Skip to main content

Get a free copy of Douglas Murray’s new book

when you subscribe to The Spectator for just $15 for 12 weeks. No commitment – cancel any time.

SUBSCRIBE

Sign In

SUBSCRIBE

Home
Writers
Newsletters
Podcasts
Briefings
Events
Club
Archive
Shop

- Coffee House
- Politics
- Economy
- World
- Culture
- Life
- Magazine
- Home
- Writers
- Newsletters
- Podcasts
- Briefings
- Events
- Club
- Archive
- Shop
Coffee House
- Politics
- Society
- World
- Data
- Economy
- Scotland
Culture
- Arts
- Books
- Exhibitions
- Film
- Music
- Radio & podcasts
- Television
- Stage
Life
- Culture
- What to watch
- Wine & food
- Travel
- Property
- Sport
- Style
- Health
Magazine
- The Week
- Features
- Columnists
- Books
- Arts
- Life
- Cartoons
- Puzzles & games
This week's issue

31 May 2025

Coffee House
Politics
Economy
World
Culture
Life
Magazine

Sign In

SUBSCRIBE

Sign In

- Coffee House
- Politics
- Economy
- World
- Culture
- Life
- Magazine
- Home
- Writers
- Newsletters
- Podcasts
- Briefings
- Events
- Club
- Archive
- Shop
Coffee House
- Politics
- Society
- World
- Data
- Economy
- Scotland
Culture
- Arts
- Books
- Exhibitions
- Film
- Music
- Radio & podcasts
- Television
- Stage
Life
- Culture
- What to watch
- Wine & food
- Travel
- Property
- Sport
- Style
- Health
Magazine
- The Week
- Features
- Columnists
- Books
- Arts
- Life
- Cartoons
- Puzzles & games
This week's issue

31 May 2025

From the magazine

Cartoons

Paint

The Spectator

Share
Share

The Spectator

Paint
Linkedin

Messenger

Email

What was the point of the Strategic Defence Review?

This weekend has not been a masterclass in political communications by the government. Selected morsels of the Strategic Defence Review were dropped over several days, concluding with an anodyne launch by the prime minister at BAE Systems in Govan. The result: the prime minister and the defence secretary contradicting each other on defence spending, a