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  Brown saved by comedy

  Thu Nov 19 12:04PM

  David Cameron's attempts to wind Gordon Brown up appeared to be succeeding. But a burst of unexpected comedy from the prime minister helped restore his benevolent mood.By Alex StevensonAfter the pomp and ceremony of the Queen's Speech this morning, it was time for a return to normality this afternoon. Namely,… More »

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  A lot of trouble for not very much

  Wed Nov 18 01:15PM

  The Queen will be wondering why she bothered.By Alex StevensonAfter three hours of buildup, just six minutes passed between the lord high chancellor Jack Straw's bowing and scraping to give her the Speech and his bowing and scraping to stuff it back in his sack. Not all of the Speech… More »

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  Tory bickering won't go away

  Tue Nov 17 12:14PM

  Eric Pickles will find it hard to shake off unrest among the Conservatives' grassroots. Now the battlelines are clear, the Truss deselection row could be repeated again and again before polling day.By Alex StevensonAs Conservative party chairman, it's Pickles' job to keep a firm grip on the internal operations of… More »

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  Don't rule out Brown's tax plans yet

  Mon Nov 16 12:17PM

  Gordon Brown's suggestion of a tax on financial transactions will be dismissed. We should pay more attention.By Hannah RedmondThe G-20 finance meeting has revealed Gordon Brown to be a modern day Robin Hood. Well, sort of. He tentatively suggested the idea of a Tobin style taxing of financial transactions, using… More »

  120 user comments

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  Afghanistan is the price of the special relationship

  Fri Nov 13 01:22PM

  Britain is stuck in a hell of its own making. If we don't reconsider the special relationship now, we never will.By Ian DuntI don't know what to do in Afghanistan.I'm paid, among other things, for having an opinion on things, but I'll be open about this. I don't know what… More »

  331 user comments

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  Confusion and panic in the Commons

  Thu Nov 12 12:14PM

  Usually by 15:00 on a parliamentary Wednesday the party leaders are relaxing after their weekly Commons ordeal. Perhaps this was why this week's prime minister's questions was a choppy, queasy affair.By Alex StevensonThe sense of unease was palpable after the morning's service in Westminster Abbey, which forced this week's PMQs… More »

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  Britain is slipping into war trauma

  Wed Nov 11 01:43PM

  Britain's prevailing emotion on this historic Armistice Day is not one of pride, or sadness, or anger. The country is filled with a growing sense of deep, troubling unease.By Alex StevensonThat was the mood in Westminster as, for the 90th consecutive year, Big Ben's 11th-hour chime heralded the start of… More »

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  Alan Johnson's only strength is his laziness

  Tue Nov 10 01:22PM

  Alan Johnson has only one improvement on his predecessors: his inaction.   By Ian Dunt   It's becoming increasingly clear that the only difference between Alan Johnson and his predecessors is his apathy.   A popular figure, he was brought into the Home Office in Gordon Brown's last-gasp reshuffle. A potential leadership candidate, he was given the job no-one wants… More »

  140 user comments

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  Comment: Copenhagen needs to be legally binding

  Mon Nov 09 12:19PM

  Copenhagen can't just be about political agreements. It needs to be legally binding.By Hannah RedmondThe last meeting ahead of the UN climate summit in Copenhagen took place this week, with disappointing revelations from UN representatives that a legally bound deal does not seem achievable in December. We're now facing a… More »

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