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Drummer Lee Rigby. Photo: Ministry of Defence

Lee Rigby named as victim of Woolwich attack

23 May 2013 17:17

The Ministry of Defence has named the solider killed in Woolwich yesterday as Lee Rigby of the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. Rigby, 25 and father of… Continue reading

13 Comments
Chancellor Of The Exchequer George Osborne Makes A Post Budget Visit In London

The friendless Help-to-Buy scheme

23 May 2013 15:56

Is there anyone left who thinks the Government’s Help to Buy scheme is a good idea? This week’s Spectator splashes on the risks of this property bubble wheeze. Merryn Somerset… Continue reading

9 Comments
British Prime Minister John Major (2nd R) leaves N

Why it’s not the 1990s all over again for the Tories

23 May 2013 13:47

The last twenty four hours have been a reminder of David Cameron’s poise as a national leader. He has the ability to project a sense of resolve and calm. Before… Continue reading

24 Comments
Police Treating Major Woolwich Incident As Terrorist Attack

PM avoids knee-jerk response to Woolwich attack

23 May 2013 12:31

It goes without saying that when it comes to serious national tragedies, David Cameron is the right man to give a statement from Downing Street. His response today to the… Continue reading

58 Comments
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David Cameron’s statement on the Woolwich attack

23 May 2013 12:01

What happened yesterday in Woolwich has sickened us all. On our televisions last night, and in our newspapers this morning, we have all seen images that are deeply shocking. The… Continue reading

36 Comments
Housing-Bubble

The View from 22 — Osborne’s property bubble, the ongoing Tory wars and Google’s taxing issue

23 May 2013 9:12

Will George Osborne’s manipulation of the property market cause catastrophe? In this week’s Spectator cover feature, Merryn Somerset Webb argues the Chancellor’s recycling of cheap debt through his Help To Buy and… Continue reading

6 Comments
Investigations Continue Into The Brutal Street Killing Of A British Soldier

Woolwich eyewitness: one of the men fired a gun, but it backfired and he lost his finger

23 May 2013 8:25

The reporting of yesterday’s murder was driven not by journalists, but by eyewitnesses quickly able to share what they saw. Here is one extraordinary chain of tweets by a rapper,… Continue reading

57 Comments
Images from BBC News

Woolwich attack: the aftermath

22 May 2013 22:42

Westminster and Whitehall are tonight trying to assess the implications of the brutal murder of a soldier in Woolwich. It is clear from the vile rant made by one of… Continue reading

324 Comments
#NotIslam

‘Not in our name’ – British Muslims denounce the Woolwich attack on Twitter

22 May 2013 20:39

The Muslim Council of Britain has denounced the Woolwich murder and has been joined by hundreds of Muslims who have taken to Twitter to voice disgust over the idea that… Continue reading

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A man videoed with a bloodied knife in Woolwich earlier today. Photo: ITV News

‘Soldier beheaded’ in Woolwich, south London – live reaction

22 May 2013 17:01

Summary: A British solider has been reported to have been beheaded on the streets of Woolwich, south east London by two men at 2:20pm afternoon. The BBC is reporting the murder… Continue reading

1 Comment
Comrade Gove is delivering what Attlee dangled. Image: Carla Millar.

Exclusive: Clement Attlee backs Michael Gove’s free schools

22 May 2013 16:49

Great news for all progressives: a private school has been effectively been nationalised. Queen Elizabeth Grammar in Blackburn, founded in 1509, is to enter the state sector as one of… Continue reading

12 Comments
Osborne arriving at the IMF conference this morning. Image: Getty

The chancellor survived the IMF report, but there’s another challenge ahead

22 May 2013 16:12

George Osborne has got through the IMF’s report on the UK economy. It is far from a ringing endorsement of his approach but, as Isabel notes, its criticisms are couched… Continue reading

12 Comments
David Cameron with Google boss Eric Schmidt. Picture: Getty

Cameron leaves the goal open for Clegg and Miliband on tax avoidance

22 May 2013 15:35

It’s fashionable to say Downing Street isn’t very good at strategy. So fashionable, in fact, that sometimes journalists worry they’re being unfair to the Tory leadership. But today we saw… Continue reading

25 Comments
George Osborne will deliver the Budget today.

IMF verdict on the UK economy: the good, the bad, and the ugly

22 May 2013 13:02

The International Monetary Fund published its long-awaited Ofsted report on the UK economy this afternoon. As usual, the written assessment contains enough to keep everyone on all sides of the… Continue reading

71 Comments
clegg

Nick Clegg: I’m the grown-up in this Coalition

22 May 2013 8:18

Ever the helpful friend in times of strife, Nick Clegg is giving a speech today in which he will soar above the troubles the Tories currently find themselves in to… Continue reading

37 Comments
A girl spray paints figures of male and

Same Sex Marriage Bill: how MPs voted

21 May 2013 20:27

This is the full Hansard of list of how MPs voted on tonight’s third reading of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill. It was a free vote, and the Bill… Continue reading

127 Comments
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Gay marriage easily passes third reading vote in the Commons

21 May 2013 19:31

After all the parliamentary back and forth yesterday, gay marriage passed third reading by the comfortable margin of 366 to 161. Tory sources are briefing that fewer of their MPs… Continue reading

74 Comments
Britain's Opposition Labour Party's Shad

Labour claims credit for gay marriage bill

21 May 2013 18:12

Some might say it was rather audacious of Yvette Cooper to send an email to Labour activists this evening urging them to tweet something along these lines: I’m proud to… Continue reading

15 Comments
Conservative supporters wait for Conserv

David Cameron has caused a crisis in conservatism

21 May 2013 17:45

David Cameron’s letter to party members added insult to injury after a week of headlines about ‘Loongate’ and the Tory leadership’s decision to bulldoze through the Same Sex Marriage Bill… Continue reading

95 Comments
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Cameron has reached the tipping point

21 May 2013 16:45

The combination of complacency and incompetence that seems to have afflicted the Conservative Party is a wonder to behold. Janet Daley wrote at the weekend of her frustration at David… Continue reading

78 Comments