Tag Archives: coalition government

A not so straight answer

Posted on March 26, 2014 by ianchisnall

The news that the Government would introduce a Minimum Price for Alcohol was announced in the Daily Telegraph on the 27th December 2011. A year later the Government held a public consultation, based primarily on what level to set as this minimum … Continue reading →

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We need both, not either

Posted on February 22, 2014 by ianchisnall

The news this morning that Princess Ann has been articulating the need for rural development as an alternative to the creation of a new garden city risks presenting us with the idea that there is a false choice for planning … Continue reading →

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Send in the engineers?

Posted on February 20, 2014 by ianchisnall

In the last few days the tension between religious leaders and the Government has peaked over welfare reforms. The immediate catalyst for this was an interview in the Daily Telegraph last week with Archbishop Vincent Nichols in anticipation of his … Continue reading →

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Is it your round Norman?

Posted on February 18, 2014 by ianchisnall

There was a short exchange in Parliament last week regarding the minimum pricing of Alcohol. Jim Shannon MP is a member of the Democratic Unionist Party and the parties health spokesperson. With an eye on the final Queens Speech of … Continue reading →

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An inadequate recall

Posted on February 15, 2014 by ianchisnall

The Government announced this week that it was going to renege on yet another promise. This promise that was written into the coalition agreement was to introduce a Bill in the life of the Government to provide local electors with a mechanism for … Continue reading →

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The Naive Civil Servant?

Posted on February 7, 2014 by ianchisnall

Yesterday in Parliament the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee listened to Lord Gus O’Donnell, the former Cabinet Secretary, on the impact of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 on Government, particularly in the final year of a Parliament. He pointed out that … Continue reading →

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Of-sted with her head

Posted on February 2, 2014 by ianchisnall

The outgoing Chair of Ofsted has some professional experience of education, which is more than can be said for any of the Ministers in the Department for Education who will appoint her successor. According to her Wikipedia entry Baroness Morgan of … Continue reading →

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A small battle has been won

Posted on January 16, 2014 by ianchisnall

I have written on this blog on many occasions about a piece of legislation that is currently in the House of Lords mid way between the Report Stage of the Bill and its Third Reading. The Lobbying Bill (or Transparency … Continue reading →

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By their actions…

Posted on November 8, 2013 by ianchisnall

The work of a constituency MP demands a great deal from one person, who is simultaneously expected to deal with some of the most difficult social issues in the lives of their constituents, appear statesperson-like in the House of Commons, and … Continue reading →

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