The Lib Dems did it. In what may turn out to be an era defining by-election, the Liberal Democrats took back Brecon and Radnorshire yesterday. Here are my main takeaways: The Lib Dem surge is real. But it is still fragile at this point Some pundits are pointing to the fact that this was a […]
Why the Lib Dems need to attack Labour if they want to win big – and how they can do that effectively
One thing Jo Swinson got very right when she became leader of the Liberal Democrats was saying that, while she was more than willing to work with pro-Remain Labour MPs, she would not prop up a Jeremy Corbyn premiership. This is a key message for several reasons, not least of which is that taking Labour […]
A look at Boris Johnson’s policy announcements thus far – and what that tells us about what he’s planning
Whatever you want to say about Johnson as PM, he’s certainly not wasting any time. He’s come out with several big policies already. One is 20,000 more police officers on the street. Another is a high speed Manchester to Leeds railway line. More money for social care and schools has been pledged. These are all […]
Boris Johnson is way less likely to win an autumn general election than most people are telling you. Here’s why
At the very end of Theresa May’s premiership, a certain sobriety started to finally creep into Westminster punditry. Some started to reflect a little on past assumptions made about what the EU would and would not do at long last. Some even went as far as googling what the Irish backstop might be. With the […]
Here’s an important myth we need to nip in the bud here and now, as Johnson’s premiership begins
Boris Johnson anointed his cabinet yesterday, clearing out half of what was already there. I could say a lot about this – Patel as Home Secretary and Raab as FCO are both truly horrific appointments – but I’ll leave most of that to others. I’m more confused about what Johnson thinks he’s going to do […]
The Tories are engaged in a form of thinking that belongs in the hunter-gatherer epoch
Many people in Britain are appalled by the idea that Boris Johnson is now prime minister. These same people look at the Conservative party and wonder how they could have inflicted this on both themselves and the rest of us. They want to understand the thinking behind this move. I think I’ve found a way […]
How the Darren Grimes saga tells you a lot about where Remain is still lacking
Darren Grimes wins his appeal against the Electoral Commission on the issue of him being fined £20,000; cue Leavers using this as massive vindication. I can understand why: Remainers had built his case up into the ultimate argument against Brexit. This was always a bad idea on the part of Remainers, as is the whole […]
What would an autumn general election look like?
Westminster is abuzz with talk of a general election taking place sometime later this year. The theory goes, Johnson can’t get no deal passed (or doesn’t really want it passed, deep down) before October 31st because parliament stands in his way. He has no choice but to go to the polls. Or, there is a […]
Why Theresa May’s last speech as prime minister was so bad
Yesterday saw May’s swan song as PM – a full length speech at Chatham House. As with most of her premiership, even if you kept your expectations low you would have still walked away disappointed. She took her last chance to make an impression – to in any way affect the national conversation – and […]
Here’s the problem with Unite to Remain
Heidi Allen, the ex-Tory MP for South Cambridgeshire, has launched a new campaign called Unite to Remain. The essence of it is to create a Remain alliance, one in which certain parties step aside in seats to allow Remain parties who have a better chance of winning a clear run. Allen herself pointed to the […]