Law
The Spectator
Thursday
Unfair
‘It’s so unfair! All my friends are going to Syria. You won’t let me do anything!’
Spectator letters: John Major on James Goldsmith
The Goldsmith effect Sir: Much as I admire filial loyalty, I cannot allow Zac Goldsmith’s article about his father to go uncorrected (‘My dad saved the pound’, 28 February). Sir James Goldsmith was a formidable campaigner against the European Union and the euro currency, but at no point did he alter government policy. Zac Goldsmith
How weird is it to have a second kitchen?
Cooking statistics Ed Miliband was photographed in a miserable kitchen, but it turned out to be only a snack preparation room which he has in addition to a large kitchen downstairs. What is the state of the nation’s kitchens? — The average size in England, according to official data, is 11 square metres. Five per
The Conservatives should be the party of immigrants — and here’s how they can be
For a long while, the Conservatives have been puzzled about their lack of popularity among immigrants. In theory, the Conservative party should be the natural home of new voters who are ambitious, entrepreneurial, hard-working and family-orientated. The immigrant vote — to the extent it can be considered a coherent block at all — ought to
Portrait of the week | 19 March 2015
Home In a Budget intended to have ‘no gimmicks, no giveaways’, George Osborne, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, offered pensioners with annuities the chance to cash them in and blow the lot. Borrowing in the coming year would be a fraction of a billion less than feared and the annual deficit was to be eliminated
Books & Arts opener – 19 March 2015
The Spectator at war: Unofficial news
From ‘Unofficial News’, The Spectator, 20 March 1915: THE exclusion of war correspondents from the firing line has greatly reduced the volume of unofficial news available for the enlightenment of the general public. What remains, moreover, has to run the gauntlet of the Censorship. How some of it manages to get through is a mystery
What the censors miss
From ‘Unofficial News’, The Spectator, 13 March 1915: The exclusion of war correspondents from the firing line has greatly reduced the volume of unofficial news available for the enlightenment of the general public. What remains, moreover, has to run the gauntlet of the Censorship. How some of it manages to get through is a mystery which
Wednesday
Budget 2015: Full text of Ed Miliband’s response
Mr Deputy Speaker, never has the gap between the Chancellor’s rhetoric and the reality of people’s lives been greater than it was today. This is a Budget people won’t believe from a government that’s not on their side. Because of their record. Because of their instincts. Because of their plans for the future. And because
Listen: key points of Budget 2015
George Osborne delivered his final Budget of this Parliament today. Here is what you need to listen to: Full speeches George Osborne’s speech, in full: listen to ‘Budget 2015: George Osborne’s full speech’ on audioBoom
Budget 2015: key announcements and figures
George Osborne delivered his final Budget of this Parliament today. Here is what you need to know. Key announcements Personal Savings Allowance: From April next year, the first £1,000 of the interest on all savings will be tax-free. Tax free allowance up to £11,000: The personal tax-free allowance will rise to £10,800 next year and to £11,000
The Spectator at war: Preparations and peril
From ‘Prolonging the War’, The Spectator, 20 March 1915: Owing to our mad refusal to think war possible or to prepare for it, we neglected to keep by us a sufficient store of extra rifles and equipment. A large portion of the nation even went so far as to regard preparation for war as partaking
Tuesday
The Spectator at war: Russia’s prize
From ‘News of the Week’, The Spectator, 20 March 1915: From the Dardanelles there is not much news, due no doubt to the fact that the operations have now reached a critical stage, and that the publication of the progress made might be injurious. All we know is that we have cleared the Straits for
Monday
The Spectator at war: Siege fighting
From ‘News of the Week’, The Spectator, 20 March 1915: When we wrote last week we were only able to chronicle very briefly the news that on Wednesday, March 10th, we had achieved a considerable local success at Neuve Chapelle. Now, however, that we have the details of the action contained in the spirited despatch
Sunday
The Spectator at war: Defence of the realm
From ‘The Defence of the Realm’, The Spectator, 13 March 1915: BEFORE dealing with the merits of the Defence of the Realm (No. 2) Bill which Mr. Lloyd George introduced into the House of Commons on Tuesday, it is necessary to say a few words about the manner of the introduction. This is a measure
Saturday
The Spectator at war: Taking one’s pleasure
From a letter, ‘Ascot in Wartime’, The Spectator, 13 March 1915: [To the editor of The Spectator] Sir,—”Pleasure as usual” is “certainly a vile motto,” say you in your note to “Schoolmaster’s” letter regarding Ascot in last week’s Spectator. You are profoundly comprehensive. I had, by the way, turned to your note almost immediately after
Friday
The Spectator at war: Reviewing the troops
From ‘The King and the National Reserve’, The Spectator, 13 March 1915: The King has made it his business not only to see every corps in the kingdom, old and new, and to share as it were in every new military development, but he has taken upon himself the duty of saying words of farewell
Thursday
Flats
‘Obviously, accountants, solicitors, head teachers and other poor people use a different entrance.’
Gp
‘You’re suffering from a terrible postcode.’