French polish
At the end of last century, when there were grounds for optimism about Russia’s future, an increasingly popular word expressed…
‘We’ can’t know how the very poorest live
I’ve been conducting a straw poll. Using incidental encounters with people who don’t follow politics closely, I’m learning what ordinary…
What the media is doing to our politics
An American academic told me that during the 2016 presidential election nobody in academia believed there was the faintest chance…
Bread pudding
I am incapable of throwing anything away in the kitchen. In my fridge, there must be at least half a…
My prescription for surviving the winter
Winter is finally upon us and I’m relying on my usual array of tablets and powders to ward off seasonal…
Write-off
It’s time to replace the Society of Authors
Massacre of the innocents
The Iranian regime is at war with its own children
Trading places
Former environment secretary George Eustice on the PM’s deal dilemma
The welcome death of the ‘my truth’ investment boom
A colourful selection of news items this week seem to have a central thread. Elizabeth Holmes, founder of the Theranos…
What price fairness?
Once the energy price cap expires in April, the Chancellor is apparently considering the levy of ‘social tariffs’ on the…
The turf
The government may for the moment have disbanded its circular firing squad, but racing has never shown a greater ability…
The good, the bad and the ugly
TV currently abounds with ‘I thought they were dead’ revival projects: series in which your favourite 1980s movie stars are…
Real life
‘Notice from your vets’ said the email subject. I clicked and there was a letter telling me that my vet…
Undramatic melodrama
A heroic Asian woman parachutes into occupied France to work for the resistance and help overthrow the Nazis. This sounds…
Low life
The sunny, growing month of November is the British expat’s Provençal dividend. Every morning the meridional sunshine comes in through…
Measured in love
If you’re planning on seeing The Last Flight Home at the cinema, don’t make any plans for afterwards as you’ll…
