Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

5-20-13

It’s time to admit it: the NHS is unable to look after our elderly

Encounters with the NHS’s most despised class

Swivel-eyed, or seeing clearly?

The latest row between leadership and base shows that the Tories can no longer rely on unquestioning loyalty, argues party historian Tim Bale

Cameron had the chance to defy the ‘swivel-eyed loons’ and remake his party. He failed

This week he’s been exposed. There was little thinking on what modern Conservatism might be like. Now he can only busk it

The Liberal Democrats, the natural party of government?

If four years ago, a Liberal Democrat politician had attempted to portray the Lib Dems as the natural party of government we all would have laughed. But that is just what Danny Alexander tried to do on The Sunday Politics. Being interviewed by Andrew Neil, he implicitly contrasted Lib Dem steadiness with Tory in-fighting.

5-19-13

The Conservatives are becoming mired in arguments with themselves

Taking a cavalier approach to party management may be David Cameron’s biggest mistake

Don’t be fooled by Google’s Prius-driving babyfacery

Young tech firms would have us believe they represent a new model of business. Too often, their tax affairs tell a different story

5-18-13

David Cameron isn’t a disaster, yet I long for a radical new leader

At his best, the PM has brought firmness and clarity – but not to the big issue of our age

People are told EU migrants steal jobs – in truth bosses want cheap labour

The Conservatives are determined to be seen as the anti-Europe party, but an EU referendum that took Britain out of the union would be a disaster for the party

Nadine Dorries interview: why I want to run as a UKIP-Tory joint candidate

Nadine Dorries is back in the Conservative party fold – but will she be the first Tory/Ukip candidate?

On masculinity: My father’s generation were better at being men

Diane Abbott says the UK is facing a ‘crisis of masculinity’, with young men brought up on a diet of drugs and pornography, but it’s a lack of love that really separates the generations

How Jeremy Hunt plans to improve the NHS (and boost his own standing)

5-17-13

Nigel Farage condemns ‘fascist scum’ who forced him to take refuge in Edinburgh pub

The Ukip leader Nigel Farage has condemned “fascist scum” for haranguing him in Edinburgh and hung up on a BBC interview in outrage at its tone of “hatred”.

The truth is that we can’t afford a shiny new transport system like HS2

History is littered with failed projects that appealed to politicians in thrall to modernity

The Tory Blame Game

Who is to blame for last night’s Tory uprising on Europe? It’s more entertaining to pin the blame on everyone, rather than one person, and in this case, it’s wrong to insist that the leadership is entirely to blame for the confusing fiasco of the past week.

5-16-13

We need to talk about masculinity

The crisis facing men and boys cannot be solved by reviving the tired stereotypes that oppress and constrain them

An improving economy may rescue Cameron and Osborne, but it won’t deliver them from some tricky questions

Back in the early days of this Government, there was an easy consensus, among many commentators and politicians, about David Cameron chances in 2015. They would rise or fall, it went, on the strength of the economy. If the Coalition had delivered us from downturn, the Tory part of it would be rather difficult to defeat. If not, then even the Sons of Brown might be given another chance.

5-14-13

We must be ready to leave the EU if we don’t get what we want

There are pros and cons to staying in Europe – and it’s time to talk about them, says Boris Johnson

Across The Pond is edited daily by Steve Parkhurst. Steve is a political consultant, a writer at his blog as well as a Senior Editor here at US Daily Review. Follow Steve on Twitter @SteveParkhurst

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

8-20-12

Be bold, Prime Minister, make Mr Cable your Home Secretary

A seismic shake-up of the Cabinet is the only option if the Tories are to revive their fortunes, argues Paul Goodman.

Fixing Britain’s work ethic is not the answer to this economic mess

It suits the Tory austerity narrative to blame ‘idle’ Britons for the recession rather than flaws in the modern labour market

How is the government getting on with deregulation?

In the Economic Policy Review  presented to Mr Cameron and Mr Osborne in opposition, we  recommended 33 specific items of deregulation. We also recommended that a Minister be responsible for constructing regulatory budgets, with a view  to cutting the total cost of regulations for business by £14 billion a year by the fifth year of a new government.

How to cut the cost of railways and keep fares down

8-19-12

Taxpayers’ money spent on lavish awards ceremony for “tenant participation”

8-18-12

Modernising the Conservatives

I was an early moderniser. In the  mid 1990s I felt the Conservative party needed to change.  The old fashioned approach based on supporting the pro European UK establishment in conjunction  with Labour and the Lib Dems  had led to national economic crisis  with the Exchange Rate Mechanism. The Tory brand was damaged by association with the high interest rates, decline in output and the boom and bust which our membership of the ERM caused.

Honesty is the best policy for a Prime Minister who puts pragmatism first

David Cameron should borrow one of the Liberals’ great slogans and trust the people

Philip Hammond has seen the light over privatisation. Sadly, the government hasn’t

The army’s Olympic performance challenged the defence minister’s private ‘ethos’. So why is the government currently negotiating £4bn of new tenders – many in defence?

8-17-12

Government now plan to proceed with Dilnot cap on £35,000 care bills

Young Tory MPs blame ‘lazy’ baby boomers for Britain’s economic decline

A group of rising young Conservative MPs claims that ‘idle’ British workers are damaging the economy by failing to compete with ‘grafting’ Asian countries.

Tackle ‘lazy’ Britain, fellow Tories tell David Cameron

David Cameron was today challenged by rising star Tory MPs to tackle “lazy” Britain — and bring in tough new work reforms.

It’s not about posh – it’s about privilege

8-16-12

We shouldn’t underestimate the electoral appeal of the Coalition not having made the economy worse

8-15-12

Here’s how we counter the BBC’s liberal bias

The Guardian-reading elite is waiting to hear from Right-thinking writers and comedians

This is not the time to put the brakes on reforming the state

Private companies can deliver key services as reliably as the public sector, and at lower cost

Inflation: when the commute costs £5,000

Which has gone up more in the five years since the financial crisis began: wages or food prices?

Build it, and jobs, wealth and worth will come

Private investment in infrastructure and construction would help get us growing again

Four objectives for David Cameron’s reshuffle

Over the next few days ConservativeHome will be looking at the looming reshuffle, the first and perhaps only big reshuffle that Mr Cameron will make in this parliament. Although my guess is that the really big one is actually a year or so away.

8-14-12

A health service for all citizens really would be patriotic

There’s a new spirit of post-Olympics goodwill, and politicians will be expected to respond to it

After Capitalism: ‘In the anti-worlds of daily struggles the world beyond capitalism is to be found’ – video

Marxist sociologist John Holloway argues that a world after capitalism is already being imagined in struggles around the world.

Relaxation of Sunday trading will upset churchgoers, family campaigners and a good number of Tory MPs

When the Government first flirted with the idea of relaxing Sunday trading laws Paul Goodman was very unimpressed. Is this the most anti-Christian government in British history?, he asked. But it’s not just churchgoers who don’t like the idea. By 52% to 36% most Britons oppose further deregulation of Sunday opening.

Must the poor go hungry just so the rich can drive?

Sports stars like Mo Farah at No 10 will not change a simple fact: people are starving because of the west’s thirst for biofuels

True blue? It’s about belief not boating parties

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

7-16-12

Coalition will not make it to election, predicts senior Tory

The Coalition between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats is “very likely” to end before the general election scheduled for 2015, a senior Tory has predicted.

Ed Miliband will kiss and make up with the unions at the Durham Miners’ Gala

Ed Miliband will become the first Labour leader for more than 20 years to attend the Durham Miners’ Gala – but what’s behind his visit?

Double standards II?

7-15-12

7-14-12

Double standards?

7-13-12

Louise Mensch: give us a referendum on Lords reform

Conservative Louise Mensch called for a referendum on Lords reform saying concessions offered by Downing Street so far would not be sufficient to win over the rebels.

School-of-Brown politics is as destructive as ever

The reform bill fiasco has vindicated the militant oppositionism embodied by Ed Balls, and may yet threaten the coalition

In the Coalition’s darkest hour, it must return to the Rose Garden

After the Government’s defeat on reform of the House of Lords, a fresh agreement with the Lib Dems might just give the careworn PM a new lease of life

The war of the Lords

The first skirmish ended in stalemate, reports Martin Shapland. Now, the long, bloody entrenched war of attrition on Lords reform begins and a referendum may be both inevitable and desirable

7-11-12

The immorality of taxing the minimum wage

7-10-12

Lords retreat is an abject humiliation for Nick Clegg

Following crisis talks, the Prime Minister and his petulant Deputy have decided to drop the programme motion connected to the House of Lords reform bill.

Greece may have to choose between the euro and the radical left

The dominant forces in Syriza remain committed to the euro, but an increasingly powerful radical left has other ideas

Osborne is right about Balls. Tories must get behind him.

We must prove Lords reform is not a Lib Dem pet project

Unless Lib Dems can show House of Lords reform to be a matter of democratic importance, it could end up in the same heap of embarrassing failures as AV

Why the Right should claim Robin Hood for itself

View last weeks Across The Pond

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

7-2-12

‘Nightmare’ plans for 6-month paternity leave to be rewritten after opposition from businesses

Ministers have been forced to rethink plans to allow parents to share leave after the birth of a child following opposition from business and campaigners.

The graduates of 2012 will survive only in the cracks of our economy

Uniquely, this cohort can expect to grow up poorer than their parents – the human expression of a broken economic model

The PM has to be ready to renegotiate on Europe

Telegraph View: It is possible that Britain’s relationship with Europe will be changed without any significant transfer of sovereignty

If passed, this Lords reform bill would be a catastrophe

A reformed Lords could be a magnificent thing. But this mess of a bill will pile a constitutional crisis on to an economic one

7-1-12

The centre has moved Right, not Prime Minister David Cameron

The Conservatives are not ‘lurching’ to the Right but struggling to keep up with the people’s change of mood

Why do our politicians insist on being abused – and why do we insist on abusing them?

No wonder that great political satirist Armando Iannucci has gone to the US. British politics is now beyond parody

It’s the 21st century – why are we working so much?

The right calls for hard work, the left for more jobs. The dream of mechanisation leading to shorter working hours seems forgotten

6-30-12

Mr Cameron asks good questions on welfare reform

6-29-12

It’s time to say something nice about Ken Clarke (and again about Francis Maude)

6-28-12

Lord Ashcroft’s Tory Right is stopping the Coalition working

The Government’s early idealism has vanished due to Lord Ashcroft’s media pressure

Lords reform: a Bill in whose interests?

The publication today of the Government’s plans for House of Lords reform threatens to trigger new instability in the Coalition.

6-27-12

Winks and nudges are no way to run a European policy

David Cameron’s game of tease over an EU referendum has left his party badly divided

Heads will roll if Team Cam doesn’t sell austerity

Lords reform gives Ed Miliband a glorious chance to make mischief

Will the Labour Party leader’s game plan be driven by high principles or the usual low politics?

6-26-12

House of Lords reform: Nick Clegg’s crazy plan is a pay day for has-beens and never-wozzers

Lib Dem proposals for elected ‘senators’ will give the Upper House the upper hand, sighs Boris Johnson.

Building a Conservative Majority (19): A researched campaign against Ed Miliband’s politics

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

6-18-12

BoJo’s ‘cheery’ message for Greece

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

6-11-12

6-10-12

Michael Gove to make grammar and spelling more rigorous in new English curriculum

6-5-12

Now the stage is set for some sensible immigration policies

Ed Miliband must favour his instincts over voices urging him to the right, writes Mary Riddell.

