political and literary weekly magazine published in London, probably England's best-known political weekly, and one of the world's leading journals of opinion. It was founded in 1913 by Sidney and Beatrice Webb. He was a Fabian Socialist and she his political and literary partner, and their journal reflected their views, becoming politically an independent socialist forum for serious intellectual discussion, political commentary, and criticism. The magazine is famous for its aggressive and often satirical analysis of the British and world political scenes. Its contributors are drawn from among the most distinguished writers in Britain; as a result, its political commentary, cultural articles and critical reviews of the arts, and also its “Letters to the Editor” page, are known for their elegance and wit.