Is He too young?

The Beijing Olympics was a chance for China to shine. But despite the brilliance of much of the games, the hosts keep reinforcing the criticism that all isn’t what it seems. At the opening ceremony we had the 9 year old miming because the real singer wasn’t pretty enough. And now we have a gold medallist who may not be old enough to compete.

He Kexin won the top prize in the uneven bars gymnastics at the supposed age of 16. However a blogger appears to have found lists...

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The Tories have their biggest ever lead, Labour at record low

The 24 point lead the Tories have in this month’s Ipsos/Mori political monitor is their largest since the survey began after the 1979 election. The 48 percent they scored is the highest they have ever been in opposition and their best performance since January 1988 when they were at 50 percent—their highest ever score. 

By contrast, Labour’s 24 percent is its worst ever performance in the monthly survey.

For those interested in comparing how the Tories are doing compared to New Labour in opposition, in 1995 Blair’s Labour party was consistently...

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School isn’t for everyone

The GCSE results debate today will be full of the usual accusations of grade inflation from critics and celebration of better teaching by the Government. However in the Times Lord Adonis has tried to open a wider debate on education. His most eye-catching point is that pupils leaving school at 16 is unacceptable and that we need to “eliminate dropping out”. The need to encourage pupils to stay in education for as long as possible is one of Labour’s main crusades.

But why is this so important? Adonis says that criticism...

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Opposition foreign policy

Normally foreign policy is the refuge of poll-losing leaders, who have tired of the slow pace of domestic reform and launch themselves unto the international stage in the hope of a restoration.

Even if electoral rehabilitation is unlikely, the Club of Leaders is a more collegial place than the domestic political scene. Think Bill Clinton in 2000. Or the world-strutting Tony Blair.

Even Gordon Brown, whose interest in foreign affairs is clearly limited, has sought to build an international profile, in part to help him at home. He hasn't done it like Tony...

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Brown still doesn't know how to respond to the Miliband article

After David Miliband wrote his infamous Guardian article, the Brownites had two options. Either they could welcome it as important contribution to the debate and try and laugh off the idea that it was the beginning of a leadership challenge or they could go on the attack, painting Miliband as disloyal and try to force him to back down. The Brownites, though, attempted a mix of the two strategies when they are mutually exclusive.

Things have now gone too far because of both the initial briefing against Miliband in the Evening...

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