Gooseberry Crumble

Penny Mordaunt would beat every candidate to be the next Prime Minister according to new YouGov poll of tory party members.

On this day 55 years ago in 1967 one of Britains top professional cyclists at the time Tom Simpson of County Durham died aged 29 during the Tour de France cycling race. Earlier on the race it was noticed by concerned observers that he seemed very tired and not quite himself. He eventually fell of his bike and was clearly pushing himself beyond his limits that day. People tried to persuade him to accept to give up the race that day because he was pushing himself too far but he stubbornly would not listen and continued with the race. He collapsed shortly later whilst cycling and desperate attempts to resuscitate him failed. His death was ruled by a coroner to have been caused by heart failure brougham on by exhaustion- but it was noticed that high quantities of amphetamine found in his blood and the hot temperatures on the day were factors relevant to his death.

https://news.sky.com/story/olympic-boxer-nicola-adams-welcomes-baby-boy-with-girlfriend-ella-baig-12649937 British Olympic boxer Nicola Adams has become the mother to a baby boy with her girlfriend.

American actor Colton Haynes , best known for starring in the long running superhero series Arrow, celebrates turning 34 today.

The one and only american actor Harrison Ford celebrates turning 80 today.

Did he say who he was backing for next tory party leader?

Former French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin celebrates his 85th birthday today.

According to Jon Craig on SKY NEWS Penny Mordaunt was extremely chipper after tonight's hustings and Nadim Zahawi looked very angry and moody, refused to speak to the media and intriguingly was very annoyed with Penny who he refused to speak to afterwards!!

Don't underestimate Chishti!

It's not headlined anywhere on the BBC text service. Its a complete non event lol.

I wonder who Rehman Chishti will endorse if he doesn't make it onto the ballot paper?

One wonders though if he has 20 names why some of them are too shy to go public? I think his accepting the role of Chancellor and less than 24 hours later calling on Boris too resign was way too nakedly transparent and upset a lot of mps and supporters/cheerleaders in the media.

Dog wank??!! Thats a new one on me and I thought I knew all the phrases and words there were to know about wanking!!

According to the Independent Zahawi is still on 14?

So sometime today a headline about Braverman dropping out will certainly have emerged? @Toast will be delighted!

Accusations Sunaks team didn't like the questions Sky News Beth Rigby asked and cut her microphone. Could he have peaked too early?

Braverman?

What about Hunt?

On this day 9 years ago in 2013 , British journalist ,presenter and broadcaster Alan Whicker died aged 91. He joined the BBC in 1957 as their international reporter on the Tonight programme. Alan is best known for presenting BBC documentary series Whickers World for over 35 years from 1958 to 1994. His programme featured social interest stories from all around the world with a real eclectic mix of topics from the building and opening of Disney world in Florida to interviewing celebrities from Liza Minnelli to Paraguayan dictator Alfredo Stroessner. A hit in the ratings and critically winning several BAFTA awards..

American Olympic Gold medallist Otis Davis celebrates his 90th birthday today.

Beth Rigby on Sky News says Jacob Rees Mogg and Nadine Dorries are in talks to declare their backing for Liz Truss.

I think Braverman will be an early casualty in the contest.

On this day 33 years ago in 1989 , Laurence Olivier, one of the most legendary British actors of stage and screen of the 20th century - died aged 82.

I think Liz Truss versus Penny Mordaunt in the final two could be quite interesting!

On this day in 2005 british actress Gretchen Franklin died aged 94. Best known for playing eccentric gossip Ethel Skinner in BBC soap EastEnders Gretchen had a long career in acting on stage and screen prior to the widespread fame EastEnders brought. Her big career break came during the second World War when she was cast in a successful series of revue shows at the New Ambassadors theatre alon Hermione Gingold. Appearances on the big screen included Before I wake(1955) with Maxwell Reed and Jean Kent, Twisted Nerve (1968) with Hywel Bennett and Hayley Mills and The Night Visitor (1971) with Max Von Sydow and Liv Ullmann. She originally played Ethel for 12 years from 1985-1997 before her character was sent to live in a care home offscreen. An exit she felt very disappointed and angry about feeling that if Ethel had to leave she deserved a big exit storyline. Alas this was remedied 3 years later in the year 2000 when a dying Ethel returned for a critically acclaimed heart wrenching but controversial euthanasia storyline. One off appearances in a number of british television shows over the years such as the elderly girlfriend of Hyacinths Daddy in sitcom Keeping up appearances in 1990, a troubled mother Miss Janes in an episode of the TV adaptation of Enid Blytons The Famous five and and the Witch Cordelia in the first episode of Black Adder in 1983. Married only once to writer John Caswell Garth who died of cancer aged 50. They had no children. Gretchen was announced to be presenting her friend June Brown a lifetime achievement award at the British Soap awards in 2005, however she became too ill to attend and EastEnders original cast member Anna Wing presented the award to June instead. Just a few months later Gretchen died.