Society

The first estimate of the UK’s economic growth for the first quarter of this year is out – and despite missing analysts’ expectations of 1 per cent growth, it’s good news for the Coalition, with the size of the economy increasing by 0.8 per cent. Manufacturing output was up 1.3 per cent, and services output up 0.9 per cent – but growth in services (the dominant sector of the UK’s economy) made up most of the increase. [datawrapper chart=”http://static.spectator.co.uk/dnCTg/index.html”] But this is only a first estimate, and the figure is subject to revision. Since the crash, GDP figures have been revised by an average of 0.26 percentage points between their first and

It used to take one hour and forty five minutes to get by train from where I live in Canterbury to central London. Now, as a consequence of HS1 and the rather annoyingly named “Javelin”, it takes a little over fifty minutes. There is not the remotest doubt that the new service has greatly improved the prosperity of the area, and made life more pleasant for the likes of me. An entire swathe of south-eastern England has been suddenly rendered commutable as a consequence – a good thing, seeing the cost of housing in London. (I don’t commute, as it happens, I ought to add.) The trains are frequent, reliable

One of football’s many beauties is in encouraging us to forsake unfortunate strictures of accepted behaviour; as long as it’s at the game, we can sing, swear, cuddle strangers, and even care about stuff without fear of ridicule. And, perhaps best of all, we’re entitled to rejoice in the dastardly; it’s entirely justifiable to drool over the respective oeuvres of Roy Keane, Thierry Henry and Sergio Busquets, if they so tickle you. The game can also serve as a masking agent for off-pitch indiscretions, and remind people that personal matters are precisely that. Kenny Dalglish somehow wore links to the Clerkenwell crime syndicate, and though plenty of people dislike Wayne Rooney,

Adverts go out inviting people who think they were sexually abused by the late Sir James Savile to claim compensation. On the BBC, Alison Millar, a lawyer at the firm Leigh Day, explained that, to be paid: ‘You will need some evidence to show that you were in a situation where Savile will have had the opportunity to abuse you.’ If that is all you need, I reckon I am in with a chance. I met Savile only once, at the director-general’s BBC election night party in 1987, when I was the vulnerable 30-year-old editor of this magazine. Obviously, others were in the room, but we have heard from many

White to play. This is a variation from Carlsen-Leitao, Brazil 2014. White has a big attack on the kingside which Black is attempting to defuse by offering to exchange queens. How can White continue? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 29 April or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk or by fax on 020 7681 3773. The winner will be the first correct answer out of a hat, and each week I shall be offering a prize of £20. Please include a postal address and allow six weeks for prize delivery.   Last week’s solution 1 … Rxh4+ Last week’s winner Phillip Gardner, Herts