The Barnet Bugle reports that Labour have gained a seat for the Brunswick Park Ward in Barnet Council in yesterday's byelection. The result was: Labour 1769, Conservatives 1,598, Liberal Democrats 97. The byelection was called after the sad death of theh former Conservative council leader Lynne Hillan. This had been regarded as a pretty safe […]
The impetus behind the referendum to approve a directly elected Mayor for Salford was to have lower Council Tax. But Ian Stewart, the Labour candidate for the resulting who was elected last month, has got off to a disturbing start. The Daily Mail reports that he has recruited not only a deputy mayor but 13 […]
"Fear no more the heat of the sun." We British have an uneasy relationship with high summer. Some years, it never appears. The next year, it redoubles its efforts. The cold beer runs out; the trains are late because the metal railway lines expand. Everyone complains about the lack of air conditioning. On the Mediterranean, the […]
It’s been a good year for Damian Thompson. For a start, he’s established the Telegraph Blogs as the best of the newspaper blogging operations; and now he’s published The Fix – an eye-opening, iconoclastic analysis of addiction in the 21st century. Here's an edited version of his article for the Spectator, in which he explains how […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter David Gauke (Answers phone): Gauke speaking. George Osborne: David, George here. Now, about those charity tax plans – (Line interrupted by loud cursing and smashing noises.) (Long Pause.) Gauke (To Private Secretary): Get me Boris's number, will you?
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter David Gauke (Answers phone): Gauke speaking. George Osborne: David, George here. Gauke: Chancellor! You must have seen Newsnight yesterday. Osborne: Newsnight? Why? (Pause.) Was Boris on it? Gauke: Er…No, Chancellor. But I was. Osborne: You were. Why? Gauke (Stiffly): I was defending the, er, adjustment to the pasty tax […]
I used to be on the management committee for the Shepherd's Bush Housing Association, a pretty dire landlord operating in my borough and also neighbouring boroughs. At one of the meetings there was a proud declaration that we owned a house worth £4 million in Kensington Square. Those who lived there must have an incredibly […]
By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter Ring ring. Ring ring. David Gauke (Answers phone): Gauke speaking. George Osborne: David, George here. Gauke: Chancellor. Osborne: Sorry to bother you, but…some bad news, I'm afraid. Gauke: Sorry to hear it. Is it Boris again? Osborne (Worried): Boris? Gauke: Yes, Boris. Osborne (Alarmed): What have you heard? Gauke: […]
6.30pm WATCH: Hunt at Leveson – My text to James Murdoch wasn't inappropriate I didn't hide behind a tree Adam Smith's role 4pm ToryDiary: Overheard in the Treasury: Part Three… 3.45pm Local Government: Less red tape for housing associations selling vacant properties 3.30pm ToryDiary: Overheard in the Treasury: Part Two… 3pm ToryDiary: Overheard in the […]
Chris Heaton-Harris is Member of Parliament for Daventry. Follow Chris on Twitter. The time was always going to come when the amazingly active "green" movement came up against hard economic fact – and that time has arrived. As much as it is spun, energy produced by onshore wind turbines is much more expensive than existing […]