Conservative Party

Crispin Odey, one of the best-known UK hedge fund managers, has stepped down as chief executive of the company he founded 29 years ago. The 61-year-old – who donated to Boris Johnson’s leadership campaign – said he will now focus on managing his own funds, handing over the reins of Odey Asset Management to co-chief […]

The UK is on the verge of becoming a “broken kingdom”, a senior Tory has warned in the House of Lords. Lord Cormack said the government underestimated “at its own potential peril, just what dangers surround us” post-Brexit. He said the Westminster parliament could not behave as if it was the only legislative body in […]

Baby accessories and assorted caviar were among a dozen gifts the Cabinet Office has confiscated off Boris Johnson due to anti-corruption regulations. The government releases a list of ministerial gifts on a quarterly basis and just earlier this week dumped a trove of data on the latest presents the prime minister received during April and June this year. […]

A Tory minister has been told that appointing “people of colour to the Cabinet” does not erase the Conservative Party’s race relation issues. Justice minister Chris Philp was told his party had “housework” to do regarding race relations during a row with The New European writer Bonnie Greer on Question Time. Panellists were discussing the damning findings of an EHRC report into […]

Tim Walker on the fractured relationship between the Conservative party and the papers. In another momentous week, the story of how a group of researchers from Cambridge University had found that cold-water bathing may protect the brain from dementia slipped the minds of most of the national editors soon enough. Not, however, on the Daily […]

Protesters have targeted the offices and meeting places of 11 more Tory MPs who voted against extending free school meals over the holidays with “empty plate” demonstrations. Demonstrators laid empty plates with messages on them at the headquarters of local Tory MPs in protest against their refusal to provide free meals to pupils over the October half-term and […]

Readers have their say on the furore over the government failure to provide free school meals during the holidays. As many politicians once again demonstrate that they are out of touch with ordinary people by voting against providing free school meals in holidays, is now the time to suggest that all politicians should undertake a […]

Former chancellor George Osborne has said that Marcus Rashford has ensured it is “game over” for the Tories over free school meals, and that a U-Turn is now “inevitable”. The ex-Tory MP said that the Manchester United forward has made ministers look like a “school yard football team, all running in a panic after the […]

A minister has pleaded ignorance after being accused of leaving children going hungry during the school holidays. Environment minister George Eustice said he did not understand the line of questioning after Sky News presenter Kay Burley put to him that it sounded “ridiculous” that the government could only supply free school meals to pupils during […]

A Conservative MP has been criticised for suggesting “chaotic parents” can be to blame for sending their children to school hungry so they are unable to concentrate. John Penrose, a former minister who is married to NHS Test and Trace chief Baroness Harding, made the remark in a letter to a constituent as he defended […]

Actor and television presenter Danny Dyer has been praised for his latest criticism of the Tories over their handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Dyer, whose previously went viral for calling David Cameron a “tw*t over Brexit, appeared on BBC Breakfast to this time slam Boris Johnson’s government. The Eastenders star used his appearance to call for fewer Etonians […]

A Tory MP who signed a letter to Boris Johnson over Covid-19 measures in the north of England said he wants to “keep the prime minister honest” and delivering on his promises. Simon Fell, the MP for Barrow and Furness, was one of 55 Conservative MPs calling for a roadmap for Northern constituencies out of […]

A Tory MP has criticised his party for continually failing to tackle “burning injustices” and “life chances” because “something else always comes along”. Paul Manyard, the MP for Blackpool North and Cleveys, said that the backlash over free school meals should not have been a surprise and that it was no accident. Writing for Conservative […]

Television presenter and campaigner Esther Rantzen has slammed Boris Johnson’s response to the coronavirus, saying the prime minister should not be proud of his support for children in particular. Asked by Julia Hartley-Brewer about the coronavirus support, she said: “In Boris’ place I don’t think I would be proud of my record, I would be […]

