Date archive for March, 2009
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Hague’s fond memories of Major shows how little the Tories have changed
If there is one strategy you would think the Tories would want to avoid like the plague right now it would be to invoke memories of the Major years. Yet that’s exactly what William Hague did yesterday on the Andrew Marr programme.
Ken Clarke have may been causing the Tories headaches with his line on inheritance tax but his record as Chancellor appears unassailed in Tory circles. When asked by Andrew Marr about public spending under a Tory government William Hague’s [...] -
Cut and run
So now we know what Boris Johnson is scared of. Debate. As Hugh Muir’s Guardian diary reports, Boris Johnson vetoed Ken Livingstone’s participation on the BBC’s Any Questions this week. Livingstone was asked on Thursday if he would join the panel for the programme, which at that time lacked any Labour figure to balance Johnson’s appearance. Livingstone said yes. Johnson’s response was rapid. No way was he appearing with Ken Livingstone. So the latter was bumped.
Listeners may be taken aback [...] -
London must resist the far right threat
The recession poses a question for London. Does the capital respond by deepening links with the rest of the world – importantly with the dynamic economies of Asia – or does it turn inward, responding to the nationalistic diversions by making concessions to them? Only the former offers a way forward; but that means facing down the latter.
London’s position as one of the world’s great cities is built on its relationship with the international economy. The city would be unrecognisable [...]
