Parliament
Spectator letters: Cutting the Lords, and a defence of Edwin Lutyens
Trimming the ermine Sir: I am a new boy in the House of Lords compared with Viscount Astor — though…
Why MPs have a duty to resist online petitions
It is the duty of MPs to resist Twitter storms and online petitions
Look beyond the Sewel video: the House of Lords still works
The shaming of Lord Sewel was a classic tabloid exposé. The fact that a peer of the realm (albeit one…
Why lawyers deserve Michael Gove
A great test of political leadership is how well you deal with vested interests on your own side. In his…
The last Europe vote, 40 years on
Forty years on The forthcoming EU referendum has rekindled memories of the in-out Common Market referendum of 1975. But it…
Charles Moore’s Notes: people who love making new laws like to present them as human rights
Amnesty International and others have placed a large newspaper advertisement telling Michael Gove ‘Don’t Scrap Our Human Rights’. The ad…
The real problem with our MPs: they’re obsessed with the super-rich
Had the public been asked, before Monday morning, to identify two MPs who stood for honesty and decency, the names…
Five more MPs making Malcolm Rifkind’s day rate
Golden league Some MPs who earn Sir Malcolm Rifkind’s rate of £5,000 a day: — Sir Tony Baldry (Banbury): £3,333…
If you think Britain’s corrupt now, watch what happens if we ban second jobs for MPs
Last year, I had an exchange with Hugo Rifkind on Twitter in which I bet him dinner at Clarke’s that…
Want more diversity? Hire groups, not individuals
If I were to give you a budget to choose your perfect house, you would quickly have a clear idea…
What MPs need is an oath with consequences
Before taking their seats in Parliament, all MPs must swear an oath of allegiance to the Queen. Mark Durkan, MP…
Why no one will win on 7 May 2015
Whatever happens on 7 May, both main party leaders face disaster
What’s behind the Boris Johnson show?
To interview the Mayor of London is to witness an extraordinary performance
Spectator letters: St Augustine and Louise Mensch, war votes and flannel
Faith and flexibility Sir: What a contrast in your two articles on religion last week: one liberal atheist parent (Claire…
Must MPs always vote before we go to war?
Jesse Norman was permitted three minutes for his speech to the Commons in last Friday’s debate. But the contribution from…
Charles III is made for numbskulls by numbskulls
Suppose Charles were to reign as a meddlesome, self-pitying, indecisive plonker. It’s a thought. It’s now a play, too, by…
It costs £34,000 to become an MP. No wonder they expect higher pay
Mark Simmonds has been in politics long enough to know not to expect much sympathy from his constituents. He resigned…
Mark Simmonds was just saying what a lot of MPs think
I feel some sympathy for Mark Simmonds, the Conservative MP who’s resigned as a minister and is stepping down at…
Which party has the most MPs’ children in Parliament?
Commons inheritance Emily Benn, granddaughter of Tony and niece of Hilary, has won the right to stand for Labour in…
Crimean notebook: ‘They’ll have to break all my bones to make me a Russian citizen’
Vladimir Putin still swears that there are no Russian troops in Crimea, so their mission is to say as little…
A successful obesity campaign? Fat chance
Fat chances The National Obesity Forum said that Britain is reaching a ‘doomsday scenario’ where half the population is obese.…
Toby Young: I'm too posh for the Tories. I should try Labour
I’m still weighing up whether to run for Parliament, but after this week’s reshuffle I’ve concluded I’m in the wrong…
You can’t demand democracy in Syria but ignore it at home
After David Cameron’s decision to seek parliamentary approval for air strikes against Syria, two lobbies came charging in, banners aloft.…
Parliament has finally woken up – because voters are keeping their MPs in line
Today’s MPs are no longer scared of the whips. Instead, they are scared of their constituents. That’s a good thing
