The Spectator

CoffeeHousers’ Wall, 12 September – 18 September 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… | 12 September 2011

…here are some of the posts made at Spectator.co.uk over the weekend. Fraser Nelson witnesses the commemorations of the tenth anniversary of 9/11 in New York, and considers the ramifications of more QE. Siobhan Courtney asks if it is better to be married. Hamish MacDonell reveals that the SNP is opening up its lead in

Letters | 10 September 2011

Valuable lessons Sir: The Spectator deserves great credit for having so long trumpeted and encouraged the free schools agenda, which finally came to fruition this week. British education is a mess, and we are lucky to have, in Michael Gove, an Education Secretary determined to bring about radical change. One might have doubts about the

Barometer: Squatters’ rights

A judge has described squatting as ‘good for society’ and called for lists of empty homes to be made available to an agency for squatters, while the Justice Secretary, Kenneth Clarke, is attempting to ­strengthen the law against squatting. How do laws on the subject vary across Europe? Britain Breaking and entering is a criminal

Portrait of the Week – 10 September 2011

Home George Osborne, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, said in a speech in the City: ‘We have all had to revise down our short-term expectations over recent weeks.’ Industrial production for the United Kingdom fell by 0.2 per cent in July. House prices, according to the Halifax, fell by 1.2 per cent from July to

Leading article: A failure of planning

David Cameron has been struggling to get across what he means by his Big Society project, but he has nonetheless succeeded spectacularly in motivating previously apathetic and distant neighbours to get together and give up their time for a common purpose. Unfortunately for the Prime Minister, that purpose is to stop his planning policy. True,

The week that was | 9 September 2011

Here are some of the posts made at Spectator.co.uk over the last week. Freddy Gray says the riots were informed by a “hip hop culture” and reports on Wednesday night’s Republican debate.  Fraser Nelson asks “Who were the rioters?” and says Osborne should drop the 50p tax rate. James Forsyth reports on the breakdown of