in Devon he rediscovered his
childhood love of fishing and became
such a passionate grower of vegetables
(especially runner beans) that he co-
hosted The Potting Shed, a gardening
show on BBC Radio Devon with the
horticulturist Don Cockman. Food was
important to him: speciality cheeses,
Jersey potatoes ordered direct from the
island and hot curries.
Aged 90, he was still cycling, ending
his adventures on his trusty Brompton
bike with a pint of beer. A real ale
aficionado, he always insisted on
drinking out of a dimpled pint glass
with a handle.
Geoffrey Wareham, journalist, was born
on November 22, 1929. He died on
February 11, 2022, aged 92
Email: obituaries@thetimes.co.uk
the times | Friday April 29 2022 55

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Windsor Castle
28th April, 2022
The President of the Swiss
Confederation visited The
Queen today.
By command of Her
Majesty, Mr Alistair Harrison
(Marshal of the Diplomatic
Corps) called upon His
Excellency the Hon George
Brandis at Australia House,
Strand, London WC2, this
evening in order to bid farewell
to His Excellency upon
relinquishing his appointment
as High Commissioner for the
Commonwealth of Australia in
London.
Clarence House
28th April, 2022
The Prince of Wales and The
Duchess of Cornwall this
morning visited the BBC
World Service, Broadcasting
House, London W1, and were
received by Colonel Jane Davis
(Vice Lord-Lieutenant of
Greater London).
His Royal Highness
afterwards visited West
London Welcome and was
received by Mr Kevin McGrath
(Deputy Lieutenant of Greater
London).
The Prince of Wales, Patron,
this afternoon visited World
Jewish Relief, Oscar Joseph
House, 54 Crewys Road,
London NW2, and was
received by Mr Martin Russell
(Deputy Lieutenant of Greater
London).
His Royal Highness later
received The President of the
Co-operative Republic of
Guyana.
Kensington Palace
28th April, 2022
The Duke of Cambridge this
morning spoke via video link
to residents of Australia who
have been affected by the
recent flooding.
St James’s Palace
28th April, 2022
The Earl and Countess of
Wessex, on behalf of The
Queen in celebration of Her
Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee,
today carried out the following
engagements in St Lucia,
Windward Islands.
Their Royal Highnesses this
morning visited Camille Henry
Memorial School, Avenida
Santa Isabel, Castries.
The Earl and Countess of
Wessex afterwards visited
Patricia D James Secondary
School, Tapon Avenue, Bisee.
Their Royal Highnesses later
visited Pigeon Island, Gros
Islet.
The Earl and Countess of
Wessex this evening departed
Hewanorra International
Airport for the United
Kingdom.
St James’s Palace
28th April, 2022
The Princess Royal, Colonel-
in-Chief, Intelligence Corps,
this morning received
Lieutenant General Sir James
Hockenhull (Colonel
Commandant) and Colonel
Michael Peebles (Corps
Colonel).
Her Royal Highness, Chief
Commandant for Women in
the Royal Navy, received Rear
Admiral Judith Terry.
The Princess Royal,
President, the City and Guilds
of London Institute, this
afternoon presented the
Princess Royal Training
Awards at Mansion House,
London EC4.
Her Royal Highness, Royal
Patron, the Security Institute,
later attended the Annual
General Meeting at
Carisbrooke Hall, Victory
Services Club, Seymour Street,
London W2.
The Princess Royal this
evening attended the British
Wireless Dinner Club’s
Centenary Dinner at the Royal
Air Force Club, 128 Piccadilly,
London W1, and was received
by Mr Kevin Traverse-Healy
(Deputy Lieutenant of Greater
London).
St James’s Palace
28th April, 2022
Princess Alexandra, Patron
and Air Chief Commandant,
Princess Mary’s Royal Air
Force Nursing Service, and
Patron, Queen Alexandra’s
Royal Naval Nursing Service,
this afternoon visited the
Defence Medical
Rehabilitation Centre, Stanford
Hall, Stanford on Soar, and
was received by Her Majesty’s
Lord-Lieutenant of
Nottinghamshire (Sir John
Peace).
GOD blesses those people who are
merciful. They will be treated with mercy!
God blesses those people whose hearts are
pure. They will see him!
Matthew 5.7-8 (CEV)
Bible verses are provided by the
Bible Society
Births
DUNCAN
On 21st April 2022 to Demi Leigh
Arthur and Jack James Duncan, a
daughter, Ruby Helen Duncan
Welcome to the world
beautiful girl
GORMAN on 27th April 2022 to Rebecca
Gorman (née Hulse) and Rupert Gorman, a
son, Inigo Crispin Lysander.
MCLELLAN MELLOGNO
On 13th April 2022 to Catherine and
Diego, a son, Mateo, at Hospital De La
Maternitat in Barcelona at 7.05am.
A joy to all and a cousin for Milo, Joel,
Elena and Bonnie.
Forthcoming Marriages
MR R. A. GOODRUM
AND MISS L. A. MCKEE
The engagement is announced between
Richard, son of Mr Goodrum and the late
Mrs Goodrum of Eye, Suffolk, and Lucinda,
daughter of Mr and Mrs McKee of
Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire.
MR T. E. HIRST
AND MISS J. G. R. SMITH
The engagement is announced between
Thomas, younger son of Mr and Mrs
Timothy Hirst of South Pool, Devon, and
Julia, only daughter of Mr Philip Smith and
Ms Ann Robilliard of St Peter Port,
Guernsey.
K. P. M. RAVNKILDE
AND DR V. C. SYME-TAYLOR
The engagement is announced between
Lieutenant Colonel (Retd) Knud Peter Mark
Ravnkilde of Cadeleigh and Dr Victoria
Syme-Taylor of Kirkby Malham.
Deaths
BAINS Diana Margaret (née Warren) died
peacefully on 21st April 2022, aged 82.
Much-loved mother of Richard and Nicola,
sister to Ian and grandmother to William,
Lucy, Thomas, Lucas and Nathan. Service
of thanksgiving to take place at 11.30am on
Friday 13th May at St Andrew’s Church,
Northey Avenue, Cheam SM2 7HF.
Donations if wished to Parkinson’s UK.
GRINLING Jasper Gibbons CBE, died
peacefully on 26th April 2022 at home in
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David, Louise, Tom and James and great-
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TN30 7JR. Inquiries to R. M. Bates, funeral
director, 01233 758325. Family flowers only.
Donations if desired to St Mary’s Church.
All very welcome, to celebrate a life
exceedingly well lived.
PHILLIPS Dr Courtenay Stanley Goss.
Passed peacefully from this world on
Good Friday at the age of 97. Husband to
the late Jean, father to Julia and Martyn,
father-in-law to Mika and grandfather to
Seiju. A private funeral service has been
held, with a memorial service to be
organised at Merton College. Donations in
memory of Courtenay are welcomed for
Merton College Student Support Fund via
development.ox.ac.uk/merton-college
PLUMB Lord Henry, died on 15th April
2022, aged 97, following a stroke. Beloved
father, grandfather and great-grandfather.
Service of Thanksgiving at Church of St
Peter and St Paul, Coleshill, Birmingham
B46 3AD on 12th May at 11am. Memorial
event to be held in London in November.
Donations to The Henry Plumb Foundation
and National Federation of Young Farmers
Clubs gratefully received. Inquiries to
Gascoignes of Coleshill 01675 462294.
SHIPP Jean (née Powell) died suddenly on
18th April 2022, aged 80. Loving widow of
Nick and proud mother of Clementine.
Details of funeral service via Funeral
Director in due course. Family flowers only.
Donations preferred to Battersea Dogs
Home. Inquiries to Lodge Brothers, Legal Notices
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Tel 01932 854758.
CR-2022-000888
SORENSEN Mary (“Lovat”) Owen (née
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE
Burn) on 18th April 2022, aged 83. Widow BUSINESS AND PROPERTY
of Colin Sorensen, sister to Guy, COURTS OF ENGLAND AND WALES
much-loved mother of Anna and Clare, and COMPANIES COURT (ChD)
fond mother-in-law of Howard and Iain. IN THE MATTER OF T.S.G.
13th May 2022: Committal Service, Mortlake BUILDING SERVICES PLC
Crematorium, TW9 4EN at 12.40pm. Service (COMPANY NUMBER 03908728)
of Thanksgiving, St Martin’s Church, West
AND IN THE MATTER OF THE
Acton W3 9SQ at 3pm followed by tea. All COMPANIES ACT 2006
welcome. Inquiries to W S Bond W5 5AP.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on 19
April 2022 a Claim Form was issued in
SWAN Joanna Mary (née Rowlatt). Her Majesty's High Court of Justice
Passed away peacefully with family at her seeking confirmation of the reduction

Readers’ Lives
BELLOC LOWNDES Richard on 23rd
April 2022, aged 86. At home with family.
Beloved husband of Christina (Cinna),
father, stepfather, grandfather, brother and
uncle. A service of thanksgiving will be held
at noon on 30th May at St Lawrence
Church, Canon Pyon, Herefordshire,
HR4 8PD. Family flowers only. Donations to
CAFOD and The Injured Jockeys Fund.
CAVE-BROWNE-CAVE Reverend Canon
side 16th April 2022, aged 91. Funeral at
West Herts Crematorium WD25 0JS on
7th May 2022 at 1pm.
WALLACE Martin William on 25th April
2022, aged 93. Former BBC journalist died
peacefully at The Old Prebendal House,
Shipton-under-Wychwood. Inquiries to:
E Taylor and Son, Funeral Directors,
21 Corbett Road, Carterton, Oxfordshire
of the issued share capital of the
above-named company by cancelling
and extinguishing 36,180 Ordinary
Shares of £1.00 each.
AND NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that
the final hearing of the Claim is
directed to be heard before the
Insolvency and Companies Court Judge
at the Royal Courts of Justice, The
Rolls Building, 7 Rolls Buildings, Fetter
Lane, London, EC4A 1NL on 10 May
2022 at 10.30 am or as soon thereafter

50% William of Sherborne, Dorset. William OX18 3LG.

passed away peacefully, after a brave
battle, on 17th April 2022, aged 67, at the
discount for Yeatman Hospital, Sherborne. He will be
greatly missed by all his family and friends.
subscribers A memorial service will take place at
Sherborne Abbey on 10th May 2022 at
2pm. Family flowers only please. Donations
in memory of William for the charity Aid to
the Church in Need UK may be sent c/o
A.J. Wakely & Sons, 16 Newland, Sherborne,
DT9 3JQ.
CROSSLEY Jean Turnbull on 12th April
2022, aged 94. The Old School, Fenwick.
All inquiries to Charles Mace & Sons,
Funeral Directors, 76 Castlegate, Berwick-
upon-Tweed. TD15 1JX. Tel 01289 330099.
DACOMBE Robert Lindsay died
peacefully on 21st April 2022. Much-loved
and devoted husband to Penny;
much-loved, proud and loving father to
Jack. He will be greatly missed by his
family and friends. By Robert’s request
there will be no funeral or memorial.
DAVIES His Honour Judge Gareth passed
Pianist who blazed a trail for away peacefully on 13th April 2022, aged
85. Gareth was born in 1936 in the Mid
Wales village of Bronllys. He attended
ZUNDEL Marc Girling died on 13th April
2022, aged 66, following an enduring
illness. Beloved father of Hugo and Polly,
brother of Gareth. Funeral arrangements:
Thomas B. Treacy 020 7837 1775.
Memorial Services
EDWARDS Richard Julian Henshaw QC
at Temple Church, London, EC4Y 7BB on
11th May 2022 at 6pm
REQCmemorial@gmail.com
Birthdays
SCOTT, ANN, 70! Happy 70th to a
wonderful wife, mother(-in-law) and
Grandma. Lots of love, Arthur, David, Lisa,
Andrew, Tanya, Peter, Izzie, Erin, Ella, Alex,
Sam, Emmy & Thomas xxx
The simple way to place your
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Available 24 hours a day,
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as the Claim can be heard.
Any Creditor or Shareholder of the
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hearing in person or by Counsel for that
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Creditor or Shareholder who wishes to
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Dated 29 April 2022
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EC2A 4DN
Solicitors for the above-named
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Legal Notices

British performers in Europe Brecon Grammar School and Aberystwyth

University where he studied law. Gareth
was a partner at the St Albans firm of
Ottaways before being appointed a circuit
newsukadvertising.co.uk

judge, one of the youngest on the Bench at

ROSEMARIE WRIGHT, WHO DIED AGED 88, WAS
FEATURED IN THE TIMES ON JULY 18, 2020
Commemorate the life of a friend or relative in
Readers’ Lives, a service in contracted tributes
that time. He will be remembered
particularly at Luton and Merthyr crown
courts where he gained a reputation for
being firm and fair. Gareth retired to his
home village where he was able to spend
time with his beloved family. He used his
retirement to pursue his love of sailing and
skiing, always in the company of good
friends and family. Gareth is survived by his
four children and eight grandchildren who
will all miss his guidance and humour so
much.

GLOSTER Malcolm Colin died peacefully

Call 020 7782 5583 or email at home on 13th April, aged 74. Beloved
readerslives@thetimes.co.uk husband of Annie, devoted father and
grandfather. Inquiries to A. E. Bennett &
Sons, Tel: 01789 267035.
60 Friday April 29 2022 | the times

Weather
Today Showers over Scotland, cloudy in the southeast and over Ireland, sunny elsewhere. Max 17C (63F), min 0C (32F) Weather Eye
Paul Simons
Around Britain Five days ahead Wind speed Sea state Orkney
ney Shetland
Sh
Key: b=bright, c=cloud, d=drizzle, pc=partly cloudy More unsettled than of 34 Calm
du=dull, f=fair, fg=fog, h=hail, m=mist, r=rain, (mph) 5 11
sh=showers, sl=sleet, sn=snow, s=sun, t=thunder late with showers or rain Slight 2
*=previous day **=data not available at times, but some drier Temperature Moderate

Temp C Rain mm Sun hr* and brighter periods too 28 (degrees C)

Rough
9
midday yesterday 24 hrs to 5pm yesterday
10 2
13 S 0.1 9.8
Tomorrow Flood alerts and warnings
Aberdeen
Cloud and rain across Scotland and
Aberporth 9 C 0.0 6.2
Ireland, while England and Wales will At 17:00 on Thursday there were no 12
Anglesey 9 S 0.0 0.2 be mostly dry and bright with a few flood alerts or warnings in England, 12
Aviemore 12 PC 0.0 6.0 early mist or fog patches, although Wales or Scotland.

T
Barnstaple 11 PC 0.0 ** rain may arrive in the northwest later.
For further information and updates 4 C F he oceans are steadily
Bedford 9 PC 0.0 ** Max 16C, min 4C Aberdeen 35 95
Belfast 11 PC 0.0 11.2
in England visit flood-warning-
30 86
turning noisier as seas
information.service.gov.uk, for Wales
Birmingham 9 PC 0.0 **
naturalresources.wales/flooding and 25 77 grow warmer and sounds
Bournemouth 11 C 0.0 4.5 11 NORTH travel faster and also
** ** 0.0 **
for Scotland SEPA.org.uk 20 68
Bridlington SEA 15 59 further underwater. A
Bristol 10 C 0.0 0.0
Camborne 12 PC 0.0 8.8 13 10 50
recent study identified two hotspots
12 Edinburgh
Cardiff 10 PC 0.0 4.6
15
7 Glasgow 5 41
for increasing underwater sounds, in
Edinburgh 11 S 0.0 2.0 0 32
Eskdalemuir 7 C 0.0 7.5
12 4 -5 23 the Greenland Sea and an area off
Glasgow 12 S 0.0 1.6
15
-10 14 the northwest Atlantic coast of
Hereford 9 PC 0.0 **
Herstmonceux 13 S 0.0 2.7 ATLANTIC
Londonderry -15 5 Newfoundland.
Ipswich 11 PC 0.0 0.3
Newcastle At depths between 50m and 500m
OCEAN Carlisle
Isle of Man 9 PC 0.0 11.8
Sunday Belfast under the sea surface, the average
Isle of Wight 12 S 0.0 ** 13
Jersey 13 PC 0.0 11.8 Cloud and rain lingering across much 14 12 speed of sound is expected to
of Britain and Ireland, especially in the 15
Keswick 8 PC 0.0 ** south, but gradually clearing through Yorkk increase by 55mph (25m per
Kinloss 14 S 0.0 13.3 the day with some bright or sunny second), a rise of more than 1.5 per
2
Leeds 6 PC 0.0 ** intervals developing in places.
Lerwick 10 PC 0.0 2.1 Max 15C, min 3C Manchester Hull
cent, by the end of the century, with
Leuchars 11 S 0.0 1.2 ooo
Liverpool 13 “business as usual” high rates of
Lincoln 8 D 0.0 0.0 Galway IRISH 8
10 PC 0.0 ** 14
greenhouse gas emissions,
Liverpool SEA 15 Sheffield
London 12 PC 0.0 0.0 Dublin
LLlandudno
according to research published in
Lyneham 10 S 0.0 1.6 the journal Earth’s Future in March.
Manchester 9 C 0.0 8.5
Margate ** ** 0.0 0.0
13 14
Shrewsbury
Nottingham This could have big impacts on large
10 sea creatures.
Milford Haven 12 PC 0.0 **
i h
Norwich
Newcastle 8 PC 0.0 ** 8 13 The ocean is a cacophony of
Nottingham 8 PC 0.0 0.2 Birmingham
Orkney 11 PC 0.0 2.6 11
Cork
Cambridge sounds as marine creatures use
Oxford 11 PC 0.0 ** 14 sound for communicating with each
Swansea Oxford 12
Plymouth 11 PC 0.0 ** other, and to navigate, feed, fight,
Portland 10 PC 0.0 ** Cardiff
Scilly, St Mary’s 11 S 0.0 **
Monday Channel Islands CELTIC 3
13 find mates, avoid predators and
Shoreham 12 S 0.0 0.0 A mixture of variable cloud, bright
SEA Bristol London migrate. There are also the sounds
or sunny intervals and scattered
Shrewsbury 10 PC 0.0 5.6 16
Snowdonia 8 S 0.0 **
showers for many places, these most
widespread during the afternoon. Southampton
of waves, cracking ice and other
5
15 natural ocean noises. But man-made
Southend 11 PC 0.0 0.1 Max 16C, min 1C Exeterr
South Uist 11 PC 0.0 ** 17 Plymouth Brighton noises such as shipping add even
Stornoway 13 C 0.0 6.1
Tiree 10 C 0.0 13.5
more sounds, and so changes in the
Whitehaven 6 PC 0.0 1.2 14
15 speed and spread of sounds can
CHANNEL 23
Wick ** ** 0.0 ** 12 harm the lives of sea creatures.
Yeovilton 10 PC 0.0 0.1
The study focused on the
16
16 General situation: Showers in Scotland. Cloud will gradually break up and shift although occasional cloud will develop endangered North Atlantic right
The world Largely dry and sunny elsewhere, but southwards as the day progresses, in the afternoon, perhaps leading to a whale, which inhabits the acoustic
All readings local midday yesterday
thicker cloud may bring patchy drizzle. allowing some sunny spells to develop, very isolated shower in the southwest. hotspots of the North Atlantic. At
Alicante 15 R Madeira 19 PC 16 N Ireland, Republic of Ireland: Early but potentially bringing the odd spot Light northeasterly winds, variable at
Amsterdam 13 PC Madrid 14 PC
50m (165ft) deep, the whales will be
mist, fog and frost patches clearing to of drizzle to Essex, London and Kent times. Maximum 17C (63F), minimum
Athens 25 PC Malaga 19 PC
leave sunny spells, although cloud will later. Light to moderate northeasterly 0C (32F). able to communicate over a wide
Auckland 19 PC Mallorca 22 PC
increase later, ahead of rain arriving winds. Maximum 15C (59F), minimum Scotland: Cloudy with the odd shower range in the future, but they will
Bahrain 33 PC Malta 17 PC Tuesday
Bangkok 35 PC Melbourne 20 PC For most places it will be another
in the west. Light winds, variable 1C (34F). in the north at first but most places also be competing with other noises
Barbados 25 SH Mexico City 23 PC bright day with variable amounts of in direction. Maximum 16C (61F), Channel Is, SW Eng, Cen S Eng, Wales, starting dry and bright. Cloud bubbling that are travelling faster and further,
cloud and a scattering of showers, minimum 3C (37F). W Mids, NW Eng, Cen N Eng, E Eng, up into the afternoon will lead to a
Barcelona 19 PC Miami 29 PC
although some longer spells of rain SE Eng, London, E Anglia, E Mids: NE Eng, Lake District, IoM: Any mist scattering of showers later. Light and
potentially drowning out the whales’
Beijing 13 PC Milan 20 PC
Beirut 22 M Mombasa 29 SH
may arrive in the northwest.
A cloudy start across much of East or frost patches clearing to leaving a variable winds. Maximum 16C (61F), vocalisations. Apart from
Max 17C, min 4C
Belgrade 12 PC Montreal 5 R Anglia, perhaps with a spot of drizzle. largely dry day with plenty of sunshine, minimum 1C (34F). temperature, how fast and how far
Berlin 16 PC Moscow 6 PC sound travels underwater also
Bermuda 21 PC Mumbai 35 S 14
Bordeaux 19 PC Munich 14 PC Tides Noon today
1016
depends on pressure with increasing
Brussels 17 PC Nairobi 19 C Tidal predictions. depth and salinity of the seas.
Heights in metres
Bucharest 15 SH Naples 23 PC
15
1024 Oceans are not only growing
Budapest 18 PC New Orleans 22 PC Today Ht Ht
Buenos Aires 19 PC New York 12 PC 14 Aberdeen 01:25 4.0 13:26 4.1 warmer but also having heatwaves.
Cairo 28 PC Nice 20 PC Avonmouth 07:12 12.9 19:34 13.0 These are happening more often and
Calcutta 36 S Nicosia 23 PC Belfast 11:13 3.4 23:38 3.2 HIGH with more intensity in some places.
Canberra 17 C Oslo 10 PC 16
Cardiff 07:03 11.9 19:23 11.9 LOW
Cape Town 19 PC Paris 20 PC 05:42 5.3 18:09 5.2
1032 Marine cold spells are also natural
Devonport HIGH
Chicago 4 PC Perth 19 PC
Dover 11:30 6.4 23:38 6.6 1024 fluctuations in oceans but a separate
Copenhagen 11 PC Prague 15 PC study, published in Geophysical
Wednesday Dublin 11:45 3.9 --:-- -- 1016 1016
Corfu 26 PC Reykjavik 10 SH 1024
Delhi 42 S Riga 7 PC Further showers or perhaps longer Falmouth 05:08 5.0 17:31 4.9 1008
1032 Research Letters, found that they
spells of rain in some places, but there Greenock 12:34 3.4 --:-- --
Dubai 37 PC Rio de Janeiro 31 PC
will be plenty of drier and brighter Cold front are less frequent, and the cold spells
10 PC 30 PC Harwich 11:50 4.0 00:03 3.9 1000
Dublin
Faro 18 PC
Riyadh
Rome 23 PC
weather around too.
Holyhead 10:21 5.4 22:48 5.3 Warm front now occur about ten days each year
LOW
Florence 21 PC San Francisco 15 PC
Max 18C, min 3C
Hull 06:31 7.0 18:23 7.4 Occluded front compared with roughly 40 in 1985.
Frankfurt 18 PC Santiago 13 PC Leith 02:35 5.3 14:43 5.3 Trough
Geneva 17 PC São Paulo 27 PC Liverpool 11:10 9.0 23:37 8.9
Gibraltar 18 S Seoul 19 PC 15 London Bridge 01:43 6.7 14:09 6.9
Synoptic situation Highs and lows Hours of darkness
Helsinki 5 PC Seychelles 33 PC Lowestoft 09:47 2.4 21:30 2.4 24hrs to 5pm yesterday Aberdeen 21:17-04:51
Hong Kong 31 PC Singapore 32 PC Milford Haven 06:14 6.8 18:35 6.7 For most places, high pressure Belfast 21:23-05:16
Honolulu 27 PC St Petersburg 5 PC will dominate conditions Warmest: Drumnadrochit,
16 Morecambe 11:21 9.0 23:48 8.9 Inverness-shire, 15.9C Birmingham 20:59-05:07
Istanbul 17 PC Stockholm 9 PC leading to a largely dry day with Coldest: Altnaharra,
16 Newhaven 11:15 6.3 23:35 6.6 Cardiff 21:02-05:16
Jerusalem 24 PC Sydney 23 SH plenty of sunny spells, although Sutherland, -4.3C
Newquay 05:06 6.7 17:27 6.6 Exeter 21:01-05:19
Johannesburg 17 PC Tel Aviv 24 PC a scattering of showers will Wettest: Baltasound, 0.8mm
Oban 05:49 3.8 18:04 3.6 Sunniest: Tiree, 13.5hrs* Glasgow 21:21-05:05
Kuala Lumpur 32 PC Tenerife 23 PC develop across Scotland, while
17 Penzance 04:38 5.3 17:01 5.2 Liverpool 21:07-05:09
Kyiv ** ** Tokyo 18 PC thicker cloud in the southeast
24 PC 10 PC Portsmouth 11:22 4.4 23:54 4.6 Sun and moon London 20:49-05:03
Lanzarote Vancouver and spreading into western For Greenwich Manchester 21:04-05:06
Las Palmas 22 PC Venice 18 PC Shoreham 11:27 6.0 23:48 6.2 Sun rises: 05.35
The Times weather Southampton 11:02 4.2 23:38 4.4
Ireland later may lead to the Newcastle 21:07-04:58
Lima 17 DU Vienna 18 PC Sun sets: 20.19
odd spot of drizzle. Tomorrow, a Moon rises: 05.23 Norwich 20:47-04:54
Lisbon 21 PC Warsaw 15 PC page is provided Swansea 06:22 9.2 18:41 9.1
low-pressure system will bring Moon sets: 18.52 Penzance 21:07-05:29
Los Angeles 20 PC Washington 15 PC Tees 03:45 5.2 15:48 5.3
36 PC 16 PC
by Weatherquest rain to northwestern areas. New moon: April 30 Sheffield 21:01-05:03
Luxor Zurich Weymouth 06:41 2.0 19:07 2.0
the times | Friday April 29 2022 61

