The commentators                    16-07-15

...on UK politics

This country needs a strong and vibrant Opposition. The lack of one in the heyday of New Labour, when the Tories were weak and divided, contributed to Tony Blair’s hubris. The pity is that Corbyn’s strong showing is having the effect of tugging Yvette Cooper and Andy Burnham further and further to the Left. Only the Blairite Liz Kendall among the leadership candidates has supported Miss Harman’s line on welfare. Admirable woman though she may be, I fear she looks and sounds as though she is about 19
- Stephen Glover, Daily Mail
Martin Kettle
These are lean times for liberal parties in many countries, not just in Britain. But these are fat years for liberal values and identities. The new Lib Dem leader should provide a party for those values. It may not take him to a government office. But it could make him the authentic voice of opposition that so many clearly crave
- Martin Kettle, Guardian
The revolution is already over and it’s only Labour that doesn’t realise. In the meantime the government is, in effect, unopposed. The progressive centre-left party, clear-eyed, practical, committed, reforming and internationalist, that could threaten the real Tories, may be — right now — abolishing itself.
- David Aaronovitch, The Times
George Osborne’s summer Budget was big. Changes to the taxation of companies, non-doms, dividends and rich people’s pension contributions will reverberate and complicate the tax system for many years. All of these will pale into insignificance, however, if the chancellor decides to tax pensions like Individual Savings Accounts in future. He said he was open to this radical change to help move from an economy built on debt to one with more secure foundations.
- Chris Giles, Financial Times
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Sometimes the murder of a journalist shocks people to such an extent that they take to the streets to protest - as with the Charlie Hebdo cartoonists in France and Abdel Karim al-Khewani in Yemen. Sometimes, as with the Isis victims in their orange jumpsuits, the killings are filmed and used as propaganda.
Often, however, the death goes unremarked and uninvestigated. A couple of men ride up on a motorbike and fire a few shots at the target as he or she is leaving the office, arriving home or simply waiting at a bus stop - summary retribution for exposing a corrupt politician or crossing a criminal.
In the first half of this year, sixty media workers around the world were killed while doing their jobs. 
Editor's blog: Death and dishonour

Comment Awards 2015

Anyone can nominate their favourite writer

Friday 12 June, 2015 Are the comment pages and columnists too Londoncentric? And if they are, what is the solution when the financial and political powerhouses are based in the capital? 
Does the character or personality of the writer matter? Should we read columnists with whom we violently disagree  or is it, as Eleanor Mills suggested, good for the soul but bad for the blood pressure? 
Why did the so-called political experts get it so wrong in calling the general election? And will they - and Rupert Murdoch - influence the result of the EU referendum?
All these points and more were addressed under the guidance of Dr Anthony Seldon at the launch of the 2015 Comment Awards last night. Seldon will chair the judging panel for the awards, now in their seventh year.
Nominations are now open and anyone can put forward anyone writing in the UK media - broadcasting, print or online  - by submitting the URLS of three articles published between August 1, 2014 and July 31 this year, which is the closing date for entries.
The 17 awards include four new categories:  Comment piece of the year for a single piece of excellent writing; Young commentariat; Society and diversity commentator; and Technology and digital commentator.
There is no charge for entries. Details and the nomination forms can be found here.
Oh yes, and who was the most frequently mentioned columnist at last night's event? Matthew Parris? Andrew Rawnsley? Stephen Glover? No. By a country mile, the most discussed writer was Katie Hopkins. 

Comment archive, 2015

Westminster
April 10 General election
April 9 General election
April 8 General election
April 7 General election
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
dissolution parliament
April 2 General election
April 1 General election
March 31 General election
March 30 Depression 
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
July 15
Iran
July 14
Greece
July 13
Greece
Picture
July 10
Budget
July 9
Budget
July 8
The Budget
July 7
Greece
July 6
Taxation
Greek debt
July 3
Grexit
July 2
Heathrow
July 1
Grexit
June 30
Grexit
June 29
Tunisian massacre
Alexis Tsipras
June 26
Monarchy and Brexit
June 25
UK politics
June 24
UK politics
June 23
Greece
June 22
Greece
Labour hustings
June 19
Greece and Europe
June 18
UK politics
June 17
Politics
June 16
Social mobility
June 15
Politics
Merkel, Obama G7
June 12
Politics
June 11
Politics
June 10
Politics
June 9
Europe
June 8
Politics
Sepp Blatter

June 5
Fifa
June 4
Politics
June 3
Charles Kennedy
June 2
British politics
June 1
Fifa
Picture
May 29
Fifa
May 28
The Queen's Speech
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
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