Tag: David Cameron
By pre-announcing his resignation, David Cameron has made himself something of a “lame duck”
David Cameron announced prior to the last General Election that he intended to retire as Prime Minister, using an odd analogy about a breakfast cereal in doing so. Here, Kingsley Purdam, Dave Richards, and Nick Turnbull argue that Cameron has inadvertently created a situation similar to that faced by second term US presidents, that of […]
Granting a free vote on the EU referendum could see Cameron keep the peace within his party
David Cameron has announced that he will grant the members of his cabinet the right to campaign against Britain’s continued EU membership when the question of whether to stay or remain is put to Britain’s voters. Here, Eunice Goes argues that while the decision may not have been an easy one, it could see him […]
The UK’s ‘Brexit’ referendum represents a victory for the forces of populist Euroscepticism
The UK is currently engaged in a renegotiation of the terms of its membership of the European Union, in advance of an ‘in/out’ referendum which will be held at a to-be-determined date at some point in the next two years. Here, Dr. Chris Gifford argues that the very holding of that referendum represents a victory […]
Terrorism does not destroy, provided we restrain our excusable instinct to dive into the false security of a police state
The attacks in Paris have shocked the world, with governments seeking to enhance security measures to prevent such tragic events repeating themselves. Conor Gearty looks at the motives and tactics of terrorist groups, and argues that groups like “Islamic State” ultimately cannot build but only destroy, which is why our civilisation will endure provided we […]
The UK’s renegotiation: What a fair deal between London and its European partners might look like
David Cameron is in the process of renegotiating the terms of the UK’s EU membership ahead of a referendum to be held before the end of 2017. However there remains little clarity on the precise concessions that the UK wishes to secure. Thierry Chopin outlines a proposal for a fair deal between the UK and […]
The Tax Credits dispute illustrates both the need for Lords reform, and why it is unlikely to happen any time soon
The Government is currently in conflict with the House of Lords over reform of Tax Credits, with at one point the possibility of a Lords ‘shutdown’ being inflicted by the Government. Stephen Barber argues that the conflict shows precisely why the Lords needs reform, but also shows why it is unlikely to happen any time […]
The killing of British citizens without democratic oversight raises questions over the government’s use of drones
In August two British citizens were killed by British drones in Syria. The government has managed to avoid tough questions about the precise level of threat posed by the men to UK by conflating the right of an individual to self-defence with a state’s capacity to pre-emptive action. But Humeira Iqtidar writes that it remains […]
Book Review: Islamic State: The Digital Caliphate by Abdel Bari Atwan
Islamic State: The Digital Caliphate provides detailed answers to a number of pressing questions: What exactly is ISIS? Where did it come from? Who is behind it? How does it function? What are the reasons for its success? Daniel Falkiner welcomes the rich description and analysis and finds Abdel Bari Atwan does an admirable job of explaining the ways Islamic […]
Is David Cameron actually seeking to destroy the Lords?
Yesterday’s new peerage appointments attracted almost universal criticism for further adding to the inexorable growth in size of the House of Lords under David Cameron. But could the gradual erosion of the Lords’ reputation actually benefit the government by weakening parliament? Might it even be a deliberate plan? And – given that the Prime Minister […]
Attempts to dissuade potential migrants from coming to the UK are ineffective gimmickry
The UK has been criticised for its anti-humanitarian stance when it comes to the migrants camp in Calais, where conditions are appallingly bad. Defenders of the migrants point to the horrendous conditions from which many of them have fled, yet the Government’s rhetoric has been unfailingly caustic. However, the attempts – fences and security cameras […]
Democratic Audit's core funding is provided by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust. Additional funding is provided by the London School of Economics.