Notes from the LibDem Spring Conference

* Nick Clegg tried to do a Cameron and speak without notes during his wind-up speech at the LibDem Spring Conference today, yet people present spotted autocues ... just in case.

* Conference goers were none too impressed by BBC Political Correspondent, John Pienaar, who didn't fancy joining the LibDems on the conference shuttle bus (who can blame him) which took the bearded ones from the main hotel to the conference centre. Instead, Pienaar opted for a taxi. Good man.

* Liverpool City Council Cabinet member Colin Eldridge, who owns a laundry business in the City, was allegedly spotted urging delegates staying at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, the official conference hotel, to make full use of their hotel towels. His company coincidentally does the hotel's laundry. Nice to see the LibDems full of the entrepreneurial spirit! However, he lists himself as a member of Friends of the Earth in his online biog. Obviously he doesn't go along with all these pesky signs in hotel bedrooms urging people to 'think of the environment' before using more towels!

* Photographers at the Crowne Plaza Hotel tried in vain to get a picture of Nick Clegg standing by a rather hideous statue in the entrance lobby of the Crowne Plaza. The name of the statue? Fallen Angel...

Thanks to my undercover reporter in Liverpool for these snippets.

UPDATE: I was going to attempt to Fisk Nick Clegg's speech, but since Cranmer has done it already, I won't bother. It really was a bizarre experience, full of contradictions and odd assertions.

EXCLUSIVE: LibDem MP to Defy Clegg on Europe - Again

More trouble for Calamity Clegg. In a comment on the previous thread on this blog, maverick LibDem MP John Hemming reveals he plans to defy the LibDem whip once again and vote against the Third Reading of the Lisbon Treaty Bill. It is rumoured also that his fellow LibDem MP Mike Hancock may well do the same. Hemming writes...

The 1972 European Communities Act means that for certain subjects European Statute takes precedence (hence parliament is not supreme for that purpose). If we are going to repeal this act we should do it explicitly. Incidentally the Lisbon Treaty allows leaving the EU. I am still likely to vote against 3rd Reading on the basis of the absence of the referendum, but I do support our membership of the EU and the 1972 Act (passed when I was 12).

Ok, the news that John Hemming intends to vote down the Treaty may not be earthshattering, but it signals that the LibDems problems on this issue are far from over, as their votes in the House of Lords will amply demonstrate.

Do Our MPs Believe in the Supremacy of Parliament or Not?

Following the referendum vote last Wednesday, Bill Cash put down a new clause which sought to protect the legal supremacy of Parliament. It read...

‘Notwithstanding any provision of the European Communities Act 1972, nothing in this Act shall affect or be construed by any court in the United Kingdom as affecting the supremacy of the United Kingdom Parliament.’

I'd have thought that for a Parliamentarian, that is pretty uncontentious stuff. Yet only forty MPs voted in favour and 380 voted against. Think about that for a minute. Forty MPs out of 650 sought to protect the supremacy of the UK Parliament. They were all Tories apart from 1 LibDem (Mike Hancock) and a few DUP MPs. I am most suprised that neither George Osborne, nor Vince Cable voted for this clause. Why? George Osborne wishes to impose higher taxes on Alcopos. Vince Cable wishes to reduce the VAT rate on fruit juices and smoothies (and he's not talking about his leader here...). Neither of them would actually be able to do that were they to become Chancellor of the Exchequer due to the terms of EU Directive 92/83. It comes to something when non-elected Commission bureaucrats can prevent a democratically elected government from making a marginal change in the tax rate on drinks. Hattip to Christopher Booker and EU Referendum.

Civil Servant Blogger to be Hunted Down

The Times reveals this morning that the hunt is on within government to discover the identity of the blogger Civil Serf, someone who clearly works at the heart of government. Her blog at www.civilserf.blog.co.uk seems to have been taken down this morning. She's clearly feeling the heat and is worried about being discovered. Whoever she is, her blog has become require reading for many of us. Let's hope she relaunches it soon.

Who Would You Clap in a Restaurant?

Charles Moore writes in the Sunday Telegraph that Lady Thatcher is in danger of becoming a national treasure. He recalls taking her to lunch at a London restaurant recently, and when she got up to leave, everyone in the restaurant broke out in a spontaneous round of applause. This got me thinking. Who else in British public life would provoke that reaction? As I type this, I can't think of anyone. Certainly not a politician. Can you do better?

UPDATE: Andrew Roberts has also written about Lady T in the Telegraph. He shed some light on her current lifestyle, revealing she has a cat with the rather un-Thatcherite name of Pussikins!

At a lunch party last summer at my home, only a couple of hundred yards from where she lives, she was on what in anyone else would be described as jolly form. Introduced to Lord Dalmeny, whose ancestor, the Earl of Rosebery, had won the Derby whilst prime minister, she suggested that the three living ex-prime ministers - herself, John Major and Tony Blair - should each buy the leg of a horse and try to win it again. When I pointed out that that would mean Gordon Brown buying the fourth leg, she thought about it, before saying: "He doesn't look as if he'd enjoy that kind of thing very much, does he?"

She then kept a table of True Believers, including Michael Gove, Paul Johnson and
Simon Heffer, entranced with her memories of the Falklands War. We drank Chateau d'Issan (Margaux) 1982 to commemorate the 25th anniversary, and - against doctor's orders, but frankly impossible to stop - she stood up to give a 10-minute account of the crisis from start to glorious finish, which left us astounded at her post-stroke mental capacity. Nor was she overly jingoistic. "It was very sad that we had to do it," she concluded, "but we really had no choice." When Lady Getty told her that she had visited Colonel H Jones's grave on the Falklands, and laid some flowers there and at the war memorial, the emotion was evident in Lady Thatcher's voice as she thanked her...

The Tory MP who criticised Gordon Brown for inviting Lady Thatcher to Downing Street last year, saying he was taking advantage of "a frail old lady", could not have been more wrong. Lady Thatcher can still spot a No 10 photo opportunity as well as anyone, but if New Labour wanted to acknowledge the victory of Thatcherism over socialism, she was not about to stop it. The shrewd political advice she receives from her devoted private secretary, Mark Worthington, has meant that she has not put a foot wrong politically since she was tragically ousted by "the November criminals" of
1990. Furthermore, it would have been rude to have refused the invitation, and Lady Thatcher is polite to a very remarkable degree. The only thing that will prevent her offering her own chair to visitors in her drawing room is if her vast marmalade cat, called Pussikins, snatches it in the meantime. (While Pussikins might not sound very Thatcherite, when it came from Battersea Cats' Home it was originally named Marvin.)

Today the old spark is definitely there; when I took some Californian admirers to visit last month, one asked her about Hillary Clinton's comparison of herself to Lady Thatcher. "She's not in the least like me!" Margaret expostulated, "I know that because I'm not in the least like her."

The Consequences of being Called a 'Racist C***'

Graeme Archer is one of the most edudite writers on ConservativeHome. Their readers are today exhorted "If you read just one article on ConHome today, read Graeme Archer's platform piece about the breakdown of order in our schools." Having read it, I can see why. It paints a horrifying picture of what is happening in inner city London but then goes on to propose solutions. Read it HERE.

A Tribute to Carol Barnes

Almost four years ago to the day, I wrote THIS post about the tragic death of Clare Barnes in a skydiving accident in Australia. Clare used to work for me at Politico's and was the daughter of Labour MP Denis MacShane and ITN Newscaster Carol Barnes. Today we learned that Carol had died after experiencing a massive stroke a week ago. Carol was a lovely woman and totally devoted to her beautiful daughter. For some reason my main memory of Carol is seeing her do the washing up after a Politico's booklaunch -something at the time I thought was utterly bizarre. No mother ever gets over the death of a child, but the bond between the two of them was something special. Carol knew that Clare was a free spirit. Now they have been reunited.

Even before I knew her, Carol Barnes was one of my favourite newsreaders. She had an almost serene calmness about her, but always had a slightly wicked twinkle in her eye. She blazed a trail for women journalists and deserves all the fulsome tributes which have been paid to her today. See THIS article on Telegraph Online for tributes to Carol.

