Features
In defence of the Freemasons
It’s a personal delight that on 29 September 1829, the first day of Robert Peel’s new force, the first warrant…
The independent bookshops that aren’t what they seem
Independent bookshops remain some of Britain’s loveliest places. Quaint, charming, precarious, they are a bulwark against blandness and offer refuge…
European countries are expanding their militaries. Why aren’t we?
Following America’s extraordinary raid on Venezuela last week, Donald Trump has pointed to Greenland, which belongs to the Kingdom of…
I walked out of my son’s nativity play
To walk out of a public performance before the end – be it the theatre, a concert or a lecture…
Should we fear falling birth rates more than over-population?
In 1980, two American academics made a bet. Julian Simon, professor of economics at the University of Illinois, predicted that…
The Boring Twenties: good British fun is being strangled
A century ago, Britain had reason to despair. A generation had been lost to war, influenza was killing those who…
Labour is doing all it can to kill off horse racing
In July, Victoria, Lady Starmer was photographed at Royal Ascot, celebrating with friends after backing the winner of the Princess…
Make mine a BuzzBallz
There are always new ways for drinks companies to make alcohol seem even more exciting. Smirnoff has added gold leaf…
The march of lazy children’s books
There’s a myth that lots of us fall for/ ‘Kids’ books are so easy to write’/ And you can see…
At 53, I’m training to be a priest
I have recently begun training for holy orders in the Church of England. I know, they’re getting desperate. My motivation…
Christmas with my soon-to-be-ex-wife
I didn’t force any hyacinths this Christmas. Most years I plant a dozen bulbs at the end of September and…
Keep children out of politics
In Citizens, his account of the French Revolution, Simon Schama wrote how the Jacobins recruited children into ‘relentless displays of…
Iranians are risking everything to convert to Christianity
Apostasy – specifically, conversion to Christianity from Islam – is punishable by death in Iran. Suspected Christians are routinely imprisoned…
LA lacks London’s Christmas spirit
‘Never again!’ I sigh every 6 January, as I pack away the abundance of Christmas decorations and baubles lovingly collected…
Who is Bonnie Blue?
For me, the past 12 months have been about one man, and that man is Alan Partridge. The veteran broadcaster’s…
How the Queen is spreading the joy of reading
Queen Camilla loves a book. Almost any book will do. ‘There’s something so tactile about a book,’ she says. ‘I…
‘I’ve been allergic to AI for a long time’: an interview with Peter Thiel
Peter Thiel has been described variously as ‘America’s leading public intellectual’, the ‘architect of Silicon Valley’s contemporary ethos’ or as…
‘We must not be the Tory party 2.0’: Nigel Farage on his plans for power
Nigel Farage is signing football shirts when I arrive at Reform’s campaign headquarters in Millbank Tower, the building where New…
My favourite books to give at Christmas
As Christmas approaches and we wrack our brains to find something that suits everyone, there is no present quite like…
Don’t listen to those who tell you America is over
What has gone wrong for Americans? To listen to an increasing number of politicians and pundits on both sides, from…
Santa Pants: a cocktail recipe by Matthew and Camila McConaughey
Our Santa Pants cocktail is one of our go-to holiday pours when hosting at this time of year. Made with…
The scientific case for the existence of intelligent alien life
The foundation of science is based on the humility to learn, not the arrogance of expertise. When comet experts argued…
In a crowded field, who is the most insufferable MP?
The Palace of Westminster, already beset by crumbling finials, has developed a damp problem. Nothing to do with bricks and…
What makes a ghost Catholic or Protestant?
W.H. Auden, in his essay on detective fiction, ‘The Guilty Vicarage’, asked: ‘Is it an accident that the detective story…
Slipshod: a short story by Sarah Perry
It was months before the difficulty with Marnie and Addison was talked about, or even alluded to. The sight of…
