The Matts get philosophical about smoking and what a ban means for Britain. Whisper it… but has Rishi Sunak done something not completely crap for once? Or is his proposed age-related ban on smoking the start of a slippery slope towards big government invading the rights of its citizens?
Also: the magnificence of Salman Rushdie’s response to 27 seconds of madness which saw him lose an eye and almost die less than two years ago. This week he is back with a Knife of his own – the title of his book centred on that awful attack. It’s not just a triumph of the will to live, says Matthew D’Ancona – it’s a remarkable love story.
Plus a terrific offer to subscribe to the UK’s fastest growing newspaper title, The New European.