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  What’s the point?  One Millionaire David Cameron is married to a millionaire. He earns a good salary. What point is he making by ‘celebrating’ with a Ryanair no frills trip? The only things that make flying bearable are the frills. Why the self-flagellation? Who is he trying to impress? Most people would regard [...]

This interesting article appears on Conservative Home today and highlights the fact that David Cameron is to take responsibility for selling health reform. http://conservativehome.blogs.com/thetorydiary/2011/04/the-principles-of-the-governments-nh... [...]

I've written before about the importance of keeping EMA. In simple terms, it's a small but vital weekly fund available to young people from low income families to enable them to afford the associated costs of staying on in education after 16. EMA was on that long list of things [...]

  No party ever prepares for opposition. Even predictable defeats are a shock and a trigger for prolonged misery. Nigel Fisher’s book ‘How to be in opposition’ is a tale of years of arid futility occasionally enlivened by minor triumphs. Heroes of past oppositions are described for our admiration and encouragement. Neil [...]

  Once the darling of the middle-of-the-road voters Nick Clegg has had a hideous 48 hours. Anyone can forget a microphone in the pocket,but his comment will return to haunt him. If he is to recover a separate identity for the LibDems his confession  of no differences between the two parties will [...]

But no more. Today's budget was a drama-drained drone of yesterday's press releases. In his day Gordon Brown was apocalyptic with a Heathcliff booming voice and contrived surprises. Nothing of any significance can be delivered in Osborne's squeaking falsetto. Today I had a choice. Attend my 24th budget speech or chair the [...]

Last week, on two separate occasions, I asked both the Prime Minister, David Cameron, and the Foreign Secretary, William Hague, questions about Libya and the Middle East.The situation in Libya has progressed a lot over the weekend so my question is somewhat redundant now, but I wanted reassurance from the [...]

Total of British soldiers killed in Afghanistan = 360 Wreckage, despair and tears today from the screaming nuclear nightmare of Fukushima. The bleak hopelessness of the courageous repair work is apparent. The hope today of a fresh electricity supply to power the cooling system appears to have come to nothing. Elevating the [...]

David Cameron has secured the necessary UN approval for a “No Fly Zone” and action against inhumane attacks on Libyan citizens by President Gadaffi. We must hope that the World has not left it too late to act and that the Libyans can be saved from vicious attacks and retaliation [...]

The United Nations has late in the day decided to stand up to the Libyan dictator. Their task would have been easier if they had acted when David Cameron first raised the issue. Under the remit the coalition of the willing that forms to carry out the task could keep Libya’s [...]

  Mayor Boris appears to be getting his way in wiping Brian Haw's peace protest from the face of Parliament Square. He has been there for ten years.  On many winter nights I have admired his fortitude as I went home to a warm bed while he continued his protest regardless [...]

Just a quick one to alert you to on online petition: http://www.frontlinenhs.co.uk/.Yes, I know there are lots of online petitions, but let's face it, it's a very easy way for you to register your support or opposition for something. I could be asking you to stand in the cold and [...]

14 March 2011   £2billion bank bonus tax to create 110,000 new jobs   Labour is today setting out the key tests for George Osborne’s Budget next week and calling for immediate action to boost jobs and growth in the economy and to help hard-pressed families with the rising cost of living.    In a joint [...]

  Only three MPs questioned the Prime Minister this afternoon on the developing nuclear crisis. David Cameron said he was not going to ‘rush to judgement’.  I asked him to avoid rushing to complacency on nuclear safety. ‘The pictures of the two explosions from Fukushima have already churned up deep-seated fears of [...]

  Tomorrow will the day from hell for the coalition.There are likely to be statements on Japan and Libya. The indefensible Prince Andrew may again come under critical attack. The world is traumatised by the nightmare images we are witnessing from Japan. I am sure the Government and charities will do all [...]

Responding to revelations about Jonathan Rees Shadow Culture Secretary, Ivan Lewis said: “These revelations about Jonathan Rees raise questions about David Cameron and Nick Clegg’s judgment in appointing Andy Coulson to such a senior post as Director of Communications in Downing Street. “Both the Prime  Minister and his deputy need to answer questions about [...]

Sometimes it's hard to be an MP. Don't worry, I'm not going to start moaning and begging for your sympathy; I know we all have tough moments in our jobs. I think though, what gets to me the most is when you desperately want to help people but [...]

Last week, Enfield Council approved a Budget that will see £35 million worth of cuts to public spending, all because the Tory/LibDem Coalition has slashed the funding for local authorities to such an extent that the councils have no choice but to make cuts. In other words, councils are being [...]

It might sound very Silicon Valley and modern, but crowd-sourcing decisions seems to have been recommended by sixteenth century schemer, Niccolo Machiavelli. According to Jonathan Powell’s must-read New Machiavelli, the old Machiavelli suggested that a wise ruler should not“ignore public opinion in regard to .... the distribution of offices;  for here the populace, when left [...]

The problem with Coalition governments is you can end up with policies that neither party wanted and few electors voted for. The Alternative Vote is one such idea. I fought the Wokingham election against changing the electoral system. The Lib Dems fought it in favour of a proportional system. We [...]