Six of the Best 837

"Margaret Wintringham was elected in a by election in September 1921, succeeding her deceased husband in the Louth constituency of Lincolnshire. She followed the Tory Nancy Astor as the second woman to take her seat in the House of Commons." Stephen Williams celebrates a near century of women Liberal and Liberal Democrat MPs.

"The Institute for Public Policy Research reports that public spending in the south has risen by £3.2bn since 2010, against a fall of £6.3bn in the north." Simon Jenkins says the extra billions announced for Crossrail emphasise Britain's north-south divide.

Owen Bennett-Jones looks at Auntie's many problems: "The BBC has papered over its failure to challenge authority by developing a house style of aggressive interviewing which gives the impression of holding power to account without actually doing so."

Richard Florida asks if the great Jane Jacobs predicted the rise of Donald Trump.

"The Box of Delights has something far more important than money or gloss. It has magic, a commodity that can’t be bought and which enables almost every flaw to be forgiven." James Oliver celebrates the BBC's adaptation from the 1980s- a modern Christmas classic.

Inesemjphotography takes us around the Ring of Kerry.