14 February 2005

From the Editor…

Welcome to the New Statesman website. Whether you are a new reader or an existing one - online or via the magazine - I hope you'll enjoy the great writing, fresh ideas and provocative debate that make the New Statesman Britain's award-winning current affairs weekly

Jason Cowley, Editor, New Statesman

Cover story

The nuclear fat is in the fire

Iran - Iran is not some ill-sorted colonial confection like Iraq with 80 years on the clock. This proud, ancient nation would resist US invasion at all levels

By James Buchan

Features

This man is one of Britain's most dangerous drug lords. Why did Michael Howard let him out of jail after ten months?

By Nick Cohen

Labour is accused of "digging dirt" on the Tory leader. But, argues Nick Cohen, the case of John Haase is very much a live scandal

4 comments

Revealed: Blair's six election pledges

By John Kampfner

Labour spring conference - It was going to be just five promises, all intended to project a progressive message, but now asylum and immigration have been hastily added to the list. By John Kampfner, our political editor

How we forgot the art of loving

By Neil Clark

There's no room for true love in the age of the "marketing character", who trades on emotions and even smiles. But we were all warned 50 years ago

Interview

NS Interview - Ruth Kelly

By John Kampfner

Labour spring conference - She has a new vision for comprehensive schools - and promises her religious beliefs won't stand in the way of sex education. Ruth Kelly interviewed

Regulars

New Statesman Leader

Middle East: keep US and UK out

Mark Thomas imagines a UK without migrants

By Mark Thomas

Michael Howard is going so far to the right on immigration that he'll soon decide to make his ideas retrospective and deport himself. But Charles Clarke is determined to outdo him

Darcus Howe attends carnival in Trinidad

By Darcus Howe

After carnival in Trinidad, the Calypso King competition result goes before the courts

Competition

Win vouchers to spend at any Tesco store

Culture

Political acts

By Clive Stafford Smith

Theatre has a tiny audience compared with the media. But, says human rights lawyer Clive Stafford Smith, it still plays a vital role in debating society's big issues

The art of dressing up

By Henry Conway

In 2005 the son of suspended Tory MP Derek Conway, at the centre of a Parliamentary payments probe, wrote a piece on fashion for the NS. Why not enjoy it all over again?