By Matthew BarrettFollow Matthew on Twitter. An interview with Richard Reeves, who stepped down from being one of Nick Clegg's senior advisors this week, in the Independent today has attracted some interest. Reeves' main comments focus on the ramifications for the Coalition's blue half if Tory MPs do not vote to cut off debate on […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter Easy relations between the Coalition partners began to break down in earnest after the AV referendum. But the man who made them look almost natural had left the Government well before it took place. And he is back today in the Sunday Telegraph, making a case that David Cameron […]
By Matthew BarrettFollow Matthew on Twitter. 3.30pm Update: appearing on the Sunday Politics show, Andrew Neil asked Philip Hammond how spending money on a Trident replacement is fair, when the money could be spent on preventing cuts to Army regiment numbers. Hammond defended cuts to the Army, saying that the equipment element of the Defence […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter I was under the misapprehension that, since this is a Coalition Government, Conservatives and Liberal Democrats take the same whip. This misunderstanding was buttressed by the Number 10 website, which lists Alistair Carmichael as a Deputy Chief Whip (and number three in the Whips' Office). I should of course […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter One of the more remarkable things about the Lib/Con Coalition is the absence of disunity on the central project of deficit reduction. I would also have predicted that a Lib Dem backbencher might have defected by now. Despite real tensions on the government benches it hasn't happened. What is happening, […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter David Cameron has told the Daily Mail that he wants a Tory majority at the next election and complained about the Liberal Democrats: "Mr Cameron singled out human rights law, reform of workplace rights and support for marriage as areas where Tory principles are being held in check but […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter No breakthrough for Labour: Radio 4's Today programme is insisting that Labour had a "very good" night. If they achieve 700 gains that will be true but it's not a transformational night. Far from it. If there was real enthusiasm for Labour and Ed Miliband it wouldn't be losing control […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter The row about tax and charity is a scene on a wider canvas. Yesterday morning, David Gauke reminded Today's listeners that the move is part of "a general cap on reliefs": in other words, part of a "tycoon tax". George Osborne seems to have become convinced of the need for […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter Just a quick blog to note this morning's Mail front page. Nick Clegg is openly briefing that he's determined to block Ken Clarke's "secret courts" plan: "The Deputy Prime Minister told Mr Cameron and other members of the highly secretive National Security Council that without major changes, the Liberal Democrats […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter …About whether to invest or perhaps to stay in Britain. Now imagine yourself peering at this morning's papers over the breakfast table. What do you see spread before you as you raise the marmalade spoon heavenwards? Nick Clegg proclaiming to the Daily Telegraph that he wants a tycoon tax. […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter The energetic Lib Dem blogger Mark Pack has published what he calls an "infographic" summarising what his party has achieved in government. What is increasingly clear is that the junior partners in the Coalition will go into the next election with the dangerous claim that they humanised what would otherwise […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter Conservatives don't always agree about raising new wealth and property taxes, but tend to do so about cutting the rate at which public spending is rising further. I warned last week of the danger that tax cuts on businesses and employment in the budget may be financed by new […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter I know it's a Lembit Opik idea but just because of that it doesn't deserve to be dismissed out of hand. The defeated MP believes that Nick Clegg should continue as Deputy Prime Minister but should stand aside as Lib Dem leader – allowing a successor to begin the task […]
By Matthew BarrettFollow Matthew on Twitter. David Singleton at PoliticsHome reports an interesting development: The Lib Dems' President, Tim Farron, has drawn up plans to establish a "reference group" made up of grassroots party members, which would oversee coalition negotiations if the 2015 election were to result in another inconclusive result. The proposal is set […]
By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter. Chris Huhne has resigned and in his letter to Mr Huhne the Prime Minister praises the outgoing Energy and Climate Change Secretary's environmental credentials: "Thank you for your letter informing me of your decision to resign from the Government. I believe you have made the right decision under the […]