What are the most ‘unsettling’ artworks to hang in 10 Downing Street?
The art of politics Keir Starmer moved a portrait of Lady Thatcher from one room at 10 Downing Street to…
What does ‘maidan’ have to do with cricket?
Freddie Flintoff recently called the Maidan ‘the home of cricket’. For supporters of Ukraine’s independence, the Maidan saw continual demonstrations…
My dinner date with the detective
Provence ‘What do you mean?’ I wanted to ask the man who told me last autumn it was time to…
The expensive business of quoting poetry
Writers, I hope we can all agree, should be paid for their work. That’s the principle behind the law of…
Dear Mary: How do I shake off charity collectors?
Q. A friend, who I love dearly and who comes to stay a lot, has always been unforthcoming with gifts.…
The joy of our deluded politicians
There are a number of joys in life that do not get enough attention. One is the sheer, unadulterated pleasure…
Pity the restaurant critic
An atom is made of protons, electrons and neutrons, and protons are made of quarks, and a quark is the…
Bring back the briefcase!
The final straw was seeing Jeremy Hunt wearing one shortly before the summer recess – and not just when riding…
Mickleover: the real home of cricket
Readers concerned that the seemingly imperious march of Bazball across the cricket firmament has blotted out the more, er, traditional…
Nordic dream or nightmare?: The Mark, by Frida Isberg, reviewed
A test has been developed in Iceland to assess a citizen’s sensitivity and potential for anti-social behaviour. Will the looming referendum make it compulsory?
More about my mother: Elaine, by Will Self, reviewed
We have already met versions of Self’s mother in his fiction, but here we have a detailed portrait – of her rages, frustrations, fantasies, panic attacks and – not least – extramarital affairs
A world history of morality is maddeningly optimistic
Peaceful co-operation is essential for human survival, and our present ‘feast of feverish discord and hatred’ is bound to be replaced by one of ‘calm and community’, says Hanno Saur
Uncomfortable truths about the siege of Leningrad
The legend of heroic resistance during the 872-day blockade helped many survivors bear the guilt of having robbed, betrayed, murdered and even eaten their fellow citizens
A necklace for the Empress Josephine: The Glassmaker, by Tracy Chevalier, reviewed
With the family business in Murano under threat, the daughter of a Venetian glassmaker learns to craft perfect coloured beads, soon much sought after by high society
The ‘British Muslim patriot’ on a mission to get Farage into No. 10
Few people had heard of Zia Yusuf before he spoke at Reform’s final campaign rally in Birmingham. But after a…
Why is no one marching against VAT on school fees?
How passively we respond to revelations of Labour’s real direction of travel. As millions of pensioners brace for the confiscation…
Starmer’s double standards
Sir Keir Starmer’s readiness to do ‘whatever it takes’ to support Ukraine seems to be qualified by his fear of…
What’s gone wrong at the National Theatre?
Now we have a Labour government, it would be nice to feel repertory will return to the National Theatre. It…
The rise of the Gaza Five
What should the Tories do about Nigel Farage? The leadership candidates have made many speeches and written many columns explaining…
Portrait of the week: UK cancels Israel exports, Grenfell fire report released and AfD victory in Germany
Home The government cancelled 30 out of 350 export licences for arms to Israel on items that it said could…
The real crisis in our school system
For years, each school in England has been put in one of four categories: ‘outstanding’, ‘good’, ‘requires improvement’ and ‘inadequate’.…
The no-bake bliss of icebox cake
Standing in the biscuit aisle of my local supermarket, I’m overwhelmed by possibilities. This isn’t unusual for me, but normally…
