News & Events

Please see below for a selection of the latest comment, analysis and events from Lexington Communications.

QUEEN’S SPEECH 2013: IS THE COALITION RUNNING OUT OF STEAM?

08/05/2013The 17 bills outlined in the Queen’s Speech today paint a picture of a Coalition drifting apart and a Conservative Prime Minister keen to appease his party. read more

The New NHS:  All change … or is it?

02/04/2013On April 1st, NHS England was born. Time will tell whether this moment marks the unravelling of the NHS as a national institution or a key modernisation of a creaking system, designed to equip it for the healthcare challenges of the 21st century and beyond. read more

LexComm: Political Attention Shifts to Retail Banking

01/04/2013POLITICAL ATTENTION SHIFTS TO RETAIL BANKING read more

Retail banking lexcomm

31/03/2013Lexcomm read more

THE BUDGET HOUSING DEBATE: ELECTION 2015 STARTS HERE

25/03/2013Politicians of all parties have long recognised the drag that poor housing supply and construction activity place on the economy. And they took centre stage at last week’s Budget, with mixed reaction highlighting battle lines ahead of the General Election.read more

BUDGET 2013: Osborne plays it safe as growth falters

20/03/2013Today's Budget speech was not the one George Osborne expected to have to deliver. read more

Banking Commission Gives Osborne a Political Headache

13/03/2013Following the publication of the Second Banking Commission report, and the Second Reading of the Financial Services Bill, Andrew Tyrie will be quietly satisfied. What promised to be a discreet focus on the libor scandal has ballooned into a wide ranging City probe. read more

Think Tank Quarterly - Welfare Reform

01/03/2013In this edition of Think Tank Quarterly, Lexington looks at welfare reform.read more

EASTLEIGH - DISASTROUS TORY PERFORMANCE THREATENS CAMERON AND COALITION

01/03/2013The result of last night's Eastleigh by-election was little short of disastrous for David Cameron . By being beaten into third place by UKIP and the Liberal Democrats, it underlined what most Conservative MPs already knewread more

FRANCIS: HEADS WON’T ROLL

06/02/2013The scale of the scandal that took place at the Mid-Staffordshire Hospital NHS Trust between 2005 and 2008 was again laid bare by Sir Robert Francis QC today.read more

LexComm Education: Vocation, Vocation, Vocation

01/02/2013With so much of the education debate dominated by academic reforms in recent months (not least curriculum and assessment reform and the introduction of the EBacc), it is encouraging to see the spotlight also focus on technical education over the last few weeks.read more

Life Sciences Strategy - work in progress

10/12/2012Government update on Life Sciences Strategy indicates scale of the challenge ahead read more

Autumn Statement: Capital spend up, but how many spades in the ground?

10/12/2012Considering the difficult economic news, George Osborne gave a steady performance for his Autumn Statement this week. With the disappointing response of opposite number Ed Balls playing a role, the Chancellor had an easier ride than some expected.  read more

Keep Calm and Carry On: Autumn Statement 2012

05/12/2012Chastened by his Budget experience in March, George Osborne’s Autumn Statement was much more cautious. The bad news that that growth is likely to be slower than thought was tempered by surprising deficit reduction forecastsread more

Heseltine Review: Who will ape Tarzan?

31/10/2012Heseltine has never shied away from courting publicity, so the reaction to his review is unsurprising. It will inevitably generate a 24 hour media story about whether the Coalition lacks a coherent growth strategy. read more

Party Conference Roundup 2012 - Health Matters

12/10/2012As the party conference season draws to a close for another year, Lexington Health looks back at the hot topics of debate amongst health commentators and reflects on how the parties fared in setting out their health policy stalls for the new political term. read more

Conservative Conference: Cameron’s Challenge

05/10/2012After Miliband's successful conference, Cameron needs to re-energise a disillusioned Tory base which thinks that the Government isn’t radical enough and at the same time try to dislodge Labour who are happily squatting on the middle ground. read more

LID DEM AND LABOUR CONFERENCES: A LOOK BACK AND A LOOK AHEAD

28/09/2012Nick Clegg has had a surprisingly positive conference. Whilst smaller (down 1,000 delegates) and with fewer activists than 2011, those that were there seemed well disposed to their leader, willing to defend him and laugh at his jokes. read more

Lib Dem Conference 2012: The Week Ahead

21/09/2012In the week Nick Clegg became a YouTube sensation, he may feel that it is one of the few moments of mirth in the two years of Coalition government. The Liberal Democrats have lost a third of their voters, hundreds of councillors and activists and Clegg is only marginally more popular than Osborne.read more

DCMS Post-Reshuffle: An Opportunity for Industry

14/09/2012Lots of change in DCMS this month with a new Secretary of State leading to much more focus on the Communications Bill and the Leveson Report. Though the Department has suffered a headcount loss of 25%, the end of the Olympics should ease the pressure. What does it mean for the creative industries? read more

CLG and the reshuffle - focus on growth or politics as usual?

