The Spectator

The Spectator was established in 1828, and is the oldest continuously published magazine in the English language. The Spectator’s taste for controversy, however, remains undiminished. There is no party line to which The Spectator’s writers are bound - originality of thought and elegance of expression are the sole editorial constraints.

The trial issue contains a “Thought Crime Special” with articles from Melanie Phillips, “I think, therefore I’m guilty”; Christopher Booker writes about “Scientists in hiding; the demonisation of academics who question the consensus”; Alan Rusbridger explores “How to stifle the press” and how England’s libel laws make it easy.

UK politics come under scrutiny from James Forsyth, Brendan O’Neill ponders if teenagers could ever be “Drunk and orderly”; while Tom Hollander writes his diary and James Delingpole says eat local organic food if you like, but don’t kid yourself that it’s ‘green’. 

The Spectator’s regular arts coverage includes books, theatre, opera, cinema and exhibitions.

Who killed British manufacturing? The UK is creating what could be termed a ‘zero-industrial society’. Climate change targets, soaring energy prices and rising taxes on employment are killing off our manufacturing industry, writes Matthew Lynn. For the first time, the UK recently dropped out of the top ten countries for making stuff. And yet, manufacturing contributes the most to growing productivity. Britain not only now risks losing 8 per cent of GDP that manufacturing contributes, but the skills and technology that go with it. By the time Keir Starmer’s term ends we may well have completely destroyed our bustling and vibrant industrial base. Make no mistake: we’ll miss it when it’s gone.

 

A dispatch from The Donald’s Big Show. Freddy Gray attends a ‘Stars and Stripes & Union Jack Celebration’ in Washington, D.C. during the inauguration festivities. ‘Dolled-up American girls took selfies with Liz Truss. And Steve Bannon showered Lord Glasman, the Labour peer, with admiration. The horseshoe theory has gone full circle.’  Freddy also speaks to Éric Zemmour, leader of the Reconquête party, who says that Trump’s greatest strength is that he never compromises. ‘He is, like me, fighting this ideological battle,’ says Zemmour. ‘He rang me in 2022 and told me: “Don’t change, don’t give in, stay who you are.”’

 

George Osborne: Trump is the ultimate Davos Man. In his diary for The Spectator this week, George Osborne writes from Davos about the reaction to Donald Trump’s inauguration. He says that while Trump’s decisions about the Paris climate talks and the WHO were ‘napalming the global international order’, it should be pointed out that no other American president (apart from Clinton) has come to the World Economic Forum. But Trump has. ‘He loves it here. Why not? Deals to be done. Money to be made. Businesses to schmooze. Thinking you’re at the centre of things. Trump is the ultimate Davos Man.’

 

Starmer’s rule by lawyers. As Attorney General, Richard Hermer KC has played a key role in the government’s more controversial decisions, such as the withdrawal of the UK’s objections to the International Criminal Court for the arrest warrant of Netanyahu or the Chagos Island deal. ‘Rarely a day goes by without a story or question regarding Hermer's potential conflict of interest,’ writes Katy Balls. Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick has his sights set on Hermer – his allies have begun describing him as the ‘Herminator’. Beyond Tory barbs, Hermer is attracting criticism from his own side. ‘On judicial review, we should just push on and ignore certain things,’ says a minister. It goes to the question of what type of government Starmer ought to lead. Should the PM be a ‘Mr Rules’ figure who pays due respect to the world order despite few others following suit – or should he lead an insurgent government willing to shake things up? Katy reveals steps are planned in Downing Street to reduce the number of judicial reviews that block infrastructure projects. The question is whether Starmer – or his AG – have the stomach to see it through.

 

How Pierre Poilievre led Canada’s Conservatives to the brink of power. There are few party leaders who excite British Conservatives more than Pierre Poilievre: both Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick have visited Canada to try to learn from his playbook. James Heale spends a week in Ottawa talking to Poilievre’s colleagues and allies to find out how he has led his party from isolation to the brink of power. His mantra is ‘to talk about issues which matter to 90 per cent of Canadians, 90 per cent of the time’. His team have boiled countless hours of policy work into four slogans, based on a ‘verb the noun’ formula: ‘Axe the tax.’ ‘Build the homes.’ ‘Fix the budget.’ ‘Stop the crime.’ His messaging has brought new, younger voters to the party. The Liberal party, on the other hand, face an existential threat in the upcoming general election. Poilievre could be about to remake Canada in his own image.