Swing when you’re winning
What are the biggest UK by-election swings?
— The 1983 Bermondsey by-election saw a 11,756 Labour majority turned into a 9,319 majority for the Liberal party – a result widely attributed to the Labour candidate, Peter Tatchell, coming out as gay during the campaign. The Labour party under Michael Foot was also extremely unpopular – and had its then biggest defeat in a general election four months later.
— The Clacton by-election of 2014 saw a 12,068 Conservative majority overturned into a Ukip majority of 12,404, with the Conservative share of the vote falling from 53% to 25%. However, it was unusual in that the Ukip candidate, Douglas Carswell, had been the sitting Conservative MP.
— The Lincoln by-election of 1973 was held in similar circumstances, with Labour MP Dick Taverne resigning and standing as a Democratic Labour candidate. A Labour majority of 4,750 was turned into a Democratic Labour majority of 13,191 – but with the same MP.
By degrees
Rishi Sunak claimed that students are being ‘ripped off’ by poor university courses. Which courses offer the best, and worst, employment outcomes five years after graduation? (% in sustained employment or further study vs median earnings)
Highest earning
Medicine/dentistry 92.5 – £52,900
Economics 85.7 – £40,900
Engineering 87.6 – £36,100
Veterinary 91.2 – £35,600
Maths 87.4 – £35,400
Lowest earning
Performing arts 87.4 – £21,200
Creative arts 82.2 – £22,300
Media/journalism – 84.4 £24,100
Sociology 86.4 – £25,600
Sport/exercise 88.4 – £25,000
Hot pursuit
Some were forecasting that the world’s highest temperature record would be broken. What are the existing records?
— 58°C (136.4°F): El Azizia, Libya, 13 September 1922. Dropped by the World Meteorological Organisation in 2012 as it believes an inexperienced weatherman might have misread a thermometer.
— 56.7°C (134°F): Furnace Creek Ranch, Death Valley, US, 10 July 1913. Still recognised by the WMO as the highest recorded temperature on Earth, but questioned by some on grounds it might have been measured during a sandstorm.

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