The Week
Barometer
The namesakes Some of history’s other Charles IIIs: – Charles III, King of Naples (1382-86): forced Pope Urban VI into…
Barometer
Sovereign’s states When she died, Elizabeth II was Queen of 14 nations other than the UK: Antigua and Barbuda; Australia;…
A lesson in self-publicity
The death of Her Majesty raises the question of a commemoration of her extraordinary years of service. Augustus ruled the…
Letters
Majestic memories Sir: The sad news of the death of Queen Elizabeth II took me back 70 years to my…
Portrait of the week
Home The body of Queen Elizabeth lay in state at Westminster Hall, in a coffin draped in the royal standard…
Diary
I am completely and utterly devastated by the passing of our wonderful, inspirational Queen, as I’m sure are so many…
Her act of Union
In death, as in life, Elizabeth II has been a unifying force for her country. For all the political rancour…
Health warning
It’s hard to think of any Prime Minister who has entered office surrounded by such low expectations. Liz Truss was…
Plough boy
On retiring from office, Boris Johnson described himself as a sort of Cincinnatus, returning to his plough. This famous story…
Barometer
In they come, out they go Liz Truss is the 15th prime minister to have served under Queen Elizabeth II,…
Portrait of the week
Home Liz Truss, the new Prime Minister, said in a speech outside 10 Downing Street: ‘Boris Johnson delivered Brexit, the…
Letters
Why we allowed it Sir: In her article ‘Why didn’t more people resist lockdown?’ (3 September), Lionel Shriver partially answers…
Diary
Liz Truss doesn’t waste energy on unnecessary emotion. At the announcement of her victory at the QE2 Centre, she ditched…
Letters
Lockdown saved lives Sir: Rishi Sunak presents an alarming picture of what happened during lockdown (‘The lockdown files’, 27 August)…
Portrait of the week
Home Liz Truss, the contender for the Conservative party leadership who is expected to become prime minister next Tuesday, resisted…
Diary
You wait 11 years for a Tory leadership election and then three come along in quick succession. The first in…
Barometer
Of mice and Moon What did Nasa achieve last time it visited the Moon? Apollo 17, in December 1972, involved…
Gorbachev’s legacy
In her memoirs, Raisa Gorbacheva recalls the moment when her husband turned from bureaucrat into reformer. ‘I’m in my seventh…
Learning on the job
Sir Tony Blair’s Tone-deaf suggestion that Stem subjects should dominate the curriculum of all schools would paradoxically take education back…
Holiday from reality
In just over a week, Britain will have a new prime minister. No one can say that the 160,000 or…
The causes of gout
Medical problems come and go in the media, and at the moment the flavour of the month appears to be…
Barometer
Finnish lines Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said she had taken a test for illegal drugs after being filmed at…
Letters
Overhaul the GMC Sir: Max Pemberton’s cogent criticism of the GMC (‘Unfit for purpose’, 20 August). is one of the…
Portrait of the week
Home Inflation would reach 18.6 per cent by January and the energy price cap £5,816 in April, according to a…
Diary
She’ll never do it. She’d have to be mad. Why take the risk? That’s what everyone said when I announced…
