What to do about PMQs Sir: Charles Moore (Notes, 6 April) is right to propose that Prime Minister’s Questions revert to the long-standing previous practice of two 15-minute sessions a week (on a Tuesday and Thursday) in place of the current 30-minute session. Tony Blair introduced the present arrangement at the beginning of his premiership
Home With the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, the 2,300 invited to attend Lady Thatcher’s funeral in St Paul’s cathedral included the three surviving former prime ministers, members of her cabinets, the leader of the opposition, F.W. de Klerk, June Whitfield, Joan Collins, Dame Shirley Bassey and Sir Terry Wogan. Mikhail Gorbachev did not attend,
The runners who will gather for the London Marathon this weekend will converge on the greatest target in the world. Winston Churchill was the first to see the problem. ‘With our enormous metropolis here… [we are] a kind of tremendous fat cow, a valuable cow tied up to attract the beasts of prey,’ he told
The first reading, by Margaret Thatcher’s granddaughter, Amanda: Ephesians 6:10-18 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against
Sir John Hoskyns was head of Margaret Thatcher’s Policy Unit from 1979 to 1982. In a Q&A with The Spectator, he describes what it was really like to work with her, and how David Cameron could learn from the late Prime Minister. In 1977, you wrote the Stepping Stones Report, which looked at the fundamental problems holding
In association in Centrica How can consumers ensure they are receiving the best possible deal for their energy bills? In this special View from 22 podcast, the Spectator’s political editor James Forsyth discusses issues within in the energy market and some potential solutions for getting the lowest possible energy bills. Is shale gas the answer?
‘A word about desk dining, Jones ...’
‘Apparently, that is the way the money goes, gentlemen. The weasel has popped!’
‘You two will have so much to talk about. You’re a debut novelist and Quentin here is a debut book critic.’
‘More Baroness T, vicar?’
‘I’m a bit disappointed by the afterlife, me.’
‘I suggested a “sand castle” but he wanted to make a “sand iPhone”.’
‘A bag of pound coins, you say?’
‘Waiter, there’s a greenfly in my soup!’
‘Drug squad! Open up!’
‘Oh no – your civil partner and my ex-husband!’
