Coup de (dis)grâce
The knifing of Tony Abbott will go down as one of the most destructive and arrogant acts of political bastardry…
Culture buff
He may not be a household name, yet, but Peter Boggs is one of our outstanding painters. His works hang…
Aux bien pensants
If Malcolm Turnbull is remembered for anything, it will be for his supreme act of treachery in bringing down a…
On books and pollies
I am a lover of books. Reading has been one of the great pleasures of my life. In some ways,…
Feeling the guilt
Increasingly, the West is succumbing to the vicarious virtues of the politics of ‘feelings’
Syrian Anzacs
Let’s train middle-east refugees to fight for their homeland rather than to hate or terrorise ours
Can Turnbull win over Tony’s tradies?
Where Tony Abbott understood the tradie heartland, Malcolm Turnbull may appear aloof and out-of-touch
The right answer
The Conservatives have a stunning array of social achievements. They need to talk about them more
Diary
Plus: the pact that could save Labour; Vince Cable’s economic confession; and a sincere Tory for Corbyn
Barometer
Plus: How our railway is racing ahead; pylons to be proud of; Met Office summer predictions
The relative experience of consuls and Corbyn
The new Labour leader’s political life has just been one long protest
Time to tax
From ‘The coming budget’, The Spectator, 18 September 1915: At present the large majority of householders and electors pay no direct…
Corbyn puts the EU referendum on a knife edge
Political futures hang on the question – not least that of Boris Johnson
The Spectator’s notes
Plus: the origins of Corbynite leftism; a study of manhole covers; Malcolm Turnbull; and Sir Walter Scott
Why emote about migrants during a concert?
Is nothing sacred? They sacked Clarkson, and now they won’t even let us enjoy ‘Land of Hope and Glory’
Soon we will accept that useless lives should end
If the law does not lead, it will follow — at root the reason is Darwinian
The problem with Corbyn’s hatred of the media
To regard the fourth estate as a coherent and malicious political entity is conspiratorial madness
The Living Wage is nifty politics – but let’s see more help for small business too
Plus: uneasy feelings about an oil price war; and ten years of ‘Any Other Business’
Why I left
Left-wing thought has shifted towards movements it would once have denounced as racist, imperialist and fascistic. It is insupportable
Bad winners
There wasn’t much time for the hopey-changey stuff while there was a chance to be vile about the Tories
Labour’s lost thinker
Ed Miliband’s policy chief talks about why Labour lost and the decline of the Blairites
