The Joy of Six 1598

"The world's solar power is crossing a threshold. A decade ago, it barely registered on a global scale, providing just 1 per cent of the world's power. In 2026, it will almost certainly increase to 10 per cent of power, and overtake nuclear, a mainstay of electricity since the late 1970s." Jocelyn Timperley on the reasons for solar's success and where it may go from here.

David Gauke asks: "What were they thinking of? All those British right-of-centre politicians who had wholeheartedly backed the Ukrainians in their brave resistance to Russian aggression, who then declared their support for Donald Trump’s candidacy in the 2024 Presidential election – Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Robert Jenrick and others."

Bobby Dean, Lib Dem MP for Carshalton and Wallington, says Britain must not shut the door on Hongkongers persecuted for defending democracy.

"Britain’s cycle of flooding and drought simply can’t be treated as two separate crises. They are twin symptoms of the exact same underlying condition: that we have systematically broken our landscape’s ability to act as a sponge." Rebecca Wrigley argues that turning our countryside back into a natural sponge is the key to escaping the flood-drought whiplash.

"In October 1969, the artists Gilbert & George celebrated a year of performing their 'singing sculpture' work Underneath The Arches by inviting figures in the art world and East London residents to a special performance in the street." Greg Salter ponders art, homosociality and post-war reconstruction.

Alex Bowden thinks English cricket has become fixated on celebrating the final test matches of long-serving players.