Politics

The Daily Briefing: Wednesday 16 October

Doomsday advice, a gold rush prize and our new best friend

October 16, 2013
Why is the debt ceiling too dangerous to use?
Why is the debt ceiling too dangerous to use?
The debt ceiling doomsday advice (FT, £) The ceiling is so dangerous because Obama could not obey it in a non-destructive way, writes Martin Wolf. 

We don't just need houses, we need whole new towns (Telegraph) Whichever party puts a roof over people’s heads stands the best chance of winning the election, writes Mary Riddell.

Never empower people who hate freedom (Times, £) Restrictions on free speech nearly always spread, becoming tools of the intolerant and the illiberal, writes Daniel Finkelstein.

Give a warm welcome to China, our new best friend(Independent) The US dominance of the past century will soon be coming to an end says Hamish McRae. 

Is Cameron insane? Leave foxhunting alone (Times, £) The Tories should focus on the real challenges facing the countryside, including deep rural poverty, says Alice Thomson.

Americans need to discover how the world sees them (Guardian) There’s little awareness of how the budget crisis has eroded US credibility, says Timothy Garton Ash.

Eleanor Catton’s gold rush dazzles Booker prize judges (Independent) The Luminaries sees the 28-year-old New Zealander as the youngest ever winner of the award, writes Nick Clark.

‘Plebgate’ threatens the reputation of the police (Telegraph) The police should insist that Andrew Mitchell's case be reopened, says a Telegraph editorial.

It’s time to face up to the crises that are yet to come (FT, £) As we emerge from the financial meltdown, it’s time to think how we respond to future crises – and none is more pressing than cyber security, writes Pascal Lamy.

Miley Cyrus reaches number one: where are all the middle-aged men in this debate? (Independent) For as long as there has been pop music, there’s been scandalised parents, writes Ellen E Jones.