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Articles tagged with Nick Clegg
A new approach to the childcare ratio problem
by Imogen Parker / 06 Jun 2013 12:20
It’s official. Liz Truss’ plans to relax childcare ratios for the young children are now “dead in the water”. It’s welcome news that Nick Clegg has listened to experts, considered the evidence and rethought ratio reform.
This morning’s news will no doubt cause celebration in the sector (with petitions lobbying the government to reconsider easily crossing the 50,000 mark), and with good cause. The proposals to loosen ratios in the hopes this would
Is Clegg's Regional Growth Fund a sticking plaster?
by Ed Cox / 17 Jan 2013 15:30
Nick Clegg is announcing today the fourth round of the Regional Growth Fund and placing an emphasis on ‘shovel-ready’ projects. The problem is – our shovels are too small.
The DPM claims that the first three rounds have created or safeguarded some 500,000 jobs and levered in a further £13bn into the national economy. But how many of those jobs and how much of that investment would have landed
Is Burstow revealing further coalition cracks?
by James Nickerson / 03 Jan 2013 17:21
The former health minister, Paul Burstow, has put forward what he states would be “brave and caring” politics in benefits and welfare reform, thrusting both Nick Clegg and David Cameron into potentially difficult positions. With the mid-term review being published next week, Burstow’s announcement seems poised to highlight this division in the coalition.
At the moment, the government is broadly in favour of and looks likely to put in place the Dinot
PMQs: understudy Cleggers stands in to face Harman
by Anoosh Chakelian / 07 Nov 2012 13:00
As across the Atlantic, the leader of the free world is reinstated to rescue the universe from certain economic Armageddon, in our own cradle of Western democracy, two understudies are talking at each other about rodents.
Harriet Harman, deputy Labour leader and Ed Miliband’s stand-in for one day only geared up for her first gag of the afternoon (or year?): “I’m beginning to have sympathy with the member for Mid Bedfordshire” – that’s celebrity Tory-botherer
Three party conferences - a reflection
11 Oct 2012 13:30
The curly sandwiches have all been eaten, the beer has all been drunk and everyone has a cold. It must be end of conference season. For the first time in my life, I attended all three Party conferences this year. I met and spoke with friends from each Party, and I also took the time to just sit quietly in the throng and listen to what the delegates had to say when talking to
Nick Clegg avoids facing future political realities
by Anoosh Chakelian / 26 Sep 2012 10:03
First, the obligatory video montage.
Strains of Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin’ pumped through footage of Nick Clegg chummying up with young apprentices, ethnic minorities, Paralympians, Aung San Suu Kyi, and err, Ed Davey. And an odd moment inexplicably wearing latex gloves at a school bake sale.
Then on marched the unhappy prince himself, the much parodied, mocked and maligned leader of the Liberal Democrats – which has always been the third party,
TP JRF coffee club interview: Sharon Bowles
by Ben Duckworth / 25 Sep 2012 13:49
This afternoon, the Liberal Democrat’s most powerful politician will take to the stage. She is a red-head former patent attorney who describes herself as a “technocrat”. She is the ultimate macro-politician, whose job it is to think about the big picture across all of the European Union’s 27 countries. As you will have guessed by now, I’m not talking about Nick Clegg. Meet Sharon Bowles MEP. She chairs the economic and monetary affairs committee,
Nick Clegg: more defeatist than defensive
by Anoosh Chakelian / 23 Sep 2012 13:47
You've got to break a few Cleggs to make an omelette - something the coalition commentariat can't help deriding, many Lib Dem conference delegates haven't quite got the hang of. And something Clegg should be using to defend himself.
As if an apology, distributed, remixed and recently digitally marketed, wasn’t enough, Nick Clegg in a Q+A session today was again confronted with not only the issue he has apologised for – reneging
Lib Dems reveal an identity crisis on day one of conference
by Anoosh Chakelian / 22 Sep 2012 15:04
Just when you were getting the hang of Lib Dem v Tory coalition divisions, a new tension reveals itself in the harsh yellow light of conference season: Lib Dem v Lib Dem.
The official theme is 'fairer tax in tough times', but from the consternation on tired faces, nervously chewed lanyards and restlessly twitching beards, it is clear from the onset that this is actually the soul-searching season - who are the Lib
When sorry seems to be the hardest word
by Aisha Gani / 20 Sep 2012 11:08
Nick Clegg’s apology about breaking his 2010 election pledge to scrap tuition fees may not have the effect he hopes for – what with students who are the first to be hit with the trebled £9000 tuition fees starting fresher’s week.
In a party political broadcast to be aired during the Lib Dem conference, he says: “There is no easy way to say this: we made a pledge. We didn't stick to it
Is DPMQs useless?
by Anoosh Chakelian / 13 Sep 2012 14:37
As if deputy PM Nick Clegg hadn’t been sidelined enough in the last parliamentary term, his version of PMQs - Deputy Prime Minister’s Questions - was labelled “useless” in this morning’s first culture questions put to new culture secretary Maria Miller and culture minister Hugh Robertson.
Originally supported by Labour, with deputy leader Harriet Harman keen to hold Clegg to account - Harman is his Miliband in the scenario - it seems
Chancellor slams shut Clegg's emergency tax plan
by Aisha Gani / 29 Aug 2012 13:01
Nick Clegg’s demands today for an emergency tax on Britain’s wealthiest – in order to rescue Britain from its economic troubles – was effectively slammed shut by the Chancellor this morning. The deputy prime minister made this bold plan just as recess ends, and as George Osborne came back from his summer holiday. This political positioning is an indication of the less collegial tone of Coalition colleagues that we can expect from the next
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