cameron

Patriot missive

Submitted by Anthony Zacharzewski on 28 February 2010 - 2:37pm

Ah, patriotism. Lovely, warm, crumpety patriotism. Old maids cycling to communion, England winning the World Cup. Who could possibly being against patriotism?

I could, particularly when it's used in discussions about politics, as David Cameron did this morning.

Here's my problem: using patriotism in politics is at best a meaningless soundbite, and at worst leads down some very dark alleys.

Radical thoughts on planning from Cameron

Submitted by Anthony Zacharzewski on 22 February 2010 - 1:27pm

David Cameron's ideas for reform of the planning system are the most radical piece of localism I've seen proposed in this election campaign so far.

Cameron envisages a switch from a local-authority-led system of plans against which new developments are judged, to a more permissive community-based system. Communities would come together in a participatory process to define a new community plan. Local authorities would then stitch those together into Local Plans, but would lose the right to make individual judgements on any planning application within the scope of the Local Plan.

Mutualism and the public service lottery

Submitted by Anthony Zacharzewski on 16 February 2010 - 8:41pm

Sam McLean at the RSA Participation Project has a thoughtful post on the back of the Conservatives' "small platoons" announcement and a critical article by the Guardian's Alison Benjamin.

Pretending to control interest rates

Submitted by Anthony Zacharzewski on 10 February 2010 - 11:52am

Conservative Home has the highlights of David Cameron's interview with the Express this morning.

One of the points Mr Cameron makes is that he will never allow the UK to join the Euro. He says:

"I was in the Treasury when we were in the Exchange Rate mechanism, and I said to myself: “Never again should we give up control of our domestic interest rates.” If I am Prime Minister and for as long as I would be Prime Minister, I would never take Britain into the euro, full stop, end of story."

This is an odd statement, not because of its dogmatic certainty (he is talking to the Daily Express, after all) but because when Mr Cameron worked for Norman Lamont, the Chancellor did control domestic interest rates. Since interest-rate powers are now with the Bank of England, Prime Minister Cameron will not be able to control them.

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