Tag Archives: yvette cooper

Nick Clegg’s speech on immigration: baby steps in a liberal direction

By Stephen Tall | Wed 6th August 2014 - 9:30 pm

When I read Nick Clegg’s immigration speech yesterday I breathed a sigh of relief. It’s sensible and mostly liberal.

Which means it’s a stark contrast to his March 2013 attempt: that was probably the most dire speech I’ve ever heard from a Lib Dem leader. Back then, Nick took credit for net migration having fallen by a third, even though net migration is, as Vince Cable has repeatedly pointed out, an absurd measure of success. He also came up with the unworkable proposal for security bonds (ie, upfront cash payments) for immigrants from ‘high-risk’ countries entering the UK.

Fast forward 18 months and both have been ditched.

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged featured, immigration, jack staw, jonathan portes, migration matters and nick clegg | 14 Comments

Labour reshuffle: Ed Miliband unveils Continuity Gordon Brown Party

By Stephen Tall | Thu 20th January 2011 - 8:32 pm

The Lib Dem response to Ed Balls’ appointment as Labour’s shadow chancellor, replacing Alan Johnson, has been swift. Stephen Williams, Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Treasury Committee, commented:

“I wish Alan Johnson good luck for the future.

“The decision to appoint Ed Balls as Shadow Chancellor shows that the Labour Party is now determined to carry on with the Gordon Brown economic plan that caused so much trouble for this country.

“Ed Balls isn’t just a deficit denier, he’s a deficit enthusiast.”

Alan Johnson resigned earlier today, citing “personal reasons to do with my family”. He had been under pressure in …

Posted in News | Also tagged alan johnson, douglas alexander, ed balls, ed miliband, liam byrne and tessa jowell | 36 Comments

First thoughts on Ed Miliband’s election as Labour leader

By Stephen Tall | Sat 25th September 2010 - 7:35 pm

Here are some first thoughts on what Ed Miliband’s wafer-thin election victory in the contest to lead Labour might mean…

1. He’s going to have to work hard to prove he’s his own man. There’s no doubt the right-wing press and the Conservatives will do all they can to show Ed Miliband is little more than a puppet of the unions, given he won Labour’s electoral college thanks to the votes of trade unionists, having lost the vote among party members and MPs/MEPs. The pressure will be on for him to show he can stand up to union power or risk …

Posted in News | Also tagged david miliband, ed balls, ed miliband and labour leadership contest | 56 Comments