The UK Social Mobility Commission’s December report, setting out its approach to boosting equality of opportunity, is hardly the first to question the efficacy and fairness of contextual university admissions. The Sutton Trust’s Contextual Offers Tool for 2025 entry is now live, providing an updated resource to help UK universities and applicants navigate contextual admission as the Ucas application deadline looms. ADVERTISEMENTOf the total number of UK universities reviewed (166), only 46 are currently applying contextual offers and publishing information online. In the absence of sector-wide guidance, there are also wide variations in the visibility and clarity of contextual admissions. Scaled and standardised contextual admissions can widen access to underrepresented groups, diversify the talent pool and contribute to a fairer society.

Membership begins at £10,000, surrenne.comNobu PilatesReformer Pilates at Nobu HotelLocated inside the Nobu Hotel in Portman Square, this bright, airy studio offers reformer Pilates classes. Classes begin at £37, nobuhotels.comAdvertisementPsyclePsycle offers an all-round high-end exercise experienceOne of London’s original luxury class offerings, Psycle is still the place to go if you’re looking for an all-round high-end exercise experience. Classes begin at £26, psyclelondon.comLegree at Studio FixThe megaformer machine at Studio Fix JERMAINE BINNSYou’ve heard of reformer Pilates, sure. Classes begin at £21, bloklondon.comVersa at Sweat by BXRThe VersaClimber at BXR gymSometimes to get excited about exercise you have to get creative. Classes begin at £30 for nonmembers, sweatbybxr.comHeartcoreThe Heartcore studio in St John’s WoodHeartcore, with seven studios across London, offers reformer Pilates classes as well as infrared mat Pilates at its Bayswater location.

Write to letters@thetimes.co.ukSir, Libby Purves is right to mourn the decline in the number of young people undertaking apprenticeships (“Apprenticeship scam is cheating our young”, Jan 13). While much of her analysis is spot on, I disagree with her implication that older workers and those with degrees should not receive government-funded training. A recognised shortage of management skills is a key cause of our low productivity, and many degrees do not create skills that employers value. We need both more management training and large numbers of graduates to be trained beyond their degree. To achieve a greater number of younger apprentices and enable older workers to get the training they need, we should allow the apprenticeship levy, soon to become the growth

Catherine, Princess of Wales, said on Tuesday that her cancer was in remission, lifting a major cloud from the British royal family, which had struggled with serious health concerns for both her and King Charles III. “It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focused on recovery,” Catherine, the wife of Prince William, wrote on Instagram. “As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal. “There is much to look forward to.”Catherine said last September that she had completed chemotherapy for her cancer and her goal was to remain cancer free. But Kensington Palace, where she and William have their offices, declined to say at that point whether her doctors had declared her medically free of cancer, or whether she was undergoing any other treatment.

If you’re curious to see what went wrong, read on for everything you need to know about how to watch the film in the UK. Where to watch Kraven the Hunter in the UKAaron Taylor-Johnson as Kraven the Hunter. Sony Pictures EntertainmentAt present, the only place you can watch Kraven the Hunter in the UK is in cinemas. Will Kraven the Hunter become available to stream online in the UK? Kraven the Hunter is now showing in UK cinemas.

Britain has “no choice” but to engage with China if the government is to meet its mission of growing the economy, Reeves wrote in an op-ed for the Times at the weekend. “Reeves: UK needs China” was the headline on the newspaper’s front-page report. China’s economy is expected to be the largest driver of global growth this decade, providing significant opportunities for Britain, Reeves wrote in her Times op-ed. British fascination with the supposed economic riches to be gained from engagement with China has a long pedigree. Formerly, he was an editor for Bloomberg News and the South China Morning Post.

For years fashion brands have been telling us that a very small bag (VSB) is the only bag, their deployment of the word “only” not, needless to say, even remotely accurate. Of course the world has continued to be full of all varieties of bag, and, relatedly, all varieties of bag carrier. What’s more, the response of most bag carriers to the VSB trend has been: “Where on earth do I put everything that isn’t my cards, keys and lippy? You know, the stuff that is the very raison d’être of a reticule in the first place?” OK, maybe they haven’t used the word “reticule” — not being Eleanor Lavish and all that — but you catch my drift. And the answer to that question,

Shaun Wallace, famed as The Dark Destroyer on ITV's hit show The Chase, has candidly disclosed his 2024 earnings, admitting he now pockets "a lot" more than he did as a barrister. Despite being a household name with a whopping 70 per cent of his income stemming from television, Shaun hasn't hung up his legal hat just yet. He continues to engage in legal work, which constitutes the remaining 30 per cent of his earnings. During an honest exchange with The Times about his financial progression since his days in law, The Dark Destroyer quipped: "A lot. I got paid well as a barrister but I'm now earning about ten times the amount I was before."

Read our privacy policyThe antidepressants taken by Thomas Kingston before he killed himself have ben flagged more than 40 times by coroners, it has been found. The financier had been prescribed sertraline, citalopram - both selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) - and zopiclone, a sleeping tablet, before his death. Ms Skerrett is the latest in a string of coroners to have referenced either citalopram or sertraline in reports. Analysis by The Times found that at least 40 PFD reports mentioned the use of the SSRIs by the deceased person. In 2016 a Cambridgeshire coroner expressed concern that 18-year-old Edward Mallen had taken his own life two weeks after being prescribed citalopram.