Austerity has never worked

It’s not just about the current economic environment. History shows that slashing budgets always leads to recession

The BBC’s reputation is sunk in the Thames

Celebrity-obsessed and clueless reporting makes the national broadcaster look silly , argues Stephen Pollard.

Warsi probe ‘to pick up loose ends’

An inquiry in to whether Conservative Party co-chairman Baroness Warsi breached the ministerial code will pick up any loose ends, Prime Minister David Cameron says.

Now is the perfect time for Liberal Democrats to wield the knife

Nick Clegg is finished. But if Vince Cable leads an anti-austerity rebellion, he can help save his party and the UK economy too

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

5-21-12

Britain must embrace 30pc tax revolution to boost growth

It is time for Britain to make a vital choice. Our economy is stagnant, with unemployment at horrendous levels, crippled by excessive public spending and a punitive tax system. There are two options.

A Single Income Tax would be fairer, more transparent and would spur economic growth

Ken Livingstone once wrote that everyone “should pay tax at the same rate on their earnings and all other income”. For all our differences, I agree. If you earn the same amount as a shareholder collecting a dividend or as a plumber fixing someone’s central heating you should pay the same amount in tax.

5-20-12

Only 51% of Tories support withdrawal from the European Union – and 26% would consider voting UKIP

5-18-12

Turn off your iPad, David Cameron, and start dealing with Britain’s debt

The Prime Minister David Cameron talks about fiscal sanity but is borrowing like a drunken Keynesian.

The 1922 and 2012

The Tories must avoid the deeply divisive quarrelling of the 1990s.

The civil service is not a punchbag for ministers

Politically inspired civil service bashing is naive, and counterproductive to the process of reform

The NDAA’s section 1021 coup d’etat foiled

One brave judge is all that lay between us and a law that would have given the president power to detain US citizens indefinitely

Cameron not for turning on the economy

As events point to a Greek exit from the euro, David Cameron has pledged to stick to ‘Plan A’ on the economy

5-17-12

Merkel’s real fear is that an exit from the Euro will be good for Greece

Francois Hollande, the Euro-fanatical new French president, must have wondered whether, like some unfortunate mortal in Greek mythology, he had angered the gods.

Eurozone break-up will be traumatic but is now inevitable

It is good to see Sir Mervyn King and David Cameron both being a little more open about the possibility of a Greek default. We need realism, not delusion, from our central bankers and politicians; and it is looking more likely by the day that Greece will elect a rabidly anti-austerity government next month, default on its debts and exit the euro.

Andrew Lilico: Greek €uro membership – It’s about time to put Frank Sinatra on the record player

Barring an extraordinary and improbable last-minute capitulation by the Germans, the Greeks are going to leave the euro, sooner rather than later.

Pickles replaces “one in, one out” regulation rule with “one in, two out”

5-16-12

William Hague promises to ‘argue relentlessly’ to boost UK business

Foreign Secretary William Hague will promise to “argue relentlessly” for free trade around the world in an effort to boost the UK economy.

David Cameron: Eurozone should ‘make up or break up’

David Cameron has told eurozone countries they must choose whether to “make up” or “break up” in his bleakest warning so far on the debt crisis.

Battle for the 1922 exposes Conservative frustrations and divisions

Have you heard? Apparently the 301 are trying to take over the 1922?

Sorry Nick Clegg – social mobility and austerity just don’t mix

To claim social mobility as your guiding principle yet ignore income inequality is not serious policy-making

Ed Miliband’s new policy chief backs a vote on Europe

Ed Miliband’s new policy chief is backing demands for an “immediate” referendum on whether Britain should leave the European Union.

Electoral fraud – the Government is locking the back door while leaving the front door wide open

5-15-12

Britain: Still two nations in 2012

MPs warning of medicine shortage

Patients in England are suffering from shortages of some medicines, according to the All Party Pharmacy Group of MPs.

It’s austerity all right – but not of the kind we actually need

IT has long been a theme of this column that the government and its critics alike have exaggerated the extent of the government’s belt-tightening. The coalition is doing this to try and reassure the bond markets while seeking to minimise the hit to the public sector; the opposition because it wants to blame the recession on “the cuts.”

Cllr Ralph Baldwin: Why I am joining the Conservative Party

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

5-14-12

5-11-12

Coalition winners and losers in the Queen’s Speech

The government’s legislative programme will focus on economic growth and constitutional reform, according to this morning’s Queen’s Speech. But it was interesting to note what wasn’t included in the pageantry

Gay marriage: importing America’s culture wars has backfired on David Cameron

The Prime Minister is in retreat over gay marriage – but he should never have picked the fight to begin with.

Public sector strikers must face reality

Today’s public sector 24-hour strikes are undeniably less damaging than those last November which involved 30 unions — but they still have their intended effect of inconveniencing the public.

How the Union Jack became our national standard

Before becoming one nation, Britain’s countries had separate national flags. Nick Groom discovers we all ended up saluting the Union Jack

Worst civil servants to be sacked

Under-performing civil servants will be identified and fired under plans to rank all government officials in order of ability, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.

5-10-12

Queen’s Speech: why was there no plan for growth?

David Cameron was facing growing criticism from business leaders who claimed that the Queen’s Speech contained too few measures that would boost the economy.

5-8-12

David Cameron and Nick Clegg re-dedicate themselves to the economy in ‘Rose Garden II’ press conference

David Cameron and Nick Clegg have re-dedicated themselves and their parties to the Coalition’s “guiding task” of securing the economic recovery.

It’s all doom and gloom with Cameron and Clegg

The tide is turning against EU bureaucracy

Britain is no longer a lone voice in the push for deregulation and a flexible labour market.

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

5-7-12

An ill wind blows in Northamptonshire

Northamptonshire’s uncrowded and gentle landscape is in danger of becoming the wind farm capital of England, says Peter Stanford.

Why Nicolas Sarkozy was an extraordinary president

He was pragmatic, proactive, transparent and media savvy. Is the new president, François Hollande, ready to be like that?

Cameron vows to heed poll lessons

David Cameron has admitted he needs to “prove” himself to voters and insisted he understands the message from the local elections “loud and clear”.

Left and Right politicians like Francois Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy, and Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson, sing from same hymn sheet

But political ‘debate’ ignores the fact that the market economy can’t afford enormous social security programmes.

5-6-12

Battleplan to avert Tory war

David Cameron is planning a fightback to stop his party descending into civil war with a Queen’s Speech offering help to “striving” families and moves to create jobs.

David Cameron needs to keep his headless chickens in the coop

The coalition will be strained to breaking point if the prime minister fails to face down the angry Tory right

Coalition ready for votes fightback

Senior coalition figures are set to begin their fightback following dismal election results that have heaped pressure on the already-straining partnership.

Louise, you don’t know the half of online cruelty

Ms Mensch should be applauded for highlighting Twitter abuse, but internet hatred goes far beyond sexism

Bercow claims voters feel let down

Commons Speaker John Bercow claims voters feel let down by mainstream political parties because they have not got what they voted for.

If the Conservatives’ UKIP problem looks bad now, wait until 2014

5-5-12

Boris vows to ‘work socks off’ and cut taxes

Boris Johnson has pledged to work his “socks off” to help Londoners through tough times.

This is the moment to revive the Conservative and Liberal Democrats Coalition, not to break it apart

The Coalition of Conservatives and Liberal Democrats remains the best response to our woes, but a new, improved version is required.

This is a bittersweet day for us London Lefties

For Leftie Londoners today is bitter-sweet. Last night’s council elections were a stinging slap in the face for the Coalition: the Tories down well over 300 seats so far, Lib-Dems down 180, and Labour set to pick up more than 700 seats nationally.

So, Boris Johnson remains mayor – and it’s not all Ken Livingstone’s fault

It was nail-bitingly close but, despite his terrible record, Johnson won. Who’s to blame for this triumph of image over substance?

Early warnings for 90,000 people facing benefits cap

Tens of thousands of families living on benefits are to be warned in the coming days that they face losing their homes as the Government begins the process of capping payouts.

5-4-12

Boris Johnson on the brink of victory in London mayoral race

5-3-12

Louise Mensch shows that it’s not just the Right that has a problem with women

Strange conversation with my mother this morning. “Did you say you wanted to hit Louise Mensch in the face with a hammer?”, she asked, in the same tone she used to use when checking whether I’d done my homework.

Final poll puts Boris Johnson ahead by six points in Mayor race

Boris Johnson was heading for victory in the race to be re-elected as Mayor of London today — backed by thousands of Labour voters.

This mayoralty has proved its importance

The polling stations are open until 10pm tonight — so there is every opportunity to vote in the mayoral and London Assembly elections. We hope our readers will do so: whoever wins deserves a strong mandate.

Sketch: Boris Johnson, London’s Justin Bieber

Michael Deacon follows Boris Johnson on his last day of campaigning to be re-elected London Mayor.

Labour must not rest on any local election laurels

All three major parties should keep in mind that a good local election result does not lay a path to general election victory

(Online Poll) Would you welcome Tony Blair returning to UK politics?

Tony Blair is keen to ‘re-engage’ with UK politics, according to reports. He has apparently hired a spin doctor as part of an attempt to raise his domestic profile. Would you welcome his return to British politics?

5-2-12

Re-elect Boris – then give him more powers

A victory for Boris Johnson would be a tonic for London and the country.

5-1-12

The case for Boris

The election for Mayor of London will soon be over. Some Londoners have found it an unedifying campaign. It has certainly been robust.

The whole of the UK is short of infrastructure

Some of you have commented that London has grown faster because it has taken a disproprtionate share of the infrastructure investment. It is difficult to square this with the reality.

What do the voters really want? Tony Blair

It’s always a depressing experience for politicians to encounter the voters. I don’t just mean the gruelling, occasionally terrifying grind of knocking on doors and handing out leaflets. I mean finding out what a gulf there is between your lovingly assembled, intellectually coherent policy programme, and what the nation actually wants.

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

4-16-12

Full consultation on charity tax relief plans, announces Downing Street

Downing Street announced a “full, formal consultation” on plans to cut tax relief on charitable giving after a Treasury minister admitted the policy would reduce donations to good causes.

Evening Standard misread new mayoral poll

A new YouGov poll out today shows Boris has maintained his six-point lead over Ken Livingstone. This despite Labour leading the Tories by 17 points in London.

David Cameron: no U-turn on charity cap

The Prime Minister denies backing down on plans to cut charity tax relief despite announcing a full consultation on the policy.

4-13-12

Tory grassroots want blue collar Conservatives promoted to Cabinet

4-10-12

Tougher tax credit rules and lack of full-time jobs create benefits trap

Analysis shows only half of vacancies meet government’s tougher rules for working tax credit qualification

UK jobless total ‘to rise by 100,000 over summer’

Some 100,000 more people will be without a job before the end of the summer, according to a new report.

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

4-9-12

A new future for workplace pensions?

Last week, the Department for Work and Pensions published analysis which showed that 2012 will represent the high-water mark for traditional final salary pensions.

Bruce Anderson: The Conservative Party’s treatment of John Major marked the most shameful period in its history

Mr Cameron goes to Leveson

One of the media’s vices is to assume that the public are as interested in stories about journalism as journalists are.

Councillor Gareth Elliott: A bigger private sector would do more for poorer children

4-8-12

We still don’t understand David Cameron, our serene but radical Prime Minister

The Conservative Party leader has forced through health, education and welfare reforms that Margaret Thatcher sidestepped.

