British Politics

A Tory MP has clashed with a BBC chief over the lack of Union flags featuring in the corporation’s annual report. James Wild MP repeatedly asked new director-general Tim Davie why the flag had failed to appear on the report during a Commons grilling on the BBC’s role as a representative of Britain on the world stage. Davie […]

The Brexit vote and subsequent negotiations have reinforced an image of the UK as insular and exceptionalist. It will need a rebrand if it wants continued success away from the EU. As the UK prepares for economic recovery from COVID and makes the best of Brexit, it is striking that there has been no talk […]

Boris Johnson has said coronavirus restrictions are being eased “once and for all” as the UK marks the anniversary of the first national lockdown. The prime minister offered his “sincere condolences to those who have lost loved ones” and praised the “great spirit” displayed ahead of the nation pausing in remembrance on Tuesday. With the […]

Conservative rebels have failed in their bid to prevent ministers from signing trade agreements with countries implicated in genocide following Brexit. The House of Commons voted 319 to 297, majority 22, to disagree with a Lords amendment to the Trade Bill. This would have established a parliamentary panel of judicial experts to determine whether any […]

First minister Nicola Sturgeon did not breach the ministerial code, an independent inquiry has concluded. The finding clears the first minister of any wrongdoing in the Salmond inquiry into sexual assault complaints. An investigation by James Hamilton found that Sturgeon did not breach the ministerial code, following allegations she failed to record meetings with Salmond and others in […]

The government has acquired a second plane painted in the colours of the Union flag to ferry the prime minister and other dignitaries around on short-haul trips. The six-month-old Airbus A321 was captured at Stansted Airport at the weekend with the new red, white and blue paintwork, The Independent revealed. Downing Street came under fire last […]

Technical problems delayed Priti Patel’s appearance in the House of Commons ahead of an update on the protests in Bristol. MPs had assembled in the chamber for Home Office questions at 2.30pm, but problems in allowing MPs to appear virtually in the chamber caused speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle to suspend business immediately. He told the […]

The Scottish government has published a draft Bill for a second vote on independence. Constitution secretary Mike Russell said that while the timing of such a vote should be determined by the next Scottish parliament, ministers believe people living north of the border “have the right to decide how we recover from the pandemic and […]

Britain must brace for another wave of coronavirus infections being imported from Europe as cases rise on the continent, Boris Johnson has warned. The prime minister said he expected the third wave of Covid-19 infections, seen in countries such as France and Italy, to “wash up on our shores as well”. But Johnson said he […]

The independent inquiry into whether Nicola Sturgeon breached the ministerial code is expected to be released imminently, according to reports. An investigation by James Hamilton QC has been examining whether Scotland’s first minister misled parliament. He is also examining if she should have recorded meetings with Alex Salmond and whether she prolonged the government’s defence […]

A Good Morning Britain (GMB) presenter has criticised Nigel Farage for blaming the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement for some of the Bristol riots on Sunday evening. Thousands took the streets over the weekend to protest against legislation giving police increased powers to shut down peaceful protests. Demonstrations turned ugly when protesters began hurling projectiles at officers and set vehicles […]

Sir Keir Starmer said Labour would not fight “yesterday’s wars” after rejecting criticism of a pro-EU choice for the Hartlepool by-election. Dr Paul Williams, who was an opponent of Brexit and backed a People’s Vote, is standing in the constituency in which almost 70% voted to Leave in the 2016 referendum. But the Labour leader has […]

Policing minister Kit Malthouse has sparked chaos in the Home Office after going to work while waiting for the results of a Covid test. Home Office staff in London were forced to self-isolate and a deep-clean was arranged and air vents changed after Malthouse’s test came back positive, the Sunday Times reported. Government guidance says workers […]

Independence for Scotland would be like Brexit on a rocket to Mars, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has said. Speaking at the UK Liberal Democrat spring conference, Rennie said now is not the moment for the “long, divisive, argumentative, exhausting, all-consuming event” of another referendum on the issue. SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford has […]

