Symbols matter in politics as much as they do in all walks of life, so the racing certainty, as I write, that Michael D. Higgins, the Labour Party candidate for the president of Ireland, will have won the post when … Continued
Monthly Archives: October 2011
If it isn’t hurting, it isn’t working
Darren Murphy, Chief Executive, Centreground Political Communications Bigger even than the humiliations of Prime Minister John Major, who so suffered at their hands he started to question their parentage, David Cameron’s authority weakened last night as the Eurosceptic wing of … Continued
The Eurosceptic case against a referendum
Darren Murphy, Chief Executive, Centreground Political Communications I am a Eurosceptic. Not one of those on the Right or the Left obsessed by the idea that “Europe” is either some sort of Euro-communist conspiracy against British capitalism or a ‘Capitalist … Continued
Europe: the old Tory weakness returns
In the months that followed his election victory in 1992, John Major made a series of speeches praising his own economic sagacity and promising that he would have the mettle required to overcome Britain’s lamentable postwar record of inflation and … Continued
Escaping the Westminster bubble
Today’s political reportage will surely be dominated by Ed Miliband’s and David Cameron’s clashes at Prime Minister’s Questions over the Liam Fox affair and the stream of economic bad news. But, outside Westminster, does any of this have much impact? … Continued
On the polls
Today’s Populus poll in the Times looks like good news for Labour: opening up its biggest lead over the Conservatives since last year’s general election; Labour 41%, up three points on last month; Conservatives down one on 33%, and the … Continued
Learning from François
Eight or so years ago I worked as the press secretary to the British Labour MEPs, travelling between London, Brussels and Strasbourg. Even then Labour was in the minority in Europe in being a centre-left party in power, but at … Continued
Fox hunting: a reflection
Events over the last week have resembled a cross between a Victorian parlour game and an episode of Michael Dobbs’ brilliant television series House of Cards: at times focussed on gossip and innuendo; at others on forced apologies and organised … Continued
The politics of sport
In early summer 1996 we had a brief crisis at Labour’s campaign headquarters in Millbank Tower. England were through to the semi-final of Euro 1996 and the Tories were visibly rising in the polls with every victory. If you remember … Continued
Be patient: health to return as an election issue
The NHS was hardly an issue at the last British General Election. Waiting times – the public’s number one concern about the NHS for decades – had fallen and were set at a maximum of 18 weeks from referral to … Continued