13 November 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

Rumbled!

Americans have used the midterm elections to send a resounding message of no-confidence in their president. But victory was not entirely sweet for the Democrats. Our US editor, Andrew Stephen, reports

By Andrew Stephen

Features

Iraq: the new cover-up

By Martin Bright

Exclusive: A secret first full draft of the Iraq WMD dossier, which shows how Tony Blair persuaded parliament of the case for war, is being concealed by the government. This draft was not written by the intelligence services, as Whitehall claims, but by a Foreign Office spin-doctor. Our political editor, Martin Bright reports

A kinder, more caring Campbell?

By Andrew Gilligan

Andrew Gilligan is not convinced by the rebranding of his old foe

Dear Marina . . .

By Ben Davies

When the New Statesman website relaunches, former glamour model turned eco-campaigner and Lib Dem politician Marina Pepper will be our new online agony aunt. She will respond to any social, sexual or political dilemmas you face . . .

Deporting a sick child would be a moral outrage

By Martin Narey

Sending a failed asylum-seeker home is often like signing their death warrant. In the case of one boy, he may last only months. Martin Narey, once a top Home Office official, says he is now shamed by the policy

Green colonials

By Sue Branford and Jan Rocha

An international project to buy large parts of the Amazon rainforest has run up against stiff resistance from indigenous groups. Sue Branford and Jan Rocha report from Brazil

Regulars

New Statesman Leader

America awakes from a corrupt and incompetent nightmare

The Politics Column

Driven by a wretched and outdated currency

By Jon Cruddas

In the workplace many are feeling insecure, as migrant labour is used by unscrupulous employers to pull down pay. Yet the state stands by

Commons Confidential

Gallant protector

By Kevin Maguire

A stitch in our time No 3954

Set by Valerie Yule We asked you to write explanations of forgotten skills for today's teenagers

Culture

Junk cinema

By Anthony Horowitz

Children are reared on tacky Hollywood movies backed by multimillion-dollar marketing campaigns. It bodes ill for the future of British film

New jazz generation

By Sholto Byrnes

A new wave of young musicians is pushing the boundaries of the genre

Theatre

Child's play that comes up trumps

By Rosie Millard

When children's theatre breaks the rules it is a refreshing alternative The Mouse Queen Unicorn Theatre, London SE1 Disney on Ice Princess Classics Hallam FM Arena, Sheffield

Film

Stealing beauty

By Ryan Gilbey

Two UK directors turn away from epic storytelling, with mixed results Breaking and Entering (15)dir: Anthony Minghella The Prestige (12A) dir: Christopher Nolan

Television

Travelling in the realms of gold

By Andrew Billen

D B C Pierre's road trip through Mexico could have done with a shot of tequila The Last Aztec Channel 4

Radio

When newspapers aren't newspapers

By Rachel Cooke

Who wants to listen to podcasts by crusty old hacks?

Album Reviews

African haze

By Mark Espiner

Electric Griot Land Ba Cissoko Totolo 001

Rock on the dance floor

By Daniel Trilling

Nightlife Erase Errata Kill Rock Stars

The price of success

By David Smyth

9 Damien Rice Heffa/14th Floor

Books

The man with the golden typewriter

By Brian Cathcart

Taittinger champagne, Rolex watches, Beluga caviar and Sea Island underpants: Ian Fleming's Bond novels anticipated our modern obsession with brands

Master of all trades

By Michael Bywater

The Last Man Who Knew Everything Andrew Robinson Oneworld, 288pp, £17.99 ISBN 1851684948

On birds and beauty

By Helen Macdonald

Nature's Engraver: a life of Thomas Bewick Jenny Uglow Faber & Faber, 392pp, £20 ISBN 0571223745

The key to rural bliss

By Lynsey Hanley

How to be Free Tom Hodgkinson Hamish Hamilton, 340pp, £14.99 ISBN 0241143217

A harvest of bitter fruit

By Clare Short

Prickly Pears of Palestine Hilda Reilly Eye Books, 256pp, £9.99 ISBN 190307052X

Read or undead

By John Sutherland

John Sutherland on the coming of the zombie apocalypse

The writing on the wall

By Matt Kennard

Graffiti Woman Nicholas Ganz Thames & Hudson, 232pp, £19.95 ISBN 0500513066

Stocking filler

By Jasmine Gartner

Santa: a life Jeremy Seal Picador, 291pp, £7.99 ISBN 0330419374

Notes from abroad

By Olivia Shean

Looking for Trouble: the life and times of a foreign correspondent Richard Beeston Tauris Parke, 178pp, £10.99 ISBN 1845112776

Animal magic

By Jasmine Gartner

A Tiger in the Sand Mark Cocker Jonathan Cape, 180pp, £10 ISBN 0224078828

Women in Love

By Rebecca West

Taken from the New Statesman archive, 9 July 1921 Lawrence's notoriety was well established by the time this appeared and he had been living abroad for some years. He always had defenders in England, though, and here West (1892-1983) firmly declares herself one of them. Her own life was unconventional enough: she was H G Wells's lover. The John Collier she refers to without enthusiasm was a leading portrait painter, while Sarah Gamp is a character in Martin Chuzzlewit. Selected by Brian Cathcart