Category Archives: Blog

More voices than votes

                  Yesterday Parliament staged a good debate. Voice after voice was raised to condemn the lack of democracy in EU government. MP after MP warned their leaderships that too much power has passed to Brussels without gaining the consent of the British people.  MPs asked their leaders what part of the 80% public opposition [...]

Posted in Blog | 204 Comments

Mr Hague denies a referendum and supports our membership of the EU on current terms

  We are told that the government has brought the debate on the EU referendum forward to today so the Foreign Secretary can join  the debate. The debate will be led by Mr David Nuttall, the mover of the motion.             Some have suggested the government switched the date because they want to stop the lobby [...]

Posted in Blog | 117 Comments

Deficit reduction on track?

             There was some good news in the September figures for public spending and borrowing. So far this financial year spending is only up 3%, a bit below the forecast. Meanwhile tax revenues are up 5%, usefully ahead of costs, even though they are down on forecast.  Between April and September this year the [...]

Posted in Blog | 52 Comments

The government at this summit needs to grasp how big the EU ambition is

             Mr Barroso made clear in his recent speech in Brussels to the European Parliament that the EU needs more integration. To him  the answer to every tension and problem is more EU central power.             The Commission plans a “single coherent framework for the better economic governance based on the community method. …The proposal [...]

Posted in Blog | 107 Comments

Popular and unpopular greenery

               I am all in favour of saving energy, of promoting fuel efficiency, saving the greenfields and the  best heritage of England. Much of the green agenda is popular. Many are happy to recyle, to insulate, to buy more fuel efficient vehicles when money permits. No-one wants to see the Green Belt concreted over or [...]

Posted in Blog | 241 Comments

The problem of the EU in Parliament

  Many Conservative MPs want a new relationship with the EU. They fought the last General Election saying they wanted powers back. They value a relationship based on trade and co-operation, but think the EU regulates, taxes and interferes too much. They were pleased that the Coalition Agreement, despite Lib Dem enthusiasm for the EU, [...]

Posted in Blog | 186 Comments

High inflation undermines growth

             The Bank of England and some commentators seem to think the higher rate of inflation we now have was a necessary side effect of action to boost the growth rate. They do not apologise for almost two years of inflation above the   2%  target, or for the very high level of 5.2%/5.6%  (CPI/RPI)  it [...]

Posted in Blog | 128 Comments

The UK's deficit plan – third revision?

           I have been asking a few Ministers to tell me how much current public spending  has gone up by so far under this government. So far no-one has been able to tell me it has gone up by £56 billion or 9.3%, 2011-12 compared to 2009-10.  They have seemed rather suprised by the [...]

Posted in Blog | 93 Comments

Saving the world?

              We hear that the EU is working away at a solution to the Euro crisis. It comprises three main elements – more capital for banks, bigger write-offs on Greek debts, and a huge support fund to bail out any other country or bank that needs subsidy.              If the package lives up to [...]

Posted in Blog | 81 Comments

Anatomy of the "right"

              The liberal media tends to call anyone “right” as a term of abuse for people they disagree with.  The “right” within the Conservative party is a term used  to describe a wide range of people, often with very different views on issues.             There are, for example, right wing  liberals, and right wing [...]

Posted in Blog | 96 Comments
  • About John Redwood

    John Redwood has been the Member of Parliament for Wokingham since 1987. First attending Kent College, Canterbury, he graduated from Magdalen College, and has a DPhil from All Souls, Oxford. A businessman by background, he has been a director of NM Rothschild merchant bank and chairman of a quoted industrial PLC.
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