Politics

Read about the latest UK political news, views and analysis.

Tuesday

Peter Hoskin

The Sunday Essay: a reminder to send in your submissions | 12 August 2008

We’ve introduced a new feature to Coffee House – the Sunday Essay.   Each Sunday, we’ll post an essay by one of our readers, on any political, cultural or sporting topic.  The first of these essays appeared a couple of days ago – you can read it here. If you’d like your writing to be considered, just e-mail an article of between 500 and 1500 words to me at phoskin @ spectator.co.uk  – the Coffee House team will pick out the best submission each week, and post it on the website the following Sunday.  It doesn’t matter whether you’re an MP, a member of the policy wonk world, or have nothing

Peter Hoskin

Where on earth is David Miliband?

A great post by Mary Dejevsky over at Open House, questioning just what David Miliband has been doing during the conflict between Russia and Georgia.  Yes, our Foreign Secretary has issued a statement on the issue, but some of his colleagues – such as Des Browne and Jim Murphy – have been far more prominent on the airwaves.  And Miliband’s French counterpart has even gone over to Georgia, to witness the situation first-hand. I’ve been assured that Brown and Miliband have been in “direct discussion” over the Georgia crisis.  But, still, it’s hard not to conclude that the Labour leadership struggle lies behind our Foreign Secretary’s no-show.  Maybe he’s been blocked by the

Peter Hoskin

In a pickle?

Iain Martin writes an important piece over at Three Line Whip, in which he reveals that the Cameroons may be turning against Eric Pickles.  According to Martin, their beef with the shadow communities secretary is that he took too much of the credit for the Crewe and Nantwich success, and that he’s been “grandstanding” ever since.  That opinion may even be shared by David Cameron.  Here’s the bottom line: “One Tory sage says Pickles may still become the Conservatives’ chairman yet if he can get over this rough patch, but then his mood darkens: ‘The problem is that when David (Cameron) has made up his mind about someone he rarely alters it.

Monday

Peter Hoskin

Just what can the West do?

Western policymakers are finally making their official statements on the crisis in South Ossetia.  Our own Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, has said he “deplores” the Russian attacks on Georgia.  George Bush has called Russia’s actions “disproportionate,” and told Vladimir Putin that “this violence is unacceptable”.  Whilst the most ominous warning comes from Dick Cheney, who stated that Russian aggression “must not go unanswered”. But for all the pejorative languange, just what can the West do?  There are several factors counting against military intervention, whether by NATO forces, or by individual countries, such as the US or the UK.  Here are some brief outlines: 1) Fullscale war.  The number one fear is that

Sunday

Peter Hoskin

Will dithering Darling get the chop?

For much of his time as Chancellor, it’s been hard not to feel sorry for Alistair Darling.  He’s been parachuted into what are rocky economic times, and has had to deal with – and often reverse – decisions made during Brown’s Chancellorship. The recent stamp duty fiasco seems different though.  It was embarrassing enough that the idea of temporarily suspending stamp duty leaked from the Treasury in the first place (usually a sign of a minister not in control of his department).  But the uncertain response of Treasury officials – and Darling himself – has only compounded the situation.  How so?  Well, potential house-buyers have held back from purchases until

Peter Hoskin

Britishness revisited

I’ve just got around to watching some of Gordon Brown’s appearance at the Edinburgh Book Festival yesterday (you can see footage here).  It wasn’t that bad, actually.  If anything, he came across as relaxed, confident and – shock, horror – fairly witty.  One can’t help but view it all as a long message to David Miliband.  Something like “Look, you ungrateful upstart, I can do ‘Man of the People’; I can do charming.  And I’m completely at ease with all your plotting”. But there was more to it than that.  He dimissed claims that Britain is broken, and made reference to the general resolve and decency of the British public: “I don’t

Saturday

Alex Massie Alex Massie

Hague’s Wisdom

William Hague warns David Miliband not to challenge Gordon Brown and offers this priceless spot of advice: “People want normal politicians and David Miliband is more geeky, more like me… David Cameron could wear a baseball cap, whereas Miliband would find it harder to appear normal. I must have a word with him and give him some advice – don’t try to be normal when you aren’t. As I never want to be leader of my party again, I don’t have to try to be normal any more.” [Hat-tip: Coffee House]

Peter Hoskin

Abnormal Miliband?

Fun quote from William Hague in today’s Times: “People want normal politicians and David Miliband is more geeky, more like me… David Cameron could wear a baseball cap, whereas Miliband would find it harder to appear normal. I must have a word with him and give him some advice – don’t try to be normal when you aren’t. As I never want to be leader of my party again, I don’t have to try to be normal any more.” Hat-tip: Conservative Home

Friday

The Spectator

The week that was | 8 August 2008

Here are some of the posts made this week on Spectator.co.uk… Eric Pickles wants your questions. Chris Grayling answers your questions. Spectator staff suggest some good summer reads. Kaz Mochlinski previews the Olympic Games. Henrietta Bredin reveals the most ineffectual phrase in current misuse. Matthew D’Ancona claims that al-Qaeda are winning, and says that the Brownites would love David Miliband to team up with Alan Milburn. Peter Hoskin gives his take on the speculation that Milburn would be Chancellor in a Miliband government, and asks whether David Cameron and George Osborne will divorce over marriage. Brian Cullen questions how courageous the British Free Tibet protestors actually are, and suggests that

Peter Hoskin

The Cameroons do the environment (again)

When Cameron first set about decontaminating the Conservative brand, the emphasis was on turning the Tories into the party of the environment – the Blue ‘n’ Greens, if you like.  But with the decontaminaion near enough over – and after the unmitigated disaster that was the Tories’ last environment report – the emphasis has slowly shifted onto other areas.   But now green issues look set to return with a vengeance.  As Alex Singleton reports over at Three Line Whip, the think tank Policy Exchange have just begun a “programme revisiting environmental policy”.  The focus, says Singleton, will be on practical environmentalism – such as how to deal with litter.  And you can be sure that what Policy

Peter Hoskin

How long before the knives come out for Clegg?

