Why do politicians like Dominic Raab want us to hate human rights?
The new justice secretary appears to be leading the Tories’ assault on European Convention on Human Rights.
Boris Johnson has made it hard to be optimistic about COP26 summit
It’s the most important conference on the planet, yet already its organisation is being labelled as farce in the making.
COP26: The old diplomacy won’t save our planet
Global tensions mean self-interest as much as collaboration will be key to cracking climate change.
Berlin’s disaster of a new airport is a model of German inefficiency
The country has a reputation for doing things better. But Berlin’s disastrous new airport shows that given a chance, it can stuff things up just as badly as everyone else.
The night the Commons voted to take Britain into the common market
Fifty years ago this month, the House of Commons voted for Edward Heath’s plan to take Britain into the common market. For a notoriously reticent PM it was a night of extreme emotion. The UK’s tragedy is that he never conveyed that emotion to the nation.
‘Unsafe’ Bolshoi Theatre blamed for second death in eight years
News that you might have missed from around the continent, selected by Steve Anglesey.
After Matt Hancock’s latest firing, we ask what job should he do next?
In a grim week, one man can always be relied upon to put a smile on our collective faces. That man is, of course, Matt Hancock.
Everyday Philosophy: Why do so many choose suffering over comfort?
The Tories appear to be exploiting a weakness in humans, where they will tolerate pain and suffering over comfort.
Ireland’s sadness and pity for Britain over Brexit
In his weekly diary ALASTAIR CAMPBELL gives his account of his experience in Ireland talking British politics.
Mandrake: Carrie Johnson could receive ‘first lady’ status
There is no official recognition for the prime minister’s wife, and Boris Johnson ‘wants to fix that’.
Diary: Number 10, finally, recognises EU’s first post-Brexit ambassador
João Vale de Almeida’s lengthy recognition process, however, may signal that a diplomatic winter is imminent.
The British ‘expats’ returning to the UK because of Brexit
The pro-Brexit Daily Express has been quick to complain about ‘expats’ having to go back to where they once came from…
Why I won’t be watching will.i.am on Black Britain
The Black Eyed Peas star is going on a ‘quest to find out more about the lives of Black Britons’.
Letters to the Editor: Britain must become less reliant on China
Ahead of the COP26 conference, one reader has a suggestion for Boris Johnson’s government to help Britain tackle climate change.
Will there be Christmas shortages?
Anna Soubry: Leaving the Commons and re-entering the courtroom
The former Conservative MP, who left the party for Change UK, is swapping the Commons for the courtroom. Now, she tells TIM WALKER why she doesn’t miss parliament, how Sir David Amess will be remembered and why she won’t despair in democracy.
Mandrake: Boris Johnson’s growing list of appointments to the Lords
One of the PM’s next appointments to the House of Lords is likely to be former Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre.
Kaliningrad: The curious case of Vladimir Putin’s piece of EU territory
The Russian region, disconnected from the motherland and deep in EU territory, is both an asset and a vulnerability for the Kremlin. PAUL KNOTT tells the story of one of the continent’s most intriguing places, where geography and history collide
Kenya’s Covid timebomb ticks on
Contrary to global perception, Africa has not escaped the worst of the pandemic. In one country, the cost may be felt for generations.
The 1950s book that explains the War on Terror
Many authors have tried to make sense of the global tensions that produced 9/11 and the western response. But it is a little-known book written 50 years earlier that gets the closest.
Why the left will decide the outcome of the French elections
The most vicious presidential contest in almost a century is likely to be decided by left wing voters… even though their own parties don’t have a prayer of winning.
Is Facebook damaging democracy?
Weird Europe: Baby booted from Danish Commons
News that you might have missed from around the continent, selected by Steve Anglesey.
North Korea, Russia, Mars: Recommendations for the PM’s next holiday
Comedian MITCH BENN has recommendations for Boris Johnson’s next holiday abroad.