07/09/2012The phrase “It’s the economy, stupid!” has been ringing in the ears of politicians since it was first coined twenty years ago. Today, it is more relevant than ever. read more

Health takes centre stage in reshuffle

05/09/2012In a reshuffle designed to placate a restless Conservative Party, it was the Department of Health that bore the brunt of Cameron’s reshuffle axe. read more

Cameron placates his party - for now

04/09/2012David Cameron has faced major challenges over the past six months. In his reshuffle today he has chosen to focus primarily on rising concern within his own party about the lack of a distinctive Conservative agendaread more

The economy: Housing comes into the spotlight

04/09/2012As the UK’s economy sits stubbornly in recession, there is broad agreement that building more homes is a crucial part of the recovery, but the Coalition Government is finding that achieving this is easier said than done. read more

Boundary blues create electoral mountain for Cameron to climb

16/08/2012We assess the implications of Nick Clegg’s decision to vote against proposed parliamentary boundary changes read more

Think Tank Quarterly: Public Services, Private Sector Delivery

02/08/2012In this edition of Think Tank Quarterly, Lexington looks at current think tank activity in the topical, and often contentious, area of outsourcing policyread more

Health Lexcomm: Lukewarm reaction to ‘Lansley loan’

11/07/2012Today’s ‘Caring for our future' White Paper and draft Care and Support Bill have been a long time coming but there is disappointment that many of the most difficult decisions have been postponed. read more

Lexington sponsors Conservative Home business debate

16/05/2012Lexington sponsors Conservative Home business debateread more

2012 Queen’s Speech Lexcomm

09/05/2012As the Government announces its legislative programme we review the political implications.read more

May 2012 Election Lexcomm

04/05/2012Following a strong showing from Labour in the Local Election results, we review the potential implications for the Coalitionread more

Think Tank Quarterly: The Skills Edition

27/04/2012We look at how think tanks are informing the Government's skills agendaread more

Back on the bottle: Government publishes Alcohol Strategy, Select Committee launches inquiry

28/03/2012With the premature launch of the Alcohol Strategy last week, David Cameron diverted criticism from his Chancellor’s Budget and turned his attention to the cheap price of alcohol.read more

NPPF: from national controversy to local debate Lexcomm

27/03/2012The Government hopes that publication of the NPPF will show it is serious about delivering the growth it has staked its political credibility on.read more

Budget 2012 Lexcomm: Osborne’s Budget in danger of unravelling

21/03/2012Today’s Budget was always going to be difficult for George Osborne. His room for manoeuvre was tiny so it had to be fiscally neutral and politically nuanced.read more

Health Lexcomm : Health and Social Care Bill passes final hurdle

21/03/2012“It’s not been our finest hour” said a senior member of the Cabinet to Lexcomm. And it hasn’t. As the Health and Social Care Bill finally limps onto the statute book in the coming weeks, we consider some of the key legislative changes and the impact they will have in the reformed NHS.read more

London Mayoral Election Look Ahead

22/02/2012Over the next ten weeks Boris Johnson, Ken Livingstone and Brian Paddick will battle it out ahead of 3rd May. We review the campaigns so far and the wider politics, as well as the personalities and the policies.read more

Think Tank Quarterly: Localism

13/01/2012We review the work of think tanks in relation to the Government’s localism agenda. read more

2012 New Year Lexcomm

06/01/2012As we begin 2012, we review the state of the parties and look ahead to key themes and events that may dominate 2012.read more

Think Tank Quarterly: Rebalancing the economy

01/01/20122012 TTQread more

Health Lexcomm: Life Sciences Review

05/12/2011NHS to be ‘fastest adopter of new ideas in the world’read more

Property Lexcomm: Will infrastructure deliver growth?

30/11/2011We look at the Autumn Statement and ask if the Government's strategy of investing in infrastructure will deliver much needed growth.read more

Autumn Statement Lexcomm

29/11/2011We analyse the political impact of the Autumn Statement and summarise the main announcementsread more

Autumn Statement Look Ahead Lexcomm

11/11/2011One week ahead of the Autumn Statement we assess the political challenge facing Osborneread more

Health Lexcomm: Post Conference 2011

07/10/2011Consession time? Will next week's return to Westminster see more changes to the Health Billread more

Property Lexcomm: A view from the conferences

07/10/2011The climax of party conference season saw ministers take a softer line on planning reform .read more

Party Conference Round-up Lexcomm

06/10/2011We review the party conference season and a look ahead to future political developmentsread more

Conservative Party Conference Lexcomm

30/09/2011We look ahead to the Conservative Party Conference in Manchesterread more

Labour Party Conference Lexcomm

23/09/2011As the Labour Party meets in Liverpool, Ed Miliband will seek to capitalise on the boost he received earlier in the summer when he led from the front on ‘hackgate’.read more

