The full audio of The Spectator’s debate on grammar schools with David Davis and Stephen Pollard speaking for them and Charles Clarke, Fiona Millar and Simon Jenkins opposing is now available online. You can listen here.
A nuclear Iran Sir: Should there be any doubt, following James Forsyth’s article (‘What to do about Iran and the bomb’, 20 June), that the Iranian government intends to build atomic weapons, it is answered by the forest of anti-aircraft weapons protecting their uranium enrichment plant at Nantaz. When in the area two weeks ago
Taking the country to war is one of the most serious decisions a government can make. So it is right and proper that once the troops return home, there is a full investigation. To the greatest extent possible — given intelligence relationships and the need not to reveal information that could compromise national security —
A journalist who wrote for last week’s Spectator has been detained by the Iranian regime. He should be freed immediately. Last week’s Spectator carried a fine atmospheric despatch from Tehran by the Greek journalist Iason Athanasiadis, who has also been covering the disputed presidential election for the Washington Times. At some point in the past week —
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 – provided 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
…here are some of the posts made on Spectator.co.uk over the weekend: Fraser Nelson highlights more lies from Gordon Brown, and observes the latest Cabinet split. James Forsyth investigates how Brown views himself, and charts the PM’s latest effort to relaunch himself. Martin Bright has the latest from your thinker in residence. Clive Davis highlights
Built on a lie Sir: J. Alan Smith (Letters, 13 June) points out that Churchill from 1940-45 was, like Gordon Brown today, ‘a prime minister who was “unelected”’ — as though that should allay concerns about the democratic legitimacy of Mr Brown’s premiership. But the main concern about Mr Brown’s democratic legitimacy is not so much
Just to remind CoffeeHousers that the deadline for the Spectator’s short story competition is fast-approaching. Entries have to be in before the end of Thursday, 25 June. Here are details for anyone who’s interested: To celebrate the launch of the Spectator Book Club, The Spectator is giving you the chance to have a short story
Since his brush with political death, Gordon Brown has made ‘candour’ his word for the month. So it was extraordinary to hear how brazenly the Prime Minister distorted the truth in his address on Tuesday to the GMB’s conference in Blackpool: a thunderous campaign speech which sought to draw the sharpest of ‘dividing lines’ between
There was something magnificently comic about Lord Rogers of Riverside accusing the Prince of Wales of ‘unconstitutional’ behaviour. The modernist architect is predictably outraged that his hideous design for a development on the site of the old Chelsea Barracks has now been ditched — after Prince Charles wrote to a member of the Qatari royal family,
Here are some of the posts made on Spectator.co.uk over the past week: Matthew d’Ancona introduces the Spectator’s 50 Essential Films, and observes Gordon Brown following a dividing line to oblivion. Fraser Nelson notes George Osborne’s milestone article, and watches Brown do the Time Warp again. James Forsyth thinks that Margaret Beckett would only just
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 – provided 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
Here are some of the posts made over the weekend on Spectator.co.uk: Fraser Nelson sets out the two sorts of cuts. James Forsyth reports on a morning of Mandelson and Miliband, and says that the next Speaker must command cross-party support. Peter Hoskin watches Ken Clarke both clarify and muddy the Tory position on Europe,
Back to Black Sir: Taki (High Life, 16 May) exaggerated the ineptitude of my counsel in Chicago, and in this I am happy to agree with Tom Bower (Letters, 23 May), but they were not my counsel of choice, whom I was prevented from retaining by an asset seizure that was subsequently judged by the
It is an exquisite irony that Gordon Brown, so determined to deny the British people the general election they obviously crave, has made the centrepiece of his (latest) relaunch an investigation into the Westminster voting system. Refusing to play the game, he launches a full-blown inquiry into its rules. It is the most insultingly scarlet
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 – provided 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
Here are some posts made on Spectator.co.uk over the weekend: Coffee House live-blogged the Euro-election. You can read the live blog here. Matthew d’Ancona provides an update on the Labour coup. Fraser Nelson laments the government of automatons. James Forsyth wonders whether Brown will be forced out in the autumn, and reports that more Labour
Racism isn’t right Sir: Reference is made in the headlines of Fraser Nelson’s article on the BNP (‘The rise of British racism may be horribly close’, 30 May) to ‘far Right politicians’. Surely Mr Nelson does not imagine that there is anything right-wing about the BNP? As its 2005 general election manifesto shows, it is
The next few days will serve up plenty of reminders that this country does not have a written constitution. As the plotters decide how best to move against the Prime Minister, they will not be operating within any defined framework of rules to select a head of government. Rather, they will be muddling through. There
Matthew d’Ancona highlights Alan Johnson’s act of self-preservation, and says that the end has come for Gordon Brown. Fraser Nelson reveals why James Purnell resigned, and gives his take on John Hutton’s resignation. James Forsyth says that the left needs to come to the aid of Labour, and claims that David Miliband has lost the