Politics

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

Thursday

Fraser Nelson Fraser Nelson

The Economist: Is Gordon Brown doomed?

The Economist sells shares in Brown tomorrow – its front cover will ask ‘Is Gordon Doomed?’ and its lead article will pretty much say that he is. “Mr Brown can scarcely complain about disloyalty, for he helped to inculcate a taste for plots and mutinies during his long march to Downing Street,” it states. Unless Brown gets a grip, “he will go down in history as the worst sort of political failure: the sort who schemes to get a job and then has no idea what to do with it.” Read the Economist leader here (pdf)

Peter Hoskin

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 aback, and mumbles, “if you take the £1.10 [a litre cost of petrol], then [fuel duty’s] a high part of it.”  Doesn’t he know the actual figure? As Fraser notes here,

Fraser Nelson Fraser Nelson

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 The Times and she specialised in taking company accounts to pieces. She had a rare gift for

Fraser Nelson Fraser Nelson

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 spending plans are sustainable ? (Gavin, 10.22am) * Now the Tories have proved they are a credible opposition and the public is listening to what you say

Peter Hoskin

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 concerned – of the party’s list of priorities: the maintenance of the United Kingdom. But this lady has

Wednesday

Alex Massie Alex Massie

Wendy’s Referendum Problem

A reader has chided me for failing to publish more political comment lately. But what more – despite the acres of newsprint devoted to the matter – has there been to say about the Obama-Clinton match-up that was not said six weeks ago? Precious little. She still can’t win; her continuing campaign makes Obama’s job in November more difficult. Meanwhile, in Scotland Wendy Alexander, the pocket-sized Scottish Labour leader, announces that she’s fed-up with Alex Salmond winning all the headlines month after month and, consequently, says she’s quite happy to have a referendum on independence after all. This, despite constant assertions that it was the last thing the country wanted

Alex Massie Alex Massie

Taxing Questions

From the Adam Smith Institute: Once again, Ireland seems to be the destination of choice for companies driven out of the UK by high taxes. Last week, reports Dominic White, WPP, Glaxo, International Power and AstraZeneca all hinted that they could follow Shire and United Business Media’s plans to switch domicile to Ireland. As the ASI point out, Ireland offers a corporation tax rate of 12.5%, compared to the UK’s 30%. Attractive indeed. But what of Scotland you ask? Well, the SNP is a hybrid party as any analysis of its taxation policy reveals: Alex Salmond looks longingly to Ireland and dreams of a low tax Scotland that will be

Alex Massie Alex Massie

Gordon’s Folly Compounds Wendy’s

Silly me for daring to presume anything competent could emerge from Downing Street these days. And, yes, it was reckless to suppose that the Prime Minister might acknowledge that the question of Labour support for a referendum should be decided by the Labour leadership in Scotland. That, of course, would be the sensible thing. But here’s how the BBC Brian Taylor describes the days developments: So where’s your referendum now? At Prime Minister’s Questions, Gordon Brown offered an entirely different interpretation of the scenario offered by Wendy Alexander. According to Mr Brown, Ms Alexander had not demanded an immediate referendum on Scottish independence. “That”, he opined in response to David

Alex Massie Alex Massie

Who Governs Scotland?

Not to harp on about this too much, but this item from Benedict Brogan’s (excellent) blog deserves a response: About 10 years ago a friend and I were discussing Scotland with Tony Blair. We asked him who was the leader of the Scottish Labour party. He looked puzzled and said “Donald Dewar?” Alastair Campbell, who was there, shot back “No, you are”. My friend reminded me of the exchange earlier today as we tried to make sense of the row over the Wendyendum. Ms Alexander leads the Labour group in the Scottish parliament, but Gordon Brown is the leader of the Labour party, and that includes Scotland. And constitutional affairs

Peter Hoskin

Is Cameron starting to tackle Brownies? 

When Fraser asked for CoffeeHousers’ questions for Cameron yesterday, a number of you asked: “Why do you let Gordon Brown get away with his Brownies?”  (For the uninitiated, Brownies are the little lies that our Prime Minister tells on a regular basis).  We’ll be putting up the Tory leader’s full responses tomorrow, but – on the Brownies front – the gist of his answer was: “Fair point.  I’ll try and put this right.” So it’s noteworthy that Cameron may, today, have started to do just that.  As Sky are reporting, he’s sent a letter to Gordon Brown asking him to explain his barefaced denial of Wendy Alexander’s call for a referendum on Scottish independence.  Here are snippets of

