Brave new words ‘Selfie’ was declared to be Oxford Dictionaries’ ‘word of the year’. It hasn’t, however, yet been added to the Oxford English Dictionary. These are some of the words which have been added over the past year (and which have been around a surprisingly long time): Bag woman, n; Campsite, n; Grey zone, n;
Within the white paper on economic policy in an independent Scotland that was published by Alex Salmond’s government this week there is a liberal economic manifesto trying to get out. The First Minister speaks about using new ‘levers and instruments’ to revive Scotland and that, freed from Westminster control, he might lure businesses by slashing
Home The government announced proposals for the National Health Service, including a law to criminalise wilful neglect by doctors and nurses, and a scheme to post online the numbers of nurses on wards. By the end of October, 219 households had seen work completed to insulate their houses under the government’s Green Deal, launched last
Tonight, the Spectator will host a debate on the motion: ‘Addiction is not a disease’. Damian Thompson, Theodore Dalrymple and Dr Aric Sigman will lock horns with Trinny Woodall, Dominic Ruffy and Vic Watts to decide whether addiction is a medical condition or a pattern of immoderate behaviour. The extraordinary story of Reverend Flowers is likely
Nine cartoonists are shortlisted for the first ever Michael Heath Award for cartooning. The theme of the contest, sponsored by John Lobb, is ‘Man in Motion’. Work by four of the shortlisted artists is below. We’ll print four more next week, and the winner on 7 December. Thanks to all who entered — and congratulations
Byron Rogers Rhys Davies by Meic Stephens (Parthian, £20). This is the first full-length biography of the grocer’s son from the Valleys who, in the course of a long and industrious life spent mainly in London (where guardsmen were), wrote over 100 short stories and 20 novels and was hailed as the Welsh Chekhov. Helpfully,
From this week’s Spectator, our cartoon editor Michael Heath offers his take on George Osborne’s Help to Buy scheme. Subscribe from just £1 a week here.
‘Are you sure you want me to carry on with this, Mr Dimbleby?’
‘It’s not Kafkaesque, it’s normal.’
‘It’s such a perfect day, I’m glad I spent it with you...’
‘Instant? Certainly, madam. Take a seat and someone will be with you in a minute.’
‘We are very happy with the Chinese-themed room but could you remove the panda, please.’
‘Could that be from his blue period?’
‘It’s the director’s cut.’
‘I can’t see us ever having a boring housebuying anecdote of our own.’
‘Where is everyone? It’s like the Marie Celeste in here.’
‘Want to switch energy suppliers?’
