The secret diary of Sue Gray
Once we entered Downing Street a No. 10 protocol adviser took Vic upstairs to show her the facilities in the private…
Who will lead the Tories next?
Rishi Sunak performed a mea culpa when his shadow cabinet convened on Monday, taking full responsibility for the election loss.…
What the Tories got wrong on housing
Sir Keir Starmer may be our first atheist prime minister, but his manner in parliament resembles that of what, in…
The worst thing about losing my seat
Magpies have long been thought to be birds of omen. I am not superstitious. Yet during the election campaign I…
Portrait of the Week: Starmer’s first steps, Biden’s wobble and Australia’s egg shortage
Home Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, appointed several ministers who are not MPs, but will be created life peers.…
Why don’t international laws apply to Russia?
The Kremlin has denied it targeted the Kyiv children’s hospital that was struck by a missile on Monday. It was…
Why I fell out of love with Wagner
It’s four years since I gave up opera criticism. The pandemic had struck, I had hit a significant birthday, and…
Politicians have to be gamblers
Politicians pretty well have to be gamblers. You give up a promising career in, say, dentistry, teaching or accountancy for…
How to make perfect scones
I am evangelical about scones as a gateway bake – they are the perfect entry point for the nervous baker.…
Don’t bribe your dog with treats
‘Do NOT look Lulu in the eye. Keep your voice low and soft and ignore her barking. Do NOT make…
Are the best young ballerinas being lured away from dance by sport?
As graduation ceremonies go, the Royal Ballet School’s annual matinée ranks among the most spectacular. It takes place at the…
What Labour could learn from Australia and New Zealand
I’m just coming to the end of a four-week speaking tour Down Under and have spotted some worrying signs of…
Letters: what Biden and Ronaldo have in common
True conservatism Sir: Douglas Murray claims that the Conservative party ‘will need to have some people who are actually right-wing’…
The C of E needs to talk about sex
My friend Andy is getting married. It’s about time – he and his girlfriend have a one-year-old daughter. He wants…
Why was Jeremy Hunt SHOUTING AT ME?
Robert Jenrick, once immigration minister and still, just, MP for Newark, said on Sunday that the Tories lost not because…
