UK forces may be deployed on the ground in Gaza to help deliver aid    Trump VP contender Kristi Noem defends killing her dog    Conservative MP and ex-minister Daniel Poulter defects to Labour    King, Crown Prince congratulate South Africa's president on Freedom Day    WEF convenes special meeting on global collaboration, growth and energy for development 1,000 government, business and civil society leaders to gather in Riyadh    Saudi House opens in Riyadh to showcase Kingdom's Vision 2030 innovations    Council of senior scholars: Hajj permit mandatory under Shariah law    Food poisoning cases rise to 35 in Riyadh restaurant incident    Honduras exempts Saudis from visa requirements    Saudi Drug enforcement contributes to thwarting 47 kilograms of cocaine smuggling in Spain    Al Hilal triumphs over Al Fateh in a fierce 3-1 clash at Kingdom Arena    Al Shabab overpowers Al Ittihad with a 3-1 victory in Jeddah    Saudi Olympic team exits U-23 Cup in quarterfinals, loses Paris 2024 Olympics dream    Ministry uncovers misuse of mosque utilities during inspection    TGA introduces uniform for bus drivers    'Zarqa Al Yamama': Riyadh premieres first Saudi opera    Riyadh Season announces first overseas event with boxing gala in Los Angeles    Australian police launch manhunt for Home and Away star Orpheus Pledger    Spice Girls reunite at Posh's 50th birthday    Aspiring fencer Josh Brayden aims for Olympic glory    JK Rowling in 'arrest me' challenge over hate crime law    Trump's Bible endorsement raises concern in Christian religious circles    Hollywood icon Will Smith shares his profound admiration for Holy Qur'an    We have celebrated Founding Day for three years - but it has been with us for 300    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Cameron on ropes after ‘catastrophic' week
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 22 - 10 - 2012

LONDON — British Prime Minister David Cameron is under pressure to reassert his authority over a Conservative Party reeling after a week which saw the resignation of a senior minister and claims of incompetence and elitism at the heart of his government.
After one of the most bruising weeks for the center-right party since it took power in a coalition in 2010, the Conservatives have slipped further behind their Labour rivals, polls showed on Sunday. The next election is due in 2015.
Cameron will try to regain the initiative Monday with a speech setting out a tougher stance on crime after a series of policy missteps, U-turns and embarrassments since an unpopular budget in March.
Veteran Conservative member of the House of Lords Norman Tebbit, one of former prime minister Margaret Thatcher's closest allies, attacked what he called “this dog of a government”.
“The abiding sin of the government is not that some ministers are rich, but that it seems unable to manage its affairs competently,” he told the Observer newspaper.
Education Secretary Michael Gove dismissed headlines talking of “Meltdown” and a “Catastrophic Week” as the passing “froth of political life” that affects all leaders, including ex-Labor prime minister Tony Blair, who won three elections.
“I remember reading about Tony Blair's worst week ever. No matter how many of these worst weeks he had, no matter how many apparently tough headlines there were, he came surging through with landslide majorities because the fundamental policy decisions...mattered more than the reporting of personality issues,” he told Sky News.
Voters are more interested in the improving economy and falling hospital waiting lists, he added. Figures on Thursday are likely to show Britain has emerged from recession.
Cameron's judgement was questioned after he backed Andrew Mitchell, the minister accused a month ago of swearing at police and calling them “plebs”, a class-laden word for working people.
Opponents seized on the affair as evidence senior Conservatives form an arrogant elite, adrift from ordinary Britons hit by the recession.
Mitchell finally resigned on Friday, still denying he had used the word “pleb”, but apologizing for swearing at police who refused to open the main security gates at Cameron's Downing Street office to allow him through on his bicycle. That did not end the debate about Conservatives and class.
On Friday, finance minister George Osborne sat in a first class train carriage with a second class ticket. Aides said he paid for an upgrade, but the story still dominated headlines and fueled a perception the Conservatives are out of touch.
Opponents accused Cameron of incompetence over a botched rail franchise process on Oct. 3 and an unclear announcement on energy bills on Wednesday.
A Sunday Mirror poll put the Conservatives down two points from last month on 33 percent, behind Labor, up three on 41 percent. A second poll had Cameron's party on 30 percent, down five percent in 10 days, with Labor on 43 percent.
Labor said Cameron's crime pledges were designed to help him win back support from disgruntled members of parliament.
“This is empty rhetoric from a weak prime minister who is pandering to the backbenchers that forced out Andrew Mitchell,” said Labor justice spokesman Sadiq Khan. — Reuters


Clic here to read the story from its source.