The Daley Dozen: Saturday

1. LibDems defend Clegg's use of the word 'sclerotic'. Jeez, I was only joshin'!
2. Excellent coverage of the LibDems' Liverpool Spring Conference on LibDem Voice.
3. EU Referendum warns that renegotiating our membership is now impossible.
4. Donal Blaney wants to reform the law on rape.
5. LabourHome on how to attract young people back to the Labour Party.
6. Guido on Labour's unfunded spending commitments.
7. Norfolk Blogger reckons George Osborne was eaten alive on Alcopops.
8. Dizzy takes Tom Watson MP to task on safeguards to the DNA database.
9. Phil Willis may have taken on more than he bargained for with his attack on Nadine.
10. Stephen Pollard accuses Denis MacShane of mendacity.
11. Joe Jackson (yes, that one) wonders why Britain is so mean on the smoking ban.
12. Fraser Nelson on the meaning of 'off the record'.

Is it Coz He is Black, Perhaps?

So, according to The Independent, the BNP are going to target Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, the Conservative candidate for Chippenham. It wouldn't perhaps be because of the colour of his skin, would it? Perish the thought. If ever we needed proof that the BNP leadership is racist, then this is it.

Total, Utter Humiliation

If you ever need to be taken down a peg or two can I recommend a round of golf at Royal St George's in Sandwich, Kent. It's a venue for the Open Championship and now I can see why. I have only ever played a links course once before and after today it will take a lot of courage to do so again. I was utterly, totally and completely humiliated. But I greatly enjoyed it nonetheless! For the golfers among you, we played foursomes and my ever patient partner and I lost 5&4. At one stage I thought it was going to be 7&6, and it was all down to my appalling play. I couldn't drive to save my life - and that's normally what I am best at. My fairway shots were, shall we say, inconsistent. I won a couple of holes by holing putts, but man cannot win by putting alone.

I put it down to tiredness! I had to get up at 5am to drive to Sandwich, which was a good two hours from Tunbridge Wells. That's my excuse, and I am sticking to it.

LibDems on Fruit: Worthy but Misguided

The LibDems have, on the face of it, a rather good idea when they say they want to encourage the consumption of fruit juice. They want to cut VAT on fruit juice from 17.5% to 5%. Full story HERE. The trouble is, fruit juice is not quite as healthy as you might think. Most fruit juices you buy in the supermarket or in a pub contain absolutely enormous amounts of sugar. I don't drink tea, coffee, or alcohol. My staple diet consisted of copious amounts of fruit juice (along with, I must admit, fizzy drinks). Since being diagnosed with diabetes I have had to give up these pleasures and now make my own fruit juice in a juicer. As someone commented earlier: "Without the bulk contained in fruit, the sugar in fruit juice is quickly ingested causing glycaemic shock and increasing the risk of diabetes." Some fruit juices contain more sugar than Coca Cola - and that's saying something. So this polocy is not quite all that it seems. If they wish to encourage the eating of fruit, which would be a very good thing, there must surely be better ways of doing it.

Saturday Open Thread

I have to get up in four hours time to drive down to Sandwich for a round of golf on the famous course there. I'm a bit apprehensive as I have never played on a championship course.

Anyway, that is a roundabout way of telling you that I won't be blogging much tomorrow, so this can be an open thread. I will moderate comments as often as I can. Feel free to discuss anything you like.

Lady Thatcher Taken to Hospital

I gather the BBC is reporting that Lady Thatcher has been taken to hospital for what they say are 'precautionary tests'.

Every one I know who has met Lady T recently has raved about what good form she has been in. Let's hope it is nothing serious.

Remember Walter Wolfman? (Sic)

I'm at Sky about to do the paper review (10.30pm and 11.30pm). Just flicking through tomorrow's Independent and on page two there's a big picture of Walter Wolfgang outside Aldermaston. It was Mr Wolfgang who was ejected from the Labour Party Conference a few years ago, you may remember. Sadly, the Indy labours under the impression that he is called Walter Wolfman. Oh dear.

Blair Adds to His Job Portfolio

Tony Blair has got yet another new job - as a lecturer at Yale University.

Mr. Blair will lead a seminar at Yale and participate in a number of events around the campus. The course in which he will participate with Yale faculty will examine issues of faith and globalization. His efforts at Yale relate to the work of the Tony Blair Faith Foundation that he will be launching later this year.

Praise be.

Clegg and Scleroticism

According to the BBC website...

Nick Clegg has vowed to fight Britain's "sclerotic" political system as he attempts to draw a line under criticism of his handling of a Commons EU vote.

I always find it helps to use words that most people will understand when making a political speech or giving an interview. Does he really think the word "sclerotic" will chime with many people?!

Francis Pym Dies

Francis Pym has died. He was one of the leading Conservative politicians of the 1970s and early 1980s, ending up as Margaret Thatcher's Foreign Secretary following the Falklands War, a position he held until the 1983 General Election. It is true to say that he was never 'one of us' and was seen as one of the leading Tory wets. A chivalrous man, he could never quite bring himself to say what he really thought about Margaret Thatcher's brand of politics, and this was never more true than when he launched his Centre Forward pressure group after his departure from office.

His heyday was under Ted Heath when he was Chief Whip and Northern Ireland Secretary. From 1979-81 he held the post of Defence Secretary. He never really recovered from a gaffe on BBC's Question Time in 1983 when he said that large majorities were a bad thing and led to bad government. When Margaret Thatcher said she thought she would be able to cope with a large majority, it signalled the end of Francis Pym's cabinet career. John Biffen was to suffer a similar fate a few years later.

Pym's memoirs were a slim volume and very disappointing. He was a decorated war hero, serving in North Africa and Italy during the war and he was awarded the Military Cross. He entered Parliament in 1961 at a by-election and served as MP for Cambridgeshire, and then South East Cambridgeshire until 1987.

He died today, at the age of 86, after a lengthy illness.

Job Swaps for Clinton & Obama?

Predictions of a bloodbath at the Democratic convention in Denver seem ever more likely to come true. Robin Lustig has a solution for the Democrats - job swap half way through the term. It's been done before, in Israel when Peres and Shamir agreed to swap jobs at an agreed point in the political cycle. I can't see it happening in the USA any more than here.

It's reported today that Hillary might succeed in her bid to gain the Florida delegates who had been banned from the convention for holding their Primary too early. This would bring her closer to Obama's total. In the end, if it comes down to the Super Delegates they will surely give their votes to the candidate they think is most likely to beat John McCain. Barring any great mishap between now and September, the best bet would have to Obama.

The Daley Dozen: Thursday

1. Hopi Sen on the triumph of the Tory Euro Sceptics.
2. Cranmer wonders which LibDems will be joining the Dead Parrot Society.
3. Stephen Pollard has an encounter with Gordon's little helper on a train. It's hilarious!
4. Burning our Money on an encounter with a Tory MP "previously thought to be of sound mind".
5. Cassilis: In praise of Danny Finkelstein.
6. Matthew Elliott: Why Danny Finkelstein is wrong.
7. Shane Greer laments his day courtesy of the NHS. As well he might, seeing as I am paying him to work for me!
8. LibDem Voice reports Nick Clegg saying he wants recall elections ... a week after 27 Tory MPs suggested the very same thing.
9. Nich Starling has just written the blogpost I was about to write. Spooky.
10. Dan Hannan takes a contrarian view of Ian Paisley.
11. Cicero's Songs asks what's in a Macedonian name?
12. Kerron Cross reports victory over priority service for MPs.

Good for the Goose but not for the Gander?

I have just been invited to join a Facebook Group called ANY BLACK QUESTIONS. It's meant to promote an internet TV programme run by Radio 5 Live's talented broadcaster Dotun Adebayo. From the information given, every guest on the programme (which looks like a copy of ANY QUESTIONS) is black. Nothing wrong with that, you may say. It's a free country. But I pose the question: what would happen if someone tried to broadcast a programme called ANY WHITE QUESTIONS, always with an exclusively white panel. It would be unthinkable. And rightly so.

