Michael White + Politics blog

Profile

Michael White is assistant editor and has been writing for the Guardian for over 30 years, as a reporter, foreign correspondent and columnist. He was political editor from 1990-2006, having previously been the paper's Washington correspondent (1984-88) and parliamentary sketchwriter (1977-84)

Latest

Raoul Moat deserves some pity

15 Jul 2010: Michael White: Facebook group shows a lot of people can identify with the actions of a man labelled a 'callous murderer'
Ken Clarke's libertarian ways are set to be tested

14 Jul 2010: Michael White: Groups such as trade unions could face draconian legislation passed by the coalition government
How the Twitter police are keeping Westminster sober

13 Jul 2010: Michael White: Why is it wrong for ministers to enjoy the odd pint when they have to vote?
Mandelson, Blair and Brown - New Labour's conjoined triplets

12 Jul 2010: Michael White: Lord Mandelson's memoirs remind us that the architects of New Labour were politically joined at the hip and brain, despite all the difficulties that existed between them
Steve Webb plays pensions conjurer as spoptlight was on Gove

9 Jul 2010: The Lib Dem pensions minister announced gifts to funds, something lost among the focus on Michael Gove's apology
Sex, state and church: conflicting attitudes in Iran, Cameroon and the UK

8 Jul 2010: Michael White: From Cameroonian gay men gaining asylum, an Iranian woman facing stoning, to Dr Jeffrey John being denounced, how do we view the public attitude to a private act?
7/7 five years on: did Labour exaggerate the threat to Britain from Islamist terrorism?

7 Jul 2010: Michael White: Thanks to the work of Guardian colleagues and others, the answer is becoming clearer – but there is also evidence that the other side exaggerates its case too
A retro-fest of legislative proposals

6 Jul 2010: Michael White: They have little chance of becoming law, but presentation bills can still terrify, gratify or amuse
Government v civil servants – do any of us believe either side?

5 Jul 2010:
Michael White: Mark Serwotka's PCS union offers an interesting study in how not to deal with the government
Electoral reform: Nick Clegg takes a major gamble

2 Jul 2010: Michael White: If Clegg were to lose his referendum, he would acquire huge party management problems at a time when Lib-Con cuts would be biting deep into public services and jobs
UK attempt to ban the burqa would be disproportionate and intolerant

1 Jul 2010: Michael White: Tory MP Philip Hollobone's introduction of a bill to prohibit wearing of the burqa has little chance of becoming law
John Bercow is Speaker, and MPs such as Simon Burns should get over it

30 Jun 2010: Michael White: The bottom line is whether or not Bercow is doing a good job trying to modernise attitudes and procedures in the House of Commons. My impression is yes
Frank Field's comments on welfare reform are clever, provocative and perhaps counterproductive

29 Jun 2010: Michael White: How dare David Cameron's Labour poverty guru say these things! Well, he does dare. He's brave and tactless, and that's what makes him interesting
David Cameron and the England team carry expectations they can't deliver

28 Jun 2010: Michael White: The new kid on the block has been well received at G8 and G20, but the media will quickly turn on its fallen idol when he fails
Stanley McChrystal saga proves it's the quiet ones you have to watch

25 Jun 2010: Not many believed Barack Obama would sack the Afghanistan war general – but the US president was right to assert his authority