Six of the Best 933

"The media would have us believe that Rishi Sunak is having a good crisis. But this is because it focuses far too much upon presentation and not enough upon policy. The standards for Tory politicians have fallen so low that being able to read a speech fluently suffices to make one a future PM." Chris Dillow considers the origins of the Conservatives' policy disaster on Covid-19 and the economy.

Natalie Bennett on the privatisation of care homes for older people has been a disaster.

"In Russia, it is a deceitful, neurotic, and bullying approach to history. In China, it is the same story but over geography." Ed Lucas argues the regimes in both countries are expending huge amounts of political capital on unnecessary fights.

Margaret Thatcher killed the UK's superfast broadband before it even existed, as Jay McGregor reveals.

"Ravilious ... was a strong opponent of fascism, as one might expect from his light and playful sensibility. He raised money for the Republican side of the Spanish Civil War, and apparently had to be dissuaded by friends from enlisting in the British Army as a private soldier when war broke out." Niall Gooch says Eric Ravilious depicted 'Deep England' but unsullied by any kind of dubious politics.

Mary Reid recalls the pains and pleasures of living near a zoo.