Comments on: Ken Clarke will replace Alan Duncan, not George Osborne http://www.lettersfromatory.com/2009/01/08/ken-clarke-will-replace-alan-duncan-not-george-osborne/ Daily views on British politics and the Conservative Party from a centre-right thinker who writes letters on his blog to politicians, journalists and many others. Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:10:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: LibDem in defence of a Conservative minister http://www.lettersfromatory.com/2009/01/08/ken-clarke-will-replace-alan-duncan-not-george-osborne/#comment-5865 LibDem in defence of a Conservative minister Sat, 10 Jan 2009 22:28:35 +0000 http://www.lettersfromatory.com/?p=1799#comment-5865 [...] maybe Duncan isn’t any good at his Shadow Cabinet role. Iain Dale, (hardly a natural fan of Duncan, as he points out) seems to [...]<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('5865','LibDem in defence of a Conservative minister'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('5865','LibDem in defence of a Conservative minister','[...] maybe Duncan isn’t any good at his Shadow Cabinet role. Iain Dale, (hardly a natural fan of Duncan, as he points out) seems to [...]'); return false;">Quote this comment</a></div> [...] maybe Duncan isn’t any good at his Shadow Cabinet role. Iain Dale, (hardly a natural fan of Duncan, as he points out) seems to [...]
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]]> By: LFAT http://www.lettersfromatory.com/2009/01/08/ken-clarke-will-replace-alan-duncan-not-george-osborne/#comment-5827 LFAT Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:09:57 +0000 http://www.lettersfromatory.com/?p=1799#comment-5827 Grayling has kept plugging away with welfare reform and, while he has ended up in a pretty similar place as James Purnell in terms of policy details, Grayling could be the one who actually delivers these plans a few years from now should the Conservatives win the next election.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('5827','LFAT'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('5827','LFAT','Grayling has kept plugging away with welfare reform and, while he has ended up in a pretty similar place as James Purnell in terms of policy details, Grayling could be the one who actually delivers these plans a few years from now should the Conservatives win the next election.'); return false;">Quote this comment</a></div> Grayling has kept plugging away with welfare reform and, while he has ended up in a pretty similar place as James Purnell in terms of policy details, Grayling could be the one who actually delivers these plans a few years from now should the Conservatives win the next election.
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]]> By: The Labour threat and two Tory ** faux pas ** « The Wilted Rose http://www.lettersfromatory.com/2009/01/08/ken-clarke-will-replace-alan-duncan-not-george-osborne/#comment-5824 The Labour threat and two Tory ** faux pas ** « The Wilted Rose Thu, 08 Jan 2009 19:35:53 +0000 http://www.lettersfromatory.com/?p=1799#comment-5824 [...] They bring into the Shadow Cabinet the vilest proponent of europhilia, Ken Clarke.*  Just because Labour has woken Mandelson from [...]<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('5824','The Labour threat and two Tory ** faux pas ** « The Wilted Rose'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('5824','The Labour threat and two Tory ** faux pas ** « The Wilted Rose','[...] They bring into the Shadow Cabinet the vilest proponent of europhilia, Ken Clarke.*  Just because Labour has woken Mandelson from [...]'); return false;">Quote this comment</a></div> [...] They bring into the Shadow Cabinet the vilest proponent of europhilia, Ken Clarke.*  Just because Labour has woken Mandelson from [...]
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]]> By: Darrell http://www.lettersfromatory.com/2009/01/08/ken-clarke-will-replace-alan-duncan-not-george-osborne/#comment-5822 Darrell Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:36:29 +0000 http://www.lettersfromatory.com/?p=1799#comment-5822 I tend to agree more with you than Iain Dale on Alan Duncan and less on Chris Grayling. Since pushing help for specifically small businesses has been a key part of the Conservative rejoinder to the governments economic strategy I really would have expected to see more from Duncan. Dont you agree Grayling was rather cruelly exposed on benefit reform though?? You may argue that was because Cameron obviously decided defeating Labour was strategically more important but still...<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('5822','Darrell'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('5822','Darrell','I tend to agree more with you than Iain Dale on Alan Duncan and less on Chris Grayling. Since pushing help for specifically small businesses has been a key part of the Conservative rejoinder to the governments economic strategy I really would have expected to see more from Duncan.\r\n\r\nDont you agree Grayling was rather cruelly exposed on benefit reform though?? You may argue that was because Cameron obviously decided defeating Labour was strategically more important but still...'); return false;">Quote this comment</a></div> I tend to agree more with you than Iain Dale on Alan Duncan and less on Chris Grayling. Since pushing help for specifically small businesses has been a key part of the Conservative rejoinder to the governments economic strategy I really would have expected to see more from Duncan.

