David Cameron takes 10 Downing Street

Written By: - Date published: 6:32 am, May 12th, 2010 - 46 comments
Categories: International, uk politics - Tags:

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has called the Queen to signal his resignation, paving way for Tory leader David Cameron to be made Prime Minister. Brown has also resigned as Labour leader effective immediately.

Mr Brown will head to Buckingham Palace to resign, and David Cameron will make his separate trip to the palace to advise the Queen he can form a new government with the support of the Liberal Democrats.

Let’s hope by relying on the Lib-Dems that the Tories can’t wreck too much havoc in the UK this time around.

Meanwhile, The Guardian has photographed a paper held by Nick Clegg that appears to set out what the Tory-Lib Dems deal is set to include:

The Liberal Democrats and the Tories appear to be discussing a deal that would give Nick Clegg‘s party a minister in every government department, according to a handwritten note that offers a tantalising glimpse inside the negotiations.

Captured on camera today by Guardian photographer Graeme Robertson, the note is written in blue ink by Clegg on a single A4 sheet folded in half.

It appears to set out the main areas under discussion, ranging from voting reform to the dividing up of government jobs between the parties. However, it is not clear whether the note details the Lib Dems’ demands or the Conservatives‘ offer to Clegg.

Based on an inexpert translation of the spidery script by the Guardian, it appears to begin by listing the Tories’ “red lines” on which they are not prepared to give ground: Europe, immigration and the Trident nuclear deterrent.

It then moves on to “AV”: the alternative vote reform to the electoral system that the Tories are now offering to put to a referendum in a bid to secure the support of the Lib Dems to form a government.

The list also includes:

• The adoption of reforms to party funding proposed by Sir Hayden Phillips but shelved by Labour and the Tories.

• Funding for opposition parties so-called “short money”.

• Fixed-term parliaments.

While the Lib Dems said yesterday they wanted clarification from the Tories on education, income tax policy and voting reform, neither schools nor tax are mentioned at all in the note.

But it is the detail at the end of the note which is most revealing. Under the heading “Roles” Clegg lists the two main issues as “ratios” and “me”.

The last three lines appear to detail the proportion of Lib Dem MPs in a Lib-Con government, as well as the share of the total number of votes for the coalition contributed by Clegg’s party.

The note appears to suggest that the party’s share of ministerial roles should be in proportion to its share of votes approximately 39% of the total. The sheet of paper includes a series of figures evidently showing the rationale behind this claim.

The most eye-catching phrase, apparently referring to government jobs for Clegg’s MPs, comes in the final line: “one in each dept”.

46 comments on “David Cameron takes 10 Downing Street ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. the sprout 1
    12 May 2010 at 6:59 am

    Heaven help them

  2. mach1 2
    12 May 2010 at 7:07 am

    Okay, so who’s running the sweep on the snap election date and where do I sign up?.

    btw, watching the sky news coverage and heard the chant “tory scum tory scum”

    • Name 2.1
      12 May 2010 at 4:19 pm

      Okay, so who’s running the sweep on the snap election date and where do I sign up?

      Try Goldman Sachs.

  3. mickysavage 3
    12 May 2010 at 7:17 am

    They should stay out of Government and offer confidence and supply only.

    The left will not be amused.

  4. Ms X 4
    12 May 2010 at 7:22 am

    With luck/judgement the country will vote left at the next election – which could be quite soon.

  5. ghostwhowalksnz 5
    12 May 2010 at 7:28 am

    The Guardian shows “The Sun” saying different things in its London Edition to the Scottish edition, for the same story.
    Who knew Murdoch and his henchmen could be so duplicitous ?
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/blog/2010/may/11/gordon-brown-scottish-sun

    • Draco T Bastard 5.1
      12 May 2010 at 8:53 am

      Anybody who’s bothered to watch, even a little, of what Murdoch does.

  6. Tanya 6
    12 May 2010 at 8:01 am

    Awesome. Democracy wins at last! Good luck to David Cameron, what a mess he has to deal with. Time to celebrate! Improvements, indeed.

    • Draco T Bastard 6.1
      12 May 2010 at 8:58 am

      Not even remotely democratic. The majority of people voted for Labour and Lib Dems.

