China Research Group
The small matter of Britain’s interest in China
To many Britons, China is a large country, far away
Evensong at the end of the world
ASH Smyth sings choral evensong for Candlemas, in Stanley cathedral
Conte’s conundrum
How has Italy’s Giuseppe Conte defied the odds and become a consequential political figure in his own right?
Don’t judge a bookshop by its cover
Independent bookstores are often no more ethical than the big chains
Inscrutable Wagner
Roger Scruton’s appreciation of Richard Wagner will remain an important and inexhaustible part of his legacy
Im Abendrot (DG)
The baritone Matthias Goerne sings with a voice like brushed velvet and diction clearer than iced vodka in this five-star album
Public Enemy Number whatever
Frederic Raphael defends his friend, the writer Joseph Epstein, latest victim of America’s cancel culture for daring to mock Jill Biden’s doctorate
Enough with the pity porn
As America passed half a million deaths from Covid-19, the reaction was predictably unhelpful and sensational
The problem with democracy
Progressive authoritarianism is doing its best to ruin democracy for the rest of us
Dumping on Trump
Borders, the body politic and the last inauguration
Is it Britain’s turn to invoke Article 16 this week?
Who has the better poker face for this week’s EU-UK Joint Committee meeting – Gove or Šefčovič?