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The new C Class. Outclasses its rivals. Yours from £339 per month*. What Car? called it “the brilliant new C Class” and went on to say “faster, classier, cheaper: Mercedes outpoints BMW3 Series.” We couldn’t have put it better ourselves.

*For business users only. Advance payment and fee applies.

O cial government fuel consumption figures in mpg ( litres per 100km ) for the new C Class range: urban 30.4 ( 9.3 ) 50.4 ( 5.6 ) , extra urban 52.3 ( 5.4 ) 76.3 ( 3.7 ) , combined 41.5 ( 6.8 ) 64.2 ( 4.4 ) . CO2 emissions: 176 117g/km. Model shown is a Mercedes-Benz C 220 CDI BlueEFFICIENCYSE Saloon with manual transmission at £28,515.00 on-the-road including optional metallic paint at £645.00

( on - the - road prices include VAT, delivery, 12 months’ Road Fund Licence, number plates, first registration fee and fuel ). *Finance example based on a Mercedes-Benz C 220 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY SE Saloon ( manual ) on a 36 month ( 6+35 profile ) Mercedes-Benz Operating Lease agreement, excluding maintenance. Advance rental of £2,034.00. All payments subject to VAT. A £180.00 acceptance fee is payable in addition to and at the same time as the advance rental. Based on 10,000 miles per annum. Excess mileage charges may apply. Rental includes first year’s Road Fund Licence only. Written quotations available on request, including alternative contract lengths and mileages. Credit provided subject to status by Mercedes-Benz Financial Services UK Limited, MK7 8ND. Guarantees and indemnities may be required. This finance offer is available on C Class Saloon models ordered/credit approved between 1 April and 30 September and registered by 31 December 2011 excluding Model Year 801, AMG and special request engines. Offers cannot be used in conjunction with any other published offer from the Retailer. Offer subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply. Prices correct at time of going to press ( 04 / 11 ) . What Car? April, 2011. Visit mercedes-benz.co.uk/offers Turning the coalition upside down, p10

3 Leading article 7 Portrait of the Week 9 Diary Christopher Hitchens 10 Politics James Forsyth 12 The Spectator’s Notes 17 Rod Liddle 18 Barometer 20 Ancient and modern 23 Hugo Rifkind 27 Letters 28 Any other business Martin Vander Weyer 59 Bridge Susanna Gross 60 Chess Raymond Keene 61 Competition;Crossword 62 Status anxiety Toby Young Dave Michael Heath 63 The Wiki Man Rory Sutherland Your problems solved Mary Killen

Reflections on Miró, p41

12 Out of the shadows Pakistan’s double game

Christina Lamb 13 Terror after bin Laden Alan Judd 14 Mission impossible This death solves nothing

Andrew J. Bacevich 18 Net loss Wi-Fi and the weekend house party

Anthony Gardner 20 Who was F? Ian Fleming and Enigma

Hugh Sebag-Montefiore 22 Pakistan Notebook Peter Oborne 24 Scarborough unfair A town in spiritual decline

Theodore Dalrymple 26 The axeman in chief An interview with Francis Maude

James Forsyth Boks 30 Jonathan Sumption Wicked

Company, by Philipp Blom 32 Penelope Lively The Children of

Lovers, by Judy Golding Rebecca O’Connor ‘Dear Taxidermist’: a poem 33 D.J. Taylor The Forgotten Waltz,

by Anne Enright Bookends Marcus Berkmann

35 Michela Wrong Dancing in the Glory of Monsters by Jason K. Stearns Charlotte Hobson The Possessed,

by Elif Batuman 36 A.N. Wilson The Good Book,

by A.C. Grayling 37 John de Falbe Captain Cook,

by Frank McLynn Arts 39 The passion of Alfred Brendel Michael Henderson 41 Exhibitions Joan Miró

Andrew Lambirth 43 Opera Fidelio;Pelléas et Mélisande

MichaelTanner 44 Theatre Little Eagles;Sold

Lloyd Evans 45 Pop Marcus Berkmann 48 Cinema MyDogTulip

Deborah Ross Television James Delingpole 50 Radio Kate Chisholm Culture notes David Jennings Life 57 High life Taki 58 Low life Jeremy Clarke Real life Melissa Kite

Cover by Stephen Collins. Drawings by Michael Heath, Castro, Ian Tovey, Holland, Bernie, Geoff Thomson, Nick Newman, Adam Singleton, K.J. Lamb, Ed McLachlan, Evans, RGJ, Robert Thompson, Meyrick Jones, Dish and WS. www.spectator.co.uk To subscribe to The Spectator for £104 a year, turn to page 58. Editorial and advertising The Spectator, 22 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9HP, Tel: 020 7961 0200, Fax: 020 7961 0250, Email: editor@spectator.co.uk (editorial); ­letters@spectator.co.uk (for publication); advertising@spectator.co.uk (advertising); Advertising enquiries: 020 7961 0219 Advertising fax: 020 7961 0020 Subscription and delivery queries Spectator Subscriptions Dept., 800 Guillat Avenue, Kent Science Park, Sittingbourne ME9 8GU; Tel: 01795 592886 Fax: 0870 220 0290; Email: spectator@servicehelpline.co.uk Newsagent queries Spectator Circulation Dept, 22 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9HP, Tel: 020 7961 0200, Fax: 020 7961 0057, Email: dstam@spectator.co.uk Distributor COMAG Specialist, Tavistock Works, Tavistock Road, West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QX Vol 316; no 9532 © 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 the spectator | 7 May 2011 | www.spectator.co.uk

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