(News) CPAC 2013: The old new

(Opinion) Coalition government cabinet reshuffle: why is George Osborne still in office?

While the world is full of things that are beyond comprehension, George Osborne remaining as Chancellor of the Exchequer after the cabinet reshuffle has just joined the ranks. In the government’s recent cabinet reshuffle there has been some strange and expected changes such as the demotion of Ken Clarke (expected) and promotion of Jeremy Hunt to health secretary (strange) but why Prime Minster David Cameron has not thrown George Osborne a break and move him to a position closer to the PM office is very strange given the calls across the political spectrum to bench him or move him out of the treasury.

Perhaps it is because he believes in the programme currently in place at the treasury as he hasn’t failed to move out minsters who don’t agree him on key issues such as Kenneth Clarke and Justine Greening (the latter of which has sparked a major rift within the conservative party[1]) or ministers who have performed poorly such as Andrew Lansley. The fact that George Osborne remains in office reveals not only move to the right in the cabinet[2]   but a preference for loyalty over performance.

While George Osborne did not inherit an economy in great shape, his implementation of trademark conservative policies has done him and the coalition government in general no favours. George Osborne budgets have made large cuts in taxes, housing and education while presiding over Britain’s continuous slide into a double dip recession. However his performance is really the problem so much as his unpopularity with only 34% of the British thinks George Osborne is “doing a good job”[3].

The lack of change in the cabinet reshuffle, at least in positions that are key to the implementation of conservative policies, represents an assertion of a prime minster determined to get rid of the well earned tag of being government of that has only mastered the art of the u-turn. However as a result of this, the government’s main opposition to this assertion in policy will be the conservatives as the government is already receiving criticism for its changes in the cabinet. London Mayor Boris Johnson was quick to denounce the removal of Justine greening from the position of transport secretary due to her opposition to the addition of a third runway at Heathrow describing her as a “first rate Transport Secretary”[4].

In sum, David Cameron may be a conservative prime minster but has revealed his allegiance to his allies amenable to favoured policies rather to efficient and effective governance. While no one in politics expects a politician not to turn to his cronies in a time of need, for it to be done so openly for all to see is what gives reason for criticism. Geroge Osborne is a prime example of this criticism as he has performed poorly and is highly unpopular yet manages to stay in the cabinet despite his strengths is in political rather than economic strategy.   

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[1] H. Siddique, 2012, Heathrow runway row: Cameron flies into storm of Tory criticism, http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/sep/05/heathrow-runway-row-cameron-tory

[2] P. Wintour and N. Watt, 2012,  David Cameron’s right turn in cabinet reshuffle, http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/sep/04/david-cameron-government-reshuffle-cabinet?intcmp=239

[3] P. Kellner, 2012,Budget hurts Tories but doesn’t help Labour,

http://yougov.co.uk/news/2012/03/23/budget-hurts-tories-doesnt-help-labour/

[4] Quoted by P. Wintour and N. Watts, 2012, David Cameron’s right turn in cabinet reshuffle, http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/sep/04/david-cameron-government-reshuffle-cabinet?intcmp=239

(Video) republicans: senate candidate speaks his mind

(Opinion) George Osborne: How Many Enemies Can One Man Have?

"George Osborne has got no business experience. He has never worked outside politics. He is doing surprisingly well for a Chancellor on work experience. But really in a torrid time like this, I think we do need absolutely the best people available."

Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/uk/george-osborne-urged-to-quit-as-gdp-slumps-16189918.html#ixzz21gvzS5zB

With the news Britain's economy contracting  0.7 percent, you'll never see the knives come out for a government minster like this ever again. Everybody from the Lib Dems to the CBI (shock, horror!) have criticized George Osborne's handling of the economy, and even some have calling for his head. 

While the criticism is widespread, it's not exactly unfair. the coalition government have stuck to a hard nosed austerity programme cutting hard and fast on spending in education and health while devising no strategy for growth. Vince Cable was trotted out on Newsnight to give a full-throated defense of Osborne and ended up talking about what the government would do rather than the plans the chancellor of the exchequer has for tackling a sluggish economy.

What is clearly notable is the lack of response from the prime minister or indeed any other conservative as one of their most prominent members is taking a real beating in the press.Even the defense offered by Cable seems strange as Cable clearly would like his job. 