Nick Clegg can count himself lucky that there’s so much leadership speculation whirling around Gordon Brown – it’s probably deflected attention from his own less-than-stellar performance as Lib Dem leader.  How disappointing has it been?  Conservative Home’s Poll of Polls has the Lib Dems on 16.6 percent, meaning that, in their words: “Mr Clegg has added just 0.4% to the LibDem rating since Ming was ousted.  Approximately 90% of the drop in Labour support has gone to the Conservatives.”  And today there’s another poll which will dismay Team Clegg.  Lib Dem Voice asked party members to rate the performances of the Lib Dem front-bench team during August.  Clegg came out a disappointing fourth; behind Vince Cable,

Peter Hoskin

Brown/Nixon?

The ever-readable Daniel Finkelstein wrote an entertaining piece on Comment Central last week, noting the parallels between Richard Nixon and our own beleagured premier, Gordon Brown.  And I weighed in with some Brown/Nixon notes of my own.  As a footnote to that, I thought I’d flag up that it’s 34 years to the day since Nixon announced his resignation as US President.  Ok, ok, it’s unlikely that our Prime Minister will go down the resignation/retirement route.  But, as Matt points out in this week’s political column, there’s certainly some pressure on him to do so.  Anyway, here’s a chunk of Tricky Dick’s valedictory speech, on 6 August, 1974:

Peter Hoskin

Gove demolishes Labour’s record on education

Do take the time to read Michael Gove’s report A Failed Generation: Educational Inequality Under Labour, out today.  Many of it findings have peppered his recent articles and speeches (including his speech on Monday, sadly overshadowed by the lads’ mag row).  But gathered together as they are here, they amount to the most coherent – and shocking – denunciation of Labour’s record on education.  Here are some of the headline statistics:  — Last year, over 60 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals did not gain the 3Rs at Key Stage 2. — 33,909 pupils eligible to receive free school meals did not attain any GCSE grades higher than a D in 2006/07 – 47 per

Thursday

Alex Massie Alex Massie

Education Briefing

The best political programme of the 1980s explains school choice – and the opposition to it. As always Yes, Minister and, subsequently, Yes, Prime Minister were on the money: Hat-tip: Cato.

Peter Hoskin

What will 2018 look like?

Hugo Rifkind’s got a superb article in the latest issue of the magazine, outlining what Britain’s political scene might look like ten years from now.  It’s all a little tongue-in-cheek, but I’ve noted some of his predictions down, for reference.  Here they are: — George Osborne will be Prime Minister — Davina McCall will be presenting the Today programme — Boris will be Lord Johnson of Henley — Oil will be at $600 a barrel — Ruth Kelly will have been Labour leader — David Miliband will have been Labour leader — Ed Balls will have been Labour leader — David Davis will have defected to UKIP — Ken Livingstone will be Mayor

Peter Hoskin

Daniel Kawczynski MP apologises to Melanie Phillips

Daniel Kawczynski has written a web exclusive article for The Spectator, apologising for his recent online quarrel with Melanie Phillips.  You can read it here. To catch up on the original debate, read Melanie’s posts here and here, and Daniel’s post on Centre Right.

Peter Hoskin

The plot thickens…

And so the Labour leadership struggle rumbles on, with claims by Team Miliband that the Milburn for Chancellor story was “fictional” – an effort by the Brownites to smear their man as an uber-Blairite, and thereby alienate him from the left of the party.  But Rosa Prince of the Telegraph has since claimed, in no uncertain terms, that the Milburn story came from “friends of Miliband”.  And a new article on the Telegraph website suggests that the Team Miliband denials are an attempt, on their part, to quell criticism from other Labour MPs. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to keep up with all the speculation.  And I can currently see only one winner emerging from

Wednesday

Peter Hoskin

Gordon Brown’s got a question for you

I’ve just re-read this Q&A that the Independent conducted with Gordon Brown on 27 June, 2007.  One of our Dear Leader’s responses jumped out at me.  Here it is, with the question that prompted it: How will life be different under a Brown government? JOHN BROOKS, by email I will let you answer that question in a year’s time. I hope you’ll say you feel safer on the streets and more prosperous, more confident in your local schools and hospitals, and you’ll have a bit more trust in the political system. Generally, I hope you’ll say you think the Government’s on your side and listening to you. Well, it’s over

Peter Hoskin

Put your questions to Eric Pickles

Eric Pickles – the mastermind behind the Tory success in Crewe & Nantwich – has kindly agreed to a Q&A session with Coffee House.  So, post your questions for him in the comments sections below.  And, on Sunday, we’ll pick out the best ten and put them to the shadow communities secretary. He’ll get back to us all a few days later.  And the commenters whose questions are chosen will all win Coffee House t-shirts and copies of the special 180th Anniversary issue of The Spectator.

Matthew Dancona

Why the Brownites would love Milburn to back Miliband

The Daily Telegraph story about David Miliband offering Number 11 to Alan Milburn rings true for a number of reasons: not least that Milburn has also been in to see Gordon Brown about a possible return to Government. At a time when Labour is desperately in need of combative talent in its front row, the absence of Mr Milburn is – as he would say – “plain daft”. Like Fraser, I admire AM and his restless energy enormously. It is a shame that he has not felt comfortable simply staying in Government or, better still, defecting to the Tories. But the Brownites will be thrilled by this story, for reasons I