Inside an MP’s inbox
There is nothing so ex as an ex-MP, Tam Dalyell used to say. Now that parliament has returned from recess,…
In praise of Swiss Army knives
In May, Carl Elsener of Victorinox, makers of the Swiss Army knife (all other manufacturers must refer to their products…
All boys should own a Swiss Army knife
Last week, Carl Elsener of Victorinox, makers of the Swiss Army knife (all other manufacturers must refer to their products…
Kippers could save your life
I miss kippers. My wife won’t let me eat them at home, and they have become a rarity in restaurants.…
How serious is Cornish nationalism?
The Office for National Statistics has been publishing interesting insights from the last census – perhaps to counter the bad…
A beginner’s guide to witchcraft
Next year, Exeter University will offer an MA in Magic and Occult Science: the first of its kind in a…
The Anglican priests charged with exorcising evil spirits
The Anglican priests charged with exorcising evil spirits
There’s nothing romantic about mistletoe
A history of mistletoe
The comfort of hating Britain
I occasionally get sent articles from the ‘London Correspondent of the Papua New Guinea Courier’ – less often, now that…
What happened when I took my son to Drag Queen Story Hour
Why are protestors so angry about a children’s story hour?
We do love to be beside the seaside
In the garden of my house in Cornwall there is a smooth granite stone about the size and shape of…
Sick jokes: why medics need gallows humour
Medics need black humour
What will become of Jamaica’s Maroons?
Does Jamaica’s government have plans for this state within a state?
Our fascination with treehouses has deep roots
You can’t (and probably shouldn’t) design a treehouse. Treehouses should grow organically, in every sense: they must be made of…
The problem with the Pride flag
Last month, the Pride flag was updated by the Intersex Equality Rights UK campaign group — the simple rainbow was…
A second home in Cornwall is nothing to be proud of
A second home in Cornwall is nothing to be proud of
Why people have sex in graveyards
The oldest churchyard in Torquay is being used by people openly having sex and sunbathing nude in broad daylight. This…
Britain’s strange aversion to seafood
Britain’s strange aversion to seafood
Will Brexit make Valentine’s Day flowers less expensive?
Will Brexit make Valentine’s Day less expensive?
Is Monopoly feminist?
I’ve been playing a lot of Monopoly recently. My son got his first grown-up set for Christmas and, even after…
It’s possible to talk to children about politics without leading them in one direction
My six-year-old son announced, from the back of the car, that he was backing Boris Johnson. My wife, who’s voting…
There’s little difference between Question Time and Britain’s Got Talent
The contestants for the 13th series of Britain’s Got Talent, the variety show which starts on Saturday, certainly showed variety:…
Comedy is entirely unsuited to the ‘Edinburgh hour’
Edinburgh. Why do comics do it? We invariably lose money. Even if you don’t pay for your venue, the cost…
Cull the lawyers – there are too many for democracy to work
Last week the Daily Telegraph’s front page showed the 15 Tory MPs who had voted against the government under the…
