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Tag Archives: david cameron

I would have sacked Vince Cable for standing up to Murdoch – what Ed Miliband said 16 months ago

By Stephen Tall | Tue 24th April 2012 - 3:53 pm

Jeremy Hunt is in hot water today following the revelations at the Leveson Inquiry of the closeness of his relationship with the Murdochs during their attempted takeover of BSkyB.

The culture secretary was handed quasi-judicial responsibility for handling the deal after Lib Dem business secretary Vince Cable was snared by the Telegraph declaring war on the Murdoch empire before it became fashionable.

According to the Guardian, the Labour party ‘is likely to demand an urgent Commons statement from Hunt to set out the nature of …

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Posted in News | Also tagged bskyb, ed miliband, featured, jeremy hunt, news international and vince cable | 47 Comments

Politicians’ fathers and spouses – fair game?

By Paul Walter | Mon 23rd April 2012 - 1:23 pm

There’s always a debate as to the extent that politicians’ family should be fair game for media coverage. There seems to be a general consensus that their children should be off-limits. Mind you, that didn’t stop Caroline Spelman’s 17-year-old son being pitched into the national limelight recently. (However, in that case there appear to be justifiable reasons for coverage).

Over the last week, we have seen a number of stories concerning UK politicians’ fathers and wives (or, more correctly, wife).

The …

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Posted in News | Also tagged caroline spelman, george osborne, miriam gonzalez durantez and nick clegg | 18 Comments

Psst! Whatever you do, don’t tell the Tories democratic reform is in their own best interests

By Stephen Tall | Mon 23rd April 2012 - 10:45 am

A few weeks ago I wrote an article for Conservative Home offering some unsolicited advice to David Cameron’s party. I argued that a party that had achieved electoral success in the 1980s by appealing to the classless entrepreneurialism of aspirant ‘Middle England’ had once again become established in the electorate’s eyes as the party of established wealth and privilege. If the Tories want to regain the voters they have lost, they need to take drastic action to counter that view.

Reform of the House of Lords was one policy area I said the Tories should seek to make their …

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Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged alternative vote, benjamin disraeli, conservative home, electoral reform, featured and house of lords | 9 Comments

The past month shows this Government urgently needs a Coalition 2.0 Agreement

By Stephen Tall | Sun 22nd April 2012 - 2:10 pm

We’re fast approaching the two-year mark of this first post-war Coalition Government, and I think it’s fair to say the strains are starting to show. It is inevitable there will be tensions when two parties — with different traditions, values, expectations — come together to try and govern a country at a time of economic torpor.

Until now, a lid has more or less been kept on the inter-party warfare, not least thanks to the determinedly tight-knit fastness of the dual leadership of Messrs Clegg and Cameron. But that lid is now starting to shake as the pressure builds within and between both parties.

Coalition: making friends of enemies, and enemies of friends

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Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged coalition agreement, featured and nick clegg | 30 Comments

PMQs: It’s déjà vu all over again

By Paul Walter | Fri 20th April 2012 - 12:05 pm

Andrew Selous MP (Conservative) got up at Prime Minister’s Questions this week and said this:

What does he think about Ken Livingstone, who said that: “I get loads of money, all from different sources, and I give it to an accountant and they manage it”? Is that modern socialism for you?

A superb question. But one could be forgiven for being reminded of Yogi Berra’s remark:

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Posted in PMQs | Also tagged andrew cunningham, andrew selous, budget 2012, ed miliband, ian murray, naomi long and stephen gilbert | 2 Comments

The wheels are coming off the online monitoring bandwagon (UPDATED)

By Mark Pack | Tue 3rd April 2012 - 8:58 pm

Item one: A letter tomorrow in The Guardian from 15 Liberal Democrat MPs setting out their opposition to illiberal monitoring plans.

Item two: More Conservative MPs joining with David Davis in speaking out against widespread online monitoring, such as Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Item three: The Times reporting, Cameron forced to retreat on snooping powers .

Item four: a subtle, but significant, choice of words by Nick Clegg in a media interview this lunchtime presaging a major change of course from the story given to the Sunday Times at the weekend. Clegg signalled (as does The Times report) that the Queen’s Speech will not include a Bill …

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Posted in News | Also tagged david davis, featured, interception modernisation programme, jacob rees-mogg, nick clegg and theresa may | 19 Comments

Politics in pictures: How Cameron, Clegg & Miliband led from the front this week

By Stephen Tall | Sat 31st March 2012 - 6:40 pm

It’s been a tumultuous week in the political world. So let’s have a look at how the three main party leaders led from the front in statesmanlike fashion…

