Politics

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

Friday

Fraser Nelson Fraser Nelson

Don’t shoot the critic

Tom Harris says I was “predictably cruel” to Khalid Mahmood who (perhaps deliberately) died on his feet at PMQs. How hard is it to ask a question, I said. “Well, you’ll never know the answer to that, Fraser, but believe me, it’s a lot harder than it looks, and certainly a lot harder than sitting in your office criticising the efforts of others,” replies Tom. This may surprise Harris, but I actually agree with him in that I have no doubt that I’d be a dismal MP. I don’t think many political journalists believe they could do better than the ones whom we, from time to time, lay into. Criticism

Matthew Dancona

Where it all went wrong for Brown: an uncontested rise to power

This is the fourth in our series of posts looking at where it all went wrong for Gordon Brown.  The first, second and third are here, here and here, respectively. When did it all go wrong for Gordon? Before he even began, I now think: on the evening of 16 May, 2007, to be precise. It was then that Brown finally secured the backing of 308 Labour MPs – accounts differ as to whether it was Andrew Mackinlay or Tony Wright who pushed him over the finishing line – thus ensuring that he could not be beaten in a leadership contest. Mr Brown was not to become Prime Minister until June 27, but his

Peter Hoskin

Henley result adds to Brown’s woes

After the drama of Crewe & Nantwich, yesterday’s by-election in Henley looked as though it would be a forgettable affair. After all, Boris’s old constituency is as safe a Tory seat as they come. It was absolutely no surprise when the Tory candidate, John Howell, this morning sailed home to a 10,116 majority over the Lib Dems, on a 50.5 percent turnout. But the Henley by-election will stick in the memory. Not for the vote’s winner, but for its major loser. Languishing in fifth place – with 1,066 votes – were Labour. That put them behind both the Greens (1,321 votes) and the BNP (1,243 votes). Of course, no one

Thursday

Fraser Nelson Fraser Nelson

Where it all went wrong for Brown: he’s addicted to Brownies

This is the third in our series of posts looking at where it all went wrong for Gordon Brown.  The first and second are here and here, respectively. Assessing Gordon Brown’s biggest mistake is like trying to name Elton John’s worst record. There are so many to choose from. But set aside the strategic blunders – like the bungled election – and you have what I think has proved his undoing: his reliance on dodgy statistics. We call them “Brownies” here in Coffee House – statistics produced using a variety of tactics. Sometimes exaggeration, other times simple concoction. But each of them undermines his best hope of success: portraying himself

Peter Hoskin

Davis responds – Part II

Here are David Davis’s to the last six questions put forward by CoffeeHousers.  For Part I click here. 6) Harry: “How do you square your party’s opposition to 42 days detention, and their support for the EU arrest warrant? Are the two not contradictory? Would a Conservative Government repeal/opt-out of the EU arrest warrant?” In fact, four years ago, I am quoted by the Sun as saying that the EU arrest warrant scheme creates: ‘a ludicrous concept’, whereby ‘people can be extradited without trial for an act that may not be an offence in this country.’ I have consistently resisted moves to weaken or remove British control over our criminal

Peter Hoskin

Welfare and education: the two initial priorities of a Cameron government

We’ve just uploaded the latest magazine content, and I’d recommend you check out Fraser’s article on the initial priorities of a Cameron government.  What will they be?  As Fraser puts it: “My conversations with the key players in the preparation strategy suggest unambiguously that schools reform and an overhaul of the welfare system will be the priorities — the hope being that both undertakings will have yielded palpable interim results which will help Mr Cameron secure a second term.” In other words, the Tories will push what are currently their most promising – and fully fleshed-out – policy areas.  This is no bad thing.  The ideas of Chris Grayling and

Peter Hoskin

Miliband presents his manifesto

So Brown’s decided not to mark his first anniversary as Prime Minister. But David Miliband is doing. He’s interviewed by Steve Richards in today’s Independent, under the headline ‘Miliband’s manifesto’. Cue much cursing and spluttering in No.10. To be fair, Miliband refuses to be drawn on questions of party leadership, as in this passage: “I put it to him that some of his admirers in the Labour party were disappointed he did not challenge Brown in last year’s leadership contest. Some of them wonder whether he really wants to be a leader. Could he reassure them by making it clear that at some point he has the appetite to lead?

