Published by The Daily Telegraph (18th April, 2015) Ed Miliband can be accused of many things, but he cannot be faulted for lack of determination. As rivals know […]
Politics
Forget the politics of fear and loathing
Published by The Observer (12th April, 2015) The first time I met David Cameron, then a rising star of the Conservatives, I was left with two abiding impressions. First, […]
Politics
There is nothing funny about Farage
Published by The Independent (6th April, 2015) For a moment, I thought it was shocking honesty from Nigel Farage. ‘I’m really very posh,’ he told the Sunday Times […]
Politics
Why are the Tories not racing away with this election?
Published by The Daily Telegraph (1st April, 2015) George Osborne hit the campaign trail in Hove yesterday, posing for cheesy pictures as he made pizzas in a restaurant. Outside, […]
Politics
Campaign starts with two main parties trapped in comfort zones
Published by The Independent (30 March, 2015) The phoney war is over. Today, the general election campaign finally begins. David Cameron is expected to drive to Buckingham Palace […]
Politics
Michael Gove is right: The Tories need to detoxify their brand
Published by The Guardian (14th March, 2015) Chief whips tend not to make waves in politics. They are meant to be masters of backroom deals, loyal party operators […]
Economics / Politics
Are the Tories just defending crony capitalism?
Published by The Guardian (10th February, 2015) The embryonic general election campaign has been dominated by big business and its hostility to Labour. Attacks from former friends and […]
Politics
Don’t flirt with the Greens – expose their daftness
Published by The Independent (26th January, 2015) It was another bad weekend for Ukip. First one of its MEPs quit for the Tories, fuming that party leader Nigel […]
Politics
A Tory-Labour unity coalition may be the only way forward
Published by The Guardian (3rd January, 2014) In the 1929 general election, Labour won 37% of the vote and became the biggest party in the House of Commons, […]
Politics
A glimpse of grass-roots politics with lessons for all main parties
Published in The Independent (1st December, 2014) A successful politician once told me that when receiving invitations to events, he always imagines it is being held that day […]
Europe / European Union / Politics
How the Tories are helping Ukip
Published by The Independent (17th November, 2014) First Clacton, now Rochester – the unlikely landmarks of British political history as Ukip takes one more step on to Tory terrain […]
Politics
Miliband has failed to follow the first rule of opposition
Published by The Independent (10th November, 2014) There is a certain choreography parties perform when a leader is in trouble. First they deny any divisions even as rumbling concerns […]