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.

Biting the bullet

The Spectator

CONTRIBUTORS

PORTRAIT OF THE WEEK

DIARY

Kemi’s great game

THE SPECTATOR’S NOTES

Losing battle • Will Zelensky and Putin be brought to an exhausted peace?

In Praise of Newsprint

A solid 2:1 • Andy Burnham’s reassuringly normal Cambridge years

Are we allowed to feel angry yet?

Golden rules • How the royals have commandeered their own image for 500 years

Tehran is winning • Thanks to Trump, the IRGC has strengthened its grip on Iran

Raising the bar • Norman Balon was much more than ‘London’s rudest landlord’

When two-tiering works

‘Make Germany normal again’ • Germany’s ex-spy chief on why the government’s out to get him

BAROMETER

Save us from the Gospel according to Grok

Fever pitch • Could England win the World Cup?

The ‘matrescence’ con

LETTERS

No, minister: investing in tech ventures isn’t your job

BOOKS & ARTS

A masterful act of deception • Mick Brown on the ingenious fantasist Carlos Castaneda, who perfected the art of the lie

Unlikely friends

A botched putsch

From hero to zero

A foreign perspective

At a Boys’ School

Dashed expectations

Owls on the prowl

Tuscan antics

All washed up

Blake’s progress • Melanie McDonagh reports from the new Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration

How does your garden grow?

Turkish delight

Psycho analysis

Red alert

Mother superior

Space invaders

Puffins

Best life

Real life

Dolce Vita

The Turf

Norway Chess

The secret is ...

2756: 2B or not 2B?

Custard slices

Vermouth’s hour is here

DEAR MARY YOUR PROBLEMS SOLVED

Did snobbery stop me becoming James Bond?

The Battle for Britain

England’s cricketers shouldn’t need a curfew

Sex objects

Take that, Yanks!

Grab bag