Innovation

On Britain beyond Brexit and the future of Conservatism
On Britain beyond Brexit and the future of Conservatism
June 18, 2019
THE END-OF-AUSTERITY message has certainly got through to the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS). On June 10th the CPS launched “Britain Beyond Brexit”, a new collection of essays edited...
On Change UK’s inadequacies, political agreements and missing Scots
On Change UK’s inadequacies, political agreements and missing Scots
May 20, 2019
I WAS much impressed by Heidi Allen’s first speech when she left the Conservative Party to join the Independent Group, now known as the Change UK Party. How could...
On “Fleabag”, a Corbyn government and Kenneth Clarke’s tandoori moments
On “Fleabag”, a Corbyn government and Kenneth Clarke’s tandoori moments
April 26, 2019
I FINALLY GOT round to watching a few episodes of “Fleabag” to see what all the fuss is about. A few good scenes, I thought, and a magnificently disgusting...
On “Game of Thrones”, Conservatism, Israel and Lidl
On “Game of Thrones”, Conservatism, Israel and Lidl
April 19, 2019
“GAME of Thrones”, which, in case you hadn’t noticed, returned for its eighth and final season this week, has already had a profound impact on the television industry (if...
On parliamentarians talented, vainglorious, entertaining and anarchic
On parliamentarians talented, vainglorious, entertaining and anarchic
April 5, 2019
Our Britain columnist considers the best and the worst of MPs in a lively week in the House of Commons and beyond
On political caricatures, “real” policies and the idea of public service
On political caricatures, “real” policies and the idea of public service
March 22, 2019
THE PARADOXES of Brexit multiply by the day. Brexit was supposed to allow Britain to take back control of its destiny. This week a British prime minister sat in...
On democracy, Sir Lewis Namier and the struggles of the super-rich
On democracy, Sir Lewis Namier and the struggles of the super-rich
March 15, 2019
I SPENT MUCH of this week in the House of Commons press gallery not knowing whether to laugh or cry. Theresa May laying out the case for her deal...
On political paralysis, British intellectuals and the wisdom of Victorians
On political paralysis, British intellectuals and the wisdom of Victorians
March 8, 2019
THE AUGURIES for next week’s Brexit votes are not good, to put it mildly. The European Reform Group of hardline Eurosceptic MPs is divided into two camps: those who...
On protesting “nuns”, a Labour “defection” and a story about “Andre Previn”
On protesting “nuns”, a Labour “defection” and a story about “Andre Previn”
March 1, 2019
THE FIRST time I encountered protesters dressed as nuns was when I lived in the Bay Area of San Francisco in 1984-5. Sister Mary Boom Boom and her fellow...
On Brexit films, Brexit books and Brexit television
On Brexit films, Brexit books and Brexit television
February 22, 2019
I RECENTLY spent a happy few days in Los Angeles promoting my new book, “Capitalism in America: A History” (co-written with Alan Greenspan). I was driving down Hollywood Boulevard...