The Spectator was established in 1828, and is the oldest continuously published magazine in the English language. The Spectator’s taste for controversy, however, remains undiminished. There is no party line to which The Spectator’s writers are bound - originality of thought and elegance of expression are the sole editorial constraints.

Latest Issue

1. Freddy Gray: Americans just want to end Trump’s rule
Nobody cares if Joe Biden gets caught out lying, writes Freddy Gray — Americans just want to see an end to the Trump presidency and a ‘return to normal’. But is there anything normal, or indeed sane, about giving the most powerful job on the planet to a 77-year-old who appears to be suffering from dementia? Being leader of the Free World should not be a retirement activity, and yet very few people believe Biden will last one term, let alone two. If he wins, most people expect Kamala Harris to be the power behind the throne.

2. Kate Andrews: why as a lifelong Republican I am voting for Biden
Despite being an ardent Republican, Kate Andrews argues that the very soul of America is now at stake in this election. Party politics aside, Trump is not fit to be the president because of his nastiness, unkindness, racism and misogyny. ‘I’m happy for the Oval Office to be filled by someone who has a different vision for America than I have, but who loves the country and what it stands for nonetheless.’

3. James Forsyth: Boris’s terrible bind
The PM has not pleased anyone by compromising on the needs of public health and the economy. If the death toll this winter is high, Labour will claim that if Boris Johnson had ‘followed the science’ and gone for the circuit breaker option fewer people would have died. Equally, if he goes for it and there are still many excess deaths, people will question what the point of it was. Even if the number of excess deaths is low, there will be questions about whether it was really necessary. Johnson faces political challenges on both sides. The success, or otherwise, of his Covid strategy will determine the future of his premiership.

4. Ayaan Hirsi Ali: Macron vs the Islamists
Emmanuel Macron announced earlier this month that he wanted to end ‘Islamic separatism’ in France. It is tough talk from the French President – Macron is clearly keen to be seen as a defender of the Republic’s values. It is a sign of how fast the debate is moving in France that his speech was not immediately condemned by the left.

5. Roger Daltrey: coronavirus has been catastrophic for charities
Is locking down the country again the right remedy for Britain or will it only add to the country’s suffering in the long-term, the lead singer of The Who asks. The pandemic has been particularly awful for the charity sector, which is estimated to be experiencing a £12 billion blackhole in funding. He reveals that he recently called Michael Gove to ask for ‘some dosh’ for the Teenage Cancer Trust. The charity is facing a catastrophe as its main sourcing of funding – putting on live shows – has been killed by Covid restrictions.