Society
The rise of the on-the-day party drop-out
A new drinks-party-shirking method has taken hold in British society. I call it ‘Lastminute.non’. Previously, the way of not going…
The irreplaceable Lady Annabel Goldsmith
During Jane Austen’s time, their roles would be reversed. Lady Annabel Goldsmith, who left us last week at 91, would…
The lies of the land
You can gauge the fragility of an ideology by the blind fury with which it reacts to questioning. So it…
Is it ever acceptable to ask to swim in a friend’s pool?
I’ve always loved English swimming pools. I can’t help it – I am a pool-fancier. The lumpy feel of the…
I’ve reached zero tolerance on zero tolerance
I know an astonishing 89-year-old who climbs mountains, uses a chainsaw and has the muscular, vice-like grip of a gym-built…
Why don’t men ask questions?
I’ll bet most women under 50 in relationships with men have found themselves wondering when on earth the man is…
Welcome to Scuzz Nation
Reform’s success in last week’s local elections has been attributed to many causes. Labour’s abolition of the winter fuel payment…
There’s nothing sexy about a sex party
‘Sorry sir, the rules clearly state that all single men must be accompanied by a woman.’ As the frustrated guest…
The inevitable rise of the divorce party
Have you been to a ‘divorce party’ yet this season? If you haven’t, not to worry, there’s still time. Divorce…
Can Morgan McSweeney reboot the government machine?
The Queen is dead: long live the King. This week brought an end to Downing Street’s unhappy experiment in dyarchy.…
Why China’s nostalgia industry is booming
Nostalgia is a thriving industry in China. I first noticed this while walking around Nanjing last summer. There were shops…
Be more tiger mum!
‘What’s it to do with me if your boyfriend wants to break up with you? Or if you cried, or…
Are Stonewall and Mermaids charitable?
Iwas once asked by a colleague to sponsor him on an undertaking designed, he said, to raise money for a…
Portrait of the Week: hate crimes, surprise knighthoods and flaming rickshaws
Home The Hate Crime and Public Order Act came into effect in Scotland, making it a crime to communicate or…
Britain’s role in ending the slave trade ought to be celebrated
It was bound to happen sooner or later: a guest on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow presented an artefact which derived…
Joe Biden’s dog is out of control
I was shocked to read about the behaviour of Joe Biden’s dog, Commander. According to a CNN report based on…
Britain’s Jews aren’t safe
The explosion of hatred and extremism prompted by the October 7 massacre was never going to limit itself to the…
What do sugar and cocaine have in common?
Stephen Fry is a national treasure whom half the nation can’t stand. He drops his façade of loveability mid-chortle as…
