On Christmas Eve, 2020, Keir Starmer faced a choice. Vote for the poor Brexit deal Boris Johnson had managed to get at the last moment or refuse to play ball and vote it down. He chose the former. Ever since, Labour have mostly been silent on Brexit, hoping the issue would fade into the distance. […]
Why 2017 Labour conference was a lot like the 2015 Tory conference
It always feels good to get home after Tory conference every year, having successfully survived not only the Conservative conference but those that preceded it. One of the most interesting things about going to the different party conferences is seeing how much they vary in feeling on the ground compared to how they often get […]
Why this year’s Labour conference is so dull
Every year prior to arriving at Labour conference, I feel a weird sense of dread; that somehow this year, everything will turn openly ugly. Then I get to the conference and remember how much fun I have at Labour’s annual national get together each and every year. This edition is no different. I was nervous […]
Spain saying they won’t block an independent Scotland from joining the EU is monumental
I’m abroad at present – Croatia – so forgive me if Jonathan Freedland or somebody has already written a comment piece saying what I’m about to say. But that stuff Spain has said about not vetoing an independent Scotland from joining the EU is bigger news than it appears to be being treated in the […]
Does the Brexit process pose an unavoidable constitutional crisis?
The answer is probably. There are ways in which Brexit avoids extreme constitutional difficulties, but they are becoming trickier to spot. First there is the nations problem. This has been overplayed in the media, but is still a real issue. Putting aside Scottish independence concerns, it appears that it’s already nailed on that Northern Ireland […]
You have to wonder now if Corbyn really is agitating for Labour to split
Rosie Winterton, the shadow chief whip, has attempted to calm the nerves of Labour MPs, reassuring them all that a move to deselect them is not on the cards. She wrote a letter telling them that she, not the leader’s office, is in charge of reselections if the boundary review gets actioned (which, unless World […]
Leadsom really could be our next prime minister now
I know you have every right to disregard me on this topic given I said Michael Gove was a sure fire bet to be our next prime minister. I will only retort that I figured there would have to be a Brexiter in the final two and that the parliamentary Conservative party would realise that […]
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. […]
What will suspended campaigning mean for the EU referendum result?
Both EU referendum campaigns have been suspended since Thursday afternoon and look to be halted until Monday. Given the proximity to polling day, we’re in uncharted waters here. Given what happened on Thursday, there was no choice. The tone of the campaign had become unbearably hateful, and in light of an MP being murdered in […]
Prince William and the European Union
There is a kerfuffle involving a royal, and not just any royal but the one who may be the nation’s favourite. Prince William, speaking at an FCO awards ceremony last night said the following: “In an increasingly turbulent world, our ability to unite in common action with other nations is essential. It is the bedrock […]