Books and arts – 18 May 2017
Thursday
2307: Obit IV | 18 May 2017
On 18 March 2017 the great ROCK’N’ROLLER (3) Chuck Berry died. Round the perimeter run the titles of four of his compositions, ROLL OVER BEETHOVEN, JOHNNY B. GOODE, YOU NEVER CAN TELL and NADINE, followed by his initials. The further title given is SWEET LITTLE SIXTEEN (14/26/23). First prize Peter Dean, London W8 Runners-up E.
Jeremy Corbyn did himself (and his party) a favour by skipping the ITV debate
By the standards of a ‘normal’ election, the ITV televised leaders’ debate might have seemed like a bit of a waste of time. The most prominent politician present was Nicola Sturgeon, who is not standing in the General Election. But she does have some claim to opposition, given that her party is the most disciplined and effective
Paul Nuttall lacks the personal touch in the leaders’ debate
Oh dear. With both Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn opting to give tonight’s ITV leaders’ debate a miss, leaders of the other political parties had the perfect opportunity to step into the spotlight and make a good impression in front of the electorate. Alas Ukip’s Paul Nuttall appeared to miss the mark. Nearing the end of
Press freedom: it was Spectator readers wot won it
A few months ago, The Spectator sought the help of readers in defending press freedom. Theresa May’s government was consulting on whether to press ahead with a draconian new law that would make publications like ours liable for the costs of anyone who wanted to sue us, for whatever reason. The law, a hangover from
The British broadcaster brave enough to discuss Islamic violence
Last night Channel 4 broadcast a deep and seriously important programme. ‘Isis: The Origins of Violence’ was written and presented by the historian Tom Holland and can be viewed (by British viewers) here. Five years ago, to coincide with his book ‘In The Shadow of the Sword’ about the early years of Islam, Holland presented
How business-friendly would Theresa May’s government be?
When the main opposition party is proposing to jack up corporation tax from 19 per cent to 26 per cent the Conservatives don’t have to do too much to claim the mantle of the pro-business party, but with Theresa May suddenly attracting the nickname ‘Red Theresa’, just how business-friendly would a post 9 June May
Watch: Workers Revolutionary Party march on the Daily Politics
Although the Mainstream Media would have you believe that the major political force in this election is the Tories, is it actually the Workers Revolutionary Party who are on the march? Mr S only asks after the WRP’s Frank Sweeney appeared on the Daily Politics to explain why it has to be the Trotskyist group at
A vote for the Tories is now a vote for a free press
I have long campaigned against the activation of section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act, as well as a second Leveson inquiry which would have examined the culture, practices and ethics of the press, so I was delighted that the Conservative manifesto says that neither will happen. The Government held a consultation about this
The Tory ‘dementia tax’ could backfire for Theresa May
The Prime Minister says there is no such thing as ‘Mayism’, only ‘good, solid Conservatism’. Fine. But let’s examine just how ‘good’ and ‘Conservative’ her party’s new policy on social care is, unveiled earlier today. The Tory manifesto says, in effect, that people who need care in old age will have to pay for every penny
Theresa May’s preachy government is on a mission to restore our confidence
Every political moment is informed by, and a reaction against, its predecessor. The Age of May is no exception. David Cameron’s successes were founded, at least in part, on the vague appreciation that he seemed like a nice enough chap. Theresa May’s victories are built on the fact that she isn’t. Being a ‘bloody difficult
Earn less than £85,000? You might be better off under Corbyn
Recent elections have followed the same format: the Conservatives positioning themselves as the party of low taxes while Labour feels obliged to make its own commitments in order to try to neutralise the issue. This year is different. One of the notable omissions from the Conservative manifesto is any firm promise not to jack up
The Spectator Podcast: The May manifesto
On this week’s episode, we discuss Theresa May’s lurch to the left, the NHS’s looming crisis, and how Americans should talk about Trump. First up: Theresa May has launched the Conservative party’s manifesto this week, but whilst much has been made of the slow death of the Labour party, the Tories appear to have borrowed rather
The never-ending deficit – Tories put off balancing the books until 2026
At today’s Tory manifesto launch, Theresa May put some clear blue water between herself and the Cameroons as she ditched many of the 2015 manifesto pledges. But there is one area of continuity. May managed to continue George Osborne’s longstanding tradition of putting off balancing the books. On the subject of the UK deficit, the manifesto acknowledges
Books Podcast: The art of losing control
Is Enlightenment rationalism overrated? Do we spend too much time thinking and not enough time letting our conscious thoughts scatter to the winds? My guest in this week’s Books Podcast is the philosopher Jules Evans, who argues that we human beings have a deep need to get out of our heads. We talk about his
Theresa May’s new Conservative philosophy
When you go to the polling station, Tory campaign chiefs want you to be thinking about Brexit and who you want as Prime Minister negotiating for Britain. This point was underlined at today’s Tory manifesto launch. Theresa May was introduced by the Brexit Secretary David Davis and she herself concentrated on why Brexit makes the
Five things we’ve learnt from the Conservative manifesto
Today Theresa May unveiled the 2017 Conservative and Unionist Party manifesto at an event in West Yorkshire. Parking her tanks on Labour’s lawn, the Prime Minister tried to appeal to working class voters as she revealed her vision for ‘a stronger Britain and a prosperous future’. Here’s what can be gleaned from the slimline document:
The Tories’ biggest gamble? Over-estimating the strength of the post-Brexit economy
Unemployment is down. Retail sales are still strong. House prices are stable. Even the Great British Peso, the currency formerly known as the pound, has recovered much of its losses of the past year. After the vote to leave the EU, the UK economy has been remarkably strong. Even triggering Article 50, which some said
The sun shines on retail sales
When the sun shineth…go shopping. That’s what we did in our droves during April, boosting retail sales by 4 per cent compared to the same month last year. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), anecdotal evidence from retailers suggests that good weather contributed to growth in sales, which increased by 2.3 per cent in the three
The real radicals are now on the right – and the left can’t stand it
The apparent success of the ‘alt-right’ and ‘populist right’ movements in Europe and the US has analysts scratching around for explanations. It’s economics at heart, say the serious academics. The annoyed liberals counter that it’s really hidden xenophobia unleashed. The sensible centrists, Economist-reading types, agree a little with both and sagely add cultural nervousness: a symptom