I sometimes recoil from writing about racial issues because anything one writes is open to misinterpretation. But I do think that anything which has the effect of entrenching segregation or separateness needs to at least be openly discussed.

Comparing the Effectiveness of the Leaders' Inner Circles

The reason I rate The Spectator's Fraser Nelson as one of the best informed journalists in Westminster is amply demonstrated in THIS column today. It's a 2,400 word tour de force, looking at and comparing the backroom teams behind Gordon Brown and David Cameron. It doesn't make comfortable reading for Conservatives in several respects. Fraser says that Gordon Brown has recruited a highly powerful team in Number Ten, led by Jeremy Haywood and Stephen Carter, and that he's letting go of some of the levers of power. This compares with a lack of a Leo McGarry figure in CCHQ.

This column is a much longer version of his column in this week's Spectator magazine. Imagine if the internet didn't exist. We'd be denied stuff like this.

Ken is Going to Lose And He Knows It

This lunchtime I went to a lunch which Boris Johnson gave for bloggers. He was in fine form and exuded a confidence I hadn't seen before. What really impressed me was his total grip of policy, whether talking privately or answering questions from those present. It's clear to me that Boris now really believes he can win, and most of those present seemed to share that belief. The landscape has changed dramatically since the turn of the year. Livingstone's increasingly shrill and desperate attacks are failing to land a blow and all the polls show things moving in Boris's direction.

One thing Boris said at the lunch made me think. He said that the Mayor's precept is now £311 for a Band D house. He promised to run the Mayoral budget by "good Tory principles". He has already made clear there are lots of efficiency savings to be made. I made a facetious comment about 'sharing the proceeds of growth' but I meant it. The mayoral precept has rise hugely during Livingstone's years in charge and all Londoners have to show for it is a raft of extra quangos and job opportunities for Livingstone's cronies. If there's scope to cut the tax burden for Londoners Boris should seize it with both hands.

I was shown some psephological work this afternoon which shows categorically that Boris is in a really good position to win. I suspect Ken's people have seen something similar, which explains their increasingly desperate tactics. Ken's on his way out, and he knows it.

More reports from the lunch from Tory Radio, Ellee Seymour, Sam Coates

Government Ignores Their Own Report on ID Cards

The Ministry of Truth has made an interesting discovery on HM Treasury's website today. Using the logic of the cynic (and quite rightly so) he has uncovered a little noticed report on ID cards which is rather embarrassing to HMG. Over to the Ministry of Truth...

It is, I would suggest, an axiom of dealing with this current government that whenever they go on a major PR offensive the first thing you should do is look around for what’s being quietly snuck out the back door in the hope that no one will notice. So, in view of today’s ‘charm’ offensive on ID cards - which, typically has been long on offensive and short on charm - it should come as no great surprise to find the sudden appearance from the bowels of the Treasury’s website, of a two year old report by Sir James Crosby entitled, ‘Challenges and Opportunities in Identity Management‘ (pdf) and that there are some very good reasons why its taken two years to surface.

The report makes various suggestions as to how the government should operate an ID card scheme, but it may not surprise you to discover that they have ignored virtually all of them and carried on in their own blundering way to create the most intrusive, consumer-unfriendly scheme you can imagine.

Read the full Ministry of Truth post HERE. And if you are an MP opposed to ID cards you might want to ask some questions on this...

ID Cards: Labour Lacks Cojones Over Compulsion

I remain an implacable opponent of ID cards. But one thing I do accept is that the only way they can have any real effect is if they are compulsory. What's the point of only a few people having them? I'm quite sure the government secretly agree with this and they would dearly like to make them compulsory. The trouble is, they don't have the balls to do it (Gott sei Dank). They say that only the House of Commons can make ID cards mandatory and they won't ask for a vote before the next general election. I bet they won't. They know it would be electoral suicide. It's quite clear that if they win the election, that's what they'll do, though, except I'm willing to bet it won't appear in their election manifesto.

Luckily there will hopefully be a Tory government after the next election and Home Sectretary David Davis will junk the whole sorry shambles of a scheme.

Brown's "Triumphant" GP Surgery Climbdown

There's a good reason why the Health Editor of the Evening Standard doesn't write about politics, and it's on the paper's front page today. GPs TO WORK MORE HOURS A WEEK screams the headline. The article by Sophie Goodchild then begins...

"Doctors today caved in to government demands to work longer hours ... The agreement is a major victory for patients and will be seen as a triumph for Gordon Brown."

Er, how so, exactly? It was Gordon Brown who was behind the changes to the original GP contracts which led to surgeries closing more in the first place! To describe his climbdown as a "triumph" is bizarre in the extreme. What he has managed to do is provide a worse service for patients at a huge extra cost to the taxpayer. Sadly that is an all to familiar story within government nowadays.

The Chris Huhne Air Raid Shelter

If you look at the Hansard from yesterday's debate you will see that Chris Huhne decided to ignore my advice yesterday! Up and down he bobbed, intervening on various Labour and Tory MPs like his leadership ambitions life depended on it. The subliminal messages being given were revealing...

* I'm being loyal
* I've got cojones
* Nick Clegg isn't here
* I am here
* Ed Davey is useless
* I'm not

It put me very much in mind of another debate in the House of Commons in May 1940 when Leo Amery Lloyd George intervened on another potential party leader, one Winston Spencer Churchill who was rampantly defending the actions of Neville Chamberlain's government. Amory begged Churchill not to turn himself into an air raid shelter for Chamberlain. Perhaps someone should have done the same for Chris Huhne yesterday.

What to do About Ken Clarke

Isn't is a deep irony that the man who chairs the Conservatives' Democracy Task Force was one of only three Tory MPs to vote to deny the people a vote on the Lisbon Treaty? If it wasn't so fundamental to this country's right to retain its democratic sovereignty you'd have to laugh. But for Ken Clarke in particular, it ought to be no laughing matter. Indeed, it should be quite the opposite.

There are some who argue that Clarke's position at the head of that Task Force is akin to a front bench position and that he should therefore lose his job for defying the party whip in a subject area which falls under his Task Force's remit. Some people might say that. I, of course, couldn't possibly comment.

It won't happen, of course, for the simple reason that the ensuing media row wouldn't be worth the candle. But I hope the whips and party leadership have the guts to point out to the old rascal what the consequences of a repeat offence would be.

The Real Referendum Culprits Are...

Let's just bear in mind these figures before we just heap all the blame on the LibDems...



Twenty one per cent of LibDem MPs defied their whip and voted for a referendum. Ninety five per cent of Tory MPs also voted for the amendment, with only the usual suspects of Ken Clarke (of whom more later), John Gummer and David Curry going to the dark side. But the real killer was that only 29 Labour MPs, seven per cent of the total voted with the people. It's the other 334 who need to be held to account for their actions, along with the 43 LibDems and three Tories.

The Daley Dozen: Wednesday

1. Norfolk Blogger is considering tearing up his LibDem membership card.
2. Dizzy asks if the LibDem blogosphere is revolting.
3. Party Political Animal reckons Brian Paddick's statistics are a bit dodgy.
4. Paul Linford tells us his seven favourite things.
5. Americano on how Obama will shift the story.
6. Spectator Coffee House on Gordon Brown's lies.
7. Taking Liberties on bringing in smokers in from the cold.
8. Nick Robinson on the party splitting issue of Europe.
9. Dave's Part on the case Lee Jasper has to answer.
10. Cranmer on the move to abolish the blasphemy laws.
11. Waendel Journal on the fading star of William Hague.
12. Things Hopi Sen never thought he'd see a year ago.

The LibDem MPs Who Did the Right Thing

These are the fifteen LibDem MPs who voted in favour of a referendum on the EU Treaty tonight.

