The Spectator

Friday

The Spectator

The week that was | 17 February 2012

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.

The Spectator

From the archives: Why England and France will never be best friends

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

The Spectator

Just in case you missed them… | 13 February 2012

...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 Spectator

The shale revolution

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.

Saturday

The Spectator

Letters | 11 February 2012

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.

The Spectator

Barometer | 11 February 2012

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.