Best of the Politics Blogs
What's been happening in the political blogosphere
Gay pride and prejudice
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- Posted by Paul Evans
- 03 July 2009
Ben Bradshaw's verbal assault on Tory homophobia, the bloggers' boycott of Iranian state TV and the shocking notion of a gay Thatcherite in our weekly round-up of the political blogs.
Pride and Prejudice
"If gays vote Tory they will rue the day very soon,” cautioned Chris Bryant darkly. His comments followed Ben Bradshaw's attack on the Conservatives, warning that a deep strain of homophobia persists in their ranks. The Culture Secretary bares the scars of a nasty and prejudiced general campaign in Exeter 12 years ago, when his oddball Tory opponent Dr Adrian Rogers accused gay people of leading “deviant [...]
More corruption, more laws
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- Posted by Paul Evans
- 26 June 2009
The return of Labour's much-missed pledge card, Craig Murray's buoyant election campaign and Italian dystopianism, in our weekly round-up of the political blogs
Cleaning up with Pledge
Our old friend Tacitus said that “the more corrupt the state, the more laws”. As the flood of astonishing claims finally began to dry up, this was the week when party leaders sought to stamp their authority on the expenses scandal by hammering their tribes into line with rules and diktats. Usefully, this will eliminate the need for any of them waste time searching for a [...]
Mesopotamia on the mind
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- Posted by Paul Evans
- 22 June 2009
Brown's Iraq inquiry, the unmasking of Nightjack and the B52s' Mesopotamia in our weekly round-up of the political blogs.
Inquiring minds
"There will come a time when it is appropriate to hold an inquiry," the prime minister wrote to the Fabian Society's Sunder Katwala last March. The clarification was welcome, but with the inquiry's establishment this week has come discontent sufficient to unite even Justin McKeating and Iain Dale.
Katwala, who had originally called for a public inquiry, noted on Next Left Ed Balls' remark that [...]
Still the mad parliament?
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- Posted by Paul Evans
- 12 June 2009
The 'magisterial' John Bercow, Betty Boothroyd's sharp tongue and why Venezuela has banned Coke Zero, in our weekly round-up of the political blogs.
Field day
The first identifiable speaker of the House, Peter de Montfort, presided over what became known as the “mad parliament”. He was slain in battle, a casualty of the violence that made order in 13th century England.
Less noble, if no less intriguing, the race to succeed the toppled Speaker Martin has exercised citizen journalists this week. Among the most under-rated blogging MPs, Newport West's Paul Flynn [...]
Will Sir Alan fire Gordon?
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- Posted by Paul Evans
- 05 June 2009
Gordon Brown's woes, the triumph of Hartlepool's Monkey and Sir Alan's cabinet appointment in our weekly round-up of the political blogs.
Alea iacta est
“In seasons of tumult and discord bad men have the most power; mental and moral excellence require peace and quietness.” - Tacitus
Following the exit of the Home Secretary, the departure of Hazel Blears as minister responsible for local government, on the eve of the local elections seemed to indicate that the Rubicon had been crossed – Brown's removal from office was a matter of “when”, not [...]
Euro-ignorance and opportunism
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- Posted by Paul Evans
- 01 June 2009
The European elections, the photogenic Lebanese and The Byrds' tribute to politicians in our weekly round-up of the political blogs
Not talking Europe
With polls showing Labour trailing in a miserable third place, excitement grows in the blogging community that next Thursday could finally prove the sucker punch that knocks out the prime minister. On the Spectator’s Coffee House blog, James Forsyth speculated:
“If the Labour press were to decide Brown has to go because otherwise the party could die, Brown would be in dire trouble.”
But on [...]
Snouts in a scandal
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- Posted by Paul Evans
- 15 May 2009
MPs' expenses, the great grime renaissance and Canberra's Budget lock-in in our weekly round-up of the political blogs
Febrile swine
Members shuffle around Westminster with the air of cheating spouses whose indiscretions have finally been exposed. They keep their eyes down. Some look like they’ve slept in their clothes. You’d almost start to pity them… yet it’s difficult to forget the reason they’re in the doghouse.
