The emptiness of hype
A cultural legacy depends on far more than passing enthusiasm
Maligning the missionaries
Should the Church of England regret the promotion of Christianity?
Should towns live forever?
Sometimes a place should be allowed to decline
Those who can’t, police
British police are no longer up to grappling with wrong’uns
Policing manners
Golliwogs are racially offensive, but are a matter for public morals, not the police
In defence of family life
Some things are more important than the line going up
The meaning of memorisation
Minds, like libraries, should be well-stocked
The case for a vocal king
Why Charles should speak his mind
Bach in town
We need more classical music in public spaces
Human rights and legal wrongs
Why doesn’t British legislation protect free speech?
Mad for this fresh take on King Lear
Farber’s casting and concept feels assured
Dissent is not hatred
We must resist the idea that disagreement with modish beliefs is reducible to ill-feeling
Disposable women?
Middle-aged women are routinely ignored and dismissed by society — it is time for that to change
How bad is the news on booze?
And how bad are the ideas for curbing consumption?
Two-tier policing?
If the Government caves in on its buffer zone guidance, it will be mandating two-tier policing
Water matters
British towns were built on rivers in more than one sense
Sloane danger
Obvious, expensive and tasteless, Azzurra’s food perfectly echoes Mr Angell’s ambience
An array of civilised music
Walter Kaufmann: 3rd piano concerto, 3rd symphony &c. (CPO)
Who judges the judges?
Judges, whatever their gender, need sufficient judgement to maintain neutrality and political impartiality
The grand tour
Sex and the cities
Fifth magician blues
He made the tea, he forged the autographs, and only once did he run out of plectrums
