Property prices follow forecast trend

As the Times has reported, the latest figures from Nationwide show a disappointing fall in house prices in the first quarter of 2009 following reports of a possible pickup through other indicators.  In an earlier post,  I published a graph of the Nationwide index showing actual and predicted trends.  The prediction made in my earlier post has proved [...]

DUP Campaign messages are a sham

The opening excahnges of the Euro elections have began.  The DUP’s central message has been plain from the start “Don’t let Sinn Fein top the poll.”   We know how disingenuous this message is but the DUP have repeated it since I recorded it in a previous post.  They have entered this race without a sitting MEP.  [...]

Lady Sylvia Hermon: The UUP leadership must act now

It is now more than 5 months since the Conseravtive and Ulster Unionist link up was agreed – yet still there has been no sign that Lady Sylvia Hermon has made a decision as to whether or not to support her party’s commitment.   As Sir Reg Empey made clear over the weekend, the agreement does [...]

CUs should step up attacks against Sinn Fein’s ideology to better inform NI voters

The reputation of Catriona Ruane as a the Northern Ireland Minister for Education is now so low that it would be hard to land a political blow at her which would bring it down further.  Many attacks upon her inside and outside the Assembly have hit the mark time and again.  The politician who has [...]

Budget 2009: Conservatives tactically right to be quiet (for now) about their economic policy differences with Labour

Following the budget, Matthew Paris of the Times has challenged the Conservatives to be more forthright about their differences with Labour on economic policy than they are at the moment.  Paris’s discussion is partially about tactics and partially about policy.  He has framed the tactical-political issue as follows: “It is said of Mr. Brown that his aim [...]

Budget 2009 – Top rate of income tax raised to 50%

In the budget today, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alastair Darling, announced that the top rate of income tax is to be raised to to 50% It was not my intention to comment on the budget today.   Instead, I was going take about a week for reflection and research and write posts after that time.  That is still my intention.  [...]

A most grim budget that begins the campaign for the next general election.

It is just possible that there will be a budget next year but it would be just before the latest time that there has to be a general election.  In reality, this is the final significant budget of Gordon Brown’s administration.  There will be nothing in the budget to inspire.  We are still in the [...]

Peter Robinson in a desperate struggle to control Sammy Wilson

At the end of last week, the Environment Minister, Sammy Wilson, complained that he was not being treated with enough respect by Westminster.   This followed his refusal to allow Government advertisements which promoted the saving of energy (the Belfast Telegraph reported last Friday).  This follows a wider pattern of paramania and bullying by the DUP.    [...]

Labour reeling under the weight of scandal

Over the weekend, Education Secretary Ed Balls, made it a hat-trick of cabinet ministers who are facing embarassing allegations following an accusation that he “ran” Damien McBride, the man at the centre of  “e-mailgate.”  Mr. Balls denies the allegations. Meanwhile, an investigation into Jacqui Smith’s housing expenses continues while the House of Commons select committee [...]

Jim Nicholson MEP

Jim Nicholson’s profile has now been posted onto the Conservative main website.  I have placed a link to that profile on the sidebar to the left.  It will remain there until after the result of the Elections are declared.  His picture, which I have reproduced here, was taken a few weeks ago.