Jonathan Freedland



Profile:
Full name: Jonathan Saul Freedland

Area of interest: UK politics, US politics, the Middle East

Journals/Organisation: The Guardian | The Jewish Chronicle

Email: [mailto:jonathan@jonathanfreedland.com jonathan@jonathanfreedland.com]

Personal website: Jonathan Freedland.com

Website: Guardian.co

Blog: Comment is free...

Representation: Curtis Brown

Networks: https://twitter.com/#!/j_freedland



Biography:
About:

Education: University College School, Hampstead, London; Wadham College, University of Oxford; Laurence Stern Fellowship winner

Career: Started at the Sunday Correspondent, wrote for The Daily Mirror; joined The Guardian: serving as Washington Correspondent, then (from 1997) as a Columnist

Current position/role: commentator


 * also writes/has written for: the Evening Standard; Jewish Chronicle

Other roles/Main role:

Other activities: author (sometimes uses pen-name 'Sam Bourne'); broadcaster

Disclosures:

Viewpoints/Insight: Explains his decision to publish his latest book under an assumed name: What's in a pseudonym? The Guardian, 29th March 2006

Broadcast media: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/people/presenters/jonathan-freedland

Video: Presenter of BBC Radio 4’s contemporary history series The Long View - has also presented BBC Four's The Talk Show and programmes for Channel 4
 * Links to archive broadcast material, Jonathan Freedland.com

Controversy/Criticism: Melanie Phillips.com: Why Jonathan Freedland is wrong 6th April 2007

Awards/Honours: What the Papers Say awards: Columnist of the Year, 2002; 'Bring Home the Revolution' won the Somerset Maugham Award for non-fiction

Scoops:

Other: Son of biographer and journalist, Michael Freedland



Books & Debate:

 * Bring home the revolution: the case for a British republic OCLC 42041756, 1998
 * Jacob's gift : a journey into the heart of belonging OCLC 98258712, 2005 (with David Cesarani)
 * The righteous men OCLC 98258712 - published under the pseudonym Sam Bourne, 2006
 * The last testament - OCLC 85828637 - as Sam Bourne, 2007

Latest work: The final reckoning OCLC227273608 - as Sam Bourne, 2008

Speaking/Appearances:

Debate: 

The Guardian:
Column name:

Remit/Info: UK politics, US politics, the Middle East

Section: comment & debate pages

Role: commentator

Pen-name:

Email: [mailto:freedland@guardian.co.uk freedland@guardian.co.uk]

Website: Guardian.co / Jonathan Freedland

Commissioning editor:

Day published: Wednesday

Regularity: weekly

Column format:

Average length: 1250 words



Articles: 2015

 * Paris attacks: in this debate fear is the factor that dare not speak its name - Whether it's blaming foreign policy, the cartoonists or invoking free speech, we're all searching for ways to cope with our terror - 17th January
 * Charlie Hebdo: first they came for the cartoonists, then they came for the Jews - Of course the Paris killers targeted a kosher supermarket: they're a fascist death cult fighting a dirty little war - 11th January
 * If Clinton wins in 2016, who will dare use 'old woman' as insult? - Making it to the White House will shift prejudices not only in America, but far beyond - 3rd January



Articles: 2014

 * The Pope Francis stardust worked over Cuba. Could it work with Isis and the Taliban? - Francis had a diplomatic triumph this week. If only he could resolve the world’s bloodiest conflicts too - 20th December
 * CIA torture: Homeland and 24 make great TV, but they’re no way to govern - The torture report lays bare what happens when our deepest, darkest urges prevail. The state has to rise above it - 13th December
 * George Osborne may live to regret his rush towards Wigan pier - The chancellor has credibility. But the spectre of 1930s-style cuts may be too much for voters to accept - 6th December
 * Gordon Brown: without winning an election, he has left a legacy greater than Tony Blair's - His predecessor was always seen as the winner, but Brown retires having saved the pound, the global economy and the United Kingdom - 2nd December
 * On Europe, David Cameron is trying to feed a beast that cannot be satisfied - The prime minister stepped back from the brink of a British exit from the EU, but his attempt to assuage fury over immigration is doomed - 29th November
 * The Emily Thornberry affair proves it: US-style culture wars have come to Britain - One reckless tweet shows UK politics is fast becoming a constant battle over identity, just like it is in America - 22nd November
 * Rosetta and Philae: why this space story fills us with so much awe - The comet landing has given us a rare glimpse of the outer limits of human excellence – and restored our faith in progress - 15th November
 * Remembering the wall and the war: a pause to recall an age of extremes - Two peoples fated to clash in two catastrophic wars remember two events which marked the beginning and end of the short, bloody 20th century - 9th November
 * If Labour is stuck with Ed Miliband, here’s a way out - With no obvious successor, Labour’s focus should switch to what five more years of the Tories would look like - 8th November
 * In his anger, Cameron has made Britain a toxic brand - The prime minister rages at the EU’s £1.7bn bill, but his miscalculations have lost Britain vital allies in Europe - 25th October
 * Isis and Ebola: the twin threats that reveal our impotence - In our sense of terror, Islamic State and the virus feed each other. But from airports to airstrikes, the response is glaringly inadequate - 18th October
 * Nigel Farage is the Captain Mainwaring of our time - Ukip's rise, like the return of Dad's Army, suggests a nation still yearning for the days when it stood alone - 11th October
 * Scrapping human rights law is an act of displaced fury - The Tory plan to break with the European court is all about blunting Ukip's bayonets – channelling rage that should be aimed elsewhere - 4th October
 * David Cameron has fired the election starting gun - The prime minister has left Conservatives feeling they hold the advantage after a fortnight of duelling party conferences - 2nd October
 * Ed Miliband: coherent and together – but still not yet looking the part - The Labour leader delivered a clear enough message. The missing element may relate to the messenger himself - 24th September
 * Scotland started a glorious revolution. Don’t let Westminster snuff it out - The movement for devolution must not be reduced to a party political squabble or an anoraks’ debate - 20th September
 * After Scotland votes, keeping Britain in Europe will be a whole lot harder - Whatever the result, Thursday’s referendum has rewritten the political rulebook. What used to work no longer does - 13th September
 * If Britain loses Scotland it will feel like an amputation - I understand the lure of independence, but the prospect fills me with sadness for the country that would be left behind - 6th September
 * Rotherham inquiry: the 'PC gone mad' defence is itself a form of racism - Political correctness is blamed for Rotherham, but that betrays a contempt for those of Pakistani heritage - 30th August
 * This Islamic State nightmare is not a holy war but an unholy mess - It isn’t religious zeal but the collapse of state power that makes the clash in Iraq feel like a return to the dark ages - 9th August
 * Making sense of the magical journey from boy to man - In a world saturated by violence and sensation, true escape comes in Richard Linklater’s affecting film Boyhood - 2nd August
 * Israel’s fears are real, but this Gaza war is utterly self-defeating - Palestinians and Israelis are saddled with leaders who with every move make their people less, not more, secure - 26th July
 * Sifting through the wreckage of MH17, searching for sense amid the horror - In the face of events from Ukraine to Gaza, we want to believe that the world is not a place of uncontrollable catastrophe - 19th July
 * This cycle of vengeance could spark a third intifada - The tit-for-tat killings of Israeli and Palestinian teenagers have raised the prospect of another, even bloodier confrontation - 5th July
 * Gordon Brown is back, and may be the man to save the union - He was reviled after he lost the 2010 election, but the former PM is now reframing the Scottish independence debate - 29th June
 * England's footballers are as confused as England itself - In its values, its borders and even its national anthem, this country is unsure where it stands. And isolation looms - 21st June
 * Why Britain still wants to fight Europe on the beaches - As D-day reminds us, the EU was born out of war, and Britain's heroic view of that conflict shapes its hostile attitude - 7th June
 * London is Ukip's worst nightmare - The local election results highlight how out-of-step London attitudes pose a serious dilemma for Labour and Tories - 24th May
 * Hillary Clinton needs Hollywood: Modern Family proves it - Drama, like satire, can shape politics and alter society. From 24 to Borgen, TV does more than reflect life: it changes it - 17th May
 * Halal meat: animals shouldn't suffer, but we mustn't ostracise minorities - What's at stake in this halal furore is not cruelty to lamb and cows but whether we can live together in a diverse society - 10th May
 * Whatever Gerry Adams' past, peace takes precedence over justice - His arrest in the Jean McConville case could mean a return to violence. As in South Africa, the answer is a painful compromise - 3rd May
 * A no vote in Scotland will be no endorsement of Britain - The campaign against independence has been so relentlessly negative it risks depriving the UK of a moral mandate - 29th March
 * Budget 2014: fluffy little delights unleashed to soften up older voters - The chancellor had his eyes firmly fixed on the 2015 poll – and one section of the electorate in particular - 20th March
 * As the Ukraine debate rages, both sides are getting it wrong - It's possible to condemn Vladimir Putin's invasion – and to believe that Kiev's new government is no place for fascists - 8th March
 * This generational smugness about paedophilia is wrong - Yes, the NCCL's tolerance of PIE in the 1970s is shocking. But while we may be better at shunning child abusers, the abuse itself continues - 1st March
 * Food banks or dignity: is that the choice we offer the hungry? - The rise of food banks in Britain has been met with shock, and denial. But they cannot cope with a national crisis - 22nd February
 * Why it's a good time to be a dictator like Kim Jong-un - Horrors like those detailed in the UN report into North Korea aren't enough to get the world to do something. The response is shock, but then a collective shrug - 18th February
 * These floods are washing away the founding logic of David Cameron's government - By announcing that 'money is no object', the prime minister has performed the last rites on the notion of inevitable austerity - 15th February
 * Ed Miliband has pounced on inequality – a make or break decision - First thoughts: If the Labour leader really thinks inequality is the topic to win him the election, he's taking a risk – but it may be worth it - 11th February
 * If I were a Scot, I might vote yes to independence. As it is, I can only plead with them to stay - Ignored for so long, it's little wonder so many in Scotland are straining to break away. But heaven help us all if they do - 8th February
 * We now trust no one with our data – not even our doctors - The Edward Snowden revelations could prove bad for our health, thwarting a vital NHS scheme to gather clinical information - 31st January
 * Jobbik is proof that it's impossible to close Britain's borders to bigotry - As Hungary's far right party starts campaigning in Britain, it's a sign that free movement of people means free movement of politics - 25th January
 * From Rennard to Rochdale: whose side are you on in this war against femaleness? - Misogyny is endemic: on Twitter, in the Lords, in Peterborough. But the battle for equality is no longer just men v women - 18th January
 * Sex, politics and François Hollande: how France plays by its own rules - First thoughts: Following revelations of an alleged affair, a British or US minister would be told to show contrition, or resign. Not in France – vive la différence - 14th January
 * The Chris Christie scandal proves it: strong leaders are dangerous - The disgrace of New Jersey's Republican governor shows how political strength can fast become bullying – or worse - 11th January
 * Michael Bay's stagefright has done us all a favour - First thoughts: By publicly showing their vulnerability, the likes of Bay, Scott Stossel and Allison Pearson are helping to break wider taboos - 7th January
 * Ariel Sharon's final mission might well have been peace - As one of Israel's founders he had the credibility to give up occupied territory – and even to face the demons of 1948 - 4th January



