Politics Archives

Friday

3 Jun 2016

How the papers reacted: Project Fear on trial as PM ‘savaged’ in first EU referendum showdown

David Cameron might have emerged virtually unscathed from his first major EU referendum showdown last night. But the focus in much of the press coverage today is not on the Prime Minister. Instead, the anger and hostility of those in the audience leads most of the round-ups in the morning papers of how Cameron got on in the Sky debate. His ‘scaremongering’ was repeatedly mocked. He was also laughed at over his ‘WW3’ Brexit suggestion by those watching. This was ‘Project Fear’ on trial. So what did the papers make of it all? The Prime Minister’s failure to put a date on when he would meet his promise to reduce

Thursday

2 Jun 2016

Charles Moore

The Spectator’s Notes | 2 June 2016

‘No one can seriously deny that European integration brought an end to Franco-German conflict and has settled the German question for good,’ wrote Niall Ferguson in the latest Sunday Times. I hesitate when confronted by such an assertion by such a learned professor. But I think I would seriously deny it, or at least seriously question it. Surely what brought an end to Franco-German conflict was the utter defeat of Nazi Germany. European integration was a symptom of that end, not its cause. As for settling the German question, isn’t it too early to say? The eurozone is the first large non-German area to have been dominated by Germany since

The Spectator

Letters | 2 June 2016

Cameron’s bluster Sir: Peter Oborne is surely right that lying and cheating are now commonplace in the heart of government (‘The new dodgy dossiers’, 28 May). If David Cameron truly believed that exit from the EU would mean economic meltdown, a third world war and always winter but never Christmas, his decision to hold a referendum would be the most irresponsible act of statesmanship since Chamberlain signed the Munich agreement. But he doesn’t believe it. Something else entirely is bringing out his inner Pinocchio. Having promised a referendum at a time when a Tory majority in the Commons seemed unlikely, the personal political risk to Cameron must have seemed remote.

James Forsyth

Cameron keeps calm under immigration fire in first EU referendum show

In a feisty interview with Faisal Islam, David Cameron defended his pledge to cut immigration to the tens of thousands but wouldn’t put a date on when he would achieve it. Cameron argued that when the Eurozone economy recovered, he might be able to meet it. Now, this isn’t realistic. The problems with the Eurozone economy are structural and it is impossible to see how net migration could be reduced to the tens of thousands inside the EU; not that getting it down to the tens of thousands outside the EU would be easy—or even desirable. After the interview, came a series of questions from the audience. Cameron kept his

Henry Williams

History teaches us the Chancellor’s Doomsday warning over Brexit is nothing to be scared of

George Osborne’s doomsday warning over Brexit has an odd historical echo to it. Take James Rothschild’s letter to his brother in 1831, just months before the Great Reform Act was passed the following year. He warned about how ‘the infamous liberal spirit’ could affect markets. ‘Let us get down to the nitty gritty,’ he said. ‘We fell some 30 per cent (in Paris) and I hope To God this will not be repeated this time in England.’ It turns out that historically international financiers have not been the hugest fans of popular revolts. The parallels with the stark predictions regarding Brexit from the Treasury, the OECD, and bankers willing to

Camilla Swift

No, we don’t need to be in the EU to tackle environmental issues

David Cameron has been banging the anti-Brexit drum again, this time making the environmental case for staying in Europe. He has joined forces with the RSPB and the World Wildlife Fund, who have both stated that they would urge voters to stay in the EU, arguing that being in the Union has had a positive impact on the British environment; safeguarding rivers and woodlands, and forcing us to clean up our beaches. Today the Prime Minister visited Rainham Marshes, an RSPB nature reserve in Essex, and in a video from his visit he argues that since environmental issues cross national boundaries, we should work together – by staying in the EU –

Tom Goodenough

Angela Merkel wades into the Brexit debate. But what made her decide to speak out?

