Marie Le Conte
19 October 2024
The mysterious rise of Robert Jenrick
He has no charisma, intellectual consistency or distinguishing features of any kind. Other than being very, very right wing, who – or what – is he?
Read the full article16 October 2024
For the self-employed, parenting feels impossible
Labour failed to look at the maternity allowance before publishing the Employment Rights Bill
Read the full article15 October 2024
Confronting the truth about Alex Salmond
There are far too many questions over the former first minister's behaviour towards women for warm eulogies
Read the full article09 October 2024
What happened, James Cleverly?
The leadership race increasingly looks like the last hurrah before the party's long descent
Read the full article09 October 2024
Dilettante: The internet I loved is disappearing fast
Online life has changed over the past five years or so, and not for the better. The algorithm has taken over entirely
Read the full article06 October 2024
What’s the point of party conferences?
It’s nice for politicians to be able to hide from the real world for a while, it’s just a shame there’s a real world out there to fix
Read the full article02 October 2024
Can we rage against the machines?
Artificial intelligence is ruining the internet we once loved
Read the full article26 September 2024
Labour promised to clean up politics. When does it start?
Ministers are kicking back over Freebiegate, but Fleet Street loves nothing more than a story that runs and runs
Read the full article25 September 2024
Rage against the dying of the right
The Tory papers are relishing the chance to bash Labour. But with sliding circulations and their pals out of power, are they still relevant?
Read the full article23 September 2024
Labour’s hungover conference
The one thing you can rely on at party get-togethers is lots of booze
Read the full article19 September 2024
We deserve better lives and deaths
Labour and Tories are both divided on assisted dying – so long as that political uncertainty continues, Britain isn’t a safe place for vulnerable people
Read the full article18 September 2024
Dilettante: on scandals
That Keir Starmer has been letting a millionaire buy him and his wife clothes is not some life-shattering betrayal, but it is a betrayal nonetheless
Read the full article14 September 2024
A home of one’s own
The end of no fault evictions is music to the ears
Read the full article11 September 2024
Dilettante: on bad shopping
It is not an easy thing to say, but buying things online – specifically cheap, poorly made things – should not be as easy as it currently is
Read the full article05 September 2024
Michel Barnier: a Macronic miscalculation
The French president’s new choice of PM shows that his political project has ended in failure
Read the full article04 September 2024
The joyful nostalgia of band reunions
I may not be a fan of Oasis, but people’s excitement about their reunion is infectious
Read the full article31 August 2024
Starmer risks a membership vote row
Political parties belong to activists as much as they do to leaders
Read the full article28 August 2024
Dilettante: On a fresh start
The election of hundreds of new MPs presents Parliament with a short window of opportunity
Read the full article22 August 2024
Labour needs some Conventional wisdom
What Harris’s Democrats can teach Starmer’s Labour party
Read the full article21 August 2024
Kemi Badenoch gets it wrong, again
The Tory leadership candidate’s mixed-race children won’t be forced to pick an identity - despite what her latest culture war rant says
Read the full article14 August 2024
Dilettante: Joining the X-odus
Is it time to leave Elon Musk’s online sewer?
Read the full article11 August 2024
The end of the right wing press
They’re out of touch, out of power and running out of readers
Read the full article07 August 2024
Visiting the other half of France
More Belgian in its culture than French, the north has nothing on the western coast
Read the full article06 August 2024
Politicians – speak up for immigration
It makes the country richer, culturally and economically. Now’s the time to say so
Read the full article31 July 2024
How I learned to love the Olympics
The opening ceremony felt like France reintroducing itself to the world, warts and all
Read the full article31 July 2024
A long race to the bottom
Yet another Tory leadership battle is under way. But, outside of the six contenders, does anyone really care?
Read the full article29 July 2024
The Tory leadership circus begins
Kemi Badenoch remains the front-runner - bizarre given how ill-suited to the job she is
Read the full article25 July 2024
Who will oppose Keir Starmer?
Labour dominates Westminster, and the Tories are a diminished mess – but the two child benefit cap will reveal the true opposition
Read the full article24 July 2024
The dark side of the Olympics
French politicians promised the Games would benefit everyone but, once again, the Olympics are bulldozing over a city and its residents
Read the full article19 July 2024
The French left is missing its moment
Days after those election gains, squabbling over PM candidates makes it look as dysfunctional as ever
Read the full article17 July 2024
I still believe in England's Euros dream
‘It’s coming home’ isn’t meant to be brash, it’s about hope
Read the full article12 July 2024
The irrelevant Tories
Suddenly, after all these years, I don’t have to worry about them any more
Read the full article