The Spectator

Thursday

The Spectator

Portrait of the week | 16 June 2016

From our UK edition

Home David Cameron, the Prime Minister, threatened pensioners who voted in the referendum for Britain to leave the EU: ‘If we leave, the pensioner benefits would be under threat, and the “triple lock” could no longer be guaranteed.’ He also said he might take away their ‘free bus passes and TV licences’, even though the latter are paid for by the BBC. George Osborne, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, said he would put up taxes if there was a vote to leave the EU, but 57 Tory MPs said they would vote against what they called a ‘punishment budget’. Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, thanked immigrants for the ‘fantastic service’ they gave to the NHS.

The Spectator

After the breakthrough

From our UK edition

From ‘Verdun’, The Spectator, 16 June 1916: As has been proved again and again in this war, if you are willing to pay the price you can always break the enemy’s line, and break it on a considerable front; but when you have broken it you are no better off than you were before. If you push on too far, you have only made a dangerous salient, from which you will probably be driven later by counter-attacks. Further, if, as in this case, it has taken some four months’ hard fighting to make your gap, you will discover that the enemy have had ample time to prepare fresh lines in front of you, and that your business, instead of being ended, is only just beginning.

The Spectator

Out – and into the world

From our UK edition

  The Spectator has a long record of being isolated, but right. We supported the north against the slave-owning south in the American civil war at a time when news-papers (and politicians) could not see past corporate interests. We argued for the decriminalisation of homosexuality a decade before it happened, and were denounced as the ‘bugger’s bugle’ for our troubles. We alone supported Margaret Thatcher when she first stood for the Tory leadership. And when Britain last held a referendum on Europe, every newspaper in the land advocated a ‘yes’ vote. Only two national titles backed what is now called Brexit: the Morning Star and The Spectator. Our concern then was simple: we did not believe that the Common Market was just about trade.

Wednesday

The Spectator

Out, and into the world — The Spectator backs Brexit

From our UK edition

  The Spectator has a long record of being isolated, but right. We supported the north against the slave-owning south in the American civil war at a time when newspapers (and politicians) could not see past corporate interests. We argued for the decriminalisation of homosexuality a decade before it happened, and were denounced as the ‘bugger’s bugle’ for our troubles. We alone supported Margaret Thatcher when she first stood for the Tory leadership. And when Britain last held a referendum on Europe, every newspaper in the land advocated a ‘yes’ vote. Only two national titles backed what is now called Brexit: the Morning Star and The Spectator. Our concern then was simple: we did not believe that the Common Market was just about trade.

Tuesday

The Spectator

Leave wins The Spectator’s second Brexit debate

From our UK edition

There’s just over a week to go until the polls open for the EU referendum and Britain decides what it would like its future to look like. The debate has been fierce – and no more so than when The Spectator brought together key figures from both campaigns to make the case for Leave and Remain for our last debate, when Leave won. Tonight, Andrew Neil chaired a second debate between key members of both sides. The Leaves had it again - they initially had 308 votes, and swung to 369. Remain had 138 and swung to 160 - and the undecideds had 144 and swung to 69.

Monday

The Spectator

Join us for a Spectator debate: Should Britain leave the EU?

From our UK edition

There's just over a week to go until the polls open for the EU referendum and Britain decides what it would like its future to look like. The debate has been fierce - and no more so than when The Spectator brought together key figures from both campaigns to make the case for Leave and Remain. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYTJGBBjkGo The debate sold out in record time - and plenty of people were unable to get tickets. But given the unprecedented demand for more fiery discussion, we are running one final debate. Join us tomorrow evening (Tuesday 14 June) for another blistering Brexit debate.

Friday

The Spectator

Podcast: Jeremy Clarke’s Low Life

From our UK edition

When The Spectator ran a readers’ survey to ask your opinion of the magazine, which writers you like and what you'd like to see more of, an overwhelming number of your responses said ‘more Jeremy Clarke’. So here it is: you can now listen to Jeremy read a selection of his columns – from his starting in 2001 – in our podcast, ‘Jeremy Clarke's Low Life’. To listen and subscribe in iTunes, click here (and please, if you enjoy the podcast, do leave a review). Here's our RSS feed to subscribe in almost any podcast app. Or listen in your browser on SoundCloud.

Thursday

The Spectator

Barometer | 9 June 2016

From our UK edition

Boxing brains Muhammad Ali died aged 74, after more than 30 years with Parkinson’s Disease. How many boxers suffer brain damage? — A 1969 study by A.H. Roberts examined 250 retired boxers and found 17% had lesions of the nervous system. Many had started out in the 1930s, when a professional boxing career could involve over 300 bouts; it’s fewer than 20 now. — However, brain examinations are now much more sensitive. A 2012 study by the University of Gothenburg of 30 Swedish boxers found that 80% had protein changes indicating brain damage. Hideously white? A BBC memo revealed it was seeking an ‘ethnically diverse’ presenter with a ‘northern accent’.

The Spectator

Letters | 9 June 2016

From our UK edition

War and Brexit Sir: Over the past few weeks every underemployed academic, hack or backbencher has come forward offering opinions on the Brexit dispute. The result has been one pool of confusing sludge. I wonder if, as a nonagenarian, I could contribute a view before the deadly vote comes along? After four years’ service in the wartime army I was appointed to Germany as Daily Telegraph correspondent. Though it was several years after the war, what I saw appalled me. I don’t think I realised quite what a job the RAF had done; or imagined the appalling suffering of the enemy civilians. What would another European war do? We were fearful, and grasped at straws.

