Columnists
Musical chairs at Mar-a-Lago
Welcome to the United States of Disruption. From his ‘Winter White House’ in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, Donald Trump has been busy…
Labour’s Chinese takeaway
I was thrilled to learn that our government intends to enjoy an ‘open’ relationship with China – one of my…
The true meaning of free speech
Right after Donald Trump’s landslide, I opined on YouTube that this turning point could sound the death knell for Woke…
Britain’s failing statecraft
I mentioned some weeks ago that one of the great points of interest – not to say enjoyment – in…
Justin Welby shouldn’t have resigned
There is no proper reason for the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. No iniquity was proved against…
Assisted dying is becoming Starmer’s mess
In the months before the general election, the Labour party had an internal debate about starting a ‘national conversation’ on…
Europe’s blind spot over anti-Semitism
You would think that we Europeans might have learned a thing or two about anti-Semitism over the past century or…
Why Trump changed his tune on crypto
This column comes to you from Atlanta, Georgia, where but for one giant ‘Trump Stands Up For Families’ billboard and…
How to process your Trump trauma (with orange soup)
It’s amazing how many people have responded to what they think of as the shattering catastrophe of Donald Trump’s victory…
The problem with Dawn Butler
We hear a lot about white supremacy these days. But for some reason we rarely hear about black supremacy. I…
Does being right-wing make you violent?
I notice that the police are not treating the killings of those children in Southport as a terrorist attack. While…
Inside Kemi Badenoch’s first shadow cabinet
At her first shadow cabinet as Tory leader, Kemi Badenoch walked into the room and declared that there were ‘still…
The fascinating life of Sir Henry Keswick
Sir Henry Keswick died on Tuesday, aged 86. Under his proprietorship, from 1975 to 1981, The Spectator recovered, and began…
The real test for the republic
It’s always intimidating to write for a readership more clued up than you are. I file this on the very…
In defence of the liberal elite
You can hear it already. Rising from the tents of the dejected Democrat camp comes the whimper of self-reproach. It’s…
Is No. 10 coming for game shooting next?
I confess I was lunching at L’Escargot in Greek Street as Rachel Reeves delivered her Budget. My excuse was that…
The reparations racket
I have been trying to interest MPs of all parties in joining my call to persuade Barbados to say ‘thank…
The strange silence around the Southport attacks
There are certain rules in British public life that are worth noting. Such as this one: if someone is killed…
Has the assisted dying lobby considered the guillotine?
My young friend Dr Cajetan Skowkronski has helped me resolve a question that has been worrying me. Why do supporters…
Labour’s new cabinet divide
There were no civil servants present when ministers gathered for their weekly cabinet meeting on Tuesday. The reason? It was…
My AI boyfriend turned psycho
Last week it was reported that a 14-year-old boy, Sewell Setzer, killed himself for the love of a chatbot, a…
Still hunting for a Trump trade? Gold may have further to rise
Anyone hunting for a ‘Trump trade’ at this late stage has probably missed the US election bus. If you bought…
The 38 candidates to be Oxford’s chancellor
Being Cambridge, I thank God that we have no nonsense about electing our chancellor. We have had a blameless, unchallenged…
The resurgence of Angela Rayner
On Monday evening, the Strangers’ Bar at Westminster was treated to a rare sight: Angela Rayner looking happy, smiling and…
America’s last undecided voter
This is the last column I’ll file before the American presidential election, and I’ve dreaded writing it for months. (The…
