The Crisis of the Cameron Conservative Project
The Crisis of the Cameron Conservative Project: The Limits of Progressive Conservatism and 'Red Toryism' Gerry Hassan The Scotsman, July 10th 2009 David Cameron has promised a new kind of Conservative politics: compassionate, ‘voting blue, going green’, concerned about poverty and the ‘broken society’. Pivotal to this has been a ferment of ideas in Conservative circles and in particular debates about ‘Progressive Conservatism’ and ‘Red Toryism’. The two strands were brought together, the former a high profile project at Demos, the UK think tank, and the latter, an intellectual excursion by Phillip Blond, theologian and thinker, who headed the
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Holyrood and the Search for Scotland’s Soul
Holyrood and the Search for Scotland’s Soul BBC One Scotland, Sunday 10.20-11.20pm Reviewed in The Scotsman, June 30th 2009 Gerry Hassan ‘Holyrood and the Search for Scotland’s Soul’ was a BBC Scotland special to mark ten years of Scottish devolution and attempt to understand what happened, what it means and reflect on who the Scots are. It certainly had an A-list cast supporting Brian Taylor including Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Alex Salmond, and a chorus line of Henry McLeish, Jack McConnell, Wendy Alexander, George Reid, Michael Forsyth and many more. The opening scenes had Brian Taylor declare
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What Happens When Labour Falls from Power
What Happens When Labour Falls from Power The Scotsman, June 9th 2009 Gerry Hassan Labour is in an historic crisis. It has been pummelled in the council and Euro elections. Gordon Brown’s Premiership hangs on a loose thread. A wider existential crisis now faces Labour about its purpose, who it represents and its future. Labour Government’s have faced huge crises before and faced into the abyss. They have experienced division and fratricide and ultimately been defeated at the polls. In post-war times three Labour Governments have fallen from power, 1951, 1970 and 1979, each of which offer lessons for today.
