Nigel’s nakedness Sir: Rod Liddle is right to be wary of the hubris that Nigel Farage, the Brexit party leader, is beginning to show (‘The Brexit party delusion’, 18 May). His wish to smash the mould of British politics clearly shows that he expects his disciples to follow him into the promised land. The Andrew
This week’s European election was always going to be pointless, at least from a British perspective. It is possible that the elected candidates will never even take up their seats. In one important sense, however, the election campaign has been useful: as a reminder of where public opinion stands on Brexit. A few weeks ago,
Home The country went to the polls to elect Members of the European Parliament and express its loathing for the two main political parties. On the eve of polling, Theresa May, the Prime Minister, appealed for MPs’ support for the Withdrawal Agreement Bill to be introduced shortly, saying that it would contain a provision for
Milkshakes and other missiles What can the man who threw a milkshake over Nigel Farage in Newcastle expect as a punishment, from past precedent? — Tony Blair was struck by a tomato in Bristol in 2001. His attacker was given a two-year conditional discharge. — In the same year, John Prescott had an egg thrown
The group is ‘Les Nabis’ (anagram of ALBINESS (18)). Its members were VALLOTTON, DENIS, ROUSSEL, RANSON, SÉRUSIER, BONNARD and VUILLARD. The seminal work was THE TALISMAN (appearing diagonally from row thirteen). THE TALISMAN was to be shaded. First prize Peter Tanner, Hertford Runners-up Michael Knox, Beaconsfield, Bucks; Bill Stewart, Leicester
Theresa May’s latest Brexit bill is set to come back to the Commons early next month, but already the signs are that it won’t be fourth time lucky for the Prime Minister and her Withdrawal Agreement. Here is the full list of 74 Tory MPs who say they will vote it down: Adam Afriyie Lucy
Royal name games Will more children be called Archie following the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s son? How have other names fared after being picked by royalty? — George was the 6th most popular boy’s name in 2012, the year before Prince George was born. In 2014 it fell to 18th. — Charlotte
Labour’s fence-sitting Sir: James Forsyth writes that Mrs May and Mr Corbyn are ‘not, in fact, that far apart’ (‘May’s compromising position’, 11 May). To many, the Labour left is simply playing its very old game of sitting on the fence over the EU. The electorate have spotted it, and Labour paid for it in
Home Theresa May, the Prime Minister, said that the EU withdrawal bill would be introduced in the Commons in the first week of June (just when President Donald Trump of the United States is making his state visit). If parliament did not vote for it, Britain would leave without an agreement, or its notice to
This week the Institute for Fiscal Studies announced a five-year study into inequality in Britain, to be led by the economist Sir Angus Deaton, a Scottish academic who recently won the Nobel prize for economics. It is to be welcomed, because it will widen the scope of a debate that has been too narrow for
DEVILS at 33D (its ‘essence’ is ‘EVIL’) is linked with ‘Malevolence’ (13) and ‘Roguish’ (19) and Devil’s CANDLESTICK (1), ON HORSEBACK (3), LIVERY (7), DOOR (14), SHOESTRINGS (17), ELBOW (27), APPLES (29) and ISLAND (32). First prize F.A. Scott, Enfield, Middlesex Runners-up John Cruickshank, Aberdeen; Jenny Atkinson, Little Chalfont, Bucks
Scrutinising charities Sir: Toby Young was right to raise questions about War on Want’s links to the Stop Trump campaign (4 May). The public rightly hold charities to high standards of behaviour, and charities are required to follow clear rules around political activity. We will be scrutinising the charity’s activities, and the issues raised by
Endangered species The UN claimed a million species of plants and animals could become extinct. If they all died out, how many would we be left with? — The number of new species being discovered is growing at a faster rate than species are dying out. In 2011, the UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre
Strictly in terms of its implications for the succession, the arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s son this week was not the most important of royal births. The boy has been born seventh in line to the throne, but that position can be expected to fall rapidly once the Cambridge children begin to
Home John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, blamed Theresa May, the Prime Minister, for leaking details of talks between the government and Labour over Brexit. He said she had ‘blown the confidentiality’ of the talks and ‘jeopardised the negotiations’. He was annoyed that the Sunday Times had said she would agree to a customs union, something
The first and second letters of the unclued lights are the same as the third and fourth ones. All the solutions are words or one phrase eight letters long. ARARAT at 32 Down matches the pattern but is only six-letters in length and had to be highlighted. First prize D. Thorpe, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire Runners-up
From 10 May 1919: The heart of the country is always for moderation. Nothing could show this more plainly than the recent by-elections. It was felt that the Prime Minister had been given too clean a sheet of paper to write his policy on, and that it would be good for him to feel that
What does it mean to be a conservative? Last night, The Spectator brought together Douglas Murray and Roger Scruton to discuss that question. Here is the full transcript of their conversation: Douglas Murray: Some months ago, The Spectator said to me that they would like me to do an event and who would I like
