Posts Tagged ‘James Watkins’

The week Uncut

17/10/2010, 04:04:00 PM

George and Liam have been fighting again. And it looks like the defence secretary is claiming victory on this one. Other departments are likely to be less lucky as the Chancellor sharpens his knife ready for the spending review on Wednesday.

But this week was all about Ed. He entered the chamber as the young pretender. The media waited for the slick PR machine that is the PM to swat him aside. Ed stood up, a little shaky at first, and then, very slowly but surely he started hitting him. And he didn’t stop.

Yes it was only his first PMQs, and there are plenty of rounds to go, but he did something very important. He gave the Labour benches something to really cheer – for the first time in a long time.  Cameron now knows what he is going to face week in week out. The game has changed – the new boy knows the rules, and can play rough too.

In case you missed them, here are Uncut’s best read pieces of the last seven days:

Dan Hodges interviews Ed Miliband’s consigliere, Peter Hain

Tom Watson promises the new boss that he’ll stop behaving like a child

Siôn Simon gives his verdict on Ed’s first PMQs

Jessica Asato makes the case for the Oxbridge wonks

Pat McFadden offers a sensible review of the Browne report

Anthony Painter kicks off a debate on the role of the state

James Watkins says Labour mustn’t leave the countryside to the Tories

Uncut looks at the new generation front bench

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Labour mustn’t leave the countryside to the Tories, says James Watkins

16/10/2010, 03:30:38 PM

If the economic downturn has told us anything, it is that our economy is unbalanced and at risk. When the City of London  – which pays 11% of all UK tax – takes a dive, then so do the rest of us.

Some Labour MPs say the economy must be strengthened by a shift to manufacturing. But the rural economy can also bring jobs and prosperity to working people.

The rolling countryside may not seem a hotbed of economic activity. But, according to the government’s outgoing “rural advocate”, the English rural economy has the potential to create £236 billion and £347 billion per annum. And while some peoples’ ideas of the countryside may be all about cows, pigs and sheep, the truth is very different.

Newcastle University’s centre for rural economy has found that farming takes up just 2.6% of rural employment. 80% of rural employment is in distribution and retailing, business and financial services, public administration, education, training and health and – finally – manufacturing. (more…)

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