Dont you agree Grayling was rather cruelly exposed on benefit reform though?? You may argue that was because Cameron obviously decided defeating Labour was strategically more important but still…

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]]> By: Shaun Pilkington http://www.lettersfromatory.com/2009/01/08/ken-clarke-will-replace-alan-duncan-not-george-osborne/#comment-5819 Shaun Pilkington Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:08:35 +0000 http://www.lettersfromatory.com/?p=1799#comment-5819 What makes me laugh, rather than weep, over this is that so much has gone wrong with such a shockingly wide range of things that these probably were, relatively, minor and overlooked. Yeah, I'm griping about bus passes but that's me as a self-interested cripple. I should be moaning about the total absence of energy management in terms of gas storage, electricity capacity and power generation. Proportionately, they are small blemishes but in reality they are awfully huge gaps and the only that stops people being aghast is the EVEN LARGE holes in the UKs policy, planning and debate!<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('5819','Shaun Pilkington'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('5819','Shaun Pilkington','What makes me laugh, rather than weep, over this is that so much has gone wrong with such a shockingly wide range of things that these probably were, relatively, minor and overlooked. Yeah, I\'m griping about bus passes but that\'s me as a self-interested cripple. I should be moaning about the total absence of energy management in terms of gas storage, electricity capacity and power generation. Proportionately, they are small blemishes but in reality they are awfully huge gaps and the only that stops people being aghast is the EVEN LARGE holes in the UKs policy, planning and debate!'); return false;">Quote this comment</a></div> What makes me laugh, rather than weep, over this is that so much has gone wrong with such a shockingly wide range of things that these probably were, relatively, minor and overlooked. Yeah, I’m griping about bus passes but that’s me as a self-interested cripple. I should be moaning about the total absence of energy management in terms of gas storage, electricity capacity and power generation. Proportionately, they are small blemishes but in reality they are awfully huge gaps and the only that stops people being aghast is the EVEN LARGE holes in the UKs policy, planning and debate!
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]]> By: LFAT http://www.lettersfromatory.com/2009/01/08/ken-clarke-will-replace-alan-duncan-not-george-osborne/#comment-5818 LFAT Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:46:36 +0000 http://www.lettersfromatory.com/?p=1799#comment-5818 I agree that these have not exactly been 'quiet' issues, making the underperformance of the respective cabinet members even more frustrating from a Conservative Party perspective.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('5818','LFAT'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('5818','LFAT','I agree that these have not exactly been \'quiet\' issues, making the underperformance of the respective cabinet members even more frustrating from a Conservative Party perspective.'); return false;">Quote this comment</a></div> I agree that these have not exactly been ‘quiet’ issues, making the underperformance of the respective cabinet members even more frustrating from a Conservative Party perspective.
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]]> By: Shaun Pilkington http://www.lettersfromatory.com/2009/01/08/ken-clarke-will-replace-alan-duncan-not-george-osborne/#comment-5813 Shaun Pilkington Thu, 08 Jan 2009 15:22:26 +0000 http://www.lettersfromatory.com/?p=1799#comment-5813 <em>Business, Transport and Environment </em> Which is pretty damning when you consider the role of fuel duty escalators, petrol and 'green taxes' in the recent hikes in inflation, the current kerfuffle over the costs of pensioner/cripple bus-passes to LAs and the generally horrific business environment (economic and regulatory!)...<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('5813','Shaun Pilkington'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('5813','Shaun Pilkington','<em>Business, Transport and Environment <\/em>\r\n\r\nWhich is pretty damning when you consider the role of fuel duty escalators, petrol and \'green taxes\' in the recent hikes in inflation, the current kerfuffle over the costs of pensioner\/cripple bus-passes to LAs and the generally horrific business environment (economic and regulatory!)...'); return false;">Quote this comment</a></div> Business, Transport and Environment

Which is pretty damning when you consider the role of fuel duty escalators, petrol and ‘green taxes’ in the recent hikes in inflation, the current kerfuffle over the costs of pensioner/cripple bus-passes to LAs and the generally horrific business environment (economic and regulatory!)…