Articles: 2013

 * Honours should reward achievement, not cronyism - First thoughts: Forget the Downton Abbey flummery – let's honour remarkable citizens who truly deserve it, not entrench the class system - 31st December
 * My home used to be a Christmas-free zone. No longer - You don't have to be a Christian to see the appeal of this season. Jews, Muslims and Hindus are getting in on the act - 21st December
 * The tricky Tory politics of Heathrow - First thoughts: Cameron is hemmed in on both sides over airport expansion. Oh to be China for a day and be rid of this paralysing democracy - 18th December
 * Thanks to David Brent we cannot see the new poor - Maybe it's because white-collar jobs are often the butt of the joke, but we are forgetting too many victims of the downturn - 14th December
 * David Moyes, just like John Major, is destined to fail - First thoughts: Sport is no different from politics. There is a syndrome that means it's all but impossible for one star to follow another - 10th December
 * India shows there can be life beyond the great liberator - Indians call Mandela a true Gandhian. And as South Africa contemplates its future, it could do worse than look to them - 7th December
 * Barack Obama's on a diplomatic roll that shouldn't end with Iran - After the Geneva nuclear deal there is a path to peace in Jerusalem. But it will mean confronting Binyamin Netanyahu - 30th November
 * The Paul Flowers affair confirms it: 2015 will be a dirty election - From the Co-op to Mid Staffs, the Tory smear machine is operating at full throttle – and it won't relent till polling day - 23rd November
 * The selfie's screaming narcissism masks an urge to connect - First thoughts: The Oxford Dictionaries' word of the year, 'selfie' seems to be all about me, me, me. But its social nature reveals a desperate search for an us - 19th November
 * Why even atheists should be praying for Pope Francis - Francis could replace Obama as the pin-up on every liberal and leftist wall. He is now the world's clearest voice for change - 16th November
 * David Dimbleby's tattoo is a sign of things to come - First thoughts: The 75-year-old presenter's scorpion may not prompt a rush of pensioners to get inked. But today's tattooed young will be tomorrow's older people - 12th November
 * Politicians, learn this: people cannot live by bread alone - Russell Brand, Grayson Perry and co are our new priests, plugging a gap the church no longer fills and that our leaders fear to address - 9th November
 * The question that Jeremy Paxman should ask himself - First thoughts: It turns out Paxman shares Russell Brand's disillusion with politicians. But there are unelected people, wielding greater power, who rarely get the rotweiller treatment - 5th November
 * Gordon Brown has one last gift to give the Labour party he loves - Ed Miliband is hobbled by the myth of the mess Labour left behind. His predecessor can explode it, but he must say where he went wrong - 26th October
 * Facebook has got it spectacularly wrong on beheading videos - First thoughts: Facebook is making an editorial judgment in allowing head-chopping yet banning breastfeeding. And it is a very bad one - 22nd October
 * The GCHQ scandal is not about the Guardian. It is an insult to parliament - Instead of shooting the messenger, MPs should be affronted that they have been kept in the dark over activity they are meant to oversee - 19th October
 * England v Poland is a home game for both sides – that's London - First thoughts: The World Cup qualifier in Wembley will attract 18,000 Poles, reinforcing London's credentials as a diverse European city, different from the rest of the UK - 15th October
 * The secret state is just itching to gag the press - Get regulation wrong, and it won't be tales of Cheryl Cole that are censored, but revelations like those of Edward Snowden - 12th October
 * Finally the conspiracy theorists have an inside man - First thoughts: Norman Baker is not the first man to see secret plots in every corner – but he is the first such man to be made the Home Office's no 2 - 8th October
 * Antisemitism doesn't always come doing a Hitler salute - Hatred of Jews is often more coded than explicit, but the Daily Mail's attack on Ralph Miliband pressed all the same old buttons - 5th October
 * In slurring Ed Miliband's father, the Mail offends a British sense of fair play - Even many Daily Mail readers will surely admire, rather than condemn, Miliband for wanting to defend his father's good name - 1st October
 * Ed Miliband's new populism doesn't have to end with energy prices - From banks to railways, even welfare and immigration, Labour can go much further and still keep the public onside - 27th September
 * Ed Miliband stakes out leftwing positions in Brighton speech - Labour leader offered the faithful a policy-packed speech to sell his party – and himself – on the doorstep - 25th September
 * Luckily for Ed Miliband, Labour is not as ruthless as he is - Another good Labour conference speech may boost ratings, but it is the day-to-day combat that will decide who occupies No 10 - 21st September
 * Washington DC shootings: America's gun disease diminishes its soft power - The spate of shootings in the US and the lack of political will to tackle gun control shows the country as a basket case, not a model state - 17th September
 * I'm getting older. So am I becoming more rightwing? - Polls show the old less tolerant of gays and working women. But that doesn't make conservatism an inevitable part of ageing - 14th September
 * Syria: how a gaffe could stop a war - First thoughts: There are practical issues, but John Kerry's suggestion that Syria turn over its chemical weapons could give all the key players what they need - 9th September
 * Enough of playing Hamlet: Obama needs to act now - The indecisive US president has shown that he is as torn as the rest of us over intervention in Syria. But his credibility is at stake - 4th September
 * Joining the struggle against sexism won't make you less of a man - From Twitter rape threats to lads' mags, women are confronting misogyny – but until more men join them, the battle can't be won - 9th August
 * Dangerous dogs legislation – don't mess it up again - First thoughts: The Dangerous Dogs Act was rushed through in 1991. The government's brief consultation risks making the same mistakes - 6th August
 * We can't afford to be cynical about the Israel-Palestinian peace talks - John Kerry has shown the will to get things moving, and even old hands aren't as pessimistic as usual. There's room for hope - 3rd August
 * Arsenal shouldn't embrace Luis Suárez, however desperate we are for success - First thoughts: Eight long years without a trophy has left too many fans willing to turn a blind eye to proven racism - 30th July
 * From the archive: a portrait of Michael Foot, a lesson for Labour - the late former Labour party leader, would have been 100 today. This article was published in the Guardian the day after he resigned on 22 November 1990 - 23rd July
 * This summer Labour cannot rest – or it may lose the battle - As the Tories break up on a hog-fuelled high, Labour is full of woe. Three years on, why is it still on the defensive? - 20th July
 * This poll is bad news for Labour, however you spin it - First thoughts: Labour should be doing much better two years away from an election. Ed Miliband needs to grab the public's attention – and soon - 16th July