      • Joshua 6.1.1
        12 May 2010 at 9:21 am

        Actually, more people voted conservative-lib dems than they did labour-lib dems. A LLD coalition (53% of votes, 48.5% of seats) is more undemocratic that CLD (59% of votes, 55.7% of seats).

        • Lew 6.1.1.1
          12 May 2010 at 9:23 am

          Joshua, by this reasoning, the “most democratic” government would be Labour-Conservative (65.1% of the votes, 86.8% of the seats).

          L

          • Joshua 6.1.1.1.1
            12 May 2010 at 10:29 am

            Agreed – but note I said “more undemocratic”. I did not say that the CLD coalition was the most democratic option

            • fatty 6.1.1.1.1.1
              12 May 2010 at 1:18 pm

              Nice one, how about they put every elected MP all together as one group to lead the country…that would be more ‘democratic’. And Josh, it would also be ‘less undemocratic’

            • Ari 6.1.1.1.1.2
              12 May 2010 at 1:40 pm

              There is nothing essentially undemocratic, or even “less democratic” about a government commanding the majority of the popular vote. It might be said to have less of a mandate than a government that might command an even larger share, but mandates are just part of the democratic process, not the totality of it.

      • Nick C 6.1.2
        12 May 2010 at 12:39 pm

        The majority of people voted either for a combination of Con-Lib or Lib-Lab

        • Lew 6.1.2.1
          12 May 2010 at 12:41 pm

          No, nobody voted for a combination of anything. 100% of people who voted cast one vote and gave no formal indication of their other preferences. You can infer as much as you like (and the electoral reform lobby has done some smart modelling based on previous preference survey data) but that’s a different matter.

          L

  7. Bored 7
    12 May 2010 at 8:12 am

    De ja vu, the bloodsucking classes resume their parasitic hold upon one of the financial capitals of the world….

    • David 7.1
      12 May 2010 at 11:41 am

      Yeah, 13 years of Labour has been fantastic for the UK. Financially they are in really good shape because of Labours fine management.

  8. Marty G 8
    12 May 2010 at 8:20 am

    Will the Lib Dems avoid becoming the Maori Party of the UK?

  9. Chris 9
    12 May 2010 at 8:25 am

    History books won’t be particularly kind to Nick Clegg.

  10. John Dalley 10
    12 May 2010 at 8:29 am

    Excuse my ignorance of British politic but could someone explain how these parties might align with NZ politics.

    Brown – Labour Party ?
    Cameron – National Party ?
    Clegg – Lib Dems. How do these guys align, Left, Right, Middle?

    • vidiot 10.1
      12 May 2010 at 8:37 am

      Lab = Lab
      Conservative = Nat
      Lib Dem = Centrist / Centre-Left (so maybe NZ First would be closest in NZ, with a tinge of Green, or dare I say it ‘Social Credit’). Going back almost 30 odd years, the core of the party were ex-Lab MP’s who had left Lab as it was becoming too left wing for them.

      • Lew 10.1.1
        12 May 2010 at 8:40 am

        NZ First are a social conservative party, the utter opposite of the Lib Dems.

        L

      • jcuknz 10.1.2
        12 May 2010 at 9:26 am

        Lib-Dems to the far left I heard recently.

      • Daveosaurus 10.1.3
        12 May 2010 at 7:23 pm

        The Liberal Democrats are what you’d get if you merged Anderton’s and Dunne’s constituencies.
        The Peters First analogue would be the UKIP – xenophobic and wishing for the return of Empire, but without the BNP’s neo-Nazi trappings.
        Otherwise the SNP have some distinct parallels with the Maori Party (fighting it out with Labour for the indigenous vote with the Tories/Nats fairly much out of the contest).

        • Lew 10.1.3.1
          12 May 2010 at 9:39 pm

          Except that the Lib Dems have (again) none of the social conservatism of Anderton or Dunne (eg, around drug policy).

          L

    • Lew 10.2
      12 May 2010 at 8:38 am

      John, first two are roughly correct, but there is no analogue for the Lib Dems in modern NZ politics. On social issues such as immigration, civil rights and liberties and international affairs they’re well to the left of Labour, while on economic matters they’re more centrist, lacking the socialist foundation which Labour had (but has largely abandoned). Nevertheless, they favour a strong welfare state and steeply progressive taxes, and are by no means a freemarketeer’s party, although the Lib Dem ranks do include such folks. They have little in common with the Tories in social terms, and only slightly more in economic terms. It’s a poor fit, and this will be a difficult coalition for both parties to be part of.

