Columnists
The truth is we prefer to lie
There are no necessary truths any more. Everything is contingent. And those contingencies are the consequence not of what happens…
The curse of having to go vegan
I’m on a no-alcohol, no-caffeine, no-sugar, vegan diet. It’s less fun than it sounds. Occasionally I cheat, but mostly I…
Yes, we London cyclists really are a nasty lot
One morning a long time ago, when the Spectator offices were still in Bloomsbury, I hopped my bike up onto…
If the Tories are ‘the party of business’, the PM should listen – before it’s too late
‘Let me say it, loud and clear: the Conservative party is, and always will be, the party of business,’ declared…
Rod Liddle: In defence of marriage
I took part in a debate organised by the Times this week about reform of our divorce laws. Well, I…
The cuddly new John McDonnell is more dangerous than Corbyn
‘Wherever Sir Stafford Cripps has tried to increase wealth and happiness,’ wrote the Conservative Scottish journalist Colm Brogan, ‘grass never…
Why are men being such wusses over #MeToo?
‘There are two sides to every story’ is an aphorism you don’t hear often lately. Ask anyone amidst a family…
McDonnell’s one-term mission to turn Britain into the new Venezuela
The least convincing thing said by Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell at the Labour party conference in Liverpool was ‘I…
Forget hard and soft Brexit – we’re heading for a blind Brexit
Brexit won’t be over by 29 March 2019. Britain will legally leave the European Union on that date. But that…
Men and women are born equal but different. Deal with it
I was delighted to see Claire Foy win an Emmy award for her portrayal of the Queen in the fine…
15 reasons to fall in love with Germany and Germans
Things I learned about the Germans after a fortnight living as a non–tourist in Frankfurt: 1. Germans, and Germany…
Jaguar’s boss isn’t scaremongering. The UK car industry is in big trouble
‘I’m afraid I think he’s making it up,’ was the retort of Tory MP Sir Bernard Jenkin on Monday’s Today…
Is it possible to draw Serena Williams without being racist?
I have spent the morning trying to draw a cartoon of a black person without it being racist. It’s bloody…
Must ‘the will of the people’ always be respected?
I’ve always respected Alistair Darling and cannot imagine him saying anything ill-considered. But listening to him interviewed last Monday on…
It’s not transphobic to question transgenderism
This column is not in my interest. But then, not for the first time. I cannot count the conversations conducted…
Ten years after Lehman’s fall, how close is the next crash?
Our cinema is showing Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again and I’m reminded of a remark attributed to Mark Twain,…
A Canada-style Brexit deal might come back on to the table
Over the summer, a no-deal Brexit became less likely. Eurosceptic ultras have been forced to be less blasé. The return…
It’s not just the moon landings. Everywhere, the PC brigade is rewriting history
I remember the moon landing very well. I was nine years old. I can remember too my sense of outrage…
Explained: Why you’ll never understand memes
Boy and I have been driving the Fawn mad by singing the ‘Johny Johny Yes Papa’ song. It goes (roughly…
It’s time to take on the paedophiles
Abusing children is one of the most terrible things men do. We all agree about that. And I think we’re…
Why can’t Britain hang on to its best new companies?
Costa, in my opinion, sells a decent cup of coffee. It employs polite youngsters who seem happy in their work.…
Jeremy Corbyn’s bumbling has silenced legitimate criticism of Israel
If I were Benjamin Netanyahu (and I’m not) I would be thanking whatever gods there be for sending me, at…
Millennials aren’t taking offence. They’re hunting for victims
In a recent column, I vowed to return to a point made in passing. To refresh your memory, the American…
The record bull run must end soon. So is it time for a return to gold?
All good things must come to an end, including summer holidays and bull markets. The bull run in US shares…
The plot to stop Brexit
Every Wednesday morning in the House of Commons, about a dozen people can be seen making their way along the…
