Status anxiety

Why I’m backing Corbyn the Great

10 June 2017 9:00 am

Comrades. I’m going to tell you why I think Jeremy Corbyn is the right person to lead this country. First…

Race, gender and a terrifying witch hunt

3 June 2017 9:00 am

A leading article appeared in Nature last week in defence of intelligence research. It lamented the fact that it is…

Fraternity, solidarity and the spirit of 1945

27 May 2017 9:00 am

My father worked as a fire warden during the Blitz, trying to contain the damage done by the Luftwaffe, and…

Stupid is as stupid votes

20 May 2017 9:00 am

John Stuart Mill is usually credited as the person who first called the Conservatives ‘the stupid party’, but that isn’t…

Magical thinking isn’t a political position

13 May 2017 9:00 am

I’m due to debate the philosopher A.C. Grayling on Saturday about whether there should be a second EU referendum on…

It’s time you made some enemies, George

6 May 2017 9:00 am

Dear George Osborne, I thought it worth passing along some advice about your new job. I’ve never edited a news-paper,…

A progressive alliance? It’s more a coalition of chaos

29 April 2017 9:00 am

My heart soared when I first heard the phrase ‘progressive alliance’ in this election campaign. Not the reaction you’d expect,…

This snap election’s real victims? Bankers’ wives

22 April 2017 9:00 am

The people I feel most sorry for in the wake of Theresa May’s shock announcement are not moderate Labour MPs,…

Why Parcs life is not for me

14 April 2017 11:00 pm

Against my better judgment, I agreed to go to Center Parcs for an Easter weekend break. We chose the one…

Meritocracy isn’t fair

8 April 2017 9:00 am

I’ve just made a programme for Radio 4 about the populist revolts that swept Britain and America last year. Were…

The bawdy and beautiful game

1 April 2017 9:00 am

I can barely contain my excitement. The Easter break is nearly upon us and I will soon be heading off…

The liberals and the deplorables

25 March 2017 9:00 am

In America, an argument has broken out among journalists, writers and intellectuals in the aftermath of the presidential election about…

The weird ways in which people avoid cleaning up after their dogs

18 March 2017 9:00 am

One of the most important debates in Britain’s history took place in Westminster earlier this week. The issue was absolutely…

Victory in sight for the free schools revolution

11 March 2017 9:00 am

I’m not surprised the Chancellor allocated more money for the free schools policy in the Budget. It’s not an exaggeration…

Victory in sight for the free schools revolution

9 March 2017 3:00 pm

I’m not surprised the Chancellor allocated more money for the free schools policy in the Budget. It’s not an exaggeration…

Victory in sight for the free schools revolution

9 March 2017 3:00 pm

I’m not surprised the Chancellor allocated more money for the free schools policy in the Budget. It’s not an exaggeration…

Why didn’t I listen to the Old Devil?

4 March 2017 9:00 am

When Kingsley Amis won the Booker prize for The Old Devils in 1986, he said that he had previously thought…

Why didn’t I listen to the Old Devil?

2 March 2017 3:00 pm

When Kingsley Amis won the Booker prize for The Old Devils in 1986, he said that he had previously thought…

Why didn’t I listen to the Old Devil?

2 March 2017 3:00 pm

When Kingsley Amis won the Booker prize for The Old Devils in 1986, he said that he had previously thought…

Will my inner party animal roar back to life?

23 February 2017 3:00 pm

According to a front-page story in the Times earlier this week, your personality does change over the course of your…

Will my inner party animal roar back to life?

23 February 2017 3:00 pm

According to a front-page story in the Times earlier this week, your personality does change over the course of your…

Will my inner party animal roar back to life?

23 February 2017 3:00 pm

According to a front-page story in the Times earlier this week, your personality does change over the course of your…

Can I bear to sack the digital babysitter?

18 February 2017 9:00 am

I was astonished to discover in conversation with another dad last week that he and his wife intended to introduce…

Can I bear to sack the digital babysitter?

16 February 2017 3:00 pm

I was astonished to discover in conversation with another dad last week that he and his wife intended to introduce…

Can I bear to sack the digital babysitter?

16 February 2017 3:00 pm

I was astonished to discover in conversation with another dad last week that he and his wife intended to introduce…