Italy
Italians believe the coronavirus outbreak shows their superiority
During times of contagion, you begin to understand why fascist salutes were once so popular. The foot-tap is replacing the…
Why I’ll never become an MP
Every now and then someone asks me if I have ever thought of becoming an MP. My response tends to…
Conservative politician forced to apologise for attending conservative conference
Every now and then someone asks me if I have ever thought of becoming a politician. My response tends to…
Words to live by from Saint John Henry Newman
On 13 October, John Henry Newman, a distinguished and distinctive Englishman, was officially declared a Saint. A well-known saying of…
Why Tuscany always beats Provence for me
A family of peacocks is sunning itself in our villa garden. They all look extraordinarily happy and composed, especially the…
Venice needs Venexit
Some of Venice’s problems are well known: the challenge of conserving her famous buildings, the dangers of poorly managed mass…
Should I return to the land of my Italian ancestors?
When I was growing up, my Italian grandfather was my favourite person. He taught me to play a mean game…
Will Italy’s warring politicians succeed in shutting Salvini out of power?
What now looks like a distinct possibility in Italy after today’s resignation of Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte is a…
The secret of Matteo Salvini’s success
Last summer, when Italy became the first major European country to get a populist government, Steve Bannon was cock-a-hoop. The…
Italy, in seven hours and five trains
The train standing at platform 1A had no air-conditioning and the heat was stupefying. Latecomers pressing into the carriage reacted…
Tuscany’s killer climate
The hotel manager had arranged for me to borrow an Alfa Romeo Spider Duetto two-seater convertible (1982) for the afternoon.…
Matteo Salvini: the man reinventing populist politics
While Britain continues to try to struggle its way out of the EU, perhaps it is wise to consider what…
It may seem incredible, but I’d trust an Italian over a Frenchman any day
For a few years before coming to Italy, I lived in Paris and I cannot tell you the life-enhancing difference…
Europe’s culture clash: Macron vs Salvini is a battle over a continent’s soul
Two weeks ago Luigi Di Maio, Italy’s vice-premier and Labour Minister and the top politician of the Five Star Movement…
The telltale signs your child is texting about Jeeves and Wooster
You’ll be relieved to learn my penguin is back. ‘How long was it gone?’ you ask. About six months. ‘And…
The Italian crisis
For those who believe in the European project, Brexit is a headache. Italy, on the other hand, is a bloody…
Richard Madeley: Thanks to Gavin Williamson, everyone is calling me ‘the Terminator’
Down here near Nice, you find most locals unsurprised by the catastrophic Genoa bridge collapse. The Italian border is only…
Turning back boats may be the most humane response to the migrant crisis
The photographs of children in cages at US migration centres, apparently separated from the parents with whom they illegally entered…
This period of British history is like the first months of the second world war
A distinguished retired EU diplomat from a small EU member state sends me a thoughtful letter. He complains that Brexit…
Orban and Salvini are redefining democracy in Europe
By 25 May the world was learning of the Italian populist parties’ plans to form a coalition government. This would…
How Riccardo Chailly brought joy – and Italian opera – back to La Scala
As the curtain opens on the second act of Don Pasquale, I hear a rustle of discomfort. Donizetti’s opera has…
How to be a tourist in Europe
Last week, I was in the Florence Baptistery by 8.30 a.m. That used to be early enough to avoid the…
The truth about Max Mosley and that leaflet
Almost eight million people have now watched Cathy Newman’s Channel 4 News interview with Jordan Peterson. This figure must be…
Meet the anti-immigrant federalist who could well be Italy’s next prime minister
The man who could become Italy’s next prime minister is sat just opposite the entrance to the huge US and…
Hunt-the-iPhone was the highlight of my hols
For years, Caroline and I have been squabbling over where to spend our summer holidays. Her ideal is a family-friendly…
