Posts by Forbes Washington DC
Sounding the death knell for Corbynmania
Labour’s so-so performance in the local elections raises questions about Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership Source link
Read MoreAmber Rudd’s resignation throws Theresa May’s government into crisis
By BAGEHOT IN THIS week’s Bagehot column I ventured that Amber Rudd, Britain’s home secretary, was probably not fatally wounded by recent events, “unless there is another scandal festering in the Home Office’s basement”. It turned out that there was a lot of festering going on. Just before 10pm on April 29th Ms Rudd tendered…
Read MoreComing face to neck with Vladimir Putin
By BAGEHOT T.H. MARSHALL, one of the founders of modern economics, and one of the most brilliant analysts of the economics of place, argued that “there was something in the air” in the English city of Sheffield that made it good at making steel. I think it is equally true that there is “something in…
Read MoreSome thoughts on the open v closed divide
By BAGEHOT ONE of the most popular interpretations of modern politics is that it is increasingly defined by the difference between open and closed rather than left and right. Openness means support for both economic openness (immigration and free trade) and cultural openness (gays and other minorities). Closedness means hostility to these things. Source link
Read MoreTheresa May wastes an opportunity to regalvanise her party
By BAGEHOT TODAY’S Cabinet reshuffle was billed as a golden opportunity for Theresa May to achieve two things: stamp her authority on the Conservative Party after the debacle of the general election and regalvanise her party in order to meet the rising threat from Jeremy Corbyn. She failed spectacularly to achieve either goal. Source link
Read MoreDamian Green’s exit gives Theresa May a problem—and an opportunity
By BAGEHOT AT THE last prime minister’s questions of the year, on December 20th, Damian Green loyally sat on Theresa May’s right and bellowed his support at all the right moments. Later that day Mrs May forced him to resign from his job as first minister of state, which in effect had made him Britain’s…
Read MoreA strange disease has taken hold of British politics
By BAGEHOT | MANCHESTER BRITAIN is suffering from a very un-British affliction at the moment: millenarianism. A country that has always prided itself on its support for common sense and gradual change is being hijacked by people who believe that the end is nigh and the kingdom of God is upon us. Source link
Read MoreThe Tory conference reflects the dismal state of the party
By BAGEHOT | MANCHESTER IF I had to sum up the Labour Party conference in Brighton last week in a single word, it would be “frightening”. A major British political party has been captured by a hard-left clique that has little respect for the basic principles of a liberal society. If I had to sum…
Read MoreHow the Corbynites want to reverse the 1980s
Labour plans to use Margaret Thatcher’s methods to overturn the Thatcher revolution Source link
Read MoreAn evening with Momentum at the Labour Party conference
By BAGEHOT | BRIGHTON I VENTURED into Momentum’s “A World Transformed” jamboree—a sort of parallel conference running alongside the main Labour Party conference—with some nervousness. Momentum has a reputation for playing hardball: they were responsible for making sure that Brexit wasn’t really discussed at the conference, for example. The meeting has seen a lot of…
Read MoreThe Labour Party is in jubilant mood as it meets for its annual conference
By Bagehot ABOUT half-way through “Jaws”, Steven Spielberg’s 1975 blockbuster, Sheriff Brody (Roy Schneider) finally catches sight of the giant shark that has been wreaking havoc in the high seas off the New England coast. Horrified and awe-struck, but still holding onto his cigarette, he rushes into his boat’s cabin and tells his ship mate…
Read MoreWhatever she may say, Theresa May won’t fight the next election
ASKED in Japan whether she intends to stand down as leader of the Conservative Party in 2019 Theresa May replied that, on the contrary, she plans to lead her party into the next election, which, according to the Fixed-term Parliaments Act, will occur in 2022. Her answer sent gales of despair through the Conservative Party,…
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