One of the more interesting titbits about the current Greek crisis was the quote from someone at De La Rue (ticker LSE:DLAR) that it takes 3 months to print a new set of banknotes. So how far have they got? Printing it is not the whole story. The immediate reaction of every Greek to the [...]
April was certainly mensis horribilis for Cameron. It ended with an unfortunate exchange on Monday: Mr Dennis Skinner (Bolsover) (Lab) Why is the Culture Secretary getting better employment rights than the rest of the workers in Britain? Is it possibly because the Prime Minister knows that as long as the Culture Secretary is in the [...]
There is an amusing graphic in yesterday’s Sunday Times: The (full page) article is mainly about the presentation of policy. The thesis, based apparently on contacts with ministers and backbenchers, is that George Osborne was incompetent in dealing with Lib Dem demands. Facing electoral disaster, the Lib Dems have decided to be much less Tory-friendly [...]
There is no doubt that the art of politics is not as easy as it looks. Bystanders (like me) are prone to say despairingly “How could the government be so stupid as to …”. But that is easy with hindsight. Take pastygate. In his budget speech (Hansard 21 Mar 2012 col 801) George Osborne said: [...]
[The latest instalment in the carrier fiasco, reported by the Sunday Times two days ago.] I am finding it hard to get my head around this saga. Every time I hear a little more, I find it hard not to think I have wandered away from reality into a bad stage skit. How could anyone [...]
