Teenagers
‘My Dad’s a Tory backbencher — he’s going through a rebellious phase.’
The Spectator
Thursday
Letters | 8 November 2012
Votes of no confidence Sir: Charles Moore (The Spectator’s Notes, 27 October) rightly drew attention to the importance of the Police and Crime Commissioner elections and the arrogance of Lord Blair in suggesting they should be boycotted. However, he did not comment upon the fact that none of the literature admits which voting system is
Portrait of the Week – 8 November 2012
Home David Cameron, the Prime Minister, flew to the Gulf to sell Typhoon jets to Dubai and Saudi Arabia. On the border of Jordan with Syria he said he shared a ‘goal of a Syria without Assad’. Mr Cameron appointed Mrs Justice Macur to examine the treatment of allegations of sexual abuse at children’s homes
A hollow victory
Barack Obama this week pulled off a remarkable victory. The American economy is recovering at a pace most voters regard as unacceptable, and just over half believe that the country is on the wrong track. The President campaigned with an approval rating below 50 per cent and unemployment above 8 per cent. Historically, these factors
Books and Arts – 8 November 2012
Wednesday
Shelf Life: Iain (M) Banks
Scottish novelist Iain (M) Banks is this week’s Shelf Life provocateur. He tells us how he likes to test his potential lovers and what extreme punishments he exacts on books he doesn’t like. 1) What are you reading at the moment? The Hell of it All by Charlie Brooker and Anatomy of the Orchestra by
Thursday
Witches
‘All flights over the east coast of America have been cancelled.’
Library
Pool
Benefit
‘Great news — we’re offi cially middle class!’
Skyfall
It’s licensed to make a killing.’
Bond
‘Just because I didn’t want to see Skyfall…’
Poppy
Turbine
‘There’s the house. This must be the folly.’
Swine
‘He’s got swine fever.’
Hearse
‘A hearse! A hearse! My kingdom for a hearse!’
Feelings
‘You know you asked me to try to talk about my feelings more? Well, we lost 3-0 today and I’m totally gutted.’
Legacy: CCTV 1
‘Thank you for getting away from it all in this wild and remote spot. CCTV is in operation…’
Ash
‘Ah, autumn, when the trees begin to fall.’
Letters | 1 November 2012
Objections to gay marriage Sir: Hugo Rifkind (27 October) thinks that religious objections to gay marriage can be ignored because Christians have no right to impose their beliefs on others. He sees nothing illiberal, though, in a small number of progressives seeking to force their new definition of marriage on the rest of us. Our