News and Opinion

Remaniacs podcast host Alex Andreou has perfectly taken apart the Brexiteers’ celebrations in just 90 seconds – pointing out how it will not be a great moment of healing. Appearing on talkRADIO, Andreou likened the celebrations to footballers “doing a big slide in front of the opposition fans”. He said: “I don’t wish to deny […]

As the Lib Dems look for a leader and sense of direction, BARNABY TOWNS searches for signs in the data thrown up by last month’s election. You don’t have to go too far back to remember a time when the Liberal Democrats were riding a wave of optimism. Last autumn the party was buoyed by […]

Boris Johnson could move the House of Lords to York under new plans shake-up the second chamber. According to the Sunday Times the prime minister has ordered civil servants to look at the practicalities of moving peers to York or even Birmingham. The government is also proposing a House of Commons ‘tour’ that will see […]

Labour will put forward former Commons speaker John Bercow for a peerage, according to newspaper reports. In December Bercow looked set to become the first speaker in 230 years not to receive an automatic peerage in the New Year’s honours list. Such a move would be remarkable given that Bercow was a Tory MP, before […]

The series of events marking the centenery of Federico Fellini shows how his ebullient and vivid films belong to a different era, when cinema dared to be art. JAMES OLIVER reports. Italian film director Federico Fellini directing actress Anita Ekberg during the shooting of the movie ‘Boccaccio ’70’, Rome EUR 1961. (Photo by Archivio Cicconi/Getty […]

The city’s legendarily sweaty pub circuit has produced some unforgettable rock sounds, some macho, some political and some sentimental. SOPHIA DEBOICK reports. For thousands for years, Sydney was the dominion of the Eora nation, but it took only 100 years for that to be irrevocably changed and for the rich musical culture of indigenous Australians […]

Newspaper reports have suggested that Boris Johnson is planning a reshuffle of his cabinet after Brexit day. The Sunday Telegraph reports a Number 10 source saying that Boris Johnson intends to “reward competence and hard work”. The same source criticised some ministers who toured television and radio studios to boost their own profiles. The Sun […]

After a recent trip to Dublin, BONNIE GREER reflects on what lessons Ireland can give post-Brexit Britain. Returning from another trip to Dublin, it is apparent to me that Ireland is ready for the ‘Roaring Twenties’. Of course it has its problems. That, no one can deny. For example, one of my previous visits brought […]

The Liberal Democrats will wait until July to announce its new leader, the party has revealed. The move comes after a poor general election showing in December saw ex-leader Jo Swinson lose her East Dunbartonshire seat. The Lib Dems’ federal board decided on Saturday that nominations for candidates would open on May 11th and close […]

Boris Johnson has a ‘problem with women’ – and having one as leader of the Labour Party will be best to oust him, says Emily Thornberry. Launching her bid to replace Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the opposition, shadow foreign secretary Thornberry said she was best placed to oust the PM within five years. She […]

A group of MEPs from the European Union have created a ‘friendship group’ to keep close ties with the UK as it leaves the European Union. Earlier this week British MEPs made a series of emotional farewells as they participated for the last time in the EU’s elected chamber before Brexit on January 31. Now […]

The government plans to mark Brexit day by projecting a clock on to Downing Street before Boris Johnson delivers a speech. Buildings around Whitehall will be lit up as part of the light show that evening, and flags will be flown on all the poles in Parliament Square. The commemorative Brexit coin will come into […]

Thirty years after the death of Terry-Thomas, RICHARD LUCK pays tribute to the man who represented a much-loved archetype. Way back in the infancy of mobile phones, one2one – now T-Mobile – ran a series of adverts in which celebrities explained which famous name they’d most want to have a one-to-one with. Kate Moss plumped […]

They might be fierce rivals, but Milan’s two football clubs have plenty that unites them. NEIL JENSEN reports on their complex history. Players of FC Internazionale celebrate winning the league after the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Ascoli at San Siro stadium on May 11, 1980 in Milan, Italy. – Credit: FC Internazionale […]

New YouGov polling has suggested again that Keir Starmer could win the Labour leadership contest – increasing his popularity with the membership based upon the last survey. Based on first preferences in the first round Starmer has 46% of support compared to Rebecca Long-Bailey’s 32% of support. Jess Phillip has 11%, Lisa Nandy on 7% […]

Needing a different charger for an iPhone or an Android phone could be a thing of the past thanks to new EU proposals. The European Parliament is calling for mobile phone chargers to be standardised so they work for all mobile phones and tablets. According to the EU the changes would make customers’ lives easier […]

Download the free podcast from the team at The New European to hear our review of the week in politics. Every Friday Richard Porritt and Steve Anglesey review another wild week in post-common sense Britain. The award-nominated podcast is packed full of big news, comment, and irreverent views. We talk about the issues that matter […]

A Liberal Democrat peer has warned that events on January 31st could lead people to believe they have a license to do things ‘reminiscent of things happening in Germany in the early 1930s’. Lib Dem Lord Greaves told the House of Lords he fears that Brexiteers will engage in “triumphalistic behaviour” on January 31st as […]

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 […]

Labour leadership contender Jess Phillips has said that Labour needs to ‘tell the truth’ on the big issues of the day – like Brexit, tax and social care. Phillips, in an open letter to members, said Labour must avoid ‘pussyfooting’ after the big problems facing the UK in order to win back voters. The Birmingham […]

Boris Johnson is being urged to look again at his choice to lead the Grenfell enquiry after it was revealed she was linked to a charitable arm of the firm which supplied the tower block’s deadly cladding. It was announced shortly before Christmas that Benita Mehra would replace academic Professor Nabeel Hamdi on the panel […]

Guy Verhofstadt has said that the young people in the UK will lead to a rejoining of the European Union in the not so distant future. The European Parliament’s Brexit co-ordinator, appearing on Radio 4’s Today programme, agreed with fellow guest Labour MEP Seb Dance who argued that the UK was taking a “sabbatical” from […]

Ministers are preparing for possible defeats over the government’s Brexit bill in the House of Lords next week. Peers completed a marathon three-day committee stage debate on the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill without amending it. But there are certain to be key votes, and possible defeats for the prime minister, when the bill returns […]

Culture secretary Nicky Morgan has defended her decision to u-turn on her claim she would never serve in a Boris Johnson cabinet. Baroness Morgan had initially ruled out serving in a government led by Johnson in the run-up to his election as leader, but less than a year later relented to take on the job […]

Mark Francois’ claim that he can raise £500,000 ‘within 48 hours’ to help make Big Ben bong has failed to materialise. Francois, who has pledged £1,000 of his own money, has so far only managed to raise £153,000 of its £500,000 target by Friday morning despite claiming he could hit the target “within 48 hours”. […]

As a New European reader, you probably reckon you keep a close eye on the continent’s news. Test yourself with our quiz… Think you’re on top of what’s been going on across Europe in the past seven days? Take The New European’s tricky quiz and find out just how much of a Europhile you are…

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. […]

Reginald Koettlitz was one of the heroes of polar exploration, yet found himself shunned and written out the story of his greatest exploits. GUS JONES explains why. On January 10, 1916, in the small Karoo town of Cradock, South Africa, Dr Reginald Koettlitz passed away within two hours of his wife, Marie Louise Butez. He […]