Has Brown broken the New Labour pact?

Frank Field’s piece in the magazine is one of the most interesting analyses of New Labour and its character I have read: Frank’s point is that the Blair Project was not primarily presentational but contractual. The architects of New Labour – Gordon Brown prime among them – agreed to hold true to certain core values in return for the party’s compliance over a radical programme of internal modernisation. The abolition of the 10p tax rate, he continues, violates this contract and marks out a gulf of “clear red water” between Government and...

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The charm offensive continues

Oh dear. Another unnerving TV-appearance from Gordon Brown today – this time on ‘This Morning’ with Fern Britton (you can watch it here). As Britton says, it’s “an opportunity for [Brown] to be a human being”…

The ITV morning chat-show may not be known for rigorous political interviewing, but Britton is surprisingly tenacious. When Brown’s talking about “political instability in the Middle East” being behind rising fuel prices, she interjects: “Yes, but how much tax do you put on the fuel?” Brown’s taken...

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Boris' new recruits

The latest hire for Boris is Patience Wheatcroft, former Sunday Telegraph editor. She will lead a “forensic audit panel” into exactly what Mayor Ken got up to. The rest of the board are good people: Stephen Greenhalgh, leader of low-taxing Hammersmith Council, who will have a fair idea of where bodies are buried, and ditto Edward Lister, Leader of Wandsworth Council.

It may sound daft having a journalist lead this, but Wheatcroft’s appointment makes more sense than first meets the eye. I used to work for her when she was Business Editor at...

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Cameron answers your questions

As mentioned the other day, I recently interviewed David Cameron for the lastest issue of the Spectator.  We've just uploaded that article onto the website - you can read it here.  But he also answered your questions, and at some length.  I grouped together many which were on the same theme. To business:-
 
So, why Follow Gordon Brown’s spending plans?
 
* Last Thursday showed that the country doesn't believe Brown. Why does he together with George Osborne still believe that Brown's...

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Referendum-gate: the fallout

So, Wendy Alexander's standing firm in the face of calls for her to quit. Not good, says Alan Cochrane in today's Telegraph. His article is among the angriest you'll read all year - a perfect kickstart to the day. Here are some highlights:

"Wendy Alexander has landed Labour and Gordon Brown into one of the biggest political messes this observer has ever witnessed in 30 years of political reporting. And over a subject that should be at the very top - indeed is, at least as far as the Prime Minister is

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