Letters: The case for an NHS card
A new prescription Sir: It is maddening to see the British people being refused face-to-face GP appointments and subjected to…
Has Covid turned us into a nation of cyclists?
On this day Would 19 July make a suitable ‘freedom day’ (assuming Covid restrictions are lifted even then)? There is…
Letters: In defence of the National Trust
Trust us Sir: I refute Charles Moore’s assertions (‘Broken Trust’, 5 June) that the National Trust frowns on local expertise,…
2507: Knightly? - solution
The unclued lights are characters and places associated with King Arthur. First prize Belinda Bridgen, London NW8 Runners-up John Samson,…
Portrait of the week: Pub staff shortages, a baby called Lilibet and a slap in the face for Macron
Home The government pondered delaying the end of coronavirus restrictions on 21 June. But Chris Hopson, the chief executive of…
It’s time to revisit the Northern Ireland protocol
Britain has already seen two ‘Brexit days’ — when it formally left the EU on 31 January 2020 and the…
How many Lilibets are there in the world?
Rare Lili Other than the new royal baby, is there anyone in the world formally called Lilibet? — There are…
Letters: The uncivil service
Uncivil service Sir: The elephant in the room in the handling of the pandemic (‘A tragedy of errors’, 29 May)…
Covid is losing its sting. It’s time to repair our society and our economy
It seems all but impossible to convince government scientists of the wisdom of proceeding with the final lifting of Covid…
Portrait of the week: Boris Johnson’s wedding, bitcoin blackouts and a £140m tomato ketchup factory
Home Freelance scientists urged the government not to end coronavirus regulations on 21 June, for fear of a third wave.…
Have tennis players always been expected to give interviews?
Game, set, chat Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open after being fined $15,000 for failing to…
2506: Summer’s voice - solution
The unclued lights are ferns: RUSTY-BACK (26/5A), WALL RUE (48/7A), MAIDENHAIR (1D/11), OSMUNDA (18), BIRD’S-NEST (20/45) and POLYPODY (24). PTERIDOMANIA…
The lesson from Dominic Cummings – avoid groupthink
It is hard to deny the importance of the issues raised this week by Dominic Cummings. His decision to identify…
How safe are cable cars?
Marrying in office It was announced Boris Johnson will marry his fiancée, Carrie Symonds, next year. This will be only…
Portrait of the week: Bashir’s reckoning, Dominic Cummings’s evidence and ‘secret’ local lockdowns
Home The BBC was engulfed in doubts after a report by Lord Dyson blamed Martin Bashir for deceiving the late…
Letters: The unfairness of ‘free care for all’
Taking care Sir: I agree completely with Leo McKinstry that care for parents should be paid out of their estate…
2505: Endgame - solution
The unclued lights are the final headwords for B, D, E, F, S, T, U, W, as listed in Chambers.…
Cummings, Covid and groupthink - a cautionary tale
It is hard to deny the importance of the issues raised this week by Dominic Cummings. His decision to identify…
2504: Collectors’ Items - solution
Unclued lights are nuts, as suggested in the perimetrical rhyme. First prize Adrian George, Barton under Needwood, Staffs Runners-up Willie…
Is hugging healthy?
Call to arms Is hugging important to health? A study by Carnegie Mellon University and published in the journal Psychological…
Letters: The beauty of brick
The Union in peril Sir: Fraser Nelson (‘The great pretender’, 15 May) writes that it has never been easier to…
Why Britain must unlock on 21 June
The scare over the Indian variant of coronavirus this week is a taste of what to expect over the next…
Portrait of the week: Indian variant goes up, Santander goes down and pubs reopen
Home The government made noises about having to delay the lifting of coronavirus restrictions on 21 June in some parts…
Letters: China has peaked
China has peaked Sir: Niall Ferguson makes some good points about the nature of Xi Jinping’s imperial aspirations but misses…
Portrait of the week: Scotland votes, Queen speaks and Israel-Palestine crisis escalates
Home A new complexion of British politics was revealed by the capture of Hartlepool by Jill Mortimer for the Conservatives…
