From our UK edition
With Alistair Darling delivering his Budget speech at 12:30, Coffee House is shifting into live coverage mode. Expect frequent updates, as well as analysis from Matthew d'Ancona, Fraser Neslon, Martin Vander Weyer and others.
From our UK edition
Tune into Coffee House tomorrow for live coverage of Alistair Darling's Budget speech from 12:30pm. Throughout the day, we'll have anaylsis from Matthew d'Ancona, Fraser Neslon, Martin Vander Weyer and several guest contributors.
From our UK edition
Education revolution Sir: Fraser Nelson (‘Made in Sweden’, 1 March) is right to highlight the importance of Sweden’s independent state schools for the debate on school choice and diversity. The successful Swedish experience strongly influenced New Labour reformers as we sought to introduce independent state-funded schools into England. However, it doesn’t need the Conservatives to ‘bring the Swedish education revolution to Britain’. The revolution has arrived already in the shape of the academies programme, which enables schools to be set up and managed on an independent basis by promoters outside the local authority system.
From our UK edition
One of the most compelling arguments for the existence of the House of Lords is what political scientists, borrowing the language of biologists, call ‘redundancy’. We have two eyes and two kidneys in case one malfunctions. In the case of the repackaged EU Constitution — now called the Lisbon treaty — the House of Commons has malfunctioned badly. As a sop to those furious that the government’s unambiguous pledge of a referendum had been broken, we were promised line-by-line scrutiny of the treaty in the Commons, and an exhaustive debate by MPs that would answer the charge that the ratification was a stitch-up by a government frightened of the popular will. But a stitch-up is precisely what it has been.
From our UK edition
A reminder that - after all your suggestions - Coffee House has begun its detailed analysis of Brownies, those little lies that our Prime Minister constantly tells. The introductory post is here. And Fraser's breakdown of Brownie No.1 - Inflation - is here. Also, Coffee House will be starting its Budget coverage this weekend. Before, during and after the event, we'll be posting comment from leading journalists, MPs and policy experts. Be sure to stay tuned.
From our UK edition
A podcast of last night's Spectator / Intelligence Squared debate - "Britain should have a referendum on the EU Treaty" - is available here. Lloyd Evans' web exclusive report on the debate can also be accessed here.
From our UK edition
A reminder that the Spectator / Intelligence Squared debate - "Britain should have a referendum on the EU Treaty" - begins at 18:45 tonight. Standing for the motion are Lord Lamont; Neil O'Brien, the director of Open Europe; and the award-winning historian Andrew Roberts. They'll be opposed by Denis MacShane MP; Vernon Bogdanor, Professor of Government at Oxford University; and David Aaronovitch, the broadcaster and journalist. The debate will be chaired by Andrew Neil. For live audio click here.
From our UK edition
With today's key vote dominating the headlines, a reminder that The Spectator / Intelligence Squared are holding a special emergency debate at 18:45 tonight - "Britain should have a referendum on the EU Treaty". There's a heavyweight line-up of speakers. Standing for the motion are Lord Lamont; Neil O'Brien, the director of Open Europe; and the award-winning historian Andrew Roberts. They'll be opposed by Denis MacShane MP; Vernon Bogdanor, Professor of Government at Oxford University; and David Aaronovitch, the broadcaster and journalist. The debate will be chaired by Andrew Neil. The Spectator website will feature live audio of the debate, and exclusive commentary from Lloyd Evans.
From our UK edition
Be sure to check out some of the posts made over the weekend: Peter Hoskin offers his cultural picks, and reflects on Gordon Brown's speech to the Labour Party Spring Conference. Fraser Nelson investigates whether David Cameron is the British Barack Obama. And over at Americano, James Forsyth reports from Texas on why Obama may have already won that state's primary, and on how Team Clinton's having a bit of fun.
Rip up Blairism by the roots Sir: Michael Gove (Politics, 23 February) gives a eulogy to Tony Blair, ‘I admired Tony Blair. I knew Tony Blair’. I had hoped that David Cameron’s claim to be ‘the heir to Blair’ was just a silly mistake springing from inexperience. It is more worrying to find that Blair worship is now the doctrine of modern compassionate Conservatism. No wonder 40 per cent of electors are unwilling to vote; nor that, when asked which party could best meet any challenge facing Britain, those saying ‘neither’ regularly exceed those naming either party.
From our UK edition
The Spectator on why the Speaker is further besmirching the reputation of Parliament The Speakership of the House of Commons has been aptly described as ‘the linchpin of the whole chariot’. This is why the lamentable conduct of Michael Martin, who has occupied the Speaker’s Chair since 2000, is more than just another parliamentary ‘sleaze’ story. By his sheer stubbornness, Mr Martin is behaving with epic selfishness and is besmirching the already sullied institution whose probity he, more than anyone else, is expected to protect. The wheels of the chariot are at risk of spinning off.