We’ve been forking out for their chandeliers.
In the case of David Heathcoat-Amory, we have literally been paying for their [...]
A perpetually benevolent state
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- Posted by Paul Evans
- 08 May 2009
Don't know much biology
DNA, according to top boffins and Joe Strummer, is “all coded in the initial phase”. There's no escaping it. And nor should there be according to Harriet Harman, a former legal officer for Liberty, who claims that those who set themselves in opposition to the government retaining our biological essence are “putting themselves against justice”.
The government's almost mockingly modest plans to slim down their [...]
Ghurkas and more
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- Posted by Paul Evans
- 01 May 2009
The plight of the Gurkhas, Obama's 100th day and Jarvis Cocker in our weekly round-up of the political blogs
Ayo Ghurkali!
Nick Clegg had a storming week. In just one day he managed to “own” (as the kids say) over Gurkha resdiency at PMQs, achieve his party's greatest ever parliamentary victory and meet Joanna Lumley. In his day, Ashdown might have conversed with the heroes in Ghurkali before flying off in a helicopter – but Clegg can still be quite pleased.
Reflecting on the party's campaigning success, [...]
On expenses
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- Posted by Paul Evans
- 27 April 2009
MPs' expenses and the South African elections in our weekly round-up of the political blogs
The wages of sin
These are grim times indeed. While I'm re-using my tea bags three, sometimes four times, MPs get their tea in golden cups from John Lewis. Their spouses watch movies at my expense, while I have to listen to the radio because my telly is on the blink. It's not right, is it?
Worry not though – the prime minister has come to the rescue, dramatically pre-empting [...]
Fantasy Commons?
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- Posted by Paul Evans
- 17 April 2009
On sober reflection As McBride tumbled from grace, Guido Fawkes claimed another scalp and took the opportunity to enthusiastically excoriate the craven Lobby. It's enough to make the political classes turn to drink.
Sadly though, those poor soon-to-be jobless dipsomaniacs in Westminster and Whitehall (names shortly to be revealed on my new blog, 'The Red Rug') may find themselves hoisted by their own petard, as [...]
A run in with the law
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- Posted by Paul Evans
- 14 April 2009
Quick Exit It wasn’t the finest week for the boys in blue. When not pointlessly trying to reprimand me for helping myself to the unsold newspapers outside Starbucks, they appear to keep busy by knocking the public around and fatally undermining their own dawn raids. The Guardian’s release of video footage showing non-protester Ian Tomlinson being pushed to the ground, after which he suffered a [...]
Black humour in Scotland Yard?
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- Posted by Paul Evans
- 03 April 2009
The gathering of the clans
Glencoe was the sight of the massacre of the MacDonalds - so it was perhaps not the most prudent name for the police operation to manage demonstrations marking the convergence of G20 leaders on London this week. Black humour in Scotland Yard perhaps?
On the eve of the protests, Socialist Unity predicted police brutality. Recalling Gleneagles, John Wright wrote: “It was inevitable that [...]
A brotherhood of bloggers...
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- Posted by Paul Evans
- 27 March 2009
A thin silver pencil
I was pleased to knock back some free plonk at the Orwell Prize debate on Wednesday, at which the shortlist for the inaugural blog award was announced.
The wonderful Alix Mortimer was first “dumbfounded, and a little shuffly,” in response to her shortlisting – and then irked by Nick Cohen's eccentric behavior during the subsequent debate. Ignoring the proposition (that political parties [...]
Blogging the licence fee
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- Posted by Paul Evans
- 20 March 2009
The licence fee, Madagascan politics and Walford election fever, in our weekly round-up of the political blogs
Blogger shall speak peace unto blogger
In an interview with the Times a few years ago, Jonathan Dimbleby took something of a risk by saying of his employers: “The BBC produces wonderful programmes; it also produces a load of old rubbish”. He went on: “Until it gets rid of the rubbish, the pressure will always be there for people to ask, "Why pay this poll tax?". Why indeed.
Former [...]
