The gigs, sports events and festivals that clash with the 4 July general election
Some sports fans and music lovers who want to vote are set to be double booked on polling day after Rishi Sunak called a general election on 4 July.
The prime minister announced in the pouring rain this afternoon that “now is the moment for Britain to choose its future“.
But those set to see The Killers at the O2 Arena or Megan Thee Stallion at Glasgow’s OVO Hydro who also want to vote may face a challenge to their plans.
Other gigs clashing with the general election include Morgan Wallen’s biggest-ever UK show at Hyde Park, and Paloma Faith’s stadium show at the Utilita Arena in Cardiff.
Comedian James Acaster – who backed Labour’s Rosie Wrighting to be elected MP in Kettering – is also performing at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town on the same day as the election.
Usually, polling stations are open from 7am to 10pm on polling day and require attendance in-person with an acceptable form of ID.
The Electoral Commission says they can get busy, however, particularly before most people start work or towards the end of the day, which might make it harder for people to attend events and vote on the same day.
But it is possible to vote by post, or by proxy, the commission says, if you have applied to do so within the deadline.
The thousands at Glastonbury will be back from the festival in time to vote on 4 July
A number of other music festivals are either starting on Wednesday 3 July or Thursday 4th, and others are starting the day after, including BST at Hyde Park with Kings Of Leon, Kylie, Robbie Williams and Andrea Bocelli, among others.
Glastonbury attendees will be relieved however as election day comes the week after the four-day festival, held from the 26 to 30 June.
Just after hours after announcing the election, Sunak rolled out the Conservative’s vision for another five years at the ExCel centre in east London.
But the prime minister might pause campaigning in four days’ time to watch Southampton play Leeds in the Championship playoff final. He was spotted at St Mary’s Stadium to watch the Saints see off West Bromwich Albion on Friday.
What about the Euros?
Sticking with football, both England and Scotland will look to win Euro 2024 in Germany this summer, while Sunak and Keir Starmer campaign at home.
The Three Lions will play Serbia on 16 June, Denmark on 20 June and Slovenia on 25 June.
Meanwhile, Scotland will kick off the tournament against Germany on 14 June, before playing Switzerland on 19 June and Hungary on 23 June.
There’s also a chance either side could play the day after the general election: If England finish second in their group and win their round of 16 game, they will play on 5 July at the MHPArena in Stuttgart.
Scotland will play this day if they top their group and win the first knockout game.
If England finish first in their group, or if Scotland finish second, and either side win their round of 16 game, they will play on Saturday 6 July instead.
England will play the day after the general election if they finish second in their group and win their round of 16 game
Any other clashes?
For some private schools, 4 July is the end of term, which could mean some intend to start their holidays on that day.
For those watching the tennis, Wimbledon will take place from 1 July to 14 July – often a full day trip for many who attend.
On the day of the election, the tournament will see the second round of the Gentlemen’s and Ladies’ Singles, as well as the first round of the Gentlemen’s and Ladies’ Doubles.
The Henley Royal Regatta will be in full swing on 4 July, having started two days before, while the British Grand Prix is due to get under way the day after on 5 July.
Read more:
Sunak’s general election speech in full
Why summer election is a big call for PM
Starmer declares ‘time for change’
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But those perhaps most likely to be annoyed by the election date will be in Scotland, with the six-week state school summer holiday starting from 28 June, with many jetting off as soon as the children break up.
Pete Wishart, SNP MP for Perth and North Perthshire, expressed his discontent on X just after Sunak spoke, saying: “A Scottish school summer holiday election is the final insult this Tory Government can impose on Scotland.”
Taylor Swift has revealed the release date for her new album, The Life Of A Showgirl.
The pop megastar announced her 12th studio album earlier this week but didn’t give many details.
Now, in social media posts and an appearance on boyfriend Travis Kelce’s sports podcast, Swift revealed just what fans can expect from the new album.
Taylor Swift and boyfriend Travis Kelce on the New Heights podcast. Pic: New Heights
The Life of Showgirl, written during the European leg of her record-breaking Eras tour, will be released on 3 October.
It consists of 12 songs, including the title track that features pop star Sabrina Carpenter.
The full track list is:
1. The Fate Of Ophelia
2. Elizabeth Taylor
3. Opalite
4. Father Figure
5. Eldest Daughter
6. Ruin The Friendship
7. Actually Romantic
8. Wi$h Li$t
9. Wood
10. Cancelled!
11. Honey
12. The Life Of A Showgirl (featuring Sabrina Carpenter)
Long-time collaborators Max Martin and Shellback, two Swedish producers who worked with Swift on some of her biggest hits, joined the pop star for this album.
Within four hours of posting the full podcast episode on YouTube, it had already gathered 4.7m views.
The cover of Taylor Swift’s newly announced album. Pic: Republic Records
The back cover of Taylor Swift’s 12th studio album The Life Of A Showgirl. Pic: Republic Records
‘The hardest-working star in pop’
The album follows last year’s The Tortured Poets Department, which was released during the Eras tour.
That tour, with shows on five continents and in 51 cities, raked in more than $2.2bn (£1.62bn) and was the highest-grossing tour of all time.
Read more about Taylor Swift:
Swift’s final London show was the ‘best’
The impact of the ‘excruciating’ Era’s tour
Her new chart record
“This album is about what was going on behind the scenes in my inner life during this tour, which was so exuberant and electric and vibrant,” Swift said during her podcast appearance.
Sky News culture and entertainment reporter Gemma Peplow said after her globe-trotting tour and a swathe of re-releases over recent years, the new album cemented Swift’s reputation “as the hardest-working star in pop”.
Disgraced US film producer Harvey Weinstein is to be tried for a third time in a sexual assault case.
A jury in New York could not reach a verdict in June against the 73-year-old who was accused of raping actress Jessica Mann, and a mistrial was declared.
Judge Curtis Farber has said he wants the new trial to happen before the end of this year.
The same jury found Weinstein guilty in June of sexually assaulting former Project Runway production assistant Miriam Haley in 2006 and not guilty of assaulting Polish former runway model Kaja Sokola the same year.
Weinstein will be sentenced for the guilty verdict in Ms Haley’s case on 30 September.
He denied all of the charges. Throughout the retrial, his lawyers insisted the sexual encounters with his three accusers were “transactional” and “consensual,” and labelled the women as opportunists.
Weinstein was originally convicted of rape and criminal sexual act by the same court in 2020 and sentenced to 23 years in prison for the crimes.
Last year, however, New York’s highest court overturned the conviction, prompting Weinstein’s retrial this summer.
Weinstein was once one of the most powerful people in Hollywood – the co-founder of film and television production companies Miramax and The Weinstein Company, who produced films such as the Oscar-winning Shakespeare In Love, Pulp Fiction, and The Crying Game.
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In 2017, a series of sexual misconduct allegations against him propelled the #MeToo movement.
Some of those accusations later led to criminal charges and his convictions in New York and California.
Before the retrial, Weinstein was also serving a 16-year prison sentence after being found guilty of rape in California in December 2022. He has also denied this charge.
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