Brooke, Annette
Carmichael, Mr. Alistair
Farron, Tim
George, Andrew
Gidley, Sandra
Hancock, Mr. Mike
Heath, Mr. David
Hemming, John
Holmes, Paul
Horwood, Martin
Leech, John
Mulholland, Greg
Pugh, Dr. John
Williams, Mark
Younger-Ross, Mr. Richard

LibDems to Blame for Referendum Failure

So the amendment falls by 63 votes. I have a feeling that is the number of LibDem MPs there are. So we can truly blame the LibDems for the fact that there won't be a referendum. Just so we've got that clear.

UPDATE: Well done to the 13 LibDem MPs who voted for a referendum. Glad to know that 20 per cent of LibDem MPs have the courage of their convictions. Shame about the rest.

Who's Telling the Truth Today?

Nick Clegg has been denying that the Lisbon treaty warrants a referendum as it is not as significant as the Maastricht treaty.

But one of his former Lib Dem colleagues from the European Parliament, Andrew Duff MEP, states in THIS document (page 13) "in historic terms it is at least as significant as the Treaty of Maastricht".

Who is telling the truth?

And talking of telling the truth, Gordon Brown needs to take a truth pill.In PMQs today he again alleged that Boris Johnson would cut transport and Police budgets. Boris's people issued a further denial within minutes...

"The first time Gordon Brown claimed I would be making cuts in the police in London, he misled the House and I demanded an apology. He and his cronies have continued to spout this nonsense. I made it clear when I launched my candidacy that I believed we could make savings within some areas to improve services for Londoners and I stand by that. As my 36 page crime manifesto shows, by shaving money from publicity budgets, I will not only match Ken Livingstone’s increase in officers but go much further to make Londoners feel safer. And on Transport, I have found similar savings within Transport for London to fund policies which will help Londoners get around easier. Gordon Brown’s refusal to answer questions on his Mayor and instead make inaccurate claims about my proposals are all part of an attempt to cover up the fact that his Mayor is mired in maladministration and clearly out of touch.”

How Many LibDems Can Fit in a Phone Box?

Jonathan Isaby on Three Line Whip has a very informative post on likely LibDem resignations, who are said to include Alastair Carmichael, David Heath and Tim Farron. Many more and the LibDems will be able to hold their weekly so-called Shadow Cabinet meetings in the proverbial telephone box. Isaby tells us that there may well be a raft of junior spokespeople voting for a referendum, but under some bizarre LibDem rule, they would not be expected to resign following their blatant ignoring of a three line whip. The question the rest of us are asking is quite simple. Who on earth did Clegg not give his party a free vote? He could have made a virtue of it.

UPDATE: Verity has been complaining that all I have writtemn about today is the LibDems. I can do no better than repeat this comment from someone who calls themselves "bye bye LibDems".

It's all about Lib Dems today because we are being treated to the spectacle of them starting to tear themselves apart. It's similar to dog fighting, but with added handbags.

In some ways it's like watching the sinking of the Titanic.

Correction: it's like watching the sinking of a rowing boat.

Thoughts on PMQs

I've just done a 5 minute review of PMQs with SNP MP Angus Macneill and Paul Goodman MP for the Tories. I'll put it up later this afternoon.

It was a fairly boisterous House today. In terms of body language and style I thought this was Brown's strongest performance so far, but he was sadly lacking in argument and content. He even said that Ireland wasn't having a referendum at one point, which was clearly wrong. David cameron linked the EU question rather well with public dissastisfaction about politicians who break their promises. He seems to be saying to the public: "I know you think politicians are shysters. I feel your pain".

Nick Clegg had a torrid time and just wasn't at the races. He's become a political masochist version of Britney Spears, as if he is subliminally sayin: "Hit me baby one more timem"

I'll score Brown 6, Cameron 6 and Clegg 2. And you?

Top Ten Things for Chris Huhne to Avoid Today

1. Saying 'I told you so'
2. Saying anything
3. Sitting next to Clegg at PMQs
4. Installing phone lines
5. Being seen with Lembit Opik
6. Shaking his head
7. Writing a supportive article for LibDem News
8. Blogging
9. Smiling
10. Voting

Please do feel free to add your own suggestions in the comments...

Political Performance Index: February

Vince Cable leapfogs William Hague back to the top of the of the PPI this month, presumably for his performance on Northern Rock. He's the only politician to score more than 6 out of 10. Harriet Harman remains rooted at the bottom, where she has been ever since I started doing this. For unfathomable reasons David Miliband and Ed Davey are the biggest climbers, while Jack Straw and James Purnell have experienced sharp falls. George Osborne and Andrew Lansley are also notable for their declines. Gordon Brown continues his steady improvement. Only 10 out of 42 politicians managed to do improve on their January scores, compared to 12 last month. We'll know when the state of British politics is on the up when that number reaches 22.

1. +1 Vince Cable 6.50 (6.18)

2. -1 William Hague 5.72 (6.42)

3. - David Cameron 5.61 (6.05)
4. - David Davis 5.01 (5.25)

5. +2 Boris Johnson 5.00 (5.00)

6. +3 Alex Salmond 4.75 (4.71)

7. +1 Michael Gove 4.64 (4.93)

8. -2 Chris Grayling 4.58 (5.08)

9. -4 George Osborne 4.41 (5.18)

10. - Nick Clegg 4.38 (4.54)
11. - Alan Duncan 4.32 (4.47)
12. +1 Brian Paddick 4.24 (3.96)

13. +4 Chris Huhne 3.90 (3.76)

14. +11 David Miliband 3.81 (3.28)

15. +9 Ed Davey 3.71 (3.32)

16. -2 Liam Fox 3.64 (3.93)

17. +4 David Willetts 3.63 (3.53)

18. -6 Andrew Lansley 3.51 (4.11)

19. -3 Nick Herbert 3.38 (3.79)

20. -2 Hilary Benn 3.36 (3.71)

21. +1 Theresa May 3.31 (3.52),22. +6 Caroline Spelman 3.25 (3.28), 23. -8 Ian Paisley 3.24 (3.84), 24. +5 John Denham 3.14 (3.25), 25. +1 Nigel Farage 3.10 (3.49),26. +5 Alan Johnson 3.09 (3.07), 27. +5 Gordon Brown 3.04 (2.86), 28. +2 Rhodri Morgan 3.01 (3.15), 29. -9 James Purnell 3.00 (3.61), 30. -3 John Hutton 2.95 (3.41), 31. -8 Andy Burnham 2.87 (3.51), 32. -12 Jack Straw 2.83 (3.54), 33. +6 Jacqui Smith 2.39 (2.35), 34. +1 Ed Miliband 2.35 (2.47), 35. -1 Douglas Alexander 2.35 (2.49), 36. +4 Ken Livingstone 2.34 (2.35), 37. -4 Ed Balls 2.32 (2.50), 38. -2 Ruth Kelly 2.27 (2.46), 39. +2 Des Browne 2.12 (2.26), 40. -3 Alistair Darling 2.11 (2.43),41. -3 Hazel Blears 2.04 (2.37), 42. - Harriet Harman 1.89 (1. 99)

Another Nail in Scottish Labour's Electoral Coffin

Today' revelation in the Telegraph (link to be added) that the government has ordered a review into the Barnett formula, by which Scotland benefits to tune of £1500 per person, will be welcome to most - assuming it comes to anything.



But what a gift to the SNP! I suspect Scottish MPs in marginal seats will be telling Gordon Brown that this will lose Labour a whole raft of seats at the next election.



Most people are naturally suspicious of government reviews as they tend to tell the government what they want to hear - look at the review of 24 hour licensing, which found, surprise surprise, that it had been an outstanding success! The test of a review of the Barnett formula is if it passes the Barnett test. Lord Barnett said recently: "I didn't create this formula to give Scotland an advantage over the rest of the country."



In some ways, this formula is a bit like the Schleswig Holstein question in the days of Lord Palmerston. Only three people understand it, and two of them are dead. The one thing I remember about it is that I discovered that when Crossrail got the go-ahead, it meant that Scotland would also benefit to the tune of 10 per cent of Crossrail's cost. What I could never get confirmed is whether if a similar project is undertaken in Scotland, the reverse is true. I think we all know the answer.

