The Week
Portrait of the week: Chief Rabbi speaks out, Uber loses its licence and police draw tasers at the cinema
Home The Chief Rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis, intervened in the election campaign by declaring that anti-Semitism was a ‘poison — sanctioned…
Andrew Marr: December elections are a very bad idea
December elections are a bad idea. Never mind politicians talking rot — the ludicrous promises, the ludicrous numbers — it’s…
How much are political parties allowed to spend in the general election?
Election counts Michael Bloomberg — the ninth richest person in America — entered the US presidential race by buying $34…
Socrates would have made the leaders’ debates real interrogations
There is something deeply unsatisfying about the debates featuring party leaders. The questions put to them, whether by an audience…
Koo d’etat
From 16 October 1982: Prince Andrew’s Caribbean holiday with Miss Koo Stark (following, perhaps prompted by, months of all-male company…
Letters: Just how should you pronounce vermouth?
Down to zero Sir: Paul Collier’s siren call to take advantage of near-zero interest rates to go on a massive…
The Tories must be careful not to pave the way for Corbynism
To say one thing for John McDonnell, he shows a refreshing preparedness to use a general election to lay out…
Portrait of the week: The leaders’ debate, the Duke’s interview and the gilet jaunes’ birthday
Home In a television debate Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, was jeered by the studio audience when he was asked…
George Osborne: The temptation of voting Lib Dem
Going to Pizza Express is a very usual thing for me to do, unlike Prince Andrew. I grew up in…
What happened to the other Dukes of York?
Old Dukes of York Prince Andrew is the 14th royal to have held the title Duke of York (three were…
The ancients were aware that there’s more to making speeches than just words
Cicero said that the good orator could arouse in the listener many different feelings: ‘delight, grief, laughter, tears, admiration, hatred,…
Letters: The Politically Homeless Party are now a force to be reckoned with
Nowhere to turn Sir: Like Tanya Gold and Matthew Parris (9 November), I too am feeling politically homeless. Over the…
Our flood defences aren’t fit for the climate we have now
This week’s political fuss over whether the floods in Yorkshire constitute a ‘national emergency’ misses the point. It is too…
Portrait of the week: Farage’s climbdown, Yorkshire’s floods and Australia’s fires
Home Nigel Farage, the leader of the Brexit party, climbed down from his resolution to field 600 candidates in the…
It would be a big mistake to underestimate Corbyn
Thud. It’s my advance copy of Dorothy Byrne’s new book, Trust Me, I’m Not a Politician, landing on the doormat.…
How many countries have been ruled by a Boris?
Leaders called Boris How many countries have been ruled by a Boris? — Russia has had two Borises in charge.…
For the ancient Greeks, the only point in taking part was to win
The England team reached the final of the rugby world cup in Japan but they lost. As athletes, they knew…
Letters: Why I’ll vote for Boris
A bad idea Sir: Your editorial in favour of an amnesty for illegal immigrants (‘The case for amnesty’, 9 November)…
The case for amnesty: why it’s time to offer citizenship to illegal immigrants
There is an unspoken truth about British life: we have two classes of citizen. The first are those born or…
Portrait of the week: Bercow steps down, Hoyle steps up and an election begins
Home Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Labour MP for Chorley and deputy Speaker since 2010, was elected Speaker by the Commons.…
If parliament were more modern, might it become less aggressive?
I’m writing this in Crete where a late summer has seen brilliant sunshine and temperatures reaching 25°C — but can…
Do ‘Workington Man’ and ‘Worcester Woman’ decide elections?
National characters How useful is it to characterise an election with a single anthropological specimen such as ‘Workington Man’? ‘Worcester…
Letters: How to squash a Speaker
No special protection Sir: Rod Liddle’s joke that the election might be held on a date when Muslims cannot vote,…
Boris is taking a huge gamble with an election – but it could pay off
Contrasting Boris Johnson’s enthusiasm for a general election with Jeremy Corbyn’s reluctance, it would be easy to assume that the…
Portrait of the week: An election date is set, al-Baghdadi dies and a row over gay giraffes
Home Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, having shelved his Brexit Bill in the face of parliamentary opposition, persuaded the Commons…
