So, now we know: it’s Heathrow. After three years, numerous representations, a ton of lobbying and much political handwringing, Sir Howard Davies’s Airports Commission has recommended building a third runway at Heathrow Airport. In his report released today (pdf here), Davies says it would create 70,000 jobs by 2050, bring in £157 billion in economic
The Greek government is making one final throw of the dice. Just hours before Greece is set to default on its €1.55 billion payment to the IMF, Athens has proposed a new two year bailout from the Eurozone, funded by the European Stability Mechanism set up in 2012. Asking for a third bailout within hours of
Liz Kendall is continuing to push herself as the ‘change everything’ candidate for the Labour leadership. During a speech at Reuters this morning, Kendall called for the party to make a big shift on fiscal responsibility if it has any hope of winning the next election — a task some think is beyond Labour in its current state: ‘If
Nicky Morgan is taking the fight against radicalisation into the classroom. On the Today programme, the Education Secretary outlined what her department is doing to support schools in tackling, what she called, this ‘very real threat’. The DfE will release new guidance for teachers today, offering ‘examples and support in how they might look for young people who are risk at radicalisation – perhaps
This podcast is sponsored by Berry Bros, The Spectator’s house red. Germany has just as much to worry about from a Grexit as Greece. On this week’s View from 22 podcast, economist Fredrik Erixon and James Forsyth discuss this week’s Spectator cover feature on the challenges Angela Merkel faces to keep her beloved European project on the road. It also presents an
Alan Milburn has told Labour something it does not want to hear: Tony Blair was as great for the party as Margaret Thatcher was for the Tories. At a breakfast with the Centre for Social Justice this morning, the former health secretary argued that Labour ‘could not have got it more wrong’ at the last
The crisis at Calais has once again raised the issue of UK border security. Some of the 3,000-odd illegal migrants residing at the port took advantage of yesterday’s ferry workers strike by attempting to board the delayed vehicles. The immigration minister James Brokenshire told the BBC this morning the situation is ‘hugely regrettable’ and the government will be
While the media has been focused on the Labour leadership contest, the Liberal Democrats are also shuffling closer to choosing their new leader. The ballot papers are being sent out tomorrow and the winner will be announced three weeks from now. The Libs have a choice between Norman Lamb, the former care minister who is
Zac Goldsmith is in the race to be the Tory candidate for Mayor of London. After announcing his intention to seek the nomination last week, Goldsmith balloted his constituents in Richmond Park for their permission: 79 per cent of those who responded said he should run, while 18 per cent said no. Although the turnout was just
Members of the legal profession who were hoping Michael Gove’s time would be consumed trying to solve the Human Rights Act puzzle will be disappointed. In a speech to the Legatum Institute this morning, the Justice Secretary confirms he will be bring the same reformist zeal to Britain’s legal system as he did to education. Gove’s main
The EU ‘out’ campaigners have two troublesome image problems to contend with: the message of ‘No’ is intrinsically negative and will scare off voters, plus they are looking to change the status quo. Business for Britain, which is expected by many in Westminster to be one of the groups forming the ‘No’ campaign, is attempting to
David Cameron has never particularly warmed to the language of compassionate conservatism. In the past, that side of the conservatism has generally been represented by Iain Duncan Smith — with help from the Centre for Social Justice, the think tank he founded. But in light of the rapidly approaching £12 billion of cuts in welfare spending,
Syed Kamall, the Conservative leader in the European Parliament, has entered the race to be the party’s Mayor of London candidate. The field now consists of Kamall, Andrew Boff, Sol Campbell, Stephen Greenhalgh, Ivan Massow and Zac Goldsmith, Kamall announced this afternoon he is ‘really excited about the prospect of doing this.’ In a statement announcing his candidacy, Kamall
Those Kippers just can’t decide whether to stay or go. Suzanne Evans, Ukip’s deputy chairman, was yesterday banned from representing the party, according to a leaked internal email. Evans upset some in the party after telling the Daily Politics that Farage can be perceived as ‘divisive figure.’ But the party has just released a statement to the contrary: ‘Suzanne
The campaigns to keep Britain ‘In’ or ‘Out’ of the EU are keen to begin their work. The Times today reveals details of a cross-party Eurosceptic group, which is expected to morph into the Brexit campaign. From the Conservatives, Owen Paterson, Steve Baker and Bernard Jenkin are part of this new group. Kate Hoey, Kelvin Hopkins and Graham Stringer represent
Yvette Cooper addressed a lobby lunch today and put on an impressive performance. In contrast to her slightly wooden performance during last night’s debate, Cooper came across as straightforward and articulate — and surprisingly funny. She joked that alongside the ten meetings to sign off the Edstone, there were seven meetings for a ‘fiscally responsible water feature.’
Nigel Farage has himself admitted that he is a ‘Marmite’ character. It’s one of the reasons given for his party’s patchy performance at the general election and it turns out it is a view others in the party share. Suzanne Evans, Ukip’s deputy chairman, made a similar point about Farage on the Daily Politics today — carefully noting that it’s Farage’s views,
The new chairs of the select committees have been announced. Before 2009, the party whips handed out the chairmanships of these committees but now they are voted in by MPs. As well as several returning chairs, there are a few interesting new appointments. Labour’s Frank Field will be an effective chair of the Work and
The one memorable moment from last night’s Labour leadership debate was Liz Kendall’s remark that ‘country should come first’, with regards to another leadership contest before 2020. It was a swipe at Andy Burnham, who had said that the ‘party should come first.’ Team Kendall is understandably pleased at the Vines and clips of this
As the situation in Greece becomes more serious by the day, is a default or Grexit on the horizon? In this week’s View from 22 podcast, Channel 4’s Paul Mason discusses this week’s Spectator leading article with Ambrose Evans-Prichard from the Daily Telegraph. Which side is being more unreasonable in this stand off, the European Central Bank or Syriza? Is anything drastic likely to