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Bright on politics

The good, the bad, and the very ugly - Martin Bright's 2012 political awards

By Martin Bright, December 20, 2012

As the year end awards ceremonies proliferate, it is only appropriate that the JC should make its own set of honours.

In such a time of austerity there are no gongs as such and the event will not be televised, but here are the JC Political Editor’s Awards, some serious, some less so.

Jewish and Proud Award: Ed Miliband

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Muslim Tory MP: After Britain, Israel is best

By Martin Bright, December 13, 2012

It is not often that the Prime Minister is upstaged when he is guest of honour at an official function. It is even more unusual when it is one of his own MPs who is responsible. But this is just what happened when Sajid Javid, the Economic Secretary to the Treasury and MP for Bromsgrove, spoke at the Conservative Friends of Israel “business lunch” on Tuesday.

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Britain beginning to close its ears to Israel

By Martin Bright, December 6, 2012

It comes to something when Conservative Friends of Israel is forced to issue a statement distancing itself from the position of a Tory-led government towards Israel. But even after the Foreign Office played down reports that William Hague was considering withdrawing our ambassador from Israel over plans to expand settlement building, CFI felt it necessary to issue a highly critical statement.

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With Cameron, it’s all about the economics

By Martin Bright, November 22, 2012

If you want to understand UK foreign policy in the Cameron era, the government’s reaction to events in Gaza is enlightening. Following William Hague’s statement to Parliament on Tuesday, there can be no doubt about the UK government’s position as to where the blame lies for the fresh outbreak of violence.

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Unison in unison with Department of Health

By Martin Bright, November 15, 2012

Across the country, strikes are being organised in the heath service by public sector union Unison. Just this week, the union described plans to cut 50 per cent of nursing staff at NHS Direct as a “disaster”. The Department of Health and Unison are effectively at war.

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Will the community go on riding the bus with Denis?

By Martin Bright, November 8, 2012

Denis MacShane was a politician of passionately held convictions whose career ended in the most humiliating fashion.

The Commons Standards and Privileges Committee found that his abuse of the expenses system was the “gravest case” called to its attention.

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UK policy on Israel: passion needed

By Martin Bright, November 1, 2012

This week’s Bicom dinner, one of the set-piece events of the year for UK supporters of Israel, was a reminder, if anyone needed it, of just how stuck things have become. Ehud Barak gave a rather good speech, but his very presence was a reminder of how far we are from that Camp David handshake with Yasir Arafat in 1999.

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Israeli firm conspiracy: It’s probably not murky at all

By Martin Bright, October 25, 2012

It was inevitable really. The Sunday Times investigation into “generals for hire” has uncovered an alleged conspiracy involving an Israeli defence firm, a lobbying company and British supporters of the Zionist state.

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Message is: support our policy of urging Netanyahu to cool it

By Martin Bright, October 18, 2012

It is not unusual for prominent politicians to speak at dinners for prestigious Jewish organisations, although it is always something of a coup when the Prime Minister turns up. Such occasions have a set protocol. The invited politician will pay due tribute to the Jewish community: its contribution to UK business, its philanthropic tradition or its respect for family values and education.

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The little European problem that the Conservatives would prefer to forget

By Martin Bright, October 11, 2012

The Conservative Party has a problem with the European Union and probably always will. Though the issue of our membership of the EU remains low on the priority list of most of the electorate (ask any pollster), it concerns Tory activists and backbenchers to the point of obsession. Europe is the destroyer of Conservative governments and could yet be the downfall of the Coalition.

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