The Spectator

Annoyance

‘I’m going to have to ask you to leave, Sir. Your constant complaining about mobile phones is disturbing the other customers.’

Letters | 16 May 2013

The other side of fracking Sir: Peter Lilley’s article on fracking (‘The only way is shale’, 11 May) is right to outline the role that shale can play in addressing Britain’s energy crisis, creating jobs, and generating tax revenues. But he is guilty of several errors and omissions. First, he ignores the concerns of local

Barometer | 16 May 2013

The first filibuster A bill for an in-out referendum on the EU seems doomed to be killed off by a ‘filibuster’ — a campaign by opponents to keep on talking until it runs out of time. — The filibuster is often assumed to be an invention of Westminster, yet its first recorded use was in

Portrait of the week | 16 May 2013

Home David Cameron, the Prime Minister, flew to Sochi, on the Black Sea, to talk with President Vladimir Putin, principally about Syria. He then flew to Washington, to support the American tour by Prince Harry and hold talks with President Barack Obama. They said that Britain and America wanted to strengthen the moderate opposition in

Escape

‘Why walk around the garden shaking dirt from your trousers? I swear he is up to something in that shed.’