| Dear reader,
Today is A-level results day and, as expected, there is already much controversy with close to 40 per cent of marks having been downgraded. You can follow the latest on that story, as it develops, in our liveblog and on our website.
While Britain has entered the deepest recession of any major economy, Sweden has fared much better. That data, argues Allister Heath, is the third of a “triple whammy” of evidence that vindicates Stockholm’s decision not to lock itself down and should embarrass our own leaders.
The long-running saga of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s withdrawal from Royal life received a new entry this week with the publication of Finding Freedom, a biography of the couple. Simon Heffer, himself a biographer, reviews the book and is more than scathing, calling it “an offence against even a moderate standard of intelligence and good taste”.
While Joe Biden might fit the traditional mould for presidential candidates, his newly announced pick for vice president, Kamala Harris, doesn’t appear to. In a fascinating piece, Rozina Sabur documents the rise of Ms Harris, the impressive list of “firsts” already under her belt, and explores whether the California senator will help or hinder Mr Biden’s push for the White House.
Finally, on Monday, Monique Hanotte turned 100. You may not have heard of her, but, as Joe Shute finds out, the Belgian played a remarkable part in the Second World War, helping dozens of Allied airmen escape occupied Belgium as part of the “Comet Line” before joining the SOE as a spy. She tells Joe how she managed it in this wonderful interview.
Chris
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