Conference time for the Labour Party in Manchester this weekend... As Ed Miliband steps up by a very narrow margin to take the leadership, Polly Toynbee and David Walker provide an extremely useful overview of Labour's achievements (or otherwise) during their time in government:
"The Labour years: Could have done better" (Guardian, 25/09/2010)
Interesting reading - invaluable for an understanding of the legacy that Ed Miliband is inheriting and the challenges that lie ahead for Labour in Opposition. Can they do better next time around? Read it in full.
Sunday 26 September 2010
Monday 20 September 2010
The (Conservative) Case Against AV and Reform of the Lords
Philip Norton - now the ennobled Lord Norton of Hull - is a well-known constitutional academic based at Hull University. Lord Norton is a Conservative peer, and his recent defence of the status quo in Westminster elections and the House of Lords is well worth a read. His article can be found at the website Conservative Home:
http://conservativehome.blogs.com/platform/2010/09/philip-norton-neither-a-new-electoral-system-for-the-commons-nor-an-elected-lords-will-fix-politics.html
Norton suggests that the proposed system of Alternative Vote is rather less fit for purpose than the current First Past the Post system. The peer also believes that the House of Lords does the job it is meant to do admirably well. Norton’s final point is that the system isn’t broken, and doesn’t need fixing - it’s only the politicians who really need to change. The article represents an eloquent and concise conservative defence of the existing system—a very useful read for students needing an articulate point of view from which to develop notes.
http://conservativehome.blogs.com/platform/2010/09/philip-norton-neither-a-new-electoral-system-for-the-commons-nor-an-elected-lords-will-fix-politics.html
Norton suggests that the proposed system of Alternative Vote is rather less fit for purpose than the current First Past the Post system. The peer also believes that the House of Lords does the job it is meant to do admirably well. Norton’s final point is that the system isn’t broken, and doesn’t need fixing - it’s only the politicians who really need to change. The article represents an eloquent and concise conservative defence of the existing system—a very useful read for students needing an articulate point of view from which to develop notes.
Saturday 18 September 2010
Lib Dem Party Conference Starts Today: Clegg to Tread Carefully
For those of you keep an eye on the party conference season (and that should be all of you!), a reminder that the Liberal Democrat party conference starts today. This is the first of the main political parties' conferences this autumn. It is, of course, imbued with "greater than usual" significance now that the Lib Dems are in a coalition government with the Conservatives.
Expect to see some guarded muttering from the Lib Dem rank and file, as well as a few slightly controversial statements from Lib Dem MPs. The BBC has a convenient round-up of what is likely to occur, together with an analysis of the conference's importance to Nick Clegg and his inner circle:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11353862
Expect to see some guarded muttering from the Lib Dem rank and file, as well as a few slightly controversial statements from Lib Dem MPs. The BBC has a convenient round-up of what is likely to occur, together with an analysis of the conference's importance to Nick Clegg and his inner circle:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11353862
Sunday 12 September 2010
Open House London: 18th-19th September
Open House London will run next weekend, an annual extravaganza of the capital's great buildings, many not usually accessible to the public...
There are some fantastic opportunities for interested students of Government and Politics:
Portcullis House will be open to the public both days between 10 am and 5 pm (free!). This is the modern building opposite the Houses of Parliament which houses the administrative offices of many MPs and their staff. Aside from building tours, published highlights will include architectural displays, showings by the team responsible for Big Ben and the Clock Tower, displays regarding the work of Parliament and an exhibition of the work of Simon Roberts, the official artist to the 2010 General Election.
For more details: http://www.parliament.uk/visiting/visiting-and-tours/openhouse/
Also open is the opulent Foreign Office (with the adjoining India Office).... Now this is really something to see, a showcase of Britain's imperial past. Open during the same times as Portcullis House, also free (so why not see both on your day out?), visitors will be able to see the splendour in which Foreign Secretary William Hague and his staff work every day... Enter through King Charles Street, according to the web site.
http://www.londonopenhouse.org/public/london/find/detail.asp?loh_id=907
There are some fantastic opportunities for interested students of Government and Politics:
Portcullis House will be open to the public both days between 10 am and 5 pm (free!). This is the modern building opposite the Houses of Parliament which houses the administrative offices of many MPs and their staff. Aside from building tours, published highlights will include architectural displays, showings by the team responsible for Big Ben and the Clock Tower, displays regarding the work of Parliament and an exhibition of the work of Simon Roberts, the official artist to the 2010 General Election.
