Barometer

Where does the expression ‘deep state’ come from?

19 January 2019 9:00 am

Turkey and the deep state Boris Johnson said that if Brexit was blocked, the public would blame it on the…

How Spanish was the Spanish flu?

5 January 2019 9:00 am

Paths of infection 2019 marks the 100th anniversary of the height of the Spanish flu pandemic which is believed to…

The many political crises that have interrupted Christmas

15 December 2018 9:00 am

Crisis at Christmas MPs were warned that they might have to give up part of their holidays to deal with…

Could the vote on the Brexit deal set a record for a government defeat in the Commons?

8 December 2018 9:00 am

Big defeats Could the vote on the Brexit deal set a record for a government defeat in the Commons? Aside…

What kills penguins?

24 November 2018 9:00 am

Black Friday When and where did the term ‘Black Friday’ originate? — It was used to describe a collapse in…

Have wildfires really got worse over the years?

17 November 2018 9:00 am

Hard bitten A British tourist died after contracting rabies from a cat bite in Morocco. Whatever happened to the prominent…

How many restaurants have actually gone bust?

10 November 2018 9:00 am

It is cricket The use of a baseball expression, backstop, for possible arrangements over the Irish border could upset some…

Does using social media affect children’s mental health?

3 November 2018 9:00 am

On the wagon A ‘caravan’ of several thousand Central American migrants was reported to be travelling through Mexico towards the…

Mazes; royal babies; carbon data; FTSE falls

20 October 2018 9:00 am

Twists and turns Jeremy Hunt, taking a group of EU foreign ministers around the maze at Chevening House in Kent,…

Who hires the most stretch limos?

13 October 2018 9:00 am

Global warnings How much time do we have to save the world from catastrophic climate change? 5 years         (according to…

Why the Tories are three times more welcome in Birmingham than Liverpool

29 September 2018 9:00 am

Beastly crimes Police in Croydon stopped investigating a series of cat killings after concluding that foxes were likely to blame.…

How much does it cost to cryogenically freeze a person (or a pet)?

22 September 2018 9:00 am

Trans mission Equalities Minister Penny Mordaunt ordered research into a huge rise in referrals of under-18 girls to transgender services.…

Who was the first suicide bomber?

15 September 2018 9:00 am

The first suicide bomber Boris Johnson was criticised for likening Theresa May’s Chequers deal to a ‘suicide vest’ around the…

How did ‘wonga’ come to be used as slang for money?

8 September 2018 9:00 am

Origins of Wonga The payday lender Wonga has gone into administration. How did ‘wonga’ come to be used as slang…

How bad is the drugs problem in British jails?

25 August 2018 9:00 am

Cultured tastes Dawn Butler accused Jamie Oliver of ‘cultural appropriation’ for coming up with his own recipe for jerk rice.…

Where does our food actually come from?

18 August 2018 9:00 am

Black list Jeremy Corbyn was attacked for attending a ceremony for members of Black September, the terrorist group which carried…

Are Britain’s railways really the envy of the world?

4 August 2018 9:00 am

Ranking railways A director of the Rail Delivery Group claimed that Britain’s railways were the ‘envy of Europe’. Could it…

Who throws acid at whom?

28 July 2018 9:00 am

Relax Asked about her spare time, Theresa May said she liked walking, cooking (she has 150 cookbooks) and watching the…

Why is the Trump balloon known as a ‘blimp’?

21 July 2018 9:00 am

Blimpish beginnings Protesters flew a ‘blimp’ depicting President Trump as a baby in central London. Why are balloons known as…

The hidden dangers of bouncy castles

7 July 2018 9:00 am

Trapped Twelve Thai boys and their football coach were found in a cave ten days after being trapped by rising…

What happened to the teams who scored more than six goals in a World Cup?

30 June 2018 9:00 am

Nursing numbers Was there ever a time when the NHS wasn’t in crisis? According to a report by NHS Health…

Barometer: Trespassing, healthcare and David Dimbleby’s retirement

23 June 2018 9:00 am

Well oiled The government last week ordered a review into the medical use of cannabis. Some cannabis oil available on…

Doctors and deaths: how many mortalities were avoidable?

16 June 2018 9:00 am

Mortal combat Health secretary Jeremy Hunt promised more protection for medical staff accused of criminal malpractice after a doctor was…

Which town is most proud to be English?

9 June 2018 9:00 am

Ready for take-off? That Heathrow timeline in full: 1949 Labour government proposes an additional two runways for newly opened Heathrow…

What do Gammons really think of gammon-gate?

19 May 2018 9:00 am

Gammon vs gammon Controversy raged over whether calling an angry, white, right-wing man a ‘gammon’ is racist. The insult is…