British Politics

Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP could force Boris Johnson’s hand in negotiations over Brexit, preventing the prime minister from carrying through his threat of a no-deal outcome. Sky News’ deputy political editor Sam Coates has suggested that the political situation in Scotland will cause the prime minister to compromise with Brussels. Coates pointed to the […]

The Green Party has joined calls for the UK to retain membership of the single market and customs union, as Boris Johnson looks set to abandon his self-imposed deadline for a trade deal. The party wants to see freedom of movement retained, particularly for young people who have the most to gain from working and […]

Nigel Farage’s financial newsletter promising subscribers advice to “take back control” of their money has been roundly mocked online. The Brexit Party leader launched a website and daily email service, dubbed Fortune and Freedom with Nigel Farage,  to give members the financial knowledge to “take back control of your money and your life”. The Brexit frontman offers subscribers […]

Believe it or not, I try not to yield too often to the temptation to join the dots between the stance politicians took on Brexit to the ones they now advocate on the appropriate government response to the global Covid-19 pandemic. It’s a bit mean, especially to voters in deprived areas who voted Leave in […]

A Labour MP has offered his resignation from opposition front bench after pledging to vote against the so-called “spy cops” Bill. Liverpool Walton MP Dan Carden wrote to party leader Sir Keir Starmer, offering to resign as shadow financial secretary to the Treasury over the Covert Human Intelligence Sources (CHIS) Bill. Carden said that, as a […]

Matt Hancock has been berated online for misrepresenting the French president’s comments about England’s Test and Trace system.  The health secretary tweeted on Wednesday evening that Emmanuel Marcon had “complimented” the nation’s Test and Trace programme. “Tonight parliament endorsed & president Macron complimented our Test & Trace. Massive thanks to my team & all those […]

When Boris Johnson announced Tier Three restrictions for the Liverpool City Region earlier this week it appeared that one of the longest running battles in British politics had been brutally re-opened: The Tory party versus Merseyside. The Region’s mayor Steve Rotheram rejected the suggestion that he had agreed with government plans to lockdown saying the […]

A week is a long time in politics. In this Covid crisis – it’s a lifetime. Or more accurately, it’s the difference between life and death. Tragically, this government’s inability to act swiftly has led to untold thousands of deaths. They dithered in March. And now we know if Boris Johnson had instructed the full […]

Piers Morgan has claimed that Donald Trump winning the US election in November would be the best result for the UK. The Good Morning Britain presenter said that Trump has provided more assurances of a post-Brexit trade deal, and his return to the White House would secure a deal, whereas Democratic rival Joe Biden has given no […]

A government minister has struggled to defend the pay of some private contractors behind the ailing NHS Test and Trace system. A report by Sky News revealed the government is paying contractors from the Boston Consulting Group around £7,000 a day to help with the coronavirus test and trace system. Up to 40 consultants were paid […]

If the definition of insanity – apocryphally attributed to Einstein, though he never said it – is repeating the same thing and expecting different results, then the definition of idiocy must surely be facing an existential crisis and doing… nothing. Coronavirus was an international crisis in March and remains an international crisis seven months on. […]

A pub in the Wirral has temporarily renamed itself ‘The Three Bellends’ in protest at the government’s coronavirus restrictions for Merseyside. The James Atherton in New Brighton, the Wirral, has renamed itself “The Three Bellends” – with a sign featuring the faces of prime minister Boris Johnson, his close adviser Dominic Cummings and health secretary […]

Flights between the UK and the EU could be grounded when the Brexit transition period ends, transport secretary Grant Shapps has admitted.   The cabinet minister said it is “critical” that air links are not severed, stressing the “mutual importance of aviation and travel”. Both sides agreed prior to the first scheduled Brexit date of March […]

Private sector consultants are being paid day rates of around £7,500 by the government to help with its coronavirus test and trace system, according to reports.  Sky News said it has seen documents revealing Boston Consulting Group (BCG) was paid about £10 million for around 40 consultants to provide four months’ work between the end […]

The majority of the public back the introduction of a circuit-breaker lockdown over the October half-term, as proposed by Labour’s Keir Starmer, according to a new poll. YouGov asked more than 3,390 adults in Great Britain whether they would support or oppose two weeks of tough restrictions later this month. Some 68% of respondents said […]

Labour has accused the Tories of “showing contempt” for the public after not a single one its backbenchers was present for a debate on coronavirus measures, including the furlough scheme and evictions bans. Only one minister was present for sections of Wednesday’s Opposition Day debate which focused on funding for northern areas under lockdown, replacements […]

