For decades, both right and left ignored co-ops (though both Gordon Brown and David Cameron have recently endorsed the ideal).

ECONOMIST: Robert Oakeshott

Prime Minister David Cameron was recently quoted as saying it was not right for the RAF to have planes that were ready for dogfights with the Soviet Union air force.

BBC: RAF Typhoon jets

Yet David Cameron has twice recently passed up the chance to fire his health secretary when first Liam Fox's and then Chris Huhne's resignations forced cabinet changes on him.

BBC: Cameron stands by Lansley

Mr Mackay was until recently David Cameron's political and parliamentary adviser.

BBC: Hung parliaments of the past

In Davos recently David Cameron argued that successful currency unions had vital features in common: a lender of last resort for the state, economic integration and flexibility to deal with shocks, fiscal transfers and collective debt.

ECONOMIST: Charlemagne

It is the sort of easily understood message that has increased Mr Farage's profile - as has his Boris Johnson-esque political maverick style, such as recently laughing off David Cameron's jibe that UKIP had some pretty odd people in it.

BBC: How UKIP became a British political force

David Cameron, one of the leadership candidates, recently suggested legislating to equalise the size of all constituencies, even if that resulted in some odd geographical entities.

ECONOMIST: Psephology

Coulson had recently resigned from a job as an aide to Prime Minister David Cameron.

FORBES: The News Corp Scandal Keeps Heating Up

Abroad, Mr De Wever is getting attention: he was recently invited to London for talks with the British prime minister, David Cameron.

ECONOMIST: Charlemagne

The reason David Cameron made his definitive pledge to oppose a third runway and the reason every major political party has recently opposed it is that airport noise is extraordinarily unpopular, affects people across dozens of constituencies and pledges to halt it can turn elections.

BBC: No Heathrow U-turn, but what next?