Alistair Darling fights back
Whoever thought that Alistair Darling would stand up to Gordon Brown? Mr Darling seemed designed for the role of Gordon's Greyfriars Bobby, the little dog which was so faithful to its master that it stood guard at his grave, says Bruce Anderson. But Mr Darling suddenly learned how to bite. "Boom and bust" is Gordon Brown's favourite phrase. As he plans the next election, he is still hoping to extract some mileage out of the 1990s recession. Now, his chancellor has cut the slogan from under his feet. Worst conditions for 60 years: it may not be true, but that will not inhibit the Tories from quoting Mr Darling over and over again. If he is reshuffled, they will quote him as the man who was punished for telling the truth. Bruce Anderson The Independent
Full article: Why Darling is Brown's nemesis 
The Mole: Political storm at home as Brown flies to EU Georgia summit
McCain gambles on a hockey mom
Governor Sarah Palin believes in honest government and cutting waste; she does not believe in gay marriages, she supports the "right to life" rather than the "right to choose", writes William Rees-Mogg. She is even a Darwin-sceptic and supports the teaching of creationism. She calls herself a "hockey mom"; like Margaret Thatcher, she seems to combine basic conservative simplicities with a will of iron. Most of her beliefs are regarded as obscurantist by modern America. Yet one should remember that there are more "hockey moms" in the United States than there are Harvard graduates. The cultural elite on the two coasts is highly significant; it dominates in the media, in academia and usually in politics. Yet conservatives can win elections because there are so many of them. They are the voters of the heartland, whom New Yorkers fly over on their way to Los Angeles. William Rees-Mogg The Times
Full article: Sarah Palin has just 65 days to prove herself
Sarah: How a Small Town Girl Turned Alaska's Political Establishment on its Ear
Britain at bursting point
To deal with greater life expectancy, runs the theory, we need to produce or, rather, import more people, writes Andrew Anthony. But it's worth considering where this cycle will end. How, for example, will a population of 77 million deal [which is forecasted for Britain in 50 years time] with paying for the pensions of its retired citizens? Presumably by expanding to 100 million. Then what? It's impossible to know the future, but there's no excuse for ignoring the present and just now things feel a little cramped in Britain, especially in the south east. Roads are almost permanently clogged, public transport is a mess, schools and hospitals are full and the sense of friction, the tension of reduced personal space, is often palpable. Would these problems be alleviated with another 16 million, the majority of whom would settle in the south? Andrew Anthony The Observer
Full article: The time has come to say Britain is full
Racism in the forces
Members of minorities enjoy exceptional opportunities in terms of litigation, writes Max Hastings. Yet this does not, of course, mean that their grievances are ill-founded. I remember a conversation with a group of soldiers a decade or so ago, about the first overtly gay soldier to join the Brigade of Guards. After a few minutes ribaldry, a Guardsman said cheerfully: "It'll be the same as it was with the blacks, sir. They'll go on falling downstairs until they get the message." The army has moved a long way since that exchange, but it would be naive not to recognise that racism and sexism persist in the military - as they do in the police. By their nature, both recruit from a stratum of society in which casual prejudice remains widespread. Max Hastings The Guardian
Full article: The Ghaffur case exposes just how weak attempts at fairness can be
Drugs, crime and mayhem in Mexico
Mexico has now surpassed Colombia as the main drugs production and distribution centre for the Western hemisphere, says a Times leader. Methamphetamines, cocaine, marijuana, heroin and crystal meth are smuggled into America in huge quantities. The cartels controlling this trade earn an estimated $30bn a year, and drugs now account for about 4 per cent of Mexico's turnover. The corrosive effects cannot be overstated. Gang wars have become so vicious that people are inured to the violence. When victims' heads are dumped in coolboxes and torture videos posted on YouTube, when a drug gang casually rolls five severed heads across a nightclub floor and journalists reporting the atrocities are shot, suffocated or burnt to death, the result is a deep sense of helplessness. Leader The Times
Full article: Mexican Crimewave
