The commentators                    28-05-15

...on the Queen's Speech

Will David Cameron turn out to be a Margaret Thatcher, who thrived on a good scrap, or a John Major, who was gradually worn down by his critics, especially in his own party, and the ill-luck that befalls most leaders? It is certain that coalition has not prepared David Cameron for the convulsions and confrontations that lie ahead. Yet here is a robust set of policies on which he has staked his reputation. Perhaps against his own instincts and deepest wishes, he finds himself cast in the role of a radical Tory Prime Minister with genuinely Tory policies.
- Stephen Glover, Daily Mail
Harriet Williamson
The bedroom tax was a cruel policy when it was first conceived, and its application has been even more heartless. It has caused immense suffering, and must be scrapped as a matter of urgency. 
If men’s razors are considered essential items and women’s sanitary products are taxed as a luxury, we’ve actually gone through the looking glass. The tampon tax is unfair and needs to be ended.
- Harriet Williamson, The Independent
To his own surprise, Cameron last month snatched victory from the jaws of predicted defeat. He can laugh in the face of those who accused him of lacking stomach for a fight. He is a confident gambler. But as he embarks on his European venture, one of the greatest gambles a PM has taken in recent times, he leaves his stall in the political market place curiously empty. He leaves a country wanting more.
- Simon Jenkins, The Guardian
There was one gaping hole at the heart of the Speech. Contrary to all predictions, the Government has made no immediate plans to repeal Labour’s infamous 1998 Human Rights Act, which imposed alien rule from Strasbourg on our judicial system. According to Conservative insiders, the task of unravelling the perverse legal mess created by Labour is proving fiendishly difficult because the European human rights legislation is now woven so deeply into the fabric of British law.
- Leo McKinstry, Daily Express
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Comment archive, 2015

Ed Miliband
March 27 Prince Charles's letters
March 26 UK politics
March 25 Cameron's exit strategy
March 24 Lee Kwan Yew
March 23 UK politics
Jim Murphy, Scottish Labour party conference
March 13 UK politics
March 12 Jeremy Clarkson
March 11 UK politics
March 10 UK politics
March 9 UK politics
Rifkind and Straw
February 27 UK politics
February 26 Minor party leaders
February 25 Natalie Bennett
February 24 Rifkind and Straw
February 23 World affairs
Merkel and Putin
February 13 UK politics
February 12 UK politics
February 11 UK politics
February 10 UK politics
February 9 Politics
Alexis Tsipras
January 30 Rape law
January 29 UK politics
January 28 UK politics
January 27 Greece
January 26 UK politics
Hebdo demo
January 16 World politics
January 15 Election debates
January 14 Charlie Hebdo
January 13 Charlie Hebdo
January 12 Charlie Hebdo
George Osborne
March 20 UK politics
March 19 The Budget
March 18 UK politics
March 17 Race in Britain
March 16 UK politics
Boris Nemtsov
March 6 Scotland and the election
March 5 Isis
March 4 UK politics
March 3 Radicalisation
March 2 Russia
Copenhagen
February 20 UK politics
February 19 Chelsea and racism
February 18  UK politics
February 17 UK politics
February 16 Copenhagen 
education
February 6 UK politics
February 5 Isis atrocity
February 4 UK politics
February 3 UK politics
February 2 UK politics
Pope Francis
January 23 UK politics
January 22 Chilcot inquiry
January 21 Page Three
January 20 Anti-semitism 
January 19 Religion and freedom
Charb
January 9 Charlie Hebdo
January 8 Charlie Hebdo
January 7 UK politics
January 6 UK politics
January 5 UK politics
For EI daily digests from June to December 2014 please click here
Comment digest courtesy of
Editorial Intelligence
Picture
May 27
Europe
May 26
UK politics
labour leadership contenders
May 22
UK politics
May 21
UK politics
May 20
The Labour party
May 19
The NHS
May 18
UK politics
New Tory MPs
May 15
Ukip and Labour
May 14
The Labour party
May 13
The Labour party
May 12
UK politics
May 11
Scotland
ballot box
May 8
General election
May 7
General election
May 6
General election
May 5
General election
Picture
May 1
General election
April 30
General election
April 29
General election
April 28
General election
April 27
General election
Sturgeon and Salmond
April 24
General election
April 23
General election
April 22
General election
April 21
Drowned refugees
April 20 
Scottish National Party
manifestos
April 17
General election
April 16
General election
April 15
General election
April 14
General election
April 13
General election
Westminster
April 10
General election
April 9
General election
April 8
General election
April 7
General election
dissolution parliament
April 2
General election
April 1
General election
March 31
General election
March 30
Depression and killer pilot
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