Sport
Honeysuckle to extend run Punchestown
Selected races
6 1111- HONEYSUCKLE 45 (CD) H De Bromhead 8-11-5

Echoes In Rain.
Rachael Blackmore
1-5 Honeysuckle, 8-1 Saint Roi, 10-1 Teahupoo, 20-1 Adagio, 33-1 Darasso,
Power set to retire
Robbie Power, who won the 2007
Rob Wright
Rob Wright Racing Editor The Guineas meeting starts at New- Grand National on Silver Birch,
6.00 Alanna Homes Champion
market, with Shine So Bright, who goes 5.25 Honeysuckle 6.00 Three Stripe Life
Novice Hurdle announced his retirement from the
Honeysuckle appears to face a simple well at this track, worth supporting in Going: good to yielding, yielding in places saddle after riding Magic Daze to vic-
Racing TV (Grade I: £75,000: 2m 3f) (6)
task as she bids to extend her unbeaten the Betfair Daily Rewards Handicap 1 1255- DEPLOY THE GETAWAY 26 (T) W P Mullins 7-11-10 tory at Punchestown yesterday. Power,
record to 16 in the Paddy Power Irish (3.00). Best bet of the day is Stone Of 5.25 Paddy Power Champion Hurdle S O'Keeffe 40, won a host of top-class jumps races,
2 3111- FLAME BEARER 26 (T) P M J Doyle 7-11-10 J J Doyle
Champion Hurdle (5.25) at Punches- Destiny in the William Hill Pick Your (Grade I: £164,999: 2m) (6) 3 2211- HIGHLAND CHARGE 47 N Meade 7-11-10 S W Flanagan including the 2017 Cheltenham Gold
town today. She will again be ridden by Places Handicap (2.40) at Goodwood. 1 /220- ADAGIO 45 (P,T,D) D Pipe (UK) 5-11-12 T Scudamore 4 2313- KILCRUIT 45 (T,C) W P Mullins 7-11-10 Mr P W Mullins Cup on Sizing John. His final ride will be
Rachael Blackmore, who has ridden He shaped well at Newmarket last time 2 4121- DARASSO 11 (B,T,D) J P O'Brien 9-11-12 L Dempsey 5 /F11- STATE MAN 42 W P Mullins 5-11-10 P Townend Teahupoo, who faces a tough task
3 /344- SAINT ROI 45 (T,D) W P Mullins 7-11-12 M P Walsh 6 2221- THREE STRIPE LIFE 20 G Elliott 6-11-10 D N Russell
Honeysuckle throughout her career, and is 5lb lower in the weights than 4 1110- TEAHUPOO 45 (D) G Elliott 5-11-12 R M Power 11-8 State Man, 11-4 Three Stripe Life, 9-2 Flame Bearer, 5-1 Kilcruit, 16-1
against the brilliant Honeysuckle in the
and it will be a shock if she is beaten. when second in this race last year. 5 3435- ECHOES IN RAIN 45 (T,CD) W P Mullins 6-11-5 P Townend Highland Charge, 33-1 Deploy The Getaway. Irish Champion Hurdle today.

1.50 Best Odds On The Betfair ITV4 3.00 Betfair Daily Rewards Handicap ITV4 2-5 Yibir, 8-1 West End Charmer, Outbox, 10-1 Raymond Tusk, 12-1 Living Legend, 33-1 Red Verdon.
Newmarket Exchange Newmarket Stakes (Listed) (£25,770: 7f) (7) Wright choice: Yibir was second in the group one Dubai Sheema Classic at
Rob Wright (3-Y-O: £29,489: 1m 2f) (4) 1 (3) 001/0- HUMANITARIAN 251 (T) S C Williams 6-9-10 L Catton (5) -- Meydan; he looks a cut above this field Danger Raymond Tusk
1 (2) 6342-3 AUSTRIAN THEORY 15 C & M Johnston 9-0 J Fanning 103 2 (2) 44440- SHINE SO BRIGHT 279 (H,CD) A Balding 6-9-3 Harry Davies (7) v99
1.15 Chasseral 3.35 Yibir 4.10 Maiden Fillies’ Stakes
2 (3) 312-3 HOO YA MAL 16 (H) A Balding 9-0 M Ghiani v107 3 (4) 2141-4 ABLE KANE 15 (D) B Millman 5-8-12 David Egan 95
1.50 Subastar 4.10 Elegant Verse
2.25 Gubbass 4.45 Dingle 3 (4) 211-1 NATIONS PRIDE 63 (D) C Appleby 9-0 W Buick 97 4 (5) 061-06 ANOTHER BATT 13 (BF,D) D & N Barron 7-8-12 H Doyle 96 (3-Y-O: £8,100: 1m 2f) (7)
3.00 Shine So Bright (nb) 4 (1) 1- SUBASTAR 218 (C) R Varian 9-0 David Egan 104 5 (1) 30500- LORD RAPSCALLION 189 (D) S C Williams 6-8-7 M Ghiani 90 1 (5) 66- BEEBEE 181 D P Quinn 9-0 Dayverson De Barros 61
6-5 Nations Pride, 9-4 Hoo Ya Mal, 4-1 Subastar, 13-2 Austrian Theory. 6 (7) 22-231 WIZARD D’AMOUR 9 (D) K Burke 4-8-4(5ex) B Curtis 81 2 (3) COMPLEMENTARY J & T Gosden 9-0 R Havlin --
Going: good, good to firm in places
7 (6) 0-2320 GOBI SUNSET 13 (D) C & M Johnston 5-8-2 J Peate (7) 60 3 (6) ELEGANT VERSE J & T Gosden 9-0 B Sayette (7) --
Draw: no advantage Racing TV Rob Wright’s choice: Subastar won a hot maiden in good style here and he
5-2 Wizard D’Amour, 7-2 Shine So Bright, 9-2 Another Batt, 5-1 Able Kane, 6-1 others. 4 (7) LIGHT OF PEACE C Appleby 9-0 W Buick --
is bred to relish this step up in distance Danger Hoo Ya Mal
Wright choice: Shine So Bright has had a break since a poor run at Ascot; 5 (1) 0 PAWAPURI 12 W Haggas 9-0 C Fallon 84
1.15 Maiden Fillies’ Stakes 6 (4) 62- PICUAL 189 (BF) Sir M Stoute 9-0 R L Moore v93
2.25 Betfair King Charles II Stakes ITV4 he can return to form at a track that suits him well Danger Able Kane
(2-Y-O: £8,100: 5f) (8 runners) 7 (2) 32- VOODOO QUEEN 168 (BF) R Varian 9-0 David Egan 92
1 (3) CHASSERAL A Balding 9-0 R Hornby -- (Listed) (3-Y-O: £29,489: 7f) (5) 2-1 Voodoo Queen, 4-1 Picual, 9-2 Pawapuri, Light Of Peace, 7-1 others.
1 (2) 4124-0 NOBLE TRUTH 62 (H,T,D) C Appleby 9-3 W Buick 106
3.35 Betfair Exchange Jockey Club ITV4
2 (5) DRAMATISED K Burke 9-0 D Tudhope --
3 (2) GRACE ANGEL Darryll Holland 9-0 J Watson -- 2 (1) 1225-4 ELDRICKJONES 15 (P) R Fell 9-0 B Curtis 100 Stakes (Group 2) (£65,216: 1m 4f) (6) 4.45 Handicap (£16,200: 1m) (5)
LADY NAGIN S P C Woods 9-0 David Egan -- 3 (4) 1350-4 GUBBASS 13 R Hannon 9-0 R L Moore v107 1 (6) 6111-2 YIBIR 34 (H,BF,D) C Appleby 4-9-4 W Buick v113
4 (7) 1 (2) 2631-5 CAROLUS MAGNUS 15 (H,BF,CD) A Balding 4-9-7 Harry Davies (7) v92
MALRESCIA G Boughey 9-0 W Buick -- 4 (5) 151-3 RIBHI 17 (BF) M Tregoning 9-0 J Crowley 101 2 (4) 3-3311 LIVING LEGEND 14 (D) C & M Johnston 6-9-1 J Fanning 104
5 (1) 2 (4) 0-1233 DINGLE 14 (D) R Hannon 4-9-5 R L Moore 86
MISS MARIANNE R Cowell 9-0 H Doyle -- 5 (3) 4441-4 HONEY SWEET 17 (P) K Burke 8-12 C Lee 94 3 (1) 2650-1 OUTBOX 69 (B,D) A Watson 7-9-1 H Doyle 110
6 (6) 3 (5) 1-3103 MENAI BRIDGE 14 (D) C Hills 4-9-3 W Buick 85
NEW HOPE BULLET Alice Haynes 9-0 K O’Neill -- 11-8 Noble Truth, 5-2 Gubbass, 7-2 Ribhi, 10-1 Honey Sweet, Eldrickjones. 4 (5) 220-12 RAYMOND TUSK 13 (D) A King 7-9-1 M Harley 106
7 (4) 4 (1) 322/1- LEGEND OF DUBAI 246 R Varian 4-9-2 David Egan 84
SHE’S A MIRAGE R Hannon 9-0 R L Moore -- Wright choice: Gubbass was far from disgraced when fourth to Perfect 5 (3) 535-25 RED VERDON 13 (B,D) E Dunlop 9-9-1 M Ghiani 97
8 (8) 5 (3) 6-2513 EILEAN DUBH 2 (BF,D) K Burke 4-8-10 S James 82
Power in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury Danger Noble Truth 6 (2) 113/3- WEST END CHARMER 219 C & M Johnston 6-9-1 R L Moore 107
11-4 She’s A Mirage, 3-1 Chasseral, 10-3 Malrescia, 11-2 Dramatised, 10-1 Lady Nagin, 14-1 others. 9-4 Legend Of Dubai, 5-2 Carolus Magnus, 4-1 Dingle, 5-1 Menai Bridge, 11-2 Eilean Dubh.

