Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.
1-19-15
Labour’s health troubles
Labour’s attempt to make a crisis out of the modest slippage in the English NHS seeks to ignore the far worse performance on waiting times in the Welsh NHS which they run.
We should say no – but not never – to new surveillance proposals
The balance of the argument is strongly against them. But this might change – and there are few absolutes when the balance of liberty and security is weighed.
1-18-15
An open letter to the Party Chairman: Let members approve any coalition deal
After all, they deserve a vote – and they can be trusted with one too.
Oil’s long reach
The more I think about the halving of the oil price, the more significant it seems. The scale of the change makes it difficult for commentators and forecasters to think it all through and understand the magnitude of what has happened so far. There is reluctance to simply assume that in future oil revenues will be under half the levels of last year. Prices might go up again.
1-17-15
Why the Greek election could decide Britain’s next government
A Syriza win could put the eurozone back into crisis – and push the economy back to the top of the UK agenda
1-16-15
Has Osborne decided to back Boris? (QTWTAIN Alert.)
It means: Question To Which The Answer Is No. (Copyright: John Rentoul of the Independent on Sunday.)
The destructive power of the Euro grows
This week has seen two important developments in the evolution of the Euro. Senior European lawyers have given guidance which many see as indicating the ECB does have the power to create new money to buy up government bonds in the zone, despite heavy German opposition. The Swiss franc, which was linked to the Euro in a desperate effort to stop people fleeing the Euro to buy the Swiss franc has given up the struggle and is now being revalued against the weakening European currency.
1-15-15
The Tory machine is gearing up to back Boris Johnson as the next leader
George Osborne is clever enough to know he can’t win – and to know a man who can
Debt and deficit
The UK has a large state debt. This is the accumulated borrowings taken out by successive governments to spend more than they collected in taxes over many years. These borrowings do not suddenly have to be repaid. They are regularly refinanced or rolled over, as bonds issued become due for repayment. The UK tends to have longer term borrowings than many other countries, and can currently borrow very long at low interest rates.
Andrew Gimson’s PMQs sketch: Miliband looks more and more like Rumpole
The Leader of the Opposition is so palpably the underdog that he might yet sweep to victory by attracting the sympathy vote.
– – – – – –
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
0
0
