Lara Brown
@lara_e_brown
Commissioning Editor at @Spectator. Email me: [email protected]
one thing caused by social media/the internet/etc is that everyone now feels entitled to being A PERFORMER and this has massively changed how we consume art passive forms have all plunged: gallery visitors down ~50% since covid (an insane stat!!) cinemas not selling tix.....🧵
It’s no longer the done thing to turn up to a gig in any old kit: instead, the most committed fans demonstrate their affection for the artist by wearing the right stuff. We explain why economist.com/culture/2025/0…
Living with housemates throughout your 20s (particularly in cities) is now expected thanks to rising rents and stagnating wages. And at the same time we've apparently created a social norm against having a your partner stay with you. No wonder there's a relationship recession
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Interesting to read that the new owners of the Regency Cafe in Westminster will explore halal options. I wrote about why several restaurants, whose cuisine isn’t typically halal, are choosing to do this a couple of week’s ago in The Spectator 👇 spectator.co.uk/article/is-you…
1) Today, @Policy_Exchange publishes my paper on the Future of the Right, together with commentary by @ClaireCoutinho, @Katie_Lam_MP, @GoodwinMJ, @Ommasalma, Jean Andre Preger & Edward Barlow. Plus an afterword by @AlexanderDowner tinyurl.com/yts59yku
Alfred and Lord Nelson are "just like racist and slaveowners." Alfred the Great ruled from 871 -899. He obviously wasn't a slave owner. It should be impossible to study history in this country and come away with such an ill informed view. These are the men that built Britain.
The intergenerational contract is breaking down. Young people feel the system isn't working for them, particularly on: - Housing - Income/taxes - Mental Health - Family and relationships New @Policy_Exchange by me and @lara_e_brown with exclusive polling of 18 - 30 yr olds. 🧵
16 year-olds cannot get married. They cannot be deployed on the front line. They aren’t allowed to leave education or training. Society treats under 18s as children. Why is Rayner trying to make out otherwise?
Angela Rayner writes for @TheTimes: "Nobody expected much of me when I become a young mum at 16. I was suddenly faced with serious responsibilities for putting food on the table, paying my bills and giving my son Ryan the best possible start in life. "With support, I rose to…
The High Court concluded that being on the leaked Afghani dataset would not actually lead a person or their family to be targeted by the Taliban. So even on the govt's own terms, it was a mistake to bring them here on the basis of the leak (let alone ban it from being reported).
We deserve answers about who was brought under each scheme: ARAP (public) covered Afghan citizens who worked for or with the UK Government in Afghanistan ARR (secret) for 24,000 Afghan's after a data leak Why weren't Afghan's who served with the armed forces covered by ARAP?
Can any of us guarantee that no one coming here either as resettled immigrant or even as a tourist wont commit a crime. No we cant. But that doesn’t mean we turn our back on people who saved British lives. 9/9
A girl in Warwickshire was barred by her school from giving this brilliant speech on being proud to be British. I think that’s appalling. If she’d like to make her speech in Parliament instead, please let her and her family know I’d be very happy to host them.
Girl in union jack couldn't give 'British' speech bbc.in/44Lk1kp
When I was a trustee of a University Debating Society we weren't allowed to store the names and emails of members in excel because it was deemed too insecure. Why on earth did Royal Marines have such sensitive details, which could get someone killed, on an excel spreadsheet??
All of this could have been avoided if the civil service wasn’t using literal excel spreadsheets to store all of its data. Anyone that’s worked in the CS knows how bad it is. Everything is on a spreadsheet, not a database in sight
On my @LBC show 7pm Trump turns turtle on Ukraine and Putin 8pm Cross Question with Polly Billington MP, Mims Davies MP, Neil Breakwell, Lara Brown 9pm Is the BBC losing the people's trust?
Rachel, I'm confused. I thought Rishi's plan to spend £1 million on chess was a fiscally irresponsible 'pet project' which you cancelled. But now you're giving chess £1.5 million of funding? For pretty much the exact same things?
Having played chess at a young age, I know the transformational impact it can have on young people. That's why today we're allocating £1.5m to help identify, support, and elevate top-tier players who have the potential to compete at a global level.
It is entirely possible I am on one of the prettiest train journeys in the world.
I am completely comfortable with the Bayeux tapestry residing in France despite the fact it is a British creation. The course of history saw the work come into the possession of the French. That is fine. The same logic should apply to the Elgin Marbles and Benin Bronzes.
The Bayeux tapestry was commissioned and woven in Britain 900 years ago. It was subsequently taken to France. In order to bring it back to Britain - temporarily - we are having to lend Sutton Hoo discoveries, also from Britain. Some 'exchange' when both sides are British!
Museums like the V&A shouldn’t be allowed to return ‘looted’ treasures. ✍️ Lara Brown buff.ly/92H29nZ