Cracks are beginning to open along the Downing Street fault line

They vowed that it would never happen, but the prime minister and the chancellor are increasingly at odds

Local elections: what’s in store for the Conservatives, Labour, Lib Dems – and Boris Johnson

What do David Cameron, Nick Clegg, Ed Miliband and Alex Salmond hope to achieve in next month’s elections?

4-7-12

Britain’s economy will thrive if computing becomes child’s play

The executive chairman of Google endorses the Observer’s campaign to bring coding to the classroom

How did John Major win 14,093,007 votes?

4-6-12

4-5-12

Putting the liberal back into liberal conservative

With Clegg wading into the controversy over civil liberties, are we seeing a long overdue reassertion of Liberal Democrat presence in the coalition government?

Gordon Brown’s poisonous legacy lives on

His government wanted as many people as possible to be dependent on the state, argues Ruth Porter.

Community-run libraries are part of the degradation of the service

Volunteers can bring much to libraries, but the fact they are replacing paid staff shows how much de-skilling has taken place

Bringing back tough A-levels will be hard – but worth it

Do we want to know the truth about where our youngsters rank or do we prefer lies?

4-4-12

DAILY MAIL COMMENT: Secret justice and the liberal in Mr Clegg

In a blistering report, an all-party group of MPs and Peers endorses every word this paper has written about the Government’s chilling plans to hold ‘sensitive’ civil trials and inquests behind closed doors.

An answer to the Independent

Parliament must protect the public’s privacy

Intelligence-led policing and not Orwellian surveillance of mobile phones, emails and websites should keep this country safe.

4-3-12

Boris Johnson brands Ken Livingstone a liar in furious mayoral race bust-up

Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone clashed furiously over their tax arrangements today in the first live debate ahead of next month’s London mayoral elections.

Boris and Ken go ‘nose-to-nose’ in lift barney

The incumbent Conservative mayor felt his Labour challenger went too far in LBC debate

Last week’s Across The Pond

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

4-2-12

The Conservatives should prepare for life after David Cameron

The ‘modernisers’ now appear out of touch and have alienated many natural supporters, argues Iain Martin.

How Thatcher really felt about the Falklands

Conor Burns MP examines the political decisions that led to the Falklands conflict of 1982 and Margaret Thatcher’s determination to re-establish the country as a world power

UK’s over-taxed public is running out of patience

EXORBITANT: that is the only way to describe the cripplingly high levels of Air Passenger Duty (APD) now facing everybody flying from the UK.

3-31-12

Fuel strike: government fails to calm panic buying

The Government’s attempt to calm worried motorists appeared to have had little effect on Saturday as the country endured a third day of panic buying at the pumps.

Newspaper review: Papers assess by-election upset

3-30-12

Ministers under pressure to bring in emergency rationing as 999 crews struggle to get hold of fuel

Ministers are under pressure to invoke emergency powers giving 999 vehicles priority at filling stations after it emerged that ambulance drivers have been struggling to get hold of fuel.

This was Bradford’s version of the riots

Bradford’s peaceful democratic uprising that elected me comes from the wellspring of discontent that swept Britain last summer

The Falklands: 30 years on

At some point an acceptable settlement may be available, but the war which Argentina provoked narrowed everybody’s options

3-29-12

Why David Cameron’s pastygate act sticks in my craw

Pastygate is yet another example of Cameron’s fake authenticity – providing an alibi to the politics of austerity and inequality

The coalition’s stealthy expansion of grammar schools

Kent County Council has approved the first expansion of a grammar school for fifty years – expect the debate over selective education to flare up once more

3-27-12

Shifty and arrogant, but still the best Government we’ve got

In less than a week, David Cameron and George Osborne have been brought low by self-inflicted errors that have further undermined their credibility with voters and their Conservative colleagues.

Campaign hints from No to Scot independence

The campaign to halt the SNP starts now. David Torrance examines how the ‘No’ camp are preparing to defeat the nationalists in the Scottish independence referendum

Planning: is the Government about to unleash a culture war over the future of the countryside?

In 1937, in The Road to Wigan Pier, George Orwell noted that, even as depression dragged on, life was getting better for some.

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

3-26-12

Cash for access is toxic for the Tories

State funding of politics would be a monstrous response to the reckless open-door policy at No 10, argues Iain Martin.

Cameron’s is a lobbying scandal without lobbyists

There will be scandals like this for as long as our system of political party funding continues unreformed, argues Gavin Devine

CRB checks mean 4,000 offenders rejected as teachers

More than 4,000 offenders, including rapists, paedophiles and drug dealers, applied to become teachers last year only to be rejected after checks.

3-25-12

We can get rid of the ‘big money’ but we might have to pay for it, says Sir Christopher Kelly

Taking the big money out of politics was promised in the election manifestos of all three main parties, and in the Coalition agreement.

Reshuffles: the political rutting season

As a pungent fug pervades Westminster, Jerry Hayes hails the start of reshuffle-speculation season

Osborne must explain his philosophy

Budgets are not just about trying to outwit political opponents in a complex game of chess and propaganda, as some in Westminster believe. They are also about the vision that a chancellor and government wish to convey.

3-22-12

Budget 2012: ‘Granny tax’ hits five million pensioners

George Osborne mounted a £3 billion “stealth” raid on middle-class pensioners to fund a cut in the 50p top rate of income tax and free millions from paying income tax altogether in the Budget.

Budget 2012: the experts’ verdict

Our expert panellists give their views on today’s budget

Mayoral race is really all about Eton v the Left

And they’re off! The race for City Hall has officially started and the competitors are flooring the accelerators of their Mayormobiles.

A Nigel Lawson Budget for 2012

George Osborne’s 2012 Budget had one eye on the election and the other on the Liberal Democrats, says Iain Dale

3-21-12

Budget 2012: £2bn spending cut funds tax breaks for 20 million Britons

Chancellor George Osborne will unveil public spending cuts of up to £2billion to fund a reduction in income tax for more than 20 million people.

The Chancellor’s goal must be growth

The latest round of predictions about tomorrow’s Budget confirms that it could be a landmark for the Coalition.

Boris Johnson eight points ahead in race for Mayor

Boris Johnson is eight points ahead of Ken Livingstone in the race to be Mayor on May 3, according to a new poll this afternoon.

Budget 2012: This may be the last great moment for the Tory-Lib Dem accord

Nick Clegg knows he has to break loose from David Cameron soon. The coalition’s radicalism must be crammed into this budget

What is the Free Enterprise Group? Matthew Barrett profiles the most influential new gathering of Tory MPs

3-20-12

Class is the Conservative clause IV

The Tory party must appeal to the northern strivers to have any hope of another outright election victory

The Budget and the case for simpler taxes

The Chancellor, George Osborne, gave little away yesterday when he declared that Wednesday’s Budget would be intended to help “low and middle earners”.

Tories retake poll lead but appear at odds with public on 50p tax

Tory support up three points to 39%, but two-thirds of voters want to keep top rate of tax, Guardian/ICM poll finds

You’ll never win any argument using Twitter

We’re all familiar with the first and second rules of Fight Club, right? The third rule, were there any sense, would be: Don’t fight on Twitter.

Last week’s Across The Pond

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

3-19-12

David Cameron unveils plan to sell off the roads

Sovereign wealth funds to be allowed to lease motorways in England, says prime minister

Four conclusions about Cameron’s 48 hours in Washington

Political boost for Cameron: Remember all that talk that Barack Obama and David Cameron wouldn’t get on? It seems a long, long time ago.

Infrastricture

David Cameron is making a speech today about “infrastructure”. When Downing Street put out an operational note about this yesterday, I had a Star Wars moment: “a bad feeling about this”.

How did a Conservative Chancellor deliver 7% growth after the 1930s Depression?

3-18-12

Osborne has nothing to learn from America

When the US economy springs to life, it will be because of the Americans’ entrepreneurial spirit.

George Osborne is about to make a tremendous political gamble

If cutting the top rate of tax is not to be seen as a budget for the rich, the affluent will have to pay in other ways

The Coalition’s battle over tax cuts hots up

The prospect of tax changes in next week’s Budget is causing frantic manoeuvring within the Coalition.

Britain needs a Budget for growth and enterprise

The controversial 50p tax rate on those earning more than £150,000 should be scrapped.

3-17-12

Ed Balls: working for Gordon Brown was ‘debilitating’

Ed Balls, the Shadow Chancellor, has delivered his most strident critique yet of Gordon Brown’s leadership, declaring that his former boss will never be remembered as a great prime minister.

Ever wondered how George Osborne can be a part-time Chancellor?

It’s all down to Rupert Harrison, the most powerful man you’ve never heard of…

Who is right on the NHS? You decide

Shirley Willams accused Polly Toynbee of lying. Toynbee said Williams copped out. Now, at the NHS bill’s 11th hour, they take each other on

3-16-12

Budget 2012: George Osborne’s task has barely started

Of the Chancellor’s planned spending cuts, only one pound in twenty has been implemented, writes Andrew Haldenby.

London, the most grotesque city in the world: haunt of Bashar, Boris and Ken

Even Dr Johnson would tire of modern London, where bigwigs welcome global scumbags and nobody else matters

I oppose the bill, but don’t idealise the NHS. There’s room to improve

My family is from one of the parts of the country that is, statistically, less well-served by the health service. I’m not bitter, but the NHS did not save my father’s life

3-15-12

Sorry, gentlemen, but you’re no Roosevelt and Churchill

Britain and America are betraying the values both countries fought for in the past.

The poor: always with us, necessarily not us

The poor are just people without enough money. But a ‘culture of poverty’ gives the affluent a reason to blame them for it.

3-14-12

Older workers hit as unemployment rises to 2.67m

Older workers accounted for the biggest rise in unemployment with almost half out of work for a year of more, official figures showed as joblessness rose to 2.67m.

Just a phase? No, the student protests over fees are worthy of respect

Today’s protests will be looked down upon by some parts of the media, but they are both justified and necessary

Lame duck frontrunner Mitt Romney is fast becoming the Republican Walter Mondale

This might be the Romney campaign’s darkest hour: last night he placed third in primaries in Alabama and Mississippi. It’s still 99 percent likely that he’ll be the Republican nominee, but it’ll be thanks to luck and money rather than the love of his party.

Why I Am Leaving Goldman Sachs: one banker’s explosive letter

What do you make of Greg Smith’s letter of resignation, and the questions about ethical responsibilities it raises for employees?

3-13-12

What Europe thinks

Who thinks what about the European Union? We’ve covered the European Commission’s own polling on the matter before now, which suggests that Britain is the most Eurosceptic nation of them all.

The Lib Dems want higher taxes? Very well. The Tories should make sure everyone knows

For days – weeks even – the headlines have been dominated by Lib Dems talking about tax. Specifically, about wanting to put taxes up. Nick Clegg used his Saturday interview with the Telegraph to talk about a ‘tycoon tax’, while Vince Cable carried on his argument for a shift of tax from income to wealth to focus specifically on mansions.

Labour is losing the economic battle, so it’s turning to crime

No one’s listening to the two Eds – but could law and order policy give them a new audience?

Labour’s pre-Budget speech: what would Tony Blair do?

Tony Blair would have taken precisely the opposite tack to Ed Miliband over taxation, argues Ruth Porter.

Unless Cameron controls the narrative his Government’s radical reforms will be swamped

Last week’s Across The Pond

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

3-12-12

Nick Clegg defends NHS bill at Lib Dem conference

Liberal Democrats have decided against holding a debate calling for changes to the NHS in England to be dropped.

