ContentsContentsContentsContents

the week Leading article 5

Diary Justin Webb 9

The Spectator’s Notes 10

Tamzin’s guide to the Conservative conference 11

Flash Gordon 13

Mind your language 19

Letters 28

Another voice Matthew Parris 30

And another thing Paul Johnson 32

Ancient & modern 70

Business Investing in Damien Hirst Edie Lush 34

Credit-crunch cant Simon Nixon 35

Welcome to austerity, Mr Cameron Fraser Nelson The Tory leader must be radical and bold at conference 12

The Treasury will need radical reform Andrew Tyrie It has been laid low by ten years of Labour infighting 14

We, the people Daniel Hannan and Douglas Carswell Power should be diffused, as in the American Constitution 16

If Miliband becomes prime minister Rod Liddle It will be time to launch a right-wing coup 18

An audience with Michael Gove Fraser Nelson The shadow schools secretary is both progressive and polite 20

The Tory lead is strong Anthony King 21

Our idolatrous attitude to markets Rowan Williams The financial world needs fresh scrutiny and regulation 22

Zardari is afraid Stephen Schwartz and Irfan Al-Alawi Pakistan’s new President looks weak in the face of the Taleban 24

Parliamentarian of the Year James Forsyth 26

Books Philip Hensher: Just Me, by Sheila Hancock; My Word is My Bond, by Roger Moore; Me Cheeta, by Cheeta 36

Graham Stewart: Munich, by David Faber 38

Charlotte Moore: The Stepmother’s Diary, by Fay Weldon 40

Simon Baker: Indignation, by Philip Roth 41

Paul Birtill: ‘A Memory of Liverpool’: a poem 41

Judith Flanders: Stranger in the House, by Julie Summers 42

Jerome de Groot: The Act of Love, by Howard Jacobson 42

Lucy Hughes-Hallett: The White War, by Mark Thompson 43

Gary Dexter: Alternative reading 44

‘It’s the cardboard box for my bonus.’

Cover by Peter Brookes. Drawings by Michael Heath, Castro, Meyrick Jones, Steve Way, Mike Williams, Bernie, Nick Newman, Colin Wheeler, Kipper Williams and Holland.

Kate Chisholm is away. Website: www.spectator.co.uk To subscribe to The Spectator, turn to page 21.

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Vol 308; no 9396 © The Spectator (1828) Ltd. ISSN 0038-6952

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Editor: Matthew d’Ancona

Arts Veronica Lee

profiles Alan Ayckbourn as the Old Vic revives his best-known work 47

Exhibitions: Cold War Modern: Design 1945–1970 Andrew Lambirth 48

Cinema: Taken

Deborah Ross 50

Theatre: Ivanov; Now or Later; Rain Man Lloyd Evans 52

Olden but golden

Charles Spencer 52

Opera: Otello; La fanciulla del West Michael Tanner 54

Music

Robin Holloway 55

Television

Simon Hoggart 56

Life Motoring

Alan Judd 56

High life

Taki 57

Low life Jeremy Clarke 58

Real life Melissa Kite 59

Bridge Janet de Botton 59

styLe And trAveL Home suite home James Waldron 60

The scars of war Andrew Roberts 62

And finALLy . . . Chess Raymond Keene 64

Competition; Crossword 64, 65

Status anxiety Toby Young 70

Sport Roger Alton 71

Your problems solved Mary Killen 71

www.spectator.co.uk

THE SPECTATOR 27 September 2008 7