Language
When we speak English is it fair to say that some accents are better (or better in certain contexts) than…
The grammar schools debate
Peter Hitchens is in no doubt that it was. But a dominant, self-perpetuating meritocratic elite, all head and no heart, might also have presented problems
Gender wars
When Rishi Sunak had dinner with Nicola Sturgeon last week, the idea was to show he was interested in a…
The Davos divide
What self-respecting political leader would be seen in Davos? The World Economic Forum has become synonymous with sybaritic technocracy –…
The Boris delusion
Loyalty, it used to be said, was the secret weapon of the Conservative party. That hasn’t been true for some…
2588: Necessary evils
All the unclued lights can be followed by the same word. Elsewhere, ignore three accents. Across 12 Positive Belgian forward…
Sussex pond pudding
I always feel pulled toward citrus at the start of the year. Initially it was subconscious: I’d just find myself…
Great Scott’s
Scott’s, Richmond, is a fish, champagne and oyster bar, and a new branch of Scott’s, Mayfair. The original Scott’s was…
See you at the rugby world cup, Eddie
Something is happening here, and you do know what it is, don’t you Mr Jones? Stargazers – and even some…
The cynicism of Steve Baker
About ten years ago I thought seriously about becoming a Conservative MP. I jumped through a series of hoops and…