Angela Merkel has waded into the Brexit debate. Her stance won’t surprise anyone – she hopes that Britain stays put. But what’s interesting about her intervention is that it comes after it seemed she was reluctant to speak out, for fear of helping the leave cause. The Sunday Times reported earlier this month that Downing Street believed such an expression of her views on Brexit would be counterproductive. Admittedly, when she made her comments today, she clarified that they were her personal view. They also appeared to be, to say it mildly, lukewarm. Here’s what she said: ‘Obviously, it is up to the citizens of the UK themselves how they

Steerpike

Corbynistas heckle Laura Kuenssberg at Labour press conference

Given that Jeremy Corbyn described the BBC as ‘obsessed with trying to damage the Labour leadership’ in yesterday’s VICE News documentary, it’s little surprise that his supporters hold a low opinion of the Beeb. Today at Corbyn’s EU press conference, his fanbase let their feelings known when BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg tried to ask a question. When her her name was announced, supporters hissed at her, before she asked a question: ‘For Labour voters, what do you think is more important? Defending workers’ rights or immigration and the impact on communities in this country?’ While Corbyn went on to tell his supporters not to do so, it was a

Fraser Nelson

The Spectator podcast: David Cameron’s purge of the posh

To subscribe to The Spectator’s weekly podcast, for free, visit the iTunes store or click here for our RSS feed. Alternatively, you can follow us on SoundCloud. Naming the best columnist in Britain is like naming you’re the best Beatles song: it varies, depending on what kind of mood you’re in. But who would deny that Matthew Parris is in the top three? The quality of his writing is, itself, enough to put him into the premier league but that’s just part of the art. What sets Matthew apart is his sheer range, and his originality. You never know what he’ll be writing about, whether you’ll agree with him, or

Steerpike

Angela Eagle on the Westminster patriarchy: ‘they manoeuvre like mad and they trade favours’

When Jeremy Corbyn conducted his first Shadow Cabinet reshuffle, the Labour leader was criticised for appointing John McDonnell as Shadow Chancellor over Angela Eagle. Given that this meant the three ‘top jobs’ went to men, Corbyn faced cries of sexism. Now in a talk on the patriarchy at the How The Light Gets In festival in Hay-on-Wye, Eagle has shed some light on why it is men are often picked for the top jobs overs members of the fairer sex. Eagle claims that men operate in a different manner to women and ‘manoeuvre like mad’: ‘Men organise in peer groups. I won’t say gangs, because that would be wrong. Maybe tribes. They manoeuvre

Steerpike

Coffee Shots: Jeremy Corbyn loses a fan

Jeremy Corbyn has proved to be a divisive figure since his election as Labour leader. While the party has gained members, they have also lost the support of several high profile figures. Meanwhile many Labour staffers have been suitably rattled by Seumas Milne’s claim — in the VICE News Corbyn documentary — that staff are leaking PMQs intel to the Tories. So, Mr S is sorry to report that Corbyn has just lost another fan. The fan in question was left outside the Leader’s Office last week with the sign ‘rubbish’ taped to it: Given that Corbyn could do with all the support he can get right now, Mr S suspects he should think twice before

James Delingpole

Learning the secrets of happiness from Britain’s most foul-mouthed angler

To go fishing on the Itchen in mayfly season, you either have to be very, very rich or very, very lucky. That’s why I’m so grateful to have a friend in Mike Daunt, arguably Britain’s best-connected angler, certainly the most foul-mouthed, who invited me up for the day on to a particularly juicy beat of this idyllic Hampshire river to try to catch my first trout ever with a dry fly. I’ll cut to the chase: I got one. About two and a half pounds, I’d say; a handsome brown. I still don’t know quite how I got it — it took in the middle of the stream, where I

Camilla Swift

If only they could vote…

[audioplayer src=”http://feeds.soundcloud.com/stream/266976520-the-spectator-podcast-the-purge-of-the-posh.mp3″ title=”Camilla Swift and Green MEP Keith Taylor discuss an animal lover’s case for Brexit” startat=1084] Listen [/audioplayer] We British have always had a strange relationship with animals. We spend £5 billion a year on our pets and it is often said that we love our dogs more than our children (perfectly understandable, in my book). It makes sense, then, that we have some of the world’s highest animal welfare standards. Our European neighbours don’t always have quite the same attitude. If we could ask our four-legged friends how they’d vote in the EU referendum, I’m pretty sure they’d woof, miaow or moo for ‘out’. Take the Maltese, for

