The Spectator

Saturday

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Letters | 29 October 2011

• God save the Queen Sir: Robert Hardman (‘The Queen’s manifesto’, 22 October) is right to say that we should respect the Queen for more than longevity and never putting a foot wrong. One of her great strengths is that she is so willing to take advice from those placed (or elected) to give it. There are times when she has been known to ask ‘What should the Queen do?’, much as a parent has to ask what line to take towards a child.   The Queen has invariably agreed to do as bidden by her government, for example in entertaining figures like President Ceausescu of Romania in 1978. He was a far from easy guest, digging up the floorboards at the Palace in quest of electronic bugs, yet he was extended the traditional hospitality by the monarch.

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Barometer | 29 October 2011

•  Rebels, rebels 81 Conservative MPs defied a three-line whip to vote in favour of a referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU. Some other big rebellions. Number of rebels Majority 37 (Lab) National Service Bill 1947 Government win by 18872 (Con) Shops Bill 1986 (Sunday trading) Government lose by 1441 (Con) E.C. (amendment) Bill 1993 Government win by 18049 (Lab) Prevention of Terrorism Bill 2005 (90-day detention amendment) Government lose by 33 •  Who rioted in August?

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Portrait of the week | 29 October 2011

HomeDavid Cameron, the Prime Minister, insisted on being present, along with leaders of the 10 EU countries not part of the eurozone, at a summit on the crisis surrounding the currency bloc. At an earlier summit of leaders of all 27 EU countries, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France told Mr Cameron: ‘You say you hate the euro, you didn’t want to join, and now you want to interfere in our meetings,’ according to diplomatic sources. Eighty-one Conservative MPs (the two tellers included) voted against the government on a back-bench motion endorsing the need for a referendum on EU membership. ‘There’s no — on my part — no bad blood, no rancour, no bitterness,’ Mr Cameron said afterwards.

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Old world order

Britain has never been defined by its place on the map. Our nation’s reach and interests have always been global, not merely continental. Not so long ago, a quarter of humanity was united under our empire. Today, in empire’s place, stands the Commonwealth. This weekend, the Queen convenes the meeting of its various heads of government: a convention of friends, allies and trading partners. Unlikely as it may seem, the Commonwealth has become the model of a modern and global alliance. The European Union, by contrast, looks more and more dated. It now appears less like a trading union than a self-help group for debt addicts.

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Your nominations: Spectator Threadneedle Parliamentarian Awards

The hands of Big Ben are approaching the designated hour, and the bells are about to toll for our Readers’ Representative Award. Only a few days remain for you to vote for your favourite parliamentarian. Dwindling time is not the same as no time, of course. New runners can emerge and overtake old favourites in an instant — and that is what has happened this week. Thanks to the brouhaha over an EU referendum, names such as David Nuttall, Douglas Carswell, Jon Cruddas and Kate Hoey have started appearing in our postbag more frequently. One reader, Edward Bartlett, says of Mr Nuttall that ‘in fighting for an In/Out referendum, he has fought on behalf of the people’.

Friday

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The week that was | 28 October 2011

Here is a selection of a posts made at Spectator.co.uk over the last week. Fraser Nelson asks if Brits are more likely to riot than the foreign born, and wonders when MPs will wake up to Shale. Sam Gyimah MP says that now is not the time for an EU referendum. James Forsyth says that the Europe debate has revealed that Cameron needs a new management society, and argues that the coalition’s commitment to growth is being tested. Peter Hoskin is concerned by Libya’s deflated revolution, and notes that the coalition has barred its tensions over Europe. Jonathan Jones finds that Labour is not capitalizing on the government’s weakness, and asks if David Cameron has been damaged by the European revolt.

Monday

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CoffeeHousers’ Wall, 24 October – 30 October 2011

UPDATE: CoffeeHousers all, we're offering a mini cask of Hobgoblin beer to the author of the most mischievous comment made on the website this week. The winner, picked by Coffee House's editorial team, will be announced on Friday. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Welcome to the latest CoffeeHousers' Wall. For those who haven't come across the Wall before, it's a post we put up each Monday, on which — providing your writing isn't libellous, crammed with swearing, or offensive to common decency — you'll be able to say whatever you like in the comments section.

