The Pope on trial | John Pilger: America’s permanent war | BBC head on “left-wing bias”

Weekly Online Newsletter 2 September 2010 Home Editor's Choice Features Regulars Arts & Books Blogs Subscribe   Editor's Choice In this week's New Statesman With just two weeks to go until the first papal visit to the UK since 1982, this week's New Statesman looks at the unending controversy surrounding Pope Benedict XVI. In our lead essay, the human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson attacks the Catholic Church's claim to statehood and its protection of padeophile priests under canon law. Also this week, in his first major interview since giving the MacTaggart lecture, BBC head Mark Thompson talks to James Macintyre about the corporation's past "left-wing bias", the Murdoch family and the need for budget cuts. Elsewhere, John Pilger says the US withdrawal from Iraq is a poor disguise for America's determination to keep waging war, Tim Montgomerie says that the coalition will drift leftwards unless the right organises and Green Party leader Caroline Lucas argues that the Labour leadership candidates have failed to move beyond tribalism. Also don't miss Francis Beckett's fascinating profile of the education secretary, Michael Gove, former Met head Ian Blair on the coalition's failure to tackle racism and Will Self on the noble Aberdeen Angus Steak House. The issue is on sale now, or you can subscribe through the website. Get a FREE copy of Noam Chomsky's Hopes and Prospects when you start your annual subscription today for just £82. This week we want to hear from you. Complete the New Statesman opinion survey today and be in with a chance to win one of three cases of wine from Corney & Barrow, worth £150 each. The five most read blogs Fisking Blair's chapter on Iraq | Mehdi Hasan Adviser quits, Hague reveals Ffion miscarriages | New Statesman Blair endorses Cameron's economic policy | George Eaton Lib Dems plunge to new poll low of 11 per cent | George Eaton Exclusive NS interview: BBC Director-General | James Macintyre Regulars Leader: The tragedy of Tony Blair, what he was and what he became This summer, Tony Blair stood on foreign soil, recalled a military adventure past and declared: "I did what was right. I did what was just. I did not regret it then. I do not regret it now." Arts & Culture Certified Copy (12A) By Ryan Gibey Juliette Binoche shines in a movie about authenticity in art.     This Week's Issue Kindly note that if you receive this e-mail your e-mail address is being held by us for the purpose of communicating with you on New Statesman related matters. If you do not wish us to e-mail you, please unsubscribe from this list. New Statesman Limited is a Data Controller for the purposes of the Data Protection Act 1998. © New Statesman Ltd. 2009. The above information may be privileged. If you are not the intended recipient of this email please destroy it. As Internet communications are not secure please note that the New Statesman does not accept legal responsibility for the content of this email message.