      L

  11. John Dalley 11
    12 May 2010 at 9:26 am

    Thanks for that info, that makes it a little less puzzling for me.

  12. gobsmacked 12
    12 May 2010 at 9:32 am

    Any chance of a left-leaning deal was torpedoed by Labour MPs. Anyone who doubts this, spend five minutes on the UK news websites (e.g. Guardian, BBC) … too many quotes, too little time, but summary: Labour couldn’t/wouldn’t deliver a majority. Remember, there are no list MPs, no tight caucus discipline. Individual MPs rebel often in the UK. The “progressive” deal was dead in the water (not that New Labour are very progressive). Many Labour MPs are relieved today.

    The Lib Dems took the least bad option. I agree confidence and supply would have been better, but the UK public doesn’t “get” that concept, unfortunately.

    Some of the worst Tory excesses will be trimmed. There may be some moves to political reform. The Lib Dems won’t get thanked, and if the next election is FPP, they’ll get punished. But … what could they do?

  13. James Stephenson 13
    12 May 2010 at 9:35 am

    Realistically, this was the only game in town. Given the fact that the Welsh and Scots Nationalists don’t vote on English issues as a matter of principle, the Conservatives and the DUP together could have blocked any measures brought forward on health, education, justice, environment, economic development…..

    The “rainbow progressive alliance” was a non-starter.

  14. ianmac 14
    12 May 2010 at 11:10 am

    Given the huge problems facing the Economy, the “Poisoned Chalice” seems apt. Getting concensus will be a huge task. And will there be implications for NZ trade/exchange/politics?

  15. Brett Dale 15
    12 May 2010 at 12:26 pm

    He TAKES downing street???

    His party won more seats, the people want him there, he formed a coaltion with the lib dems, its all fair and square.

  16. prism 16
    12 May 2010 at 12:47 pm

    I did like David Cameron’s speech writer’s effort. Very statesmanlike, noble, wise, conscientious, compassionate – jolly good I thought. Hope all comes to pass in the same vein.

    It must have seemed to the Lib Dems that they had to consolidate their advance in voting which left them at the tipping point in the election. They wanted surety of action for move towards proportional system. They are to get a referendum so that is a small step for Britkind.

    Another thing which would be good for them to referend on is having a shorter term. Four years would result in politicians being more compliant to the voters. I think it is 5-6 years now.

    That’s long enough to dig an extremely comfortable hole lined with valuable paper of various kinds. The scams revealed over past years remind me of the term ‘rotten borough’ from a previous century. Today some of Britain’s politicians self-advancing attitudes might equal that rottenness.

  17. toad 17
    12 May 2010 at 1:32 pm

    The Liberal Democrats have been criticised by Green Party politicians and activists for the terms on which they have agreed a coalition deal with the Conservative Party.

    The Green Party leader Caroline Lucas described the Liberal Democrats as “not the party of change, but the party of changing their mind’. Lucas, who last week became the first Green MP in Britain, made the comments shortly before the LibDems entered a coalition government yesterday evening (11 May).

    She insisted that Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg should hold out for a referendum on proportional representation. But it has now been confirmed that the deal between the Tories and LibDems will limit electoral reform to a referendum on Alternative Vote, a variation on the current non-proportional system.

    Lucas’ warning of the “LibDems’ tendency to backtrack on promises’ was echoed by Green and other left-wing activists following the news of the coalition last night. Darren Johnson, one of the Green members of the London Assembly, used Twitter to encourage disgruntled LibDem members to join the Green Party.

    http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/12118

    • Lew 17.1
      12 May 2010 at 1:32 pm

      And so the cannibalisation of the left begins.

      L

      • Neil 17.1.1
        12 May 2010 at 6:48 pm

        well British pollies were paying a lot of attention to how things have played out here in NZ and clearly the LibDems took lessons from the Maori Party on how to Betray The Left.

    • prism 17.2
      12 May 2010 at 2:36 pm

      toad I wonder would the LibDems have been able to exert successful pressure on the Conservatives if they had decided on a confidence and supply agreement with them? I can understand the third party wanting to make gains as they have been in the wings for so long.

