Books and Arts | 26 September 2019
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The Spectator
Thursday
Tuesday
Full text: Jeremy Corbyn’s conference speech
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This is an extraordinary and precarious moment in our country’s history. The Prime Minister has been found to have acted illegally when he tried to shut down parliament.The highest court in the land has found that Boris Johnson broke the law when he tried to shut down democratic accountability at a crucial moment for our
What’s on today at Labour conference: The Spectator guide | 24 September 2019
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There is no love lost between Jeremy Corbyn and Tom Watson, so the Labour leader will have to grin and bear it as his deputy takes to the stage this afternoon. Here is the pick of today’s events in Brighton: Labour events: 8:30: Policy Seminar 9:45: Morning Plenary Session: Tackling The Climate Emergency 12:35: Votes
Monday
What’s on today at Labour conference: The Spectator guide | 23 September 2019
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Labour’s shadow chancellor John McDonnell takes to the stage in Brighton today. Last year, he made an unashamedly socialist pitch. So expect more of the same. Here are the events to keep an eye on today: Labour conference: 8:30: Policy Seminars 9:45: Morning Plenary Session: New Economy John McDonnell’s Speech 12:35: Votes 12:45: Break 14:00:
Sunday
What’s on today at Labour conference: The Spectator guide
From our UK edition
Labour is back in Brighton for the party’s annual conference. Here is the pick of the fringe events for the day: 9:45: Morning Plenary Session: Rebuilding public services 12:35: Votes 12:45: Break 14:00: Afternoon Plenary Session: Rebuilding public services 17:20: Votes Fringe events: 11:00: Taking on Brexit and the Climate Emergency Melanie Smallman (chair), Hilary Benn MP,
Thursday
Letters: parliament has a responsibility to stop Brexit
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Parliament’s responsibility Sir: I always enjoy reading the intelligent and outspoken Lionel Shriver. But her latest article (14 September) puts forward an invalid argument. As Ms Shriver points out, no one in the USA seriously argued that the disaster of Trump’s election, and the damage it could cause the country, meant the result should be
How many Britons now vape?
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Talking Turkey David Cameron again accused the Leave campaign of ‘lying’ about the prospect of Turkey joining the EU. A reminder of what he himself has said on the subject: — ‘I’m here to make the case for Turkey’s membership. And to fight for it… I will remain your strongest possible advocate for EU membership
Portrait of the week: EU negotiations, genderless babies and Brexit in court
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Home ‘I will uphold the constitution, I will obey the law, but we will come out on 31 October,’ Boris Johnson told the BBC, adding that the EU ‘have had a bellyful of all this stuff’. After a lunch of chicken and pollock at the Bouquet Garni in Luxembourg with Jean-Claude Juncker, the President of
Why would Britain want to be a member of a club like the EU?
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The past three years of agonising non-progress on Brexit have damaged Britain in many ways. Our political institutions have looked ridiculous and, through endless uncertainty, unnerved markets. But we have also learned much about the EU. Its behaviour, and that of its officials, has served to reassure those who were uncertain about their Brexit vote
to 2423: Redheads
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The unclued lights were all leaders of the USSR. First prize Wendy Atkin, Sleaford, Lincs Runners-up Robert Burgon, North Berwick, East Lothian; Sandra Speak, Dursley, Glos
Thursday
Does the outcome of the Ashes dictate who wins a general election?
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Party speak Should the next Speaker of the House of Commons be a Labour MP on the basis that John Bercow was a Conservative before taking the chair? There has been a tradition in recent decades that the two main parties alternate in filling the role. But it doesn’t go back far — Michael Martin,
Portrait of the week: The Speaker resigns, BA pilots strike and Mugabe dies
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Home A bill sponsored by Hilary Benn and supported by Alistair Burt and other dissident Tories was passed — becoming the European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 2) Act 2019. It commanded the Prime Minister to send by 19 October a letter of stipulated wording to the President of the European Council requesting that the deadline for
Britain’s jobs miracle proves there is no reason to fear technology
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Another week, another set of economic figures that suggest the country is showing remarkable resilience while politics implodes. Rather than fall into recession, as so many predicted, the economy leapt forward in July. We now have the lowest unemployment for 45 years, an extraordinary figure. Income inequality is near a 30-year low. The confidence crisis
Letters: There is more to village life than shutters, benches and paint
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Shambles at sea Sir: On 19 July Iranian Republican Guard forces captured the UK flagged tanker Stena Impero, as described by former defence secretary Penny Mordaunt in her Spectator Diary (3 August). It was a national humiliation and it needn’t have happened. As was made clear at the House of Commons Defence Committee hearing on
Books and Arts – 12 September 2019
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to 2422: 40 furlongs
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The unclued Across lights are words abbreviated by F which includes ‘40’ and the unclued Down lights are abbreviated by f which includes ‘furlongs’. First prize Heather Kingham, Barnay, France Runners-up Brian Midgley, Ettington, Warwickshire; Michael Pigden, Barnet, Hertfordshire
Books and Arts | 12 September 2019
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Monday
Full list: Theresa May’s resignation honours
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Resignation Honours 2019 CH The Rt Hon Sir Patrick MCLOUGHLIN MP Member of Parliament for Derbyshire Dales and former Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Chairman of the Conservative & Unionist Party. For political and public service. KCMG George HOLLINGBERY MP Member of Parliament for Meon Valley and former Minister
Thursday
Letters: History has not done justice to Neville Chamberlain
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Helping the homeless Sir: The number of rough sleepers in one of the richest countries on the planet is surely a finger of accusation pointed at our generation (‘Wake-up call’, 31 August). Adam Holloway is correct when he says that giving cash directly to those living on the streets often compounds rather than alleviates the
The next election will be a referendum – on Corbynism
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The next general election will have been precipitated by, and will inevitably be fought over, Brexit. Yet it will also be the fiercest battle of ideas for more than a generation. Britain must choose between economic liberalism and a command economy, between a smallish state and a domineering one. This would be a crucial choice