Liz Truss is facing the most challenging set of circumstances in half a century
- 20 Sep 2022
The Queen’s death marked the end of an era in British history and for the last eleven days we have come together to mourn her passing and express gratitude for her reign. In Edinburgh and in London, tens of thousands came in person to pay a personal tribute. Many more lined th...
The monarchy has worked hard to retain popular support and survive
- 11 Sep 2022
“In the midst of life we are in death…” goes a familiar phrase from the Church of England’s Book of Common Prayer. There can be many ways of thinking about its meaning but we are currently living through and witnessing at least one fundamental element of its truth. As we mourn...
The Queen’s legacy is to bequeath stability
- 8 Sep 2022
The Queen’s death comes as a shock but not a surprise. Although Her Majesty has been a constant in our lives for as long as most of us can remember. we knew in our hearts that frailty comes to us all. The nation joins with the Royal Family in mourning our Sovereign, as the cro...
The new Prime Minister must instil confidence and economic competence immediately
- 4 Sep 2022
Barring some enormous upset, Liz Truss will today become the new leader of the Conservative Party. Tomorrow she will travel to Balmoral and be appointed Prime Minister by the Queen. Political power is always fluid and since it became clear weeks ago that Truss was going to win...
Boris’s final flourish?
- 18 Jul 2022
It was clear from last week’s Prime Minister’s Questions that Boris Johnson had hoped that it would be his last appearance at the Despatch Box. He referred several times to it being his last appearance and gave a final valedictory hurrah saying that whilst he was not leaving a...
A Life-Long Springtime review – the inspiring story of one man’s dedication to his faith
- 5 Mar 2022
A Life-Long Springtime: The Life and Teaching of Fr George Congreve SSJE by Luke Miller (Sacristry Press), £22.25. It is all too easy to look at the Church of England with a sense of despair and bewilderment. Such headlines as it attracts tend to focus on disputes and divis...
If These Stones Could Talk review – an enjoyable and enlightening journey of Christianity
- 4 Dec 2021
If These Stones Could Talk – The History of Christianity in Britain and Ireland through Twenty Buildings by Peter Stanford (Hodder & Stoughton), £20. This year’s Advent began on Sunday 28 November; Advent marks the start of the Christian year and is the season of prepar...
Owen Paterson: try listening to the Father of the House
- 4 Nov 2021
Wednesday 3 November 2021 is likely to go down in the history of this parliament as the most difficult day to have been a Conservative MP. This is not a column about the rights or wrongs of Owen Paterson’s work commitments or the report that has been made about his conduct. He...
Unmasking Our Leaders review – inside the mind of Britain’s best documentary titan
- 9 Oct 2021
Unmasking Our Political Leaders: Confessions of a Political Documentary-Maker by Michael Cockerell (Biteback, £20). There are some reporters whose writing or broadcasts catch the essence of their subject. Richard and David Dimbleby fronting the BBC General Election coverage...
Boris’s Autumn Reshuffle
- 17 Sep 2021
For a while now it has been clear that the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has been frustrated by the continuing impact of the virus. His whole political agenda and the nation’s finances have been bent out of shape in the effort to contain and combat it. Barely two years have p...