The Spectator

The Bishops of England and Wales have excelled themselves in their efforts to promote the Church of England’s ‘Back to Church’ day (this Sunday). The Bishops of England and Wales have excelled themselves in their efforts to promote the Church of England’s ‘Back to Church’ day (this Sunday). The Bishop of Sheffield has recorded a video on YouTube, Canterbury has presided over a rap-style radio ad: ‘No need to make no innovation. Please accept this as your invitation.’ But the Bishop of Reading, the Rt Revd Stephen Cottrell, has done best: he has opened up a theological can of worms.

Clever culling Sir: As the chairman from 1995 to 2000 of the government’s biggest and most worthwhile quango, the Environment Agency for England and Wales, I would like to make two comments on Dennis Sewell’s article (‘Cameron must cull the quangos’, 5 September). Sewell seems to think that the Nolan Principles introduced by John Major’s Conservatives have banished cronyism in public appointments. I am afraid that exactly the opposite is the case. The shortlist review which is passed to the minister is so general that it positively invites the use of patronage and personal preference. When I and my independent colleagues tried to order our shortlist from one to three, we were told that wasn’t necessary.

Here are some of the posts made at Spectator.co.uk over the past week Fraser Nelson asks why the high-priests of climate change alarmism fear debate, and wonders if it wise for the Tories to be more angry about the public finances. James Forsyth thinks Vince Cable doesn’t receive anywhere near enough scrutiny, and sees Peter Mandelson losing his touch. Peter Hoskin believes that all the political parties aren’t facing up to the debt crisis’ severity, and reads a report that should influence welfare reform for years to come. David Blackburn isn’t sure the government’s coffin can take anymore nails, and doubts that an attack on middle class benefits will enable Labour to re-engage with its core vote.

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 Afghans would be entitled to feel a little aggrieved at the way the West has criticised their ‘fraudulent’ elections. Doubtless Hamid Karzai rigged the system to get the result he wanted, but in doing so, he was following a fine European tradition. The United Nations are suspicious that Karzai’s share of the vote was, in some areas, 100 per cent. But wasn’t this precisely same result Gordon Brown achieved when he was ‘elected’ Labour party leader after his character assassins had dissuaded all potential rivals from standing? Karzai may well have more support in his country than our leader does in ours.