The Spectator

Portrait of the week | 9 June 2016

From our UK edition

Home David Cameron, the Prime Minister, caused mild surprise by cancelling a cabinet meeting and hastily convening a press conference on the roof of Savoy Place, where he warned against ‘taking a leap in the dark’, urging voters in the referendum on EU membership to ‘listen to the experts’ about the risks of leaving. Some supporters of the Leave campaign began to think they had a chance of winning. The campaign had already taken a turn towards reciprocal accusations of dishonesty between Conservatives. Boris Johnson MP, speaking in favour of leaving the EU, said: ‘The botched bureaucratic response to the migration crisis means the Eurocrats are demanding even more of our money.

The Spectator

The leap

From our UK edition

This week the Prime Minister devoted a speech to what he regarded as six lies being told by his opponents in the EU referendum campaign. He later confessed that the idea for the speech had come to him while watching the news at 9 p.m. the previous evening. It would have been better if he had contented himself with shouting at the television, rather than adding yet more rancour to what has become a slanging match. Most voters tune into an election campaign only in its final few weeks; those who do so now will find nothing but hysteria, hyperventilation and obloquy. Where, it is often asked, are the facts? If we can distil the arguments down to the most salient points, what are they?

The Spectator

EU referendum TV debate – Leave and Remain face off in ITV showdown

From our UK edition

Fraser Nelson, James Forsyth and Isabel Hardman review the ITV debate: Welcome to Coffee House's coverage of ITV’s EU referendum debate. Boris Johnson, Andrea Leadsom and Gisela Stewart made the case for Brexit, and Nicola Sturgeon, Angela Eagle and Amber Rudd argued for Britain to stay in the EU. Here's our commentary from the debate, as well as all the audio and video highlights. Here's Isabel Hardman's summary of the various speeches: OUT: Boris Johnson: 7/10 - stayed calm under non stop personal onslaught. Still didn't offer much of a detailed sense of what Brexit would look like.

The Spectator

All the Ins and Outs

From our UK edition

We asked two of the most eloquent voices in the EU referendum debate to put their best arguments in the most condensed form — and gave them a few words to rebut each other.

The Spectator

The Kitchener effect

From our UK edition

From ‘Lord Kitchener’, The Spectator, 9 June 1916: The central fact in Kitchener’s administration of the War Office is that he both invented and created the New Armies, and that he did it of his own motion, alone bearing the responsibility of the idea, and almost alone stubbornly asserting and reasserting the belief that this miracle was possible. Beside this everything else that Kitchener did seems of small account.

Wednesday

The Spectator

Transcript: George Osborne vs Andrew Neil on Brexit

From our UK edition

  Coffee House Shots James Forsyth and Isabel Hardman discuss George Osborne's performance Abridged transcript of George Osborne's interview with Andrew Neil. AN: Now you claim the European Union could cause armed conflict if we leave, could put a bomb under our economy if we leave – the Prime Minister’s words: hurt pensioners, collapse house prices. Why are you risking all that with a referendum? GO: Well, I don’t think it is ever a risk in a democracy to ask the people. And all my lifetime this issue of Britain’s membership of the European Union has hung over our economy and our security and I think it’s right that the people decide.

Tuesday

The Spectator

EU referendum TV debate – David Cameron vs Nigel Farage

From our UK edition

Welcome to Coffee House's coverage of ITV's EU referendum debate. David Cameron and Nigel Farage faced public questions on the EU referendum. Here's our commentary, as well as audio and video highlights, from the discussion.  PODCAST: Listen to Fraser Nelson, James Forsyth and Isabel Hardman give their verdict on Cameron vs Farage: DAVID CAMERON:   James Forsyth David Cameron looked pretty happy at the end of that. He got his choice of opponent in this debate and did everything he could to take advantage of that, mentioning Farage at every opportunity. Cameron also benefited from going second, another thing which he got his way on, as he could rebut Farage's points without any opportunity for Farage to reply.

Thursday

The Spectator

Portrait of the week | 2 June 2016

From our UK edition

Home Two British men were charged with immigration offences after the rescue by night of 18 Albanian migrants, two of them children, from an inflatable boat off Dymchurch, Kent. ‘We don’t want the English Channel turning into the Mediterranean with fleets of small boats coming over,’ said Chris Grayling, the Leader of the House of Commons and a campaigner for Britain to leave the EU.

The Spectator

Letters | 2 June 2016

From our UK edition

Cameron’s bluster Sir: Peter Oborne is surely right that lying and cheating are now commonplace in the heart of government (‘The new dodgy dossiers’, 28 May). If David Cameron truly believed that exit from the EU would mean economic meltdown, a third world war and always winter but never Christmas, his decision to hold a referendum would be the most irresponsible act of statesmanship since Chamberlain signed the Munich agreement. But he doesn’t believe it. Something else entirely is bringing out his inner Pinocchio. Having promised a referendum at a time when a Tory majority in the Commons seemed unlikely, the personal political risk to Cameron must have seemed remote.