The commentators 02-07-14...on British politics
Britain has one enormous chair, but for how much longer? The next time our ambassador to the UN turns up for a meeting of the Security Council’s permanent members, he may expect to find only four chairs. “But where’s the UK seat?” he will perplexedly ask . “I’m so sorry,” Ban Ki-moon will explain, “but when we read about the guests at David Cameron’s party, we interpreted it as the final expression of British isolationism.
- Matthew Norman, Independent (*The woman in the picture is Eliza Doolittle, who was at the creative arts reception with other A-listers such as Julian Fellowes, Richard Desmond, Roger Daltrey, Ronnie Corbett, Danielle Lineker, Bruce Forsyth, Aled Jones and Katherine Jenkins) 
How sustainable is our current model of political generalists who spend their whole lives in politics, moving about from topic to topic, trying to master a new subject every couple of years? If the increased complexity of modern government can’t be entirely removed by computing power, surely we will also see the rise of experts who lend themselves to government for parts of their career?
- Daniel Finkelstein, The Times
Even if taxpayers had paid all of each party’s expenses at the last election, it would have cost each adult only 49p. For a few pence a year, you could be sure that your politicians were not wasting their time cosying up to demanding donors and unions, they could concentrate on your concerns.
- Alice Thomson, The Times
Ed Miliband should take a couple of novels rather than think-tank reports as his summer reading. He needs to tell a story in his speech to the party conference, not about himself, but about the country he wishes to lead to a place where we can make things better.
- Maurice Glasman, FT
It is not clear that Labour’s leadership will dare, this side of the election, to announce any cash injection into the NHS. Such prevarication could prove disastrous. If the Opposition wants to spend the campaign talking about health, as opposed to welfare or immigration or Europe, then it had better have something big to say.
- Mary Riddell, Daily Telegraph 
Vote for your favourite commentators Stevie Spring
The annual Editorial Intelligence comment awards were officially launched yesterday with the announcement of the seventy-strong panel of judges to be led by Stevie Spring, chair of Children in Need.
They include Lorraine Heggessey, Nihal Arthanayake, Karren Brady, Damian Barr, Lynne Franks, Nicky Gavron, Laura Kuenssberg, Adrian Monck and Kirsty Lang. Anyone is invited to nominate their favourite commentators for the awards, which are divided into 16 categories. There is no charge for entry.
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June 13
Iraq June 12 Oxfam, baby buggies June 11 British values June 10 Extremist education June 9 May v Gove 
June 6
American politics June 5 Queen's speech June 4 Thai coup June 3 British politics June 2 Hatred of women 
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