David Cameron played badminton in a suit…

Ed Miliband bought sausage rolls in Greggs…

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Posted in News | Also tagged barack obama, ed miliband and nick clegg | 6 Comments

LDV Caption Competition: Cameron & Miliband “We’re in this together” Funding Scandal Special Edition

By Stephen Tall | Sun 25th March 2012 - 5:45 pm

For once, there IS a prize at stake. Better than that, there are TWO prizes. The best two entries of this week’s caption competition will each win a copy of former Labour MP Chris Mullin’s diaries, A View from the Foothills. The hit book has now been adapted for the theatre as A Walk On Part: The Fall of New Labour. So make some extra witty noise for this week’s competition…

Here’s David Cameron and Ed Miliband sharing a special moment together earlier this week. What do you think might be being said or thought by or about them?

And don’t worry, unlike the Tories or Labour we don’t require any fee for you to take part.

And the winner of our last caption comp is…

Some fantastic entries for our most recent caption competition, The Obama & Cameron ‘Special Relationship’ Edition.

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Posted in Caption Comp | Also tagged ed miliband | 28 Comments

Another big money political scandal: can Lib Dems force Tories & Labour to take it seriously this time?

By Stephen Tall | Sun 25th March 2012 - 11:53 am

Let’s remember the words of David Cameron two years ago:

… there is another big issue that we can no longer ignore. It is the next big scandal waiting to happen. It’s an issue that crosses party lines and has tainted our politics for too long, an issue that exposes the far-too-cosy relationship between politics, government, business and money. I’m talking about lobbying – and we all know how it works. The lunches, the hospitality, the quiet word in your ear, the ex-ministers and ex-advisors for hire, helping big business find the right way to get its way. In this party, we believe in competition, not cronyism. We believe in market economics, not crony capitalism. So we must be the party that sorts all this out.

Now let’s fast-forward to the words of the Tories’ leading fundraiser (until last night):

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Posted in News | Also tagged christopher kelly, nick clegg, party funding and peter cruddas | 20 Comments

LDV Caption Competition: The Obama & Cameron ‘Special Relationship’ Edition

By Stephen Tall | Sun 18th March 2012 - 5:15 pm

There’s no prize at stake – just the opportunity to prove you’re wittier than any other LDV reader…

Here’s the popular leader of a leading nation whose economy is on the road to recovery on a Boy’s Night Out with David Cameron. What do you think might be being said or thought by or about them?

And the winner of our last caption comp is…

Some fantastic entries for our most recent caption competition, David Cameron & Alex Salmond “Who’ll take the Highland?” Edition.

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Posted in Caption Comp | Also tagged barack obama | 13 Comments

Revealed: What Lib Dem members think of Ed Miliband and David Cameron

By Stephen Tall | Tue 13th March 2012 - 7:55 am

Lib Dem Voice has polled our members-only forum to discover what Lib Dem members think of various political issues, the Coalition, and the performance of key party figures. Over 500 party members responded, and we’re publishing the full results.

Miliband rating slips back again, to -84%, among Lib Dem members

LDV asked: Do you think Ed Miliband is doing well or badly as leader of the Labour party?

Total well = 7%

Total badly = 91%

…

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Posted in LDV Members poll | Also tagged ed miliband | 15 Comments

LDV Caption Competition: David Cameron & Alex Salmond “Who’ll take the Highland?” Edition

By Stephen Tall | Sat 3rd March 2012 - 4:45 pm

There’s no prize at stake – just the opportunity to prove you’re wittier than any other LDV reader…

Here’s Prime Minister David Cameron and Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond meeting recently to discuss the fate of the Untied Kingdom. What do you think might be being said or thought by or about them?

And the winner of our last caption comp is…

Some fantastic entries for our most recent caption competition, Steve Webb & IDS “Supermarket (Chimney-) Sweep” Edition.

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Posted in Caption Comp | Also tagged alex salmond | 21 Comments

Why Conservatives should back Lords reform

By Nick T | Thu 1st March 2012 - 7:56 am

There’s a certain irony to the fact that it seems to regularly escape the memory of Conservatives that they failed to win the general election in 2010. Despite Tory MPs having to negotiate on a daily basis with a rival political party just to keep their leader in Number 10, no substantive discussion seems to happen among Conservatives about why, in such conducive conditions, they failed to win a majority.

One reason for that is perhaps that would involve some rather uncomfortable truths.

It’s a fairly uncontroversial statement to say that more Britons share the fundamental beliefs of the Conservative party than …

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Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged featured and lords reform | 8 Comments

Warning to Lords: if you play silly buggers with Lords reform, you’ll lose your say

By Mark Pack | Mon 27th February 2012 - 9:50 am

The last few days has seen seep into the media an idea that has been doing the rounds of pro-Lords reformers in government for a little while.

