Politics Archives

Thursday

27 Sep 2007

The UN is not a moral authority

I never understand why people hold the UN up as some great moral arbiter. Far from being some vehicle for the world’s collective good intentions, it is a classic balance of power institution whose main aim is to avoid a conflict between the great powers—and damn the consequences for the little people. Just look at how it is set up so that nothing can happen without the unanimous consent of the five permanent members of the Security Council. While this might have been a necessary evil during the Cold War, given that any direct confrontation between the super powers could have turned nuclear very quickly, it is far less defensible today. The

Fraser Nelson

What else Brown takes from America

I loved the Fink’s tracing of passages in Brown’s speech back to those of American politicians. But why stop at rhetoric? Brown’s policies are burgled from America too. He used to go to America for ideas in the way that Colleen McLaughlin goes there for clothes. Tax credits were a Clinton device. Sure Start nursery centres are a (failed) copy of Head Start. Even New Labour as a title apes the New Democrats. He bills his international aid package as a Marshall Plan. His Youth Volunteering is explicitly modelled on Americorps. The only thing which isn’t American is his tax burden.

James Forsyth

Labour gets ready to go, but cabinet remains divided on timing

The chances of an autumn poll just increased with the news that Labour is hiring key election staff. Now, this doesn’t mean Gordon is definitely going but it does show that he wants to keep the option open. Oddly enough, I think this is quite good news for David Cameron: if he has a good conference and there isn’t an election, he’ll be able to claim credit for frightening Brown off. Interestingly enough, cabinet ministers are now openly weighing in on whether Gordon should go to the country this year or not. Hazel Blears is, unsurprisingly, in favour and full of enthusiasm: “When’s the election? Who knows? But I say

Matthew Dancona

Boris wins Tory mayoral primary

It was the Spec wot won it….well, not quite. But I like to think that our ferocious, implacable support for Boris played a small part in persuading London voters to choose him as their Tory mayoral candidate by an overwhelming margin (75 per cent of the 20,019 votes). Then again, what else were they going to do? My venerated predecessor as Editor is a giant of a politician, and his selection as the Conservative contender was – with the greatest respect to his rivals – never much in doubt. Here, at last, is a candidate who not only has the charisma and the policies to take on Ken and win.

Wednesday

26 Sep 2007

Alex Massie

Brown does a Biden

Danny Finkelstein notices what I should have noticed. Curses. Anyway, the Hand of Shrum was all over the Great Clunking Fist’s speech to the Labour party conference: How could I have missed this? The heavy influence of Bob Shrum on Gordon Brown’s speech. How could I have missed it? First of all there are plenty of phrases pretty directly lifted from speeches made by Shrum clients, many of which he admits he wrote. Here are just a few, there may well be many more: Al Gore 2000 nomination acceptance speech: I know my own imperfections. I know that sometimes people say I’m too serious, that I talk too much substance

James Forsyth

A vintage split

Nick Robinson has a great post up on the generation gap opening up among the cabinet about whether or not to go to the polls now. As Robinson points out, the young bucks want to go this year, increase the Labour majority and dish the Tories for good. Indeed, if the Labour majority did rise to three figures—as the current polls predict it would, the Tory party would turn in on itself with such force that it would take a generation to recover. If you’re a Miliband, Balls, Alexander or Purnell the prospect of spending the prime of your political life without any serious external opponents must seem worth the risk that

Fraser Nelson

What Osborne meant

My interview with George Osborne in tomorrow’s Spectator has caused much interest, particularly his contrasting of himself with the “uber modernisers”. This phrase has travelled so fast that a Cabinet member I just met for coffee in Bournemouth had already heard it. “A split story right before conference,” he grinned. “Just what they need. Osborne doesn’t just acknowledge a faction, but christens one”. Not quite fair. It was hardly a coded attack on Cameron, whom he heaped praise on. George was just stating the obvious, making it refreshingly clear where he personally stands in a party which is openly in the middle of a policy debate. Such candour isn’t heard

Fraser Nelson

What is the gamble for Brown?

Much discussion over what Ed Balls meant when he said that the “gamble” was to delay the election, not hold it now. What could he mean? The only interpretation being given is that he thinks his chances of winning will increase from the 11% lead of today. But I’d like to offer another one. Can you see Brown in November 2011 on a podium at a conference pledging to lead Britain until 2015 or 2016? Nor can I. I suspect that this master strategist knows this, and knows he has only one election in him. He’ll have seen from Blair what happens when that election is won. One’s authority collapses.

Matthew Dancona

Balls’s independent thinking

The news that Ed Balls is to scrap the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and replace it with an independent body prompts two thoughts. First, Mr Balls is showing real promise as the man in charge of the nation’s schools, and will be kept on his toes by his splendid Tory Shadow, Michael Gove. This is an excellent measure, and one that might just save the debauched currency of public examinations from slipping into Weimar oblivion. Mr Balls was the co-author with Gordon Brown of the decision to hand control of interest rates to the Bank of England: he understands that trust follows when politicians step aside. Second, the proposal illustrates

Tuesday

25 Sep 2007

Alex Massie

Gordon Brown’s Best of British

Earlier this year I wrote a piece for TNR’s website suggesting that Gordon Brown’s Scottishness might become a problem for him. Well, with Labour riding high in the polls and talk of an autumn election running rife you might think that this was overblown nonsense. Maybe so. But don’t take my word for it, have a gander at the speech Brown gave to the Labour party conference yesterday. For all the talk of change and renewal and driving the country forward, by far and away the most notable element of Brown’s speech was the way he wrapped himself in the Union Flag. He mentioned “Britain”, “British” or “the British people”

James Forsyth

Can Brown resist an 11 point lead?

