The Week
Portrait of the week: Synagogue attack, pro-Palestine protests and a new Archbishop of Canterbury
Home Two men at a synagogue at Heaton Park in Manchester were killed on Yom Kippur when Jihad al-Shamie, 35,…
How many babies in Britain are called Jihad?
Out of office French prime minister Sébastien Lecornu resigned after just 27 days – making his time in office 22…
What is the West without the Jews?
To the studio! Podcasts, if you ask me, are the one good thing to have come out of the digital…
Letters: Why shouldn’t we eat swan?
Zero chance Sir: In Tim Shipman’s wide-ranging article on Kemi Badenoch (‘I have a lot of self-belief’, 4 October), she…
Letters: the Church of England still has something meaningful to say
Moscow mule Sir: While visiting Russia, James Delingpole learned from the patriarchate’s press officer that under communism the Russian Church…
What’s wrong with elitism?
There was a time when the serious business of concert-giving closed down for the summer. Artists were expected to take…
Portrait of the week: Keir vs Nigel, ID cards and Trump’s peace deal
Home Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, addressed delegates at the Labour party conference in Liverpool who had been issued…
ID cards are Labour’s alibi for its failure
Questions of identity permeate our politics. What is it to be English, to be British? The Prime Minister sought to…
What are the risks of first cousins having children?
Park life Locals were angered by the closing off of 1,500 acres of Windsor Great Park to create a secure…
How to create an educational elite
University term has started, and even more students are being taught in even larger classes. But to what end? Education…
What would the Romans have made of Trump’s state visit?
The Roman historian Tacitus commented that the visit of an Armenian king to Rome to clinch a deal in ad…
How long does it take to build a runway?
Flight path How long does it take to build a runway? — 33 years (at least) in the case of…
This is Shabana Mahmood’s moment
What is the point of Keir Starmer? He was the means by which the Labour party could suffocate the hard…
Portrait of the week: Recognition for Palestine, second runway for Gatwick and questions over Epstein for Fergie
Home Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, announced that Britain had recognised a Palestinian state. France, Portugal, Canada and Australia…
What Nigel Farage told me
I recently attended the Young Dancer of the Year competition at the Royal Opera House, organised by the formidable Jacquie…
Letters: French universities still offer a proper education
Unhappy Union Sir: John Power is correct about George Abaraonye, the president-elect of the Oxford Union (‘Violent opposition’, 20 September).…
My new show with Andrew Lloyd Webber
The week of my cricket team’s annual tour of Cornwall. I formed Heartaches CC in 1973 and 765 games later…
Portrait of the week: Charlie Kirk killed, Peter Mandelson sacked and Harry takes tea with the King
Home Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, asked Lord Mandelson to step back as ambassador to Washington. This followed the…
The failure of Britain’s elite universities
Politicians, authors, priests and the occasional Spectator editor have all served as the Oxford Union’s president over its 200-year history.…
Cicero’s tips for the Labour party
Labour may be in a bit of a mess, but Cicero (d. 43 bc) has some top tips. ‘Let conscience…
Is the countryside racist?
Crossing the floor Danny Kruger defected from the Tories to Reform, the first sitting MP to do so. Which parties…
Letters: The shale gas illusion
The shale illusion Sir: Your leading article rightly makes the case for extracting as much of our North Sea resources…
Why I gave up on the Tories
The days between my leaving the Tories and joining Reform were an odd uneven time. It was the hardest decision…
Portrait of the week: Angela Rayner resigns, Poland downs Russian drones and Israel bombs Qatar
Home The government shuddered when Angela Rayner resigned as housing secretary, deputy prime minister and deputy leader of the Labour…
Starmer’s survival depends on going against his instincts
Athelstan has long faded from public imagination, despite being the king who, in 927 ad, first united England. But thanks…
