The Spectator

All together now | 1 November 2012

Fraser Nelson British politicians have long dreamt of regulating the press, but have always been hampered by the basic point that the press isn’t theirs to regulate. Only now, with the industry on its knees, do the enemies of press freedom feel able to strike. Their hope is to appoint a press watchdog who would

Shelf Life: Judy Finnigan

Judy Finnigan tells us which Dane she’d take on holiday, which book she found in her mother’s bedside drawer and which book had better be on Richard Madeley’s reading list. Eloise by Judy Finnigan is published by Sphere. She tweets @judyfinnigan. 1). What are you reading at the moment? I’m currently re-reading American Wife, by

Letters | 25 October 2012

The toxic centre-ground Sir: I found it hard to be convinced by Matthew Parris’s claim (‘The centre holds’, 20 October) that David Cameron has ‘brilliantly understood’ that old ‘nasty party’ problem. It is held by the soft wet left of the Conservative party that Mrs Thatcher’s party was that ‘toxic’ nasty party. However, the figures

Portrait of the week | 25 October 2012

Home Andrew Mitchell, the Conservative chief whip, resigned, still denying that he referred to police as ‘plebs’ for refusing to allow him to cycle through the main gate to Downing Street three weeks ago. The Chancellor, George Osborne, was caught in a first-class carriage with a standard-class ticket. One of his aides paid £160 for