The Parties of the Year: my verdict
As the editor’s brief for this column is ‘Fomo-inducing’, I must push the boat out for my debut and am…
The best podcasts to fall asleep to
‘Yous!’ a train cleaner in rubber gloves says as we arrive at Liverpool Lime Street. ‘What are yous doing here?’…
It’s hard work having fun: Wives Like Us, by Plum Sykes, reviewed
A ride with friends involves dressing to the nines and stopping at a Marie Antoinette-style ‘hameau’ for sloe-gin cocktails – served by uniformed staff and filmed for Instagram
Women don’t want women-only clubs
In my experience, men offer this infuriating comeback when challenged about the continuing exclusion of women from clubs such as…
Diary
When someone asks ‘How are you?’ you have to assume your interlocutor is only being polite. Anyone who returns a…
Yoga has become a hot cultish mess
The dangers and distortion of yoga
They do things differently in the Cotswolds
The Season has ended and – apart from The Spectator’s summer bash of course – the two bang-up parties of…
Long live the rock dinosaurs!
When the Oldie changed ‘leadership’ a few years back I swooped on the new editor, young Harry Mount, like a…
In defence of my brother Boris
As you might have guessed, it hasn’t been the calmest, quietest weeks in the Johnson family, and lots of broadcasters…
It’s hard not to pity Ghislaine Maxwell
This week, I’m having puppies! First litter! The Johnsons were not doggy as we always moved around too much (my…
It's hard not to pity Ghislaine Maxwell
It’s hard not to feel a batsqueak of pity for Ghislaine Maxwell — 500 days and counting in solitary confinement.…
GB News will succeed – even if it fails
Help! If I’m too kind to GB News, my bosses at LBC will be cross as the channel nicked their…
Vaccines are out, sex is in: the rules for post-lockdown conversation
The rules of post-lockdown conversation
I was dreaming of a cancelled Christmas
I was dreaming of a cancelled Christmas
All these lockdown puppies come at a price
The hidden costs of the lockdown puppy boom
Boomer and bust: Covid is fast-forwarding us into retirement
Covid-19 is fast-forwarding us into retirement
Rachel Johnson: What I wish I’d said about my brother’s treatment
When the post office and stores closed in our village on Exmoor, my youngest stared out of the car window…
Rachel Johnson: everyone in my family is getting quince paste for Christmas
Brrring! Freddy Gray of this parish is on the blower. ‘How about a piece for this week saying he’s won,…
Rachel Johnson: which political party should I join next?
I lay low during the ‘season’ as I can’t think what to say to people any more. I went to…
Down with kissing!
It’s out of control! If I play doubles first thing, have a lunch, then go to perhaps two parties in…
Would any publisher dare to print Lolita now?
The other day Will Self unburdened himself on the state of fiction with crushing hauteur. ‘What’s now regarded as serious…
Rachel Johnson: Getting sacked is a badge of honour. And I should know
People are still asking ‘So, how was your summer’ and mine was nice as far as it went: I didn’t…
What on earth’s happened to Waitrose?
A few years ago, some friends came to stay with us on Exmoor. After they unfurled from their Volvo, they…
