The Spectator

Thursday

The Spectator

Troubles ahead

From our UK edition

If the Belfast riots were happening in any other city in the United Kingdom, there would be uproar. For almost five weeks there have been violent clashes each night. Live rounds have been fired on city streets, politicians’ houses set ablaze, petrol bombs thrown at police and over 60 officers hurt. David Cameron seems to be doing his best to pretend that nothing is happening. The Prime Minister, like most in Britain, appears to be clinging to the lie that the 1998 Good Friday agreement somehow brought peace to Northern Ireland. There is sadly nothing anachronistic about the loyalist riots and they are only tangentially related to the alleged cause — the number of days in which the Union flag is flown over City Hall.

The Spectator

Portrait of the week | 10 January 2013

From our UK edition

Home David Cameron, the Prime Minister, said that, for the ‘coalition government with a full tank of gas, it’s full steam ahead’. He announced a ‘mid-term review’, but an audit that showed which pledges had not been met was held back. ‘We are married, not to each other,’ he said at a joint press conference with Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, ‘So, to me it’s not a marriage, it is, if you like, a Ronseal deal — it does what it says on the tin.’ He promised details in coming weeks on such things as ‘capping the potentially huge cost’ of social care, and extending the HS2 high-speed rail line from Birmingham to the north of England.

The Spectator

Barometer | 10 January 2013

From our UK edition

Welfare state The government was attacked for wanting to increase benefits by less than inflation. How have benefits changed in real terms since they were introduced? — Unemployment benefit began with the National Insurance Act 1911, when unemployed workers became eligible for payments of seven shillings a week for up to 15 weeks in the year. In 2013 prices seven shillings equates to £33, compared with £71 for Jobseeker’s Allowance. — The state pension began in 1909 when people over 70 with an income of less than £21 a year became eligible for five shillings a week. In 2013 prices this equates to £24, compared with the basic state pension of £107.45. Child’s pay David Cameron proposed tax relief for childcare costs.

The Spectator

Christmas

From our UK edition

DING DONG MERRILY ON HIGH (2A), SEE AMID THE WINTER’S SNOW (118), ONCE IN ROYAL DAVID’S CITY (1) and WHILE SHEPHERDS WATCHED (19) are the opening words of Christmas carols, as are ‘I saw three ships come sailing in’.

Wednesday

The Spectator

Could Jesse Norman be the next Tory leader?

From our UK edition

He might want to stay Prime Minister until 2020, but who will succeed David Cameron once he's gone? In this week's Spectator, Bruce Anderson offers his own tip for the next Conservative leader: David Cameron has announced that he would like to stay in No. 10 until at least 2020. That is excellent news for one Old Etonian candidate for the succession. Although he is at least as good as anyone else in the 2010 intake (an outstanding vintage), this fellow could not promoted in the last reshuffle, because he had played a splendid innings as the captain of the revolt over House of Lords reform. He earned the gratitude of anyone who respects the British constitution, but the whips, although a valuable recent adornment to that constitution, have a narrower perspective.

Monday

The Spectator

David Cameron and Nick Clegg’s joint foreword to the Mid-Term Review

From our UK edition

Two and a half years ago, our parties came together in the national interest and formed a coalition at a time of real economic danger. The deficit was spiralling out of control, confidence was plummeting, and the world was looking to Britain with growing anxiety about our ability to service our debts. This Government’s most urgent job was to restore stability in our public finances and confidence in the British economy. In just two years we have cut the deficit by a quarter and have set out a credible path towards our goal to balance the current budget over the economic cycle. Dealing with the deficit may have been our first task, but our most important task is to build a stronger, more balanced economy capable of delivering lasting growth and widely shared prosperity.

Thursday