The British-German conversation deserves more than tired old cliches. Over to you, Merz and Starmer | John Kampfner

The chancellor’s first London visit is an opportunity for a modernising reset – on business, defence and even school tripsLook at the Germany shelf of your local British bookshop and, if one exists at all, it will almost certainly be filled with tomes about the Nazis and the two world wars. To write a book about contemporary Germany, to write anything complimentary – as I have done – is to buck the trend, even now, after all these years. And it still rankles. Many Germans still remember the infamous Mirror headline during the 1996 Euro football championships: Achtung! Surrender!Which is why today’s signing of the first UK-Germany friendship treaty, with defence and military cooperation at its heart, is so important. The accord is designed to smooth out post-Brexit problems, and forms the centrepiece of Friedrich Merz’s first visit to London as chancellor. The Germans will be happy that school trips to the UK will be made less tricky. Britons will be relieved that regular visitors, especially for business, may at some point be able to register for E-gate entry.John Kampfner is the author of In Search of Berlin and Why the Germans Do It Better Continue reading...

Comments

Opinions

LA Times

Letters to the Editor: A path outside of college shouldn't only be presented at less affluent schools

about 1 hour ago

Comments

Opinions

Letters to the Editor: A path outside of college shouldn't only be presented at less affluent schools

Letters to the Editor: Want to bolster DLTA? Make it easier for everyone else to get there

Copycat Harry is at it again... how many times is he going to pull the Mum card? William must be thrilled watching him pretend to be Diana: JAN MOIR

BRYONY GORDON: We must stop falling for Instagram and the influencers with their fake lives. It will make you feel nothing but despair

Letters to the Editor: State leaders must fill the environment void left by the Trump administration

Why is Ryanair charging in pounds for items on a flight when the menu says euros? CRANE ON THE CASE

Trump defector tells me why Ghislaine Maxwell must now testify. It's time to name names... or else they're ALL going down: KENNEDY

My ultimate guide to having the best hair in 2025 - from the treatment worth investing in to the must-have beauty gadget: POLISHED with Elise Wilson

PETER VAN ONSELEN: How Xi buttered up Anthony Albanese with a VERY rare personal gesture to Jodie Haydon - and it left the PM beaming

Miranda Devine: Trump’s base wants the truth about Epstein — and many other injustices — whether prez cries ‘hoax’ or not

ANDREW NEIL: This breathtaking Afghan scandal risks ripping asunder the contract of trust between voters and leaders without which democracy cannot survive

EDEN CONFIDENTIAL: Royal Mail! Charles' visit for Holocaust survivor's 100th

Doubt over DOJ’s Epstein disclosure: Letters to the Editor — July 17, 2025

Mamdani’s anti-cop zealotry means crime and chaos for NYC — it’s all in his agenda

Let’s hope Kathy Hochul took notes as investors poured $100 billion into Pennsylvania for AI projects

New Butler shooting details expose the Secret Service’s shocking culture of incompetence

Collectors are snapping up anything and everything at auctions — like the ruby slippers from ‘Wizard of Oz’ for $32M

CHRISTOPHER STEVENS reviews Bookish on U&Alibi: Foyle's War fan? Then try Gatiss's eccentric bookshop-owning sleuth

TSA can’t admit the truth: Why its stupid shoe rule never stood up to scrutiny

Xi Jinping is losing his grip on China— and Trump can give him a push

MLB’s ‘apology’ to Georgia, our party’s nuts to ‘welcome’ Zohran Mamdani and other commentary

A new 'shadow rivalry' has emerged in the war with Harry and Meghan. This peace summit was not all it seemed... and there's only one way it ends: MAUREEN CALLAHAN

QUENTIN LETTS: Kemi won a laugh at the PM's expense, popping his priggish pomposity

PETER HITCHENS: We must stop interfering in countries like Afghanistan and start focusing on home. This warmongering is making us poorer, unhappier and less British

Harry wants to reconcile with Royals but knows he must do it WITHOUT Meghan: As he walks through Diana minefield, friends say he's sick of being the 'bitter prince'... and hint why his wife isn't with him

JENNI MURRAY: Why no one would want to wear this T-shirt now... it's poisoned

Letters to the Editor: Should the response to heat waves be adaptation or sweeping changes?

