Peter Hoskin

Thursday

Peter Hoskin

Osborne responds – Part I

From our UK edition

Here are George Osborne's answers to the first five questions put forward by CoffeeHousers: Tiberius "I understand the reasons for not committing to upfront tax cuts, but there are bound to be some savings available from reform. Do you have any idea at this stage how much could be available, and where would you seek to allocate any such savings?" Thanks Tiberius. Our judgement call two years ago not to commit to upfront tax cuts, in spite of pressure from many people, has clearly been vindicated by events. When it comes to efficiency savings, we have made it clear that cutting wasteful spending is a key part of our plans. But we also recognise that we have to go further. We have to make sure that the government lives within its means.

Peter Hoskin

What the Tories think of James Purnell

From our UK edition

Ok, so it seems like you CoffeeHousers generally don't agree with our appraisal of James Purnell (exemplified by Fraser's article "Meet James Purnell: the best hope Labour has of avoiding disaster"). But what does the Tory party think of the work and pensions secretary?  Here's a hefty quote from Tara Hamilton-Miller's excellent article in the New Statesman today, outlining just that: "Back in the office, Tories have been checking out James Purnell, the new young buck many suggest could be the saviour of Brown's crumbling party. The Central Office staff don't get it. Says one Tory aide: "He's a boy. I'm not convinced his own party buy him. Surely this is a case of hype from a desperate left, bandying about names of possible successors?

Peter Hoskin

What will tomorrow look like?

From our UK edition

It's by-election day today in Glasgow East, and you can expect frequent updates and analysis from the Coffee House team.  At the moment, the consensus is that it's too close to call.  As Fraser said yesterday, the numbers suggest a narrow Labour victory, but – if you factor in low turnout and the mobilising power of the nationalists – that could be overturned quite easily. If the SNP do come out on top, then the British political landscape could start looking very different, very quickly.  Ominously for the Prime Minister, Steve Richards (who's written the latest Spectator politics column, available here) reports in today's Independent that Labour ministers may already be devising post-Glasgow plans.  An uprising, perhaps – in case of defeat?

Wednesday

Peter Hoskin

Could this escalate?

From our UK edition

Today’s Standard reports on an accusation that David Cameron is giving Tory donors free publicity by staging photo-calls at the factories they own. Of course, there may be nothing in it – and it’s hardly at the level of cash-for-honours. But, at the very least, it’s a reminder that Cameron needs to be very careful indeed. He projects high standards, and often talks about a “new politics” which does away with the less edifying aspects of Westminster politics. Good for him. But it means that the Tory leader could face a greater public backlash than other politicians, should he ever appear to be part of the problem rather than the solution.

Peter Hoskin

More poll cheer for the Tories

From our UK edition

Over at Political Betting, Mike Smithson's got the latest Ipsos MORI poll results.  They have a hefty, 20-point lead for the Tories.  Here are the numbers in full: Tories on 47 percent (up 2 from last month); Labour on 27 percent (down 2); and the Lib Dems 15 percent (down 1).

Peter Hoskin

Balls predicts a rocky autumn for Labour

From our UK edition

Steve Richards has landed an interview with Ed Balls in today's Independent.  The schools secretary discusses the Sats fiasco, but it's the same old story – he declines to apologise, and frequently deploys the phrase “arm's length”.  But he's a bit more revealing when it comes to the subject of where it's gone wrong for Gordon Brown this year, and what Labour's prospects are for the future.  Here are some key quotes: "The 10p tax was a mistake. Other things have not gone right, sometimes through no fault of our own, sometimes because of ministerial decisions... ...It's going to get tougher before it gets easier.

Tuesday

Peter Hoskin

Responsibilty-dodger <em>extraordinaire</em>

From our UK edition

Did any CoffeeHousers watch Ed Balls being grilled in the Commons, just over an hour ago?  Unfortunately, I had to miss it, but reading the transcripts over on Politics Home it seems like Balls is shamelessly continuing to dodge responsibility.  Here's a snippet of what he had to say: "I share the frustration and anger – this should not have happened... ...The contract with ETS had been drawn up at arms length to ministers – any contractual discussions are for QCA and ETS." Gove's reponse was typically punchy.

Peter Hoskin

The Purnell path to power

From our UK edition

James Purnell is on manoeuvres.  That certainly seems to be the consensus, and it's one that I agree with.  The same's also been said of Ed Balls and David Miliband.  But I'm struck by just how differently Purnell is going about things from his potential rivals.  His approach could pay dividends. You see, the manoeuvres of Ed Balls and David Miliband have largely consisted of showy efforts of support for Gordon Brown - the kind that say "Vote for me, Labour MPs; I'm a good guy".  Hardly any print or broadcast outlet has been spared their outpourings of devotion for the Dear Leader, and they've managed to cram in their "visions for the future of the party" whilst they've been at it.

Peter Hoskin

This has got to stop

From our UK edition

The Sun reports that British taxpayers subsidised the House of Commons Refreshment Department to the tune of £5.5 million over the past year. That's 43 percent of its running costs – and means that MPs enjoy cheaper drinks than the rest of the country, as well as 12 bars which operate without licence and with no restrictions on hours. I'd sound like a Viz letter writer if I fell back on the “It's one rule for them, and another for us” cliché. But it's perfectly applicable in this case...