 * As G4S 'overcharging' and BBC payouts reveal, life in the UK just isn't fair - If all this were in period costume, a Downton Abbey world of elites, we would be appalled. So why isn't there more outrage? - 13th July
 * Whole-life sentences are preferable to the hangman's noose - First thoughts: Strasbourg has ruled that life shouldn't mean life, but British liberals should be mindful of public support for the death penalty - 9th July
 * How Andy Murray and co banished the ghosts of British sporting failure - The sight of the Scot lifting the Wimbledon trophy prompts the question: has Britain become a nation of winners? - 9th July
 * The failure of this Islamist experiment poses a danger far beyond Egypt - Too many in the Muslim world will now conclude that democracy has no place for them – and will be drawn to violence instead - 6th July
 * When Nelson Mandela goes, the global village will lose its elder - The former South African president is the ultimate example of moral authority, the most precious commodity in politics - 29th June
 * George Osborne master of the game of divisive politics - The chancellor has tried to gloss over a dire financial situation by playing the game he knows best - 26th June
 * From memory to sexuality, the digital age is changing us completely - I once thought the world of the internet would be the same as before, only faster. In fact, it's altering every corner of human life - 22nd June
 * Stuart Hall's sentence is unduly lenient – the judge got it wrong - Yes, he's 83, but Hall has eluded justice for sexually abusing girls for so long – why should his time in jail be reduced? - 18th June
 * Obama is like Apple, Google and Facebook: a once hip brand tainted by Prism - The president and the web giants are disgraced by this scandal. But we made it possible – by becoming informants on ourselves - 8th June
 * Woolwich attack: When killers strike, should we listen to what they say? - Just as Breivik's views on Islam did not deserve a hearing by the right, so the left should not use Woolwich to make its case on foreign policy - 25th May
 * How can the Tories end their family feud with Ukip? - Insulting Nigel Farage won't work, but David Cameron shouldn't impersonate him either. The answer is far subtler - 4th May
 * Religious fundamentalists could hold the key to Middle East peace - Israel's ultra-orthodox parties – so long deemed part of the hawkish right – might just unlock the two-state solution - 27th April
 * Notes on a bombing: five thoughts about Boston - The last 24 hours have felt like an extended episode of Homeland. Amid all the uncertainty, what are we to make of it? - 20th April
 * A funeral designed to elevate Thatcher above politics - The aim was to usher Thatcher into that tiny pantheon of figures deemed fit to stand alongside the monarchy in national esteem - 17th April
 * This lovefest for Margaret Thatcher spells trouble for David Cameron - The prime minister is damned if he's too much like her, and damned if he's not enough. Meanwhile Labour is left unruffled - 13th April
 * Marking Margaret Thatcher's passing: a battle over Britain's present and future - Make no mistake, the politicised argument over how to remember the former prime minister is not about the past - 10th April
 * We still live in the land Maggie built - The coalition is maintaining Thatcher's project of rolling back the frontiers of the state, dismantling the settlement that held from 1945 until it unravelled in the 1970s - 9th April
 * Labour must draw the sting from welfare, or lose in 2015 - Ed Miliband has to defy the skiver talk instead of vainly propping up the status quo or doing the Tories' work for them - 6th April
 * Neglect of the weak was not invented with the National Health Service - The Stafford hospital scandal is far from unprecedented. Dickens and Gladstone would have recognised this human weakness - 30th March
 * David Miliband has made the right move – for David Miliband - Miliband has ended the psychodrama with his brother Ed and taken on a plum job. But it might not be good news for Labour - 28th March
 * After a night at the theatre with the Queen, I worry about our democracy - As our politicians keep on failing, affection grows for those who are unelected. Democracy itself is looking fragile - 23rd March
 * George Osborne's budget speech attempts to pull off a trick of the eye - Chancellor tries not so much to defend record as change subject with some politically transparent headline-grabbers - 21st March
 * You're not a tourist, Obama. Go to Israel with a message - As Netanyahu unveils his new government, the US president should echo Israel's former security chiefs: the occupation must end - 16th March
 * Nick Clegg: from dead man walking to last man standing - He's plagued by scandal and haemorrhaging support, yet the Lib Dem leader may well become Britain's perennial kingmaker - 9th March
 * Eastleigh byelection: the worst thing the Tories can do is catch the Ukip bug - Eastleigh punished Cameron for not finishing his modernisation project. Now Tory voters have somewhere else to go - 2nd March
 * Late in life, I have become a convert to the beautiful game - I was sceptical about a certain strain of middle-class fan, but now I know the thrill of belonging to the football tribe - 23rd February
 * Ed Balls should 'fall on his sword'? What madness - The shadow chancellor is a political powerhouse. For Labour's sake I hope he ignores Anthony Seldon's call for him to quit - 21st February
 * Pope Benedict has to answer for his inaction on child abuse - The pope did too little to deal with sex offenders in the priesthood. He must be held to account – in this life, not the next - 16th February
 * Will Ed Miliband be an Obama or an Hollande? - The Labour party leader faces a choice he's still not made: to keep ambitions modest, or to offer a genuinely radical vision - 9th February
 * Gove U-turn on GCSEs: the moment cabinet's golden boy dropped the ball - Once Gove could look on with disdainful pity at his colleagues' clumsiness. This U-turn will weaken his leadership chances - 7th February
 * Chris Huhne resigns: this is a problem for all parties - A winter of discontent looms, with Lib Dems and Tories fighting for his Eastleigh seat, Labour watching on – and Nigel Farage as wild card - 4th February
 * If the Chinese dragon is so mighty, why is it trembling inside? - Beijing's alleged hacking of the New York Times is a sign of both the regime's huge power – and its fear of a Chinese spring - 2nd February
 * Abraham Lincoln's wisdom shows up our swamp-ridden politics - No wonder the economy is in a mess – our leaders have lost sight of the national interest as they pursue party advantage - 26th January
 * Obama's inauguration day: all that's missing is the Queen's golden coach - Avowedly egalitarian US likes as much pomp and ceremony as it can muster when it proclaims to the world it has chosen - 21st January
 * A load of Thunderballs: James Bond is fiction, not a police instruction manual - A shocking ruling (let's call it the 007 standard) gives undercover police licence to break hearts. It's the hacking of people's lives - 19th January
 * Britain can't pick and choose on Europe – we're either in, or we're out - The EU does need reform but the Eurosceptics' tactics will merely lead to an exit. Labour now has the chance to seize the agenda - 12th January
 * Israel's shift to the right will alienate those it needs most - Ahead of the Israeli elections, ultra-ultra-nationalists are surging in the polls. But diaspora Jews might recoil from their views - 5th January



