Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.
2-9-15
Pensioner bonds, austerity and the reasons old people still get free money
As George Osborne sets aside yet more scarce money to subsidise older people’s savings, a look at the simple facts of political life that explain why pensioners are spared austerity
A million pensioners to benefit from bonds
More than 610,000 people bought pensioner bonds worth £7.5billion since they were launched last month, in a move branded ‘inter-generational theft’
Nadhim Zahawi MP: Six reasons why I’m optimistic about the coming election
A clear plan. A strong retail offer. The right direction. A vision for the country. Labour’s strategic failure. And let’s not forget…Ed Miliband.
Free market thinktank claims chancellor’s scheme is gimmick that subsidises wealthy pensioners at taxpayers’ expense
2-8-15
Taki’s recipe for the survival of the Greek nation
The dangers of an early EU referendum
The Sunday Times reports that No.10 is considering a date in 2016. What does that say about a Prime Minister who, apparently, wants to keep us in?
Will anyone be able to govern Britain after the next election?
With every week that goes by, the more likely it is that the next election could result in a stalemate with neither Labour nor the Tories able to put together a deal that gives them a majority in the Commons. One Downing Street source, who has crunched the numbers, predicted to me last week that, because of what is going on in Scotland, the Tories will be the largest party on 280-odd seats.
Labour’s Boots bashing is bad for UK business
Labour is wrong. Britain needs businessmen like Stefano Pessina – and a government that understands economics
Je suis (parts of) Magna Carta
On Thursday afternoon I visited the exhibition of the four remaining copies of Magna Carta in the House of Lords. There was a sense of reverence in the Robing Room as we peered through the glass cabinets at the small and powerful writing of the scribes 800 years before.
2-7-15
The stand-off on Greek debt is still explosive
Today’s €60 billion of European Central Bank loans to Greek banks is a temporary lifeline — but no solution to the underlying crisis. Yesterday’s bad-tempered meeting between Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis and German finance minister Wolfgang Schäuble left the stand-off over Greece’s debt unchanged.
No, Balls isn’t anti-business. Indeed, he understands business.
Plus: Lord Ashcroft’s Scotland poll – I must revise my predictions. Abuse in Rotherham. An upset in Sheffield? My drivetime success. And: in memoriam, Martin Gilbert.
Exclusive: Nick Clegg complains to Cabinet Secretary about being left out
Nick Clegg has complained to Sir Jeremy Heywood, the Cabinet Secretary, that he was ignored before a government policy was announced, Coffee House has learned.
Our duty to protect the Baltic states
There are strict limits to what we can or should do for Ukraine. However, NATO member countries are a different matter.
War in Ukraine
2-6-15
This time next year Greece will be out of the euro or Syriza will be out of power
There has been much interest in the European Central Bank making a new call on Greek government bonds, saying that ‘it is currently not possible to assume’ the bonds to be safe assets once the bailout programme expires. This is as you might expect: after all Yanis Varoufakis, the new Greek Finance Minister, has been touring European capitals this week to remind creditors that Greece is bankrupt.
What’s more important to voters? Coherent policy or the chance to ‘send a message’
Conservatives, Ukip or Greens: who’s winning Facebook? Maybe it doesn’t matter
As the Conservatives throw cash at Faceboook in order to be liked, does success on social networks actually turn into votes?
Margaret Hodge quits the mayoral race. Cui bono?
Labour’s London mayoral race is hotting up with one of the front-runners out of the picture. Margaret Hodge recently saw her backing from Labour supporters climb from 10 per cent to a substantial 16 per cent. But she today bowed out of the battle to become the party’s candidate to take over from Boris in 2016.
2-5-15
Greek brinkmanship
Not-working: class and politics
I look much more like a Greek Marxist than I do a British Tory. And so do most people.
0
0
