Nancy and the Keynesians Sir: Nancy Dell’Olio is a Keynesian (‘John Maynard Keynes, my hero’, 29 November), but if Keynes were alive today, he would be revising his doctrine. In the 1930s government expenditure was a much smaller proportion of GDP than it is today. So was the tax take. Then, with the private sector
‘I was excited and delighted by it in that first Bombay minute,’ says the narrator in Gregory David Roberts’s great novel Shantaram. ‘I was excited and delighted by it in that first Bombay minute,’ says the narrator in Gregory David Roberts’s great novel Shantaram. ‘I know now that it’s the sweet, sweating smell of hope,
Here is a selection of the posts made on Coffee House this week: Fraser Nelson reports on how the Speaker simply passed the buck on who was to blame for letting the police search Damian Green’s office and sets out the cases for fiscal autonomy for Scotland. James Forsyth speculates that David Davis might soon
Over at the Book Club, Spectator editorial staff have put together a list of recommended books to read over Christmas. You can see their suggestions here.
Here are some of the posts made over the weekend on Spectator.co.uk: Fraser Nelson says that the system overreach must come to an end. James Forsyth speculates on what’s really behind the arrest of Damian Green, and wonders what’s next for Gordon Brown after the political failure of the PBR. Peter Hoskin asks Alistair Darling how
Diplomatic bag Sir: Michael Nicholson’s story of a boat-owner finding contraband aboard from the previous owner (Letters, 22 November) reminded me of being compromised in Paris. As leader of a teenage school party, I suspected one or more of them of being in possession. As staff we searched suitcases and bedrooms with fingertip detail and
The Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Pre-Budget Report (PBR) was one of the most arresting political events of modern times. The Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Pre-Budget Report (PBR) was one of the most arresting political events of modern times. Alistair Darling’s delivery was as flat as ever, but what he had to say was truly dramatic:
Here are some of the posts made over the past week on Spectator.co.uk: Coffee House has edited a video to highlight Brown’s borrowing binge. Matthew d’Ancona responds to the Mumbai Atrocities, and says that the Pre-Budget report was a thin offering. Lisa Hilton delivers the latest society news, and commemorates another Johnson triumph. Fraser Nelson
Just to remind CoffeeHousers that today’s the last day for you to submit questions to the shadow housing minister, Grant Shapps. Just head over to this post to submit one. And we’ll pick out the best this evening.
Here are some of the posts made over the weekend on Spectator.co.uk: Fraser Nelson says Gordon Brown is blasting out his false message, and surveys the prospects for Reykjavik on Thames. James Forsyth asks whether Brown’s political positioning on VAT is any good, and outlines the coming Tory attack on Brown. Peter Hoskin reports on a
The problem with Pakistan Sir: It is preposterous that Elliot Wilson pleads for the bailing out of Pakistan (‘Britain can’t afford a failed Pakistan’, 15 November). The country is not facing a natural disaster; its economic meltdown is self-inflicted — it insisted on acquiring nuclear weapons and cosying up to Islamic terrorism. Pakistan, both politically
From the economic and psychological bedlam of the global downturn has emerged a particularly dangerous false dichotomy: namely, that there is somehow a choice for ministers over the next few years between economic reconstruction and the repair of Britain’s broken society, and that the government (whether Labour or Conservative) must prioritise the former at the
Here are some of the posts made over the past week on Spectator.co.uk: The Spectator website is hosting an exclusive clip from the recently-discovered Agatha Christie tapes. Click here to listen to it. Fraser Nelson says the world isn’t behind Gordon Brown, and suggests that the Tories shouldn’t let Brown provoke a split. James Forsyth
To accompany this week’s leading Arts article by Selina Mills, the Spectator website has been given exlcusive permission to host a clip of the recently-discovered Agatha Christie tapes. You can listen to that clip, and read Selina’s article, by clicking here. And over at the Parliamentarian Awards section, we’ve uploaded all the articles from the
A further selection of the best and worst books of 2008 , chosen by some of our regular reviewers Ferdinand Mount I’m not sure quite what it is that captivated me about Tim Winton’s novel, Breath (Hamish Hamilton, £14.99). It’s a sort of Huck Finn goes surfing in Australia. A scrawny kid bums along the
Here are some of the posts made over the weekend on Spectator.co.uk: Complete footage of the Spectator / Threadneedle Parliamentarian awards has been uploaded here. Fraser Nelson says that Gordon Brown thinks the truth is hell. James Forsyth warns David Cameron against shifting George Osborne, and suggests that a constitutional monarch should be seen and
The licence fee is good value Sir: Charles Moore has really talked himself into a corner this time with regard to his pathological dislike of the BBC (The Spectator’s Notes, 8 November). Like many other ‘BBC bashers’ on the Right he seems to gleefully welcome the Ross and Brand affair as a vindication of his
We’ve uploaded complete footage of the recent Spectator / Threadneedle Parliamentarian awards ceremony. You can watch it here.
The hint of tax cuts made by Gordon Brown this week is a piece of political audacity which could only be matched were the Conservatives suddenly to commit themselves to the common ownership of the means of production. This is a Prime Minister who for years has sought to beat down the opposition by claiming
Our live chat with the Booker-nominated author Philip Hensher will be kicking off in about fifteen minutes over at the online Book Club. So, if you’re a fan of Philip’s work, a bibliophile or just stuck for something to do, do come and join us between 19:30 and 20:15. You can take part by clicking