Diary
It is hard to follow the Cameron chameleon and make sense of his latest mimesis. Suddenly he believes in tax cuts, reducing benefits, cutting the budget and fighting the EU . He now actually sounds like a, well, Tory. [...]
David Cameron
David Cameron, a Tory reborn
The next UK election will be about what kind of country Britain wants to be: a country of business or a redistributionist welfare state? Who would have thought David Cameron would ever put this question to the electorate? [...]
Cameron to carve a European illusion
When Cameron finally delivers his long-awaited speech on Europe, he now faces a real choice. Will he actually say something substantial on the issue, risking a confrontation with his party, his coalition partner, the public, the media, and of course his European colleagues? Or will he once more try to please everyone? [...]
A British pawn in Europe’s game
Perhaps it is dawning on Cameron that he had been moved like a pawn on a chessboard by his continental friends. His insistence to act in Britain’s national interest mainly served to promote the interests of France and Germany. Power politics does not get more ironic than this. [...]
So schön kann Koalieren sein
In England bilden mitten in der Krise zwei junge, enthusiastische Politiker eine Regierung der Zuversicht. Das ist auch nötig, ist den Briten das Regieren mit Koalitionen nach jahrzehntelanger Abstinenz doch geradezu wesensfremd. [...]
Nick Clegg isn’t the Messiah
Even at the Policy Exchange event Nick Clegg looked at once fresher than Gordon Brown ever did and more authentic than Cameron ever tried to be. With the Liberal Democrats in government no longer a remote possibility, he is still no Messiah but it is time to take Clegg more seriously now. [...]
No more hope or glory for Britain
The stakes for Britain could hardly be higher. A return to the pre-crisis times of ‘Cool Britannia’, let alone Elgar’s Land of Hope and Glory is nowhere in sight. And instead of only printing Adam Smith’s portrait on their bank notes, British policy-makers should rather have read the great master. [...]
Europe can’t afford weak leaders
Europe’s centre-right has instead embarked on the task of presenting themselves as the nicer social-democrats, purging themselves of any trace economic liberalism and any old-fashioned conservative instincts. Unfortunately, this unprincipled race for popularity will do nothing to restore Europe’s competitiveness. [...]
Britisches Postleitzahlen-Lotto, vorbildliches Gelsenkirchen
Das Vereinigte Königreich ist in Wirklichkeit längst kein einiges Land, sondern tief in sich gespalten. Auf der einen Seite gibt es erfolgreiche Orte wie London und Oxford, auf der anderen Seite aber auch Städte wie Hull und Sunderland, die seit Jahrzehnten mit dem Niedergang zu kämpfen haben. Kein angenehmes Thema für Politiker. [...]
Urban regeneration isn’t working (but it can be better)
Dr Oliver Marc Hartwich is Chief Economist at Policy Exchange although he's about to emigrate for a new think tank appointment in Australia. In this Platform he explains the argument of the urban regeneration paper that he edited and that caused such a storm earlier this week. [...]