Shelagh Fogarty

In the moments after the Lionesses’ win at the European Championship on Sunday, as thousands of little girls in the stadium and millions more at home jumped and cheered with the excitement of it all, my thoughts turned to three in particular who never would - Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice da Silva Aguiar and Bebe King.

We are close to losing the battle over intrusive phone use, warns Shelagh Fogarty.

We are close to losing the battle over intrusive phone use, warns Shelagh Fogarty.

The vote to decriminalise abortion to term goes far beyond protecting women in crisis.

The vote to decriminalise abortion to term goes far beyond protecting women in crisis.

Pope Francis’ final journey from St Peter’s by road to the smaller church of Santa Maria Maggiore represented the two poles of his papacy.

If I had to choose just two words central to the papacy of Francis, they would be ‘migration’ and ‘synodality’. If I were allowed a third, I’d say ‘folksy’.

Do I think the royals should be as honest as possible in their dealings with us? Yes. Does that mean a total removal of their privacy? No.

Jon Venables is a danger to children, and this is about keeping babies and toddlers safe. I don’t think he should be released. He has shown time and again that he has a dangerous sexual interest in children, he has a capacity to view images in which children are being seriously harmed, and he seeks it out for pleasure and entertainment. He is not a safe adult man. I do think we should be able to see more of parole hearings. When the parole board says our primary interest is in keeping the public…

A mother is always a family’s central figure - for good or ill. The influence of a good mother, and there’s no doubt Diana was one, will course through your veins for life. I think that’s evident in both Prince William and Prince Harry.Even before the unveiling today of a statue in her honour, countless images of her with them and rather fewer words about her from them tell us she was affectionate, enormous fun, but a woman whose good manners meant she’d tick them off like any Mum if they behave…