British Politics

The government is facing imminent defeat of its bill to extend Covid-19 emergency powers, a Tory rebel has claimed. One minister and up to 50 Tory MPs are expected to withhold their support when the government’s legal extension of its lockdown powers goes to a vote in the Commons next week, The Telegraph has claimed. The paper […]

Ofcom has received 181 complaints about The Great British Bake-Off, after comedian Matt Lucas performed an impression of Boris Johnson on the opening episode of the series. The regulator says the majority of complaints made about the episode refer to Matt Lucas’ impersonation of the prime minister, which saw him wear a blonde wig and […]

Three Labour MPs have lost their junior roles after defying the party whip to oppose a controversial bill, backing Jeremy Corbyn rather than Keir Starmer. The MPs went against instructions to abstain on the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill, which Tory ministers insist is aimed at protecting armed forces personnel from “vexatious prosecutions”, […]

Coronavirus restrictions are a “failure of government”, Labour’s Keir Starmer has claimed as he called for a ‘Plan B’ for the economic response. The Labour leader used a televised address to the nation on Wednesday to stress he supports new restrictions being brought in by the government, but that help aimed at keeping people in […]

Boris Johnson made a rare foray into the Commons tea rooms last week to calm backbenchers’ nerves about the party of law and order breaking the law. It left at least one suspecting the PM might not see out his full term of office. “What was interesting was that to him it was all about […]

No 10 has narrowed the number of candidates to fill the role of Downing Street’s press briefing spokesperson to five. The role was created in the summer as part of an overhaul of the government’s communications strategy. Guido reports there are five final candidates in the mix to take up the role which will consist of […]

In July 1995, Tony Blair flew halfway around the world in his attempts to detoxify the brand of the organisation he had just taken over. The Labour leader decided that he needed to do whatever it took, wherever it took, to convince those with power and influence that his party had shed the extremism of […]

Now that the Tory press is finally turning against Boris Johnson, the contrarian in me wants to start making excuses for his feckless, over-entitled incompetence. It’s not easy running a hand-picked second-rate government, you know. Not during the twin Brexit and Covid crises, only one of which is your own fault. Both your own fault […]

Ann Widdecombe has cancelled her membership with the National Trust in protest at their treatment of Winston Churchill’s home.  Appearing on the Jeremy Vine show, the former Brexit Party MEP said she was “tired” of “woke games being played”. “This explains why in the last week I cancelled my membership of the National Trust because […]

Chauffeur-driven cars will be exempt from new laws forcing passengers to wear masks in taxis to slow the spread of coronavirus, Downing Street has said. Boris Johnson announced that passengers in licensed vehicles would have to wear coverings under new restrictions in England aimed at preventing a resurgence of Covid-19. But No 10 said the […]

Former Brexit Party MEP Ann Widdecombe has struggled to name a single country which does not have a trade deal with a country within 2,000 miles – reflecting the UK’s current situation. Appearing on the Jeremy Vine on 5 show, Widdecombe was challenged by pro-EU campaigner Femi Oluwole over the success of Brexit so far. Ann Widdecombe […]

Test and trace. Test and trace. It’s vital, and there’s plenty going on, not least in Parliament where, each week, Keir Starmer tests Boris Johnson to find any trace of coherence or competence in his government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Reports are currently low. And this wasn’t a classic encounter. Johnson was, even by his […]

Sir Keir Starmer has accused Boris Johnson of being “out of touch” on the issue of coronavirus testing in schools during the latest round of Prime Minister’s Questions. Sir Keir pressed the prime minister to explain why more school children were not being tested for Covid-19. Taking to the despatch box, he said: “Many cannot get tests […]

The government is trying to blame the public for the imposition of new coronavirus measures, a public health export has claimed. The “punitive message” coming from Westminster around new fines for rule-breakers is the latest element and is “problematic” in terms of messaging, Professor Linda Bauld said. It comes after the public was blamed for […]

Nicola Sturgeon has criticised UK government ministers for their boycott of Good Morning Britain, saying the move is “disgraceful”. The Scottish first minister told hosts Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid that leaders must be held accountable during the ongoing crisis. She said “Right now, communicating directly with the public is a real public duty on the […]

A Brexiteer MP has come under heavy fire for suggesting the UK’s “collective health” was not at risk from coronavirus. Tory backbencher Lucy Allen tried to downplay Boris Johnson’s own warnings about the fatal impacts of Covid-19. Tweeting the prime minister’s words from Tuesday night’s televised address, the i’s policy editor, Jane Merrick, wrote: “Boris Johnson: ‘Never […]