Articles: 2012

 * This sacred text explains why the US can't kick the gun habit - I don't mock Americans' awe for the constitution. But to see an end to horrors like Newtown, they must make government anew - 22nd December
 * Raise a glass to gay marriage – all our lives are better for it - The journey from section 28 to same-sex weddings has been truly radical and rapid – it can be a model for progressive change - 15th December
 * Census shows a changing of the guard in Britain - What the 2011 figures proved is that the photo-op image of Team GB as a changing nation of many hues is demographic reality - 12th December
 * Osborne's optimism disappears in autumn statement'' - The chancellor's bright-eyed optimism that served as the coalition's defining mission turns to dust in the Commons - 6th December
 * Israel and Palestine's leaders – and cheerleaders – have failed them - Those who support Israel or Palestine as if they were rival football teams do those two peoples a terrible disservice - 23rd November
 * The battle between Israel and Gaza solves nothing - All the violence in Gaza and Israel will do is sow hatred in the hearts of yet another generation - 16th November
 * Now Republicans face the five stages of political grief - Every defeated party has to travel from denial to acceptance. At least in Mitt Romney's case the loss was unequivocal -10th November
 * Barack Obama's odyssey continues - History made as first black US president is re-elected, defying jobless rate and assaults of American right - 8th November
 * US election: Whoever wins on Tuesday, the impact will be profound - It's totally wrong to think there's little difference between Obama and Romney. We should all remember Gore v Bush - 3rd November
 * The BBC's real crime over Jimmy Savile was to act like the Catholic church - Journalism isn't the issue here. It is that the corporation failed in its duty of care to those abused by its employee - 27th October
 * We condemn Israel. So why the silence on Syria? - When Israelis kill Arabs there is outrage. But Assad's brutal campaign has cost 30,000 lives and there've been no protests - 20th October
 * Obama's fightback against Romney leaves both men looking for a knockout - The US president has the momentum but, barring an awful gaffe, it is unlikely the race will be won at the final debate in Florida - 18th October
 * The evil of Jimmy Savile was not his alone - It is a mistake to regard the presenter's horrific case as a one-off. It is a numbingly familiar tale of power and disbelief - 13th October
 * David Cameron's speech shows Ed Miliband has got under his skin - The prime minister's defensive address suggests Tories take the Labour leader more seriously than they did two weeks ago - 11th October
 * Barack Obama and David Cameron are now both on the back foot - After Ed Miliband and Mitt Romney's surprise performances, the incumbents are under intense pressure to hit back soon - 6th October
 * This is the speech Ed Miliband should make next Tuesday - At the Labour party conference, Miliband must lift his eyes from those gathered in the hall and address the whole country - 29th September
 * The real Mitt Romney is intensely relaxed among the filthy rich - Wanting politicians to drop the artifice and tell it to us straight is all very well, but we may not like what we hear - 22nd September
 * The crisis is global, yet our politics remains stubbornly national - Cameron and Osborne must engage with issues beyond our shores if there is to be any hope of fixing our economy - 15th September
 * Ed Miliband could learn from Bill Clinton's masterclass - At the Democratic convention, the ex-president showed how to dive into substantive detail and still connect emotionally with voters - 8th September
 * Think again. In a few months it could be President Romney - Mitt Romney's lack of charm may not matter in this US election. America's economy needs this proven turnaround artist - 1st September
 * Republicans not roused but resigned about Mitt Romney - It's hot and humid at the Republican National Convention, but the party faithful are lukewarm about their presidential nominee - 31st August
 * What Galloway and Akin say about rape says so much more about them - Politicians can maintain the mask when talking about tax. But on matters between men and women, they reveal their true selves - 25th August
 * The 'Goldilocks option' for Scottish independence would be so very British - Independence lite would not be one thing or the other. But it is starting to have appeal for unionists and nationalists alike - 18th August
 * London 2012: we've glimpsed another kind of Britain, so let's fight for it - The Olympics may mark the end of Britain's age of decline. We can now celebrate what we are, not what we used to be - 11th August
 * It's a long shot. But don't bet against Boris Johnson going for gold - He may end up like would-be PMs Portillo or Parkinson. If anyone can pull it off, though, it's magic Johnson - 4th August
 * Britain is an easy date. So how did Mitt Romney mess up so badly? - The Romneyshambles tells us plenty about one man's lack of conviction and the dire state of today's Republican party - 28th July
 * The battle for Syria is a battle for the entire Middle East - If Assad falls, the area will lose a brutal dictator and Iran a pivotal ally. It could mark the end of an entire political culture - 21st July
 * The BBC World Service: a world-class institution that must be preserved - To threaten the Bush House ethos is lunacy. This noble institution can even claim to be a bulwark against tyranny - 14th July
 * Labour has to voice public anger, before it's too late - As pillars of national life like banks and police crumble, our fury needs an outlet. It may well find one beyond conventional politics - 7th July
 * The Barclays scandal is not 'wholly inappropriate'. It's a crime - If the authorities were consistent, they would punish the banks just as severely as they reacted to last year's rioters - 30th June
 * Ed Miliband is right to tackle the toxic immigration debate - It is possible to get a consensus on immigration. With proper borders and worker protections, Britain can keep its door open - 23rd June
 * As the crisis gets bigger, the politicians are getting smaller - The elections in Greece and Egypt will not determine their fate. Power has shifted to the markets, Brussels and beyond - 16th June
 * The Brooks text message to David Cameron – decoded - Talk of country suppers and OE charm makes one cringe. But the killer line puts the nail in the coffin of 'we're all in this together' - 15th June
 * What's typically British now? Tears, tents and no spiders - Future chroniclers will learn far more from Britain in a Day, a new documentary project, than from any official memorabilia - 2nd June
 * Ed Balls has the rare political right to say: I told you so - On the deficit and on the euro, the shadow chancellor has called it correctly on the two most important judgments of recent times - 26th May
 * In death – as in life – my mother was rescued by love - Sara's story is an extraordinary one of loss, survival and, at the end, the remarkable bonds between us all - 19th May
 * Labour is back - Ed Miliband can find much to cheer him in the local election results, but they heap misery on the Liberal Democrats - 5th May
 * Labour must decide – is this government useless or evil? - Team Miliband needs a coherent line of attack in order to capitalise on coalition troubles. It may not be hard to find - 28th April
 * Anders Breivik is a terrorist, so we should treat him like one - We comb over every word from Oslo, but disregard al-Qaida's rants. The lack of consistency speaks volumes - 21st April
 * Labour can take a route to national power through big-city mayors' offices - Winning mayoralties is the party's best chance of power this side of 2015, but it must be wary of a Bradford-style kicking - 7th April
 * George Galloway dented Labour but the Tories still need a detox - David Cameron may feel lucky after the Bradford West result, but the past 10 days have exposed his party as out of touch - 31st March
 * I've backed Ken Livingstone for mayor before, but this time I just can't do it - I agree with Livingstone's manifesto for London, but he shows too hard a heart to the capital's Jewish community - 24th March
 * Budget 2012's sting in the tale: an attack on pensioners - Stinging the elderly is the sort of thing politicians try to avoid. After all, older people do tend to vote - 22nd March
 * Germany, Europe's reluctant Goliath, is hiding its true strength - Germany is saving the eurozone from disaster, but it can't glory in its role. The past means it still fears its own shadow - 17th March
 * In the US the right is eating itself. Cameron, take note - The Republicans are divided along almost every axis. It's something that could still happen to British Conservatives - 10th March
 * Netanyahu and Obama's prickly alliance against Iran - There was less antipathy than at Aipac 2011, but the Israeli PM is maximising his leverage in the US president's re-election year - 7th March
 * From Google downwards, our digital masters must be watched - The wielders of power who scrutinise and log our actions should themselves be held in check, in the same way as our politicians - 3rd March
 * The Lib Dem carcass-to-be isn't ready to give up just yet - The Liberal Democrats know vultures are circling, and Labour must ensure voters who feel betrayed come its way and stay - 25th February
 * Eugenics: the skeleton that rattles loudest in the left's closet - Socialism's one-time interest in eugenics is dismissed as an accident of history. But the truth is far more unpalatable - 18th February
 * Syria is not Iraq. And it is not always wrong to intervene - The 2003 invasion has tainted the idea of liberal interventionism. But the people of Homs should not suffer because of that - 11th February
 * Chris Huhne, David Cameron and the RBS boss don't have it, but Al Gore did - From bonuses to knighthoods, the leaders we put in high office prefer jaw-jutting certainty to thoughtful judgment - 4th February
 * Bash the poor and wave the flag – how this Tory trick works - In a move imported from the US right, the Conservatives have successfully induced people to vote against their own interests - 27th January
 * A Labour U-turn on the economy? Hardly. But nobody is listening - Ed Miliband and Ed Balls's apparent shift over cuts is not a contradiction at all. But in opposition, the argument's hard to win - 21st January
 * This Republican abuse of the system is not the American way - The centuries-old US political system is one to be admired. Yet ironically it's under threat from those who claim to be patriots - 14th January
 * In defence of Britain's tabloid newpapers - This desire to punish the red tops' worst excesses endangers what should be a force for good - 3rd January



