“I look at you as an exquisite poet of self-hatred,” says filmmaker Errol Morris to David Cornwell (that’s John le Carré to your bookshelf), the subject of his excellent new documentary, The Pigeon Tunnel (2023). “Yeah,” laughs the subject, “I would go with that.” If you’ve seen the film, but are new to the author, you’ll enjoy Larry Wilmore’s recent podcast chat with Morris.

The current edition of the Economist has two smart pieces on government. The first, looks as prospective reform in Italy (“Italian politicians cannot resist changing the rules.”). The second, takes a deep look at why the crafting of legislation in the UK has gotten wobbly: it’s not the process, it’s the people.