Fraser Nelson is a Times columnist and a former editor of The Spectator.
I’m now back from the recess and checking up on all the news I missed – the most striking of which seems to be how the economic stars are aligning for a Tory second term. Three things jump out:- 1. The downturn has only just begun: The political soap opera is so compelling that it’s easy
There is something oddly soothing about going to sleep to the sound of gunfire in Kandahar airbase. The shots are fired by British troops, honing the night combat skills which achieved such success over the Taleban last winter. The fighting season was due to start four weeks ago, when the poppy harvest ended — but
Not so long ago, James Purnell released a speech on Microsoft Word format. This excites Tory researchers, who inevitably get hold of it, as they can interrogate the document – look for any revisions and, of course, the author. The “author” of the Purnell speech was one Phil Collins, who used to do work for
Helmand Province, Afghanistan I have adopted the Gordon Brown strategy and disappeared after a bad by-election result for Labour. My excuse is that I’m now in Afghanistan, finding out how things are in Helmand. Afghanistan is an amazing country whose people combine abject poverty with the ability to endure weather of -20c in winter to
These are bad times for Conservatives fighting the tightest marginal seats. About a year ago they were given generous resources to help them campaign, to promote their candidates and to rubbish Labour in general. Now, the cash is drying up. Unofficially, these target seats are being designated as ‘in the bag’ and the money instead
I am now in sunny Afghanistan, where we woke up to the Crewe result. This puts thing into a new perspective. It’s becoming rapidly clear that we need not worry about the many long-term plans of this government (abolish A-Levels, reform pensions, identity cards and the like). But what of the commitment to Iraq and Afghanistan once Labour
Basra, Iraq Two years ago when Des Browne came here they wouldn’t let him out of the car. Now, he can do a walkabout in downtown Basra. The liberation on March 25th, when the Iraqi army’s Charge of the Knights liberated the city from the Shi’ite militias, has transformed the situation here. When Prime Minister
Like Pete, I have picked up on hesitancy in some parts of Crewe – mainly from Tory activists who realise this is a “send Brown a message” by-election rather than a mandate for Conservatism. But a win is a win – and in Westminster, at least, Tories are expecting a mammoth victory. One Shadow Cabinet
I took part in an LBC radio debate this morning about Gordon Brown’s YouTube initiative with Nick Ferrari, radio’s equivalent to a morning Bloody Mary. A LBC reporter has sent in her own question via video phone – was Blair right to think you have no chance against David Cameron? It won’t get past the
Like Matt, I was genuinely impressed by the defrosted Gordon Brown on display at the Google conference. However – and churlish though it may be – I’d like to point out that his Einstein joke (where he swaps places with his chauffeur) is a Brownie. The genesis of this fake and oft-repeated tale is here.
I know many CoffeeHousers will take some time to forgive me for suggesting James Purnell as the best chance for Labour. But I am not alone. A rush of money on him has led Ladbrokes to make him joint second favourite to succeed Brown at 6/1. The curse of being the favourite still falls upon
The first thought that occurs on looking at Gordon Brown’s YouTube PMQs is that Rory Bremner’s impersonation is now near-perfect. It’s a parody of himself. He says he’ll be glad to take everyone’s questions “on this exciting new initiative.” All Politics 2.0, going straight to the public without the interface of journalists or MPs. And
NATO is under attack from so many forces (mainly the EU wanting a common defence policy) that it’s hard to work out what will eventually break up the alliance. But the cluster bomb conference in Dublin that starts today may be the one. No one likes cluster bombs, and we’d all like to live in
I was reviewing the papers on the Marr sofa earlier with Jane Moore, one of my favourite columnists. Next week’s abortion vote came up, and she said she is pro-choice – but was persuaded of the need to reduce the time limit from 24 weeks to 20 weeks by a letter she received from a
Oh dear. Rather than buy votes, Gordon Brown’s £2.7bn unfunded tax cut has doubled the Tory lead in Crewe & Nantwich according to an ICM poll of the constituency for the News of the World tomorrow. Tories on 45% against Labour’s 37%, suggesting a Tory majority of about 1,000 – and a 12% swing. The
Fraser Nelson says that the 38-year-old Work and Pensions Secretary is the best candidate to succeed Gordon Brown. Already surging ahead at his department, he has the gift of sounding like an ordinary human being — and he understands the Cameron Conservative party These days, it is scarcely possible to talk politics with a member
Do you give in yet? Because Gordon Brown still isn’t through. Another speech tomorrow, to the General Assembly on the Church of Scotland at The Mound in Edinburgh. Pointedly, it’s the 20th anniversary of Thatcher’s speech there – allowing Brown to contrast his mission with her wickedness. We can expect a pious regurgitation of his goals.
Could the first major league disaster of the summer be about to break? There are rumblings about problems with the computer system marking exams. It’s to do with ETS, an American company that won the contract to run English SAT exams. The BBC has the first sniff of this – a fairly innocent problem of
We have just seen Naomi Campbell coming out of No10 – her appointment was with Mrs Brown, apparently, but she bumped into Gordon while he was there. So where does that take us in the celebrity stakes? Well, Shakira, Clooney, Beckham and Kylie have all met with our Dear Leader. This quote sprang to mind: “I think
If you’ve had enough of Brown, stay away from television or radio tomorrow morning. No10 has been hawking him to every outlet from hospital radio upwards, and, if that’s not enough, a press conference is being organised. This is the Blair run-into-fire strategy, but I suspect it won’t work for Brown because the more he
