Peter Hoskin 
A farewell
Here’s a first for Coffee House: a farewell by one of its contributors. And that contributor is me. It’s been four-and-a-half years since I first joined The Spectator to tend… Continue reading
31 Comments
What to make of Gove’s remark about for-profit free schools?
Garlands from all quarters for Michael Gove’s performance at the Leveson Inquiry this afternoon (well, not quite all quarters) — but the most significant thing that the Education Secretary said… Continue reading
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Clegg takes on the Establishment (and the Tories) again
So Nick Clegg wants to present himself as anti-Establishment, does he? That’s hardly surprising. After all, the Deputy Prime Minister has ploughed this furrow before now, attacking the ‘vested interests’… Continue reading
33 Comments
So let’s get this straight…
After today’s VAT changes: a) If you walked into a pasty shop and bought a pasty that has been kept hot in a cabinet (or in foil, or on a… Continue reading
33 Comments
When spring doesn’t turn into summer
A high-ranking member of Hosni Mubarak’s disgraced government, or someone from the Muslim Brotherhood? It’s hardly an enviable choice — but that is the choice facing Egypt in next month’s… Continue reading
29 CommentsSpinner unspun
UPDATE: The below video has now been taken down from YouTube, but Guido has another copy here. Guido was first to this video of Downing St’s Director of Communications, Craig… Continue reading
28 CommentsThe Syrian tragedy continues
Last Friday, the Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, produced a gloomy 13-page report about the situation in Syria. ‘The overall level of violence in the country remains… Continue reading
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The expenses spotlight falls on Baroness Warsi
If David Cameron had a list of headlines he doesn’t want to see, I’m sure ‘Top Tory in expenses scandal’ would be near the top of it. Yet that’s what… Continue reading
45 CommentsGetting personal
‘It’s getting personal this time.’ So says a UK Uncut type, in the video above, explaining why the group staged a protest outside Nick Clegg’s home in Putney today. The event… Continue reading
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The IMF is losing patience with Greece
Much ado about Christine Lagarde’s interview with the Guardian this morning — and understandably so. After all, the head of the IMF is normally so restrained and delicate, yet here… Continue reading
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Off target on immigration
How goes the Tories’ plan to reduce net migration to the ‘tens of thousands’ over this Parliament? Not too well, judging by the latest ONS figures released today. As it… Continue reading
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Where will our politicians’ obsession with Hollande lead?
Hollande fever strikes again in Nick Clegg’s interview with the FT this morning. ‘I personally massively welcome the arrival of Hollande on to the scene,’ he says, but it goes… Continue reading
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ASBOs weren’t much cop, but what about their replacement?
Brace yourselves for a new crime wave sweeping across the country — the government is doing away with ASBOs. Or, rather, don’t. The truth about ASBOs is that they were… Continue reading
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Clegg rallies behind Cable
It’s no surprise that the Lib Dems aren’t keen on Adrian Beecroft’s proposals for hiring and firing. This intra-coalition disagreement has been rumbling on for months now, after all. But… Continue reading
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The IMF says it’s the Bank’s economy now
When the IMF published a report into the UK economy last year, I wrote a blog post detailing how it managed to please everyone: George Osborne, Vince Cable, Mervyn King,… Continue reading
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Iran and oil are still on the agenda
For all the talk about Greece and France and the Eurozone, it’s telling just how much our politicians are focusing on Iran. Indeed, some of the most concrete political settlements… Continue reading
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Europe is set to exacerbate the coalition’s internal tensions
As James suggested yesterday, the publication of the Beecroft proposals this week could be a significant moment. If the coalition can carve a constructive agenda from them, then we might… Continue reading
28 Comments
All eyes on Hollande
Have you noticed the weird hold that François Hollande has over our politics? If you haven’t, then let me tell you: his name has been almost inescapable in Westminster over… Continue reading
36 CommentsThe unions versus the Department for Education — continued
Oh dear, seems that the one of the union officials behind that presentation I posted earlier isn’t happy that it made its way on to Coffee House. Here’s an email… Continue reading
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