United Kingdom

A pizza restaurant with a robot as the chef has opened in Paris.

Critics of the government’s re-opening strategy need more than just carping. They need to offer their own analysis

Editor-at-large ALASTAIR CAMPBELL on a concept that helps explain the politics of Boris Johnson

It has been a gloomy week on the sunlit uplands of sovereign Britain as we learned exactly why “Liz Truss” rhymes with “mistrust”. While Brexit continues to deliver more empty shelves for consumers, more carnage to our food and fishing sectors and more chaos to the people of Northern Ireland, the eternal sunshine of our […]

One spectator sport this summer has been watching politicians try to tie their fortunes to the England team. Such efforts are as doomed to failure as, ultimately, Gareth Southgate’s team was.

Some modern misunderstandings are a consequence of changes that have occurred in the English language over the last 300 years A regrettable and embarrassing incident has occurred in the West Midlands of England. An 11-year-old schoolboy was referred to the government’s so-called counter-radicalisation programme after the teacher asked his class what they would do if they […]

In the wake of the subs-postmaster scandal, WILL SELF encounters an actual criminal at the Post Office and ponders the hierarchy of crime I ran into X in the post office queue – but then regular readers will know this is where some of MM’s most significant encounters occur; at least when it comes to […]

TIM WALKER on a musical production which ticks many boxes, but leaves uncomfortable questions in the way it treats the issue of suicide Heathers The Musical Theatre Royal Haymarket, London; till Sept 11 *** It’s almost axiomatic that edgy, cutting edge theatre will cause offence in some quarters. Productions such as Hair – the musical that came […]

Theresa May has been rated as one of the worst two post-war prime ministers in a survey of UK university academics specialising in British politics and contemporary British history.

MEGAN NOLAN on how the show has moved from frivolous, enjoyable time-waste to water-cooler emblem of national interest ITV’s reality dating show behemoth Love Island is back again, improbably, having weathered multiple genuine tragedies, a smattering of controversy, and the interruption of a plague year in which kissing was illegal. Our contestants have quarantined and are […]

Herbrand Sackville, the 9th Earl of de la Warr, was ahead of his time in his belief that art could breathe new life into a town. A century on, RICHARD HOLLEDGE looks at the must-see art of the east coast

Michael Horovitz, poet, born April 4th, 1935, died July 7th, 2021 The euphoria that accompanied England’s victory against Denmark to reach the Euro final was deadened by the news the following morning that Michael Horovitz, one of the greats of British poetry, had succumbed to brief illness after a fall. A devoted Arsenal fan and a […]

The 1946 British Lions’ rugby league tour of Australia was one of the most unusual chapters in sporting history The officer of the watch heard the splash and the shouts. A man had gone overboard into the shark-infested waters off Port Said. It’s no mean feat to stop and bring about a 23,000-ton aircraft carrier […]

In a special report, JOHN KAMPFNER explores the failure of the US, Europe, China and Russia to work together on global vaccine provision, and how the developing world can exploit their rivalry Relations between the major powers are at their worst for decades with cooperation thin on the ground, and Covid-19 having deepened suspicions further. In April, […]

England’s success at the Euros tournament has stirred emotions Boris Johnson can only wish he could achieve

TIM WALKER on how the Sun and Mail on Sunday struggled with reporting an open secret The press statement Michael Gove and Sarah Vine put out to an unstartled nation last week announcing that they were splitting up included a request for privacy. Most of the major news organisations had, however, kept scrupulously to the press […]

The former health secretary’s other misdeeds may have attracted more headlines, but the use of private email and WhatsApp for government business is a serious concern

This week marks five years since the launch of The New European, a symbol of one of the few upsides to emerge from Brexit, says IAN DUNT

Denis MacShane on the late Dick Leonard, former Labour MP and dedicated campaigner to the European cause

Established a pop-up paper in 2016 due to last only four issues, The New European turns five this week. Former editor of the Financial Times LIONEL BARBER explains why it has found a niche and how it can help shape European debate

Bonnie Greer reflects on living in central London during Covid protests and explains what lies behind the manhandling of chief medical officer Chris Whitty If you appear on TV, even from time to time as I do, one of the facts of life is this: people will come up to you on the street. Most […]

MITCH BENN wants an end to gossip about the divorce of Brexiteers Michael Gove and Sarah Vine HEARTRENDING HUMAN DRAMA OF THE WEEK The parallel universes of politics and newspapers were rocked  with the news that the UK’s leading “power couple”, journalist-turned-perennial political survivor Michael Gove and journalist-turned-Daily Mail columnist Sarah Vine, have separated and are […]

Scotland fan ALASTAIR CAMPBELL on his texts with Gareth Southgate, meeting Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling – and why he’s found England so easy to like this summer I wouldn’t overstate my England football credentials, but I have seen Harry Kane naked but for his underpants (more later); and Raheem Sterling has given me a guided tour of […]

Control of the UK’s borders helped drive the Brexit vote. Now, Priti Patel must hope for European co-operation for her immigration clampdown The desire to have control over the UK’s borders was one of the strongest arguments for the Leave side to win the EU referendum. Now, five years on, the British government is determined to […]

Hotel Inspector Alex Polizzi’s EU workers disaster shows that the Brexit chickens are coming home to roost It has been a gloomy week on the sunlit uplands of sovereign Britain, and for all the talk of football, one thing we can be certain of coming home are Brexit chickens to roost. As the consequences of […]

One reader has his doubts about Boris Johnson’s plan for unlocking England

TIM WALKER reviews a cheering show breathing fresh life – and fun – back into theatre Showstopper! The Improvised Musical Garrick Theatre, London **** Playing the first Monday of each month Theatre professionals have long been aware of the need to attract younger audiences and the pandemic has given this a new impetus. Even with their two […]

Five years after she took office, we should resist a rose-tinted view of Theresa May’s time in Downing Street

Making it easier to get on the UK property ladder is a problem that can be solved… but only if politicians are willing to follow other nations, and hit theborn-lucky in the pocket. The Liberal Democrats apparently won the Chesham and Amersham by-election because of three factors: Brexit, HS2, and new planning regulations. Or to put it another […]

Will Self travels to Royal Tunbridge Wells to discover that in modern Britain, even a short journey takes you to another country In keeping with Multicultural Man’s distinctly rooted existence these past 18 months – something, no doubt, many New European readers can identify with – holidays have become a deeply strange phenomenon. Last year, […]

PETER TRUDGILL on the European language that lingered on Greenland, and another –  of sorts – that still thrives there Greenland is the largest island in the world. As is well known it also lies very far to the north. At its northernmost point, it is only about 500 miles from the North Pole. Iceland lies about 200 […]

A reader explains their decision to leave Britain following Brexit After having been in the UK for more than 20 years now and it has been some of the best years of my life so far, but now I cannot wait to leave. That will happen the very moment my son leaves school. I am […]