The sex work divide in British politics
They seem like completely unrelated questions: ‘Is sex work real work?, and ‘Who will replace Yvette Cooper as chair of…
Gender is contentious. The BBC is pretending it isn't
The BBC has produced its annual 100 Women list, a showcase for women who have done interesting, important things. There’s…
The vaccine cheer is gone
I am 45, which means I’ve now had my third Covid vaccine. The experience of getting that injection crystallises a…
The BBC’s relationship with Stonewall is finally being scrutinised
I have often criticised BBC journalism on the issues of sex and gender because that journalism has often been quite…
Boris should keep copying Blair
Having written here at least once before that Boris Johnson is the heir to Blair, my first thought on the Prime…
The shameful evacuation of pets from Afghanistan
Two stories on the Afghan evacuation today combine to leave me full of bewildered rage. The first, from the Times:…
Where is our anger about Afghanistan?
This is an age of anger. Social media amplifies rage and exaggerates polarisation. Twitter isn’t Britain, but too many people…
In defence of net zero: yes, we can afford it
Ending emissions will cost less than tackling Covid
Has David Cameron any shame?
$10million, or £7million. That’s what David Cameron is now reported to have made from Greensill Capital, the company he helped…
Is it fair for Laurel Hubbard to compete against women?
Today, the conversation about transgender rights and the interests of women turns to sport. At the Olympic Games, Laurel Hubbard…
The truth about Nick Gibb, history and ‘dead white men’
In 1983, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, a great American sociologist and politician, wrote: ‘Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but…
The court judgement that confirms women pay for trans rights
I am coming out of semi-retirement from writing about sex and gender to write this, because it’s about women in…
Cummings's messages aren’t a ‘bombshell’ revelation
On days like this, I despair of the media-political village where I’ve spent most of my adult life. Because that…
British MPs are finally engaging with the gender identity debate
I used to write a lot about sex and gender here. I don’t do so quite as much these days…
The shamelessness of David Cameron
I’m almost starting to admire David Cameron. Almost. There is something that borders on the impressive about the former prime…
Will Rishi Sunak fund Boris’s skills promises to the red wall?
Queen’s Speech day is one of the set-pieces when the government gets to decide that morning’s headlines. Barring disaster, the…
Why the Hartlepool election result doesn’t really matter
Ah, Hartlepool. The by-election there brings back memories: I am old enough to have reported on the last one, back…
In praise of David Lammy, a true Englishman
David Lammy, the shadow justice secretary, has been doing his LBC radio phone-in show. If you believe LBC, he has…
The delightful humiliation of David Cameron
Say what you like about David Cameron, the man never stops trying to exceed expectations. I once thought that he’d…
Tavistock gender clinic whistleblowers have been vindicated
The Care Quality Commission has released its reports on the gender identity services offered by the Tavistock and Portman NHS…
The BBC should be ashamed of its reporting on trans teenagers
This is an article about some difficult, complex subjects: suicide, mental health, support for transgender children. It’s also about something…
Why the Treasury always wins
One of the abiding flaws of British political discourse is that it overlooks the importance of organisation and institutions. The…
Boris's eco-optimism will get the better of him
Vote blue for green jobs in the red wall. That’s the message we’re supposed to take from Boris Johnson’s ten…
The trans debate could cost this Cambridge porter his job
This is a story about a man called Kevin Price, who was until last week a councillor and who is,…
The Burnham that could have been
Watching anorak-clad Andy Burnham go toe-to-toe with Boris Johnson might leave Westminster-watchers of a certain vintage a bit bemused. How…