A recent poll conducted by the European Council on Foreign Relations across 24 nations indicated that the return of President-elect Donald Trump to the White House is being welcomed more by US' traditional opponents rather than its longstanding allies.The ECFR survey reveals a mixed global response, with many nations welcoming another Trump term, believing he could resolve international conflicts. However, Europeans and South Koreans express concern that his leadership might diminish the influence of Western geopolitical alliance.The study reveals a growing divide between Western democratic nations and the United States, while simultaneously revealing aspirations from non-allied countries to assume more prominent roles in international affairs.The survey highlights particularly low confidence in the UK, historically recognised for its close ties with the United States. Nevertheless, the United States remains NATO's largest financial contributor, providing approximately 16 per cent of the alliance's total budget in 2024.Previously, Trump declared his intention to demand equal NATO contributions from member states, matching US levels. He also stated he would withhold military support from NATO members who failed to meet their financial obligations.The prospect of Trump's suggested Greenland acquisition poses potential complications for NATO, considering Denmark's status as both a founding NATO member and EU participant.Looking forward, the ECFR findings suggest widespread belief that Trump could facilitate global peace. Initially, he pledged to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict on day one, though this timeline has since been extended to his first 100 days.Meanwhile, President Biden has announced that efforts to establish an Israel-Hamas ceasefire are approaching completion during his remaining time in office, with final details still under discussion.

In her resignation letter, Mr Pitcher said she had been made a scapegoat by Alex Chalk KC, the Conservatives' last justice secretary. "The trigger for convening the panel was based on understandable media outrage over the appalling treatment of Andrew Malkinson," Ms Pitcher said in her letter. But Mr Malkinson told the BBC: "Helen Pitcher's attempt to portray herself as the victim here is shameless. "I am astonished that the outgoing chair claims that the CCRC was able to 'resolve the situation,' and set me free. A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: "The Lord Chancellor established an independent panel to consider Helen Pitcher's role as chair of the CCRC.

Organisers emphasised its lighthearted nature.“There’s so much bad, so much not fun going on. Some tourists appeared baffled by the spectacle, while others exchanged grins and took selfies with the trouser-less commuters.The No Trousers Tube Ride is inspired by a stunt created by New York comedian Charlie Todd. Speaking to the BBC, Todd explained, “The goal of this event is to amuse other people, to give people a laugh. Hopefully, the spirit of that continues.”London hosted its first version of the event in 2009, and it has since become a regular fixture. Miriam Correa, a 43-year-old chef, wanted to make a statement about body positivity .

Of the 21 major news websites included both this year and last year in our research, 11 kept their annual subscription charges the same and two others changed only slightly, possibly due to currency fluctuations. The annual rate of ‘newsflation’ for digital content stands at 3% according to our research (broadly inline with the official UK inflation rate which stands at 2.5%). By contrast, newsstand cover prices for the UK’s national newspapers have risen 12% in the past year and 135.8% in the past decade. Where applicable, we took the most comparable standard digital subscription prices rather than premium packages with extra components. Most of the news publishers had a trial price or offer available but Press Gazette compared full-price costs for our main analysis.

Late last year, transport minister Louise Haigh quit after acknowledging a minor criminal offence before she entered govt.Siddiq was handed the portfolio for financial services policy after the election, a role that included responsibility for measures against money-laundering. In a statement, Siddiq said although an investigation into her financial affairs found she had not breached the ministerial code of conduct, her position was "likely to be a distraction from the work of the govt". "I have therefore decided to resign from my ministerial position," she said. The anti-corruption commission alleged financial irregularities worth billions of dollars in the awarding of a $12.65 billion nuclear power contract, saying Hasina and Siddiq may have benefited. After facing further scrutiny over the use of properties in the UK tied to Hasina and her supporters, Siddiq referred herself to the govt's independent ethics adviser.

UK anti-corruption minister and ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's niece Tulip Siddiq announced her resignation amid growing calls.Last week, the British Bangladeshi minister in charge of tackling corruption in the UK financial markets as Economic Secretary to the Treasury and City Minister had referred herself to Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Independent Adviser on Ministers' Interests over allegations of corruption and a lack of transparency surrounding her use of properties in London .In her resignation letter released by 10 Downing Street, Siddiq pointed out that the watchdog had not found her in breach of the Ministerial Code and noted that she had not "acted improperly". "I want to assure you that I acted and have continued to act with full transparency and on the advice of officials on these matters. However, it is clear that continuing in my role as Economic Secretary to the Treasury is likely to be a distraction from the work of government… I have therefore decided to resign from my ministerial position," reads Siddiq's letter to Starmer.The British Prime Minister responded by accepting her departure from his government "with sadness", and Labour MP Emma Reynolds was confirmed as Siddiq's replacement by Downing Street. "I appreciate that to end ongoing distraction from delivering our agenda to change Britain, you have made a difficult decision and want to be clear that the door remains open for you going forward," reads Starmer's letter to Siddiq. "In accepting your resignation, I also wish to be clear that Sir Laurie Magnus as Independent Adviser has assured me he found no breach of the Ministerial Code and no evidence of financial improprieties on your part," he said.