Labour's schools tax raid sums don't add up Monday, 16 June, 2025 The following letter was published in The Daily Telegraph on 16 June in slightly edited form. SIR – At the spending review, Rachel Reeves boasted proudly that she had ended “the tax loophole which exempted private schools from VAT”, a grossly misleading description of the tax exemption that those independent schools which are charities had always enjoyed. She and her party believe they can squeeze... Articles
Churchill and Ireland (again) 30th November 2016 Lord Lexden's review of Churchill and Ireland by Paul Bew (Oxford University Press, £16.99) appeared on the ConservativeHome website in June. It has now been... Articles
The Windsors' wedding 28th November 2016 Seven months after giving up the throne in December 1936, the former Edward VIII, now the Duke of Windsor, married the former Mrs Wallis Simpson, who reverted... Articles
Risking Royal Wrath 24th November 2016 King George V (1910-36) had only two pastimes: stamp collecting and killing game birds (he was said to have been the best shot in the country). On November 21... Articles
Queen Victoria and John Brown 19th November 2016 Did they or didn’t they? There has been much speculation about whether the close relationship between the Queen and her famous highland servant had a sexual... Articles
Visa problems 17th November 2016 Great concern has been expressed by British universities about the damaging effects of immigration policy on the country’s ability to remain highly attractive... Speeches
Justice for Bishop Bell - the campaign continues 17th November 2016 In a speech on June 30 (see below), Alistair Lexden expressed deep concern about the way in which the authorities of the Church of England had dealt with a... Articles
The Lord Chancellor's duty 16th November 2016 The Lord Chancellor, Liz Truss, has a specific duty to uphold and defend the independence of the judiciary. It was widely felt that she did not fulfil this duty... Speeches
The Dreary Steeples Emerging Once Again 15th November 2016 Gladstone famously declared that he had a mission to pacify Ireland. His botched home rule legislation of the 1880s and I890s led not to peace, but to greater... Articles
The Eleventh Hour 10th November 2016 The First World War ended at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918. The famous rhythmic sequence would not exist but for a senior... Articles
