Features

When it’s great to be British

The country of understatement and the stiff upper lip responds well in a crisis

Defenders of a shared culture

Oliver Letwin compares and contrasts two conservative philosophers, the late Roger Scruton and Michael Oakeshott

Endless tragedy of blood and sand

Syria’s civil war is the latest grisly chapter in more than a millennium of conflict

Who’s a conservative?

A vigorous debate is under way about the future of the American right — and it is a mistake to question its survival

Havana heartbeat

How a stiff, gangly, middle-aged Englishman fell for the seductive rhythms of Cuba

Art for oligarchs’ sake

Divorced from aesthetic considerations, the modern art business is a refuge for the uber-rich

A brave voice against the barbarians

David Pryce-Jones recalls a life of literary friendships and the defence of Western civilisation

Fear and longing for life after lockdown

This beautiful city has never felt so ugly, with spies everywhere

Real life seems distant now

Marooned by the pandemic, a war reporter looks for silver linings

Hurrah for small decencies

Local suspicion is outweighed by the kindness of others