3 (4) 46-4 ZOOM 13 R Hannon 9-3 P Dobbs 4 11P3- MIGHTY STOWAWAY 42 (P,T) Mrs L Hill 11-12-4 Mr B Sutton (7) 5.35 Novice Stakes 1.40 Selling Stakes (£3,510: 7f) (7)
Goodwood 4 (1) 4231- DARK SWANSONG 172 C Cox 9-3 H Crouch 5 3413- SALVATORE 53 (BF) P Rowley 9-12-4 Mr D Andrews (7) (3-Y-O: £3,942: 1m 2f) (8) 1 (1) 0-060 MOTAWAAFEQ 45 (P,CD) M Appleby 6-10-0A Rawlinson
Rob Wright 5 (6) 4113- LAWFUL COMMAND 172 B Meehan 9-3 L Steward 6 /351- SONNEOFPRESENTING 19 Miss S Rippon 12-12-4
Miss S Rippon (7) 1 (7) 1 FRANCESCO CLEMENTE 16 J & T Gosden 9-9 L Dettori 2 (3) 0-520 INAAM 71 (CD) J Butler 9-9-12 Grace McEntee (3)
6 (5) 203-2 WODETON 15 A Balding 9-0 D Probert 2 (8) CAPSTAN Sir M Stoute 9-2 R Kingscote 3 (5) -5320 CALIN’S LAD 21 (D) A Carroll 7-9-10 A Mullen
1.30 Al Mubhir 3.15 Save A Forest 7 3221- SUMKINDOFKING 26 (P,D) Edward William Walker 11-12-4
7 (7) 503-0 WARHOL 25 G Baker 8-13 P Cosgrave Mr J King 3 (5) 00 GOT CARTER 13 E Dunlop 9-2 A Villiers (3) 4 (6) 332-3 GENERAL SAGO 41 M Murphy 4-9-7 Rossa Ryan
2.05 Rocket Rodney 3.50 Chipstead 8 (2) 53-0 JAD MAHAL 29 A King 8-8 T Hammer Hansen 8 0222- ZAMPARELLI 19 (B,T) Miss V Collins 10-12-4 Mr T Durrell (3) 4 (6) 3- LYSANDER 189 W Haggas 9-2 S Donohoe 5 (4) 6004- SILENT QUEEN 308 L Carter 4-9-7 J Fisher (5)
2.40 Stone Of Destiny 4.25 Lawful Command 7-2 Barley, 4-1 Dark Swansong, 9-2 Wineglass Bay, 11-2 Zoom, 6-1 Wodeton, 9 /111- CARYTO DES BROSSES 20 D Kemp 10-12-1 Mr D Peters (3) 5 (2) 5- MOON OVER THE SEA 225 J J Quinn 9-2 H Shaw 6 (2) WISEACRE A Watson 4-9-7 L Morris
(nap) 5.00 Diamond Cutter
7-1 Lawful Command, 10-1 Jad Mahal, 16-1 Warhol. 10 /321- GEORDIE B 40 (P) Clive Boultbee-Brooks 9-12-1 Mr Thomas O’Brien 6 (3) 3- SONNERIE POWER 142 R Varian 9-2 J Mitchell 7 (7) 000-0 NAMJONG BOYS 8 (P) R Hughes 3-8-8 S W Kelly
Going: good, good to firm in places 11 5212- STORY OF FRIENDS 19 (P) Syd Hosie 8-11-12Mr G Hiscock (7) 7 (4) SWIFT REMARK K Frost 9-2 M Crehan (3) 11-4 Silent Queen, 3-1 Motawaafeq, 7-2 General Sago, 6-1 others.
Draw: no advantage Racing TV 5.00 Handicap (£6,156: 1m 6f) (8) 12 P321- TRAPPIST MONK 11 R Varnham 9-11-12 Mr D Kyne (7) 8 (1) 00 RIDE SALLY RIDE 25 T Waggott 8-11 T Eaves
1 (7) 342-1 MELLOW MAGIC 18 A Balding 4-9-8 D Probert 3-1 Mighty Stowaway, 5-1 Geordie B, 11-2 Salvatore, 6-1 others. 11-8 Francesco Clemente, 5-2 Sonnerie Power, 3-1 Lysander, 6-1 others. 2.15 Handicap (£2,970: 6f) (9)
1.30 British Stallion Studs EBF ITV4 2 (5) 432-4 TRALEE HILLS 18 (P) S Hodgson 8-9-7 W Carver (3) 1 (2) 46124 CAPLA SPIRIT 12 (B,C,D) G Kelleway 5-9-9 S Osborne (3)
Conditions Stakes 3 (1) 43350 WINKLEVI 14 (D) P Evans 7-9-6 P Cosgrave
7.00 Mares’ Open Hunters’ Chase 6.10 Handicap (£6,480: 1m 2f) (5) 2 (9) -1220 RED ALERT 11 (CD) A Carroll 8-9-7 A Mullen
(3-Y-O: £13,500: 1m) (4) 4 (3) 5553- SYSTEMIC J21 (P,T) G L Moore 5-9-3 T P Queally (£3,593: 3m 1f) (5) 1 (4) 215-6 PETER THE GREAT 24 (D) J & T Gosden 4-9-7 L Dettori 3 (3) 520-0 FREEDOM FLYER 18 (P,CD) R Carr 5-9-6 JP Sullivan
1 (4) 1- AL MUBHIR 209 (T) W Haggas 9-2 T Marquand 5 (6) 1533- SARATOGA GOLD 182 C Hills 4-9-3 K Shoemark 1 2115- WIND TOR 29 (BF) P Gundry 10-12-0 Miss C Emsley (7) 2 (3) 2213- ARIJ J11 (H,T,D) S England 5-9-7 J England 4 (6) 005-5 DECISION MAKER 34 (CD) S Bowring 8-9-4 L Edmunds
2 (2) 22-16 DAWN OF LIBERATION 15 R Hannon 9-2 P Dobbs 6 (2) 4633- NELLIE MOON 198 (H) A Perrett 4-9-3 C Shepherd 2 4311- CASHMOLL 11 J Ridley 9-11-8 Mr Z Baker 3 (1) 1250- POSSIBLE MAN 202 (D) Sir M Stoute 4-9-3 R Kingscote 5 (5) 121-2 GHERKIN 18 (B,D) W Kittow 5-9-4 N Callan
3 (3) 51-23 NEW KINGDOM 63 (T,BF,D) C Appleby 9-2 James Doyle 7 (8) 1406- CHERRY COLA 241 (D) Miss S West 6-8-12 T Whelan 3 1111- FEUILLE DE LUNE 54 (W,H,T) Miss Kelly Morgan 7-11-8 4 (5) 123-5 HARSWELL DUKE 25 R Fell 4-8-13 R Scott 6 (7) 0-100 MARTINEO 57 (CD) J Butler 7-9-4 Grace McEntee (3)
Miss A Stevens (5) 7 (8) 60000 STEELRIVER 21 (P,CD) M Herrington 12-9-3 S W Kelly
4 (1) 126-1 TUSCAN 15 C Hills 9-2 P J McDonald 8 (4) 0044- DIAMOND CUTTER 177 D Menuisier 4-8-10 J P Spencer 5 (2) 242-2 GHOST RIDER 11 (BF,C) James Horton 4-8-9 S Donohoe
4 1114- KALABALOO 26 (CD) T Ellis 10-11-8 Miss G Andrews
13-8 Tuscan, 2-1 New Kingdom, 5-2 Al Mubhir, 10-1 Dawn Of Liberation. 2-1 Mellow Magic, 9-2 Saratoga Gold, 5-1 Tralee Hills, 11-2 Diamond Cutter, 15-8 Peter The Great, 2-1 Ghost Rider, 9-2 Possible Man, 5-1 others. 8 (4) 55061 GUSTAV GRAVES 10 (H,CD) D Shaw 4-9-0(5ex) D E Hogan
5 U332- TB BROKE HER 13 (D) Mrs Lucy Smith 12-11-8 Miss Katie Sinclair (7)
8-1 Nellie Moon, 10-1 Systemic, 14-1 Winklevi, Cherry Cola. 9 (1) 13206 GLORIOUS CHARMER 10 (T,CD) M Herrington 6-8-7 A Keeley (7)
Wright choice: Al Mubhir beat subsequent winner Filistine 11-8 Kalabaloo, 3-1 Feuille De Lune, 4-1 Cashmoll, 5-1 Wind Tor, 12-1 other.
15-8 Gustav Graves, 7-2 Gherkin, 6-1 Capla Spirit, 10-1 Glorious Charmer, Red
at Newmarket; he has plenty of potential Danger Tuscan 6.45 Maiden Stakes (£3,942: 7f) (5)
Alert, 12-1 Steelriver, Decision Maker, Martineo, 16-1 Freedom Flyer.
7.35 Open Hunters’ Chase 1 (5) BESSAH M Walford 7-9-9 J Garritty
2.05 Novice Stakes
(2-Y-O: £5,994: 5f) (6)
Cheltenham 1
(£3,593: 4m) (13)
P61P- CAPTAIN DRAKE 41 (P,T) B Gibbs 9-12-2 Mr B Gibbs (3)
2 (2) 02- GOLDEN VOICE 178 (W,T) W Haggas 3-9-1 S Donohoe
3 (1) 5-0 HARRY LUCK 11 J J Quinn 3-9-1 H Shaw
2.50 Handicap (£2,970: 1m 1f 104yd) (12)
Rob Wright 2 6555- COUP DE PINCEAU 28 (B) Syd Hosie 10-12-2 4 (4) ISLAY OF ANGLESEY R Varian 3-9-1 J Mitchell 1 (2) 06506 GERTCHA 10 (P) J Flint 5-9-7 W Cox (3)
1 (2) REVENITE R Varian 9-5 R Dawson
Mr G Hiscock (7) 5 (3) TOPOMANIA James Horton 3-9-1 R Kingscote 2 (9) 30204 TOO SHY SHY 13 (P) J Flint 5-9-6 R Clutterbuck (3)
2 (6) SHOULDVEBEENARING R Hannon 9-5 S M Levey 4.40 Envoye Special 7.00 Feuille De Lune 3 (10) 4115- OOT MA WAY J27 (P,CD) I Jardine 4-9-5 A Mullen
3 4534- DAWSON CITY 46 P Gundry 13-12-2 Miss C Emsley (7) Evens Golden Voice, 2-1 Islay Of Anglesey, 5-1 Topomania, 12-1 others.
3 (5) 2 ROCKET RODNEY 13 G Scott 9-3 D Muscutt 5.15 Famous Clermont 7.35 Shantou Flyer 4 (4) -5321 STRATEGIC FORTUNE 62 (CD) J Butler 5-9-5 G Wood
4 P312- GRAN PARADISO 19 (P,T,BF) Miss B Coward 10-12-2
4 (4) DESPERATE HERO M Channon 9-1 D Keenan 5.50 Trio For Rio 8.10 Solomon Grey Mr M McIntyre (3) -3000
7.20 Handicap (£4,995: 7f) (5) 5 (3) COPAKE 12 (CD) M Herrington 4-9-4 S W Kelly
5 (1) DESTINY’S SPIRIT D F Davis 9-0 J F Egan 6.25 Caryto Des Brosses 5 1P12- LAW OF GOLD 11 (P,BF) D Kemp 9-12-2 Mr D Peters (3) 6 (6) 05424 NINE ELMS 20 (CD) S Bowring 7-9-2 L Edmunds
6 (3) 6 LAHINA BAY 15 J Bridger 8-10 W Carson Going: good 6 U/21- SHANTOU FLYER 61 (B,T,C) P Nicholls 12-11-13 Mr D Maxwell 1 (4) -0351 KING’S KNIGHT 10 (D) C Hills 5-9-12(5ex) R Kingscote 7 (8) 06566 CITY ESCAPE 6 (B,E) M Loughnane 5-9-1 S Cherchi (3)
6-4 Rocket Rodney, 13-8 Revenite, 9-2 Shouldvebeenaring, 10-1 others. Racing TV 7 /322- GIVE ME A COPPER 28 (P,T) C R Barber 12-11-10 Mr W Biddick 2 (1) 04310 DAVE DEXTER 18 R Fell 6-9-7 R Scott
8 (12) 5-033 SEND IN THE CLOUDS 62 A Carroll 5-9-1 L Morris
8 P232- MR SNUFFLES 13 Miss Laura Richardson 10-11-10 3 (2) 300-0 BELLAGIO MAN 28 (D) A Brittain 4-9-5 C Hardie
9 (7) 1-635 JUST ALBERT 62 (CD) G Deacon 5-9-0 G Bass (5)
4.40 Open Hunters’ Chase Mr H Edwards (7) 4 (3) 50-04 SOCIETY LION 10 (P,D) E Dunlop 5-9-3 L Dettori
2.40 William Hill Pick Your ITV4 (£2,823: 2m) (7) 9 P543- OPTIMISED 11 (P,BF) P Rowley 10-11-10 Mr Billy Chatterton (7)
10(11) 50000 SEA FERN 12 S Dixon 4-8-12 J Fisher (5)
5 (5) 000-3 SWISS ACE 32 R Carr 4-8-13 Joanna Mason (3)
Places Handicap (£25,770: 5f) (10) P0P2- REWRITETHERULES 16 (H) David O’Brien 8-12-2 10 /5P3- POPELYS GULL 40 L Humphrey 10-11-10 Mr D Cherriman (7) 8-13 King’s Knight, 5-1 Swiss Ace, 11-2 Society Lion, 8-1 others.
11 (5) 0400- RED SKYE DELIGHT 207 (T) Mrs A Duffield 6-8-12 D Costello
1 12 (1) 60-00 ON THE NOSE 27 G L Moore 4-8-12 L Keniry
1 (7) 4211- CLARENDON HOUSE 273 (D) R Cowell 4-9-7 R Dawson Mr David O’Brien (7) 11 3313- ROC D’APSIS 13 (P) W Worthington 13-11-10 Vicki Sollitt (7)
11-4 Strategic Fortune, 9-2 Nine Elms, 6-1 Send In The Clouds, 7-1 Oot Ma
2 (10) -3511 TONE THE BARONE 41 (T,D) S C Williams 6-9-5 S M Levey 2 P311- ENVIOUS EDITOR 13 (W) J J O’Shea 8-11-10 Mr J King 12 4032- SAM RED 47 (P,T,C) A B Leyshon 11-11-10 Mr D Andrews (7) 7.55 Handicap (£3,510: 6f) (8) Way, 8-1 Too Shy Shy, 10-1 City Escape, 12-1 Gertcha, Just Albert, 16-1 others.
3 (6) P010- ATALANTA’S BOY 201 (H,C) D Menuisier 7-9-4 T Greatrex (3) 3 2441- ENVOYE SPECIAL 33 (H,T) C R Barber 8-11-10 Mr M McIntyre (3) 13 P111- SMOKE MAN 40 (P) Miss Kelly Morgan 9-11-10
4 (8) 111-5 RAASEL 13 (H,CD) M Appleby 5-9-2 James Doyle Mr T Chatfeild-Roberts (7) 1 (6) 1/060 MAIN TARGET 44 K P De Foy 4-9-10 J Mitchell
4 3PPF- FAMOSO 19 (P,T) M Gillard 6-11-10 Mr G Hiscock (7)
5 (3) 0-600 STONE OF DESTINY 17 (D) A Balding 7-9-2 D Probert 5 12P1- FAN CLUB AULMES 33 (T) Francesca Poste 7-11-10
13-8 Shantou Flyer, 5-1 Law Of Gold, 11-2 Give Me A Copper, 6-1 others. 2 (1) 2511- REDZONE 143 (P,CD) B Smart 5-9-7 G Sanna (7) 3.25 Restricted Novice Stakes
6 (1) 6-400 LIVE IN THE MOMENT 63 (D) A West 5-9-1 T Marquand Miss A Stevens (5) 3 (7) 054-0 SPICE STORE 20 M & D Easterby 4-9-6 Joanna Mason (3) (£3,942: 1m 1f 104yd) (11)
7 (5) 41123 FINE WINE 13 (B,BF,D) S Dixon 5-8-9 J Duern (3) 6 6355- SPARKLEANDSHINE 46 (T) A Hill 9-11-10 Miss Izzie Marshall (7) 8.10 Open Hunters’ Chase 4 (3) 020-0 TROMSO 28 (P) R Carr 4-9-6 T Eaves
1 (11) 64- SWEEPING STATEMENT 291 R Beckett 4-9-10 Rossa Ryan
8 (4) 6-061 MOKAATIL 10 (B,T,D) I Williams 7-8-8(4ex) 7 54P1- KOSTANTINA 13 Phil Lutman 6-11-3 Miss Kiah Adams (7) (£2,823: 2m 5f) (11) 5 (8) 52220 GINATO 20 (B,D) R Fell 4-9-5 R Scott
0 BAY OF BAKU 13 E Dunlop 3-8-13
2 (3) R Clutterbuck (3)
Connor Planas (7) 2-1 Envious Editor, 11-4 Envoye Special, 9-2 Rewritetherules, 11-2 others. 2224- ACROSS THE LINE 39 (P,T) Syd Hosie 7-12-2Mr G Hiscock (7) 6 (4) 50340 ATHOLLBLAIR BOY 20 (CD) N Tinkler 9-9-0
1 F McManoman (3) 3 (6) 453- DREAM HARDER 206 J Osborne 3-8-13 S Osborne (3)
9 (9) -2430 LIHOU 11 (V,D) P Evans 6-8-2 G Rooke (3)
2 21P5- COUSIN PASCAL 22 (D) J J O’Shea 10-12-2 Mr J King 00 LIMITED ABILITY 13 M Botti 3-8-13
7 (5) 50-23 UNASHAMED 4 (BF,D) G Tuer 4-8-12 B McHugh 4 (8) C Howarth (7)
10 (2) -3130 LUCKY AVA 10 (D) C Allen 4-8-2 Georgia Dobie (3) 5.15 Intermediate Point-To-Point 3 3211- PEACOCKS SECRET 13 (P) D Peters 10-12-2Mr D Peters (3) 5 (5) 5- POSTWICK 160 Harry Eustace 3-8-13 G Wood
8 (2) 43650 TATHMEEN 17 (V,C,D) A Brittain 7-8-10 C Hardie
9-2 Tone The Barone, 5-1 Clarendon House, 11-2 Raasel, 6-1 Mokaatil, 13-2 Hunters’ Chase (£5,133: 3m 2f) (12) 4 /P12- STRATAGEM 29 (T,BF,D) P Nicholls 6-12-2 Mr D Maxwell 9-4 Unashamed, 5-2 Redzone, 5-1 Main Target, 6-1 Ginato, 12-1 others. 6 (7) 524- THREE START 167 W Haggas 3-8-13 S De Sousa
Fine Wine, 8-1 Atalanta’s Boy, Stone Of Destiny, 10-1 others. 1 3111- CASTLE TRUMP 20 Rob Cundy 8-11-12 Mr A Chadwick (5) 5 P113- WAGNER 32 (P,T,BF,D) Matthew Hampton 7-12-2 Mr M Hampton (5) 0 VIDHAATA 28 M Botti 3-8-13 N Callan
7 (9)
Wright choice: Stone Of Destiny can take advantage of a 2 2111- FAMOUS CLERMONT 38 C R Barber 7-11-12 Mr W Biddick 6 /651- AMI DESBOIS 28 (T) F O’Brien 12-11-13Mr T Broughton (7) 8 (1) MAKTOOB D M Simcock 3-8-11 S W Kelly
falling handicap mark Dangers Clarendon House, Lihou 7 5231- SOLOMON GREY 9 (T) Miss V Collins 10-11-13 Mr D Andrews (7)
8.30 Handicap (£2,970: 5f) (8) OKEECHOBEE H & R Charlton 3-8-11 L Morris
3 1211- GO GO GERONIMO 20 (P) G Bailey 7-11-12 9 (4)
Mr T Chatfeild-Roberts (7) 8 2F2U- CLONDAW WESTIE 22 (P,T,D) A Hill 11-11-10 1 (7) 250-0 ANOTHER ANGEL 11 (V,CD) A Brittain 8-9-7H Russell (3) 10(10) 00 TARBAT NESS 16 J Berry 3-8-11 JP Sullivan
3.15 British Stallion Studs EBF ITV4 4 1122- HOW TO GET AWAY 20 (H,BF) D Kemp 8-11-12 Mr T Durrell (3) Miss Izzie Marshall (7) 2 (5) 4-250 SWISS CONNECTION 35 (H,CD) B Smart 6-9-6 G Lee 11 (2) 0- EMULATION 245 A Balding 3-8-8 H Turner
5 6211- MINIMALISTIC 13 (T) Mrs S Darke 10-11-12 Mr J Newman (3) 9 2F/1- EEZE A SAINT 27 (H,T) Miss Laura Richardson 8-11-10 3 (4) -1663 TANTASTIC 23 (D) J Wainwright 4-9-4 B McHugh
Daisy Warwick Fillies’ Stakes Mr H Edwards (7)
4 (3) 0-020 GOWANBUSTER 13 (T,CD) S Corbett 7-9-4 P Mulrennan
9-4 Three Start, 4-1 Sweeping Statement, 5-1 Okeechobee, 6-1 Dream Harder,
6 1111- REBEL DAWN RISING 59 D Kemp 8-11-12 Mr D Peters (3) 8-1 Emulation, 10-1 Postwick, 12-1 Maktoob, 16-1 Vidhaata, 20-1 others.
(Fillies’ And Mares’ Listed) 7 P312- STEEL EXPRESS 13 (P) M J Vanstone 10-11-12 Mr M McIntyre (3)
10 1213- MIDNIGHT COWBOY 11 (P,D) J P Owen 11-11-10 Mr R Stearn (7)
5 (1) 00643 MUTABAAHY 17 (H,CD) A Brittain 7-9-0 C Hardie
(£31,190: 1m 4f) (7) 11 FP5P- POINTED AND SHARP 16 (H) M Hoskins 10-11-10
8 3111- THE WHISTLE BLOWER 20 (P) J R Barlow 7-11-12 Mr P Summers (7) 6 (2) 22421 JOSHUA R 35 (P,CD) Helen Cuthbert 5-8-12Joanna Mason (3) 4.00 Handicap
1 (4) 131- BARTZELLA 210 (C,D) W Haggas 4-9-0 T Marquand Mr Paddy Barlow (7) 3-1 Stratagem, 4-1 Ami Desbois, 13-2 Cousin Pascal, 7-1 others 7 (8) 11032 BLACKCURRENT 14 (P,CD) A Brown 6-8-11Paula Muir (3)
9 1452- VOIE DANS VOIE 40 (B,T) A Hill 9-11-12 Miss Izzie Marshall (7)
(3-Y-O: £2,970: 1m 1f 104yd) (12)
2 (6) 44-51 CRYSTAL STARLET 11 (T,D) J Ferguson 4-9-0 D Muscutt 8 (6) 50510 GIANT STEPS 11 (B,D) Mrs Stella Barclay 5-8-8
10 2111- LATENIGHTFUMBLE 33 T Ellis 7-11-5 Miss G Andrews F McManoman (3) 1 (10) 0000- FRANKLIN SAINT 150 (H) M Loughnane 9-9
3 (7) 2121/ FOLK DANCE 587 (D) D M Simcock 5-9-0 J P Spencer
4 (5) 5336- GLENARTNEY 174 E Walker 4-9-0 R Coakley 11 5PP2- LUSCIOUS LILLY 20 A Pennock 9-11-5 Mr C Marshall (7) Newcastle 9-4 Joshua R, 4-1 Tantastic, 9-2 Mutabaahy, 5-1 Gowanbuster, 7-1
Blackcurrent, 10-1 Swiss Connection, 16-1 Another Angel, 25-1 Giant Steps.
Cameron Hillhouse (7)
2 (9) 000-0 FESTIVAL OF LIGHT 18 (P) E Dunlop 9-9R Clutterbuck (3)
5 (2) 2503- LADY HAYES 174 R Varian 4-9-0 R Dawson 12 1111- SINE NOMINE 33 Fiona Needham 6-11-5 Mr J Dawson Rob Wright 3 (5) 01410 CICELY 51 (CD) S Kirk 9-9 O Stammers (3)
6 (3) 2410- SAVE A FOREST 232 (D) R Varian 4-9-0 C Shepherd 2-1 Famous Clermont, 11-2 Rebel Dawn Rising, 7-1 others. 4 (12) 0-205 BEERENBERG 23 (H) B Barr 9-7 D Costello
5.05 Parikarma 7.20 Society Lion
7 (1) 2403- SILENCE PLEASE 215 A Balding 5-9-0
3-1 Silence Please, 4-1 Save A Forest, 9-2 Bartzella, 5-1 others.
D Probert
5.50 Open Hunters’ Chase 5.35 Francesco Clemente
6.10 Ghost Rider
7.55 Redzone
8.30 Tantastic
Wolverhampton 5 (1) 0-311 CAPTAIN KANE 27 (CD) G Scott 9-6
6 (2) 000- FOSHAN 172 Harry Eustace 9-5
L Morris
H Turner
Wright choice: Save A Forest has her ideal conditions and (£3,593: 3m 1f) (9) 6.45 Golden Voice
Rob Wright 7 (6) 000- COPPERPLATE 182 R Hughes 9-4 S W Kelly
can make a successful return Danger Silence Please 1 4P22- FIXE LE KAP 11 (T,BF) J H Henderson 10-12-0 Mr F Henderson (7) 8 (4) 35633 GURKHALI WARRIOR 27 (H) H Kobeissi 9-2
53P1- HIDDEN CHARMER 13 (T) Callum Griffiths 10-12-0 Going: standard 1.00 Weloof 3.25 Postwick Laura Pearson (3)
2
Miss Immy Robinson (5) Draw: no advantage Sky Sports Racing 1.40 General Sago 4.00 Festival Of Light 9 (7) 060- MINTNTHAT 207 I Jardine 8-13 A Mullen
3.50 Handicap (£8,100: 6f) (10) 3 /335- I’M WISER NOW 59 (B,T) J Slatter 8-12-0 Mr J King 2.15 Gherkin 4.35 Deep Sigh 10(11) 0000- MY ROSA’S GOLD 141 (P) N Hawke 8-12
1 (2) 111-0 CHIPSTEAD 17 (D) R Teal 4-9-7 T Whelan 4 PP11- KNOCKADERRY FLYER 11 (T,V,CD) M Comley 13-12-0Mr D Andrews (7)
5.05 Apprentice Handicap 2.50 Just Albert Grace McEntee (3)
(£2,970: 1m 2f) (11) 11 (8) 000- SPIRIT OF THE AGE 176 (H) C Dunnett 8-12 S Cherchi (3)
2 (4) -2423 CRIMSON SAND 14 (P,D) R Hughes 4-9-5 P Dobbs 5 3/P3- MAJESTIC TOUCH 13 (T) A Hill 11-12-0 Mr B Sutton (7) Going: standard
12 (3) 000- LUV U MUM 254 M Attwater 8-12 J Haynes
3 (1) 503-0 INDIAN CREAK 25 (C,D) M Channon 5-9-3 D Keenan 6 1241- MORATORIUM 40 (P) M Osborne 9-12-0 Mr W Biddick 1 (11) 01000 IT’S A LOVE THING 14 J Butler 4-9-12 Ryan Sexton (5) Draw: 5f-7f, low best Sky Sports Racing
7-4 Captain Kane, 4-1 Gurkhali Warrior, 11-2 Cicely, 6-1 Copperplate, 12-1
4 (3) -0605 BOWMAN 48 (D) Mrs L Mongan 4-9-2 D Probert 7 /PF3- OVER THE BRIDGE 27 R C Jones 12-12-0 Mr Murray Dodd (7) 2 (6) /464- SISU J79 (T) S Corbett 4-9-7 C Murtagh
8 2533- TEL’ART 19 (P,T,BF) R L Llewellyn 8-12-0 Mr B Gibbs (3)
1.00 Handicap (£2,970: 1m 1f) (9) Mintnthat, 14-1 Festival Of Light, Foshan, 20-1 Beerenberg, 26-1 others.
5 (10) 00030 COUNT OTTO 14 (B,D) A Perrett 7-9-1 C Shepherd 3 (10) 52504 PARIKARMA 41 (H,P) E Dunlop 5-9-5 A Villiers
6 (8) 136-2 TWILIGHT MADNESS 55 (D) S Hodgson 4-9-1 T Marquand 9 113P- TRIO FOR RIO 62 (P,BF,CD) Clive Boultbee-Brooks 9-12-0 4 (9) /0-30 HART FELL 98 (T) K Frost 6-9-5 M Crehan 1 (9) 24054 HARBOUR VISION 6 (P,T) S Dixon 7-9-9 J Fisher (5)
7 (6) 0325- THE LAMPLIGHTER 146 (P,T,BF,CD) G Baker 7-9-0 P Cosgrave
Mr Thomas O’Brien
5 (8) 20446 INTERNATIONAL LAW 17 (P,C) A Brittain 8-9-4 H Russell 2 (7) 3-100 LAST MISSION 25 H Evans 4-9-7 D Costello 4.35 Handicap (£3,510: 1m 4f) (4)
5-2 Trio For Rio, 4-1 Moratorium, Fixe Le Kap, 13-2 Tel’art, I’m Wiser Now, 3 (8) -6341 HEADORA 41 (P,CD) J Portman 4-9-6 C Bennett
8 (7) 30-26 MANY A STAR 25 (D) P & O Cole 5-8-13 S M Levey 6 (7) 6-040 IRON SHERIFF 2 R Fell 4-9-2 Joanna Mason 1 (2) 1000- VINA BAY 252 M Scudamore 4-9-7 L Keniry
10-1 Hidden Charmer, Majestic Touch, 20-1 Knockaderry Flyer, 100-1 others. 4 (2) 00000 ROYAL ADVICE 24 (V,C) G Hanmer 4-9-5 S De Sousa
9 (5) 2210- SHOBIZ 160 C Hills 4-8-11 K Shoemark 7 (5) 60530 TURBULENT POWER 42 (T) B Rothwell 4-9-0 F McManoman 2 (3) /020- SHIELDED J13 (P,T) N Hawke 4-9-1 T Buckley (5)
10 (9) 3104- GIOGIOBBO 121 (P,D) S Dixon 9-8-10 J Duern (3) 8 (2) 06305 RANGER BOB 27 (P,T) R Menzies 5-8-13 Paula Muir 5 (1) 50-01 WELOOF 41 (CD) J Butler 8-9-4 Grace McEntee (3) 3 (4) 4145- DEEP SIGH 206 D M Simcock 4-9-0 H Turner
6.25 Mixed Open Hunters’ Chase 6 (4) 43204 CRITICAL THINKING 11 (P,CD) D Loughnane 8-9-3] 4 (1) 61443 LOPES DANCER 24 (CD) H Bethell 10-8-11 O McSweeney (5)
4-1 Crimson Sand, 9-2 Twilight Madness, 11-2 Chipstead, 6-1 others. 9 (3) 64-60 MINUTE WALTZ 59 (H) P Niven 5-8-12 B Garritty
(£5,133: 3m 2f) (12) Rossa Ryan 6-4 Lopes Dancer, 2-1 Deep Sigh, 4-1 Vina Bay, 11-2 Shielded.
10 (4) /0-00 WILDMOUNTAINTHYME 95 Mrs Stella Barclay 6-8-10
1 1432- CHELTENAM DE VAIGE 26 Miss H Lewis 10-12-4 Z Wheatley (5) 7 (3) 43-20 MR FUSTIC 29 Andi Brown 4-9-2 D E Hogan
4.25 Handicap (3-Y-O: £6,156: 1m) (8) Mr T Broughton (7) 8 (6) 52400 TRUSTY SCOUT 12 (H,D) D Shaw 4-8-12Laura Pearson (3)
11 (1) 0000- MR GAMBINO 233 (B) J Riches 5-8-10 S B Kirrane (3) Blinkered first time: Cheltenham 5.15 Voie Dans Voie. 5.50
1 (8) 62-51 BARLEY 23 (D) M Meade 9-10 T Marquand 2 3U11- DANDY DAN 19 (D) J Bourne 9-12-4 Miss L Keen-hawkins (7) 9 (5) 6-023 CITY WANDERER 10 (B) R Carr 6-8-5 JP Sullivan I’m Wiser Now; Knockaderry Flyer. Goodwood 2.40 Lihou.
3-1 Parikarma, 7-2 Ranger Bob, 6-1 International Law, It’s A Love Thing, Iron
2 (3) 421- WINEGLASS BAY 143 J Ferguson 9-7 D Muscutt 3 2112- FIFTY SHADES 33 (P,BF,D) N R Williams 9-12-4 Mr Daniel Ellis (7) 11-4 Weloof, 4-1 Headora, 9-2 City Wanderer, 6-1 Harbour Vision, 7-1 others. Newcastle 5.05 Mr Gambino.
Sheriff, 8-1 Hart Fell, 14-1 Turbulent Power, Sisu, 20-1 others.
62 2GM Friday April 29 2022 | the times

