Big Ben’s bongs, new era for GCSEs and sporting success
Big Ben will fall silent from noon today as four years of renovation work gets under way.
But while it has been suggested the Great Bell will be silent for the full four years to protect the hearing of workers, that plan is to be reviewed by Parliament following a backlash from “a number of MPs” and the
Prime Minister Theresa May said it “can’t be right” for Big Ben to be silent for the full four years and it has now been decided the House of Commons Commission will consider how long they should be halted for.
It would be the longest period Big Ben has been silenced in its 157-year history. The 13.7-tonne Great Bell was last stopped for maintenance in 2007 and before that was halted for two years in 1983 for refurbishment, but has been stopped on a number of other occasions since it first sounded in 1859.
Parliamentary officials have defended the £29m refurbishment plan, insisting workers’ hearing would be put at “serious risk” and warned that those using the 100-metre-high scaffolding around the tower could also be startled by the 118-decibel bongs.
They may be turning down the volume in London but the decibels will be ramped up at Bramham Park once again as Leeds Festival returns. This year’s event, which starts on Friday and runs through until Sunday, will see tens of thousands of rock fans entertained by the likes of Muse, Kasabian and Eminem.
Former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher is also on the bill, as is Fatboy Slim and local indie heroes, Leedsbased band The Pigeon Detectives.
Thousands of nervous teenagers will be opening their GCSE results on Thursday – but deciphering what they mean may take parents and loved ones a bit longer than in the past.
This year has seen the start of replacing the traditional GCSE A* to G grades with a numerical scale, running from 9 for the best achievers, down to 1.
The GCSE reforms were a deliberate attempt by Ministers to toughen up the qualifications, with English and maths – key subjects for all pupils – the first to be scored numerically this year. By 2020, every GCSE student will be scored 9-1 for all subjects rather than alphabetically.
The Notting Hill Carnival is also back this weekend but the exuberant event will mark the Grenfell Tower tragedy which occurred close to its traditional home.
Now in its 51st year, organisers are asking people to attend to show “reverence and respect amidst the revelry” by wearing green for Grenfell.
There will also be a minute of silence for the victims of the appalling blaze at the event on Bank Holiday Monday.
For many, the summer highlight is the Ebor Festival which begins on Wednesday at York.
A celebration of Yorkshire racing, fashion and hospitality, the opening day highlight – the £1m Juddmonte International – is the richest horse race ever to be staged in this county and will feature many of the country’s top middle distance horses.
All eyes will be on Frankie Dettori when he partners dual Oaks winner Enable, the horse of the year, in the Yorkshire Oaks, while the meeting concludes with the Ebor – Europe’s richest Flat handicap – on Saturday.
On Friday, it will be the cricketers’ turn in the spotlight as England start the Second Test against West Indies at Headingley.
The match will mark proud Yorkshireman Joe Root’s homecoming as captain of the side as he seeks to maintain his winning start.