British Politics

In his book on Winston Churchill, Boris Johnson wrote that “one man can make all the difference”. This biographer still had faith in the “great man” theory of history. In his admiration for a charismatic and controversial figure, Johnson seemed to be hinting, or perhaps thinking, that another latter-day controversialist might also make a pretty […]

Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s claim that the Coronavirus crisis is “on all of us” has been met with criticism. Sunak made the remarks while announcing his winter economy plan which aims to support jobs and the economy during the pandemic. He told the commons earlier: “The government has done much to mitigate the effects of the […]

A civil rights campaigner has delivered a stunning rebuke to Ann Widdecombe’s reason for leaving the National Trust. The former Thatcherite minister decided to cancel her membership because of the “sorts of woke games” she claimed National Trust was playing. Flummoxed at the body for publicising Winston Churchill’s opposition to an independent India, she said: […]

Attorney general Suella Braverman has branded Labour “unpatriotic” for opposing the Internal Market Bill which will break international law. Braverman said Labour’s stance on the bill, which the government admitted broke the law in “a very limited and specific way” was “anything but patriotic”. Labour’s stance on the bill matches that of all living former […]

Attorney general Suella Braverman has defended the controversial internal market bill which will give the government the power to breach the withdrawal agreement after being accused of putting “Brexit fanaticism” ahead of the rule of law. The government’s top legal adviser has faced calls to resign as she told MPs it is “entirely proper, entirely constitutional […]

Health secretary Matt Hancock has denied there is a conflict of interest in Sir Patrick Vallance holding £600,000 worth of shares in vaccine manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). Hancock said he found out from a newspaper about the UK chief scientific adviser’s shares in a drug company contracted to develop a coronavirus vaccine for the Government. The […]

Piers Morgan has predicted that Boris Johnson will resign as prime minister. Speaking on Good Morning Britain, the presenter said he “wouldn’t be surprised” if the prime minister made the decision to resign. Morgan noted that many publications who were in support of Johnson as prime minister had now turned. Piers Morgan predicts Boris Johnson […]

Nigel Farage has been called out over a tweet slamming Boris Johnson’s government as “the worst ever”. Farage lambasted Downing Street on plans to create a “border” in Kent after Brexit. Speaking with The Times‘ Patrick Maguire, the Brexit Party leader said: “Not only an internal border with Northern Ireland but now Kent too. “Is this […]

Research by the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) has found student support for Labour has risen during Keir Starmer’s leadership. The new YouthSight data on voting intentions found that Labour was the most popular party among students, with 62% saying they would vote for the party. Labour’s student backers have risen considerably under Starmer, after […]

Viewers have squirmed and cringed at Matt Hancock discussing how new coronavirus restrictions affect people’s sex life. The health minister was asked by Sky News’ Kay Burley how long the government had planned to stop people having “casual sex”. Burley was pointing out the restrictions allow “established couples” to meet up but bans those who […]

The government has criticised the BBC for allowing Keir Starmer a “right of reply” broadcast on prime time television. The leader of the opposition was allowed to speak to the nation a day after Boris Johnson’s address was broadcast on all of the major television channels. Under BBC guidelines it is standard for the Labour […]

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 […]