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]]> By: LFAT http://www.lettersfromatory.com/2009/01/08/ken-clarke-will-replace-alan-duncan-not-george-osborne/#comment-5811 LFAT Thu, 08 Jan 2009 15:16:20 +0000 http://www.lettersfromatory.com/?p=1799#comment-5811 Yes, there is something painfully shallow about all this on the surface but I think Cameron is desperate for policy ideas in the run-up to an election and the fact that this Business, Transport and Environment teams have been pretty much silent is good enough reason to wave them goodbye.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('5811','LFAT'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('5811','LFAT','Yes, there is something painfully shallow about all this on the surface but I think Cameron is desperate for policy ideas in the run-up to an election and the fact that this Business, Transport and Environment teams have been pretty much silent is good enough reason to wave them goodbye.'); return false;">Quote this comment</a></div> Yes, there is something painfully shallow about all this on the surface but I think Cameron is desperate for policy ideas in the run-up to an election and the fact that this Business, Transport and Environment teams have been pretty much silent is good enough reason to wave them goodbye.
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]]> By: Shaun Pilkington http://www.lettersfromatory.com/2009/01/08/ken-clarke-will-replace-alan-duncan-not-george-osborne/#comment-5810 Shaun Pilkington Thu, 08 Jan 2009 15:15:40 +0000 http://www.lettersfromatory.com/?p=1799#comment-5810 I like Alan Duncan on a personal level but Ken inspires my *confidence* which will matter more as its going to be a confidence trick to get folks feeling better and spending again. As for gobbing off and making bold policy pronouncements, especially ideologically driven ones, well I think that's a very poor idea as nobody can have any idea how this crisis will play out meaning that the vast majority of statements/predictions made (and policies dependent thereon) will be proven horribly wrong by events. The trick is to say nothing but create the impression that you're saying something. And for me, that needs to be practical, substantive somethings and not a 'jam tomorrow' kinda something!<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('5810','Shaun Pilkington'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('5810','Shaun Pilkington','I like Alan Duncan on a personal level but Ken inspires my *confidence* which will matter more as its going to be a confidence trick to get folks feeling better and spending again.\r\n\r\nAs for gobbing off and making bold policy pronouncements, especially ideologically driven ones, well I think that\'s a very poor idea as nobody can have any idea how this crisis will play out meaning that the vast majority of statements\/predictions made (and policies dependent thereon) will be proven horribly wrong by events. The trick is to say nothing but create the impression that you\'re saying something. And for me, that needs to be practical, substantive somethings and not a \'jam tomorrow\' kinda something!'); return false;">Quote this comment</a></div> I like Alan Duncan on a personal level but Ken inspires my *confidence* which will matter more as its going to be a confidence trick to get folks feeling better and spending again.

As for gobbing off and making bold policy pronouncements, especially ideologically driven ones, well I think that’s a very poor idea as nobody can have any idea how this crisis will play out meaning that the vast majority of statements/predictions made (and policies dependent thereon) will be proven horribly wrong by events. The trick is to say nothing but create the impression that you’re saying something. And for me, that needs to be practical, substantive somethings and not a ‘jam tomorrow’ kinda something!

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]]> By: patently http://www.lettersfromatory.com/2009/01/08/ken-clarke-will-replace-alan-duncan-not-george-osborne/#comment-5805 patently Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:37:26 +0000 http://www.lettersfromatory.com/?p=1799#comment-5805 BE - you might be right. Alternatively, Cameron et al could be quietly biding their time, avoiding anything that might make them look "extreme" when viewed through the very blinkered eyes of the average Brit - specifically in order to gain power and then let rip. The problem is that, ex hypothesi, you and I will not be able to tell the difference between the two. Not yet, anyway. Personally, I haven't a clue which scenario applies most accurately. The risk that they are indeed as shallow as they seem to be trying to appear is, indeed, depressing.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('5805','patently'); return false;">Reply to this comment</a> - <a href="#" class="quote" onclick="quote('5805','patently','BE - you might be right. \r\n\r\nAlternatively, Cameron et al could be quietly biding their time, avoiding anything that might make them look \"extreme\" when viewed through the very blinkered eyes of the average Brit - specifically in order to gain power and then let rip.\r\n\r\nThe problem is that, ex hypothesi, you and I will not be able to tell the difference between the two. Not yet, anyway.\r\n\r\nPersonally, I haven\'t a clue which scenario applies most accurately. The risk that they are indeed as shallow as they seem to be trying to appear is, indeed, depressing.'); return false;">Quote this comment</a></div> BE – you might be right.

Alternatively, Cameron et al could be quietly biding their time, avoiding anything that might make them look “extreme” when viewed through the very blinkered eyes of the average Brit – specifically in order to gain power and then let rip.

The problem is that, ex hypothesi, you and I will not be able to tell the difference between the two. Not yet, anyway.

Personally, I haven’t a clue which scenario applies most accurately. The risk that they are indeed as shallow as they seem to be trying to appear is, indeed, depressing.

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