All the latest analysis of the day's news and stories
As Ben Brogan has pointed out, if the GH/PH plot was not conceived with the say-so of Peter Mandelson (or at least the nod) then it won’t be going anywhere. At the same time, if Mandy tells Gordon that he must agree to the secret ballot then he will find ot very difficult to resist.
The Hoon and Hewitt attempt to force a secret ballot on Brown’s leadership is not off to the best of starts. If it is not dead on arrival it is certainly on the critical list. Even those who think Labour would be better off without Brown are unimpressed by this attempt. One texted me just
Geoff Hoon and Patricia Hewitt’s letter calling for a secret ballot on the Labour leadership has wiped out a decent performance by Gordon Brown at PMQs and will revive stories about Labour division and Brown’s unpopularity. It is a massive bonus for the Tories in what had been a disappointing week for them up to
This really is a clever little wheeze from Geoff Hoon and Patricia Hewitt. Why did no one think of a secret ballot before? People have been fixated on Cabinet delegations and rebels instead of calling Gordon Brown’s bluff on this most serious of issues – democracy. The Prime Minister whom no one has voted into
There are rumblings in Westminster that a Cabinet minister is preparing to join Hoon and Hewitt in calling for a secret ballot on Brown’s leadership. H&H are claiming, quite laughably, that this whole process could actually strengthen Brown’s position. But ministerial involvment would clarify, beyond doubt, that this is actually a rebellion designed to weaken
Courtesy of Guido: Dear Colleague, As we move towards a General Election it remains the case that the Parliamentary Labour Party is deeply divided over the question of the leadership. Many colleagues have expressed their frustration at the way in which this question is affecting our political performance. We have therefore come to the conclusion
So says Nick Robinson. More soon. UPDATE: The Standard has a copy of the letter which Hoon and Hewiit have sent out to Labour MPs. Here’s a key extract from the article: “Mr Hoon and Ms Hewitt warned: ‘There is a risk otherwise that the persistent background briefing and grumbling could continue up to and
Stay tuned for live coverage of PMQs from 1200. 1159: Should be kicking off soon. You can watch proceedings live here. 1202: And here we go. Brown starts with the usual condolences for fallen British servicemen – and adds a tribute for the late Labour MP, David Taylor. 1204: Brian Donohoe asks for an update
Patrick Wintour’s piece on Peter Mandelson in today’s Guardian is the most thorough explanation that we’ve had yet of Mandelson’s ‘Garbo-esque silence’ since the PBR. Mandelson was clearly intensely frustrated and disillusioned by the PBR, and the presentation of it, backing away from his smart cuts strategy and instead returning to the crude investment versus
The latest instalment of the Labour leadership saga is available at a newsagent near you. Writing in the Independent, John Rentoul argues that Labour must avoid the ‘Oyster Card Error’. That is, ‘the gate beeps and the sign says, “Seek Assistance”. But do they? No, they try again.’ Loyal as ever, Rentoul believes that the
It’s only been two hours, so how much can we read in to the silence from most of the Cabinet over the Hoon-Hewitt rallying cry? I didn’t think Brown was in that much trouble, until I heard Margaret Beckett come on Five Live to defend him. Is that the best his defence operation can do?
Apologies for having been a bit remiss on the blogging front recently – I’ve been busy panic-buying groceries from the local supermarkets. I saw this cold snap coming. The Daily Mail this morning says that Britain is running out of food, energy, money, etc etc and that we are all going to die. One way
Here’s the Duke being interviewed by Canadian television in 1960. It’s striking how contemporary it all sounds once the conversation moves on to politics. Fifty years on and you hear many of the same arguments… Hat-tip: Terry Teachout whose new biography of Louis Armstrong comes highly recommended.]
Apart from the odd terrorist plot and the beginning of an already very nasty election campaign, nothing much has happened in my absence! Yes I had a nice Christmas and New Year, thanks. It certainly made a change from being threatened with a libel action by an Iraqi billionaire as I was last year. And
If another 650 or so candidates did this then the new parliament could be rather interesting: An aspiring MP has gone to extreme lengths to protest against the three main political parties. Adam Osen, 50, has officially changed his name to None Of The Above and hopes to attract support from disillusioned voters as an
Ok, Coffee House has given the Tories short-shrift in recent weeks, but this is a reaction born of frustration. The election should be a walkover. At their best, the Tories have the radical policies, and to a certain extent the team, to rescue Britain from its current Labour-inflicted quandary. Yet the party remains tentative, fearful
Whether anything comes of it is a different matter altogether, but this insight from the Standard’s Joe Murphy deserves pulling out: “A senior minister is said to be close to quitting in a move to destabilise Mr Brown, the Standard has been told. There is speculation among MPs that a big beast such as Chancellor
I wouldn’t be surprised if this Gordon Brown snippet gets deployed ad nauseam between now and the next election: “[Brown] described Labour as the party of ‘prosperity not austerity'” If so, it’s worth noting that it’s a phrase that Ed Miliband used in several speeches last year (e.g. here, here and here). But, whoever its
The knicker-bomber must love this. Twice Gordon Brown has jumped on the bandwagon and bounced straight off on both occasions. Sky News reports that the UK did not pass vital information to the US, despite the claims of a Downing Street spokesman. Here’s the key section: ‘During a briefing to journalists today, the Prime Minister’s
East Surrey will be the first seat where Tory central office gets to impose a shortlist of three candidates on a local association. Peter Ainsworth, its MP, has today announced that he is stepping down and because he has waited until the New Year to make this announcement CCHQ’s emergency candidate selection rules now apply.
