Fire Minister Brandon Lewis probably had a fair idea what Sir Ken Knight would deliver when he asked him to conduct an "independent" report into fire and rescue services in England.
The shipyard painter, political activist and razor-sharp cartoonist Bob Starrett has just written a new book The Way I See It on his eventful life and times. Below we reprint one of his stories and review an essential read
Exploring our online archive of the Star's early years
South Africa may need to rethink 'constructive engagement'
Recent court rulings, or lack of them, prove the old adage that the law is an ass
The importance of this week's 100th GFTU general council meeting
As LGBT activists worldwide celebrate anti-homophobia day we are reminded of prevailing prejudice
Bradford has seen the launch of a new campaign to battle the sources of child sex exploitation - and combat far-right bids to make it a racial issue
How markets define the ever-changing palette
The US president is making the blockade of Cuba worse
We can't simply resist the Tories - we need to set the agenda