Steve Richards

Steve Richards: There may be no election for two years, but the Chancellor just launched the campaign

Published: 10 October 2007

Alistair Darling has delivered a pre-Budget report closer in spirit to one of the panic-stricken mini-budgets that punctuated the 1970s. This time the panic was political rather than economic. The Chancellor made announcements aimed at reshaping the political landscape with immediate effect. It was almost as if general election fever was raging still. In one way it was. Mr Darling launched the start of the campaign even if an election is not held until 2009.

Steve Richards: Can Gordon Brown learn from his mistakes?

Published: 09 October 2007

The PM has no choice but to rethink his broader strategy if he wants to remain on the throne

Steve Richards: Talk of an early election has only served to help David Cameron unify his party

Published: 02 October 2007

Even if Brown does not go in autumn, the election story will continue to run and not to Labour’s benefit’

Steve Richards: Brown sails serenely on. But if the Tories behave, they could yet pose a threat to him

Published: 27 September 2007

In Bournemouth the weather changes hour by hour. Last Sunday night there were gale-force winds. Driving rain fell on Tuesday. In between there has been glorious sunshine, a glowing brilliance that makes you tempted to leap into the autumnal sea.

Steve Richards: Brown has distanced himself from Blair and reinvigorated Labour

Published: 25 September 2007

In many ways, he delivered a speech straight out of early New Labour texts, but without the razzmatazz

Steve Richards: No one wants a return to the Seventies, but state intervention need not be stifling

Published: 20 September 2007

So far, the political dimension of the banking crisis is seen through the prism of the opinion polls. Gordon Brown is up. David Cameron is down. It seems the oscillating fortunes of Northern Rock and its nervous savers made the Government more popular rather than less. Labour's current substantial poll lead may or may not be fleeting. No one knows for sure – which is why some of Mr Brown's allies are advising him once more to hold an autumn election while he is ahead.

Steve Richards: A change in leader won't help the Lib Dems... they are entirely at the mercy of events

Published: 18 September 2007

The best result for the party would be a Labour win with a small overall majority

Steve Richards: Don't believe the myth that all the extra money made no difference to the NHS

Published: 13 September 2007

One of the earliest recruits to Gordon Brown's big tent is flapping the sides of the canvas and causing a degree of turbulence. The senior banker, Derek Wanless, was the author of a pivotal report early in Labour's second term that argued for tax increases to pay for improvements in the NHS. Not known as an old Labour socialist, Mr Wanless cleared the way for Mr Brown to put up taxes.

Steve Richards: Tensions may rise, but the Government and the unions still have a lot of common interests

Published: 11 September 2007

Compared with the 1970s and 80s, the mood of this gathering is almost conciliatory

Steve Richards: A televised debate between party leaders would be a disaster for democracy

Published: 06 September 2007

A row erupts once more about whether there should be a televised debate between the party leaders at the next election. This pre-debate debate has a familiar rhythm.

Steve Richards: Gordon Brown has built a big tent. But what happens if the weather turns nasty?

Published: 04 September 2007

Gordon Brown opens the political season by giving an interview to the Daily Telegraph and recruiting two Conservative MPs to his progressive consensus. Soon David Cameron will run out of Tory backbenchers to put on his frontbench. They will be too busy working for Brown.

Steve Richards: What I learned about Gordon Brown while watching stand-up comedy at the Fringe

Published: 30 August 2007

It was late at night while watching a young stand-up comedian at the Edinburgh Festival that I became convinced Gordon Brown should not call an early election this autumn.

Steve Richards: How the bloggers are making politics more febrile, more fun - and more challenging

Published: 02 August 2007

Such frequent engagement makes it harder for leaders to reform or manage their parties

Steve Richards: Forget George Bush and America - the big foreign policy challenge for Brown is Europe

Published: 31 July 2007

President Bush is a diminished figure, limping weakly towards the end of his second term

Steve Richards: David Cameron is not doing badly - but where is his party's hunger for power?

