coronavirus
The case for dodging cracks in the pavement
It is interesting to consider what would have happened if the Covid virus had emerged in 1921. Or 1821. Or…
Portrait of the week: Gas prices soar, cabinet reshuffled and a green light for travel
Home To prevent a shortage of meat, which relies on carbon dioxide in its packaging, the government gave millions of…
The Covid pantomime at my father’s memorial
This last weekend I attended the memorial service for my father, who died in July. This isn’t a bid for…
Could the squeeze on living standards bring down Boris?
There is about to be a two-phase onslaught on the living standards of those on low-to-middling incomes. On 1 October…
Javid avoids Tory Covid powers fightback – for now
Tory MPs were not happy when Sajid Javid unveiled the Covid winter plan in the Commons this afternoon. They’re dissatisfied…
Is the inflation panic over? Probably not
So, is the post-Covid inflation panic over? That is how it looked last month, when the government’s preferred inflation index,…
Tories scrap mandatory vaccine passports
On BBC One’s Andrew Marr show Sajid Javid confirmed that plans for domestic vaccine passports in England were on the…
The emergency is over. Now the government must relinquish its emergency powers
For 18 months, the government has held power over us as never before in peacetime. The emergency powers granted by…
The stories that are too good to check
Last weekend, Rolling Stone ran a story about an interview an emergency room doctor had given to a local news…
What Britain should learn from Israel about booster shots
Third jabs need to be rolled out right away
Covid pingdemic takes its toll on Britain's economic bounce-back
The arrival of ‘freedom day’ on 19 July enabled people to return to concerts, festivals, and ditch social distancing, but…
Why didn't Tory MPs oppose Boris's tax hike?
Boris Johnson has just announced his plans to increase National Insurance by 1.25 per cent for both workers and employers…
Why isn't the vaccine UK approved for 12- to 15-year-olds?
This afternoon, the JCVI has essentially passed the buck on vaccinating 12- to 15-year-olds. It has declared that the health benefits…
Letters: The agony of the forgotten Australians
A glimmer of hope Sir: After the debacle of the West’s shambolic withdrawal from Afghanistan, it was comforting to read…
It’s time for NHS GPs to stop hiding behind their telephones
Nye Bevan famously said that he was only able to persuade family doctors to support the creation of the NHS…
The Tories aren’t in party mood
Nearly two years on from the general election and 11 years since the Tories took office, they remain comfortably and…
On child vaccination, parents should have the choice
On Saturday, the Health Secretary made his most bullish comments on child vaccination so far. Writing in the Times, Sajid Javid argued that…
New Zealand’s zero Covid strategy is becoming unsustainable
New Zealand has done remarkably well over the past 18 months at protecting its citizens from the worst of the…
China’s zero Covid strategy is being undermined by mahjong
Mao Zedong once said that the game of mahjong should not be underestimated, because: ‘If you know how to play…
How are the vaccines affected by the Delta variant?
Has the emergence of the Delta, or Indian, variant reduced the effectiveness of Covid vaccines and if so by how…
How China tried to suppress the lab leak investigation
The lead figure in the World Health Organisation’s work on the origins of Covid-19 has givena remarkable interview to Danish…
What ministers won’t admit about A-levels
The tale of A-levels shows how ministers can sometimes find themselves in a position when it is simply too dangerous…
Why vaccine passports are pointless
Despite having mocked app-happy Albion in my last column, I finally downloaded the NHS app. (Lest I seem a raging…
The great holiday Covid test rip-off
The great holiday Covid test rip-off
Portrait of the week: Cameron’s cash, A-grades abound and Tower Bridge won’t budge
Home With less frightening domestic data on the coronavirus pandemic to ponder, subjects such as the rivalry between Boris Johnson,…
