Our very own Alan Turing
The little known story of our own code-breaking star, Eric Nave, who did as much as anyone to break the Japanese naval codes
Australian notes
The remarkable thing about Tony Abbott’s speech to the National Press Club was how unremarkable it was. There were no…
Culture buff
Readers already know from this column something of the forthcoming Perth International Festival (13 Feb-7 Mar) with its huge Journey…
Approaching America
Our pilot on the Delaware offers to show you his laptop. These are the buoys, he says; I know exactly…
The Shading Out of Poetry by Deadline
Like old-time washerwomen floodwater is sousing trees and shrubs out on the drainage. Floating wrack dribbles seaward from their labour.…
Poor little rich meals
Rivea (stupid name) is in the bowels of Bulgari in Knightsbridge, a hotel which looks like a vast Virgin Upper…
The Shading Out of Poetry by Deadline
Like old-time washerwomen floodwater is sousing trees and shrubs out on the drainage. Floating wrack dribbles seaward from their labour.…
A cheerleader to swear by
It wasn’t that long ago when the most exciting event in any British tennis fan’s life was whether Jeremy Bates…
From the horse’s mouth
Banks only lend money to those who can prove they don’t need it and it has not been a happy…
Blunt weapon
Only a fool would mess with James Blunt. As his Twitter followers know, he has a sharp wit, and, as…
Blunt weapon
Only a fool would mess with James Blunt. As his Twitter followers know, he has a sharp wit, and, as…
Approaching America
Our pilot on the Delaware offers to show you his laptop. These are the buoys, he says; I know exactly…
With one push of a button, political interviews have become interesting again
The other night on Channel 4, I watched the best political interview I’ve seen all year. It was with Nick…
The NHS needs the politics of envy
‘Let’s make the rich pay more.’ Does that sound so right-wing? To me it has a positively socialist ring. It…
How Labour lost Scotland (and could lose the Union)
Listen http://traffic.libsyn.com/spectator/TheViewFrom22_5_Feb_2015_v4.mp3 Just four months ago Scotland was the scene of great cross-party co-operation — unprecedented in peace-time politics. Gordon…
They want a gender-neutral pronoun? What’s wrong with them?
Isn’t it about time the English language got itself a gender-neutral pronoun? This was the clarion call from the Guardian…
Californian diary
The American Republic has always been characterized by great political families. From earliest days, from the Adams and the Harrisons…
Australian notes
The remarkable thing about Tony Abbott’s speech to the National Press Club was how unremarkable it was. There were no…
Green for danger
The Green manifesto is incoherent, dangerous and unfit for even a junior coalition partner
Portrait of the week
Home Party leaders mercilessly launched 100 days of campaigning before the general election on 7 May. David Cameron, the Conservative…
