There is a golden chance for Cameron after Miliband’s speech yesterday to show that lower taxes and less regulation are the route to better public services, lower energy bills and more homes
By Peter HoskinFollow Peter on Twitter In a broad sense, Grant Shapps’ speech to Policy Exchange this lunchtime is similar to Michael Gove’s fiery article for the Telegraph in May. Both make the personal political, as it were. Shapps attacks Eds Miliband and Balls directly and without remorse, but does so under cover of political difference. […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter Paul has already done a fine job of explaining the importance of George Osborne's determination to link Ed Balls to the economic failure of the Brown years. Ed Balls was at Brown's right hand from the very beginning as his principal economic adviser. Balls was there when Labour designed […]
By Matthew BarrettFollow Matthew on Twitter Midnight Boris' victory speech thanks to BBC London 94.9: 11.56pm BORIS HAS WON THE LONDON MAYORAL ELECTION Boris has won.
By Matthew BarrettFollow Matthew on Twitter Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Education, gave a speech at the Durand Academy in Stockwell, South London, earlier this week. We're covering it a couple of days late, but it was an important speech, and I've highlighted below some sections that readers will be interested in: Mr […]
By Matthew BarrettFollow Matthew on Twitter Figures released today by the Department of Education show that the introduction of the new English Baccalaureate is having an immediate impact – the proportion of pupils taking the core academic subjects at GCSE level has increased. The English Baccalaureate, which was introduced in January this year, is achieved by […]
The Conservative Party has tonight published an email from Harriet Harman’s office that sets up a meeting between officials in the Speaker’s Office and in the Government machine – clearly designed to handle the outrage from MPs that is anticipated on Wednesday regarding Michael Martin’s permission for counter-terrorist police to raid Damian Green’s parliamentary offices. […]
4.30pm update: The Government has now assured the Conservatives that this will be the last raid on National Lottery funds. This had been a demand of Jeremy Hunt and will be a relief to all good causes hoping for better luck with their future applications. This victory for the Conservatives may mean the Conservatives will […]
THE GOVERNMENT LOSES THE ADDRESSES AND PHONE NUMBERS OF THREE MILLION LEARNER DRIVERS – BBC | Telegraph | Times This just in from CCHQ on the latest data loss: "Government must now come clean on overseas data centres Following the news that the personal data of 3 million driving learners has been lost by DVLA […]
"The former head of HM Revenue and Customs, who resigned over the loss of data discs containing the personal details of 25 million people, has returned to work in Whitehall on a £200,000 salary. Paul Gray has taken up a position under Sir Gus O’Donnell, the Cabinet Secretary, after just 13 days out of work." […]
An ICM survey for Newsnight suggests that twice as many voters see Gordon Brown as sleazy (57%) as see David Cameron as sleazy (28%). 44% agree with Mr Cameron’s PMQs’ attack that Mr Brown is not "cut out for the job". Unfortunately only 41% think the Conservative leader passes his own test. 43% think Mr […]
I agree with Fraser Nelson. Francis Elliott’s piece in this morning’s Times, is a perfect summary of the last week’s donor scandals that have engulfed Gordon Brown. I particularly enjoyed this section: "Behind the scene No 10 aides are furious at the Harman camp’s attempts to pass the blame on to Mr Brown for her […]
Last night we covered the fact that the Telegraph/ YouGov poll gave the Tories an 11% lead. Within the poll there’s lots of interesting details: 23% are satisfied with Gordon Brown and 59% dissatisfied. The Conservatives have a 1% lead on economic competence – 33% to 32%; Labour had a 49% to 27% advantage at […]
This txt msg arrived a little while ago at my Washington breakfast table. No time to blog on it (off to Arlington Cemetery for David Cameron’s first public call) but The Telegraph has the full story. It appears that Straw knew about the issue for weeks, not years: "Hundreds of criminals, including those accused of […]
A public row with David Miliband… Alistair Darling is roasted for the Government’s mishandling of Northern Rock… Darling is back in the Commons to tell the nation that the personal data of 25 million people has been lost… All of the newspapers turn on Labour for incompetence… Another Ratner moment for Mr Brown at PMQs […]