It is an answer to the question of how the Coalition Government could get Lords reform through the Lords itself without the legislation being bogged down in filibustering and disruptive tactics designed to wreck other legislation. For all the childish temper tantrum tinge to the views of some peers (mainly Conservative) – ‘if you dare take away my place in the Lords, I’ll scream and I’ll scream and I’ll wreck all your bills’ – it is a serious threat. Because, after all, unelected peers don’t have to worry about making themselves look ridiculous, out of touch or petulant in the eyes of the electorate as they’re currently blessed with a seat in Parliament for life, regardless of what the public thinks.

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Posted in News | Also tagged constitutional reform, house of lords and lords reform | 12 Comments

PMQs: Tragedy, comedy and the Continuing Saga of the Family Bone

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 23rd February 2012 - 4:28 pm

I’m not used to learning anything from the weekly pantomime that is Prime Minister’s Questions. Sadly, though yesterday’s session brought me the news of the death of Marie Colvin, the veteran Sunday Times reporter whose often heartbreaking reports from war zones I’ve been reading most of my adult life. Both David Cameron and Ed Miliband paid tribute to her work, the latter calling her brave, tireless and an inspiration to women in her profession. More tragedy followed as Sajid Javid, the MP for Bromsgrove, asked the PM to join in with sympathy for those killed and injured in the bus crash …

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Posted in News and Parliament | Also tagged alex hilton, ed miliband, julian huppert, marie colvin, mike crockart, nick clegg, peter bone and PMQs | 4 Comments

What David Cameron used to say about bankers and bonuses

By Mark Pack | Thu 23rd February 2012 - 6:50 am

As ever, it’s three things to remember:

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Posted in News | Also tagged banking | Leave a comment

The original text of today’s speech from David Cameron

By Mark Pack | Thu 16th February 2012 - 1:54 pm

Due to an unfortunate computer virus prank, David Cameron was forced to give a speech today using the wrong text. The virus had swapped the words “United Kingdom” for “Scotland” and “Europe” for “United Kingdom” along with a couple of other small edits to muddy the waters. Here is the original text of the speech he meant to give.

I am convinced that for both the United Kingdom, and Europe, our best days lie ahead of us.

And that even though it may be a great historical construct, Europe is actually even more of an inspiring model for the future.

Think of the …

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Posted in Europe / International and Humour | Also tagged featured | 15 Comments

Revealed: What Lib Dem members think of Ed Miliband and David Cameron

By Stephen Tall | Thu 16th February 2012 - 11:28 am

Lib Dem Voice has polled our members-only forum to discover what Lib Dem members think of various political issues, the Coalition, and the performance of key party figures. Some 570 party members responded, and we’re publishing the full results.

Miliband slumps to -83% among Lib Dem members

LDV asked: Do you think Ed Miliband is doing well or badly as leader of the Labour party?

Total well = 7%

Total badly = 90%

Well, I …

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Posted in LDV Members poll | Also tagged ed miliband | 7 Comments

LDV Caption Competition: Clegg, Cam & Lansley “You can hear the white coats flapping” Edition

By Stephen Tall | Sat 11th February 2012 - 3:50 pm

There’s no prize at stake – just the opportunity to prove you’re wittier than any other LDV reader…

Here’s David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Andrew Lansley rolling up their sleeves over the NHS reforms — what do you think might be being said or thought by or about them?

And the winner of our last caption comp is…

Some fantastic entries for our most recent caption competition, Ed Davey “I’ve got Energy” Edition.

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Posted in Caption Comp | Also tagged andrew lansley, NHS and nick clegg | 29 Comments

What Lib Dem members think about Europe, Cameron’s ‘veto’, and the Eurozone

By Stephen Tall | Sat 11th February 2012 - 7:55 am

Lib Dem Voice has polled our members-only forum to discover what Lib Dem members think of various political issues, the Coalition, and the performance of key party figures. Some 570 party members responded, and we’re publishing the full results.

Party members split over the future of Europe

LDV asked: Which of the following options would be your ideal future for the UK and the European Union?

…

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Posted in Europe / International and LDV Members poll | Also tagged european union and nick clegg | 11 Comments

Opinion: Calm Down, Dears!

