News and Opinion

Dominic Grieve has aimed a perfect retort to the ‘girly swot’ jibe that the prime minister was revealed to have made against his predecessor David Cameron. Grieve said that he supposed the joke found in unredacted government papers had been meant to contrast with Johnson’s own “manly idleness”. Speaking just hours before parliament is due […]

John Bercow may be forgiven for leaving the impression he is not a fan of Michael Gove as he listened to the minister respond to his resignation announcement. Michael Gove responds to John Bercow’s announcement that the speaker is planning to retire. Picture: Parliament TV – Credit: Parliament TV Footage of the speaker in the […]

The speaker of the house gave an emotional farewell to the House of Commons in a surprise speech. John Bercow said he has decided to stand down from his post either on October 31 or in the event of a general election. He was at pains to explain his reasoning on the timing of his […]

Far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson has endorsed Boris Johnson as prime minister. According to his Telegram channel, one of the few remaining social media networks he can still use, the jailed activist called on his supporters to “back Boris”. Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, said: “It is refreshing to actually see someone have a […]

Dominic Grieve has tabled an emergency motion that could require every piece of communication made between ministers and advisers over Boris Johnson’s plans to prorogue parliament. It is being tabled by former Tory MP Dominic Grieve, using a device known as a humble address, which follows the same mechanisms as when the opposition tried to […]

Good Morning Britain presenter Piers Morgan has claimed that nobody has changed their mind on Brexit, provoking a backlash from his co-presenter. Morgan told Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage that he had “not met anybody who has changed their mind” about whether we should leave the EU or not, despite the fact he himself claims […]

Downing Street has seen polling that suggests Boris Johnson would gain fewer Tory MPs in a general election than Theresa May won in 2017. https://twitter.com/SkyNewsPolitics/status/1171019349718654977 According to Amber Rudd’s special adviser, Jason Stein, the polling carried in the last two weeks tells Number 10 “we are looking at picking up roughly 295 to 300 seats”. […]

The largest bar association for criminal lawyers has spoken out against suggestions that Boris Johnson might ignore anti-no deal Brexit legislation. The Criminal Bar Association (CBA) said that we “cannot expect people not to rob, rape and murder” if the prime minister decides to break the law by not observing the bill, which was passed […]

Piers Morgan has told Leave voters they shouldn’t bother voting again, with a number of Brexiteers agreeing that it was ‘the only way to ensure democracy’. In what some considered a counterproductive measure, the Good Morning Britain presenter took to Twitter to claim that “none of us should ever bother voting again”. It was part […]

A crowd of far-right protesters loudly booed a young Jewish speaker as she lambasted Oswald Mosley and Enoch Powell in a pro-EU speech at the weekend. A groups calling themselves the “Democratic Football Lads’ Alliance” chanted and heckled over a speech at the March for Change rally given by pro-Remain activist Flora Hutchings. Boos and […]

Boris Johnson has dodged a question on when he last visited the Irish border – and whether he still believes it’s like crossing between Camden and Islington. Irish journalists were probing the British prime minister on how much he understands about the border when he visited Dublin. Various reporters tried to find out when he […]

An American television host has summed up perfectly Boris Johnson’s disastrous week in politics, which included a failure to secure a general election and his brother resigning from cabinet. Starting the segment on HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, the presenter moved from the topic of Donald Trump to the British prime minister. Displaying […]

Nigel Farage has again been branded a hypocrite for claiming that rebel MPs were guilty of ‘collaboration with a foreign power’. Donald Trump and Nigel Farage. Photograph: Twitter. – Credit: Archant It follows the news that MPs, who had helped pass the law that would seek a Brexit delay, had spoken to leaders of the […]

JAMES BALL warns a repeat of Labour’s 2017 election campaign will seal Britain’s fate Westminster voting intention. “If a general election was held tomorrow, which party would you vote for?’ Source: YouGov, 2-3 September 2019 – Credit: Source: YouGov, 2-3 September 2019 In a week of what feels like perpetual round-the-clock political turmoil, it is […]

