It’s been a year since Ed Miliband’s shadow cabinet diktat to stop using the word ‘coalition’ to describe the current government. The preferred term is ‘conservative-led’, chosen – apparently – to highlight the rightwing agenda of the government and the impotence of the Liberal Democrats in the coalition. A year on and it’s still bloody …
Labour
The same, but different. Lessons learnt from the first Labour leadership hustings.
I was lucky/unlucky enough (depending on your perspective) to attend the New Statesman Labour leadership hustings earlier in the week. As the hustings took place on the same day as nominations closed, I imagine they’ll get more media attention than the other fifty-odd hustings taking place across the country over the coming weeks. So much …
The vexed issue of equality quotas
I have an interest to declare. I am a white, middle-class male. For that reason, I’m sure some will discount what I’m about to write as the bitter ramblings of a malcontent, angered by the prospect of his white, middle-class brethren losing their bear-like grip on the upper echelons of the Labour party. Not only …
Contrasting visions
Inevitably events like those which occurred yesterday throw up a lot of analysis and comment, most of it guff. To avoid contributing to the guff pandemic which is sweeping Westminster, here is a very brief reflection on the speeches made by the outgoing and incoming Prime Ministers – there was a subtle but important contrast …
Mutual misunderstanding
We value the role of building societies owned by their customers and the strength and diversity that a healthy mutual sector brings to our financial services, and we will consult on measures to help strengthen the sector. As one option for the disposal of Northern Rock, we will encourage a mutual solution, while ensuring that …