The Week
From the archives
From ‘Lord Curzon’s speech’, The Spectator, 9 January 1915: We are glad to record, though in no way surprised to…
Australian Letters
No Christmas Sir: To follow up on Chris Ashton’s ‘the real War on Christmas’ (Spec Aus Christmas Special) might I…
Cameron’s winning hand
Almost exactly five years ago, the Conservatives fired the starting gun for a general election — and shot themselves in…
Portrait of the week
Home King’s Cross railway station was out of operation, stranding thousands, and Paddington saw badly delayed services after Network Rail…
Diary
An embarrassing confession: in the late 1960s, I was a Trotskyite. But that period of political adolescence has its uses.…
Barometer
Election omens Reasons for Ed Miliband to feel confident in 2015: — Only three parliaments since 1945 have run to…
Fifa and the Olympians
Those nice people at Fifa seem to be having a terrible time from the British press, which never stops accusing…
From the archives
From ‘News of the Week’, The Spectator, 2 January 1915: The first German aeroplanes which have visited us since the…
Letters
Disband Ofsted Sir: Dennis Sewell’s damning indictment of Ofsted (‘Ofsted in the dock’, 13 December) stopped short of the logical…
Age-old truth
We are living longer, healthier and more prosperous lives than ever — it’s one of the greatest advances of our…
Portrait of the year
January Floods covered 28,000 acres of the Somerset Levels. Ukip suspended an Oxfordshire councillor for saying floods were God’s punishment…
Diary
Every year Christmas comes earlier and earlier in America. Cards, baubles and imitation trees were being sold in the big…
Barometer
Marking a century Some things which celebrate their 100th birthday in 2015: 3-D films The first was shown at the…
How the Romans taught Latin
Barely a week passes without someone complaining about the teaching of English or foreign languages, usually because it involves too…
From the archives
The Vantage Point of Peace
Australian letters
Gay Marriage Sir, I don’t give a tinker’s curse about gay marriage (Brendan O’Neill 6 Dec.) and am tired to…
Osborne’s ambition deficit
When George Osborne first became Chancellor, he asked to be judged on his ability to reduce the deficit. He does…
Portrait of the week
Home The government spent days announcing how the Autumn Statement would allocate funds. ‘Frontline’ parts of the National Health Service…
Diary
Soon after I joined the Sun as managing editor (among other things, I used to review novels for The Spectator),…
Barometer
A fatal shot The sad death of Australian batsman Philip Hughes was a reminder that a cricket ball can kill.…
Aristotle on David Mellor
Andrew Mitchell and his ‘effing pleb’ of a policeman, David Mellor and his ‘stupid sweaty little shit of a taxi…
From the archives
From ‘The Honourable Spy’, The Spectator, 5 December 1914: Decency is violated by the military spy when he becomes, for…
Australian Letters
Friend or foe? Sir: The editorial piece ( Spectator Australia, 29 Nov.) and following article by James Allan deal broadly…
The new Cold War
An official end to the Cold War was declared at a summit between President George H. Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev…
Portrait of the week
Home Theresa May, the Home Secretary, spent a few days announcing things. She broadcast on the Andrew Marr Show on…
