Duchess of cambridge

Prince Charles' palace allies played an "unpleasant game of one-upmanship" with Queen Elizabeth II 's staff in the days after Princess Diana's death, according to a new biography. Andrew Morton caused a political storm in the 1990s when his book Diana: Her True Story revealed Charles' affair with Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, for the first time. Now he has written a new book, The Queen , which details how courtiers loyal to the Prince of Wales attempted to shield the future king from the public's wrath. The book quotes an official present with the royals in the week after Diana's death, who reportedly said: "One of the most dangerous things which took place during those fraught days was that the two palaces were totally at odds with each other." Morton wrote: "In the early stages, the prince's spin doctors at St James's Palace tried to portray Charles as decisive and democratic while painting all the Queen's men as dithering, delaying and hiding behind precedent … [Read more...] about Prince Charles allies accused of briefing against Queen after Diana’s death

Downing Street today defended a top Tory who suggested Brits could work more hours or move to a better-paying job to cope with rising bills. Minister Rachel Maclean provoked a backlash when she said it could be a “long-term” plan to “make sure people are able to protect themselves better” in the cost-of-living crisis. Ms Maclean said she was not "suggesting for one moment" that such an option would work for everyone, adding: "It may be right for some people.” But Labour shadow cabinet minister Ian Murray said the "ludicrous" advice “sounds like the Norman Tebbit 'get on your bike' instructions from the 1980s.” Lib Dem Wendy Chamberlain added: "So the Conservatives' answer to the cost-of-living emergency is that people should just earn more? This shows just how out of touch they truly are.” Today Downing Street suggested critics were trying to “twist” Ms Maclean’s words - as she came out fighting saying she’d been ‘misrepresented’. Boris Johnson ’s spokesman said: “I … [Read more...] about No10 defend Tory Rachel Maclean’s comments about Brits working more hours or moving jobs

Labour’s Stella Creasy was threatened with gang rape during a two-year campaign of sexual harassment at Cambridge University, she has revealed. The MP said college authorities "admonished" her instead of punishing the abusers when she made the complaint after running for a student council role. She said a culture of "privilege and entitlement" is behind the string of allegations of misconduct that politicians have been sharing recently. And she warned the problem is not unique to Parliament. Ms Creasy, now 45, said she remains "terrified" of seeing the men, who have gone on to become doctors, civil servants and "high-fliers". The MP said her first experience of sexual harassment was during her first year at Magdalene College, Cambridge. She said it lasted from 1996 to 1998 and included a campaign of abusive posters when she ran for the role of president of the college's student council. She warned the problem of sexual harassment and misconduct is not unique to … [Read more...] about Labour MP Stella Creasy reveals she was threatened with gang rape while at university