The Standard » uk politics

Inequality: a big issue for our time

Ben Clark — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:43:52 +0000

The Herald looks like it has an excellent series this week, on Auckland: A city divided by income. It’s an issue that has been waiting to be examined in the local context in more depth. It’s been quite a big issue in the UK for a while, with The Spirit Level making an impact before ...

What a riot.

Bill — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 22:16:49 +0000

A quick post on sentences handed down in the wake of riots in England.

Bell Pottinger: Lobbying unmasked

Bunji — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:36:20 +0000

Investigative journalism (remember that?) has opened up Bell Pottinger, the UK's top PR/lobby firm. Inside they've found some seriously dodgy dealing that goes right to the top of British Government. There's a call for a register of lobbyists and their interests - isn't that something we should have here as well?

Leadership Elections: Getting it Right

Bunji — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 03:35:01 +0000

In 2005 the UK Conservatives badly lost a third election in a row and their leader announced his intent to resign. But they organised a well-run contest to replace him, and by the time he won David Cameron had gone from unknown outsider to popular public figure, and the once 'toxic' Conservatives were electable again.

Is Key going where Gove’s gone?

Mike Smith — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:33:33 +0000

National's "Future Fund" asset-sale money will be spent on modernising schools we are told. Is the future they have in mind like Conservative Education Minister Michael Gove's so-called "free schools" now being set up in Britain? It would be no surprise if our public assets were sold down by National to pay for private interests to get a stake in the school system here. We shouldn't be under any illusions that the agenda is just short-term.

Ashcroft – the photo-op Key didn’t want

Mike Smith — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 08:08:23 +0000

Paddy Gower at TV3 reveals Lord Ashcroft, billionaire Tory donor and International Democratic Union treasurer, has come to talk to Key again. Just discussed politics generally, said Key. Politics yes, generally no. Ashcroft's interests are now devoted to polling and blog communication, and he is very interested in our election. Having seen Cameron miss out on a majority, he'll want to help Key to one here.

Cameron cancels Key photo-op

Mike Smith — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 06:06:55 +0000

David Cameron has cancelled his planned trip to Japan and New Zealand. He is facing a backbench revolt over European Union membership at the same time as he is trying to intervene in the crucial financial summit trying to sort out problems in the Euro zone on Wednesday. Oh well, one less photo op for John Key - perhaps its just as well as Britain's future isn't getting brighter.

Inciting a riot

Anthony R0bins — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 23:20:30 +0000

Cases being tried in England raise the question – what is an appropriate punishment for inciting a riot on Facebook?

3370 comments

Mike Smith — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 23:37:44 +0000

This editorial by Peter Oborne in the Telegraph on the riots and moral decay in Britain is up to 3370 comments. It's worth a read.

London riots: a guest post

Guest post — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 01:51:26 +0000

A standard reader based in London has sent us this account of the riots.

Good to get some of the context the UK media doesn't seem to want to talk about...

London riots

Anthony R0bins — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 21:19:08 +0000

There have been two nights of rioting, looting and burning in London. The trigger was the police shooting of Mark Duggan. But the cause is the alienation of the permanent underclass, and the stresses of the current austerity programme.

I never inhaled “inappropriately”

Mike Smith — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 00:26:14 +0000

When David Cameron was asked did he ever discuss the BSkyB bid with News International, he said "I never had an inappropriate conversation." It would be interesting to know whether he had an "appropriate" conversation about it with Rupert Murdoch when they met after the recent British election. Murdoch, who was asked by Cameron to go in the back door, said they had a cup of tea and no other conversation took place". He was asked to go in the back door and they just chatted about the weather?

Newscorpse

Mike Smith — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 02:56:17 +0000

Murdoch-watchers have long known there's something rotten in the Newscorp media empire. The extent and reach of the phone hacking scandal in Britain has finally seen the biter bit by its own corruption. Murdoch sought power over governments around the world to entrench his extreme right-wing ideology. From Thatcher to Cameron, all were supported by Murdoch's tabloid papers into Parliament. Now Murdoch may need the BSkyB deal to provide enough cashflow to stay alive as Miliband proposes to introduce legislation to stop it.

It gets much much worse

Mike Smith — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 08:47:07 +0000

New revelations out today that hacker Glenn Mulcaire who bugged celebrity phones for Murdoch's News of the World also hacked into the phone of murdered teenager Milly Dowler after she went missing. NoW journalists deleted messages which gave Milly's parents false hope that Milly might be alive. This happened when Rebekah Brooks, friend of David Cameron was the paper's editor, and Andy Coulson, later Cameron's communications director was deputy editor. This won't stay under the carpet.

Lib Dems hammered

r0b — Fri, 06 May 2011 22:07:39 +0000

Hard to feel sorry for Britain's Liberal Democrat Party, who have just been hammered in local elections. Lie down with dogs, get up with fleas.