Monthly Archives: March 2010

One of the myths perpretrated by Labour and the BBC is that Margaret Thatcher came in and cut public spending. She did not – spending on the main services grew rapidly under her control. She did cut plans in 1981 to help the recovery, but the overall figures for total public spending including capital, current [...]

Was that it? A few crude bits of politics, a little petty cash moving around, and three wonky arguments. I am so fed up with a Parliament which is sidelined by the government and insists on missing the main points. The government told us it was doing well with its investment in the banks, failing [...]

We were told in advance of the budget yesterday that RBS and LLoyds are going to be made to lend more. We were given early warning of legislation to force all banks to offer basic bank accounts to anyone who wants one. Maybe the government has been listening to those of of us arguing that [...]

Events, dear boy, events, can make so much difference to the best planned campaigns. The last thing Mr Brown wanted was media coverage of the claims of former Cabinet Ministers about how they could lobby, influence policy or appointments, all for a mere £3000 to £5000 a day. That, however, is what he has got. [...]

Wouldn’t it be good if we could hear a message of hope from the government – hope that we could have a faster recovery, hope that it could be more worthwhile to work hard and be successful, hope that we might earn and innovate our way out of the national poverty we see all around [...]

I am a keen defender of fresh air, a regulator of chimneys, a controller of exhausts, someone who wishes to defend beautiful countryside and great heritage buildings. I dislike fumes, noise and other environmental nuisances. These days being green seems to mean to some just one thing- cutting carbon dioxide emissions. I am quite happy [...]

Labour governments typically devalue the currency, run out of money, and preside over industrial chaos. Welcome to the spring of discontent. The 1945-51 government devalued the pound from $4 to $2.80. The 1960s Labour government devalued it from $2.80 to $2.40. The 1970s let a floating currency float down. This government has recently allowed a [...]

I do not regard myself as a Neo Con. As readers will know, I have been sceptical of the wisdom of being in Afghanistan, and a critic of the way Iraq was handled. However, the Neo Cons do have at least one good point. If the President is going to remain engaged in the Middle [...]