By Zadok Day | Tue 7th February 2012 - 4:57 pm

It’s a great shame that so many Liberal Democrats have reacted to the political downfall of Chris Huhne by bashing his successor. Ed Davey is an immensely capable minister and will do a wonderful job in his new position. Sadly, some have chosen this news to complain because a woman wasn’t promoted instead of a man. Gender balance is an issue that seems to divide opinion a great deal in the online world, for some reason, despite being hardly as controversial in the real world, where the principle is generally accepted that talent should be rewarded rather than the accident …

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Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged chris huhne, edward davey and gender | 47 Comments

Cam’s Euro U-turn – this is what happens when you fail to negotiate

By Stephen Tall | Sat 28th January 2012 - 5:50 pm

Much wailing and gnashing of teeth today on the right as evidence emerges that David Cameron is backsliding on his ‘veto’ preventing the European Union from enforcing fiscal integration among the Eurozone countries. Here’s how The Guardian reports it:

Ahead of Monday’s summit of EU leaders, which is due to finalise “political agreement” on the fiscal compact treaty, the government signalled that it would not challenge a role for the European commission and, more sensitively, would also allow resort to the European court of justice (ECJ) in Luxembourg to enforce new debt ceilings and fines for fiscal miscreants in

…

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Posted in Europe / International and News | Also tagged nick clegg | 9 Comments

PMQs: The importance of Doncaster, almost to the exclusion of everything else

By Paul Walter | Thu 26th January 2012 - 12:56 pm

At Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday, David Cameron and Ed Miliband first clashed on the subject of economic growth (or, indeed, contraction). That entanglement was, more or less, a score draw. But Ed Miliband was much stronger during a later exchange on the NHS reform bill, culminating with this belter:

I shall tell the Prime Minister what is happening in the NHS: waiting lists up, morale down. What does the majority-Conservative Select Committee on Health say about his reorganisation? It says that it will be a “disruption and distraction that hinders the ability of organisations to” release savings.

Let us be frank: this

…

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Posted in PMQs | Also tagged economy, ed miliband, eleanor laing, malcolm bruce, NHS and sir robert smith | 3 Comments

Opinion: If Cameron won’t attend Rio+20 then Clegg should

By Adam Corlett | Fri 20th January 2012 - 8:48 am

The Rio ‘Earth’ Summit in 1992 was the “world’s biggest ever political gathering” with 108 heads of state or government. Its successes and failures on the environment and development continue to shape those debates.

In June, Rio de Janeiro will host the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, a.k.a. Rio+20. A very early draft document suggests it will cover a wide range of topics, including access to food, water and energy; marine litter and pollution; eliminating “market distorting and environmentally harmful subsidies including those on fossil fuels, agriculture and fisheries” (I’ll believe it when I see …

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Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged climate change, environment, nick clegg, Rio+20 summit and united nations | 4 Comments

PMQs: Miliband hoist by his Balls’ petard

By Paul Walter | Thu 19th January 2012 - 8:24 am

Let’s start with what Ed Balls, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor said in the Guardian on January 14th:

My starting point is, I am afraid, we are going to have keep all these cuts. There is a big squeeze happening on budgets across the piece. The squeeze on defence spending, for instance, is £15bn by 2015. We are going to have to start from that being the baseline. At this stage, we can make no commitments to reverse any of that, on spending or on tax. So I am being absolutely clear about that.

So, it was something of a surprise when Ed …

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Posted in PMQs | Also tagged andrew george, david hamilton, economy, ed balls, ed miliband, tessa munt and unemployment | 15 Comments

Vested interests on Cameron’s doorstep

By Sean Davey | Wed 18th January 2012 - 8:55 am

Private Eye has welcomed a newcomer to its Rotten Boroughs column in its past 26 issues: Cotswold District Council.

Here in the idyllic Cotswold constituency, neighbouring David Cameron’s Witney, there has been massive fraud, resulting, so far, in the prosecution and sentencing of former Cotswold Water Park Society CEO Dennis Grant, who embezzled £700,000 of the charity’s funds. Now an independent, external police force has been brought in by the County Council to investigate further allegations.

One of the key campaigners leading the way in exposing these dealings is Liberal Democrat Councillor Esmond Jenkins. Elected to represent the Water Park ward …

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Posted in Local government and News | Also tagged cllr esmond jenkins, cotswold district council and cotswold water park | Leave a comment

Andrew George writes… A veil of initiatives

By Andrew George | Mon 16th January 2012 - 9:53 am

The Iron Lady cast a steely shadow over the Westminster village last week.

Memories of Baroness Thatcher’s reign of heavy metal terror still strike fear in those who inhabited the place in the days when she would mercilessly handbag anyone who dared to cross her path.

Last week, of course, her major Hollywood biopic was released. Fearing unfavourable comparisons, the PM appears to have gone into manic overdrive; launching an overlapping series of popular-sounding and eye-catching initiatives.

Having spotted that City fat cats are still awarding themselves performance-related perks, which bear no relation to their performance, the PM has become quite cross. …

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Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged andrew george, margaret thatcher and NHS | 6 Comments

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