Cameron’s conservative ideal of striving is holding back the big society October 11, 2012 DAVID Cameron’s conference speech this week was supposed to be a defence of conservative values. But by defining the Tories as “the party of the want to be better-off,” he revealed the limit of his ambitions. Striving is all very well. A nation caught on the treadmill of striving might well be the beau ideal [...]
Why bashing the wealthy will not raise tax revenue October 11, 2012 IT’S a curious state of affairs when tax is wielded as a stick with which to beat the affluent. Whether it’s capping tax reliefs, limiting pension contributions or increasing stamp duty to 7 per cent for £2m homes, it is noticeable that the constant stream of new tax measures is no longer about raising revenue, [...]
Was sloppy leadership at BAE to blame for the company’s failed merger with EADS? October 11, 2012 YES David Buik Although the merits of this ambitious merger were always clear, many will not be aware of the technical nuances involved with a deal of this magnitude, such as stock exchange etiquette and share price protection. It seems rather sloppy to me that BAE chairman Dick Olver and chief executive Ian King did [...]
Rapid responses October 11, 2012 Domestic security [Re: Should home owners have the right to use disproportionate force against intruders? Wednesday] The current law provides homeowners with more than enough protection, and genuine mistakes about the need to use force are allowed for. A threat to property cannot outweigh the value of human life, but the burglary situation is different, as [...]
A fascinating, brutal and, in this case, very personal look at a post-Leveson media landscape October 11, 2012 THEATRE ENQUIRY Barbican | *** Being close to the subject of a play doesn’t necessarily make you any better equipped to review it. A soldier may be on first name terms with the horrors of war but that doesn’t always make him the best person to appreciate the artistic merits of Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse [...]
Theatre: Damned by Despair and Scenes from an Execution October 11, 2012 THEATRE DAMNED BY DESPAIR The National Theatre | By Naomi Mdudu ** THE LAST time I saw Oliver award-winning actor Bertie Carvel he was playing Miss Trunchbull in childhood classic, Matilda: The Musical. Last night we were reacquainted as he took to the stage as Enrico, a similarly vile character, in Frank McGuinness’ take on Tirso [...]
Olympiad has the class to defy wide draw in the Cesarewitch October 11, 2012 TOMORROW’S Dubai Future Champions Day at Newmarket promises to showcase some of the best juvenile talent around but, from a punting perspective, it is the long distance stayers that take centre stage in the Betfred Cesarewitch (3.35pm). Even though this marathon test is run over 2m2f, the draw can still play a big part with [...]
Excitement builds ahead of QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot October 11, 2012 THE inaugural QIPCO British Champions Series culminated in glorious fashion last October on British Champions Day and this year’s sell-out edition next weekend promises to be even better. A richly endowed six -ace card featuring five Group contests has attracted a stellar field and worldwide attention. Much of the focus revolves around Sir Henry Cecil’s [...]
Goal thirsty England can enjoy a 7 Up at Wembley October 11, 2012 WITH an international goals-per-game ratio only a little better than Emile Heskey’s seven strikes in 62 appearances for England, it takes San Marino an average of exactly six matches to score. But despite managing to put the ball in an opponent’s net on just 19 occasions in 114 fixtures, the tiny nation can still lay [...]
French champions Toulouse look the value for European glory in competitive Heineken Cup field October 11, 2012 RUGBY’S best northern hemisphere cup competition kicks-off this evening as the strongest sides around battle for the Heineken Cup crown. It’s a grueling seven months and the question on everyone’s mind is whether anyone can stop the formidable Leinster. The defending champions obliterated rivals Ulster in last year’s final 42-14 at Twickenham to bring home [...]