Sport

Azarenka calls on WTA Hamilton: I’m not done yet

Formula One tions that Mercedes abandon their

to penalise Wimbledon
Tennis
Stuart Fraser Tennis Correspondent,
Madrid
Victoria Azarenka has criticised
Wimbledon and the LTA for their ban
on players from Russia and Belarus at
tournaments in Britain this summer,
saying that it “does not make sense”.
The 32-year-old Belarusian, who
won the Australian Open in 2012 and
2013 and is a two-times semi-finalist at
Wimbledon, is a member of the WTA
Players’ Council and has been a key
part of discussions between tour
officials over whether to strip this year’s
Wimbledon of its ranking points.
She has been involved in 12 hours of
talks over three days this week and
urged the WTA and the ATP to act over
the ban.
“I have been a part of the meetings
directly with Wimbledon,” Azarenka
said. “The commitment of players is
there. I don’t think that I am at liberty to
say what the WTA and ATP [will do]. I
think there should be a reaction to that,
that is all I want to say.
“I think it is a complicated issue.
There are a lot of legalities that come
with this type of decision, so I under-
stand it is not simple. There are conse-
quences to different actions: the one
that Wimbledon takes, the one that the
WTA might take. There are going to be
consequences. If you are asking me if I
agree with Wimbledon or I see their
Azarenka will not be playing in SW19
reasoning after being on a personal call
with them, I don’t see their reasoning.
“It does not make sense and it does
not connect to what they are saying.”
Azarenka is one of several players
from Russia and Belarus who were
invited to take part in a conference call
with officials from the All England Club
after the decision was made last week.
When asked how the talks had pro-
gressed, her reply was telling.
“I think you should ask Sally Bolton
[the chief executive] and Jamie Baker
[the tournament director] about that
because I would really like to hear their
comments on that,” she said.
Azarenka also reiterated her previ-
ous stance against the invasion of
Ukraine. “I will never, ever support
war,” she said. “I will never support
violence. I will never find any justifica-
tions for that.”
Ranking points are the only form of
leverage that the ATP and WTA can
use against Wimbledon because of its
grand-slam status. The LTA is more
vulnerable because the warm-up
tournaments on grass are under the
jurisdiction of the two tours and could
potentially face additional fines and
sanctions.
The removal of points is a severe
response that would affect more than
100 players. The fields at British events
would be decimated and space is
limited at concurrent tournaments in
Germany and the Netherlands. Dayana
Yastremska, the world No 92 from
Ukraine, believes that it would be an
unreasonable course of action for the
tours to take.
“If they take points away, many
players are going to start being very
angry,” she said. “I will just say I am
supporting Wimbledon. I think the
decision they made is very respectful,
they did the right thing. Other players
[from Ukraine] are supporting it as well.
“How would I be able to play against
those players [from Russia and Belarus]
at the tournament when all the world is
talking about the war that is being
fought against Ukraine?
“How would I feel playing against
them? So I think the decision they are
making is right.”
Lewis Hamilton appeared to counter
suggestions that he should have retired
last year by insisting that he will “decide
when it’s finished”.
The seven-times world champion
has endured a difficult start to this
season with Mercedes, who are hoping
to bring upgrades to their car to the
next grand prix, in Miami on May 8,
that will make them more competitive.
They are a long way adrift of Ferrari
and Red Bull in the constructors’ stand-
ings after only four races, while Hamil-
ton has admitted that his chances of an
eighth world title are over: he is seventh
in the drivers’ championship.
He has struggled with a car that is
porpoising — bouncing up and down
on the straights — leading to sugges-
Hardaker’s Rhinos return
put on hold after ‘seizure’
Rugby league Zak Hardaker’s return
to Leeds Rhinos took another
dramatic twist yesterday when it was
revealed he had suffered a suspected
seizure and will miss tonight’s visit of
Hull Kingston Rovers (Ross
Heppenstall writes).
The 30-year-old full back made an
abrupt exit from Wigan Warriors last
Friday and penned a short-team deal
at Leeds, where he made his name
and won three Super League titles.
However, he suffered a suspected
seizure while out walking with his
young son, Abel, on Tuesday and
needed the help of a paramedic. He
was taken to hospital and underwent
tests before being discharged.
design and start again with next season
in mind. After the Emilia Romagna
Grand Prix on Sunday, Helmut Marko,
the Red Bull adviser, joked that Hamil-
ton should have retired in December,
having lost the title to Max Verstappen:
“He was lapped by us [at Imola], so may-
be he should have stopped last year.”
In an apparent retort, Hamilton, 37,
posted a photo of himself on social me-
dia on Wednesday night, with the cap-
tion: “Working on my masterpiece, I’ll
be the one to decide when it’s finished.”
Meanwhile, plans for Miami have
been disrupted after both race directors,
Eduardo Freitas and Niels Wittich, test-
ed positive for Covid-19. If neither can
officiate — they need to return a nega-
tive test to enter the United States — a
replacement would need to be found.
Trump storms clear as
O’Sullivan battles back
Snooker Judd Trump dominated the
early stages of his World
Championship semi-final with Mark
Williams to take a commanding 7-1
lead at the Crucible Theatre.
Trump’s long potting was a
constant theme of a scrappy opening
session as the three-times champion
Williams, who appeared to be
unhappy with the condition of the
table, struggled to find any fluency.
In the second semi-final Ronnie
O’Sullivan, chasing a seventh world
title, made two century breaks as he
came from 3-0 down to draw level at
4-4 with John Higgins. Both best-of-
33-frames matches resume today,
before finishing tomorrow.

