Great stuff from William Hague in the Commons as he imagines the terror of Tony Blair, President of Europe. American Anglophiles will also like it, since Hague's ability at the Dispatch Box trumps anything the United States Congress can offer. [Thanks to the ever-redoubtable Mr Eugenides. As th eGreek says, David Miliband's genuine and unforced laughter is worth half a raised eye-brow too.
I guess Rudy Giuliani won't be getting many Christmas cards from the fine folk at The American Conservative. Read their comprehensive anti-Rudy package here. Read my own anti-Rudy contribution to a previous issue of TAC here.
Sigh. I know we don't expect much from Polly Toynbee. But perhaps she should read some Irving Kristol before she starts referring to John Redwood as a neocon throwback to the Thatcher era. If she added some other books to her reading list she might remember that the Thatcherites were, to some extent at least, inspired by FA Hayek - a man not generally considered a neoconservative luminary. It's too delicious, of course, that in terms of policy towards work and families and other social matters La Toynbee deeply cares about, she has rather more in common with neoconservatives than she seems to understand. They, after all, are the proponents of the "Big Government Conservatism" she says David Cameron must embrace.
While Gordon Brown visits Camp David for the first time as Prime Minister (on which more later), David Cameron takes stock. The Tories have been surprised by the goodwill that seems to have accompanied Brown as he begins his time in office. The Brown honeymoon has been all sweetness and joy, prompting thoughts that Broon may go to the country early. A nine-point Tory lead in the polls has been reversed; now it is Cameron who looks shallow and opportunistic. There's time enough, of course, to change this picture, but... Fraser Nelson asks: Try to finish the sentence “I really want the Conservatives to win the next election because…” I certainly can’t – and to me, this encapsulates Cameron’s problem.