June 2010 Issue 23

Manchester Square 7 CounterpointsHeavylevy;Misproportional representation; Voting block; Terror errors; Military trials; Barge charge 10

Columns European Eye Mara Delius indulges in some California dreaming 16 On the contrary Lionel Shriver finds the same US state extremely taxing 17 The Outsider Douglas Murray laments the conduct and outcome of the general election 18 Marketplace Tim Congdon isn’t convinced that we need a government at all 20 Jurisprudence Joshua Rozenberg witnesses a courtroom clash between Church and State 21 Living History Michael Burleigh imagines the aftermath of a dirty bomb 22 Points East & West Emanuele Ottolenghi predicts the end of Europe’s welfare states 23

The Mole attacks the cosy boys’ club that is the Parliamentary lobby 24 Web Sightings Frances Weaver translates Hugo Chávez’s tweets 25 Letters Toepfer on trial; Banking blunders; Classic values; Mistaken identities 26

COVER ILLUSTRATION by andrécariliho

Coalition Britain Talk is cheap: now it’s time for action Daniel Johnson predicts a posthoneymoon headache for the new coalition government 40

Something nasty in the woodshed Nick Cohen warns that Clegg’s party harbours some deeply illiberal attitudes in its ranks 44

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Now is not the time to go all wobbly John Bolton examines the future of the special relationship under Cameron and Obama 48

Dialogue Has Britain found a role yet? Norman Stone and Jeremy Black discuss how our history affects the politics of today 34 DispatchesShirazMaherin Bajaur comes face to face with the Taliban 28 Jonathan Foreman in Oslo attends an alternative human rights forum 32

Features Beyond climate hubris Gwyn Prins demands a more pragmatic approach on global warming 52 A Catholic voice for the American Right John Haldane profiles the new leader of American intellectual conservatism 54

Civilisation Critique Craig Raine details the lengthy birth pains of his first novel 58 Books Paul Johnson reviews Moral Combat: AHistory of World War II by Michael Burleigh; Tibor Fischer on Hitch-22: A Memoir by Christopher Hitchens; and Nichi Hodgson on Capital Affairs: The Making of the Permissive Society by Frank Mort 60 Cosmos Francisco Ayala illustrates the harmony between religion and science 65 Music Jessica Duchen explores the major influence of Goethe’s Faust 66 Art Michael Prodger celebrates the British sense of humour 67 Film Peter Whittle finds Shrink far from therapeutic 68 TV Nick Cohen calls for the downfall of Murdoch’s empire 69 Theatre Minette Marrin contrasts two depictions of ruling elites 70

TextCliveJames, Anthony Thwaite, B. H. Fraser and Hamish Robinson New poems 72

Imagination Daisy Waugh eavesdrops on the pro-Boris brigade in Party Lines; Whatever by Peter Blegvad: The Saga of Smit & Smule continues 76

Drawing Board Avigdor Arikha (1929-2010): An appreciation 78 Overrated/UnderratedTheeuro/TheQueen by Jamie Whyte and Peter Whittle 80

ChessDominic Lawson reports on Vishy Anand, a worthy world champion 82

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