James Forsyth

The right question at the wrong time

Complaining about the EU referendum campaign has become an integral part of the referendum; even Delia Smith has got in on the act. But politicians on both sides who pretend that the choice is simple, despite having agonised over it themselves for years, are only partly to blame for the dire state of the debate. The bigger problem is that the referendum is taking place at the wrong time. It was meant to take place once the eurozone had decided how to address its own problems. The British public could then decide whether they wanted to remain in or leave the European Union armed with this knowledge. But the question

Ysenda Maxtone Graham

Blue plaque blues

Blue plaque spotting is one of the mind-broadening pleasures of British life. A walk to the dentist can be transformed into a serendipitous encounter with a forgotten genius from the past. ‘Luke Howard, 1772–1864, Namer of Clouds, lived and died here,’ says the blue plaque on 7 Bruce Grove, Tottenham. Even if you’ve never heard of Luke Howard, you instantly take a liking to him — and never again will you hear the word ‘cumulonimbus’ without thinking of him. ‘Lived here’ is the key: you’re passing the very house where the person woke up for breakfast each day, and the intimacy of that is what makes the encounter so much

Martin Vander Weyer

Hollande equals Thatcher? Not quite, Monsieur le President, but keep trying

Have you ever tried discussing the merits of gun control with a Texan, or of deregulated labour markets with a Frenchman and his Belgian cousin? The prejudices involved are much the same. Many Americans believe that guns in the home and the pick-up truck are their best protection against violent attack, and that the 13,286 US gunshot deaths last year would have hit an even higher number if gun ownership was more restricted. Likewise, French trade unionists believe a 35-hour working week combined with laws restricting any company that is a going concern from making redundancies are the best protection of their economic wellbeing, rather than a root cause of

Wednesday

1 Jun 2016

James Forsyth

Why the opinion polls still matter

This EU referendum is a particularly difficult contest to poll and after the general election we all should be wary of treating them as gospel. But there’s no getting away from the fact that the mood in Westminster—and on the two campaigns—is heavily influenced by the polls. The recent good numbers for Leave have put a string in its step. They have also ensured that Vote Leave’s focus on immigration in the last few days isn’t seen as the last roll of the dice but as an attempt to focus on one of its strongest areas. Interestingly, influential figures on the Remain side privately accept that the referendum appears to

Steerpike

Jeremy Corbyn wades in on Labour’s war with the BBC – ‘they are obsessed with trying to damage the leadership’

When Seumas Milne wrote a letter of complaint to the BBC after Stephen Doughtly resigned from the shadow Cabinet live on Daily Politics, many in the Labour party thought it showed a lack of judgment on the part of Corbyn’s spin doctor. However, a new VICE News documentary on the Corbyn leadership — titled Jeremy Corbyn: The Outsider — suggests that Milne is really just echoing the views of his boss when it comes to his stance on the Beeb Discussing the local election results, the interviewer puts to Corbyn that not all is rosy when it comes to his leadership. However, Corbyn hits back — suggesting that they are simply watching too much

Tom Goodenough

How the TUC is doing Labour’s job for them in getting the EU vote out

Labour voters will prove crucial in determining the outcome of the EU referendum, which makes the party’s near silence on the issue all the more surprising. Whilst the Labour leadership maintain their reticence, however, the TUC has stepped in with a report out today. In it, the TUC warns that Brexit would cut pay by an average of £38 a week by 2030. Brexit will also send Britain into a ‘steep decline’, Frances O’Grady, the TUC’s General Secretary says. Given that the maths behind this hasn’t been published yet, it’s difficult to know how the figures were compiled. It’s also probably good to be sceptical of such an exact calculation

Alexandra Jones

The Government must do more to ensure the ‘Northern Powerhouse’ becomes a lasting legacy

The recent Queen’s speech, along with the growing divisions in the Conservative Party over the EU referendum, have focused attention on how this Government will be remembered after David Cameron steps down in 2019. Many mentioned prison reform, improving university standards and tackling extremism, as signs of the Prime Minister’s determination to establish his legacy as a social reformer, guided by the compassionate conservatism which characterised his earliest pronouncements as Tory leader. Less remarked upon, however, was the renewed commitment in the speech to building the Northern Powerhouse, and empowering cities in the North to fulfil their economic potential – another key way in which the Government hopes to leave