Boris Johnson’s Brexit admission proves he’s playing us for fools
Boris Johnson and his cronies say the current multi-layered crises facing Britain are both nothing to do with Brexit and everything to do with it, thus exposing the incoherence at the heart of the project since the start.
Why footballers are the best defenders of our values
You could now almost fill a team with the number of players and pundits ready to take a stand against this abysmal government.
Why are the Tories so keen on punishing young people?
The government believes baby boomers do not care for future generations – and polling appears to support it. JAMES BALL explains why this is a problematic strategy.
Donald Trump’s war for the essence of America
Donald Trump might seem like yesterday’s news – but he is not going away. He has trapped into a feeling shared by many in America.
Diary: David Frost bashes his own Brexit deal in Lisbon speech
Among the great, good and not so good spluttering over David Frost’s Brexit speech in Lisbon, the most vociferous was Gavin Barwell, Theresa May’s former chief of staff.
New hope is in the air for Austria and Czechs
Two downfalls hint at a return to more respectable politics in countries at the heart of the continent.
The EU must act now to avoid ‘Polexit’
Huge crowds may have gathered to oppose ‘Polexit’, but the gauntlet thrown down by the country’s populist government still poses an existential threat to the union.
Farmers are suffering from Brexit – and Boris Johnson won’t save their bacon
Brexit is causing a pile-up of pigs on farms – with farmers unable to afford to feed them.
Letters to the Editor: Covid is not yet done, Mr Johnson, and nor is Brexit
Will people now start to wake up to the Covid and Brexit crises?
What is Lord Frost complaining about now?
Mandrake: The Saudi tanks on Labour’s lawn
Labour were unable to explain why Saudia Arabia’s ambassador to London was in Brighton during the party’s conference.
The volunteers stuck in a vaccine maze
FRANCIS BECKETT took part in a medical trial for a vaccine that has yet to get approval. He and others have been left in a strange limbo – jabbed, yet not jabbed.
The strange story of the European flag
For many, it inspires cooperation and hope… for others annoyance. But what does the European flag actually stand for?
The dark side of the Dutch
Sensational reports of a plot to kill the Netherlands PM have raised fears about the seemingly sedate, safe country’s descent to narco-state status. But they are
also a reminder of the country’s violent political past.
The African revolution wrecked by France
The violent histories of France’s former African colonies owe much to the continued meddling of Paris and other Western capitals.
How post-Brexit James Bond films might look…
Comedian MITCH BENN suggests alternative ideas for the next James Bond film.
The Tory case for saving Channel 4 from privatisation
It won’t be opposition MPs that decide the future of Channel 4 – but politicians sat on the government benches. Here’s why they should reconsider plans for privatisation.
Everyday Philosophy: Resisting the urge to gloat over Brexit schadenfreude
Schadenfreude might seem harmless, but there’s a difference between a temporary feeling and living your whole life gloating about it.
Will the tide ever turn against Boris Johnson?
Despite the chaos of the fuel crisis and other pandemic- and Brexit-induced problems, Boris Johnson’s ‘competency ratings’ are still holding up, while Keir Starmer is not making huge inroads. Will the dial ever shift?
Like Nicolas Sarkozy’s, Boris Johnson’s career should end in a courtroom
The UK used to consider itself above the political chicanery found on the Continent. It can’t afford to now.
It’s all THEIR fault! We have a government in denial and a nation in trouble
The PM has been wildly blaming others for the causes of the country’s crises. But this misdiagnosis only guarantees more pain.
Letters to the Editor: The only way we can make Brexit ‘work’
Can Labour ‘Make Brexit Work’ as Keir Starmer suggested during his key speech at party conference?
Women don’t feel safe, and that isn’t our fault
We need to stop being told we aren’t streetwise. Instead, there needs to be a sustainable method to keep women safe
Weird Europe: Miss Belarus publicly pledges allegiance to president
Pictures emerged showing the winner posing with other models in the colours of the opposition.