Articles: 2011

 * Alex Salmond's spell could swing it for Scottish independence - Scotland's first minister is so dominant that by sheer force of personality he may realise his most cherished political dream - 29th December
 * The story of Jesus is the ultimate political drama - Season of goodwill: I shouldn't be interested in the life of Jesus, but I can't help it – his story makes for gripping entertainment - 24th December
 * The success of The Choir's military wives suggests we're losing our taste for malice TV - No pantomime villain judges. And no losers. In the age of austerity we want shows that lift us up, not put us down - 21st December
 * How Fox News is helping Barack Obama's re-election bid - Because Fox has put off the best Republican candidates, Barack Obama will be much less vulnerable at the election - 14th December
 * Ed Balls is right on the economy – but the public aren't ready for Keynes - As recession bites, the shadow chancellor's economic approach will gain admirers. Political reward will surely follow - 7th December
 * The markets distrust democracy. Just ask the masters of Beijing and Moscow - Why is the democratic world faring so much worse in this crisis than its authoritarian rivals? It's the austerity, stupid - 15th November
 * A Eurosceptic hero alongside sainted Maggie? It's got to be Gordon Brown - The judgments for which Gordon Brown was mocked look rather different now we've seen David Cameron in action - 9th November
 * The heirs of Downton Abbey could be Occupy London's most natural allies - A kind of middle England, Tory anti-capitalism has deep roots in this land. Here's a chance to build a movement beyond St Paul's - 2nd November
 * Gilad Shalit has been brought home to an Israel that has no plan for peace - Binyamin Netanyahu's words ring hollow with Palestinians, whose outward-facing strategy has problems of its own - 26th October
 * In the Premier League the endgame of rampant capitalism is being played out - An unsustainable system where the rich win and the poor go to the wall. We see it in English football – and beyond - 19th October
 * Liam Fox could defend himself no longer - David Cameron's slowness to act has a substantial upside for the PM while Liam Fox and the Tory right now stand smaller - 15th October
 * Sorry is not enough. Fox has to go and, if he won't, Cameron should fire him - The defence secretary's weasel words cannot hide a gross failure of judgment. Resignation is the only decent course - 12th October
 * The Tories are riding high, but Maya the cat has exposed their vulnerability - With attacks on human rights, immigration and the obsession with cuts, each day the party is re-toxifying its brand - 5th October
 * We know that personality counts, and Ed Miliband doesn't have the X-factor - Gordon Brown taught us that policy nuances count for little if the public don't warm to you. This may be Ed Miliband's fate too - 28th September
 * The new Met chief's U-turn is welcome – he had made a gross misjudgment - Demanding Guardian reporters' notebooks was a disgrace. Now the police must pursue the truth about phone hacking - 21st September
 * Britain should say yes to Palestinian statehood – and so should Israel - A no vote at the UN will boost Netanyahu, wound Fatah and discredit the Europeans as useless hypocrites - 14th September
 * Memories are still vivid, but we need to declare the end of the 9/11 era - Mark the September 11 anniversary with care, then stop this lethal thinking and the grave misjudgements it caused - 7th September
 * wait for politicians to oust foreign tyrants? Every one of us can do our bit'' - Governments bomb despots, or do nothing. It is time to explore the alternatives. And that's where you come in ... - 31st August 2011
 * we realised our leaders can no longer protect us'' - The financial crisis, phone hacking and now riots. Where once we may have felt rage, now we can feel only impotence - 10th August
 * hearings: The best political thriller of our times'' - This is not yet Watergate, but intrigue swirls ever tighter around Rupert Murdoch and the Met, inching closer to David Cameron - 20th July
 * hacking fallout: ten days that shook Britain'' - A very British revolution has reined in Rupert Murdoch's mighty media empire and given politicians the courage to stand up to him – but will it last? - 16th July
 * and AV referendum produce a moment of clarity'' - Alex Salmond stands tallest, closely followed by David Cameron with Nick Clegg far behind. Personalities matter, more than ever - 7th May
 * rivals now look like Lilliputians to his Gulliver'' - He has proved himself the decisive, macho leader Americans crave. And the timing is perfect for his Afghanistan plans - 3rd May
 * a crucial 'baby step' if we are to break Britain's electoral reform taboo'' - It's hard to get excited about such a small tweak to the system but a vote for the alternative vote could lead to more far-reaching changes - 27th April
 * and Palestine don't need more friends – but the peace process does'' - Roleplaying PLO negotiator Saeb Erekat made me see how easily one slips from problem-solving to point-scoring - 20th April
 * pendulum will swing from Tory axe to Labour spending. But how fast?'' - Voters accept the old story that Labour wrecks the economy, and Tories destroy society. The coalition may do both - 13th April
 * the Goldstone report into Sri Lanka, Congo, Darfur – or Britain?'' - The Arab spring proves that Israel is not even the biggest issue in the Middle East – yet it gets all the attention - 6th April
 * avoided a Libyan Srebrenica, so when is the bombing going to stop?'' - When there was a clear and present danger, intervention was the right thing to do. But the threat is receding - 30th March
 * the risks are very real, the case for intervention remains strong'' - Not to respond to Gaddafi's chilling threats would leave us morally culpable, but action in Libya is fraught with danger - 23rd March
 * incompetence so early is tricky. But the Tories have pulled it off'' - Whether it's sell-offs, school repairs or desert rescue, Cameron and co's ability to bungle is proving second to none - 9th March
 * dictators, Britain does red carpet or carpet-bombing'' - The hypocrisy writ large in relations with Gaddafi owes much to our arms trade. But others profited from the diplomatic thaw - 2nd March
 * owe the internet for changing the world. Now let's learn how to turn off'' - Twitter can help bring down Middle Eastern dictators – but being forever online disrupts our lives for the worse - 23rd February
 * David Cameron's forests U-turn, timing may be all'' - Government blunders that come early in a term are often forgiven, but how did the sell-off policy ever come into being? - 18th February
 * better way to push democracy, but the west's love-bombing has risks too'' - The pressing question is what those outside the Middle East can do if they want to see reform spread across the region - 16th February
 * Conservatives were the designated defenders of tradition. Until now'' - Attacks on woodland, the World Service and British heritage will leave voters outraged. Labour must not miss this chance - 9th February
 * Egypt shakes, it should be no surprise that Israel trembles'' - Given the region's history, Israelis are bound to fear democracy in the Arab world. But that alone can bring real peace - 2nd February
 * Palestine papers have broken a taboo. Now the arguments for peace can be open'' - The papers show how much ground Palestinian negotiators were willing to concede. This isn't craven. It's admirable - 26th January
 * papers: Now we know. Israel had a peace partner'' - The classified documents show Palestinians willing to go to extreme lengths and Israel holding a firm line on any peace deal - 24th January
 * Chilcot inquiry's moment of astonishing emotional intensity'' - Blair was the star witness, but the families of those killed in Iraq were in no mood to be convinced by his answers - 22nd January Iraq war inquiry
 * Johnson's resignation offers plenty for Labour worriers'' - The departure of one of its few greybeards is a shock for the party although there will be relief it was not for political reasons - 21st January
 * King's Speech lays bare the sheer scale of the republican challenge'' - The film confirms that the war is now our nation's creation myth – and the Queen our only living connection to it - 19th January
 * Obama's Tucson speech rose to the moment and transcended it'' - Obama spoke more like a pastor than a politician, carving out a moment of calm amid the toxic rhetoric - 14th January
 * Palin's presidential hopes surely can't survive this assassin's bullet'' - She didn't pull the trigger, and she's not the first to use the language of combat. But the Alaskan's career will certainly suffer - 12th January



Articles: 2010

 * apart musically, Fela Kuti and Lennon both radicalised a generation'' - No governments are shaken by Snow Patrol; the FBI has no interest in Gary Barlow. Where are today's political popstars? - 1st December
 * keeps his head while all around him lose theirs. But it's not enough'' - No matter how admirable serenity may be, Miliband must get on with the job of opposition – starting with a critique of the cuts - 24th November
 * William and Kate Middleton: A royal wedding in the age of austerity'' - It's easy to mock the hysteria of a royal wedding, but state occasions help reveal what kind of country we are - 17th November
 * cuts to legal aid are closing the law to all but those with money'' - Equal access to the law is being restricted by the coalition's deficit-cutting mania, and Labour must resolutely oppose this - 17th November
 * bid to rehabilitate Bush must be defeated: he left a trail of destruction'' - The former president's memoir may seem to be all about the past, but it is most emphatically about America's present - 10th November
