Looking at the news and opinion out of London each day.
2-2-15
Who is in charge of the Education department?
The Tories are embarking on an ‘education week’, which means they won’t just be fighting Labour but also the Lib Dems, as the latter like to strike up a fight whenever something involving Michael Gove crops up.
Economic management. Labour, nil points. Conservatives, neuf points. But here are a few reservations.
I am critical of some measures which the Government has taken to accommodate some of Labour’s class warfare propaganda.
Meet the people who really, really, really like Ed Miliband
It’s not the narrative we have come to expect: a bunch of people who really like Ed Miliband. Yet Mr S was surprised to find such group exists.
2-1-15
Ed Miliband tried to ‘weaponise’ the NHS – it ended with a bang
Labour’s caricature of attitudes to the health service backfired spectacularly. Real people know what’s wrong and are open to ideas that will make things better
The case against Mr Miliband grows stronger
Business leaders suspect that a Labour government would be bad for them and bad for the country
Prison rehabilitation: the moral, conservative mission
Cutting crime, cutting taxes and rehabilitating convicted criminals go hand in hand.
Labour MPs’ minds wander to a post-election contest
With the opinion polls so tight at the moment, we’re having to look for other ways to try and work out what the general election result will be. One indicator worth watching is which party is spending more time thinking about the leadership contest that would follow an election.
Who is winning the ground war?
70,000 Conservative activists are being deployed in 80 constituencies under the banner of Team2015.
English votes for English needs – EVEN
1-31-15
When we buried Winston Churchill, we buried the British nation
The funeral of Winston Churchill represented the death of a spirit of Britishness. Since then, we have been richer but emptier as a people
Europe’s crisis is Cameron’s opportunity
The Tories have one real success in government – and they’re scared to talk about it
Calling the Green party socialist is an insult to socialists
1-30-15
Grant Shapps defends ‘successful’ defection of Ukip MEP Amjad Bashir
January has been 30 days of chaos for Labour, according to Grant Shapps — but what about the Tories’ bad headlines? In a press conference this morning, Shapps outlined all of the negative press Labour has received in 2015 so far. But he ended up having to defend his party over the defection of Ukip MEP Amjad Bashir.
The works that win the Political Book Awards
Plus: David Davis, worst ties offender. Re-predicting my election predictions. Labour’s plight in Scotland and Wales. And: Why books by female political authors aren’t stocked.
Ed Miliband has sold Labour’s soul – for 3.5p
The party’s hypocrisy on immigration cuts right to the bone
Who were Winston Churchill’s biggest heroes?
The man now acclaimed as the hero of the Second World War had heroes of his own, who critically shaped his worldview
The EU doesn’t like democracy very much
I read that European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker believes there’s no question of writing down Greek debt. The other Eurozone countries will not agree to that.He reasons that there can be no democratic choice against the European treaties. One cannot exit the euro without leaving the EU.
1-29-15
Andrew Gimson’s PMQs sketch: Cameron and Miliband pretend to be scandalised
Even those of us who want the Conservatives to win the general election cannot help feeling a bit discouraged by the tactics they are employing in order to do so.
1-28-15
Majority of voters want Cameron as PM — but would prefer a Labour government
What do the British public want from their government after 2015? Well, unless things are really going to shift in British politics in the next few weeks, they still want the impossible: a Labour majority government led by David Cameron.
Should Osborne target “full employment”?
As Milton Friedman once quipped, we could increase employment by making those working on government construction projects use spoons instead of shovels.
Greece versus Germany
Greece and Germany have two different visions of their shared currency zone and common government.
1-27-15
The Labour Party has a new hero: Alexis Tsipras
Those who want Ed Miliband to move left are addicted to false comparisons with whichever foreign socialist is temporarily in the headlines that week
The Ozbyisation of the Conservative Party
The change in how the party campaigns – which is changing what it is.
Stop this madness over fracking – or the lights really will go out
We’re blessed with an energy supply under our feet, but dithering will squander it all
Five things we do know about the election no-one can predict
In an uncertain world, here are a few certainties to bank on.
David Cameron should support work through tax cuts, not more apprenticeships
In a Telegraph interview, David Cameron today pledges to cut the welfare cap – to £23,000 from £26,000 – to fund another three million apprentice places. He says that this:- ‘Tells you everything you need to know about our values’
Appeasement rarely works. Too much devolution undermines the UK.
In the late 1990s when Labour decided to offer considerable devolution to Scotland and a little devolution to Wales I wrote a book warning that such changes would fuel Scottish nationalism, not undermine it. “The death of Britain?” set out how Labour’s constitutional revolution would damage our democracy.
If I were Prime Minister … No 1: I’d be a free-market version of Natalie Bennett
In the 100 days leading up to the General Election we’re inviting 100 contributors to tell us what they would do as Prime Minister. The only rule? No politicians
– – – – – –
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