Politics

The Daily Briefing: Tuesday 1 October

Miliband's Daily Mail defence, Banana Republicans and glimmers of hope in the Middle East

October 01, 2013
Republican House Speaker John Boehner has pledged to pass only a budget bill with majority support from his own party.
Republican House Speaker John Boehner has pledged to pass only a budget bill with majority support from his own party.
Why my father loved Britain(Daily Mail) The Daily Mail claims that it stands for the best of British values; but something has really gone wrong when it attacks the family of a politician, says Ed Miliband.

The Conservatives face a battle of ideas and are not sure how to win it (Independent) Voters seem to applaud the ideological challenge Labour has set out, writes Steve Richards.

Those Banana Republicans (New York Times, £) Republicans don’t seem to understand that their extreme tactics are pleasing a small percentage, writes Joe Nocera, while alienating the rest.

How things go right in the Middle East (FT, £) The region’s crushing optimism might be showing its brighter side, writes Gideon Rachman.

Cameron is betting that Britain is still a country of grown-ups (Telegraph) The prime minister is hoping that, come polling day, voters will understand that “vote Ukip, get Miliband” is no longer an idle threat, writes Benedict Brogan.

The rut we can’t get out of (New York Times, £) The headlines about the shut down of Congress are but a sideshow compared with the real problems afflicting the economy, writes Daniel Alpert.

Merkel may rock the boat and turn green(FT, £) The German leader has what it takes to break with the past, says Stephan Richter.

The incredibly shrinking Tory party (Guardian) Attendance figures at the Tory party conference show that Cameron has lost his core membership and let the bankers in, writes Aditya Chakrabortty.

Why is there so little scientific research about porn (Independent) For a subject of acute public concern, writes Robin Bisson, the dearth of evidence on its effects is startling.

For scientists in a democracy, to dissent is to be reasonable (Guardian) Government policy is crushing academic integrity for the sake of corporate power, writes George Monbiot.