Osborne can kiss goodbye any plans for leadership of the conservative party as polls indicate he is as unpopular as his policies, making him unelectable. Osborne was always a strange pick for the head of Treasury as he is a competent strategist and is a big reason why the conservatives are even in power.

In sum, George Osborne would be well advised to watch his back, sides and front as the knives are out and the wolves are closing in.

(Opinion) Wisdom in unlikely places

Fox news and Washington post contributor Charles Krauthammer may be a staunch conservative and has come up with ideas with regards to foreign policy that would make the hair on your skin stand on end, but has today proved wisdom has no political affiliation. Krauthammer today has cut through the rhetoric and has got to the truth about the Arab Spring: its a transition of one Political idea for another.

While Krauthammer largely points to the danger of the transition of political Islamism for military Pan- Arabism, his points are spot on.  He points out the rather thin liberal base and the popularity of political Islam. this reality is reflected further in the polls as two thirds of Egyptians would like Islam to play a greater role in politics. however, there is a great drop in Egyptians who would like a closer relationship in politics as before the Arab spring, more than 80 percent wanted Islam to play a greater role in politics, which, depending on your viewpoint, represents progress.

Krauthammer notes a potential cause for this demand by citing the military in many countries in the middle east rather brutal suppression of any dissent, especially from political Islamists during 60's onwards. This suppression led to a radical change in tactics from opposition groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood who turned to acts of terror in Egypt to get their message across and led to the Islamic revolution in Iran which still stands strong.

This will  lead to some serious ramifications for the US in their efforts in creating stability in the middle east as they are largely unpopular in countries most affected by the Arab spring as the policy of containment used by the United States during the cold war is largely responsible for the repressive regimes which gave cause for protest in the first place.

(Opinion) Obama healthcare legislation unpopularity-proof

In a age where leaders are more conscientious about polls and public opinion in general it seems strange that unpopular legislation survives media barrages better than its makers. Obama's healthcare has survived everything thrown at it from the liberal wing of the democratic party apathy and the republicans hatred, the american public disapproval and a supreme court decision. There are some good things in the bill such as the banishment of the preexisting condition clause but for the most part it does not really solve the problem of healthcare on America. This is a major win for the Obama Administration as the Whitehouse and congressional democrats would look remarkably weak in an election year.

(Opinion) weak coalition now subject multiple union strikes

While there is very rarely an opportune time in politics to fight a war, to pick fights with key sections of the public sector when your opponents have a solid ten point lead over you in the polls, suffer from a awkward double whammy of suspicion and apathy towards most of your policy initiatives, and are at the center of what is sure to be the most infamous political scandal of the decade, is a very unwise strategy indeed.

The latest group preparing to strike in light of the coalition government targeting their pensions is doctors and GPs, following the police and teachers as the coalition looks set to to be the most unpopular government since the conservative rule post thatcher. With the coalition economic plan based on austerity rather than growth, this has entailed major cuts in the public sector, meaning cuts in pay for workers in the public sector.

the coalition government strategy to justify their position with regard to making large cuts to the public sector is to stress their cost to the taxpayer citing their wage packet in comparison to the private sector, where they know private workers pensions are nothing compared to the public sector, but, the government will never explore why such a deficit exists. Unions in  the private for the most part never survived the purge of the thatcher government that vowed and largely succeeded in breaking the unions thus weakening their bargaining power at the negotiation table.

this policy of weakening unions was largely continued by labor as the labor leadership sought to distance the party from its past, of which the unions are a large part of. Now unions in the private sector, totally defanged,   are now just harmonizer of unpopular company policy as they represent very few workers and have no bargaining power due to a competitive labor market and advancements in the labor process. 

Unions now only have power in the public sector, which makes for a large percentage of their members. workers in this sector are not as disposable but still suffer to large cuts in budgets allocated by the government of the day

however, with a weak coalition government languishing in the polls, Unions see this moment as their chance to put pressure on this government to with a history of backing down major policy initiatives after little pressure from opposing groups. The coalition have no option but wait for unions to come to the table and talk about revisions to their pension cuts proposal

In sum, this government that has made enemies of friends such as the police will show up in the next election as this government has lived up to every stereotype that kept them in the wilderness for more than a decade.