Well, really!tag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-3011572010-11-17T14:14:28+00:00TypePadRestart...tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83420661253ef01348915cb64970c2010-11-17T14:14:28+00:002010-11-17T23:16:05+00:00Well, after almost three and a half years away the temptation to resume modest blogging is becoming irresistable. These pages fell silent on the third day of the Brown premiership. And just when we thought it couldn't get any worse,...JohnNo Change at the Home Officetag:typepad.com,2003:post-359242762007-06-29T10:08:53+01:002007-06-29T10:08:53+01:00So Gordon's new Home Secretary is Jacqui Smith. According to TheyWorkForYou she is 'Very strongly for' introducing ID cards...
JohnNo Brown ID?tag:typepad.com,2003:post-340225242007-05-14T12:35:40+01:002007-05-14T12:35:40+01:00Jack Straw, 'campaign' manager for the man who would be king, is apparently in line to be Home Secretary (again) when Reid steps down as Blair's NuLab project finally collapses on 27 June. According to the Guardian, Jack has hinted that the ID card fiasco might be reviewed under a Brown premiership...JohnWot Bad News?tag:typepad.com,2003:post-338950582007-05-10T14:48:09+01:002007-05-10T14:48:09+01:00Today is a good day for burying things. No, not careers and reputations, but Bad News...JohnToday's the Day!tag:typepad.com,2003:post-338890842007-05-10T10:56:29+01:002007-05-10T10:56:29+01:00Today's the day we've all been waiting for. Two weeks ago, the Telegraph predicted that Blair would announce his resignation on 1 May, the tenth anniversary of his election as PM. He didn't. But the Telegraph's source was half right, because on 1 May the man announced his intention to announce the 'timetable for his departure'. On the GMTV sofa – where else? John9 Jobs in 10 Years Too Many for Reidtag:typepad.com,2003:post-337195882007-05-06T17:13:15+01:002007-05-06T17:13:15+01:00In most CVs, nine jobs in ten years would have alarm bells ringing. Incompetent, can't handle the pressure, upsets the team, too interested in his own career to stay the course? Whatever the reason, John Reid has now announced he will resign as Home Secretary "when Tony goes"...JohnIf You're Nasty, I'll Cross You Off My Christmas Card Listtag:typepad.com,2003:post-330091262007-04-17T18:27:03+01:002007-04-17T18:27:03+01:00Martin Rosenbaum reports on his Open Secrets blog that the Information Commissioner has ruled that number 10 must reveal which international leaders have been receiving the PM's Christmas cards. No. 10 have been fighting the FOI request...JohnTurn Off Your Lights So I Can Flytag:typepad.com,2003:post-328261822007-04-12T20:28:11+01:002007-04-12T20:28:11+01:00Interesting discussion on Newsnight last night, as 'Ethical Man' Justin Rowlatt came to the end of his year-long experiment to lead a better life. Gavin Esler was joined by Environment Secretary David Milibland, Peter Ainsworth (Con), Chris Huhne (Lib Dem) and Siân Berry (Green). Two things struck me...JohnJohnny Foreigner to Blame for Small Companies' Tax Hiketag:typepad.com,2003:post-322972702007-03-30T09:33:55+01:002007-03-30T09:33:55+01:00Gordon Brown has blamed immigrants from Eastern Europe for his "need" to increase corporation tax for small companies from 19% to 22% by 2009. In evidence to the Treasury Select Committee, Mr Brown said East European workers were being encouraged to register themselves as companies to avoid paying income tax when they arrived in the UK...JohnGordon's Pensioner Taxtag:typepad.com,2003:post-319452262007-03-21T17:00:33+00:002007-03-21T17:00:33+00:00In what is being billed as his last budget – unless, of course, he doesn't make it to the top – Grumpy went out with a flourish, announcing in his final sentence a 2p cut in the basic rate of tax. Sadly for him, though, everyone seems to have noticed that he has eliminated the 10p tax band, which he himself introduced to ease low earners more gently into the tax system...John