James Macintyre's Blog, page 9

Will the police ever be held to account?

Verdict due tomorrow on Ian Tomlinson's death.

On 1 April 2009, during the G20 riots, a 47-year-old newspaper vendor was walking home from work. He was then struck by a member of the Metropolitan police's territorial support group (TSG). He later died.

Over a year later, the Crown Prosecution Service will tomorrow deliver its verdict on the Ian Tomlinson incident. As the Guardian reports "The possible charges include manslaughter, assault and misconduct in public office. Or, the CPS may...

Nick Clegg triumphs at PMQs

Breaking news: He really believes this stuff.

From the Commons chamber.

Nick Clegg today became the first Liberal to answer prime minister's questions since the session began in the early 1960s, and the first to address the House on behalf of the post of PM since Lloyd George in the 1920s.

With David Cameron away in the US and Conservative and Lib Dem spin doctors sitting side by side in the press gallery, Clegg stood in for the first time since his party took power at the election, with...

Will Unite follow Unison in backing Ed Miliband?

Smart money says yes.

With the UK's biggest public sector union Unison coming out for Ed Miliband today, the speculation at Westminster is whether Unite will follow suit. Some expected both to go for Ed Balls, but Balls supporters say they are not surprised and insiders here predict that, despite internal divisions, Unite will in the end back Ed Miliband next week. In an interview with the New Statesman earlier this year, the union's joint general secretary, Derek Simpson, anointed...

David Miliband ahead among Labour voters, poll suggests

Abbott doing relatively well ++ rivals point out voters are not the same as members

The indomitable Paul Waugh has unearthed figures from the YouGov survey in the weekend's Sunday Times which he says shows David Miliband has "emerged as the front-runner among both voters and party activists".

From the blog:

A new poll also found that Mr Miliband was Londoners' favoured choice for the top job, with Diane Abbott second and his brother Ed trailing in third.

The YouGov survey put him on 22 per...

Alistair Darling hints at future

Implies he may quit politics ++ Pressed on who was responsible for bank bailout, says

Alistair Darling hints at future "forces of hell" expose

Implies he may quit politics ++ Pressed on who was responsible for bank bail-out ++ Says "I have a very good memory"

Alistair Darling has hinted that he might one day tell the story of how the "forces of hell" were unleashed on him by certain Brownites after the then chancellor told the Guardian in 2008 that the economic conditions were "arguably the worst they've been in 60 years".

Speaking at a New Statesman discussion sponsored by the Institute of Chartered Accountants for England and...

Yet again, Boris takes a swipe at Dave

Rivalrous mayor ridicules land-mark "Big Society" concept

It is by no means the first time. It isn't the most serious example. And it won't be the last. But yet again, Boris Johnson, the London mayor who sees himself as a rival to David Cameron, has had a little dig at the Tory leadership's national agenda.

Arriving for the launch of his cycling super-highways -- you may have seen, or smelt, the big blue sections being painted onto the capital's roads at present -- the self-appointed...

Redwood throws spanner in works of

Senior Tory MP attacks Barack Obama, says he is

Redwood throws spanner in works of 'special relationship'

Senior Tory MP attacks Obama who is "less popular than Bush", says President should talk to Baroness Ashton not Cameron

David Cameron should not even seek a "special relationship" with Barack Obama given the US president's politics, a senior Tory MP has said as the Prime Minister prepares to fly to Washington to meet with the US President.

John Redwood says that "I don't think Mr Cameron should expect or even seek a "special" relationship with Mr Obama". He adds that Obama "belongs to the U...

Ed Balls on

Labour contender jokes he must lose weight for Gok Wan -- but, as ever, makes a serious point about education.

The news that Ed Balls is to appear on the How to Look Good Naked programme with the fashionista Gok Wan has caused raised eyebrows in Westminster and beyond.

When I spoke to the shadow education secretary at the end of last week, the joke was not lost on him, as he said: "I've got to lose a stone in a week and I don't know how I'm going to do it, and I'm really, really worried...