Announcing a change to Toby Young’s Spectator column
A few years ago, we had a bit of a problem with Toby Young’s column – one that never quite…
A deleted tweet shows how even police are confused by the law on SatNavs
Yesterday, the Greater Manchester Police tweeted out the above picture claiming that that ‘the only legal place’ to put a…
Angela Rayner on education and white working-class culture
I interview Angela Rayner, the Shadow Education Secretary, for the forthcoming edition of The Spectator. I met her before Christmas…
Spectator Christmas Present subscription 2017
If you’re a Spectator subscriber, then the perfect Christmas present is not hard to imagine: what better present than the…
No 10 should have seen Alan Milburn’s resignation coming
For the whole board of the Social Mobility Commission to resign with its chairman, Alan Milburn, condemning the Prime Minister’s…
No, the Kremlin is not behind Legatum – or Brexit
Given that most think tanks and universities are heavily against Brexit, the recent arrival of the Legatum Institute into the…
The Norway model: a new approach to immigration and asylum
Germany is this weekend seeing whether or not Angela Merkel will be able to form a government as she deals…
After Brexit, Britain will still have European cities. Can someone tell the EU?
When Britain voted to leave the EU, it didn’t necessarily follow that we’d be kicked out of its European Capital…
The collapse of coalition talks in Germany makes a ‘no deal’ Brexit a little more likely
The Cabinet is expected to resume talks about Brexit today, reportedly nudging towards a £40 billion offer ahead of a…
Even Michel Barnier says it’s time to prepare for ‘no deal’ on Brexit
Today’s Guardian has an odd splash headline, denouncing as ‘Orwellian’ a letter that Michael Gove and Boris Johnson sent to…
Since Article 50 was triggered, a no-deal Brexit has been the default
Jeremy Hunt has told Tory rebels that”if we don’t back Theresa May we will have no Brexit”. It echoes a point…
The resignation letter blunder
We ran a Steerpike blog entitled “the resignation letter blunder” about how Theresa May put Priti Patel’s name underneath her…
The Bank of England has finally raised interest rates. More, please
Finally, interest rates are back on their way up. The Bank of England’s rise today – from 0.25 per cent…
Spectator Parliamentarian of the Year 2017: the winners
The Spectator’s 31st Parliamentarian of the Year awards took place at the Rosewood Hotel this evening. Here are the winners.…
How I fell under the spell of Soviet propaganda posters
It’s hard to admire communist art with an entirely clear conscience. The centenary of the October revolution, which falls this…
Turning rejects into champions – the miracle of Östersund FC
In my Daily Telegraph column today, I write about the incredible story of Östersund football club. It hasn’t quite been…
Martin Selmayr and the EU’s Twitter diplomacy
Donald Trump says that without Twitter, he would not be president. It’s a medium that allows him to set the…
Amber Rudd says that a no-deal Brexit is ‘unthinkable’. She is, alas, wrong
Amber Rudd had been admirably disciplined on Brexit. She was a passionate Remainer, who performed herself with distinction in the…
Wanted: a social media editor for The Spectator
The Spectator is hiring. We’re looking for our first full-time social media editor, but one with a difference. We are looking for…
In referring to the EU as ‘the enemy’, Philip Hammond has created another reason to sack him
Is Philip Hammond trying to be sacked as Chancellor? First, he messed up his Budget after admitting he didn’t properly…
Interview: Centrica CEO, Iain Conn, on the energy price cap
Theresa May had wanted Ofgem to introduce a energy price cap: it said this would require new legislation and today…
Who will join the Grant Shapps and Ed Vaizey rebellion?
A move against Theresa May led by someone with their career in front of them might be seen as a…
Burma, Kipling, Sinatra and Boris – the anatomy of a non-scandal
I’m an admirer of Brian Cox so I was struck by a tweet of his yesterday, where he seemed to…
Ruth Davidson and Boris Johnson have so much in common. Why the bad blood?
Boris Johnson and Ruth Davidson are two of my favourite Tory politicians: both energetic, eloquent, optimistic, pro-immigration and – in…
Spectator Briefing: A new battle of ideas
When I started out as a political journalist, I was always thrown by the word ‘policy’. To most people it…