CHARLIE CONNELLY recounts the extraordinary and ultimately tragic life of Giuseppe Campari, a man who combined opera with motorsport. Giuseppe Campari cut an unlikely figure for a racing driver. For one thing he weighed in at a shade under 16 stone, unthinkable for a Grand Prix star today and exceptional even in the early days […]

Few cities possess as intimate a connection to a musical style as Seville, SOPHIA DEBOICK reports. The cultural energy of Seville pulsates to a musical beat. Whether it’s found in the processions of Semana Santa (Holy Week), where religious statues sway through the streets to a sombre accompaniment of brass bands, or the march of […]

Fans of exploitative cults, hard-right politicians and pseudoscience have a great week coming up – but also there’s an event with Margaret Thatcher’s ‘ghost’. What does the spirit of Margaret Thatcher have to say about Brexit? All will be revealed, says a Japanese cult. Picture: Happy Science – Credit: Happy Science In moves destined to […]

Rebel Tories expelled from their party are said to be in talks with Remain parties about a pact at the next election. The Times reports that former Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron is in talks with Rory Stewart and existing Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson to broker a deal. The newspaper reports that Stewart would […]

A lack of investment means laws safeguarding public health and the environment are no longer able to be properly enforced, says Friends of the Earth campaigner Kierra Box. The Environment Agency and others lack the money to uphold really important laws that exist to protect us and our environment. It is hard to see how […]

STEVE RICHARDS says the drama in Westminster is a distraction from a fundamental issue – Brexit is undeliverable and there are no answers One historic convulsion follows another. One of the more striking eruptions is the formal schism that transforms the Conservative parliamentary party. Through all the fuming tensions, attempted acts of regicide and occasional […]

Sajid Javid has said the government will obey the law which requires an extension if there is no Brexit deal… but says he will stick to their policy of not delaying Brexit. The chancellor told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show: “The law talks about October 19th in case there is no deal agreed in that […]

The foreign secretary has argued that a general election is being ‘forced’ on the Tories. Dominic Raab was asked about Boris Johnson’s comments in which he claimed throughout the Tory leadership campaign that: “I think the people of this country are utterly fed up with politicians coming back to them offering referendums or elections.” Sky […]

Angela Smith MP has joined the Liberal Democrats after three months of sitting as an independent MP. Smith is the third MP to join the Liberal Democrats in a week, bringing the total number in the House of Commons to 17. In a blog post for the party the MP called for more inclusive and […]

After the bruising name change forced on North Macedonia by its neighbour, GARTH CARTWRIGHT visited to see if things are finally looking up for the young country TOPSHOT – People are at work to change boards at the border between Macedonia and Greece near Gevgelija on February 13, 2019. – The deal between Skopje and […]

Nigel Farage has suggested that the Brexit Party could stand down from fighting certain seats where Conservative MPs refuse to back any Brexit deal. Despite the Brexit Party leader pledging to take on Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party in an election if the UK does not leave the EU before October 31st, there are signs his […]

Amber Rudd has performed another dramatic u-turn with the work and pensions secretary resigning from her post and the Conservative Party. As first reported by the Sunday Times, Rudd is quitting the Conservative Party over Boris Johnson’s “purge” of the party and his “failure” to pursue a Brexit deal. The work and pensions secretary says […]

Tory grandee Lord Heseltine has said the battle is on for the ‘soul of the Conservative Party’ as he criticised the ‘ruthlessness’ of Boris Johnson’s government. The former deputy prime minister, a committed pro-European, said there was “deep unease” with the way the PM and his “zealot” advisers were behaving. Speaking at the Great Northern […]

An image of Boris Johnson dressed as Orville the duck has been projected on to the side of Cardiff Castle by the Led By Donkeys campaigners. A photographer has claimed that the Conservative Party has stolen his image in a tweet jibe aimed at Jeremy Corbyn. Picture: Twitter – Credit: Twitter The image was accompanied […]