Columns
The clippings and sweepings of Soviet history
Topiary is the art of making something be something it wasn’t. This is achieved by subtraction. By clipping away everything…
Are we kidding ourselves over Ukraine?
Optimism can be surprisingly hilarious. In my last novel, two spouses agree to quit the planet once they’ve both turned…
If only Harry took after his grandfather
Do you remember the Duke of Edinburgh awards? Some of you may even have one somewhere. An award for map-reading,…
The race is on for Rishi
There’s a new rule for members of Keir Starmer’s team on their WhatsApp group: no messages linking to opinion polls.…
My DNA results are in
I did not enjoy the Christmas festivities this year: I sang no carols, ate no turkey and failed to watch…
Real memories aren’t ‘made’
If I could make a new year’s resolution for everyone in the English–speaking world, it would be that we all…
How to get nothing done
I sometimes wonder whether our government makes any decisions at all. In fact I’m trying to think of any area…
A world of our own making
Two very brief excerpts from Radio 4 last week. First, my wife turned on her radio in time to hear…
A year is a long time in politics
The year of the three emperors in Prussia changed world history. In 1888, Wilhelm I died and was succeeded by…
How to save the BBC
Towards the end of his life the art critic Hilton Kramer was overheard leaving a cinema with his wife. One…
Seasonal schadenfreude
’Tis indeed the season to be jolly. Over the holidays, we can all put our feet up to view a…
The greatest threat to Holy Island since the Vikings
It’s hard to explain how sad it will be if, after Christmas, Defra officials ban fishing on Holy Island, also…
In defence of hot baths
I admire stout oldies who, even in good times, refuse to put the heating on unless it’s absolutely necessary. They…
And the moral of the story is…
From time to time newspapers invite writers to describe the ‘books that changed my life’. The resulting columns too often…
Crisis – whose crisis?
During the Tory leadership contest this summer, it was frequently said that whoever won would face the most politically difficult…
The march of the local council dictators
I was impressed with the passion Sir Keir Starmer managed to whip up within himself when presenting Gordon Brown’s interminable…
The truth we dare not speak
Though it was sensible for Lady Susan Hussey to resign, I do find the chorus of disapproval that has greeted…
Reinventing the wheel
What is the most hubristic line ever written? Against some very stiff competition I would say it is that famous…
What Trump really wants
Over the years, I’ve received my share of green-ink author’s mail. You know, from folks who’ve discovered an exciting variety…
The retiring type
Conservative party strategists face nervous days ahead as they wait to see how many Tory MPs will announce they are…
Away with the fairies
One by one, life’s harmless little pleasures are outlawed by an overweening, repressive government. The Online Safety Bill has been…
The tune is changing in China
I’ve always loved the Chinese national anthem. I used to think I was the loudest Communist Youth League pioneer as…
A spectacular own goal
Unlike some fair-weather fans I maintain a fairly constant interest in the workings of Fifa. Not because I especially care…
Why Starmer’s going after the Lords
It’s not just the government that’s now beholden to forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility. Keir Starmer told the…
The truth about the World Cup
You have to admire their bravery, don’t you? The stoicism with which they put up a fight in the name…
