Culture
The Essential Role of Family in Europe
Amidst debates on progressive social policies, the enduring importance of traditional family values for stability and prosperity has become increasingly evident.
Why BBC Parliament needs saving
The channel that piqued my interest in politics could reduce youth disengagement – if given a chance
The Spike: Natasha Sindeyeva
The remarkable story of the exuberant socialite who founded Russia’s only independent television channel
Ukraine and Eurovision: an interwoven history
How Ukraine’s post-Soviet history has played out on the set of the Eurovision Song Contest
A missing piece in education
Chess can develop valuable qualities such as resilience, focus and how to recover from defeat – at low cost
Meet the contrarians
As an increasing number of people are being silenced for challenging the status quo, the Contrarian Prize recognises individuals who dare to be different
Misguided policy
Poor data and fake news are damaging the international arts industry
Is the art marketplace misunderstood?
Propaganda against the market continues to grow, and with it increasing pressure to restrict its activities
The Spike: Andrew Marr
After 21 years at the BBC, Andrew Marr is breaking free – and the corporation will undoubtedly hope he’s not kickstarting a trend
An appetite for diplomacy
With the right ingredients, gastrodiplomacy in Brussels is proving to be the ideal conversation starter for ministers within and beyond the EU
Power dressing
Nicola Martorana is the discreet Sicilian tailor whose bespoke attire is worn by everyone from Michel Barnier and Pope Francis to the lobbyists and lawyers of Brussels
Bridge to the Past
A new play set in former Yugoslavia serves as a reminder that in many ways the conflict of the 90s is still depressingly present
France’s darkest hour, through American eyes
A new book traces the panicked period in which the US recognised a fascist regime as France’s rightful government
Glasgow: the host with the most
As the Scottish city gears up to hold Cop26, John Nicolson MP tells the story of his hometown and offers tips on where to visit, drink & dine
Spirit of revival
Commissioner Mariya Gabriel explains how the New European Bauhaus is fronting the next wave of cultural innovation
Mariya Gabriel on Europe’s New Bauhaus
Why is a new European initiative drawing inspiration from a century-old German art school movement?
The Spike: Jess Brammar’s deleted tweets
The BBC’s new head of news has found herself at the centre of a rupture over the impartiality of Britain’s public broadcasting
Carbis Bay gets the Yalta treatment
Can a Cornish eco hotel can live up to the glitz and glamour of the G7?
The Courtier: Meghan’s Greatest Role
Olenka Hamilton weighs the Duchess of Sussex’s chances at presidential glory
Diary: My Role in the Boris Biopic
Petronella Wyatt slams the government’s coronavirus cowardice – and teases her upcoming film role.
In Memoriam Jeremy Heywood (1961-2018)
A new poem by Christopher Jackson
A Prince Among Kings: the Political Anxiety of What’s Going On
Forged in an era of political turmoil and ecological uncertainty. the album’s sentiments still resonate 50 years later
Iain Dale’s Top 50 Political Podcasts
From stand-up comedians to serious analysis, these are the shows worth streaming
Power, Corruption and Lies: Peter Oborne’s “The Assault on Truth”
In The Assault on Truth, Oborne turns his eye to Boris Johnson, finds Ferdie Rous
Why ‘cancelling’ MP-poets is Woke tyranny
We still have plenty to learn from the father of English literature and former MP, argues William Cash
Martyr in the Cathedral
Why Thomas Becket’s murder 850 years ago remains a cautionary tale for special advisers today, says William Cash
John le Carré: Novelist of the moral battlefield
British espionage writer John le Carré has died aged 89. William Cash reflects on his legacy
Is Roadkill the new West Wing?
Former SpAd Peter Cardwell on why he’s a fan
Meme Machine
The government have been totally outgunned on social media, says Rosa Herxheimer
Hail to the Chief Junk Foodie
Catering for the top man in the White House? You can give René Redzepi the night off– Mr Trump’s tastes are as basic as his politics
Angela’s Revenge
Adam Solomon on why Munich’s Bayerischer Hof is Merkel’s favourite power summit hotel
Front and Centre of Brussels Hospitality
Contemporary, quirky and classic, William Cash reviews the Hotel Amigo – a converted 16th-century prison with an award-winning Italian restaurant.
Sharp Pencils, Sharper Wit
The ongoing cull of political cartoonists by national newspapers has triggered new conversations about the status of this idiosyncratic art form.
Wanted: A Sea-side Tsar
William Cash sets out the case for a new seaside tsar and what needs to be done to reverse the decline of our coastal towns
How the National Trust Lost Its Way
Faced with a £200m revenue shortfall and under fire for dumbing down its role as a cultural institution, the beloved heritage organisation must not damage its reputation irrevocably
Long Table: Peter Mandelson’s Cosy Country Life in Lockdown
Tucked away in Wiltshire, Peter Mandelson read his way through lockdown, when he wasn’t zooming into the Lords
Diary: The Hack is Back
Peter Cardwell is enjoying his retirement from SpAd life
Library: William Boyd – Brexit won’t change the way we think about ourselves
The acclaimed author of 15 novels, including Any Human Heart, debates how seismic events make their way into storytelling
Last Orders: Sir Anthony Seldon
Fresh from writing an account of Theresa May’s time in Downing Street, the historian finds time to talk about the state of the nation – and other matters.
The Lesson of Munich
The Establishment has been wrong before, notes Tim Congdon. Is it so crazy, he asks, to think that it might be wrong again?
Heads of State
Christopher Jackson meets the Harley Street surgeon whose busts of world leaders are winning him friends in high places.
Long Table: Lord Butler on the Ship of State
The former cabinet secretary, now a Lords crossbencher, describes his life as a peer and the differing demands of serving under five prime ministers.
Out of Office: What does a holiday destination reveal about a premiership?
William Cash considers Boris Johnson’s Christmas break in Mustique and finds a prime minister’s choice of holiday location to be highly revealing.
Recline and sprawl
Jacob Rees-Mogg’s languid pose on the Treasury bench launched a thousand memes on social media. Five observers interpret his body language for us.
Diary: Harry Potter Politics with Damian Collins
Damian Collins remembers his election victory and rejoices at the new Commons term
