Mark Reckons (Free subscription) | 23/11/2009
Following yesterday's poll which suggested the Conservatives might only have a 6% lead over Labour, there is a lot of talk about hung parliaments. John Redwood has blogged about this today . He starts his post with some very sensible comments about this showing that the Conservatives cannot take victory for granted and emphasising the size of the task that faces them. However towards the end of his...
John Redwood's Diary (Free subscription) | 1 hour ago
I have been very tolerant of UKIP contorbutors on this site, allowing them to make their case and to attack the Conservatives as they choose. I have done so because I do agree that we need to prevent a European supersate enveloping Britiain and undermining our inheritance [...]
John Redwood's Diary (Free subscription) | yesterday
Today George Osborne proposes cuts in departmental budgets for their energy costs, to make them provide their service whilst wasting less energy. It is a modest and practical proposal, with useful savings. It is something which many private sector companies have been doing for years. [...]
John Redwood's Diary (Free subscription) | 23/11/2009
The latest Mori poll shows the Conservative lead over Labour down to 6%. Since September on this poll Labour has gained and the Lib dems have lost support. The poll shows the two and half main parties [...]
John Redwood's Diary (Free subscription) | 23/11/2009
The week-end press as always had been well briefed by the government. The spin lines for the next few months in the run up to the election are becoming clear. The government recognises dwindling support for the war in Afghanistan. They will [...]
John Redwood's Diary (Free subscription) | 23/11/2009
The briefing for some weeks had been suggesting there is not going to be a great “deal to save the world” in Copenhagen. The President, worried over the economy, scarred by the health battle, and dithering over Afghanistan, may not be able to deliver [...]
John Redwood's Diary (Free subscription) | 22/11/2009
Today’s lead story in the Sunday Times shows Labour splits comes form the EU. The wish to put Mr Miliband into the EU job caused others to jostle for promotion. His refusal to move has caused trouble around the reshuffle. Lord Mandelson is in a strong position. Will he get what he [...]
John Redwood's Diary (Free subscription) | 22/11/2009
Many contributors to this blog are badly shaken by the way the Lisbon Treaty has been forced upon us and all chance of a referendum denied, when all three main political parties promised one in 2005. I am asked what should they do. Some advise me to leave the [...]
John Redwood's Diary (Free subscription) | 21/11/2009
Underneath the crude politics of the Queen’s speech were two great watersheds. This week was the passing of an era. The government seems to have moved on from any idea that we can win a war in Afghanistan by pitching troops into [...]
John Redwood's Diary (Free subscription) | 20/11/2009
Dear Shareholder, What a great week. We were able to announce record October borrowing levels, and a big leap in inflation. Our strategy of never knowingly underborrowed is going so well. You know you can rely on us to waste more and spend more than anyone [...]
Iain Dale's Diary (Free subscription) | 20/11/2009
For the second year running, Total Politics has conducted it's Top 100 Journalists poll , asking its readers, MPs and journalists themselves to vote. 1. (+3) Nick Robinson 2. (-1) Evan Davis 3. (-1) Jeremy Paxman 4. (+9) Adam Boulton 5. (+18) Eddie Mair 6. (+1) Andrew Marr 7. (+22) Jon Snow 8. (+3) Quentin Letts 9. (+22) James Naughtie 10. (-4) Martha Kearney 11. (-1) Peter Riddell 12. (-9) Matthew...
John Redwood's Diary (Free subscription) | 20/11/2009
I was asked again yesterday on this site what I would do to cut the deficit. Just to recap, my advice to the government for this year has included: 1. No more banking subsidies – saving £31 billion cash and £8 billion contigent liability 2. Public sector wage freeze [...]
John Redwood's Diary (Free subscription) | 20/11/2009
Yesterday we heard from President Karzai in Afghanistan. The man whose own election was dogged by allegations of ballot rigging duly pledged himself to clean up Afghan politics as the US wished him to do. He went on to state that he wanted foreign troops to [...]
John Redwood's Diary (Free subscription) | 19/11/2009
Whilst I share the Opposition and majority media view that the Queen’s speech was mainly hot air and party spin, I think one of its features has decisively changed British politics, fundamentally and for several years to come. It is the core admission in the Speech written by this [...]
John Redwood's Diary (Free subscription) | 19/11/2009
I spent yesterday afternoon in the Chamber listening to the exchanges between Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition, before making my own speech on the government’s programme. This morning I spoke briefly to a breakfast meeting about the world economy, joined a regional [...]
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