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.

Ukraine’s next move. Arguably the greatest threat to Ukraine currently comes not from Russia, but from a lack of western unity, writes Mark Galeotti in this week’s cover piece. This is affecting the way Kyiv communicates its military strategy, he says: ‘This looks like Schrödinger’s counter-offensive, already begun yet still in abeyance, at once absolutely crucial and unlikely to make a great difference. Either way, come it must, not least because Kyiv is at once fighting a military campaign against Moscow and a political one in the West.’

 

How Kyiv over-hyped the counter-offensive. Ukrainian journalist Svitlana Morenets says that Volodymyr Zelensky’s officials are now regretting their PR success in hyping the idea of a counter-offensive. When none emerges (or the results are paltry) western support may wane. She reports how the western-trained soldiers are being held back from any coming assault. ‘I’m even told the UK Ministry of Defence is worried about Ukraine doing too well and marching all the way to Crimea, cornering Putin.’

 

Sunak may end up appealing to Strasbourg. If the UK Supreme Court strikes down the Rwanda plan, says Katy Balls, the Tories have a Plan B (or, given the options, Plan D): that they will ‘end up going to Strasbourg to ask its judges to overrule those in London. This option is being considered’. But if they win in the UK and then lose in Strasbourg, there’s an option of another referendum: this time on ECHR membership.

 

Sunak should go to Cardiff and start the Ely agenda. The riots earlier this week took place in a suburb of Cardiff that has been failed by health, education and policing authorities. It suits no one to talk about Ely: Labour has ruled Wales for almost 25 years and the Tories have presided over the return of welfare dysfunction. It’s almost exactly 20 years since Iain Duncan Smith went to Easterhouse in Glasgow to come up with the ‘Easterhouse agenda’ – our leading article says Sunak should pause his jet-setting and go to Cardiff to start the Ely agenda, using Brexit ‘internal market’ powers to give direct help to areas in devolved territories.

 

Melvyn Bragg: my lunch with Salman Rushdie. This week’s diarist, Melvyn Bragg, had lunch with Rushdie on the day the author received an honour. ‘He did not mention the New York incident once. I remember when I interviewed him after the declaration of the fatwa: he never mentioned that either. We talked about Martin Amis, whom he saw often in New York, and Borges and other writers. His memory is still astonishing. He was awarded a Companion of Honour by Princess Anne that morning. He was persuaded to wear it throughout lunch.’