Wednesday

Peter Hoskin

Davis responds – Part I

Here are David Davis’ answers to the first 5 questions put forward by CoffeeHousers: 1) Simon Chapman: “The Conservative Party had won the argument and the moral victory. There are still battles to be fought in Parliament. As Shadow Home Secretary, in the current polls, you had the opportunity in two years time to reverse not only 42 days but the whole erosion of liberty that you have championed. Why, then, did you decide that your resignation was a more effective strategy for your cause and to achieve your objective of civil liberty reform, than the alternative option open to you: staying in your job, leading the parliamentary battle, and

Fraser Nelson Fraser Nelson

Brown survives PMQs

I had thought it impossible to pay tribute to our servicemen in a more garbled way than Brown did last week. But Khalid Mahmood proved me wrong. He stuttered, gasped, looked at his papers. How difficult can it be to ask one question? When he sat down, I thought he’d be mortified. But he smiled broadly, and a mischievous thought struck me. Was his job to sound so breathtakingly incoherent that Gordon Brown sounds fluent? Perhaps his trick worked, because Brown came across better than we’re used to. And Cameron was not quite as good as normal, going on strikes. Brown asks what the Tory position is on reopening pay deals

Peter Hoskin

Wendy Alexander found guilty of breaking donation rules

Holyrood’s standards committee has found Wendy Alexander guilty of breaking Scottish Parliamentary rules on donations.  We’ll find out what sanctions are to be imposed against her on Thursday. P.S. And Ed Balls and Yvette Cooper are under investigation over their expenses.  Guido will make for great reading today.

Peter Hoskin

One year on, Brown’s got the opinion poll blues

James may have linked to it earlier, but this ICM poll in today’s Guardian deserves its own post. It puts the Tories on 45 points (up 4 from last month); Labour on 25 points (down 2); and the Lib Dems on 20 points (down 2). That’s another record lead for the Tories. Another record low for Labour. And, as the Guardian points out, that 5 point divide between Labour and the Lib Dems is “the narrowest gap on record”. The numbers also give Brown a personal battering. On average, his performance as Prime Minister received a mark of 3.94 out of 10. But some 23 percent of respondents gave him only

Danny Kruger

I wrote ‘hug a hoodie’ and I’m proud of it

Danny Kruger, who was David Cameron’s speechwriter, defends his most notorious piece of work for the Tory leader and says that love is a neglected crime-fighting device It happened to be the day that Boris Johnson took office as Mayor of London with a mandate to tackle youth crime. My wife and I were coming out of a house in Camden where we had been viewing a flat to rent. Standing on the steps with us, the owner of the flat suddenly saw the retreating rear of his moped, two boys aboard and half a dozen of their friends pelting along behind. Like the pair of prats we were, the

Fraser Nelson Fraser Nelson

Very discreetly, Cameron is writing his first Queen’s Speech

At 9 p.m. on the night before Tony Blair became Prime Minister, he was lying alone on his bed staring at the ceiling. He didn’t want to join his family, watching television, but was eventually dragged down for the News at Ten. ‘No,’ he said, when he heard its exit poll. ‘I accept that we’re going to win, but a landslide? It’s ridiculous.’ This anecdote, recounted in his wife’s autobiography, dramatises what those around David Cameron consider Blair’s worst mistake: a failure to prepare (in Labour’s case, for the sheer scale of victory). It is an error they are determined not to repeat. Not that Mr Cameron expects a landslide.

Tuesday

The Spectator

Intelligence Squared debate: Tax the rich (more)

Tonight Spectator.co.uk broadcasts the latest Intelligence Squared debate: “Tax the rich (more)”. Speaking for the motion are Andrew Hilton, Professor John Kay and Polly Toynbee. Opposing them will be Lord Jacobs, James Bartholomew and Kelvin MacKenzie. You can listen to it live from 18:45, by clicking here.

James Forsyth James Forsyth

Total launch

I headed off to Milbank Tower last night for the launch of Total Politics, the brainchild of Iain Dale. The magazine looks great and has interviews with Gordon Brown and Lynton Crosby as well as articles by the great Mike Smithson, Paul Linford and The Spectator’s very own Clemency Burton-Hill. It is going to be a welcome and impressive addition to the reading lists of us political geeks. One has to take one hat’s off to Iain Dale, it is no mean achievement to launch a magazine in the present climate and to do so while getting married is doubly-impressive. If you want to check out the magazine’s website, it

Peter Hoskin

Where it all went wrong for Brown: the 10p tax debacle

Here’s the first in our series of posts looking back over the mistakes made by Brown in his first year as Prime Minister.  Later in the week, you’ll be able to vote on which mistake you think is the worst. 21 March, 2007. With the words “A Budget for Britain’s families, for fairness and the future,” Brown had just finished his last Budget speech as Chancellor. Or so it seemed. But like Columbo circling around to ask “just one more thing”, he had another announcement to make: “With the other decisions I have made today we are able to hold to our pledge made at the election not to raise the basic rate of income tax. Indeed to reward

Peter Hoskin

Is Davis heading for the Speaker’s chair?

Over on his superb blog, Benedict Brogan indulges in a bit of interesting speculation: does David Davis want to be Speaker? It seems crazy – and probably is – but there could still be something in this.  After all, the smart money’s on Michael Martin stepping down soon.  Whilst Davis’s actions have both establised him as an independently-minded MP and won him support from across the House.  An ideal replacement, some might think. Besides, it’s a bid that Team Cameron could get behind.  If Davis is gunning for the Speakership, then the worry about whether he should be reinstalled on the front bench can largely be swept aside. What do CoffeeHousers think?