Monday

Peter Hoskin

A decreased lead for the Tories, but more bad news for Brown

From our UK edition

The Guardian have just published their latest ICM poll.  The headline numbers: the Tories are on 43 percent (down 2 from last month); Labour on 28 percent (up 3); and the Lib Dems on 19 percent (down 1).  So Labour have cut into the Tory lead. When you look at the other findings, though, the picture looks bleaker for Brown.  The vast majority of respondents think the UK's heading towards a recession.  And, when asked who they trust to run the economy, 46 percent picked Cameron and Osborne, compared to only 27 percent for Brown and Darling. It's a similar story to the Times/Populus poll of a couple of weeks ago.

Peter Hoskin

Will Purnell’s reforms see the light of day?

From our UK edition

The response to James Purnell's welfare proposals has been near-unanimously positive. Here at Coffee House Towers, the feeling - outlined by Fraser here - is that they’re a positive step towards getting some of the UK’s 5.1 million benefit-claimants back into work. And even Purnell's opposite number, Chris Grayling, has been gracious enough to call the proposals "the right package" (whilst also claiming that they’ve been nabbed from the Tories). There's one major dissenter though - Frank Field. He went on the attack on Today this morning, arguing that the proposals still place too much stress on claimants getting a higher rate of benefit. But it's his later suggestion that the Purnell reforms will not "see the light of day" that really grabs attention.

Peter Hoskin

Your questions for George Osborne

From our UK edition

It's been a couple of weeks since we asked CoffeeHousers to put forward their questions for George Osborne.  We've since picked out the best ten, which have now been put to the shadow chancellor.  He'll get back to us over the next couple of days. The CoffeeHousers whose questions were chosen can e-mail me on phoskin @ spectator.co.uk to claim their t-shirt and 180th Anniversary issue of the magazine. Anyway, here are the questions: Tiberius   "I understand the reasons for not committing to upfront tax cuts, but there are bound to be some savings available from reform. Do you have any idea at this stage how much could be available, and where would you seek to allocate any such savings?

Peter Hoskin

CoffeeHousers’ Wall, 21 July – 27 July

From our UK edition

Welcome to this week's Wall.  As always, this is your space to write and chat about any topics you want.  Do let us know if there are things you'd like to see us cover on Coffee House.  Or if you'd like to post any photos or videos to the Wall, please e-mail them to me on phoskin @ spectator.co.uk.  We'd be particularly keen on anything related to the Glasgow East by-election.  In fact, the best contribution on Glasgow East (be it a photo, video or comment) will this week win a bottle of champagne from the Coffee House cellar.

Peter Hoskin

Wasting funds for the future

From our UK edition

I'm open to alternative suggestions from CoffeeHousers, but if I were to summarise this government in one word, that word would be “wasteful”. Today's Guardian, for instance, tracks yet another example of massive squander. Remember the Government's £35 billion 'Building Schools for the Future' scheme (BSF), which Brown says will result in UK schools being the "best equipped in the world for 21st-century learning"? Well, according to the Government's architecture watchdog, some eight-out-of-every-ten new school designs are “mediocre” or “not yet good enough”. Best in the world? Certainly doesn't sound like it. But the greater waste may be that this money's being spent in the first place.

Saturday

Peter Hoskin

Here be monsters

From our UK edition

The Mist 15, Nationwide As any fan of Howard Hawks, George A. Romero or John Carpenter will know, it’s not the monsters outside your window that you should worry about. It’s the people who are trapped indoors with you. Your friends, family, acquaintances and colleagues. The Humans. They’re the most horrific things of all. This dreary set-up has inspired a handful of great films — from The Thing from Another World (1951) through to Night of the Living Dead (1968) and The Thing (1982). A rich lineage, indeed. And although it doesn’t add anything particularly new, Frank Darabont’s The Mist may well deserve a place alongside them.

Friday

Peter Hoskin

London: the best of

From our UK edition

Here's one for whilst you're winding down on a Friday afternoon: a Guardian article outlining Ken Livingstone's 10 favourite London haunts. I'm not sure whether they're in any particular order, but the restaurant Vasco & Piero's Pavilion fills the number one spot. And Livingstone also finds room for Tate Modern and the Natural History Museum, among others. I quite like the format, and it got me thinking. What would Boris' top 10 be? What - indeed - would my top 10 be? Without further thought, I'm not sure - but it would have to include St James's Park, Sadler's Wells and the Sir John Soane's Museum. But this is one I'd like to hand over to CoffeeHousers: what would your top ten London haunts be? Just note them down in the comments section below.

Peter Hoskin

Issue 3 of Spectator Business

From our UK edition

We've just uploaded the content from the latest issue of the Spectator Business - you can access it here. In particular, I'd recommend you read Michael Millar's piece on the resurgance in trade union militancy - "Are we heading for an autumn of discontent?"  It'd be great to hear your views on this, or on any other articles in the magazine.  Just register them in the relevant comment sections.

Peter Hoskin

Put your questions to George Osborne

From our UK edition

George Osborne has kindly agreed to a Q&A session with Coffee House.  So, post your questions for him in the comments sections below.  And, in a week-or-so's time, we'll pick out the best ten and put them to the shadow chancellor.  He'll get back to us all a few days later.  And the commenters whose questions are chosen will all win Coffee House t-shirts and copies of the special 180th Anniversary issue of The Spectator.

Peter Hoskin

Brown turns to the Blairites

From our UK edition

“It worked for Tony, so it might just work for me.” That's what must be going through Gordon Brown's head at the moment, as – according to this story in the Independent – he's turning to leading Blairite figures, such as Alistair Campbell and Peter Mandelson, for advice. If true, it's fairly astonishing – after all, these are people whom Brown undermined and attacked, for the best part of a decade, in his effort to reach the very top. But it's perhaps even more surprising that the Blairites are going along with it all. Campbell, for example, is said to be “talking regularly” with Brown, and may even take up some informal position in government.