Sir Clive Woodward: These are my 50 greatest Lions players of all time - who claims top spot?

Letters to the Editor: Democrats missed the chance to pass immigration reform years ago

Best of the Babylon Bee: GOP’s debt plan will transfer balance to 0% intro APR Capital One credit card

Contributor: Stunts in L.A. show Democratic states and cities that Trump's forces can invade anytime

How to tell if YOUR partner is a secret sex addict: Tracey Cox reveals 8 warning signs most women won't realise are red flags - and demanding sex from you isn't one of them

State education honchos must end New York’s race-based STEM admissions — once and for all

PETER VAN ONSELEN: Wait, what did Albo just say? Unsettling quote proves PM has become a mouthpiece for China - as mysterious power struggle in Xi's palace puts world at risk of WAR

ALEX BRUMMER: A reckless plan risks a return to boom and bust

Thank the Supreme Court for helping Trump return power over America’s schools to parents

Andrew Cuomo’s new plan to punish New Yorkers: He’s staying in the race

Love him or hate him —there’s never been a president like Donald Trump

DEAR JANE: I tried the new habit every woman on Instagram swears by. Help, it's killed my sex life!

DAILY MAIL COMMENT: Afghans being sneaked in is nothing short of sinister

Rise of Zohran Mamdani has Wall Street giving up on Gotham

Andrew Cuomo’s independent run: Letters to the Editor — July 16, 2025

The $90 billion AI investment Trump announced is an economic and national-security win

Bailey goes toe-to-toe with the Chancellor over her overriding growth mission, says ALEX BRUMMER

‘Mayor Mamdani’ is NOT a done deal — these voters hold the key

What Trump knows about ‘Superman’ — that Hollywood can’t comprehend

There is no ‘genocide’ in Gaza — why the claim equals Holocaust denial

How ‘charities,’ funded by your tax dollars, helped break immigration law

The anniversary of Trump’s near-fatal rally: Letters to the Editor — July 15, 2025

What Manchester City's £1BILLION Puma deal reveals about the result of 115 charges case - and why football insiders are resigned to it, writes IAN HERBERT

AMANDA PLATELL: Charles may forgive Harry and Meghan but hell will freeze over before William or Kate do.... and this is why

It's the 'miracle' sex drug that keeps men going all weekend... but women reveal the dark side of Cialis - Viagra's 'hot younger brother': JANA HOCKING

Letters to the Editor: We should be helping, not punishing, undocumented immigrant children

Kate and William's FURY at being blindsided by Harry and Meghan peace talks: Details revealed to RICHARD EDEN as Palace insiders disclose meeting detail that 'tells all you need to know'

Read the mind-boggling list of taxes Jim Chalmers could HIKE in the wake of explosive leak as the country's disturbing financial reality finally becomes clear: PETER VAN ONSELEN

That’s it, Big Bird — time for you, and PBS, to get off the Washington gravy train

Spade-like hands sent up a machine-gun clatter of applause from the public seats: QUENTIN LETTS watches MPs discuss the prosecution - the persecution - of Northern Ireland veterans

Eddie Redmayne gets green light for £4.25m country retreat 'forever home' - with massive 'overhaul' on the way: RICHARD EDEN'S DIARY

JAN MOIR: I tried Meghan's new overpriced 14.5% rose. This is what it proves about her and all her lofty social justice warrior plans

'Why aren't you helping us, Daddy?' The heartbreaking texts sent to Ioan Gruffudd 'from' his eldest daughter as his venomous split from Alice Evans hits new low... but is all what it seems? ALISON BOSHOFF