I can’t recall the number of conversations I’ve had over the years, usually semi-drunken ones, regarding whether or not America has a class system or not. Many Americans and non-Americans, left-wingers and right-wingers, have insisted during such arguments that America does not have a class system at all, and to think otherwise is to misunderstand […]
Archives for December 2016
What will this “populist” version of Jeremy Corbyn look like then?
The Labour Party have announced that in the new year, there will be a Jeremy Corbyn “re-launch”, one positing him as a “left-wing populist”. The first thing to say is that, ironic given the content, this story is so achingly Corbyn era Labour in its design it hurts: telling the Guardian you’ll be doing something […]
Have you heard the Labour MP’s Christmas song? It’s way worse than you think
Last night, someone asked me if I’d heard the Labour Christmas record. “You mean “JC for PM for Me?” I asked. “No, the one Jarvis, Rayner and McDonagh have done about workers rights.” “Oh my God no! I must hear this immediately.” “It’s way worse than you think.” “Worse than “JC for PM for Me”?” […]
We can see now that the vote in 2013 was one of the most shameful episodes in the history of British foreign policy
Yesterday, the House of Commons hosted an emergency debate on Syria. I wasn’t sure whether to feel good about this or bitter about it. I could feel good in the sense that at least parliament could see that what is happening in Aleppo at present is horrific enough to warrant such a thing; bitter in […]
The showdown over single market membership could be immense – or not…
As I’ve said before, trying to make sense of Labour’s position on Brexit has been all but impossible. Now there’s a new twist. Both the Tories and Labour are claiming victory in regards to last week’s vote in the Commons regarding leaving the EU: the Tories say that the prime minister managed to extract a […]
Labour’s reaction to the two by-elections tells its own tale
Following on from the Sleaford by-election, in which Labour came fourth, Labour MP for Croydon North Steve Reed said: “Labour risks becoming the party of the 0% if we manage to upset both Remainers and Leavers by equivocating our position.” It was a pithy statement I think will be remembered for years to come. For […]
What does the Sleaford North Hykeham by-election result actually mean?
Another week, another by-election – this time in Lincolnshire, where a former sitting Tory MP, Stephen Phillips, had resigned over the government’s handling of Brexit. As soon as it was called, UKIP bigged it up as a potential by-election victory; that it would demonstrate that they have what it takes to upset the apple cart, much like what happened […]
This is what Labour’s Brexit strategy should be, plain and simple
Over the last few months, I’ve had many conversations in Westminster around how appalling Labour’s handling of the Brexit debate has been. Many respond to my exhortations about Corbyn’s incompetence in this area by saying “what else could he have done?”, as if everything that has taken place since June 24th has been part of an unstoppable force […]
Why it’s inevitable that Momentum will eventually split – and what may happen afterwards
It was the big story for anyone who attended this year’s Labour conference in Liverpool: the energy at the Momentum World Transformed thing versus the feeling of death warmed over at Labour conference itself. Another narrative around this emerged, post-conference: how long until Momentum itself splits, taking down the Labour Party with it? After all, […]
What next for the EU now that Renzi’s referendum has failed?
It wasn’t even remotely close. In yesterday’s nationwide Italian referendum, voters there rejected prime minister Renzi’s sweeping reforms to the constitution, 59-41. Or I should say, ex-Italian prime minister: Renzi, as expected, has resigned this morning. Also as expected, every public Eurosceptic in Britain is in full victory mode. Roger Helmer’s tweet summarises the message […]