The Spectator

The week that was | 4 November 2011

Here is a selection of a posts made at Spectator.co.uk over the last week. James Forsyth has news of a Cabinet row about the euro and looks at the post-riots political landscape. Fraser Nelson chides Nick Clegg for claiming to create jobs and says the birth of the world’s 7 billionth person should be celebrated,

November poetry competition

The votes are in and the decision is made. The winner of last month’s poetry competition is Sam Gwynn, for this entry on the theme of ‘dirt’: If dirt is bad, then so are we and so is history, For all of us were dirty once, as dirty as can be. Our milieu was the tillage where

CoffeeHousers’ Wall, 31 October – 6 November 2011

Welcome to the latest CoffeeHousers’ Wall. For those who haven’t come across the Wall before, it’s a post we put up each Monday, on which — providing your writing isn’t libellous, crammed with swearing, or offensive to common decency — you’ll be able to say whatever you like in the comments section. There is no

Just in case you missed them… | 31 October 2011

…here are some of the posts made at Spectator.co.uk over the weekend. Douglas Murray visits the protestors at St Paul’s. James Forsyth says Charles Moore and Matthew Parris are right about the protests. Fraser Nelson suggests that the elites are too disconnected from the Eurosceptic masses. Pete Hoskin says the word of the weekend is “repatriate”.

Letters | 29 October 2011

• God save the Queen Sir: Robert Hardman (‘The Queen’s manifesto’, 22 October) is right to say that we should respect the Queen for more than longevity and never putting a foot wrong. One of her great strengths is that she is so willing to take advice from those placed (or elected) to give it.

Barometer | 29 October 2011

•  Rebels, rebels 81 Conservative MPs defied a three-line whip to vote in favour of a referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU. Some other big rebellions. Number of rebels Majority 37 (Lab) National Service Bill 1947 Government win by 188 72 (Con) Shops Bill 1986 (Sunday trading) Government lose by 14 41 (Con) E.C.

Portrait of the week | 29 October 2011

Home David Cameron, the Prime Minister, insisted on being present, along with leaders of the 10 EU countries not part of the eurozone, at a summit on the crisis surrounding the currency bloc. At an earlier summit of leaders of all 27 EU countries, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France told Mr Cameron: ‘You say you

Old world order

Britain has never been defined by its place on the map. Our nation’s reach and interests have always been global, not merely continental. Not so long ago, a quarter of humanity was united under our empire. Today, in empire’s place, stands the Commonwealth. This weekend, the Queen convenes the meeting of its various heads of

The week that was | 28 October 2011

Here is a selection of a posts made at Spectator.co.uk over the last week. Fraser Nelson asks if Brits are more likely to riot than the foreign born, and wonders when MPs will wake up to Shale. Sam Gyimah MP says that now is not the time for an EU referendum. James Forsyth says that

CoffeeHousers’ Wall, 24 October – 30 October 2011

UPDATE: CoffeeHousers all, we’re offering a mini cask of Hobgoblin beer to the author of the most mischievous comment made on the website this week. The winner, picked by Coffee House’s editorial team, will be announced on Friday. ———————————————————————————————————– Welcome to the latest CoffeeHousers’ Wall. For those who haven’t come across the Wall before, it’s

Just in case you missed them… | 24 October 2011

…here are some of the posts made at Spectator.co.uk over the weekend. Fraser Nelson reveals the Queen’s secret of success, and says Cameron’s making a mistake by restarting the Tory Wars. Douglas Murray says we have lessons to learn on how to handle dictators. James Forsyth has news of a poll showing support for an