      In a well-rooted democracy like Britain is it a positive mood to advance ti the stage of a referendum for AV and be able to use the discussion time around it to promulgate the facts about prop. representation?

      Also if they brought in a 5% threshhold as we have but with no list member side-riders, could they keep the neo-nazi Bristish National Party out?

    • gobsmacked 17.3
      12 May 2010 at 3:36 pm

      “She insisted that Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg should hold out for a referendum on proportional representation.”

      Yes, I thought so too. And it’s a shame he couldn’t.

      But here’s how the conversation went:

      Clegg: “We will hold out for a referendum on proportional representation.”
      Cameron: “My party won’t vote for that. Nor will Labour. MPs want to keep their seats.”
      Clegg: “Then you leave us no choice. No deal with either party. Another election.”

      And so Caroline Lucas loses her seat.

  18. Name 18
    12 May 2010 at 2:53 pm

    Having a Parliamentary majority of 70 seats with a LibDem/Conservative coalition means the Cameron will be able to ignore the Thatcherite Right of the Conservative Party and will have to if he’s to retain LibDem support. In order to get the coalition Cameron OFFERED (ie was not forced into conceding) several policy concessions that will make Right-Wingers very unhappy and I’ve read opinions plausible to me that Cameron (very aware of the anti-Tory vote in the election) was quite happy to move the Conservatives towards the middle, just as National moved towards the middle when ACT split off to fight for the Right.

    Clegg was forced to put his money where his mouth is. Proportional Representation only works if there are Parties willing to work with either side, willing to fight their corner but make compromises. Had he or Labour won another 20 seats a Labour/LibDem coalition would have strong enough to run a Government and would have happened – and would have been the best outcome – but with the mathematics of what actually happened to have gone with Labour would simply have shown up the LibDems as Labour-Lite and confirmed the Right-wing mantra of “vote LibDem, get socialist”.

    The old tribalism of Red v Blue has been overtaken by a new political awareness on the part of the electorate and Clegg and Cameron have both shown themselves alert to the new politics. The result represents 59% of the electorate and for the first time no clique within a Party is going to be able to impose its philosophies on the UK unhindered. It may not be the best possible result, but it’s the best available.

  19. gingercrush 19
    12 May 2010 at 3:44 pm

    Its probably the best option of all the possibilities but it still reads disaster. Going back to polls would have killed the Liberal Democrats and proportional reform. Labour and Liberal Democrats governing would have made the media very unhappy. It required negotiations with several other parties and leadership troubles within Labour whilst governing would have done so much damage.

    This deal is problematic because Liberal Democrats don’t get exactly what they wanted. And you’re going to watch massive cuts to spending because you have no choice. The public will become increasingly incensed and its likely to be the Lib Dems who will wear that wrath. Still its the only real credible option.

    • Name 19.1
      12 May 2010 at 4:46 pm

      “Its probably the best option of all the possibilities but it still reads disaster.”

      If you mean disaster for the Country it’s not going to be as big a disaster as a Labour Govt. propped up by the LibDems and a rag-bag of Welsh and Scottish nationalists. The markets would not have liked that at all and would have made the economic position far more perilous and difficult. Fulminate against the unfairness and nondemocratic nature of that all you like, it’s the reality.

      If you mean disaster for Labour, I’d say it’s the opposite. They get a chance to re-build under a new leader with clean hands. For Labour to have done what is necessary fiscally would have killed it off for ever, but not doing it would not have further damaged the Country.

      If you mean disaster for the LibDems, at the worst they’d be no worse off than they were before – a small third party left out forever in the wilderness. But they’ve given themselves a chance now to carve themselves an identity of their own. Yes they probably picked up an anti-Tory vote which will be disappointed, but why didn’t that anti-Tory vote go to Labour? IF (and it’s a big IF) they can distinguish themselves, score some policy successes and be visibly a brake on Tory excesses they might hold onto and even build on the non-socialist, anti-Tory vote. It’s the vote New Zealand First garnered to hold the Center and role of Kingmaker, but failed to hang onto because of Winston Peter’s egocentric shenanigans.