 * elections: Whatever happens, Obama needs to co-opt Republicans to stay the course'' - The president has lost sight of his post-partisan message. He should check the Bill Clinton playbook to show he can get results - 3rd November
 * to Obama for sticking with the Middle East. But it's gone very wrong'' - A whiff of desperation is evident in US attempts to push Israeli-Palestinian talks. The president must start changing course - 27th October
 * will escape public wrath if Labour lets him win the blame game'' - The myth needs nailing that Brown, not bankers, caused our economic woes. Then the case against cuts can be made- 20th October
 * Cameron's pay-as-you-go state, a degree is about earning, not learning'' - Higher education was once seen as a social good – now its worth is measured in how it boosts future salary - 13th October
 * problem with David Cameron's 'big society' is that the Tories don't buy it'' - David Cameron's attempt to shift responsibility from state to citizen was too abstract for an underwhelmed Tory audience - 7th October
 * left Downing Street years ago, but his ghost haunts all our politics'' - If the child benefit cut is a calculated attempt to provoke the Tory base, then it comes straight from Tony's playbook - 6th October
 * Miliband has left frontline politics – but for how long?'' - David Miliband is not so much making an exit from frontline politics as taking a break - 30th September
 * Miliband's speech consigns some (not all) of New Labour to the bin'' - Into the dustbin went some signature New Labour deeds, from the Iraq war to a deregulated City, from tuition fees to a tin ear on immigration - 29th September
 * Miliband won because he was neither Blair nor Brown'' - Labour's 18th leader won by a razor-thin margin because he emerged unscathed from the party's past battles - 26th September
 * Manchester Labour's new leader must respect the lessons of Liverpool'' - Mocking Lib Dems will bring easy laughs – and suits Cameron. The Tories are the real enemy, cuts the real battleground - 22nd September
 * see why 'double genocide' is a term Lithuanians want. But it appals me'' - To equate Soviet and Nazi crimes is dishonest and historically false. Why has this poisonous idea taken such deep root? - 15th September
 * economy kept afloat by mafia cash is not just the stuff of Le Carré thrillers'' - Until we find the political will, the establishment will be happy to ignore the dirty crimes behind today's dazzling fortunes - 8th September
 * Blair's memoirs: verdict'' - What he learned in Northern Ireland about peacemaking - 1st September
 * needs the credibility of David and the freshness of Ed'' - The Milibands' fight has highlighted their flaws but left many in the party asking: why can't we have the best of both? - 1st September
 * days of the coalition government'' - David Cameron and Nick Clegg have reached their first big milestone in power. How are they doing? And, perhaps more crucially, how will they look after 100 weeks? - 18th August
 * beat Boris in London, Labour must bide its time'' - Choosing the mayoral candidate now is premature. Given longer, someone better than Ken or Oona might emerge - 4th August
 * Israeli right has a new vision – Jews and Arabs sharing one country'' - The one-state solution, once associated with extremists and dreamers, is finding new support in unlikely quarters - 28th July
 * a good idea in Cameron's 'big society' screaming to get out'' - Labour must seize this flawed initiative from the Tories, reclaim its Labour origins and then set about improving it - 20th July
 * two-faced coalition is hard to fight but Labour needs to find a way, quick'' - The opposition can best do its job by getting over the Blair-Brown rift – and nailing Tory claims that it caused the current crisis - 14th July
 * has never lacked enemies but now it risks losing its friends'' - Netanyahu went into his meeting with Obama believing he has time on his side. But he's wrong: the clock is ticking - 7th July
 * should lay off the Lib Dem bashing'' - Campaigning against AV would look like knee-jerk oppositionism. Labour should focus its attacks on the Tories instead - 3rd July
 * know Rwanda is the story that matters. Yet still we turn to Rooney'' - Faced with depictions of horror abroad, the urge too often is to switch off. But perhaps these stories are not so foreign after all - 30th June
 * Sunday: Saville missed the chance of deeper healing – seeing killers admit the truth'' - Belfast legal authorities now must try to balance priorities of peace and justice. That dilemma could have been avoided - 16th June (Bloody Sunday: summary)
 * the outrage over The Killer Inside Me? Domestic violence really is brutal'' - Michael Winterbottom has made a moral film, not a misogynistic one - 9th June
 * Cameron, for Clegg, and for leaderless Labour, the opening chapter is crucial'' - The long shadows of 1997 offer lessons for both the government's first steps and Labour's leadership race - 19th May
 * Cameron's clause IV moment – a bid to seize centre ground permanently'' - How, runs the logic, could anyone dispute the liberal credentials of the new prime minister now? - 13th May
 * a fraught Tory-Lib Dem era begins, Labour must renew itself once more'' - Cameron has limped into No 10 and Clegg may pay heavily. Recast as truly progressive, Labour can forge itself a bright future - 12th May (Cif at the polls)
 * much for the sandal-waving uprising over a Con-Lib pact'' - Many still believe, against the evidence, that the Lib Dem faithful won't stomach Nick Clegg dealing with the Tories - 11th May
 * Clegg gets an invitation to dance in the dark with Labour'' - The trouble for Nick Clegg is that he has no idea over who his dance partner could be - 11th May
 * Brown waits for Birnam Wood to advance on No 10'' - Gordon Brown's fate has been to resemble not just one but several Shakespearean tragic heroes - 10th May
 * 1983? I warn you that a Cameron victory will be just as bad'' - I would like to make a positive case for Labour, but the hour is late, and now it is Neil Kinnock's famous words that stir me - 5th May
 * Brown's barnstorming Citizens UK speech: what took so long?'' - Brown should have been delivering this kind of pitch everywhere - 4th May
 * debate: barring an earthquake, David Cameron is on his way to No 10'' - Brown was solid, of course, but most of the time he spoke a technocratic language that most Britons simply don't speak - 30th April
 * left-leaning voter's paradox: for a radical change, go the same old way'' - Our electoral system's insane reality is that Lib Dem dreams will depend on the Labour party still doing well at the polls - 28th April
 * 2010: Lib Dems get their moment in the sun'' - The overnight: While Nick Clegg's party enjoyed the spotlight, his rivals had a chance to prepare for today's important debate - 15th April
 * election shouldn't be close. That it is shows up Cameron'' - By April 1997 Tony Blair's Labour had dispelled any haze of uncertainty. The same cannot be said of the Tories in April 2010 - 7th April
 * slapped America – and may have jolted Obama awake'' - The row over Joe Biden's visit gives Washington the chance to dispense with endless talks about talks and push for real peace- 17th March
 * Innocent smoothies of politics are still the party of the rich'' - The green, matey, ethical stuff went down well for a while. But the new Tory brand can't survive many more ugly revelations - 10th March
 * BBC is caving in to a Tory media policy dictated by Rupert Murdoch'' - Mark Thompson is jumping from the second storey because he fears a new government may throw him from the roof - 3rd March (see: BBC: summary)
 * minister wanted for Britain – only superheroes need apply'' - Huge responsibility and unprecedented scrutiny have put the role of British prime minister beyond any mere mortal - 24th February
 * about Brown are damaging, but they hold no surprises for voters'' - If anybody in Labour's upper reaches says they don't care about the revelations serialised in the Observer, they're fibbing - 22nd February
 * may not trust Netanyahu yet. But they would do well to test him'' - Allies of the Israeli prime minister insist that he is ready to talk peace. If his bluff is called, he'll be forced to do just that - 9th February
 * wobbles and weaves – but the media barely lays a glove on him'' - Strings of U-turns and revelations put the Tory leader's judgment in doubt. Tough questions aren't yet being asked - 3rd February
 * change we need now is a rougher, more radical Barack Obama'' - A soaring speech will be futile if the US president aims to court the centre. He must instead lay out a series of bold new moves - 27th January
 * is right to testify on Iraq'' - The political rewards of appearing in front of Chilcot are manifest. But there are risks, too, of inconvenient revelations - 22nd January
 * election of a lifetime: maybe not. But the stakes are too high to tune out'' - If Britain's contestants are no Obama or Palin, the ideological divide is real. This election shouldn't be won on flimsy grounds - 20th January
 * may be a true believer, but Iraq has poisoned our faith in politics'' - Today's corrosive sense of powerlessness was born in the spin doctor's dossier. At Chilcot or not, we need a reckoning - 13th January
 * by one, Downing Street defused all the bombs'' - While the rest of the country tried to clear the snow, the Labour tribe was discovering whether it had ice in its heart - 7th January
 * is more than cowardice that stands between Labour and regicide'' - With no clear challenger and no ideological drive to oust Brown, seasonal rumours of a coup are likely to remain just that - 6th January



