The Week
Herodotus in Sochi
As a result of Russian laws against propagating homosexuality, there are calls to boycott the 2013 Winter Olympics in Sochi…
Letters
Tories and Italians Sir: Roger Scruton must be laughing, or more likely crying, to hear his Meaning of Conservatism described…
How Australia's Tony Abbott pulled off a great conservative victory
By conventional wisdom, Tony Abbott should not become Prime Minister of Australia this weekend. He ought to be too conservative,…
Portrait of the week
Home Having recalled Parliament to debate British military action over Syria, David Cameron, the Prime Minister, found the government defeated,…
Harold Evans’s diary: Beware Obama - he always pulls the rug out from under his allies
Days ago, I’d have bet that even the most bitterly partisan Congress in generations would jib at humiliating their commander-in-chief.…
What the Roman general Vegetius could teach Obama about Syria
So the USA must launch its onslaught against Syria without the Brits. Well, if Obama will make public announcements of…
Barometer
Shining examples The ‘Walkie Talkie’, a new tower block in Fenchurch Street, was blamed for partially melting the interior of…
Letters: The Syria debate, plus Giles Milton on Andro Linklater
Syrian matters Sir: Though Syria (Leading article, 31 August) is certainly no laughing matter, the turmoil prevailing over a ‘punitive…
Syria: A war without a purpose
There is something deeply disturbing about switching on the television and finding Jack Straw talking about the need to take…
Portrait of the week
Home Parliament was recalled four days early to debate military action against Syria, which David Cameron, the Prime Minister, had…
Andrew Marr’s diary: Holidays after a stroke, and what the Germans really think of us
It’s been a strange summer. After a stroke, holidays are not what they used to be. We went to Juan-les-Pins…
Varro on The Apprentice
Budding businesswoman Luisa Zissman, with her A in A-level English, has enquired whether ‘Bakers Toolkit’ or ‘Baker’s Toolkit’ is correct.…
Barometer
Your name here Supporters of Merthyr Town Football Club objected to having their ground renamed the Cigg-e Stadium in a…
Letters: Peter Hitchens vs Nick Cohen, and the case against the middle class
Piggies in the middle Sir: Your feature ‘The strange death of the middle class’ (24 August) assumes that young people…
The Guardian didn't care when Murdoch's journalists were arrested. So why the hysteria now?
It is good to see the Guardian suddenly rediscover its interest in the sanctity of a free press. Just five…
Portrait of the week
Home The cost of the HS2 railway line was expected by some in the Treasury to rise from £43 billion…
Kirsty Wark’s diary: On the Caledonian sleeper, the new Donna Tartt, and a week of Edinburgh shows
There isn’t a Scottish politician in living memory who hasn’t been on the Caledonian Sleeper. I always imagined Donald Dewar…
Ancient and modern: Modern Egypt vs ancient Athens
Whatever problems Greeks and Romans faced, a politicised priesthood was not one of them. They might have made three observations…
The FA's 99.6pc conviction rate, and other weird facts
We will remember them A German diplomat called on Britain to commemorate but not celebrate the centenary of the Great…
Letters: GPs reply to J. Merion Thomas
Some doctors write Sir: Professor Meirion Thomas (‘Dangerous medicine’, 17 August) may be an excellent surgeon but he is uninformed…
This is no way to run a railway
We would not want to return to the days when the transport secretary was actively engaged in the running of…
Portrait of the week
Home The population of the United Kingdom rose by 420,000, to 63.7 million, by the middle of last year, with…
Kirstie Allsopp’s diary: Why I’m terrified of Woman’s Hour
If you haven’t scuffled you haven’t lived, and our local scuffle is the best of the best. A scuffle is…
Lucretius vs Richard Dawkins
Richard Dawkins has been confusing his categories again, comparing Trinity College, Cambridge, with Islam. His attack on religion does precisely…
Barometer
Ward ceremony There have been 29 health secretaries since 1948. How many have wards that — though not necessarily named…
