Commentariat

Media Blogs from Puffbox Combined Feed

It’s a serious allegation. Liberty’s Shami Chakrabarti alleges that the government have sexed up the evidence for an extension of detention without charge to 42 days. Her claim comes because ministers have cited the example of two people alleged to…

Does discussing freedom of information send people into a frenzy? Not normally in my experience, but it did apparently have this effect last week in the Nigerian Parliament. Proceedings in the House of Representatives were held up for more than…

Does discussing freedom of information send people into a frenzy? Not normally in my experience, but it did apparently have this effect last week in the Nigerian Parliament. Proceedings in the House of Representatives were held up for more than…

Caroline Spelman is waiting for a ruling by the Standards and Privileges committee over payments from expenses to her nanny. Meanwhile, Tory MEPs over in Brussels have just seen the arrival David Cameron’s enforcer, Hugh Thomas, to run the rule over them after the party’s leader and chief whip in Brussels lost their jobs in the fallout from an expenses scandal. Apart from an unfortunate coincidence of timing, there’s been no corssover in the two stories: until now. Turns out that Caroline Spelman’s husband Mark is a candidate to be a Tory MEP. He’s on the list for the West…

Be still our hearts. Whitehall’s Most Fanciable MP has joined the blogging fraternity. Click here for musings by Jeremy Hunt, Shadow Culture Secretary, on Britain’s Got Talent, localist principles and Hamlet. Hat Tip: Iain Dale’s Diary

I am on holiday with Judith Rich Harris. Shes not here, of course. She rarely leaves her house in New Jersey. And her books aren’t here either - she has only written two and I’ve read both of them, sadly….

The final withdrawal of British troops from Iraq could be announced by the end of the year, I understand. Discussions have begun in Whitehall about British forces pulling out of the country if the security situation continues to improve as…

The final withdrawal of British troops from Iraq could be announced by the end of the year, I understand. Discussions have begun in Whitehall about British forces pulling out of the country if the security situation continues to improve as…

Evidence, if it were needed, that sleaze is a monster vote loser for David Cameron and the Tories comes in a Populus poll for The Times. The good news for the Conservatives is that on current voting intentions they are…

Justin Webb is one of several bloggers who points out this fabulous mock-up. Dream ticket or nightmare?

This is Peter Hitchens’ Mail on Sunday column Amid the silly soap opera that now passes for British politics, in which we are supposed to care more about hairstyles and mannerisms than about the country, there was one moment last…

1. What total sum did Caroline Spelman pay Tina Haines (nee Rawlins) from her Parliamentary Staffing Allowance in the period 1997-98? 2. What were the exact dates of Tina Haines’s employment as constituency secretary, and the dates for which she…

1. What total sum did Caroline Spelman pay Tina Haynes (nee Rawlins) from her Parliamentary Staffing Allowance in the period 1997-98? 2. What were the exact dates of Tina Haynes’s employment as constituency secretary, and the dates for which she…

The spec for a reputation-testing, privacy-shattering, job-from-hell was published this week on the Treasury’s website. It’s the official advertisement for the job of determining compensation for some 200,000 former investors in Northern Rock, whose shares were expropriated when the bank…

With the vote on 42 days detention due next wednesday, it’s time for some digging. Some of the press gallery have viewed Jacqui Smith’s speech to the Parliamentary Labour Party as the turning point… Her eloquence finally bringing most of…

With the vote on 42 days detention due next wednesday, it’s time for some digging. Some of the press gallery have viewed Jacqui Smith’s speech to the Parliamentary Labour Party as the turning point… Her eloquence finally bringing most of…

The cabinet sports supremo has made quite a splash with the big idea unveiled this morning. Andy Burnham learned at the knee of the previous culture and sport secretary Chris Smith who drove through with a lot of ideas of…

German, French, Belgian and Spanish flags fly next to the European Union stars above the small compound, which is ringed with sandbags and razor wire. It is patrolled by soldiers with black rifles slung at their hips. Military vehicles are…

You might enjoy: Matthew D’Ancona in The Spectator: Jacqui Smith interview - 42 days does not contravene Magna Carta Matthias Fahrni in FT Magazine: My passion for poisson - I’m the world’s best fish taxidermist Matthew Kirdahy in Forbes: The…