The Welsh government has imposed restrictions that will see people travelling there from virus hotspots around the UK banned from entering. The Senedd’s plans will bring people elsewhere in the UK in line with measures currently in place in the 17 areas of Wales under local lockdown restrictions. Under those rules, people must not enter […]

It has emerged the photographer behind an image of a ballerina encouraged to retrain in cyber security by the UK government was not aware the picture was being used in a “crass” advert. The advert cased controversy at the start of the week after the government was accused of undervaluing the arts by suggesting a dancer’s […]

Boris Johnson has incorrectly claimed that “whatever happens” furloughed workers were entitled “93% of their current income”. The prime minister told the Commons on Wednesday that workers under a tier 3 lockdown can expect to receive a significant portion of their salary. Addressing MPs during Prime Minister’s Questions, Johnson said misleadingly that “whatever happens, a combination of the Job Support Scheme […]

The Tory leader of Bolton Council has said he is “absolutely disgusted” that Sir Keir Starmer “misrepresented” him in the Commons by claiming he supported a circuit-breaker to control coronavirus. David Greenhalgh said it was “absolutely untrue” that he backed the proposal for a short nationwide lockdown – which Labour is calling for – and […]

Boris Johnson has been told to “keep up” with the latest lockdown announcements after he appeared to lose track during Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs). Defending his three-tiered lockdown approach, the prime minister said: “The disease is appearing much more strongly in parts of the country than in others. “In Liverpool, for instance, alas, the figures are […]

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford has taken a swipe at Boris Johnson over the government’s scheme encouraging people to “retrain” and “reskill” themselves to stay in work. Blackford told the prime minister that he will never be forgiven if he refuses to U-turn on the ending of the furlough scheme, before referencing a series of […]

Sir Keir Starmer has labelled Boris Johnson an “opportunist” after he tried to attack Labour for not supporting the government’s latest Covid-19 strategy during Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs). Sir Keir accused Johnson of ignoring Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) advice on introducing a nationwide two-week “circuit breaker” lockdown put forward on September 21. The […]

The government is set to install a series of portaloos along the major roads in Kent to deal with possible Brexit congestion from the delays at ports following the end of the transition period. Transport minister Rachel MacClean was responding to questions about documents which revealed the government is planning for queues of up to […]

Ministers spent £64 million of taxpayers’ money to set up a British equivalent to GPS before it was abandoned and shutdown in September. The UK’s Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) ran for 18 months until ministers finally decided to shelve the project, official figures have shown. GNSS was established to provide Britain’s first conventional network of […]

Boris Johnson is under pressure to implement a “circuit-breaker” lockdown, which scientists calculate could save thousands of lives by the end of the year. Downing Street is understood to be keeping the idea on the table, after Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said a two to three-week national lockdown over the October half term was needed to […]

Nearly three-quarters of Scots back Holyrood negotiating its own future relationship with the EU, new polling has found. A Survation poll for the pro-independence campaign group Progress Scotland found 74% of the 2,093 people surveyed wanted MSPs to decide how Scotland interacts with the EU in the future when undecided returns were excluded. When included, […]

The work and pensions minister has sparked outrage after refusing to say if she could live on the £5.84-an-hour wage paid by the government’s new furlough scheme. Under the chancellor’s new proposals those earning minimum wage – currently £8.72 for those over 25, would only receive two-thirds of what they are normally paid. But asked […]

Labour has hit back at anonymous sources in Downing Street who claimed Keir Starmer was a “shameless opportunist” for calling for a “circuit breaker” short lockdown to curb coronavirus cases. Starmer used a press conference on Tuesday to tell the nation: “Three things are now clear: the government has not got a credible plan to slow […]

Former Tory prime minister Theresa May has reportedly told prime minister Boris Johnson that business-minded experts should be added to the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage). May told the 1922 committee of backbench Tory MPs that she is keen that more business-minded people appeared at the meetings to give scientists more of an understanding about the […]

A Conservative MP has resigned as a ministerial aide over coronavirus restrictions, saying the “attempted cure is worse than the disease”. Chris Green, who represents Bolton West, said the Greater Manchester lockdown had “failed to control the number of positive tests” within his borough. In a letter to prime minister, Green said he was resigning […]

Sir Keir Starmer has called on the prime minister to impose a national “circuit-breaker” lockdown following reports the government ignored advice to implement one back in September. The Labour leader has broken ranks to criticise the government over its latest lockdown measures. Speaking at a press conference, Starmer said: “There’s no longer time to give […]