Author Archives: Jonathan Haslam

The wisdom of ages – octogenarian Paul Volcker has lost none of his edge

It takes special figure to draw out the big names in business and finance to a lecture theatre at Cass Business School on a humid London evening. While thousands of City workers were running around the streets in the Great …
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Wanted – a Cabinet toughie

David Cameron needs an attack dog. So says a peer whose reputation was forged in the heat of the whips office in John Major’s government, who I happened by in St James’s park this morning. We talked through handling of …
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Gormengone – a story of crumbling institutions

I last saw Andy Coulson about two weeks ago. He got on a Victoria train at West Dulwich and squeezed into the sardine can run by Southeastern. In the crush he looked unremarkable, early middle age, suit jacket and blue …
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Taxing Taxpayers’ Patience

The Institute For Fiscal Studies (IFS) has entered the faddish world of ‘nudge’ theory with a report  showing that the labeling of a benefit has an impact on its use. Calling the Winter Fuel Allowance just that results in 40 per …
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Blatter blather and the art of betraying the beautiful game

The debate on free–will is going to keep philosophers busy for ages, but when it comes to which football team you support free-will usually does not apply. The real supporter inherits the team from family. In my case from my …
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Future Power is Soft Power

On Monday’s Newsnight and today at breakfast Professor Joseph S. Nye, former US Assistant Secretary of Defense, began a round of media and think-tank sessions to promote his latest book. ‘The Future of Power’ examines the prospect for change in …
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Snatching PR defeat from hammer blow to Al Qaeda

The tracking down and death of Osama Bin Laden could have led to President Obama to scale back the billion dollar advertising war chest he allegedly seeks. Riding comfortably in the wake of an astonishing example of superpower reach, he …
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Blackberry Playbook no fun for ceo Mike Lazaridis

In the last few days Research in Motion, makers of the iconic Blackberry email device beloved of commercial and industrial Titans (see Alex in The Daily Telegraph), has been parading its new tablet device for tech writers. Obsessive early adopters …
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In harm’s way – front line police deserve protection too

Saturday’s scenes of mayhem in central London should not detract from a peaceful rally where citizens expressed their views in a peaceful march. Leave aside the suggestion that most of them – according to Economist political editor David Rennie – …
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Burying BAA(d) news under a light dusting of budget fall-out

Committed scrutinisers of spin-doctory, smoke, mirrors and sleights of communications hand (i.e. everyone in this office) took our collective hats off this week to BAA, the airport owner formerly known as British Airports Authority. The brave owners of Heathrow airport, …
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