Danny Finkelstein, probably the right wing pundit i admire most, has been waging a small battle to defend MPs in general and Michael Gove and David Willetts in particular. I remark on this for two reasons. First because Danny Finkelstein’s view of politicians accords with mine, and I always like to remind my small band of

Over at The Times, Danny Finkelstein has cast doubt on the possible impact of the televised party leader debates at our next general election: By the time of the campaign proper they are probably too late. We should be having these debates now if we want them to be influential. In his piece, Danny draws on the

Earlier this week Danny Finkelstein had a right old go at ComRes through an open letter to the Independent's editor, Roger Alton. ComRes Chief Executive Andrew Hawkins has asked if I might publicise an open letter he has written to Da Fink. OPEN LETTER TO DANNY FINKELSTEIN Dear Danny Your open letter to Roger Alton got me thinking about polling and its place within the news agenda. You have i...

Daniel Finkelstein has another of his regular pops at Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems today. (Danny’s an ex-SDPer, and, like a reformed smoker, is obsessively evangelical in his disdain for its successor party). Today, as he did yesterday, Danny seeks to demonise four senior Lib Dem politicians – Baroness Williams, Simon Hughes, Chris Huhne

Seconds out, round two. Nick Clegg has a piece over on Comment Central, taking Danny Finkelstein to task over tax policy and laying out the Liberal Democrat approach: Without growth there’s no earthly way we’ll be able to balance the books over the economic cycle. Far from being irresponsible, as Danny alleges, tax cuts at a

An early Daley Dozen tonight. I am now off to do the Sky News paper review at 10.30 and 11.30. 1. Donal Blaney apologises to Tim Montgomerie. 2. Danny Finkelstein has the latest Downfall video, featuring Giles Coren and his Chief Sub Editor. 3. Danny Finkelstein (on form today!) writes an open letter to Andy Coulson. Or if you get the subtle hint, it could be to someone else. 4. The FT Westminster...

Danny Finkelstein’s column in The Times today (£) is well worth reading. Finkelstein sets out two worries, first that the Tories do not have enough of a strategy for winning re-election and second that the NHS reforms might compromise Cameron’s standing as a different kind of Tory. On the latter point, Finkelstein is echoing the views of an increasing number of Tory MPs and minist...

Danny Finkelstein thinks Fred Goodwin is “showing a poor appreciation of his own real interest (because he is valuing money too much and social standing too little).” He has, says Danny, “overestimated the marginal value of money.”The substance behind Danny’s...

Danny Finkelstein’s column this morning is one of the most important things to have been written since the coalition was formed. Danny makes the point that the coalition has no ideas infrastructure in place. There’s nowhere for it to go to get new ideas. Think tanks will rush to fill this void. But as Danny notes, there will also have to be a cultural comfort with the other side. That ...

Housing Minister Grant Schapps and the Shadow Secretary for Energy and Climate Change Meg Hillier analyse PMQs with Danny Finkelstein from the Times.