      If you mean a disaster for the Tories, yes. I think they have most to lose. They should have won last week’s election hands down but they no-longer have the core vote. The strong Right has nowhere else to go, apart from breaking away into ACT territory and the weak Right has a lot in common with the LibDems anyway. What you’ll see in this Parliament is a tussle between the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats for the Centre vote, but the Tories have the baggage.

  20. Gosman 20
    12 May 2010 at 10:11 pm

    Good to see the usual leftist disdain for the democratic process displayed here in all it’s glory

    • Armchair Critic 20.1
      12 May 2010 at 10:19 pm

      Pales in comparison to the right’s disdain for democracy. ECan or Supercity ring any bells?

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    Auckland’s city rail link is the most expensive rail project in the world per km, and the CRL boss has described the cost of infrastructure construction in Aotearoa as a crisis. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The 3.5 km City Rail Link (CRL) tunnel under Auckland’s CBD has cost ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • First big test coming
    The first big test of the new Government’s approach to Treaty matters is likely to be seen in the return of the Resource Management Act. RMA Minister Chris Bishop has confirmed that he intends to introduce legislation to repeal Labour’s recently passed Natural and Built Environments Act and its ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago

  • The Song of Saqua: Volume III
    Time to revisit something I haven’t covered in a while: the D&D campaign, with Saqua the aquatic half-vampire. Last seen in July: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2023/07/27/the-song-of-saqua-volume-ii/ The delay is understandable, once one realises that the interim saw our DM come down with a life-threatening medical situation. They have since survived to make ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    2 days ago

  • Chris Bishop: Smokin’
    Yes. Correct. It was an election result. And now we are the elected government. ...
    My ThinksBy boonman
    3 days ago

  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #48
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science  Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Nov 26, 2023 thru Dec 2, 2023. Story of the Week CO2 readings from Mauna Loa show failure to combat climate change Daily atmospheric carbon dioxide data from Hawaiian volcano more ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Affirmative Action.
    Affirmative Action was a key theme at this election, although I don’t recall anyone using those particular words during the campaign.They’re positive words, and the way the topic was talked about was anything but. It certainly wasn’t a campaign of saying that Affirmative Action was a good thing, but that, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • 100 days of something
    It was at the end of the Foxton straights, at the end of 1978, at 100km/h, that someone tried to grab me from behind on my Yamaha.They seemed to be yanking my backpack. My first thought was outrage. My second was: but how? Where have they come from? And my ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Look who’s stepped up to champion Winston
    There’s no news to be gleaned from the government’s official website today  – it contains nothing more than the message about the site being under maintenance. The time this maintenance job is taking and the costs being incurred have us musing on the government’s commitment to an assault on inflation. ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • What's The Story?
    Don’t you sometimes wish they’d just tell the truth? No matter how abhorrent or ugly, just straight up tell us the truth?C’mon guys, what you’re doing is bad enough anyway, pretending you’re not is only adding insult to injury.Instead of all this bollocks about the Smokefree changes being to do ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • The longest of weeks
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Friday Under New Management Week in review, quiz style1. Which of these best describes Aotearoa?a. Progressive nation, proud of its egalitarian spirit and belief in a fair go b. Best little country on the planet c. ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Suggested sessions of EGU24 to submit abstracts to
    Like earlier this year, members from our team will be involved with next year's General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union (EGU). The conference will take place on premise in Vienna as well as online from April 14 to 19, 2024. The session catalog has been available since November 1 ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Under New Management
    1. Which of these best describes Aotearoa?a. Progressive nation, proud of its egalitarian spirit and belief in a fair go b. Best little country on the planet c. Under New Management 2. Which of these best describes the 100 days of action announced this week by the new government?a. Petulantb. Simplistic and wrongheaded c. ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • While we wait patiently, our new Minister of Education is up and going with a 100-day action plan
    Sorry to say, the government’s official website is still out of action. When Point of Order paid its daily visit, the message was the same as it has been for the past week: Site under maintenance Beehive.govt.nz is currently under maintenance. We will be back shortly. Thank you for your ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • DAVID FARRAR: Hysterical bullshit
    Radio NZ reports: Te Pāti Māori’s co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer has accused the new government of “deliberate .. systemic genocide” over its policies to roll back the smokefree policy and the Māori Health Authority. The left love hysterical language. If you oppose racial quotas in laws, you are a racist. And now if you sack ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #48 2023
    Open access notables From this week's government/NGO section, longitudinal data is gold and Leisorowitz, Maibachi et al. continue to mine ore from the US public with Climate Change in the American Mind: Politics & Policy, Fall 2023: Drawing on a representative sample of the U.S. adult population, the authors describe how registered ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • ELE LUDEMANN: It wasn’t just $55 million
    Ele Ludemann writes –  Winston Peters reckons media outlets were bribed by the $55 million Public Interest Journalism Fund. He is not the first to make such an accusation. Last year, the Platform outlined conditions media signed up to in return for funds from the PJIF: . . . ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • Weekly Roundup 1-December-2023
    Wow, it’s December already, and it’s a Friday. So here are few things that caught our attention recently. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt covered the new government’s coalition agreements and what they mean for transport. On Tuesday Matt looked at AT’s plans for fare increases ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    5 days ago

