Tradition. The glue that holds societies together. That defines the change of the seasons, the ebb and flow of years. And is there a country on earth where tradition holds sway to a greater extent than Britain?
This time of the year sees one of my favourite British traditions. Like most traditions, it is highly ritualised [...]

This week’s ranter: Paul has just joined The Sharpener team — you can find his first ‘proper’ piece, on Sun Tzu and George W. Bush, here.
Tuneless in Islington
Any regular gig-goer can sympathise with the classic ’support band dilemma’. Do you turn up early, get a few drinks in and endure what is probably going [...]