British Politics

Readers are split over what action Remainers should take next on Brexit. I couldn’t disagree more with Matt Kelly’s injunction to avoid “I told you so” (“Remain must become something bigger”). We now live in a post-truth nightmare. To not throw every single example of the predictions of “Project Fear” coming true back in the […]

John Bercow speaks to TIM WALKER about Remain’s mistake in voting for an early general election, his view of Boris Johnson, and why he thinks it’s wrong to blame Jeremy Corbyn for Brexit. One had imagined John Bercow, the speaker of the House of Commons during the most bruising and brutal period of post-war political […]

Ousted Tory election guru racks up losses with new business, Dominic Grieve says a new boss is needed for the Conservative Group for Europe and Kate Middleton’s jeweller hopes for a sparkling Brexit. Dominic Grieve failed to retain his Beaconsfield seat in the 2019 general election. Picture: Victoria Jones/PA – Credit: PA Wire/PA Images Once […]

As MITCH BENN neither celebrates nor commiserates the big moment, he has a special message for Remainers, Brexiteers and our fellow Europeans. So how are you going to spend tonight? I’ll be working, I expect; such is the life of the jobbing comedian. This ‘profession’ is the graveyard of friendships and relationships; our job hours […]

Birthday boy MITCH BENN comes up with a proposal to help take the heat out of our polarised times. There’s always a bit of a balancing act to being a columnist; on the one hand you’ve been engaged by the publication you’re writing for to provide your own personal ‘take’ on things and it’s to […]

Row over John Bercow’s peerage distracts from honour for controversial tycoon and when will PM own up to how much he cost as foreign secretary? TIM WALKER asks. The leaking of the news that Jeremy Corbyn wants a peerage for John Bercow in the dissolution honours list was convenient for the government. It served as […]

Remember when the chancellor once claimed that Britain is better off in the single market? Are all the former Remainers now in Johnson’s cabinet as shockingly fickle as Sajid Javid? As David Cameron’s business secretary, and therefore well-placed to know all the facts, he said in the 2016 referendum campaign: “I still believe that Britain […]

Readers question the decision for politicians to centre their Brexit celebrations around London. If the Brexiters want a bell-ringing party, why don’t they hold it in Grimsby, Sunderland, Stoke etc rather than the cradle of the metropolitan elite? I suspect we know the answer: now Johnson and Farage have got what they wanted out of […]

One reader has a suggestion for anyone feeling dispirited ahead of Brexit day on January 31st Yesterday, in driving rain and buffeting wind, I drove six miles home in deep gloom, my default position since December 12. I switched on the car radio and caught the last movement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony – the Ode […]

Readers respond to an article suggesting a citizens’ assemblies could help pave the way to rejoining the European Union. Although I have the greatest respect for AC Grayling and cannot fault his analysis of the present political situation, nevertheless I find his proposed solution an unbelievably rosy response to it. “Imagine the effect of assemblies […]

Rich Tory donors buy Cypriot citizenship to retain EU links, Amber Rudd sets up her own company – and why won’t Sir Keir Starmer talk to me? Embarrassingly for Boris Johnson as he sets about getting Brexit “done”, Cyprus has come to have a special allure for some former and current Conservative Party donors precisely […]

MITCH BENN says that immigration is not the drain on the NHS that some claim it to be – but, in fact, a vital part of it. Before I begin, a quick heads-up: at about the 200-word mark of this column I’m going to say something which, at first glance, might look a bit racist. […]

Readers have their say on our special edition of The New European asking what’s next for the pro-European movement. While James Ball’s assessment of what happens next to the ‘Remain coalition’ is balanced and very sensible, it leaves out the most important – but unpredictable – element. Michael White, in his weekly assessment, touches upon […]

The only thing that hasn’t changed since the election is Boris Johnson, argues MITCH BENN. So how do Remain regroup and go forward? As you may recall, I left last week’s column on a cliffhanger, saying I’d been thinking about things we – as in the Remain movement – could still do in this new […]

Boris Johnson sets up film unit to record the triumphs of Brexit and why a paperback version is still not planned of David Cameron’s memoirs. In a tacit admission that Brexit is all about dreams rather than reality, Boris Johnson is setting up his own film factory to present his ideology to the populace in […]

In response to Michael Haldane’s demand for another pro-EU march. This is far too short notice. It’s going to work far better to march on June 23, to protest the loss of our EU rights. Plenty of time to prepare for a big march, plenty of time to respond to what’s unfolding. Julian Skidmore Birmingham […]

Readers believe the Australian fires are a sign that more focus needs to go on climate change – and that Remainers can play a part in the fight. For over three years now the UK has, in effect, fiddled while Rome burned with endless talk about deals and borders and “taking back control”. Ignoring the […]

Readers argue that there needs to be political reform to bring about a fairer society. There is really no point in talking about regrouping, rebuilding, or mending our broken politics and country until we get rid of one of the main causes of it: the first past the post system. It effectively amplifies the front-running […]

Readers respond to Andrew Adonis’ call for the Lib Dems to disband and to join the Labour Party. Andrew Adonis asks whether the Liberal Democrats now have a reason to exist. The answer is plain: now more than ever. It may pain him to acknowledge the fact, but the Lib Dems (and Liberal Party before […]

With Zac Goldsmith, Nicky Morgan and Iain Duncan-Smith all receiving awards in the last month one reader believes there was an oversight in the list. Despite having read every name on the New Year honours list twice, I was amazed not to see the words “Chris Grayling” amongst the luminaries. Surely, being the worst transport […]

MITCH BENN will continue to be a ‘sore loser’ in 2020 because his views on Brexit have not changed – regardless of the general election result. Okay, so that sucked. Not Christmas; I should point that out. I can’t speak for anyone else but I had a good Christmas, indeed, judging by the fact I […]

A reader has called for Remainers to march again to show they have not given up the fight to stop Brexit. I seriously hope that some sort of pro-EU march will take place (in London and/or elsewhere) on Saturday, February 1. It might now seem pointless to march for a People’s Vote or to stop […]

Former editor’s book and TV show worries Mail executives, Rosie Duffield is in disgrace for winning and Boris Johnson’s fear of ‘Sir’ Iain Duncan Smith. Paul Dacre’s intemperate attack on Geordie Greig ‑ he said his successor as editor of the Daily Mail had been “economic with the actualité” ‑ has led to sense of […]

After a dramatic 12 months, here is STEVE ANGLESEY’S lowdown of the losers who ended up winning. 20 CHARLOTTE GILL A Brexiteer journalist for the Sun, Telegraph and Mail on Sunday, Gill appeared to call for the end of satire after the general election, tweeting “I can’t believe Have I Got News For You is […]

Boris Johnson wants to ‘reunite the country’ as he inflicts Brexit on us all – but what could it entail? Boris Johnson says that he wishes to reunite the country. I for one have a number of conditions before I would even consider the possibility. Here is a selection: – Legislation in 2020 to make […]

Remainers will need to do more than just campaign to rejoin the EU if we Brexit – they will need to help bring about democratic change. Since 2016, we have persisted with a major strategic blunder – to fail to explain and campaign that the referendum was a fakerendum. Instead, we campaigned against a hard […]

Readers discuss who or what was to blame for Labour’s defeat at the general election – and who can take the party forwards. Part of Labour’s failure is that no one (with a few exceptions) attempted to actually explain to the Labour-voting Leave supporters the consequences to them – to their jobs, livelihoods, economy, workers […]

Readers continue to have their say on the general election result and what the future holds for the Remain movement. I am an EU citizen living in the UK, having done so since 1998. I have no right to vote. I have a British/Italian child but had no say over the future of the country […]