Leading article
It’s not just Scotland’s drugs shame – it’s Britain’s
Twenty years ago, the Scottish parliament was reconvened after a lapse of almost three centuries. The logic for devolution was…
The Tories can profit from Labour panic
In some alternative universe the Labour party, as under Tony Blair in the mid 1990s, is busily preparing for government,…
The Hong Kong protesters deserve Britain’s full support
When the tanks were rolling into Tiananmen Square and the Cold War hadn’t yet formally come to an end, it…
Britain will soon have to pick a side in the US-Iran spat
Crises in the Gulf and Conservative leadership elections come around with unnerving regularity. It is not unknown for both to…
The Tory party has no choice but to bet on Boris
When Boris Johnson was appointed editor of this magazine two decades ago, an unkind soul said it was like ‘entrusting…
The leadership contest exposes how few Tories have a clue about the economy
‘Choice’ is a word that is used liberally in Conservative thinking — whether it be about schools, hospitals or consumer…
Playing chicken: Trade deals with the US will make Britain stronger
Why is it that free trade, which almost everyone agrees is good when conducted with other European countries, suddenly becomes…
The Trump card: We should welcome Donald Trump’s visit – and treat him as a friend
The day after Britain voted to leave the European Union, Donald Trump arrived by helicopter at Turnberry, his golf course…
The end of May: Theresa must go so the Tories can heal
This week’s European election was always going to be pointless, at least from a British perspective. It is possible that…
The truth about British inequality? It has very little to do with income
This week the Institute for Fiscal Studies announced a five-year study into inequality in Britain, to be led by the…
A royal baby reminds us why the monarchy matters
Strictly in terms of its implications for the succession, the arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s son this…
The Tories are giving a masterclass in how to lose elections
When a political party is in trouble, we see infighting, leak inquiries, resignations, dismissals and botched attempts to depose the…
How not to fight a war on terror
It has become commonplace to describe terror attacks as ‘senseless’. The horrific Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka, which cost…
Hope will rise out of the ashes of Notre Dame
‘Great edifices, like great mountains, are the work of centuries,’ wrote Victor Hugo in Notre-Dame de Paris. ‘The man, the…
It’s vital to keep good relations with our EU allies – and we need a leader who’s up to the challenge
The European Union’s official goal — an ever-closer union of people — remains its single most attractive feature. Our continent…
If the EU refuses an extension, voters want a no-deal Brexit. MPs should listen
One of the many tragedies of Theresa May’s premiership is that, having come up with a coherent policy on how…
The absurdity of censoring anti-vaxxers
It is not hard to make the case that vaccination programmes have been one of the greatest contributions to mankind…
The Conservative Party bears the most blame for the Brexit mess
For many people, next Friday was supposed to be a celebration. Boris Johnson spoke about an ‘independence day’ marking the…
The Tories are squandering the opportunity of Brexit
In all the madness of the Brexit voting, it’s easy to forget that Philip Hammond revealed a mini-Budget this week. Even…
Why MPs must hold their nose and back May’s Brexit deal
It is becoming painfully clear that on Tuesday the House of Commons will be asked to vote on an EU…
Who will safeguard our democracy if local news dies?
The announcement this week that Capital, Heart and Smooth radio are cutting back their local news shows might not in…
Female unemployment has just hit an all-time low. So yes, Britain is working
At any other time, news that Honda intends to close its Swindon plant in two years’ time with the loss…
The EU and UK are one sentence away from a Brexit deal. Why the games?
Even the most fervent Brexiteer would have to admit to being impressed at the cohesion and chutzpah of the European…
Why David Harding’s £100 million Cambridge donation might save capitalism
The British are said to be among the most generous people on earth. When it comes to ordinary people scraping…
After Huawei, can we trust Chinese tech?
The world is a better place for China’s emergence from behind the bamboo curtain where it hid for half a…
