10 Comments
User's avatar
Db's avatar

Really enjoy your posts Jack. So refreshing in this current climate of political hell

Expand full comment
Jack Kessler's avatar

Thanks so much!

Expand full comment
David Boffey's avatar

Jack was the nain reason I used to read the Standard. We disagree on many things but that is irrelevant as he is invariably factual and honest.

Expand full comment
Jack Kessler's avatar

Thanks, David! V kind of you.

Expand full comment
David Boffey's avatar

Cheers. True though.

Expand full comment
John Woods's avatar

It is difficult for the Labour Party to appoint Tories for membership of public offices but they do so on merit. The Tory Party would and did vote for a French economist to be head of the International Monetary Fund rather than a former Labour Chancellor. The Tories took power after the 2010 election and started sacking every appointee in every office who had any Labour leaning. Similar to Trump and Musk today in America.

Expand full comment
Jack Kessler's avatar

Governments inevitably appoint supporters to various bodies, but smart ones also appoint like-minded people from other parties. This has the added benefit of binding them in, or if you're being cynical, at the very least embarrassing the opposition. For example, under the Tory-Lib Dem coalition government, Alan Milburn was appointed as Chair of the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission.

Expand full comment
Db's avatar

If only Jack had run the Standard content ..no wonder he left.

Expand full comment
David Boffey's avatar

I just had a quick look at the Standard. Still pretty rubbish.

Expand full comment
David Boffey's avatar

"the premise that everything must redound to narrow, party political calculation"

"I think I was also repulsed by how America-brained it all feels." Quite. But sadly Trump & the KetoBaby have amplified what was minor dissent. Hello Saint Nigel not in Clacton.

Expand full comment