A new YouGov poll puts Labour 11 points ahead and further increases the pressure on Gordon Brown to call an election in the next few days. There’s little doubt that these numbers will strike fear into the hearts of Conservatives. The consolation for them is that this is about as bad as it gets. The survey was taken just after Brown had spoken at conference; the moment one would expect to be the high-water mark of Labour support. There are even some encouraging numbers in there for the Tories. Only 29 percent believe that it would be in Britain’s best interests to hold an election this year—suggesting that there might

Fraser Nelson

On to Blackpool

When I zipped through security, I knew something was up. The conference here is almost dead. The normal buzz of a Tuesday has vanished, even if Brown’s up for a soft focus Q&A with Mariella Frostrup tomorrow few are hanging around to see it. Alan Johnson’s NHS speech was underwhelming. David Miliband’s speech was full of Blair-style verbless sentences, which made me feel rather nostalgic. But has divided the audience between those who found it odd, and those who saw in him the next leader. But 11 point Labour lead in YouGov’s poll has moved the gossip at the conference on to one topic – what will Cameron do now?

Fraser Nelson

What they’re talking about in the bars of Bournemouth

Here’s a recap of the gossip around the bars last night.. 1. Early election: Perhaps Brown started this hare running to wrong-foot the Tories, then came to take it seriously himself. Now the hype is so big, that perhaps Brown can’t stop it and will look cowardly if he doesn’t go now. He’s leaning towards a later election. 2. Bible: Plenty jokes about witch trials, Bible branding and Wicker Man style politics. “It made me feel like I was back in the Western Isles” says one fellow Scot down here. But obviously its part of the Brown brand. Hardly a day goes by without him reminding us that his

Fraser Nelson

Why British jobs for British workers won’t work

As I type, a frustrated cleaner has just come in my room in Bournemouth. To my amazement, she’s English. We get talking about Brown’s “British jobs for British workers” mantra, and it dawns on me that she’s a living example of why it won’t work. She says she’s one of only three Brits in the hotel’s huge housekeeping staff. She’s doing an NVQ in housekeeping, enjoys her work but is still considering going on to benefits as she’s struggling to make ends meet. She lives in a council estate, few of her neighbours work and think it’s strange that she does given she’s no better off than them. But she

James Forsyth

The struggle takes many forms

Jon Cruddas’s latest conferences diary gives a great feeling for the Labour mood after yesterday’s speech. As Jon puts it, ‘Last night the Conference really kicked off.’ Do read it, if only to find out why Jon fears he is turning into Hazel Blears.

The Spectator

How does Brown plan to deliver on his promises?

There is a consensus in the papers this morning that for all the politiical skill of Gordon Brown’s speech, it puts us no closer to knowing how Brown plans to achieve his ambitious aims. As Peter Riddell says in The Times, “we are no nearer to understanding how a Brown Britain would work in five or ten years’ time.” In The Guardian, Jonathan Freedland reports that, “One unreconciled Blairite listening to it all shook his head in despair, branding the speech as “dire”. Everyone wants a personalised NHS, he bellowed. “How’s he going to do it? “This central question – how?” – remained unanswered.”

Monday

24 Sep 2007

Alex Massie

Nude Polish Women Party

Let’s hear it for the Polish Women’s Party: “We are beautiful, nude, proud. We are true and sincere, body and soul. This is not pornography, there is nothing to see in terms of sex, our faces are intelligent, concerned, proud. We do not have our mouths open nor our eyes closed… All that interests us is the future, the position of women in society. We will open the archives of the former secret communist agents, we will make known their corrupt affairs,” says party president Manuela Gretkowska. Indeed. [Hat-tip: Guido Fawkes]

James Forsyth

Not the front pages Gordon would have wanted

Despite all the courting of small ‘c’ conservatives in the speech, Gordon Brown doesn’t get the front page coverage he would have wanted in two key papers. The Sun’s front pages blares, ‘Not his finest hour’ and takes him to task for not promising a referendum on the EU Constitution/Treaty: The Sun was clearly serious when it promised to keep up the pressure until polling day. While the Daily Mail’s front page is dominated by a story about the McCanns.

The Spectator

Conference Update

We’ve just posted the latest instalment of Jon Cruddas’s conference diary which includes details of a classic encounter with Peter Mandelson and an explanation of what Gordon Brown is trying to appeal to. We also have a sketch from Lloyd Evans on Gordon Brown’s performance which absolutely skewers the Labour leader.

The Spectator

Brown’s national party

Talk here is turning to Brown’s decision not to blast the Tories in his speech. This fits with the idea of him transcending party division, and of course wooing Tory voters. The new business cards they’re handing out here say “New Labour for Britain” the last two words in far larger type. And this is the new hype: Labour is trying to mutate into a British national party (so to speak) quietly picking up the flags, rhetoric and other nationalistic paraphernalia junked by the Cameroon Tories.