An Exclusive Spectator Reader Offer

Join Spectator readers and writers on all five days of the Sydney Vodafone Ashes Test this New Year Don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy the fifth and final Vodafone Ashes Test at the world-famous Sydney Cricket Ground in the company of Spectator political editor James Forsyth and Spectator Australia editor Tom Switzer. Staying at the Four Seasons, one of the best hotels in Sydney, this tour includes five-day access to the cricket, a New Year’s Eve celebration watching the fireworks on Sydney Harbour and tastings of Australia’s finest wines.

Your tour highlights include:

Nine nights in harbour view rooms in the Four Seasons Hotel, overlooking the iconic Opera House •

and Sydney Harbour Bridge. New Year’s Eve cocktail party on board the John Cadman II, inside the Harbour exclusion zone, with •

the best views of the fireworks and dancing until 1am. Celebrity forum one evening during the fifth Vodafone Test, with the opportunity to listen to and quiz •

respected figures from the cricket world. Day trip to the Hunter Valley including three vineyard visits, wine tastings and a three-course lunch. •

Platinum seated tickets for the fifth Vodafone Test at Sydney Cricket Ground. •

£3,999pp (excluding flights) For more information, booking details and flight assistance, contact Gullivers Sports Travel now on Tel: 01684 851 015 Email: spectator@gulliverstravel.co.uk Visit: www.gulliverstravel.co.uk/spectator

LICENSED TRAVEL OPERATOR VODAFONE ASHES SERIES 2010-11

ABTA V8321 ATOL 3720 IATA 91201670 Contents Contents Contents Contents he week Leading article

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Portrait of the Week

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Diary Olivia Glazebrook 9 Politics Philip Collins 10 Mind your language 18 Letters 23 Shared opinion Hugo Rifkind 24 You know it makes sense James Delingpole 25 Any other business Martin Vander Weyer 26 Ancient & modern 54

The rise of Blair inc Fraser Nelson Blair’s book is intended to sell him to the world

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t’s the worst memoir ever Bruce Anderson

Rites and wrongs Katie Grant A conflicted Catholic looks forward to the Pope’s visit

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Have pity on Pakistan Ed Smith Life bans for their bowlers will do more harm than good 16 Trouble in paradise Joan Collins and Taki St Tropez is under threat 18 Jealous of the gypsies Clover Stroud We envy them their freedom 20 The moronic inferno Rod Liddle Ignore people who vent their anger online 22

Exhibitions: Victoria & Albert: Art & Love Andrew Lambirth 38 Cinema: The Switch David Blackburn 40 Opera: Renard; Mavra; The Rake’s Progress Michael Tanner 40 Olden but golden Charles Spencer 41 Theatre: In the Blood; Zelda Lloyd Evans 42 Television James Delingpole 43 Radio Kate Chisholm 43

Books Patrick Marnham: The Masque of Africa, by V.S. Naipaul 29 Charlotte Hobson: A Mountain of Crumbs, by Elena Gorokhova 31 David Sexton: The Facebook Effect, by David Kirkpatrick 31 Kate Bingham: ‘You Know What the Sun is Like’: a poem 33 Caroline Moore: The Anatomy of Ghosts, by Andrew Taylor 34 Kathryn Simmonds: ‘Open Mic at the World’s End’: a poem 34 Oliver Rackham: Bark, by Cédric Pollet 35

Arts Roderick Conway Morris on how Genoa’s glorious Villa del Principe has been brought back to life 36

Cover by Christian Adams. Drawings by Michael Heath, Castro, Wilbur, Paul Wood, Tony Husband, Mike Williams, Geoff Thompson, Bernie and Holland. Deborah Ross, Charles Moore and James Forsyth are away. Subscribe today from £123 a year in the UK (turn to page 20)

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Vol 314; no 9497 ©The Spectator (1828) Ltd. ISSN 0038-6952

The Spectator is published weekly by The Spectator (1828) Ltd at: 22 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9HP Editor: Fraser Nelson

Life The turf

Robin Oakley

High life

Taki

Low life Jeremy Clarke

Real life Melissa Kite

Bridge Susanna Gross

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And finaly . . . Chess Raymond Keene 50 Competition; Crossword 50, 51 Status anxiety Toby Young 54 Sport Roger Alton 55 Your problems solved Mary Killen 55

www.spectator.co.uk

THE SPECTATOR 4 September 2010 7