Daily Express Tuesday, July 30, 2019 15DX1STEXCLUSIVE
By Giles Sheldrick Chief ReporterBy Liz PerkinsThe advert, left, and the soon-to-be completed Scarlet LadyHOUSE prices across
major cities in southern
England are showing
their weakest growth in
over seven years,
according to an index.
On average, annual
house price growth
across the cities stood at
0.7 per cent in June –
the smallest increase
since January 2012
- according to Zoopla.
Southern cities
included were London,
Cambridge, Portsmouth,
Oxford, Southampton
and Bournemouth.
By contrast, across
major northern cities in
England there was an
average annual price
growth of 3.6 per cent.
These included Leeds,
Manchester, Newcastle,
Sheffield and Liverpool.
But the report also
said that while London
has led the slowdown in
house price inflation
since 2016, there are
signs prices are firming
up as sellers become
more realistic.
Richard Donnell from
Zoopla, said: “In our
view, the London market
is coming to the end of a
three-year repricing
process.”
North up,
South flat,
for homes
A GROUP of cross-party
MPs who have
completed a research
trip to Canada have
predicted the UK will
legalise cannabis.
Tory Jonathan
Djanogly, Lib Dem Sir
Norman Lamb and
Labour’s David Lammy
went on a trip organised
by UK harm reduction
group Volteface.
The politicians differed
in their estimations of
the length of time it
would take for the UK to
allow recreational use of
cannabis, which Canada
did last year.
Mr Djanogly said he
thought that cannabis
would be legalised in the
UK within the next 10 to
15 years.
Mr Lammy and Sir
Norman both said they
believed the drug would
be legalised in about
five years.
Mr Lammy said:
“I want the market
legalised, regulated
and taken away from
crime gangs.
“I want to see the
strength of the stuff
reduced, labelled and
properly organised in
this country.”
Cannabis
‘legalised
in 5 years’
Rod and
Penny in
Monaco,
left, and
enjoying
breakfast
on the
boat
before
shopping
in
Portofino,
rightWhy Penny and Rod are
wedded to Italian resort
SIR Rod Stewart and his wife
Penny Lancaster looked the
picture of happiness as they
celebrated their 12th
wedding anniversary.
The rocker, 74, looked
dapper in a cream trilby hat
matched with a white shirt
and tight white trousers as
he enjoyed breakfast and a
spot of shopping with Penny,
48, in Portofino, Italy.
It was not far from the port
of Santa Margherita Ligure,
where they married in 2007
(pictured right).
On Sunday, Penny showed
off her figure in denim shorts
matched with a red and white
striped top as they
celebrated their anniversary.
Penny posted a romantic
snap on Portofino’s cobbled
streets and shared it with fans on
social media.
Back in 2007 they honeymooned
on a yacht in the port there.
She said: “Remembering 12
years ago when we tied the
knot and said forever inSt Margherita/Portofino #italy.” The
couple have spent the past few
days sightseeing in the nearby
medieval town of Porto Venere.
They also spent time on the
French Riviera in Monaco and St
Tropez with their two children.Branson cruise line says
sorry for mocking OCD
VIRGIN last night issued a grovelling
apology for a tasteless advert which
mocked a serious mental illness.
Campaigners branded Virgin
Voyages highly offensive for making
light of the debilitating condition
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
In an ad for its cabins, the Richard
Branson-backed new cruise line said:
“With spaces that transform to your
given mood, you can live like a rock
star or indulge your inner OCD, we
don’t judge – we’re just giving you a
luxurious place to do it.”
OCD is a mental illness in which a
person suffers tortuous obsessive
thoughts and compulsive behaviours.
They are often unable to tell reality
from fiction and seek endless reassur-
ance as a result. Many feel too deeply
ashamed to seek professional help.
The condition is misunderstood
with the abbreviation OCD used as
common shorthand to characterise
someone who likes to be neat and
tidy. The advert sparked anger onlinebut was quickly changed when the
Daily Express contacted the company,
which has now vowed to do more to
support those who are mentally ill.
A Virgin spokesperson admitted
“we are not perfect” and was “on a
journey to continuously improve”.
“Clearly on this occasion we have
fallen short of the high standards we
set ourselves but would like to use thisas an opportunity to apologise and
learn more about how we can support
the mental health community. With
this in mind we have reached out to
OCD-UK to open up dialogue so we
can better understand the issue.”
In a tweet last night The
International OCD Foundation
thanked Virgin Voyages “for listening
to the OCD community and removingthe reference to OCD from your site.
OCD is a serious disorder that affects
an estimated one in 100 adults”.
The cruise line is aiming for first-
time cruisers. Its first vessel, Scarlet
Lady, is to be completed next year.
Earlier this year the Fairyhill Hotel
in Gower, Swansea, apologised for
advertising a job for which “slightly
OCD” people were urged to apply.