For more details: http://www.parliament.uk/visiting/visiting-and-tours/openhouse/
Also open is the opulent Foreign Office (with the adjoining India Office).... Now this is really something to see, a showcase of Britain's imperial past. Open during the same times as Portcullis House, also free (so why not see both on your day out?), visitors will be able to see the splendour in which Foreign Secretary William Hague and his staff work every day... Enter through King Charles Street, according to the web site.
http://www.londonopenhouse.org/public/london/find/detail.asp?loh_id=907
George Osborne's Secret Plan to Slash Sickness Benefits...
... is the headline in today's Observer newspaper, above an article well worth reading:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/sep/11/george-osborne-slash-sickness-benefits
It seems that 'somebody' has leaked a letter sent by the Chancellor to the PM, to the Deputy PM and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Ian Duncan-Smith, revealing preliminary details of a plan to greatly reduce the amount of public money given to those currently deemed disabled or too ill to work. A total of £2.5 billion by 2014-2015.
Neither the Treasury or Work and Pensions want to take the blame for the leak—although the article suggests that some in Work and Pensions believe it could well have been the Treasury, in an attempt to 'bounce' them into implementing the plan. If that is true, it proves that political skullduggery never goes away for long!
Fairly explosive news, especially considering that the conference season will open tomorrow with the Trades Union Congress in Manchester—we should expect this leak to take pride of place in the unions' preemptive attacks on the Coalition's Spending Review.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/sep/11/george-osborne-slash-sickness-benefits
It seems that 'somebody' has leaked a letter sent by the Chancellor to the PM, to the Deputy PM and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Ian Duncan-Smith, revealing preliminary details of a plan to greatly reduce the amount of public money given to those currently deemed disabled or too ill to work. A total of £2.5 billion by 2014-2015.
Neither the Treasury or Work and Pensions want to take the blame for the leak—although the article suggests that some in Work and Pensions believe it could well have been the Treasury, in an attempt to 'bounce' them into implementing the plan. If that is true, it proves that political skullduggery never goes away for long!
Fairly explosive news, especially considering that the conference season will open tomorrow with the Trades Union Congress in Manchester—we should expect this leak to take pride of place in the unions' preemptive attacks on the Coalition's Spending Review.
Monday 6 September 2010
Parliament Returns Early: AV Referendum Bill at Top of Agenda
Parliament has returned early to Westminster this year, reconvening today ahead of the party conference season. The Conservative-LibDem Coalition remains very keen to get through its legislative program.
Top showing is debate on the bill to allow for a referendum for introducing the Alternative Vote system to general elections:
MPs to debate AV referendum as summer recess ends (BBC News)
UPDATE: the same BBC article now summarises the result of that debate in the Commons.... It has now passed its Second Reading with a vote of 328 for and 269 against. As the article also makes clear, however, there is still some way to go....!
Top showing is debate on the bill to allow for a referendum for introducing the Alternative Vote system to general elections:
MPs to debate AV referendum as summer recess ends (BBC News)
UPDATE: the same BBC article now summarises the result of that debate in the Commons.... It has now passed its Second Reading with a vote of 328 for and 269 against. As the article also makes clear, however, there is still some way to go....!
Wednesday 1 September 2010
Blair Speaks Out
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair publishes his memoirs today (September 1st), but not before giving a candid interview and sneak preview to the Guardian newspaper...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/aug/31/tony-blair-gordon-brown-disaster (links to more detailed stories appear on the same page)
Top headline (somewhat predictably):
"I knew Gordon Brown would be a disaster".
Tony Blair defends his decision to involve the UK in the invasion of Iraq in 2003. He also expresses regret for the ban on fox hunting and for allowing the passage of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Nothing, however, about his government's failure to complete reform of the House of Lords or adopt a fairer voting system. One wonders why the Guardian didn't report anything on these matters. Stay tuned for more revelations after publication at 8 a.m.!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/aug/31/tony-blair-gordon-brown-disaster (links to more detailed stories appear on the same page)
Top headline (somewhat predictably):
"I knew Gordon Brown would be a disaster".
Tony Blair defends his decision to involve the UK in the invasion of Iraq in 2003. He also expresses regret for the ban on fox hunting and for allowing the passage of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Nothing, however, about his government's failure to complete reform of the House of Lords or adopt a fairer voting system. One wonders why the Guardian didn't report anything on these matters. Stay tuned for more revelations after publication at 8 a.m.!
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