The commentators                    21-11-14

...on British politics

Ukip has been a good thing for British politics. It has filled a vacuum on the right of British politics because the Conservatives have spent too much time worrying about the centre ground, not the common ground. The party has been chasing centre-left voters under the mistaken apprehension that people on the right would have no other party to vote for apart from the Conservatives.
- Peter Bone, The Guardian
To beat Ukip and retake command of the national political narrative, the mainstream parties have to reconnect with the people and to demonstrate that they share their concerns, are being honest about the problems ahead, and have faith in the common sense of ordinary people. Labour and the Tories have to remember that – to borrow an American phrase – the average man and the average woman is the king and queen of British politics. They are the masters and the successful politician is simply their servant.
- Tim Stanley, Daily Telegraph
Ben Macintyre
In a country run by Ukip, Britain’s most beloved immigrant would have got no farther than the station after which he is named. Instead Paddington Bear, stateless, homeless and without official documents, would probably have been stopped as he got off the train, closely questioned on his skills and background, then deported back to “darkest Peru”. And Britain would be immeasurably poorer as a result.
- Ben Macintyre, The Times
From Ed Miliband down, Labour people increasingly seem inconsistent, incoherent, in dire danger of looking as if they take the electorate for fools, and nasty with it. Already far more people than Labour would like feel repulsed by such behaviour, and what it will surely entail if the party manages to re-enter government.
- John Harris, The Guardian
If the Green Party isn’t allowed into the TV election debates, there should be a compromise, such as its MP, Caroline Lucas, being allowed to present an episode of Top Gear. She could zip through the Lake District, saying: “But while it HANDLES like a DREAM, the new Alfa Romeo 2.3 litre XL Deluxe has just one problem. It’s an UNBELIEVABLY inefficient way to use energy compared to a reasonably priced renationalised rail network.”
- Mark Steel, 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
Cameron at G20
November 20 
British politics
November 19 
British politics
November 18
British politics
November 17
British politics
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