A week of Brexit, drugs and England on a roll
Thomas Markle breaks his silence, Andy Murray makes a (brief) comeback and it’s knickers to the MP who killed an upskirting bill. Gerald Scarfe and Nick Curtis sum up five dramatic days
Monday
THERESA May begins a week of struggles to get the EU (Withdrawal) Bill through Parliament. Harry Kane scores both goals in England’s World Cup win over Tunisia. Donald
Trump’s policy of separating migrant children from their families is condemned by George W Bush’s wife Laura, and almost condemned by his own wife, Melania.
Kirsty Wark says there are “many women” who could host Question Time in place of David Dimbleby. Meghan Markle’s father Thomas tells ITV he warned Prince Harry “not to raise a hand against” his daughter. MP Christopher Chope’s parliamentary office is festooned with knickers in protest at his objection to a bill making “upskirting” a criminal offence.
The takeover of Virgin Money by banking group CYBG may cause 1,500 job losses. At least 600 people are injured and three killed by an earthquake in Japan. London house prices fall for the 10th month in a row.
Tuesday
Former Tory leader William Hague suggests cannabis should be legalised as the war on drugs has been “comprehensively lost”. A rebuttal from Sajid Javid’s Home Office boils down to: “What is he on???” Residents of Finsbury Park mark a year since Right-winger Darren Osborne drove a van into a crowd at the local mosque, killing father of six Makram Ali. Royal Ascot begins.
The US announces its withdrawal from the UN Human Rights Council, calling it a “cesspool of political bias”. Donald Trump also a) defends his immigration policies, b) hugs an American flag, c) threatens trade tariffs on a further £200 billion of Chinese goods and d) demands the formation of a “Space Force”. The world’s oldest known Sumatran orangutan, Puan, dies in Perth Zoo, Australia aged 62.
Amazon promises to stop using oversized boxes for delivery. Ex-Labour leader Ed Miliband reveals he was asked to appear on Love Island. A huge floating artwork — a pyramid of barrels by artists Christo and JeanneClaude — is unveiled on the Serpentine. A vegan festival is announced for Brick Lane.
Wednesday
The EU (Withdrawal) Bill passes after Theresa May heads off a rebellion; the PM then releases a video in which she seems unusually animated and giggly. Alan Sugar sort of apologises, but not really, for posting a racist joke about Senegal’s World Cup team on social media. Canada legalises medical marijuana.
Donald Trump signs an executive order ending the separation of immigrant families, but spells it “seperation”.
Thursday
⬤ Burger King in Russia withdraws an ad offering free food to any woman impregnated by a World Cup footballer. Sadiq Khan confirms he will seek a second term as London Mayor.
The Wallace Collection reopens after a £1.2 million revamp. Andy Murray loses to Nick Kyrgios at the Queen’s Club Championships in his first match in 11 months. Alice Cooper backs plans to crowdfund a bench shaped like a piano keyboard in
Ealing to commemorate session musician Nicky Hopkins.
It is revealed that at least 465 patients at Gosport Hospital had their lives shortened with opiate painkillers. Trade minister Greg Hands, MP for Chelsea and Fulham, resigns so he can vote against plans for a third runway at Heathrow. European adults will be charged £65 for an application for “settled status” in the UK after Brexit: it’s half price for children.
England coach Gareth Southgate returns to work 24 hours after dislocating his shoulder. Thousands observe the summer solstice at Stonehenge. A favoured Labour haunt, the Gay Hussar Hungarian restaurant in Soho, closes after 65 years.
New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, left, gives birth to a baby girl. Pope Francis arrives in Geneva for the World Council of Churches Summit. US religious leaders suggest the Trump Hotel in Washington should be stripped of its alcohol licence because Donald Trump is “not of good character”.
Friday
Melania Trump wears a coat emblazoned with the words “I don’t really care” to visit a children’s detention centre: the White House says there was “no hidden message” in this. The EU imposes tariffs on
$2.8 billion-worth of US products.
Airbus warns that a no-deal Brexit may force it to withdraw from the UK. The skull of a previously unknown gibbon is found in a 2,000-year-old Chinese tomb. It is 70 years since the Empire Windrush brought Caribbean immigrants to the UK. ABC commissions a Roseanne spin-off sitcom, without Roseanne in it.