British Politics

Leave EU’s man in the New Zealand has seen his all of his party’s seats wiped out in the election. Winston Peters, leader of New Zealand First, was the country’s deputy prime minister as part of the coalition arrangements for Jacinda Ardern’s government – working alongside the Greens. But it was reported he had enlisted […]

The UK has rebuffed Brussels’ offer of intensified trade talks next week, telling the European Union’s chief negotiator there is “no point” him coming to London on Monday. After Boris Johnson accused European leaders of having “abandoned the idea of a free trade deal” the UK’s chief negotiator, Lord Frost, spoke with his counterpart Michel Barnier […]

Boris Johnson appears to have got his coronavirus rules wrong again after advising single parents they may not be able to see their children if their area goes into heightened restrictions. The prime minister told a father living in a different county to his son “there may be restrictions”, despite all levels of Covid-19 controls […]

Boris Johnson has said the UK is developing the capacity to manufacture millions of new fast turnaround tests for coronavirus in a move not yet replicated by any other country in the world. The prime minister told a No 10 news conference that some of the saliva tests could deliver results in just 15 minutes. […]

Nicola Sturgeon has said she feels “deeply frustrated and depressed” by the prospect of a no-deal Brexit while the UK is still dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic.  The first minister said coronavirus should have “100% of our time and energy”. Sturgeon was asked about the risks of a no-deal exit from the EU at the […]

Liz Gerard is correct to identify the first-past-the-post electoral system as a major cause of our divisive and dysfunctional politics and to say that electoral reform is the only way to escape this. However, she is mistaken to describe the alternative vote (AV), the subject of the 2011 referendum, as “a sort of PR” – […]

I must take exception to Phil Green’s letter “Bodge job” (TNE # 214) comparing the prime minister to beloved sitcom character Captain Mainwaring of Dad’s Army.  The Home Guard leader may have at times been “blustering, incompetent, pompous and inept”, but he was also patriotic, courageous, inclusive and humane, not to mention capable of inspiring […]

The coronavirus pandemic will magnify the impact of a no-deal Brexit, new research suggests.  The Institute of Directors (IoD) has warned of a potential “double hit” from Covid-19 and leaving the EU without a trade deal. A survey of almost 1,000 company directors found only one in 10 does not believe the pandemic will magnify […]

Boris Johnson has ended a Brexit summit between the UK and European Union with an ultimatum – threatening a no-deal Brexit at the end of 2020.  The prime minister issued a statement saying that it was time for the UK to “get ready” for the prospect of the UK leaving the EU without a deal on […]

Foreign secretary Dominic Raab has snapped at a BBC News host over the line of questioning over coronavirus lockdowns.  The minister appeared on BBC Breakfast to answer questions on Andy Burnham;s resistance to the North West of England being considered for the harshest Covid-19 restrictions from government. When the questions turned to the prospect of a circuit […]

Bosses of outsourcing giant Serco have indicated they expect their profits to soar in 2020, with the company’s finances exceeding its expectations due to the coronavirus pandemic.  The company said it was an indication of high customer satisfaction, despite it leading the Test and Trace system, which has just recorded its worst ever week. In a […]

Pubs chain boss Tim Martin has criticised the media and politicians as the Wetherspoon firm sunk to its first loss in 36 years.  The loss is the first time the chain has sunk into the red since 1984, with Martin criticised those who reported that the company was considering withholding wages at the start of […]

Foreign secretary Dominic Raab has said that he is “surprised” and “disappointed” by the EU’s “lack of flexibility during Brexit talks. Appearing on Radio 4’s Today programme, the former Brexit secretary was asked about what the government’s view was on Brexit talks now that Boris Johnson’s self-imposed deadline had passed. Raab was unhappy with the […]

A petition has been launched to lobby the authorities to officially name a Kent lorry park – being created for those vehicles queuing to access the port of Dover following Brexit – after one of the leading protagonists of the campaign to leave the EU. A new change.org petition is urging Kent Council to officially name the […]

