World
The myth of the Third World
America is rediscovering the work of Spectator writer Shiva Naipaul. His 1980 book about the Jonestown massacre, Journey to Nowhere:…
Why you can’t ignore Ukraine
Russia’s war in Ukraine is midwife to a revolution in military affairs. Such revolutions arise from new technologies that do…
Is this really the ‘most dangerous man in Germany’?
Ulrich Siegmund is ‘the most dangerous man in Germany.’ So says Der Spiegel in a headline under a mug-shot style…
The joy of walking out of a bad play
I get on well with my sister. We speak most days, although I’ve noticed a certain froideur recently. It took…
Amsterdam’s growing gun problem
When discussing the little differences between the US and Europe in Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, Vincent Vega (John Travolta) tells fellow gangster…
The Floydification of Jason Arday’s death
The Russian word pravda is often translated as “truth”, but it can also mean “justice”. The proto-Slavic prav had that latter meaning, pravo refers to a…
The ‘paranoid style’ is back in American politics
Scarcely had the last warmth drained from Charlie Kirk’s body than the theories began to take shape. It wasn’t a…
Andy Burnham can’t get enough of reviews and consultations
They’re always tough, the first weeks back at work after a holiday, but the Prime Minister really has been off…
Britain is in for a difficult autumn
How hard is this autumn going to be? This week’s economic figures suggest pretty hard: job losses, higher-than-expected borrowing, and…
Zia Yusuf gives me the ick
Rather like Andy Burnham, you can imagine a younger version of Zia Yusuf being sent into Love Island in the…
Parents should be held responsible for the crimes of their children
‘Do you know where your children are?’ I remember watching TV in Washington D.C. in 1969 and listening to my…
Is the high-street pharmacy in danger?
Only in France have I ever looked forward to attending a pharmacy. Napoleonic Paris, in response to the fatal incompetence…
The Obamas are to blame for the Sussexes’ failure in the US
You can blame the Obamas for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s ill-fated adventures in America. There they were, Barack…
Harry is paying for his hubris
It has been quite the week for Prince Harry. A couple of days ago, he announced that he would be moving his…
The mystery of Melania
Are Donald Trump and his wife secretly estranged – or is Melania just a bit strange? That somewhat grubby question…
This year’s silly season has turned sinister
There’s a great scene in The West Wing where the White House is engulfed by a crisis in the Middle East…
A defection to the AfD has rattled Germany’s ruling party
For more than a decade, Germany’s mainstream political parties have placed a firewall around the AfD (Alternative for Germany) and…
Lucy Powell would be mad to undo the Tories’ school reforms
How lovely to hear Education Secretary Lucy Powell sending her ‘massive congratulations’ to children receiving their GCSE results. ‘More of…
The NUJ’s grotesque Jason Arday rant is the final straw
I’ve been a member of the National Union of Journalists for decades. Every month, as the £32 direct debit slips…
Britain’s books are getting harder than ever to balance
There’s good and bad news in the public finance figures, released by the Office for National Statistics this morning. July…
Labour MP rewrites the laws of economics
It is no secret that Labour MPs struggle to understand how wealth is created – hardly surprising when just one…
Will the heatwaves make this year’s French wines better?
It has been a punishing summer in France. Heatwaves, drought and forest fires have driven away tourists and made life…
How will harsh sanctions on Iran play out?
If you control the world’s largest economy, as the US does, and if your enemy depends on exports to the West, as Iran…
The Premier League has lost its passion
The new Premier League season kicks off tonight, with champions Arsenal playing newly promoted Coventry City at the Emirates Stadium.…
Andy Burnham’s plan to end rough sleeping will fail
Andy Burnham has gone further than any of his predecessors have in years in attempting to address rough sleeping in…
