The Poliblogs 31st July 2007

Stinging criticism of Brown from Labour MP

Gisela Stuart MP is an unlikely "rebel". She's your archetypal "Blair babe". On election night in 1997, her successful result at Edgbaston came early on, and gave a clear signal that we were in for a Labour landslide.

Ms Stuart has been criticising Gordon Brown for not holding a referendum on the European Constitution/Treaty. She should know what she is talking about. She helped write the original "constitution".

Liberal Burblings

Both Cheeky Girls move in with Opik

Lib Dem MP Lembit Opik has been forced to welcome Gabriela Irimia's twin sister into his home.

The politician was thrilled when fiancée Gabriela agreed to move in to his country cottage in Montgomeryshire, Wales. However, her mother Margit became concerned that Gabriela's sister Monica would be lonely without her - so Lembit has now decorated the spare room so that both Cheeky Girls can stay with him.

Digital Spy

NHS hits the news again

After a lull in which there was talk of "clinical engagement" and getting staff back onside, the DH reveals its true colours again. And they are not nice.

Dr Rant

Lord Saatchi calls for an end to "nicey-nicey" politics

Lord Saatchi has today warned that "nicey-nicey" politics will not win us the next general election urging David Cameron to reach out to voters on the economy instead of focusing on branding. He said all of Mr Cameron's efforts so far had been "to no avail".

Conservative Home

Could Gordon torpedo the Tory EU lifeboat?

One of the most brilliant moves by Tony Blair was his amazing U-turn in April 2004 on having a referendum on the EU constitution. For in one short announcement he completely undermined the Tory campaign for the Euro Election seven weeks hence. The demand for a referendum had been Michael Howard’s device of uniting the Tories on the contentious EU issue.

Political Betting

The Gordon and George Show

In public George W. Bush is an unpredictable figure. Sometimes he’s skittish, seeming to blurt out the first thing that comes into his head. At others he’s sullen and doesn’t really seem as if he wants to be there, and can’t really be bothered now he is.

Adam Boulton

It's not Blair

Gordon Brown's first trip to the US since becoming prime minister highlights how different he is from Tony Blair.

Ian Williams

Andrew Lilico: The Difference between a modern Conservative and a Blairite

Why are you a Conservative? How are your views different from those of a New Labour supporter? How do you believe that your views are better than those of a New Labour supporter? I’ll tell you how I think matters lie.

Conservative Home

Unnecessarily detained

The government wants to detain terror suspects for more than 28 days. Very well then, show us the evidence to justify it.

Andrew Dismore

I wouldn't waste the shoe leather to vote in a private referendum

I'll make my views clear to everyone to start off with. I am something of a sceptic over Europe. I don't mind the principle of the EU, not at all. In the same way as I think Communism is, in principle a lovely concept. However, the EU is deeply flawed, has far too many things wrong with it, is deeply mistrusted by a high percentage of this country (okay, I know UK politicians are too, but at least we choose them) , has too many bureaucrats interfering in things that are not broken, and EU rules are not applied equally across EU states, leaving a deep sense of injustice. Oh and before people say "you must be the only Lib Dem who holds such views", I know it is not common, but believe me, I am not the only one.

Norfolk Blogger

The buzz around David Davis

Some interesting speculation on the Tory blogosphere over the last couple of days over whether David Davis is now becoming David Cameron's de facto deputy, and as such whether he rather than George Osborne or William Hague is now best placed to take over should Cambo fall under the bus or, alternatively, be ditched by his increasingly restive party.

Paul Linford

Has the Brown bounce run out of steam?

There are still lots of smiling Gordons to illustrate our main article this morning but not quite on the same scale as recent polls have suggested. The surveys are from two pollsters who have hardly figured as successive YouGov and ICM polls have reported big leads for Labour in the past three weeks.

Populus in the Times has with comparisons on its last poll at the start of the month CON 33% (-1): LAB 39% (+2): LD 15% (-3)

Communicate Research in the Independent has compared with its last survey carried out before Gordon moved into Number 10 CON 34% (-3): LAB 37% (+5): LD 16% (-2)

Political Betting

Prolonging the Agony of School

Raise the school leaving age to 18? Teachers think it's a shocking idea. Geraldine Everett, chairman of the Professional Association of Teachers, says:

“Here is a Government that has toyed with the idea of lowering the voting age to 16 in order to promote a greater sense of citizenship among our young people. Yet it proposes to extend compulsory education or training to 18, to compel the already disaffected to, in their perception, prolong the agony.

To make them conscripts is likely to reinforce failure, leading to even greater disaffection. Enforcement could lead to mass truancy, further disruption to other learners and staff, maybe even needless criminalisation if enforcement measures are imposed.”

Of course, the commissars will not listen to the teachers. Piff! What do they know?

Burning Our Money

Is Brown reversing Blair's reforms?

The think-thank Reform has a interesting report setting out how in the 1st month of the Brown era, a reverse gear has been found on the public sector reforms we saw during the Blair era. Many I guess will welcome this, but as the Reform report point's out the 'inital decisions will impose an upwards pressure on public sector costs'.

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