Labour, it is fair to say, is having some problems at present. Bitter infighting, a leader who has decided that parliamentary democracy and the rules that go with it are not his cup of tea, talk of a split – why not throw in the launch of a long awaited report on the Iraq war […]
Despite of all of the rhetoric, there still could be a general election soon enough
One of the mainstays of each of the Tory candidates for prime minister has been a vocal ruling out of a general election any time soon. Labour in particular, but everyone one else for that matter, should be aware that not only does this not mean that there won’t be another general election sometime in the […]
We need experience to get us out of this mess – this is no time for Leadsom
I met Andrea Leadsom for a meeting once. I had arranged it with her on a policy topic I can’t now recall, and was delighted when she agreed. Her very tall researcher picked me up from Central Hall and took me into the Commons. He was charming and I felt relaxed about the meeting ahead. Until […]
The move for Tory MPs to rubber stamp May as prime minster, bypassing the membership, might backfire
I’ll declare an interest right off the bat: I very much prefer Theresa May as the next prime minister. I can’t believe it has come to that, but there you are. She is far and away the least bad option here. Compare her to Michael “come meet the psychopaths I’ll be working with” Gove, and […]
The three events that completely changed British political history over the past decades
No, one of them is not the EU referendum result. That would be too obvious. Instead I have taken a trio of happenings that I think changed the course of British political history over the last ten years in unthinkable ways that could easily have gone the other way. Gordon Brown not calling the 2007 […]
The next prime minister will be Michael Gove. I don’t see how it can be avoided
Another extraordinary day in British politics was had yesterday. It rounds off an unbelievable week, the likes of which has never been seen previously. Everything has changed in a way that would have been hard to fathom seven days ago. Just when it looked like one item was settled – who the next PM is […]
The idea of Westminster and London getting a bloody nose is perhaps the worst Brexit lie of all
In the wake of the Brexit vote, a particular trope has emerged amongst some journalists and members of the public on social media: that the vote to leave the EU was a “bloody nose” to Westminster and London. I have no doubt that many voters meant it this way – the reality of what will happen […]
This is what I think the Tories will do next in the Brexit saga – and its consequences
Before the EU referendum, I predicted that if the country voted Leave, the Tories would do one of two things. Either take us out of the single market and try and remodel the country as a low tax, small state neocon paradise; or they would curl up into a foetal position and beg for mummy. […]
Britain, post-Brexit, reminds me of the worst of America
I travelled extensively across America when I was younger, taking in a total of 35 different states. It is an odd place in many respects, and there are things about it I really like and things about the place I’m not so fond of. One of the more alarming elements of American culture is the […]
Could this Labour MP save the country?
The country is in a mess at present – only the most passionate Leave oriented folk will deny that; even most of them concede it. Everyone is looking to what happens next. Some clues are given in what is possibly the most extraordinary newspaper article ever written by a major political figure in British history. […]