Quote of the Day

From David Wooding in The Sun on Margaret Hodge's rant against The Proms...

"Margaret Hodge clearly doesn't know her arias from her elbow... Long may The Proms rule the airwaves."

How this ridiculous and discredited woman remains a Minister is a mystery to all Westminster watchers, as she has left a trail of destruction in the countless ministries she has been shuffled between. The fact that she is still in government is testament to the dearth of talent on Labour's backbenches.

Nick Clegg Flunks His First Big Test of Leadership

Remember this graphic from Nick Clegg's campaign website? Perhaps it should be reworded to say WE WANT NICK CLEGG TO STAND ... FOR SOMETHING.

I defy anyone to watch last night's Newsnight interview with Nick Clegg and tell me they think the LibDem position on an EU Referendum is anything other than a fiasco. Watch it for yourself HERE. It's about 15 minutes in.

First of all, whichever of his media advisers advised him to do this interview should be fired immediately. His position is untenable and this was amply demonstrated in the interview. Any self respecting spin doctor should have known that. Clegg came across as tetchy, nervous and ill-briefed.

The fact that he couldn't actually come out with a justification for ordering his MPs to abstain says it all. It also seems quite clear that he is going to be the first party leader in history to sack frontbenchers for keeping a promise and defying an instruction to abdicate any responsibility whatsoever.

LibDem supporting Norfolk Blogger agrees. He says...

Nick Clegg has just been on Newsnight trying to defend the indefensible, and mightily stupid he has made himself look, and the Liberal Democrats. The point was made to him that a week ago the Lib Dems walked out of parliament because they were not allowed to vote on an issue, but now they are intending to enforce a three line whip to tell our MP's not to vote ? It seems daft in the extreme. But worse than that, Nick Clegg kept making the point that our MP's would not support calls for a referendum because it was not the preferred referendum we wanted. rather like a starving man refusing a sandwich because "I prefer wholemeal bread", the Lib Dem stance is just plain daft. Perhaps the most interesting point though was the lack of a sincere response from Nick Clegg on the question put to him by Jeremy Paxman, had he asked for pre-prepared resignation letters from MP's prepared to vote for the referendum ? Nick's response of "how could I, the vote has not taken place yet", was met with another repetition of the question by Jeremy Paxman. It was clear Paxman wanted Nick Clegg to be given a chance to change his mind on this question or dig a bigger hole for himself. Clearly someone has tipped of the BBC that resignation letters have been asked for.

Sadly, the whole piece on Newsnight made the Lib Dems look daft, out of touch and irrelevant. Very sad indeed.

Not a happy bunny, our Nich, and who can blame him. It's Nick Clegg's first big test and he's flunked it in a manner LibDem opponents can only have dreamed of.

Tory Euro MEP Dan Hannan reckons Nick Clegg should stop digging...

If he thought there was no need for a referendum, Paxo asked, why hadn’t he instructed his MPs to vote against one? Well, said Cleggie, the thing was that he was for a referendum, just not for this referendum, and the best way to express the subtleties of that position was not to vote at all.

Then came a deliciously revealing slip when he said that he wasn’t going to take lessons from Labour which had, after all, “reneged on its commitment to a referendum”. Labour, of course, is in exactly the same position as the Lib Dems: it claims, incredibly, that there is no need for a referendum because the Lisbon Treaty is different from the European Constitution. So here was Cleggie inadvertently admitting that his party, too, had reneged.

By the end I was feeling sorry for him. Cleggie is, as I have observed before, a fundamentally decent human being. Yet he was being forced to assume positions that would sprain the muscles of a circus contortionist.

Many LibDem MPs are tearing their collective hair out over this. I know, because three of them have told me. And what's more, they are looking at their new leader and asking themselves: is he really up to it?

Press Awards Announce Political Journo Shortlist

The British Press Awards have announced their shortlist for political journalist of the year. And the nominations are...

Daniel Finkelstein - The Times
Philip Stevens - Financial Times
Matthew D'Ancona - Sunday Telegraph
Quentin Letts - Daily Mail
Jonathan Oliver - Mail on Sunday
Peter Oborne - Daily Mail
 
Just thought you'd like to know.

Dinner with Portillo In the Buff?

In mid May the Conservatives will be holding a major fundraiser with the oligatory auction. Here are some of the lots...

1. A week of luxury on the Isle of Wight

2. Dinner for two with Michael Portillo

3. A helicopter ride for two down the Thames

4. A chauffeur driven in the latest Rolls-Royce for shopping, high tea at Brown’s Hotel, VIP seats at Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s Sound of Music and a deluxe double room at Brown’s Hotel

5. Opera, personalised and performed just for you

6. A house painting commission 24” x 30” in oil, by William Eyre

7. A charcoal nude drawing by Chloe Cloherty. 32” wide x 42” high.

A thought strikes me. Is Lot 7 carried out immediately after Lot 2. I think we should be told.

Labour Alleges BBC Pro Cameron Bias

The complaint to the BBC by some Labour MP I've never heard of is risible. Dawn Butler (for it is she) complains that David Cameron is given an easy ride by the Today Programme interviewers. What utter rubbish. I've heard at least half the interviews she refers to and he's interrupted and challenged just as often as anyone else. Indeed, I would argue that it is Gordon Brown who gets away with an easier time because he's not interrupted as much and answers the question he wanted to be asked rather than the question he was actually asked.

Butler whines that David Cameron is often only interviewed on one subject and then - wait for it - ONLY for eight minutes! Is she complaining he doesn't get enough airtime?

Let's be clear, political parties complain about things like this, not in the expectation that the BBC will hold up its hands and say "yup, you're right". What they do is put in a complaint in the full knowledge that BBC producers will have it in the back of their minds during future interviews.

I was told by a BBC producer that the Labour Party had complained about one of my News 24 appearances where they captioned me as a political blogger, rather than a Conservative blogger. Fair enough, I suppose, but on my next appearance they went so overboard in describing my Conservative leanings it was almost comical. As if the viewers couldn't have worked it out for themselves!

Shadow Cabinet Media Tarts List: February

Each month Julian Nicholson and I compile a list of the best media performers in the Shadow Cabinet using mentions on Lexis Nexis as the index. Biggest climbers are Sayeeda Warsi. Lord Strathclyde and Jeremy Hunt. Plumetting are Patrick McLoughlin, Francis Maude and David Mundell.

February Media Tarts
1	-	David Cameron	1450
2	-	George Osborne	509
3	-	David Davis	473
4	+1	William Hague	132
5	-1	Chris Grayling	118
6	+1	Andrew Lansley	113
7	+3	Michael Gove	91
8	+8	Jeremy Hunt	86
9	-3	Liam Fox	82
10	+1	Eric Pickles	76
11	-3	Nick Herbert	75
12	-	Philip Hammond	68
13	+13	Sayeeda Warsi	61
14	+2	Theresa May	53
15	-6	Alan Duncan	49
16	-1	David Willetts	46
17	+4	Caroline Spelman	30
17	+2	Andrew Mitchell	30
19	+7	Grant Shapps	27
20	-6	David Mundell	24
21	+9	Lord Strathclyde	23
21	-8	Theresa Villiers	23
23	-1	Oliver Letwin	20
24	-4	Cheryl Gillan	19
25	+1	Peter Ainsworth	17
26	+2	Dame Pauline Neville-Jones	16
27	+2	Owen Paterson	10
28	-12	Patrick McLoughlin	9
29	-5	David Lidington	9
30	-8	Francis Maude	5
31	-	Baroness Anelay of St Johns	1
Liberal Democrats
-		Nick Clegg	350

Herbert Scores Triumph in Prisons Policy Announcement

Now THIS is the sort of policy announcement every Conservative can get behind. Well thought out, properly costed and an initiative which actually does something to address the problem. Nick Herbert has played a blinder today, totally outfoxing Jack Straw. Indeed, so desperate was the Justice Secretary to scupper the Tory announcement that he got his Special Adviser to try to set up a spoiling exercise over the weekend. The only trouble was, the poor little SpAd couldn't quite pull it off. So when that didn't work they resorted to the tried and tested tactic of saying the Tories were copying Labour's plans, and then followed it up by accusing them of proposing uncosted policies - which was a bit of a tactical error, in that if they were copying government proposals how could they possibly be uncosted? Oh dear. Herbert 3 Straw 0.

