What will the Tory and Labour election campaigns look like?
We know that the Conservatives are gearing up for an election in the next few months. Their official line is…
Will the no-deal opponents finally get their act together?
So what now for the opponents of no deal? Boris Johnson has dramatically called their bluff, and as Mr Steerpike…
Johnson confirms he will prorogue parliament
Downing Street has just confirmed that the Prime Minister will be asking the Queen to prorogue parliament ahead of a…
Is the Chancellor’s cancelled speech another sign an early election is looming?
Sajid Javid has this afternoon cancelled a speech he was due to give tomorrow, and brought forward the one-year spending…
Stop thinking Merkel will save us, Dominic Cummings warns
Is Boris Johnson more likely to get a Brexit deal after his meetings with Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron? The…
France says no deal now the most likely Brexit outcome. But why now?
Why would French government officials brief that they think it most likely Britain will leave the European Union without a…
Social media is making it harder to hear legitimate criticism
When was the last time you were in a Twitter mob? We know these maelstroms of anger so well now,…
Dominic Raab has to handle a stand-off with Iran and his own civil servants
It’s not an easy time to become Foreign Secretary, as Dominic Raab is about to find out. There is, of…
‘Never mind the backstop, the buck stops here’: Boris launches his premiership with domestic focus
Boris Johnson has just given a rather urgent-sounding, fast-paced speech in Downing Street. So fast-paced, in fact, that it almost…
Forget Brexit: Boris’s toughest task will be energising his exhausted party
Boris Johnson will now be receiving plenty of unsolicited advice about how to be Prime Minister. As his victory speech…
How Tom Watson reinvented himself to become the new challenger to Corbyn
Tom Watson has had more reinventions than Kylie Minogue has had mid-performance outfit changes. His performances over the years have…
Cutting out Corbyn: could Tom Watson’s centrist ‘Momentum’ save Labour?
Ever since Jeremy Corbyn was elected as leader of the Labour party, many of his MPs have dreamed of deposing…
Johnson and Hunt try to unite the Tory party in final leadership debate
Tonight’s Sun debate between Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt was far more relaxed than last week’s head-to-head clash. But it…
The in-tray of horrors that Theresa May has left for her successor
‘Dear Chief Secretary, I’m afraid there is no money. Kind regards — and good luck!’ Liam Byrne will forever be…
Tory leadership candidates start frenzied final push for support
With just a few days to go until nominations close in the Tory leadership contest, candidates are busy trying to…
The Boris Brexit court case isn’t as bad for his leadership bid as some hope
Will Boris Johnson being told to answer to allegations of misconduct in a public office derail his leadership campaign? The…
Ministers shouldn’t be able to escape their mistakes
There is little doubt that Rory Stewart is amply-qualified for his belated promotion to the cabinet. The new International Development…
Pointless PMQs shows up the government’s powerlessness
Most MPs’ minds are elsewhere at the moment, with the local elections on Thursday and the European elections looming at…
The Government wants Brexit talks to end next week. But can they end well?
Will the cross-party Brexit talks ever end? They seem to have been going on for almost as long as the…
The way to change anti-vaccine campaigners’ minds
What a baffling group of people anti-vaxxers are. They rail against one of the miracles of modern medicine, peddling scare…
The teeth-chattering joys of cold-water swimming
The woman on the path has come to a dead stop. She’d been shuffling along in that bunched-up posture we…
Wildlife obsessives must learn when to back off
Richmond Park is an eerie place at this time of year. It’s not just that it’s the deer rutting season,…
Why becoming an MP can ruin your life
It takes seven years to know your way around Parliament. That’s what I was told when I arrived in the…
Why the National Garden Scheme beats the Chelsea Flower Show hands down
What could be more British than nosying around someone else’s private property while munching on a slice of cake? The…
Save us from the council verge neat-freaks
The autumn squill, Scilla autumnalis, has bright bluebell-coloured starry flowers. It is rare in the British Isles. It is also…
