News and Opinion

All the election news, reaction and analysis on June 1. .

This has not been a Brexit election. But the result will determine what Brexit deal we get Theresa May wanted and expected this to be a Brexit election. But as is always the case, it is the public and not politicians who decide what an election is about. I have been campaigning in constituencies across […]

Brexit has generated an unprecedented degree of unity between the other 27 EU member states. Given that the EU is a diverse, inherently fractious, multinational organisation already struggling with the strains caused by the financial and refugee crises, such solidarity is remarkable. But the powerful reasons underlying this unity make it likely to endure throughout […]

All profits to the victims’ charity Order your copy of Gary Barker’s The New European cover, in memory of the Manchester victims, premium quality and for each poster sold we’ll donate £5 to the Manchester Disaster Fund. – Credit: Archant We are pleased to offer The New European readers the chance to buy a premium […]

Our fixation with Germany is based on a fatal misunderstanding of its history and risks poisoning our future relationship, Every year, the Bovington Tank Museum knows that one particular event will be sold out months in advance, at premium prices. This is Tiger Day, when Britons flock to see the museum’s 1944 Tiger tank being […]

Starve of attention those who can’t keep their mouths shut This article originally appeared in The New European on May 26 As the aftermath of the atrocity in Manchester is being picked through both literally and figuratively, I don’t have anything useful, insightful or helpful to say on the subject. I could join in with […]

Our Brexiteer diarist still can’t quite work out how the Tories got themselves into such a pickle over the funding of social care Writing a mildly amusing diary column in the immediate aftermath of a terror attack is not the easiest task in the world, so in this first chunk I’m not even going to […]

All the election news, reaction and analysis on May 31. .

The Conservative’s muddled dementia tax and the subsequent u-turn leave us as far from a humane solution as ever There is a perception that greedy baby-boomers are responsible for any and every economic ill; that younger generations are suffering while their elders cruise into the sunset on the profits of successive housing booms, their steamer […]

Whatever the outcome of negotiations, Ireland’s foreign minister cannot foresee relations between Britain and Ireland getting better Like any other human endeavour, politics is subject to the Law of Unintended Consequences. When the people of the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union in June of last year, I do not think they could […]

Liar Liar GE2017 will not be played on Radio One’s Official Singles Chart – but you can listen to it here The protest song, Liar Liar, was released last Friday by Captain Ska, a six-piece anti-austerity band. The song brands Theresa May a liar and jokes about her propensity toward sound bites with the lyrics […]

It was billed as the ‘Battle for Number 10’ – but in the end no-one landed a knock out blow. It is, however, true that Theresa May is getting worse in high-pressure interview situations as the election campaign deepens and Jeremy Corbyn keeps getting better (that was until he tussled with Women’s Hour when he […]

A culinary icon of Jewish delis, there are more bagel bakers in London than you may think – we track down where to find a proper bagel in the capital Lots of people are talking about bagels at the moment. Not those pale, stale things you get in the supermarket – real bagels, where the […]

If you still don’t know which party to vote for in the 2017 General Election, this quick test – based on key pledges made by the main parties – is here to help Voters take to the polls next Thursday but if you still don’t know which party to vote for in the 2017 General […]

All the election news, reaction and analysis on May 30. .

As Britain sends troops on to the streets it joins other European countries living under a state of emergency – but does the military and intelligence service response work to counter terrorism. The horror of the Manchester attack casts a long shadow – troops on the streets, a halt to election campaigning and a heightened […]

Election news, analysis and reaction on May 29. .

Governments and societies are going to have to find the right actions and the right attitudes to stop jihadists from succeeding ‘I don’t have words’. So said Ariana Grande as she and her young fans were dragged into the awfulness of the adult world in the time it took for suicide bomber Salman Adebi to […]

Election news, reaction and analysis on May 28. .

Election news, reaction and analysis on May 27. . (Gary Barker) – Credit: Archant

The more votes pro-European candidates get, the more authority they will have to oppose May’s Brexit plans. This article originally appeared on InFacts Despite her chaotic ‘dementia tax’, Theresa May is on track to win big. That would allow her to push through Brexit at any cost – even driving us over a cliff without […]

A sombre and serious Jeremy Corbyn has vowed to be ‘strong against terrorism’ in a controversial speech where he also blamed British interventions abroad for raising the threat level. As campaigning resumed following the horrific bomb attack at the Manchester Arena which left 22 people dead, Corbyn attempted to head off potential Conservative attacks on […]

This week’s attack on Manchester has rocked us all to the core. On the front page of The New European, cartoonist Gary Barker captures the deep sense of loss perfectly – 22 pink balloons escaping the grasp of a little girl. Campaigning in the General Election is resuming and the security of our nation will […]

Responses to the bombing will be a test of the resilience, maturity and cohesion of both society and party leaders The nihilistic horror of the Manchester Arena bombing threatens to suck much of the already-thin air out of Britain’s election campaign, whether or not that was the solipsistic perpetrator’s intention. Tax rates, Theresa May’s U-turn […]

We pick out the most wrong and unstable Leavers of the week 10) Aidan Powlesland The UKIP candidate for South Suffolk launched his election campaign by calling on the government to develop interstellar travel and begin fracking in the asteroid belt for ‘water and/or platinum’ by 2026. Powlesland also hinted that Paul Nuttall could one […]

Professional gobshite Katie Hopkins is to leave her LBC show ‘immediately’ after calling for a ‘final solution’ following the Manchester bombing. The former Apprentice and Big Brother contestant used the Nazi term following the atrocity, which saw 22 people killed and dozens injured after a suicide bomber detonated a device as concert-goers left the Manchester […]

Election news, analysis and reaction on May 26. .

How the indomitable spirit of our city dwellers renders terror pointless Two ladies walked out of the shopping centre in Manchester and straight up to the reporter. They were of what the French call ‘a certain age’ and they were arm-in-arm. One of the ladies flicked her long black hair back, then turned to look […]