Gordon Brown is to “set out his plans to build 100,000 houses in five eco-towns”. That’ll keep him busy. But it’s the Sunday Times splash and has wrong-footed the Tories who say this initiative was first announced last May. And that’s what I like about Brown. He has so far proved himself a bulwark against climate change alarmism. He’s fighting hype with hype, bangs the drum but does very little. As a numbers man, I suspect he appreciates – as Lord Lamont said in a superb Centre for Policy Studies lecture – that “We must not throttle the engine our economic prosperity for something which may yet prove illusory.” The lecture’s well worth reading, if you have time.
Conservativehome is now running Michael Howard’s superb skewering of Alastair Campbell on Newsnight last Thursday. Why didn’t he do more of that as leader? Patience Wheatcroft applauds, and suspects there’s more spin to come.
Britain’s best politics newsletters
You get two free articles each week when you sign up to The Spectator’s emails.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in