That was Ken Clarke on this morning’s Week in Westminster, asked by Steve Richards if he would be David Cameron’s Shadow Chancellor. You know my view on the prospect. Tim Montgomerie
We’ve had three opinions polls over the weekend – from ComRes, YouGov and in today’s Mirror from Ipsos MORI. Taken together they point to a hung parliament and in The Sun Trevor Kavanagh raises the prospect of a February election. David Cameron will give another speech on the economy this morning as he wrestles to […]
Update: The report on the BBC website includes extensive quotes and has a video of the interview. — Sir John Major joined the attack on the Government’s handling of the economy this morning, in an interview with Andrew Marr. He said that we were facing the worst economic situation since the Second Word War and […]
Former Chancellor Ken Clarke has given an interview to tomorrow’s Times (Saturday) rich in quotes in which he reiterates his support for George Osborne and states again that he does not want a frontbench job. Here are some of the highlights of what he has to say. On George Osborne: “The attacks on George are […]
It is one of the strongest features of Britain’s Conservative revival that the biggest beasts are in the Tory jungle. Putting aside for a moment the frontbench, there’s David Davis and his championing of civil liberties. Boris Johnson – barnstorming in defence of George Osborne this morning. Ken Clarke. John Redwood. Chris Patten. Even John […]
Former shadow home secretary David Davis was Kirsty Young’s castaway on Desert Island Discs on Radio 4 this morning. He discussed various aspects of his early family life, the stormy relationship he endured with his stepfather, how he "laid siege" to his future wife Doreen for two years at Warwick University before they became an […]
Last week our sister blog BritainAndAmerica looked at the similarities between John McCain and David Cameron. Steve Richards of The Independent suggests that Ken Clarke is the figure that would have had an effect on the Conservative Party similar to that which Senator McCain is now having on the Republicans: "More than Cameron, Clarke is […]
Yesterday we noted the hare versus tortoise debate amongst Conservative strategists. Ben Brogan noted it on his blog and Steve Richards asks Ken Clarke about the tension for this weekend’s GMTV Sunday Programme. The former Chancellor manages to mangle the debate as being between a hare and a rabbit! Steve Richards: Can I finally ask […]
George Osborne is David Cameron’s most important colleague: William Hague may deputise at PMQs but the Shadow Chancellor is second only to David Cameron as the most important figure in the Conservative Party. And It’s not just because the Treasury portfolio is the most important of the three major offices in any leader’s gift. George […]
(10) In tenth position in my top ten of the week is Caroline Spelman. I’ve been going to Party Conference since 1989 and I’ve never known a Party Chairman to have been more anonymous. Perhaps Mrs Spelman’s behind-the-scenes efforts should be credited for the overall success of the Conference but the leadership wisely had to […]
Ben Brogan (yes again!) is reporting that Sir Malcolm Rifkind has opened fire on Gordon Brown tonight for using the power of government patronage to lure Tories into his tent: "As leader of the Labour party, Gordon Brown is perfectly entitled to make any Labour appointments he sees fit. But as Prime Minister, making appointments […]
Michael Portillo yesterday, quoted in The Guardian: "I think David Cameron was pursuing the right course, which was moving the party to the centre ground, and I think that those in the party who do not like it should just hold their tongues." The Press Association today: "Conservative leader David Cameron has been accused by […]
Ann Widdecombe gives a frank exposition of her forthright conservatism in an interview with Sarah Sands in today’s Daily Mail. Widdecombe argues conservatives should have the courage to suggest to indivduals how they should lead their lives: "People are terrified of being judgmental. But we should be judgmental. Being judgmental does not mean abandoning people. […]
Lord Saatchi has today warned that "nicey-nicey" politics will not win us the next general election urging David Cameron to reach out to voters on the economy instead of focusing on branding. He said all of Mr Cameron’s efforts so far had been "to no avail". "Not a single poll in a single month in […]
Michael Portillo has undermined each of the last four Tory leaders so it is no surprise that he has chosen this time – a time of great testing for David Cameron – to undermine a fifth. I do not deny that there are some important points in today’s article from 2001’s unsuccessful party leadership candidate […]