The Daley Dozen: Monday

1. LibDem blogging bitchfight. Norfolk Blogger v The Rest. Seconds out Round 2 courtesy of Love & Liberty.
2. Edland plays fantasy politics and has a pop at me along the way. And why not.
3. Three Line Whip on Labour crying to teacher about the beastly Dave.
4. Gavin Whenman recalls the halcyon days of Labour smears against the LibDems. Wait till Wednesday and see history repeat itself.
5. CentreRight highlights a new low in health advertising.
6. Quaequam relishes causing a bit of trouble for the LibDem leadership. Don't we all.
7. Chicken Yoghurt on the government ministers who just can't be arsed.
8. Tim Montgomerie breaks the law ... and then complains about being caught!
9. Nick Clegg just keeps on digging, says the Spectator Coffee House.
10. When Boris met Dave. Dave Hill.
11. Gordon's got a good joke. Which he tells over...and over...and over again, reports Guido.
12. Jon Craig congratulates Alan Duncan. As do we all. I hope.

What Dave Can Learn from Barack Obama

Oh dear, I seem to have upset the esteemed readers of COMMENT IS FREE. Last week, my Telegraph column was supposed to have been about what David Cameron can learn from Barack Obama. Sadly, it got overtaken by events and I was asked to write about Andrew Lansley instead. Anyway, rather than let a provocative column go to waste, I thought what better use to make of it than to wind up the Obama supporting fanatics of The Guardian. Judging from the comments beneath the article, I succeeded beyond my wildest dreams. Read the full column HERE.

Boris Steps Up to the Challenge

If you want to win an election you've got to believe you can do it, but more importantly, convince the people whose votes you are asking for you can do it. Until recently there was some doubt as to whether anyone (including perhaps Boris himself) thought Boris could pull it off. Recent polls not only show that a Boris victoiry is possible, but also probable. Contrary to the pundits' expectations Boris is attracting significantly more second preference votes than Livingstone.

He is also producing good solid policy proposals. His crime manifesto was well received and today's transport manifesto are both credible and have voter appeal. Like Tony Travers in the Standard I'd like to have seen a bit more radicalism, but that can come later. Among the proposals are...

* provide more police at tube stations and on buses
* extend tube operating hours until 1.30am at weekends
* stop tube ticket office closures
* abolish the western extension of the congestion zone
* more powers to fine utlility companies for causing disruption when digging up roads
* bring in direct debit for oyster cards
* more air conditioning on the tube
* negotiate a no strike deal with unions with binding arbitration to resolve disputes
* higher congestion charge at rush hour and less at other times
* congestion charge bills sent to drivers at month end
* scrap £25 charge for bigger cars
* reset traffic lights to ease congestion
* new generation of Routemasters with conductors
* clamp down on illegal minicabs
* support more 20 mph zones and increase cycle parling
* more integrated river transport

On their own, none of these are what you would call a 'big idea', but the manifesto document exudes a quiet air of competence. What Boris needs to do now is make clear who will head up Transport for London. It needs to be a big hitter who will go in and sort out a fundamentally inefficient and wasteful organisation. My candidate? Step forward Steven John Norris.

The Death of Gareth Butler

A truly shocking bit of news for the whole of the Westminster Village. I've just been told by a lobby journalist that Gareth Butler has died of a heart attack at the age of only forty two. Gareth had worked at BBC Millbank for many years, latterly as deputy editor on the Politics Show. He was a political being to his fingertips, which was not surprising bearing in mind who is father is - David Butler, co-author of the British General Election series of books. Gareth had also inherited the role of editor of the British Political Facts series from his father. He recently left the BBC and had his first published article in the recent edition of Progress.

My heart goes out to his wife, two children and his parents. Losing a husband, father and son is a truly terrible thing for any family to go through. I am sure all the readers of this blog will join me in sending them our deep sympathies.

UPDATE: Read Jon Sopel's obituary of Gareth HERE.

Let's Abolish Income Tax (And Other Pie in the Sky Policies)

The UK Libertarian Party (no,I hadn't heard of it either) has today launched its first policy, and it's to abolish income tax. Don't all rush for membership forms at once! It seems to be an offshoot of UKIP (maybe its provisional wing?), with Chris Mounsey (better known to you and me as Devil's Kitchen) as its Director of Communications.

Party Leader, Patrick Vessey, said, "Income Tax raised £143 billion in 2006/07, about one quarter of the £534 billion spent by government last year. "But savings on unnecessary spending could easily be found: for example, current annual spending on Britain's hundreds of unaccountable QUANGOs – including such patent time-wasters as the British Potato Council, the Milk Development Council and the Wine Standards Board – is running at around £175 billion. "The Libertarian Party believes that the tax burden should be substantially reduced, and that those taxes that remain should be levied on spending, not on income. This policy will reward those – especially the poorest – who spend within their means and who save for their future. The Party's Director of Communications, Chris Mounsey, added, “This may seem like pie-in-the-sky but, in 2001/02, the government spent £378 billion. Were we to return to those spending levels, we could abolish personal income tax and still have £13 billion left over – sufficient also to abolish, at current revenue levels, Inheritance Tax, Capital Gains Tax, and duty on beer and wine. The people of Britain are beginning to understand that simply throwing money at public services doesn't work. The Libertarian Party is dedicated to allowing every person in this country to choose how their hard-earned money is spent – and the best way in which to do that is not to steal it from them in the first place." The Libertarian Party's pledge to scrap personal income tax is the first policy to emerge from the new party's discussions, and will form part of a radical manifesto to be released later in the year.

I am sure we can't wait. I am all in favour of low taxes, but let's deal with reality here, shall we? We can all play fantasy politics, but in the end if you're serious about politics these sort of indulgences can't really form part of the debate.

Your Papers, Please...

Among the many things I object to about ID cards is the prospect of being stopped in the street and asked by a Policeman to show my papers, when I might have done absolutely nothing wrong. It's the sort of thing which happens in authoritarian and despotic countries and is thoroughly un-British. I was therefore rather horrified to learn of this remark by Home Office Minister Megg Munn Hillier in front of a parliamentary committee last week.

"You should see an ID card like a passport in-country."

Like South African passbooks? Like Soviet internal passports? No doubt she has learned all she knows at the feet of the Castro-admiring Deputy Leader of the Labour Party.

UPDATE: I was told it was Meg Munn. It was apparently Meg Hillier. Apologies to Ms Munn!

Auction of Gladstone Memorabilia

A unique collection of W E Gladstone memorabilia is to be auctioned on 7 May at Christie's in London. It's expected to raise more than £1 million. Details HERE. It's the sort of thing Tony Banks would have loved.

Blackpool Remembered: No 94

Macer Hall, Political Editor of the Daily Express, has an anecdote in this week's HOUSE MAGAZINE which illustrates why the political classes are grateful not to have to stay in Blackoool hotels any longer...

At the 1996 Labour conference in Blackpool we stayed at quite the most horrific hotel I had ever been to. We were served by a tattooed, skinhead waiter at breakfast. The milk was off, so I asked if we could have somemore milk -to which he replied: "Do you want to start something, mate?" I kept quiet after that. That's the fun of party conferences I suppose.

Indeed. Did I ever tell you about the time in Blackpool I woke up sweating like a pig, only to find that there were rubber sheets on the bed? I have a feeling I did...

Good Write-Up for TOTAL POLITICS in The Guardian

The Guardian Media Section has a lengthy article on my new magazine TOTAL POLITICS HERE. I'm quite pleased with it - when you do these kind of interviews you never quite know how they are going to turn out. It's not online, but they have used a four year old pic of me carrying cardboard cutouts of William Hague and Margaret Thatcher in the newspaper itself! Here's an extract...

