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Mercy can’t exist if distress has been abolished

The Tories’ big idea is that we, not the State, should help the weak. But the brutal truth is that we will only act if we can see suffering

No local difficulty about Madonna and child

On making some rather sneering remark about the singer's adoption, was shamed by my Malawian friend’s response

Bore for England? Sometimes you just have to

So there’ll be no let-up for Brown next year and not much for Cameron. But the faithful can relax a little

Not a creature is stirring, not even a mouse

A Malawi-style treat

What have politicians done for them? Zilch

In the 50 years since I was in Malawi as a young boy, life in most African villages has not changed in the slightest

The jaw-dropping truth about Gordon

Our prime minister and the American playwright

We are far too sentimental about ‘our boys’

We must drop the flowery language about sacrifice. British soldiers aren’t conscripts; they volunteer to risk their lives

A wallet, a train – and some scissors

I left my card wallet at a station. Little did I know what was in store

Be calm and polite. Don’t rise to Labour’s bait

To fall back on class warfare, as Gordon Brown has signalled, is nasty politics. It could, though, prove a useful vote-winner

It’s Big Brother’s stupidity that scares me

Police moving people on for taking photos is madness

Going to war wasn’t heroic: it was a no-brainer

Tony Blair saw only victory when he sided with the biggest boy in the playground, not an ugly wound to his reputation

The truth shouldn’t need oaths

This criticism of the Chilcot inquiry is absurd

No method in this Queen’s Speech madness

Usually it’s the speech that’s dreary and the phone-in responses that are works of fantasy. This year the reverse is true

My kingdom for a bolting horse

I wonder if Her Majesty secretly hoped for some drama on her way to that speech

50 practical tips to save you half a lifetime

When I was 16 I didn’t want agony-aunt advice on sex and love, but real advice on spots and shaving – like this . . .