Society

Saturday

Matthew Parris Matthew Parris

Another Voice | 6 June 2009

We call it ‘antiquity’. And yet, in this imperial Roman city, it seemed like yesterday Call to mind London’s Regent Street. Suppose it straight, not curved. Suppose it about the same width but more than twice as long: a mile and a quarter. Picture it lined on each side not with shop fronts but with richly carved marble columns, more than 2,000 of them, approaching the height of Regent Street’s roof line. Top those columns with supporting massive, decorated stone lintels laid across. Picture the street paved not with tarmac but with stone slabs rutted with the grooves of a million cart and carriage wheels. Imagine it as the Champs

Pablo Ganguli

Moscow Notebook

Before boarding the flight to Moscow, it dawned on me that I might have somehow contracted swine flu from Michael Nyman. What was I to do? This is not what I had in mind when I decided to bring a taste of Britain to Russia. I felt embarrassed. But stranger things have happened in my life. The reason behind my fear was my sudden ill health and an email from Nyman saying he wasn’t feeling his best due some kind of flu — apparently contracted in Mexico. Fortunately for us both and the rest of the British delegation to Russia, my health improved dramatically by the second day in the

Sarah Standing

Standing Room | 6 June 2009

It’s always the smallest thing that tips one over the edge. It’s always the smallest thing that tips one over the edge. This week I cracked. I sat on the pavement outside King Edward VII’s hospital and shamelessly sobbed. My husband was ill with septicaemia, and I was desperate to get to him. I was panicked, worried sick and keen to get up to his room to make sure he was all right after an interminable night spent apart. I’d found a parking space — this particular grid of private medical care in the heart of London offers perhaps the last bastion of dependably available parking spaces — and hurriedly

Fraser Nelson Fraser Nelson

Politics | 6 June 2009

Little wonder that Gordon Brown is gravely concerned about the state of British democracy. Labour’s poll rating has this week hit a (new) postwar low — and that was before Thursday’s elections. As the Prime Minister waits in misery for the final results on Sunday he may be tempted to recall the satirical words of Bertolt Brecht: ‘Wouldn’t it be easier to dissolve the people and elect another in their place?’ But Brown will go one better. He intends to change Britain’s constitutional system: the rules of the game, so to speak. His plan for a National Council for Democratic Renewal deserves to be taken seriously. No matter how pitiful

The Spectator

Enough, already

The next few days will serve up plenty of reminders that this country does not have a written constitution. As the plotters decide how best to move against the Prime Minister, they will not be operating within any defined framework of rules to select a head of government. Rather, they will be muddling through. There will be much comment about the residual power of the monarch — notably, her ability to dissolve Parliament. But the Queen is wise enough to appreciate that for a modern monarch to exercise these prerogatives would be to ensure their rapid abolition. It is tempting to say that the coming turbulence shows why the United

Friday

Martin Bright

The Least Democratic Cabinet Since the War

I didn’t think Gordon Brown’s narcissistic statements of principle could get more embarrassing. The idea that he is driven by his presbyterian conscience was bad enough, but this Washingtonian nonsense about being taught by his father to always be honest is just hide-behind-the-sofa excruciating. It’s been my experience that people’s own mythology of themselves is often completely out of kilter with the way other people see them. Gordon Brown appears to have no self-knowledge at all. Richard Reeves, the director of Demos put it very well on Newsnight tonight when he said that James Purnell has simply said what he believed to be the case and that this is a refreshing change for

Fraser Nelson Fraser Nelson

Facing Brown’s spending deceptions

I was at Brown’s press conference today and decided to tackle him on the way he spun the last Budget. Off topic on a momentous day like today, I know, but it was towards the end of the conference and the old rogue may be gone within a month. I may never get another chance to tackle him directly on the way he has misled the public over the huge cuts he has planned for us post-election. It seemed all the more relevant because his theme was that he is an honest chap. “Candid”, he said. He quoted his father telling him “always be honest”. And then he claimed that

James Forsyth James Forsyth

The rebels haven’t gone away

Nick Raynsford just delivered perhaps the most articulate on-the record version of the rebels’ case that we have heard. Raynsford stressed that periods where government have huge majorities and the opposition are in chaos are not conducive to proper Parliamentary scrutiny—pointing both to Thatcher’s second term and Blair’s first two. Interestingly, a lot of the Labour people who have spoken out today are veterans. Perhaps, it is because they have less to lose. But, I think, more important is the fact that they understand the consequences of the kind of defeat that Brown is leading the party to. PS This day has been full of bizarre moments and comments but

The Spectator

Labour in crisis: round-up

Matthew d’Ancona highlights Alan Johnson’s act of self-preservation, and says that the end has come for Gordon Brown. Fraser Nelson reveals why James Purnell resigned, and gives his take on John Hutton’s resignation. James Forsyth says that the left needs to come to the aid of Labour, and claims that David Miliband has lost the invisible primary. And Peter Hoskin wonders what Miliband and Johnson are thinking, and live-blogs Gordon Brown’s press conference.

