Commentators

Partly Sunny with Showers 7° London Hi 9°C / Lo 1°C

Simon Carr

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."

Simon Carr: So, scientists are just as political as the rest

We must add climate scientists to those who treat us as hawks treat chicks

Recently by Simon Carr

The Sketch: Those were the days, when clarity was still a virtue

Friday, 27 November 2009

Our guest was a little late yesterday, allowing us time to sit quietly and reflect on the Iraq inquiry.

The Sketch: Lords bowled over by Sugar's maiden speech

Thursday, 26 November 2009

Lord Sugar's debut in the Lords can't be called a maiden speech. It was more demi-mondaine, with a touch of street-walker, a bit of pole dancing and one of those tricks that Thai strippers do with a ping-pong ball.

The Sketch: If he's come to this inquiry with an open mind, he'll leave with one too

Wednesday, 25 November 2009

Will they do what they are told? They are so well chosen they don't have to be told

Simon Carr: David Miliband, the Nearly Man of our age

Tuesday, 24 November 2009

Sketch: Bless the child, he is fantastically bad at diplomacy

The Sketch: Ed Balls: the dull thud of a party next door

Friday, 20 November 2009

Can't they put Ed Balls into law? Make him the subject of a Guarantee? Can't he be a right that every parent has? If for the first time Balls was put on a statutory basis millions of people would be certain of access to him.

The Sketch: More a living will than a Queen's Speech

Thursday, 19 November 2009

"Check against delivery". That was the instruction on the front of the Queen's Speech. It's the one thing we don't have to worry about with our head of state. She won't get seized with inspiration and announce a "November Guarantee to create 30,000 jobs".

The Sketch: A public need to find a truth too secret to reveal

Friday, 13 November 2009

Secret inquests went to the Lords and yesterday came back. Poor Jack Straw regards himself as a champion of coroners' juries but has to introduce this new way because there are things too secret for ordinary people to hear.

The Sketch: Questions are not there to be dignified

Thursday, 12 November 2009

What is going through the Prime Minister's mind when he says of Cameron: "This is the man who made a cast-iron guarantee on a referendum on the Lisbon treaty!" He laughs lingeringly, and seems to enjoy the sally. His back benches roar away.

The Sketch: He's forgotten the first rule of leadership: indifference

Wednesday, 11 November 2009

They have strong stomachs in the lobby. I'm not sure I can go through another one of those press conferences.

Simon Carr: Trust him, he's the Justice Secretary ... Oh, if only we could

Tuesday, 10 November 2009

Sketch: We know that ministerial assurances at the despatch box aren't worth the air they're breathed into

More simon carr:


Loading...


feedsportal dynamic RSS feed


Columnist Comments

bruce_anderson

Bruce Anderson: Toryism does believe that there is society

Thatcher believed concern for the bottom was 'wet'. Cameron is opposite

yasmin_alibhai_brown

Yasmin Alibhai-Brown: Help, I'm feeling sorry for Blair

We should have had ordinary Iraqi and British citizens on the inquiry panel

andreas_whittam_smith

Andreas Whittam Smith: The Commons has lost all power

If MPs want more influence they must stop whining and raise their game

Loading...


Most popular in Opinion

The daily news cartoon

By Tim Sanders

Article Archive

Day In a Page

Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat

Select date
 
sponsored links: