Coffee House The Spectator Blog
Jeremy Heywood, just call him very influential
The main topic of conversation in Whitehall today has been The Guardian’s profile of the Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood. One particular passage has raised some eyebrows in several ministerial… Continue reading
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Hodge’s new nemesis: Sir Jeremy Heywood
Margaret Hodge subjected senior civil servants to a fierce ear-boxing this morning. She accused them of trying to avoid the scrutiny of her Public Accounts Committee, and declared the current… Continue reading
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Uncivil service
Political cultures differ. In Iran, for example, hyperbole is expected in all political conversations. So slogans always call for ‘Death to the US’, and nothing less. In Britain, of course,… Continue reading
16 CommentsCameron makes poor start on the long road back
This was David Cameron’s most difficult press conference since becoming Tory leader. The Prime Minister refused to distance himself from Andy Coulson, a man he said was still his friend.… Continue reading
108 CommentsTreasury notes reveal Osborne’s position on euro bailouts
There has been much talk about what George Osborne told Alistair Darling about the EU bailout mechanism during those days in May between the election and the coalition being formed.… Continue reading
15 CommentsTax versus philanthropy
I was on the panel of Any Questions last night in Saltaire, the most beautiful town I’ve seen outside of the Highlands. Jonathan Dimbleby always warms everyone up with a… Continue reading
29 CommentsBritain makes new senior diplomatic appointments
From the Number 10 website: The Prime Minister is pleased to confirm the following senior appointments: Sir Peter Ricketts, currently the Prime Minister’s National Security Advisor, to become HM Ambassador… Continue reading
16 CommentsBritain’s other, bigger debt problem
And what about the other sort of debt? We spend so much time harrumphing about the national debt that an important point is obscured: personal debt, the amount owed by… Continue reading
41 CommentsThe Portuguese fallout
How much are we in for? That is the question that springs most readily to mind after Portugal’s request for fiscal aid from the EU. And, sadly, the answer is… Continue reading
27 CommentsWhat were the SAS doing in the eastern desert?
When the official files are opened in 30 years time, we will see what series of decisions led the government to send a helicopter-born SAS team into eastern Libya when… Continue reading
37 CommentsGovernment to appeal on prisoner votes
PoliticsHome reports that the government is to ask the ECHR to reconsider its verdict in the prisoner voting rights case. The website says: ‘In a response to a parliamentary question… Continue reading
23 CommentsFrom the archives: The resignation of Alastair Campbell
No need to explain why we’re looking back on the resignation of Alastair Campbell for this week’s entry from The Spectator archives. The piece itself is merciless stuff from the… Continue reading
15 CommentsWhat’s with the Wiki-fuss?
The whole Wikileaks scandal reminds me of a recent conversation I had, at his request, with a member of a foreign diplomatic service. The country he represented is a long-standing… Continue reading
13 CommentsWhat the new peerages tell us about the party leaders
Today’s peerage list contains more interesting names than usual. Jullian Fellowes — Downton Abbey, Gosford Park, Snobs — is the one who will get the most attention. It is a… Continue reading
18 CommentsStop dreaming of Leo McGarry
The West Wing has an amazing hold over Fleet Street. The TV series has not only taught a generation of British reporters about US politics but even influenced the way… Continue reading
20 CommentsGordon Brown speaks out about not speaking out
Courtesy of Andrew Sparrow’s ever-superb live blog of the political day, from Brown’s appearance before the Commons development committee: "Let’s not get into this in any detail because it’s a… Continue reading
32 CommentsBringing Arcadia to Whitehall
Philip Green’s business background is writ plain across his review of government waste – right down to its PowerPoint style layout. Many of its recommendations reduce down to a claim… Continue reading
22 CommentsFinding a narrative of hope
In these grim dark days of austerity and cuts, the coalition urgently needs to find a compelling political narrative of hope and optimism. David Cameron’s Big Society rhetoric occasionally threatens… Continue reading
19 CommentsA bill that deserves trimming
The electoral reform bill has passed comfortably, by 328 votes to 269. Now comes the hard bit: this bill is going to be deservedly lacerated in committee. The bill drew… Continue reading
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