The Spectator

The Spectator is Britain’s oldest and most influential magazine, with incisive political and economic analysis, unrivalled books and arts reviews, and unmissable lifestyle writing, plus the funniest cartoons. It’s more cocktail party than political party, and we’d love it if you joined us.

Hollowed out

The Spectator

CONTRIBUTORS

PORTRAIT OF THE WEEK

DIARY

Nigel and the Gang of Four

THE SPECTATOR’S NOTES

Indefensible • How Keir Starmer dropped the ball on military spending

Sunrise Symphonies

Continent adrift • Europe remains in denial about its defence

The numbers game • Can Nato troops keep pace with their enemies?

Friends with benefits

Terminates here • The last bus out of Mousehole

Don’t underestimate the ‘stop Farage’ alliance

A right mess

BAROMETER

County crimes • On the trail of the organised gangs terrorising farmers

Crude awakening • David Lammy’s curious relationship with Guyanese Big Oil

The genius of Kenneth Williams

WRITER’S NOTEBOOK

My Epstein confession

Whistle blowers • Why football referees and banks should fear over-regulation

LETTERS

Nostalgia for the City’s banks and buildings is no bad thing

BOOKS & ARTS

Spirits of the Blitz • Philip Hensher is entranced by a fantastical novel set in war-torn London

A grand old democracy

Philosophical rambles

A quiet genius

A hardheaded romantic

Down the rushy glen

Mirror images

Deptford Strand

The art of conspiracy • A new exhibition fails to understand the appeal of mad theories, says Sam Kriss

Sunny delight

Natural born thriller

Strangeness and charm

Athenian rhapsody

Stranger things

An innocent man

Cairn

Radio & podcasts The write stuff

Jim Hacker rides again

Offal

Lloyd Evans

Melissa Kite

Charlie Brooks

Cabinet pudding

Freestyle World Championship

Wintry look

2740: Not so objective by Doc

My brush with Hope Not Hate

MICHAEL HEATH

The Winter Olympics are really delivering

DEAR MARY YOUR PROBLEMS SOLVED

Joy among the elves

Stele