British Politics

With Keir Starmer self-isolating, it was the turn of Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner to face Boris Johnson at the despatch box. It could all have been so different. Had the Labour deputy leadership election gone the Corbynistas’ way, it would have been Richard Burgon facing Boris Johnson at prime minister’s questions today. Richard Burgon, […]

Angela Rayner has taken a swipe at Dominic Cummings while scrutinising the government’s coronavirus testing system during Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs). Filling in for Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer who was forced to self-isolate, Rayner did not miss a beat in pressuring the prime minister over news people with Covid system in England were unable […]

Boris Johnson has agreed to a compromise with Tory rebels over Boris Johnson’s controversial Brexit bill. The proposals would give MPs a vote before Downing Street tries to use powers to break international law, a joint statement from Downing Street and Conservative MPs Sir Bob Neill and Damian Green said.  The joint statement reads: “Following […]

Boris Johnson has refused to say when his government will launch a coronavirus inquiry. The prime minister said it would “not be a good use of official time” to launch an inquiry. Appearing in front of the all-powerful Liaison Committee, Johnson said: “Of course, we will have an inquiry into everything that has gone wrong […]

A government-backed satellite project to rival the EU’s has been scrapped and labelled nothing more than a “vanity project” by a former Tory defence minister. Theresa May’s plan for Britain to have its own GPS satellite navigation system has been ditched, leaving many in Whitehall pressuring the government to rejoin the EU’s Galileo programme. May […]

Northern Ireland minister Brandon Lewis has dismissed claims that Boris Johnson’s Brexit bill will not break international law, adding the government’s legal advice states it clearly will. Speaking to a Commons committee on Northern Ireland, Lewis contradicted home secretary Priti Patel and Tory peer Richard Keen – the Tory advocate general for Scotland – over […]

Devies MP Danny Kruger was snapped not wearing a face covering on a journey from Hungerford to Paddington on Saturday. The passenger posted a photo of Kruger hunched over his phone listening to music, writing: “Don’t blame it on the young people Boris when your own party aren’t even following your rules.”  The photo received […]

Another top Tory legal official has resigned over Boris Johnson’s Brexit bill. Lord Richard Keen, who is the Tory advocate general for Scotland, said he had handed in his resignation Wednesday morning. Speaking to the Scottish paper the Press and Journal, he said: “I tendered my resignation to the prime minister first thing this morning, […]

A Labour MP has pleaded with Boris Johnson to be a ‘real’ prime minister and unite the nation ahead challenges it faces concerning Brexit and the coronavirus. Chris Bryant became emotional when he begun speaking about the hardship his Welsh constituency of Rhondda faced during an appearance on Sky News. Talking to host Kay Burley, […]

Boris Johnson could be preparing to concede to amendments to his Brexit bill being proposed by Tory rebels, reports have suggested. The FT is reporting the prime minister could concede to a demand by Tory MP Bob Neill that would force the government into seeking parliamentary consent before breaking the Withdrawal Agreement. It is reported […]

Prime minister Boris Johnson has admitted that leaving Brexit trade talks without a deal is “not what this country wants”. Johnson was appearing before the liaison committee when he answered questions on criticism he has faced from his five living predecessors over the UK internal market bill.The prime minister said he had “enormous respect” for […]

Transport secretary Grant Shapps has been mocked after suggesting the removal of graffiti from trains will see more people take the train. BBC News reports the minister told rail bosses to do more to crack down on such acts to encourage more to start using trains again.He claimed that maintaining stations to a high standard […]

Angela Rayner will take on Boris Johnson at Prime Minister’s Questions as Keir Starmer continues to wait for a coronavirus test result for a family member. Rayner, his deputy, will take to the despatch box while he remains in self-isolation. Sir Keir was advised to self isolate on Monday after a member of his household […]

The minister for patient safety Nadine Dorries has been urged to apologise to Labour’s Nadia Whittome who was sacked from a care home during the pandemic for speaking out about the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE). In May, the Nottingham East MP returned to the frontline to use her experience as a care worker […]

