The Justice Minister, Chris Grayling, is guilty of one of New Labour’s most egregious sins, making unnecessary laws for soundbytes. The Malicious Communications Act 1988 is a monstrous pre-internet law that thoroughly criminalises vast tracts of speech, including jokes, smut, and the glorious English tradition of being thoroughly rude about people who deserve it; so long as these are done […]
By Matthew Gass Voters are giving governments less credit – and blame – for economic events Recoveries in the US and UK are, finally, becoming entrenched. However this has yet to yield dividends for the respective governing parties in their upcoming elections. In the US steadily improving job figures are have not given Barack Obama’s Democrats any reasonable prospective of […]
I have just returned from Scotland, where I did some doorstep campaigning on behalf of the United Kingdom I love. I left a Scotland in a state of nervous prostration, knowing it had done the right thing, but with a pang of guilt at not taking the emotionally attractive route of becoming an independent nation. For the young novices to […]
In the last of our series of interviews with former Cabinet minister and Nixon biographer Jonathan Aitken, Paul Nizinskyj delves into the real Richard Nixon and how he differs from his media image as the ogre of US politics. Anyone who’s a fan of one of my favourite TV shows, Futurama, will be familiar with the popular caricature of Richard Nixon – jowly, cold, and taking […]
The Union rides again… …but what can we learn from the vote? Jonathan Galbraith, 19 September 2014 “We came within a few thousand votes of losing the greatest country in the world.” Who said that? David Cameron? Alastair Darling? Her Majesty? David Bowie? Clearly not Nicola Sturgeon… None of the above as it happens: Warren Kinsella, former spin doctor to […]
In the run up to the referendum on Scottish Independence, Steven George-Hilley writes about the choice facing the Scottish people. One of the most successful aspects of the Yes campaign has been its ability to hide the economic, social and historical consequences of a vote for independence. The choice for the people of Scotland has been framed by Scottish National […]
In the second of a series of interviews with former Cabinet minister and Selwyn Lloyd aide Jonathan Aitken, Paul Nizinskyj discusses UKIP, the general election and Cameron’s own ‘Night of the Long Knives.’ Blind chance sometimes affords individuals spectacular front row seats in the theatre of history; from the 22-year-old apolitical secretary watching the downfall of the Third Reich from Hitler’s bunker to a young Oxford undergraduate who landed […]
In the first of a series of interviews with former Cabinet minister and Nixon biographer Jonathan Aitken, Paul Nizinskyj explores the special and not-so-special relationships between ‘Tricky Dicky’ and his British counterparts. The ‘Special Relationship’ between Great Britain and her prodigal son, the United States, is often taken for granted as something which will exist in perpetuity. Indeed, today we are […]
Matt Gass provides a conservative perspective on the foreign student controversy Before the 2010 election the Conservatives made a pledge to cut net immigration “to tens of thousands from hundreds of thousands”. Over four years on the results have been questionable (after substantial drops the most recent figures show a significant rise in the last year). It has certainly had […]
By Steven George-Hilley The government is moving strongly against psychological abuse visited upon victims of domestic crime. This is good. But even inside the main parties there’s plenty to do, and a big revelation to come. The announcement that Home Secretary Theresa May has launched a consultation into strengthening the law against psychological abuse, will come as a huge […]