In the cut-throat political magazine sector, new readers are hard to come by and even harder to retain. Yet the Tory blogger and publisher Iain Dale is remarkably upbeat about the prospects for his new, politically neutral monthly title Total Politics.

Unlike almost every other current affairs publication in the market, Total Politics - which Dale describes as "a lifestyle magazine for the political community" - will be given away free to the vast majority of its readers. From fledgling councillors to Westminster greybeards, every one of Britain's estimated 23,000 elected politicians will be sent a copy - whether they want one or not.

Although the magazine will also be available via subscription and the newsstand (Dale would not be drawn on a prediction for these sales further than "We think we'll get a good four-figure sale within the first few months"), he believes that the free-distribution element of the title will make his project commercially-viable. "We looked at other ways of doing it, including online-only, but we weren't convinced that it could work. Given the age demographic of our potential readers, how many were actually going to download a PDF?

"I don't think the political audience would look at this magazine just online and I don't think advertisers would go for it either. So by going down the targeted free-circulation route we will have a major selling-point, which is if there's a message you want to get out to the political world, we'll be the only place for it."

Currently, Dale says, the only way a company, organisation or pressure group can reach politicians through advertising is via the House Magazine, which goes to MPs, peers, MEPs and a few others. "Right now there's nothing which not only reaches all of Westminster but also all councillors, MSPs, Welsh Assembly and GLA members and so on," Dale says. "We'll cover the whole lot."

He adds: "Of course the whole project is predicated on attracting advertising revenue, but all our research tells us the market is out there."

Although it is undoubtedly a pioneer in its sector, Total Politics - which launches in May and will be edited by Sarah Mackinlay, daughter of Labour MP Andrew Mackinlay, and currently deputy editor of Payroll World - is just the latest print publication to use the "free" business model, in which revenue is generated entirely by advertising...

Dale accepts that unless the magazine is of sufficient quality to ensure politicians actively seek it out and read it, there is a real danger that his free title will simply be lost in the blizzard of office paperwork, newsletters and leaflets with which MPs in particular are bombarded. "That's actually what happens to the House Magazine," he claims. "They say that most MPs read it, but I know for a fact that that's just not the case. If they do read it, they read maybe one article.

"We will be much more accessible and tabloid than anything else in the political sphere. If you look at the Spectator, the New Statesman and the House Magazine they're all to some extent a bit stuffy. We won't, I promise you, have any articles by John Hutton on PFI," Dale says.

Moreover, Total Politics, he concedes, will have a very limited window to make its time-poor readership sit up and take notice. "Iain Duncan Smith reckoned a new Tory leader had 90 days to make an impact, otherwise he was toast," he says. "I think exactly the same will be true for us."

If you have any questions about the magazine or wish to sign up for email alerts, go to the TOTAL POLITICS website HERE.

Congratulations to Alan Duncan

Many congratulations to Alan Duncan and his partner James Dunseath who announced their civil partnership today in Her Majesty's Daily Telegraph. I'm delighted for them. When Alan was speaking for the Conservatives on the civil partnership legislation in 2004 he probably never thought he would be a beneficiary of it. Credit where credit is due. Labour brought in the Act and it has brought happiness to many thousands of people.

British Jobs for British Workers: The Truth

FACT: Since 1997 1.7 million more jobs have been created.
FACT: 1.5 million of them have gone to non British citizens.

FACT: Since 1997 1.3 million jobs in manufacturing have been lost.
FACT: 113,000 more foreign born workers are employed in manufacturing than in 1997.

FACT the number of British people in employment is at its lowest level for a decade.

British jobs for British workers? You're 'avin a giraffe, Mr Brown.

Source: Daily Telegraph & Frank Field MP

The People Have Spoken: We Want a Referendum

Labour Ministers will do their best to deride the nine referendums held last week as 'stunts' but the people have spoken. Turnout was an astonishing 36.2 per cent, which is higher than many local elections. Ninety per cent of those voting said they wanted a referendum on the EU Treaty. What a fantastic initiative by the I WANT A REFERENDUM campaign. On Wednesday MPs get to vote on whether to hold a referendum or not. Around 30 Labour MPs ar expected to defy their party whip, but as usual on these issues the government will be saved by the Liberal Democrats. However, they are also split on this and Nick Clegg is going to be put in a tricky position by several of his own front bench, who will repudiate their new leader's position. If he doesn't sack them he will have demonstrated the weakness of his 51-49 winning leadership vote.

UPDATE: Full results HERE.

Political Performance Index: February

Each month I invite you to take part in compiling the Political Performance Index, which gives you the chance to rate how the top 40 politicians in the country perfored over the last month. Please don't just automatically give high marks to the politicians from the party you support - try to be as dispassionate as possible. Obviously I don't pretend that the readership of this blog is representative of the country as a whole - 55% of you vote Tory, after all! So if you are from another party and have a blog, please do link to this survey and encourage your readers to take part. I'd like to get at least 2,000 people taking part each month. You should give marks from 1 to 10 (1 being the worst) for how you rate each politician's performance during the month of February.

VOTE HERE

The Daley Dozen: Sunday

1. Has Ben Brogan been on the sauce? He reckons Dave is getting his inspiration from Jimmy Carter!
2. Burning our Money explains Stop-Go government.
3. Nich Starling reckons some LibDem bloggers are more equal than others.
4. Stephen Tall is not sure about the Kramer jobshare idea.
5. Nadine Dorries MP asks Michael Portillo not to speak on her behalf. Ever.
6. Quaequam is bemused by Nigel Farage's election as President of Russia. As well he might be.
7. Vicky Ford thinks the EU Referendum bodes ill for Harlow's Labour MP.
8. Glyn Davies on how he is losing a PR battle with Lembit Opik. He also has a report from the Welsh Tory Conference.
9. Ed Vaizey cries God for Prince Harry.
10. Dave's Part profiles the likely new Labour Party General Secretary.
11. Edland asks: What's 2% between friends?
12. Freedom & Whisky wants to go where the work is. Or not.

LibDem MP Questions Harry's Integrity

I was asked to appear on BBC1's The Big Question this morning, but I reckoned a lie in was a better bet than a drive up the M1 to Leicester. It appears I missed a big story. Louise Bagshawe appeared on the programme, which was considering the question: Do politicians deserve to be called honourable? She takes up the story...

It was the warm-up question, which was not broadcast live, which shocked me. We were asked Is Prince Harry a hero?' I advised Nicky Campbell, pre-show, not to ask this, as I thought there would be no debate on the matter. How wrong I was. 'Is it just propaganda?' the host asked. To my amazement, the LibDem MP said 'It's not just propaganda'. When he came back to her, she expanded that we were all human beings; that Harry went partly to do a job, but that he also went to rehabilitate his public image, and 'it worked' because we now all saw him differently.

I confess I was dumbfounded at this. However, she was not alone; there were elements in that audience asserting that Harry had never even been on the frontline at all (rather like those American "moon landings", he inferred, it was all staged for the camera). Others criticised the Prince for warmongering.

I rather admire Ms. Teather for various things, including her robust defence of casework on the show and her work to free her constituent from Gitmo. Nonetheless, the LibDems have got to stop being so cynical and embrace bravery and selflessness where it is found, including in the Royal Family.

What an unbelievably crass thing for Sarah Teather to say. I've always thought she was a bit lacking upstairs. Sad to have it confirmed in this way.

via CentreRight.com

LibDem News Rewrites History

The front page article in LibDem Pravda News this week is all about how the LibDems want a referendum on Europe, but not on the EU Treaty. It waxes lyrical about how Parliament was denied the chance to vote on the LibDem amendment. Strangely, there is no mention of Ed Davey's hissy fit or the LibDem walkout. Do you think they have now realised how ridiculous they made themselves look? Ming Campbell certainly thinks so, according to today's Mail on Sunday.

The Delusions of Susan Kramer

Today's London section of the Politics Show had an interview with Susan Kramer in which she rather incredibly says she regrets not running for LibDem leader (with the implication that Cleggy isn't up to it?). Even more incredibly she thinks she could have done it as a job share with another female. I guess that's possible, especially if you want to make your party look even more ridiculous.