The party that nearly bankrupted Britain has bankrupt itself. The Times reports that, once again, Labour’s coffers are bare and that the party is technically insolvent. David Blunkett, chairman of Labour’s election development board, is unequivocal that Labour cannot withstand an interminable election campaign, which is precisely why the stinking rich Tories have opened one.
Yesterday was all Labour, Tories, Labour, Tories. So, today, enter the Lib Dems. Nick Clegg has an article in this morning’s Times which, to be fair, is actually quite noteworthy. His main point? That the Lib Dems are a party in their own right, and will not be engaging in “under-the-counter deals” with the Big
As we know, Team Dave are fans of Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein’s Nudge. The authors advocate something called “libertarian paternalism”. Steve Hilton, Cameron’s style guru, is especially enthusiastic about using insights gleaned from behavioural economics to advance “progressive Conservatism”. Here’s one example he cites in a recent strategy memo: A few years ago, the
I don’t know why the Conservatives released their NHS manifesto yesterday. Can they really want people to read it? Do they think that’s a good idea? I’m not sure it is, you know. Granted, there’s the promise of a free health pony to every sick kid in the country and plenty of nice-sounding stuff about
In the wake of the Knicker-Bomber’s attempt to blow up a Detroit-bound airliner it’s hardly a surprise that plenty of folk are calling for more rigorous profiling of muslim (or arab) passengers wanting to board aircraft. Some go so far as to suggest that all young muslim men should be strip-searched. Brother Blackburn doesn’t go
The failed terrorist attack on a North West Airlines plane last month has reignited the debate about just what can be done to improve the performance of America’s intelligence agencies. Despite spending close to $100 billion since the attacks of 9/11 nine years ago, it has become clear in the aftermath of the failed attack
During an election campaign, the press like to obsess about who won the day. Up until 3pm, the consensus was that the Tories had. The media was pointing out just how absurd it was for Labour to criticise another party for having black holes in its fiscal plans. But then came David Cameron’s marriage gaffe
Say what you like about the Cameron project, but at least they are strongly committed to marriage. Aren’t they? Well, it seems, not now. I always suspected that the wonderful strength of Cameron’s rhetoric on marriage was not really matched by his policy – a rather paltry tax break. Now, it seems not even that
The Tories today rolled out the first section of their manifesto this morning, the chapter on health. The reason the Tories started with their plans for the NHS, as they did when setting out their priorities for government last autumn, is quite simple: the leadership thinks that every time Cameron talks about health the party
The Toryies are busy rebutting Labour’s claim that there is a £34bn black hole in their tax and spending plans. The most striking thing is how strong the language Conservative sources are using is, Labour’s document was described to me as ‘a “dodgy dossier” full of lies’. It is quite remarkable that Labour has the
Today is a taste of how politics is going to be until the election: competing Labour and Tory events, claim and counter claim. Alistair Darling kicked off proceedings with an event setting out the supposed £34 billion black hole in the Tory’s plans for the public finances. This took some chutzpah considering how vague Labour’s
…here are some of the posts made at Spectator.co.uk over the New Year period. Fraser Nelson asks David Cameron not to take voters for fools, and wishes everyone a boozy New Year. James Forsyth reflects on the Detroit bomber’s radicalisation, and debates the tensions in the Cameron circle. Peter Hoskin says that the Tories are
Labour’s rapid rebuttal service will respond to the Tories’ policy blitz by questioning George Osborne’s spending pledges, of which more later. No objection can be raised against this action except that the government enlisted the Treasury to deliver very detailed costings under the Freedom of Information Act. The Times reports that the Tories are understandably
Here’s something we won’t see very often during this election year, a candidate breaking with his party to praise a policy of the other’s side. But that’s what Alex Hilton, Labour candidate for the rock solid Tory seat of Chelsea and Fulham, did today—and all credit to him for that. Hilton, a veteran Labour blogger,