The UK Labor and Tory parties have released their manifestos for this year’s election: two very different visions for the future of Britain, with two tellingly different covers.
Tories
Guy Rundle: Rundle’s UK: A Pointless repetitive slog, that’s hit and Amis
It’s day 2 of the UK election campaign, and between Martin Amis and the UK afternoon TV show Pointless, the contest is already repetitive and full of compromises.
Guy Rundle: Rundle’s UK: pocket guide to the British election — part two
OK, so let’s recap the latest in the UK election: 650 seats up for grabs, about 85% in England, Labour currently holding 345, the Tories 193, the Lib-Dems 63, various others 32, Northern Ireland 18. Now what?
Guy Rundle: Rundle’s UK: your cut out ‘n’ keep pocket guide to the UK election
Labour remains by far the largest party, Guy Rundle writes in previewing the UK election. With an absolute majority of around 55 seats even a substantial swing is far from certain to pitch them out of power.
Guy Rundle: Rundle’s UK: has the Right lost its freakin’ mind?
Has the Right gone completely bonkers? Not merely the crazy tea-partiers in the US, or the rolling Tony Abbott freakshow in Oz, but now Italy and the UK as well?
Guy Rundle: Rundle’s UK: Adonis in name only, as the Labour train leaves the station
UK Labour finally announced a high-speed rail line from London to Birmingham. Construction will commence in 2017. Yep that’s right, 2017. Not finish, commence.
Guy Rundle: Rundle’s UK: Game on as Labour fights back in the polls
With eight weeks to go before the near-certain UK election date of May 6, there is panic in Tory ranks at the prospect of losing this one. Guy Rundle reports live from the ground.
Wolff: Why David Cameron will be the next PM of Britain
Tories leader David Cameron is the snobbish ex-PR hack who easily calms public tensions. Can he beat the awkward Gordon Brown and bring the conservative upper class back to power? asks Michael Wolff.
Guardian: Don’t like David Cameron? It could be worse: meet Tony Abbott
From the “how the world sees us” files: Julian Glover says that Tony Abbott makes the Tories look “relatively sane, centrist and capable.” Meanwhile, Barnaby Joyce is an “Australian redneck Boris [Johnson]” and Rudd is “Gordon Brown — only with a future, and added smiles.”
Where are all the voices that support immigration?
It’s not just Australia getting worked up over asylum seekers. In the UK, anti-immigration fans get all the press. But, if you believe in free trade, you must also believe in the free movement of labour, writes Alex Massie.
Why a Tory victory is just what Rupert wants
If the Conservative Party gain power in the UK, they will “rip up” the BBC’s royal charter, deregulating the TV industry to improve the market for commercial operators, according to the party’s shadow culture secretary.
A small cloud on David Cameron’s horizon
Despite his progressive positions in many areas, David Cameron is bidding to become the most identifiably upper-class Prime Minister for more than 40 years.
British Tories try cross-dressing to win next election
Britain’s party conference season has finished and now an army of commentators is picking over the entrails of the spin, the pollsters are cranking up their next surveys and the voters are waiting to have their say when the general election is called.
David Cameron: a radical conservative
Tory leader David Cameron’s speech to his party may have lacked “pizzazz”, but his words were revolutionary, says Fraser Nelson. Cameron is not afraid to tread where so many other conservatives dare not: welfare.
Tories have no reason to party
After 12 years in opposition, Britain’s Conservative Party will likely win the next election. But leader David Cameron isn’t celebrating just yet: he still faces leading an inexperienced party with a weak mandate in a struggling economy.
Read David Cameron’s pitch to Britian
British Conservative leader David Cameron looks poised for victory in the country’s next election. Read his pitch to “put Britian back on its feet”.
Gordon Brown, dead PM walking
British PM Gordon Brown addressed the Labour Party conference with his party trailing around 19 points in the opinion polls. It wasn’t so much about winning the next election as stopping the bleeding.
A Tory experiment worth studying
Foreign observers shy away — with good cause — from the US’s creaky, dysfunctional electoral process. But the British example serves to remind us that primaries are also well-known in Europe.
Harriet Harman: the new Sarah Palin?
UK Deputy Leader Harriet Harman — a tenacious hard nosed feminist — is “bringing politics back to Westminster” in her role as the stand-in PM.
Tory leader throws a bone to the Eurosceptics
David Cameron, leader of Britain’s Conservative Party and (barring some miraculous recovery in Labour’s fortunes) the country’s future prime minister, at least seems to keep his promises.
How this could all end
James Forsyth casts his eye towards possible next step scenarios, asking what outcome would be worst for Labour, best for the Tories and vice versa?
The end of the line for UK Labour?
The Thatcherite-lite experiment that began with Tony Blair has well and truly outstayed its welcome. The poor, as always, will continue to suffer.
Guy Rundle: Putting Gordon Brown in a room with Susan Boyle
God I’m glad I’m not in Britain at the moment. If I woke tomorrow and found myself inexplicably in London I would get on the first Ryanair flight to Mogadishu, writes Guy Rundle.
politicians behaving badly 
Horse manure: Tories’ expenses revealed
Senior Tory MPs face the sack over their high expense accounts, which include new swimming pools, maintenance of a moat and helipad, chandeliers being hung and manure for their garden.
Thatcher’s legacy lives on
Margaret Thatcher’s former Private Secretary, Lord Charles Powell, believes the Iron Lady’s legacy is still going strong in Britain, and the country is all the better for it.