Articles: 2009

 * perfect gift? How about an end to loneliness – and not just at Christmas'' - A remarkable experiment is getting people visiting one another again, and its radical lessons could boost public services - 23rd December
 * is not saviour of the world. He's still an American president'' - The reality is that this man must represent the contradictory interests of a country still way behind on climate change - 16th December
 * debt, excess and exploitation is not Dubai's alone. We've all been at it'' - The glitzy Gulf state is a modern parable for a world living on tick. How much better the wealth could have been spent - 2nd December
 * Swiss ban makes me shudder'' - I can't help imagining how I would feel if the attitudes reflected in the minaret vote were directed at my own community - 1st December
 * crown Cameron just yet. There's one way Labour could still trip him up'' - Brown's political obituary is written. The new PM waits in the wings. But – don't laugh – some see cracks in that crystal ball - 18th November
 * coffins will keep coming until we conquer our amnesia on Afghanistan'' - Barack Obama is about to make his most crucial military decision. He should remember what took us to war in the first place - 11th November
 * critics a Con job'' - Those who have attacked David Miliband for criticising Kaminski do not represent the Jewish community – they're partisan Tories - 10th November
 * year of vitriol and rebuff at home, deadlock abroad. Not a bad start at all'' - Obama's victory speech at Grant Park may seem a distant mirage. But for all the failings, the president can point to real progress - 4th November
 * angst, Disney style'' - Far from being cynical marketing exercises, animations like Up go where others fear to tread - 24th October
 * knew the day of Holocaust 'debate' would come. Just not in my lifetime'' - Why is it left to the US to confront the Tories on an alliance with those who distort historical truth and defend Nazi collaborators? - 21st October
 * bonds of trust have frayed away. Now masochism is the best strategy'' - The expenses row has left MPs in public contempt. That's why Conservatives think the way forward is to propose the unpopular - 14th October
 * draped himself in blue: now Cameron clothes himself in red'' - Many Guardian readers would have found themselves undergoing a new experience: nodding along at regular intervals to a speech by a Tory leader - 9th October
 * no self-respecting politician would have gone near people such as Kaminski'' - Conference season 09: There is plenty of ground to attack Cameron on, a man aligned with those who excuse or celebrate history's darkest events - 7th October
 * of these media hyenas'' - Politicians should expect press scrutiny and tough questions. But this sledging of Gordon Brown is ugly and undemocratic - 30th September
 * NHS is a collective endeavour'' - A new public services: Some like to describe the NHS as a government-run insurance scheme. But that hardly captures the essence of a public service - 30th September
 * age of New Labour is over. The only question is what will survive'' - Gordon Brown yesterday ditched many of the old doctrines. But the party still can't decide what worked and what failed - 30th September
 * may have lost some face in the Middle East, but don't write him off yet'' - The Bibi-Abbas photo-op said it all. If the US president is to turn things around, he'll need to press the reset button - 23rd September
 * Obama can't defeat the Republican headbangers, our planet is doomed'' - One year on, the world still looks to the US and holds its breath. The fate of a global climate treaty rests in American hands - 16th September
 * the great argument of 2010, the Tories are wrong and deserve to lose'' - Talk of an age of austerity has offered Cameron the pretext to retreat to his party's comfort zone of slash and burn - 9th September
 * support shows we still love Auntie'' - The Guardian/ICM poll shows the BBC is admired and trusted, although there is work to be done on the licence fee question - 5th September
 * let Murdoch smash this jewel. The BBC must act to save itself'' - Rupert's son is bent on continuing the war his father started. But he'll find Auntie matches the NHS in public affections - 2nd September
 * plans come and go. Obama may have to try a wholly new approach'' - Unless talks address the core, existential issues of 1948, optimism about a new Middle East effort is likely to fade fast - 26th August
 * just howl with rage. Try an idea that does away with banks altogether'' - If our leaders won't curb bankers' megabucks, an old progressive scheme updated for the web era could bypass their greed - 19th August (See: Zopa)
 * never understood people's fixation with cricket. Now I've joined them'' - Sport gives the catharsis, pain-free drama, clarity and resolution that the world outside cannot. And nobody gets hurt - 12th August
 * the one about a rabbi, an imam and a priest, who walk into a bank?'' - A rare alliance of faith leaders today will deliver an overdue message to the City, reviving an idea as old as money itself - 22nd July
 * Obama, a voice from within'' - The solidarity and home truths in Obama's speech to the NAACP shows his potential to achieve what his predecessors could not - 17th July
 * may be flawed and weak. But he's no Nixon – or even Blair'' - For all the venom aimed at the PM, he is guilty of little compared to other leaders – no Watergate, Vietnam, nor even Iraq - 8th July
 * we have seen Iran's human face, a military attack is unthinkable'' - Once cast as part of the 'axis of evil', Iranians have shown they are real people, not collateral damage in waiting - 1st July
 * a global howl of outrage, we have returned to business as usual'' - The nation watches and either feels its veins bulge with rage or shrugs with resignation, despairing at society's inability to change - 24th June
 * events in Iran and Israel have set a critical test of Obama's resolve'' - One weekend has seen the Middle Eastern landscape transformed – and the US president's critics are already circling - 16th June
 * Brown can sigh with relief'' - Though it may not last, the prime minister is finally back on the terrain he likes best – the issue of spending plans - 12th June
 * cannot be done through theatre. Action is the only solution'' - To win back the voters of the broken heartlands, Labour must remind the public what it's for. But I fear it won't be enough - 10th June
 * Brown lives to limp on, but no one pretends the threat is gone'' - The plot to replace Brown lacked two essentials: an alternative candidate and an alternative programme - 9th June
 * and plotted-against are both weak'' - The prime minister staggers like a wounded, exhausted bull, multiple knives in his flesh - 6th June
 * Obama in Cairo: the speech no other president could make'' - President demonstrates trademark eloquence and an ambition to bridge divide between Islam and the west - 5th June
 * Green tomorrow but beware of getting rid of Gordon today'' - A coup d'etat, a Johnson coronation, an early election – all the options for saving Labour are now fraught with risk - 3rd June
 * the second chamber'' - A new politics: At present, people have no say over half the legislature that governs their affairs. The time for putting off reform is over - 20th May
 * Speaker exits with revolution in the air. I say, bring it on'' - The great expenses fraud is a symptom of a larger disease. We need a new constitution, with the people as sovereign - 20th May
 * is doomed if Obama is merely a cleverer version of Bush'' - At next week's US-Israel summit, a change in mood music will not be enough. A radical shift in strategy is needed - 13th May
 * abuses make deselection the natural choice'' - As UK politics is embroiled in borderline malfeasance, we could learn from how the US cleansed itself of corrupt politicians - 12th May
 * spineless MPs should stop blaming Brown and show some fight'' - Whatever the PM's faults, the party that anointed him so recently would do better to rally round – or face electoral wilderness - 6th May
 * sorry fate can remind Obama to keep using all his power now, fast'' - The US president has seized his first 100 days to remake the landscape. Blair and Brown can look back on wasted chances - 29th April
 * return to class politics - but will Cameron dare to fight for the rich?'' - Alistair Darling has cast himself as the protector of the vulnerable - 23rd April
 * route out of the black hole has to be green, with just a hint of blue'' - Today, rhetoric on the climate needs to become hard reality. And an old idea stolen by the Tories should be reclaimed - 22nd April
 * not the Cadillac tailfins, it's the clarity - that's why we love Mad Men'' - We may have no desire to return to the hypocricies of the past, but there's still an appeal to a world of absolute certainties - 8th April
 * When Gordon met Barack'' - The US president was not on sparkling form at Wednesday's press conference, but nothing could spoil Gordon Brown's party - 2nd April
 * is the new JFK we expected? He's stuck in a rut with Gordon Brown'' - Obama was meant to sweep into town looking unassailable. Instead he arrives beleaguered, with an awful lot to prove - 1st April
 * has done for Labour'' - By joining Netanyahu's coalition, Ehud Barak and his party colleagues are shown to be unprincipled mercenaries and hacks - 26th March (see: Israeli elections 2009)
 * it 9/15 - the day the crucial divide in the post-Blair/Brown era took shape'' - The future of the Labour party rests on conflicting readings of the economic calamity, and a reckoning with what went wrong - 25th March
 * the mythology of 'the Israel Lobby', the reality is bad enough'' - They are not all-powerful, but Israel's advocates in the US do play hardball - often hurting the cause they are meant to serve - 18th March
 * lost kingdom of King Arthur'' - Scargill at full cry is still a force of nature, but the industrial working-class solidarity he invokes belongs to a bygone era - 14th March
 * a flurry of early activity, the Obama doctrine is taking shape'' - We're only 50 days in, but it's not too soon to discern a refreshing thread of logic in the president's foreign policy - 11th March
 * can again come back from the dead. First, he needs to accept fault'' - The refusal to take any blame was repeated yesterday at the White House. But Labour needs its moment of catharsis - 4th March
 * anti-war president'' - Barack Obama's early opposition to the Iraq war is what allows him to present now a straightforward plan for how it will end - 28th February
 * sagging Brown image can only benefit from a shot of Obama botox'' - Plenty can be gained from a photo-op, but both leaders would do well to heed the lessons of the Bush-Blair era - 25th February
 * election: 'A big loser is the Israeli political system itself''' - Audio report on the inconclusive Israeli election result - 11th February
 * parties claim Israel victory - but the kingmaker will be the man in third place'' - Centre-left is crushed, and right disappointed. Now Lieberman waits in wings - 11th February
 * Israel make the Right choice?'' - The likely outcome is another centre-right coalition – unless ultra-nationalist Avigdor Lieberman redraws the political map - 10th February
 * British Jews come under attack, the liberal left must not remain silent'' - It should be perfectly possible to condemn Israel's brutal action in Gaza while taking a stand against antisemitism - 4th February
 * the Lords' old tunes ringing hollow, it is surely time for reform'' - The lobbying scandal leaves the case for change as strong as ever. But attempts at wholesale overhaul could backfire - 28th January
 * All the conservative trappings freed Obama to frame a radical message - The inauguration was brimming with tradition – just the platform for a president who could be truly transformational - 20th January
 * Magical spell that will open a new American era - Excitement intense as straitlaced Washington DC awaits Obama's transformation into head of state - 20th January
 * the horror and doom of Gaza, the IRA precedent offers hope'' - The Northern Ireland example is instructive. Through dialogue even the most implacable of enemies can make peace - 14th January
 * after a Hamas rout will be an even greater threat to Israel'' - Amid the rubble there would be a leadership vacuum, opening the door for Somali-style warlords or even al-Qaida - 7th January (see: 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict)
 * has plenty of tactics for war, but none for peace'' - A leadership dazzled by its own military might ignores the political reality and believes the only solutions lie in force - 3rd January



