The commentators                    17-11-14

...on British politics

Six years on from the financial crash that brought the world to its knees, red warning lights are once again flashing on the dashboard of the global economy. As I met world leaders at the G20 in Brisbane, the problems were plain to see. The eurozone is teetering on the brink of a possible third recession, with high unemployment, falling growth and the real risk of falling prices too. Emerging markets, which were the driver of growth in the early stages of the recovery, are now slowing down.
- David Cameron, The Guardian
David Cameron should act to break down trade barriers with Africa, not just boast of ever-increasing state aid (even citing Band Aid as a reason) which has perpetuated dreadful regimes in that continent. He might also admit, if only to himself, that he was wrong to support Joanna Lumley’s campaign to grant full British residency rights to all retired Nepalese Gurkhas.
- Dominic Lawson, Daily Mail
Kevin Maguire
Two Labour MPs demanding Ed Miliband's head was a picnic compared with the hatred voiced by Tory backbenchers for a snob disliked intensely by so many Conservatives. I've never before come across a party sticking posters among graves and from Friday there will be no shortage of Con MPs prepared to bury Cameron.
- Kevin Maguire, Daily Mirror
The political establishment is quaking with fear. Its cosy cartel is coming to an end, broken by its contempt for the British people and for Britain’s national interests. The public’s deepening disillusion with the mainstream parties will be reflected in the outcome of this Thursday’s crucial by-election in Rochester and Strood, triggered by the defection of former Tory backbencher Mark Reckless to Ukip.
- Leo McKinstrey, Daily Express
The Green Party does not even pretend, as Ukip does, that it is trying to take votes from the two main parties equally. The party's policies are pitched firmly to Labour's left. Its manifesto barely mentions climate change, and has a strong emphasis on opposing "austerity", promising a living wage and an end to tuition fees.
- John Rentoul, The Independent
We're in the mood for looking back, so let's recall those primary school arithmetic problems and apply them to this situation:
If it takes 8,000 volunteers three months to assemble and plant 888,246 poppies, how long will it take a similar number of volunteers to pick them and pack them away ready for cleaning and despatch?
There is no set answer, but you can bet it's not 24 hours. The poppies won't disappear by tomorrow night. The Telegraph suggested last month that it would take a couple of weeks.  In other words, politicians and the Press have delivered to a sentimental public a bonus that it was going to get anyway.
Editor's blog A last post for the poppies      SubScribe  Poppymania
Thursday 25 September Judges for the Editorial Intelligence comment awards announced their shortlists today, with ten nominations for the FT, nine for the Times, five for the Guardian, four for the Independent - and two for SubScribe. 
The Times and Sunday Times scored a clean sweep in nominations for the main award of commentariat of the year, which will be decided between David Aaronovitch, Camilla Cavendish, Daniel Finkelstein and last year's winner Caitlin Moran.
Guardian's Jay Rayner was shortlisted in the food writer category, but said that he did not wish to be considered as that award is sponsored by Tesco. 
The awards will be presented on November 25. 
See the full shortlists here
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Comment digest courtesy of
Editorial Intelligence
Ed Miliband
November 14
Labour and Ed Miliband
November 13
Forex-rigging scandal
November 12
British politics
November 11
The Labour Party
November 10
Ed Miliband
Branson crash




November 7
British politics
November 6
Midterms and UK politics
November 5
British politics
November 4
British politics
November 3
Space tourism
Picture


October 31
British politics
October 30
Immigration
October 29
Immigration
October 28
British politics
October 27
British politics
Picture
October 24
NHS
October 23
British politics
October 22
Ukip
October 21
Britain and EU
October 20
British politics
October 17
Lord Freud
October 16
British politics
October 15
British politics
October 14
British politics
October 13
British politics
Picture


October 10
Isis and UK politics
October 9
British politics
October 8
British politics
October 7
LibDem conference
October 6
British politics
David Cameron





October 3
Party conferences
October 2
Cameron's speech
October 1
Conservative conference
September 30
Conservative conference
September 29
Conservative conference
September 26
War on Isis
September 25
Labour conference
September 24
Miliband's speech
September 23
Labour conference
September 22
Referendum fallout
September 19
Scottish referendum
September 18
Scottish referendum
September 17
Scottish referendum
September 16
Scottish referendum
September 15
Scottish referendum