The foreign news pages read increasingly like some terrible satire on western military decline. Two years ago French and British forces, with the help of the US Navy, managed to help Libyan rebels topple Colonel Gaddafi. This year, the French needed British support to go to war against some tribesmen in Mali. It was a
Political joke The Five Star Movement, led by comedian Beppe Grillo, won 26% of the vote in the Italian general election. Comedian John O’Farrell competed as Labour’s candidate in the Eastleigh by-election. Some other comedians who have won office: — Jon Gnarr won Reykjavik’s mayoral election in 2010 with 35% of the vote, on a
How should you deal with lechery? In this week’s Spectator, Rod Liddle and Hugo Rifkind detail two instances of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ they either watched or, in Hugo’s case, personally encountered. Rod describes the vocal response of one BBC production assistant to the appearance of a ‘well-lubricated’ reporter’s hand on her inner thigh. He argues that
In this week’s Spectator, Julie Bindel explores the culture of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ in Parliament. Her piece, “Carry on Westminster”, makes a number of revelations about the way parliamentarians behave towards women in the Westminster village, including the following: Nick Clegg was given a written complaint in March 2011 about Mike Hancock, Lib Dem MP for
Oscar Pistorius has now been granted bail ahead of his trial in June. His case has raised many basic questions abroad, such as: is it normal for South Africans to have loaded guns on hand? And is it a defence to say that you killed someone because you thought they were someone else? There’s a
‘But if you want a cheaper day return to Crewe, try nudging the lemon but hold the cherry...’
‘For the purpose of recognition, your contact will be reading a copy of the Times on his iPad.’
‘Just how remote is this remote cottage?’
‘Is it a normal symptom of depression to be followed around by vultures?’
‘Can we forget the bedroom tax if I agree to store nuclear waste in there?’
The Mad Hatter’s Ukip party
‘We’ve both walked the streets a bit; perhaps we should be allowed to run a police force.’
‘You sold your soul but you don’t appear to have declared it, Mr Faust.’
‘Sorry, Barbara, but you know our motto: “Survival of the fittest”.’
‘Paxman can be very harsh if you give him a stupid answer.’
