Thousands of churches face financial blow after VAT changes on repair works

A 500-year-old Grade I listed church in Totnes, Devon, is one of thousands facing a financial blow after the government effectively imposed VAT on major repair and restoration programmes.Until last week, major repair programmes at listed places of worship were exempt from VAT. But from 1 April, the government introduced a cap of £25,000 on the exemption after giving just three months’ notice of the change. It claimed 94% of church building projects will be unaffected, but many churches fear the change puts their repair and restoration programmes in jeopardy.According to the National Churches Trust, a charity that supports church buildings of all denominations, the change will place a huge additional burden on cash-strapped parish churches which are already dependent on fundraising, grants and donations to maintain heritage buildings

John Richards obituary

My grandfather John Richards, who has died aged 98, was one of the last surviving passengers of the HMT Empire Windrush. Those onboard for the voyage from Jamaica to London in 1948 would change the face of Britain, ushering in the multiculturalism that helps to define the UK today.Known affectionately as “Big John”, for his height and commanding presence, my grandfather played his part in ensuring the black community in his small corner of north-west London was represented and brimming with agency. While he spent his days working for British Rail, many of his nights were spent in the clubhouse of the Learie Constantine West Indian Association, of which he was a founding member. From there, John played a pivotal role helping to organise his community to protest against the injustices they suffered

Stephen Colbert on Trump tariffs: ‘America is finally free from the tyranny of being able to buy stuff from other countries’

Late-night hosts delve into Donald Trump’s so-called “liberation day” of tariffs and the defeat of an Elon Musk-backed candidate in the Wisconsin supreme court race.Donald Trump finally announced his tariff plan on Wednesday, a day he referred to as “liberation day”. Or, in other words, “thanks to Donald Trump, America is finally free from the tyranny of being able to buy stuff from other countries,” Stephen Colbert joked on Wednesday evening. “Who’s ready to learn how to make their own iPad from scratch?”“For a guy who’s been touting tariffs for months, seems like this all came together at the last minute,” the Late Show host continued. Trump was reportedly weighing tariff options as late as Tuesday night

‘No agenda’ in Guardian investigation of Noel Clarke, high court hears

There was “no agenda” in the Guardian’s investigation of sexual misconduct allegations against Noel Clarke, the high court has heard.In her second day in the witness box, Lucy Osborne, an investigative correspondent at the Guardian, defended the publication’s reporting in the face of questioning from the former Doctor Who star’s barrister, Philip Williams.Osborne, co-author of the investigation that led to the actor’s libel claim, denied Williams’s assertions that there were “major inconsistencies” in the accounts of alleged victims or that there was a conspiracy to bring down Clarke.She said that if there had been any concerns, she would have flagged them to the Guardian’s head of investigations, Paul Lewis.“There was no agenda,” Osborne told the court on Wednesday

Prudence Skene obituary

In a career that lasted half a century, Prue (Prudence) Skene, who has died aged 81, experienced much change in the role of the arts administrator – from keeping companies going in a rather makeshift manner to a formal career in which fundraising skills and the understanding of governance were crucial. She was an architect of a great deal of this change, becoming one of the best connected figures in the arts network in Britain and one who constantly aimed to improve the lot of arts leaders and practitioners.Her time as chair of the Arts Council of England (ACE) dance panel between 1992 and 1995 proved challenging: the dance scene was changing, with the rise of many smaller companies resulting in the need to axe larger organisations.In 1994 she became the first chair of the ACE lottery panel. This gave her responsibility for the distribution of a considerable amount of ACE funds in the 1990s, making her a key player in the development and rebuilding of theatres including the Royal Opera House and the Royal Court in London, and the Lowry in Manchester

Stephen Colbert on Trump administration’s deportations: ‘It’s goodbye, habeas corpus’

Late-night hosts talk Donald Trump’s alleged “liberation day” of tariffs and the administration’s deportation of people without due process.“I don’t know about you, but I am feeling good about America!” joked Stephen Colbert on Tuesday, AKA April Fools Day. “Speaking of fools, Donald Trump” and his “price-raising, economy-breaking tariffs” on what the president is calling “liberation day”.“Yes, ‘liberation day,’” the Late Show host said. “I’m reminded of the immortal words of Patrick Henry: ‘Give me liberty or charge me an extra $10,000 for a Hyundai Elantra