Media
Labour holds its breath for the Dark Lord’s memoir
Peter Mandelson’s memoirs are out in just over a week. Despite being one of the last off the stage, Mandelson has beaten his colleagues to the first full account of… Continue reading
15 CommentsAbbott ducks the challenge
Guido reports that Diane Abbott has ducked out of doing the Daily Politics following her disastrous appearance with Andrew Neil on This Week when she couldn’t answer questions about her… Continue reading
29 CommentsWEB EXCLUSIVE: Time to leave?
The Spectator’s summer debating season ended with a strident appeal. ‘Too late to save Britain. It’s time to leave’. Proposing the motion, Rod Liddle claimed to have mis-read his invitation.… Continue reading
24 CommentsOsborne winning the Budget PR battle – but VAT remains a thorny issue
Well, that’s gone as well as can be expected for the coalition. Most of today’s newspaper coverage highlights the severity of George Osborne’s Budget – but, crucially, it adds that… Continue reading
17 CommentsThe Labour leadership contest waltzes onto Newsnight
With ill-repressed horror, James Macintyre reports that the remnants of New Labour fear that Diane Abbott might win the Labour leadership, courtesy of the preferential vote. Mildly amusing I suppose.… Continue reading
47 CommentsIn defence of Mary Whitehouse
The first time I interviewed Mary Whitehouse was for the Evening Standard in 1965. She seemed to me a narrow-minded schoolmarm, and after our encounter I wrote a teenagerish attack… Continue reading
32 CommentsThe other Rachel
The boat the Israelis peacefully intercepted was called Rachel Corrie – named after a young American protester accidentally killed when offering herself as a human shield in Gaza. Her name… Continue reading
53 CommentsWas last night’s Question Time a preview of how the coalition will deal with the media?
All kinds of hoohah about last night’s Question Time, for which Downing St refused to put up a panellist because of Alastair Campbell’s involvement. If he was replaced with a… Continue reading
94 CommentsWhen will the government be mugged by reality?
One of the most interesting questions is whether the Tories and the Lib Dems will be able to move from the talking points to the action points. Besides Ken Clarke,… Continue reading
31 CommentsThe coalition passes the easy bit with flying colours
The first press conference of this new era was a definite success. The body language between Cameron and Clegg was good. When Clegg called Cameron ‘Dave’ it sounded very natural.… Continue reading
25 CommentsGovernment in waiting?
I’m sceptical of the value of newspaper endorsements. Readers are often irritated by being told which way to jump – if you’ve read the letters page of the Times recently… Continue reading
34 CommentsWhy the Guardian should have backed the Tories
The Guardian missed a trick today. It should have endorsed the Conservatives. As a regular reader of that great newspaper, I can diagnose the ailment: it is confusing intentions with… Continue reading
31 CommentsLabour’s disintegrating campaign
Fireworks at Labour’s press conference this morning, thanks to some brilliant questioning of Mandelson and Balls about the cuts which Labour is concealing from the public. A while ago, the… Continue reading
43 CommentsThe spotlight turns on Labour
It’s the story which has been simmering throughout the election campaign, and now it has has boiled over onto the front pages: fear and loathing in the Labour ranks. After… Continue reading
30 CommentsCameron’s low reward interview with Paxo
David Cameron is recording his interview with Jeremy Paxman at 5.15 today, it’ll air at 8.30. Cameron didn’t want to do this interview. Originally, Clegg was the only leader to… Continue reading
69 CommentsPolls the morning after, and where next for Cameron?
With the exception of the Daily Mirror, the pundits’ concede that David Cameron and Gordon Brown closed the gap on Nick Clegg, but not decisively. That has transferred to the… Continue reading
28 CommentsPeople loathe politicians – but do they loathe the political media too?
One thing’s for certain: the Lib Dems are coming in for greater scrutiny and attention from the media. The covers of the Telegraph, Sun, Mail, Express and, yes, The Spectator… Continue reading
45 CommentsNot so squeaky clean
“All my life, I’ve opposed the old politics,” says Nick Clegg ad nauseam. Not so it seems. Peter Oborne’s Mail column reports that one youthful indiscretion has been omitted from… Continue reading
17 CommentsHow Whelan & Co. exploit Britain’s libel laws
The Charlie Whelan problem is intensifying for Labour, with more revelations in the Mail on Sunday today taking on from our cover story in this week’s magazine. Whelan’s behaviour may… Continue reading
18 Comments