Monthly Archives: December 2010

I’ve recovered from the Wintry Flu, and have spent Christmas Midnight Massing*, running a slow post-flu 10k, and eating.. I hope you’ve all had equally enjoyable yuletides. So I just wanted to say a big Merry Christmas to everyone who … Continued

Jonathon Powell says in “The New Machiavelli” is that politicians are not allowed to be ill. Thankfully, the same rule does not apply to bloggers, and I am currently making the most of a slight head cold/mild flu. So I’ve … Continued

Bob Ainsworth is in the news, I see calling for the decriminalisation of drugs. Good for him. Isay this, not because I agree with him (I don’t), but because this intelligent intervention in the debate is exactly what you would … Continued

So, my friends. Iain Dale has stopped blogging. He joins Tom Harris and Will Straw in being “top ten” political bloggers who have quit in the last few months. In addition, Alex Smith of LabourList has headed off to do … Continued

You shouldn’t build a case on one set of data. There are other bits of good news in the economy (manufacturing growth is strong, exports look good). These are true, and important things. There may also be other explanations. It’s … Continued

I am delighted that Polly Toynbee is enamoured with the leader of the Labour party, and I join her entirely in holding him in such high esteem.  I am equally pleased she wishes to be supportive of his efforts to … Continued

“But what I can tell you is any cabinet minister if I win the election, if we win the election, who comes to me and says, “Here are my plans” and they involve frontline reductions, they’ll be sent straight back … Continued

The title comes from notes from a post I have not yet written, as does the following graph. Do we have thoughts on either?

Post-war. It is perhaps the most casually used phrase in modern politics. Whether it is “the greatest post -war prime minister” or  ”the biggest change in our welfare system since the war”, most of us, without really thinking about it, place the birth of modern British … Continued

Chatter about an extended coalition is real. Labour should take it seriously, or face a decade in opposition. In the middle of tumult about tuition, why does Ben Brogan produce an article about an extended coalition? Mr Brogan is an … Continued