Obama is still in a hole. It may yet be deeper than his Republican rivals’

It’s hard to imagine Mitt Romney giving the next inauguration speech. But it’s distinctly possible that he will

Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu attacks Government over right to wear cross

The Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu has attacked the Government for denying that Christians have a right to wear the cross at work.

A coalition breakdown may come sooner than we think

The NHS row, mansion tax v tycoon tax, Lords reform: the Tories and the Lib Dems look to be heading for an all-out war.

3-11-12

The Lib Dems and the cruel dilemma of coalition politics

3-10-12

You’re lucky to have a job – you surely can’t want a pension, too?

George Osborne’s plans for higher-rate taxpayers will make him more enemies than friends.

JET — three letters that spell trouble for the coalition

JEET. That, according to Andrew Grice in the Independent, is the new ‘buzzword’ circling around Libdemville. And it stands for the issues that they want to keep mentioning whenever they can: jobs, education, environment and tax.

Labour supporters turn on Livingstone

Over the past week scarcely a day has gone by without an impassioned attack on Ken Livingstone by a Labour supporter.

3-9-12

David Cameron need take no lessons from Barack Obama, but he might listen to Mitt Romney

While in the US, the Prime Minister should look at Romney’s plans to stimulate growth.

Ken Livingstone tax avoidance: Labour unease grows

On the Labour Uncut website today appears this remarkable open letter from Jonathan Roberts, a Labour Party member and parliamentary candidate at the last election, to Livingstone

3-8-12

Don’t tax pensions, George Osborne told

More than five million middle-class retired people could be freed from paying income tax on their state pensions, the Treasury’s tax advisers have suggested.

As feminists, united we fall apart – divided we may yet succeed

My International Women’s Day thought? We should act more like a football team and less like synchronised swimmers

Why Ed’s right on manufacturing

The Labour MP for Hartlepool says that the government needs to adopt a long-term industrial strategy now

3-7-12

Coalition lacks vision, says Vince Cable

Vince Cable, the Business Secretary, has admitted in a leaked letter that the Government lacks “a compelling vision of where the country is heading” after the financial crisis.

Ed Miliband just doesn’t get globalisation

If you think things couldn’t get worse than Ed Miliband’s Five Live interview, read his speech on patriotism. It seeks to build on his ‘predators’ speech, which suggested a Manichean divide between bad companies and good companies.

Put on a suit and tie, Mr Romney. You’re not fooling anyone

From this side of the Atlantic there are quite a few puzzling things about Mitt Romney, the Republican front-runner in the American election. (He was in front last time I checked, but you never know, things change so fast this year.)

3-6-12

Ed Balls the unlikely Blairite is out to make new friends in the City

The shadow chancellor has one priority – to give Labour a chance of winning the election.

How radical should this government be?

The departure of Steve Hilton as the PM’s Blue skies adviser will co-incide with the end of the first two years of the Coaltion government.

Here’s a way to give power to the people

The clamour is growing for referendum-style direct democracy.

Why liberals can’t understand conservatives

There was an interesting post in the Independent the other day about the rise of libertarianism.

Last week’s Across The Pond

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

3-5-12

3-4-12

Michael Gove scraps homework rules

Schools have been given the go-ahead to reduce the amount of homework they set for pupils after complaints from parents that studies are cutting in to family time.

It is not too late for a Tory tax revolution

The ‘unfunded’ tax cut of today is the economic stimulus of tomorrow.

Will Osborne be tempted to raid our pension pots?

One City story that slipped through the cracks this week was a modern-day take on Robin Hood that is prospering in Broken Britain.

Self-publishing makes us think we can write

DO WE still need publishers? Not a day goes by without an unknown author bringing out a self-published book. Even established authors are getting in on the act.

3-3-12

Let’s just admit it – the NHS is a rotten way of doing things

One day a politician will be brave enough to transform a health service riven by fear.

Saturday Diary: Did David Cameron Get the Trots?

Shelagh Fogarty on David Cameron’s horseriding, and an obscene attempt to end a life.

Sugar addiction is making our children – and Big Food – fat

Smoking and alcohol dangers are known and regulated for. So why are the risks posed by junk food not taken seriously?

3-2-12

The Budget: the 50p tax rate is a bomb that a brave Chancellor would defuse

A radical Budget from George Osborne will prevent an exodus of wealth from the UK.

Tax credit cut will hit hardest those the Tories love to praise – working families

The government is hurting those trying to stay off the dole, while filling workplaces with free staff. Voters should be shocked

How Cameron is staying strong on Plan A

3-1-12

Listen, darling, you just can’t legislate for compassion

Matrons and sisters once managed to run kind, orderly hospital wards using their instincts.

Town halls must hold down council tax

Hammersmith and Fulham’s success in cutting its council tax by 3.75 per cent should be an example to other boroughs. Its Band D tax will fall by more than £30 next financial year. Most London councils are indeed managing to freeze the tax.

Andrew Breitbart: a man who lived for the fight

There was no political issue we agreed on, but America’s public square is immeasurably poorer for his loss

Will Osborne be tempted to raid our pension pots?

ONE City story that slipped through the cracks this week was a modern-day take on Robin Hood that is prospering in Broken Britain. Instead of stealing from the rich, Provident Financial, the kind of money lender that big fish such as Barclays and HSBC look down their noses at, borrows from them at a generous 4.5 per cent interest rate.

2-29-12

50p tax rate is damaging economy and delaying recovery from recession, warn 500 business leaders

The 50p higher rate of income tax is “damaging the economy” and delaying the recovery from recession, more than 500 entrepreneurs and business owners warn today.

On capitalism we lefties are clueless – it’s not just a rightwing caricature

Emma Harrison and her ilk are free to reap the benefits of our shame at being smart with money and investment

PMQs: Cameron’s leap year proposal

The prime minister used the leap year to put a proposal to Ed Miliband – but there was no getting down on one knee over NHS reforms

Why the public don’t like tax avoidance

IN the beauty contest of an election, the tax affairs of people aspiring to public office inevitably come under closer scrutiny than those of others. This has now happened with Ken Livingstone, who, as we report today, used a private company to process payments for media work while he was mayor.

2-28-12

Nick Clegg’s NHS letter is a hit with Lib Dems

Persuading Shirley Williams onboard proves a popular move for the Lib Dem leader

Nick Clegg is clinging to the Coalition, but is his party starting to let go?

Unless the Lib Dem leader proves he is still their champion, the rank and file could deliver a fatal blow.

NHS bill: goodbye comprehensive healthcare, hello private insurance

Services are already being pulled in an unannounced, piecemeal way. If the bill passes, the health secretary won’t be accountable

Last week’s Across The Pond

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

2-27-12

Osborne: UK has run out of money

The Government ‘has run out of money’ and cannot afford debt-fuelled tax cuts or extra spending, George Osborne has admitted.

The itinerant US left has found its home in the Occupy movement

Far from alienating middle America, the progressive movement has captured the public and political imagination

Tax is not a tool for social engineering

We should use tax to fund public spending, and that’s it, argues Luke Bozier. It shouldn’t be a tool for redistributing wealth

Labour made NHS sick…not Lansley

David Cameron did a strange thing as he was leaving the House of Commons after Prime Minister’s Questions this week – he gave Andrew Lansley a fist bump.

2-26-12

Nick Clegg is targeting Tory voters for higher property taxes – but why are David Cameron and George Osborne pandering to him?

The Liberal Democrat leader’s language has steadily become more anti-wealth and is often economically illiterate.

The Tories have lost the public on health but not on welfare reform

The voters could turn against Labour on benefits just as they have rounded on the Tories over the health service

Workfare provides a ladder of hope, from despair to dignity

David Cameron (maybe stretching it a bit) has called business ‘the most powerful force for social progress the world has ever known’.

2-25-12

Mark Field MP: The new economic thinking is coming from the East

As we have all learned from the graveyard of failed forecasts, economics is an unerringly inaccurate as well as a dismal science, inextricably bound to the whims of irrational human behaviour.

The Lib Dem carcass-to-be isn’t ready to give up just yet

The Liberal Democrats know vultures are circling, and Labour must ensure voters who feel betrayed come its way and stay

There are doctors in the House

Before the last election Mr Cameron put out a plea for new people to join the Conseravtives as potential MP candidates.  He said we need a new influx of professional talent to help us with our deliberations on future policy, and in managing the public sector.

2-24-12

David Cameron still isn’t giving up on The Big Society

You’ve got to give the Prime Minister credit: no matter how many times his pet phrase gets mocked, he refuses to abandon his faith in it.

Bank bonuses and a dilemma for the PM

The figures detailing Royal Bank of Scotland’s 2011 losses will reignite the row over banking bonuses. The bank, 82 per cent publicly owned since its rescue in 2008, made a loss of £2 billion last year, up from £1.1 billion in 2010.

Miss, Ms or Mrs – I don’t care what you call me

According to my debit cards, I am Miss Jasmine R Gardner. Yes, everybody, that’s right: I am unmarried. I don’t recall ever giving the bank that information, but it’s clear that at some point I did.

2-23-12

No 10 is losing its grip on the reins of power

A worrying sense of drift in key policies is damaging the Prime Minister’s authority.

Health and safety: Our 999 services could save more lives by ripping up the rule book

A man drowns in waist-high water: An obsession with red tape is preventing brave police and firefighters from doing their job.

Boiling the frog: why Labour’s success is killing them

Yesterday, at the end of a rather dull and inconclusive bout of fisticuffs with David Cameron at Prime Minister’s Questions, Ed Miliband came out with a rather startling prediction. He claimed Labour was set to surge to a 25-point lead in the opinion polls, the NHS reforms would be scrapped, and David Cameron would be forced to resign.

2-22-12

50p tax rate ‘failing to boost revenues’

The amount of income tax paid fell sharply last month in the first formal indication that the new 50p higher rate is not raising the expected amount of revenue.

University graduates just as likely to be unemployed as school leavers with one GCSE

A 21-year-old university graduate is as likely to be unemployed as a 16-year-old who leaves school with one GCSE, official Government research show.

‘Dignity’ inspections in hundreds of care homes within weeks

A team of inspectors is to be sent into hundreds of care homes within to check whether elderly people are being treated with dignity.

2-21-12

Cameron needs to refocus his efforts

The reformist credentials of this government are looking increasingly shaky. The only area where real change is taking place is education

Opposing free labour doesn’t make us ‘job snobs’, Iain Duncan Smith

I’m all for ‘real jobs that worthwhile people do’, be they in a supermarket or anywhere else. So let’s see those jobs

Sketch: Andrew Lansley limps on

Michael Deacon watches Health Secretary Andrew Lansley attempt to defend his much-maligned health bill in the Commons.

Last week’s Across The Pond

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

2-20-12

If Cameron doesn’t talk about greater powers for England, Labour will

Action over Scotland is certainly producing a reaction in England. It’s not what you’d call an ‘equal and opposite reaction’ yet, but it’s there

Why the Nicolas Sarkozy show ought to terrify David Cameron – and delight Ed Miliband

A Socialist victory by Francois Hollande in France would send shockwaves through austerity-hit Europe.

Prescott slams Sunday Times for ‘misrepresenting’ views on Miliband

John Prescott’s verbal stumble on Desert Island Discs portrayed as uncertainty over Ed Miliband’s leadership

Building a Conservative Majority (5)… English votes for English laws

There is a view among some Conservatives that Cameron plays into the hands of nationalists when he raises the possibility of further devolution.

2-19-12

University admissions reform is ‘direct assault’ on academic quality say Tories

The Coalition’s management of the university admissions system is a “direct assault” on the academic quality of higher education in Britain and could do lasting damage to the UK economy, Conservative MPs declare today.

