The results of last Thursday’s council elections confirm Labour's modest but steady progress since its historic general election defeat in 2010. Labour made significant advances, even though many seats being fought were in hostile territory. New leadership has begun to reinvigorate the party, and a wide-ranging policy review is underway. The Tory-led Coalition appears increasingly accident prone, and is being dragged to the right by an insurgent Ukip threat, crushing David Cameron's hopes of establishing a new brand of centrist conservatism.
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Leading article: Time to lay the ghosts of Labour's economic past
Wednesday 07 December 2011
When the Opposition might expect a double-digit poll lead, Labour is barely ahead
Andrew Grice: Plenty of talk about cracking down on lobbying – but still there's no action
Monday 05 December 2011
The political parties may talk tough – but they are happy to take the lobbyists' money
Matthew Norman on Monday: Pity poor old Clarkson, his mind is simply not in top gear
Monday 05 December 2011
Sorry to you all if what follows seems even more nonsensical than usual, and riven by inexplicable lapses in ... Where the hell were we? Ah yes. Apologies but, as The Mail on Sunday reported, "There were growing concerns yesterday about Jeremy Clarkson's state of mind," and truth be told I haven't had a wink for fretting about him. Perhaps it's the lack of sleep, but after a long and sensationally undistinguished career observing the media, I can't remember a more heinous case of persecution for a harmless Wildean thrust.
The Sketch: High-pitched Cameron flustered by Labour's farmyard noises
Thursday 03 November 2011
Yesterday I worried the Sketch was a bit lofty about the House of Commons' economic debate. The Labour front bench was arguing in sign language, the signs were rude, and the Sketch shuddered, perhaps a little delicately. The signs got ruder yesterday, if Tory reports are true.
Let Not the Waves of the Sea, By Simon Stephenson
Tuesday 16 August 2011
I interviewed Simon Stephenson for the British Medical Journal in 2003. Recently qualified as a medical doctor, he had just made a short film, but what impressed me most were his unpublished short stories. It would have taken a catastrophe to crush his irrepressible joie de vivre.
Ed Miliband declares 'new centre ground'
Sunday 10 July 2011
Ed Miliband has declared a "new centre ground" in politics after Tony Blair warned that the Labour Party should not lurch to the left.
Video: Miliband: 'The Blair-Brown era is over'
Friday 10 June 2011
Labour leader Ed Miliband says the era of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown is "ancient history".
Gordon Brown earns £62,000 for a speech
Monday 25 April 2011
Gordon Brown has earned hundreds of thousands of pounds from speeches and a book deal since leaving Downing Street, according to the register of MPs' interests.
Finance planning role for Gordon Brown
Saturday 23 April 2011
Gordon Brown has landed a plum job at the World Economic Forum (WEF), the influential network of businessmen, politicians, economists and academics that holds its annual meeting in Davos.
Letter from the editor: Facing the public
Thursday 14 April 2011
There are dangers associated with meeting your public. Just ask Nick Clegg or Gordon Brown: there’s a Mrs Duffy waiting everywhere to handbag you.
Gordon Brown's nemesis turns fire on Clegg in full view of media
Wednesday 13 April 2011
Yesterday was supposed to be a "good news" day for Nick Clegg as he announced the Government's £450m regional growth fund to safeguard 100,000 jobs.
Gordon Brown admits 'big mistake' on banks
Monday 11 April 2011
Gordon Brown has admitted he made a "big mistake" on financial regulation before the banking crisis that plunged Britain into recession.
CBI to oppose new green rules
Sunday 14 November 2010
The CBI has challenged a coalition proposal to introduce onerous social and environmental reporting standards on quoted firms.
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