Yesterday’s cricket and racing results

LV= Insurance County
Championship
Division One
Somerset v Warwickshire
Taunton (first day of four; Warwickshire won
toss): Somerset have scored 351 runs for four
wickets
Somerset: First Innings
M T Renshaw c Burgess b Hannon-Dalby 129
T A Lammonby c Hain b Hannon-Dalby 56
*T B Abell c Burgess b Yates
T Banton not out
J C Hildreth c Miles b Hannon-Dalby
†S M Davies not out
Extras (b 10, lb 4, nb 2)
Total (4 wkts, 96 overs)
To bat L Gregory, C Overton, J H Davey,
M J Leach and J A Brooks.
Fall of wickets 1-137, 2-249, 3-277, 4-325.
Bowling Hannon-Dalby 23-5-62-3;
McAndrew 17-0-72-0; Rhodes 18-5-56-0;
Miles 20-3-81-0; Briggs 16-3-62-0; Yates
2-0-4-1.
Warwickshire A L Davies, D P Sibley, R M
Yates, *W M H Rhodes, S R Hain, M J Lamb, †M
G K Burgess, N J McAndrew, D R Briggs, C N
Miles, O J Hannon-Dalby.
Umpires R J Bailey and A G Wharf
Essex v Northamptonshire
Chelmsford (first day of four; Essex won
toss): Northamptonshire have scored 233
runs for seven wickets
Northamptonshire: First Innings
*R S Vasconcelos c Critchley b S J Cook 0
W A Young lbw b S J Cook
E N Gay c A N Cook b Snater
L A Procter not out
R I Keogh c and b Critchley
S A Zaib lbw b Walter
†L D McManus c Harmer b Snater
T A I Taylor c Harmer b Steketee
M L Kelly not out
Extras (b 1, lb 16, nb 6)
Total (7 wkts, 97 overs)
To bat G K Berg and B W Sanderson
Fall of wickets 1-0, 2-100, 3-115, 4-160, 5-199,
6-222, 7-233.
Bowling Cook 22-5-39-2; Snater 19-4-47-2;
Steketee 22-8-41-1; Harmer 24-8-56-0;
Critchley 5-1-21-1; Walter 5-1-12-1.
Essex N L J Browne, A N Cook, *T Westley, P
I Walter, M J J Critchley, F I N Khushi,
†A J A Wheater, S R Harmer, S Snater,
M T Steketee, S J Cook.
Umpires N J Llong and T Lungley
Gloucestershire v Surrey
Bristol (first day of four; Gloucestershire won
toss): Surrey have scored 294 runs for four
wickets
Surrey: First Innings
*R J Burns c Dent b M D Taylor
R S Patel lbw b Payne
H M Amla c Harris b M D Taylor
O J D Pope c J M R Taylor b Payne
†J L Smith not out
S M Curran not out
Extras (b 4, lb 9, nb 8)
Total (4 wkts, 96 overs)
To bat C de Grandhomme, W G Jacks, J Clark, Division Two Middlesex v Leicestershire
Racing 3, Denning (18-1). 7 ran. 3l, Kl. S E Crisford.
D J Worrall and R J W Topley Lord’s (first day of four; Middlesex won toss): 3.00 (7f 1yd) 1, Ivasecret (S De Sousa, 7-4 fav);
Fall of wickets 1-16, 2-16, 3-37, 4-188. Middlesex, with eight first-innings wickets in
Nottinghamshire v Worcestershire Chelmsford 2, Mount Mogan (12-1); 3, Arctician (4-1). 5 ran.
Bowling Higgins 22-8-50-0; Amir 17-5-45-0; hand, trail Leicestershire by seven runs Kl, 1Ol. J Butler.
Payne 20-4-61-2; Taylor 22-9-51-2; Taylor 7-0-
Trent Bridge (first day of four; Notts won
Leicestershire: First Innings Going: standard
toss): Nottinghamshire, with three first- 3.35 (6f 1yd) 1, Archiano (James Doyle,
40-0; van Buuren 5-1-23-0; Hammond 3-0-11-0. M H Azad c Handscomb b Afridi 12 4.40 (5f) 1, Daytona Lady (R L Moore,
Gloucestershire M S Harris, C D J Dent, †J R
innings wickets in hand, lead Worcestershire
S T Evans c Simpson b Roland-Jones 9
5-6 fav); 2, Aphelios (2-1); 3, Miss Candy (6-1).
by 44 runs 11-10 fav); 2, Kind Spirit (2-1); 3, Agostino (16-1). 5 ran. NR: Audience, Dawahy. 1Nl, 2Nl.
Bracey, M A H Hammond, *G L van Buuren, R *C N Ackermann b Afridi 0 5 ran. 3N, 1l. S P C Woods. A Watson.
Worcestershire: First Innings L Kimber b Afridi 15
F Higgins, T C Lace, J M R Taylor, M D Taylor,
E J Pollock c James b Paterson 31 P W A Mulder c Handscomb b Helm 5 5.10 (1m 6f) 1, Estrela Star (Rossa Ryan, 9-2); 4.05 (5f 6yd) 1, Wings Of A Dove (Harry
D A Payne, M Amir.
J D Libby c Moores b Broad 15 †H J Swindells lbw b Bamber 9 2, Brute Force (11-2); 3, Mardoof (11-2). 9 ran. Davies, 16-5 fav); 2, Perfect Symphony (10-3);
Umpires M H A Syed and M Burns
A Ali c Moores b Paterson 6 B W M Mike c Hollman b Helm 19 2Kl, 1N. A Stronge. 3, San Juan (15-2). 10 ran. 2Ol, hd. R Spencer.
Hampshire v Lancashire J A Haynes c Moores b Paterson 37 E Barnes c Hollman b Helm 13 5.45 (6f) 1, Sir Gregory (Theodore Ladd, 16-5); Placepot: £4.10. Quadpot: £2.90.
70 Ageas Bowl (first day of four; Hampshire won *B L D’Oliveira c Moores b Paterson 10 C F Parkinson not out 25 2, Legende D’art (6-1); 3, Soyounique (5-2 fav).
47 toss): Lancashire, with nine first-innings E G Barnard b Paterson 8 C J C Wright b Bamber 9 8 ran. 1Ol, hd. M Appleby.
23 wickets in hand, trail Hampshire by 209 runs †O B Cox lbw b Paterson 2 B E Hendricks b Hollman 22
Musselburgh
6.20 (6f) 1, Tippy Toes (J Fanning, 13-2); 2,
10 Hampshire: First Innings J Baker c Broad b Paterson 12 Extras (b 4, lb 3, nb 4) 11 Symphony Perfect (3-1fav); 3, Morag Mccullagh Going: good (good to firm in places)
16 J J Weatherley c Salt b Bailey 1 A W Finch not out 9 Total (56.5 overs) 149 (6-1). 12 ran. NR: Obtain. 1N, Kl. M Johnston. 1.50 (5f 1yd) 1, Jungle Time (Saffie Osborne,
351 I G Holland c Jones b Anderson 4 C A J Morris b Paterson 1 Fall of wickets 1-12, 2-12, 3-32, 4-41, 5-49, 6-55, 6.55 (1m 2f) 1, Greatgadian (David Egan, 4-5 fav); 2, Cotai Pearl (6-1); 3, Don’t Fight It
N R T Gubbins not out 101 D Y Pennington c Moores b Fletcher 18 7-77, 8-90, 9-110. 2-1 fav); 2, Satono Japan (JPN) (9-4); 3, Balgair 18-1). 6 ran. 2l, 2Nl. K R Burke.
*J M Vince lbw b Anderson 2 Extras (b 5, lb 5) 10 Bowling Afridi 16-2-54-3; Roland-Jones 13-2- (10-1). 5 ran. 2Ol, 2N. R Varian. 2.20 (1m 7f 217yd) 1, The Resdev Way (Paula
L A Dawson c Lamb b Ali 8 Total (41 overs) 159 30-1; Helm 12-4-23-3; Bamber 10-1-23-2; Muir, 8-11 fav); 2, Gemologist (15-8); 3, Topkapi
†B C Brown c Jones b Ali 0 7.30 (1m 2f) 1, The Bay Warrior (Rhys
Fall of wickets 1-26, 2-49, 3-56, 4-100, 5-110, Hollman 5.5-2-12-1. Clutterbuck, 9-4 fav); 2, Pips Tune (5-2); Star (7-1). NR: Tomorrow’s Angel, Will He
F S Organ c Jones b Anderson 42 6-114, 7-129, 8-136, 9-138. Middlesex: First Innings Dance. 2Nl, Ol. Micky Hammond.
K H D Barker c Anderson b Ali 11 3, Bayston Hill (8-1). 7 ran. Kl, 3l. M D I Usher.
Bowling Fletcher 15-2-50-1; Broad 8-1-42-1; S D Robson lbw b Barnes 16 2.50 (1m 208yd) 1, Ayr Empress (S H James,
J K Fuller b Wells 55 M D Stoneman not out 80 8.00 (1m 2f) 1, Terra Mitica (R L Moore, 5-6
Paterson 15-6-52-8; James 3-1-5-0. fav); 2, Atlantis Blue (9-2); 3, Mojito Magic 14-1); 2, Antagonize (5-2 jt-fav); 3, We Still
K J Abbott c Salt b Ali 0 Nottinghamshire: First Innings R G White c Ackermann b Mulder 23 Believe (8-1). 7 ran. NR: Red Bond. 1Kl, 1Kl.
M Abbas lbw b Ali 0 Extras (b 5, lb 6, nb 12) 23 (66-1). 5 ran. NR: Hesperantha. Kl, 2Ol.
B T Slater run out 24 Sir Michael Stoute. K Dalgleish.
Extras (lb 5, w 1, nb 16) 22 H Hameed c Cox b Finch 53 Total (2 wkts, 38.4 overs) 142
Total (77 overs) 246 To bat *P S P Handscomb, M D E Holden, †J A Placepot: £9.10. Quadpot: £4.30. 3.25 (5f 1yd) 1, The Thin Blue Line (Callum
B M Duckett c Cox b Pennington 50 Rodriguez, 5-2 jt-fav); 2, Bossipop (9-1); 3,
Fall of wickets 1-5, 2-11, 3-19, 4-37, 5-40, 6-132, J M Clarke c Cox b Barnard 18 Simpson, L B K Hollman, T S Roland-Jones,
Good Luck Fox (5-2 jt-fav). 6 ran. 1Nl, hd. K
7-146, 8-229, 9-230. L W James c Haynes b Barnard 19 T G Helm, S S Afridi and E R Bamber. Chepstow Dalgleish.
Bowling Anderson 14-6-24-3; Bailey *S J Mullaney c Haynes b Morris 7 Fall of wickets 1-60, 2-142. Going: good to firm (firm in places)
16-0-39-1; Ali 15-5-45-5; Balderson 13-2-57-0; Bowling Wright 11-4-19-0; Hendricks 8-1-42-0; 4.00 (1m 4f 104yd) 1, El Picador (Callum
†T J Moores not out 15 4.30 (1m 14yd) 1, Nordhalla (F Norton, 9-4); Rodriguez, 4-1); 2, Colinton (7-4 fav); 3,
Lamb 4-0-24-0; Wells 15-2-52-1. L Patterson-White run out 0 Barnes 5-0-24-1; Mulder 9.4-2-35-1; Parkinson
Lancashire: First Innings 5-1-11-0. 2, Let’s Fly Again (3-1); 3, Bababobo (2-1 fav). Paramaribo (8-1). 6 ran. Kl, nk. K Dalgleish.
S C J Broad not out 6 4 ran. NR: Jacks Profit. Nk, 5l. M Johnston. 4.35 (7f 33yd) 1, Rum Going On (Jason Hart,
G P Balderson not out 13 Extras (lb 5nb 6) 11 Umpires D J Millns and M Newell
L W P Wells c Brown b Barker 18 5.00 (1m 14yd) 1, Dundory (T E Whelan, 10-3); 8-1); 2, Laoch Gach La (25-1); 3, Cobra Kai (3-1
Total (7 wkts, 50 overs) 203 Sussex v Durham 2, Sir Plato (6-1); 3, Accrington Stanley (13-2). fav). 8 ran. 2Nl, nk. J J Quinn.
63 D J Lamb not out 1
To bat L J Fletcher and D Paterson. Hove (first day of four; Durham won toss): 7 ran. 4l, 1l. J G M O’Shea.
35 Extras (lb 1nb 4) 5 5.05 (7f 33yd) 1, Fanzone (A Mullen, 6-1); 2, Sir
Fall of wickets 1-70, 2-93, 3-144, 4-161, 5-178, Sussex, with nine first-innings wickets in
60 Total (1 wkt, 17 overs) 37 5.35 (6f 16yd) 1, Profit And Loss (George Maxi (4-1); 3, Twilight Secret (5-2 fav). 7 ran.
6-182, 7-184. hand, trail Durham by 141 runs
22 To bat J J Bohannon, S J Croft, *D J Vilas, †P D Downing, 11-4 jt-fav); 2, Miss Anaco (4-1); 1Ol, ns. Liam Bailey.
Bowling Morris 12-4-29-1; Pennington Durham: First Innings
16 Salt, R P Jones, T E Bailey, H Ali and J M 3, Connie’s Rose (13-2). 6 ran. 2l, 5l. P D Evans. Placepot: £32.40. Quadpot: £22.90.
13-1-67-1; Barnard 14-4-55-2; Finch 10-2-42-1; A Z Lees c Rizwan b Crocombe 11
7 Anderson. Baker 1-0-5-0. 6.10 (6f 16yd) 1, Some Nightmare (R King-
S R Dickson lbw b Clark 34
7 Fall of wicket 1-36. Umpires N L Bainton and P J Hartley K D Petersen c Crane b Clark 14 scote, 4-6 fav); 2, Vape (8-1); 3, Soldier’s Son Redcar
0 Bowling Barker 5-2-16-1; Abbas 6-2-5-0; *S G Borthwick c Orr b Haines 6 (28-1). 9 ran. NR: Rathagan. 1l, 3Nl. J O’Shea. Going: good to firm (good in places)
23 Abbott 6-4-15-0. D G Bedingham c Rizwan b Beard 1 6.45 (5f 16yd) 1, Rhubarb (Tyler Heard, 5-1); 1.40 (1m 2f 1yd) 1, Mythical Madness (Mark
233 Umpires: N G B Cook and R White Derbyshire v Glamorgan †E J H Eckersley lbw b Clark 1 2, Symbol of Hope (15-8 fav); 3, Equally Fast Winn, 10-3); 2, Tricorn (7-4 fav); 3, Kingson
Derby (first day of four; Derbyshie won toss): L Trevaskis c Orr b Crane 88 (6-1). 8 ran. 2Nl, ns. R J Price. (13-2). 6 ran. NR: Casamari Abbey. 7l, 1Nl.
Yorkshire v Kent Derbyshire have scored 282 runs for five B A Raine lbw b Beard 23 7.20 (2m) 1, Thibault (S B Kirrane, 13-8 fav);
Headingley (first day of four; Yorkshire won D O’Meara.
wickets M J Potts c Beard b Crane 26 2, Russian Rumour (2-1); 3, Twilight Prince
toss): Kent have scored 270 runs for six wickets Derbyshire: First Innings 2.10 (1m 2f 1yd) 1, Viadelamore (Daniel
M E T Salisbury c and b Beard 4 (14-1). 9 ran. 2Nl, nk. A West.
Kent: First Innings S M Khan c and b Hogan 60 Muscutt, 13-2); 2, Rich King (8-1); 3, Rollajam
C Rushworth not out 3 7.53 (1m 2f) 1, Nathanael Greene (Cieren
B G Compton c Duke b Rauf 3 *B A Godleman c Cooke b Hogan 15 (15-2). 8 ran. NR: Kingwell, Oliver’s Army.
Extras (lb 10nb 2) 12 Fallon, 85-40 fav); 2, Ajero (13-2); 3, Luminous
Z Crawley lbw b Rauf 4 †B D Guest b Hogan 109 1Kl, Kl. J Ferguson.
Total (73.5 overs) 223 Light (15-2). 8 ran. NR: Olympic Dream. Kl, Kl.
D J Bell-Drummond c Rauf b Revis 109 W L Madsen lbw b Neser 70 2.40 (5f) 1, Lily In The Jungle (B A Curtis, 9-1);
Fall of wickets 1-21, 2-60, 3-67, 4-72, 5-75, 6-75, W J Haggas. 2, Greenroad (18-1); 3, Gemcutter (13-8 fav).
*J A Leaning lbw b Rauf 0 J L du Plooy not out 5 7-128, 8-215, 9-216. Placepot: £32.90. Quadpot: £3.30. 6 ran. Hd, nk. P D Evans.
J M Cox lbw b Bess 68 S Conners lbw b Neser 0 Bowling Beard 14.5-1-51-3; Crocombe 13-2-45-1;
†O G Robinson lbw b Patterson 58 M H McKiernan not out 1 3.15 (5f 217yd) 1, Sense Of Duty (Tom
Burrows 13-2-46-0; Clark 17-8-21-3; Haines
G F Linde not out 18 Extras (b 8, lb 12, nb 2) 22 7-2-18-1; Crane 8-0-28-2; Rawlins 1-0-4-0. Lingfield Park Marquand, 2-9 fav); 2, Pepsi Cat (150-1);
G Stewart not out 1 Total (5 wkts, 91.4 overs) 282 3, Tahani (16-1). 6 ran. NR: Origintrail. 3Ol, 1l.
Sussex: First Innings Going: standard
Extras (lb 7nb 2) 9 To bat A Dal, A T Thomson, R A S Lakmal and W J Haggas.
A G H Orr not out 21 1.00 (1m 4f) 1, Eight Of Diamonds (James
Total (6 wkts, 81 overs) 270 R N Sidebottom. *T J Haines b Potts 54 3.50 (7f) 1, Liangel Hope (Jason Watson,
To bat M E Milnes, N N Gilchrist and M R Quinn Doyle, 7-4 fav); 2, Claritudo (7-1); 3, Away Wit
Fall of wickets 1-22, 2-115, 3-276, 4-280, 5-281. M S Crane not out 5 11-10 fav); 2, Emily Post (3-1); 3, Ardat (5-1).
Fall of wickets 1-11, 2-16, 3-20, 4-153, 5-227, Da Fairys (4-1). 8 ran. Hd, 4l. S P C Woods.
Bowling Neser 18-3-50-2; Hogan 21-8-45-3; Extras (b 2) 2 8 ran. Kl, 8Kl. D O’Meara.
6-266. 1.30 (1m 4f) 1, March Moon (R Havlin, 9-4); 4.25 (7f 219yd) 1, Roudemental (B A Curtis,
6 Harris 14-2-49-0; van der Gugten 16.4-4-35-0; Total (1 wkt, 20 overs) 82
Bowling Thompson 17-6-54-0; Rauf 11-1-52-3; 2, True Accolade (8-15 fav); 3, Locksmith (28-
9 Lloyd 15-4-47-0; Salter 5-0-23-0; To bat T P Alsop, C A Pujara, T G R Clark, 7-2); 2, Grifter (7-2); 3, Baileysgutfeeling (5-1).
Revis 12-3-51-1; Patterson 18-5-31-1; Hill Labuschagne 2-0-13-0. 1). 7 ran. 7Kl, 10l. J T Gosden. 6 ran. 1Ol, Kl. H Palmer.
6 †M Rizwan, D M W Rawlins, A P Beard,
84 5-0-23-0; Brook 1-0-2-0; Bess 17-1-50-1. Glamorgan *D L Lloyd, A G Salter, 2.00 (1m 1yd) 1, Covert Mission (Benoit
G D Burrows and H T Crocombe 4.56 (7f 219yd) 1, Ha Long Bay (Ryan Sexton,
111 Yorkshire A Lyth, F D M Karunaratne, G C H M Labuschagne, S A Northeast, K S Carlson, D L Sayette, 13-8 fav); 2, Prince Rock (11-2);
Fall of wicket 1-68. 2-1 fav); 2, Sweetest Company (10-3); 3,
57 Hill, D J Malan, H C Brook, †H G Duke, D M Bess, †C B Cooke, T N Cullen, J A R Harris, M G Neser, 3, Chief Of Staff (3-1). 7 ran. Hd, 1Ol. K P De Foy.
Bowling Rushworth 4-0-15-0; Potts 6-1-25-1; Antwasaprettypenny (3-1). 9 ran. Nk, 1Ol.
21 J Thompson, M Revis, *S A Patterson, H Rauf. T van der Gugten, M G Hogan. 2.30 (1m 1yd) 1, Court Of Session (James
Salisbury 4-1-26-0; Raine 6-3-14-0. A Keatley.
294 Umpires S J O’Shaughnessy and G D Lloyd Umpires P R Pollard and N Pratt Doyle, 1-2 fav); 2, Dubai Immo (13-2);
Umpires B J Debenham and I D Blackwell Placepot: £651.70. Quadpot: £59.10.
the times | Friday April 29 2022
Yorkshire embracing clean slate
Mike Atherton
Chief Cricket
Correspondent
Yorkshire v Kent
Headingley (first day of four;
Yorkshire won toss): Kent have scored
270 for six wickets against Yorkshire
In Ugly Mugs café, across the road from
Headingley, the chef greets me with a
touch of Walt Whitman: “Oh captain!
My captain!” He’s well read, is the chef,
and the bookshelves are a nod to his
literary and cricket enthusiasms, Geof-
frey Boycott’s autobiography nestled
alongside Elmore Leonard — the first
time, surely, those two have appeared in
the same sentence in this newspaper.
Folk were enjoying a pre-match fry-
up. One, Sean Ennis, Dublin-born but
now a Glasgow resident, had set off at
3am to make the start. He’s a regular
here, is Sean, and he likes four-day and
50-over cricket, but doesn’t have much
time for the shorter stuff. He’s probably
not alone among the ageing cast of a
couple of thousand or so who braved
the elements.
A frigid day — a motionless slab of
grey glowered over the stadium —
welcomed first-class cricket back to
Headingley for the first time in 225
days. “It’s felt like about 365 years,” said
one member of staff, referencing the
tumultuous events of the winter after
which the club were put on life-support.
It was not far-fetched to wonder whe-
ther top-class cricket would return at
all, when sponsors quit in their droves
after a racism scandal.
But when two Lancastrians, the
umpires Graham Lloyd, in black mit-
tens, and Steve O’Shaughnessy, braver
or more foolish, walked to the middle to
warm applause, a tradition dating back
to September 1890 was set to continue.
Yorkshire were in the field, and their
team carried similarities to last year,
but the completely revamped coaching
staff was a clue to the turbulence that
has left a lasting imprint.
Another clue was the sponsor whose
name adorns the pavilion and many of
the boundary boards: “Clean Slate” is
an Indian streaming company, and
never can a sponsor have been more
aptly targeted. Another clue was the
moment’s silence before the start of
Play gets under way at Headingley for the season with the home side hoping for a new start after a winter of discontent
play, observed by both sets of players as
well as supporters, even if one elderly
gentleman to my right struggled to get
to his feet in the minute allowed.
The PA announcer asked for a
moment of reflection, which was
followed by respectful applause. Then
two spectators hollered to Matthew
Revis, who had been given his second
XI cap before play: “Show us yer cap,
Matt.” He doffed it obligingly; another
young player with dreams of greatness
setting out on his way.
Random conversations in the crowd
engendered some optimism. Deirdre,
from Bingley, thought the club had to
embrace change. “We’ve got to put it
right and keep the club going,” she said,
tucking into a Twix. John from Calver-
ley, who watched John Edrich get a
triple hundred here in 1965, thought
change “was very much needed” but
was upset about the rump that did not
vote for the recent governance reforms.
Those I spoke to all did.
Yet that vote reflected on many of
the contradictions present yesterday.
Membership is down to what one
described as “Somerset levels”, maybe a
little over 6,000, with only half that
number eligible to vote as full members.
Only a third of those did so — albeit with
the vast majority in favour of change.
A club, therefore, that garnered so
much attention over the winter is in the
hands of very few. So it is with the
County Championship, followed from
afar by many, watched in person by few,
essential for the production of top-class
players in all formats, yet pushed to the
inhospitable extremes of the season.
On the top floor of the pavilion, the
staff of the Yorkshire Cricket Founda-
tion were enjoying their first view of
cricket for the summer. The founda-
tion, headed by Will Saville, is the club’s
LV= County Championship Sport
ALLAN MCKENZIE/SWPIX.COM/SHUTTERSTOCK
charitable arm, aiming to bring cricket
and community together. Saville
recalls the shock when the winter storm
broke: “It felt like we’d been hit by a
brick wall,” he says.
The disquiet among those already
doing fine work in the deprived areas of
Bradford and Leeds was not hard to
imagine. “It was horrendous for us
because our whole focus is underrepre-
sented communities,” says Saville,
whose staff out in the field were getting
unpleasant emails because of the asso-
ciation with a tarnished county club.
Thankfully, while sponsors quit the
club, none abandoned the charity,
allowing the good work to continue.
Work such as the Crick-EAT pro-
gramme, which provided more than
14,000 free meals and 800 hours of
coaching during school holidays last
year to the 21 per cent of children in
Leeds and 22 per cent in Bradford that
63
Anderson back in the groove
James Anderson, who along with
Stuart Broad has been offered a
route back into the England team
by new managing director Rob Key,
bowled beautifully in the morning
session for Lancashire against
Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl, taking
three wickets, including the all-
important scalp of James Vince. He
conceded only 24 runs in 14 overs as
the visiting team were bowled out
for 246.
Broad made his first appearance
of the summer and took the wicket
of the Worcestershire opener, Jake
Libby, but was then overshadowed
by Dane Paterson, the South African
seamer, who snaffled the next eight
in Worcestershire’s first-innings 159.
Full reports, thetimes.co.uk/sport
live below the poverty line. The winter’s
events encouraged those in the founda-
tion to reassess their programmes and
recommit to transparency and best
practice. All the staff have taken equali-
ty and diversity training and Saville
feels there is a genuine desire from
those within the club to put the founda-
tion at the front and centre of every-
thing that happens.
“The players from both men’s and
women’s teams have been so engaged
with us,” says Saville, who name-checks
Adil Rashid, Beth Langston, Dom Bess
and Matt Fisher as players who have
been especially supportive. Of those
men’s players, only Bess was on show
yesterday, with Fisher injured and
Rashid finished with first-class cricket.
Bess was finally called up at a little
before 3pm and promptly took a wicket.
By this stage, the England hopeful
Zak Crawley had played across a
straight ball — only 99 runs in five
innings so far this season — and the
run-machine Ben Compton had edged
Haris Rauf behind. That left Daniel
Bell-Drummond to restore matters,
which he did by bringing up his second
century of the campaign to extremely
warm applause.
Yorkshire’s supporters, you sensed,
were happy to be watching cricket
again. “Keep your face always turned to
the sunshine and the shadows will fall
behind you,” wrote Whitman. The chef
in Ugly Mugs would approve.
64
Sport Rugby union
All Blacks ‘professor’ and an England Fit-again trio
give Jones lift
defeat can elevate the women’s game for Australia
Stuart Barnes
I
t’s not the most patriotic of
positions to take but it would do
the women’s game no harm for
France to prevail in the winner-
takes-all grand-slam game
against England in the Basque
country tomorrow. Not by dragging
the Red Roses down a level, but by
rising to the challenge England have
set with their outstanding
performances in recent years.
England haven’t lost a game since
2019. Their standard this season has
been, at least statistically, off the scale,
as far as their Six Nations opposition
is concerned. After four matches they
average 64.5 points a game for and
only 2.5 against. Forty-two tries have
been scored, two conceded.
Paradoxically, England’s excellence
is a problem. Television loves them
and the newspapers are awake to the
women’s game. Yet one-sided scores
are inevitably boring. We are beyond
the point in England where we say:
“Blimey, isn’t our women’s team good?”
The packaging of women’s rugby is
at an all-time high, but for the
product to match the hyperbole this
French finale has to be special. The
final weekend of the Six Nations is
being called “Super Saturday”. Rugby
marketeers borrowed it from football
and women’s rugby borrowed it from
the men.
Yet there isn’t anything “super”
about the internationals between
Wales and Italy, and Ireland and
Scotland. While England improve at
an exponential rate, the other nations
are left behind. Imagine if the French
men had gone into their final game
against England with an average
score of 65-3. The glory of the grand
slam dissipates with sheer superiority.
France, the champions, and Ireland
were much the best of the men’s Six
Nations this season, but still, Wales
came close to beating the eventual
grand-slam winners in Cardiff, while
14-man England gave Ireland a game
at Twickenham.
It is all too easy for England’s
women. Or at least it has been until
now. Anyone who has had the
privilege and pleasure to watch rugby
in Bayonne will know that — at the
very least — the visitors will endure
an atmosphere that can be described
as good-humoured hostility, even
with a reduced capacity of 11,000.
England’s road has led from record
crowds at Gloucester’s Kingsholm and
Leicester’s Welford Road to this
wonderful Basque theatre of rugby.
For the sake of the sport, it is up to
France, the world’s second-best team,
to give England one hell of a game.
Last season England beat France
10-6; in 2020 the score was again in
England’s favour, but close, at 19-13.
There has to be similar resistance
in Bayonne, if not a French victory.
One great team doesn’t make for a
fast-developing sport. It is time for
another to stand up and compete.
England, of course, will have
thoughts on nothing but another
grand slam, but for the good of the
global game it may be that another
2022 French victory is required.
There is more than a grand slam
on the line for these teams. There’s
also the small matter of the World
Cup in New Zealand this year.
France and England have been
drawn in the same pool.
They will meet in the
north of New
Zealand, in
Whangarei. If ever
there was a case of
“if not now, when?”
this is it. England’s
women are getting
used to packed stadiums,
but this one may bring an
edginess to inspire France and nd
intimidate England. If France ce
have aspirations to win the
World Cup, they need to
convince themselves this
imposing England team
aren’t pulling away from
the rest of the world.
Smith, inset, is aiming to
challenge England and Emily y
Scarratt, main, at the World Cup
New Zealand are traditionally the
dominant force in women’s rugby, with
five World Cup wins in the past six
tournaments. But they have been in a
state of crisis both on and off the field.
England thrashed them 43-12 at
Sandy Park and 56-15 at Franklin’s
Gardens before France put the boot in
with two comfortable wins to round
off an awful 2021 autumn. A
combination of Covid, which wiped
out their Test schedule for two years,
and a managerial crisis left them
looking down and out during these
four Tests and beyond.
If women’s rugby
needs France to
perform tomorrow,
it certainly also
requires a comeback from the Black
Ferns. A world tournament cannot
take itself too seriously if there is only
one possible winner.
New Zealand have reacted to a
damning report into the management
of the women’s side by installing one
of the greatest coaches in the history
of the game and packing the
management structure with people
used to winning World Cups.
Wayne Smith, the “professor” of
rugby thinking, played a significant
role in the men’s 2011 and 2015 World
Cup victories, and has taken on the
director of rugby role with the
women’s side. Alongside him he has
Graham Henry, the head coach in
2011 and one of the sport’s great
strategists. He remains a revered
figure in New Zealand. There’s also
Mike Cron, who is known as “the
scrum doctor”. In the early days of
professionalism, the Kiwis forgot
about the basics. It hurt them
again and again at the highest
levels. Cron turned them
into one of the finest
scrums in the world.
To watch the Black
Ferns produce such
pathetic performances
up front in the
autumn must have
embarrassed all rugby-
lloving Kiwis.
If any trio can turn around a
nation’s fortunes in six months, it is
these men. There’s even Whitney
Hansen — the daughter of Steve,
Henry’s assistant in 2011 and the main
man in 2015. It’s as if a dose of World
Cup-winning knowhow has been
injected into the Black Ferns’
bloodstream.
If we have a World Cup in which
the Black Ferns rediscover their
winning ways and France go toe to
toe with England, the women’s game
will have a sharpness at the top to
mask the mediocrity beneath. But
that’s for later in the year — as for
Bayonne, may the best team win, and
if that is England, let’s hope an
inspired France will make them fight
all the way.
France v England Tomorrow, kick-off
2.15pm TV BBC2 Radio BBC 5 Live
Sports Extra
Friday April 29 2022 | the times
Will Kelleher
Deputy Rugby Correspondent
Eddie Jones, the England head coach,
has received a triple boost before the
summer tour to Australia with
Courtney Lawes, Tom Curry and
Anthony Watson all returning to
fitness for their clubs.
Lawes, 33, has recovered from a
compound dislocation of his left thumb,
with the bone puncturing his skin,
which he suffered against Gloucester
two weekends ago, and will start for
fourth-placed Northampton Saints at
home to Harlequins, who are third,
tonight, in a vital game in the battle for
Gallagher Premiership play-off spots.
Curry returns to the Sale Sharks
bench for tonight’s home match with
Newcastle Falcons. The 23-year-old
flanker, who has not played since
tearing his hamstring for England
against Ireland in the Six Nations on
March 12, should also be available to
start Sale’s Heineken Champions Cup
quarter-final next Sunday against
Racing 92.
Watson is also set to be fit for
England’s summer tour, with the first of
three Tests in Australia taking place on
July 2 in Perth. The 28-year-old wing is
leaving Bath to join Leicester Tigers in
the summer but he should be able to play
in a farewell match at the Rec before the
season ends, having recovered from
rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament
in his knee in October.
Stuart Hooper, the Bath director of
rugby, said. “He is looking good, sharp,
he looks after his body and he will want
to get back to being recognised as one of
the very best back-three players in the
world as soon as possible. If he gets back
and plays for us I am sure he is some-
body who [England] will look at, and in
theory he is available for that tour.”
6 Spain have been thrown out of the
2023 World Cup, having twice fielded
an ineligible player, the South Africa-
born prop Gavin van den Berg. He had
not fully completed the three-year resi-
dency period required, and the Spanish
federation said it was looking into an al-
legation that his passport was forged.
Romania will take Spain’s place in the
tournament. This is the second consec-
utive World Cup from which Spain
have been ejected for similar breaches.
the times | Friday April 29 2022 2GM 65

Football Sport

Matt Dickinson
Senior Sports Writer

Klopp’s side among best we’ve seen ANDREW ORCHARD SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY/ALAMY LIVE NEWS

