25 September 2006

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

Could he just be Labour's future?

The most important person at Labour's Manchester conference will be nowhere in sight. Like Thatcher and Blair before him, David Cameron is emerging as the politician most in tune with his time. Can Gordon Brown catch him?

By Richard Reeves

Features

Cash for peerages: the new evidence

By Martin Bright

With the Labour Party in effect now broke and the police probing ever deeper into the loans-for-honours scandal, our political editor Martin Bright reveals the terms under which donors were enticed to part with their cash

Europe: teaching us a lesson

By Anthony Giddens

As the candidates pledge to use Labour's leadership battles to debate new ideas, where should they look beyond these shores? Anthony Giddens assesses the best on offer in Europe

America: where normal is extreme

By Andrew Stephen

Andrew Stephen reports overleaf on the fear gripping US Democrats

How to turn women off

By Kira Cochrane

They are not enamoured of the Tories, they loathe Labour's infighting and they crave a little honesty. Kira Cochrane on what female voters are thinking

Where are they now? Ten who got away

By Kevin Maguire

One day they are members of what remains the country's most elite club, enjoying perks and privileges that follow the magic initials "MP" after a surname. The next day they are nobodies, ex-somebodies forced to start all over again.

Silvio's gone: is Italy missing him?

By Sidney Webb

When he waved goodbye in April, Berlusconi left the public finances in terrible shape. Prodi & Co must clean up after him. And how are they doing? Che confusione, writes Tony Barber - what a mess . . .

Return to Milton Keynes

By Zoe Williams

It was always supposed to be the town of the future, and now it is to get its very own TV station. So did the Milton Keynes experiment work, after all? Zoe Williams goes back to see

So, how was it for you?

More reflections on the Blair years

Interview

I didn't come into politics to sort out gambling

By Martin Bright

Interview - Tessa Jowell talks to our political editor, Martin Bright, about super-casinos, the handling of 7/7, her husband's controversial links with Silvio Berlusconi - and the deputy leadership

Regulars

New Statesman Leader

Some helpful advice for a successor who is yet to succeed

The Politics Column

The big issue that won't be discussed

By Neal Lawson

The Liberal Democrats may have voted to drop their 50p top rate policy, but at least they had the courage to conduct an open debate about taxing Britain more

Competitions: Gambling heaven No 3947

Set by Valerie Yule Gambling is a human instinct to take risks to survive. We asked for alternative uses for this instinct to brighten up lives without losing money

Culture

The battle for YouTube

By Ben Dowell

The site that struck fear into the TV industry is now facing a corporate takeover, reports Ben Dowell

Singing our own tune

By Emma John

The West End is full of American musicals . . . but where is all the British talent?

Theatre

The National strikes gold

By Rosie Millard

Nicholas Hytner brings Ben Jonson's London bang up to date in a fine staging The Alchemist Olivier Theatre, London SE1

Film

Bombs, killer flu and ping-pong-ball kisses

By Ryan Gilbey

A disturbing view of the future delivered with visual panache Children of Men (15) dir: Alfonso Cuarón

Television

The bipolar condition laid bare with intelligence

By Andrew Billen

A celebrity sufferer sensitively explains an illness often misunderstood Stephen Fry: the secret life of the manic depressive BBC2

Radio

Time to stop teasing the axeman

By Rachel Cooke

Uncovering Iran is a great move by Radio 4 bosses

Books

The art of words and pictures

By Rachel Cooke

Fun Home: a family tragicomic Alison Bechdel Jonathan Cape, 232pp, £12.99 ISBN 0618477942 Chicken With Plums Marjane Satrapi Jonathan Cape, 84pp, £12.99 ISBN 0224080458 Long considered the preserve of thrash-metal geeks, the graphic novel is entering a golden age of sophistication – and even respectability.