Naomi campbell

It would be cruel to describe the front row of a fashion show – where the most senior members of the fashion press are hierarchically seated – as resembling the bar scene in Star Wars, populated by creatures, good and evil, who seem not of this world. But it would be fair to say it’s hard to imagine the majority of them thriving in any other arena than fashion. This has never been the case with Alexandra Shulman, British Vogue’s longest serving editor-in-chief. I helped to cover fashion shows for the Guardian for a decade and, among her peacock-like colleagues, it was Shulman, as self-contained as a French hen, who intrigued me the most. While she is certainly in the fashion world, she never looks entirely of it, and I always found it easy to imagine her doing something entirely different: writing novels, say, out of her home in north London – which, in fact, she has since done (her second novel was published last year). The template for a fashion magazine … [Read more...] about Inside Vogue by Alexandra Shulman review – pleasingly blunt and self-aware

The prequel series for Game of Thrones , by HBO, has been binned and the episodes that were filmed will not be shown. The show was intended to focus on the "Age of Heroes" and the origin of the terrifying White Walkers, revealing more of Westeros' history. But fans will be devastated to hear that producers have cancelled the Naomi Watts-fronted series, even after completely revamping it. Screenwriter Jane Goldman was forced to alter the show after unimpressed HBO producers slammed her original attempt. But even the second go of it was not enough, and the pilot has not been renewed, and the channel won't be airing it. According to Tvline.com , the pilot was "troubled" due to "budget overruns, numerous personal issues and myriad creative differences". The show had promised: “The series chronicles the world’s descent from the golden Age of Heroes into its darkest hour. "And only one thing is for sure: from the horrifying secrets of Westeros’ history to the true origin of … [Read more...] about HBO confirm new Game of Thrones prequel as ‘troubled’ Naomi Watts series is binned

Boris Johnson is legally obliged to ask for a Brexit delay by 11pm tonight after he lost a historic vote in the House of Commons. The humiliated PM faces breaking his "do or die" pledge to leave on October 31 after MPs voted 322-306 (majority 16) for a crucial amendment. The result effectively means he must, by law, ask the EU for a three-month extension tonight - even if MPs end up backing his Brexit deal in the coming weeks. But while not explicitly saying he'd break the law, the defiant PM today suggested he would be as difficult as possible - and refuse to "negotiate" any delay with the EU. It came as Parliament sat on a Saturday for the first time in 37 years - while thousands of protesters stood outside demanding a second referendum. Boris Johnson wanted to force MPs into a "meaningful vote" on his Brexit deal that would have 'locked in' a legal countdown to October 31. But his plans for a moment in history were scuppered by ousted Tory Sir Oliver Letwin. Scroll down for a full … [Read more...] about Brexit: Boris Johnson loses showdown vote meaning he must ask for delay by law

It was a case of the political becoming personal, only so overwhelmingly, that it crushed a man. A decade ago on Wednesday, just after 3.20pm, Dr David Kelly began a walk from his Oxfordshire home that ended the next morning with the discovery of his body, slumped in a wood. The Kelly family lost a loved one and a chain of events was set off that damaged trust in the Blair government and decapitated the leadership of the BBC. Kelly was the distinguished government scientist who hunted down weapons of mass destruction of the kind used by the Blair government to justify the 2003 war with Iraq. The problem was the Saddam Hussein regime did not have them. A BBC Today programme report claimed the government had embellished or "sexed up" the intelligence it presented to the public in 2003 to justify the war. A furore erupted between the government, led by chief spin doctor Alastair Campbell, and the BBC, which refused to back down, having failed to spot the flaws in its reporting. Kelly … [Read more...] about Dr David Kelly: 10 years on, death of scientist remains unresolved for some

This week you’ll get a booklet through your door asking you to vote for a Police and Crime Commissioner. They will have the ­responsibility of being your voice to set the ­policing priorities for your police force. Labour opposed their ­introduction. We thought it would be better spending the £100m cost on trying to save some of the 15,000 police officers the Coalition is axing after slashing the policing budget by 20%. But the Coalition voted it through and now we have them. Labour could have done two things. Not contest them and allow Coalition candidates to be elected unopposed as cheerleaders for the cuts. Or stand up and say there is an alternative and carry on Labour policing policies that reduced crime by more than 40%. We chose the latter and I decided to stand for election as a PCC to ensure we cut crime and not cops. So imagine my surprise when an unelected former police chief publicly says you shouldn’t vote for PCCs because they won’t … [Read more...] about Let’s fight to cut crime not cops: Police and crime commissioners will be voice of people against private interests