Status anxiety
Winter is nearly here – bring on the body count
As a Game of Thrones fan, I feel ambivalent about the fact that the saga is finally wending its way…
My wife’s revenge has me at break point
Fifteen years ago, when I was The Spectator’s drama critic, Caroline used to complain that she had become a ‘theatre…
The trouble with diversity training
Is diversity training snake oil? According to its proponents, women and minorities are not competing with white men on a…
J.K. Rowling’s schizophrenic politics
On the face of it, there is nothing complicated about the politics of Harry Potter, who made his first appearance…
Panic of the playwrights
Earlier this week the Guardian launched ‘Brexit Shorts’, a series of monologues written by Britain’s ‘leading playwrights’ about the aftermath…
Nick’s a visionary – he deserves a second chance
I first met Nick Timothy in July 2015. He had just been appointed director of New Schools Network, the free…
Why I’m backing Corbyn the Great
Comrades. I’m going to tell you why I think Jeremy Corbyn is the right person to lead this country. First…
Race, gender and a terrifying witch hunt
A leading article appeared in Nature last week in defence of intelligence research. It lamented the fact that it is…
Fraternity, solidarity and the spirit of 1945
My father worked as a fire warden during the Blitz, trying to contain the damage done by the Luftwaffe, and…
Stupid is as stupid votes
John Stuart Mill is usually credited as the person who first called the Conservatives ‘the stupid party’, but that isn’t…
Magical thinking isn’t a political position
I’m due to debate the philosopher A.C. Grayling on Saturday about whether there should be a second EU referendum on…
It’s time you made some enemies, George
Dear George Osborne, I thought it worth passing along some advice about your new job. I’ve never edited a news-paper,…
A progressive alliance? It’s more a coalition of chaos
My heart soared when I first heard the phrase ‘progressive alliance’ in this election campaign. Not the reaction you’d expect,…
This snap election’s real victims? Bankers’ wives
The people I feel most sorry for in the wake of Theresa May’s shock announcement are not moderate Labour MPs,…
Why Parcs life is not for me
Against my better judgment, I agreed to go to Center Parcs for an Easter weekend break. We chose the one…
Meritocracy isn’t fair
I’ve just made a programme for Radio 4 about the populist revolts that swept Britain and America last year. Were…
The bawdy and beautiful game
I can barely contain my excitement. The Easter break is nearly upon us and I will soon be heading off…
The liberals and the deplorables
In America, an argument has broken out among journalists, writers and intellectuals in the aftermath of the presidential election about…
The weird ways in which people avoid cleaning up after their dogs
One of the most important debates in Britain’s history took place in Westminster earlier this week. The issue was absolutely…
Victory in sight for the free schools revolution
I’m not surprised the Chancellor allocated more money for the free schools policy in the Budget. It’s not an exaggeration…
Victory in sight for the free schools revolution
I’m not surprised the Chancellor allocated more money for the free schools policy in the Budget. It’s not an exaggeration…
Victory in sight for the free schools revolution
I’m not surprised the Chancellor allocated more money for the free schools policy in the Budget. It’s not an exaggeration…
Why didn’t I listen to the Old Devil?
When Kingsley Amis won the Booker prize for The Old Devils in 1986, he said that he had previously thought…
Why didn’t I listen to the Old Devil?
When Kingsley Amis won the Booker prize for The Old Devils in 1986, he said that he had previously thought…
Why didn’t I listen to the Old Devil?
When Kingsley Amis won the Booker prize for The Old Devils in 1986, he said that he had previously thought…
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