Simon Carr

The Independent's parliamentary sketch writer and columnist since 2000, Simon Carr was described by Tony Blair as "the most vicious sketch writer working in Britain today". "Poison," said Charles Clarke. In the 1980s he helped launch The Independent, and was a speech writer for the prime minister of New Zealand from 1992 to 1994. His working principle is "Indignation keeps us young."

i Newspaper
 
TheIPaper
The Independent around the web
E-break Time
Independent Crossword

The Sketch: A new coalition in the making

Cute exchange between an easy, patrician Chuka Umunna and the questing turtle that the Business Secretary has become. It's old and new. Youth and age. Nouvelle Labour and Zimmer Socialism.

The Sketch: Harriet sent packing as Clegg rises to occasion

PMQs – now with 20 per cent extra. It started on time and the Speaker eventually called off the half-hour at 12.37. Every time Nick Clegg thought he'd done the course, another name was called: the finish line receding with every step he took.

The Sketch: Labour cries 'outrage' but could it be they started the slide toward privatisation?

It's a constitutional outrage, a violence against the people, a forerunner of the apocalypse, oh let us discard party politics, let us forget our low tribal allegiances and rise together into the life-enhancing ozone of the national interest and please, please (some sobbing in the public gallery) abandon the Bill.

Simon Carr: Victory for gentle George ... and sighs of relief from my hat

Sketch: The committee scheduled debates that neither front bench wanted, and earned the enmity of the Cabinet

The Sketch: Not a knockout blow on foreign policy, but the punches landed

Rory Stewart's smile displays two full octaves of piano-key teeth and looks like a tribal defence to ward off witchcraft

The Sketch: Labour's extraordinary strategy to be more ordinary

Politicians are directed by different drivers from the rest of us. Nothing is beyond them

The Sketch: Left and Right havecompletely lost the plot

Why is the Right ring-fencing the vast collectivity of the NHS budget?

Simon Carr: Laughing at one's self is not much fun for the rest of us

Sketch: Cameron joined in the joke and spoiled it for everyone. He's clever like that

The Sketch: So, Mr Yates, isn't the price of lobster linguine criminal?

The Met may have relied too heavily on Murdoch's willingness to incriminate itself

Day In a Page

Watch out Watford: Here comes the secretive Bilderberg Group

Watch out Watford: Here comes the secretive Bilderberg Group

A meeting of global power brokers in a Hertfordshire hotel is exciting conspiracy theorists, but what are they really about?
'The ultimate all-in-one home entertainment system': Microsoft finally unveils its Xbox ONE console

'The ultimate all-in-one home entertainment system'

Microsoft finally unveils its Xbox ONE console
Plenty of Fish dating site founder pulls 'Intimate Encounters' option to ward off sleazy men

Plenty of sleaze

Dating website pulls intimate 'hook-up' section to curb harassment
Inferno author Dan Brown 'honoured' to be invited to join the Freemasons

The Freemasons’ Code

Dan Brown reveals the message that told him door to the lodge is open
Not secure any more: G4S boss heads for exit at last

Not secure any more: G4S boss heads for exit at last

Nick Buckles survived the Olympics débâcle and a £5bn bid fiasco but a profit warning finally triggered his downfall
How to say ‘I’m a sellout’: Tumblr’s David Karp’s message of reassurance to his staff sounded very familiar

How to say ‘I’m a sellout’

Tumblr’s David Karp’s message of reassurance to his staff sounded very familiar
Why clubs are keen to take a stand

Why clubs are keen to take a stand

There's a real desire around the grounds for safe standing. But will the authorities listen?
In the end the fans decided Tony Pulis had made a pig's ear of the job at Stoke City

In the end the fans decided Tony Pulis had made a pig's ear of the job at Stoke City

Disillusion with a siege mentality and negative playing style made change inevitable
James Lawton: The James Hunt I knew is the subject of a new F1 movie

James Lawton: The James Hunt I knew is the subject of a new F1 movie

British driver was fascinating man whose epic duel with Niki Lauda in 1976 was typical of an era of glamour and glory – but also the ever-present threat of death
Stuart Hogg: Ready to climb his own Everest

Stuart Hogg: Ready to climb his own Everest

Lions' cub, 20, joins long line of players from Scottish borders club Hawick given opportunity to make his mark at highest level
Carl Froch handed rare chance of revenge with dream rematch

Steve Bunce on Boxing

Carl Froch handed rare chance of revenge with dream rematch against Mikel Kessler
'There is a battle going on inside us that is never discussed'

Masculinity in crisis?

'There is a battle going on inside us that is never discussed'
Have US shock jocks gone too far?

Have US shock jocks gone too far?

An incendiary remark from Rush Limbaugh may be the beginning of the end for outspoken right-wing US broadcasters
The ‘Beverly Hills’ of Surrey pays more income tax than big cities of the North

The ‘Beverly Hills’ of Surrey

Elmbridge pays more income tax than big cities of the North
Heavenly Bodies

Heavenly Bodies

Michael Landy's artistic marriage made in heaven... and hell