Published: 26 July 2007

Some Tories were condemning his trip to Rwanda before a single raindrop had fallen from British skies

Steve Richards: The perverse orthodoxy that says our politicians are always up to no good

Published: 24 July 2007

A police inquiry should begin on solid ground. But that wasn't the case in cash-for-honours an inquiry that was always on shaky ground

Steve Richards: It's about time Labour made its mind up about private money and public ownership

Published: 19 July 2007

Such is the paucity of debate in this area that Brown has been silent since his famous lecture in 2003

Steve Richards: The reasons why Brown should consider an early election - and why he shouldn't do it

Published: 17 July 2007

He needs more time to show that he means business on issues such as housing and Iraq

Steve Richards: Brown may preach the end of spin, but he's determined to dominate the media agenda

Published: 12 July 2007

He faced a dilemma: how to signal change without alienating the devotees of Tony Blair?

Steve Richards: There's an obsession with Campbell that's out of all proportion to his significance

Published: 10 July 2007

It is time everyone accepted that leaders need figures who will show them in the best possible light

Steve Richards: The Tory right should be patting their leader on the back, not kicking him around

Published: 05 July 2007

David Cameron has presented traditional Conservative policies in a modern setting

Steve Richards: The quiet radicalism of Gordon Brown

Published: 03 July 2007

Perhaps his restraint explains why he became the most misunderstood figure in politics

Steve Richards: Gordon Brown starts off stronger than anyone expected. But he is vulnerable too

Published: 28 June 2007

He acquires the crown when Labour has been in power for more than 10 years - voters are restless

Steve Richards: The PM goes to Brussels not as his own man but as envoy of his successor

Published: 21 June 2007

Unlike other recent events, Blair has approached this gathering from a wilfully misjudged perspective

Steve Richards: Gordon Brown says he wants to return 'power to the people'. But it's not that easy

Published: 19 June 2007

In theory this is all very worthwhile. Who could be against moves to engage with the electorate?

Sep	OCT	Dec
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Steve Richards

Steve Richards: There may be no election for two years, but the Chancellor just launched the campaign

Steve Richards: Can Gordon Brown learn from his mistakes?

Steve Richards: Talk of an early election has only served to help David Cameron unify his party

Steve Richards: Brown sails serenely on. But if the Tories behave, they could yet pose a threat to him

Steve Richards: Brown has distanced himself from Blair and reinvigorated Labour

Steve Richards: No one wants a return to the Seventies, but state intervention need not be stifling

Steve Richards: A change in leader won't help the Lib Dems... they are entirely at the mercy of events

Steve Richards: Don't believe the myth that all the extra money made no difference to the NHS

Steve Richards: Tensions may rise, but the Government and the unions still have a lot of common interests

Steve Richards: A televised debate between party leaders would be a disaster for democracy

Steve Richards: Gordon Brown has built a big tent. But what happens if the weather turns nasty?

Steve Richards: What I learned about Gordon Brown while watching stand-up comedy at the Fringe

Steve Richards: How the bloggers are making politics more febrile, more fun - and more challenging

Steve Richards: Forget George Bush and America - the big foreign policy challenge for Brown is Europe

Steve Richards: David Cameron is not doing badly - but where is his party's hunger for power?

Steve Richards: The perverse orthodoxy that says our politicians are always up to no good

Steve Richards: It's about time Labour made its mind up about private money and public ownership

Steve Richards: The reasons why Brown should consider an early election - and why he shouldn't do it

Steve Richards: Brown may preach the end of spin, but he's determined to dominate the media agenda

Steve Richards: There's an obsession with Campbell that's out of all proportion to his significance

Steve Richards: The Tory right should be patting their leader on the back, not kicking him around

Steve Richards: The quiet radicalism of Gordon Brown

Steve Richards: Gordon Brown starts off stronger than anyone expected. But he is vulnerable too

Steve Richards: The PM goes to Brussels not as his own man but as envoy of his successor

Steve Richards: Gordon Brown says he wants to return 'power to the people'. But it's not that easy

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