The Week
Ambition deficit
Some Budgets are historic, most are boring and a small number can be remembered as a disaster. After just a few months, Philip…
Enemies of the people
Hardly a week goes by without someone applauding Thomas Carlyle’s objection to democracy: ‘I do not believe in the collective…
Barometer
Naming the weather Former BBC weatherman Bill Giles has said he’s fed up with storms being named. — The practice…
Diary
Oh dear. Usually writers who contribute to these diaries start with something like, ‘To Paris. To launch my novel at…
America confronts Germany
From ‘The revelation of Germany to the United States’, 10 March 1917: Even if Mr Wilson stops short at his present…
Australian letters
Penalty rates Sir: The Fair Work Commission might want to know how much Tony Abbott is paying some of your…
Letters
On Scottish independence Sir: Alex Massie writes of the order permitting a second Scottish independence referendum: ‘Having granted such an…
Portrait of the Week
Home The Lords passed two amendments to the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill, voting by 358 to 256 to…
No mumbling allowed
In the audience-free world of TV, where ‘acting’ and visuals have become of far greater importance than the actual words,…
Barometer
And the losers are… La La Land was mistakenly announced as winner of the Oscar for best picture before the…
Diary
A fortnight ago I got a taste of what being far too famous might feel like. A leak that I’m…
A model village
From ‘Sir Thomas Acland’s example’, The Spectator, 3 March 1917: In 1912 we discussed the idea — a favourite dream…
Letters
Camilla for Queen Sir: On reading Melanie McDonagh’s argument against there ever being a Queen Camilla (‘Against Queen Camilla’, 25 February),…
Portrait of the week
Home Sir John Major, the former prime minister, made a speech at Chatham House in which he called the referendum…
Carry on, Major
As Prime Minister, John Major was intolerant of opposition from within the Conservative party over the EU — memorably calling…
Carry on, Major
As Prime Minister, John Major was intolerant of opposition from within the Conservative party over the EU — memorably calling…
No mumbling allowed
In the audience-free world of TV, where ‘acting’ and visuals have become of far greater importance than the actual words,…
Barometer
And the losers are… La La Land was mistakenly announced as winner of the Oscar for best picture before the…
A model village
From ‘Sir Thomas Acland’s example’, The Spectator, 3 March 1917: In 1912 we discussed the idea — a favourite dream…
Letters
Camilla for Queen Sir: On reading Melanie McDonagh’s argument against there ever being a Queen Camilla (‘Against Queen Camilla’, 25 February),…
Portrait of the week
Home Sir John Major, the former prime minister, made a speech at Chatham House in which he called the referendum…
Diary
A fortnight ago I got a taste of what being far too famous might feel like. A leak that I’m…
Lost boys
For a body supposedly committed to eliminating inequality between the sexes, the Women and Equalities Select Committee don’t exactly lead…
All the President’s yes-men
Donald Trump takes it as read that any criticism of his words or actions is an assault on the truth.…
Barometer
Big league Lincoln City became the first non-league club since Queens Park Rangers in 1914 to win a place in…
