Remembering Gladstonian liberalism, and contemplating its continued relevance.
Category: Party matters
It’s 2002 all over again – or is it?
The Labor Party in Victoria has won only its second landslide in 60 years. There are interesting comparisons to be made with the first one.
Another Trumpist goes down
Victoria's Labor government comfortably wins re-election, in a striking repudiation of its opposition's turn to the right.
Oh dear, it’s populism again
A new series on populism in the Guardian promises to raise some interesting questions.
Brexit, or how not to do democracy
Theresa May's government is teetering, with little prospect of getting its Brexit plan through parliament. Is there a better way this could have all been handled?
Worrying about the far left, part III
Now if ever seems to be the time for a new popular front. Can liberals, social democrats and Marxists manage to work together?
Mr Mélenchon and the redshirts
Victoria's Daniel Andrews is not alone in tangling with a police investigation into the misuse of parliamentary staff.
Theresa May and Robert Peel
Brexit uncertainty continues even as its deadlines loom closer. Can some lessons be learned from the great nineteenth century political battle over repeal of the Corn Laws?
Do the Liberals have a history?
Former minister David Kemp undertakes an ambitious history of Australian liberalism. Can it tell us something about today's Liberal Party?
Worrying about the far left, part II
If we assume that the political extremes are equally dangerous in principle, are there still good practical reasons to worry about one more than the other? I think there are.
The World is Not Enough 