The best sweet and fortified wines to drink for Christmas 2021
Waitrose’s own-label Sauternes is also made by Chateau Suduiraut and it, too, is lovely: Waitrose No 1 Sauternes Château Suduiraut 2013 (Bordeaux, France, 13.5%, Waitrose, £16.99) tastes…
How to save money on your Christmas dinner – and where to splash the cash
Bread, butter, an onion and some milk should be a cheap combination, but Ocado’s bread sauce adds up if your family love this accompaniment. Instead buy a…
Why I no longer Google my health worries
Recently, I was looking for an old piece I’d had written. As I scrolled through, it soon struck me almost everything I write has centred around my…
And just like that… Sex and the City gave my generation their voice back
If there is a Sex and the City generation, then, reluctantly, I am it. During the autumn of 1998, freshly moved to the UK’s big city aged…
When we jail a mother, we condemn her child too
Alice spent two years on bail before her case was tried. She was 21, a single parent with a full-time job and a privately rented flat. During…
‘My friends turned me into a slave – and the police didn’t intervene’
I was 23 when I moved into a house with five other people. It was 2005 and I was new to the UK, studying at an international…
Why I fought the EU’s innovation-crushing rules
Bad regulation misleads people, stifles innovation, hits jobs and is a hidden trade barrier deployed by the European Union – in addition to the six per cent…
The EU to the Left. Populists to the Right. ‘Un clown’ could yet show Macron the way to victory
The pressures of electoral politics can sometimes prompt even the most zealous leaders to sacrifice cherished principles. Take Emmanuel Macron, the French president, who yesterday saw fit to…
The catastrophic costs of lockdown measures must be weighed against the risks posed by omicron
Faced with the appearance of the omicron variant of Covid, the Government is planning to impose Plan B restrictions. The caution is understandable, given that the number…
Partygate has managed to unite pro- and anti-lockdowners in fury
Boris Johnson has always aspired to be a unifying politician. He may now have achieved that. The recent revelations about an alleged Christmas party in Downing Street…
There’s nothing ‘civic’ about Sturgeon’s brand of nationalism
Nicola Sturgeon is a busy woman, so it was left to her deputy, John Swinney, to issue a reprimand to nationalists who have been issuing threats to…
Just like the Duchess of Cornwall, I’m a proud Archers addict
It felt like the entire country was tuning into this story arc that fearlessly spanned two-and-a-half years. Charities praised the handling of the subject, saying it had…
If students can’t handle Rod Liddle’s crude jokes, they aren’t ready for real life
Admittedly, these students are in a stronger position to comment on the event than I am. After all, they were there and I was not. I can…
The high cost of remote working
The dossier of evidence submitted to MPs by the whistleblower Raphael Marshall paints an extraordinary picture of institutional chaos at the Foreign Office at the height of…
It’s not fair to blame anti-vaxxers for the sick state of the NHS
It is disturbing to read that doctors and nurses are blaming the unvaccinated for filling up intensive care units and preventing them from treating “seriously ill patients”? …
The 6 best beauty products every woman over 50 needs in their skincare routine
I used to think it was just my bathroom cabinet that was out of control. Recently though, a friend, despairing about her ever-expanding beauty routine, showed me…
Why lasers and radio frequency could be the key to eternal youth
At Dr David Jack’s clinic in Harley Street, they do more than melt off blubber – a new Evolve treatment operates in three different ways. First comes…
Bidding war expected for author Ralph Ellison’s wristwatch
A milestone in American literature, the National Book Award winning tome is as relevant today as it was 70 years ago. The impassioned novel tells the story of a…
Why ‘regal’ hair is having a moment this festive season – and how to get the look
‘I’m feeling a very luxe vibe this year. Last Christmas was a bit of a non-starter so it’s a double whammy year,’ says George Northwood, the A-list…
Why we shouldn’t be afraid to wear red lipstick over 50
Nicole Kidman, 54, appeared at the LA premier of Being the Ricardos on Monday night wearing a strapless tulle beaded gown and dripping in diamonds – yet,…
The fashion editor’s guide to mastering ‘cosy glam’
1. Pleated skirt, £139; cashmere sequin jumper, £99 and court shoes, £159, Hobbs; 2. Velvet robe coat, £285 and trousers, £140, Jigsaw; 3. Velvet cargo pants, £150…
How you can raid Kate Moss, Alexa Chung and Carey Mulligan’s wardrobes this festive season
“I’ve had a lot of fun wearing these pieces, so I want to share the love with others,” says presenter Laura Whitmore, who has offered up the…
The ultimate guide to updating your coat-drobe
Finding a great winter coat is a bit like dating. Swipe, swipe, swipe through a series of uninspiring photos, none of which live up to your vision…
British bars lead the way in 2021’s World’s 50 Best Bars list
As the hospitality industry begins its staggering recovery from the effects of global lockdowns and the pandemic, there’s some cause for celebration in Britain, as the highly…
Ancient mummy tied with ropes goes on display in Peru
Archaeologists revealed the “Mummy of Cajamarquilla” in Lima on Tuesday. It was discovered about two weeks ago at a dig site 15 miles east of the Peruvian…