El Campeador's Weblog (Free subscription) | 02/11/2008
The Spectator UK I must admit that I left McCain’s rally in northern Virginia today more convinced that ever that this American hero will, sadly, lose on Tuesday. The bulk of McCain’s stump speech is dominated by an argument against redistribution. It is a classic right-left fight—and that’s what’s wrong with it. McCain is preaching to [...]
politicalbetting.com (Free subscription) | 01/12/2008
Are we changing the political terms of trading Everybody seems to be getting bogged down in the detail and is missing the big point - what Green did ihas been part and parcel of the political process for generations and it is a nonsense and an outrage that it should be regarded as a crime. James [...]
politicalbetting.com (Free subscription) | 27/11/2008
Unconfirmed rumours that Damien Green has been arrested James Forsyth at the Spectator earlier broke a story that rumours were swirling around the Westminster Village that a big story was about to break about a member of David Cameron’s team. ConservativeHome indicates that it is that Damien Green MP, the Shadown Immigration Minister, has [...]
Iain Dale's Diary (Free subscription) | 27/11/2008
James Forsyth has a post on the Spectator Coffee House blog speculating that a big story relating to the Tories was about to break. I had a call from a senior Tory around 6pm saying the same thing, but I failed to drag out of him any hint at what it related to I'm afraid. Not very good at this investigative journalism lark, am I? Cameron is giving a speech at 8am tomorrow morning. Wonder...
Adam Smith Institute Blog (Free subscription) | 27/11/2008
Hat-tip to Fraser Nelson and James Forsyth of The Spectator.
Adam Smith Institute Blog (Free subscription) | 26/11/2008
With the dust beginning to settle after the pre-budget report – and not in a pattern that the government will like (see below) – it is interesting to note the question James Forsyth poses over on the Spectator's CoffeeHouse blog: what would a New Labour budget have looked like? Needless to say, this is based on the assumption that yesterday's PBR did in fact signal the death of New Labour,...
New Statesman (Free subscription) | 25/11/2008
Rumours of a June election just won't go away. But who is talking up a 2009 poll? Some interesting speculation from the Spectator's boy wonder, James Forsyth, about the Brownites pushing for a 2009 election. Forsyth quotes from Anne McElvoy's front page story from Friday's Evening Standard. McElvoy reports a source from the Brown camp telling her: "He would be mad not to think...
Prodicus (Free subscription) | 24/11/2008
Brown is hoping to create a situation in which the perception is that he is trying to save the economy while the Tories are just trying to protect their rich friends. Yes such a narrative is rubbish, but it could be politically potent. I doubt it. Not any more. James Forsyth is falling into the same trap as Brown's spin merchants. They are all fighting old battles under old paradigms....
Dizzy Thinks (Free subscription) | 21/11/2008
Interesting post over at the CoffeeHouse noting that specualtion is rising of a June 2009 poll held on the same day as the European Elections. James Forsyth has noted importantly, holding the two polls on the same day would dent the Tory vote; the thinking is more Tory-inclined voters would vote UKIP in the general if they were voting UKIP in the Europeans that day. This could make the...
donpaskini (Free subscription) | 21/11/2008
James Forsyth has an article in the Spectator about a problem which the Tories face: "The British Right has not developed a proper ideas infrastructure in recent years. It has made up for this by borrowing heavily from America. For instance, the Tory social justice agenda was largely inspired by George W. Bush’s Texas governorship. In the 2005 leadership race, David Davis and David Cameron...
Redemption's Son (Free subscription) | 18/11/2008
James Forsyth over at the Spectator Coffee House believes that Lord Mandelson could well become a much loved household name in the future. Although Mandelson has had his ups and well documented downs I think James could well be right about this one. He has that kind of personality, charm and wit that could well hit the right tone with a larger non-political audience, whether he...
The Debatable Land (Free subscription) | 17/11/2008
My friend James Forsyth asks a daring question: "Will Peter Mandelson end up a National Treasure?" A crazy notion, you may feel, but not an impossible one! Now, of course, in many respects Mandeslon is a dreadful character, but whereas, say, Alastair Campbell is a mere thuggish bully, Mandelson is a subtler operator who enlivens, rather than demeans, the political game. I suspect the...
BrothersJudd Blog (Free subscription) | 17/11/2008
The Republicans are where the Tories were in 1997 (James Forsyth, 12th November 2008, The Spectator) The Republicans are down the same hole the Tories were in 1997: out of office, out of ideas, their reputation for competence gone and fighting against the best politician of the generation. This bad news for the Republicans is bad news for the Tories too. The British Right has not developed...
Ewan Watt (Free subscription) | 14/11/2008
INTERESTING THOUGHT. James Forsyth refers to the rumour that Barack Obama is considering making Hillary Clinton his Secretary of State. An Obama adviser threw out one final rationale: It’s better to have the Clintons inside the tent than outside, causing trouble.” Maybe, true, but I still believe he should wait and stick her on the court.
The Unapologetic Mexican (Free subscription) | 07/11/2008
... The leading mainstream media panellists were: Rob Schlesinger, US News and World Report (18/20) James Forsyth, The Spectator (18/20) Chuck Todd, First Read, NBC (16/20) Fox Tops list of Networks in race to call states first As part of its comprehensive coverage of election night, PoliticsHome took note of which network called each state first, and the time it did so. The results are...
