The Spectator

Just in case you missed them… | 25 January 2010

…here are some of the posts made at Spectator.co.uk Fraser Nelson believes that an election victory is only the start of the battle for Cameron. James Forsyth wonders if Gove’s reforms may be adopted in Wales and Scotland, and ponders Cameron’s military muck-up. Peter Hoskin says that Matthew Parris has some good advice for Dave,

Letters | 23 January 2010

Hastings’s battle Sir: Max Hastings, one of the shrewdest and well-informed writers about defence, is right (‘The military’s last stand’, 16 January). There is a good case for increasing the defence budget, but no British government is likely to do so unless there is a dramatic deterioration in the international situation. Budgets are likely to

Portrait of the week | 23 January 2010

British people donated £23 million through the charities’ Disasters Emergency Committee to help the people of Haiti within six days of the earthquake there; the British government also gave £20 million. British people donated £23 million through the charities’ Disasters Emergency Committee to help the people of Haiti within six days of the earthquake there;

Charitable misgivings

The Haiti earthquake story has moved from a straightforward human tragedy to one of recrimination over the delay in channelling humanitarian aid. Reports from the ground suggest that so far only a few trucks carrying food and water have managed to reach the victims. It is deeply frustrating to see emergency supplies and equipment held

A conservative revival?

It is likely that David Cameron regards this week’s stunning Republican victory in Massachusetts with a mixture of excitement and terror. It is likely that David Cameron regards this week’s stunning Republican victory in Massachusetts with a mixture of excitement and terror. It marks an incredible conservative comeback. For the Republicans to take the seat

The week that was | 22 January 2010

Here are some of the posts made on Spectator.co.uk over the past week: Fraser Nelson warns that the EU is slithering onto the world stage. James Forsyth says that the Obama presidency is in big trouble, and wonders what Labour will do with their extra £1.5 billion. Peter Hoskin watches Alistair Darling struggle for consistency,

In this week’s Spectator | 21 January 2010

The latest issue of the Specatator is published today. If you are a subscriber you can view it here. If you have not subscribed, but would like to view this week’s content, you can subscribe online here, or purchase a single issue here. A selection of articles from the latest issue is available for free

Win a case of wine with the Spectator survey

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CoffeeHousers’ Wall 18 January – 24 January

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… | 18 January 2010

…here are some of the posts made at Spectator.co.uk over the weekend. Fraser Nelson is relieved to see George Osborne talking sense. James Forsyth asks if Mandelson has won a lasting victory, and says that Nick Clegg has one great policy but he doesn’t know how to sell it. Peter Hoskin observes the insiders biting

Letters | 16 January 2010

Gangster paradise Sir: Owen Matthews’s article (‘Something rotten in the state of Russia’, 9 January) brilliantly encapsulates and explains the condition of Russia today. But he omits to mention that the subversion of the judicial system and pervasive corruption have been in evidence for a long time, which does raise the question of whether Hermitage

Portrait of the week | 16 January 2010

A failed attempt by Mr Geoff Hoon and Miss Patricia Hewitt to provoke a ballot on the Labour leadership was not mentioned at the next meeting of the Cabinet meeting, Mr Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister said. Instead he had urged ministers to apply a ‘laser focus’ on Britain’s problems, such as the weather. A

Our real supreme court

It is tempting to cheer the European Court of Human Rights’s ruling in the case of Kevin Gillan and Pennie Quinton. They have been awarded £30,000 in compensation on the grounds that the powers used by the police to detain them at a protest outside an arms fair in Docklands six years ago were illiberal.

Cold hearts

Perhaps the least fashionable cause in Britain is the welfare of our elderly. At least 35,000 old men and women will die from the cold this winter: a staggering, scandalous figure. We are a rich country, there are many ingenious and inexpensive ways to heat a house, yet every August, when the number of ‘excess

The week that was | 15 January 2010

Fraser Nelson congratulates Ross Kemp for giving both sides of the Israeli/Palestinian debate. James Forsyth believes that Jon Cruddas may be Labour’s coming man, and scents Labour’s plotters gathering to oppose international jurisdiction. Peter Hoskin is stunned to hear Ed Balls say the same stuff differently, and praises the Tories sensible re-think of their marriage tax

In this week’s Spectator | 14 January 2010

The latest issue of the Specatator is published today. If you are a subscriber you can view it here. If you have not subscribed, but would like to view this week’s content, you can subscribe online here, or purchase a single issue here. A selection of articles from the latest issue is available for free

CoffeeHousers’ Wall 11 January – 17 January

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… | 11 January 2010

…here are some of the posts made at Spectator.co.uk over the weekend. Fraser Nelson reveals the full horror of the Brown administration, and analyses David Cameron’s performance on the Andrew Marr show. James Forsyth argues that Darling’s intervention is a very significant moment, and argues that the Cabinet’s lack of love for Brown is a

Letters | 9 January 2010

Freedom fights fanaticism Sir: John Deverell (Letters, 19 December) is right to draw attention to the precarious position of Christians in the Middle East: though the implication seems to be that if we keep quiet about the Islamification of Europe, the Islamists penetrate further into Europe; while if we speak out, the Islamists tighten their

Portrait of the week | 9 January 2010

Mr Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister, called a meeting in London on Yemen at the end of the month after al-Qa’eda claimed that it was responsible for the attempted destruction of an airliner approaching Detroit on Christmas Day. Mr Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister, called a meeting in London on Yemen at the end of