Features
National Hunt racing
‘A more thrilling, uplifting, glorious way of living has yet to be invented,’ the jockey John Francome said of National…
Trump’s triumph
Washington DC Donald J. Trump’s long, triumphant march to the White House didn’t start on 16 June 2015, when he…
China’s quiet Christians
Beijing A strong coffee always perks me up on a smoggy day, especially when I can drink it somewhere clandestine…
An opportunity for Britain
When Britain voted to leave the European Union, the government was at pains to insist this was not a vote…
The new first lady
It was a race between the first dude — Bill — and the first nude — Melania. And in the…
In defence of post-truth politics
Donald Trump’s shock US election victory has provoked a transatlantic howl of disbelief from a cosmopolitan elite aghast that American…
Like Uber, but for hippies
On the same day I put my spare room on Airbnb I also had my first cabshare experience, courtesy of…
The Marx Memorial Library
There’s a small corner of Clerkenwell where the communist dream never died. The Marx Memorial Library has been in its…
The Marx Memorial Library
There’s a small corner of Clerkenwell where the communist dream never died. The Marx Memorial Library has been in its…
Notes on California
The mood in California was apologetic. Most people we met seemed embarrassed that their country’s dirty laundry was being aired…
Star-spangled banter
This weekend at the Edenbridge bonfire in Kent, near where I live, an effigy of Donald Trump will be burned.…
A tale of two battles
For the past few weeks, British news-papers have been informing their readers about two contrasting battles in the killing grounds…
Bordering on insanity
There are lots of signs at Gatwick about how it is unacceptable to be ‘rude or abusive’ to Border Force…
Vicar, can you spare a dime?
‘I am a Messianic Jew,’ says the jittery young man at the rectory door. He is pale and drawn, with…
Take a letter
Enrolling at Parsons College in New York the other day, a friend was asked to state her name, subject and…
Home to roost
‘Prefabs to solve housing crisis,’ screamed the front page of the Sunday Telegraph last weekend. Can the shortage of homes…
Breaking the Bank
The exchange of letters this week between Mark Carney and Philip Hammond made it very clear who the supplicant was.…
Notes on California
The mood in California was apologetic. Most people we met seemed embarrassed that their country’s dirty laundry was being aired…
Too big not to fail
‘Bad policy.’ ‘No discernible impact on the key outcomes it was supposed to improve.’ ‘Deliberate misrepresentation of the data… a…
‘Hillary Clinton is a disaster!’
Talking to Camille Paglia is like approaching a machine gun: madness to stick your head up and ask a question,…
Le Pen’s long game
Marine Le Pen can be excused for thinking her time has come. With six months to go until France’s presidential…
Blinded with science
We’re continually assured that government policies are grounded in evidence, whether it’s an anti-bullying programme in Finland, an alcohol awareness…
Burlington Arcade
It all began with oysters. Londoners used to eat them as they walked along, throwing away the shells much as…
Sweet sorrow
So, is that it? The end of sweetness, and the end of taste? Physically speaking, those things will no doubt…
Murder and politics
Six months ago an old friend of mine was murdered on his doorstep. This week his killer was sentenced to…
