By Matthew BarrettFollow Matthew on Twitter. David Cameron's speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos yesterday focused squarely on European economic issues. Mr Cameron strongly criticised the way European leaders have responded to the €urozone crisis, and condemned the "madness" of European regulations like the proposed Financial Transaction Tax. The theme that ran throughout […]
By Matthew BarrettFollow Matthew on Twitter. Earlier today, the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson addressed the London Assembly with his proposed budget. Boris' re-election campaign has said the draft budget "could not have made the choice for the next Mayor of London any clearer". The most noticeable thing about the speech is that instead of focusing […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter. Today's negative growth figures are disappointing but not surprising. We are not yet in double dip territory but as Andrew Lilico has pointed out, double dips are not uncommon features of recovery cycles. The unique factor now, of course, is that the troubles in the €urozone are casting a […]
By Matthew BarrettFollow Matthew on Twitter. David Cameron's much-previewed speech on "moral capitalism" is not particularly heavy on grand policy statements. Any policies on boardroom/executive pay have already been announced – earlier this month, Cameron told the Andrew Marr Show that shareholders should get a binding vote on executive pay scales, and that boardrooms should be more transparent. This […]
In recent days, Liam Fox has resurfaced after his resignation as Defence Secretary. In two internventions, he has focused on security issues – and, in particular, on the link between fiscal conservatism and the values of the west. In an article for the Washington Times, Dr Fox repeats a theme that he and William Hague […]
By Joseph Willits Follow Joseph on Twitter On this morning's Andrew Marr Show, Cameron reiterated his commitment to battle against "crony capitalism" and pursue a transparent agenda. Both the Observer and the Sunday Telegraph reported that the Prime Minister would personally back plans to make shareholder remuneration votes mandatory. Speaking to Andrew Marr, Cameron said that "pay going up […]
By Tim Montgomerie Follow Tim on Twitter David Cameron was on Radio 4 this morning and covered a whirlwind of topics in an interview characterised by constant interruptions from Evan Davies. The interview began with the Prime Minister’s theme of the day – a review of nursing practice to address the growing evidence of the neglect […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter George Osborne yesterday told Eurozone leaders that Britain would not contribute to a special bailout facility that they are establishing at the IMF, specifically to bolster the single currency. The Eurozone nations had been hoping to build a €200bn warchest but Britain's refusal to participate means it has fallen well […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter Lord Oakeshott, TV's favourite Liberal Democrat peer and widely seen as the person who says publicly what Vince Cable cannot, is claiming today's banking reforms as a "triumph" for the Liberal Democrats: "The Government's decision to accept the Vickers report and irrevocably break up the banks by 2015 is a […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter In any EU referendum… The Confederation of British Industry polled company chairman during the run-up to the 1975 referendum on the Common Market. It found that 415 out out 419 of those surveyed wanted to stay in. Much has changed over the 35 years that has passed since: the […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter The Chancellor George Osborne has just spoken at the annual business lunch of Conservative Friends of Israel. The event was held at the Westminster hotel at which Osborne, Cameron and other senior Tory staff stayed during the General Election. Mr Osborne began by saying it was his first time back […]
By Matthew BarrettFollow Matthew on Twitter. A group of thirty Conservative MPs have signed a letter to the Daily Telegraph today. The letter sets out the following case: "European Union proposals pose a grave threat to Britain’s financial services industry, which employs nearly two million people, accounts for 10 per cent of GDP, and generates […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter. Chris Grayling, the Employment Minister, has denied claims this morning that the Government has abandoned demands for the repatriation of powers because of the Eurozone crisis. The Daily Telegraph reports him as saying that the Coalition's priority is to "get a solution to the Eurozone crisis" and that he […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter. There is a puzzle about yesterday's childcare announcement in George Osborne's autumn statement. The Chancellor said that he wants "to ensure that children born into the poorest families have a real chance to become [engineering and science graduates]", and added that the Government will double the number of poorer […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter And so it came to pass. George Osborne announced measure after measure today that could have been announced by Gordon Brown. As well as the nook-and-cranny interventionism on housing, childcare and job schemes there was also the hefty revision of growth, unemployment and borrowing forecasts. Events are, of course, scarily […]