After years hidden away, Oldham’s memorial to six local volunteers who died fighting fascism in the Spanish civil war has been restored to public view, marking both a victory for campaigners and a renewed tribute to the town’s proud International Brigade heritage, says ROB HARGREAVES
THERE should not have been quite as much surprise over presidential contender Donald Trump’s pick of JD Vance as his vice-presidential running mate. After all, the Republican Party has a pretty solid track record of selecting lightweights with bizarre views or quirky traits for the second-fiddle role.
Richard Nixon’s vice-president was Spiro Agnew, who metaphorically put his foot in his mouth so many times with a succession of verbal gaffes that he became better known as the butt of jokes, including one that suggested: “The only time Agnew opens his mouth is to change shoes.”
Early into Nixon’s second term, Agnew was forced to resign after being charged with accepting bribes and falsifying federal tax returns.
Mask-off outbursts by Maga insiders and most strikingly, the destruction and reconstruction of the presidential seat, with a huge new $300m ballroom, means Trump isn’t planning to leave the White House when his term ends, writes LINDA PENTZ GUNTER



