The tendency of people in politics to think of everything through a political prism is mistaken. The star dust of sporting triumph does not rub off on politicians.
It’s not just about Brexit – it’s deeper and longer-standing than that. Ironically, relations would improve if they each a bit more combative.
It is rare to hear the defence establishment talking plainly about the need to protect Britain against external threats.
There is zero chance that the public are going to back any meaningful reform of the service any time soon.
I’d relax the limits significantly if not totally, but insist on near real-time transparency from campaigns over their permitted donors.
New polling shows that national identity is a strong, emotive force – but also that it remains poorly-defined.
Votes would come flooding back into UKIP and, perhaps more importantly, to independent candidates that campaign on the “You Lied” platform.
It would be easy, but mistaken, to take the path of least resistance and simply re-enact the dated Cameron ‘modernising’ agenda.
The injection of the truth that it would mean politicians in charge of services is enough to make most people see sense.
Given that they saved the Party’s bacon, you would expect senior figures to say and do whatever it takes to keep them on side.
In my experience of departmental life, it will take at least six months before we can judge Javid’s management.
They must also rediscover the interests of the consumer – and be better at engaging working class voters on social issues.
Aggressive Home Office measures appear to be designed by people who wrongly assume that illiberal ideas must appeal to the primitive desires of the masses.
They want to know that their political leaders aren’t racist or judgemental or stuck in a 1950s parody – but they aren’t interested in hearing about these ideas primarily.
Stop and search requires very careful and sensitive handling, but it’s hard to conclude that an increase isn’t warranted.