Politics

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

Thursday

16 May 2013

The Spectator’s Notes | 16 May 2013

The BBC loves nothing better than a narrative in which Tory anti-European eccentrics split their party, and a bewildered public votes Labour. It is certainly the case that some of the Tory sceptics are half-crazed by dislike of David Cameron. But the reason the subject keeps coming up is because it matters, and it remains unresolved. The Tory rebels understand this in straightforward electoral terms: the rise of Ukip threatens their seats, so they must do something about it. What is maddening is not so much Mr Cameron’s actual policy on Europe, but his patent longing to avoid the subject. His refusal to ‘bang on’ about Europe has brought about

The Spectator

Why can’t Ed Miliband accept that Labour voters want welfare reform?

David Cameron, it has been argued this week, has become detached from the views of Conservative voters on Europe. Amid the noise on the EU referendum, however, comes more evidence that it is Ed Miliband who has the greater problem of detachment from the views of his party’s supporters. While the Labour leader continues to battle on against welfare reform, a report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation reveals just how far his voters have moved away from the idea of a redistributive welfare system as a force for good. Miliband’s problem is that he seems to believe he will be facing Mrs Thatcher at the next election. His strategy is

Sebastian Payne

High Speed 2 is needed to bring Britain’s infrastructure into the 21st century

The National Audit Office has slammed High Speed 2 today, citing a £3.3 billion ‘black hole’ in the funding plans while suggesting the construction timetable is ‘over-ambitious.’ Not exactly an overwhelming vote of confidence, but does this mean the project is dead in the water? Far from it — it’s more likely to happen than even an EU referendum. The hybrid HS2 bill (to ensure the project is speedily moved along) was prominent in the Queen’s Speech for this parliamentary session. When I was travelling along the proposed route, even the most ardent fighters have conceded the line will be built. As one remarked to me: ‘all we can do now

Steerpike

Blue Label for the blue lady

Sir David Tang and friends packed out the Dorchester Hotel last night to taste Johnnie Walker Blue Label. I last tasted Blue Label in an airport departure lounge, where the expensive tipple is ubiquitous. Old Mr Steerpike has a bottle on the go, which he uses from time-to-time to top-up his favourite 50-year-old malt. The sight of a near-full bottle of that particular treat on the sideboard warms the heart on a cold night. Still, the evening was not without incident. Ben Elliot, co-founder of Quintessentially, revealed that he has been taken on to fundraise for the Thatcher legacy project. They want to build a permanent museum in her honour. I hear that cheques

James Forsyth

What does Cameron actually want back from Brussels?

If you ask what’s the problem with David Cameron’s European strategy, a cacophony of voices strike up. But it seems to me that most of their complaints are tactical when the fundamental problem is strategic: what does Cameron actually want back from Brussels? Some of those involved in preparation for the renegotiation tell me that this is the wrong question to ask, that what Cameron is seeking is a systemic change in the way the European Union works. But I’m still unclear on what their strategy for achieving this is. One insider tells me that inside Number 10 they’re ‘terrified of detail’. One can see why. Nearly all Tory MPs can

Mark Gettleson

Sandcastles, lettuce and a big train: where Ukip won and why

Anyone who watched the latest episode of Mary Queen of the High Street will have been mildly amused to see the retail diva encounter the good burghers of Margate. Urbane, fabulous and witty, with a mission tinged an air liberal imperialism, as if ‘to explore strange new worlds’. One can almost imagine her government reports: ‘It’s commercial life, Prime Minister, but not as we know it.’ Suffice to say, much as some of the animosity was no doubt hammed up for the cameras, not every inhabitant of Planet Thanet welcomed Portas with open arms. What project more symbolises the Cameroon ‘big society’ effete tofu-laden conservatism than Operation Portas? And how

Isabel Hardman

The Tory Blame Game

Who is to blame for last night’s Tory uprising on Europe? It’s more entertaining to pin the blame on everyone, rather than one person, and in this case, it’s wrong to insist that the leadership is entirely to blame for the confusing fiasco of the past week. So here are the many, many different options for pinning blame on someone for 114 Tory MPs telling the Prime Minister that they regretted his failure to introduce an EU referendum bill in the Queen’s Speech. Coffee Housers can choose their favourites. 1. Blame the leadership (Part I) David Cameron should have had a proper strategy to deal with the ongoing demands of

