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| The British people don't elect leaders to be their friend. Margaret Thatcher proved that. Over and over again the public voted her in, but they never liked her. The thought she was necessary, but not desirable. It's quite different in the States, funnily enough. Over there, they vote for the guy they'd most like to go for a beer with, which is why you always see those ridiculous photos of cerebral statesmen like John Kerry eating a hot dog in a baseball hat, or Barack Obama - a man with not an ounce of fat on him - grimacing his way through a Denny's. Over in Britain, there is no such problem. Downing Street advisers are perfectly happy with polling showing people think Labour is in touch with normal people. When it comes to polling day, they'll opt for the tough men who make hard decisions. And the coalition is very keen on its ability to make the hard decisions. After decades of improvement, the hands-off approach to the economy was starting to make itself felt in the gender pay gap. Official figures showed that for the first time in years it was growing. Cameron went in all guns blazing to stop a rise in MPs' pay, being so outspoken he made the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) effectively redundant. Its independent status looked rather weak once the prime minister had threatened to dismantle it for acting independently. Over at Treasury questions, George Osborne was refusing to rule out a lowering of the benefit cap. The message was clear. You can bet it will be hammered down if the Tories win re-election And the week ended with the director of Amnesty International calling on Cameron and other European leaders to "hang their heads in shame" for failing to take a fair share of Syrian refugees. As the region suffers the biggest movement of people since World War Two, Britain is refusing to take any refugee through the international process. None of it will damage the Tories. Their brand is not based on being your mate. It's based on making the tough calls. It's based specifically on not being your mate. But this image doesn't allow for incompetence. For a while, the Tories managed to maintain iron discipline. In the heady days after the omnishambles Budget, it really did seem they were falling apart. Staggering errors of judgement were occurring daily. Ministers were like extras in the Walking Dead, stumbling around putting secret papers in park dustbins and issuing class-ridden insults at nearby workers. But the return of Lynton Crosby brought back some degree of control and the party seemed to have composed itself. Oliver Letwin was locked away. Sellotape was applied to ministerial mouths. But behind the locked doors of their departments, they were still doing the damage. Not everyone got the memo, however. Iain Duncan Smith ended the week insisting that immigrants who don't learn English should lose benefits. But his stringent behavioural standards were not in evidence when explaining his universal credit programme. The scheme has already wasted £425 million in taxpayer cash - much of it on the IT system. Governments and IT systems: they never learn. IDS patiently explained to MPs on the work and pensions committee this week that the loss of money on the IT programme was "common sense". He was bullish and gave no quarter, which impressed some observers. Unfortunately, those are the very characteristics the public accounts committee called into question when it warned that his department had become an echo chamber, with no-one daring to tell the burly secretary of state any bad news. IDS has his own ability to turn bad news into good news, like a fanciful Jesus. The £40 million squandered on the IT system was, in fact an, intangible asset, he told the committee. Over at the Home Office, Theresa May was having her own problems. Her department had mistakenly released the details of 1,598 people's immigration cases and had had to start an internal inquiry. It came just week after she tried to deport starving asylum seeker Isa Muazu at the cost of up to £180,000 of public money, only to see the plane turn around and return to Britain because it didn't have the necessary landing authorisation. That moment neatly encapsulated the Tory party problem: You can incompetent or tough, but you can't be both. This is not the smack of firm government. It's a violent assault by someone who forgot to tie their shoelaces. Best of NewsCampaigners claim victory after Universities UK cancels sex segregation guidance Campaigners against Universities UK guidance allowing religious speakers to segregate students by sex were celebrating this evening after the organisation said it would review its position. Lib Dem president: Democratic oversight of intelligence agencies 'is extinct' Britain's democratic oversight of the intelligence and security agencies has "rescinded to the point of extinction", the president of the Liberal Democrats has said. Comment: Only a fool could trust in the 'oversight' provided by the intelligence committee The intelligence services have too much power - and parliament too little - for the public to feel protected against state intrusion Supreme Court authorises Scientology wedding... and offers new definition of religion A woman has been allowed to marry in a Church of Scientology by the supreme court, in a move which saw the judges offer a new legal definition of religion. Britain in line for brutal Israeli drone A lethal drone used by Israelis to kill over 800 Palestinians in raids against the Gaza Strip is being used as the basis for a similar machine being developed for the UK military. Ketamine users face long jail sentences as drug set to become Class B Ketamine users could face significantly higher jail sentences, after government advisers suggested the drug be upgraded to Class B from Class C. 'You, Mr Speaker, were on the wrong side of the apartheid argument': Old grievances aired in Mandela debate The Commons saw old scores being settled alongside heartfelt tributes to the anti-apartheid movement today, as MPs debated the legacy of Nelson Mandela. Best of Comment and AnalysisSmuggled into the legal highs review: A glimmer of hope for liberals A subtle tweak in the approach to regulating legal highs could provide a glimmer of hope for campaigners demanding a more liberal approach to Britain's drug laws Comment: We support the death penalty because we feel compassion for mankind Opponents of the death penalty call us bloodthirsty, but we are fighting for human dignity and justice. Censored: Why the media hides Cuba's role in the end of apartheid The great whitewash of history ignores Cuba's vital role in ridding South Africa of apartheid. A betrayal of parliament: MPs finally let rip over the coalition's latest broken promise Only now are MPs unleashing their bitterness at the government's latest betrayal. Comment: MPs deserve a pay cut, not a pay rise The idea that MPs deserve a pay rise is as dangerous as it is laughable. The week in reviewThe Political Week Online: A hard knock life for MPs It's a hard knock life for MPs, being threatened with an 11% pay rise against your will. Plus gender segregation, DWP screw-ups, Home Office screw-ups, and the correct etiquette of the selfie. The Week According to Sean Dilley Broadcaster and general nuisance Sean Dilley gives his take on the week in politics. | CIOT: Low income campaigners call for wider universal credit pilotLITRG is calling for the Government to introduce a revised pilot of the new universal credit system. Cogent: New Online Skillsstore for the Science IndustriesCogent and the National Skills Academy Process Industries, has today launched Skillsstore.com. NASUWT "disappointed" that Education Secretary "resorted to provocation"NASUWT comments on the ongoing dispute with the Secretary of State for Education. CPA: Construction survey indicates broader growth aheadThe Construction Trade Survey shows construction activity rose for the second consecutive quarter in Q3. 3M: Fantastic makeovers film showcased on Peter Andre's 60 Minute MakeoverOriginal covers for radiators by Couture Cases will be showcased on Peter Andre's 60 Minute Makeover. The world looks up to English education as an international benchmark - Cambridge AssessmentBritain is at the heart of overseas educational investment - and Cambridge Assessment is a key player. BSIA South East event challenges perception of ‘victimless’ business crimeBusiness crime should never be dismissed as low level, or victimless. CIOT: Have you paid too much tax on your redundancy payment?When an employer becomes insolvent, payments made by RPO to employees often wrongly have tax deducted. RSPCA: Gordon Ramsay should drop "barbaric" foie gras altogetherThe RSPCA is glad Gordon Ramsay dropped his supplier but sale of foie gras should be banned. |
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