The Week
Portrait of the week
Home Party leaders mercilessly launched 100 days of campaigning before the general election on 7 May. David Cameron, the Conservative…
Diary
Dry January is tougher than it sounds. Well, for me anyway. It’s now been some 28 days since I’ve had…
Barometer
Female bishops The Reverend Libby Lane was ordained as Bishop of Stockport, the Church of England’s first female bishop. —…
Greek tragicomedy
The German chancellor Angela Merkel has expressed her desire for Greece to remain part of the European ‘story’. Since Greeks…
From the archives
From ‘Reprisals’, The Spectator, 30 January 1915: There has been a tendency among some newspapers, and perhaps still more among…
Letters
Non pas Charlie Sir: Like many people I too was shocked and horrified at the attack on the staff of…
Who’s afraid of deflation?
Campaigning in Putney in 1978, Mrs Thatcher famously took out a pair of scissors and cut a pound note down…
Portrait of the week
Home More than 1,100 imams and Islamic leaders received a letter from Eric Pickles, the Communities Secretary, and Lord Ahmad…
Diary
As weather bombs brew in the north Atlantic, I’m roughing it by heading off to Rajasthan, and the literary festival…
Barometer
Poor data Oxfam complained of an ‘inequality explosion’, citing an estimate that by next year 1 per cent of the…
Socrates and Charlie Hebdo
What would the ancients have made of Charlie Hebdo? The First Amendment tolerates the expression of opinions, however offensive, but…
From the archives
From ‘Economic quackery’, The Spectator, 23 January 1915: Ever since the war began there has been a tendency to rely upon…
Australian letters
Lucky Country Sir: I run a slashing contracting business and cattle at Byron Bay. I just sat down here at…
Cameron vs Charlie
Last Sunday, David Cameron marched through Paris in solidarity, so it seemed, with those who stand up for free speech.…
Portrait of the week
Home David Cameron, the Prime Minister, said that he wanted to change the law so that there would be no…
Diary
Moscow Here we go again. The rouble slides, then tumbles, and slides again. For those of us who remember the…
Barometer
Not Charlie Some cases which make Britain a pretty poor champion of free speech: — In 2005 Bristol pub landlord…
Law, democracy and rape
‘This was the rule for men that Zeus established: whereas fish, beasts and birds eat each other, since there is…
From the archives
From ‘Music and the war’, The Spectator, 16 January 1915: The war, so far, has not thrown up any supreme…
Letters
No Stitch Up Dear Qanta: Our names are Andrew O’Keefe and Monique Wright, and we were the hosts who interviewed…
An attack on freedom
The French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo lambasts, attacks and lampoons absolutely everybody. Its targets include all religions, all identity groups,…
Portrait of the week
Home The electorate was bombarded with contrary claims by parties beginning campaigns for the election in May. David Cameron, the…
Diary
I was once bundled into a police car in Palm Springs to explain why I didn’t have snow-tyres on my…
Barometer
Teen queens The Duke of York denied allegations in court papers that he had had sexual relations with a girl…
Oaths for MPs
Before taking their seats in Parliament, all MPs must swear an oath of allegiance to the Queen. Mark Durkan, MP…