Charles Moore

Refusing to bang on about Europe has brought about even more banging on than before

Sebastian Payne

The View from 22 – Nigel Farage debates future of Ukip, the return of Nadine Dorries, Eurovision and a Boris for Paris

Does David Cameron have a plan for dealing with the EU? In this week’s Spectator magazine, James Forsyth reveals that No.10 has little idea of how they will actually renegotiate Britain’s relationship with Europe. Cameron’s position risks dividing the Conservative party and pushing us automatically down the road to withdrawal. On the latest View form 22 podcast, Ukip leader Nigel Farage debates the Conservative MP Kris Hopkins on whether the Tories or Ukip are the party of progress on the EU. Are Ukip a party of policy or protest? How does Farage expect to do in the European elections? And will electorate rally round the Conservatives or continue to float

Steerpike

Ian Katz is the new editor of Newsnight

Shockwaves this morning in both Fleet Street and BBC land as the news comes in the Guardian’s bridesmaid, but never the bride, Ian Katz, is finally bored of waiting for Alan Rusbridger to retire and has jumped ship to the BBC. The Guardian’s deputy editor will be announced today as the next editor of Newsnight, in an attempt to rearrange the deckchairs on the Beeb’s hallmark current events show, which is still struggling to recover from the Jimmy Savile cover up. Katz is not the first left-winger to be appointed by the corporation’s new boss Tony Hall. In recent weeks Labour’s James Purnell has been appointed to an executive role

Isabel Hardman

Nadine Dorries interview: why I want to run as a UKIP-Tory joint candidate

It’s not often you see Tory MPs celebrating anything, but on Monday a bunch of them were packed into an office high in Portcullis House to toast the rehabilitation of Nadine Dorries. Last autumn the Mid-Bedfordshire MP was suspended from the party after appearing on the reality TV show I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! For six months she has been in limbo, unable to call herself a Tory. Last week, she was allowed back into the club. We met in the House of Commons after her bustling ‘Return of the Prodigal Daughter’ reception. Her fellow Tories, she says, are pleased she’s returned. Every day, she’s accosted by

James Forsyth

The secret of David Cameron’s Europe strategy: he doesn’t have one

Shortly before the Conservative party conference last year, the head of the Fresh Start Group of Eurosceptic Conservative MPs went in to see the Prime Minister in Downing Street. The group had heard that David Cameron might make his big Europe speech at the gathering and its head, Andrea Leadsom, wanted to set out what to ask for in any renegotiation. When Leadsom returned from the meeting, her colleagues were desperate to know what the PM had said: which powers did he most want returned from the EU? What would be the centrepiece of his great diplomatic effort? All Leadsom could do was repeat what Cameron had told her: ‘I

Freddy Gray

Boris’s Paris match: an interview with Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet

It’s Monday lunchtime, downstairs in the Spectator office, and Boris Johnson is trying to flog a bus to a Frenchwoman. ‘What about the new Routemaster? It’s absolutely great, yup, fantastic, yup. Hey, they could be really good for Paris,’ he says. She smiles and says nothing. ‘Well what about bendy-buses then?’ he carries on. ‘We’ve got a few of those you can have…’ ‘Come on, please’ she interrupts, kindly but firmly, in excellent English. ‘Stop your recycling with me.’ Has Boris met his match? Her name is Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, she’s just turned 40, and she’s running to be the next mayor of Paris. Boris calls her ‘terrific’, and it’s easy to

Wednesday

15 May 2013

Isabel Hardman

130 MPs support Queen’s Speech amendment on EU referendum

So 130 MPs have backed the Baron/Bone amendment to the Queen’s Speech. There will be Labour and other parties in this group, but reasonable estimates suggest that 100 Tories went through the ‘aye’ lobbies. This isn’t a rebellion, because the whips have given backbenchers and PPSs a free vote, and to that extent things could have been worse because there were no aggressive resignation speeches. But it is the strongest expression of euroscepticism since the Coalition formed. Spinners will try to argue that as this was a ‘relaxed’ free vote, 100 Tory MPs regretting the absence of a bill in the Queen’s Speech isn’t a bad thing for the leadership.

