The Spectator

Saturday

The Spectator

Leading article: Home truths

From our UK edition

For a man with many troubles of his own, George Osborne is being remarkably generous in his advice to our European neighbours. The Chancellor believes the eurozone countries should slowly merge their tax and spending systems, moving towards ever-closer union. Rather sadistic advice, given that he wants Britain to stand well clear of this unfolding disaster. But it is being repeated so often that a dangerous position is emerging. The government’s European policy seems to be to advocate remedies for other countries, rather than pursuing what’s best for Britain. This week, we saw Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel agree to walk a little down this fateful road — perhaps with a harmonised corporation tax, presumably to deter competition between their countries.

Friday

The Spectator

The week that was | 19 August 2011

From our UK edition

Here are some of the posts made at Spectator.co.uk over the last week. Fraser Nelson has a web exclusive of his magazine interview with IDS, and notes that inflation has risen yet again. James Forsyth laments the missed opportunity to transform, and compares Cameron and Miliband’s responses to the riots. David Blackburn examines Merkel and Sarkozy's latest solution for the Eurozone, and says that Clegg has made his mark on the riots issue. Martin Bright reckons there are no easy answers to Britain’s social crisis. Nick Cohen praises Gordon Brown for the one and only time. Rod Liddle asks if David Starkey is a racist. Alex Massie argues that Bill Bratton could have helped both Labour and Tories.

Monday

The Spectator

CoffeeHousers’ Wall, 15 August – 21 August

From our UK edition

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. There is no topic, so there's no need to stay 'on topic', which means you'll be able to debate with each other more freely and extensively. There's also no constraint on the length of what you write — so, in effect, you can become Coffee House bloggers. Anything's fair game, from political stories in your local paper, to chat about the latest football results.

The Spectator

Just in case you missed them… | 15 August 2011

From our UK edition

…here are some of the posts made at Spectator.co.uk over the weekend. Fraser Nelson points out that Bill Bratton has advised the British government before, and reiterates the case for an inquiry into the recent riots. James Forsyth says that Cameron must not be bullied into silence by the police, and argues that Crispin Blunt’s flawed prisoners' rehabilitation programme must be reversed. David Blackburn thinks that Sarko’s euro tonic may not be the perfect medicine, and notes that the police have opened another front against the government. Jonathan Jones has news from the Republican battle. And The Arts Blog has been talking to Ron Arad.

Saturday

The Spectator

Letters | 13 August 2011

From our UK edition

Press complaint Sir: Charles Moore’s comments on the PCC last week (The Spectator’s Notes, 6 August) contained several significant inaccuracies. Lord Wakeham didn’t leave the chairmanship of the commission as a result of criticisms from the Telegraph that he wasn’t handling complaints impartially. He stood down, as a matter of honour, after he was tangentially implicated in the Enron debacle. Fleet Street does not pay the lion’s share of the chairman’s salary which, in fact, comes out of funding provided by the national, local and provincial newspapers and the magazines industry on a proportionate basis. The appointment of Wakeham’s successor Sir Christopher Meyer was not arranged by News International and Associated Newspapers.

The Spectator

Portrait of the week | 13 August 2011

From our UK edition

  HOME Parliament was recalled as rioting spread across London and to other cities. It began in Tottenham on Saturday night, two days after a black man, Mark Duggan, was shot dead by police during an attempted arrest. Friends gathered at Tottenham police station asking the truth of the incident. The Independent Police Complaints Commission later announced that ‘speculation that Mark Duggan was "assassinated" in an execution style involving a number of shots to the head are categorically untrue’. (Two days later the commission confirmed that Duggan had a loaded gun, but there was no evidence it was fired.

The Spectator

Leading article: Britain’s riots: burning issues

From our UK edition

  When David Cameron returned from holiday on Tuesday to find volunteers cleaning up the mess left by the riots and shopkeepers making plans to protect their property at night, he did not dare mention the Big Society. Perhaps he should have. The Londoners who organised a clean-up — using the same technology as the thugs used for organising their looting — perfectly illustrated the point the prime minister has so often tried to make. Government has its limits and it is the action of ordinary people, on their own or working with others, that makes Britain tick. But it is the government that should protect the public from crime, educate the poor, and deter the wicked. On this, it is failing badly.