In choosing this September for the Scottish referendum on independence, the SNP was presumably hoping Scots voters would be basking in the glory of a successful Commonwealth Games. There is every reason to hope that the games, which opened in Glasgow this week, will emulate the London Olympics for organisational skill and, moreover, will help
In this week’s View from 22 morning review, Douglas Murray, James Forsyth and Mary Wakefield discuss the weekend’s main stories. Can Europe really enforce sanctions on Putin, in the wake of the shooting down of MH17? And what has been the fallout over the weekend from Cameron’s reshuffle?
The Ukrainian government has failed to secure the crash site, as much as 25 square kilometres of territory, where debris from flight MH17 has fallen. The site is in rebel-held eastern Ukraine and the region’s pro-Russian separatists have prevented international observers from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe from examining it. There are
‘It doesn’t matter that he can’t talk now that he’s texting me.’
‘Oh my goodness! Four and twenty, you say?’
‘I am getting definite blackcurrant notes.’
‘My Dad made it himself but I get the feeling he’s never seen “Iron Man”.’
‘I can’t stand her “more vintage than thou” attitude.’
‘When you said “The Ring”, I thought you meant Wagner.’
‘Not that one, dear — that’s the design classic. Use the one that works.’
‘If women can be bishops, I want to be a synchronised swimmer.’
‘In light of these figures, I will be doing the honourable thing and standing on someone.’
No ban on Lawson Sir: You write that the BBC ‘has effectively banned’ Lord Lawson from items on climate change unless introduced with ‘a statement discrediting his views’ (Leading article, 12 July). There’s a lot of muddled reporting of this story. Lord Lawson hasn’t been in any sense ‘banned’, and the Editorial Complaints Unit finding didn’t suggest
Home In a ministerial reshuffle, William Hague, who promised to leave Parliament at the election, was made Leader of the House, being replaced as Foreign Secretary by Philip Hammond, who was replaced as Defence Secretary by Michael Fallon. Sir George Young Bt, aged 73, was sacked as Chief Whip. Michael Gove was demoted to Chief Whip.
