How unusual is a December general election?
A December election How unusual is a December general election? Of the 56 elections held since 1800, 5 essentially took…
Letters: What would be the point of a second referendum?
Another referendum? Sir: Matthew Parris’s article ‘What question should a second referendum ask?’ (26 October) occasioned a wry smile from me…
to 2429: Homo
The unclued lights are linked with MAN (at 7A). AXE and AGE were also allowed at 40A. Thanks to various…
Brexit and the power principle
It has become perceived wisdom that we are heading for a ‘people vs parliament’ election. But that is a false…
Portrait of the week: More Brexit chaos, royal complaints and Syrian fighting
Home The Commons voted by 329 to 299 for a Brexit Withdrawal Bill but then stymied progress by defeating a…
How violent are our jails?
Big Ben protests An Extinction Rebellion protestor climbed to the top of the Elizabeth Tower, which houses Big Ben, with…
Letters: David Cameron’s real referendum mistake
Cameron’s fatal error Sir: Jo Johnson’s otherwise informative review of David Cameron’s For the Record (Books, 12 October) suggests Cameron’s…
to 2428: Tracks to the Isles
The unclued lights are stations along the Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh train line, the pairs being 8/9 and 29/39.…
The vindication of Boris Johnson’s Brexit strategy
Before the referendum, David Davis thought that the Brexit process would be straightforward. ‘The first calling point of the UK’s…
Portrait of the week: Brexit uncertainty, Turkey in Syria and a Chinese threat
Home Brexit teetered from uncertainty to uncertainty. Parliament had been summoned to sit on Saturday 19 October to debate what…
How violent are our jails?
Parliamentary days Could one of parliament’s longest sessions be followed by one of its shortest? — The shortest was between…
A paradise of postcards
From The Spectator, 15 July 1922: It is true that things so small as postcards cannot give one the…
Letters: Shoots should be about quality, not quantity
Bad sport Sir: At last a respected member of the shooting community has popped his head above the parapet. Patrick…
to 2427: In other words
The unclued lights are all constructed (as opposed to natural) languages, also known as conlangs. First prize Magdalena Deptula,…
Boris needs to be explicit: it’s the UK’s offer or no deal
The past few months have been characterised by weeks of high drama which, for all the excitement, have resolved nothing.…
Portrait of the week: Brexit approaches, Extinction Rebellion protests and Donald Trump tweets
Home After a telephone conversation between Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, a Downing Street…
A slice of history: how did Britain’s pizza industry begin?
A slice of history Pizza Express is to undergo financial restructuring, leading to fears that it could go under. How…
Letters: Remainers lost – and Richard Dawkins needs to accept that
Deny Remainers oxygen Sir: Your correspondent Richard Dawkins seems to have a very tenuous grasp of logic for an academic…
to 2426: Her love
The unclued lights relate to SUPERMAN (6D), his alter ego CLARK KENT (26A), nickname (the) MAN OF STEEL (8), planet…
The Conservatives have become the true workers’ party
The party conference season has showcased two very different visions of Britain. Jeremy Corbyn speaks of the country as one…
Portrait of the week: Tory conference, John Lewis cuts jobs and Duchess of Sussex sues
Home Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, presented the EU with a proposed withdrawal agreement. It entailed Northern Ireland remaining for…
Are childhood vaccination rates dropping?
Who speaks what The Chancellor, Sajid Javid, included a little Punjabi in his speech to the Tory conference. How many…
Letters: We need judges with practical experience
Judges of experience Sir: In the midst of the furore about the Supreme Court judgment, many people are now questioning…
to 2425: Herein
The unclued lights are regular contributors to the pages of The Spectator week by week. 5/35, 8/10, 12/28, 13, 21A/33 and…
Portrait of the week: A Supreme Court ruling, Labour’s messy conference and Donald Trump’s ‘impeachment’
Home Eleven justices of the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that in advising the Queen to prorogue parliament ‘the Prime Minister’s…
