The Office for Budget Responsibility came out yesterday and stated that David Cameron’s attempted changes to the rules regarding benefits EU migrants can claim in what timeframe are “unlikely to have a huge impact” on the numbers of EU migrants coming to the UK. Fair enough; this only makes sense. This is because most EU migrants […]
Archives for December 2015
What the “new politics” actually entails
Relax, this is not another article about Momentum threating candidates with deselection, or about all the social media hate that pours forth from Corbynites; that subject has been done to death elsewhere. What I want to examine is the new terrain we are in and where British politics seems to be headed. The line that […]
Ten questions that Eurosceptics must answer about Brexit
As some of you might have seen this morning in the Guardian, my organisation, British Influence, will be launching a report about the possible unintended affects of Brexit this evening. At the end of the Guardian article, it is mentioned that we pose ten questions to those who wish to see Britain leave the EU. So […]
Here’s some free advice for UKIP they can take or leave
So the UKIP breakthrough some people feared/hoped in Oldham West and Royton completely failed to materialise. Labour won by more than 10,000 votes on Thursday. In an article I wrote on this site in late-October, I said that this by-election would be a barometer of where UKIP stand electorally at the moment. On the basis […]
Could Hilary Benn be the next Labour leader? An attempt at a calm take on the matter
One of the highlights for me of this year’s Labour conference in Brighton was Hilary Benn’s speech at a Labour for Remaining In Europe campaign rally/launch. Alan Johnson was the star of the show, but Benn’s speech was unexpectedly (to me at the time anyhow) fantastic. He spoke eloquently yet passionately about why Britain should […]
Why I’m glad Tim Farron supports the Syrian airstrikes
The headline will come as no surprise to some of you who will know I have been arguing for intervention in Syria since shortly after the civil war there kicked off in 2011. I saw early on the dangers of an unstoppable, sectarian war in Syria, and although I obviously can’t claim to have foreseen […]
What are the unions playing at in regards to Corbyn?
One of my more memorable experiences from this year’s conference season was having a “friendly” chat with some high ranking representatives from the GMB regarding Britain and the European Union. They were none too pleased at the time down in Brighton, particularly about the line that Corbyn had taken around that subject. They felt like […]
Is bombing Syria bigger than every day politics – or is it not?
Yesterday was the big showdown within the Labour Party regarding what stance would be taken on bombing Syria. As a politics nerd, I was on the edge of my seat. Oh the drama! McCluskey’s intervention, Corbyn remaining resolute pre-shadow cabinet meeting (rumour has it, egged on by Milne), the meeting in question getting shoved back […]