A chief whip wanders around a zombie government
I am getting a bit worried about the Tory chief whip. The first thing he did when he got this job was get stuck in the toilet, and I am afraid to say it has all gone down the pan since then. He has...
View ArticleA universal credit crisis and Tory civil war
I am beginning to wonder if the chancellor knows something about climate change that he is not letting on, because next week we will have his autumn statement, which is yet again in December. It comes...
View ArticleThe chancellor’s mask has slipped
As I pointed out in business questions this week, the chancellor’s mask has slipped following his autumn statement and his baleful plan for Britain’s future has become clear. He has failed every test...
View ArticleDoesn’t everyone just love a teacher’s pet?
I began Business Questions this week by welcoming the Lords Spiritual (Women) Bill, which comes before parliament next Monday and, if passed, will speed up the process of appointing women bishops to...
View ArticleWe all know the prime minister is partial to chicken
I began Business Questions this week by responding to yesterday’s top line figures on jobs. Whilst we welcome any fall in unemployment, for millions of families up and down this country there is a grim...
View ArticleRelying on Labour votes to protect public health
I began business questions this week by marking Holocaust Memorial Day and the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. I welcomed the plans for a new holocaust memorial in this country that...
View ArticleChannelling Neil Kinnock
At business questions this week I asked about the string of Tory donors who bank with the Swiss arm of HSBC that was caught facilitating tax abuse. Since the prime minister became leader of his party...
View ArticleWhen we are out of step with public opinion we must change
At business questions this week I raised the latest set of quarterly migration figures that were released today. It is clear that David Cameron’s pledge to reduce net migration to the tens of thousands...
View ArticleDecoding Cameron’s words
This week at business questions I asked about David Cameron’s refusal to acknowledge his complete failure on his ‘no ifs, no buts’ promise on net migration. He promised that immigration would be in the...
View ArticleTories are trying to avoid the argument altogether
At business questions this week I raised the government’s track record of avoiding scrutiny. On the European arrest warrant, on the Agricultural Wages Board and now on plain packaging of cigarettes,...
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