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Total Politics twelve days of Christmas
by Charlie Critchell / 21 Dec 2012 09:58
On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
12 drummers drumming
Like a never ending procession the deafening roar of a US election can be both exhilarating and exhausting. In what promised to be the closest contest in years, the candidates clashed over the economy, healthcare and abortion. The momentous drum roll finally ended to hail Obama as the worthy victor.
11 pipers piping
Rather more
PMQs: A Dickensian tale of welfare and woe
by Charlie Critchell / 19 Dec 2012 13:21
In the last PMQs before Christmas recess there was little goodwill on display as the House engaged in yet another raucous session.
After a respectful start exchanging pleasantries over the government’s proposal for troop withdrawals from Afghanistan, an expectant Commons chamber lay poised in anticipation for the Labour leaders impending line of attack. It soon came, though not in the usual animated fashion, but methodically cranked up in the form of welfare and
Neil Carmichael on children in the asylum system
by Neil Carmichael MP / 14 Dec 2012 14:49
Asylum is often a controversial subject and the experiences of children within this context are often lost in the debate. I am currently part of a parliamentary inquiry examining the support provided to asylum seeking families and whether it is sufficient to protect children and young people’s welfare.
It is all too easy to forget that Britain has a long and glorious tradition of providing safety to those fleeing violence, persecution and turmoil
Restless energy: The problems facing Ed Davey
by Charlie Critchell / 12 Dec 2012 15:50
Energy secretary Ed Davey and his team will today be subjected to a thorough pasting in the Commons. Questions from not only back and opposition benches, but from sources further afield – noticeably Brussels – have, and will continue to be fired Davey’s way. Labour, spearheaded by shadow energy secretary Caroline Flint, will no doubt play on unfavourable views expressed by MEPs of the EU Parliaments Committee, concerning the government’s decision to plump for
PMQs: Apocalypse later
by Anoosh Chakelian / 12 Dec 2012 13:00
Upon 12/12/12, David Cameron’s celebration of today’s news that unemployment numbers are down as “welcome” rang rather hollow – too little, too late, considering the world would end at 12 minutes past 12. Conveniently slap-bang in the middle of PMQs.
You see, this dirty set of dozens is seen as the end of the world by some doomsayers, including the obligatory excitable conspiracy theorists, those wrongly interpreting the Mayan calendar, and Tory backbenchers predicting
Divine right: Churches get gay marriage choice
by Charlie Critchell / 11 Dec 2012 15:49
Today’s official government response to the same-sex marriage consultation has predictably generated a greater outpouring of discontent than yesterday’s preliminary statement. Whilst the opposition benches sat sparsely populated, the Conservative backbenches were noticeably swollen, the clearest sign of an impending internal party clash.
Miller’s address to the House outlined the government’s pledge to deliver a “quadruple lock” which effectively aims to safeguard the rights of religious institutions from both practising same-sex marriage and
Gay marriage: The debate rumbles on
by Charlie Critchell / 11 Dec 2012 12:11
Today the culture secretary, Maria Miller, will issue an official government response to the equal marriage consultation. The statement will no doubt endorse the move for same sex marriage - in line with the PM’s hard line view on the issue. An interview delivered over the weekend by the Conservative leader, led to an urgent question being tabled for discussion yesterday in the Commons.
As yesterday’s session highlighted, the main concerns voiced over
David Cameron: Rotters, Will Young and a corpse
by Anoosh Chakelian / 10 Dec 2012 15:45
“You’d make a wonderful corpse.”
This was one troll’s response to David Cameron’s tweet of congratulations to the new royal parents-to-be. Another told him never to mind the special relationship, but to focus more on the ‘Special K diet’, following a twitpic of him and Obama.
He seemed happy to disclose such state secrets to political journalists at a press gallery lunch today in Parliament, possibly confident he was in sympathetic company
Problems with Labour's press plan
by Josh White / 10 Dec 2012 13:01
The Labour party has today released their draft “Press Freedom and Trust Bill”, outlining a system of statutory press regulation in which an independent watchdog is overseen by a “Recognition Panel”, led by the Lord Chief Justice. The intent of the publication is mainly political, since even the backing of a Commons majority would not convince David Cameron to initiate what he has so publically opposed.
Nevertheless, the intended effect of the bill
Labour's welfare challenge
by Emma Burnell / 10 Dec 2012 10:17
Despite what every popular (well unpopular really) image of politicians tells you, no one comes into this game to do harm. We may have diametrically opposed ideologies, we may represent completely different constituencies, we may have completely opposite notions of what it means to do good, but despite everything, politics is - in essence - a game of lofty ambitions.
However, this game is played with people's lives and livelihoods. Politics may be
Political bloopers: Brown and beyond
by Josh White / 06 Dec 2012 14:05
1. Anne Marie Morris blows her top, very very enthusiastically.
2. The coming of the Milizombie.
3. Gordon Brown's 'smile strategy' was one of the worst in history.
4. Tom Bradby elicits John Bercow's self-important ire.
5. Gordon Brown blames no one but himself.
6. Michael Gove hits the deck (Connoisseur's edit).
7. Following the horrific
Why doesn't UKIP get a fair deal from pollsters?
by Alexandra Swann / 06 Dec 2012 13:30
The commentariat are finally acknowledging that something is stirring across the country. The steady rise in the vote share of the often derided UKIP is undeniable and has been constant since early spring. So why do the polling organisations refuse to accept this reality and steadfastly pretend that this isn’t happening? With the exception of Survation, polling companies continue to refuse to include UKIP in their top line voting intention question, relegating the party
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"The prime minister has said he does not believe that statutory legislation is necessary to achieve the principles outlined by Leveson."
