Blog Profile / Analysing British Politics
| URL : | http://britpolanalysis.blogspot.com/ | |
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| Filed Under: | Politics / UK Politics | |
| Posts on Regator: | 158 | |
| Posts / Week: | 1 | |
| Archived Since: | May 7, 2010 | |
Blog Post Archive
Visiting No 10
I have been to No 11 Downing Street before, but today I was invited to a lunchtime reception promoting the referendums for city mayors in my capacity as chair of the Warwick Commission on Elected Mayors.Michael Heseltine introduced the...Show More Summary
'Granny tax' may be bad politics
Media coverage of the Budget this morning is focussing on the so-called 'Granny Tax' with some criticism coming from the right-wing press. It may well be good policy but bad politcs.There isn't really a logical justfication for special allowances for the retired, particularly when tax threshholds are being increased. Show More Summary
Political posters
Some classic political posters here: Posters The Conservative ones seem to be more effective, even if they are misleading. Remember 'Labour Isn't Working'? 'Life's Better Under the Conservatives' captured the mood of an era, even if the country was facing serious problems of economic competitiveness.
Christmas cheer in the polls for Dave
After a long period in which the polls have been in a 'holding pattern', they have delivered a Christmas present for Dave Cameron in terms of a jump in the ratings: Polls As the experts at Nottingham University point out, this is undoubtedly related to the exercise of the European 'veto' and probably involves an erosion of UKIP support. Show More Summary
Do English cities want elected mayors?
Next May voters in eleven English cities will be asked if they want elected mayors - which already exist in fourteen locations ranging from the rather special case of London to smaller towns such as Bedford and Mansfield.The WarwickShow More Summary
Church militant?
Leamington Parish ChurchNot for the first time the Church of England has made a fool of itself over handling the demonstration outside St.Paul's. The Church's response has been weak and inconsistent, revealing once again internal divisions. Show More Summary
Not a game changer
Valencia: Reuters rang me up yesterday evening to ask for comment on Liam Fox's resignation. My view was and is that it is not a game changer for the Coalition Government.It is clearly an embarrassing episode, but Dave has handled it as well as he could in the circumstances. Show More Summary
President Dave offers leadership
Leadership was a central theme of David Cameron's speech to the Conservative Party conference this afternoon: leadership provided by him in difficult times. Apparently even the podium looked presidential.It's a reasonable enough strategy...Show More Summary
Ed's conference speech
I have to say that I am a bit underwhelmed. It often seemed that he was addressing the conference hall rather than the country. The speech went down well in Liverpool, especially the barbs against the Tories and Nick Clegg. But for me it didn't deliver a coherent strategy for government. Show More Summary
Labour's search for credibility
What Labour really needs out of its conference is the development of a view among voters that it is a credible alternative government. Of course, the first obstacle there is Ed Miliband. Voters do not see him as a credible prime minister in waiting. Show More Summary
Black hole in public finances
Ministers have been sounding a gloomy tone recently and it's not just because of the eurozone crisis. Work by the Financial Times using the Office for Budget Responsibility model suggests that the structural deficit is £12bn higher than...Show More Summary
How to canvass
A classic film from 1950 made for the Conservatives: Canvassing
Economists disagree shock
This should come as no great surprise, indeed it could apply to any group of experts. However, I was interested to see that my colleague Mark Harrison was one of the signatories of the letter from 20 economists in the Financial Times yesterday arguing that the 50 per cent tax rate was damaging to the economy. Show More Summary
Do prime ministers and chancellors always fall out?
In article in the Evening Standard yesterday reviewing Alastair Darling's memoirs the distinguished political commentator Anthony Seldon argued, 'Britain has specialised in bad relationships between prime ministers and chancellors.'Show More Summary
Arundells and Edward Heath
Yesterday I visited Arundells, the home in Salisbury's Cathedral Close of Edward Heath. Coincidentally, I have just finished reading Dominic Sandbrook's history of the Heath Governnment, State of Emergency.Thoroughly researched and well...Show More Summary
Proceed with caution
Apparently some consideration is being given to replacing the 50 per cent tax rate by increasing the 40 per cent rate to 45 per cent. The 50 per cent rate (63 per cent if one takes account of national insurance) is, of course, loaded...Show More Summary
Scenarios for the UK economy
Blog from the IMF setting out possible scenarios for the UK economy. They think that a gradual recovery is most likely, but call for nimble policy responses if that doesn't happen: Economy They anticipate a gradual acceleration of growth to 2.5 per cent which would be good if it happened, although I am less sanguine than them about productivity. Show More Summary
0.2 per cent is just good enough
The latest quarterly figures for GDP growth of 0.2 per cent are just good enough in political terms, especially given that special factors knocked off 0.5 per cent: Growth. They are below expectations and disappointing comparatively,...Show More Summary
Statement by the prime minister
Sometimes I wonder about the parallels between this current crisis and the Westland crisis which was supposed to bring down Margaret Thatcher as prime minister but which is barely remembered today (although it did unleash Michael Heseltine as an unguided missile). Show More Summary
David Cameron faces media storm
All my hopes of a quiet Sunday at home were shattered after first Rebekah Brooks was arrested and then the Commissioner of Metropolitian Police resigned. A classic media storm quickly developed with one reporter suggesting to me that...Show More Summary