As someone who is passionately pro-European, the Brexit process is painful enough as it is. Now, the government are rubbing salt into the wound. Breaking international law is a new low.The UK has left the EU. All that needed to be done, voters were told,was for Boris Johnson to implement his “oven ready” deal, including […]

People should stop their “endless carping” about a lack of Covid-19 tests, Jacob Rees-Mogg has said, as Labour warned that a second spike is likely. Commons leader Rees-Mogg claimed the “phenomenal success” of Britain’s testing system should be celebrated. But after the government announced restrictions in north-east England, shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth warned: “It’s […]

Former Tory prime minister David Cameron has come under fire for suggesting his government’s austerity programme prepared Britain for a global pandemic. Cameron claimed that his austerity measures had put Britain in a better position to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. In an updated foreword of his memoirs released on Thursday, Cameron said although claims […]

A Conservative MP has been ordered to apologise to the Commons after he breached parliamentary rules on paid advocacy. David Morris last year asked a question and sent a follow-up email to the Business Secretary relating to a firm which had given him a £10,000 donation the previous month. An inquiry by the Committee on […]

Boris Johnson has urged the public to help save Christmas from the coronavirus. The PM said people have to be “both confident and cautious” and that it is “crucial” the country does not re-enter “some great lockdown again that stops business from functioning”.He told The Sun: “Christmas we want to protect, and we want everyone […]

Question Time returns from its three-month summer break tonight with an virtual audience drawn from Oldham, hometown of actor Ralf Little. But whose performance will capture the nation’s hearts, like The Royle Family – and who will be an embarrassment best forgotten, like Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps? Here’s your guide […]

A health minister has downplayed suggestions the country could be forced into another lockdown due to the government’s problems with testing. Minister downplays suggestion country could be forced into lockdown due to testing problemsEx-WHO expert Anthony Costello claimed that chief medical officer Chris Whitty is pushing for a two week restriction, despite Boris Johnson ruling […]

Chris Grayling has secured an adviser role for some of the UK’s top ports which will see him paid £100,000 per year for seven hours work each week. Parliament’s register of members’ financial interests showed the former transport secretary, who has been involved in a number of controversies during his time in politics, to be […]

The training focuses on addressing prejudices people may carry without knowing it and has been available since 2016 following multiple allegations of racism and sexism in the Commons. But Tories from the European Research Group and the “Common Sense Group” of right-leaning MPs said they will not be taking part in the programme, The Times […]

Business minister Nadhim Zahawi was forced to back down on his claims after incorrectly quoting the testing capacity figures instead of the actual daily tests carried out. Fiona Bruce calls out minister for ‘fantasy figures’ over nu Zahawai was accused of producing a “fantasy figure” during the fiery debate after giving a number three times […]

Your correspondents and letters pages rightly focus on the future challenges for Labour and the Liberal Democrats, shell-shocked by the election. “Is Starmer more Major than Blair?”, asks Peter Kerr – but is Starmer more John Smith, perhaps?Recovery is not enough now; inspiring vision is also needed. Harold Wilson, another exemplar, also ran the modernisation vision […]

Between September and December 12 last year, I and a dedicated group of Lib Dem canvassers knocked on every door of the four Harpenden wards, not once but twice as we pushed to unseat Bim Afolami, our careerist, lacklustre Tory MP. Harpenden and Hitchin voted 61% in favour of remaining in the EU, so many […]

Sir Patrick Vallance said the “vast majority of the population remain susceptible” to catching coronavirus and the current situation required swift action to bring the case numbers down. In a televised press conference together with England’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty, Sir Patrick said there was “no doubt” the UK was in a situation […]

Former health minister Stephen Hammond told the Evening Standard: “Even in a crisis a government should be able to cope with more than one policy matter. “However the need to make testing available, reliable and with timely results is key to our return to some form of normality. If the Government doesn’t quickly get testing […]