Transport Committee Aviation Strategy Inquiry

20/09/2011The House of Commons Transport Select Committee has announced plans to hold an inquiry into ‘The Governments Aviation Strategy’read more

Think Tank Quarterly: The Growth Edition

19/09/2011Lexington's Think Tank Quarterly provides an insight into the world of think tanks with an overview of future activity, latest news and a summary of projects and activity in one policy area. This edition considers economic growth.read more

2011 Pre-Party Conference Lexcomm

16/09/2011Boundary changes and the economy to dominate as we look ahead to the conference seasonread more

Health Select Committee NICE Inquiry

12/09/2011The House of Commons Health Select Committee has announced plans to hold a short inquiry into the work of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE)read more

Summer Recess Lexcomm

21/07/2011Difficult times for Cameron as the summer recess approaches.read more

Health Lexcomm: Finding The Right Remedy

20/07/2011With the Westminster village consumed by the fallout from ‘Hackgate’, it is perhaps easy to forget the political trials and tribulations faced by the Government’s health reform programme over recent months.read more

Health Lexcomm: The Listening Is Over. It’s Back To Business.

14/06/2011The two month pause is over. The Future Forum has reported and the Government has set out its response. Now it is time for action.read more

Lex Event: Business Wants More Focus on Growth

17/05/2011Business needs successful and stable governments of whatever colour or colours. But they also need to feel that there is a broader strategy for enterprise.read more

Health Lexcomm: Crunch Time For Lansley

09/05/2011With the Liberal Democrats agitating for change, the Health and Social Care Bill enters a difficult period.read more

Tory success overshadowed by concerns over future of the Coalition

06/05/2011It was a very good night for David Cameron as Leader of his party but a more worrying one for him as Prime Minister of the Coalition Government.read more

New Year 2011

01/01/2011Download the Lexington 2011 political forecastread more

Power To The People: The Localism Bill

13/12/2010The long awaited localism bill is finally published today.read more

Health Lexcomm: Public Health White Paper

30/11/2010Today’s Public Health White Paper provides an insight into Health Secretary Andrew Lansley’s plans to create a healthier Britain.read more

Lexington’s Property Bulletin: NOVEMBER 2010

02/11/2010Countryside Properties; ‘Build to let’ to provide affordable housing in London; Lexington brief eco-towns; Making localism work; Keep informed of the big political issuesread more

Regenerative Medicine Committee Inquiry

18/08/2010Science & Technology Committee Regenerative Medicine Trackerread more

Lexington’s Property Bulletin: AUGUST 2010

06/08/2010Pickles pushes ahead with reform; Reassuring messages; The opportunity of localism; Peel secure Wirral Waters scheme; MPs to scrutinise regional planning reform; Local Enterprise Partnerships launched; Government introduce new schools; New public engagement guide launchedread more

Health White Paper Analysis

12/07/2010Almost as soon as the ink dried on the coalition agreement, the Health Secretary Andrew Lansley set about putting his ambitious and radical reforms of the NHS into practice.read more

Lexington’s Property Bulletin: MAY 2010

25/05/2010Coalition Government to scrap IPC and regional plans; The Decentralisation and Localism Bill; A test for the coalition; New face at DCLG: Andrew Stunell MPread more

Cancer Hits Centre Stage – But At What Cost?

07/04/2010Access to medicines has long been a contentious issue and whilst electorally appealing, the Conservative Party’s pledge leaves many questions unanswered.read more

Social Care Disunity – The Key Issue For The General Election

30/03/2010At a high-tech launch event in London today, Health Secretary Andy Burnham published the eagerly anticipated Social Care White Paper, Building a National Care Service.read more

Lexington’s Property Bulletin: MARCH 2010

01/03/2010Lexington get go-ahead for housing scheme in Lewisham; Government publish climate change policy; HBF launch property manifesto; Government announce route for high speed rail linkread more

Pre-Budget Report 2009

09/12/2009Chancellor Alistair Darling today defied conventional political wisdom by increasing National Insurance, cutting spending and all but freezing public sector pay.read more

Lexington’s Property Bulletin: NOVEMBER 2009

01/11/2009Boris' advisor joins Lexington; Slough Trading Estate Masterplan gets the go-ahead; Government publish the first National Policy Statements; Tories to publish planning reform proposals; Focus on: The London Planread more

Conference Season

09/10/2009David Cameron will be pleased with the outcome of the political party conferences, which see the Opposition retaining a comfortable lead in the polls.read more

Brown Clings to Power

08/06/2009What does it take to get rid of a Prime Minister? Not the worst election results since 1918. Nor the resignation of five members of the Cabinet. Nor even what is now constant pressure, hour by hour, of people calling for you to quit. Still Gordon Brown hangs on.read more