In defence of Oxfam Sir: Mary Wakefield rightly praises Médecins sans Frontières but makes many misinformed claims about Oxfam and aid in general (31 January). Contrary to her suggestion, money donated to Oxfam and other charities’ emergency appeals must be spent solely on that crisis. This is stipulated by the Charity Commission and confirmed by
Right Boot, left Boot What would Jesse Boot, who built Britain’s largest chemist chain from his father’s herbal shops, made of the spat between Labour and Stefano Pessina, chief executive of the firm? — Boot was a lifelong Liberal, but then he was already 50 years old when the Labour party was formed. He was
Home MPs voted by 382 to 128 to make Britain the only country to allow genetic modification of embryos to prevent mitochondrial flaws: this could be done by the removal of the nucleus of a donor’s fertilised ovum and its replacement by the nucleus of two parents’ fertilised ovum, thus giving a child three parents.
[audioplayer src=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/spectator/TheViewFrom22_5_Feb_2015_v4.mp3″ title=”Isabel Hardman and Fraser Nelson discuss the plans for 50+ new free schools” startat=1694] Listen [/audioplayer]For those who assumed that the removal of Michael Gove as Education Secretary marked the end of the Conservatives’ scholastic reforms, this month may hold a surprise. More free schools are coming, The Spectator understands: at least 50
From ‘News of the Week’, The Spectator, 6 January 1915: THE mountain has produced a curious little naval mouse. The meeting of the German Council of War, together with the Emperor’s State visit to the fleet at Wilhelmshaven, seemed to show that some great naval development was about to take place—either the coming out of
From ‘News of the Week’, The Spectator, 6 February 1915: Germany proclaims a paper blockade of all the British coast, to be carried out, when possible, by submarines! This new act of war is really too childish for discussion. It means no fresh development whatever. The Germans, as before, will try to destroy our ships
From ‘Practical Proposals’, The Spectator, 6 February 1915: “BUT, after all, something has got to be done about these high prices; what do you propose?” so will, we are sure, persist the practical man. Well, the appeal is not unnatural, and we will try to answer it in a practical spirit. We will attempt to outline
From ‘Military Rifle Shooting’, The Spectator, 6 February 1915: THE most serious problem which confronts those who are engaged in training our New Armies is unquestionably that of shooting. Drill and marching are important; trench-digging is vitally important; but what shall these profit the soldier if, when he has reached his tactical point and dug himself
From ‘Free Traders and Trade Problems’, The Spectator, 30 January 1915: There is every reason to believe that if the chemists of the country would now concentrate on these chemical problems, a solution would be found which would enable us to build up chemical industries capable of holding their own even against a German combine.
From ‘The Running Fight in the North Sea’, The Spectator, 30 January 1915: THE splendid success of the battle-cruisers under Admiral Beatty in the North Sea last Sunday means much more than that they sunk the German armoured cruiser ‘Blücher,’ as well as a light cruiser, and very seriously damaged two German battle-cruisers. It means
‘Now does anyone here speak doctor?’
‘He was a very moderate king.’
‘We’re doomed!’
‘Hmm ...I don’t like the look of your postcode.’
‘I’m demonstrating in support of free speech but you’ve got to be so careful what you say these days.’
‘Can we stop being a hard-working family now?’
‘OK, I’ll do something about my snoring if you agree to sleep with your mouth closed.’