The Staggers

The New Statesman’s rolling politics blog

Three years have been wasted as infrastructure 'plans' have failed.

How Osborne can avoid more failure on infrastructure

By Will Straw - 25 June 17:29

Three years have been wasted as infrastructure 'plans' have failed to progress to projects. In the Spending Review, the Chancellor has a chance to reverse course.

0 Comments

Ladbrokes pays out £10,000 after Labour MP calls Osborne "Jeffrey"

By George Eaton - 25 June 14:55

After taking bets that Obama's error would be repeated in the Commons, the bookmaker pays out a record amount for a novelty political bet.

1 Comment

The party risks reinforcing the impression that borrowing is always an economic

Why Labour should be wary of attacking Osborne over borrowing

By George Eaton - 25 June 13:34

By repeatedly criticising the Chancellor for missing his deficit targets, the party risks reinforcing the impression that borrowing is always an economic ill.

3 Comments

The benefits these contracts provide come at too high a price.

The forward march of zero-hours contracts must be halted

By Matthew Pennycook - 25 June 12:47

The benefits these contracts provide come at too high a price for the overwhelming majority of those employed on them.

4 Comments

The long era of the cover-up has unravelled.

After the new Lawrence scandal, the Met can't afford to come up empty this time

By Sunder Katwala - 25 June 10:37

The long era of the cover-up has unravelled, for perhaps the last time. Transparency now is crucial to any credible effort to restore trust.

2 Comments

Only a third of married couples will actually gain, it discriminates

Five problems with the Tories' married couple's tax allowance

By George Eaton - 25 June 9:30

Including, only a third of married couples will actually gain, it discriminates against single parents and it reduces work incentives.

3 Comments

The ten must-read comment pieces from this morning's papers.

Morning Call: pick of the papers

By New Statesman - 25 June 7:27

The ten must-read comment pieces from this morning's papers.

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Behind the government's rhetoric, things aren't getting better for working peopl

The Tories are hurting, not helping the working class

By Liam Byrne - 24 June 16:36

Behind the government's rhetoric, things aren't getting better for working people. They’re getting much, much worse.

18 Comments

Why the Tories will have to consider NHS charges after 2015

By George Eaton - 24 June 13:30

With George Osborne determined to avoid further tax rises, patient charges will be the only way to solve the health funding crisis.

10 Comments

If austerity is wrong and counter-productive when the Tories do it.

Miliband's offer of austerity in a red rosette is failing voters

By Mark Serwotka - 24 June 11:44

If austerity is wrong and counter-productive when the Tories do it, it will be wrong and counter-productive whoever does it.

9 Comments

More generous benefits for some will need to be paid for by cuts or tax rises.

Labour promises higher benefits for older people, but who will pay?

By George Eaton - 24 June 9:03

Having pledged to stick to Osborne's spending limits, more generous benefits for some will need to be paid for by cuts or tax rises elsewhere.

10 Comments

Morning Call: pick of the papers

By New Statesman - 24 June 7:22

The ten must-read comment pieces from this morning's papers.

0 Comments

George Osborne. Photograph: Getty Images

George Osborne settles defence budget ahead of Spending Review

By Caroline Crampton - 23 June 10:19

A deal was done between the Chancellor and the Defence Secretary to settle the Ministry of Defence's budget for 2015-16 late on Saturday night.

4 Comments

Morning Call: pick of the papers

By New Statesman - 23 June 8:44

The ten must-read comment pieces from this morning's papers.

0 Comments

Morning Call: pick of the papers

By New Statesman - 22 June 9:20

The ten must-read comment pieces from this morning's papers.

0 Comments

Labour needs to go much further on fiscal responsibility

By Hopi Sen and Anthony Painter - 21 June 16:39

The party should publish a series of potential fiscal rules for discussion and replace the VAT cut with a stimulus based on growth-raising capital investment.

19 Comments

Dropping Trident will lead to a richer, safer Britain

By Nick Brown - 21 June 16:00

Labour should consider the non-renewal of the trident nuclear weapons system as part of its future defence and security policy, writes Nick Brown.

17 Comments

Miliband says councils could be given the power to fine developers.

Labour steals a march on the Tories by vowing to punish land hoarding

By George Eaton - 21 June 14:59

Miliband says councils could be given the power to fine developers who fail to build on sites with planning permission, or to buy the land back.

6 Comments

Bills to privatise the BBC, restore the death penalty, ban the burqa.

Beyond satire: the Tory right's "alternative Queen's Speech"

By George Eaton - 21 June 11:38

Bills to privatise the BBC, restore the death penalty, ban the burqa, leave the EU and introduce Margaret Thatcher Day are among the 40 proposed by Tory MPs.

23 Comments

he UKIP leader, who set up an offshore tax fund on the Isle of Man.

Watch: Nigel Farage denounces tax avoidance in speech last month

By George Eaton - 21 June 9:18

The UKIP leader, who set up an offshore tax fund on the Isle of Man, told the European parliament that tax avoidance was about "the perception of fairness".

4 Comments