The EU nonsense you’ll be glad we’re free of
While Britain is heading towards a Winter of Discontent, the EU is arguing over phone chargers. Comedian MITCH BENN gives his take.
The dangerously irresponsible silence of the Tory Remainers
The surviving Conservative Remainers have had little choice but to back some sort of Brexit, but their complete silence on the issue is shaming.
Meet Ron DeSantis – Michael Gove’s Florida twin
Bonnie Greer likens the governor of Florida to Michael Gove – both highly educated men, and both ushering in the Age of Stupid.
Mandrake: Huw Edwards acknowledges Brexit elephant in the room
The news anchor becomes the latest voice to try to distance himself from the Brexit disaster.
Éric Zemmour: The far-right talk show host who really wants to run France
Far right talk show host Eric Zemmour, a big defender of Maurice Papon, may yet play a decisive role in France’s presidential elections, underlining just how much the tensions of the past still play out today.
How sectarianism sparked a surge in coronavirus cases
It has had one of the highest Covid rates in the world – far in excess of other parts of the UK and the neighbouring Republic. So what is going on in Northern Ireland?
Sex, gambling and drugs mean there is still sin in Singapore
Singapore’s island state has a well-earned reputation for law and order. But that doesn’t mean you won’t find vice there.
Everyday Philosophy: Anger – is it always a bad emotion?
There are different kinds of anger – some good and some bad. The right kind of anger can be valuable.
UK’s descent back to the Winter of Discontent
Boris Johnson gives reality cold shrift as Britain enters its Brexit Winter of Discontent.
Journalists are letting us all down by treating Boris Johnson like he’s honest
From the BBC downwards, the UK media is consistently failing in its reporting of this government.
What would Keir Starmer’s revolution look like?
Brexit leaves Britain pining for Christmas trees
Britain previously relied on foresters from Eastern Europe. Brexit is now putting its stock of Christmas trees at risk.
Letters to the Editor: Why should Europeans now bail the Brexiteers out?
Will EU truck drivers see through Boris Johnson and Priti Patel’s plan to allow them back into the country for just three months?
They said calling the public stupid was wrong. Until the public started panic-buying petrol.
Get your story straight, chaps. Either the public is infallible .. or they’re not.
Decoding the German election: Why every party woke up feeling miserable
The country’s curious election has changed everything.. we just have to wait to see how it has changed.
The built-in middle-class media bias is bad for Britain
Why getting kids from poor backgrounds into journalism is a priority
Chaos on campus: How students are being failed by the government
England’s higher education sector is supposed to be a success story. So why does it feel like it is in such disarray?
Weird Europe: Toy firm just can’t bear losing Angela Merkel
News that you might have missed from around the continent, selected by Steve Anglesey.
The tech firm whose fate shows the flaws of Global Britain
The tech firm’s sale was supposed to demonstrate confidence in a post-Brexit UK. But it hasn’t worked out like that.
UK universities have passed the challenge of Brexit and Covid
The pandemic produced apocalyptic warnings about higher education in the
UK. In fact, its future is looking a lot brighter than predicted.
Is it time to rename more government departments?
Comedian MITCH BENN proposes new names for the ministries serving Boris Johnson’s government.
Keir Starmer needs to confront the electorate with hard truths on Brexit
The Tory silence on Brexit is understandable.. Labour’s much less so.
The ray of hope for progressives coming from Europe
After a dismal decade for centre left parties on the continent, there are now some positive signs tempered by a widespread failure to connect with voters.
AUKUS deal leaves transatlantic alliance weaker than before
Regardless of its merits, the cack-handed handling of the defence deal between the US, UK and Australia risks handing the initiative to China and Russia.
Mandrake: Paul Dacre’s ‘belittling’ ambition to be Boris Johnson’s place man
The former Daily Mail editor was rejected from the position of heading up OFCOM – could he end up reapplying?
Monaco: Still Europe’s shadiest square mile
Sunshine, super-riches… and sleaze. Monaco sits like a melanoma on the Med, a city state throwback autocracy where anything goes – except the payment of taxes. Now the glamour that has always masked the iniquity is overshadowed by a Prince whose personal life is again coming under uncomfortable scrutiny.
