The Spectator

The Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Pre-Budget Report (PBR) was one of the most arresting political events of modern times. The Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Pre-Budget Report (PBR) was one of the most arresting political events of modern times. Alistair Darling’s delivery was as flat as ever, but what he had to say was truly dramatic: it amounted to a bonfire of the government’s own principles of fiscal management, and a colossal bet on the Treasury’s ability to issue undreamt-of volumes of government debt. His package of measures was predicated on a bafflingly confident forecast that the recession will be over by the third quarter of 2009, and growth will return to its long-term trend by 2011.

Here are some of the posts made over the past week on Spectator.co.uk: Coffee House has edited a video to highlight Brown’s borrowing binge. Matthew d’Ancona responds to the Mumbai Atrocities, and says that the Pre-Budget report was a thin offering. Lisa Hilton delivers the latest society news, and commemorates another Johnson triumph. Fraser Nelson reports that the Tories have been angered by the arrest of Damian Green, and outlines Brown’s worst nightmare. James Forsyth insists that today’s MPs should stand up for the rights won by their predecessors, and says that the England cricket tour of South Africa must go on. Peter Hoskin asks whether David Cameron is going to crack down on public sector pensions, and responds to the Pre-Budget Report.

Here are some of the posts made over the weekend on Spectator.co.uk: Fraser Nelson says Gordon Brown is blasting out his false message, and surveys the prospects for Reykjavik on Thames. James Forsyth asks whether Brown's political positioning on VAT is any good, and outlines the coming Tory attack on Brown. Peter Hoskin reports on a more encouraging opinion poll for the Tories, and suggests how Brown might spin himself as our Value Added Saviour. Daniel Korski outlines the real choices. Melanie Phillips gives her take on Broken Britain. Clive Davis asks whether Gordon Brown is right or wrong. And Americano backs Caroline Kennedy for London.

The problem with Pakistan Sir: It is preposterous that Elliot Wilson pleads for the bailing out of Pakistan (‘Britain can’t afford a failed Pakistan’, 15 November). The country is not facing a natural disaster; its economic meltdown is self-inflicted — it insisted on acquiring nuclear weapons and cosying up to Islamic terrorism. Pakistan, both politically and economically, has always been a failed state. Ever since its inception in 1947, it chose to subsist on foreign handouts: first through the security structure of seato and cento and then by becoming a front-line state against communism and terrorism. It never bothered to learn the art of earning its living through strategic planning, economic reforms and investment in higher education.

The licence fee is good value Sir: Charles Moore has really talked himself into a corner this time with regard to his pathological dislike of the BBC (The Spectator’s Notes, 8 November). Like many other ‘BBC bashers’ on the Right he seems to gleefully welcome the Ross and Brand affair as a vindication of his views. If we accept his logic, and his analogy of being made to pay for something you dislike and did not order in a café, one would conclude that unless people like absolutely everything the BBC broadcasts on the TV and radio then they are justified in withholding the licence fee. Of course this would leave no one at all, no licence fee revenue, and therefore no BBC.

The MoD’s failure of duty Sir: Charles Moore berates Oxford deputy coroner Andrew Walker for upbraiding officialdom in the matter of the death of Para Corporal Mark Wright, deeming such criticism of the military establishment to be ‘outrageous’ (The Spectator’s Notes, 25 October). The fact is that Tony Blair launched our armed forces into five wars in six years. Of the two ongoing conflicts, Iraq has lasted longer than the second world war and Afghanistan is more ferocious than Korea. When any government does this it takes on a very serious duty of care. That duty involves an absolute obligation that the men sent out to fight will have equipment sufficient in both quality and quantity to enable them to do the job and stay alive if possible.

Here are some of the posts made over the past week on Spectator.co.uk: James Forsyth reports from the US on the culmination of the presidential election.  He outlines Barack Obama's achievement here.  And takes a moment to praise John McCain here. Toby Young argues that Obama isn't black. Matthew d'Ancona reports on the fight to be Obama's friend. Fraser Nelson responds to the 1.5 percent cut in interest rates, and gives reasons to have faith in Osborne and Cameron. Peter Hoskin looks at how the Tories are taking on the BBC, and reports on the aftermath to Labour's victory in the Glenrothes byelection. Daniel Korski analyses how Europe should deal with Russia over natural gas. Stephen Pollard reveals an e-mail from Simon Heffer.