Peter Riddell is a leading political commentator. He writes mainly about British politics and has published several books on the subject en-uk Tue, 30 Oct 2007 15:37:29 GMT Copyright 2007 Times Newspapers Ltd. custserv@timesonline.co.uk http://www.timesonline.co.uk Sat, 07 Nov 2009 04:10:12 GMT Newspapers 144 21 http://www.timesonline.co.uk http://images.thetimes.co.uk/TGD/picture/0,,116979,00.gif Peter Riddell: Political Briefing Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:01:00 GMT 2009-11-04T11:13:58Z The main party leaders are too eager to close down the MPs’ expenses row. Their unanimity yesterday that the Kelly report should be accepted “in full” is misleading. Their motive, to show that the political class recognises the urgency of putting its house in order, is correct. And so is the implicit warning that MPs should not seek to unravel Kelly. Peter Riddell: Political Briefing Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:01:00 GMT 2009-11-04T01:14:08Z David Cameron has always presented himself as a “pretty straightforward sort of person” in the Tony Blair mould of the mid-1990s. Now, he needs to deploy the more devious political skills of the two Harolds of the 1960s — Macmillan and Wilson — in trying to reconcile incompatible objectives. Peter Riddell: Political Briefing Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:01:00 GMT 2009-10-16T07:36:57Z This Parliament may be dying but it still has a lot to do before the last rites are read. It is not just throwing the rascals out. As important is getting a new system in place. By the time of the election, voters need to know both who has really done wrong and that Parliament has already introduced reforms to prevent a repetition.