Graeme Thomson Paul Thomson

1 month ago | thespectator.com | Travis Elborough |Graeme Thomson Paul Thomson |Alexander Larman |Justin Brierley

When the Puerto Rican guitarist Carlos Alomar first met David Bowie, he didn’t think a man could turn a whiter shade of pale. The singer looked emaciated; his complexion teetered on translucency, and weighing only 95 pounds, the only signs of life were a pulse and a mop of orange hair. It was the mid-Seventies, and Bowie was touring America deep in the throes of addiction — the “darkest years” of his life — surviving on a paltry diet of red peppers, cigarettes, milk and cocaine.

Aug 4, 2024 | thespectator.com | Ruchir Sharma |Amber Duke |James Delingpole |Graeme Thomson Paul Thomson

Despite the sharp polarization of American politics, there is surprising agreement on what went wrong with capitalism. Whether the writer or politician is coming at this question from the left or right, the blame often falls on four decades of “small government” ideology and free market orthodoxy since Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher.

Aug 4, 2024 | thespectator.com | Amber Duke |James Delingpole |Graeme Thomson Paul Thomson |Aidan Hartley

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro is on the shortlist to be Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate and with his newfound national profile comes plenty of scrutiny. In addition to progressive furor over his stance on the Israel-Hamas war, Shapiro is also under fire for allegedly covering up a case of sexual harassment in his office. National media organizations have acknowledged that Governor Shapiro’s office settled a sexual harassment complaint for nearly $295,000 just last year.

Jul 27, 2024 | thespectator.com | Anne Applebaum |Graeme Thomson Paul Thomson |Aidan Hartley |Joseph Moreno

The Polish constitution delineates no role for the foreign minister’s wife. In fact, the foreign minister’s wife is not mentioned in Polish state documents of any kind. Nevertheless, there are times when, as the Polish foreign minister’s wife, I find that I have no choice but to bear witness to great historical events.

Feb 23, 2024 | thespectator.com | Olivia Potts |Graeme Thomson Paul Thomson |Aidan Hartley |Joseph Moreno

The Chelsea bun was first baked in the Bun House in Chelsea in the eighteenth century. It was a bakery which found particular favor with the Hanoverian royal family, as its pastries were reminiscent of those from whence they came. But these buns were for everyman: they were customarily bought by the poor on Good Friday along with hot cross buns. On these days, the demand was such that the buns were sold through an opening in the shutters, and a police presence was needed.