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  1. Politics
7 October 2010

In this week’s New Statesman: Melvyn Bragg guest-edit

Exclusive: Unseen Ted Hughes poem on Sylvia Plath’s death | Gore Vidal interview | New P D James sto

By George Eaton

This week’s New Statesman is a special issue guest-edited by our greatest polymath, Melvyn Bragg, who recruited Tracey Emin (interviewed inside) to design our front cover.

The issue includes a remarkable and previously unpublished poem by Ted Hughes, “Last letter”, describing the days leading up to the suicide of his first wife, the poet Sylvia Plath. Its first line is: “What happened that night? Your final night.” — and the poem ends with the moment Hughes is informed of his wife’s death.

Elsewhere, Melyvn speaks to that grand old man of American letters, Gore Vidal, who warns that his homeland is heading for dictatorship, and we feature an exclusive short story by P D James, “The Part-Time Job”.

And there’s more. David Puttnam argues that the Tories’ decision to abolish the UK Film Council betrays their ignorance of history, we publish an exclusive new poem by the Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, and Marcus du Sautoy explains why maths holds the key to secets of the universe.

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All this, plus Mehdi Hasan on why the cult of Cameron is fading, David Blanchflower on why it’s too early for interest rates to rise and Alice Miles on why the coalition’s child benefit cuts will create a less equal society.

Content from our partners
The promise of prevention
How Labour hopes to make the UK a leader in green energy
Is now the time to rethink health and care for older people? With Age UK

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
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