Boris Johnson has been warned the Tory majority in parliament will be “wiped out” over his coronavirus strategy in the north of England. The prime minister ignored the wishes of Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham and other northern officials when they entered the highest tier of coronavirus restrictions without providing adequate financial support. The government […]

Former Tory party chairman James Cleverly has been mocked after tempting to smear Labour by telling people to look at the situation in Wales. The Foreign Office minister saw his name to trend on Twitter as he tried to turn users against Labour by using the example of the Welsh government to prove his own […]

Tory MPs have become the centre of a new protest shaming them for voting against a Labour motion to extend free school meals until Easter 2021. Dozens of empty plates were left outside the office of Southend West MP Sir David Amess, who was one of 322 Tories to vote against the motion last week by […]

Radio presenter James O’Brien has called out the duplicity of Brexiteers – who support the UK leaving the European Union at any cost – now opposing a national lockdown to protect the economy. Speaking on his LBC Radio show, O’Brien told listeners: “The people on the wrong side of history insist we can’t have circuit-breaks […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

The government’s environment secretary has insisted that protections for food and farming standards are not necessary – because it was in the Conservative Party manifesto. On Monday, MPs voted to overturn measures aimed at protecting UK food standards in future trade deals. But defending the decision of government to vote against such protections, George Eustice […]

Labour has demanded a top-level investigation into communities secretary over how government funding was allocated to his constituency over others in the UK. Robert Jenrick said he and a junior minister approved payments to towns in each other’s constituencies from a government fund earmarked for deprived areas, with his Newark constituency selected for a £25 million […]

A major Tory Party donor has been knighted in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list. Tom Gallagher, a multimillionaire property developer who has donated hundreds of thousands of pounds to the Conservative Party, is honoured for “services to land development and the property business”. The businessman is said to be part of the so-called “Chipping Norton set” […]

The Conservatives spent more than £16 million at the 2019 general election, new figures show. The Electoral Commission revealed the governing party spent £16,486,871 across the country to win its 80-seat majority. The biggest chunk of the money, £5,818,998 went on “unsolicited material to electors”, the Electoral Commission said. Marketing and canvassing cost £4,471,937, and advertising […]

Boris Johnson’s approval rating among Tory voters continues to decline as many continue to disagree with his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Less than half (45%) of 2019 Tory voters think No 10 is doing a good job managing the virus while a further quarter (25%) do not think they are, a survey by pollsters Redfield & […]

If your internal bullshit detector has been sleeping on the job lately, it’s time to wake up and smell Therese Coffey. Eyebrows were raised when the work and pensions secretary advised newly unemployed cinema workers that they had “transferrable” skills suitable for work in care homes – because scooping up a 50/50 megabucket of sweet […]

Boris Johnson has claimed that Britain is “more united than for decades”, despite the threat of a split in the United Kingdom, and Brexit divides failing to be healed.   Speaking during his big speech to Tory party conference, he said: “And I believe you will see a Britain that is more united than for decades […]

Boris Johnson is facing a sizeable Commons Tory rebellion over the government’s coronavirus restrictions – including the 10pm curfew and “rule of six”. Leading rebel Steve Baker said he does not expect to defeat the government, but instead get ministers to shift ground. MPs will vote on Tuesday, the day the prime minister addresses the […]

Rishi Sunak has declared that he does not want to take over as prime minister, laughing off claiming his own job is difficult enough. The chancellor acknowledged disagreements but spoke warmly of his relationship with Johnson after rumours of a split between the two men inhabiting Downing Street. The suggestions have largely been fuelled by […]

Former Brexit secretary David Davis has claimed the government should “shrug off” the EU threat of legal action over the Internal Market Bill which breaches international law. The Brexiteer told talkRADIO: “I don’t think it’s something we should take terribly seriously. “The first thing to understand is this was going to happen. “If the EU […]

Cultural commentator and broadcaster PETER YORK on those with the knives out for the Corporation. There is a war against the BBC. Does that sound over the top? When Paddy Barwise and I were searching for a title for our new book, back in 2018, we feared it might be. A war against the British […]