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The Prince

  • Nick
  • 11 Jan 08, 04:27 PM

“I will put the nation’s interests first. I will put principle before party. I will be open and honest. Thus do those seeking power today seek to persuade those that can confer it upon them that they are worthy of it - that they are, in short, different from most politicians.”

How Machiavelli would laugh at this. All this week Radio 4 has been serialising a new translation of Old Nick's most famous work, the Prince, as its Book of the Week (you can hear them here) along with a few introductory words from me about the grandaddy of all spin doctors, special advisers and strategists. If you'd rather read than listen they're re-printed below.

Continue reading "The Prince"

Worrying revelation

  • Nick
  • 11 Jan 08, 12:20 PM

As journalists trawl through the list of Peter Hain's donors - wealthy friends from Wales, Formula One and PR - the most worrying revelation for him has come in this morning's FT. The FT quotes one of those who gave money to Hain via a sympathetic organisation rather than directly, as being unaware of this arrangement. What's more, Willie Nagel, who also lent Hain's campaign £25,000 is said to want his money back asap.

Tricky.

PS. In my list of problems facing Hain, I forgot to mention investigation by the parliamentary authorities for failing to declare the money.

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