David Cameron – Page 5 – Slugger O'Toole

Cameron’s foreign policy and Chaos Theory

Turgon on April 6, 2011, 3:27 pm

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As the frontlines in Libya have swayed back and forth, just as they did almost seventy years ago, so the advisability of David Cameron’s foreign policy adventure has ebbed and flowed. Before Cameron became Prime Minister, the Conservative Party was markedly cautious about an interventionalist foreign policy and said that their foreign policy would: “promote human rights, economic liberalism and political freedom, with humanitarian intervention when it is necessary and when it can be effective”. When he became Prime Minister …

“it’s something that certainly never happened under the stewardship of Tony Blair or Gordon Brown.”

Pete Baker on March 7, 2011, 8:14 pm

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The visit by the British Labour Party leader, Ed Miliband, to Stormont today may have come as a surprise to the press [and the NI Labour Party… – Ed], but the Northern Ireland First and deputy First Ministers were ready with their latest whinge. Apparently the UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, isn’t prepared to meet them just to listen to their special little pleading. From the breakingnews.ie report Also accusing the coalition British government of backtracking on financial commitments made during the peace …

Conservatives and Unionists abandoned on the road to nowhere

Mick Fealty on February 7, 2011, 12:10 pm

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Let’s start with the good news for the Ulster Unionists. Membership is up. And up by quite a bit for a party that’s not exactly been making all the best kind of headlines. Some estimates put it at about 2k. Which (if they are paying their dues) is not bad at all. The bad news is that the failed tie up with the Conservatives, continues to become ever more thin. Jeff Peel (who has consistently blamed the UUs for never …

Coalition cracks appearing towards the end of a long hard term…

Mick Fealty on December 22, 2010, 11:28 am

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It’s worth reading Danny Kruger’s oped in the FT today if you want to get grips with Cameroonism from the inside out: All that Conservatives hold precious, the virtues of responsibility and independence, the habits of tradition and good order, the inclusive dignity of our institutions, are opposed; the benefit we derive from them is threatened by a league of philistines and profiteers, deluded do-gooders and residual socialists, not to mention the more overt social enemies who desecrate monuments and …

Dodds slamdunks Cameron at PMQs…

Mick Fealty on December 8, 2010, 6:02 pm

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I’m not generally a fan of the mauling match that goes on at Wednesday lunchtime in Westminster, but this is something else… Mark has the detail at Devenport Diaries.. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty

On the Cameron and Clegg revolution…

Mick Fealty on December 1, 2010, 10:14 am

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You get the impression listening to Stormont politicians that Westminster is doing nothing but finding ways to make their lives more difficult… If you read nothing else in the FT this week, try this profile of the new coalition at Westminster. [paywall] This quote from David Laws gives a decent impression of how it is for the cohabitees at least: “The economic liberalism of the Conservative party and the social liberalism of the Liberal Democrats have been convincingly combined. And the …

Sir Reg to become a peer

Pete Baker on November 19, 2010, 3:08 pm

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Not entirely a surprise to hear that the former leader of the UUP, Sir Reg Empey, is to become a peer. Or that he was nominated by the Prime Minister, and Conservative Party leader, David Cameron. The BBC has the full list of new working peers announced today. Pete Baker

“But the Irish aren’t showing much gratitude…”

Pete Baker on August 18, 2010, 12:07 pm

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As iol noted, and RTÉ also reports, Newsweek has named Taoiseach Brian Cowen as one of 10 world leaders [or is it 11? – Ed] who “have managed to win serious respect” – “The Fiscal Taskmaster”, no less. They’ve pushed through austerity packages drastic enough to win the admiration of the international community, raised taxes, and slashed some public salaries by more than 10 percent. But the Irish aren’t showing much gratitude–Cowen’s ratings have plunged to a mere 18 percent, and …

Cowen: No obstacle to Queen Elizabeth II visit

Pete Baker on June 23, 2010, 6:53 pm

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As RTÉ reports [Updates added] The Taoiseach has indicated that Queen Elizabeth II will probably make a state visit to Ireland before the end of next year. Speaking in London after a meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron, Mr Cowen indicated the visit might be before the end of President Mary McAleese’s second term in office at the end of next year. The Taoiseach said that no obstacle now exists to prevent a state visit to Ireland by Britain’s queen …

“I think that at the moment we let them off the hook…”

Pete Baker on June 23, 2010, 5:25 pm

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The BBC notes the Prime Minister’s comments during Question Time in the Commons on the issue of Sinn Féin MPs’ expenses – which we have previously been told is a matter for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA). The comments themselves leave few hostages to fortune. From Hansard [scroll down] Q11. [3692] Dr William McCrea (South Antrim) (DUP): Yesterday, we were told that resolute action was necessary to deal decisively with our country’s debt. Does the Prime Minister believe that …

