The Spectator

Here are some of the posts made at Spectator.co.uk this week. Matthew d'Ancona wishes one of the nation's greatest novelists a happy 60th. Peter Hoskin dissects a disingenuous Ed Balls, and argues that Gordon Brown’s unpopularity runs deeper than concern for the public finances. David Blackburn asks if Cameron would govern differently, and says that foreign policy is one issue where Cameron is emphatically not the “heir to Blair”. Daniel Korski believes Libyagate has its roots in Labour’s devolution. Clive Davis says that, from Labour’s perspective, Dan Hannan is the gift that keeps on giving. Alex Massie remembers Senator Edward Kennedy. And, over at Cappuccino Culture, Lloyd Evans hails BB's demise.

Conservative progress Sir: So the notion of ‘progressive’ conservatism is roiling British politics these days (Politics, 15 August). Well, come on over to the colonies, mate, and get educated! We in Canada have had ‘progressive conservative’ political parties, at both the provincial and federal levels of government, for decades — they’re even officially named Progressive Conservatives. Sadly, though, our ‘progressive’ conservatives tend, over time, to become indistinguishable from big-government nanny-state lefties. That’s why we in Canada have a derogatory term for ‘progressive conservatives’: we call them Red Tories, and we were doing so long before anyone in your Labour party imagined that they had coined a new slur.

There are less than three weeks to go until the Spectator Inaugural Conference, on 15th September 2009 at Church House, Westminster. Click here to book tickets. And, just in case you missed them, here are some of the posts made at Spectator.co.uk this week. Fraser Nelson laments what was a bleak day for Scottish justice, and responds to the opponents of Swedish schools. Peter Hoskin argues that Sir Patrick Cormack’s proposal makes the case for greater public involvement in politics, and says that the Gordon Brown is the loser from the Kevan Jones storm. David Blackburn believes corruption, not force, is the midwife of change in Afghanistan, and wonders who on earth writes Andy Burnham's scripts.

Over at the Spectator Book Club, we've just added Political editor Fraser Nelson's selections to our list. There's no politics to be seen, but take a look at what he chose. And as ever, send us your recommendations.

Over at Spectator Book Club, Spectator staff have put together a list of books for summer reading, Take a look and send us your selections.

Not since Ian Botham has a cricketer so captured the public imagination as Andrew Flintoff has these past few years. Flintoff’s appeal comes from the fact that he brings the game of the village green to the Test match arena. He plays the sport as all those of us who have put on whites would like to. He bats with uncomplicated power, bowls with pace and turns matches through the force of his personality. He has played as hard off the field as he has on it. But there is something very English about his excess: more booze than bling. Few other sportsmen could have charmed the nation by turning up to Downing Street visibly drunk as he did after England won the Ashes in 2005. If truth be told, Flintoff is not a great player.