No sacred cows
Joining the Twitchfork mob is not the answer
This summer has seen yet another group of thought criminals being mobbed on social media. Some of them are the…
War and monsters: my new favourite author
If you’re looking for a good beach read this summer, look no further. A few weeks ago I was reading…
Teen Vogue and the rebirth of Radical Chic
Are we witnessing the rebirth of Radical Chic? That was the term coined by Tom Wolfe in his 1970 essay…
Video games like Fortnite are fun — so they must be bad
It was only a matter of time. The headteacher of a primary school in Ilfracombe in Devon has banned ‘Flossing’,…
In the crazy world of identity politics, facts don’t matter
According to a poll of 538 experts on women’s issues, the United States is one of the ten most dangerous…
The problem with deciding that popular culture is ‘problematic’
A controversy has erupted in Folkestone over a forthcoming screening of Zulu, the classic British war film. A charity has…
This junk study proves nothing about helicopter parenting
An academic paper by a group of child psychologists caused a stir earlier this week. ‘Helicopter parenting is bad for…
Paying women for housework? Here’s a feminist proposal I actually like
According to a new study published by some feminist academics at the Australian National University, women risk damaging their health…
How to cope with unsold tickets and empty halls: my advice to Owen Jones
My heart goes out to Owen Jones. The left-wing journalist is one of the headliners at a Labour party fund-raiser…
Why have I bought a car I don’t actually like?
I am currently in Brittany with the family, having made the 11-hour drive from London on Monday. It sounds like…
The BBC makes Jeremy Thorpe’s downfall a very enjoyable scandal
As a conservative, I wasn’t sure what to make of the news that the BBC was adapting A Very English…
The left’s ‘gammon’ slur just shows conservatives are winning
I was disappointed by the reaction of my fellow conservatives to gammon-gate. For those who haven’t been following this mini-scandal,…
What the education system needs is more marketisation, not less
Towards the end of 2009, shortly after I announced my intention to set up England’s first free school, I debated…
Here’s what every incel needs: a sex robot
In a recent blogpost, an American economics professor called Robin Hanson asked why it is that income inequality is regarded…
Uganda is saving its gorillas – but there’s a human cost
I’m currently in Africa, about to go gorilla trekking in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, a large primeval forest located in…
How to get your child into the best state school: an insider’s tips
Monday was ‘national offer day’, which means that more than half a million parents across England were notified about which…
I used to think I was smarter than my wife. Not anymore
According to new research published in Advances in Physiology Education, men tend to significantly overestimate their own intelligence whereas women…
A very British response to a death at a funeral
Something very odd occurred at a funeral I attended last week — somebody died. I don’t mean the person who…
Genetics and the truth about private schools
A paper published last week in an academic journal called npj Science of Learning attracted an unusual amount of press…
If Corbyn wins, emigrating to Israel is my clear escape route
I’m currently in Israel on a press trip organised by Bicom — the Britain Israel Communications and Research Centre. Bicom…
QPR beat Sunderland 1-0… but my own score has not been settled
Last Saturday was shaping up to be one of the best days of my life. Freddie, my ten-year-old son, had…
We are being destroyed by tribalism. Let’s get rid of it
Amy Chua’s latest book, Political Tribes: Group Instinct and the Fate of Nations, is a difficult read for anyone who…
World Book Day is here again. God help us
For parents of primary school children, the first Thursday in March has got to be the worst day of the…
My children have turned my weight loss into the Stanford prison experiment
I’ve become obsessed with my BMI. For those of you who don’t know, it stands for body mass index and…
Peter Rabbit ‘allergy bullying’? I’m allergic to all this constant outrage
I’m often surprised by what people are offended by. Like the makers of Peter Rabbit, the new animated feature from…
