A victory for free speech

Plus: why no deal might be more viable, the extraordinary life of John le Carré and should children play rugby? [View in browser]( [The Telegraph]( Monday December 14 2020 From The Editor By Chris Evans, Editor The best of The Telegraph's articles, sent by the Editor Dear Reader, London and other regions could be placed into Tier 3 measures as soon as today. You can follow the [latest, including any announcements, on our live blog](. 2020 has been a year replete with arguments over free speech and wokeness. For much of it, only one side appeared to be winning. That is, until recent events at the University of Cambridge. Juliet Samuel [explains in her column]( how that defeat for “woke” activists happened, and what it reveals about both the hidden flimsiness, and the dangers, of their campaigning. John le Carré, Britain’s great spy novelist, passed away at the weekend. His novels did not always endear him to his former employers, rife with acts of betrayal as they were, but they proved exceedingly popular. [Our obituary tells the full and remarkable story]( of Le Carré's rise from a childhood blighted by East End gangsters to a career as a spymaster cut short by Kim Philby, and his transformation into thriller-writer par excellence. Finally, for many people, the coronavirus has made 2020 a much quieter year, but not for Matt Lucas. The actor and comedian has been busier than ever, but also struggled with many of the challenges this year has brought. He spoke to Nick Curtis [at length for a fascinating interview]( covering the full breadth of his career, the challenges of his private life and the highs he’s still reached in the midst of Covid-19. Chris P.S. Don't miss out on our brilliant Christmas Sale where you can save more than 75 per cent when you take out a Telegraph subscription. It will cost you just £3 for your first four months. [Find out more here](. My Choices [Students at Cambridge]( 'A victory for freedom' – Juliet Samuel explains how the defeat of a handful of student activists at Cambridge is a manual for [fending off the "woke mob"](. [John le Carre]( The death of John le Carré – read our obituary of the remarkable author who overcame a grim childhood to [become a cultural icon](. (Free to read) [The PM on the phone in Downing St]( With negotiations ongoing, there is still a chance of a trade deal with the EU. But is it the best option? Charles Moore makes the case for why [no-deal might now be better](. [Matt Lucas]( Matt Lucas has had an extraordinary year, but a tough one nonetheless. Read about [his triumphs and tragedies]( and why he just wants to see his mother. (Free to read) [Young boys playing rugby]( Is it safe for our children to play rugby? There's no easy answer, and Jemima Lewis [articulates the contradictory instincts]( of parents in her column. [The Pigott family]( '‘We ended up sofa surfing after losing our home’ – read how a middle-class family [found themselves homeless](. What did you think? Let us know how we're doing using the feedback button below or tweet me [@chrisevans1](. Although I am unable to respond individually to all the emails I receive, I am grateful to you for sending them to me. [Send feedback](mailto:Totheeditor@telegraph.co.uk) We hope you enjoyed our newsletter. If you have questions or feedback, please visit our [help page](. If you have questions about your Telegraph subscription, including delivery issues or technical ones, [please visit this page]( and contact us that way. If you would like a letter to the Editor published in The Telegraph, email it to [dtletters@telegraph.co.uk.](mailto:dtletters@telegraph.co.uk) Please include name, address, work and home telephone numbers. See more Telegraph newsletters [Front Bench]( | [Cookbook]( | [Cars]( | [Good News]( We have sent you this email because you have either asked us to or because we think it will interest you. [Unsubscribe]( | [Update your preferences]( For any other questions, please visit our help page [here](. Any offers included in this email come with their own Terms and Conditions, which you can see by clicking on the offer link. We may withdraw offers without notice. Telegraph Media Group Limited or its group companies - 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 0DT. Registered in England under No 451593.