Where does George Osborne stand on the three big tax debates in British politics?

Some interesting developments on tax policy this weekend. Three stand out.

Put British workers to top of recruitment list says Chris Grayling

Employers should give young British jobseekers priority over applicants from abroad, the employment minister has said.

Anger at work experience scheme missing the point

There has been a bit of a storm over the Government’s work experience scheme.  With the now traditional lack of perspective the Left have branded it “forced labour” and “21st Century slavery”, never knowingly understated!

2-18-12

PM backs Sarkozy in re-election bid

David Cameron has indicated that he backed Nicolas Sarkozy’s presidential re-election bid despite months of tense relations between the pair.

The Budget tug of war

What do different parties want from the Budget?

2-17-12

2-16-12

Penalty for paying off student loan early is lifted

Students will not be penalised for repaying university loans early after David Cameron scrapped a Liberal Democrat plan to raise more money from the middle classes.

2-15-12

Cameron: Economic growth key to create new jobs (Video)

UK unemployment rose by 48,000 to 2.67 million in the three months to December, according to official figures.

Tory Party Heavyweights In Public Clash Over UK’s Green Agenda

Two Conservative Party grandees have had an astonishing public dust-up over the UK’s plans to invest in a green economy.

Sorry, David Cameron – the British love drinking, and love drinking lots

The Bullingdon Club was predicated on alcohol-fuelled destruction. Now Cameron wants to stop the yobs drinking

2-14-12

Threatened UK downgrade: beyond belief

Osborne’s ‘staying the course’ is like putting a steering lock on a car and driving across town – irrespective of the walls in the way

The health and social care bill: here is a way out of this mess

Drop the most contentious part of the health bill, the chapter on competition, and give the NHS the stability it needs

Last week’s Across The Pond

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

2-13-12

Mayoral election comes down to trust

The contest could hardly be closer. In our YouGov poll of voter opinion on the mayoral election, it’s not only a two-horse race, but the frontrunners are neck and neck.

When patriotism is an unrequited love

Charles Moore reviews Uncommon Enemy by Alan Judd (Simon and Schuster).

Occupy London: what went wrong?

It gave a voice to the usually ignored, but Occupy’s consensual model has seen it too often take the path of least resistance

Pensions: we have to work longer and save more

It’s the individual, not the state, who will bear the responsibility of saving for retirement, argues John Hutton.

2-12-12

The new anti-science assault on US schools

In a disturbing trend, anti-evolution campaigners are combining with climate change deniers to undermine public education

2-11-12

Our leaders lost their hearts to focus-groupies

Politicians are in thrall to the marketing experts.

2-10-12

Let’s have an England boss on a modest crust

Here we go again. The national soap opera that is football has taken another comical turn for the worse. We have no national football captain and no national football coach just months ahead of the European Championships.

2-9-12

2-8-12

2-7-12

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

2-6-12

On fairness the government is taxing its credibility

When it comes to tax and spend, be it a £26,000 benefits cap, executive pay, bankers bonuses or civil servant largesse, the government needs to tackle abuse and avoidance at every income level

Britain’s Moral Decline

Peter Watt argues that John Major was onto something with his “Back to Basics” campaign, if only he had sold it properly it could have been a success.

How Nimbyism hurts taxpayers and the environment

If you want an example of how anti-development councillors are harming the public, look no further than Basingstoke. There, contrary to the wishes of the Coalition government, the council seems determined to prevent any significant house building at all.

2-5-12

2-4-12

Nadine Dorries MP: Every time Cameron pleases Nick Clegg, he upsets the country

This week Parliament voted through the £26,000 cap on benefits. It was the right thing to do and, as David Cameron has said many times, ‘the people are behind us, the country wants it too’.

2-3-12

Mitt Romney still fails to judge the mood of the people

He wins. Then he goes and puts a foot in it. This is one problem (there are others) that the Republicans have with Mitt Romney, their seemingly unstoppable presidential candidate. He won handily in Florida this week.

Paddy Ashdown’s eight steps to winning a Parliamentary constituency

In December 1976 Paddy Ashdown put to the local party in Yeovil a plan for winning the constituency for which he had been recently selected and where the party was third at almost every election. Thirty-five and a bit years on, it still reads as a pretty good plan.

Conservatives can win the 2015 election

Yesterday Tim Montgomerie wrote a depressing piece on Conservative Home, reporting the views of Number 10 stating that Conservative victory in the 2015 election would be difficult if not impossible, and that a further period of Coalition with the Lib Dems might be the best outcome.

2-2-12

Time to rethink, not reassure

The big state is a political dead end for Labour. The public won’t vote for the belief that government is the cure for all ills.

The BBC’s distortion of the truth helps Putin suppress his critics

A revealing documentary – Putin, Russia and the West – is all very well, but it should not be playing into the hands of a tyrant.

2-1-12

Labour’s confused position on welfare gets them nowhere

Today’s Prime Minister’s Questions were, on balance, a victory for Ed Miliband (at least relatively speaking). On executive pay, he forced the Prime Minister into a who-bashes-bankers-harder fight, which only Ed could win.

The cost of the benefit cap

The BBC has an article today that shows the harm that the benefit cap would do to an average family on benefits.

1-31-12

David Cameron quietly shifts back to euro-pragmatism

Early last month, David Cameron spectacularly left the room on the first day of negotiations over the new “fiscal compact” treaty. Ever since, he’s been quietly trying to sneak back in. Over the course of the last month, there have been a series of low-key meetings between Mr Cameron and his European colleagues, as well as even lower-key meetings between Nick Clegg and other European leaders.

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

1-30-12

Motorists to be hit with £100 speeding fines to support victims

Motorists face a huge hike in speeding fines to as much as £100 to help fill a funding gap for victims of crime, Kenneth Clarke has disclosed.

The veto has been abandoned. The only option now is an In/Out referendum

So now we know: no repatriation, no renegotiation, business as usual. December’s ‘veto’ turns out to be nothing of the kind; at best, it is a partial opt-out. Britain had asked for concessions in return for allowing the other member states to use EU institutions and structures for their fiscal compact.

Nostalgia for grammar schools is misplaced

A rose-tinted view of the past is gaining currency, but my 80s comprehensive didn’t leave me the victim of a failed experiment

1-29-12

Goldman Sachs’ top City banker Michael Sherwood given £1.6m bonus

Goldman Sachs’ top London-based banker has received a share award worth $2.5m (£1.6m), according to a US regulatory filing.

1-28-12

1-27-12

Labour admit they now support the Government’s spending plans for the police

Labour’s shadow Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, has backed down and supported the Government’s pay freeze for police officers which will save £350 million.

1-26-12

Cameron blasts EU ‘tinkering’ in euro crisis

David Cameron today squared up to Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy by mounting a scathing attack on the European Union’s failure to address the crisis in the eurozone.

London’s schools could do much better

The revelations about the performance of London’s schools which we report today are possible thanks to the publication of greatly increased amounts of data on results.

1-25-12

Stephen Hester and Chris Huhne are symbols of a country in moral freefall

Small wonder young people are becoming less honest, given the example they are set

Parliament must be given the final say on human rights

Our post-war human rights settlement has degenerated. David Cameron must press for urgent reform of the ECHR, says Blair Gibbs.

1-24-12

Is there a solution to the Coalition’s NHS problem?

Up until the last election I had my doubts about the implications for other Whitehall budgets of the NHS spending pledge but I understood the politics. Cameron wanted to neutralise the NHS as an issue by spending more on it than could probably be afforded… but in doing so he could concentrate on other difficult areas of reform.

Lansley Denies NHS Shake-Up Hinders Cuts

Andrew Lansley has defended his NHS shake-up after further criticism the reforms are hindering efforts to slash spending and improve services.

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

1-20-12

1-19-12

Green policies are costing Britons the earth

The ‘green agenda’ is pushing up the cost of living for lower earners, argues Ruth Porter.

The lottery of securing a primary school place

There is a growing crisis in our education system and many families with young children are feeling the effects. With rising birth rates and levels of migration, there is an urgent shortage of primary places across the capital.

‘Responsible capitalism’ is a cop out

While David Cameron and Ed Miliband continue to support relentless growth, the inequalities of the system will prosper

1-18-12

What David Hockney’s return tells us about the new mood in Britain

The country is once more ready to make confident judgments about truth and beauty

Falklands colonialism is coming from David Cameron, not Argentina

Cameron cannot respect the right to self-determination of the Falklanders while denying it to South American states

1-17-12

A mess over mansions

Nick Clegg’s proposed tax on expensive properties – strongly resisted by Conservatives in the Coalition – was thinly disguised bash-the-rich posturing.

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

1-14-12

Kinnock condemns Labour ‘cowards’

Former Labour leader Lord Kinnock has lashed out at “cowards” within the party over criticism of Ed Miliband’s performance.

1-13-12

Debt crisis: Eurozone back on the brink as France has credit rating downgraded

The eurozone crisis entered a dangerous new phase as France and eight other European countries had their credit ratings downgraded.

Sensible plans to deal with poor teachers

Education Secretary Michael Gove’s plans to speed up the removal of poor teachers mark the latest stage in his determined battle with the educational establishment. Many parents will back moves to simplify and shorten the process for sacking seriously under-performing teachers in England from the current minimum of 24 weeks to just nine. And headteachers back the plans, after a lengthy consultation. Nevertheless, Mr Gove faces a serious battle with the teaching unions.

The battle to save the Union is under way

David Cameron’s brave decision to force the hand of Alex Salmond, Scotland’s First Minister, has re-energised the supporters of the Union.

1-12-12

Has Ed Miliband anything to offer beyond fratricide?

A Tory Cabinet minister admitted to me earlier this week that he prays every day for Ed Miliband to remain leader of the Labour Party. It is an exaggeration to say that the Conservatives’ hopes of a clear majority at the next election rest on his slender shoulders. But it certainly helps David Cameron’s case that the man who will be his principal opponent on polling day is increasingly regarded as unelectable.

1-11-12

All change in Whitehall, but who’ll go where?

An almighty scrap for office space reflects the turmoil in the corridors of power.

Alex Salmond does not make Scottish independence inexorable

The Scottish Nationalist party leader wants a referendum deal – because without it the SNP is more likely to lose

Migration caps aren’t about protecting British workers

Reduce net migration if you must, but don’t expect it to improve the lot of the lowest skilled and lowest paid

Tony Blair was the Great Gatsby of our time

A new film version of The Great Gatsby is to be released this year. Rachel Salvidge wonders whether Fitzgerald’s great novel has lessons for the 21st century.

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

1-9-12

Nick Clegg warns against ‘needless rivalry’ in Europe

Nick Clegg has warned against “needless rivalry and isolation” among EU member states as they seek to deal with the economic problems facing them.

Maggie’s magic came from her contempt for complacent men

Mrs Thatcher hated the kind of boardroom greed David Cameron is trying to stamp out, writes Boris Johnson.

Disabled people listened to on welfare plans? It’s a government sham

The welfare reform bill will be disastrous for sick and disabled people. But we are now determined that our voices will be heard

1-8-12

What’s more important to Cameron: actual fairness or presentational fairness?

‘The Prime Minister effectively rules out any move towards a “mansion tax” — a levy on high-priced properties proposed by the Liberal Democrats — or indeed any new tax on wealth. “I don’t believe, generally speaking, we should be looking at endless additional taxes.”

David Cameron: give shareholders vote to rein in executive pay

David Cameron has threatened to bring in new laws later this year to rein in executive pay which he says has “ripped off” British shareholders.