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Just in case you missed them… | 24 October 2011

…here are some of the posts made at Spectator.co.uk over the weekend. Fraser Nelson reveals the Queen's secret of success, and says Cameron's making a mistake by restarting the Tory Wars. Douglas Murray says we have lessons to learn on how to handle dictators. James Forsyth has news of a poll showing support for an EU referendum, and a development in the government's position. Jonathan Jones says Cameron's strategy on Europe is better than it looks. Oliver Heald reveals his literary tastes to the Book Blog. And the Arts Blog reviews Sonia Purnell's new biography of Boris Johnson.

Saturday

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Leading article: A Faustian pact

Given the hold that Goethe had over the German elite in the 1920s, it is impossible that the Weimar Republic’s leaders could have been ignorant about what happens when desperate politicians start printing money. In Part II of Faust, the devil suggests to an emperor that he solves his fiscal crisis by mass-producing banknotes. He does so — and, for a brief period, all seems well. The public sector salaries are paid, debts are settled, courtiers run off to feast on food and wine. Later it is revealed that these were ‘bogus riches’ and the empire ‘collapsed in anarchy’. This, more or less, is what happened in Weimar Germany. For George Osborne, the story is different.

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Portrait of the Week – 22 October 2011

Home After the resignation of Liam Fox as Defence Secretary, a report by Sir Gus O’Donnell, the Cabinet Secretary, found that there had been a ‘clear breach’ of the ministerial code in his working relationship with Adam Werritty, who had accompanied him on 18 foreign trips. Dr Fox, he said, had been warned about Mr Werritty’s role, although Dr Fox had not benefited financially and Mr Werritty was not a lobbyist, he found. Philip Hammond, the Transport Secretary, replaced Dr Fox and Justine Greening replaced Mr Hammond. Canon Giles Fraser, the Canon Chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral, requested police on its steps confronting anti-capitalist demonstrators to leave; about 150 tents were pitched around the cathedral.

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Barometer | 22 October 2011

• Mummy’s secret recipe A terminally ill taxi-driver from Torquay has volunteered to be mummified for a Channel 4 documentary. Here is what Egyptian mummification involved, according to Herodotus: — Extract brain through nostrils. — Cut opening in side of torso with sharp stone and remove contents. — Wash cavity with palm wine and pounded spices. — Fill with crushed myrrh and cassia. — Sew up opening and place body in natural salts. Cover and leave for 70 days. — Wrap in linen. • The green stuff David Cameron has summoned energy companies to explain why their prices are rising so fast.

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Letters | 22 October 2011

• Gone with the wind Sir: Your recent campaign against wind farms is brought, perhaps, to a conclusion by Matt Ridley’s splendid article on shale gas (‘Shale of the century’, 15 October). Yet at no time have you referred to that other blot on the domestic landscape, the solar panel. I wonder why. As with the wind farm, they are weather dependent, their installation is beyond the means of the majority, they are judged to be an eyesore, and they are subsidised by the taxpayer. That’s four similarities. But what can seriously be done about either? John Weaver Derbyshire Sir: Can anything be done to force the government to reassess the policy on wind farms?

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Your nominations for The Spectator Threadneedle parliamentarian awards

A blue tide has washed over the latest nominations for The Spectator’s Readers’ Representative award. Last week, your votes were for parliamentarians from right across the political spectrum: Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat, even the occasional Ukipper. This week, they are mostly for Conservatives. Perhaps this is a sympathy vote following Liam Fox’s resignation. Perhaps it is something to do with the phases of the moon. We cannot be certain.

Friday

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The week that was | 21 October 2011

Here are some of the posts made at Spectator.co.uk over the last week. Daniel Finkelstein is left slightly underwhelmed by Martin Scorsese’s biopic of George Harrison. Fraser Nelson laments the poverty of Britain’s energy debate, and offers a bottle of champagne to anyone who can help to explain George Osborne’s growth plan. James Forsyth charts government’s never ending Europe problem, and watches Europe dominate PMQs. Peter Hoskin reacts to GOD’s report into the Fox affair, and wonders if IDS’ reforms will be mired in Whitehall’s digital swamp. Lloyd Evans thinks that Cameron was outfoxed at PMQs. Jonathan Jones watches Romney and Perry’s ding-dong in Vegas.

Thursday