By Jonathan Isaby Well that didn't take long. A mere 68 days after he was elected Labour leader, Ed Miliband is the subject of a piece in the Telegraph exposing "growing concerns" about whether he is cut out for the job. The paper's political editor, Andrew Porter – who is well plugged in to Labour's […]
Tim Montgomerie I can't show it all but click here (£) for Peter Brookes' full Saturday cartoon. The drawing alone is worth a subscription to The Times. More than any words it captures what The Sunday Times (£) calls the "Milibland" phenomenon. The People (the only national newspaper to back his Labour leadership bid) has […]
By Paul Goodman Politicians are increasingly tending to lend articles their name which have clearly been assembled by computers – into which every conceivable cliche, safely tested and approved on a focus group in a marginal seat, has been first inputted and then duly outputted, in no particular order. It's therefore unfair of me to […]
Tim Montgomerie Ed Miliband returns to work today after his paternity break. His party is level-pegging in the polls but he hasn't enjoyed any honeymoon since becoming leader. If anything his party is doing slightly worse than before he became leader… despite George Osborne's announcement of spending cuts… despite an average disapproval rating for the […]
by Paul Goodman Alan Johnson is at it again. In Labour's leadership election, he voted for David Miliband, not Ed. The new Labour leader, worried about a Balls-Cooper power grab if either were made Shadow Chancellor, appointed Johnson instead. Recently, he said that the 50p rate should be temporary, not permanent: the Labour leader thinks […]
By Paul Goodman Harriet Harman was, until recently, Labour's acting leader. She's just said that the Party won't support Phil Woolas's challenge to this morning's court ruling, which ruled that the Oldham and Saddleworth seat must be re-fought, thus depriving him of his Parliamentary seat. (He has since been suspended from the party.) It is, […]
By Jonathan Isaby One story that I missed during the week but which is worth noting was in the Daily Mail on Wednesday. It turns out that Ed Miliband has trousered the pay-off of nearly £20,000 he got for losing his job (and salary) as a Cabinet Minister, despite now earning nearly £140,000 after becoming […]
By Paul Goodman A leader's first requirement is authority. He or she must be able to lead and, almost as importantly, be seen to do so – to project confidence and command. I thought that Ed Miliband's first Shadow Cabinet was a fair play of a hand of cards that he hadn't chosen. But as […]
By Tim Montgomerie Interviewed on BBC1's Politics Show Ed Miliband confirmed that he opposed George Osborne's restriction in eligibility for child benefit. He told Jon Sopel that child benefit was a proper recognition by society of the costs of raising children. He also said he would protect all universal benefits from cuts, even those paid […]
By Tim Montgomerie In her speech to the Tory Conference, her first as Party Chairman, Sayeeda Warsi listed Labour's key failures in office: "In the mills, my Dad was told that Labour was the party for him. They said that Labour looked after the poorest. That it looked after the vulnerable and minorities. But Conference, […]
By Tim Montgomerie Lots of Left-wing visitors have been filling LeftWatch threads in recent days alleging that our focus on the new Labour leader is a sign that we are scared of him. I've been careful to say that we should not underestimate Mr Miliband but attempting to define a new leader in his/her early […]
By Tim Montgomerie In the original tax bombshell campaign – watch the brilliant video here – the warning was of a £1,250 tax rise under Neil Kinnock. Eighteen years later, the new Neil Kinnock has a £1,373 per household black hole in his tax plans. Dogs bark, ducks quack and Conservative politicians accuse Labour politicians […]
by Paul Goodman Two red bottles standing on the wall. And if one red bottle should accidentally fall… David Miliband's decision to jump ship from the Shadow Cabinet comes as no surprise, and as a stroke of fortune for the new Labour leader. There'll be one more day of the Brothers Karamazov, sorry Miliband, in […]
By Tim Montgomerie It was a speech that contained many clichés – such as a commitment to a "new politics" and to oppose "irresponsible" strikes. Who, exactly, is in favour of "irresponsible" strikes? It was most notable, however, for committing Labour to a slower pace of deficit reduction and for disowning Tony Blair on Iraq […]
By Tim Montgomerie Last night's YouGov tracker poll gave Labour its first lead. It put the Conservatives on 39%, Labour on 40% and the LibDems on just 12%. Net approval for the Coalition was minus 5%. Labour Tweeters were jubilant. This morning's Times splash (£) should pour some cold water on their feverish heads. Only […]