listen to ‘George Osborne’s Autumn Statement’ on Audioboo Mr Speaker, Britain’s economic plan is working. But the job is not done. We need to secure the economy for the long term. And the biggest risk to that comes from those who would abandon the plan. We seek a responsible recovery. One where we don’t squander
Throughout the day, we’ll be posting audio highlights from the 2013 Autumn statement — including speeches from George Osborne and Ed Balls. George Osborne’s statement to the House of Commons: listen to ‘George Osborne’s Autumn Statement’ on Audioboo
The winner of the first ever Michael Heath award for cartooning is Len Hawkins. One of his drawings appears below. He receives an original drawing by Michael Heath, a bottle of Spectator gin, a year-long contract with The Spectator and a pair of handmade shoes from John Lobb, who kindly sponsored the competition.
‘So you’re worried that you aint nothin’ but a hounddog, and you keep crying all the time…’
‘As a society we don’t allow them to be adults any more’
‘So you’re worried that you aint nothin’ but a hounddog, and you keep crying all the time…’
‘I do not want to appear judgmental...’
‘Retired hurt — by some very unkind comments.’
‘Welcome to the neighbourhood. I hear you work for the government.’
‘Stealing from the rich is all very well, Little John, but the bankers, the energy companies, the water companies… I just can’t keep up!’
‘Find out who was responsible for appointing me, and fire them.’
‘It’s the ideal rail-commuter read.’
'Yes all right, sir, you’re Charles Stuart, Prince of Wales, hiding from Cromwell’s Roundheads — now if you don’t mind, we just want to rescue this lady’s cat.’
‘I see you’re one of those modern wishy-washy moderates.’
‘That’ll be David Cameron’s husky sledge.’
Scandal at the Co-op Sir: Martin Vander Weyer makes a good point. The Revd Paul Flowers may be a flawed individual, but he is not responsible for Co-op Bank’s woes (Any Other Business, 23 November). His appointment might be symptomatic of a complacency about ‘good’ and ‘bad’ banking that suited certain politicians, but surely now
Third-class thinking A report by the Institute of Economic Affairs recommended standing-room-only third-class carriages as an alternative to longer trains and platforms. What was third-class rail travel originally like? — Until the 1844 Railway Act third-class travel generally meant an open carriage with holes drilled in the floor to let the rainwater out. The Act