  • Shane MacGowan Is Gone.
    Late 1996, The Dogs Bollix, Tamaki Makaurau.I’m at the front of the bar yelling my order to the bartender, jostling with other thirsty punters on a Friday night, keen to piss their wages up against a wall letting loose. The black stuff, long luscious pints of creamy goodness. Back down ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • The Hoon around the week to Dec 1
    Nicola Willis, Chris Bishop and other National, ACT and NZ First MPs applaud the signing of the coalition agreements, which included the reversal of anti-smoking measures while accelerating tax cuts for landlords. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • 2023 More Reading: November (+ Writing Update)
    Completed reads for November: A Modern Utopia, by H.G. Wells The Vampire (poem), by Heinrich August Ossenfelder The Corpus Hermeticum The Corpus Hermeticum is Mead’s translation. Now, this is indeed a very quiet month for reading. But there is a reason for that… You see, ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    6 days ago

  • Forward to 2017
    The coalition party agreements are mainly about returning to 2017 when National lost power. They show commonalities but also some serious divergencies.The two coalition agreements – one National and ACT, the other National and New Zealand First – are more than policy documents. They also describe the processes of the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    6 days ago

  • Questions a nine year old might ask the new Prime Minister
    First QuestionYou’re going to crack down on people ram-raiding dairies, because you say hard-working dairy owners shouldn’t have to worry about getting ram-raided.But once the chemist shops have pseudoephedrine in them again, they're going to get ram-raided all the time. Do chemists not work as hard as dairy owners?Second QuestionYou ...
    More than a fieldingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • Questions a nine year old might ask the new Prime Minister
    First QuestionYou’re going to crack down on people ram-raiding dairies, because you say hard-working dairy owners shouldn’t have to worry about getting ram-raided.But once the chemist shops have pseudoephedrine in them again, they're going to get ram-raided all the time. Do chemists not work as hard as dairy owners?Second QuestionYou ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago

  • Finally
    Henry Kissinger is finally dead. Good fucking riddance. While Americans loved him, he was a war criminal, responsible for most of the atrocities of the final quarter of the twentieth century. Cambodia. Bangladesh. Chile. East Timor. All Kissinger. Because of these crimes, Americans revere him as a "statesman" (which says ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • Government in a hurry – Luxon lists 49 priorities in 100-day plan while Peters pledges to strength...
    Buzz from the Beehive Yes, ministers in the new government are delivering speeches and releasing press statements. But the message on the government’s official website was the same as it has been for the past several days, when Point of Order went looking for news from the Beehive that had ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • DAVID FARRAR: Luxon is absolutely right
    David Farrar writes  –  1 News reports: Christopher Luxon says he was told by some Kiwis on the campaign trail they “didn’t know” the difference between Waka Kotahi, Te Pūkenga and Te Whatu Ora. Speaking to Breakfast, the incoming prime minister said having English first on government agencies will “make sure” ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Top 10 at 10 am for Thursday, Nov 30
    There are fears that mooted changes to building consent liability could end up driving the building industry into an uninsured hole. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere as of 10 am on Thursday, November 30, including:The new Government’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on how climate change threatens cricket‘s future
    Well that didn’t last long, did it? Mere days after taking on what he called the “awesome responsibility” of being Prime Minister, M Christopher Luxon has started blaming everyone else, and complaining that he has inherited “economic vandalism on an unprecedented scale” – which is how most of us are ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    6 days ago

