Leading article
Boris is in danger of becoming the Prime Minister he once warned against
Back when Boris Johnson was on a mission to stop identity cards being used in Britain, he made a very…
Yes, they're deplorable – but those football tweets don't prove Britain is racist
There are two certainties whenever England’s football team plays; one that is long-established and the other a recent phenomenon. Players…
Boris Johnson must hold his nerve over lifting restrictions
A charge repeatedly made against Boris Johnson over the past 16 months is that he has ‘ignored scientific advice’. But…
It’s time to repair the damage done to the Covid generation’s education
Aswitch of personnel at the Department of Health this week has brought a welcome change in the government’s tone. No…
The virus threat has changed. Now Test and Trace must too
Under what circumstances can a government restrict the liberty of the people? An example was given last year: in a…
The real value of the Australia trade deal
If Britain had been unable to agree a trade deal with Australia, then Brexit really would have been pointless. The…
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…
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…
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…
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…
What Europe could learn from Britain’s new migration system
While the EU’s former chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has no formal role in devising the bloc’s immigration policy, his…
Data, not dates: there is no reason to delay a return to normal life
A slogan can come back to haunt you. For Boris Johnson, the words ‘data not dates’ sounded powerful at a…
A vote for the SNP would mean another wasted decade in Scotland
Sometimes, Westminster unwittingly makes quite a good case for Scottish independence. Britain’s Covid emergency has ended, but the damage of…
The public has kept its side of the lockdown bargain. Now it’s the government’s turn
Over the past week, the country has started to spring back to life. Trains and buses are no longer running…
Should we fear for the future of the monarchy?
Fourteen prime ministers; 18 general elections; seven changes of government. Even in a stable country like Britain it is remarkable…
It’s time Boris Johnson lets science restore our liberty
‘The government would love to put issues such as these beyond the bounds of debate by creating an air of…
The false narrative of white vs BAME
Almost 20 years ago, Michael Howard spoke about the ‘British dream’: that immigrant families like his could come to this…
Britain must help Europe fight a third wave
During the referendum campaign five years ago, the pro-Brexit side argued that by freeing ourselves from the EU’s native protectionism…
The Crown Office, The Spectator and a fight for a free press
The power wielded by Nicola Sturgeon and her Scottish government means it’s hard to hold her to account for basic…
The virus is in retreat. Isn’t it time the public is trusted to decide how to behave?
Since the start of this year, cases of Covid-19 have been in decline. Hospital admissions have fallen 80 per cent…
The Sturgeon case exposes the fatal flaw in Scottish devolution
The campaign for a Scottish parliament was rooted in the notion of a ‘democratic deficit’. Scotland kept voting Labour but…
The creeping criminalisation of causing offence
At a time when resources are scarce, the Merseyside Constabulary must have thought long and hard about its recent advertising…
Vaccines are working – so why isn’t society reopening?
When the Prime Minister sets out his ‘roadmap’ for easing Covid restrictions on Monday, it will be against a backdrop…
Universal Credit and the future of the welfare state
Amid the many failures of public policy during the Covid crisis, one success has gone largely unnoticed. The Universal Credit…
Sturgeon and the impunity of the SNP
Scottish politics tends to go through long bouts of single-party dominance. In the 19th century, the Liberals were in charge.…
