Tory Health An eminent consultant, once Tony Blair’s adviser on health reforms, has joined the Tory health team as an adviser to be if they come to power. I have three observations. The first is the doctors should have nothing to do with sorting out the problems in the health service, because they are the […]
Economic Recovery The result for economic growth for the final quarter of 2009 has been eased up from 0.1 to 0.3. This is better than expected. It is, nevertheless, not good. Economists and commentators expect recovery to be slow and bumpy and quite a long road. I am sure they are right. Unfortunately, as this blog loses […]
Torture In modern civilised culture torture has no place. Neither does wrapping oneself in explosives as a fast track to heaven, killing and maiming innocent civilians in the process, including women and children. To discover who is plotting and planning, intelligence services step over the line. To gain recognition or some other political ambition frustrated […]
Brown and Blair According to the Guardian further tit bits from that book are to tell of a blazing row between Blair and Brown with the F word flying over Blair’s refusal to stand down early in 2006. This led to the failed coup attempt later in the year. Apparently Brown accused Blair of ruining […]
Bank Bonuses This morning state ownwd RBS announced a handsome muti- billion pound loss, yet plans to pay £1.5 billion in bonusses to people it ‘cannot afford to lose.’ This ammounts to commercial blackmail. The government, which is boss on our behalf, should say no. This is an outstanding opportunity for Cameron and Osborne to […]
Forces of Hell Alistair Darling recalls how everyone, both in government and in opposition, briefed against him after he warned the country that we were entering the worst recession in modern times. I thought he had a bit of a twinkle in his eye when he recalled the experience in a T.V interview, but in […]
President Karzai Reports are coming in to the effect that President Karzai has ‘issued a decree’ giving himself the power to appoint all the members of the election watchdog which will monitor the integrity of the coming elections in Afghanistan. This does not sound good. It is very bad for the credibility of this government […]
Bank Shares Tory activists must be getting anxious. At the beginning it all made sense. Cut the size of government, re-energise local government, cut spending, regulation and quangos, increase personal responsibility and authority. Set the financial house in order and set the people free. Miles ahead in the polls, Labour might even be knocked into […]
Statecraft This is a good moment to consider the nature of the appropriate foreign policy of the new government, when it finally arrives. If we get a hung parliament it may be a government of many different colours. The key issue now is not the war on terror or Afghanistan, nor is it the Palestinians […]
Gordon Brown This blog affirms once more its independence of political parties, whilst commenting in robust terms on political issues. The latest excitement revolves round allegations in a new book that Gordon is a bully, to which is added the mysterious claim from an anti-bullying charity which is itself not without controversy and apparently endorsed […]