Life
The colour purple
In Competition No. 2955 you were invited to supply a report on a Uefa Euro 2016 match written in the…
Dear Mary
Q. My son goes into his final year at school this September and I would like him to be able…
A touch of class
Cliveden is a good review for a divided country and I have waited, not too long, for it to feel…
High life
I am trying to decide with some friends which is worse, English weather or English football. The former is improving…
Long life
Amid the bloodshed and chaos that followed David Cameron’s resignation as prime minister, Theresa May earned praise for seeking to…
Long life
Amid the bloodshed and chaos that followed David Cameron’s resignation as prime minister, Theresa May earned praise for seeking to…
Low life
I walked into the bar and there was Trev standing in front of a giant screen showing Germany v. Italy…
Low life
I walked into the bar and there was Trev standing in front of a giant screen showing Germany v. Italy…
Baby with the bathwater
Bustle, an online newspaper ‘for and by women’, has published ‘six common phrases you didn’t know were sexist (that you’ll…
Real life
‘Of course, there will be no air quality now,’ said a friend, shaking her head over my support for Brexit.…
Wimbledon’s ultimate one-up man
What a well-behaved Wimbledon. Apart from a bit of racket-smashing (most of the ladies), low-level swearing (Nick Kyrgios), tantrums (Kyrgios),…
The art of the quit
Brits don’t quit,’ said David Cameron two weeks ago, to which the obvious rejoinder is: ‘Oh but they do!’ The…
The art of the quit
Brits don’t quit,’ said David Cameron two weeks ago, to which the obvious rejoinder is: ‘Oh but they do!’ The…
Six of the best
I love Eclipse Day at Sandown, the first occasion in the year when the classy three-year-olds start taking on their…
Six of the best
I love Eclipse Day at Sandown, the first occasion in the year when the classy three-year-olds start taking on their…
Bridge
The magnificent English Ladies have won another gold medal at the Europeans in Budapest. They have won medals in the…
Long life
The Brexit vote has thrust this country into chaos. It has left it with neither a government nor an opposition…
Labour: my part in its downfall
A few weeks ago, I took part in a debate at the Cambridge Union about the future of the Labour…
No. 415
White to play. This position is from Nakamura-Caruana, Leuven Blitz 2016. White can now win material. What is the key…
A summer evening with Cameron
Journalists are chronic exaggerators. Strong words are always being thrown away on trivial events. ‘Whitehall was shocked last night as…
Low life
On referendum day, my mother leaned on my arm for support and we walked slowly and carefully up the steps…
2267: Double-edged swords
One of the unclued entries (two words) defines the others (two of which are hyphened), which are all real words.…
A game of chicken with the electorate
I have worked in advertising for 28 years. In that time I have seen many briefs for communication campaigns, but…
High life
The two most beautiful words in the history of the world, in any language, are ‘Molon labe’, the accent on…
Real life
We fled Balham after the result, having been outed as the only Leave voters in Lambeth. The builder boyfriend and…