Sir Keir Starmer will make a televised address to the nation following Boris Johnson’s coronavirus announcement. The Labour leader will get a “right of reply” on Wednesday evening to the prime minister’s address in which he warned tougher restrictions could be imposed if the rate does not fall. Starmer is expected to appear on the […]

Dominic Raab has admitted the government is struggling to get the coronavirus “under control”. The foreign secretary said he hoped the government could get Covid infection rates stable by Christmas. Speaking with BBC Breakfast‘s Charlie Stayt, Raab said: “A stitch in time saves nine. We want to make sure that as we go into Christmas that we’ve […]

Spitting Image have released new puppets representing cabinet members in Boris Johnson’s government. Michael Gove was said to be extremely “flattered” to be a puppet, despite the use of two genitals to form his face. Dominic Raab on Spitting Image Dominic Raab was represented as a karate black belt – a nod to his participation […]

The government has been defeated by peers demanding a ban on the use of pesticides in its flagship Agriculture Bill for farming standards after Brexit. The House of Lords voted by 276 to 228, majority 48, for a cross-party amendment to require the Secretary of State to outlaw the use of chemicals close to the public, aimed […]

Nicola Stugeron has announced a ban on household visits across Scotland to help bring coronavirus “back under control”. The new regulations are set to come into effect on Friday, although it is being urged people comply from Wednesday. Speaking at the Scottish parliament, Sturgeon announced further measures to tackle rising Covid-19 cases including all bars and […]

Farage cut short a telephone call with a BBC journalist investigating one of the organisation’s top donors. In a recording of the conversation, Farage said he was aware Christopher Harborne, who donated £10 million to the Brexit Party in the lead up to the 2019 general election, had two separate identities but refused to be interviewed […]

Tory ministers have joined backbenchers in predicting that Boris Johnson will not last the full parliament through until 2024. Tory ministers doubt Boris Johnson’s ability to last until 2 BBC Newsnight reports that ministers have joined disgruntled backbenchers in doubting Johnson’s ability to lead the UK through until 2024, saying he is now in a […]

Keir Starmer has attacked Boris Johnson’s track-record of ‘incompetence’ and ‘bendy banana’ myth-making during his first party conference speech as Labour leader. Keir Starmer attacks Boris Johnson over history of lies to s Starmer gave a scathing assessment of the prime minister’s handling of the pandemic and of his Brexit “bluster” as he attempted to […]

Andrea Jenkyns MP misspelt the word “British” in an attack against O’Brien online, prompting a wave of ridicule online.  Jenkyns, who is deputy chair of the pro-Brexit European Research Group (ERG), hit out at the radio presenter for a tweet in which he suggested the Tory MP’s real Twitter account was “a million times better […]

May, now a Tory backbencher, gave a stinging analysis of the internal market bill which, if enshrined into law, will override key aspects of the Withdrawal Agreement. Speaking in the Commons, May claimed the controversial bill would cause “untold damage” to the United Kingdom. “The government is acting recklessly and irresponsibly with no thought for the […]

I don’t know about you, but I rather miss being bored by British politics. For the last couple of decades, I’ve been obsessively following American political developments; in fact, for much of the early part of the period I paid rather more attention to events across the pond than to what was happening over here. […]

Sir Keir Starmer has used his “virtual” party conference speech to declare that Labour is “under new leadership” as he pleads with voters who switched allegiances under Jeremy Corbyn to return to the party. Starmer: Second national lockdown would be sign of governmen In his first set-piece speech since taking the helm, Sir Keir said […]

Boris Johnson’s chief adviser Dominic Cummings has been seen flouting coronavirus guidelines once again. Cummings was spotted heading to Downing Street walking side-by-side with his assistant Cleo Watson, ignoring the “one metre plus” rule set by his government. The breach of rules was reported on Good Morning Britain as the footage aired. “Is he off to Barnard […]

With Keir Starmer self-isolating, it was the turn of Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner to face Boris Johnson at the despatch box. It could all have been so different. Had the Labour deputy leadership election gone the Corbynistas’ way, it would have been Richard Burgon facing Boris Johnson at prime minister’s questions today. Richard Burgon, […]

Angela Rayner has taken a swipe at Dominic Cummings while scrutinising the government’s coronavirus testing system during Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs). Filling in for Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer who was forced to self-isolate, Rayner did not miss a beat in pressuring the prime minister over news people with Covid system in England were unable […]

Boris Johnson has agreed to a compromise with Tory rebels over Boris Johnson’s controversial Brexit bill. The proposals would give MPs a vote before Downing Street tries to use powers to break international law, a joint statement from Downing Street and Conservative MPs Sir Bob Neill and Damian Green said.  The joint statement reads: “Following […]