Fraser Nelson Fraser Nelson

The word from Scotland

Brown’s PMQs performance, claiming Wendy Alexander in Scotland does not want an independence referendum, has baffled Scottish Labour. I call my old contacts and am told a shocking, but not surprising story.  Wendy Alexander asked Brown a while ago to approve her plan to call for an early independence referendum. Like Madame Tussauds, she didn’t get a reply. He dithered and he delayed. She figured McBroon didn’t care any more (sob!) and went ahead regardless. Just like that Miliband speech a while ago, Brown only wakes up to its significance when he reads it in the papers. Then tries to stuff the genie back in the bottle today, claiming she didn’t

James Forsyth James Forsyth

Brown should embrace the fight over the Union

Labour appears split over whether or not it wants a referendum on Scottish independence, Wendy Alexander is in favour but Gordon appears to be against. But I actually think Gordon should want such a referendum as it provides him with an opportunity, albeit a risky one, to get back on track. Here’s my thinking: 1). The pro-Union forces would win: The latest poll shows that only one in four voters support independence and being associated with a winning side would be good for Brown right now. 2). It would allow Brown to show his passion: A large part of Brown’s problem at the moment is that he appears to stand

Peter Hoskin

What will Cameron tell his MPs?

As Boulton & Co. are reporting, Cameron’s marshalling his MPs for a meeting this evening – “all must attend”, apparently.  As things go, it’s hardly earth-shattering news. But it’s a nice insight into the Team Cameron approach, nonetheless.  What will be said?  Sky’s source summarises the message as “We’re in for the long haul. Mustn’t get complacent”.  With the Crewe & Nantwich by-election only a couple of weeks away, such pep-talks could pay dividends.

Fraser Nelson Fraser Nelson

Another victory for Cameron at PMQs

Another good show from Cameron and dismal one from Brown. Perhaps I’m growing too sensitised to this, but his half-truths and (in this case) outright lies really jump out at me. Cameron seemed to mock him dismissively – perhaps worse than attacking him. Here are my highlights. Cameron started with “Bendy Wendy” and her well-documented support for a referendum on Scottish independence. “That is not what she has said,” said Brown. Cameron at least had the quote handy – though he missed out the crucial “it’s time for him to put up or shut up”. Cameron quoted her saying “’I don’t fear the verdict of the Scottish People. Bring it

Fraser Nelson Fraser Nelson

Should the Tories throw Brown a lifeline at PMQs?

Tories should today hope that David Cameron gets panned in Prime Minister’s Questions. Hope that Brown scores a resounding success, and leaves with the applause of all Labour MPs ringing in his ears. The longer he clings to No10, the larger the next Tory majority will be. He is the single greatest weapon Cameron has.  Tories may delight in today’s Populus poll, but now that Brown-bashing has become a national sport do they want anyone else at the Despatch Box at noon on a Wednesday? Now is the time to throw Brown the lifeline he needs. To bomb. To lose Crewe. I have said before that I can’t see a

Peter Hoskin

Give Brown another kicking

A few people have mentioned this in various comment sections, but I thought I’d give it its own post.  Madame Tussauds are holding a vote on whether they should make a Gordon Brown waxwork.  Go and have your say.  It’s democracy in action. 

Peter Hoskin

Wendy Alexander adds to Brown’s woes

You can trust Wendy Alexander to make things more difficult for the Government.  The Labour MSP, and close ally of Brown, has called for a snap referendum on whether Scotland should break away from the Union – she might even table her own Bill to that end.  Thing is, none of this has been rubber-stamped by Downing Street. Of course, the issue of the Union has been gaining speed over the past few months.  But Alexander’s words have brought it to Brown’s gate far quicker than he’d have wanted.  The media (and the Scottish public?) will now be eager for a response from the Prime Minister.  With his political capital

Frank Field

Abolishing the 10p tax rate shattered the contract on which New Labour was based

Why is the abolition of the 10p rate of tax unlike any other rebellion of backbench Labour MPs? The answer lies in the mood of Labour backbenchers following decades of modernising the party, a process that began under Neil Kinnock but only became a root and branch operation under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. Repeated Labour defeats in the 1950s were accompanied by the burst of outriders demanding a revision of an exclusively economic definition of socialism. This plea ought to have fallen on fertile ground. There has always been a sizeable proportion of activists who believe that socialism could not be achieved without first changing the kind of people

Matthew Lynn

Emperor Soros’s new clothes

Matthew Lynn says hedge-fund pioneer and currency speculator George Soros is still a brilliant player of markets — but as a philosopher, frankly, he’s incomprehensible If nothing else, three decades as one of the world’s most successful speculators has taught George Soros how to pitch a book. While the main title of his latest work, The New Paradigm for Financial Markets, might not be the kind of thing to get Waterstone’s managers clearing their shelves, its subtitle — The Credit Crisis of 2008 and What It Means — makes it bang up to date. Even better, Soros rushed it out as a digital download within days of the final words