James Forsyth James Forsyth

Byers and Flint to speak out Monday

Andrew Sparrow reports that  Stephen Byers and Caroline Flint will address a Progress debate on the future of the Labour party on Monday. I somehow suspect that both of them will be saying that Brown should be part of the party’s past not its present or future.

Peter Hoskin

Caroline Flint’s resignation statement

Flint slightly undermined her position by holding out for a better position in Cabinet before resigning, but this parting statement is still pretty powerful stuff: Dear Gordon I believe the achievements of the Labour Government to date have been monumental and you have played an immense part in the creation of those achievements. However, I am extremely disappointed at your failure to have an inclusive Government. You have a two tier Government.  Your inner circle and then the remainder of Cabinet. I have the greatest respect for the women who have served as full members of Cabinet and for those who attend as and when required.  However, few are allowed

Peter Hoskin

Brown’s press conference – live blog | 5 June 2009

Brown will be speaking to the press at 1630.  Stay tuned for live coverage: 1609, JGF: There is a strong rumour doing the rounds that the Telegraph are doing another piece on Brown’s expenses. This will make life even more difficult for him. 1612, PH: Just to catch up, Ian Gibson has resigned as an MP – triggering a by-election which you imagine Labour will struggle to win. 1635, PH: Still no Brown.  You’ll can watch it here, by the way. 1639, PH: While we’re waiting, the latest news is that Tony McNulty is to step down from Government.  No great surprise given his expenses situation. 1647, PH: Brown’s on

Fraser Nelson Fraser Nelson

Andy Burnham to Health

Andy Burnham, that football-mad Liverpool lad, is to be the new boss of the non-communist world’s largest workforce: Health Secretary. He has thus fulfilled the prophesy bestowed on him when he was named The Spectator-Threadneedle’s “minister to watch” in 2006. Burnham was a former health minister (I interviewed him in Richmond House at the time) so will know the department a bit. My guess is that we will see as much inactivity from him as we did from Alan Johnson. Burnham found being Chief Secretay to the Treasury too taxing during his six month stay there, and seemed delighted to be made minister for fun when he was moved to

Peter Hoskin

Where does Balls stand now?

One of the many questions whirling around Westminster is what Brown is doing to placate Ed Balls.  So, so close to his dream job of Chancellor – but denied it because of Brown’s precarious position, and an exhilarating intervention by James Purnell – Balls is now stuck as Schools Secretary; a role in which he has hardly excelled and has found it difficult to compete against Michael Gove.  There’s nothing certain, but plenty of theories among Labour folk I’ve spoken to: that Balls is simply taking one for the team; that his wife’s move to the DWP is part of a compensation package; that Brown has promised to designate him

Fraser Nelson Fraser Nelson

Alan Sugar’s take on Gordon Brown

So what did Alan Sugar think of Gordon Brown before he was offered a (for a tsar, utterly unnecessary) peerage? My former colleague at The Scotsman, Gerri Peev, has unearthed something that CoffeeHousers may appreciate: This letter appeared in the FT on 19 March 1992, after Brown appeared to accuse City bosses of feeding off the recession: Sir, I have noted with disgust the comments of a certain Mr Gordon Brown who has accused me of doing well out of the recession after reading the letter published in The Times from 40 top industrialists. I do not know who Mr Gordon Brown is. Excuse my ignorance, but I don’t. Whoever

Alex Massie Alex Massie

Alan Sugar: the rare rat that joins a sinking ship

Could anything more confirm this government’s hapless, pointless, useless, desperate, incompetence than the appointment of Alan Sugar* as “Enterprise Czar” (whatever the hell that is)? Doubtless this is something to do with the idea of a “government of all the talents”. Sheesh. Still, why end here? Readers are invited to speculate which of these preposterous characters should be the next to join the government and which jobs they should have: Richard & Judy Gillian McKeith Ant & Dec Ainsley Harriot Noel Edmonds Carol Vorderman Paul Daniels Simon Cowell Susan Boyle *American readers will have been spared having to know who Sugar is. Suffice it to say that he’s the presenter

Peter Hoskin

Thirty pieces of silver?

Rumour on the Beeb that Caroline Flint will be made Health Secretary – the price for not following the lead of her fellow “Pugin Room plotter” Hazel Blears? UPDATE, 1459: Now Sky are saying that Andy Burnham may have the job.

James Forsyth James Forsyth

Miliband has lost the invisible primary

For the last year and a half or so, there’s been an invisible primary going on between David Miliband and James Purnell. The contest between these two friends was to be regarded as the candidate of their generation and side of the party, the one that the other would have to defer to. David Miliband started out in the box seat, he was the senior player. When there was a view that Brown should be challenged for the leadership last summer, Purnell played a behind the scenes role backing the abortive Miliband bid. But now with Purnell displaying the backbone that Miliband lacks so conspicuously, the roles have been reversed.