UK politics
Why did the SNP make allowances for Spain during Covid?
The Covid Inquiry’s recent Scottish sojourn brought several weeks of bad headlines for the SNP. One revelation got less attention…
Will Sunak renege on ‘foreign powers’ owning newspapers?
Last week, a rebellion in the Lords drew a government pledge to ban foreign governments and their proxies from owning…
Hunt: Tories will keep the triple lock on pensions
Jeremy Hunt: Russian government creating a ‘smokescreen of propaganda’ On Friday night, a terrorist attack at a large concert in…
Shapps: Netanyahu’s rejection of a two-state solution is ‘very disappointing’
On a call with Joe Biden this weekend, the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated Israel’s demand for security control…
Can we trust Hunt’s tax cut promise?
More tax cuts are on their way, according to the both the Prime Minister and Chancellor who have written comment…
Cameron says ‘military action was only option’ in Yemen
David Cameron: western strikes on Houthi rebels are ‘a very clear message’ This week the US and UK launched military…
Keir Starmer’s morning of U-turns
Another day, another U-turn from Keir Starmer. Or to be precise, two new U-turns from the Labour leader before midday.…
Britain is not a technocracy
The term ‘technocracy’, or more often ‘technocrat’, is found everywhere. Both Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer are referred to as…
Humza Yousaf has irreparably damaged the independence project
As the SNP gathers for its conference in Aberdeen this weekend, Humza Yousaf faces a sea of trouble. But worst…
Starmer faces tough questions as Labour’s conference begins
Keir Starmer began his big conference interview with the BBC talking about the story that has dominated the weekend –…
Can Sunak establish himself as a radical?
The Conservatives gather in Manchester this weekend for what may well be their last hurrah as a governing party. Bookmakers…
‘The zealots are turning people off’: Claire Coutinho on net zero and her bond with Rishi Sunak
The new Energy Secretary on net zero and her bond with the PM
At least Britain isn’t that corrupt
Long-time readers may recall that I take a special interest in the art of corruption. And this week America has…
Why is Sunak cutting a tax only paid by the rich?
Last week, Rishi Sunak struck a blow for ordinary people against the elitist project that is net zero, assuring them…
Broken Britain: what went wrong?
Who broke Britain?
Is Ulez too fashionable to fact check?
Next Tuesday, London’s Ulez scheme will be expanded. A new network of cameras filming the traffic movements of millions of…
Why not house refugees on barges?
‘By the light of the torches, we saw the black Hulk lying out a little way from the mud of…
Rishi’s Tory rating turns negative
As the average mortgage rate for a five-year fixed deal rises to 6 per cent, Rishi Sunak can find little…
John Major has learned nothing over Brexit
Rishi Sunak’s government is sometimes compared to that of John Major, the man who succeeded Margaret Thatcher in 1990, went…
‘We’ve got to hold our nerve’: Rishi Sunak’s BBC interview
As mortgage rates surge and a new Opinium poll finds Labour’s lead has jumped to 18 points, Rishi Sunak appeared…
Is Labour bluffing on Lords reform?
Is Labour really going to reform the House of Lords? The party has ended up in a bit of a…
Sunak can’t afford to lose Braverman
Back in the early days of the Blair governments, Alastair Campbell was reputed to have a rule for resignations: once…
The Tories would be lost in opposition
It is widely observed that many Conservatives are preparing to lose power at the next general election. The Conservative Democratic…
A Lib-Lab coalition would be hilarious
Talk of a new Labour-Lib Dem coalition is in the air. This is piquantly nostalgic to those of us whose…