Friends
‘Have you made any nice friends?’
The Spectator
Thursday
The Cloud
‘Dude, this is better than heaven — it’s the Cloud.’
Cave 5
‘You say art. I say graffiti.’
Robot 2
Coffee 2
‘I’m upper class, but I’m immensely proud of my upper-middle-class roots.’
Newspaper 3
‘I blame all those puffs of white smoke.’
Letters | 25 June 2015
Free trade with Africa Sir: Nicholas Farrell suggests that a naval blockade is the only solution to Italy’s immigration crisis (‘The invasion of Italy’, 20 June). Examining the causes of the situation might identify other measures. Since the European Union effectively closed its borders to trade with Africa to protect European farmers from lower food
Barometer | 25 June 2015
The spirit of 1945 No one would have been more surprised at the sight of 100,000 people marching in London under the banner ‘End Austerity Now’ and demanding ‘Tories Out’ than Sir Stafford Cripps, President of the Board of Trade and briefly Chancellor of the Exchequer in Attlee’s government. — Hard though it might be
Portrait of the week | 25 June 2015
Home Tens of thousands took part in a demonstration in London against austerity, and thousands more in other cities. Russell Brand was heckled for being too right-wing: ‘Fuck off back to Miliband,’ protestors in Parliament Square cried. David Cameron, the Prime Minister, explaining his thinking on further benefit cuts: ‘There is what I would call
Laying down the law
A great test of political leadership is how well you deal with vested interests on your own side. In his first speech as Lord Chancellor this week, Michael Gove has shown himself willing to tackle a profession which has long been comfortable with Conservative governments and whose reform, as a consequence, is long overdue. A
Books and arts opener – 25 June 2015
The Spectator at war: Good sons and noble mothers
From ‘Humours of War Relief in the East End’, The Spectator, 26 June 1915: There may be often in the minds of the mothers and wives a little confusion as to what their menkind are actually doing at the war, but they frequently give a dashing and graphic description of what they imagine it to
The Russians are coming
From ‘The Inexpugnability of Russia’, The Spectator, 26 June 1915: At this moment, after nearly a year’s fighting, Russia is only just beginning to be mistress of her resources in men and munitions. The hardy soldiers of her Far Eastern provinces are in many cases only just beginning to be got ready for the firing line.
Wednesday
The Spectator at war: Bonds of war
From ‘The New War Loan’, The Spectator, 26 June 1915: The case for a new War Loan is overwhelming. Since the yield of the last War Loan ceased to cover the cost of the war, the country has been living from hand to mouth on money brought in by the issue of Treasury bills. These
Tuesday
The Spectator at war: Russian resolve
From ‘The Inexpugnability of Russia’, The Spectator, 26 June 1915: In dealing with the military problems which confront Russia we must never forget the size and the thickness of her Empire. It is like an enormous cloak. The fringe may get very ragged, and you may cut huge pieces out of it before and behind,
Monday
The Spectator at war: Shell shortage
From ‘Mr Lloyd George’s Speech‘, The Spectator, 26 June 1915: Though we are short of practically all the munitions of war, our most immediate needs are high-explosive shells and machine guns. Till the shortage here is made up we cannot show that activity which, we must never forget, is the essential element in all military
