-
Recent Posts
Recent Comments
- Matthew on The battle for Britain’s political centre
- Oranjepan on The battle for Britain’s political centre
- Matthew on Is victim culture to blame for post combat stress disorder?
- Dave Morris on Is victim culture to blame for post combat stress disorder?
- Matthew on Time to think of England
Categories
Archives
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
Social Networks
Subscribe
WikioTop Blogs
Tag Archives: UK politics
Time to think of England
This week it was St George’s Day, a time when we in England reflect on what it is to be English – a few of us do anyway, especially when St George himself was so un-English. There was also a … Continue reading
Posted in Politics UK
Tagged AV referendum, British constitution, English Assembly, Scotland, Scottish independence, UK politics
19 Comments
The NHS: how the accountants are hiding dubious policies
The NHS is quite high up the news agenda these days. From the media there seem to be two big issues: culture and privatisation. The mainly right-wing press say that much of the NHS lacks a caring culture and this … Continue reading
Posted in Politics UK, Public Services
Tagged health policy, health service journal, NHS, NHS reform, UK politics
Leave a comment
Lib Dems hope for a turning point
The Lib Dem conference at Brighton last weekend was a low key affair. There was enough space in the Metropole hotel to hold the whole thing, including the very limited fringe. All this is in contrast to the last spring … Continue reading
Posted in Politics UK
Tagged chris huhne, Conservatives, David Cameron, Eastleigh, Ed Balls, Labour, Lib Dems, Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg, Paddy Ashdown, UK politics
Leave a comment
The public’s foul politcal mood: symptom or disease?
Is depression an illness? It can be. Many people suffer depression that is so severe that it overwhelms them. They need help and we categorise it as mental illness: a condition with a life of its own, where medical intervention … Continue reading
Posted in Economics & Finance, Politics UK
Tagged Eastleigh, Paddy Ashdown, UK economic policy, UK politics
Leave a comment
Britain’s ungovernable Conservatives
I can remember when Britain’s Conservative Party was thought to be the country’s natural party of government. This feeling reached a peak after John Major’s shock win in 1992, when the party looked all but unelectable. The journalist Will Hutton … Continue reading
Posted in Politics UK
Tagged Conservatives, David Cameron, Ed Miliband, Labour, UK politics
Leave a comment
That speech: just a ripple on the surface of British politics?
Last week I commented on David Cameron’s speech on Britain and the EU, where he promised an in-out referendum, following a “renegotiation” if the Conservatives win the next General Election in 2015. For some days after I though this was … Continue reading
Posted in Politics UK, World
Tagged Conservatives, David Cameron, Ed Miliband, EU, EU referendum, Labour, UK politics
Leave a comment
The curious case of Heathrow’s third runway
Why did senior Tory MP Tim Yeo make such a conspicuous bid to support Heathrow’s third runway? The idea is ruled out in the Coalition Agreement, and it is politically impossible for the government to take forward. Such a bid can only … Continue reading
Posted in Politics UK
Tagged Conservatives, David Cameron, Heathrow, Lib Dems, Liberal Democrats, UK politics
Leave a comment
Lords reform: the real loser is David Cameron’s project
Today Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Democrats, announced that Britain’s Coalition government would end its attempt to make the country’s upper house, The House of Lords, mostly elected. It is a bitter blow for Lib Dems, … Continue reading
Posted in Politics UK
Tagged AV referendum, Conservatives, David Cameron, Labour, Lib Dems, Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg, UK politics
2 Comments
Betty Boothroyd makes the case for Lords reform
This morning’s Radio 4 coverage of the oncoming debate on Lords reform made little attempt at balance. They gave prominent coverage to opponent Betty Boothroyd. A supporter may have been given airtime while I wasn’t listening – but if so … Continue reading
Translating that IMF report into English: the blindness of macroeconomists
Yesterday the IMF released one of its regular reviews (“Article IV consultations”) on the UK economy. Both government and opposition seized on it to reinforce their narratives. But for observers trying to make sense of these claims by reading what … Continue reading