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Articles tagged with Ken Clarke
Imagine if our MPs never 'chillaxed'
by Sadie Smith / 21 May 2012 12:07
I’ve often thought that there should be a flow-diagram issued to all new MPs to assist them in predicting how the press and the public will criticise them with respect to any given circumstance.
You’re not in the Chamber? So you’re probably loafing around the subsidised Commons bars chatting up interns. You are in the Chamber? Huh, alright for some. You should be in your constituency listening and helping with the concerns of
Take your bets on 2012
by Alexander Wickham / 05 Jan 2012 10:30
New Year predictions tend to be the archetypal example of page-filling waffle, so let’s try to inject something a bit more exciting into the early January snooze-fest by attempting to make some money.
Betting on politics is an underrated activity for those inclined to throwing their cash away. What better way to test out your political nous than by putting your money where your mouth is? Here are three tips that might just
Immigration gaffes through time
by Holly Smith / 07 Nov 2011 12:22
Theresa May faces a tough time in the Commons today when she takes questions on the Home Office, and makes a statement on the way border controls were secretly relaxed this summer. She will have to answer questions on whether any terror suspects are thought to have entered the country during that period.
May had better have some good answers because take immigration, one of the most controversial of all
Ken Clarke sticks by his ‘feral underclass’ comment
by Richard Roberts / 25 Oct 2011 15:08
The justice secretary appeared before the home affairs select committee this lunchtime, in theory to discuss the riots. But in fact the hearing started with the committee chairman Keith Vaz giving Clarke a light-hearted ribbing about the latter’s conference season tiff with the home secretary.
“This is like going on the Today programme,” said Clarke, laughing off the question. “The way in which it came out at conference is just what happens at
Cameras in courts increase transparency
by Charlotte Henry / 08 Sep 2011 15:08
The other day, Ken Clarke signaled a quiet revolution in court proceedings, when he announced that camera’s would be allowed into courts to film the Judge’s summing up and sentencing. This decision will affect the Appeal Court initially, before expanding to the Crown Court. Cameras are already in the Supreme Court in Westminster, and some Scottish trials are broadcast too.
Clarke said: 'The government and judiciary are determined to improve
The Ministry of Justice is Ken's real problem
by Jerry Hayes / 09 Jun 2011 11:41
Whenever I hear the names Hollobone and Bone there is the comforting sound of flapping white coats in the distance. Mercifully, however deranged their frothings might be, we know that matron is always on hand with the liquid cosh.
But today the Hollobone-heads have excelled themselves. They hog the front page of that organ of truth, reason and propriety, the SUN, demanding that Ken Clarke be sacked for being too “soft”.
Now
PMQs: Cameron twists and turns his way out of a U-turn
by Amber Elliott / 08 Jun 2011 13:00
U-turns. It should have been all about U-turns. Two U-turns in two days, was the screamingly obvious attack line for Ed Miliband.
But rather than U-turns, the leader of the opposition became rather dizzy from running round in circles.
Yesterday, Cameron put the brakes on key elements of Andrew Lansley's NHS reforms. Then this morning, plans by justice secretary to halve prison sentences for criminals were shelved.
Yet the prime minister
It's time to buy shares in Andrew Lansley
by Jerry Hayes / 03 Jun 2011 15:35
While the right are busying themselves smuggling black market Marmite into Denmark and amusing themselves by trying to trick No10 into serving Spanish cucumber sandwiches for Cameron’s tea, a reputation is being made.
Andrew Lansley has been humiliated, undermined and suffered more political deaths than Rasputin. His flagship health policy has been paused while Lib dem Oompa Loompas do their best to smother it to death. And No10 hasn’t exactly been glowing with
MPs gagging to speak out on gagging orders
by Amber Elliott / 23 May 2011 14:45
There is an urgent question in the House today about gagging orders being asked by John Whittingdale at 3.30.
This comes just as shadow culture secretary Ivan Lewis calls for an urgent select committee inquiry into superinjunctions and The Sun's appeal to lift 'the footballer's' superinjunction has failed.
Supposedly, the attorney general told one Conservative MP that he was convinced that the UQ was not going to be granted this morning.
Serious stupidity and a lot of point-scoring
by Shane Greer / 19 May 2011 17:22
There are only three things in life which are certain:
- Taxes
- Death
- Ken Clarke will say really stupid things given the opportunity
There’s no doubt that Ken Clarke brings a certain value to the table for the Conservatives, otherwise Cameron wouldn’t have him around. And while it’s quite reasonable to question Cameron’s judgement in bringing such a walking liability to the front bench, I
Coalition-friendly Conservatives like Clarke must hold strong
by Charlotte Henry / 19 May 2011 15:00
I want to start by saying I am a big Ken Clarke fan. Frequently calm, sensible and liberal, I was really pleased by his appointment as Justice Secretary, and his performance in the first year of the coalition government. He led a move away from Michael Howard’s outdated and ineffective ‘prison works’ mantra, and had started to bring humanity to the justice system
On Wednesday Clarke obviously got himself into a bit
Politicians' ignorance on rape sentencing
by Jerry Hayes / 18 May 2011 14:28
There seems to be a remarkable ignorance by just about every politician commenting on rape about what the present and proposed position is.
The starting point on conviction after a trial is five years. The defendant will serve half of that, minus any time served in custody and will be released on licence for the remaining period.
Unfortunately, Ken Clarke was careless with his words when he talked
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