Best of the Spectator Spectator Out Loud: Ruaridh Nicoll, Angus Colwell, Mary Wakefield, Philip Hensher & Nicholas Farrell
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Mar 23, 2026 Philip Hensher, novelist and critic, reflects on Alan Bennett's late diaries and lost dramatic archive. Mary Wakefield, journalist, inspects Tower Hamlets life and critiques Keir Starmer's cohesion plan. Ruaridh Nicoll, reporter in Havana, reads a first-person letter about blackouts, scarcity and the effects of an oil blockade. Short, vivid pieces on culture, politics and daily struggle.
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Life in Havana During an Oil Blockade
- Ruaridh Nicoll describes daily life in Havana under an American oil blockade causing severe blackouts and shortages.
- He recounts teenagers burning a Communist Party HQ, friends switching to Chinese electric bikes, and international aid that may be misallocated.
Blockade Fuels Hardship Not Political Clarity
- The US blockade aims to force political change but the primary effect is humanitarian strain and deeper popular disillusionment with both sides.
- Nicoll notes talks between Washington and Havana and worries aid will bolster the regime while protesters face crackdowns.
A Zany A to Z of London Horrors
- Angus Colwell delivers a comic A–Z tour of London pitfalls for prospective tech arrivals, naming specific neighbourhood hazards and subcultures.
- He lists King's Cross fentanyl users, Camden teen dealers, Hampstead Heath mud baths, and bizarre local figures like Alistair Campbell in the Lido.