AV and constituency redrawing bill risks “consitutional car crash”
The Parliamentary Voting System & Constituency Bill caused fresh controversy last night with the threat of an unprecedented House of Lords guillotine motion.
Marcus Roberts
Marcus writes for Left Foot Forward on defence. He is a campaigns consultant and foreign policy analyst. In the 2008 election he was an Obama Volunteer Organiser in Ohio having lost elections on Democratic campaigns in 2000, 2002, 2004, and 2006.
Constituency cull plan could be decoupled from AV referendum
Left Foot Forward understands that there is increasing discussion among peers in the Lords to seperate the two bills to ensure a May date for the AV referendum.
Long term, cablegate will harm intel-sharing and US counter-terror efforts
As bloggers, foreign diplomats and freedom of information evangelists revel in what twitter invariably named #cablegate, concern should also be expressed for the long term consequences of the leak by a disillusioned US military officer.
Cost of Trident delay inevitable result of the compromise of coalition
Defence secretary Liam Fox’s admission that the Trident delay announced in last month’s Strategic Defence & Security Review (SDSR) will cost up to £1.4 billion attracted fresh criticism of the government’s handling of the issue. John Woodcock, the Labour MP for Barrow – where the submarines are built – claimed the coalition was “playing politics with Britain’s national security” by delaying the decision on Trident renewal for five years so as to avoid a Liberal Democrat revolt on the issue.
Strategic Defence Review: Cameron bats away Trident alternatives
David Cameron today launched a Strategic Defence Review he described as “more thoughtful, more strategic and more co-ordinated” than it’s 1998 predecessor.
Coalition sacks brave troops rather than risk anger of defence contractors
The Government’s axe looks like it will fall on the the frontline. It has been announced that there will be a reduction in the number of service men and women in order to save money, whilst continuing with massive defence procurement spending – drawing criticism from the Pentagon and the tabloid press alike.
Coalition needs to work out where it stands on Trident
The call by former defence chiefs Lords Bramall, Beach and Ramsbotham to delay a new Trident programme for at least another 15 years as Britain no longer requires an “all-singing, all-dancing” version as currently planned, raises fresh concerns as to both the strategic value and value to the tax payer of the £97 billion defence procurement programme.
Special expediency
Nine months ago Nick Clegg vowed to remove government special advisers’ salaries from the taxpayers burden. He is now spending £165,000 on his two spads.
Coalition defence plans too vague on Trident & Afghanistan
The coalition may well be set to disappoint those who hoped that a change in government would bring both clarity and commitment to Britain’s defence needs.
Progressive preview of tonight’s defence & foreign policy debate
Tonight’s foreign policy and defence leaders’ debate on Sky News looks set to focus on Trident, Liberal Democrat defence policy and the war in Afghanistan.