T
here are the football teams that you
have to admire. And then there are
those rare sides that touch something
deeper inside your sporting soul. They
make you swoon.
The interchanges have an irrepressible flow, a
dash of invention, a swagger (but not too much,
no one likes arrogance) in pursuit of victory.
You can almost hear a slick hum as they knock
the ball around, rather like the sound of a
Bentley gliding past, with a surge of power just a
pedal-touch away.
There has always been much to enjoy about
Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool since they started
contesting the leading prizes but, these days,
they seem to have spells in almost every game
when I sit and purr. Even against Villarreal in
the Champions League, when patience was a
primary requirement, they added to a
formidable repertoire.
It raises the intriguing — and entirely
subjective — debate about the best football we
have seen from English club sides. To put this
Liverpool vintage in that conversation is, I think,
hardly premature.
There are the conventional measures of
success — goals, points and, of course, trophies
— and Liverpool will want to be defined as the
most successful English team of all time with a
unique Quadruple. They have a decent chance
— a maximum of eight games left in all
competitions, a squad of enviable depth and
overflowing confidence — but this is more
about the type of football you like to watch. And
which football from a domestic side you have
loved watching most of all.
You will have your own contenders, though I
think some teams are beyond argument in the
debate. I admired the Liverpool sides of my
youth in the early 1980s but it was the 1987-88
side who became irresistible for their élan.
I went back to check on their crowning glory:
a 5-0 victory over Nottingham Forest, the third-
best team in the country at the time, to see if it
was as brilliant as I recalled. It was better. I
laughed out loud at the thrilling dominance.
If you think pressing, ball-playing defenders,
slick interchanges and dazzling flair only arrived
with overseas footballers, foreign coaches and
the glitzy Premier League era, go and watch
John Barnes, Peter Beardsley, John Aldridge
(and even Gary Gillespie whacking one in) on
YouTube. It is one of those performances you
find yourself smiling at, like someone has just let
you into a lovely secret.
Watching it, gripped by the joyous
destruction, took me back to sitting in the
sunshine at Highbury in October 2004 as
Robert Pires, Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry
Henry skewered Aston Villa with such panache
Díaz, who was signed in January from Porto, has added to the attacking range of a vintage Klopp side
that I still wonder if any team toyed with
opponents quite like that Arsène Wenger
construction at their best.
I was sitting just behind Gordon Strachan,
who was working for the BBC. Told that World
Service listeners were hearing his punditry, he
said: “Wherever you are in the world, you won’t
be watching football like this.”
It was a wonderful moment and a pinnacle
that would not be touched again. That was
Arsenal’s 49th game unbeaten in the league.
Within a week, amid a frenzy of flying pizza,
they would be Invincibles no more and José
Mourinho’s Chelsea would eventually come
barging past: a formidable side, though watching
them blitz rivals is not enough to get them on
this list. Like I said, it’s about personal taste. We
are not arguing which is the best team but
which we’d hang on our imaginary gallery wall.
As a young sports reporter lucky enough to
arrive in Manchester in time to observe Sir Alex
Ferguson’s United establish their domestic
dominance, I experienced nights at Old
Trafford, watching Andrei Kanchelskis, Ryan
Giggs, Eric Cantona, Mark Hughes, Paul Ince
and Roy Keane rip opponents to shreds, that
took the breath away.
Ferguson’s Treble winners have a special place
— a unique one, for now, in terms of the
number of trophies they won — but the pace
and power of the 1993-94 team in dismantling
domestic sides was intimidatingly awesome.
Across Manchester, we could probably debate
for some time which of Pep Guardiola’s
champions have been the most pleasing to the
eye. The 2017-18 season was record-breaking in
numerous ways, with the full flowering of Kevin
De Bruyne as one of the finest passers of a ball
in the history of the English game, in a
campaign when “scoring for fun” seemed to
become a weekly reality.
We should probably mention those teams that
captured our hearts all too briefly and the
romances that fizzled out. Newcastle United
under Kevin Keegan gave us extraordinary
ambition but promised more than they could
ever deliver. There was, briefly, something very
enticing about Tottenham Hotspur in the
summer of 1994 — yes, really — when Jürgen
Klinsmann was a superstar arrival at the sharp
end of a team loaded with attacking intent in
Teddy Sheringham, Nicky Barmby, Ilie
Dumitrescu and Darren Anderton. It was an
early experiment in sophisticated brilliance that
had only one flaw, quite a big one — that no
one remembered to defend. Fantasy football
collided with hard reality.
Perhaps some readers will care to summon a
great Spurs team from the past, and there may
well be other domestic contenders who
expanded your sense of what is possible.
Because I guess that is at the heart of the
debate. It is finding a team who can be
beautifully choreographed yet capable of
wonderful spontaneity; who are constantly
testing their own frontiers of excellence.
This Liverpool collective does that better than
any of Klopp’s other sides, especially now that
Thiago Alcântara is dictating a gorgeous
rhythm. You can look at his passing stats or,
much better, rewind his rolling of a marker to
start the move for the first goal on Wednesday
night. One of those moments to purr.
No wonder Liverpool have tied Klopp to an
extended contract until 2026. It is possible that
they will end up with only a League Cup but I
very much doubt it and that is not the point.
The way Mo Salah slipped a nutmeg to Sadio
Mané for the second goal, and Luis Díaz adding
to the attacking range, were more signs that this
is not just the Liverpool of Klopp’s heavy metal
football but one capable of dancing to a more
seductive beat.
The most aesthetically pleasing in English
football?
I do find myself, on that criterion, back at
Highbury wondering if Henry’s Arsenal fired my
imagination most of all. But Klopp, and
Guardiola, can point out that their work is not
yet done — finishing touches are still to be
applied in the obsessive pursuit of creating
English football’s latest masterpiece.

‘My wife told me at kitchen table, I can’t see us leaving just yet’
continued from back
American owner, Fenway Sports
Group, to extend his contract, which
was due to expire in 2024, and said he
felt “energised” by the thought of con-
tinuing to lead the club.
The FSG president, Mike Gordon,
flew to England to finalise matters on
Wednesday and was at Anfield for Liv-
erpool’s Champions League semi-final
first-leg win against Villarreal along
with Klopp’s agent, Marc Kosicke.
“There is just so much to love about
this place,” said Klopp, who has won the
Premier League and Champions
League among five major trophies
since becoming manager in October
2015. “I knew that before I came here, I
got to know it even better after I
arrived, and now I know it more than
ever before. There is a freshness about
us as a club and this energises me. We
are constantly moving in the right di-
rection. We have a clear idea of what we
want, we have a clear idea of how we try
to achieve it.”
Klopp said the conversation about
staying was further triggered by his
wife, Ulla, as they sat around the kit-
chen table. “The most important con-
tract in my life I signed is the one with
Ulla,” Klopp said. “We sat in the kitchen
at the table and Ulla said, ‘I can’t see us
leaving in 2024.’ And I was like,
‘What?!’”
Klopp’s assistant managers, Pepijn
Lijnders and Peter Krawietz, have also
signed new deals.
Liverpool, having beaten Chelsea in
the Carabao Cup final, face a rematch
Klopp’s Liverpool stats with the London club in the FA Cup
His record How his record compares to other final on May 14. They lie one point be-
Lost Won Liverpool managers hind Manchester City in the league and
64 (Win percentage in brackets) are 2-0 up against Villarreal after the
first leg of their Champions League
Played Bill Shankly (1959-1974) semi-final.
76 373
P783 W407 D198 L178 (51.98)
Klopp’s decision gives Liverpool
233 much needed stability given that the
Drawn Bob Paisley (1974-1983)
sporting director, Michael Edwards,
P535 W308 D131 L96 (57.57) will leave at the end of the season, to be
His trophies replaced by Julian Ward.
Kenny Dalglish* (1985-1991)
P381 W223 D94 L64 (58.53) Gordon, who led the discussions, said
that Klopp’s decision was a “big state-
Champions Rafa Benítez (2004-2010) ment”.
Uefa Fifa Club
League Super Cup World Cup P350 W197 D74 L79 (56.29) Meanwhile, Klopp has been warned
2019 2019 2019 Jürgen Klopp (2015-present) by Uefa and Liverpool have been fined
Premier Carabao P373 W233 D76 L64 (62.47) £10,000 for coming on to the pitch late
League Cup
*First spell in charge
for their Champions League quarter-
2020 2022 final, first-leg tie away to Benfica.
66
Sport Premier League
Rudderless
United show
scale of task
for Ten Hag
Henry Winter
Chief Football
Writer
1
Manchester United
Ronaldo 62
1
Chelsea
Alonso 60
This is the state of play at England’s
biggest club. Manchester United have
an interim coach in Ralf Rangnick who
can’t inspire the players but is staying
on at Old Trafford as a consultant next
season while travelling around Europe
as manager of Austria. Manchester
United also have a key player in Cristi-
ano Ronaldo, a 37-year-old who keeps
rescuing them this season, but who is
not guaranteed to feature in the brave
new era when the new manager, Erik
ten Hag, arrives this summer.
Manchester United’s other key
player, David de Gea, again kept saving
his team against Chelsea last night, and
may well win player of the season here,
but does not necessarily have the distri-
bution skills to fit in with Ten Hag’s
style. De Gea, of course, will remain
United’s No 1, but every silver lining has
a cloud.
The sorry state of play at United was
reflected in a bench containing two
goalkeepers, two centre backs in Eric
Bailly and Phil Jones, who should have
left by now, a slowing 34-year-old play-
maker in Juan Mata, who needs to
move on, and four youngsters. Behind
the bench, up in the stands, the United
fans’ continued anger against their
owners, the Glazers, rang out loud.
Most of the United fans rose and
applauded as the command rolled
around to “stand up if you hate Glazers”.
And again. And a third time — and that
was all before the break. There were
also protests outside and a “Glazers
Out” banner on the Stretford End.
In front of the fans, United took a
fortuitous point against a vastly super-
ior Chelsea side who enjoyed 65 per
cent of possession and managed 21
efforts on goal to the hosts’ six.
However much pride United may feel
they can take from this draw against the
outgoing champions of Europe, they
can now reach only 64 points in the
Premier League, which would equal
their worst points total since the season
of 2013-14. Even if United defeat Brent-
ford, Brighton & Hove Albion and
Crystal Palace, it would still take a
remarkable swing in goal difference not
to make it their worst league finish since
1990-91 — and at least they had the
immense joy of Mark Hughes’s finishes
in the European Cup Winners’ Cup
final 31 years ago.
This is the mess that Ten Hag steps
into and he will need patience and sub-
stantial funds even to start turning
things around. But Ten Hag can draw
on the promise of Alejandro Garnacho,
the 17-year-old Argentinian winger
who came on for his debut, and
Hannibal Mejbri, the 19-year-old
2GM Friday April 29 2022 | the times
Tunisia international midfield player
who featured against Liverpool.
This season cannot end quickly
enough for United. The end-of-term
feel was embodied by Rangnick
strolling along the touchline before
kick-off, chatting with Thomas Tuchel.
Ten Hag cannot arrive soon enough.
United resemble orienteers without
map or compass and with darkness
drawing in. Bruno Fernandes, their
captain, was soon waving his arms
around and having a moan about
everything and nothing. It summed up
United’s low expectations when Diogo
Dalot congratulated Anthony Elanga
for simply making contact with a head-
ed ball that went nowhere. The mood
music is a requiem.
Uncertainty clings to Chelsea’s
future too, with their new owners
expected to be announced imminently.
Chelsea fans sang in praise of their out- Ronaldo takes
going owner, Roman Abramovich, and down Matic’s
it showed the strength of their mindset chipped pass
that Antonio Rüdiger, who is leaving before smashing
the club for the lucrative lure of Real the ball past
Madrid, played with sustained heart — Mendy, main, to
far more so than those in red. cancel out
Whether switching play to the out- Alonso’s opener,
standing Reece James or grappling with which came from
Marcus Rashford to prevent him from a Havertz flick-
finding space, Rüdiger’s commitment on, right. United’s
to the Chelsea cause on the night was supporters again
unconditional. He did push his luck made it clear that
slightly later on by pulling Mata’s shirt they are not
and then he risked a second booking happy with the
when raising a boot and catching stewardship of
Elanga. the club’s
United would have been comprehen- owners, the
sibly beaten had Chelsea had a centre Glazer family, left
forward. Kai Havertz was off the pace
and Romelu Lukaku was even less Alonso lurking and the Spaniard had
imposing when he arrived belatedly.
Even though the teams finished level,
the split second required to drive the
ball left-footed past De Gea.
Tuchel: We How they stand
Chelsea were so much better individu- Then the goal United hardly de-
ally and collectively, and an all-star XI
selected from both sides would be
served came. Nemanja Matic, one of
United’s better performers on a
have missed Man City..............33
Liverpool............33
Chelsea................33
P W
25
24
19
D
5
7
9
L F
3 80
2 85
5 68
A
21
22
28
GDPts
59 80
63 79
40 66
almost exclusively in blue. Only De subdued night, was too swift for Kanté
Gea and Ronaldo would stand a chance
of getting in.
and Jorginho and lifted the ball down
the inside-right channel. Ronaldo’s
James hugely Arsenal................33
Spurs....................33
Man United........35
West Ham...........34
19
18
15
15
3
4
10
7
11 52
11 56
10 54
12 52
40
38
52
44
12 60
18 58
2 55
8 52
How United could do with such com- cushioning touch with his right did Wolves.................33 15 4 14 33 29 4 49
mitted, enterprising players as James, much of the work, his thunderous Ian Whittell
Newcastle .......... 34 11 10 13 40 55 -15 43
Leicester.............32 11 9 12 47 51 -4 42
who had recovered from a hamstring touch with his right again did the rest, Brighton..............34 9 14 11 31 42 -11 41
problem to run the game from right leaving Édouard Mendy no chance to Thomas Tuchel was left frustrated by Brentford............34 11 7 16 41 49 -8 40
wing back. James delivered ten crosses stop it. Chelsea’s failure to win at Old Trafford Southampton....34 9 13 12 40 56 -16 40
Crystal Palace...33 8 14 11 43 41 2 38
and went close to scoring, even hitting It was his 17th Premier League goal in and by a performance from Reece Aston Villa..........32 11 4 17 42 46 -4 37
a post with a left-footed strike late on. 28 games and it is still bizarre to hear James that reminded the manager of Leeds....................33 8 10 15 38 68 -30 34
He was also involved early in the game some suggesting that Ronaldo’s return what might have been. Burnley................33 6 13 14 29 45 -16 31
and remained dominant. Tuchel’s wing was a mistake. United would be in an The England full back was the star Everton................32 8 5 19 34 55 -21 29
Watford...............33 6 4 23 31 67 -36 22
backs combined after six minutes, even worse situation without him: most performer in the 1-1 draw, playing a role Norwich .............. 33 5 6 22 22 69 -47 21
Marcos Alonso finding James, whose of his touches come with real thought. in Alonso’s opening goal, but has
20-yarder was punched away by De Most of them find their intended target. missed chunks of the season because of
Gea. United’s goalkeeper then denied Even at 37, Ronaldo is a force but he injuries. And the German manager “We were very strong on and off the
Timo Werner, N’Golo Kanté and cannot, clearly, be the future. Ten Hag believes that the loss of James has been ball — very dominant on the ball, very
Havertz. The latter’s failure to beat has a huge mess to address. a key reason behind Chelsea’s failure to aggressive off it,” he said.
De Gea sent Tuchel full Basil Fawlty. compete for the league title. “We had a lot of half-chances but
The second half meandered for “Reece played tonight and we missed unfortunately we lacked position in the
15 minutes until the goal Chelsea Manchester United (4-2-3-1): D de Gea 9 — him for 12 weeks and I am very box, a bit of determination to finish it off
D Dalot 5, V Lindelof 6, R Varane 5, A Telles 5 —
deserved arrived. Kanté was involved, S McTominay 5, N Matic 7 (P Jones 78min) —
impressed we are still in the top three . . . early in the match [particularly] but al-
advancing through the centre before A Elanga 5 (A Garnacho 90), B Fernandes 7, and reaching finals in both [domestic] so in the whole match. Unfortunately
laying the ball off right to César Azpili- M Rashford 5 (J Mata 78) — C Ronaldo 8. cups,” the 48-year-old said. [when] we had it [the lead] we gave it
cueta. Chelsea’s captain transferred Chelsea (3-4-1-2): É Mendy 6 — R James 9, T Silva “The big difference is Man City and away in two minutes. But I’m very
6, A Rüdiger 7 — C Azpilicueta 6, N Kanté 8
play right to James, who took a touch (R Loftus-Cheek 81), Jorginho 7, M Alonso 7 — Liverpool have full squads available and happy with the performance, a good
and then crossed. M Mount 7 — T Werner 6 (C Pulisic 70, 5), we struggled with the Covid periods team effort, we showed what it takes to
Victor Lindelof failed to leap high K Havertz 5 (R Lukaku 70, 5). Booked and long-term injuries. We had weeks win on the big stage and in a big
Rüdiger.
enough, the ball clipped Havertz and Referee M Dean.
where we were composed and strong stadium. A huge effort but unfortunate-
carried on. Dalot failed to notice Attendance 73,564. but this is the decisive reason. ly we don’t have what we deserved.”
the times | Friday April 29 2022 2GM
United's lowest PL possession figures at Old Trafford
08/03/2020 v Man City (manager: Solskjaer)
20/10/2019 v Liverpool (Solskjaer)
10/03/2018 v Liverpool (Mourinho)
06/11/2021 v Man City (Solskjaer)
28/04/2022 v Chelsea (Rangnick)
10/12/2017 v Man City (Mourinho)
24/02/2019 v Liverpool (Solskjaer)
24/04/2019 v Man City (Solskjaer)
24/10/2021 v Liverpool (Solskjaer)
04/10/2020 v Tottenham (Solskjaer)
Rangnick set for Austria
job – and Old Trafford role
Ian Whittell
Ralf Rangnick has said that he will “def-
initely” stay in a consultancy role with
Manchester United next season, even
though he could be announced as the
next manager of the Austria national
team as early as today.
Talks have taken place between the
United interim manager’s representa-
tives and the Austrian FA. He would
succeed Franco Foda, who resigned
after Austria’s World Cup play-off
defeat by Wales.
An offer is believed to have
been made to Rangnick, 63,
who has endured a turbulent
time in temporary charge of
United, having stepped in after
the sacking of Ole Gunnar
Solskjaer in November.
Rangnick has still to speak to
the new United manager, Erik
ten Hag, but revealed after last
night’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea
that he has ironed out the de-
tails of his consultancy role
Rangnick would succeed Foda
MARTIN RICKETT/PA
Data available
27.7 since 2003
32
32.1
32.6
35.1
35.4
35.5
36.8
36.8
38.4
with the club’s board, and that any
future position he accepts will not inter-
fere with that. “I can confirm that I will
definitely continue at the end of this
season with my consultancy role,” he
said. “I didn’t say I would have a big part
moving forward, but we have definitely
agreed now about both the content and
time of my consultancy role.
“So far we haven’t spoken, Erik and
myself. That will hopefully happen in
the future. But I’m more than happy
to help and change things for the
better.” It is understood that
Rangnick’s role with United
will mainly revolve around
recruitment.
Last night, Cristiano Ron-
aldo’s 23rd goal of the season
rescued a point for United and
Rangnick’s first piece of advice
for the incoming manager is
to convince him to stay this
summer. “His whole per-
formance, his attitude at age
of 37, this is not normal,” he
said. “If he plays like he did
today he can still be a big
help to this team.”
Bidders balk at late request to
raise Chelsea offers by £500m
Matt Lawton Chief Sports Correspondent
The three bidders vying to buy Chelsea
have been left stunned by a request to
raise their offers by £500 million —
even though the US bank leading the
sale is expected to identify the
preferred candidate within days.
The Times understands that The
Raine Group, which was appointed by
Roman Abramovich to find a new
owner, has advised the three rival
consortiums to be prepared for an
announcement on Monday.
But the conclusion to an already pro-
longed process has been complicated
by a request, reportedly from Abram-
ovich, to increase the price to closer to
the £3 billion valuation that the Russian
oligarch has always envisaged for the
club he bought in 2003.
The bidders are a consortium led by
the LA Dodgers co-owner Todd Boeh-
ly, a party fronted by Boston Celtics co-
owner Stephen Pagliuca and a group
led by former British Airways chairman
Sir Martin Broughton and backed by
Lord Coe and Lewis Hamilton.
Referees Atkinson and
Moss join Dean in retiring
Premier League referees Martin
Atkinson and Jonathan Moss will
retire at the end of this season.
Atkinson and Moss, both 51, have
taken jobs with the Professional
Game Match Officials Board. Moss
will oversee the officiating of top-
flight games, with Atkinson a coach.
Mike Dean, 53, confirmed this
month that he would also be retiring,
but without a role at the PGMOL. It
is likely punditry and reality shows
may be interested in recruiting him.
Palace given hope that
Wan-Bissaka could rejoin
Crystal Palace have been encouraged
that they could re-sign Aaron Wan-
Bissaka from Manchester United.
The right back moved for
£45 million in 2019 but will be allowed
to leave Old Trafford this summer.
The 24-year-old, who came
through the Palace academy and has
two years left on his United contract,
has started 20 Premier League
matches this season after starting 34
in the last campaign.
Top flight to cut ties with FA chief’s firm
Martyn Ziegler Chief Sports Reporter
The Premier League is to change the
way it handles scrutiny of club take-
overs after it was revealed that a law
firm run by its interim chairman did the
bulk of the work.
Peter McCormick, who has several
Premier League roles and is the vice-
chairman of the FA, took over as
interim chairman in January. The
Times reported this month that his
Harrogate-based law firm, McCor-
micks, has carried out owners’ and
directors’ test checks for the league for
12 years.
The Premier League declined to
comment but the arrangement is set to
change after an internal review. Mean-
while, after a discussion of potential
conflicts of interest at an FA board
meeting this week, McCormick is to
step down as the chairman of the FA’s
remuneration committee, though he
will remain one of the members.
UK government sanctions in the
wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
mean that Abramovich cannot profit
from the sale.
The 55-year-old billionaire, who put
the club on the market in March, has
said that he intends to write off the
£1.54 billion loan owed to him, explain-
ing in a statement that the net proceeds
of the sale would be paid into a charit-
Abramovich wants
bids to be closer to
his £3bn valuation
able trust for the victims of the war
in Ukraine.
It seems, however, that there is an
issue in writing off the loan, because the
government sanctions mean that the
money owed by the club’s parent com-
pany, Fordstam, cannot be paid to Cam-
berley International Investments, a
company also linked to Abramovich.
Raiola ‘fighting to survive’
amid false reports of death
Tom Roddy
The football agent Mino Raiola was last
night “fighting to survive” in a Milan
hospital — but posted on Twitter to
deny earlier reports that he had died.
The 54-year-old — one of football’s
most powerful and prominent interme-
diaries, having represented Paul Pogba,
Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Erling
Haaland — is being treated at the San
Raffaele Hospital in Milan, Italy. Dr
Alberto Zangrillo, a professor in anes-
thesiology and intensive care at the
hospital, confirmed to the news agency
Ansa that Raiola had not died, contrary
to reports in Europe, stating: “I’m out-
raged by the phone calls from pseudo-
journalists speculating on the life of a
man who is fighting to survive.”
José Fortes Rodríguez, a close asso-
ciate of Raiola, also told the Dutch
media outlet NOS: “He is in a bad posi-
tion, but he hasn’t died.”
Raiola, the multilingual Italy-born
Dutch national, was hospitalised and
Tracey Crouch MP, who headed the
fan-led review of football last year, had
called the Premier League’s arrange-
ment with McCormick an “unaccept-
able conflict of interest”.
The FA would not confirm any
changes to its structure, but McCor-
mick’s position as chairman of the com-
mittee deciding on bonuses and salary
for senior FA personnel clearly clashed
with his Premier League role.
An FA spokeswoman said: “There
were discussions at the FA board meet-
ing about a number of subjects. These
included the exciting appointment of
two new independent directors and
future committee structures and roles.
We will be in a position to announce
more detail in the coming weeks.”
The FA and Premier League are still
hoping that the FA could be given the
role of football’s new independent regu-
lator even though the sports minister,
Nigel Huddleston, said this week that
such a scenario would be “difficult to
67
Sport
Further clarification is needed on the
matter but, during the final presenta-
tions at Stamford Bridge this week, the
bidders were told that they need to
increase their offers so that a sum in
excess of £1 billion can be donated
immediately to those suffering as a
consequence of Russia’s invasion.
Given that the groups have already
been asked to guarantee a further
£1 billion towards stadium redevelop-
ment plans and investment in the play-
ing staff — in addition to offers of about
£2.5 billion for the club — the total
financial commitment is now nudging
towards £4 billion for the groups trying
to become the new owners of Chelsea.
An insider at the one of the bidding
groups was shocked by the demand.
“We are not talking about a small sum
here,” the source said. “For this to come
up at the eleventh hour is an issue we
are now trying to work through.”
Officials have begun the process of
subjecting each bid to the Premier
League owners’ and directors’ test.
Raine will then have to present the win-
ning bid to the Treasury for approval.
required a procedure in January. Raiola
is understood to have been living with a
serious illness since then, but a tweet
from his account at the time said he had
not required emergency surgery and
was undergoing medical checks.
Media outlets in Italy and across
Europe had reported Raiola’s death, but
a statement from his Twitter account
yesterday read: “Current health status
for the ones wondering: pissed off
second time in 4 months they kill me.
Seem also able to ressuscitate [sic].”
The 54-year-old “super agent” rose
to prominence after public fallouts with
managers such as Sir Alex Ferguson at
Manchester United and Pep Guardiola
at Manchester City. Raiola was be-
lieved to have earned about £20 million
in the record £89 million transfer of
Pogba from Juventus to United in 2016.
He has worked with some of football’s
most famous players, including Romelu
Lukaku, Mario Balotelli, Matthijs de
Ligt, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Marco
Verratti and Gianluigi Donnarumma.
imagine”. The changes brought about
after the McCormick disclosures at
least show that both
organisations feel under pressure to be
seen to be eliminating potential
conflicts of interest.
Huddleston said on Monday that an
independent regulator would have
avoided the situation in which
McCormicks did the takeover checks.
“Those kind of issues precisely high-
light why we need the change,” he said.
“Under those procedures we are outlin-
ing, we would resolve that problem.”
McCormick has previously insisted
there are no conflicts of interest. He
passed on a request for comment to the
Premier League but said earlier this
month: “It was specifically agreed
before I took the interim chair [posi-
tion] that the board wished that service
to continue and it was agreed that I
would not participate in the decision-
making process on any club takeover
while interim chair.”
68
Sport Europa League
West Ham face huge salvage job
West Ham United
Antonio 21 1 Angelino stuns Rangers
2
E Frankfurt
Knauff 1, Kamada 54
Semi-final, first leg
James Gheerbrant
West Ham United will have to come
from behind to reach their first Euro-
pean final since 1976. This was a quick,
open, even game, won deservedly by
Eintracht Frankfurt, who were slicker
and more clinical in attack.
But David Moyes’s side gave a fine
account of themselves, responding
tigerishly to the blow of a first-minute
goal, and they might have travelled
to Germany with parity had Jarrod
Bowen’s late overhead kick crept
underneath the crossbar.
They will still believe. Not least
because they struck the woodwork
three times here, including that late
Bowen chance. The memory of the
quarter-final, when a 1-1 home draw
against Lyon was followed by a 3-0 win
in France, will buoy them.
Frankfurt made full use of the wide
open spaces of the London Stadium,
and the away team’s prerogative to play
on the break; in a funny way, the return
leg may suit West Ham better. But
Oliver Glasner’s team were formidable
here, the fizz and incision of their pass-
ing superior, and they will be favourites
to advance.
There was a morale-boosting sur-
prise on the West Ham teamsheet: Kurt
Zouma was unexpectedly passed fit to
partner Craig Dawson, the club’s
medical department having evidently
wrought the kind of miraculously quick
rehabilitation job that Zouma’s PR
team would give their cat’s whiskers for.
But the good vibes were abruptly
dispelled within a minute. Frankfurt
worked a clever rotation on the left,
Rafael Borré whipped in a doozy of a
cross and Pablo Fornals failed to spot
sting in
Ansgar Knauff ghosting
behind him. His header
was one of those
ader
ose
beautifully satisfy--
ing connections,
cushioning the ball
back across goal,
billowing the
inside netting,
leaving Alphonse
Areola rooted to
the spot.
There was a esca
stunned, cavernous ous
silence, the sound d of
60,000 bubbles being ng burst.
econds, then
It lasted about ten seconds,
ntaneous cheer,
there was a spontaneous cheer a
whoosh of encouragement, rising like a
plume of smoke from the crater of West
Ham’s game plan.
Moyes’s team responded and they
had a chance to equalise in the 14th
minute. Tomas Soucek opened Frank-
furt’s defence down the middle with a
beautiful first-time pass and Bowen was
running clear with only Kevin Trapp to
beat. His chosen finish was a low side-
foot and it might have worked had the
goalkeeper not got a crucial touch with
2GM Friday April 29 2022 | the times
E Frankfurt
A superb strike by the Spanish striker
Angelino five minutes from the end
v West Ham
gave RB Leipzig a 1-0 home victory
over Rangers in the first leg of the
Europa League semi-final last night.
Roma v
The Scottish side played with Leicester
great determination for much of the Thursday, May 5
game but they still had to ride their Kick-offs: 8pm
luck as Leipzig created a host of TV: BT Sport
excellent chances.
However just as Giovanni van
Bronckhorst’s team looked to have
done enough to claim a goalless
draw, a clearance from a corner in
the 85th minute fell perfectly for
Angelino and he lashed a brilliant
volley home for the winning goal.
All the same, Rangers will go into
next week’s home leg confident
they can make the final.
the studs of his outstretched right boot,
which diverted the ball on to the base of
a post.
Frankfurt continued to look danger-
ous on the break but the next chance
fell to the hosts, and they were not to be
denied. Manuel Lanzini clipped in a
free kick from a central position,
Zouma rose colossally to nod the ball
across the goalmouth and Michail
Antonio, sliding in desperately at the
far post, hooked it towards the net.
Trapp was there, anticipating the shot
perfectly, but his hand could only brush
the ball and it was over the line by the
time he got a second chance.
Frankfurt then missed a great chance
to retake the lead. From a West Ham
corner they surged upfield, Borré
streaking 40 yards down the middle. He
found Knauff, breaking inside on a
beautiful angled run. Aaron Cresswell
made a desperate tackle but Knauff was
able to turn on the loose ball and fire
with Areola out of position. He should
have scored, but didn’t wrap his foot
around the ball enough and West Ham
were reprieved.
But Frankfurt had carried the greater
threat throughout the match and they
duly regained the lead after half-time
with a goal of exquisite construction.
Djibril Sow, the central midfielder, Trapp is unable to
played a quick, vertical one-two with keep out Antonio’s
Jesper Lindstrom. hooked finish but
The Denmark attacker’s return pass Bowen’s overhead
was a dagger, which sent Sow swooping kick just fails to find
down on Areola. His shot was parried, the net, left, much
but only to the feet of Daichi Kamada, to the delight of the
who tapped the ball into the empty net. away fans, inset
f
West Ham forced a couple of
bu they were well living dangerously. Dawson stuck out a
corners but
defend by Frankfurt.
defended
wi free kick was
A wide
foot and glanced a goalbound Kamada
shot on to a post. But despite looking
Tie not over yet, says Moyes
ham
hammered disap- spent at times, they continued to
pointingly into the
po threaten, particularly down the left. A Gary Jacob However, Frankfurt — who knocked
w
wall by Declan Benrahma cross was headed over by out Barcelona in the quarter-finals —
R
Rice, before the Bowen. David Moyes bemoaned West Ham have advanced to the next round on the
su
substitute Said There was one last moment of fruit- United’s sloppiness and lack of killer previous ten occasions they have won
B
Benrahma almost less brilliance. Rice swung in a high instinct in front of goal but said they the first leg in an European tie.
pr
produced a mo- cross from the corner of the penalty can still dream of reaching the Europa West Ham also trailed Frankfurt 2-1
m
ment of magic. area and Bowen twisted to meet it with League final after a 2-1 defeat by after the first leg of the Cup Winners’
Th
Thirty yards out, he an overhead kick. Eintracht Frankfurt in the semi-final, Cup semi-final in 1976 before coming
escaped Frankfurt’s The timing was millisecond-perfect, first leg at the London Stadium. back to reach the final. “Ultimately it is
count
counterpressing catching the ball at the apex of his back- They made the worst possible start, a disappointing result for us but we’ve
swarm w with a shimmy of wards leap and meeting it flush with the conceding inside a minute to Ansgar still got another game to play and we’ve
tthe
he hips, then whipped a instep. The ball zinged off his foot and Knauff and fell behind again when given ourselves a chance,” Moyes said.
glorious shot tthat glanced the clattered the underside of the crossbar. Daichi Kamada tapped home early in “We’ll go to the second leg probably
top of the far post
post. It was a moment of thwarted genius the second half. not fancied and do what we can to still
A few half-openings came and went on a night that left this tie tilted in In between those goals Michail An- make it. We’ve got to show a lot more
for West Ham. First Martin Hintereg- Frankfurt’s favour. tonio levelled, but the home side were quality than we did tonight. We didn’t
ger slipped as the hosts countered, only unable to take their chances and Jarrod show enough quality, especially in the
to recover with a superb block tackle, West Ham United (4-2-3-1): A Areola 5 — Bowen’s overhead kick struck the un- final third when we had moments to do
then Cresswell was worked free down B Johnson 6, K Zouma 6, C Dawson 6, A Cresswell derside of the bar in the dying minutes. so and a couple of times we turned off
the left but he could not pick out a claret 6 — T Soucek 6, D Rice 7 — J Bowen 7, M Lanzini Moyes said that the tie is far from — obviously for their goals.
shirt. Frankfurt were incensed when 6 (S Benrahma 66min, 8), P Fornals 7 — over, highlighting how his side have “We didn’t start the first half so well,
M Antonio 7.
West Ham played on with Hinteregger Eintracht Frankfurt (3-4-2-1): K Trapp 5 — Tuta 6, performed better in the second legs of nor the second half. They scored the
down with a foot injury, but Benrahma, M Hinteregger 7, A Touré 6 — A Knauff 8, D Sow the previous two rounds against Seville, goals in those periods. They scored
having taken down a raking long ball 8, S Rode 7, F Kostic 8 — J Lindstrom 8 (J Hauge going through in extra time, and Lyon, within a minute and it was a terrible
beautifully, blazed wide. 62, 5), D Kamada 8 — R Borré 8 (R Ache 90+3). winning 3-0 in France after a draw in start for us, but I felt after that we grew
Booked Sow, Hinteragger.
At the other end, West Ham were Ref S Gozubuyuk (Neth). the first leg. into the game.”
the times | Friday April 29 2022 2GM 69

