Politics
Boris Johnson was a terrible strongman
The ejection of Boris Johnson from Downing Street today proves that the UK has not gone the way of Donald…
The problems of mid-term PMs
Any Prime Minister who takes over mid-term has to contend with a certain set of problems. Liz Truss will wish…
How to be PM: ten rules for the next Tory leader to live by
Ten rules for the next Tory leader to live by
The case for theft-tanks
The Conservative party leadership contest is a milestone for diversity and inclusion. This time, we get to choose between someone…
Sunak and Truss make final two – as it happened
Britain’s next Prime Minister will be either Rishi Sunak or Liz Truss. Refresh this page for the latest developments. 4.45…
Advice to my successor
Boris Johnson completed his final PMQs this afternoon, offering some ‘final words of advice’ to his successor. Spectator readers may recall his…
The next PM must be ready for Putin
Westminster is understandably obsessed with the question of who makes the final two of the Tory leadership race, but today…
The Conservative party has ceased to be serious
I’m not sure that the Conservative party wants to win elections. Tom Tugendhat was knocked out of the leadership contest…
The verdict: the second Tory leadership debate
‘If you’re still watching this debate, well done,’ said Mordaunt, bizarrely, in her closing statement. ‘I wish tonight had been…
Sunday shows round-up: Penny under the spotlight
Penny Mordaunt – I’m being smeared over self-ID claims No Conservative party leadership race is ever without drama. With the…
Penny Mordaunt's trans problem
The Tory leadership contest is yet to officially begin, but things are already turning nasty. As well as reports in…
Putin’s mistake was to discard the velvet glove
To study international politics since the turn of the century has been, in large part, to study the changing nature…
Boris skewered – for one last time?
A brutal encounter at the Liaison Committee this afternoon. Boris was grilled for two hours by a gang of aggressive…
Is the end nigh for Boris?
Boris Johnson is now facing a situation where if he doesn’t resign he will face more cabinet resignations. Johnson is…
Read: the new Chancellor's interview with the BBC
This is an edited transcript of the interview with the new chancellor Nadhim Zahawi on the Today programme this morning. Nick Robinson: You…
The silence of Nadhim Zahawi
One by one, cabinet ministers are confirming that they are not resigning this evening, leaving a very small group of…
Boris ‘forgot’ about Pincher allegations, claims minister
The government’s line yesterday on what Boris Johnson knew about Chris Pincher’s behaviour kept changing. Today, it’s quite hard to find…
Joyously liberating: Tony! [The Tony Blair Rock Opera] reviewed
Harry Hill’s latest musical traces Tony Blair’s bizarre career from student pacifist to war-mongering plaything of the United States. With…
Partygate is not going away
Tory MPs just want partygate to go away. The hope that the Sue Gray report would be the end of things…
Are the Australian election results a bad sign for the Tories?
Scott Morrison’s Liberals were absolutely thrashed in the Australian elections this weekend. The party’s vote collapsed, and there were big-name…
The sin of neutrality
Yet again, millions of civilians across the Horn of Africa are starving. The world blames the crisis on drought and…
Will the bad luck of the Philippines ever turn?
The Philippines is the odd man out in Asia, a predominantly Catholic country colonised first by Spain, then the United…
Who governs Britain? Not ministers, it seems
Who governs Britain? It’s a dangerous question, as Ted Heath learned half a century ago. But while he was concerned…
Why I resigned over partygate
This is an edited version of Lord Wolfson’s resignation letter, following the Met’s decision to fine Boris Johnson and Rishi…
Boris thinks he can ride this scandal out
Boris Johnson has now apologised for receiving a fixed penalty notice for attending a lockdown-busting party. In a clearly very…