Articles: 2008

 * a PR man, Cameron's blunders are catastrophic'' - The Tories should be charging ahead. But they keep on getting knocked back by a great force: their leader's lack of judgment - 24th December 2008
 * forgiveness has a limit. Bush and his cronies must face a reckoning'' - Heinous crimes are now synonymous with this US administration. If it isn't held to account, what does that say about us? - 24th December 2008
 * Throat's big impact'' - Mark Felt may not have had a wonderful life but spilling the beans on the Watergate scandal was a wonderful achievement - 20th December 2008
 * accord with the entire Arab world would be a prize worth Israel's effort'' - With a four-state problem impeding any two-state solution, the best hope for peace may be to make the stakes even higher - 17th December 2008
 * all means hold Obama's feet to the fire, but it's a bit early to cry betrayal'' - Uproar on the left is premature. There are real grounds for optimism in the new plans outlined by the president-elect - 10th December 2008
 * this recession, we want comfort culture to go with our comfort food'' - From Billy Elliot to JK Galbraith, our taste in a downturn satisfies one of two appetites: escape or understanding - 3rd December 2008
 * choice of a team of rivals says much about the president he will be'' - Tough, unsentimental, no naive liberal: the next leader has picked people to carry out his vision. But will Hillary play ball? - 26th November 2008
 * this topsy-turvy political terrain, Dr Brown needs a long-term patient'' - The PM is counting on a lingering crisis. Tories are gambling on a change in public mood. And talk of an early election is back - 19th November 2008
 * president-elect is not a dove - he is just a much smarter hawk'' - It'll be hard to demonise the Great Satan led by Barack Hussein Obama. But peaceniks shouldn't assume a kindred spirit - 12th November 2008
 * few thoughts on how to handle the world's most potent political weapon'' - A new president is at his strongest with a fresh mandate. To succeed in the enormous tasks ahead, act without delay - 5th November 2008
 * yourselves - George Bush will soon be free to do just what he wants'' - The raid on Syria is a dark portent. The current president has three long, unaccountable months to cement his legacy - 29th October 2008
 * sides are behaving as if Obama has it in the bag. And yet, and yet ...'' - In a flurry of chicken counting, Democrats are gazing at a radical new dawn while Republicans ready to attack the victor - 22nd October 2008
 * old dogmas die, there is room for all kinds of radical new thinking'' - Shorter working weeks, lower consumption, and banks working for us - this crisis could prove a chance for a fresh start - 15th October 2008
 * leaders are impotent to tame the beast: this crisis is one of democracy'' - Politicians' limitations have been laid bare during these tumultuous weeks. If ever they can assert strength, it is now - 8th October 2008
 * has the potential to leave Labour floundering'' - Saddled with a religious conviction in the free market, it is action not rhetoric that will get the Tories out of a corner - 27th September 2008
 * Gordon. The leader the party had dreamed of'' - In a speech performed with greater skill than any of his previous efforts  the prime minister at last reminded the Labour party of why they had once admired him so much - 24th September 2008
 * two-state solution is nearly dead. But there's one last chance to save it'' - The arrival of a new Israeli leader must bode well for the peace process, right? Wrong, say veteran negotiators - 17th September 2008
 * world's verdict will be harsh if the US rejects the man it yearns for'' - An America that disdains Obama for his global support risks turning current anti-Bush feeling into something far worse - 10th September 2008
 * knows if Palin will bring victory or defeat? But the culture wars are back'' - The furore surrounding McCain's running mate is a return to the old American politics of red state versus blue state - 3rd September 2008
 * Big Dog can still hunt'' - Bill Clinton did brilliantly what other Democrats had failed to do - make the case for President Barack Obama - Guardian.co.uk, 28th August 2008
 * disarms her troops'' - Hillary Clinton did a brave and unusual thing in Denver - she directly confronted her own supporters over their motives - 27th August 2008
 * the camping revival? Something to do with, ahem, the call of nature'' - Urban living has more and more of us seeking out authentic, elemental holidays - even if it means non-flush toilets - 20th August 2008
 * Forget the myth-making. Obama is just what the Middle East needs - Neither Israel-pandering hawk nor Arab-loving appeaser, the Democrat would bring active, engaged diplomacy - 23rd July 2008
 * Short-term he gets, and long-term, too. But Brown's lost on the bit in between - Neither fixation on the headlines tomorrow nor wisdom on the decades ahead will win an election two years from now - 16th July 2008
 * Why back a man who claims society is broken but admits he can't fix it? - David Cameron now says that there is no top-down remedy to Britain's social problems. Voters will expect more from him - 9th July 2008
 * Obama's shuffle to the right suggests this man is ruthless enough to win - 2nd July 2008
 * The west has to tackle Tehran - before Israel sends in the bombers - 25th June 2008
 * A year in, it's clear: we got Brown wrong. He is simply not up to the job - Tragically, the prime minister has been held back by his lack of the quality that most fascinates him - courage - 18th June 2008
 * McCain's attack lines against Obama have already been written by Clinton - Now the phoney war is over. The election that counts has only just begun - and it will hinge on a battle of definition - 4th June 2008
 * Labour needs voters to start asking tough questions of the Tories too - The Conservative party seems to have changed, but its policies won't make good on any new concern for the poor - 28th May 2008
 * Attacks on toffs will ring hollow until Labour proves its meritocratic mettle - The top hat and tails stuff has backfired in Crewe, but class can stillwork for the party - if it admits its failure on social mobility - 21st May 2008
 * Better Labour lose power in 2010 than end up exiled for a generation - Downing St optimists still think they can win, but a spell in opposition could perhaps let the party redefine its purpose - 14th May 2008
 * As it turns 60, the fear is Israel has decided it can get by without peace - 7th May 2008
 * Eleven years after it promised a new dawn, Labour's dusk has finally arrived - 3rd May 2008
 * It's Labour stalwart versus Tory fop - dress rehearsal for the really big one - the London mayoral result is a portent for the general election - 30th April 2008
 * It is not a shift to the left to insist that entry to schools should be fair - 9th April 2008
 * With 29 days to go, Ken, there's no time for pussyfooting around - 2nd April 2008
 * Brown and Straw's best bet is to go out like Butch and Sundance - 26th March 2008
 * London's election holds the future for progressive politics, not just Ken - 19th March 2008
 * To rescue the two-state solution, Israel must make peace with Syria - 12th March 2008
 * There's only one winner from this Democratic battle - the Republicans - 6th March 2008
 * Imagine Super Thursday contests in sunny Cornwall or pivotal Yorkshire - 27th Februaury 2008
 * For Palestinians, the power of mass non-violence would be undeniable - 20th February 2008
 * X Factor politics will only hit home if Brown tackles what holds people back - 13th February 2008
 * It's no beauty pageant - there are real differences between the candidates - The US campaign has been painted as all about image, but there are policy distinctions - and they do matter - 6th February 2008
 * The free-marketeers abhor the crutch of the state - until they start limping - 23rd January 2008
 * Better candidates who row over race than candidates who hardly care - 16th January 2008
 * 2008 will be the year of decision - and survival depends on getting it right - 2nd January 2008
 * The face - Tony Blair looms over the post-2000 period - though not in the way he would like - 2nd January 2008



Articles: 2007

 * If Clegg gets it right in 2008, he could bring the Lib Dems into government - 19th December 2007
 * This circus marks the end to politics played out in the shadow of terror - the US presidential campaign marks a focus on serious questions and one that trancends partisan lines - 12th December 2007
 * We would be fools to banish global business from the great climate debate - 5th December 2007
 * A small, slender chance for peace in the Middle East - 29th November 2007
 * The sheer gormlessness of Discgate threatens Labour's claim to power - 21st November 2007
 * In the delicate geometry of Iran lies the big test of Brown's political agility - 14th November 2007
 * Brown's in a deep hole - and here's how he should get out of it - 7th November 2007
 * Ministers seeking inspiration should talk to Pam about prewar Peckham - 31st October 2007
 * At last, consensus in the Middle East: all agree these talks are bound to fail - 24th October 2007
 * Now the Lib Dems must decide what they want to be when they grow up - 17th October 2007
 * You've had long enough to work it out. What is your vision, Gordon? - 10th October 2007
 * Cameron must today prove he is the Tories' general, not their antagonist - 3rd October 2007
 * For the timing of our elections to be in the sole hands of the prime minister is destabilising and grotesquely unfair - 26th October 2007
 * Team Cameron are convinced their leader's moment is already here. But they've made errors in timing before - 19th Sepember 2007
 * We're divided and now confused by the McCann investigation - and in real danger of losing our common decency - 12th September 2007
 * The British exit from Basra palace, remarks by the US defence chief and fledgling peace talks are all telling signs of change - 5th September 2007
 * They might make us feel indispensable, but mobile email gadgets are bad for relationships, bad for work and bad for the soul - 22nd August 2007
 * More bulldog than poodle, Brown has signalled a new special relationship 1st August 2007
 * Brown's first month, and his carefully signalled priorities, look like a success, despite the unexpectedly tough start - 25th July 2007
 * The rise of Tehran has petrified Arab capitals - and intensified debate in the US and Israel about the use of force - 18th July 2007
 * If cast as rational rival to Cameron's man of emotion, Brown is sure to lose - 11th July 2007
 * Gordon Brown's plan to reshape the balance of power reveals a grand ambition: to tie islands of individuals into a nation - 4th July 2007
 * The debacle of Iraq ought to have made a dignified exit impossible. But if his departure is bizarre, so too is Brown's arrival - 27th June 2007
 * There are huge dangers in offering Palestinians a choice of statelets - it will only push Hamas further into Iran's orbit - 20th June 2007
 * Brown's bane will be getting dragged into an American attack on Iran - 13th June 2007
 * OK, let's have a Britishness test. But it must be for everyone, migrant or not - 6th June 2007
 * The web could yet bypass government and existing political communities, and either expand democracy in the process - or stifle it - 30th May 2007
 * Victory in 1967 was as much curse as blessing. It paved the way for 40 years of mortal, political and moral disaster - 23rd May 2007
 * Brown needs to make sure there's a contest - and a hearing for his critics - 16th May 2007
 * Don't be fooled by Europe's mood. Globally, the left is reawakening - 9th May 2007
 * The crisis triggered by Israel's report on its war with Lebanon may end up putting the Arab League initiative centre stage - 2nd May 2007
 * Scotland is Brown's testing ground for his campaign against Cameron - 25th April 2007
 * The debate on climate change at the UN top table is a sign that the big powers are at last beginning to see sense - 18th April 2007
 * The revolutionary public space that online debate represents is in danger of becoming stale and claustrophobic - 11th April 2007
 * The standoff with Iran over 15 British captured sailors has revealed much about both countries - and the wider conflict - 4th April 2007
 * The Arab League should bypass Ehud Olmert and go directly to the Israeli people with its offer for a Palestinian settlement - 28th March 2007
 * An unprecedented plea from 14 UN humanitarian bodies on behalf of the people of western Sudan has been roundly ignored - 14th March 2007
 * A united Ireland is being created, not by arms but by the lure of cash - 7th March 2007
 * We lecture the world on democracy, but still don't elect our upper house - 28th February 2007
 * Brown will never pass the barbecue test - but he can still beat Cameron - 21st February 2007
 * Only negotiations with both main Palestinian parties can deliver the peace deal that the two peoples now support - 24th January 2007
 * The Tory leader wants us to love his new party, but his version of social responsibility would be a disaster for the poorest - 17th January 2007
 * Like a deluded compulsive gambler, Bush is fuelling a new cold war - 10th January 2007
 * The world is a scary, violent place and we're wrecking the planet, but I refuse to be grumpy - there's light in the gloom - 3rd January 2007



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 * Don't knock faith schools - they work - 13th September 2007
 * Stand by for London's new class war - London Mayoral election - 6th September 2007
 * London must invest in it's great outdoors - 30th August 2007
 * Welcome back the age of the train - 9th August 2007
 * Will nobody answer for killing Jean Charles? - 2nd August 2007



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