Manor of his departure sees Adams receive apology from Cameron
The prime minister’s office has issued an apology after false claims by David Cameron at Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday, writes Kevin Meagher.
Kevin Meagher
Kevin is a former head of communications at Advantage West Midlands and public affairs manager for United Utilities PLC. He was also special adviser to Labour Northern Ireland secretary, Shaun Woodward. He is now a freelance communications consultant.
Frontline policing matters more than Romeo enviro-spookery
In the wake of the Mark Kennedy case, Kevin Meagher argues dwindling police resources are better spent on frontline services than undercover “enviro-spookery”.
Businesses “deserve better” than the new Regional Growth Strategy
Tomorrow night sees the deadline for the first round of bidding to the new Regional Growth Fund, writes Kevin Meagher.
Heseltine adds to confusion over Local Enterprise Partnerships
Kevin Meagher examines the confusion over the funding behind local enterprise partnerships amidst further ambiguities in the coalition’s regional policy. Business leaders have criticised the rush to switch from regional development agencies to LEPs.
A new voice for the Irish in Britain
“If you had the luck of the Irish, you’d wish you were English instead” sang John Lennon – a second generation Irishman. When it comes to the public health of the Irish in Britain, he was right. It is well-established that Irish people have poorer health than the White British population as a whole, including lower life expectancy and a host of limiting long-term illnesses; including the highest cancer rates of any ethnic minority group.
Cable: Drive for Local Enterprise Partnerships “Maoist and chaotic”
In what are becoming frequent bursts of candour about the government’s deeply-flawed regional policy, business secretary Vince Cable told the annual dinner of Birmingham’s Lunar Society that his plans to scrap regional development agencies and replace them with local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) have been “a little Maoist and chaotic”.
Minister: Local Enterprise Partnerships lack “a clear focus” on growth
In a searing critique of government policy, business minister Mark Prisk has written to his boss, Vince Cable, warning that the introduction of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) across England to replace the eight regional development agencies has generated “considerable friction” from the business community, running the risk that they “become detached from this policy heralding likely failure [of LEPs] in large parts of England”.
Cable’s folly conceals 80 per cent funding cut to regions
This afternoon the government confirmed the first trickle of successful Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), the bodies designed to replace the eight regional development agencies in England.
War on anti-social behaviour needs more bobbies on the beat
Sir Denis O’Connor, the Chief Inspector of Constabulary, has today delivered a blunt assessment of the fight against the “disease” of anti-social behaviour.
Lib Dem MP’s sudden conversion from loving RDAs to loathing them
Kevin Meagher exposes Lib Dem Gordon Birtwistle’s sudden conversion from fan of Regional Development Agencies to saying they only give “crumbs off the table”.