How David Cameron has shifted the ‘moral economy’…

Mick Fealty on June 17, 2010, 12:36 pm

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Two interesting aspects of Malachi O’Doherty’s latest post on his own blog. One is the soundtrack of the crowds in Derry listening to David Cameron’s broadcast speech from the House of Commons. First there are jeers, and then it gives ways to cheers. And then this, which is actually Malachi’s response to his first commenter: …the moral economy has shifted. No previous prime minister during the peace process has hinted at a willingness to embarrass Martin McGuinness and at the …

The day David Cameron became more than a Tory leader…

Mick Fealty on June 16, 2010, 2:39 pm

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I must confess to having experienced very little surprise at David Cameron’s firm stand and unequivocal performance in the British House of Commons yesterday, other than the degree of dignity with which he carried it off (I see Paul Bew concurs) and the utter silence in the house on all sides as he made his highly detailed speech. Detail which was delivered him by the forensic, PhD nature of Mark Saville’s report. Owen Paterson may have got some of his …

Hearts and Minds: Cameron, Parades and Human Rights…

Mick Fealty on May 20, 2010, 4:59 pm

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By all accounts Eamonn McCann is on classic form (he’s up and down to Belfast all this week as Raytheon comes back to the Law Courts, claiming the new parades legislation breaches our basic human rights. Despite Cameron’s visit o we have any real idea of what’s in store for Northern Ireland from the Coalition? Finance Minister Sammy Wilson is put on the spot. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet …

Phew, what a relief!

Brian Walker on May 20, 2010, 4:21 pm

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So Northern Ireland isn’t to be picked out for drastic cuts after all. On his flying visit the Prime Minister couldn’t have been more reassuring, backed up by his Secretary of State. He said the assembly could defer cuts to the Northern Ireland budget for a year if it wanted to. Secretary of State Owen Paterson said it was not sustainable for Northern Ireland to have more than 70% of its gross domestic product spent on public spending. “What we …

Michael White: “You pay your money and take your choice.”

Pete Baker on May 12, 2010, 11:45 am

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At the Guardian’s Election Blog, Michael White offers a mea culpa and provides a sensible assessment of where we’re at as the dust settles over Downing St. From the G’s Election Blog As I wrote in a piece yesterday, history points to the larger party, especially the predatory Tory party, swallowing up the minnow on its back. That’s where the bookies odds must point: to the Lib Dems being divided, even wrecked, by the strains of coalition in hard times. …

Brown resigns as PM, Cameron to be invited to form government

Pete Baker on May 11, 2010, 7:39 pm

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The BBC report says it all Gordon Brown has announced he is resigning as UK prime minister. Mr Brown is on his way to officially tender his resignation to the Queen, and recommend that Conservative leader David Cameron should succeed him. Adds As the Guardian’s live-blog notes, Brown’s resignation as leader of the Labour Party “will take effect immediately”. And Full resignation statement here Update David Cameron becomes the new UK prime minister. Cameron’s statement on arriving at Downing St. Real …

David Cameron talks to Mallie, with just thirty six hours to go…

Eamonn Mallie on May 4, 2010, 6:10 pm

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Aspiring Prime Minister David Cameron has rubbished a Belfast Telegraph election poll, alleging it was carried out by a lobbying company linked to the Democratic Unionist Party. In a rousing speech to members of Ulster Unionist and Conservative parties David Cameron gallantly boasted of how he braved the elements of nature like young Lochinvar to reach La Mon Hotel for today’s political rally. La Mon Hotel was bombed by the IRA 31 years ago. The Conservative party leader raised the temperature declaring: …

David Cameron comes to Northern Ireland…

Eamonn Mallie on May 4, 2010, 1:00 am

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David Cameron is expected to tell the people of Northern Ireland today they will not have to carry a disproportionate share of financial savings. The aspiring (or according to Peter Robinson last year putative) PM is on a flying visit to Belfast to boost his sister party, the Ulster Unionists. David Cameron angered members of the Democratic Unionist Party last week when he signalled over dependence on the public sector would have to be addressed. This was widely interpreted by political rivals as …

Election 2010: Things I believed in yesterday…

Mick Fealty on April 29, 2010, 3:58 pm

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I picked this up this morning, it’s a Tory leaflet warning people of the big danger of a hung Parliament… 24 hours ago it was a decent pitch. Today, I’m not sure anyone believes Gordon can be PM any more… Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty

An Cúige: Where government spending buys peace, not votes

Gerard Cunningham on April 25, 2010, 2:15 pm

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David Cameron has let the cat out of the bag. Northern Ireland costs too much. Wikipedia puts the cost to the British exchequer at five billion quid in 2006. That’s one fifth of all economic output. Annually. Despite this, the North remains an economic basketcase. By contrast, the Republic benefited from a EU investment in infrastructure of ten billion euro after the Maastricht treaty was signed. That spend is credited with kickstarting a boom lasting close to two decades (though …