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Dirty Business, The Lady, Mandelson’s arrest – are they truth, ‘faction’ or just more drama? | Simon Jenkins

Dirty Business, The Lady, Mandelson’s arrest – are they truth, ‘faction’ or just more drama? | Simon Jenkins

The latest rush of docudramas seems to suggest that anyone in the public eye must expect a degree of intrusion. But where does that end? Was that really Peter Mandelson getting into a police car on Monday ? Was it really the same Mandelson who had supposedly been about to flee to the British Virgin Islands, the man called “ a traitor ” to his country and the buddy of a sex trafficker of girls? Was he really to be questioned for nine hours by the police over “ misconduct in public office ”, an offence few people have ever heard of? For a moment, I thought it must be a trailer for a new Epstein docudrama “inspired by real-life events”. For two months, news desks on both sides of the Atlantic have been trawling through the Epstein files, daily releasing sensational details. This one story – now years old – is crushing out many others. The name of Jeffrey Epstein this past week has claimed precedence over Donald Trump, China, Iran and Ukraine. Each night’s BBC television news has demoted Keir Starmer, the NHS, tax reform and student loans. Preference is relentlessly ceded to Epstein, with bit parts for the former prince Andrew, Mandelson, Bill Gates, the Clintons and a galaxy of billionaires and celebrities. Continue reading...

Benjamina Ebuehi’s recipe for coffee and walnut cookies | The sweet spot

Benjamina Ebuehi’s recipe for coffee and walnut cookies | The sweet spot

The classic cake reimagined as a cookie When it comes to British cakes, coffee and walnut is such a staple that if there isn’t one present at a bake sale or coffee morning, I’ll raise an eyebrow. I’ve taken the classic combination and put them in a cookie for something fun and quicker to make. Full of toasty walnuts and a hit of that very nostalgic instant coffee flavour, I finish them off with a white chocolate button as a nod to the sweet, creamy icing. Continue reading...

World Book Day Is Imminent. 13 Last-Minute Costumes To Stick In Your Basket

World Book Day Is Imminent. 13 Last-Minute Costumes To Stick In Your Basket

World Book Day falls on 5 March this year. We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, HuffPost UK may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI – prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication. World Book Day seems to come around in the blink of an eye – and every year I find myself scrabbling to pull together a suitable costume that won’t result in an early-morning meltdown. If you don’t have time to craft something from scratch – and let’s face it, who does with all the other life and school admin piling up? – I’ve done the heavy lifting for you. Here’s a cool collection of costumes (and matching books), so you can simply click, add to basket, hit ‘buy’ and feel smug next Thursday (5 March) when everything’s sorted. You’re welcome. Where did World Book Day come from? It’s thought the idea behind World Book Day actually began in Spain, with the Catalan tradition of giving books to friends and family in honour of the author Miguel de Cervantes. In 1995, World Book and Copyright Day was created by UNESCO with a view to promoting reading, publishing and copyright. Each year it falls on 23 April. As children in the UK are usually on a school holiday around that time of year, World Book Day is typically celebrated on the first Thursday in March instead. Related... This Robot Vacuum Does The Job I Don’t Have Time (Or Energy) To Do SEND Reforms Have Parents Asking: What Are 'Complex Needs'? Is There Anything Lonelier Than Parenting When You're Doing It Differently?