Questions are bring raised about David Cameron’s latest lobbying attempt after it emerged he pressured the chancellor in private texts to issue hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of emergency Covid loans to a company he was advising. The Sunday Times reported the former prime minister sent multiple texts to Rishi Sunak’s private phone in April 2020 badgering […]

MPs can “send a signal” to China and “give hope” to victims of human rights abuses by supporting a House of Lords amendment to the post-Brexit Trade Bill, a former Conservatives leader said. The government will seek in the Commons to overturn the amendment which would limit its ability to strike agreements with countries involved […]

Boris Johnson is expected to ask European leaders this week to dismiss any proposals to block coronavirus vaccine exports to the UK. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has ramped up the rhetoric this weekend, saying the EU has the power to “forbid” exports, adding: “That is the message to AstraZeneca.” The warning reflects […]

Ahead of a crucial vote on Europe at the Lib Dem’s spring conference, LAYLA MORAN outlines the party’s position on Brexit. I don’t think many Liberal Democrat members will easily forget the crushing disappointment we felt when we saw the results of the referendum. I am sure many of you, like me, shed a tear […]

Downing Street has sought to distance Boris Johnson from Jacob Rees-Mogg’s verbal attack on a journalist, but declined to issue an apology. No 10 said on Friday they were “not comments that the PM would’ve made,” but a spokesman chose not to rebuke the Commons leader. Rees-Mogg abused the HuffPost journalist after he published a […]

Sir Keir Starmer has accused Nicola Sturgeon of hypocrisy over her claims the Alex Salmond inquiry has been partisan in response to the leaked findings that she allegedly misled parliament. He also said that there “should be a resignation” is there is found to have been a breach. After the Holyrood inquiry into the government’s unlawful […]

A pair of BBC presenters have come under fire by a government minister after mocking Tory colleagues for their use of the Union flag during interviews. BBC Breakfast hosts Charlie Stayt and Naga Munchetty laughed as they pointed out large flags have begun regularly appearing in the background of Zoom calls with the frontbenchers. It followed an […]

Sir Keir Starmer has “gone mad”, a Tory government minister has claimed. Conservative frontbencher Christopher Pincher said that the Labour leader is a “prisoner of woke” and that the Labour leader should “direct” mayor of London Sadiq Khan to focus on housing and other projects rather than trying to “pull down” statues in parks. Khan […]

A former MP ousted by Boris Johnson’s landslide win in 2019 has been announced as Labour’s candidate in the Hartlepool by-election. Dr Paul Williams, formerly the MP for Stockton South from 2017 until 2019, has been chosen to contest the seat after incumbent Mike Hill resigned this week amid sexual harassment allegations. Hill’s sudden departure […]

The prime minister is due to receive his first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine as a host of European countries announced they would return to using the jab following fresh safety assurances. A slew of countries, including Germany and France, reversed their decision to temporarily pause its use over blood clot concerns after the European […]

Jacob Rees-Mogg was accused of smearing a journalist and was urged to apologise during a row over trade deal remarks made by the foreign secretary. A leaked video call, published by the HuffPost website, suggested Dominic Raab told officials the UK should strike trade deals with nations that do not meet European standards on human […]

The Liberal Democrats are pushing ahead with a pledge to overhaul the UK’s asylum seeker laws and boost refugee intake numbers at this weekend’s party conference. Members will be asked to vote on boosting the UK’s refugee intake to 10,000 applicants a year and strengthen family reunion rights.   A motion being brought forward by former Lib […]

US president Joe Biden and vice president Kamala Harris have been invited to Northern Ireland when public health conditions allow. The invitation was extended during a virtual meeting with Stormont first minister Arlene Foster and deputy first minister Michelle O’Neill on St Patrick’s Day. During the meeting, the president and vice president expressed their strong […]

A Tory candidate contesting the May 6 local elections has stood down after tweets emerged of him calling two female MPs “vile”. Stuart Brown, who planned to stand for the council seat of Ryde West on the Isle of Wight in the upcoming elections, said he did not want to be a “distraction” and that his words […]