Here are some of 2015's finest books to fire the imagination, engage the grey matter and invigorate the spirit over the festive period

The former union activist, also referred to Tony Blair and Alastair Campbell as 'scumbags', called Jack Straw a 'vile git'

Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

In Sir John Chilcot’s diplomatic shorthand, they are the “difficult documents”. For the rest of us – those looking to brand Tony Blair and George Bush as war criminals, or those who believe the pair saved Iraq from the excesses of Saddam and the world from a potential WMD catastrophe – they are the communications that will reveal how close Washington and Whitehall were in the run-up to the 2003 war.

News Corp chief admits criticism that  feature is ‘so last century’ may be right

As Twitter releases a tranche of data looking at the trends and top tweets of the year, we've got an alternative list. What was your favourite spat?

Their politics is grander than ours, but also far more prone to fantasy and extremism

Our diarist notes that the minimum wage is a recent innovation; notes the value of family connections ahead of award ceremonies; and offers a spinning corrective

Forget the antics of Joey Barton, the toughest footballers these days are to be found playing in charity games. It's something that Gordon Ramsay discovered at the weekend, after he was floored by Teddy Sheringham during the Soccer Aid event at Old Trafford.

The recent appearances of Labour figures at the Leveson Inquiry hasn't just been a reunion for the Class of '97, it has also provided an opportunity for them to plug their books.

1. Paul Waugh (PI: 66)

Steve Coogan and Paul Gascoigne are among the latest people to have settled claims for damages over phone-hacking, the High Court has heard.

Having run his inquiry into media ethics thus far without a pratfall, Lord Justice Leveson has created an opportunity to make a complete ass of himself next week by getting heavy with Paul Staines, who blogs under the alias Guido Fawkes.

Tony Blair has expressed his irritation at the Iraq inquiry's preparing to deliver a damning verdict on his handling of the war.

While scandal can bring down the powerful, others feel they have to make a stand

Alastair Campbell was an "unguided missile" who leaked information from MI6 to journalists in his attempts to justify the invasion of Iraq, according to a senior intelligence officer who gave evidence to the Chilcot Inquiry.