5-7
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The Spectator
Saturday
13-6
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20-3
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22-4
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23-2
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26-6
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Letters | 18 February 2012
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America the saviourSir: Andrew Alexander’s book America and the Imperialism of Ignorance (Books, 11 February) alleges that since 1945 ‘the world is a much more dangerous place, as a result of America’s determination to save it’. With respect to Mr Alexander, a distinguished journalist who has often been right, this analysis is very wrong. First of all, we would never have achieved victory over fascism in 1945 without the sacrifice of American troops, many thousands of whom lie in cemeteries across the world. Secondly, the idea that the USSR, a brutal occupier of whatever lands it controlled, wished to be a benign postwar force in Europe, or anywhere else, is, to put it mildly, ahistorical.
Barometer | 18 February 2012
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Cradle to graveThe Health Bill is one of numerous attempts to change the administrative make-up of the NHS. What did it look like on its first day, 5 July 1948? — There was a tripartite structure under the Minister of Health, Nye Bevan (who was also responsible for housing policy). — 14 regional hospital boards oversaw 400 hospital management committees. Teaching hospitals, however, remained under direct control of Whitehall. — An executive council oversaw GPs, dentists, pharmacists and opticians,all of whom were self-employed contractors paid proportionately to the number of patients on their books.
Portrait of the week | 18 February 2012
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HomeBideford town council acted unlawfully by allowing prayers to be said at meetings, the High Court ruled. ‘A local authority has no power under section 111 of the Local Government Act 1972,’ Mr Justice Ouseley said, ‘to hold prayers as part of a formal local authority meeting’, but he rejected arguments based on the European Convention on Human Rights. Abu Qatada, the Islamist extremist cleric, was released on bail and confined to his home for 22 hours a day. Lord Carlile, the former independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, said: ‘We have to find a way of making him leave. There are legal, rule-of-law ways, of achieving that.
Get-out clause
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In the same week that Sun journalists were subjected to dawn raids at home, the British justice system released one of the leading ideologues of al-Qa’eda to walk the streets. The fact that Abu Qatada should never have been here in the first place, having arrived in 1993 on a forged passport, is not a minor point. He has cost this country much in expense and security. He is said to be connected to terrorist jihadist groups in the UK, Egypt, Algeria, Jordan, Tunisia, Iraq, Indonesia, Italy, Belgium, Morocco, Libya, France, Afghanistan and Sweden — in 2007, the Special Immigration and Appeals Commission described his influence as ‘formidable, even incalculable.
Friday
The week that was | 17 February 2012
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Here is a selection of articles and discussion from this week on Spectator.co.uk… Most popular: Fraser Nelson’s warning for George Osborne. Most discussed: Melanie McDonagh’s take on why Richard Dawkins is wrong. Most shared on social media: Peter Hoskin on why Labour would have cost us our AAA rating already. And the best of the rest… Fraser Nelson reports on the latest sales of The Spectator James Forysth asks if Germany will let Greece stay in the Euro, and reveals the coalition’s take on the drop in inflation. Peter Hoskin questions the political consensus around business lending, and examines Cameron’s visit to Scotland.
From the archives: Why England and France will never be best friends
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To mark David Cameron’s get-together with Nicolas Sarkozy today, we’ve dug up this essay from the Spectator archives by Lord Powell. As foreign policy advisor to Lady Thatcher and Sir John Major, Powell provides a first-hand insight into the incompatibilities that separate our two nations. A fundamental incompatibility?, Charles Powell, The Spectator, 3 September 1994 A few summers ago, I accompanied Margaret Thatcher to a meeting with President Mitterrand in Paris. The weather was sunny and the mood equally so. The agenda was rapidly disposed of and the President proposed that we adjourn to the Elysée garden. Once there, he took Mrs Thatcher — as she then was — off for a stroll while Jacques Attali and I subsided on a bench in the sun.
Monday
Just in case you missed them… | 13 February 2012
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...here are some posts made on Spectator.co.uk over the weekend: Fraser Nelson provides an extended version of his interview with Nassim Taleb. Peter Hoskin says the debate over the 50p tax rate isn't going away any time soon, and reports on Cameron's defence of Andrew Lansley and his NHS reforms. James Forsyth has the latest on the Scottish independence debate, and gives some tips on what to expect in the Budget. Rory Stewart MP answers the Book Blog's questions. Martin Bright raises some concerns about the government's Work Programme. And Nick Cohen asks 'Whatever happened to Human Rights?
The shale revolution
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Shale, what is it good for? How about fuelling Britain's energy needs for decades to come? The Sunday Times reported yesterday (£) that the reservoir of shale gas discovered in the North West could — depending on how it extracts — supply us with energy for up to 70 years. And we devoted our leader in this week's magazine to the wider potential of this resource. Here is that leader, for CoffeeHousers: Economies of shale, The Spectator, 11 February 2012 The weather conditions of the past week could not have been better conceived to show up the inadequacies of Britain’s — and the rest of Europe’s — energy policy.