  • We need to talk about Tory.
    The first I knew of the news about Tory Whanau was when a tweet came up in my feed.The sort of tweet that makes you question humanity, or at least why you bother with Twitter. Which is increasingly a cesspit of vile inhabitants who lurk spreading negativity, hate, and every ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Dangling Transport Solutions
    Cable Cars, Gondolas, Ropeways and Aerial Trams are all names for essentially the same technology and the world’s biggest maker of them are here to sell them as an public transport solution. Stuff reports: Austrian cable car company Doppelmayr has launched its case for adding aerial cable cars to New ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    6 days ago

  • November AMA
    Hi,It’s been awhile since I’ve done an Ask-Me-Anything on here, so today’s the day. Ask anything you like in the comments section, and I’ll be checking in today and tomorrow to answer.Leave a commentNext week I’ll be giving away a bunch of these Mister Organ blu-rays for readers in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago

  • National’s early moves adding to cost of living pressure
    The cost of living grind continues, and the economic and inflation honeymoon is over before it began. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: PM Christopher Luxon unveiled his 100 day plan yesterday with an avowed focus of reducing cost-of-living pressures, but his Government’s initial moves and promises are actually elevating ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • Backwards to the future
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has confirmed that it will be back to the future on planning legislation. This will be just one of a number of moves which will see the new government go backwards as it repeals and cost-cuts its way into power. They will completely repeal one ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • New initiatives in science and technology could point the way ahead for Luxon government
    As the new government settles into the Beehive, expectations are high that it can sort out some  of  the  economic issues  confronting  New Zealand. It may take time for some new  ministers to get to grips with the range of their portfolio work and responsibilities before they can launch the  changes that  ...
    Point of OrderBy tutere44
    7 days ago

  • Treaty pledge to secure funding is contentious – but is Peters being pursued by a lynch mob after ...
    TV3 political editor Jenna Lynch was among the corps of political reporters who bridled, when Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters told them what he thinks of them (which is not much). She was unabashed about letting her audience know she had bridled. More usefully, she drew attention to something which ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago

  • How long does this last?
    I have a clear memory of every election since 1969 in this plucky little nation of ours. I swear I cannot recall a single one where the question being asked repeatedly in the first week of the new government was: how long do you reckon they’ll last? And that includes all ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    7 days ago

  • National’s giveaway politics
    We already know that national plans to boost smoking rates to collect more tobacco tax so they can give huge tax-cuts to mega-landlords. But this morning that policy got even more obscene - because it turns out that the tax cut is retrospective: Residential landlords will be able to ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago

  • CHRIS TROTTER: Who’s driving the right-wing bus?
    Who’s At The Wheel? The electorate’s message, as aggregated in the polling booths on 14 October, turned out to be a conservative political agenda stronger than anything New Zealand has seen in five decades. In 1975, Bill Rowling was run over by just one bus, with Rob Muldoon at the wheel. In 2023, ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 week ago

  • GRAHAM ADAMS:  Media knives flashing for Luxon’s government
    The fear and loathing among legacy journalists is astonishing Graham Adams writes – No one is going to die wondering how some of the nation’s most influential journalists personally view the new National-led government. It has become abundantly clear within a few days of the coalition agreements ...
    Point of OrderBy gadams1000
    1 week ago

  • Top 10 news links for Wednesday, Nov 29
    TL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere for Wednesday November 29, including:The early return of interest deductibility for landlords could see rebates paid on previous taxes and the cost increase to $3 billion from National’s initial estimate of $2.1 billion, CTU Economist Craig Renney estimated here last ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • Smokefree Fallout and a High Profile Resignation.
    The day after being sworn in the new cabinet met yesterday, to enjoy their honeymoon phase. You remember, that period after a new government takes power where the country, and the media, are optimistic about them, because they haven’t had a chance to stuff anything about yet.Sadly the nuptials complete ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • As Cabinet revs up, building plans go on hold
    Wellington Council hoardings proclaim its preparations for population growth, but around the country councils are putting things on hold in the absence of clear funding pathways for infrastructure, and despite exploding migrant numbers. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Cabinet meets in earnest today to consider the new Government’s 100-day ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • National takes over infrastructure
    Though New Zealand First may have had ambitions to run the infrastructure portfolios, National would seem to have ended up firmly in control of them.  POLITIK has obtained a private memo to members of Infrastructure NZ yesterday, which shows that the peak organisation for infrastructure sees  National MPs Chris ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 week ago