From our UK edition
Here - for the benefit of CoffeeHousers - is the full text of a letter from Lord Tebbit that will run in tomorrow's Spectator: "Sir: Michael Gove gives a eulogy to Tony Blair, 'I admired Tony Blair. I knew Tony Blair'. I had hoped that David Cameron's claim to be 'the heir to Blair' was just a silly mistake springing from inexperience. It is more worrying to find that Blair worship is now the doctrine of modern compassionate Conservatism. No wonder 40 per cent of electors are unwilling to vote; nor that, when asked which party could best meet any challenge facing Britain, those saying 'neither' regularly exceed those naming either party.
From our UK edition
Tonight, an all star panel debate whether all schools should be allowed to select their own pupils. Speakers for the motion are Chris Woodhead, former chief inspector of schools, Dr Martin Stephen, High Master of St Pauls, and Lord Tebbit. Opposing them are David Bunkett, Fiona Millar, Cherie Blair’s former aide, and William Atkinson, headmaster of the Phoenix School. Click here to listen.
From our UK edition
Just a reminder that the latest Spectator/Intelligence Squared debate - "All schools, state as well as private should be allowed to select their own pupils" - begins at 18:45 tonight. The speakers for the motion are Professor Chris Woodhead, the former Chief Inspector of Schools; Martin Stephen, High Master of St Paul's School; and the Rt Hon Lord Tebbit. Whilst those against it include the renowned journalist Fiona Millar; William Atkinson, the Headteacher of Phoenix High School; and the Rt Hon David Blunkett MP The debate will be chaired by the broadcaster Joan Bakewell. Spectator.co.uk visitors will be able to listen to live audio of the event.
From our UK edition
Be sure to check out some of the posts made over the weekend: Fraser Nelson sets out the Coffee House ethos, and also charts Britain’s spiraling drugs problem. Peter Hoskin suggests that Gordon Brown should shift into “short-term mode” in order to regain credibility. James Forsyth reflects on how the Tories can seize the political initiative. And, over at Americano, James also writes on how Barack Obama can shake the charge of being too “liberal”.
From our UK edition
This turbulent priest Sir: Seeing that it was I who wrote the article in The Spectator five and a half years ago advancing the case for choosing Rowan Williams as Archbishop of Canterbury the week before he was actually shortlisted for the job, I have something of an obligation to ask myself whether I got it right (‘Just a posh version of Prescott’, 16 February). The answer, I think, is yes. Let’s remember, amid all the kerfuffle, that Jesus himself also prevaricated on the tricky issues of the day, included the excluded and overrode doctrine. How enraging it all was to the righteous, to those fearful for their identity and their own moral fences!
From our UK edition
History may not judge the Northern Rock fiasco to be Labour’s Black Wednesday. Instead, the banking saga might yet become to Gordon Brown what ‘sleaze’ was to John Major. The potential symmetry is one of form, not content (there is no hint of personal corruption in the saga of the collapsed bank). Just as ‘sleaze’ became the ubiquitous shorthand for the aura of jadedness, selfishness and obsolescence that clung to the Major regime, so the words ‘Northern Rock’ could easily become a catch-all means of expressing the sense that this government has lost the plot, squandered its reputation for competence and planted itself firmly on the back foot.
From our UK edition
With Boris again laying into Gordon Brown, CoffeeHousers should remember to have their say on the latter's most misleading statements. What tops your list of Brownies?
From our UK edition
Pause for tort Sir: Reading Sir David Tang’s diary last week, in which he recounts the story of me ‘Googling’ him on a train, made me reflect on how recollections of events can differ between honest witnesses. My own diary for that day read as follows: ‘Am sitting on the train trying to work when a businessman in a tweed jacket arrives with a substantial retinue. This man is clearly important. He sits opposite me and discusses the day’s pheasant shooting with his companions. It sounds extraordinarily productive (unless you are a pheasant). I gather that he has slept in Lord Lambton’s bed (minus Lord Lambton, it becomes clear). His plane has broken down. He lives in Hong Kong.
From our UK edition
If there is a posture that will be indelibly associated with the Chancellorship of Alistair Darling — brief though it may turn out to be — it is that of a man forced into retreat under a hail of ridicule. Last month he backed away from ill-thought-out proposals to reform capital gains tax in the face of howls of rage from business owners. In the battle to recoup the massive exposures to Northern Rock to which, in panic, he committed the taxpayer, there has never been a moment when he has looked in full command, and retreat has taken the unusual form of digging himself into a deeper and deeper hole.