Bitesized Blighty: July 5, 2019
- On Monday, London welcomed the return of the iconic Wimbledon tennis tournament. The grand slam welcomes tennis players from all over the world to SW19, and with them the onset of strawberries and cream season, unspeakable amounts of day drinking, and an abundance of red chinos. Britain’s favourite Andy Murray is featuring only in the doubles at this year’s tournament as he continues his rehabilitation from a debilitating hip injury. Novak Djokovic and Angelique Kerber are the defending champions, with the former steamrollering Kevin Anderson in the 2018 men’s final and the latter beating Williams to claim the third Grand Slam of her career. Kerber has already crashed out with defeat to world number 95 Lauren Davis, however. We are looking forward to watching the ‘special relationship’ continue to blossom as Murray partners with Serena Williams in their first doubles game this evening!
- Jeremy Corbyn has taken the Labour Party to its lowest level of support in polling history, with fewer than one in five voters planning to back him at the next election, according to a survey. Labour are fourth for the first time, with only 18 per cent saying that they would vote for the party if an election were held today, the Times/YouGov poll shows. The only previous occasion when Labour have scored 18 per cent since polling began in the 1940s was in May 2009 as Gordon Brown’s government grappled with the financial crisis.
- A long-running campaign encouraging councils to let neatly-mown grass verges become mini meadows where wildflowers and wildlife can flourish appears to be building up a head of steam. Since 2013, Plantlife has been telling authorities the move could help them save money and boost their green credentials. Several have taken the message on board. An eight-mile "river of flowers" alongside a major route in Rotherham was widely praised on social media recently and roadside meadows have also popped up in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Birmingham, Newcastle and Sheffield.
