James Heale

James Orr is Reform’s new Head of Policy

18 February 2026 6:00 am

It has been a busy few days for Reform UK. Having dominated the last summer recess, this week they are…

Nigel Farage unveils his shadow cabinet

17 February 2026 11:48 pm

It is parliamentary recess and once again, Reform is making all the running. Having successfully rebuffed Labour’s plans to cancel…

Starmer’s local election rebuff benefits Reform

17 February 2026 5:28 am

The parliamentary recess ought to buy Keir Starmer a bit of much-needed breathing space. But the Prime Minister has suffered…

‘We know where the bodies are buried’: How Kemi put Keir on the ropes

14 February 2026 9:00 am

What does a dying government sound like? At 12.08 p.m. on 4 February we got an answer. Keir Starmer admitted…

Keir Starmer staggers on for another day

12 February 2026 4:56 am

Sir Keir Starmer is now the Black Knight of British politics. Like the mutilated pugilist of Monty Python, he stumbles around…

Starmer’s director of communications resigns

9 February 2026 11:04 pm

Keir Starmer has this morning lost a second key aide in less than 24 hours. Tim Allan, No. 10’s communications…

The Epstein files have triggered a crisis in Britain

9 February 2026 8:34 am

It is not just in Washington that the Epstein files continue to dominate. In Westminster, the political reverberations of the…

‘It’ll be a photo finish’: inside the Gorton and Denton by-election

7 February 2026 9:00 am

British by-elections are often prolonged affairs, dragging on for months. Yet in the Manchester seat of Gorton and Denton –…

Keir Starmer is losing his own MPs over Mandelson

5 February 2026 3:30 am

There is a sulphurous mood in the House of Commons today. Peter Mandelson hangs over Westminster, amid ongoing revelations about…

Starmer’s China trip has been underwhelming

30 January 2026 9:47 pm

Keir Starmer has this morning arrived in Shanghai after two days in Beijing. He is expected to spend much of…

Badenoch shrugs off trio of Tory defections

28 January 2026 10:57 pm

After three defections in ten days, what exactly can Kemi Badenoch do to get back on the front foot? This…

Suella Braverman defects to Reform

27 January 2026 12:21 am

Another one bites the dust. Suella Braverman this morning was unveiled as the latest defector to Reform UK. The former…

The two winners from the Burnham block

26 January 2026 12:29 am

Andy Burnham has been blocked from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election. The vote this morning by Labour’s ruling…

chagos

The fight over the future of the Chagos Islands

25 January 2026 5:00 pm

Westminster, London Donald Trump might be determined to acquire more US land – here in Britain, however, our leaders are…

Andy Burnham confirms he wants to stand for parliament

25 January 2026 5:05 am

Andy Burnham has tonight confirmed that he wants to be a candidate in the forthcoming Gorton and Denton byelection. The…

Starmer pauses Chagos deal

24 January 2026 7:51 am

Keir Starmer has tonight been forced to stall the Bill which would hand the Chagos Islands over to Mauritius. The…

Badenoch pledges to MPs to keep right

22 January 2026 7:05 am

To committee room 14, where many of the remaining 117 Tory MPs crammed in tonight to hear from their leader.…

Keir Starmer chooses jaw jaw over trade war with Trump

19 January 2026 9:40 pm

There used to be a sign up in No. 10 which quoted Gilbert and Sullivan. ‘Quiet calm deliberation disentangles every…

Andrew Rosindell defects to Reform

19 January 2026 7:48 am

Reform UK has gained its seventh MP after Andrew Rosindell switched sides on Sunday night. The longtime Member for Romford…

Robert Jenrick joins Reform

16 January 2026 4:43 am

Robert Jenrick has rounded off an extraordinary day on the British right by formally joining Reform. Sacked by Kemi Badenoch…

Kemi sacks Robert Jenrick

15 January 2026 10:43 pm

Kemi Badenoch has sacked Robert Jenrick from the shadow cabinet, removed the Tory whip and suspended his party membership. In…

Starmer’s gags fail to save his PMQs

15 January 2026 12:33 am

It used to be said that Keir Starmer had a magic lamp, such was his fortune in opposition. If this…

Why Ed Davey is happy being boring

14 January 2026 12:51 am

The Sopranos is not an obvious starting point when discussing the Liberal Democrats. But a TV programme about mafia, murder…

Why Nadhim Zahawi joined Reform

12 January 2026 11:52 pm

How many Tories is too many? That’s the question that Westminster is asking after the unveiling of Reform’s latest defector.…

Labour’s next rebellion

10 January 2026 9:00 am

When Bridget Phillipson arrived at the Department for Education, she knew which issue would define her tenure. Within days, she…