Sport

in Germany Profligate Leicester let

TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER MARC ASPLAND

Mourinho’s men off hook MARC ATKINS/GETTY IMAGES

Leicester City
Mancini (og) 67
Roma
Pellegrini 15
Semi-final, first leg
Charlotte Duncker
Leicester City are still in with a chance
of a historic first European trophy but
they may well think that they should
already have put this tie to bed after
dominating the first leg against Roma
at the King Power last night.
As it was, they needed a scrappy
second-half equaliser to ensure parity
before heading to Rome next week. An
energetic run by Harvey Barnes ended
with a cross that was bundled in by
Ademola Lookman via the Roma
defender Gianluca Mancini.
Yet Brendan Rodgers’s side im-
pressed and the Leicester manager is
confident that they can finish the job in
the Stadio Olimpico.
“We have no fear, we can go to Rome
and play to that level. We have a fantas-
tic chance to get to the final,” Rodgers
said. “We kept playing our football and
the very least we deserved was 1-1. We
can go with great confidence to Rome
next week. I was so pleased with the
performance. If you look at the squad
and youthfulness of the team, I was so
pleased they played at that level.”
For the opening ten minutes, it
looked as though Leicester were going
to give their fans a European night to
remember.
The dressing room was buoyed by
the return to the starting line-up of
Jamie Vardy, who made only his second
start this year. Within two minutes, he
capitalised on a slip by Chris Smalling
only to have his shot blocked by Nicolò
Zaniolo. As Leicester dominated,
José Mourinho in the opposing
dugout scribbled notes in his pad
as he waited for his team to get
into the game.
Timothy Castagne, the
hero for Leicester against
PSV in the previous
round, saw his header
drift wide of the post
from a James Maddi-
son corner. Then came
the sucker-punch.
Nicola Zalewski went on
a lovely run down the left,
beating Ricardo Pereira as
1
1
Roma’s Mancini turns the ball into his own net under pressure from Lookman
he cut inside before delivering a
defence-splitting pass for the Roma
captain Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose left-
footed shot beat Kasper Schmeichel.
Rodgers had called on the fans to play
their part and they listened to the
demands from their manager.
Undeterred by Roma’s opener, they
willed their team on as the Leicester
attack continued, wave after wave.
Smalling, the former Manchester
United defender, produced a vital block
to stop Vardy pouncing on a follow-up
after Rui Patrício had been unable to
hold on to a thumping Lookman shot
from the edge of the area.
Mourinho, who started the game
calmly seated in the dugout, grew more
and more animated as the half went on
with Leicester dominating in all areas
of the pitch.
He was in his seat long before either
of the sides had come back out for the
second half, but may have wished
he had stayed in the dressing
room longer, as Leicester picked
up exactly where they had
left off before the interval.
Lookman could only
look to the sky in despair
after he spurned a glori-
ous chance from a corner
shortly after the restart.
Then, the introduction of
Barnes helped Leicester
get the goal their play
had merited.
He went on a storm-
ing run into the area and
fizzed a ball across the
ni, the unlucky defender. It went down
as an own goal.
The biggest disappointment for
Leicester will be that they did not score
more. Wizardry in the box from
Maddison set up a glorious chance for
Kelechi Iheanacho, off the bench for
Vardy, who was never going to last
90 minutes, but he couldn’t steer his
header in. He could have scored the
winner ten minutes from time too but
was denied by the fingertips of Patrício
from 20 yards out.
For most of the game Schmeichel
was a mere spectator but he was forced
into action to deny Sérgio Oliveira.
Tammy Abraham, who had been quiet,
shrugged off James Justin to back-heel
to his team-mates and force a block
from the Leicester goalkeeper.
Mourinho feels it will be a different
game in Rome next Thursday, when the
Italian crowd will have a big part to play.
“They have the maturity, class, expe-
rience and what the Premier League
represents,” the Roma manager said.
“For us it makes a difference to play at
home with our 70,000.
“In the first half we played like we
wanted to play, in the second half we
played like they pushed us to play.”
Leicester (4-3-3): K Schmeichel 7 — R Pereira 7,
J Evans 7, W Fofana 8, T Castagne 6 (J Justin
21min, 7) — Y Tielemans 7, J Maddison 8,
K Dewsbury-Hall 6 — M Albrighton 7 (H Barnes
62, 7), A Lookman 6 (A Pérez 83), J Vardy 7 (K
Iheanacho 62, 6). Booked Dewsbury-Hall, Vardy
Roma (3-5-2): R Patrício 6 — R Ibañez 6,
C Smalling 7, G Mancini 6 — R Karsdorp 6,
H Mkhitaryan 6 (J Veretout 57, 5), B Cristante 6,

Ninety minutes to keep Rice face of goal which was L Pellegrini 7 (F Afena-Gyan 85), N Zalewski 6
(M Viña 85) — N Zaniolo 7 (S Oliveira 69),
Rodgers, left, and bundled home by T Abraham 5. Booked Zaniolo, Abraham.
Mourinho share a joke Lookman off Manci- Ref C del Cerro (Sp)

Gary Jacob over his future at West Ham, where he

When Declan Rice said he was keen to
play in the Champions League for the
first time, it felt like a pitch for a summer
move to an English heavyweight. How-
ever, if West Ham win the Europa
League, he can fulfil his stated ambition
without having to leave the club.
Last night, after a slow start, Rice
grew into the game and drove his side
forward in the final 30 minutes as
they tried to salvage a draw in the
first leg of their semi-final with
Eintracht Frankfurt.
Those who billed this as the
biggest match of Rice’s career
forgot that he started for
England in the Euro 2020
final. Last night’s match may,
though, prove to be significant
in other ways, especially while
there is so much uncertainty
Rice wants to play in
the Champions League
has rejected three contract offers. Results
Rice led the side out with a huge grin
but was frowning inside a minute, when Football
he and two team-mates stood off as Europa League semi-final first legs
Rafael Borré crossed for Ansgar Knauff RB Leipzig (0) 1 Rangers (0) 0
to score the opening goal. Rice roused Angelino 85
his team and, after getting back on the West Ham 1 Eintracht Frankfurt 2.
line to force Knauff to shoot over the 6 Reports, page 68
bar, was poised to level the scores Europa Conference League semi-final
first legs
before Michail Antonio stretched in Feyenoord 3 Marseille 2; Leicester 1
front of him to volley home. Roma 1.
Rice came into his own in the 6 Report, above
Premier League
latter stages, racing back to stop Man Utd 1 Chelsea 1.
Daichi Kamada breaking away and 6 Report and table, page 66
twice setting up promising attacks. Women’s Super League
Chelsea 2 Tottenham 1.
No West Ham player won more
possession or made more runs Darts
into the final third. West Ham Dublin Premier League
J Wade (Eng) bt M van Gerwen (Neth)
say they will not sell Rice this 6-5; G Price (Wales) bt J Cullen (eng) 6-3;
summer even if he refuses to M Smith (eng) bt G Anderson (Scot) 6-2;
sign a new contract. The true J Clayton (Wales) bt P Wright (Scot) 6-3.
position may be softer. Money talks
Semi-finals Wade bt Price 6-1; Clayton bt
Smith 6-4. Final Wade bt Clayton 6-5.
and if West Ham cannot turn around Golf
the tie, they will have nothing to
PGA Tour: Mexico Open
stop him from looking elsewhere. Early first-round scores (US unless
stated): 64 J Byrd; T Mullinax; B Nimmer; (Slovakia) 3-6, 6-4, 6-4; O Otte (Ger) bt R S Baez (Arg) bt M Cilic (Cro) 1-6, 6-1, 6-4.
J Rahm (Sp); B Todd. 65 A Rai (Eng); S Opelka (US) 7-6 (7-4), 6-2; A Tabilo WTA Madrid Open
Theegala; A Wise. (Chile) bt H Gaston (Fr) 6-2, 2-6, 4-1 Madrid: first round (selected results): S
retired hurt.
Rugby league ATP Millenium Estoril Open
Halep (Rom) bt Shuai Zhang (China) 6-2,
6-3; C Gauff (US) bt A K Schmiedlova
Betfred Super League
Cascals: round of 16 R Gasquet (Fr) (Slovakia) 6-0, 6-2; V Azarenka (Bela) bt
bt H Dellien (Bolivia) 7-6 (7-5), 6-2;
Wakefield 12 Huddersfield 14. V Golubic (Switz) 7-6 (7-5), 6-3.
P W D L F A Pts
St Helens 10 8 0 2 258 96 16
Wigan 10 8 0 2 248 186 16 Fixtures
Cat Dragons 10 7 0 3 186 144 14
Huddersfield 11 6 1 4 240 188 13
Hull 10 6 0 4 195 172 12 Cricket Dunfermline v Queen of South;
Inverness v Hamilton; Raith v
Hull KR 10 6 0 4 202 192 12
LV= Insurance County Championship Kilmarnock.
Castleford 10 5 0 5 227 214 10
Warrington 10 5 0 5 228 218 10 (all second day of four; 11am start)
Salford 10 3 0 7 200 276 6 Division One: Chelmsford Essex v Rugby league
Wakefield 11 3 0 8 178 280 6 Northamptonshire. Bristol Betfred Super League (8.0 unless
Leeds 10 2 1 7 149 217 5 Gloucestershire v Surrey. Ageas Bowl
stated): Catalans Dragons v Castleford
Toulouse 10 1 0 9 154 282 2 Hampshire v Lancashire. Taunton (7.30); Leeds v Hull KR; St Helens v
Snooker
Somerset v Warwickshire. Headingley Salford; Warrington v Wigan.
Yorkshire v Kent. Division Two:
Derby Derbyshire v Glamorgan. Rugby union
Sheffield Betfred World Championship,
semi-finals (overnight): J Trump (Eng)
Lord’s Middlesex v Leicestershire. Trent
Bridge Nottinghamshire v Worces- Gallagher Premiership Northampton v
leads M Williams (Wales) 7-1; J Higgins tershire. Hove Sussex v Durham. Harlequins (7.45); Sale v Newcastle (7.45).
(Scot) and R O’Sullivan (Eng) at 4-4.
United Rugby Championship Bulls v
Tennis Football Glasgow (6.0); Munster v Cardiff (7.35).
ATP BMW Open Sky Bet Championship
Snooker
QPR v Sheffield United (7.45).
Munich: round of 16 B van de
Cinch Championship (all 7.45) Sheffield Betfred World Championship
Zandschulp (Neth) bt E Gerasimov (Bel)
6-2, 6-3; C Ruud (Nor) bt A Molcan Arbroath v Morton; Ayr v Partick Thistle; semi-finals
70 Friday April 29 2022 | the times