SUSAN KRAMER: I actually feel quite guilty because, you know, we had a leadership election in my political party, and what I should have done, and dammit, I didn't, was get together with another woman and the two of us put together a joint thing.

TIM DONOVAN: So you thought about it? That would have been sensational!

SUSAN KRAMER: I thought about it too late. You look at the job and think 'Who on Earth wants to give their life to this particular role and give up family?' Well, we should have done it, as a joint thing, that's the answer, and set an example.

Isn't hindsight a wonderful thing? If I were Mrs Kramer I'd be more concerned about keeping my seat.

UPDATE: A reader has left this in the comments: What would Susan Kramer have said if one of her male colleagues had said:

"I actually feel quite guilty because, you know, we had a leadership election in my political party, and what I should have done, and dammit, I didn't, was get together with another man and the two of us put together a joint thing."

A Third of Ministers to be Women Under Cameron?

The Observer reports today that David Cameron is going to make a pledge to ensure that by the end of Parliament one third of his Ministers would be women. The article then contradicts itself and says it's an 'aspiration' rather than a quota.

I have no problem with the party wanting to increase the number of female frontbenchers, but I would indeed draw the line at a quota. We are talking about the government of this country, after all. The appointment of Ministers is not something to be played with by the politically correct. It's important that the most talented people in the parliamentary party are appointed Ministers, regardless of their gender or ethnicity. While most of us can see the merits of a priority list for candidates, I think we'd draw the line at the same system for the appointment of Ministers.

Any while we're on the subject, if there was a serious commitment to promoting talented women, why isn't Julie Kirkbride on the front bench?

The Creepingly Insidious Power of the State

Sometimes I wonder whether anyone can reverse the Nanny State tendencies so prevalent in this country at the moment. Even the Conservative Party is succumbing to them in a few areas. Take today's Sunday Times. These three stories appear on the first two pages.

Brown to curb second homes
Energy giants told to help poor or face a levy
Tories plan Alcopop taxes

Each of these initiatives, it can be argued, has honourable intentions. But the effect of all three is to increase the power of the State. All my instincts tell me that the electorate are beginning to cry out for a kind of politics which seeks to give meaningful power back to the individual and shrink the size of the State.

The Daley Dozen: Saturday

1. Daily Referendum laments the 'disorganised' state of the Tory blogosphere.
2. Stephen Tall is about to kill his blog. Say it ain't so!
3. Neil Stockley says we should be prepared for Obama-a-likes.
4. Three Line Whip reveals the new Tory press team.
5. Paul Linford is sick of Jonathan Ross's crappy interviews.
6. Glyn Davies explains why his balls are black. At least I think that's what he said.
7. Alex Deane explains his hatred of the BBC.
8. Jonathan Shephard just wants to get on with his life.
9. Taking Liberties is glad to be back on a Mac.
10. LibDem Voice provides a useful roundup of the February polls.
11. The LibDem Quaequam blog expolains why Ed Davey is wrong on Lisbon.
12. Red Box praises Keith Vaz. No, really.

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February Statporn

February saw 231,064 unique visitors (2007 181,537 - up 27% year on year). Page impressions were 335,102 (2007 312,778 up 7%). Absolute uniques were 51,293 (2007 - 36,552 - up 57%). Guido is pulling away again! According to my recent poll, 13% of you read my site through an RSS reader or feed. So I suppose that means these figures underestimate hits by 13%, or am I missing something?

Here are my top 20 linking sites (ie incoming hits) for February, according to Google Analytics. The arrows denote whether a site has moved up or down or stayed static since January...

1. ConservativeHome 13,370 ↑ 2. Guido Fawkes 12.4% 11,087 ↓ 3. PoliticalBetting 4,556 ↔ 4. Spectator Coffee House 4,036 ↔ 5.Daniel Finkelstein 3,866 ↑ 6. Dizzy Thinks 3,074 ↓ 7. NHS Blog Doctor 2, 091 ↓ 8. Ben Brogan 1,279 ↑ 9. Bloggerheads 1,133 NEW 10. Devil's Kitchen ↑ 11. Recess Monkey 942 NEW 12. Biased BBC 840 ↓ 13. Boulton & Co 822 NEW 14. Chris Paul 791 NEW 15. Tim Worstall 686 ↑ 16. Archbishop Cranmer 685 ↔ 17. Paul Linford 649 ↓ 18. Daily Referendum 507 ↓ 19. Tom Watson 507 NEW 20. Adam Smith Institute 501 ↓

Dropping out are , , , Witanagemot, Ed Clarke, Luke Akehurst , Ed Vaizey MP, An Englishman's Castle

We've Been Burgled - And Seven Hours Later Where Are the Police?

Today has got worse. It started off well as I enjoyed my time with Suffolk Coastal Tories. We had a lively debate on the English Question, but I had to leave at 12.15 to get to Upton Park in time to watch West Ham play Chelsea. After 25 minutes I really wished I hadn't bothered with the Hammers conceding three soft goals within five minutes. The only point to really cheer was seeing Frank Lampard get red carded. Anyway, I digress.

The real reason the day got worse was that we discovered we were broken into and robbed last night. Not the house, but some outbuildings which we rent out as storage units. About £400 worth of roof lead was missing, with various items strewn across the yard. My partner called the Police sometime between 11am and noon. As I type this at nearly 7pm they have still not bothered to come out. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, but it galls me. It really does. It's clear from the items in our yard that the car used was stolen as the contents of the boot were left behind. It's now dark, so any clues there might have been cannot be seen. If they had intended to do anything forensically, they now won't be able to.

They called back at 3pm to say someone would be with us within the hour but they were coming a long way (!). A few minutes later someone called to say it would be longer. When I got back from football I called them again. They were unable to say when anyone would come. I'm afraid I lost my temper and told them exactly what I thought. You can probably imagine what I said.

So when I call them again in a few moments I'm afraid some even harsher words are going to be said. I do not pay taxes to fund them to be treated like this. I do not think it is unreasonable of me to expect them to attend a crime scene within seven hours of the crime being reported. They can witter on about resources all they like, but I'd love to know what is happening in West Kent today to mean they cannot attend a crime scene within seven hours. No wonder people aren't bothering to report crimes any longer. This is a major reason for the level of reported crime falling. And it's a terrible reflection the level of service (if you can call it that) which rural areasnow get from the Police. Perhaps I should tell them I am holding the burglar at gunpoint.

UPDATE 7.47pm: Well, they turned up at 7.30pm, just as I was doing a phone interview with Steve Claridge on Setanta Sports about the West Ham game! I asked why it had taken seven hours and was told: "That's quite good. It's normally longer!" We live in a village of 6,000 people a mile outside Tunbridge Wells and four miles from Tonbridge. Both these towns have relatively large police stations. So where do you think our policemen are based? Cranbrook, a town around hald an hour's drive from here. These two policemen cover the area of Cranbrook, Lamberhurst, Pembury and Paddock Wood. Anyone who knows this area will realise how big an area that is. And it's covered by TWO policemen!!!

The English Question at the Seaside

I'm sitting in my car on the seafront at Thorpeness in Suffolk, where I am to speak at a Conservative Policy Forum discussion on the vexed subject of The English Question. Om the way here I was told they wanted me to speak for an hour! Well, much as I may like the sound of my own voice, I think even I would nod off in the middle of a speech of that length. Gladstone I ain't. I'm mainly addressing the issue of what the Conservative Party's stance on English devolution should be. I will be saying that the Tories are the only party which can deliver it and all the various splinter groups who are feel strongly about this issue would do well to remember that. Both the other parties still obsess about regional devolution, which I believe would be highly 'unEnglish' and foolhardy.

The local MP, John Gummer, will be giving his views at the same event this afternoon. Sadly, by then I shall hopefully be at Upton Park explaining in a rather more direct way where Chelsea can stick the blue flag... Now, to the tune of the Red flag...

From Stamford Bridge to Upton Park
Stick the blue flag up your ****