Matthew Wilson

Why are roses romantic?

How a female medieval poet rescued the flower’s reputation

Scandalously sensual: ‘Venus Verticordia’, 1864-8, by Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Credit: © Russell-Cotes Art Gallery / Supported by the National Art Collections Fund / Bridgeman Images

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Rod Liddle

I hope you didn’t sign that petition

From the magazine
Did you sign it, then? And if so, what were your expectations? That Sir Keir Starmer would look at the figures and say – perhaps with a tinge of remorse – ‘Yup, that’s it, I’m bang to rights, we’ll have an election?’. Or were you simply hoping to annoy him? If so, I assume you

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