Something we can expect a great deal more from the Labour sympathising commentariat between now and the May 2010 General Election, is disingenuous garbage masquerading as “impartial analysis”.  An example is Anatole Kaletsky’s article in The Times today entitled The two faced Tories can’t have it both ways.   Commenting upon the article, Padraig O'Halloran retorted,

“If one were overly-generous, one would say that Anatole is as a political babe-in-the-wood.  He knows full well that Oppositions are supposed to hold governments to account - pointing out the details and truth about policies and the economic status.

 

When the Tories spell out the extent of the economic mess, “they are talking down the economy”. When they spell out their broad policy directions and some policy details, they are not being totally candid, apparently.

With the unlimited bureaucratic resources available, together with the co-opted public servants, from Gus O'Connell down, any incumbent can cause any Opposition a lot of grief - who can argue with all that “impartial” analysis? Yeah, right!

Any Opposition would be totally stupid to spell out the full details of their intentions, then be blown over by shrieks of “unfunded spending, “blackholes”, etc.

Stick to economics, Anatole!”

Whilst largely agreeing with Mr O’Halloran’s reply, I should add that Mr Kaletsky’s views upon economics have oft been found wanting, too.

Reports Richard Norton-Taylor of The Guardian today,

“Joanna Lumley said today that Gurkha supporters had been the victims of smears and lies, after a defence minister publicly apologised for attacking her over the way she conducted the successful campaign to allow all Nepalese veterans of the British army the right to settle in the UK.

 

Kevan Jones, the veterans' minister, said: “I apologise unreservedly for any offence caused to Joanna Lumley … I have the greatest of respect for Joanna for her superb work on Gurkha issues.”

Joanna Lumley is held in great esteem by the British Public and in consequence is strong enough to look after herself, but what of the lawyers involved on behalf of the Gurkhas?  According to Mr  Richard Norton-Taylor,

“[Kevan] Jones was asked by the Commons home affairs committee whether he was aware of “rogue solicitors” involved in Gurkha cases. He replied that he understood an organisation called the Gurkha Army Ex-Servicemen's Organisation (GAESO) had been taking payments of £500 from Gurkha veterans and passing them on to UK solicitor Howe & Co, which was part of the campaign to win settlement rights.

 

The firm’s senior partner, Martin Howe, said Jones’s comments were “extremely defamatory”. “I knew at the time that his words were untrue and should not have been made, but as a result almost a Stasi-like investigation was started into my firm. Within days investigators were in my office, crawling over files, questioning people, asking for documentation.” ”

Anyone who dares to challenge Labour’s distorted version of the truth or exposes its spin on events is smeared, or worse.

Gurkha champion Joanna Lumley attacks 'smears' by minister

“Labour vowed last night to target the shadow chancellor, George Osborne, as the strategic "weak link" in the Conservatives' bid for power.

 

Party sources told the Observer that a decision had been taken to focus on Osborne as the prime target throughout the campaign, because the future stewardship of the economy is the issue that most concerns voters.

 

They said there was "strong evidence" from their own focus groups that people regard Osborne as "shrill, immature and lightweight", and that the Tories are already being harmed in the polls because of doubts about their economic policies.”

 

The Observer

It is going to be a case of smear, smear and smear again.

“It was no coincidence that the Ministry of Justice chose to release details of the highest-paid legal aid barristers and firms at the same time as it unveiled its latest plans for a tendering system for legal aid work.

The unsubtle message is, ‘we’re tightening our grip on what we will shell out on legal aid, and if you want to know why,  just look at how much some of these lawyers are trousering’.

It is ironic, then, that the firms the Ministry of Justice has chosen to spotlight as high earners are following precisely the model that it favours – increasing in size, taking on high volumes of work and operating with maximum efficiency.”

Editorial – Law Society Gazette

“Even now, though, we are gullible. Artificially low interest rates have made people think that things are looking up. The outlook is “brighter” for house prices, we read. As Spring comes at last, people linger longer at the estate agents' window, unaware that the cost of debt servicing is already rising. It may well be right, because of our near-collapse in 2008, not to put up rates yet, but rates held down for too long persuade people to forget risk, which is why we got where we are. It suits Mr Brown to encourage that oblivion. Between now and May, he has to try to make us feel hopeful, when the truth, in exact reversal of the winning slogan of 1997, is that things can only get worse.”

Charles Moore

…as the opinion polls begin to show the Conservative lead widening again.  It is understandable, of course.  It is not the news most of the commentariat want to hear because it drowns a good story about a “hung Parliament” following the General Election in May 2010 and also, given the political sympathies of a significant number of them, it is unwelcome.

Dominic Lawson tells a few home truths about opinion polls results here.

“…Among the ordinary public, meanwhile, many people know little beyond an oft-quoted fact that a mere 6 per cent of reported rapes end in a conviction.  But as a thoughtful government review, published today, points out, constant repetition of this figure – usually for the purpose of indicting an allegedly failing police and criminal justice system – is unhelpful to victims and society alike.  It is a good example of a “fact” that generates more heat than light.

As Baroness Stern's report explains, this low figure refers only to the percentage of complaints received by the police that end in a conviction. About 60 per cent of those actually charged with rape are indeed convicted by the courts. This latter figure radically changes the standard portrayal of a justice system that is routinely failing women and all too often treating the victims as if they had “asked for it”.”

Leader - The Independent

The Stern Review

A guide to injustice: something must be done – anything in fact, to raise rape conviction rates

Professor Jennifer Temkin rides again: devious barristers and ignorant judges

“Mr Brown's act of hypnosis is to make us ignore the facts about what will become of Britain should he be left in charge for much longer: economically relegated, permanently crippled with debt, addicted to public spending and big state interference, reliant on ever higher taxes and ruled by the trade unions.”

Gordon Brown has voters in a trance - it's time for a wake-up call – Benedict Brogan

“We British Muslims, who enjoy full freedom of faith, should remember that Islam obliges us to be good neighbours and respect others. Rather than dismissing objections as either racist or intolerant, we should listen to local opinion. And if the Muslims of Camberley are still determined to build their “traditional” mosque, they should seek an alternative site. More importantly, they should jettison reactionary ideology and adopt a progressive Islam that is part of the British mainstream.”

Taj Hargey