Robbery 2
‘Will this be a cash robbery or a card robbery, sir?’
The Spectator
Thursday
Why Ed Miliband should stop paying his union dues
Ed Miliband’s relationship with Len McCluskey was defined in a brief camera shot at the Labour party conference in 2010. After praising trade unions, Miliband added that he would have no patience with ‘waves of irresponsible strikes’. Several rows back, McCluskey, who three days earlier had helped Ed defeat his brother David in the leadership
Letters: MPs’ salaries, Ruby the Heartstealer, and how to avoid washing up
Tax breaks for families Sir: Hugo Rifkind is wrong to imply (6 July) that the current income tax system is indifferent to family structure, and thus the Conservative party’s attempt to give tax breaks to married couples is ‘a blatant attempt at social engineering’. Is it not social engineering when the current system demands more tax
Barometer | 11 July 2013
Family games Andy Murray said that as a child he lived in the shadow of his elder brother Jamie, who was then thought the better tennis player. Some other sporting brothers: — As a teenager Wayne Lineker was thought to be more talented than his elder brother Gary. While Gary went on to captain England,
Portrait of the week | 11 July 2013
Home There was a fine game of hunt-the-issue over the process to find a replacement, as parliamentary candidate in Falkirk, for the Labour MP Eric Joyce (who had decided not to stand again after being convicted of assaulting a Labour whip in the Strangers’ Bar). The union Unite was accused by Ed Miliband, the leader
Tuesday
Ed Miliband’s speech on reforming Labour’s relationship with trade unions: full text
Let me start by saying how pleased I am to be here at the St Bride’s Foundation. Only a few hundred yards from where the Labour Party was founded over a century ago. And especially to be here with so many community organisers and Labour Party members from right across the country. I am here
Friday
The best books section in the world
Many guests at the Spectator’s summer party on Wednesday night expressed their admiration for the magazine’s books section, which is edited by Mark Amory and Clare Asquith. Consistently strong, they said. What a cracking section, said an excited Australian gentleman. It’s a tremendous honour to have such support, and we’re grateful to all our readers.
Sir Ian Kennedy’s speech on MPs’ pay
The Chair of IPSA, Sir Ian Kennedy, gave a speech at the IPPR this morning on MPs’ pay. Here’s what he said: There’s never a good time to do anything about MPs’ pay. The pressing issues of the moment always make it a bad time. This is the sad history of attempts to introduce changes
Thursday
Passport
‘Think back. Where else might you have put your passport?’
Fracking
‘Fracking? What on earth is fracking?
Charlie
Laywers
‘Agree to Mr Saatchi’s terms or you’ll get to keep the Tracey Emins.’
Water Cooler
‘Water cooler moment ... water cooler moment...’
Bleet
‘Someone’s sent me a bleet.’
Tunnel Of Luvvie
Gchq
‘This is the first time I’ve been out with anyone from GCHQ.’
Twitter 4
‘Yes, he can talk but it’s mostly just a stream of banal drivel.’
Dog Buscuits
Blimy
‘Blimey! Another pub has disappeared.’