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Letters | 11 February 2012
From our UK edition
China’s foreign policySir: As Hillary Clinton just stated, China and Russia ‘neutered’ the UN by vetoing the sanctions on Syria. Russia did it because Syria is an ally with which it does business. China vetoed because it wants no judgments on how it has mauled its own population since ‘Liberation’ in 1949. Beginning with the slaughter of millions of landlords in the early Fifties, through the persecutions of the Great Leap, the Cultural Revolution, and Tiananmen, not to mention the suppression of Uighurs and Tibetans, Beijing never shrinks from internal violence. It is to Foreign Secretary Hague’s credit that, like Secretary Clinton, he condemned China’s veto. This is almost unheard of in Chinese affairs.
Barometer | 11 February 2012
From our UK edition
Long to reign over usThe Queen has become only the second British monarch to spend 60 years on the throne. To overtake Victoria, she would have to reign until 10 September 2015, but would still then be 19 years short of Sobhuza II of Swaziland, who began his reign on 10 December 1899, at the age of four months, and died on 21 August 1982. Some other long reigns: Louis XIV of France 1643–1715 Johannes II of Leichtenstein 1858–1929 Franz-Joseph I of the Austro-Hungarian empire 1848–1916 Bhumibol Adulyadei of Thailand 1946– Doctor suedThe Commons Public Accounts Committee revealed that the NHS has had to put aside £15.7 billion for future negligence claims.
Portrait of the week | 11 February 2012
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HomeA judge granted bail to Abu Qatada, once described by a Spanish judge as ‘Osama bin Laden’s right-hand man in Europe’, who was to be freed from Long Lartin prison and allowed to leave a fixed address in London for two one-hour periods a day, in order to take his youngest child to school. Ed Davey replaced his fellow Liberal Democrat Chris Huhne as Energy Secretary after Mr Huhne’s resignation to concentrate on defending himself against charges that he persuaded his ex-wife to accept his speeding points in 2003 to avoid a driving ban. The Metropolitan Police unlawfully failed to warn people that their telephones had been hacked by the News of the World, a judicial review, sought by Lord Prescott, ruled.
Economies of shale
From our UK edition
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. A vast anticyclone extending from Siberia to eastern England has brought snow as far south as Rome and temperatures of minus 40˚C to Eastern Europe. With North Sea gas production in sharp decline, never has Europe’s position on the end of a long gas pipeline originating in Russia been so exposed. As that country’s demand for energy has spiked, so the quantity of gas which it is prepared to export to the rest of Europe — also gagging for extra energy — has slumped. The wholesale price of gas has soared by more than a third in a week.
Friday
The week that was | 10 February 2012
From our UK edition
Here are some posts made on Spectator.co.uk during the past week: Fraser Nelson says Andrew Lansley's NHS bill was completely unnecessary. Douglas Murray thinks Ken Livingstone will get away with his homophobic remark, but a Tory wouldn't have. James Forsyth reports on Osborne's pro-business speech on Tuesday, and spares a thought for the 30 ministers of state who've been passed over for promotion to the Cabinet. Peter Hoskin says too few questions are being asked about the Bank of England's decision to launch more QE, and wonders whether Cameron will turn his talk of gender quotas into legislation or not. James Plunkett backs Cameron's focus on quality apprenticeships.
Wednesday
Transcript: Stephen Hester on bankers and bonuses
From our UK edition
This morning, the chief executive of RBS Stephen Hester appeared on Radio 4's Today programme to discuss the recent furore over his bonus. Hester revealed he nearly resigned over the crisis and agreed that bankers have been making too much. Here's the full transcript for CoffeeHousers. James Naughtie: Banker without a bonus? You might say he’s a lonely figure in his business; he’s Stephen Hester, Chief Executive of the Royal Bank of Scotland. The public furore about executive pay in a bank that’s 83% owned by the taxpayer caused him to forego the bonus he was awarded this year in the form of more than three and a half million shares, worth probably about a million pounds.
