Endless tragedy of blood and sand
Syria’s civil war is the latest grisly chapter in more than a millennium of conflict
Small, but perfectly formed
John Self examines three varied, emotionally satisfying novels that together come in at less than the length of a single Mantel
Making the grade
View from Oxford: there may be lessons to be learned from this year’s fiasco
Last Night of the Proms – a storm in a teacup?
BBC Proms row has developed into an unexpectedly successful publicity stunt
Is test and trace really this government’s greatest failing?
Angela Rayner’s PMQs debut was passionate, and strangely nostalgic
Portugal’s bookish dictator
At least in the eyes of his supporters, António de Oliveira Salazar succeeded in making Portugal great again
Nicola Sturgeon knows where to look the Brexit gift-horse
Regulating Brexit Britain’s internal market provides the SNP with fresh causes for grievance
Ravel, Dutilleux, Debussy: Quart de nuit (Deux-Elles)
Norman Lebrecht is left wanting more Dutilleux
Why non-racist whites are racist
Titania McGrath’s take on a thrilling year for racial equality
The need for a UK Secession Clarity Act
The Deputy Leader of the Alliance for Unity makes a case for clarity
We need more Lord Lebedevs
Evgeny Lebedev’s peerage should be celebrated – other members of the Lords have much closer links to the Kremlin.