| Did your email system distort this newsletter? Click here to see it online. To make sure emails from Politics.co.uk don’t go into your junk folder, please add us to your email contacts. To stop receiving emails such as this, please update your preferences or unsubscribe here. | |
 |    |
| D-Day reminds us how trivial our everyday political battles really are. For whereas 70 years ago the British prime minister waited in London for reports of an invasion of Europe against the greatest evil of the 20th century, today the latest resident of No 10's big challenge is to dissuade Europe's leaders from picking a hardline federalist like Jean-Claude Juncker to lead the European Commission. The stakes are nowhere near comparable. And yet the events of this week and that of 70 years ago are linked. David Cameron's dilemma about how politically united Europe is follows from the success of the D-Day landings and Adolf Hitler's ultimate defeat. It was Winston Churchill himself who called for a "United States of Europe", as French socialist Michel Rocard argued brilliantly this week in Le Monde. Getting anywhere near that has taken decades. Now we get to bicker about exactly how far we take the project. That might not have been an option had D-Day failed. So while our politicians remember with gratitude the efforts of those in the past who saved Europe from the Nazis, the same leading figures are very much focused on the continent's future. With a nagging report from EU officials telling Britain what to do, and Tony Blair hanging around the sidelines putting in his own two cents, there was no sign the focus on Europe was fading after the elections of a fortnight ago. This week the struggle over Juncker was the backdrop for a busy few days of diplomatising for Cameron. The G7 was about punishing Vladimir Putin by excluding him from an important meeting. It was only slightly undermined by the series of one-on-one meetings Putin had with European leaders on the fringes of the D-Day anniversary. In the middle of all this came a bilateral with Barack Obama. This, at least, was a success; Cameron made arguably his most useful contribution to the 'no' campaign on Scottish independence by talking Obama into making clear his opposition to a Scottish breakaway. Another big win for the PM came in Newark, where the momentum of the Ukip 'earthquake' was decisively stopped. That, at least, is what the Tories want you to think. There was still a 15% swing towards Team Farage, and 85% of Ukip voters a fortnight ago showed up again to back their party in the by-election. If the Conservatives use Newark as an excuse to stop worrying about Ukip, they're making a big mistake. And then there was the Queen's Speech. According to the coalition's schedule, much of its final 12 months are supposed to be spent in bitter infighting. So, planning for the chaos of electioneering to come, the government came up with a modest legislative agenda. Its recall legislation was mocked for being inadequate and its infrastructure bill guaranteed some controversy, but overall the government did well by restricting its ambitions. The only infighting on show this week had nothing to do with the Liberal Democrats, who looked like they had bludegeoned themselves into a stupefied silence after the Oakeshott detonation last week. Instead it two senior Conservative Cabinet ministers who were at war. Michael Gove's offensive against Theresa May over extremism in Muslim schools did not go well. There will be all hell to pay when the Commons returns to normal on Monday. Best of newsCampaigners target Metallica's Glastonbury appearance Metallica frontman's enthusiasm for hunting is "incompatible with Glastonbury Festival ideals" Govt refuses to intervene over mining 'bad apples' MPs split over ministers' refusal to change listing rules for mining firms MPs' spy committee 'on trial', ex-GCHQ chief warns Parliament's oversight of intelligence activities will face a major shake-up if it does not improve, a former head of GCHQ says Somali deportation halted at the last minute A deportation to Somalia set for this morning has been halted at the last minute, following a successful judicial review. Ukip's Newark candidate blasts 'gay cures' critics Criticism of 'gay cure' treatments are "deeply illiberal", Ukip's candidate in the Newark by-election has said. Tory minister: Some people concerned about immigration are 'frankly racist' Some of the people who raise concerns about immigration are "frankly racist", Anna Soubry says Osborne admits immigration target failure George Osborne has conceded the government will not meet its immigration target – but opposition gloating is being curtailed by Labour infighting. Best of Comment and AnalysisComment: The far-right's god-whistle politics isn't going away As Ukip and Christian Concern both know well, the rhetoric of fear is easily believed. Comment: There's a downside to our D-Day obsession Seventy years on, our national fixation with D-Day is making us forget the bigger picture of the Second World War. Everything you need to know about the May-Gove extremism row in five minutes Theresa May and Michael Gove go to war over Islamic extremism Comment: Don't tell me what a 'successful woman' looks like Kirstie Allsopp should have tried to open up the debate about what women can be, not shut it down. Government crackdown on drug cutting agents panders to myths The government failure to protect drug users prompts another pointless exercise in prohibition A Queen's Speech preparing for coalition carnage It's an exceptionally light, boring Queen's Speech this year. Which perversely, given the chaos to come, makes it one of this government's best. What on earth is Britain doing deporting people to Somalia? Rape, targeted killings, mass human rights violations... Why would Britain demean itself by carrying out removals to Somalia? Analysis: Just one more hellish year to go for the government whips Not once since the Second World War has any other parliament seen a more rebellious bunch of MPs sitting on the government benches Win! Win! Win!Competition: Win Veep Season 2 boxset! Politics.co.uk has got its hands on three Blu-Ray boxsets of Veep's second season for your viewing pleasure. | Google sets up 'right to be forgotten' form after EU rulingThe EU proposal, and Google’s response in setting up a “right to be forgotten” form, are fraught with difficulties and will be impossible to implement, according to the IET. Help to Buy effect is muted on basis of numbers, says CMLThe combined impact of both the Help to Buy equity loan and mortgage guarantee schemes does not appear to be creating an amplifying effect on the more active parts of the UK housing market. Boeing receives 330-Minute ETOPS certification for 787sThe U.S. Federal Aviation Administration today approved additional extended operations (ETOPS) for the Boeing (NYSE: BA) 787 Dreamliner. Animal welfare should be part of the national curriculum, say UK teachersWith the end of the school year creeping ever closer, a new survey reveals over ninety-five per cent of teachers say teaching children about animal welfare would help make them more compassionate and socially aware. Mental health charity calls for urgent action to prevent avoidable deathsThe national charity Rethink Mental Illness has welcomed a new Oxford University report which calls for urgent action to address physical health problems of people with mental illness. eBay’s cyber-attack represents a significant breachThe cyber-attack on eBay is a serious breach for the e-commerce giant and its customers says the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). News from the Low Incomes Tax Reform Group of the Chartered Institute of TaxationCharity issues guide to help taxpayers pay the right amount. |
No comments:
Post a Comment