Leading article
Anatomy of a scandal
Last summer, Rishi Sunak told this magazine about what happened inside government during lockdown. The policy, he said, had been…
The SNP’s purity test
It seems as if Kate Forbes is about to achieve the remarkable distinction of losing an election as a result…
State of the Union
Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation as First Minister of Scotland comes at a critical moment for the Union, since the question of…
What Turkey needs
This week’s earthquake in Turkey and northern Syria is a reminder that in spite of civilisation’s advance and human ingenuity,…
Green and pleasant
To listen to many environmental campaigners, you would think that Britain was a toxic wasteland. They tell us that our…
When the system fails
Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai, 21, an Afghan convicted this week of murdering a man in Bournemouth last year, had previously murdered two…
The Boris delusion
Loyalty, it used to be said, was the secret weapon of the Conservative party. That hasn’t been true for some…
Watch this space
The attempted launch of a rocket via a Boeing 747 from Spaceport Cornwall – the first such attempt in Europe…
Harry’s game
Four months into his reign, King Charles has seen his fair share of drama: two prime ministers and a wave…
Christmas under fire
This year, for the first time, millions of Ukrainians will celebrate Christmas on 25 December. The Orthodox Church had used…
Sea of faith
When asked about their religion in a census, many British people have the same response: that it’s none of the…
In defence of Brexit
Opponents of Brexit have been given plenty of ammunition in recent weeks. Trade with the European Union has taken a…
The new censorship
Had it not been for the Tory leadership contest over the summer, a new censorship law would have been passed…
Austerity is back
It’s the Chancellor who will deliver next week’s Autumn Statement, but every-one knows it will have been ghost-written by Rishi…
Beware Beijing
Olaf Scholz will be in Beijing this weekend, making the first visit of a western leader to China since the…
A milder winter
When Russia invaded Ukraine in February, German protesters lined the streets holding placards saying ‘Better a cold shower than Putin’s…
Beyond Truss
Seldom has support for a government fallen so far, so fast. Polls show that 24 per cent of the public…
The great leap backward
This month should have marked the end of Xi Jinping’s time as leader of the Chinese Communist party. The twice-a-decade…
The right reforms
Conservative governments have a habit of self-destructing: they die not in battle with political enemies but as a result of…
Politics and prejudice
The Labour party’s contribution to the national debate this week has included the idea that someone can be ‘superficially’ black.…
In search of Trussonomics
When Liz Truss entered the leadership race there was no such thing as ‘Trussonomics’. She began her campaign with no…
Her act of Union
In death, as in life, Elizabeth II has been a unifying force for her country. For all the political rancour…
Health warning
It’s hard to think of any Prime Minister who has entered office surrounded by such low expectations. Liz Truss was…
Gorbachev’s legacy
In her memoirs, Raisa Gorbacheva recalls the moment when her husband turned from bureaucrat into reformer. ‘I’m in my seventh…
