Jacket Copy (Free subscription) | 21/11/2009
This week, there were some small books competing for attention against some blockbusters. Andre Agassi's memoir, "Open," is charming everyone, including our reviewer David Davis: This literate and absorbing book is, as the title baldly states, Agassi's confessional, a wrenching...
War News Updates (Free subscription) | 20/11/2009
The site is normally crawling with tourists, but was shut down for the US leader's visit Photo: EPA Circling Sharks Smell American Blood -- Victor Davis Hanson On his recent trip to Asia, President Obama found China, Japan and South Korea - like many nations these days - in no mood to hear more American lectures. Beijing is worried about owning so much American debt. Tokyo is tiring of an American...
ffranc sais (Free subscription) | 19/11/2009
Both the PM and Peter Hain have called for greater political understanding of our role in Afghanistan, then repeat the tired message which an opinion pol l has shown that the UK public has heard, but does not believe. Mr Brown, in the Queen's Speech debate, again used the expression "keeping our streets safe", while Mr Hain varied with: “The government is determined not to be defeated...
The Independent (Free subscription) | 19/11/2009
It is not uncommon in British history for the early stages of counter-insurgency campaigns to be littered with mistakes and false starts. Few, however, can have been pursued with the uncomprehending incompetence of this Government in its actions in Afghanistan.
The Devil's Kitchen (Free subscription) | 14/11/2009
I think that most reasonable people think that the goverment being allowed to hold inconvenient inquests in secret is a very bad thing indeed. Inquests into some deaths could be held in secret in future after Parliament approved the controversial proposal. It went through the Commons on Thursday after a series of concessions led to Tory peers dropping their opposition in the House of Lords on Wednesday....
The Official Google Blog (Free subscription) | 13/11/2009
It's been just under 2 months since we launched Google Sidewiki and we've already seen a great number of valuable entries that have been written worldwide. From product tips to online petitions and from expert health advice to programming help, Sidewiki users are finding many useful and creative ways to help others. We've been really excited by these uses of Sidewiki and wanted to share 10 of these...
Spectator - The Magazine (Free subscription) | 12/11/2009
After a good meal, Tory MPs like to play a game: guess the first resignation from David Cameron’s Cabinet. For a party that loves plots and intrigue, this goes some way to making up for the fact that everyone will be on their best behaviour between now and the election. When it comes to who might walk on a point of principle, one name comes up more frequently than any other: Dominic Grieve,...
Dave's Part (Free subscription) | 09/11/2009
TONY Benn doesn’t hate the Tories anymore. That’s according to yesterday’s Sunday Times, anyway, which reports that these days ‘the veteran radical campaigner’ finds his views on issues such as civil liberties and Europe closer to those of the Conservatives than those of New Labour. OK, the poor old sod is 84 and recovering from an operation on his prostate gland, which...
Chris Whiteside's Blog (Free subscription) | 08/11/2009
The Sunday Times reports today that two left-wingers, Claire Short and Tony Benn, have both expressed agreement with aspects of Conservative policy. Short accepted an invitation to speak to Conservative frontbenchers about how to improve the effectiveness of Foreign aid. She told the Sunday Times “The Conservatives have committed to keeping up the budget and keeping up the commitment on poverty...
Jacket Copy (Free subscription) | 08/11/2009
It is, reviewer David Davis writes, nearly impossible to find two opposing superstars whose sports careers became as linked as Larry Bird's and Magic Johnson's. In 1979, when Bird was a college senior and Johnson a junior, they led their...
The Guardian (Free subscription) | 06/11/2009
David Cameron has been deeply dishonest – he knew how his 'cast iron guarantee' on a referendum would be interpreted So it all becomes clear. David Cameron's announcement was in a sense a classic example of the new political dialogue. The politics of the gameshow host. Say anything to ensure you still have an audience next Saturday. What he basically said was this. "You the electorate are...
Guerrilla Welsh-Fare (Free subscription) | 05/11/2009
Dan Hannan has in the past caused quite a few headaches for David Cameron. Today he has added to that again after he and fellow Tory MEP Roger Helmer quit their front bench roles in protest to Cameron’s European U-Turn . Whilst Cameron has passed off Hannan as a ‘political eccentric’ in the past, and there is no doubt that is a kind way of putting it, he does represent a strong Euro...
The Guardian (Free subscription) | 05/11/2009
The Tory leader's defective analysis of Europe consists of scapegoating the union for UK problems that have their roots at home Every cloud has its proverbial silver lining. A skillfully handled retreat from the barricades – in this case of Lisbon – is one of the hardest manoeuvres in politics, as it is in war. It requires discipline and loyalty in the ranks of Eurosceptic colleagues who...
Tracey Crouch (Free subscription) | 05/11/2009
Last night, Rehman Chishti, the PPC for Gillingham, and I were invited to speak to some law students at the University of Kent. Although I read law at University, I never went into practice despite my then-held ambition to become an international maritime lawyer! Instead I was more interested in the constitutional and philosophical side of law and so my political journey began. Reh on the other hand...
ConservativeHome's ToryDiary (Free subscription) | 04/11/2009
I can't pretend I'm enthusiastic about what David Cameron has announced this afternoon. No referendum of any kind. Given that Lisbon is a self-amending Treaty, full of ratchet clauses, the promise of future referenda on transfers of power is a bit like closing the stable door after the horse has bolted. There were no meaningful threats to Europe if there is no serious willingness from other EU leaders...
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