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This is where you can find my musings on the political scene from Westminster to the East Midlands
18:28 UK time, Thursday, 14 June 2012
In modern politics, there is no issue more incendiary than squeezed budgets in the health service.
Threatened cuts to the NHS grab negative headlines for any government and can lose votes big time.
17:25 UK time, Tuesday, 12 June 2012
John added analysis to:
Residents in Barwell took the lead from the prime minister's rallying call for greater "localism".
This was David Cameron's big idea - to give local communities a much bigger say in decisions which affect them. But has the idea backfired in Barwell?
17:35 UK time, Wednesday, 6 June 2012
Like the church spire and the electricity pylon, they've fast become a 21st Century landmark of the English countryside.
There are now an estimated 3,200 onshore wind turbines, many of them in so-called wind farms.
16:17 UK time, Thursday, 17 May 2012
Mention housing policy and expect a blizzard of stats.
The latest report on the country's housing market warns of overcrowding, homelessness, evictions and ever-increasing rents.
11:31 UK time, Friday, 4 May 2012
John added analysis to:
Nottingham's Labour leadership took considerable flak from the government over its robust opposition to city mayors.
There were claims that rejection would endanger Nottingham's position among the premiership of big English cities.
10:03 UK time, Friday, 4 May 2012
Labour jubilation in Derby. Labour relief in Nottingham. Refreshed soul searching among Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.
That's the political outcome in the East Midlands to the verdict of the voters.
22:09 UK time, Thursday, 26 April 2012
A fascinating insight into the Labour mindset in its Nottingham fortress has been revealed by the mayoral referendum debate.
The current leadership has been urging the voters to reject having a directly-elected mayor for the city. But is holding that line and party discipline starting to show cracks?
12:57 UK time, Tuesday, 17 April 2012
MPs pressing for the electrification of the main rail link between London St Pancras and the East Midlands have received something of a reality check.
The cross-party campaign to upgrade the Midland Main Line has been building up its pressure on the government. Local newspapers have turned up the heat.
11:13 UK time, Thursday, 12 April 2012
When it comes to a heavyweight political intervention, watch out for a big beast.
They don't come much bigger than Lord Heseltine.
11:06 UK time, Thursday, 5 April 2012
The Education Secretary Michael Gove may need to brush up on his maths.
He set some homework for Ivan Ould, the Leicestershire politician who represents the f40 group of local education authorities.
15:57 UK time, Friday, 23 March 2012
Mention Melton Mowbray, and what springs to mind?
It's the Leicestershire town that gave the world the expression: to paint the town red.
10:46 UK time, Tuesday, 20 March 2012
With George Osborne about to present his latest Budget, last minute lobbying may appear rather redundant these days.
Forgive me but we've been getting a Budget leak a day for the past fortnight.
15:40 UK time, Monday, 5 March 2012
Euro MP Roger Helmer's decision to leave the Conservatives and defect to UKIP hasn't come as a huge surprise.
No doubt in Downing Street, 'Team Cameron' will be saying good riddance.
14:46 UK time, Monday, 27 February 2012
Should we trust British journalism? That was one of the big talking points of a weekend TV studio debate.
It coincided with Rupert Murdoch's fight back - the publication of The Sun on Sunday.
16:44 UK time, Friday, 17 February 2012
David Cameron and his embattled Health Secretary Andrew Lansley are digging in. They may need to keep their political heads down.
The strident opposition to their planned reforms of the National Health Service is now giving the Tories one of their biggest challenges.
11:35 UK time, Monday, 6 February 2012
It's a political and financial worry for all of us; just how do we pay for our loved ones who need residential care?
The reality for many is having to sell their homes to pay the bills for long-term care. It's one of the pressing social policy issues of the 21st Century.
11:14 UK time, Friday, 27 January 2012
Now here's a job opportunity you won't find in the papers...
The job on offer is for a police and crime commissioner.
16:33 UK time, Wednesday, 18 January 2012
Will he or won't he? That's the question now being asked of Tory rebel Euro MP Roger Helmer.
Last year, the East Midlands' controversial and outspoken MEP announced he was to resign by Christmas.
17:14 UK time, Thursday, 12 January 2012
The annual budget round that sets your council tax is going to be tougher to fix over the next few weeks.
The government wants increases frozen for another year and is even offering town halls a cash incentive.
12:16 UK time, Friday, 30 December 2011
The start of a new year should promise a fresh and promising beginning. But 2012 may suffer from a longer than expected hangover from the old year.
Ask why, and that tired old Clinton White House expression springs to mind: "It's the economy, stupid."
John joined the BBC in 1978, and was appointed the East Midlands' first political editor in 1998.
Career highlights include interviewing four Prime Ministers and the many voters who wish they could.
John now lives near the Trent Bridge cricket ground, having returned to the Midlands in 1996.
Patrick Burns
Political editor, Midlands
Analysis and thoughts on politics in the Midlands
Tim Iredale
Political editor, Yorkshire & Lincolnshire
Analysis of politics in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
Andrew Neil
Daily and Sunday Politics
People and policies that make Westminster tick
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