Britains best baker

STEPHEN GLOVER As my fingers beat on the keyboard, it's not clear whether Boris Johnson has got a deal, or if it will be sabotaged by the combined (though opposed) forces of the EU and Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party. Something is certain, though. Mr Johnson has recently played a blinder. Granted, there was the unnecessary drama of his aborted prorogation of Parliament — unnecessary because, at best, he could have wrested only five or six days of sittings from MPs. For attempting to secure that puny reward, he earned the redoubled contempt of the metropolitan classes and was repeatedly called a dictator, even though he was soon overruled by the Supreme Court. This admonishment he meekly accepted. Some dictator! Radiates Since then, the man who is supposedly unable to master detail and has been widely described as lazy and chaotic has got close — I shall go no further — to reaching a momentous and complex deal with Brussels. And he has done so despite … [Read more...] about STEPHEN GLOVER: If the DUP throw a spanner in the works now, it’s not just Boris they’ll harm… it’s Britain

Bakewell, Derbyshire You’d expect the home of the Bakewell pudding to know a thing or two about keeping its visitors cosy and well-fed, and in this attractive market town, you’re never more than a few steps away from a tea room or pub. And to walk off all the cake and ale, the spectacular Peak District is on the doorstep. In the run-up to Christmas, the town will be hosting a traditional Christmas market to coincide with its lights switch-on (26 & 27 Nov) and, new for 2016, a Winter Wonderland event (18-20 Nov and 9-11 Dec, advance tickets £5, under-fives free, bakewellshow.org), at the Bakewell Showground, with Christmas grotto, craft marquee, reindeer, market stalls, ice rink, funfair and fireworks. For something more sedate, check out the candlelit tours of Haddon Hall (selected dates 7–13 Dec, £22pp), a romantic medieval manor house which has starred in countless films. The nearby Chatsworth Estate (chatsworth.org) always puts on a good display for … [Read more...] about 10 of the best small UK towns for winter breaks

The British Royal Family is the original Coronation Street – a long-running soap opera with the occasional real coronation thrown in. Its members have become celebrities, like upmarket film stars, attracting often fawning coverage. So it’s easy to feel that we know the Windsors and that, in some ways, they are just like us. Yet the truth is that the disconnect between the Royals and the public is vast, not least in terms of the extraordinary fortunes they have quietly amassed for themselves. Some Royal wealth is conspicuous. Take Balmoral Castle and Sandringham House, for example: both were bought with public funds and qualify for taxpayer support when they are used for official business. They remain the Queen’s private property, all the same. Less obvious are the breathtaking tax breaks, the lavish state subsidies and an all-encompassing secrecy that hides the Windsors’ gluttonous excesses.  Regular attempts to nail down the private wealth of the Queen … [Read more...] about Where did Princess Margaret get £20m and how about the Queen mother’s £70m legacy? In his controversial new book, MP Norman Baker examines the family’s finances as he accuses the Windsors of Right Royal Robbery

The bookies’ favourite to win The Great British Bake Off, Steph Blackwell, narrowly failed to make history and become Star Baker for a remarkable four weeks running. Luckily for her… No-one’s suggesting the shop assistant from Chester did it deliberately, but being Star Baker again was the last thing Steph needed. Bake Off history tells us the supposed honour of Star Baker is actually more of a curse than something to aspire to. Scroll down for video  Reaction: Paul Hollywood wasn’t exactly thrilled when Henry gasped 'shut up!' in reaction to the judge shaking his hand in praise of his efforts on Tuesday's The Great British Bake Off Take your look to another level like Noel in a leather top by Givenchy Givenchy star patch leather jumper Sold out! Shop the current collection at Mr Porter Buy now We've spotted Noel Fielding wearing some seriously stand-out pieces when hosting The Great British Bake Off (anyone else remember the tomato print … [Read more...] about ‘Shut up!’ Henry’s reaction to Paul Hollywood’s handshake didn’t impress the judge. But luckily Steph avoided the curse of another Star Baker on The Great British Bake Off, by Jim Shelley

The former home of Mary Berry has gone on the market for £2.5million, offering Great British Bake Off fans the chance to own the Aga she used to create famous recipes. Mary bought The Red House, in Penn, Buckinghamshire, for just £25,000 in 1970 and lived there until 1988 before moving to another property in the Chilterns village. The three-storey, six-bedroom property boasts a large, open-plan kitchen as well as a 30ft dining room, which is perfect for hosting dinner parties. Its ground floor boasts a reception hall, drawing room, family room, utility room and cloakroom.  The sprawling property (pictured) sits in the Chiltern village of Penn, Buckinghamshire, and is on the market for £2.5million after the Bake Off star bought it for £25,000 back in 1970  A sitting room at the property looks out onto the tranquil gardens of The Red House in Buckinghamshire, where the Bake Off judge lived until 1988  The lucky buyer could even own the Aga … [Read more...] about Now that’s a really hot property! Mary Berry’s former home complete with the Aga she used to create her magical recipes and spacious dining hall hits the market at the reduced price of £2.5 million