Lord Hailsham’s explanation of conservatism is correct, but only as far as it goes: “Conservatism is not so much a philosophy as an attitude, a constant force, performing a timeless function in the development of a free society, and corresponding to a deep and permanent requirement of human nature itself.”Read More

“Another fine mess you’ve got us into!” The line comes from a short 1930s film by those slapstick clowns Laurel and Hardy. For Laurel and Hardy, substitute our two modern comedians Cameron and Obama and apply it to their foreign policy. How’s this for joined up thinking? Just a yearRead More

You know all that money which your parish church pays in tax each year through the diocesan quota? Do you ever wonder what they spend it on? Happily, I can enlighten you. I have just read an advertisement, a job description, issued by the Diocese of St Alban’s which spellsRead More

Ed Miliband is asking for 10 years in power to “turn Britain around”. He’s being uncharacteristically modest. Socialists have never needed years to destroy a country when they take over. Depending on their radicalism, this feat may take them days to achieve (Lenin) or perhaps weeks (Hollande). Never years. WritingRead More

It’s hard not to notice the semantic confusion arriving in the slipstream of the Scottish referendum. No one seems to be any longer sure of anything: nationhood, home rule for Scotland, England or possibly Merseyside, democracy, constitution, why the chicken crosses the road or whether or not it comes beforeRead More

He was crucified also for us. It’s the for us which gives us trouble. Those two words are in a different register from the rest of that sentence. The evangelical missioner turns up on the doorstep and asks the householder if he knows the Lord Jesus Christ. The un-churched householderRead More

It’s hard not to notice the semantic confusion arriving in the slipstream of the Scottish referendum. No one seems to be any longer sure of anything: nationhood, home rule for Scotland, England or possibly Merseyside, democracy, constitution, why the chicken crosses the road or whether or not it comes beforeRead More

The answer to this question, that is: Is there any limit to the stupid, subversive, demotic rubbish The Times will publish these days? Ben Macintyre’s article on Bob Dylan unwittingly plucks the answer out of the blowin’ wind and lays it before us. It’s an emphatic no. The article itselfRead More

There are two types of societies, production societies and rationing societies. The production society is concerned with taking more territory, exploiting that territory to the best of its ability and then discovering new techniques for producing even more. The rationing society is concerned with consolidating control over all existing resourcesRead More

Forty-nine Turkish hostages, including diplomats, women and children, have been released by the terrorists of Islamic State. The lavish scenes of jubilation on their safe return were prominent on Turkish TV. But did you see the earlier pictures of the fearless men of the Turks’ secret intelligence service, backed by special forces,Read More