Sebastian Payne

Would joint candidates with Ukip really work?

Westminster is on fire with speculation about Tory/Ukip joint candidates after The Spectator’s exclusive this afternoon. But would it really work? CCHQ has already rejected the idea, with a spokesman telling Coffee House: ‘It’s not party policy and it’s not going to happen.’ Currently, joint candidates can’t officially stand without the sign-off from Labour or Conservative head office. The national nominating officers from both parties would have to co-sign an application to register a joint description. Although in practice the Conservative party gives someone in each local association permission to nominate Conservative candidates, they don’t give other people permission to change the party’s registered descriptions, which this arrangement with Ukip would do.

Isabel Hardman

Cameron says he’s relaxed about tonight’s Queen’s Speech vote. But is he?

MPs are storming their way through the Queen’s Speech debate this afternoon, with a vote on that troublesome EU referendum bill amendment expected around 7pm. But for all their talk in the past few days, those in the pro-amendment camp are noticing a fading away in support. One source tells me: ‘Given all the whips’ pressure, 60 would be good.’ When I pointed out that the whips were supposed to be incredibly relaxed about the whole thing, the source gave a hollow laugh. This is odd, as Downing Street is briefing that this is a free vote and that anyone who supports it isn’t a rebel. But Sky’s Jon Craig

Lloyd Evans

PMQs sketch: ‘What a penetrating insight into the affairs of state’

A mood of giggles and mischief descended on PMQs today. David Cameron is in America – attempting to cure insomniacs by explaining Tory Euro-scepticism to them – and his role was taken by Nick Clegg. Harriet Harman, a notoriously sluggish debater, stood in for Ed Miliband. It’s said that when Harman trained as a solicitor she conceived such a high regard for the law that she went into politics instead. Today she seemed as effervescent as last week’s Prosecco. She droned through a series of pre-scripted gags and less-than-sparkling jibes. This was one of her feeblest ever performances on the front bench. She started by mocking David Cameron for posing

Sebastian Payne

Exclusive: Nigel Farage says yes to Dorries and backs joint Tory and Labour Ukip candidates

Following Isabel’s revelation that the newly-reinstated Nadine Dorries will be pursuing an electoral pact with Ukip, Nigel Farage reveals he is open not just to Dorries’ advances but also those of other Conservative and Labour MPs. Speaking on this week’s View from 22 podcast, the Ukip leader says: ‘If Nadine Dorries’ association come to me and say they’ve passed a resolution, and they want her to run as a joint candidate in 2015, I will go and ask my local association how they feel but my inclination would be, why not? What on earth is wrong with doing this? ‘I would also say this could apply to other Tories too. It

Isabel Hardman

Nadine Dorries: I want to be a joint Tory/Ukip candidate

Nadine Dorries has given an interview to The Spectator this week in which she reveals that she will be holding talks with her constituency association about a joint Tory/Ukip endorsement for the 2015 election. She tells the magazine ‘I will be having that kind of conversation with my association’, and adds: ‘There are members in my association who approached me recently who are confused. They have always been Conservative and will never change their allegiance but feel very much as though they have a huge amount of empathy with Ukip. I feel it would be a travesty if Ukip came in and took the seats off our councillors or indeed me

James Forsyth

Nick Clegg and Harriet Harman play a cautious game at PMQs

There was a rare moment of unity between the Tory awkward squad and the Whips at PMQs today. The awkward squad relished brandishing copies of a Liberal Democrat leaflet promising an In/Out referendum. CCHQ, for its part, has been keen to give this leaflet more attention. Clegg tried to dismiss it, but did he declare that a referendum on the EU is now a matter of ‘when not if’. A while back, Tory ministers used to feel rather guilty when their backbenchers took pop after pop at Clegg. But today the Tories on the front bench did not look at all displeased today when five Tory backbench questions attacked the deputy Prime