Simon Heffer's Blog, page 42

The spectre of Red Ed's Thought Police

This week’s two big political events have given us a chilling insight into what to expect if Labour wins the election in 2015.

If this Budget flops, a Tory bloodbath is just weeks away

MPs from the governing party often complain about a Budget after it has been delivered. However, for the first time in 30 years of covering politics, I am witnessing MPs who are upset even before the Chancellor addresses the Commons.

Why ministers must move fast to help an overworked Queen

The fact the Queen had to be treated in hospital this week was a timely reminder of the huge demands made on a woman of almost 87, whose first instinct on falling ill was to fret about getting back to work.

Defy the EU and stamp out benefit tourism

After their humiliation at Eastleigh, the Tories who lead the Coalition have realised that they must confront issues of deep public concern. And few cause more outrage than so-called ‘benefit tourists’ from overseas who use the NHS, our social housing and other state services.

Grotesque myth that Red Ed leads a 'one nation' party

The terrible result for the Tories in Eastleigh helped disguise an embarrassing political untruth — namely Ed Miliband’s claim that Labour is a ‘one nation’ party.

Mr Clegg's voting system and the comedian who's exposed what a joke the euro is

The reason Italy has been plunged into political chaos — and why world stock markets have plunged, too — is distressingly simple.

One more shambles, George, and you can kiss goodbye to the next election...

The one great political advantage George Osborne will have when he presents his fourth Budget next month is that his rivals’ ideas to rescue our economy are so pitiful.

Dave's in trouble. He needs his own Chingford Polecat

Though he'll return from Brussels claiming a victory for British interests after yesterday's EU budget summit, the Prime Minister must know that deep cracks are running through his party after this week's Commons vote to legalise same-sex marriage.

The day our political class lost all sense of shame...

A glance at today’s political class makes us see all too clearly that the concept of shame has almost disappeared from public life.

A continent in chaos and why Hitler's evil is rising again

Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany 80 years ago today. It is hard to think of any event in European history since the Reformation that continues to cast, decades later, such a long and hideous shadow.