PM outlines plans for executive pay

A binding vote for shareholders on executive salaries will be part of a Government blitz on “crony capitalism” and spiralling pay and bonuses, David Cameron has said.

1-7-12

Labour has bigger problems than Ed Miliband

It’s not just its leader that’s holding the party back, but the shadow chancellor’s refusal to face reality.

1-6-12

Ed Miliband red-faced after ‘Blackbuster’ Twitter gaffe

Ed Miliband, the Labour leader, has bungled the simple task of sending a tweet to mark the death of Bob Holness, the host of Blockbusters.

Cameron warns FTSE fat cats: You’re overpaid

A new crackdown on fat cat salaries was announced by David Cameron today as he accused the City of failing to tackle excessively high bonuses.

The high street can’t survive just on coffee shops

Christmas spent in Yorkshire taught me two things. Some of my friends have developed curious habits. And coffee chain Costa is taking over the country.

1-5-12

David Cameron: Health and safety laws are holding back business

Last year, in my party conference speech, I said the Coalition would do whatever it takes to help British businesses take on the world. Earlier this week, in my New Year’s message, I said this must be the time our country really goes for it – that we’ve got to be bold about building a new economy and getting our country back to strength.

What Margaret Thatcher meant to me…

Ahead of the release of the much awaited biopic of Lady Thatcher starring Meryl Streep, Rosamund Urwin asked those whose lives were touched by the Iron Lady to describe her influence…

1-4-12

Give Londoners the power to fight crime ourselves

I have never made a citizens’ arrest and am wary of people who make a habit of doing so. Former Home Secretary Jack Straw has reportedly made three, including rugby-tackling a man and then tying him up.

We need to start again on private pensions

Ministerial meddling and tax raids have created a crisis – yet all hope is not lost.

1-3-12

Eurozone leaders warn that a recession is coming. Yup: and whose fault is that?

Do you remember that scene in The Simpsons where Homer, King of the Springfield Mardi Gras, is rolling downhill in an out-of-control float, and commands that his ‘subjects’ sacrifice themselves by throwing themselves before the wheels so as to slow his descent?

Climate change – our real bequest to future generations

Deficit hawks try to scare us about the debt we’re leaving. That’s economic nonsense – unlike the costs of global warming

Transport fare hikes: a tax on London jobs

For most Londoners, this is the day the New Year fare rises hit them. Those returning to work by rail and Tube face fare hikes of around six per cent, at a time when wages are rising by less than inflation. Some commuters we interview today are now paying £8,000 to travel to work in London by rail. Even bus fares have risen. These high transport costs are a tax on London – a tax on work.

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

1-2-12

PM: This is the year we go for it

David Cameron has pledged to use the “global drama” of the Olympics and Queen’s Diamond Jubilee to help get Britain back on track.

1-1-12

A nation united can recover its confidence

The Olympic Games and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee offers an opportunity for us to reassert that common identity from which we have always derived strength.

12-31-11

David Cameron must offer us more than just bread and circuses

The Olympics and the Diamond Jubilee offer the Prime Minister the chance to persuade voters that the Government has a broader vision.

Let this be the year democracy shines its beacon as it should

Politicians may often prove feeble, but the forthcoming elections across the world are still something to celebrate

Labour is trailing the Tories, and here are the reasons why

The voters are not impressed with Ed Miliband – and they certainly don’t trust the party on the economy.

12-30-11

Oh Maggie

Guardian critic Xan Brooks writes that the biopic The Iron Lady, with Meryl Streep, gives us ‘Thatcher without Thatcherism’ – glossing over what a controversial and divisive political figure she was. Did you admire the real Iron Lady?

12-29-11

How will technology influence the news in 2012?

Predicting the next year’s news is a fool’s errand, but looking at technological trends could give us a hint

12-28-11

Rick Perry’s election evolution: versions 1.0 through 4.0

A handy month-by-month guide to the, er, evolution of the Texas governor from squinty executioner to goofily devout evangelical

12-27-11

Poor people! Stop paying taxes!

Who gains from a system where we pay tax, then get some of the money back in benefits, and then pay tax on the benefits?

Vote Obama – if you want a centrist Republican for US president

Because Barack Obama has adopted so many core Republican beliefs, the US opposition race is a shambles

12-26-11

When parents move heaven and earth

A bad state school condemns children to think seven sevens are 68, says Cristina Odone.

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

12-23-11

French minister aims to calm UK row

One of the most senior members of Nicolas Sarkozy’s government has moved to calm tensions between the UK and France, following the war of words sparked by David Cameron’s use of Britain’s veto to block an EU treaty.

Press regulation: the winds of change

The great majority of newspaper editors and managements can see the need for urgent change

Adoption system overhaul planned

The Government has announced plans to overhaul the assessment process for people looking to adopt amid concerns that the current system is too slow and not fit for purpose.

12-22-11

Credit card fees to be banned

Airlines, travel companies and retailers are to be banned from charging fees when people pay by credit or debit cards, ministers will announce today.

Farewell, Sir Gus O’Donnell, but you got it wrong on government

The retiring cabinet secretary, Gus O’Donnell, believed the private sector had more to teach the public sector than the other way round

The Government can’t fix the education system without our help

We should learn from the National Society how to help the most disadvantaged children, writes James Townsend.

Keeping the squeeze on

The private sector makes money; the public sector spends it. For the country to prosper, we need more people doing the former, and fewer doing the latter.

Privatising Margaret Thatcher’s funeral would be a fitting tribute to her legacy

The Iron Lady herself would surely agree that poor taxpayers should not be further burdened in these times of austerity

12-21-11

Cameron and co are deluded – it’s cold on Europe’s margins

I fear my nightmare about England’s direction may come true. In 10 years we’ll beg the French (and Scots) to let us back in

Ed Miliband is just not radical enough

Contrary to David Cameron’s accusation of being too ‘leftwing’, the Labour leader’s vision is being obscured by opportunism

12-20-11

The party leader who dares will win the battle over politics of the soul

Ed Miliband defined a ‘good society’ but David Cameron has taken the higher moral ground.

Atheists are at odds with our nation’s history

The King James Bible has many admirers including the late Christopher Hitchens. He praised its “common stock of references and allusions rivalled only by Shakespeare”. He used as an example a British officer at Dunkirk, faced with annihilation or surrender, who cabled home three words: “But if not…”

12-19-11

Vivid new Battle of the Bulge photos offer never-before-seen look at the war-weary soldiers braving the frigid weather as they fight off Nazi Germany’s last major offensive of World War II

Breathtaking new photographs, including several vivid full-color images, offer a never-before-seen look at the war-weary soldiers in the Battle of the Bulge who fought through the frozen Ardennes Forest in a mountainous region of Belgium in the dead of winter.

EU crisis: The Frogs do love us – they’re just hopping mad with Germany

Our entente with the French is still cordiale, but they badly need someone to shout at, writes Boris Johnson.

Ed Miliband is a decent leader. But he needs help. All leaders do

Ed Miliband is swimming against a strong anti-Labour media tide. But if he can win the battle of ideas, many of his troubles will blow away

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

12-18-11

Revealed: how City fees are eating into our pensions

Traders’ hidden charges leaving pensioners and savers worse off, Treasury warned

Tax row leaves David Cameron and Nick Clegg at war over married couples

The Coalition truce between the Tories and the Liberal Democrats broke into open conflict yesterday over David Cameron’s promise to give tax breaks to married couples.

Tories open up poll lead on Labour

David Cameron’s hardline stance over the eurozone treaty appeared to have secured a significant boost in public opinion as the Tories opened up a six-point poll lead over Labour.

12-17-11

Taxpayers pay £5 million for union ‘placemen’

Taxpayers are footing an annual wage bill of at least £5 million for full-time trade union officials placed inside the civil service – 65 per cent more than previously thought.

For all its flaws, religion remains a force for good

I’d rather have a reminder of what I should be striving for than hear no message at all

12-16-11

David Cameron: “We are a Christian country and we should not be afraid to say so”

Earlier today, David Cameron gave a keynote speech to Church of England members at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, celebrating the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible.

The harsh reality is that the EU has already failed

Only the fear of disorderly and unpredictable collapse is keeping alive the vestiges of its grand ambitions

The day I was Margaret Thatcher’s fashion victim

Meryl Streep’s portrayal in The Iron Lady made me weep – but the real Lady Thatcher once made me wince.

12-15-11

UK officials ‘to observe negotiations’ over EU deal

The UK has been asked to play a role in negotiations over an EU-wide fiscal pact despite refusing to sign up to the proposed agreement.

French leaders declare a war of words on Britain

French leaders have launched outspoken public attacks on Britain, calling for the UK to lose its AAA credit rating and comparing its economy with that of Greece.

12-14-11

Europe: Voters liked the veto – now they want more

Rising Euroscepticism gives Prime Minister David Cameron permission to negotiate a new and better deal for Britain.

Christmas is coming and so are we, police warn London rioters

Scotland Yard today issued its biggest appeal to catch those involved in the summer riots and said the number arrested over the disorder could top 5,000.

UK unemployment hits 17-year high

• Youth unemployment stays above 1 million
• Public sector loses 67,000 jobs in three months
• Private sector adds 5,000 over same period
• But claimant count rise is less than feared

12-13-11

UK living standards second highest in Europe in 2010, EU says

The standard of living in the UK was second only to Luxembourg in the European Union last year because of Government spending, official data from the EU has shown.

Cameron was right and single currency must be broken up, says Lord Lawson

Europe will return to growth and prosperity much more quickly if the single currency is broken up, former chancellor Lord Lawson says today.

12-12-11

David Cameron: EU treaty safeguards were ‘modest, reasonable and relevant’ (Video)

The Prime Minister insists he was “simply looking for a level playing field” for the UK after refusing to back a new European Union treaty.

EU veto: fresh coalition tensions over European institutions

Nick Clegg says it would be ludicrous to create new institutions, but No 10 says it may try to block eurozone countries from using existing bodies

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

12-11-11

EU treaty: David Cameron has done ‘bad deal’ on Europe, Nick Clegg says

Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, has warned that David Cameron’s decision to opt out of Europe is “bad for Britain”, revealing a deep split in the Coalition.

Paddy Ashdown: we have tipped 38 years of foreign policy down the drain

David Cameron has isolated us in Europe and diminished us in Washington’s eyes

David Cameron Should Decommission The Channel Tunnel

British Prime Minister David Cameron should decommission the Channel Tunnel in the dual interests of combating Mass Illegal Immigration and National Security.The Channel Tunnel has facilitated the arrival of Millions of Illegal Immigrants into Great Britain since its ill conceived conception

12-10-11

EU treaty: George Osborne insists treaty veto has not left Britain on the fringes

Chancellor George Osborne has defended David Cameron’s decision to veto a new European Union treaty and insisted that it has not diminished Britain’s influence in Europe.

Science funding tends to favour mediocrity over grand ideas

It’s a good job Einstein didn’t need a grant

12-9-11

The exams system needs turning on its head

British schools need to select the most respected qualifications, not the ones that are easiest to obtain, writes Dale Bassett.

David Cameron faces cabinet split over Europe

Prime minister must steer course between Eurosceptic ministers and Vince Cable’s opposition

10 reasons why Cameron will gain politically from vetoing an EU deal

EU 2.0 or exit?

12-8-11

We Tories must conserve our compassion

The Conservative approach to poverty is the only game in town, with Labour leaving nothing to spend on the state

Exam boards: how examiners tip off teachers to help students pass

Michael Gove, the Education Secretary, has ordered an official inquiry into the exam system after an investigation exposed examiners giving teachers secret advice on how to improve their GCSE and A-level results.