Sir Keir Starmer faced a series of resignations as he suffered a major rebellion over the so-called “spy cops” law. The Labour leader ordered his MPs to abstain on the third reading of the Covert Human Intelligence Sources (CHIS) Bill. But 34 decided to oppose the legislation, including former leader Jeremy Corbyn, ex-shadow chancellor John […]

Jacob Rees Mogg has blamed Welsh “socialists” rather than government inaction for a new Covid-19 border with England. Rees-Mogg said the Senedd had imposed an “unconstitutional” border between England and Wales when it introduced a travel ban on people coming into the country from virus hotspots across the UK. Answering a question on whether the travel ban […]

Like many of you, I’ve made some new discoveries over the course of this virus-beset year. I read, both on social and ‘regular’ media, of people finding new hobbies, new TV shows to box-binge, new podcasts to follow, new books to read. I myself have stumbled upon something rather wonderful, something I perhaps didn’t realise […]

Number 10 has rejected calls from Marcus Rashford to provide free school meals to children during all school holidays to end food poverty – in line with a decision from the Welsh government to do so until Easter. It comes after the Manchester United and England striker launched a petition urging the government to go […]

Seven months after lockdown and we continue to watch aghast as western leaders grapple with the consequences of Covid-19 and their often cack-handed responses. Given the low expectations of an increasingly cynical electorate, there are no prizes for guessing which party leader enjoys the most positive net approval ratings: Nicola Sturgeon. The first minister of […]

Radio presenter James O’Brien has called out the duplicity of Brexiteers – who support the UK leaving the European Union at any cost – now opposing a national lockdown to protect the economy. Speaking on his LBC Radio show, O’Brien told listeners: “The people on the wrong side of history insist we can’t have circuit-breaks […]

James O’Brien has delivered an excellent rebuke against a Telegraph columnist who said lockdown does not stop deaths, it only postpones them. The LBC radio presenter was taken back by a tweet from the journalist Allison Pearson who said the country had become “anti-science”. “Out of all the stupid things in stupid land that have been have […]

Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP could force Boris Johnson’s hand in negotiations over Brexit, preventing the prime minister from carrying through his threat of a no-deal outcome. Sky News’ deputy political editor Sam Coates has suggested that the political situation in Scotland will cause the prime minister to compromise with Brussels. Coates pointed to the […]

The Green Party has joined calls for the UK to retain membership of the single market and customs union, as Boris Johnson looks set to abandon his self-imposed deadline for a trade deal. The party wants to see freedom of movement retained, particularly for young people who have the most to gain from working and […]

Nigel Farage’s financial newsletter promising subscribers advice to “take back control” of their money has been roundly mocked online. The Brexit Party leader launched a website and daily email service, dubbed Fortune and Freedom with Nigel Farage,  to give members the financial knowledge to “take back control of your money and your life”. The Brexit frontman offers subscribers […]

Believe it or not, I try not to yield too often to the temptation to join the dots between the stance politicians took on Brexit to the ones they now advocate on the appropriate government response to the global Covid-19 pandemic. It’s a bit mean, especially to voters in deprived areas who voted Leave in […]

A Labour MP has offered his resignation from opposition front bench after pledging to vote against the so-called “spy cops” Bill. Liverpool Walton MP Dan Carden wrote to party leader Sir Keir Starmer, offering to resign as shadow financial secretary to the Treasury over the Covert Human Intelligence Sources (CHIS) Bill. Carden said that, as a […]

Matt Hancock has been berated online for misrepresenting the French president’s comments about England’s Test and Trace system.  The health secretary tweeted on Wednesday evening that Emmanuel Marcon had “complimented” the nation’s Test and Trace programme. “Tonight parliament endorsed & president Macron complimented our Test & Trace. Massive thanks to my team & all those […]

When Boris Johnson announced Tier Three restrictions for the Liverpool City Region earlier this week it appeared that one of the longest running battles in British politics had been brutally re-opened: The Tory party versus Merseyside. The Region’s mayor Steve Rotheram rejected the suggestion that he had agreed with government plans to lockdown saying the […]