The Spectator

What’s on today at Conservative conference: The Spectator guide

From our UK edition

Conservative party conference kicks off today in Manchester with a speech from Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab. Michael Gove, Liz Truss and Jacob Rees-Mogg will also be taking part in panels on the main stage. Here are the highlights today: Main agenda: 14.00: Welcome to Conference James Cleverly and Pamela Hall 14.20: Building a Safe and Prosperous

Letters: We must grasp the dangers of cannabis before it’s too late

From our UK edition

On judging the judges Sir: The spectacle of judges questioning essentially political decisions is not an edifying one. But we should be slow to dismiss the importance of the role of judicial review. Dr Ekins is justifiably troubled by the escalation of appeals to the Supreme Court in politically sensitive terrain. (‘Judgment day: the danger

Portrait of the week: A Supreme Court ruling, Labour’s messy conference and Donald Trump’s ‘impeachment’

From our UK edition

Home Eleven justices of the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that in advising the Queen to prorogue parliament ‘the Prime Minister’s advice to Her Majesty was unlawful, void and of no effect’. This was because the prorogation had ‘the effect of frustrating or preventing, without reasonable justification, the ability of parliament to carry out its constitutional

The balance of power in our constitution has been lost

From our UK edition

Until recently, we used to comfort ourselves with the thought that the United Kingdom’s uncodified constitution was a great national strength. We didn’t need guidance laid down in one document because precedence, compromise and common sense were enough to ensure the smooth operation of power. As soon as a document is written, power passes from

to 2424: Poem V

From our UK edition

The poem is La Belle Dame sans Merci by John Keats. ATONY (2), CORYZA (3), LOCKJAW (6), ENTERITIS (8) and NEUROMA (13) are examples of WHAT CAN AIL THEE (1A), while AND NO BIRDS SING might be a comment on GOOSE (26), MARABOU (28), CRANE (38) and RAVEN (39). JK, upwards in the tenth column,

Full text: Jeremy Corbyn’s conference speech

From our UK edition

This is an extraordinary and precarious moment in our country’s history. The Prime Minister has been found to have acted illegally when he tried to shut down parliament.The highest court in the land has found that Boris Johnson broke the law when he tried to shut down democratic accountability at a crucial moment for our

What’s on today at Labour conference: The Spectator guide

From our UK edition

Labour is back in Brighton for the party’s annual conference. Here is the pick of the fringe events for the day: 9:45: Morning Plenary Session: Rebuilding public services 12:35: Votes 12:45: Break 14:00: Afternoon Plenary Session: Rebuilding public services 17:20: Votes   Fringe events:  11:00: Taking on Brexit and the Climate Emergency Melanie Smallman (chair), Hilary Benn MP,

Letters: parliament has a responsibility to stop Brexit

From our UK edition

Parliament’s responsibility Sir: I always enjoy reading the intelligent and outspoken Lionel Shriver. But her latest article (14 September) puts forward an invalid argument. As Ms Shriver points out, no one in the USA seriously argued that the disaster of Trump’s election, and the damage it could cause the country, meant the result should be

Why would Britain want to be a member of a club like the EU?

From our UK edition

The past three years of agonising non-progress on Brexit have damaged Britain in many ways. Our political institutions have looked ridiculous and, through endless uncertainty, unnerved markets. But we have also learned much about the EU. Its behaviour, and that of its officials, has served to reassure those who were uncertain about their Brexit vote

to 2423: Redheads

From our UK edition

The unclued lights were all leaders of the USSR.   First prize Wendy Atkin, Sleaford, Lincs Runners-up Robert Burgon, North Berwick, East Lothian; Sandra Speak, Dursley, Glos