Sunday Selection
Our Political Editor, Patrick Sullivan gives you his recommended reads from today's news stories and opinion editorials.
- 1 March 2020
Counterpoint: Blame UK politics not diplomats for EU mess
A former ambassador says it's wrong to blame the FCO for Britain's EU problems. The real blame lies with politicians who can't make up their mind
- 3 August 2013
Double trouble for Britain: UK foreign policy establishment aiming to kill Britain
In a sad way, it's logical, but the out-of-control British Foreign Office now needs to be locked down before it causes more damage
- 28 July 2013
Whitehall backs the break-up of Britain?
Britain is an obsolete concept for numerous diplomats who have risen high primarily by advocating a utopian pan-European order
- 27 July 2013
"Rolls Royce" civil service? Parts of it wouldn't even get an MoT
Sir Humphrey Appleby needs to be held to account. And he needs to start doing what we voted for, not what he thinks is good for us, wrote Douglas Carswell back in 2009
- 14 January 2013
Sir Humphrey rules. It is sad, not funny
The self-serving Whitehall machine is now moving to quash attempts by the elected government to implement a reform for which it has a democratic mandate. This is how our country is run
- 4 January 2013
Tax migration is coming to stay
As we move to a world of tax migration, how will governments manage to raise revenue to pay for all the things that governments currently do? Perhaps they won't
- 18 December 2012
Cecil on a mission creep
Bureaucrats seem intent on mission creep and appear to be targeting growth policies. But if they succeed, what is the point of the politician?
- 14 December 2012
Reshuffle: Time Government went on a diet and cut the fat off departments
It is said, “too many cooks spoil the broth”. The same could be said of Her Majesty’s Cabinet
- 3 September 2012
Sir Humphrey still calling the shots?
Her Majesty's Government appears to be at odds with the Coalition Agreement and pre-election Conservative policy. Perhaps Sir Humphrey can explain why
- 27 July 2012
Trust the market: government underspends mean we can afford tax rebates
Government spending is taxation, and government spending is not the be all and end all of growth promotion.
- 23 July 2012
Government of the mandarins, by the mandarins, for the mandarins
As unelected, permanent officials continue to run the show from Whitehall, Douglas Carswell MP explains why it doesn't have to be this way
- 24 April 2012
Did you know that you're paying for Texans to endorse anthropogenic climate change?
Rick Perry rightly criticises the British Foreign Office for attempting to change Texan minds on climate change
- 5 April 2012
We sceptics or wee sceptics?
Douglas Carswell MP highlights the clear distinction between committed eurosceptics who understand the threat posed by the EU, and those with a less pressing concern: wee sceptics
- 15 November 2011
Lessons from Empire: coordinated leadership is essential in resolving the financial crisis
Kwasi Kwarteng MP argues that in seeking to resolve the financial crisis, valuable lessons can be drawn from the failures of leadership in the British Empire.
- 11 August 2011
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