Sport Cricket

Stokes can inject spirit and

Mike Atherton
Chief Cricket
Correspondent
Rob Key, the new managing director of
England men’s cricket, will not have an
easier decision to make no matter how
long he stays in a suit. Saved from one
difficult conversation by Joe Root’s
decision to stand down as Test captain,
Key was given the most pleasant of
tasks when he offered Ben Stokes the
highest honour that can be bestowed
upon an England cricketer. For Key, it
can only get trickier from here.
Whether talking about technique,
making decisions about captaincy,
selection or indeed scheduling and
structure, English cricket is apt to
overcomplicate matters. Why do some-
thing obvious and logical when you can
come to a different solution that makes
life far less straightforward? Why bat
on a normal guard when you can
contort yourself into various ridiculous
positions by batting on off stump?
Common sense is not very common.
So there were plenty of voices
counselling a different outcome for the
captaincy, in the wake of Root’s resigna-
tion. Stuart Broad, perhaps, as an
interim leader; Jos Buttler, from left
field and from the Indian Premier
League. Even James Vince and Sam Bil-
lings had their supporters (really, they
did). Like not going all-in with a full
house, there seemed to be a concerted
effort in some quarters to misplay the
hand dealt and ignore the obvious.
There was no need to overthink it.
Stokes is a proven Test-match cricketer,
one of only two at the moment sure of
his place in the team. He has shown
himself to be an inspirational player
time and again. He has the respect of
the dressing room, as a player, leader
and man. When he speaks, the
players listen; when he motions,
they follow. His competitive
spirit and will to win are legend-
ary. Most importantly, there is no
one else with remotely the same
credentials.
None of which means that he
is guaranteed to make a success
of the job. In this day and
age, when international
cricketers are given
little practical experi-
ence of leadership,
you just don’t know.
But that would be
the case with any
candidate, given
the choice between
a proven perform-
er with no leader-
His temper has let him down from
Views of the new managing director Rob Key on . . . time to time in the past, but he is into his
thirties now, and there is a sense of
Choosing a coach There are talented much — to score the maturity. His recent break to manage
It is about getting the cricketers, we just runs he’s scored, you his mental health should be seen as a
best person and then haven’t got the best out have no idea how great source of strength, not weakness,
you build everything of them. an achievement that giving him the kind of empathy with
around them. has been. He is still now others that top-class players, for whom
Australia asking, “How can I help the game comes easily, do not always
England’s form There are some good Ben Stokes?” have. This “empathy” was one of the
The last two years for teams and we’re way off qualities highlighted by Key yesterday.
that team look like it them. But do I think His role Stokes’s recent decision to forgo the
has been as tough for we’ve got the talent to This is not my time to IPL was a measure of his commitment
English cricket as it has be able to compete with be telling them how to to Test cricket, and he will stand as an
ever been. They’ve them? Absolutely. Is it bat and bowl. [My role] important defender of the five-day
played the best teams going to take a bit of is to find people aligned game. For all his limited-overs prowess,
in the world over and time to get there? with my thinking and he has always said that Test cricket
again, they’ve played in Probably. make sure they deliver. gives him the biggest buzz. The hope is
tough conditions in that he can lead a team who re-engage
India and then they’ve Joe Root Broad and Anderson with the public in the way that they play
had the pandemic. Looking back at that Ben Stokes was very their cricket after a difficult two-year
last two years, it [his clear on the fact that he slump to the bottom of the World Test
Structural changes to runscoring record] is wants Jimmy and Championship.
county cricket one of the great Broady back. It will be Key’s first media appearance shed
County cricket can be a sporting achievements. down to who is at the some light on how things will develop.
breeding ground for To play in a team that best level to win that There were some commonsense
great international
cricketers, as it was
before. Does it need
has been struggling,
living in this pandemic
[while] being captain
first Test. Nothing more,
nothing less. And if
they’re in that [form]
answers to questions and an even more
pleasing absence of ECB management-
speak. Yes, there will be split coaches,
34
Days until England’s
tweaking? Yes, maybe. [and so] having to do so then they play. for the red and white-ball teams, in three-Test series begins
all likelihood, because the schedule against New Zealand, on
demands it, but getting the best people June 2. One Test against
ship experience, or a county captain not power vacuum at the ECB and given and working the structure around them India starts on July 1.
worth his place in the side. In the that this is Key’s first big decision, board will be the aim. A three-Test series with
absence of alternatives and given approval was a formality, despite the Yes, Broad and James Anderson are South Africa starts
Stokes’s pedigree and standing in the absence of a chairman and the con- in contention — but not guaranteed — on August 17
team, Key had no choice but to offer tinued problems around the search. to play. Yes, the focus will be on the near
him the captaincy. Once upon a time Ossie Wheatley, the term and winning the next match,
Stokes did not demur. Despite never chairman of what was then the cricket rather than planning for distant
giving any indication that he was committee, saw fit to veto the appoint- horizons. Yes, English cricket has a lot
hunting the captaincy and despite ment of Mike Gatting for the summer going for it. At least Key sounded
limited experience of it — only a of 1989, but power has shifted since optimistic and up for the challenge.
handful of games at any level of cricket then to the executive class and players. It will be touch and go as to whether
— he had also never said outright that Stokes was, in many respects, the the Test coach is installed in time for
he didn’t want the job, only that he had perfect vice-captain and a leader in the the first Test against New Zealand in
no ambition to do so. He was totally dressing room without the armband. early June but, if not, that can be to
loyal to Root as vice-captain. Needs must, though: we imagine that Stokes’s advantage. Not since Andrew
But once Root had stood down of his as captain he will bring some of the Strauss has an England captain really
own volition, the road became clear. qualities that this England team are given a sense of firm ownership of the
Remember that Stokes had sought a sorely in need of. When Ashley Giles dressing room. In the absence of a
return to a position of responsibility admitted in Sydney during the Ashes coach, Stokes can take charge and
only three years ago, when, before that “performance has almost been the stamp his authority on the team in the
the summer of 2019, he had texted last thing we’ve had to think about”, way Pat Cummins has seemingly been
the chief executive of the ECB, you knew something had gone badly able to do for Australia in a short space
Tom Harrison, to request that awry. A return to the first principles of of time. You are never more powerful
the vice-captaincy be returned picking the strongest side and playing than at the start of a new job.
to him. Stokes had been in the to win right now, rather than some time It would be a mistake to imagine
wilderness after the Bristol in the future, would be welcome. Stokes as necessarily a long-term pick.
fracas, when he was involved in a Of course, Stokes will have all Having seen the way the job wears
fight outside a nightclub, manner of questions to answer and down even the toughest and flintiest of
missing the Ashes in challenges to overcome. His body, in characters, there is no need for the
2017-18 and losing recent years, has not always looked as same to happen to Stokes. Let him give
his formal posi- though it can withstand the rigours of the job his all for a short period of time,
tion of responsi- being a multi-format all-rounder. How hoping to help transform attitudes and
bility to Buttler. will he manage his workload? Will he approach, and then step away while he
He wanted it overbowl himself in pursuit of victory? has more to give as a player.
back, make no Will he, like Root, be put on the T20 The England captaincy, it was once
mistake. back-burner for a while? His perform- said, is a coconut, not a crown. There
Given the ances, too, have not quite reached the will be plenty of people having a shy at
heights since the summer of 2019, lack- it, no doubt, in the months to come but,
Key will bring ing the kind of signature innings and to quote Key: “The time is right.”
common sense bowling spells that made him stand out. Indeed it is.

Anderson and Broad to be selected for next Test

continued from back
the pair will play all seven Tests of the
summer and may not even feature in
the same match together.
“I rang Jimmy and Stuart on the Sun-
day I was appointed and said to them,
‘Obviously there are going to be coach-
es coming in, but, for my money, you
guys are available for selection for the
first Test,’ ” Key said. “Then when I met
Ben the other day, one of the first things
he said was, ‘I want the best team out
there and Jimmy and Broady are part of
that, in my opinion.’ ”
There had been reservations about
overloading England’s star all-rounder
with the captaincy, but Key believes
that Stokes can continue to play a role
across all three formats for England.
“One of the most important things is
he’s got a lot of empathy and when you
talk to him he’s always talking about
other people around him and what’s
best for the side,” Key said. “He genu-
inely thinks that he’s the best person to
lead England forward and I agree.
“I think he can [play all three formats].
We have to be smart about it but we
don’t have to overthink it. At the
moment the focus is Test cricket and
Ben’s focus is Test cricket, so if he misses
white-ball cricket at times, that is fine.”
Key, 42, who took up his new role last
week, said that selecting a vice-captain
was not his priority and believes that
Root has offered his support to Stokes
there are plenty of players who could
step in if Stokes is forced to miss a Test.
Key said his priority was “picking the
best team” rather than trying to plan too
far ahead. Stokes will be part of a new
selection panel, for which Key is expect-
ed to hire a new head selector. Key also
said he had discussed the options for the
vacant head coach position with the
new captain but admitted that Chris
Silverwood’s successor may not be in
place by the time the squad was picked.
Ollie Robinson, the Sussex seam
bowler, faces a race to be fit for that
squad after being withdrawn from his
county’s match with Durham, which
started yesterday, because the ECB felt
he was not match-ready. Stokes celebrates his finest hour for
the times | Friday April 29 2022
inspiration team are lacking GARETH COPLEY/GETTY IMAGES
From nightclub shame to
English game’s top honour
Overcoming so many
setbacks has shown
that Stokes possesses
a rare determination,
writes Steve James
F
or an idea of how far Ben
Stokes has travelled in a
remarkable journey that led
to him being named as
England’s Test captain
yesterday, let us go back to 2018 and
the Test match against India at Trent
Bridge. It was Stokes’s first match
since being acquitted of affray after
the events outside a Bristol nightclub
in 2017, and he was greeted by a
chorus of dissatisfaction from some
parts of the home crowd.
“Walking out at Trent Bridge was
absolutely awful,” Stokes told The
Mirror. “All I could hear were boos.
Even if there weren’t any. It was a
dreadful, dreadful week.
“The trial was a tough week and
then everything after it. I’d say it was
the toughest two weeks of my life.”
That Stokes might one day be
leading his country was unthinkable
then, but the removal of the vice-
captaincy after the Bristol incident,
and missing the Ashes tour that
winter as a result too, had hurt him
badly.
“It felt devastating,” he wrote in his
book On Fire. “If you put my whole
career in chronological order, the day
I was told I was being made vice-
captain of England’s Test team was a
major landmark.
“I had been stripped of the reward
for showing the qualities required
within that England team, for
something that I had been caught up
in outside of my working
environment.”
It was in the winter of 2018/19 in Sri
Lanka and the Caribbean that Stokes
began a process of improvement with
the 2019 World Cup and the Ashes
that followed it very much in mind,
but the return of the vice-captaincy
role was also a factor.
Stokes had been inspired by Jos
Buttler’s desire (Buttler as vice-
captain now, anyone?) to do extra
fitness training in 2017 and it was in
Key reopens England door for Clarke
Elizabeth Ammon
Rob Key has opened the door to an
England debut for Joe Clarke, saying he
can “see no reason why not” to select
the Nottinghamshire batsman three
years after he was found to have made
comments which “demeaned women”
and “trivialised rape”.
Clarke, 25, was fined and handed a
four-match suspension in 2019 for
bringing the game into disrepute after
evidence produced at the trial of Alex
Hepburn, Clarke’s former team-mate at
Worcestershire, who was convicted of
rape. The court heard that Clarke was
part of a WhatsApp group that the
England, a match-winning century in the third Ashes Test at Headingley in 2019 judge said featured a “pathetic, sexist
Colombo in October 2018 that he
began taking his training to new
levels, with a series of 2km runs in
about seven minutes and interval
sprints — 30 seconds on, 20 seconds
off, which was repeated ten times —
often done after gruelling squad net
sessions and training. “I don’t want to
think that others are working harder
than me,” he wrote in On Fire.
That in itself is a form of leadership
and was backed up by a presence in
the dressing room that is hugely
respected. As the former England
head coach Trevor Bayliss told The
Guardian in 2020: “Stokesy is like
Eoin Morgan [the limited-overs
captain] in that he’s a leader of men
and when he talks, everyone listens.
They’re just drawn to him.
“The standing that other players
hold him in, that’s half the battle.
In an elite club
Stokes is one of only five players to
have scored 5,000 runs and taken
100 wickets in Tests
Runs Wickets
Jacques Kallis 13,289 292
(SA, 1955-2013)
Garry Sobers 8,032 235
(WI, 1954-74)
Kapil Dev
5,248 434
(Ind, 1978-94)
Ian Botham
5,200 383
(Eng, 1977-92)
Ben Stokes 5,061 174
(Eng, 2013-)
Whether you make the right or wrong
decision, if your players believe you
and have confidence in you, which
I’m pretty sure they do, they’ll follow.”
The events of 2017 and 2018 had
certainly changed him.
“People have asked whether the
whole episode makes you appreciate
what you have even more,” Stokes
said. “But the answer is no, because
I’ve always known how special it is.
But it must be a subconscious thing
that I was that close to my career
ending and being thrown away just
like that. Maybe that is it: thinking all
this is going to be taken away.
“That might be the thing that has
changed the way I do things. It
sounds silly, but could Bristol have
game” in which the men bragged about
the number of women they had slept
with, as well as making unsavoury
comments about sexual assault.
Clarke issued a written apology after
being found guilty of breaking the
ECB’s code of conduct in relation to the
messages. Key, the ECB’s new manag-
ing director of England men’s cricket,
said he would “look into” the matter,
but added: “You can’t penalise people
forever in life. I know we want to do that
at times and the whole world will never
forgive anyone for anything at the mo-
ment. But I think sometimes you can do
your time and you can come back.”
The batsman is already on England’s
radar and was on the reserves list for
71
Sport
been the best thing that could have
happened to me? Who knows, it
could have been something else, but
just in terms of my way of thinking.”
Stokes’s 2019 was magnificently
memorable, with his man-of-the-
match 84 not out in the World Cup
final ensuring a Super Over before he
walked out to open in that astounding
piece of drama that led to England’s
triumph. Six weeks later at
Headingley, he played probably the
greatest Ashes innings ever, making
135 not out to secure a victory that
had seemed impossible when England
were bowled out for 67 in their first
innings. But there was another highly
significant moment in Stokes’s career
that summer, when, ten days after the
World Cup final, he texted the ECB
chief executive, Tom Harrison, to ask
for his Test vice-captaincy role back.
He felt he had earned a reprieve.
“I want it back desperately,” he
wrote. “I don’t beg for anything but
this is as close as I will ever come to
doing so.”
Forty-eight hours later, late on the
night before the Ashes squad was
announced, Ashley Giles, the England
managing director, called him to ask
him to resume the role.
As time has passed it has become
increasingly obvious that Stokes
would one day assume the main job
once his great friend Joe Root had
had his fill. He stood in for Root in
the first Test against West Indies in
2020 and then, in three one-day
internationals, successfully led what
was almost an England third XI
against Pakistan last year when
Covid-19 struck, before his physical
and mental health necessitated a
break from the game. In that
admittance was revealed a matured
man with an endearing vulnerability.
“I don’t want anyone to feel the way
I did, because I wasn’t in a good place
and I’m not afraid to admit it,” he
wrote in his column in The Mirror.
“I was in a real dark place and
having some difficult thoughts. I was
always one of those people who
wouldn’t talk about how they are
feeling and just keep it internal and
crack on. I now realise talking is such
a powerful thing and it has
completely changed me.”
Indeed, he has changed. It has been
some turnaround.
the recent Test tour to the Caribbean.
His stock is also high in white-ball
cricket, having secured a number of
contracts in T20 franchise leagues.
Key name-checked Clarke, Surrey’s
Ollie Pope and Nottinghamshire’s Ben
Duckett as batsmen who could com-
pete for a place in England’s middle or-
der, although he said there would not be
wholesale changes to the line-up, as
happened with the white-ball reset
under Eoin Morgan’s captaincy in 2015.
inside today
Mike Atherton at Headingley as cricket
returns after Yorkshire racism scandal
Page 63
 2GM Friday April 29 2022 | the times
F

Sport Yorkshire’s clean slate

te
Mike Atherton watches as
Headingley embraces new era
Page 63
Rangnick eyes new job
Austria want interim boss as
United held by Chelsea
Pages 66-67

MATTHEW CHILDS/ACTION IMAGES/REUTERS

Uphill battle for Moyes’s men German radio

West Ham United are defeated in home leg of Europa League
semi-final 2-1 by Eintracht Frankfurt. Match report, pages 68-69 pair ‘attacked’
at West Ham
Gary Jacob
West Ham United have begun an
investigation after two German radio
commentators alleged that they were
punched during the 2-1 defeat by
Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa
League semi-final, first leg last night.
The ARD Radio broadcasters
claimed on air that they “were
attacked” and had their headphones
ripped off by home fans at the London
Stadium after Michail Antonio
levelled the scores in the first half.
West Ham will review CCTV footage
and work with the police to try to ident-
ify those responsible — and ban them if
they are found guilty. Uefa could also
take action. “In line with our zero-toler-
ance approach, anyone identified will
have their details passed to the police,”
West Ham said in a statement.
“They will be given an indefinite ban
and be unable to enter the London Sta-
dium and travel with the club. There is
no place for this kind of behaviour.”
Daichi Kamada taps into an empty net as the West Ham defenders appeal in vain for offside, to give the German team a one-goal lead going into the second leg

Klopp agrees
Stokes to end ‘timid’ era
Key backs new captain to restore conviction to struggling England Test team
deal till 2026
Paul Joyce
Northern Football Correspondent

Elizabeth Ammon
The new England Test captain Ben
Stokes “epitomises the mentality”
required to lift the team from their long
run of poor form, according to Rob Key.
Stokes, 30, was confirmed as the
successor to Joe Root yesterday. Key,
the ECB’s new managing director of
England men’s cricket, said the all-
rounder was the standout candidate
and wants his fortitude and conviction
as a player to be replicated throughout
the Test team and the English game.
Root resigned on April 15 after
successive Test series defeats — 4-0 in
the Ashes and 1-0 by West Indies in the
Caribbean.
“It was an easy decision,” Key said of
Stokes’s appointment. “It would have
been a lot tougher if he wasn’t keen. I
talked to a lot of people that know him
and a lot of people around him, a lot of
people he trusts well. Every single one
felt he’d be an excellent captain.
“To me, it’s about changing the men-
tality of English red-ball cricket right
throughout our system. I want batsmen
who can put bowlers under pressure
but also soak up that pressure, bat for
long periods, make good decisions, but
people [who] adapt as well, [who are]
able to play in Pakistan on a low one,
able to play in India where it turns.
Players who aren’t timid, that when
they are under fire they stand up and
are counted — exactly like Ben Stokes.
“He has a positive mentality. I want
people with conviction who go out
there and want to drive England for-
ward and want to be leaders, be able to
play fast bowling well and not just settle
for anything. That’s the mentality I
think most of the great players in sport
have and we have to try to capture that.”
Key met Stokes last week to discuss
the direction of the Test team and
agreed that James Anderson and Stuart
Broad, who were dropped for the recent
series against West Indies, should be
brought back into the Test set-up.
Anderson, 39, and Broad, 35, are set to
be named in the squad for the first Test
against New Zealand, which begins at
Lord’s on June 2, but it is unlikely that
Continued on page 70
Jürgen Klopp has committed to
building a dynasty at Anfield after
agreeing to stay at Liverpool until 2026.
The German manager has extended
his existing deal by two years, giving his
side a boost going into the final month
of what could be a historic season for
Liverpool, who are hoping to complete
an unprecedented Quadruple by add-
ing the Premier League title,
Champions League and FA Cup to the
Carabao Cup they won in February.
Klopp, 54, was approached by the club’s
Continued on page 65

Times Crossword 28,277 across down Yesterday’s solution 28,276

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