Rituals
Britain’s Christmas “hobby horse” customs
“Animal guising” customs offer important insights into British festive culture
Kemi Badenoch won’t save the Conservatives
Her radical credentials are based on pure PR
Don’t idolise Roger Scruton
Our reverence for the late thinker must not limit our imaginations
Lucy Letby’s defenders have failed
They have not provided cause to doubt her conviction
Aggers declares — the end of an era
It has been an assured innings, and a long one
Impressive yet unmoving
Franz Schmidt: 4 symphonies (Naxos)
The election is still Trump’s to lose
His performance has been weak but his advantages are many
Shiva Naipaul
The younger brother of a controversial Nobel Prize winner who has been unjustly overlooked
Resist Labour’s managerial revolution
Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are grimly committed to expanding the state and entrenching bureaucracy
The second life of Tracey Emin
A brush with death has revitalised her work
Shades of Gray
Never underestimate the mysterious yet powerful Sue Gray
Against autumn
Throw away your Pumpkin Spice Lattes
