I have written on several occasions already about how pushing for a “no deal” Brexit – or “clean” Brexit, if you like – is the least conservative thing any government has considered doing at least since the end of the war. But this unconservative streak in regards to Brexit and the Tories runs deeper. The […]
Archives for October 2017
Brexit trumps everything: how the Right have begun to critique fiscal conservatism in earnest
In the latest turn in the soap opera which has become Britain’s attempts to leave the European Union, witness right wing Brexiteers within the Conservative Party imploring the Prime Minister and her Chancellor to spend more public money “preparing” for a “no deal” Brexit. In other words, fiscal conservatives are asking that a Tory leader […]
Everyday at present, the Tories are making Corbyn seem a safer bet
Someone I know who I would never have thought would say anything like the following told me recently: “Getting Corbyn as prime minister for a bit is looking not as bad as what the Tories might be capable of doing, on Brexit and on other things as well.” This is the major danger the Tories […]
If “no deal” Brexit turns into a disaster, the Tories will be out of power for a generation
I, as some of you who read my stuff often will know, am much more optimistic about the Conservative Party’s chances of winning the next general election, whenever that may be, than most people who write about this stuff. There are many reasons for that which I won’t rehash for you now, but a lot […]
What if Theresa May did give the “Alastair Cambell” speech, reversing Brexit? It would snooker Labour
Alastair Campbell wrote an interesting article yesterday about what Theresa May should do now – it is very good, and you should check it out in full. In it, Campbell writes an imaginary speech for Theresa May, one in which she levels with the nation about how impossible Brexit is to achieve whilst maintaining a […]
Can MPs actually prevent a “no deal” Brexit? Why I think Chris Grayling is right on this one
Over the weekend, John McDonnell said that Labour MPs would work with rogue Tory MPs in order to block a “no deal” Brexit whilst on the Andrew Marr show. Marr followed up this declaration with the counter-point, “But there is no vote on that in the House of Commons”, to which McDonnell replied: “When we […]
Is Theresa May really that bad a prime minister? An except from “Apocalypse Delayed”
This is a truncated excerpt from my new book, “Apocalypse Delayed: Why the Left is Still in Trouble”. If this interests you enough to want to read the rest, it is available here. One of the key features of the 2017 general election was what could be termed the “presidential aspect”: the relevant party leaders […]
Why this latest plan for a post-Brexit Britain is really stupid
It is fair to say that the great Brexit experiment is hitting a rocky patch. Yesterday, the prime minister gave an interview in which she was asked whether if the referendum was run tomorrow she would vote Remain or Leave. She declined to answer. For the “Brexit means Brexit” person to be wavering on this […]
Why the idea of a “progressive alliance” is a bad one – an excerpt from “Apocalypse Delayed”
The following is an excerpt from my book “Apocalypse Delayed: Why the Left is Still in Trouble”. If this is anyway interesting to you, you can find the book here. After the exit poll came out at 10 p.m. on 8 June 2017, the BBC interviewed several pundits on what it all meant. Zoe Williams […]
Why Theresa May needs to reshuffle her cabinet, extensively and quickly
Shockwaves from the speech disaster are still feel being felt. Grant Shapps was on Radio 4 this morning, urging an immediate leadership contest. “We can’t go on like this” he said. While Tory MPs are loath to have an election for a new leader just this second, May is starting to make it more likely […]