http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/ Rob Merrick, our man in Westminster gives his views on politics and government news. en-gb Liverpool Daily Post.co.uk http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/07/23/get-back-on-track-64375-21387412/ Tue, 22 Jul 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/07/23/get-back-on-track-64375-21387412/ THIS week’s report by MPs on rail travel – “lack of vision”, “no long-term strategy” – could not have been more damning. Yet it still ducked the big question. http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/07/16/work-for-benefits-64375-21348345/ Tue, 15 Jul 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/07/16/work-for-benefits-64375-21348345/ SHOULD the latest crackdown on Merseyside’s “welfare culture” strip benefit from alcoholics who refuse help to conquer their addiction and find work? http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/07/09/what-s-the-big-idea-64375-21308171/ Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/07/09/what-s-the-big-idea-64375-21308171/ I WANT to tell you about scandal in London’s City Hall – but please don’t turn the page. Trust me, this is a story everyone in Britain should read. http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/07/02/regional-rights-64375-21212760/ Tue, 01 Jul 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/07/02/regional-rights-64375-21212760/ ANOTHER one-year anniversary is reached today , but with rather less fanfare than the “celebration” of Gordon Brown’s arrival in No.10. http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/06/25/gordon-brown-s-happy-daze-64375-21145365/ Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/06/25/gordon-brown-s-happy-daze-64375-21145365/ ONE year on from the June day when he kissed the Queen’s hand and entered No.10, Gordon Brown sipped a celebratory Scotch whisky as he toasted his greatest triumph. http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/06/18/rob-merrick-a-different-practice-64375-21096178/ Wed, 18 Jun 2008 09:10:00 GMT http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/06/18/rob-merrick-a-different-practice-64375-21096178/ THE Government has taken away your post office, your local shop and your local police station – and now it’s gunning for your family doctor. http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/06/11/detention-laws-64375-21054565/ Tue, 10 Jun 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/06/11/detention-laws-64375-21054565/ LABOUR MPs who swing behind 42-day detention for terror suspects tonight will be trying to save Gordon Brown's bacon – not cheering the draconian plan itself. http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/06/04/gordon-brown-best-when-boldest-64375-21019444/ Tue, 03 Jun 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/06/04/gordon-brown-best-when-boldest-64375-21019444/ GORDON BROWN is like a football manager whose team is 2-0 down with 20 minutes to go – but who still leaves his star strikers on the bench. http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/05/28/gordon-brown-staying-or-going-64375-20987112/ Wed, 28 May 2008 13:42:00 GMT http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/05/28/gordon-brown-staying-or-going-64375-20987112/ TO PANIC or not to panic. That is the question for Labour MPs, as they contemplate their by- election disaster and decide whether a coup should follow Crewe. http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/05/21/rob-merrick-new-tax-timebomb-64375-20940043/ Tue, 20 May 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/05/21/rob-merrick-new-tax-timebomb-64375-20940043/ WITH the 10p tax fiasco finally dealt with, relieved Labour MPs consoled themselves that Gordon Brown would never repeat such a blunder. http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/05/14/rob-merrick-the-baby-battle-64375-20905774/ Tue, 13 May 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/05/14/rob-merrick-the-baby-battle-64375-20905774/ CASE closed – the two words that sprang to mind on reading the latest research on survival rates for babies born before 24 weeks, ahead of next week’s crunch abortion vote. http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/05/07/rob-merrick-prime-minister-still-not-listening-64375-20871459/ Tue, 06 May 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/05/07/rob-merrick-prime-minister-still-not-listening-64375-20871459/ THE next few weeks will – almost as much as last week’s local election thrashing – show us just how badly Gordon Brown is going wrong. http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/04/23/rob-merrick-days-to-disaster-for-gordon-brown-64375-20804052/ Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/04/23/rob-merrick-days-to-disaster-for-gordon-brown-64375-20804052/ THE blazing Labour row over the scrapping of the 10p tax rate is a tale of Gordon Brown’s scheming to succeed Tony Blair coming back to haunt him. http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/04/16/rob-merrick-labour-cutting-corners-on-unemployment-64375-20769197/ Tue, 15 Apr 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/04/16/rob-merrick-labour-cutting-corners-on-unemployment-64375-20769197/ IT IS bad enough that a rush to privatise welfare-to-work schemes will deprive Merseyside of a multi-million pound reward for cutting benefit bills – something I revealed earlier this year. http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/03/26/rob-merrick-a-moral-dilemma-64375-20673466/ Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/03/26/rob-merrick-a-moral-dilemma-64375-20673466/ WHEN Robin Cook’s conscience would not allow him to vote for the invasion of Iraq, he was forced to resign from the Cabinet and end his political career on the backbenches. http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/03/19/rob-merrick-darling-s-budget-climbdown-64375-20643494/ Wed, 19 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/03/19/rob-merrick-darling-s-budget-climbdown-64375-20643494/ MY Budget Day story read: “Drinkers and drivers of gas-guzzling cars pay to rescue poverty pledges” – which was undoubtedly true. http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/03/05/rob-merrick-ain-t-it-the-tooth-64375-20561129/ Wed, 05 Mar 2008 11:18:00 GMT http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/03/05/rob-merrick-ain-t-it-the-tooth-64375-20561129/ I STEELED myself, last week, for perhaps the third most financially crippling experience in life after buying a house and having kids – a trip to the dentist. http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/02/20/darling-on-the-rocks-64375-20497510/ Wed, 20 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/02/20/darling-on-the-rocks-64375-20497510/ ALISTAIR DARLING is clearly on the Rocks after his bungling over that troublesome bank – but I doubt Gordon Brown is preparing to scuttle him. http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/02/13/rob-merrick-a-taxing-issue-64375-20468323/ Wed, 13 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/02/13/rob-merrick-a-taxing-issue-64375-20468323/ WHEN Alistair Darling delivers his first Budget next month, there will be the usual stern warnings about the need to cap the pay of public sector workers. http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/01/30/rob-merrick-paying-the-price-64375-20413169/ Wed, 30 Jan 2008 12:16:00 GMT http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/rob-merrick/2008/01/30/rob-merrick-paying-the-price-64375-20413169/ REPORTS condemning the Government for shackling power-starved local authorities arrive with a depressing frequency in this job.