  • At a glance – Evidence for global warming
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Who’s Driving The Right-Wing Bus?
    Who’s At The Wheel? The electorate’s message, as aggregated in the polling booths on 14 October, turned out to be a conservative political agenda stronger than anything New Zealand has seen in five decades. In 1975, Bill Rowling was run over by just one bus, with Rob Muldoon at the wheel. In ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago

  • PISA results show urgent need to teach the basics
    With 2022 PISA results showing a decline in achievement, Education Minister Erica Stanford is confident that the Coalition Government’s 100-day plan for education will improve outcomes for Kiwi kids.  The 2022 PISA results show a significant decline in the performance of 15-year-old students in maths compared to 2018 and confirms ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago

  • Collins leaves for Pacific defence meeting
    Defence Minister Judith Collins today departed for New Caledonia to attend the 8th annual South Pacific Defence Ministers’ meeting (SPDMM). “This meeting is an excellent opportunity to meet face-to-face with my Pacific counterparts to discuss regional security matters and to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the Pacific,” Judith Collins says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Working for Families gets cost of living boost
    Putting more money in the pockets of hard-working families is a priority of this Coalition Government, starting with an increase to Working for Families, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “We are starting our 100-day plan with a laser focus on bringing down the cost of living, because that is what ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme scrapped
    The Government has axed the $16 billion Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme championed by the previous government, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says. “This hugely wasteful project was pouring money down the drain at a time when we need to be reining in spending and focussing on rebuilding the economy and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • NZ welcomes further pause in fighting in Gaza
    New Zealand welcomes the further one-day extension of the pause in fighting, which will allow the delivery of more urgently-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza and the release of more hostages, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said. “The human cost of the conflict is horrific, and New Zealand wants to see the violence ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Condolences on passing of Henry Kissinger
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters today expressed on behalf of the New Zealand Government his condolences to the family of former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who has passed away at the age of 100 at his home in Connecticut. “While opinions on his legacy are varied, Secretary Kissinger was ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Backing our kids to learn the basics
    Every child deserves a world-leading education, and the Coalition Government is making that a priority as part of its 100-day plan. Education Minister Erica Stanford says that will start with banning cellphone use at school and ensuring all primary students spend one hour on reading, writing, and maths each day. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • US Business Summit Speech – Regional stability through trade
    I would like to begin by echoing the Prime Minister’s thanks to the organisers of this Summit, Fran O’Sullivan and the Auckland Business Chamber.  I want to also acknowledge the many leading exporters, sector representatives, diplomats, and other leaders we have joining us in the room. In particular, I would like ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • Keynote Address to the United States Business Summit, Auckland
    Good morning. Thank you, Rosemary, for your warm introduction, and to Fran and Simon for this opportunity to make some brief comments about New Zealand’s relationship with the United States.  This is also a chance to acknowledge my colleague, Minister for Trade Todd McClay, Ambassador Tom Udall, Secretary of Foreign ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    6 days ago

  • India New Zealand Business Council Speech, India as a Strategic Priority
    Good morning, tēnā koutou and namaskar. Many thanks, Michael, for your warm welcome. I would like to acknowledge the work of the India New Zealand Business Council in facilitating today’s event and for the Council’s broader work in supporting a coordinated approach for lifting New Zealand-India relations. I want to also ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • Coalition Government unveils 100-day plan
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has laid out the Coalition Government’s plan for its first 100 days from today. “The last few years have been incredibly tough for so many New Zealanders. People have put their trust in National, ACT and NZ First to steer them towards a better, more prosperous ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • New Zealand welcomes European Parliament vote on the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement
    A significant milestone in ratifying the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was reached last night, with 524 of the 705 member European Parliament voting in favour to approve the agreement. “I’m delighted to hear of the successful vote to approve the NZ-EU FTA in the European Parliament overnight. This is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

  • Further humanitarian support for Gaza, the West Bank and Israel
    The Government is contributing a further $5 million to support the response to urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel, bringing New Zealand’s total contribution to the humanitarian response so far to $10 million. “New Zealand is deeply saddened by the loss of civilian life and the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 weeks ago

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