Monaco: How Prince Albert created a paradise for the rich
Prince Albert is not only the prince of Monaco but something akin to its general manager. So when his private life comes under the spotlight, so too does his principality.
How California’s governor Gavin Newsom mobilised the quiet rage of the vaccinated
In a vote on the governor’s leadership through the pandemic, voters resoundingly rejected replacing him with a Trumpist Republican.
Doesn’t matter which side of the Brexit fence you sat on, it’s perfectly okay to be angry about Boris Johnson
Using the pandemic as a cover story for Britain’s post-Brexit woes is contemptible
How will school tests look if we return to imperial measurements?
Brexit’s not all right now – in fact it’s a disaster because of gas, gas, gas
Remember when Boris Johnson claimed in 2016 that ‘fuel bills will be lower’ if the UK voted for Brexit?
Letters to the Editor: Extinction rebels do little more than harm their cause
Extinction Rebellion’s protests are unlikely to change the minds of those in power.
Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis: The battle for a sustainable future will be arduous but worth the fight
Ahead of the Med9 event in Athens, Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis shares his thoughts on the escalating climate and environmental crisis
Diary: Nadine Dorries’ promotion to culture secretary masks bigger agenda
There’s speculation the government’s culture wars hides a bigger agenda surrounding the broadcast media.
Germany’s start-up culture breaks the old stereotypes
The country has a reputation for being tech- and risk-averse. But a new generation of entrepreneurs are proving that is no longer the case.
Germany: Does it remain a force for good in the world?
The country is usually seen as a force for stability and symbol of solidity on the international stage. But is that actually so?
From pariah to powerhouse… Germany’s turnaround
How Germany’s influence has grown in the world since the end of World War II.
Are you happy to get the crown on your pint glass?
Everyday Philosophy: How much intolerance should a tolerant society tolerate?
Can the rise in intolerance in Europe be attributed to dog-whistle politics, or is there more to it?
The war on journalism and the EU’s battle for its core identity
Press freedom is under assault across our continent – including the murder of journalists. Misha Glenny reports on how journalism, an essential element of democracy, is threatened.
The European states failing to protect journalists investigating corruption
The murder of journalists calls into question the ability or willingness of some European states to safeguard the freedom of journalists.
The compelling case for online voting in elections
But the case for changing the voting system is less clear cut, argues JAMES BALL.
Mandrake: Is the government set to return Afghans?
TIM WALKER on the suggestion the government’s contradictions over Afghan refugees.
Letters to the editor: The real dream Tory cabinet would include party’s exiles
Readers have their say on Alastair Campbell’s suggestion for a ‘dream’ Tory cabinet.
Northern Ireland: Where the streets have two names
A century since partition, Northern Ireland is torn on the effects of language on the process of peace. It’s a cultural battle that signals both fear and optimism for the future of a troubled land.
What will be Angela Merkel’s legacy?
Lauded abroad but not always loved at home. What will be the legacy of the chancellor who has ruled Germany since 2005?
Angela Merkel’s departure will have consequences for Germany… and the wider world
Post-war Germany has been characterised by good governance and solid leadership. But as the country goes to the polls to replace Angela Merkel, Germans – and the wider world – fear its good run is coming to an end.
J’accuse… the Texas Taliban waging war on women
BONNIE GREER slams the ‘Texas Taliban’ over the strict abortion laws in Georgia and Louisiana.
Brexit-related pumpkin shortage is all trick, no treat
Britain faces a shortage of pumpkins this Halloween, and fewer fireworks on November 5.
Work for The New European
The New European is hiring for three key roles
Weird Europe: Italian shopkeeper ‘stole’ scratchcard win
News that you might have missed from around the continent, selected by Steve Anglesey.
9/11: The day they blasted America out of its dream
BONNIE GREER on how the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center were an attempt to destroy the American Dream.