Three Thousand Versts of Loneliness

I was rather enjoying Boris Johnson’s typically spirited defence of academic selection, on egalitarian grounds, until I happened upon this rather puzzling sentence, “I know a lawyer from Belfast, a man of my age, who believes fervently that he would never have gone to university had it not been for the grammar school system, and who cannot believe that no one – no one from any party – is objecting to their abolition at the hands of, yes, Martin McGuinness.” No-one, other than Boris’ own Conservative colleagues in Northern Ireland, their Ulster Unionist partners, the DUP and a coalition of parents and schools spanning the maintained and voluntary sectors.

Boris Johnson is in rude form (literally) in this morning’s Telegraph, after his appearance on last night’s ‘Dispatches’. He indulges in an entertaining ‘romp’ around the topic of Jacqui Smith’s expense claims. Personally, I wonder if the Home Secretary could not have spun the story to her advantage? After all her husband’s ‘night of rapture’ (to steal Boris’ phrase) is compelling evidence that the poor man is left alone in the family home too often! Incidentally the Channel 4 programme about Johnson was poor. Despite a litany of innuendo, all that could be concretely ascertained is that some people believe the London mayor should be doing a better job.

After Labour excoriated shadow chancellor, George Osborne, for ‘irresponsibility’ and ‘talking down’ the pound, over the weekend, the Tories have launched what has every appearance of an effective comeback on economic issues. In the Telegraph, Boris Johnson defends his colleague’s right to offer a prognosis on the economy. Although this contention might appear self-evident, the government has reacted with increasing petulance on each occasion that an opposition politician dares to question the wisdom of Gordon Brown’s economic plans. Labour chose to interpret Conservative support for its bank bail-out as an open ended commitment to support all of its anti-recessionary measures. As Brown’s spending pledges become increasingly extravagant, and as tax cutting initiatives are launched in tandem, then it is not only inevitable that opposition politicians will challenge him, it is their duty to do so. Johnson asks, “How can there possibly be a "convention" that stops shadow c...

On Slugger, Pete Baker has picked up Frank Millar’s aside that an ‘electoral pact’ with the Conservative Party is likely to be formalised by a UUP executive meeting next week. Millar is an insightful and well informed journalist, particularly as regards Ulster Unionism. It is likely, therefore, that movement on the proposed deal will take place next week. Interesting questions therefore remain. What will be the extent of movement which we can expect from next week’s executive meeting and will this movement encompass the whole of any emergent deal? Millar uses the rather amorphous term, ‘electoral pact’. Recently the same vocabulary was deployed to accuse Ulster Unionists of reaching an agreement with the TUV, recommending mutual vote transfers in the 2009 European election. Perhaps the language implies that whatever is agreed next week may not include the full range of exciting possibilities which David Cameron and Reg Empey’s joint statement initially suggested. My suspicion i...

The US election is politics’ Premier League. Throughout the world there are people who aren’t going to the match, indeed they're not entitled to attend a match, but nevertheless, almost everyone has a favourite team. This morning Boris Johnson declared himself an Obama fan in the Daily Telegraph, which represents a significant addition to the list of British Conservatives who will be celebrating, should the Democratic candidate win, in the wee small hours of the fifth of November. Traditionally, of course, Conservatives feel much more inclined toward Republican candidates in American elections. However, there is something of a sea change in this particular election. Iain Dale previously examined the phenomenon in an article which suggested that David Cameron himself might quietly favour Obama. Meanwhile Burke’s Corner turned its erudite gaze toward the underlying reasons which are making Conservatives in the UK comfortable with the Democrat ticket and uncomfortable backing...

Am I alone in wondering exactly why controversy has attended Boris Johnson’s decision to ban alcohol on London’s public transport system? I would view myself as reasonably libertarian, but I cannot agree that asking people to keep their booze closed on buses and underground trains is an egregious curtailment of civil liberties. If anything I was surprised to learn that it was quite permissible to crack open a can or two before Boris decided otherwise. I would be the last person to lecture people about drinking, but beyond a shadow of a doubt a large group of drinkers can transform a journey into a miserable experience for fellow passengers. If banning alcohol on public transport makes travelling on it more pleasant for the majority of transport users, then asking a minority to exercise a little restraint, seems to me a reasonable imposition. London’s drinkers are hardly deprived of options when it comes to tippling elsewhere. Of course ironically the large protest party which ensu...