Ed Balls is right on the economy – but the public aren’t ready for Keynes

As recession bites, the shadow chancellor’s economic approach will gain admirers. Political reward will surely follow

12-7-11

School turns heating off to ‘save planet’

Fury as kids shiver on coldest day

Parking the problem: Just what is a Conservative approach to urban congestion?

Stephan Shakespeare: The Ed Miliband question

12-6-11

Rioting is the choice of young people with nothing to lose

Reading the Riots leaves us with a big question: do we have the energy to give these people the stake they do not have

We face years of riots on streets, warns ex-Met chief

Britain faces the threat of years of disorder on the streets fuelled by the economic crisis, a former Met chief warned today.

Council tenants in ‘digital apartheid’

Housing minister Grant Shapps has pledged to end the ‘digital apartheid’ that prevents social housing tenants from using the internet.

12-5-11

4m children in UK do not own a single book, study finds

Almost 4 million UK children do not own a book, research suggests.

Energy companies have lent more than 50 staff to government departments

Oil and nuclear industries’ presence throughout Whitehall exposed by Green MP, who warns of undue influence on policy

David Cameron: Europe must become more competitive (Video)

The Prime Minister insists any treaty changes in Europe will not come at the expense of Britain’s national interest and called for more competitiveness across the Eurozone.

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

12-4-11

A New York spider gave me an insight into US private healthcare

Occupy Wall Street is right – a rash of bites showed me how private healthcare keeps Americans cowed and compliant

12-3-11

Poll boost for David Cameron ahead of EU showdown

David Cameron receives an opinion poll boost on Sunday as he prepares for a showdown with Conservative eurosceptics over Britain’s future in a “two-speed” European Union.

Nick Clegg’s new health regime means he’s clearly not fit for office

Wouldn’t it be nice if just for once a political leader wasn’t trying to look like Tony Blair?

The Coalition’s best hope is the audacity of truth

Today’s version of political optimism is not to promise the earth, but to safeguard what we have.

12-2-11

Michael Gove the comrade. Whatever happened to Tories with a difference?

This photograph reminds me not just of the 80s, but the birth of the coalition – when Gove prompted hopes of a new kind of Tory

Margaret Thatcher: a figure of history and legend

It is cruel to depict a living human being in fallible old age, but the new film of Margaret Thatcher, starring Meryl Streep, lifts her above political controversy and turns her into a cultural icon.

Food stamps for frappuccinos: Outrage as it’s revealed handouts for the poor are being used to buy $5 premium Starbucks coffees

‘Luxury’ sugar-filled goods such as $5 Starbucks coffees and cakes are being purchased using food stamps, an investigation has revealed.

12-1-11

William Hague calls for stronger Iran sanctions

Britain will call for stronger economic sanctions on Iran at a meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Brussels on Thursday after the storming of its embassy in Tehran, Foreign Secretary William Hague said on Thursday.

Starbucks To Create 5,000 New UK Jobs

Starbucks plans to create up to 5,000 jobs over the next five years as it expands its drive-through business in the UK.

11-30-11

Green policies get the blue rinse

‘Green policies will only be adopted if they do not cost the voter – not so much the Tories ditching the huskies as catching a ride with them only if they are going their way’

Save the euro in 10 days or see the EU disintegrate, ministers are warned

Olli Rehn, EU economic affairs commissioner, says the choice is between deeper integration and Europe falling apart

Daniel Craig brands the Kardashians ‘f***ing idiots’ for making careers out of their private lives

They have made millions from living their lives in the public eye thanks to their reality television shows.

11-29-11

How to cut tax while cutting the deficit

There was once a Conservative Prime Minister who, by holding public spending steady, allowed the economy to grow faster than the government. Although there were no net cuts, the private sector outgrew the public.

George Osborne’s autumn statement: panel verdict

Our panellists dissect the chancellor’s speech on the state of the British economy

11-28-11

Autumn Statement 2011: George Osborne must declare Britain open for business

The Coalition must restore Britain’s reputation as an outward-looking trading nation, says Mark Field.

Five reasons public service workers are right to strike

David Cameron calls Wednesday’s strikes the ‘height of irresponsibility’. In fact they are a basic democratic necessity

Osborne: No ‘quick fix’ for debt

George Osborne has insisted there is no “quick fix” to Britain’s debt problems as he promised to invest for the long-term.

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

11-27-11

Osborne’s pain relief plan for ‘squeezed middle’

George Osborne is preparing a package of help for the “squeezed middle” with moves to help commuters, motorists and small businesses in this week’s Autumn Statement.

Europe plan to ‘green’ public buildings to cost £50bn

Taxpayers will have to pay billions of pounds a year equipping council houses, town halls, hospitals and other public buildings with the latest green technology, under new proposals by the European Commission.

11-26-11

Memo to the Occupy protesters: here are ten things we evil capitalists really think

Chatting to some Occupy protesters this morning, I was struck by how wide of the mark were the beliefs they attributed to me as a Right-winger.

Climate change isn’t a left-wing cause – the Iron Lady knew that

Nothing namby-pamby about Margaret Thatcher, whatever you may think of her in the round.  Nothing wishy-washy, nothing bunny-hugging, nothing lefty about the Iron Lady.

Why Ed Miliband should speak the language of Marx

Labour’s ‘squeezed middle’ is such a toneless phrase. How the party could use a trenchant phrase-maker like Karl Marx

11-25-11

Politicians are in danger of forgetting the summer riots – and ignoring their lessons

Just because problems appear intractable, it doesn’t mean that the Government shouldn’t try to fix them.

Is it right for public sector staff to strike on 30 November?

Five readers share their views on whether they support the upcoming strike over pensions or feel it’s a misstep

Thief trying to steal copper cables electrocuted

A thief trying to steal copper cables and a boiler from tunnels under a disused mental hospital died when he was electrocuted trying to tap power from a fire alarm system to power his saw, an inquest heard today.

11-24-11

EU costs Britain £50m a day, Ukip claims

Britain’s daily contribution to the European Union has passed £50 million, the UK Independence Party (Ukip) claimed.

‘Let’s get these people out of bed’: Boris joins Met chief on drug raid

Thousands of police officers launched raids across the capital today in the biggest crackdown on criminals bringing “misery” to communities.

UK net migration hits record high

Office for National Statistics figures show increase despite government targets to bring net migration down below 100,000

11-23-11

Vulnerable elderly abused by their carers, says inquiry

Hundreds of thousands of elderly people are suffering abuse and neglect in their own homes from care workers who treat them like pieces of “meat”, a watchdog will warn today.

Tory students burn Barack Obama effigy

Conservative students at Scotland’s oldest university have apologised after members of their society burned an effigy of US President Barack Obama.

Cameron’s war on employment rights

Prime Minister backs plans to make sacking workers easier

Coalition to relax employment laws

Employment laws are to be relaxed to make it easier for companies to sack their staff.

11-22-11

Barack Obama wins, but the poor US taxpayer loses

The collapse of talks to cut America’s huge deficit reveals the chasm between the Republicans and Democrats.

Our anger over runaway top pay is more about merit than money

In the UK 2,800 bankers earn over £1m. The claim that rare skills command a premium does not apply to them

UK border agency ‘not good enough’

The under-fire UK Border Agency (UKBA) is “nothing like good enough” in certain areas, Immigration Minister Damian Green declared today.

Uh oh, global warming loons: here comes Climategate II!

Breaking news: two years after the Climategate, a further batch of emails has been leaked onto the internet by a person – or persons – unknown.

11-21-11

David Cameron: housing investment is about hopes and dreams (Video)

The Prime Minister says a £400m investment in new homes will boost economic growth and give people a chance to achieve their dream of owning property.

This new housing strategy won’t save the ‘lost generation’

The coalition’s housing plans are a start, but too much is based on soothing generalities rather than tackling an unfair market

Prince Philip: Only tickling the nose of our energy crisis

The Duke of Edinburgh has said just what we’re all thinking about our disgraceful wind farms, says Clive Aslet.

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

11-20-11

Under black economic skies, a grim political battle awaits George Osborne and the Coalition

The Tory message may end up being that, as bad as things are, they would be a lot, lot worse under Ed Miliband.

How can Osborne get Great Britain plc moving again?

Chancellor, take note: as he prepares to lay out his plans, economists, politicians and business leaders offer their own ideas

It’s not just our leaders who are in a crisis. Democracy itself is failing

The world’s statesmen no longer shape events but merely respond to them, in thrall to market forces

11-19-11

Wind farms are useless, says Duke

The Duke of Edinburgh has made a fierce attack on wind farms, describing them as “absolutely useless”.

Occupy UK converges on London

City offices of UBS bank reopened as forum for discussion by Occupy protesters arriving from across Britain

11-18-11

David Cameron and Angela Merkel pledge unity

Prime Minister David Cameron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel
today pledged “strong friendship”, but remained at odds over key
measures to restore economic stability to Europe.

Working pensioners can show George Osborne the way out of this crisis

Tax cuts for the low paid will reduce unemployment by encouraging people back to work.

Theresa May – another lady who’s not for turning

It was striking that the MPs who were most effective in rumbling the witnesses were women

EU bans claim that water can prevent dehydration

Brussels bureaucrats were ridiculed yesterday after banning drink manufacturers from claiming that water can prevent dehydration.

11-17-11

Business needs tax cuts. So does everybody else

British retail business, one of the chief drivers of economic growth, is in big trouble.

Is George Osborne panicking enough?

The chancellor’s judgment not to increase debt has been vindicated, but he must now go on the attack

eBay to open its first UK shop

eBay, the online shop, is to open its first UK shop, in the latest sign that internet retailers are moving onto the high street.

11-16-11

Why Hague spoke out on Britain’s secret services

In lifting the veil a little from MI6, William Hague reminds us of the vital role it plays in national defence.

Fewer Britons getting jobs as number of foreign workers rises

The number of foreign workers employed in the UK has risen by almost 150,000 as the number of British people with jobs is falling.

Unemployment: time for jobs plan

The coalition’s economic argument has been shown to be wrong; it is time for a replacement

The fate of this Government is now in George Osborne’s hands

Unless he stands up to the Lib Dems in his Autumn Statement, the economy faces disaster

11-15-11

BBC Caught Selling News Slots to Climate Change Crusaders

An investigation by the Indy has caught the BBC red-handed selling airtime for millions of pounds. They are trying to spin it as “nominal fees”, but a look at the numbers and content involved is pretty shocking:

11-14-11

The European project is now sustained by coup

Conservative MEP Daniel Hannen writes about the recent coup d’état by any other name, which recently took place.

Osborne’s attack on benefits must be moderated

The Lib Dems are pledged to battle against poverty, and cannot support the chancellor’s bid to decouple benefits from inflation

William Hague welcomes new Syria sanctions

Foreign Secretary William Hague today welcomed more EU sanctions against Syria in protest at the failure of President Assad to end “horrific violence”.

Eurozone crisis gives Britain a chance to redraw EU, says David Cameron

As Angela Merkel looks for treaty change to strengthen ties, prime minister is keen to move towards a looser union

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

11-13-11

Exclusive: Backlash grows over Cameron’s green sell-out

Business leaders and environmental campaigners unite in plea to halt the cut in funding for solar panel schemes.

