The end of the Boris era

Here's an article by Boris from the very last issue of his editorship.  It's ostensibly a tour of the (old) Spectator offices for the benefit of the incoming editor.  But - more than that - it's a poignant declaration of what The Spectator stands for, and what it all means.  A beautiful way in which to pass on the torch...

Welcome to Doughty Street 
Boris Johnson, 17th December, 2005

It is an eternal and reassuring fact of human nature that when an editor announces that he is stepping down from a great publication, there is not the slightest...

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Boris socks it to the Puritans

We didn't have to go back far in the archives to dig up this Boris gem - it's from almost exactly a year ago.  Here, the new London mayor takes it to our Puritanical government, accusing them of erasing fun from the British curriculum.  It's a typically energetic and insightful article, and it may offer clues as to what the Johnson mayoralty will look like: unintrusive, enabling, and - most importantly - fun.

The pursuit of happiness
Boris Johnson, May 23, 2007

You’ve got to realise they would have done it. They would have...

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Boris in Iraq

Here's Boris reporting from Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein. It's a magnificent piece of journalism from the new London Mayor:

The fear, the squalor ... and the hope
Boris Johnson, May 3, 2003

Baghdad

We could tell something was up as soon as we approached the petrol station. There was an American tank parked amid a big crowd of jerrycan-toting Iraqis. Unusually, the soldiers were down and walking around, guns at the ready. Then I heard shouting and saw the Americans using their carbines like staves to...

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Congratulations Boris

Hearty congratulations to Boris Johnson, for his victory in the London Mayoral election yesterday.  Of course, Boris holds a very prominent position in The Spectator's 180 year history - he was editor of the magazine from 1999 to 2005 - and we're all delighted with his success.  Over the next few days, we'll be looking to commemorate it, with a number of relevant archive articles.  In the meantime, I'd recommend you check out our coverage over at Coffee House, and read our current editor Matthew d'Ancona's account of why Boris will be be a great Mayor. 

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The Spectator on Suez

Here's the Spectator's response to the Suez Crisis of 29th October, 1956:

The Valley of Decision
The Specator leading article, November 2, 1956

A time may come when a nation can only do what it has to do; when treaties and technicalities are swept away on the surge of events. That time, the Government decided on Monday, had arrived. For too long there had been indecision. In trying to conciliate opinion at home and abroad the Government had vacillated, losing respect on all sides. One way presented itself...

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