Nighthawks open thread Continue discussion here for overnight developments, as tomorrow’s papers’ front pages are released, and as the next in the series of debates for Republican hopefuls takes place, which is sponsored by CNN and begins at 1am BST (8pm EST). David Herdson
Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic How long will Cameron keep him on the backbenches? David Blunkett, Peter Mandelson (twice), Michael Heseltine, Anthony Eden, Harold Wilson and Winston Churchill all did it. They are among the few to return to the cabinet after having previously resigned for something other than electoral defeat. After Fox’s departure this week, the question is whether he’ll buck the odds and join the select band. It is not likely to be an easy route. After nearly…
Mike Smithson returns from Spain on Thursday
Wikimedia Commons Where do the week’s events leave the Next Tory Leader market? After the kill, politics moves on quickly. With Fox having resigned, the media interest in what his friend Adam Werritty did, knew, and where the funding for it came from is likely to dwindle rapidly. There may be further revelations this weekend because the media will have invested in the investigation but that should then be that. Even if Gus O’Donnell’s report is made public, the coverage…
Take part in this PB prediction “poll” When will Nick Clegg cease to be a cabinet minister? Before December 31st 2013 During 2014 During 2015 2016 or later Mike Smithson is on holiday
Is the government about to lose a major reform? This has not been a good week for the government. The ongoing difficulties of Secretary of State for Defence, Liam Fox, are far from over as the investigation into both his own and his friend Adam Werrity’s conduct continues. This alone will make for a difficult Prime Minister’s Questions. It could be about to get worse. The Conservatives went into the last election with plans to empower local providers of many…
HenryG looks at the Conservatives’ pre-election pledges While the yellows have had to stomach u-turns on VAT and tuition fees, the Conservatives have by and large stuck to their guns on their pre-election promises in the Coalition Agreement. The Prime Minister clearly recognises how important it is for the next election that his ‘contract with the electorate’ remains intact. However there are now three fronts in which his clear pre-election pledges look to be severely tested by the next election….
Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v1.0