Crime in London is a tale of two cities

For most Londoners the capital has become safer over the past decade. But violent crime afflicts a small percentage of people

11-12-11

David Cameron faces new revolt over high-speed rail

David Cameron is braced for a fresh Tory rebellion – and possible ministerial resignations – when the final route of the £34 billion High Speed Rail link between London and Birmingham is confirmed within weeks.

Baby boomers set about the art of dying well

The way Steve Jobs and Philip Gould approached death offers a standard for their generation

Labour dragged into border fiasco over dropped passport checks

Millions of people are feared to have been allowed into Britain without full passport checks in a major new borders scandal.

As the eurozone crisis deepens, what are David Cameron’s options?

Faced with Franco-German manoeuvres abroad and a divided party at home, the PM must choose his course with care.

Unions reject 15-minute strike idea

Union leaders today attacked a Government minister for making a “daft” suggestion that public sector workers wouldn’t lose any pay if they only go on strike for 15 minutes during a day of action later this month.

11-11-11

Yvette Cooper: the next leader of the Labour Party

The whisper has turned to a chatter. Before this week Labour MPs were privately asking themselves if Yvette Cooper was “the one” – the person to take over from Ed Miliband if, as many of them suspect, he loses the 2015 election.

Religion-friendly democracy and democracy-friendly religion

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair writes that religious, secular and political people need to start talking to each other, to build peaceful coexistence and protect minorities

Occupy movement plans spring offensive as momentum stalls

After eight weeks of dramatic growth, organisers consider how to sustain the protest movement through winter

Democracy is being sacrificed in Europe

Lack of democratic accountability risks an eventual, and possibly extreme, populist backlash. Far from unifying Europe, the euro threatens eventual Balkanisation.

11-10-11

Debt crisis: ‘axe the 50p tax rate now to save the economy‘

George Osborne should “accelerate” plans to scrap the 50p higher rate of income tax and increase personal tax allowances to help the economy during the euro crisis, business leaders will warn the Chancellor.

The Right Word: Herman Cain v the ‘feminazis’

In a week of reverses for conservatives, Rush Limbaugh is especially sore about the rising tide of political correctness

James Murdoch: the man who wasn’t there

Murdoch’s insouciance borders on wilful blindness – or he is saying something untrue

11-9-11

Student fees protest: London braced after year of violent incidents

The large-scale student demonstration through the heart of central London on Wednesday will again place authorities under pressure following several violent incidents in the capital over the past year.

David Cameron attempts another definition of his Big Society idea (Video)

The Prime Minister was speaking at a meeting of the House of Commons Liaison Committee.

11-8-11

Migrationwatch UK petition on immigration tops 100,000

An online petition urging ministers to curb immigration has gained more than 100,000 signatures in a week – making it eligible for a Commons debate.

Chris Huhne’s ex-wife Vicky Pryce ‘wants to be MP’

The ex-wife of Energy Secretary Chris Huhne has told the BBC she is considering seeking election as a Liberal Democrat MP.

11-7-11

Theresa May admits authorising reduced passport checks (Guardian)

May tells MPs she agreed to relaxation of checks on EU passport holders but did not sanction lifting of checks against ‘warning list’ of potential terror suspects and illegal migrants

Hard-up UK puts climate change on back burner

Report finds Britons more concerned with keeping warm than worrying about the environment

May: ‘We don’t know how many suspected terrorists entered UK’ (Telegraph)

Home Secretary says UK border force chief Brodie Clark acted “without ministerial sanction” in relaxing controls, as she admits number of people who entered country without proper checks will remain unknown.

American Way: A funny thing happened on the way to the Herman Cain lynching

Herman Cain’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week ended on a discordantly high note. Addressing a packed ballroom in Washington’s Convention Centre, the former pizza mogul prompted whoops and cheers when he referred obliquely to the sexual harassment storm that had at times threatened to sweep away his White House candidacy.

Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.

11-6-11

Euro debt crisis: Greek PM George Papandreou to resign when new coalition government formed

Prime Minsiter George Papandreou and opposition leader Antonis Samaras locked in crisis talks to form a new government as eurozone leaders issue an ultimatum that a deal on a coalition must be sealed before a summit of finance ministers on Monday.

Rupert Cornwell: Is the American Dream at an end?

The US goes to the presidential polls a year from today, but there is little faith in the political system as recession bites

BP’s bid to clean up its act dealt blow by revelations in Russia case

Court documents show the oil giant appeared to regard its partners in a major deal as criminals

Union chiefs ‘hell bent on strikes’ says Danny Alexander

Cabinet minister Danny Alexander has accused some trade union leaders of being “hell bent” on strike action over changes to public sector pensions with little regard for the interests of their members.

11-5-11

Britain faces new isolation threat from eurozone ‘caucus’

Britain will be marooned inside a “permanent minority” in European Union decision making in just three years’ times after rule changes kick in on member states’ voting powers, according to a new report.

The moribund mainstream of politics risks letting loose the ghouls

Lib Dems no longer occupy the centre left, Labour is mired in the past. And so appears evil genius Nigel Farage

For women, the losses are more than financial

The government can’t afford to abandon female voters who, as a new report by various bodies shows, have been particularly badly hit by cuts

11-4-11

Reform, not strikes, will fix our public sector pensions crisis

It is hard to imagine a better deal than the one the Government has offered the trade unions.

Newcomer Ruth Davidson wins Scottish Tory leadership race

Scottish Conservatives have elected newcomer Ruth Davidson as their new leader.

Britain suing Europe to stop ‘benefit tourism’

The Government is to take the historic step of suing the European Commission to stem the growing tide of “benefit tourism”.

11-3-11

The government has surrendered to the unions on public sector pensions

Yesterday’s concessions by the Coalition, in respect of the public sector pensions negotiations, verge on an unconditional surrender to the unions, perhaps on a scale unprecedented in the history of public sector labour negotiations.

An attack on Iran would be disastrous

Britain must resist US pressure for military action. Even if Iran had nuclear weapons, engagement is the only course to take

Warsi slams Miliband for silence on strike

Labour-affiliated trade union Unison has confirmed strike action on 30th November, despite less than a quarter of balloted members actually voting to strike.

Bond Is Back: Name Of New 007 Film Revealed

The next James Bond film will be called Skyfall, the film’s producers have confirmed.

11-2-11

America’s problem with sex education

Given the comic failure of abstinence-only – 95% of Americans have premarital sex – isn’t it time the US got over its hangup?

David Cameron calls for G20 euro urgency

Prime Minister David Cameron called today for tomorrow’s G20 summit to show a sense of “urgency” over the implementation of measures to resolve instability in the eurozone.

11-1-11

Renewable confusion

The sudden cut in subsidies for the solar energy industry has been clumsily handled but is a victory for Chancellor George Osborne in his battle against green taxes.

ID afore ye go

Diane Taylor’s thwarted purchase of a bottle of whisky at a One Stop Shop in Harlow reveals a compliant Britain, rather than a free one.

Looking at the news out of London each day.

9-25-11

Labour’s love affair with their lost leader

David Miliband might have lost the leadership contest, but his appearance at Labour conference was more rock star than defeated candidate

If capitalism has failed, how the hell do we pay for our Shreddies?

I might be an economic dunce, but if our failing currencies are replaced by a medieval bartering system, what will we have to do to get our favourite breakfast cereals?

Ken compares Boris to London rioters

London mayor Boris Johnson’s student past has been compared with the behaviour of rioters by Labour challenger Ken Livingstone.

Tony Blair faces calls for greater transparency over Middle East role

Former PM visited Gaddafi during Libyan loan negotiations by JP Morgan, the bank that employs him as an adviser

Miliband: cuts are okay now

I’ve just caught up with Ed Miliband on Marr this morning and his aim seemed to be burying Ed Balls’ complaint about cuts being too fast and too deep. In its place, he called for more growth

9-24-11

American Way: The shallow anti-Americanism of the “I am Troy Davis” crowd

A very interesting blog post from the UK Telegraph.

Tony Blair’s Byzantine world of advisers and lucrative deals

Since leaving office, Tony Blair has adopted many roles. The international statesman. The guardian of Africa. The religious leader. The global businessman.

FiReControl Project: silly name, stupid idea – but you and I will pay for the fiasco

How can we expect to be well-governed when incompetence is rewarded?

9-23-11

Europe has six weeks to find debt crisis solution, warns Chancellor George Osborne

Global markets whipsawed higher and lower at the end of a tumultuous week as panic over a Greek default was tempered by hopes that politicians will step in to calm Europe’s debt crisis.

Childhood being eroded by modern life, experts warn

Childhood is being eroded by a “relentless diet” of advertising, addictive computer games, test-driven education and poor childcare, a powerful lobby of more than 200 experts warns today.

Labour cannot rely on Tory failure

A credible economic policy is crucial for the Labour party to win back power. But first we need a history lesson.

9-22-11

One in six adults now ‘living in sin’

The rapid rise in couples who choose to live together without being married may be acting as a “firewall” to stop unstable relationships from ending years later in divorce, according to research.

9-21-11

Michael Gove: the new and the old

Gove cites Blair as his political hero – perhaps that is where he acquired such seeming disregard for due process in Whitehall.

9-19-11

Liberal Democrats Party Conference 2011: Pledge to drive down energy bills

Householders will be able to switch energy suppliers more quickly, bulk-buy power at discount rates and claim refunds if firms are found to have exploited them for profit, Chris Huhne, the Energy Secretary, is to announce.

Lib Dems: No 10 desperate to spike Vince Cable

“Vince Cable trailed one of his pet projects in the Sunday Times yesterday: restraint on executive pay. The idea chimed with the wider theme of the day mapped out by Nick Clegg on Marr, namely that however it is done, the Coalition should raise taxes on the wealthiest.”

Obama sets out ‘balanced’ deficit plan and asks top earners to pay fair share

Obama says half of $3tn deficit reduction will come from tax increases, but stresses: ‘It’s not class warfare – it’s math’

We’re fed up with Europe, so give us a vote

Britain has become a slave to the EU, writing blank cheques to prop up its lazy economies, says Mark Pritchard.

Poverty of debate is holding us back

It is obvious that companies need to work harder to make sure that all their employees deliver the goods. This must apply to everybody, including CEOs, who are hired by shareholders to maximise their value.

8-5-11

Voters doubtful on David Cameron’s aid policy

Fewer than half of voters believe that the government should be giving hundreds of millions of pounds in aid to overseas countries during a time of austerity in Britain, Downing Street’s own research has found.

Millions face pension poverty as ‘golden’ era ends

Up to 14 million workers will retire with pensions far smaller than those enjoyed by their parents, a report warns today, as the “golden generation” of retirement schemes comes to an end.

George Osborne interrupts holiday to make debt crisis calls

Chancellor also urged Italy and Spain to show that they will force through credible deficit reduction plans

8-4-11

Debt crisis: Global markets plunge as eurozone contagion spreads

We need three big reforms to get Britain growing

The focus must be on labour, land and capital in order to boost the economy.

The ‘five-a-day’ parenting checklist

A little practical advice for parents.

8-2-11

The left’s solution to dealing with an elite is…for its own elite to organise another elite

Charles Moore’s recent scourging of Britain’s banking elite struck a nerve – and not only among bankers – so the new campaign trailed in today’s Guardian to rein it in may strike another one.

8-1-11

All-Ability Day by MP Robert Halfon

Yesterday, I went to the second Harlow All-Ability Sports Day at Stewards School.  A packed event with parents and youngsters of all-abilities, participating in sports of all kind.  Wheelchair athletes playing basketball against Firemen, pony rides, swimming, dance and a barbecue.  Community groups abounded, including Pact Harlow, and Harlow Judo Club.