12-4
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The Spectator
Saturday
14-4
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17-5
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18
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22-6
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24-2
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27-2
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62 4
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Letters | 21 April 2012
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Capital lettersSir: As Neil O’Brien (‘Planet London’, 14 April) rightly says, London is New York, Washington and LA rolled into one, which is unhealthy for our national politics. So I have a serious suggestion. If the House of Lords is going to be reformed in the next year, part of the reform should be to move it out of London to a city in the Midlands or the North, perhaps next to the relocated BBC in MediaCity in Salford Quays. Half our national politicians would then assemble well away from ‘Planet London.’ The public purse would make a net saving by selling the vast and expensive property portfolio the Lords has been acquiring to house its 850 members along Millbank and the surrounding streets.
Portrait of the week | 21 April 2012
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HomeAbu Qatada, wanted in Jordan on terrorism charges, was held in prison in England again, two months after his release from prison, and Theresa May, the Home Secretary, said he would be deported to Jordan, although ‘deportation may still take time’. Abdel Hakim Belhadj, a Libyan commander, sued Jack Straw, the former foreign secretary, alleging that he was instrumental in his arrest by US agents who sent him into the clutches of the late Colonel Gaddafi. Charities campaigned against the plans by George Osborne, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, to limit tax relief on big donations to £50,000 or a quarter of the donor’s income, whichever the higher.
The technocrats are coming
From our UK edition
There was a time when the British could look upon the French, and their monstrously big government, with a sense of superiority: not any more. There is now a horrible similarity to our political predicaments. We both have political leaders who have failed to kick-start an economic recovery, in spite of repeated promises. We both have old-school socialists as opposition leaders, riding worryingly high in the polls while touting high-taxing policies that would not have sounded out of place in the 1970s. Meanwhile, national debt is rising on both sides of the Channel, albeit twice as fast in Britain as in France. But Britain does have the pound sterling. A country with its own currency can print money and keep debt artificially cheap.
Friday
The week that was | 20 April 2012
From our UK edition
Here is a selection of articles and discussions from this week on Spectator.co.uk... Most discussed: Andrew Adonis on moving the Lords to Manchester. Most read: James Forsyth on the civil service coup. Most shared: Sebastian Payne on Michael Gove's historical conundrum. And the best of the rest... Fraser Nelson speaks highly of Anders Borg and believes there is a looming schools crisis. James Forsyth examines the depth of feeling over House of Lords reform and asks if newly created jobs are going to British people. Peter Hoskin reports on Galloway's return and thinks QE has returned to the fore. Jonathan Jones writes on America's own tax debacle and finds there is no 'poll shock'.
Wednesday
Transcript: Nick Clegg on the budget and the local elections
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Here's the full transcript of this morning's Today programme interview with Nick Clegg: James Naughtie: Coalition government involves some pretty hard bargaining, some difficult compromises for both parties. You might think therefore that the opportunity of a local election campaign would be quite welcome, party leaders being themselves, talking to their own parties without having to worry too much about the other lot. But for Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats, times are tough. He doesn’t even need to look at the opinion polls to know that. He said himself at the weekend that coalition life was a roller coaster and acknowledged that any government sooner or later found itself in a rut where every potentially good story turned into a bad one.
Shelf Life: Perdita Weeks
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The actress Perdita Weeks has answered our impertinent questions this week. Those who imagine her to be a romantic will be disappointed: she's very practical when it comes to love and books. She recently starred in Julian Fellowes' Titanic on ITV. 1) What are you reading at the moment? I am reading The Return of The Native by Thomas Hardy (in an attempt to make up for not doing English A-Level) and The Invisible Woman by Claire Tomalin: as I am playing Maria Ternan in the screen adaptation of the tale of Dickens' love for eighteen year old actress Nelly Ternan. 2) As a child, what did you read under the covers? I was obsessed with the Adventures Series by Willard Price — I think Amazon Adventure and South Sea Adventure were my faves.
Monday
Just in case you missed them… | 16 April 2012
From our UK edition
...here are some posts made on Spectator.co.uk over the weekend: Fraser Nelson says an independent Scotland could survive financially, welcomes the downfall of the wind farm agenda, and does not approve of Cameron's trade mission. James Forsyth thinks Lansley might hang on and looks at the upcoming 1922 commitee elections. David Blackburn asks how serious is Ed Miliand's his funding promises, reports on the latest in the 'charity tax' row, and examines Labour's union funding. And Rod Liddle is disappointed by BBC4's take on Southern Boogie and wishes Boris well.
Saturday
4-2
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